#I colored those gross sandals away

[andyridgeley]

For the ask game!: Recommend stuff to me, please!

ohhhh yeah i got you!!! i just watched renfield tonight and loved it i'd recommend it if you're fine with gore!

also i've been rewatching psych and i'll always rec that one it's so good! everytime i rewatch it i pick up on something new!

anything that watcher channel comes out with on youtube is exquisite there's so much content on there now its *chefs kiss* i just watched the new mystery files ep today <3

and to live up to my url and current marathoning i'll list out my fav john cusack movies and this will be long so under the cut:

1408 - underrated stephen king horror flick they really put john cusack in a room and said act a one man show babey and he killed it where's his academy award love & mercy - why does no one talk about this movie best music biopic ever made alright better off dead - i dig on dark humor and quote this movie all the time whoops say anything - i love complicated love sometimes ok sue me high fidelity - i live and breathe for it oK grosse pointe blank - i think about this movie everyday (also war inc. was decent and is a bit of a sequel, not officially, and there's this really funny thing i think about with that movie but its a spoiler so alksdjf) con air - the nic cage accent, john malkovich puns, and john cusack specifically choosing to wear those sandals of it all serendipity - i love love and convoluted romcom plots centering on fate and destiny and dare i say serendipity being john malkovich - ohmygod. hot tub time machine - it's so *clenches fists* dumb i love it sebastian stan as an all american asshole 80s ski bro what eight men out - maybe i just LIKE BASEBALL OK is that a CRIME? hot pursuit - ok maybe hes just cute in this one identity - honestly it's a decent flick but last time i rewatched it i laughed so har dholy shit. like throughout the whole thing. theres a moment ray liotta picks up a key on the floor and john cusack is TWO INCHES AWAY FROM HIM and liotta is like look at this and cusack is like where'd you find that and liotta was like it was on the ground holy shit also when the Twist Is Revealed cusack says ............ wHat. the way he says its... . . . .ohmygod ... jesus wept. one crazy summer - ok maybe hes just cute in this one too also its such a great late night trippy 80s movie the sure thing - i love the john cusack pointing out constellations in the sky as a pickup line cinematic universe the raven - i just really dig him as edgar allan poe ok like the movies not amazing but thanku for casting him as poe I JUST!! the grifters - this movie fucked me up&lt;3 true colors - they should've let john cusack and james spader get it on

[fire-emblem-drabbles]

After I did the Camilla edit I was talking with @fewillnotleavemymind and I said “anything want something done?” and she said, why not summer Ephraim? And I said Oh Boy okay that will take a while. Below the cut I’ll explain where all his bits and pieces came from, if anyone is interested in knowing that.

Okay so if you couldn’t tell, the body is summer Xander, same with the face its just *very edited*. Originally I was just gonna..plop on one of Eph’s heads to Xander’s body but I didn’t like the way any of the heads looks with the body, so, I drew my own hair and edited the face a lot to make it you know... not Xander. Then to make it so the hair fit in with the style, I took cut up pieces of Xander’s and fit them along how Ephraim’s hair would work.

Next, the arms. I had to erase all of his Lilith floatie, so that left him with half an arm. So, I took the arm he still had and copied and flipped it. I did some editing at the shoulder and elbow to make it bend right, to fit with the hand, that, by the way, is actually Hot Spring Ryoma’s left hand lmao. It was also way tanner than everything else so with careful color editing I got it to mostly match, just don’t look at it too hard.

With the legs, I made the shorts a little longer, and edited Ryoma’s towel to look more like whatever Summer Innes has going on. And I removed those UGLY sandals. But By remove, I mean painstakingly painted over them. I... actually didn’t draw the nipples, when I downloaded the pic of Xander off the internet they were already on him and I didn’t notice until I was halfway through.

[wowbright]

Fic: Knowing and Being Known

Klaine Advent 2021: arrow

Words: ~1150 words

Rating: Teen and Up

Summary: It’s wrong to make the Savior cry. But sometimes it’s right to do the same thing to your companion.

I’m back with more vignettes from my Mormon!Klaine universe for Klaine Advent 2021! This vignette takes place after/during Invisible. (I promise they’ll get out of this angst eventually. But Kurt’s got to start dealing with his shit first.)

My Mormon!Klaine Masterpost.

Notes:. This one gets a little gory, but no more gory than the Book of Mormon! And at least the violent, gross stuff is all part of a dream. And heads up for some pretty intense internalized homophobia and sexual shame. If you have any questions or typo corrections, feel free to use my ask box!

--------

The dream started out benignly, as all Kurt’s dreams of the Hill Cumorah Pageant did. Kurt was five years old and looking into the face of the Savior, just like he had as a fledgling performer all those years earlier. Except, in the dream, the Savior wasn't played by an actor. It was the Savior himself, in flesh and bone. Kurt sat at his feet, looking up at him in awe, and the Savior reached down and patted his head, and told him he was blessed, and began to weep.

It’s wrong to make Jesus cry, thought Kurt. He reached up to the Savior’s face to wipe away his tears. But the Savior was gone now, and in Kurt’s open palm he held an archer’s bow. 

Around him lay a battlefield strewn with bodies. So many bodies that Kurt could not avoid stepping on them as he ran over the battlefield, the clash of swords and terrified screams ringing in his ears. He felt their bodies give way like loamy earth beneath his sandaled feet, could hear the wet splashing of their blood and the squish of their exposed bowels the same as if he was running through mud puddles on a rainy day.

Kurt couldn’t remember the Hill Cumorah Pageant being this graphic. But maybe he hadn't paid proper attention. He had never been in this part—it was only for older kids and young men, not kindergartners who still thought the Gospel was only about family and kindness. Maybe when he left the stage, his mother had held him to her and covered his eyes, whispering over the gory details of the church’s history in pre-Columbian America with God is love. God is love.

Kurt came to a river. Dead bodies clogged it, so many that they formed a bridge connecting one side to the other. Kurt had to cross it. Had to get to the other side. There was something he had to do there, or someone he had to be. The corpses’ heads rocked like loose boulders beneath his feet. The bridge turned into a mountain, and he had to use his hands to climb, catching them on belts and shields and sandal straps to pull himself up.

Kurt reached the top. Just as he approached the precipice, he saw something moving—a plume of feathers cresting the hill from the other side, red and yellow and green, an intoxicating riot of color plucked from slaughtered Central American birds to warn the enemy of the wearer's strength. Feathers, helmet, head, body: they rose into Kurt’s sight, looming over him, yet unaware of his presence. The owner of the body looked over the valley, his hand impulsively gripping the handle of his sword, his shoulders sinking.

It was now or never. Kurt wouldn’t be able to get over the hill with this man in his way. One of them would have to die, to add their body to this growing mountain of loss.

Kurt drew his bow and shot. The arrow landed in the man's heart.

And now the body lay under Kurt’s feet, as if Kurt had not been the one to kill him, but as if he had been a long-established casualty, just another body like all the others.

Kurt looked down and knocked the victim’s helmet loose, exposing his eyes. Kurt’s heart pounded. He knew those eyes. They were soft and brown and of endless depth. Even in death, they pleaded with him.

Kurt awoke with a violent start. His heart beat harder than it did on his morning runs. He gasped for breath, swallowing the air desperately. Each inhalation felt like an arrow landing in his lungs.

“Blaine?” he whispered, before he remembered he wasn’t talking to his companion like that anymore, with the sweet intimacy of knowing and being known. He needed to forget Elder Anderson’s real name.

Still, Kurt looked over to the other side of the room just to assure himself that Elder Anderson was still there and still alive. That Kurt had not yet utterly destroyed him.

Elder Anderson was asleep, his sheets tangled around his waist like he'd been wrestling with them all night and had lost. Even with his eyes closed, he looked exhausted and worn.

Kurt had done that to him. Taken Elder Anderson's innocent tranquility and shattered it for no reason but that Kurt couldn't control his own feelings, couldn't submerge his desires, couldn't accept the path laid out before him.

What had Kurt been thinking last night, forgetting himself and the constraints that bound him? Why had he walked out of the bedroom singing, You know your heart is sold to him, pretending the words applied to them both?

Why had he thought it was okay to pretend? How had he convinced himself it was pretending, at all? Pretending implies knowledge of the difference between what's real and what's not. But that line got erased for Kurt last night. He hadn't just pretended his feelings were okay and real; he’d believed it.

“I don't get what the problem is,” Elder Anderson had said, his eyes welling with tears. “You don’t struggle with temptation.”

What a naïve, innocent boy. Temptation and trespass were etched into Kurt’s soul. He had pictured them naked together, had drawn out the hidden details of Elder Anderson’s body. He'd violated Elder Anderson’s privacy, the sacred parts of him that the garments hid, and had relished in it. He had felt no shame or remorse, no understanding of the depth of the trespass he was committing.

At least when Kurt used to look at Finn in the locker room, he’d felt ashamed of himself. At least when he’d thought of Finn undressed, he’d understood what that made him: a predator feeding on the flesh of an innocent boy, the way Karofsky had done to Kurt—violating his spirit in his fantasies before finally violating his body.

Why had he let Elder Anderson trust him?

Because that was it, wasn't it? Elder Anderson trusted Kurt like no one had trusted him before. He trusted Kurt with his schedule and his Scripture study and his clothing choices and his friendship. He trusted Kurt’s leadership. He trusted Kurt to be worthy and pure of heart.

That was what Blaine’s kiss had meant. An innocent, brotherly kiss. A kiss of intense friendship. It was the kind of kiss Jesus gave to his disciples.

And yet, in that fraction of a second before reason overtook Kurt, he let himself believe the kiss could mean something else. He let himself believe that it wasn’t Elder Anderson kissing him, but his fantasy of Blaine—the one who could want him back.

Kurt did not deserve Elder Anderson’s trust. He didn't deserve his companionship. He needed to untangle the web he had woven around Elder Anderson and free him.

It would hurt. But it had to be done.

[juniaships]

Jora Holiday Bio **Update 2021**

The following paragraphs contains information exclusively for the original series.

Full Name: Jora Ladybird Holiday

Age: 9, 29 (Ben10000); 39 (Ken 10)

Birthday: March 31/April 1 (she was born 11:59pm on March 31)

Species: Human

Race: African American

Fandom: Ben 10 (classic&reboot), The Secret Saturdays (crossover), Generator Rex (crossover), Cartoon Network/CN City (crossover)

Voice Claim: Kimberly Brooks; Brandy Norwood is another alternate choice

Character Role: Friend and love interest to Ben Tennyson

Powers/Abilities: Rot Inducement, Mycokinesis, Poison/Toxin Immunity, Self Healing/Regeneration, Moderate Chronokinesis (Time-Acceleration)

Items: Vials, Mini Lab, Gloves

Relationships

Family: Jeremy (father), Mavis (mother), Tasha (sister), Pattibelle (first cousin) Ginger (family friend); Kenny, Kendrix & Belle (future children), Devlin (adopted son/cousin in law(?))

Friends: Ben & Gwen Tennyson, Max Tennyson, Cooper Daniels, Richard Mortis, Mama G (future mentor)

Acquaintances: Ginger T. Glass, Tamika

Love Interest: Ben is her primary love interest, as seen with their eventual future together as well as hints and blatant displays of "puppy love."

Enemies: Pretty much every villain in this show; her personal arch-nemesis is Kudzu, a lifestyle expert & entrepreneur who initially tried to gentrify Jora's neighborhood & ruin her family's business. Other villains include Master Mortis (Richard's creator), and Kudzu's bounty hunters.

Appearance

- Dark Skinned African American girl

- Chubby, shorter than Ben and Gwen

- Has dark brown hair styled in twisted pigtails, pink hair scrunchies

- Black Bead Eyes//dark brown

- Wears lilac lacy gloves

- Wears three different outfits through the show:

- Season 1: Yellow t-shirt, pink shorts, beige sandals

- Seasons 2&3: Pink and Yellow striped tank top, orange skirt, and same sandals

- Season 4: Pink and white t-shirt, yellow capris with orange belt, and purple shoes

Personality

A sweet and quiet girl, Jora Holiday did not consider herself to be special. She lacked friends in school and kept to herself out of fear of getting bullied. This was because she had to deal with her mutant powers since they came into fruition as a very small child. Jora normally tries to avoid or deflate conflict, though deep down she does get a little fed up with playing peacemaker if the squabbling persists. Jora is compassionate and humble, never boastful but also bashful when it comes to compliments and praise. Of the four kids she is regarded as the nicest.

Because of her powers Jora has clean freak tendencies in her desire to look as normal as possible. She tried to avoid gross situations, although later down the line she learns it's okay to dirty her gloves - literally.

But with sweetness comes sourness, as she does have a passive-aggressive side towards slights, whether real or perceived. She didn't get along with Tasha, feeling as though the latter didn't care for her (which isn't true). Jora tends to be oversensitive and takes things too personally, ans even can be prone to tears if provoked hard enough. She also bears lingering resentment and shame over the partial ailments her element brings; these feelings fade away over time as she grows to accept her powers and adapt to her condition. One of her biggest flaws is her timidness and inability to stand up for herself and others. She also didn't get along with Ben for a while, though they get better quickly.

Jora has a love of nature, as shown with her hobby of collecting flowers and mushrooms. She despises animal abuse of any kind, and strives to be a bit more conscious of the environment. She also seems to have no phobia towards bugs, and thus is the designated "spider catcher" on the Rust Bucket.

Jora has a passion for fashion and a girly sense of style, preferring to dress in bright or pastel colors. Her love of nature and love of fashion could lead to a career based on environmentally friendly beauty products.

Ben 10000: Lavender shortsleeved dress and white apron

Adult Appearance

When she grows up Jora is considerably more capable of handling herself. She gets upset when people see and treat her as a fragile thing, seeing as though they don't trust her. She also is very in tune with nature, spending her days off on long walks in the forests, or at her homemade lab making potions.

In this timeline she was a waitress who worked after shifts as a vigilante. At the time the Hero of Heroes didn't know who this mysterious woman was, although he was struck by familiar feelings.

Ken 10: Mint Green blouse and pink maxiskirt with pink wristwatch (which is actually her transformation device)

Costume: White bodysuit with light purple accents, helmet and visor.

Powers:

Jora has the element of Decay (&Rebirth), which enables her to induce decomposition in organic material.

Techniques

- While not proficient at hand to hand she can run fast in short bursts and have stamina

- Generate spore clouds to obscure vision and block a person's airways

- Increase or decrease the rate the decay

- Increase or decrease the size of mushrooms, from giant prehistoric constructs to miniature samples to be used for medicine

- Create a slippery puddle of rot to make opponents fall

- Throw globs of inky, rotting matter to create fungus or for long range

- Autumn Leaf Tornado

- Create Penicillin (first "upgrade")

- Able to "purify" corrupted Mycellium in the episode "Camp Fear"

- Scavenger-animal Empathy

- Forensics (adult level)

- Fossil Fuel Manipulation (adult level)

- Floral Manipulation (adult level, possibly teen)

- Acid Spit (adult level)

- Hallucinations (teen level)

Weaknesses

- Her power has little to no effect on material such as metal, glass, synthetic fabrics, stones

- Has to wear her gloves at all times which can be tedious and uncomfortable

- Lacks strength and hand-to-hand proficiency

- Weak to extreme heat & cold

- Shroom Constructs can be easily destroyed if not continually reinforced

- Unable to control her powers if under extreme duress

- Requires weapons to compensate for elemental weaknesses

- Requires a source for better potency

Strengths

- Immune to Time related attacks since her powers are considered a form of chronokinesis

- Create healing potions

- Immune to mycotoxins and can decrease and even render dangerous mushrooms safe for consumption (handy for outdoor missions)

- Powers seem to increase in wet environments, the Moon

- Her kind gentle personality makes it easier for her to restrain the dangerous potential of her abilities

- Memorized enough species of fungi and has her own mini lab to safely store and carry samples

- Natural empathy towards others

- Quick learner, continually studies her powers and traits to adapt

Background

Born the second child to floral shop owners Jeremy and Mavis Holiday, Jora had a normal childhood in the comfy small town of Annville, SC. A quiet child, she spent after-school helping around the shop. They were small yet popular with the townsfolk, reputed for their knowledge of plants and colorful arrangements. However that normalcy took a detour when Jora's powers camemto fruition.

When people started to notice more and more plants dying, that in turn led to decrease in customers and soon the shop began to undergo financial trouble. One day, a beautiful woman named Kudzu came into the store offering to buy the place from Jeremy. See, Kudzu was one of the wealthiest and powerful people in town. He refused. The next day Kudzu came again with another proposition. Again Jeremy refused. This occurred all through the week, until finally a very irritated Mavis demanded Kudzu to leave their family alone. That time, Kudzu left and didn't ame back after that. The couple was relieved. Jora was nervous.

One day, just as Tasha and Jora were at the last day of school anf thr parents were off to cash in their winning lottery ticket, the floral shop caught fire! The firefighters were called and put out the blaze, but it left their shop and home in charred ruins.

Jora felt very guilty: if she never had her powers, there wouldn't have been such an awful domino effect. The fire was ruled as a freak accident, however Jeremy and Mavis believed that other forces were at work. They couldn't prove their theories as their suspect had too much power and leverage to be fought one on one. So they came up with a plan: they would spend the summer working to add money to the saved money while their kids go out of town. Mavis called upon an old friend from trade school to take the girls on vacation (somewhere safe from Kudzu).

The next couple of days after staying at a shelter, the girls were able to buy a few new outfits and essentials and told to wait for a brown and white RV. When the RV arrived, out came a older gentlemen in a bright scarlet Hawaiian shirt, with two children trailing behind him. He introduced himself as Max Tennyson, and the two kids were his grandchildren Ben and Gwen.

Trivia

Jora has a nature motif to contrast Ben's aliens and Gwen's magic.

Overall Jora is the most normal member of the team; her family has no connection to the Plumbers or magic.

Jora doesn't have signature color, the closest would be pink and yellow since those are colors she tends to wear the most of.

I made Jora so that there'd be another main girl in the cast and because the show didn't have a black female character (despite having nonwhite female characters of other ethnicities, and black male characters)

She does not have a major role in UAF; instead her storyline is seen as a spinoff (think Static Shock to the Justice League) focusing on smaller-scale plots with occasional cameos from main cast

Jora does come back in Omniverse to replace Gwen as the female lead; she is joined by Dr. Azura (Secret Saturdays OC), Myra Hopewell (GenRex), Ginger T. Glass, and her cousin Patti.

It is unknown whether her power is genetics or a random mutation.

In the Ben 10000 timeline she and Ben broke up because Ben tried to forbid her from going on active missions as a way to keep her safe. Obviously she didn't like that and left. They do reconcile at the end of the episode.

Out of my OCs for this fandom Jora is the lead character, followed by Kendrix

Jora's powers can vary based on the type of fungi she's using at the time. So her colors could range from inky-black to a gorgeous green

She is a candidate to take on the mantle of Mother Nature (currently held by Mama G)

Her hobbies are: reading comics and books primarily fantasy genre, costume design, hiking, floral pressing, DIY crafts, and insects

Due to her timid nature she has a fear of public speaking.

I don't have a claim for her in the live action films sorry!!

Jora is a foil for Kevin in that she was born with destructive powers. Unlike Kevin, she learned to rely on friends to help her stabilize her powers.

- A recurring subplot is the girls encountering and escaping from Kudzu's hired goons sent to track them down.

Jora was going to have standard plants and flowers as her power but I wanted to go for nontraditional elements instead.

The irony is that she's a softie dressed in bright colors and respects life, yet has a power related to death.

- At the end of the show she reunites with her parents and they're able to rebuild their business. She also stands up to Kudzu and exposes the woman for the rotten POS she is

Quotes:

"Pot, meet kettle. Kettle, meet face!"

"I like comic books. My favorite is the Fantasia Legends."

"If you're supposed to be Lucky Girl then why dress up like a black cat?"

"There's a lot of stories hidden beneath these trees. You just gotta know where to look."

"I'm not that scared little girl you used to pick on, Ben. I think you know I can take care of myself."

"Look I didn't get to choose my powers okay! But Kudzu chose to set our family's house on fire and I'm not gonna sit back and watch her hurt anyone else!"

"It's okay. I'll help you."

"It's called having good manners. You should try it sometimes."

"Leave. Them. Alone!"

"Please let this be a normal day this time!"

"You're like a mushroom. Unassuming at first, but something unique and vibrant!"

"Ben I don't know how to say this but... you're not alone. Don't ever think you're alone."

"I hope you'll be able to see that there's more to life than just money and business but until that day comes, we'll all do very well without you!"

"I may make things rot but the both of you are rotten to the core!"

Recent Pictures

Reference sheets for Omniverse

Sketches:

[torishasupremacy]

courtney headcanons

i have a lot of thoughts ab courtney from total drama so this is gonna be my list of headcanons. i will be adding on to them. if you see a ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ next to anything that means i'm completely projecting onto her

she’s a lesbian ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ (definitely dealt with a lot of comp het)

her hair is naturally curly ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ she straightened it to look more “professional” (appease eurocentric beauty standards) and once she wanted to stop the producers made her keep it bc it was part of her “look”

favorite colors are purple ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ and green

she’s done martial arts for most of her life and is very close to getting her black belt ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ

she’s half malaysian half latina (i haven’t figured out the specifics for that yet, might be going with puerto rican)

she finds yogurt gross ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ, it upsets her stomach

her eyes are naturally brown ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ she just likes to wear colored contact lenses because a, black eyes are more striking and b, she needs glasses/contacts

her parents are either very absent, push her to do her absolute best ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ, or both

she was really happy to have another spanish speaker during world tour so she and alejandro would speak spanish together a lot, alejandro mostly did it to annoy heather because she couldn’t understand it, but they were mostly  talking about mundane stuffcourtney wears more casual butch clothes and formal femme clothes (if that makes sense)

she’s a bottom ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ

she loves theatre, musical or not ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ, and will eventually figure out that being a lawyer is a very impressive job but it’s not what she’s truly passionate about, and she’ll  give acting/directing a try

she’s very competitive, not just with challenge stuff, but with anything. she mostly keeps it to herself because she doesn’t want to come off as even more intense just because she’s trying to see if she can finish her meal faster than anyone else or something silly like that ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ

she really doesn’t understand how to connect with people and why they don’t like her ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ. bridgette and duncan were the first people she really got close with on the show and they were both out of the picture for most of world tour. so courtney ended up bonding with gwen in a special way and felt like she had to stop letting people get close when duncan and gwen broke her trust/heart

she and bridgette both had a crush on each other for the first week of camp. those feelings eventually faded away without either girl really realizing what they were. (based on an experience i had in high school)

she actually really likes wearing revealing clothing ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ but doesn’t want to on TV, she’s often concerned with how she comes off appearance wise to others and wants to look professional and put together

she’s naturally curvy but has to stay fit to keep from getting unhealthily chubby ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ

she’s too anxious to deal well with horror movies ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ

she’s not very good at arts and crafts type stuff and it bugs her

she ALWAYS cuffs her sleeves

she’s 5′2″ ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ but wears heels to make herself feel taller/more powerful

she likes wearing sandals because she prefers bare feet but she can’t go around like that ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ

her freckles appear when she stays in the sun for long periods of time and they take a while to go away ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ

she’s still REALLY bitter about harold rigging the votes in island (part of  why she was so bitchy in action). one of her biggest ‘what ifs’ is if she had stayed, as it could’ve taken her relationship with duncan and the others in a whole new direction, and she could have won

she doesn’t watch revenge of the island or pahkitew island but she does, reluctantly, watch the ridonculous race because she knows a couple people from the original cast are on it. she ends up rooting for emma and reaches out to her after the show, and they become buddies

she actually thinks duncan’s piercings and gwen’s dyed hair are pretty  cool but she sees it as something she would never get

it’s not until during all stars that courtney fully realizes she likes girls

the whole relationship with scott was pushed by the producers, who  promised to get the two into the final five if they pretended to be a couple, for the ~drama~ and so people could see courtney with a new boyfriend

the whole bit with the chart at the end of all stars was semi-scripted. basically the producers wanted zoey and mike to go to the finale together and they wanted to bump off courtney with some drama. courtney and gwen were playing up the best friend act to annoy people a bit and the producers wanted more drama between them. so they took courtney aside and offered her a good amount of money in exchange for her faking a confessional with the chart and then they gave the chart to mike/mal (idk man). courtney wasn’t allowed to tell the others that it was fake so she ended up getting voted out. afterward, she explained to gwen what actually happened and they became friends again (and eventually something more)

throughout the world tour finale, courtney understands that alejandro was   manipulating her, but she still cheered for him because a, he was probably the kindest person to her after the breakup, and b, heather had been messing with everyone for three whole seasons while alejandro had only been doing that for one. she feels annoyed with the others for getting on heather’s side so quickly and then acting like she’s oblivious

even before total drama, courtney always saw cheating as abhorrent  ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ because not only is it breaking your partner’s trust, it’s often without trying to fix the relationship in the first place. working on issues is something she’s not afraid to tackle, she just doesn’t realize she does it in a harmful way to duncan

courtney cuts ties with pretty much everyone on the show after world tour. they wrote her off as paranoid and bossy when she thought duncan was cheating on her with gwen, and when it actually happened, they didn’t care nearly as much as when trent “cheated” on gwen with heather in season one. that actually riles her up a lot- the fact that everyone banded against the “cheater” in that situation (with a couple that literally JUST got together) but when she is intentionally cheated on, nobody cares about justice for her, or even really points the finger at duncan. the lack of caring from the rest of the cast really shows her that she doesn’t matter to them, so she decides that they won’t matter to her anymore.

she freaking loves iced coffee ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ

gwen was the only person she trusted during world tour until the cheating happened. she was actually starting to develop a crush on gwen (without realizing) so when gwen kissed duncan, her heart broke in two different ways

she REALLY likes to be in charge ฅ^•ﻌ•^ฅ because if something needs to get done, she wants to be the one to manage that and do it right

in that spy episode in action when she threatens to let everyone blow up if they don’t promise her half of the million- she wouldn’t actually let anyone die. she just knew they had to say yes and thought it was too good an opportunity to slip by. she writes off the potential half super quickly when she wants to join the others in the tomato soup bath- if she had actually planned to let people die for the $500,000, she wouldn’t have let it go so easily. i doubt she even believed chris would blow them up

she doesn’t really watch a lot of tv or even read that many fictional books, unless they’re about theatre or law stuff. she’s so focused on doing things that she doesn’t have the time or interest to mindlessly consume

her last name is montez, and gwen’s is greene. courtney wants to hyphenate their names when they get married because she likes the sound of “courtney montez-greene” while gwen wants to take courtney’s last name because she thinks her own is boring

that’s all for now but i WILL add on later. if you’ve read this far holy shit i'm so amazed you wanted to listen to my rambling thoughts. thank you so much.

[cruecifymesixx]

Love and Leather /part sixxty five/

Word Count: 10k

A/N: Hope everyone had a wonderful holiday! I’m about to get trashed tomorrow night to make up for my lack of christmas spirit! Enjoy! Because I’m about to fuck it up again!

Warnings: Language, angst for like a brief second, fluff and sexual innuendos 

Taglist:  @brideofdraculana , @xstarryeyes , @aryssav , @miserablecunt  @dangerous-like-a-loaded-pistol , @fandomshit6000, @anntheboneless​ @venus-calum​, @justjodeye,  @are-we-real, @hi-my-name-is-riley, @extremesadnerding, @thatbandchick39, @awkwrdcait, @countrygirlswonderland​, @awesomealmostdopestudent,  @romanticvengeance , @tashy-bear, @krazykatkay456, @terror-triplet, @shouttatthedevill @beachystars, @rodriguez025, @kickstart-myheart-sixx, @s-outhie, @anxious-diabetic, @awkwardblackgirls, @rockersbox, @brooklyn-antiques, @shamelessobsessions, @jerseytaint, @lilytalebi, @criminalyetminimal, @motley-queen, @trapt-in-a-dream, @lunamadhatter99, @broke-n-bitchy @thanks2pete, @slowandangry, @lovesick-heart0, @keepcalm-and-beyou, @miriampraez, @teenwolflover28, @lilyhw1, @swoopygorl, @motherloovebone, @random-internet-user-4471, @falcon-arrows, @talranocchia2001, @wheresmyvodkabitch, @waywardprincess666, , @iluvmesomemarvelndc, @zoenicoles, @vamprlestat, @supersoldierballerina, @primal-screamer @electradestiny, @marshbev, @n0-sh0rtage-0f-faults, @cruebaby, @ggorehorror, @valentines-in-london, @miss2001babe, @nassauartist , @cmft-jr-winchester, @bokkie92, @notworthyofyou1120 @xrosegoldwolfx, @cranberribread, @lauravic, @mgkobsessed, @chaoticvybe,  @kellysimagines @thoughtsoftheantagonist @marvelismylifffe, @sleepyjunhong @lovemythsworld @meetthesixxter @sparxx27 @gingerspicetalks @kaitieskidmore1 @unknownoblivion @siliwanoel @nevergoodenuffbutokaaayyy @sublimeprincesswasteland @kylieinwonderland @haileynicoleseavey17 @lavendersoundbarrier, @duffshairdye, @xpoisonousrosesx, @m0rnlngstar, @oskea93, @love-struck-aries, @idumpyourgrass, @minxtruck, @i-want-to-shoot-myself, @cruesixxlover1991, @arianareirg, @fentitrbl, @dogmom2014, @sinningsixx, @motleycrueprincess 

“I have a delivery for Miss Vanity Blackwood?”

“Van! It’s for you!”

I put down the laundry basket, messing with Arianna’s hair as I walked past her to get to the front door, “Oh! These are gorgeous!” I smiled at the pink and violet roses that had a mix of baby breath sprinkled throughout the blooming flowers. He also handed over a white box with a silk red bow wrapped around it before giving me a paper to sign, “Thank you!”

I set the flowers down on the table, next to the other flowers that have been accumulating for the last few days. Nikki had been going out of his way with grand gestures, I told him it wasn’t needed but he is adamant about it. So, I’m trying to be appreciative of it.

“Five bouquets of flowers in the past three days.” Clementine groaned as I looked at all of them. I think the orange and purple carnations with the white tiger lilies are my favorite, “Not even your favorites-“ Clementine tsk’d as I rolled my eyes, “For someone that is suppose to know you, he really misses the mark....the candy’s good. It’s been those caramel and pecan turtle things every time.” She explained as she opened up the new box of chocolates and stuffed one into her mouth.

I chuckled, “For someone who misses the mark, he sure knows my favorite candy.” I teased, “It’s the thought that counts Clementine. It’s sweet.” I spoke in a soft tone as I admired all the flowers.

“Yeah, real sweet.” She rolled her eyes and glared at the flowers, “Yelled at you in the middle of the damn hallway after making you watch him almost kill your boyfriend. That’s real sweet. Girls just dream about that.”

“Ex boyfriend.” I corrected her as she nodded, “And, what can I say? I like my men with a little psychotic tendencies.” I grinned as we both started laughing, “But I did tell him to cutback on the flowers. Arianna’s been having a sneezing fit every time she walks past them...and I’m running out of room.”

“Throw them away?” Clementine suggested as I let out a scoff and laughed.

“What?! No! They aren’t dead yet!” I shouted playfully as Arianna came over and stole a piece of chocolate.

“Daddy got you more flowers?” She questioned, mouth full of chocolate and caramel as she stared up at me, “Told you it was too much.” Clementine mumbled, mouth full of sweets too.

“Yes. Daddy sent me more flowers.” I explained as she giggled and tried to take another piece of candy, “Last one Ari.” I said sternly as she pouted slightly before nodding.

Clementine let out an amused grunt, “Huh? So you’re calling him daddy too? That’s cute.” She teases as I felt my cheeks get a tad warmer.

“Shut up, it’s not-just be quiet Clemmy.” I stammered over my words as Arianna looked up at me, “Yeah? What’s up princess?” I wrapped my arms around her before holding her at my side.

“Can we go see daddy yet?” She questioned as I shook my head, “He said he’d call when he was done with his work.” Nikki had to have a conference call with his lawyers about Brandi refusing to sign the divorce papers because she wasn’t getting everything she wanted from him. She wanted more money, plus royalties from his future earnings. It was fucked up. Plus, she was trying to say Nikki had abandoned her and the marriage. I mean, maybe he did. But he had a probable cause to do so.

But, that’s not any of my business.

“You two seem to be getting along well. From all the stories I was expecting more chaos.” Clementine pointed out as I grinned.

“This is the calm before the storm. All the sweet gestures-“ I motioned to the flowers, “are him trying to kiss my ass, same with all the nice words he’s been saying.” I shrugged, “Its what he’s always done to get out of trouble with me.”

Clementine laughed, “Is it working?” I glanced over at her and smiled.

“I don’t know.”

Clementine continued to pester with the questions for a little while longer as I eventually tuned them all out. I jumped out of the chair when the phone started ringing, “I got it!” I yelled as I ran over to it and grabbed the phone.

“Obviously.” Clementine muttered as I flipped her off.

“He-hello?”

“Hey Van! Are you and Arianna ready? I ordered some lunch to have sent up to the room. Figured you’d be hungry and she’d be hungry and I’m hungry so...I’ll see you in a little bit?” Nikki chuckled nervously over the phone as I smiled a bit.

I glared at Clementine when she made kissy faces towards me, “Yeah Nikki, we’ll be over in a few. I’ll see you then, bye.”

“Bye doll.”

I put down the phone and threw at Clementine, “Arianna! Get your shoes on! Daddy’s waiting for us!”

“Get your shoes on Vanity, Daddy’s waiting for you.” Clementine continued her relentless teasing as I rolled my eyes and slipped on my sandals.

“Would you shut up? God, you’re so annoying.” I whined as I heard another knock on the door.

“Clem! Can you get that?” I said as I walked to Arianna’s room to get her bag I had packed with extra clothes. I walked to the living room to see Clementine standing in the kitchen with a vase of beautiful blooming sunflowers.

“Amazing and beautiful. Not a flower or a tree. Prettier than that and only I can see.” Clementine read from a card as I felt my cheeks become hot and turn pink.

“What? Did he get this from a damn fortune cookie?” She replied before putting the vase down on the table next to the others. I sighed, Nikki was doing way to much.

“Mommy I’m ready.” I looked down at Arianna and nodded, “Right, let’s go see your dad.”

*Nikki’s Hotel*

“Do not touch anything.” I mumbled to Arianna as I saw her looking at the glass and gold tables with the fancy little decorative vases on them. I watched Nikki come out of the elevator and walk to us as Arianna let go of my hand and ran towards him.

“Daddy!” She yelled as he reached down and picked her up, “Well hello to you too pumpkin.” He gave her a kiss on the cheek and tickled her sides as he smiled at me, “Hey Van.”

“Hello.” I muttered as I picked up Ari’s backpack she had thrown to the ground, “Daddy I drew you pictures.”

Nikki gasped, “You did? Well I would love to see them. But how about after lunch, you hungry? I have a cheeseburger waiting for you up in my room.”

She nodded, “Mommy made gross pancakes this morning.”

I laughed, “Arianna...”

“Yeah, mommy’s never been to good at cooking.”

When we got to Nikki’s room, he dug his key out of his pocket while Arianna talked his ear off. He let me in first before following behind. I looked around, his hotel room was huge. The bedroom was completely separate and the living room part of the hotel had a balcony he could step out on.

“I didn’t know what to get you so I got you a cheeseburger too. Your new found diet seems to have caused you to loose some weight.” Nikki explained as he sniffed repeatedly.

I scowled as I put down my purse and Arianna’s bag, “Been clean for a week Nikki.” I whispered to him as he nodded.

“Proud of you, doll.” He smiles as he nudged my arm and pulled out a chair at the table for me to sit down in.

“Can we go swimming yet?” Arianna asked as she chewed on a french fry.

“You gotta eat first and then get dressed. Then we can go alright?” Nikki explained as Arianna nodded. I picked at the burger, pulling off onions, pickles and tomatoes.

“Oh wait, I have yours.” Nikki said as he handed me a cheeseburger that didn’t have any of the stuff I just pulled off.

“...thank you.” I looked down at the burger. Wow, that is not something I expected him to remember. I also looked at the fries, they had crinkle cut while I had regular fries. I hate crinkle cut, they’re disgusting.

I saw Nikki glance over at me smiling as he chewed his food, “Something wrong with lunch Van?” He questioned as I shook my head.

“No it’s just uh...right? Uh, never mind.” I mumbled before I started eating.

Arianna rushed through her food before she ran over to her backpack and pulled out a folded piece of paper. She climbed back on the chair and handed the drawing to Nikki. He smiled at her as he unfolded it.

“It’s you! And me! And mom!” I glanced at it, seeing the a lot of spiky black hair and little cartoon smiles on her doodles.

“It’s wonderful baby. Thank you.” Nikki folded it back up before he put it in his wallet.

“Auntie let me use her special crayons to color it.” Arianna explained to him as he tried down playing his eye roll.

“Babe, you ready to get dressed?” I motioned to her plate of food as she nodded, “Let’s go!!” She yelled as she climbed back out of the chair and grabbed my hand, trying to pull me into the other room to get changed.

“We’ll be ready in a minute.” I told Nikki as he nodded and started cleaning up Arianna’s mess from lunch.

*Nikki’s POV*

After cleaning up and the girls laughing and causing a ruckus in the bathroom, I pulled my shirt over my head, adjusting the swim shorts I was wearing after. Arianna came running out with a purple and pink towel wrapped around her shoulders and floaties around her arms while she climbed up onto my bed. She had Vanity’s sunglasses in hand before putting them on and beginning to babble about something. I couldn’t tell, she was talking way to fast. Vanity cleared her throat, making me turn around as she was holding the strings to her bikini top.

“Can you...um tie these for me?” I chuckled as she turned around, her back facing me as my eyes drifted down to the scar on her skin as I stepped over and grabbed the strings from her.

“You know...I think you could tie these yourself.” I whispered in her ear as I pressed against her. I tied the strings slowly before putting my hands on her hips. I smirked to myself when I felt her body tense up under my palms, “Are these ones tight enough?” I questioned, fumbling with the black fabric that was tied in a bow at her side.

She laughed a bit before stepping away from me and turning around to face me, my eyes immediately dropped down, “Wow.” I looked back at her, feeling my cheeks heat up in embarrassment, “I mean uh....let me get you a shirt.” I moved off to the side and grabbed a white shirt sticking out of my suitcase and handed it to her.

Van quickly slipped it over her shoulders, the bottom hem of the shirt resting just a little bit below her hips, “Arianna, you ready to go to the pool?” She questioned as she climbed off the bed and put on her little sandals.

“Ready! I have my floaties!” She cheered as Vanity laughed and put her hand out for her as she quickly took it.

I grabbed my room key and towel before heading to the door and opening it. I felt my fucking stomach drop to my nut sack as I stared into deep, dark blue eyes.

“Brandi...hey ah- what are you doing here?” I stuttered out as she immediately hit me in the chest with a rolled up magazine repeatedly.

I heard Vanity hush Arianna as I closed the door a little bit more so Brandi couldn’t peer inside.

Brandi scoffed, “Wondering when the hell my husband is gonna stop playing house and come back home to me.” She snapped out, pushing me to the side as she walked into my hotel room. You could of heard the drop of a pin as Brandi glared at Vanity.

“Hello Vanity.” Brandi’s voice was conniving and her demeanor was intimidating as she stared her down. Brandi forced a smile before looking down at Arianna, “Well isn’t this just one big happy family reunion?” She cackled as Vanity looked over at me. Her face was red, and the look in her eye wasn’t a very friendly one. She was probably thinking, ‘Sixx, you better fucking do something and you better do it now.’

I cleared my throat, “Van...uh take her to the pool. I’ll be down in a little bit.” I motioned to the door and opened it up for them.

“Daddy, c’mon.” Arianna said as she grabbed my hand and tried pulling me with her. My head snapped over to Brandi when she let out and amused laugh.

“Go on babe. I’ll see you in a few minutes. Just wait for me.” I smiled at her as I nudged her towards Vanity. If looks could kill, my body would already be in the process of rigor mortis. I closed the door and turned towards Brandi when they were down the hall.

“We are separated. I signed the papers just like you wanted.” I said as I watched her step over to me, standing toe to toe as she looked up.

“Nikki, that’s not what I wanted.” Brandi sighed as she ran her hands up my chest before resting them atop of my shoulders, “I just want you to to come back home. You’ve spent enough time here.”

I moved away from her touch, “No. I’m not going home. Did you even move out? Because a few weeks is plenty to get your shit out.” I shook my head in frustration, “I have a kid here, Brandi. I’m not leaving her. I told you, I am done.”

Brandi rolled her eyes as she crossed her arms over her chest, “And how do you know she’s even yours? You weren’t with her for five years. She’s a beautiful little girl, but I don’t want you stuck paying for someone else’s child support for the next thirteen years.” She tried closing the space between us again, “C’mon honey, come home. I love and miss you. I have a little project we can work on together.”

“I know Arianna is mine! Don’t fucking call me honey! You aren’t my home, I don’t love you and haven’t thought about you since I left! I’m

Not doing jack shit for you! Fly your ass back to California and get your crap out of my house!”

“Nikki, please we can work on what we struggle with. I do love you a lot. I was there when she left you, remember? How many nights you spent crying and wanted to go shoot it, remember that?”

I glared, “You just want to do that stupid god damn photo shoot you’ve been begging for, for the past year! I’m not doing it!”

I watched as she walked over to me. Brandi gently put her hands on the side of my face, “Nikki, I love you. I was there for you when she ran three thousand miles away and didn’t even bother to tell you that you have a daughter. It’s not about doing the photoshoot. I love you Nikki, I didn’t want you to sign those papers, I just-“ I stared as her eyes started watering up, blinking out a few tears. “I hoped it would scare you enough to come back home. I thought you loved me enough to not just throw away our years of marriage.”

I groaned, “Don’t even start with the crying. It’s not going to work, Brandi. Just fucking go back-“

I was caught off guard when she planted her lips on mine. I grabbed her by her hips and roughly pulled her off of me, “Brandi! Stop!”

I wiped her saliva off my mouth as she cried harder, “Nikki! I want you to come back home!”

“I don’t want too!!” I fought back, raising my voice but she wiped away her tears before more came, “Our marriage was a mistake! If I hadn’t cheated things would be a lot fucking different!”

“It’s not like she’s going to wake up and love you again!!” She shouted as she started pushing on my chest.”

“I KNOW THAT!!”

Before I could even think about what I was doing, my hand went through dry wall of the hotel. My chest was heaving up and down as I tried to control myself. I heard Brandi choke out a pathetic squeak of a sob as I glared over at her.

“I’m not doing this for her. I’m doing this for Arianna. I’m here for her, not Vanity! We are trying to be friends and parents! I am not going to be like my fucking father!” I yelled at her as she rolled her eyes.

“Okay, Nikki. Enjoy playing house with your groupie ex and your illegitimate child. I’ll see you back in Los Angeles.” She said, almost as if the tears were fake which I already knew they were. She shoved the magazine back into my chest before shoulder checking me and walking out the door.

A new fucking magazine with our faces on it. Great.

*Vanity’s POV*

I sat on the edge of the pool next to Arianna as she was at my side kicking her feet in the water. I kept glancing at the entrance to the pool, waiting for Nikki to come down.

“Mommy, who was that?” Ari questioned softly as I sighed and ran my hand over her head.

“She’s no one baby. Don’t worry about it. You ready to get in the pool?” I asked her as she shook her head.

“No, I wanna wait for Daddy.” I sighed but nodded anyways.

I wonder if Nikki knew Brandi was going to be here? Im sure he would’ve told me if she was...I think? Or I hope. I heard the security gate to the pool slam open before slamming shut, I sighed deeply as I looked over and saw Nikki storming over to the open bar.

“Uh oh.” Arianna whispered as I laughed a little bit, “Daddy’s mad.”

I shook my head, “He’s fine, darling. Daddy’s a real tough one.” I explained as she smiled and got up, walking over to the little side table and sipping on her fruit punch out of a swirly straw before picking at the complimentary fruit and vegetable tray that was brought over.

“Here.” I looked up, seeing Nikki tower above me as he held out a beer bottle. I slowly took it from him, noticing the tinted red cheeks and the furrowed brows.

“Are you-“

“Don’t. Just don’t.” He snapped back as I looked away from him and took a sip.

“Daddy! Can we swim now!?” Arianna asked, running over to him and reaching for his hand and pulling on him.

Nikki forced a smile, “Of course sweet pea. Go get your floaties on and we’ll get in.” He explained to her as she did what he said. I looked back at him, watching Nikki chug the whole beer at once before putting the glass down on the table.

I stood up from sitting at the edge of the pool before walking over to my purse and grabbing a hair tie to throw my hair up in a quick bun. Arianna came over to me, needing help to adjust the floaties, “Told you, you should’ve just kept them on.” I chuckled as she huffed and puffed.

I found my self looking at Nikki pull off his shirt as my mouth went agape, “Jesus Nik.” I muttered as I walked over and put my hand on his back, gliding over all the tattoos.

“Oh, yeah.” He laughed, “I sometimes forget my back is covered. Do you like it?” He questioned, his head turned over his shoulder as he gave me a real smile.

I nodded, “It’s so cool. I love the sun.” My hand traced down to the devil and angel figures on his lower back, “These are cute too.”

He laughed, “Thank you?” He shook his head before trying to step away from me but I grabbed his shoulder.

“An octopus?” I questioned as I motioned for him to turn around, he rolled his eyes but did it anyways, “Whoa.” My eyes widened at the colorful ink across his shoulders and chest.

“What? Too much?” He grinned as my eyes wandered down his torso. I blinked a few times before looking back at him before returning my gaze to the tattoo on his rib cage.

I looked at the black cursive that stared back at me. My hand moved by itself and I traced over my name with a sky blue painted finger nail. I shook my head, “Why do you still have that?”

Nikki gently pushed my hand off his body before he turned his back towards me and slipped into the pool, “C’mon Ari.” Nikki motioned for her as he stood at the edge of the pool and lifted her into the water with him.

My eyes stayed glued to my name as I watched him begin to teach her how to swim. Why the hell does he still have that? I took a sip out of the bottle before wiping my bottom lip.

“You gotta kick your legs baby. That’s how you stay afloat.” Nikki held her slightly above the water in his arms, “And then you gotta move your arms away from you so you can doggy paddle.” Nikki laughed as she started splashing away at the water, “It’s a start, princess. You’re doing good.”

“Mom!! I’m swimming!” Arianna giggled as I smiled at her, “You’re doing amazing sweetie. How about you try without Daddy holding onto you?”

Nikki slowly started to let go of her, “Try swimming over to mom.” Nikki said as Arianna started to whine, “Hey, it’s okay. I’m right here.”

“Just swim to me baby. Daddy will be right by you just in case.” I motioned for her as Nikki lowered her back into the water, letting go of her as she started kicking and moving her arms.

Nikki clapped for her as she swam over to me and grabbed a hold of my legs and I quickly hoisted her up, “You did it!!” I chimed as she giggled and wiped water from her face.

I showered her in little quick pecks on the cheek as she complained and tried pulling away from me, reaching her arms out for Nikki. For how big his smile was, you would’ve thought it was hurting him. He swam over to us and took her from me as he held onto her, “Hey, I did good too. Do I get a kiss?” I rolled my eyes and lightly kicked him in the gut instead.

I watched as Arianna climbed like spider monkey around Nikki’s torso before she was wrapped around his back, “You good, Sixx?” I tried smiling a bit as I saw his falter.

“No, yeah. I’m good, doll. Don’t worry about me.” He forced a smile before he started laughing when Arianna tugged and pulled on his hair as she tried to balance herself on his shoulders.

“Ow, Arianna be careful.” Nikki groaned as he reached up for her hands and held them in his.

���Daddy I want my snacks!” Nikki rolled his eyes as he walked over to the edge of the pool and took her off his shoulders, placing her down on the concrete as she ran over to the chair and started eating.

“Went through me being kicked in the face and getting my hair ripped out just to ask for snacks a minute later.” He mumbled before shaking his hair out, pushing it from his face right after.

He sighed and looked at me. I hated that look. I know that look. That’s look he always gave me right before he told me something I wasn’t going to like and also right before he would’ve told me no.

“I have to go back to California.”

I felt my heart drop to my stomach as I stared at him, “Not immediately, like in a few weeks or so. I have to do a photoshoot I already paid for months ago. She wants one last proof to the world that she was married to me.” Nikki explained as he shook his head, “I really don’t want to go…”

”Well-“ I paused, running my nails through my hair, “You should just do what she wants that way she’s somewhat content and will leave you alone.”

He grinned, “Yeah, but here’s the thing. The photoshoot isn’t exactly what I call normal.”

“Nikki, you don’t know the meaning of the word normal.” I teased with a smile as he splashed water at me.”

“Shut up.” He laughed but then deeply sighed in annoyance, “We’ll be naked…”

I blinked a few times before scratching the top of my head, “For Playboy?” Nikki shook his head, telling me no.

“Huh, well. Hope it’s tasteful.” I mumbled, “But the divorce?”

Nikki tilted his head to the side as he stepped a bit closer to me, hands placed on both sides of my legs, “It’s still happening. And when I’m there I can meet with the lawyers physically instead of phone calls and emails and it will move things along faster…it’s just gonna be pretend, Princess.” Nikki’s voice was soft as he maintained eye contact with me.

“Good thing it’s pretend.” I mumbled quietly, “I mean, just pretend it some other model or something. Or T-bone. I know you two are super close.”

“Yeah, like brothers.” He laughed before he pinched my hip only for me to smack his hand away from me.

“I want a brother!” Arianna exclaimed as she wrapped her arms around my neck. I immediately started shaking my head.

“You-you want a brother?” Nikki questioned, shock riddling his voice as he stared at us. She moved from me before sitting down on the edge next to me.

“Yes! All my friends have brothers and mommy has a brother and you have Tommy!” I laughed due to the extreme uncomfortableness that was starting to choke me.

Nikki smiled, “That’s up to mommy, not me angel.”

I agreed with Nikki, “Plus, brothers are so gross Ari. They stink and they’re dirty and they ruin everything. Uncle Grey is horrible.” I explained as she giggled

“Uncle Grey is fun! And so is Tommy!” Arianna argued back, “Ari…”

“Well, you know babe. Tommy isn’t the only brother I got. There’s also Vince and Mick.”

Ari gasped as she looked over at me, “I want to meet them! Can I meet them!?”

“Maybe one day, darling. If you and mom come back to California.” Nikki explained, looking over at me as I shook my head which resulted in his smile turning into a frown.

“…Or they can come here.” I pointed out.

“...Or you can come home.”

I rolled my eyes before turning my attention back to Arianna, “How about we swim a bit longer before we have to go.” I told her as she nodded and I helped her back into the water.

I felt Nikki’s hand wrap around my ankle as he tried pulling me in, “Nik, stop.” I laughed as I pushed on his shoulder. Arianna then latched onto my ankle and tried pulling me too.

Nikki smirked before grabbing the hem of his shirt and tried to pull it up, “Take off the shirt and let’s get in the water.” He laughed as I grabbed his hand and tried pushing it away from my body.

“I dont want to get in.” I protested as he gave me a serious look

“Don’t be a party pooper mommy.” Arianna giggled. I let out a scoff due to her words.

“Yeah mommy, don’t be a party pooper.” Nikki copied before he let go of my ankle and quickly wrapped his arms around my body, picking me up and dragging me into the water.

“Nikki!” I laughed as his hands slid down to the back of my thighs as he tossed me over his shoulder. I started punching his back, “Nikki, let me go!” I yelled before I was quickly dropped into the water face first.

I came back up, wiping my face as Nikki was full of smiles and holding Arianna, “What? You said to let you go?” He smirked as Arianna pointed and laughed at me.

“You’re such an ass.” I told him as he laughed at me again.

“Love you too princess.”

*a few hours later, Nikki’s POV*

“Arianna, quit jumping on the couch! You’re going to fall.” Van told her as she was bouncing behind me as I sat on the floor, plucking strings to my bass.

“La, la, la!” I turned around, seeing Arianna plugging her ears with her fingers. I chuckled before quickly grabbing her and placing her on my lap with the guitar in front of us.

She started hitting the strings, trying to play it but I quickly grabbed her hand, “No. You don’t hit this. They’re important to daddy.” I told her as she nodded. I kept one hand on the fret board as I guided her fingers to gently pluck the strings.

I heard a click of a camera as I glanced up to see Vanity taking a picture of us, “Don’t play with that either.” I told Van as she rolled her eyes before turning the camera on herself and sticking up her middle finger and snapping a pic.

Vanity chuckled before placing the camera back down on the table, “Arianna, we should get going. It’s getting late and auntie Clem is probably waiting for us.”

She started to pout before i took her off my lap and placed her down on the floor, “Moms right, kid. We’ll have more fun tomorrow, I promise.” I whispered as she nodded. Vanity handed Arianna her tiny little purple backpack as she held onto her purse. I walked them to the door and opened it up as Arianna hugged my legs.

I ran my hand over her head before I picked her up and gave her a hug, “I love you princess.” I kissed her forehead as she hugged me tighter.

“I love you too daddy.” She whispered against my ear as I smiled before I started tickling her sides. She started laughing uncontrollably before I put her down on the floor.

“I’ll call you tomorrow?” I asked Vanity as she nodded, not bothering to look at me as she dug her car keys out. I rolled my eyes before I stepped over to her and wrapped her up in a hug as well. I felt her tense up before she relaxed and patted the back of my shoulder.

“Can you let go now?” She mumbled as I squeezed her tighter and picked her up off the ground, “Nikki.” She said my name sternly as I sighed and put her feet back on the ground.

“Goodnight girls.” I told them both as Arianna waved at me before she grabbed Vanity’s hand and they started walking down the hall to the elevators.

I exhaled before closing the hotel door. I glanced at the hole in the wall, shaking my head before I started picking the place up. Arianna had made a mess in every square inch of the room. I tossed trash into the bin before going into the adjoining bedroom and fixed the blankets and shook off crumbs from Arianna’s cookies she’d been devouring earlier in the day.

I plopped down on the bed, bass resting against my stomach as I fumbled with the strings and stared up at the ceiling. I was ultimately bored now that they left. Maybe we could go to the zoo tomorrow? Or maybe a picnic at the park? Or what if I took the girls shopping? Well, Arianna mainly. Vanity doesn’t need anymore clothes.

I closed my eyes and played a simple melody. I’ve had a lot more creative juices flowing while being here. I’ve written a few new songs to show the guys, I think they’re good, so maybe the boys will too.

I opened my eyes when there was a knock on my door. I put the bass down on the bed before going to open it. Vanity was drenched in rain and shivering as Arianna smiled at me before walking into my room.

“M-my car won’t start. And it’s pouring rain and thundering out side and-“

“Do you want to stay the night? I can get the car looked at in the morning…” The words blurted out of me before I could process what I was saying.

“If it’s not too big of a deal.” She mumbled as a shiver went down her spine and I quickly let her inside before closing the door.

“No. No it’s, uh it’s fine. I’ll um…” I quickly went to the bathroom and grabbed a towel before giving it to her, “I’ll uh…I’ll call down for extra blankets and pillows.” I mumbled before going to call the front desk. I watched as Arianna kicked off her shoes and Vanity turned on the TV for her.

“Can I take a shower?” I stared blankly at Van.

“Uh yeah, can I get some extra pillows and blankets sent up to room to three twenty seven? Okay, cool. Thank you.” I put the phone down as I stared at Vanity some more. Her white shirt was clinging to the red bra she was wearing underneath but her jeans were only a little damp.

“Nik?” She took me from my thoughts as I looked at her finally, “Oh, yeah. Sure. Go take a shower.”

She wrapped the towel around her shoulders, “If you don’t want us to stay I can like call a taxi or something..” She muttered as I shook my head feverishly.

“No! No, I want you-I mean you two can both stay. I don’t mind. I’m not doing anything important anyways.” I stumbled out as she nodded.

“Okay.” She smiled at me before she went to the bathroom. On a scale of one to ten, one being perfectly calm and ten being a full blown panic attack. I was currently at a ten.

“Daddy! The door!” Arianna yelled for me as I went back into the living room to answer it.

“Oh thanks man. Appreciate it.” I told the guy as he handed over the stuff and I closed the door. I turned around only to bump into Ari.

“Am I spending the night?” She sweetly asked me as I patted her head and put the blankets and pillows down.

“Yeah, yeah one big sleepover. You, me…mommy.” I told her as she took one of the blankets and dragged it back over to the couch before she continued to watch cartoons and snack on some more cookies that were left on the table.

“I’m gonna call Tommy…you just stay there.” I told her but she didn’t even acknowledge me. I grabbed my phone and stepped out on the balcony.

“Pick up you idiot.” I mumbled after the third ring.

“Hey Sixx! What’s up man!”

I breathed in a fresh of breath air, “Dude! Ari and Van are going to stay the night at my hotel room and I don’t know what to do?!”

Tommy started laughing, “Uh, you let them stay the night? I’m not sure what you’re asking?”

I rolled my eyes, “Vanity and Arianna are staying the night.” I repeated myself.

“Okay, and what’s the big- Oh? There’s only one bed huh?” I heard him snicker, “Use protection Nikki. I’m sure we don’t want another little Sixx running around just yet.”

If he was standing in front of me I probably would’ve punched him in the face.

“Fuck you, T-bone. That’s not on my mind.”

He laughed, “Yeah buddy, I’m sure it isn’t. Clem’s been telling me about all the teasing Vanity has been doing to you. Just fuckin let the girls have the bed and you sleep on the couch. Problem solved.”

I turned around when there was a tap on the glass door, “Oh fuck.” I said out loud as Vanity was standing in a towel that was loosely tucked around her.

“Yeah?” I slid the door open, “Can I have some clothes?”

“She’s already naked and needs clothes? You dirty fuckin dog.”

“Shut up.” I said spoke as Vanity tilted her head to the side, “No, not you! Fuck, Tommy I’ll call you back.” I quickly hung up and stepped through the door.

“Are you okay?” Vanity mumbled as I dug through my suitcase and pulled out a pair of sweats and a shirt for her.

“Yeah. I’m good. I’m great. Why do you ask that?” I questioned as I put the clothes in her hands.

She stared at me for a moment, confusion written all over her face, “…I’m gonna get dressed.” She said before she walked back to the bathroom.

I threw the phone down on the bed before I groaned out loud and rubbed my face. Just fuckin relax, man. It’s fine. Everything is fine.

Vanity walked back out, drying her hair as she glanced at me, “You need to chill the fuck out.”

I scoffed, “What?” My voice cracked, “I’m fine!”

She laughed, “I’m fine!” She mocked as I narrowed my eyes, “It’s written all over your face, Nik.”

I rolled my eyes, “My face is fine!” I raised my voice as she didn’t even flinch. I took a deep breath in, “I am fine.”

She walked towards me as she put the towel in my hands and went to Arianna and sat down next to her. She slowly crawled into Vans lap and rested against her chest.

“Do you want me to order some pizza?” I asked Van as they both looked over at me, “Yes please. I want cheese.” Arianna told me as I chuckled.

Vanity kissed the back of Ari’s head, “Cheese and pepperoni. Thanks Nikki.”

I picked up the phone and ordered some pizza before I came over and sat by Vanity and we watched Arianna’s cartoons together.

“She needs to take a bath to get all the chlorine off later.” Vanity explained, “Oh yeah, whatever she needs. I don’t care.” I muttered as I stiffened up when Vanity scooted a bit closer to me and rested her her head on my shoulder.

“I’m gonna go work on some lyrics.” I quickly got up as Vanity stared at me, then she followed after me, “Can I see the new stuff?”

I watched as she crawled onto my bed and laid on her side, “Well, I uh…I don’t have anything really written. It’s all in my head right now…”

She smiled at me before she pulled on the strings of the bass, “Huh, well maybe some other time. Do you still want to keep the typical sound of Mötley or are you trying to become what’s popular now a days?”

“I don’t know.” I said as I took the bass away from her and held it in my lap as I drummed my fingers against the fretboard,

“Okay then…” Vanity mumbled, “Well I think you should keep the Mötley aesthetic but try to do what’s mainstream you know? I mean, hair metal wasn’t going to be popular forever.” She laughed a bit as I glared at her.

“And be like everyone else? No thanks.”

“Literally there’s Mötley, Guns and Roses, Poison, Ratt, Cinderella, Skid Row, Warrant…all of you look the same.” She said as I watched as she laid on her back and fumble with the drawstrings of my sweats that were laid loosely on her hips.

“We do not look the same. Or sound the same either! Mötley did it first and those guys are just copiers.”

“So what about Kiss?”

I laughed, “Do not compare us to Kiss.”

She sat up in a criss cross position and looked at me with an amused expression, “You’re really gonna tell me that the face paint, the hair, leather and high heeled boots didn’t stem from that? Not saying I like Kiss, because I don’t. But I think I would’ve liked you a lot more if you had a tongue like Gene Simmons.”

Did she really just say that?

*Vanity’s POV*

I watched him squirm uncomfortably, noticing the shade of pink rise on his cheeks. He looked away from me and grabbed the water bottle in front of him and took a long sip.

I chewed on my bottom lip as my eyebrows raised, “No comment? I thought that was funny…god, when did you become such a prude?”

Nikki shook his head, “Princess, I haven’t touched you in five years. I’m immune to comments like that.” He sighed and gave me a smile, “Plus, between my cock and my tongue I’ve made you scream louder then any other dude possibly could.”

I laughed, “Okay, that’s fair. I’ll give you that.”

Nikki smiled at me before he got up to answer the knock on the door, “Keep the change, man.” He told the guy before he brought the boxes of pizza over to the table.

I helped Arianna climb up on the chair before putting some food in front of her, “Thank you.” She quietly spoke before devouring the pizza.

After dinner, I had just gotten Arianna out of the shower after getting her dressed. She was wearing one of Nikki’s bands shirts that was more of a dress on her as she ran through the bedroom and tot he living room as she climbed up on the couch.

“No! I don’t want my hair brushed!” She tried fighting me as I grabbed a hold of her and started combing her hair out as gently and fast as I could but she kept pulling away from me.

“Ari, either we do it now or we do it in the morning when you have a whole bunch of tangles and I promise you’re not gonna like that one bit.” I told her as she huffed and puffed before simmering down and letting me continue.

“Daddy likes Dino’s too.” She told me as she showed me the T-Rex shirt she was wearing.

I chuckled, “No baby, it’s daddy’s favorite band.” I finished combing out her hair before putting it in a sloppy braid.

“Can you read me a story?” She questioned as she laid down on the couch and pulled the blanket up to her chin.

“No story tonight babe. I don’t have any of your books.” I groaned when Nikki pushed the back of my head before sitting down on the floor by the couch. Arianna turned and rested on her side to face him.

“Where’s your imagination, mom.” Nikki teased as I rolled my eyes, “I’ll tell you a story pumpkin.”

“Once upon a time in a land far, far away there was a princess who was apart of the richest kingdom of all. She was a beautiful princess, she had pretty brown locks and gorgeous hazel eyes kinda like yours.” He bopped her nose gently as she giggled, “One day, the princess met a Nobel and extremely handsome boy, but he wasn’t a prince or a king. He was a poor boy who had a group of friends he hanged out with and got into a lot of trouble with.”

“Like Peter Pan!” Arianna giggled as Nikki smiled and nodded, “Yeah, kinda like Peter. But he didn’t wear tights and fly through the stars, he wore leather pants and rode a motorcycle.”

Oh no.

“And the boy, he wasn’t too nice sometimes to the princess. But man, did he love her a lot. He’d do anything for her and he wrote some sweet little songs for her too. And the princess loved him very much too. She always made him smile and laugh and very, very happy. One day, the boy asked the princess to marry him and she said yes.”

Arianna gasped, “And the boy saved up all his money and got her a beautiful ring for her to have forever. They were going to have a magical wedding with all their friends in the enchanted forest for all the critters to watch.”

I stared at Nikki who was gently brushing his finger tips over Arianna’s cheek, “Well one day, a evil witch came into the kingdom and tricked the boy with a little curse to leave the pretty princess and it worked.”

“No! Daddy!” Arianna yelped before he hushed her, “And the boy wish he never listened to the witch because he knew how the princess would be sad about it. The princess ran away to another kingdom but the boy didn’t give up, he found the princess again and she was still as beautiful as before. So he got down on his knees and begged the princess for forgiveness, but she’s always been a little stubborn.” I let out a scoff as he laughed a bit.

“He told the princess, I still love you and I’d do anything to have you back in our kingdom with me. He then gave her a kiss, a true loves kiss and the princess decided to give him another chance and they lived happily ever after. The end.” Nikki had a proud smile on his face as I rolled my eyes.

“But the princess wasn’t a dumb one. She was smart.” Both of them both looked over at me, “And she knew the boy always had a way with sweet words and would give her flowers and presents to make things better. But it didn’t.”

“But mommy!! The princess loves the boy!”

I nodded, “Yes, the princess loves the boy very much. But she needs more then just flowers and presents to make her feel better.

“But how is the boy suppose to make the princess feel better when the princess won’t talk to him about it?” Nikki questioned.

I shrugged, “The boy needs to figure it out so the princess doesn’t lock herself away again and cry over the stupid boy.”

“I don’t like this story.” Arianna mumbled as we both looked at her. I let out a deep sigh, “The princess did love the boy very much and decided to give him another chance anyways. And they lived happily ever after in their kingdom. Go to bed.” I told her as I got up from the couch and gave her a soft kiss atop of her forehead.

“Sometimes the princess gets grumpy.” Nikki mumbled to Arianna as she laughed, “Goodnight pumpkin.”

“Goodnight daddy.”

I grabbed the extra pillows and blankets from the chair and started creating a make shift bed on the floor by Arianna, “What are you doing?” Nikki quietly asked as I looked at him, motioning to stuff on the floor.

“Making a bed to sleep on? What are you doing?” I shook my head as I threw the pillow down on the floor.

“You can sleep in the bed..” Nikki whispered as I stared at him, “Where are you going to sleep?” I questioned him as he pointed in the adjoining room.

“In the bed?”

I let out an amused grunt, “What? Can’t control yourself?” He teased as I rolled my eyes at him. I shook my head, “I can control myself, thank you very much.”

“Then it’s settled. You get one side and I’ll get the other.” He walked away from me and went into the bedroom as I stayed absolutely still. I looked over at Arianna who was getting snuggled into the couch and blanket.

I went into the bedroom, seeing him digging through his suitcase, “I get the left side.” I muttered as he chuckled, “I know, you’ve always slept on the left side.”

“Okay…” I mumbled, “I sleep with my pants off…” I said as I started pulling them down, but he turned around to look at me so I pulled them back up. I felt my fucking heart racing as he looked at me.

“Well, I sleep with my pants off too.” He said as I watched him unbutton his jeans before he kicked them off his legs, “And no shirt.” He smugly said as he pulled the shirt off his shoulders right after. My eyes went down to the black cursive again that felt like one giant slap to the face the longer I stared at it.

“I still have it because I was too scared to get it covered.” Nikki explained as I looked back at him, “I don’t know why. I just couldn’t bring myself to do it.”

“But Brandi?”

He chuckled, “She fuckin hated it. So we never fucked and looked at each other. She always faced away from me.”

“Oh.”

I quickly grabbed the remote and turned on MTV to listen to some music. I also raided the mini fridge and grabbed a shooter of Jack Daniels and quickly swallowed it before grabbing another. Nikki went to the bathroom to do whatever as I took the chance to quickly take off my pants and get under the covers. I sat against the pillows and headboard with the tiny bottles in my lap.

“Oh you got to be fucking kidding me.” I muttered to myself as the music video for ‘Home Sweet Home’ played on the TV.

Nikki’s came out of the bathroom and groaned, “Turn it off.” He said as he grabbed the blankets and got into the bed next to me. I stiffened up and scooted over so he could have more room.

“It’s a good song.” I told him as he laughed, “Yeah, the only fuckin good one on the album. That album was a fuckin train wreck.”

Nikki fluffed the pillows up as he laid down and took the remote from my hand but I took it back from him, “What about Smokin In The Boys Room? Louder than hell? Keep Your Eye On The Money? Those are some great songs.”

“Ah, I don’t know. That album is trash. I don’t remember any of it.” I glanced over at him as he shrugged.

“What do you mean you don’t remember it?” I questioned him as he laughed a bit.

“Doll, I was so fucked up during that album and tour. That album fucking sucked.”

“Yes I know you were really high. You might not remember it but I do. And I genuinely liked Theater of Pain. It was a great visual era.” I explained to him as he rolled his eyes.

“You’re just saying that. Everyone knows it sucked.”

I scoffed, “Am not, I liked it better then the Girls album.” I said in a matter of fact type of way.

“But you loved that album.” Nikki furrowed his eyebrows in confusion, “I love all your albums. But c’mon. Wild Side and Girls, Girls, Girls are like the only memorable songs.”

“What about You’re All I Need? That was a great song.”

I laughed, “About a boyfriend killing his girlfriend. Yeah, that’s a great song Nikki.”

“But if we’re talking favorites, my favorite album is Shout At The Devil. I love almost every song on that album. Ten Seconds To Love is my favorite song of yours.”

He laughed, “But you hated how I dabbled with black magic, you were fuckin scared of that!”

“I was not scared! It was just weird! And I thought you were a freak for wanting to play with it.”

“You were always like ‘Nikki! Stop! I don’t want Satan in my house!’ You were scared.” He continued to laugh as he mocked my voice.

“It was a genuine concern! Because Tommy was telling me all the weird shit that was happening at your guys apartment after you read that stupid book.”

“I still have that book.” Nikki grinned as I rolled my eyes.

“I bet you do. You are fucking Satan.” I retorted as he smirked and ran his hand up my forearm to my shoulder, “Well, Guess that means you’ve danced with the devil a few times.” He chuckles before he took his hand away from me and laid on his back.

“What’s your least favorite song?”

“She Goes Down.”

Nikki started laughing loudly as I quickly put my hand over his mouth, “Sh! You’ll wake up Ari!”

He took my hand away as he held it before I tugged free of his grip, “Van, that’s a great song, it’s creative.”

“It’s stupid. And childish, and so, so embarrassing. Everyone knows it’s about me going down on you.”

“Okay fine. But that’s all the more reason for all these stupid guys to back the fuck off.” I scoffed and looked over at him, “What? You’re still my girl.”

“Shut up, Nikki.”

“How about you make me?”

I kicked the blankets off of me, “Id rather sleep on the hard floor.” I muttered as I reached down for my pants to put them on but he grabbed my wrist.

The gaze he had on me was soft, “No, c’mon. I’ll stop. Just lay back down and I’ll be quiet. Please?” I studied his face for a moment before he took his hand away and patted the pillow and I grumbled before I laid down next to him.

“I’m not your girl.” I mumbled weakly as he chuckled, “Whatever you say doll.”

I was laying in perfect silence until I gasped, “Fuck! I have to call Clementine!” I announced, quickly grabbing my pants and putting them on as I went through my purse and dug out my phone.

Nikki let out a grunt, “Who the fuck gives a shit? You’re an adult.”

“I give a shit Nikki. We were suppose to-oh hi Clem!” Clementine began yelling from the other side, “Yes, yes I know! But I totally forgot! Yes I’m fine, Arianna is fine too. My um, car wouldn’t start so Nikki offered for us to stay the night.”

“Jesus, you need a babysitter too?” Nikki shook his head and got out of bed. He walked over to Me and took the phone out of my hand.

“Clementine? Yeah, it’s Nikki. The girls are fine so stopping fucking worrying.” He snapped at her as my eyes widened

“Oh yeah? Well fuck you too.” I watched as Nikki pressed the end call button and handed the phone back to me.

“That was really rude, Nikki.” I stated as I stared at him in disbelief.

“She doesn’t need to be up your ass twenty four seven. Plus, she’s probably only calling for more money.”

I shook my head, walking back to the bed and plopping down as he followed after me. I snatched the blankets and pulled them over myself, “Shut up, you have no idea what you’re even talking about.” I snapped, turning to lay on my side and face away from him.

“I do know what I’m talking about actually. Tommy told me you give her hundreds and hundreds over dollar every month.” Nikki spoke as I felt him take blankets away from me.

I scoffed, forcefully pulling the blankets back, “Yeah, for watching Arianna. Again, you don’t have a clue what you’re talking about.”

I could just tell he was rolling his eyes, “I literally watched you hand her a stack of hundreds the other day and you didn’t even think fuckin twice. For someone that apparently lives the starving artist life she sure likes to act poor.”

“Well it’s my money and I can do what I want with it. Why do you even have beef with her? You had no issues with any of the other girlfriends or wives.” I pointed out as I shook my head.

Nikki expressed, “I just don’t fuckin like her. She acts like a god damn charity case when she can just go out and get a real job.”

I rolled over, turning to face him, “She’s an artist, Nikki. That’s her job. Just like playing a guitar is your job.” I explained as I grabbed one of the pillows He was using and propped it under mine.

I glared at me, “Yeah, well when I was getting the band going I still had little side jobs.”

I rolled my eyes, “You fuckin dated girls that worked at grocery stores just so you could get free food. She’s nice Nikki. And she told me all about you being an asshole to her when she went to California with Tommy.”

Nikki groaned, “She wasn’t nice to me then and she’s still not nice to me now.”

I furrowed my eyebrows, “Yes she is! She has been nothing but nice to you. She said you went out of your way to make her feel unwelcome in my house….I mean your house.”

“Whatever. I don’t fuckin like her. She’s a leech.” He grunted when I smacked him in the face with a pillow, “Don’t fucking be a brat.”

“How can you even say that? You barely know anything about her other then her being Tommy’s girlfriend and Arianna’s aunt.”

“She isn’t Arianna’s aunt. Sage is her aunt. Clementine is not.” Nikki pointed out as I then took the pillow and wedged it between us to create a make shift wall.

“Well she was the only that was in the delivery room with me Nikki.”

Nikki moved the pillow and threw it across the room, “She was?”

I rolled my eyes and turned to face away from him, “Yes Nikki, she was. My mom and siblings were on some god damn cruise because Arianna was born a few weeks prior to her actual due date. Clementine held my hand while I gave birth. So maybe you should think twice before saying something stupid about her. I’m going to bed, so shut the fuck up.”

I her let out a huff of air after I finished my rant, “Vanity?”

“What Nikki?” My voice oozed annoyance a I pulled the blankets up to my chin.

“I-I haven’t asked yet. But when’s Arianna’s birthday?” Out of all the questions he’s asked over the last few weeks, that has not been one of them.

“She was born on May seventh at three in the afternoon and she weighed six pounds and nine ounces.” I explained as I heard him let out a deep sigh before I felt him shift in the bed to get comfortable.

“I’m sorry, Princess.” Nikki mumbled as I felt his hand run down my back.

“I know you are Nikki.” I said, grabbing his hand, lightly squeezing it before taking it away from my body.

*Nikkis POV, Next Morning*

I yawned, rubbing my eyes as I shifted in bed and moved some hair out of my face. I closed my eyes and deeply sighed as I felt Vanity move beside me. I glanced over, taking a double look as her bright red thong was out on display to me. Don’t be fucking weird, Nikki. I tried pulling the blanket up her body, it was tangled between her legs as she adjusted in her sleep. Her shirt, well my shirt bunched up higher around her torso as she snored slightly.

God, she looked so fucking beautiful. I sighed and gently rested my hand on her hip, feeling the coolness of her skin as it’s been exposed to the air. I traced my fingertips over the curve of her body and up her sides as she squirmed just a bit at the feathery touch. I slid my fingers back down, grazing over her thigh before Arianna ruined it all.

“Mom!! I’m hungry!!”

I’ve never seen anyone wake up so fast. I froze, taking my hand away from her as she sat up in bed , “Mom!! Breakfast!!” Arianna yelled again as Vanity groaned and laid back down.

“Okay!” Vanity yelled back as she pulled the blanket over her head. I heard her start to lightly snore again before Arianna yelled once more.

“I am coming!” She yelled back before throwing the blankets off of her and getting out bed and going to the adjoining living room.

If this is how mornings could or would be, with Vanity in bed beside me and our child yelling for her while I tried to cop a feel, I would take it any day of the fucking week.

[navek15]

Fairy Tail: The Bravestar Saga Ch. 1

Author's Note 1: Fairy Tail: The Bravestar Saga is a non-profit fanfiction series.

Fairy Tail and Fairy Tail Series II are all owned by A-1 Pictures, Satelight, Bridge Madman Entertainment, Funimation TXN, Kodansha, and Hiro Mashima.

Any original characters and concepts are owned by Navek or xpegasus.

Please support the official release.

In a land far, far, away lies the Kingdom of Fiore. A small and peaceful nation of about 17,000,000 and a place filled with magic. Found in every home, bought and sold in every marketplace. For most, magic is merely a tool, a mundane part of everyday life.

For some, however, magic is an art, and they've devoted their lives to its practice. These are the Wizards. Banded together into magical guilds, they ply their skills in search of fame and fortune. Many such guilds dot the landscape of Fiore.

But there is a certain guild in a certain town that sores high above the rest. One from which countless legends have been born. A guild that will no doubt continue to create legends well into the future.

Its name is Fairy Tail. And this is the story of one such legend.

                     Navek and xpegasus present

                               A Fairy Tail Story

                      Fairy Tail: The Bravestar Saga

                    Chapter 1: A New Legend Begins!

Hargeon…

The sound of seagulls cawing and the waves crashing against the beach sang through the air as early morning rolled over the port town of Hargeon. The daily 9 AM train had arrived in town, and the sounds of feet reverberated through the station as passengers got off and boarded the train. Among the passengers getting off was an interesting group of young adults consisting of two men, a woman, and a cat.

The cat had blue & white fur, a green backpack, and black eyes. But the most interesting thing about this cat was its very long tail and the fact that it stood upright on two legs.

The scrawnier of the two men had scruffy brown hair, green eyes, and lightly tanned skin. He wore a black t-shirt, a pair of brown goggles with green lenses around his neck, blue jeans, a silver bracelet with two green gems on his left wrist, green and white sneakers, and a pair of black gloves. However, the right glove left his thumb and pinky exposed, while the left glove only covered his thumb and pointer finger.

The lone woman outdid her male companions in both height and muscle mass. She had long orange hair tied in a ponytail, purple eyes, tan skin, a sleeveless red shirt, red fingerless gloves, white bandages covering her forearms, purple leggings, and black boots.

Rounding off the group was the second male who was wearing a long-sleeve red jacket, a white scale patterned scarf, an orange-trimmed black kilt over his baggy white pants, black sandals, and a green backpack. He had black eyes, spiky pink hair, and was currently writhing in pain on the station floor.

"Oh, thank the founders! It's over!" the pink-haired man said.

The woman sighed and helped the queasy man onto his feet. He leaned on her shoulders.

"Thanks, Alyssa."

"No problema," she said with a smile. "But now…"

"Oh, crap," the pink-haired man said as he saw the blue cat handing the brunette a bottle of nasty-looking green liquid.

"Come on, Natsu," the brunette said. "You gotta drink it."

"But it's so gross!" Natsu cried as he tried to walk away, only for Alyssa to put him into a shoulder hold. "Hey, wait!"

"Sorry, hun. But Zeke's right," she replied with an apologetic smile. The brunette uncorked the bottle, only to sigh as Natsu shut his mouth tight.

"Happy."

"Aye, sir!" the cat replied with a salute before pulling a feather out of his backpack. Happy approached Natsu's feet and began to tickle his toes. Natsu tried his best not to laugh, but it was a fight he quickly lost. The instant Natsu opened his mouth, Zeke shoved the bottle down his throat.

"Just drink already," Zeke shouted in annoyance, the crowd taking in the strange sight as mothers told their children not to look at them. After Natsu finally swallowed the green liquid…

"Oh, man! I feel like a new man!" Natsu excitedly exclaimed with his arms raised, Alyssa giggling while Zeke rolled his eyes.

"Honestly, man. You don't need to be such a baby about taking your medicine," Zeke said as he tossed Happy the empty bottle.

"Well, that's Natsu for ya," Happy replied as he put the bottle back in his backpack.

"Easy for you guys to say! You don't have to drink that crap!" Natsu shouted back before turning around to face the city. "Alright, enough stalling. Time to go look for Igneel!"

"Got it!" Alyssa said as she ran after him.

"Aye, sir!" Happy said.

"Hey, wait for me!" Zeke exclaimed as he and Happy chased after their friends.

In another part of town, a blonde girl grumbled as she stomped through the streets. She had an hourglass figure, blonde hair tied in a side ponytail with a blue bow, brown eyes, pink heart-shaped earrings, a blue & white shirt, a black wristband on her right wrist, a blue skirt, and black boots. On her right hip was a key ring that held gold and silver keys, and on the other side was a black whip with a brown handle.

'I can't believe that old geezer only dropped the price down by a couple of thousand Jewels,' the blonde thought to herself. 'Nice to know what my sex appeal is really worth.' However, her attention was drawn in when she saw a large crowd gathering in the town square. 'Huh. I wonder what that's about.'

Back with the strange quartet, they had begun their search.

"IGNEEL!" Natsu shouted at the top of his lungs, scaring away some birds as he looked around. Near him, Happy came back up from a sewer entrance.

"Well, he's not down there," the blue cat reported. Nearby, Alyssa lifted a dumpster over her head like a feather, spooking the raccoon that was sleeping under it.

"Nope," she replied before looking up. "You see anything, Zeke?!"

The brunette was on top of a roof and hanging on to a weather vane, his goggles over his eyes. "Nope. Everything looks fine!" Zeke leaped off the roof before ricocheting off the alleyway walls and onto the street. "You'd think it'd be easy to spot someone like Igneel."

"I hate to say it, but maybe that clue we got was a dud," Alyssa said. Natsu frowned as he began to think the same. But suddenly, the quartet heard some women screaming excitedly.

"It's Salamander!"

"He's so hot!"

"I hear his fire magic is insane!"

"You guys think that might be him?" Zeke asked.

"Let's go find out!" Natsu shouted as the four ran towards the commotion.

In the middle of Hargeon's town square, a large group of women had gathered together and were swooning over the man in the center of the crowd. He was a slim man in his early thirties with sharp and angular features, a blue undercut, and a heavily stylized "X" tattoo above this right eyebrow. His outfit consisted of a white button-up shirt, a dark purple cape with high collar and sun symbols on either side, dark red pants, and several rings on his hands.

Among the crowd of swooning women was the blonde girl from earlier, looking at the man with astonished eyes and a blush on her cheeks.

'What the hell's going on?' she thought as her heart began to race, and her cheeks warmed with a blush. The feeling only intensified when the man winked at her. 'Could…this be…'

"Scusi! Coming through!" Alyssa said as she and others cut through the crowd. Natsu began to shout as they reached the center.

"Igneel! Igneel! It's me, Natsu!"

Everyone's attention was turned to the sudden arrival of the odd-looking strangers. When the blonde saw the four, all of the strange feelings in her chest suddenly vanished, and she realized what had happened.

"Who the hell are you?" Natsu asked.

"Who am I? Why, I am the great and mighty fire Wizard known as Salamander," the man smugly stated. "Surely, you must've heard of me."

"Can't say that we have," Zeke said, only to notice all the girls were now glaring at the four with murderous intent, which was then followed by them shouting some very colorful words at them.

"Now, now, my lovelies. No need to be rude," Salamander said. He pulled out four pieces of paper with his name on them. "Would you four care for my autograph? That way, you get something to brag about to your friends."

"Why the hell would we-" Natsu began to say.

"Thank you! We'll just take those and be on our way," Zeke said with a nervous grin, feeling the glares of the angry women boring into him. He quickly grabbed the autographed papers and pushed his friends away from the crowd. "Toodle-loo."

As the four left, Salamander told the ladies they were all invited to a party on his yacht later that night before taking off on a stream of fire.

"Guess that wasn't him," Happy commented.

"So is it me, or did that guy seem like a real creep?" Alyssa asked.

"That's because he is a creep." The four turned and saw a blonde girl approaching them with a thankful smile.

"Hi, my name's Lucy."

A little while later, the group was eating at a local restaurant. Lucy offered to treat the four to a meal…and was immediately regretting that decision. While Zeke and Happy's meal only consisted of a grilled chicken salad and a fish respectively, Natsu and Alyssa wasted no time ordering everything on the menu.

"It's nice that you offered to cover lunch…" Zeke began to say as his friends dug into their meals with gusto. "…but I probably should've warned you how much these two can pack it in."

"No, it's fine. I owe you guys one anyway." Lucy sighed out as pieces of food began to fly everywhere. 'There goes all the extra money I saved.'

"Anyway, we should probably introduce ourselves," the brunette said. "I'm Ezekiel, but my friends call me Zeke. The big lady is Alyssa, the spike head is Natsu, and the cat's name is Happy."

"Okay…but why can he talk?" Lucy asked.

"Because I'm a cat," Happy replied before going back to munching on his fish. Lucy looked at Zeke for a better answer, but the brunette just shrugged.

"Not that I'm complaining, but how exactly do you owe us one?" Natsu asked through a full mouth.

"Well, that Salamander guy was using some sort of Charm Magic. That's why all those women were falling over him," Lucy explained. "I got caught up in it too, but when you guys came barreling through, I was able to snap back to reality."

"Really. I thought Charm Magic was illegal," Zeke said as he began to contemplate something. As he did, Lucy realized something.

"That reminds me. Alyssa, you were right next to that creep. Why weren't you affected by his charm spell?" Lucy asked the orange-haired woman. The taller woman swallowed her food before answering.

"Well, it's quite simple, Lucy," Alyssa said before wrapped her arm around Natsu's shoulder, bringing his head to her shoulder and smiling. "It's because I've already been charmed by the sweetest man in all of Fiore."

"Aw, shucks," Natsu said with a blush and a smile. "No need to go that far, babe."

'Oh.' Lucy thought to herself, realizing that the pinkette and amazonian woman were an item. And Alyssa placing a hand under his chin and making him look in her eyes confirmed it.

"But, you deserve every bit of praise, amore mio."

"Ooh, I love it when you talk all fancy," Natsu said as he wrapped his arms around Alyssa's waist. Lucy could swear that the air around them began to sparkle as they looked into each other's eyes.

"Oh, Natsu," Alyssa said dreamily.

"Oh, Alyssa," he replied.

"Oh, Natsu."

"Oh, Alyssa."

Zeke and Happy sweatdropped as the couple repeated each other's names like a mantra. "They're at it again," the cat stated.

"Nice going, Lucy."

The blonde girl laughed in embarrassment. "By the way, you guys said you were looking for someone named Igneel, right?"

The question broke Natsu and Alyssa out of their couple's trance, as Alyssa answered. "That's right. Igneel is Natsu's dad. We heard a rumor that a Salamander was in Hargeon, so we decided to stop by and look around."

"Too bad that guy was a total dud," Happy said with a sigh.

"No kidding. He looked nothing like a dragon." Natsu stated. "I bet he can't even breathe fire."

"So, your dad looks like a dragon?" Lucy asked, trying to imagine how someone could resemble a dragon.

"No, he doesn't look like a dragon. He is a dragon," Natsu answered like it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Lucy was stunned when she heard this. As fantastical as their world was, dragons were considered to be creatures of myth and legends. But there was also something else that she freaked her out.

"Why the hell would a dragon show up in the middle of a fishing town?!" Lucy exclaimed in shock. Natsu and Happy suddenly got a widened eyed look as the realization hit them like a sack of bricks.

"Ya, I didn't want to say anything…" Zeke spoke up with an awkward look. "...but I was thinking that Hargeon looked way too intact for supposedly being visited by a dragon."

"I was actually thinking the same thing," Alyssa said sheepishly. "Sorry, sweetie."

After paying the check, Lucy got up and left. However, as she turned back, she saw Natsu and Happy prostrating themselves on the floor while Zeke and Alyssa bowed.

"Thank you for the meal!" The four said.

"Stop it! You're embarrassing me!"

"Well, we need some way to repay you," Alyssa said. Natsu's face lit up as he got an idea.

"Here ya go!" Natsu said as he handed Lucy one of the autographs Salamander gave them.

"No, thanks," Lucy replied with a flat look.

And then…

"Wow, looks like Fairy Tail's at it again," Lucy said with a chuckle as read the newest issue of Sorcerer Weekly. After parting with the four weirdos, the blonde girl decided to relax at the local park and read one of her favorite magazines. "This time, they wrecked a bell tower."

Indeed, a news article detailed a team of Fairy Tail mages called Bravestar and their fight against a group of bandits in a small countryside town. However, the battle resulted in massive collateral damage, including the town's iconic bell tower.

"I wonder why I can't find a picture of those guys," Lucy said to herself. "Then again, if I caused that much damage, I'd probably high-tail it before anyone took a photo."

She flipped the page, showing the weekly centerfold featuring the Fairy Tail mage Mirajane. "And Mirajane's as gorgeous as ever." The blonde commented as she began to think out loud. "I wonder what I'd need to get into a magic guild like that. Is there a trial? Or I do gotta submit a job application or something?"

The blonde then rolled up and magazine and stood with a determined look on her face. "Oh well, it doesn't matter. 'Cause I'm gonna join Fairy Tail no matter what!"

"Ah, so you're looking to get into my guild, eh?" Lucy turned and, to her shock, saw Salamander walking out of the bushes.

"Salamander?!" Lucy exclaimed as she sprung from the bench. "What are you doing here? Don't you know it's rude to eavesdrop on a lady?!"

'You were the one talking to yourself,' the blue-haired man thought with a sweatdrop.

"And don't think you can charm me again! That kind of magic doesn't work when the target knows about it," Lucy proclaimed. Salamander's eyes widened with surprise.

"You figured out I was using Charm Magic? Very impressive," he said with a sly smile. "We could use those kinds of deduction skills at Fairy Tail."

"Fairy Tail?" Lucy parroted, suddenly remembering what Salamander said before. "No way! You're that Salamander?"

"The one and only," he said. Lucy's eyes sparkled with awe before she collected herself.

"Oh, yeah. So what?" Lucy crossed her arms and tried to act nonchalant.

"So don't want to join my guild?" Salamander asked with a cocky smirk.

"Well, I wouldn't say that," Lucy answered with a pout.

"Then how about a proposition?" Salamander said with a charming smile. "You come to my yacht party tonight and mingle a bit, and I'll put in a good word for you with the guild master. What do ya say?" He extended his hand.

And any amount of disgust or mistrust Lucy had vanished and instantly shook Salamander's hand with such force he nearly toppled over. "I'd love to come to your party tonight!" Lucy squealed in delight

Salamander chuckled at her enthusiasm. 'Well, that was easy.'

"You really think you can get me into Fairy Tail?" Lucy asked, finally releasing Salamander's hand.

"You have my word," Salamander said. With a snap of his fingers, a stream of magenta fire appeared beneath him and lifted him off the ground. "Just don't say anything about the charm spell, 'cause I'm planning on having some fun tonight."

"You got it, Mr. Salamander!" Lucy said with a salute.

"Excellent! See you at the party, darling! Flame Magic: Red Carpet!" With that, he took off into the sky on his transport of magenta fire. And it was only after he left that Lucy realized that he had pseudo-charmed her.

'Oh well. I just got to party with that sleazebag for one night, and I'm golden,' Lucy thought to herself. "Fairy Tail, here I come!"

And then...

"Looks like this trip was a total bust," Zeke said. Night had fallen on Hargeon. After their lunch, the eccentric quartet had decided to look around the rest of the fishing town, just in case there was any chance at all Igneel had been here. Unfortunately, they had no such luck and were now stuck in town for the night since their train wouldn't arrive until the next morning. The group was standing on a walkway that overlooked the city and ocean, giving them a fantastic view.

"Hey, isn't that the yacht where Salamander's hosting his party?" Happy asked, pointing to the distant boat that had left the harbor. Just thinking about being on a boat made Natsu nauseous until Alyssa rubbed his head.

"What? You've never heard of Salamander?" The group overheard a girl in a pink shirt say.

"No, not ringing any bells," her friend in a black shirt said. "Is he a big deal or something?"

"The biggest!" the girl in pink said. "He's a super-powerful and famous Fire Wizard from the Fairy Tail guild, not to mention handsome. I wish I could've gone to his party."

The four friends' eyes widened at the mention of "Fairy Tail." They turned their gaze towards the glistening yacht floating in the bay and narrowed their eyes.

"Fairy Tail, huh?" Alyssa said.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Zeke commented while Natsu glared.

Meanwhile, on the yacht, Lucy and Salamander were sitting in his private cabin while the rest of the ladies partied on the deck below. The blonde had changed into an elegant red dress to make a better impression.

"I've got to admit, you've got great taste," Lucy said as she ran her hands over the furniture. "Midian leather and Bellumi oak are hard to come by in Fiore."

"Why, thank you, Miss Lucy. Being a Wizard of such renown comes with its perks," Salamander said as he approached his liquor cabinet. "I appreciate the finer things in life." He grabbed two glasses and an amber-colored bottle.

"A toast to your beauty," Salamander said as he poured her a glass of orange wine. "Be sure to savor every drop."

Lucy put on her best fake smile and forced herself to laugh. Without his charm magic, Salamander really came off as a creep trying way too hard to be suave. But as he poured the drink, Lucy noticed one of his rings emitting a small glow. With a squint of her eyes, the blonde saw that ring had an image of a crescent moon and a closed eye.

"Just what do you think you're doing?" Lucy said. Salamander stopped pouring and looked at her in confusion. "You're trying to enchant my drink with a sleep charm."

"Hmph." Salamander gave a small smile and set down the bottle. "You continue to impress me, my dear."

"Look, I really do wanna join Fairy Tail. But I'm not gonna sleep with you to make that happen."

Lucy was about to get up…until she heard the click of a gun and felt cold metal pressed against the back of her head. With wide eyes, Lucy slowly turned and saw a woman with light brown hair, brown skin, and blue eyes pointing a gold flintlock pistol at her. Her outfit consisted of a pair of black cat-eye glasses, a bedazzled black vest over a full-sleeve white buttoned shirt, a black tie with matching dress pants and shoes, and gun holsters on each side of her belt, one of which was currently empty.

"Ah, Ripley. I didn't even notice you come in," Salamander said with a smirk.

"Well, you were blowing it, so I figured I'd give this little tart an incentive not to do anything stupid."

"W-wait, I saw you when I got on the ship," Lucy said with terror clear in her voice. "You were one of the girls at the party."

"Oh, please. Don't compare me to those floozies," the bespectacled woman said with a cruel smile. "Unlike them, I'm not so easily swayed by such simple magic."

"Simple? I spent a fortune on these rings," Salamander growled in annoyance just as someone else walked into the cabin.

"Yo, Salamander. All the new merchandise is knocked out." Lucy looked at the man, and the first word that came to her mind was "snake." From his slanted black eyes to his lanky body to his clothing of a tight black top, fingerless gloves, scale-like green pants, and black leggings underneath. "The boys are bringing them down to the lower- Huh, what's going on here?"

"It seems this girl is too smart for her own good, Kurohebi," Ripley explained. Lucy then felt shivers run down her spine as Kurohebi looked down her body and licked his black lips. He was even creepier than Salamander.

"Maybe so, but we can probably make a couple of thousand Jewels off of her," the snake-like man said with a low chuckle.

"Merchandise? Jewels?" Lucy asked fearfully. "What's going on?"

"Guess the cat's out of the bag," Salamander said as he stood up. "But don't worry, Lucy. We'll make sure not to harm that pretty little head of yours until we reach Bosco. After that, we'll make sure you're sold to the highest bidder."

"Y-you…" Lucy's eyes widened as his words sank in. "You're slave traders! But...I thought you were a Fairy Tail wizard!"

"Don't you get it? Our little playboy just said that to get you to come on board," Ripley replied bemusedly, Kurohebi chuckling along with her.

"So all the girls at the party…"

"You'd be amazed how much some depraved rich guys are willing to pay for pretty girls," Kurohebi explained. A hard scowl on her face, Lucy reached for her key ring, only for Salamander to grab it with his fire magic. He brought the six keys to his eye-level to examine them.

"These are Gate Keys. So you're a Celestial Wizard," Salamander said as he walked towards the nearby window. "Only the contracted wizard can use these. They're absolutely useless to me."

Before Lucy could protest, Salamander tossed her Spirit Keys out the window. She could only stare in horror and disbelief as everything she'd worked for vanished into the waters below. Lucy felt a myriad of emotions bubbling up inside; sorrow at the loss of her keys; fear at what would happen to her and the girls on the ship; but above all else, anger. Lucy was furious at Salamander and his accomplices. Magic was something precious and beautiful, and to have it be used for heinous, evil acts was unforgivable. With her eyes watering and her teeth grit, Lucy glared at the blue-haired man.

"You used magic to take advantage of others!" She yelled out. "You're the worst kind of wizard!"

The roof of the cabin exploded, surprising the four as someone landed on the floor. When the smoke cleared, they saw Alyssa glaring at the three slavers, her stance proud and defiant.

"Alyssa!" Lucy said with a smile.

"It's that bodybuilder chick from earlier!" Salamander proclaimed.

"What the hell is going on here?" Alyssa asked.

"None of your business, you dumb gorilla!" Ripley said as she aimed her gun at the orange-haired woman. Alyssa spoke a chant.

"Boost Magic: Boosted Kick!"

To everyone's shock, Alyssa's legs glowed with purple magical energy, a purple magic circle with a fist in the center appearing behind her. With amazing speed that betrayed her size, Alyssa leaped ahead and delivered a round-house kick to Ripley's torso, knocking her through the cabin wall.

"That was magic!" Kurohebi exclaimed as Lucy and Salamander looked on in shock. Alyssa turned and glared at Salamander.

"Salamander, right? I heard some girls saying that you're a Fairy Tail wizard," Alyssa said as she gripped the hem of her shirt.

"Y-ya. So what of it?" Salamander asked with a trembling voice. Alyssa pulled up her shirt to reveal a dark purple mark over her abdominals. One that vaguely resembled a dancing fairy.

"Because I'm from Fairy Tail! And I've never seen you before in my life!"

"That mark!" Salamander shouted.

"No way!" Lucy exclaimed. "Alyssa's a Fairy Tail wizard?! And you could do laundry on her abs!"

"Lucy? What are you doing here?" a voice said from above. Lucy looked up at the hole Alyssa had made and saw Happy…floating in the air with a pair of white wings on his back.

"This guy tricked me. He said he could get me into Fairy Tail if I came to his party," Lucy said before noticing the elephant in the room. "Wait? When did you get wings?"

"We'll explain that later," Alyssa said, taking a fighting stance. "Happy, get Lucy out of here. I'll deal with these bastardos."

"Aye, ma'am!" Happy exclaimed as he wrapped his tail around Lucy's waist. "Hold on!"

Lucy screamed in shock as the blue cat lifted her into the sky.

"You won't get away!" Salamander proclaimed as he snapped his fingers. "Flame Magic: Red Carpet!"

Alyssa attempted to jump at Salamander but she was stopped in her tracks by a stream of magenta fire.

"Uh, uh, uh, big gal." Alyssa turned and saw Kurohebi, flames surrounding his hands. "You gotta deal with me."

'He's got flame magic too?' Alyssa thought as Salamander took off in the air after Happy & Lucy. Meanwhile, Ripley had finally managed to pull herself out of the rubble.

"Ripley, get the rest of the guys!" Kurohebi shouted. "I can already tell that this ladies' gonna be a big problem."

"Right," Ripely said as she ran out of the cabin.

"Go ahead. Bring as many people as you like, cazzo!" Alyssa shouted, cracking her knuckles as her thick arms began to glow with the same purple magic as before. "I'll kick all your asses!"

On the shores of Hargeon, Natsu and Zeke stood atop the seawall. The brunette looked out onto the water with his goggles over his eyes. But these were no ordinary eyewear. By feeding a small degree of mana into them, Zeke was able to see over great distances.

"What's going on?" Natsu asked as he saw streams of fire flying through the sky.

"That Salamander guy is chasing Happy and…Lucy?" Zeke replied, watching as the blue-haired man unleashed blasts of flame magic at the two as Happy weaved and bobbed to dodge his attacks.

"This sucks! I should be out there!" Natsu groaned.

"We both know you'd get sick as soon as you stepped one foot on the boat," Zeke said, causing his friend to pout. "Besides."

Zeke fed mana into his bracelet, causing the gems in it to glow. In an instant, it transformed into a majestic silver longbow with green accents and shimmering bowstring. The green gems now sat directly above and below the arrow rest. "I could use the target practice."

A green magic circle with an arrow at its center appeared between the gems. Zeke placed his right hand in the circle and pulled back on the bowstring. As he did, an arrow made of solid green magical energy manifested within the bow, its arrowhead consisting of three points.

"Arch Shot: Tri-Seeker Arrow!" The arrow soared through the air like a rocket-propelled bird of prey.

Salamander grit his teeth and furrowed his brow as rode atop his Red Carpet, growing increasingly frustrated at his inability to hit Happy and Lucy.

'That cat's faster than he looks,' the flame wizard thought to himself. But out of the corner of his eye, he saw the glowing arrow heading towards and barely dodged it.

"Nice try," Zeke said with a smirk as the arrow suddenly split into three streams of emerald light that curved and chased after Salamander until they blasted him, causing the flame mage to fall on the deck of his yacht.

"What was that?" Lucy asked.

"That was Zeke's Arch Shot magic," Happy answered.

"He launched a spell from that far away," Lucy said in amazement.

"Um, Lucy?"

She looked up. "What is it?"

"My magic-" Happy began to say before his wings vanished. "-just ran out."

"YOU STUPID CAT!" Lucy screamed as the two fell into the ocean. But as they were submerged, Lucy saw something twinkling on the seafloor.

Back on the yacht, Salamander groaned as he got back up. He checked to make sure nothing was broken and gaped in horror when he saw the arrows had torn his cape to pieces. As he vowed vengeance for the destruction of his favorite cape, Salamander noticed that the fight between Alyssa and Kurohebi had moved to the deck.

"Prominence Typhoon!" Kurohebi shouted as he launched a column of fire at Alyssa.

"Boost Magic: Boosted Leap!" she chanted. Magic enveloped her legs as she leaped out of the way. With magic still running through her legs, Alyssa jumped towards her opponent as her right arm lit up like her legs. "Boost Magic: Enhanced Knuckle!"

Kurohebi barely had time to dodge as Alyssa attempted to punch him, her fist smashing through the deck floor. However, the snake-like man smirked as he swiped his fingers across her legs as magic circles spun in his eyes.

"Copy Magic: Epithet Scan." Alyssa felt a burst of magic enter her body and then leave. She back-handed Kurohebi, pushing him across the deck. However, the black-haired mage simply chuckled. "Alright, big girl. Let's how you handle your own magic. Boosted Kick!"

To Alyssa's surprise, purple magic surrounded Kurohebi's legs before he leaped and kicked her into a table.

'Copy Magic?! Merda!' Alyssa thought to herself as she got back up.

"Hey, Kuro!" The two mages turned and saw Ripley flanked by all slavers' goons, her golden guns in hands, and a large case strapped to her back. "If you don't want to die, then get out of the way!"

"You got it," he said before leaping out of the way. Alyssa quickly channeling her mana into her legs.

"Guns Magic: Rapid-Fire!"

"Boost Magic: Boosted Jump!"

Ripley unleashed a torrent of yellow mana bullets that Alyssa was forced to jump to avoid. The orange-haired woman quickly jumped behind the buffet table and tipped it to use as a makeshift barrier.

But before the slavers could get cocky, Salamander saw another arrow pass the ship before breaking into three streams of green light again. He scowled as he snapped his fingers. "Flame Magic: Red Curtain!"

A large wall of fire appeared on the deck, blocking the arrows. "Ripley, there's another Fairy Tail wizard attacking from long-range! Get rid of them!"

"Alright, but mind your tone," Ripley said before running towards a nearby ladder, leaving Alyssa to fight Salamander, Kurohebi, and their goons. The bespectacled wizard quickly reached the roof of the yacht and opened the case, revealing a golden sniper rifle with a long barrel and a scope. "Okay, Ronney. Time to go hunting."

Ripley laid down on her stomach and aimed her rifle towards the direction the arrows came. Like Zeke did with his magical goggles, Ripley fed mana into her scope, allowing her to see Natsu and Zeke on Hargeon's beach. With a grin, the Guns Wizard readied her next spell, a yellow magic circle with a bullet epithet appearing in front of the barrel.

"Guns Magic: Horizon Bullet!" With a pull of her trigger, a magical bullet shot through the air, barreling towards Zeke and Natsu. The pink-haired man's ears twitched when he heard the shot.

"Incoming!" Natsu shouted before tackling Zeke into the sand as bullet destroyed the part of the seawall they'd been standing on. "What the hell was that?!"

Zeke quickly sat up and zoomed in again with his goggles, seeing Ripley on the roof of the yacht. The two were forced to evade more Horizon Bullets that sent sand flying high in the sky when they hit the beach.

"Looks like one of Salamander's lackeys has long-range magic," Zeke stated before noticing that they had begun to attract the attention of Hargeon's citizens. "Natsu, try to get the rubberneckers away from the beach."

"Got it!" Natsu replied before running towards the townspeople. "You guys better high-tail it out of here! Things are about to get crazy magical!"

As Natsu tried to get the townsfolk away from the beach, Zeke stood defiantly, Ripley right in his sight. He conjured another arrow, this one with an arrowhead shaped like a stick of dynamite. "Alright, lady. You picked the wrong wizard to pick a firefight with. Arch Shot: Demolition Arrow!"

Ripley barely had time to roll away as Zeke's spell hit the roof, exploding upon impact. She quickly aimed and fired another Horizon Bullet that Zeke was forced to dodge. The two then proceeded to engage in a long-range battle, each of them launching spells from a great distance and dodging when they needed to. However, since Ripley and her allies were on a boat, they were slowly losing as Zeke's spells kept blasting more of the yacht apart.

As this was going on, Lucy and Happy emerged from the sea, the blonde having recovered her keys from the ocean floor. Lucy looked at the yacht with a determined smirk as she grabbed a golden key. "Here we go. Open, Gate of the Water Bearer - Aquarius!"

Lucy plunged the key into the water and a blue magic circle with a cross epithet appeared. With a burst of mana and water, a blue-haired mermaid with a dark blue tail appeared before Lucy and Happy, a blue and silver urn in her hands.

"That was awesome!" Happy cried out with joy.

"That's the power of a Celestial Wizard," Lucy explained. "I can summon spirits from the Celestial Realm to assist me in battle."

She turned and pointed at the yacht. "Listen up, Aquarius. I want you to use your magic to push that ship back into the port." However, the spirit glared at Lucy with piercing blue eyes and grit her teeth. "Hey," Lucy exclaimed. "Drop the attitude and help me!"

"Let's get something straight…" Aquarius said, her voice low and dangerous as water began to flow around her, and she narrowed her eyes at Lucy and Happy, sending shivers down their spines. "…the next time you so much as think about dropping my key, you're dead."

"U-understood," Lucy squeaked out while Happy let out a terrified whimper as Aquarius unleashed her spell and a torrent of ocean water was sucked into her urn.

"Poseidon's Wrath!" With a ferocious yell, Aquarius launched a tidal wave at the yacht…that also engulfed Lucy and Happy. Back on the yacht, Alyssa was in the midst of blocking Kurohebi's blows and Salamander's flame magic, only for the three wizards, Ripley, and the goons to notice the sudden shadow cast over the boat. They looked up and gaped at the massive tidal wave heading their way.

"WHAT THE FUCK?!" the slavers all shouted.

"¡SANTO CIELO!" Alyssa yelled as the yacht was consumed by the wave.

Back on the shore, Zeke's eyes and mouth widened in shock at the approaching water. The green-eyed man quickly turned around and ran towards Natsu and the crowd. "EVERYONE, RUN FOR IT!"

Natsu and the townsfolk turned and balked at the sight of the rapidly approaching wave and attempted to high-tail away from the beach. As the wave was about to hit the shore, Zeke grabbed Natsu and created a green barrier around them just as the tidal wave consumed them and Hargeon's shore.

Luckily the seawall blocked the bulk of the water and what water made it past did barely any damage as Hargeon's buildings were built to withstand flooding. And as fast as it came, the water receded, revealing that Zeke had fallen on top of Natsu, the two men groaning in pain.

"Where the hell did that come from?" Natsu groaned out as Zeke got off him.

"No idea. Maybe one of Salamander's lackeys di-" As the brunette opened his eyes, he realized that his magic goggles had been shattered. "Damn it! I just bought these!"

"LET'S HIGH-TAIL IT, LADIES!" The two wizards looked and saw that Salamander's yacht had crashed into the shore, waking the girls and giving them the opportunity to escape

At the same time, Lucy and Happy washed up on the shore, the blonde coughing up seawater while the cat ended up buried head-first in the sand. Lucy then noticed Aquarius floating next to her.

"What's the big idea?! You think you could've tried not to sweep me up with the ship?!"

"Oh, that was an accident," Aquarius replied with a smile. "I didn't mean to get the ship."

"YOU WERE AIMING FOR ME?!" Lucy yelled as her spirit turned away.

"Don't call me for a while," the mermaid said with a haughty smirk. "I'm going on a week-long vacation with my boyfriend. And he's hot."

"You don't have to rub it in!" Lucy shouted as her spirit returned to the Celestial Realm. Suddenly, Lucy, Happy, Natsu, and Zeke's attention was brought to the yacht by Alyssa's yells as she was sent flying by Salamander's Flame Magic and crashed into the beach.

"Alyssa!" Natsu and Zeke shouted as they rushed towards her. They quickly helped her up and saw the slavers walking towards them, Salamander, Kurohebi, and Ripley all seething with rage.

"I've had enough of this!" Salamander shouted as he conjured up a magic circle in front of him. "I'll burn all you idiots to ash with a single spell! FLAME MAGIC: PROMINENCE TYPHOON!"

Natsu pushed Zeke and Alyssa out of harm's way and was completely consumed by a swirling pillar of fire.

"NATSU!" Lucy yelled while Kurohebi cackled.

"Aw, isn't that sweet? Pinkie sacrificed himself to save his buddies," Kurohebi said with a bemused smirk.

"Looks like Fairy Tail ain't all it's cracked up to be," Ripley taunted. But suddenly, Zeke and Alyssa began to chuckle, confusing everybody.

"Oh, please. As if Natsu could be killed by fire magic," Zeke said with a smirk of his own.

"How're the flames, tesoro mio?" Alyssa asked.

"Not gonna lie…" Natsu's voice came from within the inferno. "…it's pretty gross."

"HE'S STILL ALIVE?!" The trio of slavers cried out. What happened next utterly baffled everyone except Zeke, Alyssa, and Happy. A loud slurping sound was heard across the beach, the fire began to shrink. It shrank further until everyone could see that Natsu was actually eating the fire! Aside from his burnt coat, he was completely unharmed.

"Thanks for the meal, poser," Natsu said as he tore off the remains of his coat, revealing an open black and orange-trimmed vest, his muscular torso and arms, a black wristband on his left wrist, and a red Fairy Tail mark on his right shoulder. "Now, I've got a fire in my belly that's raging to get out!"

Natsu then smashed his fists together, conjuring up an orange circle with a dragon epithet in front of him. He then sucked in a massive amount of air. "Fire Dragon's Roar!"

From his mouth, Natsu unleashed his own torrent of flames. Salamander evaded with his Red Carpet spell, and Kurohebi boosted his legs to get himself and Ripley rolled out of the way. The rest of the slavers panicked and ran as Natsu's spells destroyed the remains of their yacht.

"A Fairy Tail wizard with spiky pink hair, a scaly scarf, and unique fire magic," Kurohebi said as his eyes widened in realization. "Bora, this guy's the real Salamander!"

"Natsu's Salamander?!" Lucy exclaimed.

"Don't use my real name, you idiot!" the man called Bora said as Natsu, Alyssa, and Zeke stood together, staring the other trio down.

"Bora Solak, or Bora the Prominence as he likes to call himself," Happy said, surprising Lucy. "I've heard of this guy; he used to be a member of the guild Titan Nose but got kicked out for bad behavior."

(Music Que - Fairy Tail Main Theme)

"We should probably introduce ourselves," Natsu stated as the air around him began to heat up. "I'm Natsu Dragneel, the Fire Dragon-Slayer!"

"My name's Alyssa Grunewald!" Alyssa said as she moved into a fighting stance. "And they call me the Boost Queen!"

"The name's Ezekiel Hudson, archer extraordinaire and proud heir of the heroic Hudson legacy," Zeke said as he tossed aside his broken goggles. He then pulled down his shirt collar, revealing a green Fairy Tail guild mark just below his left collar bone. "And you assholes are dealing with the greatest team Fairy Tail's ever had: Bravestar!"

'THEY'RE TEAM BRAVESTAR!' Lucy thought in absolute shock. These weirdos she'd bought lunch for were the infamous Team Bravestar she'd read so much about. While Fairy Tail wizards were known for being rowdy, she had read about a trio of wizards that went overboard during their fights, even by their guild's standards. Because of this, Bravestar was also known as Fairy Tail's Demolition Team.

"Pay attention! Because this is what real Fairy Tail wizards can do!" Natsu shouted, charging ahead, his fists engulfed in orange flames.

"S-Stay back!" Bora shouted. "Flame Magic: Red Shower!"

Bora unleashed a barrage of fireballs at team Bravestar. Natsu didn't even bother to dodge and ran straight towards Bora. Natsu leapt into the air with a burst of flame with a blazing right fist.

"Fire Dragon's Blazing Fist!" With a powerful swing, Natsu punched Bora with enough force to send him flying into a nearby building.

"Try eating this, Salamander!" Ripley shouted as she aimed her pistols at Natsu. "Guns Magic: Rapid-Fire!"

"Nice try!" Zeke shouted, this time conjuring up an arrow with an arrowhead shaped like a bundle of smaller arrows. "Arch Shot: Arrow Volley!"

Zeke the arrow and in a flash of light, it split into a volley of 100 small arrows that tore through Ripely's bullets.

"Damn you!" Kurohebi shouted, charging at Zeke with mana flowing around his legs. He suddenly felt intense burning pain shoot through them. He let out a pain yelled as he slowed to a crawl, allowing Alyssa to jump in and catch his hand.

"Looks like you copied my magic's weakness too!" Alyssa proclaimed as she channeled magic through her arms. "Boost Magic: Grand Toss!"

With a powerful swing, Alyssa tossed Kurohebi over the wrecked yacht.

"Their magic is nuts," Lucy said, completely in awe as the trio continued to fight.

"Aye," Happy said and began to explain. "Zeke uses hereditary magic that only his family has called Arch Shot Magic. It has properties of both Archery and Light Magic. Alyssa's magic is Boost Magic. It can supercharge the caster's physical abilities, but using too much can damage their insides, so they need to have a strong body to use it properly. And Natsu's Fire Dragon-Slayer Magic gives him all the abilities of a fire dragon. So he's not only immune to fire, but he can also replenish his mana by eating it."

Ripley scowled as she aimed Zeke and Alyssa, but Natsu charged at her, his arms now coated in fire.

"Fire Dragon's Wing Attack!" With a swing of his arms, Natsu unleashed twin torrents of fire at Ripley and blasted her into the water, knocking her unconscious. Bora emerged from the rubble of the building atop his red carpet with a wild and crazed look on his face.

"DAMN YOU ALL!" Bora screamed as a massive magic circle appeared beneath him. "BURN IN HELL!" A gargantuan crimson fireball in the shape of a skull formed above his head. "FORBIDDEN FLAME MAGIC: RED SK-"

"Arch Shot: Demolition Arrow!" Before Bora could finish his incantation, Zeke fired a magic arrow at Bora's fireball. The explosion was seen and heard all across Hargeon and beyond as Bora was blasted out of the air. As Bora fell to the ground, his eyes widened when he saw Alyssa charging at him, the magic around her arms glowing far brighter than before.

"Hey, stronzo!" Alyssa shouted. "This is what you get for impersonating my boyfriend! Boost Magic: Grand Combo-Punch!"

As soon as Bora came within arms' length, Alyssa unleashed a ferocious barrage of supercharged punches. And with a final solid right hook, the fake Salamander was sent flying into the town, crashing into a nearby water fountain. And with that, the battle between team Bravestar and the slavers reached its end.

(Music End)

"Alright! We won!" Natsu shouted as he and Zeke shared a fist bump. They ran up the seawall's stairs to join Alyssa.

"We rock!" Alyssa cheered as she and Zeke then did a double high-five, which she immediately regretted it as her arms began to hurt. "Owie."

"Oh, crap! Sorry, Alyssa," Zeke replied.

"It's okay. They're just a little sore," she said. But before the trio could continue their celebration, they heard something fall and break. Turning around, they saw that the fountain Alyssa had knocked Bora into had broken in half. They also finally noticed that while the buildings in Hargeon were mostly fine, most of the street had been upended by the tidal wave, and the buildings closest to the beach had been hit by some stray spells.

"You guys were amazing, but you really overdid it!" Lucy exclaimed as she and Happy approached the three.

"Well, I can't argue with that," Alyssa said, rubbing the back of her head with a nervous laugh. However, Natsu genuinely chuckled.

"Actually, this is pretty good by our standards," Natsu said.

"Aw, man!" Zeke exclaimed as he started pulling his hair. "Master Makarov's gonna have an ulcer when he hears about this."

"To be fair, Lucy and the fish lady did most of the damage," Happy said.

"Hey!" the blonde shouted.

"You caused that tidal wave?!" Zeke yelled. "And what fish lady are you talking about?!"

Before they could continue their conversation, Natsu's ears picked the sound of marching feet. He spun around and saw a large group of soldiers clad in orange & blue uniforms marching through the town."Oh shit! It's the Rune Knights!"

"The army's here?!" Lucy shouted.

"Run for it!" Zeke shouted as the five bolted away as fast as they could, Natsu grabbing Lucy by the arm.

"Why are you taking me?" Lucy asked as she was dragged off.

"You said you wanted to join Fairy Tail, right?" Alyssa asked. Lucy's eyes widened in disbelief. Actual Fairy Tail wizards were inviting her to join their guild. As they ran, the blonde saw that the four guild wizards had sincere expressions on their faces, even as they ran for their lives.

"So, let's go!" Natsu said excitedly. Lucy smiled back at them, slipping her arm out of Natsu's and started willingly running away with the four.

"Alright!" Lucy cheered with an ear to ear smile as the five ran out of Hargeon. It had been a crazy day, but Lucy had a feeling that things would only get better from here.

And indeed, the five friends would back on this night and realize that it was this day in Hargeon when their legend truly began.

Elsewhere…

On top of a snow-covered mountain caught in a raging blizzard, a fierce battle had just reached its conclusion. A lone mage stood amongst the corpses of over a dozen ape-like creatures, out of breath and barely holding himself up with his broadsword. The man appeared to be in his early forties. He had black eyes, slicked-back dark blue hair, and his outfit consisted of an open white coat with blue inner-lining, rolled up brown pants held up by a white belt, an s-shaped necklace hanging around his neck, and a pair of dark brown loafers.

'Well, that about wraps things up,' the man thought to himself, standing up as his broadsword vanished in a dark blue light. 'Time to head home.'

Unfortunately, one of the ape creatures the man had been fighting was rather clever, playing dead amongst its brethren. With his foe's guard down, the beast howled and attacked, the raging winds drowning out the man's screams.

To be continued…

Author's Note 2: Back when I wrote the first chapter of A New Day five years ago, I had no idea how much that story would mean to me. Writing AND and its sequels helped me improve my writing skills more than I ever imagined. And it was through these Fairy Tail stories that I met my co-writer, editor, and one of my best friends, xpegasus.

But recently, as I reread A New Day while compiling that story and sequels together, I realized just how flawed it was. I barely broke away from the canon, limiting my creativity and original flare. I also didn't really know whether I wanted to stick with the original Fairy Tail magic system for awhile, winging it until me and XPegasus sorted out the details midway through Homecoming. And I realized that it can be hard to get people invested in the later parts of my story if the beginning is mediocre.

So, now with years of experience under my belt, my best friend at my side, and a firm idea for where I want my Fairy Tail story, I've decided to reboot the Fairy Mythos Series. Or as it's going to be known from now on, Fairy Tail: The Bravestar Saga!

I hope that everyone who's followed all of my Fairy Tail stories until now will join me and xpegasus as we venture once again into this magical world. And hopefully, we'll make a lot of new friends and fans along the way.

Next Chapter: The Brawl at Mt. Hakobe!

See you next time!

[lovemesomesurveys]

survey by xalikattx

FOOD What is your favorite salad dressing? I’m a ranch gal. I rarely have salad, but I have a lot of ranch, ha.

Favorite sit-down restaurant? I don’t have one, I rarely go out to eat anymore. And that’s even pre-Covid. I like getting takeout.

Favorite pizza topping? I had pizza last night that had lots of creamy garlic sauce, cheese, spinach, green onions, and ground beef. It was gooood.

What food could you eat for two weeks straight and not get sick of it? Ramen. I’ve been eating it for like 2 years straight every night :X

What do you put on your toast? Butter.

What food do you eat the most? Ramen, boneless garlic parm and lemon pepper wings from Wingstop, and chicken tenders.

Do you like food? I’m not a foodie like I used to be. :( I miss those days, honestly. My appetite and eating habits are so messed up now and I don’t/can’t enjoy a lot of the foods I used to. Most of the time I’m eating just cause I have to and it feels more like a chore than enjoyment. The times I do really enjoy it are nice.

Do you LOVE food? ^^^^

Do you even eat at all? I mean, yeah. Kinda have to. But like I said, my appetite and eating habits are whack.

What do you put on your ice cream? Strawberry syrup if it’s vanilla ice cream. Otherwise I don’t put anything. Well, unless I’m at an ice cream shop, in which case I might live a little and add some fun stuff like cookies or something. I rarely have ice cream at all though, to be honest. It’s been a few years since I’ve had any.

Do you like steak? No.

Or are you a vegetarian? No.

How about a vegan? No.

What food do you hate the most? I don’t do seafood. 

TECHNOLOGY How many TVs are in your house? Three.

Do they all work? Yep.

Do you have Comcast digital cable? Nope. 

AT&T Uverse? Nope.

Dish Network? Nope.

Something else? We have DIRECTV. 

Nothing?

What's your favorite show? I have many.

What's the worst show? I’m not into most sitcoms like Big Bang Theory, The Goldbergs, 2 Broke Girls, Two and a Half Men, etc.

What color cell phone do you have? Coral.

What kind? iPhone XR.

What does the first text message in your inbox say and who sent it? I’m not checking. 

What was the last text you sent and who did you send it to? I texted, “Done” with a thumbs up emoji to my brother a couple days ago. He sent me a link to do a survey he needed people to take for one of his classes and I texted him back letting him know I did it.

Who was the last person to call you? My mom.

Who was the last person you called? My mom.

CURRENTLY Are you missing someone? I’ll always miss my loved ones who have passed away.

What are you listening to? An ASMR video.

Watching? That ASMR video ^^^

Worrying about? I have my doctor appointment in a few hours and my doctor should have looked at my CT scan I had done a week ago, so naturally I’m just nervous and anxious about it. I don’t think think there’s anything new or surprising going on that I don’t already know about, but there’s always the “what if.” I always worry they’ll find something bad. I’m also worried she’ll want to do some surgical procedure or something, which I’m totally NOT for. And there’s also the chance she’ll decide to stop prescribing my medicine, which I worry about every appointment because of the strict laws against them. 

Where are you? I’m in my room sitting on my bed.

What's it like there? It actually feels cool in my room right now, it’s nice.

How are you feeling? Anxious.

Is anyone with you? Who? Not in my room, but yeah my family is home. 

Are you hungry? Not at the moment. Too nervous.

What do you want to eat? Nothing right now.

Thirsty? No, I have water and a Starbucks Doubleshot energy drink.

What do you want to drink? ^^^

What time is it? 5:10AM.

LASTS Thing you ate? Ramen.

Thing you drank? The water and Starbucks energy drink I just mentioned.

Thing you said? “Goodnight.”

Movie you watched? Halloween 4: The Return of Michael Myers.

Store you went to? What did you buy? I think it was Walmart for groceries. I haven’t been to the store myself since March. :O I’ve done a lot of online shopping, though, for clothes and stuff.

Person you talked to? My brother.

Person you hugged? My mom.

Kissed? Joseph, yearsss ago.

Yelled at? I don’t yell at anyone.

Book you read? I’m currently reading, “Miss Polly had a Dolly” by Willow Rose. It’s the 2nd book in a murder mystery/suspense series. 

Thing you touched? Besides my keyboard, I just touched my phone a bit ago.

Person you became friends with on Facebook/Myspace/whatever other site? Someone I know requested to follow me on IG recently, which I accepted and followed back.

RANDOM Are a righty or a lefty? Righty.

Have you ever had anything removed from your body? Yes.

What is the last heavy object you lifted? I can’t lift heavy stuff. We’re talking like 5lbs maybe at the most. I’m weak, but I’m also a paraplegic with a bad back and I can’t lift heavy things for that reason alone. I’m also just really weak, ha.

Have any scars? I have a ton. 

How did you get them? Any interesting stories? Majority of them are surgery related, but there’s non-surgery related ones as well.

if it were possible, would you want to know the day you're going to die? Absolutely not.

If you could change your name, what would you change it to? Nah, I’ll keep mine.

Would you drink an entire bottle of hot sauce for $1000? Nooo. I can’t eat or handle spicy food at all anymore D: Like, I’m super sensitive to it now. I couldn’t have a drop of hot sauce, let alone drink it. 

How about 10 bottles of ketchup? Ew, no. Fun fact: I was grossed out by ketchup for several years because I saw someone do something like that one some gameshow as a kid and it just made me sick for some reason.

10 bottles of maple syrup? No. I like maple syrup, but it doesn’t take much at all for it be too sweet. A little goes a long way. I certainly don’t want to drink it.

A bottle of vinegar? NOOO. Also, how do people drink apple cider vinegar??? Just smelling it is horrendous.

10 jars of peanutbutter? I love me some peanut butter, but I couldn’t eat 10 jars of it. One jar will last me a long time. Also, it wouldn’t take long before it started sticking to the roof of my mouth and I started having a hard time eating it. 

How many pairs of flip flops do you own? Zero. I don’t wear flip flops, sandals, wedges, or any open-toed shoes. 

Favorite month? October and December.

Do you always answer your phone? Not always, like if it’s an unknown number or my doctor calling with an automated message to remind me of upcoming appointments. I always answer if my parents or brother call, though, which are pretty much the only people who call me, soo I guess the answer is mostly yes? haha. 

It's four AM and you get a text message, who is it? I have no idea cause again my parents and brother are the only ones who text me, with the exception of my Nana now and then, and none of them would text me at 4AM. I live with my parents and brother for one, for two they’d all be here at home asleep at that time so yeah I don’t know why they’d be texting me. I imagine my Nana is asleep at that time, too.

If you could change your eye color what would it be? Green or blue.

Do you own a digital camera? Not anymore.

Do you take lots of pictures of yourself? Ew, no. I very rarely take a selfie. 

Do you take them in front of the mirror in the bathroom? No.

Have you ever had a pet fish? Yeah, I had a ton when I was a kid.

Pet hamster? I had two when I was a kid.

Bird? Nope.

Rabbit? Nope.

Iguana? Nope.

Favorite Christmas movie? Aw, I love Christmas movies I have several favorites. 

Favorite Christmas song? Same thing as the movies, I love ‘em.

Can you do push ups? Nope.

Can you do a chin up? Nope.

Does the future make you nervous or excited? Terrified.

Ever been in a car accident? No, thankfully.

Do you have an accent? Everyone does, but it’s weird for me, a Californian, to think of myself as having one. Like, it’s not distinctive like someone from Texas or North Dakota or New York, ya know? 

What song always makes you cry? The acoustic version of Everlong by Foo Fighters.

Have any plans for tonight? Probably watch some Halloween movies like I’ve been doing just about every night this month.

What were you doing at 12 AM last night? My Bible study.

What was the first thing you thought of when you woke up? I haven’t gone to bed, yet. I have a doctor appointment in a few hours so I’m just staying up. :/

[luvuwite]

all of the questions go go go

you’re dead to me

1. Coffee or tea?

coffee

 2. Black and white or color? 

color

3. Drawings or paintings? 

drawings

4. Dresses or skirts? 

,,d,,dresses//

5. Books or movies? 

movies

6. Pepsi or Coke? 

neither because they’re gross

7. Chinese or Italian? 

chinese

8. Early bird or night owl? 

night owl

9. Chocolate or vanilla? 

chocolate

10. Introvert or extrovert? 

introvert

11. Hugs or kisses? 

both. pls.

12. Hunting or fishing? 

fishing

13. Winter or summer? 

winter.

14. Spring or fall? 

FALLL

15. Rural or urban? 

UHHMMMM rural

16. PC or Mac? 

mac bc i have one

17. Tan or pale? 

tan

18. Cake or pie? 

pumpkin pie!!

19. Ice cream or yogurt? 

ice cream

20. Ketchup or mustard? 

neither because gross

21. Sweet pickles or dill pickles? 

dont like pickles

22. Comedy or mystery? 

mystery

23. Boots or sandals? 

boots

24. Silver or gold? 

HMMM whatever ones available

25. Pop or Rock? 

rock

26. Dancing or singing?

both

 27. Checkers or chess?

neither

 28. Board games or video games?

video games

 29. Wine or beer?

neither bc im not the legal age 

 30. Freckles or dimples?

freckles

 31. Honey mustard or BBQ sauce? 

honey mustard

32. Body weight exercises or lifting weights? 

uH I DONT KNOW EITHER?

33. Baseball or basketball? 

BASEBALL.

34. Crossword puzzles or sudokus?

crossword

 35. Facial hair or clean shaven?

lil beard....

 36. Crushed ice or cubed ice? 

cubed ice

37. Skiing or snowboarding? 

skiing

38. Smile or game face? 

smilelele

39. Bracelet or necklace? 

necklace

40. Fruit or vegetables?

fruit

 41. Sausage or bacon? 

neither bc gros

42. Scrambled or fried? 

fried

43. Dark chocolate or white chocolate? 

white chocolate

44. Tattoos or piercings? 

piercing

45. Antique or brand new? 

brand new

46. Dress up or dress down? 

either

47. Cowboys or aliens? 

i wanna be a COWBOOOYYY BABY

or

BOY YOU’RE AN ALIEN.. YOUR TOUCH SO FOREIGN

48. Cats or dogs? 

CATSSSS

49. Pancakes or waffles? 

waffl

50. Bond or Bourne?

what

 51. Sci-Fi or fantasy?

uhhh fantasy

 52. Numbers or letters? 

numbers

53. Harry Potter or Lord of the Rings? 

harry potter

54. Fair or theme park? 

theme park fuck the fair

55. Money or fame? 

money

56. Washing dishes or doing laundry? 

dishes

57. Snakes or sharks? 

snek. im a snek.

58. Orange juice or apple juice? 

apple

59. Sunrise or sunset? 

sunset

60. Slacker or over-achiever? 

,,,slacker

61. Pen or pencil? 

pencil

62. Peanut butter or jelly? 

neither gros

63. Grammys or Oscars? 

what

64. Detailed or abstract? 

detailed ig

65. Multiple choice questions or essay questions? 

multiple choice GET THOSE ESSAY QUESTIONS AWAY

66. Adventurous or cautious? 

cautious

67. Saver or spender? 

spender lMAO

68. Glasses or contacts?

glasses

71. Personal chef or personal fitness trainer? 

personal chef

72. Internet or cell phone?

internet

 73. Call or text?

uhhhh text but call when im feeling lonely

74. Curly hair or straight hair?

have curly hair, better in straight hair

 75. Shower in the morning or shower in the evening?

shower in morning

 76. Spicy or mild? 

mild pls dont burn my mouth

77. Marvel or DC? 

dont know or watch any of em

78. Paying a mortgage or paying rent?

m,,moRTGAGE?

 79. Sky dive or bungee jump? 

SKY DIVEEE

91. Be older than you are or younger than you are? 

i wanna be 16 but thats as far as i wanna go

92. Raisins or nuts?

nuts

 93. Picnic or nice restaurant? 

restaurant but if i’m going with like,, idk someone special picnic

94. Black leather or brown leather?

black

 95. Long hair or short hair? 

i want,,,, both,,

96. “Ready, aim, fire” or “Ready, fire, aim”? 

ready aim fire

97. Fiction or non-fiction?

non-fiction

 98. Smoking or non-smoking?

NO SMOKING. DRUGS BAD.

 99. Think before you talk or talk before you think? 

think before u talk

100. Asking questions or answering questions?

asking

[writersblock2point0]

Twilight, Alec Love Story- Seeing Nightmares Chapter 1

Hello! I’ve actually got a lot written for this, and I found it while I was cleaning out my google docs! It’s about a young girl, Emberly, being taken and held against her will. Alec has been tasked with impregnating a young human girl so he can give Arg a gifted half breed. There will be major trigger warnings, later on, but for right now there isn’t really much to say. 

Prologue

Volterra, Italy

2016

“Brothers,” Aro’s dry but light voice broke the silence of the library, the two vampires sitting in large chairs turned their heads to him. “What do you think of the half breed?”

“The Cullen’s newest member?” Caius snarled, raising an eyebrow as he looked at Aro through his eyelashes. Aro hummed in response, turning the page in his book, but the two looking at him knew he wasn’t reading the words. “I think it’s disastrous, a threat to our kind.” Caius returned to his book, before pausing and shifted in his chair, narrowing his eyes at his coven mate. “Why?”

A sigh escaped Aro’s lips, another page was flipped. “You aren’t looking at the bigger picture here, brother.” A book slammed shut, and Aro lifted a brow and glanced at Caius who was leaned forward with a harsh stare.

“What bigger picture is there to see?”

“My my,” Aro stood from his seat, a devilish grin on his face. His book was set on the large wooden table, both eyes on him. “Think of it brother, that child has power from her father, Edward…”

“And?” Caius raised his eyebrow, his eyes flashed with amusement. “You want one? You? A child?” A light laugh left his chest.

“Not me, brother.” Aro shook his head, “No. Someone more capable and…” He turned around to look at his guards, “fitting.” Alec looked up into his master’s eyes, a bright red meeting a dulled scarlet. “Alec!” Aro practically sang, walking down the steps to one of his most prised members. Alec met him halfway, standing tall before his master, making Aro smirk as he lightly held Alec’s face with his hands. “Would you, be so kind and search for someone, who would make a fine and strong childbearing mother?”

Alec’s eyebrows furrowed, “For you?” Alec shook his head, “My apologies Master, but I am not sure I would pick what you prefer.”

Aro giggled, clapping his hands and spinning before peering back at Alec, a manic look in his red eyes. “No, my sweet child, for you.”

“Me?” Alec questioned, confusion written on his face.

“Find someone, bring her back here.” Aro said sternly, but kept his smile on his lips. “She will bare your child. Go.”

“Master.” Alec bowed before he was gone.

Present Time

Chapter 1

“Ciao Italia!” Ashley stated as she pulled her luggage behind her, Tessa walking on the other side of me as we left the airport. The sun beat down on the city of Pisa, and I couldn’t help but smile. Ashley’s been to Italy before, but only in San Marino. This time, she was guiding us to Volterra. She wanted to go to this festival, St. Marcus’s Day or whatever, and got us to come along for an early summer vacation.

Ashley had bleach blond hair, which fell in long wavy curls down her back. She was stick thin, wanting to be a model and all. Her blue eyes were the brightest I’ve ever seen, looking like a sparkling ocean. Her button nose held a cute diamond ring, no blemishes or imperfections were visible on her smooth skin. Ashley wore a floral print tank top, white shorts, and white sandals.

Tessa had black hair that was cut evenly all the way around, the ends reaching her shoulder blades. Her skin was dark, her eyes holding a deep rich caramel color to them. She was of hispanic background, so the dark complexion was an obvious give away to that. She was also thin, but her bust was larger than Ashley’s, and her long toned legs were from years of soccer. She had a large prominent nose, her face oval and but those are traits that made her stunning. She wore a baby blue dress with white flip flops, her perfect hair pulled into a bun.

Me, however, I was dressed in a pair of old jean shorts that rolled to the upper thigh. A plain red tank, a size too big, was tucked into my shorts and a white flannel was open and flapping in the soft breeze as I walked between my friends. I also wore a tan ball cap, my dirty brown hair separated into two french braids. My all white converse tapped on the pavement as I walked, looking at the ground as to not fall on my face.

“It’s just a short walk to the hotel.” Ashley stated, looking at the map she had on her phone. She popped a bubble, pink gum deflating slowly before she pulled it back into her mouth and worked her jaw.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   

“I’m dying for a shower.” Tessa groaned, making me smile.

“I’m okay, but I’d like to get something other than peanuts in my system before eight thirty.” Ashley laughed, agreeing with me that the flights crappy food wasn’t all that filling. We got into our hotel and ordered room service, Tessa taking a quick shower to ‘wash the filth’ off her.  Tessa loved sports but hated sweating, often saying she showered twice a day. Ashley was laying on her bed, playing with her phone and chuckling every once in awhile, probably texting Daniel, her boy toy.

“You ready to party Em?”

I glanced up and saw Ashley smirking at me, Tessa behind her eating a few fries. I let my eyebrows raise up, “What?”

I groaned, my throat feeling like it was shredded to bits as I coughed, tasting the grossness of the espresso from last night. Yeah, party my butt. I held my head, the caffeine working it’s way around my brain, banging a sledgehammer behind my eyes. I screamed as my legs were tangled in my sheets and I fell, catching myself as I almost face planted on the floor.

“Damnit Em!” I felt the covers around my ankles tug, pulling my feet into the air.

“Morning to you too.” I mutter to Tessa who was hiding under a mass of blankets. I patted into the bathroom and shut the door, turning on the shower and quickly undressing, my eyes still barely open. When I was done, I dried myself off and walked out, dressed in a pair of black high waisted shorts, a dark grey shirt that was tied in a small knot at my hip to accent my curves. I put on my all black converse and looked at my hair, grumbling before throwing my towel in the hamper. A black choker clung to my neck, a small silver diamond shaped pendant dangled in the front, a green gem sitting in the middle.

“Oh no!” Ashley shook her head, “Heck no! Sit your ass down and let me do your hair!”

I chuckled and sat on the bed, hearing her crawl up and kneel behind me and start to part my hair. She was soon done and I had two small buns on the top of my head. I smiled and thanked her, but she told me to shut up and let her do my make up.

“Nothing too...flashy.” I said softly and let her do her magic. Soft peach colored eyeshadow, black winged eyeliner, mascara, and some contour and blush made me look perfect. I wasn’t vain, but I knew I wasn’t ugly. I liked how I looked, and I was fine with myself. Ashley also knows how to make someone look amazing with little makeup.

“Thanks girl.”

“We ready?” Tessa called from the bathroom, opening the door to show us her black tights, pink tank, and white sandals. She had in all her earrings, and she wore dark shadowed makeup, and pink lip gloss. Her hair was in a high ponytail, her hair straightened. Ashley was dressed in a neon pink shirt, white shorts, and her sandals as well. Her hair was french braided, a single braid swinging down her back until it reached her tailbone.

“Yes! Let’s go!” Ashley practically ran out of the room, making me shake my head as I made sure I had our room key, IDs, and money in my bag before following her and Tessa out. My camera was around my neck, the weight comfortable as I held it gently with one hand.

The festival was lovely, and the village of Volterra was gorgeous with history and the richness of european architecture. I was snapping picture after picture of everything. I wanted to snap some of the castle, but I didn’t know if we were allowed inside. The sun wasn’t out, the clouds covering the sky, but it was still warm and pleasant. I focused my camera on a hooded figure, as the person was positioned at the opening of a alley, their face covered by the black hood. He stood out from the other red hooded tourists and residents celebrating the St. Marcus’s Day. I snapped the picture, but paused when they looked directly at me. His eyes, from what I could see in my camera, were a bright red. Contacts? His skin was pale and almost chalk white, making his dark hair stick out from under his black hood. His lips were a natural light red color, his cheekbones high and defined. It was like seeing an angel, a beautiful statue staring right at you.

My finger snapped a photo and he was gone. I looked down, seeing the one with his face covered and the second one was a black blur. I sighed, knowing that whatever picture it was supposed to look like would have been amazing.

“Em!” I turned to see my friends, eating some ‘authentic’ food and smiling as Tessa practically inhaled hers. “Come on, we wanna go shopping.” I nodded and tagged alone, snapping a few fast shots, much to the annoyance of my companions. We stopped at a small little tourist spot, where the jewelry and clothing, and crappy trinkets were severely over priced for their value. I sighed and looked out the window, freezing when I see him again. This time, closer than before. He was there, right across the street, leaning against the brick wall, once again standing at the mouth of an alley. I could see his clothing this time. It almost looked like a uniform. A deep dirty maroon button up shirt, a thin black suit jacket unbuttoned, showing his slim torso. His pants were black, along with his belt and shoes. The cloak was black but red on the inside, the hood was down also. His hair was a deep chocolate brown, shaggy around the neck and ears and I could see how tall he was.

I met his stare, seeing the stoic but, dare if I say, playful gleam to those red eyes. His brows furrowed just a tad, making him look angry yet his body language told me he was relaxed, comfortable as he had his arms crossed over his chest as he leaned against the wall. I felt heat rise to my neck and cheeks as his eyes fell, clearly checking me out before he pulled up his hood, starting to retreat back into the alley.

“Hey,” I gasped and flinched as Ashley and Tessa came out with bags. Both of them jumped when I did, scaring them as well. “Whoa! Dude, are you okay?” She asked, and I felt my heart hammer in my chest.

I smiled as I placed a hand to my chest, nodding. “Yeah, just startled me, that’s all.”

Tessa smiled, “Well, we wanted to drop these off and then look at the Volterra castle…”

I beamed, “Sounds great!”

There turns out, was an open tour for people and then a private tour that seemed to let people see more of the castle. I wasn’t interested in the private tour so we just agreed to do the normal one and then go eat. I was snapping some pictures, admiring the architecture of the place. I snapped a picture of the paintings on the ceiling when I turned down a hallway and gasped at the portraits of the royalty. One painting was of three men, two brunettes and a blonde. They were both pale in face, and had beautiful faces and seemed young yet old around the eyes. The eyes. Red. Though not bright like the boy from earlier, but these men had a deep and dull red that reminded me of wilted roses. Dead roses. I walked down the hall, snapping a picture of each painting before looking around.

Ashley and Tessa were conversing with a woman and her husband about us being from America. The conversation was in Italian, so I didn’t bother with paying attention. I nearly gasped as I saw him, once again, standing at the very end of the hall. His cloak was off, just leaving him in his uniform looking suit clothing.

I watched as he lifted a hand, beckoning me to come towards him with his finger. A slow smirk pulled his mouth to the right side of his face-or was it his left?-as I started to walk towards him. I got a few paintings down, almost thirty meters away from him before someone called out to me.

“Emberly?” I blinked, not seeing him at all at the end of the hall and turned to see Ashley and Tessa looking at me like I was a chicken with its head cut off. “Are you okay?” Tessa continued.

I blinked, nodding my head. “Yeah,” I smoothed out my shorts, my hands clammy and warm. “I’m fine...are you ready to eat?” I asked, sending them a fake but polite smile. Ashley nodded, hooking her arm in mine, Tessa doing the same to my right arm, before leading us out of the castle quickly. We ate at a small restaurant. Tessa got some weird chicken dinner, Ashley a salad, and I got some pasta.

“Are you sure you're okay?” Ashley asked, brushing out her hair as she looked at me. Tessa decided to sleep with her, claiming she wouldn’t steal the covers like I did. I smiled at her, a book in my lap as I sat by the bedside lamp, reading an older book I loved as a kid. The Clockwork Angel.

“I’m completely fine, I promise you.” I send her a smile, turning back to my novel and reading. The two crawled into bed, their side of the room was dark but mine was simply lit for my book. It wasn’t long before the tv lulled them to sleep, and I closed my book, slowly crawling out of my covers and grabbing my camera.

I walk out to our balcony, the moon lighting up the sky, along with the city lights. I place my camera strap around my neck, leaning my elbows on the railing and flick through my photos. I stopped when I made it to the ones of that boy. Now that I went back and actually took the time to look at the photo of his face covered. Only I now saw that the only thing I couldn’t see was his eyes, forehead, and his jaw. It was impossible to make out his features, or actually stare at him. I sighed and looked up at the stars, seeing very few out tonight. I let my eyes fall, but I jumped back when I saw him. He was across the street, standing on the roof of whatever building was directly across from the hotel.

My mouth fell open as he tilted his head to the side, and I slowly brought my camera to my eyes, focusing close on his face. My camera caught the detail, and he stood still, almost posing for the picture as my camera silently took a photo...or two. Okay, maybe three. I dropped my camera, letting it dangle at my stomach and backed away. Furrowing my brow when I saw him step onto the ledge, I paused in the doorway, wondering if he would jump.

“Oh don’t be silly,” I shook my head and muttered to myself. “Just your imagination.” I left the door open, liking the feel of the breeze as I crawled into bed. Turning off the light and setting my camera on the table, I laid on my side, facing the door to the balcony. My bed was the one right next to it, and I felt my eyes start to droop, sleep pulling me in.

“Wakey, wakey…” I moaned, turning in my sleep. “Emberly…”

“What?” I whined, wincing at the bright light of the morning. I pulled the blanket over my head, hiding my face from my friends.

“We want breakfast!” Tessa sang softly, making me huff.

“I’m not hungry.” I mumbled, my voice muffled by the covers. “Can I stay here?”

“Well we planned to go shopping after words…” Ashley trailed off and I pulled the covers off.

“You know I don’t enjoy those types of things, I’ll just be a party pooper.” I shrugged, and they give me smiles.

“You sure?”

I nodded, “Yup.” I watched as they gathered their things and hurried out, sending me air kisses and waves. I laughed, shaking my head at their antics before sighing, looking over at the balcony to see the door was closed. I frowned, I left that open last night. Hmm, maybe one of the girls closed it. I shrugged and got up, walking to the bathroom and peeing, brushing my teeth and throwing my hair up into a small bun. It was a little chilly today, and seemed like it might rain. I pulled on a pair of skinny jeans, my black converse, and a deep grey sweater that fell off one shoulder, exposing a black tank top.

I didn’t bother with makeup, ignoring the bags under my eyes. I turned on the tv, but it was in Italian so I couldn’t understand it. I flipped it off and fell back on the bed, rubbing my eyes. I sighed when my stomach growled, I wasn’t hungry like twenty minutes ago. I stood up and looked for my wallet with my ID and money inside, but I couldn’t find it. I had it laying on the bedside table, beside my camera...but that wasn’t there either. I rubbed my face, maybe the girls took it?

I grabbed my phone and the extra room key and made my way out, sending them a text asking where they were at.

They were at a small little breakfast place that served coffee and bagels and stuff. It sounded good, so I made my way down there. It seemed to be about a ten minute walk. Maybe fifteen if I get lost. I stopped and waited for traffic, the sun hidden from the dark stormy clouds. It thundered, making me jump and turn to look up. A drop fell on my face. I muttered curses under my breath and run to take shelter under a small ledge in an alley, pressing myself against the brick wall to stay dry. It was pouring down rain, water running down the sidewalk into a drain, carrying small pieces of dirt or rocks.

“Are you alright?” I jumped, chuckling as I pressed a hand to my chest.

“Yeah I just-” I stopped when I looked into deep red eyes, my body freezing in shock as he leaned in closer, a smirk on his face as his hood blocked his face from the rain. “You…” I breathed, making him chuckle, and I gasped as his gloved fingers traced a line up my collar bone, along my jugular, and gripped my chin and forcing me to look to the right.

He pressed his face in my neck, his nose and lips brushing my skin softly. I heard him inhale deeply.

“You’ll do just fine.”

[gukyi]

long lost | jjk

⇒ summary: jeon jungkook is famous, talented, and on the hunt for his childhood friend and first love. you are self-deprecating, a little awkward, and exactly who he’s looking for. only, there’s one (1; single, a solo) problem: he doesn’t know it. 

⇒ childhood friends!au, celebrity!au

⇒ pairing: jungkook x female reader

⇒ word count: 15k

⇒ genre: fluff, comedy, light angst

⇒ warnings: n/a

⇒ a/n: finally!!! after literally a month of no bts writing, here is this 15k beast that i’ve been hyping up. inspired by true events, kinda. i will work on getting the sorted series out next, so please be on the lookout! 

The stuffed tiger that sits in the box filled with the rest of your childhood toys has the same color eyes as he did.

It’s his hair that you see first, running across the dust and the dirt in the heat of the summer. It bounces as the ivy color shines in the sun, and when you look down a little bit, you see his beaming chocolate eyes as he makes his way to you, sneakers lighting up red and blue with every step he takes.

It was your parents who suggested this, really, his mother emailing yours and proposing a meetup at the local fair that’s come to town, the one that takes place every summer in the ungodly July temperatures. You don’t know him that well—he’s just another one of the kids in your preschool class—but you really can never turn down the fair, not as the excitable four-year-old you are.

You wave to him and he waves back as he takes small leaps towards you, little legs carrying him as fast as he can go. You make fun of him in class for being shorter than you, even when he’s wearing shoes that make him a little taller because they’ve got that foam stuff on the inside. Your mothers smile to each other as they begin to enter a realm of mindless adult chatter, and you and Jungkook stand in the middle of the path and poke at each other, as children do.

“Do you come to the fair a lot?” You ask him as he gazes around in awe, overwhelmed by all of the people and the lights and the stands and the food and the smells, too. But in a good way, of course.

“Nope,” Jungkook responds, rocking back and forth on his light-up sneakers. You have some of those, too, but your mother insisted you wear sandals. Poor shoes for running around, as you know you’ll probably end up doing with him.

“Well, your mom asked my mom if we wanted to come with you,” you say matter-of-factly, standing tall and towering over him ever so slightly. If you stand on your tiptoes, your eyes go over the top of his head.

“Why do you have things in your hair?” Jungkook asks, completely off topic (like he normally is) as he points to the barrettes in your hair, little butterfly and flower clips that keep your flyaways from, well, flying away. He’s pressing the pad of his pointer finger against the little decal on the multi-colored clip, pushing down into your hair as you curl into yourself, scrunching your nose as you smile.

“They look nice,” you insist, pouting as he moves his finger away. Reaching a hand up, you make sure he hasn’t moved any of the barrettes out of place.

“They’re red.”

“The ladybug one is,” you say, remembering from a couple of weeks ago when you were coloring in insects that ladybugs were red and black. You might have switched the position of the colors, but it’s alright.

“That’s my favorite color,” he states proudly.

“Red?”

Jungkook nods firmly, pointing towards one of the lights at the corner of a stall. It shines a bright cherry, giving this sort of tint to all of the objects around it. You think it’s a bit pink, really, but you won’t tell Jungkook that.

“My favorite color is yellow,” you say in response. Not that he asked, but no one really asks four-year-olds for their opinions. They just give them, anyway. “Like the sun.”

“Like the sun,” Jungkook repeats, pointing above his head at the star that beats down upon your bodies. Your mother always told you never to look directly into the sun, so instead of allowing your gaze to follow his finger up to the sky, you stare straight at him, into his brown eyes that gleam caramel in the light.

Eventually, the two of you retreat to someplace shady, a lone tree in the middle of the flat field, littered with tents and stands and carts alike. It’s not very far from where your mothers are conversing—they hate it when you leave their sight—but distant enough for them not to listen in on whatever nonsense conversation you’re having.

“Why did you want to go?” You ask him mindlessly, playing with the hem of the pastel dress you’re wearing, a loose thread that your fingers can’t help but gravitate towards.

“Go where?” Jungkook asks, eyebrows furrowed as he scrunches up his big nose, squinting as he turns your way.

“The fair, stupid,” you reply as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world. Where else would he want to go?

Jungkook gasps. “That’s a bad word!”

“No, it’s not!”

“Yes it is!” Jungkook insists, and if you didn’t know any better, it would look like he was on the verge of tears.

“Stupid, stupid, stupid!” You taunt, a smirk growing on your face once you realize he’s not actually about to cry, just teasing to see if he can get a reaction out of you. “You’re stupid.”

Jungkook pouts, and it’s cheeky and a little rude and very, very cute. “You’re stupid.”

“We can be stupid together,” you declare, taking his hand in yours. Jungkook looks from your eyes to your interlocked hands, and he tightens his sweaty grip on them. It’s a little gross, but being four-years-old is gross in and of itself, so you’re hardly mad about it. From there, he moves his eyes back up to meet yours, and he grins, beaming like the damn sun you were just talking about.

Unsurprising to pretty much everybody, the two of you end up chasing each other furiously, like rabid animals, around the fairgrounds, playing some game the two of you just made up with nothing but your minds and the world around you. You know you keep going out of your parents’ sight, know that they’re probably shouting at you for being disruptive and running into everyone’s way, but neither of you seem to care, having too much fun laughing and shrieking and being young.

When the two of you reach a little clearing, an empty space not filled with bodies and tables and toys, Jungkook abruptly stops, letting his light-up sneakers dig into the dirt as he pauses. You’re still going, and going, and going, until you crash right into his back, sandals unable to prevent you from falling. You topple backwards, but he turns around just in time and grabs your arm, pulling you up in a single move and pressing his soft lips against yours.

You gasp on his mouth, eyebrows raising almost comically before you push yourself off of him, cheeks heating up alarmingly fast as you stutter to find words to break the tension. Where did that come from?

All you can do is say his name. “Jungkook!”

“Y/N,” Jungkook responds, significantly shyer.

“What was that?” You ask, still in shock.

“I think it was a kiss,” Jungkook says, a little unsure of himself, and it’s clear that neither of you really know what prompted him to do that.

“What does it mean?”

“It means that I like you.”

Jeon Jungkook is cute but also very good at creating palpable awkwardness. You’re only four, this shouldn’t be a big deal, but when you think you’ve just exchanged saliva with each other and now you’re forced to spend the rest of the afternoon together, it’s a little awkward. Just a little.

Not awkward enough for either of your mothers to notice anything as they accompany you around the fair, chatting about mom things as the two of you walk in front of them. Jungkook keeps trying to grab onto your hand but you don’t necessarily know if you want him to do that.

Does the kiss mean anything? Are you a couple now? Is he your boyfriend? There are all of these things that people don’t tell four-year-olds and you want to know them but you don’t want to ask, and so you settle for keeping quiet and deciding that it’s probably best not to dwell on the thought of them. Isn’t cooties still a thing? Isn’t he scared of whatever it is?

Jungkook manages to convince his mom to let all four of you stop at one of the stalls. When you stand on your tiptoes and peer over the edge of the counter, you see that it’s one of the ones where you aim darts at balloons, try and pop a couple of them for a prize. Before you know it, your parents are dragging over two chairs for you and Jungkook to stand on and darts are placed into your palms.

“You first,” Jungkook tells you as if the fact weren’t already obvious enough. He’s beaming, head propped up on his hands as they lean on the counter, watching you intently. You hate this feeling. Very much.

The result of your clear disdain for this situation as a whole is you missing all three of the darts, poor aim and weak arms only contributing further. They all fall short, sad and sorry as gravity takes over and Jungkook cackles beside you.

“Oh yeah?” You ask defensively, that familiar four-year-old tone reentering your voice. It’s starting to feel a little more normal now. “I wanna see you do better.”

If there’s anything Jungkook takes seriously, it’s a challenge. He is dead serious as he lines up the dart perfectly with a red balloon right in the middle of the wall, shoots it perfectly, and the resounding pop! nearly has him falling off of his chair. You’re already pouting. He’s always been good at everything, really. Somehow, amongst all the excitement, he manages to hit another balloon, the bright yellow disintegrating as he cheers, and the man running the stall happily hands Jungkook a stuffed tiger the size of his torso.

“I told you I could do it,” Jungkook taunts as you begin to walk away together, parents not far behind. “Who’s stupid now?”

“Still you,” you reply cheekily, earning a playful little smack from him.

He stops, light-up sneakers planted firmly amongst the blades of grass, and he turns to you, holding the tiger out right in front of your face. “For you.”

“For me?” You ask, sputtering.

“Take it,” Jungkook insists, and your hands hesitantly curl around the stuffed toy, brows furrowed as your eyes meet his, warm and golden and bright. “I want you to have it.”

Jungkook moved away the next year and you haven’t seen him since, but you’ll never forget him. Not when you’re staring this old stuffed animal right in the face, as if you’re gazing into his eyes once more. Not when he was your first kiss. First boy to ever show you affection, ever care for you. It’s been much too long since that, since that day at the local fair, seventeen years gone, seventeen years filled with dates and sex and heartbreak and school as they repeat, over and over.

But, whatever.

You pick up the dusty box as you make your way outside, pushing open the door with your elbow as you walk towards the tables set up in your yard. It’s high time for a fucking garage sale, really. The buildup is enough, and everyone in your family has shit they need to get rid of. There are already neighbors wandering around in your garden, shuffling through boxes of old magazines and vinyls that your dad doesn’t need anymore, weird knickknacks like this one porcelain hippo you’ve had on your fireplace for as long as you can remember, a standardly creepy doll you hope you can get rid of so you don’t get possessed, stuffed animals from your childhood.

Stuffed animals like the tiger.

You know you won’t miss it—will probably never miss it—but there’s this part of you that’s hesitant to get rid of it, unsure if you’re ready to let go of all of the memories that come along with it. There are so many things that this toy, this mindless stuffed animal, carries with it, that Jungkook holds in his tiny four-year-old hands, clammy and sweaty from the heat. The memory of your first kiss under the blazing sun in the middle of the local fair, the beaming smile he gave to you when he won the damn toy, the softness of the palms that had yet to be worn out from years of labor.

Where did the fucking time go?

You haven’t seen Jungkook for over seventeen years and you highly doubt you ever will, but the image of an innocent, wide-eyed boy with pink lips and bouncy hair still persists.

You know you’re spending too much time dwelling on this, having a fucking existential crisis over a damn toy that you’re trying to get off of your hands for a buck or so, when someone crashes into your back as you linger over the box of old stuffed animals, squeaking out a very soft “Sorry!” before making their way to another table.

Looking down at the empty table, devoid of any goods you are aiming to sell, you begin to unpack the box, neatly lining up your toys like you used to when you taught them how to do math and how to read in your room, playing teacher and house and everything in between. Humming, you grab an index card, fold it in half, write your price (99¢!), and prop it up in a bare spot on the table.

You’re no yard sale expert, but judging by the steady stream of neighbors throughout the afternoon and the quickly-emptying boxes and bins and tables and counters, you make the educated guess that your yard sale is going pretty well. They always say that one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

Regretfully, you’re kind of handling the whole thing, running the little box you keep with all of the change and money people give you, bagging any items people might want to carry back to their homes, organizing products and enticing potential customers. It’s a busy job and it has you satisfactorily sweating as the day wears on, sunscreen practically melting off of your face on this spring day.

As the sun begins to bleed into the horizon and the moon comes out to play, soft image of it reflecting in the sky, as evening begins to dawn on you, things settle down. The flow of people has begun to cease, the last few stragglers hanging around to see if they can wrestle any good bargains from your fingertips (you’ll easily give it to them—you just want this shit off your hands, really), and you’re starting to pack up.

Your hand is halfway down a very tall box and you’re gently placing some of the more delicate unsold items inside of it when a little boy tugs on the edge of your shirt. You turn around quickly but gracefully, trying to avoid breaking the thing in your hand so you can try and sell it next time, and see him holding the stuffed tiger right in front of our face. He can’t be more than three, perhaps four-years-old.

“Hello,” you say, leaning down to match his eye level.

“Miss, I would like to buy this,” he declares officially, waving the toy around, wildly gesticulating. He’s so cute, goddamn.

“Okay,” you agree happily, “sure thing.”

“Kyuhyuk!”

You and the boy both shoot your heads up at the sound of another’s voice, and before you can register it, the little kid is shrieking as he runs from you, tiger left abandoned on the table beside you, weaving his way through the remaining tables. Squinting—you forgot your fucking glasses inside—you see another boy, this one probably around your age, jogging over.

“Sorry,” the boy says, and holy shit, he is gorgeous. A Stunning Specimen. God’s gift to this decaying world. Somehow, in the middle of May, he’s wearing a thick leather jacket over an entirely black outfit and has on a cap and sunglasses (it’s evening now) to match, but even under all of that, you can make out a handsome, apologetic smile and very, very nice figure. “He’s a bit rambunctious.”

“I feel like we all were at that age,” you comment jokingly, earning a small chuckle from the boy beside you. Doesn’t he feel like turning into a puddle of lava under all of that material? God, you’re barely wearing a tank and shorts and you want to melt.

“He said he wanted to buy this?” The boy asks, reaching down and picking up the tiger, inspecting it.

“Yeah, just came up to me and said so.”

“I saw,” the boy muses. “I’m really sorry if he bothered you. He’s a bit much, even for me. I don’t know how my brother handles him most of the time.”

“Is he your nephew?”

The boy nods. “How much is this?” He asks, holding out the tiger as he shuffles around in his back pocket for his wallet. When he pulls it out, you can immediately tell that it’s this awfully expensive thing, pristine leather and shiny pockets. Damn.

“A dollar.”

The boy easily tugs out a bill and hands it to you, not even bothering to go and chase after his nephew, who you are assuming is someone he probably needs to keep an eye on. “I used to have a toy just like this one.”

“Really?” You ask, not really caring about what he says but feigning interest, anyway. He’s cute and has a nice voice and even though you kind of want to go inside, you’re down for listening to him talk anyway. No harm in appreciating pretty people.

“Yeah,” the boy says, smiling as the memories overtake him. He keeps his eyes trained on the toy, and it gives you the perfect amount of time to drink in the sight of him in front of you. You don’t think you’ve ever been so close to the human definition of perfection in your life. “I was four, and I gave it to this girl I had a massive crush on when we were out at some carnival, or whatever.”

That sounds awfully familiar. A little too familiar, the more devilish side of your brain tells you, but you shake your head and will the thought to vanish. There’s no fucking way this is Jungkook. He moved. Across the country. He was also not this attractive when he was four-years-old, at least, that’s what you thought back then, but that’s beside the point. This isn’t him. It can’t be.

“That’s sweet of you,” you say, paying much more attention now.

“I know,” he says, a little nostalgic just thinking about it, and normally confidence like that on a man would repel you, but for him, it’s just hot. Everything’s sort of “just hot” on him. “But I don’t remember a damn thing about this girl. Not what her name was, what she looked like, anything. I just remember having a crush on her. She was my first kiss. All I can remember are those damn lips. Those goddamn four-year-old lips.”

You are really starting to hate how the pieces of this puzzle are beginning to slot together.

“Shame. Are you trying to find her again, or something?” You ask, foregoing all thoughts of you actually trying to worm your way out of this conversation and go inside. You’re intrigued now. Your interest: piqued.

“Not specifically. It just bothers me that I can’t remember anything about her, but I don’t care that much,” he shrugs. When he does, you can see how thin his black t-shirt is as it stretches over the tight muscles of his abdomen. Gah. “I can’t spend my entire life thinking about this girl when I have cute ones right in front of me.”

So, he’s flirting with you now? That’s a thing. That’s happening. And you’re not mad at it, not one single bit. It’s actually a little cute, how he didn’t dive right in like all of the other boys you’ve had the displeasure of interacting with, how he didn’t just straight up tell you he was in it for the sex. At least he had the decency to compliment you before doing it.

“Very smooth segue,” you comment, playing his game. “A solid eight out of ten, if you ask me.”

“Only eight?” the boy asks in disbelief, a hand over his chest in mock offense. “I’m hurt. I typically do better than that.”

“I have high standards,” you tease, a smirk beginning to grow on your face. “But hey, that’s the highest score anyone’s ever gotten.”

The boy grins under his boxy, black sunglasses. “Is that a good thing or a bad thing?”

You shrug. “Depends on if you play your cards right, I guess.”

“You live around here?” The boy asks, tilting his head down and peering out over the top of his glasses, brown eyes big and tempting.

Smiling, you nod. This is probably the most wholesome interaction you’ve ever had with a boy your age before, and that says a lot.

“Huh,” the boy says, storing the new information into his mind as he very suavely reaches down to grab one of the folded index cards on the table beside him, picking up a stray pen and writing down what you have a sneaking suspicion is his number. “I’ll keep that in mind.”

“You do that.”

The boy glances over your shoulder. “Kyuhyuk! Come on, let’s go home.”

The little boy pops his head out from somewhere and soon joins up with his uncle, grinning obnoxiously when he sees that the boy has bought him the tiger. The older reaches down and holds out a big hand for his nephew to take, the mere sight of the two of them leaving you swooning. Together, they begin walking to the sidewalk at the end of your front lawn, when the boy turns around to face you, flashing a smile.

“See you around, I hope…?”

“Y/N,” you finish for him, assuming that your name is what he’s looking for. “I’m Y/N.”

“Alright then.” The boy nods. “See you around, Y/N.” You hate how you like the way your name sounds, rolling off of his tongue.

The moment they’re past your yard, you drop everything and rush up to the index card on which the cute boy wrote his number down, eager to type it into your phone and then avoid texting him for the next two days to avoid being “needy”, but something stops you in your tracks.

On the index card, right under the 99¢ sign that you’ve written, is the word JUNGKOOK in big capital letters. Below it, a phone number.

You nearly topple over at the sight of his name, almost fall onto the grass as your brain registers it. It’s him. It’s really him.

He’s back.

You don’t really know what to do with yourself after coming to this realization. Do you tell him that it’s you? The girl he had a crush on when he was four? His first kiss? You don’t know what the hell would change if you told him, how things would be different if he knew. Is it even worth it when he doesn’t remember you at all?

Clicking away at your phone, still a little shellshocked, you enter his number into your contacts. There are lots of things you do not know about him and a couple of things that you do, and so you gather the remaining things still left outside, the items you will have to wait until next time to try and sell, and you head indoors.

Jeon Jungkook has somehow, someway—by what you believe to be a very meddling external force, a greater power of some sort that’s probably laughing right now—made a reappearance back in your life, only he doesn’t know that it’s a reappearance. To him, you’re just a cute girl with a quirky attitude that makes him want to get to know you better.

To you, he’s a stranger that you’ll never forget.

You work up the nerve to actually contact Jungkook a day after the yard sale, psyching yourself up to just press that goddamn send button and let the text message go through. For some reason, you just keep finding yourself hesitant to get in touch with him. It’s a weird mixture of “you don’t know that I was the girl you had a crush on when you were four but I do” and “I don’t know if I should tell you that or not” that has you a little wary, but fuck it, the message is delivered.

Jungkook gets back to you almost instantly—something you are most certainly not accustomed to, considering the fact that every boy you’ve ever had the pleasure of coming in contact with always only responds to your texts after four days. You’re thinking that you’re probably just going to chat it up for a few days, ease yourself into the very obvious chemistry that exists between the two of you before doing anything dramatic (like a date!), but it looks like Jungkook has other plans. He always did like going out of the box.

Jungkook [11:34AM] I think that the butterfly exhibition is in town this week Wanna go this afternoon?

You [11:36AM] Sounds fun!

Jungkook [11:36AM] Nice. Pick you up at your house at 2?

You [11:37AM] Sure! How much money should I bring to pay for my ticket?

Jungkook [11:37AM] It’s no big deal really you don’t have to pay Is 2 good? We could maybe go for a walk around the city afterwards If you wanted

You’ve never seen a man with so little qualms about double-texting. Hell, it looks like Jungkook doesn’t even have a problem with quadruple-texting. But you’re not complaining. At least he’s forward.

You [11:38AM] What the heck let me pay!!!!

Jungkook [11:38AM] You can pay for whatever we do for our second date

You [11:40AM] :O What makes you think there will be a second date???? You still have to do some impressing to do Mr. Jungkook Sir

Jungkook [11:41AM] Is 2 okay?

You can practically visualize him chuckling to himself as he reads your indignant texts, soft childish smile on his face, the same one you always had the privilege of seeing when you were just kids.

You [11:43AM] Two sounds wonderful

And there you are, sitting on your couch with a box filled with knickknacks and paddy-wacks, giddy with anticipation. Just like old times.

The first thing that alerts you of Jungkook’s arrival outside your door is a low rumbling sound that can only be the mark of a very expensive car parked on the curb by your house. When you peer out of your front window, you confirm your suspicions. Jungkook’s just getting out of the driver’s seat, the juxtaposition of him emerging from this ridiculously sleek black car while wearing an oversized bright pink hoodie leaving you only the slightest bit speechless.

You see him walk the stone path up to your front door and immediately dart away from the window, not wanting to be caught staring at him. He politely knocks on the wood, and you stall for a few seconds just to seem like you weren’t anxiously waiting for his arrival. As he catches a glimpse of your face when the door opens, he grins, clearly happy to see you.

You lean back to glance at the digital clock from your television. “Two on the dot? Very punctual,” you say, pretending to be impressed with a single eyebrow raised.

“Just trying to leave a good first impression,” Jungkook shrugs.

It’s then that you stare down at what you’re wearing, a very nice top with some of your fancier jeans, all done up and ready to go out, and compare it to what Jungkook is donning, an obnoxiously-colored hoodie two sizes too big and slouchy pants. Either you’re overdressed or he’s underdressed. You don’t like not knowing which is the correct one. How the hell are you supposed to dress when going to a butterfly exhibition?

Jungkook appears to read your mind. “Oh, believe me, you look way better than I do, I swear.”

You narrow your eyes but let your lips crack a smile anyway, adjusting the bag on your shoulder. “If you say so.”

“Ready to bounce?” Jungkook asks, rocking back and forth on his toes with anticipation. His hands are shoved deep inside the baggy pockets of his pants, and he looks like an overgrown child. A very attractive overgrown child.

Jungkook takes your hand and leads you to his obnoxiously pristine car, one you don’t feel like you can even breathe on without ruining. This is probably the most expensive thing you’ve ever laid eyes on (besides your goddamn college tuition), and to be completely honest, you feel like you’ll dirty it if you lay a hand on it. Jungkook opens the passenger door casually for you to step inside before jogging around to the driver’s. You tentatively sit inside, trying to keep your hands and all other body parts to yourself as much as possible, feeling like a fish out of water in this thing. Jungkook must have no college debt. What a life he’s living.

“You good?” Jungkook asks as he revs the engine, letting the car warm up beneath his fingertips.

“Yeah, yeah, I’m fine,” you insist, not wanting to worry him. “I’ve just… I’ve never been in a car like this before.”

“It’s a bit… eccentric, to say the least,” Jungkook says. “I’ll be honest, I have almost no use for it since I’m always busy doing other things. I just wanted to impress you.”

“Mission accomplished,” you say, a little breathless. You feel like one wrong move and you’ll end up destroying the vehicle, being forced to pay for repairs that will only add onto the already monstrous pile of debt you owe because college sucks. “Do you not take this out much?”

The car comes to a screeching halt as Jungkook just barely makes a red light, tires probably leaving streaks on the tarmac as he quickly switches gears. The both of your bodies are flung forwards, seat belts the only thing from preventing your chests from colliding with the dashboard, and Jungkook laughs.

“Guess that answers my question,” you say, readjusting yourself.

“Oof, maybe I should learn how to drive better before I can take you out on a real date,” he says, wincing a little.

“You sure do know how to keep a girl on her feet, I can tell you that much,” you say as Jungkook begins to drive again, the red light flickering above your heads changing to a dimmed green.

You look around his car some more on your way to the exhibition, note his absurdly pristine windows and windshield, like not even a speck of dust has taken residence on the glass. Discover a pile of CDs in his console, some of which you’ve listened to a thousand times and others that you’ve never heard of. This car looks brand new, though, so you don’t exactly know how Jungkook managed to get a vehicle with a CD player in it. Those are so early-2000’s.

“Do you not want to put on music?” You ask, looking down at the hodgepodge of CDs in between the two of you.

Jungkook looks at what you’re talking about for a very brief moment so as not to keep his eyes off the road for more than a millisecond, and he shrugs. “I thought we could talk, or something, instead. I also don’t want to listen to music because, in case you didn’t already realize, I’m a mediocre driver who really wants to impress this cute girl beside me with his A-one driving skills, and right now I don’t think I’m doing so hot.”

You laugh, pleasantly surprised at Jungkook’s words. It’s always nice to see a guy that doesn’t think he’s hot shit all of the time. It grounds them. Grounds you, too. Keeps you from floating off into space, dreaming of your Perfect Man.

“Between you and me,” you begin, leaning over the console to murmur in his ear, “you’re doing a pretty good job.”

Jungkook doesn’t fuck up the rest of the way.

The parking lot is abnormally packed, which is surprising, considering the fact that butterfly exhibitions at two o’clock on a Wednesday afternoon shouldn’t be attracting a big crowd. Jungkook manages to find a tiny little corner space an obscenely long distance away from the entrance to the museum, but it’s better than having to pay those rude street prices. His car sticks out like a sore thumb among all of the minivans and beat-up Kias, a sparkling Rolls-Royce that could probably get robbed in a second if Jungkook wasn’t careful.

“Didn’t think it’d be so busy,” Jungkook comments as he gets out of the driver’s seat. You notice how he makes his way over to open the door for you, but you save him the trouble and get out yourself. “I tried to pick a day where I didn’t think we’d have to wait a long time, or anything.”

“No, it’s fine,” you say, shrugging it off. “I’m sure there must be something else going on.”

“God,” Jungkook says, a little exasperated as he locks his car and you begin to take your leisurely stroll to the museum, “this date is not going how I need it to go. All these fuckups are ruining my chances.”

“All of these fuckups are actually kind of adorable,” you say, making his cheeks tint pink. “Except the car thing. You should really pay more attention to the road.”

Jungkook snaps his finger. “Damn. I’ll try harder on the way back.”

“You better.”

“Have you been to a butterfly exhibit before?” Jungkook asks, changing the topic. The two of you are slowly but surely approaching the entrance to the museum, big banners all over the damn place alerting you of the very exhibition you’re on your way to see.

“This would be a first,” you respond, trying to pay very little attention to the way Jungkook’s fingers toy with yours, too afraid to actually hold your hand but bold enough to let you know that he wants to.

“Me too, so we’re gonna see how this goes. Watch me, I’m gonna walk into the exhibit and all of the butterflies are going to fly so far away from me, the employees are going to escort me off of the premises,” Jungkook says, laughing at the mere thought of that.

You smack his shoulder. “Oh, I’m sure that won’t happen.”

“I’m very intimidating, you’ll see,” Jungkook says, trying to make his expression aggressive, but you can’t take him seriously with that damn hoodie enveloping his body. It’s practically down to his mid-thigh. He could wear it as a dress, if he wanted to.

“You know, butterflies are attracted to bright colors,” you say, poking his shoulder to remind him of the clothes he’s got on. “You’re gonna be a bug magnet when we get in there.”

“Don’t ever call me a bug magnet again,” Jungkook playfully orders. “Mosquitos already love sucking my blood.”

“But you’re gonna be a bug magnet in a good way,” you remind him, winking as you reach the entrance. “A Positive Bug Magnet, if you will. An Aesthetically Pleasing Bug Magn—”

“Okay, I get it,” Jungkook says, interrupting you and making you laugh.

As he opens the door for you to step inside, you realize that’s it’s not that busy in regards to this exhibition in particular. There must be some more important, more exciting thing going on at the museum that neither you nor Jungkook are blessed enough to know about, but that’s alright. More butterflies for you. Physically and metaphorically.

“Two VIP tickets to the butterfly exhibit at 2:45, please,” Jungkook says, whipping out that nice leather wallet of his.

You gasp, smacking his shoulder and making him turn to you in confusion. “No way, José. Nuh uh. I’m not letting you pay like… twenty bucks extra just so we’re at the front of the line. What kind of a date do you take me for?” You say, fumbling in your bag to pay for your own ticket.

He hushes you without another word, a hand on your bag to prevent you from doing anything as he hands the lady his money without any qualms whatsoever. She prints two tickets for you and holds them out, and you sneer menacingly at Jungkook as you snatch one from his hand.

All the tickets do is let you scam your way into the exhibition room faster than you typically would, say you saved those twenty dollars and just waited in line like normal, not-obnoxious people. But it was clear from the beginning that Jungkook’s not one to cower back and hide in a crowd, and he most certainly is pulling out all of the stops possible to make sure this date leaves some sort of positive impression on you. So he guides you through the narrow hallway in an empty line, passing by all of the plebs waiting patiently for their turn with a warm hand holding onto yours.

“I am so getting you back for those wasted twenty bucks,” you hiss at Jungkook as you come to a halt in front of the door that leads to the showroom. You’re just in time—the showroom doors should be opening in a couple of minutes. “They didn’t even do anything.”

“They got us here,” Jungkook says, and it’s like you’re in a damn movie when he does, because the second the words leave his mouth the museum employees open the doors to the exhibit like some magical entrance to this magical world. You and Jungkook are allowed to enter first (“Guess those twenty bucks weren’t so wasted after all,” Jungkook whispers in your ear, making you sneer in his direction) and you begin to scan for the butterflies hiding out amongst the foliage.

All you want to do is explore, glancing around the garden excitedly like a child in a toy store until you spot a smaller butterfly resting at one of the food stations that comes up to torso-height. As it eats, you can spot flecks of blue on outside of its wings, peeking through the undersides.

“Jungkook, look!” You say excitedly, pointing towards the butterfly as you catch his attention. He turns to you in confusion, and you use that brief moment of surprise to your advantage and drag him towards the butterfly.

You order him to be still and quiet, pointer finger over your lips as you lean down to observe the butterfly. It’s fascinating and adorable, and you want to show Jungkook the insect up close so he can bask in its beauty as well. But when you turn around to show him, he’s hesitantly standing three steps away from you, hand on the nape of his neck as he smiles warmly at you.

“Don’t you want to see the butterfly?” You ask him, an eyebrow raised in his direction.

“I’ll scare it off,” Jungkook jokes. “I’m not a very delicate kind of guy.”

“You don’t need to be delicate and soft in order to enjoy nature,” you deadpan, motioning for him to take a few steps towards you so he can appreciate the damn butterfly as much as you.

Jungkook’s steps are hesitant and heavy at the same time, and he warily makes his way towards where you stand with a grimace on his face. Unsurprisingly, the second he reaches you and lets out a great big heave, the butterfly flutters off.

“Don’t leave me,” Jungkook begs, reaching a hand up to the insect leaving his grasp, pretending to be Sad Love Interest Number One in every awful early 2000’s romance movie you’ve ever seen. His acting makes you giggle into your hand, not wanting to disturb the butterflies around you with any boisterous laughter.

“You almost had it, big guy,” you say comfortingly, giving Jungkook’s back a rough pat with your palm. “There are plenty of other fish in the sea. Or, should I say, butterflies in this exhibit.”

“I see butterflies when I look at you,” Jungkook says, staring you dead in the eyes. The action is forward and his words are absurdly romantic—to say the least—and they both have you grinning awkwardly as you try to direct your attention to a butterfly to get the thought of Jungkook off of your mind. It’s your first date, for fuck’s sake. Calm down.

“Come on,” you say, motioning for him to take your outstretched hand as you try to forget the fact that Jungkook is, in fact, nervous to be on this date with you. “I’m getting you to see a butterfly up close.”

Jungkook’s insistence that he’ll just scare off all of the butterflies is a shitty excuse, because all it really takes are a couple of soft steps and a bright pink hoodie for them to deem him worthy of their affection.

You’re reaching up into the foliage of the exhibit’s garden with Jungkook right by your side when a butterfly lands on your pointer finger, casually coming to rest on the digit. You freeze, a smile lighting up your face as you make every effort not to move while at the same time alerting Jungkook. With a soft kick to his shin, he turns to you and sees the deep purple of the butterfly on your finger catch in the light.

“Holy shit,” he whispers, maybe to himself, maybe to you.

“Don’t make any sudden movements,” you order softly, lowering your finger ever so slowly so as not to scare off the butterfly.

Jungkook takes the liberty of whipping out his phone, and in your peripheral you can make out the cobwebbed glass of the shattered screen of what is probably the most high-tech phone on the market. Only Jungkook. Jungkook snaps a photo of you with a beam on your face as you stare at the butterfly, enchanted by it, grinning into his phone as he hits the camera button over and over.

“Your turn,” you say when you’ve had enough of him taking pictures of you, catching him entirely off guard.

“What?” Jungkook asks, mouth dropping open almost comically as his eyebrows raise in bewilderment.

“I’m not playing with you, get over here,” you order. “But be gentle about it.”

Jungkook takes slow, hesitant steps towards you with a puzzled look on his face, tentative and wary as he nears you. His hand outstretched so that his body is as far away from the butterfly as it can be. He looks like someone who is scared of cats, reaching out to pet a cat.

“Oh, for fuck’s sake,” you say, rolling your eyes and sighing. You softly lower the butterfly onto Jungkook’s fuschia-pink clad shoulder, making absolutely sure that your movements are gentle and slow, so as not to disturb the creature on your finger. It climbs onto Jungkook’s shoulder with ease, finding the new location to be quite pleasant.

What the fuck, Jungkook mouths at you as he takes in the whole experience. He doesn’t dare turn his head, not wanting to frighten the butterfly like he insists he will. His shellshocked expression has you giggling again as you tug your phone from your bag, not wanting to let this moment go by undocumented. Now, it’s your turn to snap photo after photo, Jungkook finally working up the nerve to smile at your phone’s camera as you continuously take pictures. The sight in front of you is absolutely adorable, and the deep purple butterfly on Jungkook’s shoulder does a poor job of distracting you from his own beauty. Even with his body tense and brows furrowed slightly, Jungkook may very well be one of the most stunning people you’ve ever had the luxury of laying eyes on.

After a couple of minutes, the butterfly flies off of his shoulder, disappearing into the leaves and branches of the showroom garden, and you and Jungkook move onto a new area, seeking out more. Jungkook eventually realizes that he’s actually kind of good with butterflies, a quality he never knew he possessed. It’s a little annoying, how he can go from scaring off the damn creatures with a single step to becoming an aforementioned Bug Magnet, all while you try your darnedest to attract just one, to no avail.

“I can’t believe you turned out to be some secret butterfly whisperer,” you say, rolling your eyes as Jungkook gazes at the butterfly resting on his finger, a little orange thing. Your camera roll is probably overflowing with blurry pictures of Jungkook with butterflies all around him, like some obnoxious artsy photo shoot, but you find that you just can’t resist snapping away when you see that smile of his.

You almost lose track of time, and you would have, had Jungkook not taken a break from enchanting all of the butterflies in the damn showroom to check his phone.

You’re just managed to coax a butterfly onto your finger, and you’re about to show Jungkook when he beats you to it, coming up to you suddenly and scaring the poor thing off. “Y/N, it’s getting lat—”

“God damnit,” you sigh, looking longingly at the butterfly as it flutters off. You turn to him and shove his chest, his body not even budging despite the force you press upon his torso. It’s like he’s a brick wall, or something, and you’d be lying if you said that the clear display of strength didn’t turn you on even the tiniest bit. “What?”

“My bad, didn’t realize you were flirting with a butterfly for a hot second,” Jungkook jokes. “I was just going to tell you that it’s getting late. If you still want to walk around the city, we should head out now.”

“Oh,” you say, forgetting all about the lost butterfly. “Yes, that sounds nice.”

Jungkook smiles warmly, holding his out out between your bodies for you to take, something you do without a second thought. He traipses the two of you through the rest of the exhibit—there wasn’t much left for you to see, considering you spent a good couple of hours inspecting every section you could stumble across—until you reach the exit.

“What were you thinking we could do when we got to the city?” You ask him as you leave the showroom.

“I mean, walking was my number one suggestion, but—”

A flash goes off. That makes absolutely no sense, considering the fact that the museum entrance hall has a pretty solid amount of natural light. The quick illumination makes you turn your head towards the source, only to be greeted with a very large camera and a man dressed in all black.

“Fuck,” Jungkook says, elongating the vowel as he tilts his head back in exasperation. Is there something you aren’t picking up on? Even in high school, you were always the last one to get the memo.

“Jungkook?” You ask, a single eyebrow raised in confusion. You’re definitely missing the bigger picture.

“How good are you at covering your face and speed-walking out of places?” Jungkook asks quickly, gauging the situation at hand like some sort of secret agent.

“What?” You say, mouth dropping open as your eyebrows practically shoot up to your hairline.

“Alright,” Jungkook says, waving off the question like it’s no big deal. “Let’s just go.”

“What the fuck is happening,” you mutter under your breath, more to yourself than to him. Jungkook and you walk to the exit in the opposite direction of the guy that most definitely just took a photo of you for seemingly no reason, and you watch as he turns around to flash a pose for the man on your way out, making you laugh. Only Jungkook would take a slightly awkward and mildly uncomfortable occurrence and turn it into something goofy.

You both make it out of the museum and to his car without any other major hiccups, though you are satisfactorily bewildered as to what on earth would prompt a random dude to want to start taking photos of you and/or Jungkook. But your hesitance makes you unsure of whether or not you should question Jungkook about the experience or just let it be, because it wouldn’t be the first time you’d ever jumped to conclusions. He might just be a professional photographer doing one of those Humans of New York-esque photo stories. You never know.

“That was… a lot of fun,” you say as you get into his fancy car, less worried about your poor, peasant hands touching such fine leather. “I’ve never done that before.”

“Wow, the people who ask you out on dates must not be very original,” Jungkook comments to himself as he turns on the engine, letting it warm up a bit before he backs out of the parking spot.

“Well, I haven’t been on a date in ages,” you say truthfully, not really caring if he knows The Chronicles of Your Love Life or not. You have better things to dwell on.

“That sounds like bullshit,” Jungkook says. “Why would people not want to take you out on dates?”

“I’ve been too busy,” you sheepishly respond. “I spent the past two years studying abroad.”

“You’re kidding,” Jungkook says, sharply breaking as he turns to face you, halfway out of the parking spot. You shake your head, happy to prove him wrong if he genuinely thinks you’re lying. “No wonder,” he mutters under his breath, almost too quiet for you to hear.

“What?”

“Uh,” Jungkook says, doe-eyes wide as you catch him off guard. “Well, that doesn’t really surprise me. If you had been here for the past two years, I would have remembered you.”

You chuckle to yourself, grinning as Jungkook starts the car again and backs out of the parking space. “Smooth.”

“I know, right?” Jungkook says, pretending to flip some imaginary hair off of his shoulder as he drives out of the parking lot and follows the signs to the center of the city.

Being able to find parking spots literally anywhere within the city on a Wednesday afternoon at rush hour must be part of the package deal that comes with the whole looking good and being charming, you guess as Jungkook easily slides into a spot, shining luxury car standing out amongst the used and the bruised. It’s just as if everything that happens goes his way.

“Don’t you ever get worried that someone’s gonna steal your car?” You ask as Jungkook holds his hand out to help you out of his car and onto the cracking pavement of the city streets. “Like… it’s so new. And expensive. You must have had a really great time not going to the bank and dealing with the loan people.”

Jungkook coughs a little, hand shooting back up to the nape of his neck. “I actually, uh, dropped out of college second year.”

“You did?” You ask, surprised. You can see that it’s clearly not the most welcome of topics between the two of you, so you try not to gawk at him for too long and crack a joke. “Damn, you’re smart. University sucks literal balls.”

Jungkook laughs, happy to see that you aren’t dwelling on the fact that he isn’t a student. Clearly, it’s not his most prized characteristic.

“Are you still a student?” He asks you as you turn a corner together, nearly getting run over by one of those ruthless moms that jogs with their baby in a stroller.

“I’m a senior in the fall,” you tell him, letting your interlocked hands swing in between your bodies. “Busy busy busy.”

“Hey, you have all summer to relax, you know?” Jungkook reminds you, but the joke’s on him, because you’ll never relax. Not for as long as there are responsibilities weighing down your shoulders.

You heave out a sigh, already dreading the thought of wasting away your summer on your couch like you know you eventually will, too lazy to even hit the ‘Continue Watching’ option on Netflix and suffering through the thirty second wait. It’s an endless cycle of “college student who doesn’t know what to do when there’s no more college”, and with two summers of experience, you’re a seasoned veteran.

And then you look at Jungkook, and how he whistles as he walks and swings your hands like it’s nobody’s business, and you think that finally, there might be something worth doing this summer.

“Do you wanna do anything in specific?” Jungkook asks once you’ve finally lost counts of how many blocks you’ve walked since you arrived.

The question posed is how you eventually end up running through the in-ground fountains in the city park, fully clothed and screeching with laughter. It’s kind of the most outrageous thing you’ve ever done for a first date (or any date, for that matter), but it’s also easily the most fun you’ve ever had. Jungkook is relentless, refusing to leave the little area where the fountains reside and even going so far as to try and splash you with the water as it makes its brief but welcome appearance above land. You’re laughing and shrieking and probably attracting lots of attention from disgruntled passersby as they spot the two of you, but it doesn’t matter, because Jungkook is beautiful and beaming and frighteningly close to perfection.

When you’re through with the fountains, moving onto the grass and dripping puddles all over the ground, you insist on staying here to dry for a bit, refusing to go back to his car and get the inside all damp. Jungkook tells you that it doesn’t matter, that he can always just get his car cleaned and you don’t have to stand out here, drenched from head to toe, but you will not let him have his way, just this once.

So you end up camping out on the grass as the sun lowers in the sky, just barely grazing the horizon, letting its rays dry your bodies off. Jungkook mindlessly suggests that you play a round of Twenty Questions, and before you can sigh and think to yourself, damn, it was going so well, too, he asks, “Does a giraffe wear the tie at the top of its neck or at the bottom of it?”

Everything seems to be a surprise with him, really. Even down to the way that it seems like the butterflies from the exhibit have taken up permanent residence in your stomach, and flutter around every time you look at him.

When you wake up in the morning to find a text from Jungkook that says, “Whatever you do, don’t check the Daily Mail’s Snapchat story”, you’re a little concerned. Scratch that, you’re a lot concerned, and you don’t know who the hell Jungkook thinks you are, but if he tells you not to do something, you’re going to do it. It’s just human nature.

You don’t understand what the big deal is with the Daily Mail’s Snapchat story as you mindlessly tap through nonsense tabloid after nonsense tabloid, until you get the one that says, in big bold pink letters, JUNGKOOK’S NEW GIRL?

“Oh my God,” you mutter to yourself, both hands going up to cover your face in exasperation. You tentatively move your fingers from your eyes to your cheeks as you take in the cover snap, blurry photos of you and Jungkook from yesterday as you leave the museum and walk around the city, little pop-ups of close-ups of you. “Oh. My God.”

Damn, you should have figured this out sooner. You can’t help but read on about the story, unable to resist scrolling up to see what the Daily Mail has to say about you, and him, and you and him.

The twenty-one-year-old singer of “Paper Hearts” was recently spotted out with a new girl by his side as they walked around Los Angeles together, laughing and holding hands.

“What the fuck,” you say aloud, not really caring if your parents hear you from across the hall. It’s been seventeen years since you last got to spend time with Jungkook, and in that span, he managed to get himself famous?

You [9:42AM] When did you ever mention the fact that you’re famous?????????

Jungkook [9:43AM] I was trying not to bring it up

You [9:43AM] Clearly

Jungkook [9:45AM] Listen, I just didn’t want you seeing me differently because I was a celebrity and rich and everything I was worried that it would scare you off

You [9:46AM] Well, when you text me at like… 6 in the morning and tell me not to look at the Daily Mail’s Snapchat story, you do a pretty awful job of hiding it

Jungkook [9:46AM] I’ll be honest, I really didn’t think you were going to listen to me

You [9:46AM] You know me so well

Jungkook [9:47AM] I don’t care if you know now We already went out on that date and I already know that you don’t care that I have money to burn on VIP Butterfly Exhibit Tickets and expensive cars and fancy clothes So I don’t mind Unless you do, of course

You [9:48AM] I’m just surprised you managed to keep this from me for a full day without getting exposed somehow

Jungkook [9:48AM] The paparazzi isn’t that fast, trust me

You [9:48AM] I don’t mind, you know. You being famous, and all. You’re still Jungkook the Bug Magnet

Jungkook [9:49AM] Glad to see that things haven’t changed

You [9:50AM] I would appreciate it if you told the Daily Mail to stop posting ugly photos of me on their Snapchat Story, though

Jungkook [9:50AM] Listen, I might be famous, but I can’t work miracles

And even as you’re staring at low-quality pictures of yourself with rumors swirling about your very existence, with hate probably already being sent your way, without fail, Jungkook makes you laugh, like he’s always been able to do.

After a week has passed and the whole Snapchat Debacle has died down (thank God the Daily Mail didn’t know your name, or your social media would never hear the end of it), Jungkook invites you out to the local ice cream place. There’s never a dull moment when you spend time with the boy and there’s nothing too creative for Jungkook to think of as potential date locations. Granted, the local ice cream place isn’t the most original of ideas, but it comes with a spot where you can feed goats and it’s easily better than anything any of your previous boyfriends had ever done. Jungkook just tops everything.

“Aren’t you afraid to be seen out in public with me?” Jungkook asks as you stuff a quarter into the little machine that dispenses food for the goats to eat. He’s got a cone of cookies and cream ice cream in his hand and a stain from it on his nice white shirt.

You twist the handle and a handful of feed—if that’s what you’re supposed to call it—falls from the dispenser into your palm. Standing up, you head straight to the goats—who are fat enough as it is, really; they don’t need any more food—and hold out your hand, letting them slobber all over your skin as they gobble up every last piece. “Not really. As long as nobody knows my name, I don’t really care if your freaky celebrity-life-people see us. If I get to keep being branded as ‘Mysterious and Pretty Girl Who Gets to Date Super Attractive Rich Famous Singer,’ then I have no complaints.”

Jungkook chuckles to himself. “What, are my looks all that I’m good for?” He asks, fake hurt.

You scoff indignantly. “I said you were rich, too. That’s important. I need me a man with money.”

“You’re so shameless, you know that?” Jungkook asks as he shakes his head, coming up to linger by your side as the goats lick your hand clean.

“I know,” you say, shrugging mindlessly with a small grin. You then proceed to wipe the disgusting, sticky goat slobber all over the front of Jungkook’s shirt, just to prove his point. It’s already dirty, anyway.

“I’ve never been so accosted in my entire life,” Jungkook says, a hand over his chest as his mouth opens in a gasp, pretending to be shocked. “This totally beats the time a fan wiped a bunch of honey on me and told me I was sweet.”

“I don’t—I don’t even think I want to ask,” you say, a little concerned, a little intrigued. “Let’s just feed the goats and talk about memes.”

Jungkook is cute and rich and sweet, but he does not have a single coin in that crisp leather wallet of his. All there is is a shiny silver credit card and a couple of bigger bills. Luckily, the one thing you constantly have on you is small change because that’s literally the only money that’s ever in your possession.

“The great Jeon Jungkook has everything, but the one thing he doesn’t… quarters,” you say, shaking your head as you hand him one for him to get himself his own feed.

“I’m never going to hear the end of this, am I?” Jungkook asks, a fond smile on his face as he looks up at you, hand filled with little pellets.

“Nope.”

Instead of wiping off all of the spit on each other after the goats have devoured the food in your hands, you go and wash off in the provided sink before finding respite on an empty bench nearby, where Jungkook can eat his cookies and cream ice cream in his spit-covered shirt with you beside him in peace.

“I seem to recall you suggesting we talk about memes?” Jungkook reminds you, a single eyebrow raised in interest. The expression makes you laugh, surprised he took you seriously.

“What sort of memes did you want to talk about?” You quip back, way too amused with the situation at hand.

“I just wanted to let you know how much you meme to me,” Jungkook says without a hitch, and his face is completely serious until he spots the flabbergasted look on yours and lets out the bark of laughter he was clearly holding back.

“I cannot believe you just romanticized memes,” you say, practically speechless. “I can’t be seen with you anymore. We’re done,” you say, a little overwhelmed as you stand up, palm in his face as you pretend to walk away from him.

“Wow, it wasn’t the bad driving, or the cameras, or the Snapchat that took you down. It was my pun. Unbelievable,” Jungkook says, shrugging his shoulders helplessly.

Even so, Jungkook is too fucking irresistible for his own good, and meme puns and all, you just can’t stay away from him.

Jungkook takes a wrong turn on the way back from the ice cream place and takes you to his parents’ home, only a couple of streets down from yours in the same cookie-cutter style house. It’s small and cozy and so unlike all of those big mansions you see the celebrities of today living in.

“Have you been staying here?” You ask as Jungkook pulls into the driveway.

“For a little while, yes. My brother and his family are in town and my parents just wanted everybody under one roof, like old times,” Jungkook says, and he must be talking about the brother with the nephew that wanted the tiger. Wait…

Fuck, the tiger. If Jungkook’s parents or maybe even his brother catch you here, they’re going to recognize you. You’re almost sure of it. Especially if his parents are home, because parents always have that weird psychic ability where even if they haven’t seen a child for twenty-five years, they still know exactly who it is just from looking at them.

“A-Are your parents home?” You ask, a little hesitant. You don’t know if you want to tell Jungkook just yet. Or at all. Not now, when you’re already waist-deep into the pool and there’s no turning back now. If Jungkook finds out that you’re his crush from seventeen years ago, everything will just get awkward.

“No, they’re working. And my brother’s doing some family thing with his wife and Kyuhyuk—you met him, remember—so it’ll just be the two of us.”

You breathe out a sigh of relief.

“Me too,” Jungkook notices, nodding as you approach the front door and he whips out his keys. “God, you would not want to meet my parents like this. They wouldn’t shut up about you, I swear. They’d come up and pinch your cheeks and say mushy things in Korean and it would just be so awkward.”

The Jeon’s home is, strangely enough, exactly how you remember it. You had maybe been here once, if that, when you were four, but it feels like you’ve never left. You remember the burgundy curtains that decorate the windows of their living room, and you can visualize all of Jungkook’s Legos and wooden building blocks scattered on the faded rug by the couch. Everything just feels so… familiar.

“Why did you bring me here?” You ask, taking a hesitant seat on his couch after removing your shoes, just like Jungkook told you to do when you had (probably) been here before. Some things never change, just like the little shoe shelf by the front door.

“Have you listened to my music?” Jungkook inquires.

You wince. “Embarrassingly enough, no. I just haven’t gotten around to it, I’m sorry. I’ll binge-listen this weekend, I promise.”

“No big deal,” Jungkook says, shrugging. “There’s a lot of it, I know. I’ve been in the business for just over two years, now.”

“Wow, you’re so experienced,” you say sarcastically, but you know that Jungkook will take no offense to it.

“I know, I know, don’t get so worked up about it,” he responds in an equally-sarcastic tone, bowing ever so slightly with a hand on his chest. “No, i just asked because I wanted to know what you thought of it.”

“Uh…”

“I wanted to play a song for you, Y/N,” Jungkook says, and before you can stop him, he’s rushing off down the hallway and returning with an acoustic guitar and a pick in his hands, settling down on the couch opposite you and clearing his throat.

“You’re so sweet, Jungkook, I—” You say, touched at the gesture.

“Don’t think of anything,” Jungkook begins to sing, strumming softly as your words die on your lips, left breathless at the first sound that leaves his mouth. “Don’t say anything, not even a word. Just give me a smile.”

You already knew that Jungkook is damn well good at leaving you speechless, but this takes his snarky comments and mindless romantic remarks and obliterates them. This, his serenading you in the comfort of his parents’ home as you watch him in awe, is something completely new, foreign and strange and heartwarming all at once. Jungkook sings like an angel and plays like a genius, sings with emotion in his voice that autotune takes away much too often in a world like this. Sings because he means it. Sings because it’s for you.

Jungkook finishes the last chord and lets the sound of his soft guitar echo throughout the house, reverberate off of the walls as he looks up at you with baited breath, cheeks tinted a rosy pink.

“Jungkook, I—” you say, at a loss for words. “That was beautiful, Jungkook, really.”

“I wrote it the day after the butterfly exhibit,” Jungkook says shyly, placing the guitar gently on the couch cushion as he moves to sit next to you. “For you.”

“I’m… I’m fucking speechless, Jungkook, I don’t know what else to say,” you, panicking as you wrack your brain for any comprehensible thing your mind could possibly come up with instead of the word vomit that your tongue is currently stuck on.

“You don’t need to say anything,” Jungkook says, and then he’s reaching his calloused palm up to your cheek and pressing his lips onto yours.

Easily—almost too easily, really—you melt right into his touch, letting yourself become putty under his fingertips as he pulls you closer. His chapped lips never leave yours, can’t get enough once he’s finally got a taste of the sensation. There’s no ulterior motive behind the kiss, nothing but pure, unadulterated adoration on his lips as you wrap your arms around his neck, yearning to be as close as you can.

This is no carnival kiss, not like the one you and Jungkook shared when you were four and innocent and unsure, but it feels bizarrely like it. For the longest time, you never remembered what it felt like, when he pressed his lips to yours so quickly in the middle of the local fair, but once his lips are on yours again, the feeling is anything but unfamiliar. It feels just like it used to.

When you part, you let your foreheads rest against each other’s as you catch your breaths, soft and labored from what feels like it could have been straight hours of kissing. Of loving each other.

“Do you… do you want me to drive you home?” Jungkook murmurs, still panting the littlest bit.

You nod, and you finally come to rest away from each other, standing up without a single world as Jungkook grabs his keys from the kitchen counter. The whole ride home is silent, but it’s the good kind of silent, where the rest of the world has fallen away for once and left the two of you to just be. The kind of silent where all you can hear is the flustered beating of your own heart and all you can think about are his lips on yours.

Jungkook bids you goodbye with a soft peck on your cheek, making the blood rush to the area as you feel your skin heat up from his touch. Jungkook bids you goodbye with a kiss and promise of tomorrow, and the next day, and the next, and every day under the sun that he can spend with you.

Maybe there’s no need for you to tell him that it was you all along. Maybe Fate already had her plans settled for the two of you.

For someone so famous, Jungkook does an awfully good job at staying on the down-low when he wants to. Another week has gone by in the public sphere with him and you have yet to see any Daily Mail Snapchat stories on your secret romance. It must be a celebrity thing, you think as Jungkook invites you out to the local fair, the same one that the two of you went to as kids.

All of these feels like some kind of trick, like you’re being played and Jungkook knows that it’s really you, he just isn’t saying anything to see if you realize it or not, and him inviting you out to the very carnival the two of you shared your first kiss feels like more than just a coincidence.

“I thought that famous people wore sunglasses and big hats if they didn’t want to be seen,” you tell Jungkook as you walk side by side, plucking handfuls of cotton candy from the treat in your hand. These carnivals always give you way too much cotton candy on one thing. Jungkook’s got nothing on except for some ripped blue jeans and a graphic t-shirt that is way too tight. Like, “I can see your toned chest and it’s giving me grief” tight. And no sunglasses, no hat, nothing to prevent him from being recognized by the masses.

“They do,” Jungkook responds almost immediately, mouth blue from the sugar.

“Then what’s up with you?” You ask, motioning to him with stained fingers.

“I don’t really care if people see me with you, to be honest,” Jungkook says. “Let the world know how much I want to spend time with you.” He spreads his arms wide, nearly knocking the cotton candy right from your hand, making you laugh in shock.

“You’re so cheesy,” you say to him.

“Oh!” Jungkook exclaims, an idea popping into his head as he pauses right in the middle of the carnival. “That reminds me. There was a stall selling cheese fries a way back, wanna grab some?”

You’ve been trying to limit the amount of fried foods you’ve been eating, but you’ve been trying to do that for the past five years (to no avail, clearly), so you forgo all thoughts of a diet attempt and nod.

When you’ve got the cheese fries in your possession (in a container that looks to be the size of Jungkook’s enormous palm—how the hell do people eat all of these straight preservatives in a single sitting without getting stuffed?), you take a seat at an empty picnic table and begin eating. Jungkook, despite already consuming half of the cotton candy bag and a funnel cake from earlier, digs in almost immediately, taking three fries at once and shoving them into his mouth.

“You’re hungry,” you say as you take a bite of your own, savoring that sweet, sweet fake cheese flavor on your tongue.

“I know. I don’t know why, but all this food around me is just so tempting,” Jungkook says. You take the liberty of pulling out your phone and snapping a picture of Jungkook with fake cheese on the corner of his lips, just out of reach of his tongue. It’s such a beautiful photo, soft smile on his lips as he dips a fry into the sauce, a bit of it left on his skin. “Have you been to this fair before?”

“Uh, probably, when I was a kid,” you say, staying vague. You’re a few questions and one wrong move away from exposing yourself.

“This was the fair that I won that tiger at, remember?” He says, referring back to the yard sale where you met. “The one that I gave to that girl.”

“Ah, yes, four-year-old Jungkook’s lover,” you joke.

Jungkook smiles. “I’ve been thinking an awful lot about her recently,” he tells you, and you try to hide the way your eyes widen by looking down. “I don’t know, you just remind me of her.”

“Do I, now?” You ask, a small grin growing on your lips as you eat another fry.

“Just a little.”

Jungkook eats the majority of the cheese fries (he paid for it, anyway), and when there’s nothing but a cheese sauce-covered paper tray left in front of you, he points to a stall up ahead. You turn around to see that it’s the same balloon game, where you throw darts to try and pop them in order to win a prize. “Do you wanna play that?” You ask him, eyebrow raised.

“Sounds like a plan,” he responds, and the two of you head over, hands held in between your bodies.

Just like old times, you’re total and complete shit at the game, having learned absolutely nothing during those seventeen years as to how to actually be good at this. Not that you would ever need to improve on your dart-throwing skills, but it’s still embarrassing as your last dart misses entirely, leaving Jungkook cackling beside you.

“Oh yeah?” You ask, appalled as you move away and let him stand in front of the wall of balloons. “I wanna see you do better,” you challenge, pointer finger pressing against his chest.

Jungkook furrows his brows at your words, getting briefly lost in his own world as he zones out for a second. You wave your hand in front of his face to get his attention again, and he shoots back into reality and accepts your challenge boldly, puffing out his chest.

“You’re on,” he says.

Jungkook is cute and rich and sweet, but he’s lost his touch entirely with this game. His aim is totally off, and he doesn’t pop a single balloon, much to his dismay and your pleasure. It’s a little funny, actually, watching him pout as he misses the last dart and turns to you with a frown.

“Oh, shake it off, Jungkook,” you say. “Maybe next time.”

“Damn, I really thought I was going to get you,” Jungkook says, scrunching up that nose of his as he shakes his head.

You stop him, pressing a light kiss to his lips in the center of the grass-covered walkway, since kissing is so much better than just encouraging him with words. Only, this time, when you part, Jungkook looks that much more speechless, mind whirring as he takes in your touch.

“Are you okay?” You ask, eyebrows furrowed and voice laced with concern. “Jungkook?”

“Do you… do you want to go? It’s getting late,” he asks quickly, and maybe he’s just remembered he has some celebrity responsibilities to attend to, or something, so you nod, letting him lead the way back to his car.

The entire ride is silent, but this time, it’s the bad kind of silent, where all you can think about is if you did something wrong, something that doesn’t make him want to be with you anymore, and hear the frantic thumping of your heart as it worries. Jungkook’s mouth is pressed into a thin line, face solemn as he drives you back home. This time, when he bids you goodbye, he does so stiffly, an apologetic goodbye on his lips as you close the door and wonder what went wrong.

You and Jungkook don’t go out on another date for the next two weeks. Not that you entirely blame him, though, because he is a celebrity and he does actually have Famous People Things that he needs to be doing, but he’s responding to all of your texts with one-word answers and never has the time to take you up on your offers to go to the cinema, or the mall, or even the fucking beach. He hasn’t ghosted you, but you think these short texts and stiff responses are worse than that, because you don’t know if it’s him or if it’s you that’s the cause of them. Maybe he is just genuinely busy, but you’ve always been outstandingly good at jumping to the wrong conclusions, and you’re not stopping now.

You’re driving to the grocery store to pick up a few things for your mom, after she asked you to drop by before she gets back from work, when you realize.

Listening to the radio had only become a thing that you consistently did after you got your own car, since whenever you with your parents, they had their own CD’s that they wanted to put on. You’re half-paying attention to the announcer’s voice, mindless chatter about upcoming chances to win concert tickets and new releases from the week, when something captures your focus.

“Jeon Jungkook just released a surprise new single yesterday, totally unbeknownst to all of his followers, but it’s already shooting up the charts and currently holds the number two spot on iTunes. We’ll have Jungkook in the studio tomorrow to talk about the meaning of it, but for now, here’s ‘Autumn Leaves’,” the announcer says, and suddenly you’re turning up the volume of the speaker in your car, and you’re listening.

“Why can I still not give up on you?” Jungkook sings, and thank God you’re already in the parking space, because you know you wouldn’t be able to drive any further like this.

“I hold onto the withered memories, is it greed?” Jungkook sings, and he leaves you speechless as you sit in your car, stuck listening to the sad, sweet sound of his voice on repeat.

Jungkook writes beautiful lyrics, prose that tells the world how he feels more eloquently than you ever could, but it seems he’s done his job a little too well this time. Too well because you’re getting out of your car, bones rattling and heart pounding, and you can’t stop thinking about his words. About him. Too well because as you approach the supermarket, a tear rolls down your face, and it doesn’t have anything to do with this windy day.

You [3:23PM] Is everything alright, Jungkook? What’s going on?

Jungkook [3:23PM] Come to my house I’ll tell you

When you pull up to the Jeon’s home, only Jungkook’s car is in the driveway. You get out of your car quickly, door slamming shut from the force of the wind alone, and rush along the little stone path that leads to the front entrance. Jungkook opens the door before you can even knock, meeting your eyes with your fist still raised up.

“You got here quickly,” Jungkook comments as he lets you inside.

You merely nod in response, still a little breathless, and take off your shoes.

“Do you want anything to drink?” He asks.

“No, thank you,” you say, brushing off the offer as you sit down on his cream couches. “Jungkook, what’s going on? Is everything okay?”

“Did you hear my new song?” Jungkook asks, and instead of sitting next to you he sits across from you, and you’ve never felt so distant from him than this moment, right here, right now. You think back to the sound of his voice echoing from your shitty car speakers, and you nod. “Did you like it?”

“Jungkook, I—”

“I wrote it after we went to the carnival together, a few weeks ago. That’s why I’ve been so busy,” he tells you. “I’m sorry.”

“You’re busy, Jungkook,” you say, shrugging. “I get it.”

“I think we should break up.”

Silence. The bad kind, too. Jungkook and you lock eyes and you can’t make out a single thing in that brown haze, pupils foggy and indistinct. He can probably make out the apology in yours, already on the tip of your tongue. The confession, hanging on your lips.

“I’m sorry,” Jungkook says, taking your silence as permission to continue. “I just—I can’t get that girl out of my mind. The one I gave the tiger to when I was four. Her. You remind me of her… so much. I can’t stop thinking about her.”

Your mouth opens with worry, and you make to say something, explain yourself someway, somehow, but he beats you to it.

“I wrote that song about her. I figured you, uh, you probably knew that already,” he says, avoiding your eye contact as his hand moves to the nape of his neck. “I’m sorry, Y/N. I think I’m in love with you but I can’t—we can’t keep doing this if all that’s on my mind is a different girl. I won’t do that to you. I won’t break your heart like that.”

“What?” You ask, breathless, as his words register in your brain. Not the breaking up part, not the song, but, “You love me?”

“I think you should go, Y/N,” Jungkook says, standing up and heading towards the door, arm outstretched as he reaches for the knob.

“Jungkook, wait,” you say, and you’re desperate, desperate for him to explain himself, repeat himself. Desperate to tell him that he’s got it all wrong, that you’re the girl he’s looking for, that it doesn’t need to be like this.

“I’m really sorry, Y/N,” Jungkook repeats, and you can see it in his eyes, see how sad he is to let you go, how he wishes that things could be different. How he wishes you could stay. “I didn’t—I don’t know what else to say.”

“You don’t need to say anything,” you tell him, and there’s no kiss that follows, no promise of forever. You look at him, wistful and wondering what might have been, and you leave, shoes half-on and expression melancholy. You leave, and you watch him from the driver’s seat of your car as you back out of his driveway, watch him standing in the doorway, wishing for more.

Your mother has stopped asking you why you aren’t going out as much anymore, but you haven’t stopped thinking about him. Even the Daily Mail has stopped documenting it, having had one Snapchat a couple days back speculating who this mystery girl is that Jungkook’s song is about and questioning why you haven’t been spotted by him recently, your time in the spotlight brief and unnoticed.

You should have just told him, goddamnit. You should have just confessed right there and saved yourselves the heartache, told him that he doesn’t need to break up with you, that the girl he’s looking for is right in front of him. That it’s you. But you didn’t, because you were too busy thinking about him to think about yourself, and now you’re alone in your house, you’ve binge-watched eight Netflix series over the past two weeks, and you miss him.

You miss him and you wish you didn’t have to miss him, because sitting around and watching the rest of the world go on this wild goose chase to find his long lost love is so fucking pointless and you hate it. Hate it because you’re right here, surrounded by pillows and blankets and empty packets of thin pretzels for all of the world to see, and he’s clueless.

Jeon Jungkook is so much more than your first kiss, first crush, first love. He is talented, intelligent, charming, hilarious, mesmerizing, and everything in between. He is also someone you wish you could explain yourself to. Someone you don’t think was worth losing.

Like clockwork, the next time you hear him is on the radio.

You’re driving, driving anywhere and everywhere, just to get your mind off of him, when the announcer mentions his name.

“We were live in the studio a couple of days ago with Jeon Jungkook, singer of the new number one hit single, ‘Autumn Leaves’, and we were talking with him about the meaning of his newest release. Take a listen.”

“So, Jungkook, new song? Big day, for you,” the host says, crackling recording playing in place of a live radio broadcast.

“Yeah,” Jungkook responds. “I’m glad everyone is enjoying it.”

“It’s such a great song, honestly. It’s got a wonderful melody and I’m sure the people out there agree with me.”

“Thanks.”

“Tell me, Jungkook, what was the inspiration for this song? What inspired you to sit down and write the lyrics after not releasing any music for over six months?”

“I just…” Jungkook begins, and it’s like you can practically see him deflating in his chair as he recounts it all. “The song is about a girl. My first love, actually, when I was four. I kissed her at a carnival that we went to together.”

The announcer audibly coos. “That’s so sweet. Does she know it’s about her?”

“No, actually,” Jungkook says. “I don’t think so. That’s why I wrote the song. To tell her that I’m still thinking of her. And that I’m searching for her, if she wants to be found.”

“Oh, that’s such a touching story,” the announcer says, and goddamnit if his voice doesn’t ruin the mood that Jungkook sets, that Jungkook has always been so good at setting. “Well, have you had any luck in finding her? I’m sure she’d love to know that the song is about her.”

“I do,” you whisper, wishing that he could hear.

“No, I haven’t,” Jungkook says. “But I won’t give up just yet.”

The host congratulates Jungkook on his song once more before the broadcast returns back to being live, and you find that you’re turning around and heading back home before you can even stop yourself.

You won’t give up yet, either.

Knocking on Jungkook’s door, you don’t care who answers. You don’t care if it’s his parents, or his brother, or even him, because you’re telling him, and nothing’s changing that. If he’s not home, you’ll wait. You’re explaining yourself, whether he likes it or not. But when the door opens and you look to see who’s behind it, it isn’t his parents, his brother, or him. It’s Kyuhyuk.

“Hello?” Kyuhyuk asks innocently, eyes wide as he comes to recognize you.

“Hey there, little dude,” you say, leaning down just enough so that he can hear you but not so much as to patronize him. “Do you remember me? The girl from the yard sale?”

“Hmm?” Kyuhyuk says, gazing up into your eyes.

“The one that you bought the tiger from?” You supply, hoping it will ring some sort of bell and that he won’t shut the door on you, like you know most toddlers would these days.

“Oh! Yes, I remember you,” Kyuhyuk realizes.

“Do you mind if I come in? Only for a second, I promise,” you ask him gently. You won’t blame him if he doesn’t let you inside—stranger danger, and all of that—but you’re hoping for the best. “I need to talk with your uncle.”

“Kookie?” Kyuhyuk says innocently, and the nickname itself makes a smile break out onto your face.

“Yes, him. Can I come in?” You ask, and Kyuhyuk steps aside to let you in, taking your shoes off along the way. Kyuhyuk’s about to bound off down the hallway to grab Jungkook, but something makes you call for him to stop. “Kyuhyuk, wait.”

He turns around, doe-eyes big and warm, just like Jungkook’s.

“Do you think you could get me that tiger? Just for a second, I promise that I’ll give it back to you,” you ask, the idea popping into your head.

Kyuhyuk nods happily, skipping along the hardwood floor as he heads to his room, head popping out from around the corner a minute later, tiger in his hands. He gives it over to you gladly, and you pinky-promise him that you’ll give it back to him without a bump or a scratch, before he’s knocking on the door to Jungkook’s room, calling his name.

You don’t know what you’re going to say, how you’re going to explain yourself and fix this giant mess that you’ve made, but you’re willing yourself to do it and so God help you if you don’t.

“Kyuhyuk? What’s going on?” Jungkook asks, and as he turns the corner into the living room and sees you, you make eye contact for the first time in what feels like seventeen years. “Y/N,” he says in shock, hair unkempt and clothes wrinkled.

“Jungkook,” you say, and it’s now or never, you think as you stand up and walk to him, holding the tiger out in front of you and placing it in his palm. “This belongs to you.”

“The tiger? That I bought for Kyuhyuk at your yard sale?” Jungkook says, scrunching his nose up in confusion.

“It’s yours. You won it for me at the carnival,” you tell him, but it’s still not registering. “Where you kissed me. Where we kissed, actually. That tiger.”

Jungkook looks from the tiger in his hands, to your outstretched hands, to your eyes, and it dawns on him, a new day rising in his irises. “It’s you? You’re—”

“I’m here,” you finish his sentence, finally breaking into a smile as your entire body relaxes, relieved to have the weight lifted off of your shoulders.

“You’re here,” Jungkook repeats, and he’s not even mad that you hid this from him, not disappointed or shocked or angry. You meet his eyes and all you can see in them are stars, and all he sees in yours are galaxies, and he kisses you.

He kisses you like he can’t get enough of you, like he’ll never be able to do this again, feel your lips on his and your hands in his hair. Kisses you like it’s the last time he’ll ever get to, pressing his lips to yours over and over, savoring every touch, every taste.

“It’s you,” Jungkook says when you finally part, palms holding your cheeks as he looks down at you with love swirling in his eyes. “It’s been you all along.”

“It’s always been me,” you promise, reaching up to wipe away the tear that’s escaped from his swimming eyes and fallen onto his soft cheek.

“I love you, Y/N,” he murmurs into your skin, promises of forever and a day on his lips. “I’ve loved you ever since we were four and falling over each other in the grass, chasing each other around the playground. I have loved you for seventeen years, and I’ll love you for a thousand more.”

“I love you, too,” you whisper back, allowing your bodies to rock together in the middle of his living room, eyelashes fluttering. “I’ll love you always. It’ll always be me.”

Jungkook presses another kiss to your lips before he breaks into a smile, and finally, you feel at home. Finally, the butterflies know where they belong.

“So, if the tiger is technically mine, then doesn’t that mean you owe me a dollar?”

“Shut up. No returns, exchanges, or refunds.”

“Damn. I guess I’ll have to take you back to the fair next year so you can win something and compensate me for this loss.”

“I guess so, but no promises.”

⇒ hmu with feedback or just talk to me here!

[darkisucksanditwrites]

Lost (and (not) found)

for @onetruetea which is her idea again I just packed it in some words lol

The water was cool, almost cold, but against the hot sun and the heat if felt heavenly.

Tetsuya sighed and wriggled his toes in the wet sand and enjoyed the feeling of feet sinking bit by bit with each flow.

When he crinkled his eyes he could see a vague silhouette in the distance. He could barely make out any coherent shapes or colors from this distance and in such a strong sun (the straw hat helped but he had no sunglasses), but he knew where Kagami-kun was at any moment when he looked up.

Just as always.

He walked around the shore, soaking his feet and gathering shells and helping little animals get back into the sea, until the shape noticed him as well and waved.

Tetsuya waved back and after a moment the figure started getting closer, until Kuroko could very clearly make out all the shapes and colors he couldn’t before, but knew where there.

“Hey.” Kagami said and grabbed his hand, pulling him back to the beach. “Let’s get some water.”

Tetsuya didn’t have much time to say either a yes or a no, because he was too busy keeping his straw hat on his head.

“Ah, Taiga-kun, please wai-ouch.”

Tetsuya pulled at Kagami’s hand until he let him go and he moved back to the water.

“Hm?” Kagami looked back at his boyfriend when he paused. “What is it?”

Tetsuya scrunched his face and again touched the sand with a toe.

Hot.

Taiga frowned.

“Then wear your sandals idiot.”

“Yes, yes.” Tetsuya said distracted as he looked around the shore.

“What?”

Tetsuya hummed and put the shells he found into the pocket of his thin short sleeved hoodie.

“Hey?”

“They’re not here.” Tetsuya finally concluded. There weren’t that many people around, and he doubted someone was really desperate to steal his old sandals.

“I left them here.” He gestured to the patch of beach in front of him, but now that he looked he wasn’t sure. “They must have been swept away.”

Kagami sighed.

“That’s too bad then. Come on.”

Tetsuya frowned lightly at Kagami-kun’s dismissal, but he stayed in place.

“What?”

Kuroko simply looked at him and then raised an eyebrow.

“Seriously, what?”

“My soles aren’t that thick as some people’s.” Tetsuya said and let the water wash over his feet.

And he gave Kagami another pointed look.

The battle of stares lasted for maybe thirty more seconds, before the winner was announced.

“Okay, fine!” Kagami snapped and Tetsuya reached with his arms (and a smirk) even before Kagami’s own arms wrapped around Kuroko; one around his waist and the other under his legs.

The blanket and Kuroko’s lounger weren’t far away and it took Kagami about ten seconds to get to them (two minutes if we’re realistic), but Kuroko already managed to get under his skin.

“Oh, now I am swept away.” Tetsuya couldn’t help himself and had to tease him even if just a bit.

Kagami scowled at him with impossibly red face.

“For someone who can punch basketballs and withstand Coaches rigorous training, you sure have really weird weak spots.”

Tetsuya huffed, always mildly annoyed when he was suddenly the target. Kagami grinned.

“Here you go your majesty.” Kagami said and set Kuroko down on his lounger. “Comfy?”

“Yes.” Tetsuya said and before Kagami could pull away fully, leaned up and placed a small kiss on his nose. “Thank you very much.”

Kagami’s jaw dropped and he looked like his brain short circuited for a moment. The almost crimson blush which stole over his features almost made Kuroko worry, because it was just a peck.

“The hell!” Kagami angrily whispered and Kuroko sighed in relief when his face turned a bit less like he was about to pass out.

“It was a tip. For the ride.” He teased back and Kagami made a strange face, a mix between annoyance, anger and embarrassment with a hint of fondness.

But just a hint.

“Oh yeah? You think I’ll let you off with just that?”

Tetsuya recognized a desperate attempt when he saw one and he knew Kagami-kun could try but he’d never win.

At least not here.

“Oh, pardon.” He said and wrapped his arms around Kagami’s neck. “What was I thinking.”  

And he pressed a long kiss to Kagami’s chin.

Kagami sputtered, let go of Tetsuya finally and pulled away. Kuroko had to laugh. Kagami panted heavily as if he wasn’t just kissed (pecked really, and not even on the mouth) but as if he went six rounds with a sea monster.

He moved his hands in Tetsuya’s direction but stopped not knowing what he wanted to do. Tetsuya’s best guess was that he wanted to drag him back to the water and ‘punish’ him, but then they heard a familiar, annoyed voice and something was thrown in their direction.

It was a sandal. Not Tetsuya’s unfortunately.

“Hey, you two!” They both looked at the culprit which turned out to be their (now former) captain.

“Can you for the love of god stop canoodling? It gives me the hives.”

This time they both blushed (Tetsuya’s was fainter as if always was) and Taiga-kun sputtered an apology.

“Whatever. We’re playing water polo. Are you coming Kagami?”

“Y-yeah.”

Hyuga nodded and turned around to join the rest of their teammates. He was muttering something about gross PDAs or something along those lines.

“You.” Kagami turned back to him when Hyuga was far enough to not hear them, and raised an accusing finger.

Kuroko looked up and blinked confused.

“We’re not done. Don’t think I’ll let you off the hook.”

Tetsuya blinked and then he smirked again. He saw how Kagami-kun blushed when he saw it and he felt satisfaction when he managed to turn his own words against him.

“And what would you have me do Kagami-kun? For my terrible transgression.”

Kagami huffed.

“Smartass. I demand a full compensation.”

Tetsuya raised an eyebrow.

“Which is?”

Kagami reached with his hand, it almost brushed his cheek and Tetsuya almost held his breath.

But then his straw hat was pulled over his eyes and for a moment he lost his vision.

While he was squirming, Kagami mumbled I’ll tell you later and then he ran away shouting that he’ll look for his stupid sandals.

Tetsuya managed to readjust his hat and sighed.

Kagami-kun was again one of many silhouettes in the distance.

Tetsuya sighed and looked around for his book. It was on the blanket just as he left it. He picked it up and flipped a few pages, before he opened it on the place he bookmarker before.

He buried his toes in the sand. It was warm, but not hot thanks to the parasol they spread over their things.

And then he paused when he felt something plastic under his feet.

He looked under the lounger and lo and behold he found his sandals!

Funny. He most certainly didn’t leave them here.

Looking around he found a few strangers, but all of his teammates were currently in the water, playing and having a good time.

And Nigou was suspiciously sleeping on the blanket and under the parasol shade.

Like an angel.

With horns.

Tetsuya scratched his dog behind the ears, but it didn’t even react aside from opening one eye and acknowledging that it was Tetsuya.

He sat more comfortably in his hair, opened his book and took one last look at the familiar figure in the distance.

And kicked sand over his sandals covering them more from any prying eyes.

[fategist]

lists, layers, layovers: what to pack and how to pack it

There’s a scene in Austin Powers: International Man of Mystery where Austin and his colleague/eventual love interest Vanessa Kensington, are newly arrived in Las Vegas, hot on the trail of Doctor Evil’s number two, Number Two. Posing as a married couple, they check into their suite and begin to unpack. Vanessa opens her suitcase to reveal a tidy assortment of clothes, accessories, and spy gadgetry packed neatly and divided into plastic bags.

Yes, the kind of bags you fill with cookies or vegetable scraps before tossing into the freezer for that vegetable stock you may or may not actually make.

This was in stark contrast to my own method, which was to pack clothes -- some of which might have been clean -- into a decrepit suitcase WITHOUT WHEELS -- and cross myself before hauling ass to the airport.

Yes, Miss Kensington, I am disappointed in past me, too.

But I never forgot about Vanessa and her freezer bags. It was so in character for the organized, utterly prepared Miss Kensington. And also because it’s such a great idea. Everything is easy to see and find, and can be left in their bags until they are needed. You can press the air out of bags to compress the contents, and thus you can fit more stuff into your bag.

It took me a while to adopt this method, because I am a messy beast and a procrastinator. And there was something sort of glamorously messy in running off to the airport, as though I were always on the road, and on the run.

This was a terrible method. I’d leave behind items I wanted to bring, and what stuff I did bring would look terrible, be inappropriate for the occasion, or be not as clean as I’d thought. But what choice did I have?

I guess I could have shopped at my destination but if you’re not wearing straight sizes it might still be a crapshoot depending on where you go. Even if you did find a place that could sell you clothes that fit and, even better, you liked and could afford, that’s still time you’ll have to spend buying clothes when you could be, I don’t know, drinking vinho verde at a bar located on top of a multi-story parking garage in Lisbon.

A few times I tried rolling my clothes, which is supposed to make them less wrinkly and afford you more room in your bag. That only works for skinny people, I am convinced. A pair of XXS yoga pants will roll into something not much bigger than a falafel wrap. My XXL cargo pants from Old Navy will not get any smaller than, say, a steak burrito. And shoving underpants into a pair of Toms doesn’t say packing technique or hack so much as utter desperation when your knickers are typically bigger than a tortilla.

Freezer bags, that’s my number one piece of advice. Treat yourself to the kind that zip, as they are just a few cents more than the kind that don’t. Fold or even roll your clothes up. Insert into bag, compress to get the air out, then zip shut. They’re also handy for packing liquids -- dressing, foundation makeup, and lube which, should they spill, should be pretty well contained.

Make a list of what you intend to bring, and cross each thing off as you pack it away. The internet abounds with packing list generators. I don’t have a specific recommendation, but the ones that ask you where you go and when you are going tend to be decent because they can give you the weather forecast and perhaps even recommend places to eat lunch.

We can have a long discussion about carry-on luggage and maybe one day we will, but for now let me say: whatever you pack make sure it fits in the overhead bin. If it doesn’t, check it like a good girl and vow to do better next time.

But if you��re like me and do only carry-on luggage, do not pack any more than you yourself can carry. If you have mobility or health issues that prevent you from doing so, remember to thank whoever ends up managing your bags for you, at your direction. I’m trying to find a way to express this without sounding like an ableist shithead so weigh in if you had advice on that point.

I think when it comes to figuring out what to wear, I say this: wear whatever you want.* Layers are key, that’s what everybody says, but those layers need to breathe no matter where you are.And check the weather before you go. I didn’t before a nine day trip to England when it always seemed to be on the verge of raining without actually providing the relief of precipitation so I felt like the entirey city of London was sweating upon me, all while wearing jeans with long sleeved cotton t-shirts, and I was miserable. But worse than that I was too stubborn to just go to the Evans in Oxford Street or the Selfridges, also in Oxford Street, and buy myself something.

*The one thing I will do, in following the advice of travel professionals and those travel bloggers who post shit like text posts that say “Not All Who Wander Are Lost” without any kind of irony, is keep my travel wardrobe in the same color family. Pick three colors, neutral or not, and just go for it. When I went to Lisbon in 2016, this is what I packed: https://www.instagram.com/p/BDfeHemRuUk/.

I once spent nine days in Ireland with no trousers/pants except these fancy hiking pants I got at Columbia. I hiked exactly twice during that trip, and the rest of the time I walked around Dublin and Galway and Dingle and Killarney looking, and sounding, like a sentient windsock. I got stuck on the hiking part instead of focusing on the fact that I’d spend most of my time walking around cities, drinking and eating and occasionally sitting before eating and drinking again. I could have used a pair of jeans, a warm sweater, and ankle boots. I solved part of my problem by buying myself a beautiful Irish wool cardigan at the Aran Sweater Market in Killarney. I love that thing.

Last spring I went to England for nine days (what is it with me and nine day trips to the UK?) and did more hiking but instead of bringing proper hiking boots I brought LL Bean boots. They were okay for tromping in mud. Not so much for going up steep hills as I am passed by surly French teenagers wearing Adidas.

I think the moral of the story here is I should give up on hiking as an activity. That, and I need to be more honest with myself about what I can and am willing to do when I got on vacation.

But for, say, three days in New York over Easter weekend? This was my last trip, and I packed:

light coat or jacket

scarf to layer with coat -- make it big enough to use as a blanket on the plane, or shawl for modesty

handbag or purse -- crossbody or GTFO

special outfit or dress -- I went to Le Bernardin with my brother for lunch on my birthday, and I wore this Target x Victoria Beckham collared shift. There were rabbits embroidered on the collar tabs. It was the best.

two shirts -- both were long-sleeved

black Old Navy pixie pants -- no pockets but comfortable, and more elegant than jeans

sneakers -- Converse seems to be the default for everybody ever, and I am not special so of course I have owned many pairs though I am down to one pair at the present -- mine are Comme des Garcons because while I am not special I am for sure quite extra

flip-flops for wearing around your hotel room/AirBNB/friend’s guestroom

black leather ankle boots -- sturdy sole, a heel if you care for one

underthings (bra, underpants, garters, slips, socks, hosiery)

jewelry -- just a few things that you might be able to wear at once or put away in an Altoids tin. I wear a watch, stud earrings, sometimes a silver button or a brass heart from In God We Trust that says “bitch please”.

makeup/toiletries

My next trip is London (yes again shut up I love it) and Venice (baby’s first trip to Italy) in September. I have no idea what I’m going to wear. Maybe a trench coat, Hunter boots, and not much else.

The whole reason I wrote this was because @rosamundt asked me on twitter to write her a post about what to pack for some trips she had coming up. I probably should have done this before today, as she has already embarked on trip number one. Trip number two is still forthcoming, a short trip to a large city for a family celebration. My packing list above should suffice, though she may be able to get away with not packing a jacket. And instead of the black leather ankle boots maybe some sandals with a stiff sole. I know she loves those Saltwater sandals but I don’t think I’d want to wear them on the subway. Just as long as it’s not Yoga Slings -- I think those are kind of gross.

[diplomaticspoonie]

Unusual Asks

I saw someone post this list, and decided to just answer all of them. 

Spotify, SoundCloud, or Pandora? Pandora all the time.

is your room messy or clean? SO MESSY.

what color are your eyes? Brown. Or as my grandmother called them, shit brown.

do you like your name? why? Absolutely.  My last name is a one-syllable English word, and has really cool pun opportunities.

what is your relationship status? Married.

describe your personality in 3 words or less Anxious, low energy

what color hair do you have? Brown.

what kind of car do you drive? color? White Prius.

where do you shop? All kinds of places?

how would you describe your style? A shitshow?

favorite social media account  I have no idea. Yo, Is This Racist? maybe?

what size bed do you have? King.

any siblings? At least three half siblings (two on dad’s side, one on mom’s.) I’m told there’s a good chance there’s more on my dad’s side.

if you can live anywhere in the world where would it be? why? I don’t like staying anywhere for long, but maybe Nice? Or back home? I’m hoping to move to move back to Africa again soon, though. 

favorite snapchat filter? I have never used Snapchat in my life.

favorite makeup brand(s) No idea. I don’t wear any.

how many times a week do you shower? 6-7.

favorite tv show? Forensic Files.

shoe size? 11.5

how tall are you? 5′8″.

sandals or sneakers? Depends on the circumstances.

do you go to the gym? No.

describe your dream date When I was younger, dancing and drinks. Now? Karaoke and drinks. 

how much money do you have in your wallet at the moment? No idea. 10?

what color socks are you wearing? Black.

how many pillows do you sleep with? 2.

do you have a job? what do you do? Diplomat.

how many friends do you have? Too many to count.

whats the worst thing you have ever done? Worst for me? Married someone I shouldn’t have. Worst for someone else? Probably the same.

whats your favorite candle scent? I don’t know, rain?

3 favorite boy names William, David, Xavier.

3 favorite girl names Mathilde, Margaret, Rebecca.

favorite actor? Chris Evans? Not sure.

favorite actress? Gillian Anderson.

who is your celebrity crush? Nope. 

favorite movie? Casablanca.

do you read a lot? whats your favorite book? Used to, still read a lot of blogs and articles.  Favorite book? Good Omens.

money or brains? Brains.

do you have a nickname? what is it? It’s too close to my real name to put on here.

how many times have you been to the hospital? If you include non-emergency procedures performed at a hospital, I think 4.  I might be forgetting some. 

top 10 favorite songs 10 is a lot.  This list would change on any given day.  Let’s see: 1. Jack Frost and the Hooded Crow, Jethro Tull; 2. Parabola, Tool; 3. Color in Your Cheeks, the Mountain Goats; 4. Cult of Personality, Living Colour; 5. The Soul of Man, Blind Willie Johnson; 6. Toxic, Post-Modern Jukebox cover; 7. Long Live the Chief, Jidenna; 8. Django Jane, Janelle Monae; 8. A Tout Le Monde, Megadeth (esp. the version with Christina Scabbia); 9. Turtles All the Way Down, Sturgill Simpson; 10.  Tourniquet, Evanescence.

do you take any medications daily? Oh god yes. An antidepressant at a minimum.

what is your skin type? (oily, dry, etc) I don’t know?

what is your biggest fear? Death.

how many kids do you want? None. too many medical issues and too stressful a job to deal with kids too.

whats your go to hair style? I woke up like this?

what type of house do you live in? (big, small, etc) I go back and forth.  Usually small, but I do love space to entertain.

who is your role model? Chiune Sugihara: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chiune_Sugihara 

what was the last compliment you received? Someone I think complimented my dedication to my work?

what was the last text you sent? “Happy Birthday! I hope it’s gone well, and hope you are doing well.”

how old were you when you found out santa wasn’t real? 7

what is your dream car? For my current situation, my Prius is darn good.  But it depends on where I’m living.  It would have been terrible in Togo.

opinion on smoking? GROSS.

do you go to college? I did, 14 years ago...

what is your dream job? The one I have.  DIPLOMAT.

would you rather live in rural areas or the suburbs? Ugh if those are my options? I guess suburbs.  

do you take shampoo and conditioner bottles from hotels? No. I can’t get them on the plane anyway.

do you have freckles? No.

do you smile for pictures? Yes.

how many pictures do you have on your phone? Several hundred? Mostly for utilitarian purposes.

have you ever peed in the woods? I was a Boy Scout.  So many times.

do you still watch cartoons? Sometimes? I don’t let whether something is animated or not determine whether or not I watch it.

do you prefer chicken nuggets from Wendy’s or McDonalds? I’ve never had Wendy’s nuggets.

Favorite dipping sauce? What am I dipping? It’s highly context dependent.  But I do love a good pili pili sauce. 

what do you wear to bed? Shorts.

have you ever won a spelling bee? I don’t think so, but I only competed in a few.

what are your hobbies? Video games. Liqueur making.  Bartending.

can you draw? God no.

do you play an instrument? I played string bass in middle school, very badly. 

what was the last concert you saw? The Mountain Goats.

tea or coffee? Depends on circumstances and purpose. Am I thirsty? Tea. Am I tired? Coffee. Is it during or after a meal (tea in the first case, coffee after.)  Etc., etc.

Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts? Starbucks.

do you want to get married? Already am.

what is your crush’s first and last initial? That gets a bit too personal, esp. since I am married and would thus be my spouse’s info.

are you going to change your last name when you get married? I’m a dude (I realized after starting that this list assumes a woman responding), so there was no pressure on me to do so.  My first wife did, assuming I wanted her to, and was mad to learn during the divorce that I’d never cared.  I tried to dissuade my now wife from doing it, which she pointed out later was me mansplaining her decision to her.  I’m still embarrassed by that.

what color looks best on you? Green.

do you miss anyone right now? A crapton of people.  Some are far away (professional hazard), and some have passed.  

do you sleep with your door open or closed? Our cats would be pissed if we locked them out, and we’d be pissed on if we locked them in away from their boxes.

do you believe in ghosts? No.

what is your biggest pet peeve? Prejudice.

last person you called` A colleague.

favorite ice cream flavor? Changes with the day, but right now I’ll cookies and cream.

regular oreos or golden oreos? Regular

chocolate or rainbow sprinkles? Blech.

what shirt are you wearing? A t-shirt from some bbq place.

what is your phone background? A lichee bush.

are you outgoing or shy? Yes.

do you like it when people play with your hair? No. Unless it’s my wife.

do you like your neighbors? Yes, they’re all really sweet!

do you wash your face? at night? in the morning? When I shower, so mostly in the morning.

have you ever been high? From prescription painkillers and anesthetics, yes.  From illegal items, never.

have you ever been drunk? Oh yes.  Many many times.

last thing you ate? Lamb burger.

favorite lyrics right now “Remember: We are eternal/all this pain is an illusion.”

summer or winter? Winter.  Ah, winter.

day or night? Night.

dark, milk, or white chocolate? Dark.  Darker, the better.  Add chile, and oh god yes.

favorite month? December. 

what is your zodiac sign I don’t believe in astrology anyway, but Cancer.

who was the last person you cried in front of? Either my wife or my boss.

[sonderei]

I got bored and answered one of those 100-questions things so if you ever wanted to know a stupid amount of useless information about me read on, otherwise enjoy whatever content is in the next post!

Spotify, SoundCloud, or Pandora? Spotify

is your room messy or clean? my room is a mess, the rest of the apartment is pretty clean

what color are your eyes? brown

do you like your name? why? its grown on me. I used to get teased a lot in school “hey Ariel, where’s your best friend Flounder??” but now I work on Disney property and it’s on my name tag so I get to make a lot of kids (and adults) happy

what is your relationship status? been dating a small mess of a person for 4 years, whom I love dearly 

describe your personality in 3 words or less basically a cat

what color hair do you have? brown, or like a really dirty blonde if I spend enough time in the sun

what kind of car do you drive? color? a black 2013 hyundai accent hatchback (named Jazz)

where do you shop? where I shop: target, forever21, H&M, BoxLunch, Garage where I’d LIKE to shop: ModCloth, ASOS

how would you describe your style? I once bought an oversized Polariod windbreaker and I wear it everywhere I can??? I also love passive aggressive crop tops (”no thanks”) I wore it to a mandatory meeting at work at 9am and any time my managers asked me a question I just pointed to my shirt. So idk that should tell you something

favorite social media account I think I enjoy Instagram and Tumblr equally?

what size bed do you have? queen

any siblings? one full brother (5 years younger), one half brother on my dad’s side (13 years younger), and one half sister on my mom’s side (18 years younger). 

if you can live anywhere in the world where would it be? why? idk because I haven’t traveled anywhere I’d actually like to live. I love the idea of living northwest US (Seattle, Portland) or in NZ or like Scotland or somewhere with beautiful scenery but like...never been so can’t say for sure?

favorite snapchat filter? flower crown

favorite makeup brand(s) NYX is pretty much all I use but I also do like bare minimum with my makeup

how many times a week do you shower? typically every other day unless I’m super gross

favorite tv show? too hard. Steven Universe, Game of Thrones, A:TLA, and Adventure Time?

shoe size? 7-8 depending on who makes them

how tall are you? smol. Like 5′3″ or so? 

sandals or sneakers? sneakers, unless going somewhere involving water and/or sand

do you go to the gym? nah. I’m up and down stairs at least 20 times a day, usually while carrying stuff. that’s my exercise.

describe your dream date sitting in front of the Ocean Voyager exhibit at the Georgia Aquarium all day. like literally that’s it. and my date lets me without asking to move on, and ideally enjoys it as much as I do.

how much money do you have in your wallet at the moment? uhhh like $25 because that’s how much you have to have to open a new bank account which I’ve been meaning to do for like two weeks now

what color socks are you wearing? not wearing any, but I was wearing shark socks all day

how many pillows do you sleep with? just one, super soft and squishy

do you have a job? what do you do? I'm a server at a restaurant in Disney Springs at Walt Disney World. Its challenging and often frustrating and stressful but I get to meet some really cool people so it evens out. (Pat Sajak from Wheel of Fortune was in last week, I didn’t ask him if I could buy a vowel because I have some dignity)

how many friends do you have? like true friends, would drop everything for me if I asked them / needed them to? I’d say 3. But my social group is like...maybe 10 people? That I actively try to hang out with semi regularly.

whats the worst thing you have ever done? I honestly don’t even know. I forgot a woman’s ketchup last week at work and apparently I ruined her entire Disney vacation so

whats your favorite candle scent? usually anything with jasmine, so long as it isn’t overpowering

3 favorite boy names Nathaniel, Sebastian, Milo 

3 favorite girl names Riley, Maisie, Phoebe

favorite actor? robert downey jr probs

favorite actress? tessa thompson?

who is your celebrity crush? ugh. tom holland, tessa thompson, rdj? 

favorite movie? Spirited Away or Howl’s Moving Castle

do you read a lot? whats your favorite book? I used to, before I worked at a bookstore. For some reason that killed my love for reading. But favorite books were the Bartimaeus Trilogy and Abarat.

money or brains? brains

do you have a nickname? what is it? Skip (long story short, its a Cabin Pressure reference because I’ve always wanted to be a pilot)

how many times have you been to the hospital? for myself? 5? maybe 6?

top 10 favorite songs in no particular order Evolve by Phoria Put ‘Em Up by Priority Cleopatra by The Lumineers Feel It Still by Portugal. The Man Miracle by CHVRCHES Dissolve by Absofacto Taro by alt-J Lavender by Two Door Cinema Club Dinosaurs by The Maccabees Ambling Alp by Yeasayer

do you take any medications daily? nope

what is your skin type? (oily, dry, etc) ehh a bit on the oily side

what is your biggest fear? losing the ones I love

how many kids do you want? NONE ZERO NADA ZIP ZILCH FUCK NO

whats your go to hair style? pull it back, messy bun if possible

what type of house do you live in? (big, small, etc) a p small apartment (but not tiny, I think it’s like 800-900 sq ft)

who is your role model? Steve Irwin

what was the last compliment you received? a guest at one of my tables told me I looked like one of the recent Bond girls

what was the last text you sent? bailing on a few friends who were going to Blizzard Beach because I was exhausted from having my dad in town for the last two days so I wanted to sleep

how old were you when you found out santa wasn’t real? like 2 or 3. not very old

what is your dream car? realistic? a nice Subaru or Audi. Maybe a Tesla unrealistic? bugatti veyron

opinion on smoking? cigarettes? ew gross not around me also poor life choices weed? don’t care, just not around me please and thanks my other half is allergic

do you go to college? I did, graduated two years ago, still haven’t done anything with my life / degree

what is your dream job? anything working directly with animals, especially marine mammals, big cats, or non-venomous reptiles

would you rather live in rural areas or the suburbs? big city. right in the middle of it.

do you take shampoo and conditioner bottles from hotels? not usually, I have specific stuff I use for my hair that’s a lot nicer than the stuff at hotels

do you have freckles? not like a ton but yeah

do you smile for pictures? if I feel like it? also depends on who’s taking the picture

how many pictures do you have on your phone? I’d say somewhere in the realm of like 650-800?

have you ever peed in the woods? yep, used to go camping a lot as a kid

do you still watch cartoons? hell yeah, I usually prefer them to anything else. Steven Universe, Adventure Time, Voltron, A:TLA, Foster’s Home for Imaginary Friends...that shit is my jam

do you prefer chicken nuggets from Wendy’s or McDonalds? mmmm Wendys but I usually don’t get c nugs from anywhere

Favorite dipping sauce? chick fil a sauce or ranch

what do you wear to bed? just underwear

have you ever won a spelling bee? no but I came close in middle school

what are your hobbies? not many tbh. I have a few reptiles that I take care of. I collect / trade Disney pins. I love swimming but don’t do it all that often. Uhhh...seeing how many times I can ride Kilamonjaro Safari in a row before the cast members begin to judge me?

can you draw? not really, no

do you play an instrument? nope, I can’t even read music and I can barely hum

what was the last concert you saw? uhhhh...I think Death Cab for Cutie and CHVRCHES?

tea or coffee? tea

Starbucks or Dunkin Donuts? Starbucks for drinks, Dunkin for food (donutssssss)

do you want to get married? yeah, eventually. I told the SO that ideally before I’m 30 and that we’re not having a wedding but we’re gonna elope instead because fuck weddings I don’t have the money for that or the patience to plan it

what is your crush’s first and last initial? not really a crush but more of a “current-and-potentially-forever life partner” but DU

are you going to change your last name when you get married? no idea. D wants to change their last name but idk if they’d take mine or they’d just change it to their middle name and then I’d take that? honestly it doesn’t really matter to me each way so long as I don’t get their current last name (because of bad associations)

what color looks best on you? no idea honestly. I prefer dark, muted blues?

do you miss anyone right now? my parents and siblings, and two of my best friends

do you sleep with your door open or closed? open, otherwise the cats would never let us sleep

do you believe in ghosts? nah, not really. I grew up in a town that had a bunch of history and by extension ghost stories, so it was more a part of “tourist culture” than something that seemed legitimate to me

what is your biggest pet peeve? I never know until someone starts doing it around me. but uhhhh I hate loud chewers, people that refuse to even try to see your side of an argument, and when you’re sitting somewhere in public like on a bench or something and there’s plenty of other empty seating options nearby and yet someone comes up and sits RIGHT NEXT TO YOU nope you know what that’s it I fucking hate that and it happens to me all the time at Disney

last person you called` I think my mom?

favorite ice cream flavor? cookies and cream, unless I’m at one of those places where you can basically make your own flavor in which case I will ALWAYS do a rose-infused ice cream with pistachios 

regular oreos or golden oreos? please don’t make me choose

chocolate or rainbow sprinkles? rainbow!

what shirt are you wearing? not wearing one ;)

what is your phone background? just a basic stock photo of some ferns. kinda boring but I like simple backgrounds

are you outgoing or shy? its pretty even but if I had to say one over the other I’m probably slightly more outgoing than I am shy.

do you like it when people play with your hair? only people I know and allow. don’t just come up and start playing with my hair unless you KNOW that I’d be okay with it

do you like your neighbors? haven’t met them! we moved in like a month ago but we still haven’t seen anyone that lives on our floor

do you wash your face? at night? in the morning? if I remember, but honestly I’m really bad about doing it unless I’m in the shower in which case it’s every time I take a shower

have you ever been high? nope

have you ever been drunk? sadly no. I have a ridiculously high natural alcohol tolerance, so I get sick to my stomach before I can even manage tipsy.

last thing you ate? pizzaaaaaaa

favorite lyrics right now idek and that’s a lot of effort so sorry here’s me “free pass” I’m using it on this question next

summer or winter? ugh winter always I can’t stand the heat there’s only so many layers you can take off

day or night? night

dark, milk, or white chocolate? milk or white. milk for straight eating, white for flavoring other things

favorite month? october

what is your zodiac sign leo!

who was the last person you cried in front of? my significant other

[draginhikari]

Final Fantasy XIV: Azure and Crimson Section 2: Kari Azuresol, Light Reborn Chapter 3: Una’s Rage, Shadros’ Tragic Legacy

((Artwork featured in this chapter by @fyrielle))

Kari walked through the area of Ul’dah known as the Goblet, a residential area for adventurers that had decided to take up their home in Ul’dah.   Kari sighed some as she walked, still exhausted from her confrontation with the Imperial Soldiers in Mor Dhona. 

Kari grumbled and scratched at her armor, “I can’t believe how itchy this armor gets.  How did Shadros wear this thing all the time?” She’d give anything to take the Paladin armor off right now.   The problem was that the makeshift clothes she had made on the island, which were her only clothes underneath the armor for that matter, weren’t exactly designed for public decency.   She only had enough material to make covering for her breasts and around her waist and that just barely covered.  Not that Kari would be particularly bothered by wearing so little in public as she never gave much thought to how people look at her at least in regards to her femininity.  The main thing that stopping her right now was she still trying to be discreet while in Ul’dah and even she knew walking around half-naked was likely not going to do much to allow her to accomplish her current goal.

Kari looked at her gil bag, “I guess I have a little bit left.   Maybe I should do something about that.”  She stopped by a merchant stand in the center of the Goblet.   Kari looked around the merchant’s wares noticing a metallic blue colored Oasis Tunic, Dark blue pants, standard women’s undergarments and a pair of basic sandals.  Kari told the merchant, “I’ll take these.” She would pay for them and put them in her bag intending to change into them once she could get some privacy.

As Kari left the Merchant’s wife spoke, “These young girls today…I can’t believe you were able to sell that shirt. Why would anyone wear something that gaudy looking?” The merchant shrugged, “Hey least we’re finally rid of the thing.  I mean did ya see the armor she was wearing?  It was even brighter than the shirt was.”  Kari paid no heed to the merchant’s words, she really liked the shirt. No amount of blue was ever too much in Kari’s eyes.  She continued down a side road finally coming upon the sight of the overgrown lawn of Shadros’ cottage.  The cottage was tucked into the corner of one of the primary wards of the Goblet.   It wasn’t the greatest lot in the world but Shadros wanted as much privacy as he could get. She could recall that he bought it sometime after the Operation Archon conflict but she couldn’t directly remember when.  Kari looked up and down the lot before she stated, “Yes, this is the place.   This is Shadros’ private cottage and if my memory serves right the coffer he left behind should also be there.” Kari sighed before saying, “Assuming Una didn’t do anything with it after Shadros left her like he did.  I really hope it’s still there.”

Kari went up the door and attempted to open it.  It appeared to be locked.   She could only guess that Una locked it after she left.   Kari thought for a moment, “I could probably break the door down but I really don’t think I want to make a scene yet.”   Kari glanced over at a bush near the front door and began to reach into it. Kari put her hands through it and grumbled to herself, “I know Shadros put it in here somewhere.”  After a few moment she got ahold of metal object deep inside of the bush, “Aha!”  She pulled out a hidden key that Shadros had hid there for safe keeping.   Kari would unlocked the door and slowly push it open causing the door to creak as it slid open.  Kari walked into the house and glanced around.  The house was left exactly the way it was the day Shadros had left it and was coated in a thin layer of dust.   The bed was still unmade, Kari could only guess when Una awoke from her forced slumber she immediately dressed and went after Shadros.  It appeared Una had not been back since.   Kari caught sight of the Coffer and began to approach it as her vision suddenly blurred and she stumbled.   Kari rubbed her temples, “I’m more exhausted then I thought.   I guess since no one else is here this would be a good time to rest then I can deal with it in the morning.”   Kari closed the door and grasped her Paladin Soul Crystal.   The armor she wore would return to the crystal and she would be in her makeshift covering.  Kari remembered that Shadros had installed a bath in the basement of the house.  She went down into the basement discarding the makeshift clothes and moved over to the bath.   Kari attempted to turn the water on, hoping it still work.   To her relief it did.  Kari took the time to clean herself up, spending quite a bit of time working the grime, dirt, and sand out of her long hair.  Kari grumbled pulling on a section of her hair, “This long hair isn’t good for long distance travelling.  I wonder if I should cut it off.   Seems like such a waste though.” Kari would spent time scrubbing away at loose scales on her body.  Though some sections broke away from her skin while doing so it didn’t matter.   Au Ra scales always grew back and she had to maintain them to keep them from growing too much anyway.  Chipping some off the damage or loose scales from time to time was simply easier than trying to manage them the normal way, which usually involved a lot of polishing and scrubbing.  She stuck her tongue a moment as it always felt weird whenever she had to mess with her scales, “Blah, these white scales always seem to have something stuck to them.  They always look dirty.” After Kari was satisfied with the look of her scales she exited the bath and dried herself off before putting her new clothes on.   She glanced over her figure in a nearby mirror she had forgotten what she actually looked like in regular clothes giving the horrible shape of her previous outfit and the bulkiness of the Paladin armor.  Kari grinned some “Hey, this is not too bad, I could get used to this.” Kari went upstairs and glanced at the bed pausing a moment.  Kari’s right eye twitched as she came to a realization, “Wait, if Una left right away and hasn’t been back then these were the sheet that they…”  Situation like this reminded Kari why being linked to Shadros wasn’t all that it was cracked up to be.   Being in Shadros’ head was a scary place especially in this kind of circumstance. Kari had more or less completely blocked out Shadros’ affair with Una that night but looking at the bed brought the images back making Kari shutter.  “Gross! Why would anyone agree to do something like that?   I don’t get it,” Kari grumbled.   Kari didn’t really get relationships of that nature and sex might as well had been an alien concept to her.   Though Kari was not naïve enough to not know what sex was, she was completely uninterested in it.   Kari carefully rolled up the sheets and threw them into one corner of the room. Before long the spares Shadros kept nearby had replaced the old ones. Only then did she lie down on the bed. Her eyes drifted to different sections of the house, everything seeming so familiar yet foreign to her at the same time.   This examination did not last long as her thoughts vanished and she quickly succumbed to her exhaustion, falling asleep. Kari woke the next morning feeling fully charged and alive again.  Kari emerged from the bed stretching her back and limbs out, letting out a satisfied moan as she did “Ah, that’s more like it!  How long as it been since I got to sleep in a bed like that?”  Kari went over to the sink wetting and running her hands through her hair to undo the night time tangles before grabbing a towel. She looked at the coffer as she was drying her hair.   The hot desert air would finish the rest and Kari knew there was no reason to put it off any longer.  

She knelt down before the coffer noticing several scuff marks along the lid “Una must have attempted to force the crate open before she left.   I guess it’s a good thing she didn’t get to it.”  Kari didn’t really expect anything foul from Una but in her desperation to find Shadros she may have done something hasty.  Kari slid the key into the slot and unlocking the crate. Kari pushed the lid open letting it crash against the dresser behind the crate.  The box was filled with various equipment ranging from combat gear to crafting tools.  Most of the regular weapons looked to be in excellent shape.  “Bows, axes, grimoire, staves.  Sheesh, Shadros had quite a collection going didn’t he?  Hm?  What’s that?” She picked up a hammer that was used for blacksmithing work and it was in worse shape for wear.

Kari tilted her head some, “Sheesh Shadros, were you banging this against a wall or something?   You can’t treated tools like these like your sword.”  Kari noticed all the gathering and crafting tools had suffered a similar fate, “I guess I’ll need to fix or replace those later.”  Kari had not been allowed to fight when she lived in Shadros’ village so she spent a lot of time in other disciplines while Shadros clearly had not. Warrior of Light or not, Shadros seemed to primarily excel when it came to battle but not much else.   Kari then caught sight of a jewelry box that was tied to a large stack of letters.  “Are those…?” Kari undid the tie dropping the letters before opening the box.   She would see different shaped crystals, in different colors, and with different emblems on each, “Warrior, Monk, Dragoon, Ninja, Bard, Black Mage, Summoner, White Mage and Scholar.  Yes, these are Shadros’ other soul crystals. They’re all here!  How beautiful!”  She knew that much like the Paladin Soul Crystal these crystals would grant her additional powers if she could learn how to use them.   Kari, however, wasn’t sure how exactly she was going to do that.   She noticed one of the letters was addressed to her specifically.  She opened up the letter and read it over.

“Kari, if you are reading this then you have found a way into this crate and I already know what you’ve likely decided to do.   After all, it was our dream to see the world and have adventurers together for as far as I can now remember.   However, that is no longer possible, I can no longer stay by your side.   However, you are not alone in this. There are many of those out there that helped me during my journey and they will be able to help you as well.   The letters you have found in this crate are my last will and testimony.  These will include recommendations to the various instructors, teachers, and allies I have had over my time as the Warrior of Light.   Seek them out.  Learn from as many of them as you can.   You’re a fast learner and I know you can do it.  –Shadros” Kari rubbed her eyes a moment with her arm trying to stop herself from crying, “Shadros…”

Meanwhile, for the first time in many weeks, Una had returned back to the Goblet. Una in a foul mood and even the usual merchants were avoiding the angry Miqo’te at the moment, “Nothing.  Absolute nothing.   I couldn’t find Shadros, I couldn’t even find that idiot shinobi, nor do I have a way to get into that god damn box.  Damn it to all seven hells!” Una kept storming her way through the Goblet stopping at Shadros’ house.   She only wanted to see if anything had changed and originally had no intention of going inside but the more she thought about that day the angrier she became.   Una growls repeatedly running her hands through her hair, “How dare that idiot drug me like that!?   After all I did for him this is the thanks I get!?   I let him have sex with me and I let my guard down!  How could I fall for such an obvious trick!?  Damn you Shadros, damn you straight to hell!”  Una stopped her rather vocal ravings before as her ears twitched as something caught her attention.  It was faint but she could hear small sounds coming from inside of the house.   Una glanced at the house seeing something moving through the window, “Could it be Shadros?   Has he finally returned?”   Una’s completely forgot her anger for a moment before quickly making her way to the door and opening it quickly, “Shadros!?”  Kari froze a moment when she heard the door open behind her.   Una watched the scene as she saw Shadros’ coffer had been opened but not by force, it had been actually unlocked.  Una looked at Kari perplexed, “Who in the hell are you?   Where’s Shadros?”  Kari slowly stood up turning around to look at Una, this was an encounter Kari had been dreading for some time but knew it was likely inevitable.   Una narrowed her gaze peering at the young Au Ra woman, “Wait, I know you.  You… can’t be here!  How are you here!?” Una hissed out recognizing the Kari’s appearance.   This girl could only be Kari, the girl that Shadros had been seeking the entire time, “Kari, you’d best explain yourself right now! Where is Shadros!? What did you do to him!?” Una’s tail arched up as she made her demands.

Kari was taken aback by Una’s aggressive behavior waved her arms some, “Una, Shadros is…” She paused turning her gaze away deciding Una deserved to know the truth no matter how painful it would be, “Una, I’m sorry, Shadros can’t come back.” Una growled, “What are you saying!?  Stop rambling and get to the point you scaly bitch!” Kari put her hand to her chest, “Shadros is dead, Una.”  

Una frozen in place for a moment in utter shock, she began to shake as she screamed at Kari, “He’s dead!? That can’t be!  That’s impossible!   A Warrior of Light just can’t die like that! You’re lying to me!  Stop trying to play me for a fool!”

Kari shook her head, “I’m standing proof of it.  Shadros fought the Hymn Venom Order with everything he had.  He beat them but in their last moment their leader unleashed their patron voidsent, Hymn Venom.  He won by tricking the beast but he was so severely poisoned that he couldn’t escape. He used what little strength he had to release me from my curse and sent me away.  The chamber collapsed due to the attack by said voidsent.” Kari looked down, “There was no way he could have gotten out of there alive.  I wish I was lying… he gave absolutely everything. I’m sorry Una, I couldn’t stop him.” Una stumbled back holding her head.  Tears began running down her face as she stumbled back and forth for a few moment before she let out a terrible scream that shook Kari to her very core as Una’s despair and anguish cut into Kari’s very soul.   Una screamed but it began to shift into snarls as her gaze shifted back to Kari, Una’s eyes were filled with rage and hatred unlike anything Kari had ever seen, “You!  This is all your fault!” Kari stepped back, “Pardon?”

Una screamed at her, “This is all your fault!” Kari’s eyes grew wide and she attempted to grab the Paladin Soul Crystal from the table but before she could invoke its power Una was already charging at her and punched Kari directly in the face.   The suddenly attack caused the Paladin Soul Crystal to fly from Kari’s hands, bouncing off the floor, and slide under the bed.

Kari had very little time to process what had just happened as Una grabbed Kari by the shoulder pulling her forward and Una would slam her knee straight into Kari’s stomach.   Kari cried out and gasped for air as she was struck.

Kari stumbled back grasping her stomach looking at Una, “P-Please… stop…”

Una growled, “Shut up!” Una extended her hand out in a claw position and slashed downward at Kari’s face. Kari brought one of arms up to protect her face which allowed Una to tear through the light sleeve of shirt and tore her skin slightly.  

Kari winced and held her arm as the torn spot would slowly stain the shirt sleeve with blood from the fresh cuts on her arm, “Una, I don’t want to fight you, please!  Shadros wouldn’t have wanted this please stop!” Una growled, “Don’t you dare talk to me about him!” Una quickly managed to grab Kari’s injured arm and though Kari made an effort to try to push Una back but Una was simply too fast for the inexperienced Kari to keep up with.   Una yanked Kari’s arm tightly behind her back causing Kari to cry out once again. It felt like Una was trying to break her arm but wanted it to be as long and painful as possible. Una growled, “What’s the matter!?  Does that hurt?   You don’t even know pain!  I’ve been used, betrayed, and abandoned!  You have the nerve to tell me what I should think about Shadros!?  It’s your fault he’s gone!” Una grabbed used her free hand to grab Kari by her horn and slammed her head into the tiled wall.   Una did it several times putting cracks into the wall with Kari’s own skull.  Kari made various sounds such as whimpers, grunts, and moans.  Kari’s face was bleeding and heavily bruised at this point. Una growled, “Good thing you have such a hard head because I’m not done with you!” Una yanked Kari by her tail causing Kari to scream before Una swiftly kicking Kari in the back causing Kari to fall forward into the dining table causing it to fall over before Kari collapsed down to the ground.   Kari stared at the floor.  At this point Kari just wanted more than anything to just pass out and let this whole thing just be over with.   Una, however, was uninterested in of granting Kari any such relief.   Una put her foot down hard on Kari’s back putting weight down before she grabbed Kari arms pulling them backward causing Kari to scream out again as it felt like her arms were being pulled from their sockets.   Una seemed entirely relentlessly and had no intention of doing anything but leaving Kari battered and broken.  The pain was utterly unbearable at this point and Kari couldn’t take it anymore and just wanted it to stop.  Kari lashed out by swinging her tail back sharply into Una’s back.   Una hissed some as the attack stung causing her to let go of Kari’s arms.  Kari whimpered and winced as she tried to regain the feeling in her arms. Una growled and kicked Kari again while she was on the ground, “Your absolutely pathetic… this… this is what Shadros died for? This weak, scaly pile of worthless shite!  Everything about you makes me sick!  Shadros abandoned me for the likes of you?  I can’t believe this!  You humiliate me simply by existing!”  Una grabbed Kari by her horn before lifting her up enough to punch Kari hard in the stomach before letting go again.  Kari gagged and sputtered some as she could no longer contain to the contents of her stomach and vomited on the floor mixing the vomit with blood dripping from her nose and mouth at this point.     Kari could barely move from the position she was in at this point.   Una grabbed her by the hair and pulled her up so Kari would meet her gaze again, “What’s the matter you scaly bitch?   Had enough already you twisted freak? I’m not done with you!  You understand?  I will break you into pieces if I have to!”  Kari gritted her teeth when Una called her a freak at this point the pain and Kari’s rage had reach a breaking point. 

Kari could no longer tolerate the torture that Una was putting her through, “I’m not a freak! You bitch!”  Kari’s hair was long enough that she was able to twist around get ahold of Una’s arm and bit into Una’s arm as hard as she could.  Una hissed and let go of her hair backing away from looking at her arm as she was bleeding from the bite.  Kari managed to get her second wind and managed to get up. Kari grabbed Una’s head before headbutting her with own scaled forehead hard enough to crack the scales on Kari’s forehead but it was worth it as the hardness of her skull scales was enough to cause Una quite a bit of pain and leave a pretty significant bruise on Una’s forehead.   Kari wasn’t thinking at this point as she was enraged.  All Kari was thinking was how much she wanted Una to hurt right now for torturing her for the last few minutes.  With Una stunned Kari managed to regain enough momentum to give Una a solid hook to the face with her uninjured arm and a straight punch into her chest causing Una to gag and stumble back. Una growled, “You’re going to pay for that you little…” Una suddenly felt a sharp pain her stomach which seemed to stop Una right in her tracks, “No… not now.  Not again!”  Una had been experiencing the occasional stomach pain but this one was occurring at the worse possible time. Kari growled not noticing Una’s sudden stop, “You’re just a selfish bitch you know that!  How dare you pretend that you’re the only one suffering!   You know absolutely nothing about what I’ve been through!” Kari punched Una in the face again, “Do you think this makes me happy!?   To know that Shadros is gone and now I’m all alone too!  I will not sit here and be bullied by someone like you!  Never again!” Kari knelt down and tackled Una knocked the two into the bed.   A loud crack could be heard when the two landed as the frame cracked from force and weight of the two women.  

Kari raised her arm planning to hit Una again when something made her stop.  Kari now noticed Una was clutching her stomach.  Kari frowned and realized she never hit Una in the stomach. Her attack couldn’t have possibility be causing her stomach pains.  Una had her eyes tightly shut and could no longer seem to move.  

Kari slowly reached down touching Una’s forehead, “Gods, she’s burning up!  Now what do I do?” She quickly move off the bed reaching underneath it.  Kari ignored the pain from her injuries for a moment managed to pull out the Paladin Soul Crystal from under the bed and restored herself to her armored state.   It didn’t help relieve her injures at all and in fact just made them hurt worse.  Kari simply knew it would it would be enough to give her some additional strength.   Kari managed to pull Una onto her back and left the house with her.  Una had passed out at this point and was no longer fighting against Kari.  Kari would returned to streets of Ul’dah to seek out a Chirurgeon to help Una.   Kari had no idea why she was straining herself so much to help someone that was physically torturing her mere minutes ago.   It just didn’t feel right to Kari to leave Una fevered and helpless like that. Kari grumbled to herself, “How can one Miqo’te be so heavy?” Kari just took the situation one step at a time.  Ignoring the stares from people as she carried Una through Ul’dah.   Kari wondered for a moment why no one was even attempting to help out at all but then again the people in Ul’dah were not particular known for their charity towards others, most simply just stayed out of the way.   Kari just shook her head and kept going finally encountered someone who directed her to the nearest Chirurgeon clinic.   The Chirurgeon, an older Elezen gentlemen, had Una taken into the examination ward while a Lalafell Conjurer tended to Kari’s own injures.   Kari’s injures were not severe and even as sore as she was she would probably recover in little time.  Kari was just relieved that she was not as easy to break as she once was.   Though Kari was free to go and could easily leave to avoid any further complication with Una.   For some reason, Kari just couldn’t bring herself to leave until Una was awake.  

A few hours would go by and the Chirurgeon would finally come out from the room, “Your friend is awake.   We’re doing some final tests but she should be fine.  You’re welcome to speak to her now if you wish.”  Kari wrinkled her nose at the world ‘friend’ as that is the last thing she saw Una as right now.  Kari would slowly stand and walk into the room.  Una lying in the bed staring up at the ceiling she would not look at Kari.   Though she likely knew Kari as there. Kari said, “You have no reason to listen to me but I’m going to say my piece anyway.   I never asked for any of this to happen.  The whole reason I showed myself that day at Tam-Tara Deepcroft is I was trying to get Shadros to stop seeking me.   I wanted Shadros to move on with his life but despise my best efforts and yours we couldn’t stop him from making that decision.   If you need to hate me for that, that’s your own decision.   I don’t plan to stay here anyway.” Kari paused before continuing, “I am taking the contents of the coffer with me.   I need those things in order to move forward with my own plans.   However, everything else: the house, his possessions, and everything else is yours to do what you wish.”   Una growled some sitting up looking at Kari, “So what?  Is this supposed to be the part where we forgive each other and become good friends?   Bite me, nothing has changed here.   Everything about you disgusts me.   Get out of my sight Kari I never want to see your scaly ass face around me ever again.   I will never forgive you for what you’ve done.”

Kari turned away from Una and growled, “I’m not looking for forgiveness from you, and I don’t want it.   You’re a vile and vindictive woman, Una.   You physically tortured me to appease your anger and it’s absolutely pathetic.  As far as I’m concerned, I now question what Shadros saw in you, but that doesn’t matter anymore.   I’m giving you your part mostly as a peace offering because for whatever reason you were important to Shadros and I wish to honor that.   I don’t want anything to do with you, so let’s just do our best to stay out of each other’s way from now on.  I will continue where Shadros left off.  You can do whatever the hell you want.  Just stay out of my way.”

Una turned her head, “You, a Warrior of Light?   Don’t make me laugh!  You couldn’t even handle me.   What makes you think you can do anything of the sort?  You’re a delusional little girl who’s been handed power by someone far greater then you ever will be.  The only thing I’ll do is watch you as you fail and laugh.”

Kari grasped her Paladin Soul Crystal taking the armored state again ignoring Una’s taunt, “Good bye Una.   For Shadros’ sake I wish you the best, but I pray we never meet again.” Kari would leave the Chirurgeon’s office glancing up for a moment.   She took a long and deep sigh before continued back towards the Goblet.   Her only goal at this point was to retrieve the items in the Coffer and begin her journey as soon as possible. The sooner she healed and moved on from today’s events the better.

Una growled and slammed her fists down on the bed, “That little shite, I should have broken her legs! She thinks she can talk down to me like that?   If I hadn’t gotten so damn sick out she wouldn’t be talking so tough right now!” The Chirurgeon came back into the examination room, “Ms. Rela I apologize for the wait, it’s good to see that you’re lively but you should settle down.   Such outbursts aren’t good for someone of your condition.” Una growled some, “What condition?   What are you rambling about?   Speak plainly already.”

The Chirurgeon said, “Ahh… so you weren’t aware after all.” Una frowned at him, “Aware of what?” The Chirurgeon said, “Well, based on our tests you were sick due to your body adjusting to your condition.   Ms. Rela you appear to be pregnant.”

Una expression shifted to shock and she grew more pale, “W-What did you just say?  Pregnant!? That’s not possible, I’ve never been with a Male Miq’ote for over in year and even when I have I’ve never let one spurt inside me that for sure.   Beside since I met… him....” She grew even paler as she came to realization, “… it can’t be…” The Chirurgeon could tell she needed time to process the situation and left her alone.   Una gripped the sides of her head.  She tried to recall the night she had slept with Shadros trying to remember how their tryst ended.  Had she been so caught up that she had taken no precautions what so ever?  Shadros wasn’t the only person she had ever slept with, as adventurers were known for their short live trysts, but unlike other encounter she didn’t recall any attempt to stop him from potentially impregnating her. No, she had let him go all the way with her without even thinking about it and she had not slept with anyone since meeting Shadros.  Tears began to run down Una’s face as her shock soften into sorrow, “Shadros… it’s his… oh the twelve…” Una had good reason to be concerned children between Hyurs and Miqo’tes were very rare to begin with.   Though biologically compatible with each other, the differences were enough that not only was it rare but there was potential for complications not only with pregnancy but very likely the child itself.   Una put her hands over her face and began to sob.   She was entirely alone.   No Miqo’te tribe in Eorzea was going to accept her or the child, including members of her own family. As racial half-breed were rarely accepted in many places in Eorzea, this child would leave her as a black mark.  Worse, she had few friends, very little resource, and the father of her unborn child was dead.   Una sobbed, “Shadros, I don’t know what to do.   I can’t do this alone.  Why did you do this to me?   Why did you leave me?”  Una slid onto the bed wrapping her arms around herself as she cried harder than she ever had in her life.  Midgardsormr had been observing the scene from a ledge of the window.

Midgardsormr spoke, mostly talking to himself as no one could hear him there, “Some mistakes are not easily erased.  Nor the consequences of thy actions.  Such is the cycle of mortal hubris.  Thy Shade turned his back on everything for the sake of his own dark tendency and others would also pay his price.  This child is no different.” Midgardsormr flew from the ledge flying above Kari too high for Kari to notice, “Will the mother’s chosen make such a reprehensible mistake herself?  Or will she overcome thy Shade’s tragic legacy? Tis a story yet to be told.” Midgardsormr once against vanished in another burst of Aether.  Kari stopped and looked up seeing the aetheral sparkles hovering down from above her.   Kari tilted her head to the side for a moment assuming she was hearing things again before she continued on her way.

Section 2 - Chapter 2: Key to Conflict

Final Fantasy XIV: Azure and Crimson Complete

Section 2 - Chapter 4: First Quest? Kari is wearing what!?