#I did not realize when giving her this birthday that she'd share it with half life 2 but isnt that beautiful

[telebeast]

Biiig slice of cake for the most specialist woman in the world

(ID in alt)

[randomfoggytiger]

Curated agent-troi Fics

In honor of @agent-troi's birthday (that I missed-- so sorry!), here is a "favorite rereads" selection~.

Loose chronological order below~

Crossing Paths

“Uh…” the other woman struggled to get another piece of paper out, profusely thanking Diana when she offered to hold some of the folders. She finally took out a syllabus and glanced at it. “Fourth floor, room 451.”

“Oh.” Diana chuckled. “It’s supposed to be 415. They like to haze the new instructors sometimes this way, especially if they’re women. I guess they think it’s funny.” Of course, it had never happened to Diana, but she had the right people on her side. Or rather, she was on their side.

AU-- Pre-S1 Diana meets Scully on her transfer out, gives her some directions, and muses on a childhood Scully doesn't remember.

The MSR Files - Chapter 17

“I’ve been busy, Ethan,” she said as she stood up to dump the remains of her meal in the garbage, even though she was only half finished with her salad. She eyed Mulder pointedly, who looked deeply confused but did the same with his sandwich.

S1 Scully pretends Mulder is her boyfriend to get a very pushy Ethan Minette off her back.

The MSR Files - Chapter 4

“Oh.” Rob looked down at his plate, then back up at her. “You must really like that part of your job, huh?”

With some chagrin, Scully realized she had a huge grin plastered on her face. “It has its charms,” she said, trying to sound more casual even as she felt her face burning. 

The Jersey Devil Scully is ecstatic that Mulder called her to conduct an autopsy the next morning.

When Toads Fly (Ao3)

“Christmas isn’t until next week, Mulder.” She set her coffee down on the desk and folded her arms. “Why is there a plastic toad with a rocket strapped to its back hanging from our ceiling?”

“First of all, it’s not a rocket, it’s a missile. And second… it’s a missile toad.” He paused to watch for her reaction and was rewarded with a blank look. “Get it, Scully? Missile. Toad. Mistletoe.”

Mulder hangs up a missile frog for Christmas; and Scully, realizing she'd hurt his feelings, walks back her comments.

Between Two Truths

“Yep, it’s a fake,” the tech said, not even trying to contain his glee. “Sorry, Spooky, but it looks like you lost this round. Maybe the little green men will let you take a mulligan.”

Mulder closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. “Thank you,” he spat out. “I’m gonna print out the enlargement myself, if you don’t mind.”

“Sure, knock yourself out.” The tech snickered to himself as he walked away in the general direction of the break room, where he would no doubt proceed to gossip to his fellow geeks about the delusional Spooky Mulder’s latest misadventure.

E.B.E. Mulder is grateful that Scully, at least, doesn't mock his faked photograph.

Light in Dark Places

“Have you ever–”

Another pair of high beams pierced the night, steadily expanding until they filled the entire rear window. Scully cut herself off mid-sentence as she struggled to breathe. It’s not him, it’s not him–

Post Irresistible Mulder distracts Scully from her panic attack by crashing a conga line and sharing a motel room.

The MSR Files - Chapter 10

She knew exactly how voodoo worked, that most of its power resided in the mindset of the victim. If one truly didn’t believe a curse could actually harm them, or better yet, if they did not know they had been cursed at all, it would have absolutely no effect. Just as it should have had absolutely no effect on her.

Post Fresh Bones Scully is shaken that she'd believed in voodoo.

For the Truth

Mulder had passed out shortly after collapsing on her couch, sweaty and feverish. He didn't seem to be conscious or even aware of his surroundings, but occasionally he'd start tossing and turning, muttering about his father. At one point he started crying, and nothing was intelligible save the word 'sorry'. 

Anasazi Hosteen sends out paramedics to meet Mulder and Scully halfway.

The MSR Files - Chapter 13

 She narrowed her eyes as her lips curled upward in amusement. “Do you think it’s true what he said to you?”

“I don’t wanna talk about that,” Mulder said hastily.

“Okay,” she snickered. 

Post Clyde Bruckman's Final Repose Mulder hopes Scully will live forever.

The MSR Files - Chapter 16

When Scully had first made the comparison between him and Ahab, he’d been deeply confused, because he initially thought she meant her father. As she kept talking, he realized she was referring to the character, and he’d quickly become consumed by the need to not have to face directly the consequences of his actions on those he cared about, lest he be forced to let them go. To let her go.

But now, a stray thought occurred to him. He wasn’t a Freudian, but she had made the comparison.

Post Quagmire Mulder thinks over his inability to connect with his pets and the realization that Scully is, at the very least, attracted to him.

The Scully Dimension

“What if you could travel back in time?” Mulder asked Scully as they drove away from the biomedical research facility. “What would you change?”

Scully rolled her eyes. “Mulder–”

“Hypothetically speaking, of course.”

Synchrony Mulder is horrified that he'd forgotten to factor in Samantha's abduction into his time travel musings.

The Lesser Potato (Ao3)

It was most unlike him to willingly hand a case over to the local authorities before it had been fully concluded; it was, however, what any typical agent would do in this situation. Perhaps Skinner ought to be grateful that Mulder was finally starting to toe the line.

And yet, somehow, he wasn’t. 

Small Potatoes Skinner is unnerved that Mulder's usual British misspellings are absent from his latest report.

Blood and Water

“Mrs. Mulder?” Scully’s throat constricted, and her heart started hammering in her chest. “Is Mul– have you heard from Fox? Is he okay?”

“Well, I was just going to ask you the same question.” Teena’s voice sounded hesitant. “He left a very strange message on my answering machine, telling me I had nothing to apologize for and that we were both victims of– of someone, and that it seemed like he wouldn’t be able to outrun his demons after all.”

AU-- Post Demons Mulder withdraws into himself, collecting DNA off of CSM's cigarettes to answer the paternity question once and for all. The results, however, spiral him further into darkness.

The MSR Files - Chapter 20

“You were never going to take his deal, Mulder.”

“How can you possibly know that? Even I didn’t know that.”

Detour Mulder had fled, scared of Scully's advances; and later admits to almost taking the deal in Redux II.

Scientific Proof

Despite his leaving her behind, Scully had continued to work on his behalf... which he couldn't say about his former partner. Diana had ended up leaving him high and dry with her report full of obfuscation and deception, but Scully on the other hand had managed to uncover some startling revelations.

AU-- The Beginning Scully links DNA from the claw marks to the Erlenmeyer Flask... but the panel refuses to reopen the files, anyway.

Event Horizon

Even as it occurred to her that he must be inside his apartment by now, Mulder's words triggered another flash of memory....

"Your apartment's been redecorated, hasn't it?"

"Wha-- how did you know? Was it you?"

AU-- Dreamland II Scully remembers the excursion first; and Mulder confesses his new favorite color is red.

Mother Knows Best

“I’ve got it.” The woman behind Maggie in line bent down to pick it up and started to hand it to her, then paused as she took a closer look at the name on the card, furrowing her brow. “‘Scully’... you’re not related to Dana Scully, by any chance?”

Pre-Two Fathers Maggie meets Diana while shopping... and runs laps around her.

Eden (co-written with @baronessblixen and @katy-kt-katie)

“She gets to call you Fox, no big deal. But not me—never me.” She paced to her dining room table and smacked it with her hand; the quick shot of pain up her arm felt good; it felt encouraging.

AU-- Post One Son Scully, hurt, picks a fight over Diana's liberties with Mulder. Both crack each other open, apologize, and end each other's doubts rather swiftly.

Savvy as Her

“You owe me,” she insisted. “Dales was right. You wouldn’t have made it through that without me.”

“I might have.” Mulder put up a weak, insincere protest, but quickly gave in. They had both quite literally been through the wringer, and Scully had delivered a baby (for the first time!) with a gun to her head and parasitic worms in the ceiling. She deserved to be pampered after everything she had just been through.

Post Agua Mala Mulder and Scully both reconnect over food and a S2 abduction discussion.

Arcadian Rhythms

"Do you want me to stay?"

Scully's words took an inordinately long time to penetrate the fog of his musings, and even then he wasn't sure he heard her right. Slowly, he blinked and lifted his head to look into her eyes. "You mean, here?"

Arcadia Scully wakes Mulder from a nightmare.

Sweet Kisses (Ao3)

Right then and there he decided to stop messing around, that the risk of heartbreak or humiliation could not possibly outweigh the sheer agony of his life without her in it. To not have her by his side was unthinkable.

So it was that he found himself in a flower shop in Georgetown, looking for something that would convey an unambiguous message when coupled with a night of fine dining and a blanket of stars. 

AU-- Post Milagro Mulder is ready for the next step... and sees Scully on a "date" with another man.

The MSR Files - Chapter 22

“I’ll double your pay, kid,” Mulder yelled back.

“Deal! Wait— aw, man!”

They turned their heads to see a green station wagon in the parking lot, a maybe sixtyish woman with Poorboy’s nose and cheekbones beckoning him with her finger as she honked the horn with her other hand. 

Post The Unnatural Mulder is delighted by Scully's teasing; and both take things to the next level after the Poorboy goes home.

The MSR Files - Chapter 24

No one would listen to him, and he couldn’t seem to stop hearing everyone. He was surrounded by mental noise, and yet all alone.

Scully?

He tried to reach out for her, but caught only a bizarre glimpse of a half-buried ship in the sand, dark and foreboding as the waves crashed over it. The wreckage of alien progenitors, no longer alien to his mind.

The Sixth Extinction Mulder tries desperately to reach Scully's mind.

Hands-On Activities

Mulder was clearly happy to see her, even though they’d just spent less than ten hours apart, but there was a faint undercurrent of tension in his posture.

“Are you okay, Mulder?”

He shook his head slightly as if to clear it. “I’m fine, Scully.”

“It’s just that you didn’t even let me finish my sentence, and you– oh.” A realization hit her, along with a wave of chagrin. “Did you think I was in trouble?”

Post The Goldberg Variation Scully teaches Mulder how to fix his sink.

Some Assembly Required

Scully swatted him playfully with the instruction manual. “Need I remind you that you asked me to help you? You’re not even following the instructions—“

“Because they’re useless, Scully. Look at them! It’s all just pictures!” He stabbed a finger against the page in frustration. 

Post The Goldberg Variation Scully helps Mulder assemble his new bed.

Your Hand Does Something To My Skin (Ao3)

He stepped closer, sliding his arms around her and pressing a kiss to the top of her head. She hummed in quiet contentment, and he felt his heart melt. “Scully…?”

“Hmm?”

“I love you.”

“I know.”

Post The Amazing Maleeni Mulder cannot, for the life of him, wheedle Scully's magic trick secrets from her.

Someone to Count On

"How can there possibly be so much of nothing?"

"Nothing?" Mulder continued to tease Scully as their rented Jeep Grand Cherokee sped down a dusty rural highway somewhere in... Scully had forgotten where, so mundane and repetitive was the scenery.... "This is the heartland of America, Scully, where all the hardworking farmers of these United States grow the crops and raise the beef that ends up on our dinner plates.

Post Orison Scully has another panic attack in the car curtesy of Pfaster's song.

The MSR Files - Chapter 27

He couldn’t understand, needed to understand, why his mother had done what she did. She called him, she wanted to explain… but why didn’t she wait? Why didn’t she even leave a note?

He knew what it was like to be overwhelmed by guilt, but he couldn’t help but resent her for making him guess, for not even giving him a reason.

Sein und Zeit Mulder is anguished that Scully gets answers beyond the grave while he never does.

Eight Nights - Chapter 6 (Ao3)

The boy from his dream appeared in his mind’s eye, sitting cross-legged on the floor as he spun the little top around.

Post Closure Mulder finds his childhood dreidel and menorah.

Where A Million Stars Catch Fire (Ao3)

“I’m sorry, Mulder. Is that why people call you Spooky?”

“Technically, this is why they call me Spooky–” Mulder gestured around at the basement office and all its UFO and cryptid-related paraphernalia. “–but my birthday certainly doesn’t help. Whichever of them first realized that October 13th, 1961 was a Friday must’ve had a field day.”

AU-- This Is Not Happening Scully remembers each of Mulder's birthdays while trying to save him on this one.

Love and Strife

“Can you stay?” she mumbled, blinking up at him through groggy eyes. “Make up for… having to cut our evening short.”

Mulder smiled and slid his wrist out of her hand to wrap his fingers around her own. “Sure you don’t want to wait for the pizza man?” he murmured back teasingly.

She rolled her eyes at him as she gave him a sleepy smile. “I would, but… you’ll have to do, I suppose.”

Empedocles Scully casually confirms the baby his Mulder's; then drops off to sleep mid-conversation.

Eight Nights - Chapter 8 (Ao3)

As if sensing his presence, she looked up at him. Her face and eyes were red from crying and the agony of the labor, but she was smiling. “Mulder, come look at him.”

He did, kneeling down beside her as they both gazed in awe at their newborn baby– their son. “Wow,” he whispered.

Existence Mulder followed the light and found his family.

Eight Nights - Chapter 3 (Ao3)

"When have I ever done anything the normal way, Scully?" Mulder set the menorah on the table and tousled William’s hair. "Besides, this is the Starship Enterprise– the Starship Menorahprise, if you will. Its eight-night mission: to boldly celebrate miracles where none have ever been celebrated before."

AU-- S9 Mulder and Scully are celebrating William's first Hanukkah.

Summer Love Doesn't Have to End

“You need me, Mulder, and we need you. You’re not going off half-cocked on your own ever again. I’m gonna make damn sure of that.”

“I’m trying to protect you-”

“Well, stop that!” Scully put her hands on her hips in a familiar gesture of exasperation. “You need protection too, Mulder.”

AU-- Post Existence Scully refuses to let Mulder go into hiding alone.

The MSR Files - Chapter 28

“Fresh oranges here! Get your fresh oranges!” William bounded over to them with all the effusive, exuberant energy only an eleven-year-old boy (who also happened to have Fox Mulder’s blood running through his veins) could exhibit under these conditions.

Scully felt a pang of deep regret at this cruel and unnecessary theft of his childhood, and knew that someday (if there was even gonna be a someday) he would mourn its loss as well. But for now, as far as William Scully-Mulder was concerned, this was all just one grand adventure.

AU-- S9 Mulder, Scully, and William bunker underground with a Colonization resistance group.

A Place Like This

“We can’t hide this forever. He’s going to need to learn how to control his… powers.”

She spoke the last word in much the same way she used to say the word ‘aliens’ or ‘extraterrestrials’, but not for the same reasons. She was less afraid to believe now than she had been in the past, but now there were new things to fear.

Having a baby, especially a miraculous, possibly human-alien hybrid baby, had a way of radically shifting your priorities and preexisting beliefs. It was somehow easier to accept that William possessed psychokinetic abilities than to accept the danger they put him in from those that would do him harm.

AU-- S9 Mulder, Scully, and William go into hiding with TLG's help, raising Will as their own even if they aren't sure of his paternity.

Thanks for reading~

Enjoy!

[seb-reads31]

Request - My brain overflowing with thoughts of dream world

Tw's - Kerano twisting her ankle, screaming child, alcohol, Kerano being left on Faithful's doorstep

Genre - Fluff

Type - head canons

Comments - I was obsessed with this and need to share it cause why not 🤷 feel free to give your thoughts!!

Dream World

☁️ So, my understanding of the dream world is that Albus is an actual paladin, and isn't considered a good for nothing bastard, and he actually has a good relationship with Devlin

☁️ Now, we all know Faithful wasn't exactly supposed to be there, but let's just say that the dream world is another timeline/au for my sake

☁️ And in this world, Albus isn't a bastard, he had a loving mother, older brother, as well as a father

☁️ I'm going to guess that they (Albus and Devlin) had different mothers still

☁️ So, in this world, perhaps Devlin's birth mom passed away due to an illness not long after he was born or when he was very young, and later on Knight Paladin York met Albus' mother, henceforth having him

☁️ (None of that was important, I just want to touch on all of the things that aren't really explained for reasons yeah but I was curious and came up with my own explanation. Cause my brain is everywhere for this one y'all.)

☁️ Now, like it mentioned in the video, Albus was trained by Devlin, as well as part of Devlin's group. Albus definitely admires his big brother, cause who wouldn't??

☁️ And now, cue dream world Faithful 🥰

☁️ I mentioned this in my Albus or Devlin brain rot, but Faithful is a painter

☁️ A traveling painter✨

☁️ She travels around painting the pretty scenery she finds, and sells her portraits along the way

☁️ She has a home that she shares with her precious baby, Kerano <33

☁️ Kerano showed up on Faithful's doorstep one chilly night, swaddled in a blanket with a note that said "This is Kerano, her birthday is [her birthday], please take care of her kind stranger."

☁️ Faithful quickly brought her inside and warmed her up a nice bottle of milk

☁️ As you travelled, so did Kerano

☁️ You can't exactly let that chaotic little gremlin stay home alone, and all of Faithful's relatives lived very far from her

☁️ But the travels are filled with learning experiences!

☁️ How Faithful and Albus met are a bit similar to the video, except Kerano had sprained her ankle while running around as Faithful painted

☁️ She didn't see the root and fell to the ground, letting out a shriek of pain

☁️ Faithful drops her paint palette and brush as she ran towards Kerano, not realizing that there are heavy footsteps heading the same direction as her

☁️ Faithful is reaching for Kerano and is asking what happened and what's hurting when Albus shows up, frazzled and ready to pull his sword out on some bandits trying to rob someone

☁️ Faithful whips around and asks him who he is, slightly frazzled in the whole situation

☁️ Albus explains as gently as he can that he's a knight, and ran over to the scream assuming that there was a bandit

☁️ He briskly walked over to Kerano, looking her over and seeing her now swelling ankle

☁️ "Twist your ankle kid?" He didn't wait for a response as he turned to Faithful, asking her something

☁️ "I can bring her to my brother's tavern nearby, he has some beds where you and the kid here can rest."

☁️ Faithful was nervous, and slightly hesitant about accepting his offer, but did so because he was a knight, and the knights here were well known for their hospitality

☁️ "O-okay, but I need to grab my equipment first, I-I was painting when she fell and if I leave it alone someone is sure to steal it."

☁️ Faithful runs quickly, haphazardly putting her paints into their box, tossing the brush she was using into its bag with the knowledge she'd have to clean the entire thing later, and quickly folds her easel down while grabbing the small canvas, only half of the stream she thought was so endearing was finished

☁️ As she started walking back, she heard a familiar giggle, one that belonged to Kerano

☁️ When she saw Albus and Kerano, she was on his back as he told a story about a thief around here who did the same thing she did, but while he was escaping from a pickpocket from the wrong person

☁️ Albus saw that Faithful was coming back, and started to walk in the direction of his brothers tavern

☁️ The walk wasn't too long, and you got to learn a little about Albus along the way

☁️ By the time you three arrived, the sun was setting, the tavern having a few people start to walk inside the doors

☁️ Albus walked up to the bar and spoke to a dirty blonde, who you assumed was the "Devlin" he spoke of during your walk

☁️ And that's how you, Albus, and Devlin met

☁️ Kerano is Devlin's pride and joy, even though she eggs Albus onto drink more than he should when he's supposed to be on patrol, she's a sweetheart

☁️ Albus is showing Kerano how to fight with swords in his free time

☁️ Why you might ask? Cause he can't resist her puppy eyes 🥺

☁️ So now, a good chunk of the time Kerano is training with Albus behind the tavern with some wooden swords that all knights start out with

☁️ After some talking between Faithful and Devlin, he learns that she's an artist and commissions her to do something with the walls

☁️ They're kinda.. bleak

☁️ There needs to be more color, more personality, more life in the building

☁️ Sometimes, when Albus is feeling a bit extra, he'll ask Faithful to paint some portraits for him in very, what's the word, extraordinary poses, convincing himself that he can hold it for as long as you need him to

☁️ Only for him to regret it within the first 20 minutes

☁️ Kerano and Devlin are making bets on how long Albus will stay still for before he decided he can't do it anymore

☁️ Whether you, as Faithful, choose Albus or Devlin is a sweet ending

☁️ They both love you and Kerano, she's a joy to have around!

☁️ However, they do have questions

☁️ Like, did she have a spouse that produced the child, did she get a sperm donation, or did Faithful steal her?? (Thank you Albus for the last two.)

☁️ And when Faithful explains they're surprised someone did that, but also understand that they had their reasonings and are happy she could give Kerano a good life and childhood

Notes - I'll probably add more onto this later on. If there's anything wrong in here or something doesn't make sense please let me know! 😓 I'm a tad bit tired as I'm writing this and it might not make sense to y'all.

[caparrucia]

AKJWDASJKDJDS I'D LOVE TO SEE WHAT WENT DOWN DURING VARYA'S NAMING CEREMONY :0000 or what Childe's mom is uncovering, and what that conversation between Childe and the Tsaritsa relating to that means!!!

All three ficlets under the cut, plus an extra:

Varya's naming:

It was important that he was there to welcome the new day, so he'd arrived the evening prior.

There were to be no gifts on the name day, because a name was gift enough and anything else was traditionally seen as inviting misfortune. But there was very specifically nothing forbidding gifts given before. It did not feel right, to drop by the house empty handed. He'd sworn to their father that his family would be looked after, in Liyue, and while it wasn't a contract, strictly speaking, he'd come to learn there were other bonds that weighted just as much. So he brought trinkets from the harbor, as well as writing paper, because four out of the five siblings made a point of keeping journals and work on their calligraphy. He also brought tea, because of course he did. It was required of him, so they could rib him about it. But also an inkstone and a set of brushes, because Anthon was very interested in trying his hand at painting. And a roll of silk in the precise green that made Tonia's eyes resemble her father's. Olga's personal vice was the mint pastries that were all the rage recently, so a tray of that as well.

He was unfortunately unable to bring just about the most important gift he could offer, which was their brother, because their brother had gone off to meet his fate.

Nothing but a slight delay, that was all.

At midnight, just as her new year began, Olga finally shared the name she'd settled on, for her daughter.

"Like grandmother," Seymon observed, eyebrows arched as Anthon, Teucer and Tonia circled the newly named child that, honor to the truth, looked rather put out at being kept awake so far past her usual bedtime. "That's... oddly sentimental of you."

"Liyue will be her home," Olga said, giving Zhongli a weighted look that caused him to dip his head forward in acknowledgement, "for now. But she should know where she comes from."

"Strong roots foster long-lived trees," Zhongli pointed out, head tilted sideways.

"One can hope!" Olga let out a small, meanspirited laugh. "Besides, Ajax always said he wanted that name for his first daughter." She shrugged in the face of Zhongli's pointed stare. "Oh well, he should have been here to contest it, if he really cared."

"He does care," Zhongli was quick to point out, almost reflexively. "That is the one thing I will not let you doubt. He does care."

"Not enough to be here," Olga replied, relentless.

"Enough to come back," Zhongli replied, shaking his head. "Because," he insisted, immutable, "he will be back."

"Well, when he is, he will never live this down," Seymon informed him, gravely.

"Oh, absolutely," Zhongli agreed, and for the first time, he realized Childe's siblings looked at him as family.

Varya's First Swear.

"You know she's my niece, right?" Childe said, lone eye rolling in annoyance when Zhongli casually sidestepped his attempts to pluck said girl from his arms. "My blood!"

"Yes, well," Zhongli replied, eyebrows arched, "there is such a thing as family of choice."

"She's a year and a half, she hasn't chosen shit," Childe replied dryly and then found himself pouting, realizing he was pouting, and then glowering at the source of all his misfortunes. "C'mon!"

"Your proclamations of filial love are admirable," Zhongli said, in that smug, taunting tone he only ever took when they were alone and he was in a mood. "However, on behalf of Miss Varya, I'd be remiss to wave off your absence on her last birthday." Childe made a strangled noise in the back of his throat. "I'm not sure such a slight can be easily forgiven. She's only have one of those so far!"

"You-" Childe spluttered, flushing. And then dropped his voice into a hiss. "Will you fucking let that go?"

Zhongli opened his mouth to reply with something terrible that made Childe question his choice to be desperately, maddeningly in love with him, no matter what, but Varya cut him off.

"Fucken!" She said, golden eyes twinkling like stars as she stared at Childe's horrified face. "Fuck'n! Fuck'n!"

A sly smile tugged on Zhongli's mouth as he caught Childe's gaze with his own. Childe paled.

"Don't you dare-"

But it was too late, the lanky bastard was already gliding across the yard, heading back inside, while Childe's niece and engine of his imminent demise, continued to shriek variations of the word fuck at the top of her precious tiny lungs.

"AJAX!"

Oh, he was gonna lose something far more dear to him than an eye, for that.

Vaska's Fucking Curse:

Vaska was born in the capital, to one of the merchant families of the First Guild. She was a clever child. Willful. She spoke fluently and bluntly, and it was endearing until she was ten, and then it was humiliating to be talked down by someone that young, who was also in the habit of being right. Her greatest treasure, the grandest gift her wealthy parents had ever given her, was the ability to read. If she had questions, she learned quickly, books were the easiest source for an answer. People either answered what they thought she was asking, instead of what she was actually asking, or otherwise mangled the answer in some misguided attempt to make it 'child friendly'.

Vaska likes the truth. She likes reality. The world is as it is, and so she should face it head on. It's stupid to expect it to be anything other than what it is, and she has trouble being sympathetic to people who are continuously surprised by such things.

Vaska is a willful, difficult child, according to her parents, their families and the majority of their extended social circle, which includes most of the aristocracy and a few Harbingers in service of Her Majesty. Her saving grace is that she's youngest of six, with plenty of older, more socially savvy, capable siblings who will carry out the burden of their bloodline and their inheritance, so the chances that she'd be required to marry in the name of politics or a good bargain are low.

Besides, Vaska is her father's favorite child, which is, they whisper, why she is the way she is. Spoiled. Entitled.

When Vaska is fifteen, she accompanies her father to oversee the liquidation of a Estate. The ancestral seat of an ancient family that has been snuffed out for... well, not getting on with the times. It happens sometimes. Her family will profit from their misfortune, but she's not exactly upset about it because her father has promised her first pick of their library. There she discovers, tucked casually in between the pages of a book about the railway system that has allowed Snezhnaya to prosper, despite the unforgivable weather that besieges their land, a single sheet of paper with a few hand written lines.

It's a poem, but not one she knows.

Vaska is lost, the moment she reads it out loud. There's a strange rhythm to it, something in the way the syllables slide against each other that feels like magic, tingling in the back of her tongue when she speaks it out loud. But it's a fragment, not a whole, and the missing pieces feel like a loose tooth in her mouth.

Her life is forfeit, but she doesn't know it yet.

Instead, she goes looking, the same way she always has. But for the first time, her sources fail her. The poem eludes her. No written records of it, in the rest of the library, her father's library, her own or even her father's friends. Vaska becomes a different person, overnight. A late bloomer, her parents think, as she becomes social and cultivates an ever expanding network.

Not for trade, no. For books. For sources.

Inside her skull, the lines are burned into it, branded in such a way that they cast a shadow over every aspect of her life.

At seventeen, Vaska leaves home without saying goodbye and marches straight into Sumeru, to interview Khajeh, reigning Sage of Haravatat. He doesn't know much about her lost poem, but he recognizes talent when he sees it, so he allows her to stay.

She's twenty when she steps off the train back into the Capital, but she goes to the Adventurer's Guild, rather than her father's Estate. For all she knows, she's been disowned. The letters stopped coming at some point, but since she had neither the time nor the interest in reading them, she doesn't know if it's because they're dead or they've decided she is. Either way works fine for her.

The man who picks up her commission doesn't look particularly impressive, but she's not very good at judging people's fighting prowess the way she can judge a source's worthiness at a glance. He's a tall man, broad shoulders and the kind of self-assured expression on his face that means he doesn't think this job will be too difficult. It doesn't sound like it, on paper, but she doesn't know how to convey the danger of it. Still, he carries a pyro vision with the sort of cocky arrogance that means he thinks that'll be enough to thaw out any obstacle in his way.

"Are you sure you're up for the task, Mr. Hector?" She asks, as they step off the last stop in the civilian line, as close to her goal she can get without involving the Fatui.

She's not stupid, she knows better than to bite that poisoned apple. She's a daughter of the merchant guilds, the Fools are not welcome at her table.

"Ma'am, so long as you pay, I'll follow you to the ends of the world."

He means it, when he says that. But they have the trek to Morepesok for him to rethink his stance. To his credit, he doesn't renege his word or her contract. Not even when they do get to Morepesok. Not even after the bears. Or the elk. Or the Fatui.

He doesn't quit even after she solves the puzzle of the ruins and causes them to blow up to smithereens.

While they were still inside them.

He yells at her, though. He yells and hollers and bickers and talks, and he's so loud he manages to pierce through the veil of obsession and compulsion. Enough sometimes she stays with him in their makeshift camp that he keeps threatening to turn into a cabin if she doesn't finish her business before the end of the season and... well.

"Tomorrow," Vaska says, hand on the swell of her belly, that he noticed before she did, horrified by what it meant. "We'll leave tomorrow."

The way he looks at him, though, he already knows she's lying, even if she hasn't figured it out yet.

The Tsaritsa and Morepesok:

She's too softhearted for this.

She's furious and raging and still, still, she realizes, she's too soft. Too caring.

Too loving.

It seems like a cruel joke, that she would have the clarity to see what needed to be done, and it was her very nature that prevented her from doing so. She couldn't change what she was. No god could. They were bound by their nature, caught in the trappings of their sense of self. And what she was, was too soft. Too kind. Too worried about causing hurt to bring justice to the world.

Justice lay drowned in the depths of the desert, not allowed the dignity of death and instead shackled to mitigate the flaws in the world's design. Always someone other than the architect, bearing the consequences of their poor execution. Their shoddy craftsmanship.

She could fix it. All of it. But only if she wasn't herself.

Only if she could take out the parts of her, that got in the way.

So she did.

And her first impulse, upon tasting freedom from her restraints, was to claw them back. She felt empty. Hollow. Wrong.

She took her heart, her softness, the thing inside her that cared, and took it to a distant, far off corner of her land, somewhere so desolate no one in their right mind would think to look. And she buried it there. All of it. All that she was that she couldn't afford to be. And as a reminder, she wrote down everything it cost her. Everything it cost the world. It was a warning. To herself, primarily, a reminder of why she'd done it, what she risked undoing it.

She never expected someone to be snagged by it, obsessed in the way that prophecy curls around someone's soul like a curse.

The Rooster was in charge of Morepesok, though in the centuries the garrison there had forgotten what they guarded and instead been reduced to a holding pen for those who courted the Rooster's ire. And so it was the Rooster who brought news of the girl that insisted on digging out her secrets with her bare hands. She wouldn't find anything but death in there, so she dismissed it.

And then, years later, a boy born of that obsession knelt at her feet, blue eyes devoid of light, waiting for a name to mark the beginning of his new life.

She reckoned that's what they meant, when they talked about fate.

[farity]

Found, part 5

Six months later

Anna got home - the home she now shared with Aemond - to the smells of something delicious and meaty. Boudi ran up to her as she always did, sniffing her for treats, and when she realized Anna had none to give, she turned around and ran back to the kitchen.

"There she is," Aemond said, carrying a glass of wine and giving it to her after she kissed him. "Mom's cook made her world famous lasagna and gave me half, should be ready in about five minutes."

"Smells amazing," Anna replied, sipping at her wine. "Oh, this is a new one. I'll go change and be right back." Aemond seemed a little tense, she'd ask him about his work and hopefully be able to get him to let go of any worries.

She put the glass of wine down on the dining room table and headed to their bedroom, ready to start the weekend. There was Jon and Tormund's housewarming tomorrow during the day, and Margot's birthday dinner that-

When she opened the door, Anna stopped, frozen.

The little sitting area at the entrance to the master suite had been transformed with a hundred candles and an entire row of vases with red roses lined the single shelf behind the sofa.

The coffee table was covered in tray after tray of her favorite chocolates and in the center sat a silver bucket with a bottle of Champagne on ice.

She turned and found Aemond, down on one knee, with a small box on one hand and the other one out towards her, waiting for her to take it.

"Aemond."

"Anna." He smiled gently at her. "There is something I have been meaning to ask you."

She let out a breath, her heart pounding. It wasn't that she didn't expect him to propose, she loved him and he loved her and his plans for the future always included her. But once again, he had surprised her.

She took a step toward him and placed her hand on his.

"I know our story is a short one so far," he began, "but if life has taught me something, it is that one never knows what will happen next. All I know is that, whatever that is, I want it to be with you."

Her fingers tightened on his hand and he rubbed his thumb over the back of her hand.

She saw the tears gathering in his eye, saw how he was steadying himself. "Anna Caroline Stark, will you marry me? Spend your life with me? Face the world with me?"

Her own eyes were now blurry and she nodded, throwing herself at Aemond as he stood. She started crying and Aemond wiped off her tears and his own. "Wait, here."

He opened the box and Anna's jaw dropped. Inside was a magnificent cushion cut diamond on a platinum band lined with smaller diamonds. "Good god, Aemond," she said, and Boudi, hearing her human's exclamation, bounded into the room, working herself between them.

"Boudi, look, we're going to be an official family," Anna ruffled her dog's fur and then cradled Aemond's face in her hands. "I love you, so fucking much, Aemond Targaryen."

"And I adore you," he said, his voice soft. At the nudging on his knee, he leaned you, "I love you, too, Boudi, you saved my woman's life."

He'd kept his promise to the huge malamute. Her favorite treats arrived every month by the case, and her bed had been upgraded to a massive monogrammed cushion by the living room window, her favorite spot in their new home.

* * * * *

"Wait, Robb, I want to see," Margot elbowed her beloved as she got in camera range.

"Mom?" Aemond scanned the tiny squares, each with the face of a family member. Helaena was there, waiting patiently. Aegon was tapping his fingers on his cheek, and there, finally, was his mother. Anna's family, her mother, siblings and their partners, were waiting patiently.

"Dearest Cat," his mother said smoothly.

"Alicent, you look gorgeous as always," her mother replied.

The initial meeting between the two mothers had gone well, the slow assessment of two matriarchs giving way to an understanding that their love for their children was their main priority.

"Okay, everyone," Aemond said, "pulling Anna's hand up into the camera, "we have some news."

Margot's scream made Robb cover his ears, but he was laughing as she began hitting his arm, "I knew it! I knew it!!!"

"Fucking finally, man! Welcome to the dragons' den, Anna," Aegon said, clapping slowly.

Alicent said nothing, fingertips covering her mouth delicately as her eyes filled with tears, while Cat's face softened into a warm smile. "That is wonderful news, welcome to our family, Aemond, and the rest of the Targaryens," she said.

"Aww, I finally get a sister," Helaena said quietly, and Alicent hugged her daughter to her side.

"I love you both so much, I am very happy," Alicent said, wiping off a tear.

"We love you guys, we'll have you all over for dinner chez nous." Anna added, kissing Aemond's cheek before everyone said goodbye and the call ended.

* * * * *

The wedding, covered on social media with the #starkgaryen hashtag, was disappointingly private, the only fleeting glimpses of bride and groom a few blurry photographs on various family members' feeds. Margot, the glamorous maid of honor, kept watch on Boudi, who had been eyeing the wedding cake since it was wheeled in. "You get enough treats as it is, missy," she scratched the dog's chin and Boudi plopped down, giving in for now.

Anna was resting her head on Aemond's shoulder, her bespoke Louboutins killing her feet after all that dancing. "Happy, my beautiful wife?"

"Always happy with you," she smiled, turning her face up to him for a kiss, "my handsome husband."

"Here," he said, slipping off his jacket and placing it over her shoulders, "come with me."

Anna stood, her hand in Aemond's, "it's not that cold."

"It might be on the plane," he said, and watched her eyes widen.

When she looked around at the people still dancing, she caught Margot's wink and little wave before Aemond pulled her around the corner.

"You're packed, don't worry," he added, smiling at her, "Margot was a big help. That woman can shop."

Anna laughed, "is that why the shops down in Union Square were closed last week? She cleared them out?"

"I don't want to think about it," Aemond replied, taking her to where the helicopter waited for them.

"Will you tell me where we're going?"

Aemond turned, looked at the woman who had turned his life upside down. "It's somewhere warm, but not too warm, don't want my Bay Area girl to get too uncomfortable."

"Or my porcelain dragon to burn his skin," she smiled, caressing his face."

Shrugging, Aemond kissed her. "There's always SPF 100." He trailed his fingertips over the delicate planes of her face. "I adore you, Anna. I would do anything for you," he said, raising an eyebrow, "and I would do it again."

"I love you so much," she replied, feeling cherished and loved.

"Let's go," he said, tugging on her hand.

* * * * *

THE END

[terrible-turtles]

April and Karai fighting Over You 🌸

~ Karai has always been more or less unpredictable. She was never truly evil like her adoptive father Oruku Saki but being raised by him and the Foot Clan defiently made her have questionable methods. She wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty but she also knew when she took things too far... sometimes.

~ Meanwhile April is a sunshine child who tries to find the good in a crazy situation. She was raised by an anxious man doing his best as a single father. On the surface they look like complete opposites but in reality they're closer than people realize and that's where their interest of you comes in.

~ It takes both of them awhile to relaize they like you. April's more aware of her emotions than Karai but her fears subconciously held her back from acting on her crush. She wanted to stay your friend. She didn't what things to get weird and she'd messed up the group dynamic before with Casey and Donnie, she was worried to do that again with you.

~ With Karai she's hesitant. Once she realizes she likes you she's not sure if pursuing something more than a friendship is what's right. Karai's used to taking what she wants but what if what she wants ends up hurting the both of you? It's the first time in her life she really doenst know what to do.

~ You all started off as friends. Well you started off as Aprils friend and sadly Karai's enemy. Before Karai learned the truth about what Shredder had done to her she was tasked with hunting April down and you happened to be with her that day. Looking back that was probabaly what started both of their crushes.

~ For Karai it was your warriors spirit and sass. Even as she beat you, you didn't give up and refused to let Karai hurt April. You continued to fight with your limited knowledge and Karai had to admit you weren't half bad, much better than April who could barely take a punch. Karai had grown up in a clan where showing weakness meant death or punishment, where taking a beating was a sign of strength and endurance. And here you were putting your life on the line. It was honorable and pretty impressive. I mean Karai was kicking your ass but you continued to fight back and you got more than a few strikes against the much more experienced kunochi.

~April saw you not only put your life on the line for her but reassure her you had her back as you both tried to fight Karai. Together you were able to fend her off and thanks to Master Splinter training and luck you were able to temporarily defeat Karai.

~ Casey and Donnie notice Aprils change in behavior immeidtaley. As people who've had crushes on her and have been close to the red head it's easy for them too see she likes you.

~ Leonardo notices Karai's change of attitude. Karai was confident in most things she did and had a cocky attitude about everything but he noticed around you she seemed more hesitant. More withdrawn and distant despite your willingness to be close. She was shy in a way. It doesn't take him long to figure out why.

~ When Master Splinter shared what happened to Karai and who she actually was you were the first to forgive her. You tried to make her feel included in the group and loved to hear about her interests and passions and how different the Foot Clan was from the Homato Clan. Its through you the others began to let their guards down and she became apart of the family.

~ The girls have never been on the best of terms so this makes things much more complicated. They love you but there's only one of you.

~ April's language of love is affirmation and giving compliments. Shes an empath and therefore she uses her words to show how much she cares. April will compliment you on your outfit or how you look. She also asks about your day and listens when you need someone. If she sees you had a hard day she'll try and cheer you up or pull you aside and ask whats wrong. She's also huge on dates so she always remembers your birthday and anything important to you.

~ Karai's languae of love is small acts of kindness or thankless gifts. She didn't grow up in a touch orientated family. Shredder was not a hugger and he didn't express his emotions verbally. The only time they really touched or bonded was when they were sparring or he was teaching her a new tecnique/move. Shredder always bought Karai things to show he loved her so this became her go too growing up. If she notices something is bothering you she'll fix it and not talk about it or give you something to help. Often these gifts are sweet and thoughtful but she can't bring herself to tell you why she got them or that their from her.

~ April and Karai begin acting weird. There's a lot of playful comments back and forth that become more sinister as the conversation goes on. Loose threats and angry looks. Being distant or oddly touchy as they both work up the courage to ask you out its confusing and leaves you feeling out of the loop. It's a hard path going forward with many twists and turns and inner conflicts and fights between the girls that often leave you feeling isolated or confused but their coming to terms with their feelings and how they think of you. Now they just need to act on these feelings and hope you feel the same.

~ Its gonna be a long development. Their friendship is already rocky and they are working on forgiving eachother but now that they know they both like you it's gotten more complicated. As they gain the courage to tell you the truth its a race for who can confess first and if you'll even like them back.

...

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[bartletforamerica]

How the Bartlet Administration Reacts to COVID-19

Abbey: is not taking any chances. After losing the fight to get the President to retreat to the farm or Camp David, she gets him to agree to limit himself to the oval office and the residence, with as few in person meetings as possible. Even before they’ve pulled together a White House task force, she’s made sure that everything is being disinfected and that her entire schedule is either canceled or made virtual. Her staff is the first to be working from home (and oh boy does she scold if she finds out any of them did something she thinks is foolish), with most of the rest of the White House staff following shortly after. She makes it her mission to do PSAs on what people should be doing and even does a virtual Sesame Street collaboration to teach kids how to wash their hands.

Zoey: Is not super pleased to be stuck in the Residence 24/7. She’s doing classes from her bedroom, so yay to not having to get out of bed early, but she can tell people are super disappointed that her camera is set up so that she has only a blank wall behind her [it turns out the secret service is very touchy about where you take video calls]. She also gets officially hired and given a security clearance for the sole fact that she’s one of the only people allowed to be near her dad who is tech-literate. She ends up doing some of her reading on the couch in his office so that she's on hand for when he's supposed to be skyping with the senior staff and can't figure out what link to click. She spends a lot of time worrying about Ellie, who helping do research about the virus, and texting her friends.

The President: is not happy to be closed up away from people. He also thinks that Abbey is overreacting where he's concerned. He misses actually getting to be around the younger staff. He and Zoey do a cooking from home video at C.J.'s suggestion, so that the country can see he's alive and to encourage people to not go out. They make chili and fight over whether it needs more cumin or oregano while Abbey records it and pipes in from behind the camera. The country is treated to a history of chili and a diplomatic incident nearly happens because apparently Mexicans deny having any association with it, even though most food historians say it has Mexican roots. The flaming debate doesn't stop a second episode at Thanksgiving where the country is treated to the history of the yam and all the secret spices that go into the President's stuffing. A large portion of the country gives him flack for putting Oysters in his stuffing. [In a small bedroom in an Illinois apartment a woman finally figures out why Joe Bethersonsen sounded so familiar.]

Leo: moved into the Residence because there was no way he was going to talk the President off ledges via skype for however long this lasted. He can only do so much. Zoey helps him learn to use Skype and he finds himself missing Margaret desperately even when he spends most of the day with a computer dedicated to having her on Skype so he can turn to it and ask her questions. She insists he get exercise and eat healthy (something he thinks she’s collaborating with the first lady on behind his back—they say very similar things much of the time). He skypes with Mallory on Sunday mornings over breakfast in his room and they pretend they’re at a hotel having a fancy brunch.

Charlie: is not particularly happy. He got sent home with everyone else because he’s not particularly necessary to have on hand if the president isn’t going anywhere. He’s still getting paid and he does do some work (the most important bit being hanging out on the phone with the president so he can ramble about history so Zoey can get her own reading done, Leo can browbeat the staff, and the first lady can do her own job) but he’s been ordered by the president and first lady to focus on getting extra school done while he can.

Donna: started freaking out the first day there was a rumor of a new disease in China. Then the White House shut down and even senior staff got sent home unless they absolutely needed to be in the building (basically just C.J. and some of her staff). And her roommate (not the one she'd really liked, who had a cat, but one she hopes is only temporary) works for a GOP congressman who thinks the whole thing is a hoax and bans masks in his office, so Donna is not at all happy and spends time she should be working cleaning things her roommate touches and that's sixty percent of how she ends up living with Josh.

Josh: is struggling with not being allowed to leave the house on pain of the first lady taking him to task (something about his lungs and the bullet). Even when he was putting his nose to the grindstone to make it through college and law school, he liked being around people while he studied, so he was usually in the library or a cafe rather than his room. He works best when he can bounce ideas off people and take in new ideas. When he was grounded after surgery it absolutely sucked and that was why he drove everyone crazy calling them all the time. Yeah he was bored, but he was also lonely. Plus he's not the best with technology. He very nearly went on national tv with his boxers showing, if not for Donna skyping him beforehand and making sure he fixed the camera. Between needing not to be alone and needing his assistant to be able to actually help him, the invite for Donna to stay with him slips out when she's complaining about her roommate. She shows up two hours later with two suitcases of clothes and two suitcases with pasta, toilet paper, and flour.

Donna and Josh: are handling the pandemic much better now that they're together. Josh can bounce ideas off Donna without it tying up his phone line. And she can listen in on his calls to the various members of congress about the stimulus package that they're working on. It's an even better look at Josh's job than she had before, and while it makes some of her work harder to focus on, she feels like she understands some things better than she ever has before. Josh even starts listening to her about how to sway certain congressmembers to their side. When they're not working, Donna forces Josh to cook with her so they're not entirely subsisting on delivery. They tried making bread and managed to spill half a bag of flour on the floor in the process but they ate all of it, even though it tasted pretty bland. Josh finally got Donna into baseball when it came back. Toby spit out his beer when he was on speakerphone with them and he heard Donna accurately yelling at the Mets for screwing up. Donna wears Josh's clothes more than her own, since she doesn't have to be on camera most of the time. They're platonically sharing a bed because they haven't found a convertible sofa for his living room that they like, they say, and it doesn't make sense for one of them to sleep on the couch, which they say has a spring that makes it uncomfortable to sleep on, even though Donna lounges on it all day with no problem. They are absolutely not dating and so they tell all their friends.

C.J.: spends five minutes laughing every time she gets off the phone with Josh or Donna. She loves her friends but god they're so completely in denial. It does, however, give her a much needed break. Her job has always involved a lot of people and knowing what venue to meet them in to ensure that she gets or passes on the information she needs. COVID protocols mean no more one-on-one meetings with journalists in her office, no more gaggles following her through the halls. The press corps were not happy when they moved all briefings outside and insisted on face masks and shields in addition to everyone sitting six feet apart. She gets asked about the president's health at least once a day and they start doing weekly waving from the balconies just so the press corps can get footage of him, healthy and shouting down to Danny and some of the others. Someone makes a cartoon of the president in the tower, with Abbey as his dragon keeper and though no one is willing to justify a cartoon with a comment, privately C.J. thinks it's accurate. She's always admired Abbey's fierce protectiveness of her family, even when she doesn't agree with every way it expresses itself or when it interferes with C.J.'s job. She has to come up with new ways to push the White House agenda (keep the economy afloat, stay home, no, don't listen to the GOP governors or those running for the primary, those ideas are not good, go the fuck home and stop having parties) and while some work, others bomb. It would help if everyone would stay on message and not screw up.

Sam: would like to make it clear that he did not know how many people would be at that gathering. He thought he was going for an outdoor meal with just a few old friends who could help raise money for the democratic party, not a fifty-person birthday party. The media fallout nearly gets him fired. Instead he gets yelled at by C.J., then by the First Lady. Mallory even sends him a card about how stupid he was. He's pretty sure that having Donna around is the only reason that Josh hasn't made the same mistake by now. It had to have been a toss up as to which of the two of them would screw up. Sam just isn't lucky enough to have a Donna (Sam is very happy that Josh has a Donna, Sam just wants Josh to realize that he talks about Donna the same way most men talk about their wives, because it's really hard not to respond to "why do I put up with finding her hair clogging the shower drain" with "because you love her and can't live without her, stupid"). He instead has adopted a cat for company. It tries to scratch him every time he tries to pet it. Sam spends his days trying to find a way to say "fuck the economy until we've beaten the virus" in a way that is palatable to the American people while trying to remind Toby that they can't actually say that outright. This is not an easy task.

Toby: would like to tell most of the American public to shut up, stay indoors for two months, pretty much nobody excepted, and if you don't, then you get tossed out to sea. He's come within an inch of telling anti-mask people they deserve to get sick on the record and is strongly advocating that the federal government figure out a way to mandate that every person in the country, minus those with legitimate medical exceptions, get the vaccine as soon as possible. He is also about to get evicted because it turns out his neighbors do not appreciate having rubber balls bounced against the walls for hours on end. Apparently, the thud is rather annoying. He worries about everyone, though this is delivered brusquely. Out of everyone he's taking the new work from home situation the best. No one can pop in to distract him, or comment on his eating habits. And if he doesn't want to talk to someone, he can always turn his phone to silent and pretend not to have seen they called. He's not pleased the Yankees lost to the Rays (necessitating rooting for either the Dodgers or the Rays, one of which beat his team and the other which betrayed New York), but he can at least take solace in the fact that the Mets didn't even make the playoffs.

[sorryimananti-romantic]

Mist | Choi San | Chapter 5

Pairing: Choi San x OC (Seohyun)

Genre: supernatural (ghost), romance, high school

Trigger Warnings: paranormal, death mentions, violence

Words: 8.7k

Disclaimer: I do not own anything except my original character and the story. I do not own any gifs or pictures used.

Full story on Wattpad (don’t spoil here if you read there too)

chapter directory

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

Seohyun woke up to her phone buzzing. She groaned and rubbed her eyes, checking who was calling. It was San. She declined the call to read the several text messages he had sent. It was something about how they were all going out for lunch and she was joining (funny how they'd stop asking now, just said it) and that she was... to go on a date with him later.

She texted back a simple OK and checked the time. It was already almost afternoon- she had slept in. After showering, she was brushing her teeth when she paused.

It was gonna be her first date with San.

"Ayyy~" she waved at her reflection, resuming. She wasn't one to make a big deal out of stuff, but she had to admit it was... a little bit exciting. And she couldn't say the same about San. He seemed like the type to take these things serious, like first dates. So she decided that she did not want to disappoint him and would put in a little bit effort.

Seohyun checked her wardrobe. She didn't have much 'cute' stuff. Her first priority was always comfort when she picked her clothes. And they were usually monochrome or dark colours. She didn't like wearing bright stuff. Her only mildly cute outfit was the green dress she'd worn the last time with Jiwoo.

She moved on way too early, Seohyun thought. There was no one to help her dress up now. Her mom...

Seohyun realized there was something. Her mother had given her some sort of a top for her birthday last year. She had buried it in the back of her closet because she had deemed it too 'fashionable' for her. Seohyun threw her clothes out to find it. Indeed, it was still there.

It was a purple blouse with lace around the neck and tiny pearls. She shrugged. She'd pair it with pants and ankle boots.

After dressing up and tying her hair in half a ponytail, she stood in front of the mirror. She looked presentable, if one ignored her still-puffy-from-sleeping face. She sighed and put on the only lip gloss she had. That could do. She smiled at her reflection once before grabbing her phone and leaving the house.

They were meeting at a new café that Yunho and Yeosang had been wanting to try on forever. Yeosang had assured them it had good reviews for their desserts too. They were all already there by the time Seohyun reached. She had spent a good minute admiring the exterior of the café while the boys laughed at her unaware self, watching her through the window.

Mingi waved at her once she was inside and they made space for her. After exchanging greetings, they decided they would order food first. They decided on ordering two of everything and sharing, and once they gave the order, they all looked at Seohyun.

"You look... like you actually made effort today," Hongjoong commented.

"What do you mean?" Seohyun asked, forgetting for a second.

"Hey, don't say that, or she'll never dress up again," San pouted, and Seohyun realized, looking down at her dress.

"Is it too much?" she asked, "I've actually, honestly, never made effort. So I need honest reviews."

"It's not too much, it's perfect," Seonghwa assured, "In fact, you could have done more, but since this is you, it's perfect."

"That sounds.... like a compliment and insult at the same time, thank you Seonghwa."

They laughed and Yeosang said, "Hongjoong's the fashionista. You should only ask him."

"Yes, yes, Seonghwa's right. You look good!"

"That's the only top I had," Seohyun sighed, looking at San who was staring at her with an adorable expression on his face. "The rest of my wardrobe, you've seen."

"I guess we're going shopping then after this. I hope you have the card on you that you liked to flex about so much," Hongjoong smirked.

"I do-"

"But we're going on our first date today-"

"WHAT?!"

Seohyun face-palmed. San had done it.

San looked at Seohyun for help and she sighed. "Well, no need to over-react, Wooyoung. As you all know, San and I are... sort of, uh... dating?"

Yunho snickered first before everyone started laughing at how awkward Seohyun suddenly got, and it was her turn to look at San for help. It wasn't everyday she lost her demeanor. Falling in love did make one a different person, she realized.

"Yeah, so you're sort of dating?" Jongho wiggled his eyebrows.

"Yes, Jongho, we're DATING." Seohyun said, "And San was planning to take me on our first date after this."

"You haven't been on your first date yet?" Wooyoung asked, "But it's been days now that you've been together! Sannie, you disappoint me!"

Before San could choke Wooyoung, Seohyun interrupted, "It was me. I was busy dealing with ghosts. It turns out Jiwoo had actually been a saint. Did anyone of you know that she used to do half my jobs?"

Everyone fell silent as they listened, "She was never 'bored' of coming to school with me. She just had so much time to kill that she'd help ghosts instead of me. I kind of miss her more now."

"That's sweet," Mingi said, "She really was a great friend."

"I know right! Anyways, this is the reason we haven't had our first date yet."

Other than San, the boys shared looks, and Seohyun saw with dread the devilish smirks appear on their faces as they announced: "Too bad! We're crashing your first date!"

San groaned and dramatically fell back in his chair while Seohyun gaped at them. "I-I'm speechless for once." Laughter filled the room as she said, "If that's what friends are for, I think I'm gonna change my mind..."

Before anyone could protest, food came and they started discussing Hongjoong's love for fashion and the various items he had reformed. Hongjoong assured her if she had a clothing item or something she would like to reform, he was the man.

"I do have this denim jacket that I'm too attached to," Seohyun thought about it, "Can you write something cool on the back of it?"

"Yes, just give me the jacket whenever you can. It'll take no more than two days, unless we have exams."

Seohyun looked at Seonghwa for confirmation and he nodded. "He also makes custom bracelets for us."

"Nice," Seohyun said, "I'd like some too," she wiggled her brows at Hongjoong, who laughed and nodded.

"So what were you gonna do on your first date?" Wooyoung and Jongho leaned in and asked Seohyun.

"San was the one in charge, ask him," she said.

"I was thinking we'd just walk aimlessly around the city..."

They both tsk-ed at San, muttering something about how he was an 'amateur' and would probably bore me to death.

"Hey, that's a nice idea actually. I don't mind."

"You're just saying that to be nice," Jongho said and Seohyun folded her arms.

"I don't say things to be nice, Choi Jongho."

Everyone hooted at that, having heard her, and Seohyun stared at her drink intensely, contemplating if she should 'accidentally' spill it on everyone.

"But she's right, actually," Yeosang said, "She doesn't say things to be nice. If she didn't like that idea, I'm sure she would have said to San with a hidden insult in between. I'm right, aren't I?"

"Thank you, Yeosang," Seohyun said, "I love you."

Yeosang saluted and San pouted, "Hey! You haven't even said that to me yet!"

Everyone was silent for a good minute before they burst out laughing, including Seohyun. San's pout went bigger and Seohyun poked him.

"Ayyy. I say that everyday, just not in words."

"OHHHH!" Everyone hooted and San actually smiled, trying to hide a blush but failing.

"How do you say it then?" Mingi asked, wiggling his brows, and Yunho made kissing sounds in the air, earning a smack from Wooyoung who was right beside him.

"Next time I encounter a dangerous ghost, I'm actually gonna befriend them," Seohyun said, smashing her now empty glass on the table as she glared at them, "I have a few ideas of how to make you all suffer."

Yunho snickered and Mingi immediately bowed, muttering praises about how Seohyun was the most kind girl he'd ever met. It was Seohyun's turn to smirk.

After they were done eating, everyone got up and they decided to go to the mall. It seemed like Hongjoong was bent on getting her good dresses, and he whispered to her that she should wear them on her dates, which actually made Seohyun flush for a good second.

"Hi," San said, holding her hand in his. He was walking with her now, both at the end while the others were ahead.

"Hey," Seohyun smiled, squeezing his hand subconsciously as she continued walking forward.

"Did you know purple is my favourite colour? I love this on you," San said, and Seohyun smiled.

"I did not. You'll have to thank my mom for this," Seohyun said, "She got me this for my birthday last year,"

"Oh, when's your birthday?"

"21st December."

"Right. So we have about two months. Is there something you want?"

"I wish my mom would be home actually," Seohyun said, "The last birthday I had with her was my 14th. I actually had fun then. Mom's friends had come, there's one that I'm close with. We had a banger then."

"That sounds fun," San smiled.

"It was," Seohyun smiled wistfully, "Now she's always busy during that time. So she just sends me a gift and a cake. And I spend my birthday alone."

San felt quite sad to hear that. "You won't be alone this year, I promise."

Seohyun looked at him. He had said that with such clarity that she believed him.

"I have a feeling that won't be the case," she suddenly said, and San almost stopped.

"What do you mean?"

"It's my gut. It's always right. I suppose it comes with the ghost thing. I just suddenly felt that wasn't going to be the case when you said that."

San put his arm around her, "You probably felt that because you've spent most of your birthdays alone. But now you have us, and there's always a chance your mom could come too. I can assure you, you won't be alone this year."

"Maybe," Seohyun let herself hope, pushing the feeling of dread back.

They reached the mall and Seohyun watched as Hongjoong and Wooyoung took the lead, discussing what would go well with her hair and skin colour, stuff that Seohyun didn't quite understand. She was too busy rejecting the ones Yunho, Mingi and Jongho were picking for her, making sure they got bright yellows and neon shades just to annoy her. They were having quite a laugh.

Seonghwa, Yeosang and San had disappeared to another shop it seemed. Wooyoung threw a top at her, ordering her to hold on herself so they could check.

"This has too many beads," Seohyun muttered.

"There are literally only 6 beads on it, stop being a child," Wooyoung said, snatching the top back from her and she pouted as they put it in the cart.

Hongjoong held another top, checking its size.

"Isn't that too short?" Seohyun asked.

"It's a crop top, Seohyun, of course it is short."

"That's basically the size of a bra! How am I supposed to wear it?!"

Hongjoong and Wooyoung tsk-ed at her. "It's not, it comes to your waist. Wear it with high waisted pants and a jacket if you can," Hongjoong threw it in the cart.

Seohyun threw her hands in the air as she looked back, the trio laughing at her misery. They were clearly enjoying. A thought struck Seohyun. She went to the three of them and asked if she should buy something for San.

"I guess he could use a new jacket," Yunho looked at Jongho and he nodded, "He's been using the same two jackets since forever."

"Help me pick," she said and dragged them to the men's section, and they picked a black denim jacket, putting it with her clothes so San wouldn't be suspicious.

After about 15 minutes, they were all done, and San, Yeosang and Seonghwa joined them as well.

"Where were you all?" Seohyun eyes them suspiciously.

"Just looking around," Seonghwa nodded, and San scratched his neck.

After they all got ice cream as refreshment, they decided to part ways, and Seohyun thanked Hongjoong and Wooyoung sincerely, saying she'd use them well.

"I'll get you both something too. Tell me what you want."

"You don't have to, just wear them, that'd be a gift," Wooyoung laughed.

"No, I can't! You guys put so much effort. I'll get you both something, just you wait," Seohyun promised.

San and her decided to walk back home, carrying the shopping bags with them.

"This is not how I had imagined our first date would go," San admitted.

"I had fun still," Seohyun smiled, "And anyway, the day is not over yet."

"It is! It's 7pm already!"

"Well, what do you say I take you on an adventure after we drop these at home?" Seohyun wiggled her eyebrows, saying, "Unless you have to go home."

"Well, no one's home today so..." San smiled, giving her a quick kiss on the cheek. "Alright, I'll follow you."

Seohyun smiled, skipping as she walked, making San laugh out loud.

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

San and Seohyun reached home, dumping the several shopping bags in the living room. They decided to eat dinner and rest a bit, and Seohyun said she'd take him somewhere, but it had to be a surprise.

After they got fresh, they had ramyeon and Seohyun fished out a jacket from her wardrobe. It was gonna be chilly. She went to the living room, searching for San's jacket and went to San.

"Try this on," she said, and San got up from the sofa, trying the black jacket on. "Where we're going, it's gonna be a bit chilly."

"Wow, it fits perfectly," Seohyun stood back to check. "It's a gift."

"Really?" San looked down at the jacket. "Did you get this today?" Seohyun nodded. San smiled, thanking her with a hug.

They locked the house, grabbing only a bag with water bottle and chocolates. They took a taxi, a 30 minute drive to a hill. Seohyun told San she knew a shortcut to get to the top, and indeed, after a short hike, they reached the top.

"The view is amazing," San said, admiring how the full moon lit the night sky, the stars in the sky bright too. The city lights down seemed like stars too.

"A few months ago, a ghost teleported me here. He had died of an accident somewhere around here, and wanted help finding his sister, who had passed away with him. Jiwoo was with me, thankfully. It took us the whole day but we found her."

"Wow, I'm glad Jiwoo was with you," San said, and they both sat on the grass, facing the moon. "Imagine if you were alone and had to go back."

"Oh, I'm not sure if they even moved on. They said they wanted to spend some time together before they moved on, since they weren't sure what life ahead had for them. They might still be enjoying the ghost life."

"Really? Isn't that... dangerous?"

"They did promise. I said I'd come back after a year, and if they hadn't moved on by then, I'd personally exorcise them."

San laughed. "That's kind of you."

Seohyun winked at him. San was looking at the stars, and she took that time to admire his side-profile. He really was a work of art.

"Byeol," San said.

"What?"

"I'm naming our cat Byeol. Now that's an acceptable name, isn't it?"

Seohyun stared at him. "I mean, I was okay with Shiber too..."

"HEY!" San tackled her, tickling her everywhere and Seohyun laughed loudly, "Do you know how much time I spent thinking of a name for the cat!"

"Stop!" Seohyun laughed, and San stopped tickling to hear her out. "I love it. Byeol. Shiber. Whatever you wanna call her."

San shook his head at her. Seohyun realized he was still on top of her. San was staring at her, rather intensely.

San touched her hair. It was a habit of his now, playing with her hair. The grey in her hair was shining thanks to the moonlight. Her eyes shone just as brightly. Her mouth was slightly parted, and San ran his thumb across her lips.

"You're beautiful," he finally said.

Seohyun wanted to tell him that she was not, but she was too flustered to say anything. His broad shoulders blocked the moonlight, making his figure shine instead. He leaned in and kissed her softly, taking his dear time, making sure every peck was slow and good.

Seohyun's internal state was a mess at this time; her heart was beating too loudly, her stomach rolling too furiously, and her mind- oh it was an absolute mess. So she just let him kiss her senseless, her hands going through his hair and back to cup his face as they kissed.

San drew apart and Seohyun held onto his neck, making them sit, and San joined her forehead with his as they caught their breath. He rested her hands on her waist, and Seohyun gulped as she took his hands and put them on her waist under her shirt this time.

San inhaled sharply at the touch, looking at her for confirmation. He was always so patient with her, which she loved about him. Seohyun cupped his face and kissed him, more forcefully now. San followed along, his hands staying at her waist only, his thumb caressing her skin there. She kissed his neck, earning a satisfying moan from him.

"You're being naughty today," San whispered.

"You're being too good today," Seohyun retorted.

"Don't challenge me, Lee Seohyun," San warned, grinning.

"What you're gonna do, Choi San?"

San shook his head once, taking his hands away from her. Seohyun was going to protest but he took off his jacket and kissed Seohyun so hard that she found herself curving back and back until she was lying on the grass. He kissed her face, her neck, her collarbone, one hand on her waist, one roaming around, and Seohyun was a mess.

"What do you say? Do you regret this now?" San asked, smirking.

"Can't say I regret it," Seohyun answered, out of breath.

San laughed, kissing her one last time before lying down with her, holding her close.

Seohyun smiled. "This reminds me of the time when we first kissed," she said, "You were so sleepy."

"I was wide awake internally," San said, making her laugh a little. Seohyun traced his face with her fingers.

"I love you, San."

San's eyes went a little wide in surprise. Seohyun continued, "I know I haven't said it before. I don't know what I waited for. I'm sorry."

"Don't be," San brought her closer as if hugging her, "You didn't have to. I see it everyday."

Seohyun smiled, "Still. I have to say it out loud. I love you. I love you so much that it hurts. If I knew love would make me feel pain like this, this weird satisfying sort of pain in the heart, this ache, I would've run away. But I still love you."

"I feel the same," San said, sighing, "I feel scared for you, I'm afraid that you'll get hurt. You do such a dangerous job. I hope I could have been more help. I love you so much that I wish I'd have to do all this instead of you."

"You don't have to," Seohyun said, "This is enough. You, like this, is more than enough."

San couldn't help it; he kissed her again, and it felt like he could cry.

After a few moments, they finally got up. San wore his jacket, and said, "Oh, I almost forgot."

He took out a box from his pocket and handed it to Seohyun. Seohyun opened it to see a locket with a silver star, a single diamante shining in the middle of it.

"It's beautiful," Seohyun smiled, "Is that what you shopped for today?"

"Yep. Come here," San took the necklace from her and helped her wear it.

"Thank you. I'm never gonna take it off," Seohyun said and San laughed.

"Are you saying I should never take this jacket off too?"

"Well," Seohyun shrugged, "If you can manage."

They were laughing when Seohyun's smile suddenly fell from her face.

"There's someone behind me San," she whispered, not taking her eyes off him. "Don't look."

San almost looked away on impulse but Seohyun took his hand, grabbing his attention. "I said don't look. Smile like you were before, quick. Laugh."

San laughed awkwardly, making sure he was smiling. "Look from the corner of your eyes, can you see something?"

San did, and whispered, "I think I see something moving to your left, but it's a bit far I think."

"It's not good," Seohyun whispered, and San understood. "We're gonna have to make a run for it. On the count of three?"

San nodded, squeezing her hand.

"One. Two. Three."

San took her hand and made a dash, realizing that they couldn't go to the trail they'd come for since it was in the opposite direction. Seohyun took the lead, dragging San with her, trying to remember the other way. She looked back once and saw a sickly old woman almost caught up now. A little scream left her and they both ran, Seohyun stopping to grab a rock and aim at the woman. It narrowly missed her but distracted her long enough that they gained speed.

"Where's the other trail?" San shouted and Seohyun went through path after path, not bothering to reply. They were probably lost now.

Seohyun was about to give up and face the woman when a pair of hands grabbed her and she felt herself teleporting a few feet away from where they were, gaining more distance. She heard San gasp and looked to make sure he was okay, but hands grabbed her and she was running again.

"You!" Seohyun exclaimed. The boy and the girl- the brother and sister that had died here. She could not believe it.

"There's a cave here, we're teleporting again, grab on tight!"

Seohyun squeezed San's hand and shut her eyes. One moment she was running and the other she had jumped through time and space and was in the said cave.

"You call this a cave?" Seohyun asked. The boy ignored her, peeking out of the 'cave' as he covered the entrance with more tree branches.

San still held her hand, out of breath, taking out the bottles from Seohyun's bag and handing one to her while he drank some too.

"She lost us," The boy looked back and smiled proudly, high fiving his sister.

The boy must have been 16- he was a tall, lean kid. His short hair were spiky and his eyes were the same as his sister's- who must have been a year older. She looked at Seohyun and said, "Didn't expect to meet you like this, Seohyun."

Seohyun wiped her mouth. "Hi, Gayoung." She looked at the boy then, "Thanks, Youngjae."

"We owed you one," he said, motioning them to sit and take a breather. "We've been living here, so we kind of knew about the woman. She's an old soul, that one. I don't think you can do anything about her, best if you avoid her."

"Well, she should avoid me! Next time I'm gonna kill her-"

"I see you haven't changed," Gayoung grinned. "Who's that with you? And why is he not freaking out?"

"He's my boyfriend," Seohyun said, and Gayoung and Youngjae ooh-ed. "He knows. There was some accident, so he can see ghosts now too. Can't touch them."

"Interesting," Youngjae scanned San. "I didn't know we could teleport others too."

"Only because I was holding him. I guess because it was the two of you, it didn't require me to properly hold him. Remember Jiwoo? She tried it once. Took me to the ghost realm accidentally, with him!"

"With him!" Gayoung gasped, "Is that why he can...?"

"Yes!" Seohyun answered, "I almost died making that trip."

San elbowed Seohyun. "You call that dying?"

"Shut up. So you live here still?"

"Yes, we'll actually move on before the year completes," Youngjae said, "We're just waiting for our parent's wedding anniversary. We used to celebrate it, so we just wanna see them happy before we move on."

"Ah, that's good."

"Where's Jiwoo anyway?" Gayoung asked.

"She moved on," Seohyun sighed.

"So she finally remembered? Good for her!" Youngjae said and they nodded.

After catching up a few minutes, they decided it was safe to go back. Seohyun thanked them earnestly, saying she owed them one more now because this was too big a favour. They just dismissed it, telling her to stay safe. They guided them to another shortcut and soon the two of them were on the way home.

They stopped by at Seohyun's first, and San went inside with her for a moment, hugging her, telling her she was so brave for keeping her calm in that situation, telling her he was proud. With a kiss to her forehead, he left for home.

Seohyun washed up and fell on her bed, beyond exhausted. She recalled the day in her mind; it was a day well spent, if you ignored the last part. She smiled as she played the moments in her head; San was such a sweetheart today. She was playing with her necklace as she fell asleep.

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

The few days that followed their rather adventurous first date were as normal as they could get, keeping in mind the fact that it was Seohyun's life in question. She had a tremendous amount of school work to catch up to, and several ghosts to help move on.

Having friends actually helped, Seohyun realized one day as she was doing her homework. She was an average student; she'd do great if she tried, and if she didn't... well. So they'd help her with the subjects they were good at, they'd be her personal motivators, and she'd try to return the favours as well as she could.

She'd been thinking about how she could return the long due favour to Hongjoong and Wooyoung. They'd help her update her wardrobe, and the feedbacks she'd gotten were amazing. She supposed San was a softie and would compliment her even if she was in her worst hoodie, but when critics like Yeosang complimented her, she'd feel glad. She didn't really care about how she looked, but it felt good to dress up once in a while. Special occasions only.

Seohyun sighed as she shut her notebook close and got up, stretching. She found herself going to the music room. There were no drums anymore to relieve her of her stress, but she supposed she could do with something else. The violin reminded her of San as she picked it up, and she kind of missed him, so she put that down. She went to the piano, and inhaled. She'd be playing it for the first time now, after Joon Hyuk.

She tested the keys; it sounded out of tune. But she let her fingers naturally roll over them, found herself playing a familiar tune, the one Joon Hyuk had taught her. She smiled as she played. It had truly been a while.

After she was done, she nodded as she figured out what she'd get Hongjoong and Wooyoung. Something they really needed.

-----------

"You're the best!" Wooyoung tackled Seohyun in a tight hug, making Seohyun yell as she tried to push him away.

"How did you come up with this idea?" Hongjoong asked as he admired the speakers in front of him.

"I noticed you could use speakers here without disturbing anyone. And with how loud you all are, you definitely needed it."

Seonghwa connected the speakers to his phone, blasting full volume as he checked them, his mouth turning into an O as he nodded in admiration. "They must have cost you quite a bit?"

"Oh, it's okay. Let's forget about that part," Seohyun waved him off, and Yunho ruffled her hair.

Mingi passed her a juice box and she sipped on it, checking the time. "I have to go now. Mom's coming home tonight."

"Do you want me to walk you home?" San asked.

"Oh, don't bother, enjoy these speakers," Seohyun said, giving him a fist bump as she left. She hummed along as she walked, but she had only taken one turn when she thought she saw something out of the corner of her eye.

Another ghost? She had just dealt with one right after school, before joining the boys in the warehouse.

Something flashed right behind her and she whipped to her left, stumbling. She checked left and right but it seemed the ghost had disappeared. But something about its rotting scent was familiar-

Seohyun's breath left her as she was pushed, and she turned just in time so she'd hit the wall with the side of her body instead of face first. She winced in pain, pushing the hair out of her eyes. There was no one there.

But she didn't have to check who it was. The scent had been enough for her.

Seohyun contemplated running home or back to the warehouse. Ghosts couldn't enter property without the owner or mediator's permission, and since the warehouse was the closest, she decided she'd make a run for it.

She smelt it as she run, dodging one attack but getting scratched on the back near her shoulder with something sharp- she assumed it was nails. Seohyun ran faster; glad for all the running she'd done as a kid, wishing a good soul would appear and help her. But it was only her- a useless mediator with the power to only see and touch the ghosts, against a vengeful spirit.

Seohyun turned and she was in front of the warehouse. She could hear the music blast and she ran even faster if she could, until she came within what she assumed was the boundary of the property. She turned and indeed, she saw the woman, this time in the clear of the day. She wasn't sure if she could even call it a woman at this point; it was a tangle of overgrown hair, pale skin and dark eyes with purple lips. And long, long nails.

Seohyun shook her head as it disappeared and she stood in the middle of the road, contemplating once again if she should go home and risk encountering them again, or going to the warehouse, and encountering THEM.

She threw her hands in the air in frustration and went inside the warehouse.

"Oh, she's back-" Jongho paused mid-sentence as he saw the disheveled figure of Seohyun, with a bruise on her cheekbone.

Seohyun walked to them, looking at San whose eyes were wide. "It's her," she said, "the one from that hill."

San came to her, inspecting her face; the bruise was light, thankfully. "Are you hurt somewhere else?"

"On my back, I think," Seohyun turned her neck to see and indeed, her shirt was torn where those nails had scratched her. San took her to the sofa and Seonghwa brought a first aid kit, Seohyun eyeing it warily. "I should ask why you have a first aid kit."

"For a day like this, I suppose," Hongjoong said, handing her a glass of water. Seohyun looked at him once as she drank.

"How did she find you?" San asked, taking her hand and caressing it.

"It took her a while to find me, it's been more than two weeks."

"What happened?" Hongjoong asked and Seohyun explained, everyone sitting around her to hear her story.

"Why do ghosts start to look like that?" Yeosang asked.

"I don't exactly know, but time does that to them, I think."

"Don't they look scary?" Wooyoung asked.

"They look scary, but I think the fact that they were human once makes it less scarier to me?" Seohyun shrugged. She grabbed the ointment, applying it to the wound on her face. Then she looked at Seonghwa. "Is the wound on my back bad?"

Seonghwa peeked at what he could see from the torn part of her shirt, there were long cuts. "I think you should get them treated."

"Can you do something about it right now? I'll get them treated later," Seohyun said, biting her lip. Seonghwa nodded. He inspected her state, then said in a low voice, "You'll have to take off your shirt."

Seohyun groaned. At times like this, she really did miss Jiwoo.

"Or we can cut your shirt, since it's already torn," Seonghwa suggested, looking at her with a sad look in his eyes.

"I'll take it off," Seohyun said, "Let's not be awkward about this, okay? Which one of you is the best at first aid?"

"Seonghwa definitely," Mingi said.

"Should I do it?" San asked.

"You're the worst at it," Wooyoung muttered, making Seohyun scoff.

"It's just when it's someone I'm close to! I can't bear it!"

The two of them started to argue, and Seohyun decided to stop them. "I'd like you all to disappear to a corner while Seonghwa does his job. Give me some privacy. And San, you can stay if you want to."

The rest of the boys rushed away, and Seohyun bit her lip. "Not how you thought you'd see me without a shirt for the first time, eh San?"

Seonghwa went into a fit of coughs while San gaped at her statement, finally giving in after a few seconds and laughing, shaking his head. "You really pick the worst time for jokes."

"Alright, here goes," Seohyun turned her back to them and took off her shirt, San helping her hold her hair. She was left in a black bra. She wasn't flustered; not when the exposed wound left her skin stinging, and she sucked in her breath.

San helped her sit on the floor and she brought her arms to her chest, her hair covering the rest of her as Seonghwa carefully applied ointment on the three parallel scratches that ran from her shoulder all the way to the the middle of her back.

"She got you bad, Seohyun," San said worriedly, "what if she comes here?"

"She can't," Seohyun answered, "Can't enter property without owner or my permission."

"That's useful," Seonghwa muttered.

"That's actually handy, Seonghwa," Seohyun had noticed the sarcasm in his voice; she supposed he was angry at the whole situation. "I'm glad I was near when it happened." She rested her head on her knees, San watching Seonghwa apply bandages now, so careful with it. He was definitely being extra careful.

San went to get an extra shirt they had around for Seohyun, and Seonghwa finished up. Seohyun peeked at the bandages, impressed.

"Thanks, Seonghwa."

"Don't mention it," Seonghwa put the stuff back in the kit, "I wish you'd be more careful in the future."

"I can't help it, Seonghwa, believe me, I'm the most careful now," Seohyun said and Seonghwa locked his eyes with her.

"I just don't want to see you hurt, Seohyun-ah. It pains me."

"I know," Seohyun sighed, "I understand."

Seonghwa hesitated then patted her head. "I'm sure you did well back then," he smiled warmly.

"Finally. Thanks again," Seohyun laughed, and San was back. Seohyun took the shirt from him and wore it, standing up. "I'll take a taxi now."

"You sure you don't want me to come with you?" San asked.

"Oh no, it's okay now. She can't follow me in a taxi."

"Okay, at least let me walk you out."

Seohyun said thanks and bye to them all, and they told her to be careful. San and her walked out of the warehouse, and San grabbed her hand, bringing her in for a hug. Seohyun hugged him back, her arms on his back, smiling.

"Were you scared back then?" San asked.

"A little," Seohyun admitted, "Just glad I was near."

San broke the hug, putting her hair behind her ears, touching her cheek below the bruise. "Does it hurt?"

"This? Nope. The one in the back, yes, a little."

"Do get proper treatment," San said, looking at her worriedly.

"I will," Seohyun laughed, "Don't worry too much?"

"How can I not?" San shook his head, leaning forward to kiss her. "Your taxi's here."

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

Seohyun reached home, cleaning the mess around the house, until she heard the sound of the door opening. Her mother was home.

Seohyun said hello and smiled at her. She looked nothing like her mom; she was tall, had pointy features and narrow eyes, and she looked sharp and intelligent. Her dark hair reached her shoulders. She put her handbag on the table and came to gave her a hug.

"How have you been?"

"Just the usual," Seohyun said, "What about you?"

"Ugh, I've been so busy," she said, collapsing on the sofa. "What do we have for dinner?"

"I'll set the table," Seohyun said. She had prepared her favourite dishes with the help of their previous housemaid, who she was still on good terms with. The old woman would drop by every once in a while, and she'd exchange her kimchi and some traditional dishes for Seohyun's pastas and desserts that she loved.

The mother and daughter caught up on studies and work as they ate. She told Seohyun she would have a busy time in the following month, but she'd try to come for her birthday, or else it was gonna be Christmas.

"How's the ghost business?" Her mother asked, drinking water.

"Was going well, until today I encountered an evil one," Seohyun said, "You'd have to help me with a wound I got on my back."

Her mother stared at her. "Are you alright?"

"Oh I am," Seohyun nodded, "I'll deal with her, I was just caught off-guard. She got me for a second."

"I hope you do," her mother said, "Tell me if you need help."

Seohyun smirked at her, "Wrong thing to say."

Her mother laughed, "Yeah, you probably know way more people than I do. Come on, let me have a look."

Seohyun showed her, and her mother winced. She helped change her bandages and gave her a doctor's information so she could visit and get treated, make up a story about how it was a stray dog or something. Seohyun thanked her, and after chatting a while, she left her to sleep.

"When will you return to work?" Seohyun asked.

"Tomorrow evening. I'll see you off for school in the morning. We'll see each other next month then."

"Oh, okay. Goodnight," Seohyun said, coming to her room and lying on her bed, staring at the ceiling. She wished she had stayed longer. But it was okay.

This was enough.

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

A week had passed without further incidents. Seohyun was careful; she'd take taxi if she could, or she'd keep the sibling duo with her. She called them in, saying she'd owe them one if they could teleport her when needed. So the duo happily stick with her, saying they were bored of living in the hills and would like to visit a school too.

The boys had become friendly with the duo; they'd either communicate through San (who had given up now; he was quite tired of being their voice) or through the old-fashioned way: notebooks. They'd pretend to be studying in class when in fact they'd be having a conversation with the ghosts.

"I have a question," Yeosang said to Seohyun in the middle of class. Seohyun, who had been staring at Mingi and Gayoung conversing, looked at Yeosang.

"How would you get rid of old ghosts like the one you encountered?"

"Good question," Seohyun said, "There are a few options. I could try to talk sense into them. If that doesn't work, I get help from the good ghosts and threaten them. Like, every ghost had some sort of faith, right? Usually works if you use their god against them."

"But what if they have no faith anymore?"

"Goodnight, then, I guess," Seohyun said and Yeosang gasped. "You take help from actual exorcists then too. I once did. Got quite rough, but it works."

"Sounds dangerous," he muttered.

"Kind of," Seohyun agreed.

Seohyun was walking home after school with her new ghost friends when she sensed something amiss. "Just when I thought it was over."

Gayoung and Youngjae covered her back and front defensively. The woman appeared out of nowhere, stopping when she saw the ghosts.

"Well, well," she said, and Seohyun winced. Her voice sounded creepy. "What do we have here?"

"What do you want?" Seohyun asked.

"Death of you," the woman laughed, "Don't try to talk me out of it. You can't."

"What good is that gonna do to you?" Seohyun asked, genuinely curious.

The woman laughed again, this time sarcastically. "Don't tell me you didn't know? When a mediator dies, there is a short time period during which there is no other mediator in the world. That's when ghosts can do whatever they want; trespass, interact with humans, and much more."

"How is that true? I mean, if it were really true, more people would be trying to kill me, won't they?"

"Oh dear," the woman smiled this time, all knowingly, which sent chills throughout her body, "That's why it's a secret, isn't it?"

Gayoung and Youngjae shared looks. If it was true, they could interact with their parents, which was all they wanted. But they wouldn't harm Seohyun for that. Not after all she had done for them.

"I'll be back, girl," the woman's voice was sure, "When you least expect it. And I'll make sure I hear you screaming before you die."

The three of them watched as she gave her a long final look before she disappeared. They were quite for a few seconds and Seohyun caught her breath. "Don't tell me you both want to kill me now too."

"Oh, we wouldn't," Gayoung said, "We really wouldn't."

"You sound very assuring, noona," Youngjae said sarcastically, earning a tsk as he looked at Seohyun. "Let's get you home. We'll look for someone else who can get rid of that old bitch."

Seohyun nodded and they walked home, the duo arguing while Seohyun just walked blankly. She couldn't get the look the ghost had given out of her head. She sounded so sure. As if she had something already planned for her.

Seohyun sat in front of the TV for hours, her mind blank. All she could think was how her gut had felt when she'd said that. As if that was something that was bound to happen. Was she really gonna die?

Seohyun had never been too afraid of dying; not like an average person. For her, it was a life full of danger. She had welcomed and played with aspect of death. But her life had changed drastically over the past months. She had found people to live for. And that meant she was more scared this time.

Her phone buzzed and she read the text. It was from San asking if she wanted him to come over. Seohyun bit her lips in thought. Then she texted 'come over with chocolate ice cream please'.

And San did so. They sat on the sofa, watching TV and eating ice cream as they talked about this and that. Seohyun somehow found it very easy to talk to him, and so did San. He told her all about how he used to live in the countryside when he was little (hence the slight accent), he had mostly grown up with his grandparents because his parents were busy people.

"Don't you miss your parents when they're away?" Seohyun asked. Her ice cream was finished.

"I do, of course. Don't you?"

"I miss my mom sometimes," Seohyun admitted. "She's not as bad as you all think."

San gave her a pointed look and she threw a pillow at him, which he caught. "Come on, you have to admit. She talks to me. She let's me do normal stuff. She doesn't think I'm crazy. And she remembers my birthday every year. That's more than I can ask for."

"Don't you wish she did more?"

"I used to, but then I just accepted it. It's just the way it is."

San looked at her and spread his arms for her. She just threw another pillow at him, rolling her eyes. "I'm serious."

"Okay, okay. What about the ghost?"

"Well," Seohyun sighed and told him what had happened. San listened intently.

"Is there something we can do about it?" he asked.

"I'll go to that exorcist I know, but San," Seohyun turned to face him, "Something's different this time. I can't shake the feeling that something bad is gonna happen."

"It's probably just you overthinking?"

"No, it's different this time," Seohyun sounded sure, and San was actually surprised, "Something is gonna happen and it's gonna be bad. God, I want to cry."

San watched as she put her head in her hands, sighing. She heard San scoot over and she scooted away. "If you hug me now, I'm afraid I'll really cry."

"It's okay to cry, Seohyun, come here," San grabbed her arm and brought her in for a hug, and Seohyun let herself cry. It had been so long since she'd last cry.

"I'm sorry," Seohyun said, sniffing, "I miss Jiwoo a lot, if she was here, she would have handled this so well. I can't help but feel scared for you."

"Do you think something's gonna happen to me?" San asked as he patted her head.

"No. I don't know. I don't know and it's making me so frustrated," Seohyun said and cried harder. San only patted her back, muttering comforting words.

Seohyun drew back and wiped her face. "Sorry for crying on you."

"Anytime," San laughed. "I can understand that you're scared Seohyun, tell me what I can do for you."

"Just- stay with me. That's enough."

San nodded, taking her hand. "Do you want me to play something for you?"

Seohyun raised her brow, "Can you?"

"I can play the piano a little bit, unless you want me to play the violin and scare the dead away."

Seohyun laughed, "Let's go."

They went to the room, and San showed her what he'd learnt from Hongjoong of the piano. Seohyun appreciated the gesture, and on his insistence, she played the violin for him again, and he watched her adoringly.

When she was done, she put the violin down. "I came here a few days ago. I wanted to play the violin but I couldn't because it reminded me of you and I missed you. I played today. It seems like now I only play for you."

Seohyun was packing the violin when San hugged her from the back, his arms around her waist as he rocked them back and forth. Seohyun smiled. He was such a romantic.

"I like that," he whispered in her ear, making her laugh because it tickled. He nibbled on her ear, making her laugh.

"It's like the music room does something to you, San, you become such a romantic."

"I can assure you I'm the same anywhere else too," he said, still hugging her.

Seohyun looked at the clock. It was already 10 pm and they had no school tomorrow. She broke the hug and looked at him, his hands on her waist now.

"I know it's too much to ask, San, and I need you to give an honest answer, okay? I won't mind. But, can you... stay here tonight?" Seohyun almost whispered, tears welling up in her eyes again. "I'm just- I can't be alone tonight. I feel it. Something's gonna happen."

San touched her face, nodding. "Of course. If you want me to. I'll leave early in the morning."

Seohyun sighed in relief, a tear escaping her eye, "Thank you, San. Thank you."

San wiped the tear from her face. He felt scared about how she was feeling too. It was so unusual. Seohyun was always so strong, and she felt so... human. He couldn't leave her like this. He bent down and kissed her lips slowly, her arms going around his neck and her hands in his hair, clearly glad for the distraction.

She broke apart and took his hand, taking him to her bedroom, only the dim lamp on. She pushed him on the bed, surprising him, as she shut the door and kicked off her shoes, climbing on the bed and sitting on his lap. His arms were holding him from lying down and Seohyun went to cup his face and kiss him, so deeply as if she was saying her thanks through this. San's stomach turned, his heart beating wildly and he took the chance, taking one arm to grab her, but fell flat on the bed.

Seohyun was now on top of him. She stared at him for the longest time, and it made San feel so many different things. He saw the necklace he had given her dangling off her neck, and his hand went to touch it as a smile made its way on his face.

Seohyun smiled too then gave him soft pecks on his lips, both of them smiling through it. She was taking her sweet time and San had enough. He flipped her down, now on top of her, making her gasp in surprise as he smirked. But his smirked wiped off as she leaned forward and took his shirt off, running her hands through his toned body.

"Damn, San, I didn't know you worked out," Seohyun smirked.

San only smiled as he kissed her, loving the feeling of her hands all over him. His hands went to her waist and she broke apart for a second, motioning him to unbutton her shirt. San looked at her to make sure it was okay and she nodded, rolling her eyes but smiling.

"Is your wound okay now?" San asked as he unbuttoned her shirt.

"Probably left a scar," Seohyun muttered and he made her sit so he could check.

She was right. 3 parallel scratches had left their scar. It would take time to fade. "You reminded me of that ghost again, San. Distract me."

San kissed her bare shoulder, making her gasp, and kissed and nibbled on her neck, playing with her necklace. Seohyun moaned and felt San smile. She slapped his shoulder, making him laugh. "You asked for it," he said.

"I'm gonna make you moan so loud, Choi San-"

"Sshh," he said, kissing her passionately. Seohyun took that chance to bite on his lower lip while her hands gripped his waist now, and that earned her a moan. It was her turn to smile. San kissed her some more, before lying down with her, pulling the covers over them.

"It's late," he said, bringing her closer, "Sleep now."

"I don't wanna..." Seohyun said, putting her arm around him and kissed his neck, earning a sigh.

"I'm not gonna be able to stop if you keep doing that," San sighed. Seohyun melted at his words.

"Glad to know that," she whispered, but just hugged him, kissing his shoulder innocently now.

"I love you, San. You know that, right?"

"I know," he whispered back.

"I should tell you that everyday. Hell, I should have told you that everyday. I'm sorry."

"Seohyun," San made her face him, "You don't have to. I know that. You don't even have to say it out loud."

"Still," Seohyun said, "I should have told you that everyday."

San stared at her. He kissed her forehead and hugged her. "I love you too. And you know that right? I say it everyday, goofily, jokingly, or sometimes serious. But you still know it, even when I say it as a joke. That's because you know, just like I do."

Seohyun nodded. She buried her face in his chest, going under the covers, his arms securely around him.

"Goodnight, love." San whispered.

prev - next

[foodieforthoughts]

Sand and Stars - Chapter Five

Series Summary: After the water pump being blown up, the insurgents in Baqubah are taking a hold of the food supply to the village. Camp Warhorse is in dire need of reinforcements. It has been eight months of submitting countless requests when the High Command commissions Sergeant Olivia Ross to take her group of men and women and help Captain Syverson and his team to restore a semblance of normalcy. But with the war raging, does it get two hearts closer too?

Pairing: Captain Syverson x OFC x OMC

Word Count: 2.5k

Warnings: 18+, Mentions of war, military technicalities, slight angst, fluff, implied smut

A/N: Well Hello! Our dear Captain Alex has finally made an appearance! A big thank you to @thelastsock​ who is patiently beta-reading this, I love you woman with my whole heart.

<Chapter Four

Title: Chapter Five

The sun felt scorching hot on her skin as Olivia loaded her gun near the parked Humvees. A mild throbbing at the base of her skull added to the uncomfortable sensations each time she moved. She hadn’t planned to drink almost half a bottle of whiskey last night, but it was cold, and she needed the warmth.

Also, the drink had sort of been a gift from Sy.

Olivia groaned as the memories from last night flashed through her mind. She had literally invited him for a kiss, throwing herself on her Captain like a wanton whore. She felt embarrassed even thinking about it. Thankfully for her, Sy had a better judgement about entertaining drunk women and had resorted to just giving her a tight hug.

Her stomach felt queasy as a sour taste filled her mouth. She swallowed as the uncomfortable feeling set at the pit of her stomach. Running a hand over her sweat covered forehead, Olivia rested against the vehicle.

She felt worthless. Olivia couldn't shake the feeling of repeating history, despite the extreme effort of will she put her hungover mind to this time. She slung her gun over her shoulder as a distant memory of her time with Alex began flashing before her eyes.

The sound of their hurried footsteps on the marble floor echoed through the empty hall. It was almost noon, the temperature soaring high and drinks becoming difficult to keep down. Alex chuckled as Olivia pulled him towards a bathroom door, not caring whether it was for the ladies or the gents. She had been begging for Alex’s attention ever since they got to the wedding party for a fellow soldier, downing an unusual amount of alcohol before finally gathering up the courage to whisper naughty things in his ear. She had been hung over her Captain for far too long, it was time for her to finally taste him.

Olivia massaged her temple with her fingers. She had been so stupid and naïve to start something with Alex. Her Captain. She regretted it now more than ever, 3 years of hookups later. Alex had been her friend since she re-enlisted again after completing her Aviation course. Though to tell the truth she'd been crushing on him since she first laid eyes on his beautiful face. His unbridled confidence, panty-melting smile and boyish charm had worked its magic on Olivia’s mind. It wasn’t something she thought of pursuing on a long-term basis, but his sweet nature only kept driving her closer to him. She liked that he showered her with affection all the time, something her attention-starved mind craved desperately. Only she had mistaken her lust for love.

“Really? Here? You know our seniors are present out on the lawn.” Alex snickered as Olivia began undoing his belt. His blazing eyes sparkled with what was to come next, the anticipation dancing in his beautiful orbs. Dinners together had turned into overnight stays and eventually Olivia had kissed Alex one night, crossing the line of friendship with no turning back.

“We are on leave, aren’t we?” She had suggestively smiled at him, palming his bulge through his pants. She leaned in to kiss Alex, feeling the softness of his lips brushing against hers. She felt her arousal beginning to wet through the thin fabric of her panties as Alex plunged his tongue into the warm cavern of her mouth.

Olivia grinned mischievously as she hopped on the sink counter pulling Alex by his tie to stand between her legs. She wrapped her legs around his waist as he pulled her in to steal another kiss. She unzipped his pants as Alex began trailing down her neck, planting soft kisses over her warm skin and cupping her breast through her dress.

“I don’t have a condom,” Alex said against the skin peeking just above her breast.

“I’m on the pill,” she shrugged and pulled his hardening cock out of its constraints. It pulsated in her hand as she pumped him. Alex groaned into her soft skin and nipped at her in retaliation, making her hiss with pleasure. She bit her lip as she watched him take over his cock and enter her aching folds. Alex let out an unrestrained moan as her warmth enveloped his throbbing member.

“Happy birthday, little birdie.” Olivia blinked as Sy appeared in front of her, smiling from under his cap. He was dressed in his combat fatigues, the vest making him look bigger than he already was. “Hangover?”

Olivia shook her head, warmth spreading over her chest as the vivid memories registered in her mind. “Just…uh, regular headache.” She smiled at her Captain. Her eyes lingered on his, mesmerized yet again by the intensely blue orbs looking back at her. She noticed the freckles on his nose and his lip and the changing shade of brown of his beard as it travelled down his neck.

“Maybe later we can have some chai while we watch the sunset?” Sy leaned against the metal body of the Humvee, one hand resting low on his hip.

Olivia tilted her head to the side and raised her eyebrow. “Sunset? You do realize I fly a chopper for a living? I’ve seen my fair share of sunsets and sunrises by now.”

“But you haven’t seen a sunset with me.” A smirk formed on Sy’s lips, challenging her for another excuse.

Olivia felt a flutter in the pit of her belly and her mouth opened as she was rendered speechless. She felt herself balancing over the same dangerously thin line again. In a weird sense, this didn’t feel the same for her like it was with Alex. With him she had felt a rush of becoming reckless, but with Sy she wanted to be cautious, mindful. When he had kissed her forehead last night and embraced her, she had never felt more safe in the world like she did in that moment.

“Okay.” She nodded, “Rooftop like last night?” Olivia suggested as her unit members began getting into the Humvees, ready to head out. Sy tipped his cap in confirmation before walking towards his own team and barking orders to mount up.

Out in the desert, Olivia spent the rest of her day interacting with the locals and listening to their problems. She was following Lieutenant Pepps's orders about sympathizing with the public, to ensure they get local support in the future. As she listened to a weeping woman complain about the scarcity of food, her mind drifted back to a memory with Alex.

“What changed, Liv?” Alex pulled at her wrist, turning her around to face him. Olivia yanked at his hold, trying to free herself from his grasp. “Don’t you love me anymore?”

“Alex,” She pleaded, closing her eyes to escape this conversation. She had spent time in Afghanistan and the things she’d seen had changed her. She had seen the fragile nature of life and understood it was useless to be wasting her precious years on someone she only cared about as a friend.

“Tell me, Liv.” His voice was laced with anger, his eyes burning with hatred. “Tell me you don’t love me so that I can remove myself from your life. Because I can’t be your friend, not after all this.” He let go of her hand, slumping his shoulders as his eyes misted with tears and he fell on his knees.

Liv felt the weight of her actions crumbling her down in front of him. She never intended to hurt him, but she couldn’t love him, at least not the way he wanted her to. The possibility of losing her friend forever made her emotions win over her determination to end things with him. “I’m sorry, Alex. I’ll do better. I’m so sorry.”

Olivia sighed as she watched the sun slowly drift towards the horizon casting an orange hue over the sky. She had never gathered the courage to break things with Alex again. He had tried labelling them in a relationship, but she had avoided the topic like the plague. Their arrangement worked as they were deployed to different locations which gave her time away from him, only forcing her to pretend when they were on leave together. She grasped the Saint Christopher medal lying against her chest in her hand and felt the consequences of her actions pricking at her heart.

“Hey,” Sy called out from the doorstep leading out on the roof. He had a canteen in one hand and two cups in another. Liv had walked up to the roof as soon as they had returned to base. The parked white truck had indicated that Sy was back too but since there still had been time until sunset, she had decided to wait out alone on the roof.

“Hey,” she cleared her throat, shaking her head to ward away thoughts about Alex. She smiled weakly at Sy and walked towards him.

Sy frowned with his eyebrows scrunching together. “You okay?”

“Yeah. Did Mahmoud make the chai for us?” She changed the subject, sitting on the pile of sandbags against a wall.

“No, I did.” Sy proudly informed as he took a seat beside her.

Olivia watched as Sy poured the steaming cardamom tea in the cups and handed one to her. She breathed in the aroma before taking a sip of the hot liquid. “Incredible. When did you learn to make chai?”

“Picked up the recipe over the years.” He shrugged his shoulders, but Olivia noticed his chest puff up with pride on getting complimented on his acquired skill. Sy turned to face towards the expanse of the desert beyond the compound, silently sipping his tea.

“Captain Syverson, man of many talents.” She said in a sing-song voice and leaned back against the wall, bringing her knees up to her chest and holding her cup with both her hands.

Liv watched as Sy chuckled, his shoulders shaking with his laughter. The hair of his beard over his upper lip glistened with steam caught in it, almost urging her to wipe her hand over his mouth.

“You are staring, little birdie.” He looked at her sideways, his lips curling at the corners.

Liv rolled her eyes, but her mouth twitched with a smile forming on them. “What’s with the nickname?”

“Well you fly the Little Bird, so that makes you little Birdie.”

She laughed as he finished his sentence, looking at him to see if he was joking. “How original, Sy.” She shook her head dismissively, but a fluttery feeling settled in her heart.

“Hey, I didn’t want to call you by the names everyone used.” He defended himself, feigning hurt dramatically by clutching his left pec over his heart.

Liv continued to laugh thinking about the silly reason behind the nickname, but adding it to the list of names she already had. They sat in silence, enjoying their tea as they watched the sun dipping down the horizon with every passing minute. The sky burst into a mixed palette of orange and purple, the clouds drifting away with the wind.

She felt Sy’s eyes on her as she sipped the remnants of tea from her cup. She bit her lip feeling mischievous and commented, “You’re staring, Captain.” She tilted her head to look at him, only to feel her breath hitch as she stared into his cerulean eyes. Sy had the softest look on his face, his smile barely visible from under the bush of his beard.

“What?” She asked, tucking a stray strand of hair behind her ear.

“Who’s Captain Coop?”

His question caught Olivia off-guard and she blinked several times to understand that Sy had indeed asked about Alex. “Wh-what?” She tried to not stumble over her words but Sy had left her stunned.

“Yesterday, they were teasing you with his name. I just thought I should ask.” Sy’s gaze never left her face, even when he placed his cup to the side along with hers and the empty canteen.

Liv let out a slow, ragged breath. The mention of Alex’s nickname had her heart racing, her mind going through a carousel of his memories. “He was our captain, before you. My men...they were just… fooling around.” She plucked a jute strand from the sandbag she was sitting on, avoiding Sy’s stare.

She felt him shift on the bag and when she peered, she noticed him coming to stand in front of her. Liv looked up at him as his body loomed over hers. He bent down so as his face was right in front of her.

“So, you’re saying, I don’t have to worry about another man in your life?” His voice was low, and his breath felt warm against her skin.

“N-no. Why?” She gulped as her throat became dry. She watched as Sy licked his lips wet and smiled at her.

“Because I am going to kiss you and I ain’t gonna kiss some other man’s girl.” Sy whispered and waited for her to answer. A slight nod of her head was all he needed as he brought his lips down on hers, placing a soft and gentle kiss over her desirous lips.

Liv closed her eyes as the feeling of his lips sent sparks down her spine. The coarse hairs of his beard grazed against her face as she moved her lips against his. Sy placed his hand over her cheeks as he moved his lips with hers, darting his tongue out seeking permission to enter. She grabbed a hold of his t-shirt and another at the nape of his neck and pulled him closer to her and opened her mouth slightly to grant him access.

The minutes felt like they stretched into hours as Sy’s tongue danced against hers. She could taste the faint taste of cardamom on his tongue and breathe in his musky scent as she willingly deprived herself of oxygen. Panting as their lungs struggled to take in air, Sy let go of her with a last pull on her bottom lip.

When Olivia opened her eyes, the sun had set beyond the horizon and darkness was falling over the desert. Sy let out a slow breath as he grazed his knuckles over her cheek. She felt herself leaning in his touch as her breathing came back to normal.

“Sunsets and kisses, aren’t you a romantic Syverson?” She teased, biting her lower lip between her teeth.

Sy chuckled. “Told you our first kiss would be memorable.” Sy shrugged his shoulders with a cheeky smile, before pulling Liv up for another breathtaking kiss.

Chapter Six>

🌟 Series Masterlist 🌟

[prismatales]

Bitter Memories

First of all I'd like to thank @bnhabookclub for allowing me to join their server, thanks to them I got the chance to meet so much wonderful people that helped me out with this request. I'd like to thank @honeytama and @samanthaa-leanne for beta-reading this for me as well! You guys were some great help!

Now time for some sibling bonding between The birdbrain and his baby chick!

Warnings: MANGA SPOILERS, INJURIES, MENTIONS OF ABUSE, MENTIONS OF ALCOHOL, ANGST, FLUFF.

Your lungs felt like they were burning with each step you took, blood pressure reaching a terrifying level from the adrenaline running through your veins in a desperate attempt to reach a certain room.

The only command your brain seemed to understand was to look for HIM.

If there was something you absolutely despised was hospitals, the smell of medicine that overwhelmed your nostrils was despicable, hearing the wails of people as they lost a loved one always sent shivers through anyone's spine.

You rushed to the main desk, slamming both hands in front of the receptionist before asking for Takami Keigo's room, at first she only gave you a look, believing you were nothing more than a fangirl who happened to find out the winged hero had arrived to the hospital due to his injuries from the last mission. 

Imagine her surprise when you showed her an ID with the same last name as the current number two hero, that seemed to do the trick as she swiftly began tapping away on her computer with nothing but embarrassment on her face at the idea she almost told one of the hero's relatives to scram.

She didn't bother to say anything as she saw you running away to see him as soon as you were told in which room he was recovering.

The sound of your own heartbeat felt so loud and heavy against your ears it could almost be heard by anyone who happened to get close, the few nurses, doctors and patients that happened to pass by only say a blur passing them like a gust of wind. 

Nothing mattered to you in that moment but a single goal, to find your older brother. 

Hawks may be a pain in the ass most of the time who's always teasing you or trying to scare away any guy who happened to look in your direction for more than two minutes. 

He may have abandoned you with that pair of alcoholics you had the unfortunate luck of call "parents".

He may have left you behind all those years to become a hero.

But in the end he was still your older brother, the same dork that kept trying and trying to spend time with his little sister, even despite the may times his calls were ignored and sent over to voicemail. The same guy who got nothing but corn chips as birthday and christmas gifts and posted it on his twitter account with a smile at his sister's antics.

The same guy who had your back during that mission where you got severely injured, and that almost cost you the one thing that allowed Takami Y/N to follow the path of a hero...your wings.

Doors kept going and going one after another in a seemingly endless row as you ran around the halls.

424...425...426....

426! That was the number! The words "Takami Keigo" written neatly underneath.

You stood in place for a minute....gasping for air and feeling like someone had rubbed sandpaper inside your throat from how parched it felt, but that didn't matter in that moment, the only thing that really mattered was knowing your brother would be alright.

Knocking gently on the door before stepping inside didn't prepare you for the sight laid in front of your eyes.

There in a hospital bed sat your brother looking outside through the window, bandages littered almost his whole body as well as a good portion of his face from the way the left side of his face was also bandaged.

But what really knocked out all of your breath and caused bile to rapidly rise up your throat was the one thing that made people recognize Keigo as one of the best heroes all across Japan, the lack of those beautiful vermilion wings that grew on his back felt like a bucket of iced water had been thrown on your back.

"...Keigo?"

His head, which had been tilted up while admiring the world through the other side of the window, slowly turned back towards you, seeing the left side of his face, including his eye covered in bandages didn't help soothing the growing pit inside your stomach.

Keigo's eyes no longer held that characteristic mischievous energy of his, but they still had faint traces of that comforting warmth he always held for those he held close to him.

"...Y/N?"

Somehow hearing him call out your name instead of that annoying nickname you absolutely despised and he always used just for the sake of riling you up made a huge wave of pain crash into your very soul like a tsunami, never in life did you ever thought there would come a day where not hearing Keigo calling out for his "baby chick" would end up feeling this horribly painful.

Running up towards him caught Keigo off guard, more so when he felt the warmth of your body envelope his upper half and the way your whole body trembled like nothing but a mere leaf in the middle of a storm, somehow it made something inside him break, hands wrapping around your own shoulders to return the embrace before burying his face down.

In that moment Keigo realized just how touch starved he really is, all because of all those years of ruthless and rigorous training his younger self had to endure to become not a hero, but a weapon for a broken system.

"...Was it worth it Y/N?" He murmured sadly in the collar of your sweater, that voice was not Keigo's, but that of a broken man who's life had lost its whole meaning in a matter of hours, after all...that's exactly what happened to him when Dabi burned down his wings to nothing but ashes.

Keigo's words were confusing, but even though you tried to pull away to take a look at him the hold he had on you wouldn't budge.

"What do you mean Keigo?"

His whole body began trembling, for a second it almost seemed like he was the younger brother, the one seeking for the protection one could only get from someone as close as an older sibling.

"I know what you had to endure because of me" each word Keigo muttered made his voice slowly start breaking bit by bit.

"Having to grow up surrounded by trash bags and beer bottles scattered all over the floor, endure all of the yelling and the fighting..." You only held him tighter into your own body, knowing what exactly he was referring to in the first place.

"And after our old man was arrested and Ma left?...you had to deal with that asshole all by yourself 'cause nobody else believed you"

"What are you talking about birdbrain? are you high on morphine or something?" you had a suspicion of where this was going and tried to find a way to change the subject, but Keigo didn't budge one bit.

"Aika, that darned foster sister of yours, I know how much she enjoyed to bother you and make you cry...How she always said your whole family abandoned you"

Of course he knew about that...How the only child of that foster family disliked you, hating the idea of having to share her parents with someone that wasn't even related to them.

Every time Keigo would come to visit she'd try to get his attention, having similar ages made her develop a crush on your brother, and when his visits became less frequent she made it her goal to make your life miserable, spewing cold harsh lies about Keigo getting tired of coming to see you, in the beginning her words would only end up being ignored.

However bit by bit the cruel whispers slowly began digging deep inside your heart, despite knowing she only said those thing to hurt you. It was more painful having to wait for Keigo's visit while sitting outside, sometimes even for hours just to realize he didn't show up that day. 

Even though you tried hard not to, slowly her words began corrupting the image you had of Keigo, until eventually you started becoming bitter towards him. 

It went on for years, and every time you tried telling on her with your foster parents they only brushed it off thinking it was only an exaggeration, Aika was cunning after all and only did this when your parents were not around, or would whisper those cruel words lowly enough for only you to hear.

Aika didn't see it coming when after a fall out with one of her friends, said girl told everything to Hawks after being rescued by the hero during a villain attack, her friend knew you were related to said man because Aika always complained about her annoying foster sister to anybody nearby, much to their annoyance.

Neither she or her family expect the number two hero himself to come into their home shortly shortly after you moved into the dorms, much less with proof and witnesses of everything she had said and done to his sister over the years, saying her parents were upset was putting it low, they were livid to find out what their "sweet" daughter had been doing for years.

The shame when they realized all those claims were true was suffocating, neither of them could even see the hero eye to eye as he gave the young woman a cold harsh glare, all she could do was grit her teeth in rage and shame knowing she had been caught. 

"How did you find out?" Just hearing the name Aika was almost enough to make you want to cry, you'd never forgive that girl as long as you lived...

"I found out through some of her friends, you should have seen their faces when I arrived at their home and confronted her" He chuckled dryly, still bitter at the idea that girl kept bothering you endlessly even after you got accepted into UA.

"You don't have to worry about her anymore baby chick" His hold became softer, and so did the pressure inside your chest when that little nickname came out of his mouth, had he seen the pained smile on your face his brother instincts would have probably kicked in into high alert.

"Just tell me you didn't threaten them" Keigo pulls away to give you an offended look that quickly morphed into a teasing smile.

"What do you take me for? Some kind of monster?" His hands ruffles your hair "I just had a talk with them, besides her parents did more than enough if I do say so myself, you should have seen her face when they took away her car keys, some spoiled brat you had to deal with over the years" 

You huffed in agreement, remembering how she always kept whining to your foster parents to give her money so she could go shopping with her friends, and the glare she sent in your direction if they ever told her to take you along for the day.

"You know, having to deal with our parents and her made me stronger, I may have resented you for a long time Keigo...but I can't really say that I actually hated you in the first place"

His expression changed in an instant, eyebrows furrowed in frustration over the fact you kept trying to lighten the subject.

"Y/N, you were a child, you didn't need to be strong, you needed to be safe and I failed to do the one thing your brother should have done all those years ago, protect his little sister"

The room went silent for a minute, neither you or Keigo said anything else for a while, he knew he was right, you knew he was right, but it's not like you could turn back time to fix everything that went downhill all those years ago...

"I failed you Y/N, but lord help me if I'm not going to make it up to you for everything. Whenever you need help with something, no matter what it is, homework, internships, hiding a body" The last one was obviously a joke by the sound of his voice "just come looking for your big brother"

It was like a switch had been flipped inside your head, all those years of pent up frustration directed towards Keigo disappeared in an instant, even if you tried to force yourself to feel mad it was impossible.

Not like you had anything to be mad about anymore...

"Then...I want to do the same for you birdbrain" Your eyes traveled to the bandages adorning his back, and he knew in that instant where the conversation was heading. Hesitating filled your thought for a minute before mustering enough courage to ask him about it.

"What did the doctors say...about your wings?" 

He didn't answer for some time, and it worried you that somehow the question may have made him upset, but then he finally replied with a tired look on his face.

"They...don't think my wings may grow back again" He sounded lost, and in a way he was, it was because of his quirk that the hero commission took interest in him to begin with, the same reason they took him in to train as one of their best heroes to exist, the very same reason he had left you behind in the first place.

Hawks was their best agent... but now he was Hawks no more, he was just Takami Keigo, nothing more than just another civilian to them, someone that had to be protected from villains. 

The only purpose they had for him was completely gone.

"Is there anything they can try? Maybe Recovery girl can do something about it?" You couldn't let this go so casually, there had to be way to help him out.

"I'm sorry baby chick...but I guess...this is the end for Hawks" His retort was heartbreaking, everything he had worked so hard for was gone in a matter of hours, and there was nothing you could do about it...

There may not be a way to help him out, but there was definitely no way you'd let his legacy die in vain.

"If there's nothing else to help bring them back..." Slowly you started speaking, voice full of determination made Keigo look back at you in surprise once you continued with your speech.

"...Then let me be your wings..."

There might be no way to bring his wings back, but that didn't mean Hawks was gone for good.

You made him a promise you intended to keep no matter what.

No longer after that day filled with pain and tears...years later when a new generation of heroes rose up to protect the world...A new Hawks fleed high through the skies with nothing but a single purpose, her one and only goal was hard, but nothing could bring her down.

To defeat those who brought pain upon this world and protect those people in dire need of help.

If there was something Takami Y/N knew better than anybody was to be strong, and she would use that very same strength she maintained over the years to keep her family's legacy alive.

MASTERLIST

@t-amajiki @undead0relived @shoobirino @bnha-ra @godtieruwu @mysticalite @bnhabookclub

[biribirichan1]

Happy Birthday to one of my all time favourite manga characters, Taichi! Here's a short one-shot I wrote for Taichi's birthday last year. Dedicated to all my friends in the Taichi Appreciation Thread on Myanimelist and Discord, especially for @rainbowreflects who does so much for the chihayafuru fan community!

...

"Eyelashes, have another piece of cake!" boomed a half-drunk, happy voice into Taichi's ears.

"Harada sensei! I can't possibly have another slice. My stomach is close to bursting," Taichi laughed. "Also, I think you've had enough to drink!"

Taking the sake bottle from Harada sensei's hand, Taichi extricated himself from the living room, eyes scanning his birthday party crowd.

"I wonder where she went," Taichi mused out loud. Kanade, being near enough to overhear, smiled and asked, "Is she still feeling upset about the whole thing?"

"I think so," he replied honestly. "You saw how silent she was today, while we were setting up for the party, right? Usually she'll light up the whole house with her enthusiasm for balloons and cake."

Kana laughed, "Remember two years ago, how she volunteered to be on cleaning duty for the whole week in Shiranami society, so that Harada sensei got her favourite flavour for your birthday cake instead of yours?"

Taichi grinned. "Yeah, her excuse was, you don't even like cake!"

Sighing, he added, "It's hard seeing her this way."

Kana patted his back and said, "Buck up, she'll get over it. Just like you did so long ago." She smiled reassuringly and added, "Look there she is - walking out to the balcony. Go out there, cheer her up!"

...

"Mind if I share?" Taichi asks as he walks out into the balcony.

Hastily wiping her eyes, she exclaims, "Dad! It's your birthday party – what are you doing out here? Go back inside and celebrate!"

Taichi smiles fondly, and asks, "How can I celebrate with my precious Hina-chan is crying her heart out over a boy, hmm?"

"Dad! "

"You know he doesn't deserve your tears, right?"

"Hm. I know." Pausing a bit, Hinamori says, "It still hurts."

Pulling his daughter into an affectionate hug, Taichi says, "I know it hurts, squirt. Trust me, I know."

Hinamori scoffs and says, "Dad, you're the happiest person, I know. You and mom are still waaayyy too affectionate around me and Mei! You don't understand."

Taichi laughs, his brown eyes dancing in the sunlight. "I was a teenager once too, you know. I know what its like to have my heart broken."

Hinamori whirls around to face her father, fire in her eyes, and gasps, "You never told me and Mei! I thought we knew all your stories."

Taichi laughs, "I turned 45 today. How many life stories do you think I have?"

"But, dad, we love your stories! How you met mom, how you lost the Meijin match thrice, that time when you finally, finally beat Arata-oji chan, how you became a doctor, how you… how you…" Hinamori faltered.

Taichi chuckled. "You were saying?"

"Fine, fine," Hinamori shrugged. "Maybe we don't know all your stories."

Laughing at his daughter's scowl, Taichi offered, "How about I'll tell you tonight, once all the guests leave. And in return, you can come inside now, and celebrate my birthday with me? What do you say?"

Seeing Hinamori's strained smile made Taichi's heart ache. What he wouldn't give to be able to let his daughter know that it would be alright. That the pain would fade and one day she'd wake up and realize that the world wasn't quite so heavy anymore. Just as he himself had.

"Sweetheart, it's gonna be tough for a while, but you know you can lean on me and mom, right?" Taichi knew that the journey from heartbreak to healing was one that everyone had to walk alone, but that meant he had to give even more love and understanding to his daughters.

Prodding his daughter, he added, "I also saved you a slice of my birthday cake. We got your favourite, you know?" Taichi winked.

"DAD! No one will ever let me live that one down, huh? You know you don't like cake! So it's totally fair me and Mei get the flavours we want!" Hinamori grinned. She knew their dad was putty in their hands.

"There's my happy girl," Taichi smiled. "Let's go inside, shall we?"

"Yeah, let's do that." Hinamori seemed to be considering something. "Shall we challenge Harada sensei to a genpei match?"

Taichi balked. "No thank you, Hina – I think I'd like to spend my birthday this year without any broken furniture," he exclaimed, remembering Harada's dive during his last birthday party that broke one of their sofa legs, "Honestly, sometimes I think you're just as bad as Chihaya."

Hina laughed, and as she pulled her dad along with her towards Harada sensei, Taichi couldn't help but feel a glow inside. Smiling he murmured, "You know – its been a good 45 years."

...

Here's wishing for a happy ending for our boy. I purposefully kept who he ends up with vague because I feel like what I really wish for in Chihayfuru is not any particular ship to happen, but just to see Taichi moving on from his heartbreak, gaining confidence, loving himself and finding happiness in life. Here's to your happiness, Taichi! Happy Birthday!

[ottermoone]

Tribute to Gwydion, Cat of cats

I lost my best friend two days ago. His name was Gwydion, and he was a few months shy of 12.

I was there the day he was born, in early 2007, when my neighbor knocked on our door and told us excitedly that her 2 cats were having kittens. I was 11 years old, in the 5th grade.

We hadn't initially expected to adopt a kitten, but the last litter of kittens had included a few white kittens, and my mother wanted another white cat, as we had lost an older white kitty who we'd both been very close to a couple years before. So we headed down and sat with a group of people, and watched the newborn kittens finally nuzzle up to their moms, a black cat named Hemy, and a tortoiseshell named Patches. Patches had a couple white kittens in her litter, and my mother asked the neighbor if we could adopt one of them when they were old enough.

5 or 6 weeks later, my mother came back up to our apartment with a small kitten. He was all white, except for his tail, which was orange and striped. I was told that he was only going to explore our apartment for a little bit before going back downstairs to his mom. I watched him run around excitedly, playing with my two other cats (Hercules and Persephone--both who hissed at him), and we laid out a shoebox filled with litter in case he needed to go, since he was so small we were afraid he'd get stuck in the regular litter box. He eventually used it, and squeezed out the tiniest and stinkiest poo I'd ever seen. I still remember it. My mother eventually took him back down to the neighbors', and a week or 2 later, he came to live with us permanently.

I didn't get to name him--my mother liked to give me the illusion of "choosing a name," which she'd then immediately reject before telling me what we were naming the animal. She initially told me we were going to name him Cernunnos, because she wanted a Celtic name for the cat, because of his coloring (white animals were considered sacred in Celtic mythology, apparently). She eventually rejected that name ("It sounds too much like 'Sir' ... Sir Lancelot, Sir Galahad...") and settled on Gwydion instead. It took me a full week before I was able to remember and pronounce his name (Gwid-ee-in).

My mother was an abusive hoarder, and we lived in poverty, so in the apartment we were living in at the time, we slept next to each other on a queen-sized memory foam mattress pad in the middle of the living room floor, surrounded by trash and clothes and other junk. So the first night we brought Gwydion home, he did what all kittens do and started pouncing on anything that moved underneath a blanket. Unfortunately, when we tried to sleep, that ended up being our toes. After a half hour of him pouncing on our toes, my mother got impatient and told me to lock him up in another room for the night.

He began crying almost immediately, and when I was sure my mother had fallen asleep (as I knew I'd get in trouble otherwise), I went back in and grabbed him, took him back to the mattress pad with me, and laid him on my chest. I pet him gently and constantly until he fell asleep there, and then finally fell asleep myself. When I woke up the next morning, he was still there, and we were inseparable forever after. Every night after that, he'd come and lay on my neck or my chest, purring and kneading.

Over the next year, he got more orange coloring in his fur, and my mother gave him less attention (I think because he wasn't the pure white cat she had wanted, and also because she was jealous of the bond we shared), until it was plainly obvious that he was my cat.

We both suffered extremely abusive and impoverished conditions together over the years that I won't delve into here. But throughout those years, wherever we were living, and whether he was mainly an indoor or outdoor cat at the time, every night, he'd come to where I was sleeping, cuddle up next to me or on my chest, and stay there until I fell asleep.

For several years, he and my other cat, Hercules, were forced by my mother to be locked in my tiny room, day in and day out, never being allowed out, unless they happened to slip out when the bedroom door opened, and then ran outside (as the front door was almost always open due to broken AC). In those years, he learned what crying meant, and eventually, when I'd start crying, he'd immediately be there, forcing his way into my arms or onto my chest, kneading and purring until I stopped crying and fell asleep.

There was a day where I had basically made up my mind to kill myself. I was almost 13, and had laid in bed all day, from the time I woke up until after night time, with blackout curtains drawn. I hadn't eaten anything, and it felt like time didn't exist. It was the emptiest I can ever remember feeling. I just lay there, feeling nothing. Eventually, after hours of thinking about the quickest and easiest way to die, my mind settled on drinking bleach. As I started to sit up, getting ready to walk out of my room, he was suddenly on my lap from out of nowhere, crawling up my chest, kneading and purring. As if he knew. Looking back now, I realize he had been laying next to me the entire time, but I had been so out of it that I hadn't noticed. At that moment, all feeling came rushing back, and I began crying, horrified at what I'd almost done. I hugged him and cried some more until I fell asleep.

We moved again after a few years, this time into government housing, and he was allowed to roam the apartment or go outside as often as he wanted. Still, every night without fail, when I laid down, he'd be there next to me.

A few days after my 18th birthday, I secretly brought all my important belongings to school with me, and moved in with my boyfriend. I hadn't been able to get Gwydion out because I hadn't wanted to raise my mother's suspicions before I left--we had stopped letting him outside as often because I didn't want him to get hurt. I had planned on it for weeks, though--my boyfriend had planned to show up that morning with a cat carrier as I quietly slipped him out the door and into my boyfriend's waiting car. But the night before, I realized my mother would notice if he were suddenly gone all day, and that it might hurt my chances of getting out, and if I couldn't get out, I couldn't ever get Gwydion out. So I let my boyfriend know not to come pick him up. It was one of the hardest decisions I ever made.

Those few months without him at night were rough, and I felt so guilty. But eventually, a few months later, my mother was evicted, and she asked me to take him and Hercules or they would be going to the pound. My boyfriend was super sweet and helped me pick them up, as well as necessary cat supplies, and thus began Gwydion's second life. He was 7 years old.

Gwydion had always been sweet to me, but he'd never been fixed, and he'd also been through abuse and lived outside part time, so he wasn't very sweet to other people. He also liked to spray. One of the first things we did was get him fixed and vaccinated. He immediately stopped spraying, and within a few short months, he was cuddling with my boyfriend as well.

For the first time, I was able to spoil him. He was able to walk and climb anywhere he wanted, he had multiple places to lay, he had access to a constant supply of food that never ran out, he had AC, he had a clean litter box, he had his best friend Hercules, he had two people doting on him, he didn't have fleas, and once every week, on Friday night, he'd get canned food. It took a little time, but eventually, he relaxed fully and began to enjoy himself, and he became an even more amazing cat, if that's even possible. He stopped laying on my chest every night, but that's mainly because he could come and lay on my chest or my boyfriend's chest at any time of the day he wanted. He would sometimes lay right on top of both of us at night though, which wasn't the most comfortable thing in the world, but it was still sweet.

Hercules was put to sleep a few years later, in November of 2016. Gwydion didn't eat for 3 days, and so I eventually took him to the vet, and they induced his appetite. Thankfully he ate after that, but he was very stand-offish for the next few months.

Around the same time, we got a new kitten from the nearby shelter, who we named Crono. At first, Gwydion cuddled with Crono, but after Hercules' passing, he began to growl and hiss at Crono, and eventually, Crono learned to leave him alone. Feeling bad that Crono had no one to play with, we eventually got a 3rd cat from the same shelter, an 8 month old kitten, who we named Noctis. Noctis and Crono became immediate best friends, and within a month, Gwydion began being his old self again too, grooming the other two and even playing with them at times.

We moved a few months later, this time into a bigger apartment with a backyard and multiple windows, and we got a cat tree. Gwydion had always loved sunbathing, and so he loved this apartment. He could walk almost anywhere in the apartment and have access to a window. He also continued playing with the other two for a little while, which meant he gained a little muscle and evened out to a healthy weight. He was so happy I swear he glowed.

Unfortunately, a few months ago, he started losing weight rapidly, even though he was eating more. For reasons I don't want to explain here, including the fact that he was no longer cleaning himself, I realized a few days ago that this was it, and to keep going just because I adored him would be selfish of me. In my teens, I had seen multiple animals die without the benefit of euthanasia. I couldn't bear the thought of him having to go through that, and I realized he was getting close. So I made the hardest decision I've ever made, and chose to help him go.

My boyfriend and I were able to get a vet to visit us, as he'd always hated car trips. He got to spend his last day sun bathing, getting his favorite canned food, and his favorite treats. He spent his last hour cuddling on my lap. He was too tired and weak to lay up on my chest. I pet him gently and constantly as he lay there, and he passed quietly as I stroked him and told him I loved him.

It still doesn't feel entirely real. The moments when it does, the pain cuts deeper than a hot knife. I will be honest--I don't believe in an afterlife. I wish I did. Because then I might get some solace from the "Rainbow Bridge" poem, or the multitude of pictures assuring me that he's in heaven now, watching over me. But I will never see him again. He is gone. He'll never come up to me again, kneading and purring and booping my face. I'll never hear his sassy little voice again. It's going to take a long time to fully process. But I do know this: if angels were real, he'd be one. I wouldn't be alive today if it weren't for him. I wouldn't know the meaning of unconditional love, and I wouldn't be who I am or where I am now without having had the honor of having him in my life. So no matter the pain that continues to come in waves as reality settles over me, I will never regret bringing that little kitten with the stinky poop, who pounced on my toes while I tried to sleep, home.

I love you so much, baby boy. I am glad you existed at the same time as I did. I will carry the memory of you with me for as long as I live.

One of our first nights together.

Stuck in my room together. One of the few times he wore a collar. He tore it off not long after this picture was taken.

After he moved in with me and my boyfriend. Very relaxed and carefree

Pretty boy ❤️

Arm hugging and purring like crazy

Gwydion and Hercules: best friends

Part 2

Cuddling with one of our rats, Rosa

Cuddling with Crono when he was a kitten

The last picture taken, a week ago: cuddling with Noctis.

.

.

.

Rest in peace, baby kitty.

[luminescencechatoyant]

Summary Ellie is nothing like her on screen character, neither is Pete Dunne.

Word Count 2594

everything that sounds like its made up, it probably is. If its really all rights reserved to the company's mentioned, Tyler is 21 BC I forgot how young he was until halfway through writing oops

ekayyla, tumblr.com

Ellie was nothing like her on screen persona, her character was the nicest, sweetest character Ellie had ever seen on the WWE and Ellie wasn't. Ask her friend and she'd describe her as an arsehole, Ellie just liked to think she was closed off. She didn't like people and if she didn't have to talk to them, she wouldn't - simple as that, not hard to understand really.

She hadn't come to the WWE to make friends, she hadn't started wrestling to make friends - she wrestled because she had terrible anger management and her therapist told her to. That's what she told people anyway, truth was she absolutely admired Lita growing up. All she ever wanted in life was to be as badass as her and not take anyones shit. Growing up in an countless foster homes, she was meek and quiet and never spoke unless spoken to, until she realized she didn't have to.

She talked back, she argued and if they still didn't see her point, she fought harder. She fought for everything other kids had handed to them, she fought to be respected. And who else was a highly respected but still badass woman? Lita.

She'd met her once when a particularly nice foster carer had noticed how much she liked to watch wrestling and bought meet and greet tickets. Ellie cried when the mother told her, she cried and she bawled. She was so happy.

So she met Lita, told her how she grew up in foster homes loving her and Lita smiled, hugged the tiny nine year old and signed her shirt with a stay strong, ellie scribbled on the front. She loved that shirt like she loved her foster mom, until the Alabama bush fires took her shirt and her foster mom. Ellie didn't smile for a year afterwards.

Abusive foster parents and a rough childhood left Ellie hostile to the world, she fought when she could, girls and boys behind the school, behind the diner on the corner near her house, anywhere.

It wasn't until she was fifteen that the school therapist suggest she find an outlet for all her anger, she tried soccer, football, hell, she even tried dancing. Nothing worked until the therapist told her about the new wrestling school opening up on the better side of town.

Ellie hadn't watched wrestling since she lost her foster mom and she spiraled out of control, standing on the steps of the wrestling studio had her heart hammering in her chest and hands shaking like a leaf. It wasn't until another girl near her saw how nervous she looked, took her by the hand and gently guided her into the gym.

Maria had been a few years older than her and already wrestling for a few years until her parents had relocated to Ellie's small town. Whenever her panic attacks would flare up or Ellie needed a hand with moves, Maria was there with a guiding hand and a calm voice. Whenever Maria had boy problems or girls were harrasing her, Ellie was at her back or standing by to give out hugs, something she didn't particularly like doing but it was Maria and she deserved her hugs.

So on Ellie's 16th birthday. Maria and her parents surprised her with a party and a certificate of adoption. She cried, hugged Maria and her parents, hugged the few people that came from the wrestling gym and cried again.

Eight years later, Maria and Ellie debuted on NXT and not two months later, Maria was the new NXT Womens Champion and Ellie had yet to be pinned. She'd had plenty of count-outs and disqualifications but she still hadn't been pinned until she'd aligned herself with British Strong Style.

Trent Seven, Tyler Bate and Pete Dunne were absolutely lethal in the ring and out. Seven and Bate were two of the most welcoming people she'd met in the company, her personality just clicked with theirs right from the start.

Pete Dunne was nothing like his on screen persona, yeah he's an arse, but hes never standoff-ish like his character. Ellie would rather describe him as sweet, since she'd met him he'd done nothing but try to get her to open up to him. He'd bring her coffee in the mornings and drop her home when Maria couldn't, it had taken her three weeks of being an arse for Maria to slap her around the head and tell Ellie not to be so rude.

She tried not to from then on, she thanked Pete for the coffee, invite him inside for a cup of tea after he'd drop her home and eventually it evolved into more. On free days, she'd invite him over to watch a movie and they'd cuddle on the lounge.

Pete started to ask her over for dinner, her and Maria were invited to nights out with the boys, gym sessions were mandatory and afterwards the boys would share their vegan pizza.

Ellie couldn't help herself, she started to fall for the Bruiserweight with a heart of gold. It killed her to watch him dance with girls when they went out, but she did, she turned around with a smile because all she wanted was for him to be happy. If it wasn't with her, fair enough it wasn't with her - but he was happy and that made her happy.

"C'mon love," Trent's voice echoed through Maria and Ellie's apartment, "If you don't hurry up we'll miss our booking!"

"Bowling lanes don't wait for wrestlers!" Ellie snorted when Tyler yelled out, he'd taken the joke baby of the group literally - It was a rare sight not to see him joking around.

"I'm coming! Don't get your knickers in a twist." Nora bounced down the stairs and waved her arms extravagantly when she hit the bottom, "Ta-da!"

"It took you that long to get dressed..." Trent hesitated, "...into that?"

Nora glanced down at her shirt and jeans with a frown, "I think I look fine."

"Pete likes it when you dress up." Tyler, the non stop voice of wisdom, spoke from where he was slouched on her coach.

"We're going bowling," Nora said plainly, Trent flicked any eyebrow up with out a word, "Fine, fine! I'll get changed."

She walked down five minutes later with the same shirt on, only tucked into a leather skirt, "Happy?"

Trent nodded with a smile, "Let's get out of here."

"Finally!" Trent sighed, rolling off the couch and hobbling out the door like a old man.

"You're nineteen, you bloody drama queen!" Trent snorted and followed him out the door.

It doesn't take them long to get the address Pete texted through and when they find their lane, Pete and Maria have cold beers waiting for them. Tyler downs half of his in one go and throws himself into a chair, Ellie rolls her eyes and slips into the chair next to Pete.

"Thanks guys, how was the meet and greet?" Ellie asks as she sips her drink.

"It was great," Pete's eyes flick up from Ellie's leg, "The fans were amazing as always."

"Oh, El -" Maria jumps in her seat and starts to dig through her bag and Pete gets up to start the game, "- there was this one little girl that wanted me to give you this."

She hands over a tiny bead bracelet with ELLIE ROCKS spelt out on it. Its bright yellow and doesn't match her outfit at all, but she slips it over her wrist anyway because her fan made her this. They poured their heart into it, she snaps a photo to upload twitter later so she can find the parent and send her a shirt.

"Your turn love!" Pete hollers from the point screen and gesture at the lane.

"Don't laugh at me, guys," she says as she slips her bowling shoes on, "I haven't bowled in years."

"You'll do fine, " Pete says as she grips the ball uncertainly, he see the uncertainty on her face and smiles softly, "Here, I'll give you a hand."

His large hand comes to rest on her elbow and straightens it while the other one sits on her lower back, a glance back at the group shows none of them paying attention but when she look back at Pete his face is inches from hers. Her breath catches when his eyes flicker own to her lips but then he steps away and she's left reeling.

"All you gotta do now is throw the ball down the lane." Pete tells her, his voice low, and then turns to sit with their friends.

She turns her back to them and stares a the lane, what the fucking fuck? She shakes her head and swings her arm, closes her eyes and just hopes for the best. The ball slams into the wood with a loud crack and not a second later sinks into the gutter, her second go is not much better and she turns back to the group with a shy smile.

"Told you I was no good -" she stops and eyes her friends, they're obviously trying to hide their laughter and Pete's face is bright red, "...what are you laughing at?"

"Nothing, hun." Maria stands up to take her go and whisper into Ellie's ear as she passes, "Pete was a bit too interested  in watching you bowl."

She dumbfounded for a moment before she realizes that Pete was sitting directly behind her, he had a perfect eyeful of her being over. She stifles a giggle at his slowly fading red cheeks and pats his hand, "Get a good look, Dunne?"

He frowns as Seven and Bate laugh loudly, ignoring her in favor of his beer. Ellie watches as Maria bowls a strike and lays her head on Pete's shoulder, "Sorry for teasing."

Pete shifts and drops his shoulder for her to lean on more comfortably, "All good, love."

"Were you really staring at my are?" Ellie asks as she traces pattern on Pete's bare arm that's resting softly on her  thigh.

"...yeah."

"Pete!" She laughs and nudges his arm off of her, but he catches her hand and bring it up to his lips.

He brushes a soft kiss against her knuckles and stares evenly into her eyes, "Its a very nice arse, love."

"Pete!" Trent hollers, "You're up, mate."

Pete drops her hand into her lap and moves to take his turn, Ellie watches him walk away until Maria plops into the open seat. "What was all that?"

"C'mon," Ellie pulls maria our of her seat and towards the bar, "I need another drink."  

"Wait, what happened?" Maria stumbles behind her and watches as Ellie's head slumps into her hands at the bar.

"I have it so, so bad for Pete." Ellie groans from behind her hands.

"Well, duh."

Ellie glances up at her from between her fingers and snorts, "I shouldn't even surprised that you already know."

"Is it that obvious?" She sighs as they collect their drinks.

"Yeah, I mean-" she hesitates, "I don't know if Pete knows but he's usually pretty clued on when it come to these things. He knew Peyton and I liked each other before we did."

"El! Its your turn!"

Ellie sighs and orders another round for the boys, the waitress is quicker with these ones and they carry them back to the boys. Pete's eyes follow Ellie as she sets the drinks down and grabs her ball, she swallows nervously and glances back at him, winks slowly and bends to take her shot.

She bowls a strike and turns back to the group smugly, "Someones gonna catch up."

Tyler rolls his eyes, "She's gonna be a sore winner, isn't she?"

"Always is, kid." Trent barks a laugh when Tyler's face falls.

They keep bowling until Tyler wins, smugly throwing his arms up and parading around with a toy wrestling belt he'd smuggled in for the winner. Ellie laughs and gives him a high five because she may be a sore winner, she's not a sore loser.

They wander over to the arcade and avoid the sea of children surrounding the kids toys. Ellie laughs as her and Maria fail spectacularly at Dance, Dance, Revolution, pouts childishly when Trent's demolishes her at buck hunting-

("Its not fair, you cheated!"

"...its buck hunting, El. How am I possibly able to cheat at it?"

"I don't know but you did, anyway.")

And laughs like a hyena when she beats Tyler's record at PacMan, who vows to never leave the machine until he beats her record,

(Trent and Maria pull him away five minutes later.)

Ellie wanders around the arcade until she finds Pete lazily throwing basketballs in the back of the arcade, she's stopped for a moment when she sees his arms flex in his singlet. She leans up against the side and tries to keep her eyes from ogling his arms, it doesn't work very well but Pete hasn't complained yet.

"I bet you I can sink all of these balls." Pete wages as he stuff another token into the machine and watches the balls drop.

"What's the wager?" Ellie's asks and settles on the seat of a motorbike game next to him.

"A kiss." He says, she eyes his face and sees not one trace of humour.

"Here?" She glances around, "Pete, there's kids everywhere."

"We'll find somewhere."

He's dead serious and she figures it can't hurt, he won't sink them all. "Fine."

Oh, how wrong she was. As soon as the words left her mouth, Pete turned and sunk the first ball, followed by the second, then the third and another after that. She can't watch, she closes her eyes and listens to the swish after swish until the buzzer sounds and she's jerked out of her seat. She briefly notices the 30/30 on the machine before Pete pull her from the arcade, hurries out of the building and has her pressed against the side of the building in minutes.

His lips press against her roughly, leaving a scorching trail of heat when they brush. Their teeth knock, their lips bite and hands grab everything they can, hers are grabbing his shirt, his are sliding down to her thighs before she's lifted and pressed against the wall harder. Rough hands press under her shirt and along her ribcage, she arches into his touch and -

"You have to return those shoes! They're property of the - oh."

- flinches away as the shoe loan worker swings around the corner. Pete drops her quickly and she blushes as she fixes her shirt. The shoes are pulled off and Pete and Nora are left standing in the shadows with socks on.

"Go home, kids."

They mumble apologies and flee to Pete's car where Nora pulls their shoes out of her bulging bag, she laughs airily and leans against the hood of Pete's car. "Well, that was fun."

Pete smirks and arches an eyebrow, "Fun? I just had a heart attack!"

"Don't be a wimp." She laughs and runs her hand over his shoulder. He catches her around the waist and draws her closer to him, pressing her between him and the car.

"Do you want to stay over tonight?" He asks as he brushes his lips against hers.

"Hell, yes."