#I haven’t really made miniatures before

[sad-catbrick]

made a little Wheatley miniature!!

[zorobff]

how to disappear. (opla!zoro x fem!reader)

synopsis: joining luffy’s crew made you believe that you’d finally escaped your former pirate crew and nightmare of a captain for good. that is, until a certain butler starts looking a little too familiar. good thing zoro’s keeping a close eye on you.

warnings: opla spoilers (ep 3), some direct dialogue from opla, mentions of verbal/physical abuse, kuro is just a weirdo tbh, reader is called a bitch, protective zoro, for the sake of the story sham and buchie joined the black cat pirates after reader left

word count: 4.7k

“this guy is full of shit.”

you knock your shoulder into zoro’s wider one. “be nice. and so what if he is?” 

zoro gives you a pointed glare. “then we should turn around and look for someone who can actually help us find a ship.” 

“all business, as per usual,” you reply, with a purposefully dramatic sigh. “why can’t you have a little fun?” 

“what about this is supposed to be fun?” zoro spits out the word like it’s poisonous. “this is the blandest village i’ve ever seen.”

you scoff. “now you’re the one that’s full of shit. nothing’s ever bland with us and you know it.” 

the us in question was your newly formed pirate crew… if you and luffy could even be considered that. having left the ship you’d been on a few years ago, you were in search of a new crew. luffy was persistent and charming — when you’d crossed paths in shells town, it took little to no time for him to convince you to join his hunt for the one piece. zoro and nami, on the other hand, had yet to follow in your footsteps. 

“well, considering that we’ve only been traveling together for a day and a half and i’ve already escaped a marine base, defeated a marine captain, and fought a clown with devil fruit powers… i’d actually have to agree.” 

you can’t help but giggle at his sarcastic delivery. “be grateful, zoro. not many pirate crews are this fun to be on, trust me. oh wait, that’s right, you still haven’t officially joined—”

“tell me about your old pirate crew,” interjects zoro, your comment having piqued his interest. 

you notice that the playful atmosphere dissipates. “god, where do i even start?” 

zoro answers that for you. “why did you leave?”

“starting with the hard hitting questions, huh?” you joke, mostly to stall. you clear your throat before you answer. “well, it was different. nothing like what luffy has going on. he actually cares about his crew… and even those who aren’t technically on it.” 

at that, a smile tugs at the corner of zoro’s lips. even you crack a small grin. although as you continue speaking, it fades. 

“on my old crew, we were dispensable. anytime something went wrong, our own captain would threaten to kill us. it was… scary, to be completely honest. there were so many times when i thought i’d die with that filthy crew. and i never wanted that. so as soon as we docked at shells town, i left.”  

zoro’s jaw clenches as imagines the things you’d seen and been subjected to. “this old captain of yours sounds like a real—”

“he was a nightmare,” you tell him. “he didn’t care that i was the only woman on board, he treated me just as horribly, if not worse.” 

zoro stops so suddenly that it takes you a second to realize he’s not walking alongside you.

“what do you mean by that.” the way zoro phrases the inquiry doesn’t even make it sound like a question. more like a demand. his narrowed eyes are fixed solely on you. holding his gaze feels… intense. 

you can’t help but glance away as you answer him. “he was just a bit of a creep.”

before zoro has the chance to try and extract more information out of you, a familiar voice calls both your names. you’re not really sure when you and zoro had fallen behind but from where you currently stand, the rest of your group looks miniature. or perhaps it’s just the massive size of the mansion behind them that makes luffy, nami, and usopp look pocket-sized in comparison. 

“why’d you stop walking?!” your captain shouts, hands pressed on each side of his mouth to amplify his voice. “get over here, we’re about to go in through the top secret entrance!” 

you vaguely make out usopp gesturing for luffy to keep his voice down. you’re sure that would warrant another comment from zoro about his reliability but he’s too busy staring at you with that expectant look in his eyes. 

“we better catch up,” you tell him, heading in the direction of the deluxe home. 

he allows you to dodge the subject and sighs, walking in long strides to catch up to you.  

“i’ve never seen a house this big before,” luffy admits, admiring the mansion along with the wellkept greenery surrounding it. 

“awesome, right?” usopp gloats, walking around like he owned the place. “kaya’s given me an open invitation to drop by anytime i want.” 

“wow.” you’re not sure if luffy was just going along with usopp’s act or if he really believed him. knowing the devil fruit user, it was more than likely the latter. “all this for just one person?”

“well, she lives here with her butler and a few other staff,” usopp replies, leaning against the stone well that sat in the middle of the lawn.

“money really shows you who people truly are,” nami mutters, eyes scanning the property. “most people only care about themselves and what’s theirs.”

zoro is quick to throw the insult back at her. “sounds like someone i know.”

you roll your eyes at his comment, though you make no effort to disagree with him. nami was a little on the materialistic side. 

“and a small staff makes for easy pickings,” she continues, proving your point.

“we just got here and you’re already planning on robbing the place blind?” you ask though you already know the answer.

“at least a little blurry,” she smirks, following behind luffy and usopp who walk toward the entrance. 

you and zoro share a look. one that says disappointed but not surprised. 

going under a shrub shaped as an arch, you’re met with a beautiful pond. you admire the pink lilies that float at the top and the bushes that were intricately trimmed into the shape of various animals. even if the people that lived here were filthy rich, at least they had good decorative taste. 

“so if you have an invitation, why are we going around the back way?” luffy ponders.

usopp’s answer is nonchalant. “oh, i never use the front entrance. like i said, this is the vip entrance reserved for special guests.”

zoro scoffs. “this guy’s definitely–”

“don’t start,” you groan, cutting him off. 

abruptly, usopp freezes and spins around, attempting to usher your crew back. “you know what, there’s actually a more exclusive entrance this way–”

the sharp swoosh of a knife cutting through the air and burying itself in the ground between usopp’s feet cuts him off. from the direction the kitchen utensil was thrown stands a heavyset gentleman with his face wrinkled in anger. his demanding voice booms through the garden, “the hell are you doing here, usopp?” 

the dark-skinned boy fumbles over his word. “buchi, buddy, uh, kaya’s expecting me.”

“another one of your lies,” the man – seemingly named buchi – seethes, grabbing him by the collar. “you ain’t welcome here and you know it.”

“i know nothing of the sort,” usopp retorts, keeping his cool even when he was practically being lifted off the ground by his shirt. “i’m here to give kaya an extra special gift.”

before buchi can get another word out, a feminine voice calls out for your companion. coming down the steps is a frail looking girl in a pink dress. on her arm is a man dressed in a crisp suit, presumably the butler usopp had mentioned earlier. though, from where you stand you can’t see either of their faces too clearly. 

“what a wonderful surprise,” she exclaims, breathlessly. 

“kaya!” usopp exclaims, returning her enthusiasm. buchi has no choice but to let him go, begrudgingly. usopp makes sure to shoot him a smug look before walking towards the young girl. “happy birthday.” 

the butler clears his throat, not afraid to intrude on their special moment. “usopp, we’ve discussed this before. you mustn’t show up unannounced.” 

“nonsense, klahadore.” kaya smiles warmly. “have you come to tell me another story? i do love hearing about your adventures.” 

“i’ll do you one better,” usopp smirks with such confidence that even you’re left wondering what kind of surprise he has up his sleeve. “i brought some of my crew!” he gestures back towards the four of you, proudly. 

your excitement vanishes. “oh. the surprise is… us.”

“well, that’s boring,” luffy agrees, just as disappointed as you are. 

kaya, on the other hand, is none the wiser. “it’s so nice to meet you. you must all stay for dinner.” 

klahadore lowers his voice. “miss kaya, it is a bit last minute. i’m afraid the kitchen hasn’t prepared for any extra guests.”

“please,” begs kaya, softly. “it’s my birthday. can’t be too much trouble can it?” 

giving in, klahadore purses his lips. “anything for you, miss kaya.” 

luffy claps his hands together. “alright! when do we eat?” 

“you don’t. not dressed like that, at least.” the butler directs himself to a staff member with teal colored hair. “sham, kindly show usopp and his friends to the guest suites. you will bathe and change before dinner.”

she follows his orders and leads the way. luffy, usopp, nami, and zoro trail behind her and you go to do the same. however, all it takes is a quick glance to stop you dead in your tracks. usually, you weren’t one to stare but klahadore’s face. that stare. so dark and depraved. 

“yes, miss?” he asks, holding your gaze. “can i help you?” 

“n-no, i…” your throat goes dry as you attempt to recover smoothly. “i just wanted to, um, thank you for being so hospitable.” 

his lips curve upwards into a sinister grin. “the pleasure’s all mine.” as if to confirm your worst fear, klahadore uses his palm to readjust his glasses. his beady eyes gauge your reaction closely.

the familiar gesture sends chills down your spine. appearance-wise, he had changed drastically but his aura was still just as menacing as you remember it. he was still the corrupt pirate captain you used to serve under. you feel like a weak and helpless subordinate all over again.

“klahadore!” giggles kaya. “you’re smiling! that’s certainly a rarity.”

he hums. “i’ve simply come to the realization that having guests once in a while can truly be a delight.”

his sickeningly sweet tone makes your stomach turn. just the fact that you were standing in front of him – captain kuro – again after all these years was nauseating in itself. last you’d heard he had died at the hands of captain morgan. how was this even possible? then again, he wasn’t dubbed kuro of a hundred plans for no reason. he always had a trick or two up his sleeve. you assumed this was no different. 

“hey, you comin’?”

you turn around to see zoro waiting for you. he meets your gaze for a moment. the softness of his eyes is a stark contrast to kuro’s. it’s a breath of fresh air. he then shifts his attention to your former captain and you swear his eyes darken. 

“yeah, sorry,” you mumble, trying not to look shaken as you walk up the steps. 

zoro follows behind you, this time closer than before.

“why would anybody even need this many clothes?”

“it’s not about need with these people, luffy. it’s about want,” nami spits, thumbing through the various fabrics on the wall. 

“at least she’s rich and nice,” luffy replies, innocently.

nami rolls her eyes. “yeah, letting us stay for dinner must be her idea of charity work.” 

“what are we even supposed to wear?” luffy continues, uninterested in nami’s criticism of the rich. 

“anything you want. when are you ever going to get the opportunity to wear things this nice?” 

you step out from behind the changing board where you’d swapped out your old tee and cargo skirt for an elegant satin dress. it was a stunning shade of olive green and frilly lace decorated the edges. not to mention, it hugged your curves in all the right ways.

nami’s eyes widen. “see, she’s got the right idea. you look amazing.” 

you smile, bashfully. “honestly, i feel amazing.”

“you look the same to me,” your captain shrugs.

nami shoots him a death glare but you intervene before she can scold him.

“way to keep me humble, luffy.”

“no problem!” 

at that exact moment, a freshly showered zoro arrives donning a silk robe. he eyes the multitude of garments that cover every inch of the room, not particularly impressed. 

“there you are. don’t you think she looks nice?” nami asks him, gesturing towards you. she doesn’t notice how you shrink under zoro’s gaze. neither does he, as his eyes take their time raking over you, from top to bottom.

he hums. “suits you.” with that, he sets off towards a chair in the corner of the room.  

“seriously?” sighs nami, exasperated. “are you two physically unable to give compliments or something?” 

“hey, doesn’t that butler seem familiar to you guys?” zoro asks, promptly ignoring nami’s complaint. 

his question causes your breath to hitch. you’d pushed the kuro problem to the back of your mind while you were in search of a suitable dinner outfit. you figured that as long as your crew was by your side, he wouldn’t dare try anything. and even if he did… well, you’d seen what had happened to axe-hand morgan and buggy. 

“yeah, i think he was at the last dinner party i attended,” nami replies sarcastically, taking a handful of dresses behind the changing board. 

as he takes a seat, zoro grumbles, “i swear i’ve seen him before.” 

“where?” you can’t help but ask, fiddling with the lace on the neckline of your dress. 

“so far, i’ve got two suspicions. a wanted poster or funky bar on mirrorball island. you ever been?”

you know zoro’s teasing you, judging by the grin on his face. after all, funky bar was known to get insanely rowdy; never would he imagine finding someone as gentle as you there. but what he didn’t know is that it happened to be one of kuro’s favorite bars. per his request, you and the rest of the black cat pirates frequented it often, so he was more than likely right about having seen kuro there. he’d probably even seen you in passing, once or twice. thankfully, he doesn’t seem to have any recollection of that.

the thought of zoro knowing about your past forms a knot in the pit of your stomach. would he think less of you for having joined such a ruthless crew at one point in your life? what if it put a strain on the friendship you’d worked so hard to form? 

“i’ve, uh, heard of it,” you decide to reply, pushing down your worries for the time being. 

he tilts his head slightly, thinking out loud. “then again, i have seen a lot of wanted posters and bars in my time as a pirate hunter.”

you feel a grin creep onto your face. “probably more bars than posters, huh?”

zoro mirrors your smile. “shut up.”

by the time dinner rolls around, the entire crew is doing what they do best. 

luffy is stuffing his face, nami is attempting to swindle one of the staff, zoro is hanging by the drinks, and you’re hanging by zoro. 

“hey zoro, you gotta try this!” luffy calls through a mouthful of food.

“i’ve got all i need right here,” he mutters, taking a swig out of his champagne flute. 

“you know, i don’t think i’ve ever seen you choke down something that isn’t alcohol,” you comment, watching the way he downs the glass in one go. 

dryly, he replies, “that’s because i haven’t.”

“very on brand.”

“ladies and gentlemen,” calls out that voice from the top of the stairs. “may i present… miss kaya.”

arm in arm, kuro and kaya walk down the steps, all eyes on the birthday girl and her stunning gown. well, except you. your eyes never leave the so-called butler by her side. your jaw clenches when he has the audacity to meet your gaze and hold it. shameless bastard. 

once they reach the bottom, merry leads kaya to the guests while kuro takes his post at the bottom of the stairs… right next to the drink table. before you can think about steering yourself and zoro away, kuro speaks.

“forgive me if i am speaking out of line, madam, but i must inform you. you look positively radiant,” he purrs, soaking in your appearance. he looks ready to pounce.

you can’t stop your eyes from rolling. good to know he’s the same pervert he used to be.

looking between you both and sensing your discomfort, zoro steps in. “and you look familiar.” 

kuro’s head stiffly turns to face him, eyes peeling away from you. “highly doubtful, sir.” 

“funky bar? mirror ball island?” 

“funky bar?” kuro repeats, disgusted. “well, i can assure you i’ve never patronized that type of establishment.” 

while it was amusing to see your highly esteemed former captain lie through his teeth, the tension between him and zoro was unbearable. 

“well then.” zoro continues with his little interrogation. “ever been on a wanted poster?”

you cringe at his bluntness. sometimes it seemed like he had less of a filter than luffy.

kuro puts on a scandalized face at the question. “sir! such an accusation is highly offensive.” tugging on his collar, he goes to remove himself from zoro’s probing. “now, if you’ll excuse me, i’m going to help prepare the dinner table.” 

he leaves, en route to the dining room. zoro’s eyes follow his figure until he disappears, squinting as he racks his brain for any further recollection of this suspicious butler. 

you sigh. if zoro was going to continue being so relentless, you were sure the night would end in bloodshed and uncovered secrets. 

“keep this coming,” zoro demands, handing the empty wine bottle to sham. she takes it with a glare. 

“would it kill you to say please?” you ask, slicing the slab of fish on your plate into smaller pieces.

“the service here is shitty. why should i have to be polite?” 

you scowl. “remind me to never have dinner with you again.”

zoro turns to you with that cocky grin of his. “what if i asked nicely?” 

his quip makes your heart flutter but you manage to keep your composure. “you can try your luck.” 

before he can respond, usopp speaks up. “luffy, isn’t there something that you wanted to talk to kaya about?” 

luffy gesticulates enthusiastically with his fork. “oh, yes! usopp told me that you own the whole shipyard.” 

“well, actually, my parents founded the shipyard and merry’s been running the business since they… passed. but all that’s about to change. tonight, at midnight, i will become the sole owner.” she smiles somberly. 

“well, that’s great,” luffy says, raising his drink at her. “because we want to buy a ship from you.” 

“ah, i see. usopp mentioned that you’re sailors.” 

“nope, not sailors. we’re pirates!”

you’re certain at least three people at the table choke on their food, yourself included. 

“this ought to be good,” zoro mumbles behind his glass.

you’re too busy coughing into your napkin to chastise him for finding this entertaining.

“pirates?” kaya repeats, unsure of how to react. 

“yup! we haven’t sailed together for very long but we’ve already defeated an evil clown, raided a marine base, and taken down a captain with an axe! for a hand!” luffy holds up a fist, presumably to impersonate axe-hand morgan.

“sounds a lot like your adventures, usopp,” kaya says, turning to the brunette.

all he can do is laugh dryly. “yeah, that’s… that’s crazy.” 

“and we’re just getting started!” luffy continues, climbing up onto the table.

“someone put me out of my misery,” you mumble, looking down at your plate to ignore the secondhand embarrassment.

a tap on your shoulder answers your plea.

turning around, you find yourself face to face with kuro once again. “madam, a word please?”

“might i ask what for?” zoro cuts in before you can so much as think of a response.

kuro offers him the most forced grin you’ve ever had the displeasure of seeing. “i’m afraid that is between the lady and i.”

the swordsman turns to you, scanning your face for any ounce of discomfort. “you okay with that?”

you inhale, figuring it was finally time for you to confront the darkest part of your past. it was silly to assume you would be able to ignore him throughout your entire stay here. besides, you were sure zoro, just like the rest of your crew, would be on standby if kuro got brave enough to try anything. “sure. just… keep an eye out.”

zoro understands completely. truthfully, you didn’t even need to ask – he always looked after you. “got it.”

you push yourself out of your seat and smooth out your dress. you allow kuro to lead you to the doorway – he was smart enough to know that was the farthest you’d let him take you. 

“what do you want, klahadore?” you seethe, folding your arms.

he arches a brow. “why must you call me that? it’s ridiculous.” 

you tilt your head with faux innocence. “oh? is that not your name? must have misheard.”

he gives you an irritated look, dark eyes drilling into you.

“i remember that look,” you mutter, your memory serving you well. “it’s the same one you’d give me before you’d threaten to slice me to bits with your claws.”

kuro has the audacity to chuckle dryly. “but i never did, did i? although there were certainly times times where i should’ve.”

“what you should be is dead,” you hiss bitterly. “when i heard the news, i knew it was too good to be true.”

“you wound me, kitten,” he drawls, reaching up to fix his glasses. 

the condescending nickname makes your skin crawl. it carried so many awful memories of your time spent with the black cat pirates. it reminded you of just how weak kuro viewed you — nothing but a helpless, pitiful kitten in his eyes. typical of the man that abused his authority and treated you with not a single ounce of respect. 

he continues, putting on a sweet tone. “after all these years, stuck waiting hand and foot on that spoiled brat, there’s nothing i’d love more than to hear my favorite crew mate say my real name.”

you snap at him. “i’m no crew mate of yours.”

he sighs, dramatically. “sadly, you’re correct. after all, you did slip off the ship the moment we docked in shells town. locating you on an island crawling with marines proved to be nearly impossible. we had no choice but to leave without you.”

“that’s exactly why i chose to escape there.” 

“and to this day i can’t for the life of me figure out why you would ever do that. why would you want to leave us? leave me?”

you actually laugh right in his face. “is it really that hard to figure out? you were evil. you threatened and harassed me on a daily basis.”

“so your solution was to join that ragtag crew?” he glances at the table. “it’s pathetic, even for you.”

you lean into his face, lowering your voice down. “i’m happier than i ever was on your shitty crew. every day i wake up grateful that i managed to escape you.”

you see that vein on his forehead bulge before he’s gripping you by the chin. “listen here, you little bitch–”

the shiny silver of a sword slides between you and kuro, coming to rest against his neck. his adam’s apple bobs as he gulps anxiously, releasing you. thanks to zoro’s sword, it seemed as if he finally remembered where he was. you were no longer on his ship, he was no longer allowed to treat you like the dirt he walked on. not without someone noticing, that is. 

“why don’t you step away?” zoro offers simply.

that much was a kindness. usually those who found themselves on the end of zoro’s blade(s) weren’t lucky enough to receive a warning. however, the swordsman didn’t wish to cause a scene. at least not when you were right there and everyone was watching with shock from the dinner table.

kuro obliges, stumbling back. he meets kaya’s horrified eyes, feeling ashamed that he allowed his act to slip. surely this would cause some setbacks in his plan. with no excuse for his uncharacteristic behavior, the raven haired man scurries away and up the stairs.

zoro turns and locks eyes with luffy, giving him one singular nod. luffy returns it, jumping out of his seat and going after the butler. quiet murmuring breaks out at the dinner table, everyone surely confused. 

sheathing his sword, zoro directs his attention to you once more. “are you alright?” a calloused hand comes up to grip your chin, much like kuro had. however, this time, the touch is gentle. loving, almost. you welcome it.

“yeah, i’m… fine.” your heart is beating out of your chest and it has everything to do with your close proximity to zoro.

he tilts your face around, inspecting every inch of it. once he finishes, he pulls back. his demeanor goes serious once more. “we need to have a talk.”

you nod. “i know. i’ve been keeping some things from you guys and–”

“just tell me what’s been going on,” he demands. “and don’t overcomplicate it. you can be straightforward with me.”

his sincerity makes you start over, this time far more candidly. “klahadore used to be a pirate. i was part of his crew. he was my… captain.”

the shame in your voice pulls at zoro’s heartstrings. didn’t you know there was no reason to feel guilty with him? “is that it?” 

you open your mouth to speak but come up empty. all you can do is furrow your eyebrows at his unexpectedly dismissive reaction.

“i knew it,” zoro continues, annoyed. “i knew i’d seen him on a wanted poster before. just didn’t have any proof.”

“wait, so you don’t– you really don’t care?” you ask, still avoiding eye contact. “me being a former black cat pirate doesn’t bother you?”

he shrugs. “you said it yourself. ‘former.��� all that matters is that you got the hell out of there. and away from that creep. would he always put his hands on you like that?”

you blink a couple times, sighing. “his temper was really bad so–”

that seemed to be enough for zoro. “i’ll kill the bastard,” he hisses. “wanted to slice him to bits the moment i saw him grab you.” 

though it’s a violent threat, you can’t help but smile. the idea of zoro being so protective that he’d kill a man just for touching you made you blush. pirate love language, you suppose.

“well, i wouldn’t have stopped you,” you tell him, more than ready to see your former captain go.

zoro clicks his tongue. “nah. could’ve stained your new dress with his blood. i never would have been able to forgive myself.”

“so you do have a soft spot,” you tease.

“only for pretty things.”

“do you mean me or the dress?” 

now it’s zoro’s turn to become bashful. though, his lack of response is an answer in itself. you can’t help but giggle. 

a loud bang from upstairs interrupts your moment with the green-haired man. you assume luffy had gotten his hands on kuro… or vice versa. zoro must be thinking the same thing judging by the way he instinctively rests a hand on the handle of his blade.

“you should go up there,” you tell him. “i’ll stay with kaya.”  

he gives you a nod, though he doesn’t make any effort to leave. he stands there like he wants to say something… or do something. before you can think about it too much, you pull him in by the collar and crash your lips onto his. they’re slightly chapped and taste like the wine that’d come from the cellar – it’s pleasant. his large palms come to rest on your lower back; his hold feels tight and secure. 

when you finally allow yourself to pull away, you’re biting back a smile. “kick his ass for me.” 

“will i get more of that if i do?” asks zoro, wetting his lips. they now taste like the cherry lip gloss you’d borrowed from kaya. he takes a step forward, attempting to close the gap between you two once more.

you shrug, pushing him away by the chest. “go help luffy and we’ll see.”

you both know that means yes.

[umbrella-show]

Platonic Yan Rottmnt

「 ✦ 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐭𝐨𝐧𝐢𝐜 𝐘𝐚𝐧 𝐑𝐎𝐓𝐓𝐌𝐍𝐓 𝐱 𝐌𝐮𝐭𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐓𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫 𝐏𝐭.𝟑 ✦ 」

The final part of my short Yan platonic Rottmnt series :) THIS IS IN NO WAY APPROVING OF A ABUSIVE OR TOXIC RELATIONSHIP

TW: Kidnaping, Stalking

Words : 1661

‧˚₊꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶꒷꒦︶︶︶︶︶꒦꒷‧₊˚⊹

“Here you go, birthday boy, enjoy!” You smiled kindly, placing a cake on the table where a young fish yokai sat with a party hat strapped around his head. He beamed at the cake excitedly, his friends gathering around his table to gawk and drool at the cake, eager to eat. You watched fondly, clasping your hands together behind your back. You watched as another yokai, made of green slime, hopped on top of the table. He shouted loudly from excitement, “Let’s get this party started!” Right at that moment you grabbed a spare menu from another table nearby, opening it in front of your face to shield your face from the sudden splat of Exploding Frankie’s famous party trick. The green goo clung onto the menu before it dripped off and all of the green slime came together to form him again. The kids cheered and you took that as a que you had done your job. 

You loved your job. You loved seeing the smiles on other mutant’s and yokai’s faces when you brought them their meal they had been eagerly waiting for. Your boss, Senior Hueso, was pretty cool. You are forever grateful for him. He took you in when you had nothing and gave you a job as a waiter. The pay was enough for you to buy an apartment in the hidden city. The hidden city was full of wonders. Shortly after you made your escape from the dreaded sewers you had made your way back to the city to find some form of refuge. You had watched, what you learned was a yokai, opening a portal to the mystical city through a graffiti drawing on a wall. You had followed after them and were amazed by the sight of other beings, like you, wandering a city full of mystic and magic.

It’s been 3 months since you escaped the sewers, and you haven’t seen those turtle brothers ever since. You supposed that was a good thing. You didn’t really want to see them ever again after they held you against your will. While living in the sewers wasn’t half as bad as you originally thought, it felt suffocating with all the attention you were given.

“Y/N,” you were snapped out of your thoughts when your boss spoke to you. “Mi amigo manchado, is everything alright.” You gave him a courteous nod, fiddling with the collar of your outfit.  He was always looking out for you. You were one of his most diligent employees, after all. He even told you himself. You did your best to put a smile on everyone’s face. Even the rude customers. 

“I’m alright.” You responded, “just thinking.” You watched your boss look at you with a curious expression as he patted your shoulder. He was always a little concerned when you spaced out to think. You weren't sure why.

“Well then, there are a few more customers you may serve before you clock out.” “I wouldn’t mind working overtime again.” You quickly responded right after he finished speaking. You could use all the extra money. Heuso frowned, shaking his head in disapproval. “Oh no, you, tortuga, need more rest. You have bags under your eyes.” He pointed out, causing you to deflate at his protective tone. However, you weren’t going to argue with him. You didn’t mind getting more sleep anyways. With all of the days you worked overtime, your sleep schedule was basically obliterated.

“Fine,” you muttered in slight disappointment, causing him to give you a proud smile and another pat on the shoulder before walking away and letting you go seat the new customers. You gave him one more glance as he walked. Probably back to his office to work on his miniature wooden ship. You dusted off your apron, making sure you looked presentable for the last customers you were going to serve before walking all the way back to your apartment and collapsing into bed. The more you thought about it, the more excited you were to get more sleep than you usually got.

You glanced at the entrance of the restaurant, about to greet the new customers. Your blood ran cold and you immediately turned around to hide yourself once you saw them. No. There was no way they found you. You dared to take another glance, begging that it wasn’t them. Maybe you mistook someone else for them. You were proven wrong when you took another glance.

The Hamato brothers. They found you. How did they find you? You left no sign that you were here? How did they know about the Hidden city? You thought this was a safe place. The only place they would never find you. You needed to leave. Now.

You began to walk away from them with your back turned to them. You tried to look as discreet as possible. You needed to get to Hueso’s office. Hopefully if you asked him if you could just leave a little earlier, he wouldn’t ask questions and let you. For now, you needed a distraction.

“Excuse me,” you quietly spoke to an unoccupied owl Yokai waiter. “Could you serve them?” You carefully pointed towards the turtle brothers who were already seated at a table. Luckily, by your nervous and uncomfortable expression, the owl nodded and didn’t say a thing as he walked over to serve them. You silently thanked him, standing there for a while. You didn’t realize how shaky your breathing was until now. Your palms felt sweaty and your hands and knees were shaking a bit. You closed your eyes and tried your best to take deep breaths and calm down. You had to keep calm. You needed to blend in. 

You felt a strong urge to check if the turtles were distracted so you could hurry to Hueso’s office. You slowly turned your head as little as you could so your eyes could see them. Leonardo seemed to be talking to the waiter, seemingly ordering for himself and his brothers. Donnie was distracted by his phone and Raph was idly sitting, listening to the waiter list out the food they ordered. Mikey looked especially happy, kicking his feet under the table. You could tell he was extra giddy, seeming excited to get pizza. 

You didn’t know why you continued to watch, most likely looking for reassurance that they were occupied and therefore wouldn’t see you sneak to Hueso’s office. However, just as you were about to turn away, Mikey’s eyes started wandering throughout the restaurant, and soon landed on you. You two engaged in a staring contest, you visibly paling as his face lit up. You tore your gaze away, turning around like it never happened and bolting to your boss’s office. Just before you turned the corner to where Hueso was, you heard a loud whisper from Mikey, alerting his brothers of your presence, you assumed.

You left through a different entrance of the restaurant, one you hoped the turtles didn’t know existed. You bolted to your apartment complex, weaving through the crowd of Yokai in your way. Hueso had graciously let you leave early. You mentally thank him for not asking questions, though he did look suspicious. You wondered if you should tell him some other time. If you did, that might cause the brothers to definitely know you were there. Though, you were sure it didn’t make a difference, considering Mikey already saw you. They all knew you worked here by now. Maybe you could quit and find a different job. Somewhere deeper in the Hidden City. The thought of quitting your job and leaving Hueso out of the blue made you sad. He was the one who took you in when you were desperate and in need of shelter. 

As you continued on to your apartment complex, there were less Yokai in your path and soon enough, you were alone walking through an alley between two other buildings. This was a shortcut you normally took, so you weren’t really on guard or alert. That was a mistake.

The floor suddenly felt as if it disappeared and you felt like you were falling. Your breath hitched, your eyes opening as your body braced itself for some kind of painful impact. Instead, you landed on your backside on what you thought was the floor. You snapped your eyes open and saw you were encased in some purple glowing sphere. You pressed your hands against the walls of your prison. 

“Hey, sib! I didn’t know you got a job at Hueso’s.”

Your blood ran cold at the sound of that voice from behind you, almost not wanting to turn around. However, you did, and stared with wide eyes wide in shock at the sight of the turtle in blue, followed by the rest of them as they stood around you. You pressed yourself against the wall of the round cage, shrinking down like prey to a predator. You watched Leo place his foot on the purple device trapping you.

“It’s a shame, I really thought you’d be able to get us free pizza, or at least a discount.”

You watched him playfully pout, faking looking hurt as he put his hands to his chest. Mikey suddenly hugged the sphere, pressing his face against it with no warning, making you harshly flinch and shrink away from them even more.

“Welcome home, Y/N! We’re so glad to have you back!!!”

You gawked at him, dumbfounded before finally registering his words. Home? You glanced behind him, seeing the familiar walls of Donnie’s lab with computers and machinery all around. You’re mind blanked, your ears catching onto bits and parts of Donnie speaking. Talking about new reinforcements being made to the lair to specifically make sure you don’t escape again. You stared aimlessly at the wall as the feeling of horror and devastation sunk in. 

You were right back where you started. Except this time, there really was no escape.

[miasmaghoul]

Kinktober Day 2 - Quintosis Control

Pull Me Under

Thank you to @kroas-adtam for curating these prompts!

Rating: E

Pairing: Aeon/Dew (but also technically Aether/Dew)

Word Count: 2.3k

Contains: quintosis (obviously), oral, fingering, anal, prone bone, phone sex, Dew getting fucked in literally every possible way

-----

Aeon stares at the ghoul knelt between his legs with a raised eyebrow. Dew tilts his head, palming Aeon through his jeans with a placid smile on his face. His expression remains guarded though, and Aeon supposes that makes sense.

After all, this isn’t the most…common of requests. 

“So,” Dew murmurs, fiddling with Aeon’s zipper, “think you can do it?”

Aeon hums while the smaller ghoul drags the closure down, reaching out to twirl a loose lock of ashy blonde hair hanging from Dew’s bun. It’s softer, somehow, when they’re stuck in glamour like this. Only their unearthly eyes give away their true nature, and Dew’s copper ones burn up at him like miniature suns. Warm fingers wriggle into his jeans, pet at his slowly growing chubby, and Aeon spreads his knees just a little wider.

-----

Read the rest below, or on AO3!

Aeon stares at the ghoul knelt between his legs with a raised eyebrow. Dew tilts his head, palming Aeon through his jeans with a placid smile on his face. His expression remains guarded though, and Aeon supposes that makes sense.

After all, this isn’t the most…common of requests. 

“So,” Dew murmurs, fiddling with Aeon’s zipper, “think you can do it?”

Aeon hums while the smaller ghoul drags the closure down, reaching out to fiddle with a loose lock of ashy blonde hair hanging from Dew’s bun. It’s softer, somehow, when they’re stuck in glamour like this. Only their unearthly eyes give away their true nature, and Dew’s copper ones burn up at him like miniature suns. Warm fingers wriggle into his jeans, pet at his slowly growing chubby, and Aeon spreads his knees just a little wider.

“Don’t see why not,” he replies, cheeks dimpling under a playful smile. “If it’s something you really want.” Aeon groans when Dew pulls him from the confines of his pants, sighs when Dew wraps bony fingers around him. 

“It is,” the other ghoul assures him, leaning in to swipe his tongue over Aeon’s tip just enough to make him grunt. “Wanted to ask for a while, actually.”

Dew’s giving him slow strokes now, languid drags of a loose fist. Aeon knows he’s going to be dripping in no time. He pulls the tie in Dew’s hair, tosses it away in favor of threading his hand into those impossibly soft strands. Dew’s eyes droop just right whenever he does this, and Aeon watches a little bit of the apprehension on his handsome face melt away. His other hand fists itself in the comforter of the hotel bed he’d fallen onto for all of ten seconds before Dew had wrestled him to the end of it. 

Not that Aeon’s complaining, mind. Having any part of Dew on his cock is always an occasion worth celebrating.

“Why haven’t you, then?”

Dew shrugs, that one little crease forming between his eyebrows. The one he wears when he’s focused on a solo, or when Cirrus asks him to do mental math. Aeon thumbs over the spot where one of his horns should be, and Dew’s shoulders slump a hair.

“Thought it might be weird.” Well, he’s not wrong about that. “Thought it might, y’know,” the little ghoul makes a vague gesture, focused only on the way his hand glides over Aeon’s cock. “Thought it might be too much.”

If Aeon’s fangs were out, he’d be smiling with every single one.

“Good thing I’m a fan of ‘too much’, ” he croons, giving Dew’s hair a tug. Hard enough to make his hand stutter and his eyes pinch shut. “And I know you are too -”

Aeon leans down, slow and with purpose. Invades the space Dew has made for himself and earns a surprised blink for it. Aeon sighs while he nuzzles their cheeks together, hearing Dew’s breath catch, basking in the warmth of his skin. He presses a kiss to the other ghoul’s ear, and it carries the smallest of sparks.

“- firefly.”

The word drips in magick, and Aeon can tell by the shocked sound Dew makes that he doesn’t hear it entirely in his voice. He can feel his power sink into Dew’s skin, feels the rush of static that flows beneath his scalp and through the callused fingers curled around him. A pulse of something unnaturally cool that has Dew shuddering. Aeon pulls back to find Dew looking suddenly much looser. Shoulders rounded, eyes wrinkled at the corners and glassy, his smile something more than skin-deep. The very specific visage of someone in the beginnings of quintessence-fueled bliss. 

“That feel good? Looks like it does,” Aeon lilts, the hand buried in the blanket coming up to cup the little ghoul’s cheek. “But you’ll need more than that for what you’re asking, y’know.”

Dew makes an affirmative sound, not quite a word but close enough. His hand starts moving again and Aeon feels the muscles in his stomach jump - Dew’s hands always have that effect on him. He takes a deep breath through his nose, scratching at Dew’s scalp while the first wave of his magick settles into the folds of his mind. Aeon groans with the casual way the other ghoul takes his tip between his lips, hot tongue sliding over sensitive flesh. Aeon gives his hair the suggestion of a stern pull, and delights in the way Dew just…takes it. Takes more of him into that silken mouth, enough so the blunt head of Aeon’s cock pokes his hollowed cheek. Makes a lovely bump that Aeon can’t help but run his thumb over.

“Ready for more?” 

He probably shouldn’t be so breathless already, but Dew’s mouth does have that effect on…well, everybody. The little ghoul pulls off with a wet pop, smears the tip over his own lips to leave them wet and shiny. A decidedly slutty move that makes Aeon’s balls ache.

“Yeah, I think you are,” he huffs, cheeks warm. Aeon runs a hand through his own hair with a chuckle. “Wanna call now? Or after I get my fingers in you?”

Dew makes a strangled sound, scrambles for his phone, and as his dick is left to bob freely in the air Aeon has his answer. 

He chuckles softly, stretches his arms over his head while Dew fumbles through his contacts. Rolls his eyes when the other ghoul drops the phone in his eagerness. Aeon stands, busies himself with gathering lube and arranging pillows, but keeps an eye on Dew through it all. He raises the phone to his ear just as Aeon’s shrugging out of his t-shirt. He hears it ring while he shucks his belt, and Aeon pauses with his jeans around his thighs when his sharp ears pick up a click. A deep, familiar voice follows it, Dew presses a flat palm to his crotch, and a thrill runs up Aeon’s spine when the little ghoul says,

“Hey, Aeth. Got a proposition for you.”

Things move quickly after that. Aether had been immediately, enthusiastically on board with Dew’s idea, faster than Aeon had expected. Something that told him the other two had definitely discussed this before. In no time Aeon had Dew over his lap, sitting up against the headboard with the little ghoul drooling into the sheets with each press of Aeon’s fingers. 

Fingers that, at least for Dew, feel like someone else’s entirely.

“Aether,” he slurs, sounding more fucked up that Aeon think he’s ever heard him, “Aeth, please -”

The word blurs into a moan when Aeon crooks his fingers just so, knuckles rubbing against Dew’s prostate. Aeon feels a blurt of pre leak out onto his thigh and heaves a happy sigh when Dew clamps down around him. He keeps quiet as he can, though. He isn’t the one Dewdrop needs to hear right now.

“That feel good, baby?” Aether’s smooth voice rings tinny through the phone’s speaker, but only to Aeon. For Dew, he’s sure the words flow directly into his veins. “You love my fingers, don’t you?”

Aeon twists his digits the exact way he knows Aether would - one benefit of his unparalleled sense memory - and fills the little ghoul’s mind with the burn of a much more intense stretch. One that has Dew crying out, fingers curling into rumpled sheets and his little hole clenching hard. Aeon only has two fingers inside, but with the way Dew’s writhing you’d think he was taking all five.

Ah, the power of suggestion.

“So good,” Dew mumbles, strands of hair stuck to his sweaty forehead. He’s flushed crimson straight down his throat; Aeon can’t believe how fucked out he looks already, but he imagines the magick isn’t exactly helping in that regard. “‘S so much, Aeth, so big -”

“I know, firefly,” Aether trills, gentle, “but you take them so well for me. In fact, I think you deserve another one.”

Aeon takes the hint, pulling back to the first knuckle and running a third fingertip over Dew’s taut rim. The little ghoul makes the most wonderful gagging sound, one that’s only amplified when Aeon slides back inside with three elegant fingers. Dew howls once they’re fully in, fists white-knuckled in the bedsheets. Aeon’s other hand rubs soothing circles into his lower back, just like Aether would, and Aeon makes sure that hand feels heavier too.

It’s a delicate process, manipulating Dew’s mind and body at once. Sending tendrils of quintessence into the recesses of his mind and pulling on wispy threads of memory. The specific timbre of Aether’s voice, the weight of his touch, the warmth of his breath, the scent of his sweat. Immersing the little ghoul into a haze that erases Aeon’s presence entirely. It may be his touch Dew’s feeling, but right now his whole world is Aether and if Dew keeps making these noises then Aeon certainly won’t complain. His own pleasure will be playing second fiddle tonight anyway.

Aeon taps at his prostate and Dew’s leg spasms.

“Aeth - Aether please ,” Dew whimpers, gasping between the words. “'S been so long. Need… need you, please -”

Aeon doesn’t think he’s ever heard Dewdrop sound so desperate. It’s beautiful .

“You’ve got me, sweet boy,” Aether assures. “Can’t you feel me?”

Aeon swirls his fingers, slides his palm up the length of Dew’s spine, and the little ghoul goes boneless in his lap with a noise that speaks to how far gone he is. Aeon’s drunk on the feel of him, the sound, the sight of his lovely face scrunched up in agonizing pleasure. His own erection has long since flagged, but the pressure low in his belly hasn’t dissipated in the slightest. 

“Need…more,” Dew pants, pawing at the bed and mindlessly grinding his hot little stiffy into Aeon’s thigh. “Need…Aeth, fuck me. ”

Dew pleads it like his life is ending and Aeon’s head thuds against the headboard with the effort of remaining silent. Aether must hear the thunk , judging by the amusement coloring his next words.

“Of course, droplet,” he hums, and if he listens close Aeon can just make out the slippery sound of Aether tugging at himself. “Whatever you want.”

Aeon moves the slight body in his lap with mild difficulty - he’s not all that much bigger than Dew when they’re glamoured like this, and the little ghoul is entirely too gangly for his own good. Aether orchestrates his movements, tells Dew he’s going to take him on his belly, the way they do when he really needs to feel Aether. Gets Dew face down with a pillow snuggled under his narrow hips, legs spread just enough for Aeon to admire his pretty pink hole while he gets a hand on himself. He’s hard as diamond again in seconds, impossible not to be with Dew like this.

“Are you ready for me, firefly?” 

The little ghoul gurgles out an uh huh at Aether’s words, and Aeon takes that as his cue to get in position. His heart hammers away while he does, fingers jittery as he straddles Dew’s thighs. Plants his hands on either side of his chest. Leans down to kiss the place between Dew’s shoulder blades. Aeon reaches back to line himself up, prods at Dew’s puffy entrance with his own wet tip, and the way it slips over that wrinkled skin makes Aeon’s eyes roll back.

“I’m gonna put it in now, alright?”

“Yes,” Dew sobs on an exhale, sweat prickling up along the length of his spine. “Fuck, yes .”

Aeon holds his breath, every inch of him thrumming, and then he’s sinking in with a slowness he’s never employed. But it’s necessary with the way he floods Dew’s magick-addled mind with the glorious stretch Aether’s fat cock instead. He can hear Aether talking somewhere distant, but the only thing Aeon can focus on are the stunning cries pouring from Dew’s lips. Aeon has to work to keep his own shut, nails biting into his palms with every rock of his hips.

“Deep breaths, love,” Aether rumbles through the din of pleasure, his tone making even Aeon’s stomach twist. “I know you can take it.” 

Dew wails, and Aeon can’t hold in the groan that bubbles up when he finally bottoms out. Dew’s walls are like searing hot velvet around him, so slick that Aeon can feel it leaking out around his cock. The little ghoul flutters ceaselessly around him, and it’s nothing short of maddening.

“There we go, well done.” Aether coos down the line, soothing. Calming. Aeon brings a shaky hand to Dew’s head, strokes his hair. Plays out the intent so plainly coloring Aether’s words. “Are you ready for the rest of me, baby?”

Dew nods frantically against the sheets, and Aeon focuses. Lowers his own wiry frame down onto the little ghoul’s sweaty back while Aether reminds him again to breathe. Dew needs it - every bit of himself that Aeon settles against Dew’s body seems to knock the air from him in punched-out huffs. Aeon shouldn’t be so surprised, not when he knows that Dew’s feeling a much, much heavier weight.

“Oh, Dew,” Aether sighs, the sound of his strokes much more obvious now, “ you feel fucking amazing.” 

Aeon’s inclined to agree, relaxing his full weight onto the little ghoul below and giving the sublest roll of his hips. Just enough to make Dew yelp. He buries his nose in silky hair and breathes deep, warm spice and tobacco, hands traveling up his sides. Grazing Dew’s straining ribs, caressing his shoulders, mapping soft skin. The hair on Dew’s arms tickles his palms, the veins on the back of his hands so pronounced beneath his fingertips.

“Aeth,” Dew whimpers, patting at the bed, blindly searching. “Aeth, where -”

Aeon laces his fingers with Dew’s then, and the little ghoul wastes no time in holding his hand right back.   

“I’ve got you, baby boy,” Aether promises, husky with lust Aeon swears he can feel through the phone. “Daddy’s gonna take such good care of you.”

His cock throbs, Dew moans so loud it rattles his chest, and Aeon makes a mental note to ask Aether about that little exchange later.

Much later.

[arcane-vagabond]

Fool's Fare: Chapter Five

Fool's Fare: Chapter Five

Pairing: Jake "Hangman" Seresin x Reader

Summary: Captain Jake "Hangman" Seresin had come close to swinging from the gallows more times than he would care to admit. He's stolen, cheated, even killed. The worst thing he's ever done? Broken the heart of a woman. Having broken the heart of the woman whom Davy Jones himself had fallen for six years ago, Jake is now cursed to live as something not dead, but not alive. He's doomed to live a half-life for the rest of his existence unless he manages to obtain the treasure Davy Jones deems most valuable. The problem? He has no idea what it is, and he only had seven years to obtain it.

Trigger Warning: Language, Big brother Bradley, Secrets, Feelings of betrayal, Abandonment issues from the reader, Reader says something she'll regret later, Allusions to prostitution and violent men, Magic, Curses, Supernatural is real, Reader cries, Feelings of helplessness, Pirate!Jake. I think that's it, but let me know if I missed anything!

Word Count: 4k

Series Masterlist || Moodboards || Playlist

“What do you mean you still haven’t eaten?”

Bradley winced at your tone, running a hand through his brown locks as he eyed you wearily. You had meant to drag him to the physician at the last port you had docked at, but the excitement from the day prior had wiped the issue completely from your brain. Who knew falling overboard could do that to a person?

Now here you were a week later, and it had finally dawned on you that you hadn’t seen your brother eat much more than an apple here and there. You had kept quiet the past two days, silently observing him, and here you sat in the galley, Bradley to your right with Mickey and Nat sat across from you. The rest of the crew milled about, and it wouldn’t be long before Bob and Reuben joined your little group for breakfast.

“It’s not that serious, Guppy,” he murmured, casting a weary look at the two sitting across from you. “I feel fine.”

“Bradley, you aren’t eating,” you scowled, turning your own gaze to your new friends. “Tell him he needs to go see a physician.”

The two shared a look before Mickey shook his head, putting his hands up in surrender while Nat sighed.

“Yeah, I’m definitely not getting in the middle of a sibling squabble,” she drawled, taking a bite of her apple. You rolled your eyes, turning back to look at the brunette beside you.

“As soon as we dock, I’m going to go find a physician,” you told him, pressing your lips into a firm line as you stared him down. Your father had always said that you get your temper and attitude from your mother.

“It’s like a miniature you running around everywhere, Pen!” He’d laugh, throwing his head back as you gave him the best scowl your six year old self could come up with. Your mother would roll her eyes, biting back a smile as she watched you glare at the older man.

“She’s going to strike fear into the heart of everyone who crosses her, mark my words!” He grinned, reaching out to gather you in his arms.

“Don’t give me that look,” you scowled as Bradley gave you a dubious look. “I mean it! We’re finding a physician the next time we dock.”

“Alright, fine,” he grumbled, moving to stand, holding up his hand when you made to say something else. “By all means, go find a physician, Guppy. In the meantime, I’m going to go get some work done on deck before we dock.”

“Javy said we should make landfall within the hour,” Nat provided, watching as the brunette rounded the table towards the stairs. You watched after him, chewing on your bottom lip in worry. Were you really in the wrong for worrying after him so? Surely not. Bradley had always been stubborn, ever since the two of you were children. If anything, he wasn’t worrying nearly enough about his current condition.

“He’s going to be okay, you know,” Nat said, reaching out to hold your hand in hers. She offered you a gentle smile as she squeezed it lightly. “Maybe you should give him some time?”

“I’ve given him plenty of time,” you mumbled, glaring half-heartedly at the stairs where Bradley had just disappeared. “He needs to see a physician if he’s not eating. It could be illness.”

“He seems fine to me,” Mickey offered with a shrug. “A physician would be a waste of time, anyway.”

“Why’s that?” You asked, brow furrowing at his words. Nat shot him a pointed look, and Mickey straightened up as if just realizing what it was that he said.

“Oh, I just mean,” he trailed off, looking at Nat for help. All she offered was an unimpressed glare as he fumbled for how to continue.

“I just mean,” he stammered, “that physicians never really know what they’re doing, right? I mean, they’ll prescribe plants and leeches and-”

“Mickey?” Nat interrupted, raising an eyebrow and resting her chin on her fist.

“Yeah?”

“Shut up.”

“Oh thank God,” Mickey mumbled, looking away and catching sight of Bob and Reuben making their way towards your table. Bob sat down next to you, bumping your shoulder with his in greeting as Mickey and Nat made room for Reuben on the other side.

“What are we talking about?” Bob asked, taking a bite of his oats.

“I’m going to go and find a physician for Bradley once we dock,” you told him. He paused, stiffening next to you for a moment before continuing with his food.

“What?” You asked, a tinge of annoyance evident in your town. He didn’t say anything for a moment, just chewing before swallowing.

“Is a physician really what he needs?” He asked carefully, glancing up at your friends on the other side of the table. You rolled your eyes fixing the bespectacled man with an annoyed look.

“Is there some sailor superstition about physicians being bad luck that I don’t know about?” You questioned, glancing around the table. Everyone refused to meet your eyes, and you felt another twinge of aggravation in your chest.

“No,” Bob replied, shaking his head, spoon clacking against the side of his bowl as he moved the oats around. “It’s just that they’re costly, you know? I’d hate for you to waste all that money only for there to be nothing wrong with him.”

“He’s not eating,” you replied dryly. “I think that’s plenty of cause to go and see a physician. I’ll deal with the cost when we get there.”

Shouting could be heard from on deck, and all of you glanced up at the sudden outcry.

“Sounds like we’ve reached land,” Reuben commented, focusing back on his plate.

“Perfect timing,” you chirped, already moving to stand. You cast a final smile to your friends, giving a small wave as you made your way towards the stairs. “I’ll see you all up there!”

It was still a few hours before anyone was allowed to leave the ship, Jake and Javy making sure that everyone had been inspected for signs of illness per the harbormaster’s orders. You kept silent about Bradley’s lack of appetite, certain that if it were contagious, then the others would be showing signs as well. Once the ship had been cleared and deemed healthy, you all set about preparing the ship to settle.

It was the late afternoon by the time you finished your tasks, and you set about trying to pin down Bradley.

“Have you seen him?” You asked Nat as you hung in the doorway to your shared cabin, having ran from the galley to the private quarters. She glanced up at you in the mirror, a quizzical look on her face as you fought to catch your breath.

“Who?”

“Bradley, of course,” you chuckled, straightening up and stepping further into the room. “Who else would I be talking about?”

She hummed noncommittally, turning her focus back towards her bun.

“I haven’t seen him,” she responded finally. “But I haven’t seen the others either. Perhaps they’ve already gone ahead and gone out?”

Your lips pulled into a frown as you realized that, save for Bob just moments before, you hadn’t seen Mickey or Reuben either.

“He wouldn’t,” you growled, earning another look from the woman in front of you. Your jaw dropped in indignation. “That rat!”

“He’s your brother,” she shrugged, once again turning back to the mirror. You let out another growl, turning to stomp your way back onto the deck. The oaf you called a brother would have to come back to the ship at some point, and it was then that you would corner him.

Meanwhile, your boots stomped across the deck and towards the gangway, mind bound and determined to find a physician at this small port. The docks were already crowded in the late afternoon, and you found yourself having to push through throngs of people just to get into the streets themselves. You weren’t sure where you should be looking, but you were sure that a port town of this size had to have some kind of physician. All around you, merchants of all kind hollered to the passing travelers, some selling food, others selling trinkets.

“Fine wares for your misses, sir!”

“Fish for sale!”

“How’s about a shilling for an hour of your pleasure, mister?”

You shied away from the last one, not wishing to be caught up in that business. People did what they needed to survive, but you were weary of the men who tended to hang around those parts.

“Interested in apples, miss?”

You turned to find an older woman staring directly at you, knobbed fingers outstretched to offer you a bright, red apple. She was missing a few teeth, that you could see as she smiled up at you, her silver hair falling out of her bun in wisps.

“They’re just a three for a shilling,” she continued, waving it up at you. “Tha’s quite the bargain.”

“No,” you shook your head. “No, thank you. Would you happen to know where I can find a physician?”

“A physician?” She parroted, her arm dropping back to her side as she studied you. “Doesn’t look like anythin’s wrong with you.”

“It’s not for me,” you corrected her. “It’s for my brother. I think he might be sick since he hasn’t been eating.”

“Not eatin’, you say?” She hummed thoughtfully. “Was a boy back when I was a girl meself who stopped eatin’ one day, there was. Was fit as a fiddle and then just dropped dead one day, the poor lad.”

“Yes, well,” you swallowed thickly, feeling ice run up your spine at her words, “I’d like to keep that from happening to my brother, if you don’t mind. So, do you know of any physicians here in town?”

“Oh, aye, aye,” she nodded, her wayward strands of hair flying all over the place. “Physician’s just a few streets over, love. A fine man he is, too. Helped me sister when she was puking buckets a few years back. Set her right as rain he did.”

“You said he’s a few streets down?” You prodded.

“Aye, just three streets down and to the right from here. There’s a big ole sign out front, you can’t miss it,” she said, waving in the general direction of where you needed to head. You followed the gesture, looking back and nodding.

“Thank you,” you smiled, turning and making your way through the crowd once more. It took you all of fifteen minutes to find the building the old woman was talking about, a bright blue sign with the word “physician” painted in white letters hanging above the streets as you approached. Worming your way through, you finally managed to trudge your way through the door, slamming it closed behind you with a wince at the loud sound in the unusually quiet room.

It was your standard physician’s office, the wood floors creaking as you wandered further into the dimly lit room. The walls behind the counter were filled to the brim with different herbs and potions meant for treating different ailments. It wasn’t long before an older man walked out from the backroom, peering at you curiously from over the rim of his glasses.

“Might I help you with something, young lady?” he inquired, rubbing his hands clean with a cloth towel.

“Yes, actually,” you smiled, crossing the rest of the distance to stand just in front of him, only the counter separating the two of you. “I came because of my brother. He hasn’t been eating the last few weeks, and it has me worried.”

“Hasn’t been eating, hm?” He hummed, an eyebrow raised in curiosity. “Does he have any other symptoms?”

“Now that you mention it, no,” you frowned, suddenly finding it odd that the only thing physically wrong with Bradley was his apparent lack of an appetite. “He sleeps just fine, and he looks healthy as he usually does.”

“No fever?” He continued.

“No, nothing like that,” you assured him.

“Vomiting?”

You shook your head, earning another hum from the older man.

“And, uh,” he smiled, a gesture you were sure was meant to be comforting, “what is it your brother does for a living?”

“He’s a sailor.”

“A sailor,” he nodded, cocking his head to the side. “And why isn’t he here with you now?”

“He thinks he doesn’t need a physician,” you scowled, crossing your arms. “He was supposed to come with me, but snuck off before I could grab him.”

The physician chuckled at that, tossing the cloth onto the counter as he leaned against it.

“Well, unfortunately, there’s not much I can do about his situation without seeing him in person, miss. How long is he in town for?”

“We’re here for at least another day,” you told him, earning another nod.

“Bring him by tomorrow,” he instructed. “I’ll take a look at him before you two leave town.”

“Thank you,” you sighed, relief washing over you in waves. “I really appreciate this, you have no idea.”

“I’ll keep the shop open until sundown. After that, I make no promises.”

“We’ll be here!” You assured him, turning to leave, weary of the setting sun shining through the window. You waved at him from over your shoulder, offering one last smile as you exited the shop.

“Bradley,” you huffed, arms crossed and eyes narrowed at the taller brunette. The two of you were currently in another argument about going to the physician, your window before the shop closed rapidly waning as the sun sank lower and lower towards the horizon. You had tried to stay awake the night before, waiting for Bradley on deck before falling asleep on one of the dozen barrels scattered about. You had inexplicably woken up in your bed that morning, still dressed in the clothes from the day before. When you had entered the galley, he was still absent, the rest of your little friend group remaining tight lipped about where he might be. The rest of your day was spent meal prepping and taking inventory with Bob until finally, the man had run out of chores for you two to do. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think he was keeping you busy on purpose.

You had sat perched in the same spot as the night before, eyes trained on the gangway until a familiar head of brown hair peeked over the deck. He spotted you right away, freezing in his tracks before making a beeline for the stairs leading below deck. You were hot on his heels, your temper surfacing as you finally cornered him.

“Guppy,” he replied cooly, refusing to meet your eye as he scanned the galley for help.

“You’ve been avoiding me,” you accused him, earning a scoff.

“Have not.”

“Have to.”

“Have not.”

“You have to, and don’t even try to deny it again,” you snapped, poking him in the chest. “We have precious little time to get to the physician before he closes up shop for the day. He was kind enough to keep it open as long as he is, now let’s go.”

“I’m not going,” he muttered. You froze, balking at his tone.

“What?”

“I’m not going, Guppy,” he repeated, still not meeting your gaze, golden eyes locked on something just past your shoulder. You let out a humorless chuckle, shaking your head in exasperation.

“Bradley-”

“I’m not going, and that’s final,” he growled. “Drop it.”

You stared at him for a long moment, your anger and sadness welling up all at once inside of you.

“You really want to leave me alone, don’t you?” You whispered. Bradley’s eyes snapped to you, still firm, but now with an edge of uncertainty to them. “First it was Papa, then Mama. I only had you, and now you’re determined to leave me too. You’d rather see me alone than go see the stupid physician, is that it?”

His face dropped into a look of horror, regret swirling in his eyes as he reached for you. “Guppy-”

You took a step back, feeling the hot, angry tears sting at your eyes. You fixed him with your meanest glare, cursing yourself when you felt your bottom lip begin to tremble.

“If you want to die so bad,” you sniffled, “then by all means, go ahead. Just leave me out of it.”

And with that, you turned on your heals and practically sprinted towards the stairs, the eyes of the rest of the crew fixed on you the entire way. You were vaguely aware of Bob’s concerned face peering at you from the kitchen, Mickey and Reuben seated not too far away. You passed Nat, ignoring her outstretched hands as you thundered past her and Javy up the stairs. The wind sent a chill down your heated face, only made worse when the tears finally began to fall. The sun was just above the horizon now, the sky painted in an array of pinks and oranges as it beckoned the night.

“Rough time?”

You jumped, spinning around to find Jake leaning against the railing on the far side of the ship. His golden blonde hair shimmered in the evening light. The sun kissed the horizon just passed his shoulder, creating a halo that glowed around him. If you didn’t already know him, you’d think he was an angel. He stares at you as if he could see into the very depths of your soul, his olive green eyes never wavering.

“What do you care?” You snapped, furiously rubbing at your eyes to rid them of any tears. Jake watched you intently, as if knowing that you would continue. “Bradley’s not eating.”

“Of course he’s not,” Jake replied, no hint of malice or sarcasm in his voice. Just a simple statement, but it made you tense up nonetheless.

“He hasn’t eaten in weeks,” you clarified, unsure if maybe he misunderstood you. He nodded, face unchanging.

“I know.”

“You know?” You asked incredulously. “You know, and you’ve done nothing about it?”

“There’s nothing to be done about it,” he shrugged, and you felt your whole body stiffen in anger.

“He needs a physician,” you snapped, fists clenched so hard at your sides, you thought you might draw blood with how your nails dug into your palms.

“A physician can’t cure what’s wrong with him, darlin’,” he drawled, as if explaining something so obvious. Your jaw ticked in annoyance.

“And what, pray tell, is wrong with my brother, captain?” You spat, the title earning a twitch from the blond’s lips.

“Do you believe in Davy Jones, Guppy?” he asked. That was unexpected. The change in conversation had your head jerking back, confusion stifling the anger momentarily.

“I believe he’s a scary story that parents tell their children to scare them into being good,” you responded, thinking back to the stories your own father would tell you. “He’s not real.”

Jake gave a humorless chuckle, closing his eyes and letting out a deep sigh. He ran a hand through his golden locks, looking out over the side of the ship and to the sea. The sound of the gulls and the creak of the ship as it rocked in the waves were the only things to be heard before he spoke. “I can assure you, he’s real.”

“Stop teasing,” you snapped, crossing your arms and fixing him with a glare. He gave you a wry smile, a look of sadness barely discernable in his eyes as they swept over you.

“If only it were that,” he started. “I didn’t believe in curses until six years ago, if you can believe that.”

“And what happened six years ago to make you a believer?” you asked, rolling your eyes. You were in no mood to be mocked or played with, and this man was wasting your time with his nonsense. You glanced over his shoulder. If you could wrap this conversation up, perhaps you could somehow convince Bradley to go with you to get the care he needed.

Jake paused. “Six years ago, I met a woman. She was beautiful, sweet, caring. The kinds of things most men want in a woman.”

“And you don’t?” you questioned.

“Those are nice things to have,” he hummed thoughtfully, then he gave you a small smirk. “But I’ve always wanted a little more.”

You ignored the shiver that smirk sent through you. “So, I’m guessing you took this woman to bed?”

“I did,” Jake admitted, pursing his lips. “And then I left her. Only, I didn’t know that there was another man in love with her at the time.”

“And he beat you senseless?” You guessed, letting out a snort of derision.

“Haven’t you been paying attention, darlin’?” He chuckled. “That man was none other than Davy Jones himself. Risen from the deep to exact vengeance on little, old me.”

“Right,” you scoffed. Surely he couldn’t be expecting you to believe him? He was speaking of fairytales. “And what, pray tell, does this curse involve exactly?”

“I, and everyone in my crew, are destined to exist on this earth in limbo. Not alive, but not dead either. A half-life. We eat, but we are never full. Our food tasting like ash.” He stood up, walking slowly towards you as he continued talking. “We drink, but our thirst is never quenched. The finest wines leave our throat dry like the desert.”

He cupped your cheek, stroking it before resting his thumb on your bottom lip, and you willed yourself to stay focused on the conversation at hand, despite the warmth the seemingly innocent action sparked in you. “We can feel, but no touch leaves us satisfied. I and every other member of this crew have taken many women to bed, only to crave more and more as this insatiable need for contact drives us mad. I’ve not known relief from another person’s touch in over six years.”

“Must be lonely,” you said softly. A look of unadulterated despair ran across Jake’s face, and it was then that you knew in your heart that he was telling the truth. It was the look of a man with ghosts that followed him, taunting him into submission, and you sucked in a harsh breath as he stared at you. His eyes shone with unshed tears, his breaths coming in ragged for a moment before he was able to compose himself.

“It’s agony,” he admitted quietly, dropping his hand back to his side, almost reluctantly.

“Did Davy Jones give you a way to lift the curse?” you asked, a sense of urgency in your tone. If there was a way you could help Bradley and your new friends, you had to try.

Jake didn’t say anything for a moment. Then he sighed, “I have to find what he considers to be the greatest treasure of all.”

“And what is that?”

“He didn’t say,” Jake muttered, head hanging low.

Your brow furrowed. “But, how are you supposed to find it if you don’t even know what it is you’re looking for?”

“Isn’t that the point?” he snorted, a humorless smile etched onto his face as he looked back at you. A sense of dread filled you, and you did your best to push it to the side. Giving up was not an option, it never had been for you.

“Well, you have all the time in the world to find what it is you’re looking for,” you offered, giving him a soft smile. He shook his head, the wry smile finding a home on his face once more.

“Old Jonesy only gave me seven years to find it before the curse becomes permanent.”

“Seven years?” you exclaimed, ice drenching your bones. “But you said this happened six years ago!”

“I did,” he said softly, watching you put the pieces together.

“But, that means…” you trailed off, horror overtaking your senses. Jake nodded.

“I have less than one year left to find the treasure.”

A/N: This one goes out to all my Fool's Fare girlies who have been waiting patiently for two months now for an update and haven't complained once! Y'all are the real MVPs. If you haven't heard, I'm redoing my tag lists, so please be sure to sign up for this new one! As always, reblogs and comments are appreciated and encouraged! And don't ever hesitate to pop into my inbox to talk about my fics or anything else! You can also find my works on AO3 under the username arcane_vagabond!

[fallingforfelix]

❛❛out of touch❞

모래시계를 통해 미끄러지는 모래처럼, 단절은 우리 손끝으로 스며듭니다.

disconnection seeps through our fingertips, like sand slipping through the hourglass.

.° ༘🎍⋆🍾₊˚ෆ

synopsis: kinktober day #4 — hand fetish (cheirophilia)

pairing: felix x minho

content: 18+/explicit (mature audiences only), tad bit of angst but not too much, smut, college au, second person view, pwp (porn with plot), emotional distress, lgbtq+ content, mature relationships, skinship, profanities, potential triggers for anxiety or low self-esteem

warnings: voyeurism, masturbation, physical affection (hugging, hand holding), orgasm, erotic fantasies, pet names (jagi)

word count: 3.2k (3200) + 3 photos (text messages)

note: are half of felix’s emotions overreactions in this? absolutely!! but i haven’t been feeling the best lately so what better way to get my anger out than by writing angst in my works. so i rly liked this one, until it got to the smut. definitely not my best!! there’s a typo in one of the messages so pls ignore that. this was supposed to be a triple post…but i’ll just post the other two when i wake up in the morning.

inspired by: like me better by @cattolino

song reference: touch by katseye

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

the way minho played the guitar so flawlessly was astonishing, no doubt. and felix would’ve admitted that the tune was beautiful, had he not been distracted.

the way minho’s veins protruded like they were trying to escape his skin, made felix’s brain spin. he couldn’t help but feel almost…insecure? his gaze kept flickering between his hyung and his own hands that were clasped together on his lap. his miniature, feminine-like hands. no wonder minho hyung has girls all over him.

and mixed with the insecurity was something else. something felix couldn’t quite pinpoint, but it gnawed at his heartstrings and made him feel giddy. felix chewed on his inner cheek and twiddled his fingers, his gaze following minho’s hands, now completely blocking out the music.

a while seemed to have passed, but never long enough, because minho spoke up, resting his hands on odd ends of the guitar, his veins remaining inanimate.

“so, did you like it? i know i’m not that good. but i think i’m getting the hang of it. jisung has been teaching me and he’s amazing. you know that emo music kid? you must, he’s in your year.”

oh, so you let other boys see your hands like that? 

felix hadn’t even had time to grasp the thought before it passed, replaced by the urge to reply.

“wow, you learn quickly,” felix mentally cursed himself for the way his voice sounded so breathy, and he coughed to clear his throat. “uhm, yeah, it’s really nice actually. good tune. the kind that’ll get stuck in your head. i don’t recall ever hearing it, did you compose it?”

“jisung and i did,” and minho’s face broke into a wide grin, highlighting his feline features. “i slept over in his dorm around a week ago and we pulled an all-nighter just writing a bunch of silly songs. he’s actually a composer, did you know that? signed with a label and everything, writing songs for some big names. you’d be surprised when you recognise all the ones he’s credited for, trust me. anyways, these chords happened to be the only ones we wrote down.

“that sounds nice and all, but hey, just remember you’re a dance major. don’t let the music students fuck your brain up or anything like that, okay?” as much as he tried to, felix just couldn’t suppress the layer of jealousy that seeped through his tone, hoping minho didn’t notice it.

minho chuckled. “it seems like you’re talking from experience.”

“oh, you know, hyunjin and his boyfriend changbin. i don’t reckon hyune’s been the same since.”

“well i best keep an eye out, then,” minho expressed a little wink, and felix felt a wave of dread wash over him as he came to terms with the blush warming his face.

there was a pause, a beat of silence. for a moment no one spoke.

minho clapped his hands together, and that was all that it took for felix’s attention to be drawn to the sight of them once again.

“we’ve been here for a while and it’s getting late, shall we head back to the dorms?” he enquired.

“sure,” felix blatantly responded, before standing up.

minho stood too, fixing the guitar back into the case, and felix observed the routine of his veins, watching as minho moved specific fingers to trigger certain vessels unconsciously.

felix hadn’t even realised the older had propped the guitar back onto the rack and was staring intently at him.

“sorry,” felix snapped out of his trance.

“are you all good?” minho asked.

“yeah, yeah. i’m just…i don’t know,” felix figured ‘tired’ was too much of an overused, lame excuse to justify his spacing out.

and with that, minho made his way out of the practice room, felix following suit.

the walk back to their dorms was peaceful, neither of the boys spoke much, only when minho pointed out how the weather was getting noticeably colder did felix converse.

felix, although the extrovert, found content in the silence. it gave him an opportunity to dwell on the conflicting emotions encircling inside him, like an eagle circling its prey.

minho was the type of person that anyone could easily envy. minho’s hands were large and veiny, a stark contrast to felix’s. heck, if they were to hold hands, minho would probably feel like he was holding a child’s.

but there was something else about minho’s hands. something that made felix want to be held by them and never let go. something that ached inside him and caused him to wish for his hyung’s hands to roam over every contour of his body. something…no, i won’t dare let my thoughts roam that far.

felix had always regarded minho as sexy, so why was he only experiencing these perceptions now? fuck that damned guitar.

the sound of loud voices and laughter drew felix out of his mind, coming to face the door within which he resided. turning the handle with minho behind him, he came face to face with three college boys.

hyunjin was lazing on the couch, with his back supported by the arm rest and his legs thrown over changbin’s lap. the couple seemed to be laughing with a third, unknown boy, who had a gummy smile and chubby, rounded cheeks, quite resemblant of a squirrel. he was adorned in a sweater with a red and black horizontal stripe pattern, paired with black jeans which had slits in the knees, black platform boots that would most definitely hurt if he stood on you, and he was almost decorated in a range of silver jewellery.

the boys seemed not to notice felix and minho’s entry, or if they did then they just didn’t care.

“having a little party without me i see, hyune,” felix says as he lays eyes on the scene. he doesn’t comprehend hyunjin’s response, however, for that squirrel-faced stranger brushed past him into minho’s arms.

in that moment, felix’s tender, possessive heart fractured, shattered even, leaving a jagged edge that refused to heal. numbness enveloped him, yet his eyes betrayed him, burning with the temptation to hold back tears. his sorrow weighed down the muscles that he required to smile, preventing him from doing that very thing, stealing the grin that once defined him. the boy who everyone described as a walking sunshine, the epitome of optimism, now felt his inner light dwindle to darkness.

minho hyung doesn’t like skinship.

it wasn’t the fact that minho was hugging other guys, no, he was an adult and allowed to hug whoever he wanted to. it was the fact that everyone knew he despised physical affection.

“minho hyung,” that boy’s words were muffled as he had his head buried in minho’s chest.

“jisungie…” minho’s smile was evident even through his voice.

oh, so that’s jisung. right.

someone had stabbed him in the heart, twisted the knife, and the scar seemed as if it would take an eternity to heal. an overreaction? perhaps. but felix was like that. he cared for his friends, even if that resulted in being possessive at times. as long as he didn’t have an outburst, everything would be okay.

felix turned into the kitchenette to pour himself a glass from the tap. maybe water would help drown out the emotions bubbling in his throat, threatening to consume him in a fit of tears if he didn’t take care of them soon enough.

he sat himself on the top of the counter, legs crossed and cup in hand. his gaze wandered over to changbin and hyunjin, to the picture-perfect couple, that were all over each other, not a single thought to anything else going on in their vicinity. oh, to have a relationship like theirs. felix’s sight shifted from one side of the room to the other, subconsciously eyeing minho and jisung.

they were now facing each other, minho’s hands resting on jisung’s arms, just above the crook of his elbow. the pair were conversing about something felix would’ve liked to have eavesdropped on, but once again, his glare was drawn to minho. the boy was doing that stupid thing he does with his eyes, his beautiful, dark brown, almond-shaped eyes that gave him the illusion of a cat. he was staring deep into jisung’s eyes almost as if he could see through them, past them. funny how someone regarded as intimidating due to their “mean, cold” stare, could hold so much love in their eyes.

felix didn’t know why he did it, but he coughed a fake cough, reminding the couples that he was in the room with them.

“sorry, uhm,” although felix wasn’t really sorry. “hyune do y’know where wooya is?”

“dunno, probably with san or something,” hyunjin responded.

“right. i’m gonna go call him.”

and without another word, felix disappeared into his room, seeking the safety of a relationship-free zone.

he pulled out his phone, but didn’t call wooyoung. he didn’t know what he was going to do, but he knew he didn’t want to be in the atmosphere of the shared living space.

he just sat there on his bed, merely thinking, trying to process everything. fuck having feelings. and maybe a silent tear or two ran down his cheek. he kept trying to tell himself that it wasn’t jealousy that caused him to act this way. but if it wasn’t jealousy, then what could it be? it wasn’t insecurity, he had already been over that.

he came to the conclusion that he’d let his emotions subside and figure them out later when they weren’t as intense. he stood up and made a beeline for the door, planning to grab some of the brownies he made early and return to his room to rewatch deadpool and wolverine.

stepping outside, he quickly wiped away any remaining tears, gently though, so as to not smear any of his makeup.

a figure appeared in the hallway as felix lifted his head, almost scaring him.

“felix! i was just about to come and get you,” jisung gasped.

he had barely even known this kid existed 10 minutes ago, and his friends were already expecting him to be able to usher felix out of his room. and for some reason felix took offence to that.

“oh, it’s just my third eye,” felix retorded, not voicing anything he just thought.

“we’re all just about to head off, actually. thought we’d let you know,” jisung told.

making plans without him? okay, ouch.

“ah, no worries.”

“lixie, did you hear from wooyoung?” hyunjin asked as felix stepped into the light of the room with jisung by his side.

“no, he didn’t pick up,” and felix was ashamed he could lie so easily to one of his best friends. that’ll come in handy. for what? he didn’t know. his brain seemed to be doing most of the thinking, yet not feeding him the information.

“that’s odd. i hope he’s not having too much fun with san,” hyunjin joked.

felix would’ve found it amusing if he was in a better mood, instead he just gave a dry laugh that no one seemed to notice.

minho spoke up as felix was grabbing the brownies from the fridge and heating them up in the microwave.

“hyunjins spending the night at changbin’s, and jisungs roommates with him so their just gonna drop me off at my dorm.”

don’t even bother to invite me? don’t bother, it’s not like i want to be around jisung anyways.

“sound all good? wooyoung will be back soon, i’m sure,” minho asked.

“yeah, that’s fine,” felix responded, almost absent mindedly, seeming all too focused on the way the plate rotated in the microwave.

the ding sound that the machine made when the brownies finished brought felix back to life, and he stared in minho’s direction as soon as he felt the older’s eyes on him.

“want one?” he offered, already stuffing his face but trying to soften the atmosphere.

minho didn’t respond with words, but rather walked himself over to felix, claiming his brownie. felix noticed that the jumper he was wearing before was discarded across one of the chairs that sat on the other side of the kitchen bench. probably because the temperature inside contrasted drastically compared to the weather outside as hyunjin had turned up the heater to an inhumane temperature.

“thanks, jagi,” minho mumbled before biting down on the treat.

jagi?

oh, felix was definitely blushing. he probably just combusted, if that.

purposefully positioning his head so that his hair would cover majority of the redness, he tried to respond with a nonchalant “no problem” but his voice just had to crack.

—

felix eventually had offer the three other boys brownies, and he had to admit that jisung was pretty damn cute when he begged, but felix wouldn’t let him get to his head.

minho calling him ‘jagi’ definitely fucked him up. so much so that felix was now propped up in his bed, scrolling through their chats to find the picture of minho’s hand that he sent when he asked felix which ring he preferred better.

to be honest, felix’s own hand now ached; he didn’t realise how much he and his hyung interacted over text. but his hand ached from something else, something that felix would rather not confront, but his boxers were growing tighter with every thought he had of minho. and his fingers were itching with need and hunger to touch himself, but he needed to wait, the mere concept of minho’s hand wasn’t nearly as good as the real thing.

jisung had made a joke of some sort before they all left, earning a laugh from everyone, even felix had to chuckle along, minho had backhandedly hit felix on his bicep, nothing violent, just a typical reaction that you get from some people when they laugh. and felix wasn’t in pain, but where minho had placed his hand left a mark, a mental mark, one that was burned into felix’s memory forever.

felix finally came across the texts, relishing the tone of their conversation. he didn’t think he’d ever be able to look minho in the eye again soon enough.

minho’s veins in the picture were not nearly as prominent compared to how felix saw them when he was playing the guitar, but he reckoned it was the best he was going to get.

felix and minho had worn the rings everyday since purchase — around a month and a half ago. felix had been wearing his today, only taking it off just then so as to not damage the expensive silver. and he vividly remembered minho adorned in his half of the set, recalling how he felt the cold metal touch his skin when minho had hit him.

felix had slipped off his shirt, leaving him in boxers only. he was positioned on the bed with his elbow supporting his weight, phone in the corresponding hand, with his legs spread open but not outstretched.

his spare hand was resting just above the waistband of his boxers, moving up and down in synchronisation with his breathing. felix took another glance at the photo in his palm, and all control he previously had was thrown out of the window.

he placed his hand on his bulge and slowly began dragging his digits across his clothed length. he sucked in through his teeth, body quivering already. felix stayed like that for a moment, savouring the feeling, easily picturing his hyung’s hands taking charge of his dick.

“fuck, minho,” he gasped, palming his increasingly tight boxers.

felix bit his lip, unaware if he was suppressing the noises or the pain the thought of minho was giving him. a wet patch formed over his crotch, signifying he was dripping with precum.

noting that he had already gone too far to be uneasy, he bucked subconsciously into his hand and let a little whine slip again. felix pictured minho’s pretty face above him, staring into his eyes and stroking his cock almost nonchalantly as the blonde boy beneath him writhed in pleasure. felix could imagine the signature smirk that would dawn minho’s face at the guttural moan felix would make if he swiped his thumb across his leaking tip, pushing him closer to the edge.

but even though it seemed as if minho was there on top of him, the voice in the back of felix’s mind knew that his own hands could never compare to his hyung’s. his lip was bleeding from the pressure of his teeth, but no matter how much friction or weight he applied, his efforts weren’t satisfactory.

felix lifted his hips up, sliding off his boxers with ease, exposing his extremely sensitive cock. he breathed in shakily, body tensing at the sudden exposure to air. he wrapped his fingers around his length, sucking in his cheeks as if he had just tasted something quite sour.

he moaned again as his hand dragged along the freshly-shaven skin, rutting into his palm. he began to pant, eyes watering in desperation. felix’s bed began to creak, but his senses were so overwhelmed he barely payed any attention to being quiet.

“ngh, minho hyung—” felix whimpered like a little slut.

his eyes were closed, forcing the movie in his head to appear clearer, almost realistic. he satisfied his delusions, letting his thumb come intact with the tip of his dick. felix had to grip the side of his bed for support, his movements never halting. his head lolled from the pillow on which it was propped upon, to the wooden headboard, exposing his defined adam’s apple.

minho’s face swam into his vision again, this time jerking felix off at an inhumane pace, whilst prying the boy’s legs open wider. felix mocked the minho in his mind, surprised how fast he could stroke himself and forcing his legs further apart. he internally praised his minho, because felix was now completely zoned out in a state of bliss. obviously with hands like his, minho would be an expert at handjobs. but it brought felix’s brain back to earth for a second, how many people get to experience the very thing i’m dreaming of, lee minho’s holy hands presenting me with pleasure and the best handjob known to mankind. and felix felt a twinge of jealousy, but that only fuelled his desire for more.

“shi-it, minho ah,” felix could feel the brick wall that had slowly constructed itself inside of him begin to crumble and he became a moaning mess.

“minho, minho…please i-i’ve been so good mm, let me c-cum, please…” and felix was tipped over the edge completely, painting his abs in strips of white, not caring about the mess he was making.

he was panting, tongue hanging out, and mouth dry. quite resemblant of a dog. he looked at the picture of minho’s hands laying limply on the bed, as felix had discarded his phone when he went to steady himself. he groaned again at the sight and began to feel that wall being built again.

he pushed himself up on the bed, turning around to grind into the pillow in an attempt to find a more comfortable position for round two.

“do that again.”

✄┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈┈

©fallingforfelix, 2024 tag if inspired

[writing-till-i-am-dead]

Stargoth oneshot - Ice Skating

“Seriously, Deacon?” Chase grumbled. “You just had to get close to the pony at the fair.”

Deacon glared at Chase before lifting up his bandaged arm, healing from being broken by an angry miniature pony. “Hey, remember! You can’t talk! I jinxed you earlier!”

“Ya, I think that cancelled out when you yelled my name out in pain a little over three times when that pony kicked you.”

Chase sighed and shook his head. “Guess I’ll be doing the work on my own for a bit until you heal up..”

Deacon sank into his bed, grumbling under his bed. 

Chase looked over at Bronze. “Keep an eye on him?”

Bronze shrugged. “Got nothing better to do.”

Chase picked up Silver and smiled at her. “Ready for this?”

She smiled and did a curtsy. “Always!”

Chase reached for a random book, merely glancing at the title before inserting the key. 

When he opened his eyes, he felt like he was in Christmas Town from The Nightmare Before Christmas.

He looked at his outfit. A skin tight blue suit with a fur collar, puffballs, and a mid length cape with a snowflake theme. 

“Another great outfit, Silver!” he said happily. He took a step and nearly fell. That’s when he realized he’s also wearing ice skates and he’s on a frozen pond. 

“Oh shoot. I haven’t ice skated in years..” He slapped his face and shook his head. “No matter! For I am Chase Hollow, and I can do anything!”

He attempted to glide over the ice, but instead face planted. That was when he heard skrrrrch coming his way. He looked up and really wish he hadn’t. 

“Buddy,” he said bluntly.

“Did you seriously choose a story like this when you don’t even know how to ice skate?” Buddy asked, raising a smug eyebrow.

“I know how to skate! Just.. rusty!” he grumbled as he struggled to get to his feet. 

“Mhm..”

Chase finally managed to get to his feet and looked at Buddy. 

Ugh. One of the most frustrating things about hating this absolute tool is that Chase finds him extremely hot. 

He can’t help it! Goth guys have always been his type!

And with Buddy’s low cut black shirt with navy trim and a black and white cloak barely covering his shoulders to show off the fishnet undershirt he was wearing underneath.. ya, Chase felt like his heart would burst out of his chest. 

Whatever! The black snowflake tiara that he was wearing was lame and that’s all he decided to focus on. 

“So,” Buddy started. “Where’s your little sidekick?”

“Huh?”

“You never seem to go into a story without him anymore.”

“He’s.. busy for a bit.”

“Busy? If you have the responsibility of being a key holder, you can’t afford to be busy.”

Chase rolled his eyes. “Whatever. Go outside and touch grass. Maybe that’ll make you less of a prick,” he said before turning and skating away. 

The entire kingdom seemed to be on ice, all the villagers also wearing ice skates as they made their way around town. 

Doesn’t that get exhausting, though? Chase wondered. 

He looked around, wondering what he had to do to trigger the story. 

That’s when he spotted it. A sign for The Royal Ice Skating Challenge. 

“That seems plot important,” he murmured to himself as he skated closer to the sign to get a better look at it.

“In the Icicle Forest. Where’s that?” he thought. He looked around, hoping to find a road of some sort. But no. No land in sight. Not even a forest. Just. Ice. He felt like he was playing in a superflat Minecraft world right now. 

“The prince!” Shouted one villager. “He’s here!”

Here we go… Chase thought as he mentally prepared himself to deal with another boring prince. 

“Hello!” he said to the overly sparkly man (and Chase loves sparkles, but this guy was seriously overdoing it). 

“Ah! Hello. You are a baker?” he asked, gesturing at what the heroine character must’ve been wearing. 

“Yepppp. That’s me. Listen, I was wondering if I could join your ice skating challenge thing!”

“Oh! Why of c-!”

But he was cut off by Gothy McGothFace, who skated to the prince’s side. 

“Really, sir? Are you really going to let a peasant join the challenge?”

“I.. well, why wouldn’t I, Iclyn?”

Iclyn? Chase thought. What an on the nose name. What, is my name something like Frosta?

“Frosta!” shouted a voice from behind him. “Come inside and help serve the customers!”

Chase groaned slightly and glared at ‘IcLyN’ before skating off to whoever was calling him. 

“I gotta find out where that Ice Skating Competition will be..” he said quietly to himself. He saw the lady who called to him, who was shaking her head. 

“Your father is getting tired of you always running off, Frosta.”

“Oh, um, sorry.. mom?” he guessed. 

She sighed and ruffled his hair. “It’s all right. Just get to your station.”

He touched the spot she had ruffled, processing the motherly affection before forcing himself to snap out of it. 

She’s not your real mom, Chase. He forced himself to think. 

“Hey, mom. Where’s the Icicle Forest from here?”

“Now, Frosta, why would you need to know that?”

“Uh. Some competition.”

“The Royal Ice Skating Competition? Frosta, honey, why would you want to do that? You know there’s no possible way you can win.”

“What?! But mom-!” Chase had heard those words too many times. ‘Chase, you are never going to be a singer. Give up.’ The only person who believed in him 100% was.. his mom. 

“No, mom. I will win! And I’ll prove it to you when I bring home the trophy.”

“Trophy? The prize is a tiara.”

“Um.. I’ll bring home the tiara!”

She sucked in her lips for a moment, furrowing her eyebrows before sighing. “But Frosta. Your skating is.. mediocre at best.”

Even though he wasn’t really Frosta and this wasn’t really his mom, he had to admit, that stung. 

“Yknow what? I don’t need you! I’ll find the forest on my own!”

He turned and bolted out the door. He tried to slow down when he panicked at his speed, but had too much momentum and slammed into another house. 

“Ow..”

“Ohhh,” said that annoyingly familiar voice. “That’s gotta sting.”

“You’re not as cool as you think you are.”

Buddy arched an eyebrow. “Pun not intended, I should hope?”

“No, pun absolutely intended. I’m no coward.”

“I..” he shook his head and pinched his brow. “Nevermind.”

Chase got back to his feet and brushed off his clothes, even if there was no dust to brush off. 

“I just need to find where the Icicle Forest is and I’m all set.”

“Mhm. Well, good luck with that.”

“Hey, hey, hey!! Do you know where it is?”

He tilted his head and arched his eyebrow. “Why, I don’t know. Do I? I don’t have the Helper Key.”

“Ughhhh…”

He watched as Buddy skated off into the distance. He looked around the town for some sort of map. 

“Do you know where I can find a map to the Icicle Forest?” he asked one villager. 

“Oh Frosta, why would you need to get there?”

“Because I’m joining the competition.”

“Silly girl. You know you won’t win.”

That was basically every conversation he had when he asked for help. 

People seriously treat me, er, her, pretty shitty.

He groaned and leaned against a building wall, sitting on the freezing ground. Just when he was about to give up hope, he felt a gentle hand on his shoulder. “Sweetie.”

He turned to the voice and saw a little old lady standing over him. 

“Oh, uh-“

She sighed. “Your mother told me about your plan.”

He gave her a suspicious look. “You going to try and talk me out of it?”

She chuckled and shook her head. “No, no. I think it’s a great idea. But you should practice on your figure skating a bit more.”

He felt like letting out a long groan. “But the competition-!”

“Is tomorrow. You can spend all day and night practicing. Listen to grandma.”

“I… right. Sorry.. grandma.”

She helped him up and he looked around anxiously. “Where do I practice?”

“Anywhere, sweetie. The world is your rink.”

He thought about that for a moment. He was starting to realize how badly his ankles were hurting from skating this entire time. Geez, that hurts.. But he forced himself to ignore it. 

He went to find a clear area, which wasn’t too hard. (Seriously, this place is so empty, it’s almost eerie)

He closed his eyes and tried to remember any figure skating he may have seen. But the only form of figure skating he’s ever seen was from Yuri On Ice. 

He tried to lift his leg up as high as he could, but he felt like his back was going to snap. 

He heard a laugh behind him and he whipped his head around, expecting to see that annoying fucker, but instead he saw the prince from earlier. 

“You are.. quite bad,” he said, laughing. 

Chase crossed his arms and glared at him. “Thanks,” he said sarcastically. 

“No, I mean it in a playful way. Say, would you like some help?”

He gave him a confused look. “Why would you help me?”

“In all honesty.. I would rather have anyone win but Iclyn.”

“Really? Why?”

“She said is she wins she will make me her husband. I.. would rather not have that.”

“Oh. Oh! So, like, team up to make sure she loses?”

“That is what I was hoping for,” he said, nodding. 

“Well, that benefits me too. So I’m in!”

Him and the prince shook hands. 

The rest of that day, the prince helped Chase on forms and jumps and all that other stuff. He had to admit, this was probably the best prince he’s met, even if he was overly sparkly. 

But Chase couldn’t help the feeling that someone was watching them. But everytime he looked around, he didn’t see anyone. 

They practiced until it was pitch black outside, the moonlight reflecting on the ice, casting a faint silver glow. 

“You’re amazing, Frosta,” the prince said. “I know you’ll do great tomorrow.”

Chase smiled at the praise. After a whole day of people beating him down, the compliments really helped lift his spirits. 

“Thanks. I should be heading home now. To rest.”

“Yes. Have a good rest of your night.”

Chase waved goodbye as he skated off, smiling. That was actually really fun. 

As he approached his house, he felt a figure loom over him. 

He turned and just as he did, Buddy pinned him to the wall. 

“What were you doing?”

“Hey! Let me go! I was just practicing my skating!”

“With the prince?”

“Ya! What, is that not part of the story?!”

“It.. is. But you were really enjoying yourself out there.”

“Ya, I wa- Wait. Were you spying on us?!”

“Of course I was. Nothing goes unseen,” he hissed.

“Ugh, you’re such a creep!” he exclaimed before shoving him away. 

“Ugh. Whatever. I don’t care, anyways!”

He watched as Buddy skated away. Chase clenched his fists and huffed. 

But you do care.. he thought. 

Inside the house was a hard wood floor. Where they got the wood to even build these places was beyond Chase’s knowledge, but he didn’t thinking about it as he collapsed onto the floor, his feet and ankles swollen and sore. 

So tired…

Before he even knew it, he found himself passed out on the floor, snoring away. 

By the morning, he was woken up to a gentle shaking. He slowly opened his eyes and found the old lady from earlier waking him up. 

“Frosta. Wake up. You need to prepare for the challenge.”

“Ughhh…” he sat up and rubbed his eyes, feeling like absolute shit. His feet were still sore and his knees were shaky. 

He sat up and rubbed his ankles and calves in an attempt to soothe the absolute pain, and to apologize to them for the fact that he’s about to put them through more torture. 

He stood up reluctantly and the old lady handed him a slate of ice. 

“It’s a map to the Icicle Forest. Stay safe, Frosta. I believe in you!”

He smiled at the encouragement. “Thanks. I’ll, uh.. I’ll see you when I win!”

He put on the ice skates and followed the map. There was nothing out in this field. The most interesting thing he’s managed to spot it is that there is an ocean. But no landmarks, which was weird. 

Until he saw it in the distance. 

A forest made of ice spikes jutting upwards, and instead of grass, there was huge, random patches of snow. 

He entered the strange biome and looked around but seeing nothing specifically. But this place did cast some weird shadows. 

“Now where in the forest is this competition..?”

He felt like he was wandering for hours. And then he looked up at the sky and realized he hadbeen wandering for hours. 

“NOOO! Where AM I?!”

“Lost?” a voice purred behind him. 

He turned and internally groaned. “Buddy.”

“Heh. Of course you would manage to get lost so easily.”

“Oh ya? And what are you doing here?”

“You were taking so long to arrive. I got curious. The competition starts in an hour, yknow?”

“Ya, I know,” he hissed. “Just lead me to there! Don’t you want to get this story over with too?”

Buddy thought for a moment. “I dunno. The ending to this story is rather unappealing to me.”

“What? You lose? That happens to you in every story.”

“It’s not just that I lose. There’s some more to it.”

“Huh?”

“Nevermind,” he said, shaking his head. “Forget about it.”

Chase watches as Buddy seemed to glide over the ice like it was nothing. Like he was almost weightless. 

“Cmon. Just lead the way, please.”

He narrows his eyes before shaking his head and sighing. “Fine. Follow me..”

Chase jumped a little, which nearly cost him his balance as he followed him. 

“Man, this place is a lot colder than the village.”

“Yes, well, with an outfit like your’s, it’s no surprise you’re getting so cold so easily.”

“Hey! Your’s isn’t any better!”

“Well, I’m naturally cold, so I have nothing to worry about.”

“Tsk. Prick..” Chase grumbled. 

He attempted to just ignore the cold, but the deeper and deeper they went in, the colder it got. Even Buddy seemed affected by it, as he was inching bit by bit closer to Chase, shivering slightly. 

“Thought you were naturally cold, Mr. Emo Snowman,” Chase said sarcastically. 

“Shut up. We’re almost there.”

“Geez, why did they pick the coldest area for this stupid contest? This is some bull!”

“Whining will get you no where.”

“Oh, it’ll get me somewhere, all right. It’ll get me right on your nerves.. I-I’m getting on your nerves, is what I’m trying to say.”

“Ughhh! You are so stupid..”

Chase glared at him and shoved him into the snow. “I don’t need your sour attitude! Or your insults!”

“Why you little-!”

But before Buddy had a chance to get up and shove him back, there was a loud sound of skates cutting along ice. 

“You two!” said a man in knightly clothes. “Are you here for the skating contest?”

“Ummm… yes,” Chase said, quickly fixing his hair. “Yes we are!”

“Well, hurry along! It starts soon!”

Chase scrambled to follow after him, Buddy doing the same thing, shooting cold glares in Chase’s direction. 

They reached an opening in the ‘forest’. Fairylights hug from icicle to icicle, illuminating the area with a glow bouncing off the ice. 

Chase spotted the prince off in the distance and he smiled widely and waved over to him, Buddy glaring daggers into him and smacking Chase’s hand down. 

“Ah-? Hey!” 

But Buddy just rolled his eyes and skated away, as if he wasn’t being infuriating on purpose. 

Chase went up to the prince. 

“Are you ready, Frosta?”

“Born ready!”

“Thank you for working so hard on this. Truly. I am so scared I’d have to marry Iclyn.”

“Yaaa.. say, what is so bad about her, anyways?”

“She’s so possessive and clingy, despite the fact that we’re not even together. She’s aggressive to anyone who shows any interest in me. It’s all so annoying.”

“I see..” Weird. Buddy is also kinda like that..

He looked out at the opening, fresh ice, skaters preparing for their own routines. 

“Are you ready, Frosta?”

“Ya!”

“Are you pumped?!”

“Ya!!”

He looked out at the opening again and saw Buddy going out. He’s about to do his routine. 

I’m actually kind of curious..

He decided to watch intensely. And.. perhaps he felt himself getting a little too immersed in the dance as he watch Buddy dip low to the ice, spinning around as his dark hair flowed in the wind, sweat flying from his face and his sharp blue eyes hard with focusing. 

And.. ya, he never got so excited by a figure skating leaping, but somehow Buddy managed to absolutely grab his full attention. 

After the performance, Chase looked around, seeing if there was anyone who was absolutely hypnotized by the performance. But, instead, everyone looked bored. 

“It was kind of a boring performance.”

“I’ve seen those same things but done much more interestingly.”

Chase was surprised by everyone’s remarks. Was he the oddball for being so into it? Or is the people being unimpressed just part of the story?

He looked at Buddy’s face and realized..

No. 

Those reactions weren’t meant to be part of the story. Buddy’s face said it all. It was a mediocre performance by professional standards. 

And Chase could see that Buddy was doing everything he could to suppress the anger. Chase.. knew what that was like. He was often met with the same reactions for his singing. He hated it too.. he hated it a lot..

As the two skated past each other, Chase paused. “Your performance was very impressive, Buddy.”

Buddy paused and clenched his fists before letting out a scoff-laugh. “Yes, thank you, Frosta,” he said back, almost bitterly. 

Geez.. just trying to be nice..

Chase skated toward the center and waved out to the crowd. He prepared and struck a pose. He didn’t have a lot of time to create a whole routine. Do, instead he may or may not have.. stolen his. 

Yes, that’s right. He, Chase Hollow, had to steal a routine from Yuri On Ice, performing Yuri’s Eros routine. He’s not proud to admit that he’s plagiarizing. 

But still. He was having so much fun performing it. He looked over at Buddy while he was performing and he noticed him staring.. really intensely, which did make Chase nervous, causing the performance to get sloppy. 

But once he was done, there was an eruption of applause and cheering. 

“Yes! Yes! Thank you! I know, I’m amazing!”

He skated over to Buddy, smiling proudly and smugly. 

“Was that performance.. from Yuri On Ice?”

“EH-!” He froze, standing there as he processed being called out. 

“Weeb…” Buddy murmured before skating off. 

…. WHAT A JERK! Wait a minute…

“HOW DID YOU RECOGNIZE WHAT IT WAS FROM UNLESS YOU KNOW THE ROUTINE FROM HEART AS WELL!?” he called out. 

He could’ve sworn he saw Buddy’s ears turn red, but he just ignored him. 

“Frosta!” he heard a voice yell out from behind him. “The judges announced you as the winner!”

“Really? Wait, but only me and Iclyn performed, was there no one else in the competition-?” he decided to just put it at ‘nevermind’, so stories can be weirdly short and very unspecific or muddy with the details. 

The prince held up a gorgeous silver tiara and placed it onto his head. 

“Frosta. You are.. fantastic. I’m so proud of you!” The prince blushed slightly. 

There’s the rushed romantic feelings. Chase thought. 

“I hope you continue to skate!”

“Hm? Well. Thanks. I’ll… do that. But for now, I gotta go show my mom this tiara that I won. She underestimated me and I’m going to rub it in her face.”

“Ah.. well. Have fun with that, Frosta..” he said awkwardly with a crooked smile. 

He waved off to the prince. The trek through the forest wasn’t nearly as awful as it was last time, actually knowing where he was supposed to go now. Though, the cold had just hit him, causing him to shiver so hard he nearly lost balance on his skates. 

He saw the village in the distance and he nearly burst into tears. His legs were in so much pain and he just wanted to sit down. 

As he entered the town, the villagers looked out at him and smiled at him. 

“Frosta! We heard about the competition!”

“We’re so proud of you!”

“We knew you could do it!”

Eh?!? You literally had 0 faith in me winning! Don’t you lie to me!

He spotted the bakery Frosta’s mom owned. 

Time to go show off my prize! Haha!

But just before he opened the door, a hand grabbed his shoulder and pulled him aside. 

“You..” Buddy said darkly. 

“Ah! Hey, what the hell-?!”

“I can’t let this final half of the story play out.”

“What are you talking about! Ugh, let me go!”

But then he noticed the look on Buddy’s face. Almost terrified. 

“Buddy? Geez, why are you acting like this? Isn’t this just like every other fairytale ending? What, do I die or something?”

“No, it’s just..”

He was cut off by a blaring trumpet. They turn to see the prince and 2 knights skating into the village. 

Frosta’s mom pokes her head out of the shop upon hearing the noise. 

She spots Chase and gasps upon seeing the crown. 

“Frosta?!”

“Oh, uh.. hey mom! TOLD YOU I’D WIN!!”

“Frosta!” called out the prince, gesturing for him to come forward. 

Chase shot one final glare at Buddy before breaking away from him and heading to the prince, ready for this story to finally be over with. 

“Hellllo prince,” Chase said, waving. 

What happened next, he didn’t expect. The prince grabbed him by the arm and pulled him into a hug. 

“Woah, uh, personal space there, dude-“

“Why didn’t you tell me?”

“Huh?”

“Why didn’t you tell me you were my long lost fiancé?”

“….HUH?!”

Wait, I’m his what now!?

“Oh, uh, yknow, haha, just, I, um..”

“I can’t believe you had run away.”

“Oh, uhhhhhhhh…”

This is what I get for never reading the stories!!

“But I remember you told me we would reunite.” The prince grasped Chase’s face and pulled him into.. A KISS?!

“PLEGHHH! UGHH, DUDE! WHY?!”

“It was meant to be a.. a kiss to, yknow.. say hello again.”

“STILL! YOU DON’T JUST KISS SOMEONE WITHOUT PERMISSION! UGH! THAT WAS MY FIRST KISS!”

Behind Chase was a thudding noise. 

He turns to see Buddy on his knees, sulking dramatically. 

“Aw, and what’s up with you, mall goth?!?”

“The kiss was unavoidable,” he said, his voice strained. 

“Hah?”

Buddy didn’t answer, instead pulling out his key. 

“Hey, where are you going?!”

Buddy didn’t answer before disappearing. 

I’ve never seen him react like that to.. anything!

He tightly closed his eyes to think about the matter at hand. He turned to the prince. “You!! At first I thought you were pretty bearable for a prince, but you had to ruin it with your overall lack of care for consent!”

“But, Frosta-“

“Oh, don’t FrOsTa me, you big creep!!”

Chase pulled out his key. “I think I’m done with this story, I’m going home!”

“Wait, but-!”

He didn’t hear what he had to say as he woke up in his bedroom. 

“Ughhh… and here I thought that prince wasn’t too bad.”

“Oh, you’re back!” Deacon said, poking his head in. “How was it?”

“It was fine at first! But then the Prince got all grabby. And, honestly, so did Buddy.”

“Huh? What do you mean?”

“Well, Buddy grabbed me and pinned me to a wall, like, twice. And he said he didn’t want the story to be complete. Like, huh?! Since when has he never wanted to properly finish a story?!”

“Ok.. and what did the prince do?”

“Well, after that whole thing with Buddy, the prince showed up and made me kiss him!”

“Oh ya. That’s how the story ends, to seal the deal of their marriage or whatever. Wait. Buddy didn’t want the story to end.. how did he react after the prince kissed you.”

“I dunno. He was sulking I think? He disappeared before I had a chance to talk to him.”

“….Uhuh…”

“What? What is it?”

Deacon sighed and shook his head. “You are so dense…”

Divider by @animatedglittergraphics-n-more

[e-dubbc11]

OK, to make up for making you cry listening to my angsty ass song and writing such a fkn beautiful angsty ass fic for Billy, lets go full swing the other way and do a birthday prompt: ❝You did this all for me?❞/❝Of course, you deserve to have the best day.❞ for the one and only Billy Russo. Because we all know that man never had a good birthday and we are ALL ABOUT giving him one to make up for it! LOVE YOU!!!

Hello my lovely friend! You know I do not mind at all any prompt you want to send me, even if it makes me cry. I’m here for all of it but I am happy you picked something very fluffy this time around though! ♥️ I hope you like it and that I did justice to your ask, thank you again! I appreciate all of your support ♥️♥️♥️ Love you too!

A Hole in One

Photos are not mine. They are courtesy of Pinterest/Google.

Pairing: Billy Russo x F! Reader

Warnings: None really, fluffy bunnies and unicorns, quick mention of Billy’s abandonment

Word Count: 2.5K-ish

Summary: Billy’s never had a birthday worth celebrating so you decide to give him one

A/N: I am so sorry I haven’t finished everyone’s asks yet, I have one more pretty close to being finished after this one and then I think I have three more after that one. It’s been a very busy fall season plus I’m going on vacation tomorrow. So like I said before, I WILL finish everyone’s ask, it’s just taking longer than I thought it would. Thank you all for your patience♥️

He almost didn’t even want to tell you when his birthday was.

Any holiday or birthday was always a sore subject and you couldn’t blame him. Knowing that somewhere out there, he had a mother that had signed away all of her parental rights like he had never meant anything to her, Billy didn’t really see the point in celebrating anything having to grow up in the Ray of Hope group home.

You could see the anger in his eyes, the tightness in his jaw, and hear the bitterness in his voice when he talked about it, which was also difficult to pry out of him. At first, he never wanted to talk about any of it…his mother, the group home, or war and that was ok with you.

“You let me in when you want to, Billy. It’s ok.” You had said to him.

Through clenched teeth, he finally told you the story about the raised scar on his shoulder; it was where his rotator cuff was torn. Nervously, he rolled his shoulder backwards, probably out of habit from when he had to rehabilitate his arm after it was broken in three places.

No child should have to go through what Billy did and you wanted to give him something that he’s never had…a happy birthday.

Given how reluctant he was to even tell you when his birthday was, you decided to respect that Billy didn’t want a big fanfare for his birthday. Instead, you planned something intimate just for the two of you at home. He may not like his birthday to be a big deal but Billy was a big deal to you; no one had ever made you feel the way he did…so loved, so desired, and like you were the only woman in the world.

You wanted him to feel as special as you do when he spoils you rotten.

In a very clandestine way, you’ve been asking Billy questions like what flavor cake is his favorite (of course it’s chocolate), favorite meal (hopefully it’s something you’re able to cook), and something maybe a little silly and childish that he’s always wanted to try (miniature golf).

You were very thankful Billy worked late a lot of the time. It gave you time to prepare everything you had planned for his birthday. In the early evenings leading up to his birthday, you were able to sneak in everything you needed to for a round of mini golf you wanted to set up around the penthouse, you ordered his birthday cake, and made sure his gift would be ready on time.

Even though you didn’t want to, you took a shortcut for Billy’s birthday dinner. Beef Wellington wasn’t exactly easy to make and because you wanted it to be perfect, you decided to take him to Harry’s Bar & Restaurant. Your search for the best beef wellington in the city had finally ended and because of limited availability, when you made the reservation, you also reserved what Billy wanted to eat.

Everything was falling into place.

After work, you picked up his cake at the Chocolate Room and set up the miniature golf course all throughout the penthouse. You were so excited to see his face later but for right now, you were supposed to meet him in the lobby and then go to dinner. Billy was a little suspicious about why you didn’t want him to come upstairs but he let it go.

“I still don’t know why you won’t let me upstairs, sweet girl. What if I wanna change?” He said with a wide smile.

You shook your head.

“You’re already wearing a nice suit for dinner, baby. Our reservation is soon plus I have a surprise upstairs that I don’t want you to see yet.” You said.

Billy humored you, “Alright, alright. So where are we off to, beautiful?”

“Our reservation is at Harry’s Bar & Restaurant.” You replied.

He flashed that perfect smile and said, “Well it’s a good thing I am wearing a suit. Financial district huh?”

You nodded.

“I hope you brought your appetite, handsome.” You said.

Billy touched his tongue to his top teeth as he stared at you from head to toe, then purred in your ear, “You look good enough to eat, my love. Is this a new dress?”

The warmth from his breath traveled down your neck as goosebumps erupted across your skin. He was making you blush as his lips gently touched your cheek and his beard pricked your skin causing you to giggle and blush even more.

“Happy Birthday, Billy.” You said with a wink.

**********

With a very satisfied look on his face, Billy waved the white napkin in the air, surrendering and saying he could not eat another bite which made you smile and very happy he enjoyed it so much.

“I’m glad you enjoyed your dinner, baby.” You said with a warm smile. “Are you ready for dessert and your other surprises?”

“Wait, they’re not comin’ out here and singin’, are they?” Asked Billy, with a look of worry on his face and his New York accent a little thicker.

You chuckled a little, knowing that he did not want to draw any attention for his birthday.

“At home, Billy. Dessert is at home.” You said.

Billy smirked, leaned in close and asked, “Is my dessert underneath your dress, sweet girl?”

You wanted to tease him a little.

“Nope! Let’s go, soldier.” You said with a sly smile and grabbing your purse. “I paid the bill while you were in the restroom.”

“Baby, you didn’t have to do that.” Billy stated.

After slipping on your coat, you walked over to him, snaked your arms around his waist and looked up at him through your long, dark lashes.

“Yes I did, Billy.” You said as your lips curled into a slight smile.

Kissing the top of your head, Billy whispered, “Thank you, my love.”

**********

Billy insisted that you had already done enough for his birthday but you weren’t even close to being finished yet.

“I’m just not used to it, y/n. I’m not the one who gets to have a happy birthday.” Billy said, his jaw tensed with anger. He still didn’t think he deserved nice things to be done for him.

As he continued to drive, you slowly reached over and delicately scratched his scalp with your fingernails, soothing him, comforting him, and reassuring him that he was a good man and he deserved the world.

“Yes you do, Billy. I will celebrate you every day to prove to you that you deserve happiness and to be loved. I love you more than anything.” You said in barely more than a whisper.

With a quick glance in your direction, you could tell that maybe he was starting to believe you by the slight smile he had on his face.

“I respected your wishes by not throwing you a big birthday party but I’m still gonna spoil you because you deserve to have a happy birthday and I love you.” You said.

“Ok, my love. I can’t wait to see what else you have planned.” Said Billy.

**********

Billy was his usual frisky self on the elevator ride to the top floor, kissing you, touching you, and thanking you over and over again for the evening he’s had so far. That perfect smile against your lips gave you butterflies as his kisses told you he loved you countless times and the way his long dexterous fingers gently wrapped around your neck made it difficult to resist him as always but you still had surprises to get to.

“Close your eyes, handsome.” You said, unlocking the door.

He gave you a look that said, “Really? You’re joking, right?”

“Humor me, baby. Please?!” You said. “It’s totally worth it, I swear.”

Billy dropped his shoulders, inhaled sharply, then exhaled before answering you.

“I’ll do it on one condition, sweet girl. I’ll close my eyes but only if I get to hold onto your butt.” He said with a slight chuckle.

Now it was your turn to give him a “look.”

“You don’t want me walking into anything now, do you?” He said, sarcastically.

“You’re lucky you’re cute, lieutenant.” You said, trying not to smile.

Billy closed his eyes and grabbed your ass with both hands as he followed close behind you. You had dimmed the lights before you left for dinner but now it was time for the big reveal so you turned the lights up so he would be able to see everything.

“No peeking!” You said, firmly.

“I’m not peeking, baby. I’m enjoying my hands on your ass too much.” Said Billy.

Your back was to him but you could just feel how big the smile was on his face as he said that.

“HAPPY BIRTHDAY, BABY!!” You said with excitement.

Billy opened his eyes and he saw the little miniature golf course you set up before you left for dinner. There were small windmills, obstacles, ramps, and even little flags with numbers corresponding to each hole. You really had built a miniature golf course inside, complete with green turf and wooden borders.

Speechless, Billy carefully walked around looking at all the little details at each hole and chuckling a little at the final hole where you have to get the ball in the alligator’s mouth.

“How did you—do all this, y/n?” He asked, stunned.

You replied, “You like it? Actually, it wasn’t that hard, it sets up and breaks down pretty easily. The wood just kinda snaps into place and then all you have to do is set up the—“

He cut you off as his lips collided with yours, his hands cupped the sides of your face and you gasped against his mouth while his tongue tangled with yours. You knew this was the first time Billy has ever had anything like this done for him, it never had been easy for him to express how he felt about anything so he thanked you the way he knew how which was physical.

“You did this all for me?” He asked.

Looking up into his onyx colored eyes, you snaked your arms around his neck, and replied, “Of course, you deserve to have the best day.”

He pulled you flush to his chest and just held you in silence. Although Billy had a difficult time expressing his feelings, you knew him well enough to know that in his mind, he knew exactly what he wanted to say. His tight embrace and kisses to the top of your head was his way of saying “thank you.”

Cutting through the silence, Billy whispered, “Thank you, sweet girl.”

“You’re welcome, baby. You ready to play? I got real golf putters and everything!” You said, excitedly. “I’ll go change my shoes, I’m not playing in heels.”

There was a childlike smile that was stretched across Billy’s face for the entire time the two of you were playing. The only time his smile disappeared was when the game was over because he lost. Like Billy, you were also hypercompetitive.

He playfully glared and shook his head at you while you celebrated with maybe a hint of taunting thrown in there too.

“You’re lucky you’re cute, baby.” He said with a slight smile. “Especially in your nice dress and leopard print slippers.”

Billy always knows how to make you blush.

**********

As you sat at the breakfast bar, enjoying his birthday cake, Billy couldn’t stop smiling or staring at you as he tried to push your fork out of the way to get more chocolate cake and after opening them, he immediately had to try on his new personalized sterling silver cufflinks. His initials, WR, were engraved on one and the other said “The One I Love.”

“What is it, Billy?” You asked before eating a fork full of cake.

Billy didn’t say anything at first. He rolled his shoulder, looked down at his cufflinks then over at the mini golf course before returning his gaze to you. Those endless brown eyes that looked like two pools of dark chocolate never failed to find yours even in a crowd of people and the flash of his perfect smile that always made you weak in the knees, made your heart swell and your stomach flutter.

He pondered for a minute before responding, like he really thought long and hard about what exactly he wanted to say.

“I think it’s safe to say that you, my love, have made up for every horrible birthday I’ve ever had, for every one of them that I had to spend alone, for all the ones I had while I was overseas, and for all the ones where I made a wish that never came true. Thank you...for everything.” Said Billy, softly.

Even as a young child, no one had ever celebrated him and if they did, he couldn’t remember it. No one had ever made him feel special or loved and he didn’t think he deserved it anyway.

A dull ache in your chest persisted imagining Billy as a little boy, growing up thinking that he was the reason his mother left, that he was bad, or that anyone would ever love him.

Tears welled up in your eyes and quickly spilled over leaving tracks down your cheeks. That was one of the very few times Billy had opened up like that, made himself vulnerable, and reiterated that he has always been more than just a handsome face to you…he was everything and so much more.

With a hitch in your voice, you replied, “You’re welcome, Billy. I love you.”

You placed the fork on the counter and crashed into his chest. His arms wrapped around your body and you felt his warm hands dance up and down your back. Instantly, you felt relaxed as his body was a warm cradle for yours and his words of gratitude were undeniably, music to your ears but the smile on his face was all the thanks you needed or wanted.

Billy tilted your chin up so he could look into your eyes and leaned down until his lips met yours. He tasted like the bittersweet chocolate from his birthday cake. His tongue parted your lips and tangled with yours for a deeper kiss as you tightly clung to him and a tiny whimper escaped your mouth.

“I love you too, baby.” Said Billy, glancing at the large clock on the wall. “It’s after midnight, sweet girl; my birthday’s over.”

The ache between your thighs had been building all night, especially after his frisky behavior in the elevator and his kisses always hit your right in your core.

Biting down on your lower lip and rubbing the hem of your dress, you replied with a sly smile, “Not quite yet, baby. You still have one more present to unwrap.”

He took another bite of cake before he licked his bottom lip and replied, “Your dress isn’t the only thing that’s new, is it my love.”

You replied with a wink, “Well…you’ll have to take it off and find out, lieutenant.”

Tag List: @wheresthesunshinesblog @idaoftheburningmind @rafaelakelley @snowkestrel @music-indie-tv @kayhi808 @munsonownsmyass @gijos @fictional-hooman @k-marzolf @nutmeg17 @vaguekayla @danzer8705 @fireeyes-on-teller-dixon-grimes @aoi-targaryen @mysteriouslydeafeningwerewolf @rachlovesactors @qu1etwolf @sweetserendipity65

Others that might enjoy: @itwasthereaminuteago @fluffyprettykitty @jvanilly @ittybxttykxttytxtty @imagine-a-fictional-boyfriend @mrsbillyrusso @colereads

If you’d like to be added (or removed from) my tag list(s) for the ever so handsome Billy Russo, just let me know and thank you again for reading! 💕💕💕 If I tagged you but you didn’t want to be, just let me know and I’ll never do it again.

[feeling--pink]

Hi 🥺 what if they- 👉👈 what if they got mawwied???? 💕💕💕

Okay hi I’ve been working on these on and off all month (mostly off I got really busy whoops) and I have A LOT of thoughts about a Legbone wedding (ft. the drawtectives cause they really are my blorbos) 

Anyways here’s a list of headcannons that I didn’t get to draw:

So right off the bat let’s talk OUTFITS

To me Legzi and Ryjinah had gone looking for dresses but Legzi wasn’t really pumped about any of them 

So maybe they went on a road trip (because ladies bookclub road trips my beloved) to either go look in a different boutique or to do other wedding related shenanigans 

And on the side of the road Legzi spots this rag 

And of course it’s a torn up wedding dress and suddenly she has a Vision^TM

Just Legzi being more excited about fixing up this dress than anything she could have just bought up to that point 

Because to me Legzi is someone who loves to feel like a part of the process and having all her random skills she picked up from Darkmouth 

Then design wise I wanted something puffy so I could hide how much taller I made her 

Because personally I think her using the leg stilts on her wedding day is not only very Legzi^TM but I also made myself laugh with the concept :) 

And florals because those are fun, green, and easy to make by hand (as someone who’s made a lot of ribbon flowers)!! The vines were places where the dress was really torn and needed more structural stitching 

Ryjinahs dress on the other hand I wanted to take some inspiration from her season 1 design (even though I haven’t seen it) 

Also I love a chance to draw some boob 

so anyways York’s invitation

I’ve said it before but “artists draw fan art of each other’s art” where Karina drew Ryjinah, York, Rowan, and Jacob horse all hanging out is CANON TO ME

Which is why all of those characters were invited!! :)

Anyways I imagine all the invitations had your standard stuff- names, dates, rsvp section

But where it would’ve said +1 I think Ryjinah scribbled that out and hand wrote “+2 ;)” 

Which of course Grandma would be slightly flustered by meanwhile York is like “AWESOME you guys can come!!!” 

I believe in drawtectives polycule supremacy and also York is aroace

Which also lead to my miniature leg wrestling joke :)

Oh but the second York and Rah’ōxah lock eyes they’re going to leg wrestle (Pokémon rules) 

Then they can become friends too and we can make Julia’s drawing in “pro artists redraw their old OCs” canon!!! 

Rah’ōxah is both Legzi and Ryjinahs maid of honor :) 

She’s awesome of course she can do both!!!!!!

I wish I had drawn this but to me Parker the cat officiated :)

Maybe while standing on top of Parker the horse 

Ryjinah was not pleased with this but also couldn’t say no to the combined force of Legzi and Rah’ōxah’s puppy dog eyes 

Plus Parker the cat is the only person (cat) they know who’s ordained

Oh last thing I wanted to but didn’t draw was a Rosé & Rowan interaction 

Or not even so much of an interaction but they catch each other’s gaze from across the room and freeze 

Oh more headcannons but they’re siblings to me 

I mean dyed hair? Knives? Mysterious pasts? Color schemes?? Attracted to himbos??? 

Anyways they both have moved on from their family in different directions 

So to suddenly meet again even from across the room 

Then York or Gramdma calls for Rosé and she looks away and they’re gone

But I digress 

Tbh for everyone’s outfits I kinda just went “you know what would be cute???” 

So floral dress for grandma (obviously) 

Jumpsuit + long gloves for Rosé because vibes 

Unbuttoned shirt and double breasted vest for York so he doesn’t have sleeves 

Similar thought process for Rah’ōxah because they give off similar vibes BUT I made Rah’ōxah’s the same colors as Ryjinah and Legzi so she could match both :)

Then a demon Johnny button on her outer vest kinda like the pin/broach she has in Julia’s drawing in pro artists redraw old OCs 

Rowan I just wanted to look swanky and what’s more swanky than a tailcoat? 

And for everyone but Rah’ōxah I tried to keep to their normal color schemes!! :) 

Are all these outfits practical for what I made a beach wedding on a whim? Absolutely not 

I gave pretty much all of them some sort of heels even if they are technically wedges which is better but STILL 

Beaches are fun and easy ish to draw and I never do backgrounds anyways give me a break lol 

But anyways I think that’s all my thoughts!!!

So Legzi & Ryjinah ride into the sunset on their noble steed Jacob Horse :)

[dustedmagazine]

Listening Post: Gastr Del Sol

Photo by James Crump

Gastr Del Sol was the convergence of two individuals who had not spent their youths like anyone else and were on their way to lives quite unlike most lives. Between 1991 and 1998 David Grubbs and Jim O’Rourke made a sequence of records that simultaneously pointed out what a lot of music listeners were missing and where music might go next if it was really interested in being interesting. Grubbs came from Louisville, Kentucky’s hardcore scene; he played in Squirrel Bait while he was in high school, and took Bastro with him to college. Jim O’Rourke grew up tracking down recordings from the far reaches of every fringe and then setting about making his own place within each method he learned. Before he was out of college, he’d already made connections with Henry Kaiser, Derek Bailey and the folks at Ina GRM. Each was a guy who knew what the other did not, and their collaboration pushed both to make music that they would never make again with anyone else.

Gastr Del Sol began when Grubbs decided to let Bastro get quiet, and made one LP before O’Rourke came aboard. Their first album together, Crookt, Crackt, Or Fly, was assembled from miniaturized poetry, elongated post-punk riffs, frozen improvisation and fluid, texturally-focused compositions. Their last, Camofleur, is a droll pop statement completed just weeks prior to the collapse of the duo’s relationship. The acrimony between them took a couple of decades to die down, but around the same time that they buried the hatchet, a live recording of their final concert surfaced. We Have Dozens Of Titles shuffles together that performance plus every compilation, single, or EP track that Gastr Del Sol released outside their core Drag City discography.

Intro by Bill Meyer

Jonathan Shaw: I have admired Gastr del Sol from a sort of distance. I like “At Night and At Night,” from the terrific Hey Drag Citycomp; I know Upgrade & Afterlife quite well and dearly love “Dry Bones in the Valley...”, the Fahey cover collab with Tony Conrad. The first song on this new-ish record sidles in alongside those wooden textures, but is a more anxious affair. I like that it never quite boils over or takes its propulsive energies to catharsis. It’s sort of a complement to the conversation with the French kid blowing up firecrackers at the track’s close: it can’t quite move forward, in spite of all of the things that want it to.

That’s also a handy metaphor for my relationship to the music. When I have listened to Crookt, Cracked..., I get the sense that these are really, really smart folks, doing some smart stuff, but I haven’t quite connected with and moved into the sounds. They can be forbiddingly remote. So, I am glad for this record, and its invitation to revisit the band’s trajectory.

Bill Meyer: Each record is so different that I can easily see someone liking one and not likening others, and if you held a gun to my head, Upgrade & Afterlife is the one I would name as my favorite. Which makes it all the more interesting that this collection spans their existence from O’Rourke’s first presence (the Teenbeat single — and it’s pretty amazing that they ended up on that label) to the very last concert (that trip is probably when the encounter with the Francophone child occurred, since the concert was in Quebec).

By virtue of its length and timespan, We Have Dozens Of Titles shows more sides of Gastr Del Sol than any other record.

Bryon Hayes: I think that’s one of the band’s traits that I find appealing, that their sound and approach shifted from record to record. “At Night and At Night” was my introduction to the band, and it also seems to encapsulate multiple faces of Gastr Del Sol in a single track: a drone intro, followed by a guitar/poetry passage, and then a dollop of minimalism accompanied by backwards cymbal splashes. I bought Hey Drag City for Pavement, Silver Jews, and Smog but was introduced to some new and intriguing sounds across the whole of the comp. That track, and Gastr Del Sol as a whole, always felt like a riddle or a logic puzzle to me, albeit one that continuously changed, so it wasn’t possible to “solve” it. But I actually like that fact: the thrill of the act of investigating is pure enjoyment itself.

I never did get to experience Gastr Del Sol in a live setting, so those tracks on We Have Dozens of Titles are particularly revelatory for me. I like the more stripped-down setting of “The Seasons Reverse,” for example. Maybe even more than the version on Camofleur. I’d also bet that the field recording of the kids came from Victoriaville. The town is far enough into Quebec that it’s likely there was a language barrier between O’Rourke and the local youth at the time. Also, the drawn-out version of “Blues Subtitled No Sense of Wonder” feels much fuller and richer in the live setting than it does on Camofleur. I’m not saying I dislike that album, but I too would pick Upgrade & Afterlife as my favorite...

Bill Meyer: Because I lived in the same town as Gastr Del Sol, I was fortunate to see them a lot. The concerts were pretty different from one another, and didn’t always sound much like the most recently released record. When they played with John McEntire, things could be more rock-ish, and I have one fond memory of them getting pretty wild with the feedback. Afterwards O’Rourke seemed embarrassed, like he’d lost control and done the wrong thing. There was room for spontaneity, but they were not an improv act. In 1997 they did lock into the two guys with two acoustic guitars thing for a while, probably because they had a fair number of out-of-town gigs in their later years; they didn’t necessarily want to lug a lot of gear around.

Another aspect of living in the same town with them was seeing the other things they had going. O’Rourke could often be seen accompanying someone whose work he championed (ex: Rafael Toral), and they both played with Red Krayola (although O’Rourke bailed for a while and Grubbs kept going), Edith Frost, and Arnold Dreyblatt.

Jonathan Shaw: Never saw the band, and the live material on this comp is what’s impressing me most. Given my proclivities toward their work with acoustic guitars, I am most compelled by “Onion Orange,” which works a space between gentle and tense to very satisfying effect. The repetitive sequence of notes in that initial six-or-so minutes is really engaging; it invites anticipation, flirts with letting that become apprehension. I can imagine that would be even more powerful in a real room, with the players really making the noises in front of you. But even here, via the mp3 I am playing on a device, it’s strong stuff.

Bill Meyer: I still need to a-b that with the original on Grubbs’ solo album.

That album, Banana Cabbage, Potato Lettuce, Onion Orange, seems not to be on Bandcamp, and Table of the Elements is long defunct. I’ll have to pull out my CD and play it. On the original edition, Grubbs plays everything, but O’Rourke recorded two of the album’s three tracks. I remember it being very still, a Grubbs take on Morton Feldman. What you hear in this live performance, Jonathan, is probably what makes me think I like this new version better than the original. There’s a management of tension that probably comes from two people playing it together in real time.

The way that We Have Dozens Of Titles is sequenced, with live tracks littered throughout the collection, makes it easy to forget that we’re hearing a complete set here.

Ian Mathers: There’s a relatively well-known tweet (for those of us that are too online, at least) where a guy who’s only ever seen one movie sees a second and immediately compares it to his only experience. As someone who’s never heard Gastr del Sol before (although they’ve lingered somewhere on my impossibly long “get to this someday” list) and only really knows Jim O’Rourke’s work via his Bad Timing album, I had my own “Getting a lot of ‘Boss Baby’ vibes from this...” moment playing the opening live version of “The Seasons Reverse.” The guitar playing there immediately put me in mind of Bad Timing, which isn’t a bad thing! I was slightly relieved when this compilation pretty immediately shows off different aspects of his and Grubbs’ sound, even in the other live tracks.

And while I did enjoy all of We Have Dozens of Titles, enough so that I’m wondering based on the comments here which of their albums I should check out next, the live tracks do feel like a cut above everything else. I’m probably going to try listening to just them, and while I respect the choice to scatter them throughout this release despite being one show (do we have any idea if they preserved the order of the setlist, or jumbled that up as well as splitting them up?) there is a part of me that wishes it was a separate release. Which is kind of silly, I know — absolutely nothing is stopping me from just playing the live stuff whenever I want, and I’m very glad to have the rest of the material here. My first question for those more knowledgeable: is the album version of “Blues Subtitled No Sense of Wonder” as amazing as the live one here, and should I make that my next stop?

Bill Meyer: If you like the live version of “Blues Subtitled No Sense of Wonder,” you definitely need to check out the studio version. For that reason, I’d point you to Camofleur and then suggest that you work your way backwards through the catalog.

Bryon Hayes: The album version has beautiful vocal harmonies with lyrics that are dryly humorous; the title of the box set is derived from them, actually. The music on the box set version feels fuller and louder than that on the album, the electronics bolder and noisier, accompanied by rich organ tones. Also, that interlude of shouted movie dialogue (or whatever it is), is not in the Camofleur version. Both are appealing, but I enjoy the live version slightly more. If Grubbs sang on the live version, it might be the clear winner for me.

Ian Mathers: Interesting, thanks for the tips! If I’m remembering correctly, there’s no vocals on this collection for at least a while, and I was slightly nonplussed when they came in; not bad, certainly, but it felt slightly out of place with the music. (I was working while listening, which might be the culprit there.) I’ll be interested to A/B the two versions and see what I think.

Bill Meyer: I just drove past the Lyon & Healy building at Lake and Ogden, which prompts the question — what do you make of “The Harp Factory On Lake Street”?

Jonathan Shaw: I sort of like it when there are vocals — in part because of the poetic nature of what’s sung (see “Rebecca Sylvester” on Upgrade & Afterlife), in part because it feels grounding in musical contexts that frequently get very abstract.

Bill Meyer: I like the way you frame that, Jonathan. Grubbs’ words do have a way of anchoring part of the music, bringing a sonic fixedness that contrasts with the music around them, but also introducing an uncertainty of their own because of their sometimes-oblique content.

Roz Milner: I’ve just been lurking this thread. I’m not familiar with this group, although I do like what little Jim O’Rourke’s music I’ve heard (Bad Timing, Happy Days). Any recommendations on where to start with them?

Tim Clarke: I’d start with Camoufleur, which is easily their most accessible album. I have a bit of an uneasy relationship with Gastr Del Sol. I got into them soon after I became obsessed with Jim O’Rourke’s Eureka, but it was quite a shift in tone from that album. I do enjoy Camoufleur a lot, and the album versions of “The Seasons Reverse” and “Blues Subtitled No Sense of Wonder” are, in my opinion, far superior to the live versions on We Have Dozens of Titles.

Gastr Del Sol are quintessentially experimental, in that much of their music sounds so open-ended, as though O’Rourke and Grubbs are constantly wondering what x would sound like played at the same time as y, whether it’s an open, suspended acoustic guitar voicing alongside a sour synthesizer drone, or some piano with some field recordings or samples. Upgrade & Afterlife actually freaks me out! The first time I listened to it after buying it from Rough Trade in London, I couldn’t venture past the opening track as a massive gnarly insect flew in through my open window while I was listening to it on a spring evening. It scared me so much I don’t think I’ve revisited the album since. There are moments on We Have Dozens of Titles that are truly magical, so I think I’ll have to get over my fear and revisit Upgrade & Afterlife after all this time.

Christian Carey: The timing of this release is interesting. David Grubbs was just appointed Distinguished University Professor by CUNY, the highest faculty distinction possible. In addition, he was just awarded the Berlin Prize, and will be in residence there next year. Wonder if the awards might have helped to fund the recording project.

Jonathan Shaw: Distinguished Prof at CUNY — pretty swell. Makes sense. Some of Gastr del Sol’s headiest stuff has the feel of the “experimental,” and in ways that engage the connotations of knowledge and concept in that term (which often gets used lightly and lazily, IMHO). That might have something to do with why I like the live tracks so much. There’s an organic quality to them. Still thorny and challenging music, like the ebbs and flows that make “Dictionary of Handwriting” disorienting and strange. But it’s happening. It’s made, not just thought or assembled.

Jennifer Kelly: Once again, not super immersed in this band, though I had a copy of Crookt, Crackt or Fly at one time, which I can’t find and don’t remember very well, though I’m listening to it on YouTube right now, and the combination of Grubbs’ wandering vocals and aggressive, stabbing guitars seems familiar-ish. So, coming to this a bit cold, though I’ve enjoyed Grubbs’ more recent work with Ryley Walker and Jan St. Werner — and there are definitely some common threads. Nonlinearity, an elastic sense of key and rhythm, a haunted room kind of aesthetic.

I found this track-by-track exposition at the Quietus, which I was trying to read as the songs came up and it’s quite good. I especially liked the paragraphs about “The Bells of St. Mary’s,” written for what sounds like a truly bizarre Christmas comp with Merzbow and Melt Banana on it. Gastr del Sol’s lone concession to the holiday form was sleigh bells, though Grubbs says the main reference was to “I Wanna Be Your Dog” not “Jinglebells.”

Anyway, you might enjoy this.

Tim Clarke: In addition to the Quietus piece, this recent podcast interview is also very enlightening in regard to the history of the band. A rare opportunity to hear Jim O’Rourke chat lightheartedly too.

Having spent more time with the album now, I realize that my listening gets derailed by a couple of Grubbs’ and O’Rourke’s tendencies with this music. The first is when Grubbs does a kind of scat singing that follows the spiky contours of the acoustic guitar parts. And the second is when they retreat into near silence.

Bill Meyer: Near-silence is an O’Rourke strategy to make sure that the volume is set high enough when you get to the loud part.

Christian Carey: I’m curious what connections to later projects people hear in the recording. As TJ mentioned, there are some mannerisms that seem to forecast avant moves by both Grubbs and O’Rourke, with greater assuredness in the idiom. The post-rock vibe is unmistakable, and I am finding the songs with connections to Tortoise et. al. to be the most compelling music-making here.

Bill Meyer: Re: similarities with Tortoise, it’s worth keeping in mind that John McEntire of Tortoise was also a member of Bastro and a key non-member contributor to Gastr Del Sol. Re: the term post-rock, I appreciate the irony that Gastr Del Sol was actually O’Rourke’s entree into rock following years of intense work in improvisation, musique concrete, etc. with people like Henry Kaiser, Eddie Prevost, Christoph Heemann and Illusion of Safety. It was his “I’m almost ready to rock" project.

Ian Mathers: Roz, if you still haven’t settled on a way to check out Gastr del Sol, I was in a similar position to you and honestly, I found this compilation a pretty welcoming (and broad-ranging) introduction! I haven’t moved on to checking out any of their albums yet, but I have played We Have Dozens of Titles a number of times, and while I’m still experiencing it more as a gestalt than I am picking out specific elements (so I’m not sure how I’d answer Christian’s question at the moment, for example), I find the time just slipping away when I do. I was reading Steven Thomas Erlewine’s newsletter recently where he was discussing this collection and he described Gastr del Sol as “music that changes the temperature of the room,” and I keep coming back to that as an apt description of what I’m experiencing.

Bryon Hayes: I read somewhere that Grubbs’ The Plain Where the Palace Stood is his solo album most similar to his work in Gastr Del Sol. I’m listening to that record now and it actually reminds me of the little Bastro that I’ve heard along with parts of The Serpentine Similar.

Bill Meyer: Gastr Del Sol’s existence corresponded with Grubbs’ time at University of Chicago, where he was getting his PhD. I believe it was in poetry, and the words he wrote for the band’s songs reflect that study.

Christian Carey: I've been having fun poring over David Grubbs’ trilogy of books and guessing which stories might be about Gastr del Sol. He's excellent at being covert, but I would be surprised if they weren't featured in some of his writing.

[worldsfromhoney]

Greetings, plebeians

This is your resident unknown and attention-depraved author/writer, BEE/bee/beE/🐝

Here’s some stuff about moi:

I like… tea. YES I LIKE TEA 🍵🍵🍵 it’s quite honestly the greatest invention of all time

I also like reading. That’s kinda like a hobby that all writers are mandated to say. Which is reasonable.

I’m a fan of miniatures and piano. Yeah, I did try them out. Yeah, I did fail spectacularly, thank you! ☺️

I also like painting but the therapy one and not just a blank canvas that sucks the soul out of artists lol

What do I write?

I write… stuff. BEAUTIFUL, HEARTBREAKING STUFF, mind you. But it’s still stuff, so lemme elaborate.

Speculative fiction - if you idk this, it’s really just a mix of fantasy and sci-fi; the ‘what if’ genre

Urban fantasy - don’t get me wrong, I love high fantasy, but urban is waaay easier to worldbuild

Steampunk & other punks - PUUUUNK 🤘🤘🤘

Horror and thriller - mostly psychological and body horror, don’t worry! I don’t do jump scares or anything ☺️

Slice of life - mwah my heart and soul mwah

Others - yes, I am capable of doing other genres 😤 I’m a multi-faceted bee, you know?

DISCLAIMER: what I write might only reflect upon my psyche and state of mind but that is not a guarantee

My WiPs

I am proud to say that… I DO NOT HAVE ANY!!

*gasp* what ever do you mean bee? Are you quitting writing? *sobs*

No, my darlings.

i just have no big projects to boast about right now. I feel like big projects aint my thing at the moment and pushing myself only led me to disappear from the internet for a month 😞

What i do have are short works i randomly choose to write and post here on tumblr !!

✨ FICLET MASTERLIST IS HERE ✨

🐝 POETRY MASTERLIST IS HERE TOO 🐝

If you’re interested, please comment on this post or reblog or DM me if you want to be put in the taglist!!

Does that mean you accept… requests?

…………yes. Yes i do. Go and flood my askbox you plebs !

Am I anywhere else?

Please. It’s 2023. Of course I’m… everywhere *cue evil laugh*

Bluesky - if you haven’t heard it yet, tis the new Twitter… cuz it’s literally made by the old creators of that glorious blue bird *cue a moment of silence*

Tiktok or Twitter - do not look for me here

Tumblr - EYYYYYYYYYYY i post ALL my stuff here !! They’re really just bait to hook some writer friends 🥹

Ko-Fi - ehem ehem i know first drafts are considered shite but BUT i have decided to make them available for perusal yes you can burn your eyes to anyone who buys me a cup of tea ~

Patreon - i finally have one!! I’m still setting it up tho and prepping all the content 💛💛💛

I’ll be doing a patreon soon enough actually so look out for that

How I organise myself

Well i wish this is applicable to actual life because i’d very much like to know how 🫡

Jk, here be the tags:

#bee writes some stuff - my micros, my flash fics, my text posts

#bee plays some games - tag games !! which i have never played before till now !!

#bee does some prompts - this will definitely see the light of day… someday

#bee stalking some writers - what it says on the tin

#bee answers some asks - omg i only added this because someone actually sent me one *faints*

#bee saves some stuff - there are way too many resource posts that i’ve scrolled past cuz idk how to tag

[hauntedhokage]

PART 09: Planted

WORD COUNT: 1k

SUMMARY:  Bakugou’s thank you gift has materialized, he’s just forgotten to tell you that it’s for you

[series masterlist] | {ao3} | [tumblr masterlist] | {ko-fi} | [spotify playlist]

The plant Bakugou had settled on was basically a miniature palm tree. It was taller than the two men and had to weigh at least sixty pounds without the massive planter it would need to live in and, naturally, the two men bickered the entire time they had to carry it. Neither knew where to put it, so it was placed by the entryway to the kitchen and they were done with it. You could direct them properly after Bakugou presented it to you.

When you finally return to the apartment after a long day of work, you’re surprised by the new edition to their environment but say nothing about it. If they wanted to talk about their new giant plant, they would, but instead you were told that dinner was almost ready and you just made your way to the small dining table. 

Over the last week, however, you and that palm were at odds. It was beautiful, but where they’d chosen to place it was not the best. Just barely out of your line of sight but perfectly placed for you to walk into. You had bruises on your hips from how often you ran into the thing since it was perfectly placed for you to walk into whenever you were leaving the kitchen to go to Eijirou’s bedroom or going into the kitchen from the living room, which created issues because your boyfriend's fingers found those bruises easily. 

“I really keep bumping into this thing,” you comment as you exit the kitchen on the morning of the seventh day, your hip hitting the rim of the planter for what was probably the hundredth time since its arrival in the apartment. “Not to tell you how to decorate, but is there somewhere else it can go?”

“Where do you wanna put it?” Eijirou asks, watching as you tilt your head in confusion while he gently takes your coffee mug from your hand to steal a drink. 

“Not my apartment.”

“But it is your plant.”

“It absolutely is not,” you counter, knowing that he knew damn well you wouldn’t bring a massive palm tree into their apartment. The building didn’t have an elevator, so you couldn’t have gotten it up here on your own. “I didn’t buy this thing.”

“No, but Bakugou got it for you. He didn’t tell you?”

“I haven’t seen him all week. Why would he get me a large plant?”

“Ask him!” The front door is opening, and you’re both looking at the confused Bakugou who hadn’t even crossed the threshold yet.

“Ask me what?” Eijirou just looks at you, and you take your coffee back before he emptied the mug while turning to face Bakugou.

“What’s up with the plant? And can we move it?” you ask, gesturing to the palm and watching the hero’s face quickly cycle through a couple different versions of flustered before he coughs

“Yeah, where do you want it?”

“Why is it my choice?”

“It’s your plant.” The two men speak in unison, and you only look between them while putting your hand on your hip as Eijirou looks to Bakugou. The way those two had conversations with just their faces was borderline annoying when you were just eating dinner with them, to have them do this while you were trying to deal with the apparently gifted plant can be forgiven since you know this is a vulnerable moment for the blonde that Eijirou was trying to help him through without over-helping (if that was even possible at this stage of budding friendship). 

“It’s, uh- it’s a palm.” You saw as much, but you know better than to push when Eijirou shoots a look your way. “Wanted to get you something nice to thank you for taking care of us after Fight Night. We can move it, but I can also take it back if you hate-”

“It’s not leaving this apartment.” You cut him off, raising a hand to stop Bakugou’s nervous rambling. “I only want it moved over by the TV so I stop bumping into it.”

“So…you like it?”

“I love it a lot!” You weren’t going to tell him you weren’t sure how to keep it alive, that could wait until he truly believed that you liked it. “But, also, you should probably come inside.”

There’s a moment where you’re hiding your smile in your coffee mug as Eijirou holds in his laughter while Katsuki looks around and sees that he is, in fact, still standing in the open doorway. The pink on his cheeks evolves into a red, and he quickly crosses the threshold and shuts the door behind him a bit harder than was intended. The request for help moving the palm is answered, and you can only watch as they carefully squat to lift the large planter and carry it across the living room to rest in the open space beside the TV before Bakugou is excusing himself to shower. 

“It’s really a beautiful palm,” you comment to Eijirou once Bakugou is locked in the bathroom to shower, and you know by the look on his face that he was really proud of it. 

“He picked it all out on his own. The tree, the pot, everything. I was just there to help carry it.”

“But does he know how to take care of it?” you ask, leaning into his side when his hand settles on your hip. “Because I know you don’t.”

All he says is that Bakugou was confident he could help you with it, leaning in to kiss your head as you both continue to look at the plant. It’s a comfortable quiet between you two, until you realize something. Eijirou had never done anything grand like this for you, not that he really needed to, but it was good teasing material. 

“How come you never got me a houseplant, Eiji?”

“I got you a key to my apartment, multiple drawers in my dresser, and you’re using my favorite coffee mug. Where’s my plant at your apartment?”

“You’re not responsible enough for a plant, babe. That’s why he hasn’t gotten you one either.”

[silverfoxstole]

It’s done!

After ten days of work (and another three for a waistcoat I’m not that happy with; see below), the NotD coat is finished! Woohoo!

Overall, I’m really pleased with it, which is just as well as it’s taken so much time (and grief!). I worked out that if I’d paid myself minimum wage for all the hours I put in the labour alone would amount to about £500. One of my ex colleagues used to suggest I set up a dressmaking business and wouldn’t believe me when I told her it wouldn’t be cost effective as the amount of labour involved would make everything too expensive.

Anyway, I have taken quite a lot of photos, so you can see how it turned out:

This got long so I’ll stick the rest behind a cut.

I ended up adding some extra fabric to the tails, as they were sticking out at an angle and didn’t look right. It means an extra seam but it’s not that visible and I much prefer it this way, with more fullness at the back (and it properly covers my bum, which is very important!):

Though it looks fine on the dummy when I put it on I’m not convinced I didn’t raise the back waist seam a bit too far, but it’s sitting on my waist so… *shrugs* I don’t often look at myself from behind so it probably doesn’t matter that much.

After sewing on the two back buttons I changed my mind and went with the covered ones in the end, deciding on reflection that those I bought last week were a bit too pale. They would have fitted better if I’d made the binding more of a contrast (which I’m glad I didn’t as it would have been more obvious that it’s not exactly perfect in some places). I had to make the buttonholes manually as there was no way the automatic buttonhole foot wouldn’t get caught at some point. I haven’t sewn any that way since I first started out six years ago and was using my mother’s old machine! All the ones I’ve owned have had an automatic function so I had to practice a bit to remind myself how to do it. Thankfully they’ve turned out well.

I also solved the problem of the gap between the collar and lapel by stitching them together. It works a treat!

Though I’ve made a miniature version for Eight Bear, this is the first time I’ve tried to replicate an existing garment for myself (the Dark Eyes coat was an interpretation rather than a direct copy), and I am actually really proud that I’ve ended up with something that does look pretty much like the original, as well as Steven Ricks’s recreation, which has been a definite influence!

That said, while the coat has turned out well I’m not massively pleased with the waistcoat. I decided to make another one on a whim as I had a more accurate pattern and saw what looked like an ideal fabric but I don’t like it all that much now it’s done. It was hell to put together because the satin just started disintegrating and still is; I’ve had to sew up holes in both the pockets because the seams have just frayed straight through and I’d put them together before I thought of stabilising the edges with interfacing. It’s another men’s pattern and I should have made some adjustments but after doing so much to the coat I really couldn’t be bothered and just put it together as it was; I should really have added some length, which is ironic given the amount I had to remove from the coat, and perhaps levelled it off at the front. Consequently it’s not a great fit and sits really awkwardly on Stella as you can see, though that may have something to do with the fact that I put the buttonholes on the wrong side out of habit:

There is a watch on the end of the chain this time, because the pockets are real! I quite like the look of the waistcoat undone when I put it on, but done up not so much. There’s a lot of spare fabric in the front for some reason, which I tried to hide by smoothing it under the collar and then stitching the collar down. It hasn’t entirely worked, and it doesn’t help that the brocade is such a bouncy fabric and doesn’t press well.

Putting it all together I do think it looks better on Stella than me, but that’s probably because I rarely wear so many layers! I wish I had a better backdrop than the bedroom but it’ll have to do:

Maybe I could unbutton the waistcoat and untuck the shirt and be Eight having a casual day? I love the coat but I do feel much more comfortable wearing it over a t-shirt and jeans!

Now I just have to wait until some cooler weather to be able to put it into use. My only gripe is that there are no external pockets, either on the original or the pattern I used! Surely you’d think the Doctor would need pockets?

[chimericalilith]

Entangled Ribbons and Gifts

𐙚°˖➴ pairing. marius x fem!reader 𐙚°˖➴ tags. ooc, smut, lots of teasing, fluff, established relationship, bits of light bondage, both are top/bottom, multiple rounds 𐙚°˖➴ wc. 4.1k words 𐙚°˖➴ notes. inspired from marius MR christmas card. reader is a bit feisty, nickname; miss. first time posting so its simple layout we ball.

Tidying up some gift boxes, you finally finished another long list of gift wraps. Christmas always makes the business buzz, but it’s always so tiring. You sigh as you fix your posture and scan your finger for another list, waiting for you to wrap them all up. As your gaze transfixes on the list and your mind starts to wander which ones you should sort out in the workshop, a jingle sound spurred in as the door open, softly producing a creak of a sound.

You don’t bother looking up, your hand starts propping skillfully. Tying up the bows and cutting paper miniatures alongside carved letters with intense speed. It’s nearing Christmas Eve and you still haven’t thought up of how to surprise Marius, making your job more ironic. Unconsciously forgetting the opened door beforehand, there’s a sudden warmth wrapping around your waist that sends a jolt towards your body.

“Missy, what’s got your face all scrunched up?” Marius teased with a knowing smile, his wrap around your waist only getting tighter.

“Oh, I don’t know Mister. Maybe the fact that I’m carefully putting a wreath together and someone decided to surprise me which almost caused the unfurling of this whole thing. Almost pressed charges for my patience.” You met his gaze, lowering them to where his hand nestled comfortably.

Marius lowered his face to the nape of your neck, breathing hotly against it, lightly grazing your neck. A shiver ran to your body. Before, you slowly continue punching out snowflake papers for the gift wraps but now? Completely stopped on your tracks.

“I-I’m working right now. Plus, people can see us and it’s certainly not good for business.” You muttered, although you both secretly knew that it isn’t that much out of your realm. You did it before, besides you didn’t do anything about his hand that slowly slivers under your skirt.

“Hm? I don’t have any clue what you’re implying Miss. But…well, if you say so.” He gripped your thigh, swirled his fingers around it, and completely let you go. The warmth suddenly left you which inadvertently made you sigh. But that’s beside the point although his visit is an everlasting welcomed one, what’s with the sudden visit?

“With that out of the way, why did you come here? Did you want to put an order for a gift?” You asked, putting a certain distance between you two so he doesn’t try to do anything funny. Again. You spun your body around, preparing for a notepad to jot it down in case he does.

“Yeah. I’m planning to put together this event however I’m quite lacking in terms of this so-called professional eye for the quality. And that’s where you come Miss.” He winked, snatching a folded paper out of his shirt and surprisingly it’s a genuine contract stating my work.

“Well, I’d love to know how it feels to be employed by my own boyfriend but unfortunately, I’m swamped by work right now. Christmas season really is the gift-wrapping business’s main stage.” Lowering your gaze, feeling a tiny chip of guilt chiming in your heart.

‘Ah, no worries, Miss! I just thought that as a boyfriend I can help in terms of business. Which seems it isn’t needed, because it’s apparent everyone wants my girlfriend so much, she can’t even spare some time for me.” Marius pouted, although that pinkish hue peeking out of his ears betray him of how casual he took you calling him a your ‘boyfriend’. It didn’t completely miss you about how you two don’t meet as often now due to how swamped you are with your work. Seeing him right in front of you reminded of how much you missed him. It brings you back to Christmas of last year where you two are practically inseparable. He always readies you to work by propping earmuffs and cozying up your scarf to your neck.

He always made sure to cover up the hickeys well. Realizing your musings are turning to a certain direction, you completely shut it down and cleared your throat.

“…Well, I might not be able to fully help but I think I can assist you in simpler ways! I ordered too much ribbon cloth by accident. I think there’s a lot to spare for your event and it might spice it up better.” You cheerfully added, covering up the indecent thoughts you had while Marius has his eyes bore on you curiously.

“Only if it doesn’t burden you. But that will be super helpful. I’ll make sure my girlfriend is properly compensated.” Marius softly laughed, closing in the distance between the two of you and nuzzled his nose against yours.

“By the way, I think ribbons would look nice on you Miss.” He whispered in your ear, before pulling you into a hug and kissing your forehead. Feeling your face burn up, you pull his collar shirt and kissed him deeply. Tongue swirling until you’re out of breath.

“H-haa…Miss…” Your intertwined lips parted. Before he can do anything more, you immediately let go and push him out of the store. Sticking your tongue out, you look at his flustered face and feel smugness bubbling in your insides. Marius 0 – You 1. That is until you crouched out of embarrassment, face painted as red as the bulb ornaments decorating your store festively.

౨ৎ⋆˚｡⋆

You arrive at the event, carrying big boxes filled with satin silk. It is worth noting that the red and dark-light hue of green stash are abundant compared to other heaps of ribbon cloth. Picking up the boxes strains bits of your muscles that’s only used to meticulous work caused you to furrow your eyebrows, configuring an image of you taking multiple trips back-to-back to deliver it. Seems like your fate is sealed and all you can do is relish in its despair. That is, until Vincent showed up.

Perking your head up excitedly, you hurriedly greeted Vincent. Way too eager to get rid of this delivery and start up on decorating the ribbons instead. “Thank god you’re here Vincent! Am I too presumptuous to assume that you’re here for backup to pick all this up?” You exasperated a laugh, a bit desperate that you’re wrong and Vincent is indeed here to help you.

“Technically, I’m not here for that… But I am the in charge to bring the reinforcements specifically.” Hastily following up his speech, noticing your face falling in the middle of his sentence which quickly lit back up as fast as fairy light bulbs.

“Now, let us haste to the venue for the decoration.” Vincent said, instantly walking with you following with a haste. Upon entering the venue, the smell of cinnamon wafted throughout everything with a small hint of sugar canes mixed with hot chocolate scents. You can even smell the faint smell of the mint. It truly is a mesmerizing event, knocking you back to your senses that this is Pax Foundation we’re talking about so we’re not here to joke around.

“We have arrived at the venue, now if you will excuse me- “

“So? What do you think Miss?” Warm hands suddenly enveloped your shoulder, startling you which shocked you a bit which caused the voice to kick in a soft a laughter.

“Woah! Easy… I know you’re excited to meet me but let’s exert some patience, shall we?” Meeting Marius’s gaze, you see the glint in his eyes. Great, he’s going to tease that about you for the whole day now.

With Vincent nowhere to be found, your focus retrack back to Marius and you crossed your hands. “Hey, aren’t you the eager one to see me?” Pouting your lip ever-so-slightly, undoubtedly Marius bit the bait. His smirk growing bigger.

“Well, if you say so. Now, chop-chop! Get to work, dear Miss.” His face shifted suddenly, refusing to return your gaze. Shrugging, turning his back onto you, and stepping away. What a petty man! You thought, but before your hand reached him out you step back. Not wanting Marius to get the upper hand you decide to participate in this ‘nonchalant game’, aiming for the top spot.

Hence, you begrudgingly start putting up ribbons. Concocting placements that would strategically fit the best in the venue. Slowly, you completely forget the begrudging feeling and started humming to the tunes that played rhythmically in the background. Amidst it, your mind suddenly buzzed. That’s it! You finally know how to solve the looming problem that’s haunted your brain for days. Staring at the ribbons, you giggled. Marius is in for a surprise.

౨ৎ⋆˚｡⋆

Tipsily checking your watch, you see it’s 10.36 PM; 24th December of 2032. You took another sip of red wine Marius prepared you. Cozily waiting for the celebration of Christmas, you decide to spend it in a cabin with Marius. Intending to participate snowboarding, the plan didn’t happen. The snow piled up more than you two thoughts of and so, here you are. Nibbling your olives from the charcuterie board while excessively sipping wine.

You gaze at Marius sitting near the fireplace, deciding to join him. Bringing a giant blanket to cover the both of you, you cozily snug up on him. He embraces you softly, slowly resting his head towards the nape of your neck. Both of you enjoying this silent moment together. Moments pass but the drowsiness never hits you, rather it feels hot. Its like heat bubbling up inside, one look at Marius and you notice you’re not the only one.

Gazing each other, you slowly intertwine into a kiss. From soft wanting kisses it turned into a more ferocious one. Swirling each other’s tongue, panting out of breath whilst your hand crumpled his khaki shirt. Subconsciously, you unbutton few of the top ones. Riding off of the heat, you start to graze your teeth and lick his neck, paying extra attention to the veins.

“Mm…haa… right there Miss…” Marius panted, lifting you up to put you on his lap, direct contact with his clothed bulge. Heat swirling, pooling up your stomach making you dizzy. Trying to keep your head clear, you realize this is the perfect time for the surprise.

“…Marius…. hngg hold on. I… have something to give you…” You whisper weakly, desperately trying to keep the heat inside you from bubbling up. Wriggling your way out of his clutch, you softly put his hand off of your hips. Releasing the intact from his obvious bulge.

Unhappy with how the situation continued, Marius reaffirmed his grip onto yours. “Miss… really? Must it be right now?” Whining, his eyes sparked bits of desperation. Not wanting to release you. Biting back, you shift your fingers to his button shirt, freeing it from him by unbuttoning three buttons from the bottom. Slowly, you caress his abs, swirling it softly. Leaving a ghost of a touch, sending shivers down his spine.

“Now… let’s be a good boy and let me give you something. I promise, it’s worth the wait.” Emphasizing on each word, tapping on each of his abs. He squirmed, loosening his grip on you. Oh, how pretty your boyfriend looks. You wish he knew how his lips, plump after countless kisses you did and his face. His face stained with red from the mix of wine and the feverish heat that intoxicates the both of you.

Taking advantage of this moment, you hurriedly slip away and instantly rummaged your belongings until you find the right one. A red box, filled with beautiful ornaments but most importantly, ribbons. Bringing the box towards him, you scoot just right over to him and opened your mouth “Dear Marius, close your eyes.” Which surprisingly he obliged. Chuckling, you put one of the ribbons to cover up his eye.

“Uh… Miss? What is this for, perhaps?” Grunting, his vision taken away. Marius immediately jolted when you put your hands around his neck and went up close to his ear.

“Now, stay still. Why are you so nervous for? Are you thinking of something…bad?” You exaggerate your voice, sarcasm seeping through while making a mocking gasp. Doesn’t help how this seemed to turn Marius on more, as his cock visibly twitched.

Seeing as he is genuinely staying still, you start to prop up your craft. First, you’re taking the green ribbon, beautifully lush with a hue of lighter grass green. Going from bottom to top, you wrap it around his thigh. Making him buck down while you quickly stop and caress his chest. “Shh, take it easy. We’ll be there when I finish. So let me.” He only answered with another grunt. You continue to wrap around his chest, tying it up with a pretty little ribbon.

Feeling pretty satisfied with yourself, you hastily take another ribbon. It’s red this time. You carefully nudge your way around his neck. Making sure its loose, but he can feel it. You wrap it more times than before, finishing when it reaches his thigh. Nudging him to lay down, you stare at your masterpiece. Your own little gift. Admiring your hard work, you release the ribbon used to blindfold him and look at him expectantly.

“Oh… so this is your little gift to me. How’s it? Tying up a handsome man, very influential too nonetheless. Never expected you to have these thoughts regarding me. Been lonely, hm?” Marius remarked teasingly, but his face melts to a sweet smile. Well, that face is also soon wiped out of his face too. Because you started undressing in front of him.

Peeling off clothes one by one, you scoot closely over to him. It’s cold, and you’re naked. Plus, it’s super embarrassing but that part is soon erased when you start ravaging each other mouths once more. Even when all tied up, Marius still tries to use his tongue to overcome you. You slowly climb up his body, positioning your entrance towards his mouth.

“Lick.”

He did just that, and more. Needing a grip, you start tugging on his hair. At first, it’s a lick, but then he continued – deeper on you, swirling it inside of your clamp walls. Your hips instinctively buck, riding out your high off of his tongue. The cabin floors creak, he starts lapping your wet cunt up with no mercy. Noticing how much you’re enjoying it he ups the intensity, slathering himself in your juice.

“Miss, you look so fucking beautiful… bouncing up and down for me. Just like that…” Marius breathlessly mutters, continuing to lick all your juices. Suckling on your pearl, he coos and pushes hot breaths into it. Making you let out a whimper. Needing more, you push his head whilst jerking his hair, resulting his tongue reaching further into your walls. Clenching on it, you choked on his name and squirted all over his face.

Dazed off of your high, Marius starts to prop his body up. Making you feel just how clearly his cock is twitching, aching to be released. You shudder, the release left you beyond sensitive. “H…haa, Marius…wait….” You feel his hand getting untied, propping them on your naked hips.

“I’d love to Miss… so go on.” Marius smirked, knowing you’re still recovering from before. Refusing to give in to his whims, you start unbuckling his pants. He’s the gift, you’re the one that’s going to savor it. His tip leaking from pre-cum, is enormous. Standing upright you try to line it up with your entrance so it doesn’t slip and oh so slowly, you start to slid your cunt in.

‘Hngg…. Ha….aah….Marius…” You start to move it up and down, squelching noises echoed throughout the cabin. Your hand locking to his neck, needing a grip. You move achingly slow, Marius grunts becomes more and more visible. Visibly gripping the rug till his knuckles went white. You chuckle, nibbling your mouth up his ear while occasionally moaning. Reveling in the fact that there’s nothing he can do about it.

“I… c-can’t. You little minx… driving me insane.” Marius panted, hair damp from all the restraining he had to do. But all his words dry out when he feels you instantly clenching around him from his new nickname, chasing yet another high off of your own.

"F-fuck... didn't know you're sensitive like that Miss..." He whispered barely audible. Hot breaths scorches through your ear. Your own knees start to buckle, pace getting sloppier. Clenching all the while you pull out till his tip and crash down till it hits your cervix, Marius gasped out a moan and you feel it twitch. Skin against skin, you hug till your nails scratch against Marius’s back leaving marks while the two of you chase both of your high. Clenching as hard as you can, you both crash into climax at the same time. Mixing splashes of your fluids, leaving both of you delirium off of the heat.

“M-Miss, please… need more…” Marius whined, which earned a chuckle from you.

“Who’s the winner now?” You flicker your gaze away, musing. You did climax twice and he did only once, plus he obliged even if it was achingly slow for him. Fair game, you’ll let him off this one time.

“Fine.” You sigh, “One time, let’s see what you got. It’d be a shame if I couldn’t even reach orgasm though…” You scoffed playfully, which Marius started acting on. He starts spreading soft kisses. Your nape, your collarbone, your breast. Stopping on your breast, he trails down his fingers down till your stomach – causing an arch down your spine. Closing in on the lower part of your stomach, he starts to circle on your clit.

“F-fuck… you’re so wet. And you said no orgasm? Minx.” He hisses, jamming one finger into you ruthlessly. Your chest heaves, sucking in how expertly he’s using his finger to flicker in-between your walls. Increasing his digits, he jammed two fingers inside you. Relishing in the way you’re grinding against his hand, pinching your pearl which earned a shriek from you. But just before you’re so close… he lets it out.

“What’s that…f-for, Marius!?” You breathed heavily, sounding more desperate than you intended to.

“That’s what you get for trying to play by yourself. Now, open up.” Spreading your hips apart, Marius slid his cock in one thrust. Choking a sound, you grab him hastily for support. It’s an insanely different feeling from before. The intensity, different.

“Hng… Fuck. You’re s-so tight. Loosen up a bit…. will you…?” Hastening the pace, wet slapping sounds wafts through the cabin. Pressing on the bulge inside your stomach, Marius put another stimulation towards you. Trying your best not to lose through the haze of it, you scratch more and more of his back. Each thrust intensified, making louder noises, you start wrapping your legs around him.

“M-Marius…close…. Keep it going….” You blabbered, clenching. Moaning right up to your ear, Marius starts to lose his pace and his thrusts becomes sloppier. Pressing more tightly towards your bulge, you squirm and choked up a tired moan. Feeling you climax, Marius grunts and thrusted a few more till he also climaxed. Relieved, you start propping up your stiff muscles to relax. Only to behold the sight of Marius’s cock, still hard and ready for another round.

“Oh, come on now, Miss. Finish what you started!” Marius whined, which resulted in a pout. You refuse to relent; you already gave him one chance. Maybe you’re lenient with him sometimes, but that’s not today. Huffing, you thought of an idea.

“Okay.”

“Really? We- “

“However, there’s a requirement. You can’t go in. At all.” Sharply cutting him off, you scoffed. This sure is a payback for fucking you so hard before that your hips are basically sore. You see his face falling off.

“Th-that’s not fair.” Marius stuttered, dumbfounded over your answer.

“Well, you wanted something and I rewarded you. Won’t you reward me now for this thing I asked of you Marius. Please?” You mockingly pouted, wishing him to take the bait. He did take it, marvelously. He scoots over out of desperation and softly touched your thigh.

“So, anything… as long as it isn’t your clit can do right?” You slowly nod, starting to grapple what he meant by that. You spread your thigh open, cocking your head high. Signaling agreement to what he’s about to do.

“Well, good luck. Third’s time the charm after all… hm.” You hum, feeling happy over your plan working out. Every single one! Flawlessly. You sense a rubbing in your thigh and your head that’s up at the clouds drags back down to earth again. Flickering your gaze towards Marius. He starts speeding up, grinding against your thigh. Shoveling down all his embarrassment against his desires that’s burning him up. Panting and moaning, making a slobbery mess of himself. You position your thigh to assist him, scooting closer and humming on his ear. Teasing him, you sucked on his neck which propelled him to climax. An orgasm for a hickey, quite an equivalent exchange isn’t it.

౨ৎ⋆˚｡⋆

That was intense. You liked it, and Marius liked it though. However, it did take all the stamina out of you. You’re spent. Drowsily, you try to stand up. Hips being sore, the result of foul play of Marius. You wince, going back to your bed. But you can’t go to bed before taking a bath, that’s simply just isn’t an option. So, you sit. Contemplating on what to do.

Setting down bits of his work that he’s been doing, Marius slides to your side of the bed. Moving your hair to one side, resting his head carefully upon your neck while pulling you into a deep hug. He’s so tender with how he moves, careful not to put a single bit of weight upon your spent body. Slowly nuzzling his face to your cheek, he whispered “Care to take a bath, Miss?”.

He must have realized, breaking into a smile you eagerly nod. Propping you up, he carried you ala princess bridal style. Grinning, Marius strides towards the bathroom where a bathtub sits at the center of the bathroom with a bunch of lotion, creams, soaps, shampoo splayed out. Putting you down on a stool, he starts leveling the level of warmth for the water running through the bathtub. Busying himself with picking scents of soaps and shampoos, flickering his gaze towards you ever so slightly once in a while.

Once everything’s ready he makes a show out of it by sprinkling rose petals everywhere then insisting on carrying you. Not letting your feet touch the cool marble ground of the bathroom. He sets you in, then starts softly scrubbing your skin with a sponge. Smoothly handles your hair, making braids out of it in the process. He tends to you like you’re a budding flower, such care and tenderness. Every move earnest and once everything is done, he marvels at the sight of you. Making sure he doesn’t lose out; he scrubs the hell out of himself before both of you return to the couch.

“Marius, why did you specifically pick this cinnamon scent?”

“Well, because I noticed you wafting through the smell of the venue a few days ago and humming when the cinnamon ones are sprawled throughout. Can’t have you forgetting what the occasion is tomorrow.” He sarcastically added, knowing that the both of you just spend Christmas huddling on each other, drinking hot chocolates, and relishing each other’s gifts. Chuckling, you give into his arms. It’s ridden with peppermint. Complimenting the cinnamon. A lovely sight, and a memory that’s etched forever for future Christmas that is to come.

You and Marius sat in the sofa for what it seems a long while, when suddenly the hour beeps and Christmas tunes chimes in. Signifying the change of date into 25th of December, 2032.

Looking at each other, you both smiled tenderly.

“Merry Christmas, Marius.”

“Merry Christmas, Miss.”

“I’m insanely grateful for you, Miss. It shames me how word doesn’t justify but I’m happy to be your gift. Used whenever you like. Because, your own existence into my life has been the most magnificent gift of it all.” Marius spur out his words, pink hues covering his face making his glassy eyes stand out.

“Oh, Marius… You’re a gift to my life too. Life has been such a delight, and I can’t see myself without you.” You softly wrap your arms around his body, nuzzling against his cheek and returning his gaze. You don’t need a mirror to know that the both of you are making the same face right now.

You lean into Marius for a kiss, resulting in a long tender kiss filled with warmth. Both of you taste like candy canes you ate whilst sitting with Marius. Snuggling your head up Marius’s chest, you let out a satisfied sigh. Drowsiness washing the both of you, falling asleep leaning towards each other and awoken by the chirps of a chickadee. Welcoming a Christmas morning, unwrapping each other’s gifts with buzzing excitement.

[fossilizedpr0tienpowder]

Happy new year! Here is the long awaited (and heavily stalled)ghoap partners in crime au fic! It's not much, and for that I apologize, but i do plan on adding to the series.

Soaps' eyes followed flashing red and blue lights as they illuminated the night sky from afar. As he watched police cars race nearby, his lips curled into an amused smirk,“We’ve got company, L.T.” , he informed the man on the other end of the line.

“Nothing we haven’t tackled before, Johnny.” Ghost replied dismissively through a miniature microphone, scrambling to shove copious stacks of money into a standard potato sack. 

Ghost always got slightly ticked off when he and Soap ran into predicaments with the authorities, though he always opted to conceal the way it stuck to the back of his mind. As Ghost ultimately ceased his literal cash grab, he scurried out of the vault from whence he dwelled.

Soap snickered, typing away at a keyboard, his attention split between the security system displayed on his monitors and whichever phase of the plan Ghost was on. 

“Hurry your ass up will ya? I really don’t feel like a police chase today.” He bossed at Ghost. 

A sarcasm lingered in his words as he arrogantly added an audible yawn to close the sentence.

Ghost sighed,“I’ll drive for you once I get to the van, your majesty.” He snapped back, peering around walls and tip-toeing ever so silently towards the building's nearest exit. 

Eventually, Ghost spotted said exit, and approached it with utmost caution and awareness.

“Could use a bit of a hand,-”  Ghost started, before being interrupted by a rather annoyed voice. 

“M’ working on it!” Soap grunted behind gritted teeth and vigorous typing. Ghost knew not to push Soap over the edge, instead choosing to lay off his nagging and trust in Soap's abilities

Sure enough, seconds later Ghost heard a gratifying click which implied an unlocked exit. A smile invited itself onto Ghost’s face. “Thanks, love.”

“Yeah, whatever. Now get the hell outta there before you end up caught!” Soap barked back at his partner.

“Aye, patience!” Ghost chuckled back in response. Rather than earning himself a teasing response, he instead fell victim to the silent treatment from a fed-up Soap.

Ghost evidently took the hint and bolted through the bank door, the sweet absence of alarm sirens like music to his ears. 

Ghost ran through many dimly lit and empty streets, as well as countless sketchy alleyways, skimming the city all while keeping a relatively low profile. 

“Where are you at? Stop tryna hide from me, Johnny.” Ghost whispered through the microphone.

“Turn around, idiot.” Soap sighed.

Ghost felt rather idiotic indeed as he spun around, only to find a suspicious looking white van tucked neatly into a corner of the very alley he stood dumbfounded in. 

“...ahem- Well, there you are.” Ghost rushed into the van, lifting his mask and chucking the bag of stolen money in the vehicle just complimentary to opening the door. “Mission complete?” He asked with an anticipatory smile. 

Soap squinted, scanning Ghost up and down. “Stop worrying so fuckin’ much, L.T. We didn’t get caught. So the cops made an appearance? Not the end of the world, eh?” 

Ghost frowned, Soap’s ability to see through him was an annoying trait to tackle at times. “Bullshit. If I was only quicker this wouldn’t have happened-”

Soap got up from his seat, grabbing Soap’s face with a single hand and a firm grip, forcing Ghost to look him dead in the eye. “Shut up, will ya? God you’re such a tight ass. You do realize you’re one of the most wanted men alive? Stop being such a damn bully to yourself. You got the job done, you always do. And you do it damn well.” 

Soap grinned, “Are we clear?”

Bewildered, Ghost simply nodded. It was all he could manage. Otherwise he knew he’d earn himself an earful from his annoyingly devoted partner. I don't have an @ list yet but these are some people who i feel I owe it to; @a-man-of-questionable-morals @axelaxolotl09 @queermentaldisaster @bringinsexybackk69

[toasecretsanta]

From @tsarinatorment for NatureGuardian using the prompt Percy has heart to heart talk with Nico about everything (Happy or ANGSTY)

Nico frowned as he perched on the porch of the Big House, listening to the chaos of the infirmary.  Will had firmly kicked him out, pointing out that due to his early fade out from the battle, he’d been away from Apollo’s summoned miniature plague and therefore hadn’t caught it – and his boyfriend wanted it to stay that way.

Not that Nico could say he particularly minded not being in the thick of things, especially when that involved almost the entire camp’s population sneezing and snivelling so badly that none of them could stay on their feet, but he did mind that Will was running around and treating everyone else near enough solo, what with Kayla and Austin as two of the worst-affected, and Apollo himself being… well.

Will was a much better healer than Lester, even if Apollo clearly cared, and was trying.

Still, Nico wasn’t happy about the whole thing, and the company that had just appeared from the direction of the lake.

“Hey,” Percy said, grabbing one of the porch chairs and spinning it around before straddling it backwards.  His hair was wet, so clearly he’d let it get wet on purpose during his clean-up of the Colossus.  Nico suspected it was to drive away the hay fever fumes.

He grunted back at him.

It wasn’t that he didn’t like Percy.  Percy had been his hero since he was a kid, even if Nico had managed to shift the hero-worship-crush nonsense his younger self had had on the son of Poseidon.  He just didn’t want to deal with Percy right then.

Or at any point in the near future, really.

“This Apollo thing is a mess,” the older demigod said after a few more moments, obviously not getting the hint that Nico didn’t really want his company right then.

He grunted again, shrugging because Percy wasn’t exactly wrong, and looked back towards the infirmary again.  Occasionally, he could catch a glimpse of Will as he flitted about between beds.

“How’s Will holding up?” Percy asked him.  “Given… well…”  He trailed off awkwardly.

“He’s coping,” Nico muttered.  Badly, he added silently, which was another reason why he didn’t like being banished from the infirmary while Will fretted over everyone else and bossed his turned-mortal dad around.  Will was going to burn himself out and Nico hated the feeling of helplessness he got whenever that happened.

“Ah,” Percy grimaced, apparently hearing the silent addition.  “How about you, Nico?  We haven’t spoken in a while.”

There was no way Percy was dumb enough to not realise Nico didn’t want to have this conversation, but he stayed slouched on his backwards chair as though he didn’t have a clue, and part of Nico wanted to push him off, just to break the cool hero façade Percy had going on.  He’d seen him flailing frantically enough times to know he wasn’t so much a cool hero as just another demigod.

Unfortunately, the annoying little-kid part of Nico that had been making itself known more and more since he’d officially started living at camp and socialising with demigods – occasionally even those whose names didn’t start with Will and end with Solace – still saw Percy as the cool hero, and wouldn’t let him even give Percy a small nudge.

“Surviving,” he said instead.  “Not dissolving into shadows much anymore.”

The smile Percy gave him was genuine, because of course Percy was genuinely glad that Nico wasn’t about to fade from existence.  It was the sort of smile that would’ve made his stomach do backflips and butterflies, and drag yes out of his mouth to everything Percy said a year ago.  Now, it just gave him phantom butterflies, barely there but enough to remind him of what had been, before he’d met Will and discovered what a reciprocated crush felt like.

Discovered the difference between loving someone, and the idea of someone.

“I’m glad,” Percy said.  “Glad that you’re doing better, I mean.  I was a bit worried when I didn’t see you in the fight.”  The phantom butterflies dissolved as Nico’s stomach twisted unhappily at the reminder that he’d been near enough useless in the fight.

Percy, for all that he’d turned up to save the day again, had moved on from camp.  Sure, he dropped by every so often, but everyone knew he was going to Camp Jupiter at the end of the summer with Annabeth.  Nico didn’t blame him for wanting to live somewhere that was near-guaranteed to be safe from monsters taking opportunistic pot-shots, he didn’t.  Besides, another full summer at camp being reminded that he’d once had a crush on the heroic Perseus Jackson sounded like hell.

But Nico was uncomfortably aware that that left him as the camp’s resident Big Three kid, with all the expectations that came with it.  Percy was a front-line fighter, Thalia had been a protective pine tree for years, and Nico…

Well, Nico should be a front-line fighter, except he was also more of a guerilla warrior – or would be, if he could shadow travel without passing out almost immediately afterwards.  He didn’t regret the journey back from Greece with the statue, but he hated what it had done to his ability to travel through the shadows.

He hated how much it worried Will, too.

“I wasn’t needed,” he deflected, which was a lie in as much as his shadow travel had been the fastest way to get the flying chariot away from Sherman’s control, but otherwise true because he hadn’t been. Not when Apollo had already rescued all the demigods and had a plan all sorted that didn’t include him.

He pretended not to see the way Percy’s sea-green eyes darkened in disapproval.  “You’re always needed, Nico,” he said, and Nico scoffed.

“I wasn’t needed then,” he repeated, clarified.  “Apollo had it in hand just fine without me.”

The noise Percy made proved that his excuse wasn’t flying at all.  “No he didn’t,” he said.  “That guy did not have that in hand at all.”  Nico glanced over to see him sending a look at the infirmary, one that was usually reserved for people Percy didn’t really respect much.  “Apollo’s not the worst god, sure,” he continued, “but he’s still…”  He trailed off, scrunching his face up as he clearly tried to search for the word he meant.  “Flighty.  He did help us out once, I guess, but… he was kind of lame every other time I’ve met him.  This week very much included.”

Nico’s one encounter with the godly Apollo had included the first time he’d been treated decently since discovering he was a demigod, and now that the rose-tinted glasses he’d once viewed Percy with had shattered, Apollo’s kindness stood out even more amongst the sea of betrayal, abandonment, and dismissal he’d received that day.

Still, he couldn’t quite disagree with Percy’s assessment.  “I suppose,” he said.  “He’s definitely not the worst, for a god.”  Apollo cared, or was at least doing a very good job of pretending to.  Will was struggling with a lot of the current mortal-god situation, but the one thing he seemed to have accepted without any problems was his dad’s personality, so Nico was inclined to let that point stand unchallenged.  “Or a mortal-god.”

“He was on the front lines,” Percy agreed.  “And isn’t he trying to help Will now?”

Nico snorted.  “Trying to,” he said, not bothering to mention that Apollo was still doing a better job than he would.  Despite Will’s best efforts, he was not a natural at helping patients.

“It’s his own fault if he gets sick,” Percy pointed out, “given he summoned the thing in the first place.”

“As long as it doesn’t make Will ill,” Nico grumbled.  Percy sent him a teasing grin.

“If Will gets sick, you’ll just have to look after him,” he said.  “Not that I think I’ve ever seen Will get sick.”

“It happens,” Nico said shortly, although admittedly whenever he had seen him ill, it had been because he’d pushed himself too hard.

Like he was threatening to do again now.

“You’ll know better than me,” Percy admitted easily.  “In that case, good luck!”  Finally he stood up, kicking his chair to one side haphazardly.  Nico watched him wander towards the Big House, where Rachel’s shock of red curls stood out in the fading evening light.  “You’re good for each other, I think,” he added after a moment.  “I’m glad you’re happy again, Nico.”

Was Nico happy?  Not right then, with his boyfriend stuck with a bunch of ill kids of his own volition.  But overall?

“I’m getting there,” he admitted under his breath as Percy disappeared.  “I’ll get there.”