#I love how much their eyes variates from big to small all the time

[thisonequack]

You may have three weed smoking girlfriends, BUT I have a partner with greasy white t-boy swag. We are not the same.

[maaarshieee]

Okay so: How about giving Wanderer, Pantalone, Dottore and Alhaitham flowers 👀

Pick some flowers for them. What's their reaction? Put them in their hair too. Make them a flower crown!

⎯⎯ ୨ Flowers For You! (HCs) ୧ ⎯⎯

ੈ♡˳ Alhaitham, Dottore, Pantalone & Wanderer x Gn!Reader *ೃ༄

ੈ♡˳ Masterlist *ೃ༄

author's note ˚ ༘♡ ⋆｡˚

THEY'RE INFESTING MY MIND RN,, THEY'RE ALL SKRUNKLIES,, ty for the request this is ... so soft... omg,,, FINALLY NEW BANNER FOR WANDERER BC OF THAT BDAY ART HEHEHE,, ok i might've had brain rotted too hard on pantalone esp bc the song "call out my name" came up from my playlist while writing him..... have a good day/night!! <33 oh! noticed were mutuals,, got an emoji for ur mutual tag ?? hehe,,

˚₊· ͟͟͞͞➳❥ cw: canon typical violence, longer than i anticipated, injuries, made up flowers on wanderer's part

"What are you doing?"

"Decorating!" Was your only reply.

Inside the library that Alhaitham often resides in, with piles of books on his table, legs crossed as he read peacefully, you stood behind him, hands raking through his silky hair.

A while ago, you entered the library with a bright smile on your face, a bunch of flowers gathered in your arms. Alhaitham was pleased with your sudden visit, even if his outward appearance was of annoyance, choosing to 'ignore' your existence instead.

Huffing humorously at his attitude, you greeted him cheerfully, giving him a quick peck on the cheek (where he subtly leaned his body to the side to chase your lips for a longer kiss) before placing down the flowers you'd freshly picked from the forest during your forest ranger patrols.

You often brought him flowers after finishing your patrols, always dropping them wherever he was so he'd usually be walking home with a bouquet in his hands. He didn't particularly mind, in fact, he absolutely cherished them, especially when you always put so much thought and effort into them.

Each day you bring a new bouquet, they'd be bundled in different shades of green crepe paper, ribbons, and various designs you could think of, and you do it all by yourself. Even so far refusing opinions from others, pouring all your creativity and adoration for him into each bouquet. You even pick a diverse variation of flowers that would mix and match, then you would list off the meanings of each flower, its anatomy and the role plays in the ecosystem, basically info dumping him.

And each time, Alhaitham would close his book, leaving a bookmark on the page he was reading, and turn his head to you, listening to every word you say and even engaging in a deep conversation with you about biology. In each conversation, each discussion, he learns something new about plants, and he's able to bask in your loving presence, watching your hands fluidly move with your words, noticing the way the corners of your eyes crinkle from the big grin on your face. It's always the tiniest details that warm Alhaitham's heart.

But today was a little different, he supposes. As soon as you got close to where he sat, he took note that you hadn't brought him a bouquet this time, which earned you a raised brow from him. All you responded with was a small mischievous smirk on your lips as you put down the flowers you had gathered that day onto a chair next to him and got behind his back.

Alhaitham hadn't expected you to visit him that day since he had told you he'd be pretty busy, that's why he had a lot more books on his table than usual. And yet here you are, with a plan brewing inside your pretty little head that Alhaitham would just have to let himself fall victim to. It was distracting, sure, but it's you.

So he didn't tell you off and instead allowed you to bury your fingers into his hair, tenderly massaging his scalp and running your hands through his fluffy hair, softly humming a tune near his ear. Soon, you began to put flowers into his hair, playing with his hair and silently giggling behind him.

All the while Alhaitham immersed himself in the books he read, not minding your pestering one bit. As long as you didn't completely distract him from reading, he would let this (and many others things) slide.

From there, you compared Alhaitham to a cat, holding back a snort at the comparison. Whenever you pulled your hands away from his head, he would chase your touch subconsciously, yearning for more. When you still your hands in his hair, he would turn his head to look at you questioningly, an unimpressed glint in his eyes.

And while Alhaitham hasn't spoken a single word after the question he had asked a few moments ago, you could tell that he was enjoying this more than he could let on. His tense muscles had relaxed, leaning back on his chair and, from time to time, you'd catch his eyes flutter close before he'd blink to pull himself out of his sleepiness, he even had a small tugging at the corners of his lips.

He didn't make a move to take out the flowers you had put into his hair once he got up from his seat, returning the books from their respective shelves. Internally chuckling at the image of the blank-faced scribe walking around with flowers littered in his hair, you decided to play nice and reached up to his hair to remove them.

Only for your hands to be swatted away by Alhaitham and receive a halfhearted glare from your dearest lover.

It was quite endearing that Alhaitham did not give a care to anyone who saw him with a head full of flowers, and hair a little messy from all your playing and rubbing, but he ignored their stares, his eyes only focused on you as you walked side by side back to your shared home.

"Hey, Dottie," Hearing your voice from the doorway of his personal office, Dottore paid you no mind and continued to write on his whiteboard with a few other segments behind him. A few segments gave you a brief glance, before returning to the tasks they were assigned with. "Hey Dot, Dottie, Dotdot," You continued annoyingly, listing away all the nicknames you could think of at the top of your head, getting more absurd when you're slowly running out of ideas.

With a sigh, finally popped back the cap of his marker and turned to look at you, only to see you holding a bunch of baskets in your hands and... 2 of his segments holding similar baskets but with flower crowns on their heads. Truly, what a sight to see. You hailed all the way from a couple nations you had to stop by for your mission only to come back and immediately cause some shenanigans inside his laboratory.

Dottore couldn't help the sigh that escaped his lips once again as he started walking toward you, eyeing the flower baskets the 3 of you held that were filled to the brim with various flora he was quite familiar with. Letting you put down the baskets on a table, he turned his head to the 2 segments trailing behind your back with a scowl on his face. "You may leave," He orders, before adding. "And take those off."

To his surprise, they hesitated to follow his order, hands froze in midair as if they were contemplating whether to obey or not. Now that greatly irked the Doctor, seeing that 2 of his creations had the gall to not obey right away in front of him, only to be calmed down by you by putting a hand on his shoulder. "Oh c'mon, leave them be. They're just flower crowns, let them have it." You reasoned, gesturing to the 2 segments to move along while Dottore had his attention on you.

With a smirk taking over your features, your hands settled on your hips when you jerked your head in the direction of the baskets you had brought proudly. "Besides, I got you a lot more." Dottore narrowed his eyes at you, dismissing the other segments present inside his office more, taking a few steps closer to you, arms crossed. "What exactly are these?"

You passed a basket to him and he took it, observing the contents of it before widening his eyes slightly, hands now caressing the leaves and petals of the flora you've brought to him. "My recent mission had me running around Teyvat for a bit, so I grabbed everything I could." You explained, eyeing one corner of his office. It had pictures of flora he needed for his experiments, a definitive list of everything he wanted that are plant-based to set a project onward and help with his research. "Be it mythical, illegal, rarest of the rare, or the most expensive, nothing escaped me."

A big, maniacal grin soon blossomed on his face as he further examined the multiple baskets, small giggles emitting from him here and there. Satisfied at his reaction, you proudly crossed your arms and your smirk grew. "My my, whatever is the reason you've become so generous?"

With a mere shrug, you walked behind him, laying your chin on his shoulder as you watched him eagerly sort through the flora you'd given him. "Just wanted to further our research, is all," At that, his movements paused and his grin faltered, head turning to look at you. You blinked at him, before realizing what you'd just said.

"Well, also because I wanted to spoil my dearest partner." You tried to save yourself, though it was the actual truth. Dottore seemed to think your words over, before menacingly smiling at you. "Oh, so they get one of those and not me?" Was he serious? You stared at him incredulously. Well, you guess you couldn't blame him. You mistakenly had told him the gift you had prepared for him was simply for your experiments, not for him.

But you couldn't help it. You let out a small, breathless chuckle before digging your hands inside one of the baskets that held flora that isn't much required for your experiments and began to work for your hands. Dottore watched you while you twisted the stems of each flora, organizing the petals and making them look as pretty as you could, tying them up neatly.

Dottore had pursed his lips as he observed, his expression growing sour when he peeked outside of his office to see a majority of the segments outside had flower crowns on their heads. They all seemed to be containing the joy they had upon receiving a flower crown, while the unlucky ones that doesn't have any were sulking and glaring at the luckier segments.

It seemed to upset Dottore, even more, to see he's one of the unlucky ones, unintentionally beginning to sulk like the rest of them. You had to hold back your laughter when you saw a big frown on his face, eyeing angrily at his segments but you opted to explain yourself to avoid his wrath.

"I thought you'd be satisfied enough with all the stuff I got you, so I didn't make you a flower crown." You said, earning Dottore's attention once more as you kept adding the prettiest flowers you could get your hands on, "I'd imagine you wouldn't want others to see you with such things on you so..." Finalizing the flower crown you made just for him, you turned to face him once more, a sheepish smile on your lips.

"But I suppose I was wrong, making my lover feel jealous." Dottore scowled at your words, opening his mouth to deny it but you just shot him an amused look, presenting him with the flower crown. Compared to the ones you've made for the segments, you put a lot of thought into the flower crown you made for him. It wasn't as messy, considering that you were frequently on the run during your mission whilst you made them.

"I'm sorry my love... Is this enough to earn your forgiveness?" Gently placing the flower crown on his head, pulling back a strand of his hair behind his ear. You then gave him your best puppy eyes on him, knowing full well that it wouldn't work on him. Despite this face, you still liked doing it, putting your hands on his chest.

Dottore didn't speak, only cupping your cheek with his gloved hand. He didn't like the fact that he has a flower crown on his head, but he suppose that he could tolerate it just for you since you made it for him after all. Since it was an act of seeking forgiveness.

How thoughtful of his lover. To bring him so many important materials for his research and make him a flower crown. And you easily got the message that he had forgiven you when he pressed a small, fleeting kiss on your forehead.

The Regrator has it all. He is rich, very rich, so of course, he does. So you can't help but feel a tad insecure whenever you think about giving him something.

You? A mere adventurer who does commissions for a living and even often helps the people around you for free?

How do flowers you've picked while you were doing commissions in a different region compete with the literal huge gardens Pantalone has at the mansions he has all over Teyvat? Every time he brings you to one of his 'vacation homes', you always find yourself lost in the beautiful paradise of flora that he owns.

It's the thought that counts, you argue with yourself. While it's true, it doesn't stop you from hesitating whether to even give the bouquet you've prepared for your dearest lover. Maybe you shouldn't have if you were being honest. Pantalone, in your eyes, was the embodiment of elegance.

He was gorgeous; the smile that's always etched on his lips makes your palms sweat, especially when they're always so genuine whenever they're directed at you. Skin fair, face as refined as smoothed jade. His expression was a balanced mix of sharp frostiness and a polite gleam of warmth, both authoritative and welcoming.

Immaculate and pristine clothing could only be worn, from his coat, gloves, and even the material of his glasses; all were top quality and handmade by professionals amongst professionals. With each calculated step, his entire being is the epitome of wealth.

So who were you to sully the beauty he has with simple flowers that you've handpicked from the forests you've roamed in? Sure, you've cleaned them as much as you could, but giving him flowers that weren't grown in quality gardens- you'd be ruining his image!

Clutching the DIY bouquet you've organized the flowers in, you almost sank to your knees as you continued to mull over your decisions, sulking right in front of Pantalone's office door. It has been 20 minutes since you arrived and the guards stationed near his office have been pitifully glancing at your predicament.

Just as you were about to take a step back and throw the bouquet you'd made, deciding to just do more commissions and earn more mora (and not use the mora he kept giving you) to buy him something more presentable and pleasing to the eye, Pantalone opened the door.

You froze in your spot, but the grip on the bouquet you held tightened to the point it would've been broken. Pantalone was shocked to see you just standing motionlessly at his door, not expecting you to have you back so soon.

Immediately, Pantalone's expression softened and his smile widened. His shoulders relaxed and his body felt lighter just at the mere sight of you, and the feeling of laughter bubbling up his chest when he saw your stupefied face.

You fought the urge to bolt or throw the flowers in your hands to an unsuspecting guard and pretend as if nothing had happened. You stood your ground, no matter how hard your heart was beating against your ribcage when his eyes traveled down, catching sight of the bouquet.

Pantalone's face evidently brightened at the sight of it, the corners of his lips curving upwards. "For me?" He says in a fond tone as his hands reached for the bouquet, but you instinctively flinch back, surprising Pantalone. You quickly stuttered out; "I-I... yeah, yeah it is..." You learned your throat, averting your eyes from him and shamefully bowing down your head.

"But, well, you shouldn't take it. I just picked them in the forest when I was back in Sumeru because when I saw how pretty the flowers were, I thought about you... They're not high quality, so I can just buy you better ones—" You didn't even realize you'd begun rambling, so you were cut off abruptly when Pantalone took the bouquet from your arms anyways, caressing the petals with his gloved hands, his smile never leaving his handsome face.

Then, he gently grabbed your chin and lifted it up with his index finger and his thumb so you'd look at him eye to eye. Before you could say something, he captured your lips against his, tilting your head slightly to the side to deepen the kiss.

Heat exploded on your face, eyes widening at the sudden kiss but you indulge yourself in it nonetheless, kissing back fervently and clutching his coat shakily. You let out a small noise when Pantalone licked your bottom lip, satisfied at the delectable sight of your red face, before pulling away a little.

"I absolutely love them, my dear." He muttered against your skin, taking a step closer to you. "I'm delighted that even when you're out on your travels, you still think of me, so I will cherish these flowers you've given me, for they remind me of your love for me."

Those words sent chills up your spine, and you couldn't suppress the smile forming on your lips and the sigh of relief that escaped through your nose.

"Now, why don't you tell me more about these flowers?"

As a seasoned adventurer, you've equipped yourself with various knowledge of anything that could help you in your survival in the outside world. Perking up at his request, you eagerly nodded at that as the words spilled from your mouth whilst Pantalone led you inside his office, shutting the door close.

And thus the beginning of you always bringing him a fresh bouquet of flowers every time you come back from your commissions, then recounting your wide knowledge of flora to your lover.

And every time, Pantalone would listen intently, learning how to care for the flowers as per your instruction if it meant he could listen to your voice more with such enthusiasm, quell your feelings of inferiority in your relationship, and ignore his piling paperwork to spend more of his time with you.

The Wanderer never really understood the sentiment of giving flowers to your lover. So what if they gave you flora? They're just plants that look pretty and usually smelled good. It was a romantic gesture, others would say. It shows the thoughtfulness you had for your lover, it's why you'd gift them flowers! But would it still be counted as very thoughtful if it's such a common thing lovers do to one another?

He doesn't truly get it, so he had absolutely no idea how to react when you came back to the camp you set up for the night, a wild grin on your face with a bunch of cuts and bruises on your body, your hair one big mess and your clothes were torn and dirty, though you cradled a bunch of flowers in your arms protectively. Well, besides being concerned for your entire being and getting absolutely mad at your lacking self-preservation.

"Just what were you thinking, picking flowers near a Hilichurl Camp without your weapon!? Are you trying to get yourself killed!?" He scolded you whilst he cleaned your wounds, intentionally adding pressure enough to make you wince and hiss in pain to both stops the blow flowing out and punish you for your foolishness, deathly glaring at you.

But you merely had a sheepish smile on your lips as you watched your lover fuss over your wellbeing, wrapping you in bandages and scolding you like a mother whose child had run off to do whatever. To be fair, he had warned about the Hilichurl camp near yours, and that you both agreed to leave it be for now since it was late at night already, but when he told you to grab more firewood, you still went to the Hiluchurl camp unarmed all because some 'pretty flowers' caught your eyes.

Offering you a fresh set of clothing, he let you get dressed whilst he went back to cooking, eyeing the bundle of flowers you left near him. Just why did you get through all that trouble for a bunch of flowers? You can buy flowers at multiple flower shops all over Teyvat! He doesn't understand at all, grumpily huffing under his breath.

You told him that those flowers were for him, that it was worth the trouble. It took all of his willpower to not smack you with the wooden ladle he had in his hand, only gritting his teeth and glaring at you. But for some reason, you were extremely unbothered by your injuries, only apologizing to your partner for worrying him. You kept caressing the flowers with a big grin on your face, features softening as you admired them.

So, he had to ask. "Is there any other reason why you had to get these for me?" He crossed his arms, eyeing you warily. You never ceased to caress the damp petals of the flowers, only scooping them back in your arms and giving them to him.

"They remind me of you." At your answer, he raised a brow. How does a bunch of flowers remind you of me? "I read in a book once that these rare flowers symbolize new beginnings, a fresh new start, and hope." You started, sitting close to him and leaning your body against his, staring up at the night sky. "They grow in an unhealthy environment and start off like wilting little buds of flowers, but the more it grows, the more it blossoms into a beautiful flower."

Slowly, his eyes trailed down to the flowers in his arms, piecing them together bit by bit in his mind. He held the flowers closer to him as he continued to listen to your words. "In the midst of burnt forests, these flowers usually grow at the heart of the disaster, sprouting beauty in hapless surroundings." You finish with a sparkle in your eyes, now gazing at him fondly.

Trying to hide his expression with his hat, he merely responded with; "Hope and new beginnings truly fit this flower then." Though his voice was steady, the same couldn't be said the same with his body, which lightly trembled. Your hand found itself in his, lacing your fingers together. You were relieved that he didn't pull away from your hold, only squeezing your hand as he hugged the meaningful flowers in his arms.

These flowers greatly reminded you of him. Not only because of its appearance, but also what it symbolizes. You admired him as if he was the flowers that you picked near that Hilichurl camp, marveling at the beauty of his new life, the hope in his eyes, and his will to finally live without the strings that were attached to him.

The Wanderer may never get why other couples would give each other flowers; may never understand what's so sentimental about it, but he now knows why you chose to give him those flowers... And it meant quite a lot to him.

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[ghostlywhiskey]

Just thinking about Price, as per usual, and wondering if he and Mrs Price have a big wedding or do they elope? I can see them starting to plan a wedding, hating it, and eloping. But I can also see them doing like a big Catholic wedding or something

give me the big catholic wedding and i want lana del reys young and beautiful instrumental version BLASTING no i'm not projecting HOWEVER

i feel like you would be sat at price's dining room table which is doubling as the planning area for the wedding. the table rendered useless for dinner or anything since the engagement. various color swatches, pictures of flower arrangements as inspiration, and venue layouts for the reception covering surface. the only certain thing so far was the church which was decided on without even really discussing it. price's mother insisting it would be the same church she got married, as did his siblings.

price doesn't handle too much with helping, he'll sit and watch you as your hunched over the table, swapping around photos on the table trying to see what decor and variations of colors look best together. the only time he offers his opinion is when you ask. you want him to feel involved, but he just tells you that he trusts your judgment.

and i feel like one day you'll just be stressed out of your mind, in a bad mood about everything. price easily noticing, so he'll walk up behind you as your sat at the table. hands pressing into your shoulders as he starts to massage them, leaning down to your ear.

"turnin' into a bridezilla, love." you sigh in defeat, leaning back into the chair and turning your head to the side to look at him.

"who taught you that word?"

disregarding the question, he moves closer to you so his lips brush against yours. "forget the big old wedding. let's just go to the courthouse." his suggestion barely processing in your head before he kisses you, silencing you from any protests you may have.

your hand snaking up to rest on the back of his neck, a soft hum of approval vibrating your throat as you two stay locked in the kiss.

when he pulls back is when you're finally able to say something. "you can't be serious," you mumble, fingers gently scratching the back of his neck. "your mother will have your head on a stake." the comment making him chuckle, as he knows you are most likely right.

"can't disagree with that, but," his hands giving your shoulders a squeeze, eyes locked on your tired ones, bags having formed from all the stress and lack of sleep due to the wedding planning on top of day-to-day life. "who cares how this shit turns out if we just elope? doesn't need to be perfect." he mumbles. price taking a step back to grab the chair and turn it to face him, bending down in front of you.

"we can do the wedding at the church as a small thing with only close family and friends," his hands resting on your thighs as he gives them a squeeze, partly stabling himself as well by holding onto you. "for theatrics, y'know? just to make my mum happy. and so she doesn't know we eloped."

"no reception? or decor?" you ask, trying to register what he meant.

"none of the shit i wouldn't even think twice about that day."

[adokyoguen]

Hi! I'm new to requesting so I hope I'm doing this right 😅 Can I request Nanami Kento from JJK spending a day with Reader and Yuji tagging along then people think that they're Yuji's parents? Thanks in advance!

Of course! here it is. I apologize if something is wrong :) enjoy!

note: any writing errors please let me know so I can fix them, okay? My requests are open if you want to make any! I will try to answer everyone.

You and Yuji walked around shibuya all morning . You followed much of the training that Nanami had given him, and when the opportunity arose, you allowed the boy to escape the obligations of his boyfriend's strict training. As the two of you walked, your cell phone vibrates in your pocket, already imagining who it could be, you rush to respond to the message.

"Nanami discovered us", you say, putting your cell phone in your pocket, laughing."But don't worry, you won't come back with it" An excited smile appears on Itadori's face, as the two sat on a bench to await their arrival from Nanami.

You could say that it took less than ten minutes for your boyfriend to arrive at the scene, his face was literally the same as always, not looking angry or happy.

"Why isn't he training like I told him to?" Nanami asked, arms crossed, approaching the two.

“Because I wanted to go for a walk with him,” you say, standing up to hold Nanami’s hand. "Come on, love... This boy's daily life is literally based on curses, training and missions. He deserves a rest, just like you." As they looked at Nanami with pleading expressions, he sighed deeply, giving in to the situation.

"Fine", he says, Itadori gets up excitedly and you rush to hug your boyfriend, as a thank you.

"Come on Itadori! I'll take you shopping for clothes" You shout excitedly, pulling the two of you towards the city center. Nanami was happy to see you smile after all the hard work, he knew you needed a break from your duties as much as Yuji did. And why not spend a little time with your girlfriend? You are rarely able to have contact while you are working.

‧｡⁺⋆˚꒰୨ ♡ ୧꒱˚⋆⁺｡‧

Nanami could say that you spent an hour and a half in a store looking at clothes, every thirty seconds you run towards your boyfriend, showing him a blouse, telling him he should buy it because it looked like his style. He obviously didn't know how to say no to you.

After a tiring day of choosing clothes, you decided to stop by an ice cream shop to enjoy the rest of the afternoon you had. "I want a small chocolate milkshake," Itadori said to the attendant, looking at the menu with variations of flavors.

"Small? You won't even settle for that, make him big, please," you ask, looking away from Nanami. "And you, baby? What do you want?"

"I don't feel like it. You two can take it for me," he replied, leaving the bags of clothes he was carrying for you on the floor next to the table. You rolled your eyes, buying the same flavor you chose for him. As you delivered the ice creams, you sat down next to Nanami, beginning to enjoy yours.

"I didn't need to buy it, I really didn't feel like eating ice cream," Nanami explained, looking at the ice cream in her hands.

"But now you're going to have to take it, my love." You said, smiling. Your boyfriend sighed, giving in and eating the ice cream you bought just to please you.

While the three of you were talking about Itadori's training, a lady approached the table you were at, shyly.

"I'm sorry to bother you, but I couldn't help but notice how happy your family seems." Itadori raised his eyebrows, not understanding what the lady really meant by that. " Nowadays it is rare to see parents taking their children out. They are so busy at work that they forget to give their children love... It makes me happy to know that this custom is still preserved in some families."

Nanami looked at you from the corner of her eye, noticing your smile at the lady as she thanked you for the compliments. Knowing that revealing the truth would disappoint the woman, he preferred to remain quiet and continue eating his ice cream while you talked to her. Itadori took a while to process, but when the lady was gone, the two of you burst out laughing, leaving Nanami embarrassed that all the people in the ice cream shop were paying attention to you.

"Do we look like a family that much?", you asked both of them, while stroking Nanami's hand.

"Her vision must be affected by old age" Joked Itadori, receiving a kick from him for his lack of respect.

"I'm leaving." Nanami said, standing up and grabbing her bags of clothes.

"Why, love? Won't you stay with us?" you asked, holding the sleeve of his shirt so he would stay.

"I need to finish some business with Gojo. You can continue without me. I'll see you later." Nanami says goodbye, kissing his head and waving to Itadori as he leaves the ice cream shop.

But you didn't know that he was disoriented, wanting more than anything to have a child with you.

[insertyourselfhere]

Anomaly Part 4

Pairing: Gwen Stacy (Ghost Spider) x Reader HUGE SPOILERS FOR ATSV

Characters: Y/N, Gwen, Hobie, Pavitr & Miles, with some Miguel and Jessica Mentions

Description: Everything you said to Miguel was wrong, Gwen did indeed drop the ball a tiny bit because of her relationship with Miles causing you to get an earful from both Miguel and Jessica. The spot was on the run and was going to different universes trying to gather as much power as he could. You get assigned to assisting them with taking down the spot and finally get to meet Miles.

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

“I told you if this happened you would be held responsible” Miguel looked furious at Y/N Who was once again on his platform with his superiority complex.

“I have no regrets about letting her go she needed to see him and I’m glad she got too, I just wished it was under different circumstances”

“Give her a break yah!” Hobie said beside Y/N with his hands in his signature jean jacket and his guitar slung over his arm. His big bushy hair bouncing around.

“No, they convinced me to let this happen, the most IMPORTANT anomaly we should of captured and stopped is now running amok in the multiverse” Miguel punched his desk again, it’s a wonder how that thing stay intact it’s probably made out of vibranium or something.

“Look it happened, leave us to go fix it and handle it from here” Hobie grabbed Y/N’s arm and dragged them off towards the portal he opened to earth 50101 dragging them through the portal. As soon as they arrived they could hear them bickering over who would open the barrier. Hobie sent Y/N a smirk and put his mask on running forward and kicking the barrier down.

“HOBIE!” Both Pavitr and Gwen yelled out in unison. Y/N watched him jam out on his guitar rolling his eyes as he did, he knew how to make an entrance. Y/N followed closely behind with their mask down.

“Y/N!” Gwen said, they could hear the smile radiating from her mask.

“Hobie? Y/N” Mile said mildly confused in the back. Both you and Hobie looked up facing down the spot.

“Look at that another two, I love how many variations of you there are” The spot said directing to all of the Spiders in front of him.

While the other Spiders were bickering in the background Y/N leapt into action. Although they could catch every couple words coming from Miles and Hobie.

“Is this thing the one from 1610?” Hobie said giving Pavitr a noogie and pointing at Miles.

“You understand this guy?” Miles said gesturing to Hobie.

“And who’s the other one? Y/N did you say? Is this the one you haven’t stopped talking about since…” Gwen cut him off promptly swinging away.

“Hey Hobie thanks for breaking the shield!” Pavitr said dodging all of The Spot’s attacks “Ahhh I loosened it” Said Miles also rushing in to battle.

“Main advice, use the palms not the hands” Hobie said gesturing to his own hands.

“Ahhh yeah Miles this is Hobie and Y/N they’re my friends”

“Well I’ve never heard of either of you because Gwen hardly mentioned you” Hobie then started going off a tangent about who he was, where he came from and what he believed in. Y/N laughed at the blatant introduction he had about how unpolitical he was.

“Okay well since we’re doing this for the last time, Hello my names Y/N and for the last 2 years I’ve been the one and only Spider. Same as everyone else I was bit by a spider, got these cool powers, I live with my Aunt who has raised me since birth and is a borderline mad genius with the amount of science she does out of her house. I lost my parents, my uncle and now I’m here. I am also apart of this so called band that Hobie is/isn’t in” Y/N finished their introduction managing to get a small hit on The Spot who just teleported away.

“Gwendy you left your jumper around my place” Hobie said crouched on the ground next to her and then swinging off to go after spot

“What’s a Jumper?” Miles asked standing in the middle of the room following Gwen around

“It’s like a sweater” Pavitr said disappearing after Hobie

“That’s Y/N’s jumper actually” Gwen said landing next to Miles and then pulling herself towards Spot who put a portal in front of her only to smash into Pavitr

“Yes I can also see your wearing my chucks too” Y/N said ducking underneath one the Spots portals only to get hit by another one and land on Gwen. Furiously blushing Y/N stood up super quick dusting off their clothes and trying so hard not to make eye contact.

“Are you okay?” Gwen asked, concern laced in her voice as she walked towards Y/N, she put her hand against their cheek and pulled away quickly. “You’re very hot at the moment this isn’t normal are you sick?” Trying everything they could do to get away from Gwen they shot a web in any direction causing Miles to hit it and fall face first on the ground.

“This isn’t fair” Miles said flat on the ground. Y/N was trying so hard not to think about the conversation they had with A/N about their feelings for Gwen but was trying so hard to shake it off.

Pavitr let out a loud gasp and Y/N turned towards him with the most evil glint behind their mask as they could. “Don’t you dare!” Y/N yelled towards Pavitr who was giggling like a school girl. “I know” He said before swinging away just before Y/N could grab him.

“You shut up Pavitr you know nothing” Y/N yelled once again and Gwen just grew more and more confused. “We don’t have time for this we need to take down the spot” Just as both Y/N and Gwen went to swing off The Spot managed to get Miles in a corner and used his port to get the other Spiders away.

“This is going to be good for us Spider-Man” The Spot said to miles. While the Spot was going through his evil monologue Gwen gave Y/N another look.

“What was that with Pavitr?” She asked, Y/N glanced away and shook their head. “Nothing Important” Y/N could hear giggling coming from the pile again.

The collider started going off, all the Spiders got up and chased after the spot trying to stop him from entering the collider, before he did they managed to web him holding him back before he entered the collider.

“You’re not a joke, right gang?”

“Absolute not”

“Completely Unamusing!”

“I don’t believe in comedy….just kidding”

“I don’t think its that funny that you managed to turn into this just because of the bagel”

All the spiders turned to look at Y/N who yelled out that last thing, before they could respond the spot had snipped the web and floated into the collider. They all flew backwards and began dusting themselves off. Just as they stood up Pavitr started speaking.

“Well that was another easy adventure for Spider-Man”

“No no no no no no” Said the other 4 Spiders in unison. The collider exploded causing the spot to gain the abilities he wanted to take down Miles. He emerged from the collider pure black and spoke to miles briefly.

Once they were all able to they ran out of the collapsing Alchemex building towards the exit avoiding all the rubble. Once they made it outside they could hear the foundation of the entire building itself start to collapse and fall.

“Y/N, Hobie and Gwen slow down the building, Pavitr and I will clear a path!” Miles jumped off rushing down to save the people below with Pavitr, Hobie, Gwen and Y/N leapt after them webbing up the building as best as they could.

Y/N managed to get to the very tip of the building and stood on a roof top of another building. They rubbed their hands together and held them out waiting for the impact. As soon as it hit them they stumbled backwards about 10 feet just on the edge of the building underneath them but began to push back. Y/N had an outstanding amount of strength ever since they took that serum their Aunt had given to them, they managed to get a hold of building stopping most of the damage. However there was still a lot of rubble getting away from the building.

“Don’t worry about this part you guys go help those below!” Hobie and Gwen nodded letting go of their webbing and rushing below to help/ Y/N with the whole building on their back managed to web up the main building and stop it from going any further. Once they had done that and it was safe to leave the area the swung down to the rest of the commotion. Y/N could see they managed to save everyone, Hobie was congratulating Miles and Gwen was staring down at her watch. Y/N could clearly see the words “CANON EVENT DISRUPTED” Flashing across the screen. Y/N scoffed as they didn’t believe in all that nonsense and knew they could control their own destiny so was happy that Miles was here and managed to save Captain Singh.

The whole crowd was cheering for them briefly and was replaced with horrified screams as a giant black hole opened up. Y/N watched a giant spider robot come down from the sky and out came Miss Jessica Drew herself, they watched Gwen try to explain the situation about Miles but she brushed them off saying Miguel wanted to see all of them at HQ.

A big sigh left their lips as they trailed behind the other spiders entering the portal and heading back to the Spider Society.

Y/N was too lost in thought about what was happening with themselves and wasn’t 100% focused on the mission. Don’t get them wrong they understood what was at stake here but A/N’s words kept playing on in their head.

“You won’t admit it but you feel something for her, I just want you to be absolutely sure that this is something you want, because if it isn’t and things start to spiral down I am worried that she may never open up to another person again. Because I know you wouldn’t” Sometimes Y/N hated how right she was about all of it, how she could read them like a book. It was an unfair advantage she had on them sometimes but Y/N knew that their A/N was right, it was just hard because she wasn’t as focused as she should be.

When they got to Spider Society Gwen was so distracted with Miguel’s demand of him wanting to see them that she turned into a robot who followed orders obediently. Y/N knew why, she didn’t want to lose access to any of this, her favourite people were all here and this was the only way she could see them. Plus she was still very much running away from her past and her dimension.

Y/N shoved their hands in their pockets and followed like a lost puppy, stuck in their head going over every scenario, every situation that had led them to this point. They already knew what was going to happen, they knew Miguel was not going to be okay with Miles changing the canon events and they knew that Miles was not going to like that, not when he found out about his own dad and also that he was never meant to be Spider-Man.

Hobie noticed the glum look on Y/N’s face and walked in pace with them.

“Whats wrong with my singer?” He asked facing towards Y/N. “I’m just distracted at the moment Hobie is all” They said quietly while trying to not draw attention to themselves and also continue walking at pace. Miles was too busy making comments on everything they saw while Gwen was trying to get them to hurry up.

“Yes bruv but whats going on in that big brain of yours” Y/N let down their guard for a split second, if anyone was going to agree on the events that were about to happen it would be Hobie.

“You already know what’s about to go down right?” Y/N asked quickly, Hobie smirked and nodded already holding a couple of pieces of electronics he had taken from different pieces of equipment. Y/N had to give it to Hobie he was always prepared no matter what was going to happen, its like he had been waiting for Miles to show up and cause a disruption.

“No matter what happens we will have to pick sides and I know who’s side we’re going to be on, its just her I’m worried about” Hobie said gesturing to Gwen. Even now she looked terrified, looking down at her watch waiting for it to disappear in a second.

“When it come’s down to it I bet you Gwendy will be the one leading the charge I reckon, especially for him” Hobie pointed at Miles, Y/N wasn’t an idiot they knew with the way Gwen went on about Miles she held a special spot for him in her heart, they just didn’t know how deep it went and to be honest they didn’t want to know.

“I don’t know what this is, I don’t know where its going, I don’t know if she even likes me the same, All I know is that pain and suffering she has gone through I want to fix that” The conversation Y/N had with A/N echoing in the back of their head. That’s all they cared about right now was to take care of Gwen, was to take care of that pain and suffering she has been feeling her entire life and get rid of it. Y/N would fight every single spider if it meant that they could take on that pain for her.

“Don’t you worry Hobie, I’ll always have Gwen’s back, regardless of what happens”

[osleeplessflowero]

// y'all have had too much fluff. let me ruin it rq ❤️Reader's pronouns are They/Them, and their Soul type is up to you. 🧡 Angst Warning 💛 This is connected to my Multiverse Traveler!Reader x Nightmare oneshot, "Chasing". 💚 NOT associated with Flowerfell!! I like to think of this particular flower disease as a bit different than that since it's my own take and I don't ship Frans which is what the original AU was 💙 enjoy the pain :)

A portal abruptly opens and shuts, then it happens again. And again. And again. Nightmare shifts through them with relative ease, travelling alone through universe after universe.

He's alone again, looking for something- no, someone in particular. Those beneath him couldn't help but wonder why he kept going out alone these days, but they weren't complaining too much. Just means less work for them in the end, right?

What Nightmare hadn't told them, is that he is indeed looking for his Soulmate, a human who managed to sneak their way into his heart. Sliding past all of the negative sludge and managing to get through to him, leaving him breathless. The two of you had come up with a game of sorts, Nightmare travelling between universes in order to find the true you, the one who'd found him before. But considering everyone here has separate variations depending on the timeline..that's easier said than done.

While rushing through, he comes to a stop when he reaches an almost completely destroyed realm. All that remains of it is a simple cliff and a sunset view, flowers covering the ground and swaying gently in the breeze. A figure sits, dangling their legs off of the edge. He approaches..mainly out of mere curiosity, wondering who it could possibly be. Who knows? Maybe he could use their pain for a quick boost.

He walks over slowly, stopping immediately when the figure turns their head to him with a small smile. It's..it's you? No. It's not the true you. This is another variation. Flowers cover parts of your body, your arms, legs, torso..and even your eyes, blocking your view and blinding your vision. They're your favorite kind..he remembers you telling him that. It's some kind of magic disease, what was it called?.. Right- Bloom's Disease, that's what it was. A virus that would slowly wear the victim down until they were reduced to petals..

..This is distracting him from his goal. But yet, he can't bring himself to leave "your" side.

"Hello." You greet, completely unaware as to who this stranger is. "..Greetings." Was all he said before sitting down beside you, his tendrils relaxing and lying down behind him. He looks over your state, you seem to be pretty happy despite not being able to see anything..he doesn't really understand that.

"I briefly remember how it looked." He raises a browbone. "The sun." Oh. "Is it still pretty?"

He looks up at the view before you, taking in a deep breath of the faintly remaining air.

"..It's beautiful." "I'm glad. I always loved looking at the sunset. It makes the sky all pretty.." "..Like one big watercolor painting?" "How did you know I'd say that?" "..A hunch, I suppose."

There's a short pause. ..He really should be getting back, but..he doesn't want to leave you here either. Just a little longer, he thinks. Then he'll go.

"Who are you?" "..Someone you know very well in another time." "I see. I'd have liked to meet you in this time. You seem nice." "I'm far from the word, dear." He smiles a little, looking over you.

"..Thanks for taking the time to sit with me. It gets lonely out here." "..Of course."

You lean your head on his shoulder, something he normally would protest against, but..he'll allow it this time.

"..There was a big explosion..something happened, and then I couldn't hear anyone anymore. ..I suppose now it's only me. ..I can't see anything, nor can I even hardly move..so I suppose I'll just stay here, watching the sunset I can conjure up in my mind."

He..decides not to tell you a majority of this universe had been completely destroyed, likely by Error while he was going on a rampage.

"..You have a very sad air to you." "That's something that tends to be attached to me. Does that bother you?" "Not really. I have that sort of feeling around me, too." "We have something in common." "Yeah.."

He hesitates, before putting his arm around you. You smile a little, nuzzling your cheek against his coat.

"..I know I..probably don't have a lot of time left. I couldn't even get up if I wanted to." "..Are you afraid?" "..A little bit. Anyone would be if they knew they were going to die, wouldn't they?"

Nightmare averts his eyelight for a moment, before looking back to you.

"I suppose they would."

"..What's your name?" "..Nightmare." "An unusual name, I'd admit."

He smiles a little, remembering how you'd said the same thing when you met the first time.

"I suppose it is, isn't it?" "I like it though. It has a nice ring to it-" You cut yourself off, coughing out flower petals and letting them fall into the abyss before you. He holds you close, making sure you don't fall off as well. A look of pity crosses his face.

"Sorry. I've always been a mood killer, haha." You laugh tiredly. "..Don't worry about it. I am myself." "Another thing we've got in common, huh?"

You move to lean on his shoulder again and he places his hand over yours, gently holding it beneath his own bigger one.

"Hey.." "Yes?" He looks over at you with a soft eyelight. "You said you know me in another time..what am I like?" "Well.. there are a lot of ways I could describe you..I still don't have the perfect one, just yet. Such a colorful person..someone I still have to get to know, once I find them." "Surely there's some word you could think of.."

He lets out a hum of acknowledgement, taking a second to think.

"..Nightmare?" "I'm here. I'm only thinking." He reassures you, squeezing your hand lightly.

"I suppose the word I'd use is.." His face shifts into a fond smile. "Wonderful."

You smile at that, some tears making their way out from beneath the flowers, making them bloom a little more and causing you to wince.

"What's wrong?" He asks, his tone and expression worried. "S-Sorry, it's.. it's just nice to think about. A timeline where I'm not doomed by these. One where someone likes me. Someone cares about me."

A tear pricks at the corner of his eyesocket, gently falling down his face. ..He hasn't cried in a while. It feels..strange.

He leans down, moving your hair slightly and pressing his teeth to your forehead, a small kiss to comfort you. You smile a little more, before you feel a few of his tears hit your face.

"Nightmare? Why are you crying?" "I'm sorry." "Whatever for?" You speak softly, sitting up and facing the direction you can hear his voice from. "That no one could be there. That you've..had to suffer, alone. I know that feeling better than anyone else. You don't..deserve that. Not you. Never you."

You reach up your hand until you're sure you're touching his face, resting it on his cheek. He leans his head into your touch, turning his face so he can gently kiss your palm. You wipe away his tears with your thumb, smiling weakly up at him.

"Don't cry for my sake. I'll be alright. ..At least..I got to meet you, right?"

You lean back a little, holding out your arms. He realizes what you're doing, hesitating slightly due to your fragile state before giving you a hug.

"There you are.. doesn't that feel a little better?" "..Yes." "Good. I wouldn't want you crying on my behalf."

It's quiet for a little bit.

"Hey, Nightmare?" "Yes?" "When you see me again..the other me, I mean. Can you do something for me?" "What is it?" "Give me a big smile. One I haven't seen before." "..I don't know if I can." "You could try, couldn't you?" "..I suppose I could."

He stares at the flowers that had surrounded where you were sitting, frowning at them.

"I'm..feeling a little sleepy. Can I sleep here for a little bit?" "Of course you can, dearest. However long you need to.." His voice breaks a little as he speaks, shaky. "Thank you.." You bury your face in his shoulder as he listens to your soft breathing.

A few minutes pass..with nothing but you, him, and the permanent sunset before you.

"Dearest?.." He whispers to you.

..There's no response.

He backs up to look at your face, seeing a smile still placed there.. your body going limp. His eyelight shrinks almost immediately as he realizes.. you're gone. ..Tears begin overflowing again as he hugs you tightly to his body, his shaky breaths now the only sound there.

The flowers on your body emit a faint glow before they surround you, shifting your form. He backs up a little, watching as the flowers begin to float into the air..your figure no longer present. He reaches out to grab one before all of them have left mere petals behind, staring at it fondly.

He doesn't know how much time passes as he looks at the sunset once more, before finally forcing himself to leave as the remaining parts of the realm begin to break and disappear.

..He really needs to find you.

Putting the flower in one of his pockets, he opens another portal..and continues his chase.

[argumentalist]

Now that I've got a master grade version of Char's Zaku II, I had to get a Gundam too. I've really liked the added detail, complexity, and accessories of the Origin kits... So I went with the MG Origin RX-78-02.

This is only the second master grade kit I've built, so I'm still kind of feeling my way through the line. It's a big box, with lots of plastic.

I was a little dismayed to see a sheet of foil stickers in the box. I can't help feeling like something called "master grade" shouldn't need foil stickers. Give me some reflective/metallic/plated parts!

Also... The sticker-style decal sheet seemed awfully small? There aren't actually that many markings on this kit.

Of course I had to paint the pilot figures.

I don't generally feel the need to paint the figures with the RG kits because I never use them for anything. But the MG kits have a seated pilot figure you can actually put into the cockpit... And it seems wrong to leave them unpainted.

This is another very solid build... But I think I kind of expected more? I was sort of expecting more parts-layering as I built the kit. Like there's absolutely none of that grey inner-frame showing through to the outside. Nothing peeking through those yellow vents. And that's a little disappointing.

These hands honestly kind of scare me. They're pre-assembled on the runner like the Advanced MS Joint runner you get in an RG. And they're fully articulated. Each knuckle of every finger is individually bendable. I feel like they're going to break if I just look at them wrong.

I'd love to pick up some replacement, pre-posed hands for this kit... But they seem to be largely unavailable. They're sold-out everywhere I looked, and selling for something like $50 on eBay. So I'm going to have to live with these articulated hands for now.

I'm not loving this head right now.

Apparently there's an LED kit that'll light up the eyes... But I don't have one. I thought about building it with the solid yellow eyes, but I don't want to disassemble it later to install the clear parts for the LED kit. So it's got dark, dead eyes for now.

Also - seems like there's a lot of white on this head? I kind of want the v-fin to be yellow, even though I know that's not right. (I actually double-checked, because the white is bugging me so much.)

I grabbed some Delpi Decal waterslide decals for this kit - my first time using Delpi Decal.

I was again surprised at how few markings go on this kit... Half the decal sheet is extras. I guess I was kind of expecting the RG-style decal overload.

The Delpi decals work pretty good. They release from the paper very quickly, and stick very well. My only complaint is that the speckly blue backing-paper makes it very hard to see the white decals. But maybe that's just my old eyes being cranky.

You get a lot of goodies in this kit... Two different beam rifles, a shoulder cannon, bazooka, the shield, and two beam sabers. Plus some odds and ends like effects parts and bazooka ammo.

I had a great time building this kit... But I'm honestly kind of wishing it was a little more like the RG.

It's a fantastic kit. It builds well. Lots of accessories. Very solid, great articulation, poses very well. Lots to love...

But I can't help feeling like all those white panels are kind of boring. I want more surface detail. Variations in white tone. Different panels. More markings.

I really kind of want a giant-size RG.

[hinatastinygiant]

3 |𝓕𝓸𝓻 𝓘 𝓒𝓪𝓷❜𝓽 𝓗𝓮𝓵𝓹

Pairing: Loki x Fem!Reader

The Author

All time seems to stop as you're trapped, repeating the same scene over and over. Watching Loki's heart break before your eyes at least a thousand times has taken a toll on you. You've tried everything by now, saying no to Thor, rushing to Loki's side, and pulling him into a deep kiss, but no matter what you try, the ending is always the same.

"Please, stop," you plead as your back is shoved against the cold wall once again.

"Y/N," Thor calls, his voice distant. You've given up, your head falling limp as you allow the tears to fall. You sink down against the pillar and tuck your knees to your chest. You don't want to hear his voice any longer. You wish he would just stop.

As he sits down beside you, the small, half-concealed box slips out of his pocket, landing beside your foot. You lift your head and slowly reach for it, knowing exactly what's inside.

"Here, this belongs to you, doesn't it?" you sigh as you half-heartedly hand it to him.

"Y/N, you know how much I care for you," he tries, reaching for your hand.

"Yeah," you mutter. "I do."

"Don't you know what this is?" he then chuckles. Gently, he opens the box and reveals the beautiful diamond inside. "Lovely, isn't it?"

You nod slowly. You've only seen the damn things a thousand times in the past, well, however long you have been here for. "It is."

"If only it made you happy," he sighs to himself as he picks up the ring and spins it around between his fingers.

"Why are you doing this, Thor?" you finally ask, feeling more exhausted than ever.

"What do you mean, love?" he hums, his brows furrowing in confusion.

"I mean, why are you saying this?" you clarify as you tighten your grip around your legs.

"Because it's not hard to see the way he looks at you," he smiles, his voice softer.

"Who? Loki?"

"Yes," he nods. "It's obvious. He's loved you forever. And you, you're not blind. You know that. You love him, too."

You feel the tears swell up in your eyes. Is this true? Does he really love you? And if so, why are you stuck here, watching him watch you marry his brother?

"You don't have to say anything," Thor sighs. "I saw everything the other night when the two of you-"

"Please don't," you sigh. "I feel bad enough as it is. You didn't have to say that. It's my fault."

"It's not your fault," Thor insists. "But that's not why I wanted to talk to you. It's because-"

Before he can finish his thoughts, a red door appears before the two of you and Mobius steps through to greet you.

"Ugh, it's you," you grumble as you begrudgingly stand to your feet.

"Y/N?" Thor hums. "Who is this?"

Mobius simply rolls his eyes and resets Thor to somewhere else. "Came to say our goodbyes," he tells you as he looks back up from his watch. It's then that you see Loki reappear beside him.

"What do you mean, goodbye?" you ask Loki.

"Your dear Loki is going to help me track down another variant version of himself," he explains briefly.

"We've found out that this variation of me is hiding right before an apocalypse-" Loki begins to explain before getting nudged in the side by Mobius who shakes his head.

"We've already got a big of an issue with you knowing that hole in the fabric of time," Mobius tells him. "We don't need it getting out any further."

"Right, well," Loki sighs, turning his attention back to you. "If you wouldn't mind giving us a moment... alone. To say goodbye."

"Not a chance," Mobius shakes his head. "Give her a quick hug and step back before I use the collar."

"Fine," Loki huffs. You can't help but wonder what sort of relationship he has with this strange man. As he turns to you, you can see the pain in his eyes. He pulls you close, his hands on your back as you bury your face into his neck.

"Please," he whispers softly. "Don't be afraid. Find me."

Though his words confuse you, what makes you even more unsure is the way his hands trail up your back and slip something down the backside of your overdress. You want to ask him what's going on, but you know better than to do anything that stupid.

"Alright, hands off, lover boy. Let's go," Mobius interrupts the moment, holding out his hand and shooing you away. "I'm gonna need your help."

"Just a moment long-" Loki begins, before getting instantly pulled back to Mobius' side.

"No can do. It's time."

You watch as Loki disappears with Mobius. Your heart breaks, knowing that he's being forced into something dangerous. And yet, he didn't even seem scared. Why did he ask you not to be afraid?

Slowly, your hands travel behind you, sliding underneath your dress to grab whatever he left there. However, of course, Loki has placed it in the one spot you can't reach. So, you're forced to remove your overdress and toss it aside, revealing your white underdress.

"Dammit," you whisper as you bend down to touch the thing. But the second your fingers reach it, you're instantly teleported away.

"Y/N!" A voice suddenly gasps. You whip your head around fast only to see Queen Frigga racing towards you. "What are you doing out here? In only your slip, no less. Come with me immediately."

"My queen, what is going on?" you whisper as she guides you towards her quarters. However, before she can guide you there, the sound of a loud foot slamming onto the ground rings out before you. There, Balder stands before you.

"What is the meaning of this?" the queen snaps.

"Mother, I've just received word that Princess Y/N..." he begins, before trailing off to allow his eyes to wander down your form. "Has, um, returned."

"No kidding," she sighs. "Now if you would please move aside. The princess is in dire need of some clothes. "You don't object to that, do you?"

"Of course not," he shakes his head.

"Then step aside," the queen snaps, her voice suddenly harsh.

As she nearly shoves you into the room, you notice Balder's eyes still wandering over you.

"Heavens, what is going on today?" the queen mutters, rushing to her closet and searching for a gown.

"Your majesty," you begin, trying your best to keep up with her. "With all due respect, I need to leave."

"Leave?" she hums as she rifles through at least a hundred dresses. "Why would you want to do that? You found my son, haven't you?"

"Well, actually," you swallow, not sure how much you can say.

"Never mind that. Here, this should do," she says, handing you a white and gold gown.

"My queen," you frown, looking up at her. "I need to go back. Loki is in trouble. I hadn't found Thor at all," you begin to word vomit. "H-He tried to save me but then we ended up in that closet and... And then the magic mirror led me here."

"Have you gone mad, my dear?" she questions, taking a step back.

"Perhaps," you sigh as you slide the dress over your head.

"Alright," she shakes her head. "I don't know what you're talking about. But if you are to marry my son, I expect that you will stay here and await his return. I do not wish for you to leave this planet again. Is that clear?"

"Crystal," you answer begrudgingly as you accept the dress, not wanting to cause any more waves than you already have.

"Good. Now, let's get you to the party," she nods as she leads you back toward the door.

"Wait, the party?"

"Of course," she chuckles. "Did you think that we'd be having a small get-together to celebrate your return? A feast will be held at once!"

***

"Oh, darling, I've found her," the queen announces once the two of you arrive back in the ballroom, releasing you from her grasp so the King can wrap his arms around you.

"We thought we had lost you," he sighs. "We're so glad you're safe."

"It's been a rough couple of days," you nod.

"Come, come, there's a celebration in order," he insists. As he begins to call a few servants over, Balder catches your eye with an icy stare that sends a chill down your spine.

"Is everything alright?" the queen asks.

"Uh, yes, I just..." you trail off, unsure of what to say. "I need to use the restroom."

"Of course, my dear," she smiles.

"Thank you," you nod as you excuse yourself and quickly make your way out. You're nearly out of sight when a hand wraps around your wrist and pulls you into a dark room. "Hey!" you exclaim, only to see Balder's gigantic body cornering you.

"Hello, Princess," he smirks, his voice deep and dark.

"Balder," you swallow. "Is everything okay?"

"Doesn't seem like it," he tells you, narrowing his eyes. "What's going on with you?"

You don't know exactly how much he knows. You doubt Loki or Thor ever told him about the party two weeks before your eighteenth and yet, he's acting strange. "I'm not sure what you mean," you admit.

"Why were you missing for so long yet you never managed to find my brother?" he asks.

"I don't want to talk about it," you shake your head as you try to come up with a good enough lie in your head.

"Something happened. You saw Loki, didn't you?" he adds, eyes widening.

"Balder, please," you sigh. "You're being ridiculous."

"So I'm right!" he exclaims.

"Would you keep your voice down? Someone will hear us," you hiss.

"And they should," he nods. "If my brother did anything-"

"Your brother was not the one who did anything," you insist, crossing your arms.

"Did you have sex with him?" Balder asks, making your eyes go wide.

"Excuse me?!"

"Did you?" he asks again.

"I, uh," you mutter, unable to find the right words. "No, of course not!"

"Then what is it?" he continues to press. "You were gone for a long time."

"We didn't..." you begin.

"Well, that's good," he nods, sighing. "I suppose the engagement can go on then. Since nothing happened."

"Well, it's not nothing," you mutter, refusing to look up into his eyes.

"Then tell me, Y/N. What happened?"

"Two weeks before Thor... Loki and I, um, we, uh..."

"You kissed, didn't you?" Balder asks, his expression turning from rage to sympathy.

"Yes," you admit. "I'm sorry."

"Shit, I always thought the two of you had a thing for each other," he admits. "Well, this will change things."

"Balder, you can't tell your father," you beg, reaching out and taking his hands. "Please."

"You're telling me this now and expecting me to keep it a secret? From my own father?"

"I don't know what else to do. I-"

"I don't blame you, Y/N," Balder tells you, squeezing your hands. "My brother just can't control himself apparently."

"No, but it wasn't like that. It was all my fault. I'm so sorry," you plead.

"It's okay," he sighs.

"Promise me, Balder, promise me that you won't tell. Please. If not for my sake, then for Thor's. It'll ruin his reputation if anyone were to find out," you insist, tears forming in your eyes.

"Okay," he agrees. "I won't tell, but you have to go along with the wedding, no matter what. Push those feelings for my mischievous brother and do your duty."

"Thank you," you sigh, leaning forward and wrapping your arms around him. "Thank you so much."

"Come," he says, leading you out of the room. "Before anyone spots the two of us and starts asking questions."

"I hate this," you mumble as you walk, allowing him to tug you along.

"As do I," he nods. "You look lovely in that dress, by the way."

"Really?" you ask, glancing down at it. "Thank you."

"But you will be changing, yes?"

"Why?"

"It's white, Y/N," he chuckles. "Don't want to lie to the people anymore about your innocence, do you?"

You narrow your eyes and quickly yank your arm out of your grasp. "All three of you are the same," you scoff, heading off towards your room. "Assholes."

"Wait, what did I do?" he asks, following after you.

"Do you really have to ask?"

"I was just giving a compliment," he tells you.

"By suggesting that I'm a liar? I told you it wasn't like that, Balder. It just... happened," you sigh, stopping to turn around and face him. "I don't expect you to understand. I'm sure you're the one who taught Loki just the right places to go after dark, so you wouldn't know what it's like to have someone actually have feelings for you, right? So, no, I will not be changing."

"Y/N, I didn't mean-"

"Just leave me alone," you insist, opening the door to the ballroom and rejoining the king and queen. You feel terrible for leaving them in the dark, but you're not quite ready to tell them what's going on. Not yet, anyway.

The Author

[litrumi]

(ADLN Inspiration) Background Music Cheat Sheet [Teaser-y Spoilers]

Well, while I'm still trying to get out of "Chapter 8 writing hell" because I am totally... totally out of it atm (been feeling super ultra mega sick), have a little teaser post.

This one's just about my writing process! If you've been a reader of the fanfic (pinned in profile), you know by now that I really like listening to music that sets the tone or mood of the scene that I'm writing! And very recently, I hit upon a specific bit of creative intention / ideas. I want to use very specific tracks / songs for very specific things. Chapter 6 kickstarted the idea, but the rest of this just suddenly came to me out of nowhere. So, here's a little taste of what I've been thinking about.

Or rather, the music I think I'll be listening to for later, or the near-future, story events! Thank ya thank ya. It's just so people can get an idea of what "environment" I put myself in for writing. And if it might serve as some unexpected inspiration for anyone, then more power to you. Wheeeeeeeeeeee.

*Formatting will probably look like... (Type) "Track name" Vibe: Describing the type of scene being set by the music.

**Anddd... If you have a keen eye, you might just find out some small secrets that none of my readers should know about at this point! Good luck!

-

~ Getting Acquainted ~

(Normal 1) "Spirit of Justice ~ Cheerful People" Vibe: "This doesn't seem so bad! ...For now."

(Normal 2) "Spirit of Justice ~ Strange People" Vibe: "...Never mind. I really should have seen this coming..."

(Exploit) "PL vs PW ~ The Stake's Witnesses" Vibe: "Well... This is highly unusual. But I'll just have to get used to it, I guess..."

~ Understanding the Facts ~

(Explanation 1 / Logic 1) "Spirit of Justice ~ The Basics of the Case" Vibe: "Better pay attention... Everything starts here."

(Logic 2 - Normal) "Spirit of Justice ~ Logic Construct" Vibe: "Everything can be explained. So, let's just think about this carefully..."

(Explanation 2 / Logic 3 - Exploit) "PL vs PW ~ Logic and Witchcraft / Baroque" Vibe: "These rules make no logical sense at all! ...But I still have to try my best to make this work!"

~ Questioning / Interrogation ~

(As Catnap) "Spirit of Justice ~ Cross Exam Moderato 2016" Vibe: "As long as I focus... then nothing will slip past me. ...I hope."

(As Catnap) "Spirit of Justice ~ Cross Exam Allegro 2016" Vibe: "Our time is almost up... If I don't fix this now, who knows what could happen!"

(As Dogday) "PL vs PW ~ Mass Inquisition Moderato" Vibe: "Let's take our time! I'll listen to anything you have to say, so say it! We can figure this out together!"

(As Dogday) "PL vs PW ~ Mass Inquisition Allegro" Vibe: "O- Okay... This isn't what I was expecting at all. But if I stay calm, then things will work out! ...Right?"

~ Thrill / Suspense ~

(Normal 1) "PL vs PW ~ Suspense (English Court)" Vibe: "There's gotta be something we're missing..."

(Normal 2) "Apollo Justice ~ Thrill Theme ~ Suspense" Vibe: "W- Why?! What am I going to do now?!"

(Exploit) "PL vs PW ~ The Courtroom's Magician" Vibe: "How could this possibly be happening?! What is going on...?!"

~ Grand Turning Points / "Standing Up for Myself and Others" ~

(Normal) "Pursuit ~ Cornering Together" Vibe: "We've got nothing to fear! The only way to go is forward!"

(Normal - Variation) "Pursuit ~ Cornering Together (Variation)" Vibe: "Well, we're not done just yet! You've still gotta hear this too! Whether you want to or not!"

(Exploit) "Pursuit ~ Spell Breaker" Vibe: "There's only one thing I CAN do now... but there won't be any way for me to turn back..."

-

Yeah... I sorta reeeecently fell in love with the tracks from "PL vs PW" and now they're very much stuck in my head. And "Spell Breaker" is literally my new favorite "everything ever". (I really thought "Pursuit - Cornering Together" was going to be my one and only. But I've betrayed itttttt- sob). But it also gave me inspiration I didn't consider, so it was a big help.

And I'll fix up any other little tracks if I've missed any that I would definitely listen to. Editing magic and all that.

Now, I sure HOPE I get better from this dumb sickly feeling as soon as possible because all I want to do right now is WRITE, DAMN IT.

...Have a goose day!

-

- Quick access to other related posts -

Story Overview/Synopsis | Ability Compendium |

-

[myobsessionsspace]

The Individuals

Another Chapter 2 post…

Straddling between seeing them as The Main & Lead Singers/Dancers of BTS, ‘Jikook’ or Jimin and Jung Kook

BTS have always been such a different experience for me in terms of being a fan. Not only do we have magazine interviews and music show interviews plus their music to give us an insight into them, we also have an array of other media. They didn’t win the ‘Top Social Artist Award’ for no reason, their twitter presence, their weverse presence, their V Lives showed us much about them to endear them to us. Shows such as Rookie King, Gayo, Run BTS, Bon Voyage, In The Soop etc I couldn’t help but watch them all.

Religiously watching any V lives I could catch, going back and watching archived ones, their Bangtan Bombs and episodes etc. has allowed me and millions of others to feel like we know the group and members we support.

Over the years through watching the BTS original content, I have come to recognise and appreciate that these two MEN (queerphobs exit left) have unique bond.

They have special bonds with each of their members, never sparing any from words of affection, hugs and caring looks, playful moments etc. it the ‘magic’ of BTS.

The closeness I personally see between Jimin and Jungkook over the years is a bond I find to be exclusive to them. A bond that encompasses that shared between the other members or confident, bestie, ‘soulmate’, mentor, playmate, work partner, Hyung/Dongsaeng etc. I see theirs to be all of the above and more exclusive to the two of them. Where variations of duos can claim one or more of the above Jikook in my eyes claim them all for the two of them.

If nothing else from all that I have seen, it’s undeniable that they are the closest duo of the group.

It’s very enjoyable as a third party seeing the sparkle in each others eyes when looking at each other, the small and big smiles reserved for the two, the innocent and not so innocent moments that won’t be found between any other combination with the same level of meaning, intensity and dare I say, love, behind it.

I enjoy them, I enjoy them enjoying each other and I see across many platforms others who also enjoy them too.

Saying that I also enjoy them as INDIVIDUALS.

I enjoy Jimin’s heart and mind, how he sees challenges, how he sees experiences, how he appreciates and embraces emotions and is articulate and delicate with his spoken and written word. I enjoy his strength of character but isn’t hardened by life, how he can be the funniest person in the room and can make others laugh in a second and laugh with and even at himself. How he can be smart and serious but also light, fun and goofy. His talent, how he can be book smart, word smart but also creative, use his body as art but is also artistically talented with a pencil and paper.

I enjoy Jungkook’s goofball humour, his playfulness with his Hyungs, his admiration of them, his self assuredness and stubbornness that his Hyungs have moaned about since day 1 but still serves him in the right circumstances. I enjoy his creative talents, drawing, filming, photography, his ear for music of all genres, his innocence, how he talks to insects, fish before he slices it up for lunch. I enjoy his no nonsense approach to his work, hearing anecdotes from the members about how he doesn’t fear scolding Hyungs who don’t take practice seriously. I enjoy his loyalty, his level of honesty. I could go on because each day they show us more and more to learn and love about them.

The above has given us an insight as to who these boys to men are. Their likes, their dislikes, their music tastes, their fashion tastes of that time. For as much footage we have of the members, what they said yesterday could be different tomorrow, they are individuals, capable or change, capable of learning, growing, of influencing and being influenced.

Since even before chapter 2 the members have always spoken of how different they were as individuals. They have always shared their amazement that 7 different men could create such a phenomenon together and STAY together throughout their ups and downs for years upon years.

They’ve never claimed to be the same, never claimed to always want the same things. The prevailing statement I’ve heard from them has been they sacrificed for the sake of the group.

Chapter 2 has been about no longer having to have that weight, in my opinion, about getting out everything they felt they weren’t able to say yes OR no to when 6 other members had to be considered.

The members are very aware that their solo work still represents, not just themselves, like one would ideally like, but still represents the group, that they made their name from. No matter how different their work is from the group they will always be ‘of BTS.’

Though it may be very late in the game, it occurred to me that I’m doing each member a disservice, in always looking past the individual and seeking to find the other members in their solo endeavours, especially Jimin and Jungkook because of my enjoyment of their duo. I gave some reasons earlier as to why I like them individually and why their duo draws my attention. I don’t need their coupling to like them individually because the lists for each still remain with or without their couple.

They’ve all worked, learned, practiced and grown alongside each other but their shared experiences over the past 10+ years, their undeniable bond and closeness doesn’t mean they don’t have individuality that shouldn’t be acknowledged and appreciated as such. They’ve all had hurts, struggles, highs and lows, some connected to each other and some separate of each other.

Though it’s my belief nothing between them has changed…

Enjoying them as they’ve intended for chapter 2 means to me, allowing them what they haven’t been given before, a chance to be them, on their terms, taking what they give us.

💜

[the-man-in-the-suit-official]

Scott Street.

Summary: You’ve risen to new found stardom, but an old flame from the past insists on winning you back. A continuation of You’ve Become My Ceiling.

A/N: Genuinely sorry for the infrequent posting! I’ll get around soon. Formatting was also getting on my nerves.

Taglist: @reveriehs @belovedcherry

Reader Pronouns: Any

Length: Long? 5,667 Words.

Celebrities: Harry E. Styles

TW: Angst, Cheating

Song(s) To Listen To:

Your hands gripped the slick phone, eyebrows furrowed and heart feeling frozen and still. The phone was attempting to tell you that you’d missed a call, but your eyes were out of focus as you gathered your thoughts.

It was Harry.

Part of you wished it to be a dream, but the other part was curious, yet cautious. Your life had been a little bland the past few years, though you’d never admit it, you missed the adventures and midnight memories.You missed your best friend. That’s who you were still grieving, not the cheating liar who broke your heart over six times.

It had been a week and you’d failed to notice the call, only now discovering it while cleaning out your phone. There was a voicemail, but your hands were far too shaky to play it. You gave yourself a moment to calm down and played it slowly.

A small chuckle came from the recording, “Heh. Um, hey, (Y/N). I know I’m the last person you want to hear from, but…You know I’m proud of you. And also…I’m sorry. So, so sorry.”

His voice broke a little, “I know how much pain I caused now. I was stupid and young and it’s not an excuse, but I’m just really sorry. I wish I could do it all back again. I still can’t find the answer to why I did the things I did to you, either. You were the one thing that had loved me since before I was famous. I was an idiot to have let that go.”

There was sniffing on the other end, “You’re such a good person. And I…I really hollowed you out. I never even gave you a true apology. I miss my best friend. I became someone I didn’t know or want - someone I’d be repulsed by now. Someone I’d never want around you. I’m sorry.”

Harry cleared his throat, “But I’m proud of you, is all. You left and did greater things for yourself.”

It was silent for a moment again, “I never knew you could sing so beautifully. I’d like to hear it in person, if I could. You took a big part of me when you left, (Y/N). I still…I still feel the same way. Always have. But, um…Get back to me when you can- I mean, if you want. Alright. Bye.”

Taking a deep breath, you waited until the longing finally brushed itself off of you and was replaced by neutrality. The old memories resurfaced. Finding Harry in bed with another. On a date with someone you’d seen with him before.

You put your phone down and walked away, trying to collect yourself.

-

As for Harry, four and a half years changed him just as they did then. When you left, the guilt destroyed a piece of his heart, and he made his best attempt to be what he couldn’t be for you. He hadn’t dated since then, hadn’t felt he was worthy enough, really. He’d dedicated the entirety of Harry Styles - his debut album - to you, though he was sure you had no idea. Even now, his journal was filled to the brim with songs about you, most prevalent, some variation of a song he’s called, “Falling.” It was a heavy song, but the lyrics stuck with him.

They told the story of his departure from you, cheating and all, though the public wasn’t aware that it even happened.

His apartment smelt of lavender and poppies, even as he made his breakfast and did their daily duties. His album had released about a year ago, maybe a little less, and he hit stardom like he had never expected it. Taking a break from touring for even a week was well worth it. He loved his fans, sure, but it was draining to be a musician. Nonetheless, he was grateful.

Harry didn’t even expect you to make a call back. He just wanted to say sorry, truly, from the bottom of his heart, because he was different then. Fame changes you. And he should have never let that happen to him.

He knew he didn’t deserve your forgiveness.

So it was a surprise to him when a message appeared on his phone two months after the initial voicemail.

Y/N: Hey, Haz.

-

Jack was a tall man who was more legs than anything. He was stern, always looked at you with a taut expression, and would put you in your place, but oh, how he was completely soft for you. You’d met through his grandparents, who he took care of in his nice, spacious house. He and his grandparents were your neighbors, but you’d met his grandparents at a park years prior, engaging in small chat very often.

They’d loved Harry, though you were both sure they had positively no idea who he was aside from your boyfriend. Lily, the woman, would never hesitate to pinch his cheeks and comment on how amazing the two of you looked. You’d both expressed hope in wanting to be like them, growing old together, but here you were without your other half.

After your breakup, you’d rented a cozy apartment right next to Jack and his family’s house (though it was unbeknownst to you), and found that the park was relatively close to it. But as you walked on the trail, you came to find that everything seemed to have lost its shine. No longer did the water glisten so bright, or did the roses avoid withering like they simply couldn’t die, but everything was so undeniably…normal. Harry had shaken your life, only to disappear later, leaving you back in something that should have been comfortable, but was instead foreign. Normalcy was foreign.

“Oh, my dear!” The familiar voice, loaded with a beautiful French accent, slipped its way into your ears, and you tore your eyes away from the pond, behind you and finding the couple, holding something up to you, “You’ve dropped this.”

Lily brought the small item to you, showing you that in her gloved hands lay a necklace, a mother of pearl inside the locket. Harry had gifted it to you for your one year anniversary.

You furrowed your brows at the memory before she noticed it.

“Where is the handsome boy?” She tried to get her point across, even with the language barrier, “The one with the curly head? Tall? Le Britannique ?”

You felt the winter air nip at you more than it already had in your light jacket, “No, no, he is not here.”

She tilted her head in confusion, her husband watching over her, knowing even less English than she did. Harry had always been the translator for you, so speaking without him made it frustratingly harder.

“He has been gone for quite some time.”

You looked down, and in this, they seemed to both understand you. Paulie, her husband, took his coat off, placing it over your shoulders. The weight seemed comforting now.

“Aw, mon chou, come have a cup of tea with us,” Lily held your shoulders, slipping the necklace into your hands.

Despite your protest, you found yourself in their lovely home, surprised to see that they were a direct neighbor, “Jack, nous avons amené un chien errant !”

Lily smiled back at you before turning back and looking down at someone in the next room. You entered it, never really breaking away from her vibrant blue eyes, before you saw what she was looking at. Or rather, who. He was young, maybe just a bit older than you, and had eyes more alluring than hers. He had a slim figure and face, with a longer nose that matched, and tousled, short brown hair. His slender fingers were placed on the piano keys as he sat. He was breathtakingly handsome, really, and despite you not finding any sort of attraction in him, seeing as you just met, there was no doubt about his conventional attractiveness.

“Bonjour ?” He’d asked, his right eye squinting as if he were trying to scan every detail about you.

His expression softened into a smile shortly after, his eyes half-lidded when he got no response, “Hi. I see you’ve met my grandparents. Eager, aren’t they?”

You smiled back, chuckling, “You could say that.”

And it all started there. You’d started to take piano and French lessons from Jack, who after hearing about your still unnamed ex, wanted to help the best he could. You’d taken up piano for your career, and French, well, simply to prove to yourself that you really didn’t need Harry. Not for French, and not for life.

You and Jack had been good friends for a year now, knowing each other for about three before you’d really connected, so it felt right to turn to him and spill your gossip all over his fancy blue canopy bed during a hangout.

“Wait…” He started, surprised and clutching his elbows, arms crossed, “Your ex is Harry Styles?!”

You stuffed your face into a pillow, “That’s what you take away, Jack?! Everyone knows that!”

“Well, I didn’t! You know I can’t handle all the social media stuff, I avoid it like the plague!” Defensively and rather playfully, he rested a hand on his chest. He was wearing a brown and green sweater vest with brown dress pants and a white shirt, a nice green bowtie to tie his look together for his last day shadowing a French professor.

“The point is,” You giggled at the older man who seemed more like a best friend to you now, “I’m really not sure what to do here. He sounds so sincere, and maybe I fell out of love with the person he became a long time ago, but if he’s the same person I grew up with…Well…”

“No way. You can’t go back,” He paced, a hand on his chin, a habit of his you’d always loved.

You whined, “But can’t I? If I just want to rekindle the friendship we had before-“

“What are you going to do when you find him in bed with someone else again?”

Your heart stopped. He was right, of course.

“I’ll be respectful,” You responded sternly, “He isn’t mine.”

He rolled his eyes and shook his head, “Well, I can’t change your mind. I know you. Just be careful. It could be good for you, who knows? I just…don’t want you to get hurt again, (Y/N).”

Smiling with excitement, you thanked him countless times for listening to you and your rambles. You left shortly thereafter, and his smile fell as soon as the door shut behind you.

It was then you texted Harry, just a simple text, though it took you hours to finally hit the send button. He responded not a minute later, and you jumped at the sound.

HAZ: (Y/N), hi.

The name you never bothered to change in your contacts.

The two of you texted on and off casually, before deciding that maybe it would be better to catch up in a coffee shop. You were nervous, admittedly, but nonetheless stunned when you were escorted to your private booth at the Beachwood Café.

All you wore was a jumper and jeans, nothing too fancy, but you couldn’t help trying to style your hair in a way he would like.

He had been the first to arrive, you’d seen him in the window, twiddling his thumbs anxiously. God, did he look good as ever. His hair had grown out a bit more than the last time you saw him, and he’d dressed in clothes more personal to him, a shirt with small puppies printed on it under a knitted cardigan, baggy jeans and rings. He was definitely richer than the last you saw him, but the thing was, he was still your Haz, that much was noticeable.

The waiter led you to your table and you gently sat your bag down on the floor, sitting across from him. He’d been waiting for you, not even ordering yet.

“You look amazing,” He spoke, seemingly subconsciously.

“You’re not so bad yourself, H.”

And it was true. He looked cleaner, happier. Like he was taking care of himself. Everything was going well, and to be honest, it made you beyond happy. It was as if you were friends again, and nothing bad ever happened. Eventually, the topic reached Gemma somehow.

“So, I heard Gemma finally graduated,” You continued, “That’s wonderful! I always knew she could do it. She’s rather smart.”

“She’s great! She’s married now, you know. He’s wonderful, just feels a bit…weird. That she has someone now and I don’t.”

“Recent breakup?” You’d asked, a genuine question.

“No,” He chuckled, “Not at all. I worked on myself. Haven’t dated since you.”

A small gust of wind came through the window beside you, and you blamed the shivers on that. There was a gentle pause, but you shook your head and continued, “Oh, I see.”

There was obviously still a spark there, you’d noticed. Your heart still beat wildly to the tune of his.

“But, erm,” You continued, and he cleared his throat, “That makes me feel old.”

He scoffed playfully, his arms crossed, “What does that make me, then?”

You giggled. The two of you weren’t so far off, really. Just a couple of months, but he always managed to mention it.

“An old man,” You joked, and even the humor was still there.

His chuckle sent butterflies throughout your stomach.

“So, how’s the band?” You tilted your head.

You hadn’t really noticed that breaking things off with him would essentially alienate them, too.

“Well, Mitch and Sarah are getting married,” You did a bit of a double take.

“Wow, I mean, I knew it was going to happen, I just had no idea.

“A lot changes in our lives,” He spoke smoothly as the waiter came.

“Hey guys, my name is Carson, I’ll be your server this morning! What can I get for you?” He was younger, bright-eyed.

“I’ll just have an Americano and the strawberry crepes,” Harry didn’t even have to look at his menu, and yet you were scrambling to know what you wanted before he got to you.

“Alright,” The waiter wrote it down before turning back to you, “And for the spouse?”

Your face flushed red, “Oh, no, I’m not!”

Harry only chuckled and watched in amusement as the waiter became embarrassed, too.

“Jeez, I’m so sorry, then what can I get for you?” He rubbed the back of his neck and you giggled once more.

“Hazelnut hot latte and almond croissant, please, Carson.”

He nodded and left soon after.

“I listened to your songs, by the way,” Harry began slowly, “How’s that?”

“Well, one thing they don’t prepare you for as a strictly-solo show is how heavy the equipment is, like the drums? Jeez, don’t get me started.”

He laughed, shaking his head, “You’ve always took on way more than you could carry.”

“Yeah, well, suppose that’s me,” A smile found its way to your face, “But being alone is good. I needed that.”

He nodded again, “Yeah, I think I did, too.”

There was the beginning of a pause, but you still refused to let it linger, “I live on Scott Street now.”

“Oh, by the rose park?” He perked up, “I love that place.”

“I know,” You said bashfully, “Harry, our first date was there.”

“Wasn’t sure you’d remember,” He smiled back.

“But how could I forget?”

It had been magical, with swans skimming the water, almost as in love as you and Harry were. Had been. Are.

“Oh, but remember that old French couple we ran into? I know it’s quite random, but I ran into them again while I was having a bad day. They noticed we weren’t together anymore, and next thing I knew, I was at their house drinking a cup of tea. They’re quite nice. Their grandson, he lives with them, showed me a bit of piano.”

He remembered it well, you had said that you wanted the two of you to last even longer than they, and you had even hoped they’d be your spitting metaphorical image in decades.

“Anyway, I’m learning French now, I guess. And I found out we’re neighbors, isn’t that weird?” Carson set everything down on your table as you talked.

“Anything else for now?”

“No, thank you,” Harry didn’t even look up at him, listening intently. He didn’t even notice when Carson had left.

“So, now I take piano lessons on Fridays, and French lessons on Tuesday and Thursday. But his grandparents have been acting a bit odd - think they want me to stick around for more than just lessons,” You chuckled and sipped your latte.

You could’ve sworn Harry’s eye twitched, but you dismissed it, “That’s…great. I’m glad. You always wanted to learn French.”

“Right? You should come with sometime, you’d like him,” You hadn’t even noticed you were now arranging a second hangout. But he did. He always noticed.

“I’d love to,” It was oddly fast.

“Well, he’s invited me to a dinner party for his work - he’s a French professor. But he’s only been out of college a couple of months. Got his PhD. He’s nice, I think you’d like him!”

You looked down, fiddling with your thumbs, “But if you’re busy that’s totally fine! I just don’t wanna stick out like a sore thumb, is all. And it was always more fun when we stuck out together.”

He blushed, and in that moment, he would have done anything in the world you’d ask of him.

“Consider my plans all clear that day, alright?” He held your hands, “It's about time we did something as friends again.”

You nodded with a smile, “Okay, you’re right.”

You two split ways shortly after, Harry having insisted on paying the bill. He was happy to be talking to you, sure, but there was still a sinking feeling he felt when you were mentioned.

Shame.

You had piano lessons that night, and you wore the same outfit, feeling exhausted just from the interaction. Jack had greeted you happily.

“Mon cherie! (Y/N), come in!” He stepped aside, “Nana and Papa are out, so it’s just us today.”

“Would you like something to drink?” Jack reached for the cupboard, “Nana just got this new wine, and I think it’s quite lovely.”

“Sure!” You agreed, sitting at their small dining table, “Oh, Jack, I hope you don’t mind! I invited a friend of mine to come to the meeting with me. Both of us have always been interested in French, so I figured it would be perfect!”

Jack, in all truthfulness, assumed it would be a woman, and thus, agreed.

“Not a problem, cherie,” He handed you a glass, full with dark red liquid, and he drank from his cup slowly.

You watched him aimlessly, his Adam’s Apple defined, bobbing up and down. Like he hadn’t had anything to drink all day. Jack was like that, he’d forget to eat, sleep, drink. He was always so busy with work. You admired him for it.

“You know, you should remember to drink more often. Have you eaten at all today?” Tilting your head, he shook his and set his cup down.

“How could you tell?”

You chuckled and stood up, holding one of his cheeks in your hands, examining his lips, “You drink way too desperately.”

He was a little stunned, to say the least, and gripped the counter, his stomach in knots.

“But,” You wiped his upper lip with your thumb, ridding the excess wine off before moving to the stove, “I’ll make you something. I owe you after all these free lessons, anyways.”

He slumped, disappointed, but continued onward, “I could never ask that of you, but…that sounds very nice.”

“Then consider it done, Cherie.” You mimicked him, getting to work.

Afterward, your lessons continued as normal, and you were actually getting pretty far along.

-

“So, (Y/N),” Jack finally looked up from his paperwork, having left you with some French worksheets, “Nana and Papa wanted me to invite you to The French Riviera with us. Figured it would be a good learning experience. I agree, what do you think?”

You thought hard before answering the question on the worksheet and looking back up at him, shrugging, “Sure! That sounds lovely. When?”

“Well, they plan to order the tickets this weekend. We were just waiting on your oh-so-busy schedule,” He smiled, his dimples showing rather lovely.

“Oh, I can do it anytime! The glory of being a musician with no tour dates. Your meeting is in a month, yes?” You finished your worksheet and turned to him.

He nodded, causing a single strand of hair to fall in his eyes, “Oui, mais la réunion sera courte .”

You exhaled a chuckle at his quiz, “Okay, then how about next weekend?”

“You’re getting good, Chérie,” It gave you a proud smile.

“Then it’s settled. Send me the details,” You checked your clock, “Jeez, it’s already 8PM. I was supposed to write another song for the debut album.”

“Well, feel free to use me as a muse,” He smiled again, and it was a joke, but something struck you quite suddenly.

He had been there for you for years, and the thought of thanking him never even crossed your damned mind, distracted by your old lover. As you entered your house, you walked straight to your desk, completely in a trance as you thought about him. He was amazing, someone everyone should have in their lives, so how come you’d never noticed?

Daydreamer.

With eyes that make you melt,

He lends his coat for shelter,

Plus he’s there for you when he shouldn’t be,

Waits for you, then sees you through.

You smiled softly, hearing a guitar strum in your head, and suddenly your heart felt warmer than it originally had. The night really hits you, and next thing you know, you’ve got a demo at 2.56 AM.

You smiled wide now, your heart running rampant over a daydreamy thought you had of your neighbor. It’s not like you actually feel this way about him, but imagining yourself in something so plausible seems lighthearted and warm. Reaching for your phone, you bite your lip, wanting another opinion on the song, but not knowing if your relationship with Harry has evolved enough yet. It’s soon, but he still feels like your closest friend. You decide to go through with it anyway and text him.

ME: Haz! Want to hear something new I’ve just come up with over the course of seven straight hours?

It was actually very, very surprising when he responded a few minutes later.

HAZ: Yeah! FaceTime?

You smiled wide, feeling your heart skip a beat before agreeing. His phone call came in shortly after, and you were met with a very groggy Harry, his hair messy and in his face.

“Harry,” You looked at him suspiciously, “Why are you even up this late?”

He grew rather embarrassed, you could tell by the way he hid his face from the camera subtly, “Never bothered to change the ringtone you set.”

You could have died of embarrassment right then and there. The old ringtone you chose for your beloved boyfriend at the time, mind you, a very, very famous celebrity, was, in fact, a loud rooster. How much more embarrassing could you get? Laughing instead, you smiled wide. Things were going back to your normal, after all.

“Anyways, you let me know if this is good, okay? And be brutally honest.” Harry raised a brow in suspicion but quickly settled down as you began to play the guitar, strumming it gently.

“Daydreamer,” You began, and he felt his body go cold, in shock and in amazement. Hearing it semi-live, and completely personal was extremely different than the borderline music stalking of your singles he’d done recently.

“Sittin’ on the sea, soaking up the sun,” You changed the hit a higher note at, “He is a real lover, of making up the past and feelin’ up his girl like he’s never felt her figure before.”

You strummed gently for a few seconds, tying the calmness of the song together, “A jaw dropper, looks good when he walks, is the subject of their talk. He would be hard to chase, but to catch and he could change the world with his hands behind his back, oh.”

You strummed on some more, too nervous to look Harry in the eyes, despite him on the screen, and with a higher voice, began to sing more, “You can find him sittin’ on your doorstep, waiting for a surprise. And he will feel like he’s been there for hours, and you can tell that he’ll be there for life.”

This verse had been completely different, with you dragging on words and indulging in the beautiful memory, “Daydreamer, with eyes that make you melt, he lends his cost for shelter, Plus he’s there for you when he shouldn’t be, waits for you, then sees you through.”

Harry felt completely inferior in your presence, your voice sounding like he’d never heard it before. Instead of low and emotional, it was high and nostalgic, and for a moment, the thought that the song was about him struck him. Higher, you continued, “There’s no way I could describe him. What I’ve said is just what I’m hoping for, but I will find him, sittin’ on my doorstep waiting for a surprise. And he will feel like he’s been there for hours, and I can tell that he’ll be there for life.”

You slowed the guitar down, “And I can tell that he’ll be there for life.”

There was a moment of silence as you set the guitar off the bed, your face completely red after realizing the complete feeling of the song.

“(Y/N)…” Harry began, obviously now waking up completely, “That was amazing.”

“You mean it? It’s not too cheesy?”

He shook his head fast, “No. I don’t even know who it’s about, but you’ve got me falling in love with him, too.”

You smiled softly, happy to hear that he enjoyed it, “You sure? I don’t want it to sound creepy if I tell someone it’s for him. I just wanted to write something about someone who’s helped me so much.”

Continuing on, you fiddled with your sleeve, “Jack’s just so great.”

His heart dropped, and he furrowed his brows in jealousy, his stomach in knots as the idea of a love song for someone else hit him.

“He’ll love it,” He responded, not really thinking much as he did so, spaced out.

“Oh, just so you know, I’m going to France soon! Jack’s grandparents invited me, and I think it would be good to learn.”

Harry nodded, biting his lip as he snapped back into it, “You’re right. Be safe, okay?”

“Oh, don’t worry about me! I’ll be completely safe. It’s you I’m worried about, Haz. You’re quite the klutz.”

He chuckled, and from there, the conversation continued. It was like nothing had changed from your old years, and the night was talked away by two silly teenagers in love. When you woke up, a smile found itself on your face as you quickly noticed Harry’s sleeping face displayed on the camera. You’d fallen asleep before him, but he’d stayed.

His eyes were closed, revealing his long eyelashes. Were they always that curled? His lips parted for a moment and he heaved a great sigh, mumbling something before brushing hair out of his face. He was ethereal.

-

The trip came sooner than you’d noticed, and you didn’t want Daydreamer to be the last single released. It was so out of place from the rest of the album, but if you didn’t use it, then you wouldn’t have another single. There was one song you’d half-written, but it felt too personal, and besides, you’d already released a song about Harry. It felt like overkill. But it also just felt right, as a final goodbye to the situation.

Jack looked down at you as you sat with your guitar, “So, you want me to preview the song, yeah? Then we can go to France?”

He was teasing you, wanting to seem agitated, but you’d never heard him so much as raise his voice or seen him even furrow his eyebrows with a mean stare.

“Yes,” You chuckled, “I just don’t know if this song is too much. I had breakfast with Harry the other day and it came to my mind a week or so later.”

“Go on, then,” He sat down across from you, “I’m sure I’ll love it either way.”

But in his heart, he hated the fact that he was listening to a song you wrote about another man.

“Okay,” You took a deep breath, strumming.

“Walkin’ Scott Street feelin’ like a stranger, with an open heart, open container. I got a stack of mail and a tall can. It’s a shower beer, it’s a payment plan,” You recalled the first few weeks of moving out and how harsh it was. All you wanted was to be happy with him, but instead there were constant reminders that he was no longer there. Stacked up bills and inquiries about single-household payments, and the liquor which he hardly ever let you drink in fear you’d succumb to its temptation.

“There’s helicopters over my head every night when I go to bed. Spending money and I earned it, when I’m lonely, that’s when I’ll burn it,” You had complete control over yourself, sure, but at what cost? As you strummed, you felt tears pricking your eyes.

“Do you feel ashamed,” Singing clearly, it surprised Jack, who was already stunned silent, “When you hear my name?”

“I asked you, ‘How is your sister? I heard she got her degree.’” You detailed a conversation.

“And I said, ‘That makes me feel old.’

You said, ‘What does that make me?’

You asked me, ‘How is playing drums?

I said, ‘It's too much shit to carry. And what about the band?’

You said, ‘They’re all getting married.’”

You continued on, “Do you feel ashamed when you hear my name?”

You began strumming a tune for a long time, tapping your foot to the sound of the beat. Maybe you went a little overboard, but it didn’t matter. You could tell Jack was glued to you.

“Anyway, don’t be a stranger,” More strumming, “Anyway, don’t be a stranger.”

And on a quieter note, you continued to the final line, “Don’t be a stranger.”

“Jesus Christ, you know you’re talented, don’t you?” Was all your friend managed the day as you set the hollow instrument down, completely taken away.

“Aw, you’re just saying that.”

“I mean it!” He didn’t hesitate as you rubbed the back of your neck.

“Thank you, Jack,” You smiled softly, “And you should be pleased to know that I’ve written something dedicated to you, too.”

His heart was almost definitely leaping, “You did? Can I hear it?”

“Mmm, maybe in France,” You teased.

-

You found France to be quite lovely, filled with beautifully blue clear water, and lovely locals that had a tendency to mistake you and Jack as a couple. Despite the mishaps, you’d gone to see various things. The art galleries, cafés, bars and lounges, they were all magical, and today you’d be seeing the ocean for the first time ever.

Harry was not so amused by the photos you’d sent him. He was glad you were having fun, yes, but he hated that it wasn’t with him. He was the one who promised you he’d take you to see the ocean, and he was the one who was supposed to take you to see it for the first time. Not some idiot with a PhD who didn’t know half of the things he knew about you. He was angry, not at you or Jack, but with himself. It hurt so much to see you with another, and you weren’t even his. How must you have felt during your relationship with him?

And now, he was drinking whiskey in his bedroom, strumming notes mindlessly. His phone rang once, but he didn’t really notice it, the volume being off. That was until he felt he was finished with his guitar and set it to the side of his bed, finding that he’d dropped his phone. The screen showed brightly that he had missed a call from you, and soon later, after he’d turned his sound on, the rooster notification sounded throughout the room. He chuckled and turned it down, already slightly tipsy before he began to play the voicemail on speaker.

It was you, practicing your French.

“Coucou! Tu dors ? Oh, j'suis désolée…(Hey! Are you asleep? Oh, I’m sorry…)” You sounded lovely in French, like the language was made for you.

“Bah (Well…),” You began but decided to take it back, “Non... Nan, c'est pas important… (No, it’s not important.)”

“Ouais, on a été à la plage, et maintenant on— (Yes, we went to the beach and now we—)” You were telling him about your day, just as you had been for the past few days as you kept in touch. He was smiling as he heard you, but then he picked up on a voice in the back, assuming it was your friend.

He heard something about the dinner, but then the words hit him. Mon cherie. My dear. My darling. My love. Had something already happened?

“Parfait ! (Perfect!)” You answered Jack, “Allez ! (Let’s go!)”

The voicemail ended abruptly, leaving him cold, staring at the wall in his bedroom, utterly dumbfounded. His strongest coping mechanism was always songwriting, and maybe that was a habit you’d picked up, but he sighed and pulled his laptop onto his lap.

Mon cherie. Cherry.

He’d use your voicemail in it, he was sure, and he chewed on his necklace as he looked down upon the lyrics later.

Don’t you call him baby.

[indireneedofsleeeep]

Dreamling, Aladdin AU part 3 (part 1)

“Is there anything you wish for?” Dream asks, but doesn’t get an answer. The human who summoned him only looks at him, gobsmacked. Some of them do. Unfazed, Dream keeps going, trying a variation of his mandatory line, “Name your wish, Master, as it is my purpose to fulfill them.”

Seconds pass and the human gets out of his torpor. Enough at least for his lips to regain their ability to move and form words. Unfortunately, those words do not form a wish.

“It is... Do I... What?”

Dream refrains from rolling his eyes.

“I am the Genie of the Lamp,” he repeats, “You summoned me.”

“I did?”

“You did.” Obviously, this human has little knowledge of wish granting genies. Which was probably to be expected. The passing of time is hard to estimate inside a lamp, but Dream wouldn’t be surprised if centuries had gone by since the last time his services had been requested. “What you own is no common lamp, but a magical one. You rubbed it, and I appeared, as I will each time you do it again.“

Still hesitant, the human must have come to grips with at least some of what Dream told him, for he points at the lamp on the ground as if to make sure they are on the same page.

“This lamp is magical,” he starts, and, when his point doesn’t get refuted, he continues, “and you say I own it...as in it belongs to me...”

Humans and semantics!

“Whoever holds the lamp owns it. From their first summoning and until their third wish has been granted.”

“So, finding the lamp means you get to command a genie, eh,” says the human, who sounds like he’s just understood not only Dream’s explanation but some private mystery that has been bothering him as well. “And you mentioned three wishes, right? Does it mean... I can really ask for whatever I want?”

Disbelief, another human classic, but a somewhat refreshing one. The last people Dream’s been around didn’t question the existence of genies, nor their capacities. He can even remember a small town whose community had mandated a champion to find the lamp and bring it back. They had then waited in line to use it. Dream couldn’t tell how many wishes he did grant on that day, safe that it was a multiple of three.

The only advantage was that, in those times, he didn’t need to restate his powers’ restrictions constantly.

“You can ask for everything your imagination can convey, with four exceptions. I can’t kill, I can’t revive, I have no power over love and wishing for more wishes will do nothing but cost you a wish.”

The human doesn’t argue - which is a relief, really - but he makes a rather amusing pout.

“Were you planning on killing someone, Master?”

“Killing? No. ‘Wouldn’t lose a wish for it, anyway. It’s that ‘wishing for more wishes’ thing. Would have been damn convenient...” For a moment, the human’s eyes get lost in the distance as he muses on the fantasy of an unlimited number of wishes. Thought he’s quick to come back down to earth with a resigned sight. “But...yeah, I mean, I understand. Must be kind of boring having to work for the same guy again and again...”

“And Dangerous,” Dream can’t help but add, “that is, for the ‘guy’ who keeps the lamp. People have killed for it, more than once. Use your three wishes, Master, you’ll sleep with less worry.”

Dream is surprised when his ominous warning is only met with a big smile.

“You don’t need to worry about that! Oh, and it’s Hob, by the way. Well, Robert Gadling, actually, but really just Hob.”

Not every lamp user takes the time to introduce themselves. To be honest, Dream doesn’t care that much about their identities, but it is his role to serve them as best as he can; if he is given a name, he is to use it.

“As you please  , Master Gadling.”

At this, the human winces, as if he doesn’t like the sounds of it.

“No, the ‘master’, it...it’s really too weird. Just call me Hob.”

For someone who just had his first supernatural encounter, Hob Gadling accepted the concepts of genie and magic quite easily, all things considered, but it’s the term ‘Master’ on which he stumbles. It could almost bring the shadow of a smile on Dream’s lips.

“As you please, Hob Gadling.”

Hob opens his mouth, as if to add something, before he closes it again, shrugging whatever it was off and offering Dream another smile. Then something flashes in his eyes and his expression change into one of mid-panic.

“Wait, hey, that wasn’t a wish, right? When I told you how to call me?”

Dream does roll his eyes this time. Such a fright at the thought of losing something he didn’t even possess half an hour ago!

“No, it wasn’t. You are still to make your first wish.”

“Ok, ok,” Hob sighs, a hand on his heart to calm his heartbeat, “I’m going to make it now! I’m going to use my first wish!”

“Then you would want to hold the lamp, for that is a requirement.”

Dream watches Hob’s expression come from ‘what lamp?’ to the sudden realisation of ‘oh, that lamp!’. He promptly looks at his feet to spot the discarded artefact - just as Dream himself, the lamp emits its own light, so there is no missing it in the current obscurity - before he grabs it and clutches it to his chest.

“I am listening.”

“I want,” Hob starts, a bright smile back on his features, “to live forever.”

Dream closes his eyes, ‘Not this again!’ echoing in his mind.

To be fair, immortality is not one of the most common wishes. People tend to ask for riches, health, power or a peaceful existence more than for eternal life. Yet, it happens. And, in Dreams' experience, it never ends well. A couple of owners were able to come back on their ill-advised decision using a remaining wish. Those were the lucky ones. And since this Hob Gadling seemed rather alarmed at the thought of having wasted a precious wish...

“Are you sure? This is not a wish one should made lightly.”

“Well, yes, I am sure,” Hob answers, unwavering. If anything, Dream’s intervention only managed to irritated him. “Is it my wish or not? You said I could ask for whatever my imagination could convey. Well that’s it. I don’t want to die. Ever.”

“It was not my intention to question your resolve”, Dream explains more than he apologies, “Others before have asked to escape the gift of Death, only to end up trapped in a life they could never escape. You would be the first not to regret it...”

“Let my surprise you, then!” Hob offers. No, challenges, and isn’t that an unconventional exchange... Anyway, it isn’t Dream’s function to preserve owners from idiocy.

“As you please, Hob Gadling. Wish it then.”

“I do!”  

“You have to use the word, to differentiate your wishes from other expressed desires.”

Hob nods in understanding, takes a deep breath that puffs out his chest and,   as if he’s been ready for this his entire life, he pronounces the fateful words.

“Genie, I wish to live forever!”

“Your wish is my command, Hob Gadling.”  

And, as he must, Dream grants it.

It takes him less than a second and requires no burst of glitter, no dramatic show of lights, not even a snap of his fingers. All Dream has to do is will it. Of course, as most humans, Hob is visibly waiting for nothing less than being struck by lightning as raw power rushes through his body. He manages to wait 9 full seconds.

“So, huh...is it done?”

“It is. Your first wish has been granted.”

“Oh, great, thank you! It’s just that, well, I don’t feel very different...  How do I know it worked?”

“When you realise you don’t age, or when you get killed and survive, should it happen first. Suicide could make a good test but I don’t recommend it. You are immortal, not invulnerable, and you can be hurt.”

Dream has realised a long time ago that the life of a genie consists for a good  part in giving warnings that won’t be taken into account. And indeed, if Hob’s next actions can not strictly be regarded as a suicide, it isn’t too far either.

After making the lamp disappear inside his jacket, he fumbles around in the direction of what Dream can only assume was once the exit of the cave they are confined to. If Dream may have briefly found him refreshing, amusing, surprising even, he now knows it without a doubt: Hob Gadling is a fool.

The way out is blocked by an impressive pile of mud and rocks and the man has visibly decided he was going to unblock it himself, in the dark, with his bare hands for only tools.

“Mast- Hob Gadling, if we are trapped, a wish could safely get us out of here...”

“It’s fine. All I need to do is make those rocks fall further down. Nature is working with me.”

As far as Dream is concerned, it is part of the problem.

“You risk being buried under the rubble.”

“I can’t die, right? I’ll un-bury myself. Or someone will, eventually. I have nothing else to do anyway and I sure can handle a little pain - especially if it means saving a wish!”

When he had been summoned, Dream had hoped to fulfill his duties and go back to the seclusion of his lamp in the shortest possible time. Things didn’t seem to be heading that way...

Hope you liked it! Just wanted to tell you that since this thing is becoming longer (and will take me longer ) than expected, I’ll post it on AO3 from now on ;)

[zelphin124]

DISCLAIMER: I do not know much about Therapist!Sans, but I was bored so I thought I'd write a lil script with him giving therapy to Ink!Sans (which I think would be very chaotic)

Also, I've never been to therapy before so I don't know how this technically works 😅

Therapist!Sans belongs to @tehrogueva

Ink!Sans belongs to @comyet

Enjoy!

The room was still. There was no breeze, no sound, and no darkness. Every part of the room was lit with a dim light overhead, erasing the shadows from all of the objects. There was only a wooden chair to the left of the room which was accompanied with a small desk by its side. In front of this chair was a maroon sofa. A rectangular carpet with a pine tree design laid between the furniture.

There wasn't much to observe. In fact, the tan walls of the room were quite barren. Occasionally, there were small papers with green and brown designs hung across the room. There was a small billboard above the desk with a few drawings on them. The door was darker than all the browns in the area. It reflected off the yellow-tinted light. The lights themselves were small lightbulbs hung by a single chain on the ceiling. The air would've been heavy and filled with stench if it wasn't for the air conditioner in the corner.

The dark brown door opened as Ink stepped inside. His eyes lit with curiosity as he observed the room. He wasn't sure why he needed therapy. Heck, he didn't even remember how he got there. Why was he here again?

He checked the notes on his scarf. He tried to make out what he wrote. Ah, there it was. He had gone to therapy because _____ told him to go. He couldn't make out the smudged word of who told him to come here. However, Ink trusted whoever it was; he wouldn't have written it down if the person wasn't someone he trusted.

Or did Error tell him to go to therapy as an insult and he wanted to remember it?

Ink patted himself down when he forgot what he was thinking about. Where was his sketchbook? Did he leave it in the doodle sphere again? He didn't like being bored and had no intention to stay bored. He would've started to draw on the billboard, but he couldn't find the right markers to do so.

The room reminded the guardian of the Anti-Void. He didn't care for big open spaces. He wanted to fill such empty expanses with light, color, and beauty. At least, that's what he wanted to do if he drank his vials.

To his relief, it wasn't completely barren. However, the walls were lacking any decoration. Maybe it was to keep people from being distracted, or it was a new office and it hadn't been decorated yet.

No matter! Ink loved making decorations. He could assist with drawing the pictures and hanging them up! This place would look more vibrant in no time. All he needed was his brush...

His brush that he left outside the office.

Why did he leave it out there again? Ink checked his scarf again. Something about it being too big and whacking things... As well as covering the area in paint...

He eyes glanced back down to the notes he previously read. Someone had told him to go to therapy after he burned down an AU.

Wait... I did WHAT?!

"Good afternoon," an unfamiliar voice said softly behind him. "I apologize for being late. Please, take a seat."

Ink spun around to find a skeleton he had never seen before. He was a variation of Sans like himself. He had large eyes and a genuine smile. Green glasses rested on his non-existent nose; Ink noticed they were taped to the side of his head. Ink could tell he was tired, but not the sleepy kind of tired. It was more the-past-week-has-felt-like-one-giant-day tired.

Ink loved the soft colors that bounced off the skeleton's attire. He wore an off-white wool cardigan and dark brown gloves. His green turtleneck shirt complimented his glasses. The blue shorts on his legs possessed green stripes and visually led onlookers down to his pink slippers. His small hands held a clipboard and a pen made from a small bone. Although Ink saw that he was more expressive than Classic, he could tell the skeleton's shoulders were tense despite his fatigue.

"Hello!" Ink greeted, waving his hand before extending it. "I'm Ink! It's nice to meet you, what's your name?"

"You can call me Doc, Ink," Doc shook Ink's hand before signaling for him to sit down. "Tell me a bit about yourself. I heard that you love art."

"Who told you that? Because loving art is a total understatement," Ink adjusted his clothes as he sat down on the sofa. "I adore it! It's one of the best things in the world! In fact, I wouldn't be here without art! Creativity is a beautiful thing that should inspire others and be shared!"

"Indeed it should," Doc nodded as he wrote something down on his clipboard. "What else do you like to do?"

"Well, I love to inspire others. When I'm not battling Error or chilling with Dream and Swap, I adore going to different AUs and observing people's creations! Sometimes I talk with the creators of the AUs themselves to help them out. Like one time I inspired my friend named XGaster..." Ink trailed off, glancing at the billboard with the small green and brown drawing. "What were we talking about again?"

Doc scribbled more things on his paper before giving a warm smile. "I'm asking some ice-breaker questions before we get started on your therapy," he answered. "I'm here to help you with your problems."

"What problems?" Colorful question marks glimmered in Ink's eyes. Why was it so hard to remember simple things today? He knew his memory was bad, but surely it wasn't always this bad. Is it getting worse? Ink asked himself in his head.

The therapist stared at Ink for a long time. To Ink's surprise, he didn't find the silence uncomfortable. He was perfectly content with the skeleton staring at him and not saying anything at all. Had it been anyone else, Ink would've started to become nervous.

"I have an idea," Doc set his clipboard down. "Why don't we draw something to hang up on my walls? I would love to display some of your art here. Plus, while we are drawing, you can tell me what's been happening in your life recently."

"Oh that would be great!" Joy surged through Ink's mind. "I was going to comment about the emptiness of the room. I wondered why it was so barren."

"This office is new, so I haven't had much time to hang things up yet," Doc answered before he informed Ink he would return with art supplies.

When the therapist returned, Ink wasted no time, grabbing the acrylic paints as quickly as he could. He had so many ideas on what he wanted to draw. He eventually decided he was going to draw a pine forest to match the aesthetic of the room. Doc sat his clipboard by his side as he watched Ink's brush fly across the paper.

Doc didn't even have to ask any questions. Ink started to ramble about his day... At least what he could remember of it. He talked about having tea with Dream and Swap before mentioning his battle with Error. He went on and on about how beautiful OuterTale was before he lost his train of thought.

Doc listened intently, drawing a cliffed landscape and taking notes. "You mentioned Dream and Swap, are these your friends?"

"Oh yeah. We are the Star Sanses. We fight for the AUs and their happiness. We work together a lot," Ink stroked the brown paint on the trunks of his trees. "Although we've been separating lately."

"How does that make you feel?"

Ink glanced away from his art up at the therapist. What an odd question; no one had asked him that before. He started to twitch with his fingers before replying. "I don't know how to answer that question, Doc. I don't really feel anything about it." He glanced down at his vials. "I don't have emotions. I'm given emotions through these vials, but they're fake. Nothing that I feel is actually real. I don't have a soul to feel things."

"I see," Doc picked up his pen and wrote it down on his paper.

"Me and Dream have different motives and intentions for the AUs sometimes. Swap wanted to go home and assist his brother more. I spend most of my time bugging Error about his love for chocolate and the truce he forced me to accept. Although we both kinda broke that recently."

"Tell me more about Error."

Ink told the Doc all that he could recall about the glitched skeleton. He described how they met, how they became enemies, and how the truce was agreed upon. He backtracked to find moments with Error and memorable fights between them. Ink tried to explain to Doc how Error was the only skeleton who could understand him, and yet they were complete opposites, driving them apart.

About an hour had passed. The therapist listened to the guardian closely, however, he stopped Ink when black tears started to run down his face. Ink had gotten emotional when he recalled how Error destroyed most if not all the AUs.

"I... I didn't feel anything at the time," Ink wiped his face. He glanced in confusion at his fingers. Am I crying? "I didn't drink my vials so I felt nothing when Error destroyed the multiverse. But now... It hurts to even think about."

The Doc sat his drawing aside and picked up his clipboard. "Why do you think that is?"

Ink's tears fell onto his drawing. They covered the trees in various patches. He wondered how he could incorporate them into his forest drawing. "I guess... Because I love the AUs and their creativity. I wouldn't want anyone's inspiration to be crushed. I wouldn't want to harm an AU..." He glanced at his scarf. "It says on my scarf I came here because I burned down an AU though..."

"What do you think about that?"

"It doesn't help my reputation..." Ink wiped his face again. "I'm portrayed as a villain now. A lot of people don't like me after certain actions-" He wiped his face again. He didn't like crying. He didn't even know why he was crying, let alone in front of a Sans he didn't know. He didn't feel sad on the inside, but it was as if something inside him had shattered. Did he regret his actions? Was he mourning for the loss of the AUs? Was all the talk about him being a murderous psychopath with no emotions getting to him? He couldn't say. His emotions were confusing as they were. If he couldn't figure himself out, how could Doc Sans figure him out?

"This is good for you to acknowledge all of this," Doc Sans broke his thoughts. His voice was soothing and slow. "There's a lot to unpack here. I would love to meet with you on a regular basis so we can work through all this. Can you meet the same time next week?"

The tears had stopped flowing from the guardians eyes. "Time is a little hard for me to grasp since I love outside of it."

"Oh, yes of course," the therapist replied. "In that case, I'll talk with the office to find a way to signal you to come back when it's time. But might I reassure you in one thing today?"

Ink shrugged. "Go for it."

"You don't just drink one of your vials, right? You drink all of them at once."

Ink glanced down at his paint vials. They glowed with intensity according to their designated color. All of them were nearly empty. "Yeah, I drink all of them."

"So that means you feel all the emotions and they can alternate your mood depending on the situation. I wouldn't call your emotions fake. You're not forcing yourself to drink one vial to feel that way. You drink all of them at once, making your emotions as real as anyone else's; constantly present."

"Really?" Ink exclaimed before he vomited a bunch of ink from his mouth. He stared blankly at the Doc before looking back at his drawing. Whew, the ink missed his paper entirely.

"I'll uh... call someone to come clean that up," the smile on the therapist's face faded. He glanced over at Ink's drawing. "You're very talented, Ink. Can I hang that on my wall?"

Ink nodded. Doc knelt down and picked up the drawing. The smile returned to his face. "Look at these black streaks across the trees that you made with your tears."

Ink was quite proud of how we wove his tears into his art. They created shadows across the forest and shade between the leaves. There were millions of shades of greens and browns in the pine forest that he drew. The painting would look lovely under the dim lights of the office.

"That's what we are going to do with everything you've bottled up," Doc explained. "We are going to take that pain and weave it into the beautiful story of your life. No story is complete without suffering. Here's your first lesson, Ink."

For the first time in his life, Ink had nothing to say. He wanted to listen to Doc talk. His fingers twitched as he waited for the therapist to continue.

"Suffering is necessary in our lives. Because without it, the happiest moments of our lives wouldn't be so sweet as they are," he explained. "Our lives will never be perfect. Just like paintings are never perfect. But our lives, like these paintings, aren't supposed to show us perfection. They reflect who we are, and the progress we made."

What an interesting take. It was as if Doc was talking like they had run out of time.

Wait... they had run out of time.

Was the session already over? Ink didn't feel like he spent an entire hour talking. Was that what therapy was? Just talking until stuff comes up?

Ink wasn't sure how to feel about the whole therapy thing. He enjoyed drawing and talking to the new Sans, but it was odd for him to feel things so raw when he recalled memories. He never felt such strong emotions about any memories before, why had it struck him now? What was all of that hidden pain Doc was talking about? Did he really have bottled up pain like all the rest of the Sanses?

He lost his trail of thought, only remembering what the therapist had said Ink grabbed a pen and started to write down what the therapist said on his scarf. "I bet all of that was important, I just don't understand it right now."

Doc chuckled softly. "You'll understand more as we work through your life together. I'll be in touch with you shortly, thank you for coming."

Ink finished writing down what the therapist had said. "Thanks for having me, Doc! I'll see you next time!"

The guardians gaze went from Doc's warm smile to the painting Ink drew within the hour. It wasn't perfect, no, but it reminded Ink about what the therapist had said before he exited the room.

It's not about about perfection... But about the progress I make.

[dangerously-human]

3, 26, 50 for the writer ask game :)

Thank you for your patience, I know I took forever to answer all of these but this one took even longer because I decided to indulge myself with ALL the details and that was a time-consuming genuine delight. 😅

3. What are some tropes or details that you think are very characteristic of your fics?

I am a big fan of playing with metaphor and challenging myself with defined structure. Years ago, I wrote a Continuum fic (Still Here) with POV from every character in the story, with the swaps happening in a sort of chain based on who the characters interacted with - Dillon talks to Carlos, then we're in Carlos's POV until he thinks about Garza, then we're with Garza until she picks a fight with Emily, and so on - all looking at the same theme of how Kiera returning to her time left a hole that deeply affects everyone she left behind. Love giving myself a theme to work around, like chapters in developing relationship fic each based on a color of the rainbow. As is probably quite apparent, I enjoy writing "five times/things" fics and drabbles, and combining the two. Sometimes I go a step further and do the variations on a theme thing for five interconnected drabbles, like the Sparky five senses series. I like giving myself a challenge with fanfiction so it still feels like I'm growing my writing skills, even though a lot of things come easier than with original works.

26. Would you rather write a fic that had no dialogue or one that was only dialogue?

Easy, I write fics sans dialogue all the time. I do really enjoy dialogue and I think I've improved my ability to write it a lot, but introspection is still where I thrive.

50. Answer any question of your choice, or talk about anything you want to talk about!

Oh goodie, love this question! I'm going to answer 29: What songs would be (or are) on a playlist for [Here's a Safe Place to Lay Your Heart Down]? Explain your choices if you want!

I never used to be the kind of writer who had separate playlists for individual projects (outside of the occasional original work), just one massive playlist for the fandom. It's been a fun way to focus on some of the more effort-heavy, long-term WIPs! Here's the one for the ring fic:

The Graduate - The Arcadian Wild: The bittersweetness of growing up and your perspective shifting so you see the world as it truly is, for better and worse simultaneously. "When you were younger, you dreamed of being tall, but you discovered growing up just leaves you feeling small" / "Failing is fruitful, so long as we do not forget to move" / "We are wandering through the wild, we are wondering when not if we'll reach the other side... When we were ever alone? Together we'll make our way home"

Anomaly - Angels & Airwaves: Lockwood crush angst! "I never wanted to say how much I liked you, I never wanted to be one of your sad discoveries" - not feeling worthy of Lucy

Dark Mirage - Matthew Parker, HIDDEN EYES: Lockwood struggling and Lucy feeling helpless. "I don't possess the power to drive off the darkness that's haunting you, I pray the truth gets louder" - Felt fitting for the wallowing portions of this fic, considering Lockwood vastly overestimates his negative effect on Lucy. Also like... this level of angst is exactly what Lockwood is terrified of inflicting on Lucy, it's not actually like this but he's worried it could be if he's not constantly on high alert (which is what Lucy tells him she's willing to do if he ever needs it)

Taxi Cab - Twenty One Pilots: Ooh, this one hits hard on so many Lockwood & Co levels. "I wanna fall inside your ghost and fill up every hole inside my mind, and I want everyone to know that I am half a soul divided" is just such a good way to showcase Lockwood's growth, from the soul divided being between life and death to being part of a whole (with Lucy). The repetition of "don't be afraid" throughout a lyrical story that is so Lockwood all over just. Argh, it's very very hard for me to put this one into words. Like how the "don't be afraid" could at first be giving up but then it's a promise not to. And it gets at the same idea as the books do with Lockwood as both Christ figure and the one saved ("and then I asked them, am I alive and well or am I dreaming dead? And then one turned around to say, we're driving toward the morning sun, where all your blood is washed away and all you did will be undone"). There's a lot of imagery here I associate with the Other Side and the return, and so I connect it with Lockwood sort of dying and, upon symbolic resurrection, choosing a new life that involves opening himself up to Lucy... Ugh, yeah, this one's harder to explain, it just means a LOT to me

Hot Tea - half•alive: Obsessed with this as Lockwood being pathetically in love, tbh ("Wanna be here ar your door 12am and sleeping on your porch until you get in, looking into your eyes endlessly, crawling into your lap desperately"), and "can't afford to lose you any longer" fits very well for the canon era chapter, but also just the warmth of belonging to each other ("Hold you in my hands like hot tea, knowing I'm safe 'cause you want me")? That is always the Locklyle vibe I'm going for, but especially in this fic. Also the line "sip you through my front teeth" makes me think of Lockwood and his blue whale thing, hahaha

Spiders - Bear's Den: I will eventually come back to write the spiders symbolism kidfic that slots in later in this series, which is the only reason I did not end up using these lyrics for this fic despite it fitting the vibe so well. (Love, I'm Trying had at least three WIPs competing to use it as a title for a while there.) But, yeah, the whole thing with spiders as indicative of a haunting lends extra power to this one in an L&Co context, with lines like "I can't take back all the hurt I've caused, everything I love I have somehow lost, it's four in the morning abd the spiders are crawling in my mind, replaying pictures of all I can't undo, love, I'm trying, but I can't oull myself when the darkness comes" - and that being when Lockwood has to learn to go to Lucy, because that's what they do for each other, they pull each other out when they can't do it alone

Rain Clouds - The Arcadian Wild: The growth! While usually I associate this song more with Lucy, it does still work for Lockwood and the guilt he carries, moving from "I'm being shadowed by my past, reminding me of what I was and what I could become" to a sort of conversation of "I need someone to be my guide, listen to my voice, close your frightened eyes, hide behind my love for you, fear's only a choice, one that we all must make someday"

BREAKFAST - half•alive: Chosen as the title source for good reason; this song is all about vulnerability and the mortifying ordeal of being known, and practicing embracing the safety of leaving your heart in someone else's hands - starting out feeling reluctant and even panicky at the idea of openness ("I fled to the walls, yeah, be sure I'm surrounded, where no one can find me") to fighting your instincts and opening up no matter how hard it is, and being met with the reassurance of being seen and loved in all your complexity ("say you're open through tears and trembling, it's a major step, it's okay to fret, here's a safe place to lay your heart down"), and the reminder that messing up doesn't mean you've broken the relationship irreparably ("it's a second chance, it won't be your last"), which is a message Lockwood really needs to hear from Lucy in this fic, as they repeat old patterns with new endings

Lifeline - Angels & Airwaves: The forgiveness and gentleness Lucy offers Lockwood - "We all make mistakes, here's your lifeline"

Your Burden is Mine - Sarah Sparks, Kenny Komatsu: The doing life together part, a reminder that it's pride that intereferes with letting love in - "Don't spare me from anything, your burden is mine" / "Careful, my brother, there on your own, for it is a fool who suffers alone, there's none self-sufficient, only those who try, so swallow your pride, your burden is mine"

TrusT - half•alive: Ooh, this song absolutely messes me up re: redemption, and also unchanging adoration/stability even in the midst of conflict. Lockwood needs to hear it from a romantic relationship perspective ("rest and know the love you hold won't be taken back, no, how sweet the taste of certainty, the gift you gave is safe with me"), but it hits hard for me from a Christian theology perspective - and isn't that just the surprise theme of this fic, the ways marriage is meant as an echo of Christ's love for his bride, the Church. Also fits really well for this in-between space they find themselves in as they have an answer for the Problem yet are still working on the solution ("the tug of war in the now-not-yet... can you tell me why I feel this way? I have faith that the world I'm in will be redeemed again, but there's a weight that I can't explain, so tell me why I feel this way"), which I think is a tension in the background of most of my work in this particular series

The Kitchen - Tow'rs: For the imagery of dancing together in the kitchen as a way of making amends after a fight - "You made me dance in the kitchen with you, if I was the night then you were the moon"

What Home Feels Like - The Afters: Gosh this song is so CUTE, and that is the Locklyle vibe! Just the idea of finding home and belonging with the person you love - "There is no place I'd rather be for the first time in my life, I know what home feels like" / "No, I never wanna leave, 'cause I've found where I belong, this is what home feels like"

Let's Get Married - Bleachers: This is THE love post-trauma song, and fits the warmth of 35 Portland Row so well along with Lucy and Lockwood promising to make it work even when it's crazy hard, because they recognize where they're a little broken but they also believe building a life together is worth it

[ashenwinds]

// replayed the tall tale Seabound Soul last night and discovered some more things. Hello and welcome to Captain's TED talk about a skellieman First of all, just a reminder of how fucking big the Ashen Lords are. I was not exaggerating making Chi 10ft tall considering just how massive Horatio is compared to Flameheart's coffin. Even comparing the echoes of the Ashen Guardians to Horatio when those are normal sized Skellies.

You can also tell Flameheart is bigger but not much compared to the Ashen Lords, so fitting having him break 6ft but not be much taller we love a short Pirate King

but onto the things I noticed 1. The sound his skull makes. All the skulls in the Sea make a certain sound. A sort of wispy, eerie, whispering noise. Most of the variations have the same sound, except two particular ones: The Ashen Winds skull and the Skull of Siren Song. The thing is, the other skulls in the Tall Tale of Randall and Martha make the default noise. . . but Flameheart's makes the noise of the Ashen Winds skull. The very skulls that are technically the Ashen Lords' skulls. Might be something small but it can reaffirm the idea that Flameheart did indeed get the Ashen Curse, it just did not manifest in the same way it did on the Lords // Stitcher Jim 2. The bones on his hat + jacket + glove. I've been staring at them if they were just something decorative or had a bigger purpose. But it is very similar to the crate of ancient bone dust, so perhaps they are bones from the Ancients, sort of trophies // relics taken. There is also a heavy amount of bones around his resting place, including the skull of a kraken surrounding the entrance. It is a rather big achievement to be able to kill a kraken and rather interesting that the bones are on Flintlock Peninsula. . . it could very well be those bones on Flameheart's attire are either from his greatest kills or perhaps something enchanted. 3. Considering how Flameheart was killed, being the entire cabin of the Burning Blade filled with gunpower and set off by a dropped candle flame, his body is in pretty good condition. He is missing a couple of bones in his legs but everything else hardly looks scratched -- which is reinforced in the Heart of Fire novel where it is stated he did multiple enhancements to his bones aside from binding his soul to his skull. But also, blog-wise the styling of the gold added to reshape his skull is staying

4. Considering Flameheart is often called King Flameheart by his followers, his attire is rather lacking with the royal flare. It is most likely not a desire of being 'like the others' considering he is extremely prideful and sees himself as above -- otherwise he would have not converted the cabin of the Burning Blade into a throne room -- but may be out of finding it to be far too iconic to remove. Or one of the only materials to be able to withstand the fires inside him, considering in the image above you can see the burns left over in his eye sockets. 5. His coffin is sealed in blood. Whose blood? Who knows. It could be his own blood gathered before he lost his flesh. It could be blood of enemies or his greatest followers. In a lot of old cultures and enchantments, blood is something powerful, so it could very well be his own blood to enchant the coffin and only allow it to be opened by a certain person or at a certain time.

[blankdblank]

Around the world in 90 days

…

How Deadpool and Oc became besties

…

Oc got to the airport and found out a new friend to her former bestie decided to change the group vacation that had been planned for half a year and demanded oc go to change the tickets to their chosen destination instead. Oc at the ticket desk exchanges all the spare tickets for her former friends to sit in first class, something they will have to do for the entire three month world tour vacation they had planned to have a better time alone in much better pampered environments.

Rome is the first stop and on a stroll by the beach after their first timid trip out alone since shutting off notifications on their phone to ignore the furious ex friends back home who now have to pay their own way they stop at a street corner waiting for traffic so they can get a treat from the sweet shop on the way to their private coliseum tour. Deapool still smoking a bit from his last stop looks down at them when they look up at him, “Hello,” oc says and gets a nod and a “Hey, how’s it going. Haven’t seen you in a while usually you’re half dead like I am on the bus at three am back home.”

“Vacation, saved half a year for this trip.”

“Nice,” he says and looks forward as oc does, a familiar night owl he was curious but slightly glad to see halfway across the globe after his last hired job in a long string of jobs.

“Do you like gelato?” Oc asks and he looks down to see them looking up at him again.

“Yes,” he answers. “I’m a sugar nut, any more sugar in my diet and the docs say I’ll turn into a murder happy gummy bear.”

“Do you like the coliseum?” Oc asks and he reaches up to lift up his mask.

“You’re not very good at small talk are you? You can relax, seem a bit tense. I may be half blood right now but I’m not gonna hurt you.” He looked forward at the man who glanced back at him and blew a kiss making the man turn around again so he could look back to oc.

“I broke up with my friends and I have a three month vacation around the world tour pass thing, the coliseum is at two, goes on a tour of ruins till nightfall and there’s a torch lit dinner under the stars, fancy wine and all that, and I figure I might not get murdered or as many pity stares if I don’t spend the next nine hours alone with tour guides and sitting at a table for six.”

“Oh,” he said excitedly and smiled at you, “Can I bring a friend? You know him, the big sour gummy bear who’s often also half dead in the bus with me. Not his brother, we’re not talking to Victor right now, he knows what he did, and we’re very cross with him. Give me ten minutes meet you for gelato.” And he turned to sprint off after getting oc’s nod mid being a friend suggestion.

Wolverine is soon being seen with the now changed and possibly just dunked in a barrel of water still dropping Deadpool, both in variations of colors of jeans, t shirts and styles of boots. The friend does not talk very much but as the hours he is coaxed out by leaning in to correct in whispers comments the tour guides make, having been alive in the time frame of the 1800’s some of the facts that are shared with the odd trio. But Deadpool seems to vanish I’m excusing himself during supper until he comes back in a tux and slices off the back of Wolverine’s shirt to help his scowling friend who not so subtly has been adoring oc for months now into a fancier shirt, tie and suit jacket. The table cloth is changed and now Deadpool is playing waiter and helps to make the night all the more romantic.

“I would love to say this is odd for him,” Wolverine says with a sigh mid slice of his next bite of food, “But, he gets so much worse than this.”

“Oh, okay.” And after a few moments oc asks, “Do you like Spain?”

And his eyes lift up to meet oc’s, “In what context? I got a few hundred years worth of bones to pick with certain parts of Spain.” Only luring Deadpool over to whack Wolverine in the arm with the cloth he then used to help him pour the wine to refill their glasses. “Love Spain, take it you’ve got spare tickets?”

“Five.”

“Well we’re already packed!” Deadpool said excitedly and hurried off, “Dessert should be almost ready!”

“What happened in Spain?” Oc asked curiously.

“Tried to set me on fire a few times. Witchcraft and all that,” oc nods and he looks them over as she says, “Get it, had a kid try to set my hair on fire at work once when I wouldn’t let him into his hero’s suite.”

“I’m sorry, what?!” Both guys asked when she looked down at her plate again.