#I um. still haven't done any comics. but

[softwaluigi]

[squishosaur]

i hear youre a treyjade enjoyer, do you have any headcanons with them or how they got together? :0

yeah ummm.... a few :lookingaway:

♡ - i'd like to think that jade has always looked up to and respected trey, but when he realized "oh, this guy is not as normal as he says he is" he is just infatuated and needs to study him. like a freak.

☆ - i think trey is someone who sees the best in people. like, he could be seeing the scary parts of jade, he just finds him silly and interesting though. riddle is distressed like, "you DO NOT want that guy." but trey is like "i could fix him" when jade is Actively trying to make him worse.

♡ - jade definitely fell first, but that doesn't mean trey didn't Also fall fast. trey was sort of interested in him, and jade instantly picked up on this and started toying with him. anything from offhanded comments about how nice he looks or how polite he is to just straight up "i heard you were interested in dentistry. can you look at my teeth" and then he does Not wait for an answer. trey is conflicted about this!!! floyd and azul are so disturbed at jade just opening his mouth like that in public.

☆ - trey has a horrible sense of humor. jade also has a horrible sense of humor and will laugh at any of his godawful jokes or puns. (have you seen the shrimp flied rice comic)

♡ - as for how they got together, trey would probably confide in cater about his crush (and he is Absolutely eating this up btw it's so funny to him) and he's like "oh dw trey-kun, i'll be your wingman kk??" and trey is like "oh my god no.." but it's too late.

☆ - with cater on the case, he is like. coaching him on what to say and what to do. "sit with him at lunch, compliment him, get to know him better, walk him back to his dorm, Ask Him Out OMG WHAT'S TAKING SO LONG..." and trey somehow fails at all of these things but this is amusing to jade. "your eyes are like... um. leucoprinus birnbaumii and. tilled soil?" "aw, are you flirting with me?"

♡ - azul also gets wind of this information also and is like "i can tell you any amount of information on jade's interests right now if you become the dessert chef for the mostro lounge exclusively- sign here." trey said no, but azul is still pushing. so now trey has like the shoulder angel and devil thing going on with azul and cater... but they're both devils.

♡ - in the meantime, they're Not Dating, but jade keeps asking trey to spend time with him. "i was just about to check on the mushrooms i've been growing, would you like to accompany me?" "if you aren't busy this weekend, i was wondering if you could join me on my next hike. it's just so lonely on the mountains by myself... camping would be so much more fun with friends..." trey says yes because his internal monologue is like "how could i possibly say no..." (riddle is shaking his head defeatedly, like, "just come back alive").

☆ - trey is about to just Give Up at the end of his third year, since they won't be on the same campus or anything anymore, but suddenly jade is like "can we exchange contact information, i think i'll miss you the most.." and so they do that. And are Not Dating Still.

♡ - during his off-campus year, trey studies dentistry and also spends a lot of time messaging jade and when they're both free they arrange meet-ups. cater is still trying to wingman over the phone and trey is like "no, we're still just talking..." and At The Same Time floyd keeps asking jade when he's gonna break up with that guy and jade is like "oh, but we haven't even started dating yet."

☆ - after trey is done with his studies at NRC, he decides to spend a year back at home with his family. as luck would have it, jade is spending his 4th year in the queendom of roses to study mycology (and a little bit of anthropology also, but mostly the mushrooms, molds, and yeast interests him). and he reasons "what better place to study yeast than a bakery!" trey feels absolutely insane when he asks his parents to let jade stay with them for a year. but they say yes because they as just so nice ("as long as he helps in the bakery" was also a condition).

♡ - they were not expecting a merman though and are quite shocked by the very tall eel with razors for teeth politely introducing himself one day. trey's siblings like him though! they ask him all about the ocean and his studies and nrc and even just about what trey was like at school (trey keeps shutting this specific topic down). jade helps with cooking and cleaning around the house and mr. and mrs. clover both appreciate him for it.

☆ - at some point, the two stay up really late together (they're both studying) and trey just finally blurts out that he likes him. jade just goes "i know." with a smile and asks him out. trey is shocked because he had waited Forever to ask it but its too late now. he laughs it off and says yes. they kiss (followed by jade quipping that it was not customary to kiss on the first date, to which trey responds that is was Hardly their first date and jade goes "touché")

♡ - you would think i would end this here because you asked about how they got together but i can't because i havs not gotten to the part where trey 1) actually comes out to his parents and 2) tells them that he's going out with jade

☆ - but anyways, yes, he comes out to his parents and they accept him for who he is. his mom also mentions that she assumed that he and jade were Already dating and he just wasn't ready to tell them yet. trey vehemently denies this and jade is just laughing. trey also texts cater and cater replies saying "tell jade i said i'm so happy for him and his ugly fking bf i'm serious /ref <3333" he also tells riddle who Actually says something positive. jade tells floyd and azul, who reply "can you divorce him yet" and "congrats! is he willing to work for me now" respectively (they really all are happy for them btw)

♡ - they do go on dates mostly outside on walks or hikes when they have time to spare. trey talks about the history of the area and jade identifies different organisms and infodumps about them as trey listens intently. if they see the same thing again, jade will say its name and trey will recall something jade said about it before, which makes jade happy.

☆ - neither is big on pda (unless they get jealous, which is infrequent), but they will hold hands when they're alone. they both tend to go more with acts of service and just quality time with one another, so generally they will do things like cook for the other or engage in activities that the other likes.

♡ - they do visit the coral sea, but it's more of an annual trip. usually, if jade wants to see azul or floyd, it's on land because azul's franchise is on land.

☆ - unfortunately i could continue for forever but i will not yw <333

[bluejaysandblackbats]

Library of Ashes

Fandom: DC Comics, Batfam

Summary: Jason takes an interest in the family business (Gotham’s oldest library) when he stumbles upon a secret collection of journals, photo albums, and a book written by his mother.

Chapters: 4/?

Characters: Jason Todd, Kate Kane, Barbara Gordon, Dick Grayson, Bruce Wayne, Tim Drake, Stephanie Brown, Lonnie Machin, Original Character(s)

Relationships: Jason Todd/Original Character(s)

Additional Tags: Library AU, No Capes AU, World Travel, Jason Todd-centric, Third Person POV, Hurt Jason Todd, Jason Todd Has Issues, Angst, Mystery, Mentioned Catherine Todd, Mentioned Willis Todd, Mentioned Sheila Haywood, Claustrophobic Jason Todd

Chapter Four: Honey Bug

“Is now a bad time to tell you I’m claustrophobic? Over,” Jason half-joked over the walkies as he crawled through the attic.

“Jason, please say you’re joking. Over,” Kate replied.

Jason's heart pounded as he laughed it off. "Yeah, I'm alright, though. As long as I can-. What the fuck?" Jason whispered as he saw a stack of boxes by the HVAC system.

"What happened?" Kate asked.

Jason stuck his hand out and reached between the boxes. "The HVAC is fine. Somebody's been using the attic as a storage space. Can you help me take some of these back to the apartment? Over," Jason asked as he grabbed one of the boxes and dragged it closer. "Okay. How many boxes are there? Over," Kate replied.

"Enough to make me think someone lived up here… Here. I'm on my way with the first one, and I need to get some air," Jason replied. Jason couldn't stay up there long but had to clear the boxes.

He gave Kate the box and stuck his head out to breathe. "Fuck," Jason panted. He shut his eyes and fought the urge to panic. "Okay… Alright. Let me see if I can push two at a time." Jason did that for the next half hour until the boxes were cleared out, and he rushed down the ladder where he sat in the hallway, surrounded by boxes. His hands shook, and he lay against one of the boxes, reaching upward to feel the cool air.

"You good?" Kate asked. Jason shook his head.

That time in the crawl space wiped him out. "I haven't done that in forever… Hold on. Let me see one of those boxes," Jason requested as Kate opened one with a box cutter and slid it to him. He pulled an old sketchbook out of the box and flipped through it. A loose paper slipped out of the book, and Jason picked it up.

"It’s a love letter from World War I,” Jason whispered. Jason skimmed the letter and set it aside, grabbing the engagement ring hanging from his neck.

“Jason-.”

“I had a sort of-. I had a religious awakening when I was with Naa… I um… I guess I still am,” Jason interrupted. He didn’t want Kate to ask if he was okay. It was the last thing he wanted to hear.

“What was in the letter?” Kate asked.

“He talked about her and how thinking about their life together got him through the war… He was looking forward to seeing her and starting a family,” Jason replied, “It made me think about Naa and how I-. We. We wanted kids and a house built from the ground up. I drew up designs and everything.”

“Do you-? Do you have any pictures of her?” Kate asked. Jason smiled and nodded as he pulled out his phone.

He showed a picture of himself and his fiancee sitting in a hospital hallway. She held his head to her chest, playfully pouting. She wore the engagement ring from Jason’s neck on her finger. “This is Sanaa, the day I proposed. Everything went wrong that day… Someone’s dog got off its leash and bit me. We spent half the afternoon in the emergency room waiting for a tetanus shot… And I got so frustrated that I proposed in the middle of my shot,” Jason chuckled.

“Well… Sounds like something went right,” Kate smiled, “She’s pretty.”

“Beautiful,” Jason whispered as he swiped to the next picture. “This is her with her mom. We did everything together. The three of us.”

“Why didn’t you stay?” Kate asked.

“She already lost Sanaa. She didn’t need two ghosts,” Jason answered as he put his phone away. “We should figure out who these journals and letters belong to. If we can’t find the owners, we should hand some of these journals to the museum.”

Kate picked up the letter and nodded. “We could make an announcement,” Kate replied. Jason nodded as he dug through the box and skimmed the other items. “We’re gonna be here a while… You wanna order some food?”

“I bought groceries, so I’ll cook,” Jason whispered, “And label the boxes by decades and families. We’ll do one box at a time.”

*

Kate fell asleep while Jason ate leftovers and rummaged through the boxes. He opened a handbound book and stared at the author’s initials. “Okay, CJ… What do you have for me? Fiction or nonfiction?” Jason whispered as he flipped through the pages.

“I took him to the same strawberry patches I went to as a girl. He laughs. His stained, sticky cheeks were sweet with honey and juices from berries. He makes me remember my baby. He feels like he's mine,” Jason read aloud. He swallowed hard as the image flooded his mind. He’d been to a strawberry patch before, but it was so long ago it felt like a dream. “I sat on the counter talking to his father while he bathed our precious boy. I didn’t know the sullen man could be that gentle. The way he held Jason’s little hands-.” Jason dropped the book, startling Kate awake. He sharply inhaled through his nose.

“What happened?” Kate questioned.

“I was maybe three years old when my mother took me to a strawberry patch. The memories are fuzzy, but I remember her-.” Jason choked back tears. “I remember her holding me. I remember my father scrubbing berry juice from my hands… And she wrote-.”

“She wrote the book you dropped, right?” Kate interrupted.

“But that’s not right. My mom said-.” Kate reached for the book, and he snatched it. “Never mind what she said… Actually, it’s late. You should go home.”

Kate shook her head. “Something’s wrong,” Kate replied. Jason shook his head. “You sure?”

“Yeah. I’m fine… Go home,” Jason smiled, “Home… Go home and get some sleep.” Kate left Jason alone, and he cursed under his breath. Jason stepped into the kitchen and poured himself a drink.

“What the hell do you mean, Mom?” Jason whispered as he held the cold glass to his forehead. “You gonna haunt me too?”

“Jason’s angry with Willis for an argument he isn’t old enough to understand. Willis spent his last twenty dollars on a singing light-up worm toy to compensate for my mistake. I accidentally destroyed his blankie, and Willis took the fall. Willis even stayed up all night, sitting at the edge of the bed, trying to earn his way back into Jason’s little heart. Insistence was an understatement. Willis demanded that I let him take the blame. It was probably due to my lack of blood ties to Jason. Jason started calling me mommy recently. Not Caty. Mommy,” Jason read. He downed his drink and poured another glass.

“What the hell are you saying?” Jason mumbled.

[springlock-suits]

"Ooh, tell us about Dave"

(To start, seeing so many aus and versions that made use of "Dave Miller" during actual events in Freddy's, instead of as some random mall guard DEFINITELY inspired me, I had never before considered that potential Dave had)

Dave works at the 90s location. As William was very much Not Allowed in Freddy's after '87

(Now, I haven't read the book in. Literal years. But I think my Dave might? actually be pretty similar to TSE canon? A bit less creepy though. And more seemingly trustworthy. Take this with a grain of salt though as again, its been many years since ive read the book)

He's very dramatic and showy while kinda pretending not to be

He never really outright lies, he doesn't make anything up, its more of just not telling the whole truth and leaving out (incriminating) details

He definitely considers himself "one of them" like canon Dave does. And will walk around the place just wearing the Springbonnie mask when there's no one to see him

When I think about what I personally want from a fnaf story, want it to be in the classic 90s location, when all the murders are already said and done. And I want the employees there to start trying to unravel the mystery after realizing the animatronics are alive. It ends up being like a murder mystery, unfortunately, I can't hide from anyone familiar with fnaf who the killer is, but at least I can still keep it from the characters! Letting them discover it in the end >;]

(Fun fact! In my design, Dave's haircolor is the same as Springbonnie's fur)

My William wears glasses, and while he can usually get away with not wearing them as Dave, he still needs them for reading. So I had a (scrapped) comic idea where Theo sees a glint of light and walks into the backstage area to discover Dave wearing glasses, queuing a flashback where we see William n the same pose wearing the same glasses! A delightful hint for Theo on who Dave really is!,, that he ends up ignoring because Dave has already established himself as a Trusted Friend and coworker-

.

"Any original FNaF characters and a bit of their lore?"

Fnaf ocs? Yeah! I've ah, only actually made and designed one character for my version so far, Theo!

Since the 90s location never had a missing children incident, but still had newspapers about them from previous locations, I imagine there are in universe "fnaf theorists" trying to figure out what happened, especially since Fazbear Ent is really determined to cover everything up

So I made Theo! (Theodore Emmet)

He's a works along with Dave at the 90s (fnaf 1) location! Any lore snippets you see in the area were most likely put up by him, his favorite animatronic is 90s Bonnie

He was alive and in the area when the original missing children's incident happened, so when he saw how Fazbear ent was trying to convince people it never actually happened, it sparked his interest in finding some indisputable proof. And keep the fact that such a tragedy happened common knowledge

He's around 45 I think! Ohh wait 30ish is better. And um, theres not much else about him! ľm trying to give him some more personality and interests, but right now I can't help but keep comparing him to my version of phone dude;-;

He's really not that finshed or fleshed out yet bdjsndks

[aintmyjewelry]

hi babe, please spare some romance book recs maybe some spicy ones too 🙏

im sorry this came in this morning and i just saw it so apologies for being late to this but i am always happy to share!!

(* = heavy spice)

Rush* by Maya Banks

Fever* by Maya Banks (book #2 after Rush, it's part of a trilogy and i haven't read the last book yet but i can say these books are considered more like erotica, just a warning if you're not into that!)

In Bed With a Highlander* by Maya Banks (um I'm a big fan of some of Maya Banks's work lmao can you tell?)

Book Lovers by Emily Henry

Once a Rancher by Linda Lael Miller (this is a cowboy romance, it's not my absolute favorite and it has some spice but i like the premise and i wanna read more cowboy romances!)

Temptations of a Wallflower - Eva Leigh (historical romance and uses the forbidden romance trope hehehehe)

Dark Lover by JR Ward (VAMPIRE ROMANCE!!!!!!!! hehehe this is book 1 of the Black Dagger Brotherhood series and i love this series SO SO much. i haven't read all of them yet [there's like 20+ books in the series] but the first 5 books I've read are so good, so addictive)

Love on the Brain by Ali Hazelwood

The Love Hypothesis by Ali Hazelwood (I'll never shut up about this book I'm sorry I've read it twice and it's still one of my favorite romances of all time. it's so so well done omg also there is some spice)

The Kiss Quotient* by Helen Hoang (another all time fave)

Any Duchess Will Do* by Tessa Dare (I love pretty much anything by Tessa Dare and the spicy scenes in this one.......omg omg omgomgomgogmofmsof)

ok i hope those eleven recs are good, there's probably a lot of books I've already talked a lot about so I'm sorry about that - i have been in a funk with my reading lately. I've been back to reading comics rn in hopes that it kicks me out of my reading slump. it sucks bc i am itching to get back into romances but nothing has been holding my attention lately!!! Katee Robert just released book 4 of the Dark Olympus series so maybe that will help me idk I'm eyeing it rn

[meeko-mar]

It's a lot to process.... (Bakugou Comic)

UM. Happy Leak day. I'm wishing for a little bit of crumbs regarding the kids that are still back at UA.

I have this little thought about....Shinsou joining 2-A.

And a certain someone, who is still dealing with a shit-ton of trauma, sort of... not responding well to it.

Yes, this really spiraled. It was meant to be a pretty simple comic, but then Todoroki got involved.

-Poor Shinsou, I haven't done him enough justice. I'm really wondering if there's gonna be some strain over him joining the class when basically the spot opened up because Izuku left. He's not meant to replace Izuku at all but there might be some tension there. ... I'm betting it's mostly gonna be Bakugou's problem. (It may not be overt, but maybe a bit more in a passive aggressive way. IF hori decides to play with that dynamic.)

-But ok, Todoroki. If Bakugou has some lingering feelings of resentment over not being able to see Deku, Todoroki is really the only one who REALLY SAW all of what happened with Bakugou taking the bullet for Deku. So I think he's going to have a unique and more informed perspective on why Bakugou is so freaking angry with Deku disappearing, why he might be pissed off about our new student Shinsou taking that seat behind him, even while it may confuse the rest of the class.

This is all very self indulgent by the end-- my desire for the both of them to go vigilante to find Deku.

(And yes, Shoto's gonna have his own agenda with having to fight his brother. Buuut, there might be at least some overlap he can take with helping Midoriya out as well. And honestly, Midoriya is his friend and I can see him being REALLY worried about the situation, and he'd be worried about Bakugou being in distress from his trauma and not getting to resolve things at all with Deku.)

Plz give me the three Musketeers movie because I clearly have a TodoDekuBaku need here.

One more note, I REALLY HOPE that the teachers and the students are able to have a very deep, heart to heart discussion on ....ALL THE SHIT going wrong with the war and the aftermath and all their collective trauma. THEY NEED TO HAVE A TALK.

***Please let me know if everything is legible or if any of my hand-writing needs clarification? or transcription? I don't mind writing it out in script form if needed.

[pepperdee]

Flash Fiction Friday but I went over the word limit and couldn't shorten it

and thus I'm not going to tag them. but I still want to post it to prove I'm alive.

(now do you see why I had to do it) (also, is it crazy that i haven't done one of these in literally a year??)

I'm going to reblog this tomorrow with the sequel comic I drew while at work but i forgot my little drawing journal there so it has to wait

WIP: The Curse of Hyetal

POV: Rose

WC: 1612

Summary: After taking Guin home one night, Rose hits a little roadblock.

yes this is the new take on Rose hits Dedrick with her car. no this isn't final.

~~

A wave of raindrops burst on Rose’s windshield, the pitter-patter amplified by Guin’s open door.

“I’ll come back tomorrow,” they promised. “We’ll figure this out.”

This, Rose echoed silently, nodding as her best friend shut the car door. The journals, sent to her by Beza days after she died. That creepy poem left in the middle of that empty journal. They found me before the storm, Rose recited, staring at the raindrops. She had to chuckle just a little bit. Obviously, the poem was about the hurricane, but she entertained the thought that the poem was the journal’s own.

Tomorrow couldn’t come soon enough.

It was nearly midnight, but Rose’s eyes landed on Guin’s neighbor, her grandmother’s bakery, and wondered how tired and pissed off Lee would be if she showed up just now. Lee may be an old baker, but she knows things. Mostly about Taeleon, mostly about Garvin Street, but who knows what kind of wisdom inhaling flour all day gives you?

No, no, Rose told herself. She’s going to be up at five. Let her sleep. She took her car out of park and gently pressed the gas.

A flash of light came from Lee’s door. A streak of red.

Thump.

Rose slammed on the brakes. Blood pounded in her ears. Knuckles locked onto the steering wheel. Raindrops bursting. She darted her gaze from the door to the street. “What the…hell?” she said to herself, cautiously putting her car in park. She imagined that a firework just flew underneath her tires, and any moment, it was going to explode and take her and her car with it. Before I even got my activation immunity.

Suddenly, the streak of red was standing. Already drenched from head-to-toe, white shirt streaked with dirt. Rose climbed out of the car in a panic, cringing from the cold of the rain, before she could even register who she had hit. “Are you okay?” she asked, grabbing his arm on instinct.

He ripped his arm from her grip and stumbled back, toward the bakery. His silver eyes—eye, actually—reflected the light from her headlights, setting them ablaze with fear. Rose realized with a jolt: I just hit Dedrick Warflash with my car.

“I—I am so, so sorry,” she apologized rapidly.

He whipped his head around and tripped backwards on the curb. He fell on his ass, scrambling to his feet, muttering, “No, no, no, off, off, off, off the ground, off the ground, out of reach, out of reach—”

Rose had no idea what she was thinking. Perhaps she wasn’t. But she followed him, a word-vomit of apologies spilling from her lips. “I’m sorry! I didn’t see you! I didn’t want to hurt you! Let me help, I can—” Dedrick ran headfirst into the corner of the brick building and hit the ground again. Rose cringed, but he stopped moving so erratically. He squeezed his eye shut for a moment, panting. “—help you,” Rose finally finished.

Dedrick jumped and sat up. He winced, pressing his hand to his head. It was hard to tell with the rain and the limited lighting, but Rose was pretty sure there was blood on his face now. “Rose?” he said, as if he just noticed her.

Rose approached him slowly. “Um…please don’t tell my mom about this,” she said, outstretching a hand.

Dedrick didn’t take it. He tilted his head back, frowning. “About…what?”

“Me, hitting you with my car.”

“You did what?”

Now, Rose was confused. “It was…it was ten seconds ago,” she said, gesturing to her car. Dedrick glanced from her, to the car, to the bakery, as if he had to piece together the last five minutes. Oh, Cadote, he has a concussion. Luckily, that was the one thing Rose knew to look out for. “This is my grandma’s place. Let me help you.”

Dedrick’s shaking hand finally grasped hers. She had to pull him to his feet, and he swayed a little. She kept a hold of his hand, leading him to the door. Surprisingly, she didn’t have to look for the key. Lee’s door was already, slightly, ajar. That was weird, but right now, everything felt weird.

The air-conditioned air of Lee’s apartment chilled Rose, and she decided to contribute both of their shaking to that. She started up the stairs, toting Dedrick along, but then her arm extended. Dedrick was a couple steps lower, slowly raising his feet along the dim stairway, focusing hard. For a moment, Rose thought, maybe, he was bleeding into his brain. No, he’s like this at school, too. Finally, it clicked. Stairs. Depth perception. He has one eye.

She pulled her phone out of her pocket and turned on the flashlight, shining it at his feet. He flinched at the sudden light. He didn’t say thank you, but his steps came faster, until they were finally on even ground.

Rose grabbed a roll of paper towels from the kitchen and brought him to the bathroom. The fan hummed. Dedrick sat on the toilet. He had a small gash on his forehead, and another weeping cut on his nose. The skin around them was already darkening with a bruise. Rose rummaged through the cabinets for hydrogen peroxide and bandages.

Rose folded a paper towel into fourths and soaked it in peroxide. “So, um…what were you doing out this late?” she asked him. He didn’t answer. Typical, she thought. He seemed like the guy who wouldn’t even admit what his favorite color was. He seems like the kind of guy to have a fight in the school hallways over a hat.

However, those thoughts went away when she turned to clean the cut on his forehead. Dedrick was staring at his trembling hand, streaked with his own blood. He had a faraway look in his eye, like he did downstairs.

Rose set the antiseptic towel down and replaced it with a regular wet paper towel. She wiped his hand off, revealing callouses and small scars. So many scars.

Dedrick blinked, shaking his head a little. “Did—did you say something?”

“It’s not important.”

“Oh.” Rose grabbed the antiseptic towel, and his eye was now following her. “What’s that?”

“It’s got hydrogen peroxide,” she said. He narrowed his eye a bit, suspicious. He doesn’t know what that is? “It’ll keep you from getting an infection,” she explained, lifting it to his forehead. “It’s gonna sting a little, so…don’t hurt me.”

His eye twitched, but otherwise, he remained still while she cleaned him up. “What were you doing here?” he asked.

“Taking Guin home.” He hummed in slight contempt. A bit of anger coiled in Rose’s chest, but she forced it down. He was a private person, and Guin enjoyed being a confidante. “They can be a lot, but…they’re a great friend,” she said.

“I’ve heard.”

Rose’s hands were still shaking when as she dabbed at his nose. This is too close, she thought, but she wanted to see if it was still bleeding. His silver eye stared right into her, like he was trying to read her. She noticed with a brief glance that he had his fists in his pockets.

And yet, she still found herself asking, “What does ‘off the ground, out of reach’ mean?”

It startled her as much as it did him, if his expression was anything to indicate. “What?”

“Never mind,” Rose said hurriedly, tossing the bloody towels into the trash. She fumbled for the box of bandages, digging for ones long enough to cover his wounds.

“It happened again, didn’t it?” he asked. Rose shrugged. “Like earlier today? The fight?” Rose paused, two bandages pinched in her fingers. “I saw Fred and Ben shoving Eric around, and it was like…it was like when…” He flinched, pressing his fingers to his head. “I barely even…I knew the fight happened, but I didn’t remember being in it.”

It suddenly clicked into place. Rose put the bandage on his forehead extra gently. “You…were probably triggered.”

He blinked at her. “What?”

“Something made you remember a traumatizing event,” she explained. “Like…like for me, Harmony’s voice, some of her mannerisms…I just remember how I felt the day she tried to destroy my friendship with Guin.” Rose avoided his stare, trying to clean up.

A jolt went up her spine when the walls shook. Lee was awake.

Her grandmother pushed the bathroom door open, staring wide and cautiously. “I can explain,” Rose began as Lee’s eyes flicked down to Dedrick.

“Go to bed, Dedrick,” Lee said softly, nodding toward the spare room.

Rose felt rooted to the spot, even as Dedrick brushed past her. Did Lee just tell him to go to bed? Like he… “Does he live with you?” Rose found herself asking once he was out of sight.

Lee grimaced, crossing her arms. She cast a worried glance in his direction. “For about a month now, yes. After his parents’ accident.”

It didn’t make any sense, until it did. Until she remembered the passing thought she had about the razor in Lee’s medicine cabinet, little red hairs sticking out from the blades like thorns. She remembered seeing his big blue backpack sitting next to the recliner in the living room. The open front door, the fact that he ran from that direction…

“Um…well, I…I hit him with my car. Only barely, but—but he kinda ran into a wall, and fell a lot.”

The corner of Lee’s mouth twitched. “I’ll keep an eye on him,” she promised. “And…don’t mention this to your father. I have yet to tell him.”

Trust me, Rose thought, exiting the bathroom. He’s not going to know about any of this.

[sequel comic coming soon]

[lutiaskokopelli]

Hello! How are you doing today? I hope you are doing well. (:

Hi! I'm doing good, thanks ^^ Tired and busy as heck like always, but as always I'm busy doing stuff I love. It doesn't make it less hard or tiring, but it still makes it at least partially enjoyable.

The latest comic pages have been taking a while to make once again -- I suspect it's harder to find the motivation to finish them if I sketched them too long ago. Thankfully once I'm done with the Tiso update, since I haven't sketched anything beyond that point (just wrote down some notes and dialogue, but without preparing any sort of storyboard or thumbnails), this shouldn't be as much an issue in the future.

Also, yesterday I took a break to start playing Bug Fables! I'd heard of the game from some HK artists I follow and bought it around, um, a month ago or so, but until yesterday I had been completely unable to find the time to launch it at all x'D (either Bug Fables or any other game, for that matter. Just couldn't find the time to open up Steam and plug in my controller lmao)

Anyway, thanks for your ask, as always! I hope you're doing good too ^^

[24hour-blues]

all the ones you haven't answered yet? i'm sorry you're sad💙

thank you, that's very sweet. i hope you're doing alright 💛

1. when you have cereal, do you have more milk than cereal or more cereal than milk? - more milk. i always end up putting too much.

2. do you like the feeling of cold air on your cheeks on a wintery day? - yes

3. what random objects do you use to bookmark your books? - library receipts, post-its, junk mail, pencils

5. are you self-conscious of your smile? - i think it’s one of the few things i’m not self-conscious about, actually. i like my smile.

8. what artistic medium do you use to express your feelings? - writing, often poetry but sometimes prose. i like creating playlists, too, and singing.

9. do you like singing/humming to yourself? - yeah, i sing to myself all the time. whatever song i have stuck in my head at the moment.

10. do you sleep on your back, side, or stomach? - side, but very occasionally my stomach.

12. what’s your favorite planet? - jupiter

14. if you were to live with your best friend in an old flat in a big city, what would it look like? - lots of pillows and blankets of all types. succulents and cacti on the windowsills. wooden utensils and dark cabinets in the kitchen. a breakfast bar with stools that don’t match. rugs with funky patterns. a big, soft couch in a bright color that you can sink into. a small balcony with fold-out chairs. rows of mugs and barely any plates. the bathroom crowded with makeup and skin products, writing on the mirror in blue marker. beds never made. a guitar in the corner of the sitting room.

15. go google a weird space fact and tell us what it is! - there are more trees on earth than stars in the milky way

16. what’s your favorite pasta dish? - angel hair pasta with puttanesca sauce

18. tell us about something dumb/funny you did that has since gone down in history between you and your friends and is always brought up. - i can’t think of anything...

19. do you keep a journal? what do you write/draw/ in it? - everything. sometimes it’s big things, sometimes small. my fears and what i’m in love with. regrets. shame. hope.

20. what’s your favorite eye color? - grey

21. talk about your favorite bag, the one that’s been to hell and back with you and that you love to pieces. - idk if it’s really my favorite, but my current backpack took me all through college and it’s good for storing stuff or using as an overnight bag. it’s from timberland and is a nice earthy brown with a flap over the top. lots of pockets.

22. are you a morning person? - i can be

23. what’s your favorite thing to do on lazy days where you have 0 obligations? - make breakfast and tea. read or watch a movie that makes me rethink everything

25. what’s the weirdest place you’ve ever broken into? - a school, i think?

26. what are the shoes you’ve had for forever and wear with every single outfit? - i haven’t had them forever, but i wear my doc martens with everything. i used to wear plain white keds with everything.

27. what’s your favorite bubblegum flavor? - winter green

28. sunrise or sunset? - sunrise

30. think of it: have you ever been truly scared? - yes

31. what is your opinion of socks? do you like wearing weird socks? do you sleep with socks? do you confine yourself to white sock hell? really, just talk about socks. - i like soft, fluffy socks and ones with fun patterns. i love hiking socks. i don’t wear them to sleep tho.

32. tell us a story of something that happened to you after 3AM when you were with friends. - i went to a waffle house at 5am with a friend and some friends of hers i’d just met on her birthday. we were all really drunk, the food took forever, and it tasted awful, but we were happy and laughing.

33. what’s your fave pastry? - probably a cinnamon roll

35. do you like stationary and pretty pens and so on? do you use them often? - i like a good calligraphy pen and new notebooks. i don’t use them often; i feel like i don’t have anything important enough to write.

37. do you like keeping your room messy or clean? - it’s usually clean unless i’m not feeling well. sometimes i get disorganized.

38. tell us about your pet peeves! - overlapping conversations. people interrupting others. loud mouth noises, like chewing or licking. people criticizing my driving. nitpicky comments on my clothes or how i look. being talked about.

39. what color do you wear the most? - black, probably.

41. what’s the last book you remember really, really loving? - how it feels to float by helena fox

42. do you have a favorite coffee shop? describe it! - nope

43. who was the last person you gazed at the stars with? - i’m not sure

44. when was the last time you remember feeling completely serene and at peace with everything? - i can’t remember

45. do you trust your instincts a lot? - not really

46. tell us the worst pun you can think of. - i can’t remember it but something about pigeons and being coo-l

47. what food do you think should be banned from the universe? - bacon. i just wanna make people angry.

48. what was your biggest fear as a kid? is it the same today? - my dad told me a story once, about when i was a kid. he said that he and i were walking together near the lake in the neighborhood across from mine. i was holding his hand, and i said to him that this was the happiest time in my life because i wouldn't be the same when i grew out of being a child. i think i have the same fear now--that i'll never be that happy again.

49 do you like buying CDs and records? what was the last one you bought?

- i like records but i only have one. it's an album by ccr. i really like them

50. what’s an odd thing you collect?

- beer bottle caps

52. what are your favorite memes of the year so far?

- maybe those "girl..." text posts that just say stupid shit

53. have you ever watched the rocky horror picture show? heathers? beetlejuice? pulp fiction? what do you think of them?

- watched them all but pulp fiction. i don't really remember heathers at all

55. what’s the most dramatic thing you’ve ever done to prove a point?

- lets not talk about that

57. go listen to bohemian rhapsody. how did it make you feel? did you dramatically reenact the lyrics?

- not in the mood sorry

58. who’s the wine mom and who’s the vodka aunt in your group of friends? why? - bri is wine mom. quincy and i are vodka aunt.

60. do you like poetry? what are some of your faves?

- yes but i rarely remember favorites. i read so much and feel it then forget all the words

61. what’s the stupidest gift you’ve ever given? the stupidest one you’ve ever received?

- someone gave me a rock once. i get too nervous to give stupid gifts

62. do you drink juice in the morning? which kind?

- orange or cranberry

63. are you fussy about your books and music? do you keep them meticulously organized or kinda leave them be?

- i'm more fussy about music than books, but i do like my books organized. i like them worn in and well-read tho, not in perfect shape.

64. what color is the sky where you are right now?

- a fuzzy, light blue-grey. it's snowing

65. is there anyone you haven’t seen in a long time who you’d love to hang out with?

- a few

66. what would your ideal flower crown look like?

- lots of green leaves in all different shapes and sizes. tiny white and blue flowers.

67. how do gloomy days where the sky is dark and the world is misty make you feel?

- isolated and insignificant. safe

68. what’s winter like where you live?

- cold, grey, snowy.

69. what are your favorite board games?

- idk if i really too many board games. maybe cranium. i like puzzles more

71. what’s your favorite kind of tea?

- honey vanilla chamomile

72. are you a person who needs to note everything down or else you’ll forget it?

- yea and even then i forget.

73. what are some of your worst habits?

- i give up too easily

74. describe a good friend of yours without using their name or gendered pronouns.

- excitable. emotional. so very smart. creative as all hell. self-conscious where they shouldn't be. never runs out of words in the best way. loves to share.

75. tell us about your pets!

- my dog shiver is turning into a little old man, but he still acts like a puppy. he likes attention and whines to communicate. he'll greet you at the door and put his front paws on your thighs to say hi. follows you all around the house. loves to cuddle.

- my pigeon spirit is young and vocal. she coos for attention. when i go to sleep, she grunts every time i move to ask where i am and if i'm okay. i take showers with her and sit on the tile; she puffs up right into my side and sticks her wings out for me to splash water on her. she likes to be close to me to get neck scritches and push her head into my neck and preen every bit of me she can.

76. is there anything you should be doing right now but aren’t?

- a lot probably

77. pink or yellow lemonade?

- limeade

78. are you in the minion hateclub or fanclub?

- i dunno they're cute

80. what color are your bedroom walls? did you choose that color? if so, why?

- it's white wallpaper with pink roses along the top and ribbons of pink and green striped vertically. my mom chose it before i was born.

81. describe one of your friend’s eyes using the most abstract imagery you can think of.

- they sort of remind me of dark water where everything is reflected back in it--not just the sky but the trees and people walking--and they make you want to look closer because you know there's something in there, it's not just a reflection, like flat glass. but it's hidden until you dio your hand in the pictures broken.

82. are/were you good in school?

- pretty good

83. what’s some of your favorite album art?

- i don't look at albums

85. do you read comics? what are your faves?

- not really, but watchmen is one of my favorites.

86. do you like concept albums? which ones?

- dunno

88. are there any artistic movements you particularly enjoy?

- um. idrk. i like whatever monet was doing.

91. where do you plan on traveling this year?

- maybe michigan

92. are you a person who drowns their pasta in cheese or a person who barely sprinkles a pinch?

- i like cheese

93. what’s the hairstyle you wear the most?

- i just kind of. let it do whatever.

94. who was the last person you know to have a birthday?

- my uncle

95. what are your plans for this weekend?

- honestly have no clue

96. do you install your computer updates really quickly or do you procrastinate on them a lot?

- put them off until windows tells me it's restarting the computer in five minutes

97: myer briggs type, zodiac sign, and hogwarts house?

- mb

98. when’s the last time you went hiking? did you enjoy it?

- in college with jacob, although i wouldn't really call it joking. we just walked through a state park. it was beautiful.

100. if you were presented with two buttons, one that allows you to go 5 years into the past, the other 5 years into the future, which one would you press? why?

- idk. i feel like i'd make the same mistakes if i went back, but the future scares me.

[rixxy8173571m3w1p3]

The Little Big Things (2/4)

(@ricksanchezdwc) So like we had done not too long ago, me, @hoodoo12 @porkchop-ao3 @rickstexaschick are doing the same prompt cause we all loved the idea. Thanks to @dorklyevil for allowing me to use a line from one of her comics. And I didn't mention it before, but this story references Labyrinth, and it follows the events of this fic As The World Falls Down.

This is part 2. If you haven't read part one then read it here. (Read Part1 Here)

________________

Chapter 2: The Scientist Who Became A King

Here, it was evergreen, and it never rained.

You had never known a time without the tears of God; the rain, which washed the earth clean of its trials, and its yesterdays, welcoming the oncoming morrows ever to come. Though, there was a time, you did without it, and you longed for it, and the places it touched upon; once upon a dream.

“Rick,” you wondered, as you did about many things. “does it rain here?”

“Only during certain seasons. I-I know there is a lake on the west side of this planet, but it's - it's a-a bit far from here. Why d-do you ask?”

“Hmm, I was just wondering.”

“Hohoho,” he chuckled. “as y-you should. Curiosity means a-a desire t-to learn or know about anything, and it isn't - I-I-I don't dislike it. ” He admitted with a wink. “Just in case y-you were wondering.”

You pouted, which made him laugh, a full on belly laugh. The little tease, perhaps the Rick in him couldn't resist.

______________

Side glances, soft smiles, random stories from Citadel, he was in another one of his talkative, happy go lucky moods. Blame it on the scenery, or you telling him an hour or so ago how cute he was, but he was running on happiness. “And th-thats how I-I got this lucky penny.”

Holding your hand out, you giggled. “Can I hold it? Maybe something good will happen.”

Glancing between you and the penny, he placed a quick peck on your cheek and dropped the coin on your palm. With a blush, he replied softly. “F-for extra luck.”

You gave it back, and continued walking, allowing him to wait anxiously, before blowing back a kiss that made him tear up a little. Damn it he was cute. Perhaps, you felt uninhibited, though Zeta-7 had that effect on you a great deal of the time; that or you two really were being affected by the environment. You two walked among enormous flowers for what seemed like hours.

The blood red blossoms drooped heavily from above, their faces turned down towards your tiny forms; their blessings hidden in the wind and its whispers. For a while you couldn't help but feel a sense of familiarity. It was as though the world around you was calling for you to return. You wanted to roll around, and tumble down hill, and the flowers gave you the strongest sense to climb them; their perfume thick and sweet, emitting a soft, amber glow. Petals drifted down like leaves falling in autumn. Each time one touched the ground, a soft sound could be heard; like a chord being struck on a harp. A great symphony was all around you two, with no beginning or end. Feelings of deep peace and satisfaction were within you; as well as nostalgia from false memories.

The thing about memories, they were like homemade movies; messy and out of focus, with the select few which were hidden gems, located in the corners of the basement in a random cardboard box; only remembered when stumbled upon. Though, if you closed your eyes, you would be back there, in that place where you had lived a second lifetime. And you'd remember that as charming as it had been, it truly was melancholic; like the rain. You'd remember the days you were almost a princess, and the loneliness of the mountain.

At the very top of the white capped mountains, it would sometimes rain for days, especially on the ones when you were the saddest; perhaps the mountain king had his own sadness too.

It made you wonder, if it was because Zeta-7 had been longing for you, or if he knew you were longing for him. For now, observing him, and seeing him happy, made you hope it really wasn't all that bad for him. If it had been, you would do all you could to make it better.

________________________

The ground was soft, and with every step you took, you'd sink a little into the moss pillows before bouncing back up; a lilting tune encouraging your playfulness. This place had a charm akin to the forest in the middle of spring, whose flowers and trees had spread themselves to enjoy the filtered beams of light. Of course, if you replaced the trees with flowers, and the light with that of bioluminescent pollen, then there wouldn't be much difference. Oh, that opened up a whole other line of questions which you could ask later, but for now you were giddy, and every time you bounced back up, you'd erupt into a fit of giggles. A few times, Zeta-7 had to stop and make sure you didn't hurt yourself, but for the most part, he'd stand back and watch, or take pictures of your amusement. A few times, you caught him wiping at his eyes, but he'd say it was nothing; you knew better of course, but let him be.

Later, there was laughter in his voice when he said, “Y-y-y-y-you enjoying yourself?”

You nodded in between giggles, and when you had enough, you stepped off the moss, and leaned against one of the flowers stems, breathless and tired. My, how the light filtered through the canopy of leaves, the low humidity, the intoxicating scent, and the view made you wistful. “The garden fairies had told me about a place like this once, as well as...” you faltered, suddenly afraid of triggering bad memories.

Though, he picked up where you left off. “A-a place you saw once upon a dream?”

“Yeah. Um, is it okay to talk about it?”

With his back towards you, Rick nodded as he unpacked the contents of his backpack in search for a snack. “If y-you want to.”

Sometimes, his passive responses stopped you from talking any further. You assumed it was a trait he had picked up or learned in order to avoid drawing attention to himself or to stay out of trouble, but it also made you uncomfortable at times. If he wasn't interested, then usually you would avoid the subject, but this time you carried on; even if with reluctance. “We haven't talked much about it since it happened.”

“I-I know.” His voice picking up that endless guilt.

“It's not one of those things that's going to go away,” You sighed. “and to be honest, I haven't gotten over it.”

Everything that had happened, at least the parts you remembered, you didn't want to forget. Well, except for the loneliness; you didn't like that part. In a dream, you had a family, friends, and almost became a queen, but what did you almost lose in order gain all that? Forgetting Rick? Almost losing your life? The lesser of two evils was your current life, but it didn't always feel that way.

You rubbed your arm, suddenly finding your shoes a bit interesting. “Am I supposed to bring it up casually, or what?”

“Do what y-y-you think is right I ugh - I suppose.”

“That's sort of the problem. I don't know what's right anymore” This caught his attention, as he had stopped moving, and soon after began to wring his hands. Damn, you needed to remember to control your tone. You continued, in a gentler tone. “You take me to these dazzling, wonderful places, and we usually go home happy and tired, with a handful of stories to add to our memory jars, and I enjoy that, and what we do. However,” You paused, nibbling your bottom lip in hopes of finding something better to say, but continued on. “there's something we haven't addressed, and that's me, and how what I do affects you. When we flirt with death, and get injured, because I wanted a good photo or something, how come you don't get mad? I mean, you deserve to after you went on a journey that could have been avoided in the first place if I would've listened. And forgive me if I sound shrill, but I almost forgot you. Doesn't that bother you?”

Placing the items back in his pack, and slipping it over his shoulders, he stood there so frighteningly still, you wondered if you had finally crossed the line. Then, he took out the penny he talked about a few hours ago, and gave it a squeeze. “It - it does, but y-you didn't forget me. At least not completely, and I-I-I guess I left a deeper impression then I had pr-previously believed..”

“But if I would have? Don't you see, I'm not prepared for this. We've gone over the other hypothetical, important what not, but not about the incident, at least not in detail. And I think it's about time we do, that way we're both aware of what not to do next time, and how I can avoid making an ass of myself. Don't you agree?”

Turning around, the lines around Zeta-7s eyes deepened, as well as the creases of his forehead, and there was a pensive cloudiness of his usually electric blues. The sweet songs around you had transitioned almost without your notice. Adagio, the melody now reminded you Clair De Lune, and Gymnopédie. “Well, I-I-I-I thought you - I assumed it made you uncomfortable, and that's the last thing that I'd ever want you t-t-to feel. W-w-we can talk if you're - you're ready.”

“If I'm ready? Are you?”

“P-p-possibly.”

“Honestly, I am uncomfortable talking about this,” you admitted, which compelled him to pull you close, rubbing your back in soothing circles. Enveloped in the warmth of the man you loved, and a distance away from everything else which could possibly hurt you, you second guessed on whether it really was a good time to think of it again, but how else would you two get past this? You continued, in that small, girlish voice that pained him. “but it's not because of what happened to me. I couldn't care less if I had gotten hurt, but if it meant hurting you, and if what I've put you through has, then I wish I hadn't been so careless. I thought I had it all together, and knew what I was doing, but all I seem to do is give you trouble. God, I'm such idiot.”

“Shh,” he cooed, brushing away a lock of hair. “th-thats not true. Y-you're thoughtful, and - and perceptive, and s-s-so clever.”

“What have I ever done that's so clever?”

Leaning forward until your foreheads touched, he confessed. “Y-y-y-y-you got me to - to loosen up and try new things, and showed me its okay to get e-emotional. Why, y-you even brought me t-t-to the moon without ever leaving the ground.”

“What do you mean?”

“I-I-I have wanted many things during my life,” he admitted, pulling back enough to study you. “but none of them have been as - as wonderful as you. And I've - you know that I've traveled across the universe, but it's usually been alone

I'm - I-I-I don't want to be alone anymore. Having you around has inspired me t-t-to get back in touch with my surroundings a-and the world, but I - you're m-my world. Gosh,” he blushed as he caressed your cheek, his thumb brushing away fresh tears. “you're - you really are more beautiful than the night and stars combined, and y-y-you don't even know it. Y-you're my satellite, m-m-mi Luna, and it takes a strong women to put up with me. You're my treasure, and I'd - I'd do anything t-t-to protect you. That's why I-I-I-I chose t-to do it, to go and find you. We're all w-we got, and despite what I thought might of - of happened, I'm s-s-so happy I found you, and that you're safe. W-w-with me.”

“What did you think would happen?”

With serious, but tender eyes, Zeta-7 answered. “Th-that you would have forgotten me completely, and never woken up.”

“And?”

He cleared his throat in the manner he did from time to time, trying to piece together the right words that wouldn't upset you. In a voice above a whisper, he finished. “And p-p-p-passed away.”

“Oh.”

“Th-that blue moss did a-a number on you, but there doesn't seem to be any residual side effects. I'm glad a-about that.”

“What if I would've had brain damage? What then?”

Jokingly, he answered. “Hmm, then I guess I-I would've gone back and used Mr. Needfuls gift.”

“You…..you would've done that for me? No, that's outrageous. If you did that, then you wouldn't have been able to do your science stuff.”

With a shrug, he softened. “Th-that's true, but we would have had other stuff w-we could do, and I-I-I still would love you. Diminished intelligence d-doesn't affect happiness. On the contrary, we'd only focus on - on what truly matters. That, and I'd have the joy t-to learn it all over again.”

“Rick, I love it when you get cheesy, but you couldn't mean all that.”

“I-I-I do, but it's okay if you don't believe it. I'll - I'll prove it, but for now let's not - not think about it too hard. Everything bad th-that happened, we'll - we'll talk about it and g-get through it. T-t-together.”

“So, I can ask whatever I want?”

“Y-y-yes, wherever, whenever.”

You knew he meant it to sound sweet, but it took a moment for it to sink in what he actually said, and you couldn't help it when you giggled. “Rick, I'm pretty sure that's the title of a Shakira song.”

“Hohoho, r-really? Was she on - on American idol?”

His obliviousness only made it worse. How cute. You really were lucky to have him, this patient dork of a man. “No, but nevermind that. I'm glad I still have you too.”

“I'm glad y-you're still as adorable and lovely as - as ever.”

Giving him a playful shove, despite the heat in your cheeks, you hid your face in the scratchy fabric of his linen shirt,. “Rick, how can you say stuff like that with a straight face?”

In his matter of fact way, he answered. “B-because I mean it.”

This man really would one day kill you with kindness, and this time it was your vines which stretched out, wrapping themselves on his arm, and it's flowers kissing wherever they could touch; his neck, cheeks, eyes, forehead, and mouth. It was amusing to watch him laugh and squirm, which encouraged his vines to do the same to you, but you two pulled back a little, and they returned to place, and behaved; at least for the moment.

________________

Rick decided to call the silly, cheeky, little vines from your matching bracelets Ioculus vines, which meant funny if you heard him correctly. Anyway, they were mischievous, and had minds of their own; or so you said, because you didn't want to admit how fun it was to tease Rick. Why, he might have been in the middle of an explanation, and they'd by climbing up his arm, and across his back, but he'd only squirm and continue. Though, the one time your Ioculus managed to kiss the back of his neck, he jumped back so violently, you'd swear he had seen a ghost. And watching him lightly scold the Ioculus as though they were children, then apologize for getting annoyed at them, not only made you laugh wholeheartedly, but it made you imagine him as a father, and what it would be like if he had to be a disciplinarian.

Perhaps it was but your girlish dream at work, but you could see him playing with two or three kids, telling them stories, showing them the magic of science. If they misbehaved, he'd take them aside, and explain why they might be getting disciplined, but never out of anger, and always reassure them that it was all out of love, and that he'd always care for them. And if you were honest with yourself, you pictured yourself sitting on his lap, after they had gone to bed, listening to how his day was, and how much he missed you. And you'd tell him….. Oh, but those were just thoughts; and you imagined a lot of things.

You wondered if the ioculus worked like mood rings and acted upon your feelings for each other. Did they know what the heart truly wanted? Because, as long as the two of you were close, the vines along your wrists seemed to interact with one another, but when Zeta-7 distanced himself, the blooms growth was stunted, and withered a little. And after a while, whether it had to do with the sensory overload, or your bending the forces according to your will, you were drained. “Rick, is it okay to rest for a while?”

“Of - of course.”

Leading you by the hand, he took a moment to spread out a blanket and you proceeded by laying beside him, feeling more worn out then you had anticipated. “Ughhh, I'm so tired. Honestly, when we get home, I might just go straight to bed.”

“Do y-y-you want to go home now?”

“No, I’ll be fine if I rest for a while.”

“Are you hungry? D-do you want a snack? I-I have fruit, sandwiches, and I-I even brought granola.”

“Maybe later.” you yawned. “Come here, I want to use your chest as a pillow.”

Carefully, he laid back, making a little old man sound as he settled himself. With your head resting above his heart, you kept quiet for a little while, listening to his heartbeat, the plants around you, and the Ioculus interact. When they did this, there was a sense of completeness, and you'd look at Zeta-7 and wonder how you could adore him so much. The way he wrinkled his nose, his ever changing expressions, soft skin, his sweetness, his everything; you adored it all. Aware of how vulnerable you've become with him, you just want to melt into him, and give him everything; anything that would make him happy. “Rick?”

“Yeah?”

Tentatively, you combed his hair with your fingers, gauging his response as you traced shapes lazily along his scalp. “Are you happy?”

He chuckled, draping an arm over you, answering softly. “When I-I'm with you I am.”

“Flirt. What about your hair, who cuts it?”

“I-I do. Why,” he tensed. “sh-should I change it?”

Brushing his bangs away from his forehead, you pressed a kiss on his brow. “No, I like it this way. It's part of your charm. I guess I was just curious, because it's not even in the back.”

“Oh that, well it's - it's not always easy t-to reach it.”

“Do you mind if I help you next time? I wouldn't want you to go out, not looking your sharpest.”

“I - I don't mind.”

“You'd probably mind if I kissed whatever I could reach. Especially right here.” you softened, pressing a light kiss on his neck which made his heart beat faster.

“I - I do mind that, but it's - I-I-I'm sure you'll probably just tease a-a-a little.”

“You're right, but I might surprise you. Maybe, I won't try anything and I'll just cut your hair. You'll just have to wait and see. Though, this isn't what I meant to talk about.”

“I ugh - I-I didn't think so. What's on y-your mind? You can tell me, if y-you want.”

Snuggling yourself closer, you wondered.“When you were in my dream, you knew about me, but I knew little to nothing about you. How did you become the mountain king? I mean, you don't seem like the type to rule or lord over anyone. So, how did that happen?”

“Oh, it's - are y-y-you sure you want to hear it?”

“I do.”

Caressing your hair, he sighed. “I-I will admit, that it - it wasn't as exciting as y-you think it was, but if y-y-you are sure, then I'll tell it.”

“I am, but tell me just the good parts. Oh, and the parts with me in it. ”

His blue eyes shone with amusement, as he kissed your temple. “O-o-okay just th-the good parts then."

TBC