#I'm very very happy with the folds and creases on the clothes though :)

[pvtchurch]

despair.jpg

[urbandeity]

promoted

nsfw, bratting, teasing, nothing really explicit erwin/miche/reader, 636 words

"letter of promotion, commander. it's awaiting your signature."

you hand the folded paper to him across the desk, hoping he'll ignore the web of creases giving it a strange texture. he just needs to sign it without asking too many questions.

"congratulations," erwin hums as he unfolds the parchment, his voice smooth and warm. "it seems miche finally deemed you worthy of a higher rank."

"yes. i'm very grateful for his consideration."

erwin grins at the way you stay formal, pretending like this is a typical interaction between subordinate and senior officer, despite the years you both have spent in an intimate relationship. miche included, of course.

he pinches the single sheet and flips it over, examining its improper appearance. "this sheet is rather crumpled. what happened to it?"

he's catching on. he'll soon catch on to the embarrassing tale that you want to avoid recounting. "that's my mistake, commander. i must've held it too firmly on the walk over here."

"mm. of course." tauntingly, he pretends to trust your excuse and resumes reading the letter miche wrote. it's a typical letter of promotion denoting your new rank as a squad leader, though it's dotted with small spots of dried sweat that unfortunately did not fade no matter how long you waited.

and miche, cruel as he is, did not provide you with a fresh letter. erwin will appreciate this one, he said, and then you were sent on your way.

"i'm glad you've accepted the position," erwin says as his eyes come to your signature. he scans it, then scans it again, then quirks a brow. "this is quite a deviation from your usual signature. are you truly the one that signed this?"

"yes, sir. i promise you i made that signature."

he runs a thumb over the shaky ink strokes. "awfully uneven. i don't recall you having such issues with writing."

"it--it's just a signature--"

"yet a highly unusual one. was something happening while you signed?"

does he know what happened in miche's office? he might--after all, you weren't particularly quiet.

"nothing of note, sir."

"i'm inclined to doubt that," he retorts. "tell me, soldier. what was happening while you signed this document?"

"n-nothing--"

"avoiding the truth counts as insubordination. i don't want to have to confine you over a small refusal to give an answer."

he's serious. you really can't worm your way out of this one.

"he...was fucking me," you mumble, your voice tiny.

"i'm sorry? i didn't quite catch that."

with thighs pressed together, temper simmering, and cheeks burning hot, you repeat your confession. "he fucked me."

"who? i'll need you to be more specific about the situation."

"for pity's sake," you hiss. "section commander miche zacharius was fucking me stupid while i signed my letter of promotion. happy?"

he is, told clearly by the pleased grin claiming his lips. "no wonder this paper came out so messy."

you say nothing and keep your brow furrowed, your hands clasped tightly together behind your back.

"you came straight from his office, didn't you? fresh from that experience? his orgasm must be inside you still."

dodging his taunts, you revert to a position as his subordinate to remind him how unprofessional he's being. "that's correct. i was not permitted a chance to change my clothing, sir."

"hence why you limped in here as well."

you thought captain levi was the snarky prick, not commander erwin. he's pressing every button to tease you into an angry mess.

"come here, soldier. let me check what state he's left you in before i sign this letter."

you huff. "not if you call me soldier."

"come, darling."

beckoned forward by his voice, you leave your frustration behind and circle his desk. with hungry eyes he waits, antsy to see how the section commander rewarded you for promotion.

[ocean-in-my-rebel-soul]

Happy Friday! For DADWC, I'm really digging the tarot prompts. How about (and I'm pasting the whole prompt here, but you can take from it what you like): "the chariot: sacrifice, struggle, travel; 'I’m sorry… I have to do this.' - possible AUs/settings/ideas: boss fight, (assumed) goodbye, traveller au" for Rhiona Cousland/Loghain Mac Tir?

Ooh, good prompt! Thank you! @dadrunkwriting

===

Rhiona watches Loghain and Riordan argue back and forth about the Archdemon as if from a great distance.

One of them was going to die.

Of course, all of them would, eventually; they'd succumb to the Taint, lose their minds, and lose all semblance of themselves. It was a Warden's lot in life to die by the hands of the darkspawn, one way or another.

But the horde was seen very close to Denerim, and one of them, if not all of them, was going to die.

"I'll do it," she says. They stop arguing and turn to her. "I'll take the blow. I'll kill the Archdemon."

The ache that creases Loghain's face scares her. He steps forward and snatches her hands in his. "You will do no such thing, Rhiona," he says angrily. His eyes are stormy where they bore into her. "I will not allow it. I cannot."

Rhiona shakes her head and pulls her hands back, to no avail. "Riordan is too injured to fight, and he's the most senior of us all; he can report back to Weisshaupt about the events here," she argues. "They'll probably send more Wardens to Ferelden, and he can lead them. You will add valuable experience to those forces, Loghain, you know that. They'll need you. Ferelden needs you, as loathe as she is to admit it. You are still the Hero of River Dane--"

"Not anymore, you know that--"

"But it doesn't matter!" This time he does let her go when she moves away. She fidgets with her braid and paces the stone floor. "It doesn't matter. You both are more important, more valuable. Me? I'm just--"

"You're 'just' you, is that what you mean to say? I won't hear it. Not one word, Ree. You are more than 'just' you. You are--you are--"

Loghain pulls her into his arms to press his forehead against hers. She hears the door click shut, Riordan leaving them to their discussion. "You are everything to me, Ree," Loghain murmurs. His arms are silverite bands around her ribs. "I can't bear the thought of living without you. Please don't make me."

Tears sting Rhiona's eyes. She clutches at his shoulders. "And I can't live without you," she whispers back. "I will never forgive you if you kill it instead. I will live out the rest of my days cursing your name."

"It's settled, then," he declares after a moment's pause. "Riordan will do it."

Rhiona barks out a surprised laugh, even as tears slip down her cheeks. She buries her face in his neck and breathes him in. He smells like clean sweat and sword oil, the scent of his herbal aftershave soothing. "I love you," she murmurs into his skin. "So much."

Loghain's arms tighten around her. "And I love you, more than I can say."

"Take me to bed?"

"I thought you'd never ask."

They walk out of the room hand in hand, Loghain leading her down the hallway to their guest quarters. Up ahead, Morrigan leans against a wall.

"Wardens. A moment, if you have one."

"Maker, I can't. I can't, not right now," Rhiona mutters to Loghain.

He squeezes her hand. "All right. I'll talk with her."

"Tell her I'll talk to her in the morning, if she wants. I'll meet you in the bedroom."

She watches him for a moment as he strides to meet Morrigan, then makes her way to bed. Rhiona undresses slowly and folds her clothes over the nearby chair before climbing beneath the covers. It's strange; even though she knows he's a moment away, the bed feels so empty without him, the room so big.

Rhiona focuses on her breathing and settles, closing her eyes. He'll be in soon enough.

[beetlesau]

A Danger in the Night

Dabi - Short Story. No Warnings.

I met him for the first and last time on the crowded sidewalks in Japan.

I took a couple side glances at him, moments I thought he would never notice, as I waited my turn in a line that consisted solely of the two of us. Just us. The streets were moving in a wave of people hurrying to get home before the light drizzle became a full on rain once more. But within our little bubble of disinterest in the weather we stood mere feet apart.

The first thing I noticed were his striking cerulean eyes. They were sad and tired, like he'd lived more lifetimes than anyone his age should. He was mostly hidden in a dark and worn hoodie, making his brightly burning eyes stand out all the more. Dangerous. Was the first thought that invaded my mind.

He stood talking to the elderly man that ran the humble shop, that man who smiled so wide his wrinkles nearly engulfed his features. He shook his head vigorously and clapped. Whatever this mysterious man said must have made the shopkeeper very happy.

"It's rude to stare, you know." he'd said at the exact time I'd realized I was no longer simply stealing glances.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I was just looking at-"

"My scars?" he interrupted, giving a smirk that hid a sadness behind it.

Without taking his eyes off me, he handed the shop keep a decent sized wad of wrinkled cash, without bothering to unfold or count the total. His chipped fingernails painted with a black, or perhaps a dark blue. It was hard to tell in the distortion of the neon lights that hung overhead, shouting out the various goods that were being offered at each stall. The electric humming strained over the momentary silence between us.

"No! Honestly, I hadn't really looked at those at all." I was somehow actually embarrassed to admit I had been too preoccupied to notice the rest of him. I quickly pried my eyes from his, to see said scars. As if not examining them now would be somehow offensive.

Dull silver studs lined patches of purple, dead, leathery flesh that presented itself on the sensitive skin below his eyes, as well I could see they wound down from his chin, to the neck and finally disappearing under his clothing. They were more than scars. They were a story of a life not well lived. Each crease and fold of skin another painful tale. As I took in the placement of each piercing, I imagined a man self-mutilating in a shoddy bathroom, staring at an empty shell in the mirror as each piece bled him out bit by bit. He didn't seem the type to dull the pain either, save for maybe a shot of poison bought or even stolen from a cheap gas station. He felt everything.

"You have really beautiful eyes." I huffed out a defeated sigh, looking back at the various food in front of me. It's not like things could get worse. I hated reading people the way I did. I cared too much. Having been born with no real abilities, my friends always told me that was my hidden Quirk. I'd laugh with them at the notion, but now it made me anxious, like there was a hidden truth in it. He made me anxious.

Then I heard his laugh, deep and hoarse. The image of long silken fabric being pulled and strained until the fibers, unable to continue, began to rip and tear floated through my mind. Beautiful but sad. And I knew the ideas of this man I'd had were no mere imagined thoughts but held the truth.

He coughed, clearing his throat and apologized, "Sorry, I wasn't expecting a compliment." I could see from the corner of my vision, his skin cracked and stretched pulling at each adornment as he smiled. His hand reached up reflexively soothing the skin against his palm as though the sensation were a new experience for him.

"What were you expecting?" An odd confidence came over me now, and I looked at him directly.

We stood, staring at each other a painfully long time, both refusing to be the one to look away first. As if in doing so, I'd be failing some imagined test he was pushing me through.

Perhaps it would have gone on until the end of time. And I think I would have been fine with that, in some way. But after an eternity, outside forces intervened and the old shopkeeper held out two overstuffed plastic bags filled with one of each dish they offered here. So that was what had the man so excited before, a blip of wealth in the otherwise arduously slow work day.

"Thanks." he spoke to the man, without really looking at him. It almost felt the sentiment were actually directed at me.

My question was left hanging in the air, unanswered.

It didn't need an answer. I already knew what he expected. He expected scorn and distaste for his disfigurements. He expected mothers to shield the eyes of the child as they passed. He expected people to look away with discomfort.

He never expected me.

"It was nice to meet you. Have a safe and pleasant night," he spoke softly, with the smallest, almost indiscernible pauses between each of his words.

It wasn't a request, so much as an assurance.

After all, we both knew, he was the danger in the night.

[mistress-ofmagic]

Around the Realms in 80 days - Chapter 11

Pairing: Reader x Loki

Story summary: You have fallen through a portal during the convergence into Asgard and come face to face with Thor, and his brother Loki. With no way to return, you must travel with the two men and their hoard of asgardian soldiers to get back home. Things get from bad to worse when you have to share a tent with the god of mischief himself.

Notes: I'm still alive and so is this story!! I'm so sorry this has been a long time coming but I hope you can forgive me with my slightly longer than normal chapter! This chapter feels kind of angsty to me. I hope you like it and are still interested!

The sunlight flitted through the tent easily waking you. You groaned and folded the pillow over your head. 

“Wakey Wakey.” You heard Loki’s far too jovial voice from next to you. 

“Are there any eggs and bakey?” You groggily replied. 

Loki was silent for a second, 

“What’s bakey?” 

You snorted and opened your eyes. Somehow in the night you had moved closer towards the middle of the bed, rather than lying on the edge. Loki was, rather disconcertingly, sat up and staring down at you with a puzzled look on his face. 

“What?” You snapped.

Loki narrowed his eyes

“I am going to ignore your impertinence given you are clearly half asleep. You snore by the way.” 

“I do not snore.” You said uncertainly.  

He grinned, “Sure you do. When I came back last night you were already sleeping like a babe and snoring like a boar.” 

It was too early to be dealing with Loki’s…Lokishness. You threw your arm over your eyes to block out the light and mumbled something about lying gods. 

“You should be happy, tomorrow you will be able to return to Midgard.” 

That made you sit up straight and look at him. 

“Tomorrow?” 

He raised an eyebrow,

“We will arrive at the capital tomorrow, Heimdall can return you as soon as we do.” 

You had completely forgotten that returning to Asgard would also mean returning home. For some reason, instead of feeling overjoyed like you assumed you would, you felt sort of…sad? Hollow? Anxious? Your time here had not always been pleasant, but you had got to experience things you thought you never would, and see things very few humans had ever seen. You weren’t sure if you were ready for your little adventure to end just yet. This realisation hit you with surprise. Your time here had been short, but you already felt as though you couldn’t go back to your everyday life on earth. What was magic, intrigue, kidnapping, trolls, princes and excitement in comparison to daily commutes and offices? 

“You seem…displeased. I thought you would have been happy about this?”

The sincerity of Loki’s voice took you by surprise, and you scanned his face for malice and found none. 

“I suppose it just passed me that I would be retuning so quickly. It’s very unlikely I will get to experience anything like this again.” You frowned. 

“You will be able to see your family and friends again. This is a good thing; Asgard in such a time of unrest is no place for a mortal.” He said, quite gently. 

You felt your stomach drop and creased your forehead more. 

“Yeah.” 

Now you knew you were being silly. Getting upset that Loki didn’t want you to stay? Well of course he didn’t. You weren’t even friends. Your actual friends and family would be worried sick and here you are being selfish because you didn’t want to end your unexpected jaunt. 

Still, his words had effected you and made you feel unwanted here. Embarrassingly you felt tears start to grow. 

You stood up quickly from the bed before you did something stupid, like cry. 

“I’m going to get ready.” 

You didn’t even bother telling him to close his eyes before whipping off your shirt and pulling on your clothes that lay over the back of Loki’s chair. Although you didn’t think much of the woman, Yrsa had been kind enough to gift you with a few dresses for your journey. All of them in the typical Asgardian style you had come to realise. You pulled on a lilac, loosely fitted dress and drew it in using the brown belt and your own Dr. Martens you had arrived in. 

“Where are you going?” Loki asked. 

You flicked your eyes up to him. He was still sat up in bed, the green silk sheets wrapped around his middle and bare torso showing. His hair was slightly more unruly than normal, curling more having slept on it all night. He looked so adorably confused that your heart clenched. 

“I’m going to see if there’s any breakfast about.” 

You didn’t make eye contact as you left. Once you were out of the tent, you allowed a few tears to slip down your face. 

“Ugh.” You chastised yourself. You shouldn’t have allowed yourself to get comfortable with anyone, now you were going to be upset when you said goodbye. 

You took a deep breath, trying to take in as much of the world as possible before you went back to stuffy offices and being coughed on by other commuters. 

Luckily, Halvor and a few of the other men were up and tucking into some bread. You walked over to them to join them in breaking their fast. 

Halvor greeted you with a smile which you appreciated. Maybe going home was a good thing, it was clear you were never going to fit in here, not by the way most of the men eyed you cautiously. 

You took the bread he offered and tucked in.  As the morning progressed, Fandral spotted you and walked sheepishly over. 

“My Lady, I wish to apologise for last night. I fear I was less than cordial and it was not my intentions to upset you.” 

He offered you his hand and you placed yours in his tentatively. He lightly kissed the back of your hand. 

“I wonder if you could find it in your heart to forgive me.” 

You stopped yourself rolling your eyes. The grandeurs of speech was not something you would miss.

You suddenly felt sad again, reminded of the fact that you would be exposed to these formalities any longer. 

“It’s fine Fandral.” You sighed. 

“You seem a little dispirited this morning Latte.” Volstagg commented, coming up behind you. 

“Of course she is dispirited.” Fandral retorted, “anyone would be if they had spent that long in Loki’s presence.” 

“There is no need to be so disheartened, we return to the capital on the morrow.” Volstagg’s eyes lit up as he continued excitedly.

“You will finally see Asgard in all it’s glory, you will adore it! It is the most grand most spectacular place in existence, truly a sight to behold. I am most looking forward to return.” 

“If I even get to see it before I’m whisked back to earth.” You blurted before you could stop yourself. 

The men looked at you quizzically, 

“I’m sure Thor will allow you to see it before you leave. I would have it no other way in fact. Since it was misfortune that brought you here and misfortune that has been with you during your stay, the least we can do is ensure you get to see what Asgard can truly be.” 

You smiled weakly. 

“You will enjoy Rythja more than the other places I think Latte.” Fandral explained, “it is far friendlier and less stuffy than the places we have visited so far. Rythja is a stopping point for many a traveler, and is well known for its public houses and relaxed nature; there are no differences between princes and peasants in Rythja, for everyone is treated the same.” 

The men grinned at each other and you dreaded to think what else it was well known for. Still, it sounded much more positive than the warnings you had received before visiting Boer or Deill and perhaps it would be a drama free ending to your time here. 

Soon, the party were packed up and ready to leave. Halvor helped you up onto the horse and you tried not to wince as your poor thighs ached. Thor and Loki returned from saying their goodbyes to Gunnvladr, and you were thankful you were not needed. Gunnvladr however, had been rather thankful to the Princes for helping to rid them of the bandits, and apparently the mens help in the field had been appreciated. Perhaps the trip would help the unrest after all. 

You settled back against Halvor and prepared to travel for one of the last times. 

                                                             ***

It was evening and you had made it to Rythja. Thor had spotted one of his favourite drinking establishment and you had all trooped in. 

The pub reminded you of old country ones you might have visited after hikes. It was effectively one very large room, full of wooden tables, benches and chairs, with a long bar north of the room. It was extremely busy and noisy, however unlike previous places you had visited, no one seemed overly bothered that the Princes of Asgard had just waltzed in. There was a large bar-maid with long curly red hair behind the bar and she currently had her work cut out for her drawing drinks for Thor and his men. Despite her impossible task, she remained jovial, laughing at Thor and Volstagg bickering while they stood at the bar. Having been there all of 10 minutes, Fandral had already whisked a blonde haired beauty to a darkened corner of the room.  

You on the other hand, sat staring bitterly out of the grimy window, as you watched a spider crawl slowly down. 

Your bitterness had absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Loki was currently grinning from ear to ear, goblet of ale in one and and the other wrapped around the waist of the bar-maid on his lap. 

“…And then he stabbed my neck” Loki regaled some stupid boring story to the woman and she gasped loudly.

“That must have been so awful for you.” 

The bar-maid leaned in and placed a hand on his chest, fluttering her eyelashes. 

You rolled your eyes, hard, and made an audible sound of irritation. Loki heard you and grinned even wider. 

He clutched her hand and held it close to him, sighing heavily.

“It truly was the worst of times. The healers feared I would not speak again.” 

“What a shame that would have been.” You chimed in, unable to help yourself. 

Loki narrowed his eyes at you, while the bar maid looked rather shocked. 

“Indeed. Although, talking is not all my silver tongue is renowned for.” He all but purred. He brought the lady on his lap even closer, however continued to make eye contact with you. 

You felt a flush growing up your neck and tried to ignore it, and the girl on his lap giggled. 

“Gross. On that note I’m leaving to find some better company.” 

You stood up quickly.

“There is no company better than mine.” Loki smirked. 

“An empty chair is better company than you.” You hissed. 

You turned quickly before he could reply and huffed over to join Thor and Volstagg who were stood at the bar drinking and discussing in great detail how the best way to kill a bligespine is. 

“My brother causing you distress my lady?” Thor asked, raising his brows as he noticed your clenched jaw. 

“He is always causing me distress.” You sighed. ““Hey, is there anything here I can actually drink?” You added eyeing up the drinks behind the bar.

“Well you will soon be rid of him when you are returned home tomorrow.” Thor replied cheerily.

You looked back over your shoulder to find him talking about something that was clearly very amusing by the way the bar maid was simpering. Your stomach felt funny.

“Yeah.” You sighed, suddenly feeling tears threatening again. God what was wrong with you?“Can’t wait.” You dragged your eyes away from the couple.

“Anyway, about that drink?” 

Thor laughed heartily, 

“Let’s see…perhaps a small glass of Vanaheim wine will be fine.”

Volstagg snorted, “They always did make their wines as weak as piss.” 

The red-head behind the bar smiled and went to pour you one. As you waited, Volstagg and Thor went back to their previous conversation.

“Here you are love.” 

You suddenly realised she was the first Asgardian not to question the fact you were from Earth. 

“Are you not surprised that I’m a mortal?” You asked, taking a sip of the wine. 

It was delicious. Like nothing else you had tasted. You weren’t sure how to describe the taste, it was more of an emotional feeling, like summer days spent in the garden with your family, trips to the sea-side and long bike rides. You sighed happily. 

“Is it to your liking Miss?” The bar-maid asked. 

“It’s amazing! I could drink this all day!” 

She smiled,

“I’m glad. Truth be told Miss, we get all sorts around here. We have one regular customer, who I’m fairly sure is a dark elf from Svartalfheim ‘he comes weekly, dressed head to toe in black, drinks three Mermaid tails and leaves.” 

“Mermaid Tails?” 

“Oh, not real ones of course. It’s the name of a drink, a concoction of spirit mixed with juice taken from oranges and berries.”

You chortled, “Basically a sex on the beach then.”

This time it was the bar maids time to laugh, taken by surprise. 

“That’s what we call that cocktail on Earth!” You explained, giggling along with her and drinking more of your delicious drink. 

The drink went down rather fast.

“Can I have another please?” You asked. 

The redhead looked at Thor for guidance, but he was far too engrossed in his conversation to pay you any heed.

“I’m not sure…” She frowned. 

“It’s fine, I’m fully grown, I don’t even feel that drunk I’m sure I can manage another.” 

Her face cleared.

“Of course” 

As she handed you your second drink she continued. 

“We ‘ad another customer in earlier this week. ‘e was dressed completely in black too, and a mask covering his face. It’s not too uncommon that someone would hide their face around ‘ere. Except his eyes were red. Normally only Jotuns have red eyes, and he wasn’t the right height for one… excuse me.”

The bar-maid stepped away for a bit to attend to some customers and you tried to focus your brain to remember why the red eye thing was significant. You were sure that it was important, but you couldn’t remember why. Someone had mentioned something about red eyes before hadn’t they? Who had said that again?

You decided it probably didn’t matter. You were feeling floaty and soft. When the bar-maid came back, she refilled your drink. 

“Anyway, as I was saying ‘e probably wasn’t a Jotun but I can’t think who else would have red eyes. ‘e only stayed to drink a pint of ale and left.”

“Jotun?” You hiccuped

“Frost Giants.” 

“Frost Giants?” You chimed, your voice increasing as you hiccuped. 

“The people who inhabit Jotuunheim. You don’t seem many of em about half of em was destroyed when…”

“My, isn’t this a fun conversation.” Loki’s silky voice appeared from behind you. 

The bar-maid raised a brow.  “Did you want something Prince Loki?” She asked, with un-cruel amusement dancing in her eyes.  

You laughed loudly. It was unusual to see someone who wasn’t of nobility speaking to Loki so directly and that fact was absolutely hilarious to you. You continued facing your body towards the bar but tipped your head back so you could see him.

“You look funny upside down.” You giggled. 

“I was simply coming over to see why the midgarian was being so loud. But now I can see she is completely inebriated.” 

“You’re a knee…a knee…a knee grated.” 

“Oh?.” Loki stared at you with a mixture of mirth and exasperation. 

You noticed the bar maid left again to speak to some customers as you span round to face him directly very quickly, making you loose your balance. Loki reached and and caught you, holding your shoulders in place until you stopped wobbling. 

“Hey, get off me.” You tried to push at his arms. 

“For Norns sake woman I’m trying to stop you from falling.” He rolled his eyes, “What in the nine realms have you been drinking.’ He murmured. 

Loki picked up your glass on the bar and took a sip. His face seemed to get even paler and his eyes narrowed dangerously. Before you could blink he had span round and pinned Thor against the bar with a knife at his throat. 

“What?” Thor spluttered, turning around. 

“You let her drink the Vanir’s wine of Eden?” His voice was calm but deadly

“It’s fine Loki, the Vanir’s wine are notoriously weak.”

“For an Asgaridan you half-wit. It may be weak but mortals were not designed to consume drinks with unknown psychotropic properties.”

“The wine does kind of taste like feelings.” You hiccuped again. “I feel like I’m on a little cloud.”

You giggled at them. 

“You idiot” Loki hissed, “Why must I be cursed with an oaf for a brother.”

“Hey can I have another drink?” You asked.

“No.” The Princes echoed sharply. 

You pouted “fine…god I was only asking.” You murmured, wondering off to find a seat, you were suddenly feeling a bit dizzy. You thought you announced this, although you weren’t completely sure. 

Finding a nearby table you sat down on the bench, ignoring the few people already sat there. One of the customers sat at the table already looked at you strangely and greeted you. 

“Hi?”

“Hello!” You gave him a dazzling smile “I’m from Earth.” 

You could hear Loki from behind you, you realised he must have followed you over.

“Ha ha! Let’s get out of here shall we?” He said your name warningly.

“Trying to take me home?” You wiggled your eyebrows suggestively.

As the men at the table laughed, Loki rolled his eyes and put out his hand to help you up.

“C’mon, let's get back to the tent.” He murmured as you stood up, leaning on him for balance.

You winked at your new audience,

“I’m irresistible” 

“You’re annoying is what you are.” Loki muttered as the men around the chuckled.

“Hey!” 

Loki held you by the elbow and helped you walk out at a brisker pace than you would have liked. 

“Can we slow down my head hurts?” You whined as you reached the door of the pub.

Loki sighed heavily, but opened the door for you and set off at a slower pace.

The colder air hit as you walked out of the tavern, leaving the noise behind. The tavern opposite was in the process of throwing one of its drunker members out onto the street which made you giggle. Loki looked down at you and smiled too. You looked up into the quickly darkening sky, and stared at the beautiful stars and moons as they started to appear. 

You were going to miss this sight.

Loki kept hold of your arm as you looked up. 

“Much prettier than Midgard isn’t it?” He smirked at you.

You frowned and sighed, but didn’t answer. He was right of course, it was a fantastic view and one you would never see again. 

Loki pushed you gently to keep walking with him through the cobbled street and back to where the men were camping. It was strange, but you found your mood starting to dip quite drastically, and your memory of why you were upset was coming back. The floaty fuzzy feeling was still there but it felt heavier and it felt as though your heart was sinking. You started frowning harder and pouting again. Loki cleared his throat, 

“I noticed… you seem to have have been a little… down at points during the day.”

“Oh you noticed that huh?” You muttered. Under normal circumstances you probably would have been more careful of your tone, but you were drunk and sad.

Loki glared down at you.

“Your extreme brooding was unmissable.” 

“You would know being the king of extreme brooding.”

“I am not the king of…extreme brooding.” 

“Nice retort.” You snapped back.

Loki made a sound of indignation “Oh okay, I see.” 

You snorted “Hm.”

“You’re upset that Fandral was fraternising with a beauty in the tavern.” 

“Fraternising?” You snorted “I like your funny words magic man.”

“What?” Loki’s brow furrowed adorably again like he had that morning. 

“You look kind of cute when you’re confused.” You informed him. 

Loki’s eyes widened comically large and he blinked at you. 

You giggled “exactly like that.”

“I am the future King of Asgard, I am not…cute.” He sniffed.

You snorted “okay whatever you say.”

“So you were not upset about Fandral -“

“Fraternising? No why would I be upset about that.” You yawned. 

“I just assumed that was the source of your distress, you seemed upset when I mentioned you were leaving and you went to find Fandral and then tonight when he was with someone you seemed low again.”

This time it was your turn to stop and stare at him. 

“It’s not unusual for woman to find Fandral attractive but you should know…”

“Let me stop you there before I hear any unsolicited advice. I did not go out to find Fandral this morning. I’m not upset that - “

You tried to find your words while you started to get choked up.

“I will miss this place when I go tomorrow. I will miss seeing new things and learning more about the universe I live in, the new animals and creatures. I will miss the adventure, not knowing what my life will be like day to day. I will miss the people I have met and I mourn for the people I will never get to meet and the experiences I will never get to have.” 

You took a deep breath.

“I know how stupid I’m being and how no one really wants me here but I’m still going to miss it. I don’t know how to go back to my normal life now I’ve seen everything here, I don’t want to have to  but I also know I’m being selfish to my poor family who are probably worried to death. It’s.. do you know what it actually doesn’t matter.” You sighed running out of momentum.  

Loki frowned slightly before saying as though with some difficulty,

“You are not unwanted here.”

You snorted, 

“Sure I am, you most of all do not wish me to be here you basically said so yourself this morning.” You scrunched your face up, “It doesn’t matter I don’t want to talk about it anymore.” 

You tried to take your arm out of Loki’s grasp so you could storm forward but he didn’t let you and ignored your noises of frustration. He continued frowning as if in thought but didn’t push you further. You quickly arrived back at the tent and pushed yourself forward and stumbled into the tent and flopped onto the bed. 

“I don’t feel well.” You complained. 

“I’m not surprised, Thor should not have given you any wine.” He mumbled, as he started to take off his shirt. 

“Did we not talk about this like a thousand times? Can you not get undressed in front of me?” You groaned. 

“And I have told you that as this is my tent, I will undress where I like.” 

You blew a raspberry at him as he continued to take his shirt off, giving you a glimpse of his chest. You felt a weird feeling in your stomach and you decided it was probably the alcohol.

You pulled the covers over your head and sunk down into the mattress. Soon you felt the bed dip next to you as Loki joined you. You moved the covers down slightly past your eyes so you could see what he was up to. Loki was, as usual,  staring up at the ceiling.

“I’ve put some water next to your side.” He said, without looking at you. 

Things felt weirdly awkward between you and in the midst of your hazy state, you couldn’t quite tell why.

You cleared your throat. 

“Thank you.” 

He nodded and continued to look up. After a few uneasy moments Loki clicked his fingers and turned the lights off. You rolled over onto your own back and joined him in staring at the ceiling.

You lay awake for a long time, listening to the sound of the men returning in the early hours and counting Loki’s breaths beside you.

Maybe it was the remaining drunken boldness, the dark cover of night or the knowledge that this would be your last night here, but you whispered,

“I will miss you.” 

The darkness seemed to be a vacuum in which your words disappeared.

You did not get a response. 

Tag list:

@creationsbyme  

@kikster606  @slytherinintj13  @th0rswh0res @huntress-artemiss @jannieka394 

@stefffrs  @misswimberly

[wintersongstress]

"missing your writing" hours😣, but i hope that all is well on your end

🥺 Not gonna lie, this made me kinda sad that I haven't been able to finish anything in awhile, but at the same time I'm happy to know that someone out there will still be interested in whatever I post next, whenever that may be. I am working on something very close to my heart nearly every day. The least I can do is share a snippet of that for now. I hope you enjoy, though please be gentle because it is only a rough draft 💕

From his satchel he retrieved a fold of parchment, secured with twine, where, gathered in its center, a sprig of tiny pink flowers awaited. You accepted it with gloved hands, unraveling the bow with a gentle tug. The page fell open, and your breath left you in the same instant.

It was a drawing of his. Of you, in full, realized detail like you had never seen before. Arthur had shown you some of his drawings in the past and you admired his quick, scratchy style—the way the long streaks of his pencil marks composed so many shapes within a scene, how the lightness and absence of them could suggest where the sun touched, and the darker shadings the natural shadows they cast. A great number of his sketches were half finished, but not this one.

In lovingly long lines and carefully measured strokes, he captured the composure of your features in a serene moment. The set of your mouth was fixed in a soft smile as you held a flower to your nose, its stem tucked gently between your thumb and forefinger. You followed the veins of the flower’s petals to the soft curls of its edges, downwards to the neat crescents of your nails, the creases of your knuckles, and the bend of your wrist where the sleeve of your blouse had gathered. Each fold of your clothing was defined with wedges of shading.

More details and undetectable hints of prowess abounded on the page, more than your mind could wrap around. The thought of how much time this took—how much care and attention and dedication he possessed—cradled your heart with more amazement than you could express in mere words. Such a tender, poignant longing flowed clear from this portrait as you held it in your hands, frozen still, taking in the expression of pure happiness on the face Arthur perceived as yours. But more than that, it was the braid of morning glory vines surrounding the portrait that stunned you the most. It was the flower you held, but more encompassed you in various states of bloom. You soaked in each sinuous tendril and droop of leaf, marveling with a fingertip the buds wrapped in a loosening spiral, eager to unfurl, and the deep bells of the full flowers where the promise of sweet pollen lay.

At length, you glanced away. Your hand had risen to your lips in disbelief, a gasp imparting from them, but you found Arthur staring at the ground with his hand behind his neck.

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't've—"

“This is so beautiful," you marveled. "Do I really look like this?”

After all this time, your reflection was still something you avoided. You caught it now and again but never lingered on it, fearful to notice how much it might have changed since.

Arthur forgot his embarrassment, glancing up. His brows furrowed together and he stepped near.

“You think I’m—?” To voice the thought , it was too surreal.

The word caught in your throat, but in his eyes you found the answer.

“You’re more than beautiful.”

The soft clarity in his gaze, the honesty of his lofted brows and the wonderment of his parted lips; one look at him and you believed it for the first time in longer than you could remember. The knowledge of it lifted something dark and heavy that had clung and sapped from you for far too long, and you found it easy to step into the space between you—where the circle of his arms could enfold you, closer than you dared before—and place your hands on his chest.

A heartbeat strong and steady thrummed beneath their press. His lids lowered, his own hands came up and covered yours and kept their place. You leaned in, tilted your head, and tipped forward. With the parting of your lips you pressed against the seam of his until he yielded with a sigh. It was a soft and timid discovery of deep affection, an unraveling. His mouth was full and plush against yours and his beard scratched your cupid’s bow while your nose pressed into his cheek. A warmth enfolded your heart, like a butterfly landing, a rose unfurling, a tide meeting the shore, water sinking home into sand. You stayed that way, soaking in his nearness, and you lingered in the dream of him until you were breathless.

‘Thank you,” you whispered, and it was for more than you could say.

[sanguith]

I always recognize (and admire) your artstyle for your amazing lighting, it looks so natural and beautiful. Thin linework, and you have this particular way of doing folds and creases in clothing too. The lines looks so free and natural, but not messy. Idk how you pull it off but you do I'm in awe.

Oh thank you!!❤️ Clothing folds are actually some of my favourite things to draw, it's just so fun when it it clicks in my brain and manages to look realistic, displaying different thicknesses and textures without really relying on anything else but shape, weight, physical properties etc, and almost feeling and seeing the fabric move around in my head as I draw. (I look at a lot of references though, trying to see past all the details and capture the bigger dynamics and the first basic visual impression, actively hitting refresh on my eyes/brain over and over again to get the instant visual object recognition. Takes a lot of practice to get there, but it's very fun to do now.)

I think everyone has a different internal process when it comes to drawing but I rely a lot on the "hmm wait something looks off here" gut feeling and then I play around a lot until that feeling disappears and it looks okay, and that repetitive process sort of solidifies everything I've learned in my head. Goes for pretty much everything, but references are still essential for me ofc.

I'm happy you think my lines look nice too, I remember being very self-conscious about them but I'm more relaxed now when I draw so it's much more fun to do it :')

[gettin-a-lil-hanse]

You Found Me - Chapter 3

Read it on AO3

Pairing: No pairing (but SeongJoong is involved)

Genre: Slight Fluff, Angst 

Rating: PG-13

Word Count: 2k+

Summary: Wooyoung opens up about his past.

Tags: Kitty Hybrid! Wooyoung, Found Hybrid, Abandonment, Caring For a Kitten

Trigger Warnings: Mentions of abuse, mentions of death, mentions of scars (not related to self-harm), unhealthy coping mechanisms, alcoholism, mentions of homophobia, mentions of prostitution, mentions of sex trafficking (?)

A/N: This chapter will be much heavier than the last two, and I want you all to please read the trigger warnings, and please read with caution. Take care, take time if you need to. 

The trip to the vet went as smoothly as any normal vet appointment is expected to go. (Vet? Doctor? Hongjoong really wasn’t sure what to call it.) Wooyoung was not very fond of the intimidating-looking doctors and acted accordingly. Honestly, Hongjoong was a bit surprised, seeing as the hybrid had taken a liking to the couple fairly quickly, but he pushed that thought to the back of his mind.

Hongjoong stayed by Wooyoung’s side throughout the duration of the visit, providing him with the necessary level of comfort needed to get through the appointment. In the end, the vet deemed him healthy aside from slight malnourishment and some bruising. The vet also told the couple that hybrids coming in with scars like his were a pretty common occurrence as of late and that it was a clear sign of abuse, but Wooyoung tuned out of the conversation at that point.

From there, the three of them took a drive to the mall. Hongjoong insisted that they build the hybrid a brand new wardrobe consisted of the highest fashion, though Wooyoung tried to convince him that comfortable clothes are all that he needed. Seonghwa could only laugh, knowing deep down that he too was excited to finally get to dress someone that would (probably) cooperate and let him. Hongjoong’s and Seonghwa’s styles clashed quite a bit, so it was rare that they got to dress each other up. 

Wooyoung quickly found out that he hated the mall. There were too many stores, too many displays, too many people. Everything was too much. The stores had bright, colorful signs, many of them flashing which was extremely distracting. Honestly, how was someone supposed to get through their shopping with everything like this? But that wasn’t even the worst thing. No, the worst thing was the staring. It seemed like, from the moment the three of them walked through the automatic glass doors, all eyes were on them. Wooyoung couldn’t tell if the eyes were on him or the couple, since they were so unabashedly affectionate with each other. Even Wooyoung knew that this side of town was known for being full of stuck-up, high-class rich people. As a matter of fact, all of the stores in the mall, as far as he could tell, were high-end and expensive-looking.

“Hey, Hongjoong? I thought that we were just getting clothes for me to wear around the apartment?”

“Sweetheart, we’re buying you clothes. It doesn’t really matter where you wear them.” 

Hongjoong chuckled and pulled the hybrid into his side, making for a very awkward walking position which only drew more attention to them. Wooyoung leaned in close to whisper into his ear, eyebrows furrowing and creating crease lines on his forehead,

“People are staring…”

“People always stare.”

“It doesn’t bother you?”

“More like I’ve learned not to care. Those people don’t deserve my energy, let alone my emotions. It’s not easy, of course, but it’s better this way.”

Hongjoong turned to face the hybrid still tucked under his arm and for a moment—though it felt as if they moved in slow motion—Wooyoung forgot how to breathe. Wooyoung swore that Hongjoong poured glitter in his eyes. How else would they sparkle so much?

“Don’t let unworthy people take up your time and energy.”

 “You know,” Seonghwa started, snapping Wooyoung out of the trance he didn’t realize that he was in, “Hongjoong taught me a lot. It’s cheesy, but he really did make me a better person, and he still does to this day.”

Hongjoong let out a soft laugh, loosening his grip on the hybrid’s shoulder to move his hand to his back. 

“I have that effect on people, apparently.”

------

The shopping trip came and went without too much fuss—seeing as the hybrid wanted no more attention on him than there was already—and the boys filed into the apartment with armfuls of bags. Hongjoong, ever the chatterbox, kept the mood up and kept the conversation going. Hongjoong loved his days off and was in a very good mood. Now that they had an addition to the household—temporary as it may be—he cherished his time at home even more. So when he got a call from work saying that he needed to come in for an emergency meeting, he was visibly upset. The only bright side, he figured, was that Seonghwa and Wooyoung would be forced to spend some alone time together. He hoped that they would be a little less awkward by the time he got back home.

Seonghwa and Wooyoung sat in the guest room that they spent the afternoon cleaning and removing tags from, folding, or hanging up Wooyoung’s new clothes. There was a thick silence between them until Seonghwa decided that now was as good a time as any to try to get to know him. 

“So, tell me about yourself.”

Wooyoung’s ears flicked as he looked up, a bit caught off-guard by the blunt statement.

“Well… what do you wanna know?”

Seonghwa shrugged with a slight smile playing on his lips, eyes cast down on the shirt he was so neatly folding.

“I mean, the more we know about you, the better.”

Wooyoung finished wrapping a jacket around the hanger and stood with a soft sigh, hanging the item up in the closet.

“Where do I even begin… As you probably already know, hybrids are created in labs by scientists and then sold to various facilities. From those facilities, we’re sold to buyers and I was sold to a nice young woman. She was my owner, but she hated addressing the relationship as such. She really cared for me and when she fell sick, I did the same for her. It got to the point where I spent every waking minute caring for her, but I didn’t think anything of it because she started to get better. So when she passed I was absolutely devastated.”

Seonghwa saw the shift in his face, grabbing his hand gently and pulling him to sit before he got too lost in his memory and broke down on the floor. To his surprise, the tears gathered but never fell, so he stayed quiet, allowing Wooyoung to continue.

“After she passed, I, along with her other possessions, was auctioned off to the highest bidder. The bidder that I was auctioned off to was an assistant for a man who ran a “hybrid home” which, news flash, was nothing like a home. It would be more accurate to call it a hybrid whore house.”

Seonghwa’s jaw clenched, taking in a breath through his nose. He shouldn’t be so angry since Wooyoung was alive and well now, he thought, but something akin to rage began to bubble up in the pit of his stomach. 

“To say that my life there was miserable is an understatement. We barely got an opportunity to look after our hygiene, they kept our schedules packed with clients, and when we weren’t busy with either of those things, we were probably being scolded for something. Nothing was ever good enough for The Master. Someone was always doing something wrong in his eyes and he made sure that we paid for it. That’s how I got to be so… beat up. I don’t know if you saw them, but I know for a fact that Hongjoong saw them when he bathed me…”

Wooyoung toyed with the hem of his shirt before lifting it up, revealing the fading bruises and various-sized scars lining his back and torso. Seonghwa’s eyes racked his body, tears of anger welling up in his eyes at the sight. But, again, he kept his feelings down.

“I… We have something to put on those scars that will help them heal. That is if you would like…”

His voice was unsteady and Wooyoung chanced a glance over at him. He could see him holding back, could see it in his eyes. 

"You don't have to feel bad for me. I'm okay, see?"

"It's... It's not that, I just... I just wanna protect you at all costs even more now." Seonghwa let out a wet laugh, taking a deep breath to keep tears back. "You know, Hongjoong really is a healer of sorts. He saved me too. Although my conditions were nowhere near as bad as yours..."

Wooyoung's tail flickered in interest.

"Saved you how?"

"He saved me from myself. Before we started dating — no, before we met — I was in a bad place. My family, god I haven't spoken to him in years... They never accepted me for being bisexual, so they kicked me out of the house. I stayed with my girlfriend at the time while I tried to find my way." 

Seonghwa stood, walking to his bedside drawer to grab ointment to coat his bruises. 

"Why do you just have that by your bed—"

"Don't worry about that. Anyway, I was staying with my girlfriend and she wasn't... the best, you know? She made me feel lesser than I am, she treated me like shit, to say the least. I loved her nonetheless and took it all. I couldn't get myself to leave her, but it became unbearable to be at home. So I started hanging out elsewhere."

Seonghwa helped Wooyoung remove his shirt while he talked and began carefully tending to each individual bruise. 

"Bars became my favorite place to hang out. I would stay out late drinking to the point where I almost lost control. It just overall wasn't a good time in my life. I wasn't happy; every day, simply existing felt more and more like a chore. That is probably the lowest I have ever felt in my life and I didn't think that there would be any coming up from there. I was drowning in bad thoughts."

Wooyoung could feel the emotion bubbling up in Seonghwa, could feel the pain.

"Hongjoong literally came like a light in my life and helped me get out of that dark place. I started to see him at the bar more often." Seonghwa smiled fondly to himself, hands moving gently over his skin. "He would come just to check up on me and talk to me. He kept me company, made sure I drank some water, made sure I got home okay. Then we started to hang out outside of my dark hours in the bar, and it got to the point where I didn't even need the bar anymore. Or alcohol anymore—not as much, anyway.

“Hongjoong was the one who helped me gain the courage to break up with my girlfriend. He helped pick up the broken pieces and he's kept me together ever since. So yes, he saved me. I appreciate him much more than I could ever say but don't tell him that. His ego is big enough as it is."

"Do you think you were meant to meet him?"

"Of course I do. If someone is up there watching over me, they definitely sent him to me."

Wooyoung nodded, thinking to himself for a moment.

"Hongjoong adores hybrids, you know? For the longest time, he's said that he wanted to adopt one, but I think that he is absolutely enamored by you. If you stay with us, you'll be taken care of, treated well. If not, he's gonna do everything in his power to get you somewhere where he knows that you'll be safe. He has a good heart, and I think he was meant to find you too."

"It's just... After all I've been through, it's a lot to think about, you know? I don't know if I can put myself in a position to trust someone like that again."

Seonghwa hummed and nodded in understanding, pulling away once he was finished to look up at him. 

“I know it’s hard to trust anyone after so many people treated you wrong and let you down. I’m sorry that you had those experiences, but I believe that you will be able to open your heart again. Some day. You’re strong, you’ve already come so far.”

Seonghwa ended with a kind smile and moved to pass back the shirt he was wearing before pausing. 

“Ah, would you like to put on your new pajamas? They’re much softer than these old things.” 

Wooyoung thought for a moment before shaking his head and taking the shirt back from Seonghwa gently.

“I’ll… put those on later. After my shower? Before bed? I’m comfy in these now…”

Seonghwa didn’t push it and just smiled. 

[writingandimagines]

Enoch O'Connor x Reader One Shot ~ Photos of Love

Requested by Anonymous: “Hello! Can you write a one shot for Enoch O’Connor X reader and it’s like their 1 Year anniversary and it’s romantic and fluffy please? Thank you & I love your work!!💕

A/N: This is based on the movie!Enoch, I hope that's okay. Thanks for requesting this one shot and also for your kind words :) - 🌸

Disclaimer: I do not own Miss Peregrine's Home for Peculiar Children nor do i own this gif or any other gifs on this blog unless otherwise stated. If you are the owner of this gif (or any other gif on here) and would like me to remove it or credit you please let me know :)

Word Count: 2,017

Warnings: None just fluff

Slight Modern AU with Enoch O’Connor

If someone had told you that you’d be standing in this position a year ago, you’d have called them crazy, but here you were getting ready to celebrate your one-year anniversary with Enoch.

The two of you had liked each other in secret for quite some time, well that was before your feelings had accidentally been shared with all the older children, not that either you or Enoch knew at the time (and didn’t until a couple of days later when the younger children found out) so of course that was a fun experience for a few days. Needless to say, Enoch was not best pleased when he found out, and as entertaining as you found it to watch him be an interesting mix of his usual grumpy, sarcastic rudeness, it was even better to watch the bright red flush appear on his cheeks. This was something no one had ever seen before, which to be honest only confirmed everyone’s suspicions that the rumour was in fact true. Not that you were complaining at all, in fact you too were donning a similar blush and Enoch had noticed. Honestly if certain events had not occurred that day, the two of you would probably still be hiding your feelings, too scared to say anything.

As you finished up getting ready, you sighed deeply at the thought of the inevitable teasing that would no doubt take place. Although since the two of you had taken part in the teasing at the other couples it was only time that you got your comeuppance for it.

You had no idea as to what Enoch had planned for the day, and the thought worried you a little. There had been multiple conversations and rules put in place by Miss Peregrine specifically for these occasions/milestones, which unsurprisingly included a long list of things that were not allowed to happen in the Home or anywhere on the grounds for that matter. Some of the other children had also decided to throw about their ideas on what you should do to celebrate, a lot of which were shut down by Enoch almost instantly.

Despite all of the glares and cynical comments, it was agreed by everyone that you brought out the best each other. The two of you saw in each other what others had previously failed to see and although neither of you would admit it, it meant the world to you both.

Your moments of reminisce were sadly brought to a close by a knock at your bedroom door, a knock you were all too familiar with. It was the knock that came during the day when hugs and cuddles were wanted, it was a knock that appeared during moments of weakness when you wouldn’t speak to anyone but him, it was the only knock that could put a smile on your face without any hesitation.

“Come in!” You yelled from the centre of the room. The door creeped open slowly to reveal your boyfriend with a rather nervous look on his face, his eyes avoiding your gaze. “Hey… what’s wrong?” You asked calmly, moving closer towards him.

“I wanted to make an effort but I… I can’t…” he stuttered a little, and lifted his hand up to reveal a tie. “I… Can’t tie this and no one… was around to ask…” he trailed off, his eyes finally shifting to meet yours. You smiled, laughing a little before taking the tie from his hand and folding his collar up his neck, beginning to loop it around. Enoch just stood, watching the concentration in your eyes as your fingers moved quickly on the fabric.

This was it, the vulnerable side that he didn’t let anyone see, all his fears, his insecurities, the things he was scared to share with people, what he hid behind the strong exterior, the softer side of him that just wanted to be loved by someone. The only other person that he had dropped these barriers around was Miss Peregrine, so the fact he trusted you enough to show everything with you meant a whole lot.

You tightened the knot and shuffled it upwards towards the collar, before folding it back down and gently adjusting it.

“There, all sorted” you confirmed with a proud smile etched on your face.

“Thanks Y/N” he nodded as he turned on his heel and began to leave.

“Hey wait a second” he stopped, turning his head back towards you, lifting his head up slightly indicating to you that he was listening. “What exactly is it that you have planned?” you asked as the worry reappeared in your head. He turned, pausing before he answered evidently taking his time to figure out what parts he wished to share with you.

“You’re going to have to wait and see my love” he muttered, turning back and walking towards the door, closing it behind him. You sighed, having expected something like this to occur.

For the majority of the day after that Enoch was nowhere to be seen, and neither was Jacob for that matter, which was odd concerning they weren’t always friendly with each other. You weren’t the only one that picked up this either, Emma too had been wondering where her boyfriend had gotten to, and with the day being an important event for you and Enoch the two of you assumed they were together, preparing.

It was early evening when the two of you finally crossed paths again, however this time he looked slightly more dishevelled, his usual neat hair was now a windswept mess, his clothes were creased and his eyes looked teary, a clear indication that he had in fact been outside or had at least needed to travel outdoors at some point. A soon as his eyes met yours, he adjusted himself, fixing his hair and patting down his clothes, gesturing for Jake to the same before whispering something to him. Jake then left, motioning for Emma to follow him which left you and Enoch alone in the sitting room. You moved towards the sofas, sitting down on one as Enoch followed and sat down next to you his arm wrapped itself around your shoulders pulling you closer to his chest.

“So, what have you been up to Sweetheart?” He asked, now resting his chin on your head.

“Not a lot really, just hanging out with Emma, reading to some of the younger children” you paused and moved your head, so that he would no longer be able to rest his head on it, this of course prompted him to frown at you. “I’m more interested as to what you were doing if I'm honest?” he smiled, his eyes shifting down towards the floor for the second time that day, why on earth was he still so nervous? You thought, titling your head to one side you slowly and gently lifted his chin up so that his eyes would meet yours. “What’s wrong Enoch?” you questioned.

“Nothing’s wrong sweetheart, I promise” he said, bringing his lips towards your forehead and kissing it sweetly.

“Then why are you acting so weirdly?” He sighed, a smile appearing on his face as he looked down once again,

“Because I'm worried, you’re not going to like your present, and I know how stupid that must sound to you” Enoch answered his eyes finally coming back up to meet yours as he spoke.

“Oh Enoch, I’ll love it whatever it is, it’s from you after all” You assured, playfully hitting him in the arm, him faking an injury from it.

It was then that he closed his and inhaled deeply to calm down his remaining nerves before re opening them and reaching down the side of the sofa to reveal a brown paper package.

“I hope you like it; it was Jake’s idea he thought since you’re closer to his time that you’d like something with a modern touch” he explained as he handed the parcel to you. The curiosity immediately took over you as you began to shake and pat areas of it, to try and guess the contents, being sure to be careful just in case it was fragile. You decided against voicing your guess and instead dived into opening it. Enoch watched on, excitement rushing onto him face as he saw your eyes light up when the gift was revealed to you.

Inside the brown wrappings lay a photo album, with a picture of you and Enoch on the front that Jake had taken of you both towards the start of your relationship. Your smile turned into a massive grin as you pulled the packaging off completely and threw it to the floor, opening the book to look at the carefully selected pictures of all your happy memories together. IT was clear that a lot of time and effort had gone into it, between pieces together to right pictures, writing quotes or sweet poems that had been suggested you him by others. However, that wasn’t what really got your attention, it was the handwritten note at the back, sealed in a silver envelope.

It read;

My darling Y/N,

It’s not like me to sit here writing out love letters as I'm sure you’re already aware, but for the sake of today I thought I'd give it a shot.

You’re the sweetest person I've ever met and I feel privileged to have been able to know you, let be able to say that yours. I know that I'm not the easiest to put up with at times, given the dark side to both my humour and peculiarity but despite most finding my abilities scary you instead were intrigued, asking questions that no one else ever had. You chose to spend your free time with me, watching me build the homunculi and waiting to see the epic battles take place. While all the other children had difficulties understanding me you didn’t,' instead you saw everything they couldn’t, even some that I thought I hid well. All the hurt from the years before I entered this loop and very reason, I left the other, somehow you managed to see it, though of course you didn’t know any of that back then, you could sense that it was there. I felt comfortable from the moment I meant you and for someone like me that’s a rarity.

I know how all of that sounds I don’t like it either but after 10 attempts at writing this this is the best we’re going to get at this point, I hope you like it and the present too. I wanted to give something back to you for all that you’ve done me.

Love Enoch xxx

Tears formed in your eyes as you read, unable to control or explain how his kind words had made you feel. You placed the letter down on the table and leaned over to hug him tightly, your tears now even more obvious.

“Thank… you so… m…much Enoch…I … I love it” you sniffled out before pulling away. Enoch smiled and gently wiped your tears away with his thumb and kissed your forehead tenderly.

“You’re more than welcome sweetheart” he assured, the happiness he felt evident in his voice.

Enoch leaned forward and caressing your cheek with his right hand and stroking his thumb across it affectionately. The two of you gazed into each other's eyes for a moment, sharing the emotions your words couldn’t. It was then that Enoch closed the gap between the two of you and kissed you softly.

The two of you spent the rest of the day together, trying your best to avoid the other children, determined to make the day as perfect as you could. Although, this may have included breaking a few of the birds rules by sleeping in the same bed, cuddling each other tightly until morning came.