#I've got the rest of the story mostly planned out but I like being a little shit and leaving people on cliffhangers

[acheronidae]

It's gonna be a fuckin while before I have any art or writting that's publishable, but if I don't share this AU sooner or later I will explode, so we're going to avoid that for now.

Lunar Eclipse AU

My answer to the question "what if the dream and nightmare realms never split?" which isn't entirely accurate because they still do split eventually, just way after we can safely assume they did in canon, but I'm getting ahead of myself.

(I'm putting the rest under the cut for your convenience)

So, does the dream and nightmare realms staying together longer mean that Grimm and the Radiance had a more functional relationship as siblings? Funny you should ask that, because hahaha, absolutely not!

The Radiance is incredibly abusive towards Grimm, treating him as a tool rather than as his own god with his own life. This backfires horribly, because her practically raising him surrounded on all sides by lies and manipulation only made him really good at lying and manipulating. That was the only reason he managed to create the troupe without drawing her suspicion that maybe the group of "puppets" he has aren't under as much strict control as she thinks they are("worship? meaningful connection? no, that's ridiculous"/s)

The main story of the AU revolves around Grimm's interactions with the Pale King. The Radiance orders Grimm to kill him and at first he's up for it, viewing it as an opportunity to prove his loyalty and to avoid getting on her bad side should be succeed. His plan is to earn the King's trust, get him alone, and then strike; his plan is to make him suffer all while stirring up trouble behind the scenes to secure her worship and drive the wyrm to desperation.

But...as he's spending time with the wyrm, he starts getting this odd feeling in his chest and throat. When his soon-to-be victim first drops the formalities and speaks to him as an equal, when he thanks Grimm for rescuing him from a (staged) assassination attempt, and when he kisses him on the cheek and Grimm reacts just how you might expect. He's able to explain these moments away to his sister by telling her he was acting as though he felt genuine connection and that he couldn't possibly be dumb enough to fall in love with the man he was told to kill...right?

And when the moment finally arrives, when the two of them are alone together and the wyrm has made himself more vulnerable than he ever had been before...

...Grimm hesitates.

[toruro]

— ✧ mr. nice guy

pairing. hong joshua x reader

description. you thought your next-door neighbor was just being polite when he offered to help you carry in your boxes the first time you saw him, but as you adjust to your new home, you start to notice that joshua’s nice in other ways too: nice eyes, nice smile, nice arms, nice fingers, probably nice di—okay you get the point. but just how long can you go with lusting after your neighbor before giving in to your very much not-nice desires? well, lucky for you, joshua also isn’t nearly as much of a gentleman as he likes to let on.

✘ tags. smut (18+), neighbor!joshua, joshua's muscles deserve their own tag tbh, oral (f receiving), alcohol consumption (NOT drunk sex), petnames (sweetheart mostly :pp), biting, spit kink, unedited as always ✘ w/c. 5.3k ✘ a/n. i have had this idea in me for a WHILE so it's good to finally get it out! honestly i feel like the story is a little rushed but whatever

there's a gentle voice coming from in front of you, but with the way you’re holding the large box up right in front of your face, you can’t see who’s speaking. “do you need help with that?”

muscles straining and sweat beading down your skin, you manage to squeak out a quick, “yes please!” a wave of relief washing over your body as you feel the box grow infinitely lighter as this man’s arms wrap around the side. “thank you so much,” you say, still gripping onto the box as you slowly walk over and lead it to the front of your apartment door a few feet away. setting it down carefully, you look up so you can finally see the face of the angel who saved you so much trouble.

“no problem," he replies politely, and as your eyes flicker up, you're taken aback by his kind smile. "you new here?"

"did the moving boxes give it away?" you joke and the man cracks a hearty laugh.

"you got me there. i'm joshua," he tells you, and you think to yourself that there can't be a name for fitting for the man. he points over to the door across from yours. "i live right there, so i guess we'll be seeing each other a lot. what's your name?"

your name falls from your lips in a haze, internally thanking your lucky stars for finding yourself an apartment that was not only close to your work but also in close proximity someone as nice as joshua. "i guess so," you reply looking down the hallway where the movers had left the rest of your boxes. "i don't suppose you'd be down for another few boxes?" you ask hopefully, wincing at the way you're so shamelessly asking for help.

joshua chuckles at your expression and you feel that the ground might as well swallow you up whole. "it'd be my pleasure. it's not often i get new neighbors who are under the age of 50."

"i've noticed that...is there a reason the average age of the residents of place is like 60?" you ask curiously as you walk down to the end of the hallway to the boxes.

"not sure," joshua says. "i guess this place is just popular with them. not that i'm complaining. noisy neighbors are never a problem for me." he gives you an awry look, and you're a bit confused before he's jokes, "unless you plan on making that something i have to worry about now."

"no!" you reply a little too quickly, flustered by the way joshua is so easily coming up with conversation. it seems as if he's so smooth with everything, and with the way you have a million thoughts racing through your head—it's a it hard to keep up. "i mean, i don't do much or anything really," you clarify, reaching down to pick up one box while joshua goes to grab the other side.

"good to know," joshua tells you with a smile, and you try not to focus too much on the way that he grunts slightly when lifting up his end. "you're always welcome to come over to my place for a drink or something," he suggests as you begin walking over to your apartment.

smiling as you set down the box, you adjust your shirt and look up at him. "i'll think about it."

you, in fact, do think about joshua's offer. you think about it a lot.

you think about it that night when you carefully unpack your boxes. joshua's a nice guy, you think to yourself, because it's not often you come across such a person who's willing to give you an hour of their day to help carry heavy ass boxes for someone they barely know.

you think about it two mornings later when you're walking down the hallway with your groceries for the week only to find joshua about to enter his own apartment, clad in a tight fit t-shirt and gym shorts. his skin glows with layer of sheen sweat, his light brown hair pressing against his forehead in an oddly fitting mess. his breath is slightly labored when you call out his name instinctively, turning to look at you with bright eyes.

"hey, how's it going?" he's polite. joshua is polite, and a gentleman. you almost feel guilty when your eyes dart to the arms when the muscles flex as he brings up a hand to grab one of your grocery bags, insisting that it was his pleasure to help you out. something along the lines of, "i just got back from my work out and i can't help a pretty lady with her bags?"

pretty lady. you hope he can attribute your burning cheeks to the hot sun and not his words, because holy shit does he have your stomach doing tumbles. after all, joshua's just being polite right? right?

you think about his offer again three evenings later. you're just leaving your apartment to go on a walk, and joshua seems to have some people over, five boys knocking on his front door, where there seems to be more boys on the other side. you quickly glance at each other as you slip out of your apartment, hoping to hobble off quickly before things get more awkward, but then there's that door opening and you hear joshua's voice and you falter in your tracks for a moment at the way he calls you name so smoothly.

you turn around to face him as his friends slowly shuffle into his apartment, joshua leaning against the doorframe with a bottle of beer. he holds it up and raises a brow and fuck—if you don't stare at the way the bottle is perched between his perfect, thick fingers—fuck. "you wanna join?"

you want to. fuck, you really want to. so why do the words, the simple phrase of, "yeah sure," fall flat on your tongue? maybe it comes from the embarrassment of lusting over a man you hardly know. from the humiliation of letting your eyes dart towards his arms, his hands, his fingers, joshua's collarbone and the little adam's apple that bobs up when he takes a sip of his beer.

"i, uh, i was just going on a walk right now," you tell him, your voice sounding meek and you want to cringe at the poorly planned response. joshua chuckles, and you aren't sure why.

"you don't wanna come? aw, you're hurting my feelings," he coos.

"no! that's not what i meant," you say quickly, averting your gaze from joshua because the way he's peering down at you right now—god, you don't know if you want to go up to him and fall straight to your knees and suck him off or turn around and run away out of pure humiliation. "i just—you know—walks. go on them every day," you try to explain haphazardly.

"no it's okay, i get it," he replies before looking into his apartment when one of his friends yells out his name, "it's bit rowdy in here anyways, so i don't blame you." there's an awkward sort of silence that settles between you and the air is thick as you debate if you should turn around and leave right about now. "i don't suppose you'd want to stop by after your walk?" he asks hopefully, and you figure this is his way of giving you a second chance.

this time, you look up at him and smile. "i'll think about it."

except this time you actually think about, not just sit and wonder of the possibilities. as you pace down the street, your one hour walk that usually make time fly now seems to feel like the longest sixty minutes of your life. you come down to two possibilities at the end of it:

1. you don't show up and joshua thinks you're an indecisive bitch

2. you do show up, have a good time, and things are left at that

of course, putting it like that only really leaves you with one choice to choose, that being the latter. knowing that your own conscience won't let you live it down if you don't end up choosing the latter, you march up to joshua's apartment with a slowly diminishing confidence. yeah, you're eager to see where this night will take you, but you're also not necessarily confident that you're anxiousness won't betray you.

it's just that joshua is so nice and so kind and he has you thinking so many thoughts that your words always seem to jumble up into an incoherent mess whenever he speaks to you. all you can really ever think about when you see him is—well—all of him, which includes his nice smile, his nice muscles, his nice—okay, shit, you really need to control yourself.

doing what little mind-clearing exercises you can cram into the time it takes you to get up to your floor, you're pretty sure your breath is labored from how hard you're thinking alone. before you have any time to let yourself back out of this, you're rushing up to joshua's door, knocking maybe a little too desperately.

in the next moment, you have time to listen in on the other side, the room being quieter than you remember it being an hour ago. all that can be heard is some soft shuffling that can only be identified as joshua's footsteps, and before you know the door is opening, the one and only standing in front of you.

"there she is," joshua greets with a smile, "low and behold!"

the tips of your ears burn at his welcoming, stepping back a little. "h-hi," you murmur quickly, the responses that you planned in your head earlier seemingly fading away in your mind. "is that offer for a drink still on the table?" you ask hopefully, chewing on your bottom lip as you wait for an answer.

"'course it is," he replies. "i was waiting for you to come to your senses," he continues, stepping to the side so you can slip off your shoes and step in, realizing now that all his friends have left leaving only you two. you follow in after him, your eyes glazing over his apartment. it's got the same layout as yours, as expected, only it's mirrored. it's slightly messy, presumably from the mess his friends left from before, but the set up is neat and you can tell joshua has a good eye for color.

"i like those paintings up on the wall," you comment, pointing at a set of wall art hung above his sofa. joshua looks up at it before smiling softly and nodding, walking to the kitchen as you trail behind him.

"thank you, one of my friends that was here earlier got it for me. he's great at interior design, if you're ever looking for someone," he tells you, reaching for the fridge and pulling out a cool bottle of beer. "here," he says, handing it to you before grabbing a bottle opener and popping off the cap for you. holding it out in front of you, you're able to watch his hands up close—they're big and veiny and fuck, you'd be lying if you said you didn't press your thighs together slightly.

you aren't sure joshua notices, and if he does, he doesn't make it obvious. "thank you," you murmur softly, letting him step back and put the opener away before he leads you to the living room. you settle down on one end of the couch, and instead of opting to sit on the arm chair, joshua just sits on the opposite end. throwing his hands back so they lean on the arm rest and the back of the couch, his biceps are stretched out and on display thanks to his short sleeve t-shirt.

"so," joshua begins as he grabs his own beer and brings it up to his lips, "how do you like it here?"

you take your own sip of the cool liquid before responding, "it's hardly been a week...but i like it. it's peaceful, and i like the neighborhood."

"yeah, the people are nice," joshua agrees. you're nice, you think. "how was moving in?"

"i'm still honestly unpacking," you chuckle to yourself, feeling more comfortable now that there's casual conversation being initiated. "i have a bunch of clothes at my friend's place that i still need to pick up," you explain, leaning back into the plush cushions.

"you need help bringing them in? i can lend a hand if you need."

your stomach tumbles at his generosity, but you shake your head. "ah, you've already helped me so much, i don't think that's fair."

"oh c'mon," joshua counters, "you can pay me back with something if that'll make you feel better."

you raise a brow. "now how would i do that? you got venmo?" you tease.

"i was thinking of something a little less materialistic," joshua replies with a roll of his eyes, and you think you might just combust on the spot.

you aren't exactly sure what he means by that until you bring your eyes to meet his and that's when you see it. how his eyes darken, how he gulps even though he hasn't taken a sip of his drink, how he shifts in his seat. suddenly, you're dawned with the realization that on your walk, you left out the option for a third possibility, a.k.a. you do show up, have a good time, and then have joshua rail you into the next dimension.

gaining confidence, you cross your legs over each other and turn to face him better, deciding to go along. "huh..." your voice trails off. "i'm not quite sure what you mean by that joshua," and you swear you hear his breath hitch when you say his name.

he regains composure so quickly it's hard to tell you even threw him off guard in the first place. "i'm not really sure actually. you have anything to offer?"

you shrug as you set down your beer at the coffee table by your feet. "i make a mean maple cake, if you're into sweet stuff." joshua perks up at that.

"i do have a sweet tooth," he mumbles to himself, pretending to be in thought as he follows your movements, pushing his bottle to the side. "that's gonna take a while though," he says solemnly, "you're gonna have to get the ingredients...make the cake...bring it to me...sounds like a lot of work for you..." his voice trails off, and then he's tossing you that look again.

joshua figures you're both definitely on the same page by now and there's no point leaving the tension between his go unrelieved for any longer than he has to, and before you know it he's reaching one strong arm over to grab your wrist, pulling you into his hold so he can kiss you fiercely.

his lips are soft, but the way he's pushing against you, sucking, nipping, running his tongue along you is all but gentle. with joshua's arms leaving your hands and instead running up the sides of your waist, pulling you in roughly, you gasp into his mouth, allowing him the chance to slip his tongue against yours, tasting you, feeling you, being one with you.

one hand comes up to cup the side of your face, tilting your head slightly so he can push his lips against yours harder, his tongue sinking deeper to explore the caverns of your mouth. when he pulls away, you both share heaving breaths of air, mouths connected with a string of saliva before he's leaning back in and capturing you once more.

his other hand on your waist gently nudges you and you're falling back onto the cushions, head hitting one of the pillows as he crawls into the space between your legs. inching up his knee until his thick thigh is pressing up against your pounding core, easing the tension that he's been so carefully building up.

joshua noticed it. the way your eyes lingered on his arms, his fingers—noticed the sparkle in your eyes followed by the immediate embarrassment of your own thoughts. he's not sure if you're just easy to read or if he's just good at reading you but whatever it is, you're an open book to him and fuck it's so cute it has him going crazy.

you whine against his lips, rocking into him to the best of you abilities while you're pinned beneath him. there isn't much space to move around in the little corner of this couch, but you hardly pay mind to the inconvenience when joshua peels his lips and thigh away from you. "ha—no," you gasp out, hips chasing the relief the hard muscle provided. joshua chuckles, shaking his head as you pout.

"relax baby," he coos, and the pet name has you shivering under his touch as he inches his body down the length of the couch until his upper body rests between your thighs, face dangerously close to your gaping cunt. "be patient, okay?" he orders, and you nod your head quickly in agreement. joshua traces his fingers from your knees achingly slow up to the hem of your denim shorts, slipping under the cloth only slightly, leaving you nearly begging for more.

"josh—shua—fuck, more, please?" you choke out, voice broken from pure desperation. joshua clicks his tongue at you, flashing a warning look which shuts your lips real tight as he reaches up to unbutton the shorts. you quickly reach down, helping him out, but he swats your hands away.

"can you keep your hands up for me sweetheart?" he asks so fucking sweetly you almost forget about the mischievous glint that flashes in his eyes.

"uh-huh," you mumble, slowly lifting your hands above your head, gripping onto the armrest of the couch to brace yourself. in the meantime, joshua unzips and yanks your shorts off, tossing them to the side so they fall somewhere in the room. staring down at your now exposed and soiled panties, you hear joshua suck in a breath.

"all this for me sweetheart?" he murmurs, bring two fingers up to lightly pinch your clit, causing you to jerk against his hold.

"all for you," you affirm nearly immediately, squirming when he takes one finger and tuns it down the midline of the fabric. joshua's eyes are gaping down at your core, nearly in the shape of hearts as his mind races with the idea of how you're already so undone, so desperate, so far gone for him. slowly but surely, he hooks one finger on each side of the waist band, peeling your panties off and exposing your dripping folds.

joshua nearly groans at the site of you clenching around nothing, saying, "fuck baby, you're gonna soak my couch."

"s-sorry," you stutter out, averting your gaze so you don't have the chance to look at the mess you've made.

"don't apologize...it's hot as hell." he pauses, then looks up at you. "you mind if i get a taste?"

"god, fuck yes—i mean no—wait," you babble, "i mean—shit—i don't mind, not at all."

joshua's heart swells at your response, waisting no time dipping his head between your thighs and pressing his tongue flat against your folds. you cry out at the warmth and friction, instinctively shooting one hand down to grab at his hair. within seconds, he's pulling his head back and giving you a stern look. "what'd i say sweetheart?"

"hands, sorry." you quickly pull your fingers back and return them to their hold on the couch.

"there you go sweetheart," joshua mumbles before diving back in, wrapping his arms under and around your thighs to hold you in your place. you can nearly feel his muscles bulge against your leg and you twitch against his mouth at the thought. meanwhile, joshua runs his tongue up and down, going and back and forth between hardening at and circling it around your hole before moving up and wrapping his lips around your clit and flicking his tongue over it.

the erratic, unpredictable movements have your back arching off the couch within minutes, moaning out words like, "feels so good joshua," along with quite curses as you attempt to keep your voice down. it hardly takes a few minutes before you're writhing under him, joshua pulling back with his lips and chin coated in a sticky wetness with a grin.

"you look so pretty baby," he compliments, using one hand to continue to rub between your folds and circle around your clit, never halting the shoots of pleasure through your spine. his eyes are flickering between yours and core, and then holy shit, his lips contort for a moment and then he's spitting on your already soaked pussy and the act is so demeaning and dirty and hot that you hardly comprehend the next words that come out of joshua's mouth. "so do you wanna cum now, or on my cock?" he offers, and you figure there's a right answer and a wrong one, but you don't have the brain capacity right now to think about which is which.

pouting, you respond, "c-can't i have both?"

that must be the right answer, because it has joshua beaming at you, smiling against your pussy as he slips two fingers into you and presses his mouth on your clit. jerking your hips up, joshua follows the swivel of your lower half, matching the thrusts and flicks of his wrist to your own movements so his fingers are hitting deeper and deeper every time. you think you're close, but when he's curling his digits inside of you and sucking hard on your nub you know it's coming.

you don't have time to warn joshua about your impending orgasm but the way your walls hug his fingers so fucking tight is warning enough, and he speeds up both his fingers and the flicking of his tongue to the point where you're on the brink of tears as he finger fucks you through your high. humming in appreciation at the way you call out his name as you do, he releases your clit with a filthy 'pop' sound, fingers taking a moment to gently slip out of you as you come down from your high.

"you did so good angel," joshua praises, pressing kisses along your inner thigh, smearing your skin in the mixture of your own cum and his saliva. your breaths are far too erratic for you to respond, but the way you look up at him with heavy eyelids through thick, glossy lashes tells joshua all he needs to know. unraveling his arms around you, he bring himself up and guides your legs to wrap around his bare torso—shit, wait, when did he take his shirt off.

gaping at this man who could quite literally be god, you can't even comprehend what's going on until you're being carried into a whole new room, joshua throwing you onto his bed, the messy covers bunching up around you. he stands at the edge, unbuckling his belt at a painfully slow rate. quickly scrambling up from your laying back position, you crawl to the spot in front of him and help unbutton his jeans. "already wanting more, huh?" he teases, but doesn't push you away, rather putting his hands to his side to watch you do the work yourself. you don't respond, taking this chance to grab both his jeans and boxers, pulling them down in one go.

joshua's cock springs out, thick and beaming with a bead of precum that dribbles off the tip, lightly hitting your face in the process. your mind is foggy and you look up at him with dreamy eyes as you absentmindedly open your mouth and close your lips around his bulbous tip, lapping at the precum. joshua doesn't hesitate to grab at your hair and pull you off of him, and for a moment you're scared you've done something wrong, getting pulled out of your haze.

but then you catch the way his voice drops an octave when he says, "slow down," and your worries are put at ease. "we can do that another time. wanna feel your cunt." another time. those words ring in your head. there's going to be another time. you ponder on that thought for a moment and then you recall the next of what he says and you look up at him with these doe eyes that joshua finds so fucking adorable, he'd be surprised if you don't see his dick twitching.

crawling onto the mattress, your limbs intertwine in a hot mess so that one of your legs is hooked around his torso while the other rests between his knees under him. it's a slightly awkward position, but the thought hardly crosses either of your minds once his fat tip his sliding between your drooling folds teasingly, before you're begging, "c'mon joshie, stick it in, please—need it now."

now joshua isn't one to usually give in—he's good at maintaining his patience. yet, the way you mumble out his nickname as if there isn't a single thought in your pretty head has his mind going numb, losing all semblance of self control until he can't help but sink his full length into you.

and joshua knows he's big, and looking down at how you nearly shake beneath him, it's confirmed that this is a lot for you. he almost feels bad at the way tears stream down your cheek, considering pulling out and pressing kisses along your face until you're ready to try again but then you're saying his name like that—"joshie, joshie, joshie"—and he just knows that neither of you would be satisfied until he's balls deep inside of you.

"takin'—god, fuck—takin' me like a pro, huh sweetheart?" joshua finally finds it in him to grunt out with out his voice wavering from the way you hug him so well.

"yeah-huh," you nod along, holding up your hand in a grabbing motion, joshua not hesitating to hold your hand in his so you can squeeze it tight while you work through the initial stretch. "you're so big, joshie."

"yeah," he breaths out a laugh. "you like it?" he groans, slipping out around halfway, giving you a chance to breathe, before he's shallowly thrusting back into you. "like me stretching out this pretty fucking pussy?" you nod dumbly, and your jaw gyrates as you try to form a response but no words come out, strangled syllables morphing into pornographic moans as joshua begins to drag his cock out further each time, plunging it deeper and deeper as he goes on.

"oh my god," you're finally able to babble, tits bouncing back and forth as joshua begins jamming his hips into yours with increasing force. the sounds of your wet pussy colliding with his cock bounce off the walls and if it isn't the filthiest thing you've ever heard, you don't know what is.

joshua latches one arm to your hip, the other continuing to hold yours as he pins it by your neck and shifting his body over you so his head hovers above yours. this new angle his his cock ramming hard down onto a spot that has you biting down onto your lips and crying out, "fuck, joshie!"

"you're squeezing me so tight," joshua moans as you rake one hand down his back. "suckin' me in, god i can't get enough, sweetheart," he grunts out, dropping his head down to bury it in the crook of your neck as he continues to pound into you. your body feels as if it's on fire in the best way possible, and with the way joshua is pressing open mouthed kisses onto your sticky skin has your hips lifting to meet his sharp strokes.

you feel as if things can't get any better and then you feel his teeth bite down into your flesh and your eyes roll to the fucking back of your head as the pain quickly shoots to pleasure when he sucks on the spot, the patch of skin throbbing—pulsing. "'m so close, joshie," you moan as he pullings away, looking down at your fucked out face. your eyes are droopy and shutting tight every time he fucks into you, mouth slightly agape and never fully closing.

he isn't sure what urges him to do it but then he's shoving three fingers into your mouth and joshua thinks that this might just be true love at the way you don't even hesitate a second to circle your lips against them and run your tongue against them. drool dribbles down your lips as you suck on his fingers and joshua's mind is consumed with the thought of your mouth doing that to his dick and then you moan around his fingers at the way he twitches inside of you and—fuck—he's getting close too, but he just can't allow himself to cum until you have.

slipping his fingers out, he uses the same, slick hand to toy at your clit as you clench around him tighter. "you said you're close?" he groans. "fuckin' cum then, cum around my cock how you wanted to, sweetheart."

it's the way he's gazing down at you endearingly. it's his fat cock pushing itself deeper inside of you, forcing you and your gummy walls to make room for me. it's the filthy words that spill from his lips, laced with his sweet words of praise. it's all of it that comes crashing down on you, the waves of pleasure hitting you over and over and over again until you're reduced to nothing but a thrashing, crying, whining mess with the words, "joshie, fuck," falling from your lips.

you're so lost in pleasure of your second orgasm of the day that you hardly notice it when joshua slips out of you himself, fervently jerking himself off until he moans out your name and there's thick white ropes of cum painting your stomach and clit 'til he's practically milked himself dry.

all the echos through the room now is the sound of your hiccups and joshua's gasps for air until he's finally falling on top of you, head resting on your chest.

"you are so not a gentleman," you gasp out between breaths as he slowly lifts himself off of you, rolling to your side once you unwind your leg from around his hips. he furrows his eyebrows at you with a frown.

"what do you mean?" he whines. "that's literally like my trademark."

"well change it," you grumble, running your fingers over the mark on your neck from where joshua bit you.

"i'm sorry," he murmurs, turning over to you to look at the bruise against your skin. "did i hurt you?" he asks, eyes wide with worry. you want to kick your feet at the way his concern has butterflies coursing through your veins as if this man didn't just rearrange your guts.

you push his face away when he leans down to pepper your neck with kisses, shuffling back onto you. you aren't sure how much longer your poor heart can handle this. "it's too late to be a gentleman now..."

"is it though?" joshua asks with a smirk, looking down at you.

"dunno...guess you just have to prove to me that you're worth the title."

"does this mean i get more chances?" joshua grins.

you roll your eyes. "maybe...it depends on what you have planned."

"well," joshua drawls out. "i'm thinking a nice date...then maybe you, me, my bed and—"

i guess you can tell where it goes from here.

a/n. half the time i think i dont know how to end fics without some stupid dialouge bc wtf.... anyways if u enjoyed pls like and reblog!

[infamous-if]

Dec ✮ 12 ✮ 2024 – update

Part of me hates doing these mostly because it's a whole lotta nothing and me just repeating everything I said the last update (lol) but I do like doing it because I like keeping people updated, even if it's a non-update. I may sound like a broken record (pun not intended) but I know a lot of people don't catch my updates every time so it's nice to just keep people informed yk yk

✮ — Part 2 + rewrite

Fun fact: I had written an entire essay about my excitement for the rewrite and chapter 3 and beyond but it got too long!

It boiled down to me wondering why I'm so excited for this rewrite and realizing it's because I feel comfortable enough to approach it with complete creative freedom. I wrote the first iteration of the demo with the constant worries swimming in my head like "I hope people understand what I'm trying to say here" and "I hope this situation is being read the way I intended for it to be read." And I think I sort of had those thoughts tenfold while writing Part 2. If you paid attention, you can probably see where I was trying to shut down certain discussions in the narrative lmao

Recently I had a tiny epiphany and reminded myself that it's not always about what I intend to write, but what is being understood by each reader. And yes this is basic writing 101 but let me have this moment of clarity okay. Embracing that means I can proceed with Infamous without holding back and sticking to my guns in regards to what I want for this story aka I'm just going to write what I write and like....not worry about the rest you feel (while of course integrating the common critiques and suggestions and improving on the things Infamous falls short in—I am not Shakespeare lmao)

ANYWAY my point is that I'm excited to fix up the demo !!! and just go back to it with complete confidence in myself and write whatever the heck feels right to me (and write the rest of the story lolol) and return with a better story than I have now for everyone!!

✮ — December will be for

planning what I'm going to improve and squeezing that in a reworked outline so it can flow much better narratively.

Outlining Chapter 3 and hopefully have the bare bones first draft drafted up which is mostly just be writing blocks of descriptions

I'm not sure I'll have anything substantial to justify looking for beta testers so soon yet but maybe!

work on my spice writing babey writing/reading spice makes me actually physically recoil but im determined to get better! which reminds me to finish the 6k follower gifts!

And also take a small breather because I am moving!

✮ — Patreon

I've already mentioned this on Patreon and a few times on here, but I do want to reiterate that Patreon content is coming out in bulk this month, in case anyone was wondering why I'm not posting as frequently. The content is still the same in terms of the quantity, it just won't be released every few days! thank you guys for being understanding of that <3

✮ —

My activity has is decreasing little by little due to my move but I do read every question and try to at least answer one question a day. I get quite a few mentions lately so I have to sort through those since I do get tagged in things, but I miss them due to my notifications. Usually I hope for the best and hope tracking the tag puts it on my dashboard <3 im not ignoring anyone!

That's all for now! Hope everyone has a happy December and Happy Holidays!

[sunnie-angel]

Sunnieeee babyyy what do we think about femjay and marriage? Yay or nay? Does she even want to get married? Is she wife-ing you up or is she waiting for you to pop the question? Elopement or ceremony? WHERE does she take you for your honeymoon 😼

ooooh so i've been sitting on this ask for a bit (mostly because i start thinking about fem!jay in a tux and my brain stops working) but i love this question so much.

the question, of course, depends on when you ask her. at 15, it's an emphatic no. she hates the way that the question gets asked by the upper crust busybodies because she knows it's always with some strange faceless man in mind waiting for her at the altar. never mind that jay's never shown interest in a boy but her best friend, the assumption is there and she hates it.

at 21, fresh out of the pit and off a revenge streak, she'd laugh in your face (and riddle you with bullets, depending on who's doing the asking). she's the big bad red hood, you think she's gonna settle down? think she'd hand over her empire for a little ring and a bit of paper? fat chance. marriage didn't save her mother from a husband that was never around. talia's still pinning her hopes on a one day maybe. jay's got plans and none of those include marriage. who'd want her anyway?

you ask her when she's 23 and happily in love for the first time, well that's a different story. she's still got her hangups - the past doesn't let go so easily - but she wants to know why you want this. you start with the practical, legal reasons first. you're a vigilante and yeah you might get most of your medical treatment from secret facilities but i want to be allowed in the room for all the times you end up in the hospital. i might be under the hood's extra legal protections but there's a comfort in being legally tied to you too. then you move on to the emotional ones. i want to bring our families together to celebrate us. i want to stand up in front of the world and declare that i'm yours and you're mine. and well, it's everything that jay didn't know she wanted. answers the greedy, grasping parts of her hindbrain at the thought of publicly branding herself as yours and whoops suddenly the apartment is full of wedding planning materials. spring you said?

you asked, but she proposes. applies all her tactical knowledge to planning the perfect, meaningful proposal. she enlists the help of all of her many siblings, and thankfully it all goes to plan. she still manages to surprise you, jolts you into happy tears when she gets down on one knee and pulls out two matching rings.

the engagement goes off without a hitch, but the wedding? that very quickly spirals out of control. everyone has an opinion and your head's spinning with tablescape designs and flower arrangements and jay wants to help but she's worried about being just another opinion shouting in your ear. so jay calls in some favours from clark to borrow a photographer and gets you to clear the rest of your weekend. she takes you shopping with bruce's credit card, a fun little white cocktail dress she has you wear out of the store and into the courthouse. the two of you get married right there, with only the courthouse judge and two random witnesses you kidnap from the corridors. it's done! you two are married, and it's like this great weight is lifted from both of you. Mrs. and Mrs. Todd. The ceremony, the great tentpole party, that's for everyone else but this bit is just for the two of you.

your public ceremony is the event of Gotham society's year. even the daily globe over in metropolis prints a feature on it. but jay doesn't care because her wife - her wife! - is holding her hand and kissing her to the cheers of both of their families.

(tbh i don't think the honeymoon location matters so much because she is not letting you leave the bed for three days straight after 🤭)

[lucysarah-c]

WE NEED AN ENTIRE STORY OF LEVI AS A BABY BOY DADDY! LIKE PLEASE ITS ACTUALLY TOO GOOD 🙏🙏🙏🙏😭😭😭😭😭😭😭😭

PLEASEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏😭😭😭😭😭😭😭🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏😭😭😭😭😭😭

You all have inspired me to write a one-shot, so I'll post it soon. Thank you so much!

But since I'm on it, I think I'll give you a few headcanons.

In my idea, Levi didn't have many children, and while sometimes my scenarios may change depending on the situation, mostly Levi's boy would be an only child. This wasn't Levi's original idea, and I'll explain why.

Leaving aside whether in the canon period of time there are real contraceptives or not, I 100% believe Levi is a highly meticulous guy. If he needs to pull out and count days in the old-fashioned way, he will. If he has to wear condoms every single time, he will. I believe Levi would try to make sure that if he ever has a child, it would be planned, as far as is humanly possible, of course. Sometimes contraceptives fail, etc.

In my mind, I believe Levi and Y/N decided or happened to have a kid around the time before the expedition to Wall Maria. There was about half a year when the scouts waited for the correct time to do the expedition to Wall Maria. Well, I believe she probably got pregnant around that time. I believe it was a mix between Levi transitioning a lot of emotions after Kenny's death, etc., and having more free time on his hands since they weren't doing expeditions while preparing for the mission… and well… let's say they decided to go handy, haha.

With that said… I think Levi would hardly admit it out loud, but he's one of those guys who always wanted to be parents, so they kinda said, "You know what? Fuck it, if it happens, it happens," and well, it happened almost immediately. Levi hears the news around two months later, and let me tell you, this man is all over the moon. He wants to be part of EVERYTHING. For me, Levi wants to prove that he is better than the men who failed his mother and also failed him. Levi wants to prove he can be a present father.

She goes to the doctor for just a check, he wants to be there. Better keep his man informed because he would ask a million questions. He's a first-time father, and she may sneeze, and he's all worried. Levi saw too many women die in childbirth or from difficult pregnancies in the underground. He's blessed with the chance of being a father, but also terrified. Levi feels that if he loses his love just because he "grew selfish" and asked for more (aka asked for a kid), he would feel horrible.

Anyways, back in the day, men waited outside during birth, and I believe they would try to kick Levi out of the room, and he would be like, "and who is going to stop me?" He wants to be there.

Now is when his baby boy comes into the picture. I believe, and God bless the mother, he was such a healthy CHUNKY boy. He was BIG. Those kinds of kids that look so healthy but at the same time, it's like "he literally sucked her dry, that baby took anything the mother has to offer."

Like, she's too tired after childbirth, and the nurses offer Levi feeding bottles with milk to keep the baby eating while the mother rests… and the baby is EATING to the point a doctor comes, pats Levi's arm playfully, and says, "Hope you've a good salary, Captain, because that kid is going to eat like a horse."

Perhaps these are the only few times that Levi is the most excited out of the two, she's tired from all the work, and Levi is over the moon. Ah, but don't you dare to touch his baby without washing your hands. If Levi could force you to take a bath in chlorine before even getting close to his baby, he would.

Aside from that, I think Levi's baby boy that I've named in my mind "Adrien" because Y/N thinks that naming her kids with A's to match the last name, especially since Ackerman's are finally able to not be in hiding.

In my mind, Adrien inherits Kenny's height. Yes, as you heard, KENNY'S HEIGHT. 190cm (6'3"). He's a big boy. I think it's funny that all the doctors check the baby and say, "haha, he's going to be tall!" and Levi is there looking at her like "… I don't like to admit I'm short as fuck, but if the kid isn't mine you can tell me," joking obviously, lmao.

"Levi, the kid is a photocopy of you."

Adrien is an extremely playful, happy, and hyperactive kid. He's so cheerful, and it makes Levi wish his mother was around so he could ask if he was such a cheerful kid too.

Chunky fat legs running down the halls as he doesn't even speak properly, but he already knows which office is daddy's office. He loves horses, he loves playing soldier, he loves being a daddy's boy.

This is when I mention that I believe Levi having a single child wasn't his original plan. I think he wished to give Adrien a sibling to make sure he won't be alone in life if anything ever happens to him as he was. But the whole rumbling happened, and after that, Levi was too busy trying to move him and his family outside of Paradise and after that settling down, taking care of Gabi and Falcon, that well time flew, and when everything was back to calmness, haha, well let's say that Levi had to admit that the train had left the station, and his energy to go back to change diapers had kinda withdrawn, lmao.

Finally, I think Adrien was a very hyperactive kid mainly because of the Ackerman genes. He has energy, he has strength, he has the abilities. He just has too much bottled up and doesn't know how to get tired. Levi is basically running around making sure the kid isn't jumping from the roof or climbing the kitchen cupboards. He probably ends up signing him up for a bunch of activities: baseball, self-defense classes, football, triathlon.

I have a bunch of other headcanons, so let me know if you want more!"

Tags!: @nube55 @justkon @notgoodforlife @nmlkys @humanitys-strongest-bamf @quillinhand @thoreeo @darkstarlight82 @i-literally-cant-with-this @angelofthorr @aomi04 @levisbrat25 @fxnnyackerman @secretmoneybearvoid @s0meb0dy-0nce-t0ld-me @trashblackrainbow @l3visthighs @hum4n-wr3ckag3 @hannieslovebot @feelingsandemotionsnotexplored @flxrartsstuff @starrylevi @rithty @mariaace @ackrmntea @emilyyyy-08 Wanna join my tag list? Here!

[wantondoe]

Birthday Sinner

Hello you dirty sinner~ (<- Did you like that, you mommy's little who-) Today's my birthday so I wanted to write something to celebrate that! I thought this would be wholesome!

Plot: You celebrate your birthday with the Hazbin Hotel characters :D (comedy) / Warnings: cursing and sexual themes, but still SWF imo (naturally) / gender neutral reader / CONTAINS SPOILERS

!! By now I've mostly written comedic stories, let me know down in the comments (or somewhere) if you have any requests. Also, I'm still pretty new to the app so please excuse my clumsiness. Anyway, enjoy! (Or don't, if you're a masochist) !!

The day before your birthday

You were casually spending an evening in the living area with the rest of the staff. You were passively scrolling through Voxtagram, when Charlie asked something.

"So, someone's birthday is coming up, huh?" Charlie spoke with a slightly hesitant voice. You raised a brow.

"Very subtle", Angel commented sarcastically.

"Aaand-", Charlie continued, "we, we were all wondering..." she awkwardly paused, seeing if anyone else would try to ask about your birthday plans. "WE WERE ALL THNKING-"

"We were thinking about throwing you a birthday party", Vaggie finished Charlie's sentence.

"Guys, that's so sweet, but... I'm much too old to celebrate my birthday... I was just planning on having a laid-back day in my room", you answer, putting down your phone.

"That sounds sad", Angel pointed out. "Come on, it'll be your birthday, toots! Loosen up a bit!"

"Angel's right", Husk agreed. "You should do something special for your big day, kiddo."

"Honestly, I've just gotten too lazy to think about throwing a party. My birthday isn't a big deal anyway..."

Nifty jumped on the sofa with you, her singular eye glowing. "Birthdays are the best! How old are you going to be?"

Alastor emerged from the shadows, his lean figure appearing behind you. "Nifty dear you should never ask someone about their age!"

"Dammit Alastor, don't sneak up on me like that!" you jolted. "Guys, I really appreciate your offers, but I don't need a huge party... Good night everyone!" That being said, you made your way upstairs towards the bedroom.

After you were gone, Charlie spoke again: "Guys, I think we should throw her the biggest, craziest birthday ever!

Birthday morning:

Today you'd spoil yourself. You'd sleep in, take a hot bath, eat a luxurious breakfast, and perhaps go on a refreshing walk in Cannibal Town.

Sitting up on the bed, you stretched your arms before walking to the bathtub. You carefully placed a fluffy towel on a stool next to the tub before sinking into the hot water. You closed your eyes, feeling the water around relaxing every muscle of yours. Finally, some relaxing alone time-

A slight frown formed between your brows as you heard Angel and Vaggie yell something in the aisle. You tried to brush it off, but it sounded like chaos emerging. Vaggie yelled something at Angel, and then there was a sound of silverware hitting the floor, followed by Angel's high pitched scream.

Alright, so that was odd. But you wouldn't let their antics ruin your peaceful morning! After you were done with the bath, you got up and carefully dried yourself. After slipping on your favorite clothes, you made your way downstairs.

Apparently, Nifty had been feeling extra productive, as she had made breakfast for everyone. There were pancakes, eggs, fruits, drinks... Everything you could imagine. They had even gotten a chocolate fountain!

"Happy birthday", the all said in unison.

"Wow, guys this is... This is amazing", you walked further into the dining area. "Is this for me...?"

"We wanted to make something special for your birthday!" Charlie clapped her hands.

"This certainly is", you take a seat between Angel and Alastor. "Thank you."

"Of course! Anything for a lovely sinner like you!" Alastor smiled, making you blush slightly.

Charlie looked smitten. "Now to sing happy birthday-"

"Don't you fucking dare", you cut in.

"I wasn't going to sing anyway", Husk admitted.

"Husk, you are a true friend", you smile at the grumpy cat demon.

"Oh, well", Charlie shrugged, "enjoy!"

Birthday, 11 am

You were craving a glass of ice water, so you made your way downstairs to the kitchen. For your surprise, you found Alastor casually standing in front of the door, efficiently blocking the way.

"Hello-!"

"Alastor, why are you blocking the door?" you stand close to him. He frowned a bit, but his wide grin remaining.

"Well, I'm afraid you can't use the kitchen right now my dear!" he explained with his usual cheerful tone.

"What? Why? The kitchen was fine in the morning!"

"My dear there's a plumbing issue!" Alastor lied effortlessly. However, the noises coming behind the door were rather unconvincing.

Vaggie behind the door: Dammit Angel I told you to use the timer!

Angel behind the door: It might still be edible, we just need to take off the burnt parts-

Vaggie behind the door: It's all burnt!

Alastor sighed at the noises coming behind the door. Soon, an intense smell of burnt food made its way through the door.

"Alastor, you lying piece of wendigo", you call him out. "I'll just grab some water-" you say, your hand reaching the doorknob.

"THAT IS NOT POSSIBLE AT THE MOMENT", Alastor rushed to say, gently smacking your hand away using his radio staff.

"For the love of all that is unholy, why won't you let me in!"

"I, uh", Alastor's charismatic persona dropped for a bit.

"You're being so weird!" you groan in frustration, marching away.

After your form was nowhere to be seen anymore, Alastor peeked his head through the door. "WHAT IS GOING ON IN THERE? Can't you two make a cake without being overly suspicious about it?"

Vaggie huffed at Alastor. "Well, you'd be welcome to make this cake, but you'd probably spoil it by using human blood anyway!"

Angel cried, holding an utterly burnt chocolate cake in his spider arms. "I did follow the recipe!"

Vaggie: "Angel, you waste of a jawline!"

Birthday afternoon

Charlie was talking on her phone in the lobby, as she spotted you. Her eyes widened and she instinctively moved to block the door.

"Not this shit again", you mutter. "Charlie, not you too! Why are you all trying to block my way everywhere?!"

"Where do you think you're going?" Charlie asked awkwardly.

"Outside, for a walk. I'm a free sinner-"

"That just won't do!" she blocked the doorway with her body.

"Dammit Charlie!" you curse, marching back in the hotel.

Charlie watched you disappear in the hotel before lifting the phone on her ear again. "Yes, dad. We need 100 balloons and a Vox-shaped pinata. Yes that was Alastor's idea..."

Birthday evening

Frustrated, you had spend your whole birthday chilling on your bed. Your eyes were already drying up from staring at your phone all day. You didn't even notice someone sneaking behind you. The last thing you remembered was something blunt hitting the back of your head before a total blackout.

You had no idea how much time had passed. You woke up, only to realize you were blindfolded. Then you panicked as you realized you were tied up on a chair. However, your panic melted away as soon as you heard the familiar voices.

Charlie: Nifty! I told you to bring them here, not to... assault them!

Nifty: Those are the same thing!

Angel: Ooh you tied them up! How kinky!

Cherry Bomb: Very sexy indeed. Am I the only one imagining them naked?

Angel: Nope.

Husk: Dammit Nifty! What if they wake up with brain damage?

Vaggie: Do we have the balloons? Also, where's Lucifer?

Charlie: Ah, dad couldn't join us, he's still recovering from the hemorrhoid surgery (if you know you know, if you don't, go read my post "Drop Dead Gorgeous"). He even had to get one of those hemorrhoid pillows!

Angel: No anal for Lucifer for a while...

Alastor: Now now, Angel, don't be lewd.

Angel: I'm bored just standing here! When is the bitch going to wake up?!

You smirk. "I am awake, Angel."

A long silence followed your statement.

Charlie: Uh, ha ha, that's great. Uh, Nifty, will you undo your... The blindfold and the ropes?

"Surprise!"

"Surprise motherfucker", Angel grinned.

You were freed from your restrains in mere seconds. You saw all your friends gathered around you. They were smiling awkwardly, wishing you happy birthday in unison. You noticed the ridiculous amount of balloons behind them and a pinata that really did look like Vox.

"You guys really went out of your ways to make this happen huh?" You couldn't deny it, it was impressive. Knowing the hazbins and their quirks, you were surprised that they had been able to put up everything so nicely.

"We just thought you should have a proper birthday, my dear", Alastor chuckled.

"You guys really won't give up huh. Thank you", you giggled. "Alright, you win. Let's party."

"Okay, so first, we got some presents!" Charlie motioned towards the pile of presents in the living room.

You kept opening the gifts, your heart fluttering as they had gifted things you had actually asked for. Then came Angel's turn.

"Happy birthday toots", Angel wished, smirking widely.

"Angel, this present is clearly the shape of a dildo", you state.

"Hey! Don't ruin the surprise!" Angel pouted. "It's not just any dildo, it has 13 different vibrating modes-"

You ripped the wrapping, revealing a huge dildo. You read the text on the package: "Hellpounder 3000, size XL." Your eyes widened as it started vibrating violently. "Angel for the love of Satan!"

Charlie coughed awkwardly while Alastor's aura got exponentially darker.

"Pretty sweet huh?" Angel winked an eye. "I promise you, it gives multiples, every time-"

"Alright!" you blush. "Thank you Angel, I can tell you really care about my, uh, well being", you wrap the dildo back in the paper.

Surprise guest

"We have one final surprise for you!" Charlie's smile widened, if that was even possible by now. "We have someone very special who's come all the way from heaven!"

A familiar serpent figure stepped from the shadows.

"Oh my Hell... Do my eyes deceive me?" You stepped closer. "Sir Pentious! It really is you!" You jumped to hug your old friend. "Look at you all dressed up in white! It does suit you! Ah, it's so good to see you!"

"It's good to see you too my old friend!" Sir Pentious smiled. "I'm glad they let me visit Hell every now and then!"

"How's Heaven treating you?" you ask curiously.

"It's pretty nice, though sometimes I find myself missing Hell, especially you people", Sir Pentious responded with a longing expression.

"You're the best birthday present ever!" you hum happily, giving him one more hug.

"I resent that", Angel crossed his arms.

"Come on Sir Pentious! Let's cut the cake!" you lead the snake to the kitchen followed by the others.

Cutting the cake

"Happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, happy birthday to you, dirty sinner, happy birthday to you", they sangs happily as you laughed softly, cutting the ridiculously large cake.

"This is my favorite cake guys!" you exclaim.

"I know my cake", Angel smirked. "Yeah, you like eating cake don't you-"

"Ahem", Alastor furrowed his brows.

Even Lucifer had joined them through a video call.

"Happy birthday kid!" Lucifer smiled through the screen. "I'm sorry I couldn't join today..."

"It's okay Lulu, how's the recovery?" you ask while the others cut the cake.

"Well, the hemorrhoid surgery was a success, but this recovery bullshit sure is painful. Like, everything I do reminds me of my ass. Trying to walk, sitting down, taking a dump-"

"That's cool, just keep talking about your ass while we eat cake", Husk muttered.

"I see it as very fitting", Angel chuckled. "You know, eating cake and talking about ass-"

"AHEM", Alastor raised his voice again.

"Damn, no Hellpounder 3000 for Lucifer anytime soon", Angel mumbled while moving to the side to grab some drinks.

"Well, I see you have your hemorrhoid pillow", you giggle. "It's gonna be fine, Lulu. Maybe next week Charlie can pick you up and bring you here to spend time with us!"

"Oh that would be just lovely. I'd be so pleased to get a visit from out hemorrhoid-ridden king", Alastor said, his cheery voice dripping with sarcasm.

You smiled at Lucifer and Alastor started bickering on the phone. You walk over to Vaggie. "Vaggie, I know none of this party would've succeeded if it wasn't for you. You truly are the backbone of this hotel and our little group of misfits. Thank you", you hug the fallen angel.

"T-thank you", Vaggie smiled shyly, feeling good that her effort was recognized. "That means a lot."

...

The party was going well. Everyone found their ways to keep themselves entertained. Vaggie and Charlie were eating snacks and talking with Lucifer on the phone, Alastor was enjoying a whiskey at Husk's bar. Nifty ran around the hotel with balloons, her manic laughter echoing in the hallways.

Even Fat Nuggets, Angel's adorable pet piglet had joined then. The pink piglet sniffed on the empty plates. Noticing the piglet's hunger, Charlie cut a piece of cake and placed the plate on the floor. "There you go, piggy."

You sat on the sofa with Angel as Alastor passionately beat up the Vox-shaped pinata.

"Oh my, he's really beating the shit out of that pinata", Angel raised an eyebrow.

"Even blindfolded, he manages to hit the right spots", you take a sip of your drink.

"That sounded hot", Angel said casually as you choked on your drink.

"Angel for fuck's sake!" you curse.

Alastor hit the pinata one final time before the candy fell out. Nifty was blissfully jumping around, catching the candy.

"Oh, aren't those two cute?"

You and Angel watch Alastor and Nifty interact. There was almost something daughter and father -like about the way the two interacted.

You noticed Sir Pentious in the opposite corner of the room, trying to flirt with Cherry Bomb.

Sir Pentious: So, if you were in Heaven... Would you open your heavenly gates for me?

You giggled with Angel at Sir Pentious' adorable attempts to flirt.

"Well, I must say this party turned out well. I feel like we've all been busy with the Hotel lately, so much so that we haven't gotten together like this for a while", you speak lazily.

"Yeah toots, your birthday was the perfect excuse to spend some quality time or whatever shit", Angel mumbled back, clearly intoxicated from the alcohol. "And I mean, look, we got Sir Pentious to visit too..."

"Man we are getting sentimental as fuck", you mumble, watching your friends enjoy the party. "It's like... We are having a deep conversation."

"So deep", Angel nodded with a suggestive tone. "You know toots, you should really give that Hellpounder 3000 a chance."

"Alright, I will", you rolled your eyes. "Man, this has been one of the best birthdays I've ever had."

Extra

It had been two weeks since your birthday. Charlie had decided to throw a casual family dinner at the Hotel, mainly because Lucifer seemed lonely. After all, Lucifer had been unable to join your birthday, which had left his pride wounded.

You were setting the table with Angel and Nifty as you saw Lucifer's car driven by Charlie enter the Hotel's front.

You walked closer to the window with Angel and watched the father and daughter struggle.

Charlie, trying to Help Lucifer out of the car: Dad, just take my hand!

Lucifer: It hurts too much! I can't do this...

Charlie: Come on dad, we made your favorite food! Here, let me carry your apple cane-

Lucifer, holding his butt: Charlie! CHARLIE! I think I popped the stitches! My hemorrhoids never leave me!

Charlie: Dad come on, walk along with me-

Lucifer with genuine panic in his voice: No! NO! We forgot my hemorrhoid pillow! I can't go anywhere without it! Please we have to get it-

Charlie: Okay, relax dad! I got the pillow, see? Now let's go!

Angel turned to look at you. "Well, this will be an interesting dinner."

"Poor Lulu tho", you chuckle as you glance through the window, seeing Lucifer being carried by his daughter. "We love our short king."

[askthefamous8]

Even if I haven't been very active lately, 9 years is still pretty significant- happy birthday to the blog!

So like Percy up there I'm gonna do so dome reflecting. This blog's where I've often done that for some reason, but here's the tl'dr for blog related stuff.

• I would like to keep drawing stuff but feeling generally unsure in myself, and I'm wondering if all the years of fandom harrassment have caught up with me • I have one big project in mind, I've been dipping my toe into what I'd need to do it. No spoilers but it was one of the first things I played around with this series, so do with that what you will • If I can keep myself drawing, I want to use more of the original source material since I'm struggling with original ideas. So stuff like redraws, hOpEfULlY even animatics, just like what originally got me so into trains yknow? Because that's fun and sparks joy. And that always goes down a treat with you guys so bonus • As always I appreciate you guys not coming after me for being so inconsistent

The rest of this is me doing what Percy's doing in the drawing and reflecting, as there is indeed much 2 think about. It's also a little sad and venty so, there's your warning there.

.

Ok so obviously a busy year, we moved into our new house that we actually own, I spent most of the year planning our wedding, and then got married. Big stuff. Also! I came off antidepressants in the summer. I've been on them for...basically as long as this blog, 6 months after I started it I think. Which also means I'd been on antidepressants my entire adult life. Feels like a big deal and I guess I'm still adjusting.

Another big thing, but sad, is that my dog died about two weeks ago. If you follow me on twitter you'll have seen her but she did make an appearance here a few Halloweens ago

I got her when she was 13 and had her 8 years after that. So that's been difficult. Unrelated to that (probably), but I just feel...really mediocre. And before you point out the obvious, this has been present even before I came off antidepressants. But yeah just... mediocrity. In myself as a person, how I look, what I draw, my whole life really (barring my marriage thankfully). What have I achieved? I'm 26, I'm not working, I don't feel well, my art isn't good (I don't think so anyway- like yeah it's technically fine I guess but it's not, and has never been, very stand-out or impressive). And lately art doesn't bring me the same joy it once did, and I'm wondering if all the years of harrassment from this fandom (mostly the twitter side, tumblr's been pretty good to me) has finally caught up with me and put me off the whole thing. Or worse, that I just don't have as much of an interest in it anymore. I don't think I'll ever be like "ok yep I'm officially done with this blog" because I'm so stubborn but idk. I want to make things and be creative, I want to make more train art, but it doesn't feel the same. I don't know what's wrong. What do you listen to? What you want vs what you feel? I still enjoy train stuff, I love going to Awdry Ex every year. It's been like this for awhile. It's not even like I have a strong feeling of what I'd rather be doing as far as careers go. And even if I did, oh yeah I'm sure my two degrees in animation will be very relevant in another field (sarcasm). I feel adrift. My sails are open but there is just no wind. Planning my wedding gave me something to do and work on and just, feel useful but now that that's over I feel lost again. Losing my dog, who had become the center of my life because of how vulnerable she had become, hasn't helped.

On the more creative side of things, I also don't really know what to do with this blog's story either. The show's ended as far as most people are concerned, and I kiiinda wrote myself into a corner because once Thomas turns 18 he's going to leave for university, and that sets off this whole arc with James but basically the problem is it involves characters leaving and for some reason that feels like a no-no here. Don't get me started on the timeline lol. But Thomas works on a railway on Sodor, that's how it has to be...right? I guess I'm sort of at a crossroads of, ok do I want this to be close to the source material, and thus easily digestible to newcombers? Or do I want to make it more and more my thing and distanced from the source material? I doubt there's many new people coming since the series ended. And even then, there's a lot more humanization artists around now than when I started, so it's not like I'm filling a niche anymore. Just to be clear it's fine and also good that there's more humanization artists, variety is good, I just don't feel as "needed" anymore (which is 100% in my head and not an actual role that belongs to me or something). I started this blog when I was 17, so my interests and what I relate to have changed obviously. The character designs certainly have. It's never followed a super rigid story plan, but the core of it has always been the central cast doing things on Sodor. I however have always had a scene/project/animatic/whatEver in mind for when this 'series' would '''officially''' ''''end''''. But then what comes after that? I've always tried to run this blog like they are Real People that You interact with. But in real life there is no ending to the story, there's always more stuff to come. You get married, and it's wonderful, and then life goes on. The credits never roll. So maybe that's what I'm having trouble coping with...the progression of time. Ah, my old nemesis. I've always had trouble with letting go of things. There's nothing to say that I couldn't still draw stuff after the series "ends". I guess any story after Thomas leaves could be like... a sequel series or a spin off or something. Spin-off of a spin-off. Famous 8 All Grown Up. Famous 8 Qurter Life Crisis. Who knows. I certainly don't.

I've also been really into an original project unrelated to this but those don't get as much attention and while I'd like to do something with it one day, I don't feel very confident in being able to make that happen right now. But you know... as far my as art not being super spectacular goes... I think my individual talent has always been is my ideas, like the writing side of things. And then brought to life with my art, which normally isn't anything to write home about but is good enough to convey the idea and be not-awful to look at, lifts both of them beyond what they were individually. Maybe that's what I should focus on. Maybe that's wishful thinking.

So....idk. Idk what I'm doing but I'm trying to be gentle on myself and just let myself continue to drift, to heal from this heavy loss, and then in the New Year I'll try and pick myself up. Then there will be no more big once-in-a-lifetime events coming up, no more just-moved-into-a-house-and-oh-no-there's-a-bunch-of-things-that-need-attention-NOW scenarios, and no more big holidays for awhile. I guess we'll see.

If you read all of this I am so sorry but also thank you for reading my ramblings. And thank you for being around, whether that's been for a few months or for several years, but especially if it's been several years

[cheezeybread]

Hello! I've been reading your Jamil [L/N] Headcanons and I am in love with your stories. I would like to make a request just to make the Viper Family regret disrespecting Jamil & His Husband. 😈

Request: With some planning and the right moves, [Y/N] becomes rich - EXTREMELY RICH - and surprised his husband with the news. Somehow, Jamil's Parents hear about the news and go to the The [L/N] House Party for obvious reasons. I wanna see Jamil and his Husband shut them down: It's the [L/N] Wealth!

Sorry this oneshot is a bit all over the place, I had a coffee and now I feel SO sick and my hands won't stop shaking lolllll

mmmm not proof-read either T^T

°。°。°。°。°。°。

The good thing about not being born and raised in this world was that you could easily see the various loopholes and "cheats" in their economic system. And other things, such as their gambling games.

Since the people in Twisted Wonderland grew up with all of these things as a constant, they lacked the ability to see any flaws in their systems. However, you could see right through them. First was their currency. Thaumarks were relatively easy to reproduce if one could find a skilled enough mage- of course, you weren't going to stoop down to that level of counterfeit behavior. Second was their card games. While your own world's average card deck housed about 52 cards, Twisted Wonderland's average card deck held 14 to 25 cards (all depending on what sort of deck you were purchasing- region-wise, people added cards to the deck for aesthetic reasons). This lower amount of cards would normally mean that you'd have a better chance of winning, but their game's rules were...stranger than most.

The main game people gambled and bet over was called "Mage Hunt". In this game, a player (or however many were playing a game) would be dealt with seven cards- these cards all representing a "kingdom", with kings, queens, knights, and the like. It was the player's job to find the "mage" in the group (The mage being either a specifically-made card, or a pre-determined card from the dealer), but they could only receive four extra cards before guessing. And they couldn't look at anyone else's cards. No hints were given.

It was a confusing game, when you first started playing it with Jamil. But you quickly learned that the dealer would more often than not pick their mage from the deck out of instinct. You found that their "instinct" was to pick a mage from the card with the most symbolic imagery in it. Crows and ravens, an absurd amount of flowers, stuff like that.

It was for this reason that you began to play the game a lot more. Professionally, even. Every time Jamil left the house to go run errands or explore, you would sneak off to the local gambling area (sometimes it would be a tavern, sometimes an alleyway in town, under a bridge, anywhere was fair game for these people) and play "Mage Hunt" for money. And since you and Jamil were out traveling as part of a Honeymoon, it made it surprisingly easy to win as much money as you could, then skip town before the locals caught on to your proficiency with cards.

And when you and Jamil finally made it back home, after months of traveling, you surprised him with the news of your success! He was mostly amused that you found it necessary to sneak off and play card games while traveling, but he only shook his head and smiled as he suggested you bring out all of your earnings.

His eyes got wider when you brought bags upon bags into the living room and began counting it out.

It was well over thirty-three thousand thaumarks. All from playing card games. It wasn't a grand fortune, by any means, but it was enough to make Jamil pass out briefly. And once you went to some higher-level Casinos (the real deal!) to bet all that you had earned before, you and Jamil went back home with twenty times that amount!

Now you were a wealthy couple- wealthy enough to live heartily and uneasy for the rest of the foreseeable future, without worrying about jobs and other stupid things. Hell yeah.

How the Viper family caught wind of your newfound riches was anybody's guess. Although the blame could...most likely lay with Kalim, who was absolutely over the moon about your card game knowledge (having lost most of his monthly allowance over playing it with you). That poor boy couldn't possibly keep his mouth shut around his family, and since the Viper family worked for his family...well...

In the end, you and Jamil walked into your home after running out to grab groceries, and who else was sitting in the living room but one Mister and Missus Viper?

Jamil tensed up as soon as he saw his parents, but he tried not to let his discomfort show as he squeezed your hand lightly and let go, setting down the paper bags in one of his arms on the kitchen's counter before returning.

"Mother, father," He said casually "I believe my rules were clear, and you followed them...let's see, not at all. So therefore, you're trespassing."

You hurriedly went to stand by his side, wrapping an arm around your husband's waist.

His father wasted no time in getting to the point, ignoring his son's words "We've come to realize that you're hiding wealth from your family, Jamil. But, of course, we wanted to give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that perhaps you just haven't found the time to give us our due," he held his hands up in a submissive gesture, although his eyes were almost predatory in nature "So we came to save you the time and effort."

"What are you on about?" Jamil laughed callously "Your due?"

"Jamil, you know good and well that that kind of money can get our family out of servitude-" Jamil's mother started.

He shot her down immediately, twisted out of your loving grip and taking a loud step towards her, the floor vibrating with the force of the movement "Excuse me, I thought serving the Asim family was your pleasure? And now, after all of this fuss-and-nonsense you gave me after marrying YN and choosing to raise our future family freely, away from serving a rich family, you come crawling back to us the moment you hear about money that my husband has earned?"

"You're being a selfish-" the dad started

"NO, YOU'RE BEING SELFISH!" Jamil shouted, making you flinch "GET OUT OF OUR HOUSE- This is not the Viper wealth, it's the LN wealth!"

"I think it's best you leave," you tried to speak motioning for the parents to exit the house. Best to leave now, before Jamil got himself in trouble for murdering his mother and father...

"This is a family matter, fuck off!" Jamil's mother snapped at you, the first time you've been directly addressed by his parents since, well, the wedding, almost.

The room went quiet, devoid of talking. The only sound was Jamil's heavy breathing as he tried to keep himself from flinging himself onto his mother right then and there. He closed the distance between him and his parents, his footsteps eerily silent

"Snake charmer," He whispered, his eyes flashing a brief glint of red. Having not seen Jamil use his signature spell since college, you took a step towards him, putting a hand on his shoulder to remind him of your presence. While he didn't say anything to you nor take his focus off his parents, you could feel his shoulders loosen up.

"Listen to me now," Jamil hissed "You are going to leave our house immediately and forget where it is. You will never interfere with mine nor my husband's lives ever again- and you will not ever, ever speak to me nor him, over the phone or otherwise."

That was the last time you saw the Viper parents. They stood up immediately, as per their son's instructions, and with a glazed look in their eyes, trudged to the door and opened it, disappearing into the outside world.

[peakyltd]

Peonies

I wrote this one shot for K’s (@runnning-outof-time) 'Tales from the Flower Garden, 3K Celebration'. The prompt I used can be found in italics (I might’ve even used it twice) 🤭

A/N: I wanted a challenge and I got one but no challenge is too big, right? It's my first one shot and it contains way more words than I expected, I didn't know I had it in me 😂 Now after rereading it a few times, I've became a bit unsure about it so I'd love to hear your feedback/tips/comments/anything! I hope that you guys like it! 💓

Extra note: The start of the story is set before the war.

Warning: Mentions of war. A bit of angst.

Wordcount: 3851

(Gif by: @thesoldiersminute. I take no credit for the gif!)

1913

“Goodmorning miss (Y/L/N).” A familiar voice rang trough the small flower shop, greeting her. (Y/N) recognized it immediately. “Goodmorning Mr. Shelby.” She giggled while turning around to face him. “What are you doing here so early in the morning?” Tommy leaned against the desk. “Nice to see you too (Y/N).” She rolled her eyes playfully.

(Y/N) and Tommy knew each other since they were kids, they were only 2 years apart and both grew up in Small Heath. She often played on the streets with the Shelby’s as kids and when they grew older, they hung out frequently. She worked in a flower shop in the neighborhood and Tommy loved to visit her there when he had the chance.

“I’m here to pick up some flowers.” He continued “Are you really?” (Y/N) asked him. “Have to make up something to Pol. I broke her expensive plates. She was furious.” He chuckled. “M' laughing now but I thought I was going to see god.”

Tommy was a soft and charming guy with a side full of mischievousness. (Y/N) loved that about him. He was easy going and she always had a good connection with the 23 year old Shelby. They had been friends for years after all. Although some feelings had kind of changed. It made her nervous, he made her nervous.

(Y/N) laughed. “What happened?” “Plates were on the table, Arthur was being an ass, I pushed him, he bumped against the table, you can guess the rest.” He explained to her. She shook her head, chuckling. “Poor Polly.” “Mind you I was almost a dead man, just saying.” He chuckled, while walking trough the small store.

“I think I'll go for these.” Tommy stated while picking up a small bouquet with pink roses and walking back to the desk, laying the flowers on top of it. “Aunt Polly will completely forget what you did if she sees these Tom.” (Y/N) joked, smiling at him.

While she wrapped the flowers up, he took a package of cigarettes out of his jacket. “Roses are you favorite too, right?” She looked up at him. “Yes an-” Tommy cut her off. “And Peonies. I know that.”

(Y/N) looked up at him. “Maybe I'll buy them for you one day. Would also look great in your bridal bouquet.” He looked at her, a cheeky smile on his face. (Y/N) gave him a confused look. "My bridal bouquet?" "Yeah, you know... for our wedding."

(Y/N) blushed, not knowing where to look or what to say. “Oh...” she muttered. Tommy took a cigarette out of the package, a big grin on his face.

“I uhm… yes they would look nice in a bouquet.” (Y/N) awkwardly stammered while she put the roses he chose, back on the desk in front of him. Tommy put the cigarette in his mouth, an amused look on his face. "Are you free tomorrow evening?"

(Y/N) nodded. "You planned the wedding already?" She joked, trying to ease down her own nerves but mostly hoping that Tommy would forget about her reaction.

"Not really but we can if you want." He laughed "I was thinking about going out for a walk. I want to show you something. You'll love it." "Okay."

"I'll come pick you up after dinner." He answered, as he takes the roses and puts the money on the desk. "See you tomorrow then." She smiled at him. "See you tomorrow miss (Y/L/N)." He said while walking out of the store.

Tommy was late, it was slowly getting dark and she was still waiting for him. Maybe he forgot, she thought until she heard knocking at her door. She got up to open it.

“I thought you wouldn’t come anymore.” She told him as she put on her coat. “I would never forget about you, eh." He defended as she walked out the door. "I hope not."

"You're questioning it?" He asked her whilst bringing her in for a hug. She giggled, hugging him back. Although she was nervous, his strong arms felt safe. She wouldn't mind just holding him the whole evening.

"Just kidding Tom." "I know." He mumbled as he kissed her forehead. "Ready to go?" Y/N blushed at his sudden move. "Yes."

The walk took a bit longer than she expected, it got dark pretty quickly and she still had no clue about where Tommy was taking her. Until they both ended up in front of a wall that seperated them from whatever could be behind it.

(Y/N) wanted to ask Tommy what they were doing here but before she knew he had already climbed on top of it and reached out for her hand. She hesitately grabbed it as he helped her onto the wall, making sure she could sit down safely.

On the other side was a beautiful garden with many flowers, lit by the moon that was now fully visible. A small greenhouse stood next to it and in the distance was a big house. It was barely visible because of the lack of lights.

“It’s beautiful Tom but I really think we shouldn’t be here.” She whispered. "It's fine (Y/N), nothing to be afraid of." He assured her while jumping off the wall.

"We're on someone else's property Tommy, I don't want to get into any trouble." (Y/N) pleaded whilst looking around, afraid that someone would caught them.

"Come." Tommy grabbed her hands and carefully helped her off the wall. "But I-" "Now look at these flowers and tell me what kind they are." He disrupted, eyeing her to see if she finally got why he brought her here.

When she realized what he meant she looked up at him. "Peonies..." Not knowing what else to say. "Your favorites." He smiled at her. "How did you find this?" "Came across it once while helping uncle Charlie and I thought you'd like to see it." "I do." She breathed out, looking at the flowers. Tommy took her hand and strolled with her trough the garden.

"They are so pretty, I'm sure their colors are even more beautiful in the daylight." (Y/N)'s fingers slided carefully over the peonies. Tommy took his coat off and layed it down on the grass, in the middle of the garden. The space was surrounded by the many gorgeous flowers.

"You can sit here if you want." (Y/N) turned around to face him and smiled at his gesture. "Oh, thank you." She walked over and sat down on Tommy's coat, he sat down next to her. "We could come back to see them in daylight." He offered.

"I would love to but I don't think the owner would like it." She mentioned as she eyed the house in the distance. "They don't have to know." He stated, looking at her.

She shook her head. "They will, if they see us." "I'll think of something." Tommy moved closer to her, wrapping his arms around her waist.

She felt the butterflies fluttering in her stomach as she leaned against him. "If you forgot your worries about people finding us here, what do you think of it?" He asked while stroking her hair. It was soft between his fingers.

"I love it. Thank you for bringing me here. It's very special." She admits as she looked up at him. His blue eyes meeting hers. "Special place for a special young lady." He beamed, stroking her rose tinted cheek gently with his thumb.

(Y/N) giggled, putting her hand on his chest. "You're making me shy." She softly admitted. "Nothing to be shy about, love." He told her as he held her gaze.

"You look beautiful in the moonlight." Tommy leaned in confidently but carefully, afraid of scaring her away. (Y/N)'s heart was beating fast, breath stuck in her throat. "Can I kiss you?" He asked her softly. "Please..." She whispered.

Tommy pressed his lips softly against hers. She returned the favor and slowly moved her hand to his neck, pulling him closer. Blood rushed trough her veins as his hand moved down to her hip, holding her firmer as he deepened the kiss.

She had dreamt often of this moment but never thought it would be this good. His lips were soft and his touch so gentle, she melted. He smelled like cologne mixed with the smell of cigarettes, so familiar but this time it hit her different.

Tommy slowly pulled away from the kiss, a smile on his face. (Y/N) looked up at him, beaming as she took a deep breath. “I’ve wanted to do that for a long time.” Tommy confessed. “Me too.” (Y/N) admitted, placing her hand on his cheek.

Before Tommy could say anything else, Y/N had pulled him into another kiss already, this time a little more fiery. Her nerves seemed to have made place for more confidence. Tommy placed one hand on her lower back as the other grabbed her jaw gently. She moaned softly, her hands roamed trough his hair, pulling softly on the ends.

It felt like they were the only people in the whole world that moment. Just them, as if they were meant for each other.

This time she was the first to break away from him. slowly lowering her hands down to his chest. Tommy pressed his lips against hers again for a quick kiss. "I fancy you even more than I already did." He confessed to her as he looked into her eyes.

"You fancied me?" "Wasn't it obvious?" He laughed. "Well... I don't know. I thought I... I thought you didn't l like me that way." She stammered.

"And I wasn't sure about you fancying me until the day I came in to buy flowers." "What do you mean?" (Y/N) asked him, hoping he wouldn't bring up her awkward response.

"When I started about our wedding day, I never saw someone's cheeks that shade of red." He teased, grinning at her. "Tommy!" She gently pushed his chest, laughing at his comment. "Just kidding, love. But honestly, that was when I knew I had to shoot my shot."

A blush creeped onto Y/N's cheeks again. "Well I'm happy you did." She confessed to him, looking down at her lap, fumbling with her dress. "Don't get shy." He chuckled as he lifts her chin with his finger. "Now before I'll walk you home, I just want to do this one more time." He smiled at her before kissing her again.

Months went by since they shared their first kiss and they couldn't be happier. Tommy officially asked (Y/N) to be his girlfriend during a dinner he made. He made sure he wore his best clothes and had the house to himself. He had begged his family to let him have the house for a few hours. He tried to make her favorite dish because he knew how much she loved it and he wanted to impress her

(Y/N) showed up very excited for whatever surprise Tommy had planned for her. Candles had lit the small dining table and he made sure he had a fresh bouquet of flowers for her. Of course her favorites.

After dinner, they ended their night in front of the fireplace where they shared plans for the future, their future. After a while they decided to move to Tommy’s bedroom, not wanting to be bothered by any of the returning Shelby’s.

It was a perfect night, even though Tommy didn't turn out to be the best cook.

1914

"I saved a piece for you." (Y/N) said as she takes a piece of pie, neatly wrapped, out of her basket. "I know it's your favorite." She added as she hands Tommy the piece.

They agreed to meet at the cut in Tommy’s break. He was taking care of the horses to make some extra money. The cut was also the place where they could escape both their families for a while and spend time with one another. The faint sounds of the town in the distance.

"You didn't have to." "I wanted to. It's made with love." She giggled. "Thank you." He mumbled as he kissed her cheek, earning a smile. Tommy unpacked the piece of pie. "Don't you want a piece of it?" "No, it's all yours Tom."

A few birds flew by, Y/N watched them. "I wish we could be as free as them." She said, looking at Tommy as he eats a bit of his pie. "We could go wherever we wanted." He didn't react, his mind somewhere else. "Tommy?" He looked up at her. "Hm?" "Are you okay?" He nodded.

"Are you sure?" She asked him, worry on her face. He acted different and it confused her. "I have to tell you something" He eventually confessed. (Y/N) nervously played with his fingers. "I-I signed up for the military." He told her, staring at the water.

He knew he was going to hurt her and he dreaded telling her. He knew she would understand eventually. He just had to do it.

(Y/N) didn't know what to say. Many people had already been sent off to fight but she didn’t expect Tommy to go. Or at least she hoped he wouldn’t have to.

“Arthur and John will be joining too." He added.

“Oh.” She whispered, tears welling up in her eyes. “Where will you go?” She whimpered. “France.”

She fought against her tears but lost. Tommy put the pie next to him, wrapping his arms around her, pulling her in for a tight hug. Her soft sobs the only thing to be heard.

“Don’t cry, love. It will be okay.” He tried to assure her as he rubbed her back. He didn’t know if it would be okay. He didn’t know anything.

“How can you say that?” She softly says. Tommy gently grabs her face, wiping the tears from her cheeks. “Because I’ll make sure it will be.” (Y/N) looked at him, taking a deep breath.

“You have to promise me that you’ll come back. Alive.” Her voice shook, desperate for some kind of assurance. “I promise, darling. I promise you that I will come back.”

(Y/N) snuggled into his chest, softly sniffling. “Why, Tommy?” “I have to do it.” “Do you really?” “I want to.” He shortly explained.

“When will you leave?” “In two weeks.”

They held each other for a while, hoping it wouldn’t be the last time. Tommy stroked her hair as she stared at the water, not fully realizing what he just told her.

“Would you like to go out for a walk tonight?” He asked. She sat up and wiped the new fallen tears of her face. “Yes.” “We could go see the horses as well eh, they like your company.” He smiled at her, trying to lighten the mood a bit. “I’d like that.” A small smile on her face.

She got up and took her basket. “See you tonight then.” “Do you want me to walk you home?” “No, thank you. I’ll be alright.” She told him, straightening her dress. Just as she wanted to walk off, he called her name.

“Y/N?” “Yes?” “You can’t leave without giving me a kiss.” He said, looking up at her, a grin on his face. Despite the situation, she couldn’t help but smile.

1918

(Y/N) was nervously waiting on the trainstation. Today was the day Tommy finally would come back home. At least she hoped so, it had been weeks since she received his last letter and she didn’t want to think about what could have happened in the meantime.

She joined Polly, Ada and Finn who had missed their nephews and brothers. They all lived years in uncertainty, something that wouldn’t end until they were here. Back in their arms.

She remembered the last time she was here, sending the love of her life away. Not knowing if he would ever return. Tommy tried to cheer her up with his jokes, saying that it would be okay and that he would be back before she knew it. It still upset her when she thought about it. He wanted to be strong for her but she saw the fear and sadness in his eyes when they said their last goodbyes.

As the train approached, people started to gather on the platform. Most of them were finally able to see their loved ones again. Or at least they hoped so.

Once the train had stopped, a crowd had formed already. (Y/N) moved closer to to see if she could find Tommy. She stood on her tiptoes, trying to look over the crowd.

No sight of Tommy so far. Patience running low as she walked back to Polly. The woman saw the anxiety in (Y/N)’s face. “Just a few more minutes.” She tried to comfort her.

(Y/N) nodded, watching how soldiers walked over the platform, looking for their families. Others had already reunited with their loved ones. But there was still no sign of Tommy.

Minutes never felt that much like hours until she spotted a familiar face between all the uniforms. He seemed different, his hair was shorter and he looked older but it was him. “Thomas!” She yelled out, running to him, tears brimming in her eyes. He was finally home. Alive. Like he had promised.

She flew around his neck, Tommy wrapped his arms tightly around her. “I missed you so much Tommy.” She sobbed softly. “I missed you too, love.” He told her, pulling her in for a kiss.

(Y/N) looked up at him, wiping away her tears. Tears of relieve this time. When he met her eyes, she smiled at him. Soon realizing that something had changed. The little twinkle had made place for a kind of dull, emptiness in them.

Tommy stroked her hair, pulling her in for another kiss. She wrapped her arms around his neck, moving her fingers trough his hair. Finally being able to have his lips back on hers.

“I’m glad you didn’t forget about me.” He mumbled against her lips. “I would never.” She stated, happy to have him safe back in her arms.

It had been two weeks since Tommy came home. Although she was very happy to have him back, things had changed. His demeanor was cold and distant and he talked less.

She knew he had seen horrible things in France, things that caused his sleepless nights and gave him awful flashbacks. Somewhere she hoped that it would take time for him to recover in some way but deep down she knew he had changed forever. The only thing she could do for him, was loving him. Be there for him when he needed someone. No matter what.

So that's what she did. She'd listen to him when he did want to talk, show him how much she loved him and take him out if he wanted, trying to clear his mind in some way.

(Y/N) stood in the kitchen, making sandwiches. As she wrapped them up, she put them in her basket. She decided to take Tommy out for a picnic, it was a sunny day and she hoped he would enjoy to spend some time outside.

She took her basket and went outside to meet him at his house. When she arrived, he was already waiting for her. “I hope I didn’t make you wait too long.” She said as she kissed his cheek. “You didn’t.” He assured. “I do have a meeting this afternoon so I can’t stay all day.” “That’s okay.” She told him.

“Where are you taking me?” He asked her. “You’ll see.”

Their walk was quiet, the wind blew softly and the sun warmed their skin. “We could’ve gone to the cut.” Tommy stated. “We could but we won’t. We’ll be going right there.” (Y/N) pointed at a gate.

He recognized it faintly but it still seemed different from what he could remember. Once they got closer he knew why.

The gate used to be a wall. The wall he helped (Y/N) over to surprise her with the beautiful garden that was hidden behind it. As he looked at her to say something, he saw her taking out a key. She took it to unlock the gate and opened it for him.

Tommy frowned, a confused look on his face. (Y/N) chuckled. “Are you going to ask something or shall I just explain it?” “Just explain it.”

“My boss bought the house. The land came with it and now we sell the flowers in the shop.” She explained to him. “I told him I wanted to take care of the garden and he let me. That’s why I have this.” She said, dangling the key before putting it into her basket.

Tommy nodded. "I came here often when you were away. It reminded me of you." (Y/N) told him as she took his hand. She brought him to the middle of the garden, just like he had done for her. She sat the basket down, taking the blanket and layed it on the grass.

They both sat down and she handed him a sandwich. “I made your favorite.” Tommy took of his cap. “Thank you.” He answered, looking around the garden. “I never took you to see them by daylight.”

“Now I’m taking you to do so.” She smiled at him. “We did lots of other nice things.” She added. “But I still should have taken you.” Tommy said, eating his sandwich. “You can still do it. It’s not too late for that.” She assured him. "We can go anytime we want now."

A comfortable silence fell over them as they finished their sandwiches. The sounds of birds and rustling of the leaves were calming on both of them. It made her think of life before war. Before Tommy had changed. She wondered if he could ever be happy again, dealing with such a trauma. It’s been a long time since she had seen a genuine smile on his face.

“Are you getting used to the life at home again?” She softly asked him. He looked at her. “Yes.” He answerd as he layed down.

“Come, I want to hold you.” He told her as he patted the spot next to him. (Y/N) layed down, her head on his chest. He put his arm around her, stroking her back. “I love you.” She told him softly while drawing circles on his chest with her fingers. “I love you too, Y/N.”

They stayed like this with each other for a while, enjoying each other’s company, until Tommy asked her if she could check his pocket watch. “It’s 2.30 PM.” She told him. He groaned softly. “I’m sorry, I have a meeting at 3.” He said, both of them sitting up. “I’ll stay here a little longer.” She said. “Are you sure?” (Y/N) nodded. “I’m sure Tommy, don’t worry. I'll get home safely.” She smiled at him.

Tommy got up and put his cap back on. “Thank you for… this. I appreciate it.” He said. “I’ll see you tonight, eh?” “I’ll see you tonight.” She answered as she watched him walk away. “Tommy?” He stopped walking and turned to her. “You can’t leave without giving me a kiss.” She told him, grinning. Tommy looked at her, a smile on his face.

One that she had been longing to see for weeks.

[enigmatist17]

So I had a bit of a different plan for this, but the ending of Earthspark S3 really got me upset, so I've altered it a little bit :')

---

The ferry that went to Griffin Rock rarely did private ventures, but today was a different story. Chief Burns had set out early in the morning after loading a massive trailer, the ferry captain and his crew that definitely included those who were supposed to be off excited at the thought of who they were going to pick up. A family of four were waiting at a dock that was mostly out of sight of the rest of the port, two kids running around chasing what looked like a drone while their parents looked on in amusement.

"Wait, is that the Lieutenant Malto?" One of the older ferry hands gasped, and the Chief looked up from his book with a smile.

"It is, and I'd appreciate it if you fellas kept your questions for a later date."

"Of course Chief, no worries." A younger woman piped up, whispering with her coworkers as they docked and the Chief headed down the ramp. The semi-truck silenced whatever conversation was going on when it transformed into a massive bot, one far bigger than the bots back on the island, kneeling down to shake Chief Burns' hand. The drone the children had been chasing around transformed to land beside the older man, making him jump as the small transformer grinned up at him. They couldn't hear the conversation the bot was having with the Griffon Rock police chief, but soon, the massive bot walked over to the trailer that had been attached to them to open the doors, revealing even more bots that were unfamiliar.

A lot of them were tiny.

The sound of approaching fighter jets startled the relaxed air a few minutes later, and the crew on the ferry flinched when three seekers adorned with a faded Decepticon logo transformed and landed a few feet away from the group. One of the female seekers had landed closer to the family, smiling when some of the smaller mechs came over to greet her, wings hiking up in concern at the sight of the chief hovering a hand over his taser. She kept the two other seekers behind her as she began to speak with Charlie, the other female seeker staring at the unfamiliar human while her male companion just stared at the ferry with an unfocused gaze. The small purple mech had tried to approach him with a friendly smile, the gesture faltering when he flinched, hiding behind his companion with a slightly distressed ring of chirps and clicks no one understood. The chief seemed to relax a little after his chat, still not entirely pleased by the new arrivals, but clearly making plans for them to join the family if the massive bots placating gestures with his hands were any indication. While they spoke, the family of four had decided to approach the ferry, the two kids running ahead with the flying drone and a bot that turned into a motorcycle with a sidecar, laughing and talking with each other until they caught sight of the various ferry hands watching them in amusement.

"Kids, don't run ahead like that!" The husband of the family chided, waving with a smile. "Sorry about them, they're just so excited for this trip."

"It's all good, we've got some time before we head back out, so the little 'uns are welcome ta run about." Captain Shaw chuckled as he headed toward them. "Captain Shaw, at yer service."

"Alex Malto, this is my lovely wife Dottie, and our children Robby, Mo, Twitch, and Thrash. My other kids should be joining soon, they're waiting on Bumblebee and Wheeljack." Arthur shook both of their hands before tipping his hat to Dorothy in mutual respect.

"You did a lot durin' the War, you've my respect."

"Likewise, Chief Burns told me you did a lot of search and rescue out at sea." The former soldier nodded, whistling when Thrash was too close to the edge. "Thrash Malto, what did I say about being that close?"

"Sorry mom! Mo and I thought we saw a dolphin." The small mech pouted as he stepped back, much to the amusement of those around them. "Will we have to travel to the island in the trailer the whole time?"

"No, only until we pass the major shippin' lanes youngin." The captain shook his head, turning to eye the seekers. "Not sure about them, though; my ferry is only so big..."

"They'll be flying Cap, no worries." Chief hummed as he trailed up the ferry, flanked by the three other smaller bots, two others the size of the rescue bots bringing up the rear while holding the Malto family's luggage. While he still wasn't overly excited about the extra newcomers, Charlie made a few calls as the extensive Malto family got situated for the journey to Griffin Rock, the younger bots clearly annoyed with needing to be in the trailer the chief had loaded up, even if it was only going to be for a short time. Bumblebee cut down the chaos with a simple raise of his optic ridge and a firm point at the trailer, the kids grumbling but hurrying inside when the ferry sounded its horn.

"Have a great time, Malto's! Make sure to take plenty of pictures." Optimus waved before the doors closed, the prime reading over to hand Dot a small box he'd pulled from his subspace. "From Megatron, he wanted it to be a surprise."

"Tell him thanks, and we'll check in later." Dot shook her head with amusement as Optimus stepped back to transform, honking before heading back to the work that awaited him in Witwicky. It wasn't long before the ferry had pushed off and headed for its home of Griffin Rock, Mo and Robby chatting away with a transformed Bumblebee as Alex and Dot stood at the ship's bow, taking some time to themselves. Once the captain decided they had moved far enough from prying eyes, he leaned out of his cabin and whistled to Charlie, Bumblebee and Wheeljack transforming as the Chief let the smaller bots out and onto the deck.

"Now kids, I know you're all excited for the journey to Griffin Rock, but I don't want to see any running or transforming until we're docked, is that clear?"

"Yes Chief Burns!" The five coursed before spreading out to bask in the sun, Charlie grinning to himself as Thrash and Jawbreaker argued over the best spot to watch for dolphins. Nightshade had perched themself on the top of the pilothouse to scan the horizon, seeming quite content to spend most of the journey alone while their siblings ran around or pestered each other. Bumblebee was herding the kids with looks or the occasional point, Wheeljack just sitting to the side amused as he tinkered with something, Dot giving him an intense look when he mumbled something about explosives.

The chaos reminded Charlie of his own kids, and he wondered how hectic the next few weeks would be.

"Mom, Dad! I see the island!" Hashtag was the first to squeal in excitement, the speck growing ever closer, drawing the other kids' attention.

"We should be there in no time, speaking of which..." Charlie pulled up his phone and dialed someone, rolling his eyes at whoever was on the other end before hanging up. "Hashtag, sweetie, Nova Storm says to time how long it takes her to arrive."

"Already waiting!" The purple bot grinned, bouncing excitedly as she waited for an honest to god Decepticon to show up.

What a world.

It barely took five minutes before there was the shrill sound of jets heading their way, Skywarp transforming and zapping to end up on the back end of the ferry with a grin. Starscream seemed content with slowing to match the speed of the ferry, Nova Storm doing barrel rolls and small maneuvers to the cheers of the kids.

"What do you think, kid? Who won?" Skywarp grinned as Hashtag hurried over with a grin, a small screen appearing over her palm.

"Nova Storm won by milliseconds, you were close." The terran snickered, Skywarp leaning closer to look at the times with a soft laugh, though they went quiet when Charlie approached the duo with a small wave. "Hi Mr. Burns!"

"Chief works just fine, sweetheart," The older man chuckled, eyeing Skywarp with a slight frown. "Skywarp, right?"

"Yep tin- Chief." The seeker's face scrunched up momentarily before she shrugged, eyeing him with a trill. "You don't like us being here."

"I can't say I do, but I'm a big fan of giving people a chance to prove themselves...Decepticons included. Make no mistake, however, I will be watching, and as long as we all play nice, then I have no issue with you all taking your own break." The massive jet stared at him before grinning, reaching out to gently poke his chest.

"Between you and me? Screamer needs this bad, Storm and I have done a lot, but with Megatron always showing up, we lose whatever ground with him we make. Fragging irritating." Her playful tone had turned serious as Charlie crossed his arms. "As long as we don't end up trapped in a cage, you'll have no problem."

"I think the most you'll have to worry about is Doc Green talking your ears off." The police chief shook his head good-naturedly, glancing over when Nova Storm partially transformed to scoop Jawbreaker up and onto her cockpit, the bot cheering as he was taken close to the water to examine something. "Huh..."

"Looks like fun." Skywarp hummed, vanishing with a buzzing noise to scoop a surprised Thrash into her arms, transporting them a few feet as she transformed to let the young bot balance on top of one of her wings with a whoop.

"They're really nice when you get to know them, I promise," Hashtag whispered with a strained smile. "I wish Starscream was a bit more...aware, but we're working on it."

"What happened to him? I've heard tale of Starscream, but not since the War ended." The older man frowned, Hashtag shaking her helm with a sigh. Said seeker had not made a peep since her initial greeting back on the mainland, and the lack of whistling from his jet engines was almost unnerving if the older man was honest.

"He was possessed by the Quintessons to try and turn their biggest enemy into a weapon, but it all went wrong." Hashtag sighed, hugging her legs to her chest. "The power and the mind control broke his mind, and he got stuck when we put Terratronus in stasis for...a while. I didn't want to leave him there, but it all happened so fast it just, we didn't have the time."

"How long was he stuck?" Charlie gently pat her leg plating, eyeing Starscream as he started to veer off course, only to move back into position when Nova Storm whistled to him in a soft tone.

"Um, about a year. I tried to visit, but it wasn't until Prowl crash-landed that we could get into the zone, and even then, he was still stuck until we were able to wake Terratronus to defeat the Quintessons. It's...the solitary after everything that happened, I think, made things worse, b-but I'm hoping some fresh air with no Megatron around might help!" Hashtag brightened, clearly hoping for the best.

"That was a great idea, sweetie, Griffin Rock has done a lot to help people." Charlie eyed the former second-in-command with a sympathetic expression, making a mental note to get more of the story from the older bots and adults once they were all settled, pausing after a moment to text an old friend.

"Land ho!" Nightshade pointed to the rapidly approaching landmass with a smile, their siblings letting out an excited cheer as Jawbreaker and Thrash were returned to the ferry. Dot and Alex wrangled the kids to settle down while the ferry captain guided his ship toward the docking area. It looked like nearly half the town had shown up in anticipation, the Terrans nearly vibrating with excitement as they waited for the ferry to fully dock and tie up. Dot and Alex get off first with Charlie, the crowd quieting when he holds up his hands.

"Everyone, I know you're excited to meet our newcomers, but I don't want to see any crowding! Dorothy and Alex Malto are our guests, as are their kids and the other bots who have joined them, so I expect that everyone will give them space to enjoy their vacation. Before anyone asks yes, there are a few extra bots I hadn't planned for, but the message also applies to them. Now, why don't we all take a step back while the kids come on down, I'm sure they're done being cooped up. Dorothy, Alex, kids, I'd like to introduce you to the citizens of Griffin Rock, as well as our resident rescue bots Blades, Heatwave, Chase, and Boulder." Charlie motioned to the bots who stood to the side of the large crowd as he introduced them,

"Yay!" Thrash and Hashtag were the first ones off the ship, Nightshade jumping off their perch to land not far from them as Jawbreaker and Twitch brought up the rear. The next half hour consisted of the younger bots either greeting townsfolk or getting cooed over by Blades, until Chase and Charlie eventually dispersed the group to allow the family to gather their things from the ferry and set out for the cabins Charlie had arranged for them. Heatwave had gone off with Boulder to check on the seekers, who had landed further down the beach to avoid too many eyes on them as Nova Storm and Skywarp spoke about where they would stay while on the island. Starscream had wandered away from the two to study some crabs along the beach, the former air commander apparently too invested to notice the two bots several feet away.

"They're fascinating creatures, aren't they?" Boulder decided on a friendly approach, servos up as he approached the seeker. The former Decepticon glanced over at the voice, narrowing his optics for a moment before shrugging, disregarding the first responder as he looked back at the small crustaceans.

"What are you doing?" Boulder and Heatwave looked over at Skywarp's hiss, a look of surprise crossing her face plate at the logo she hadn't seen in a long time. "Whoa, I didn't think rescue bots were still around."

"We are," Heatwave growled, crossing his arms. "What's his deal anyway? I've read about Starscream, but I was expecting someone a bit more..."

"Put together?" Boulder supplemented with an awkward smile.

"Be very careful what you say next." The second seeker stepped forward with a glare, not intimidated by Heatwave in the least. "You have no idea what we've gone through on this Pit forsaken planet."

"We have no intention of upsetting any of you, just getting a lay of the land." Boulder smiled, putting a servo on Heatwave's shoulder. "It won't help if we start arguing."

"Why do we need to care about the land?" Nova Storm asked in confusion, wings slowly lowering at the lack of deception she could feel when Boulder extended his EMF field.

"It's a human expression." Heatwave shook his helm, his own field extending just enough to prove he was willing to play nice. "I'm going to be honest, I don't like the fact you're here, but if the Chief is alright with it, then so am I. Test my patience, however, and I don't care what promises were made; I will make sure you will have regretted stepping foot on Griffin Rock."

"...fair enough, rescue bot, I can respect that." Skywarp nodded, her own wings relaxing from their defensive posture.

"Um, I hate to butt in, but where did Starscream go?" Four sets of optics darted over to look where the last seeker had been, only to find the beach completely empty.

Scrap!

[anoant-haikyuu-dump]

do u have any headcanons or other thoughts on teshiro? narratively i understand why he gets very few moments to shine but i also think his character could be SOOO interesting to expand on, like what is it like to inherit the role of "the Brains of Nekoma" after kenma graduates? or how does he get along with the others in his year? after the timeskip he's a cram school instructor so i like to imagine in high school he ended up tutoring a lot of the others before exams and things. and he and inuoka both became educators!! i bet they like to swap stories at team reunions lol

Teshiro can be tricky since he has so little screen time but i've got a few thoughts on him!

• At first I think he'd struggle to connect with the other first-years on the team, especially Lev and Inuoka since they're so energetic and can be a lot to handle. I can see him sorta clinging to Kai for the first few weeks since they both have calmer personalities. But after spending more time on the bench with Inuoka and Shibayama I think he'd warm up to them, mostly thanks to Shibayama getting him involved with cheering (said this in a previous post, I see Shibayama as the team cheerleader). Lev would come a bit later, maybe they bond over their weirdly grey hair lmao • First off this panel is just funny. He's so deadpan I love him for that. Second, I think it shows that Teshiro isn't really a think-on-the-fly kinda guy. He's level-headed but seems more comfortable planning stuff out rather than acting on impulse. Because of that I can see him carrying around a little notebook and writing stuff down a lot, maybe he plans strategies at night kind of like Sugawara. While on the bench he studies the spikers and how Kenma sets for them so he can adjust his own setting to each player.

• Because he's so straight-faced all the time Fukunaga has made it his mission to make him laugh. He's his own personal his boss level.

• Teshiro is the only reason Lev and Inuoka aren't failing right now. He tutors them before exams so they can go to practice camp and lets them borrow his notes since neither of them take any. He's got the most immaculate notes—perfect handwriting, color-coded, little diagrams and drawings, etc etc. Despite being in a different year Tora and Fukunaga go to him in desperation sometimes because they're dumbasses and he knows the second-year material better than them.

• I'm a believer in captain Teshiro for their third year, his level-headedness and smarts make him the perfect canidate. Inuoka is his vice captain, they balance each other out nicely— Teshiro is super organized and methodical so he keeps the team running smoothly while Inuoka's contagious sunshine attitude keeps the energy super fun and inviting.

•HE HAS CANON RESTING BITCH FACE THE POOR GUY, imagine him and Tora walking down the hallway together and everyone thinking that they're on their way to beat someone up. In reality they lost a coin flip and were sent to buy the team drinks.

• Love the idea of Teshiro and Inuoka bonding in timeskip over their education jobs, I can see Teshiro asking him for advice on how to better connect with the kids since he's great at teaching but struggles with the social aspects.

That's all i got for now, thanks for the ask anon! Teshiro's a funny little guy and it's fun to think about what he could be with more appearances

[klm-zoflorr]

Fanon Lukas family tree!! Well, it's for my AU, but I'm sure we can make it work for canon as well ahah

& dark mode... it looks cool okay

I've been working on it for a month lowkey, ever since I started on that Evan/Naomi wip, just... Slowly building up lore and a story and characters and rough estimates of ages and tidbits of brainstorming and a timeline and daddy issues and coming up with names and in this case, well, superpowers too because that's what the AU is about. But anyways, I'm super excited to dig in further, because YES all of these characters pretty much have some amount of personality and interesting details about them so far. Woohoo!! It's also interesting for the same reasons Gerry is interesting; because powers pass down genetically!! Yeehaw!! I get to give them all slightly different versions of the same powers and see how it informs their relationships!

You can see here what was basically my very first version of it. How underdeveloped! It grew a lot, damn. Also some minor changes I made along the way, as for the reasons why... Well they're pretty interesting if I do say so myself, I'll talk about those later. Have fun spotting the differences if you'd like lol

Still, a few general notes so far:

I believe the only Lukases mentionned in canon are Peter, Mordechai (in the 1800's), Nathaniel (owner of their cargo company so presumably some sort of patriarch), Conrad (the guy who talked to the astronauts before shooting them into space) and Evan Lukas. To that I added Virginia, an OC but like come on we need some women represent around here. I've always interpreted Nathaniel as being Peter's uncle, so i put him there. Nathaniel should be the one in charge in my mind too, so I made him the grandfather of the main line/evan's line (because evan is sort of the main character here). I also wanted to keep peter away from the main branch because... Well i don't know. I just didn't want him to be Evan's dad I guess. Or else, you've got that specific branch of the family that gets all the spotlight and important canon characters, and everybody else kinda sucks. It's not ideal!

I originally planned on leaving Peter's branch of the family pretty blank to be honest just because I wasn't super invested into him. I thought he had a sibling and a few nephews and that was it. But then I relistened to mag159, realised he had 5 (wait, 4? Oh shit, did i fuck up. Uhhhhhh) A FEW siblings and that two of them were named, Judith and Aaron. So that was interesting!

Mostly the beginning of it was just figuring out the ages to get an idea of how they should behave and how it all fit in and how far down the line they should be, and then building around it.

Oh, yeah, and based on the few canon names we got, I tried to find names that fit in. The style was... Well. The lukases' names sound to me like they're very basic. Kinda trendy, kinda... What I thought about was "cute" actually. So i tried to keep the same vibe for the rest of my made up guys. Wee-woo. Annnnd ive been rambling again.

Oh, oh right, wait no don't leave yet there were still thing I had to talk about. Few important details I knew about at the beginning stages:

-Evan's mother is a Lukas, and she's very opinionated but kind

-I wanted Nathaniel's eldest son, the one who became Graham (no, not notebook eating graham) to have a son who resents him very much. So i did that

-Adeline! She's old as balls. And very nice. Iwant her to be my grandmawmaw

-oh, right, Mordechai 2!!! For him I thought of the power first, basically he can show you things that happened in the past without having witnessed them. It's a pretty great ability imo.

-Oh, yeah, uh, every Lukas passes down their family name no matter their gender lol.

[echantedtoon]

Love Is Blind Ch5 It's Not Easy To Fall In Love

(These next few chapters spans over several weeks/months as I don't plan on making this story too long.)

An agreement like this one was not an easy thing to decide on.

Even as you pulled out folded clothes to place into the closet of your temporary home for the rest of the year. You supposed you should've felt excited or even honored to have a big opportunity. After all anyone else in their right mind would see this as nothing but beneficial to them. A chance to court their soulmate. The opportunity to work for a highly rich family and a chance to live in a beautiful area. Being paid so well. There really wasn't any real downsides to this but you still couldn't help but let your stomach twist in nervous knots. 

You still weren't sure if you really wanted this. Wanted Kagaya. You already said you didn't want it but then...Why were you here? Was it out of curiosity? Did you want to actually get to know Kagaya? Was it because of the promised pay? You had no idea at this point but it was only until the rest of this year. It wouldn't really put a hinder on your plans too much and you could earn a decent coin for your work. You just had to wing it and wait it out. Your first day here was uneventful. You just unpacked and a female servant showed you around the mansion before leading you back to your room to allow you to settle in for the day. You tried to mentally make a map of the entire place but it wasn't easy and you were sure you didn't get it down.  However you were surprised when you had gotten a knock on your door and you answered it to a woman a few inches smaller than you. 

"Um.." You blinked  at her. "Hello?"

"You must be the new healer here." Her voice was blunt but surprisingly polite as she offered you a smile. 

"I'm sorry. Who are you?"

You took a moment to look her over. She was a few inches Smaller than you about the size of a teenager although her demeanor obviously shown she was a grown woman. Her mostly black hair was pinned up by a strange hair clip shaped like a butterfly and ..Now that you thought about it. Her entire attire looked strangely similar to a butterfly including the very pretty haori coat over her shoulders. Otherwise the rest of her uniform was entirely black. You definitely didn't see her when being shown around.

"Shinobu." Her voice answered bluntly making you jump out of your stupor. Purple eyes blinked at you. "I've heard all about you from Oyakata-sama. You seem to have already made quite an impression on him."

You blinked yet again not entirely sure how to take this. "Oh..Thank you?" Her face did not change from that blunt smile. "It's um...Nice to meet you." You gave a quick bow of politeness. "I don't think I've seen you around here. Are you one of the maids?"

"I'm a doctor from town,"her blunt voice spoke again. "My sisters and I run a clinic. You share the practice yes?"

"No, I don't. That's a widely known misconception." Her head tilted at you as you held up a hand. "As an herbalist I know which plants are poisonous or which ones can cure fevers or even be made into tea, but I'm not even close to a doctor. I have literally no idea how to perform surgeries or stitch up wounds or diagnose a lot of things properly. A lot of people mix me up for a doctor all the time, but I won't lie and pretend to know medicine on your level."

Shinobu's tilted head stared at you silently and you got a shiver like she was calculating your whole being in her head before her smile got just slightly bigger. "You know your skill limit. I like that."

Again you weren't sure how to take that. Only giving a confused, "Thank you?" Deciding to change the subject you turned it back to her. "So what brings a doctor to my door? I don't think I'm ill."

"I'm here to run you through Oyakata-sama's routine. If you'll be taking care of him then you should at least know what to do."

Ah right. You'd forgotten about a big part of the agreement was to literally take care of the man you'd might be marrying. With a soft sigh you nodded. "Sure. I might as well get used to it if I'm going to be staying here."

Her eyes blinked. "You don't sound very enthusiastic."

"I guess I'm just nervous about this whole thing. I mean I'm entirely new to this process."

"Understandable but you'll be used to it in no time. Come. The Master's waiting for you."

You supposed you had no choice but to follow Shinobu back down through the halls and listen to her listing off the important parts of taking care of him.

"You won't have to be there as he baths or changes because that's already taken cared of early in the morning by someone else. However you need to make sure he eats enough and gets plenty of water. Nutrition and fluids are important for his own condition. Don't let him overexert himself. He needs lots of rest and sometimes he doesn't have enough energy for the things he forces himself to do. Do NOT let him stay up to ungodly hours of the night working-"

You were starting to get more and more anxious as Shinobu went and on and on. There was so much that it sounded like you were taking care of a whole room of people instead of just one person.

"He gets cold easily especially during the winter months so make sure to have extra blankets on hand when he needs it. The coughing is normal and you shouldn't worry about that too much but do be there in case he collapses from losing his breath."

"Collapses?!"

"Yes! But don't worry. He'll only need a few minutes to catch his breath again. What you should worry about is when he gets fevers! I'll leave you some fever medication. Make sure he takes it. He also needs his regular vitamins everyday. Just make sure he takes two of those with some water or tea. Oh! But I should warn you despite his condition he's incredibly stubborn and can talk you into letting him take on more work. Under no circumstances are you to let him take on anything more than he can handle no matter how convincing he might be."

"....Is..there anything else I should know about?"

"Oh yes! His eyes and the area around them are sensitive. Smoke can irritate them greatly so if you light any incense make sure to keep it far away and open a window...I also don't think I need to point it out to you but he obviously can't see. Please don't let him trip and fall."

With each word you felt more and more anxious and nervous about the entire situation. Kagaya sounded...very high maintenance and while that wasn't really his fault or necessarily a deal breaker, it was honestly a lot to take in especially on only your third day here. 

"Don't worry too much. My sister and I stop by once a month to do a full check up on him, so if there's anything you didn't remember we'll be sure to spot it!"

You supposed that was her was of trying to be reassuring but it only had you guys sinking lower and heavier. As if a sinking rock was inside you. Eventually you both had stopped in front of a door and before you knew it Shinobu was already opening it and walking inside with you timidly right behind her but paused when you saw who was already sitting there waiting on the both of you. Kind blind eyes stared in your direction from a cozy futon as Kagaya offered a comforting smile at you.

"Shinobu, I was wondering where you wondered off too. It's unlike you to suddenly leave in the middle of a session." His head tilted behind her towards you. "Miss L/n. I'm happy to see you today." How'd he know it was you? His head tilted at a window next. "...The birds are singing outside so it must be a beautiful day. Tell me what color is the sky?"

Your eyes followed his gaze quietly gazing out the window at the sky. "It's a beautiful blue like a bluebell's petals."

"Ah. Excellent then. That's certainly a good omen for a good day." He turned his smile back on you. "I think I want to visit the garden again and enjoy the beautiful sky."

"Are you sure that's a wise choice?" Despite Shinobu's words, a shaking hand of his was already removing the blanket off of himself. "You were coughing a lot yesterday."

"I feel much better after resting, and fresh air will do me good. You know I dislike sitting in my room all day when I can help it."

"Hm." She hummed watching him already slowly struggling to his knees. "Alright then. If you're sure you won't overexert yourself-"

She blinked as a figure quickly moved around her and before she even blink. Kagaya tilted his head upwards and a moment later soft hands gripped his arm. Shinobu watched silently as she wordlessly knelt down to throw one of the man's arms around her shoulders. Your arms then hugging him around his torso and bracing himself against her body. Practically hugging him she heaved him up to stand up on his own two feet. Both seemed surprised by her actions especially when she grabbed the arm still around her shoulders and looked at him. 

"You alright, Mr. Ubuyashiki?"

His surprised face regarded her words before his melted into a smile. "Yes. I'm feeling better than before. But please don't be so formal with me. Just Kagaya is fine, Miss L/n."

Big shiny f/c eyes blinked up at him. "Well...Then I guess you don't have to be formal either. Y/n is fine with me too. Do you want to go to your garden?"

"Yes. The day is surely too beautiful to be wasted by staying inside. There is a special place in the garden where I like to be by myself."

"Are you talking about the place you were sitting where we first met?" He nodded. "Then I'll take you there." 

Her hands moved him two steps forward before she suddenly stopped making him jostle to a stop and turn his head to her again in question. "You stopped walking all of a sudden. Is there something wrong?"

...Her eyes looked at him once again. "What do you usually do when you're outside by yourself?"

The question was certainly a surprise but not an uncommon one as he smiled. "I listen. To the soft breeze, my lovely pets, and anything more nature decides to gift me that day."

"What about a book? Do you want me to read to you?" Again a look of surprise passed over his features at the offer. "The garden is right near the library if I remember correctly. I can get you a book and we can read it together if you want."

There was a moment of silence that passed on between them both for a long moment. The surprise of the other woman was also present as she couldn't help but stare in shock at the couple in front of her. Gently without a word, she tugged the surprised man into walking again. 

"Have you eaten yet? It's still very early in the morning."

"..No. I have not."

"Then I'll get you something to eat too. You're going to need to eat something for strength. I'll get you some ohagi. It's perfect for a spring day. Is that ok?"

...A smile graced his features and he nodded. "Yes. I'm very fond of the idea."

Shinobu watched wide eyed as the two slowly just walked past her and into the hallway. Nearly bumping into Sanemi walking down the hall stuffing his face with many ohagies but paused mid chew staring wide eyed as the two slowly made their way out of the room and down the hall. The woman wished him a hello but otherwise continued walking past him and down the hall. A moment later Shinobu poked her own head out of the room to watch with him before they disappeared around the corner.

".... Did you just see what the hell I saw?" He almost immediately turned to the smaller woman next to him and Shinobu hesitantly nodded. "What the hell was that?"

"I'm not too sure... That's the same girl who was brought here a few weeks ago. She just helped him stand up on her own accord and offered to take him to the garden."

"Eh?... That's nice of her I guess." He went to eat another ohagi in his hands.

"She also offered to bring him food and read to him."

He paused in a comical position of about to eat..but slowly lowered the food and stared blankly at Shinobu. "She did what? Why?"

"...She went through the trouble of saving a butterfly I was told."

"What does that have to do with anything?"

"It has everything to prove about her."

"You're making no sense as usual."

"And that's why I'm the more intelligent one out of both of us."

"WATCH YOUR DAM MOUTH!!"

One month passed. The routine you set yourself in was hard to follow but at least it wasn't as difficult as math. Get up in the morning and go to Kagaya. By the time you got there he was usually already dressed and given food by help of a male servant or his grandfather. Mr. Kotoya was always very pleased to see you there and on a few times referred to you as Kagaya's 'wife' but it always made you uncomfortable not that your unease seemed to matter to the old man. Sometimes you would help Kagaya around and sometimes you found him handling important paperwork related to his businesses  to which his grandfather would have to read out loud to him in order for Kagaya to make a decision on them leaving you awkwardly to sit on the sidelines and listen to them conducting business for hours on end on things you absolutely did not understand. Other times Kagaya would be too weak to get up leaving you to also awkwardly sit next to his bed and either talk to him or read him stories which...was the only things you could really do.

He asked about your interest in herbalism and your studies and your family. You happily answered since ..Well this was all just a part of the deal right? The whole reason you agreed to this was to get to know each other better. And you did find out a lot about him. Aside from his grandfather the only family he had was a distant cousin. His favorite animal was the pet crows he kept in the garden which ironically he also used to deliver messages. His family had been heavily influenced and involved in the nearby town for at least ninety five generations. His favorite author was a man named Kyogai and the Library was full of his books. And quite a few other things.

But by the middle of the second month the repetitive and slightly tiring pattern was starting to make you a bit anxious doing nothing but care for him essentially and a lot of the time awkwardly sit in one place or room listening to him talk and cough and helping him around. ....This did not feel like courting at all. It was more of you taking care of him. 

"Do you maybe want to go somewhere today?", you asked him one day.

Shinobu had just left after checking him over for that month as promised and seemed very satisfied with how Kagaya was. Letting you know before she left how happy she was. "He's doing perfectly fine. You're doing great taking care of him. Keep up the good work but if I can make a suggestion. Add some more fruits and vegetables to his daily diet."

Right...You were doing a good job caring for him. That's what you were being paid to do and a part of the deal. It was what you agreed to but...

"The forest is so pretty with all the wysteria trees!" You gushed clasping your hands together. "We can go on a walk or have a picnic or both! We can also pick wild flowers to decorate your vase in the corner! We might even see some pretty wild animals-"  You paused taking a moment to glance back to his white eyes. "Oh...I guess maybe not that last one but you can listen to the birds singing!"

Despite his face crinkled up in a smile he slowly shook his head no where he laid making you slowly lose your smile. "I would love nothing more than to do so with you. Unfortunately I am not feeling well enough to go anywhere too far today. I am truly sorry."

"Oh." Despite him being blind you forced a smile back onto your face pushing the disappointed feelings in your chest. "No. Don't apologize about it. It's alright. We can go a different day...We can do something else! How about a game of shogi?"

"That would be more able but I am afraid I'd be a terrible person to play against. I would not be able to properly see the pieces to move them."

"Oh. Right." The smile fully went away as you looked down. ".... Would you like to finish the book we started? We're almost done with it anyways."

He smiled wider from his place on the bed- Before suddenly turning his head away to cough into his shoulder again. You offered him some polite comfort by patting his other arm until he was able to catch his breath again and nod to you.

"I would like that very much."

You again forced a smile despite him still being blind before reaching out to a thick book that was left near you. Fantastic Fairytales and Fables is what the book was called and you flipped through until you stopped where you both last left off. A new tale called The Spirit Of Fate. 

Down in the world unknown there laid a kingdom drab and dark. Where darkness and shadows collided and lived in fear and power. One would be mad to even think about stepping in a place like this. Where the dead are gone but still there, the shadows played and roamed and full of terror. A frightful place brace heros dare not venture unless they wish to meet a tragic fate. Yes. This one place was alone ruled by a power hungry spirit, spited by his love in life and now seeks vengeance on any mortal who dared be foolish enough to be beckoned into his awaiting claws.

The creature of vengeance was known as one of promises and dealings. Whether If one were to want something most dear to their heart and was determined and pure, or if their heart was filled with greed, envy, and lust he would grant your reply if you were brave or stupid enough to find him. It was when one day a child from a nearby village heard of this rumor that they were excited to find out if it was true or not. Against their parents and everyone else's wishes and warnings, the small child had snuck out to venture into the forbidden dark woods. The brambles scraped and left cuts on their body, the creatures chased after and threatened to eat them if they didn't turn back now, for darker and more sinister things slept in these woods, but bravely the child went on. On and on on their journey to really see this sinister ghost who granted wishes and promises that the mortal eye would repulse to believe. Until the sinister avenger had been found and the massive shadow beckoned the child closer with a boney rigged hand.

"You have traveled far and withstood the tests my forces forwarded. For that you have earned the right to one miracle granted to you. But a warning you have also earned. Be warned, with a pure and honest heart comes great rewards. With a heart who bleeds nothing but black with greed and jealousy, a foul end you shall meet. Think about the consequences greatly, for the repercussions shall be swift and tight. Think well, dear child."

The small child dared to smile at the creature and simply reply, "I have no need for any treasures or anything of preciousness near me. I solely only wished for to see myself if the avenger of shadows was a true sight. And now that I have seen you for what a true being you are, I will simply be leaving satisfied my wish was fulfilled."

The answer of the child amused the ancient spirit and he chuckled his hollow laugh at the very notion of it all.

"Wise answer to an otherwise difficult mortal choice. For that you shall still be granted a prize for your efforts. Name one and answer wisely."

The small child as said had no need for such items like treasure and fortune, but they knew that the child's hard working mother were in need of some fortune in her life. So with a kind heart, the child looked to the spirit and asked for their miracle. "My mother works oh so hard to take care of me. It would be so nice for her to have just a little more luck on her side. Oh spirit, let me repay her for all her kindness she has shown me."

"Your wish shall be granted. A selfless act is always it's own reward, but be wary of those who wish to use those fortunes to their own will."

The child was permitted a safe leave back to their home and as promised their selfless act of kindness was granted by the spirit of shadows. The child and their mother mysteriously found an old box in their pantry one day that they had never known of before and upon opening it discovered many, many priceless jewels. The likes of which they had never seen before. With this new found fortune, the mother and child were able to gain a plentiful farm with all the necessities they needed to have a plentiful life. Farther down in the years the mother even remarried one of the strongest most handsome men in the small village. But this man was nothing but green with want, and treated the mother and her child terribly.

He was lazy, rude, and had a heart full of greed. Seeping of those who had better and helping him in life. But one fateful day everything changed. For one day he asked the child's mother a question.

"My dear wife. You know I love you dearly, but I must ask you. Where did you receive such wealth and fortune."

"Why, from a old wooden box in the pantry," she replied happily, "And inside the little wooden chest was gems and riches beyond our wildest dreams."

"Yes, yes! But where did it come from?"

"I know not how it got there or where it came from, but my child and I are oh so happy to have received such a delightful fortune. How we may live happily for a long while."

Her husband was displeased with such an answer and once again asked but this time to the child. The child happily told the man his venture into the woods and his encounter with the spirit of shadows, filling the man's heart with more greed. That very night when the family slept, the man snuck out and made his own way into the deep woods of shadows and fears. Brambles cut his clothing, he cursed those who dare chase him and snap at his hinds as he ran, but the greed and lust in his heart was strong. So strong he persisted his heart green with envy. Alas finally he arrived and looking as though some creature had mangled him with their claws. The spirit was beckoning him closer with a bony rigged hand and spoke.

"Oh one who's heart is sewn with greed and plight. You have sought me through danger and fright. Your actions of greed are inexcusable but like many before you have made it through the path of darkness. For that you have earned the right to one miracle, but also a warning. Be warned, with a pure and honest heart comes great rewards. With a heart who bleeds nothing but black with greed and jealousy, a foul end you shall meet. Think about the consequences greatly, for the repercussions shall be swift and tight. Oh one who comes to me with a black heart for his own wishes. I offer this to you so you may choose your wish wisely."

The man paid no attention to the wise words of the ghost nor did he think about any real consequences for his actions as he spoke what he oh so desired.

"Give me more riches than any man shall have!! Make my fortune one who will make me a fortunate man!! A bright castle and beautiful jewels is what I seek and most desire!!"

"A answer I foresaw and one your shall have for not heeding my warnings. Oh man of greed and selfishness, you shall indeed have your wish awaiting you home. But do not be surprised when your unfortunate fate you shall unevitably meet. Now be gone creature of greed. My domain is not fit for one of you."

The man left for his home and once his got there his had his miracle in the form of the purest black horse with a magnificent couch of ebony, inside the couch was boxes and jewels of every imagining. The man cared not for his wife or the young child that he had left behind, away in this marvelous new couch he received and off that horrid man went into the night with his shouts of greedy glee and pleasure as his family long forgotten. The mother and child awoken to no greedy man plaguing their lives and while the mother was quite saddened, she still had the child to watch after. As luck and fortune does benefit those with kind hearts, another man the mother sought and a kinder gentler man she got. With as much kindness to her and her child this man gave to combat the sorrows left behind by the other greed filled one. One day a message they did receive, about a much bigger estate of land and riches. The greedy man who had once left them behind without a second thought, was now no more as the spirits warnings he did not heed. As fate had decided he would be no more, a swift and tight end he did get. Leaving everything he valued behind of jewels and gold, to no man but a woman he did not care for. His wife and next of kin did receive, fame and fortune for kindness indeed. With kindness in their hearts the family did grow, and with it came all luck and fortune soon to glow.

For those with kind hearts and bright minds, often find themselves on the favorite end of fate's hands.

Month two had passed. Month three much the same as the first two with very little changes. Month four looked also to be no  different than the first three other than being hotter as spring transitioned into her sister summer.

"Spring is a season that radiates warmth, new beginnings, and positive energy. It denotes a calm and peaceful atmosphere with a clear blue sky. The days are radiant, lovely, and peaceful with a golden sun. When the land wakes up it becomes a good mother to all, delivering food and giving life to the darkness."

Kagaya sat beside you on the bench. A tranquil look on his gentle features as a gentle hand held up the shining ebony feathers of a crow. The elegant bird cooed and ruffled it's feathers happily as his other hand gently stroked it's head. You sat just beside him focusing your energy into the current poem you were reading out loud to him.

"The days of long cold winters sleep has risen to make way to other corners of the lands for his sisters Spring and Summer to come take his place, and embrace us all in the treasures they bring. The strength. Mental, physical, emotional, and raw. Strength keeps you going when you feel you can go on no more. If you're wondering if you're strong, the answer is always yes. Don't underestimate the silent strength that you don't even know you possess."

"That's a very truthful poem." He brought the crow a little closer to him as he turned his head back to you. "Are you feeling alright?"

"Hm?" You looked at him blinking as his previously smiling face turned to one of slight concern. 

"Are you alright, Y/n?," he inquired, "I've noticed you've been a bit down for a while now. Have you been exhausting yourself?"

"I-..What?"

"I understand that having to be constantly caring for me must be overwhelming and after a while it would take a toll on anyone." You froze in shock at his words. "Perhaps you should take a break for a while. Let yourself take a rest before you continue on."

"Oh. N-No it's alright." You again forced yourself to smile. "I did agree to help take care of you as a part of this arrangement. Besides it's not taking care of you that's been on my mind."

"So something has been on your mind lately." You paused mouth wide open and you wanted to snack yourself. "Would you mind telling me what's bothering you?"

There was a silence as the both of you sat there. Nothing but the stream through the garden gurgling and the crow giving her owner confused little noises as to why he stopped petting her. ... Eventually you only silently looked down before sighing through your nose and closing the book before standing up.

"It's very warm out here." The book was slowly placed down before you just turned. "I'm going to get you some water. Wait here for me."

Kagaya didn't say anything but his brows furrowed in worry and his head followed the sounds of your footsteps as you walked away from him and back into the mansion. Caring for Kagaya wasn't what was weighing on you. You knew what you agreed to when agreeing to this deal. Even if it was tiring, repetitive, and not easy you can manage. After all you helped to plow your parents' fields and do other labor at home. You weren't shy to hard work. It was the ever growing realization of Kagaya's life that had you starting to question everything. 

It was clear as you fell into routine that this was Kagaya's life long before you came here and it would be even after you leave. Constant care. Which you were already feeling anxiety over. If you were married to him would this be your new every day life?  Most likely. And this wasn't what you had planned for yourself at all. But it wasn't just that. 

Mostly it was just why.

Why?

Why weren't you feeling anything? Yes. Kagaya was handsome you supposed in his own way, and on the surface he checked the boxes of everything you prayed to the gods for. He WAS kind. He WAS caring. He WAS responsible and caring and patient and so much more. So...Why didn't it feel like you were attracted to him? At least on a crush level. You're heart had been excited before you first met him face to face and was smacked by everything at once. You had tried hard to try and feel anything! Literally just once! Just one small sign. Your heart fluttering. Your face blushing. That happy feeling you're supposed to get whenever you get flustered. Any urges to hug him or kiss him or at the very least hold his hand. But you felt..

Nothing.

At most all you managed to muster up was admiration for him being able to do so much despite his conditions but other than that nothing. Admiration wasn't live. Admiration didn't mean love. You could admire someone. Anyone. But that didn't mean you loved them in the least. If anything he seemed more of a friend than anything else if you could even call him that. Weren't you supposed to be falling for him? He was your soulmate wasn't he? So why?

Why would the gods assign him as your soulmate if you weren't feeling even a little attraction towards him? Was it possible that they made a mistake? Was it possible that they assigned Kagaya to you with only your surface qualities and your profession in mind? You could see how they might've thought it was the perfect match but.... It's like they didn't even take your other wants into account! You couldn't help but feel disappointed every time you suggested something only for him to politely decline or be unable to do so because of his conditions. You felt disappointed every time it happened! You knew you shouldn't since Kagaya couldn't help it..but it was hard to ignore the obvious lack of attraction you were feeling towards him. 

No one else was helping either. They all complimented you on how well you were taking care of him but was that all they could compliment you on? Was that all there was to say about you? You sighed rubbing your temples. This wasn't getting you anywhere. Your scrambled thoughts would only get you worked up- ?! You blinked bumping fully into someone's back.

"Oh! S-Sorry!" You immediately backpedaled and looked up at the man you bumped into. "I didn't see you there."

A head of wavy black hair and piercing red eyes turned to you. The taller man wore a half scowl half confused face as he stared down at you. "Just who are you?"

You blinked taken aback by his strong annoyed demeanor but decided to not make him more angry than he already was. "My name is Y/n." His face went from annoyed to surprised realization as you shuffled around him awkwardly. "A-Anyways I have to go get something for someone. E-Excuse me." You went to go around him but was shocked when he suddenly grabbed you by the hand stopping you from leaving.

"Well then...You must accept my apologies." You looked on in shock as the man smiled at you. But it was a smile that sent shivers down your spine and not in the good way. He effortlessly pulled you back closer by the hand he still held onto. "If I had known who you were sooner I hadn't been so rude."

"U-Um..." You looked between your hand and his piercing red eyes. "I'm sorry. I think you have the wrong person."

"Oh on the contrary." He mumbled making a point to lift your hand directly to his face. Your face suddenly lit up a pink as he stared half lidded at you. "I do know and may I say you're a very radiant woman.~"

Your eyes went wide as he brought your hand to his mo- You jumped as a third hand quickly slapped down over the first two. You jumped and both of you looked up at a strained smile and white orbs. 

"I'm sorry. I thought we were taking turns. I suppose I win as my hand's on top."

You blinked. "....Kagaya?"

The blind man continued his closed eyed strained smile as he directed it at the first man. "I didn't know you were coming. If I had known I would've prepared you a room by the garden. The compost smell is strong but I think the view matches you perfectly." With surprising strength he pulled your hand out of the stranger's grip in one go.

The man strained on his own face and leaned back up. "Kagaya. Considerate as always." Kagaya's smile twitched. "How did you know I was here? I didn't know you saw me. I would've said hello."

"Oh it was easy. I suddenly had the nauseam feeling that I usually get right before I vomit, so I just knew you were somewhere close by."

Your eyes glanced silently back and forth between the two of the men as they took obvious jabs at one another with strained smiles. "Um...I think I'm missing something. Do you two know each other?"

"Oh. Of course. You both hadn't met yet." Kagaya spoke with another twitch to his brow. "Y/n, this man is none other than Muzan Kibutsuji...My cousin."

"Oh no need to be so formal, Kagaya."

"One of us has to be. That's actually a very nice coat you're wearing."

"Oh. You would know as you can OBVIOUSLY see the well craftsmanship," this 'Muzan' took another jab at his blindness.

"Oh yes. You spoil Rei so much. Do they come in men's sizes? Maybe then you wouldn't have to borrow her coat all the time."

Muzan inhaled deeply straining his smile more but looking as if he'd snap any moment.

"Now you both cut that nonsense out." All three of you turned around and found none other than Mr. Kotoya there frowning. "You both are acting like immature children. Muzan, you know you're supposed to send us a notice before you visit."

Muzan immediately turned his smile onto him. "Well I guess Kagaya just didn't read it."

"Well then next time send it to me! *Sigh* But while you're here, you might as well join us for lunch. Just stop acting like a brat!"

"Who? M-"

"Yes. YOU, Muzan. I'm too old for your childish tantrums."

[popculturebuffet]

Life and Times of Scrooge McDuck Finale: The Richest Duck in the World "And As Usual, He Was!"

Hello all you happy people and welcome to the finale of my life and times of scrooge mcduck retrospective! It's been a duck blur, from starting this years ago, to a years long hiatus to Kev paying for me to finish it, btu we're finally here. The final chapter of Don Rosa's masterpiece. Coming out the other side of this LIfe and Times is still one of my faviorite comics of all time and I'm glad to finish it. Kinda. There are a ton of bonus chapters Rosa did throughout the rest of his career, as well as an upcoming new chapter from another author entirely, all of which i'm up for covering at some point. There's a few I definitely want to get to in paticuarl: The three goldie stories (one pre life and times two with the label) that help flesh out here and Scrooge's past, the wonderful "Letter From Home" that gives ups Matilda's return and ties up that loose end, and my personal faviorite "Dream of a Lifetime", a one shot tale that goes through just about every chapter of life and times via Scrooge's dreams for one hell of an epilouge. None of these are necssary but they all feel like good companion pieces to the story and i'm glad Rosa did these interquels among others. I also have an itch to cover more duck material in general as while it has the cynical boost of having more viewers than normal for my content, it's also something I forgot HOW much I loved in the content lull after Ducktales end. And as a wise man once said.. there's always another rainbow. What it'll be i'm not sure yet, but you can expect at least one duck adventure next month.

For now though we're finishing the main story and it's while a lot of plans changed or shifted over this 12 issue saga, one thing was always in the cards: he wanted to end the story where Scrooge's story began all those years ago, with the finale taking place the day after the bulk Night on Bear Mountain. For those less familiar, and I wasn't when I started this though i've since covered the story, Night on Bear Mountain is the very FIRST Scrooge story, with Scrooge inviting his nephews for Christmas to scare them but being impressed by the end and thus inviting them for CHristmas Diner. This story shows what happens in between while also explaning the discrepency between the Scrooge we see in that story and who he'd be in the rest of his meaty cagalogue. In night on bear mountain Scrooge is diffrent, wearing a long robe, living in an isolated mansion (Keep in mind comics scrooge just lived at the bin), with him being more myth than actual person Donald just.. visits every day.

This story bridges that gap, explaning how Scrooge got his groove back, shows his first proper adventure with his nephews, and how he went from only a poor old man to the greatest adventuerer who ever lived once again. If this sounds familiar Ducktales 2017 did something similar, having Scrooge having mostly retired after loosing Della and years of searching for her, with the boys and webby reignting that spirit in much the same way, with Donald busy with a job offer that turned out to be an elaborate scheme. I still love they did that and it's a testiment ot how much impact this story had on the reboot: while a lot of Scrooge's past was changed, including his parents still being alive, the comic was, as I belivie I mentioned in the first entry, required reading for staff and stands as an important inspiration for one of the greatest cartoons ever made and quite possibly my faviorite.

So let's dive into the bin one last time as Scrooge rediscovers himself, Huey , Dewey and Louie discover a legend and Donald won't shut the fuck up.

We open with a Citizen Kane Homage as Scrooge whispers goldie while holding a snowglobe. He isn't dead, won't be till the 60's in rosa's eyes. For now though he's become a recluse as a newsreeel overs over his life and how his last public apperance was 17 years ago, when he threw out his family seemingly for good. We get some neat cameos as we see Grandma Duck again, this time in her glory days, who hasn't seen Scrooge since she sold him most of her land bar the farm.. and Gus when he corrects her that the old coot also came by to forclose on the chicken coop. Gus is Donald's cousin. He eats a lot, sleeps more and is somehow lazier than our boy. Which is possible. We also see Gladstone, the bastard and donald who shoves a hand in the camera.

At this point the Bin is just a legend, with no one really knowing if it's actually full of cash, something four familiar fowl talk about as they watch the newscast: Donald and his nephews, Huey, Dewey and Louie. After 12 chapters we're to the present day of duckberg and where it all began as they prepare for that christmas dinner I mentioned. The boys wonder if it could be true while Donald dismisses it: no rich person could've EARNED IT and he assumes Scrooge inherited it.. somehow. Which baffles me a bit as while I'm sure Hortense, like 2017 Donald, tried not to bring Scrooge up, she wouldn't of.. not brought up her childhood in scotland or the rest of her family. They didn't throw her out. Granted Donald does have a talent for self delusion and we don't know how young the kids were when she died, so there's wiggle room it just annoys me a little

What Annoys mea lot is Donald who throughout this whole story constantly says everything about Scrooge is fake. That he probably bought it on crusies. It annoys be a bit less this readthrough as having become fed up with most present day billionares.. yeah most do. This just happens to be the one whose a bastard AND worked hard to earn it. But it's still a very one note gag: Donald is up his own ass and dosen't know what we know or has seen what we've seen and thinks his uncle's only a poor old man.

It's not story breaking, but it is repetitive.

Thankfully we move on to the mansion proper as Scrooge's butler Jeeves, and no that's not me goofing up Duckworth was created for the show, ushers them in.. and as Scrooge slowly stirs.. we see him, in a truly awesome panel

I love all the detail here: the bits of stubble, the tired eyes, how sunken he looks in genearl. This is a Scrooge who has given up: he's retired from work to rot in a mansion, having nothing left and is a shell of what he once was and will be again. I also give Rosa credit for using Scrooge's first apperance design still: he had the time for Scrooge to change.. but him not having done so is a symbol of just how deep in the depression hole he is: as someone whose been in them I relate to clearly not having taken care of yourself in some time, just sitting there letting time pass as you feel you have nothing left.

The boys being their usual charming hive minded selves are delighted to meet their great uncle. Though we get a really sad bit as he notes most family he has has.. disappeared. He dosen't know matilda is alive, and he certainly heard what happened to Hortense. The boys do genuinely welcome him in but he balks, figuring their all after inheretiance. Donald claps back that you spent it all on this place ya jackass.

Scrooge insscensed decides the time has come to do something he rarely does but is sacred to the rich: flashing his cash. Specicially he has his butler.. dress him. Okay Scrooge you need either boundries with your butler or a more equal relationship if you want to keep fucking him. Trust me i've hit on the help too. The help was a gorgon's head but I didn't make her dress me.. hades didn't give me that option because their sane.

He takes them to the Bin, which is decayed.. though Scrooge has been keeping the booby traps fresh and keeps the weeds simply because it's good security: if a place LOOKS abandoned and unloved, people will think that. And it mostly has been, Scrooge having retired isn't using it. Still he kept the most important part of it, the cash ocean itself, but our heroes pass the second most important part first

This little tirade, while very in character.. is also very Rosa speaking his piece, as he hated stories (even barks own) where the Dime was implied to be magic. Whlie his old man yells at cloud behavior often has me shaking my head.. I agree on this one. The dime is better as a symbol that motivated scrooge than as a plot device and it cheapens the man's skill to say the Dime is responsible. I don't mind Magica trying to use it for a power source as THAT makes sense: it has a lot of emotional energy from being around scrooge as he got his fortune, the weight of having traveled the world with him for most of his life and being what started a great man on his path. I like the idea that kind of object with that kind of emotoinal baggage has power, kinda like what adventure time did with Hambo and PB's Shirt she got from marcy. It's magical yes but it fits the world better and makes it clear the dime is impressive because of SCROOGE not the other way around. Somehow Lorcana didn't get the memo

The description and image are perfect, as is the fact it's SHOCKINGLY powerful I just don't get why Number One Dime wasn't considered.

One he unveils the bin though it DOES shock his nephew and even DONALD can't say anything for a change

I do like that explination.. it dosen't scan with every Scrooge story as there are countless that say his bin really is the McDuck version of one piece, from the aformentioned Christmas for Shacktown to the very first Scrooge lead story "Only a Poor Old Man". I'm not against this: Rosa had a tendency to pick and choose which parts of Bark's stories to make canon to his stories, wanting a more cohesive universe and while clearly respecting the man to a sometimes stifling degree, recognized not everything from stories not really built to have a continuity was going to stick together. As reverent as he is to barks, to an annoying degree at times like his feeling put out at having to include Fethry despite being an entirely valid character with loads of potetial simply because one man didn't create him (Not saying barks isn't fucking amazing, he is, but it's a petty reason not to use good characters).. I can respect Rosa for knowing what he wanted in his own canon and what to keep as well as having said multiple times his stories dont' stack up to his idols. I disagree on that statment as while Barks IS better in some ways, for all I gripe about the guy sometimes... Rosa is a truly talented writer, one of the best duck writers there ever was and while Time's made me see the cracks in the guy.. ti dosen't make him any less special or any less vital to duck canon. Ther'es a reason most writers either honor his stories or consider them canon alongside barkses. The man has a degree of talent, care and love that's hard to come by and while I may disagree with some of his choices at times... I can't help but love the guy still.

So anyway that suspcious santa might have set you off.. turns out the santas near the bin were beagle boys, scoping out a hesit and lead by Scrooge's old enemy blackheart, whose descendants indeed got to fucking as he hoped.

As is duck story standard they easily capture our heroes despite scrooge being way more badass than all of them combined... Donald too honestly... the boys also. Honestly a paper bag could probably beat the beagle boys and they somehow win when the plot says so, though this time at least theirs a valid excuse; Donald and the boys are new at adventuering, having gone on a few solo adventures pre scrooge while Scrooge has given up on the world and thus surrenders to being thrown.. though he is pissed they once again bring up the lucky dime thing. So before he can snap out of it let's talk about this dperession and self loathing: honestly while he'd never say it, even Ducktales 2017 scrooge both hides what happened with Della from the kids and refuses to apologize to Donald for a decade despite being almost entirely in the wrong, it's clear loosing his sisters did hurt him: he had his money but nothing else and with nothing to really fight for and his lifelong goal achieved he just.. gave up. It dosen't feel like scrooge ... but that's the point: just as his horrible actions in africa weren't really him, not striving, not searching not trying to build his empire simply because he's seemingly won.. isn't him. Without anyone to share it with... his bin is just a pile of coins, memetos of better days.

So the thing that busts him out of his stupor... are his nephews. The boys search furiously for some way out, unlike Donald and Scrooge not ready to give up and find his old mining gear... while Donald.. well Donald inspires him in his own way

I love this and it's something I really hadn't thought about before but think of now, especially since again Woo-Hoo! takes some steps from this, having Louie take Donald's place as the doubting asshole, and have the boys as a whole, like Donald question if Scrooge really was this big or is just some old man, leading him to ragefully prove them wrong.. granted Scrooge's attempts in Woo-Hoo are more laughable as he plans to go diving to prove children wrong, something Beakley lampshades, but he still gets the step of showing them what he cna do by dealing with everything they unleash in his garage, similar to how here the combined menaces of Donald's jerkassery and the Beagle Boys scheme finally awakens the beast. I also love the subtle note of Scrooge taking off his coat, revealing his usual coat underneath. It's something I again hadn' tnoticed before this re-read, but ti's a very ncie touch... Scrooge the doddering old man given up on everything is gone. Scrooge McDuck, Last of the Clan McDuck, Master of the Missippi, Buckaroo of the Badlands, Raider of the Copper Hill, Laird of Castle McDuck, Terror of the Transyval, Dreamtime Duck of Never Never, King of The Klondike, Billionare of Dismal Downs, Invader of Fort Duckburg, Empire Builder from Callisota... THE Richest Duck in the world is back.

And since he's back he decides to go after the beagles, having the boys haul his trunk. I also really like this joke.

Look donald is my boy, and even in a story where he's not on his a game.. he's still Donald. He's bound to have at least one good moment or two.

The two notice scrooge a coming and take off.. but they left an other Sleigh which Scrooge quickly takes, and begins using a cavlcade of his skills. We've seen his mining, now we see his ablility to tame any animal. It's not as impressive as a lion but he dosen't have time to get to the zoo so a horse'll do.

We also get ANOTHER choice gag. While not all of rosa's comedy lands for me.. the guy really nails it a lot of the time and it's a part of his writing talent that dosen't get praised enough.

Honestly this chapter is easily the funniest next to the invader of fort duckberg, likely because with the dramatic part of Scrooge's life mostly worn down, we have more room for some comedy.

Blackheart has them step on it as he realizes he's no longer dealing with a hollowed out shell of a man but the guy whose beat him twice and is ready to abide by rule of three. We get some fun callbacks as scrooge uses his gold pan as a discus to knock out the driver of the beagle boys then takes out the rest, minus blackheart who grabs the dime for leverage, with his boomerang from his time in australia. This also leads to another fucking phenominal gag

Scrooge then ties up the rest of the non blackheart beagles using his roping tricks, with the officers that poor woman called rounding the boys up. All that's left is blackheart who naturally, as our big bad for the chapter, final antagonist of the story and the foe Scrooge has fought the most on this journey, gets the best takedown of all

Such an awesome moment: The same thing that finally brought Scrooge's dream to reality... is what helps cement his return to his truest self: he may be a mean old man.. but he's tougher than the toughies, sharper than the sharpies, smarter than the smarties and he made his money square.

That said the adrenline does wear off slightly.. until...

I had to share the scene in full.. because it's so damn good. After a whole journey, after seeing Scrooge at his lowest.. we see his core. Something that speaks against ageism: your body may age, but your never too old to start over, to have a second chance.. to chase another rainbow. The quality of your lives are what you make of them also really gets me.

IT's also a nice return to form as the bin being public.. dosen't bother them. Let them come: he's fought off worse and he'll fight them again. I also love him kicking donald's butt. He's just enough of a jerk in this story to well deserve it.

So Scrooge is now fully back: he decides to reopen the office, sell the mansion and get back to work.. and take the boys with them. While he dosen't say it being the stubborn old bastard we know and love... he needs these boys. Adventure is nothing if you don't have anyone to share it with.. .and once again he has someone to share it with. Once again he has family.

So he celebrates with a swim, with the boys astounded at his ability btu Donald unable to understand his uncle: all he seems to have is cold metal... but he could be wrong...

This ending gets me... a reminder it's both never too late (Something I need at only 32, which in tumblr years is 90), and that a life well lived is one not lived alone, that the things that make us who we are good and bad.. are the greatest adventure of all.

The Richest Duck in the World is a well done capper, feeling like a lost modern scrooge adventure, that missing piece in the story that Rosa happily filled in for us. Donald again can be a bit much, even in the stories final page he still hasn't quite got the hint, it's not one of his better stories.. but it dosen't take away from this as an ending.. and a beginning. Of a man who lost everything that mattered finding it again. Of an epic story of one man's life, what made him who he was, and what he gained, lost and ultimately found again.

Life and Times.. is one of the best comics of all time,the best duck comics story ever, and only not currently the best duck story PERIOD because ducktales 2017 is so freaking good. And even then while that series beats it over all as an individual story this 12 part epic still trumps it's worthy successor. It's a labor of love that's massive in scope, character work and gorgeous art work. It's a true masterpice that needs to be read again and again and one i was very happy to cover. I found stuff I disliked sure, a chapter or two had pacing issues, some things didn't land.. but ti's hard to deny what a fucking triumph this book is. Only one other comic I can think of comes this close to distilling a characters essence down into 12 issues, and even then All Star Superman, while excellent didn't also have the task of trying to be in continuity. Life and Times is a masterpiece and it was a joy coverinmg it and the dream of a life time finishing this journey> Thank you all for reading.. and see you next rainbow.

[greekceltic]

FAQ Page

She/her | 38 | I like cats and rain. My comic: https://catswaycomic.com/ My Patreon: https://www.patreon.com/greekceltic My Ko-Fi: https://ko-fi.com/greekceltic Other links: https://linktr.ee/greekceltic Sorry in advance if you send me a message and I don't get back to you, I tend not to stress over messages/asks. I do try to read them though, and I'm always open to being asked questions about characters or my headworld/stories. I am already aware that my art is being copied. They're blocked. Please stop telling me about it. Rest of my FAQ is under the cut >

Can I repost your work? I don't mind as long as I'm credited. I'm less okay with my work being used as a pageviews grab, but it's probably not worth my time to care. If it's something I've selected to take down and don't have posted anymore, don't. If it's something you commissioned, go for it. You don't need to credit me every time you share it. Once in a while is cool.

Are you okay with fanart? What about OC interactions? Can I post it? Sure, just don't profit off of it and please credit me. If you want to draw my OCs interacting with yours that's also fine (and fun!)- though I prefer situations where their actions make sense. Alf wouldn't make your character cry, for example. He's grumpy but not cruel. Posting it is fine. Is it okay if I take inspiration from your art and concepts? I've been in a situation in recent years where another artist has taken far, far too much. It's a subject I'm pretty burnt out on. I recently saw another artist's take on this and it looked sensible to me. I'm just going to quote theirs. I have tried to find my own words, but right now I find myself more comfortable using someone else's. "Well, if you’re having to ask me for permission, either your design is too similar or you’re being overly nervous about a normal artistic process. You’re absolutely free to use my work as a source of inspiration but I’d strongly encourage you to think about the details from my design you like most, and remix them with other concepts into your own unique take."

Taking inspiration is something everyone does, but please don't become a shadow I get bi-weekly alerts about. Ideally your pool of inspiration will be many artists and concepts re-imagined into something unique to you- and that you're being honest with yourself about the result.

Your art is being copied! / Will you tell me who the copy cat is? I get a lot of messages about this and am tired. I'm sure if my art ends up somewhere it shouldn't be or there's something really worth my attention I'll find out through friends. Otherwise, I'm just sayin' get a second or third opinion before coming to my inbox. I probably already know about it.

I sent you a message and you didn't respond. Sorry about that. I tend not to stress about messages because it can be a drain. You're more likely to get a response if you let me know from the get go what you want, but nothing is guaranteed. Sometimes I didn't see it, sometimes I got busy or forgot, sometimes I plan to do it later, sometimes I just opted out. It's not personal. Where do you Rp? Are you looking for more partners? Discord mostly. Roleplay consumes a lot of time so these days I mostly only play with my buddy Thema. I probably wouldn't have time to play, but I like to hang around people that do and I don't mind being asked. Just please don't be sad if I never get around to responding! I'm most compatible with people who are comfortable with radio silence.

Can I use your characters in roleplay/as roleplay refs? Considering I actively roleplay my OCs and there's a potential for confusion, I'd rather you didn't. Though I think there's a difference between linking to my art and saying 'this is my character', and linking to it to say 'this has the mood I'm going for, but here's what's different about my character--'. The latter is fine.

Can I make Fan OCs for your setting? Thinking about this makes me tired. Maybe I'll get to a point where I'm more comfortable later, but for now I'd rather you didn't make something directly from my worlds. But lets be real, you don't need my permission to draw cat monsters and I take a huge amount of inspiration from ancient history. Many of my concepts are inspired by things that you can read about and be inspired too. If you see something and are curious if there's a historical source, just ask. Hopefully I'll remember.

Do I have permission to draw NSFW art of your characters? No, for a plethora of reasons, some easy to explain and some not, but I probably can't stop you. Just don't profit off of it or show it to me.

Do you have a website for your OCs? I have RP pages for them scattered all over the place and many of them are outdated, but as I type this I recently put some up on Toyhouse. https://toyhou.se/GreekCeltic

Do you have a website for your comic? Sure do. It's an expensive fuck. https://catswaycomic.com/ When does your comic update? Sporadically. I work on it when I have time. My income is solely freelance commissions and Patreon- mostly commissions.

There's other places you could post your comic! Yeah, I know. I may do that someday, but for now I like having my own house, even if it's an expensive fuck. (Not really, the renewal just hits around tax time, Lol).

[no-nameno-face]

Auburn Thoughts (Pt.1)

Pairing: Reader x Ellie Williams

Summary:  You are an art student working on a rather boring assignment. The girl across from you makes it a bit more bearable. 

Warnings: ummm painting and flirting ig? Some sarcasm? Not sure what qualifies as warning material in a chapter like this. lol.

Author's Notes: I'm literally a college drop out so idk if this is even close to a real college experience so bear with me. I'm really excited to be writing a slow burn, I love reading them so I'm having a lot of fun making one of my own. This chapter is mostly fluff, but with that being said I definitely plan on this leading to some heavy smut so fair warning. I’m still new to writing, like I said in my last post that was my first time writing, so be patient with me please. I'm already almost done with part two, the story definitely picks up a bit. trying to contain myself to keep it a nice slow build, but writing Ellie makes that so hardddd. Anyways, I hope you enjoy! <3

Part 2

I balance, perched on my wooden stool. Knee to my chest and a paint brush resting in the corner of my mouth. I squint at the bowl of fruit on the pedestal in the middle of the empty classroom. 

How the fuck am I supposed to feel inspired by a god damn banana? My eyes shift to the canvas in front of me. A base of powder blue covers the surface with a rough outline of my perspective of the assigned model. So boring. My forehead drops onto my knee. “Im fucked.” I breathe. I rest there for a minute, trying to get past the mental block of painting something I have absolutely no interest in. I didn't anticipate this side of art school. I was picturing passion projects and creative people with minds for the picking. Not fucking bananas. 

I look up at the ceiling and take a deep breath. I’m not gonna get anything else done today. I can tell. I’ll work on it tomorrow in class, see if I can figure anything out. I begin gathering my brushes head to the sink on the side of the classroom. Turning on the faucet I begin gently squeezing the paint out of my brushes, and drying them one by one. The colored water coming off of them was more exciting than anything I've created today. 

I hear the classroom door swing open. It startles me and I jump a bit, turning automatically to find the noise. Green eyes meet mine. 

“Shit, sorry.” she says as she looks away and paces to the canvas storage on the other side of the classroom, pulling off her hood as she walks revealing short auburn hair pulled back in a loose ponytail. It’s a nice color, I thought as I turned back to my brushes. I finished washing them as I thought about what colors I would have to mix to match it. My color theory class is getting to me, I shake my head softly. 

As I dry my last brush I realize how quiet it is. Just the sound of my bristles on the cloth, and that girl from my class setting her canvas on her assigned easel across from mine, on the opposite side of the cursed fruit. 

I turn and walk back to my easel and put my brushes in their case, then load it into my bag resting on the floor next to my seat. I stand up and address my canvas hopelessly one more time, letting out a small huff before I pick it up and haul it to the canvas storage. I load it into my assigned slot then head back to grab my bag, glancing first at the fruit, then at the girl. She sat comfortably eyeing her canvas, I wondered if she was having as hard of a time with this assignment or if it was just me. I reach my stuff and lean down to grab it.

“God, this blows,” she sighs. I look up at her. It's like she read my mind.

“What, you're not, like, crazy intrigued by the,” I wave towards the model “fruit.” I give a sarcastic smile. She looks up at me and returns the grin. She's got a pretty smile. 

“Can't say I am,” she says looking back at her canvas. I smile swinging on my bag.

“Well that makes two of us.” I say turning to leave the classroom. Walking back to my dorm my mind drifts back to the colors I would need to make that auburn. 

My following few nights were spent, paint brush in hand, and her across the room. Working hard on our assignments, with the occasional aggrieved comment discussing the problem at hand. I found my gaze lingering a bit longer on her than I would like to admit over these days. Smiling a bit too hard at her jokes. Laughing quietly to myself when I’d hear her drop a brush and curse under her breath.  

I started actually looking forward to painting the stupid bowl of fruit. There was something so nice about being in our own worlds, occasionally colliding, then bouncing back to our own little universes on our canvases. She makes me feel safe. Motivated. It was refreshing. 

I wondered if her mind would drift to me late at night like mine drifted to her. Definitely not. So fucking stupid, I would tell myself holding my pillow over my face.

______________________________________________________________

The next day I sat in class listening to the professor go on about the power of perspective, and how angles can truly change the emotion of a piece. My eyes drift as she's talking and I catch a glimpse of green before it darts away. Wandering eyes. Happens to us all. I think nothing of it. 

I endure the lecture and we enter the freepainting portion of the class. Finally okay with the outline of my painting, I go to the paint station to collect the colors I need to start laying the foundation of the subject. I’m rummaging through the bottom drawer of the color supply when I hear someone approaching.

“So how's the emotion of your piece coming?” came her sarcastic voice. I smile at my scavenging hands.

“Oh, it's life changing.” I say with a small nod, not looking up. She chuckles lightly, then leans against the cabinets next to me, crossing her arms over her chest, looking over the classroom. I stand, feeling satisfied by my color choices and meet her eyes, giving her a small smile, before walking back to my easel. I put my headphones in and shuffle my music. Diving into the project, desperately riding the momentum of the lecture before I lost the little motivation I had. 

The class time ended, but I planned on getting another hour or so of painting in to make up for my lack of progress during open room yesterday. Students were drifting out of the classroom leaving it quieter, which I much preferred. Finally finished with the base colors of the painting I began the shading, shuffling through my brushes in my case finding the one I needed. When I found it I pulled my knee up to my chest and leaned around my canvas to look at the subject.

I noticed she was still here, sitting across from me. Just legs beneath her work. Jeans, well worn converse, one tapping the floor. Then she's leaning around to look at the model, I dart back behind my canvas before she can catch me looking. I think I was fast enough? Why do I care, it's not a big deal? My brows furrow, confused by my own actions. Why am I being so weird?

I shade away at the apple on the left side of the bowl, frustrated with the highlights. I tilt my head up and feel the tension in my neck. I grab at it and roll my head. My eyes absently scan the classroom. Empty. All but that one seat. 

I checked my phone for the time, shit it's been over 2 hours since class got out. I look at my canvas, mentally making a plan for tomorrow's work. Then I gather my brushes and head to the sink. A repeat of the day before, and days before that. Watching the colors strain down the sink, drying my brushes. This time she approaches with her own brushes, turning on the faucet next to me and begins working the paint out of them. 

“I didn't realize what time it was, I'm glad you got up when you did. I would have been here for hours” she says looking at the brush in her hands. 

“Time flies when you’re having fun,” I respond, looking over at her then back to my brushes. I see her smile in my peripheral. That pretty smile. We wash in silence for a bit before,

“My name’s Ellie. I just realized I never introduced myself” she says, glimpsing at you.

“How rude of you, Ellie.” I say smirking at her. She squints her eyes at me with a crooked smile. “I’m _____.” I say picking up my drying rag. 

“Hey, for the record you never introduced yourself either.”

“Didn't know you wanted me to.”

“Touche.” 

I turn and walk back to my bag, following my daily routine. Putting my brushes in their case, loading it in my bag. Hauling my canvas to the storage then heading to the door. 

“Hey,” Ellie calls to me. I turn and see her putting her canvas away. “You seemed like you really knew what you were doing, picking your colors out earlier.” I grab at the straps of my backpack as she walks up to me “I was just wondering, could you give me some tips? I'm more of a graphite, charcoal girl myself. Color is not really my thing.” she said looking down at her shoes then back to me. 

“I guess,” I say with a smile heading out the door. She follows me, catching up to walk by my side.

“Now?” She looks at me while we walk.

“I'm a bit painted out at the moment,” 

“Oh, yeah. No for sure,” she responds, directing her attention to the floor. She almost sounds flustered? No, I'm definitely reading into it. A small smile paints my lips at the possibility.

“How about we meet up during open room tomorrow? I'll give you some pointers.” She  looks up to me with a bit of surprise in her eyes, I look ahead of myself. “I mean I'm no Warhol, but I'm happy to help.”

“Fuck yeah, that sounds perfect! What time do you wanna meet?” she asks eagerly. A light in her eyes. 

“4:00?”

“My last class gets out at 4:30, can you do 5:00?” 

“Oh you're making demands now?” I say with a sarcastic grimace at her, brows furrowed. She bites at her smile. It's an image I'd like to immortalize in my sketchbook. What? I look at the ground, thrown off by my own thoughts. “Yeah, let's meet at 5:00.” I say just looking up enough to catch her eyes already peering at me, she glances away from me quickly. Pushing through the doors of the building we are hit with the cold air. She pulls her hood up over her ponytail. 

“See you then.” she nods at me and heads down the stairs and to the left towards her dorm I presume. I grin at myself, my cheeks feeling a bit warmer than they should in the breeze.

Back at my dorm I find myself doodling the image of her bitten lips. Auburn thoughts.