#I've said it before and I'll continue saying it until the dawn of time

[line-of-fire]

So, headcanons/general info for various characters here in honor of pride month

Pixie- bisexual, not exactly closeted, but isn't out to many people as she doesn't find her sexuality to be something worth discussing, especially when romantic relations are something so far outside what she feels she's able to have

Wolf- demiromantic trans woman. I might elaborate in a future post, but Shadow Company was the first place she was really able to live as herself, as Alkka Salo. Really was a fresh start for her that was desperately needed

Voitto- biromantic + is on the ace spectrum. Hasn't necessarily caught onto the ace thing yet.

Sweet Tea- gay, and I'll leave the details for a future post, but I'll leave it at the fact that he is incredibly grateful for the 291 and it's members.

Romeo- pansexual + nonbinary (uses they/them pronouns!).

Borealis- polyamorous bisexual. Canonically married to one Mikhail Zohlansky in the Phoenix verse.

Jaybird- bisexual. Fairly casual about it, she's no stranger to puns/jokes about it.

Spuds- definitely Not Straight. That's all he chooses to elaborate on it if asked, partially because he's still unsure of what exactly he thinks he is, partially because he dislikes being questioned about it. He likes who he likes and that's nobody's business as far as he's concerned.

[mirkwoodshewolf]

No following; Planet of the apes fanfic Chap. 6

*Author's note*

We've now reached the end for the first POTA Serkis movie. I'll continue to post up the chapters that I've got for DAWN throughout the day and then once I'm all caught up, it'll have to be a waiting game from then on out but like I said, I've gotten a bit of the sequel movie done so you'll get a lot of chapters your way. Thanks for giving this story a read guys and remember, if you'd like to be tagged for this series, leave a comment below.

Taglist:

@plethora-of-things

@psychosupernatural

@waddles03

@jd-johndeacon-or-jackdaniels

@gay-and-ready-to-cry

@queen-paladin

_____________________________________________________

Things after that afternoon between Will and I were strained.  I had refused to talk to him or even look him in the eye, and even though he’d try to patch things up, there was always this tense, awkwardness in the air.  So most of the time, he just gave me my space.  Even when Caroline tried to play mediator and have us be in the same room to try and talk, nothing ever got done.

I was already in the process of packing my bags for college so that way when the day came that I could move into the dorms, I’d just pack up and ride as far from here as possible.  At this point, there’s nothing for me here, and hell there’s no need for me to visit every weekend anymore.  With Caesar gone and grandpa dead, home just didn’t feel like home to me anymore.

I woke up and stretched myself out, but I was surprised to see a couple of things.  First of all I had been placed in my bed and was covered up.  I know for a fact I hadn’t gone to my bed cause I was at my computer looking at my schedule and seeing if I had received any emails from any of my professors for the first term.

Also my violin had been brought back into my room.  I had tossed it out just shortly after grandpa had passed away.  I couldn’t even look at it cause it reminded me too much of our times making music together and remembering those days still made my heart ache.  So I had placed it in the shed and maybe until I’d leave for college, I’d take it out.

“Lin.” Caroline’s voice spoke up as she opened my door.  “Lin, I know this is odd for me to ask but—have you been into Caesar’s room recently?”

“Why would I go there? He’s not here anymore, nor does he want to be here.” I replied.

“Will says he saw the pully rope that attached to his stairway was moving. I haven’t been in it and neither has he.” I perked up and turned to my violin and things started to click.  That’s when she noticed my violin, “Hold on, didn’t you—”

“I had that put in the shed after grandpa’s funeral. And I didn’t fall asleep in my bed last night.” Our eyes both widened as she urgently told me.

“Get dressed.” I threw the fleece blanket off of me and raced over to my closet and grabbed the first shirt and jeans I could find.  Once I got dressed, both Will and Caroline were now dressed as Will filled me in.

“No one’s answering at the shelter. You following on your bike or—”

“I’ll get there faster on my bike.” I said as I ran towards it and getting the tarp cover off of it.  I mounted it and immediately turned it on as Will and Caroline got into Will’s BMW station wagon.  I revved my engine a few times before taking off down the street as quick as I could towards the shelter.

Hundreds of thoughts were going through my mind.  How did Caesar escape with no one noticing? Why did he come back to the house? What did he get? And why bring my violin back inside or take the time to tuck me into bed? I sped up as I now drove up the winding hills that led to the shelter until I finally reached the gates.

Surprisingly, neither Rodney nor Dodge were at the front gates.  Usually it’s the two of them first thing in the morning before Mr. Landon comes around for a few hours and then leaves.  I shut off my bike and as I got off it, Will’s car soon pulled up next to me.

“Neither of them are at the gate like they usually are by this time.” I told them as they got out of the car.

“Alright, come on there’s gotta be another way in.” The three of us raced around towards the back entrance to find the doors were broken off their hinges.  We looked at each other worriedly before racing inside and coming around towards the back office.  “Landon? Landon!”

“The cages are down there.” I told them as I led them across the backroom and down the winding ramp where all the cages were, but it was shocking to see all of them were completely empty.  Not a single ape could be found in the long corridors, and each cage door had been opened.

But what truly stuck out was the sudden smell of burning flesh.  I looked down and right at my feet was Dodge Landon.  I shrieked as uncle Will came over and pulled me away from Dodge’s body.  He knelt down to check his pulse but I could already tell from the severe degree of burns he had, and the fact that he wasn’t breathing that he had to have been dead for several hours, at least.

I continued to walk pass each cage hoping to find some sort of clue when Caroline called out.

“Will! Lin!” we raced towards the last cage that she now opened up herself and I proclaimed.

“Rodney!” I knelt down beside him, the poor man was curled in feeble position, fear and shock was permanently etched to his face, and I could see the faint bruising around his neck and face.  “Hey, hey, it’s okay. It’s Lin, remember?” he whimpered but I saw him mouth out my name and I gave him a soft nod.  My uncle knelt down beside me and asked Rodney.

“What happened?”

“He spoke.” Rodney whimpered softly.  Almost so quietly, we almost didn’t even hear him.

“What do you—what?” Will asked perplexed.

“Your ape…..he spoke.” Rodney said again, this time an intensity to his voice.

Oh. My. God.  Caesar could…..speak now? Holy shit.

“We have to call this in.” Caroline said.  “Tell them that they’ve all escaped. And get Rodney some help.”

“I agree with getting Rodney help, but you know what they’ll do. They’ll just start shooting at every ape they see, including Caesar.” Said uncle Will.

“It’s better they hear it from us than from Landon.”

“She’s right. He’ll just spin it as rabid apes that killed his son. At least from us, it’ll be an unbiased report of an animal escape.” I agreed with Caroline.  Will took a few deep breaths before taking out his phone and called 911.

Within minutes, police and an ambulance arrived as Rodney was being wheeled outside, I heard Rodney call out my name.  The medics stopped and I came up to him.

“He—he also told me. To give you a message.” My eyes widened.  “He said….. ‘keep playing nightingale.’” And with that the medics rolled him out after deducing his statement as part of the shock he was experiencing.  My heart felt heavy but at the same time, lighter than it had been since grandpa passed away.

I went back to the security room where some officers, Will, Caroline and now Mr. Landon all watched Dodge’s last and final moments that were captured by the security camera.  We all saw Caesar come into the frame with the hose, while Dodge stood with the cattle prod in his hand.

“What the hell?” a cop spoke up.

“‘I’m gonna skin each and every one of you!’” Those were Dodge’s final words before he was sprayed by the hose but also electrocuted by the cattle prod that I could hear was at full charge.

I know it’s not right to speak ill of the dead, but Dodge kinda deserved it.  Didn’t he know that water is a strong conductor for electricity? If he hadn’t had the prod in his hands, all he would’ve gotten was a spray full of water.  Probably given a taste of his own medicine, Caesar would never have done it to kill him.

But the evidence was all the police needed.  Immediately they started moving out to go on the hunt for every ape loose in San Fransisco.  I came up to the car window and asked.

“What do we do now?”

“I know where’s he’s headed. Keep on our tail.” I nodded and soon Will hit the gas and drove away from the shelter and I followed close behind them.

Will took us across the backroads in order to avoid the city.  And when I saw the Golden gate bridge pass the fog, that’s when it hit me.  Of course he’d take them there.  That’s all he wants is to take them home, to a place where there’s nothing but rich green grass and trees taller than the tallest buildings San Fransisco has.

I revved my engine as I drove up close to Will’s station wagon and Caroline turned to face me.  I quickly pointed at the bridge and I saw her say something to Will and he and I nodded to each other as I revved my engine faster and he drove behind me.

But as we finally came to the bridge, traffic was piling up and a crowd of people were being evacuated.  Police, SWAT team, riot police, every law enforcement officer was now on the bridge trying to get everyone off the bridge, while the crowd were screaming in a panic.

I had a sinking feeling that Caesar and the other apes must’ve already passed through here and were somewhere pass the fog shrouding the bridge.  Both Will and I weaved our motor vehicles through the crowded traffic until police force stopped us right in our tracks.

“Turn that bike around, keep moving. Get off the bridge, now!” I took off my helmet and the officer told me again.  “Ma’am I won’t ask you again, turn the bike around and evacuate the bridge now!”

“What’s the reason for officer?” I asked.

“You need to evacuate the bridge now. This is your last warning ma’am.”

“I can’t turn this bike around until you give me a better reason. Is there a bomb? A hostage situation with children on a school bus?”

“Alright, get off your bike and put your hands behind your back.” I revved my bike and sneered.

“Not this time.” I drove past him and several other officers.  I drove past the barricade they tried to make and I stopped just midway through the traffic.  I then ditched my bike as I saw the riot police coming up through the narrow pathways the cars would allow them on their horses.  Fully armed and ready to take down the apes.

“This is gonna be a blood bath.”

“Push them north!” I heard a riot officer cry out as their horses began the charge across the bridge.  I got behind a black SUV and I quickly peeked pass the car to see my uncle running down the street with a riot officer running right behind him.  I grabbed him by the shirt and pulled him to the side as the horse ran right by us.

“Lin?”

“It’s too late to turn back now. You and I can settle our grievances later, right now we’ve got more important things to deal with.” He panted heavily but nodded.

“Don’t leave my side for a second. If there’s gunfire, you get low and don’t come up for any reason. Got it?” I nodded.  At that moment we heard the sound of apes shrieking in pain as the riot police force began swatting at every ape they got up to with their batons.

Now these riot police are more than just your average cops, but not on the extreme level of the SWAT team.  They are hired because of how hard they can hit someone with brute strength alone, and be practically emotionless when taking down panicked rioters.  And when riding on top of their horses, it was like seeing a modern day calvary charge like back in WW1 England.

“Let’s go.” Will said as he took my hand and we both ran ahead down the street.  It felt like being in a horror movie with how vacant the Golden gate bridge was without all the traffic noise and no person in sight.

The second we heard any sound of gunfire through the fog, Will immediately stopped and had us hide behind some cars and he shielded me with his body.

“Don’t get up!” he warned me as he buried my head into his chest.  The faint sounds of gunfire from both semi and automatic weapons as well as pistols echoed through the dense fog, and I didn’t know whether not seeing them or seeing them was scarier.  Then as quickly as they started, it all went silent again.  After a few moments of silence, a roar soon pierced the air and I muttered.

“Caesar.” It had to be him.  Soon the sounds of apes shrieking aggressively and panicked screams of the police and guns going off soon took over the deserted bridge.  Will and I looked at each other and he said.

“Keep low and follow me. Once there’s no more gun fire, we make a break for it.” I nodded as we stuck close hiding between car to car, and any chance we heard gunfire, we quickly ducked behind the car before moving again.

After about 5-10 minutes, the sounds of gunfire finally stopped and all that could be heard was the sounds of the apes shrieking and screeching victoriously.  That’s when Will and I made a break for it and sprinted down the bridge until we came the turned over bus that the apes must’ve used as a decoy before ambushing the officers.

“CAESAR!” both Will and I cried out.  Caesar, who was on top of a police car, let out a roar before quickly turning toward us, a stunned look on his face.  But our brief reunion was cut short by the sound of helicopter blades whirling.

Once the chopper was over the bridge, the sound of rapid gunfire rang out as bullets were flying everywhere, including us.

“CAESAR NO!!!” I cried out as Will pulled me behind the bus and as the bullets bounced through the entire bus, uncle Will encompassed me with his entire body as we got as low as possible as the bullets continued to rain hellfire.

Okay, this was actually more frightening than just hearing the bullets just a quarter mile down the bridge.  Actually hearing a gun go off and bullets brushing leaves you with a high-pitched ringing in your ears.  Your world goes muffled and faint and you can only hope and pray that you’re not shot by the next several rounds as they get closer and closer to you.

It almost felt like an eternity before the rain of gunfire finally stopped but as both uncle Will and I looked up, we saw the helicopter suddenly start to spin out of control.  That’s when I noticed the form of a gorilla had somehow managed to launch himself into the chopper and bring it down.  And it was heading towards us!

“LIN GET DOWN!!” Uncle Will threw himself over me as we got to the other end of the bus, Will’s body on top of mine as the helicopter crashed into the side of the bridge just hitting barely a foot from where we had stood to get Caesar’s attention.  I felt the heat of the explosion even through my uncle’s body as I heard the sound of a few cop cars blow up along with the chopper before all went quiet once more.

The air was tainted with the smell of burnt fuel and rubber, and the stray flames decorated the Golden gate bridge like flowers in a meadow.  But what caught my attention were some of the dead ape bodies that now lined the streets of the Golden gate bridge.

All of this…..for what? All they wanted was to go to their new home, but like always we humans would rather shoot a wild animal first and ask questions later.  Supreme intelligence, more like egotistical supremacy.  I shook my head shamefully at all this destruction and death when I felt uncle Will gently take my arm.

“They’re moving out, come on.” We ran past the bus and headed towards one of the few police cars that somehow miraculously wasn’t hit when the chopper crashed.  Will got into the driver’s seat while I got into the passenger’s seat, and the second I closed the door, he shifted the stick to Drive and he floored it down the bridge.

We drove over the same road we took practically every weekend to take Caesar to the Redwoods entrance.  The second we came to the entrance, Will put the car in park and we both ran out the car and raced into the forest’s main entrance. 

We ran through the redwoods as fast as our legs could carry us, all the while uncle Will called out Caesar’s name.  From above, I could see the faint silhouettes of apes swinging from above us.  We came to clearing where Caesar’s favorite tree to climb was and this time I called out Caesar’s name.

When out of nowhere, both uncle Will and I were knocked to the ground, my chest aching from having the wind nearly knocked out of me.  Uncle Will came in front of me as a scarred-face bonobo chimp stared us down snarling.  He got closer and closer to uncle Will, but he made sure that this ape wouldn’t get to me first.  But just when I thought I was going to see my uncle’s face get ripped apart, another figure came and pushed the bonobo aside.

The bonobo was tossed and rolled across the ground a few feet away from us.  As it tried to come back toward us, it soon stopped as the figure stood tall and dominant.  The figure turned out to be none other than Caesar.  He gave the bonobo a dominant grunt and a hard stare, daring it to challenge him.  But the bonobo refused and ran off deep into the woods.

Caesar turned to us and we all stared at each other for a moment.  Caesar then slowly extended his hand out to uncle Will and after a brief moment of hesitation, Will took his hand and Caesar pulled him up.  Caesar then turned back to me and extended his hand out to me next.  I took it and he gently helped me up.  At this point I couldn’t contain myself, I immediately embraced him and choked out.

“Thank god you’re alright.” I tried to suck in my tears but I could feel them burning behind my eye lids.  Caesar pulled away from my embrace but cupped my face between his hands and gently placed his forehead to mine.  After our sibling reunion, we turned to Will and he said to Caesar.

“Caesar, I’m sorry. This is my fault. This has to stop, this isn’t the way. You know what they’re capable of. Please come home. If you come home, I’ll protect you.” How? This—this is so much bigger than us now. Plus…. At that moment, the rest of the apes soon came out all looking to Caesar.  Without him, these apes are lost.  They need Caesar even more than Will or I do.

There was silence as the two of them looked at each other, Will’s eyes pleading for Caesar to come home but I knew from the look on his face that Caesar made his choice.  Softly and slowly, he brought Will into his arms and pulled him close.  One hand around the back of Will’s head while the other was resting over his shoulder.  Then just loud enough for the both of us to hear, he spoke into Will’s ear.

“Caesar is home.” Whoa.  That deep, gravely yet warm voice sent chills up my arms.  Uncle Will jumped back in surprise as Caesar kept his arms near his body but allowed him to back away.  His eyes widened in shock as he stared at Caesar.  Caesar gave uncle Will a pat on the shoulder as uncle Will finally began to understand.

“Okay, Caesar’s home.” Finally there was an understanding between the two.  Will finally learned to let go and Caesar could finally be himself, and not who we tried to make him be.  Then Caesar turned his attention to me.

Even though I’ve now accepted his choice, it still didn’t make it easier.  Tears burned my eyes as I looked down, my shoulders shaking.  I soon felt Caesar’s rough, leather hand come up and touch the edge of my right eye, wiping the tears that bled out with his curled fingers.

“Lin,” he said to me.  I looked up at him as he told me as he signed what I’d used to sign and speak to him, “You…stay. I—go.” My heart shattered and my throat clenched as I looked down again.  He lifted my chin up before finishing as he waved his finger at me, “No….following.”

“You’ve been waiting eight years to finally say that back to me.” I choked out a laugh as Caesar huffed one out.  His green eyes looking at me lovingly but held such strength to them.  I embraced him once again as I cried into his shoulder. “You’ll always be in my heart.”

We rocked back and forth softly before he released me and slowly backed away from me, the last bit of touch I felt from him was his fingers brushing against mine.  Uncle Will came up to me, holding onto my shoulder to not only hold me back but to give me comfort.

“Goodbye Caesar.” I softly whispered as the tears continued to spill down my face.

“Go.” Will told him.  Caesar then turned his back on us and walked over to his troupe.  All of them looking to him as their great leader, much like the figure he was named after.  Some began to give him the supplicating gesture, to which Caesar accepted from them as they parted like the Red Sea and let him stand before his tree.

Caesar looked to each of his apes as they now all stood up on their back legs just like him before racing towards his tree and began climbing up it, followed by the other apes going up the various other trees nearby.

My tears that were once filled with sorrow and heartache, now turned to joy and pride as I smiled and watched as Caesar climbed far past the skyline with his people.

Caesar was home, and he didn’t need me to follow him.

[victoria-daydreams]

The Hare and The Tower

Okay, so I know I just straight up peaced out from updating this story with no warning and I really apologize for that, but after the last chapter the engagement with the story had dropped off pretty significantly and I felt discouraged. Like, I didn't even have writer's block, I just didn't feel like writing another chapter at that point. But now, I'm feeling inspiration again and ready to start posting. So, I present to you a snippet of the next chapter of The Hare and Tower. I'm in graduate school now and I have a midterm paper due by Monday, so don't expect the full chapter to be out until sometime next week.

Taglist: @dogmatic255 @sidechrisporn @amethystwonders11 @ladysindar @sweetwanderlust05 @newandykes @helloimlateforeverything @loveofvernonslife @stitchattacks @dariequeen @kishie8 @girlonfireice @snowymarvel1205 @greenlightower @harrypotteranna23-blog @ipostwhtifeel @poisonedcrowns @ninacutebee16 @watercolorskyy

A terrible dread washed through Jesmyn as she approached the carved, oak door ahead of her. The corridor was far too dark, too quiet. Her body felt heavy, and the air was akin to molasses—each step closer seeming to take a greater effort than the one before. Fear, panic, and apprehension coiled and collided within Jesmyn, the onslaught of emotions created a horrible churning, stomach twisting vortex.

Coming to a standstill just outside of the door, she reached out with a trembling hand to knock on the door, but froze in mid-air.

"I've been informed I'll be traveling to Driftmark with Princess Rhaenyra. We sail at dawn," Jesmyn informed quietly, her hand limply dropping back to her side.

Standing outside of Otto’s bedchamber door, a shiver ran down her spine for the night seemed colder than most. Jesmyn could only stare at the warped flaws in the wood, waiting for a reply, but ultimately was met by silence. Jesmyn strained her ears for a sign of movement behind his door, for she knew he was awake, and he knew that she knew it as well. With each passing second, Jesmyn felt her heart turn into lead, sinking down further and further in her chest.

She remained silent for a few more moments.

"I'm here to bid you farewell Husband, as we part on our separate journeys," she continued, placing her hand on the door. "You are angry at me, this I know," she stated, releasing a shaky breath. "But I will not depart without speaking these words. I love you Otto," she said, spreading her fingers out against the door. "Despite the harsh words we traded, my heart remains yours. Should anything—"

Forcefully, the door swung open drawing a startled gasp from her as the heat of husband’s gaze burned into her own. Otto's expression was unreadable as ever, his jaw was set tight while his mouth a thin line. They held each others stare for a few seconds, both waiting for the other to say something. Jesmyn broke first.

"I will not let our last words be ones we regret," she said firmly

Another long, uncomfortable silence stretched between them. Still, Otto only stared at her, an act which only began to draw Jesmyn's ire. She knew her husband well enough that she didn't expect an immediate reconciliation, but the hope was there in her mind. To her, this silence she was being subjected was bordering on ridiculous, did he not comprehend her words? She was set to sail on the unpredictable waters of the sea.

"I see," Jesmyn said softly, with a nod. "I shouldn't have came. I'm sorry for disturbing you," she apologized, dropping her eyes from him to the floor. "May sleep find you well, Husband," she wished, before turning away from Otto.

Wrapping her arms around herself, Jesmyn walked back down the corridor to her own chambers.

"You posses both beauty and brawn,"

A velvety voice broke through the silence, lingering in the air like a caress. Jesmyn froze in place, mid-step, before slowly turning back around. Once more, her brown eyes stared at Otto's blue and for the first time she finally noticed the tiredness around his eyes; the way his face was paler than usual. Their argument had taken its toll on him far more than he would let on.

"It's why I was so keen on securing your hand in marriage," Otto continued, deeply exhaling as he moved towards her. "Yet, your intellect fails you when it comes to Rhaenyra," Otto noted, coming to a stop in front of her. Leaning down, he pressed his lips against Jesmyn's hairline. "Knowingly or not," he uttered, before kissing the top of her head and lingering there for a bit.

Otto drew back and pushed the few loose hairs from where his lips had touched.

"Otto," Jesmyn whispered, leaning into his embrace.

But as quickly as his embrace came, he retreated from her, like a wave being pulled back into the sea. Entering his chambers, Otto spared one last glance at Jesmyn before he shut the door with quiet click.

[ncsdlr]

Carnivor - Cheryl Blossom

---------

Warnings: blood drinking, blood feeding, biting, vampires, being chained up in a starfish position whole standing up, I suck at warnings can you tell

Pairing: Reader x Cheryl Blossom

A/N: i saw this and got inspired so i thought id write smthn short abt it:/

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

"You better run."

You merely shook like your life depended on it at her command, the coldness and flatness of her voice dragging a chill down your spine. Your clothes were torn at the seams from running through the biting ice of December air. It'd felt like hours since this wild chase had started, and your feet were feeling the worst of it. Your legs burned, some of the scratches on them stinging as if someone had rubbed salt all over them.

When you didn't move and simply cowered in fear, she barked an order out once more, "Run before I get my hands on you!"

So you did, and now was when you realized this was going to take at least until the crack of dawn to be over.

****

"Tell me something nice instead of whimpering like a fucking idiot over there."

She had put you on chains the moment she caught you, throwing her body onto you while she ran at full speed. You fell to the ground the moment her front collided with your back all the while, she had remained upright and unphased by the collision of bodies.

You liked her, in a way. It was only this fatedly twisted moment that put a logical wall between your head and your heart. Your breathing was uneven, your body flinching away from her fingers when she touched you unexpectedly.

"I've always liked it when you called me pretty. Why don't you say that?"

You turned your head to the side to face you ever so slowly moving body, "You are pretty, Cheryl. You don't need me to tell you that."

She slapped you across your face at that, gripping you by the jaw to make you look into her shining brown eyes. "You don't get to tell me what I need and what I don't need."

You whimpered, slightly tearing up at the stinging pain flaring across your skin. You'd wanted to apologize, but Cheryl beat you to it and said, "I'm thirsty, let me have a drink."

I mean, you weren't complaining, and you definitely didn't dislike being treated this way, but cheryl hadn't even given you a heads up before diving into your neck, sharp canine teeth first into your otherwise smooth neck, and sucking you blood out of your body seemingly in a haste.

You whimpered, your hands fisting around the chains that bound your body into and 'X' shape in small home chapel. You felt shame bubble up in you tingly tummy, the fact that you were leaning towards liking this not sitting right with you.

As Cheryl continued to suckle on your neck, you became dizzy, the light-headedness that came with blood loss finally catching up with you. Just then, in the nick of time, cheryl pulled off of you, a sharp sigh of refreshment leaving through her blood slick lips.

Cheryl's condescending eyes looked into yours when she next spoke, "You gonna be my good little blood bag and let me feed from you anytime I want, right?"

When you nodded she only grinned, "That's right, honey. I'm going to get these rusty chains off you now, promise me you won't run? I mean, it's not like I'll let you get far even if you do, but you don't want to die young, or do you?"

Your eyes widened, rushing to get a response out even through your heaving, "No, no, please. I promise I won't run, please."

"Good girl."

[maiemorrae]

Flowers of Thanalan

Just a little something I wrote after doing some side quests on a new character I've made in ff14. Not sure if I'll do this again but I had some writing ideas from these quests and thought why not share.

”That poor soul, at least, had family that rushed to his side. Count him lucky for that.”

”When we finally chased them off… my love was in seven pieces”

When I arrived at Camp Drybone I knew little, save that people were going missing, and that my new acquaintances, the so-called Scions of the Seventh Dawn, believed that somehow this was linked to what they call a primal. I soon found though that the place was well acquainted with death itself. I learned that many come to the place in order to give their loved ones a final resting place, somewhere safe from the unforgiving nature of the deserts. As was usual I found myself drawn to helping the people here with whatever tasks they would have for me. I felt a want to give what little aid I could to a place full of grief and loss.

Ceaseless revenge and a last attempt at salvation were what I found myself set to first.

A woman, Caitlyn, asked of me a simple task. To slay seven of the dusty mongrels to the south, an oddly specific request I thought at the moment. The look in her eyes as she set me about the task though was almost like the embers of a fire that had been burning far longer than one would expect. Nevertheless, I set out with my trusted carbuncle companion to find the beasts. While they fought with a ferocity common to Thanalan we were able to bring them down with ease. The stratagems came to my mind with ease and carbuncle dashed across the battlefield as if reading my own mind had made it all the easier.

The second request I had gotten was from another woman, Tutusi, a similar request though for a different purpose. Her task for me was to slay a few myotragus nannies in order to feed a dying man in the hopes of bringing him from the brink. Unlike the mongrels, these were a docile target, at least until provoked. Despite how quickly I completed my task… it was too late as the man had passed shortly before I could return. Tutusi’s words to me afterward were not uncommon amongst those of U’ldah, always towards business and the tasks ahead. I wasn't sure if the grief I saw in her eyes was hers or if it was merely a reflection of my own at not making it back in time.

I think Tutusi could easily read my feelings though, as she soon set me on another task. Her words I imagine are true though, flowers would make for quite a bit of coin as mourners pass through the camp on their way to say goodbye. I am not entirely sure how I feel about looking at it with a gil framed lens but the tale of a life-filled area of the desert intrigued me. The comparison to the black shroud was hardly exaggerated I thought as I walked amongst the vegetation. Coming face to face with the goobbue said to be responsible for it brought on an odd mix of emotions.

”Some say the goobbue came down from the mountains at the time of the Calamity, and carried with him the seeds that became all those plants.”

It was there I met Jospaire, a botanist who was fascinated by the wild vegetation that thrived against all odds here. Through his instruction, we ensured the plants around the fallen goobbue would continue to thrive. A simple series of gathering water and the removal of pests current and future were all he asked of me. Once that was finished I gathered the blooms I had been sent to collect in the first place. Jospaire was ecstatic at what we had done and his joy felt like a balm compared to what I had experienced so far during my time here.

”I am convinced that what we see before us sprouted from the goobbue’s death. There’s a certain beauty to it all, no?”

”When it comes to offerings, they say the rarer the flower, the happier the dead. And Althyk lavender is nothing if not rare.”

Perhaps there is more than just death and grief to be found here. If nothing else the small amounts of comfort I can bring to the people here should ease their minds. With luck, Thancred and I can soon put an end to the disappearances only adding to the troubles of this place. Perhaps this newfound power I wield, The Echo, as Minfilia called it, will be of use to me in our endeavors.

~ Mariam Shallaen, of the Scions of the Seventh Dawn

[hiramaris]

Dusk til Dawn

Part 11

Summary: Following Episode 9. And spoilers for Episode 10. 

Author’s note: As Episode 10 is just released I just want to say heads up for those who are not yet finished. Completing the game without spoilers really made a difference, and as much as possible I want everyone to experience that. And for those finished, I’ll gladly welcome you to my domain where MC took a different route.

Disclaimer:  I do not own Duskwood or any of the related characters. Duskwood is created by and owned by Everbyte Studio. This fanfiction is intended for entertainment only. I am not making any profit from this story. All rights of the original Duskwood story belong to Everbyte Studio.

Warning: Mentions of blood, suicide, violence, pedophiles, drugs, gun, murder, sex offenders, kidnapping

"Well, shit," Jake's voice carried a curse, causing you to come to a sudden halt. Swearing wasn't something Jake typically did, so the profanity took you off guard and sent a chill down your spine.

"What's wrong?" you asked, your concern evident in your tone.

"We should be at a fork right now," Jake said, his frustration palpable. "At least, according to my maps."

You surveyed your surroundings, your flashlight illuminating the rocky walls. "I'm no cave expert, but, Jake," you remarked, "I'm pretty sure we've hit a dead end."

"I know," he admitted with a sigh. "Actually, we weren't supposed to encounter any forks until now. But I've realized early on that we've come across at least three junctions in the past ten minutes."

"Uhm," you said, your voice slow as you processed the situation. "So you're saying that the pathways we've been taking are different from what's on your map?"

"Yeah," Jake ran a hand through his hair in frustration. "But I thought it wouldn't be too much of an issue as long as we stuck to the general path I had planned out."

"Jake, please tell me that we at least stick to that path."

"We'll find out soon enough," Jake replied, his tone uncertain. "Come, let's go back a bit."

"How about we split up?" you suggested, following him as he led the way. Before you continued, you took a marbled stone and used it to smear some chalk marks on the wall, leaving a visible trail behind you. Just in case you get lost.

Jake gave you an incredulous look. "It's not safe, and you know tha—" he began to protest, but then his expression shifted. "Wait. I saw something." He motioned for you to follow him. "There's something here."

You perked up in attention, your senses heightened. You drew your weapon and held your flashlight tightly, ready for any potential threat. Quietly, you moved past Jake as he crouched by the wall, peering into what looked like a room.

"Well, shit." You found yourself echoing Jake's words from earlier as you stopped at a table covered with an overwhelming number of documents and files. "What the heck is all this?"

"There must be hundreds," Jake muttered beside you. "We have to take a look."

You shook your head, concern furrowing your brow. "I don't think we have the time. Let's gather as much as we can and keep moving."

"I'll take a quick look. Some of these seem important," he insisted, his eyes scanning the papers. "Maybe we'll find crucial information about our culprit, in case it wasn't Michael after all."

You sighed, "okay, but hurry up."

You stood guard for a few minutes, your focus divided between Jake and the vibrating phone in your pocket. With a quick glance, you saw Alan's caller ID flashing on the screen.

"Jake, it's Alan," you informed him. He gave you a brief thumbs-up before returning to his search through the files.

"Please excuse my late reply, Y/n," Alan's voice came through the phone, sounding slightly breathless. "I took your video straight to Bob Lindner from our Legal Department. He immediately recognized the Ironsplinter Mine."

Your eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Ironsplinter Mine," you echoed, the pieces of the puzzle beginning to fall into place.

"Bob is an avid mountaineer and cave enthusiast, and apparently there's not a single wall in this area that he doesn't know like the back of his hand," Alan continued, his voice carrying a sense of excitement. "According to him, there's even an old, secret entrance to the mine in Duskwood, and it takes the form of a hatch."

"Let me guess where that hatch is located," you tried to mask the smugness in your voice. "It's by the Grimrock waterfall, isn't it?"

"I suppose you were right about the waterfall earlier," Alan admitted with a hint of amusement. "You were just on the wrong floor."

"Very funny."

He chuckled softly. "Please excuse my little joke. I'm actually a little excited. You see," he paused, his breath audibly catching as his footsteps quickened in the background, "I am currently back on my way to the Grimrock."

Your eyes bulged. What the fuck?

Your heart skipped a beat. The realization hit you like a truck. The familiar background noise, his breathlessness – it was all too clear now. He's going back to Grimrock as you speak.

Shit! He can't find both of you here.

And Michael's waiting by the Grimrock! He's going to think you're bluffing.

If you asked him to go back, you'll give him even more reason to make you the suspect.

With a strained voice, you managed to choke out a "that's good to know" in response to his excited revelation.

"I knew you'd be interested." Alan's voice held a cheerful tone, but you could sense something more underneath. "And now, please excuse me." The distinct sound of a click reached your ears, unmistakably that of a gun being cocked. "It's time to clear up this case."

Your heart raced, panic rising within you. You had to think fast.

"Jake!" You hissed urgently, your voice barely above a whisper. "Change of plan!"

Jake shifted his attention to you as he heard the urgency in your tone. "What?" He questioned, his voice equally hushed. "What is it?"

"Alan knows about the Ironsplinter mine!" You rushed out the words, the gravity of the situation sinking in. "He knows about the secret hatch, too and he's on his way right now as we speak!"

He froze, his expression shifted to alarm. "That's not good."

"You should go." You said with a serious expression on your face. "He can't find you here no matter what."

Jake's eyes darted between you and the pile of documents before him. "Y/n..."

You closed the distance between you and Jake, your voice stern. "Jake, are you even listen—" You trailed off as your gaze followed his to the papers spread out before him. Your heart seemed to stop for a moment as recognition dawned upon you.

Jessy's face greeted you in the form of printed pictures. There are pictures of Lilly's, too, and Dan's... Cleo's... Thomas'... Richy's... Hannah's... and even Amy's...

—all these documents...

"These are the documents Jessy and Thomas had found in Michael Hanson's house," you whispered, your voice barely audible in the heavy air of the cave.

"We need to take these with us," Jake's voice broke through your concentration, his tone tense.

Your heart pounded as you quickly assessed the situation. Time was of the essence, and the walls of the mine seemed to close in around you. Jake needs to leave as soon as possible, and you have to stop Alan from entering the mine. The last thing you needed was for him to cross paths with Michael.

How the fuck will you deal with that? For the second time around, the fucking police meddled with your case once again. The only difference is this time, this isn't legally a case of yours to handle.

"We'll photograph them with our phones," you decided quickly, your mind racing to figure out a plan. "Let's gather everything up. Then, we'll split up from here. You take the evidence and go. I'll handle Michael and Alan."

Jake seemed to hesitate, his fingers moving quickly as he snapped pictures of the documents. "We can't afford to split," he argued.

"If Michael sees Alan," you explained, ensuring each document was captured in the photos, "he'll know I'm not coming."

As you finished photographing the last of the documents, you exchanged a determined look with Jake. With the evidence secured, you carefully gathered the papers and stashed them away.

"Jake, you need to go," you said, your voice low but filled with urgency. But he won't budge in his place. He stared deep and hard at the piece of paper he holds in front of him.

"Y/n," he muttered, his voice almost shaking. "I found the letter."

Your heart skipped a beat. "Amy's letter?"

He nodded slowly, his gaze troubled. Without hesitation, he handed you the letter, his eyes imploring you to read it.

Hannah,

I'm sorry for saying goodbye to you like this, but I can't go on. Not one step further.

I have succumbed to the pressure, and a long time ago.

Don't judge me too harshly for choosing this way out, but I can't forgive myself.

If I'm being too honest, I never allowed myself to forget. Because that would meant that I had stopped regretting.

I can feel his judging eyes upon me as he stands by the edge of the forest, so dark and silent.

He is nothing more than a shadow. But he does not disappear when I turn on the light.

Could he be nothing more than a manifestation of our guilt? Created and formed by our thoughts? Our eyes plays trick on us in the dark, but can the same be said about a tortured mind?

No matter how far we walk, we always end up with ourselves. My mother once said that. I never understood what she meant by it. But now I do.

I want you to try and find your peace. And I want you to know that you couldn't have changed anything.

And so, I hope that things will be different for you, and that you will find a way to be able to live with the past.

Make peace. With yourself.

So that, in the end, he may disappear.

Amy

You read the letter, the words sinking in as you processed the contents. "She..." Your voice caught in your throat, your grip on the paper almost too tight. "She took her own life... Michael didn't kill her."

"To be honest, I did not consider that she would commit suicide," Jake admitted, his voice heavy with the weight of the revelation. "Do you... do you understand why Amy did it?"

"The guilt must have been too much for her," you murmured, your heart aching as you pieced together the reasons. "Because of Jennifer's death... She just... She couldn't see any way out."

"Until now, we believed that it was only Hannah who saw the man without a face. But through her letter," Jake pointed at the paper you were holding, "we have now found out that Amy also saw the man by the edge of the forest."

"Wait." You frowned, confusion knitting your brows. "I thought the man without a face was just a figment of Hannah's imagination due to her guilt and depression. Amy was sure that's the case."

"However, he also showed himself to Amy, but much later than he did to Hannah," Jake explained. His voice was thoughtful, analytical. "What do you think? Was it a hallucination as well, or was it Michael?"

You stared at the letter in your hand, the words blurring as your mind raced. "Whichever is the truth, it's not too late for Hannah."

****

It took a lot of convincing to get Jake to agree to continue his planned route straight to Hannah and Richy while you made your way to Michael and Alan's whereabouts. Wherever they are.

You told him it's the safest option available as you're sure Michael is waiting near by the entrance at Grimrock where Alan is supposed to be heading. So essentially, he's not where Hannah and Richy are. Jake can save them while you distract the two. This is the only feasible plan you could think of that would be beneficial for everyone but you. But Jake doesn't have to know that. He's already against with the plan to begin with.

Thankfully, the path seemed straightforward from where you were, and there weren't significant forks that could confuse your way. You moved quickly but cautiously, your senses heightened for any signs of human activity. The echo of your footsteps reverberated through the narrow passageway, and you focused on maintaining steady breaths to mask the sound of your pounding heart.

Your training and instincts guided you, and you pushed forward, your grip on your weapon firm and your flashlight steady in your hand.

Minutes stretched on, and still no news from Jake or Alan. As you continued walking, the mine is starting to look like a labyrinth. Looking at your map, you realized you were getting close to the entrance near the Grimrock waterfall. This raised the likelihood of encountering either Alan or the man without a face.

With your gun drawn, you turned a corner and suddenly, a sharp clang echoed through the tunnel. The sound reverberated off the walls, making it difficult to discern its exact source. Your heart raced in your chest, and your instincts kicked into high gear. You steadied your breath, your every movement careful as you scanned the surroundings for any signs of danger.

In the stifling silence that followed, your senses were on high alert. You strained your ears, trying to detect even the faintest sound. The confined space of the mine played tricks on your perception, and you had to rely on your training to filter out the echoes and focus on what might be reality.

Your grip tightened on your weapon as you moved forward, step by cautious step. The tension in the air was palpable, and your mind raced through the possibilities.

Could it be Michael? Or was it something else entirely?

You couldn't really tell.

You continued walking, steps still deliberate. Your weapon was still held ready, your flashlight illuminating your path and scanning for any signs of movement. You were determined not to be caught off guard.

Another noise echoed in the tunnel.

You cursed softly. It is much more indecipherable than the first one and sounded much closer.

The grip on your weapon grew tighter as each excruciating second passed by, fingers itching close to the trigger. Your mind raced through possible scenarios as you prepared for whatever might come next. The darkness seemed to close in around you, amplifying your heightened state of alertness.

As you moved cautiously forward, your ears picked up on a faint sound to your right – almost indistinguishable footsteps. Your flashlight's beam flicked in that direction, and then your world seemed to halt.

"Hannah?!" The word escaped your lips in a mix of shock and relief.

She was there, standing frozen before you. Wide-eyed and trembling, she seemed just as startled as you were by the unexpected encounter. Your own heartbeat resonated in your ears, and you quickly lowered your weapon, realizing the fear etched on her face.

You took a step toward her, your voice gentle, "Hannah, you're safe now. I'm," you fumbled at your badge, showing your name you knew she'd be familiar with. "I'm Agent L/n."

A look of recognition flashed in her eyes. "Agent L/n..."

You took another step. "Yes. You contacted me a few weeks ago, remember?" She nodded, unconsciously shifting closer to you as she realized you are no threat. "I'm with your friends. I'm sorry I took so long."

You were not sure who closed the distance, but you find yourself with a whole handful of Hannah Donfort who finally broke down against your chest. Her body was trembling as she wrapped her arms around you, her sobs muffled against your shoulder. It was as if she was afraid to cause the slightest noise but for you, it sounded louder than ever. Your heart ached at the weight of her fear and distress, and you held her gently, providing the support she needed. It made your anger for the culprit burn in an unidentified rage.

"You came," she sobbed. "You... y-you have to save Richy!"

"I will," you responded quickly. "but first let's get you somewhere safe, okay? Can you walk?"

She nodded slowly, but her trembling legs betrayed her.

She can't.

"Okay... I'm going to carry you, Hannah. Will that be okay?" She nodded again, and that's all the confirmation you needed before you carefully lifted her into your arms. You didn't want to start touching her without permission after all that she went through. The last thing you want is to scare her more than she already is.

You got to admit, your circumstance right now with a woman in your arms and the culprit on the loose inside a narrow tunnel with passages that can rival a maze doesn't sound so promising right now. Though you managed to maintain your grip on your flashlight and weapon, it's going to be a challenge to fight Michael if he suddenly shows up.

Hopefully, he wouldn't.

****

A few minutes of silence passed as you navigated the tunnels, each step taking you closer to the exit. Hannah remained quiet in your arms, her trembling gradually subsiding.

You felt a familiar vibration against your back pocket and you quickly realized it was an incoming call. Assuming it was Jake or Alan, you pushed a button against your earbuds to answer the call.

"Hello," you greeted, your voice low and controlled.

"Chief," the voice on the other end responded, instantly sending a chill down your spine.

You came to a halt, and your heart seemed to skip a beat as you recognized the voice. Hannah must have felt you stiffen because she looked up at you with a questioning look.

Collecting yourself, you cleared your throat and replied as evenly as possible, "Agent Hartmann."

"Affirmative, Chief L/n. This is Agent Hartmann speaking."

Fuck, you're so screwed. This was a predicament you hadn't anticipated.

"Drop the formalities, Charlotte." You hissed quietly. "How did you get my number?" Because they shouldn't have. No. They can't. You made sure it was secured and untraceable.

"You aren't as slick as you thought you are, Chief," Charlotte responded, a hint of amusement in her tone. You could practically imagine her smirking. Charlotte is your right hand in your squad. Technically, you knew her almost like at the back of your hand. "You've gotten quite rusty, I must say."

You frowned, her words hitting a nerve. "Very funny. A year of suspension can do that to you," you sighed. This situation was spiraling in an unexpected direction. "What's the verdict?" you asked, bracing yourself for her response.

If word of your actions had spread to the entire FBI, your control over the situation was slipping through your fingers.

Charlotte's tone turned serious. "I'm not sure if the Director already knows but I'm certain the whole squad knows about your insubordination because we are the ones who found you. So, the possibility of the director not knowing about this is slim."

You cursed under your breath. This was worse than you thought.

"So, you're going to arrest me?" you challenged, your voice tinged with defiance. You felt Hannah's grip tighten on your shirt, her fear palpable.

"Our squad had promised to follow you, Chief, no matter which path you decided to walk," Charlotte stated firmly. "And we intend to keep that promise."

Your gaze softened considerably. Her loyalty caught you off guard.

"You shouldn't risk your job for me, Charlotte," you swallowed the lump in your throat. "I've got nothing to lose while you guys can lose everything."

"I think you're underestimating us," she chuckled before turning serious once again. "We are here to help."

Your eyebrows rose. "How so?"

"We found your culprit," she said simply. "Do you know any Ted Madruga?"

"Yes. He's the one in prison."

"You really did turn rusty, Chief." She said seriously. "The paper Miss Lilly Donfort had found from Miss Hannah Donfort's mail are all fraud."

"What?" you sound so confused. "What do you mean?"

Charlotte's next words shook the foundations of your investigation.

"We have gathered records from all prisons in the region, and there are no records of a man named Ted Madruga in any of them."

Your eyes widened, realization dawning. "You mean he's—"

A sharp stinging pain at the back of your head sent you to your knees, forcing your grip on Hannah to loosen. The world around you spun for a moment before darkness swallowed your vision, your consciousness slipping away. As the darkness closed in, Hannah's scream echoed in your ears.

"Chief? Chief! Goddamn it!" Charlotte's voice reverberated in your unconscious mind. "We're too late, Viktor. Step on the gas! Hurry!"

A low, eerie chuckle echoed in the tunnel as a figure emerged, slinging a bloodied baseball bat over their shoulder. A twisted smirk curled upon their lips as they fixed their gaze on Hannah, who was frozen in terror.

"No one's leaving the mine alive," their voice dripped with menace. "It's time to let everyone know the truth."

~~~~~~

Previous

Next

A/n: Instant apologies for the cliffhanger. As I have said, I may not follow the game's ending. It's not that I'm not contented with the game's ending but rather I'd like to add some spice of my own.

Important: Also, I don't know if it's a problem on my end or not because I have uploaded the part 10 days ago but it seemed that my works aren't visible to anyone at all which led me to reupload it again just so it would be finally be visible to readers.

So, I would like to ask (if it's not too much to ask 🥺) if some of y'all can leave some comments, likes or even reblogs just to let me know my work is out there? It would mean a lot to me that my works will be able to reach my fellow readers as well. I also really appreciate feedbacks 😉

[bekala]

20 Questions for Writers

@noxnthea tagged me so here we are.

1. How many works do you have on AO3? 18

2. What's your total AO3 word count?

555,722 more than I expected. It's gonna get higher!

3. What fandoms do you write for?

Almost exclusively Marvel, but I have two Sons of Anarchy fics that I brought over from my FanFiction.net account way back when and there's more over there.

4. What are your top 5 fics by kudos?

Order of Operations (Darcy/Bucky; E), biologically, but not conceptually (Darcy/Bucky; T), Trust in Motion (Darcy/Bucky; M), Lessons in Avoidance: Or How Darcy Lewis Learned to Have Feelings (Darcy/Clint; E), a haunting (Darcy/Bucky; T)

5. Do you respond to comments?

I try to reply to all of them. Talking to readers in the comments of one of my absolute favorite things about posting fics.

6. What is the fic you wrote with the angstiest ending?

An Unsealed Fate (E)

Is an AU one shot Bucky/Clint/Nat based the night before a battle in a world inspired by the show Carnival Row. All the characters are having this bittersweet moment of expressing their love for each other and not saying goodbye as they prepare to fight for freedom at dawn the next day.

“We don’t say goodbye before we part,” Clint continues as his fingers finish the last button and he starts to tug Bucky’s trousers and pants over his hips, “we don’t seal a fate until all other paths are closed to us.” 

“He’s right,” Nat says and when Bucky turns his head again she’s so close he can make out the gold stars around her irises, the only outward sign of the immense power hiding under her skin, “don’t tempt fate. What will come will come but we have now and we’re going to celebrate it with you.”

7. What’s the fic you wrote with the happiest ending?

Almost everything tends to have happy endings in one way or another! I write fic as an escape so even though I like to let some angst in I like to wrap it up with a happy ending.

That said, the most stereotypical happy ending I have is probably, It's Quite Inconvenient. This is a Darcy/Bucky Regency AU comedy of errors, and it ends on a very happy note!

8. Do you get hate on fics?

Not usually, fingers crossed it doesn't start! I love my fandom community like crazy!!

9. Do you write smut? If so, what kind?

Yep. The kind I want to read.

10. Do you write crossovers?

I don't know that I've written any crossovers but I've written a number of AUs.

11. Are any of your fics converted into podfics?

No, but I'd be excited about it if they were.

12. Have you ever had a fic translated?

Nope!

13. Have you ever co-written a fic before?

Not technically, but I work so closely with @noxnthea on so many of my fics they might as well be co-written - or at least co-loved/co-plotted/co-agonizedover. The running joke is she's the fairy god-mother (and superstar beta) to everything I put out. I don't think any of it would make it public without her!

14. What’s your all time favorite ship?

I don't know that I could pick.

I love writing Darcy/Bucky.

I'll read almost anything though - I write almost exclusively Marvel but my reading tastes extend well beyond the Marvel fandom.

15. What’s a WIP you want to finish but doubt you ever will?

Too many to talk about.

The one I really think won't ever get finished though is a daemon AU that's got about 50k words and is Clint Barton centric. I love it so much but it just never fell into a strong final plot unfortunately. It's also in present tense, which I don't write anymore so it would be SO hard to pick back up - BUT, god, when I go back and reread it sometimes do I just love it so much.

16. What are your writing strengths?

I think I'm pretty good at action sequences, banter, and pacing?

17. What are your writing weaknesses?

I am really trying to work on getting better at complex plot development and suspense. I also want to get better building a more complex vocabulary to improve my diction.

18. Thoughts on writing dialogue in another language in fic?

I do this. I don't mind when others do it.

I think it's best when done sparingly and with a sensitivity to the fact that you don't speak the language. I prefer when it's done in a way that the dialouge is not important to the scene. Or if it is, I think it's really cool when the translation is provided contextually rather than in notes later on. That said, I've seen it done really well both ways!

19. First fandom you wrote for?

Tamora Pierce - on an account that doesn't exist anymore. I have been in fanfic for A LONG time. Like, the first fanfic I ever read was printed out and handed to me in the hallway of my middle school when the internet still made screeching noises as it connected.

20. Favorite fic you’ve written?

Oh, um - I think I've answered this before, but I'd probably have to say: Order of Operations - I am in love with this universe and still writing sequels and follow ups. I think it just came to me during a really difficult time, which is still in progress, and it's become a comfort to just sink into it and share with the community.

It's been so much fun!

tagging -- anyone who sees this and wants to do it!

@shireness-says maybe??

[rainpebble3]

I also blame Winter for sharing such a good ask game. ALAS I give thee 💌🎀🍭

Thank you so much @oblivions-dawn ❤

Now... 💌 I am currently writing a scene in my Layers of Snow of Ash fic where my main character realises she is still soooo messed up from her past trauma and it literally explodes out of her. It pushes away (literally) her closest friend and she is left to find a new mentor. This new mentor is not someone trustworthy and will absolutely manipulate this poor vulnerable bean. It is going to be so dark and painful. I just wrote the explosion and... I'll just share an extract here :D ~

Quietly, Brelyna summoned a small fireball, directing it into the hearth. “To put it out you’re going to have to draw from the cold around us. Maybe even from your memories. Try to visualize the ice and to focus that power I need you to say ‘Fal solsif, erufi as molag’ as you concentrate.”

“Fal solsif, erufi as molag?” Nera asked around chattering teeth.

Brelyna nodded. “Now put out that fire.”

When Nera didn’t move immediately, Brelyna gently turned her to face the hearth and squeezed her shoulder.

Swallowing her fear, Nera nodded and sighed. She stretched out her hand, letting the heat from the fire reassure her before closing her eyes. Her mind refused to unlock memories of the cold at first, it greedily latched onto the heat filling the room. She could hear Brelyna mumbling words of encouragement but instead of giving her strength, they only stripped her resolve. She couldn’t do it.

“Nera please,” Brelyna’s voice finally broke through, “if we can’t do this, you won’t be able to stay.”

Gritting her teeth, Nera dug into her memories. She started simply, thinking of Slush Day. The joy of working with her city to clear the slush before the next freeze. The melting snow seeped into her legs and travelled up her arm. Brelyna’s voice became more hopeful. Obviously something was happening, but Nera didn’t dare open her eyes.

“Fal solsif, erufi as molag…” she whispered. “Fal solsif, erufi as molag.”

Her hand was cold, as cold as it got when she clutched her shovel. The heat of the flames dimmed and… then her memories spiralled. She replayed all her slush days, then all the time spent scurrying through frozen back alleys like a skeever, just to avoid irritating the Nords. She relived countless blows of snowballs crashing against the back of her head until she could actually feel the ice and slush trickling down her spine.

She winced and continued mumbling the spell Brelyna had taught her.

“You’re going to learn your place…”

Nera’s eyes burst open as his voice added to the ice. She clutched her hand to her chest and sank to her knees, her breath coming out in harsh bursts. The fire had dimmed slightly but it wasn’t extinguished yet. Brelyna hovered nearby with an uncertain smile.

“You almost did it! Let’s try again…”

Nera shook her head. “I can’t… I…”

“Please, we can’t give up! We only have another few days to get ready! Nera…”

“I said I can’t!” she shrieked covering her face as her frustration broke free. Something else broke free as she screamed. The flames in the hearth grew and released waves of hot, furious energy. She could hear the table and chairs being sent flying, crashing into the wall along with Brelyna. ~ 🎀 I think I can do a good job of putting emotion into my words. When I'm writing something angsty, or exciting, very often it makes me feel all jittery, or tearful. Often tearful tbh. It's fun :D 🍭 Writing in general, I've always loved it. Even when I was 6, I wrote my own stories about my dolls, wrapping hand drawn covers in sellotape to make them look like a real book. It's been my dream for the longest time to be a writer. I got into writing Skyrim because during covid I loved reading these stories people shared and I felt lonely. The Skyrim community I write in has become one of the best, supportive, communities I have ever been a part of. The people here are amazing and cheer you on so wholeheartedly, it makes me want to cry sometimes <3 Thank you so much for the ask <3

[mattcaliber]

Gale IronScale OC

Gender: Male

Age: Approximately late teens, but unable to determine due to hybrid physiology

Race: Human/Orc hybrid

Profession: Adventurer

Bio: I have not been in this world long. My earliest memories are simple yet small. I remember light. Warmth. The sight of someone I didn't know but knew. My mother. That was day one of my new life. Within a week, I had the body of a teenager.

I was different from my orc brothers and sisters. I couldn't put my finger to it. Their mannerisms just seemed strange to me. Maybe it was my human side conflicting with my orc side. I was able to grasp concepts like cooking, cleaning, actual clothing that wasn't just a loincloth. And of course, magic.

My mother taught me magic as much she could. It was one of the few joys she had. Being a human among orcs had its challenges. It was why I knew we had to escape. Even if it meant spilling the blood of my possible kin. When all were asleep, that's when we made our move.

Everyone was deep asleep. Adding most of the camp's liquor supply into the food would do that. I grabbed my mother, took a blade from the armory, and slowly made our way out. All was going according to plan until that lout came about. One of the guards who hadn't drank much saw us and raised the alarm. Without thinking, I slit his throat, grabbed mother in my arms and jumped in the river by the camp. It wasn't too deep, but enough for us to get away.

It was dawn by the time we stopped running. Exhausted, sleepless, but free. My mother smiled for real for the first time. It was if an angel was smiling to me. It would be one of the few memories I have that I will always precious.

After we rested, we made our way to the closest road. Hoping to find somebody to help us. We saw some people before they saw us and were heading towards to them when I realized something. I couldn't go with them.

I was a hybrid. Born of a union not of love, but lust. I wouldn't be accepted. Not yet. Not until I earned my mother's name. Not until I could prove that I was worthy of it. And with tears going down my face, I said I'll return when I have proven my worth. Worth to be called a son of an IronScale.

With a heavy heart, I left my mother so she can be safe. While I marched on the path of an adventurer. I don't know if I can say for certain that I've proved my worth. Not yet anyway. I am getting closer though. I just know it.

Until then, may my ancestors watch over me. And let the heavens know, Gale IronScale will continue to move forward. One quest at a time.

[galileosmaria]

Hello dear Maria.

I just wanna say, that I think I did it. I think after that, I did it. I was able to give the very last bit of you left-- back to you, and I think I'm okay. I think I'm okay with the idea that I did everything I could've done. I think I'm okay with the idea that I could no longer do anything for you anymore. That's it. Its done. I'm done, and I'm happy. It didn't hurt when you didn't show up anymore. Maybe that's all I ever actually needed. To give it to you. To remind you and show that I was there for you until that very moment. And now that you saw it, I'm actually okay. It was good. All the times we spent together. I never regretted any of it. And you, you will always have a special spot in my life. Who knows? Maybe I would still continue writing here. Maybe I would still write about my thoughts in this blog. About life, about how Im doing, how Im coping up with everything. But I know one thing, what I will be writing, will no longer be about you. I love you, I do. But I guess, that's just not enough to keep me from doing everything else and meeting new people. I know you are struggling so much about life right now, but you know what? Gabbie is right. I'm fvcking struggling too. And Im still thinking about you even when Im actually carrying my whole world in tip toes.

"Some infinities are greater than other infinities," I always say. But I guess I forgot that even though that's true, I have to keep in mind, that maybe my infinity is important too. I've been so kind to everyone that I forgot I have to be kind to myself as well. You became the center of my universe that even though the world hurt me badly, I would still think its okay because its not hurting you. You've been all I think about lately that even when people break me so much the scars of it will haunt me forever, I still think about the amount of pain it will cause you even when it already broke me apart.

We all have struggles. And we all have certain ways to deal with them. Its true, maybe the world keeps giving me hard times because it know I can deal with it. Maybe life is so hard because it knows that no matter how much it breaks me, I would still think of you guys. But you know what, it hurts so much too. There are moments when I wake up at night crying and thinking why I have to exist too. There are days when I would find myself looking at the mirror and see disgust. I know I only have myself ever since I was a little girl. And Ive lived with that. Im not saying all this for you to appreciate me or pity me or be sad or anything. Im saying all this, for you to know that Im here for you guys. Because I know how Isolating this world can be. And I dont want you to feel everything I felt because all those times, all I really wamted was someone to understand me. But no one was there. The only person I had was myself. But you have me. I will always be there for you.

So, I hope you find the strength to cope up with yours. To see that you have people out there willing to help. I too do not know how to swim. But It doesn't mean I'll let myself drown. The universe is a vast ocean for people who cannot swim. But just like the ocean, the waves will keep you afloat if you learn to ride with it. Thank you for keeping me hooked up this far. I wouldn't have realized all this without you. Remember when you said you'd help me find myself before? I see that now. Thank you for everything, my Maria. You will always mean the stars and the moon to me. But for now, its time for the dawn to rise and for my moon to rest.

Yours, little dipper.

[clairelsonao3]

GSNBTR Playlist

Note This isn't a "soundtrack" per se, although some songs definitely could be. There's also no coherence in terms of style. They are, however, all thematically related to the plot, and they do follow the general order of the chapters. That said, they continue on past what I've already posted, so there is some risk of the lyrical content containing mild spoilers (in particular, the last song on the list). Listen at your own risk.

Citizen Cope - Sideways

You know it ain't easy/For these thoughts here to leave me/There are no words to describe it/In French or in English

These feelings won't go away/They've been knockin' me sideways/They've been knockin' me out lately/Whenever you come around me

Kate Rusby - Sho Heen

Sleep my friend oh I'll watch o'er you/The moon is here and the stars adore you/Close your eyes and sleep tonight/Oh my blessed angel, here again, goodnight

The Four Seasons - Dawn (Go Away) 

Dawn/Go away back where you belong/Girl we can't/Change the places where we were born/Before you say/That you want me/I want you to think/What your family would say/Think/What you're throwing away/Now think what the future would be with a poor boy like me

Damien Rice - Cannonball

There's still a little bit of your ghost, your witness/Still a little bit of your face I haven't kissed/You step a little closer each day/That I can't say what's going on

Judy Collins - Someday Soon

My father says that he will leave me cryin'/I would follow him right down the roughest road I know/Someday soon/Goin' with him someday soon

Bradley Cooper - Maybe It's Time

Maybe it's time to let the old ways die/Takes a lot to change a man/Hell, it takes a lot to try/Maybe it's time to let the old ways die

Alexi Murdoch - Breathe

Don't forget to breathe/You know you are here/But you find you want to leave/So don't forget to breathe

Ciaran Lavery - Left For America

When I'm ready I'll give you the sign/You can gather me up like a quilt/Tell my mother I tried, tell my cousin I lied/I was holding your hand out of guilt/'Cause they never paid my way/I bought it/I never stole your heart/I sought it/I never knew my place, anyway

Bill Evans - My Foolish Heart

Chet Baker - Let's Get Lost

Let's get lost/Lost in each other's arms/Let's get lost/Let them send out alarms/And though they'll think us rather rude/Let's tell the world we're in that crazy mood

Sarah Jarosz - Build Me Up From Bones

I held every inch of you/I wrote every line for you/I made time when time was all but gone/You're the love I've always known

Fairport Convention - Si Tu Dois Partir, Va T'En (Peel Session)

French: Mais si tu dois partir, va-t'en/Si non, tu dois rester la nuit

English: If you’ve got to go, go now/Or else you’ve got to stay all night

(Note: The “famous poet” mentioned by Erica in Chapter 18 is Bob Dylan, of course, and these are some of the only lyrics that actually appear (in English) in the story. But the fact that the most famous version of the song is in French is a cool bonus.)

Let's Go Sailing - Come Home Safely

Come home safely tonight/I will not sleep until I hear you counting steps/We still have time left, don’t we now?/Don’t we now?

Nickel Creek - Tomorrow is a Long Time

Yes, and only if my own true love was waiting/Yes, and if I could hear his heart softly poundin'/Only if he was lying by me/Then I'd lie in my bed once again

(Yes, it's another Dylan cover. I'm the worst.)

Anais Mitchell & Jefferson Hamer - Geordie

I wish I had you in a public square/The whole town gathered around me/With my broad sword and a pistol too/I'd fight you for the life of my Geordie

Joseph - White Flag

I could surrender but I'd/Just be pretending, no I'd/Rather be dead than live a lie/Burn the white flag

Coldplay - The Scientist 

I was just guessing at numbers and figures/Pulling the puzzles apart/Questions of science/Science and progress/Do not speak as loud as my heart

ZAZ - Si jamais j'oublie 

French: Si jamais j'oublie/Les jambes à mon cou/Si un jour je fuis/Rappelle-moi qui je suis/Ce que je m'étais promis

English (translation mine): If ever I forget/Run away/If ever I flee one day/Remind me who I am/What I promised myself

R. City feat. Adam Levine - If I Got Locked Away

If I got locked away/And we lost it all today/Tell me, honestly/Would you still love me the same?/If I showed you my flaws/If I couldn't be strong/Tell me, honestly/Would you still love me the same?/Now tell me, would you really ride for me?/Baby, tell me, would you die for me?/Would you spend your whole life with me?/Would you be there to always hold me down?/Tell me, would you really cry for me?/Baby, don't lie to me/If I didn't have anything/I wanna know, would you stick around?

Meg Baird - Willie O'Winsbury

No, it wasn’t with a lord nor a duke nor a knight/Or a man of wealth and fame/But it was with Willie O’Winsbury/I could bide no longer alone

The outline of the story is fluid, as always, so this is subject to additions!

[up-to-some-good]

written for @wolfstarmicrofic - November 13th Feeble

It was raining, because of course it was. It wasn't just a drizzle either. No, it was absolutely pouring as Remus walked to Sirius's apartment building. It was like the weather had decided to add some dramatic effect to the moment, as if the ongoing war wasn't dramatic enough.

For reasons he couldn't explain, he decided to walk the whole way and his umbrella had mysteriously disappeared the last time James had been over for drinks, so by the time Remus arrived at the door he was completely drenched and feeling quite feeble.

He took a deep breath and steeled himself before knocking. He heard a thump and muffled curse as Sirius made his way to the door before it swung open.

"What the fuck do you - Remus?" Sirius looked up at him in surprise, wand still pointed at his chest. "What are you doing here?"

It was a fair question. They hadn't seen each other outside of Order meetings since Sirius had moved out of their shared apartment a few month ago.

"I... Ask the security question," Remus answered. "I have to ask you something."

"You have to ask me something?" Sirius asked incredulously. "At 2:14am on a Tuesday. It couldn't wait?"

Remus sighed and crossed his arms, shivering as the cold set in.

"No, it couldn't. Could you just ask the question so I can come in and dry off?"

Sirius waved his wand, casting drying and warming charms on his friend before turning around and walking into the apartment.

"Is this a tea or whiskey conversation?" he called back at Remus.

"You're not going to ask a security question? What if I were a Death Eater?" Remus asked, walking cautiously through the doorway.

"Only the real Remus would have no qualms about walking through a storm and waking me up before dawn to ask a single question," Sirius answered, leaning back on his kitchen counters. "Besides, a Death Eater would have killed me by now. Tea or whiskey?"

"Tea, please."

Remus made his way to the sofa while Sirius made the tea, taking the chance to look at his friend's apartment for the first time. It was awfully plain, no picture hung up or books on the shelves. A few unpacked boxes were shoved into a corner with Sirius's broom. It hardly looked like someone had been living there for a week, let alone an entire month.

Sirius handed him his tea before curling up on the opposite end of the couch with his own cup.

"What did you want to ask me?"

Remus took one sip of the tea before turning to his friend and taking a deep breath.

"It's got a bit of backstory," he started. "So I need you to just bear with me a bit and let me talk until I finish, because otherwise I'll never get the words out."

Sirius nodded, but stayed silent.

"I got a letter from Dumbledore last night. He wants me to go back undercover in the packs and get them to join our side of the war," Remus continued. "I'm not supposed to tell anyone, but I couldn't stop thinking about you, and how you've always been there when I've gotten back, even though I never told you what I was doing, and how you won't be there anymore and I just can't stand the thought. It's incredibly selfish, but I want to come home in the middle of the night and see you there, wearing your mismatched pyjamas and sleeping on the couch because you were waiting for me. But I also want you there when I'm not away. I want to wake up next to you and hold you when you wake up from nightmares and get mad at you for stealing my sweaters. I'm sorry for last month. I'm sorry I rejected you and I'm sorry I kicked you out and I'm sorry I didn't come sooner. I was surprised and I just reacted and I didn't say what I should have said, which is that I love you too and I do want to be together.

So, with all of that said, will you move out of this half-unpacked apartment and move back home with me? Please?"

Remus looked up at Sirius, making eye contact for the first time since he started speaking. To his surprise, Sirius looked completely calm, if a bit teary-eyed.

"Alright," he responded, quietly.

"Alright?"

"I'll move back," Sirius said. "And I'll steal your sweaters and keep you awake with my nightmares and look after you when you come back, but you have to promise me something."

"Anything."

Sirius put his mug down before leaning towards Remus and taking both of his hands into his own.

"You have to promise to talk to me," he whispered. "Even if you think you're being irrational, even if you're not really supposed to. I need to know what's going on with you, so I can be there for you. Okay?"

"You'll do the same?"

"Yes, I promise."

"Then of course," Remus whispered, pulling Sirius closer. "I promise."

Slowly, as if giving Remus the time to stop him, Sirius leaned in and kissed him. It was nothing heated, nothing demanding, just a simple press of lips that whispered I'm here, I love you. Remus sighed as Sirius pulled away, finally feeling his heart rate settle.

"Let's go home, my love."

[writingchalamet]

I'm happy for you... Reconciliation

Christmas morning had come, and there you were alone in your apartment, still dawned in the same sparkly dress as the night before, you hadn't moved from your spot on the sofa and hadn't slept a wink. You finally mustered up the courage to move around 6am to turn on the christmas lights on the tree so you were no longer sat in complete darkness. You couldn't quite pull your head around what had happened earlier and the words just spun around your brain like a carousel, "I still love you" you almost didn't believe him. You even broke your social media blackout to check. And there it was, his instagram posts had been deleted, no recollection of her, no record, as if it never happened.

You finally move from the sofa and shuffle through the house, barely lifting your feet from the ground, you enter your once shared bedroom and stare at a box under the bed, bending down to reach for it, once it's in your hands you remove the lid and a tear slips down your face in an instant. You see Timmy's face staring back at you, with his beautiful gleamy eyed gaze you loved so much. You had managed to throw away everything, apart from the photos. The photos held so many wonderful memories, and you hadn't looked at them since you had shut them away in this box, almost forgetting about them.

Your phone buzzes next to you making you jump, you sigh wiping your tears dry, answering the phone. "Hey mum, merry christmas... Yeah I'm okay, thank you for the present's... tell everyone I said I love you, and I'll come home and see you all soon okay... No I'm alone right now, but It's okay I'll see my friends later or something, I'll be fine, It's actually, uh, its nice... No I haven't eaten yet it's 8am here you guys are 5 hours ahead remember, right mum I've got to go, but I love you and I'll see you real soon okay, love you buy" You sigh hanging up the phone and dropping it onto the bed. There is an abrupt knock on the front door.

Confused you don't open and stay in the bedroom, until the person knocks again only this time louder. You are confused as to how they got into the building and to be honest a little scared.

"Coming" you open the door with the chain on, just in case, only to find Timothée stood the other side, head hanging slightly, also wearing last nights clothes. "Hey" he gives you the slightest smile he can muster, scared of what you'll do next. Your hand automatically moves to the chain to open the door properly. You nod your head towards him, gesturing him in the house. "Sorry for just dropping in like this, but..." You stare at him blankly for an answer but he continues to look at the ground.

"it's not Christmas unless it's with you, I know I messed up, but I can't waste another minute being without you" The breath is stollen from the air and you forget to breathe for a moment. You nod to him and walk through the apartment, into the living room, where you had decorated for the festivities. You weren't gonna lie to yourself, you had never been happier to see that face in your life, especially after all the pent up emotion from last night. You sit on the sofa and takes a seat right beside you, this is the closest you had ben to one another in almost an entire year. "You didn't sleep either I guess?" You pointed towards his clothes, he laughed awkwardly and nodded his head yes.

"How did you get into the building? who let you in, I mean?"-

"I never left, I sat on the stairs of the stairwell just sort of thinking, I still can't quite put into words what I need to say though" You stare at him in disbelief. That stairwell is freezing, especially in winter, there is hardly any light and the stairs are pure concrete, you can't imagine how uncomfortable he must have been. "You mean to tell me that you sat out there all night" he nods "I just wanted to the chance to speak with you one more time-

Your impulses took over, the build up of not touching him or having him near for months had finally gotten to you, in an instant you smashed yourself into him, your lips on his, arms encased around his neck and fingers through his curls. His delayed response you hoped was due to shock, but eventually his arms wrapped themselves in their natural place around your waist, where he pulls you closer so your legs are across his lap. You pull back for a breath and stare into his eyes, the swirls of green, flecks of yellow and blue, something you had truly missed staring in and looking at the different hues of his eyes. You stroke your hand across his soft cheek and into his curls again, just sitting there basking in him.

The pair of you showered, the stickiness and smell of last nights party and wallowing was finally starting to take it's toll. While you got dressed into a comfy jumper dress and tights, Timmy was about to put on his dirty clothes from last night when you stop him, taking them from his hands. "Let me wash those for you, I think I still have some of your clothes in the wardrobe, let me go check." Timothée couldn't help the smirk that appeared on his face, but then it quickly fell, knowing she had stayed so faithful, hopeful this entire time.

You returned with a pair of joggers and jumper of his, handing them over with a smile. "I kept a couple things, just in case... you know" He just smiled in return and left a kiss on your cheek. "Are you going back to your mums, or do you have plans?"

"Trying to get rid of me so soon, well I was kinda hoping I could spend the day with you... If you would want that?" a small smile crept itself onto your face, you lightly put one of your hands on top of his, still holding his pile of clothes, and brushed your fingers against his knuckles. "I would like that very much".

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The pair took a walk around New York City, the weather was bleak for a Christmas day, snow drops fell from the sky, the streets were glistening and glimmering from the fairy lights hanging on each building. The pavements shining from the reflections of the light. The people walking the streets today weren't the usual rude New Yorkers, they were jolly, and enjoying the festivities.

The two of you walked hand in hand, or glove in glove, it almost felt as if no time had past at all, as if nothing had happened. You glance towards Timothée and smile, his eyes filled with so much joy and wonder as he basks in the sights around him, you'd forgotten how much he loved Christmas. He catches you staring and sniggers "what?" he stares at you with a cheeky grin.

"nothing, I just love you" your proclamation of love makes him stop in his path. he turns to you, slipping his glove patted hand around the back of your neck, pulling you in close for a kiss, you meet in the middle hands around his waist, lips touching softly, you could feel the passion through his lips, he pulled away and pressed his forehead against yours, "I love you, Y/N. I love you, please be mine again?"

You raise your eyebrows at him the excitement filling your entire body. “Hmmm, and what if I say no?” You tilt your head. He pulls you closer if that’s even possible. “There’s just simply no other option than yes” you lean in and press your lips to his once more, nodding your head in the process, you give him a squeeze around the waist, and pull away.

You hadn’t felt this happy or content in months, just walking the streets of New York with Timmy, hand in hand holding each other close. You were finally happy, and you could tell he was happy too. With soft smiles and shared kisses as you continue your walk in the snow, you finally feel at peace.

[unknown--anna]

Roses

Xiao x reader

Gender neutral reader

Genre: Fluff, to angst/hurt

Character deaths, mentions of blood

Word count: 1810 words

Part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4

The brightest roses

You both knew your relationship was no where near normal. A mortal and an adepti? One would face their mortality, while one would face their immortality.

Xiao was hesitant at first; knowing you would one day have to leave him to go to a place where he couldn't reach you; where he couldn't hear your voice, feel the comfort of your embrace, or see your smile. He wasn't the only one. You too had those lingering reminders at the back of your head. One day you'll leave this world; leave him. But did you really not want to experience life with him?

During the years of your short visits, you had become aware of his karmic debt, but you had never seen it first hand, so Xiao felt anxious as his brows furrowed at the possibility of his debt affecting you if you spent much more time with him. In the past, your short visits would put his thoughts of his karmic debt at ease, but what if you get affected in the future? What if spending more time than before leads to your demise? Sure, he enjoyed your company, but can he really be selfish and just keep you a little longer?

"I'll be fine, Xiao." You warmly smiled at him. "I've got this!" You pointed to your geo vision hanging on your side. You told him about the way you got your vision and Xiao felt more indebted to the geo archon. Not only did Morax save him, but he also saved you.

Despite it all, you decided that you wanted to experience life with Xiao and he too wanted to, even though your mortal lifespan was no where near the thousands of years he'd spent in Teyvat. He wanted to savour what little time he had with you, and so he did.

Your parents were sceptical at first. Of course they would be. A mortal and an adeptus in a relationship? It's an understatement to call it uncommon.

Your mother stood up from her seat. "Though I won't say I don't find it out of the ordinary, I see that Xiao is a good individual." She chuckles. "I remember after each and every visit, you'd tell us all about him." Your face turns red at what your mother had just revealed in front of Xiao, who seemed unnerved, but his heart skipped a beat. "Also, you look much happier, dear." Your mother says before kissing your cheek. Your father sighed and looked at the two of you for a moment before speaking. "Can I trust you to protect them?" He asked Xiao, who immediately replied. "I will and always will be there to protect them from any dangers until the very last dawn." Your father took a deep breath and simply smiled at the two of you.

Once you knew your parents would be okay, you felt confident enough to move from Mondstadt to Liyue Harbor. You said your goodbyes to them and your friends. "Thank me with some wine when you visit." Kaeya whispered in your ear as Xiao practically glared at him. With hugs from Lisa, Amber, Jean, and Bennett, you and Xiao were off.

As expected, a relationship with Xiao would be no where near ordinary or easy. Because he felt more indebt to Morax, he continued his duties with more intensity; sometimes leaving very little time for you, but whatever time you two did have together was cherished.

Those moments when Xiao would find your sleeping form waiting for him were precious to him. Seeing the peace in your face brought peace to him momentarily, then he'd feel guilty for leaving you for long periods of time, yet so grateful knowing you'd always wait for him.

Sometimes whenever you fell asleep anywhere which was not the bed, he'd be careful not to wake you and lift you up in his arms to bring you to your bedroom. Once he lays you down, he'd brush away any stray hairs with the gentlest touch, then plant a soft kiss on your forehead while holding your hand.

When you woke up, you'd often find something left behind be Xiao, such as whatever dish you liked from Wangshu Inn, but you'd be comforted by the fact that Xiao came, since you were no longer in your previous spot sleeping, but in your bed.

On some occasions, you'd wake up to a dark head of hair with green in your arms. Xiao, who wore a rare face of serenity. You'd sometimes fall back asleep or just admire the peace that decorated his features.

The little moments and big moments between the two of you were cherished greatly. Of course you've had your disagreements, but Xiao makes sure he is and will never be the cause of your pain or tears.

The few moments Xiao's karmic debt crawled its way into him, you made sure you were there; even when he'd tell you to stay away; fearing that his debt might affect you, but you were persistent. With black tendrils flowing out of Xiao, you'd try to reach out to him; only to be met with all the pain he would usually endure alone. Despite it, you too tried to endure it with him by embracing him as tight as possible while bunching up the fabric of his clothes.

"I want to be able to protect you too." You said through gritted teeth and sweat pooling around your forehead. That is when Xiao would wrap his arms around you in a crushing hug. You two would stay there until he would slump on your shoulder heaving, until he pulls you back into a gentle hug.

The little time you two had was spent meaningfully, but here he is today; unable to breathe. Your inevitable mortality caught up to you, is he knew it would. But did no one expected it so soon or happen this way.

"Hey, hey..." You tried to speak and smile with blood pooling in your mouth. Being in the adventurers guild of course had its risks, but a rather unexpected turn of events occurred this time. You had some business with the Abyss. Some mages were no trouble for you, but when an Abyss Herald accompanied by more mages suddenly came, it happened too quickly for you to notice the blade made from elemental energy stuck in your abdomen. The blade dissolved back into nothing, which caused you to bleed profusely.

Your vision was getting hazy and you could only think of one name. "Xiao..." You mumbled the best you could as the mages approached your bloody form. In less than a second he was there and when he saw you with a gaping wound in your abdomen, his eyes widened. He never truly hated certain beings, but in that moment he felt pure rage towards the Abyss.

In mere seconds, he took down the Abyss Herald and mages with full killing intent. How dare they. Kill them. Those were the only thoughts occupying his head in that moment. With blood covering his pole arm and splattered on himself, he could only heave in rage until he turned to your form clutching your abdomen.

He tried to lift you, but you cried out in pain at the sudden movement. He wanted to bring you to safety, but he couldn't bare hearing your cries, which tore his soul to shreds. He looked back at the wound. It was large, deep, and unbelievable amounts of blood kept bleeding out of it. He knew. You'd lost too much blood, but he didn't want to accept the thought that you were doing to die; leaving him forever.

"Hey... It'll be okay." You tried to lift your hand up to meet his face to caress your thumb over his features. "Know that I'll love you, even after death." You pulled the best smile you could muster. Xiao could only let endless tears drop from his golden eyes to your bloody form. "I'm sorry, Y/N... I promised I'd protect you- I should've come soon-" "Stop it." You interrupted him. "None of this is your fault." You assured him. Though he still felt guilt eat away his heart, all he could do was to continue cry while squeezing your hand and committing your face to his memory so he'd never forget you; even after thousands of years to come.

"You were never very expressive, Xiao." You tried to chuckle, which only ended up in you wincing in pain. "This is the most expressive face I've seen from you... But I wish it wasn't so sad..." You smiled up at him as he continue to let his tears fall. The pain he felt in his heart was nothing compared to his debt. It felt like a piece of it was being ripped away and would never return.

"Hey Xiao...? It's so cold..." You wanted to wrap your arms around yourself like you did in Dragonspine, but your arms were losing feeling. The only thing that held your one hand on Xiao's cheek was his hand. Xiao immediately wrapped his arms around you; sobbing into your shoulder as he felt your body turning colder by the seconds.

"Thank you, Xiao." You whispered into his ear as you layed your head on his shoulder. "Thank you for everything." If anyone could hear him, his inner self was screaming to not let you leave; to let you live. Your shoulder was getting moist from his tears. "You will have a place in my heart and memories for eternity." You nearly missed it, but you were happy you heard it.

Slowly, your body became limp and cold in his arms and he knew it. You were gone. You looked like you were sleeping, but he knew; anyone would know that you were gone; you would never awake from your eternal slumber.

As years passed, his world lost it's colour as he never moved on from you. Each and every day, he'd pick the brightest roses he could find, then gently lay them all by your grave stone. It was easy to find your stone, as it had the most flowers. In the past, you were the one who would give him almond tofu with by flowers, even if it wasn't any occasion. So now he was picking the brightest roses to give to you, as their colours shone in his colourless world; the only things that had colour and your vision, which he always kept close.

Pink for admiration.

Yellow for friendship.

Red for love.

White for purity.

He chose white because of how pure your love was and how it made him feel alive in the short moment you were alive.

"If there is a way for you to come back, I will wait for you. Just as you waited for me in the past."

[oro-e-diamanti]

The one where Ethan is pretending

Description | When you bump into Ethan in Paris, you fail to mention that you know exactly who he is. You’re not sure how long you’ll be able to keep it up when he asks you out for a drink.

Content | Fluff

Pairing | Ethan x gn!Reader (with the exception of one female pet name)

Word Count | 2071

Taglist | @ginny-lily @ethaneskin @tabi-toast @mywritingonlyfans

***

There was no way you were staying in the same place that Måneskin had just arrived at. There was no way, you kept telling yourself. Paris was a massive city, the number of available hotels in the hundreds, maybe thousands if you had to guess. And yet, somehow, you had managed to pick the one place one of your new favourite obsessions would spend their time. You knew it didn't mean much, the hotel had more than a couple of rooms and with your luck, you wouldn't even catch a glimpse of them. But as you kept scrolling through Instagram, seeing pictures of people meeting the four Italians in front of the place you had checked into mere days ago, you couldn't fight a little bubble of excitement forming in your chest.

Well, you told yourself you wouldn't get your hopes up. And you definitely wouldn't hang around in front of the hotel or in the lobby. You had booked your solo trip to Paris months ago, after dreaming about visiting the city for most of your life, and you would be damned if you wouldn't stick to your itinerary and enjoy your holiday. However - you had gotten up at what felt like dawn to go queue up for the Louvre and spent the last couple of hours there, so you decided that a nap was the way to go if you wanted to continue exploring the city in the evening. Fortunately, the walk back to the hotel wasn't long.

You had made it to the last corner before entering the street you were aiming for, when two giggling girls ran past you, unceremoniously bumping your shoulder and sending you tumbling. You were fully expecting to hit the ground, but instead, a pair of strong arms caught you and brought you back to your feet. A pair of strong arms belonging to a strong chest that you came face-to-face with, belonging to a gorgeous face, belonging to Ethan Torchio.

"Tu vas bien?" His broad French accent confused you, momentarily forgetting about the little detail that you were, in fact, in France, as you stared at the drummer in front of you, who was still protectively holding onto your upper arms.

"Huh?" Was the immensely intelligent answer that thus left your mouth.

"Oh, not French?"

"No, definitely not French." You finally said, taking a step back from him to avoid the increasing awkwardness you were feeling about being touched by him, while the two girls who had previously knocked you down were now lingering around the two of you suspiciously, not coming close enough to be rude, but obviously desperate to get their own piece of Ethan. "No, just a tourist."

"Me too," Ethan smiled. "A tourist, I mean. Well, kind of. I'm here with my band so it's not like we have time to do a lot of sightseeing."

He briefly turned around to look at the two girls who still seemed frustrated at you hogging his time and gave a small wave before turning back to you. It was the movement that made you realise he had the most gorgeous red rose tucked into the waistband of his trousers. Well, it used to be the most gorgeous rose - after your little crash, it had bent in the middle, the top hanging only by a thread, in the most miserable fashion.

"Oh, no I am so sorry!" You gasped, carefully grasping the delicate petals that were on the verge of breaking off. "I must have crashed into it when you caught me."

"Don't worry about it," Ethan said, softly, and pulled the stem from his waistband. The flower looked even more tragic now, in all its crushed glory. "A fan gave it to me a few minutes ago."

"Huh?" You surely proved yourself articulate in this conversation. You mentally hit yourself, angry at yourself for being so easily flustered.

"There are a few fans waiting in front of our hotel, because we're in a ... band ... and things."

Apparently, your awkwardness was contagious. Also, it was becoming increasingly obvious that Ethan thought that you had no idea who he was.

"Let me get you a new one," you suggested. "There's a flower shop just two doors down from the hotel - I mean, I am staying there, too, so I know."

He smiled at you with a serenity and calmness that had your heart soaring. You decided you'd be willing to buy him a million roses if only he kept smiling at you like that for a little longer.

"Well, I've got to go now, but it would be rude to refuse your offer. Meet you in the bar of the hotel at 8 tonight?"

No way this was happening. You almost gasped, but at the last moment managed to keep your cool, outwardly. On the inside, you were a mess. Bumping into the drummer of one of your favourite bands was a wonderful chance meeting as it was - but this almost sounded like a date. Now, of course, Ethan wouldn't be asking you out on a date. That would be ridiculous. But there was also no way you would miss out on a chance to meet him again. Preferably without those two giggling girls that were still standing behind him, watching every move of your interaction but luckily too far away to hear what you were saying.

"It's a d- uh, deal," you quickly recovered before almost spitting out the word date instead. Ethan chuckled.

"Right, see you later, then, for our... deal."

He had seen right through you anyway, you thought. But he was still laughing, so it wasn't all that bad - right?

With another quick touch to your upper arm, Ethan walked past you, turning around just one last time.

"My name is Ethan, by the way. You can tell me yours tonight."

Oh, you would.

***

The rest of the day was... well, restless. You couldn't nap because your mind was a whirlwind and your stomach was twisting with excitement. So instead, you had made sure to get the prettiest red rose you could find in the flower shop down the street - while slightly wincing at the price that a shop in the center of the city of love demanded - and put it in a glass the hotel receptionist had been nice to give to you. Then you had decided that there was no way you would manage to relax before 8, so you allowed yourself a few hours simply wandering through the city, no real destination, no itinerary for once, just a nice long stroll with nothing but your thoughts.

At five past eight - being slightly late was still cool, right? - you did a quick check-up in the mirror, realised you were not going to get any happier with your appearance whatever you tried to do at this point, grabbed the rose from its makeshift vase, and left your room.

It only took you a second to see him when you entered the little bar on the ground floor of the hotel. Even in the dim light, the white blouse that he had already been wearing when you met for the first time stood out like a sore thumb. Long dark hair fell over his back in a silky fashion. You had never wanted to touch anyone's hair more.

You took one more deep breath and then walked over to Ethan, smile on your face and rose in your hand.

"A rose for the handsome gentleman?"

Ethan almost jumped, apparently not having heard you coming, but quickly a smirk spread over his face while he stood up.

"I'll take the rose and your name, then."

"It's Y/n."

Ethan greeted you with a soft kiss to your cheek, before taking the rose, pulling your chair back, and inviting you to sit. It was almost ridiculously romantic and if it had been anyone else it would have seemed over-the-top and off-putting, but with Ethan it seemed sincere and fitting.

"Glass of wine, Y/n?" He asked as he casually waved the waiter over to your table.

"Just one. I want to get up early tomorrow for some more sightseeing."

***

It didn't end up being just one glass. It ended up another one and then a bottle shared. But it also ended up with three hours of talking, laughing, teasing, and slowly moving your chairs closer together until you were basically sitting on the same side of the table. You had asked him about his band - still trying to cover up that you knew exactly who they were out of pure fear that he'd reject you for being a fan - and he has asked about your job, your life, your family. In fact, you only left the bar when the waiter had started throwing you annoyed looks while demonstratively cleaning the tables around you.

"I'll bring you to your room," Ethan chuckled lightly as you waited for the elevator. His hand was on the small of your back and it was spreading tingles all through your body. You were standing close enough that you could smell his perfume, a light yet musky scent that encapsulated everything about him.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, he lightly pushed you inside and you found yourself not minding him leading you like this. You pressed the button for your floor, leaning against the wall as you studied the man in front of you. He was a thing of beauty, no question about it, and when he smiled down at you the way he was right then and there, he made you feel like one, too.

"I had a lovely evening, Y/n. Is there any chance I could get your number?"

What a question, you thought to yourself. You'd be mad to refuse him!

You dug your phone out of your cluttered bag. You had switched numbers just a few weeks ago and had not yet learned the new digits by heart. Quickly, you switched it on - and your heart sank. Oh crap. You had completely forgotten about this.

The lockscreen of your phone was a picture of Måneskin.

As you looked up, you realized Ethan had seen. And, contrarily to the reaction that you were anticipating, he was wearing a massive grin.

"Ethan, I am so sorry, I should have told you immediately when we met but I kind of just stumbled into this and you were explaining you were in a band and I didn't know how to say-"

"Dolcezza, calm down. I've known all along."

"Wait - what?"

He didn't explain. Instead, he pointed to your bag - your tote bag - your Måneskin tote bag.

You truly felt like the least intelligent life form on earth.

"I've been carrying that around all day, haven't I?"

While your embarrassment grew, face heating up, Ethan grabbed your shoulders and pulled you into his body. His arms tightly wrapped around your body and you could feel his giggles in his chest, as your head was pressed against it. You didn't hesitate in reciprocating, clinging onto his torso, slowly swinging from side to side. Both of you caught in a tipsy stupor.

You only stopped when the elevator arrived at your floor, both of you stumbling out and dragging each other to your door while clinging on. When you reached your room, you let your back lean against it, pulling Ethan along so you were standing face to face, smiling at each other shily and yet never breaking eye contact.

"Why didn't you say anything?" You finally asked. He stroked your cheek, leaving goosebumps. He had now gotten so close that you could feel his breath on your, drowning in each other.

"I liked pretending."

And then he kissed you. Boldly, unafraid and passionate. You melted like putty under him, letting him take control while letting yourself fall, as his lips moved against yours.

You only pulled away enough to get another glance at him, before once again searching your bag, now one-handed, so you never quite had to let go of him. A small triumphant sound escaped you as you located the key card. Holding it up next to your face, you shot the man in front of you another smirk.

"Why don't we keep pretending? At least for tonight."

It wasn't an offer he was going to refuse.

[thera-daydreams]

PLUS ONE

》 A TRESE TWOSHOT 《

[Maliksi x Reader]

📝 Summary: In which your beloved best friend snatches you from your apartment at dawn asking you to be his plus one for his cousin's wedding. Unbeknownst to the clueless you, everything is just going according to Maliksi's ultimate masterplan. With the help of friends and family, the Prince of the Tikbalang finally gets the girl he's been longing for. And oh, Señor Armanaz gets his dream daughter-in-law and the promise of grandchildren within the year.

📌 Warning: May contain some slight NSFW for spicy suggestiveness and cussing. No smut or anything super SPG—this girl can't write that for her life—but just be prepared. It's Maliksi we're talking about. We've got friends-to-lovers, obliviousness, pining, fluff, and a tikbalang simp. Figure it out. 😃

(word count: 7,454) ♥︎ Part Two: ?

》 AUTHOR'S NOTE 《

Not an Inday spinoff, but a lengthy oneshot in celebration of this blog getting 90 followers. Just ten more to 100, yay! Thank you so much for the love and support, everyone. I also promised that I'll be making this brainrot that @binibiningbabaylan and I have fangirled over a few days ago (find the original post here) when I finished the latest chapter of Inday. Here it is! 🥰

Before I forget, I was also inspired by the cute fic made by @crispybasil titled "Sunshowers" and the "Trese Boys As Things My Guy Friends Do" made by the amazing @smolla-than-a-bug (I bow down to your wonderful works in the Trese fandom). I definitely see Maliksi to be the type to go on spontaneous roadtrips and be the boyfriend to drive you around eveeeerywhere (while also driving you crazy). 🚘

There are also some songs mentioned throughout this work. You should probably listen to them while reading for the full experience. Ending was somewhat rushed but eh, I'm too exhausted and I've rewritten it too many times. Also, if someone makes some actual tikbalang smut, tag me please. Anyways, enjoy! 💕

The way it all started was hilarious. Absolutely fucking hilarious. It happened like a blur. Literally. One second, you were snoozing in your bed. The next? You had a seatbelt on in the shotgun seat of a sophisticated-looking car. Your brain didn't even get to process it yet.

"... So let me get this straight," you grumbled, still half-asleep from your sleep marathon. You just finished a hugely successful project at work yesterday, got promoted, and wanted to make up for the restless nights you spent overtime in the office. Of course you were irritated from being disturbed. You were on vacation leave for two entire weeks, originally planning to go into temporary isolation by deactivating your social media accounts and reserving a beach cabana for yourself in Batangas.

Well, turns out, you weren't going to Batangas anytime soon. All because your unreasonably spontaneous bestfriend of ten hectic years stole you from your apartment at 2AM. Was this considered kidnapping? Was this him just being more in touch with his tikbalang side, taking unsuspecting women in their sleep and leading them to their inevitable death? (He was going over the speed limit, so it was a valid thought.) Will wearing your shirt inside-out save you today? Lord, masyado ka pang pagod para mag-isip ngayon.

"Go on."

"You abducted picked me up in the middle of the night because you want me to be your plus one at your cousin's wedding in Tagaytay?"

"Yup. And technically, the venue is right on the outskirts of Cavite going to Tagaytay," he corrected you as a matter-of-factly.

"Same thing, whatever," you huffed tiredly. "Your cousin's wedding is at 6AM today. In a few hours. In four hours."

"Uh-huh."

You groaned exasperatedly, "Mal naman, eh! You didn't even let me bring anything. Could've at least given me a heads-up a few hours ago. I'm practically emptyhanded right now save for my phone! Sinungaling ka, you said this was just a normal midnight drive—not a freaking wedding!"

The Prinsipe ng Mga Tikbalang, son of the Great Stallion, heir to the Armanaz herd, and the Top Drag Racer of C-5 Expressway—if that was even one of his Game of Thrones-like titles—grinned as he continued driving beside you. He let you continue ranting in the passenger seat while he mulled over his ultimate masterplan that would change his entire life later on. He was a spur-of-the-moment kind of guy, so all this wasn't his thing. But for you? He'll make plans, alright.

"Wala man lang akong dinalang masusuot o kahit konting makeup para maging presentable sa harapan ng buong pamilya mo," you exclaimed, in absolute despair. "Do you know how out of my league you are? Your rich-ass family might judge me—hell, your dad might see me as a hampaslupa if I show up there in my pambahay and tsinelas!"

"Psh, I'm not out of your league," Maliksi waved it off, smoothly turning a corner. "And calm down. We've known each other for a decade! My dad practically loves you as his own daughter. Heck, the entire family knows you and keeps telling me they want you adopted in already. Lolo Andres and Lola Perlita said they'd have the paperwork settled. You just need to sign them."

It would be even better (and easier) if you married into the family. To him, specifically (as if he'd let anyone else have you). God, he was already being so obvious in his advances, but you were just so damn oblivious whenever it came to romance. None of this needed to happen if you just got it through your thick skull that he was madly in love with you.

"That's not the point, idiot!" you slumped back into your seat, hopeless. "Do you think the bride and the groom will get offended? Shit, baka masumpaan ako kung magagalit sila, Mal. Mukha akong patay galing sa South Cemetery."

The long-haired tikbalang rolled his eyes, "Huwag kang mag-alala. Nothing's going to go wrong. Chill ka lang diyan. I've got everything under control, babe."

Babe. Yes, he even called you babe but you thought it was him being a himbo and a massive flirt. Now, it was his common term of endearment for you, but you still assumed it was him just being irksome to you and that you couldn't stop the man from saying it anymore. Thus, you let it be (the most obvious hint of his attraction to you, bestie).

"... Ugh, why didn't you ask Hannah or Amie to go with you?"

He just smiled knowingly, shrugging and making up an excuse, "Nagmamadali ako, eh. Hannah and Amie are also coming, but they already have the other tikbalang as dates."

"'Luh, ako pala ang backup choice mo?"

"Heh. Whatever you want to think."

Little did you know that you were always his first choice. Always. Even when he pursued Alexandra Trese many years ago, trying to convince himself you were just his best friend, it was always you. How did he come to that realization? Well, an international band he was a fan of released a song a couple years ago and he heard it being played in a club in BGC. The song title?

It Was Always You by Maroon 5.

Needless to say, after hearing the song and being unable to get it—get you—out of his mind at night, he stopped courting Alexandra. Unfortunately for him, that time, you'd started dating other men. Therefore, he was left on the sidelines... until your latest and most painful breakup, at least. That was five years ago. You still hadn't dated anyone since then, kind of traumatized from getting into another failed relationship like that.

In the present day, as if the fates were playing on you two, one of your favorite artists played on the radio. A very ironic song given the situation you two were in.

Best Friend by Rex Orange County.

Maliksi knew it was a favorite of yours. He knew it by the way your eyes lit up like a star brightening the twinkling night sky. Like the sun first rising in the morning at Apolaki's command. Like the moon extending its gentle rays from the magic of Mayari herself. If there was anything he wanted to ask of the old gods, it was you—everything else be damned.

"I wanna be the one that makes your day, the one you think about as you lie awake," you half-sang and half-screamed happily, somewhat out-of-tune. "I can't wait to be your number oooooone! I'll be your biggest fan and you'll be mine—"

Maliksi glanced at you, not minding that his eardrums were probably getting microscopic ruptures from your aggressive singing. As much as he wanted to stare at you all day, he had to keep his eyes on the road. But the lyrics you were singing were wrong; the Prince of the Tikbalang was already yours from day one.

"Babe, McDo drive-through tayo for breakfast. Let me make it up to you. Gusto mo ng caramel sundae for your promotion gift? Sige. Ako bahala. Chicken nuggets din? Mabubusog ka ba niyan? I don't think they serve those this early..."

》》》

"Sandali lang!" you shouted out from inside an empty room. You'd just arrived at the venue—the Alta Veranda de Tibig in Silang, Cavite (practically the gateway to Tagaytay)—an hour or so ago. The hired makeup artist just left so that you could privately change into the outfit that had been bought specifically for you. Curse Mal and his ability to buy anything (perhaps anyone) he wanted. "Bwiset, Mal, you didn't tell me we'd be part of the damn entourage. We have to be walking the aisle in thirty minutes, simbako! You just love rushing me, don't you!?"

If only you were the one walking down the aisle today towards him.

When you exited the room, Maliksi couldn't help but let his jaw drop as he skimmed your figure, clad in the luxurious, silky satin blush midi dress he bought in one of those fancy stores in Makati yesterday. He imagined that it would look great on you, but now, seeing it on you in person... you looked divine (and frankly, he wanted to see it off your body to see what was underneath—but don't get too ahead of yourself, Mal). It was a whole 'nother level from his imagination. The deep cowl neckline and thin spaghetti straps showed your lovely collarbones... as well as a peek of your cleavage. His favorite and the best part of it all? It was backless, allowing him to gaze at the tempting curve of your spine.

He hadn't realized he had grown silent until you smiled and closed his mouth, tapping his chin.

"Lalangawin ang bibig mo, Mal," you laughed softly. Never had you seen him so speechless. You then flicked your hair back, ridiculously posing for him like you were on the cover of Vogue magazine (haba ng hair mo, gurl!). "Do I look that good? Char lang."

"... You look absolutely ravishing—I mean, uh, stunning. Hot. Yeah." That was all he could say. He mentally punched himself for not showering you with more suave compliments.

Still, your face brightened up, not knowing that the man in front of you just fell for you a thousand times harder, "Wow! Really? Damn. Ang galing talaga ng MUA na kinuha mo, ginawa akong artista. Give me their contact number later! May work event pa naman ako in two months. I'm shocked, it's like they made me rise from the dead! Even my eyebags are gone, Mal! How'd they do that?" Heck yeah, your confidence was boosted. He offered his arm to you like a gentleman, making you half-heartedly roll your eyes (you took it anyway). From holding it alone, you could tell that your best friend was a sinewy man (well, you knew that already after seeing his tikbalang form before—the little shit didn't even wear a loincloth like all his clanmates; your poor eyes were eternally scarred).

You looked him up and down. You wouldn't lie—Maliksi is and always has been an attractive man. Now? With his hair in a ponytail (pun not intended), definitely one of the hunkiest men you've ever known. "You're not looking too bad yourself, horsey."

"Ako pa!" He puffed his chest out in pride. You chuckled at his reaction.

"By the way, how do you even know my dress size and my shoe size?"

"Babe, I've known you too long. You know almost everything about me, I know everything about you."

You snorted at his confident tone, "'Di nga? You don't know every single thing about me, Mal. Assuming ka masyado."

"Alam ko nga anong cup size mo. Wala lang 'yang shoe and dress size."

You slapped his shoulder, cheeks quickly flushing red, "Huy, umayos ka! Walang hiyang tikbalang na 'to." With this guy as your best friend? You heard dirty jokes at least once a day. "Don't be inappropriate here!"

"What? It's only fair I know!" He looked down on you suggestively, wiggling his eyebrows. "You already know I always go commando, so of course I know that your bra is a size—"

"Shhh! Baka marinig ka, 'nyeta."

"So? Let them hear. My best friend has a nice set of melons!" he shouted. You were grateful there was no one around. Hopefully.

"Oh my God..."

Your best friend chortled at how flustered you'd become. He led you to where some of his family was waiting, with a couple of his relatives already greeting you. You instantly and quite easily mingled with them, your worries of them not accepting you far from even true (they all knew how much their prince loved the innocent you).

"Kayo na talaga, pare?" one of his older tikbalang clanmates asked while you went away to be fawned over by his aunts.

Maliksi chuckled, crossing his arms as he watched you from afar, "Heh. Hindi pa."

Another one of his clanmates—a younger one—laughed, wrapping an arm around his shoulder, "Talaga? That's cap, bro. You two are like a married couple already and you guys still aren't a thing?"

"Ilang taon na ba kayong magkakaibigan?" the older one asked him.

"Almost ten years," Maliksi responded, a smile unconsciously pulling his lips up as he remembered your moments together. He watched you converse with his female relatives (who adored you the moment Maliksi brought you to a family event many moons ago).

The two tikbalang snickered as they saw the look on the Great Stallion's heir.

"You're down bad," the younger one said, snapping a photo of his lovestruck kuya. "You've got it so bad for her, dudeparechong!"

"Balak mong ligawan anytime soon?" the older tikbalang inquired.

"Heh. Balak ko na ngang pakasalan. Kung pwede, ngayon."

They looked at Maliksi as if he was crazy. He was very much serious, though, even if there was a huge, lopsided smile on his face. The Prince of the Tikbalang raised a brow at them.

"What? Don't give me that look. Our ten years of being best friends is practically the courting and the dating stage already."

"Eh... you're right. Don't waste anymore time. Go and marry her today, dude. Suporta kami sa'yo, basta groomsmen kami sa kasal niyo, ha!"

"Ge. Without question."

Meanwhile, on your end with the ladies of the family, they started pestering you on your love life (like all typical Filipino aunties). Chismis everywhere.

"O, iha, single ka pa ba?"

"Kailan ka magpapakasal? Malapit ka nang pumasok sa thirties mo."

"Do you want kids? How many?"

"Are you and Maliksi a couple? You look good together! Kayo na, 'di ba?"

"Will you be getting married next? Are you engaged? When's the wedding? Invite niyo kami!"

Before you could get overwhelmed by their questions, Maliksi swept you off your feet to lead you to the entourage that was lining up outside the chapel area. Again, it happened like a blur. He laughed at the partially nauseated look on your face.

"You okay there?" he asked, grinning.

"Your family thinks we're together," you muttered quietly, not meeting his eyes. You weren't sure why you felt... tingly about their statements.

He tilted his head at you curiously, gently setting you down on your feet and helping you stand.

"Do you hate the idea?" It hurt him to ask you the question, but he wanted your thoughts on it. Perhaps doing this was a bad idea. Maliksi was competitive in many things, including wanting you to be his, but if you were so opposed to it, he would never force you into something you didn't want. He let go of your hand; you didn't even notice he'd been holding it until he let go. "Am I making you uncomfortable?"

Your wide-eyed gaze snapped back to look up at him, "No! No, it's not that! And... it's not bad." Your hand felt strangely empty now that his was gone. Biting your lip, you disclosed, "You're not making me uncomfortable, Mal. Don't ever think that."

With that, you shyly interlocked your arm with his, tearing your eyes from his to mask the growing warmth you felt spreading in your veins. You two didn't say anything else when the ushers let you walk down the beautiful, petal-covered aisle together.

The man beside you was starstruck. Hopeful. Maybe both of you did have a chance. Maybe somewhere in the depths of your soul, his feelings for you were being reciprocated. For the rest of the sacred ceremony in the gorgeous main pavilion, both of you relished in short, comfortable, and low conversations. He even cracked jokes every once in a while—really funny ones that made it challenging for you to you stifle your laughter.

"I now pronounce you husband and wife! You may kiss the bride."

Maliksi fervently prayed to Bathala that he'd experience the same opportunity he was seeing with you someday. One day.

Even while the sun was brightly out, the sky began showering down light rain onto the land. You were in awe as you looked out the window.

"Hala, totoo nga pala! Tignan mo!" you laughed, tugging Maliksi's suit sleeve, pointing at the window.

"Na ano?" he curiously inquired, not understanding what you were referring to.

"Na kapag may tikbalang na kinakasal, umuulan habang may araw pa," you replied, eyes filled with childlike mirth and wonder. A rainbow had even begun to form by the clouds. "Look, it's magical! Ang ganda pala ng view dito kasama ang old Spanish architecture. Timeless na timeless. It's so pretty, 'no? Picture tayo 'maya, Mal."

Unlike you, it wasn't the sky outside that the prince was looking at. Amidst the loud cheers for the newlywed couple and the bubbles the guests were blowing, his vision could only focus on how magnificent you looked while being amazed. You were his best view. (Ed from 90-Day Fiancé, kabahan ka na, may katapat ka sa pickup line mo.)

》》》

"Smile for the picture!"

You giggled as Maliksi was dragged into a photo-op with the bridesmaids and the important older wedding sponsors a few feet away (funnily, he looked a little constipated around them). All of a sudden, when he was heading back to your direction, you were roughly pushed into the said man's arms. When you turned around, there was nothing (except maybe a gust of wind that came out of nowhere).

"Ooh, gotcha. Careful," the tikbalang steadied you, strong hands holding your biceps. "Natapilok ka?"

"... Huh, hindi naman," you wondered suspiciously, looking around. "I think someone pushed me? Parang tinulak ako... but wala namang tao."

"Weird. Maybe it was just the wind."

It actually was. Really. Maliksi knew for a fact that it was those two taong hangin who were spying on you from the corner, trying to pair you up. He gave them a thumbs-up while your back was turned in the opposite direction. Hannah and Amie returned the thumbs-up before vanishing. Suddenly, the two wedding photographers had moved on from the bridesmaids and were right beside you.

"What a lovely couple you two are!" she praised. Before you could correct her, she held up the black contraption she held towards you two. "Pose for the camera, lovelies!"

And so you did, the photographer guiding you two on what to do. Maliksi wrapped his arm around your waist and you leaned on his side, looking sidewards to the camera with one leg cocked in front of the other. Her assistant, who was holding a polaroid camera, printed out two photos for you.

"Thank you," you told him, taking the photos from his hands then flicking them rapidly to make the images develop. You and Mal were about to walk to the reception area when the photographer stopped you, handing the male beside you a business card.

"If you two need a photographer or a videographer for your wedding, call me," she signaled to both of you before running to another guest, bringing her assistant with her.

You gawked, "Mal, did you just hear what she said?"

"Loud and clear." A grin was on his face. He seemed very pleased at what he heard.

"... How can she even tell if someone is married or not?"

Maliksi's free hand took your left hand, tapping the ring finger, "Nothing here."

"Ooooooh. I get it now." Your brows creased. "Huh. This is like the fifth time today the people here have mistaken us for a couple."

Maliksi shrugged, teasing you, "Who knows? Baka may potential tayo, babe."

Before you could ask him what he meant, he was hurriedly towing you to the reception venue. While he was doing that, you stared at the now-developed polaroid photos you were holding. Huh. Maybe you two did look like a couple.

"Come on, they're serving some snacks at the welcome reception area. Peach pie and mango float-flavored. Paborito mo, babe."

》》》

The rest of the night went by without a hitch. You were actually enjoying the event—the host was great, the food was great, the music was great. Everything was great... that was, until the games.

"Alright! Now that the bride's garter has been removed, let's have the bouquet and garter toss... starting with the females!" the host announced. "Dear bride, please stay here in front. And all single ladies—and by single I mean ready to mingle and are not married—please rise and stand here on the dance floor. Let's play matchmaker tonight, everyone!"

"Uy, single ladies daw," Maliksi nudged your side. "Sign mo na 'yan." You snorted like a pig.

"Nope, ayokong madamay sa bouquet toss," you whisper-yelled at your best friend. "Do you know how embarrassing that is?! Besides, they won't notice if I don't join! Special tactic ko 'yan sa weddings: pretending I'm not single. Katabi naman kita."

More women came to the front, making you feel assured that you didn't need to participate. The host was about to say something, when the bride interrupted to whisper something into his ear.

"Hala, halaaa! Sabi ko all single ladies, pero may isang single lady na nagtatago pa!" he announced, making you freeze. Please don't let it be you. "What's her name, beloved bride?"

"Y/N L/N." You nearly spat out your champagne. You? Did they just call out your name? How did they know?

"Oh fuck," you cursed quietly.

"'Di ka makakatakas dito, babe," Maliksi jabbed, making you stand up. "Tinatawag ka na."

"Baka may ibang Y/N L/N dito," you resisted, attempting to sit back down. "I can't do this, Mal."

"'Sus, ikaw pa. And it's just a symbolic ceremony!" he encouraged, as if he didn't have any underlying intentions. "I doubt the bouquet will go to you anyway."

Sheesh, what a big fat liar you are, tikbalang prince.

You expressed your dissatisfaction with the situation, "Bwiset, fine. I'll just... dodge it. Or evade it. God, I swear..." You calmed down, confident. "I'm not going to worry. I've never caught the bouquet at my own friends' weddings anyway."

When you were at the dance floor, Maliksi snickered, seeing the bride—his cousin—wink at him. After all, he had thoroughly bribed her earlier.

《《《

"It's about time you settled down with someone, Mal," the bride commented while he slipped her the newest Hermés designer bag filled with a bunch of jewelry (plus some bills) two hours ago, right before the reception began and while you were in the restroom freshening up. "Hehehe, this is why you're my favorite cousin."

"Do we have a deal?"

"Of course. I'll make sure she participates. I'll also try to throw it in her direction."

"Good. Thanks."

"You better invite me to your beach wedding. I can tell how much you love her."

"Not a problem. I'll even make you a sponsor."

The bride stared at her bouquet, already practicing how she was going to throw it, "Tito's going to thank me so much for ensuring that he's going to get grandkids soon, hihi."

》》》

Back to the present, on the other end of the room, Maliksi saw a familiar duo give him a sign that they were ready. Bingo. Time to execute the most important part of his plan.

《《《

"I don't care how you do it," he told the two wind elementals after he bribed the bride. "I've already instructed the bride on what she should do, pero siguraduhin niyo lang talagang lumipad sa kanya ang bouquet."

"Mmhmm," Amie flipped her hair, a hand on her cocked hip. "And what do we get in return, oh great Señorito Armanaz?"

"Sagot ko bar-hopping niyo for one month."

The two girls pretended to think about it, making Maliksi roll his eyes. He had to pull out the big guns, huh?

"Fine. Magbibigay ako ng cash deposit plus pwede niyong gamitin ang black card ko for a one-week shopping spree in Ortigas." There. Bullseye. That's what they liked.

"Deal!" they exclaimed excitedly.

Hannah let a cool gust of wind enter one of the nearby windows, testing out how they're going to do this. "Ano pa bang pinaplano mo for Y/N mamaya?"

Maliksi hummed, "Basta."

》》》

You tried your best to hide within the densest part of the group of women. The bride seemed to have her eyes on you, weirdly enough, and she looked almost feral wanting to throw her flowers into someone's face.

That someone being you. Most likely.

"Target locked on," you saw her mouth move. She positioned herself like she was about to throw a football at someone (ahem, you). Holy shit, was she talking to you? Miss ma'am, it was a bouquet toss not a bouquet throw. The bride seemed to notice this, and once more regained her elegant composure.

"3, 2, 1," the host counted down. "Go!"

Surprisingly, the bouquet flew very high into the air (it was a wonder it didn't get tangled in the ceiling decor), but quite a distance away from you. You grinned, knowing it was too far to even touch you. Squeezing through the crowd of women eagerly awaiting the bouquet, you went to return to your assigned table.

Ah, what a wonderful evening.

Sike!

Something painfully landed right into your face, leaves and flowers getting into your hair and mouth.

... Wait, leaves and flowers?

Before you could comprehend it, the bouquet dropped right into your arms. What kind of ungodly, inhuman force allowed this to even happen?

"Ladies and gentlemen, we have our lucky girl for the night!" Everyone clapped, with some—those guests you knew—even cheering your name unbelievably loud. The host approached you, a glint in his eye which you couldn't understand. "Miss Y/N, kindly sit here while we await the lucky guy who catches the garter from the groom."

What just happened?

"All single gentlemen, please proceed to the dance floor. Remember, the man who gets the garter gets to slip it onto the lucky lady's leg later!"

Oh, God. You pinched the bridge of your nose. What you'd give to be back at home or to be in that resort in Batangas you'd planned on going to for a solo vacation.

"To make this even more exciting," the host stated, handing you a black blindfold. "Our lucky lady has to keep her eyes closed until her lucky man for the night captures the bride's garter! When the music plays, only then can she uncover her eyes."

See? Humiliating, just as you expected. Still, you wrapped the blindfold around your head (albeit hesitantly). You attempted to guess who it might be, thinking of all the tikbalang friends Maliksi had introduced to you back then whenever he invited you to his clan reunions.

"Groom, are you ready?" the host asked, microphone loud and clear.

"Ready na ready!"

"Single gentlemen, are you ready?!"

"Ready na ready! Awoo, awoo!" they loudly chorused, exactly mimicking Spartans about to engage in battle. You sweatdropped in the seat you were in. This was actually kind of scary. Maybe you felt a bit objectified.

"3, 2, 1, go!"

There was a brief moment of silence, which made you concerned. Ba't ang tahimik? Then, everyone erupted into roars and bravoes much louder than when you caught the bouquet—perhaps even louder by tenfold. What the heck was happening?!

The music played. Very raunchy, spicy, babymaking music. You expected it to be the typical Careless Whisper by George Michael or Pony by Ginuwine (corny songs which you could probably laugh at, at least), but no. Nuh-uh, this was probably worse. The DJ must be pretty young, the song of their choosing being a slowed, bass-boosted, sexier remix of Earned It by the Weeknd.

Ano 'to, bold? Fifty Shades of Grey? The hell was this?

Alright. This was embarrassing. Thank the heavens there were no children at this party. From the music alone and its implications, this was strictly for adults.

You removed your blindfold (that was okay now, right?) as the guests whistled playfully. You peeked one eye open reluctantly, then inwardly groaned. Oh, no. You should've expected it to be him of all people from how loud the reactions were. And all those yells from the crowd were from his family.

Son of a—

"Well, this has proven to be a very interesting arrangement!" the host proclaimed. "Our lucky man for tonight is none other than our great clan leader's heir, Maliksi Armanaz! Congratulations, sir! You get to slip the lacey little garter on Miss Y/N!"

The said very smug tikbalang stood a few feet away from the chair you were sitting on, smirking at you. His hair was no longer in that mesmerizing ponytail—instead, he'd tied it into a more sinfully attractive man-bun, loose strands framing his face and accentuating that sharp, angled jaw of his (say yes and thank you to Manny Jacinto's jawline, besties).

"Let's cheer him on in his new mission, everybody!" the host pushed. Was this that glint in his eye earlier? And was that a one thousand peso bill sticking out of his pocket?

The groomsmen, Mal's cousins and uncles whom you've met before, hollered words of encouragement to the tall man (who was, oddly enough, not one bit fazed). In fact, Maliksi seemed like he was famished as he stared you down.

You swallowed, feeling like you were going to get eaten (heh, say that again). Maliksi had shrugged off his dark suit blazer to the beat of the song (holy fuck, he also unclasped the suspenders attached to his pants right before your eyes—asdfghjkl). Were you prepared for this? No. Will you ever be prepared? No!

"Mr. Armanaz, before you begin," the host interrupted. "We have an additional challenge for you in this mission. Kaya mo ba? It was a request of the newlywed couple."

"What is it?"

"Use your teeth!" the bride and the groom cheerfully shouted, clapping with the other guests. Whatdidtheysaaaaay???

The cocky bastard didn't even hesitate, his smirk at you growing wider; those pearly whites of his on full display. Was it just you or were his canines a little sharper than usual?

"Anything for the newlyweds. Challenge accepted," he dashingly replied, winking at you. You sputtered indignantly. Pisteng yawa. Putangina. Putek. Pakshet. You swore you thought of every swear word in the book at that moment. What did that YouTube parody song about Filipino mythological creatures say again? About the tikbalang? Ah, yes. Half-macho dancer and half-stallion. Maybe the joke was true, especially when you saw what Maliksi did next.

He bit the shred of lace, loosening his necktie (bestie, you good there?), unbuttoning some top buttons, and rolling up the sleeves of his collared white undershirt up to his elbows (consequently showing off his toned, veiny forearms—those lucky bridesmaids behind him nearly fainted). Honestly, you felt like you were about to lose your mind from embarrassment. With how tantalizing your guy best friend was being? Let our response be: San Pedro, kunin mo na ako. Was he doing all this to tease you? To rile you up?

Because damn it all, it was working. In your ten years of knowing Maliksi Armanaz, withstanding all his daily dirty jokes and flirtatious attempts, never had you seen him like this. So... wolfish. Ravenous. Like he was a man that hadn't been fed in years.

He stalked closer towards you, falling to his knees in front of your legs. Your gown had a long slit that extended up to an inch or two below where your left leg began—your best friend was eyeing his target already, knowing where to place the garter. Normally, you would never even wear something as revealing as this gown. It just wasn't your type, but Maliksi was the one who bought this for you for this specific occasion, so you had no choice. It was this or your pantulog he stole you in just hours ago. At first, you were confident in the gown. Now? You felt too... naked.

Somehow, in the heat of it all, you'd muted out the noise of the venue. Maliksi teasingly lifted your foot up, fingertips slyly grazing the thin shoe straps around your left foot—his calculated touch leaving fire in its trail. Once the garter had been successfuly inserted past your high-heeled stilettos, the man kneeling in front of you kept his hands to himself. Despite the fact that now there was absolutely zero skin-to-skin contact between you and this man, your body felt hotter than it ever was before as he expertly slid the lacy bit of cloth up your ankle at an agonizingly slow pace.

Maliksi's warm eyes had turned dark, his pupils blown, a tinge of red in them—of his true beast—while he maintained striking eye contact with you, pulling the garter up your calf with his teeth. Smoothly tugging... tugging... tugging. Tangina, it was like he was undressing you with his eyes alone; like he was telepathically telling you to keep your eyes open.

To keep your eyes on him, where he was knelt inbetween your legs, his hands intentionally locked on his back. Did you ever imagine this? Him between your legs? Maybe. Once or twice. But you never thought about it seriously; Maliksi dated girls left and right in the past.

His lips... his lips were so close... so close to your leg that you could feel the heat of his breath along with the lace. Were you about to die? Perhaps you already did. Maybe you were in heaven. Up... up... up... snap!

Suddenly, he stopped, grinning up at you mischievously and letting the elastic bounce back to the skin of your left knee.

"I'm not going any further, don't worry, babe," he whispered, noting that your eyes had become misty and glazed over. Internally, he grew worried. "That's enough." Did he think it was from discomfort? From you being uncomfortable? Bitch, no. It was the exact opposite. You had never been this turned on in your entire life.

You felt like your soul had left your body at that moment. Did you just have a heart attack? Was your blood pressure okay? Before you or Maliksi could stand, however, someone bellowed from the wedding sponsor tables.

"Higher! That's an order!"

Fucking hell, it was Maliksi's father who shouted. He wasn't in the huge tikbalang form you'd normally meet him in, but he was still very intimidating in his humanoid form, commanding attention and subservience wherever he went. You could tell where Maliksi got it from.

Instantly, the other guests—already half-drunk and wanting the spirit of partying to continue on—joined in.

"Higher! Higher!"

The host cheered, "You heard Señor Armanaz! Higher!"

Maliksi gave you a questioning look. Even if it was his father who spoke up, he still wouldn't do anything you didn't want. Well, you two made it this far; there was no point in getting embarrassed now. You bit the inside of your cheek, nodding. You probably couldn't erase the redness on your skin with how much you'd blushed from this night. It was as if the heat was tattooed onto your skin.

"Go on, Mal," you whispered to him, bending your torso down closer to his face, eyes half-lidded from want. "Finish what you started, babe."

With those sultry bedroom eyes he'd never once seen you show him before—plus you turning the tables with that familiar term of endearment, how could he refuse? Like a switch had been flipped inside him, he immediately complied, taking the frilly scrap of stretchy lace between his teeth once more, moving it further up to your thighs until where your high slit ended—centimeters below the warming juncture between your legs.

Your legs felt wobbly... boneless, as you stood up from the chair, the fabric of your gown cascading over where the lace sat securely on your upper left thigh. The party was still going strong even after you two finished the garter wearing tradition.

"'Atta boy! That's my son!" Señor Armanaz blazoned, standing up and raising his glass for a toast. "Cheers to the newlywed couple! May they last forever!"

You guys weren't the newlyweds, but it did sure feel like it. If the clan leader was hyped up, everyone was hyped up. Heck, the groom and the bride didn't mind one bit what had just transpired on their dance floor. In all the chaos, Maliksi took you out of the reception area and somewhere quieter. More private.

You would need to have a serious, urgent talk with your boy best friend.

》》》

You two silently sat on a stone bench in a gazebo somewhere in the reserved venue for the wedding, trying to cool down and get yourselves back together (at this point, you needed ice from that steamy, half-scandalous event you just went through). Here, there was no one else except for the chirping of crickets, the lush trees surrounding the area, and the golden fairy lights strewn all over the roof. Awkwardness was something you'd expected after what just happened, but somehow, you still felt comfort in this man's presence. For the past thirty minutes, both of you just stayed still, lost in your thoughts and reflecting.

"Mal?" you finally spoke up.

"... Hmm?"

"Ano tayo?"

"Whatever you want us to be."

Your fingers instinctively reached out for his, just like they always did when you were anxious. Sensing this, he grasped your hand and squeezed it reassuringly. Soothingly. He massaged the skin of your fingers, distracting you from your nervousness. It seemed like both nothing and everything changed between both of you. The gesture was the same, but so different at the same time.

"Mahal mo ako." It was not a question. It was a statement. A truth—one that you'd been too blind to see before. One that you only discovered while you stared into each other's eyes in that party not as best friends. You realized with a jolt in your heart what he really felt for you, and now, what you really felt for him. In those thirty minutes of silence, you knew. You just knew.

"Yes. I do."

"... Just as a best friend?" you probed.

"..."

Finally, you gazed into his eyes, previously so dark and full of hunger. Now? Just reluctant. Vulnerable. Open. Unsure of what to do next.

Seems like you had to be the one to take initiative tonight. Taking out your phone, you opened your music app and pressed play on a certain song. Ikaw at Ako by Johnoy Danao. You removed your heels (which were starting to blister your ankles and toes), then pulled him up to stand.

"Dance with me," you murmured, grabbing his arms to wrap them around your waist. He was stiff. Tense. What was he to do when the woman he's been pining after for so long let him hold her? All his gallantry and ability to romance disappeared out the window the moment you let him touch you so intimately.

You two weren't even waltzing. Just swaying. Slowly, you leaned your head on his broad chest, listening to the steady thump of his heart.

"... I love you," Maliksi admitted in the middle of it all, feeling like he was dreaming. Your head on his chest kept him grounded to reality, however. "More than anything in the universe. I fell for you ever since you patched me up when you were nineteen and I was a reckless drag racer who didn't have a purpose in life. 'Nung dinala mo ako pabalik sa Armanaz Tower on the verge of death. Simula noon, ikaw lang."

"I realized that," you smiled, reminiscing the old memory. You were just a broke college student that time, coming back to your dorm from making your group thesis at a classmate's house. Imagine your panic when you found a half-man, half-horse bleeding out by some bushes on the way home at night. Despite your fear and your little money (only enough to feed you for the week), you went out of your way to buy a first-aid kit at the nearest 7/11. It was scary, but you managed to mend the creature's wounds by the side of the road. When he was finally able to speak, turning fully human (which you admit, freaked you out initially), you arduously carried him back to his address—to his father and his clan, even if you had classes the very next morning. Because of your heroic deed of saving their precious heir, the tikbalang clan had become indebted to you: a teenage girl on the verge of a mental academic breakdown, just making her way through the cruel adult world. How old of a memory that was, you thought, yet you still recalled it in perfect detail. "Just a while ago."

"Ah." He swayed you gently.

"Lahat ng ito, plano mo?"

"... Yes," Maliksi fessed up. "Except for this part where we're here dancing in this belvedere. Wala sa plano ko. Gusto ko sanang magconfess doon sa may fountain para sweet, pero..."

You lifted your head off his chest, smiling at him with one brow raised, "You know, between both of us, you're supposed to be the spontaneous one. Planning isn't usually your thing."

"I know. It's a failure, huh?" Maliksi sighed.

"Nah." You shook your head, then suddenly locked lips with him. It was so fast and surprising he didn't even get the chance to return your first kiss. For once, you caught him off guard. You pecked him on the lips again. "It's not a failure."

"Wha—"

"I'm sorry for making you wait, Maliksi. Ten years. We're twenty-nine now, and only tonight do I realize how blind I've been. We've been going around in circles, wasting so much time. Ayoko nang mag-aksaya ng oras," you whispered guiltily against his lips. How could you have been so blind? Andaming nasayang na taon. Making up your mind, you told him, "Yes. Sige, I accept. I'll be your plus one."

The tikbalang was flustered and baffled from the kiss, as well as your revelation, "... But, you already are?"

"No, silly. I meant that I'll be your plus one for life. For as long as you'll have me," you laughed, now processing that you were currently dancing barefoot with your boy best friend and had just kissed him in a wedding you didn't even plan on going to. The universe had a mysterious way of doing things. "Guess I'm the spontaneous one now, huh?"

Maliksi was tongue-tied. "Seryoso ka ba? Is... Is this a marriage proposal?"

"Whatever you want it to be," you echoed his words back to him. "Best friend, plus one, girlfriend, wife—mmpf!"

He kissed you so hard your lips bruised. After an impromptu makeout session which was definitely more in character for Maliksi, you both pulled away, panting heavily in search for air, still desperate for passion. He cupped your cheeks, giving you a sweet, featherlight Eskimo kiss.

"You're missing one more title."

"Hm? What do you mean, Mal?"

"Love of my life." He kissed you again, this time lifting you off your feet and spinning you around (his sneaky right hand was resting on your bum, too, giving it a tight squeeze). You know in the Princess Diaries where the main character's foot just... pops whenever the prince charming kissed her? Yeah, that happened to you on that humid summer night. This was right. You two were meant to be together. Everything was falling into place.

The bungalow you reserved for your Batangas vacation leave ended up being the site of your very eventful honeymoon with the Prince of the Tikbalang (with his libido, it wasn't that difficult to continue where you'd left off in the garter toss; that scrap of lace came off your leg the same way it went on). Actually, nauna pa ang honeymoon sa actual wedding (it was definitely spontaneous). Right after your confession in that alcove, you two went to Maliksi's father to ask for his blessing (which he gladly gave, cackling and saying that it took you long enough) before you guys went driving off to Batangas that night. You and Mal indeed had lots and lots of fun in that resort (I'll let you imagine the rest). More beautiful memories were made from that point on—this time, not just as best friends.

All that and your small, intimate wedding occurred in early April. Just when you thought that it'd be impossible to fulfill Maliksi's life goal of having a baby within the year (nine months of pregnancy meant that the earliest you'd give birth would be January next year), the impossible happened.

Exactly thirty-two weeks later, on New Year's Eve, the Armanaz herd welcomed one prince and two new princesses into the world. Triplets who were instantly adored by everyone in the clan.

Señor Armanaz had never been happier, and so were you and your husband. Your best friend. The love of your life. Your forever plus one.

Maybe being spontaneous wasn't so bad after all.

Taglist: @belladaises @binibiningbabaylan @4kodzuk3n @sparklingmallow @severuslovebot @holyshxtangel @marinac15 @space-flamingo @pippethealien @kashasenpai @disappointmentpastry @hornehlittleweeblet2 @seijohoe @monimiin @ibelievein2dmensupremacy @tinybonksharkcop @methehipster @banisuoh @genshin-idiot @lemonnie-kimmie