#Kanene's fics

[kanene-yaaay]

Bunny Fields

Kanene's notes: Hi hi hiiiiii!!! Good afternoooooon!!!! The fic is finally here, let's goooo!! This is a gift for @squeaky-n-blushy for being absoluetly incredible and almost making me scream out loud w her comments and hcs and fics. Tu é um arraso, mana!

Warnings: There's a bit of animals tickling someone, not sure if it counts as warning but besides that, nothing more! Just a light cheer up tickles <3. Ticklish!Jin Ling and Ler!Shizui. Around 7.000 words.

[~*~]

Lan Shizui smiled. His eyes closed as the cold wind caressed his hair and filled his lungs, muscles immediately relaxing, making his usual straight posture falter just a bit. There was the rustling sound of the leaves and birds singing nearby to help the calm, relaxed atmosphere that fell over him and confirmed his growing suspicion that it was going to rain later after the sun set. There was still plenty of time to enjoy and spend on his favorite place, however. 

It took a few moments and no time at all for the feeling of something soft and fluffy graze his fingertips. 

Shizui bit back a joyful giggle. Restrain was difficult when he felt so at home like this, but he was no longer a tiny child squealing and gasping in wonder at each new joy, letting instead delight and contentment be shown in his small smiles and the happy dance of his heart and soul. 

As he opened his eyes, he was graced with the image of a small bunny hopping even closer, past his hand and right to his robes,  smelling them before lovingly chining it.

An indignant sound ressounded behind him and the young boy quickly put the bunny on his lap before it was scared away, again, petting it with care and offering a slice of cucumber in an appeasingly manner. From a nearby bush, another bunny moved and looked at him, nose twitching with the promise of food.

“Why do they keep coming only for you?!” Jin Ling complained indignantly, his new round of protests only coming to a halt when a pair of fluffy ears perked just about his right. 

His eyes zoned to them like an arrow to its target, robes twirling around him as he fastly turned to the animal’s direction and hastily offered the vegetable, one hand supporting him on the ground, keeping his expensive clothes away from the grass as the other stretched the farthest away as it was humanly possible in his attempt to attract the bunny. Initially it hopped a few inches away in a wary distance, making him have to stretch even more.

Even as impatience began nicking at his mind, Jin Ling kept his stance, until the bunny was back and staring at the food with interest, nose twitching and ears turned in his direction, its tiny mind clearly calculating the pros and cons of getting close to The Loud Human and having some free delicious snack or go back to its quiet safety but with no fresh snack. It was black with a big white spot on the base of his left ear and every time it moved the spot fluttered around as well. 

After a few moments passed, the bunny hopped close.

A surprised, sharp gasp came out from the leader of the Jin Sect and both boys held their breaths, watching as it stopped momentarily with his noise before coming closer and closer. The slice almost trembled on his fingertips with his barely contained excitement when the animal stopped in front of it.

An experimental nibble was taken. Pride and warmth began filling Jin Ling’s chest and he prepared to crawl in its direction, already imagining how soft and fluffy that fur would feel when he finally got to hold and pet-

A white blur passed like lightning under him, not even faltering or stopping its dash even with the loud surprised shout from the young boy as he fell on the ground with the scare. It simply continued its path and barreled on the black spotted bunny, hopping like crazy around it and then running away in all its glory and speed, quickly being followed by the first one with energy.

Jin Ling watched as they went away, his eyes narrowing when he saw something suspiciously green and round in one of the bunnies’ mouth, only then turning to look at his hand and realize that his fingers were holding onto nothing, the fresh treat being successfully stolen away.

He felt his entire face burning with the knowledge that he just had been outsmarted by a tiny and fast bunny.

He turned around and laid on the grass with his arms crossed, pout evident on his face and growing stronger as he heard Shizui’s quietly concealed giggles of amusement.

“Stupids rabbits!” 

Bunnies, actually, but the Lan didn’t think his friend would appreciate his correction at the moment.

Jin Ling stomped his feet once in frustration and for a moment the image of a small, round bunny wearing the yellow robes of the Jin sect and with a tiny red spot on his forehead, angrily stomping his feet on the grass flashed in Shizui’s mind, which didn’t really help him with the whole ‘not-laughing-at-your-friend’s-predicament’ thing. Jin Ling seemed to get even more energetic at this.

“That is why dogs are clearly superior! Even before being trained, Fairy already knew how to recognize a strong and trustful cultivator from a threat. Those rabbits are just scared of everything.”

Shizui did not point out who had just been scared by one of them not even a niàn ago, nor rolled his eyes at the other, knowing that even the half amused and half annoyed huff he let out in answer to his complains already tip toed the line of self control his sect was known and respected for.

“Do not bully the weak.”

“Weak?! Wasn’t you watching how it jumped on the other bunny and stole my treat? The only one bullying the weak here was it itself. Maybe you didn’t explain your rules to them well enough.”

Shizui felt his cheeks prickle with a small bound of heat. Since Jingyi told Jin Ling about his old habit of reciting the sect’s rules to the bunnies as a kid in order to better memorize them, the Jin haven’t left him alone until he showered said special place and bunnies to him (with Hanguang-Jun’s permission, of course).

Usually, and especially since becoming the First Disciple, Shizui shouldn’t engage in senseless banter. For a moment, he truly intended to ignore his friend’s clear provocation… but the need to defend his younger self was stronger. “They are good listeners.” 

“And clearly bad learners.” Jin Ling grumbled, watching with envious eyes the bunny on his lap and the couple more surrounding him before turning around sharply, only to find the pair of black and white still jumping around the grass, the slice of cucumber now nibbled to half and in the other’s rabbit mouth. 

He bit back a curse and turned to look at the sky. “Isn't it your obligation as the First Disciple to handle punishments? Go teach them something.”

A snort rang in the air and Jin Ling turned around just in time to see Shizui’s surprised smile for a flash before a long white sleeve ran to politely hide it.

“Maybe this one should ask shifu for some little brushes and paper? Before herding all of them to the Library Pavillion to copy the rules in handstands?” 

Only then Jin Ling realized the absurdity of his words, the mental image of a bunch of bunnies following Shizui in line with tiny brushes and books as students with bad behavior eased his frown and thawed his moping into amusement.

He didn’t smile, but also didn’t snark back and instead turned back to the clouds, enjoying the scenery. 

Soon enough his eyes began prickling with tiredness and he yawned, blinks getting slower and slower as the gray clouds continued to accumulate in the sky. Since becoming a Sect Leader, there was always something to do, some problems to resolve, a meeting to attend, emergencies that were of the utmost importance and needed his attention right now. Therefore, it was no surprise that his sleep became seriously affected by it, with little time to truly rest and even less time when his nightmares would leave him alone. It was rare to have… this. Time to just close his eyes and joy, to oblige his muscles to relax and let his mind drift away…

Something heavy lays on his robes and he jumps on the same spot with a shout, stopping himself from scrambling away when he sees that it was just Shizui by his side, now holding a bunny protectively against his chest as he petted it into calmness again.

“WHAT-” The bunny squirmed in the Lan’s hold and Shizui stared at him with a serious sharp gaze. Jin Ling frowned back, although his voice lowered, begrudgingly. He grabbed one more cucumber slice from the porch attached to his hip and offered to his friend to calm down the animal. Eventually, the bunny settled again on Shizui’s hold. “What do you think you were doing!”

Shizui watched him with such a neutral and unimpressed face that Jin Ling instectevely shivered with how similar to Hanguang-Jun he looked in that moment. In answer to this thought Jin Ling only scowled harder. If they are showing off their heritages he might as well prove his.

“Stay still.” With the corner of his eyes, he saw Jin Ling opening his mouth. “And be quiet.”

That only made his friend bristle even more, taking a deep breath in preparation for what could only be the start of a mix of threats, complaints and protests, so Shizui ran to lay the bunny again on his stomach, successfully shutting him up. 

Interrupting was against the rules, but technically he was just finishing his previous comment and Jin Ling hadn't started to talk yet, so, with a lighter tune, he quickly continued before the other found his words again. 

“They get easily scared with sudden noises and movements. We need to be careful.” 

Jin Ling didn’t bat an eye at him and his words, currently too focused on the bundle of fluff that hopped to his chest and sniffed his fingers when he offered his hand, letting him pet it without a fuzz.

He let out a soft gasp when the bunny lifted itself to its hinder legs and began cleaning its face. Shizui was pretty sure that no emergency or obligation in the entire cultivation world could convince Jin Ling to move a single muscle now, his entire form melting back on the grass, completely attentive simply only to the cute animal on him. 

Shizui could relate.

He watched the small smile blossoming on his friend’s expression and how clearer that made the heavy shadows under his eyes and his previous sour mood stood out.

Since he and lan Jingyi met Jin Ling, he had been energetic, grumpy and not afraid at all to speak his every thought in a way that Shizui could only wish to understand, going into dangers and ideas head first, defending what he believed with his entire being and bickering or even fighting with anyone who disagreed with him and tried to cross his path.

In those last months, however, it had been clear that the stress had been taking a toll on him. It was not as bad as the first seasons when his entire world came crashing down around him in a single night and he suddenly went from heir to leader of his sect. 

Yet, lately he was still clearly jumpier and easy to startle than normal. His presence had became even more scarce than previously during their usual night hunts, his remarks more painful and his regretting silence after those louder.

Each and every one of those details accumulated and flashed in front of Shizui’s eyes like flaring signals, asking without words for immediate support.

To see him now, taking it easy, being full of excitement and softness, it only made Shizui’s determination to keep cheering him up like this even stronger. Quickly, he turned around, gray eyes fastly jumping around the field in search of more bunnies to bury the other under.

There was nothing better for lighting someone’s mood than being under a pile of cuteness and fluffiness, of that he was sure.

He had just successfully coaxed two more bunnies on Jin Ling and had just turned around to attract a fourth one when a barely concealed giggle froze him on the spot.

Jin Ling tried to scrunch his neck, but stopped mid movement when the rabbit just shoved its nose even more on the spot. It had spotted his brilliant red ribbon and got closer, wanting to give it a few experimental nibbles before the human quickly maneuvered the fabric away, hiding it under his head and hair from the curious bunny. Now, very much likely in a petty show of revenge, the small ball of fluff began sniffing his neck non stop.

As soon as the uncharacteristic sound was stolen away by the wind, Jin Ling turned around with wide eyes to stare at Shizui’s back, hoping that he hadn’t listened to the most embarrassing giggle he just let out. 

(Look! He had been caught by surprise, ok? You try to contain your reactions when a stupid rabbit discovers your weakness and decides to start exploiting it as revenge for you trying to save its life!)

The Lan, however, seemed much concentrated to continue his mission of determinedly gathering more and more rabbits to absolutely submerge Jin Ling with them, for some reason. He would’ve sighed in relief if the moving ball of fur hadn’t just decided to start nuzzling right under his chin, resulting in a brand new round of giggles to bounce back and forth on his throat, being held back only by his lips being desperately pressed in a thin line. 

“You dumb animal,” the heir of the grandious Jin sect refused to acknowledge the slight tremble in his voice, whispering his words so Shiziu wouldn’t realize the predicament he is in. If he, or even worse, Jingyi discovered about him being ticklish he would have to kill them himself in order to not die from embarrassment. 

Besides, he was a sect leader, now. Sect Leaders simply were not ticklish. 

As if actively contradicting him, the little tickly sensations continued to assault his nerves. 

“Cut this off or I’ll break your legs!”

The rabbit continued being a rascal and ignored his warnings, pretty much like he himself when his uncle used that same threat with him, knowing he was all talk. 

He bristled indignantly at being ignored and quickly lifted his arms, scaring one of the bunnies left on his torso to the ground

The other flinched and looked at his arms with suspicion, not far from following the other’s lead.

Swallowing a loud squeak - because the stupid little demon on his shoulder decided that his ear looked very interesting and began nuzzling it too - he changed his path to pet the second little fluffy ball on his belly because he wasn’t actually so petty - different of some animals as it seems - to scare the rabbits Lan Shizui left under his care just because of a few accidental tickles. 

The animal quickly calmed down again and went dutifully back to search his robes for more snacks since the four slices of cucumber Jin Ling gave to it had already been devoured.

(What a greedy thing!)

It had just started to sniff his porch with curiosity when a tiny lick hit his neck and the one in yellow robes had to use all his self control to stop an honest squeal to leave from his mouth, transforming it into a yelp as his hands flew to grab the sneaky little rascal out of his shoulder. His cheeks burned from interrupting the silence with his uncontrolled reactions once again.

“I am going to roast you.” He brought the  big, round thing next to his face, right in front of his eyes so he could glare at it better.

Once again, he must not have put too much heat on his mumbled threat because the rabbit only squirmed on his hold, obliging the grumpy, frowing leader move his hands to better secure it, supporting the torso and bun, before it went right back to to excitedly licking his face.

With a protesting and dramatic disgusted sound, Jin Ling pulled it away from him and made a face, showing off his tongue in what he knew was a childish move, but after so much blatant disrespect, he didn’t care anymore.

“Stupid rabbit, I will start licking you back, see how you like it!”

“Do not bully the weak.”

“Shizui!” The surprised expression made clear that the Lan had been successful in his attempt to not be discovered watching such a cute scene with the corner of his eyes, smiling fondly with drops of exasperation. Jin Ling’s face was slightly red and contorted in a scoff. “Shut up!I am not bullying anyone, this… thing here is the one that started everything. He hates me!”

Both boys turned to look at the bunny, still sitting comfortably in the other’s careful hold and totally taking advantage of his distraction to chin his cheeks energetically. Shizui very carefully did not lift one dubious eyebrow when he turned to stare at his friend again, but for the way that Jin Ling jolted on the same place and made a face, eyes staring back in defiance, he must have realized his true feelings anyway.

The one in golden robes opened his mouth to say something - probably a snapping remark - but immediately choked, his mouth quickly clamping shut as his entire posture became stiff as a board.

“Jin Ling?” 

Said one looked at him with wide eyes, hands coming down to hurriedly drop the bunny in his hold back on his shoulders, which seemed to be trembling a little. His moves were forced and unnatural. 

Immediately looking around to find the reason for his friend’s sudden silence, Shiziu found his gaze being promptly captured by his torso, squirming around and almost dislodging the other bunny on his stomach, who kept its unrelenting digging on the porch tied on his belt, missing the target most of the time and giving the sides and stomach under it the treatment of the soft, stubborn paws, uncaring for how the torso under it kept trembling and shaking under it.

His eyes changed their focus now to Jin Ling’s arms that jerked to his midriff. That was the moment the bunny he had just decided to put down began delivering licks and nuzzles back again on his neck, now free from any restraints and enjoying the opportunity present with the best of its ability. 

Jin Ling's hands went up to his shoulder and then right back down, clearly not sure of each animal to take care of first, face getting even more red as the moments went by and the attack simply continued, lips pressed so firmly that they formed just a straight line on his expression, his cheeks starting to poof.

So it was true, Jin Ling definitely was…

Shizui tried to not smirk with mischievousness, doing his best to keep in mind and reflect in his body the sect’s rules. 

(Do not bully the weak.)

However, Jin Ling was a very strong companion, a capable cultivator and admirable leader. No other word could be more unfitting to describe him than ‘weak’. 

(Cherish your companions and friends. Value your family. Stay honest to your beliefs. Do not treat outsiders of the sect differently.)

He was here to help Jin Ling to relax and cheer up. If a new opportunity to do so presented itself so perfectly in front of him, it would be foolish to not acknowledge the benefits that resulted from it.

“Let me help you, then.” 

Jin Ling could almost breathe in relief when he felt the rabbit on his stomach being lifted away, taking care of half of his attack. With mind and arms now free from the uncertainty, he moved to move the other one as well.

The moment of peace was soon over, however, when nimbly fingers took over its place and began digging and scratching on his sides with much more skill and precision than the animal. 

He jolted with a squeal and the giggles that were already trapped on his throat spilled freely, seemingly to only encourage Shizui’s attack even more. The Lan focused in exploring every spot of sensitive skin, pinching and skittering everywhere those skillfully fingers could reach, finding the weakest spots and attacking them without mercy all while he kept evading without even a blink the clumsy dance of his own hands as they tried to stop him from his tickling and pulling the most embarrassing sounds from him.

A squeeze hit his hips and the initial giggly fit quickly grew to a loud laughter, his reactions seeing much harder to control when as soon as his barrier broke. With interest, Shizui’s hand latched on the spot, kneading the flesh and scribbling on the bone, very much satisfied with the answering guffaws that it resulted.

Such sensations spreaded like fire across his skin, a buzzing feeling that went from his hips to his entire torso in ticklish sparkles and funny tingles,  mixing with the soft feeling of soft and fluffy nuzzles on his neck like a unbearable dance that made his smile grow wider and his laughter stronger.

“No!” He tried to growl in protest, but it came out more like a whine as he held the other’s wrist in reflex, briefly pulling it away from his torso when another high pitched squeak scurried away from his lips. In a flash, his friend’s other free hand (where was the rabbit?) had been quick to jump to the rescue, diving under the captured one and latching on his torso with energy. Fingers hopping from rib to rib, playing on each bone like they were the strings of a guqin until he was more focused in scurrying to hug himself than to keep the hand secure in his hold, squirming at every prodding and vibrating that attacked the spaces in between them as if the was dutifully tuning an instrument. “D-do not! Shizui!! Whahahat are you doing?”

“Helping you.”

“You are not! C-cut it out!”

Shizui’s next words were drowned by a shriek as another cold thing touched his neck. With a foreboding sensation Jin Ling realized that the other rabbit had joined the first one next to his shoulder, also sniffing and chinning him in a horrible, revengeful attack.

(What had he even done to this one?!)

“Get out, leav-eek! Leave my ribbon alone!” His voice wobbled and his words were completely taken over by plenty of snickers and chuckles, eyes closed from how much he was smiling, the sensations exploding behind his eyelids like flares. “Why do you keep licking me!”

He tried to scrunch his neck again in a poor attempt of protection, not really being successful since the bunnies simply deviated their attention and buried their stupid fluffy bodies and their stupid tiny, pink noisy noses behind his ears with energy and obliging him to move his face away, by instinct, which, of course, only opened even more places for them to explore, more tittering snickers and protesting squeals filling the air.

“Maybe it’s because of your… sweet personality?” Shizui cringed internally, then deflated, somehow glad that his friend was very much occupied laughing his heart out to point his thoughts out. Jingyi was much better at puns. 

The fact that Jin Ling’s face still pulled into a frown, a quite weird one since there was a gigantic smile on his face, was still equally amusing, though.

“That was horrible! Bunnies do not eat sweets.”

“Fruits are sweet.”

“I am not a fruit!”

A twinkle appeared on Shizui’s gray eyes and for a moment he looked so much like Wei Wuxian that dangerous warnings began blasting on his mind. “Maybe they confused you with a red bayberry?”

Jin Ling felt his already blushing face be set ablaze with stronger flames. A series of offended and incoherent noises fell like a snowstorm from his mouth, legs starting to kick with giddy energy and his torso to more energetically twist away. The offending hands simply kept following him, although, no matter how much he turned this or that way, drumming quicker and stronger on his higher ribs for the trouble.

He prepared to string a completely cohesive and strong argument that may or not contain a few threats of breaking legs or imminent death when said worming fingers decided to climb and shove themselves in his armpits.

A shot cut across the air as Jin Ling arched his back. It took a few moments for him to realize that such inhuman sound had been his, especially as more and more shrieks continued to be fished from his lungs.

Shizui faltered for a couple of moments, surprised with his sudden stronger reaction, fingers stilling and trembling as he stopped himself from chuckling out loud in amusement at the reaction. Guffaws and snorts continued to fill the air and he gave the - as it seems - absurdly, awfully ticklish skin under his nails a quick, light series of scribbles.

Another screech left Jin Ling’s lips and he jumped on the same place, giddy, anticipatory giggling escaping from him even when the other stilled his fingers again. The first disciple of Gusu Lan felt his own mouth twitching into a grin. 

“Shizui!”

Humming in lieu of an answer, Shizui started once more his skittering, now trying to add some stronger pressure as he scratched every available patch of skin. He watched as Jin Ling’s legs began kicking again with a new kind of fervor, moves growing quicker and more frenetic the longer he went.

His eyes squinted a little bit in thought. Freeing one of his hands, he pulled one of Jin Ling’s arms upwards, ignoring the yelp (and more tittering) that this resulted.

Making his touch light and soft again - not unlike the quick tracing of brush on paper or the quick plucking of a guqin’ cords -, the Lan ran the tip of his fingers on his inner elbow, watching as the other  descended back to a hysterical snickering, kicks going from trashing to a steady pace of stomps.

(Lan Shizui tried to wash away all his smug thoughts of how hard it would be to hit such a sensitive place when wearing all the layers required by the mountains' weather. Such a pity the Jin’s golden robes weren’t as thick and numerous as Lan’s, truly.)

Then, with no warning he dived back to his pits, clawing them until another round of shrieking started anew together with, to his immense delight, energetic and quick kicks that continued to follow the speed of his tickling.

It was almost impossible to distinguish the red Vermillion’s mark in Jin Ling’s forehead with how red his entire face was. “Stop playihihihing!”

Jin Ling clasped his arms tight on his torso, trying to protect himself way too late and succeeding in only trapping his hands closer and looking one step closer of completely losing his mind.

“Get out of there!” But the rabbits also kept him let out the most embarrassing yelps and squeaks and Jin Ling no longer knew to whom his order was directed to.

“Lift your hands up and I will.”

The sect leader scoffed. It came out sounding like a snort. “I’m not falling for that!” 

With a sort of amusement, Shizui watched as his friend’s reactions began fluctuate once more, according to the kind of tickles he delivered, going from a hysterical, loud giggly fit when he wormed his hands a little down low and decided to poke and prod his higher ribs, - quickly jumping from one spot to other to hear those funny, lovely squeals that appeared each time Jin Ling was caught by surprise, - to an uncontrollable round of crackles and screeches when he decided to vibrate non stop on his pits, making him kick and squirm and arch his back with no real way to escape the ticklish feeling that flooded his nerves in a fun kind of electricity that would put Zidian to shame.

(May his uncle never hear this.)

It took several tánzhǐs before Jin Ling’s mind stopped screaming and the next words of the Head Disciple of Gusu Lan finally sank.

The fact that the rabbits finally got tired from (all the movement and decided to look for food somewhere else) messing and attacking him might have helped.

“Lying is forbidden in Cloud Recessess.” Shizui reminded, watching him with an unusual playful gleam that didn’t inspire a lot of confidence in his words.

But Jin Ling wasn’t a little, easily tricked kid anymore. He had grown up with plenty of… experience to know a trap when he saw one.

“You’re just going to-”  His voice disappeared in a loud squeal and he tried to give the boy in white robes an annoyed glare before it faded in the smile on his face, especially as Shizui continued to focus on that spot between his armpits and ribs, pulling more and more squealing laughter. 

However, he was the nephew of Jiang Cheng and Wei Wuxian, and no one could shut him up when he had something to say!

He took a breath and spilled everything before the other could stop him again.

“You’re only going to tickle me more!”

Instead of the surprised face of someone who was caught breaking his sect’s main rules by being a dirty liar, Shizui only smiled calmly at him.

“I assure you. If you put your hands up, I will not tickle your armpits anymore.”

Then, he kneaded on the flesh and digged his fingers, as if reminding him how absolutely unbearable and insufferable the tickling truly was, taking all the breath he had just gotten away in a wheezing crackle. “Which I can not promise if you keep me trapped here.”

For a while Jin Ling was too lost in laughter to concentrate, arms trying to go up only to go crashing right back down as the Lan just didn’t stop tickling him. 

The sadic Lan he called a friend continued to soften his touches to a light, maddening scribbling just after each attempt, only to go back to full on drumming  on his poor pits the moment he managed to lift his arms the tiniest bit, cutting off all his progress.

“Why are you doing this!”

“Doing what?”

“Tickling m-” He cuts himself just as his mind caught his words, again, he turns a (non effective) frown and a glare (without heat) to his friend, who now loses the battle against himself and begins to softly snicker.

Jin Ling frowns harder at how warm that makes him feel. It is still a funny image with all the smiling and laughing. “I already said I am not falling for that!”

“You only need to put your arms back up, Sect Leader Jin, and I will not tickle your armpits anymore.” His tune had… something. If it wasn’t Shizui, it would almost sound as if taunting.

Still, it made Jin Ling bristle and, with all the strength he could gather, shot both of his arms up at once. They shook and trembled with plenty of laughter frolicking across the grass, yet they were kept high up.

Shizui stopped immediately and Jin Ling waited, anticipation prickling on his skin, for the moment those tormenting fingers would go back to assaulting his pits. 

With wide eyes, he watches, instead, as the other simply pulls his hands away with a tranquil, almost knowing look in his face.

“Lying is forbidden in Cloud Recessess.” Shizui, once more, reminds him.

There is still… a kind of light in his eyes that keeps titters falling from the leader’s lips and a tingling to run across his nerves. 

A breeze of air passed through them, making the hair on his neck stand up and him to prepare for another attack. He quickly pulls his arms right back down and Shizui adjusts himself so he is sitting on his legs, watching Jin Ling as if he is as silly as the big smile that is still plastered on his face.

Jin Ling begins to relax.

That is when, in a beautiful, blurring and fast flash of white, two hands latch on his stomach and started clawing with energy, scratching any and everywhere, kneading up and down, spidering all around, scribbling and pitching from side to side.

“No, no, no! Not the tummy, not the tummy! Shiz-” Another high screech was out of his lungs, a surprised, belly laughter (ha-) following right after. His voice got completely taken over by the force of the sound, totally unrestrained and unstoppable.

Lan Yuan really couldn’t help it.

He kept on tickling, kept looking for the spots that brought the most high pitched reactions, the cutest sounds, the sensitive places that made him bang his fists on the ground and try to roll away from the ticklish touches only to feel sneaking fingers swiping across his spine and dancing on his back over and over again until he was back to pressing his back on the ground, kindly putting his stomach right back at his tickly attention again and again.

It took him three tries, but soon Jin Ling was able to pass coherent words in between his slow, giggly and continuous descent into madness.

“I already commanded you to stop!”

And, just like magic, the tickling actually stopped.

Jin Ling kept feeling the ghost of the scribbles and tickles jumping excitedly across his muscles and nerves. He hugged his belly and tried to squirm away, but a firm touch on his torso prevented him from doing so, pulling his attention back to his friend as he kept trying to reign all the snickers flowing from him. 

His smile dimmed a little when he realized that the other was frozen, as if stuck in a daze.

What was that about? Did he just get hit by a curse? Was someone approaching? Maybe Hanguang-Jun? Was that why he stopped all of a sudden? Jin Ling supported himself on his elbow and looked behind Sizhui, trying to see any hint of white robes, a guqin or Wei Wuxian. 

When nothing besides a bunch of bunnies and trees catches his eyes, he goes back to stare at his friend, brows furrowed in confusion.

“You didn’t.” Lan Sizhui replies, as if this explains something.

“What?”

He jolts on the place when his strong, watching gaze falls on him, looking determined. “You didn’t.”

He starts to smile, something bright and happy. Jin Ling squints his eyes.

“You didn’t ask me to stop.”

With a shock, this time the leader of the Jin Sect was the one who froze, eyes widening with realization, mind running across the moments since the attack began. He surely would�� I mean, it wasn’t as if Jin Ling actually still liked… Shizui simply must have been confused!

The blush on his face grows darker and darker.

“That doesn't mean anything! Besides, I shouldn't even have to! I- I-” His tune is as squeaky as his laughter, words jumping out of his throat before he can think too much about it. 

Instead of giving up of whatever he was planning to do, however, Shizuis's face only continues to get fonder and fonder, transforming into something so utterly joyful and glad that it has Jin Ling stumbling to erase it before the other can start getting ideas. More sentences tumbles out of his mouth as his arms try to push him clumsily away. “You Lans shouldn’t even… We aren’t kids anymore!”

Shizui’s grin continues unchanging, shining in fondness and playfulness and Jin Ling continues to feel his neck getting progressively more and more hot.

“Animals still play as adults, especially bunnies.”

“What does that have to do with anything, we are not bunnies!”

“There is no age to have fun, A-Ling.”

Then his gray eyes got wide and panicked and the sudden change left Jin Ling so confused that, when the other hurriedly jumped in his direction, he only managed to defend himself in their wrestle battle for some moments before the mischievous hands were burrowing themselves once again on his armpits. Just the slight graze of the ticklish feeling was enough to turn his body into well cooked noodles until the other was able to bring him right back to the ground, kicking and laughing non stop as the drumming was right back.

“You said you wouldn’t tickle them anymore!”

His entire body shook with the peals of laughter, head being thrown back with the force of it. There was  nothing else his senses could feel except that it tickled. It really, really tickled, even more now that Shiziu seemed to catch on just how much he didn’t truly mind the playful attack at all.

There was still mercy in the world, as it seems, though. 

“That is true.” The digging stopped and Jin Ling barely had time to breath before his sides began to be attacked with some light and energetic spidering, rare pinches appearing here and there and making him buckle from one side to another with surprise. 

The sudden change caught him out of guard and his belly laughter to fall back to a series of his embarrassing snickery giggles. His shoulders hunched up and he pressed his face on them, trying to at least muffle a little bit of such undignified sounds.

Lan Shizui must have some kind of mind reader amulet with him because in the very next niàn the soft tickling went back to an unmerciful kneading that made him squeal and squirm uncontrollably until his face inevitably came out of its hiding place. He began kicking his legs with all his might, making the other one turn around to look at them with a critical eye.

“Very well.”

And, as if they just had an entire conversation and arrived to some sort of agreement, Lan Sizhui freed one of his hands to squeeze on his right knee, summoning a loud snort, more and more of them being successfully mixed with his now wheezing fit to Shizui's happy delight.  

The leader of the Jin Sect got stuck in a playful, tickly cycle of extending his legs in a poor and unsuccessful attempt to escape from the tickles, shaking them from a side to another since Shiziu discovered that scratching on the underside of his knees will get him wiggling and letting out an unending ‘eee’ sound and then getting his sides teased and scribbled on until he was a mess of giggles, pulling his legs up to another round of kicks only for his knee to receive even more squeezes.

Every step of the cycle kept being repeated over and over again, as thoroughly and carefully as possible, making him wheeze, yelp, squeal, snort (there was so, so much snorts, Jin Ling is never surviving this if Lan Jingyi ever finds out), snickers, guffaws and temporary barks of laughter that makes his shoulders bounce, his head to shake and his mind to go completely crazy with such a funny, unbearable sensation.

His core spinned and twirled with each moment, sending warmth and adrenaline across his every meridian, making every light touch, every poke and spidering much more ticklish than before. His smile is so big and there are so many memories of his childhood passing through his mind and he wants to pull and push the sensation away and…

And he giggles and giggles and giggles.

Finally, the tickling stops and Jin Ling just… melts on the grass. His mouth is still twisted in a smile longer after all his tittering and hammering heart calms down. Feeling so dizzy with adrenaline, giggly in joy and relaxed only highlights how much tense he was before. 

He closes his eyes and just stays there, catching his breath, enjoying the breeze and wondering if he should get his revenge right now or wait to first bribe Jingyi into spilling all of Shizui’s best tickle spots and then get him, perhaps even with his help.

When his eyes open, his friend is there, petting a bunny that got close with one hand and holding a porch with the other. Jin Ling moves to sit and glare when Shizui turns with a calm, happy face to offer him water.

He opens his mouth to say something - a promise, a threat, a complaint - but no words come out so he simply gets the poach and drinks the water greedily. 

Stupid noisy bunnies. 

Stupid attentive Lans.

“Are you feeling better?” 

Shizui at least has the sense of sounding a tad apologetic. As he should! Attacking someone (and a Sect Leader no less!) with such a… childish, unbecoming tactic. His uncle, Sect Leader Lan and not even Sect Leader Nie would be found fooling around like this in his place. Jin Ling almost bristles at him in answer.

The warmth and fact that he is the most relaxed he had been in days stops him. But still!

“What are you talking about?”

Shizui looks around and then at him, eyes catching his without fear or mockery and holding his gaze. They spend a moment like this until the other looks away with a soft sigh. 

“You seemed stressed, lately, so I-” 

(-thought to bring you to my safest space, where no worries can find you or matter.)

(-decided to tickle you until you looked and sounded so carefree that no problem would try to keep haunting your mind.)

(-remembered how easy and effortless it is to be playful around you.)

How silly would he sound should he say any of this. Words weren’t usually a problem for him and yet Shizui found himself not knowing exactly how to explain his motives.

“I wanted to show you the bunny fields. They’re always very effective to be calming and joyful.”

He decided to go with that.

“And since when do I need your help?” Jin Ling sniffed, “I am fine!”

Shizui blinked, stared at him, face showing no strong emotion. His eyes narrowed just the slightest bit.

He lifted one of his hands in a clawing motion.

“Wait! D-don’t! I just said that I am fine.” he made a noise between a scoff and a snickery sound. “Lying is prohibited here, isn’t it? As a sect leader, it would be unbecoming to disrespect your sect by not following them.” 

He crossed his arms and their eyes found themselves again. Without even meaning to, Jin Ling’s voice softened. “I am fine.” 

(Thank you.)

Shizui huffed, sounding both amused and relieved, smiling a little back. “Then I am glad.”

[kanene-yaaay-o-retorno]

Bom dia a todos venho aqui oferecer uma coffe shop au com hideduo pq faz meses que eu pensei nisso mas ainda não consegui escrever então eh isto.

Os brasileiros tem uma cafeteria chamada de "Fofoca?" e o Fit é um cliente frequente de lá, que gosta bastante do local e é bem simpático com todo mundo (mas especialmente E secretamente pensa que o Pac é bem bonito e charmoso) porém o dia que ele realmente cai de amores pelo nosso querido é quando um assaltante tenta roubar a loja e o Pac e o Mike se juntam para desmaiar o cara e roubar ele

Tipo, tudo que está na minha mente desde que eu comecei a pensar nisso é tipo, Mike sendo o primeiro a criar o plano, puxando o Pac pra dentro dessa, Pac pulando de cabeça mó foco, mó determinação enquanto grita internamente. Fit estando prestes a agir por conta própria e simplesmente ficando lá com corações no olhar enquanto o Pac distrai e atrai o assaltante pro ponto que ele e o Mike combinaram enquanto o último tá ocupado fazendo um clofofórmio caseiro (super confiável, confia) e eles três tem uma pequena luta, o cara desmaia, Pac agoa começa a gritar (alegria ou desespero fica aí o questionamento) externamente, Mike está rindo, comemorando e xingando ao quatro ventos e o Fit tá lá percebendo que ele é Muito MUITO Gay.

Pac, no entanto, tem um crush no Fit desde o dia que ele tava procurando uma academia lá por perto, achou essa nova que tinha aberto recentemente, entrou lá e viu o Fit e o Philza numa lutinha saudável pra fortalecer a amizade e percebeu que o Fit "literalmente poderia me quebrar em pedaços minúsculos :)" e BAM Gay Screaming

Ainda quero escrever uma oneshot disso mas fica aqui a ideia pra eu não esquecer

[sevikagf]

Forge of the Heart

pairing: Dammon/Tav (Ká:nen Wildthorn) summary: Who doesn't want to spend some time with the most handsome blacksmith in Faerûn, talking about romance novels? are they the romance novel? whoa plot twist

this is for my beloved @bigbywlf and their beautiful tav Ká:nen!

----------

The fire from the forge is hot, sweat trailing down the tieflings skin as he hammers metal to perfection. The blaze of the sun only adds more heat to the air and the only reprieve is the occasional breeze. Baldur’s Gate keeps moving below, creatures chatting and roaming, their sights set elsewhere than the clashing of steel and stone. 

Her sights, however, were only on the blacksmith as he works, blissfully indifferent to the sweltering humidity. Ká:nen Wildthorn has been seated in the corner of the forge for some time now, patient as ever while the man continues about his day. She’s borrowed a book from his room, but the text has no meaning when her attention drifts from the story of lust and wonder to her own imagination- involving herself and a very strong and sweaty tiefling. 

It wasn't as if he hadn't noticed her appearance. He's checked on her repeatedly and at times she'd be lost in the book and at others, she was lost in him, his work, or possibly just lost in thought. When their eyes meet, she smiles widely as if she's happy he's paying her attention. Despite her sudden visit, she doesn't disturb his work or try to interfere.

Dammon stands as he admires the half finished project, wiping the sweat from his brow. He turns to the wood elf curiously. “You must be bored. There’s no need to wait around for me, you know.” 

She smiles carelessly, setting the book down on the table. “Not at all. I’ve been thoroughly entertained this whole time.”

His grin could power the whole city and her heart feels a kick start of its own. “Well, I think this is a good time for a break. We can go inside, where it’s cooler.” 

Ká:nen nods as she follows behind him, holding the book against her chest. She’ll have to return it to him before she heads back to camp, but she is interested in finding out how it ends. With a kick of her boot, the door closes shut and noise of the city stops, leaving only the two of them in a comforting silence.

“What do you think? The book, I mean.” Dammon gestures to her hands. “I don’t have many, but I thought it might be to your liking.” 

Fingers tap the cover nervously at the second skip of her heart today. He thought a story of lovers having tender, intimate, private moments together was to her liking? “It’s delightful. I must admit I’m surprised though. I didn’t think this would be a tale that would interest you.”  

There’s only confidence where one might assume to see embarrassment or bashfulness. Dammon is not shy in the slightest about his interests - or perhaps, better yet - he’s comfortable in her presence to not feel the need to hide who he is. “Who doesn’t enjoy romance? I like to believe at least once everyone desires a love like that. Don’t you?” 

She’d choke if she tried to answer too quickly. It was encouraging to know that even in the midst of the realms' perils and surrounded by ambitions of godhood, someone still held on to simple pleasures such as love and mortality. 

“I do. Recently got someone that comes to mind when I think about it.” Ká:nen sends him a teasing smirk and for a moment, she thinks he looks briefly startled. 

Dammon chuckles as he rubs the back of his neck, avoiding her gaze. “Lately, I have as well.” He clears his throat and changes the subject quickly, eyeing the weapons littered around the room. “The bow you wanted me to fix- I should have it ready in the next couple of days.”

“There’s no rush. I appreciate you fixing it for me.” She sets the book down and walks towards him slowly. As she stands in front of him, every step he takes backwards, she takes forward until he's caught by a table and the gap between them nearly closes. "Enough of that. I want to hear more about this person you think of. Is she pretty?"

The tiefling takes a breath as he gazes down at her, speechless. As his eyes search hers, he slowly relaxes and laughs. "She is, in fact. She has beautiful eyes, lots of freckles, and a dashing scar on her cheek." His hand is cool against her skin as he brushes his fingers over the curved reminder of mistakes she won't make again. "Not only that, she's brave and kind- kind enough to help me not only once, but multiple times without asking for anything in return."

Ká:nen hums soft and low, leaning into his touch. "She sounds wonderful. I bet you'd really like to kiss her right now."

"I really would." He whispers, watching her lips. She set up the perfect chance. It would be a waste for him to miss it now.

He kisses her slow, hesitant. As if the moment they parted ways she would be leaving again. She smiles against his lips, tugging him closer by his apron. A sign that she wouldn't be leaving. Ká:nen encourages him as she deepens the kiss, moving her hands over his chest and then around his neck.

"I've always wanted to do that." She breaths out after she breaks the kiss.

Dammon smiles and presses his forehead against hers. "I'm nothing special, you know."

Ká:nen holds his face in her hands, staring up at him. "You are to me."

[earlgreyinpajamas]

merthur fic recs: different first meeting

1. Here at the Altar I’m Letting You Go by messandahalf (@messandahalf10too)

Against Arthur's will, he is arranged to marry Princess Mithian from Nemeth. A minor problem occurs in Uther's plan for his son when the regular tailor for the Royal Family falls ill, requiring a replacement to sew Arthur's wedding attire.

~~~

fahjdkh the pining!!!

2. Woad Blue by MerlinLikeTheBird

They accidentally take over a castle. Well, Gwaine calls it liberating. Merlin’s not sure what to call it—there was a lord, and now there isn’t. (Kanen comes to Ealdor early, and that changes everything.)

~~~

the angst slaps so hard in this fic (though there is still a ton of fluff!)

3. We Can Hide Together, Among the Roses by infinitemerlin         

Arthur is supposed to marry Princess Mithian in five days.

And then he meets the wedding's florist.

Suddenly, he can't stop thinking about roses and happiness and—does he even deserve all of that?

~~~

ahhh this is so cute!!!

[martianloon]

Fic recs!

6/25/24

••• 9-1-1 •••

words, how little they mean when they're a little too late by Polish_Amber | Rated: G | 14 k words | Complete

Margaret and Phillip spent years not seeing their children and then slowly got back into contact with them until this point, where they think they’re in a pretty decent place, actually.

Except then Buck gets injured and, as his hospital room fills with evidence of a life they know absolutely nothing about and they meet and hear about people they’ve never heard of (including a child?!), they realise that perhaps it was all simply too little, too late after all.

—--

Or, the one where Buck builds a family and his birth parents get exposed to pieces of it in the aftermath of 6x10: In a Flash.

brick by spqr | Rated: E | 10.2 k words | Complete

The first thing Buck noticed when he walked through the door was the smell of plaster and wet paint. There was a white spot on the wall in the living room, primered but without any color yet, about the size of a man’s fist.

Eddie looked sheepish. His knuckles were still bruised, scabbed over but healing.

“You were in a coma,” was all he said.

“Yeah,” Buck agreed. He knew the feeling.

••• DCU •••

Say Uncle by Megaerakles | Rated: T | 46.5 k words | Complete

Tim is prepared to take the steps necessary to ensure that Bruce will not feel obligated to adopt Tim when a comatose Jack Drake inevitably dies. But what could be better than preventing Bruce from ending up with a son he doesn't want? Bringing back the one he does.

Jason agrees to the Replacement's stupid, stupid plan to invite some strange adult man he's never met to come live with him, if only to keep the idiot alive long enough for him to serve his purpose in the Great Red Hood Revenge Scheme.

Might this new roommate situation have an impact on either of their worldviews? Surely not...

••• Merlin •••

Woad Blue by MerlinLikeTheBird | Rated: G | 18.8 k words | Complete

They accidentally take over a castle. Well, Gwaine calls it liberating. Merlin’s not sure what to call it—there was a lord, and now there isn’t.

(Kanen comes to Ealdor early, and that changes everything.)

Good Fortune by platonic_boner | Rated: G | 11.4 k words | Complete

Arthur makes Merlin a lord, and Merlin does an astonishingly good job of running a village.

••• Naruto •••

to dwell inside (a hearthfire heart) by Ellory | Rated: T | 10.1 k words | Complete

Senju Tobirama is not a samurai. He is not bound in oaths of honor. Yet, he finds himself revealing a long-kept secret to settle a debt with Uchiha Madara. A brother’s life for a brother’s life. That is the only reason he saves Uchiha Izuna from the Hagoromo.

••• Nirvana in Fire •••

Butterfly's Ashes by esama | Rated: T | 24.4 k words | Complete

Lin Chen watches him with patience Mei Changsu barely knows, lips pulled into an unhappy line but unmoving. Lin Chen's eyes - they're different. His hair is shorter and not quite as haphazardly cut. He's pulled it from his face. He looks tidy. He looks young.

He looks wrong.

In which Mei Changsu dies, lives, and chooses the other method.

[slitherin-away]

Heya! I don't know if you are still answering the fanfic ask, but if you are can I ask for 1 and 3, please? :DD Your blog is amazing!!

Thank you so much!! For both the compliment and the ask (for this ask game)! And of course, I can answer those!

1. favorite fic you wrote this year

Well, good thing I wrote the majority of my fics this year sdfgsdfg This is surprisingly hard to answer, though. Because I come back to quite a few on a regular basis. And I'm pretty sure I answered this differently the last time, but I'm gonna say Turning Westward. It has a very special place in my heart.

3. favorite line/scene you wrote this year

Okay, this one's really hard to answer. But since the question says "wrote" and not published I am going with one that hasn't been published yet.

"Warm and soft and wonderful, like the light of a thousand fireflies made tangible, the embrace around him makes Izuku shudder."

You can ask for context but I can't promise I will give you context.

[rosileeduckie]

⭐star⭐, please! Ur fanfics are a bless! 💛💛

Thanks, kanene! 💕🥰 Your interactions are a bless!!! And thanks for the ask! Author's choice it is!

In the same vein as the last ask, I'm picking one of my partner's favorite pieces of mine to talk about 🥰

Eyes Only For You was a piece I wrote for Tickletober last year, and I really liked it. This is one I come back to a lot.

When I write, I try to hold onto certain images or phrases to carry through a piece. I don't know if that makes sense exactly, but I say it to give context to the fact that this piece has a focus on eyes, when it originally had a focus on ears, based on the snippet that Carlos likes when Cecil strokes his ears. You can imagine where my mind went after hearing that 😋

My partner and I talk a lot about the media we like, so a lot of my ideas come from her, and one of our conversations came to the conclusion that: Cecil has multiple eyes (which is insinuated by the show itself) and that those eyes are in the forms of tattoos that move. I loved the idea so much that I ran with it. (I have an upcoming WTNV fic in the works, also based on conversations with my partner, that we're both excited about. If anyone has any songs we could use for the weather, I'd love to hear them 😁)

The hardest part of this fic was writing choreography, which always happens when extra limbs make an appearance. I'm never sure if I'm being clear.

The part of this fic I most enjoyed was the subtle fantasy elements. Like, I love how weird WTNV is and how that weirdness is normal for the people that live in that world and for us as listeners the longer we listen. So Cecil having this part of him that would be so magical that is just as normal as having an arm or a nose was a very fun thing to write. ☺️

~*~

Wanna read the fic I discussed here? Do it!

Want to hear me talk about the behind the scenes of another fic of mine? You can do that, too!

[why-not-a-tickle-blog]

Maybe some cheer up tickles with Logicality where both were watching a show and a tickle scene appeared and person B is like "Oh, this is a signal. That is how I should cheer up my friend."? (I dunno, sounds funny xD). Thankys! -w-)s2

Patton had had a very hard day. So Logan had sat him down with a snack and some cartoons, in hopes that it would help him feel better. But despite Patton being curled up and leaning on him, the small frown remained.

And then came a scene, very short, but enough to catch Logan’s attention. A tickling scene.

He glanced at Patton as the scene ended, just to see the tail end of a smile.

“That’s it,” Logan said, accidentally out loud, and Patton turned to look at him just as Logan poked a finger into his belly.

Patton just looked down at his belly, and then he looked up at Logan. He had a tiny, hopeful smile.

Logan wiggled all five of his fingers into Patton’s belly, rewarded by the smile growing. He started poking and squeezing, hampered by the odd angle they were in.

Patton’s smile grew even wider, and he squirmed around, each movement only making him more open to getting tickled.

The more he was able to, the better Logan tickled, and soon he had his first little puffs of air as Patton tried not to laugh. And Patton kept wriggling at every touch, until he was laying across Logan’s lap, and then finally the giggles rushed out all at once.

Logan smiled and lightened his tickling, pushing up Patton’s shirt and drawing complex shapes on his tummy. Patton’s grin and soft giggles were all he needed to see.

But then Patton grabbed his wrist, and Logan stopped.

“Thank you,” Patton said. “You’re being so sweet. But…”

“Just not in the mood?” Logan asked gently.

Patton shook his head immediately. “I.. I don’t want to remember that I was having a bad day. So… more? Please?”

Logan’s hand started circling Patton’s belly again. “So you want me to tickle you so much you can’t remember the bad things anymore?”

Patton flushed, but nodded.

Without even answering, Logan latched his fingers onto Patton’s hips and sent him into squealing laughter.

[yussuna]

Me reading @kanene-yaaay fic

After read

Like

How dare u?????

What a magnificent and long writing

She needs to show to world to break some hearts!!!!!!

...

I need to make my part

9

)

9

[kanene-yaaay-o-retorno]

THERE ARE TEARS IN MY EYEEEEES!!!!

Oh my gosh. Oh, my heeeeart. So, so, SOOOO pure and adorable and precious and LOOK AT THEM BEING SO HAPPY TOGETHER LIKE THE AMAZING, LOVELY FAMILY THRY ARE!!!!

Maybe 48-49 with Patton and Toddler!Virgil? (Or however you wanna spin it? Much love. 💛

This went a little older than toddler and probably a bit angstier than you may have wanted but I hope you still enjoy it? Definitely ends in fluff. 

CW: Allusions to past abuse

Prompt: Bedtime kisses

--

It didn’t start out as kisses.

When Virgil first came to live with Patton, he was a world-weary five-year-old with haunted eyes and a cautious demeanor who immediately broke Patton’s heart.

“It may take some time,” the social worker told him, while Virgil hid behind her leg and stared at Patton anxiously. “He’s been through a lot.”

And it did take time. For the first few weeks, Virgil mostly hid in his room, rarely venturing out other than to use the restroom and come down for dinner when called. He would stuff peas and potatoes and dinner rolls in his pockets and take them back to his room, and for the first few weeks, Patton found himself cleaning old moldy food out of every conceivable nook and cranny.

But he didn’t yell, or tell Virgil to stop. Instead, he started stocking the cabinets and pantry with pre-packaged foods like granola bars, pop tarts, and gummy bears, and made sure Virgil knew he could take as many as he liked whenever he wanted.

If he really thought about it, it probably started with those snacks.

“Virgil,” he said that evening after dinner, as Virgil had started to totter off with a pocket full of garlic bread.

Virgil turned back, wary and startled as a baby rabbit, and Patton had done his very best to stay casual and he’d said, “I bought some new snacks. May I show you?”

Virgil hadn’t responded (he didn’t much in those early days) but he’d approached the cupboard with Patton. Patton had been careful to store the items on the lower shelves, where Virgil could reach. “These are snacks for everyone,” he said. “Whenever you’re hungry, even if it’s not meal time, you can come get some, okay?”

Virgil had indicated he understood, but didn’t reach for any of the items, so Patton had done so for him that first time. “Here,” he said, pulling out a package of veggie chips. “Trade you for that garlic bread?”

Virgil looked abashed, but slowly reached into his pocket, pulling the crumbling pieces of bread from their stashes and handing them wordlessly to Patton. Then he accepted the veggie chips and scampered away. Patton heard his feet thudding on the stairs, then the sound of his door closing, and sighed.

Baby steps.

It became a tradition. At bedtime, Patton would go to the cupboard and open it, perusing the selection of pre-packaged treats. And Virgil would appear at his elbow, waiting to be handed a treat of Patton’s choosing. (He’d tried at first to see if Virgil had a favorite, one he wanted to pick for himself, but Virgil had refused to choose, so Patton had continued to do so for him, trying to select a wide variety so Virgil had something he liked).

The next step in their journey came when Patton told a joke about Oreos, and Virgil had giggled. Patton’s heart had stuttered to a near stop, because that was the first time he’d ever seen the child smile, let alone laugh, and Virgil’s eyes had gotten wide and fearful, waiting to see what the result of his transgression would be.

But Patton had simply laughed too, and said, “I know, I’m pretty funny, huh? I’m working on my stand-up routine. Maybe you can help me out?”

So then the tradition was a snack and a joke. Patton spent the day scouring the internet for age-appropriate ones, everything from knock-knocks to puns (Virgil seemed to like those, and it still amazed Patton how smart he was).

“So Virgil,” Patton said, holding up a bag of gushers. “Why doesn’t the lobster like to share?” Then, as he handed the snack to the waiting child: “Because he’s a little shellfish!”

“Hey Virgil,” Patton waved a bag of fritos in the air. “What did the ocean say to the beach? Nothing! It just waved!”

The first time he tried a knock-knock joke, he was afraid Virgil wouldn’t answer, so when Virgil’s timid voice replied, “Who’s there?” Patton almost dropped the bag of mini chips ahoy chocolate cookies he’d been holding.

“Justin,” Patton said, hoping the tightness in his voice just sounded like anticipation of a good punchline.

“Justin who?”

“Justin time for dessert!” The cookies were presented with a flourish, and the gap-toothed grin and giggle were sweeter than any dessert Patton had ever had.

It did take time, though. The social worker was right about that. And it was six months before the snack-and-joke tradition took on an extra element.

The most rewarding part of it, though, was the fact that it was Virgil himself who initiated the addition.

“So Virgil,” Patton said, rooting through the cabinet--he was certain he’d stashed at least one box of hostess cupcakes in here, and they were Virgil’s favorite-- “Why did the superhero flush the toilet?”

He expected silence, or maybe a soft ‘why?’ Instead, Virgil said, “Because it was his doody.”

And without thinking, Patton turned around and beamed, holding up his hand. “Yeah, high five!”

Virgil shrank away at the sight of the raised open palm, and Patton froze, the smile dropping from his face as he realized what he’d done. But before he could begin to babble apologies--before he’d even had a chance to lower his hand--Virgil squared his shoulders, bit his lip, and lifted his hand, smacking his palm lightly against Patton’s.

So the high-five became part of the tradition. It was the first piece of physical affection Virgil had shown him, or allowed him to show in return, and Patton treasured every single one of them.

It wasn’t the only change. The snacks, which had originally disappeared up the stairs into Virgil’s hidey holes the moment Patton gave them to him, were now sometimes eaten at the kitchen table. The smiles, once so rare, were beginning to make regular appearances. Instead of sitting still and silent, Virgil began sitting...well, like a kid, swinging his feet where they dangled from the kitchen chair or shifting position on the couch during their movie nights.

“Be patient. Let him come to you.”

And he was. Little by little, Virgil was opening up, regarding him with less fear and more curiosity and even--sometimes, perhaps?--hope.

Still, Patton didn’t want to push it. And sure, sometimes Virgil fell asleep leaning against his arm during movies, or took his hand when they were crossing the street, but it didn’t prepare him for the moment Virgil stood at the cupboard for snack time and asked--timidly--if he could tell the joke this time.

“Knock knock,” Virgil said, looking up into the cupboard, at the shelves of snack food, and beyond them, the regular staples.

“Who’s there?” Patton asked obligingly.

Virgil hesitated, then said, “Can o’ peas.”

Patton arched an eyebrow--a knock knock joke he hadn’t heard? “Can o’ peas who?”

Virgil shuffled a little, then swallowed audibly. “Can o’ peas have a goodnight kiss?”

You could’ve knocked Patton over with a feather in that moment. He drew a soft breath and, trying to keep his voice light and casual, said, “But of course! Where would you like it?”

Virgil shrugged, not meeting Patton’s eyes, but Patton didn’t let that deter him. “Hmm. How about...right...here?” he tapped the center of Virgil’s forehead with one finger lightly, and Virgil giggled.

“Okay.”

Patton leaned forward and pressed his first goodnight kiss--light and quick--against Virgil’s forehead. And when Virgil smiled up at him after, he knew his heart was permanently spoken for.

The bedtime tradition didn’t start out as kisses. And it didn’t end with them either, because after that first one, Virgil took it as a given that he would get one every night. And shortly after, he wanted hugs too, and bedtime stories, and to be tucked in--the typical demands of a typical child, and Patton’s broken heart began to heal, hoping that in spite of everything, Virgil would bounce back.

“Children are resilient,” the social worker said, when Patton reported on his progress.

Patton thought there was resilient, and then there was brave beyond all reason, and he thought his little Virgil, his kiddo, was both.

The adoption paperwork was a bit of a hassle, but it was more than worth it. Because there were traditions that, once you had them, you fought to keep them.

It didn’t start with kisses, but as Patton stood in the courtroom with Virgil at his side, as the judge reviewed and finalized the adoption proceedings, Patton was determined to make sure it would continue with them, and with hugs and bedtime stories and as much love as there was to give, for as long as Virgil wanted them.

--

Oh shock look everyone, LJ  wrote another story where Patton ends up adopting Virgil!

We’re up to like seven cakes at this point. Hope you all are hungry.

[maraleestuff]

The Moment of Truth - My Rewrite

(A fic idea that won’t leave me alone. Features Merthur endgame but divorce first ://)

So there was Big Set Up for a Magic Reveal in 01x10, that never really amounted to anything. Will knew that Merlin could probably end the issue with Kanen before anyone could be hurt, and Hunith saw that Merlin was preparing to do what it would take to protect Ealdor, even at the cost of himself. Pre-battle, he even alluded to the potential moment. As we recall, Will took the fall as sorcerer after taking a crossbow bolt/ arrow for Arthur.

But what if things had gone differently?

At the end of one of Arthur’s speeches, and Will had been outspoken, he paced up to Merlin. He wouldn’t reveal Merlin’s magic in front of everyone, never that, but he’s still mad. “There isn’t hope, Merlin,” Will says, unaware or uncaring that Arthur is still in earshot. “Your Prince will lead all of us to our deaths.”

“He’s trying to help—“

“But it won’t be enough,” Will retorts. “You know there’s only one way to win this battle. But first, you need to stop living a lie.” It’s not fair—even Will knows this—but he’s angry that his friend had to leave, that his friend plays servant to a spoilt prince.

And he can see it in Merlin’s eyes, the way he looks at Arthur—like the man is everything, destiny and honor personified. (He can see how this love hurts his friend, too.)

He’s angry that Merlin—his Merlin—isn’t quite the same anymore, that his best friend isn’t the one who returned to Ealdor. Because Camelot changed him. Arthur fucking Pendragon changed him.

Will storms away, ignoring Merlin’s call after him, and only stops when he rounds a nearby house. When he glances back, guilt fills him at Merlin’s sad, troubled look. Will tries to ignore the way Arthur is looking at Merlin; if Will didn’t know any better, he’d say the Prince is worried.

- - -

Later, before the coming battle, Merlin’s fingers tremble as he puts on a vambrace.

By now, he’s had about half a year of experience putting armor on Arthur—but it’s awkward and almost ill-fitting on himself. Arthur stands nearby, putting on his own armor with expert ease; a soldier and a knight, prepared for battle.

But Merlin feels nothing but a certain numbness, Will’s voice echoing in his mind. There’s only one way they can prevail against Kanen—at least, without anymore death.

He knows he needs to act. But can he risk it? Can he bear to have Arthur look at him like a monster? To be executed, or exiled? Can he bear to hope?

“Here,” Arthur says, drawing Merlin from his thoughts, as he helps Merlin with his vambrace. Merlin’s fumbling fingers hadn’t been getting anywhere.

“Thanks.” Merlin’s mouth is too dry, and he feels moments from being unable to simply breathe. He’s too nervous to make a comment about Arthur helping him for a change.

“Look,” Merlin starts, when he’s able to find his voice, “whatever happens out there, I don’t want you to think any less of me.”

“It’s alright to be scared,” Arthur says, surprisingly soft. “Even the most seasoned of warriors dread battle. And you’re not a knight, you’re a—“

“A servant?” Merlin asks. With Will’s distrust of Arthur on his mind, the reminder of his station, compared to Arthur, burns all the more.

“A civilian,” Arthur states. “You aren’t a soldier.”

“I know.” Merlin was supposed to protect Arthur, but he had no training, but for being Arthur’s training dummy and a smuggled book of spells.

Merlin takes a deep breath, securing his sheath on his waist. Gwen had gifted him a sword, but it’s weight was unfamiliar. He’d need to use it, until—

“Merlin,” Arthur says, shuffling with his own sword belt, expression pensive—Merlin knows him well enough by now to know that he was unsure about what he was going to say. It’s so unlike him that Merlin pauses, frowning. “What your friend said, what did he mean by that?”

Merlin’s stomach drops. But he feigns ignorance. “By what?”

“About living a lie?”

Merlin opens his mouth, but Morgana is suddenly shoving open the front door. “They’re coming, across the river.”

“We’ll head out, at once,” Arthur says. When the door closes, Arthur looks back at Merlin expectantly, a furrow in his brow.

“Whatever I have to do, remember that we’re in Essetir, not Camelot.”

Merlin leaves before Arthur can respond.

- - -

The plan goes perfectly—until everything goes wrong.

Will stands at Merlin’s side, as he conjures a storm and friend and foe alike are thrown in chaos. The battle is over quickly, then, and Arthur storms up to them, a thunderous expression.

“I’m the sorcerer,” Merlin says, heart pounding. Simple words for such a pivotal moment.

Arthur opens his mouth, fury and hurt in his face, but Will steps forward, too. “This isn’t Camelot,” Will says, at Merlin’s side. “Merlin can’t be punished by it’s laws.”

And then, before Arthur can respond, magic rings around Merlin like alarm bells, as the last vestiges of Kanen’s men attack. Kanen, stirring on the battlefield, raises a crossbow at Arthur’s back.

“No!” Merlin surges forward, around Arthur, flicking the arrow aside like a fly. Time is slowed, like molasses, or maybe it’s Merlin who’s moving faster—he’s never learned the difference.

When time rights itself, he’s in the thick of it, parrying the sword of a bandit. Behind him, somewhere, is the clink of Arthur’s armor and Will shouting.

Someone pushes Merlin aside; a whistle of an arrow, a sickening thwack as it hits someone.

Merlin looks around frantically and pales. Will, his best friend, a brother, staggers back, an arrow protruding from his chest.

“No. No!” Merlin’s ears ring. Suddenly, Merlin is on his feet, fury in his veins—he shoves Kanen and his men back, a yell burning his throat.

He doesn’t stop to watch them fall.

“Will!” Merlin kneels at Will’s side, hands hovering. There’s so much blood. Will’s breath a wheeze. Merlin’s studied a couple of healing spells, but nothing for this. Gaius is the Physician.

He doesn’t know what to do.

“Just hang on, just try to breathe,” Merlin tries to soothe, and he rambles more, but he isn’t totally sure what he’s saying.

Someone helps him get Will inside his house, on a table, but Merlin isn’t sure who. He doesn’t stop to glance. Arthur says something, but Merlin doesn’t hear it. Footsteps fade, and he’s alone with Will, his hand oddly cold, as Will wheezes for breath, tears in his eyes.

Merlin’s own eyes blur, but he ignores them.

“You’re a good man, Merlin,” Will gasps. Merlin grips his hand, unable to breathe—not because he dreads his secret being revealed, because, suddenly, he’s faced with a world where Will is gone. Not an old friend, in a distant village, just—gone.

“I’m sorry,” Merlin murmurs. “I don’t know how to heal you. I don’t—I can’t—“

“It’s okay,” Will says, weakly grasping Merlin back. “It’s okay. You’ll be okay. I was wrong about Arthur, you know. I don’t think I’ll ever really like him, but I see the way you two look at each other.”

“What?”

Will laughs, winces. “You’ve always been a decent judge of character, I think. If you see the King in him, then it must be in there…deep, deep down. And if he hurts you, I will haunt him till the end of his days.”

Merlin laughs wetly. His tears mix with the growing red stain. His hand is on Will’s chest, trying in vain to stem the flow, but Merlin can feel the life draining from Will. Not the blood, metaphorically, but with his magic; he can feel it drain, but he doesn’t know how to mend it.

“It’s been boring here, without you,” Will says.

“I’m sorry I had to go.” A part of Merlin will always feel that way, no matter of pratly princes and talking dragons. He’ll always miss goofing around with his magic or spear fishing or playing pranks with Will. The way you miss your childhood home that you can never truly return to.

Will starts gasping harshly. It isn’t far now.

“Merlin, Merlin, I’m scared—“

“I know. I’m here. I’m here.”

“I don’t want to die—I don’t want to be alone—“

“I’m not going anywhere.”

Merlin grasps Will’s hand, tightly.

The world stops when Will stops breathing. And though sobs catch in Merlin’s chest, though he can feel grief like a dark winter storm, for a brief instant, he is grateful.

Will isn’t in pain anymore.

- - -

Merlin doesn’t remember much of the preparations for the funerals—for Will, for Matthew, for all those who fell in battle.

He knows he’s the one who helps carry Will to the pyre. Merlin arranges Will’s grip around his father’s sword, leaves his woven leather bracelet in Will’s fingers. Gwen, Morgana, and his mother squeeze his shoulder, or murmur condolences—someone strokes his hair. He thinks Arthur is somewhere there, on the periphery, but Merlin can’t face that right now.

When the flames burn, all Merlin can hear is Will’s panicked voice. He stays, stays, stays, until the embers are cold, tears dried on his cheeks, dried blood and grime on his hands.

At some point, he kneels, fiddling with the grass at his knees.

A shadow eventually falls over him, or, maybe, it’s been there for awhile.

“Merlin,” Arthur says, armor clanking as he sits down. In the edge of Merlin’s vision, he reaches out a hand, hesitates, and drops it on his thigh. “I’m sorry.”

“Me too,” Merlin says. It’s one thing to know it’s not his fault—not everything is under his control, even with magic—but there is still this insidious voice.

If he had acted sooner, no one would’ve had to die. Will would still be alive.

“He—“ Arthur pauses, wets his lips. “He knew about…it, didn’t he?”

Merlin blinks, head feeling a little foggy. “It?”

“Your magic,” Arthur says, the moment Merlin had been dreading. Merlin feels very little now that it’s upon him.

“Yes.”

“He was trying to get you to stop the battle.”

“Something like that,” Merlin sighs. “Even I don’t know fully what I’m capable of.”

Supposedly the most powerful sorcerer to walk the Earth—but he couldn’t heal his friend.

“You seemed capable enough,” Arthur says. “That storm you conjured. I think some of Kanen’s men almost shat themselves.” Arthur pauses, glancing at Merlin, and Merlin realizes he’s trying to make a joke. Not to make light of his grief, but to help.

Merlin blinks, and a warm tear falls down his cheek without thought. “But not powerful enough. I felt Will’s life but I didn’t even know the first thing about healing him.”

Arthur’s hand warms Merlin’s shoulder, steadying him. “I…I can’t pretend to know the first thing about magic. But I know you. You did everything you could. It wasn’t your fault.”

“I know.”

“It’s almost dark, Merlin. We should head inside. You can finish up my dinner.”

“How generous,” Merlin says wryly, but he doesn’t want to move just yet. “I can’t yet. I promised…” Merlin swallows. More tears fall. “I promised I wouldn’t leave him alone.”

“We won’t leave you alone either,” Arthur says, squeezing Merlin’s shoulder.

“We?”

“We,” Morgana says behind Merlin. When he turns around, she has two blankets: one she lays on the grass, the other she drapes around Merlin and Arthur’s shoulders. Gwen and Hunith trail behind her with steaming bowls of stew and a couple of candles.

“We,” Gwen confirms, handing out the bowls.

The four of them huddle together under the single blanket, while Hunith smiles solemnly.

“Try not to stay out too long,” Hunith says. She strokes Merlin’s hair, and smiles gratefully at Gwen, Morgana, and Arthur. “It gets cold after dark.”

Hunith plants an indulgent kiss on Merlin’s brow before heading back inside.

“You guys really don’t have to do this,” Merlin tells them.

“We do,” Morgana says. “You’ve been there for all of us. Even if one of us”—she sends a stink eye to Arthur—“doesn’t always acknowledge it.”

“We aren’t going anywhere,” Gwen adds.

“I promise, Merlin,” Arthur says. “Now, one of the best ways to keep someone alive is to tell their stories. So, tell us about Will. If you’d like.”

So Merlin does.

[kanene-yaaay]

Lan Xichen, as a Lan does, waking up at 5 am and triying to get out of the bed to start the day but finding it almost impossible to pry A-Yao away from him and by waking him up by mistake.

A-Yao using any and every retorts and excuses to make him stay for a while more and cuddle him but Lan Xichen being all "But my duties-"

Then A-yao latches a full on tickle attack (<3 lovely <3) on him until he is all giggly and melting and going right back to sleep so now! They can cuddle more and no, er-ge, this is not his smug face, let's go back to sleep, you're seeing things.

Aftewards he helps him with his Sect Leader stuff and Lan Qiren doesn't comment o Lan Xichen tardiness because he has a soft spot for A-Yao.

[kanene-yaaay-o-retorno]

If I had a nickel for everytime I had a nightmare with fnaf were I would wake up from it, feel relieved that it was over and then go back to sleep only for the nightmare to continue from were it stopped with the characters being aware that I woke up and tried to escape from them I would have two nickels. Which isn’t a lot. But it is weird that it happenes twice

[fluffyskies]

I'm not obsessed…it’s just @kanene-yaaay’s most recent fic about Omori (BTW WHICH WAS SO GOOD!!!!!) gave me so much serotonin that I HAD to draw this cute scene, I mean it was a need at this point. I have seen the game before and tried to look for tk fics about it and I couldn’t find much let alone art of it either so consider this a gift UwU.

[carrie-tate]

Top 22 of 2022 End of the Year Game Tag

Well, as I understand it, I, too, have been drawn into this tag game. At least I was to mention @otomiya-tickles and @happyandticklish, thanks for that, in any case, I'm glad to join)

Part 1: Fandom Faves

1. Favorite new fandoms of the year You know, there are no exclusively new fandoms this year. Rather, my love for a couple of old fandoms caught fire in a new way. Like Mob Psycho 100 or Psychonauts. Oh! Milo Murphy's Law, Kaitou Joker, Inside Job, Super 4 (this two actually new…) and Percy Jackson too btw! Balan Wonderworld is deserves a mention too Okay, okay, that's all, otherwise I'll just go into the enumeration of ALL fandoms in general, because I don't know how to choose my favorite

2. Favorite new ships since this year If I lower my impudent ships with s/i, then I will say: Milo/Amanda (Milo Murphy's Law), Annabeth/Percy (Percy Jackson) Well, obviously Terumob and Shoritsu (Mob Psycho 100), haha

3. Favorite anime/TV show of the year Oh I also started watching Supernatural this year and I should keep watching (while I'm stuck on the first episodes of season 4), I definitely like this show Speaking of anime - Mob Psycho 100 and Kaitou Joker, I haven't really watched anything else huh

4. Favorite movie of the year Complicated question, yet I watch a lot of things, but at the same time I remember a little… Only Klaus (2019) and Rise of the Guardians come to mind, which I'm going to review closer to the holidays

5. Favorite character of the year Shigeo Kageyama (Mob Psycho 100), Rasputin Aquato (Psychonauts), Mini-Mini-King (Kaitou Joker), Stoll Brothers (Percy Jackson), Brett Hand (Insider Job)… *mumbles in enumeration*

6. Favorite soundtrack of the year The Meat Circus from Psychonauts (this tune haunted my mind for a month while I was playing the second part and actively sat in the fandom, haha) Crazy Necross from Vangers GO GO REIGEN! from Mob Psycho 100 which I just found but I love it and want to set it as my ringtone lol The whole Gris ost (the ending of the game makes me cry when I need to…), the whole Beetlejuice east… I guess that's it, heh.

7. Favorite book/manga/comic of the year Percy Jackson book series (honestly, I promise myself to still find time and read the Mark of Athena from the second cycle TwT)

8. Favorite game of the year Psychonauts 2, this game literally became the first platformer (well, in general, a game where you need to run, jump and beat enemies) that I went through completely And Little Inferno too

9. Highlight of this year to remember Entrance exams and college admissions, god it was this summer but it feels like it's been YEARS

Part 2: Community Review

10. Favorite Tumblr moments of 2022 To be honest, I haven't been as active on tumblr this year, so I have no idea what happened here in a year. That is, perhaps I know, but most likely I do not attach any importance to this.

11. Favorite fan art of the year Oh, there were two memorable fanarts that come to mind here and here

12. Favorite fic of the year Can I just say that ALL of Kanene's MP100 fics are my favorites at the moment? Like, so much so that I can't remember anything else lol

13. Favorite ask game of the year It's not like I'm involved in a lot of that, is it..? Maybe that recent fandom thing? This was fun

14. My top achievements as a writer/artist/creator/blogger The fact that I was able to get out of the shell and start interacting with really cool people from tk community, and the fact that I literally carring the mp100 fandom with my sketches, lmao

15. My own best fic/post of the year If we talk about the post that I am proud of, then this is one of the last posts with the Kageyama bros. I think I did a really good job on the poses this time

16. My most underappreciated fic/post of the year My posts are related to mp100 Beetlejuice!AU, because I want to develop this idea, but I think that people are not very interested in it

17. A post of mine that got more popularity than expected I'm still surprised by the popularity of that art with Shoritsu, which was one of my first posts on mp100 here, and probably one of my most popular posts in general…

18. Something I changed on my blog since this year Well, my blog is only a year old, so I can't say anything definitive…

Part 3: Next Year

I have such a spontaneous lifestyle that I don't have anything planned for next year huh, so I can't seem to answer the questions below…

19. Something I didn’t post this year but would like to do next year 20. Goals for next year 21. 2023 releases I look forward to the most

Part 4: Spreading Love

22. Shoutouts to people who made my 2022 a better year Well, then I'll throw everything under keep reading

@candyheartedchy, thank you for the fact that formally it was with you that my acquaintance with the existence of such a thing as s/i and f/o began! Your art is amazing and inspiring! @kanene-yaaay, I am sincerely grateful for every reblog of yours, like, this is one of the main incentives why I draw now. You are so emotional and bright, it's just amazing! @misaki-just-doodles and @we-dont-talk-about-potato-nonono, yes, we haven't talked in a while, but I'm really grateful to you two for supporting my work this summer. It was a great time and I hope you are doing well! @otomiya-tickles @ssnicker-doodless @vqler @thecomfortable even if it's still a little embarrassing for me to tag you, I want to say that I admire your creativity and you are like those cool older comrades that you look at and think "I want to be like this when I grow up", thanks for that!

[skribblz]

Could you do Lee!Ojiro with someone you choose? I just want a wagging tail 😭💖💖💖

thank you for the first request since the reopen! the wagging tail idea is so cute!! I also wanna give back to the writers that contribute so much amazing content to our community, so I’ll be sprinkling in some art based off of their work!!! 

inspiration: @kanene-yaaay’s fic <3