#Merry Christmas y'all!! i hope y'all had a great holiday as well! ))

[tenebriism]

// Okay, I lied, I DO have an Xmas Munday photo now. I unintentionally channeled my inner Shadow the Hedgehog at dinner today. Felt cute or whatever. 😌👌🏾❤️

[harrywritingsbyme]

The Best Christmas

Based Off Of These Asks since there are so many...I had to make a whole tag for them. 

A/N: I hope everyone had a great day!! Here is my little gift to you guys...some fluffy Christmas smut!! The smut is there and filthy, but I couldn't not give y'all some of the fluffy feels...I just couldn't help myself, so I hope it doesn't suck lol. Also, I’m adding this to A Series of Firsts...Enjoy🙃❤️

Even though this Christmas was a bit bittersweet since neither you nor Harry could spend the holiday with your families, it still managed to make its way to the top of you and Harry’s “Best Christmases” lists. Why? Because it was the very first Christmas you and Harry spent together since the beginning of your relationship. Sure the milestone came about by means of a global pandemic and yes the both of you wished that you could be with your families. But you and Harry were very willing and able to put all of that aside and focus on the positive that is your first Christmas together. Now since you two were living together for the past year (or however long this pandemic has been raging on), and it was your first Christmas, you and Harry made sure to pull out all the stops when it came to decorations and holiday activities. Well it was more so you than Harry on the excitement, but you were more than willing to include him.

Harry had a little bit of an extended break from filming, so once production wrapped for the remaining part of the year, the holidays officially began for you two and it started at the tree farm where you and Harry picked out the best tree you could find for your home. It took a little bit of bickering, a couple pouts here and there, along with some kisses, but the two of you were able to find and agree on the perfect tree. Along with said tree, you also bought tons of decorations for the house. And by tons, you meant tons. There were enough decorations to not only decorate your house, but yours along with someone else’s. While Harry called it crazy and overboard, you called it being festive and in the holiday spirit. And that’s all you really cared about along with essentially making the house a Christmas wonderland because you knew that no matter how much he teased you for it, Harry loved and thought that it was cute, overboard and all.

In the few days leading up to the 25th, you and Harry spent your time binge watching just about every Christmas movie on the planet, dancing around the house to your favorite Christmas music, and baking until you both were in sugar induced comas. Along with taking part in the happy festivities of the season, you and Harry also spent time talking to your families and trying your best at making up for the lack of your physical presence. And while you two were incredibly happy to be having your first Christmas together, it still stung to be away from your families for the first time, especially under these circumstances. But despite this bump in the road, you and Harry remembered the one thing that always got you both through any situation that wasn’t what you’d hoped. You two remembered that you had each other. And that with each other, you were going to have the best Christmas. 

And when the day arrived, it really was the best. 

For starters, you and Harry had the best morning sex ever. Aside from enjoying the seasons festivities together, you and Harry were also enjoying the continued stream of sex. It was absolute bliss to wake up on Christmas morning, nestled deep into the warm covers and tangled up with your lover. Add a round of slow, passionate, soft, and absolutely lazy morning sex into the mix and you were in heaven. And that was the perfect description of you and Harry’s morning. The both of you lazily moved with and against each other as you moaned into each others mouths and brung each other to your releases. It was absolutely amazing and the perfect way to start your day together.

“Merry Christmas baby” You hum softly, bringing your mouth to his for another kiss.

“Merry Christmas bub” He hums back to you with a sleepy smile spread across his face, closing the gap between your mouths. It was only supposed to be one kiss. But given the fact that it was you and Harry, on top of the fact that it was a milestone in your relationship, that kiss quickly escalated to another round of lazy morning sex which unsurprisingly topped the first round. The both of you were already incredibly sensitive from the first time so when you two went at it again, you and Harry exploded around each other.

After regaining the feeling in your lower halves, you and Harry begrudgingly pull yourselves from the warm and toasty bed, throwing the clothes that were strewn about from the night before back on and heading downstairs to call your families and then exchange the gifts you’d gotten for each other. Since it was a bit late in the morning in Los Angeles and there was a sizable time difference between there and London, when the two of you made your calls, the evening had already rolled around back home. But that didn’t stop either of you from gluing yourselves to your computer screens. It was just so nice to talk to your friends and family back home and have that connection even though you were so many miles apart. After talking and catching up with everyone, you and Harry said your goodbyes along with promises of talking more the next day before hanging up completely, leaving you both alone to get your first Christmas together going. To start things off, the two of you moved on to your gift exchange, which was filled with many pleasant surprises. You’d been giving each other gifts for a good while now and none of them topped the ones you’d gotten for each other this year. All of them were absolutely amazing and incredibly thoughtful, and the both of you prided yourselves on giving thoughtful gifts. While Harry gave you all of the gifts he’d gotten for you, you gave all of yours but one. It was special and you were saving it for later on.

But until then, you and Harry decided to have a Christmas themed spa day. After making breakfast, the two of you did everything from taking a warm bubble bath that had a strong and welcomed scent of sweet candy cane, to giving each other facials. The two of you even gave each other Christmas themed nails and had a little competition on who gave the best ones. And in the midst of all of this, the two of you were happily drinking the wine you loved so much while watching your all time favorite Christmas movies (rewatching them because they were just that good), randomly stopping every once in a while for a spontaneous round of sex. It wouldn’t be a Harry and Y/n Christmas if there was no random sex. You just couldn’t keep your hands off of each other. It’d either start off with a kiss that sucked you and Harry down the rabbit hole of pleasure beyond compare or it’d be a simple proposition that neither of you could deny. Either way, the sex was absolutely amazing every single time. 

As the day lingered on, the pampering came to a nice end, (Harry won the nails competition and the both of you had the softest skin in the world), the Christmas movies had ended, and there was only a little less than half a bottle of wine left from the two bottles. The evening was finally coming around for you and Harry and it was getting closer and closer to the end when you would give him his final gift of the day. After taking a little nap to curb the headache that was forming for you both from all the wine, you and Harry made yourselves Christmas dinner for two and completely devoured it before going back upstairs to get ready for bed. The two of you were already on the same page for this process because once you hit the top of the steps you and Harry went right into getting another bubble bath ready. You chose a different scent from the last time, still in the Christmas realm, and you relit the candles that were burning a bit earlier. Once the bathroom is transformed into an aromatic oasis, you and Harry remove all of your clothing and sink down into the warm water and bubbles. 

“Today was a good day.” Harry sighs behind you, breaking the silence and wrapping his arms around your middle, pulling you tighter against him.

“It was.” You reply happily. “First Christmas together, success.” You continue on. 

“It was amazing.” He reminisces, bringing his head down to press a kiss to your temple. “Can’t wait to spend so many more with you baby.” He whispers happily. 

“Me neither.” You reply excitedly, pulling yourself out from his grip and slowly turning around to straddle his lap. “But nothing will beat our first.” You continue, wrapping your arms around his neck and bringing your fingers to the hair on the back of his neck. 

“And this is just be beginning of all the first Christmases we’re gonna have lovie.” He says, causing your mind to immediately flicker to your future together and all of the firsts he was talking about.

“I can’t wait.” You whisper as you smile down at him, your voice filled with contentment and happiness from today and for the future. 

“I love you.” Harry says, wrapping is arms around your lower back. 

“I love you more.” You reply, bringing your mouth down to his for a sweet kiss. When your lips connect, sparks go off in your bodies. It was a very familiar feeling to you both but it was also a bit rare of a feeling too. Whenever you and Harry touched or kissed there was always a similar feeling to this one. But this feeling the two of you felt in this moment was ten times the normal feeling. Maybe it was the underlying conversation you two were having about your future together or something, you weren’t completely sure. What you do know is that you never wanted to depart from this feeling. You wanted to relish in it and never let it go. Luckily for you, being with Harry meant that you were going to be feeling this way many more times going forward. 

As the kiss continues on, you and Harry begin to softly move yourselves against each other, getting yourselves a little riled up. When you feel Harry’s cock beginning to harden beneath you, you pull your lips away from his a little. 

“I have another present for you.” You mumble against his lips. 

“What is it?” He questions, tightening his arms around you.

“If I told you right now it wouldn’t be a surprise. But if we get out of here I can give it to you.” You barter.

“Let’s get out of here then.” He agrees excitedly, loosening his arms from around you. The two of you then step out of the tub and right into the fluffy bathrobes your mom sent over for you and Harry. 

“Now you go in there and wait for me on the bed and I’ll be in shortly.” You explain.

“Don’t be too long.” He pouts down at you before pressing a wet kiss to your forehead and walking out of the bathroom and into the bedroom, leaving you alone to change. As soon as the door closes behind him, you go straight to the cabinet underneath the sink to reveal the box you’d hidden under there the day before. You quickly pull it out and you sit it on the counter before lifting the lid to reveal the lingerie you’d bought for the occasion. Since Harry loved seeing you in it and ripping it off of you, it was the perfect gift to give him. Especially the set you’d picked out. To stay in the Christmas spirit, you bought a sexy Santa lingerie set for him. Now there were many sets out there for you to choose from, but there was one that was just perfect and it was definitely something that Harry would love. There wasn’t much to it, only satin and a little white fur to really give it that Santa feel. It was ruby red and barely there with bows covering both of your nipples, and one covering your folds. There were small ties on the sides of your panties that could and would be snapped by Harry in an instant and there was a little fur lining at the top hem of the tiny panties and the top edges of the barely there cups of your bra. There was an underwire for a little support but the only fabric was the fur and the four sort of thick satin bands that formed the bow right at your nipples. It was absolutely perfect and you thought you looked amazing in it.You do a final once over in the mirror, adjusting the lingerie on your body and pulling the Santa hat onto your head. Once you’re completely done, you take a deep breath and you open the door to enter the bedroom. 

When you walk in, you see Harry sitting at the edge of the bed waiting for you, he didn’t even bother to change out of the robe. When he sees you step out of the bathroom, his jaw drops right to the floor. Harry was so glad the lamp on the bedside table was turned on because he needed to see all of you right now. You looked absolutely phenomenal in the lingerie. The material wrapped around your body perfectly and it accentuated your features. And per usual, there was so much to take in and Harry was in sensory overload with it all. He was literally drooling at the sight of you. The lingerie wasn't the present, the present was you.

“Santa, baby, I just want daddy to fuck me so bad.” You say in an innocent tone as you get even closer to Harry. “That’s all I want for Christmas. I just want daddy to fuck me nice and hard and dirty.” You continue as you climb into his lap. When you do this, Harry stops breathing for a second. He was so overwhelmed from how hard he was now and from how good you looked and from what you said that he forgot how to breathe. “Can I have that Santa?” You pout, moving yourself around in his lap to tease him a little. When you do this, Harry snaps out of his trance and quickly lifts you both up from the edge before throwing you back down onto the middle of the bed. 

“You just can’t get enough huh?” He asks, swiftly undoing the robe and shrugging it from his shoulders before crawling on top of you. “Always wanting daddy t’fuck you.” He chuckles, taking in your appearance below him. “You should be glad that Santa and daddy are the same person doll.” He teases before pulling at the ties to undo them, tossing the garment behind him. He then grips onto your forearms, quickly pulling you up and reaching a hand behind you to undo the bra, tossing it in the same direction as the panties once it’s off your body, leaving you in just the Santa hat that was on your head. Instead of taking your naked body in before digging into you, Harry just digs in. He pushes your legs farther apart before leaning down between them to lick a wide stripe up your already sticky folds, spitting down onto you on his way back up. Harry then wraps a hand around his girthy shaft and gives himself a few tugs before moving to hover over you, resting his forehead right against yours. “I love it when my presents are fuckable.” He whispers as he lines himself up with your entrance and begins to push into you.

“Yes daddy! Your cock f-“ You moan loudly as your eyes roll back, as you immediately reach up to claw at his bicep as he sheathes his large member with your walls. Even after so many rounds on and off throughout the day, you never failed to be stunned at how good it felt for him to be inside you.

“M’gonna fuck you so good baby.” He grunts as he pushes the last bit of his cock up into you. “Gonna fuck you real good.” He breathes out to you. And without wasting any time, Harry begins to piston his hips into you, pushing himself into you as deep as possible. The both of you were moaning messes, enjoying the pleasure that came from Harry’s thrusts. Harry felt right at home from the way your warm walls were gripping onto his cock. No matter how many times he fucked into you, Harry would always consider your walls to be magical. You were always tight, warm, and wet for him; absolutely perfect. As he continued to slam into your cunt, you were falling apart. It felt so good to have him pounding into you like this. It was quick and it was dirty. Harry was continuously and deliciously slamming his cock up into you while you cried out and withered below him from the pleasure. You were getting exactly what you’d asked for. 

The room was filled with your combined moans and cries as Harry continued on slamming into you. The only other sound in the room was the wet sound of his cock moving in and out of your drenched pussy. When his hips begin to slow down and he starts to push and hold his cock inside of you, that was the signal that he was nearing his release. As he did this, you too were rapidly approaching your release. You could feel his cock digging into your sweet spot and you could also feel the curly hairs around his cock pushing back and forth against your tingling clit. 

“Need t’cum daddy!” You cry as you try and connect your mouth with his, beginning to become overwhelmed with your need to let go around him. 

“Cum with me sweetheart.” He slurs, feeling the warmth from his release beginning to flood his entire body. “I got you another present too doll.” He grunts as he delivers a final thrust between your legs, shoving his cock all the way up into the deepest part of your pussy, catapulting you both right over the edge and into your blissful releases. “It may arrive a bit late though” He chuckles though his labored breaths as he continues to flood your walls with his cum. And as he lets go, you let go as well, squirting all over him, getting not only his lower stomach wet but the sheets below you two wet as well.

Once the two of you are completely done, Harry slowly pulls out of you, triggering the thick stream of his cum to begin pouring out of you and onto the wet sheets below. He quickly reaches over to turn the light out and collapses right onto the bed next to you, making to throw an arm around your waist. 

“Maybe next Christmas we can work on your present.” You hum, feeling yourself beginning to doze off.

“That sounds like a plan.” Harry readily and happily agrees before shifting closer to and following after you and drifting off to sleep.

Even though your first Christmas together wasn’t under the best of circumstances, it was still one of the best. All you needed was each other. And once you had that, everything was bound to be perfect. 

Masterlist

[1025cherrystreet]

New Home for the Holidays!

happy holidays! and merry christmas to whoever celebrates it!! <3

disclaimer: kinda scared ngl, this is my first piece of writing i’m putting on tumblr. i usually use wattpad (my username is the same it is here if you wanna follow me!), so i’m still learning how to do this lmao. hope you like it! any feedback is appreciated!!!

also... i didn’t really proofread this bc i got impatient and wanted to post it before christmas lol :)

warnings: none, just fluff ;)

gf!y/n spends christmas with harry and his family.

You hear the faint chime of the doorbell ringing from inside the house as you nervously pick at your fingers down at your side. Harry notices the small action, quickly taking your hand to intertwine with his, shooting you a small smile in hopes to calm your nerves.

And it does. For a moment. Until the door swings open and Anne appears on the other side. What finally does put your anxiety to rest is the big, warm hug she pulls you into, a splitting grin adorning her face. You chuckle in surprise (mostly at the fact she hugged you first and not her own son), but return the kind action, nonetheless.

"Oh my gosh! Y/N, my dear, you look gorgeous as always!" She says pulling back just enough to look at your face.

"Thank you! You're looking quite good yourself, Mrs. Twist." You return either a kind smile.

"Oh, none of that. I've told you before, call me Anne," She looks at you with a knowing and playful scowl, waving you off.

"Wow, hello to you too mum," Harry mutters from next to you, plastering a fake pout on his lips.

She softly scoffs, releasing her hold on you and moving to embrace her son.

"You look gorgeous too, Harry. Is that what you wanted to hear?" She jokes, the familiar smirk she holds reminds you of the one your boyfriend pulls so frequently.

When they release from their tight squeeze, Anne steps inside and holds the door open before speaking.

"Well... Don't want you two to freeze out there, come in! I was just fixing a cuppa,"

The warmth of her home heats your frozen fingertips as you enter and your glad to be out of the snow. You love the snow, but since growing up not experiencing it often where you lived makes it a little hard to bear in times like these. You couldn't remember many times you've had a white Christmas before (probably could count on one hand, if your honest), but you've always remembered them being the best ones.

You've always loved the holidays. You loved the cold weather and the time with family. You loved you're yearly family tradition of opening one present on Christmas Eve night and taking a picture on the staircase in your childhood home the next morning. You loved making hot chocolate and watching you're family open the presents you got them.

You loved the holidays. But, what you love more than anything, is that this year you get to spend them with Harry.

You've been dating for two years now, but last Christmas, you spent it with your own family, as did he, because it was a bit too soon in y'all's relationship to make that step. However, this year Harry extended the invitation for you to join them and after talking with your parents (and your brother, albeit he didn't care one bit) you accepted the invite. Of course, not without making sure you wouldn't be imposing at all. And with Harry's reassuring words of, wouldn't have asked if we all didn't want you there, and besides, baby, it wouldn't be Christmas without all my loved ones, would it?, you started packing for London.

Harry shrugs off his coat as you both stand in the foyer and you follow suit as a voice shouts from the kitchen.

"Are they here?" A familiar sister calls out excitedly.

You and Harry enter the kitchen and he's immediately pulling Gemma into a bear hug. You look at the sight and smile fondly, noticing her boyfriend, Michal, behind them, but not before worrying for Gemma's breath support as Harry noticeably squeezes tighter.

They let go of each other and she playfully scowls at him, swatting his arm. To which Harry dramatically holds his arm, draining an, ow, that hurt!, receiving an eye roll from Gemma before Harry moves to greet Michal, and his stepdad, Robin.

"Hi, Y/N! It's so great to see you, feels like it's been ages," She greets you in turn, having enough of Harry's antics already. You return the greeting, along with the one to Michal and Robin, and before you know it, you're all deep into conversation.

Harry takes up spot right on your side like a leech. If you were being honest, it took you awhile to become accustomed and comfortable to how openly affectionate Harry is with you in front of his family and friends. At first, it was just small touches and light squeezes when the two of you would go out with Mitch and Sarah. The actions not bold enough for you to scold him, but just enough to make your cheeks turn pink. Not long after, the touches turned into sweet kisses to your cheek and draping a protective arm around you almost every time y'all went out. Which wasn't a problem until you realized how many stares your friends shot you when you started to get too comfortable in his warm embrace, most of the time opting to daze out in Harry's comfort than pay attention to conversation. So then, when the little affections turned into koala-esque cuddling into your side and planting heart-stopping kisses to your lips in front of Gemma and Anne this past summer, you decided to tell him to reign it back just a tad. It wasn't that you didn't like it! Quite the contrary, the sweet scent of his cologne that would flood your senses as he settled so close to you made your head fuzzy, and the pecks along your neck or on your hands or on your cheeks left you incapable of being present.

Of course, your loving boyfriend pouted a bit at the fact he claims, you don't want my kisses, but quickly got over it when you dropped to your knees before the boy to press kisses somewhere he couldn't complain about.

However, despite all of your protests to PDA, you can't help but relinquish your resolve as you melt into the couch with Harry between your legs, head resting on your tummy. The whole family (which includes you now!) is settled into their comfy spots in Anne's living room as Miracle on 34th Street plays on the TV, everyone having changed into their fuzziest Christmas pajamas. The realization when you saw Harry, Gem, and Anne had matching pajama bottoms made your heart grow tenfold and your eyes glaze over in complete fondness.

The smell of kettle corn popcorn (as Harry made it since he knows it's your favorite) and cinnamon candles fill the room. Anne and Robin are together on the couch perpendicular to yours against the wall opposite of you and Harry as the two of you are laid out taking up the whole space on y'all's blue sofa, while Gemma and Michal have cuddled up on the floor, sharing the big bean bag off to your left since they were the last ones to join the holiday movie marathon.

You love the dynamic of Harry's family. Much different than the chaotic mess of yours, and although you still love your family very much (despite their constant need to be obnoxiously loud for no reason whatsoever, fight over little things, and ignore each other on a daily basis), you admire how calm their presence is. You're family is just so... loud. And that's not necessarily a bad thing! The running joke of your family is that no one in it is capable of whispering...well, except you but you all blame it on the anxiety. But even so, your parents and brother have always argued. Over everything. Very rarely is it about something important, and seldom does it get out of control, but your family's way of showing affection is very...unique? Y'all aren't openly nice and polite all the time. As confusing as it might sound, y'all show your love in bickering. The love is more underlying than it is direct in show.

But that's why you can't get over how quiet this house is right now. Not one fight over someone breathing wrong has broke out and Harry and Gemma actually get along and enjoy each other's company. They're like... friends! The concept is crazy to you and you can't help but get just a tad bummed how your family doesn't just sit around all cuddled up, and how they'll get something for you while their up so you don't have to move from your comfy spot, or how Anne will just hug Harry out of nowhere. But the more you think about it, you realize that it's probably because Harry wasn't around much, always touring and traveling the world. He never got the time to playfully bicker with his family. So, as everyone is quiet in their comfort, you take it all in, happy that you're given the chance to experience their household dynamic.

Your fingers play with Harry's hair, running them through the long brown curls, still as wonderstruck at how soft his hair is as ever. Hearing him softly hum when you gently tug through a thicker curl.

"You're so effortlessly beautiful, ya know that?" You whisper to him, the sound of the movie, thankfully, covering you're affection from everyone else.

You can just spot the smitten little grin that grows on his face, and despite not having the angle to see, you just know his precious dimple is making a showcase right now...and that's enough to put a smile on your own face.

Instead of replying in words, he only turns his head to place a soft, melting kiss upon your thigh. Making heat surge through your entire body, in turn, making your heart warm at his love.

As y'all sit and watch the movie, you start to subconsciously braid your boyfriends hair. Starting by sectioning (albeit, a bit lazily) his hair into two big chunks, then separating three strands from the top of his head, you start braiding the pieces, adding a bit more hair as you go. He eventually caught on to what you were doing and you thought he was going to stop you, truthfully. But to your surprise, he only started rubbing gentle circles into your legs with his hands in a calming manner, causing you to release a content sigh.

When you get to the end, you tie off the finished braid with a hair tie from your wrist before moving to the other side of his sectioned head. It surprised you how long his braids are! They come down about a few inches below his chin, much longer than the only other time you had saw him in braids, which was when Lou did them right before he went on stage to perform. Now, your braiding skills aren't as refined as Lou's are, her skills making yours look rather sad, but you're having a blast doing it and that's all that matters. Not like he's going to go perform after this, right?

After securing the second braid in a hair tie, you lean forward and place a kiss to the top of Harry's head, causing him to tilt his head to look at you with a big smile on his pretty face.

Since you're sat up already and hovering over his face with him still in your lap, you press a quick, searing kiss to his lips, watching them curve into a splitting grin. You smile back at him, just admiring his features.

Despite being able to feel the loving stares from Gemma and Anne in the room, your focus is still on Harry.

“I love you,” He whispers, bringing a hand up to gently stroke your cheek.

“I love you too, bubs.” You return, because you do. You love him so much it hurts sometimes.

Looking at him now, surrounded by his family, you think you have never been so happy in your entire life. You’re so lucky to have him in your life, and you know he knows he’s lucky too.

But most of all, you’re so glad you decided to spend this Christmas with him.

[jasperwhitcock]

equinox | chapter 07 –– “a cruel god, a wrathful goddess”

here is chapter six of my bella as a vampire and edward as a human fanfic inspired by an au that @bellasredchevy​​ posted. you can read the new chapter on AO3 or here. i post updates on AO3 or on tumblr using the #equinoxjw tag. but it seems 10/10 times my tag does not work, so that is a fun mystery for me to solve.

oof... sometimes u get distracted and then ur sister gets married and then u get unmotivated & d*pressed and forget to update ur fanfic for over three months... my bad y'all... sorry for the wait hehe. i hope it is worth it. again, i'm so thankful for the comments & i read them all. i get too shy to respond, but i WILL. i just need to talk myself up first. i love u. thank u. hehe. ♡♡♡ merry christmas/happy holidays if i fail u again before the 25th. i WANT to update more frequently. my catchphrase these days is "i'm trying my best," so... i'm trying my best.

this is for the sweet anons who slide into my ask box & ask me questions abt my fanfic. and for taryn, who consistently reminds me that there are people wanting to read this seeing as she is one of those people, kim, who i am so desperate to impress that i began working on a new chapter once she started to read my fanfic, and kae, because without her, this fanfic would never have existed in the first place. i love how i'm writing this as though it's the intro to an actual book when it's literally just chapter seven. ok, i will shut up now so u can read. love u. again.

07 A CRUEL GOD, A WRATHFUL GODDESS

In great contrast to the noisy ambience of the other students in the hallway, we were silent on our walk to our shared biology class. I wondered how conscious Edward was of the stares and whispers focused on our proximity to one another, but my guess was that he was very much conscious of it. I intentionally ignored glancing in any direction that I sensed one of my siblings’ presence, although I figured it was mostly paranoia driving me to feel as though we were about to cross paths. Holding my breath to more easily walk beside Edward left my senses impaired to the ability to pinpoint their location. 

I was lucky that for the majority of my immortal life, I’d managed to escape unwanted attention. But now, it seemed that precious luck had finally run out. Maybe embarrassment had been creeping up on me, maliciously building itself up all these years, waiting until just the right moment to rear its ugly head and exact revenge that immorality had stolen its favorite object of humiliation to torment. But here it was, ensuring that I was finally catching up on feeling awkward and out of step, a feeling I experienced for what seemed like the entirety of my human life. I thought once I’d been changed, I’d never feel this way again, but becoming misaligned with my family made me feel bashful to parade my defiance in their faces. I had operated better under no scrutiny as a mortal and was surprised to realize that that still held true as an immortal as well. Because though there was now never a struggle of staying upright or a risk of tripping over my own feet, that didn’t prevent me from feeling self-conscious as I walked beside Edward. Although for different reasons –– it was too mortifying to consider what my family might make of what my actions suggested about my feelings towards Edward.

And yet still, I would put up with the ridicule and disapproval of my siblings if it meant I could listen to Edward speak his silly philosophical theology, his questioning of god and existence, for just a few more hours. If I were going to be teased over Alice’s visions regardless, I might as well find out what I can about this pretentious boy before I leave him alone forever. If only to understand why his moving to this small town threatened to warp my own future so much. In losing night and in losing death, there were so very little anomalies in the endless amount of time I’d been given. So what would it hurt to allow myself to fixate on this minuscule difference in my life for just awhile?

It could hurt Edward, a more selfless part of myself reminded me. If indulging myself was playing with fire, I was being justly punished with the way flames were efflorescing the inside of my dry, burning throat.

If a god did exist, why would it make sense for such a being to craft someone like Edward with his perceptivity, and send him off to this small town, home to a secret such as ours? If a god did exist, why it would be fair for such a being to craft someone like Edward, someone who tempted me both in bloodlust and in curiosity, and send him off to this small town, home to the very vampire who desperately wished to kill him most? If a god did exist, if our kind had fallen short of heaven, I could understand why sending Edward into our path –– and more specifically, my path –– could be some kind of punishment. But what I couldn’t understand is why a god would allow someone as innocent as Edward to be endangered for the sake of bringing a sinful, undead creature to justice. It seemed the only reasonable explanation would be that a god probably did not exist. 

And how could there be? I was on the precipice of falling into temptation with every step further in the hallway and every question he asked and answered. I could never not be very much aware of the fact –– especially now with his body merely inches from my side and his sweet fragrance blooming both deliciously and relentlessly in the air. And even as I impossibly withstood the lure of his blood, how was I meant to ignore the irresistibility of his mind and how inexplicably concerned I was to understand it? It seemed like a very cruel experiment of free will and knowledge –– far too cruel to allow much room for the kind of god Edward hoped for.

I frowned as I realized that this experiment wasn’t that of a cruel god’s but that of a cruel vampire, and I felt very much like a vampire as the sound of his heartbeat was so appealing that it made my mouth water.

“Do the stares bother you?” Edward spoke quietly to me as we weaved throughout the hallway. Easily distracted, his question was able to pull the more civilized parts of myself together, though this was probably also in thanks to my choosing not to utilize my sense of smell. I found it funny that at least one of his thoughts had been in a similar vicinity. But of course, the rest of his thoughts were probably free of all consuming agony and struggle. For all his curiosity about morality, to inflict this existence upon him would probably devour him in misery. At least as a human, despite whatever conclusions he may come to, there was still some hope to be had for an afterlife. This thought should have been dark and depressing, but because it made Alice’s vision seem like a complete hoax, I almost found it funny. How would Edward ever end up like me?

“Oh, no,” I swallowed the venom in my mouth. “I live for attention.” I watched from the corner of my eyes as his gaze flickered over to me, the ever present half smile appearing on his face at my joke. My answer came out so comfortably as though I was used to this, when in reality, the student body for the most part had grown accustomed to ignoring me. And, of course, there was nothing comfortable about the demanding, aching dryness in my mouth or the burning in my nostrils. “How about you?”

“Likewise,” he joked, laughing. “This is interesting –– their fascination. I understood their interest on my first day because I’d guess a new addition to the student body in a town this small is something of a rarity, but today, walking by your side is garnering even more attention. Is it a once in a lifetime opportunity to have Bella Cullen walk you to class?”

“You’re just so observant, aren’t you?” I rolled my eyes, though the corners of my mouths pulled up despite myself. “And I’m not walking you to class. I’m walking to a class I just so happen to share with you, so don’t get the wrong idea. I think they’re just surprised because they’re probably under the impression that I don’t play nice with others.”

“And do you?”

“You tell me,” I replied, pausing to face him beside a wall of lockers next to the entrance of our biology classroom. As he stopped beside me, a gust of air from a passing student walking hastily down the hallway sent his scent reeling into me at an unfortunate moment where I’d chosen to breathe in. My muscles tensed to spring, and I desperately anchored myself to the floor as my mind fell into disarray.

“Nicely enough,” Edward winked naturally as though we’d been the best of friends since his first day. The demanding thirst was intruding on my awareness, and the desperation for something wet and hot and delicious in my desiccated throat was so dizzying that his voice sounded as though it were underwater. With an effort as though I were swimming through drying cement, I resurfaced, just barely proving my dominion over the desire. I focused on his voice so that it’d become clearer, forcing myself to take another excruciating breath in and exhale the fire out. “I will say I am honored to be the exception –– to be plucked from the masses by the renowned, reclusive Bella Cullen.”

With torturous effort, I snorted as though I wasn’t fighting everything within me to keep him alive. I breathed in again heavily, allowing my body to become a pyre so that I could speak. “Alright, that’s enough. Stop saying my name like that. And you’ve lost the privilege. I am never walking you to class again,” I rolled my eyes even though my joke could very much be the truth. The bunching of my muscles, the twitching of my hands, and the fierce pain in my throat reminded me of the fact. Before he could point out the contradiction of what I’d previously clarified, I sighed. “Let’s take this quiz.”

His pretty green eyes were alive with mischief and enlightened with what must be more answers to questions he hadn’t outright asked me as he turned to enter the classroom. I followed behind him towards our shared table.

Air from the vent rushed out, thrusting the scent of his blood wafting into my face again. I paused for an indistinguishable moment as I battled agony, murderousness, monstrosity. Holy fuck. What was I trying to prove! Was it really worth this? Swallowing hard, I sat beside him as though nothing happened. My suffering was so great that Emmett could have brutally ripped my arm off, he could have beat me with it, and I wouldn’t have noticed nor felt a thing. I could have been set on fire, and it’d feel like sinking into a cool pool of water on an even cooler day. I was already burning alive, my body acting as a furnace, and I was imprisoned inside it.

Without intending to, I sighed aloud, exhaling as though it would smother the flames. It was a stupid, attention seeking thing to do. Humans sighed to expel air or express some sadness or relief or exhaustion, so when my family emitted an audible breath, we did so as a means of blending in. But to breath out in a way to clue Edward into the fact something was plaguing me… it was a stupid invitation for more questions. And these were questions I had no intention of sharing the answers to. I felt his eyes on me, but before he could say anything, Mr. Molina began passing out quizzes face down on our lab tables as students continued to pile in from lunch.

“Alright, class. Today we have a pop quiz–– oh, come on, guys, don’t groan. You will have the opportunity to make corrections after these have been graded. This is just an assessment of what you’ve retained from this unit so far. You will have the entire period to complete–– thanks for joining us, Mr. Patterson, glad you could fit my class into your busy schedule. Why don’t you take your seat? –– You will have the entire period to complete your quiz. If you finish early, feel free to get a head start on this weekend’s homework! I’ve written the reading down on the board. Aw, I’m sure you’re all moaning because you’re disappointed at how light of an assignment it is because I just know how very excited you all are to continue your passionate pursuit of studying biology. Alright, now that everyone’s settled–– wait a minute––”  Mr. Molina paused, raising his pointer finger in the air, his eyes squinted in anticipation. Three seconds later, the bell signaled the beginning of class. “Begin!”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Edward reluctantly turn away from me. In an elegant script, he wrote his name at the top of the paper and began his quiz. I turned away from him to look at my own paper, preparing myself to uncomfortably hold my breath for the next hour. The difference this made in my thirst was almost insignificant, but enough so that it gave me a tiny more leverage in my control. I smoothed out the pucker on my forehead with the eraser from my pencil, accidentally snapping the rubber off against my face. 

Absentmindedly, I began to breeze through the assessment, circling the correct answers, but my mind was more absorbed in the warmth of sitting beside Edward. Aside from the affliction of doing so, it was too pleasurable to have sat beside him so often and for so long today. I enjoyed the toastiness like a lizard basking in the sun. It made me recall the muddy human memory of laying out on a blanket in my backyard beneath my beloved blue Arizona sky, hiding beneath the small shade of a book. Not the blistering heat of a summertime Phoenix sun, but the warmth of the first day of spring. But the heat of Edward’s body alone was enough to fill my mouth with venom, so I tried to refocus my attention onto my quiz.

When I turned to the last page of questions, a motion beside me diverted my concentration once again. I peeked over, turning my head slightly in Edward’s direction to see what it was. As he thought over one of the questions, his right hand was moving peculiarly as he lifted and dropped down his long fingers almost as though he were impatiently tapping each digit one by one along the tabletop. Except the movement was more exact and calculatingly random. Engrossed, I watched as his his soft, fragile skin rippled over the muscle, the tendons appearing and disappearing with every bizarre movement. It took me a moment to make the connection between the large grand piano in his home and the motion of his hands. I realized he was miming piano movements while he thought through his answers. There was something both weird, funny, and endearing about this. I smiled to myself, not having the required oxygen to quietly laugh.

I felt his curious eyes flicker over to me and watched peripherally as he raised his eyebrows. I shook my head, biting down on my lip to unsuccessfully fight the smile, and returned to completing my quiz.

I finished a moment later and impatiently waited another ten minutes or so before I could turn in my work. I tried to ignore Edward for this small period of time at least, mentally reading myself the opening chapter to Wuthering Heights. Even though the words were committed to my memory, it was still never as good as actually reading from the book itself.

Once I’d decided an appropriate enough time had passed, I stood up to walk my quiz to the completed basket on Mr. Molina’s desk. Even having waited, I was still the first to finish the examination.

“Thank you,” the teacher whispered without breaking his focus away from the crossword puzzle he peered through his glasses at. I breathed in now that I’d placed some distance between myself and Edward, gladly facing the cool, fresh air from the vent.

“Neophyte,” I whispered back now that I’d replenished my oxygen supply.

“Excuse me?” He glanced up, his slightly aged face confused.

“Neophyte,” I repeated. “Eight across, two down.”

I took in one last clean breath and walked back to my seat as he tapped his pen across the squares of the space, mouthing his count of the letters to check if the word fit.

As soon as I took my place in my seat again, Edward stood up to walk his own quiz to the basket.

I wanted to watch him, but instead I forced myself to unzip my backpack and retrieve the biology textbook.

Busying myself with the assigned chapters, deciding to actually read them so as to not feed into my invasive Edward obsession, I couldn’t help but listen as Edward too placed his own textbook on the countertop.

I heard the scribble of pen on paper as he began to write what I imagined were notes until his large hand slid the paper over to me beneath the wall of my hair spilling over the desk. Well, I wouldn’t ignore him if he was the one deciding to bother me.

You know I’m pretty certain that cheating is a violation of the student handbook, but I’ll let you get away with it just this once.

I turned to glance at his face to see if he were serious. His eyes were warm and inviting, his mouth in the same crooked smile.

I took the piece of paper and looked around for my writing utensil that had gone missing somehow. My eyes zeroed in on a suspicious, tiny pile of wood dust on my side of the desk. When had I brutalized my pencil? He held his hand out to offer his own pen, and I accepted it, carefully plucking it from his fingers without making contact.

I wasn’t cheating. You were doing something funny. And what do you know about the student handbook? You’re new.

I slid the paper and pen back to him and watched as he combed a hand through his bronze hair, reading my response. The smile grew wider as he construed the biting tone of my note. 

Can I be let in on the joke? Edward wrote, turning to look at me once he was done. Again I was prisoner, though this time not to my own body. I was momentarily held hostage by the beauty and warmth of his light green eyes. I was understanding more and more the attraction the other students had for him. If I had a soul, it was as though he were staring straight into it.

I recovered, placing my hand atop the desk and then wiggling my fingers as though I were weaving my way through a very complicated piano piece.

Oh, Edward mouthed, immediately understanding. He silently laughed and placed his left hand to his forehead briefly as if to hide his face in mock embarrassment. The ink from the pen spilled onto the paper as he began to write again.

In my defense, there’s research that supports classical music puts students in a heightened emotional state, making them more receptive to information and helping them focus.

That’s very nerdy of you. I scribbled back, the corners of my lips pulled upwards.

I know. As I read the words on the notebook paper, we both laughed a little too loudly for the quietness of the room.

“Please remain silent for your classmates still working,” Mr. Molina stage-whispered from his desk, his eyes still fixated on the crossword puzzle.

It’s a bad habit. Edward tacked on to his message. I beamed. I knew a thing or two about bad habits today. I was appreciative of this silent conversation on paper; it made it easier to be beside him without needing to breathe to speak aloud.

What were you playing? I scrawled.

Clair de Lune. Edward wrote back. His thick eyebrows raised as my eyes lit up, and he continued writing. You know Debussy?

My mother used to play a lot of classical music around the house. It was one of my favorites.

It’s one of my favorites, too. Edward’s eyes were a little sad and lost in thought, and he smiled softly.

I was shocked by the change in expression and weirdly desperate to return the brightness back to his eyes. The burn in my throat was almost forgettable in the face of my concern. Almost, but not quite. He turned his head down to write on the paper again.

You said Rosalie played piano. You never learned? He turned to look at me, his expression curious. I shook my head and shrugged, reaching for the pen.

I didn’t think I had the coordination for it. While this was true for the time I was human, it wasn’t true now. Still, even though my days stretched into endless nights, I hadn’t yet devoted time to any instrument as an immortal.

Edward read the paper, his long pointer finger tracing the line beneath the words as he did so. He held his large hand out, and I dropped the pen into it.

I’ll show you sometime. Edward half smiled at me, his eyes sweet and earnest.

Knowing I shouldn’t be allowing him to think making a plans with me was an option, I reached for the pen to tell him that it was alright, but I froze as he suddenly moved to drop the pen and take my hand. Though he should have been the one hesitant and cautious as though approaching a dangerous, wounded animal, I held perfectly still as though he were the danger, and I needed to play dead for protection. You can’t play dead if you are dead, I thought to myself. 

My body tensed as my hand was enveloped in the heat of his much larger palm, uncertain as to what he was doing. My muscles screamed at me as I clenched my free hand into a tight fist, terrified of myself.

A shiver rippled through him as he felt the chill of my frozen fingers, and I twitched the hand in his possession, wanting to yank it away to protect him from the iciness but not wanting to alert him with the swiftness of the motion.

He smiled mysteriously at the spasm as though he somehow expected it. I wanted to ask him what he was thinking but didn’t want to risk breathing. My control could too easily be lost. Besides, I was scared that if I were to open my mouth, I’d end up screaming.

I felt him push slightly and realized he wished for me to curl my fingers, so with great concentration and the acute awareness of his fragility, I moved my stony hand into the shape he directed, my fingers curved slightly beneath his like a relaxed talon. I didn’t like the shape; it was odd and inhuman and made me think of the violence I could cause.

But it wasn’t a claw. Because once my hand was positioned the way he wanted, he began to slowly place pressure on my fingers, and I dipped and rose them accordingly to carefully move with his. I watched as the two of our hands together played what I imagined must be the opening chords to Clair de Lune.

The disconcerting emptiness in my chest soared at the bizarre pleasure of this touch, and a weird sensation tickled my scalp, moving swiftly down my spine to my entire body. 

My muscles tightened violently and then relaxed, sending a shiver to ripple through me. It was too much pleasure and too much pain as my throat ached and I leaned into the warmth.

Embarrassed and not wanting to push my luck, I cautiously pulled my hand slowly away. He lifted his hand to allow me to escape as though I couldn’t just break his hand to do so, a half-smile pulling on his lips. I pretended not to notice the goosebumps on his arms.

See? he mouthed before deciding to whisper. “You could do it.”

I forced myself to smile and then turned away for the rest of the hour, trying to keep from doing anything stupid like looking at him or killing him. I’d completely forgotten where we were.

When the bell finally rung, I collected my things atop the desk hastily. Edward reached for my backpack and held it up for me.

“Thanks,” I murmured as I dumped my books into the bag. Before I could take it from him, he slid it onto his back and nodded his head once for me to go forward.

Feeling awkward, I turned and allowed him to follow me to the door. I was lucky to walk in front of him, taking the opportunity to breath again as the vent blew out in front of my face.

Exiting the classroom, I paused for a second when I saw Emmett waiting for me across the hallway rather than his typical spot beside the wall of lockers next to our shared Spanish classroom. Even though I was well aware of the fact I’d been dangling my irresponsibility in their faces all day, I still felt as though I was being caught in the act.

Emmett’s eyebrows raised as his golden eyes watched Edward follow behind me, carrying my backpack. I crossed the hallway reluctantly towards my big brother.

“Hello,” I greeted him, avoiding his eyes. I felt smaller than ever beside him with my head down, and yet not small enough as I wished to disappear.

“Hey, little sis,” Emmett began uncertainly, though I glanced up to see his full lips were beginning to stretch into a smile that I didn’t like. “Who’s that with you?”

“Uh…”

“I’m Edward Masen,” the lanky human boy introduced himself confidently as he stopped beside me. “And you must be––”

“Emmett,” my brother interrupted, grinning as though he always so comfortably interacted with humans. This was all too weird, but he looked to be enjoying it far too much. His desire to mess with me and his confidence in Alice’s visions seemed to override the abnormality of speaking to a student so amicably. I watched as he breathed in and shot me a meaningful look. I grimaced.

I opened my mouth to put an end to this torturously awkward interaction, but Emmett interrupted again.

“It’s nice to see you made a friend,” he began, an evil glint in his eyes as he watched my face. I was confused as to where he was going with this because our entire family would come across as misanthropic to the rest of the school, so why should it matter to him. He turned his attention to look at Edward who was closer in height to him. “You know, we worry about her––”

“Okay, let’s go to Spanish,” I cut him off quickly. “Edward, can I have my bag, please?”

Without looking at him, I reached for my backpack as he offered it and threw it over my shoulder, heading down the hallway. It was a massive relief to put some distance between myself and Edward. My thoughts were clearer, and I could breathe freely.

Emmett burst into laughter, his guffaws booming in the hallway. Several students paused in fear making me concerned about Edward’s reaction to my giant of a sibling, but I relaxed when I heard Edward chuckling along with him.

“Um, see you,” Emmett said to Edward before his steady, near silent footfall followed after me.

Even moving at a lethargic human pace, he caught up to me quickly.

“That wasn’t funny,” I grumbled.

“What the hell are you doing?” Emmett chuckled, ignoring my question.

“What the hell are you doing? What was that back there?”

“I don’t know. That was weird, but not as weird as you playing with your food.”

I hissed quietly.

“Damn, I’m kidding, Bells. But seriously, what are you doing? What happened to your high and noble speech about doing the right thing and staying away from the kid? I thought Esme was about to produce real tears. It even softened Rose.”

“Ugh, don’t talk to me about Rosalie right now. She’s been giving me dirty looks all day. It makes me feel awful. I already feel bad!”

“Well, I don’t really care what you do either way so––” I looked at him questionably. “I mean, sure, I want you to do the right thing, whatever that means. I don’t want you to feel miserable. But on one end, I didn’t really mind so much what happened to me.”

“Rosalie did,” I countered.

“Yeah, Rose did,” he acquiesced quietly.

“Anyways, I’m not having that conversation. I wasn’t talking to him today to test whether or not he’s worth it. That’s… unethical.”

“So what were you doing?”

“I don’t know,” I groaned in answer.

Emmett laughed.

“You’re weird these days, Bella.”

“You’re weird everyday,” I quipped back before sighing. “I don’t know. He’s weird, too. I guess… I’m not making any decisions, at all, but if Alice told you what she told me… wouldn’t you be curious?”

Emmett thought it over. “Yeah, I think so. But I also don’t think I’d have even made it to this point,” he admitted. I winced.

“It’s kind of unfair for me to care more about satiating my curiosity and dance with the devil this way, right?”

“Well…he may not know it, but isn’t it more so that Edward’s the one dancing with the devil?”

“Yeah,” I agreed, frowning as we walked into our Spanish class. “I guess it is.”

I made the decision to avoid thinking of Edward for the remaining hour of school. I paid very little attention in Spanish, returning to the familiar mind-numbing boredom that classes had been prior to the last few days. Now that it was in stark contrast to the sudden life breathed into my time at Forks High School by my fixation with Edward, the tedium was no longer something dealt with indifferently and sluggishly. Now, it left me feeling restless, and it almost pained me how laborious it was to sit through a life I wasn’t an active participant in. It was nowhere near the pain of dealing with the excruciating thirst I had around my bronze-haired lab partner, but it almost tampered with my thoughts more knowing I’d feel less miserable if I spent this time analyzing every word Edward shared with me, every fluctuation of his tone, every glint in his perceptive eyes, every expression on his pretty face… But I was becoming too obsessive. The same hunger for adventure that made me fall in love with reading must be what was leading me to so treacherously, so impetuously dive into exploring this insignificant and yet cataclysmic difference in my life.

As though it had a personal vendetta against me, time moved even more lethargically than it ever had before, but finally, the bell signaling the end of school rang. Emmett’s eyes shot a concerned look at me as I rose from my seat too quickly, and I immediately felt embarrassed again. The cautious reminder in his expression made me feel childish as Emmett was never one to care much about bending the rules. 

“See you at home, I guess,” he shook his head, giving me one last look that seemed to suggest I’d lost it.

“See you,” I mumbled, slinging my bag over my shoulder. Leaving Emmett behind to wait for Rosalie, I weaved through the crowded hallway and out to the parking lot. Students were bundling together and squealing at the chilling air as tiny, fluffy snowflakes fluttered down from the overcast sky. The floor of the parking lot was almost as glassy as yesterday as the rain from this afternoon had melted into a thin layer of icy mush. Though there was hardly enough snow for a decent snowball fight, some of the rowdier students were bundling up a pitiful pile of snow to form pathetic snowballs in their fists.

I nearly skipped to the pearly white vehicle parked beside Rosalie’s overly conspicuous crimson car which was forming a small crowd of admirers. Leaning against the trunk of the car, I watched the front doors of the school to look for Edward.

The tangle of reddish-brown hair was easy to spot because of its strange metallic tint as he strolled out of the building with Naomi, the student who’d provided him with the information about my family on his first day. He had his coat folded over his arm, revealing how form fitting his light tan turtleneck was. He truly was a very attractive boy. It was odd that I hadn’t really paid much attention initially. With his dazzling face and tall, lean frame, Edward was pretty enough that for the vampires who searched for exquisitely beautiful humans to create into even more stunning immortals, he could probably be a contender for someone to collect.

Thinking of how Emmett questioned my motives today, I quickly banished the idea of Edward as an immortal from my mind, even if it was only a hypothetical inspired by my observation.

Edward paused, asking Naomi if she could hold on to his backpack for a moment. When she grabbed it, he pulled on his long black coat, and fiddled with the collar. Recollecting his backpack, he slid it onto one shoulder, then rubbed his hands together, blowing the warm air from his mouth to heat them up. Thinking of the sweetness of the smell of his breath made me remember to take in swallows of fresh air before he made his way over to me.

As he was distracted momentarily, I watched as a stray snowball flew towards Edward’s head. I was overcome with the urge to intercept it in the event it may hit him too harshly and knock him to the pavement, but flying across the parking lot inhumanly fast twice in one week was probably not the way to go about correcting my mistakes.

The soggy snowball crashed into Edward’s hair, exploding into shards of ice and water that slid down his prominent cheekbone. I laughed aloud at his shocked expression as the curtain bangs framing his face were immediately drenched, darkening his hair into a brown color. Once he’d realized what happened, his face broke into a good-humored smile.

“Holy shit! Sorry, Edward!” The classmate who had thrown the snowball with poor aim called out.

“No worries!” Edward called back. He shook his head, chuckling as he wiped the water from his face. As he laughed, his eyes found the space where I waited and brightened seeing that I, too, was enjoying the moment.

“Hey, I’ll see you tomorrow,” he told Naomi, who was too beside herself in tears of laughter to reply.

Edward sauntered over towards me, and I inhaled deeply as a fortuitous whisper of wind blew from the tree line. I held onto the notes of crisp eucalyptus, fresh snow, and cedar wood, trying to distract my mind from the offensively mouthwatering scents approaching me.

Edward was a coordinated human, but even he lost his footing on the icy pavement. His body slid forward for a moment, but I stepped towards him to close the space between us and caught him by the elbow.

He looked up from his boots against the frozen parking lot into my eyes, startled momentarily at the swiftness in which I had appeared. Then, his full lips lifted into a crooked smile that creased his astonishing green eyes into half moons. I let go immediately and took a big step back to ensure a safer distance between myself and the warmth of his fragile body. It had been a risky movement, but somehow in comparison to yesterday, it didn’t seem to matter as much. I figured our classmates were too involved in their gawking at the details of my sister’s car or their feeble, slushy snowball fight to notice, and oddly, I didn’t care that Edward had seen. It was beginning to feel too late to keep up certain pretenses.

Although, it wasn’t too late, and it shouldn’t feel that way. I reminded myself I still had every intention of leaving Edward alone once I’d figured out what was so compelling about our paths crossing that had Alice’s visions spiraling in a confusing jumble. I took another step back slowly.

“Thank you,” Edward said, his eyes humored with another secret he didn’t seem willing to share. “You keep saving me.”

“Well, let’s not make this damsel in distress thing habitual,” I snorted, turning so that he couldn’t see the smile forming on my face. I felt shy about showcasing any comfort or happiness in his presence now that I was reminded of how fleeting this experimental friendship was, but I wondered if subconsciously I wanted him to catch me in my misery and ask me to explain, though I wasn’t certain why I wanted to sabotage myself like that. I opened my door and turned to look at him again. “You coming?”

Before he could answer, I dipped into the driver’s seat, and breathed in one last time. Well, once this was all over, I could finally stop inhaling dramatically as though they were truly my last, dying breaths. The air was mostly clean of his scent, but I knew that regardless, the heat of his body would be enough to disrupt my comfort and control. As the thought crossed my mind, I painfully swallowed back the venom pooling beneath my tongue.

Edward swerved through the crowd obsessing over Rosalie’s car and opened the passenger door, sliding into his seat. As he placed his backpack on the floor and fiddled with his seatbelt, I made sure to adjust the air conditioning so that the heat could warm Edward from the frigid Forks air. Though for me, just being in his presence made the intimate interior of the car feel as though I were again sitting by his fireplace.

“That’s a beautiful car,” he murmured. “Is it an M8?”

“Uh, it’s a BMW?” I asked uncertainly as though he’d spoken another language.

Edward grinned as though he wanted to laugh but didn’t want to make me angry. Rosalie would have loved to answer all his questions if he too had an interest in cars. Would have loved to, if she wasn’t deeply offended by my actions or if I had any intention of Edward meeting any more of my family members.

“Ready?” I bit my lip as I forced out any inconsiderate plots of murder that threatened to distract me from being a defensive driver.

“Mhm,” Edward answered.

I reversed out of the parking slot slowly, but as I looked in the rearview once I’d straightened out, I saw the fleeting image of Rosalie’s exquisitely beautiful and exceptionally angry face. I quickly readjusted the mirror to remove my sister’s reflection and sped out of the parking lot in a way that could have taken out a few unlucky students if I didn’t have above average years of driving experience.

Peripherally, I watched as Edward’s thick eyebrows raised, but he decided not to question me. Once we’d reached the main road, I slowed my speed so as not to rush through this time, even though I knew for his safety and my sanity, I should. As I drove, his right hand moved in odd shapes again against the arm rest of the passenger side door as though he were playing piano once more.

I decided to bite and use up some of my limited air supply.

“What are you playing?”

“Clair de Lune again,” he replied. Then, he began to hum the melody aloud for me as he moved his hand.

I thought to offer to play the song for him through the speakers, but I decided against it as I listened to Edward’s soft, velvety voice hum beautifully through the song, breaking the silence.

The ugly, slush-like falling of snow transformed into a falling of rainwater, and Edward’s voice was orchestrated by a lovely symphony of raindrops.

Before his voice could weave into the more involved moments of the piece, Edward stopped.

I looked over at him, curious for the reason as to why. His face was turned away from me so that all I could see was his untidy bronze hair as he gazed out the window. I pulled in front of his driveway and parked against the curb.

Miraculously, I’d made it again. Carefully, I inhaled through my nose to experiment with my control. The sweet bouquet of the boy’s blood was potent and even more mouthwatering than usual from the snow turned rain that’d wet his hair. I hadn’t considered the possibility that he could smell better than before, and I kept myself from groaning aloud as I dug my nails into my own palms. The tingling sensation in my nose was as though I’d sniffed some powerful chemical, the burning sensation in my throat as though I’d taken a long drag of a cigarette. But more painful. More demanding. Desire, need flew from my core out towards my extremities, and the beating of his heart pumping the blood through his body drummed loudly in my ears. It seemed to move through me, my frigid body almost twitching with every pulse, ready to lunge forward and crush his neck to my lips.

“What was your mother like?” He asked me suddenly, his voice soft. Edward turned from the window to face me, and I was bewildered by the intensity of his expression. His eyes were light and beautiful against the gloomy grey of the sky, and they squinted slightly as though studying my face like this information was absolutely essential. But this was not what stunned me, as I’d already seen the severity of this expression before in our ephemeral time together. It was the unexpected vulnerability of his stunning face. The more time I spent looking at him, the more I realized how beautiful this human boy really was. And it seemed a great tragedy for this beautiful boy to harbor such devastation in his eyes.

Whereas previously in his presence, my thoughts had become incoherent due to a lapse in control, now my thoughts were incoherent in distress and desperation to understand what had gone wrong and how I could fix it. I was momentarily dumbfounded, but I pulled myself together after the soft sound of a few droplets of rain against the roof reminded me that he was waiting for an answer.

“Well, she looked a lot like me, but prettier,” I began stupidly. He raised his eyebrows. “Or at least, she used to look a lot like me, and I used to look a lot like her. I don’t so much anymore.” It’d been so long since I’d really spoken about my mom, and I wasn’t sure if I wanted to laugh or cry. I knew I should have made some comment about whether or not she looked like Esme or Emmett since our story made us siblings, but I didn’t want to taint the rarity of sharing who she was with a lie.

“She was more outgoing than I am,” I continued, thinking through the foggy memories I held onto from my human life.

“That’s difficult to believe,” Edward teased quietly, his lips curving into a half smile.

I laughed, listening to the melodic sound of it, thinking of how it symbolized how very much different I was now from the human girl my mother knew.

“I was always very shy,” I smiled, before speaking up again, caught in the echoes of my past. “She was brave and irresponsible and slightly eccentric. And she was a very unpredictable cook!”

I laughed aloud again thinking of some minor explosions in our tiny kitchen and some questionable dishes. Edward laughed too, but when our laughter faded into the falling of the rain, my smile faded.

“She wasn’t perfect,” I admitted. “I think I recognize now that she was very fallible. I worshipped her when I was younger, but when I think back, I do see how in some of the ways she raised me, I was done a disservice… I grew up too fast. When she died––“ I sighed, feeling insincere and guilty about perpetuating this lie when I really should have said when I died, “––Esme became more of a mother to me, and even Rosalie’s been more traditionally nurturing than my mom ever was… But still, she was my best friend.”

“You miss her,” he murmured simply. I met his gentle eyes.

“Yes,” I bit my lip.

“How old are you, Bella?” Edward asked. “And not the formulaic, theorized version where you were born in your thirties. How old are you really?”

I tensed, wondering if he was asking this again because he’d taken note of how I didn’t directly answer this question the last time he asked.

“Seventeen,” I answered automatically.

“You don’t seem seventeen,” he responded, reproachful.

The tension left my body at the tone of his voice. I smiled again easily.

“Sorry?” I asked, biting my lip to hide the smile, unsure of how to respond.

Edward chuckled and the subtle crinkles by his eyes lit up his face. “Well, I wish you’d been given a happier, normal childhood.”

“I’m fine,” I shrugged, brushing it off. “I hardly remember most of it, and what I do remember reminds me that I probably didn’t have much chance at a normal childhood to begin with. I was terribly shy, remember.

“I did do girl scouts, though….Oh, and ballet briefly,” I admitted, unsure as to why I was volunteering so much information about myself. Wasn’t the purpose of me sitting here to uncover information about him?

“Why does that make you… embarrassed?” Edward’s eyebrows pulled up.

For an odd moment, I felt betrayed by the flush of my cheeks before I realized there was no blood rushing to my face. I blinked, bewildered by the peculiarity of this long buried instinct to become frustrated with my easy blushes when I hadn’t blushed for years. I felt self conscious as I wondered what Edward saw reading my expression to so perfectly decipher my feelings.

“I was very uncoordinated,” I dismissed his question as I fought the urge for my hand to flutter to touch my cool cheek.

“Now that truly is difficult to believe,” Edward half-smiled. “I can’t imagine I’ve seen anyone as graceful as you.”

I laughed aloud at his compliment, though I didn’t doubt his sincerity. I knew this was true of myself. It was true of all of our kind to appear fluid and effortless, but still, no one had ever applied the word to me. My vampiric poise was irrelevant and unimpressive to my family, and the very few humans brave enough to overcome their nerves to compliment me typically found their words to fail them.

“You’re very odd,” I beamed.

“What do you mean?” The bronze-haired boy asked, again wanting to be let in on the secret. While I had an insatiable thirst, it seemed he had an insatiable curiosity.

“How old are you really? Your word choice is bizarre for someone your age, you know.”

“Oh,” he laughed easily. “Well, I’m actually not seventeen. I’m eighteen. But I’ll try to strictly adhere to a more teenage vernacular, so I can compliment you in a more acceptable way from now on.”

I looked out at the dim light of the brewing storm, my smile fading as I decided that I should probably allow him to escape me before I did something I’d regret. But I knew I wasn’t resolved enough to completely leave him alone. He made me monopolize too much of the conversation, and I wasn’t satisfied with what I knew about him yet.

I sighed aloud, and Edward, too, looked out at the rain darkened sky.

“Will I see you tomorrow?” he asked hopefully, making the assumption that our conversation was coming to an end.

“Yes,” I promised reluctantly. My eyes flickered back over to his pretty face, studying the lines of his strong jaw, his chiseled cheekbones, his full lips, committing this inconsequential face to memory as I silently resolved that this should be –– and would be –– one of the last times I’d allow myself to be this close to him. Tomorrow may well be the very last.

Likewise, as though his thoughts were in the same vein, his beautiful green eyes studied my face as well, though he did so in that mysterious way of his where he looked at me as though hoping to read my mind.

He sighed, then collected his backpack. Edward opened the door, stepping out into the bitterly cold weather. A shiver ran through his lanky body, making my body tense with perverse excitement. I cringed away from the deadly instinct and swallowed against the dryness of my yearning throat.

Edward’s tall, lean frame leaned down to peek into the car.

“Goodnight, Bella,” he spoke softly.

“Goodnight, Edward,” I almost whispered, gazing into the beauty of his dazzling green eyes.

Edward smiled his half smile, and closed the door, escaping into the building torrent of rain.

I gasped in relief at his absence, then stiffened realizing how the cab of the car was still heavily perfumed with his scent. I took in another deep breath, forcing myself to confront the burning thirst again, willing myself to manage it. I sighed as I hit the gas, making Edward disappear behind me.

  Both my control and the rain pour strengthened significantly as I turned onto the long drive leading to my house. I grimaced as I wondered how I’d face my family and explain the complete reversal of what I’d promised to do. I didn’t have time to consider for much longer as suddenly, a figure appeared instantaneously in the drive. I slammed my foot on the brake immediately in shock at its appearance, not wanting to total yet another car against one of my siblings.

I peered through the windshield, unable to see through the complete downpour that submerged my vehicle as though it were underwater. It was annoying for my perfect sight to be obstructed by anything, rainwater or even the transparent windshield because of my eyes’ desire to focus on the microscopic scratches.

The car violently screeched against the muddy pavement, and it looked as though we would have to bid this car goodbye until the figure hidden by the storm placed their hands out on the car roughly and forced it to a stop. The tires screamed in protest, and the metal groaned as it warped into the shape of the palms. I listened as it unnaturally bent again in a piercing moan as the figure fixed the indentions they’d created.

My windshield wipers swatted away a flood of water. Finally, I could make out my sister Rosalie, her hair dripping wet down her back like a supermodel who’d just emerged from a pool on the cover of Sports Illustrated. Her exquisite face was absolutely furious.

I gulped, feeling like a child who’d just been discovered sneaking home past curfew.

I felt uncertain as to what to do and why she’d chosen to stop me here. Surely she could wait for us to be under the cover of the garage before she chastised me. Not wanting to be drenched by the rain, I revved the engine to ask her to move aside, but the car didn’t inch forward against her strength. Beginning to feel annoyed, I revved the engine again loudly and for longer, but still, she didn’t move.

“Rose,” I hissed as I hit the brake again so that the car could roar viciously in the storm, only to be cut off by the voice of my adopted mother.

“Girls!” I couldn’t see Esme through the obscured glass behind the downpour, but even with the barrage of the rain, I could hear her lithe steps run furiously to the front porch. “Please!”

Rose’s head snapped up to look in Esme’s direction before turning to glance unhappily back at me. She stepped aside, and I sped into the garage, parking the car hastily.

I exited immediately and went to expect the damage to the front of the hood. It was only a minuscule bend from having been pushed and prodded back and forth, and I was positive Rosalie could make it look like new, though why it had been necessary to punish the car was beyond me. It wasn’t even mine.

I wheeled around once I’d heard the near-silent steps of her run, a wave of anger making me forget my guilt.

“Are you insane?!” I demanded.

“I could ask the same of you, Bella!” Now free from the obscurity of the rain, I could see in perfect detail the stunning fury of her glorious face. Her golden hair had been darkened by the rain, and it was slicked back effortlessly, like a glittering waterfall down to the middle of her back. She looked like a wrathful god, but I couldn’t find it in my stubbornness to care about how valid her anger may be.

“Okay, but did you have to take it out on the car? What did it ever do to you! You couldn’t have waited another twenty seconds to confront me? Well, you have my attention now, Rosalie, so say whatever it is you want to say!”

“You’re just unbelievable, Bella!”

“He’s not going to say anything, Rose! We already talked about this yesterday. You heard Alice! He’s not a threat to you and Emmett, so I don’t understand why you’re taking this so personally.”

“Exactly, Bella. I heard Alice. Which is precisely why I fail to understand as to why you wouldn’t understand why I’d take it so personally. After all these years of sisterhood, how can you not understand how I feel about this?”

I frowned, my forehead puckering, but still, I retained my anger. She huffed, continuing.

“If it was an inevitability, I’d understand. However, it hurts me deeply that you recognize the choice that you have. The choice that Edward has. And still, you’re willing to play with his mortality as though it were a game, when I never had that choice.”

I froze, the realization dawning on me that she was right. No matter the ways in which I tried to justify my actions or spin my intentions, she was right. Another part of my mind acknowledged that while I was aware of right and wrong, I wasn’t certain that what was right would be enough to keep me away anymore.

We stared each other down much like we had yesterday. Only today, rather than anger, her face was contorted in hurt, and mine was contorted in hopelessness.

“But… you found Emmett when he was still human…” I weakly protested, selfishly trying to highlight the irony, though I knew it was pointless as I wasn’t advocating for Edward to be changed either. That was too complicated a thought to wrap my mind around. But whatever may happen –– and I was still very much aware of the worst of possibilities –– I didn’t want my sister to hate me for it.

“He was dying, Bella,” Rosalie whispered. The anger on her face had completely faded, and in its place, pain marked her eyebrows, her full lips, her golden, sad eyes. In her sadness, she looked like a work of art, like one of those paintings of a weeping saint. “It’s not the same.”

I didn’t have a response to that, and I felt as though I was at an impasse, both with myself and with Rosalie. Because I knew the promises I’d made and broken, but I knew the promise I’d made to Edward today, and I had no willpower, no desire, and no intention to break that promise.

“You may not feel anything for him now,” Rosalie began, her eyes intently fierce as they bore into mine to warn me. Only this warning felt significantly more horrible than I’d imagined it may be, because it wasn’t made in anger, but in desperation and love. “But if Alice is right, you will. And it seems to me a horrible way to repay someone you love to steal their life, their future, their soul from them. You should leave him alone now while you still can, because once you love him… it’ll only hurt more one way or another. And you’ll have to live with that for the rest of your existence. I know I have.”

And with that, Rose turned, her face cold and sad, and she left the garage.

[movieguy50]

Episode 1-41 "And then there was none" Big Update at Bottom

Hey everyone,

I know that I had posted and my last login pretty good it was going to be probably two more entry left this year that's going to send but actually this will be my final one for this year.

Yesterday the morning of December 14th between the time of 7:30 and 9:00 man broke into my daughter's house where he was staying with her in-laws where he's been saying walks into her room and shot both her and her baby girl my daughter and my granddaughter they were the last time my father's boyfriend calls after he almost beat a woman happened again but he was only getting thousand dollar Bond leave me a 15,000 cash to get out or him and his drug buddies one of the two I said what's the date yesterday very sad and of course devastated but now my emotions are turned to be anger I'm angry because why was inside so bitch let out I'm angry because why God take away everybody in my family and leave me alone on this Earth.

I am going to work today can I come on my way there now as I'm writing this only because the more I'm alone more depressed I get and I'm tired of sitting around crying all day like I did yesterday but here is what I know the cops are looking for him and so is the family family are the type of people you don't fuck with they're very relentless and when they did if they get a hold of him they will they will punish you in their own way and yeah they will not leave nothing left he will be dead by the time to get they're done with him so if he's out there you better hope to God come find him first because he just signed his own death warrant.

People have already asked me why I'm going to be doing for Christmas that's as far as I'm concerned Christmas is canceled the door with and I don't plan to ever have Christmas again for the long as I live but you know I got all the good memories of the years past and everything with me and that's what I draw on anyway just because I am not having anything to do with pictures of me I don't want to see everybody else be happy with their families so y'all Merry Christmas have a great day here and sometime at the end of this year possibly we're going to start seeing too we have to go to one so I have yet to come over the name of that one yet who knows Rock and have between them talk to y'all later happy holidays everyone

Well I didn't know that's the flu was going to keep me down and it's cost me to miss duties of work on top of the two days that I already took off because of my daughter and my granddaughters Court proceedings which that's what this update is about if you haven't read the story scroll up and started from the beginning.

On Thursday December 16th I went in to meet with the district attorney in Dallas county they were very very empathetic he knew this was hard any boy was it hard it was one of the hardest things I ever had to do I thought going to 19 them in the morgue was hard but oh my God you guys this was just about as bad anyway so it was me and her two-in-laws and my daughter live with I went there all three of us picked him out it was just a picture lineup did you say good because now we got undoubtedly enough to put the death penalty on the table for this and so he went in and he said that he's going to be rain today yes he said he asked me if I wanted to see the arraignment and I said yes I would so we left right away and before we saw the arraignment he asked if I want to talk to judge and I said sure I would love to talk to the judge you guys let me tell you something it's really true what it said I've been on both sides of the law before I admit but you can't blame a person for being for doing what they do when they're just doing their job I've always tried every time anytime I've ever gotten in trouble with the law or anything I've always tried to remember that and so I got to talk to judge for about 15 minutes I told him everything about Tori's story and my story everything all of it the horrible losses everything that he knew and all the time I was done and he said well Mr Davis I do have the authority here to make this goes quickly and his painlessly as possible and I'm going to do just that for you he said I don't care what happens but this is going to be over with before Christmas and I said really and he said yeah he said we are due to be off next week I have no cases on my calendar if he chooses to not guilty I'll move the case to start Monday I said okay well I'll be here every single day then yeah I would have really I wouldn't miss this for the world so we went and proceeded to another room where they put me in front of a Zuma monitor and the miter would only come on when it was time for his arraignment so when it did come on the judge is reading out the charges to him two counts of capital murder and he asked me how he played he said I played guilty both counts I had the meltdown that probably would have won me so many awards for the best drama I mean I could not stop crying I could not believe what I just heard and then what followed after that was he said sensing will be in court tomorrow at 1:00 so that's Friday.

So on Friday December 17th I went to court I was there a little bit early they hadn't brought him in yet and he was with an attorney which I knew I was just for formality sake and the judge said before I impose sentencing do you have anything you want to say and he said yes he said well first please answer this question why did you do it and the answer he gave me oh boy because he had been wanting to die for some time now but it was two was too much of a coward to commit suicide so he knew the only way he was ever going to get to die early when he wanted to was to kill somebody so that's why that's what my daughter and my granddaughter meant to him their lies were just thrown away like that piece of garbage....

Look on the judge's face was both a horror and actual just can't disbelief so instead of posting sentence here that wanted to say wanted to say something to him before I before sentence was imposed I raised my hand immediately and I think the judge knew that's what I was getting at cuz I was getting real antsy I was mad and I said a whole bunch of shit I tore him so many assholes he don't know which one he shitting out of and which one he used to wipe every time I got I got 15 minutes to say what I wanted to say and believe me it did make me feel much better but in terms of being the voice of the voiceless and in this case my granddaughter it was satisfying so anyway after I got off the stand nobody else wanted to say anything so he told him to rise and he posted and she said I count one of the indictment I am sending you to to death shortly after this proceeding over the next few days you will be able to appeal this decision and everything else and then he spoke up and he said I don't want to appeal anything I want to raise all my rights is that okay basically by doing that he just put himself up to the front line to be executed next which will take place from what the da says in between 4 to 6 weeks from now whether I'm going to go and witnesses I don't know yet I should but I don't know if I can hang with that so I got a call just a few minutes ago that's what made me remember to write this that they were transporting him tomorrow to to Texas State penitentiary in Huntsville Texas where he will be there until his execution so that's what justice has done for me anyway this is probably the last history now because I'm so sick I go to sleep and I got so much to do I got to go to my daughter's stuff I can't do anything until I get death certificates and all this and that it's cheap ridiculous anyway Merry Christmas everyone talk to you later

[knightthunderis]

Christmas Cordonian style Knight Thunder Twist.

Christmas cordonian style with a Knight Thunder twist

  author's note   this story takes place a week after the arrest of Barthelemy Beaumont and those who were with him in the coup against the crown of cordonia.

 The Palace of Cordonia is a buzz with excitement as servants and people alike work together to decorate the capital city for the upcoming Christmas celebration.

Karyson and his Queen Reimeiko were observing as the decorations and preparations were happening.

“It is a Happy Time For Us my dear Reimeiko.   What a celebration the preparations have been going on for days.” Karyson gushed.  “ old man Beaumont and the rest of his conspirators are behind bars my aunt and uncle can finally rest in peace knowing that they're killers are incarcerated for the rest of their lives.   I am relieved as well.   Rhiannon and the twins are growing up free from Barthelemy's tyranny.   and peace is once again returned to our kingdom.”

 “oh yes.”  Queen Reimeiko agreed. “ we are finally able to live our lives and our children are free the grow up away from all the evils that were thrown at them.   all of our friends from all around the kingdom and Beyond have come to help decorate.   BJ and the trio were getting along beautifully and this is our first real Christmas together as a family.”

 before they knew what was happening,  a loud crash could be heard from the kitchen close to the ballroom.  Karyson and Reimeiko  exchanged fearful looks and took off in the direction of the crash.   they both get through this serving doors only Drake fell out on the floor with a bowl of cake mix on his head.

“ what happened?”  the king demanded attempting to hide the laughter behind his feigned anger.

 “It was an accident, honestly.” Maxwell Beaumont  quickly said.  “I was coming one way with a bowl of cake mix. He was coming the other with the apples and we collided. Nothing major we’ll fix it we’ll fix it.”

“Well you had better fix it.” the  King growled  in feigned anger.  “Racine will get both of your butts if you mess up her kitchen and you know how fiercely protective Racine is of her kitchen.” as the king and his queen turned away and walked out of the kitchen once out of earshot they finally busted up laughing. “ did you see the look on Maxwell's face  when he and Drake  thought they were in trouble?  The look of fear was priceless. “

As they exited the kitchen and returned to the Ballroom  and the decorating, Marco and Valerie from Lythikos  and Jiro and Camila from Applewood arrived with their families with more sweet treats and snacks for the celebration.   The Cordonian children  we're given permission to take the time to play with BJ and the trio.

“Thank you for inviting us to your Christmas celebrations your Majesty's.” Camilla announced.  “And we are glad that you were able to save your daughter from being taken over by that bad man.”

“ well the bad man will be no trouble for no body anymore.”  the queen replied. “ he is locked up for the rest of his life and will never harm another Soul ever again.   you know what I have got an idea.   what do you guys say you guys heard BJ & the trio up to the playroom and then I will come and tell y'all A Christmas Story tell you all about how it all began with me and my family.”

“ that would be awesome your highness.” Marco gushed. “ it would be great to hear all about your first Christmas and how things meant for you and yours.”

“ well okay if you will take BJ Rhiannon Ethan and  Gabriel do the playroom The King and I will be up in a few minutes with the Christmas book.”

 without another second to spare the cordonian children took the younger ones up to the playroom and waited for the queen to arrive with her story.   within about 10 minutes the king and queen arrived at the playroom all the children were sitting in a semicircle in front of the rocking chair waiting to hear the Queen's famous story.

“ truth of the matter be told.” Karyson replied. “I cannot wait to hear the story you have come up with my love.”

“ well this is a story that everybody will enjoy.” Reimeko said.  instead of sitting in the rocking chair she pushed it back and set down in the floor with the children and her husband and began her story.  “ this is the story of a Time long ago back before my parents back when my grandparents were still just children my grandfather told us the story years later and it's become a family favorite:  Twas the night before Christmas and all through the house not a creature was stirring not even a mouse the stockings were hung by the chimney with care in hopes that st. Nicholas soon would be there the children were nestled all snug in their beds with visions of sugarplums dancing in their heads.”

 This part of the story is where the king picked it up. “ oh I remember this with mom and her kerchief and I in my cap we had just settled our brains for a long winter's nap.  When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter away to the window I flew like a flash tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.  The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow gave the luster of midday to objects below when what do my wondering eyes should appear but a miniature sleigh and eight tiny reindeer with a little old driver so Lively and quick I knew in that moment it must be Saint Nick More rapid than the Eagles his coursers they came and he whistled and shouted and called them by name now Dasher  now Dancer now Prancer and Vixen on Comet on Cupid on Donner and Blitzen to the top of the porch to the top of the wall now dash away, dash away dash away all as dry leaves up before the wild hurricane fly when they met with an obstacle mount to the sky so up to the Housetop the coursers they flew with the sleigh full of toys and Saint Nicholas II and then in a twinkling I heard on the roof the Prancing and pawing of each little hoof as I drew in my head and was turning around down the chimney st. Nicholas came with a bound.”

 The queen took up the story from then on.   but the story had brought in everyone else to hear the long and blustering Tale. “ he was dressed all in fur from his head to his foot and his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot, a bundle of toys he had flung on his back and look like a peddler just opening his pack his eyes have a twinkled his dimples how merry his cheeks were like roses his nose like a cherry his droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow and the beard on his chin was as white as the snow the stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth and the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath he had a broad little face and a little round belly that shook when he laughed like a bowl full of jelly he was chubby and plump a right Jolly Old elf and I laughed when I saw him in spite of myself a winking his eye and it twisted his head soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread he spoke not a word but it went straight to his work and feel it all the stockings then turn with a jerk and laying his finger aside of his nose and giving a nod up the chimney he rose he sprang to his sleigh his team gave a whistle and a way they are flew like that down of a thistle but I heard him exclaim as he drove out of sight Merry Christmas to all and to all a good-night.”

 The children and everyone assembled sat there in awe as the queen finished the long historical story Amazed by the beauty and the imagery she weaved as she told the story.

“Tell us more your majesty.” Camilla gushed.  “is there more Christmas poems and stories you know that one was amazing especially the tale of the snow.”

“ there is much more there is one by Charles Dickens that was entitled The Christmas Carol but that is a much longer story to be told and right now we have not the time.” the queen replied. “ but the moral of the Christmas story is at least A Christmas Carol is a story if you like I will read to you all at bedtime but for now we have a celebration to get to and hopefully everything is in order.”

 Ethan, Rhiannon, and Gabriel, along with BJ approached Queen Thunderis  with curious eyes. “ was there more to the poem Aunt Rena?” BJ asked. “ it was a very short story but I'd like to know more.”

“ me too  mommy.” Rhiannon echoed. “more Christmas Story pease?”

“ alright here's one I can tell you since we do seem to have time before the big celebration.”  the queen replied.  “ when Jamie Randall and Shannon we're just nine maybe ten years old that was one Christmas that turned into a Christmas miracle.   The  Llewellyn's  had just moved in next door Mr. Llewellyn had joined Thunderstar Universal  and his children Tristan, Erin,  and Jordan had  just enrolled in the nearby Elementary School.   Mrs. Llewellyn was traveling the country with her family to meet up with her married family in time for the holidays.   Miss Rihanna drove a special delivery truck all over the country and was to an extent a female version of Santa Claus. but it wasn't just gifts for the children that she was hauling every year she was also doing everything to help families that didn't have everything they needed. “

“Was there a lot of families like that?”  Camilla asked.  “ I do not understand what did it mean that these families did not have everything they needed?” 

“The families I am referring to are the ones like well your Nobles and Royals call them,  commoners.”  the queen replied. “ because unlike the Nobles and Royals The parents of these families had to work for a living. not everybody born is born into it a family where all they have to do is bark orders at others and get what they want the commoners had to work for everything they had but because of a lot of the Nobles and Royals of the history there were a lot of things that they were unable to afford.  Anyway, Mrs. Rhiannon owned her own Trucking line and was an independent truck driver. Well  this particular holiday season she was called on by a very special family she had grown up around over the years. they asked her to drive what they call the Christmas truck because what  was in the trailer of that special truck what's going to save this one town utter destruction.   well the week before Christmas Mrs. Rhiannon packed it up And headed out for the town of Lincoln Falls which was apparently somewhere in Alaska. they drove for the longest time she and her brother but always called back to her family in order to keep them up-to-date as to where she was she dropped off her load and was on her way back first few days before Christmas Eve when she was supposed to call she did not.   the truck had been found jackknifed into a snowbank on her way back to her family but there was no sign of her or her brother come to find out she and her brother had been rescued by a stranger but this was no ordinary stranger at least I did not think so according to Rhiannon  The Stranger had seen what it happened the snow so hard to see through Rihanna's lost control of the truck and hit the snowbank almost burying the big truck in the snow. The Stranger welcome them back to his home where they could get warm and wait out the blizzard that it hit for what seemed like several days the blizzard blew and blew and blew and by the time it finally stopped Rescuers had found the truck and we're working diligently to dig it out  Rhiannon and her brother had wakened from the sound of someone digging around the in the snow around the truck they were thankful that they had been spared. when they told the dispatcher about what happened and who had helped them they did not at first believe what she said come to find out the stranger name was Liam Alexander that is the name he gave us Rhiannon declared but that is impossible the dispatcher replied Liam Alexander died back in 1956 due to snow storm this just as this one was it couldn't have been him come to find out Rihanna looked in the direction they had gone towards  Liam's house but all she saw for miles and miles with nothing but snow but he was here she protested he saved us we were we were in his house. Liam Alexander was quite the angel back in the day he was always doing everything humanly possible to help all the families who were unable to have anything extra for like Christmas and whatever else even those who were struggling financially and otherwise he would always do what he could to help the night he died he was on the same kind of run you heard the song Angels Among Us by Alabama the dispatch arrest well yeah of course who hasn't Rihanna declared that song tells a story quite literally the dispatcher said I believe there are Angels Among Us sent down to us from somewhere up above They come to you and me In our darkest hours to show us how to live pto teach us how to give and to guide us with the light of love. the dispatcher took Rhiannon to the cemetery and showed her Liam's tombstone with that Epitaph written in the Stone.   Liam James Alexander born March 25th 1936 died December 16th 1956 he was an angel Among Us and he will always be remembered and loved He was only 20 years old the dispatcher said but in his short  years of life he gave more of himself did many others ever thought about. Rhiannon continued home that night and when she finally walked in her door Christmas morning her husband sons and daughter as well as their new neighbors were there to greet her relieved that she made it home safely the last thing she said before she went to bed herself if it was not for Liam Alexander I would not be here today no matter what happens my children never take strangers for granted because when you least expect it they could very well be angels in disguise.

“ it was amazing.” Camila gushed. “ is Miss Rhiannon still alive? I would have loved to have been able to have met her.”

“ well actually you already have.”  Queen Seidre  replied. “ she was me in my younger years. and it was the last run I made before I returned to my husband and my children and my reign as Queen of Thaddea.”

“ all right you guys that's enough stories for now.”  Maxwell called. “ the ballroom the snacks and everything is ready time to get this party on and Christmas Jamboree kicking into high gear let's go you guys come on what do you want stories later.   it is time for presents let's go let's go.”

 as everyone began to move out of the playroom and head back to the ballroom the king embraced his Queen before she left.” I will have to admit that this is the first of the best Christmases ever put together my love.”  he replied. “ I look forward to a whole lifetime of more to come to watching our children grow up happy and healthy to being together and finally living in peace here so much I want to do.   you have a very thoughtful look on your face my queen is there something on your mind?”

“ I got some test results back from dr. Ramirez the other day.”  the queen announced. “ I did not want to say anything and get your hopes up until I knew for sure but now that I do…”

“ oh my goodness Queen Reimeiko what is it?” King Karyson asked. “ please do not leave me on tenterhooks what is going on?”

“ it seems that Rhiannon and the twins are going to be having a sibling or two soon.” Reimeiko replied.

“ wait, what? seriously baby?” Karyson asked. “ this is beyond any shadow of a doubt the best news all day and one of the best Christmas gifts ever.   oh now we had to make this big announcement and now.”

“ we will in due time but for now let us just enjoy the peace and quiet of the celebration and not worry about telling everybody else any more than what we already have.”  the queen replied. “ I definitely do not want a repeat every Rhiannon and the twins first year”

“ oh good point my love.”  King replied. “ now come on we have a celebration to enjoy.”

 the Cordonian King and his Queen return to join the others in the big Christmas celebration relieved to have made it through their first two years despite all the shortcomings trials and tribulations they have had to face from the beginning.  as she watched her husband her family and her friends celebrate the Christmas holidays, Reimeiko  knew  that no matter what the future held, they would always face everything together as a family as a unit as a very strong compassionate loving and caring Kingdom.

The End

[thefloorisbalaclava]

Merry Christmas - Arthur x Belle

I meant to post this sooner but I'm in and out of sleep today due to being ill. Hope y'all enjoy. Merry Christmas ❤

Belle sat on her bed holding the horribly wrapped gift. It was her first Christmas away from home and she had no idea if outlaws even celebrated the holiday, but she had made it a priority to get Arthur a gift. He had saved her life after all and took her under his wing when he really didn't have to. It was something simple and something he probably didn't need, but it was the best she could do.

"Miss Belle," Arthur called outside her tent. She quickly put the gift out of sight and sat up straight before letting him walk in. "Evenin'." He took his hat off and held a cup out to her. "Figured I'd bring you somethin' to drink before they finished it all."

"Thank you, Arthur." She took the cup from him and took a sip then made a face. "I'll never get used to this stuff."

"I...got somethin' else for you." Arthur reached into his satchel and pulled out a book. "It ain't much but I noticed you readin' and thought you'd need somethin' new to read soon. Merry Christmas, Miss Belle."

"Arthur...you didn't have to…" She took the book from him and touched the cover gently. "Thank you."

"You're welcome...what are you doin'?" He watched as she reached under her pillow and pulled out the gift she had wrapped in newspaper. "What's that?"

"It's a gift...for you. Merry Christmas." Belle smiled and Arthur looked at her, unsure of how to react. "Open it."

"Alright then…" He took the gift from her and tore the paper off. "Is this a…"

"A gun belt...yeah. I know you probably don't need it but just in case. I personally love the pattern. Do you like it?" she asked nervously. Arthur only stood there staring down at probably the first gift anyone has ever given him on Christmas. He blinked a few times then cleared his throat before looking at Belle again.

"I...this is great. Thank you." Before she could say anything else, he began unbuckling his old belt. "Hold these for me." He handed her his pistols. She giggled as he put his new belt on then took his weapons back. "How's it look on me?"

"Perfect. I knew I made a good choice." She picked up his old belt. "What are you going to do with this one?"

"I ain't sure."

"Can...can I keep it?"

"Why you wanna do a thing like that?" he asked.

She put it around her waist though it nearly fell off her. "Uh...recycling."

"You ain't got any pistols to put in there," he teased.

"Well, now you know what to get me next Christmas." She smiled and he returned it. Suddenly there were hoots and hollers coming from outside. "What's going on out there?"

Arthur pulled back the flaps of the tent. "Well, would you look at that…"

"It's snowing!" Belle stood beside Arthur and linked her arm with his. "It's snowing…" she repeated as she rested her head on his arm.

"Merry Christmas again, Miss Belle." He smiled down at her even though she wasn't looking at him.

"Merry Christmas, Arthur."

[simplyshelbs16xoxo]

‘The Adventure of Philip Anderson’ Chapter 4: Pulling Strings

This chapter is shorter than the last three, but I think I'll need to spend almost a whole chapter on the dinner party, so I'm saving that for chapter 5! I probably won't post again until after Christmas, so I hope you have a Merry Christmas, y'all! Or Happy Hanukkah! Just...Happy Holidays!

FFN | Ao3 | Buy Me a Coffee?

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Mycroft was beyond agitated. Due to the seriousness of the situation, investigating the death of Oliver Hastings would require legwork. The eldest Holmes despised anything that forced him to leave the security of his office. That is why he found himself at New Scotland Yard in search of his little brother. Upon finding him in Greg Lestrade’s office, Mycroft set out to pull him aside—that is, until Anderson stopped him.

“Mister Holmes, could I have a quick word with you?” Anderson asked him.

“I do not have time for my brother’s little fan club today,” Mycroft sighed. “But what is it?”

“I would just like to suggest that if Sherlock needs to go undercover for this case, he should have a partner…in crime solving, of course!” Anderson noted that the elder Holmes was getting annoyed. “What I mean is that Molly Hooper would be a great candidate to consider for undercover work with your brother, seeing as John has a daughter to take care of.”

Just for a moment, Mycroft’s face softened. He knew how hard it had been for Sherlock, coming to terms with the fact that he had, indeed, fallen in love with Miss Hooper. Molly appeared to be having a difficult time as well, too afraid to step over the edge that would allow herself to fall completely. It seemed that Philip Anderson was attempting to play matchmaker. And rightly so, he thought.

“I’ll consider it.” With that, Mycroft stormed right into Greg’s office.

Sherlock turned to face his brother, knowing full-well the reason for his being there. “Let me guess? I’m to go undercover at some dinner party where I will have to bring a plus one and you are going to suggest I take Molly, correct?”

Mycroft had to admit, his brother was quite good. “Well…yes, but how did you figure Miss Hooper into the equation?”

“Saw you talking to Anderson,” he replied. “He’s been trying to help, I suppose, but it is getting rather tedious.” Sherlock had secretly developed a sort of soft spot for Anderson, but he would never admit—not even on his death bed would he dare to. ”When is this dinner party?”

“In three days,” Mycroft answered. “You and Miss Hooper will be on the list as William and Lyla Lexington.”

“Nice alliteration,” Sherlock remarked.

Mycroft made a face as if to tell him to allow him to finish. “Married for three years, no children—yet, and are patrons of the fine arts.”

“Will there be dancing?” Sherlock asked.

Mycroft nodded. Oh yes, this would be delightful.

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“Will you marry me?”

Those were the first words she heard upon entering the lab the next morning.

“Pardon?” Molly thought he had definitely lost it this time.

Sherlock chuckled, hopping off his usual lab table. “We need to be married for an undercover operation. Are you in?”

Her stomach did flips as her heart pounded furiously in her chest. “I don’t know, Sherlock…”

He sighed dejectedly. “Come now, Molly, it’s only for a case. Just allow a couple of well-timed snogs, and we’ll be right as rain.”

“I just don’t think it’s a good idea; I’m still sorting through all this mess.” Molly was afraid she wouldn’t allow herself time to heal if she had the chance to kiss him. There would be no going back, and the last thing she wanted was to give herself to him with a battered heart.

“I understand,” he told her. “I suppose the rumour mill will have a field day with this.” Sherlock noticed he had piqued Molly’s curiosity. “John could make a lovely wife I suppose.”

Molly snorted, unable to get the image out of her head.

“We could just dab on a bit of makeup, maybe see if they make gowns for his build,” Sherlock continued.

“Okay, okay!” Molly laughed. “I’ll go…just…stop giving me these visuals!”

Sherlock beamed. “That’s my girl!” He kissed her cheek so quickly she didn’t have time to react. “I’ll have your gown sent to you this afternoon, and I will pick you up tomorrow night.”

As he swept out the door, his coat billowing behind him, Molly could only shake her head in disbelief. What in the world was she going to do with that man?

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Anderson, having overheard the exchange by accident for once, was overjoyed. He was glad that he brought up Molly in consideration for undercover work. He could only theorise, but Anderson believed that Mycroft wanted to see them end up together just as badly, if not more. He had to update Greg on the progress of Operation Sherlolly. Things were going much more smoothly than before. It was a shame he’d never get into that dinner party…unless…

[staytheb]

Like Oh 2.0 - Happy New Year

Previous Chapter: Merry Christmas Word Count: 3,458 Summary: The year is about to end and the sisters are thinking of sleeping in on the last day of the year and let the new year just roll in while they’re asleep. Unfortunately for them, Jaebeom and Mark have other plans.

Like Oh 2.0 masterlist

omg yay! it’s getting closer. just three more chapters! to be honest, i was gonna end the story here, but then realized that the story didn’t include JB’s birthday and so had to put that in there and why the actual 3rd anniversary for the fanmeet happened to. lol but yeah, this is my last update for now and will update the rest later! but other than that happy reading and kthxbai, Admin Lia~

After Christmas neither sister saw the two males or GOT7 for that matter. The group were busy with their schedules as well as preparing for the end of the year award shows for the major stations. Serena got busy with work due to the holidays while Melanie got an early start on preparing for her final year at Seoul National University when spring semester started up again in March. The younger sister didn't want to forget anything like she did last time as she usually put things off at the last minute and was lazy majority of the time as well since it was holidays and she just wanted to relax. Still it would be the first year without the twins and needed to get things into gear.Anyways, it was the last day of the year and since it was also a public holiday the sisters were spending it with their friends.

~~~~~~~

"Hiya, Biscuits." Serena cooed as she petted the female toy poodle's head. "How you've been, girl?" She scooped up the small dog into her arms as she sat on Chloe's couch just as her friend returned from the kitchen with two water bottles and joined Serena on the couch while passing one over to her. "Thanks." "Welcome." The duo chugged from the bottle before relaxing once again. "Congrats on getting your own place in Banpo, Clo." "Thanks. I couldn't stay any longer with those roommates, Lina. It was crazy." "I wouldn't doubt it with what you've been texting me throughout the year." "I know right. I could write a book series on it." "Maybe you should switch professions." "You're the writer, not me."

Serena laughed softly as to not disturb Biscuits' peace. "That's just a hobby." "It could be a profession though." "Yeah, but I'm not really into that. I'll stick at the pet center for now." "Yeah, yeah." Chloe finished her water bottle. So you're both dating an idol now and have gotten yourself a K-Pop boyfriend like what the boys would teased you guys about." Chloe said with a knowing look upon Serena having told her friend about the situation a few days after Christmas. "James the instigator that's why. Anyways, I already told you that we're not dating and the idols aren't our boyriends." Serena clarified with a roll of her eyes. "We kissed and confessed our feelings to one another. That's it." Serena huffed a bit as she stared down at the toy poodle.

"Yeah, well I'm still surprised that you and Melanie ended up actually liking each other's bias instead of your own bias." Chloe laughed as Serena nudged her playfully. "Ain't gonna lie though it was weird and what not, but it is what it is." "True. Just like me and Taesuk. I didn't think I would end up dating someone younger than me to be honest." "I know. You over here saying that you'll only date much older dudes. What happened with the whole sugar daddy thing?" "Ha, those are not for me. I honestly can't stand the thought of someone showering me with gifts and buying me this and that. I just can't even if there was no sex involved."

Serena nodded in agreement. "Very true. I can't fathom the idea either. Melanie says she's down, but still in the end won't go through with it." "It's because we're strong and independent women, Serena, that's why." Chloe raised her hand as Serena laughed while high-fiving her friend in the process. "Heck yeah!" Chloe looked over at her friend. "So what are you going to do?" "What do you mean?" Serena asked with a tilt of her head as she absentmindedly continued to pet Biscuits who calmly was drifting off to sleep. "You and Mark. Are you guys gonna start dating?" "I don't know. We haven't really talked since then." Serena shrugged.

"I actually don't think him or I should even start worrying about that. He's an idol. He's going to be busy and constantly." Serena reasoned with an indifferent smile. "So I'm not even gonna think about it." She cast her friend a narrowed look. "Y'know, we're supposed to hang out and just chill all day, Clo. Stop talking about my love life." "Oh come on, Lina. When do I ever get a chance to even talk about your love life? Hmm?" "Never." "Exactly. This is a first for me since you're interested and it's promising. Besides," She cast a sheepish look at her friend, "Taesuk and I are actually gonna go on a date later tonight. So you and I can't really hang out all day." "Och. You could've told me earlier, y'know." "I know. I know. I'm sorry. But, you and I still got a few hours until then." "Fine, but you're paying for our boba run." "Deal!"

~~~~~~~

"Chaewon, I can't believe you've been hiding your idol boyfriend from us." Dasol pouted as she, Seolbi, Haeryong, and Melanie were seated at a corner section of A Twosome Place near the Seoul National University with their desserts and drinks. "I can't believe you didn't tell us that there was more stuff going on between the two of you. It made so much more sense now." Seolbi added with a pout while Melanie rolled her eyes as Haeyrong came to her defense. "Give her a break. Won has to make sure to the keep it a secret from the public." Haeryong cast a smirk in her friend's direction. "She can't go revealing that she has a idol boyfriend."

"You guys are so annoying, I swear." Melanie commented. "We're not dating so I haven't kept anything from you guys." "You're not dating?" Seolbi asked in shock at the information. "But, you guys confessed your feelings to one another and even kissed. Right? That doesn't make sense!" "Yeah, he even called you to hang out on Christmas day to confess his feelings!" Dasol added as she was equally shock. "Chill." Melanie told them with a laugh. "We haven't talked since Christmas due to his schedule." "So are you guys gonna make it official when you guys do talk again?" Haeyrong asked as Melanie shrugged. "Dunno. Whatever happens, happens."

Melanie looked at her each of their faces. "Look, guys. He's an idol, remember? I don't think they're allow to date right now either. Also, he's busy. GOT7 is gaining more popularity as of late and so I don't think it's possible." The other three frown upon their friend's word. "You never know, Chaewonnie." Seolbi said trying to keep optimistic as Dasol agreed with a wide grin. "Yeah, Chaewon, you never know. You've guys stayed in contact since March and this year is almost over. There's still time for anything to happen." "I agree with them." Haeryong nodded as she patted Chaewon's back. "There's still time before anything happens."

"Thanks guys." Melanie smiled at them as she ate a larger piece of her tiramisu cake. "Anyways," She began, "Can we stop talking about my love life and talk about something else? That would be greatly appreciated. Something along the lines like how did it go with your guys' group date on the day of my birthday?" Each girl voiced out their displeasure of what occurred beside Seolbi who stated it was good, but not as great as it should have been due to the the males being a bit perverted and immature. "And I thought you guys weren't going to go anymore?" Melanie stated as she pointed at Haeryong and Dasol.

The duo laughed. "I'm still looking for a potential boyfriend." Dasol reasoned as Haeryong shrugged. "It's fun and I get to meet a variety of people." "That reminds me." Seolbi spoke up as she checked her phone. "I forgot that I arranged another group meeting for later today." "Really?" Melanie shot her friend a look with a scoff. "I'm surprised you haven't found a boyfriend yet, Bi." The younger woman shot the older woman a shy smile. "Because I haven't found the right one yet, unnie." Haeryong smacked her on the shoulder playfully. "What are you talking about, Seolbi? What about that one guy from Yonsei?" "Oh the one that wants to be a doctor. Right?" Dasol added with an amused expression. "What happened with him?"

Seolbi shrugged. "I've messaged him, but nothing. I lost count and so I moved on." "Well, you'll find the right one when he comes along." Melanie assured her as Seolbi grinned right back at her. "I hope it's just like you and Jeffrey." Melanine almost choked on the piece of cake she had just swallowed with Dasol thumping her back to help her out as the trio laughed while Melanie glared at them all. "I should have ditched all of you the first time we hung out and I could've avoided all of this." "Haha, yeah right, Won. You know love us." Haeryong laughed as Melanie roll her eyes. "That's what you all think."

"It's okay. You can spend the last hours of the year with your idol boyfriend." Seolbi smiled as Melanie narrowed her eyes at her friend. "Stop." The other three let out a fit of giggles as Melanie finished the rest of her cake. "I'm going home and y'all can enjoy the rest of the day without me." "Don't go just yet. We're just teasing." Dasol laughed as she held onto Melanie from leaving. "Besides, we have one more year with you before you and Haeryong graduate, unnie." "Yeah, yeah, whatever." Melanie agreed as she settled herself back in her seat as she smirked at her friend. "I'll stay if you buy me another slice of cake or two." "Deal!"

~~~~~~~

Serena returned to her place first as she flopped onto her sofa upon kicking off her shoes and being too lazy to even walk all the way to her room to flop onto her bed instead. "I guess I can sleep in for New Year's Eve and let the new year roll on in without me actually noticing it." Serena chuckled as she turned onto her back before hearing the front door opening. She didn't bother to see as she knew it would be her sister. "Oh, you're home, too." Melanie said as she saw Serena on the couch while placing her things onto the coffee table. "I thought you were going to spend all day with Chloe?"

Serena sat up so that her sister could join her on the sofa. "Yeah, but it was cut short because she has a date with Taesuk." She explained while casting her sister a tired look. "What about you? Why are you home so early?" "The girls had a group meeting so I came home to let them get ready." Melanie explained as she closed her eyes feeling the tiredness set in while kicking her feet onto the table. "I wanna sleep." "Me, too." Serena agreed as she did the same thing, but instead she crossed her legs underneath her. "Even if we're gonna sleep through the new year, y'know?"

"It's just another day." Melanie stated with a smile as she opened her eyes while slowly rising to stretch herself ever so slowly. "I'm gonna knock out. Wake me up for dinner." Serena rolled her eyes as she also did the same thing. "Ain't gonna wake you up for shit, Mel." Melanie laughed as she made her way towards her room with Serena in tow. "Besides, I'm not hungry. I ate a lot with Chloe." "I guess. I ate a lot of dessert today with the others, but I may be hungry later." "Oh, well then that's your fault." "Yeah, yeah, whatever. Night." "Night and happy new year because we'll be asleep." "Haha, same to you, too."

Both sisters bid one another a good night despite it being only seven as they entered their rooms, changed out of their clothes, refreshed themselves, and went to sleep in on the last day of the year or so they assumed. A few hours later the duo once again received a call while they were asleep from Mark and Jaebeom to meet them in a bit. Both sisters at first didn't want to as it was late and they were feeling lazy and sleepy about it all. Luckily, the boys persuaded the girls to come out since they had free time and wanted to spend the last few hours of the last day of the year with them since they haven't hung out since Christmas. The sisters agreed as Serena would meet Mark at the rooftop and Melanie would meet Jaebeom at Fairy Sweets.

~~~~~~~

Serena rubbed her gloves hands together as she leaned against the ledge while waiting for Mark to show up. "What am I still doing out here in the cold waiting for that brat?" Serena voiced a bit annoyed as she brought down her gaze from the night sky down to the city lights below. "At least I still got the scenery." "I knew you would like the view." Mark said with a smile as he came up beside her and also leaned against the ledge. "Pretty isn't it?" "Yeah, it is." Serena turned her head to look at the idol as she eyed him. "You could of just hung out with the rest of GOT7 instead of interrupting my sleep to celebrate the new year like you did on Christmas."

Mark chuckled as he turned to face the female. "I could've, but I didn't want to." He cast her another smile. "I wanted to spend it with you, Serena." Serena turned her head to face forward again upon hearing him said that to her as she grew shy at his words. "Shut up, Mark." Mark laughed again as he playfully bumped shoulders with her. "C'mon, I haven't seen you in almost a week and this is how you greet and treat me?" "Um, yeah?" "Maybe that's one of the reasons on why I like you." "Oh, Mark, please don't. I don't want to hear all the reasons on why you like me." "Then how about you tell me all the reasons on why you like me, Serena?"

He cheekily smiled as she shook her head vigorously. "Nope. Stop." Serena said as all the reasons she liked Mark flashed across her mind causing her to smile unconsciously. "You don't need to know." She felt Mark's hands turning her body to face his so that she wouldn't be able to escape, but that didn't stop her eyes from looking elsewhere. "Could you look at me, please?" He asked as Serena turned to stared into his eyes to which he smiled. "Now, isn't that much better?" "It would be if it wasn't so freaking cold, Mark." Serena countered causing Mark to laugh at her response. "I know, I know. I'm sorry, but I hope this suffice for now."

Mark moved his hands down to her own so that he could placed them into his pockets while pulling her in closer within his embrace. "Is this better?" "I guess, but it just seems more awkward." "I think you should get used to it." "I don't think I'll ever get used to having feelings for an idol to be honest." "Don't think of me as an idol then." "That's kind of hard when every lady wants a piece of you." Mark burst out laughing as he pulled Serena even closer against his chest. "I can't believe you just used that on me." "It's true." Serena said as she snuggled within his warm embrace unconsciously.

Mark laughed heartily and Serena could feel it rumbled from his chest. "Does that mean you want a piece of me, too?" "Nope." She laughed pulling away just to be pulled back. "Wǒ xǐhuān nǐ." Serena heard the idol tell her he liked her in Chinese. She looked at Mark surprised as he smiled at her and repeated those words once more as he cupped her faced while rubbing his thumbs against her cheekbones. "Wǒ xǐhuān nǐ." Mark repeated with a tender look as Serena told him that she liked him back in Chinese with a shy smile. "Wǒ yě xǐhuān nǐ." They shared a kiss as fireworks went off in the background to signaled that twenty-sixteen was gone and twenty-seventeen had arrived. "Happy new year." They wished each other before kissing again.

~~~~~~~

Melanie entered the bubble tea shop and was greeted by the warm atmosphere. Melanie sighed in relief upon welcoming the warmth while making her way to the counter. Melanie was debating on what to drink when she felt a tap on her elbow and turned to see who it was. "Uh, hi." Melanie greeted the stranger with a small smile. "Do you need help with anything?" She saw the stranger shake his head as he offered her one of the two boba drinks in his hands. "No thank you." She declined with an awkward smile not wanting to take a random drink from a random stranger. "I was about to buy myself one."

"Not even if it's from Jeffrey, Melanie?" Jaebeom teased as he used his other hand to bring down the scarf that had practically covered his face to show Melanie it was him before slipping it back up. "I already bought you one." Jaebeom informed as he shook the offered drink out towards her. "Hi." Melanie greeted back although shocked that she still didn't recognize him in his get-up. "Thanks." She took the offered drink before narrowing her eyes at him. "Hey, didn't I tell you to stop buying me things?" Jaebeom shrugged with a laugh as he placed an arm around her waist and led them to the back to sit at a secluded table.

"So why here, Jeffrey?" Melanie asked once they had settled and used his English name to tease him a bit longer. Jaebeom chuckled as he brought his scarf down enough for only the female to see his face and that he could speak with her better. "Well, Melanie," He stressed her real name, "I remembered you liked guava bubble tea and thought we could have a bubble tea date." Melanie laughed as she took a sip of her drink. "A date, huh?" "Yeah. Do you not like it?" "No, it's okay, but since when did we agree that we would start dating though?" Jaebeom looked alarmed before letting out a nervous laugh as he rubbed the back of his neck sheepishly.

"I thought I would make it up to you for not contacting you for the past week due to our schedules, Chaewon." Jaebeom admitted with a shy look as they returned to using the others' Korean names. "I was just teasing, Jaebeom." She smiled. "It's a nice first date, but I thought you guys couldn't date?" "Well, technically that's true, but that doesn't mean we can't do it in secrecy." Jaebeom smiled as she cast him a half-hearted one and he frowned. "Is something the matter?" "Not really, but I honestly would rather have an open relationship instead of a secret one, but I know that can't happen because of your status." She admitted with a soft sigh.

Jaebeom took her hands in his has he rubbed his thumbs over the back of her hands in a comforting manner. "I know it's not the most ideal thing to do, Chaewon, but give it some time and I'm sure it'll all work out in the end." Melanie squeezed his hands back with a nod as a small smile graced her lips. "Alright, Jaebeom. I guess I could give it some time." "I knew there was another reason why I liked you." He said with his signature smile as she eyed him. "You have more than one reason on why you like me?" "I do. Don't you?" "I think so?" Melanie laughed as Jaebeom rolled his eyes. "That sounds so reassuring." "Sorry, not sorry."

Melanie laughed lightly as Jaebeom smiled and leaned more than halfway across the table. "Y'know, Chaewon, at first I was kind of nervous with all of this, but I'm glad that our feelings are out in the open and I'm happy to have spent the last day of the year and soon the first day of the new year with you." Melanie filled in the rest of the gap as she leaned closer towards the idol with an even brighter smile. "I feel happy, too, Jaebeom, even though it's still a little unbelievable and I'm trying to get used to it." The two shared a kiss just as fireworks went off to signaled that twenty-sixteen was gone and twenty-seventeen had arrived as they broke away to stared at the colorful lights shooting in the sky. "Happy new year." They wished one another before sharing another kiss.

[kyloxmoegi1993]

Destcember: The First Date

Lacie looked at herself in the mirror and ran her fingers through her dark hair that seemed to compliment her blue skin and blue eyes quite well. She didn't think she was anything special but she supposed she was fairly attractive. She must have been attractive enough to catch the eye of the hunter vanguard. Cayde-6.

She wasn't going to lie, that first visit to the tower and meeting Cayde had sparked something inside her but she never thought she'd have a chance with someone like him. He may not take his job as Vanguard 100% seriously most days but he was still technically her boss and he saw hundreds of not thousands of guardians a day. That hadn't stopped him from coming up to her that evening while she was reading a map of the Moon. She looked up in time to see him swaggering up to her and he was putting on a tough guy act but she could tell he was nervous. After briefly talking about his boredom in the tower and any other subject he finally managed to blurt out that he wanted to go on a date tonight.

She had been confused, very confused, but her heart had skipped beats and she answered a little too quickly and he had agreed to come get her at 7. Now it was 6:48 and she hadn't decided what to wear or how to do her hair.

Kicking her ass into gear she decided on a pair of torn up skinny jeans, tennis shoes, and a simple black tank top with lace trim on the front. For her hair she decided to leave it down for once. She always had it in a bun or a ponytail and decided to be different. She paced around her apartment nervous and at about 7:10 he knocked on the door.

Lacie opened the door and there he stood. He had his usual outfit on but that was okay, and he looked away from staring at the traveler and faced her.

"Wow Guardian...you look incredible."

Heat creeping up across her cheeks she stepped outside and placed her hand over the scanner, locking her door.

"Thank you...you look amazing yourself."

A chuckle slipped out of caydes mouth and he cleared his throat and led the way.

She had a feeling they would end up at the spicy ramen shop. It was his favorite place, as well as hers and she honestly wouldn't have picked anywhere else to go.

She sat down on a stool beside him and after they placed their orders there was a long silence between them, at least until Cayde spoke up.

"So uh... I'm really not good at this type of thing... Um... Wow I'm drawing a blank."

Lacie looked at him and at how flustered he was getting and bit her lip as a question burned on her tounge.

"Cayde...? When you asked me out ...did you want this to be like a business dinner, a boss to employee thing....I mean...what's the reason....?"

He looked at her and she swear if he could blush he would have. He made a weird noise between a cough and something else, took a deep breath, and answered. "I asked you out on a date because... Because I think you are the most attractive and beautiful woman I've ever met and I want to date you Lace...if that'd be alright...if you'd want. I mean it's me. I'm an amazing catch."

Not prepared for that answer she blinked over and over not knowing her lack of answering was making him nervous.

"You can say no. I know I'm not a flesh and blood man but I mean that's something you don't have to worry about..or is it the boss thing? I assure you i-"

"I accept!"

Lacie covered her mouth blushing and looked at him as he smiled and she looked away. 'Stupid babbling idiot...'

"Hey...thank you..."

She looked back at him and returned his smile as he gazed at her his blue optic eyes full of affection.

They ate their dinner laughing and joking, talking about odds and ends and at the end of the night Cayde walked Lacie back to her apartment and they both stood out front.

"I had a really great time tonight Master Cayde....thank you.."

Cayde placed both of his gloved hands on either side of her head and looked down at her.

"You're welcome and just Cayde..."

He had wanted to say more but he lost his train of thoughts finding himself staring at her lips. He leaned on his left forearm and moved his right arm away from the wall and gently strokes her cheek and then ran his finger tips along her lips.

She planted gentle kisses along his fingers and met his gaze.

"You gonna kiss me or not...?" She asked quietly.

"I thought you'd never ask."

He pulled her close to him and pressed his lip plates to her and under the travelers light they kissed. The traveler blessed their Union but they were both too busy to realize it.

After pulling back for a minute, both of them panting, Cayde looked at her and quietly inquired, "So does this mean there's a second date?"

Lacie threw her head back and laughed. This was going to be date one of many and she absolutely loved the idea of being with him and nodded in answer to his question as he grabbed her and spun her around kissing her again.

*End*

I am falling asleep writing this so I apologize if the cutoff is weird. Christmas is next week y'all o.o I'm not ready 😭😭😭 hope everyone has a merry Christmas or happy holidays and y'all be safe.

[tarushipping]

Catching a Ride in the Snow - Catching a Ride ( Scooter + Queenie )

My fourth gift for the @snowyselfship event is for @queenieships of her and Scooter~ Aesthetics aren’t exactly my strong suit, but I made a small aesthetic for a mini playlist! You mentioned on the list you like both~ For the aesthetic, I picked out a cute selfie (I mean they’re all cute-) and dirty hands for to be you and Scooter. The old radio in the middle is to kinda give the feeling of you two in the garage listening to Christmas songs? The bottom left corner kinda help bring the idea of Christmas and the garage together and esp. the sleigh image on it since your ship name is ‘Catching a Ride’. The two Christmas lights images are for...holiday feels of course ehe. 

Playlist Under the Cut!

Catching a Ride in the Snow (playlist) ( Christmas || Country || Blues )

Jingle Bells (ft. The Puppini Sisters) - Michael Bublé

“Dashing through the snow, in a one-horse open sleigh” Wanted to start with a song with both male a female vocals (for both of you) and something super upbeat! Like you’re walking into the garage and this is playing on the radio. I thought Jingle Bells was perfect since the image of a sleigh ride kind of fit with your ‘Catching a Ride’ ship name. Also thought this cover kind of suited the music you had on you and Scooter’s playlist you made on spotify (so maybe it’s more your taste?). 

All I Want For Christmas Is A Real Good Tan - Kenny Chesney

“Ooh, don't you think it's a pretty good plan? All I want for Christmas is a real good tan” Since my boyfriend played the games, I asked him a ton of questions about Scooter and the kind of music that would suit him and he said bluegrass/country definitely is like him. He also said he’s like the most hilarious video game character ever so I picked out a funny Christmas song that I thought might suit him. 

Jingle Bell Rock - Brenda Lee

“Giddy-up jingle horse, pick up your feet, Jingle around the clock” Again there’s the mention of a sleigh, but it’s also another really cute upbeat song and thought I could totally see you two dancing around the garage to it? I picked this version because I thought it might suit Scooter’s taste well, but picked female vocals to fit you also. 

Blue Christmas - Elvis Presley and Martina McBride

“Decorations of red on a green Christmas tree, Won't be the same, dear, if you're not here with me” A more mellow duet once the festive feeling kind of slows down and it’s starting to get late. The song is a little sad, but I thought was also really sweet. The sound I think suits Scooter’s taste again, but it’s a duet for you both.

Merry Christmas Baby - Vandaveer

“I feel mighty fine, y'all, I've got music on my radio”

A nice soft and sweet tune to end the playlist! I thought the sound both suited your taste and you more? And the mention of a radio I thought helped with the image of y’all spending the day listening to these tunes on it/// Just a warm and cute song for the end of the night~

I hope you like it Queenie! You and Scooter are absolutely adorable and yall should have a great time this holidays////

[mp100secretsanta2017-blog]

From : help-i-cant-adult

To : @pagerunners

Message : Happy Holidays! This was actually pretty fun to write, even though it isn’t that great. I hope you like it! Merry Christmas!

Reigen was definitely not an esper.

He couldn’t be.

Because, if he was…

Well, if he was, he would’ve noticed that they’d been separated, wouldn’t he?

 __________________________________________________________

It was Shou’s idea, at first. Mob’s day had already deviated from the relaxing usual routine when Ritsu had insisted on coming with him to work. “To keep an eye on him,” he had said, but Mob knew something must’ve caused Ritsu’s intense distrust of Reigen to flare up once more. Maybe it was the fact that this was a big case. In fact, it was so big that they’d called in backup in the form of Teru and Shou.

There had been reports of a poltergeist terrorizing the areas in and around the Hoisin theme park - it was so severe that the park had actually shut down. The owner, frantic about the amount of money he was losing by closing the park down smack in the middle of summer, had come to the first person willing to help - Reigen, the fifty-second psychic on the list.

They had been paired off and had split up - Mob and Ritsu together, and Reigen supervising the other two, not really sure if he could trust them to stay focused.

They’d been investigating for all of fifteen minutes when Shou got bored and dragged Teru into an alley. Reigen kept walking, still talking about his innate abilities and how they were so strong that he needed weaker espers to help him with simple stuff like this.

“What’s up?” asked Teru, seemingly unfazed by being dragged into an alley by the son of a crazy megalomaniac.

“I haven’t been to a theme park in ages,” said Shou, his eyes bright with barely contained excitement, “And I bet Ritsu and Ritsu’s brother haven’t either.”

“Well, what ’s stopping us?” grinned Teru.

“I think I last saw them that way.”

__________________________________________________________

“But the park is closed,” said Ritsu.

Teru rolled his eyes. “Oh, Llittle Brother-kun, you naïve soul. What do you think we have powers for?”

“What about Shishou and the spirit?” protested Mob.

“Ditch work today,” shrugged Shou. “I’m sure Reigen will understand.”

“Yeah, niisan, if reigen-san is as great as he claims to be, he wont need our help.” Ritsu’s eyes gleamed.

“Well…” Mob couldn’t argue with that. And he did want to go to a theme park.

Shou’s enormous grin widened another centimetre.

“What’re we waiting for  then?”

__________________________________________________________

“Which one do you guys want to ride first?” asked Shou. “I’ve been on the Brain-Melter, but I don’t really remember it, and I don’t think I’ve been on the Limb-Twister yet.”

“Those sound a bit dangerous…” said Mob, but Ritsu and Teru had both spoken over him.

“Limb-twister,” they said in unison, then looked at each other in surprise, like they hadn’t ever thought they could have similar tastes.

“Limb-Twister it is,” shrugged Shou, ducking under the rope that kept the line to the roller coaster closed.

“Lucky us, there’s no line,” drawled Teru.

“The park is closed, Teru-kun. How could there be a line?” asked Mob.

Ritsu snickered.

“Come on slowpokes, we don’t have all day!” yelled Shou, from where he was already seated in the  cart. “We need to get back before Reigen notices we’re gone or Ritsu’s big brother could get in big trouble!”

Once they were settled in the cart (Ritsu and Mob in front, Teru and Shou behind), there was the debate about who should push the cart up and down the tracks.

“It was my idea, so I should get to do it!” argued Shou.

“Well I don’t trust you to not get us all killed, so…”

“Hmmm.” Shou chewed on his lower lip, trying to come up with a quick solution. “Well, how about your brother and I push, Ritsu? You trust him, don’t you?”

Ritsu turned to look at his brother.

“I don’t mind,” said Mob.

“Alright then! Remember, Ritsu’s brother, the tracks are for babies and we’ve got to make this go as fast as it can to get the full experience!”

“No-”

“Don’t-”

“LET’S GO!” yelled Shou, cutting Teru and Ritsu’s protests short as the cart blasted forward, propelled by pure esper energy and a desire to have fun.

“THIS IS FUN!” called Mob at the top of his voice, trying to be heard over the rushing in his ears. Ritsu’s answering smile looked suspiciously like a grimace.

Must’ve been the wind.

“FASTER!” yelled Shou, and Mob complied.

As they approached the peak, Teru seemed to break.

“STOP! YOU GUYS ARE GONNA GET US KILLED YOU HAVE  TO-”

There was a break. They were perfectly balanced on the peak of the coaster, seemingly impossibly high. Time stopped just long enough for Teru to finish his sentence.

“-slow down.”

And then they fell forward, hurtling faster and faster towards certain doom. Mob and Shou screamed in exhilaration.

(Ritsu and Teru were also screaming in exhilaration, definitely not terror why do you ask?)

__________________________________________________________

“Well! That was fun! What’s next?” said Shou, hopping out of the cart as it screeched to a stop, courtesy of Teru and Ritsu, who looked haggard. Mob also clambered out, after it had stopped, and offered a hand to Ritsu, who took it gladly.

Teru repeatedly ran his hands through his less-impeccable-than-usual hair.

“Whatever Kageyama-kun wants.”

“I think I would like to go on the Mind-Melter. It has loops,” said Mob.

Teru’s smile instantly became more pained, but he gave a forced hum of assent anyway.

“As long as we don’t go too fast,” said Ritsu. “I still don’t trust you, Shou.”

“Yeah, keep telling yourself that,” said Shou dismissively as he bounced towards the Mind-Melter.

“Last one there is a smelly fart!”

“Real mature,” said Teru, and Ritsu rolled his eyes, but both of them sped up anyway.

__________________________________________________________

The instant they got into the car, Ritsu and Teru regretted it. Shou had gotten there first, and they had slowed down so that Mob wouldn’t be last.

“Move your asses!” Shou had said, before  flicking his hand and shoving both of them into the back seat of the car.

“That wasn’t very nice, Suzuki-kun,” scolded Mob, but he didn’t stop Shou from speeding the car along the tracks before the two in the back could be seated properly.

“You’re going too fast! We need to stop!” said Teru. “Little brother-kun agrees with me, doesn’t he?”

“Well, yeah, but I have a name. You should use it.”

“See!”

“Look, if we slow down we’re not gonna have enough momentum to finish the loop,” said Shou, “ So y'all are just gonna have to suuck iit uupp!”

They stopped at the center of the loop.  Hanging upside down, there was just enough time for Shou to give the backseat a dirty look before they fell out of the cart. They caught themselves, each esper supported by their own aura, and, suprisingly, Shou’s.

Ritsu shot him a quizzical look.

“Accidents at theme parks just get in the way,” said Shou, but he looked very relieved that everyone seemed unhurt. His relief quickly turned to irritation.

“Alright, which of you morons did this?” he snapped.

“They aren’t morons,” rebuked Mob, but he seemed to agree with the assessment.

“It wasn’t us, you dumb-” Ritsu cast a look at his older brother and cut himself off.

“You may be annoying and slightly insane, but your understanding of physics is pretty sound, Suzuki-kun,” said Teru, legs crossed and inspecting his nails like none of this even phased him.

“It could be the spirit we came to investigate,” said Mob in a small voice, just in case he was wrong.

The others’ eyes widened simultaneously, as though they would never have thought of that.

“You truly are a genius, Kageyama-kun,” said Teru in awe.

 Ritsu shot him a dirty look.

“Yeah, good job Ritsu’s brother,” Shou smirked.

“I guess we should find this spirit then?” asked Teru, starting to get up from his reclining position, still midair.

“No need!” chirped an unfamiliar voice, putting all four espers on guard.

A child-spirit hovered before them, grinning ear to ear.

“That was so great! If more people had fun like that I might not have had to shut down the park!”

With twin sighs, Teru and Ritsu raised their arms to exorcise the spirit, only to be stopped by Mob.

“If we find out what he wants, we don’t have to hurt him,” he said, causing the other two to drop their hands.

‘So what exactly do you want, kid?“ asked Shou.

The spirit’s smile widened.

"To have fun!”

__________________________________________________________

“I knew this was a bad idea,” murmured Ritsu to Teru. They were hanging behind the other two, who had run ahead to start on the bouncy castle with the spirit.

“Kageyama-kun is very smart,” said Teru, “and wise. Why does he insist on trusting spirits he’s just met?”

Ritsu sighed.

“Niisan is neither smart nor wise. But he is very kind. Almost too kind,” he said, shooting a look at Teru.

“He sometimes befriends characters he would be better off without.”

Teru nodded, as though Ritsu had confided an important secret in him.

“Then I’ll help you make sure none of them hurt him.”

He started to catch up with the others, leaving Ritsu to stare after him incredulously.

Just how unaware was this guy?

__________________________________________________________

“Where were you kids? I’ve been searching all day! You can’t just run off without telling me! What if the poltergeist had gotten you?”

Mob looked at Shou. Ritsu looked at Teru. Shou looked at Ritsu. Teru looked at Mob.

“Do you wanna stop looking at each other and actually say something?”

Mob decided to take pity on his Shishou, who was sweating very hard.

“It did.”

“Huh?”

“The poltergeist. It did get us.”

“HUH??!!”

They watched as sweat dripped down Reigen’s face, even faster than before.

“Are any of you hurt?”

Ritsu raised a mocking eyebrow, but Mob just shook his head.

“We’re fine Shishou. We played some games with him and then he left.”

“Just like that?”

“Well…”

Mob’s mind flashed back to when the spirit, wanting Mob and Shou to stay and play with him, had tried to kill them so they could haunt the park together. Ritsu and Teru had jumped into action with the first movement the spirit made towards Mob, but Shou had beat them to it, exorcising the thing with a fiery snap of his fingers.

“Yes.” said Teru, finishing Mob’s sentence for him. “Just like that.”

“Well then,” said Reigen, looking at their sweaty, flushed faces, “God job kids. Let’s go home.”

“Can we get takoyaki first?”

“Of course, Mob. Of course we can.”