#Sunset✨trees✨

[just-a-ghost00]

You through their eyes

This reading is written in first person / from the POV of the person you’re enquiring about. I tried to keep the text as neutral as possible so that anyone could relate to it. This can apply to any type of romantic connection, whether you are in contact with this person or not. It can be a past person or a future person.

Group 1 - Deer

Cards : 4 of wands, King of pentacles, 9 of pentacles, ace of wands, 2 of swords, 6 of swords

Right from the moment our eyes met, I knew. I knew that you had my heart wrapped around your finger. I knew that you were the one. As soon as I saw you, I felt the urge to ask for your hand. To claim you as my forever person. My ride or die. I knew that I wanted to have a home with you. That I wanted to build a legacy with you. I knew that you were the one. That you had it all. The good looks, the brains, the strength to keep up with me through thick and thin. I knew that I couldn’t get rid of you even if I wanted to. That no matter how hard I’d try I could never forget you nor get you out of my system. You were just engraved in me like a tattoo on my skin meant to remind me of my truth : that I was meant to be yours just as much as you were meant to be mine. That true love is real and is in the shape of you. I knew that I had to have you right away. And by God did I want you. I craved you more than I could ever fathom and it scared me. I never wanted anyone so bad. The reactions you birthed in me my love, were so sweet and addictive I feared I couldn’t hold myself back if I were to cross the line. I didn’t want you to hate me. It’s just visceral. The way you get me. The way you come under my skin and tease me. The way you look at me with those innocent eyes of yours. Those beautiful orbs that I drowned myself in. How your lips tremble at the vulnerability of your unexpressed emotions. How your tongue slips through your lips when you get nervous. How soft your tone is whenever you are around me. God, you make me crazy. Right from the start I was stuck in a dilemma. Fighting with my head and my heart, trying to figure out which way to go, what the hell to do to get to you without hurting nor scaring you. How to live on knowing that I couldn’t have you. Knowing that I would have to stay away from you. The moment our gazes embraced each other, you had my fate in your hands and my heart held hostage. And I wouldn’t have had it any other way. I tried to move on and shield both of us from the hurt this could provoke. But being away from you is nearly impossible. You’re as essential to me as the air I breathe. Every minute I am reminded of you. When I met you, I knew I had to do right by you or you wouldn’t let me in. It was obvious that you were well educated and mature enough to cut me off if I ever tried anything you deemed as wrong. It was obvious that you didn’t need me and were doing very well on your own. That you could have anything and anyone you wanted at the snap of your fingers. But I just couldn’t ignore you. Something about you called to me and made me want to pursue you like no other, no matter how you could have perceived me, no matter if people thought I was a fool. I wanted to take the risk and chase you because a part of me was convinced I would never get the chance to see you again if I didn’t.

Confirmation signs : Taurus, Aries, Gemini, rainbows, important bodies of water such as rivers and seas, long distance connections, feeling like you’re the yin to the other’s yang, number 14, Sagittarius, Jupiter, travels, sunsets and sunrises ✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

Group 2 Tree

Cards : ace of pentacles, tower, 10 of cups, 6 of cups, knight of cups, king of swords

You came into my life at the perfect timing. Like a breath of fresh air in the middle of a storm I didn’t realise I was stuck in until you arrived. And boy did you make some noise. You were like thunder. I was immediately electrified. You uprooted everything and anything I thought I knew. You completely changed the course of my life and to this days I still believe that is for the better. Ever since I met you I have never felt so happy and fulfilled. My life feels like a dream. You were so beautiful and pure it was impossible not to love you. You took my hand ever so gently, offered your help and guidance without expecting anything in return. You kept giving and giving, surrounding me with your warm and loving embrace I just felt so good. You are an angel, a miracle that I still can’t believe I met. I feel so lucky to have you by my side love. So happy. My love for you was already strong and kept growing as I got to know you. I was in awe with your soft demeanour, your tender touch, your caring approach and empathy for others. You were like royalty. So radiant and calm that for a mere second I thought I was in Heaven. Such a wonderful being like you surely cannot be real, I thought. But you are as real as the coin in my pocket and I was the one lucky enough to have you in my life. Can you believe that? To me you were like a life line. I didn’t know I was drowning until you took my hand and pulled me out of the mess I was in. I don’t know how you did it nor how you saw so clearly what I couldn’t but I am so grateful you did. Never once did you judge me nor hurt me. Never once did you question me nor doubt my essence. You kept supporting me and loving me even at my worst. When I couldn’t give you what you wanted you looked for it out on your own and patiently waited for me to catch up. When my heart was guarded and in pain, you cautiously weaved your way through the cracks of my armour and helped me heal. You soothed my fears and mended my wounds with such grace and humbleness that I fell in love harder than before. Your tender heart got the best of my reserved nature. The more time goes by and the more I think God sent you to lift me up. You are Heavensent. You are my other half the one I’ve been missing for so long. With you by my side I feel at peace, finally. I fell in love with your romantic side and your pure good willed heart. With your little dances whenever you’re happy and how you hum to our favorite songs to make yourself comfortable. How you bake in the kitchen with that little smile on your face, thinking I don’t see you. How you so effortlessly get me every time, even though I try my best to shut you out. You never give up on me though I am hard on you sometimes.

Confirmation signs : water signs especially Scorpio, letter K, meeting by the river, love at first sight, believing in soulmates, late night conversations, spiritual ramblings, water lilies and butterflies

✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨✨

Group 3 - Daisies

Cards : The World, 7 of swords, 7 of cups, page of wands, 4 of wands, Death

You were so different than me that at first I felt like we were miles away from each other and had nothing in common. You seemed like the world was laying at your feet yet you wanted none of it. You seemed dangerous and so bad for my health and peace of mind. Yet, I couldn’t help but feel drawn to you. You were so mysterious, so intense that I had to dig further, dive deeper. You were so intriguing and in your presence it felt like the world was opening before me and my options were suddenly much better. I felt braver, more optimistic, successful. It felt like with you by my side I could conquer the world. You were so smooth, so supportive. So sensual and strong I felt so little next to you. There was a depth to you I couldn’t explain. An air of someone that was wiser than what they let on. Someone that had been through hell and rose out of it without a scratch. You were so precious and powerful. I had to have you. I thought my minds were playing tricks on me when you told me “I love you”. I didn’t think someone like you would want someone like me. I felt like a scam. However you didn’t seem to care. You kept moving on expecting for me to follow you and I did. You never once looked back because you knew. You knew I wouldn’t let you down. It’s like you could predict my every move and saw right through me. I was mesmerised by you. Bewitched. I felt like a clown but I couldn’t help but to love the feeling. You made me want to be more and expand in ways I never thought possible. You triggered a passion I didn’t know I possessed. Suddenly I was getting jealous imagining that someone else could have you and that made me furious. I would have done anything for you. I still would. God you make me crazy with how much I want you. I desired you so strongly I thought I was possessed. At some point I even thought you were manipulating me. I felt trapped and like I had no other option but to be yours. And then I gave in and realised there was no point in fighting this feeling. The more I fought and tried to repress my desire the harder I fell. You were so beau and I felt like a frog trying to hang out with a Queen. I felt so ridiculous. But in my heart I knew that I would spend the rest of my life with you, until my last breath. Because at the end of the day, that’s what I wanted and I wouldn’t have it any other way. I would chase you around the Earth if I had to if that meant being by your side. You are my muse.

Confirmation signs : fixed signs especially Scorpio, number 7, letter S, song All of me, cultural differences, beauty and the beast trope, red roses, ennemies to lovers trope

[digitalgirlguide]

WHY AREN'T YOU DATING YOURSELF TOO?

As I sat sipping my morning coffee, I couldn't help but wonder: why do we often wait for someone else to take us on a romantic date when the perfect partner has been there all along—ourselves?

We get so caught up in chasing love from others we often forget that sometimes that you can give yourself the love you need too.

There’s something soooo empowering about falling in love with your own presence. I mean why wouldn't I want to hangout with myself? I'm amazing, fun and smell good too.

When you take yourself out, you're not just spending time alone— you're setting the standard for yourself everytime you get dressed up and go to that fancy restaurant, everytime you grab your tote bag and favourite runners and go exploring in your city, or even monthly spa visits to pamper yourself. make your solo dates pop so you don't settle for less when it comes to romantic partners and platonic friendships

Physical Solo Date Ideas

Sunset Beach Walk: Slip into your cutest sundress and wander along the beach as the sun sets. You could even pack yourself some of your fave sparkling drinks and some fruits! and everybody always feels better after they spend some time by the water.

Picnic in the Park: Pack a basket with your favorite snacks, a cozy blanket, and a good book. Find a shady spot under a tree 🍓📖

Yoga in the Garden: Roll out your mat in your backyard or a nearby garden. Breathe in the fresh air and stretch your body 🧘‍♀️🌸

Gallery Hopping: Spend an afternoon exploring local art galleries. Take your time admiring each piece and journal about it after 🖼️

Stargazing Night: On a clear night, lay out a blanket in your backyard or a quiet park and look up at the stars ✨

Food Solo Date Ideas

Café Hopping: Spend a day exploring cafés in your city and act like the main character in a sitcom or romcom. My fave thing about cafe's is people watching and making up storylines about people. ☕️

Gourmet Dinner for One: Dress up and take yourself to that fancy restaurant you’ve been eyeing. Put on that dress you've been "saving for a special occasion" and order yourself the whole bottle! 🍷

Baking Adventure: Try out a new baking recipe and create some new sweet treats, whatever you have leftover you can share with your girls 🥮🍪🍰

Farmers’ Market Feast: Visit a local farmers’ market and pick out fresh, seasonal ingredients. Then, head home and cook a delicious, wholesome meal just for you.

Ice Cream Parlor Indulgence: Treat yourself to a visit to an ice cream parlor.

Remember, darling, you're the star of your own show. Every moment spent with yourself is a chance to fall head over heels for the fabulous person you are. So, slip into that cute outfit, step out with all the confidence of a city girl in stilettos, and let the world bask in your glow.

After all, the greatest romance you'll ever have is the one you create within yourself.

[m-o-o-n-s-g-o-o-n-s]

DUCKY! I love the idea of Crosshair calling his beloved Ducky. Not to project myself or to give a plot idea, I was chased by a duck when I was tree years old. It's a core memory of mine. Anyways, I just came to formally request something along the lines of Crosshair calling his female S/O Ducky because it feels like it would just be so cute!! ❤️✨

YES THANK YOU FOR REQUESTING THIS YESSSSS

also did i like finish this and then forget to post it.

yes.

does it matter?

no.

also, let me know if you guys would be interested in a part 2, because i really want to, and it would be so cool if someone requested it okay anyway here is the fic :)

—

Crosshair x F!Reader, pt. 1

Word Count: 1,637 words

Warnings: N/A, besides use of nicknames

Genre: Angst & Hurt/Comfort, but there’s no comfort at all, it’s just hurt

Description: An argument with Crosshair leads to a ducky conclusion.

—

Lucky Ducky

—

You had to be an idiot to think this mission was going to go well. Idiotic. Out of your mind.

Magically, your alarm hadn’t gone off this morning. You knew for a fact you had set it last night, you even remember wishing Tech a “good night” before setting it. It was set, you were positive.

Funnily enough, the gear you had set out for yourself the following morning was also gone, strewn randomly around the ship. The rest of the Batch didn’t appreciate the messily placed gear, even though you knew for a fact you had set it all up for yourself.

Oh, and your pillow.

Warm.

Both.

Sides.

You knew exactly what had happened to your alarm, the gear, the pillow. Or better yet, who.

Who was also paired with you during this mission.

What Hunter was thinking, you’ll never know. Pairing you with Crosshair was a choice. A very, very, very idiotic choice.

Crosshair and you had never gotten along. For as long as you had been with the Batch’s chaotic family dynamic, Crosshair was an estranged member. Extremely estranged from you.

From the start, he had been pushing your buttons left and right, up and down, side to side. Jamming, breaking, everything he could do to annoy you, upset you, anything at all. Even though you could jab back, he still annoyed you to no end.

Like right now.

“Hurry it up, sweetheart. You’re holding me up,” Crosshair declared, paces ahead of you.

You had been trapezing with Crosshair through the grassy landscape. Mossy green trees towered above you, poppy reds, baby blues, and sunset oranges decorated the grass in the shape of flowers. The sun was high, clouds cradling the energy source. It should have been extremely relaxing.

Peaceful.

“Holding you up, or holding you back?” You grumbled, trampling through some brush Crosshair had failed to hold back for you. You were positive he had done that on purpose.

“Both.” He responded, still walking ahead of you.

“Get over yourself, princess.” You commented, mood souring from how annoying the sniper could be.

“Don’t call me that.”

“Whatever, princess.”

An irritated sigh escaped Crosshair’s lips, helmet removed in the short spout of insults.

Maker, you couldn’t stand him.

Luckily, you were fast approaching the hillside you needed to keep eyes from while the rest of the Batch snuck into a base. It housed some tech thing you needed, and you and Crosshair were to “get along and keep watch”.

You could keep watch, but get along? That would be a stretch. Yet now, finally up here, it was a perfect time to confront him.

You two approached the top of the hillside, Crosshair preparing to settle in for the watch.

This was the time to strike.

“I know you messed with my stuff,” you mentioned nonchalantly, turning towards the sniper. He was getting his weapon ready, eyeing you with that annoying smirk he had.

“Not sure what you mean there, sweetheart.”

So annoying.

“I know you messed with my stuff! I know you turned off my alarm, and you moved my gear, and both sides of my pillow were warm!” You exclaimed, spinning to face him.

Anger was beginning to simmer in your blood, aggravation tickling the nerves of your already short fuse with Crosshair. A fuse that could spark at any moment, yet you knew if you reigned your emotions in for long enough, you could spark him when the time was right.

“Still not sure what you mean, sweetheart,” he sneered, body now turning to face you in response. His demeanor remained unchanged, but his eyes were starting to narrow.

“I know you messed with my stuff, Crosshair,” you remarked, the springy green landscape suddenly becoming interesting. If you played it right, you would be successful.

He just had to take the bait.

“You know, it’s wrong to frame people,” he answered, walking forward for a better scope on the hillside. You could give up now, but you felt persistent today.

And he had taken the bait.

“Well then I guess it’s wrong to say I’m a better shot than you.”

It was like his breathing stopped.

“What.”

Time to push his buttons. Revenge for him messing with your morning.

“Well, I mean, it’s true. My shot has gotten better at the range. I would say it even rivals yours,” you commented, acting as if it was the simplest thing.

He spun to face you. A fiery flame burned within his eyes. Hell was waiting for you in those eyes.

Too bad hell didn’t scare you.

“What did you just say,” he snarled, weapon being abandoned. He strode up to you, yet you stepped back in sync.

You realized he wasn’t asking either.

He was demanding.

“Oh, just that my shot rivals yours, princess,” you repeated. A huffing growl broke through his teeth. He continued to prowl toward you, the fire dancing wildly in his eyes.

It was a strange tango you were doing. You, the prey, pushing buttons to no end, wanting to see the outcome. Crosshair, the predator, ready to rip you a new one.

Maybe if you just pushed a tad bit more…

“I mean, you just have to accept I might be a better shot, princess.”

“Stop. It.”

“It’s alright, it happens to the best-”

You never got to finish your sentence. Instead, you were screaming.

You had fallen off the hillside.

Or better yet, Crosshair had pushed you.

Instantly, you were tumbling down the hill at full speed, unable to stop yourself.

Splash!

“Shit,”Crosshair mumbled, racing to the bottom of the hill.

You were no longer in a grassy landscape, you instead had landed in a bright cerulean blue pond. Blooming pink and white blossoms decorated lily pads along the edge, pond moss floating on the surface. A couple of reed bushes were hanging over the edge as well. Behind you, flourishing trees extended leafy arms out over the pond, providing shade.

It would’ve been a much more pleasant view if you weren’t wading in it.

Literally.

Crosshair reached the edge, a strange sort of panic and concern plaguing his face.

For some reason, your heart twisted at the look on his face. Almost like it pained you.

Like he hadn’t meant to push you at all.

Quack.

You waded closer to shore, sitting up in a shallower portion of the pond. Water pooled around you, and somehow the anger you were holding onto burnt out.

His expression didn’t make sense to you.

Quack.

How could he look so… sorry?

Quack. Quack. Quack.

Your mind halted, eyes searching for all the noise. A quick look around you showed you the answer.

All around you, golden creatures had surrounded you. They were tiny, orange webbed feet paddling around you. Soft, fuzzy, cute. As you leaned your head down, it occurred to you what the adorable creatures were.

Baby ducklings.

Quack. Quack.

You almost hadn’t noticed the laughter that rang through the air.

Crosshair. Laughing.

The sound caught your ears by surprise, heart twisting once again. Strangely, the twist felt different.

“What’s so funny?!” You demanded, the little ducks still swimming around you in glee. Your eyes darted between the laughing sniper and the cute creatures, as if you couldn’t believe which was crazier.

“Nothing. It’s just- well…”

His eyes glistened with joy.

You had a feeling you weren’t going to like his next words.

“You’re just one lucky duck, aren’t you?”

Quack.

You groaned, earning another round of laughter. You couldn’t believe it. Not only did he have the audacity to push you off the hillside, but now he was standing here, laughing at you.

“Hey!”

A shout rang out from behind you, suddenly allowing you to be greeted by the sight of the rest of the Batch.

“What are you two… doing?”

Hunter had lost his yell halfway through, confusion clouding his expression at the sight. The rest of the Batch looked just at shock, all of them at a loss for what to say. They weren't sure what to question first, Crosshair laughing, you being surrounded by ducks, or how keeping watch had turned into this.

Quack. Quack. Quack.

“Well, Ducky here decided she needed some swimming lessons with her new friends,” Crosshair snickered, face plastered with that stupid smirk.

Oh, now he had really done it.

“Ducky?! You’re joking! Not only do you push me off the hillside, you laugh at me, and you give me a nickname?!” You screamed, shooting straight up. Your anger had suddenly returned, nerves fried with anger and pond water.

Quack.

Crosshair’s smirk disappeared, laughter dying with it.

His face changed, becoming unreadable, yet his eyes held an unfamiliar guilt

“I’m going back to the ship,” you muttered angrily, eyes piercing Crosshair’s gaze.

Quack.

You stumbled out of the pond, dripping like a wet towel. Pushing past Crosshair, you started trekking back towards the ship. Protests rang out from the others, but you ignored them.

Hunter was out of his mind for pairing you up with Crosshair, you were an idiot for thinking this mission could have gone well, and you were certainly idiotic for pushing his buttons just to get at him. Even if it had made you feel like you had the power in your court for once.

You weren’t idiotic enough to miss the guilt in his eyes though. That in itself made your heart do that ugly twist again.

Your mind was like the pond, splashed with confusion, guilt, and uncertainty. You were too distracted to even realize you were leading a line of ducklings behind you. It wasn’t even until halfway back to the ship that you noticed, eyes scanning the tiny line of creatures.

Quack. Quack. Quack.

You closed your eyes, sighing in exasperation.

Quack. Quack.

Some lucky duck you were indeed.

—

taglist: @padawancat97

also tagging the lovely @moonstrider9904, as well as a few others who I think would like to see this! @hellothere-generalangsty@nahoney22 @eyecandyeoz @baddest-batchers @ladysaturnsdust @leenabb104104 @snowlotr @thora-sniper @dalu-grantkylo

If any of those tagged, or anyone else is interested in being on my taglist, here is the form to fill it out, or leave your interest in the comments. You can also find my taglist form on my pinned post!

Taglist Form

[jadeylovesmarvelxo]

Sunset ✨

Sunset was something you looked forward to every day.

Sunrise was something you dreaded.

Fluff and angst, vampire Eddie x reader, 18+ as there are slightly spicy situations.

✨

It's one of those long shifts at Family Video that's dragged on endlessly, you finish at five pm, the time seems to be passing by as slowly as possible.

You're grateful that Family Video managed to survive after the earthquake that should have torn the town apart, if it weren't for El destroying the Upside Down and stopping that grinchy ass looking Vecna's plans then you're sure Hawkins would have ended up as the epicentre for the apocalypse.

Mindless chatter washes over you as you vaguely listen to the conversations of a gang of preteens arguing over which film they were watching for movie night.

Steve and Robin are also discussing the dates that they went on at the weekend and you try to focus your attention on them, oohing and aching at the right moments.

You were happy that Robin was getting on so well with Vickie and that Steve was finally moving on from Nancy, it's just you were finding it hard to concentrate when you knew what tonight entailed.

Robin and Steve didn't know you were keeping a very very big secret.

Everything was pretty much back to normal, Autumn was well on its way and Hawkins looked picturesque as the trees turned various shades of reds, gold and brown. There was a chill in the air and Steve was planning a small party for when Halloween rolled around.

As much as you loved Halloween all that you could think of was tonight and how you wished that it was sundown.

Sundown was something that you looked forward to every day...because of him.

Finally when the clock strikes five you're anxiously shrugging off your work vest, Robin is grinning at you and Steve smirks as you wave goodbye to them hastily, "Looks like someone else has a hot date" he says to Robin.

Well they aren't wrong.

✨❤️

It's dead silent as you rush into your house and straight upstairs to your bedroom. Snuffles the bear isn't in his usual resting place on the bed, instead he's being held by the lone figure who's standing at your window.

Eddie.

"Hi"

All the tension leaves your body as your eyes trail over him, he turns to you and there's a serene smile on his face.

"Princess" his voice is so soft and tender. A whisper in the wind.

His eyes are a mix of brown and the tiniest tinge of red. He's hungry. It must have been a couple days since he's fed.

"I missed you" you tell him as you rush over to him and as much as you desperately want to throw your arms around him, you know that he needs blood. Mostly he feeds himself on blood bags, keeping his hunger sated.

Not that you know much about what he does, he showed up at your window nearly three months ago and almost gave you a heart attack.

He was dirty, covered in blood and goodness knows what else and you rushed to help him, you were so certain he was dead; Dustin was so sure that he was dead otherwise neither of you would have left his body in that...hellhole.

The guilt almost overwhelmed you but you pushed it out of your mind and the red flags that were forming in your mind at how the hell he was alive.

You guided him to the shower and found him some clean clothes that you sneakily borrowed from your dad, the clothes were baggy on Eddie but they were better than nothing.

Despite being presumed dead, Eddie had no injuries, scars yes but no injuries. Maybe it was some freaky Upside Down coincidence, you didn't know at the time what was really wrong.

The next morning Eddie was gone and he didn't return for days to the point you were certain that him coming back was all a dream.

He returned a few days later and it's the first time that you found out what he had turned into. He was covered in blood, some of it coated around his mouth. His eyes were bright red and you saw a hint of fangs.

That's the night you found out he was a vampire.

...

At first he would visit once or twice a week but recently it had turned into...more. Almost every night he visited you now and it was like he had never gone. He was his usual goofy, charismatic self and you loved the time you spent together.

The only other person who knew was Dustin and if Eddie wasn't with you then he was with Dustin, still playing D&D and teaching Dustin all the metal music knowledge he knew.

"I missed you too" his fingers ghost over your cheek and his hand rests on your chest, directly on your heart. His lips meet yours and like the last few times this has happened the kissing heats up quickly, it's all you can do but to pull away reluctantly.

There's a soft growl in Eddie's throat and you soften as he turns away from you immediately. He always gets like this when he's hungry.

"It's okay' you notice his eyes flash with hunger, you can feed" he nods then slowly guides you to the bed, he waits until you're settled before he sits down and kisses you again, lips trailing over your jaw then to your neck.

There's a slight sting as his fangs pierce your skin, he moans and one of his hands caresses your hips, god you shouldn't be so turned on by this but you are.

Blood pounds in your ears and a delicious heat pools in your stomach. Eddie pulls away, chuckles lightly and his eyes meet yours.

"You taste divine sweetheart and I'm guessing you liked that very much?" you nod, squirming with need and he smirks and his eyes darken for an entirely different reason.

He then wastes no time in burying his head between your thighs.

❤️

Much much later you're cuddled into Eddie and trace gentle circles around his tattoo. Your body is entwined with his, a frown on his face as he notices that it's nearly dawn.

Yeah you're trying not to notice that as well, the thought makes your throat feel tight and your heart ache.

He sighs and kisses you softly "I have to go princess" he sounds as disappointed as you are and all you can do is nod. You're afraid if you say anything you might tear up.

Theres a few more long, passionate kisses but pretty soon times up. Eddie groans and kisses your forehead, he then whispers in your ear. "I love you Princess"

Okay, now the tears really do come. "I love you too Eddie" his answering smile makes your heart flutter and with another quick kiss he's ready to leave.

"I'll be counting down the hours until I can see you again sweetheart" he winks and then he's gone.

You lay in your bed full of a million different emotions, Eddie loves you. He loves you. It makes you feel giddy. How you wish he could be here in the sunlight too.

As much as you loved sundown, you dreaded sunrise.

✨❤️

[the-hilda-librarians-wife]

Relationship: Kaisa/Johanna

Category: Teen and up audiences

Word count: 27.3k

Chapters: 7/7

Tags: 5+1 Things (loosely); Misunderstandings; Lack of Communication; Romantic Comedy; Idiots in Love; Fairies; not a single braincell in sight

🧚🏻‍♀️🍄Read it on ao3✨🔮

Preview:

Kaisa knew what she was as soon as her eyes landed on her for the first time.

The woman, who at the time had been strolling aimlessly around the library, might have looked inconspicuous to the untrained eye. She presented herself with a fairly human constitution, aside from the fact that no ordinary person could be quite that beautiful. But, with the standard way she carried herself, and the clearly extensive knowledge on how humans should behave, someone who didn’t know better might have shrugged the woman off as just a uniquely gorgeous person.

But Kaisa knew better. The newest patron in her library, and there was simply no way around it, was a faerie.

It was a good thing the librarian saw her first; not that she was in any way under the illusion that the fae couldn’t sense her, didn’t know she was there and watching her. But the lack of visual contact gave Kaisa a chance to gather her bearings, to identify why the energy coming off of this “person” was so much stronger than she’d see from any human, why it made her think of a golden sunset on meadows and drizzle on the canopy of trees.

Her energy imprint wasn’t as strong as Kaisa had felt from faeries before; there was something tame about it, something domesticated. Something that, even if it hadn’t been originally human, had been sufficiently squeezed and bent into a shape resembling it. Out in the woods, when any witch had to call for help from the good folk for whatever practice they were hoping to work on, this was not the energy they felt; Kaisa had witnessed enough of such workings to recognize the wild and boundless spirit of most faeries, like a tsunami that each of those witches brought unto themselves and could easily drown in were they not careful.

Comparatively, the woman gently running her fingers across the wooden carvings on one of the ceiling high bookshelves, smiling at it with the same gentleness of someone greeting an old friend, felt positively docile. Not a monstrous wave. Not an avalanche after the breaking of a dam. Rather, a river that ran with enough strength to carve its path in the rocks, but one inviting enough that children would play near it during summer – only getting hurt if they were a little stupid.

Yes, Kaisa thought, there was something about this faerie that was distinctively human.

Which didn’t do a single thing to change the fact that this was a faerie. In her library.

[bignostalgias]

Hello!! Listen i have GOT TO KNOW what the White Winter Hymnal AU is about???

like??

It looks amazing?? The art is GORGEOUS and i am foaming at the mouth for more information about the story behind it!! And i LOVE the song by the Fleet Foxes!

But yeah pretty much im obsessed and i'd like to know more about what im obsessed about. Hope you're having a wonderful timezone and take care! <3<3<3

Thank you so much for the ask and interest in Hymnal!! ☺️❤️ it’s a slow burn of an au that’s mostly based on vibes and drawing/writing them has been so cozy for me. Have a wonderful day/night as well!!

Gonna take the lazy route and post of screenshot of me summarizing it from a little earlier this week:

Aaaaand here’s a little snippet of how the forest Hymnal is set in feels:

The forest bordering the sturdy little hamlet of Berk was rich with wonder. This was known. The dark, twisting vines and roots of the wild ended shy of the ring of protective runestones, and if a vein was cut open, it seeped glittering green sap. When venturing past Berk’s protections — which should never be done alone — the sun-dappled ground of the forest was laden with moss and lichen, ethereally soft to the touch. On fortunate endeavors, gatherers returned with newborn lambs bundled in their arms, harvested like fruit from the branches of trees. However, as beautiful as it was, the wild threat the forest posed was ever present in the minds of Berk’s people. At night, lights twinkled from the depths, will o’ the wisps casting their lures. Bobcat yowls startled children from their slumber, mistaken for a human scream. The blinking eyes of wolves, reflecting torchlight, lurking between tree trunks. The forest was hungry and wanting and demanded to be satiated.

Every so often, it was.

Hiccup knew he worried his father, his friends, the farther he strayed from home, the longer he dared to be absent past sunset. How was he to tell them the once unnerving black eyes of birch trees were keeping careful vigil over him, that the bracken and tangled foliage gently parted for him instead of barred his path?

It was well known that to avoid losing ones way, a warrior must wear his tunic inside out, watch where he stepped for stray sods, and never trust trails of weathered cairns.

Hiccup had trouble recalling the last time he’d been lost.

Eventually when Hiccup is out exploring with Toothless he meets Jack, and the plot gets ✨homosexual✨

Something something something, Jack gets his head popped off and this short comic is the result

But wahoo everything turns out fine in the end!

And here’s Kai’s extremely lovely post-canon drawing of them recovered and happy 🥹

❄️ the entire hymnal tag ❄️

[faeriefrolic]

I feel like there are not a lot of Sims 3 simblrs left. Who have been inspirations to you lately. I want to follow more simblrs :)

It's always lovely to see more ts3 simmers !! 💖 I usually check the ts3 tags to find more players, but here's some recent simspo that's been popping up on my dash: @poisonfireleafs: I loveeeee her hair retextures sm! I switched to using just them during my last small cc cleanout (Which I need to do... again... eventually... kicks mod folder under bed haha) @erasabledinosaur Cute colorful reshades and photos, her decorating style is chefs kiss mwah mwah 🥰 @simspaghetti I love her gameplay and follow her guides and gameplay rules! Sooo many good resources here 📚 @thepettymachine Really fun and cool ts3 challenges and legacies! One of my saves is their jam legacy challenge and I plan on tackling the others sometime 🍓 @acesandfairydust Just finished a berry lepacy! So many colorful generations 😻 @swedishsimmerr Currently playing a 100 baby challenge! Good luck soldier 🍼 @ticklemerainbows Their berry legacies span so many generations!! All those color combos and palettes are so neat to look at 🍒 @bool-prop Stories involving magic and the occult? Yes pleaseeeee 🐺 @amixofpixels Colorful faeries and a huge family tree!! Dedication to the fae ✨ @papermint-airplane Storytelling and cute aliens, need I say more 👽 @greenplumbboblover Amazing storytelling with the Sunset Valley sims 🌴 @kissalopa @prettyplumbobs @simsreaper @llamabees @hiddenspriings @nikatyler @hypatiaas @nonrevsims @panicsimmer More hix completionist/lepacy players!! It's such a fun challenge so far and it's fun to play alongside others doing it too, and seeing how unique everyones games are while playing in iconic ea worlds 🌞 @pearlsim @llamabees @magiclabs @teekapoa Cute & colorful gameplay and adorable decorating styles!! Taking so many notes 📝 @bearsimz @annacake @lalarose More ts3 berry players, berries my beloved 🍑

[savoryscribbles]

*＊✿❀ genshin men who don't like talking with an s/o that loves to talk ❀✿＊*

pairings: wanderer(scara), diluc(of mondstat) x gn!reader

tags: fluff, boys who don't like talking but your the ✨exception✨

warnings: none that i can think of! lemme know if i need to add anything!

word count: 156

a/n: based on their voicelines lol. also O: i post things??? this never happens! lololol im sorry, motivation to write rarly comes and always goes D: forgot how much i love and hate formatting lmaoooo

genshin masterlist | general masterlist

wanderer(scara):

“There’s no need to exchange pleasantries. it's rather pathetic to force a conversation just to occupy silence.”

tbh i don't headcanon him actually trying to keep a conversation with you, especially if he doesn't want to.

i think he would rather listen to you talk, your voice is the only one that doesn't give him a headache.

glares at anyone who dares to interrupt you. if you stop talking because you noticed no one was listening to you, he’ll get even angrier. Will pull you aside so he can hear you better.

loves hearing about your day, just don't expect him to respond if you ask him about his.

when he saw you overheard him saying this voiceline to the traveler, he didn't think much of it… until later when you both met under a tree to watch the sunset. He was surprised you didn't imminently start talking his ear off. When he teasingly asked

“why are you so quite today? did i need to take care of anyone haha,” he did not expect you to bring up his conversation with the traveler. wasn't it clear his feelings for you were different?

While he’s not the best at consolation, he will offer you this:

“just because i say something to someone else, does not make it true for you, got that darling?”

diluc(of mondstat):

“diluc, of mondstat. not interested in idle chit-chat. if you have things you want to get done, let me know.”

i'm just imagining you sitting on a bar stool while he washes cups, silently listening to you rambling

also poor donna(no i didn't not have to go into my game just to see how her name was spelled, why would you ever think that?) she’ll try and stop and talk to diluc, only for him to offer one worded replies before purchasing flowers to give to you.

“who are these flowers for diluc?”

“hm? my partner”

everyone in mondstat envies you two, watching you both wander around town while you talk his ear off, and him with a small smile on his face 😍

if you ever overhear his voiceline, he's not afraid to reassure you. unlike scara, is fully willing to admit that he doesn't mind “idle chit-chat” if its with you.

“one of my favorite things is to hear you talk, don’t get it twisted”

[blissfullybubblez]

🌿🌻 Summer Nature Hunt: Let's Explore the Great Outdoors! 🌻🌿

Hello, my adventurous friends! 🌈✨

As the sun shines bright and the flowers bloom, it's the perfect time to embark on a delightful nature hunt! 🌼🔍 Whether you're surrounded by lush forests, sandy beaches, or bustling city parks, there's so much beauty waiting to be discovered. So grab your camera and let's explore together! 📸🌿

Here's your nature hunt checklist:

Flower Power: Seek out vibrant flowers of all colors and sizes. From delicate daisies to bold sunflowers, each one is a work of art waiting to be admired.

Creature Quest: Keep an eye out for little critters scurrying about! Spotting a butterfly fluttering by or a friendly squirrel hopping from tree to tree can bring a smile to your face.

Tree Treasures: Stand tall like the trees and appreciate their majestic presence. Take photos of unique bark patterns, interesting leaves, and any critters making their homes in the branches.

Rockin' Rocks: Look down and discover the beauty beneath your feet. Smooth stones, sparkly gems, and interesting rock formations are waiting to be found.

Waterside Wonders: If you're near water, explore the shoreline for shells, pebbles, and other treasures washed ashore. Listen to the soothing sounds of flowing water and feel the cool breeze on your skin.

Bird Watching: Keep your ears open for the sweet melodies of birdsong. Spotting colorful birds perched on branches or soaring through the sky can be a magical experience.

Sky Gazing: Don't forget to look up and admire the vast expanse of the sky above. Take photos of fluffy clouds, golden sunsets, or twinkling stars if you're out exploring after dark.

Remember, the goal of this nature hunt isn't just to find things, but to appreciate the beauty and wonder of the natural world around us. 🌟💕 Take your time, soak in the sights and sounds, and capture moments that fill your heart with joy.

Once you've completed your nature hunt, feel free to share your photos with us! We'd love to see the treasures you've discovered on your outdoor adventures. 📸🌼

Happy hunting, my little explorers! 🌿🌻

With love and sunshine, Bubblez🌞🌈

[little-peril-stories]

🌈 ROYGBIV Tag Game

Rules: Search your your writing for the colours of the rainbow and post the excerpt.

I wasn't tagged in this. But I wanted to do it. :) so I’m posting it for my bday. Happy birthday to me 🎉🍰🌈

open tag ✨

RED - The Court of Rogues

I’m standing now, drawing a blade down her perfect skin, watching redness well up where the knife slices into her flesh.

ORANGE - The Prince of Thieves

Gusting wind, stronger than before, kicks up a tornado of leaves, recently fallen and vibrant against the slowly dying grass. I watch them swirl, frantically at first and then lazily, like orange and yellow snowflakes, until they fall and coat the ground again.

YELLOW - The Queen of Lies

Of course it was worth it, the thief told the voice, even though there was nobody in the world who would believe him if he said those words out loud. But he had gifted Hatchett a bloody nose when he tried to run, and that was something. There was still an ugly bruise on the constable’s ugly face, yellow like rancid butter, and the thief seized a tiny piece of glee and satisfaction every time he saw it.

GREEN - The Queen of Lies

Hazel eyes, red-rimmed and heavy-lidded and watery and glazed, locked onto hers, and Breanna’s heart shuddered and stopped. What a peculiar colour were those eyes—a mix of green and gold, staring at her from a dirt-streaked face dusted with freckles. As his eyes closed again and his head fell forward, a shock of red-brown hair tumbled over his face, and she could see nothing but the sickening crimson canvas of his back.

BLUE - The Court of Rogues

It’s the sunset over the lake, painted in blues and purples and reds and pinks and oranges, forming a gentle gradient of looming night to the sun’s farewell glow. Deep greens for the trees along the shore, laden with leaves in the height of summer. The very rocks, it seems, upon which we now sit.

INDIGO DARK BLUE - The Prince of Thieves

A ragged breath catches in my chest. They’re dragging someone in. A girl—a girl? Good god, it’s her—that girl. They’re leading her down the corridor, the pale cotton of her dress blinding against the dark blue of their uniforms as she stumbles along.

VIOLET - The Prince of Thieves

I never had much chance to go walking around in the woods, but the more I imagine it, the more he seems to belong in the picture. He walks easily, unhurried and unhurt, reaching curious hands to brush the bark of an oak, the silk of a fern, the blush of a violet. Intact clothes, unspoiled by blood and grime, skin clean and free of a single bruise. I bet that hair practically glows red when the sun hits it just right. Especially in the light of sunset, when the sky turns to pink and orange flame.

[swimminginlakes]

Sunset through the trees ✨

[btsgotjams27]

this is us ~ jjk | 17

it's been one year since the breakup, have jungkook and y/n been able to move on?

✨ title: this is us | ongoing series (sequel to all grown up) ✨ pairing: jungkook x f!reader | ✨ rating: m/18+ | minors dni ✨ genre/au: drama, romance, angst, fluff, smut | est!relationship, age gap ✨ playlist | AO3 & Wattpad ✨ a/n: if you haven’t read the prequel to this, please do so here! :) ✨ a/n 2: hi, everyone! i'm sorry this update took so long but a lot of y'all preferred a longer chapter and here it is! i opted out of one scene but may save it later for a drabble. let me know your thoughts, especially how you think jk & oc will meet again. 👀

[ SERIES MASTERLIST ] | next ✨ 18 ~ you're seeing things, aren't you?

chapter seventeen ~ one year later | wc: 8.8k warnings: pov switch, alex is back (but just for a bit and some of you may or may not like their convo), alcohol consumption, language, yoongi + oc bickering, yuna being yuna, baby indie is a big girl now T_T, jk has a new friend 👀, mama jeon is such a treat, some of our fav friends make an appearance, our jk + oc are both growing

~ one year after the breakup ~

Jungkook POV

The silver key struggled to fully unlatch the lock. Jungkook would remind himself whenever he needed to contact the landlord, but he could never remember until he unlocked the front door.

Summer in LA was warm and dry, but of course, with his luck, this was Jungkook’s first week of the summer without any air conditioning.

He shouldered the door, putting his body and weight into it. “Jeez,” he mumbled under his breath.

Not only was the door and air conditioning a mess but also his apartment. Clothes scattered everywhere, the stuffing from the sectional coming undone, it almost looked like someone partied too hard, but that wasn’t the case for Jungkook.

The sound of shuffling and grunting caused him to sprint toward his room, to find a tail wagging joyfully before him. Bam’s head was buried deep in Jungkook’s sock drawer, not giving a care in the world because he was looking for some kind of hidden treasure.

“I was wondering who was making all this noise.”

The six-month-old pup stopped digging and turned around. Just like his dad, he had big doe eyes that also held the stars in them. Hanging from Bam’s mouth was a white sock, clearly filled with something in it. Jungkook quickly took it from Bam’s mouth, stuffing it into the same place it was found. Bam sat and lowered his head.

“Aye–I really can’t leave you alone, can I? How'd you get out?”

Jungkook set his backpack down and sat in front of his big baby. He ruffled and scratched Bam’s floppy, brown ears before placing a kiss on his head.

“What are we gonna do when I have to leave you next week, hmm?”

Bam whined and then licked Jungkook’s cheek, making him lean back.

“What were you looking for?”

The Doberman backed up and returned to the drawer he found the sock in, his nose nipping at the loose knob.

“No. No. There’s nothing in there for you.”

Bam begins to paw at the drawer again, unrelenting in his pursuit of whatever was in that sock–so, he did find treasure. Jungkook decides to give up on Bam. No matter how many times he told him there was nothing in there for him, the stubborn pup would just keep going back to it.

“Bamie, should we go for a walk and get dinner?”

When he heard ‘walk,’ he whipped his head around, panting excitedly at his owner. Taking Bam on a walk was the best way to distract his four-legged friend.

If there was one thing Jungkook never took for granted, it was the beauty of a California sunset. The sky was painted with soft shades of peach and cotton candy pink, palm trees dispersed along the guided path, bicycle bells faintly dinging in the distance, and chatter and laughter filled the air.

The blood pumping through Jungkook’s veins was going into overdrive, as this was the second run of the day for him. He already ran before going to work. But doing this would tire him and Bam out, so they would knock out when returning home.

He called out to Bam before slowing down and coming to a complete stop. Although the summer nights in LA were cool, he was still getting used to the dry heat. His fringe was getting too long, falling and covering his eyes when he ran. He had been tempted for weeks to cut it, but Jimin suggested tying it up or getting a headband. There was no need to cut it dramatically if he liked his hair long.

“Sorry!”

A voice cried out, brushing by Jungkook and Bam, nearly knocking into them while on their rollerskates. Jungkook instinctively pulled Bam’s leash to the side, veering away from the congested pathway. He hadn’t realized how busy this time of night had become. He kneeled down, rubbing under Bam’s chin, turning him from side to side to see if he was okay.

“Bamie, are you okay?” His pup didn’t seem fazed as he licked Jungkook’s mouth. “Oh–” He scrunched his face from the wet saliva and dog breath. “Remind me to brush your teeth when we get home.” Jungkook chuckled and shook his head.

A buzz reverberated from Jungkook’s pocket. He pulled it out, answering the video call, while walking toward a bench to sit, and Bam obediently followed.

“How’s my baby?”

He could see the outline of a small human, and when the video cleared, the only thing in the frame was his niece, Indie's chubby cheeks and double chin.

“Wo-wo. Wo-wo.”

Jungkook raised an eyebrow, trying to decipher what Indie could be referring to.

“Wo-wo. Wo-wo.” She continued repeating the same phrase while sitting in Yuna’s lap, clambering her little chubby fingers at the screen, causing the phone to shake on their end.

“She wants to see Bam.”

“Oh–” Jungkook finally understood and panned the screen to Bam. If the two were to ever meet in person, they’d be inseparable, Jungkook thought.

Indie’s babbling persisted before the screen panned back to Yuna. “Who’s a big boy now?” she asked in a baby voice. Bam barked in response. “Yes, you–you’re a big boy.”

“You’re doing it again.”

“Sorry! It’s a bad habit. I’ll stop. Where are you, anyway?”

Jungkook switches the camera to the back, showing off the sunset he witnessed before switching it back to his face.

“It’s so pretty! We really need to come visit, or better yet. When are you coming back to visit?”

“I’m planning to come next week.”

“Oh, you are? Perfect!” Yuna stood and placed Indie on her hip while struggling to hold onto the phone simultaneously.

“Why?”

“Because it’s also Mom’s birthday, and she wants to have a big dinner with our family to celebrate.”

“Yeah, that’s why I’m coming back. For her and, well, to see my baby.” He didn’t know when it started, but he started to call his niece his baby since she was the only person he could call that now. 

“Okay–cool. Are you gonna stay with us? Mom? Jin? Crash with Hyunie and Taehyung?”

All of those were viable options, but he knew if he stayed with his sister, there could be a chance he’d run into you, and he wasn’t sure if he was ready for that yet. Granted, it has been over a year, but the thought of seeing you after so long still made his stomach flutter. “I haven’t decided yet.”

“Yuna! I brought your cheesecake!”

Jungkook’s ears perked up, and he looked to Bam for comfort, who was scanning every person walking by. He instantly recognized that voice. He’d know it anywhere.

“You can put it in the fridge!” Yuna turned her attention back to her baby brother. “Just let us know, ‘kay?”

“Where’s my baby girl? Auntie missed you so much!”

Jungkook became flustered, scrambling to devise an excuse so he didn’t have to see you in the video call. “My phone’s gonna die. I’ll talk to you later, Noona!”

Click.

He leaned back on the concrete bench, with Bam turned to him, tilting his head at his owner’s curious change in demeanor. Seeing you in photos was enough for him, but to see you live and in action, with the possibility of you saying hi—he wasn't ready for that. Maybe he'd work up the courage someday, but today wasn't the day.

four days until Seoul.

It's not that he was dreading seeing his family. He was excited to celebrate his mom's birthday and to meet his niece in person. He dreaded the giant elephant in the room when he would be around everyone again. He'd put his money on Jin or Taehyung to say something to 'ease the tension,' but he shouldn't expect anything less because he did leave without proper goodbyes. It's been a year; they should be over it, right? They should've forgiven him by now.

A knock on his office door brought him back to reality. He looked up to see his ex and colleague, Alex. 

The door creaked open, and Alex poked her head through. “Late night?” she asked, slowly opening the door wider, keeping her hand on the knob as she leaned against the frame.

“Yeah, just finishing up this presentation for tomorrow’s meeting. Everything has to be perfect before I leave.”

“Everything always has to be perfect for you, huh?”

“What do you mean?” He stopped clicking and clacking at his keyboard and looked up at Alex.

“I mean, we fucked around a lot in college, but I couldn’t not notice how you needed everything to be perfect. Your grades, attendance–for god’s sake, you fold your underwear.”

Hearing this from Alex was surprising. He didn’t think she paid attention to anything else but sleeping around.

Alex cleared her throat. “Anyway, can I talk to you?”

Jungkook gestured for her to take the seat facing his desk. You’d think this would be another ploy from Alex, considering this is how the mess with them started–Alex walking into his office and sitting in a chair. But since Jungkook started his new job in LA, it was like Alex was a completely different person. He could hardly recognize the person she was when she returned from her vacation. She was nicer and happier. It was like she did a complete 180. Jungkook was wary when she would come around his office, so he kept his distance and was civil in his interactions, along with keeping his head down in case anyone figured out anything happened between him and Alex.

“Can we talk about what happened when I was in Seoul?”

She did apologize somewhat, but Jungkook felt it wasn’t genuine at the moment. He thought he’d never see the day she would be sorry for her actions.

“What about it?”

It had been so long ago that he had accepted his mistake and moved on. He wasn’t sure why she needed to bring it up now. Maybe she was having a faith crisis and asking forgiveness from those she wronged. It did sting every time he saw her for the first few months at work, a constant reminder that he wasn’t with you, but it also garnered him to hold his ground and be a better man–to not give in so easily to his desires. He knew it wasn’t going to be easy working with Alex, his guard was always up, ready for anything that she’d throw his way, but like the wildcard that she is, she always surprised him.

“I'm not good at this ‘whole talking about my feelings thing,’ you know that. I, um, just thought I should apologize for how I've treated you throughout the time that we’ve known each other. I wasn't the best person when you knew me in college, I was going through a lot of my own shit, and you were kind of my outlet—well, sex was kind of my outlet, and then with the whole thing in Seoul. We talked about it, but I shouldn't have come onto you like I did. It was wrong of me to take advantage of you, and I’m sorry that I made you uncomfortable.”

Jungkook leaned back into his office chair, processing everything Alex said. He wasn’t sure what to make of it. He could easily be spiteful, blow her off, or forgive and accept her apology.

“What’s done is done. We can’t go back and change the past.”

Even if there was a time machine to go back and fix mistakes, Jungkook wouldn’t do it because it would’ve created an alternate timeline which could’ve led to the same outcome for you and him. Regardless of how things turned out between you and him, he knew you needed time apart to grow up and blossom independently without him.

His decision to move to LA was made out of a reckless, emotional place, but he acknowledged that and learned not to make such illogical decisions based on how he’s feeling at the moment. Maybe minus the unexpected choice of getting Bam on a whim, but that’s beside the point. Jungkook had learned from his mistakes and was trying to improve. He didn’t want to return to how things were and how he was.

“Yeah, I know, but I can still apologize for my past behavior and hope to change for the future.”

He took a moment before responding, “And are you changing? Or trying to, at least?”

That’s all one could hope for, right? Even with a person like Alex. Everyone deserves some kind of redemption and the right to move on and be happy. He wasn’t the kind of person to wish the worst on someone. It wasn’t in his DNA, no matter how hard he tried.

“I think so? I'd like to hope so.”

Alex’s phone buzzed, and she took a moment to answer, grinning from ear to ear. Jungkook had never seen her smile like that–it was authentic, filled with joy. She returned her attention back to Jungkook, holding her phone out, which illuminated the home screen. He couldn’t help but glance at her wallpaper, a photo of her hugging someone. He had heard rumors going around the office, but he wasn’t someone who cared for gossip. It was her life, and she could do what she wanted. It was none of his business.

“Okay, then, I guess that’s all I can really ask for.”

“That's one thing I always liked about you.”

“What?”

“How after all the many things I put you through, you’re always so forgiving. I bet the people in your life don’t deserve you, huh?”

Jungkook stopped to think about it. Was he always so easy to forgive and forget? Maybe that was his problem. “Probably not, but—” he shrugged. “Anything else you need to get off your chest?”

She shifted in her chair. “Why’d you do it?”

“Do what?”

Alex bit the inside of her cheek before speaking, “Give into me.”

Jungkook wasn’t expecting to go there with Alex, but since she brought it up, the question lingered night and day for a long time, and ultimately, he concluded that he did it out of fear. He wasn’t scared of Alex; he was scared of not being enough for you because you didn’t share yourself with him, and he resorted to a place of familiarity. It’s no excuse, and he knows that, but it wasn’t something he could change now.

He cleared his throat. “I was insecure at that time in my relationship. I didn’t think I was good enough for her.”

Alex nervously rubbed the back of her neck. “Got it. I, um, you don’t have to explain any further.”

Jungkook lightly tapped on his desk, unconsciously swiveling from side to side in his chair. His lips thinned, waiting to see what else she needed from him.

“There’s one last thing. It looks like you’ll need to pack up your office because you’ll be getting mine.”

“Oh? Why?”

“I'm leaving, Jungkook. I got a new job. Guess you won’t be seeing me anymore.”

He was tempted to ask what was next for her, but he bit his tongue. Whatever she had going for her must’ve been a good offer if she were to leave her current position. Alex always knew what she wanted and went after it; to some degree, Jungkook admired that.

Alex stood, making her way out of Jungkook’s office. Before heading out the door, she stopped to ask one more thing, “What happened with you and your girlfriend?”

“You mean the one that slapped the shit out of you?” He tightened his lips and tried hard to suppress the smile creeping up. He was still proud of you for that. “We broke up. I wouldn’t be here if we were still together.”

She nervously tapped on the door frame, avoiding his gaze. “I’m sorry about that. I do hope you guys find your way back to each other. You seemed to have loved her very much.”

Jungkook acknowledged her comment with a nod and a low hum. He had dreamt about that happening so many times, but it’s been over a year since the two of you had broken up. So he gave up on you coming back to him a long time ago. It was a silly dream that he needed to let go of–the one thing to really set him free.

“Good luck with everything.”

“Thanks, Jungkook. You too.”

Friday nights wouldn’t be complete without Korean fried chicken and cold beer. It was Jimin’s turn to buy, and Jungkook told him to go all out before leaving on his trip. He wanted his belly full of yummy food.

“Where’s Lana?” Jungkook asked before taking a huge bite out of the crispy chicken drumstick.

Jimin chewed as fast as he could before answering, “She’s out with her friends at a bachelorette party.”

“I guess it’s that time when everyone we know is getting engaged or married, right?” Jungkook set his drumstick on the plate before him, and he looked over at Bam, who was patiently waiting for any scrap of food from his owner. He made a face at his four-legged friend, who whined as he lay beside Jungkook.

“It’ll be my turn soon.” Jimin dug in his back pocket, struggling to take out his phone. He unlocked the screen, then scrolled through his photos, handing his phone to Jungkook.

“No way! You’re gonna propose soon?”

Jimin grinned, taking the phone from Jungkook to stare at the ring he had chosen. “Yup! I have it all figured out.”

“Congrats, man. That’s exciting.”

“Thanks! Let’s pray she doesn’t turn me down,” Jimin jokes, sipping his beer. “What about you? What’s new?”

“Alex is leaving.”

“Whoa–the bitch is finally leaving us for good,” Jungkook deadpanned. “What? Am I wrong?” he asked dryly, raising his eyebrow.

Jimin only knew of the ‘Alex’ in college, not the one where she had actually grown up. Jungkook couldn’t help but witness the miracle unraveling before his eyes at work–it was hard to avoid.

“I think she’s changed.”

“Oh! Don’t tell me you’re standing up for her!” Jimin blinked a few times at his naive friend.

“I’m not–”

He wasn’t. He was merely acknowledging the growth he had seen. He couldn’t deny it, even if his friend didn’t believe him. Who would’ve thought that Jungkook would live to see the day someone like Alex could actually change? That was the beauty of knowing someone over a period of time, right? Seeing them go through different stages of their lives, becoming better or worse, in this case, Jungkook had witnessed the miracle of Alex becoming a decent human being.

“She ruined your relationship–”

“I know…” Jungkook said, “But I think she’s really different now.”

Jimin set his beer down and interlaced his fingers, waiting for his friend’s explanation. “Please, Jungkook. Enlighten me.”

“She’s moving to Switzerland,” he paused, “With her girlfriend.” Jungkook tilted his head, ready for Jimin’s reaction to the news. It also took Jungkook a second to process and rethink everything he had with Alex.  

Jimin’s eyes widened as he covered his mouth. “Shit–” Jungkook kicked him under the table. “What? I mean, good for her! Who would’ve thought that Alex was into girls? Man, that really threw me in for a loop.” He leaned against the sofa’s cushion. “Well, I guess she’s not gonna be a problem anymore.”

Jungkook let out a rueful chuckle. If only things had turned out differently for you and him. Where would the two of you be now?

“So, are you excited about going back to Seoul?” Jimin couldn’t help but wiggle his eyebrows. Jungkook knew what he was referring to.

“I’m just visiting; besides, I've moved on.” It was something he needed to convince himself of on a daily basis, but it was easier said than done.

“Uh-huh, sure. Is that why you still keep that thing hidden in your sock drawer?”

Jungkook opened his mouth, but nothing came out; then, he looked at the culprit sitting beside him. And which thing was Jimin referring to? The small box? The photo album? “How do you know about that?”

Jimin leaned over to pat Bam’s bottom. “This big guy knows all your secrets. Don’t you, Bamie?”

Jungkook rolled his eyes, scratching the back of Bam’s ears. “You guys better not go digging through my things while I’m gone,” he threatened with a stare. He definitely didn’t want Jimin coming across your boudoir album. He had kept that baby safe–at least, he hoped he did. Maybe he should move it again or put it in a safe deposit box or something; imagine it getting into the wrong hands.

“Hey man, it’s not gonna be me.” He leaned over to Jungkook and glanced at Bam. “It’ll be this guy,” Jimin added while covering his mouth and pointing to Bam.

Bam is a smart aleck; he knows when others are talking about him. He stood and walked over to Jimin to lay his head in Jimin’s lap. 

Jimin leaned down, ruffling Bam’s ears. “Don’t worry, Bamie. I won’t tell Jungkookie what we find.”

Jungkook shook his head at the two schemers. He had meant to get rid of what was hidden in his sock drawer. He just hadn’t had time to do so.

back home in seoul

Jungkook found it odd how quiet Namjoon and Yuna’s place was. He thought it would be booming with laughter and chatter, granted he came home to celebrate his mom’s birthday.

“Ma! Noona! Hyung! Is anyone home?” Jungkook nearly tripped over the small step in the entryway as he took off his shoes. “What the hell? I thought they said they’d be here.” Unless they changed the location last minute and forgot to tell him.

He set his suitcase down; the lights illuminated the hallway as he walked toward the living room.

“Surprise!” 

The rest of the lights in the house turned on as Jungkook clutched his chest with one hand and leaned against the wall with the other.

“What the fuck!” Jungkook shook his head and let out a sigh of relief as he walked over to everyone.

“Yah–Is that how you greet your friends and family?” Jin strolled to the young man, ruffling Jungkook’s long hair.

“You know how much I hate surprise parties.”

“We couldn’t help it. We had to,” Yuna interjects, walking from a room with Indie on her hip. Indie squirms her way out of her mom’s arms, insisting on walking instead of being held. Yuna strode over to Jungkook, giving him a hug. “It’s good to see you, little brother.” She pulled away, taking a good look at him, her thumb gently caressing his cheek.

Indie ran over to Jungkook, pulling on his pant leg. She looked up with her big, curious eyes, her hair in cute little pigtails. “Wo-wo. Wo-wo.”

Jungkook knelt down to her level, squeezing her sides. “Sorry baby girl, wo-wo is back home.”

Indie is obviously uninterested when she learns her favorite pup is not with him, so she runs off, screaming around the living room.

Namjoon greets Jungkook with a hug. “My brother–you look good,” he paused to touch the ends of Jungkook’s hair, “It’s getting so long.”

“I don’t like it,” Yuna adds, “You look like Frodo Baggins.”

Jungkook rolled his eyes. His sister was always opinionated, and didn’t expect any less from her. He tried something different today; it was too curly for his liking, so he tied it half-up, half-down.

Namjoon glared at his wife before returning to Jungkook. “It looks great, man.”

Jin walked up behind Jungkook. "Sorry to break up the love fest but I just wanted to pop in and say hi. I'll see you later?"

Jungkook nodded and said goodbye.

The sliding door to the backyard opened, and in walked Jungkook’s mom. “Ah–there’s my baby boy!” She sprinted over with open arms, cupped his cheeks before pulling him in for an embrace, then withdrew to get a good look at him, and that’s when she playfully smacked his arm. “That’s what you get for leaving without saying goodbye to your mother!”

“Ow–” Jungkook rubbed the spot she hit. “Ma–you’re still mad about that?”

She scowled at her son and muttered indistinct words under her breath as she walked into the kitchen.

Jungkook turned to Yuna. “Is Mom really still mad at me?”

Yuna shrugged. “It’s like college all over again. You never call. You never visit.”

“You know why I can’t.”

“Why can’t you guys just be grown-ass adults and be okay with being in the same room as one another? It’s not that hard.”

It was easy for Yuna to say. She wasn’t in an intimate relationship with you; she didn’t break your heart, and she didn’t run away because she couldn’t deal with all of this.

Jungkook’s eyes followed his sister as she walked into the kitchen, helping their mom prepare a dish. He hesitated to ask but mustered up the courage. “Is that why she’s not here?”

“She would be, but she’s in Phuket. She’s using Yoongi’s vacation home.”

“Oh.”

“I mean, she needs it. It's been a rough year for her.”

His mom doesn’t say anything. She peered at her son, wanting to tell him all the things you’ve been going through with your own mom, but it wasn’t her place to say anything. She looked away, going back to her previous task.

He could see the disappointment in his mother’s eyes; he had seen it before. A part of him wished he could be a part of your healing, but you’d blossom more without him.

Jungkook nervously tapped the counter. “Is Yoongi her boyfriend or something?” he asked as nonchalantly as possible.

“No, they’re just friends,” Yuna responded curtly.

Indie came running into the kitchen, dragging her blanket behind her. She wandered to the living room, and her eyes lit up when she spotted something in the entryway. She shuffled her little feet and dropped her blanket on the ground before grabbing the stuffed bunny, which was just as big as her.

Yuna chuckled. “I’m guessing that’s for Indie?”

The curves of Jungkook’s mouth curved up. “Yeah–you said she loved stuffies, so I found the biggest one when I arrived.”

Indie babbled and trotted along to her Uncle Jungkook, pulling the bunny by its ear. He picked her up along with the bunny.

“My baby, Indie, is so big now.” She wriggled out his arms and ran off with the stuffed animal. 

“Gosh–I’ve missed so much. Next thing I know, she’s going off to college.”

“You could move back, you know, and not miss any of this,” Yuna suggested.

Jungkook had thought about this every time he hung up with Indie. He had always wished to be the type of uncle who would be there for his nieces and nephews and hoped he would one day be able to do so.

“Hey, Ma. I’m gonna head out.”

“You’re leaving me already?” She teased as she stood to hug him.

Jungkook chuckled. “You know I can never leave you, right?”

She cupped Jungkook’s face, looking into his big, brown, doe eyes. She didn’t say anything. She wanted to take everything in–seeing the little boy she raised to become a good man who loved so deeply and passionately, just like his father.

“Are you going to let go or make me stay here all night?”

The corners of her mouth curved into a closed-lipped smile. “Don’t hurt her again, ‘mkay?”

Again? Hurt who? Hurt you?

He could only assume she was talking about you. There was a slim chance he knew he could run into you, but he wasn’t counting on it. Even if he could muster up the courage to start a conversation, he was too scared to go there, too scared to hear you tell him off again, to tell him there would be no chance you’d give him your relationship another try. He wouldn’t risk it.

Jungkook mirrored his mother’s smile, pulling her in for another embrace. Her frame felt smaller, or maybe he was just getting bigger.

She patted his back, withdrawing from him and looking at him once more. “It was good to see you, sweetheart. Don’t be a stranger and call me sometime, hmm?”

The dinner to celebrate his mom was quiet and low-key, and for that, Jungkook was thankful. He didn’t want a big spectacle of returning to town and dealing with distant relatives questioning his life. As much as he loved his family, he was already itching to leave the second dinner came to an end.

The taxi pulled up to a familiar location, one that brought too many memories of good times with you. But Jungkook wanted to stay with the person that was less likely to question him.

“It’s good to see you, man,” Jin sipped his beer. “I've missed having you in the office, but I hear you’re doing big things out there.”

Jungkook stared at the beer glass in front of him before looking at Jin, “I'm just trying my best. I wish I could come back.”

“You can!” Jungkook glared at him. “I’m joking. I'm joking, but seriously, are you doing okay out there?”

He was good. It was better than expected–being busy with work helped get his mind off many things, being near the beach calmed his nerves, and having Bam has been a huge comfort.

“It was hard at first, but now I'm getting into a steady rhythm with work and everything. I do miss everyone.”

“Come back when you’re ready, man.” Jin rubbed his shoulder, staring at his friend. “She's good, by the way. She’s doing a lot better than she was a year ago.”

Jungkook chuckled. It seemed as though everyone could recognize the big elephant in the room, semi-acknowledge it but didn’t delve further–maybe out of respect for you and him. It’s not that he didn’t want to talk about you or what happened, but he felt it would be better not to explore the ‘what ifs’ and ‘what could’ve been.’ It was more so for his sake, so he wouldn’t be disappointed and maybe move past it.

OC POV

You had been staring wide-eyed at your phone for far too long. Texts and photos were already deleted; the last thing you needed to do was delete Jungkook’s phone number. It’s not like you have called it or anything since you left that voicemail for him. The contact for him had just been there in case he ever drunk-dialed you, which he never did. But your therapist suggested maybe it was time to stop holding onto the last thing you felt was keeping you tied to him.

The button was right there.

Delete–to remove, to get rid of, to erase.

It was simple. You just needed to move your finger and hit the six-letter word. But instead, you chickened out and hit the call icon instead.

You brought the phone to your ear, “The number you dialed has been disconnected or is no longer in service.”

Of course, it was no longer in service. It was stupid of you to think he'd still have the same number. He lives in California now, so getting rid of his Seoul number would make sense.

Maybe this was your sign to delete it, finally. There was nothing to hold on to anymore. It’s not like you were expecting to get back together with him or anything.

But the contact still read: Boyfie.

You hadn't changed the name on his contact, and it still read what he was last to you.

Your shaky index finger moved closer to the three dots on his contact. His number was no longer in service; there was no need to keep it. How silly of you to be so scared just to do it, but you needed to let go and move on.

Taking a deep breath, you hit delete, and then the pop-up read: This contact will be removed from all your synced devices.

Cancel or Move to Trash.

Your finger hovered over the two options before hitting 'Move to Trash.' But there was one last thing to do. You went to your phone's trash and clicked 'Empty Trash Now.' If you didn't do this part, then his number would just stay there for another 30 days, and what would that exactly do for you?

Delete forever? - This can't be undone.

Cancel or delete forever?

Trash empty. 1 contact deleted forever.

You thought this moment would bring you relief, but it didn't. There was a twinge of sadness like your therapist had told you would happen. Getting over someone wouldn't happen overnight or in a millisecond; it would take time. Every day, you chipped away another piece of Jungkook–the more you chipped, the easier it became.

No more texts. No more photos. No more Jungkook.

You sported a lopsided grin–you were proud of yourself. Getting here had taken a long time, but you finally did it.

A knock on your door broke you out of your dazed state. You forgot Yuna was stopping by. Quickly, you ran to the door, opening it for her.

“I can’t believe I forgot your keycode,” she said, handing you a tote bag.

“Oh my god, Yuna. What the hell is in here? And why is it so heavy?” You struggled to lift the bag but did your best, bringing it to your kitchen counter.

“You know my mom loves to set you up with all her banchan. She doesn’t want you to starve.” Yuna put the other tote in her hand on the counter next to yours.

“I don’t think I’ll be starving for the next few months,” you joked, opening up your fridge. “Besides, I don’t know why she packed so much. I’ll be leaving soon for my trip.”

“Oh–right! That means you’ll have to eat it before you go.”

“How can I possibly finish all this?” You stared at the six stacks of Tupperware that filled your fridge. How was one person supposed to finish this? Maybe you could hand some off to Yoongi. He definitely ate take-out way too often.

“Take it to Hyunie and Taehyung’s. I’m sure they’ll appreciate it,” she suggested as she took out three more dishes from her tote.

Your eyes widened, and you shook your head, waving your hands. “No, no. Yuna–you have to take those back. I don’t want to waste anything your mom makes.”

“She loves you, you know. That’s why she made me bring all these.” Your lips thinned, taking the rest of the items from Yuna. “She’s sad you can’t come to her birthday dinner.”

“I want to be there, but I’ve planned this trip for a few months now.” You have never missed their mother's birthday dinners for the many years you’ve known Yuna. This one would be your first.

“I know. I know,” she trailed off, folding the tote before her. “I swear sometimes she likes you more than she likes me.”

You chuckled and looked at your best friend. It’s funny how you always thought the same about your mother and Yuna. Oh, how the tables have turned.

“Hold on–I have her birthday present.”

You strolled toward the hallway closet, pulling out a pastel pink bag.

“What’d you get her?” Yuna asked, peering through the white tissue paper to look inside.

“She’d been talking about this handmade tea set for the last few months, so I finally managed to get my hands on one for her.” It was made of the most beautiful marbled ceramic with rose gold painted throughout the tea set. You weren’t going to lie; you wanted one for yourself even though you didn’t drink tea.

“Wow–you really would’ve made the perfect daughter-in-law.” You deadpanned. “What? I’m just stating the obvious.” Yuna stood, strolling to your living room.

“Anyway, give that to her for me, okay? And tell her I’ll bring back a souvenir from Phuket.”

Yuna slumps on your couch. “Can you pack me in your luggage? I wanna go lounge around on the beach and do nothing.”

“I’m sure Yoongi would be more than happy to let you guys use his place next time, or we could all make a trip out of it.” You were grateful for Yoongi being so generous with his vacation home. This solo trip is very much needed.

“Hmm, maybe once Indie is older, we can all go.” You nodded, taking a seat beside Yuna. She turns to you, patting your thigh. “I’m proud of you.”

You scoffed. “What’s there to be proud of?”

“Don’t sell yourself short. I know I’ve been hard on you these last few months, and you know I’m only doing it because I love you and want what’s best for you.”

Everyone always needs someone to keep them down-to-earth and sincere, and Yuna was yours. After all these years, she’s stuck by you through thick and thin.

“I secretly think you love getting on my case.”

“Someone has to tell you what’s up!” Yuna sneered, crossing her arms.

You turned to her, pulling her in for an embrace. “And I’m so glad you’re my person.” You kissed her temple as she withdrew from your hug, annoyed by your sarcasm. “No, seriously. I can only imagine how hard it was being stuck in the middle between Jungkook and me. So, thanks for sticking it out with me.”

“You’re my best friend. I’d do anything for you. I’d fight for you before I would for Jungkook,” she half-joked. “Kidding. I love you both, and I’m glad to see you doing better, and this trip will only help with that.”

“It’s been so long since I’ve done anything for myself. It’ll be a nice little retreat for me.”

“What are you doing while you’re there?”

“I’m not sure yet. Swim, eat, explore, maybe write a little.”

“That sounds heavenly. I’m jealous.”

“You can come with me next time.”

“Promise?”

“Promise.”

“I want you to imagine yourself as a little girl. What age are you?”

With your eyes closed, you try to imagine yourself as a little girl. You only see the back of her, and she’s in a floral dress. “She’s about 7 or 8.”

“Can you describe your surroundings?”

“It’s quite dark, and I can’t see where she is. But it could be an open field?”

“Okay, that’s a good start. Now, I want you to go up to her and see what happens.”

You do as your therapist says, walking up to this imaginary version of you. You hesitate as you stand behind her to gather the right words. The imaginary version of you begins to whimper and cry. Immediately, you walked around to her and knelt, getting on her level. The little girl looks down at you, wiping away her tears.

“What’s wrong?” you asked, holding her hands in yours.

“I’m scared.” Her eyes were glassy, with tears threatening to fall.

“What are you scared of?”

“That no one loves me.”

A faint mumble of your name could be heard, calling you back from this short exercise. You opened your eyes, and like the imaginary version of you, your eyes were glassy with tears building up.

“What did the two of you talk about?”

You hated these exercises your therapist made you do. You always ended up in tears and coming to the same conclusion, except you’d talk to yourself at different stages in your life. Though this one was the first time you’d spoken to your younger self, and this one was tougher because she was so young and childlike and hadn’t done anything wrong in her life.

“The same thing we always talk about.”

“And what is that?”

She knew what it was, you’d been doing this over the past few months, but she always made you verbalize it.

“That no one loves me.”

“And do you believe that’s true?”

Your mind automatically said yes, though, in your heart, you knew it wasn’t. You looked at your hands, interlaced on your lap, as your thumbs twiddled back and forth.

She called your name again, waiting for your answer.

You straighten your posture and look directly into her eyes. “No, it’s not true.”

“And how do you know it’s not true? Who are the people in your life that love you?”

“Yuna, Hyunie, Namjoon, and maybe Taehyung,” you chuckled. The two of you loved to squabble and disagree on many things. It’s not that you didn’t like him or anything; you adored him. He was just a very hard person to read, and sometimes you sensed you bugged him.

“I’d say that’s a pretty good list.”

The corners of your mouth curved up. “They’re good people. I’m lucky to have them in my life.”

“So, our session for today is coming to an end. There is one thing I’d like you to focus on while we’re on a small break.” You nod, leaning forward to give her your full attention. “Have fun.”

You’re taken aback for a moment. You thought she’d have something insightful and profound to say before you went on your trip, but it was as simple as possible.

“That’s it?”

She chuckled. “Yes–that’s it. You’ve put in the hard work, and you’re growing, even if you may not see it right away. So, go have some fun, and I’ll see you when you return.”

Flying has never been your strong suit, and then to add on, doing everything solo sent your anxiety through the roof. Your research for this trip could be put into a how-to guidebook at this point.

When you arrived at Yoongi’s vacation home, you were expecting something dark and cold like his apartment in Seoul, but it was the exact opposite–warm and welcoming.

The view from the balcony was impressive, to say the least, the backdrop was the lush, green jungle, and you were only fifteen minutes away from the beach. Although you had a few things planned, you weren’t in a rush to check off your list. You wanted to take your time and really soak everything in. After all, this trip was meant to be relaxing.

Three days into your trip and you were already bored out of your mind. As an overachiever, you crossed off two-thirds of your list. You went to the night market, visited a few temples, fed the elephants, and even went to the island where they filmed James Bond.

You realized that you liked having time to yourself, but you wanted to enjoy these experiences with other people–specifically those you loved. The thought even crossed your mind to cut the trip short and make it back in time for Yuna’s mother’s birthday dinner, but you knew Yuna would just scold you for returning so early.

Guess you’d be stuck here, but maybe you should try to make the best of it. It’s not often you’re in a tropical setting by yourself.

You opted for a luxury resort spa on Naka Island for the next few days. Your bank account would hate you, but you’d worry about that later when you got back to Seoul. There was no need to stress about it now.

The only noises that left your mouth were moans and groans–from the knots the masseuse managed to draw out from you. You wished it was from something else, but you promised yourself you wouldn’t rush into anything with anyone. You didn’t want to repeat the past because that’s how you got into trouble. If the right person came along, then you’d take your time. There was absolutely no rush.

The warmth from the sun had felt wonderful on your skin as you sat beneath the beach umbrella. The calming sounds from the ocean helped relax your body after the intense massage. You rolled your shoulder back, groaning in pain as you stretched.

You told yourself if inspiration struck, then you’d write, but other than that, you wanted to disconnect from your phone and the rest of the world.

Daily naps on the beach became your go-to, along with a Sabai Sabai, a Thai cocktail you’d grown fond of. And with being disconnected from the world, you had nothing better to do than listen to strangers’ conversations which sparked an idea that bloomed into the script you began writing.

The premise? A rival-to-lovers, where two CEOs have to work together to take down the company that wants to destroy both of theirs while being stuck on an island. You had to include an island setting. It only made sense after all. It had become your source of inspiration.

Your mini-getaway to Naka Island was a smart choice. You came back to Yoongi’s place with nearly thirty pages of the start of a new script–a proud feat, to say the least. So you’d spent the last day getting ready to return to Seoul.

You snuggled into the king-sized bed, taking advantage of the spectacular view and adding a few more pages. The apricot and peachy hues of the sunset painted the sky, and you stayed focused on the scene until dusk had taken over. With your laptop being the only light source, you closed it and set it to the side. This bed was too comfortable for your own good.

It was nearly two in the morning when you heard a noise coming from the living room. You were sure you had locked the door, but maybe one of the stray cats you saw around the neighborhood had entered the house.

With sleepy eyes, you rolled out of bed, scanning the room to see what you could take to protect yourself. The only thing you still had out was your hair straightener, so it would have to do for now.

You shuffled into the living room with your straightener in your hand and flipped on the light. “What the fuck! Why didn’t you call me to say you were coming? I could've killed you.” You were right; it was a stray cat.

“With what? Your hair straightener?” Yoongi blinked, scanning you up and down. “Nice jammies, by the way. Were you expecting company or something?”

You used your robe to cover yourself, crossing your arms and scowling at the man before you. “Shut up.”

“Sorry, I tried getting in touch, but you never responded. So I had to come to make sure someone didn’t murder you. You know, since you have some weird obsession with that happening to you.”

“Oh—I’m sure you’ll smother me in my sleep tonight.”

“Well, just don’t tell me your dreams never come true.”

You rolled your eyes. “What are you doing here anyway?”

“I’m meeting with my location manager to scout some spots tomorrow.”

“Don’t tell me you’re going to the James Bond Island.”

Yoongi tilted his head and narrowed his eyes. “How’d you know?”

“I took a wild guess.” You watched him set his things down. “Well, I’ll be out of your hair soon. I can move my things so you can sleep in the master bedroom.”

“No, no.” He waved his hands. “It’s fine. I’ll take the spare.”

“Yoongi, it’s your place. I don’t mind.” You walk off toward the bedroom, determined to make sure he takes the master bedroom.

“Are you always this stubborn?” Yoongi asked, following after you.

You turn to him with a smile. “Yes.”

“You’re not gonna give up until I sleep in this bed tonight, huh?”

“Nope.”

After the early morning intrusion, Yoongi wanted to apologize by treating you to coffee before you had to leave. The freshly made Patongo donuts were sweet and fluffy, perfect for your Thai iced coffee, and the view from the cafe was gorgeous. It was a great day to lounge outside.

“So, how’s everything going?” Yoongi asked, taking a bite of his donut as he slouched in his seat.

“It’s fine.” Yoongi gave you an expressionless face. “I mean, it’s going well. It’s been wonderful. It’s so nice; I might just retire here,” you teased.

“You’re gonna be an old lady with your twenty cats.” The two of you witness a stray cat walk by.

You sneered at Yoongi. “That was a weird coincidence, and I’m not really a cat kinda gal.”

Yoongi chuckled. “Well, I’m glad you’re doing well. It’s nice to see you happy.”

You put your hand over your chest in exaggeration. “Did Min Yoongi just give me a compliment? Today must be my lucky day.”

“And that’s all you’ll get from me, you hear!” He smiled and shook his head. “No, but seriously. Your energy—it’s different.”

You didn’t want to continue quarreling with him. Instead, you nodded in agreement. This past year was painful and full of heartache, but then it started to look up—with more smiles, laughter, and tears of joy. Your hope was it would continue like this. After all, you deserved it.

You stuffed your things into the back of Yuna’s car before taking a seat on the passenger side, and to your surprise, you heard baby Indie babbling behind you. The only thing you could see popping above her head was a giant stuffed bunny.

“That’s cute. Did you buy it for Indie?” You asked as Yuna drove away from the airport.

Yuna quickly glanced in the rearview before looking at you, hesitating to answer. “Jungkook bought it.”

“Oh.” He must’ve ordered it or something, right?

“He came to visit while you were gone,” she admitted while her eyes were focused on the road. “I didn’t tell you because I didn’t know if you’d try to sabotage your trip and come back early.”

She was right. You would’ve been tempted to devise an excuse, but you really had no reason to. “Well, I wish you would’ve told me so I could make my own decision instead of you making it for me.”

“I know. I’m sorry. You’ve been doing so well with moving on and therapy–I just didn’t want you to regress.”

You understood where her heart was, but still, you were a big girl. You didn’t need her to mother you.

“Wo-wo. Wo-wo,” Indie continued repeating the phrase before throwing her bunny to the side and clapping at her accomplishment.

The car came to a stop, and Yuna looked over. “Do you forgive me?”

You rolled your eyes. “I guess, but can you let me make my own choices next time?”

“Yes, ma’am.” Yuna smiled, pausing to see Indie’s hands playing with her shoe from the rearview. “So, how was Phuket?”

“It was great until Yoongi showed up.”

“Yoongi showed up?” Yuna questioned, her tone going up an octave.

“Yeah–for like a split second. He caught me on the last day of my trip.”

“Oh,” Yuna’s comment lingered, indicating something else was happening. “And there’s nothing going on between you two?”

You shook your head. “No,” you said curtly, “I didn’t sleep with him if that’s what you’re asking.” Why did something always have to happen between a man and a woman? Could they simply not be friends? Was there always something more?

“Okay, I’m just curious, that’s all.”

“We’re just friends. Nothing more.”

“Okay, okay. Message received–loud and clear.” She tapped on the steering wheel. “So, when are you guys getting married?”

“I–you’re lucky we’re in the car!”

“Shh–Indie is trying to nap, so I brought her.”

You scoffed at your best friend; she wouldn’t let this go so easily, was she?

Coming back home felt torturous. You had nothing lined up in terms of work. The only thing you had going was the script you had started in Phuket. You guessed you could work on that for the time being.

But–you were stuck. Writer’s block came in like a wrecking ball. Maybe you should’ve stayed in Phuket longer. Yoongi even offered to have you accompany him to scout some places, but you didn’t want to overstay your welcome. He had already provided so much in terms of his vacation home.

A notification from your phone went off. You pick it up to see a text message from your agent.

Jae 9:27 AM How much do you love me?

You 9:28 AM You know you’re my favorite person in the world.

Jae 9:29 AM Now I know that’s a complete lie. Anyway! I have a big opportunity for you. Are you free for lunch today?

“Jae, can you just say what you want to say? I’ve been sitting here listening to you ramble about your pet hedgehog.”

Jae blinked profusely as his lips thinned. “Okay, fine. Netflix wants to partner with you,” he finally spits out while you choke on your water.

You cover your mouth as you cough and clear your throat. “I’m sorry, what?”

“They really loved your show with Kenji and want you to come to their headquarters to discuss potential positions they could see you in.”

Your eyes narrowed. “You’re joking, right?”

He pointed to his face. “Does it look like I’m joking?”

You sighed, looking around the table and then back at Jae. “I don’t know what to say.”

Jae put down his fork. “Say you’ll take the meeting.”

“Is it here in Seoul?”

He shook his head. “It’s in LA.”

✨ next ~ 18 ~ you're seeing things, aren't you?

[jaydendoodlesart]

line up of the main cast of SIDEQUEST.

stuff below if you're interested in ✨the lore✨

the current year in the story is 1225, but i'll start around 10-15 years earlier.

Kaalkas lives in the underworld and is like 20, and he decides that he wants to try a new life in the Overworld, so he travels via the Giant Portal and heads north to the coastal town of Kostaal. In Kostaal he becomes a fisherman and he works catching fish in the shallow waters near the docks. Borko is a dock worker, taking stuff off of merchant ships and whatnot. Kaalkas and Borko end up talking and eventually going on dates and hanging out all the time.

they get married 🎉🎉

one day, they are travelling to Kaalkas' family in the Underworld and uh oh, a gang of murderous thieves! despite their best efforts to defend themselves, their stuff is taken and Borko has been fatally wounded and is unconscious. the leader of the gang leaves a curse on Kaalkas before leaving on hell-horseback. Kaalkas attempts to treat her wounds and carry her to a doctor or anyone really, but they are miles away from the next closest town or inn or anything. he buries her near his parent's home and lays down at her grave just crying, for like 2 days non stop.

later, he returns to his house in the overworld, doesn't go to work or anything. At some point after that, the police show up to make things worse, they decree that Kaalkas has murdered his wife Borko and they ignore his desperate explanations of the truth. When they try to take him, he runs. Even if he has nothing to live for, he's not dying in jail. The police pursue him but when he reaches the docks, he seizes a ship and sails off into the sunset.

10 years later, it is 1225

since that fateful day, he has found a new career in the plundering of merchant ships and a friend, Elzibet, and home in the refugee town of Magifice. his trauma and dark emotions have been repressed and from the outside you would think that he has healed. he also looks cooler. He's founded the Merry Bandits with Elzibet.

but now, it is time to talk about Elzibet's also unpleasant past. yay! She was the daughter of witches (a criminal classification of anyone who uses their magic in the act of doing another crime. commit arson, you're an arsonist. commit arson with your magic fire power, you're an arsonist and witch) living in the northeast of Altumia. When she was around 17 (1205), her parents were going to be executed. During the public execution, she ran to the gallows wielding a knife intending to cut the ropes and escape with her mom and dad. unfortunately, the police stopped her with great force, and lock her in jail before finishing the execution.

she breaks out a day later when she accidentally uses her own magic and drops a tree through the cell wall. and runs away, south to the wetlands, a place she knows because of her parents as Magifice, a small camp of refugees. she makes a living by selling magical potions and robbing merchants for money and materials.

years later a man who seems very distressed arrives in a stolen ship and they become allies and friends almost instantly.

Elias Nuboni was the oldest child of the Nuboni Family, which rules over the northeast region of the Kingdom of Altumia.

their parents were very distant and uncaring. they wanted a good, proper heir, worthy of their immense wealth and power. which wasn't how they would describe Elias. they found a loophole to get their younger offspring to be the heir. It involved them discovering that Elias had magic. basically they disowned them because of that and exiled Elias out of the Nuboni region. The disowning and exiling happens in 1225 by the way.

As Kaalkas is shopping in some town, he leaves his ship unattended. Elias happens to be at the same place at the same time. They see the ship and are like, "I should sneak in and stow away, that's a smart idea that has no risk of getting me killed" Kaalkas returns to his ship, confronts Elias and decides to let them stay after a bit of convincing. They go back to Magifice. that is how the gang gets together.

Sir Udoa Durvai is a cop who has recently been promoted to Captain of the Magic Enforcement Guard, a police force dedicated specifically to capturing witches. He will become a big, reoccurring problem.

Dreia is a bounty hunter and hired killer. She's had a few skirmishes with Elzibet over the years, trying to kill her unsuccessfully. Dreia and Elzibet have an interesting relationship.

alright i'm done yapping. if you read that i hope you find 20 dollars on the side of the road or something

[im-cosmic-mind]

A whimsical tale, the heart beat of life & a tale of school days on a rainy day🌧️  a candle is lit near the opening of a cracked window. Warm and cozy inside, and a cup of hot cocoa by my side.  The chilled air kisses my cheek as I open a book of fairies, the smell of an ancient book fills that air. I am happy in my little universal library. A place I call home, a place that is familiar.

The book of fairies is the tale unknown to most. The fairies dance in a circle, the gate of life. They are creators of nature, natures artist. From every leaf to every tree & flower. From the rivers to the sunsets, to air & oceans. Potions of love and devotion. They hide, watch over the nature & those new to life. This tale is a long one, but for now let’s sleep to the sound of rain. New school days await. 🌧️✨🪐

[coffeebooksandmore]

My little tree, the fall garden, and the sunset ✨

coffeeandbookss

[hugsandchaos]

Okay these two are just suggestions, but could we get a sequel to that Uzi, V, and J tickle fight? Like the three wreck the goofball, but the tables turn on them due to his strength?

And can we get a sequel to the tickle vines fic w/ Uzi and Doll? (We already have the prequel thanks to ✨moi✨, this could turn into a trilogy! >:D)

Again, just suggestions, you don’t have to do them :)

Of course! I’m finally done with the first one, and I’m so sorry it took me this long! I hope you still like it!

N glided around a building and gave his wings another flap to push himself higher and faster through the air. He scanned the mapped out buildings from higher and searched ahead for the long abandoned and wrecked hotel that indicated that he was near the park. Once he found it, he’d fly past it and turn slightly to the right, then continue looking for his old pod. As he continued his easy, smooth glide, N couldn’t help but mentally scold himself for his own thought process earlier before he took off. The first thought he had when he woke up a few minutes after sunset was basically him being happy that he had gotten some uninterrupted sleep for the first time in a while.

He felt a little guilty after realizing that the reason he had gotten that sleep was because he had set up a “playtime session”, as some call it, between his best friend and his friends-slash-coworkers in hopes of them getting along and left them at his old pod. N scolded himself in his mind, telling himself that he should have never thought of the fact that his friends weren’t there as a good thing. Especially when something could’ve gone wrong while he was sleeping and they might’ve actually fought the whole time. As he weaved through the city, he soon spotted the old hotel through the other tall buildings, which had a couple floors crumbled and walls slanted against the other, threatening at any minute to break and topple over. N gave his wings another flap and propelled himself over the wreckage of the building, then tucked his wings in ever so slightly to dip down towards the planet.

N gained speed quickly, but not as quickly as he would if he folded his wings in completely. He continued his descent for a few seconds before stretching them out again and flapping to transition from a head-first fall to a fast glide. He tilted his body to lean a little to the right and briefly pulled the outer edge of his right wing in to position himself to face the far right corner of the park, where his old pod had crashed. Freshly fallen snow from earlier was knocked off of long dead trees and signs as N flew over them. Given his speed, it didn’t take long to cross over the park and find his old pod. When he decided he was close enough, he turned his body to put his legs under him and tucked his wings into their hatches. N allowed gravity to do its job and landed on his feet with no problem. The impact hardly fazed him, it just let him know he had landed correctly. Looking up at the old pod that he landed in, he immediately noticed that something was off.

His friends had the light on when he brought them there and then left. Looking at the windows, he could see pretty clearly that they were off. N glanced down at the entrance a few meters away from him. There were footprints running around the pod, but they easily circled back inside, as if they had run around it for some reason. Did something bad happen? N opened his mouth, letting that creepy smile take hold of his face, and inhaled. He couldn’t smell any oil coming from inside, so that meant no injuries or anything. Nothing seemed to actually be wrong, but why were the lights off? He closed his mouth and decided to head inside to investigate, moving slowly and quietly just incase.

N moved across the snow silently. No crunch of ice or snow under his feet were heard, thanks to his training making silent movement almost a habit of his. He slowly climbed the slanted platform up to the entrance and grabbed onto the cold door handle. The ice that had formed from the lack of warm contact was already beginning to melt against his hand, but he didn’t care about his hand getting a little wet. He waited a few more seconds, listening for anything coming from inside, but he couldn’t hear much aside from the heaters obviously working. N quickly swung the door open and stepped inside. He couldn’t see V, J, or Uzi, which added to his growing fear that they had been attacked by something. Or rather, someone. His eyes scanned over the room in front of him again as he stepped further inside. Once N passed through the door completely, it suddenly slammed shut behind him. He swiftly turned around and was about to change his hands to claws, expecting the worst, but someone he didn’t notice before tackled him from behind and pinned him down before he could fully turn around. The lights were turned on as he fell down.

“I got him!” V said triumphantly. N looked up to see Uzi standing by the light switch and grinning. It was that grin she had whenever she was about to do something she probably shouldn’t, something mischievous, and it was aimed at him. N pulled his arms in front of him and was about to get up and question what was happening, but Uzi quickly knelt down and grabbed both his arms. The pressure and grip she had on his wrists were no doubt pointing to the increasing chance that something was about to happen.”I got his arms!” Uzi declared. He noticed J behind and above Uzi, using her arms and legs to keep herself suspended above the door. She let go and landed with a light thud.”Good. He’s pretty strong, so be careful while you keep him down.” She instructed as she walked past them. N wasn’t as anxious anymore, but he was definitely still a little nervous and confused. V was still on his back, probably to try to weigh him down, and her arms were stuck underneath him since Uzi kept his arm outstretched and was trying to prevent him from getting up. The burning question was finally answered when he felt V’s fingers scrunch up against his sides.

N’s eyes widened and he instinctively bit his lip from the inside to keep himself from making a sound and also focused on not letting his tail wag. V relaxed and scrunched up her fingers again and N couldn’t help but smile as she slowly continued. He lightly tugged on his arms, but Uzi kept him there and refused to let go. He lowered his head and began snickering as the tickling continued.”Aw, you’re not going to laugh?” V asked, faking disappointment. N shook his head and kept trying to keep his mouth shut, lightly kicking his legs. He heard J from behind him, back where his legs were.”I’ll help.” She said. N quickly tried to pull his legs closer to himself so she hopefully couldn’t grab them, but he already felt her tail wrap around his legs and hold them together. She began scratching underneath his knees, which combined with his other friend already going at his sides, finally got him to start laughing.”Pfft- hehehehehe... hahahahahahaha!”

“Now we’re getting somewhere!” Uzi said. N didn’t really put up much of a fight, half because he was worried about accidentally hitting them if he yanked out of their grip, and half because he was enjoying himself a little. He probably wouldn’t admit it out loud, though, since he was a little embarrassed about it. V began to work one of her hands towards his belly, but couldn’t reach it.”Can we roll him over? I can’t reach his belly.” V asked. Almost in unison, they moved. Uzi moved to the left of N while keeping her grip on his arms, adjusting her hands to keep it. V got off his back and knelt next to him. She placed her hands against his left side and began to gently push him. J followed their lead and kept her tail wrapped around his legs, loosening her grip until he was pushed onto his back and then tightening her grip back to before. This time, she forced his legs closer to himself so he’d have to move his legs to an upside down V position.”Wahahait, I don’t know what’s going on, but— Wahahahahait!!” N fell back into laughter when V and J both continued tickle him. V was now using one hand to scribble over his belly and the other to lightly squeeze and poke at one of his sides.”Hahahahahaha!! Hahahahahahahahaha!! Whahahat’s gohoing ohohohon?! Hahahaha!!” N asked through his laughter.

J continued scratching under his knees, which made him lightly tug on his legs out of reflex. J’s tail kept him in place. Uzi moved a little closer and hooked one of her arms so she could hold both of his arms with one of her own. She then used her free hand to reach down and lightly scratch at one of his underarms. N’s laughter grew louder, and if they asked, he’d probably deny his tail beginning to wag.”We had a little “fight” while you were gone and decided we’d wreck you when you get back.” Uzi explained with a mischievous grin.

Only a short while later, the three of them seemed to be getting a little bored while N cackled and laughed on the floor.“You know, I’m getting a little hungry. I want some ribs” V said. N wanted to whisper “oh no” hearing that. She’s done this before and he knew what was coming. V changed her hands to claws and began to gently pressed them against his ribcage, making his laughter grow a bit in volume.”Wahahait, not thehehehehe clahahahaws! Hehehey! IhIhI’m nohot food!” N cackled. He couldn’t help but try again to lightly tug at his arms and legs, but Uzi and J still kept him in place.”No talking, I’m trying to enjoy my meal.” V said. N shook his head at her response, still denying him being a meal.”Hahahahahaha!! Hahahahahahahaha!! Hahahaha!! Thihihis isn’t fahahahair!! IhIt’s three ahagainst one!! Hahahahaha!!” He said. J turned to him and V.

“Hey, should we let Uzi have a turn?” She asked. Uzi perked up a bit and her smile grew instantly.”Yes!” She agreed quickly. She was pretty eager to have a turn. V soon nodded in agreement.”Sure, but we should probably be quick to switch.” She said. Even though it wasn’t directed at her, J stopped scratching under N’s knees and tightened her grip just a little bit more with both of her arms. As fast as they could, V and Uzi switched places and V grabbed onto his arms. Uzi was a bit slower to get to her spot and lifted her hands and wiggled her fingers. N smiled from nervousness and anticipation as she moved closer. V and J both silently approved of her approach and waited. N let out a small laugh purely out of anticipation and his tail flicked.”Why are you laughing? I haven’t even touched you yet.” Uzi teased. N didn’t give her much of a reaction. Uzi moved ever so slowly closer, then suddenly began digging into his underarms. N burst out laughing again and his tail began wagging again.”Ahahahahahaha!! Hahahahahahaha!! Hahahahaha!! Hahahahahaha!!” N tugged on his arms out of reflex, but V kept his arms up and prevented him from protecting himself. The fact that he couldn’t always made it tickle a bit more. He tried leaning to one side, but Uzi focused on that side of him and he leaned the opposite way to move away.

As he cackled and occasionally tried to roll away, but kept failing, Uzi realized that they were missing something. Something from earlier. Slowly, she stopped tickling his underarms, but her grin didn’t fade. That made N nervous again.“I know what we need.” Uzi said. Before anyone asked, she lowered herself to place her face very close to his belly. J and V immediately grinned and N’s nervous smile grew wider as he realized what she was going to do. He tried to pull on his legs and arms and move away, but his friends managed to keep him from doing that.“Wait, wait, wait, wait, waAAAAAIIIIEEEHEHEHEHAHAHAHA!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! HAHAHAHAHA!!! HAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!! UHUHUHUZIHIHIHI, WAHAHAIT!!!” N pulled and tugged on his limbs out of reflex, yanking his friends a bit and resulting in their grip becoming looser. His tail hitting the floor lightly as it wagged. Uzi took in another breath and blew again.

This time, J and V lost their grip on him as he trashed around. He stomped and kicked his legs against the floor and he pulled his arms down to lightly push Uzi off of him. Those quick few seconds of freedom was all he needed to scramble onto his hands and feet and leap over Uzi as J and V tried and failed to grab him again. His tail wrapped around Uzi and lifted her as he rushed outside. J and V chased after him, but they were a little too slow, and he managed to run outside and use his wings to get himself off the ground.”Alright, it’s my turn now!” N said. He was safe in the air as they couldn’t fly, and now that he had one of them, his revenge could begin. Uzi’s eyes widened and she began to wiggle around to try to escape his grip, but he moved his tail to hold her in front of him and reached out to start tickling her belly. Almost immediately, she burst out into laughter and tried to push his hands off.”Hehehehey!! Knohohohohohock ihihit ohohohohoff!! Hahahahahahahaha!! Hahahahaha!!” She said.

“Hmm.... Nope! This is more fun.” N said. He continued to tickle her while his tail kept a good enough grip not to drop her, but not tight enough to make her uncomfortable. Uzi continued laughing while N switched between spidering his fingers and lightly squeezing her to make her squeak. She blushed a little from embarrassment and used one hand to try to hide the small purple blush lines while using the other to push his hands away. It didn’t work and N continued the playful assault. He glanced down below and saw that J and V were gone, but as his scanners zoomed in, their footprints revealed where they went. A mischievous grin made its way onto N’s face as an idea entered his mind. This was going to be fun.

~~~~~~~~~~~

N kept his gaze on the footprints on the ground up ahead as he glided over them. The constant howling winds made it easier for him to move silently through the air, and he was grateful for that. It just made this game of hide and seek all the more fun. As he came up to an old lamppost, he reached out for it and grabbed on. N pulled himself up with ease and was about to leap off of it to continue, but then he noticed something in the tracks that continued ahead. The ones he had been following were empty, but the ones up ahead had pieces of broken metal or were made by well-aimed snowballs. One of them had tried to throw him off.

Glancing down at the ones immediately below, he noticed a disturbance in the snow near the frozen car wreck. One that was caused by kicking. N moved slowly and used his tail to wrap around the lamppost, ready to tighten his grip and catch himself as he crawled towards the pole and began climbing down headfirst. He stopped midway down and loosened his grip on the pole while bending his legs even more like a spring. Then, he released his grip completely and leapt off the side of the pole, landing on one of the cars with enough force for some of the ice to crack. There was a quiet gasp from inside. Just as N had hoped. He jumped down and reached in the door, just barely grabbing V’s legs. He managed to grab one, and then the other when she tried to kick free from him. He hooked both of them under one of his arms as V began to panic. He turned his back to the door, preventing her from seeing when he’d start, and leaned against the car.”No, no, no! Let gohohohoho!! Nohohohohohot thehe feheheet, pleheheahase!! Hahahahaha!! Hahahahahahaha!! Hahahahahahahahaha!!” She tried to pull herself away by grabbing onto the opposite door, but N kept her in place. He lightly scratched at the bottom of her legs, which weren’t exactly the same as worker drones’, but still fairly sensitive.

He continued to tickle that spot for a good few minutes until she said something through her laughter.”Hahahaha!! Hahahahahahaha!! Hahahahahahaha!! Hahahahaha!! IhIhIhIhI’ll tehehell you whehehere J ihihihis!!” V said. N paused, but still kept her legs in his grip. He turned his head around and gave V an expectant look. Once she caught her breath enough, she pointed outside.”She went into that building.” She said. N turned to look at the building on the other side of the road. It was an old school, which meant not too many places to hide and a lot of open space. He thought about it for a few seconds, then smiled and lightly stroked one of V’s feet, making her giggle a bit.”Thank you, but I’m not done with you just yet.” He said. Without anymore hesitation, he continued tickling her.”Hahahahaha!! Wahahahahait!! Nohohohot fahahahair!! Hahahahahahahaha!! Hahahahahahahahaha!!”

~~~~~~~~~~~

J looked out into the nearly vacant, frozen gym room from under the bleachers and waited patiently for N to show up at any time. She had crawled under there because there was a vent right beside her that she could escape into if he came too close to her hiding spot. So far, for the last hour and a half, he hasn’t shown up. She wanted to go outside and search the school, see if it was finally safe to go back, but she knew better. N wouldn’t give up so easily. When it came to getting a task done, time was only relevant if there was a deadline in his eyes. In a game like this, he’d only give up if he had to, and the sun had only gone down so most three hours ago. He had another eleven to find her before sunrise. J had a few blankets she snatched from one of the many emergency supplies cabinets throughout the store, so she’d just have to stay hidden until then.

As she continued to scan left and right from her corner, she suddenly heard something that made her engines stop. A vent closing. J swiftly turned around and saw N standing there. He smiled and waisted no more time grabbing her and lifting her a few inches off the ground in what would be a rare, but normal hug if he wasn’t tickling her at the same time.”Hahahahaha! Puhuhuhuhut mehehehe dohown! Stohohohohop tihicklihihihing mehehehehe!” She said. N just smiled innocently. J tried to pry his arms off and use her legs to push against him, but he didn’t let go and kept up the assault.”Hahahahahahaha! Yohohohouhuhu’re in sohohoho muhuch trohohohouhuhuble!” She threatened. Usually, N would take it seriously, probably a little too seriously, and let go. When she first said that, he didn’t come near her for the rest of the night, but now he didn’t. He was going to get his revenge on her, and he knew that she wasn’t actually going to hurt him, so he continued as if she hadn’t said anything. Plus, none of what she said sounded like their safe word.”N! Hahahahahahahaha! Hahahahaha! Hahahahahaha!”