#Zouxie mentioned

[feather-dancer]

Fic authors self rec! When you get this, reply with your favorite five fics that you've written, then pass on to at least five other writers. Let’s spread the self-love ❤️

Since this has gone to my main account I'm not mentioning anything on my alt AO3.

Ghosts he left behind - Everything prior to Jim Hunters still happened... Except Jim didn't come home after being dipped in T-Juice and has seemingly disappeared. It can only end well, I mean Merlin seems pretty unbothered about it!

All of the existing chapters will be getting a formatting fix when Stars' own is done.

As long as there are stars in the sky - Through a bit of fandangled magical backup plan Douxie ends up as the next Trollhunter and is Not Happy about this development. Shenanigans like Draal gets spritzed in the face with a spray bottle, the kids still find Kanjigar's body and we've got very old magic users having to pretend they're just regular humans what more do you want? There's lots of Zouxie to boot.

Currently editing/format fixing the existing chapters. From what I've seen so far Chapter 1 shows it's written in a week agenda pretty bad I'm so sorry.

Eli's Blog - Earth Date 11022021 - Eli starts a blog based on the events of Stars as he discovers them. He's also thinking about getting a couple of new recruits...

A Heart of Glass - Douxie discovered there would be consequences for releasing the Camelot prisoners though he couldn't have predicted how it would have resulted in the loss of his hand and ending up under the guardianship of the Arcane Order. He's still a good kid just prone to gallows humour and a wibbly moral compass.

These thoughts of you - Shameless Zouxie fluff reminiscing about how they first met even though they wouldn't become friends for a long while yet.

I wanted to put the 82 oneshot/drabble/whatever collection but couldn't think of a description and it's more I'm proud of how terrifying that sucker is.

[rmg91]

Clearing the Air

Because we need more Douxie and Jim bonding moments. ...And I wanted to write these two mooning over their girlfriends.

Also on; AO3

                                               ~*~*~*~*~*~

It was a normal day in Arcadia Oaks, or well...as normal as it got for our heroes nowadays with all that had been happening in the mortal and mystical worlds. Point was none of their current big threats were in front of them and they weren't being chased by goblins or gnomes so yeah, normal day for the Trollhunters. A day to try to catch up on missed homework, play video games or hang out with friends who didn't have the weight of the worlds on their shoulders. Or, in Jim Lake Jr's case, do a favor for your girlfriend because you couldn't say no when she called and begged you to help someone instead of her because she had to now watch her baby brother. Now here he was, assisting their newest team member organize some new books at the Arcane Books store.

He didn't mind helping, really, he was doing Claire a favor after all and he'd do practically anything for her and there wasn't really anything wrong with Douxie...The guy was a real life wizard of all things! And had known and worked under Merlin, the very same who had created his amulet, which was honestly just a little awesome he had to admit, but...but he still couldn't help but, well...be jealous of the guy! He was always so buddy-buddy with Claire and making her laugh and giving her little tips on magic and a ton of other things! And of course Jim knew Claire was her own person and not an object and could have other friends but he just...he just couldn't help thinking some days that she was his girlfriend and that this show-off, flirty wizard needed to back-off! Of course he couldn't -would never actually- say anything as he didn't want to upset the raven haired witch he'd been crushing on for so long.

Still he just couldn't fight that ugly, awful, tight feeling of jealousy in his chest whenever he saw the pair together or when the wizard would inquire about doing something with her.

“So Claire had to watch that little scamp of a brother, eh?” Came the accented voice of the, much older, teen as he came back down from the second level for more books.

“Yeah, guess her parents had something to do.” Jim shrugged, not really turning to face Douxie as he shelved more books. He scolded himself inwardly for the flat response, his mother would not be proud of him, but every time Douxie brought up Claire Jim felt the jealousy monster clawing it's way up his throat and he immediately went out of character.

Douxie blinked and tilted his head, still curious as to why the newest Trollhunter seemed to be always giving him a partial cold shoulder. The rest of the gang seemed pretty accepting, Toby was always begging him to see some magic and of course he had hit it off with Claire, but the teen across him seemed to be keeping him at arms length. And he kept feeling glares at his back from time to time. Unsure what he possibly could've done to the usually kindhearted and accepting teen, Douxie scratched at head, flashing a look at Archie (who was, of course, feigning sleep on the counter), before shrugging and collecting a few more books out of a box. He'd figure it out one day.

They worked in relative silence, every attempt Douxie made to converse with Jim to pass the time becoming stilted and stiff. He had managed to start a promising conversation about cooking with the talented young chef but then he made a little quip about how he must of charmed Claire real good with his skills and maybe he could teach him some things, the wizard was hopeless in the kitchen despite his many years on earth, but something he said had shut Jim right down again. Frowning, there had to be some way to figure out what Jim's problem with him could possibly be.

“Oh, yeah! Don't let me forget to pass on a CD for Claire. Was gonna lend it to her but since she's not here...” Douxie said, tucking another book away.

“Ah...sure. I'll try to remember.” Jim muttered, firmly not looking at him from the other end of the store.

Huh...Douxie wasn't sure if he was crazy or not but a thought occurred to him just then, that Jim seemed to get closed off and tense whenever he mentioned Claire. He knew from his time talking to the budding witch that there hadn't been any fight between the two and, obviously, Jim was here on her request since she couldn't be herself, so why...? Suddenly it clicked as he listened to Jim mutter to himself and he had to shake his head. He really could still be such a moppet. The boy was jealous.

“Hey, Mate.” He couldn't believe he hadn't seen it before now. The glares, the grumbles, the way he sometimes wound his arm tighter around Claire.

“Hmm?”

“You're jealous, aren't you?”

“What?! No!!” Jim said frantically, all but giving it away with his reaction. How in the world had he figured it out?! He'd been trying to hide it!

Douxie chuckled and shook his head, crossing his arms as he leaned against a shelf, watching the young Trollhunter try and sort himself out, “It's alright, Mate.”

“No. It's not!” Jim said, throwing his hands in the air, “I know I shouldn't feel jealous but I am and-and I don't want to do something that might push Claire away but like I-I just can't help it!” He couldn't stop rambling now, trying to explain his feelings and why he kind of disliked feeling so jealous because somewhere deep down he knew it was silly.

“Jim.” He looked up, blue eyes meeting Douxie's hazel. “It really is alright.” The mage held up a hand to prevent Jim from speaking before he was done, knowing what he needed to hear, “Clare and I are just friends. Honestly I kind of see her as a little sister some days.”

“Really?” So all this jealousy really was for nothing?

“Mm-hmm.” The older boy nodded before gesturing with a slightly flourish as he moved, “And I'll have you know I've been quite happily taken for the past five hundred years or so! So, you really have nothing to worry about.”

“Really? You have a girlfriend?” Jim supposed that shouldn't be as big a shock as it was but well...it was considering just how old Douxie really was.

“Mm-hmm...” Douxie hummed, face going soft with a mushy sort of smile that Jim knew he too wore whenever he thought of Claire. “And she kick my arse if I made such a colossal mistake of breaking up with her. Not that I'd ever want to, mind.”

Jim nodded, understanding that feeling, “Yeah.”

“So, we cool, Mate?” Douxie asked, holding out a fist toward Jim.

Jim returned the fist bump with a smirk, “Heh, yeah, we're cool.” And wow was it a relief to know he'd had been worried for nothing.

And with the matter settled, the two finished the rest of the afternoon sorting and shelving books, talking and gushing over their respective girlfriends. Archie merely rolled his eyes, watching unnoticed at the counter, and shook his head at the two lovesick men before going back to sleep.

~*~BONUS~*~

A few days later found Jim leaning against the counter at the cafe, sipping at the coffee Douxie had just handed him as they watched their girlfriends talking outside, Claire holding in laughter as Zoe gestured with her hands. “So...How much are we gonna regret introducing those two?”

Douxie chuckled, “Ooh-ho....immensely.”

~*~*~*~*~*~

Just let these two bond over their amazing girlfriends! Also let them sleep because they go through so much. Anyway, hope you enjoyed!

[rikalovesrice]

Teny’s got me in an especially big Zouxie mood so here ya go💕💙💕💙

[valentimmy]

just blocked someone bc apparently I did not make it clear enough on my bio that I don’t want minor x adult shippers following me

[unexpected-possibilities]

No thoughts, head empty. Only Douxie and Zoe sparring.

I did not think that a scene like this would be so fun to write and it is. You can pry the lovers playfully sparring trope from my cold dead hands. Not to mention that they’re the absolute perfect dynamic for this, I mean, c’mon, teasing, sarcastic, witty, both pretty adept fighters that have known each other literally forever(so their fighting styles and tactics are probably very familiar), flirty comments, everything about it *chef’s kiss*. This is your redeeming fluff for the next chapter of Saudade, in case you were wondering lol.

Currently my WIPs are chapter 10 of Saudade, the 2nd chap of Formal Attire(I’m out here researching all the Cinderella stories lmao), and a couple small oneshots here and there that I’m just breaking into, just requires some sitting down and getting after it but I am having quite a good bit of fun.

[stubbornness-and-spite]

Hi! For te Toa prompts? Do you do Douxie and Zoe?

Oof, it’s been a while. Sorry about that. I really like this concept and I might try to write something else for it later that’s a little more fleshed out(my headcanon of their backstories maybe) but I’m still trying to get a grip on their dynamic, so it’s pretty short.

I love both of them, but romance is hard, so it’s mostly implied. You could read it as platonic or romantic. Also, I just looked at their wiki pages for their ages, and that ruined a lot of my headcanons for them, so this is based on my headcanon for their ages, which is based on what is in the show and nothing outside of it and my own interpretations of how magic works.

~ 

He was 1500 years old. She was 23. Sure, they both looked about the same age, and sure, they were developmentally around the same age, and sure, they’d only met once they were both adults, but she was so young. She didn’t understand how much being a wizard, like him, took from people; she didn’t understand what Merlin had done to him.

“C’mon, Doux,” Zoe needled. “I’ve been training with you for years, and you kept saying that you couldn’t make me your apprentice since you were still Merlin’s apprentice, but you’re a real wizard now.”

“No,” Douxie said, not looking at her. “I told you, Merlin said the Age of Wizards is over. The old ways die with me.” Zoe scowled and threw a book at him. He caught it in mid-air when it was still five feet from his head. He twisted his wrist, and it floated back into Zoe’s lap. 

“Since when have you ever listened to Merlin?”

“Since I grew up and realized he was right,” Douxie snapped lightly. He set down the book in his hands and joined her on the couch. “He made some mistakes, but he knew more than I’ll ever be able to learn.”

Zoe reached over and punched him in the shoulder. “And you already know more than I’ll ever learn because I’ll die before I get a chance to figure half of it out!”

“Lucky you,” Douxie snarked. He rolled his eyes. “And don’t act like you’re going to die at 80. You’ll live to 200 at least unless you do something stupid.”

“Even Archie is going to outlive me,” Zoe groaned, dropping her head back over the couch.

“That’s the point,” Douxie hissed. “The old ways are cruel and wrong. There’s a reason no one trains apprentices like that anymore. It’s not worth it. No apprentice ever really knows what they’re agreeing to until it’s too late.”

Zoe sat up and looked at him. “Hiserdoux Casperan, if you think I don’t know exactly what I’m asking you to do, then you must either think I’m stupid, oblivious, or a terrible friend.”

Douxie sat up and met her gaze. “What are you talking about, Zoe?”

Zoe sighed. “I know what living as long as you have has done to you. I understand what it’s taken from you. I know I could learn magic in my lifetime. I know I’ll lose far fewer people if I don’t become your apprentice. I also know I want to stay with you. I want to leave Arcadia and spend as long as we need to running from the Arcane Order as long as I’m running with you. All that spending the last five years with you has done is make me absolutely certain that however long we have, it won’t be long enough.”

“Zoe,” Douxie said softly. “That is the sappiest thing I have ever heard you say.”

Zoe laughed and tossed a pillow at his head. This one he let hit him. “I also want to learn everything you know and all the secrets of magic and the universe, but I figured a sappy bastard like you would prefer some sentimentality.”

Douxie rolled his eyes. “Just to make sure you remember. The spell to make you my apprentice will tie your life to the ancient magic like mine. You won’t be able to die unless you pass that on to someone else. You’d have power beyond what you could ever have as a hedge-witch, but you’ll have to be very careful how you use it. More wizards turned to Morgana’s path than anyone likes to admit. There’s a reason Merlin’s line is the only one of the ancient bloodlines left.”

“I remember,” Zoe groaned. “You’ve only told me this a hundred times before.”

“To scare you off,” Douxie sighed.

“And did it work?” Zoe asked. “No.” She smirked, “So, let’s do this, Master Casperan.”

Douxie wrinkled his nose. “We’re not doing that. I might be willing to keep some of the old ways alive, but “master” can die.”

Zoe widened her eyes and looked at him with mock innocence. “Whatever you say, master.”

Douxie flung the pillow back at her. “Shut up, apprentice, or I won’t teach you anything anymore.”

[moppetwithamanbun]

heyyy remember that zouxie art teny made? i wrote some blurbs to go with them

*all of the art belongs to teny!! (@/tenyai) and the mention of up-and-down is from her as well. her mind is just brilliant :)

[purplerose244]

Fall of the Titans (ROTT Fix-it Fic Preview)

Summary

It was supposed to be the final battle against the most evil entities this world as ever known. Yet there was much the Guardians of Arcadia were not aware of.

About the Arcane Order, their future... and themselves.

So... believe it or not, I've been working on my own rewrite of ROTT ever that trainwreck aired on August 😅 Happy for those who enjoyed it but it really didn't sit right with me so I just had to write what I would have wanted!

First chapter is out on Monday December 20th!

Then I will likely post one chapter every day for the following ten days, in order to end it before next year starts... hopefully... *flashback of every single time I made a deadline and I spectacularly failed to respect it* ... THE POWER OF POSITIVE THINKING 🙂🙂

Anyone wondering what will feature in this highly self indulgent fic of mine? 😂

Well then...

Only, like, the first sixteen minutes of the original movie as canon, basically everything leading to them escaping the police (YOU GAVE ME SUIT KREL I'M KEEPING SUIT KREL)

Character arcs for all the main characters (yes Steve is considered a main character here yes I'm not forgetting about my baby Krel YES I'M STILL TRIGGERED)

Lots of self-doubt, unworthiness, lack of self-esteem, fear of failing, of making mistakes, of being useless, with also mentions of past abuses (have I mentioned none of these kids is okay? 😅)

Little twist for how the Arcane Order was created and why...

Backstories for Nari, Skrael and Bellroc!

Redemption arcs, but for two out of the three members of the Order (take what I'm saying however you like 🙃)

Major ships: Jlaire, Stricklake, Zouxie, Stelija (yep yep yep yep yep 💙💙💙)

Minor ships: Izadra, Varancy, Space Camp (it had been so hard containing myself from adding more of my boys 🥵)

References to ALL the trilogy (STILL. TRIGGERED)

Hurt/comfort no matter what 💕💕

Character studies and angst with a happy ending (NO FREAKING RESET DON'T EVEN GET ME STARTED-)

Over this fix-it fic I will base the conclusion of my Space Camp series, "Math Matters", that currently includes "The Limit Does Not Exist" and "Even Odd Numbers" (yes this is one of the major reasons I made the fix-it fic in the first place 😅😅)

Well then, I hope you're interested! This will likely be my last major fic for TOA in a while, I want to move to other fandoms, but it was definitely important for me to do this 💜

Alright, see you tomorrow! ☺

[nikibogwater]

Zouxie, Jlaire or Staja? Why?

Ooooh. Okay, so this answer might surprise a few people since I've only ever really made Zouxie stuff but...

Staja. All the way.

While I like the aesthetic and chemistry of Zouxie, I would also be completely fine with Douxie never getting a hard canon love interest. I think it'd be nice if more media pushed the idea that it's also totally valid to be single, and that platonic relationships are just as important as romantic ones. Sometimes it feels like everybody is a little too obsessed with hooking up in a romantic way, to the point that platonic/familial relationships are actually being devalued in a lot of ways. Now if Zouxie ends up being hard canon, I'll be totally fine with that too! They're a super cute couple! And even if they never turn out to be hard canon, I'll keep making content for them over on the Casperan Family AU. But it's more of a casual ship for me.

Jlaire never really did anything for me because I always felt that Claire wasn't given enough of a distinct personality. I've mentioned before somewhere that I think she had a fantastic arc, but not enough characterization to make me truly care about it. So while I do absolutely love Jim as a character and love the extra layer that his relationship with Claire adds to his personality, the pairing itself isn't one that gets me super excited or feelsy, because I'm really only attached to one half of it. No hate on people who really love Jlaire, though! They are very cute, and actually Wizards helped a lot in giving me a bit more appreciation for their relationship. But they never made it onto my own OTP list.

Now Staja.

Staja is everything I personally love in a ship.

I really loved Steve in Trollhunters (after his reformation arc, of course), and he was one of the MVPs in 3Below for me. His dynamic with Aja is so stinkin' adorable and wholesome, and I always laugh whenever the two are interacting in the show. I love that Steve, who was initially introduced to us as a one-note Bully Character™ is the first one to discover Aja's true identity and fully embrace it. I absolutely melted over "Wow...you are so beautiful...!" But also there's an element of comedy and lightheartedness to their dynamic that works so well with the Softness. Both Steve and Aja are well-defined characters with fantastic arcs whose relationship with each other really helps expand their personalities. Actually now that I think about it...how have I not done any fanart for these two yet?!

Thanks so much for the ask, Non! And again, sorry it was a bit long. I can get a bit too wordy when something sparks my inspiration. Now pardon me, I think it's time I start thinking up some Staja doodles... ✨

[nocandnc]

I mentioned a while back that I like listening to Bardcore remixes for Zouxie, but this one’s probably my favourite lol

I just picture them doing an old fashioned Basse dance or something only

SUPER FLIRTATIOUSLY

Like you’d need Excalibur to cut through the sexual tension.

[zodiacbiologist]

Another Zoe Appreciation Week honorable mention for Day 4. Here's a Moppet!Zouxie proposal fic!

[feather-dancer]

Currently on the To Do list out of spite/general annoyance:

The Soul Binding oneshot

Shannon/Conrad oneshot (Notes being taken)

Making historical gays filled with more historical ladies getting shit done

Those two one shots I vaguely mention every so often

The ‘Jim is in the Darklands’ LGBT+ fluff thing I don’t know what it is

The really stupid Fashionista dating oneshot

The endless odds and ends of Zouxie I have lying around that need to be put in SOMETHING surely. The latest one involves a glamour mask

New entry: Taking the troll-dragons the hell away from the RotT writers and giving their amazing design/market the justice it deserves and remove every single trace of BEING OKAY WITH SLAVERY thing

[rmg91]

Heeheehee...So you know how I mentioned Zouxie possibly living on the refurbished Camalot? Just please image the two of them trying to have any sort of steamy moment alone (usually a make-out) and just everyone in the rest of the gang walking in on them/finding them at least once. It happens so often that after a point Douxie just laughs when it does and Zoe’s forever annoyed because damnit she just wants to make-out with her boyfriend/husband/partner/soulmate.

-In the kitchen; Arcadia trio come in- Jim: Oh my gosh I’m so sorry! Toby: Whoops! Sorry!! Claire: Get it, Teach!

-In empty throne room; Blinky- B: Great Gronka Morka! Can you not do that somewhere else?! Humans... 

-Hallway; Aja, Steve and Eli- Steve: Oooh yeah!! Get it, Dumbledork! Eli: Steve...That’s-We should leave them alone. Aja: Fascinating... (I have no idea how to write Aja yet)

-Some random room; Krel- Krel: Really?! Zoe: This is getting ridiculous. Douxie: -laughing into her shoulder-

Archie appreciates having a break from being the one to find them.

[ultear-tigra]

Roommates-AU for Zouxie

Okay, guys, hear me up :D So What if they don`t know each other for so long as they do in canon? And instead they first met in more or less modern age, and they forced to study/work/rent a room together, because they don`t have enough money for separate appartments. 

And they know nothing about each other`s magic, so they struggling to keep a low profile from one another. Trying to cover up magic incidents and came up with some explanations :D

There are so many possibilities of fun exidents and how they would try to cover up their magic :D

1) - How our TV works again? - Oh ... I ... fixed it? - But master said it's dead forever / suspicions intensified /

2)  They would go to rock concerts or festivals if they were roommates

3)  I can just imagine their little squabbles about Douxie not picking up his socks, or Zoe leaving her makeup everywhere.

4)  And Archie can’t talk if she’s near :3

5)  Trying to explain away little magic explosions as either tire blowouts or backfires happening a ways away.  And hide magical proofs.

6) Douxie accidentally slips out a bit about Merlin and he has to play it off as a joke. Or Zoe scoffing on mentionings of Merlin, while Douxie like: ??? he was a good wizard in fairytales, why do you not like him???

But also they became a good roommates and friends, and maybe more :D

Fluff, humor, maybe a little angst when they think, that they will loose each other...

And then the day comes when they see each other doing magic and they're like:  

Credits for more ideas to Zouxie chat in Twitter :D 

[unexpected-possibilities]

Zouxie Headcanons

Here’s some timely headcanons because I can’t help myself!

-Douxie is a massive sap, cheesy pickup lines, corny things, brings home flowers, makes sure she has everything she wants/likes, his apartment is always stocked with things she likes, etc etc.

-Zoe, however, is not a huge sap but hey, she loves Douxie and is perfectly happy to put up with him because it’s adorable. She’ll bring him things quite often and not mention it.

-Douxie rambles on a lot when he’s anxious and Zoe’s favorite way to shut him up is with a kiss.

-Douxie plays with his necklace when he’s anxious. Zoe (and Archie) have picked up on all his physical cues and know when to step in and help.

-Both of them love singing duets and Archie thinks they’re a nuisance when they’re both singing at the top of their lungs in their tiny apartment.

-Zoe secretly loves musicals and Douxie quite openly loves them. Douxie and Zoe have done a sort of rock cover duet at a show of “Elephant Love Melody” from Moulin Rogue! per Zoe’s request (she made him swear on his life that he wouldn’t tell anyone she suggested it) (seriously go listen to this song and imagine them singing it)

-Zoe has about 50% of Douxie’s shirts and jackets in her possession and downright refuses to acknowledge it when he brings it up. Douxie borrows back his clothes if he’s at her apartment. 

-Both like headphones best, but they own a pair of earbuds to listen to music together on public transport.

-Zoe and Douxie have nearly the same shoe sizes, so she’s been known to steal his boots. Douxie has worn her heels before and absolutely rocked them.

-Zoe is constantly fixing everything of Douxie’s, whether it’s things like his guitar, patching his clothes, he accidentally fried some electronics, he always turns to her for it because she’s probably the only one who will put up with him constantly destroying things.

-Douxie is terrible at painting his own nails and always asks Zoe to do it. He applies her makeup for her in turn because he’s better at it. 

-Zoe has put some high-quality subwoofers and a powerful sound system into her 20y/o beater sedan because she and Douxie will absolutely rock out on car trips. Archie just so happens to be sick on those days and has to stay home. 

-Douxie takes days off whenever she’s sick to take care of her and mostly to keep her in her apartment and resting. If he’s not there to stop her she will just up and leave and do things no matter how sick she is.

-Zoe likes reading old poetry and philosophical stuff but Douxie can’t keep himself focused on it to save his life, so she reads it aloud for him. He reads all kinds of books other than that and will sum up interesting ones to Zoe.

-Douxie is all about physical touch being his love language, whereas Zoe’s is definitely words of affirmation. Because of this, Douxie is constantly saying sappy and sweet things to her and it never fails to make her flustered(though she’s good at disguising it). Douxie gets at least five hugs a day and probably more.

[douxie-casperan]

✤ :3

Heeeere’s our Zouxie, I think it’s important to remember the quieter moments too, that your best friend will always have your back and know you so well that they help with what you need without making a big deal of it.

✤ -  A memory of romance/love

As things went this was hardly the fanciest of places for a meet up what with the air being filled with the chatter of people finally heading home, the odd bit of traffic passing through and the glare of the streetlights to contend with plus the more obvious of being on a bitta concrete that made up the roof of the bookshop. Sure he’d hauled up a couple of chairs from the storage room but that doesn’t really liven it up all that much but the idea of going back to the apartment felt stifling and having come off a late shift heading out of town needed an awful lot more mental energy than he had not to mention the budding headache. The temptation to grab one of the drinks in the cooler early to help is being staunchly resisted but only barely.

This all left him here at the edge idly watching the world go as many a night had been spent with hands tucked in his hoodie pockets to stop them from getting chilled. Behind him Archie had claimed one of the chairs for himself saying he was helping by warming it first through the power of a comfortable post-snack nap so he’d ruffled his fur and left him to it with a tired smile. When you live for a very a long time you learn to be patient for many things and when it came to certain people? Well, you can easily wait entire lifetimes if you need to because they’ll be worth every second when they’re finally here. Running late was nothing in comparison.

Colourful cursing about the dust was the first giveaway of the impending arrival followed by the dull thuds of the metal stairs getting louder as the maker got closer to the hatch doors. They had been left swung open to try and dissuade any idea of kicking them, it’d taken long enough to buff out the last boot print that had been ever so generously left in it a few months back because it was deemed more efficient than using the handle like a normal person. When one is struck with one of her steel cap boots anyway showing her mood wasn’t all that much better, he pretends it didn’t really phase him despite the involuntary wince it caused. The footsteps become quieter after that, slowly coming closer until sleeved arms are slipped under his coming to a rest on top of his hidden ones and there’s the feeling of a face being pressed between his shoulder blades. There is a mumble at first that is barely coherent and when it gets no response she tries again which while still muffled her voice becomes a little easier to understand.

“Hey.”

“Hey yourself, rough day?”

The pause is distinct enough that he can almost imagine the fact she’s frowning over which words to use that keeps the fine balance of not making him worry or in saying too much either.

“Nothing is on fire.”

“Yet?”

“Yet.”

Tilting his head back as much as he can comfortably manage with a hmn, the most he can make out from this angle is the pink of Zoe’s hair seemingly content enough to simply be here and he is more than happy to oblige. Douxie’s foot then begins to tap out a beat following it by softly humming a melody he’d been working on recently hoping the soothing background noise along with the shared warmth might help as much as the unexpected hug is already doing for him. It was surprising how much words weren’t always needed to fill a vacant space left in silence, with Archie being with him so long he hadn’t really noticed how much he appreciated it himself until he got to experience these snatches of moments with other people. Somehow company with somebody you care about could be enough to make it that bit easier to breathe when the weight of the world bears down on you.

As the ‘song’ gradually comes to an end he is squeezed tightly around his middle perfectly on cue after the final note leaves his lips and the precious contact withdraws. Taking a deep breath the wizards spins around on his heels catching an expression that remains mildly with arms are crossed with the long sleeves hanging over her fingers to bat away the cold and eyes a bit smudged around the edges. Whatever it was must be still bothering her a bit so a hand goes from a pocket to a new home in her hair giving it a light ruffle in the process getting a half-hearted glare for his trouble though no attempt to bat it away. He flashes her a wide grin.

“I brought the cooler up too by the way, figured might need it given today being whatever it’s been exactly. Sucked is too nice a word.” Blue narrows suspiciously as though he was secretly up to something.

“For yourself or was this some flash of foresight?”

“If it was the latter I’d have said no to more than a few things today, still not got the knack for it I’m afraid.” With a huff she rolls her eyes and starts to wander over to where the chairs had been left out eager to finally get off her feet again if only for a while.

“I did however bring some black forest I got as extra buuuut if you don’t want it…”

“Oh that is definitely mine don’t you even think about it. Heya soot sprite,” she says carefully scooping up the familiar to take his nicely toasted spot. He is then carefully placed in her lap with barely a twitch from the sleeping form who is completely dead to the world and rumbling away contentedly.

“I call dibs on the portable heater.”

Walking over to join them with a smile that is all too soft somehow with so many stars out above them and in the best company he could possibly ask for he cannot help but think that yeah, maybe this date night wouldn’t be so bad after all.