#absolutely terrified i have to get a baby tooth out that stayed over an adult tooth that was growin in

[livefromthegallows]

i'm taking my stuffed horse to the dentist tomorrow and no one can fucking stop me not even my dad

[twinklelilstarkey]

I've never really requested anything so I might be doing this wrong but 2 from angst and 9 from fluff would be cute with Matty, like he wakes up from a dream of you kicking his ass in hockey or something silly like that and just tells you that you two can't be friends

"We can't be friends anymore" - Matthew Tkachuk

It is to nobody's surprise that Matthew likes to sleep in. Especially in days when he doesn't have a game or morning skate. Like, that man is able to sleep until 5 pm if you let him.

But, when you also have a day off (of college or work), even though you wake up slightly earlier than him, you also sleep in. So, you can say that the love for sleeping is mutual in your relationship. 

Opposite to Matthew, though, is that you do get up usually when you really need to go to the bathroom or your body is just growling for food. Which tends to be a tad bit too early for Matthew’s liking.

Matthew usually wakes up when you get up to do either of those, but he falls right back asleep when you're out of reach. 

And that's exactly when he hates sleeping in.

Whenever he wakes up, even if it's just for a split second, and goes back to sleep, he has the weirdest of dreams. Not always nightmares, sometimes they are kind of terrifying but they’re mostly just weird.

And today, while you were making your breakfast, or, should you say, lunch, he was sleeping peacefully under the covers and over the overly comfortable bed. While, in his dream, battling against you in a game of hockey.

When the food was ready, you walked back to the bedroom just to check if Matt would already be awake and maybe if he would be willing to get up and eat something.

And that’s when you've wanted to have recorded walking in your bedroom because the image was just hilarious.

Matthew was sitting up, fully awake. His eyes widened, he had a slight scowl of confusion written on his face, his hair was a bigger mess than you've ever seen it before, and his mouth was left slightly agape.

When he did notice you by the doorway, he didn't even blink before saying.

"We can't be friends anymore."

To say you were confused was a large understatement, because...

"Matthew," You started, "We've been dating for three years. What do you mean?"

He closes and reopens his mouth, like a fish trying to breathe out of the water, and scrunches up his face, looking back at you after looking down at the carpet of your bedroom.

"I- Do-do you know how to skate?" He asks, tilting his head slightly to the side as he says it.

"Yeah, a bit.” You say, “I’ve skated with you a tone of times before, why?"

You make your way towards the bed and take a seat at the end of it, giving him probably the largest look of confusion ever.

"And..." He hesitates for a second, "Have you ever played hockey?"

Now you were even more confused.

"No? I mean-" Matthew sends you a look of pure fear, "Not ever competitively, just as a joke between friends."

You mean street hockey, of course. You've been out with your drunk friends a few times, walking around the streets of Calgary as a young adult and deciding 'hey, let's play hockey!'. 

You don't even own a stick, you just used one of the stick bins close to the street rinks and a rock as a puck. You honestly only own skates.

"And did you win?"

"Matthew, what-"

"Did you win?"

You stare back at his bright eyes, even though swollen from sleep, they looked so awake it's starting to be terrifying.

"Uh..." You hesitate and Matthew feels his whole body tense up, "Yeah?"

"Oh god." He whispers to himself in complete panic.

Matthew brings his hands up to his head in disbelief, gripping onto his hair tightly while closing his eyes as if to not look at you.

"What's going on with you?" You ask him, confused.

Have you done something wrong? And if you did, why did it have to do with you knowing how to skate or play hockey? Especially, why is he questioning you now that he just wok-

"I had a dream about us." He starts to explain. "And, god..." He whispers his last words.

As Matthew fights with his mind, you look at him quizzically. Was it a nightmare? But again, why hockey?

"I had a dream about us," He restarts, letting his hands fall by his sides, "We were like in a rink playing around. And-and out of fucking nowhere, we both had like teams and a god damn audience..."

You blink at him.

"It looked like the damned playoffs, it was that intense." He adds.

"Were we in the same team at least?" You ask him.

He shakes his head, eyes widening again almost as if trying to say, 'oh absolutely fucking not'.

"You, and your god damn team, were destroying me." He explains, emphasizing the word, "I'm talking: slamming me against the boards nonstop, you would trip me all the time but NEVER go into the box."

Matthew stares at the wall as if to try and remember every detail and you bite your lips not to smile, but it goes noticed.

"You even high-sticked me in the mouth!" He now looks at you again, "And I lost a tooth!"

You bring your hand up to your mouth to control your upcoming laughter and Matthew just sends you a glare.

"Was it your front tooth?" You ask playfully, just making his glare worsen.

You were making fun of him!

"Oh, is this funny to you?" He asks, "Because... Just so you know, it was terrifying to me."

You lay your hand over his leg, which is still under the covers, comfortingly and decide not to hide your smile anymore.

"I'm just making the important questions." You shrug, "Now... Was it your front tooth?"

He stays silent for a few seconds and then lets out a sigh.

"Yeah, it was my front tooth." He whispers, almost as if disappointed with himself.

"Awn." You awe at him and his little sad tone and you get up from the end of the bed.

You sit beside Matt, facing him, and he continues to send you a glare, this time a lighter one.

"No need to worry about my hockey skills like that, Matty." You say teasingly, laying your hand over his naked shoulder, "I know it's hard to accept it, but, sometimes the talent just resides on others."

His glare falls as he looks at you with complete and utter disbelief and you smile brightly at him.

"What? You don't think I could beat you in a game of hockey?" You tease further, "Baby, that dream was just a teaser of the real thing."

Before you could even register that you've ended your sentence, Matthew takes a hold of your hips and lifts you up ever so slightly before throwing you on the center of the bed.

You laugh at he does it and he quickly moves to hover over you, yanking the covers from his legs and laying in between your legs while holding himself up by his arms.

"You're evil." He tells you seriously as you continue to smile brightly at him. "Absolutely vile!"

You giggle as he says the words and your hands lay on his warm shoulders.

Matthew has an idea, and in that split second, he snuggles into your neck, letting his beard tickle you effortlessly, and his hands rest over your sides, over your ribs tickling crazily.

Your laughter feels the room as he lays kisses over the skin of your shoulder and neck, while you try to smack his hands away.

"Wai- wa- wait!" You try to plead in between giggles, "Stop please!"

Matt laughs with you as he continues and your giggles continue to bounce off the walls in the bedroom. The smile on his face is as large as yours, and if you weren’t fighting for air right now, you would be just admiring it.

Out of nowhere, Matthew stops abruptly, letting you finally gasp for air.

"I couldn't breathe!" You squeak at him as he sits back on his knees to stare at you, "My god..." You take a deep breath.

"Take that as half of your punishment." He says while pointing at your out-of-breath self.

"For what?" You lay your hand over your chest.

"Everything you just told me!" He says like it's obvious, "And for beating me in hockey."

I wrote this in like half an hour... Hope you guys like it!

[umbry-fic]

A Palette Full of You (1)

Summary: Glimpses into Colette and Lloyd's lives as they grow up together, learn who they are, and fall in love with each other.

(Written for Colloyd Week 2021)

Fandom: Tales of Symphonia Characters: Lloyd Irving, Colette Brunel, Anna Irving, Kratos Aurion Relationships: Colette Brunel & Lloyd Irving, Colette Brunel/Lloyd Irving Rating: G Chapter: 1 of 6 Word Count: 6218 Mirror Link: AO3 Original Post Date: 09/06/2021

Chapter Title: Castle Invaders!!

Chapter Summary: Colette and Lloyd enjoy a sunny day at the beach as children. A sandcastle is made, but does it continue to stand for long?

(Colloyd Week Day 1: Childhood Friends)

Notes: 1st chapter of my multi-chapter Colloyd week 2021 fic, featuring my headcanon of asexual Colette. It's also a modern AU set in Singapore.

Chapter list Full fic Next chapter

~~~

8-years-old

"Lloyd! The water's here!" Colette called out, setting down the heavy bucket filled with water next to Lloyd. Mission accomplished, and without a single hitch! Mostly. She wasn't going to mention how she nearly spilt all of the water when another girl's arm missed her by a hair's width. Or how her heart was still pounding from the close call. "We can get started with the sandcastle now." Lloyd was so occupied pushing sand into one giant pile that he hadn't even noticed her approach.

Having finally gotten his attention, Lloyd stared at her blankly for a few seconds before seeming to come to his senses. Scrambling to his feet, he began to shovel the pile of sand into the bucket. Overhead, a seagull's cry rent the air, barely audible over the screaming of all the children and adults on the beach that was packed to the brim, the two vastly different in tone. "Thanks, Colette! We might need another bucket of water, though. I don't think this is enough."

"Oh, I can -"

"Nah, I'll get the next one. It would only be fair!" Lloyd grinned a toothy smile at her, prominently displaying the gap from the baby tooth that had merrily vacated his mouth last week. She herself currently had a loose tooth that she absent-mindedly pushed at with her tongue, until she pushed too hard and caused a slight stab of pain. It would likely fall out soon.

"Come on, then! This sandcastle won't build itself alone!" Lloyd said, grabbing her hand with his, rough with the individual granules of sand sticking to it.

Colette giggled and joined him, attempting to lift some of the wet sand from the bucket to start making the base of their castle - only to find that the sand seemed to have solidified into one giant clump that refused to budge from its snug home. Every attempt to separate a tiny handful yielded a sucking sound that seemed to make the sand stick together even more, ever more determined to stay with their granular siblings. With a final huff, she put all her strength behind her arms - only to flop back down onto the beach with nothing in her hands.

"That's - hard!" Lloyd grunted, faced with a similar predicament and having no choice but to give up. The sand would remain in the bucket for the foreseeable future, it seemed. He wiped his hands on his red swimming trunks before offering it to Colette, helping her back up.

"Didn't think the sand would stick together this much," Colette muttered. This was why her father had advised them not to use a bucket, huh? She stole a glance towards the collection of colourful beach umbrellas that was close by, where their parents were taking shelter from the sun. They were sitting on the same striped picnic blanket where breakfast had occurred earlier, having a relaxed conversation over cans of lemonade while keeping a watchful eye on the two of them. Noishe was there too, taking a morning nap by the blanket.

Spotting Colette, her father waved cheerily, before taking another chug from his can.

She and Lloyd had been so excited to finally visit the beach during the March Holidays. They'd been jumping up and down on the car seats, sticking their noses into the window, and chattering non-stop on the journey here, giving Noishe, curled up on Lloyd's lap, no peace to sleep in. Her father, who had been sitting with them in the backseat, had just watched with an exasperated smile, having given up on asking them to calm down when his pleas had fallen on deaf ears.

The two of them would finally get to see the breathtaking ocean they had witnessed multiple times when watching The Little Mermaid, their favourite movie to watch together. Lloyd loved the vibrant ocean and the possibility of an entire unexplored world full of magic under the waves. She liked the colours and the cute designs, and the absolutely beautiful story of true love overcoming all. They’d watched it one time too many, until Flounder and Sebastian easily visited her in her dreams.

Aunt Anna had made clear upon their arrival her two conditions for letting them in the ocean. Firstly, that an adult had to accompany them at all times. Understandable, given the terrifying power of the ocean with its roiling waves, that had only been impressed on her upon actually seeing it with her own eyes. Secondly, and expectedly, that they had to wait an hour after breakfast, the familiar argument of "You have to digest all those cheese sandwiches!" leaving Aunt Anna's mouth.

They might as well make the most of the one hour, so Colette had suggested building a sandcastle to pass the time. It was one of the activities that she thought was a must-do for a first-time beach trip. After all, where else were they going to find all the sand they needed?

Lloyd had happily agreed. She was glad to see him finally perk up after wilting a little at the reminder that he needed to wait - days were much better when they were both smiling, and it wouldn't do for Lloyd to spend his first time at the beach with a frown on his face. So they'd dug up the shovels and the buckets from the car's trunk and set out to make the best sandcastle ever, one that reached the sky! They weren't going to let their lack of experience hinder them!

Perhaps that goal was a tad too ambitious. But that sure wouldn't stop her from trying!

Having made zero progress in getting the sand out of the bucket, Lloyd resorted to upending the bucket and slamming on the bottom with his hands until the sand all came out in a single bucket-shaped mound. Colette spared a worried glance at the plastic bucket, which had let out a groan. She had no clue how sturdy it was. Hopefully, it wouldn't break.

"Come on, Colette, let's do this!"

"Yeah!"

Lloyd knelt to start tamping the sand into shape, and Colette joined him.

"Could you pass the shovel?"

"We're out of water again!"

"How about we try doing this?"

Those were the only words that left their mouths as they worked together, their hands brushing. There was also the occasional peal of laughter that slipped out of either of them at something funny the other had done. Otherwise, they were in perfect sync, without the need to talk. They could just adapt to the other's actions. She remained focussed on her task, tuning out the sounds of life around her and getting her hands covered in sand, until there was even sand under her nails.

The sun continued to get higher on its arc, its rays falling on all the bare skin revealed by her navy blue one-piece swimsuit. It felt like she was roasting alive. Sweat ran down the sides of her face and her throat was dry. A can of cold lemonade sounded really nice now. She was glad, at least, that their parents had insisted they put on sunscreen, and had helped slather the two of them in it from head to toe, Lloyd squirming the whole time. If not for that, she would surely have an excruciating sunburn by now. From what she'd seen of her classmates who had returned from last year's March Holidays with red and peeling skin, she was glad to avoid it.

They made steady progress, bar the few close calls where she nearly flung the shovel into the sandcastle. It slowly took shape with a few more water-gathering trips and repeats of the not very effective bucket-slamming tactic, until finally, it was complete. Even the bucket had survived all the abuse! Colette sat back on her haunches to observe their handiwork, a smile lighting up her face.

Their masterpiece.

Okay, it wasn't a masterpiece. It was nowhere near perfect, or even amazing.

A messy tower stood before her eyes, tapering from a wide base to a thin top. It was tiny at thirty centimetres high. From the middle onwards, the tower slanted to the side, a result of Lloyd pushing just a bit too hard. It resembled the Leaning Tower of Pizza now, but, just like that mysterious tower, their tower was still standing through some unknown magic. Using a random stick he’d picked up off the sand, Lloyd had etched a smiley face with wobbly lines into the side of the tower. He'd stuck the stick into the top to act as a flag, exclaiming that the Disney castle had a flag on top of the main building, so theirs would too! She'd also dug a trench, in which Lloyd had poured the extra seawater remaining in the bucket to create a moat. Now no villain could mount a successful attack on their castle! Not even the Goombas or turtles they stomped every weekend in Super Mario Brothers.

The moat had dried up in seconds as the surrounding sand had absorbed the water, but it was the effort that counted. And it looked cool for a while!

Their castle was pretty average compared to the other ones she could see on the beach, and most definitely was nothing compared to the grand, detailed designs she had seen that one time on TV. But she had fun building it, and it was something she'd made together with Lloyd, so it was worth being proud over. That was all that mattered.

It was nice to imagine their castle standing here for all eternity, even if she knew it wouldn't last once they left. She and Lloyd's castle, powerful and durable, even against the worst of enemies!

"Looks good!" A hand landed on her head, prompting Colette to look up and see Aunt Anna waving a polaroid camera around. She could see her reflection, wide-eyed and smiling, in the sunglasses resting on the bridge of Aunt Anna’s nose. Aunt Anna must really love that pair of sunglasses; she always wore them whenever she was driving her and Lloyd to school in the mornings. To protect her eyes from the sun, and to look stylish while doing so? Who knew.

Aunt Anna had put on a giant sunhat, the brim so wide that it cast a shadow over Colette's face. "Come on, let me take a picture of you two with the sandcastle!" Aunt Anna said, raising the polaroid camera to her eye and miming clicking the button.

After a bunch of poking and prodding from Aunt Anna to get them into the best position, with loud protests from Lloyd’s end, they were finally ready to have their photo taken. For the sandcastle to actually show up in the picture, they had to stand behind it. Lloyd looped his arm around her shoulder, while she gave Lloyd bunny ears with her fingers. She would never give up the opportunity to do so. "Say cheese!" Aunt Anna yelled, raising the polaroid camera with a massive smile and clicking the button, the camera emitting a flash of light that blinded Colette for an instant.

"Can I move now, Mom? And can we finally go swimming? Pleaseeeeee?" Lloyd whined, plopping back down onto the sand before he even received his answer. Colette blinked rapidly, still trying to get rid of the spots in her vision.

"Oh, the pictures are gonna turn out sooooo cute," Aunt Anna muttered, retrieving the printed-out polaroid from the camera and beginning to shake it, waiting for it to develop. She glanced at Lloyd, sulking in the sand, and gave him the thumbs-up. Lloyd perked up immediately and scrambled to his feet to run off, only to stop in his tracks after hearing Aunt Anna's next words. "Wait a moment, would you? Your father is gonna follow you and he's still coming over."

"Dad! Hurry up!" Lloyd yelled, impatiently hopping from one leg to the other as Uncle Kratos leisurely walked over. Noishe, having finally caught up on his beauty sleep, ran over too, barking in excitement. Colette giggled, crouching down and reaching her hand out for Noishe to bump his snout against with every round he made around Lloyd's legs. Would Noishe be joining them in the ocean? It was against the rules to bring dogs into the swimming pool, but there was no such rule here. Maybe Noishe secretly liked water! There was no better chance to find out!

And the more the merrier!

"No going further than the bobbing spheres, okay? And stay close to your father!"

"I know, Mom! I know! You told me this three times already!"

"Just checking," Anna replied cheerfully, ruffling Lloyd's hair and prompting a scowl to pop onto Lloyd’s face.

"You got it too, right?" Her father asked her, having come up behind her.

"Yes, Dad!" Colette replied, getting to her feet and preparing to run down to the ocean. "I promise I'll -"

Unfortunately, Colette didn’t get to finish her sentence. One small step forward and her foot caught instantly against the spare shovel still sticking up in the sand, which had completely escaped her notice. Everyone, even Noishe, stopped what they were doing. All three adults stretched out their arms in a desperate attempt to stop her fall, but they were too far away to have any hope of catching her. Flailing her arms, she fell, the world seeming to go by in slow motion as the tower of golden sand became increasingly larger in her vision.

Until she crashed right through the tower she and Lloyd had spent the last hour crafting, in her unstoppable path to face-planting on the beach. Her hand felt the roughness of tightly-packed sand as that sand exploded in every direction. Closing her eyes against the rain of sand, she threw her arms out to cushion her fall, finally landing on the sand.

The action now over, Colette pushed herself into a sitting position, wincing. No visible wounds anywhere. No blood. No lasting pain. At least the sand was somewhat soft.

Oh no… Heart sinking in her chest, she stared at the mess that had once been a glorious sandcastle, now just a sad misshapen mound of sand. The top of the tower had been scattered everywhere.

She could feel everyone’s eyes on her, an awkward silence arising even as noise continued to surround them. She'd ruined everything with her clumsiness again... She wanted to hide, but there was nowhere to hide out here in the open. Maybe she could dig a hole in the sand and hide forever...

"Colette! Are you alright?" Lloyd’s voice broke the silence, a helping hand offered to her as he stared down in concern.

"Yeah." She took his hand, using her other to try brushing off the grains of sand now sticking to her whole body. There was so much... She'd never get all of it off. She opened her mouth, ready to apologise.

“Come on, there’s no time!” Lloyd interrupted before she could even say anything, tugging on her hand as he had done before. She was being pulled in the direction of the waves, stumbling a little in surprise at the sudden movement. “Our castle was attacked by enemies, and they’ve fled to the water! We need to pursue them! Right?”

Lloyd winked at her, a huge grin on his face. She could read the message in his actions loud and clear: there was no need to apologise. Just get back to the fun!

“Right!” She replied, wiping the hesitance from her expression and replacing it with a smile, worries already forgotten. The ocean would be one solution to all the sand stuck to her skin!

“Race you!” Lloyd yelled, letting go of her hand and abruptly taking off. She cried out indignantly in response, chasing after him as fast as she could, Noishe following hot on their heels with his tongue lolling out of his mouth, ears flapping up and down. Their yells about being first to get in the ocean reached Kratos’ ears, who simply sighed at their familiar antics.

~~~

“Here,” Lloyd said, pressing something small into her palm. He and Colette were both drenched from head to toe from all the swimming and water wars that had occurred. The tips of her hair brushed her shoulders, leaving tiny trails of water behind and causing water droplets to slide down her arms. Not even Noishe had been spared, shaking his matted fur furiously. The water had been colder than she'd expected, but all the running around had helped to combat it. In fact, she was exhausted from all the activity, the smile on her face so wide her cheeks hurt and her throat hoarse from all the screaming and laughter.

Now that they were on dry ground again, they were standing by the picnic blanket, waiting for their parents to return with towels. Whereafter their parents would hold the familiar ritual of smothering them with towels, squeezing each strand of hair dry.

In her hand was a seashell, rough against her skin - not the stereotypical blue ones that were always on the pages of the Chinese textbook whenever the ocean was mentioned, with its fan shape and equally-spaced out ridges - but rather an off-white colour, fantastically curved with little spikes sticking out of it to form a geometric pattern. It had a gaping opening that revealed its pink insides.

“Dad said it's called a conch shell,” Lloyd explained. “Snails hide in them, but this one is empty. I found it just now!”

“Oh, it’s so pretty! I haven’t been able to find any...” She’d been scouring the beach to no success. The most she’d spotted among the sand were tiny fragments of what had once been seashells, smashed to smithereens by the wrath of the ocean.

“Put it against your ear! I tried it, and it really works!”

“The sound of the ocean...?”

Colette lifted the conch shell, aligning the hole with her ear and closing her eyes to listen closely, covering her other ear with her hand. She and Lloyd had read about this many times before - how a shell contained the entire ocean within it.

And it did. It was a strange, mysterious sound - like there was water within the small shell lapping against its walls, somehow, even though that wasn’t the case, for any water would have leaked out of the opening by now. It was almost like she herself was surrounded by the ocean, as the shell in her hand must have been as it was carried by the currents to stop on this beach. What a lonely journey that must have been, alone in the deep darkness.

She opened her eyes to see Lloyd’s smiling face, his hand gently pulling hers away from her ears.

“Did you hear it?”

“Yeah. That was incredible...”

“Well, the shell is for you.” Lloyd gestured, grinning.

“Oh, really?” She gasped. “No, you found it, so it should be yours!”

Colette tried to pass it back to Lloyd, but he refused. He only closed her fingers around the shell with his hand before hopping just out of arm's reach. Infuriating.

“Nah, it’s fine! Keep it! I insist!”

Colette pouted, knowing Lloyd wouldn’t budge on the issue. There were times she wished he wasn’t so stubborn. There was no way she was going to win this.

“I’m sorry I can’t give you one in return… I can try and find one now!” she suggested, already scanning the beach as she took a step forward.

“No need for that!” Lloyd reassured her, returning to her side and grabbing her arm to stop her. “Mom said we aren’t staying here for much longer after we’re done cleaning up. You can just make it up to me some other time.”

“Alright! That’s a promise, then. Thank you for the gift,” Colette said, feeling the ridges of the seashell dig into her skin as she tightened her hold. They had gifted each other little trinkets like these many times before, mostly curious objects they came across whenever they played at the playground. She kept every single gift from Lloyd, just as she would this one. Anything she got from her best friend was precious.

Colette could see the adults walking over in the corner of her vision, holding the aforementioned towels and… Popsicles! Oh, those would be delicious. But it also meant her time at the beach was coming to a close.

Colette knew she wouldn’t ever forget this day. This sunny day, filled with joy, fun and wonder…

~~~

28-years-old

"Remember this one?" Lloyd laughed, pointing to the open scrapbook sitting in his lap. His finger sat on a polaroid that was held in place on the page by 4 pieces of cellophane tape, one of which was crooked, and another of which was starting to peel. Colette tapped her finger on the yellowing polaroid as well, recalling how she had gotten it from Aunt Anna and proceeded to stick it in her sketchbook. Words filled the rest of the page, denoting the events of the day, together with a doodle of a seagull sitting on a giant seashell. If she recalled correctly, this was one of the last pages of her scrapbook before she'd gotten too busy to keep it up. It was fun while it lasted, though, absolutely cramming the border of each page with a horrendous amount of washi tape.

She and Lloyd's happy faces peered up at her from the polaroid, a tiny, not very impressive sandcastle visible in front of them. The weather on that day, a foggy memory but not forgotten, for it could never be truly forgotten, couldn't be any more of a contrast to the rain currently slapping against the windows of their apartment, turning the world outside into pure white as the rain obscured all. The wind howled and caused the window panes to rattle in their housings. The air was chilly, fogging up the windows and further blocking their view of the world outside.

Colette should have been shivering on the bed in her denim shorts, but she was nice and toasty instead, legs covered by a thick blanket. She was resting against the backboard, legs stretched out, hair falling to mid-back in messy tangles. The blanket itself had the sewn pattern of dogs doing various things: jumping over fences, dozing off on clouds, running with bones in their mouths. It was adorable! And most of all, it reminded her of another dog who used to run circles around her feet and snuggle on the blankets with her, but who was no longer with them.

She’d even gone the extra mile and put on socks and a hoodie. Lloyd had taken one look at her and… hadn’t done anything else, because this was normal behaviour from her when she was cold. He’d long since accepted it.

Plus, she was leaning against the ultimate source of warmth! Lloyd, who was also under the blanket, legs pressed snugly against hers. Just as always, he could somehow survive the cold in just jeans and an old T-shirt, showing absolutely no signs of being affected. No shivers, nothing. It was impressive. He took "warm-blooded" to the next level.

Her entire body still felt tingly from the cups of hot coffee that Lloyd had brewed in the kitchen earlier. He’d done hers perfectly without even having to ask, the knowledge of how to do so having long been ingrained in his memory. “Precisely half a teaspoon of sugar and half a cup of milk,” he’d said in a sing-song manner, the warm orange of the kitchen’s ceiling light falling upon him and his gentle smile as she’d stood next to him cutting apples. The rhythmic sound of the knife hitting the cutting board, the clinking of the metal spoon against the side of the porcelain cup, and the thudding of raindrops against the window had been the only sounds filling the kitchen.

They’d drunk the coffee first, backs against the countertop and their eyes meeting across the rims of their cups, his hand finding hers in the little space between them. The hot liquid had slid down their throats with ease, settling warm in their bellies. Having drunk his coffee all at one go as he always did, Lloyd had waited for her to finish. He hadn’t said a single word, preferring to maintain the comfortable silence. The only thing he’d done was rub her fingers with his thumb.

They’d then taken turns popping the apple slices in each other’s mouths, the flesh crunchy when they sank their teeth into it, the sweet juice from the fresh fruit a refreshing contrast from the bitter liquid they’d just consumed. Lloyd, as messy an eater as always, had left little bits of apple at the corner of his mouth like tiny yellow spots that she’d had to brush away with her fingers.

Today was Sunday, the day where they both didn't have work to do, unless they were handling some big project with a pending deadline, and had some time to themselves. Their favourite activities to do on this wonderful day of the week included marathoning Disney movies, playing video games together, and going out to their favourite destinations. They also weren't opposed to just lounging on bed together, or taking some alone time.

But today was also a rainy day. She'd actually been woken up by the first claps of thunder in the early morning. The rain had no business being this heavy after the conclusion of the monsoon season, but Mother Nature was fickle, and they could do nothing but accept their given lot. No going out to the Botanic Gardens as they'd originally planned. The only thing they could do was stay home, unless they wanted to catch a cold on purpose.

It was Lloyd who had found her old scrapbook in a corner of their room while aimlessly wandering around the apartment, the book having gathered a thin layer of dust that made her sneeze when he brought it over. She'd forgotten it was sitting on one of the shelves. He had suggested looking over it, since they had nothing better to do. They had just gone through Frozen, Tangled and The Little Mermaid last week - the plots were still fresh in their minds. More fresh than usual. She could recite the entire script of The Little Mermaid from memory if she needed to.

What better time was there to reminisce than with their second anniversary coming up? What better place to do so than in the bedroom they shared, its corners teeming with keepsakes and memories, absolutely overflowing with their love for each other? Just being in here for a minute was enough to make her heart feel warm.

The framed pictures hanging on the walls and sitting on the nightstand - of them and their parents; of the two of them under a sky full of stars; of them and their friends, laughing and popping bottles of wine, fitted in elegant dresses and stylish suits. There were many more pictures, kept in the various albums lining the bookshelf above the bed, which she occasionally took down to look through on days when she was feeling rather nostalgic. Staring up at her from the pages were contented faces from all throughout time, allowing her to track her progress from days long past to the person she was today.

The Siberian Husky plushie she was currently hugging to her chest. The soft fur felt incredible to the touch, and it was so comforting to just run her hands through the fur, tightening her fingers on tufts of it. Behind those beady black eyes were more, however, a significance that no one else but herself could see. A precious memory of a carnival and the time they were finally honest with each other; a step she had been terrified to take but which she’d mustered up the courage to, in order to join Lloyd at the other end of the open door and grab the encouraging hand he offered her. She had stumbled many times along the way, but Lloyd had steadied her every time. She’d gambled on the chance, but it had all been worth it - for she had managed to find her home in Lloyd, and it had all led to the beautiful life she led today, where she got to see his happiness every day.

The wall painted over with galaxies, swirls of pinks and purples and blues, and a single adorable dog in a spacesuit, which they had hand-painted when they first moved in until they were both splattered with paint and giggling.

And of course, the two matching, nondescript metal bands, one lying atop the other on the nightstand.

"You destroyed the sandcastle not soon after, right?" Lloyd said.

"Hey!" Colette pouted, poking Lloyd's side. "Don't tease me."

Lloyd shifted his body away from her attacking finger, still smiling warmly. "I'm not teasing you. I'm just stating what happened." He turned around and retaliated by poking her on the nose, sending her reeling back in a fit of giggles. "It was fun, though!"

"It was," she agreed, struggling to hold back further laughter, bubbling up within her chest like an uncontrollable fountain. “You gifted me a conch shell afterwards. Remember?”

“Of course I remember, silly. It’s sitting on your shelf right now.”

That it was. She’d kept it all these years, the passage of time causing its colour to fade. In all other aspects, it was perfectly conserved, looking just the same as it had on the day he’d pressed it into her hand. She lifted it up to her ear sometimes, just to listen to the sound of the ocean.

Colette flipped to the next page of the scrapbook, looking over all of the memories contained there. Her childhood had been filled with joy, in no small part due to Lloyd, who took every opportunity he could to make her days fun-filled and exciting as he strived to make her face light up with a smile. There were moments where she was suddenly overwhelmed with a great sense of gratefulness for the fact that, out of an infinite number of possible outcomes, she had met Lloyd when she was young. For she was so incredibly fortunate, more fortunate than most, to have met someone who loved and accepted her for everything that she was.

She placed one hand on his cheek, fingers splayed, and turned his head to face her, his warmth spreading through her cold fingers from that one point of contact. Lloyd leaned automatically into her touch.

“Colette...?” Lloyd whispered, leaning automatically into her touch. His eyes searched hers, as he slowly came to understand what she was about to do. This close, she could make out each individual eyelash, attached to the eyelids that fluttered closed over russet eyes. Most people would conclude Lloyd was plain. Average, even. There’d been people who asked her upfront why she’d chosen to settle for him, when according to their honest opinion, her beauty could have landed her much better. They didn’t understand. She was the one fortunate enough to know his love and the miracle of such an incredible person staying by her side when there were so many things she couldn’t give him. A relationship with any other person would have been easier for him, filled with far less of a need for compromise, but he’d chosen her in the end.

Besides, there was beauty in plainness. The daisies that were ignored in favour of the orchids, the mynahs that were overlooked for the orioles. There was beauty to be found there, in the most ordinary of things, the ones people saw every day and had ceased to notice. It was a beauty she itched to capture.

Lloyd, to her, was the most beautiful of them all, a rare treasure that had somehow landed in her hands.

“Shh,” she whispered in return, eyes fluttering shut as she closed the small distance between them. She pressed her lips against his slowly, trying to push behind this one action - the gift she was currently giving - every ounce of the love and appreciation she felt at the moment, enough to fill her heart to the brim. It’d been a while since she’d done this. Two months, maybe? It was a little overdue, having slipped her mind for a time as it always did, no matter how hard she tried to remember. If not for the reminder that had pinged on her phone this morning and made the issue fresh in her mind again, she might have gone another month. She’d have to give him more soon, as per her end of the compromise they had both agreed upon when they’d first started dating, which had served them well all these years. He'd said before that he was alright with getting nothing at all, but that didn't sit right with her. She didn't think it would be fair for him to be the only person giving something up.

Kisses and anything further were always up to her to initiate, since Lloyd, as he’d told her time and time again, wanted her to be comfortable in everything she did. He’d never forced anything on her, content to wait patiently for her to feel ready, whether it be in an hour, a day, a year, or never, perfectly willing to compose their entire relationship on quiet moments spent together and nothing more. She still occasionally struggled with the idea that he was far more than she could ever deserve, even as he gripped her hand tightly and told her she was worth everything. It was getting better with every day she spent in his loving company, the extensive wounds left on her heart in her younger days by a world that told her she would never be enough slowly starting to heal. There would always be scars, but those would fade one day until they were barely visible, until the twinges of pain could barely be felt.

Lloyd’s lips were a little chapped from the cold, unmoving against hers, still tasting faintly of the sweet apple slices from thirty minutes ago. All in all, a pleasant experience.

After a second of shocked stillness, Lloyd came to life again, a small sigh leaving his lips and brushing against hers. His hand came up to cup her ear, his fingers curling in her hair as he kissed her back with nothing but gentleness, always mindful of her boundaries and never pushing her any further. Of course, he had boundaries too. If he’d decided to pull back, she would have respected it. It was the bare minimum she could do for him.

Thirty seconds passed and she pulled away, though not too far, opening her eyes to stare into his. Their hands remained where they were, connecting the two of them.

“Where did that come from?” His words became butterflies, brushing their soft wings against her lips. He tucked her hair behind her ear, his fingers stroking the skin above her ear with the tenderness he always showed her.

“I just felt like saying thank you.” For everything. For all their years together. For all the love he showed her. For the knowledge that Lloyd would continue to stay in her life, for the rest of her time on this wondrous Earth.

Not that long ago, she would have broken away and covered her face with the plushie that was still in her arms, cheeks flushed and too embarrassed to meet Lloyd’s eyes, preferring that he talk to the plushie instead of her. Much like the first kiss, unconventional as it was, that they had shared. Now she could stare unflinchingly with confidence to witness the happiness that bloomed like the most incredible flower on his face.

“Thank you. For the gift,” Lloyd replied, always seconds away from showing his appreciation.

“Shall we look through the rest?” she asked, removing her hand from his cheek to cover the one he had placed on her face, her fingers slotting in perfectly between his as she smiled sweetly.

Here was her sanctuary, where all she knew was serenity and the warmth of loving and being loved.

“Let’s.”

~~~

“Mm.”

Lloyd froze in the middle of flipping to the next page of the scrapbook, watching Colette with eagle eyes. Had he…

But she didn't seem to have awakened. Not really. She made no other sound, only tightened the hold of her arms around his midriff, her face buried in his side and the rest of her lying on her side on the bed. He'd resorted to holding the scrapbook up in order not to accidentally jolt her out of her peaceful sleep. So far, his arms had not started to hurt yet.

Lloyd heaved a sigh of relief, tucking the entirety of the blanket tightly around her shoulders, leaving himself uncovered. Now, swaddled in the blanket, she resembled a cocoon. Adorable. And also what tended to happen each night, as she ended up stealing the blanket eight nights out of ten.

Satisfied that Colette was soundly asleep, Lloyd returned to perusing the contents of the scrapbook, a small smile playing on his lips.

And silence reigned supreme, interrupted only by quiet breathing and the crinkle of paper.

~~~

Next chapter

[evolutionsvoid]

When it comes to dangerous creatures and ferocious monsters, many folk think of carnivores and vicious predators. Those who feast on flesh, tearing through prey with tooth and claw. No one pays any mind to the herbivores, as they eat simple plants, how scary could that be? Well, in truth, this plant-eaters can be plenty dangerous and there are those that the carnivores dare not touch. One may argue that predators eat these herbivores, so clearly they are dominant! However, a keen eye will notice that many predators seek out the young, old and weak, those that are easy prey. For some species, a healthy adult is untouchable, only attacked in desperate times. In some cases, this is done because one wants to conserve energy, so it is best to take the easier meal. In other cases, these herbivores are dangerous foes that can strike deadly blows or wound a predator so badly that they will never be able to hunt again. One's diet does not determine one's threat level, so one should be mindful before making such assumptions. A good example of this is the Khalkotauroi, a herbivorous behemoth that walks the grasslands and savannas. Though it feeds on grass, leaves and other plant matter, it is considered one of the most dangerous creatures of the continent. A hulking ungulate, the Khalkotauroi is actually related to the Catoblepas, as one can see in certain features. It possess the prehensile lower lip, the scaly armor and the long serpentine tail. The biggest noticeable difference, though, is that this beast does not drag its head on the ground. Instead it has quite the short sturdy neck, meaning it can function like any other animal on the savanna. Since it does not have to crawl with its face, this species is much more mobile. They still walk along at a leisurely pace, but if angered, they can charge with incredible speed and force. That is another thing about the Khalkotauroi, they are absolute powerhouses. Their bodies are packed with pure muscle, with backs practically bulging with all this strength. One's charge has the power to knock over a tree or barrel through a wall, which means that us much squishier things would pretty much burst on impact. A thick neck allows them to absorb a whole lot of shock from the attack, and it also gives them the ability to toss things around like toys. A pair of thorny, heavily armored horns is their main weapon, and they are things to be feared. Not only will they gore you, but you can get caught in them and thrashed about. The metallic shell on these horns is incredibly strong, able to deflect sword strikes and ignore a whole lot of punishment. This same armoring coats most of their body, which makes them even more intimidating. Thick scales give them an incredible amount of protection, making it difficult for any attacker to leave a serious wound. The bottom of their jaw and the back of their legs are the only places where one could get a hit off, but these areas are not very easy to reach when this beast is charging you. While it does not eat meat and it gains nothing from taking down another animal, Khalkotauroi often cause injury and death due to a rather short fuse. They are easily angered and they are quick to get defensive when approached by an unknown creature. Like Catoblepas, they have quite poor eye sight and thus rely on smell to truly understand their surroundings. Odors of danger or strange beings can put them on edge, and they are quick to defend themselves if something startles them in this state. Since smell is a big thing for them, a misunderstanding in a hectic situation can lead to an attack. My guides said that approaching one while drenched in a familiar odor is not a foolproof plan. If the wind changes and they catch the smell of a predator, they will get defensive. And if you happen to be in front of them in this state and make a sudden move, they will assume you are a part of the danger and charge. I certainly didn't need to be told to stay far from them, but this adds to the huge pile of reasons to keep your distance. This defensive nature and anger is also extended to their young, as they are very protective of their calves. Getting anywhere near a baby Khalkotauroi is a recipe for disaster, as their mother isn't the only one who will maul you for this sin. All Khalkotauroi keep an eye out for each other, and they will work in a group if threatened. Even their Catoblepas cousins are roped into this, though they rarely need defending. Living in a poison cloud means that a lot of enemies aren't going to visit you at home.   The rage of a Khalkotauroi is a well known thing, as they are essentially living battering rams. Fences, walls and any other obstacle is easily barreled through, and the whip of an angry tail can send a man flying. Loud snorts and pawing at the ground are clear signs of anger, but the biggest signal comes from their nose and mouth. Much like their Catoblepas cousins, they possess special organs that collect certain fluids from the plants they eat. These same organs secrete their own special compound, mixing it all into a particular substance. This soup is turned into a vapor and it can be expelled from the nose or mouth. This vapor is quite flammable, igniting at the slightest spark. This spark is provided by their tusks, which contain properties that are similar to flint and steel. With quick jaw movements, they can grind these teeth together and cause sparking, which will ignite the expelled vapor. So when a Khalkotauroi is angry, it will literally have flames bursting from its jaws! Though an intimidating sight to see, the fire itself isn't all that dangerous. The vapor burns quickly and the fire doesn't create that much heat. Getting hit by a puff of this flame may singe your foliage and hair, but it won't incinerate you like dragon fire. They don't really use the flames as projectile, rather the heat stays all around the head. That means if you are stuck on its horns, than maybe you are going to start cooking up. In reality, these bursts of fire are more for intimidation and distraction, scaring away attackers or disorienting them long enough to get gored. I see this application quite often in conversation about this species. When I bring up the Khalkotauroi, many are quick to mention the fire and say how scary it is. I often shoot back that the charging horned beast is the thing that I find quite scarier. Singed leaves are unpleasant, but having my body turned to mulch is a bit worse! The fire they produce may also be used to burn off the irritating hairs and nasty thorns of certain plants, making them more palatable. It is a behavior that is quite similar to the Crystal Horn, though they rely more on focused light rather than belched flame.       

With their immense strength, impenetrable armor and nasty temper, many people tend to see nothing else in these beasts. However, one may be surprised to learn that the Khalkotauroi are rather intelligent. They seem to be quite observant and a bit curious, both of which they use to learn and adapt. When some new object shows up in their territory, they are always quick to check it out and prod it with their lower lip. Land owners who put up fences or new structures can be sure that the local Khalkotauroi will be inspecting these recent additions. While some may chalk it up to normal curiosity and common threat assessment, locals have found these creatures actually learning the purpose and functions of these things. Though big and bulky, their prehensile lower lip can actually allow them to perform these functions after careful observations! Quite a few farmers I met regaled me of their first time they saw a Khalkotauroi unlatch their gate and stroll right onto their property. Though I think such a thing would be incredible to watch, the storytellers were not so thrilled about suddenly having these massive creatures near their crops and homes! It sounds like that most Khalkotauroi have mastered simple doors and gates, which means folk need to add extra layers and complexities to their barriers to prevent these beasts from easily flinging them open. I have also been told that Khalkotauroi have come up with interesting behaviors when it comes to the dry season. Though their eye sight isn't all that great, they can still pick out silhouettes, and a shape they are quite familiar with is that of a human carrying a pot or urn on their head. When water is scarce, the Khalkotauroi will follow these folk as they know that they are headed towards water. Of course not every person has to draw water from a watering hole, as many towns and villages have wells and other ways to gather this precious liquid. Well, the Khalkotauroi have learned that too. There have been stories of these creatures trying to get into a village's stored water, and one instance where a Khalkotauroi actually figured out how to pull the rope that brings forth a bucket of well water! The other thing that shows the intelligence of the Khalkotauroi is their memory. They appear to remember every place they have visited, even when they were calves. Water holes or feeding grounds they haven't seen in decades can still be easily found, and they are sure to bring their young along so that they can learn too. They also are able to remember certain individuals, which they often identify through smell. This brings up a rather fascinating thing about Khalkotauroi and one of the big reasons they are infamous to locals and hunters. Not only do they remember specific people or creatures, they associate these beings with certain things. There is a tale of a farmhand who was responsible for dumping any food waste or rotten produce from their farm, which they often pitched in the same spot every day. Eventually the Khalkotauroi came to recognize this location as a reliable source of food. From that point on, the farmhand would find these beasts waiting patiently for the regular delivery at the same time every day. Though terrified at first, the fellow found that they were quite friendly and peaceful towards him. The farmhand found these interactions pleasant, but never thought too much about them. He brought food and that was all they really cared about. Months down the road, though, and he found himself in peril. While out on the road to visit family, he was ambushed by bandits and captured. His attempts to defend himself angered the thieves and they gave him quite the thrashing. As they beat him, there was a deafening bellow and something massive came charging out of the grass. An enraged Khalkotauroi plowed through the bandits, sending everyone running. Each thief was chased down and ground to paste, but the angry beast brought no harm to the farmhand. It was later found that this Khalkotauroi was one that visited the dumping ground daily, and it recognized the man who brought the food. Hearing his friend in pain and peril, it came rushing to the rescue! It is quite a wonderful tale, and it goes to show how smart these beasts can be. However, a memory that can help remember a friend can also remember a foe. It turns out that Khalkotauroi can hold grudges. The most well known tale of this behavior is the story of Gnarl Horn, a rather famous Khalkotauroi that prowled near the town of Ndiounda. Gnarl Horn was a full grown bull that was identified by a twisted overgrown horn, which was probably due to an injury that occurred in his youth. Larger than all others of his kind, he was said to be the undisputed king of the territory, and that no predator dared show their face when he was around. All the townsfolk treated Gnarl Horn with respect and they dared not cross him even when he wandered into town. He was a notable specimen of his kind with an unique appearance, which obviously meant that some rich elite jerkbag would want to kill it and turn him into a trophy. Some far-off wealthy lord known as Hagen prided himself on being a big game hunter and saw Gnarl Horn as a must-have for his trophy room. So he sailed off and went to Ndiounda in hopes of bagging this behemoth, which the locals did not appreciate. They forbid anyone to hunt Gnarl Horn and refused to help the man. So instead of taking the hint, he decided to hire some shady folk to serve as guides so that he could claim his prize. They tracked down the beast and found him grazing in a herd of fellow herbivores. Knowing simple weapons were ineffective against the armored hide, Hagen decided to construct pitfalls and leg traps that would topple Gnarl Horn and leave him vulnerable. The group then had the genius idea of setting off explosive seed pods to whip the herd into a panic. The cacophony they made sent every creature into a frenzy, resulting in a stampede. Everyone had to duck and cover as the chaos ensued, only emerging when the craze had passed. The aftermath showed several ungulates that had fallen into the traps and crippled themselves, as well as a bunch that had been tripped by placed foot holds and were trampled to death in the panic. All in all, it was a horrible scene of misery and terrible waste of life. And of course, Gnarl Horn was nowhere to be found. Somehow having no remorse for his stupid actions, Hagen retired to the camp to plot out another way to take down the beast. As they prepared for dinner, though, their quarry made a violent appearance. Gnarl Horn came charging into camp, tearing through the tents and goring one of the guides. They all fled the scene in a panic, retreating to a place where the enraged creature couldn't reach them. After Gnarl Horn gave up and left, they went back to their shredded camp and gathered what remained. They set up their station elsewhere, and Hagen was determined more than ever to beat these behemoth. When he went out to hunt the next morning, Gnarl Horn appeared once again and attacked. Few more guides and helpers were killed in the assault, but even when Hagen escaped, the terror was not over. For the next two days, Gnarl Horn continued to ambush and attack the group at every turn. Finally his guides abandoned him and fled, leaving Hagen to fend for himself. With all his equipment and preparations shattered by this furious creature, he had no choice but to flee. He abandoned his quest and sailed home, vowing to return and kill the behemoth. While the locals were happy to see the rich fool get driven off, they wondered what had infuriated Gnarl Horn to this degree. Eventually the guides were tracked down and questioned, and it was revealed that a few of them returned to the scene of the failed hunt to collect what they could from the collateral casualties. They didn't want the meat and resources to go to waste, as Hagen left the mangled bodies where they lie due to their poor condition. When inspecting the scene, they found the crushed body of a Khalkotauroi calf, who had been trampled amidst the chaos. No one can really confirm if this calf was Gnarl Horn's offspring or not, but such a loss regardless would be enough to drive the beast mad. Years after the incident, Hagen returned to Ndiounda to try and take down Gnarl Horn again. This trip lasted only two days, as the beast attacked hours after Hagen had set foot in the wilderness. After the first assault, no one dared help him or offer him sanctuary. The townsfolk wouldn't even let him into the town, as Gnarl Horn pursued Hagen even into populated areas and didn't care what got smashed during his rage. With no place hide, he was forced to quit once again. A few years after that, he came back for a different hunting expedition in another part of the territory, eyeing a tamer prize. Four days into his expedition, Gnarl Horn exploded onto the scene and tore through the party, leading to another retreat. From then on, Hagen refused to return to that land as long as Gnarl Horn lived. Eventually, the beast's reign came to an end. Old and weary, Gnarl Horn was found one day lying underneath a mango tree in a local farm. Lazily eating the fallen fruit, he simply sat there for three days, never moving from the spot. On the fourth day, the villagers had found that he had passed in the night. The whole town held a ceremony for the great giant, and news of the funeral reached Hagen's ears. Gleeful that the terrible creature had finally died, he set up another hunting expedition in the territory to celebrate. Longing to bag some game from this savanna, he trekked out into the wilderness and was promptly attacked by a young bull Khalkotauroi. Hagen was run through by its horns and crushed against a mango tree. After Hagen was dead, the bull simply turned around and left, ignoring the horrified guides. It seems that the Khalkotauroi can pass down a lot of things to their young. In the regions they call home, the thoughts on the Khalkotauroi is a bit of a mixed bag. Many are proud of such a powerful and adaptive beast, as it serves as a perfect symbol for strength. Their impenetrable scales serve as great materials for armor and equipment, and those that can summon it through Thericorium will have a great coat of armor to wear into battle. The issue with all this, though, is actually killing one of these beasts to obtain it. Due to their anger and armor, they are not easy beasts to slay, which is extra problematic when they become a nuisance. Eating crops and wandering into towns is a bit of an issue, but trying to drive it away can cause untold destruction. Thus locals have to continually adapt to these learning creatures, finding new ways to keep them out and away from their property. Some have considered domesticating the Khalkotauroi, as they would be great beasts of burden and they are capable of learning. This does sound good on paper, as you could train them with gifts of food, but there is a catch. While they can associate certain folk with good things like treats and kindness, this will not apply to everyone they meet. So you may be able to dance all around your trained pal without any issue, but the second a stranger is added into the mix, then it may lead to disaster. Also they could get protective over you like they do their young, and try to charge to the rescue if you sound like you are in danger. It may sound cool, but it really isn't when you argue with your spouse over who is doing the dishes and then your guardian bursts through the wall and your partner.               Chlora Myron Dryad Natural Historian --------------------------------------------- So it turns out Khalkotauroi are not just "bronze bulls" like I thought, but turns out their real descriptions say they are just bulls with bronze mouths and hooves. which are literally the only two parts of this beast I didn't make armored. Great job, idiot. Also the story of Gnarl Horn was supposed to be a throwaway line that would speak of their ability to hold grudges, but I got bored at work one day and started thinking too much about it. So in the end, one sentence wound up being three paragraphs (which could have been longer if I wanted to add the details about his funeral, burial, supposed haunting and the mango tree, but those details probably aren't necessary). Oops!

[7-wonders]

I love Daddy Michael ! I would like how he will react when his little bub will grow. First step, first tooth, first word...

I love this so much! Here we go, baby Langdon’s milestones! Let me know if you want some more of this; I’ll be putting this under a ‘read more’ since it’s so damn long.

First tooth--

Michael, to put it lightly, is exhausted. You both knew that having a baby wasn’t going to be a walk in the park, but neither of you anticipated just how much stress went into being first-time parents. It’s a full-time, 24/7 job, on top of carrying out the apocalypse. However wiped-out Michael is, he knew it couldn’t compare how drained you are. His heart aches for you when you’re forced to get up every two hours to feed the baby, often taking at least an hour to soothe your child back to sleep. Michael’s gone on business far more often than he wished to be, leaving you to attend to the baby’s needs by yourself. 

When he returned this morning from a meeting with a couple of the world leaders who will be responsible for launching the nukes, the house was far too quiet for his liking. He’s always had the underlying fear that you’ll up and leave him one day with no warning, and that fear suddenly comes to the forefront of his mind when he can’t hear any signs of life. Michael starts to dart from room to room, coming to a stop when he finally picks up on the baby’s cooing noises from the nursery. He peeks his head in, not wanting to disturb you if you’re trying to get the baby to sleep. Instead, his stomach drops in pity and sympathy.

You’re sitting on the rug, back pressed against the crib as your shoulders are wracked with sobs. Baby’s laying on the play rug that’s set up beside you, happily babbling and attempting to grab at the small toys that dangle just above the set of chubby hands. Michael falls to his knees beside you, pulling your hands into his and kissing the tears that track down your cheeks. 

“My love, what’s wrong?” He asks in concern.

“I’m sorry, I probably look so pathetic right now.” Michael starts to reassure you, but you just continue talking. “I’m just--I’m so tired, and-and Bub only wants to play and absolutely refuses to nap, and I know that you hired some very capable nannies but the thought of anyone else watching our baby just terrifies me. I can’t--I can’t do that.”

“Hey, shh, don’t worry. You don’t have to do anything you’re uncomfortable with.” Michael pulls you into his arms, hugging you tightly and trying to calm you down. “Why don’t you go take a long shower or bath, and then you can go get some sleep?”

“But...what about the-”

“I am Bub’s other parent, darling. You’re off the clock tonight, and that’s final. You need to rest, or else you’re going to burn yourself out.”

“Are you sure?”

“Absolutely.” Michael plays with the wedding ring on your finger before standing and pulling you up with him.

“Alright,” you say in an unsure tone, “but come get me if the baby needs to be fed.” There’s plenty of milk stored in the freezer for the baby, and you both know that, but you just don’t want to be failing as a mother in any way.

Two hours later, and things are going great. You haven’t tried to disobey Michael once, the baby’s been fed and bathed, and Michael’s feeling overall accomplished. The odd fussiness of baby, however, throws the blond Antichrist off of his rhythm. Since birth, the baby’s been so calm, always observing everything that’s going on with wide eyes. Today, though, has been a complete change in the baby’s burgeoning personality.

“C’mon, lovey, what’s the matter?” Michael questions tiredly, rubbing the baby’s small back. The little red cheeks, angry from constant whining, makes Michael’s heart melt. He’s resorted to laying down with the baby on his chest, desperately hoping the baby will sleep so he can join you in bed. 

There’s no pacifiers around, and the baby’s been uninterested in every toy that Michael’s presented since the pair moved to the living room on the other side of the house to prevent you from waking up. He lets the baby play with his fingers, not even blinking when they get covered in slobber. The baby gnaws on his fingers, a regular routine by now. What’s not regular is the sudden jolt of pain Michael feels on his finger.

“Ouch,” he hisses, pulling his hand away from the baby, who immediately starts to cry again. “What weapon are you hiding from me in that mouth of yours?”

Michael gently works his thumbs into the baby’s mouth, attempting to pry it open in an attempt to see inside. His first thought, however irrational it may be, is that the baby’s (all of six months old, mind you) managed to get a hold of a knife. To his surprise and delight, a pearly white tooth is starting to peek out of the bottom gum of baby’s mouth. 

“Well look at that!” Michael grins, proud of his child’s ability to break a tooth through the gum. “That’s an easy fix, let’s go see if there’s something cold for you to chew on in the freezer.”

/////////////////////////////

First step--

Ever since the baby’s started standing up a week ago, it’s been an eager waiting game on behalf of you and Michael. You’ll hold your breath whenever those small, chubby hands are used on a table or the chair to pull baby up into a standing position, or when Michael sets the baby down on those wobbly legs. Unfortunately, all of your attempts have proven fruitless as of late. Your child certainly knows how to crawl with the best of them, but it seems like walking isn’t going to be happening for a while.

It’s when you least expect something to happen, that it does finally happen. Michael’s in his office, working on some quick tweaks to the Outposts, and you’re taking the opportunity to go through the baby’s outgrown clothes and determine what to donate and what to throw away. Ever since you’ve become a mother, your ability to focus on multiple affairs at once has become a superpower of yours. You’re sorting through the clothes while, at the same time, watching the baby out of the corner of your eye. Baby’s gripping onto the crib while standing up on unsteady feet, chattering away to you while you hum and nod to keep up the ‘conversation.’

It’s when the baby lets go of the crib and remains standing that you turn your attention to your firstborn. You don’t want to look too excited, in case the baby gets stage fright, but you can barely hide the brewing glee as Bub continues to stand. Slowly, as if you’re approaching a wild animal, you hold up your hands.

“C’mere, lovebug!” You coo, baby smiling a toothy grin and starting to wobble towards you. Stifling a gasp, you smile right back as shaky steps are taken until Bub reaches your arms and falls into them. “Good job! Oh, my sweet baby, I’m so proud of you!”

You nuzzle into the soft skin of baby’s neck, blowing raspberries until giggles pierce the air. Not able to restrain yourself from sharing this moment with Michael, you stand up and make your way to his office. You don’t even bother to knock, knowing that he can sense you before you’ve even opened the door. He still pretends to be surprised when you do enter, looking up from his papers with a pleased smile. 

“What brings my two favorite people to my office today?” Michael’s confused when you don’t greet him with a kiss, instead crouching down a few inches in front of his chair. 

“Watch this,” you say excitedly, grinning as you let the baby stand while holding onto your fingers. “Go get Daddy!”

In a matter of seconds, his confused expression turns to glee when the baby lets go of your fingers and starts to walk to Michael. He’s speechless, large hands automatically reaching out to catch the child if need be. The need doesn’t arise, Bub instead walking all the way over to Michael. He catches the baby, swooping the laughing infant through the air. 

“You did it! You finally walked!” Michael snuggles the baby to his chest, pressing kisses to the downy curls. “When was this new skill acquired?”

“Hmm, maybe thirty seconds before we came in here.”

“Our kid’s a genius.”

You can’t help the laugh that escapes you. “Slow your roll, okay? We’ll discuss that if Bub’s doing calculus within the next three months.”

/////////////////////////////

First word--

“Come on, say it! Say ‘dada,’“ Michael pleads with the baby, who giggles at their father’s antics from their high chair. Michael sighs, dropping some more Cheerios on the tray and into the waiting hands of the baby. 

“Michael, Bub’s not going to say anything if you continue with your pestering,” you say from the kitchen, where you’re making a more substantial breakfast for the adults.

“I’m not pestering, I’m just...encouraging.” He swears he hears you mumble something along the lines of ‘if you’re being encouraging, I must be a fucking billionaire.’ “What was that, love?”

“Nothing!” you call back all too quickly.

“Well,” Michael turns his attention back to the amused baby, “if you’re not going to say that, maybe you can say...ball? Cereal? Dog?”

“Why don’t you just have ‘em recite the Declaration of Independence, while you’re at it?” You can’t resist to sneak in an insult as you re-enter the dining room, placing a plate of eggs and toast in front of Michael while sitting down with your own.

“Remind me why I married you, again?”

“Probably my wit, or maybe my amazing personality.” You smile at him cheekily, the baby’s hand on your face drawing your attention away. “Hi, cutie. You keeping Daddy company?”

“Always,” Michael replies.

“So, about the Sanctuary,” you look back at Michael, getting down to business, “you promise that we aren’t going to have to stay underground forever?”

“I’ve promised you countless times before, and I’ll promise you countless times again. It’s only temporary until my father has deemed the world ready to be remade again.”

“I just don’t want to raise our child, and any future children we may have, in a f-u-c-k-i-n-g nuclear fallout shelter,” you spell out the curse word, really hoping that your child’s first word isn’t ‘fucking.’ “And what about when the end of the world does happen? I don’t know if I can be alone without you for weeks at a time.”

“You won’t be. I’m not going to go anywhere unless you are absolutely, one hundred percent okay with it. We’re a family, and I don’t think I could be alone without you for weeks at a time either.”

You take a sip of your coffee, nodding. “Thank you for this. I know it must be annoying to answer the same questions over and over again.”

“It’s not annoying, I would do anything if it meant you would feel better.” You smile, reaching your hand across the table and grasping his.

“Mama!” A little voice yells, obviously not pleased you’re looking elsewhere.

“Yeah, lovebug?” You hum, more focused on moving the food around your plate, until the voice calls your name again and your fork clatters to your plate in shock.

Michael’s head turns towards the baby, mouth hanging open. “Did you just...?”

“Mama!” The baby calls again, laughing at the shock that’s obvious on both your faces. 

“Bub’s first word!” You say, clapping your hands together in excitement.

“Seriously? All the practice we’ve done, and your first word is ‘mama?’“ Michael says in disbelief. Baby keeps repeating the word over and over, pleased at the reactions.

“What can I say, love, you’ll get it next time.”

Tag list: @khaleesimel @sammyt @sloppy-little-witch-bitch26 @langdonslove @heda-mikaelson @readsalot73 @jimmlangdon @sebastianshoe @girlycakepops @trimbooohgodplsnoooo @pastel-cloudz @nana15774 @queencocoakimmie @lichellaw @ccodyfern @lvngdvns @divinelangdon @ultragibbycentralworld @grim-adventures58 @trelaney @wroteclassicaly @starwlkers @hecohansen31 @hexqueensupreme

[ofheroesandvillains]

Changing Gears 2 - Tony Stark

Tony Stark/Fem!reader Words: 3.8k Warnings: None really, mentions of “The Cave”. Summary: I said one for each movie and I lied. Don’t trust me…ever. Here’s another for Ironman 1! It’s kind of all over the place. Let me know if it’s trash, it’s been a loooong time.

(not my gif!)

Fear.

Fear wasn’t foreign to you. Your earliest encounter with it came at age 4. Now remember, you stay where I can see you, your father had said, and under no circumstances are you to go in the water without letting an adult know. He’d given you a stern look, one that seemed more at home on Howard’s face than his own. Understood? He’d asked, and you’d nodded.

But things never really go the way they’re supposed to. One minute you’re on the shoreline, digging a little pool into the wet sand, the next, the water is sweeping you away into its cold embrace and you’re left bobbing between the waves. The floaties kept you up, sure, but with each passing second the tide had carried you further and further from the shore, and your desperate cries for your father went unheard.

Or at least you thought they had.

“Hey, it’s alright, I got you. Just- just hold onto me, okay?”

He had no idea how to comfort a wailing child, but even at age 12, Tony Stark did the best he could. What seemed like miles to you (and was more likely a few feet), was quickly wadded through by the boy you’d only met once before.

He didn’t tell your father. It was a lesson learned and you were just a kid, he’d be damned if anyone punished you for their own neglect. You looked terrified and clung to him like a koala, he hadn’t left your side for the rest of the day. That was the day you became his friend. That was the day he became your hero.

---------

That seemed so silly now…drowning. How could the fear of drowning possibly compare to this?

If you took every fear you’d ever felt, stacked them on top of each other and played them in a never-ending loop in your mind for the rest of your life, it’d be a welcome change to the absolute terror that had seized your heart the moment you’d been notified of Tony’s disappearance.

Naturally, the media had lost its mind as soon as a statement was released. Posters, social media, tabloids, the news; everyone was talking about Tony Stark - the billionaire, the genius, the national icon, in the hands of ‘the enemy’. Activists were saying ‘good riddance’, and weeping fans littered the daily news channels, mourning a man they’d never known…a man who you couldn’t -wouldn’t- believe was really gone.

He’s Tony Stark, you’d remind yourself, there’s nothing he can’t do.

Realistically, you knew that the chances of his survival were slim. Your overactive mind had already tried to calculate the odds before you forced it to focus elsewhere. There was still a company to run, reporters to avoid, a billionaire to find.

Pepper took care of the first two for you, but only you could help with the last. She’d been great, Pepper. A godsend. There were hardly any fumes left for you to run on. Sweeping the planet for any sign of Tony was draining; mentally and emotionally. If Pepper hadn’t been there to all but spoon-feed you and tuck you into bed, you likely would have ended up in the ER weeks ago. I’m turning into Tony, you’d wryly thought. But the thought itself just made you miss the man even more.  

If anyone had it worse than you, it was probably Rhodey. He’d been more distraught than you’d ever seen him, and after all he’d experienced in his life and his career, that was certainly saying something. But it gave you someone who understood, someone who’d work long into the night with you to try and find a man you both refused to live without.

---------

“Why do you always make this so hard?”

Glassy eyes, pursed lips, drooping shoulders. You looked broken.

Maybe if he hadn’t been so drunk that night he would have understood what you meant. The alcohol never bothered you, not really. You’d scold him for it, take him home, tuck him in, leave Advil and a glass of water on his bedside table, and then repeat it all the next weekend. He’d take advantage of your kindness, because that’s what he did. He hurt the people closest to him.

He loved them, he’d do anything for them…but sometimes his self-depreciation outweighed that love. His whole life had been built on money and fame. He was used to getting what he wanted and the moment something threatened the status quo, he lashed out.

Years later, he would look back and barely remember that night. You hadn’t spoken to him for days afterward and that was the only reason he even cared to remember it at all. There were snippets of memories in his head; a man - a good-looking one, standing a little too close to you at an event, an irrational anger, an argument, and a bruised jaw the morning after.

He’d made excuses and begged for forgiveness, how could he not? Deep down Tony knew what emotion had fuelled him that night, and it was one he’d never expected to feel when he looked at you with someone else. It didn’t change anything, he told himself. In fact, he was hellbent on ensuring it didn’t. You’d told him to stop bringing his flings home, and he’d tried, he really had. But if he didn’t have them then he’d think of you, and he couldn’t ruin you like that.

So, he ignored your warnings and descended even further into his playboy lifestyle. The less he saw you, the more distant you became, and while it tore at him day in and day out, it was for the best. You’d both drifted from each other, but alcohol was the band-aid he slapped on that particular bullet wound.

You were the straight-laced, responsible one. You worked hard and saved face in the media when he inevitably screwed up. You looked after him even if it made your life harder.

Tony was a lot like you in the early days. He wanted to make his parents proud, but that all changed when he realised that no matter how hard he tried, it would never be enough for his father.

Somewhere along the road you’d both diverged from each other. A fork in the road that led you closer to heaven and him closer to hell.

But after that night, Tony had realised that this was more a crossroad than anything else. You were too good for him, he’d never hurt you by pursing a relationship. He didn’t do relationships. But god, did he hate the thought of you with anyone else.

He’d be okay with not having you, as long as nobody else could have you either.

“What the hell is your problem? What did you say to him?”

“I dunno what you mean…we were all ou’ here havin’ a good time, weren’t we girls?”

His entourage chirped like silicone baby birds, desperate for their mama’s attention. Your jaw clenched so hard at the smug grin Tony shot your way, that you almost chipped a tooth.

Ten minutes ago you’d been so close, so close, to finally taking that first step out of the hold he had on you and agreeing to a date. He was a nice boy, a handsome boy, one your mother would have gushed over. But like a vulture circling its next meal, Tony somehow knew just where to find you. His hold was iron. Sometimes you thought that his heart was too, because no matter how much it hurt, he’d never release you.

“Oh come on, sweetheart…” Tony tried rolling his eyes but his entire head followed. “What, you think you were gonna live happily ever after with the baby-faced real estate agent? Really?” He scoffed. “You could do better.”

“Sometimes you can’t help who you love, Tony.” You’d snapped. You’d said too much, but he wouldn’t remember it anyway.

Tony barked a laugh, and his baby birds followed.

“Love? Who’s talkin’ about love? There’s no love here, no ma’am!”

They all laughed again.

Your shoulders dropped, your lips pursed, and you felt the familiar sting at your eyes. You felt broken.

“Why do you always make this so hard?”

--------- Time was a funny thing. All of those nights he’d spent drinking and partying and hunting his next bedmate seemed to flash by in the blink of an eye. But here, in the dark, in the cold, in the wet, he could have sworn that it had been years since he’d arrived.

He’d wasted so much time.

The pain in his chest hadn’t eased up, he didn’t know if it ever would. The Doc had done an incredible job considering the circumstances, and Tony struggled to think of a single one of his own employees who would have had the brains and balls to do what Yinsen did (mainly because he didn’t deal with his employees, but the sentiment was the same). Yinsen had saved his life, and if all it cost him was a bit of pain, then that was a pretty great deal.

The only problem was, that this place was hardly a place he wanted to spend the rest of his life in - however short that may be. The trauma was there, physical and mental, but he’d wrapped it up in chains and thrown it into the deepest pits of his mind. He didn’t have time to fall apart, not when they had a plan.  

“I have this friend…”

It was dark, but Tony could still see Yinsen’s head turn in his direction. So far when they settled in for some sleep - if either of them could even manage to muster a few hours - it was Yinsen who had done most of the talking. He spoke of his wife, his children, his home…better days. If anything went wrong the following day, then it was likely that one or both of them would be killed. If ever there were a time to remember what was waiting for him at home, it was now.

“Oh?”

“Yeah…she’s, well, the only real family I have left now that I think about it.”

Yinsen was silent for a beat.

“Do you love her?”

Tony huffed a derisive laugh.

“No. No, it’s not- not like that.” He shook his head, even if Yinsen could barely see it. “She’s different, y’know? Better than this, than- than me.”

Glassy eyes, pursed lips, drooping shoulders. You looked broken. 

It was silent again.

“I’ve known her my whole life. She uh, man…”

Yinsen smiled softly. There was a genuine smile in the billionaire’s words.

“She’d know exactly what to do. She’s smart, focused. Probably searching the whole damn planet for us.”

You. Yinsen didn’t bother correcting him.

“She sounds special.”

“She is…I still hear her sometimes. That little voice inside my head, you know the one?”

Yinsen nodded, his eyes slipping shut as he pictured his family.

“I do. I call it hope.”

Tony heaved a shaky breath. “Yeah…hope.”

He smiled. If he closed his eyes he could see the pleased look his words would give rise to.

“She’d get us both out of here with a paper clip and a double A battery.”

Yinsen chuckled.

“I’m sure you’d do the same for her.”

Anything. I’d do anything…

Yinsen hummed thoughtfully, and Tony had to wonder if he’d said that aloud.

“Do you love her?”

Another silence stretched between them as Tony looked over to their workspace. If he squinted he could make out the shape of their creation. The suit of armour that would take them to safety, to freedom…home. Or, maybe it wouldn't.

“Yeah.” He inhaled sharply. “Yeah, I do.”

--------

Tony had taught you many things in life, but this was one of the most important lessons.

You remembered your first day at high school. A child genius, they called you.

A prodigy, that kid’s goin’ places, I’m tellin’ ya!

They were right and you were young, but they also seemed to think that despite the label, your age must have brought with it a certain degree of naivety. The only way they could outdo you was with experience, and they used that to their advantage.

“Watcha doin’?”

“Homework,” you’d answered, tiny hands moving a mile a minute to finish up before dinner.

Tony had frowned then, not that you could see it. You didn’t see him all that often, and when you did, he could barely go to the bathroom without you trailing after him. This was…new.

Even more unusual were the papers strewn all over the desk beside you. Louisa, Thomas, Jake, Allison…Homework, huh? Tony’d thought dryly.  

“Woah, slow down there, Speedy Gonzales,” He’d plucked the pencil out of your hand, and couldn’t suppress a smile at the wide-eyed look you’d given him.

“Tony!” You’d shouted, launching yourself at him.

He’d laughed; you hadn’t known it at the time but that was a rarity in those days. You wouldn’t understand it until you were much older, the way he changed around you, even then. The way he hid his sadness, his anger, his bitterness, from you. His childhood may have been miserable, but he’d never allow himself to be the reason yours suffered too.

He would never let anyone hurt you. Except himself, you’d both go on to realise.

“What’s all this?” he’d asked, finally prying your little arms from around his neck.

“The kids at school said that the only reason I was moved up was because my daddy paid for it. They said if I was really that smart, then I’d be able to write their essays and get A’s for all of them.”

You’d looked down at your feet. Why did it suddenly feel wrong? Why did Tony’s smile suddenly look so forced and bitter. He’d scrubbed his expression clean before he looked back at you.

“Did you doubt you could do it?”

“No, I knew I could!” You’d defended.

“Right…so why prove something you already know is true?”

His eyes had softened when he noticed your sad little pout. Decades later it still had the same effect on him. That damned look, I swear it’ll be the death of me one day.

“Hey, look…I get it. I really do,” He’d squeezed your shoulder. “It’s hard, and big kids are assh- ehem, they’re meanies,” his lips had twitched upward, “but you don’t have to prove a damn thing to them, okay? The only person I want you to worry about impressing in this world is you. Can you do that for me?”

You’d nodded.

“Promise?”

“Yes, Tony.”

He’d cocked a brow.

“What, you think I’m going to take your word for it?”

Your fist had shot up immediately, pinky finger at the ready.

“That’s right,” he’d nodded. “You break this very official agreement and that’s it, it’s all over for us.”

---------

So, when he decided to put an end to the weapons manufacturing sector of Stark Industries, you gave him your full support. It was his choice and the world would have to deal with it. Tony had been different since his return. There was a certain blankness that would settle in his eyes sometimes and he seemed more aware of the world around him. He didn’t talk about what happened to him, and you wouldn’t force him to, but the effect it had was evident.

When he’d landed on that tarmac, looking worse than you’d ever seen him, you’d told yourself that it was okay. That he was safe. He was alive. It was more than you could have ever hoped for. Then you’d proceeded to burst into tears, and clung to him the entire way to McDonald’s, like you had that day at the beach so long ago. A press conference was called and he’d left you in the car with a wink that was entirely too confident for a man who’d been through hell.

I promised you a souvenir…

The stoppered tube he’d given you almost sent you into another bout of hysterics. But you were quick to get it together when you’d heard his announcement. You spent the next few days turning off the news whenever he entered the room, but despite your efforts he knew all about the world’s criticism.

“You okay?”

You lingered in the doorway of his bedroom. He was sitting on the edge of his bed, elbows on his knees and head hanging between them. He straightened at the sound of your voice, but the charade was already broken.

“Peachy,” he didn’t even bother forcing a smile. You made your way over to sit beside him.

“You ever just…? I mean, am I doing the right thing here? I gotta be, right?”

He looked at you with wide-eyes. They’d take in every inch of you for signs of a lie, or eagerly lap up your reassurances. You’d seen those eyes before; eyes desperate for direction, for a guidance he usually didn’t need. He was Tony Stark and he paved his own way in life…but the world was so far behind him these days, that he sometimes needed the only thing tethering him to it - and that was you. It always had been, and it always would be.

“You are.”

He’d released a sharp breath, relieved, but irritated. He’d been watching the news again.

“Then- Then why are people treating this like some kind of PTSD-induced phase that I’m supposed to snap out of?”

Did you see that? Those are your weapons…

“People are dying-”

In the hands of those murderers…

“-I know-“

Is this what you want?

“-my weapons are killing them-“

Is this what you wish the legacy of the great Tony Stark to be?

“-I know-“

“Do you?!” He snapped. “‘Cause I had no idea!”

His chest was heaving, anger simmering beneath the surface. You’d let him have this, this moment to just yell and vent and get it all out without having to worry about who would see or who he’d hurt with his words. He’d never hurt you, not really.

Slowly, the stern lines of his face evened out, his shoulders slumped, and that familiar look of regret bled into his eyes.

“I’m sorry. God, I’m sorry...I just…” he drew in a sharp breath, pinching the bridge of his nose. “I need to know that I’m doing the right thing, no matter the cost.”

“You know why they want you to doubt your decisions? Why they want you to ‘snap out of it’?” you asked.

“It’s not because you’re wrong, but because admitting that you’re right doesn’t work in their favour.” You grasped his hand. “People will never value life as long as they continue to profit from death, Tony.”

“It’s not their names stamped on the shell…” his jaw clenched.

“I know, hon.” You offered a sympathetic smile. “But you’ve taken the first step in a direction even Howard wasn’t brave enough to take. So, we’re going to do what we always do. We’re going to fix this, okay?”

His dark, glassy eyes met your own and you smiled softly at the first trace of a small spark in them.

“Huh…”

You forced a shaky laugh, almost squirming at the foreign look in his eyes.

“What?”

He just smiled and shook his head. “Nothing. Just…I missed you, y’know?”

“Right back atcha,” you huffed a more genuine laugh this time. “I mean it, Tony. I’ve never been more proud of you in my life.”

You pulled him into a tight hug, and by the time you’d pulled away and risen to your feet, a pained look had clouded his features.

“Tony?” You couldn’t help but worry.

“I’m fine,” he smiled. It was entirely fake.

“Do, uh…do you mind just…” He glanced down at the floor as if ashamed to ask, waved his hand to the other side of his bed, and looked back up at you through his lashes. “Stay with me?”

The question caught you off-guard, but you couldn’t blame him for asking. When was the last time he’d gotten a good night’s sleep? Probably the night of the Apogee Awards, and that seemed so very, very long ago. You gave him a reassuring smile.

“Of course.”

He’d settled into bed like a skittish animal, eyes darting to his bedroom door and to the wide expanse of tinted windows that lined his wall. The cave had been claustrophobic, but all he saw now were too many points of entry. He’d have to fix that.

Your head settled on his shoulder, and all -most- thoughts of kidnapping were tucked away for later.

“Y’know…Pep told me you barely slept while I was gone.”

“Snitch,” you mumbled, and he chuckled. “Yeah, I was a little stressed. Didn’t take care of myself as much as I probably should have.”

“I’m sorry…”

You squeezed his side, a silent reprimand.

“Don’t. You’re the last person who should be apologising. You have no idea how relieved I am, Tony.”

He was quiet for a beat. Usually he’d fire back a quip to lighten the mood, but not this time it seemed.

“I’m happy to be home.”

And he was, he just couldn’t quite voice that it wasn’t the safe and warm mansion that he’d considered home while he was in that cave. There were arms he wanted wrapped around him. There were eyes he imagined shining up at him. There was a smile he wanted to trace with his lips. There was a woman, right there at the forefront of his mind, begging him to come home…and he never could deny her.

It was jarring. He was supposed to be smart. He was supposed to be smarter than smart, and it had taken a kidnapping, a haphazard surgery in a dank cave, losing a man -a friend- worth more than any of the snobs he’d met Stateside, a fire-fight with terrorists, and a crash-landing in the middle of the desert, to open his eyes to the world around him.

Don’t waste it…don’t waste your life…

They could take his money, and his fame, and his company, and even his brain. He’d still have all he ever needed. Yinsen had lost that, it was why he urged him not to do the same.

But no, he couldn’t say that. Not to her, not yet. So he did what he always did.

“Pep also said that you slept in here most nights.”

You hummed absentmindedly.

“Kinda hoping you never outgrew that habit of sleeping in your underwear…”

Your brows furrowed, eyes snapping open to spy a grin out of the corner of your eye.

You slapped his chest lightly, mindful of the new addition.

“You’d only be so lucky, pal.”

Feeling his chest shake in silent laughter brought a smile on your face, and though you thought you heard his response, you were too far gone to care about it in the moment.

“Don’t I know it…”

[nukagalreacts]

For the anonymous who requested Fallout 4 companions, faction Leader and other DLC characters reacting to Sole having and being followed around by 10 baby fire breathing dragons! Part-one

(Here’s the first part to the request, second part will hopefully get out tomorrow where I shall included more characters! for now enjoy this piece and thanks again for the request!) Hancock: The mayor fell in love with the baby dragons at first sight because he thought they were all so adorable in a vicious, scaly sort of way. He also liked the fact that they automatically acted like guard dogs and didn’t hesitate to shred apart anyone who bothered him or Sole. His favorite thing to do was to bring all of them down to the third rail with him and Sole and let them all sit up on the couch and lounge in his lap while he got high or drank. Him and Sole even let the little guys curl up with them in bed which was always so cute and they acted like little furnaces to keep Sole warm. The only thing Hancock didn’t enjoy though is that while the dragons teethed they chewed everything from the furniture, to his favorite hat which made Sole laugh but caused the dragons to get a good scolding from Hancock.       

Preston: He honestly didn’t know what to make of the strange baby creatures following Sole around, he has seen a lot of strange creatures in his wanderings across the wasteland and Commonwealth, but this took the icing on the cake. When he asked Sole about what they where and why they followed her so obediently, they admitted that it had been by accident when they were down in the vault looking around for supplies when they come across a strange room and found the eggs in a weird cryo like incubator. Sole had pressed a button out of curiosity and the eggs become unfrozen and started to hatch and to their surprise 10 small reddish baby dragons popped out. Since Sole was the first thing they saw they immediately saw them as their mother. Preston was amazed he had never heard of dragons before, but he kept his distance from the little fire breathing critters least they see him as their next dinner.

Codsworth: Didn’t really like the little rascals at first, because they were all so messy and constantly knocked things over from climbing everywhere and attempting to fly. And let’s not forget just how messy of an eater dragons can be, they always left pieces of meat and blood stains that where all but impossible for the Mr.Handy to scrub out of the furniture, floors, and walls. In his own way though he found it oddly cute and endearing that they followed Sole around like how ducklings would follow their own Mothers around, and he appreciated the fact that they where very protective of his master, just as much as he was. He did wish the little tykes would tone down practicing their fire breathing though, he was quite tired of singed furniture!

Cait: Really wanted Sole to get rid of the horrible little creatures at first, she absolutely hated them and thought they were just slowing her and Sole down when traveling. Cait would always just cross her arms and give them a death stare at they marched behind Sole or when they would all gather around Sole at night and snuggle up to them while sleeping or when Sole would give them little treats whenever they got the dragons to do little tricks for them. After Awhile though Cait started to grow rather found of the little devil’s and liked watching them roast people with their fire breathing or ripping people up with their extra sharp claws and teeth.

Strong: Loved the baby dragons and rather enjoyed looking after them and making sure they got fed, he always shared any meat from a fresh kill he made with them. They actually started to like Strong more than they loved Sole, and would always ride around on Strong’s back and shoulders. He also liked the fact that they where starting to learn how to breathe fire and found it hilarious when they started to constantly catch things on fire including enemies him and Sole would come across. Strong couldn’t wait till they got bigger and could teach them to smash things like he did and also teach them about the milk of human kindness.

Curie(Synth): Adores the baby dragons and is fascinated by them, she never knew dragons could be a real thing from what she had come to understand from reading materials is that dragons where just a myth and something found in children's story books. With Sole’s permission she began to study the dragons and getting samples to test in her lab, everything about them she found as highly valuable material that must be recorded for others to study and know about. The dragons become fond of Curie as well because she is always so sweet to them and spoils them with lots of treats and cooing and baby talk.

Valentine: Mistook the baby dragons for baby deathclaws at first and was concerned that Sole had stolen a bunch of them and probably had a pissed off deathclaw momma who would soon be on the hunt for them, but Sole told him they were actually dragons. Nick just stared at them for a minute thinking Sole was pulling his leg, but they quickly showed how the babies all had the features of an actual dragon, and he just couldn’t believe that they existed. He got rather annoyed with them though because they would make a mess in his office as they sniffed around and flapped their little wings sending papers everywhere, they would sometimes even try to chew on nick because his metal parts felt good on their teeth, so Sole did their best to never bring them over to his place.

Piper:Was weary of the little guys at first but couldn’t keep her curiosity at bay and had Sole sneak them into Diamond city into her office, which was easier said than done, but Sole managed. Piper really wanted to type up an article about the dragons, but Sole didn't think that was such a good idea because as far as they knew these were the only dragons in the world right now and they didn’t want anyone to try and come after them and kill them or steal them. Piper was disappointed but she understood and promised to keep it to herself. She did love seeing the dragons though and was always sure to give them belly rubs and head scratches, but was sure to keep them away from her work area because last time one of them accidentally started a small fire.     

Deacon: The man loves weird and unusual things so he took to the baby dragons right away and always made jokes about how Sole was the Mother of all dragons now, and that she could take over the Commonwealth once they were bigger and she trained them. He even started to give all of them names which all sounded ridiculous but hey what did anyone really expect from him. Deacon also started to dress them up or making clothes small enough for the little guys to fit in like hats, or shirts and Sole had to admit dragons look ridiculously cute when dressed up. The thing Sole found the funniest though is when Deacon would lay down and let the dragons walk all over him and lick his face or try and eat his sunglasses.

Desdemona: She actually didn’t mind them at all, being exposed to so many different people, creatures, and things throughout her life and being in charge of the Railroad made her not even blink at the sight of these sharp tooth, winged creatures. She told Sole they could stay at the agency long as she trained them and they didn't destroy or eat anything important, which took Sole awhile to accomplish because hey it’s hard to train 10 rowdy fire breathing dragons. Desdemona liked the fact though that having them all around was way better than any guard dogs they could have used, and she couldn’t help but think of what they could accomplish once they were all bigger.  

Danse: He tolerated them for Sole’s sake because he knew how attached they where to them and how they treated them all like small children, long as Sole kept them away from the Prydwen he was okay. They did get into a lot of arguments though because Sole would bring all 10 of the baby dragons with them on missions which Danse would complain was distracting Sole and slowing them down. Sole refused to leave them behind or alone with anyone because the dragons saw them as their Mother and they didn’t want the dragons to think they had abandoned them. Also Danse would never admit it to Sole’s face but he liked having the dragons around during combat because even though they were small they could definitely deal out some damage to any enemies.

Elder Maxson: Despised the creatures and demanded that Sole kill them immediately or face being banned from the Brotherhood of Steel, which pissed Sole off so they left the Brotherhood behind and made sure the dragons never came in contact with them again. It honestly made Sole sad that people still destroyed anything that scared them or that they couldn’t understand, but they promised to always look out for their dragons until they were old enough to defend themselves without Sole’s help.

MacCready: Felt really nervous whenever Sole brought the dragons around, he didn’t trust any creature with teeth and claws that sharp that looked like it might decided to eat you while you slept. Sole assured him that the dragons were obedient to them and well trained to follow all of their commands, which really didn’t make Mac feel any better because he thought about what would happen once the dragons become adults which was a terrifying thought. He had to admit though it was helpful for him and Sole to get what they wanted out of people when you had 10 dragons ready to eat said person if they didn’t cooperate, a lot of missions tended to go more smoothly now, which he appreciated because it meant less work on his end.

Dogmeat: Greatly confused by the dragons at first even after he sniffed them and watched them from a safe distance, he just couldn’t figure out what they where. His master seemed to really like them though and they were obedient just like he was and seemed to have the same goal as he did, to keep Sole safe and make them happy. So after going on more missions together and lots of playing and snuggling at night they grew to all really love each other, and the dragons even went out of their way to protect Dogmeat in battle.

  X6-88: Can’t believe that Vault-Tec had actually been successful in their experiment of making dragons an actual species, and finds himself rather amazed that Sole just casually leads them around like their pet dogs rather then fire breathing dragons. He convinces Sole to bring them back to the Institute so the scientist can study them and run some test, which Sole only agrees when X6 promises they can be present for all testing and that the dragons will be well cared for. Sole is happy to see that these promises are greatly met, the dragons have lots of room to play and fly around and are fed with excellent meat and other tasty treats. X6 even likes to come down from time to time and watch the dragons fly around with Sole.

Father: Can’t believe his own ear’s when he hears X6 tell him that his Mother has a small herd of baby dragons that she would like to bring to the Institute. At first he laughs because he thinks it’s absurd but when he sees the dragons himself he is with X6 in wanting them to be kept at the Institute for immediate analysis and studying, because this is a creature that shouldn’t even be real let alone exist. He even gives the go ahead for the scientist to replicate the dragons dna and see if they can makes successful clones of them, his mind races as he thinks of the possibilities of what they could do with such dna.

Shaun(Synth): He comes to love all the dragons like a boy would love a pet cat or dog, and he makes it his responsibility to make sure the dragons get daily exercise, and always have access to food and water. Shaun also loves to play with them, and give them lot’s of affection and treats, and in turn the dragons constantly follow Shaun around to and always keep a watchful eye over the boy to make sure no harm befalls him. Sole thinks it’s cute to that at night when they tuck Shaun into bed all the dragons snuggle up around him on his bed and sleep their the whole night.

Gage: Thinks the dragons are badass long as they don’t try to chew on him or anything or catch him on fire, but as soon as Sole came in with those 10 fire breathing creatures he knew he had picked a good overboss and that no one would stand in their way. Sole definitely used the dragons to intimidate the rest of the gang leaders and raiders, because if anyone pissed them or Gage off they became food for the dragons. Gage even became really attached to all of them and would give them plenty of head scratches and plenty of treats for a job well done after a long day.

[littledonkeyburrito]

tbh I might be hooked on these. I’ll stop when I have something more interesting going on in my life

Do you ever sit with your legs open? Yeah, often

Have you ever been offered drugs on the street? I have been to a nightlife area in Colombia, so yes, several times.

What is one place you have been to and hated? Harvey Bay. Went a couple of times as a kid and it was pretty shit.

Have you ever seen a jellyfish? Many

What’s your favourite kind of soup? Probably pumpkin

Do you ever put bread in your soup? I dip it in, yeah

Is there anything in the USB key slots in your computer/laptop? Mouse

What advertisements are on your screen at the moment? None.

Do you ever get a really itchy nose when you’re unable to scratch it? Yes

Has anyone ever randomly licked your face? Many dogs

When was the last time you bought a book? Fuck even knows. Well over a year ago

Are you upstairs or downstairs at the minute? Uhhh my apartment does not have stairs but it is on the 3rd floor of the building (out of about 8)

Have you ever been asked for directions? Yeah. I remember the first time someone asked me for directions in this city a few weeks after I moved here and I could actually point them in the right direction. I was really proud.

Are there any farm animals near you? In the inner city? Not that I’m aware of. 

Are there any lakes near you? No but the ocean is only a few minutes walk away.

Was there ever a time when you felt absolutely terrified? Sure

If so, why? Spiders usually

Have you ever been in your local newspaper? No but half my friends were in the sport section once or twice each because of karate stuff. They never gave a shit about me though.

Have you ever called your mother ma or mammy? Yeah I usually call her Ma or Mamá

Can you imitate any other accent? Eh I’m pretty bad with accents so I don’t try, except kiwi occasionally

What is your funniest memory of the 6th contact in your phone? It’s the number for my old work phone. One time one of my staff members, an old guy, called up on a friday around midday and he was like, “Just thought I’d call up and say have a great weekend.” I didn’t answer right away because I was waiting for him to get to the point and ask the work related question that he surely must have. But no. That was it. He literally only called to say have a good weekend and nothing else. I was like, “uhhh thanks man... you too..?”

Were you ever chased by an animal? Horse. During the period of life that I had a phobia of horses. It sure didn’t help. 

Are you single/or taken? Single

Are you happy with that?^ Eh it’s fine 

Do you make the first move or do you prefer it the other way around? I prefer it the other way around.

What is the most painful thing you’ve experienced? When I was 15 I got a tooth infection. It started as a toothache so mild I could barely notice it but it just didn’t stop. On day 3 it started really affecting me but the pain had gotten worse so slowly that I assumed it was still the same and that I was just being weak. I remember getting home from karate class and walking into the other room and just bursting out in tears because it hurt so much. Mum realised and pulled me out of school the next day to take me to the dentist. Got antibiotics and prescription painkillers. That night my mum called a 24 hour nurses hotline to ask them how many of the painkillers she could give me without me overdosing because she couldn’t stand to see me cry so much. Those pills barely did anything and I couldn’t sleep properly. I finished the week course of antibiotics and nothing had changed so went back to the dentist and they drilled out my filling, injected antiobiotics into my tooth, put another filling in and doubled the dosage of the pills. In all it was 12 day toothache, but I think about 5-7 days were hell. 5 years later the same tooth (a baby tooth still) got infected again but before it started to hurt I went to the dentist and paid over $500 for them to rip the fucker out of my skull. Dentist also had to drill out a little piece of my jawbone to stop the infection spreading. I never had an adult tooth underneath it so now I have a gap.

Do you hug someone whenever you see them? I'm not a hugger. But if they initiate it I’ll hug them. Usually it’s just my dad.

When was the last time you bled? What happened? Last week I cut my thumb on a beer can

When you look behind you what catches your attention the most? The picture on the wall

Have you ever had a controlling boyfriend/girlfriend? No How many true heart breaks have you had in your lifetime? None Who last grabbed your ass? Probably the guy in Panama grabbed my butt at some point but I don’t remember specifically

Do you have any gay family members? Not that I’m aware of Where did you get the shirt you are wearing? Mango. And I keep seeing other people in the street wearing this shirt and being surprised as if it’s not mass produced and sold in at least 7 stores in this city Do you feel like everything is falling apart around you? No Was your first kiss romantic? Uhh I guess it was at the time Do you know anybody whose last name is a color? Half of my last name is a colour What are you most likely to go to jail for? Probs murder. Go big or go home. Do you ever feel like life is going by too fast? Sometimes Who was the last person to sleep over at your house? A guy from Madrid who stayed with me for a weekend Is there someone that always intimidates you? Most likely, but I can’t think of anyone off the top of my head Have you ever liked anyone that was in a relationship with someone else? At some stage, probably Would you ever get a boob job? A reduction is almost a certainty in my future. I got my mum’s genes, so my tiddies ain’t ever gonna stop growing. Did your last relationship end because of you or the other person? I don’t think the time with any of my previous partners could actually be considered a relationship. The last fling ended mutually but damn he was pissed at me. Do you ever ignore texts from some people? No Have you ever tried to break up anyone because YOU liked the guy/girl? No, of course not When is the last time you felt left out? A little towards the end of my trip in central america because I got the feeling that several people in the group didn’t like me. But that was because I’d been lying to their faces for 2 weeks and they pretty much knew it so, y’know, I totally understood. And tbh it was worth it because I was still getting laid ;) When was the last time you flirted with someone? Panama What would you think if you found out your ex was gay? At least one of them is bi. That was fun though because we could bond over cute dudes we saw in public. Would you ever take someone back if you found out they cheated on you? Depends on the situation What does your last text message say? "It's only intense on the news. IRL everything is the same as ever aside from a few protests here and there” (fb message but whatever. I haven’t sent a text in almost a year) What color is your hair right now? Brown Do people ever compliment your eyes? Actually there was this one dude working in a cornerstore in Cartagena. I went in to buy a couple of empanadas before I went to the bus station and asked him which ones were chicken, beef etc. He asked if I spoke spanish and I said yes a little and he said something I didn’t quite get so I asked him to repeat it. He was like (in spanish) “you have beautiful eyes.” I was more surprised than anything because I was expecting him to say, “This one is beef” Do people ever tell you that you’re funny? Sometimes Would you be upset if you caught your boyfriend looking at porn? No How many people has your best friend had sex with? idk. Less than me I think What’s the last song you listened to? No idea. I don’t play music at home usually Who’s the last person that hung up on you? Several people I called from that telemarketing job Four days from now, will you have sex? On wednesday? I doubt it Do you look intimidating? I have been told that I do. What does your second to last text say? The second most recent message sent to me says “that’s what she said amirite” What makes you laugh? Many things. What were you most looking forward to today? Nothing in particular How is your hair? In need of a cut at some point When was the last time you had a conversation with an ex? A few months ago Are you worried about anything right now? Finding a job before I run out of money and have to go back to Australia How do you think tomorrow will be? The same as today Is there a guy who knows everything or almost everything about you? I have a couple of close male friends who know a lot about my life If you could pack your bags right now and were given a plane ticket, where do you go? Costa Rica How far away are you from the person you have feelings for? From spain to costa rica haha Your last ex calls wanting to hangout, what do you say? Well actually I think he is in town this weekend but he made it very clear that he doesn’t want to see me. tbh I don’t really care either way Where were you at 2 this morning? In bed scrolling through facebook on my phone Have you ever kissed anyone who’s name started with a K? I don’t think so Have you accidentally sent a text to the wrong person? Yes and it was me bitching about him. Last time you were TOTALLY happy? When I was travelling. I’m pretty much always happy when I’m travelling. Could you go the rest of your life without drinking alcohol? I could but I’m not going to. Is there anything currently hurting on your body? No Ever kissed someone with green eyes? No idea. I don’t pay much attention to eye colour When you are home alone, do you still close the door when you shower? Yes because it keeps the bathroom warm and steamy Are you mad at anyone right now? No Do you like your music loud or at a reasonable level? Reasonable level. I don’t like loud music unless I’m trashed at a club. A couple of months ago I was shopping and I walked into this one store and immediately turned around and left because the music was too loud and that’s when I realised I’m an actual adult. Have you held hands with anyone in the past 30 hours? Not unless you count a handshake as briefly holding hands. How often do you sleep in? Every day. I got nothing to do in the morning Will you be in a relationship next month? Doubt it Do you stay up later than ten o’clock on a week night? Yes because I got nothing to do in the morning Who’s the last person you told a secret to? I don’t think many things in my life are actually secret Do you think someone is thinking about you right now? Probably not Would you rather have big or small dogs? Medium Will you cry tonight? I don’t really ever cry Do you have respect for people even if you don’t like them? I can, depending on the person What’s one fruit you love in drinks? Lemon Have you ever tried wine? Yeah. I’m not a wine person but I’ve still been drunk off it a couple of times. In your life, do you plan on visiting other countries? Well in the last 3 years I’ve been to 11 countries and I definitely plan on going to plenty more. Is there an ex you want to make up with? Ehh, If I went back to australia I’d probably hit up the ripped guy but not for an actual relationship, just casual.

Does cuddling freak you out? Why would it? How much time do you take to get ready in the morning? about half an hour Do you love where you live? It’s honestly such a cool city. It’d be better if I had friends here to do things with, but I still like it even though I’m alone. Will your next kiss be drunk or sober? Knowing me, probably drunk Do you wear high heels everyday? I haven’t worn anything resembling a heel in about 5 years Are you an aunt or an uncle? No and I think my brother is about as likely to have kids as I am. Mum knows that she’s very unlikely to ever become a grandmother. Were you texting someone right before you fell asleep last night? Yeah, a couple of people Did you have any unread text messages when you woke up today? How many? 3 messages from one guy, and like 50 from a group chat. I woke up every now and then from the vibration of my phone under my pillow and had to mute the notifications for an hour Are you happy? I’m content, I guess Are you an alcoholic? Depends who you ask haha Can you go a day without thinking about the person that’s on your mind now? Not at the moment, no. Could you go the rest of your life without a cigarette? Yes. Does anyone know every little detail about you? There’s a few people that know many details about me What’s one thing you really want right now? More money Who was the last person you took a picture with? Some people from the office. Y’know, the one that I don’t work at anymore Did anything “cute” happen today? No. I haven’t left my apartment Are you wearing shoes right now? No Have you ever just laid outside and looked at the stars? I have. It’s very peaceful outside of the cities. Are you currently wanting any piercings or tattoos? No. I was going to get a tattoo a couple of years ago but I couldn’t pin down the tattoo artist because he kept being busy and moving between studios and then I kinda just lost interest. But if I got a tattoo now it would still be that same design Do you smile everyday? Yes Who are you more like, mom or dad? I look more like my dad but my personality and interests are a lot more like my mum. My brother is the exact opposite. Could you date someone shorter than you? I have. But I probably wouldn’t do it again. Where do you wish you were right now? Travelling Have a crazy side? Oh yeah Something you do a lot? Sleep 

What is your natural hair color? Brown How many people have you kissed? idk probably 20-something. I have a tendency to make out with people when I’m drunk

Ever kissed someone you weren’t dating at the time? Most of them Ever kissed someone you’d met less than an hour before? Sure have Were any of them in relationships with someone else at the time? Yes but it was a party game and they were both there and cool with it How old was the oldest person you’ve kissed? In their 30s How young was the youngest person you’ve kissed? Maybe 2 years younger than me Ever been kissed by a legal adult when you were a minor (or vise-versa)? No. Ever been walked in on while you were making out with someone? I don’t think so Weirdest place you’ve kissed someone? (geographically, not physically) I don’t think so, nowhere unusual. Just like car, club, empty spare room at a friend’s house Ever kissed someone and had someone else get really mad about it? Not that I recall Ever stopped kissing someone because they had bad breath? No, but I have slightly avoided kissing when I know we both have morning breath Ever not known the name of someone you kissed? Yep Ever kissed someone on a dare/as part of a game? Yep Kissed someone you didn’t really like just to make someone else jealous? No Ever had a really horrible kissing experience? haven’t we all Ever been called a bad kisser? No Ever called someone else a bad kisser? Lmao yes Where’s the most public place you’ve ever made out with someone? Club/in line for a club Where’s the most private place you’ve ever made out with someone? Bedroom I guess Ever thought of someone else while you were kissing someone? Probably Do you usually kiss on the first date? Tbh I’ve normally boned them before they’ve asked me out. I kinda do things in a backwards order. But I see no issue with kissing on the first date anyway.