#agape-28

[serejae]

FOREVER YOUNG | C.SEUNGCHEOL

pairing : scoups x reader

WHAT ! - in which seungcheol will always be young to you (or, youve watched seungcheol grow as your relationship does)

warnings : corny ending paragraph (booooo) so self indulgent, i found a gray hair tdy (im 20.)

happiest birthday to my cherry :-(

28

seungcheol sat between your legs peacefully resting his head on your thigh as he scrolled through his phone. you subconsciously run your hands through his hair until you spotted something. taking a double take you gasp making seungcheol look up slightly with his brows furrowed

“whats wrong?” he asked softly clearly tired

“you have a gray hair” you replied laughing slightly still shocked

seungcheol then sat up with one hand ontop of this head with his mouth agape “youre lying” he almost whispered before pacing to the bathroom mirror, you followed him and stood by the door frame watching him move his hair around searching for the gray hair. smiling at the sight you found a pair of tweezers in the drawer and stood behind him pushing him to lower down to get a better look at his hair

“i dont think there was a gray hair baby” he mumbled still in denial

“it must have been the hair dye i have on, its gray right?” he asked looking at you through the mirror

not replying you plucked out the piece of hair that distinguished itself from the rest on his head, it was metallic, clearly a gray hair.

as seungcheol stood there he went back to the couch and face planted on it making you laugh, again you followed him and laid on his back as you ran your hands through his hair

“im so old” he mumbled against the couch letting his shoulders deflate, you rested your chin on it and laughed

“youre still handsome”

“am i?

my younger features are being lost”

“and i watched you lose them, thats the beautiful thing cheol”

he peeped his face out to slightly look at you on his back with his confused face

-

18

you were walking the streets just roaming around when there were a group of guys about to walk past you on a street, you looked at each boy but your eyes settled on one as his settled onto you

he was so cute, his features were so soft. he had a baby face almost (he also had that goofy tall mountain haircut everyone had back then)

that was the first thing you could think of and you couldnt really think of anything else because he stopped you

“hey, uhm…” he paused slightly leaving his hand out

you awkwardly shook his hand as you muttered a “hi”

a few more seconds of awkward silence he continued “i just came to this part of town, do you want to be friends…?”

he had a slight grin on his face which subconsciously traveled to you, it was like he put you under a spell. you nodded making his smile a bit wider

“im seungcheol”

“yn”

seungcheol was gonna continue talking but you both heard his friend group call out for him

“uhm lets exchange numbers really quick yeah?” he again, use that smile that you couldnt resist

-

19

its almost been a year since seungcheol and you have met and almost 5 months since you both had started dating. its crazy how a cute boy you met on the street was now laying on your lap after YOU asked him to be your boyfriend when you both were in a diner and the tension between the two of you in the booth but no words were spoken. you could tell seungcheol tried to utter the words out but the slowness made you eager and say it first. luckily, he immediately nodded needing no time to react

“yes, yes i want to be your boyfriend”

you remember those words he said on the 27th even 10 years later because seungcheol kisses you everyday 27 times in the morning and night to apologize for making you ask him

out

so as he laid on your lap your fingers softly traced the soft curve of his nose, lips, and face shape. taking in the beauty of the man on your lap you were a bit spaced out not noticing the smile placed on his lips

but its not like the both of you cared

-

23

slowly and quietly you made your way to seungcheols gaming room in the shared apartment with his lit birthday cake in hand as kkuma followed behind you with her paws hitting the floor softly. you stood out outside the room looking at your phone

11:58

11:59

you opened the door slightly and peaked in to see him fully focused on the game hes playing

12:00

just then you carefully walk in and tap his shoulder. seungcheol immediately took off his headphones and turned to look at you, when he realized what was going on he smiled and turned to the computer to check the date, turning back to you, you started to sing happy birthday as he looked up at you forgetting about everything around him

when you finished singing he took a moment to continue admire you before letting out a small

“thank you”

before blowing out his candles, but instead of going for the cake he wraps his arms around your waist still sitting in his seat

“can i stay like his for a bit?” he muttered resting one side of his face on your stomach

“yeah, of course” you smiled as you put the cake on his table letting you arms relax down his back as you looked down at him. your hands trace the side of his face that is visible to you, you notice the maturing his face has did over the 4 years.

his features are still soft but more prominent, his nose had shapened a bit, his lips were slightly plumper, and his face was slimmer.

smiling at the baby cheol that you met before youre met with semibaby cheol

but he doesnt have to know that

-

28

i guess he didnt have to know that because he found out himself, thats why youre laying ontop of a 28 year olds back running your hands through his hair as he listens to you talk about how his features have changed from when he was 18, 19, and 23

“i guess 23 when was i realized that your features had changed slightly, 19 was only a bit of difference from 18” you explained to him as he laid one side of his face on the couch

“and now?” he muttered

“youre features…”

you traced over them again causing his lips to lift slightly at the contact

“theyre more defined, your soft nose is more prominent, your plump lips are plumper and pinkish, and your face is more defined”

“but am i-“

“yes, youre still handsome cheol gray hairs and all”

he smiled at the words

“just wanted to hear you say it

you think im old though?”

you smiled continuing to stare down at the one side of his face visible moving a few hairs away from his face

“youre closer to 30 than you are 20 babe”

his lips pouted making you chuckle

“i want to be forever young” he sighed

“then what about me? id be old” you teased making him huff

“then i want to be forever old-

wait no i dont”

you laughed at his slip up making him laugh too

“if there was a chance for you to he forever young but you would lose me from your life-“

your question was cut off by seungcheols quick

“no”

“i wouldnt want to live any life without you in it. if im young, if im old, i want to do it with you

i want to be forever young with you

forever old too, forever mid age, i just want to be forever with you”

“i want to be forever with you too” you smiled caressing his cheek

“your birthdays soon” he nodded and leaned against your touch

your hand slowly made it back to his hair

“maybe youll get more gray hairs sooner then”

“you know, gray hairs dont seem too bad if theyre with you” seungcheol said

“yeah?”

“yeah, i guess youre right in a way, they remind me of the stages of our relationship and how youve been there with me for it all

and it also reminds me of how i cannot wait for you to get your gray hairs” he smiled cheekily

“hey” you scolded him slightly

“you said it shows us growing up with one another so-“

“but still!”

and as the evening continued with bickering it was as if time never changed anything, even when your features are being changed youre reminded that you still have the same seungcheol and you through moments like these

so no, you dont have baby cheol nor semibaby cheol looks wise but cheol will always be your baby

even if you both arent forever young

[livelaughlovesubs]

okay my dude, have you seen the recent hsr leaks about mr. reca??2?2?2?2?1!#+@( I am so down bad for that man you wouldn't understand........ anyways, I'd like to ask for prompt 28 (fitting them with a collar) with him :3333

- anon

I saw!!! But I don’t have a single clue what his personality is like! I’d guess a fun but sly character? Welp, let’s see how this goes (I have no ideas help)

Dom!Actor!reader x sub!Reca - reader is GN

Warning: collaring, teasing, fwb…?

Anniversary event

“Oh come y/n, for old time’s sake, do it for me, alright?” You clicked your tongue, not even looking at the individual who was talking to you, back facing to them with your arms crossed, “I won’t do it, I told you already.” A moment of silence, before they sighed and closed the distance between you two, “why won’t you take that role?”

“Mr. Reca, will you please respect my choices?” Suddenly you turned around and raised your voice, seeing him lean against the couch in the middle of the room, wearing a fading smile. “I need you for that role, there’s no one else who can take it.” He repeated once again, then continued with, “and I won’t leave until I’ve convinced you, or, if you gave me a reason for your decision.” You slammed one hand onto the makeup table in front of you, putting the other against your forehead. “If I gave you a reason, you’ll have hope, and keep trying.”

The male kept quite, he couldn’t argue with that one, “if it because of the writing? Or the personality of the character?” You shook your head, “no, none of that. Don’t bother me any further, Reca, don’t let our friendship go to waste because of some measly dispute.” He scoffed, grinning widely, throwing his head back in a defeated stance, “I’ve already got sponsors and began the preparations, I can’t go back now. Y/n, help me out, I don’t want to end up as minced meat.”

You chuckled, answering his plead with a sarcastic smile, “it’s your own fault. Don’t worry, I can introduce you to some actors.” Reca looked down to his feet, taking a deep breath, exhaling, before staring you in the eyes, “no, I still want you, and I won’t have it any other way.” After debating for so long, you thought he’d finally crave in, though it seems you underestimated his resolve. “Reca, i-” “yea yea, you don’t want to, got it. So, what can I do to convince you?”

Your eyes widened at that, it took you a while to compose yourself, “wow, your resolve is admirable, but I don’t think I’ll fold.” The brunette stepped away from the couch, getting closer to you, mumbling, “don’t be shy now~ you can request whatever you want. A deal, of some kind, what do you think?” It’d be a lie to say you weren’t intrigued, just how far could you push his buttons, you wondered. “Whatever?” You repeated his words in a questioning tone.

“Whatever.”

“Do your movies mean more to you than your life?” You joked, shaking your head in disbelieve. “Let’s see what I can make you do.” His eyes lit up, his usual cheerfulness returned, “so you agree? Haha! You have my gratitude, y/n! Aeons, lemme kiss you.” Out of nowhere he hugged you and kissed you on the cheeks, both sides, before taking a few steps back. You on the other hand froze, blinking a few times, remembering his eccentric tendencies, then gagging out a, “don’t thank me- it’s a mutual deal.”

“Right, that reminds me, got any idea what you want?” Reca smirked again, he was in a usually good mood now. “I’ll just have you as my pet.” You eventually said, then you specified your statement, “ah, and I’ll only cooperate as long as you are my pet.” When you looked over at him again, his mouth hung agape, red eyes shrunk a little while he stood there like a statue. “…you are joking.” He asked carefully. “I’m not.”

An awkward silence broke out once more, luckily he broke the ice after a few seconds, though it was done with a condescending comment, “Right, you were an eccentric like that.” A breathy laugh escape you, “hah, says who?” You two kept eye contact for a while, then he gave up and hide his face in his hand, groaning, “urghhhhhhh.” A faint blush covered his ears, and probably his cheeks as well.

“So?” You questioned, wondering if that was too much for him. “What? Of course i agree.” Reca frowned, an embarrassed scorn on his face, why were you so nonchalant about all of this? After getting his consent, you couldn’t help but sigh, “You really are a slave to your production.” He grinned again, winking at you, “Aren’t we all slaves to our desires?”

You thought about it, opening the drawer of the furniture behind you, taking something out before taking a few steps closer to the rather tall male in front of you. “Yea, you are right, it’s a part of being human I guess.” Then you wrapped the leather around his neck, pulling gently, tightening it. When you were done, you raised his chin, teasing him with a hint of irony, “don’t take it off, it’s a gift from me, your master.” His breathing hitched, but he didn’t back down, feeling the weight of the situation finally catching up to him.

“I’m sure the movie will turn out great, all thanks to you.” He then stated, rubbing the collar around his neck, feeling a weird sense of comfort inside him. You nodded, “of course it will, I don’t tolerate failures.” Reca laughed softly, then whispered meekly, “right. For that, I’ll be a good pet in return, master.”

[satinekryzeweek]

DAY ONE: JAN 27 | agape - ἀγάπη The highest form of unconditional, sacrificial love. Satine’s relationship to Mandalore and her people. What it means to be Mand’alor and her duty to the system.

DAY TWO: JAN 28 | storge - στοργή Familial love. Satine’s relationship to her family. How she views her family, her sister, her nephew, and the entirety of House Kryze.

DAY THREE: JAN 29 | eros - ἔρως Physical love or sexual desire; involving passion, lust, or romance. Satine’s relationship to romance and sexual desire. Her lovers and partners over the years, both sensual and carnal.

DAY FOUR: JAN 30 | philia - φιλία Close bonds created through friendship. Satine’s relationship to friendship. People she has met on her travels that keep in touch, mentors, guides, and close friends she cares for deeply.

DAY FIVE: JAN 31 | philautia - φιλαυτία Self love and personal happiness. Satine’s relationship to herself. How she sees herself, her past, her future- what she wants and what drives her.

For more information, check out our Rules and About, or send us an ask. Signal boost: @swfandomevents @thebigbangblogproject @starwarsfemslashblog @sapphicstarwars @fandomweeks

[thecapricunt1616]

Ginseng (c.b. one shot)

𝓢𝓷𝓲𝓹𝓹𝓮𝓽 (𝓶𝓸𝓻𝓮 𝓑𝓣𝓒): The sound of the faucet drowned out the unlocking and shutting of the apartment door when Carmy had come home early today. He hoped to surprise you and have a romantic evening together. But to his surprise when he got in, he heard the bathtub faucet, silently wishing you hadn’t gotten in the bath yet - he quietly took off his backpack and sneakers, nudging the bedroom door open. “Angel?” He said softly, expecting you to be near the slightly open bathroom door, taking your hair down or washing off your makeup from the day. He shut the bedroom door out of habit from living with Steve in New York and headed towards the bathroom hearing your silent pleas as you tried your best to get an orgasm finally. That was something Carmy was your first for. You’d been well experienced sexually, but Carmy? He gave you your first-ever orgasm. For some sad reason you could never get there with your fingers, and your previous partners never got you there. 

♡ Chapter Inspo: Ginsengs magickal uses include; love, beauty, protection, healing & lust. Carry this herb to draw love, health, money, and sexual potency. Carve a wish into a whole root and throw it into water to make the wish come true. ♡ Summary: Carmy gets home to find you ... a little lascivious, and offers to help being the polite gentleman he is! ♡ W/C: 800+ ♡ Posted Date: 05/28/2024 ♡ A/N: Hello! Happy day 3/7 of the Capri 200 Follower Celebration Extravaganza!!! You can find said extravaganza ♡ Here ♡ this celebration will be going until next Sunday (06/02/24) so get your requests in! Here's another celebration ask on the books! This ask is from a sweet anon, ask can be found right ♡ here ♡ , I hope you enjoy anon! ♡ Warnings for BTC: Smutty smut smut, AFAB!Fem!Reader, Reader not described (pic's are purely for vibes only), swearing, and typical TB trigger warnings

♡ 𝐌𝐲 𝐋𝐢𝐧𝐤𝐬 ♡

➵ 𝐂𝐡𝐞𝐜𝐤 𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐦𝐲 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭 ♡ ➵ 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐂𝐚𝐫𝐦𝐲 𝐨𝐧𝐞-𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐭 𝐥𝐚𝐧𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐩𝐚𝐠𝐞 ♡ ➵ 𝘊𝘭𝘪𝘤𝘬 𝘮𝘦 𝘵𝘰 𝘳𝘦𝘲𝘶𝘦𝘴𝘵 𝘴𝘰𝘮𝘦𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 / 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘵 ♡ ➵ 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐭 𝐥𝐢𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐫𝐞𝐪𝐮𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐬 ♡

Carmy had been…absent. That’s how you’d been putting it to yourself. You wanted to call it neglectful - but, you knew that would be dramatic considering the fact you truly understood why he wasn’t home, wasn’t tending to your needs as you’d teased him about in the early mornings. 

He’d grumble, nuzzling his strong nose into your neck and kissing lightly along your sensitive skin beneath your ear, muttering ‘M’sorry babydoll’ into your soft skin. He’d get up out of bed in your Chicago apartment, before the sun had even kissed the edge of the horizon and go take a freezing cold shower to wake himself up. 

You found yourself tonight, a pathetic little Friday night it was. In your shared bath/shower, legs spread wide enough for the perfect pressured water to hit your clit. You were a mess, whining and moaning like a pornstar. You didn’t care how you sounded, because Carmy was never home before 9pm. You’d assumed it was no later then 9, you’d just gotten in the bath at 8:40. Little known to you, it had been over an hour. 

You’d had 4 glasses of red wine, not enough to get you drunk - but enough to get you hot and bothered. You always got like this when you had red wine. You’d joked it was your ‘slutty grape juice’ which always made Carmy giggle. 

“you own me- mmffuck” you whined, 3 fingers deep in your cunt as the water attacked your clit brutally, back arched against the baths porcelain floor and nipples hard and perky. Your mouth was agape, soft pants falling from your lips and eyes fluttered shut as your manicured toes curled. 

The sound of the faucet drowned out the unlocking and shutting of the apartment door when Carmy had come home early today. He hoped to surprise you and have a romantic evening together. But to his surprise when he got in, he heard the bathtub faucet, silently wishing you hadn’t gotten in the bath yet - he quietly took off his backpack and sneakers, nudging the bedroom door open. “Angel?” He said softly, expecting you to be near the slightly open bathroom door, taking your hair down or washing off your makeup from the day. 

He shut the bedroom door out of habit from living with Steve in New York and headed towards the bathroom hearing your silent pleas as you tried your best to get an orgasm finally. That was something Carmy was your first for. You’d been well experienced sexually, but Carmy? He gave you your first-ever orgasm. For some sad reason you could never get there with your fingers, and your previous partners never got you there. 

“yes daddy, fill me up- please-” you lamented, back arching in pleasure and sobbing out hot, wanton moans and cries. 

“Holy fuckin’ shit” he murmured to himself as he pushed the door open. The door creak was just loud enough for your attention to be grabbed, and your head snapped to the right to see him standing there. You snapped your legs closed, quickly sitting up, mouth shutting with a click of your teeth and the feeling of heat flooding your cheeks, your eyes wide as an owl. 

“I- oh - you’re- uh. Welcome home?” You said coyly, covering your perked breasts with your arms. Every intimate part of you felt flushed, pulsing with need. Your nipples were hard, clit was hard, pussy was throbbing and clenching - fuck. You needed him badly. But couldn’t help but feel nearly…perverted? 

“Can- uh…” he swallowed thickly. 1 year and 8 months of being together, being official as he called it - and he was still so shy as his eyes raked over your naked body. “Can I help?” he came over, kneeling next to the tub and gently caressing your warm cheek with the back of his hand. “You sound so pretty sweetheart you miss me this bad mm?” he trailed his hand down your neck, over your breast, squeezing the sensitive flesh gently.

“Gosh Bear” you sunk down in the shallow pool of water, spreading your thighs once more “Please- please help me” You begged and rested your head back gratefully. His hand found your core, rubbing against your swollen clit with his middle and forefingers, that exact rhythm he knew you loved. Your hips jerked, gasping unintentionally and pinching your nipple for added pleasure. 

“Yeah? Feel good huh? Gonna cum on my hand?” he curled his fingers against your G-spot and you gasped, grabbing his wrist and feeling the tendons flex beneath your fingers as he continued to fingerfuck you absolutely stupid.

“Missed you daddy” you manage to get between your lips, reaching your hand up to touch his face gently. He took your hand with his non-dominant one, kissing the palm.

“So patient, yeah? My patient, sweet kitten” he kissed your forehead and you whine out in pleasure, his hand holding open your thigh on one side, elbow working the other to assure you stayed spread wide for him as he worked you through it, gummy walls clenching tight making lewd wet noises, and hips twitching up in overstimulation. “Thats it, mmm? Waited like a good girl, my good girl” he cooed, kissing your nose gently, intimately, as he rubbed your clit to walk you through it.

“Glad I didn’t make a mess this time” you breathe, chest moving a bit rapidly as you finished your comedown. Carmy kissed up your calf, to your knee and thigh

“Y’think im done w’you t’night?”

[linopls]

kinktober day ten

praise kink changbin x gn!reader summary: changbin just loves you so much warnings: SMUT MINORS DNI, oral (male receiving) 0.3k words

“oh you’re so good to me,” changbin says while placing one of his soft hands against your cheek.

your knees are throbbing, your lungs are screaming for air, your throat is raw and abused. but all that pain goes away when changbin opens his mouth and goes on and on about how amazing you are.

“your mouth feels heavenly, baby,” changbin coos. “you take my cock so well.”

you moan around the head of his cock and changbin chuckles. 

“you like when i tell you how good you are at sucking my cock, hm?”

your eyes roll back in your head and you moan again. you suck in your cheeks and slowly engulf his thick cock back into your throat until your nose is pressed against his pelvis. you look up at changbin through your eyelashes and see that he is looking down at you with admiration in his eyes and his mouth agape. 

changbin places the one hand not occupied on your cheek to the back of your neck. you let your jaw go slack as changbin begins to thrust his hips up into your mouth. the tip of his cock repeatedly hitting the back of throat makes tears form in your eyes.

“don’t cry, my love,” changbin says between thrusts. “you’re doing so well for me.”

your toes curl and your eyes roll, you swear you could finish from his praises alone. 

“letting me use you like this? god, you’re amazing.”

you’re dizzy, unsure if it's from lack of oxygen or from the waterfall of praises pouring from changbin’s mouth.

“give me a second, baby. you feel so good, you’re gonna make me cum.”

you suck in your cheeks again, wanting nothing more than for changbin to finish down your throat. changbin moans loudly and throws his head back in pleasure.

“fuck, that’s it. you feel so fucking good, baby, i’m gonna cum.” you feel changbin’s hot release spill into your throat as he finishes with a loud groan. 

changbin slowly pulls his softening cock out of your mouth and cups both your cheeks in his hands. he rubs his thumb over your bottom lip, smearing his cum across it. 

“so, so, so good to me, baby,” changbin smiles. “i love you.”

changbin <;3

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[allyheart707]

1 Year Comic Collab - PART 2

<- Part One

THANK YOU to everyone who has joined this collab and everyone else who has stuck with me through this year of my comic! I am so so so thankful for all of you guys! This comic has gotten me out of my comfort zone, helped me find friends, and taught me SO much about art and animation. I would NOT have stuck with it so long if it wasn't for all of your support. <3 <3 <3

A special thank you to @bambiraptorx who helped A TON in setting up the ID's for this comic, @kitmay05 who helped with advice and writing the extra IDs that were left unfinished, @cupkatwarrior9 who also helped a ton with advice and IDs, and @nootdhoodle who created and modded my discord server for me!!

Credits in order top to bottom: @kitmay05. @rainyraisin, @averagetmntfan (line art) & @cosmocafe (color), @flour-consumer, @dianagj-art , @3mutantsinatrenchcoat , @chaos-potat , @irequirealobotomy , @koolaidashley , @risebabyx2 , @clown-froggi , @riseleon , @beetleviolet , @karonkar , @brightonstudios , @cupkatwarrior9 , @bambiraptorx , @fxliciq-a , @truths33k3r4 , and last but not least, @nootdhoodle

[ID: Panel 21- Carol sitting in the middle of a bunk bed, Mikey cuddled up close arms and legs wrapped around Carol. Donnie sitting to the side getting head pats from Carol. She is saying, "once upon a time...". Both boys' tails are wagging.

Panel 22- Huginn hovering in the air saying, "there was a great warrior." Leo tucked in looking so excited he's sparkling. Muninn floats nearby also looking exited.

Panel 23- Heishi lying in his bed. He is so excited that his eyes are shining stars and his mouth is agape. Hugin off screen says "He could beat anyone or anything with just his hands!!"

Panel 24- A digital drawing of Huginn with his arms and wings spread, though part of his body isn't in the frame. He has a happy expression on his face and his mouth is widely opened. His text bubble says "And every time he won, he would give the crowd a big smile and shout-". The drawing is watermarked by flour-consumer.

Panel 25- Hugin and Munin fly behind Heishi, the three are throwing their fists to the air cheering "Hot Soup!" image watermarked by dianagj-art.

Panel 26- Transitions to Raph bedroom which is decorated with glow in the dark stars and movie posters. On a red bed sits Raph who is excitedly listening to his father tell him the story off screen "But more importantly, he was very good looking."

Panel 27- Raph, sitting on his bed, looks disappointed. Splinter is off screen but a speach bubble with his face in it shows that he is laughing at his sons reaction.

Panel 28- Splinter’s ears drop and his face falls into a frown, sitting on the rug beside Raphael’s bed. Raphael, laying on the bed, looks confused and concerned. The room is colorful, with childish toys and posters, and the blanket and rug are red, his color. It is watermarked with “irequirealobotomy” in purple text.

Panel 29- Splinter looking away with a sad expression saying "Then one day... they dissapearred without a trace". The background is a gradient from orange to purple.

Panel 30- Mikey, Carol and Donnie sit on Donnie’s bed. Mikey holds his stuffed bunny George and Carol’s arm as his tail wags. Donnie throws his arms in the air. “What? But… where did he go?! You can’t just disappear…” He squints in deep thought his hand now at his face. “Can you? Maybe…” He points his finger as his eyes light up with ideas. “Maybe he is being hidden, like us! Or-” Watermarked risebabyx2 in the bottom corner.

Panel 31- Mikey and Donnie, sitting on Donnie’s bed. Donnie with a worried expression, mumbling until interrupted by Mikey who excitedly asks; “Do you think we will ever meet him!?” The image is watermarked by clown-froggi.

Panel 32- Carol looking away from Mikey and Donnie somberly, fiddling with her hands. Image is marked on the top left with RiseLeon.

Panel 33- Mikey sitting hugging his legs on the bed. His pink rabbit, George, hugged close. Carol sitting next to him, putting his head, saying "one day, I hope you can do anything you put your mind to." Donnie sitting on her other side looking slightly sullen. Water marked with purpleviolet at the top middle.

Panel 34- Carol tucking in Donnie while Mikey sits beside her. All are smiling. Image is watermarked by Karonkar.

Panel 35- Carol tucking in Mikey on the top bunk bed. Mikey is smiling as he snuggles his stuffed bunny. Carol smiles and pulls the cover over him. Image is watermarked by brightonstudios.

Panel 36- Carol stands in the doorway, facing the dark hall outside. Her hand rests against the edge of the frame. She is looking back over her shoulder, smiling fondly. She is saying "Goodnight, boys." Image is marked at the bottom right by CupKatWarrior9

Panel 37- Mikey sleeps on his stomach, George next to his hand. His blanket mostly covers his legs and the bottom of his shell, with one foot sticking out. Watermarked Bambiraptorx.

Panel 38- Donnie sleeping peacefully in his bed, mouth slightly open.

Panel 39- Heishi asleep in his bed, blankets tightly wrapped around him with a smile on his face. Signed MD in the bottom right.

Panel 40- Raph is asleep in his bed with an arm above his head. Light from the open door illuminates a portion of the room while the rest of it is shadowed. End ID.]

[jayjj7]

chapter 28. dinner

prev. | next | masterlist

even though you knew this was coming, walking into your boss’ office is nerve wracking. danielle is already in his office, sitting on a spare chair, turning her head upon seeing you walk in. you shoot her a small smile and stand behind danielle to give ryo and tae some space to walk into the office.

your hands are resting on danielle’s shoulders, gently rubbing against her doctors coat. she brings up a hand to hold yours, rubbing her thumb against each individual digit of your yours.

nervousness was an understatement, you were scared shit-less about losing your job. it wasn’t that you disliked your job, you loved it in fact, it was just the conditions that made you dread clocking in every day.

“it has been brought to my attention that i have been giving my employees…” your boss motions his hands forward to put an emphasis on everyone in the room.

“an unfair imbalance of pay and recognition” he looks down at his desk, fixing his name plate so it’s straighter than before.

ryo automatically furrows his eyebrows in frustration, expecting something huge in return. tae on the other hand, keeps a composed demeanor while staring at your boss.

“which is why i will make sure everyone is payed the same starting today, i will also be paying for your guys’ dinner” you could tell your boss had no intention on ever doing so. the light, subtle sweat on his forehead only puts you in a bad mood.

“thank you sir” ryo reaches his hand out to shake the boss’ while smiling and laughing hysterically.

danielle sighs before dropping her phone down on the table, clearly annoyed and angry. she stands up and takes a hold of minji’s arm to pull her behind where danielle was headed. they make their way to the bathroom without any discussion, minji’s facial expression declared indifference, it was like she knew this was coming.

“minji what are you doing?” danielle crosses her arms across her chest, holding eye contact with minji after entering the bathroom.

“i’m not doing anything” minji holds her hands up as if she was surrendering.

“what is your problem with y/n? i already told you we solved everything!” danielle leans closer to minji out of frustration, trying to make a point.

“okay so what if that happens again dani? huh? she lashes out on you again over something you can’t control, then what?” minji speaks louder in hopes of knocking some sense into danielle.

“there was a reason why she was mad okay? she apologized and that was it! you don’t have to look out for me this much! you are crossing the line!” danielle swings her arms as she talks, out of breath by the time she’s finished speaking.

“dani, why do you keep giving her excuses? because if this was anyone else, you would not be this nice or forgiving!” minji shakes her head as she talks.

danielle always had a response for everything she was told, whether that was an answer to a question, a suggestion, or in this case: a witty remark. but this time was different, danielle was silent, unable to respond to minji. this caused for minji to continue asking questions.

“why are you taking care of her? because she looks fine to me!” she laughs. “is she even paying rent?” “ why do you always hide her from us?” minji talks faster.

“i mean you practically live with the girl and still i know nothing about her?” she rests her hands on her hips.

“because i like y/n!” danielle shouts, shutting minji up and causing her to leave her mouth agape.

“i like y/n! i’m giving her the benefit of the doubt for being immature not only because she’s sick, but because i like her!” danielle rubs her temple.

“she’s living with me because the doctors said i should look after her for a week or two and i like taking care of her! i called her my wife and i like the thought of it! okay minji? is that what you wanted?” danielle is stressed out, she looks drained after her speech.

after a moment of silence, minji speaks:

“you can’t date her”

taglist : [ @modanisgf @greenniee @milfcr @idkwhatim-doinghere101 @urwyf3 @flolio @imahallucination11 @pandafuriosa60 @kaypanaq @nnewjeansstuff @haerinkisser @brocoliisscared @starrynini05 @l-e-e-woso @kimminjiswife @herlv3r @linnnsworld @multiliker @jisooftme @beanwtf1 @trovao-penguins ] taglist is open !! comment to be added !

[allwaswell16]

A fic rec of One Direction fics where one of the characters presents as their secondary gender in the fic as requested in this ask. If you enjoy the fics, please leave kudos and comments for the writers! You can find my other recs here. Happy reading!

- Louis/Harry -

❤️ Black Raspberries and Butterscotch by MushroomMushroom28*

(E, 114k, friends to lovers) What happens when two best friends, late to present as their secondary genders, finally spend a summer together after four years apart?

❤️ harry, you little shit (series) by @juliusschmidt *

(E, 89k, canon) Harry’s an omega and he’s learning to like it. A lot.

❤️ lost in the sirens by akatomlinson

(E, 53k, uni) alphas and omegas can’t cohabitate as friends and harry ‘supposed-to-be-a-beta’ styles presents a few weeks before he and louis ‘hot/spicy-omega-bestie’ tomlinson are set to move into their new uni flat.

❤️ Who Would've Thought by whoknows

(E, 44k, canon) The idea doesn’t come to Louis until they’ve been at the bungalow for a couple of days. Harry has no idea that he’s going to pop a knot. He’s been living his life with the expectation that he’s going to be a beta, and Louis isn’t going to tell him otherwise.

❤️ Follow Your Arrow by LadyAJ_13 / @ladyaj-13

(T, 36k, canon) They said Louis playing alpha wouldn’t affect anything. It was the best thing for the band, so he doesn’t really regret it except deep in the dead of night, when he bites down on his knuckles to swap the echoing ache of depri for a sting of pain.

❤️ Too Young To Know by @2tiedships2

(M, 35k, exes) the one where Harry doesn’t present as an alpha… until he does.

❤️ you burn with the brightest flame by sarcasticfluentry

(E, 34k, canon) the X-Factor Era A/B/O fic.

❤️ you're an alpha, harry! by fondjumpedtheshark / @agape-28

(E, 32k, uni) Right before Harry goes to university, he presents as an alpha. Struggling with his newfound identity in a completely different environment, he seeks advice from the notorious Louis Tomlinson, an omega whose claim to fame is being the local campus sex expert. Sex Education AU.

❤️ Introduction to Dynamics by @juliusschmidt

(E, 29k, uni) Louis Tomlinson is the outspoken omega in the 'Introduction to Dynamics' course Harry wishes he didn't have to take. He's nearly certain to present as a beta, after all. Things will be simple for him.

❤️ Like a Timebomb Ticking in Your Head by decorationxx

(T, 26k, canon) the one where Louis makes a deal with management. He can tell the world he's actually an omega under two conditions. (1) Harry presents as an alpha (done!), and (2) Harry wants him as a mate (oops).

❤️ I'm Weaker Without You by The_Halcyonic_Lachesist / @chai-hat-tea *

(T, 20k, historical) Alpha Lord Louis Tomlinson is a rake who refuses to settle down. Will he settle down for the Society's most talked about Omega? What about the enticing scent that belongs to the Beta? How will he react to said Beta pursuing the Omega too?

❤️ wanna taste your heart, don't interfere by orphan_account *

(E, 16k, friends to lovers) harry presents as an omega, louis is his alpha best friend, and there are hidden feelings that just get harder to control

❤️ There Is No Fear Now, Let Go And Just Be Free by hilourry

(E, 11k, established relationship) Louis is an omega and dates Harry, who they think is a beta, but he turns out to be an alpha. They accidentally soul bond and Louis ends up pregnant.

❤️ Waiting by @allwaswell16

(E, 10k, friends to lovers) Louis Tomlinson was Harry’s omega, of this Harry had always been sure. Unfortunately for Harry, Louis seemed to think they were just best friends. The six weeks that Harry has to live with Louis were going to be rough.

❤️ And I Will Steady Your Hand by kiwikero / @icanhazzalou *

(E, 9k, uni) All first year university students who had not yet presented were strongly advised to join the Fire Away meetings, a support group for so-called 'late bloomers.'

❤️ Yours. Always. by savannah_blue

(T, 1k, canon) Harry and Louis have been inseparable since meeting on the X-Factor, waiting for Harry to present as an omega to take the next step in their relationship. Except Harry doesn’t present as an omega.

- Rare Pairs -

❤️ Rewrite the Stars (series) by bromanceorromance *

(E, 34k, ot5) "We can't just decide to be a pack when none of you have presented," Louis insists. "Why the hell not?" Niall demands. "What is presenting going to change?"

❤️ You Were Never On Your Own by LadyAJ_13 / @ladyaj-13

(T, 12k, ot5) The band is basically a pack anyway, Louis reasons, they just need Liam to buck up and make it official. Because Harry won't present alpha, and Louis is definitely going to be a beta. Well, he's right about one thing.

[emlovessid]

@jegulus-microfic december 28, skill, 133 words

“Oi, Pads, check out my new skill!” James says, popping a cherry in his mouth.

After chewing for a little while, tongue poking against the inside of his cheek, he opens his mouth and sticks out his tongue to show the cherry stem tied in a knot around itself.

Just from the look on his face, eyes wide and mouth agape, Regulus can tell that Sirius is genuinely impressed.

It’s almost with a sense of awe that Sirius asks, “How the hell did you do that?”

“I did it with my tongue,” James says proudly.

“It’s not the only thing he can do with his tongue,” Regulus says under his breath, unable to stop the laugh that bubbles out of him when Sirius deadpans him, and then just up and leaves the room.

[blckbarbiedoll]

Million Dollar Baby

Chapter 2-Hot In Here

July 28, 2019-New Rochelle, New York

It was late when you and Patrick made it to your hotel. He took the bags up to the room while you got drinks for the two of you.

"Can I get a bottle of Jack Daniel's and two glasses delivered to my room please? Room 308."

The bartender nodded and you handed him your card. He swiped it and handed it back to you with your receipt.

"Ayesha?"

You whipped your head around and looked for the source of the sound. Your eyes lingered on a certain strawberry blonde that was looking at you.

"Art? What're you doing here?"

"I'm competing. What're you doing here?"

"She's my coach." Patrick answered as he came up behind you and wrapped his arm around your waist. "And my fiancé." He held your hand up. "It'd be kinda fucked up if she wasn't with me while I played."

"You're playing?" He asked with a clenched jaw.

"Don't sound so surprised, man."

Besides the shorter hair, tighter shirt, and bags under his eyes, he looked the exact same as he did a decade ago.

"Come on." You said, grabbing Patrick's arm. "Let's go order room service."

🎾THIRTEEN YEARS EARLIER🎾

Tashi's hands found their way to your hips as you danced to the song. Your back was to her, but you could tell she was smiling. She grabbed your hand and spun you around until you faced her. Her long brown hair was swaying back and forth each time she moved. 

"I need to sit!" She yelled over the music.

"Go! I'll get drinks!"

You left the dance floor and walked over to the drink table. You grabbed two mocktails and walked towards the couches. On your way there, you saw two boys gawking at the poster of you and Tashi.

"I'd let them fuck me with rackets." The dark haired one said.

"Rackets?" You laughed.

They quickly spun around and their jaws dropped.

"Holy shit." The strawberry blonde spoke.

"I'm so sorry."

"It's fine. I've never heard that one actually."

"I'm Patrick-"

"Zweig. I know. And Art Donaldson."

"You know us?"

"Of course. You played a good game today."

"You played better."

"You wanna sit down?"

They looked to each other and back to you and nodded quickly. You led them to where Tashi was sitting and handed her the drink.

"Look what I found." You smiled as you sat next to her.

"If it isn't fire and ice." She smirked and took a sip of her drink. "So, which one's which?"

"What do you think?" Patrick asked.

"You guys were incredible today." Art spoke before she could respond. "It wasn't even Tennis. It was a whole different game."

"So, when are you going pro?" Patrick asked you both.

"After college." Tashi answered.

"Where you going?"

"Stanford."

"Me too!" Art smiled. "That's crazy!"

"What about you?" Patrick turned the attention to you.

"As soon as possible. My mother would kill me if I did anything else."

"Your mother would kill you if what?" She questioned as she walked over to you.

"If I didn't dance with her tonight."

"Bet your ass I would."

"Oh my god." The boys said in unison.

"Mom, these are the boys who played today. Patrick and Art."

"Very nice to meet you both. You played good."

They stood there with their mouths agape unable to speak for a minute.

"You're Carmen Brown." Patrick whispered.

"So I've been told."

"You won gold at the Olympics three times."

"I remember."

"You've won 24 grand slams."

"You're a fucking legend."

"Okay, that's enough ego boosting for one night." You laughed. "Don't you have somewhere to be, mom?"

"Actually, you girls have to go take pictures with your trophies."

"I guess we'll see you later then." Tashi waved as you two walked off.

🎾

It was much darker when you and Tashi finally left the party. You were sitting on the beach, heels discarded in the sand, head on her shoulder as her arm was wrapped around you.

"I'm so proud of you." She softly spoke.

"My mom isn't. I won a fucking grand slam, and she's still not satisfied."

"That's because she's old and can't compete anymore." She joked. "She's just jealous."

"I just don't wanna let her down." You cried against her shoulder. She lifted your head up and wiped your tears away before kissing your forehead. "Sometimes I think she wishes you were her daughter instead."

"Don't say that."

"It's true. She fucking hates me. Who am I to her if I can't play tennis?"

She didn't know what to say to comfort you. Instead, she just kissed your cheek and held you. After a few minutes, you heard footsteps coming towards you.

"Funny finding you here." Art smiled.

"You stalking us?" Tashi asked.

"Maybe." Patrick said. "Want a cigarette?"

"No." Tashi said with disgust.

"Yes." You took one from the box and let him light it for you.

"Ayesha."

"It's just one." You took a long drag before blowing the smoke in the opposite direction from the group.

"You looked like you were crying." Art said to you.

You ignored his statement and turned to Patrick.

"You going to college?"

"Nah. I'm going pro as soon as I can."

"You don't wanna go to school? Get a job?"

"Hitting a ball with a racket it a great way to avoid having a job. What's wrong with just being a tennis player?"

You laughed and took another drag of the cigarette. 

"You're not a tennis player."

"I'm not?"

"No. You're a person who plays tennis. A tennis player eats, sleeps, breaths, and lives tennis."

"Is that what you two are?" Art asked.

"It's what Tashi is. It's what my mother wishes I was."

She looked over at you and back at the boys. She checked her watch before standing up and grabbing her heels.

"We should get back to the hotel. It's really late."

You nodded and picked up your shoes and followed her.

"Wait!" Patrick called out. "Are you guys on FaceBook?"

"What?"

"He's asking for your numbers." Art looked up with his puppy dog eyes. "And so am I."

"You both want both of our numbers?" Tashi asked.

"Very much so."

"That sounds like trouble." You told them.

"I like trouble." Patrick smirked. "Come hang out with us later. You're at the hotel in Flushing, right?"

"Yeah."

"We're in room 206."

"And do what?"

"Talk about tennis."

You rolled your eyes and smiled. "Goodnight guys." You grabbed Tashi's hand and walked off the beach.

🎾

It was past midnight when Tashi came out of the bathroom freshly showered. You were lying on your bed reading when she plopped down next to you. She moved your braids out of your face and rested her head on your chest.

"I have an idea."

"Uh oh." You set the book down.

"What if we went to their room?"

"Art and Patrick?" You looked down at her.

"Yeah."

"Why?"

"I don't know." She shrugged and looked up at you. "Just to see."

"You know they just wanna fuck us, right?"

"No shit."

"Do you wanna fuck them?"

"I don't know. Do you?"

"I don't know. How would that even work?"

"We're not gonna fuck. Let's just go talk to them." She sat up and pulled you off of the bed.

"What if they're secretly weirdos?"

"They are weirdos." She grabbed your hands and played with your fingers. "Just for a few minutes. If you get uncomfortable, we'll leave."

You thought about it for a minute and nodded.

"Okay."

She smiled and kissed your hand before putting her shoes on. You followed suit and headed out the door to their room. When you reached 206, you knocked and waited for them to answer. It took another knock for them to scurry to the door.

"Hi." You all said in unison.

They let you in and opened a beer to pass around between the four of you. You sat on the floor in a circle and got to know each other better.

"How'd you meet?" Art asked.

"Tennis camp." You took a sip of the beer and passed it to Art. "You guys?"

"Same. Tennis academy."

"So, are you two like together?"

"No. We're just friends." Tashi laughed.

You looked down and took a sip.

"I don't believe it." Patrick shook his head. "You've never fucked?"

"Well..." You said.

"What?"

"I told Tashi I had never been kissed, so she kissed me, and taught me how to make out."

"Hot." They said in unison.

"What about you guys? You've never done anything?"

"There was that one time-"

"Don't." Art cut his friend off.

"I taught him how to jerk off."

You and Tashi began to laugh and had to cover your mouths to muffle the sound.

"Sorry. I just wasn't expecting that." You laughed as you finished the can. "We're out of beer."

"What now?" 

"Truth or dare?" Tashi asked you.

"Truth."

"What's something you never told anyone?"

You sighed and looked around the room for a minute.

"Promise not to tell?"

They all nodded.

"I fucking hate tennis."

"What?" Art asked.

"I think being forced to play it squashed any love I had for it."

"Why don't you tell your mom?"

"You don't know her. She would literally kill me. Since I was 8, she's been grooming me into this untouchable tennis star."

"Like her?"

"Yeah. Like her."

"That's so sad." Patrick said.

You shrugged and continued on with the game. After a while, it was your turn again.

"Dare." You smirked.

"I dare you...to kiss anyone in the room." Patrick said.

You looked around nervously before placing your hand on Tashi's cheek and pressing your lips to hers. She kissed you back so naturally and pulled you closer by your waist. You looked over at the boys as they gawked at the two of you, mouths watering.

"Come here." Tashi spoke.

They both jumped at the opportunity and you all sat on the pushed together beds. Tashi roughly kissed Patrick as you softly kissed Art. He placed his hand on your thigh and rubbed it gently. Tashi ran her hands through Art's curls and pulled him away from you to kiss him herself. Your lips met Patrick's quickly. His kiss was more rushed and urgent than Art's or Tashi's. He kissed you like you were about to disappear. Tashi grabbed the boy's faces and brought their lips together. Their minds were so clouded, they hadn't even realized what had happened. It wasn't until your phone chimed that they pulled away from each other.

"It's my mom. She's looking for me."

"At this hour?"

"She probably wants to go over what I did wrong today." You groaned as you stood up.

"Don't go."

"We'll see you tomorrow." Tashi said. "We'll be watching your game."

"What about your numbers?" Patrick asked.

"If you win, I'll give you my number."

"What about me?" Art looked at you.

"If you win, I'll give you mine."

"Deal."

"Goodnight." You waved and walked out the door.

Tashi held your hand as you went back to your room.

"I'm gonna head to my mom's room. I'll catch you later."

"Don't let her get in your head. You were great out there."

"Thanks."

She placed her hands under your chin and pulled you closer before pressing a soft kiss on your lips.

"I love you."

"I love you too."

🎾

The game was neck and neck. Both boys playing as if their lives depended on it. For a minute, you thought Art might win. God you wanted him to. But Patrick was ahead all of a sudden, winning the game. He looked up at Tashi and gave a knowing grin. She shrugged and smirked back at him. When the stands had cleared out, you and Tashi went down onto the court to speak to them. Patrick smirked at Tashi and walked over to her and greeted her with a kiss.

"Hey." You said to Art.

"Hey."

"You were really good."

"Not good enough."

"I have something for you." You pulled a small piece of paper out of your pocket and handed it to him.

"What's this?"

"My number."

"But I didn't win."

You stepped closer and kissed him on the cheek.

"You did to me."

[glassmermaids]

kinktober day four: high sex/strip tease with pope heyward (28/11)

a/n: no one mention how we're already on our way to december...

A calm atmosphere fills the expanse of Pope's room as you bask in the heavenly feeling that settles over you. You're sat between his legs, back pressed to his solid chest as you follow the subtle movements of the rise and fall of his chest.

You let out a satisfied sigh as he stubs out the roach in a nearby ashtray, momentarily closing your eyes and allowing the feeling to wash over you before you're suddenly jumping up and making your way around his room. He stares at you intently, albeit a little absent-mindedly, brain too fuzzy to really register what you were trying to do.

"You alright?" he asked, voice a little gruff from minimal use. "I'm fine," you sigh, moving to open his window, welcoming the little bit of wind it allows inside, "I'm just hot." The little fan didn't feel like it was doing much in the sweltering heat and it felt like the weed had only intensified the warm feeling spreading through your body.

On a whim, your hand grabs at your shirt before it's pulling the material over your head. Pope watches, a little awestruck as you reveal your soft blue bra to him, nothing inherently sexy, but it's you wearing it after all and the little bow in the middle almost taunts him, and almost immediately he can feel himself hardening in his shorts.

"What're you doing?" he asked, voice a little unsure and suprised as she watches you slowly popping the buttons on your shorts. One after the other, agonizingly slowly, almost as if you knew he was watching your every move (which you knew he was) "I told you, I'm hot," you replied flatly, sparing him a smile when the last button finally popped open.

You turn around, back now facing him, and make a show of it, bending a little as you pull the shorts down your legs. He watches the way they get briefly stuck on the fat of your ass and further reveal the pale yellow underwear to him, decorated with little white flowers. Who knew mismatched underwear could be so hot.

You turn around once again to face him, a sly smile on your lips when you see the state you already had him in; mouth slightly agape with hands gripping his thighs almost impatiently, with a very noticeable tent in his shorts. You slowly make your way back to him, untill you're finally perching yourself on his lap. His hands immediately move to your hips, hands softly squeezing the fat there as he stared up at you with the prettiest dark eyes.

Any previous trace of shyness, the sort he usually displays whenever around you, seems to dissappear when he pulls you into a kiss. It starts out sweet, as it always does with him, but soon it's a messy ordeal with tongue and teeth as his hands bashfully yet eagerly grab at the doughy expanses of your newly exposed body. Everything feels so good, and the added floatiness from the weed only intensifies the whole feeling. You don't even notice you're doing it, but Pope's practically sputtering as you softly start moving back and forth over his already hard dick.

With your mouth still on his, your hands move to your back to unclip your bra, quickly throwing it somewhere in his room before you're taking one of his hands planted on your hips and bringing it up to one of your breasts. He squeezes the flesh softly, and your hand plants itself ontop of his, encouraging him to tighten his grip a little, which he does gladly, making you moan happily.

It all feels so good, you don't even notice the way your hips are speeding up on top of his untill he's grabbing at your hip with a sudden urgency and looking at you with big pleading eyes. "Baby, please," he all but sighs and that's when you realize that's he's already close just from the way you had been rubbing against each other. So you only nod understandingly, pressing a warm kiss to his lips before you lift your hips and start working at the zipper of his shorts. He snaps out of his little reverie when he sees you struggle a bit and quickly helps you get them off, there after his shirt is gone untill he's soon laid on the bed in only his briefs.

You pull him out, hand only pulling back to lick a stripe of saliva up your palm before you're returning to gently tug at his dick, beads of precum already decorating the tip and adding extra lubrication. You only get to do this a few times before he's grabbing your wrist, eyes once again pleading with you. He really was close.

You smile softly, hand retracting before you pull your underwear down your legs and positioning yourself right above him. He holds himself right at your entrance, eyes quickly lifting to watch your face before you're slowly lowering yourself on him.

His groan mixed with your sigh of relief fills the air, almost drowned out by the sound of the dingy fan, but you both hear it, and it only fuels the desire driven between you two. Once you reach the base, finally sat back on his lap, you sigh with relief and the full feeling, taking a few moments before you slowly lift yourself once again.

You slowly start bouncing on top of him, watching as his face clearly depicted the pleasure running through his body. He started at you with lidded eyes, eyes constantly moving between your softly bouncing tits to your face and then to the place where you both were connected. It wasn't long till you could see the way his stomach tensed and pulled taut, hands gripping you impossibly harder almost as of he was trying to get you to slow down.

It only took a few more bounces untill he was frantically tapping at your hips, prompting you to quickly get off of him and sit back down on his thighs as you watched him quickly jerk himself off, eyes focused on you untill he was spilling onto his hand and stomach. His head plopped back against the headboard with a sigh as the high of the moment washed over him. You placed a gentle hand to his cheek, watching as he lifted his head slowly, eyes meeting yours with a smile. "Just gimme a minute," was all he said, making you laugh before you were planting another kiss to his full lips.

[inklings-challenge]

2024 Four Loves Fairy Tale Challenge: Official Announcement

The Event

The Four Loves Fairy Tale Challenge invites Christian writers and artists to retell or illustrate a fairy tale that features at least one of the four loves:

Storge: Familial love

Eros: Romantic love

Philia: Friendship

Agape: Self-giving love

All stories and artwork will be reblogged to the main Inklings Challenge blog during the month of February.

For Writers

Writers participating in the Four Loves Fairy Tale Challenge are invited to retell a fairy tale from a Christian worldview in a way that features at least one of the four types of love. This could involve retelling a fairy tale that features on the chosen type of love or changing a fairy tale that traditionally focuses upon romance, family or friendship to focus on a different type of love. Retellings can be in any genre–fantasy, science fiction, historical, contemporary, etc.–and should retell the original tale, rather than any modern adaptations. There is no maximum or minimum word limit, but because of the short time frame, the challenge is best suited to short works.

For Artists

Artists participating in the Four Loves Fairy Tale Challenge are invited to create artworks related to a fairy tale. Artworks can take any form–illustrations, moodboards, photographs, crafts, etc.–so long as they are related to a fairy tale. Artworks can feature a scene from the traditional tale or adapt the fairy tale to a different setting or genre. Artists who are also writers can also illustrate their own works if they desire.

Posting

Retellings and artwork can be posted to a tumblr blog anytime after February 1, 2023. Writers and artists are encouraged to post their works by February 14, 2024, but works can be finished and posted after that date. Works will be shared to the main Inklings Challenge blog until the final deadline of February 28, 2024.

All stories and art will be reblogged and archived on the main Inklings Challenge blog. To assist with organization, creators should tag their posts according to the following guidelines.

Mention the main Challenge blog @inklings-challenge somewhere within the body of the post (which will hopefully alert the Challenge blog).

Tag the story #inklingschallenge, to ensure it shows up in the Challenge tag, and make it more likely that the Challenge blog will find it.

Tag the type of love that is featured in the work: theme: storge, theme: eros, theme: philia, and/or theme: agape

Tag the fairy tale that is being retold or illustrated within the work.

For writers, tag the completion status of the story: #story: complete or #story: unfinished

And that’s the Four Loves Fairy Tale Challenge! Any questions, comments or concerns can be sent to this blog, and I’ll do my best to answer them.

[morganski-19]

I Don't Know Which Way's Home

Chapter 20: Finale

ao3 link, Part 1, Part 19

January 28, 1970

The muscles of Rebecca’s abdomen constrict. Pushing against her organs and the air out of her lungs. Pulling her into a crunch as he knuckles cling white to the sides of the hospital bed. While the doctor waits between her legs. Encouraging her to keep going.

It doesn’t escape her that there is no one directly at her bedside. No hand to grasp as the next contraction steals away her time to breath. No partner to rub her back to ease the pain.

Rebecca Lawson is doing this entirely alone. As she has for the past nine months, and will continue to do in the next eighteen years. But as her vision burns blinding white, and the pain finally subsides, she hears a sound that pulls the strength deep in her heart.

The screams or her baby girl.

She falls back on the hospital pillows, panting the air back into her lungs. Wiping the sweat off her brow. Feeling the tired seep into her veins. The slow fade back into peace. Except for baby girl.

Baby girl just won’t quit. Screaming her way through getting washed off and measured. Little arms reaching into the air. Squirming her way into being. Eyes glued shut while her mouth stays agape with cries.

A nurse comes over and helps Rebecca loosen the fabric around her chest. While she outstretches her arms and brings baby girl close to her heart. A mix of emotions building behind her eyes, pouring down her cheeks. She’s finally here.

“Hey, baby,” Rebecca whispers. “You don’t have to cry, I’m right here. I’ll always be right here.”

Her hand cradles the back of baby’s head. Caressing it gently with small, circular strokes. Calming her down from the initial cries. Watching as she stretches her hands in front of her face, eyes blinking their way open.

For the first time, Rebecca looks into her daughter’s eyes. Sees the curious brown stare back at her. Already knowing the fundamental truth of Rebecca’s whole being.

Motherhood came to her at a time she would not have initially chosen. Life throwing this wrench in the way of her future plans. Reminding her of its unpredictable nature. There were mistakes, and there were successes. And then there was this. Something that most view as a gift but can be so challenging to accept.

But Rebecca was never one to be held down by life’s challenges. So she took the wrench and ran with it. Used it to build something she always wanted. It wasn’t perfect, and neither is she.

Looking here at her little girl, she knows that only one thing matters. To love this girl for all that she is, no matter what. To be the best mother she can be and try to do what’s right. Acknowledge the mistakes that will be made and learn from them. Create a space of safety, joy, and love, wherever that may be. Try to be worthy of every moment that this little girl will give her.

Because from now on, it’s just her and her little girl. Rebecca and Julie Lawson, against the world.

. . .

Present Day, July 1987

Julie lays in her bed, having not much else she can do after being diagnosed with a minor concussion. The impact of the steering wheel just enough to injure her for a week or so. Until the headache stops and she’s able to go back to life.

Alone in her dark bedroom, the only light is the sun that finds its way around her curtain. Lighting the room just enough where she can see but it doesn’t add to her headache.

All there is for her to do is think. About everything and nothing at all. Replaying the songs she knows by heart in her mind. Thinking about her story that reaches a hurdle she just can’t jump over. Wondering if it’s time to start a new one.

Writing was Julie’s escape. A way for her to leave her current plane of existence and create a new one. Stay there for a while where the issues were controlled by her mind, and her mind alone. Where everything turned out the way she wanted it to.

She hasn’t been able to write since moving into the new house. The last entry in her journal being the one she read to her mom on Christmas. Every idea in her mind fading as soon as the pen hit paper. Seeming stupid once she tried to form it into words.

In the whole of everything, life hasn’t been that terrible. The school year is over, so she doesn’t have to worry about that anymore. Her friends seem to have this rotation of who’s house they hang out at, and when. Her house slowly being added to the rotation.

Steve won his case. Their custody court date is slowly incoming, and there’s no doubt in her mind that it will go well. She doesn’t hate herself for liking girls anymore. Her grief, while still prevalent, is slowly starting to fade into a distant memory.

Julie thought that if the pain of losing her mom stopped, so would the memories. The times eventful enough to imprint themselves in her mind fading with the grief. That wasn’t the case, for the most part. Those memories were still just that, memories. Coming and fading as every other one does. Bringing little sparks of joy with them. Joined by tug of pain.

There are still going to be times when Julie’s grief comes back and overwhelms her. Certain milestones where she looks out for her mom and realizes she isn’t there. Feels the crushing weight of loss and knowing that their time together had an early ending.

But. If Julie thinks hard enough, she can still feel her mom around her. Can still smell the scent of her cheap perfume in the jacket she wore every day. And not just because Julie had found the same bottle in the convenience store and brough it home. Sprays a bit every time she wants to remember.

She’d do it now if the smell wouldn’t add to her headache. Instead, she just turns her head to look at her desk. Sees the picture of her and her mom staring back at her. Smiles that familiar smile that’s formed every time she visits a memory. The one filled with happiness, tinged with sad at the corners.

Her life isn’t perfect by a long shot. It was never going to be. Perfection wasn’t something Julie or Rebecca ever strived for. Perfection in the way the rest of the world viewed it at least. Often unattainable.

Their perfect was a life worth living. Surrounded by people they loved. Julie and Rebecca against the world.

Even though it was only Julie who was taking the steps forward now. Only her to traverse this path once walked hand in hand. She isn’t alone. Her mom is still there, in the path beneath her feet. In the trees as they wave in the breeze. And the sun as it blinds her eyes.

Love never leaves. Not when it was meant to stay. When it was true, and beautiful. Rebecca loved Julie. In every way a daughter wishes her mother would. While life could put the blinders on and dampen that feeling. Deep down, Julie always knew it was fact. Knows that it’s fact, even now.

There’s a knock at her door. Each rapt echoing inside her ears. Making her wince. Steve opens it, holding the phone against his chest.

“It’s El, she was wondering if you wanted anyone to keep you company.”

Julie props herself up on some pillows. Gaging the severity of her headache. “Yeah, that would be nice.”

“Cool, I’ll let her know.”

A little while later, El gently knocks on Julie’s door before entering. Smiles as she sits at the foot of her bed. Resting her bag on the floor.

“How are you feeling?”

Julie shrugs. “My head hurts like a bitch and I’m bored out of my mind. But better.”

El smiles. The small braids of her hair dusting her shoulder as she moves her head. “That is good.”

“Yeah.” Julie can’t seem to break the gaze of El’s eyes. “I like your hair. Did Max do them?”

El nods, a hand coming up to play with the end of one of her braids. The faintest pink blush forming across her cheeks. Now that it’s been pointed out, Julie’s not sure how she didn’t notice it before.

“My hair is finally long enough to do things with again. I like it this way.”

Julie shifts over in her bed, making enough room for El to sit beside her. She pats the space next to her and waits for El to move. Heart speeding up as they press together. As El relaxes against her side.

“The group is talking about going to the movies this weekend,” El says. “You can come if you are feeling better.”

“Thanks, but I don’t think I’ll be up to it. The doctor said I should stay away from watching tv or movies for another week.”

El fidgets with her fingers. “That is ok. Maybe another time.”

Anticipation builds in Julie’s chest. A question forming itself on her tongue. Begging to be asked. The moment where she can see if things between them could change. Or if she’s about to break everything apart.

“We could see one, after I’m better, I mean.” She tries to say it normal, but the weight behind the question persists.

El looks at her confused. “I am sure we can. Just prepare yourself for a lot of fighting over which one to watch. They cannot decide on anything.”

Julie lets out a small laugh. “No. I mean, yeah, I’ll always go to a movie with you guys. But I meant we see a movie.” She motions between the two of them. “Just the two of us.”

The blush returns to El’s cheeks. “Oh.”

“Yeah,” Julie dismisses. Feeling self-conscious. Turning away from El and picking at her thumbs. “If you wanted to, that’s all. We don’t have to. We can just sit through the very long argument over what movie and go with the rest of them. It doesn’t have to be,” Julie stutters to a stop when El reaches out at takes her hand.

“Just the two of us,” she finishes. Taking a chance and looking back at El.

There is this softness in El’s eyes that Julie’s never seen before. Something that makes Julie melt. Want to stay trapped in this gaze forever.

“I would like that,” El finally says. Mouth forming a small smile. “Going to a movie. Just the two of us.”

Julie’s smile matches El’s. “Ok. Good. Great. Um. I’m looking forward to it.”

“Me too.”

. . .

“How’s Julie doing,” Robin asks when she clocks into her shift.

“Bored out of her mind because she can’t do anything. But feeling better about everything.”

Robin nods, hopping up onto the counter. “That’s good.”

She moves on to talking about other things. Picking classes for her next semester at community college. Starting to look at schools that can take her beyond that. Finally narrowing down what she wants to do with her life. Pick a major that she’s not only good at, but also really enjoys.

Steve’s half listening. Stuck on the idea that she could actually be leaving town. That this time next year, he’ll be helping her pick out stuff for her dorm room. Start packing up her life into boxes and bringing them to a new place. Where she won’t be ten minutes across town anymore. But an hour, maybe a day.

There’s more to this than just wanting her to stay her forever. What happens when he gets a nightmare and needs to call her to make sure she’s alive. What happens when a call isn’t enough, and he needs to feel her presence. Just to get back to sleep again. For his mind to return to normal.

A year from now, things could be different. They could be better. But he doesn’t know that. And doesn’t think it will be. Two weeks ago, he couldn’t even distinguish between his boyfriend and a Russian soldier. What’s that say about his progress?

But instead of spiraling like before, knowing that he was stuck in the same place while everyone moved on, he was trying to live in the moment more. Trying to feel better about staying in one place for a while. To find rigidity in the town that seemed to constantly change. Watch it build back into the place it used to be.

“That community college you go to,” Steve interrupts Robin. “They offer classes for everything?”

Robin shrugs. “Yeah, pretty much. Not like everything everything, but most beginner level classes and gen eds and shit. Why?”

Steve’s been thinking about what to do with the money he won. If it would be better to pay off some of his loan, or put it towards something useful. He wasn’t quitting this job anytime soon. If he did, it would be to go work somewhere else. And now, he isn’t planning on moving for a few years.

What if he used it for himself. Actually did something for him first, before anyone else. Used it to find out what he was meant to do. What his real passion was.

“I was thinking of taking some classes in the fall,” he says like it doesn’t matter. “Put the feelers out, figure out what I’m good at.”

Robin freezes. “Are you serious?”

Steve shrugs. “Yeah.”

She hops down from the counter and pulls him into a hug. “Holy shit, we could be classmates again. But, like, actually like each other this time. I’m coming over and we’re looking through my course catalogue. This is going to be so great.”

The smile he makes it full of hope. “Yeah. So great.”

. . .

August 1987

“How old are you, Mr. Harrington?” the judge asks from where he is residing behind the stand.

“Twenty-one, your honor,” Steve responds.

The judge marks something on his note pad. “And you have a full-time job, a home under your own name?”

“That is correct. I am the manager at Family Video and recently bought a house.”

He knows that it’s the judge’s job to ask these questions. To prove that he’s fit to look after Julie. But each time the judge takes a second to look at him too long, or write something on his notepad, Steve gets a chill down his spine. Knowing that something could stop this from happening. Cause Julie to have to find somewhere else to live.

Steve didn’t want that. Julie didn’t want that. He can almost hear her picking at the skin around her thumbs behind him. Pulling at them until they start to bleed.

“And that is the same address you have listed here?”

Steve nods. “Yes.”

There are more questions about him. How the finances have been and his home life. Wondering if he’s going to be bringing people in and out of the house. Implying that Steve has some kind of a night life that he does not. He defends himself, lying that he’s taking a break from dating. That he would never bring anyone into the home that he doesn’t trust.

“As you know, Julie is a bright young girl. College bound. You will have the option to provide that for her, Mr. Harrington. There is not much time for you to do that.”

Steve can’t avoid the sting every time the judge calls him Mr. Harrington. It sounds so much like his father that it makes him sick. But he is still tied to that name, so it will follow him. He can’t focus on how that makes him feel right now.

“I am aware of that,” Steve starts. “I recently was just granted a sum of money, some of which I am going to use to further my own education, but the rest will be going into savings. Which I will start to grow in the case that Julie needs my help when she goes to college.”

“In the case of,” the Judge presses. “While not a requirement, it would be expected of you to help her pay for schooling.”

Steve glances to Sarah behind him. Silently asking her if it’s ok to disclose the information kept in Rebecca’s will. The trust made in Julie’s name, that she doesn’t know about. No one other than Sarah knows.

She nods, giving him permission.

He clears his throat. “That has, actually, already been taking care of by her mother. The savings that she made before her death have been transferred to a trust that Julie will have access to once she turns eighteen.”

“What,” Julie says behind him. Steve turns to see her shocked expression. “I didn’t know that.”

“You weren’t supposed to,” Sarah cuts in. “It was supposed to be kept a secret until you turned eighteen.”

The judge hits his gavel. “I understand the questions that arise with this information, but could we please get back to the matter at hand. Thank you.”

The courtroom goes quite once more.

“Miss Lawson, could you please come sit next to your brother.”

The door squeaks as it opens and swings back shut. The chair dragging along the floor as Julie takes the seat next to him.

“You are turning eighteen in about half a year, Miss Lawson. Why go through this process so close to when you become a legal adult.”

Julie clears her throat, looking down at her hands. “When my mom died, I thought my world had ended. It was always just me and her. I didn’t know who was going to look after me anymore. I didn’t know what family I had left. But then I met Steve.”

She looks up, giving Steve a small smile. “I didn’t know I had a brother until shortly before my mom died, and when I learned about it, I wanted nothing to do with my father’s family. Then life happened and I decided that Steve deserved to know. And it gave me a chance to have a family again. That’s why I wanted to do this.”

“What about you, Mr. Harrington?” The judge turns to Steve, a knowing look in his eye. Steve can tell that the decision has already been made. “Why are you here before me today?”

“The same reason,” he says simply. “My whole life I wanted a sibling, someone to share the empty house I was left in all the time. Julie gave me a chance to have that. She became part of the family I always wanted, and I am so thankful for that.”

The judge nods, asking them both to stand.

“I have reviewed the information given to me and have decided. There is no outstanding reason as to why I should object to this. Mr. Harrington has already proved that he is able to provide for Miss Lawson until she reaches eighteen. With the money that Miss Lawson’s mother left for her after her passing will help with expenses after that. I hereby grant Steve Harrington with permanent guardianship of Julie Lawson.”

The courtroom starts to dissipate after the judge’s ruling. Steve turning to Julie with a feeling of disbelief. He can’t believe that it was just that easy. There was this feeling in his gut that was telling him that something would go wrong. That he’s been winning too much lately. Something was about to come crashing down.

But instead, Julie smiles back. Pure joy filling her face as she starts to laugh. They did it.

. . .

Julie chucks her soda into the trash can as her and El leave the movie theater. The two talking and laughing as they walk back to the parking lot. Hands brushing as they walk, tempting Julie to reach out and take it. Wondering how big the risk really is.

The thing about dark theaters is that no one cares what’s going on when the lights go out. All that matters is eyes glued to the screen, not if two girls are holding hands. Even if Julie locked her fingers with El’s out in the open, it could just be seen as two friends walking down the street. As long as they kept it friendly. Any other affection and they could run the risk of being found out.

She’s still getting used to this whole idea. That one wrong move and people would figure out this intense secret of hers. Treat it like it’s the worst thing in the world, even though it’s definitely not. It felt that way at first, but it’s not.

Now, the intense rush of emotions makes Julie’s heart stutter as El’s nose scrunches just slightly as she laughs. As El grabs Julie’s hand and swings their arms as they walk to her dad’s car. It makes her question how anyone could think this feeling was wrong. Or that this relationship is any less than one between straight people.

If this is even a relationship.

Since a few weeks ago when Julie first asked El on a date, things have been different. Seats scooched slightly closer to one another, hands finding each other under blankets during movie nights. Private jokes whispered into each other’s ears and sharing secret smiles. The air between them shifted to something beyond friends. But it was still somewhat the same.

Julie wonders where this is going to go. If the night will end with her and El deciding that this was a terrible idea. Going back to being just friends and nothing more. Or if this shift in energy will only bloom into something more. Something so much deeper than Julie’s ever experienced.

“How was the movie,” El’s dad asks as he drives them back to her house. Breaking the almost awkward silence between the front and back seats.

“It was good,” El smiles. “Very funny.”

She looks at Julie, making a motion to imitate one of the parts of the film. Connecting it to one of her jokes back in the theater. Sending Julie into laughter.

“Yeah,” she agrees. “Very funny.”

Hopper whispers something under his breath. But there’s a small smile hiding itself on his face. Julie doesn’t know how much he knows. Something just tells her that he approves of this on some plane. Whether as friends or something more.

Julie says hello to Mrs. Byers on the way in, following El to her room. They sit on El’s bed, falling into conversation. Julie constantly overthinking the mood of the room. Overthinking every touch, every moment, every word. Wondering if this is the time to do something more. Or to pull away. Stopping this before it all crashes and burns. Preventing herself from taking this risk.

“As soon as it comes out on VHS, we have to show it to the rest of the group,” El comments. “They would find it so funny.”

Julie shrugs, “I guess so.”

“It is kind of like our group. Kids and their babysitter going on a big adventure. Getting into trouble. That is basically our life.”

The irony of picking this movie makes Julie laugh. Finally knowing some context of how they all met before Julie came into the mix.

“You know, Steve told me of some that happened,” Julie says before thinking. Stupidly slipping the moment into a much darker topic. “Shit, sorry. I didn’t mean to bring that up.”

El’s demeanor changes. She curls into herself. Playing with the hem of her shorts. “Did Max tell you what I asked her to? About my life before my dad adopted me.”

Julie nods. “Yeah.”

“How much of it?”

“Just that you were in a really bad place before and had to escape. That it was the same lab that caused all of those other people to die in ’83 and ’84.”

El nods. So sad that it makes Julie want to wrap her in a hug and never let her go. Protect her from anything that makes her look like this. She slowly removes the bracelet from around her wrist, revealing a small tattoo. The number eleven.

“This is the real reason I am called El. I was number Eleven, it was my name when I escaped.”

Julie carefully reaches out and holds El’s wrist. Taking a closer look at the tattoo. Feeling the weight of knowing this in her hands.

“There were other children there too. We were all numbers. Until I was the only one left.”

“You don’t have to tell me this,” Julie assures when she sees a tear trail down El’s cheek. Fighting the urge to wipe it away. “I’m sorry I brought this up in the first place. I wanted tonight to be a good night.”

El’s smile returns to her face. Still painted with a tired sorrow. But the joy sparks at its edges. “It is ok. I wanted you to know. I feel safe when I’m with you. And tonight,” she looks down at her wrist, Julie’s hand still holding it gently. “It was a good night. A very good night.”

The slight blush returns to her cheeks. Almost embarrassed. A piece of her hair falling in front of her eyes. Julie wanting to reach out and tuck it away.

“Good,” Julie says awkwardly. “It was a good night for me too.”

“I have never been on a date with a girl before. Only with Mike and I was not allowed to go on any dates like the one we had today. It was nice, very nice.” El tucks the strand of hair behind her ear.

A date. Julie can’t help the flush that rises to her cheeks. She knew what this was, but still. Hearing El be the one to say it solidified what it was. Reassure that this wasn’t all one sided.

She huffs a laugh, trying to sound normal. “Well, that’s good.”

It sounds so repetitive when she says it. Like no other words can form in her mouth. Stuck on a loop. But El moves closer and all her brain can tell her is good. Good as the nerves make their way to her fingers, shaking as they lock with El’s. Good as the mood shifts away from the sad and into anticipation. Like something is going to happen but Julie can’t tell what it is.

“Oh, I almost forgot,” El springs up from the bed. Breaking the tension. She walks over to the dresser and rummages through the small basket sitting on top of it. Returning with something closed in her fist. “I want you to close your eyes and hold out your hand.”

Julie does so, tentatively. “Ok.”

She feels El slide something onto her wrist. Feather light touches as she positions it and pulls it taught. The touch leaves and the bed dips beside her again.

“Ok, you can open your eyes now.”

Julie looks to her wrist, seeing a braided bracelet tied around it. “It’s pretty, thank you.”

“You are welcome. I have been meaning to make you one for a while now because everyone else has one. It was meant to be a friendship bracelet, and it still can be. But we are not exactly just friends anymore.”

“Not if you don’t want us to be.” Julie turns to look at El, their faces closer than she was expecting them to be.

That tension picks up again. Along with the nervousness melded with excitement in her chest.

“I want us to,” El rushes out. “If you want us to.”

“Can I kiss you?” Julie whispers. The question already answered in her mind weeks ago, but never said allowed. Sometimes actions were better than words.

El nods. Leaning forward as Julie’s lips press into hers.

. . .

Steve sits on his couch watching the kids bicker over what movie to watch. Eddie pressed between him and the edge of the couch. The two already preparing to have to make space for some of the kids when they finally figure out a movie. Robin and Nancy doing the same, crammed together into one armchair.

It still surprises him how they all continue to cram into his house. Almost refusing to use any other space that might be more accommodating. Where they might actually have a seat that’s not some old pillows on the floor. Where, even then, they won’t have to sit closer than they want to in order to fit.

But time and time again, they continue to come over to Steve’s. Eat his food and use his tv. Bother him in ways that don’t really bother him, but they’ll never know that. Continue to show him that it was never the things that he owned that made his home special. It was him.

Time, after time, after time, they continue to flock to his house because he was the one who made it. It was him that made sure they were all fed and taken care of. Him that helped them through troubles and picked them up from school. Him who made sure that no matter what, this was a space free of judgement that they could just be themselves.

It’s shown with the way that Eddie’s able to sink into the arm Steve has thrown across the back of the couch. Seen in the way that Robin and Nancy whisper to each other while playing with each other’s fingers. Seen in the way that El holds Julie’s arm, pressing her cheek into her shoulder. Seen in the way that Mike continues to stare at Will and starts to inch closer, actually trying to do something about it all.

“Move in with me,” Steve whispers to Eddie sometime during the movie. Having wanted to ask that question for months now.

Eddie turns to look at him, confusion and shock mixing his emotions. “Yeah?”

Steve nods, smiling a stupid smile he doesn’t care about hiding anymore. “Court cases are done, school’s starting up again. It’s the perfect time. If you wanted to.”

“Of course I want to,” Eddie says with all the whispered dramatics in the world. The love he has in eyes ever present.

Taking a quick glance to make sure no one is looking, Steve closes the gap between them for what was supposed to be a quick kiss. That is until the kids starting gagging and booing. Making them prolong it to further their discomfort.

“You ask him?” Julie asks while helping him pick up discarded paper plates and cups. A knowing smile already on her face.

“Yeah, I asked him.”

“Took you long enough.” She punches him gently in the arm before heading off to bed.

What started as a stranger on his doorstep adding more uncertainty to his life, turned out to be the best thing that’s happened to him in a while. A sister, family, coming into his life and showing him that he had a chance to take it for himself. Change the way he was living to finally be happy with it. Completely and utterly happy with it.

This house was never meant to be Steve’s endgame. This town was never meant to be it either. But these people, this family, this home, he will travel with it until the ends of the Earth. Until the ground splits in two again and swallows them all whole. Until shit hits the fan and he has to pull his old nail bat out of retirement.

Steve doesn’t know what his future holds. What career he’s going to find himself in a year, in five. Where life will carry him after Hawkins. But if he’s sure of one thing and one thing only, he’s sure to never, ever let it go.

. . .

January 28, 1988

Julie heads into the house after school, ready to get changed out of her work clothes before heading out again. The group meeting at the local diner to celebrate her birthday. She slings her apron into the hamper when she notices something on her desk.

Sorry I couldn’t be here for your birthday, we’ll do something tomorrow. This came for you in the mail. Call me if you need anything. Have fun!

Steve

She rips off the post it and tosses it in the trash, looking at the envelope. She tears it open taking out the papers inside. On top is a letter from Sarah, the words causing her to sit down as she frantically reads the words.

It’s all the paperwork that she’ll need to fill out to transfer the money from her trust to her. All of the savings her mom set up for her for college. So she can finally make a decision about the growing stack of acceptance letters on her desk.

Looking at this amount, that decision won’t be hard. She can pretty much go to any of the schools she applied to with this money.

All this money, every payment, almost every cent must have gone into this account. This is money that could have changed their lives. Could have gotten them out of the trailer and into a house. Maybe stopped her mom from having to work two jobs just to keep afloat.

There was almost one hundred and fifty thousand dollars in this account. Doing the math, around seven hundred and fifty dollars a month for the seventeen years her mom was paid. All of it saved for her future.

Underneath all the papers that she can’t even think about looking through right now, there’s one that doesn’t look like the rest. One that’s on lined sheets of paper ripped out of a notebook. Recognition hitting Julie almost instantly.

It’s a letter from her mom.

She slams the letter onto the desk, hiding it among the rest of the papers. Unsure if she wants to read it now. Knowing that she has to leave soon to get to dinner. Not knowing how it’s going to affect her.

Deciding to save it for after dinner, Julie forces herself out of the chair and heads to her closet. Pulls out some clothes and gets changed, grabbing her keys on her way out the door. Trying to push the letter to the back of her mind. It works for a while, but every time the conversation stutters, her thoughts are drawn back to the paper hiding on her desk.

She really wants to know what it says.

El grabs Julie’s hand under the table. Giving it a gentle squeeze to silently ask if she’s ok. Julie nods, promising to tell her about it later.

The dinner ends and Julie drives El back to the house. Grabs her hand and leads her to the bedroom. Pulls the letter from underneath the stack and sits with it on her bed. Staring at the first line, unable to read more.

“It’s a letter from my mom,” Julie finally says.

El wraps an arm around Julie’s. “What does it say?”

“I don’t know, I didn’t read it yet.”

“Do you want to?” El presses her cheek into Julie’s shoulder, grounding her.

Julie bites at her lip. “I do. I think a part of me is scared too though.”

“I’m here for you. Whenever you are ready.”

Julie takes a deep breath. Holding the letter closer, finally reading what her mom has to say. “Here goes nothing.”

My dear Julie,

I know what you’re probably thinking. I’m insane for putting all of this money away for you, not using even a little bit of it for myself. Or for you now. And I did every now and then. You kept growing so fast and I couldn’t keep up. Sometimes I needed to use a little just to make sure you had clothes that fit. Or for holidays.

But the point of it all was that this money was for you. I didn’t need anyone else to help raising you. I didn’t want to take the money in the first place. Until I realized that this money could help you get the life you always dreamed of. That I always dreamed for you.

You are so smart, Jules. And so creative. I loved every story you ever wrote to me. Cherished each one. Not just because I’m your mom, but also because they were just that good. You have a gift to write like that. Never lose it.

After today, this money is yours. You can do whatever you want with it. Go to school, travel the world, move out of this town, I don’t care. Just make sure to come visit me every so often. There will always be a place for you in my heart and my home.

Whatever you do, just promise me that you’ll enjoy it. Promise me that you’ll never lose that spark in your eyes that you get when a new idea comes in your head. Promise me that you never lose your laughter, or your sense of humor. Promise me that you’ll take life by the reigns and lead it straight into your sunset.

Your future is bright, Julie. Let this be my greatest gift to you, the first steppingstone in your independent life.

You’re going to do great things one day. I know because you are already doing them now.

I love you to the ends of the Earth. To the moon and all the stars. It was an honor to see you grow into the woman you are today.

Love,

Mom

P.S. I hope my tears didn’t stain this paper too much. You know me, forever a sap.

A wet laugh escapes Julie’s mouth. Tears adding to the small rings at the bottom of the page. Fingers grazing over the last line. Over and over. She eventually sets the paper down next to her. Careful not to crumble it as she collapses into El. As the sob she’s been holding in all day breaks free.

The next morning, Julie wakes up with her arms still tight around El. With the tear stains still imprinted onto her cheek. Mouth dry from all the crying.

She sits up, finds the letter placed gently on the nightstand. Clicks on her small lamp and rereads it. Over and over again.

These are the last words Julie will ever hear, or read, from her mom. Written however long ago, Julie doesn’t even know. But it was without the knowledge of what would come. How their ending would be.

Sometimes endings aren’t as conclusive as once thought to be. Sometimes, an epilogue is added that is heart wrenching and makes the reader question when the end really is. Pulls the heart string one last time as the book finally comes to a close.

Then, endings form new beginnings. Each chapter ends and starts another. New conflicts arise and fall into resolution. The plot keeps moving as the pages turn. As time moves on.

As far as final chapters go, Julie thinks this is a nice one. Filled with just enough loose ends to keep the reader interested in a sequel, but tying up the ones that really matter. A sense of closure forming in her chest. A readiness to step right into this new chapter. The letter fitting as perfect set up.

El stirs, scrunching her eyes closed with the light. Julie laughs a little, reaching across to turn the light off.

“Sorry.”

“It is fine,” she blinks. Pulling herself to sit next to Julie. “Reading it again?”

Julie nods. “It was a lot at first, but it’s really comforting to have this. To know that she loved me enough to plan this all out for me.”

“She loved you so much, I believe that.”

“I think she would have liked you,” Julie smiles. “I think she would have liked us.”

El smiles back, the sleep still pulling at the muscles in her face. “I wish I could meet her.”

Julie presses their heads together. “Yeah, I do too.”

A fist slams against the door. Startling them apart. “Breakfast is ready,” Eddie yells through the door.

Julie rolls her eyes. Him having done this every single time El has stayed over. “You can ease the wakeup call, you know. It’s getting old.”

“No, I think I’m going to keep doing this until you both graduate college.”

The both of them roll their eyes as they make their way out to the kitchen. Steve and Eddie bickering not so quietly while plating the eggs. Shutting up just for a second when they enter the room. Until it picks up again while they eat.

Julie can’t help but laugh, sharing small glances with El across the table. There’s this warmth in this house that she thought she’d never feel again. A space that is her own. A home to come back to. Where love radiates through the walls.

While the circumstances were those that she would not have picked willingly, this was still something she didn’t want to lose. This family she’s apart of, this life she has, it’s more than she could have asked for after the accident. It’s more than she ever expected to happen after tragedy.

But it did. And this life that she’s got left, this family, this home, she’s doesn’t want it to change. She doesn’t want it to leave. Hoping that it follows her to the ends of the Earth. Love her to the moon and all the stars. Because she knows that wherever her mom is looking down at her, it’s what she would want too.

Deep in her heart, she knows.

Tag list(let me know if you want to be added or removed): @homoerotictangerine, @mugloversonly, @thesuninyaface, @imyelenasexual, @anaibis,

@ilovecupcakesandtea, @brainsteddielyrotted, @jackiemonroe5512, @eddie-munsons-missing-nipple, @goodolefashionedloverboi,

@cinnamon-mushroomabomination, @lolawonsstuff, @writingandmushroomdragons, @stevesbipanic, @sierra-violet,

@steddie-as-they-go, @dauntlessdiva, @mousedetective, @the-daydreamer-in-the-corner, @zombiethingy,

@connected-dots-st-reblogger, @that-agender-from-pluto, @allyricas, @cheddartreets, @devondespresso,

@crypticcorvidinacottage, @queenie-ofthe-void @chronicpainstevetruther, @melonmochi

[strawberryya]

loving you is so easy

Minghao x reader

request: 13, 14, 28 with Minghao ? I think it would be so cute and funny I can’t

13: “my head hurts.” “that’s just your brain trying to comprehend its own stupidity.” 14: “Well, my middle finger salutes you.” 28: “Oh god, that was cheesy.”

synopsis: a simple art museum date with your boyfriend along with a very serious arts-and-crafts competition can be exactly what one needs every once in a while.

currently playing: loving you is so easy - HONNE

word count: 2.9k

genre/contains: fluff, mentions of food and headaches, banter and art-talk

rating: sfw, all ages

a/n: helloooo, so I wrote this forever ago and just never posted it TT sorry anon for this slow response!

.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・.

It was amazing, you thought, how a person could have something like this existing solely in their head and then make it appear in our reality, visible to not only oneself but many others for many years to come. In front of you, was a field of tiny flowers on a huge canvas. Stuck in time, forever blooming. 

“I like this one,” you said longingly. 

“I think it captures the sadness of spring very well, it’s good,” Minghao agreed, adding his own interpretation of the painting as well. 

You nodded, not wanting to admit that you hadn’t understood the actual concept until he said it and that you had pretty much just liked the pretty colors used in it along with the feeling it gave you. Of course, the sheep did add to it, placed sporadically throughout the landscape filling the inside of the frame. 

Beside you, Minghao was standing, now turned to you and grinning behind his mask. His giggly voice startled you in your wandering train of thought, “It’s because of the sheep isn’t it?” he asked. You looked at him with wide eyes, your mouth slightly agape behind the mask covering your face. 

“How did you know?!” 

“You had a goofy smile, you always have that goofy smile when you see something cute that interests you,” he said, still giggling as he explained. 

“You can’t even see my face Hao!” you exclaimed, wondering how the hell he had been able to read your mind like that. 

“It’s the same expression you have when you look at me most days…” he teased and turned his gaze back to the framed canvas. 

Giving him a small bump to the side you too turned back to the flower field. “So annoying,” you mumbled, “but yes… I like the sheep…” 

This time it was you who got a small bump to the side, and as you stabilized yourself Minghao bent his head just enough to be able to bump his head with yours. There was no way you could hold onto your forced pout any longer after that. In response, you unraveled the arms you had crossed and let them drop to your sides, the one closest to Minghao’s open and welcoming hand reaching over discretely and embracing it, intertwining your fingers with his and feeling him squeeze your hand. 

You knew what he meant by it, and the butterflies in your tummy fluttered up and warmed you up from the inside. 

The next painting was one that Minghao knew more about. Apparently, it was rather famous, and he spoke about what he knew about the artist and how they were one of the people reimagining how to use the mediums popular during that time. When he was done with that one you continued over to a much bigger canvas, portraying some kind of mermaid. She was rather beautiful you thought, and when you said so Minghao agreed wholeheartedly. 

“She is beautiful, but she also seems so unfulfilled, something in her eyes seems to be longing for something,” he said, articulating things you had only felt but not seen clearly until then. 

You nodded thoughtfully, “At first it looks like she’s staring at the audience, but the more you look the more her gaze seems so distant like she sees right through us and past us into something we can’t even fathom,” you continued, and Minghao seemed entranced by your words, listening to you figuring out what the painting meant to you. 

The two of you continued like this for hours, wandering through the giant rooms decorated and embellished to match the frames and art they housed. Some of the paintings made you reflect and speak about what it could mean. Minghao had more knowledge than you ever thought possible about some of them and you listened to everything he had to tell you about what you were looking at. 

Other paintings you both just looked at, and some you found hilarious. The ones with owls were especially funny to you for some reason, so every time you saw one either in the background of the painting or smack dab in the middle, the person who noticed it first exclaimed a hushed kind of “Owl!” and the other then has to respond with a “Hoo,” and of course, the other is required to say “No, it’s just an owl I don’t know it by name,” making you both giggle and move quickly away from the turning heads wondering what was so funny about the picture that it had you two laughing your lungs out. 

The day had been passing like this and you were starting to feel tired from it all, a headache making its way to your head, causing you to lose more and more interest in the beautiful art all around you. 

“My head hurts,” you said, rather emotionlessly, as you stared at an abstract painting mainly in primary colors that looked a lot like a pile of messy blobs to your tired eyes. 

Minghao assumed you were joking and commenting on the painting and decided to take another playful shot at your statement. 

“That’s just your brain trying to comprehend its own stupidity, don’t worry too much about it,” he said, bumping your arm to rile you up and make you fire back your usual retaliations. 

However, you just shook your head, “Hao, I’m serious. It’s pretty bad,” you said as you looked at him, your ailments showing in your eyes; at least to his eye, trained to spot any and all things going through your mind through your face. 

“How long has it been this bad?” he said, his tone shifting into very worried and cupping your face in his hands. 

“It’s been creeping up on me but I didn’t think it would become this bad,” you admitted, making Minghaos eyebrows knit together in worry. 

“Come on,” he said, taking your hand in his again, leading you away from the art in the big rooms, “let’s see if water and food will help, and if it doesn’t we just go home.” 

The theory of you being mainly dehydrated and crashing with your blood sugar was proven correct when you began feeling better immediately after you got something in you along with an entire bottle of water and a second one that Minghao told you that he would be carrying around for the rest of the day just so that this wouldn’t end up happening again. 

When you were done and just sitting and chatting about this and that, the headache was pretty much gone altogether, which was a huge relief since you had wanted to try out a thing they had at this particular museum that you two hadn’t gotten to yet. 

“Should we just wander a bit more and see if we can find something interesting in the ancient sections, or would you rather we start heading home? We could always order in and have a movie night,” Minghao proposed, trying to figure out how you saw the rest of the day going. 

“I actually had a thing in mind that I’ve wanted to do this entire time,” you said, shocking Minghao who had no idea you had something up your sleeve that he didn’t know anything about. 

“What is it?” 

“It’s a surprise!” you said with a sly smile. 

.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・.

You had figured out exactly where the location was when you got to the museum that morning, waiting for the right time to bring him there and surprise him, but walking around had been too much fun that you had kept waiting for the right moment, and here it was. 

In the room you had just entered stood multiple tables set out, some smaller and some bigger, perfect for groups and couples with any number of people. There were children and their parents, couples of all ages, and a couple of friend groups set up at the tables all around the studio. On the empty tables were just simple placemats laid out, waiting for someone to come around and create their art above them. 

Art, yes, art was what you came here for. However, there wasn’t only art made by professional artists in this particular museum. There was also this art that was being made here every day, a new stream of creativity coming alive within this place of ancient relics thorugh ordinary people. 

When you had seen the info about it on their website you had immediately decided that it was something the both of you had to go try out. 

“What do you think?” you asked excitedly, almost jumping in your spot waiting for his reaction. 

“Are we going to make something?” he asked, still not sure where you had led him. 

You nodded, “They have this workshop a couple of days every week and you can choose what you want to do, you can paint with a bunch of different mediums and you can even paint pottery if you want!” 

“Okay, alright, that sounds fun,” he said, looking around the room and the many shelves showing previous visiting artists’ work along with all the materials and tools available for the people coming there to use. 

You were smiling and almost skipping into the room with Minghao after you, “I wanna paint on pottery!” you told your boyfriend. 

“Oh, you’ve already decided? Hmm, what should I do then?” 

With renewed energy, you saw your chance to get back at him for his comment earlier about you being an idiot, and you knew you had to take your shot. 

“Give up. Because you will never make something prettier than the cup I’m going to make.”

It wasn’t a perfect comeback, nowhere close to perfect, but you still felt smug knowing he hadn’t expected you to return to the regularly scheduled teasing so soon after having miraculously recovered through inhaling some water. However, he was glad, which was evident in the way his face crinkled up showing you once again his cheeks rising and crinkling his eyes and telling on his mood while he slowly put up his hands in fists. 

You knew immediately what he was doing when he began slowly backing away while spinning one of his hands, keeping the other still with the back facing towards you as his middle finger slowly rose to flip you off

“Well, my middle finger salutes you,” he said in a teasing tone you both used way too often. 

He was about to back into a table when he turned around while you were both still laughing over your combined childishness. 

“It’s on!” he exclaimed as he went to gather the tools he was planning on using and you headed off to do the same before you both convened at a table for two. 

You with everything you needed for painting your premade mug ready to color however you pleased, and he, with a tiny canvas and a bunch of different paints and brushes that were placed next to the brushes you had brought. 

“Let’s begin,” you said, receiving a wink back from Minghao making you frown in a ‘don’t use those cheap tricks on me mister’ kind of way. 

The next hour or so was spent by the two of you deeply concentrated on your separate projects, occasionally looking up from whatever you were doing to try and catch a sneak peek of what he was working on. Of course, he caught you every time, snickering about how you were so incredibly mischievous. 

When you felt somewhat satisfied you looked up only to meet Minghaos eyes curiously watching you. The side of his face was being hit so exquisitely beautifully by the warm sunlight shining in through the window beside your table. You were stunned for a moment before you could form a proper question. 

“How long have you been watching me?” 

“Not too long,” he said and smiled brightly. 

You squinted at him suspiciously, “And you’re done already?”

“I am,” he said and nodded, not removing that grin from his face for a single second. It made you wonder what exactly he was planning on doing.

“Who should start? Also, how do we decide on the winner?” you asked, now increasingly curious to see what he has been working on this entire time, but still intent on winning over him in his own sport. 

“You can start if you want.”

“Fine, I’ll start. But only because I’m super nice,” you said with a very sarcastically morally righteous tone lacing your voice. 

“And because you love me,” Minghao added.

“...and because I love you,” you admitted, rolling your eyes while his eyes revealed how his smile became even bigger than before. 

“Anyways, I made this mug. It has pink clouds up here, and then we have green moss down here along with these tiny pink and yellow flowers,” you began and Minghao listened and watched your show and tell with much interest, “and then… sheep.” 

You reached the mug over to Minghao so he could take a closer look at the dozen or so sheep grazing the wide moss fields on the surface of your mug.

“The sheep are the best part, I won’t lie to you,” he said after inspecting them for a while, “however, the pink clouds and the green moss are very visually appealing too, very interesting choice… may I ask why you chose those two in particular?”

You chuckled, he sounded like one of the food critics on master-chef, without the iconic Gordon Ramsey vocabulary and accent that is, and now he was dissecting your mug art. 

“I don’t wanna say…” you said while trying to avoid eye contact with the man currently in possession of your prized art. 

“Why?” 

“Because it’s too cheesy okay!” you admitted, making Minghao smile a wide smile underneath his mask. 

“Please tell me anyways.”

You hesitated but decided to just tell him instead of having him bother you about whatever they could’ve meant in the future. 

“It’s because… you make everything feel like pink skies and green moss okay!”

There was a moment of silence, and then he chuckled, you opened the eyes you had closed as you said the words, cringing at your own sappiness. 

“Oh god, that was cheesy.”

“See! I told you!” 

He laughed again, seemingly loving how embarrassed you were over having made it thinking of how he made you feel every day. 

“I like it though, it’s really cute if I’m being honest.”

You didn’t acknowledge what he had said, just desperate to move on and forget about it as quickly as possible. 

“Okay, your turn!” you hurried to say, bringing the focus over to what he had been making. 

“You ready?” he said. You nodded and he turned around the canvas, showing you some kind of an abstract mess of colors. It was reminiscent of a galaxy, you thought as you studies his work. 

“I like it… but I can’t really tell what it is…” 

Minghao’s face crinkled up with a wide grin at your confession, “It’s a feeling,” he said and chuckled. 

You tipped your head to the side, deciding that maybe a new angle would make you understand the feeling he had portrayed better. It did not. You liked it a lot, you really did, but you could not for the life of you put your finger on what emotion he had made. 

“I’m sorry baby, I just cannot figure out what feeling. You’re gonna have to tell me before I lose my mind.” 

“It’s the feeling I get when I look into your eyes,” he explained, staring right into your eyes and seeing you become all flustered at his words. 

“How dare you! How dare you call mine cheesy when you had this planned all along!!” you exclaimed angrily. 

Minghao couldn’t help but laugh at your aggression toward his loving revelation. You began pouting, crossing your arms, and turning your head away from him while muttering under your breath. “I despise you,” knowing he would see through your charades as soon as you said it. 

“Oh, you know you love me,” he said in a smug voice as he continued finding your actions highly amusing. 

“So what if I do?” you retorted. 

“If you do… we can agree that your beautiful mug won our little competition,” he said, his demeanor telling you he was smirking under his mask, knowing you would admit and take the win. 

“I just have to admit that I love you?”

“Yup.”

“...I love you,” you said, feeling hot as you said it, his gaze so loving and warm and stuck on you the entire time. 

“And we have a winner, your gorgeous sentimental sheep mug has taken the first prize making the boyfriend end up in a lonely second place,” he proclaimed, making a cheering ‘woo’ sound as well. 

You decided it was only fair that you joined in, bowing in your seat and repeating “Thank you, thank you, everyone,” as you held your first-place winning mug in your hand. 

When you were both done with your ceremony you put up your art on the shelves, deciding that you wanted to leave your artwork there along with the many people who had left theirs there before you. You placed them together so they would always stay by each others’ side and left the studio. 

.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・. .・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・..・。.・゜✭・.

Reblogging and commenting is highly appreciated!! Hearing what you thought is what makes writing and being here overall so much fun! Ty and ily 💕

[navigation post!]

[sdbingo]

Valentine's Bingo🌹

Love comes and shows itself in different ways, this month Seasonal Delights Bingo will be hosting 'Types of Love Bingo' centering around different types of relationships and different types of love languages.

There are many ways that a person shows their love, even more ways that one is capable of loving another- however I decided to include five different types for this bingo. (Two different kinds of relationship, three different types of love.)

RELATIONSHIPS

monogamy - a relationship with only one partner at a time. polygamy - having more than one sexual or romantic partner (most of the prompts for this category were written for 'polyfidelity' which refers to a group of three or more people who have a committed relationship with one another.)

TYPES OF LOVE

storge - familial love philautia - self-love philia - love without romantic attraction

At first, I had wanted to only include 'types of love' but considering that this is an event open to everyone it would have been hard to include 'eros' and I was not exactly sure how to include 'agape' either- we might do one that focuses on both relationships and types of love in the future but we shall see. 

This time we have two different themes (dark & light) and two different sizes (mini 3x3 & maxi 5x5).

Every participant is allowed to request two cards in total.

The tags that we ask that you use for us to be able to re-blog your posts are; #seasonaldelightsbingo, #typesoflovebingo (don't forget to tag @seasonaldelightsbingo too!)

You can start posting whenever you would like to do so, there are no time limits to when you complete your card- but you won't be able to sign up for a card after February 28, 2024.

'Types of Love' Bingo Sign Up Form

[zellink]

all the bells say

a pre-calamity zelink longfic. [chapter 1 of 28 // Act 0 of 5]

>> Read Act 0: "Genesis / Heavy" on AO3

Summary:

Rating: M Main Tags: canon compliant / angst with a happy ending / character study / romance / slow burn / all the goddamn tension. / mutual pining / self-doubt / following all the botw memories / Zelda is an unreliable narrator / Link is so hopelessly in love (until it's not) What will you do with what you've been given when the story forever tolls the same way? Link and Zelda, the Calamity, and their tale of inevitability and doom, and most of all, of love.

Notes:

Here I am, 7 years late to the party, 3 years after witnessing my boyfriend first play BOTW, with a Starbucks in hand and yet another pre-Calamity long fic that absolutely nobody asked for. But I have to do it. I have to bounce these two blonde elves in my head indefinitely and breathe life into my many, many headcanons.

All my love and thanks to my trench buddy and writing soulmate @1up-girl for all your invaluable beta'ing, brainrotting, and everything in between—I seriously owe you forever and ever. Thousands of thanks to the lovely @mustardcheesedog for your amazing energy and hype as an early reader and the daily zelink brainrot.

I also wanna to thank @milkywayes for doing the beautiful banner art for Bells; for understanding my vision and for all the conversations we've had about zelink—headcanons concocted in our DMs that I eventually adopted into this fic.

Fic title taken from the famous John Berryman poem, "Dream Song 29".

~~~ Please go to the fic page on AO3 and read the extended author's note in the beginning for warnings! ~~~

Anyway..... here's Act 0, y'all!

Act 0: Genesis / Heavy

There sat down, once, a thing on Henry's heart só heavy, if he had a hundred years & more, & weeping, sleepless, in all them time Henry could not make good. […] Ghastly, with open eyes, he attends, blind. All the bells say: too late. This is not for tears; thinking. “Dream Song 29” - John Berryman

Link is no stranger to death.

At five years old, he’s already witnessed more than his peers ever would. Growing up at a farm can do that to a kid. Cows, lambs, cuccos—all to the slaughter for sustenance, for profit. He stations himself beside Father and Mother as they butcher them to sell at the family shop. He’s also seen Father shoot countless deers and elk during their leisure hunts whenever Father is back home from Castle Town. More often than not, Father would let him borrow his old bow, and Link would contribute to their hunt, too.

But then Link’s pet fish dies one afternoon—a fat white freshwater carp with gold and black splotches he named Goldie—and he weeps and weeps in Mother’s lap. Goldie was his friend. Goldie was always there in the morning when he would wake up, and was there at night before he’d go to bed. But now Goldie is floating in the pond, its tiny mouth agape.

Mother strokes his hair. “It’s okay, Link. Goldie is with the Goddess, now.”

“Can I be with the Goddess, too?” he asks. Snot runs down his nose.

“Well, no.” Mother huffs a laugh. “Where Goldie is… we cannot go there. But what you can do is pray.”

Link withdraws his head from Mother’s lap. He wipes the tears from his face with the heel of his palms.

“Can we pray together, Mom?”

At that, something unreadable passes through Mother’s face. Her blue eyes turn steely.

“You can pray, Link,” she says, something sad about her small smile. “I won’t join. But we can arrange a funeral for Goldie, if you would like that?”

So they spend the rest of the day gathering flowers from the brambles that surround their estate until Mother’s wicker basket is full of white roses, blue nightshades, and armoranths. Mother also allows him to use the small wooden box that sits atop her vanity—a coffin perfect for Goldie. Mother says that it’s a box that used to house a necklace she bought and gave to Father long ago, but that necklace is long lost, so she has no use for it now.

Link wraps Goldie in an old rag and lays it gently inside the box. Then, they dig a hole in their backyard and bury the box and Goldie in it. He cries again, but not as hard as earlier. He clasps his hands in front of his chest, shuts his eyes, and utters his prayers aloud.

“Goddess Hylia, please welcome Goldie in your loving arms, give it many, many worms to eat, and bring it back as a strong and healthy fish in its next life.” Let its next life start tomorrow, please, Link does not say aloud.

When they make it back inside the living room, Father is already there, sitting at the dining table with a cup of coffee. He asks about what they have been up to, and Link answers honestly. Father doesn’t press on, and he looks rather exhausted, so Link goes back into his bedroom and closes the door behind him.

He climbs into his bed and crawls toward the far end of the wall, looking out from the window and into the backyard. He sees it—a small grave by the shrubs, complete with a rock roughly the shape of an oval as the tombstone, with flowers surrounding the little plot of land.

He hears voices from beyond his bedroom door.

“I don’t think it is best for us to go soft on him.”

“Wha— soft? He is five and his pet just died!”

“And you helped him throw a funeral. For a fish.”

“Because he’s just a child!”

There’s a grating sound—a chair being dragged on the floor. “Well, he’s always said that he wants to become a knight. Then we must prepare him for such an occupation.”

“Being a knight does not mean he can’t feel emotions.”

“Eleana, being a knight is not easy. He will see hundreds of deaths in his lifetime. The next death he’ll witness won’t be of a fish, but of a comrade. I just want to prepare him for when he eventually becomes one.”

“Well—” a pause, “—then I hope, for Link’s sake, he never becomes one.”

Link, however, doesn’t pay much attention to his parents’ conversation. Instead, he imagines Goldie wiggling its way past the layers of cloth and wood and soil, flopping around the backyard until it finds its way to the pond again. Once everybody is asleep Goldie will rise up from its grave, he thinks. He prayed to the Goddess, after all.

But come morning, the pond is still empty, and Goldie remains lifeless in its little coffin.

And he never sheds another tear after that.

****************

Link is no stranger to death, and no stranger to funerals, either.

A year after Goldie’s humble funeral in his backyard in Hateno Village, Father must attend one of the most important funerals in the kingdom for as long as Link can remember.

(Well, six years is quite long for him, anyway.)

So here he is, holding Mother’s gloved hand, in the congregation at the Grand Chapel of Hyrule Castle. It’s a sad occasion, of course—everyone’s wearing black, all the women have their faces obscured with a veil, and he can hear sniffles from the crowd. But Link also can’t wait to tell his friends back home of his first real experience in the castle.

There are speeches, sermons, hymns, and many, many other long-drawn-out processions that he has no choice but to zone out on. But once the burial is over, Link is rather excited, because the Royal Guards (and by extension, Father) must accompany the Prince Consort to the Sanctum for an intimate reception.

The Sanctum is grand—big, luxurious, grand. Red velvet is draped everywhere—the thrones, the floor, the curtains, the banners. There’s also a lot of gold, and streaks of blue here and there. Link likes the blue the most.

When Father makes his way through the crowd to find Link and Mother, Link knows it’s time. He straightens his back, draws his chin a little bit higher, and follows Father.

“This is pretty exciting, right, Mom?” Link whispers. “Meeting the Prince!”

“The King,” Father corrects him. “He was the Prince, and now, without the Queen, he has become the King.” He sounds annoyed. “Please don’t make that mistake in front of His Majesty.”

Link clears his throat. “Sorry, Father.”

He gazes up at Mother again, but she’s quiet, and it’s hard to look past her veil.

They climb the grand marble staircase leading to the floating dais above the room, and find a large man standing in front of the throne.

Father and Mother immediately drop to their knees. Link follows suit.

“Your Majesty,” Father says, his head bowed.

“Sir William! Please, no need for this,” the King’s voice booms. Father rises, followed by Mother, and then Link. “I am very pleased to see you again, Lady Eleana. It’s been too long.” The King sounds friendly, but there’s a lot of sadness at the edge of his voice. That makes sense, Link thinks. He just lost his wife.

Then, the King sets his eyes on Link.

Link’s hands feel clammy, all of a sudden.

“And you, young boy—how you have grown! It was not that long ago when your father brought you as an infant to the Castle to celebrate my daughter’s birth,” he says. Link can only muster up a nod and a shaky smile. “Speaking of—” the King turns around to shoo something from his back. “Don’t just hide! Introduce yourself.”

From behind the King’s robe, a little girl emerges, clad in a black dress and a black surcoat. Her face, however, isn’t covered with a veil like the other women, and the first thing Link notices is how golden her hair is compared to the rest of her outfit. It’s almost blinding.

The second thing Link notices is how green her eyes are. Very green. Like grass, like trees. Like the forests that he likes to spend time in.

The girl extends a gloved hand. Palm facing down.

“I’m Princess Zelda,” she says. “Nice to meet you.”

Link takes her hand in a gentlemanly way that Father has taught him when greeting noblewomen. His thumb pad rests on her knuckles. His left hand rises to splay over his right breast. Then, he puts one foot in front of the other and bends his knees, bowing his head.

“Nice to meet you, Princess,” he says. “My name is Link.”

As he straightens up again, Link finds it hard to let go of her hand. The Princess doesn’t, either; her forest green gaze is still piercing through his eyes. It feels like vines are growing out of his wrist and twining around his hand and the Princess’.

“Hello, Link,” she says.

Oh, his heart is racing.

Father lets out a cough, and the vines vanish. Link withdraws his hand as if shocked by a jolt of electricity. The Princess lets her arm fall limp at her side once more, but her eyes are still on him. Mother grabs him by his shoulders, pulling him back to stand next to her again.

“Your Majesty, once again, Eleana, Link, and I would like to offer our deepest condolences for your loss,” Father says. “For this kingdom’s loss. The Queen is—was—a strong and wise monarch, and as a people, we shall mourn her absence forevermore.” His lips are trembling a little, Link notes. He’s never seen that on Father before.

“Thank you, Sir William,” the King says. “You were a steadfast presence in her life, truly.” At that, Mother’s grip tightens. Link tilts his head up to look at her, but is met with that layer of veil again. “Well, I must be on my way. Duty calls upon us all, after all.”

With one last bow from Father, Mother, and Link himself, the King makes his way toward the other end of the dais and descends the opposite staircase. The Princess follows, her back straight and steps never once faltering.

She doesn’t turn back to cast one last glance at his family, but Link watches and watches and watches. He’s still watching as she disappears beneath the grand archway that leads further into the castle.

On the walk back to Castle Town where Father resides, Link feels something heavy settling in his gut. Like his little inconsequential life makes sense, all of a sudden. Like being six years old doesn’t really matter because, in that moment, he feels like there are hundreds of ancient men residing within the confines of his bones. And all those men are whispering the same name over and over.

The name he heard just a half hour ago.

So he speaks up.

“Father, I think I’m ready to really train,” he says. “I really wanna be in the Royal Guard.”

Father laughs.

Mother, beneath her black veil, stays quiet.

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