#and i just grab mosquito and magically turn him into a mosquito and laugh at his ass

[cao-tick]

How’s it going lately number one fan girl? ✨🫶

Incredibly! I have been bothering so much mosquito that I managed to get them to ask me things! Mostly a variation of "this au got into my head help" and I'm happy that I finally made him go crazy with one of my silly ask-box ideas.

<3 <3

How's the greatest goo-wife going?

[minnielvrr]

No Escape~

Lee: Han Lers: Minho, Seungmin Word Count: 3.3k

A/N: my all time fav pic of Hannie🥰 i sincerely apologize for this in advance🥺😭might redo this completely later😖(sorry i'm really burnt out rn🥲)

Tags: @itzsana-kiddingmenow, @lajanaa, @bbybumblelee, @hearted-anon, @lunalattae,

@jungwon-is-the-one, @reginald-stay09

When Han had announced that he was going to check out the new fried chicken place a few streets over, both Minho and Seungmin had asked to join.

Now, sandwiched between the two, Han shifted in his seat, glancing nervously at them.

The restaurant was a quaint looking place, with chairs and little tables set up under the stars. And despite being fairly new, it was packed and bustling with people.

Han smiled. He liked places like this. It was spacious and comfortable and the quiet murmur of voices soothed his mind.

Their table on the other hand, had a duo who loved playing up their divorced couple act, having exchanged snarky remarks and jabs all the way to the shop. Then they’d gone eerily quiet.

He broke the silence with a tentative question, “So, um… what do you guys wanna get?”

Why had he thought this was a good idea? The two seemed to love toying with Han, annoying him with their near constant bickering.

But as much as he rolled his eyes and huffed at their antics, a part of him loved being showered with their attention, no matter how embarrassing it got.

This particular evening however, the two kept breaking character to exchange furtive looks, only to burst into giggles just moments later. Hannie figured they’d finally lost it, chuckling at the manic duo.

Eventually, the trio placed their orders, sitting around in silence for their food to arrive.

The thing is, it was BUSY. The whole place was packed. That meant that it would likely take longer for their food to arrive.

It also meant that Han would have to endure whatever this was, until then. “Nice night, huh?” Han attempted; his voice hopeful yet uncertain.

When neither responded, he slouched back in his chair, letting out a hollow laugh as his efforts fell flat.

Their little bubble burst when the quokka suddenly jerked up, swatting wildly at his back.

While Han was busy swatting at the new threat, Seungmin glanced at Minho, a slow smirk working its way onto his face when their eyes met. Time to set their plan in motion.

“Ugh! Stupid mosquitoes!” Hannie grumbled, twisting in his seat as he tried—and failed—to reach the itchy spots on his back. His skin throbbed with every missed scratch, only making it worse.

“Looks like someone needs a hand… should we help out?” Seungmin asked, already reaching his hand out.

Hannie’s struggles were cut short when two hands were placed on his back from either side. Minho and Seungmin’s fingers scratched the itchy areas to blissful perfection.

“Mmm thank you,” Han said gratefully, letting out a pleased sigh as he leaned forwards to let the two work their magic.

Unfortunately for him, he didn’t notice the twin smirks that were exchanged between the two menaces. Apparently, their little rivalry had been nothing but a farce.

Hands grabbed onto Han’s wrists, pulling them so that they were crossed over his middle, each of his hands held in the firm grasp of Minho and Seungmin.

Their fingers that had been gently scratching at his back now curled into claws that raked over Hannie’s lower sides and ribs.

Poor Hannie didn’t get a second to brace himself before the tingly sensations overtook his senses.

What started as harsh exhales quickly turned into helpless giggles, and the longer they continued, the more Hannie crumbled.

He shoved at their hands, but it was two against one and his sensitivity certainly wasn’t doing him any favors.

Stifled giggles left his lips in strings as Hannie shifting around awkwardly in his seat to avoid the hands that seemed stuck to his body. His face was scrunched up in the most adorable fashion, a smile already budding on his pink lips.

“I can’t believe how ticklish you are~” Minho teased, as if wrecking Han wasn’t a daily routine for him at this point. The kitten’s lips quirked up at the side and eyes squinted in amusement when Hannie glared at him.

“StahaHAHAp actihhing suHUHUprised! You lihihiterally wreHEHE—wrecked mehehe yehesterday!!”

“Oh, you’re actually being pretty quiet hm…let’s see how long you can keep it up.” Seungmin’s curious if slightly evil words had Minho cackling in childish joy.

With embarrassment bubbling in his belly, Hannie bowed his head low, trying to gain some semblance of control in hiding his expression from the world.

“Come on, let’s see that pretty smile~” Minho taunted, his fingers diving into the ace’s sides with renewed vigor.

Han squealed, instinctively jerking away—right into Seungmin's waiting arms. The two menaces were enjoying this way too much!

“ Nohohohoho! PlehEHEase hyuhung! Seuhuhungmhin-ah nahahaha! Nohohot hehehere!! Ihihit’s ehembarrahassing!”

No matter which way he turned, there was no escape. Laughter bubbled uncontrollably from Hannie’s lips, his face flushing with a mix of shyness and helpless joy.

But as much as he enjoyed their teasing, one thing was certain—hereally needed to get them back for this!

“Keep your arms here,” Minho instructed, moving Hannie’s hands so that he was leaning forward with his elbows resting on the table. Seungmin moved their glasses of water far enough away in case their target decided to get too squirmy.

Han laced his fingers together tightly and gulped nervously. His eyes flitted over the nearby tables before squeezing shut, praying they wouldn’t hear him over the background noise.

This new position left a lot of vulnerable areas completely exposed to the two. “Nohohoho you’re gonna tihickle mee!!” He complained, bringing his arms down to protect his sides when Minho’s hands ghosted over his belly.

“We’re going to tickle you either way. But if you move your arms again, this is gonna get ten times worse.” The threat lingered in the air and the ace felt a chill run down his spine.

Once his hands were returned to their position, the duo sprang into action. Their fingers immediately targeted Hannie’s legs; squeezing, scribbling, and pinching at the sensitive skin.

“Fahahahack, oho mY GAhahad! Please noHOT thesHEHere!!” Han ducked his head again, wobbly lips pressed tightly together but there was no use.

Then, Minho decided to be mean, slipping his hand lower and digging his fingers into either side of Hannie’s thighs, just above his knee.

The ace couldn’t possibly muffle his sounds when his knees and thighs were getting attacked like this. “PleheHEHEASE!! Seuhuhungmin-ah nohohoh-AH Mihihnho hyuHUHUng SHI- ahahahahaha!!”

The kitten’s voice took on a teasing lilt as he leaned closer, “Don’t hide your face, I wanna see you~”

Placing a finger under Hannie’s chin he lifted the younger’s face. And the sight that met his eyes was beautiful.

Hannie’s heart shaped smile stretched across his lips, his eyes were slitted from how hard he was laughing and his hair was a mess from when he was desperately shaking his head to cope with the ticklish onslaught.

Not to mention the dark blush that coated his chubby cheeks, neck and ears. He looked so utterly ruffled like this.

“Gods Hannie… you look so pretty right now,” Minho breathed out in wonder, his hands momentarily pausing it’s attack and focusing every sense on his other half.

Seungmin just sighed and shook his head at the two. His hands still working diligently on reducing Hannie to a sweet, giggly puddle.

Minho quickly snapped out of his revere, hands picking up the pace and making Hannie screech from the suddenness of it all.

“Fahahahahack! I cahan’t, I chahahan’t plehease mehehercy!!” He begged through hysterics.

At one point, Seungmin had to pause his ministrations to pick up a glass that got knocked over when Han’s knee hit the table.

“Ihihi hahahahate youhu so muhuhuch! Youhuhu twoho suhuck!!” Hannie’s giggled out complaints had no bite to it, just a mountain of mortification.

Minho was dying laughing at the quokka, his fingers now wiggling at the ace’s bare waist under his clothes. “Does it tickle more when I do it like this Hannie?” He taunted, knowing damn well what the answer was.

As Han writhed in his seat, failing miserably to stifle his giggles, he noticed some concerned and confused stares from nearby tables and humiliation crept up his body. He wished they were somewhere—anywhere—else.

He whined softly between peals of laughter, a heated blush painting his face crimson. The poor boy tapped their hands, desperately hoping they’d stop.

“QuihiHIHit it!! PeHEHEople are loohoohooking ahat mehehEHE!” His voice dissolved into hiccupy giggles, arms trembling on the table as he giggled and squirmed.

Seungmin laughed at the pained expression on his face, sinking his fingers into the softness of Hannie’s belly and loving the way it made the ace jump in his seat.

Han was just way too cute when he was tickled. His reactions being both amusing and adorable.

“Nahahahahaha! Plehease! Ihihit’s sohoho bahad!!”

The way his sweet voice shook with mirth and a shy blush bled into his skin had the two menaces melting. The sight was far too enticing to resist.

However, the duo snatched their hands back as it they had been burned, flushing with embarrassment when a waiter hurried to check in on the noise. Seungmin apologized on Hannie’s behalf with a Cheshire grin on his face.

Minho's ears were bright red and Seungmin was giggling crazily and cute Hannie had his face in his hands, fake crying into them.

The flustered ace pulled the hood of his jacket low over his face to avoid looking at the waiter as he set their food.

The man raised an eyebrow but didn’t comment, simply setting down their food. Hannie’s face turned even redder as he mumbled a quiet (and giggly) 'Thank you,' wishing the ground would swallow him whole.

It was far too embarrassing at that point. But of course, just this wasn’t enough to sate the two demons besides him.

The rest of their meal passed in quietly, the trio eagerly digging into the food and finishing it in record time. The wobbled walk home was also uneventful… up until they got to the doorway that is.

Hearing the consipiratory whispers already starting, Han bolted the moment he stepped through the door, feet thudding noisily on the hardwood floors.

But a hand caught his shoulder, spinning him around and pinning him to the wall near his bedroom door.

“Going somewhere Sungie?” Seungmin's voice carried an evil lilt to it. Minho joined them with a scarf, swiftly twirling to a stop besides the pair.

Han giggled at his hyungs antics, one hand pawing at the front of Lino's sweater beseechingly. The older cocked a brow at him, challenging the quokka to try to talk his way out of this.

“Puppy, hold him down,” Minho instructed, flexing the plain black fabric he was holding. Seungmin dragged Hannie inside his room and pinned him down on his bed.

“You ready Sungie? Hyung has something extra special planned for you~”

Hannie whined as they tied his hands up and Minho couldn’t help but squeal internally at how cute Hannie looked. It made the ace giggle nervously, hands trembling in their restraints.

“Agh you’re. Just. SO. Cute!” Each word brought with it a squeeze to the ace’s sides, the kitten leaning down and nuzzling Hannie’s clothed tummy with his face.

Their words were gentle, but their touch was mean and Han was weak to their cruel methods.

“Ahahaha nOHOHoho thahat tihIHICkles!!” Poor Hannie felt like he was going crazy, being extra sensitive from their previous ministrations.

Seungmin's fingers followed the curve of Hannie's torso, scribbling over his ribs, down his waist until they rested over the quokka's hips.

Then Minho dived in, raking all 5 nails over the younger's soles, from the balls of his feet to his heels.

“SHIT!! NAHAHAHAHA!! NOHOT MYHYHY FEEHEEHEET!! HYUHUNG PLEASE!!!”

He was unimaginably sensitive like this, reacting to every touch with a loud squeal and more squirming. Pleas spilled freely from Hannie’s lips and the two cooed at him.

The older spent extra time on his arches, exploring every little sound he could wring out for Hannie as the younger's screamed and squealed and pleaded.

Then Seungmin's hands came to life at his hips, and that was the last straw for Hannie. Minho placed his hands on Hannie's thighs and squeezed.

“IHIHITS sohOHO baHAHAHD!! PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE ANYHYHYWHEHERE BUHUT THERE!” He begged through endless laughter.

They massaged the spot thoroughly while holding it down and Han howled with laughter at the suddenness of it all.

He sealed his lips, his face growing darker and darker red as he laughed loudly. His happy sounds echoed through their dorms.

Minho leaned down, shaking his fluffy hair over Hannie’s abs. The strands caught and dragged on the toned muscles. Hannie squealed—a high-pitched, breathless sound that had Minho grinning triumphantly.

He was almost in tears as the featherlight touches appeared to tickle him even worse than the usual rough tickles that Minho subjected him to.

Minho kept a firm grip on the younger’s hips, holding them down as he alternated between sweeping his hair over the younger’s belly and blowing raspberries at random and reveling in the way it brought out the squeakiest laughter he’d ever heard from the younger.

“nahahahAHAHA IHITS SOHO BAHAHAD!! HYUHUHUNG BEHEHE NIHIHICE!”

The change and unexpectedness of his techniques had Hannie in hysterics much faster than usual (and also because the two had wreaked havoc on the poor boy not too long ago).

Seungmin, unfortunately, didn’t have as much experience targeting Han as Lino did, his usual targets being Jeongin, Changbin or Hyunjin. But thinking about it made an idea surface in his mind.

He dragged his fingers up form where they’d been poking and scribbling at the ace’s slender waist, until it was resting over the sides of Hannie’s chest.

It was Changbin’s worst spot and the puppy knew from experience that it also had Channie squealing the loudest he’d ever managed to have the leader.

Offhandedly, he wondered if it was a bad spot for all buff people and this thought had him lifting his head up to stare at Minho.

He’d been getting pretty bulky as of late… which made Seungmin wonder if it’d also work on the kitten. He decided to file that though away for later, his focus returning to his current victim.

Now that the idea had occurred to him, he wouldn’t be able to rest until he’d tested his hypothesis.

The lee tensed, tilting his head up to watch as Seungmin’s expression went from curious to an almost smug smirk.

The quokka didn’t get any warning before the puppy, pressed two fingers into the spot on either side.

“AHH FUCK! SeuhuhuHUHUngmihin!! ahahaHAHA! nohot there, PLEHEHEASE!!”

Han shrieked, arching his back desperately, only to come crashing back down when it pushed his exposed tummy right into Minho’s eager lips.

He then tried twisting side to side, his body writhing where it lay on the soft mattress but he couldn’t escape the sensation.

‘I knew that’d work!’ Seungmin muttered smugly, grinning in satisfaction. Perhaps his theory would be proven right. Perhaps all buff people had a common Achilles heel.

He would certainly have a lot of fun toying with that idea later.

“NahaHAHAha whyhy mehehe?!” Hannie whined through his giggles. “Because,” Minho started, pinching Han’s full cheeks, "you’re so cute when you’re like this~ You have this extra special tickle laugh and unfortunately for you, I’m addicted to it”

It was relieving for Minho to see his baby smile and laugh again. It had hurt him and the others too when Hannie had been feeling down. There was a time when he’d barely smiled and it honestly scared Minho.

He was left wondering if Hannie would ever smile as brightly as he had before. But now, looking closely at the way the ace’s cheeks stained red, his beautiful heart shaped smile spread so wide across his face, he felt that tight ache in his chest unravel.

Their Hannie was back and even happier than before. And both Minho and Seungmin were determined to keep him that way.

So, with a smirk, Seungmin began scratching at Hannie’s collarbones with his nails, Minho simultaneously raking his nails over Hannie’s lower belly and loving the way the poor boy let out an ear-splitting scream and dissolved into bubbly laughter.

The ace was kicking his legs as if he was swimming, his heels digging into the mattress as his body shook with desperate cackles.

“Getting some practice in for the Olympics huh Sungie?” Seungmin mocked, snickering when Han tried to glare at him. Minho burst out laughing, Hannie blushing at their mean teasing.

He didn’t have any time to think of something smart when the kitten massaged his thumb into Hannie’s v-line.

“MIHIHINHO HYUHUNG!” His whole body twisted to the side and Seungmin grinned.

“Oh, did you want me to get you here? Is that why you’re so desperately presenting it to me?” He teased cruelly, giggling when Hannie shook his head frantically, too consumed by his laughs to think of a reply.

“Shuhuhut uhup!! Fuck Minnie pleheheheheHEHEASE!! Ihi cahahahn’t! Ihihit’s SOHOHO BAHAHAHD!!”

Han pulled his knees up, hitting Minho's back with his legs over and over again. "Ow! That hurts Han-ah!" The kitten complained, grabbing firmly onto Hannie's feet when his legs came back up again.

"So impatient, aren't you? If you wanted my attention here that badly you could've just said so! No need for the violence." Hannie was speechless at their sheer audacity.

The way they spun it around and made it seem as if Hannie was the one desperately begging to be wrecked when in reality they had just wanted to mess with him.

But all thoughts of retaliation were driven from his mind the moment those nimble fingers touched his bare sole.

It was as though electric shocks were running through his legs, his body jolted and shook as Hannie's laughter cut out in seconds and then came back, much much louder than before.

The sound was deafening, howls and screeches mixing in with his cackles.

By the time they stopped and released the blushing boy, Hannie was panting hard, one arm thrown over his face as he gasped for breath. His body still jolted whenever Seungmin or Minho’s hands even came close.

The puppy held the black scarf in his hand, going silent when he realized how stretched it was. It was now about twice the size it had been when they’d tied Jisung with it.

“Wow Sungie, you really did a number on this one huh?” Hannie’s face flushed when he saw the fabric, stuttering as he tried to protest.

“Yah! You can’t blame me for this! It’s Lino’s fault! I—” Two pokes to his side shut him up quick.

“Is that how I told you to address me?” Minho’s voice was playfully sharp, and Hannie sighed in defeat. “Sorry hyungie.”

“Ooh I can’t wait to tell Bokkie how you ruined his favorite scarf! He’ll be SO mad!! Maybe…maybe he might need to punish you for it~”

Minho was already plotting to tell Felix, and perhaps he could persuade the angel to wreck Hannie as punishment.

Seungmin grinned at the thought. He’d love to explore more of Hannie’s vulnerable spots!

But before they could get carried away, Hannie, who had been plotting his revenge all along, intervened. “You two,” he panted, still red-faced and teary-eyed. “Get ready for payback.”

The determined glint in his eyes made both Minho and Seungmin hesitate. They knew that look—it was only a matter of time before the ace hunted them down and made them regret every poke and prod. And boy, was he going to enjoy it.

He managed to catch the puppy first, dragging him down and looming over him as Minnie kicked and squirmed. “What’s the matter pup? Can’t take what you dish out?”

Minho hurried to find a hiding place when he heard Seungmin howl with laughter behind him. These happy sounds went on for the better part of the next hour…

[sparrowrye]

The Archivists’s Oath || Alastor x Reader, Chapter 4

Synopsis: some things are just too good to be true

Master List

Chapter 4: broadcast of betrayal

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Stop it." I smacked Al's hand away from his arm.

"It itches," he hissed. He went to itch it again but I caught it in a tight grip.

"Suck it up or it's going to itch more."

His ears turned away in response as he stuffed down a growl. I released his hand and went back to the kitchen sink. I had an itch cream but it had been difficult to get it underneath his fur, so there had been a few places I missed. We had fallen asleep under the stars and woke with an array of mosquito bites.

I soaked a towel in water and draped it over the handle of the kettle. After it had warmed enough, I wrapped it around the arm he was still itching and told him to lay down. I then left him alone as I went out to continue my long list of chores.

I made my way to the little creak that ran along the edges of the oasis. I scavenged for berries and other herbs to store for later use. It was one of the most mind-numbing and time-consuming chore, and it was also the one that took me furthest away from my alcove.

However, I could no longer contain myself. I dropped the old basket and sprouted my wings. My claws dug into the nearest tree as I climbed up and jumped through the branches. My wings were slightly open to help me glide from tree to tree. I laughed like a kid, even when I missed a branch or two and smacked my face into a trunk.

I hung my legs on a branch and swung upside down, stretching my arms and wings as far as I could. My own laughing was contagious. When was the last time I felt this way? When was the last time I felt happy? The last time I felt hopeful?

Would he actually take me to see the outside world? Where did he live? How far was it? Would he actually want to come back after he's been back in his own, familiar world?

The thought sobered me. I shouldn't get too hopeful. He could already have a partner or someone he's interested in. He could be saying all these things and not actually follow through. I wouldn't be surprised if he got caught up in the outside world and completely forgot about me.

I grabbed the branch and unhooked my legs, but froze when something caught my eye. I lowered myself to the ground and peered through the tangle of roots, catching a glint of something red. Using magic, I pulled the branches away to find a strange, metal, teardrop thing. I turned it over, noting the metal rod that was bent at a 90 degree angle, and found a microphone sitting in the dip of the teardrop.

Was this his staff?

It hadn't gotten taken by the White Angels?

Something about this staff made the hairs on my arm stand up. I could feel the magic from this simple tool, magic that tasted oddly like Al. I didn't even know magic had a taste until that moment. There were faint lines along the teardrop shell, strange markings and symbols that represented him—his power, his life out there, his magic, and the truth I didn't want to face.

I idly walked back with the damaged cane and old basket in hand. What would happen if I gave him the staff? If he needed it to get home, would he up and leave me without a word? Would he take back his promise on showing me the world? Technically he didn't even promise that to me. But...it went against my moral code to keep something, with obvious importance, a secret.

Had our time finally come to an end?

I found myself back at the alcove sooner than I wanted. I raked my hand down my face, mentally braced, and slid through the bramble. I found Al messing with the string again. When he turned to look at me, his eyes immediately went to the staff in my hands. He went eerily still. Then abruptly stood up.

"You found it." He crossed the room slowly, gaze zoned in on the staff.

"It was—uh...stuck in some roots." Head lowered, I extended my arm. "Sorry that it's broken."

"Nothing a little magic can't fix." His claws wrapped around the metal and, when I let go of it, his other hand grabbed my hand before I could pull away. It wasn't a tight grip but a tense hold I wasn't expecting. He leaned down in my ear and said softly, "Thank you."

He removed the cane, and his grip, and I wrapped my arms around myself. "G-glad I could help."

He looked me over for a moment. "Is something the matter?"

"'Course not." I quickly slipped out of the bunker.

~*~

Alastor sat on the worn couch, the staff resting on his lap. His fingers traced the carvings on the back of it, as though reacquainting himself with a piece of his soul. Despite the damage, it bled magic into Alastor's veins and reinforced the amount he had been born with. It made his leg tap with a funny feeling of adrenaline.

Even so, he felt the gravity of his situation fall upon his shoulders. The quiet was too quiet. The shadows too dark and closing in. He had expected this moment to happen but he hadn't expected it so soon, but he knew he was only fooling with himself.

He dropped his cane on the table then buried his face in his hands. All he could think about was the look on your face—the forced smile and the flicker of pain behind your eyes. You had tried so hard to mask it and push him away, for his sake or your own he had no idea.

His staff glared back at him, a reminder of his life outside this sanctuary and of his responsibilities he'd been neglecting. He could only imagine what his district must be like if they learned of his sudden disappearance. Perhaps Vox finally made his move to step into Alastor's role, but even he knew that was entirely impossible. His mages—while they didn't exactly like Alastor all the time—would never accept a non-mage. If anything, Zestial was the one who took over.

His magic pulsed. He closed his eyes and reached out, his heightened magic seeping through the cracks and invisible wavelengths to where you sat crouched in the alcove. Crying. Wings wrapped tightly around yourself.

He opened his eyes to the red staff. For all his power, all his cunning, and all his control...he was utterly powerless in this moment. You had pulled him out of his element in every way and it reminded him why he had spent so many years crafting and chiseling himself into who he was—he never wanted to feel this way again.

And yet...here he was.

Another ripple through his magic. He ran his hands through his hair, pulled on it, then finally stood. He yanked the heavy door open and stepped into the afternoon light. Birds chirped overhead as a breeze flowed through the trees and bramble protecting the sanctuary.

You recoiled your wings back to their spot on your back and turned your head away, arms holding your knees to your chest. He silently sat beside you, making sure to keep enough space. His long legs stretched out in front of him as he leaned back against the stone. He had hoped he would come up with something to say by the time he sat down. But he hadn't. He was at a loss for words.

You sniffled softly. "I guess this means you're leaving soon."

He clasped his hands together so he didn't risk touching you. "Think me eager to leave your charming company so quickly?"

You shrugged, refusing to turn your head in his direction. "You have your staff back. You've got...some mission or job to do back home. I just figured..."

"That I'd forget all about you the moment I left?" he finished.

You didn't reply immediately. You wiped your eyes with your sleeve then turned your head to stare straight ahead. "The world is full of temptations. It's easy to get lost."

The words sounded like a recitation. Was it something you'd been told as you were growing up? That the world is full of dangerous temptations that could distract an Archivist—that could pull them away from their work? Could some of the world's long lost Archivists have given up their way of life in exchange for a blissful world of temptations?

"Well...the temptations become far less inviting the longer you live with them." He was hurting his hands with how hard he was gripping them. He wanted to touch you, to provide some sort of comfort. The him before your sanctuary would've been appalled at him now. "But yes...the world doesn't stop turning even if I've found a temporary reprieve here."

You winced at the word temporary and more tears started to build. You turned your head away again, sending more ripples through his magic.

Blast this magic. It was trying to adapt to his new mindset and it wasn't a smooth transition.

"I'm sure your...team or whatever will be happy to know you're not dead."

"Not yet."

Your body froze, then you wiped your head around, finally meeting his gaze with those beautiful eyes, albeit a little red and swollen from crying.

"I'll stay one more day," he continued, fingers finally unlocking and settling on the grass between you. "Perhaps two. I'd hate to leave you without properly overstaying my welcome."

Finally a crack of a smile on your lips. You shifted closer, accepting the arm that wrapped around your back and guided your head to lean on his shoulder. You took in a slow, deep breath of his natural scent and he did the same, soaking in that earthy scent like the day after a spring storm.

This is going to be painful, he thought.

Luckily for Alastor, he was accustomed to pain.

{|}

Alastor let two more days pass before he accepted reality.

It was time to return to the world.

He had been gone for...two weeks? Three weeks?

He waited for you to leave for a chore, giving it two minutes to ensure you weren't coming back for anything. Then he sat up, grabbed his staff, and cranked the radio on your counter. He cracked his neck then brought the wounded staff up to his mouth. He tuned the frequencies to him and his voice fizzled through.

"Good afternoon, my dear listeners! It is said that even the mightiest can fall. That the wind may tear them down, that the earth may swallow them whole, or that their enemies might, by some stroke of luck, strike them down. But legends—true legends—don't fall so easily."

He glanced over his shoulder to ensure you hadn't opened the door.

"And I've heard the rumors. I've heard the whispers in dark alleys, in the busy markets, and in hurried prayers that I may have met my demise. I would find it rather aggravating if I didn't find it so amusing. You had hoped, maybe even believed, that the storm had passed and you could continue your broken ways of living off scraps. But here my voice now—" he was really starting to get into it, "as I assure you that I remain unshaken, unbroken, and...unkillable."

He hoped Husker was listening to the radio by this point. "I have gone to the edge of the world and returned, standing before you very much alive and whole. A beacon in these dark times. For who else possesses the capability of guiding you through the chaos and uncertainty? Who else can bear the weight of Humanity's future? Of your future?"

Please get my hints, Husker. He couldn't imagine the hint passed over the feline's head. He was an alcoholic but he wasn't incompetent.

"Let this be a reminder to those who dared to raise a hand against me, to those who posses the stupidity to even consider such a notion, that their act of foolishness was just that. Foolish. I'm still here. I'm still alive. And I will remain here while there's breath in my lungs and magic in my veins."

He cleared his throat away from the microphone and changed his tone. "Now, to my faithful...worry not. I am closer than you think and watching over you as I always have. The winds have carried me to great heights and the ground beneath my feet is unfamiliar but not untamable. Trust your instincts, follow the trail of the stars to Orion's Belt and you will find me.

"This is Alastor, the Radio Demon, reminding you all that there is no hope for the future without me. Sleep well...if you can." The frequency jittered then went to white noise. He lowered the volume and let out a huge sigh of relief.

That had felt good.

"You're him."

His heart dropped and he whirled around to find you at the entrance. Your face was pale and your eyes as wide as he'd ever seen them. Why hadn't he heard you walk in?

He didn't know how to answer. You had caught him. Plain and simple. His secret was out.

~*~

"I should've known," I whispered. Al was short for Alastor. The microphone on his cane was how he tuned into the radio. The complete silence from the Radio Demon for the past three weeks while Al was here. And his voice? How did I not recognize it?

"My dear, I had planned to tell you but I—"

"You needed to tell everyone that you were unshaken, unbroken, and unkillable?"

His rubbed his fingers together. "You weren't meant to hear that. It wasn't...it was about ensuring the world knows I'm still here to keep everything in control."

"Control? You talk about guiding people through the chaos but all I hear are lies. You're not a guide. You're a conquerer." I spat the word like a bad taste in my mouth. It was.

His chest swelled with upset. "You think it's easy, what I've done? What I'm still trying to do? You think it's easy trying to keep this fragile world from descending into chaos and being devoured by their own stupidity? They don't know any better."

"And you think ruling with an iron fist—" I snapped back, "—ruling with fear as a mystic monster that everyone's too scared to defy, will save them? That's not living and that's certainly not saving Humanity."

"What would you know about saving Humanity? I've had to make sacrifices. Sacrifices that you could never understand while you sit upon a mountain of knowledge that could change everything. But you refuse to share it, giving out only slivers of that knowledge that you deem necessary for Humanity to know."

My blood ran cold.

"That's right. I know what you are. You're an Archivist." He put a hand behind his back as he crossed the room until he had backed me against the door. "A prideful legacy of manipulative hoarders who think they're higher than everyone else. All in the name of some ancient, outdated oath."

My anger returned just as fiercely, adrenaline putting aside that this was a dangerous man standing inches from me in my own home. "That outdated oath is what's keeping the last shred of Humanity safe from conquerers like you. You want to manipulate, you want to control, you want to use everything in that archive for your own gain. Not for the safety of Humanity but to secure your power above them. And I won't let that happen. I won't let you twist the past to fit your twisted future!"

"You," he jerked his head forward so I flinched back, "don't understand what's at stake. Those archives could save us from extinction but you're too stubborn to see that. You—"

"I'm keeping them so that we don't go extinct!" I interrupted. "Humanity had the Great Downfall for a reason. Those archives exist to keep us from going through another one." My hands were moving on account for my fear. Tears were rising.

"But Humanity will not know how to avoid it if you refuse to share that knowledge."

I stumbled over my words as my hands threaded through my hair. "That's not...where do you think all those pictures and articles about the Old World come from? They come from the Archivists. Our job is to share the proper knowledge so—"

"So you know better than the rest of Humanity?"

"I...well...I have all the information," I said more firmly, "and not even that because I'm not done translating everything."

He leaned back, looking down his nose at me and fang poking out of an evil smile. "You lecture me about taking control of Humanity because I know what's best for them, yet you stand here believing the same thing about yourself."

"It's different!"

"Enough of this." He turned his back and walked to the center of the bunker. "I don't need your permission. I'll do what needs to be done for Humanity's sake."

I let out a maniac laugh. "You think you can force me to give up my archive? My oath demands me to die before I give anything away to the wrong hands. And even if it didn't, I won't let you control me. I won't be your pawn, Alastor. I won't let you or anyone else use me to keep this twisted nightmare alive. I won't let you!"

There was silence as my voice reverberated off the walls. My chest heaved from the adrenaline rush, my heart racing with the anticipation of his next move. I was outmatched. I would not survive this if he chose to attack me.

His back was still turned to me, but his tone shifted as he said, "You're right. I don't control you. But you're sorely mistaken if you think you can stand against the tide alone. The world is bigger than you, my dear. One way or another, I will have my hands on those books."

"I should've let you die," I muttered.

~*~

His eyes widened and he slowly turned around.

"I should've let you bleed out," you went on. "I should've listened to my instincts and let you die alone. None of this would've ever happened and I would've spared Humanity from the Radio Demon."

His eyes narrowed and his shadow seemed to darken in the lantern light.

Your voice dropped, hands reaching up to hug yourself. "I should've known it was too good to be true. That someone...that someone would want to actually...want to be with me." Alastor's anger abated as quickly as it had surfaced. More softly you added, "I would've spared myself, too."

He didn't see an Archivist. He saw you. Scared, unsure, alone, and wanting someone to just spend time with you. It made his chest tighten uncomfortably.

He opened his mouth to say something but you beat him to it. "Well, you can stop the act now. You're no longer welcome here." His teeth ground together. "I'll take you to the edge of the forest where you'll wait for your people to find you."

"So that's it?" he growled. "You're going to pretend like nothing happened?"

"You tricked me!" you practically screamed. "You pretended this whole time just to get close to me so you could have access to my archive."

"And so did you!" he returned. "Keeping your true nature a secret."

"But you didn't tell me you were the Radio Demon."

He looked away. He had been the one to hide the most secrets, but none of them weighed as much as the single secret you held onto. He hadn't wanted this conversation to go this way. He had wanted to introduce it to you slowly, gradually. Instead, he had ruined it.

No.

The Archivists had ruined it. Them and their secrets and stupid oath. If it wasn't for that oath then you wouldn't be fighting him to such an extreme.

You dragged the door open and withdrew the ribbon from your pocket. "I will take you to the edge of the forest," you repeated.

He was the Radio Demon. He had the power to confine you to this small space. He had the power to twist your bones until they snapped. He had the power to see just how far you were willing to follow your oath.

And yet...he didn't.

{|}

My arms tensed before swinging the axe down. The log splintered in half straight down the middle. I wrenched the tool out of the stump and placed another log on it, repeating the process several times more.

It had been a few weeks since Alastor left and he still hadn't shown any signs of returning to light my forest aflame. Perhaps he was still preparing.

"It's protected. It's guarded. It's hidden. It will not be found unless they scowl the oasis with a team of a hundred."

My mother's words echoed in my mind day-in and day-out. Three times a day I flew to the highest building to check the horizon, sometimes even more if I was paranoid enough, but there was nothing I could do if I saw his ship. Eventually, he would find it.

I was wracked with guilt so intense it left me horribly sick. My chores were sloppy and I came down with a cold left and right. However, there was a small part of me that was grateful. I could meet my demise as I fought for my Archive, rather than feel guilt over committing suicide. It was a honorable death for an Archivist, and I could burn my archive before he returned so his victory would be hollow.

I pursed my lips. I could still remember the feeling of our last kiss. I could still remember the feeling of his fingers interlocked with mine. I could still remember the feeling of his arm wrapped around my waist, of his teasing remarks, of him squinting at the cards in an effort to read them, of the feeling of his hands touching my feathers and messaging the muscles of my armwing.

Most of all, I could remember the stark difference between Al and the Radio Demon.

"You're right. I don't control you. But if you're sorely mistaken if you think you can stand against the tide alone. The world is bigger than you, my dear. One way or another, I will have my hands on those books."

I held the axe behind my back and swung it with a scream. Birds flew out of the treetops as I fell to my knees, still screaming. My wings sprouted and flapped once to push me quickly to my feet.

"Fuck you!" I screamed into the open air, arms swinging at nothing. "Fuck you! How dare you trick me into thinking you cared about me. How dare you manipulate me!" I fell back on my knees and pounded my fists into the grass. I grabbed the nearest log and threw it at a nearby tree. "How fucking dare you!"

My screams suddenly turned into ugly sobs. I wrapped my arms around myself as I sunk to the ground and curled up. My body shook with every sob, eventually leading to vomiting what little breakfast I had forced myself to eat. Twice.

Tears streaming down my face and snot dripped out of my nose. I tilted my head back to look at the clear blue sky. My lips quivered as I mumbled, "Fuck you for abandoning me like everyone else."

I was alone all over again.

He had made me feel happy. He had made me forget about my grim destiny. He had made me enjoy the present. He had made me feel...not alone.

Then suddenly ripped that all away, leaving me feeling even more alone than when he first found me.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Author’s Note:

This was a little painful to write. But remember, the bad must happen for the good to feel great! Alastor has a lot to do to make up for this ;)

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Taglist:

@sirens-and-moonflowers @papas-ghoulette

[dragonmuse]

The Roach scene in Hymnless got me wondering if Charlie ever appeared/will appear on the Vengeance Chefs YouTube channel?

(hi all! apparently I still do this from time to time, who knew?! )

“Okay, worms, you asked, I delivered.” Roach reached out of frame, grabbed and pulled Charlie into it by his t-shirt sleeve. “Behold. America’s champion. Say hello.” 

“Hi!” Charlie grinned at the camera. “Nice to be back.” 

“Yeah, that’s right,” Roach stared down the lens, “I told you I knew an Olympian and you all assumed I was hiding him, but it’s just this tall skinny ass white boy that thinks peanut butter out of a jar is an acceptable snack.” 

“I like peanut butter.”  

“So do I. ON things.” 

“It’s on a spoon,” Charlie pointed out with a sly grin. 

“There you have it. Two Olympic medals, not the sense that Mother Earth gave to a mosquito. Charlie, let me ask you the question I ask all my victims.” 

“I’ve been in like five videos at this point,” Charlie reminded him. “We’ve done this before.” 

“Oh, I know,” Roach nodded. “I’m going to insert a montage right here of your last five answers.” 

“Great, I was like fifteen the first time. They can watch me grow like a flipbook. Shoot.” 

“Charlie Bonnet, what is your favorite meal to order out?” 

“Waffles, eggs and crispy bacon with a coffee.” 

“Breakfast food. When is the correct time of day for that food?” 

“Any time,” Charlie said staunchly. “Breakfast exists when I break my fast.” 

“I have taught you well,” Roach nodded. “All right, a breakfast for a champion. Breakfast of Champions....good fucking book. You read that one?” 

“Love Vonnegut, Cat’s Cradle is my favorite though.” 

“So it goes,” Roach reached for the eggs. 

“So it goes,” Charlie agreed. 

“Now if you’re expecting me to ask this fine athlete a lot of jockey questions, I think you all forgot who the fuck I am,” Roach shoved a bowl at Charlie, cracked an egg on the rim then thrust a whisk at him. Charlie started to whisk as Roach added more eggs. “And you’re still thinking this kid is a normal jock.” 

“I’m twenty-two,” Charlie pointed out, diligently whisking. 

“A mere babe in the woods,” Roach agreed. “And you swim good. Great job. Everyone’s very proud. Got anything to say about that that you haven’t already said on the interview circuit two hundred times which anyone can easily google?” 

“Yeah, actually,” Charlie kept his eyes on the eggs. 

“Wait, really?” 

“Sure,” Charlie glanced over at Roach. “I’ll give you an exclusive soundbite. In fact, I saved it for you.” 

“Did you?” Roach asked suspiciously. “Okay, lay it on us.” 

“I didn’t eat anything the day I won. I don’t have a magic winning meal,” Charlie shrugged. “That’s not a recommendation, I was just too nervous. My post-win meal was a liter of chocolate milk with three tablespoons of protein powder.” 

“Amazing,” Roach patted him vaguely on the shoulder. “Thanks for saving the grossest moments for us.” 

“That is so far from the grossest thing,” Charlie said solemnly. “But I’m not here to put everyone off their appetite.” 

“Then what are you here for?” 

“Decoration, I think. And to do an impression of a stand mixer.” 

“Correct!” 

They cooked together, bantering a little as Roach shoveled ingredients into Charlie’s bowl. The waffles came out beautifully brown, the bacon crispy and the eggs fluffy. They ate and talked about corruption in sports judging, Roach grilling Charlie like he was personally responsible for the entire concept of judging. Charlie grinned through the whole thing. 

Once the cameras were off,  Charlie polished off the rest of the bacon while washing pots. Roach dried. They stood almost shoulder to shoulder, not touching, but close. 

“You know,” Roach said as he slowly dabbed away the moisture from the last plate, “the stuff for the camera...I am actually pretty proud of you.” 

“I know,” Charlie turned off the tap. “I feel the love, I promise.” 

“Let’s not go too far,” Roach sniffed and Charlie laughed. “But I might part with some leftovers. Just this once.” 

“I’ll take whatever you’ve got.” 

If Charlie went home weighted down with food stuffed into reused takeout containers that was Roach’s business. He’d show his affections in the way he saw fit and if that was in cheese bread and barbecued short rib then so be it. Charlie understood it. 

Charlie: Felix says he wants to marry you instead.  

Roach: tell I’d rather stick my hand in the garbage disposal 

Charlie: you don’t have a garbage disposal 

Roach: i would buy one for the express purpose  

Charlie: harsh but fair. It was the cheese bread, apparently. 

Roach: I’ll send you the recipe. Then you can keep your fakakta fiance. 

Charlie: can't’ wait to send you pictures of a burnt pan 

Roach: you’ll make them perfectly. Just takes a few times. I know you can be a persistent little asshole when you’re in the mood. Charlie: stop with the praise, I’m blushing so hard I’ll pass out. thnx tho.

[hellfirexhoe]

Camping | Eddie Munson x fem!reader

Prompt from the lovely @wallpapertown  ( i did run with it a little but i hope you still enjoy! )

summary: the group goes camping together, but forgetful minds mean close quarters for Eddie and the reader.

warnings: 18+ ONLY, MINORS DNI, smutty smutty smut, buddies sharing a tent, skimpy clothes, slightly pervy!eddie, groping, fingering, p in v unprotected (who brings condoms to a friendly camping trip), once again jonathan does not exist in my writing, your friends definitely know whats going on in the tent. one use of y/n, pegging joke, pet names.

word count 3.1k words

You’d known about the plans for a camping trip for a few weeks, but in classic you fashion, you’d left all your preparation until the last minute, frantically throwing clothing and snacks into your truck. Certain you were packed, you lifted your cooler from your kitchen with ease,

“Shit shit shit, I need ice!” You ran to the freezer and saw the ice trays empty, meaning you’d have to grab ice from a nearby store. You were so focused on grabbing the ice that you failed to notice your tent was still on the kitchen table as you left the house.

In fact, your forgetfulness didn’t dawn on you until about 2 hours later, when you found the spot Robin had suggested. Steve is the first to notice you pulling up and points out the lack of tent in your truck bed,

“I was so focused on grabbing ice for the cooler that I totally forgot my tent.”

“Jesus, we’re not doing well today.”

“What do you mean?”

“Robin forgot her tent too, she was so fixated on marshmallows for s’mores that she blanked on it. Her and Nancy are sharing. Casa’s Harrington and Munson are looking perfect though.” Steve gestures to the only tents that are standing, Nancy trying to help Robin set up her tent. “Uh, I guess I can sleep with Eddie and you can have my tent to yourself?”

Eddie appears behind you, “What’s that about sleeping with me? I’m flattered Steve but I thought this was a friendly camping trip.”

“No idiot, y/n forgot her tent, so I said I’ll share with you and she can have my tent.”

“Or she can stay in my tent? She stays over at mine plenty?” Steve shrugs and turns back to you,

“Whatever you’re more comfortable with.”

You link your arm through Eddie’s, “I think I’ll stick with my sleepover buddy and let you enjoy your tent to yourself.” As you speak you’re interrupted by the sound of canvas ripping and you turn to Robin and Nancy, Robin has forced a tent pole into a part that did not require a pole and has destroyed Nancy’s tent. Steve pinches the bridge of his nose,

“Alright, Robin and Nancy can have my tent. I’ll sleep on the chairs outside.”

Eddie pats him on the back, “You’re a good dude. Alright, come on, you lets get you set up in the freak shack.” Eddie grabs your bag from your truck and leads you over to his tent. You set up your sleeping bag next to his, grateful that he’s got a large enough foam mattress set up so you wont destroy your back on the hard floor.

“Thanks Eds, I hope I’m not ruining any plans you have?”

“Plans? I plan to get high, eat so many s’mores I nearly vomit and then fall asleep to the sounds of nature; mosquitos flying around, sucking Steve dry for sure, bears fuckin’ beside the tent and a babbling brook. Sounds magical.” You both burst out laughing as you step out of the tent,

“Sorry, what was that about sucking me dry?” Steve glances up at you both from where he’s trying to set up a camp fire, this only serves to make you and Eddie laugh more,

“Relax Harrington, I meant the mosquitoes. Our sexual chemistry isn’t coming to a head just yet. I’m more of a slow burn man myself.” It’s already starting to get dark but finally, sparks fly and the campfire is lit, Robin comes running over, hands full of treats, gleefully grinning as her and Nancy start setting up s’mores and passing them around.

~~~

A couple of hours pass and you’ve all got a nice contact high from Eddie and are now getting sleepy. Robin and Nancy go to bed first, with you and Eddie sloping off to his tent shortly after,

“Alright Steve, I don’t want to feel you climbing into my sleeping bag with me at 3am.” Eddie nudges Steve who is pulling blankets over himself and nods at him,

“I can’t promise anything, not if I hear ‘bears fuckin’ beside the tents’.” Eddie pulls his shirt off once you’re both in the tent and starts undoing his jeans, you look away, his habit of undressing in front of you never really seemed to bother you until you had realized, with a certain degree of horror, that you had caught feelings for one of your best friends. Now, you had to look away, afraid he’d catch you ogling and be creeped out.

“Alright, I’m decent now, you prude.” Eddie is in his sleeping bag, leaning on one elbow and watching you intently. “You gonna get ready for bed or what?”

“Turn around pervert. No free shows.” Eddie rolls over, back turned to you as you unzip your bag you silently curse yourself. You’d thrown in clothes not really paying much attention, and since you’d thought you’d be alone you had just grabbed the first pyjama set you found.

Unfortunately this meant you were now faced with the prospect of sleeping in either the jeans and t shirt you’d been in all day, and would definitely guarantee a shitty night’s sleep. Or you could wear the black lacy, almost see through shorts and matching tank top you had grabbed in your haste. You weigh up your options and look over your shoulder, confirming Eddie is still facing away from you.

As long as I stay in my sleeping bag, zipped up tight, he won’t know what I’m wearing. You reason with yourself as you quickly undress and put the skimpy pyjamas on. You wriggle into your sleeping bag and zip yourself in,

Eddie rolls back around unprompted,

“Well hello there, come here often?” You snort,

“Can’t say I do, what I wanna know is how we’ve been friends for so long and I never pegged you for someone who liked camping, or even owned a tent.”

“Well first of all darling, you’ve never pegged me, not even once. And second of all, Wayne and I used to go when I was younger, when my dad went to prison for the first time. Said it’d be good to get me out of the trailer. I forgot how nice it actually is to just be outside, listening to the world, breathing in that camp fire smell.”

Your cheeks feel hot from Eddie’s nickname, and you feel guilty at all the sordid thoughts running through your mind while your friend is opening up to you. Fortunately, Eddie is saved from hearing you make a bad joke by a strange, animal noise from outside. You hear a chair fall and assume Steve has hopped up so quickly he’s knocked his chair over.

“Uhhhh Rob, Nance? Do you guys think I could squeeze in? Pretty sure I just heard a bear.” You hear grumbling and a zipper being undone as Steve joins their tent.

“Shit do you really think he heard a bear, Eddie?” You shuffle closer to him, in an almost wormlike fashion since you’re sealed in your sleeping bag. Eddie chokes back a laugh and wraps an arm around you,

“Well, I’d keep you safe if there was, but between you and me... that was a deer, not a bear.” You snuggle into Eddie’s arm, enjoying the bonus warmth radiating off of him.

“You cold?”

“A little.”

“Well, get in my sleeping bag then, I’ll keep you warm. No funny business though, I’m a honest man.”

“No, its fine, this is fine.” You tap Eddie’s arm that’s around you,

Eddie huffs as he presses a hand to your face, “Nope, you’re freezing, you’re getting your ass in this sleeping bag with me even if I have to unzip you and pull you in myself.”

“Okay, okay. Just... look away for a second?” Eddie places a hand over his eyes and shifts back so there’s room for you in his sleeping bag. You climb in, trying not to let the fabric of your pyjamas touch his skin, you fail miserably at this due to the fact that a single man sleeping bag is not designed for two people.

“Jesus christ, what are you wearing right now?”

“Just some pyjamas...”

“Bull. ‘just some pyjamas’“ Eddie mimics your voice as he turns up the brightness on the lantern and whistles when he is able to see your clothes. “Did you think this camping trip was code for orgy or something?”

“No, I just wasn’t paying attention when I was packing.”

“How come you never wear stuff like this when you sleep over at mine?”

“Well first off, imagine poor Wayne if he bumped into me wearing this while I was just trying to go to the bathroom. And second, its not really appropriate clothing to wear when you’re sleeping in your best friend’s bed.” Eddie wanted to disagree, while he loved you in his over sized shirts and your long pyjama bottoms he couldn’t help but want you in this when you next stayed over. Absentmindedly he starts tracing the patterns in the lace around your hip,

“What are you doing?”

“ ‘s pretty. Do you want me to stop?”

You bite your lip and shake your head, leaning back onto him, feeling his warm chest touch your cold back.

“You’re freezing, silly girl.” Eddie chastises you gently, wrapping his arms around you, you try to wriggle away a little when you feel your butt touch his crotch but he’s having none of it, “You’re not getting hypothermia on my watch. Just sit still and warm up.” You both stay like this for a while, Eddie pretending the whole situation isn’t making him hard as a rock and you pretending you can’t feel his erection pressing into your ass. Eddie shifts slightly to ease a small cramp in his leg and accidentally rubs his cock across your clothed ass, and a small moan escapes your lips. You quickly clamp your jaw shut and pray he didn’t hear you. Meanwhile Eddie, who definitely did hear you has a grin like a cheshire cat,

“You okay there?”

“Mhm.”

“Then what was that little moan I heard?” Eddie whispers into your ear, “You’re wearing this skimpy little outfit, pressed up against me, and now you’re moaning? Must be trying to start something, or drive me crazy.” Your cheeks feel like they’re on fire,

“Eddie, I...”

“Relax. I’m not blind you know. I do see the way you look at me when you think I can’t see you. I just wish you could see that I’m looking at you the same way.”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, dumbass,” Eddie pauses to kiss your cheek, “I like you too. And I’m here if you want to do something about it. Or we can pretend that everything’s fine and we’re just best friends. But at some point one of us will get hurt.”

“I don’t want to hurt you.”

“I don’t want to hurt you either, but then that leaves us with one option.”

You roll over to face him,

“You want this? I mean you want to be with me?”

“God help me I really do.” Eddie’s hands are stroking your face, his big brown eyes are soft as they look into your eyes, before his gaze drops to your lips and he leans in slowly, giving you time and room to back away, you close the distance quickly, pressing your lips to his, he gasps into the kiss and his hands travel down to your waist, pressing your body flush against his. Your hands grab Eddie’s and bringing them up to your chest, you place them on your breasts and he pulls away from the kiss,

“Okay you must really be trying to drive me crazy.” Eddie starts kissing and biting your neck as he plays with your breasts over your shirt. Keen to return the favor you start palming him through his underwear,

“Baby.” Eddie speaks between kisses, “How far do you want to go right now, bearing in mind our friends are literally meters away and tents are not known for their soundproofing?”

You pull away from him and scoot to the tent’s entrance, peeking out through a small hole you’ve unzipped, the tent next to yours is dark, they’ve turned their lantern off and you can’t hear any voices.

“I think they’re asleep Eds...” Eddie kneels beside you and peers out, listening intently. Without warning, you turn his head to yours and pull him in for a kiss before pushing him down to lay on his back, “So I think we can do whatever feels right.” You rock your hips on his bulge, unsubtly getting your point across. Eddie nods and his hands come to your shorts and a loud tearing sound follows,

“Eddie!” You gasp as he rips your clothes from you,

“What?” He asks nonchalantly, kissing your neck as your top suffers a similar fate, “Not my fault these are so fragile.” Eddie rolls you over so he’s on top of you and runs his hands over your body, almost possessively,

“Liking what you see?”

“Its better than I could have imagined in my wildest dreams.”

“Dream about me often Eds?”

“Only every night.” He returns to kissing your neck, as his left hand tangles in your hair his right hand is tracing a path further down your body until his cupping your bare pussy, “Can I please play with you?” He’s almost pleading with his tone,

“I’d be offended if you didn’t.” Eddie smirks and slowly runs his finger over your clit, hissing as he feels how soaking you are, tracing an almost painfully slow pattern until his fingers are just ghosting over your entrance, “I bet you feel incredible inside.” Eddie whispers in your ear, continuing to tease you with his fingers, waiting for you to ask him nicely.

“Why don’t you find out?” Eddie laughs,

“Nope. You’ve got to be a polite little lady about it and ask me.”

“Please?”

“Please what?”

“Eddie please please please touch me.”

“I am touching you?” He pretends to be confused for a moment before he slips his middle finger into you, making you gasp, “Only because you look so pretty when you beg.” He kisses you again, muffling the moans coming from your mouth. He feels you tightening up and adds another finger, stretching your pussy out more, and making you whine as he starts curling his fingers inside you, rubbing your g-spot mercilessly while his thumb traces circles around your clit.

“Eddie, fuck, Eddie you’re going to make me cum.”

“Good. I want to watch your face while you cum all over your best friend’s fingers.” He says with a wicked grin, his fingers working relentlessly until the knot that’s formed in your stomach is untied and Eddie’s having to clamp his hand down on your mouth to muffle the filthy sounds coming out of it as your orgasm wracks through your body, your pussy clenching around on his fingers, your thighs and butt twitching of their own accord.

Once you’ve calmed down Eddie takes his hand off of your mouth and slowly removes his fingers from you, admiring the strings of your arousal on them, before slowly and deliberately sucking each of his fingers clean.

“Well I was right about two things.” There’s a smug edge to his voice,

“And what would those be?” Your voice is still shaky,

“One, that you would feel fucking incredible inside. And two, that you would make the filthiest sounds when you cum. I’ve spent a lot of time thinking about both things.” Eddie admits, shamelessly. “There’s only one more thing I’m still pondering.”

“And what would that be.”

“How fucking incredible you would feel around my cock. Am I allowed to find out tonight?”

You nod, eager for more, “Abso-fucking-lutely.”

“You sure? We don’t have to. I don’t have any condoms with me so it would be, raw you know.”

“No condoms?”

“No, I was under the impression this was a friends-only camping trip and didn’t want to seem like I was hoping for a group sex in the woods kind of weekend. So, we do not have to have sex tonight if you want us to use protection.”

“There’s a pharmacy somewhere around here right?”

Eddie shrugs, “Must be, why?”

“Because I’m going to need the morning-after pill tomorrow.” Eddie catches your drift immediately and starts easing his underwear down, he presses the tip of his cock at your entrance,

“If you need me to stop or change your mind please just say okay? I wont be mad, I promise.” 

“Eddie, please just fuck me already.” Eddie chuckles and slowly slips himself into you, biting his bottom lip to hold back a loud groan as he feels your silken walls stretching around him. You have to hold back a similar noise, though you choose to bite down on his shoulder to hold your own noise back. Once he’s got you full to the brim with his cock he looks down at you,

“Ready?” You nod and Eddie starts pulling back slightly before slamming back into you, keeping the rhythm slow and deep, you’re panting and trying to hold back so many erotic sounds,

“Baby, you’re taking this so well, and you’re doing so good at being nice and quiet for me.” Eddie kisses you, letting you moan into his mouth as he continues his pace, the depth of his thrusts making your back arch off the mattress. Eddie has to break the kiss to catch his breath so quickly covers your mouth while your eyes roll back slightly.

“Good fucking girl,” Eddie praises you non-stop while he’s fucking you, his words coming out in quick whispers as he holds back his own moans while you’re tightening around him,

“Eddie ‘m getting close,” You pant, “You need to do something so I’m not loud.” Eddie has picked up his pace now, slipping in and out faster and harder than before, relishing as you struggle to stay quiet. He’s getting close too, he’s barely hanging on but desperate to feel you finish around him. Your pussy is getting so tight he almost has to stop fucking you and your breathing is getting erratic as the warm glow that started in your lower stomach is spreading, pleasure completely wiping your brain of any logical thought, or any consideration to the current situation, so that when you do finish around Eddie, its with a loud scream of his name, which makes Eddie finish inside you with a similar cry of your name.

Eddie crashes down beside you, completely spent, sweat running down his body,

“Well we tried to be quiet? That’s got to earn us some points right?” He’s still breathless as he speaks.

“No, they’re going to be hell when we have breakfast tomorrow Eddie.”

[barkspawn]

Can you do one about harvey falling for the farmer at the moonlight jellies 😇

You most certainly can <3

I did have a hell of a time trying to figure out how to describe part of it? But also I added some magic

Also as I write these, I realize I might have made Amelia too short bc I feel like the guys are mostly tall lmao esp Harv

Amelia's second summer in Pelican Town was coming to an end. She went to the beach far too early for the gathering that evening. The moonlight jellies were making their way through the valley as they did every year. It was arguably her favorite night of the year. 

Something about the glow as it lit up the entirety of the docks made her happy. It just reminded her that the world is even more beautiful than she'd even begun to know. 

Everyone talked of a rare green jelly, said to bring you endless good luck that year. Some of the more romantic believers liked to say that if you saw it, you were in the presence of your soulmate and would find happiness with them this year. 

She wanted to believe that these things were true. But behind all of her hope, there would always be that part of her that was skeptical of everything that might be good. Especially things as life-changing as love. 

She lay on a blanket in the sand, watching clouds as they passed. It had to have only been about 7 pm or so. Thankfully she had her pack beside her stocked with snacks and some random things to do. 

She heard her phone chime, pulling it from the side pocket of her bag. She smiled as she read the text:

Harvey 7:23 pm: Did you actually go down to the beach this early?

Harvey 7:23 pm: You’ll be miserable with all of those mosquito bites tonight. Don't say I didn't warn you! :P

She shook her head, her smile not faltering as she typed a reply:

Amelia 7:24 pm: I am most certainly here already! I'm excited! And there's not a mosquito in sight, thank you. 

Amelia 7:25 pm: You should come to hang out. I have a huge blanket and snacks more fulfilling than a frozen TV dinner. 

She sighed, content. She and Harvey had grown incredibly close over the past year. When she first met him, she didn't think he'd be her best friend. If anything, she cursed the town for having a cute doctor to take care of her at her most embarrassing moments. Although, she couldn't decide if his being her friend made it better or worse. 

Harvey was notoriously bad at texting, so she had no idea if he'd actually come early, though she doubted he would come this early. 

She lay for a while, her eyes closed before she jumped, startled by the blanket moving beside her. Her hand moved to her chest, playfully shoving the man beside her. He laughed, rubbing his arm. 

“Harv! You can't just sneak up on people like that!” she teased, turning to grab her thermos full of coffee, cut off by Harvey holding out a paper cup of coffee from the saloon. 

“I hardly snuck up on you. It's been about an hour and a half. Looks like bringing coffee was a good idea, even if you assault me,” he joked as she rolled her eyes. 

“Well, at least it wasn't attempted murder! Yoba, my heart is still racing,” she laughed as she took a sip of the coffee, flavored just how she liked it. She tilted her head toward the bag, glancing back as she heard Pierre setting up already, “then I brought refills.”

They sat there for a long while, just talking until people started showing up. They stood up and gathered up the blanket and her bag, making their way to the end of the pier to stand at the edge. It was growing more crowded and darker quickly. 

Harvey couldn't stop his smile as she grew more and more excited, rambling about how much she loved them the previous year. 

“I've never actually been up this close to see them,” Harvey mentioned, laughing at the shocked look that he earned as a response, “I've always watched from the beach. It's still beautiful.”

“You won't be saying that when you see them like this. That much I promise,” she smiled up at him, “and maybe you'll see that rare green jelly. Brings you good luck, right?”

He was glad the darkness hid the pink hue in his cheeks as he shook his head, glancing to see Jas and Vincent lighting the boat together, “among other things, I've heard.”

She looked up at him before noticing the boat going out. Excited for the jellies themselves and his reaction, she grabbed his hand for a moment and squeezed. His heart was racing as if she had scared him. The glow of the creatures slowly made their way toward them, and he had to admit, she was absolutely right. It was truly beautiful. 

Then he looked at her, the glow from the water mirrored over her features, and he found he couldn't look away. It was the mix of awe, excitement, and pure happiness that she held that lured him in. It all became clearer then, the random bouts of high heart rates, the feeling he gets when he sees her, as if everything got just a little brighter. It all made sense. And it terrified him. 

He was falling in love with her. 

The realization hit him like a truck, though he continued watching her like she would disappear if he looked away. 

“Oh my… Harvey!” Amelia whispered excitedly, turning to get his attention, “ look !”

His gaze followed her finger, eyes widening as it floated there: the rare green jelly. He looked around, no one else seemed to see it there, though everyone was looking. 

If you see the green jelly, you will have tremendous luck in your life and your soulmate is close at hand. 

He recited the superstition in his mind, thrown off entirely by the fact that no one else could see it other than him and her. 

Harvey was not a bold man. He was often quite timid and more than a little anxious. But at that moment, he wasn't anything other than certain this was what needed to happen. 

He shifted, turning her towards him, reaching up so his hands framed her face, and held no pause in pressing his lips to hers. 

It wasn't desperate or hungry. It wasn't full of passion or, Yoba forbid with everyone around, lust. It was just a soft kiss, his lips moving against hers in an attempt to wordlessly say what he’d been thinking all night. He felt her hands on his chest, fingers tucked under his lapel as he pulled back, the weight of his actions really occurring to him. 

“Amelia, I..” he started, cut off by the smaller woman pulling his lips back down to hers in a second kiss, his fears melting away at the second, definitely deeper kiss. They heard a few hollers from the crowd, suddenly remembering that they were surrounded by quite literally the entire town. She stepped close to his side, his arm moving to rest around her and holding her closer. They watched as the green jelly floated off, guiding the rest of the group back into the night. 

Once people started to leave, they turned to face one another, a teasing smirk playing at her lips, “first a heart attack, now you're stealing my breath?” she stood on her toes and kissed the spot where his chin meets his jaw. 

“Where did that come from? The heat of the moment?”

He laughed, a little embarrassed, “I uh… You looked stunning in the glow… And then the green jelly… It sounds silly to say aloud.”

“A lot of people say it though, Harv… About the green jelly?”

He lifted his hand once more to frame her face, smiling as she leaned into it, “Amelia, no one else saw it.”

Her eyes widened slightly, “how… How do you know?”

“I looked around and not one person turned their eyes to it. And you couldn't miss it.”

She nodded slowly before pulling him back down into another kiss, this one holding a great deal more emotion behind it, her hands moving up to tangle into his already messy hair. After a moment, she pulled back and laughed, breathlessly, “I want to kiss you so much more , but you're so tall I can barely reach you.”

He laughed, his expression softening before he slipped his hand into hers, grabbing her backpack and blanket, “we can always–”

“Go hang out at my place?” she jumped in.

“That… Certainly works for me,” he cleared his throat, lacing their fingers together and smiling down at her affectionately. 

[luimagines]

Could you maybe do one where the reader is in their time and they take them on a date since everything is calm for a moment?

Masterlist

It's Reader's turn to treat their favorite hero!

Date Day! Part one will included Wild, Legend and Hyrule!

Content under the cut!

Wild

“Ok, bare with me for a minute?” You grin and put a finger to your lips to keep your boyfriend quiet. “I want to show you something.”

“And we’re sneaking out because?” Wild tilts his head but follows you regardless.

“They to the place is a little... challenging and I don’t my Grandma or Time... or Twilight for that matter getting on our case about it.” The face you wear is mischievous and Wild can feel his morph to match yours as you tip toe away from the main group.

When you get far enough away you look over your shoulder and giggle. In a flash, before Wild can figure out what’s happening, you grab his hand and sprint away into the forest growth behind your house.

Wild snorts at your excitement but follows you step for step as you lead him through the foliage.

You stop a quick breather by a rock cliff and before you point up. “That’s where we’re going.”

And then you start climbing.

Wild blinks and doesn’t hesitate to follow you. A small woop leaves his mouth as he takes a running start up the rock and catches up to you relatively quickly.

Your practiced movements and Wild innate ability to climb anything makes the trip as simple as walking up a hill.

You get to the top first, since you’ve made this trip countless time to your Grandmother’s chagrin, and wait for Wild to make it up, holding out your hand to help him with the final stretch and pull him to you. You jump a little in your spot as he gets himself situated and giggle a little at the way his jaw drops at the sight before him.

A meadow of those flowers Wild seems to like so much, the Silent Princess.

But in the middle?

A natural fountain, with water sprouting upwards to give the rocks below the chance to be rained upon even if they’ll never see the light of day beyond what the crevices would offer. It falls into a small pool just beyond the rocks where small lily pads grow ands frogs sing their songs. In the darker corners you can see fireflies take off and return and there’s multiple dragonflies to dart from flower to flower where they know the mosquitoes reside as they try to catch their own lunches.

You see Wild take it all in and stare.

“This is my favorite spot.” You admit in a whisper. “No one else knows it’s here. They can’t get up even if they tried. But I can, and I knew you could because you can do anything.”

“It’s...”

“It’s a bit small I know.” You say with gulp. “and I doubt it’s anything compared to what you’ve already seen in your own world but I wanted to share it with you.”

“It’s just like you.” Wild says and looks over to you with a large and and boyish smile on his face. “It’s perfect.”

The admission strikes you in your spot and you don’t deny the blush that follows. “That’s a bit much, don’t you think?”

“No.” Wild takes your hand and kisses your knuckles. “Not at all. I think it’s a bit lacking actually, but there’s no other word to use to properly describe what I think about you.” 

“What am I going to do with you?” You snicker and take your hand away to cup his face.

“Tell me about this place.” He answers. “How did you find it?”

“Oh that’s easy! You see, Link...uh, my brother, was just born and I was left unsupervised as mom and dad had to take care of the baby so-”

Legend

“Legend!” You cry and drape yourself across his back. “Come with me! I wanna take you somewhere!”

The boy in question falters in his step from your added weight and looked over his shoulder to see you better. “Now?”

You grin and nod. You’re fairly certain that you look crazy but you’re too excited to care.

“Should I be concerned?” Legend gets a small smirk on his face.

“Of little ol’ me?” You tilt your head, your smile never leaving your face. “Maybe. But right now? No. Come on, let’s go! I got Wild and Warrior to watch over Link and Zelda and Time and Twilight are busy humoring my grandma. It’ll just be you and me!”

Legend pauses before he seems to mellow out, and he reaches for your hand behind him. “Ok.” His voice is soft, the kind he saves only for you and when you’re alone. “Lead the way.”

You barely suppress the giggle that passes your lips before you pulled him closer to your side. You take off a brisk pace in case some of the others who are unattended decided to follow you.

You drag him through the streets of your home, your footsteps a mere after thought to the idea of Link’s reaction to what you plan on showing him.

He doesn’t say anything as you travel and keeps a tight grip on your hand, less he get left behind and lose you.

You stop in front of a flower shop and tilt your head in its direction. Legend nods, at your unspoken question and beams when you brighten even more so than you already were.

You both enter and you b-line for the some of the smaller flowers they have near the back and begin to seemingly pick a few at random.

You don’t even notice you lose Legend sometime in the middle of your choosing.

You’re so focused on your selection that you go to pay and head out, already working on your project.

You weave and bend and keep the flowers in place as you begin your journey out of the store.

Legend watches you leave in the middle of the your concentration and quickly pays the needed amount before following you out. He walks next to you at you pace and keeps one hand on your shoulder at all times to guide you back through the streets and make sure you don’t crash into anyone or anything.

He smiles at you, a soft and secret look he knows he should give you more often but he can’t seem to handle the idea when you’re in public.

Within moments he can see what you’ve been making.

A flower crown, braided with such intensity that the flowers covered every inch of the band, there’s not a spec of stem green in the mass that’s been created by your fingers and Legend has to admit that he’s impressed.

You beam and glance at him, as if he’s never left your side the entire time and rip off his hat.

He jumps to take it back but you throw it over your shoulder and spin him around. It’s a dance you both do often and there’s a laugh on your breaths as you anticipate the other’s reaction. But what Legend doesn’t expect is for you to trap him in your arm as you spin and to put the crown over his head from behind.

He’s stunned and when you kiss the tip of his nose, he’s inclined to not move a muscle until you say he’s free to do so.

You spin around while he freezes and bend down to pick up his hat, placing it on your own head with a cheeky wink.

Oh, Legend thinks, he likes that.

Legend blushes crimson and take takes his hand and places the single flower he bought up to your ear and between your hair. “There.” He says. “Perfect.”

You giggle and adjust the hat to keep the stem in place and grab Legend’s hand to lace your fingers together.

“Thanks for coming with me.” You grin and swing your hands together as you begin to walk around with no destination in mind.

Legend smiles back just as bursting with joy as you are. “I’ll follow you anywhere.”

Hyrule

“If I were to say we should leave, what would you do?” You ask your boyfriend, as you watch the group meander around your house. No on is paying attention to you, too focused on the game your cousin and little brother have made up as your grandma watches from her rocking chair, knitting something that will no doubt be gifted to one of the boys before you have to leave again.

It was nice.

A bit loud.

But that your everyday anyway, whether in your home or with the group, so it wasn’t all that unfamiliar.

Hyrule looks over to you with a raised eyebrow and and grin on his lips. “I’d follow you anywhere anytime.”

You smile and place your cheek on your hand as you rest your elbow on the table. “That doesn’t answer my question.”

“Did it have to?” Hyrule snorts. “You already know my answer.”

You hum and tap your fingers on your face before you smile. “Come with me.”

Wordlessly, he follows you and you lead him out of the house and into your garden. It was something your mother started before she left.

You took it upon yourself to try to keep it alive but you never had the same green thumb that she processed. Still, it wasn’t too shabby if you had to say so yourself.

Hyrule took a deep breath through his nose and grinned. “There’s magic in the air.”

You pause and turn to look at him. “You can smell that?”

“Nooo...” Hyrule laughs. “But I can feel like. It’s nice. It’s warm and sweet.”

You smile and hold your hand out to him, waiting until he seems to get a ahold of himself and pull him from behind you. 

You walk together in silence before the old and beaten path opens up to reveal a small clover covered clearing, with a two seater swing hidden by the tree branches. “Come on, let’s sit there Link.”

Hyrule smiles and sits down first, pulling you unexpectantly onto his lap. “And here I thought we were going to go on those adventure you like so much.”

“No.” You blush at the close proximity but lean yourself against him, placing your head by his and poking his neck with your nose. “Grandma would still need me close by incase the kids get too rowdy. At least I’m within yelling distance.”

Hyrule nods and begins to play with your hair as he pushes off the ground somewhat to get the swing in motion. “I like this. I want one.”

“I’ll build one just for you.” You snort and snuggle closer. “Anything for you.”

“Only if you’ll join me.”

“Obviously. Who else you plan on swinging with?”

“I didn’t think I’d be here at all, let alone have someone other than you.” 

You hum and play his hair even if you can’t see it. Hyrule shifts the both of you around so that you’re both lying on the swing instead of being precariously placed on the edge. “Well, I’m glad I’m with you.”

“Me too.”

Part 2 

[crystaljins]

River lead me home | 07

Characters: Kim Seokjin x reader

Word count: 7.3k

Synopsis:  Ever since coming to the human realm when you were child, nothing seems to fit, and this was just supposed to be a simple roadtrip to help you find yourself.

Is that too much to ask for?

Spin-off to A long journey home

Rating: Teens

Genre: Adventure, fluff, angst

Notes: Hey all! Long time no see! I’m not really sure why I took so long to post... I just felt like I put so much work into this fic that I didn’t want it to be over so easily, and I was like “after this there’s only one more chapter!!” AND THEN! I went into my WIPs folder and made a discovery! THere’s 9 parts to this fic!! So now I feel a little better.

ANyway, PLEASE let me know if you like this chapter because I definitely feel like it’s the emotional climax of the whole story. ALl the stuff that happens from this point on is just... like a really long epilogue. 

Tags: @blue1928​ @veeparkersstuff @nello-rie (soz it won’t tag you!) ​

Masterlist

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 FINAL

You may be a guardian, but even you have your limits. Despite your best attempts to move quickly, the pain in your shoulder rapidly becomes overwhelming. 

Jin, frustratingly, picks up on it far sooner than you would prefer. 

“I think we need to stop for a break.” He comments. The three of you have barely been walking for an hour and at any moment the Saishta’s could be upon you, ready to take you to their queen. 

Jungkook looks like he wants to protest. 

“We’re so close though! It’s only a little while longer!” He points out, glancing nervously across the expansive plains. The benefit of them is that you’d spot any Saishtas from miles away, given the hulking, monstrous beasts they tend to use as their mounts.

Jungkook folds his arms. “I think it’s a bad idea to stop now. We need to get to the river and we’re sitting ducks out on the plains like this.”

Jin shoots Jungkook a withering look- this is nothing new, but the venom in Jin’s eyes surprises you. As much as he pretends to hate the tiny pixie, he doesn’t actually mean it. 

Jungkook shrivels a bit but doesn’t back down. Luckily (or rather, unluckily), their stand-off is halted by your legs deciding they are no longer strong enough to hold your body up. Blood loss and extreme pain will do that, apparently. 

Jin catches you as you crumble, smoothly scooping an arm around your waist and gently tugging you towards him until your weight is supported by his frame. The entire time, he does not tear his gaze from his stare-off with Jungkook. And apparently your weakness is the convincing Jungkook needs to show it’s time for a break. He glares at Jin for another couple of moments before releasing an annoyed huff. 

“I’ll cast a disguising spell on you two and scout out the area for any of those annoying reptiles. Don’t move from this spot or the spell will become ineffective.” He announces through grit teeth before zooming off like an angry mosquito. 

When he’s out of earshot, Jin turns his gaze to you and gently lowers you to the ground until you are seated amongst the stiff golden stems. He doesn’t release you from his carefully hold, however. Instead, he shifts until he is sitting almost nose-to-nose with you. 

“That was strange of Jungkook.” You observe, in an attempt to cover your discomfort at his proximity. You wonder if Jin knows how powerful his good looks are up close. He probably does- he’s never pretended to be anything other than devastatingly handsome. 

“He’s scared.” Jin answers with pursed lips. His gaze isn’t on your face, however. It’s fixed on your injured shoulder. Slowly, he raises a hand and gently rests his palm against the front of your shoulder. “You would be too if you could see how terrible you look right now.”

If you are surprised by the single tear that rolls down your face in response, it is nothing compared to Jin’s horrified reaction as he realises what he has done. Apparently, this whole being in love thing sucks. 

“W-wait!” Jin protests, absolutely horrified. “I-I didn’t mean it like that-“

You quickly scrub at your face with your uninjured arm. You know, in theory, that Jin didn’t mean that you looked terrible as in that he thought you were ugly. And you know in theory that it is therefore stupid to cry over it. But for some reason, that’s where your mind had gone- reminding you like an ever present shadow just how misplaced you look next to him, how there’s nothing you can give him that he can’t find in a million other girls, and just how little he thinks of you. 

You’re surprised when his hand replaces yours, far gentler than you had been as he wipes the tears from your face with a careful swipe of his thumb. 

“Hey,” he calls, grabbing your chin in his hand and angling your face until you’re forced to meet his gaze. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean it like that. I just mean that you... that you...” he voice cracks and he hangs his head, dropping his hands so he can clench his fists in his lap. “It’s not fun being reminded of how close we came to losing you.” Jin finally says. He drops his hand and his shoulders slump like he carries the weight of the world on his shoulders.

You don’t know this Jin. This terrified, uncertain man. He’s never once, in the entire time you’ve known him, shown this vulnerable, fragile side of himself. But you know you’re in trouble because you love this side of him too. The part of him that gets scared, that shows weakness, that can break. As much as you hate the fact that it is you who has made him like this, you are grateful that he trusts you enough to show himself, warts and all, and you feel something molten in your chest as you silently promise yourself that you’ll protect him. No matter what, you’ll keep him safe. Even if you’re not particularly smart or pretty or charming. You’re not the model-like, glamourous, genius girls he normally dates, and you never will be. You’re unemployed and clumsy and socially awkward and you’re selfish and childish on top of all that. But this is what you can offer him: your heart, as pathetic as she is, and the promise to protect him, no matter where he goes or ends up in life. 

“I know you didn’t mean it like that. I... just... It’s stupid.” You sigh at yourself before lifting your gaze to watch him. “Are you scared?” You finally question, changing the subject as the last of your tears dry. Jin frowns, nodding slightly. 

“A little.” He admits, his tone a bit dry like he’s severely understating his feelings on the matter. And you don’t know why, but something prompts you to reach forward and wrap your hand around his. Perhaps it is the slight shake he tried to hide by gripping the material of his pants so hard his knuckles go white. His hand is surprisingly much bigger than yours- you don’t know why that surprises you, but it does. 

“Don’t worry.” You reassure him. “I’ll protect you.”

The corner of his lip quirks and he shoots you an oddly fond look. It’s one you’ve seen before, although not directed at you. You’ve seen him look that way when he speaks about a particularly endearing coworker, or he recalls something silly that Namjoon has done. This is the first time you’ve been on the receiving end.

“In that state?” He questions with a raised brow. You feel yourself bristle a little defensively at the slightly patronising way he is coming across.

“Are you laughing?” You press, slightly offended. “You don’t think I can?”

“No.” Jin answers, turning to you with an odd sort of expression to his face. “I know you will. That’s the problem.” And then, in spite of himself, he offers you a full-blown smile, cheerful and happy like you’ve never really seen before. You are momentarily struck speechless, mesmerised by the sight before you. “But thank you. I’m glad, that I can count on you.” 

Something warm and eager blooms in your chest at his words. You cup your hands around his face and you admire the openness of his smile. How great would it be, if you could capture that smile in a picture and keep it forever? If you could preserve the way he’s looking at you right now, so that you always remember with clarity that even if he doesn’t love you, Jin can look at you like this. Like you are something precious and adored. This is the man you get to love. Even if he doesn’t feel the same way, you’re still happy. You feel like this love is a happy thing. 

“I’m starting to think you only wanted to rest to pull the moves on her.” Jungkook announces his presence, seeming thoroughly unimpressed. He folds his arms as the air shimmers around him, signalling the dispersion of his illusory magic. “‘Let’s go see the river, Jungkook. It’ll be fun. I’ll get over my trauma.’ If you’d told me being a third wheel was in the job description, I never would have come.” Jungkook grumbles as Jin quickly pulls away. You don’t quite catch the way his ears go red and his face seems to burn where your hands had gently cradled him, but Jungkook does, and he merely rolls his eyes at the sight. “It’s time to go.” He urges. 

Jin clears his throat awkwardly, scrabbling to his feet and dusting off his trousers before extending his hand out to you. 

“C’mon.” He urges, though his tone seems gruffer than before. “Jungkook’s right. The Saishtas will find us at this rate.”

You hesitate, just a moment, before gratefully accepting his hand as he tugs you to your feet. 

Oddly, though you expect him to release your hand once you are standing, he does no such thing. Instead, he wraps his hand around yours and uses it to tug you along as the three of you once again set off. 

“It’ll be easier for you to keep up.” Is all Jin offers as explanation for why he continues to grip onto your hand as though you’re planning to flee from him the second that he releases you. You stare in confusion for a moment, trying to puzzle out Jin’s behaviour, but he provides no further insight. 

The three of you set a much more rapid pace this time, and after your brief rest, you cope much better. Jin eventually releases your hand when it becomes clear you’re gradually regaining your strength as your enhanced healing kicks in. The sun begins to draw close to the horizon and the brilliant blue above begins to deepen into a soft pink. But you realise something, as you continue your advance. 

There’s no sound of a river. Over the expansive plains, the river song should carry easily on the warm, sweet breeze. And it should be in view by now, but it’s not. Instead, what you see is a dark, jagged line slicing through the plains like a gaping wound. It’s the edge of a ravine- there’s no river in sight. 

“Something’s not right- “ you breathe, only for the breath to be knocked clean from your lungs as Jin throws his full body weight at you, unprompted. You roll a few times from the force of his tackle, before finally landing with his body crouched over you protectively. Your eyes widen in shock, glancing over to where you had stood moment before, only to see the end of an arrow lodged in the ground.

“See!” Jin croaks, hovering over you. “How hard was that? Tackle, don’t push, (Y/N)! If you’re gonna be saving people at least take that on board.” He scolds, in what is clearly the beginning of a Jant. (Jin rant)

“Now’s not the time, Jin!” Jungkook screeches. 

“I’m just saying,” Jin cries, as he scrambles off you and yanks you to your feet by your good arm. “How hard would it have been to tackle me instead of taking an arrow to the shoulder?” 

His Jant is interrupted by the dreadful sound of the Saishta hunting horn erupting from behind you. Only, this time, there is nowhere to run. Yes, you could easily outrun them, but to where? You have long left the safety of the forest where there are endless places to safely conceal yourself once you’ve outrun them. But here is only open plains, followed by a sheer cliff face. There is a bridge across the river, in the maps you’ve seen, but those maps have also told you there’s a river where there’s nothing but a deathly ravine. Still, the bridge is supposedly about a kilometre south of where you now stand, and it’s your only hope. But will you be able to run that far in this state?

The ravine hovers on the edge of your vision, out towards the west, and you can now make out the hulking forms of the Saishta mounts, as their hunting party makes its slow, arrogant prowl towards you. The mounts of Saishtas do not run- they believe that persistence will allow them to eventually capture any prey. Eventually, all targets must tire, or reach the end, and that is when the Saishta can make the kill. They seem confident that that’s the situation the three of you are in now. You could flee, but if you give away that your destination is the river (or ravine?), you’ll never be able to safely see it, for they will guard it until the end of time.

“Sssurrender!” They call, now barely a hundred metres away.

“We’ll have to fight.” You announce to your companions, who both whip their heads around to glare at you with incredulity. 

“Are you crazy?” Jungkook cries. 

You clench your teeth as you slip into a familiar stance, holding up your arms as you prepare to fight. 

“It’s our only option.” You point out, wincing as your shoulder protests at the stance you are currently in.

Jin takes one look at you and the advancing Saishtas and then he does possibly the most unexpected thing he could have done. 

He throws you over his shoulder like you are a sack of potatoes and legs it. 

“This way!” Jungkook encourages, zooming southwards towards where you know the bridge is.

“Jin!” You cry in protest, but he doesn’t respond. “Jin, stop! I was going to fight them!”

“No!” Jin snaps. “You were going to die. Or at least, you were going to try to and this time I’m not letting you.”

You stop struggling, slumping against his back. 

“Not again.” Jin promises. “You won’t get hurt again. ‘I won’t stop and think while you’re in danger.’” He tells you, echoing your earlier words to him. For some reason, it leaves you unable to retort. “Now if I set you down, will you run with me, or will you do something stupid?” 

You purse your lips in annoyance, trying to hold yourself stable as you flop around on Jin’s shoulder. You can see the Saishta making their slow, confident prowl behind you. They won’t shoot any more arrows at this proximity- after all, their aim is to capture you, not kill. 

“I’ll run.” You silently agree. Jin gives you absolutely no warning as he practically flings you back onto the ground, grabbing your hand as he tugs you on in a full-on sprint. 

“We’re almost there!” Jungkook cries, zooming slightly ahead of the two of you. Ahead, the great stone structure that comprises the great bridge that can carry you to safety on the other side of the ravine. You swallow your desperate, heaving breaths, ignoring the way your weakened body protests at the exertion. If you can just get to the bridge, there’s a forest on the other side of the river. The three of you can easily conceal yourselves there, and then come back under the cover of night and investigate why there’s a ravine here instead of a river. 

The ground firms beneath you as it transitions from soft, loamy soil to a firm, well cut stone path. An arrow whizzes just past your ear and bounces off the stone path- a warning shot from the pursuing hunting party. 

You squeeze your eyes shut as the three of you reach the edge of the bridge. The ravine is huge, and the bridge stretches ahead of you. 

And then it sounds. Another hunting horn, a sound that will probably haunt you for the remainder of your days. But this one is from the opposite side of the bridge, where you are fleeing to. 

Jin’s footsteps slow alongside yours, and Jungkook’s frantic buzzing becomes a slow, confused flutter as the three of you gradually draw the same conclusion. 

You’re trapped. There are Saishtas awaiting you on either side of the bridge. No matter which way you try to break through, you will have to fight through them. No wonder they were so confident they could catch you.

“We’ll have to fight.” You breathe, trying to slow your exhausted, rapid breathing. Jin is soaked with sweat and even Jungkook seems flushed with the exertion of your desperate sprint. 

“We can’t.” Jin reminds you, out of breath and still gripping onto your hand so hard it hurts. “You’ll die.”

“We’ll die if they capture us too!” You point out. You can now see the Saishtas on both ends of the bridge, closing in on the three of you like a pack of hunting dogs. “I’m so sorry Jin- this is all my fault! It’s not even a river- it’s some kind of ravine! I dragged us all the way here for nothing.”

“Jin!” Jungkook calls, but you ignore him, too caught up in the realisation of what you’ve done. 

“He told me nature doesn’t change but that was stupid! Of course it changes- it’s been 1000 years and I just believed like an idiot that the river would still be here.” You cry, tears flowing down your face. 

“Jin!” Jungkook calls, and this time, Jin claps free his hand over your mouth to stop your desperate monologuing. 

“What now?” Jin demands of the small pixie. The pixie in question bites his lip and looks from side to side at the Saishtas who watch you almost lazily across the length of the bridge. They have all the time in the world, after all- where can the three of you go except over the edge of the bridge, where you will surely meet your demise?

“‘The river loves those who take the plunge.’” Jungkook recites, gesturing out to the endless, gaping ravine behind you. 

You stare in confusion, but understanding dawns in Jin’s eyes as he leans over the low stone wall and stares down at the bottomless pit. He goes white and his hand tightens on your own to the point you are wincing with pain. 

“(Y/N),” Jin calls, not lifting his gaze from the ravine. “Do you trust me?” 

You blink, glancing over at the Saishtas who draw closer and closer with each moment. You’re not sure why he’s asking this now of all times, but your answer still comes easily. 

“With my life.” You answers solemnly. He glances at you, surprised by your words, before his gaze softens and he smiles weakly at you. Then, he releases your hand and slowly he lifts himself up onto the stone wall. 

“Then take the plunge.” He tells you, holding his hand out to you. 

Your eyes widen as you realise what he’s trying to do. You glance at Jungkook, who merely nods at you, and then at the Saishtas who chatter in confusion at Jin’s actions. 

And finally, you look up at Jin, into the eyes of the man you love, and you know that even if it’s crazy, you really do trust him with your life. 

He tugs you up onto the wall and pulls you close, cradling your head in the palm of one hand and wrapping his other arm around your waist to hold you close. It reminds you of when you had arrived in this realm. He’s always held you like this, you realise. Like you are something precious to him, something he could never bear to lose. 

You lift your gaze to him and meet his eyes, filled with fear, and he smiles. The Saishtas realise what is happening right as Jin takes a step backwards, off the edge of the bridge. 

You squeeze your eyes shut as the two of you plummet down into the ravine below, Jungkook in close pursuit. 

The last thing you hear before the darkness swallows you up is the desperate, furious roars of the Saishtas, thwarted once more.

++

When you come to, it is on a slightly damp, sandy surface. Jin is still unconscious next to you, with an arm thrown protectively over your waist. As you sit up, his arm slides off you, and you move away, taking in your surroundings.

You’re on a sandy riverbank- dark, inky waves lap at the surface in what is largely a calm, but dark river. 

Overhead, you can see the clear, starry sky peeking at you through the jagged crack exposed by the top of the ravine. The river before you catches small flashes of starlight, but otherwise the area is largely dark. 

That is, until a torch beam lands on you and you are nearly blinded by the sudden, intense light. 

“Ow!” You cry out, unable to see who is on the other side of the beam. 

“Sorry!” Jungkook hastily apologises, struggling to hold up the weight of your pompompurin torch. “I was looking for something.”

You rub at your eyes, which are now streaming with tears. 

“Looking for what?” You ask, when your vision is finally cleared enough to make out Jungkook’s outline in the meagre lighting. Jungkook is silent for a moment, before hoisting the torch up even though it’s larger than him and directing it at the wall. 

“This.” He says, and then he turns the light on.

You don’t know what you were expecting with Jungkook’s actions, but what you find is dozens of inscriptions along the cliff wall. Some are deeply engraved, and some are mere scratches, but they all seem to have different messages. 

“What... what is all this?” You question in wonder. 

“Messages.” Jungkook answers. He turns to look at you, dropping the torch into your hand so that you can freely exam the numerous inscriptions. “That’s what people come to the river of stars to do. To leave a message that will last through all of time.”

You blink and turn to look at the river behind you. It just looks like a normal river, albeit at the bottom of a ravine. But there’s no glowing plants, and if you hadn’t just plummeted off the edge of a bridge, you wouldn’t even know there was a river. 

“This... isn’t what I expected, when I pictured this place.” You finally say. “How did we survive that fall, Jungkook?” 

When you turn to look at Jungkook, he is gazing out across the river with an almost forlorn look upon his face. 

“Well, you’ve probably guessed this isn’t a normal river.” Jungkook says. “It’s actually got special magical properties- that’s how those glowing plants are able to grow here. And how you were able to survive the fall- this place is so filled with magic that amazing things can happen, like people plummeting hundreds of feet and surviving the fall, or beautiful, rare plants growing. Or rare mythical creatures being born.”

Jungkook turns to you and fans his arms out on either side of him, gesturing at the space around him. 

“I’ve wanted to tell you this for a long time. This river has another name, (Y/N).” He tells you. “It’s known as Gebulfen, the birthplace of the pixie. This is where I was born.” 

“Where you were born?” Jin groans, sitting up and rubbing at his forehead. Jungkook’s eyes flicker over to the guardian in question. 

“Is there an echo here? Why are you repeating what I just said?” He pouts. But he zooms over to Jin and lands on his outstretched knee. “Good work though. I wasn’t sure you’d work out what I meant when I told you that old saying, but you did!”

“You could have just said it outright.” Jin grumbles, hoisting himself to his feet. His gaze briefly flickers over you, assessing for injuries. 

“Then the Saishtas would have worked out we were planning to jump.” Jungkook shrugged. “The only reason we had as much time as we did was because they thought we had nowhere to go.”

“I guess I can’t argue with that.” Jin grumbles, lifting his gaze to where you can just make out the outline of the great stone bridge you had plummeted from. “I guess they probably think we are dead now. Maybe it’ll be easier to get home.”

Home... that’s the next step of the journey for you. Jin’s words trigger the revelation for you- you’ve reached the end of your journey. You’ve finally made it to the River of Stars, like you’ve dreamed about for so many years. You stare in bewilderment across the smooth, dark surface of the river, taking in the soft sounds of the rushing water. 

Gebulfen... the pixie birthplace. You had never heard that name before, nor had Jungkook ever chosen to share any information with you about his life in this realm. 

“Are you disappointed?” The pixie in question asks, hovering close to your ear so that the rush of air from his wings tickles your ear. He flutters around to face you, before leaning in close and smiling. He hovers in the space between your eyes so that you have to go cross-eyed to focus on him. “That there’s no lights?”

“Ayla said there wouldn’t be.” Jin says, coming up to stand level with you. “I didn’t want to believe her, but it looks like-“

“Not so fast,” Jungkook hastily corrects Jin, fluttering forward to hold his tiny hands over Jin’s mouth so that he can’t talk anymore. “Ayla was incorrect. I can’t blame her, because it’s been over a thousand years since anyone has remembered the truth of this river. The lights do exist. But the plants only light up in response to a special kind of magic.” 

“What magic?” You ask, unable to hold back your curiosity. You had come all this way to see the river lights, after all. Jungkook smiles, releasing Jin so that he can flutter up to you. 

“I’ve always known you didn’t listen in your tutoring classes as a child because you didn’t know how I was born.” He tells you, instead of telling you what magic needs to be performed to see the lights. “Pixies are born of wishes, and they come to life at this very river. And our purpose... is to see the wish that birthed us come through.” 

“What does that have to do with the river ligh-“ you protest but Jungkook cuts you off. 

“Hush. I’m getting there. That’s what the plants respond to. Pixie magic.” He finishes his explanation. “Not my silly illusory spells, but real, ancient, powerful pixie magic.”

“So, to see the lights, and for (Y/N) to be able to go home, we... we have to grant whatever wish you were born to fulfill?” Jin asks, having always been a bit quicker than you to put things together. Jungkook nods, shooting two finger guns at the two of you playfully. 

“Bingo!” Jungkook cries cheerfully. “You’re smarter than you look! Perhaps there’s use for you yet.”

An odd feeling fills you at Jungkook’s words, however. You’ve known the pixie for a long time. Despite his best efforts to appear constantly unbothered and joking, there’s a lot that Jungkook hides behind a smile. Like his longing to be human... his loneliness... the fact that there are hopes and dreams he’s always longed to fulfil but knows he never can. Jungkook has always hidden behind a smile and right now he’s hiding again. 

“What... what are you hiding?” You ask. Jungkook looks taken aback, his eyes widening momentarily before he quickly conceals the expression. 

“Shouldn’t you ask me what wish I need to grant? So that you can see the lights?” He points out. You shake your head, stepping in close, but Jungkook moves backwards, out of reach. His posture is now defensive, and you know, more certainly than ever, that Jungkook is hiding something. Why else would he not have mentioned the wish he was born to fulfil, in thirteen years of knowing you? Why is he only telling you the truth of Gebulfen now, after an entire journey travelling to see it? 

“Jungkook...” you say softly, your voice barely audible above the rush of the river. He deflates at the soft, concerned tone of your voice. You hold your hands out to them, and he lands in them. 

“I’ve always been really happy being with you, (Y/N).” Jungkook says, as you raise him so that he is eye level with you. He stretches out a hand and rests it against the tip of your nose. “With you, Taehyung... with your mother... even with that big oaf and his family over there. It’s been really fun. Even if I had to live in the human realm, I’ve always had friends. And I know you guys care a lot about me. So... I was never brave enough to bring up my wish. I wanted to stay with you guys, and to keep having fun. To keep learning to dance off YouTube, and to keep bringing your houseplants to life when they died... I liked stealing the cookies from your upstairs neighbour when she left the room and I liked swapping Jin’s shoes around before he left for work in the morning-“

“I knew that was you, you little twerp-“ Jin cries in outrage, but you silence him with a glare before turning your attention back to Jungkook. For some reason, he suddenly seems small and fragile in your hands in a way he never really has before. 

“I knew... a part of me was always afraid that when I granted my wish, it would be goodbye.” He confesses, and for the first time in his entire life, a tear trickles down Jungkook’s face. You can only stare in bewilderment, barely processing his words. 

“Goodbye?” You echo. Jungkook nods, with a teary smile. 

“I don’t know what happens, to a pixie who has granted a wish. I’ve tried to research it- I’ve had Taehyung bring me back books from this realm, and I’ve studied the history. But in the entire history of this realm, of my race... there’s no mention of what happens to us after. There’s no pixie settlements or communities. There’s no monuments to our names... there’s nothing. It’s like we... it’s like we vanish.” He confesses, and the tears are coming full force. “I’m so sorry, (Y/N). I should have granted this wish years ago but I was scared that I-“

“You might die?” You fill in for him. Jungkook hesitates for a moment before nodding. 

“I don’t know.” He says. “There’s no pixie manual. I just know that I have to grant the wish and then-“

“Screw the wish!” You cry, cutting him off. Jungkook’s eyes widen. 

“What?” He asks. You release him, stepping back and gazing around the ravine. 

“Screw the wish.” You repeat, now searching for an echo. “Why risk your life? Why would I want you to risk your life? If you don’t know what happens if you grant the wish, then we’ll just never grant the wish and you’ll be fine-“

“(Y/N),” Jungkook calls sternly, zooming so that he’s in front of you. “I have to grant the wish.” 

“Why?” You cry, and you realise there are tears sliding down your face. Jin watches the whole exchange in silence. “Why do you have to grant the risk? Why do we have to risk you vanishing? Why would you go that far over a stupid river?” 

Jungkook smiles gently, reaching up one arm to wipe away the fat tears that spill down your face- it soaks the entire arm of his jacket. 

“It was your father’s wish.” He tells you gently, still smiling the whole time. 

You feel like the world around you freezes. Like for a moment, you heart stops beating and the world stops turning. You stare, frozen in shock, as Jungkook continues. 

“He came here when you were first born. It’s a tradition for the Qu’var to journey to this river when they want to leave a message that will withstand the test of time. The river, and the unique magic that flows here, will protect it. But anyone who comes here has the river magic in them. And when those people make an earnest wish, from the bottom of their heart, then a pixie is born in this river. And your father, in his dying moments, many, many years after coming here, wished with all his heart that he could have shown you this place. That he could have shown you the message he wrote to his baby daughter. And that’s how I was born.” 

“It’s not fair.” You sob, crying in full now. Jin is silent- he chooses not to step in. This isn’t about him, after all. “Why did he have to do that? Why could he have just lived and shown me himself? Why do I have to lose you too? Why can’t we just never see the message and then you can stay?”

“Because of the spell.” Jungkook reminds you. “You can’t go home until you see the dancing lights because of the charm I put on you. Do you remember?”

More tears spill down your face as you remember the spell in question. You had thought at the time, that it was Jungkook just trying to force you to get over yourself. You had believed him when he said he’d cast it so that you couldn’t chicken out of something you wanted to do. But you realise now why he cast that spell- it was so that he couldn’t chicken out. So that, no matter what, he’d grant his wish and get you to see that message. 

“We’ll stay here. Jin can tell my mum what happened, and we can live out the rest of our days here!” You plead, desperate. “Then you don’t have to-“ 

“(Y/N).” Jungkook comes in close and presses on your cheek, until you are facing the cliff wall with all the inscriptions on it. Then he flutters over to the discarded torch, heaving it up in his arms with a huff, and holding it out to you. “It’s ok. It’s really ok. I want this. I’ve had my fun with you guys, but it’s not like I’ve really been living a proper life like this. The only people I can talk to are guardians, and they’re so scattered across the human realm. I spend my days watching YouTube videos and talking to moths and waiting for you guys to come home from work. I’ve lived this life as much as I can, but now it’s your turn. I want you to live a full and happy life, and for you to have a family and grow old in the human realm. I don’t want you to be trapped here with me so that I can live half a life for the rest of your days.”

“But,” you protest tearily. “You’re my best friend.” 

“And you’re mine.” Jungkook says with a beam. “But now it’s time.” 

And then he pushes your arm until the torch lands on an inscription with handwriting you thought you’d never see again. 

Your father, even back then, even on stone, has always had beautiful writing, like he could have been a calligrapher if he had the time or resources. Perhaps that’s why he wanted to leave you a written message. You step forward in disbelief until you can read the inscription, the words of the man you’ve missed so much. 

(Y/N), 

My precious, beautiful daughter. 

Your mother didn’t want me to make this journey, but she eventually gave in because she knew how important it was to me. 

I wonder what kind of situation we’ll read these words together in? What kind of woman will you grow up to be? Will you be married with children when I finally take you here? That little Seokjin is only a toddler but he’s already charming all the ladies in the village- maybe you’ll marry him! Or I hear Jihye is pregnant. Perhaps her child? 

But the reason I wrote this is because I want you to know that no matter what happens, or what roads we walk down in the future, that I will love you and protect you with all of my heart. You are the most beautiful and precious thing I have ever laid my eyes on, and I hope you will always know that. 

I love you. I hope that one day, even if it’s without me, that you get to see these words and know, that from before you were born, I have loved you. 

Please, please, whatever situation you read these words in, please be happy.

From your father. 

The inscription is rough beneath your fingers as you smooth your fingers over it. It hurts to see those words, to know the moments you can never have with your father because he’s gone. And you’ll never get him back. There’s no magic spells or special river or pixie magic that can bring him back to you. 

But, for the first time, you find yourself smiling. Those memories don’t have to be painful. Because you fulfilled his wish- you’re happy. As you read these words, despite everything, you are happy. You have friends and family who love you and who you treasure beyond belief. And it took you a long time to realise it, but you’re so grateful. You’ll never get your father back, and you’ll never fill the hole that he left, but you can be happy. You can move forward with a smile on your face because that’s what he wanted.

Strong fingers wrap around your outstretched hand, and you turn to find Jin reading the words alongside you. 

“He was a good man.” Jin tells you softly, and you smile at him. Jin looks like he has more to say, but he is interrupted by the brilliant glow coming from behind you. 

You turn around and find Jungkook hovering before you. He glows brightly amidst the darkness of the ravine, almost as brightly as the stars overhead. And slowly, the river reacts too. One by one, bursts of light in different, brilliant colours appear and race down the length of the river, like bright, shooting stars. “The dancing river”, one of its many names, suddenly makes sense, as the lights zip and glide along the surface of the water. 

“You did it!” Jungkook cries, and his smile is brighter than anything you’ve ever seen. You scramble forward, but the glow intensifies, and a brilliant light wall springs up between you and Jungkook. 

“No!” You cry. “Please! Don’t go, Jungkook. We still have so much to do together! Please!”

“Be happy, (Y/N).” He calls and then the light brightens until you can see nothing but pure white. 

And then it goes dark. In the absence of light, you can’t see anything before you. Jungkook is gone- he’s gone. Your best friend, your constant, pesky companion, is gone. 

You fall to your knees, sinking into the soft, damp sand, sobbing hysterically. 

“Jungkook.” You cry, your eyes squeezed shut. “Jungkook!”

Your friendship with Jungkook has always been a funny one. You first met him in the dingy room of a motel your mother had managed to book into, those first few nights in the human realm. You hadn’t been able to sleep- the air was uncomfortable and dry and felt leeched of the warm, buzzing magic that had been your constant companion.

You’d snuck out of the room that night and wondered onto the rooftop. Even the stars are dull, in the human realm, and for some reason it had hurt to see that. You’d gazed up into the sky, tear streaming down your face when a voice had sounded beside you.

“What are you looking at?” The little voice had asked.

The rest is history. You’d attempt to swat Jungkook, thinking him to be a mosquito hybrid, one of the weird creatures of this new realm. But he hadn’t been. He was a pixie. And from there, Jungkook had never really left your side. At night, he would sleep on your pillow beside you. When you’d gotten your own room, you’d made a little doll house for him to sleep in, but he’d always slept by your side. He would come with you to school, nestled in your pocket. Some days he’d take some space, but it had reached the point where you can barely remember spending time without him.

And now… could he really be gone? How can he? What does life even look like without him? You can’t fathom it.

You don’t know how long you sit there crying hysterically for, but eventually you feel warm, strong arms wrap around you. It must be Jin, comforting you through the pain of losing your best friend. You bring your fingers up to grip at the material of his shirt.

“(Y/N)!” Jin cries in alarm. But it’s not coming from the proximity you’d expect, considering that he’s currently holding you. No, his voice is coming from somewhere behind you. 

Slowly, you blink your eyes open, and the sleeves of the jacket are not the sleeves of Jin’s jacket. Nor do the arms holding you belong to him. Slowly, you trace the arms up to the shoulders, and then you meet the face of the person holding you. 

It’s Jungkook. But at the same time... it’s not Jungkook. Jungkook was a tiny pixie, with iridescent wings like a dragonfly. With a tiny, round face. He was the size of your hand. 

But the person who holds you is human. There are no pixie wings in sight, and he’s the same size as you- no, he’s even bigger. He rivals Jin’s size. 

But the face is unmistakeably Jungkook. You’d know those round, doe eyes anywhere. 

“J-Jungkook?” You question softly. He pulls away and nods, staring at his palms in confusion like he’s never seen them before. “W-what happened?” 

“I... I don’t know.” He answers, running his hands over himself. He’s wearing the same clothes as before, and he looks exactly the same as he always has, just... human sized. 

“I... I’m human?” 

“It must be the effect of granting the spell.” Jin calls, edging closer so that he can examine Jungkook with wonder. “Maybe... maybe the reason there’s no record of any pixies after they grant the wishes... is because they stop being pixies?”

Jungkook can only stare in confusion. 

“Isn’t your dearest wish to be human? To be able to talk to people and make friends and form human bonds?” Jin continues to reflect. “Maybe... maybe the outcome of a pixie granting a wish... is that they get their deepest wish granted?”

Jungkook just stares with a bewildered expression, glancing over his shoulders for wings that aren’t there. He then scrambles over to the edge of the river, staring in wonder at the human reflection that stares back, from the normal, rounded ear tips to the lack of wings. 

“I’m human?” He questions. Tears fill your eyes as you realise that what Jin is saying is true. 

“You’re human!” You agree. “Jungkook! You’re human!” 

His whole face lights up in excitement. 

“I’m human! Oh my goodness! I’m human! I can go to dance classes! I can study in college! I can get a job! I can... I can...” his expression darkens with mischief and that’s the only warning you get before he hooks an arm around your neck and gives you the most painful noogie of your life. “I can get my revenge.”

Needless to say, the aftermath of such a transformation is absolutely chaotic, but somehow, you can’t bring yourself to be mad. Jungkook goes after Jin next, and as Jin flees for his life, you find yourself smiling, despite everything. 

Please be happy, is what your father had pleaded, in the magic of this mystical river. 

I am, dad. Is what you answer from the bottom of your heart in the magic of the river. 

Because you are. 

[adhd-disaster-willie]

like lemongrass and sleep; chapter 1/?

summary: "Julie was 5 years old and overflowing with spirit when her teacher sat her beside the spitfire Flynn Miller. She remembers taking one look at this girl’s wild smile and neatly braided curls and deciding that she wanted to be able to look at her every single day for the rest of her life." or, Julynn childhood best friends to lovers

word count: 1,516

warnings: none

notes: Flynn will be using she/her pronouns for the first chapter or so, cause they haven't started thinking about gender or come out yet.

---

Julie was 5 years old and overflowing with spirit when her teacher sat her beside the spitfire Flynn Miller. She remembers taking one look at this girl’s wild smile and neatly braided curls and deciding that she wanted to be able to look at her every single day for the rest of her life. It was quite the profound realization, but at the time, she didn’t really care to recognize the depth of it, only that she had found herself a best friend and she had to show Flynn the tree in her backyard. And so that was that, they were attached at the hip and 5 years flew by in a blur of scraped knees and pinkie promises and friendship bracelets and breathless laughter.

Flynn swung her neon-bandaid covered legs over the highest tree branch and grinned down at Julie with a sparkle in her eyes. “I win!” She cried giddily. “That’s-”

“3 for you and none for me,” Julie finished with a pout, hoisting herself up to join Flynn and wrinkling her nose at the height. “I still won at uno.”

“Because it’s a stupid game!” Flynn protested. “You can’t win at a game that’s all luck!” She threw her hands in the air and narrowly avoided going careening off the branch.

The sun was slowly setting and Julie knew dinnertime was fast approaching, the scent of her mom’s cooking wafting in from the back door that’s been left open (she’ll worry about that later when she gets mosquito bites in her sleep.) Julie beamed up at the pink sky and shoved Flynn lightly. “Ms. Nelson said there’s gonna be a new student next week.”

“I hope it’s not a boy,” Flynn replied. “Boys are gross.” She picked at a piece of bark before tossing it over the fence and watching with a giggle as it landed in the neighbors pool. She swung backwards until she was hanging off the branch by her legs, her curls bouncing slightly as she swayed back and forth. Julie bit her lip anxiously, this was the exact thing that got Flynn sent home from the hospital with a bright red cast in 2nd grade. Granted, she wasn’t too bothered by it, because having a broken arm in 2nd grade means you’re the most popular kid in the school for at least 2 months, and she didn’t have to write a thing while it was still healing. But, still.

Flynn swung back up, wobbling slightly, and blew at the loose hair hanging in her eyes. “Ha, didn’t break my arm that time!” She exclaimed pridefully. Julie raised an eyebrow.

“The new kid's name is Alex Mercer.”

Flynn’s eyes widened and she quickly took to mouthing the alphabet. “Oh good, we’ll still be next to each other.”

“Hmm, I’d change my last name if we got separated,” Julie said, as if it’s the most obvious thing in the world.

“You mean it?” Flynn asked, beaming.

“100 percent. No one can split up double trouble.” Julie held out her pinkie to prove it and Flynn giggled, locking their fingers together.

There was a sort of childhood wonder hanging in the air, like pixie dust. It’s strange, how as children, no one seems to recognize it. They’ll sit perched on the highest branch without a care in the world, until the streetlights turn on. And the whole world will go silent before midnight, curled up in tattered sleeping bags in the living room with a flickering night light to ward off ghosts. It was all so awfully simple.

---

Alex Mercer was lanky and blond and had a worried crease between his eyebrows that your average 10 year old doesn’t tend to have. He clutched a baggy, too-big fannypack to his chest, and Julie desperately wanted to know what was in it. Surely it had to be something interesting; maybe he was a wizard and that was where he kept all his potions and spellbooks. Flynn was incredibly disappointed that the new student was a boy, but still let herself be dragged over to him at recess, where he was sat anxiously on the curb, fiddling with the hem of his loose pink hoodie that was way too warm for September in LA.

“Hello!” Julie pulled Flynn down with her and sat beside Alex. “I like your bag.” She leaned in conspiratorially. “You can tell me if it there’s a magic wand in there.” Alex only shook his head.

“No there’s just”- he opened the zipper and showed her the quite disappointing contents- “tissues and- and my inhaler.”

“And a pen.” Flynn pointed out. She reached in and grabbed the pen, clicking it gleefully. “It’s pink.”

Alex flushed slightly. “Uh yea…”

“Cool!” Flynn poked Julie with the end of the pen and laughed. Julie snatched it from her hand with a stern look.

“It’s a very nice pen,” Julie said, handing it back to Alex. “I like gel pens, they write so much smoother.” She held out her hand the way Carrie’s dad, Trevor, told her to do, because it was good manners. “I’m Julie.” Alex took her hand and shook it gingerly.

Alex was, as Julie quickly learned, a mess of way too much anxiety than should be able to fit in one person. He’d moved last week, and it wasn’t much of a change, but enough that he had to switch schools. He had three best friends back at his old school (Luke, Reggie, and Bobby) that would be going to their same middle school, his favorite color was pink, and he liked to dance. These are all things that Julie filed away in her mind. She liked to remember things about people, like how Carrie hated grape candy, and Flynn had the prettiest smile of anyone Julie knew. Remembering things about people meant you cared, and they would stick around.

---

It doesn’t snow in LA. It hadn’t snowed in LA since 1962 and the only time Julie had seen it was the winter she was six and her family went up to Oregon for a week. But one crisp December morning in 2014, Julie rolled out of bed and pressed her face to the fogged over window only to find a blanket of fresh white snow covering everything as far as the eye could see. She hardly had her coat on before she was out the door, wriggling from her mother’s grasp because “Mom it’s snowing! I don’t need breakfast!” Donning purple rainboots and a matching wool scarf that was way too long and dragged behind her as she ran, Julie bolted to Flynn’s house as fast as her legs could carry her, clad in three layers of jeans.

There was snow! Falling in big fat flakes and landing on the trees and the tops of houses and Julie’s hat. She had to squint a bit, as the snow melted on her glasses and blurred her vision, but it was more than worth it. Julie reached Flynn’s house in a flurry of mismatched winter clothes and wild eyes, and Flynn was already on the porch, bouncing impatiently as her dad wrapped a thick scarf around her neck.

“Hi Mr. Miller!” Julie chirped with an enthusiastic wave. Flynn’s dad waved back before turning to zip up Flynn’s bulky coat.

“Daaaad,” Flynn whined, scratching at the knitted hat covering her ears. “Can I please go into the snow now?”

“Yes Flynn,” he sighed, patting her atop the head once for good measure. “Be careful-”

“Bye dad!”

“Bye Mr. Miller!”

“Let’s goooo!”

It was as if the whole world was holding it’s breath, capturing Julie’s little suburban town in a bubble. Julie grasped Flynn’s mittened hand and dragged her through the blanketed streets, with a laugh perpetually on the tip of her tongue. There were snowflakes in her eye lashes and sticking to the top of her hat like velcro. Stumbling into the field by the school, Julie swung Flynn around in a circle, both of them shrieking with uncontained laughter, heads held to the gray sky. She didn’t know it at the time, but this moment would forever live in a corner of Julie’s mind. The place where she sets aside things she doesn’t want to forget; things like Flynn’s 10th birthday and the days when she’d sit at the piano with her head on her mom’s shoulders and hum along to songs she’s heard a hundred times and could listen to a hundred more.

Julie collapsed into the snow with a deep exhale and an infectious grin, Flynn quickly following suit. “Hey Flynn?”

“Yea.”

“Do you think that if I close my eyes I’ll wake up in Narnia?” Julie asked, her voice soft and full of wonder.

“Aren’t you supposed to walk through a wardrobe?”

Julie shrugged. “Maybe.”

Flynn hummed, mulling it over for a minute. “Sure. But only if I get to come with.”

“Of course, stupid.” With a lopsided smile, Julie intertwined their pinkies and shut her eyes. Maybe she would wake up in Narnia, but she would rather stay here if it meant Flynn was next to her.

---

I really wanted this chapter to be longer but like, I felt like this was a good place to leave off. I hope you liked it! comment or send me an ask if you want to be added to the tag list! :)))

[kamosweasley]

Not that damn song again (George Weasley x Reader)

Description : It's Christmas time so a cute fluffy fic about it sounds right. And I'm a simp for George (and Christmas songs), I hope you'll enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it.

Words count : 2.5K

Author note's : lyrics from All I want for Christmas by Mariah Carey are in italics.

Tag list : @memekingofwwiii

It's terribly cliché but you can't lie, you love Christmas. There is no better time of year, with snow, hot chocolate, big sweaters, cinnamon cookies and decorations everywhere, how not to love it ? You don't understand people who prefer summer with its sweltering heat and sunburn and all those damn mosquitoes. But unfortunately for you, your boyfriend is a man of the second category whereas you are a woman of the first category. Which makes some things a bit complicated, like you grumbling when he wants to pull you out in the July sun or like him not being able to stand the Christmas carols that you play over and over again from the first of November.

“Not that damn song again …” he mumbles, hiding his face in his hands. “Darling I love you, but if you play this song one more time ...”

“Come on Georgie, it’s Christmas time ! Listening to Christmas songs is essential to my mental health right now. It's either that or stuff myself with cinnamon cookies with the delicious icing and not fit into my favorite sweaters anymore. You really don't like it ?”, coming to give him a back hug with puppy eyes. He never resists you with those eyes, he loves to see them disappear to give way to a big smile.

“I'm sorry my love, but at the end of the fiftieth listening of your playlist I started to hate Santa Claus and the sound of the bells.”

You're both sitting on his bed, he's finishing his potion homework but he's not getting very far with you in the same room listening to the same songs for over a month. He hates it because he loves you with all his heart, but he's starting to wish he could go deaf so he can't stand those melodies which haunt him even in his sleep. He would love it as much as you do, but the more the days go by, the more he understands this will never be the case. And he doesn't want to put limits on how you enjoy this time, he knows how much it means to you.

You put your hands under his sweater to warm your hands, the contact of your cold skin on his abdo makes him startle as you let out a giggle.

“Sorry, my hands are cold and I know that your mother's sweaters keep me warm so I took advantage of it …”

“I know darling, it's absolutely not to satisfy your wandering hands.” he says as he turns his head to kiss you, “I'm going to ask my mother to knit you some mittens, since it's very warm.”

“Good idea, I'm freezing to death right now.” George begins to turn around with a grin on his face, ready to warm you up in his own way but you haven’t noticed his purpose, “I'm going to go make hot chocolate in the kitchen, do you want some too ? I can bring you a cup, I make the best hot chocolate you've ever tasted. No offense to your mom who must make really good ones too, but mine is better.”

You often take him by surprise, changing the subject or not noticing how the situation is turning out and he always found it charming. You make him think of Luna a little bit, on another level but just as clueless as her sometimes. Your boyfriend smiles at you, returning to his potion homework. “Anything to please you darling.”

“You'll see, it's fabulous! I have a secret ingredient, if you're nice I might tell you what it is.” you put on one of his sweaters that you take from his suitcase before you wink at him and leave the room. He should take advantage of the silence of your absence to finish his damn homework in a hurry but he can't concentrate. Potion is boring and he really loves it when you wear one of his sweaters, it's way too big for you and that's what makes you so adorable. And you will come to spend a few days at the Burrow, meet his parents as his girlfriend and receive your own sweater knitted by Molly. He hopes that you will continue to steal from him even if you have your own.

“Here it is ! Taste it and tell me.” you say while putting the cup in his hand. You already know what he’ll say of course, everybody loves your hot chocolate, there is no reason for your boyfriend not to do the same. He thanks you before taking a sip of the hot drink, ready for a chocolate too sweet with some spice in it. And it is, but he has to admit that it is particularly good. He nods his head before he smiles at you. “You're right, it's the best I've ever tasted.” He puts his cup on the bedside table and returns to his parchment.

“So why don't you keep drinking it ? It doesn't look like the best hot chocolate you've ever tasted.” You're sure George didn't lie to you, but you still hoped he would act on his words. When he tells you it's the best hot chocolate he's ever had in his hands, you wish he wouldn't let go of the cup until he's finished it. Maybe you have a misplaced ego but this chocolate is your personal pride and you want your boyfriend to treat it well.

He runs a hand through his hair, not even taking his eyes off his homework. “I've never been a big fan of hot chocolate or Christmas cookies and certainly not of all those bell-filled songs. I’m sorry darling but I never liked any of this.” You melt before his eyes, he is sincerely sorry he doesn't like what makes you so happy and you think it's too cute.

"I'm just not a Christmas person. It's good because we saw family and have presents but still don't get what you found in this period.” You come and join him on the bed, sitting in a suit in front of him. “It’s simple. Let it snow, Jingle Bell Rock, All I Want For Christmas, it’s all about a magical time.” In his eyes you can tell that he doesn't understand at all what you're talking about, which is amazing when you consider how much time he spent listening to all those songs. “We are wizards. Our whole life is magical, I'm not sure I understand you on that point.” You grab a roll of parchment and hold it as if it were a microphone, looking at him with a glim in your eyes.

The best thing you can do to help him understand is to show him. You’re not a good singer, at least George never complains about it, perhaps because he tries very hard to keep his mind upright since he doesn’t like your playlist. It's unlikely you'll be able to change his mind, but a little a capella karaoke should put a smile on his face.

“I don’t want a lot for Christmas, there is just one thing I need. I don’t care about the present, underneath the Christmas tree.” While keeping your fake microphone close to your mouth, you point at your boyfriend with the same expression as Mariah Carey in the clip. “I just want you for my own, more than you could ever know ! Make my wish come true, all I want for Christmas is you !”

As it is impossible to sing Mariah Carey without playing the diva, you give it your all and when you see George's smile, you do it well. It must be your acting more than the words of love that make him smile like that, it's like he's trying to restrain himself from laughing.

“'Cause I just want you here tonight, holding on to me so tight.” On all fours you come and sit between his legs, facing him. He puts his cold hands on your hips passing them under the elastic of your jogging, a smirk on his lips. You shiver from the sudden cold on your skin but don't stop singing, your face getting closer and closer to his. “What more can I do ? Baby, all I want for Christmas is you ! You, baby.”

He's right in front of you. Your noses are touching, your eyes are immersed in each other and you melt like snow in the sun at the intensity of this moment. Damn you love him.

The hunger in his eyes devours you before his lips reach yours. A passionate, fiery, kiss that will get you high. Your head empties itself of all words and thoughts, your hands naturally place themselves in his hair and behind your closed eyes you imagine his smile, his eyes shining with mischief, his hand holding yours and all those little things that make you fall for him. Over and over again.

Gasping for air, the kiss is stopped. You're almost dizzy, head spinning with butterflies messing around in the belly. Liking George Weasley drives you crazy, there's no telling, you've never felt that way about anyone else. Before him you'd never been that high, you'd never had a simple kiss that made you tremble, you'd never dreamed of spending the rest of your life with someone. George Weasley is the kind of man you should treasure, marry and have as a father to your children. For the simple reason that he will be wonderful in all these roles, with him everyday life will never be boring, he will always have the words to make you laugh or smile. He will give love like no one else to his children, an exemplary father who will take care of his children as if they were the greatest wonders in this world.

You have no doubt about it, your boyfriend will offer a wonderful life to the woman he chooses. That's why you're not going to let him go. Your lover.

You suddenly open your eyes as you feel yourself tilted to the side with George, he's still holding you against him and you land softly on the comforter and pillows. You're lying against each other and George slips one of his legs between yours so that they get tangled up. “Now we’re good darling.” He kisses your forehead and plays with a strand of your hair, it's so peaceful. “I haven't finished the song.” You feel his mouth smiling against your forehead. “Who cares ? Certainly not me, I heard what I needed to hear. I think I understand now.”

“Do you ?”

“Yes, but I still hate Christmas songs.”

You lean on your forearm to look down on him, looking pouty. “C’mon ! You’re overreacting, this song is brand new. It's only been out for a month, you can't already hate it.” He grabs you by the shoulders and applies pressure to force you to lie down, not softened by your pouty air. “You listen to it all the time and if not, you sing it. Believe me, one month is enough to get sick of it.”

After being a diva a few minutes before, you're having fun being a diva again because after all, you can't talk about Mariah like that. And you can't help but defend the honor of your favorite Christmas songs. With a burning gaze, fists on your hips and a somewhat condescending tone, you fight back. “It’s Mariah Carey so it will be a massive hit, I’m sure of it. And at least, I’m sure you will think of me every time you’ll hear this song for the rest of your life.” Smiling at you, he adopts the same facial expression and flutters his eyes saying to you in a sweet voice: “The only way I'm going to hear this song again is from you. It's a Muggle song, no one is going to know it among wizards.”

Rolling on yourself to be flat on your stomach, half on George given the proximity that the bed offers you, you give him a charming wink as you rest your chin on your hands.

“That’s what I’m saying. At the end of each year you will hear this song many, many, many times and you will think of that moment when I sang it to you in your dorm at Hogwarts. You will see the scene again as you hear me singing it from the other side of our house. Because we're going to spend our whole lives together.” Since you're already half on top of him, he has no problem placing you on top of him, kissing both your cheeks and your forehead as you go by, making you giggle. “You’re a genius. You really thought of everything.”

You mess his hair before wedging your head in his neck, breathing in his scent. You smile against his throat and you know him well enough to know that it makes him smile back. “How could I want to live without you ? You know how to make yourself indispensable Georgie, it's almost annoying.” You love it when he runs his hand through your hair, it's the most relaxing thing ever. His other hand traces back and forth in your back, making you a little sleepy. This man knows how to deal with you. “Because you thought you were the only one who thought of everything? I would never let you go.”

If you could stop time and stay like this forever, you would do it without hesitation. You're comfortable in a bed, just the two of you, your hearts are beating at the same rhythm and you're in love. Then it smells like hot chocolate and you've managed to make him smile to a Christmas song. You never want to forget this moment. “Fine by me Georgie.”

You can't resist the temptation to hum Last Christmas, but George's caresses make you fall asleep little by little. You stop before the end of the song and in a few minutes you fall asleep on him. He kisses the top of your head, finding you absolutely adorable. You always manage to fall asleep quickly when you are being tickled, which makes him very tender and amuses him a lot. He often teases you about it, it always annoys you and he finds it even cuter.

Feeling your body rise slightly to the rhythm of your breathing, he starts humming the end of Last Christmas. He takes advantage of you being asleep, so you won't be able to talk to him about it someday. Continuing to run his hand through your hair and humming Christmas music, he smiles as he looks up at the ceiling. You are with him, alone and calm, in perfect harmony and he always liked to feel the beat of your heart when you cuddle. It's that kind of perfect moment. And he wishes it would never end.

[dellyduck]

Winnie Vanderquack in the Fountain Episode

Happy birthday @randomduckydoodles! Check out her AU, everyone, it’s great!

-

Winnie could just gasp, jaw dropped in disbelief as she watched the two now-teenagers running down the swamp. She couldn’t even bring herself to vocalize the “ARE YOU SERIOUS?!” going on repeat inside her head. Not that Scrooge would’ve listened to her, and that’s what really got on the Vanderquack’s nerves.

Winnie would expect that from O’Gilt.  The woman was basically a stranger to them, to Winnie especially, and by what Webby and their Granny had told her, Goldie was a sly snake who wouldn’t do a double take before sacrificing someone to save her own skin.

But Scrooge was their uncle! Who was supposed to take care of them when they were adventuring! Not leave them alone in the middle of a swamp to run after some skirt! Especially not when Webby was-

“You come back here you two- ARK!”

Winnie flinched at the crack from her sister’s back. She turned around, her face growing worried when she again saw Webby’s state. Not just was she having to use Scrooge’s cane, but also her eye was red and swollen; so that’s what happens when a mosquito stings you in the eye. Winnie didn’t even know that was possible to happen. Honestly, it looked like her sister had stolen Donald’s bad luck today.

If it was just for her, or if Webby was okay, Winnie would have ran after Scrooge and pulled him by the whiskers. But Webby was not okay. And her sister’s well being was more important than teaching that old-now-young man a lesson that her Granny would teach better once they got back home anyways.

Right now, it was time to act as the older sister she was.

“Okay, enough’s enough.” She gently grabbed Webby’s arm.

“Wait, where are we going?” the younger twin asked, not fighting her sister’s pull though. “Uncle Scrooge and Goldie went to the other side!”

“I know, we’re not going after them, we’re going back to the inn.”

“What?! But they-“

“Are adults who ditched us. If they’re not worried about what can happen to us in this place, I’m more than sure they’ll be fine on their own as well.” Winnie looked at Webby by the corner of her eye. “You, by other hand, need to rest.”

“No, I don’t!”

“Everything on your face and posture says the contrary,” Winnie replied with a deadpan.

Lucky her, Webby didn’t fight much longer and just allowed Winnie to lead the way. Aside from one crocodile that she had to kick on the face, the Vanderquack twins got back to the inn with no problems. Different from earlier, the place’s hall was empty.

“C’mon, let’s go to the room upstairs,” Winnie said. “You’re going to stay there and rest while I look for a nursery or something. Copy?”

“Yeah, yeah, I copy.” Webby rolled her healthy eye.

But before they could start going upstairs, “Ah, there you two are.” Louie approached them from the pool, his eyes going from bored to wide when he saw Webby. “What the heck happened to you?”

“Florida’s nature.”

“And your Uncle,” Winnie added with a tiny frown.

“huh,” it was all the triplet said before looking around. “Where’s Uncle Scrooge, by the way.”

“Looking for the fountain already.”

“Wait, really?” A smile grew on Louie’s face with Winnie’s answer. “That means we don’t need to go into a deadly swamp later anymore?”

“I guess,” the older Vanderquack answered again, her eyes then moving to the pool’s open area. Precisely, to the two ducks playing ping pong. She rosed a brow. “Does Dewey look… taller?”

“Oh, yeah, he and Huey are wrapped in a whole deal because of it.” Louie rolled his eyes.

Winnie opened her mouth to ask but decided to drop the subject. Huey could deal with his little brother; Winnie already had her own little sister to take care of.

“We’re going to our room,” she declared, not really waiting for Louie to acknowledge it before guiding Webby upstairs.

And neither of the twins was the wiser when it came for the battle that happened downstairs, at the pool’s feet. They just found out about it later, when Webby, claiming her back wasn’t so sore anymore and that she didn’t need to lay down to rest her eye, convinced Winnie to go meet with the boys at the pool. Neither of them expected to find Scrooge and the triplets handing cups of water to elderlies, who’d magically turn into young people after a sip.

For a bigger surprise than that, only Goldie coming back to return Finch’s Journal to Scrooge and the old couple sharing a big kiss.

A couple of hours later, the five kids were finally having a good time playing in the pool. Winnie was sat on the edge, waiting for Huey to come back with more sunscreen and watching Webby and Dewey play fighting with noodles, when someone approached her.

“Erh… Winnie lass, can we talk?” Scrooge scratched the back of his neck.

By the narrowed, cold look the little girl gave him before nodding, the man knew this really was a talk they needed to have, if the rich duck wanted to keep his bones intact when they get back home. Scrooge kneeled beside her, sighing.

“Ah’m sorry Ah left ye and Webby alone in the swamp, Ah donnae know what made me do that. Ah guess Ah was lost on the thrill of being young again… but that’s not an excuse. Ah’m sorry.”

Winnie couldn’t hide her surprise. Scrooge apologizing was a rare occasion.

“You’ll have to say that to Webby too, you know?” She tried to sound intimidating, but her little smile gave her in; she forgives him.

“Ah will,” Scrooge agreed, stroking the girl’s hair gently. His face didn’t stay calm for long, however, the tense expression suddenly back. “And… Of course… If ye could not tell yer Grandmother about what happened…”

Winnie deadpanned again. Oooof course.

Her eyes quickly moved to the pool and Winnie grew a smirk before looking back to Scrooge.

“I guess I could not tell her… Depending on some stuff, however.”

“Depending on what?” The old duck was really whiling to do anything to prevent Bentina to know.

“This!” Winnie grabbed the front of Scrooge’s shirt and pulled him forwards into the pool!

It was a matter of two seconds before Scrooge had his head back on the surface, his face frowing to Winnie in an expression that said “hey!”. Winnie could just laugh, and so did Webby and Dewey in the middle of the pool. A third, loud voice cackled too, and the older twin turned her head to see Goldie on a pool chair.

The woman gave Winnie a finger gun, “I like your style, kiddo.”

[papermoonish]

when the weather changed

"Wait for me!"

"Shit, it was so nice out at lunch," Kirishima whines, stopping in the doorway.

"That’s fucking autumn for you."

"Don’t curse a whole season, you'll get unlucky."

autumn brings weather changes and simple sweetness. for kirishima and bakugou it comes first in the shape of friends and then each other

read on AO3 or keep reading here

Kiri is on the roof of the school building. There are mesh fences keeping the small spot up in the air secluded - safe. He's sitting on the floor, his back to the wall hiding the staircase, eyes closed and head leaning against the concrete.

The air tastes like crisp autumn, fresh and cold with the promise of warmth tingling. Maybe tomorrow, maybe later. The door opens and Kirishima straightens up, opens his eyes and reaches for his water bottle. With two quick movements he looks busy. Nothing weird going on here.

"Hey man," he smiles, and Denki waves back.

"Yo dude. I was looking everywhere for you."

Denki drops besides him, loose and easy. His shoulder brushes Kirishima's as he’s reaching for the food in Kiri's lap, stealing a small piece of pre-cut sausage. He's warm, body slumping against his friend with a content sigh.

"Ah sorry! What's up?”

Denki pops his lips, pulls up his phone and scans the screen quickly before tapping away on it. He's sitting cross-legged, his knee occasionally bumping against Kiri's thigh. He steals another piece of sausage and chews it a little too loudly but it’s okay. Kirishima appreciates the company.

"Didn’t see you at lunch and thought you might've run away with a hot girl into a future unknown.”

Kirishima snorts and shakes his head, red hair doesn’t move an inch. Next to him Denki cracks his knuckles, but only the ones on his left hand.

"In the middle of a Monday?”

"Who am I to question the timely manners of love, bro."

"Bro."

"Bro."

They laugh and the wind picks up a bit, messing up Denki's hair. As he tries to fix it he lets out a loud groan. Kiri reaches up to tuck a few strands back with the others.

"Nah dude, I'd never leave you behind."

"You better won’t. Blasty would have my ass if he heard you got away and I knew."

There’s an implication between the words, simmering right in the space left after them. Kirishima blinks and shakes it off, smiles until the dimple on his right cheek shows up.

"He has your ass for everything. He owns it."

"HE DOES NOT OWN MY ASS!"

Kiri giggles, downs the rest of his water and rubs his nose. The movement causes Denki to sway a bit, still leaning on his friend. He catches himself and sits up, wiggling his eyebrows.

"That's gay," he snickers.

"Denki-"

"No Ei,” he raises his hands in defeat, pouting, “I simply do not wanna think about Bakugou in a sexual way."

"That’s not even close to what I said."

"It was IMPLIED!"

"IT WASN’T!"

They’re shoving at each other now, laughing and the water bottle drops, rolls away across the deck. The rest of Kirishima's lunch nearly falls too, but just at the last second he remembers and puts it aside. Seeing an opening, Denki throws himself at Kirishima and they both topple over. Denki is snorting, Kiri is chuckling. The sun shines.

"EW, DUDE!"

The wet stripe Denki licked across Kirishima's palm glistens in the autumn weather and Kiri is fast to wipe it at Denki's dress shirt.

"You're so gross."

"Excuse me? You have a crush on Bakugou, that's nasty!"

"Ughh,” Kirishima hides his face in his hands, “don’t bring that up."

"You can't censor me, this is a free country."

Their laughter fades at the same time as the sunshine, covered by a few thin clouds moving across the blue. Lunch is coming to an end and Kiri hears Denki's bones pop from stretching his hands. A rumble in the sky makes a few birds fly up and the boys look up.

"I- … uh-"

Denki rolls onto his side and makes a whole show of getting up, like standing is a dance he owns. He cracks his neck and Kirishima cringes at the sound, worrying his lip.

"I won’t tell him. Drop the pout, lovebird."

He reaches out a hand and Kiri grabs it quickly, and then he gets pulled up from the floor with the sun reappearing. Warmth immediately spreads across their skin.

"Thanks, man.”

Denki waves his hand, grins mischievously.

"Bro, you've got so much more dirt on me. This is self-protection.”

"Bro I’d never tell any of them anything."

"I know, I know. You’re just good like that,” he laughs. "One day either Shinso, Jirou, Sero or Tetsu will notice me. I'm not giving up yet."

"You're helpless," Kirishima shoos away a mosquito. “You should pick one of them to work your charm on.”

"I’d go for you, but your little monkey brain is already wired in the wrong direction, babe."

Kiri fake gags and Denki shoves him, hard. They gather their stuff - meaning Kirishima grabs all his things and Denki starts breakdancing next to him. Denki opens the door and bows, giving him the, "After you, good sir." and Kiri bows right back with a, "Oh my, thank you darling."

The door falls into its lock and clicks shut. A gust of wind picks up and moves the water bottle Kirishima forgot on the deck. It clatters against the mesh fence and rolls a few feet across the floor. It’ll be found later by someone else, surely. Not everyone has a bright red metal bottle with multiple stickers of pictures of his friends. They get back to class and the sun still shines.

* at the same time *

The cafeteria is too loud. There's laughter and screaming, talking, shuffling, things dropping and people running. For Bakugou the cafeteria hurts, it rings all the way through his ears to the bottom of his brain and he furrows his brows while poking chopsticks into rice.

"You want a spoon for the rice soup you’re making there?"

Bakugou flinches, knuckles turning white before the colour slowly creeps back, blood flow released.

"Watch your mouth," he barks into the direction of the person sitting across the table.

"Can’t, I'm eating. You should try it, it’s supposed to be good for you."

"I fucking know, Tapeface. What’s your issue?”

Sero grins before digging back into his chicken, his legs long under the table right under the window. His feet knock against Bakugou's ankles. Neither of them moves.

"What's yours? You're usually not that grumpy at lunch."

Bakugou looks at him for a few seconds, like he's considering, waging something in his head.

"'s loud here," he finally settles on.

"Oh."

Sero blinks, then he grabs his backpack and tray and Bakugou flinches again at the speed of it.

"What are you-"

"Come on big guy, grab your stuff."

"Huh?"

"There's tables outside, next to the gym building."

Oh. That’s right.

When they settle again Bakugou's forehead is still crinkled and Sero pokes him, index finger smudging against his skin. The wrinkles smooth out a bit. Sero puts his phone on the table, screen up. Bakugou can see the small notification LED blinking yellow.

"Ya still look grumpy."

Bakugou shrugs, finally eats his rice like a normal person. Sero hums, low and deep, then rustles inside of his bag and pulls out a juice pouch. There's a drop spilling when he puts the straw in a little too forcefully and Bakugou hands him a napkin.

"I have a goddamn headache."

"Ah."

The wind picks up and the sun vanishes behind thin clouds. The building casts enough shade to cover them and their table fully now and it’s a little colder.

"Maybe Ei can do his magic hands thing later. Doesn't he help sometimes?"

Bakugou shrugs but he averts his eyes, dipping his rice into sauce before shoving it into his mouth. He knows Sero can see through it but he also knows Sero is gentle. He hums again and Bakugou breathes.

"Yeah.”

Sero finishes his food and sips his juice, offering it to Bakugou but obviously being declined. He just shrugs.

"Denki texted me he's on the roof if ya wanna go up and ask."

Bakugou shakes his head, puts the lid back onto his bento box. He catches the way Sero checks at his phone, types away an answer to a message that made him smile.

"Lunch is over in a few anyway."

"You have some rice on your shirt."

"Ah shit."

The sun comes back out and Sero's phone chimes. He glances at it and sighs, swiping the little alarm notification away.

"Back to class then, wonder kid."

"You're on thin fucking ice, Hanta."

"Aw with the first name? You make me blush today."

"Bitch."

"No need to sweet talk me after you had a lunch date with me."

"Oh my fucking god I despise you."

He grabs his bag and then puts the trash from Sero's tray on his own, sliding them together. He carries both. Sero holds the door open for him and Bakugou grunts a thank you. The wind starts howling and the cafeteria is still filled with laughter when they enter.

*later*

The school day ends and the sky is grey. There are dark speckles between heavy clouds and the light turned a muddy yellow. The sun isn't visible and you can’t feel it either, all the warmth traveled further away into other days, future hours. Bakugou's kicking the door to the sky deck open with his foot, the sole squeaking against the heavy metal.

"Fucking bullshit."

There’s a rumble and then rain hits his face and there's a giggle right behind him, echoing in the halls of the stairway.

"Wait for me!"

Bakugou keeps the door open with a snarl.

"Shit, it was so nice out at lunch," Kirishima whines, stopping in the doorway.

"That’s fucking autumn for you."

"Don’t curse a whole season, you'll get unlucky."

Bakugou looks at him, getting soaked more every second, hair slowly plastering itself against his forehead. Water gets caught in his lashes and drips into his shoes. His socks get wet. He blinks once and Kiri rubs his blushing neck, laughing.

"Yeah," his lip pulls upwards, "wouldn't fucking want that, hah?"

Kirishima bolts out into the rain, Bakugou looks after him before following. There are small puddles on the floor and Kiri steps into them intentionally, grinning as he notices his boots are waterproof enough for his shenanigans.

"All right, where are you? Come out, come out wherever you are," Kirishima sing-songs.

"You're so stupid."

"Shhhh maybe it's hiding from us."

"Your water bottle?"

Kiri nods. “Maybe it feels your negative vibes, bro."

"Maybe I’ll make you feel a negative vibe in a second, bro."

It’s an empty threat and Kirishima laughs.

He keeps running and the sky doesn't split open to let light through. Bakugou licks his lips, rainwater on his tongue, and walks towards the fence to the south side. It’s like Kirishima forgot where he sat with the way he's buzzing through the rain, arms spread and face tilted towards the sky.

Bakugou spots his bottle immediately, picks it up with his pinky hooking through the loop on the cap. He inspects the stickers and none of them are peeling. When he turns, Kiri is standing still, looking up at the falling rain, hair bending and bowing under the weather.

"You done with your moment?" Bakugou yells over the noise.

"It’s so nice."

"The rain?"

"Hmh."

Bakugou comes up next to him, holds up the bottle but Kirishima’s eyes are closed. So he bumps the cold metal against the exposed skin under Kirishima’s rolled up sleeves.

"Got the goods."

"Ah! thank you, Blasty."

"You'll never drop that name huh?"

Kiri shrugs and Bakugou watches his shoulders move.

"It’s a good name."

"It’s old as shit. Come up with something better."

"Stop exploding into our faces then," Kirishima turns his head and grins.

"Never."

"That’s what I thought."

Kiri's quiet until Bakugou pulls up his nose. The sky keeps making noises that hint ever so closely at a thunderstorm coming.

"Ah shit, okay let's go back inside. You're soaked!"

"Duh."

"Thanks for coming to look with me though."

They both know Kirishima would’ve found his bottle on his own. They don’t address it though and somehow the knowledge settles between them in the form of physical contact. Bakugou simply accepts the wet arm that’s thrown over his shoulder, it soothes the tension built up in his muscles.

"You can thank me by doing your hand thing."

Kirishima’s head snaps towards him, eyes big and round. There are water droplets in his eyebrows.

"You have another headache? Man, why didn’t you say anything sooner?"

Kiri grabs his bottle from Bakugou, their fingers touch. Kiri smiles and walks towards the door. His hand reaches for the handle and it creaks under the movement.

"School," Bakugou says, voice calm while he shrugs.

"Let’s get dry and then I can come over? Whatcha say?"

Bakugou nods, brushes past Kirishima holding the door open. The arm that was around his shoulder slides off and it’s immediately cold where it lay. It’s now freezing in the hallway, especially dripping wet.

"D’you think Sero has a crush on Denki?"

Bakugou huffs, towel rubbing over his ears. They’re in the baths, air warm from their recent shower. The mirror Bakugou stands in front of is fogged up and Kirishima reaches over, hand smearing across the glass until his image is visible.

"I don’t care."

"Come on, gossip with me," Kirishima pokes his finger into Bakugou’s shoulder and the blond doesn’t even turn to look.

"No."

"But you always have the best takes."

"Shut up."

"Katsukiii please."

The towel drops. The sky breaks open and a few late sunbeams work their way through the clouds, illuminating UA in the softest glow. The boys are inside though, the warm bathroom shielding them from the outside, they can’t see.

But Bakugou looks at Kirishima and he simply knows, knows the grey is making space for evening blues and purples, knows the muddy yellow will turn into clear orange.

"I won’t spill Tapeface's secrets."

"Not even to me?" The puppy eyes get ignored.

"Especially not to you, you can't keep your big mouth shut ever!"

"That’s not true! I never spill secrets."

Bakugou unlocks his dorm room door and watches Kiri walk in before him. Bakugou smells his shampoo, it’s a mix of something woody and sweet.

"You're spilling right now."

"Yeah but to you, that’s different."

He sits down in the desk chair, swiveling around a bit. Digging the heels of his feet into the beige carpet. He’s barefoot in Bakugou’s room and it feels intimate. Bakugou snaps a laugh, it’s dry. Kirishima perks up at it.

"It’s not different, you’re making shit up."

"Uh yeah? I like sharing with you?"

"You like talking to everyone."

He drops himself on the floor, back pressed to Kiri's shins and tipping his head back over the redhead’s knees. It’s a bit uncomfortable but it gives Bakugou enough control over the situation. Not that he’d need it here. Kiri's hands gently weave themselves through towel dried blond hair, fingertips pressing against his scalp.

"I like talking to you most though," he says simply.

"Ew."

Kirishima laughs, Bakugou closes his eyes. He lets Kiri work his fingers through his hair, lets his nails scrape and scratch in all the right places and with every minute passing by he feels the headache less and less.

They're quiet for a bit and then he goes, "Hanta's whipped as fuck."

"I KNEW it!"

The ceiling light bathes them in warm white and the sky outside is hidden behind curtains.

[quokkacore]

do you believe in magic? [kim yugyeom]

summary: Inspired by the HP quote, “Me dad’s a muggle. Mam’s a witch. Bit of a nasty shock for him when he found out.”

pairing: kim yugyeom x fem witch!reader

genre: fluff, witch!au

warnings: mild language, yugyeom faints? idk

song rec: lizzo - deep

word count: 2.1k

a/n: this was originally posted to my old writing blog on september 15th, 2018. happy reading! <3

masterlist

Kim Yugyeom was lucky he was cute.

It wasn’t that he was stupid. Not at all — Yugyeom could be very smart when he wanted to. No, your Gyeommie was just… oblivious.

Oblivious to the fact that his girlfriend, which was to say, you, was a witch.

You’d been dating Yugyeom for almost a year now, and needless to say, things were getting pretty serious.

For most people, the way romance worked, had maybe four steps. One, you meet, two, you fall in love, three, you start dating, and if things are that serious, then… four, you get married.

For witches, specifically the witches that decided to date non-witches (muggles, no-majs, mortals, humans, or whatever you call them), there were always five steps: to tell the person they were dating that, hey, they were a witch. Some opted to wedge the extra step in between three and four, but you had heard of a few that had left it as a fifth step.

Which never really ended well, or so you’d heard. So that was why, as your first anniversary approached, you’d decided to start dropping more hints about your abilities to your boyfriend, who really, really sucked at picking them up.

Your black cat, for one. You’d gotten Jules before you started dating, but you’d realized something the first time Yugyeom had met your cat.

“Why a black cat?” He’d asked, before jokingly adding, “They’re bad luck, you know. And they’re friends with witches.”

There were several things you wanted to answer with. That black cats weren’t bad luck, and, yes, they were friends with witches. Why did he think you had one? But instead, you’d answered with the most stupid words you’d ever heard yourself say.

“In this house, we don’t approve of cat racism.”

And he’d lost it.

Since then, things had gotten more serious. You’d met his parents. He’d met yours (in what was the most nerve wracking night of your life, but that was a story for another time). He’d even asked if you wanted to move in, which was what made you realize just how serious that things were starting to get. A few nights later, before falling asleep, you asked him a question.

“Gyeom?” You murmured, and you felt a soft rumble from his chest as he let out a quiet, “Hmm?”

“Do you believe in magic?”

He craned his head to look at you in the dim light. His eyebrows were furrowed, and his lips were pouting slightly as he contemplated the question. “Why do you ask?” He asked back a few moments later.

You could feel your heart in your throat as you contemplated telling him in that very moment. You opened your mouth to speak, ready to tell him.

“No reason,” You answered instead, “I just… I just think sometimes that whatever force brought us together had to have been, uhh, magical, for you and I to be so perfect for each other.”

As his eyebrows remained furrowed, his lips grew into a small smile.

“You are so cheesy sometimes,” He replied, pressing a kiss to your forehead, “I love you.”

“I love you too, Gyeommie.” You couldn’t help but feel disappointed in yourself, mentally slapping yourself for being such a wimp.

Still, he smiled slightly wider and his grip tightened a little on your waist, calming your nerves. And you fell asleep like that, wishing you could tell the truth about who you really were.

There was also the slight fear of him thinking you were a freak or being angry once you told him. You’d even asked yourself if he’d attack you, as you’d heard it happen before, but immediately discarded the thought.

This was Kim freaking Yugyeom, the boy who’d taken you for a walk in the park during summertime and refused to kill a mosquito that had landed on his arm because, “The little dude’s just living his life. You wouldn’t like it if you were eating a grilled cheese and someone just decided to merk you.”

…Yeah, you were safe.

So you continued dropping hints. Each and every one went completely ignored, as if he were leaving you on read in person. First, you decided to reorganize your tarot cards in front of him when he was visiting your apartment.

“Cool!” He answered, “I didn’t know you played poker. Maybe you can teach me.”

He took another bite of the sandwich he’d made himself, before wiggling his eyebrows. “I’ve always wanted to play strip poker, you know.”

His tone was playful, and you laughed. But at the same time… Does he really not know the difference between tarot cards and playing cards?

“They’re not poker cards, babe,” You explained as he finished his sandwich, “They’re tarot cards.”

He tilted his head, his silver earrings dangling.

“I’ve never heard of that game, how do you play?”

“Gyeom, it’s not a game—”

You were interrupted by the sound of Yugyeom’s phone. He fished it out of his pocket, before mumbling, “Just a sec, jagi.”

He answered the phone. “Bam, what’s up? Dude, calm down. What? Now? I can’t, I have to… Fuck, Bam, fine, I’ll be there in ten minutes. You owe me, big time.”

He hung up, sighing as he carded a hand through his hair. You furrowed your eyebrows. “What’s up with Bambam?” You asked, watching him pick up his jacket from the couch.

“His cat’s going into labor,” He groaned, “He’s freaking out. He wants me to help him.”

Pulling on his denim jacket, he walked towards you to press a kiss to your cheek. “Teach me your game another time, babe. I gotta go, I’m sorry.”

He started toward your apartment door, opening it hastily. “Wait, Yugyeom—”

But he was already gone, leaving you dumbfounded.

And that was only the first attempt.

You tried making some tea because, hey, infusions are witchy. He told you that you didn’t need to diet because you were beautiful just the way you are. Which was sweet, but, also mildly frustrating.

You’d left your book of shadows out where he could see it, on a page full of runes and sigils. He’d told you that you were a great abstract artist. You’d even started watching movies with witches in them while he was around, like Hocus Pocus or Practical Magic, even though you had a strong distaste for how misrepresented you felt.

Finally, for your anniversary, after going out for a nice dinner, you gave him a DVD set of the first season of Game of Thrones, because you knew he’d been wanting to start watching it.

“It has magic in it,” You said in a sing-song tone when he unwrapped it, back at his apartment. He turned his head to look at you, his dark eyes glittering. “I get it now, Y/N,” He answered, and your eyes went wide.

“Y-you do?”

He nodded, smiling at you, and you felt your heart swell. “I looked up what tarot was,” He began, “It’s a form of… divination, right?”

You nodded proudly, grinning. Finally!

“That, and then the tea leaves, the drawings in your journal, then the movies, and this? Babe…”

You were so happy, you could scream.

“…You really didn’t have to go that far with the whole ‘what we have is magical’ bit, jagi, but, damn, this is so sweet. I love you.”

Your smile faded. “What?” You asked, blinking.

“What?” He asked back, his tone different from yours. You sounded confused, he sounded even more confused. “Y-you think this is a play on my words, Yugyeom?”

He blinked, scratching at the back of his neck and looking awkward as hell. “Is that… not what this is?”

You stood up, shaking your head. “I… need some water.”

You walked over to the kitchen, but he followed you as you did. “What?” He asked innocently from behind you, “What did I do?”

Not looking back, even though the whiny tone he took was adorable, you opened his refrigerator to grab a bottle of water. Opening it, you shook your head, “Nothing, Gyeom. Forget about it.”

You took a swig of your water, turning back to face him. He looked frustrated. “No,” he answered, stepping closer to you, “I won’t.”

“Really, Gyeommie, it’s not a big deal…”

“Of course it’s a big deal,” He replied, eyebrows furrowing as he gently took the water bottle from your hands, and set it on the counter in a haste, “I want you to be happy, and that can’t happen if you’re not letting me know what’s bothering you.”

“Yugyeom, I… You’ll think I’m crazy.”

“I’d still love you,” He murmured, pressing his forehead against yours, and you felt your eyes flutter shut, “No matter what you do, Y/N, I’m gonna love you.”

One of his big hands grasped yours, and you smiled as he pecked you on the lips. The other hand went to the counter, sandwiching you between it and him.

“Tell me, baby,” He murmured, as you opened your eyes, looking up at him.

You took a deep breath, bracing yourself to tell him, and you felt his free hand, the one against the counter, move. You opened your mouth, but nothing came out.

He smiled warmly, still moving his free hand to be more comfortable. “Come on, Y/N, I’m sure it’s not that bad— waitnoholycrap!”

As he’d been moving his hand along the counter, he’d accidentally managed to tip over your water bottle, which was still uncapped. Both his head and yours moved to watch it fall over, things seeming to move in slow motion.

Your eyes widened as Yugyeom broke away from you and moved to grab it, and you held out a hand instinctively, closing your eyes as you braced yourself to get splashed by cold water.

You opened one eye when it never came.

You were met with Yugyeom looking at you, eyes wide as the moon. He looked pale as hell, mouth agape. You opened both eyes, and stared at him for a moment, before realizing what had freaked him out so much, as you turned to look down at the bottle of water, which was, surprise, surprise, levitating. No water had spilled from it, thankfully.

“What the— H-how—”

You flicked your wrist upwards, watching as the bottle of water floated upwards, before settling itself back on the counter. You glanced back at your boyfriend, whose eyes had somehow managed to get even bigger. “D-did you… How did you even…?”

“Gyeom,” You mumbled, staring up at him, “Do you believe in magic?”

He blinked, pointing at the bottle, and then you, and then back at the bottle. “You— But— Wait, that’s what this was all about?”

You nodded sympathetically. “I’m sorry, I wanted to tell you sooner, but I…”

Your words were lost on Yugyeom, who was already in his own world. “You just… and you… water bottle…”

His words faded off to somewhere, and a few seconds later, he did too. His eyes rolled up into his head, and he started falling forward, and you caught him before he could hit his head on anything. You never imagined this would happen.

“Yugyeom?” You asked, tone worried but also slightly amused. “B-Babe?”

A half hour and one more levitation spell later, Yugyeom came to in his bed, with you sitting next to him as you applied a cold cloth to his forehead. His eyes cracked open, and he rasped out, “Y/N?”

“Hey,” You murmured, “How are you doing?”

“D-did you really—"

“Make the water bottle float? Yeah. Yeah, I did. This entire time, Gyeommie, I’ve been wanting to tell you the truth. A-and now you know, I’m a witch.”

Yugyeom took a deep breath, eyes looking up at his ceiling. “Goddamn,” He mumbled, “I high key thought I was going crazy for a moment.”

You chuckled, shaking your head lightly. “You’re not, Gyeom. I swear.”

He didn’t respond, and your heart went into overdrive. And when your heart went into overdrive, you tended to word vomit. “I mean, I understand if you wouldn’t want to date me because of it, I know it’s weird and if you want to break up I’m not gonna stop you even though I love you andyou’rereallyspecialtomeactuallywaitnopleasedon’tbreakupwithmeGyeom—!”

“Woah, woah. Calm down, Y/N…” He grabbed your hand, and squeezed. You instinctively squeezed back. “Why would I break up with you over the fact that you’re, like, Hermione Granger?”

You laughed, shaking your head. “I don’t know… I’ve heard about it happening before…”

He shook his head, removing the cloth from his forehead and slowly sitting up. “Nothing could keep me away from you, jagiya. Not even magic, which, now, at least, I do believe in. Does that answer your question?”

He leaned in to kiss you again, and you felt how the both of you were smiling.

When you broke away, his nose and forehead were resting against yours, and you opened your eyes to be met with his.

“Does this mean that we can go on a date on your flying broomstick? You know, Kiki’s Delivery Service style?”

“Gyeom, those don’t exist.”

“Wait, what? You mean my entire life has been a lie?”

Yeah. This was gonna be good.

[ladylynse]

Whirlwind (SQ fic): Jake should be used to ominous predictions by now. Randy should know better than to blindly follow McFist. Adrien should think twice before sneaking away. And Danny should’ve expected something like this when he got that phone call.

Chapter 10 [FF | AO3]

Previous | Timeline post

-|-

7:36 PM

“Um, guys?” Danny said as he looked up. He might not be a dragon expert by any stretch of the imagination, but he’d spent enough time with Dora—and Jake, really—to be able to pick out the sound of giant wingbeats above the general noise of the city.

“Not now,” Jake hissed at him, pointing with his free hand to his cell phone. “I’m still on with Trixie.”

“No, Danny’s right,” Nino said, and he must have followed Danny’s gaze. “We need to move. Now.”

There was a squeak from beside him that was probably Haley. Randy had already seen the dragon, after all. Both of them were looking up, too, and must have seen Susan fly past quickly enough that she was hardly more than a flash of deeper darkness against the cloudy sky. Nightfall worked in Jake’s favour, at least. It was hard to see much of anything up there from street level.

“Here’s the plan,” Nino said, and Danny turned to him. “Get in the air. Follow her. Stay invisible, and keep us posted via these things.” He tapped his Fenton Phone. “Randy and I will transform. We’ll be distractions, since I’m assuming we’ll still be easy targets in the dark.” Haley nodded, and he continued, “Once you’re invisible, you can get close to her and grab her necklace. Just take it and get out of there, as far as you can. Don’t break it until Jake hears back from his contact about something to contain the akuma.”

Danny hadn’t exactly tested how well being invisible at night helped combat a dragon’s magical sight, but he didn’t have to heart to say that right now. He still had a better chance than the other two. In theory, at least.

“What about me?” Haley asked.

“Dragon,” Danny reminded Nino. It was easy to forget. Jake might argue it, but Danny didn’t think Haley pulled off fierce very well.

“You’d be too much of a target.”

“Just because I’m younger than you, it doesn’t mean I’m useless! You said you wanted distractions.”

“Distractions, not bait.” Nino pulled a face. “Look, I’m sorry, but I don’t want you to get hurt, and—”

“You don’t even know what I can do!”

“Let her do what she does best,” Danny suggested. “The cute little girl schtick. Sic her on McFist and Rotwood. If Trixie and Spud don’t end up fetching something from the shop, they can help her when they get here.”

Nino frowned down at Haley. “Does Rotwood know who you are?”

She shrugged. “He’s met me. He mostly focuses on Jake so he might not remember me. I might just be like any other cute little girl he’s seen.” She flashed a smile.

“I’ll give her some weapons,” Randy said. “Just a sec.” No doubt still wary of cameras, he ducked behind the dumpster and reappeared a few seconds later as the Ninja, holding out some throwing stars and different coloured balls. “These should help you keep them distracted without giving that Rotwood guy evidence of dragons.” He glanced in the direction Susan had flown and then amended, “More evidence of dragons, anyway.”

“I don’t have my backpack,” Haley said, eyeing the weapons that were overflowing from Randy’s hands.

“Here, you can take my sweater,” Nino said. He shot a worried glance at the mouth of the alley and then pulled off his hoodie, making sure to keep his back to the street. “I won’t need it as Chat Noir, anyway.”

The hooded sweatshirt swam on Haley, but it did the trick, and Randy made sure her pockets were full. “Aren’t you worried about McFist realizing that’s all Ninja stuff?” Danny asked as Nino crouched behind the dumpster to change.

“He’s bound to already know the Ninja’s in town. Or at least that a Ninja’s in town. If I’m lucky, he doesn’t realize it’s me and not, like, the Ninja of New York City.”

Danny wasn’t entirely convinced, but it was Randy’s neck, not his. Besides, his enemies all knew his real identity, and they hadn’t all used it against him. Just…most of them. He would almost swear that Technus had hacked into the school’s mainframe last time he’d attacked and figured out when Danny had major exams scheduled, as he or Skulker would invariably show up, and—

“Here, take one of these, too,” Randy said, handing one last ball to Haley. “Just be extra careful with that one. It’s a Ninja Bee Ball.”

She looked at it warily. “McFist’s not allergic, is he?”

“I have no idea. But he’d have health insurance. He’ll be fine.”

She didn’t look convinced, so Danny added, “The paramedics working the venue tonight would still be on site. Too many people are hanging around for them to have packed up and gone home. I don’t think they’d be able to just leave mid shift anyway.”

“Why is she even worried about that?” Randy asked in a loud whisper as Haley tucked away the Ninja Bee Ball and trotted to the edge of the alley, looking both ways before darting off to join the thinning crowd and find Rotwood and his new Ninja-destroying friend. “I never worry about that, and it’s always worked out for me!”

Danny shrugged. “I personally have more of a thing against ghost mosquitoes and giant hornets. If she doesn’t use it, she doesn’t use it. The important thing is that she buys us time to deal with the dragon.”

“Do you think Jake’s mom’ll even pay attention to me? She didn’t before.”

“You weren’t with me before,” Nino said, and Danny jumped. Geez, that guy could sneak up on people. Danny was far more used to sneaking up on people and scaring them than having it happen to him—mostly because of his ghost sense, but also because Tucker—

Someone shouted something made incomprehensible by distance. They all glanced in the direction it had come from, despite not being able to see anything, and waited for the screaming to start.

It didn’t.

Had no one spotted the dragon coming back? Someone must have been looking. Had she flown high enough? Or simply cleverly enough, avoiding the majority of the sightlines? Did she have some power that most dragons didn’t, something they hadn’t seen her use yet? Danny wouldn’t put anything past someone who could use magic like that, not after his experiences with Desiree.

Nino was the first to look away and call their attention back to him. “She’s clever, even more so since she has all this existing knowledge of dragons. We need to be careful, and need to take her out fast.”

“So we just, what, come out swinging?” Randy asked. “Or, ooh, how about I use my scarf to get on her back and ride her? That would be so bruce, being a dragon rider.”

Nino stared at Randy for a few seconds. His ears twitched. (Danny was pretty sure he hadn’t just imagined that. Magic would surely make it possible for the cat ears to move on their own.) After a beat, Nino said, “Well, it would be a distraction, I guess. But she’ll try to protect her necklace at any cost. She might’ve been ignoring you earlier, but she won’t if you’re that close it. And you can’t fly.”

Randy laughed; Danny wasn’t even sure if he’d been paying attention to Chat Noir’s warnings. “This will be the cheese! The Nomicon’s bound to teach me how to do the Ninja Dragon Fist after that.”

“Wait,” Danny said, remembering the term from earlier. “The Nomicon. That’s that thing that gave you that advice, right?”

Danny didn’t need to see Randy’s face to know that he was frowning. “The super unhelpful advice? Yeah. I mean, c’mon. To cleanse the soul, one must first clear the mind. I’ve figured it out now. It’s telling me to focus. As if I’m not focusing already. I mean, dragon. Super bruce. Definitely focusing on that. And trying to stop the whole panic and chaos thing from happening.”

“It’s not telling you that you need to focus,” Nino said slowly. “It’s telling you that we can get through to her.”

“What?”

Danny wasn’t entirely sure what Nino meant, either.

“Hawk Moth’s magic is a corruption of what it should be,” Nino said, as if that explained anything. “To free her of it, we need to help her clear her head. Snap her out of it.”

“By breaking the necklace and releasing the butterfly?” Randy prompted. “Isn’t that how it works?”

“But we might not need to,” insisted Nino. “You already said she’s different.” He hesitated, then amended, “At least, even if we do have to break it and free the akuma, if we can get through to her, she might be strong enough not to fight us. That would make your job a lot easier, Phantom.”

Danny wasn’t going to bet that anything would be easy, but he’d take easier if it wouldn’t blow up in their faces. Which it almost certainly would. His luck was terrible, Jake’s was obviously no better, Randy’s couldn’t be great if this McFist guy had shown up, and Nino, well…. Bad luck was following him around right now, even if it didn’t usually back in Paris—although the fact that he was a masked hero no doubt meant it did, even though this Hawk Moth guy not having what he wanted yet was definitely a point in cat boy’s favour.

Maybe a whole bunch of awful luck mixed with effort, skill, and desperation would let them come out on top.

“Might as well try it. Worst that happens is that it doesn’t work,” Danny said. “You guys head out; I’ll fill in Jake and catch up.”

They both nodded before jumping into action, Nino extending his staff and immediately disappearing to the rooftops and Randy darting across the street before swinging up to climb a fire escape on the other side. Danny drifted over to Jake, who didn’t look particularly happy. He held up one finger and kept talking to Trixie.

He finished, flipped the phone closed with a groaned, “Aw, maaaan,” and Danny didn’t need to ask.

Instead, Danny said, “Nino thinks Randy’s Nomicon thing might be saying we can get through this without freeing the akuma. He’s not sure and was hoping you’d have something to deal with it, but I’m guessing not.”

“Yeah, not. It’s not like I have Pandora’s Box just lying around.”

“It’s in the Ghost Zone,” Danny reminded him.

“So you say.” Jake sighed. “G can’t think of anything we have that won’t eventually be affected by the corrupted magic.”

“How soon of an eventually? Could Nino get back to Paris with it?”

“It would be more likely to get out while he was still on the plane, and that wouldn’t be good for anyone. Fu’s got Marty on guard duty at the shop, at least, but he can only pull so many strings, and I don’t know if he can get something to us in time.” He hesitated. “Do you think we could use your Infi-Map? That’s how you got here, isn’t it?”

“It’s not exactly my map,” Danny said slowly. “I can’t really control it. It takes you where you need to be more often than where you want to go.”

“But wouldn’t you and Nino need to be in Paris to get Ladybug’s help?”

“Probably,” Danny allowed, “but we’re just as likely to wind up somewhere else. If it were that reliable, we could use it to find this Hawk Moth guy and fight him instead of your mom. Besides, Nino and I wouldn’t both need to be back in the NYC, and how’s Nino going to explain how he got home if he disappears here? Or if the map takes us somewhere else entirely? I can fly, but he would not be comfortable piggybacking that way for a long trip, even if I went intangible.”

Jake frowned. “Fine. What about one of your parent’s ghost-catching thermoses?”

“It contains ghostly magic. It might work. I dunno. It’s not like I’ve ever tried it. Does Spud still have the one he made?”

Jake nodded and flipped his phone back open, already typing as he said, “He should. I’ll text him. He can grab it, just in case.” He met Danny’s gaze for a second, adding, “I’m assuming we need to be fighting now, since the others are gone.”

“Nino might be right, you know. If Rotwood’s here and you show up, he’ll have a field day.”

“As if he’s not going to already?”

“Haley’s going to try to distract him and this McFist guy. Did you put Trixie and Spud on that, too?”

“She’s going to do a quick scout of the shop in case Fu or Gramps forgot anything, but Spud’s going to come and do that, yeah. Well, I guess he’ll head home for the thermos and then come do that. They’ll both come, anyway. Just not right away. And Haley said Sun’s going to start doing damage control for us instead of being another set of eyes. She figures that’ll be of more use. Which I guess it is, since Mom—” Jake’s voice broke “—I mean, the dragon came back. I know G was talking about spreading rumours of this being something it’s not, but honestly Sun will be better at that kind of thing than he is.”

Danny bit his lip. “You’re not going to sit this out, are you?”

“I’m the American Dragon. You know I can’t.” He waved a hand in the general direction of the ruined gala and added, “The fire was my fault, Mom getting akumatized was my fault, and the fact that this Hawk Moth guy has been active in Paris is basically our fault, too. Dragons are supposed to protect the magical world, and the French Dragon hasn’t been replaced since the Strigoi got him.”

“Too few in number, huh?”

Jake just grunted. He probably didn’t care about the politics of it all. He would just care that people were getting hurt. And that Hawk Moth was giving magic and magical creatures a bad name at the same time as convincing a lot of people they existed.

“You dragon up. I’ll stick with you and keep you invisible for as long as I can. When I get an opening, I’ll grab the necklace—and hopefully your appearance will be enough of a distraction if Randy and Nino aren’t.”

“Remember that dragons can touch ghosts,” Jake said, as if Danny didn’t remember all the inconvenient things about dealing with living dragons. Still, truth was, they needed to surprise Hawk Moth more than Susan. She might know a lot about dragons, but it was highly unlikely he did. “And even when you’re invisible, if I’m really looking, I can see you. Sorta. In the right light.”

“Yeah,” Danny said. “I remember.”

This wasn’t the first time he’d worked with Jake. If they pulled this off, it likely wouldn’t be the last. It was nice, knowing he’d have a magical ally he could call upon if things ever got a particular type of tricky, and…. And it would be nice if the others decided they felt that way, too, when this was all over, however it ended up.

7:41 PM

Haley wasn’t sure she looked as cute as she possibly could while wearing Nino’s oversized hoodie with its pockets stuffed to bursting, but she still had a smile that would melt anyone’s heart. The plaza was easily well lit enough for people to see it, too, which helped. Showing her smile instead of her fear meant most people didn’t give her a second glance.

The first task was getting through the crowd without being stopped, so she employed the usual tactic of attaching herself to the nearest adult whenever someone noticed her. It was easy enough to pretend to be part of someone else’s group for a few seconds, either as a daughter or a family friend. People didn’t question it; they didn’t expect someone her age to be alone, so they saw what they wanted to see, especially when she kept the worry off her face.

When she needed to keep moving, she’d look for someone going in the direction she wanted to go and follow them, just closely enough that it looked natural but not so closely that they’d get that sense of being followed unless they were really good. In her experience, most people weren’t, especially old white men like Rotwood and McFist—and there were enough of those around a place like this, often accompanied with women wearing dresses that could amount to her mom’s yearly salary.

Haley never specifically called out for any parents, of course—it wouldn’t do for heads to turn and no one’s face to light up with recognition or relief—but she did occasionally raise her hand to wave to someone who wasn’t there, banking on the fact that anyone who noticed would think she was waving at someone else. She never answered anyone else’s call for someone with coming, but she would make a show of perking up and moving in that direction if it were where she wanted to go.

It was the little things. Young children on their own in a place like this? Suspicious. Curious youngsters exploring rumours of a dragon sighting who accidentally got separated from their parents, but not straying far enough that they couldn’t be found again? Much more likely.

Nino’s hoodie might actually help her in that respect. It just screamed having a big brother, even though it still smelled new and the forgotten tail of a plastic tag sometimes poked the back of her neck.

Haley stopped where she thought Rotwood wouldn’t notice her. He and McFist had stopped themselves and were talking; she couldn’t make out their words without resorting to ear of the dragon, but that was risky if Rotwood recognized her despite having her hood up.

Her job was to distract them while the others found and fought—saved—her mom.

She could do that.

If her usual cuteness failed her—that is, if Rotwood recognized her—then she’d simply lead them away and keep them busy with everything Randy had given her.

Haley glanced skyward one last time, took a deep breath, and then walked over and tugged on McFist’s arm. “Excuse me, mister?”

He glanced down at her, annoyance melting into confusion. “I’m, ah, not whoever you’re looking for. I’m in the middle of a business meeting. Maybe you could talk to someone else.”

It was a politer version of ‘get lost, kid’ than she’d expected, but she stuck out her bottom lip and let it quiver. “I’m scared.”

He frowned at her. “Of the dragon? I don’t know if it’s coming back.”

They hadn’t noticed Susan’s return. Haley tried not to let her relief show on her face. “I hope it doesn’t,” she whimpered, edging closer to McFist as Rotwood dropped into a crouch.

“You saw this dragon?” he asked, and she saw him blink in startled recognition even as she turned her face away. “Wait. I have seen you before. You are Jake Long’s sister!”

She cowered behind McFist’s leg, burying her face in his jacket, but Rotwood didn’t buy it. He grabbed her arm and pulled, ignoring McFist’s surprised shout. “You see this girl?” Rotwood said to McFist, brandishing the arm he still held and shaking her enough that her hood slipped down. She guarded the full pockets with her free hand, trying not to lose any of the ammunition she’d need to use sooner rather than later at this rate. “She is a dragon!”

“Right,” McFist said, and Haley knew from Rotwood’s souring expression that she wasn’t the only one who’d caught McFist’s quick glances to the side.

“I am telling you the truth!” insisted Rotwood. “She is a dragon, just like her brother!”

Rotwood had nothing on him to force a change on her—he would have pulled it out already if he had—so Haley let out another whimper of fear. Whatever she might tell the others later, it wasn’t faked. She had to put on a brave face, especially around Jake or he’d have sent her home with loud complaints about regretting asking for her help, but she knew exactly how scary this was and exactly how much was at risk if the situation got much worse.

She didn’t know for sure that McFist had been in the crowd earlier, but she didn’t think Rotwood would still be talking to him if he hadn’t been, which meant McFist had seen her mother. He’d seen the dragon. If Rotwood couldn’t convince him that dragons were real after that—

“They hide,” Rotwood hissed, shaking her again. Haley looked around, but no one else was looking their way. If anyone saw anything, they were ignoring it. She swallowed back the bitterness in her throat. She hadn’t wanted to be seen, but it still hurt. How could people just ignore this?

“Hide.” McFist’s voice was flat. Good. Maybe he didn’t believe Rotwood after all. That would work in her favour. That would—

“They wear human skin. This is just how she looks as a human!”

Rotwood gave her another violent shake, and Haley felt one of the throwing balls Randy had given her slip out of the hoodie’s pocket and past her fingers.

It hit the ground, bounced once, and rolled to a stop between them.

Rotwood stopped shaking her, staring with McFist at the little blue ball that now rested on the cobbles at their feet.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then McFist said, “Wait, is that—?”

Ice erupted, frosting the street within a five foot radius, and Haley jerked free of Rotwood’s arm. She clamped one arm around her waist to contain the rest of her weapons as she bent down and shot a small flicker of fire towards her shoes, thawing it enough to wrench her feet free.

She only took two steps before another hand caught her arm, strong metal fingers digging into her through the thick fabric of the hoodie.

“Where, exactly,” McFist said, in a low growl that told her he’d be shouting if it wouldn’t have drawn more attention to them, as if the ice at their feet weren’t suspicious enough, “did you get a Ninja Cold Ball?”

7:41 PM

“That’s Chat Noir.” Hawk Moth’s voice rang in her head. “I need his ring.”

Susan could see the ring in question as easily as she could see Chat Noir himself. He was surefooted, running with ease where others would hesitate and wobble and balance precariously, and he used his staff as an extension of himself, vaulting through the air without needing to think about where he positioned it before he leapt. That spoke of talent, skill, and oh so much practice.

This was far from Chat Noir’s first fight, which meant Hawk Moth hadn’t yet managed to best him.

Hawk Moth’s search for power had brought him here, to find a way to conquer his enemies. It was laughable that his enemy—one of his enemies?—had found him. Even if it were mere coincidence, it hardly boded well for his venture.

“Focus,” Hawk Moth hissed. “If you cannot focus, perhaps I’ll need to find a way to draw out your son.”

“A trade, then.” It was not something she should be contemplating. “My son for this Chat Noir.”

“We have already struck our bargain, Dracona.” The name sent a shudder through her, and she lost a bit of height as she spasmed. “You’ve already agreed to fetch me Chat Noir’s ring, just as you agreed to tell me about this city’s heroes.”

Tell, but not sacrifice. Tell, but not necessarily turn against.

She could fulfill their bargain to the letter, but she didn’t need to fulfill the spirit of it if she could find a way around it. She could still save her son. She could still keep Haley from being involved. She could still—

She couldn’t save Chat Noir without endangering Jake and the others.

Not if Chat Noir crossed her path.

She’d only agreed to fetch his ring if he crossed her path.

She banked abruptly to her right, hearing a surprised, “What the juice?” from the Ninja as he pulled up short.

There was more shouting behind her, no doubt as Chat Noir joined the Ninja, but she didn’t look back.

“Dracona.”

She could feel his threat reverberating in her bones.

“You cannot break our agreement. Now turn around and fight them!”

The heat was rising in her belly. Each wingbeat was becoming more strained, weighted by her foolish promise. How could she have sacrificed anyone’s freedom for her own? And yet— How could she give this up, now that she’d tasted it? If Chat Noir had fought people like her before, he’d know exactly how to take all of this away from her.

She didn’t want to let him do that.

She didn’t want to give Hawk Moth any reason to try to use Jake against her. She was sure he still didn’t quite know, didn’t quite understand, but he knew and understood enough. He knew she considered Jake a hero, knew he’d fought against people much like Hawk Moth before, and he— He might even know that Jake was special—magical—even if he didn’t know why.

But Jake would be here soon enough whether or not Hawk Moth tried to deliberately draw him out.

She was circling back before she realized what she was doing. She dodged a fireball shot at her by the Ninja and sent one at him in return. She could deal with him easily enough if he became a problem, but ultimately, he wasn’t her concern. He wasn’t one of this town’s heroes. He wasn’t Chat Noir. She didn’t have to…. She could spare him.

Chat Noir darted in front of her, joining the Ninja. She could hear his frantic whispers, about Hawk Moth, about what he thought he knew about her. He was a fool, just as she’d been a fool.

She couldn’t protect Chat Noir. Certainly, she couldn’t protect him if she wanted to protect Jake. She’d have to get this ring. She could feel how much Hawk Moth wanted it. It was real, tangible, so much more useful than information he couldn’t easily apply. If she succeeded in this, he might be satisfied.

Chat Noir and the Ninja split up. She focused on her target, whose acrobatics were better than some of the Huntsclan initiates she’d met—about as good as Huntsgirl’s had been before she’d only become Rose and never one of the Huntsclan.

Behind her, the Ninja’s latest fireball rolled harmlessly off her scales. She adjusted her wings and weight and whipped her tail in his general direction, spinning into a roll with the additional momentum. Even though she didn’t hit anything, she heard a yelp behind her. She shot forward at an angle to Chat Noir, keeping him in her sights. He danced away from her, staying just past what he must think was the reach of her flame.

Pity he’d misjudged the distance.

The plume of fire she sent at him was still short of how far she could send it, if necessary, but it was long enough for what she wanted. Her goal was to cut him off and force him to his left; nothing more. He flipped away from the fire, and she started to follow his movements, but a hand-shaped wave closed around her flame and turned to steam, neatly providing a screen for Chat Noir’s escape.

Seems she hadn’t done enough to knock the Ninja off his game after all.

She hadn’t wanted to involve him, but she wouldn’t have a choice if he insisted on involving himself. She needed to finish this quickly, before Jake tried to get involved. She wasn’t sure she could protect him if he came.

Besides, it wasn’t as if she intended to hurt Chat Noir or the Ninja. She didn’t. She simply wanted Chat Noir’s ring. Now, if they got hurt trying to stop her, well, she could hardly pull all her punches and expect to finish this soon enough to avoid Jake’s interference.

A few heavy wingbeats brought her higher and forced the Ninja and Chat Noir to brace themselves. Chat Noir had planted his staff against the rooftop, and both he and the Ninja were hanging onto it, heads together. Indistinct murmuring reached her ears, but rather than focus to figure out what they were saying, she sent a blast of fire at them and drove them apart.

They spiralled in opposite directions. The Ninja reached into his pocket to pull out another one of those ice bombs of his. He lobbed it in her direction, and it caught the tip of her foot as she moved away. She shrieked as not ice but electricity erupted from it, racing through her body and causing her to drop. She hit the roof, something snapping beneath her weight, and the Ninja conjured another fist of water and threw it at her. Before she had time to blink all the water from her eyes, he’d tossed more of those Ninja Electro-Balls at her.

Chat Noir vaulted back into view before she’d found her feet, no doubt hoping the Ninja’s attack had incapacitated her. She waited and caught her breath, more than happy to pretend that all those Ninja Rings and Ninja Throwing Stars the Ninja was hurling her way hurt more than they did. He clearly had no idea how much her scales protected her, and she felt no need to correct his assumption right now.

Now that the electricity had dispersed, Chat Noir was coming at her in a zigzagging run. He split his staff into two as he went and then threw one half. She twisted her head out of the way—it had been aimed for her eye—and sent a stream of flame at his other hand, intending to heat the metal before he could throw it.

She saw the Ninja’s scarf wrap around his torso and jerk him backwards before her fire could reach him. The Ninja gave Chat Noir a handful of coloured balls and then sprinted behind her and out of sight, considering she wasn’t about to take her eyes off Chat Noir. She thrashed her tail, hoping to knock the Ninja off his feet even as Chat Noir took aim and began to throw.

To say that the first explosion stung was an understatement, and she gave up her pretence of helplessness as two more followed in quick succession. She was recovered enough now, and she didn’t like being made the fool.

Her first step forward proved to be a mistake, as her foot slipped out from under her in a pile of marbles. She sent her full force of flame at Chat Noir then, but the Ninja was back with his staff, and he’d rejoined the halves and was spinning it to dissipate her fire.

They were talking again.

She was getting so tired of them talking. Planning. Plotting. She just needed Chat Noir’s ring. She simply—

The Ninja’s suit burned red with magic, her split-second warning that another fireball was coming her way. She met it with her own, raising herself up with a roar and using the wind from her wingbeats to try to knock them off their feet again. This time, the Ninja toppled, unprepared, though Chat Noir crouched and managed to keep his feet.

“You must get his ring,” whispered Hawk Moth in her head, “but do not let him touch your necklace.”

They were fighting her from a distance.

For them, that made it a fairer fight.

But she didn’t have to fight fair.

She could get close to them without letting them get too close to her.

She sent another blast of fire towards them as cover before flying over the flames and diving toward them, talons outstretched.

(see more fics | next)

[sherlollydramoine]

Because I Love You

Prompt 3: “you did this”

Fandom: The Pacific/HBO War - Modern Day AU

Pairing: Sledgefu

Word Count: 1621

Warnings: There aren’t any warnings other than maybe some language. PG/PG-13

This is my first foray into Sledgefu but I’ve been wanting to write them FOREVER. I’m sure I’ve got the characterization all wrong but I was nervous.

Pulling into the driveway slowly as it was late and the gravel under the tires of the old truck always feels deafening in the silence of night. Shifting the truck into park and turning the key over to shut down the engine, he lets out a tired sigh. He was a bit bitter that he’d had to go to a study group on Halloween but there was a major exam next week and he couldn’t afford to miss the study session. The love of his life had been understanding though the disappointment on his face was clearly visible. Halloween was always their special thing and they often spent it getting way too drunk and having way too much fun. But with so much that had been going on this year with a global pandemic, political and civil unrest, and so much brutality in the world all of that had been canceled. 

Eugene was weary, so done with everyone’s shit but mostly he just wanted to be done with school. His lover was mostly patient and kind to him though to others his husband was often perceived as hard and mean. Whenever Eugene brings it up Merriell just smiles and says that he has a reputation to uphold. Looking at his reflection in the rearview mirror he runs his fingers through his ginger hair lets out another tired sigh and grabs the bag off the seat next to him. 

The door to the truck loud as it’s old rusted hinges protested with an angry squeak before slamming it shut behind him. Wanting nothing more than to take a shower and go to bed he exhaustedly shuffled his way across the drive and up the stairs of the rickety porch. The one porch light that was in working order was on emitting a low glow and he could hear the moths and whatever other flying insects had gathered to worship in the light repeatedly flying into the light cover. As he pulls open the screen door he notices a piece of paper haphazardly fastened to the door and his heart nearly drops into his stomach. Ah fuck, please don’t let it be another shutoff notice.

Yanking the paper down and squinting in the dimness of the half lit porch he managed to ascertain that it wasn’t a shutoff notice but rather a handwritten note that had been left there by his love. Heart-melting at the familiar scrawl, as he unfolded the paper completely to read what message it contained. He’d assumed that Mer wasn’t home and this was just a little way of ensuring that Eugene was made aware of it before he settled in for the night. He was pleasantly surprised when the note indicated no such thing but rather a sweet, for Merriell, message. 

‘Door is unlocked. Please go wash up and then meet me on the back porch. Dinner is waiting for you.’

Smiling to himself he turned the handle and stepped inside the dark house kicking off his shoes out of habit, and then leaving them on the rack next to the front door, dropping his backpack and leaving it on the floor.  

“Mer?” he calls out in the dark, waiting for a response that didn’t come.

As he walks deeper into the house he glances towards the kitchen noticing a soft glow from some of the Halloween decorations coming from the dining room table. The back porch door was wide open, only covered by the thin layer of mosquito netting that had been hung over the outer part of the doorway. His stomach rumbles as the delicious scents wafting in from the kitchen hit his nose. 

Suddenly he was starving as he remembers that it had been nearly ten hours since he’d last eaten. His study group had provided snacks but everyone was so intense discussing and clarifying information that they were hardly touched. The primary thing he’d consumed all day was coffee which always made his stomach hurt but wasn’t it considered a magic bean? The life giving substance? He knew for himself and for Merriell that neither of them could function normally without a few cups in the morning and for Eugene, he’d need more than just a few cups throughout the day. 

His face splitting in a grin as he realized that even though their plans for Halloween had been drastically changed this year, he was not going to let that stop him from making the best of it. His husband had made a show of making sure that the house, both inside and out, was decorated as fully as it could be. The only damper this evening is that his husband was nowhere to be seen and he found himself mildly disappointed at not receiving his ‘hello, welcome home, I love you’ kiss that he had been so accustomed to.

Deciding not to dwell on the fact that he was actually missing his husband he heads to the washroom to clean up as he’d been instructed. The hot shower was exactly what he needed as the grime from the day slowly made its way down the drain taking with it the exhaustion he’d been feeling. Now all he felt was a sense of excitement perhaps brought on by the chance of seeing his husband and also knowing that he’d have all of tomorrow to rest. 

Turning off the water and stepping out of the shower on the ugliest purple bath mat that Mer had insisted they had to have, he toweled himself off. Deciding against shaving since his husband loved it when he didn’t have a fresh face. His husband often joked that his freshly shaven face made him look like a twelve-year-old boy but the scruff definitely had a positive effect, making his usually incredibly randy husband even more so. As he glances at the counter he realizes that his husband must have slipped in undetected and left his Halloween costume hanging on the towel rack next sink. A little note was pinned to it presumably with the strict instructions to put it on before heading out to dinner. Donning the costume that Merriell had picked out specifically for him to wear and combing his hair so that it sat just as he knew his husband liked it he admired himself for a moment. Merriell really knows how to pick a costume because damn, I do look good.

Making his way through the house admiring all the little decorations and other little things that were distinctly Merriell that make this rickety house feel like home. Merriell was a collector of weird sometimes macabre things but the item that he loved the most was Billy, the Gator skull, that sat on the mantel over the ancient fireplace that was meticulously decorated by Merriell for every holiday or season. By the time he got to the back porch his face was almost hurting from how hard he was smiling. This house was chock full of mismatched, eccentric decorations but it felt more like home than the rigid, full of antique, don’t-touch-anything, it can’t look like anyone lives here upper-crust southern home he’d grown up in. 

Reaching the back door he steps through the magnetically connected mosquito net and called out for his husband.

“Have a seat please, I’ve prepared quite a little feast for us,” Merriell says from behind him. He jumped a little putting his hand over his heart making his husband chuckle.

 “Sorry boo, I didn’t mean to startle you,” Mer says as he moves in front of Eugene, wrapping his arms around Eugene’s neck. “You look incredibly handsome boo. I love you, welcome home.”

Merriell gives his husband a quick kiss and instructs him again to have a seat before dashing off back into the house. Merriell had recently fixed up an old wooden table and had found some chairs that fit the table though they were not a matching set. Sliding into the worn but comfortable chair he sat and admired the table set up. Merriell had gone all out and had decorated the center of the table with some small semi-odd decorations. He had set the dishes on the table in a way that Eugene suspects was trying to mimic the overly fancy, start from the outside and work your way in, setup that Gene had grown up with.

His gaze goes back to the back door as Merriell came in and out of the house several times carrying the various food items that he’d prepared for their Halloween feast.

What a feast it really truly was. His lover had made what he called bloody vampire soup which was really just a tomato bisque, severed finger breadsticks, various fruits on skewers that he somehow managed to make resemble bugs, a salad, and for dessert, he’d made a cake coated in black frosting and bits of cotton candy with fake spiders on them. 

“I really don’t deserve you Merriell. I just can’t believe that you did this. You do everything for us and what do I contribute to our marriage?”

“Gene, don’t start this. I do these things for you because I love you. You know what you do for us? You are getting the education that I never did so that you can get a good job. Then I can become a full time house and trophy husband.”

This elicits a laugh from Eugene.

“Is that all you ever wanted darling? To be reduced to nothing more than a house husband?”

“Yeah, a house husband that can fix this place up with my own two hands. Your parents were more than generous to buy us the shitty little shack as a wedding gift.”

“My darling, I look forward to the day when you can take our shitty little shack and turn into our dream castle.”

@ramimedley @xmxisxforxmaybe @detectivecutiepantsandhisbabyfox @aboutthatmelancholystorm @will-grammer @theblossomknows @diasimar

[horrorstoryfanfics]

Summer To Remember: Part Two

Xavier is so sweet and I feel like he just cares a lot about the people around him. Like especially when he was defending Brooke at the campfire. I feel like he would instantly feel the need to care for you too. 

Okay I’m sorry he makes me soft. 

Warnings: Drug use, swearing, mentions of death, the normal AHS warnings. 

Part One 

We started at the lake, stopping right in front of the docks. Mom droning on about the rules and what we had, stopping lastly on how drowning was the main cause of death. I was completely uninterested until a certain voice chimed in.

"What's second?" He challenged, eyeing my mother.

She didn't say anything as she scolded him with her eyes.

"People." I teased back with a smirk. His lips twisted up as he raised his eyebrows to me, looking back at his friends.

I didn't see the way Mom scoffed as she walked away, but it was only a matter of time until she realized I had the hots for the new counselor.

We all made our way down the path and over to the Dining Hall. Bertie was unloading food and supplies out of the back of a truck.

"And this is Chef Bertie, a Camp Redwood veteran." Mom said proudly.

Bertie smiled as she took the cigarette from her lips.

Xavier casually leaned against the truck. "Dibs," he joked motioning to her and looking over at Ray as he laughed.

Bertie looked over at him laughing slightly, "You wouldn't know what to do with it if you got it, handsome."

Ray, Chet and I started laughing as Xavier was completely taken aback. The shock written on his chiseled features.

"Put those scrawny arms to work and help the lady fill her pantry." She shoved a box into his arms. He took it without a word. "All of you, grab a crate." She rested on the back of the truck and finished her cigarette as we all went to work helping unload the back of the truck.

Ray was still laughing to himself, Xavier bumped him with his crate. "It's not that funny." He sneered.

"Actually it was," I interjected, walking past both of the boys and putting the crate down, bending flirtatiously. "It's what you get for calling dibs on the wrong girl." I winked and brushed my hands off while I walked back out to grab another.

Both boys almost dropped their crates along with their jaws. Xavier's mind was racing but he wasn't quick enough to come up with something else to say.

"Chef Bertie worked here when I was a counselor," My mother said as she stood and supervised us, of course not lifting a finger. "We are so blessed to have her with us."

"I have many good memories of this place," Bertie chimed in, "It's magic up here in the fresh air." She took another hit, "I'm sorry that one bad apple ruined it for everyone."

Everyone stopped and gathered around once again. They clearly tensed up at the slight mention of what happened here.

"The minute I heard Margaret was reopening this place, I was first to volunteer." She raised her hand lightly, then looked over at me, "Well second."

I rolled my eyes, "Hey I had too, what kind of daughter would I be if I didn't." I shrugged.

"A pretty shitty one," Xavier joked behind me, "But lucky me you aren't."

I turned around quickly almost nose to nose with him, smiling. "You aren't lucky yet." I gently pushed his sunglasses back up his nose with my finger.

"Okay!" My Mom clapped, "Let's continue our tour."

I smiled at him once again before following her over to the showers.

"Girls shower in the a.m.,boys in the p.m. Same goes for counselors too." She didn't look back as she walked through and waited for us outside.

Xavier turned over to me feigning a fake look of disappointment,"Guess I won't be able to help you rinse and repeat babe."

"I didn't take you for someone who follows rules, what a pitty." I pouted teasingly as I crossed my arms.  

He pushed his tongue in his cheek before he laughed lightly, shaking his head.

Everyone was clearly disappointed as they looked through the barren wooden outdoor room. There was no ceiling and not even any stalls. We walked through quickly and eventually made it back to the girls cabin and then the boys.

"Girls are red, boys are blue. Don't even try to make purple." She stated as we made our way back out.

I rolled my eyes, feeling another sexual spiel coming on.

"You expect us to be celibate all summer?" Chet asked, not really believing that she was serious.

"Well I'm not banning self-abuse. Although every stroke soils your soul." She said in disgust. "But how could I ever enforce it?" She threw her hands up in defeat.

"It's 1984, Margaret. They're building coed showers in the West Hollywood gym. You ever hear of the sexual revolution?" He looked over to me momentarily, "Sex won." He said matter of factly as him and Ray fist bumped.

"I am aware of the decadence of our era. Women's underwear that shows the buttocks."

"Here we go." I mumbled, crossing my arms and throwing my head back against the cabin door.

"Pornography in your own home," She continued on, "Van Halen."

Montana furrowed her brows and looked over to me, I just gave her a "Ignore her" look.

"I have been fighting the Lord's fight against filth around the world for years. Charles Keating is a dear friend. I was right by his side in Cincinnati during that Larry Flynt trial. And that is why, while still grieving my sweet husband Walter's untimely death, I took a small portion of the large fortune he left to me to buy this camp."

I tensed up at the mention of dad. While it had been years since his death it wasn't something I talked about openly. I shifted my weight and squeezed my arms tightly. It was also something that Mom and I never really talked about together

"I wanted to create a safe, pure, godly and decent place for the children of this country to escape for the summer. It is a dream come true. Now, there aren't many rules but I expect each and every one of you to follow them without exception." Once she finished her monologue she stormed away.

I rolled my eyes yet again, "Don't listen to her." I said. They all looked overwhelmed with how passionate and forceful her attitude was. Unfortunately it's something I've just endured and gotten used to.

"Who's Charles Keating?" Chet asked abruptly.

"He was against porn." I patted his shoulder as I walked away, heading back into the main part of the camp.

The sun was starting to set as the hue of the camp changed to a darker one. The eeiry scene growing once again onto the grounds.

Once everyone brought their bags and things to their respected cabin it was unanimous that we should build a fire. Brooke being overly excited to roast marshmallows and everyone else just excited to get the aesthetic of summer camp started.

There was a fire pit already with logs circled around it, creating a nice seating area. Chet grabbed the wood and threw it in while Ray lit it up. I sat down on a log by myself.

Brooke dug into the marshmallows as soon as Rita brought them over, stabbing them on the end of her stick and happily waiting for it to roast.

I felt the weight of the log shift as someone sat down beside me. I looked over with the corner of my eye to find Xavier giving me his infamous smirk, clearly teasing me again as he scooted closer, our thighs touching gently.

Chet lit up a blunt as Rita swatted at the mosquitoes and bugs that decided to swarm around us now. He passed it over to Ray who took a hit, and then Ray over to Rita.

"I don't smoke that funny weed," She said as she declined his offer, "The only thing I put in my lungs is a Marlboro Red," She smirked as she lit up a cigarette and huffed at it lightly.

"You know that shit will kill ya," Xavier stated.

"We all gotta die somehow," Rita stated quickly. "Any of you ever been camp councilors before?"

We all shook our heads, some stated their no's audibly.

"We just had to get out of LA." Ray said.

"I hear that, I couldn't be in that city another minute with all those gruesome murders going on." Rita stated.

The blunt made it over to me, I took a hit and turned to Xavier. He seemed impressed with the fact I did it.

"Do you want it or not?" I shook it lightly as he just stared at me, the fire crackling in the distance and Brooke talking about how she was attacked by the Night Stalker.

He took it from me quickly, our hands momentarily touching. "Just didn't know that Mommy's good little Christian girl was such a rebel." Half of his face was illuminated by the fire as he smirked down at me.

"Yeah?" I leaned in closely, "There's a lot you don't know about me." I whispered as my eyes trailed down his face, stopping on his lips. I leaned back and directed my attention back to the conversation. Not noticing the hunger in his eyes as our game of cat and mouse got a little more interesting.

"24 years ago. That's when they closed this place down." Rita was about to start telling the story of the massacre.

"Rita," Xavier groaned, "I understand the tradition, and usually I'm cool with that, but our friend Brooke here had a for-real assault, and we're just not in the mood for a bullshit ghost story." He passed the blunt over to Montana.

I looked over to Brooke who was no longer roasting marshmallows, who looked absolutely scared to death.

"It's not bullshit. And there was no ghost," Rita went on, "I'll be honest with you. I've never been a nurse at a camp before and you've never been councilors. So how did we get these jobs?" We all paused listening to her, "That's because anybody that knows what happened here, doesn't want to be here. This is the site of the worst Camp massacre of all time."

I looked down as I remembered the story my Mom told me, about how she barely survived and the reason she doesn't have her ear. Xavier felt me stiffen as he scooted closer, letting me know he was here. "Come on Rita.." His voice grew in annoyance at the fact she kept going.

"His name was Benjamin Richter but most call him Mr.Jingles." She stood up for dramatic effect, "Richter was drafted into the Vietnam War and he found his calling. He had the highest kill rate in his company. He had a nasty habit of collecting trophies from his enemies. Cutting off their ears and cutting them into a necklace."

"Jesus Christ Rita," I snapped, "If my Mom hears you talking about this she's going to lose her shit." My fist clenched remembering how hurt she was whenever she would be reminded of that horrible night. Xavier looked at me with concern, putting his hand over mine in an attempt to calm me down. I just looked over at him, not really wanting Rita to continue in the fear it would set Mom off.

Rita just shrugged as she continued on, "The only job he could get was here, nobody knows why he snapped...but one night he took a knife and slaughters an entire cabin. Ten victims in all."

"You're wrong," a voice chimed in. We all looked over and saw my Mom approaching the fire slowly everyone grew still at her appearance and Xavier's hand left mine. "Alcohol is not allowed," she took the flask from Ray's hand and poured it onto the dirt, "Neither are those funny smelling cigarettes." She looked over to Chet who had it dangling limply in his fingertips.

"So nothing happened here?" Xavier asked, confused.

"No, there was a massacre here. But only nine died not ten." She walked just in front of the fire, where everyone could see her.

"So Mr.Jingles is real?!" Brooke asked, her voice rose with fear.

Mom didn't say anything as she turned her head to the side and moved her hair, revealing the spot where her left ear should be, but isn't. Brooke gasped while looking away, seeming like she was going to hurl.

Xavier's brows were furrowed as he looked from my mom to me, trying to make sure I was okay. I didn't say anything as she continued on with the story I'd heard only once before. She sat on an empty log as she began to go into detail of the events she went through.

"And I thought that will be the end of it," She recalls the trial, "But I can't escape him. And that's why I bought this camp. To reopen it and take all of my darkest memories and make them into something bright."

"Duddee..." Chet shakes his head, "That's heavy."

Xavier's hand graced over mine again as his eyes scanned my face. He wasn't ready for all of this heavy backstory, he didn't even know that any of this happened. Let alone that it followed you your whole life.

Mom dusted off her shorts as she stood, "Alright well, we have a lot to do with the kids coming in two days. And this is the last time I want anyone talking about that horrible night." She walked away into the night as everyone sat still, horrified.

Everyone eventually got up, except for Xavier and I who just sat there a bit longer.

"Are you okay?" He asked, genuine concern gracing his features.

It made my heart tinge how caring he appeared to be. I just gave him a reassuring smile as I nodded my head, "Yeah, I'm good."

He smiled back lightly and stood up, reaching his hand out to me. "Then let's go inside before we catch our death."

I took his hand as I got to my feet, hesitating to let go once I got up. Eventually I did and we headed back up to the girls cabin.

Next Part

Tags: @felicityofbakerstreet