#and niki is in peak form

[maximura]

[rikiislvr]

ఌ see you again. | nishimura riki

(based off this tiktok that i sobbed over.. creds to enlupen on tiktok!)

pairing : afab!reader x nishimura riki

summary : you & ki haven’t seen each other since you two parted your ways due to him being a idol and you focusing more on school. until you run into him at a local cat cafe as he was vlogging for his content, does he remember you after it’s been 2 years?

you walked down the street with your beats on, as you came across a cat cafe that was open, you peaked your head through the window to see many cats running around and playing. your heart melted at the scenery and decided to go in.

as soon as you walked inside many cats ran up to the gate that separated them from getting close to the door, meowing repeatedly as you awed. you paid the worker for a hour stay with the cats, as he opened the gate and let you in telling you rules about the cats and what not to do, once he was done you quickly sat on the floor and they all swarmed up around you.

“oh! so cute!” you smiled brightly trying to show attention to them all, you got up to go up the stairs that led to another room, some cats following you as you went, you smiled and picked one up and went inside the room with more older looking cats.

you gasped and was about to take a step to move closer until someone caught your eye, you turned over and who you saw made your heart drop. your eyes began to water.

niki.

he was sitting on the floor with a vlog camera in front of him as he played with a cat, he looked beautiful. his blonde hair rested beautifully over his forehead, a dark jean jacket that popped out his features. you haven’t seen him in years. you wondered if he’d recognize you since he’s like famous now.

you froze. you couldn’t even move. you just admired how handsome he was, he suddenly lifted his head locking eyes with you, making you gasp and quickly look away.

did he see me? oh please tell me he didn’t.. maybe i should go? yes let’s g-

“y/n?” his voice called.

you stopped in your tracks from the softness of his voice calling you. you turned around slowly and niki turned the camera off, keeping his eyes on yours, you swore he smiled, he got up off the floor and slowly walked up to you.

“y/n.” he says looking down at you, he looked even prettier the closer he was to you.

“niki.. i-“ you tried but you felt tears starting to form, blurring your eyesight.

you missed him so much. and you thought he’d never remember you with how famous he was getting, so him saying your name was everything to him.

“i know.” he nodded his head softly, “i missed you so much.” his eyes softened.

you felt your heart warm.

“you.. missed me?” you tilt your head, he chuckled and pulled your arm into his embrace, wrapping his arms around you, him being so much taller than you, you melted right into his arms.

“yes. i missed you so much. i couldn’t sleep at all without thinking of you. ever since that day.” he rubbed your back, you held him tightly, afraid he’d be gone if you let go.

but he pulled away and cupped your face. “you’re still as beautiful as you were before, maybe prettier?” he shrugged admiring your face, you let out a giggle at his attempt to compliment you.

but him? he was gorgeous. he was always handsome but he looked even better now. all those years paid off well for him.

“i cant believe it’s you.” you sighed with a smile, he sucked in his lips to hide his obvious smile. “me either.” he rested his head on your forehead.

“it’s been so long. how are you?” he smiled, “i’m.. adulting.” you giggled, he let out his infamous laugh, it hasn’t changed over these years. “i see.” he nods, he dropped his hands down to yours, as he held your hands.

“you still smell like- ah.. vanilla?” he tilt his head to see if that was the correct word in english, “yes. vanilla. i still use the same perfume.” you giggled at his cuteness.

he stopped talking and his eyes roamed your face. his pretty eyes. you loved just looking at his face. he was truly one of the prettiest people you’ve ever seen before.

his blond hair he pushed back falling back down over his eyes. he lifted his hand to cup the side of your face again, you guys stopped talking on good terms of course.

you knew you guys were close to being more than friends but since he had to leave to korea, you guys never made things official.

he stroked your cheek with his thumb, “pretty..” he whispered staring at you with a small smile.

he put his arms back around you, as you felt the warmth from under his jacket engulfing you,

you’ve never seen niki this clingy. but after years of not seeing your best friend, it’s hard not too.

“hey- niki. we leave now so wrap up whatever you’re doing..” the staff says as she was confused at how he was hugging you, before she left the room.

you felt your heart drop. you weren’t gonna see him again.

“please- no..” you shake your head, he sighed, he pulls away as you felt the warmth leaving, as he lifted his hands to the back of his neck, he un clipped his pin necklace, he walked behind you, moving your hair so he could put it on you, you felt tears swarming again.

“keep this. please.” he finished and turned you to face him, “please don’t loose contact with me again.” you sigh, he nodded and you two exchanged numbers for good.

“i-“ he started but bit his lip, “i’ll see you again.” he nods.

you nod to stop any tears, he cupped your face one last time, and placed a kiss on your forehead, letting his lips linger there before he removed them.

he let go of you and slowly walked to the door, glancing back at you over and over as you stood there, watching his every step.

“i love you.” he says before smiling and leaving the room.

your face melted into a smile. even though you won’t see him as much. you finally reunited after years.

you grabbed the necklace that laid on your collarbones, it was his bobby pin necklace he always wore. you felt so special to have this on. he never took it off, but little did you know, he trusted you enough to wear it, knowing you’d take great care of it.

you just hopped that wouldn’t be the last time you seen him.

no right?

no.

you’ll see him again.

[nishimurasgirl]

4 Minutes. | nrk x fem reader

Genre: Angst

Summary: If Niki was 4 minutes earlier.. he could’ve said his last goodbye.

A/N: This is my first one shot so I’m rlly sorry if this isn’t the best😓

Word count: 1.0k

As soon as Niki reached the floor your room was in, he ran as fast as he could. Though he got weird stares from people as he ran, he wouldn’t stop until he reached you. He couldn’t stop.

As he finally reached the corridor of your room, he saw the same nurse who had helped him trough out all of this coming out of your room.

He didn’t fail to notice the distressed look on the nurse’s face as he approached the room.

The nurse noticed the teenage boy’s presence as she calmed herself down. They stared at each other in completely silence, the only light filling your hospital room was the one from a small lamp you had next to your hospital bed. Of course, the one Niki gifted you for your birthday.

Niki’s heart instantly dropped as he peaked through the nurse’s shoulder, seeing you peacefully laying on your bed, not moving.

A lump formed in his throat, a tear painting his fair cheek. Niki shook his head in disbelief.

You were alive.

You had to be.

Your heart was still beating.

Your chest was still rising.

It had to be.

There was no other way.

Niki was in denial at the fact the monitor next to you showed a flat line, not even a glimpse of movement.

He pushed past the nurse, running towards your bed. He couldn’t stop the tears from running down his face as he knelt down beside you. Your skin was pale and your body was cold. Your arm hung off the bed as the other held a polaroid of you and Niki together pressed to her heart. The way you were laying made it look like you knew when you were going to die. Like you prepared yourself for your death.

This was the worst feeling.

As if his heart was being ripped out, shattering into a million pieces. As if the only source for his happiness was taken from him, leaving him to get swallowed by his own darkness, sorrow filling his eyes. He would never get to experience the happiness he felt when he was with you ever again. He felt as if a part of him died that day.

He wished he had stayed with you all day, never once letting go of you.

Niki looked back up to you, standing up now. He glanced at your cold body. There you were, looking as beautiful than ever in his eyes. He scanned the room as he noticed all the flowers he gifted you in the past month were gone. So was the line of polaroids he made you. Only one was left, and that was the one you had in your hand.

The silence of all your monitors was eating him alive. He couldn’t bear to hear the silence the room gave. His footsteps echoed throughout the room as he went to the other side of your bed, sitting down in the empty space.

All Niki could see was blurred images of you laying so peacefully on your bed. He grabbed your other hand as he let out a sob. Niki squeezed your hand. Even though you were gone, he had a small glimpse of hope you would wake up and everything would go back to normal. He didn’t want to let go of your hand.

The fact you had never heard him say I love you before you had passed had his heart break even more.

“Oh my dear angel..” He started, gathering all the things he wanted to say.

“I’m so sorry I wasn’t here.” Niki continued, letting out a cry as he says the last word. He wiped his tears in hopes it would help him speak better, but no matter how hard he tried, He couldn’t stop crying.

“I love you, my angel. We’ll meet again. I promise. Wait for me up there. We’ll find each other again in our next lives. You’ll be my love for eternity.”

Riki breathed out, his shaky breath echoing through the tiny hospital room.

Everything was different. He had nothing left to fulfill his life with the happiness you gave him. Yet still, he had hope. He stared at you, praying you would open your eyes, at least move an inch.

Minutes passed.

You were still asleep.

Niki’s eyes were on your since he entered the room. As he looked at you, he remembered all the moments you shared together.

The look you had on your face when you opened your birthday gift, the way you smiled at him whenever he brought you to the small secluded garden near the hospital, the way his name rolled off your tongue with such love, the way your eyes lit up when you were excited, the way you looked at him, the way you played with his hair and listened to him when he had a bad day at school and came to see you, he remembered your beauty and the way he loved you so so much. He remembered her.

Finally, the nurse came back and knocked softly on the door.

“You’d better go now, sorry kid.” The nurse shrugged. She felt sorry for Niki. The love of his life had passed away, he didn’t even get to say goodbye.

Niki didn’t take his eyes off you. His eyes were still on you. He never wanted to take them off of you.

Niki didn’t move, not until the nurse approached him and put a hand on his shoulder.

“How.. how long has it been?” Niki asked, his voice all trembly.

The young nurse lowered her head and brought her arm up to read the time on her watch.

“24 minutes.” The nurse read.

24 minutes.

If he had gotten there 4 minutes earlier.

If he ran faster.

If he wasn’ interrupted by his stupid friends on the way to the hospital.

Maybe, Just maybe he would have gotten there on time.

He could have finally said goodbye.

[milktearosethorn]

hi i am a bit confused, what does 'parasocially uplift men' mean exactly? the example could be praising dream for beating misogyny on twitch?

Ya! Basically I mean that a lot of the time people only want to talk about misogyny in their community and female streamers when they want to make the men they stan look better. Like another example in dtblr is passing around that clip of Captain Puffy talking about being friends with Dream (Which was really sweet! I liked that moment a lot!) but then it was crickets on any other clip from that stream of hers (Or future streams). I still haven't seen anyone mention that it's her 12-year streaming anniversary today (Which is INSANE, I had no idea she was around so long!). Obviously it's unrealistic and dumb to closely police people's watching habits but when patterns like these start forming it needs to be called out.

Any type of argument that's like 'DSMP vs QSMP who treats women better 🤔' is fucking asinine because women have been treated like shit in both servers and trying to prove one is better than the other only minimizes their pain and struggle to use as cheap ammo in a fandom war. It's really demeaning and almost feels like gaslighting to deny the problems in your community because you want to hide the dirty laundry. Like I will say with my whole chest as a long-time viewer that Hannah used to be harassed for breathing too close to the Dream Team, vented openly about it on her streams, and only recently has the community started to treat her better. (I'd say that post face-reveal and meet-up is when people finally stopped foaming at the mouth about the Dream Team's female friends)(And many people have come forward to apologize to Hannah for their past behavior, which she's said means a lot to her. So remember that it's never too late to make things right if you've done wrong.)

What happened to Baghera was fucking unacceptable and I only hope that more women being added to the QSMP will help her broaden her support network so it doesn't happen again. (Remember, Niki has openly stated that during the peak of the sexual harassment against her, the ONLY other member of the DSMP who supported her was Captain Puffy and her mod team.)

And then there's also not being able to talk about women and their content without bringing up their male friends. Like I love Tina and Foolish streaming together but it's becoming a huge problem in Tina's chat and she recently had to get more mods to deal with it. If you can't support a female content creator when she's not streaming with one of her male friends, then you're not really her fan, point blank.

[bonesandthebees]

I’m skipping over the tntduo (with great pain because omg why are they like that), but something something, coming to terms with the past, something something accepting that you can not change it and living with the consequences but without the guilt, something something can they toe the line about being gay for each other any more than they are right now? Seriously this is peak tntduoing.

Anyway, the plan reveal, or more, people’s reactions to the plan reveal. I love the rainduo in this. [Niki, meanwhile, was scowling at Phil and Techno. Although it was hard to hear her, Wilbur was fairly sure she said something along the lines of, “it’s unfair to put him in that position.”] She knows. She knows it’s unfair to ask of him. She knows he’d say yes because it’s not really a descion but she also doesn’t like that he did. And combine this with her being the only one to notice Tommy dragging him out and seemingly ready to do something about it if Wilbur didn’t)t wave her off. They are friends, they care about each other, they want the other to be okay and if Wilbur comes out of this even slightly stable, they could form a decent friendship.

BUT now it’s time for Tommy. I love Glass!Tommy he’s so complex and flawed, it’s great! It’s slightly less great that he gets angry at Wilbur and manhandles him to a second location without witnesses because he still isn’t aware anyone else knows about his name.

[“What the fuck?” Wilbur yelped as Tommy practically ripped the blindfold off his head.] I both love and hate this. Love it because we are both to get some of Tommy’s darkest sides. Hate it because leave his fuck blindfold alone you can’t just rip it off what happened to his boundaries. Like there’s so much in that one action.

Tommy rips of the blindfold because he’s angry and he wants to look Wilbur in the eye and that’s something he can do. He needs to get rid of the blindfold because it reperesents being the Pythia and going back to the palace and Tommy is angry about that position and at the institution and the plan. It’s Tommy’s possessiveness because he’s they only person who can look Wilbur in the eye, the only one who can see him without a blindfold (which again, Phil also has with Wilbur’s eyes closed but I doubt Tommy knows that) and Tommy needs to have that because Wilbur just made a discussion without consulting or telling him, he got to hear at the same time as everyone else.

That one action tells us everything about Tommy and Wilbur’s dynamic and how toxic it actually is. Because Tommy always guards Wilbur’s boundaries (or what he thinks they are) like a guard dog. But he can break them because he knows when he needs to be pushed. Expect there’s no reason to push Wilbur this time. Wilbur’s boundaries need to be respected except when Tommy thinks they don’t. Tommy wants to talk to Wilbur without his blindfold and Tommy knows he can look at Wilbur without it so he just rips the thing right off. He doesn’t even ask! Because technically Wilbur’s feeling don’t matter in that moment [“No, I’m the one who should be saying what the fuck right now,” Tommy shot back, tossing the blindfold off to the side.] all that matters is that Tommy is angry and feels betrayed. It’s such a childish thing to do.

And we really do get all of Tommy’s bad sides in this because we get him assuming he knows all aka Phil and Techno pushed this onto Wilbur (which yes, but actually no, well it’s complicated). Then we get supine that Wilbur did tell them about the vision because Tommy assumed he hadn’t. Not to mention the self destructiveness, because he’s being very pushy which makes Wilbur leave out thing he otherwise might have told Tommy so he doesn’t upset him further, which is how Tommy misses out on Wilbur no longer wanting to be Pythia and telling Phil and Techno his name.

On top of that there’s the need for control. It feels like Tommy thinks he can control Wilbur because he KNOWS him. He gets an opinion on all his decisions and gets make them for him because he knows better. And he’s upset because it’s a bad decision and he knows it but Wilbur made it anyway! Without talking to him! -> possessiveness again. I mean he dragged Wilbur away for a private conversation to yell at him. It’s so toxic and so interesting.

And the cherry on top is the codependency. It’s Tommy’s fear of not having Wilbur near and of something happening to Wilbur. It’s his fear that Wilbur will get stuck or hurt and he’ll never see him again. It’s his own fear of dying and the curse and every other relationship falling through because he clearly lost Phil and Techno’s trust completely and got scolded and he didn’t get told the plan before hand like last time (and Wilbur did = Wilbur has more of their trust than Tommy does). He’s terrified, but he’ll be damned if he doesn’t go along and make sure Wilbur will be okay himself even if it could result in his own death.

And I’ll just leave this here [I’ve spent the last decade living in a cage. I don’t want to spend the rest of my life in another one.”] -Wilbur, and basically his entire reasoning for going along with this in the first place. (Never mind his inability to see how toxic this relationship is getting past the guilt of killing his best friend.)

(4/4)

-🌲

yes yes you get it this is peak tntduoing

glass!rainduo waaaaa they give me so many emotions... she recognizes that this isn't really something they can ask of him given his past experiences with the palace and his mental state as of late, but it's too late. phil and techno have already asked, and wilbur's agreed.

YES YOU GET GLASS!TOMMY SO WELL he's soooo messy. he's so childish and selfish and toxic in a lot of ways, but he's also deeply protective and loving and wants to make sure wilbur is safe. and that scene of them arguing over wilbur's choice is the epitome of that balance because of everything you pointed out

snatching the blindfold off was such a tommy thing to do. he's angry at wilbur right now. furious, even, for him agreeing to do something as stupid as going back into the palace without telling him he was even talking to phil and techno about something like that. he's so pissed and all he can think is that he wants to look wilbur in the eyes while they talk, both so he can get a better idea of what wilbur's thinking, but also because looking into wilbur's eyes is something only he can do. it's a reminder that even if he didn't know about the plan until now, tommy will always have access to a side of wilbur no one else can get.

except like you said, his anger makes him miss out on more information too. because wilbur doesn't tell him those other details. tommy's own childish sense of betrayal is the exact reason people can't trust him, which is what he feels betrayed about in the first place. it's a neverending cycle.

the thing is, tommy has a point. this is an extremely dangerous thing for wilbur to agree to, and it wasn't great of phil and techno to put that kind of responsibility on him given his history with the palace. but he doesn't really... phrase that in a healthy way, and instead we just get more of tommy's possessiveness shining through.

the codependency especially hits hard here. tommy is absolutely terrified of losing wilbur at this point. so much of tommy's life in the temple has changed since he kidnapped wilbur, and in a lot of ways, his closeness with wilbur has pushed everyone else around him away. it's his own fault, but it's too late to fix it now. he's made his choice and now wilbur is the only person in the temple who trusts him completely and wholeheartedly. and while of course it's understandable that wilbur doesn't recognize how unhealthy this dynamic is, he doesn't discourage it. he gets why tommy is upset because, yeah, they're each others closest confidants. and while wilbur doesn't want tommy to go along with the group to the palace, he also knows it's pointless to try and keep him away because at this point wilbur would do the same thing to help tommy. they are so messy.

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 8.1 (after 1920)

1927 – The Nanchang Uprising marks the first significant battle in the Chinese Civil War between the Kuomintang and Chinese Communist Party. This day is commemorated as the anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army. 1933 – Anti-Fascist activists Bruno Tesch, Walter Möller, Karl Wolff and August Lütgens are executed by the Nazi regime in Altona. 1936 – The Olympics opened in Berlin with a ceremony presided over by Adolf Hitler. 1937 – Josip Broz Tito reads the resolution "Manifesto of constitutional congress of KPH" to the constitutive congress of KPH (Croatian Communist Party) in woods near Samobor. 1943 – World War II: Operation Tidal Wave also known as "Black Sunday", was a failed American attempt to destroy Romanian oil fields. 1944 – World War II: The Warsaw Uprising against the Nazi German occupation breaks out in Warsaw, Poland. 1946 – Leaders of the Russian Liberation Army, a force of Russian prisoners of war that collaborated with Nazi Germany, are executed in Moscow, Soviet Union for treason. 1950 – Guam is organized as an unincorporated territory of the United States as the President Harry S. Truman signs the Guam Organic Act. 1957 – The United States and Canada form the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). 1960 – Dahomey (later renamed Benin) declares independence from France. 1960 – Islamabad is declared the federal capital of the Government of Pakistan. 1961 – U.S. Defense Secretary Robert McNamara orders the creation of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), the nation's first centralized military espionage organization. 1964 – The former Belgian Congo is renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 1965 – Frank Herbert's novel, Dune was published for the first time. It was named as the world's best-selling science fiction novel in 2003. 1966 – Charles Whitman kills 16 people at the University of Texas at Austin before being killed by the police. 1966 – Purges of intellectuals and imperialists becomes official China policy at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution. 1968 – The coronation of Hassanal Bolkiah, the 29th Sultan of Brunei, is held. 1971 – The Concert for Bangladesh, organized by former Beatle George Harrison, is held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. 1974 – Cyprus dispute: The United Nations Security Council authorizes the UNFICYP to create the "Green Line", dividing Cyprus into two zones. 1976 – Niki Lauda has a severe accident that almost claims his life at the German Grand Prix at Nurburgring. 1980 – Vigdís Finnbogadóttir is elected President of Iceland and becomes the world's first democratically elected female head of state. 1980 – A train crash kills 18 people in County Cork, Ireland. 1981 – MTV begins broadcasting in the United States and airs its first video, "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles. 1984 – Commercial peat-cutters discover the preserved bog body of a man, called Lindow Man, at Lindow Moss, Cheshire, England. 1988 – A British soldier was killed in the Inglis Barracks bombing in London, England. 1990 – A plane crash in the Karabakh Range kills 46 people. 1993 – The Great Mississippi and Missouri Rivers Flood of 1993 comes to a peak. 2004 – A supermarket fire kills 396 people and injures 500 others in Asunción, Paraguay. 2007 – The I-35W Mississippi River bridge spanning the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota, collapses during the evening rush hour, killing 13 people and injuring 145. 2008 – The Beijing–Tianjin Intercity Railway begins operation as the fastest commuter rail system in the world. 2008 – Eleven mountaineers from international expeditions died on K2, the second-highest mountain on Earth in the worst single accident in the history of K2 mountaineering. 2017 – A suicide attack on a mosque in Herat, Afghanistan kills 20 people. 2023 – Former US President Donald Trump is indicted for his role in the January 6 United States Capitol attack, his third indictment in 2023.

[a-wandering-imagination]

Chapter 44

Anton awoke to a soft knocking at the door. He looked around the room, groggy with sleep. There were a pile of blankets on the floor but no sign of Niki. Then he heard movement in the bathroom. Again, there was a soft knock. Anton rose and crossed the room and pulled the door open. Colonel Cooke was outside with Specialist Tocarro and Sergeant Vicci. Cooke was holding a piece of paper. They all looked worried.

“We found this in the entryway of the hotel this morning. Vicci was coming in from a security sweep and found it on his way in.” Cooke handed the note to Anton.

It was a single sheet of paper, hotel stationery to be exact. There was a ragged hole at the top. The only thing on the paper was a set of handwritten coordinates and a scribbled signature.

40°19’43” N 113°18’28” W

Anton couldn’t make out the signature and gave Cooke a questioning look.

“That’s Miles,” was all he replied.

Anton noticed there were a couple of small smudges of what looked like blood near the bottom of the page and there appeared to be blood around the ragged hole at the top. Anton flipped the page over and then back and then looked again at Cooke. “Where do these coordinates lead?”

“Near as we can figure from the paper maps we’ve found, it is about thirty miles northwest of here… out in the middle of the desert. That’s all part of the Dugway Proving Grounds Test Range. Nothing but baked earth out there as far as I know.”

“So why would he leave this?”

“We think he wants us to go there,” Cooke replied and glanced nervously at Tocarro and Vicci.

“What’s going on?” Anton asked. “Is there something you’re not telling me?” Then it dawned on him that Muskie wasn’t with them. “Wait, where’s Muskie?”

“Vicci went to find him first. But he wasn’t in his room. Doesn’t look like anyone’s been there all night…”

Anton felt a knot forming in the pit of his stomach. “Where would he go?”

“Well, that’s the thing…” Vicci spoke up. “I went to find him first because I noticed that it was his knife that had been used to… ‘attach’... the note to the hotel entryway.”

“What?” Anton replied as the knot continued to grow.

“The knife was stuck through the note and embedded up to the hilt through one of the big iron girders supporting the awning over the entryway. It was punched clean through. Like a piece of cardboard. I couldn’t get the knife out. It’s still stuck down there.”

All three of the men stared at Anton. Anton knew that they were expecting him to provide answers for this and he didn’t have any. The knot in his stomach was making him a little queasy and he was breaking out in a cold sweat. What was Miles capable of? Where the hell was Muskie? Anton was feeling more and more out of his depth. Why was this happening to him?

“We won’t let you go out there alone,” Cooke said suddenly. The other two nodded. “We’ve already decided on that. We’ll take all the men we have and face this together.”

Anton noticed that Cooke didn’t look nearly as confident as he was trying to sound. Cooke saw Anton’s concern and reached into his coat pocket and withdrew a map. “Can we come in and talk about this?”

Anton stepped back from the door and the three men came in. Niki was now standing in the middle of the room watching them. She was dressed as she had been the day before, but her face and hair were washed and she looked refreshed. Cooke nodded to her as he made his way to the small table next to the window. He laid out the map and pointed to a spot that had a small pencilled ‘x’ on it. “That’s the coordinates.”

Anton studied the map. The point was located along a roughly north-south line between two small peaks. Granite Peak, the southern one, was about 15 miles due south of the point on the map. There was a smaller, nameless peak about 8 miles north of the point. East and west of the location, the desert was pretty much flat for 30 to 40 miles in either direction. Cooke was right. It looked like there was absolutely nothing out there. Anton’s gut, however, was telling him otherwise. Anton had a sinking feeling that they would find something there.

“Miles always was a good strategist,” Cooke said quietly.

“What?” Anton answered.

“The location. There is no way to provide cover. The distance is too great. Anyone within shooting range will be visible to anyone else in the area. If he’s out there already… and I am assuming he is… he will see us coming from a long way off.”

Anton's shoulders sagged a little.

“There’s one more thing,” Cook continued.

Anton and the others looked at him.

“I’ve not been able to verify it, but Miles told me he was a sniper for the Rangers before he went into Project Indra.”

“Shit!” Vicci hissed and he slumped down into the nearest chair. “We’ll be sitting ducks out there if he has any kind of decent hardware.”

Anton stared at the map for several moments. Niki walked up behind him and placed her hand on his shoulder. He didn’t turn. “Colonel. I’m going out there alone.”

“I don’t think that’s a good idea, Anton…” Cooke began, but as Anton raised his hand he stopped speaking.

“He wants me alone. That’s why he wants to meet out there. No place for hiding. If you come, he will kill you. All of you. And that won’t do us any good.”

“But what if he kills you?” Vicci asked. Everyone in the room looked at Anton.

“Then it would be best if you were far, far away,” Anton responded. “I think you folks ought to pack up and head east when I go west to meet Miles. He is fast, but he can’t go two directions at once. Our best defense is to split up. He is going to concentrate on me, as I am the biggest threat. That gives you time to get away.” Anton paused and stared at the three men. They all looked like they were trying to figure out a different solution but Anton’s logic was sound. Anton saw the resignation in their eyes.

“Just show me on the map how to get out there,” Anton said finally.

Cooke stepped forward. “There is actually a road that runs fairly close to where that is. It’s just a dirt service road. There are a lot of test facilities scattered around so there are roads criss-crossing the desert out there. To get to it, you’ll need to head west again and go out past the airfield where we picked you up. About two miles past the airfield, Stark Road will hang south, to the left, and you’ll see a fork with another road that continues west northwest. Take that road.” Cooke pointed to the intersection on the map. “Follow that west till you get to this little evap facility. Don’t go in--gates probably locked anyway, just take this road that skirts it to the north. You’ll find North Wig Mountain Road there,” Again Cooke pointed to a point on the map. “You’ll take that north for about 10 or 12 miles to this little intersection here. You’ll see the big gravel pit off to the left as you approach the intersection. There you’ll cut west. This road has no name, but it is the only one going west from here. Once you’re on that road you’ll run west for another 10 to 12 miles. You’ll know you’re close when the road cuts southwest at a straight 45 degree angle here,” once more Cooke pointed to a point on the map. “This road skirts a little waste dump. It continues southwest for about a mile and a half, turns north there and continues for about another mile and a half. Once the road straightens out, and heads due west again, you’ll be within a third of a mile of the site. You can take the hummer across ground there.” Cooke paused and looked at the map. “I’m not sure how you will be able to pinpoint your exact location once you leave the road.”

“I think I’ll know the place when I see it,” Anton responded.

“I was kinda thinking that same thing... “ Cooke said, almost under his breath.

[sportwizbynavneetoberoi]

What makes a good comeback?

The art of making a good comeback is a compelling narrative that has been embodied by numerous inspiring figures throughout history.

Three such individuals who exemplify the essence of a remarkable comeback are Michael Jordan, Niki Lauda, and Robert Downey Jr. Their stories serve as a testament to the resilience, determination, and unwavering spirit required to overcome adversity and achieve greatness.

After announcing his retirement in 1993 following three NBA championships, Jordan returned to the NBA in 1995. His remarkable comeback not only saw his return to the game but also his ability to reclaim his peak form and lead the Chicago Bulls to three more championships. His relentless work ethic and tenacity solidified his status as a legend.

Niki Lauda, the legendary Formula 1 driver, experienced a major setback when a catastrophic accident in 1976 left him with severe burns and life-threatening injuries. Despite the odds, just 42 days later, Lauda made a brave return to racing. Though he didn't win that year, his sheer bravery and commitment earned immense respect. He later won two more Formula 1 World Championships, establishing his legacy as one of the sport's greatest comebacks.

Robert Downey Jr. faced personal and professional challenges, including struggles with substance abuse that affected his career and reputation. However, he made an exceptional comeback through determination, rehabilitation, and support from loved ones. His breakthrough came in 2008 when he portrayed Tony Stark as Iron Man in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

What these three individuals teach us is that a good comeback is not just about bouncing back from setbacks.

It's about embracing challenges, learning from failures, and using those experiences to fuel a burning desire to succeed.

A successful comeback requires a belief in oneself, the willingness to put in the hard work, and the courage to take risks when the opportunity arises.

It's not about erasing the past but rather using it as a foundation for growth and transformation. Find strength in your vulnerabilities.

With that being said,

You are so back!

Nav.

[onlymingyus]

GIRL I SCREAMED WHEN I SAW HOSHI ROT SAME SAME.

So. I have a few.

- I bet Hoshi it's the type to squeal and get hyped when you do little things: set a pic of him as your lockscreen, support his tiger agenda, stay awake waiting for him to get home... I bet he'd tell everyone about all those things.

- He's absolutely the type to get matching things for you both: hoodies, silly pajamas, phone cases ...

And now for the true brain rot:

- I see him being open to try new things in bed but I think he'd hesitate a lot when it involves "hurting" you in some way (like spanking or edging) Like, he'd say "Okay let's do it!!" And then in the last moment scream "Ahhhh I can't" and hide his face in your neck

- You could surprise him with nice lingerie one day and then he'd get obsessed with it and randomly buy you cute sets for you to wear (and for him to ruin)

I'll be back if I remember more brb

Me opening this ask and being overwhelmed with feelings. But fr thank you for sending it in. Lets go over these one by one shall we?

I bet Hoshi it's the type to squeal and get hyped when you do little things: set a pic of him as your lockscreen, support his tiger agenda, stay awake waiting for him to get home... I bet he'd tell everyone about all those things.

100% percent. Imagine him just bragging to the rest of the group about how supportive you are. Holding you close, nuzzling your cheek with his nose as he takes your phone and shows your lockscreen to like Jihoon. Who ofc just rolls his eyes. "My baby loves me so much." You'd be so embarrassed but then just pick up his phone and show them the picture he has set of you. "Looks like my baby loves me so much too?" He'd just laugh and kiss your neck nodding.

- He's absolutely the type to get matching things for you both: hoodies, silly pajamas, phone cases ...

Like no joke every time he comes home you get a new matching item. He gets that cute little cat beanie, well so do you just in a different color. "Couple beanies!"

- I see him being open to try new things in bed but I think he'd hesitate a lot when it involves "hurting" you in some way (like spanking or edging) Like, he'd say "Okay let's do it!!" And then in the last moment scream "Ahhhh I can't" and hide his face in your neck

LOL I love this so much. The idea of him nodding and just being like I can do that sure. Being such a daddy about it. All sexy. Getting you naked, all laid out for him. His hand running over your ass then as soon as he's about to slap your ass he just laughs and hides his face. "But what if it hurts?!" You would just groan into your pillow as he kissed your neck and ran his fingers between your legs trying to make you feel good instead. "That's the point Soonyoung...a little pain feels good baby." Now you've peaked his interest again.

- You could surprise him with nice lingerie one day and then he'd get obsessed with it and randomly buy you cute sets for you to wear (and for him to ruin)

You'd have more lingerie than clothes and then imagine you decide to wear like a corset top under a blazer in public??? He's fucking done for. He's drooling into his dinner. He's undressing you with his eyes the entire dinner and then by the time he has you in the car he's got his fingers buried inside you muttering in your ear about how fucking delicious you look. How he can wait to ruin your lingerie and you.

——————————————————

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© onlymingyus - all rights reserved. Reposting/modifying of any fic, or pieces of original writings posted on this blog is not allowed. Translations not allowed.  

[basilly]

high school random blurbs | hs!au mcyts x reader

note: haha hi guys- surprise surprise but these are TOTALLY not based off of real life events-

included: feral boys + wilbur !

pronouns: none mentioned

not edited

dream:

you're wearing his letterman's jacket, cheering on the football team, lungs burning from screaming dream's name. a jacket, very so obviously not yours, with giant white letters on the back displaying 'wastaken', was wrapped around your figure. you could barely hear the footsteps against the metal bleachers approaching you, the speakers blared old pop songs.

"niki! hi!" "y/n- you made it!" "mhm."

you nervously fiddled with the sleeves of the jacket, this was the first time you've worn it. niki took one glance and immediately shot you a grin.

"nice jacket."

sapnap:

sitting at a small table in the corner of the library was a spot you often found yourself with sapnap, mostly while you studied and he watched. he always claims he should be studying, but when does he ever?

"sapnap, shouldn't you be reviewing for the history test tomorrow?" "it's history- the answers have already happened!"

as much as you wanted to laugh, you suppressed it, shaking your head instead.

"mhm okay- then what did you get on the last test?"

he paused, narrowing his eyes playfully at you.

"i hate you." "no you don't." "yea, you're right- i love you."

your jaw fell, you weren't sure if he was being serious or not. sapnap's frown formed into a smirk, crossing his arms in enjoyment over your speechlessness.

"look who's quiet now." "go away."

george:

"this is so difficult." "oh come on george- you're doing good, just keep going!"

the small square of paper in his palm looked like a folded mess while yours looked so clean and flat. you had suggested that the two of you follow a tutorial from youtube for origami cat hearts and hesitant to say no, here he was besides you.

"y/n- mine looks so dumb." "look!"

you held up a perfect little heart with a cat peaking up above it to his face, an excited smile on your features. he couldn't help but feel his heart melt a bit, cheeks tinging red.

"it's cute-"

you picked his up, observing its imperfect and lopsided heart. it was endearing in its own way, you loved it.

"awww i love yours george, here let's swap." "o-okay."

tucking it away into the front of your binder, you bid farewell, getting to your next class. staring at the little cat heart, george crashed his face into his hands, cheeks into a full out blush.

y/n's so cute.

karl:

"karl!"

stopping in his step, he turned around, eyes widening when you almost run straight into him. steadying you, placing his hands on your shoulders, he sends you a concerned look.

"woah there, slow down- what's up?" "pick four colors."

in your hand was an old cookie tin but now filled with a whole array of colored thread.

"uh- yellow, blue, purple, and green?" "okay thanks!" "you're... welcome?"

he couldn't do much but stare at your disappearing figure, wondering what the hell was going on.

scirbbling down the notes he had missed, karl sat himself in the corner of the cafeteria, in order to stay focused. a colorful paper box dropped in front of him, causing him to look up.

"here you are- i couldn't find you." "yea i had to get some notes from george- what's this?" "open it and find out!"

slowly lifting the box cover, a small bracelet lay inside. a simple bracelet that you would often find at summer camps or stowaway trips.

"wait is this what you had me pick colors for?"

you shook your head eagerly before pulling up your sleeve.

"we're matching! i made one for myself as well"

karl quickly slipped it on, grinning from ear to ear.

"thank you y/n- i'm going to wear this everyday."

quackity:

a black and purple jersey hung around your chest, fitting right into the spirit day. as most others wore their favorite famous football or baseball's players jerseys, you sat in your seat wearing one of your own school's players.

"y/n- who's jersey are you wearing?"

your teacher had been asking everyone, finally landing on you.

"oh- it was my siblings." "awh that's sweet."

you nod your head slowly, avoidding eye contact with a certain brunette that sat scross the class.

truthfully, you had said you didn't have a jersey and you loved spirit days- so who were you to say no when a cute duck boy offered you his extra jersey?

your best friend shot you a questioning look, knowing your sibling didn't play football. finally looking towards him, he looked like he couldn't contain his laughter. his lips mouthed silent words, ones you could barely catch.

you fucking liar

wilbur:

your eyes swept the dance floor, trying to find your friend amongst the huge crowd of people. homecoming was nearing its end, people slowly filed out, the numerous booths shutting down. wilbur stood closely besides you to not lose you. he had been with his friends for a majority of the dance but ended up hanging out with you and your friends.

"did you find them yet karl?" "no! i'll text them though."

wilbur checked his phone, five minutes till closing time. gently nudging your side, he leaned down so you could hear him over the music.

"hey do you want to go to the photobooth? i think the line is gone."

your eyes widened in shock before nodding.

"hey karl! we'll be right back!" "ok!"

approaching the booth, you heard some chaperones calling out for people to head out.

"hurry wilbur-"

he clicked the button before getting into postion. you felt your face warm as he wrapped an arm around your waist before smiling.

3...2....1

"okay- peace signs next!"

3...2...1

"what now-" "i dont know im bad at posing-" "we dont have time!"

wilbur quickly put up a goofy face, causing you to collapse into laughter.

*click*

"ew im mid-laugh" "it's cute."

@inniterhq @earthtooz @yamturds @cherios @mitzimania @ttakinou

[somehowmags]

🌻

did i ever say anything about my factionswap au? here's my factionswap au:

corrupted snowchester/team drift compatible (eggpire/snowchester swap): one day while trying to retrieve lost items, jack manifold finds the beating heart of snowchester. it kills him to look at it, but, as always, he returns from hell with a new gospel to spread. strange animals the size of buildings begin to walk the smp, changed permanently by the heart. after converting tubbo, ranboo, puffy, and foolish, team drift compatible (bad, skeppy, ponk, punz, antfrost, and hannah) form in opposition

the lonely city/strange roots (kinoko/niki's secret city swap): unwilling to be ignored ever again, niki built the city to touch the sky, with high peaks and enough supplies to feed the server. it doesn't matter that she's the only one in the city; its entirely self sufficient, with every building hiding a different farm. friend to all, ally to none. meanwhile, karl, fearing the worst for his library, retreated deep into the caves underneath the city and reads by the light of the glowberries. they say the residents of kinoko (karl, sapnap, george, tina, and corpse) only appear on the surface at night- if you see a man with glowing eyes, don't be scared. he'll probably just ask you if you want to watch cartoons with him.

city of angels/the speakeasy (syndicate/las nevadas swap): tired of being powerless, quackity forms a secret society (quackity, fundy, foolish, slime, and purpled) dedicated to wrestling control over the server. their first target is the mysterious city of angels, a strange faction whose goals are unknown, but whose members (techno, philza, niki, ranboo, whoever the fuck harpocrates is, and connor) walk freely among all others

mad king's domain/knights errant (l'manberg/greater dsmp swap): eret sees the writing on the wall before anybody else does- wilbur is cracking under the pressure, and she's not going to be there when he snaps. she takes the knights errant (eret, puffy, punz, ponk, hbomb, eryn, hannah, boomer) and makes a run for it. unfortunately for her, wilbur (as well as tommy, tubbo, niki, jack, and fundy) takes this as an act of rebellion, and declares war.

i wrote all this in march lmao i still kinda want to do something with it

[aressss1]

Sweet Nothings

(God!Technoblade x Male!Reader)

Read Me on AO3!

~~~~~~

You were very content with your life in this tiny village. Business was at its peak, and you were well known amongst the people. You had your regulars that came in daily, and you even had found an apprentice to help you out around the shop. Niki, was a great apprentice, learning how to bake and tend to the bakery on her own. The eagerness in her actions made you confident that she would be just fine taking care of the place in your stead, when you needed a break once in a while.

 One early morning, when the world was still dark, you walked the cobblestone streets to your bakery. The warm glow of the over hanging lanterns washed over your form. There was a cold nip to the air as you walked. Letting your eyes wander, your eyes spot the decorations overhead. Festival decorations, for a festival made in celebration of the era of peace among your lands, and for the blood god.

Today was Niki’s first day alone in the bakery. Your job today was to set up a booth and run it for the festival. You had the perfect spot to entice travelers from across the world to eat your delicious baked goods. Town square was the perfect place, but you… had scored the place closest to the entrance of the town square to set up your booth. The area that had gotten the most foot traffic in festivals. You were excited for what could come of this. Your bakery could very well thrive off this one day alone!

 The bakery before you was already lit up. You smirked knowing that your apprentice had beaten you to the punch. You twisted the doorknob and walked in whistling a familiar tune, signifying to Niki that you weren’t some stranger just walking in.

 “Morning boss!” Niki leaned out from behind the doorway of the kitchen as she said it. “You’re looking really handsome today!” Her eyes sparkled and you smirked. The garb you had chosen for the festival cost you a pretty penny, but it was worth it.

 “Well, a man has gotta look his best for his business don’t you think?” You ran your fingers through your hair, before putting your chef’s hat on. “How many goods have you made so far this morning my dear?”

 The beginning of the morning went by smoothly. You had set up your booth while Niki had made quadruple the amount of baked goods that you normally made on a regular day. Festivals were good for business and you didn’t want to keep the people waiting. Now… You wished the middle of the day went just as smooth.

 More foot traffic meant more problems… Thieves taking from your stock, people touching everything they didn’t intend to buy, people who weren’t satisfied being rude, and so much more. You had your hands full with everything. By the end of the festival when lanterns were sent into the sky to celebrate the blood god keeping peace across the land, you were out of breath. Your booth had seen it’s last customer of the day, and your head was still reeling. But that didn’t stop you from lighting your own lantern. You let it go as you still stood next to your booth, unaware of the fact that eyes lingered over you, as you closed your eyes uttering your thanks to the very blood god who watched you with curious eyes.

 His eyes spotted your lantern ascending into the sky, he didn’t make himself known to you, He scanned over you once more before he followed the lantern’s light, awaiting the moment that it would come down. When it did, he looked at your handiwork adorning the material. Drawings and script told a story of your gratitude, that, without the peace that he had given, you would be a broken man with no passion in life. This peace gave you enough to stand on so you could pave your way into a successful business.

 A slight smile pulled at his lips, a mortal had piqued his interest, there was definitely more he wanted to know about you. He would rest now and make himself known to you later. He held onto your lantern, keeping it for himself.

 Days passed, and you struggled with the volume of customers who had come in. So each day you adjusted your inventory, to keep up with your customers. There were times when you could breath in between bursts of people. You could cry at the success from the booth just days before.

 On one of your breaks, you sat down on a stool to help ease the discomfort in your back. You had been on your feet the entire day and you needed this break. You reveled in the silence and peace, you closed your eyes, letting out a little sigh. When the door opened, and you heard the bell sound off, signifying a customer, you gave off a small, tired grunt.

 “Welcome to my bakery, how may I help you-” When you opened your eyes all the air left your lungs, and you couldn’t say any more. In front of you, stood a very tall man, with long pink hair, a golden crown that reminded you more of a circlet gilded his head. His ears were pointed and downturned, making it obvious he wasn’t human. His eyes rivalled the gold that sat atop his head. Deep purple to black armor hugged his body and a royal red cloak spilled from around his shoulders.

 His eyes studied your face, and you felt a blush redden your cheeks. He moved around your bakery in the most graceful way you had ever seen anyone move and you fought to regain your composure.

 “Make yourself at home, take a look around and if you need anything you can just ask.” You bowed your head to offer your respect to him. When his eyes searched over you once more you cleared your throat. Was this guy a soldier? A commander? His aura was one that suggested he was a man of power. Even so, this guy didn’t know what to get… His eyes wandered around looking at all the pastries and other baked goods, it was obvious he was having trouble deciding on what to get.

 “Would you like a sample?” You offered, you almost shrunk at the man’s gaze, but you didn’t let yourself falter you held out a cupcake for him to take, and when he took it, you felt your heartbeat in your ears. When he hesitantly took a bite, you visibly relaxed when he gave you a smile, crumbs falling from his lip.

 “I’ll take some more of these.” His deep voice shook you to your very core. Strangely, as much as this guy was intimidating… He was alluring, and you packaged up more cupcakes for him, giving him an extra one, because he was a first-time customer. Or… At least you told yourself that.

 “Thank you very much! Here is your order and should you come back you will be welcomed with open arms!” You told him your name as he held his hand out with his payment. When he dropped it into your hand your eyes widened and in the palm of your hand were three gold pieces. Your heart dropped and when you looked back up, he was gone. You charged mere copper for your goods, not gold??? You were dumbfounded.

 Months had passed, and the mysterious stranger came in each and every day. Ordering and trying new things from you. He had become a constant in your life, and you found yourself growing closer to him. You found out his name was Techno, and he was a war hero. You could tell he was leaving bits and pieces from you, but you figured if he wanted you to know he would tell you.

 One night you locked up your bakery, and you were just about to head home. Your steps echoing off the cobblestone path once more. You looked up to see Techno, knelt down in front of someone, holding out a loaf of bread out to a straggler down on his luck. You had sold Techno that bread earlier. You couldn’t help but feel the smile tug on your lips. Techno stood tall after the straggler thanked him profusely, his eyes finding yours. You felt your heartbeat faster, as he towered over you.

 “You have brought beauty into this world and it’s a crime not to share it.” Techno cocked his head at you, his hand resting on your cheek. “I would like to see more of the beauty you create.” He drops his hand from your face, holding it out for you to take.

 You sigh happily, intertwining your fingers with his, happy to follow him wherever he would lead you. He led you to a place where you could see every star, away from the village. Foliage surrounded you and it was a nice change of pace rather than the buildings around you.

 Techno looked at you, as you marveled at the scenery before you. He basked in your presence; you were such a breath of fresh air opposed to every other mortal around. He watched you make your way to a nearby stream, kneeling letting the cool water flow through your fingers. Techno summoned forth your lantern. When you stood and faced him again, you were shocked at the lantern in his hands.

 “How did you get that?” You felt heat rise up to your cheeks.

 “It tells a beautiful story.” He ignored your question, “Of a man, who was cast out based on his preferences… Going on a hard-earned journey to make a bakery. Determined to be successful, while hiding who you truly are, is… Tragic.” Techno cupped your cheek, his eyes boring into yours. “I do not wish to take credit for your hard work because I slaughter those who wish to upset the peace.”

 Your eyes widened; the blood god was real… And he was standing before you, gazing at you with a fond expression. This beautiful man before you stroked your cheek with his thumb, and you felt your tears coming forth. You were scared, scared to tell Niki of your preferences, in fear she would abandon you. If any of your patrons knew, your business would be ruined…

 “This world is filled with cruelty.” His words caused shivers to go up your spine. “I… want to shield you from that cruelty.” He leaned closer and closer to you, his lips just barely grazing yours. “If you’ll have me.” He barely whispered, but you heard him loud and clear. You threw your arms around his shoulders, standing on your tip toes to push your lips against his. That was when your tears spilled forth.

 The two of you, melted into each other, the moon above shone down on you. Before too long this towering blood god cradled you in his arms, your head resting on his chest plate. You thought you were content with your life before… What you had before couldn’t compare to what you had now. Technoblade the Blood God had fallen for a mortal, and no one could take you away from him.

[thatonecoryosimp]

The Devil's Mercenary Part 9. Technoblade X reader. Love Locked

I'm finally getting the next chapter out, I'll be updating and writing some things today cause I'm not at school, I'm sick. I'm waiting for the meds to kick in right now so it doesn't feel like my head is imploding. This is a Dream chapter, wink wink, nudge nudge.

I've been rly sick the last week or so, and my relationship status is now complicated, so y'know.

Warnings: Smut, Mommy kink, Dom reader, Sub Dream, words like "baby, pet, whore." Beware.

Date: 10/5/2021

Series Masterlist

I was going about my day, as usual, my shoes crunched along the ground as I watched the colored leaves shake in the wind. Fall was such a beautiful season, everything sparkled in such a way, one that could melt the heart of even the most brutal of people.

The crisp air made its way through my hair, I could swear I could see it, dancing in its mysterious way, moving to its own tune.

The birds were heard chirping and I watched as small critters ran along the ground, basking in the sun's warm light.

And while fall was a very beautiful season, it was also very melancholy. It, like everything else, held two sides. While the land and the trees and the animals rejoiced in the cooling temperatures, and they turned to magnificent colors.

The thought arises that even if they are beautiful, they're still going to die. This was the leaves' last blaze of glory, its final bow. Some fell sooner than others, and in a few weeks, the rest would join. Dotting the Earth in their colors for a short time before losing them. Going brown, then to fall into obscurity.

It could almost make me sad to think about, but right now I could still enjoy the wonder the beginning of fall brought.

I felt the timber basket swish in my hand and I looked down to see a songbird, it had landed on the lid of the wooden container and started to peck at the whisker.

A chuckle formed as I stared at the gray and yellow bird.

"Well hello, little guy," I laughed. The bird's eyes met my own and it started to twitter. Its beak barely opening in closing. I grinned as I looked at the small animal.

"Aren't you just a little cutey?"

"Are you talking to a bird?" My eyes shot up and the basket jolted with my body, this had startled the bird causing it to fly off. I huffed as I watched the flurry of gray and yellow fly off.

"What was that for?" I glared at him.

I could see the blond stand up with a laugh, his emerald eyes blazing as he looked at me.

"I'm sorry I scared your little friend away," he walked closer to me with an almost loving smile on his lips, "Maybe we should eat to take your mind off it?" I felt him take the handle from me before putting one of his hands on the small of my back.

I slightly leaned into his side as I let myself react to his touch. My eyes closed again and a breath left my lips. I felt my nose scrunch slightly, this was only a deal, that's all it was. It wasn't anything else. This wasn't cheating, I wasn't even officially dating Wilbur.

I felt bad, I really did, but whenever I looked at him or was around him, I felt so right.

My eyes opened and I looked up at the man that caused my problems.

"I think this should be a good place, hmm?" I lost eye contact with him as I glanced around. The sight of the autumn trees brought a smile to my lips, it was so enchanting. The sun was setting in the distance, still peaking out over the treetops.

"Yeah," I answered breathily, "this is nice."

He sat the basket on the ground and pulled out the blanket stored in there. He unfolded it before ruffling it through the air, I watched it unfurl before it was placed on the slightly bumpy grown.

I sat down first, soon to be joined by the man that called me here.

I was the one to start unloading the food, taking out tasty concoctions Niki and I had made the night before, she hadn't questioned why I had wanted to bake so late, just happily obliged to help me.

As I sat out the last of the food I looked at him with a questioning stare, he was already looking at me, his eyes flickered in the last rays of sunlight, he had a dopey smile on his face.

"Why did you ask me to come here today?" I asked. I could see him slightly falter before picking up one of his favorite treats, it was a double-stuffed chocolate loaf cake, I had baked it for him before, and he constantly begged me for more.

"I wanted to tell you some things, I'm going to be talking to Wilbur tomorrow but I knew you'd want to be caught up." My eyebrows furrowed as I picked up a sandwich.

"Go on."

He smiled at me and took a bite of his cake, "I wanted to offer L'manburg their freedom."

My eyes widened as I looked at him, "What's the catch?"

"That there would be an election, an old friend of mine offered me a proposition. That I give L'manburg their freedom, if he could run for president, all I would have to do is be his endorsement."

I looked at him with widened eyes, if Wilbur agreed, he could win, I know he would win.

"Who's your 'old friend'," I questioned, still slightly skeptical.

"JShlatt."

The name sounded slightly familiar, I just couldn't put my finger on it. I nodded my head, my eyes were unfocused as I looked at him.

Before I could say anything else, he interrupted again, I could see him take a quick inhale of breath, "There's one more thing I would like to run by you." I stared at him, but he was looking at the ground.

A hum fell from my lips as I continued eating my food.

"I would like to temporarily put the killing part of our deal on hold."

That definitely caught my attention, "So we would just be fucking?"

He paused a minute, looking at me, then at the ground, I could see him struggling to find the right wording, "Yeah..."

I could hear his voice trail, there was something else there, but at the moment I didn't feel like pushing.

Other thoughts were swimming through my head at that moment, so many questions that would be left unanswered for the time being.

That would make it cheating, wouldn't it?

I could tell he noticed my hesitancy.

"Hey," he mumbled, scooching closer to me, his hand cupped my jaw as he looked at me.

"How about we take your mind off it?"

I looked at him with slightly glazed eyes, "How?" I saw him smile. The moon started to rise from the other side of the trees, I could see fireflies winding through the trees as I stared at the man in front of me.

He stood up and grabbed something out of his pocket, and as the moon rose I saw lanterns turn on all around me, light illuminated his features as he stared down at me with his hand held out.

I heard music start to play, it was low, almost like a wedding song.

"Would you dance with me?" my hands were placed in his as he pulled me up.

My body was swirled into his body. He held me close, his feet finding a rhythm with the melodies. His smile was sweet, and the way he held me with such purpose made my heart melt.

He twirled us around the open area. My head rested on his chest. My eyes were closed as one of his hands was wrapped around mine. My arm was rung around his neck.

The mood was made better when I accidentally stepped on his foot, both of us started laughing as I kept stumbling.

His body shook as he buried his nose in my hair. The arm around my waist tightened around me.

"You're such a klutz," he mumbled.

It was a jab, yes, but it was soft. He was kidding. I could hear him mumble something else under his breath.

"Hmm?" I asked.

"Don't worry about it, gorgeous."

I felt him press his lips to my forehead as the music slowed to a stop. We stood there for a few seconds. It was peaceful, standing there with him, away from everything. He made me feel loved.

He pulled away and guided me back to the picnic area. I could see a squirrel ruffling through some of the food. A laugh tumbled from my throat as I watched Dream panic.

"My cake!" he bellowed as he ran over. The critter raced off as the large man stumbled over. He looked over the picnic area and whined as he saw the crumbs of his cake. He sat back dejected, head held low.

My heart slightly sputtered as I looked at him, something came over me as I walked over to him. My pointer finger hooked under his chin and I pulled his head up. He looked at me with big puppy dog eyes.

"Do you want me to make you feel better?" with that the mood shifted, it was charged, electric. His eyes widened before he nodded

"Yes, please."

I smiled and bent down and pressed my lips to his. I broke the kiss and sat down on his lap. One arm got thrown around his neck and the other got placed on the middle of his chest.

I connected our lips again with a smile, I felt him whine again as I began to put pressure on his middle, he leaned back on the blanket so now I was straddling his hips.

I once again pulled away, he looked at me with such big eyes as I sat upright completely.

"Please..." I heard him mumble. A smile pulled on my lips.

"In a minute, baby. You'll get what you want."

I pulled my shirt off my body as I looked back at him. His hands went to my bare hips but I pushed them off.

"Not yet pup, mommy's working still."

he nodded and tried to sit still, watching me with hungry eyes, I stood up for s second to take off my pants. I knew he was watching me, and I was going to milk every second.

I pulled off the pants and hooked my thumbs in my underwear. I slowly started pulling them off. I slipped them over my feet and sat back down. I grabbed his hands and brought them to my back.

He unhooked my bra and pulled it off, throwing it to the side. I began to palm him through his pants, a groan tumbled from his lips at the sensation.

It was rather easy to pull them off, just a quick tug and they were down to his thighs. I crawled the rest of the way down his body and took him in my mouth. I felt his hands land in my hair.

"Mommy," he moaned, "oh please, mommy."

My head started to bob faster as I felt him tug at my hair. His thighs clenched a bit and I pulled off him.

I looked up at him as his hands fell from me, he had a look of confusion on his face.

"Don't worry baby, mommy's gonna take care of you."

I quickly placed my entrance over his shaft before sinking down. A loud moan fell from my baby's lips as he grabbed my hips. His head was thrown back as he bit his lips between his teeth.

I gently started to rock back and forth, before starting to slightly bounce. Leaning forward so I was resting on his chest. I could listen to him as so many moans fell from him. His hips sputtered as I started a little faster.

His hair was messed up, his head was thrown back, his face was flushed, and his eyebrows were scrunched up.

"You look like such a little whore." I moaned, watching as my words had an instant reaction. His hips coming up to meet mine.

"Are you mommy's little whore, huh? Huh, prince?"

"Yes-" there was a break where you could just hear his panting and skin slapping together, "Fuck, I'm such a whore for you mommy."

A moan sounded from my lips as I continued to chase both our highs.

"Am I being a good boy, mommy? Please tell me I'm being a good boy," I heard him moan.

"Yes baby, you're being such a good boy," I paused for a moment, my own breath becoming ragged, "Such a good boy for me."

It wasn't long before I felt his thighs clench up again, "Mommy, I need- I need to cum, please."

I nodded, "Cum for me, come on, baby."

My hips sped up slightly, just enough to tip him over the edge, I felt my own high tumble over me as I stopped, I felt him fill me up with warm hot ropes.

Our breathing slowly regulated as we laid there.

"Do you feel better now?" I asked.

"Yes, so much better."

~Jules

~~~~

I got kinda tired towards the end so I'm sorry if it's kinda shitty, I think I should lay down for a bit. Have a nice day lovelys, take care of yourselves, drink water. Love you guys.

[sageinacage]

My Fireplace (MCYT FIC EXCHANGE) summary: after a long day, all niki wants to do is to warm up and snuggle; and her friend puffy is more than happy to help. prompt: niki is tired after a really long day (maybe a bit down as well) and puffy gives her soft cheer-up tickles and platonic cuddles and positive reassurance a/n: this is my mcyt fic exchange fic for @vibinganon !! i hope you enjoy v :D warnings: slight self doubt, implied mentions of overworking, hurt/comfort-ish!! w/c: 1.1k DSMP, Platonic

~

Letting the door to her house close behind her, Niki looked at the ground as a sigh escaped her mouth. It was a long day, to say the least.

To start, it was cold. Very cold. As the weather was unexpected, Niki didn’t dress as warmly as she should’ve on this unfortunate day. And what made it worse; she was going to do outside gardening work today.

To be expected, doing heavy gardening work with the cold winds brushing against her skin every few minutes was draining. She felt as if her muscles were going to freeze up at any moment, the chilly breeze almost taunting her at this point.

Niki wiped off the cold sweat from her forehead, deciding that the few hours of work were enough for the day. She shook her head, wanting to do more; but the nearly unbearable weather was twisting and pulling at her motivation.

‘There’s nothing wrong with taking a break for today, right?’ Niki asked herself, trying to find some form of validation; even if that involved talking to herself. She was tired, and all she wanted to do is sit by a warm fireplace and nap.

Treading along the paths to her house, Niki looked up and began to see the shadowy silhouette of her home amongst the fog, a soft smiling pulling from the corners of her lips.

She walked in, sighing as the warm air surrounded her. She immediately went into her room to change into a colorful striped sweater and long pants and left to go start up her fireplace.

To her surprise, her fireplace was already lit; and a little poof of white hair could be seen peeking out from on the couch.

“Puffy? Is that you?” Niki spoke quietly, unsure if her tired eyes were failing her or not. With a soft hum of acknowledgment, Puffy peaked up from where she was reading a book. “The one and only! Why don’t you come here and warm up, yeah?”

Niki rushed with haste, and crashed into the sheep hybrid with a big hug, immediately being pulled into her embrace. “Rough day?” Puffy softly asked, feeling Niki’s head nod with a small nod. “You’re all good now, though. You can relax, I got you, Niki.” With that, Niki immediately melted into her friend, practically laying on her lap as the captain softly slotted her fingers comfortingly through her hair.

“Is this good?” Puffy asked, a fond smile painting over her features as her best friend smiled and nodded, enjoying the cozy heat from the fireplace on her skin and the long nails lightly scratching at her scalp.

"You're like my fireplace, you're so cozy." Niki mumbled, smiling to herself as she enjoyed the feeling of her hair being played with. Puffy let out a soft chuckle, smiling at Niki's comment.

It was peaceful, to say the least, until the said long nails got dangerously close to Niki’s neck.

“Oh, sorry! Did I hurt you?”

“N- No! I just… felt a small itch and it startled me!”

Puffy raised an eyebrow, not believing what she had to say. The pirate wasn’t a gullible one, that’s for sure. “Alright, come lay back down, you goof,” Puffy spoke with a playful tone, Niki obliging and laying on top of her lap again.

Puffy wasn’t gullible, but she was definitely curious. Gingerly, she let her nails scratch the base of Niki’s head, right by her neck. To be expected, the woman let out another squeak… and what sounded like a giggle. Ohhhh.

“I see. I’m guessing you’re ticklish?”

“M- Maybe?”

“Good to know.”

Niki shuddered at the sudden teasy tone that Puffy put on, immediately falling back as she felt gentle tracing up her side. “I’m gonna help cheer you up, ‘kay? Let me know when to stop.” Puffy knew her friend needed this. The blonde would never admit it, but there’s nothing better than soft tickles from the person you're close with after a long and taxing day.

A pink blush dusted over Niki’s cheeks as she nodded, covering her mouth as giggles began to pour out as she felt ticklish sensations over a particularly sensitive patch of skin.

Puffy’s nails found where her side met her belly to be particularly sensitive, lightly scritching at the skin. “PuhUHUFffy!” Niki squealed, the sheep hybrid just chuckling at her. “Niki!” She playfully repeated, earning a flustered grumble from her friend.

“Y’know Niki, I’m proud of you for how much work you did today. It’s not easy to be outside in the cold weather, especially if you aren’t properly dressed for it,” Puffy smiled, gently scribbling her fingers right beneath Niki’s belly button before continuing, “...and I’m honestly impressed. Not even I would be able to do that; I’d go back home after merely ten minutes!”

Niki was able to hear the reassurance message over her own squeals, a big grin spreading across her face from both the tickles and Puffy’s kind words. “I- It tihiHIHIckles- nohot thehEHERE!” The blonde threw her head back as Puffy’s nails skittered around her sides, gently squeezing the crook of her waist.

“Why not? I quite like it here, it gets those cute giggles out of you!~” Puffy exclaimed, chuckling softly at Niki’s whine as she covered her face. “N’awww, Niki! Let me see that pretty smile!” She fluttered her nails into her friend’s upper ribs, making Niki instantly crash her arms down.

“There you go!~” Puffy cooed, smiling as she noticed how less tense Niki sounded, and how she was more relaxed and giving in to the soft tickles. “You did a lot of hard work, you deserve to allow yourself to relax completely sometimes. Even if you don’t feel like you deserve it, you still do.”

Niki hummed in acknowledgment, bubbly and soft giggles still flowing out of her mouth as Puffy’s tickles turned into light traces around her tummy, melting completely into the soft tickles.

“Are you sleepy, Niki?” Puffy asked, noticing how much of a puddle Niki was, and how she was subconsciously snuggling into the captain. “Mhmhm…” She mumbled through her giggles, looking up at her friend with tired eyes.

“Then sleep well, I’ll wake you up in a few hours when dinner is ready, alright?” Niki nodded, sleep already washing over her body. Puffy sighed contently, playing with Niki’s hair as she slept on top of her lap.

With the crackling fireplace and cushy couch being a bit too comfortable than it should, Puffy yawned herself, the relaxing atmosphere making her sleepy as well. A little nap wouldn’t hurt anybody.

[ayamturd]

afraid│nihachu

summary: you wanted to explore the world above, and niki thought it best to bring the trinkets of the world to you 

warnings: none, only fluff

pairing: (requested) in-game origins!niki

a/n: i’m so sorry this took so long for me to write, i’ve honestly been in the strongest angst mood lately but hopefully did justice to your request! (this was so cute as an idea)

also thank you for my first origin! request, ik the hype has faded at this point but this was still so fun to write and explore :)

wc: (3.1k) - m.list

“You’re staring again.”

“AHHH!” Whipping around, Niki gaped at Wilbur, his amused grin meeting her wide-eyed shock as she placed a hand to her heart, exhaling deep breaths to collect herself. 

He was phased through the ground, his neck barely peaking out of the soil until he fully emerged, his body transparent as the sun gleamed through him. 

She lifted her head, craning to see whether you noticed the both of them or not from behind the river bend, and smacked Wilbur as hard as she could once realizing they were in the clear. 

“What was that for,” Wilbur whined, pouting and simultaneously rubbing his now sore arm. Despite fuming, Niki’s deep glare barely fazed him as he began cackling at how upset she looked.

“Wilbur,” Niki spat out. He paid no attention to her tone and held his stomach in laughter, floating slightly above her. “Oh lighten up, will you?” 

He propped his face on his hands, smirking while looking down at her with a teasing voice. “It’s cute.”

She huffed in response, turning away from him with her arms crossed. “Shut up.”

“Awwww Niki,” he cooed. She refused to meet his eyes and stared down, swishing her tail in the water as it reflected on the afternoon sun.

“What do you want?” Wilbur groaned at her lack of play but leaned on his back, tilting his head backwards to see her as he hovered. “You really are no fun.”

As she turned to glare at him again, he giggled but continued to speak. “When are you finally going to talk to them?”

Sputtering at his question, Niki became flustered and tried to argue back, but she struggled with her words. “I do talk to them!”

He gave her a deadpan expression, a look of judgement from her defense as she furrowed her eyebrows in response. “I do!”

Sighing dramatically, Wilbur paid no attention to her pathetic excuse with a smile. His lack of retention angered Niki more. “Wilbur!”

“You are so whipped Niki, it’s adorable.” 

Niki pushed herself up and strived to hit him again, though Wilbur was fast enough and raised just out of her reach. Sitting on the bank with her tail still dipped in the water, she grumbled at his antics once more. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

“Hmmm, is that so?”

Niki paused, unsure if it was that obvious for him to point it out in such a manner. She became insecure to the thought, afraid that her small advancements were really that noticeable despite getting her nowhere. Her sudden silence made Wilbur’s smile fade, and he quickly picked up on her self-doubt.

“Don’t do that.” His tone was harshly blunt and broke Niki’s train of thought. 

“Do what,” she asked meekly. Glancing up at him through her hair, she looked back down into her lap before turning her head in the direction you were last. 

“Be afraid of the truth,” Wilbur stated. Floating down, he met her eye level and peered up at her. His expression, while serious, held a kind smile to encourage her of the fact while his eyes were soft. “You like them, Niki, and you shouldn’t be afraid of saying it.”

She sighed and tried to turn away, but he wasn’t having it and pulled her chin back gently. “Niki.”

“I know, I know.” Niki shook his hand off, shaking her head slightly and pushing his hand away while moving to hold her own arms, the makeshift hug a form of comfort to the idea. “I just- I’ve never had feelings like this like I do for them. It’s all so new.”

“And I understand that, but you shouldn’t be afraid to face something new. This of all things especially. You like them right?”

Although she was hesitant to admit so, she knew that it was true. It was beyond the truth for you made her smile and laugh like no one ever had, your small conversations and light banter always brightening her day and filling her heart with joy. She wasn’t scared to say she liked you, she was scared of saying it out loud and letting reality take its course.

“I do,” she murmured, a small nod following after. “I like them, yes.”

“They make you happy?” Another pause, but she responded more confidently in the smaller time frame than before.

“They do.”

“Then you should find ways to make them happy too!” Wilbur exclaimed. He rose his arms widely and grew excited from her admittance. Floating towards the grass again, he plucked a small flower from the ground and twirled it between his fingers, handing it to Niki after. “Show them how they make you feel because they matter to you and you care.”

“Well how am I supposed to do that?”

“Do what?” 

For the second time that day, Niki whirled around and was surprised to see you innocently swimming above the water surface. She was panicked, eyes wide, and turned to look at Wilbur, who coincidently was gone. The bitch.

She faced you again, smile anxiously forced wide as she greeted you.

“Y/n!” You smiled kindly to her, unobservant to her nervousness.

“Hello, Niki!” You swam closer to her and rested an arm against the shore line, your other hand placed on her tail. Her breathing hitched at the small contact, and she relaxed once you began rubbing her scales lightly.

“I saw you talking to Wilbur, how is he?” Glancing back to where he previous floated, Niki scowled in annoyance at the reminder of his sudden departure. 

“Fine, I’m sure. Still annoying when he wants to be.” She mumbled the last words, a frown briefly hung on her lips. You giggled helplessly to her small pout with a hand covering your mouth. While obscured by your hand, Niki practically melted from the sound.

“How are you?” you asked after finishing your small fit. Niki blushed uncontrollably from how intense your eyes looked, the light of the sun catching on the hues of your iris; the sight alone was beautiful to her. 

“I- I’m alright, I’m great.” Always around you.

“That’s good, I haven’t seen you in a couple of days.” Concerned over the matter of fact, you leaned closer to Niki and absentmindedly stroked her tail again with your thumb, the movement endearing yet almost unconscious. “I was concerned something happened.”

Coughing slightly to gather herself, Niki cleared her throat from her flush while waving a hand upward. 

“O-oh, no everything’s okay. I was helping Wilbur with his house yesterday, he was trying to finish the living space but Tommy and Tubbo kept messing things up. Now that I think of it, I was more of a mediator than actual help.”

Chuckling loudly to her engrossed ranting, you interrupted Niki’s explanation and had to hunch over in pain, arms wrapped around your waist while you tail flicked hastily below. 

You laughter was contagious, and soon Niki joined in with her own, the sound fading into faint snickering that melded together in an alluring symphony. 

Eventually as you both stopped, however, your smile dimmed. Niki’s fell as well once noticing your sudden drop in mood, and she tapped your shoulders from the unexpected shift. 

“Y/n?” Niki slid into the water, the cold temperature difference from staying above making her shiver, yet she paid no mind to it, her attention solely on you. “What’s wrong?”

Realizing you let your thoughts show, you tried to pretend nothing happened, smiling dismissively to your previous frown and placing a hand on Niki’s that she held on your shoulder. Your attempts, unfortunately, were futile since your reassurance barely covered for the lack of joy in your eyes. That, and the fact that Niki could read more than you thought.

“It’s nothing really, I’m-” a humorless laughed escaped you as you aimed to convey your feelings. “I’m honestly so jealous of you.”

Niki’s mouth feel agape in disbelief and confusion. “Me?”

Tilting your head back with genuine laughter, you nodded. “Yes, you.” 

“I’ve never been able to see the things landers make or do, it’s so intriguing to hear about. I just can’t help but want to see those things beyond this tiny pond.” While you had turned to face Niki, your eyes were trained downward, with a disheartened smile. 

Niki immediately tried to cheer you up, hating the idea of anything trivial upsetting you overall. “I could introduce you to my friends if you like? They’re very nice people, no matter how chaotic I make them sound.” It was her turn to be affectionate as she brushed her hand over yours while your tails nearly wrapped around each other.

You gave another sad smile at her attempt, but appreciated her efforts nonetheless. “That’s really sweet, Niki, but I wouldn’t want to meet and burden them simply because of my own ambitions.”

Clinging onto the tips of her fingers, you squeezed them in reassurance. “Thank you, though. Ever the thoughtful you are, huh?”

Despite still hung over your downplayed emotions, Niki reddened from your words. As you looked above Niki at a flock of birds that flew overhead, she was suddenly faced with an idea. 

Formulating a plan and envisioning the hopeful outcome, Niki squealed unexpectedly, surprising you. She had no time to apologize, however, for her thoughts were running wild in anticipation. “I’m so sorry, but I actually need to go,” she voiced. 

You tried to answer, but through Niki’s blind eagerness, she didn’t hear you. She promptly pushed the fresh flower in your hand in replacement of her own, and wished you a farewell before diving into the water. 

With a scratch to your head, you lightly chuckled at how cute she was and lifted the flower up. Staring at the little tulip, you beamed and brought it towards your nose, smelling the aroma and kissing the petals softly. 

Waiting impatiently, Niki fiddled with the wet rope of the drawstring pouch. The moon was at high rise, the overcasting ray highlighting the empty landscape as all were asleep or safely tucked home. 

The air buzzed from the still night, yet Niki couldn’t help but feel unease despite the calm space. Before she could drive herself mad, you finally emerged from the dark water. 

“Good evening to you, Niki,” you joked. Swimming swiftly over to her, you glanced around the both of you and also noted the quiet. “It’s a gorgeous time to be awake.”

Although your words could have been interpreted as sarcastic, you meant anything but with a dazed tone and delighted appearance. Meeting her smile with your own, you spun in the water, taking in the cool breeze while lost in the starry night. 

“Not that I don’t love our hang outs, but why so late Niki? If you wanted to go star gazing, you could have said.” 

She laughed nervously, tugging on the small pouch in habit before holding it out to you. “No, actually, I- I wanted to give you this.”

Intrigued, you lifted the bag from her hands and held it against you as you opened it, letting out a gasp from the treasures all tucked together. Niki thought it best to explain herself. 

“I know you said you didn’t want to burden the idea, but I couldn’t help it and wanted for you to experience those things too, even if it’s only little things.” Gesturing to the bag you held, she pointed to the contents inside despite you lost to the beauty each item held. 

“I asked my friends to help gather things I thought you would enjoy. They’re not the most extravagant, but they all have their special charms.” 

“Niki…” Your voice was airy, barely above a whisper as you tried to comprehend her thoughtfulness. Too anxious for her own good, Niki continued to ramble.

“My friend Tommy, you know Tommy, he managed to trade for this dagger! The hilt has this small ruby in it if you look closely, but I like to think the whole craftsmanship of it is gorgeous. Oh and he also dumped in these things they use to eat! See this one here,” she dug in the open pouch for the metal utensils, lifting them individually to name them from what she was taught. 

“This one is called a ‘spoon,’ while this one is called a ‘fork.’ It’s pointy but isn’t sharp!”

“Niki-” She paid no mind to you and replaced the bag in your hands with the metal objects, her excitement overtaking her apprehension and wanting to explain them all.

“Now Phil, he gifted this lovely pocket watch. It tells the time without needing the sun! If you listen closely, you can hear this ticking noise from the gears that make it work, see?” She pushed the glowing locket near your ear, the soft mechanics working perfectly in motion. 

“He also enchanted it so the water won’t hurt it, water usually isn’t the best for their types of machines.” Niki handed you the watch carefully as she continued to talk. “He’s an Elytrian too! Very kind and wise, incredibly considerate.”

“That’s amazing, Niki, bu-”

“Ah, look at this!” Struggling to pull the wooden figurine out through the pouch opening, she yanked it out with a grunt, a smile quickly forming at its shape.

“It’s a duck! Tubbo is so cute and carved him himself, but wanted you to have him!” Holding him out, you grasped the smooth carving firmly with a grin, the animal admittedly adorable despite it’s oddly shaped body. “His name is Benson,” Niki exclaimed proudly.

You giggled fondly, patting the inanimate duck with your hands in spite how full they were. “Hello, Benson.”

“Oh and Ranboo!” Niki cried out. As she searched for his gift, you decided it best to interrupt. Or at least try to. 

“Niki, before that, I-” She began to mutter under her breath, frustrated with pulling his object out and distracted to your attempts.

“Niki.” 

“How did he even put this in here? It’s so bi-”

“Niki, love.”

Freezing from the endearment, she glanced at you with a sheepish smile. Although your adoring grin said otherwise, Niki was overwhelmed at the thought that she offended you some how. Before she could spew out apologies, you saw her slight panicked and acted quickly. 

Cradling all the gifts with one hand, you pulled her forward and kissed her, your hand holding her gently while caressing her cheek. She hummed out a sound of surprise, the noise muffled against your lips. 

While she was frozen for a few seconds, once the realization passed she relaxed completely from your touch, pulling you closer if it were humanely possible.  

All you both could feel was each other, the warmth that spread throughout your bodies a releasing high that drove passion and unenforced love free. You could have stayed there forever, you felt, just taking Niki in for all that she was, but chose to pull away; you wanted to see her.

Panting from the huge surge of emotions that passed, you both gazed into each other’s eyes in a mix of shock and intimacy never before shared or expressed.

Grabbing her hand, you lifted it to your mouth and pressed your lips firmly to her knuckles. “Thank you, Niki. You’re more than I could ever ask for.”

Unlike her past encounters, Niki didn’t turn away. She embraced your tenderness and accepted the burning warmth that encapsulated her for what it was and finally presented. 

She had nothing to hide anymore. She had nothing to fear anymore.

Bonus:

“Wait, what else do you have in the bag?”

You were both sprawled onto a large boulder, the rock perched slightly above the water surface in the middle of the lake. Considering the chill of the night and the cool touch of the stone, you were embraced in each other’s hold, arms strung together with hands intertwined. 

“Oh, I almost forgot!” Sitting up right, Niki pulled out all the objects in a pile and separated the ones you already saw in comparison to the others. She picked each one up as she explained. 

“This is called a tea kettle! I mentioned him before, but Ranboo found it while… digging (she didn’t know how to kindly say playing with dirt). It’s old but called an ‘antique’ because it’s rare!” Handing you the small pot, your finger grazed against the rusted metal in fascination of the discoloring and ancient beauty.

“Now these are sulfur crystals! Jack is from the nether so he collects a lot of them when he finds pure ones.” Lifting one towards the sky, you awed at the color that shined through it, the yellow hue soft yet vibrant under the moonlight glow. Reaching for one gently, you peered through the flat crystal with a giggle.

“They sometimes can smell really bad he said, but as long as we don’t mix it with other things like potions, we should be alright.” You hummed while still gazing through the clear solid. 

Enamored with the crystals, your attention was drawn back to Niki when you heard something chime. 

“I’m not sure why Wilbur thought it would be a good idea to gift these to us, but he thought it best to give us these things called jingle bells.” Shaking them once more, you were delighted to find they had a joyful-like sound, the light ringing noise something magnificent that you’ve never heard before underwater.

You played with them once Niki gave them to you, your smile wide from the new discovery and breathless to the music it sang. 

“Oh I didn’t realize he put one in.” 

“Who?” you asked, your eyes still on the small metal balls that reflected the moon in combination to the water surface. 

Niki sighed before stating with a smile, “Fragrance Man.”

You paused at the name, and turned towards her confused. “Fragrance Man?”

Nodding softly with an amused chuckle, Niki revealed the final item to you. It was a glass bottle, one typically used for potions, but held strange bundles all tied individually. 

“I think from the last time he showed me that these are called ‘sage bundles.’ You’re supposed to burn them for a stronger smell, but he might have put it in here since that last time I saw his collection, I liked smelling it from the bottle.”

Holding it out towards you, Niki uncapped the cork top for you to try. You leaned over and hovered your nose over the open neck, exhaling in captivation from the floral foliage and cooling sensation it brought. 

“Wow, Niki. This is all so amazing!” You had little to say to the collection of trinkets she assembled for you, still speechless to the effort she went through for you. 

“You’re friends sound so nice and thoughtful,” you hummed, reaching for her hand again and interlacing your fingers together.

Niki snorted at the thought but accepted your hand nonetheless. 

“They’re okay sometimes.”

[brookstonalmanac]

Events 8.1 (after 1900)

1907 – The start of the first Scout camp on Brownsea Island, the origin of the worldwide Scouting movement. 1911 – Harriet Quimby takes her pilot's test and becomes the first U.S. woman to earn an Aero Club of America aviator's certificate. 1914 – The German Empire declares war on the Russian Empire at the opening of World War I. The Swiss Army mobilizes because of World War I. 1927 – The Nanchang Uprising marks the first significant battle in the Chinese Civil War between the Kuomintang and Chinese Communist Party. This day is commemorated as the anniversary of the founding of the People's Liberation Army. 1933 – Anti-Fascist activists Bruno Tesch, Walter Möller, Karl Wolff and August Lütgens are executed by the Nazi regime in Altona. 1936 – The Olympics opened in Berlin with a ceremony presided over by Adolf Hitler. 1937 – Josip Broz Tito reads the resolution "Manifesto of constitutional congress of KPH" to the constitutive congress of KPH (Croatian Communist Party) in woods near Samobor. 1943 – World War II: Operation Tidal Wave also known as "Black Sunday", was a failed American attempt to destroy Romanian oil fields. 1944 – World War II: The Warsaw Uprising against the Nazi German occupation breaks out in Warsaw, Poland. 1946 – Leaders of the Russian Liberation Army, a force of Russian prisoners of war that collaborated with Nazi Germany, are executed in Moscow, Soviet Union for treason. 1950 – Guam is organized as an unincorporated territory of the United States as the President Harry S. Truman signs the Guam Organic Act. 1957 – The United States and Canada form the North American Aerospace Defense Command (NORAD). 1960 – Dahomey (later renamed Benin) declares independence from France. 1960 – Islamabad is declared the federal capital of the Government of Pakistan. 1961 – U.S. Defense Secretary Robert McNamara orders the creation of the Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA), the nation's first centralized military espionage organization. 1964 – The former Belgian Congo is renamed the Democratic Republic of the Congo. 1965 – Frank Herbert's novel, Dune was published for the first time. It was named as the world's best-selling science fiction novel in 2003. 1966 – Charles Whitman kills 16 people at the University of Texas at Austin before being killed by the police. 1966 – Purges of intellectuals and imperialists becomes official China policy at the beginning of the Cultural Revolution. 1968 – The coronation is held of Hassanal Bolkiah, the 29th Sultan of Brunei. 1971 – The Concert for Bangladesh, organized by former Beatle George Harrison, is held at Madison Square Garden in New York City. 1974 – Cyprus dispute: The United Nations Security Council authorizes the UNFICYP to create the "Green Line", dividing Cyprus into two zones. 1976 – Niki Lauda has a severe accident that almost claims his life at the German Grand Prix at Nurburgring. 1980 – Vigdís Finnbogadóttir is elected President of Iceland and becomes the world's first democratically elected female head of state. 1980 – A train crash kills 18 people in County Cork, Ireland. 1981 – MTV begins broadcasting in the United States and airs its first video, "Video Killed the Radio Star" by The Buggles. 1984 – Commercial peat-cutters discover the preserved bog body of a man, called Lindow Man, at Lindow Moss, Cheshire, England. 1988 – A British soldier was killed in the Inglis Barracks bombing in London, England. 1993 – The Great Mississippi and Missouri Rivers Flood of 1993 comes to a peak. 2004 – A supermarket fire kills 396 people and injures 500 others in Asunción, Paraguay. 2007 – The I-35W Mississippi River bridge spanning the Mississippi River in Minneapolis, Minnesota, collapses during the evening rush hour, killing 13 people and injuring 145. 2008 – The Beijing–Tianjin Intercity Railway begins operation as the fastest commuter rail system in the world.