#and noelle gives you a shirt

[ralseinumberonebiggestsupporter]

i like making aus

[puppyeared]

i feel like. theres designing a character with certain themes and motifs in mind, and then theres making a gijinka for the water bottle on my nightstand

[m1d-45]

connection

summary: small moments of reconnecting with your lover after some time. diluc, kaeya, kazuha, albedo, and kaveh, in that order

word count: ~1.6k

-> warnings: minor spoilers for like the names of people and things, spoilers for diluc lore/mondstat quests, lotsa fluff <3

-> gn reader (you/yours)

taglist: @samarill || @thenyxsky || @valeriele3 || @shizunxie || @boba-is-a-soup || @yuus3n || @esthelily || @turningfrogsgay || @cupandtea24 || @genshin-impacts-me

< masterlist >

diluc

it’s not uncommon for you to slip behind the counter at the angel’s share, whether to help restock or to collect dirty glasses, and tonight is no different.

you’re standing behind him, arms wrapped tightly around his waist, him continuing to make and mix drinks for customers. he was a bit surprised when you first showed up, only mumbling a “hello” into the back of his shirt as explanation.

but he was used to your antics, especially after yesterday. the darknight hero had a rather rough run-in the night before, outmatched against a pyro abyss mage. you could see the bandages under his sleeves, and though he’d apologized and promised not to pick fights he couldn’t win, it had still scared you. badly.

one of his hands tapped yours. “dear, could you get me some butterfly dust?”

you turned, one hand staying around him while the other picked through the jars on the back shelf. finding the one marked with a butterfly, you passed it to him, earning yourself a “thank you, darling.”

you hummed in response and he smiled, hand lingering over yours for a moment. he hated worrying you, don’t get him wrong, and he genuinely was sorry, but this… was nice.

maybe in the future he’ll be able to ask you for affection without turning red. just give him some time, okay?

kaeya

many people knock on kaeya’s door throughout the day, most bringing some sort of work. “here’s my report for the recent mission,” “jean needs your signature on this,” “you should take a break, you haven’t left your office in 11 hours.”

please. if he wanted to leave, he would have. he’s trying to catch up on work, for once, leave him be.

when someone knocks at his door again, he calls for them to come in, looking up from his report. he’s expecting another knight, maybe noelle, but this is far sweeter.

he smiles as you come in, pushing away from his desk and holding out an arm for you. “to what do i owe this lovely surprise?”

he pulls you in when you approach, resting his head on your stomach while your hands go automatically to his hair. “just wanted to see you,” you say, and just the sound of your voice eases some of his irritation at his paperwork.

he hummed, relaxing. “i was just thinking about you, you know.”

“really?”

“mhm. thinking about how nice it would be for my beautiful lover to visit me at work, saving me from the endless piles of reports…”

“…you can just leave, kaeya.”

he laughed. “don’t tempt me.”

kazuha

kazuha climbed down from the crow’s nest as the alcor came to port, having already found you in the crowd waiting on the docks. he grabbed his bag (already packed the day before) and jumped over the side of the ship, a burst of anemo ensuring he landed safely. he wove through the crowd easily, all of the workers familiar with him and your routine every time he came back.

you were leaning on a stack of crates, pushing off them once you saw him. kazuha swept you into a hug, holding you tightly against him. this past voyage was longer than usual, the fleet getting caught in inazuma due to some mix-up of shipments, and the break in routine had made the both of you antsy.

“i missed you,” you mumbled, and he squeezed you once before pulling away, just enough to press a kiss to your cheek.

“i missed you to, my love.” then, after a moment, “i apologize for the delay.”

“it’s not your fault.”

“true, but i still feel bad leaving you here all on your own.” he gave you another kiss, taking your hand in his when he stepped away properly. “how about i make it up to you? i’ve brought you some rather interesting things from inazuma…”

you smile, and he feels his heart lift when you agree.

“then it’s a date.”

albedo

“‘bedo?”

albedo turned his head slightly to show he was listening, his eyes still trained on the glasswork he was cleaning. “yes?”

“how much longer will you be? it’s late.”

a smile flickered across his face, and he moved the beaker in his hand to the drying rack, picking up another. “just a few more, my flower.”

“you said that ten minutes ago.”

did he? “my apologies, then, but i do need all of these clean by tomorrow, and it’s best if they dry overnight.”

“…but i miss you.”

that got a laugh from him, and he rinsed out an erlenmeyer. “i’m right here, dear.”

“but you’re not here.”

he smiled, moving the flask to the rack as well. “i will be in just a moment. you have my word.”

he was well used to your theatrics and knew you weren’t serious. though he did feel regret at making you wait and keeping you awake, he knew you didn’t hold it against him. unusual hours and more than slightly complicated schedules were part of his job, and he was grateful that you had accepted this as part of him.

he finished the last of his cleaning quickly, washing his hands of the soap and finally beginning to ready for bed. he’d already changed out of his uniform earlier, so it was a quick affair of removing his boots and socks and slipping beneath the sheets.

the two of you found the other easily, his head nestled in your collar as you pulled the tie from his hair.

“thank you,” he murmured, feeling the tension of the day slipping away under the feeling of your hands in his hair. you undid his braids, carefully unravelling the minor knots throughout.

“of course,” you reply, as if it’s the easiest thing in the world. as if it’s easy to be with him despite his expeditions and strange hours, as if it’s easy to accept him in your bed and arms despite his past. as if it’s easy to love him.

and maybe for you, it was easy. but for him, it was a difficult truth, and he fell asleep every day grateful for it.

every day, just as this one.

kaveh

kaveh ran a hand over his hair, glaring down at his troublesome blueprint in irritation. something was wrong, something was missing from somewhere, but he couldn’t pin down what. it likely had something to do with the late night hour, but he was determined to figure out what it was before he went to bed. he would leave the actual drawing to tomorrow, but there was no way he would be able to sleep like this. it would bother him too much, any rest he had wouldn’t be fulfilling, his schedule could take the hit he just needed to find whatever stray detail was putting him off.

there was a knock at his door and it took him a bit too long to register it, only looking up from his paper when the door already opened. he prepared himself for the regular snark of alhaitham, but was met with the softness of a different touch instead.

you reached and lowered the light from his lamp, brushing some of his hair from his face. “kaveh, what are you doing awake? it’s late.”

he leaned into your hand, still looking over the paper in the dimmed light. “another detail is giving me trouble.” he waved over the front face of the building, searching the windows and arches for what was troubling him. “it’s off, and i don’t know why.”

“hm?” you moved, propping a hand on the table and leaning your head on his. “what do you mean?”

“it’s wrong. i can’t tell if it’s the symmetry or the size of the door or.. or…” he sighed, and you stayed silent, looking over the paper.

“is it the frame?”

“no, i checked that twice before.”

“hm… the windows?”

that was possible… but even when he checked the measurements again, or even covered them up entirely, the building was still wrong. “no…”

“thought it would be, they looked off.”

he shook his head, careful not to bump you too much. “this design looks more asymmetric than it is, but it complements the arch of the roof well, far better than a simple rectangle or square would. not to mention sumeru rarely has such sharp shapes to begin with…”

“interesting… and the front steps?”

“well curved steps wouldn’t be practical, love, that would be a hazard-“

“kaveh. the steps. are they even?”

“huh?” he had put a hand over the bottom of the drawing before he even knew what he was doing, covering the steps. to his surprise, the rest of it looked far better without them, despite the fact that the front steps were probably one of the most embarrassing things for him to manage to mess up. “oh… thanks.”

you laughed, kissing the top of his head as you prepared to leave, and he grabbed at your hand, clumsily making note of the steps with the other. “w-wait, i’ll go with you.”

“about time.”

he didn’t bother replying, knowing you were right. he turned out the light and kicked off his shoes, following you to bed eagerly.

it was late, and his exhaustion hit him all at once, asleep practically the moment his head hit the pillow. you smiled and pulled the clips from his hair, giving him another quick kiss before curling up in bed beside him.

yes, sunrise was in only about two hours, but you had the day off tomorrow. you would be fine, and so would he.

[honeybeezgobzzzzz]

𓅨 A Song in the Depths: Chapter One

A Song in the Depths: While staying with your grandmother in the coastal town of Dreaming, you grow curious about a summer solstice festival the town celebrates.

Warnings: None.

To Note: Dark!Siren!Dream x NAMEDFemReader, I like giving names, bite me.

Word Count: ~3.4k

Masterlist | Next

Your grandmother's invitation to spend the summer in the old town of Dreaming between college semesters didn't exactly fill you with excitement. After all, it meant leaving behind your friends and all the fun they were sure to have on break. But as she was getting older, you couldn't say no. Plus, the promise of being near the ocean provided some consolation.

With a heavy sigh, you packed your belongings and said goodbye to your parents' house. Boarding the train to Dreaming, you struggled to adjust your overstuffed backpack as you searched for a seat near the window. The whistle blew and the train lurched forward, pulling away from the station. As you settled in for the journey, your ears caught snippets of conversation from two women sitting nearby. They were whispering about missing tourists in Dreaming, their voices filled with fear.

As if drawn to the gossip, you lean in closer, unable to resist the urge to eavesdrop. One of the women leans in closer to her companion, wide-eyed and trembling as she spoke.

"They say every summer solstice, someone vanishes without a trace," she says. "Some people think it's a vengeful spirit, others think it's just nonsense."

You roll your eyes and turn back to the window, fixating on the passing landscape to distract yourself from their superstitious talk. It was just another story blown out of proportion. Besides, your grandmother had lived in Dreaming for years without any trouble.

The train eventually pulls into the small station of Dreaming, bathed in a warm golden glow from the setting sun. Your petite grandmother stands proudly on the platform, waving excitedly as you step off the train.

"Noelle, my darling! Welcome to Dreaming!" she exclaims, pulling you into a tight hug.

You can't help but smile at her genuine joy and follow her to her cottage by the sea. Perched on a cliff overlooking the beach, its whitewashed walls and thatched roof gleaming in the evening light, it's a picture-perfect sight. The scent of salt and seaweed fills the air as you take in the breathtaking view of the ocean.

"Isn't it beautiful?" your grandmother asks, her eyes sparkling with pride.

"It's amazing, Grandma," you reply, truly entranced by the sight. The view was absolutely incredible.

The sun slowly dips below the horizon, casting the sky in shades of pink and orange, while you help your grandmother carry your luggage into the cozy cottage. Antiques fill every nook and cranny, each one holding a story within its worn edges. Stories from your childhood and even further past.

"I've prepared your room upstairs," your grandmother says, gesturing to a narrow staircase. "You should get settled in before dinner."

Thanking her, you climb the creaky stairs and enter the small, simply furnished room. A soft white quilt adorns the bed, and a vintage-style dresser stands against one wall. Through a small window overlooking the ocean, a peaceful glow spills into the room.

As you settle into your new surroundings, your mind can't help but wander to the whispers you overheard on the train. You brush them off as mere superstition, but a nagging feeling lingers in the back of your mind. You try to shake it off and focus on the present, but the unease persists.

Determined to push aside your concerns and enjoy your stay, you unpack your belongings and hang your clothes in the old wooden wardrobe. While you fold your jeans and t-shirts, you can't help but notice a faint, musty smell emanating from the wardrobe. Your grandmother didn’t get many visitors, you should try to visit more often while you can.

Just as you're about to close the wardrobe door, a small, worn book tumbles out from the bottom shelf. Curious, you pick it up and examine the cover. It's a journal, its pages yellowed with age. Intrigued, you flip through the pages, reading entries dated years ago. The handwriting is elegant but barely legible.

As you read, you realize the journal belonged to your grandmother. It chronicles her life in Dreaming, including her first days in the cottage by the sea. You smile at the thought of your grandmother as a young woman, full of hopes and dreams.

You read further into your grandmother's journal, learning more about her life in Dreaming. Your smile grows as she describes her first days in the cottage by the sea, filled with wonder and excitement. She writes about her early friendships and the tight-knit community that welcomed her with open arms.

One entry, dated several years after her arrival in Dreaming, stands out to you. In elegant handwriting, she describes meeting a young fisherman named Samuel. His bright blue eyes and warm smile had captured her heart from the moment they met. Over the following pages, she recounts their blossoming romance, filled with long walks on the beach and cozy evenings by the fire.

Your heart aches with happiness as you read about their love story and how they eventually married in a small ceremony by the sea. Oh to have a love like that…Your grandmother's words paint a vivid picture of their life together, filled with love, laughter, and the joy of raising a family.

As you continue reading, you notice a shift in your grandmother's tone. The entries become more somber, tinged with sadness and fear. It's around this time that she first mentions the disappearances. People she knew and loved, vanishing without a trace during the summer solstice.

Your blood runs cold as you read her words, remembering the whispers you overheard on the train. You can't help but feel a shiver of dread creeping up your spine as you realize that these disappearances have been happening since before your grandmother was  even born! It's as if the town of Dreaming itself is cursed.

Your grandmother's entries go on to describe the town's efforts to uncover the truth behind the vanishings, but every lead seemed to turn up empty. The fear and uncertainty weighed heavily on the community, leaving them with a lingering sense of unease that never quite went away.

As you close the journal, your thoughts swirl with the stories of your grandmother's past. The joy and love she found in Dreaming were undeniable, but the darkness that seemed to lurk beneath the town's surface was impossible to ignore.

A sudden gust of wind rattles the window, breaking your train of thought. You look up, feeling a sense of foreboding settling over you. The sky outside has turned a deep shade of purple, and the ocean looks angry and unsettled. A sharp knock on the door startles you, and you quickly stuff the journal back into the wardrobe. "Noelle, dear, dinner's ready," your grandmother calls.

"I'll be right there," you call back, your thoughts swiftly moving from the mysterious journal to the awaiting meal.

Dinner is a simple affair, with your grandmother serving up a hearty meal of fresh seafood and vegetables. The aroma fills the cozy kitchen, and you find yourself eagerly anticipating the first bite of her cooking. As you take your seat at the small wooden table, you can't help but smile at the familiarity of it all. The warmth of your grandmother's cooking brings back memories of your childhood, when you would spend summers here, exploring the island and indulging in her delicious meals. Odd that it had never been during the summer solstice…

You watch as she moves gracefully around the kitchen, her hands deftly preparing the food with a practiced ease that comes from years of experience. The love and care she puts into her cooking are evident in every bite, and you can't help but feel thankful to have been raised with such love.

As you enjoy the meal, you reflect on the idea of staying home instead of coming here. Would you really have been content to spend your entire break doom scrolling through social media or watching mindless TV shows? No, you realize, this trip was exactly what you needed. A chance to reconnect with your roots, to appreciate the simple pleasures in life, and to create new memories with your grandmother while you still have her.

With each bite, you savor the flavors and the company, knowing that this is precisely where you're meant to be. You cancel it in your bones. The whispers and unease from earlier seem to fade away, replaced by a sense of comfort and old memories.

After a satisfying dinner, you offer to help your grandmother clean up. She accepts your help with a disgruntled look since you were a guest, but allows you to aid in washing dishes and putting away leftovers. As you finish up, your grandmother looks at you with a slight frown.

"Noelle, darling, I know you're eager to explore the town, but please be careful," she says, her voice tinged with concern. "It's not safe to wander around after dark, especially near the beach. I never told you much about Dreaming when you were younger but you must know, there have been... strange occurrences."

Her words echo the whispers you overheard on the train. However, the allure of the ocean is too strong to resist, and you find yourself drawn to the beach regardless of the warnings.

"I'll be fine, Grandma," you reassure her with a smile. "I won't be gone long."

She nods, her expression a mix of worry and understanding. "Alright, but don't stay out too late. And try to avoid the water, okay?"

With that reassurance, you leave the cottage and  make your way down the winding path that leads from the cottage to the beach below. The sun has already dipped below the horizon, leaving a painted sky of lingering pinks and oranges in its wake. The ocean, now shrouded in darkness, murmurs softly as it kisses the shoreline.

When you reach the sand, you kick off your shoes and feel the cool grains between your toes. The sea breeze tousles your hair, and you close your eyes, taking a deep breath to savor the salty air. It's so peaceful here, so far removed from the noise and chaos of the city you left behind. Maybe next time you will invite your friends to come!

You walk along the edge of the water, allowing the gentle waves to lap at your feet. The ocean seems to call to you, its mysterious depths holding secrets you can only imagine. Despite your grandmother's warnings, you find yourself drawn to its allure, unable to resist the urge to explore further. How dangerous could it be to just dip your toes into the water? You continue down the beach, your steps slow and deliberate as you take in the surroundings. The moon casts a glow on the water, and you can't help but soak in the sight with a sated sigh.

Rounding a bend, you spot a small, rocky outcropping jutting out into the sea. Curiosity piqued from faint memories of playing on it as a child, you make your way towards it. The further you venture, the more the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks drowns out the soft whispers of the sea. You climb onto the rocks, careful not to slip on the wet, moss-covered surface. From here, you have a perfect view of the ocean stretching out before you, its vastness both humbling and exhilarating. Oftentimes you forgot how big the ocean is.

Leaning back against the rock, you take a moment to soak in the experience, the cool night air sending chills dancing across your skin. The warnings your grandmother gave you earlier echo in your mind, but you can't help but feel safe in this moment, surrounded by the tranquil beauty of the sea. You’d spent countless summers here, it was perfectly safe as long as you made sure to be aware of riptides.

You gaze out at the water, lost in thought, when you notice a splash of a tail flicking out of the water. You smile, thinking that it must have been a dolphin, or some other sea creature with a fin. But then you spot a head and long black hair.

A moment later, you see a tail seemingly connected to the figure. A man? Your mind struggles to process what you're seeing, and you blink a few times, rubbing your eyes to clear your vision. You tell yourself that it must be a trick of the moonlight or just your imagination running wild. He's gone, a figment of your imagination. Your exhaustion was getting to you.

“Time to go to sleep, Noelle, you are seeing things,” you mutter to yourself before removing yourself from the rock. You trudge back up the winding path to your grandmother's cottage, feeling unsettled. The sight of the mysterious figure swimming in the ocean lingers in your mind, making you question if you'd really seen what you thought you had. Who would be crazy this crazy to swim at this time of night?

Looking back at the top of the cliff, you squint your eyes, trying to make out the figure once more. There it is again, a male with long hair and what appears to be a tail. You blink, rubbing your eyes to make sure you're not hallucinating. But the figure is still there, swimming effortlessly through the water.

Feeling a chill run down your spine, you turn away from the sight and hurry up the path. You are hallucinating, Noelle, sleep deprivation is getting to you! The cottage comes into view, its warm lights inviting you in from the cool night air. Stepping inside, the pleasant scent of your grandmother's nighttime tea fills the air, immediately soothing your unsettled nerves.

"Noelle, dear, you're back!" your grandmother exclaims, bustling over to give you a hug. "I was starting to worry. Did you have a nice walk?"

You hesitate, unsure of how to respond. Should you tell her what you saw or brush it off as a figment of your imagination? Your tiredness certainly explained it… In the end, you decide to keep your concerns to yourself.

"Oh, it was lovely," you reply, forcing a smile. "The ocean is just breathtaking."

Your grandmother beams at you, her eyes twinkling with pride. "I'm so glad you're enjoying your time here, dear. Now, come it grows late and I am sure you are exhausted from all your travel! Off to bed with you!"

You are wandering through the quaint village the next day watching the townsfolk bustling about, preparing for the upcoming summer solstice festival. The air is filled with excitement and anticipation, yet there seems to be an undercurrent of hesitancy and unease. It’s been bugging you since the train so you finally decide to get some answers. You approach a group of villagers hanging decorations along the cobblestone streets.

"Excuse me," you say, smiling warmly. "I couldn't help but notice all the preparations for the festival. I've never celebrated the summer solstice before. Can you tell me more about it?"

The villagers exchange nervous glances, their smiles fading as they look back at you. A tall, wiry man with a bushy beard steps forward, his eyes darting around as if checking for eavesdroppers.

"Well, uh... it's a tradition we've celebrated for generations," he says, his voice barely above a whisper. "It's a time for us to come together and give thanks to the sea for providing for us."

You nod, sensing their discomfort but unsure of its cause.

"That sounds lovely," you reply. "Are there any special customs or rituals that take place during the festival?"

The villagers exchange more nervous glances, their faces growing paler by the moment. The bearded man hesitates, his Adam's apple bobbing as he swallows hard.

"There are... some customs," he admits, his voice barely audible. "But they're, uh... we haven't practiced them in centuries. They're rather archaic… sacrifices and all…" Oh, yeah you can see them wanting to be hush hush about that kind of past.

"Sacrifices?" You question softly, "You wouldn't happen to know where those took place do you? I do so love history…"

The village elder reluctantly reveals the location of the ancient sacrifices before turning and getting back to work, making it clear that the were done talking. Despite your unease, you are intrigued by the historical significance of the site and decide to explore it for yourself. You’ve visited the coastal town long enough that you should learn more about it.

So you make your way through the streets of the village, following the elder's directions towards a hidden cove nestled between two cliffs. The path is overgrown with vegetation, and you have to push through dense branches to reach your destination. It is clear that this area is avoided.

Upon arriving at the cove, you are struck by its otherworldly beauty. The ocean water is a deep cerulean blue, gently lapping against the rocky shore. In the distance, you can see a large, flat rock jutting out from the water, its surface worn smooth by centuries of exposure to the elements.

When you approach the rock, you notice a lone figure standing atop it, his back turned towards you. His short, black hair is wild and unkempt, and he seems to be staring out at the horizon, lost in thought. The man doesn't seem to notice your presence, so you muster up the courage to clear your throat and speak.

"Excuse me," you say, "I couldn't help but notice you standing here. Are you... waiting for someone?"

The man startles at the sound of your voice, spinning around to face you. His eyes are an otherworldly shade of blue, reminding you of the deep ocean depths. For a moment, he just stares at you, his gaze intense and unnerving.

"No one in particular," he finally responds, a faint smile playing at the corners of his lips. "I was just... enjoying the view."

You nod, feeling a bit uncomfortable under his piercing gaze. There's something about him that strikes you as different, almost ethereal. Also familiar yet you had never met him. You can't quite place your finger on it, but you sense that he's not like the other villagers.

"I'm sorry if I disturbed you," you say, taking a step back. "I was just exploring the cove and noticed this rock."

The man shakes his head, his smile growing wider. "No, no. It's quite all right. I was actually hoping someone would come along. It gets rather lonely standing here by myself."

You hesitate, unsure if you should trust this stranger. But something in his eyes makes you feel safe, as if he's someone you can trust. He is just a man and you’ve had some self defense training, what is the worst that will happen?

"My name is Noelle," you say, extending your hand. "I'm visiting my grandmother and don't know much about this place despite having visited for years.”

The man takes your hand, his grip firm yet gentle. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Noelle. I'm... Morpheus."

You smile, noting the peculiar name but deciding not to dwell on it. "So, do you come here often, Morpheus? I’ve noticed that the path is a bit overgrown and not used…”

He nods, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "I do. There's something special about this place, don't you think? The way the ocean crashes against the rocks, the salty air... it's invigorating."

"I wish I knew more about places like this," You softly murmur, your eyes appreciating the nature. "I— I don't get the chance to get away from society much."

Morpheus chuckles softly, a melodic sound that seems to echo around the cove. “I understand, it's in the quiet corners of the world that we find the most intriguing stories. The secrets of the past are buried in places like this, waiting to be discovered by those brave enough to seek them out."

Your curiosity piqued, you lean in closer to Morpheus, eager to hear more. His words seem to cast a spell over you, filling your mind with images of forgotten civilizations and ancient mysteries. A thought flickers into your mind.

“Will you be attending the solstice festival?” You inquire, a glint of curiosity in your eyes. "I've heard whispers about it from the villagers, but they seemed hesitant to discuss the details. Or tell me anything about it for that matter… Do you know anything about the festival and its significance? Is it dangerous?"

“Only if you are not a strong swimmer,” Morpheus replies with a charming smile. “Part of the ritual is to swim in the ocean, I could show you how its done tomorrow night if you so wish.” Oh you wish alright.

“You would do that for me?” You question, your heart racing in your chest as your eyes glimmer with excitement. Morpheus was a native to Dreaming, surely he would know all about the summer solstice and put to rest the silly rumors and stories you had been told. What’s more, you’d learn the ritual from a native first hand!

Morpheus nods, his eyes gleaming with an otherworldly light. "I would be honored to guide you through the summer solstice ritual, Noelle. It's a tradition that has been passed down for generations in Dreaming, and I believe you will find it... enlightening."

Excitement and anticipation fills the air as you ask Morpheus about learning from him, your questions spilling from your lips once after the other.

"Meet me at the cove tomorrow night," he says, his voice confident and assured. "Just before midnight, when the moon is near its peak in the sky. That's when we'll begin our ritual." The thought of learning from a native under the light of the full moon fill you with excitement, you have nothing to fear. Your grandmother would have nothing to worry about!

“Just before midnight,” You repeat, your heart racing in excitement.

Date Published: 6/26/24

Last Edit: 6/25/24

Masterlist | Next

[1solone]

The problem is,

We look for someone to grow old together,

While the secret is to find someone to stay a child with!

What does LoVe mean to 4-8 year old kids? Slow down for a few minutes to read this...💕

A group of professional people posed this question to a group of 4 to 8 year-olds, 'What does love mean?' The answers they got were broader, deeper, and more profound than anyone could have ever imagined!

'When my grandmother got arthritis, she couldn't bend over and paint her toenails anymore... So my grandfather does it for her all the time, even when his hands got arthritis too. That's love.' Rebecca - age 8

'When someone loves you, the way they say your name is different. You just know that your name is safe in their mouth.' Billy - age 4

'Love is when a girl puts on perfume and a boy puts on shaving cologne and they go out and smell each other.' Karl - age 5

'Love is when you go out to eat and give somebody most of your French fries without making them give you any of theirs.' Chrissy - age 6

'Love is what makes you smile when you're tired.' Terri - age 4

'Love is when my mommy makes coffee for my daddy and she takes a sip before giving it to him, to make sure the taste is OK.' Danny - age 8

'Love is what's in the room with you at Christmas if you stop opening presents and just listen.' Bobby - age 7 (Wow!)

'If you want to learn to love better, you should start with a friend who you hate.' Nikka - age 6

(we need a few million more Nikka's on this planet)

'Love is when you tell a guy you like his shirt, then he wears it every day.' Noelle - age 7

'Love is like a little old woman and a little old man who are still friends even after they know each other so well.' Tommy - age 6

'During my piano recital, I was on a stage and I was scared. I looked at all the people watching me and saw my daddy waving and smiling.

He was the only one doing that. I wasn't scared anymore.' Cindy - age 8

'My mommy loves me more than anybody. You don't see anyone else kissing me to sleep at night.' Clare - age 6

'Love is when Mommy gives Daddy the best piece of chicken.' Elaine - age 5

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy smelly and sweaty and still says he is handsomer than Robert Redford.' Chris - age 7

'Love is when your puppy licks your face even after you left him alone all day.' Mary Ann - age 4

'I know my older sister loves me because she gives me all her old clothes and has to go out and buy new ones.' Lauren - age 4

'When you love somebody, your eyelashes go up and down and little stars come out of you.' (what an image!) Karen - age 7

'Love is when Mommy sees Daddy on the toilet and she doesn't think it's gross...' Mark - age 6

'You really shouldn't say 'I love you' unless you mean it. But if you mean it, you should say it a lot. People forget.' Jessica - age 8

And the final one: The winner was a four year old child whose next door neighbor was an elderly gentleman who had recently lost his wife. Upon seeing the man cry, the little boy went into the old gentleman's yard, climbed onto his lap, and just sat there. When his mother asked what he had said to the neighbor, the little boy said, 'Nothing, I just helped him cry.'

(this made me cry!)

Now, take a few seconds and post this for others to inspire and spread LoVe like butter!

And then be a child again today!🍂🦋💙🦋💖🦋😘💕

[blackheart-6]

noelle holiday age progression chart

without height lines

explanations of designs:

hi yall

so, i actually finished this drawing like a week ago lol. but i didnt want to post a bunch of drawing in a row, and then i got sick, so i havent been able to post it till now!

its my imaginings of what noelle looked like as she grew up, and a potential adult noelle design! ill explain my thought processes about these designs below, if anyones interested 😁

i also plan on doing one of these with dess, but this one was pretty difficult, so it might be awhile before that (unless yalls are interested in seeing it?)

first off, im not 100% sure ill keep using all these designs. some of them im not that happy with (im no good at designing outfits 😔) but i just went with them so i could finish the drawing. so if anyone has any alternative outfit ideas for any of her ages, id be interested in seeing/hearing it!

secondly, something that may stick out to yall for all the designs is how tall she gets. its the same height i normally draw her with, but given how i usually draw her by herself you cant really tell how tall she is! i have 3 main reasons for why i headcanon her as this tall: deer are pretty tall irl, so having her be tall makes sense in my head; i just like the look of her being super tall, it makes me happy lol; and third, i personally also headcanon the holiday family as boss monsters (i think ive explained this headcanon before on here, so i wont explain again, unless someone is interested ^^). so yeah, she ends up being 7 feet tall as an adult, the second tallest in her family!

also, i gave all her children forms stripes in some way, as a reference to when monster kid in undertale says they can tell frisk is a kid because of their stripes!

now onto my explainations for individual drawings!

theres nothing really to say about her baby design. the only thing i did that might be new is give her faun spots! they are most plentiful on her baby form, but they persist until shes in her teens, i would say (on here you cant see them after age 7, but thats just because i imagine they are mostly on her back). and i gave her a cute lil onsie that says a-deer-able! if you guys cant read it ^^

this outfit i made for her toddler design is actually an outfit ive used in the past! i wonder if yall know what drawing it was? its pretty much the same as it was there, i just added a stripe to the shirt. i felt like overalls are so reminiscent of childhood, i had to give at least one of her designs them! i also added a little mistletoe to the front pocket, to make it more christmas-esque. and i gave her some bandaids, just cause.

7 years old is one of the designs i really struggled on, and im still not happy with it. i dunno if ive said this yet, but i headcanon noelle to be trans, so at 7 is when i decided she started realizing it. so here i gave her long sleeves and pants, to show how shes more hidden now because shes unhappy with herself, if that makes any sense? i was also trying to make her look a bit like a nerd, with the button up and khakis, just because its funny. but yeah, ill probably end up changing this design at some point :P

11 years old was one of the easiest to do, considering how ive had her design for this age for awhile lol. one thing i did change was going from 2 red/white stripes to one, but ive done that before, so it wasnt something entirely new. i also gave her a smile and closed eyes, cause shes happy being a girl 🥰. other that that, its the same, so yeah, thats it for this part

okay, this next design is a fairly different looking one than all the rest, but i have my reasons! at this point in noelles live, dess has gone missing, so i wanted to show her being sad and stuff. i also gave her shoes and long sleeves because she probably goes out looking for dess when she can, hoping to find a lead 😭. but outside of in-story stuff, this outfit is based off of an old one i drew, but its fairly edited, so i wouldnt be surprised if no one recognizes it even if they have seen my old stuff. she has straight hair here, to show how unhappy she is (idk what it is about straight hair it just feels sad) and because i wanted to give her different hair varieties on this progression chart. i gave her antlers 2 prongs each at this point, because the way i see deer monsters, their antlers show their growth/aging, so youll see them getting bigger and having more prongs as the chart continues.

this outfit for 15 is another one i dont like. i tried to make it similar to her current outfit, but still pretty different. im not even sure what precisely i dont like about this outfit, it just doesnt feel that good. for this one i gave her leg warmers because i used to (and sometimes still do) draw her normal outfit with them. i gave her the curly hair she has as a callback to when i used to draw her hair like that! but yeah, ill probably end up redoing this one too

for 17, i just gave her the normal outfit, so it was easy ^^. in game i think shes 16, but close to turning 17, so i just went with 17 here to fit the +2 age pattern thing i had going on. i also gave her an extra horn prong than i normally give her, just to show age once again

finally, her adult design! i dont like this one either lol. i spent so long trying to think of what outfit to give her, but i couldnt come up with something i liked >.< so i just gave her something simple. i feel like once noelle graduates high school and probably goes to college she branches out more and tries things her mother never let her do, which is why i gave her an outfit like that, that has a crop top and a shorter skirt. also, yalls might recognize the hair style i gave her, i drew a potential adult noelle before and i gave her the same hair ^^

i think thats all for the post! i probably have more thoughts that im just not thinking of, but its fine for now. i hope yall enjoyed the drawing, and if you have any question or comments or whatever, go ahead and say them!! if youve made it this far, have a cookie, you must be hungry after reading so much ^^ 🍪

[princessconsuela120]

Chapter three: Stick Season —✿

Series masterlist

Chapter Warnings: mentions of guns, drugs, cursing, pregnancy

Authors Note: this is mostly a filler, to show that the story follows the plot of season two! Enjoy!!!

—✿

NOELLE HAD BEEN HAVING A ROUGH MORNING. She’s been staying with fezco ever since a few days ago when her parents kicked her out, and it seemed as though Nate’s baby was already deciding to be like it’s dad and piss her off.

“Damn ma.” Fezco said, glancing over at Noelle who was struggling to pull her jeans over her new stomach bump. She groaned loudly, throwing her jeans to the floor in defeat.

“I know. My stupid, jeans won’t fit…”

“You got a baby in there. No Shit they don’t fit.” Ashtray yelled from the other room, causing Noelle to stick her tongue out at him.

“Shut it ash. I don’t have the patience.” She grumbled, sighing as she stood with her hands on her hips, her stomach protruding out the bottom of her shirt.

“It’s kinda cute cuz.” Fez tried, smiling at the little bump she had while she ran an angry hand down her face.

“Please, I look like a beached whale.”

“Nah, pregnancy suits you.” Fezco smiled at her and she smiled back, placing a soft kiss against his forehead in thanks.

“Thanks fez. Cant wait to go to school with this shit.” She grumbled, holding a hand at her stomach as she pulled on sweats, walking towards the door.

“Anyone give you shit you let me know.” He called after her.

“I will.”

“Have a good day ma!”

“Bye fez! Bye Ash!”

—✿

Fezco had a new house guest, and besides Noelle, he had an even newer house guest. Ashtray was so pissed off he couldn't even speak to Fez.

“Good morning!” Faye said happily, opening her Coca Cola can as Fezco and Noelle looked at her with a smile, Noelle running her fingers over her stomach as she did.

“Morning.” Fezco replied dryly, as Noelle sent the blonde a light nod and a smile.

Fezco couldn't understand the whole story. But apparently Faye had pushed the motel manager off the balcony. She got in trouble with the police and Custer didn’t know what to do. Unfortunately, he wouldn't leave her. And the last thing Fezco needed was the cops finding Faye with Custer. Custer told Fez he could find her behind the dumpster of the new Taco Bell. So Faye came to live with Fez.

“Yo, don't touch nothin'.” Fezco said, listing off rules as he walked Faye around the house. “Don't talk to Ash.”

“Okay.”

“And don't go in mine or Ellie’s f*ckin' rooms, all right?”

“I promise.” Faye said, smiling kindly as she sat across from the two who were sitting and eating. Well, fezco was eating, Noelle and Faye were watching him.

“Want some of my sandwich ma?”

“No thanks.”

“Come on, you gotta eat up. Keep yourself good and healthy for the little gangster.” Fezco said, making Noelle chuckle as she shrugged. She took a bite before handing it back to fezco, who smiled at Faye next. “You want some of my sandwich?” He asked next, making Faye smile widely.

“Okay.”

—✿

Noelle had been spending her time with Fezco at the shop, helping him with work until she could get back on her feet. Her old job was working for Nate’s dad and considering Nate hasn’t told his parents about the baby yet…she didn’t exactly want to see him. So she quit. And now she was in desperate need of a job. And I’m terms of fezco, working at the shop was her only option.

“Lexi Howard.” Fezco said happily, smiling widely at the girl as she walked in. Noelle had been very fond of Lexi, having been friends with me and her since we were kids.

“Hi. Hey Noelle.” She said with a kind smile, making Noelle wave back.

“How you doin'?” Fez asked.

Ever since new years, fezco hasn’t been able to shut up about Lexi, and Noelle knew that more than anyone, having been around him so much. It was sweet really, that fezco had feelings for someone. Noelle had been waiting for the day for him to swoon over someone.

“I'm good, um...”

“Hi. I'm Faye.” Faye introduced, not realizing the slight jealousy in Lexi’s eyes.

“I'm Lexi, um...Are, are you guys...”

“Yeah, no, she's just stayin' with me for a bit, but, but she's cool, though. What brings you out here anyway?” Fez asked, making Lexi smile as she walked over to the fridge.

“Oh, I just came to get a, a drink.”

“Okay, well, we got plenty of those. Um... do you need help finding anything?”

“No, I'm okay.”

“Oh, uh, that's the malt liquor.”

“Yeah, I know.”

The doorbell rang, signaling someone walked in. And by the look on lexis face, it couldn’t be anyone good.

“Feel sorry I didn't get to say goodbye on New Year's.” Fezco said, not noticing the nervous looks on both girls faces at the man who just walked in.

“Good evening.” Cal Jacobs said, a stern look on his face as he walked into the store.

“What's up, man?” Fez asked, confused by his intimidating demeanor.

“You got any spearmint gum?”

“I don't know, man. The gum's right here.”

“Hey Noelle.” Cal greeted, smiling over at Noelle who had been hiding slightly behind fez, hoping cal wouldn’t notice her.

“Hey Mr Jacobs.”

“Please, you know you can call me cal.” He said, kindly regardless of his scary nature. Noelle nodded at him before Cal looked down at her stomach. The slight bump protruding from it catching his attention before fezco stood infront of her protectively.

“This your store?” He asked, making fez nod.

“It's a family business.”

“Do your parents own it?” He asked, making Fezco let out a huff of annoyance at all the questions cal was asking him.

“You usually ask this many questions, man?” He asked, an agitated tone to his voice as he watched cal approach the front counter.

“Just you. She tell you who I am?” He asked, gesturing to Lexi before Fez shook his head. He chuckled, before gesturing to Noelle. “Did she?”

“Nah, man.” Fezco said, yet ge knew the second the man greeted Noelle that it was Nate’s father.

“Are you a cop?” Faye asked, as Cal reached into his pocket. The whole room went quiet when the sound of cal gripping a gun came from his pocket. Everyone watched as he carefully pulled out a twenty, and smiled.

“No. Just a concerned father.” He replied. He left the twenty on the table, grabbing his things before leaving as fezco followed him out. The lights flickered with intimidation as Cal drove off. Noelle couldn’t help but curse herself out for letting Nate’s dad see her baby bump.

—✿

“No ma, not again.” Fezco whispered, walking into the living room at the sound of Noelle’s tears.

“I’m sorry…I’m sorry.” She cried, making him sigh as he pulled her into a hug.

“It’s okay ma.”

“I’m so stupid fezco. I’m so fucking stupid man.” She buried her face in his shirt, crying harder as he held her. This became a routine ever since Noelle moved in. Fezco hated seeing her so crushed.

“You ain’t stupid. You just got hurt.”

“This isn’t my life, this isn’t real. It can’t be.”

“It’s real ma. I know, let it all out.” He reassured, rubbing soothing patterns on her back to calm her.

“I don’t know what I’m gonna do.” She cried, making him sigh once more.

“It’ll be okay. I’m right here ma, I ain’t goin no where.”

[sleekervae]

New York Romantic .3

Masterlist

pairing: Tom Blyth x ballerina!oc

summary: hotdogs in central park

word count: 3441

taglist: @watercolorskyy @carolanns-world @alana4610

October was always an exciting period in New York. The brownstones were decorated top to bottom in thick spiderwebs, glowing skeletons and some of the most incredibly carved jack-o-lanterns one could find. The air had picked up a distinctive chill and many people's denim jackets and summer shorts had been traded for thicker-lined coats and scarves.

And of course with the turning of the seasons came midterms, written essays and memorized monologues that had to hit emotion, rhythm, believability, and of course, a time limit. While Tom had spent his evenings memorizing his lines, Noelle was busy practicing her combinations. She wouldn't come home until seven or eight at night as opposed to her usual four-thirty. Dragging herself through the hallway, bleary-eyed and exhausted, she could discern the sound of preaching through the paper-thin walls. Tom's voice stood out distinctly, booming and self-assured, a stark contrast to his usual timid and bashful demeanour.

Because midterms never held back, Tom was curious when one of his professors instructed them to come in loose-fitting, easy-to-move-in clothing. Their next lesson was on movement, and they were to have the honour of having some training from the second year ballerinas.

Tom picked out a simple t-shirt and some baggy, grey joggers, he felt more like he was on his way to the gym than he was school. He found Sunny was already up, munching on a bowl of frosted flakes while he watched some YouTube videos on his phone. He looked up curiously when Tom walked in, noting his baggy attire.

Tom threw his hands out at his sides, giving a listless shrug, "How do I look?" he asked.

Sunny shrugged back, "Like you should be asking for pennies on the street corner," he replied.

Tom glowered at him, "Are you serious?"

"Well, you don't look professional!" Sunny replied honestly, "Unless that's the assignment, today?"

He shook his head, "We're learning about movement with the ballerinas,"

Sunny stifled a laugh, "You're gonna learn ballet dance?"

"Not ballet, just movement. Posture and stuff,"

Sunny shook his head, "Well, you can't go like that," he scoffed.

"Why not?" Tom asked, glancing down at his outfit, "They just said loose and easy to move in,"

His roommate stood from the table and started for the hall, "There's a difference between easy to move in and wearing your pyjamas to school," and he disappeared into his room, "How tall are you?" he called suddenly.

"Six feet. Six one, maybe?" Tom shrugged back.

Not a moment later Sunny returned with a pair of black training pants. He unfolded them before his eyes, the crisp white Adidas logo on the pant immediately catching Tom's attention before he focused in on the rest of the look.

"Here, I wear these for football. Freshly washed," he tossed them to Tom, and he barely caught them at his chest.

"Are you sure?" he gawked back.

"Sure I'm sure. You wanna' make a good impression for the ballerinas, right?" he patted Tom's shoulder before taking his seat again at the table.

Tom's brows furrowed, "I'm not -- I'm not gonna' be scouting for a girlfriend, if that's what you mean," he said.

"I know, but still -- give them a reason to remember you... that's not those trousers, anyway," he replied simply.

"What's wrong with these?" Tom cried, somewhat defiantly.

"You look like a chav who just finished up at his nine-to-five and's about to settle in for a twelve hour GTA marathon," Sunny explained, "Trust me, mate,"

Tom changed into the training pants nonetheless, and he had to admit they made him look way less baggy than before. With that, he grabbed his notes and bag, his jacket, and was out the door in a split.

"Come in! Come in, everyone! Come have a seat!" the professor for the ballet's morning class, an older man with a moderate Eastern European accent, bellowed out to the acting students as they filed into the studio space. It was a gorgeous, large room with wall-to-wall mirrors, all accept for the window space that overlooked the bustling Manhattan streets below.

Jordan, a twenty-year-old first year acting student, had been bellyaching all morning to Tom about how ridiculous this all seemed. He was nice enough, but he had a proclivity for complaining.

"This is so dumb," he grumbled, falling into line with the others, "They're gonna laugh at us,"

Tom glowered at him, "They're not gonna laugh. We're just here to learn," he whispered back.

"Learn to do what, Swan Lake?" he scoffed.

"Would you just relax, please?" Tom grumbled back.

"We could be doing our monologues, right now," Jordan pointed out.

Tom simply shook his head and remained silent, sitting cross-legged against the mirror as the others filed in. The ballerinas were already here, clumped in their groups and sneaking glances at the actors. A handful of girls and guys, statuesque, lithe, adorned in shiny black leotards, tights, and some of them had leg warmers on. Among them was Noelle, sitting in the corner with Bianca and another dancer while she laced up her pointe shoes.

"Oh look, your ramen buddy's here," Bianca muttered. Noelle caught Tom's eyes when she glanced up, that dazzling, gentle smile pulling at her lips and she gave him a wave. Tom smiled and waved back subtly.

Their friend, Iseul, scanned the faces, "Which one?" she asked.

"The one who looks like he's shitting his pants,"

"They all look that way,"

Noelle rolled her eyes, "Would you guys keep it down?" she muttered.

Jordan spotted the small interaction from the corner of his eye, "You two friends?" he asked.

"She's my neighbour," Tom replied simply.

"You lucky bastard,"

Noelle quickly got to her feet as her instructor, Stanis, began to debrief the actors, "You originally came here to learn about acting. How to show character, evoke emotions, but a major part of theatre is how you use your body to show, not tell. Just like in a good book, you become much better story tellers when your body reflects pain, joy, agony," the man paced slowly across the studio, his hands flourishing with every exaggerated word. The dancers stood at the ballet bar behind him, casually leaning, watching, handful of eyes were passing over the doe-eyed first years some with boredom, some with intrigue.

Jordan leaned over to Tom, whispering, "Is he a ballet instructor or a high school teacher?" he was referring to Stanis' moppy jeans, beaten sneakers and band shirt. Tom hushed him.

"Of course it's impossible to exhibit any of these emotions if you're stiff," he straightened his posture but stood as still as a statue, "Or if you look bored," he slouched outwardly, posing like a delinquent teenager outside a convenience shop, "Or you look like a geek --" he hunched his back and pulled his shoulders in, making his limbs stuff.

A couple students tittered behind him.

"Now, obviously I am a ballet teacher, I am not a theatre teacher. But some of the key principles of dance are posture awareness, balance, coordination, spatial awareness, and physically expressing your emotion. These are principles utilized in ballet, and these are principles you will need if you hope to -- quote-on-quote -- break out in the industry," a hand went up from the end of the actors' group, "You there! Kip Dynamite!" Stanis called on him.

The attention turned to 'Kip', a lanky boy with thin hair and glasses, "I just wanted to ask -- are we expected to learn actual dances? Not many of us have any experience," his squeaking voice traversed the room.

Stanis chuckled, "Don't you worry, I don't expect you to performing grand jetes. You will however be learning these principles over the course of your studies," he explained, "Today we will start with the basics. Everyone please take up a position at the bar. Don't be shy!"

The actors took up spots along the bars against the mirrors. Jordan however raised his hand. Stanis nodded to him, "Ichabod Crane! You have a question?"

Jordan's face twisted momentarily, not quite sure how to respond to the nickname as he spoke up, "I don't mean any disrespect -- but why are they here?" he pointed to the ballet students.

Stanis shrugged simply, "To laugh at you, of course," he replied. Whatever little confidence Tom was struggling to hold on to, figuring there was no way in hell he was being serious. Luckily, Stanis began to chuckle, "No, no. They will be helping you. Directing your posture, your form, and I gave them permission to kick you if you're doing it wrong," he smirked.

"He's joking!" one of the dancers called, sensing the fear within some of the actors.

Stanis ignored her comment, instead he turned to his students, skimming them one by one until he settled on, "Bianca! Come be our przykład!"

The acting students glanced between each other, though Bianca didn't bat an eye as she stepped forward. Her expression was different from when Tom first met her, she had a little more get up in her step, more sparkle in her eye. That being said, her smile was a little too stiff.

"Assume first position," he directed, and Bianca did just that; shoulders back and head poised high, "Now, in this position our heels are touching and knees are squeezed together. Your bottom is also squeezed. First position improves awareness and control in your body, imbues confidence; you essentially feel like you have a string pulling you up. For some of you I imagine this may be the first time you've ever held a proper posture like this,"

He then turned to the actors, "Now, keep your right hand on the bar and assume first," and they did as they were told. Some had more poise than the others, some were loose in their arms or hunched in their shoulders, "My little soldier ants will be coming around to silently judge -- I mean help you,"

The ballerinas came around, some shyer at the approach then others, while Stanis continued to have Bianca demonstrate positions and stretches.

"When we warm up on the bar, we bend our knees into a demi plie, really focus on that plumb line being brought down from your crotch and between your heels, making sure your butt's not sticking out like a chicken," he too paced around the room, inspecting his new pupils one by one, "Keep your shoulders stacked over your hips. I'm talking to you, Kip!"

Tom followed along as best he could, he wasn't the worst but he certainly wasn't the best. He kept his eyes focused ahead, following along to Bianca's changing positions, but now and again his vision wandered to the rest of his classmates.

Jordan was two students ahead of him, and he was as stiff as stiff could be. When the female ballerinas walked by especially. It was then Tom realized why he was so opposed to this in the first place: he was trying to look cool in front of them.

Out of the corner of his eye he spotted Noelle making her rounds. He tried to keep his form as best as he could, realizing that he was suddenly no better than Jordan in the moment. Noelle approached him with curiosity in her eyes, hands clasped behind her back as she inspected.

"Hey,"

"Hi," she admired his dedication to try, but she could tell from his tight grin, his stiff eyes that he was a little uncomfortable, "You doing okay?"

"I'm great," he nodded, "Your instructor seems like fun,"

Noelle simpered, "He's got a zany sense of humour. You get used to it after a while," she said, "You ever do dance before?"

Tom shook his head, "Not as much as I should've," he replied with a sheepish grin, "How bad is it?"

Noelle stood back and looked him over, all in all she thought he wasn't doing too terribly, "Push your chest out," she told him, "And bring your toes in a little more. You'll have better balance when you bend down,"

He did as she told him and she nodded in approval, "Way better. You won't feel as much strain in your arches now,"

"Thanks," he smiled at her.

"No problem. You got any questions?" she asked.

Tom mulled it over, the exercises were the last thing on his mind though. He glanced down at her pointe shoes, the satin a pearly pink and the heels peeking out from under her long leg warmers.

"I have one,"

"Shoot,"

"When you stand in your shoes, are you fully on your toes?" he asked, chuckling, "Sorry -- is that weird?"

"Not at all," she shook her head, stepping before him and placing a hand on the bar, "My feet are fully vertical, no pressing," she pushed herself up on her toes, her long legs perfectly straight and with hardly any shake. It was such a simple move and she made herself look so elegant at the same time. They were just about at eye level.

Tom cocked a brow, "Doesn't that hurt, though?" he asked.

"No. If you stand a long time then they cramp a little but... ya know," Noelle stepped back and forth to make her point, " -- And I gain a couple inches,"

Tom gave a little smirk back, pushing up on his toes and towering over her again. Noelle scoffed and gently smacked his arm as she dropped back on her heels, "Dickhead," to which he only laughed like a rascally child. Her skin tingled at the sound, she picked off how his eyes crinkled and his chest shuddered.

"Noelle!" Stanis suddenly called for her, garnering their and everyone's attention, "Are we giving a pointe lesson today?" he asked, a snide smirk playing at his lips.

Noelle smiled politely, giving a simple shake of the head, "Just previewing what's to come," she replied. Tom simpered beside her.

Another student piped up, "Wait -- are we gonna have to wear those shoes?"

"No, no. It was just a joke," Stanis assured him, "But if anyone slouches or slacks off today, they're going to be laced up and have to work on a solo for next class!" that statement seemed to light a little more fire under Jordan.

Tom's legs burned a little more than what he was expecting, his walk was a little stiffer and his face contorted when he had to go up some stairs. Noelle walked beside him, virtually unscathed by the warm ups and practices from the morning class. She watching him move with a little concern.

"Are you sure you're okay?" she held the door open for him as they exited the campus, eager to get some lunch.

"Yeah, I'm fine," he replied, "Haven't done that much bending since... well I don't know," he shrugged listlessly.

"The more you practice the better you'll feel. Like with any workout," she assured him, "What do you want for lunch?"

Some good food was sure to cheer him up, and he hadn't really had a sustaining breakfast either. He wondered it momentarily, glancing around at the plethora of signs for cafes, sandwich shops, and hot dogs stands. In fact there was one right on the corner, vending just a block away from the gates of Central Park.

"Would I be a terrible person for suggesting a hot dog?" he asked.

Noelle's eyes went wide, "Have you not tried an nyc hot dog yet?" he shook his head with a knowing grin, "Well, c'mon then!"

Fifteen minutes later they'd found a little bench to park themselves up, bags disregarded on the cold cement beneath them as they unwrapped their foil-lined lunches. Tom opted to get the typical New York style dog with mustard and onions, while Noelle just stuck with relish on hers.

"Now -- you gotta promise not to tell my dance instructor, or my classmates, or even Bianca. Because I will be strung up for eating this," she looked at him with a point of pure earnest, leading Tom to panic for a moment.

"Wait -- if this is gonna ruin your regimen or anything --" he stumbled over his words, but Noelle began to laugh.

"I'm kidding! Relax," she patted his shoulder and he settled, "Besides, what is the point to life if you deprive yourself of all the good things it has to offer? Like cat-meat hot dogs," she spoke just as Tom was about to take a bite of his, pausing momentarily and side-eyeing her hard. She was trying to stop herself from laughing.

"Eat your fucking hot dog," he grumbled before chowing down. The meat was perfectly salted and the mustard tangy, the sweetness of the onions and bun cut the edge off of the pure sodium bite.

"Sorry," she giggled, taking a bite of her own. This was the first time she'd ever heard him swear and she wasn't mad about it.

Tom simpered back, "Have you ever eaten anything really weird? Like totally weird? No one would ever think it should exist?" he asked.

Noelle mulled it over, her pink lips pursed and her brows furrowed, "Balsamic vinegar on vanilla ice cream," she decided.

Tom gawked at her, "No!"

"Yeah," she nodded bashfully.

"On purpose?"

"... Kinda," she shrugged, "There's this fancy shmancy restaurant in Soho that has it with strawberries for a ridiculous price, and Bianca and I thought -- what's the big deal?"

"... And what was the verdict?" he asked curiously.

"It's actually really good," she admitted with another giggle.

Tom refrained from making a face, "But it's dairy and vinegar! Wouldn't it curdle together?" he asked.

"I don't know, but it's kinda' good," she replied.

"So, we've gone from 'really good' to 'kinda' good'. I'm not convinced," he smirked.

Noelle rolled her eyes, "Okay smart-ass, next time you come over I'll make it for you," she decided.

"I don't eat desserts,"

"Since when?"

"Since forty-five seconds ago,"

"Oh, please," she shook her head, "Alright, what about you: weirdest thing you ever ate?" his lips curled up, menacing and eager to spill what she only could perceive as some sort of harrowing secret, "What?"

"You're not ready," he told her.

"No, no, I'm ready," she assured him, "What was it?"

Tom didn't even have to think about it, "My mum used to make mashed potato sandwiches," he admitted.

She cocked a brow, "Mashed potato sandwiches? Like -- wait, really?" she set her hotdog in her lap and rested her chin in her palm, intrigued to learn more.

"Yeah, she's psychopathic," he nodded, trying not to laugh himself, "Mashed potatoes -- usually from a packet -- scooped between two slices of bread and some butter. And when she was feeling a little fancy, she'd put mayo on it,"

"Nooo, shut up!" Noelle gaped, "Was it good?"

"It was bread and mashed potatoes, of course it was good!" he laughed, "It was her comfort food, believe it or not,"

"That sounds very comforting," she giggled with disbelief, "Oh, bless her heart! Okay -- if I go to England, I'll visit you, I'll meet your mom, and I'll try a mashed potato sandwich,"

"You got a deal, then," he raised his hand and they shook on it, "You can bring her balsamic vinegar and ice cream and have her throw you out of the house,"

"And why would I want to disrespect your mom in her own home?" she teased back.

"Just forewarning you," he smirked back. She liked that he was opening up to her a bit more, his louder side was coming through and his quirky personality was beginning to shine through.

"How gentlemanly of you," she simpered.

Tom knocked her shoulder with his, growing increasingly at ease in her company with each passing moment. He wasn't an idiot, he could recognize that his feelings for her were starting to spark into a small crush. He found himself hanging off every word she spoke, every time she moved her hair behind her ear or she always found something new or intriguing to talk about. His stomach was flipping at every enthusiastic giggle and reaction he got out of her. It was as if her enthusiasm had a magnetic pull, leaving him captivated by her every word and gesture. The way her eyes lit up and her laughter bubbled forth filled him with an intoxicating blend of excitement and nervousness. His heart raced in sync with her infectious energy, and with each positive response he evoked from her, a cascade of warmth flooded through him, leaving an indelible imprint of happiness amidst the fluttering sensations in his stomach.

[yandere-paramour]

yk you got me thinking... imagine if reader put on this act of being this dumb klutz of an employee when trying to seduce atalanta (referring to that one ask)

like if they were another one of atalanta's personal assistants, i bet they would try to spill coffee or tea on themselves when giving atalanta her morning coffee or whatever

their shirt is totally drenched-- but they'd act all innocent and apologize profusely as if they didn't just totally show the cute black lace bra they were wearing underneath

or maybe they'd start wearing dress shirts too tight to be appropriate for work or pants/skirts that show off their figure

idk 🤔🤔 let me know your thoughts ❤️

Atalanta would be so confused, concerned even. If you spilled something on yourself and were trying to show off your bra, she probably wouldn't even register it as flirting. She would be more worried that you burned yourself or something.

And if you wore really tight or short, she would sooner ask Noelle to have a talk with you about professional work attire than try to smash. So much skin in public, trying to entice her... is it hot in here?

She is NOT good with blatant temptation, it makes her antsy. If you keep dressing like that, she might have to move up her plans to take you. If you're going out in public like that, who knows who else is looking at you?

[ralseinumberonebiggestsupporter]

CATTI CATTI CATTI CATTI CATTI CATTI CATTI CATTI CATTI CATTI CATTI CATTI CATTI

[ask-the-shiny-pokemons]

Rimi and Noelle went to a place where no one can see them. They decide to wear some formalities, where Rimi ties her hair and put a shirt with tie, and Noelle puts her outfit from Gala. However, she still has her sleeping pants on.

Once they done it, they back to the summit.

Y'know, Noey? This event is not so big as a previous one, but… I think we have so much fun regardless, yeah?

So true. So many friends to make. I'm not gonna count some troubles we've got.

They both make some deep breathes to forget what happened to them. For Rimi, it was a "small" talk with a strange hybrid Eeveelution and of course the trouble communicating with a "Purrloin". Noelle had trouble with a sassy Absol which almost caused her to forcefully mega evolve.

Soon after, Rimi is putting her paws behind her back. Noelle is very nervous what's Rimi is planning.

Noey… I'm gonna be honest with ya. I didn't expect to be in this place at all. I know it gives us terrible memories, but that's not very important. So sorry if I picked a place for this special day.

Ya don't need to apologize, Rim. This place is also gonna give us some good memories because at least it's not our Dragonspiral Tower.

Rimi stays silent even after Noelle's words. She sees through her eyes and blushes.

W-w-w…

Go on, Rim! I'm rootin' for you!

Y-YES!! sob

Noelle cries because her beloved made a proposal. If it's not their time together at the school, she might simply say "no". Rimi put the engagement ring to middle finger on Noelle's paw.

As they engaged, everyone come and see the event. Noelle decides to show it to everyone.

Rimi and Noelle are now engaged.

[ background by @/lightofunova; cameos including @idolmelodies, @luckykatsranch, @the-feral-one, @mezuni-and-willow, @sphaeramjourney. I hope I did them justice. ]

[intheticklecloset]

Motivational Squeaker (Black Clover)

Summary: Finral unintentionally finds himself without an assigned chore during a work day, so Magna takes it upon himself to give him a way to be useful.

A/N: Finral is undoubtedly one of my favorite Black Clover characters! He's such a sweetheart, and watching his character development has been amazing. Poor boy tends to get brushed off a lot, though, hence the desire to write a Finral appreciation fic! Short but sweet - enjoy!

Word Count: 1018

~~~

Winter had come to the Clover Kingdom, and with it came all of the chores associated with winter. Insulating the headquarters, gathering firewood, pulling out the heavier blankets for everyone’s rooms, and so on. Today was the day designated to getting it all done, and everyone was on the move.

Asta had been sent out to chop the firewood with his sword, giving him the opportunity to train and get work done at the same time. Magna and Luck were making trips back and forth from him to the storage space inside the Bulls’ headquarters where they kept it all once it was chopped, Noelle and Vanessa were swapping the sheets and blankets on everyone’s beds, and even Gray and Charmy had found things to do to help.

Finral, meanwhile, found himself without an assigned chore, through some miracle (or curse) or other.

Honestly, he was surprised he hadn’t been assigned to firewood duty with the others; Yami almost always had him taxi the firewood from the forest to the base itself to save everyone the extra hassle, but not this time, for reasons unknown. He wanted to help somehow, but with everyone seeming so efficient already, he also didn’t want to get in the way.

He was just beginning to wonder if maybe he should try to do some general cleaning when Magna burst through the door with an armful of logs just a minute after Luck had departed to get another round himself.

“Yo, Finral,” Magna grunted as he lay his stack in the storage area and stretched his back. “What are you doing to help, lazy bones? Just standing there watching us all work?”

Finral wilted a little, but he tried to shrug it off. “Captain Yami didn’t assign me anywhere, so I was just about to start dusting or mopping or…or something.”

Magna gave him a disbelieving look. “Captain Yami didn’t assign you anywhere. Are you sure he didn’t want you to be our taxi like usual and you’re just trying to get out of it?”

“No!” Finral snapped, then realized how it sounded. “I mean, yes, I’m sure! He didn’t, so I’m…I’m trying to find a way to make myself useful. I swear I’m not…lazy.” The brunette let out a huff and dropped his eyes. “Just forgotten.”

“Ouch, dude.” Magna’s voice had softened, and he brushed off his hands as he walked over to his teammate. “I’m sure you’re not forgotten. Listen, I didn’t mean to come off so harsh, okay?”

“It’s fine. I’m used to it.”

“Hey.” The fire mage put a hand on his shoulder and shook him once, looking over the rims of his sunglasses to make eye contact. “I’m sorry. You’re not lazy. Well, you are, but I know you’re not trying to be now.”

Finral hated how his insides felt like they were being crushed the more Magna showed pity on him. The delinquent never showed pity on him; he must really be showing off how pathetic he was to get this kind of attention from his teammate.

“It’s fine,” he said again, shrugging him off. “I’ll just go get the cleaning supplies and get to work.”

Magna caught his arm as he turned to leave. “I have a better way you can be useful.”

“Really?”

“Yeah. Like this,” Magna said before shoving his hands up into the brunette’s underarms and wiggling.

“Ah! Ahahahaha, wahahahahahait!” Finral squealed, clamping his arms to his sides futilely, squirming and twisting. “Nohohohohoho, whahahahahat are you dohohohohoing?!”

“Messing with you is giving me motivation to keep working hard. It’s like a reward for doing so well out there.” Magna’s grin was wicked, but his voice was playful. He caught Finral by his shirt when he tried to twist away and wrapped an arm around his waist, hugging him close and digging his fingers into his side. “Ah-ah-ah, where do you think you’re going?”

“Plehehehehehehease!” Finral cackled, hands gripping Magna’s arm weakly.

The fire mage chuckled and wormed his fingers underneath his teammate’s hoodie to squeeze his hip. Finral shrieked and arched so hard Magna nearly lost his grip on him.

“GAHAHAHAHA STAHAHAHAHAP!! YOUR FIHIHIHINGERS ARE COHOHOHOLD!!”

Magna held him tighter and growled playfully, “Never tell me my fingers are cold, you little pipsqueak. Fire is my specialty.”

“THEHEHEHEHEN WAHAHAHAHARM THEM UP!! GAHAHAHAHAHA PLEHEHEHEASE!!”

“Nah. If it makes you laugh like this, I think I’ll let them stay a little chilly.”

Finral screeched with laughter and squirmed helplessly in Magna’s arms, trying and failing to shove him away from his hips and waist. He didn’t know how he’d found himself in this situation, but he was losing his mind from the ticklish sensations and was more than ready to get out.

“MAHAHAHAHAHAGNA, PLEHEHEHEHEHEASE!! PLEASE, STAHAHAHAHAHAP!!”

Thankfully his friend seemed to understand he meant it, and he ceased his tickling but didn’t loosen his grip on Finral until he knew he would be able to stay upright on his own. Then Magna chuckled and punched his shoulder lightly.

“There, see? Don’t you feel better now? I’ll make sure to tell Luck that you’re our motivational squeaker for today, and to make sure and see you when he comes back in.” With that, Magna offered a smile and a salute and turned to head back out into the cold.

“M-Motivational…don’t you mean speaker?” Finral stammered, confused.

“No, I mean squeaker. Because when we tickle you, you squeak like a mouse. But today, it’s motivational!”

Then he was gone.

Finral felt his heart race in nervous anticipation. His immediate instinct was to hide, but then he knew Luck would just come hunting him down, and that would be even more terrifying than simply standing there waiting for him to come tickle him; Luck was even more ruthless than Magna when it came to tickle fights.

He really should go find those cleaning supplies and get to work. Then again, if he was in the middle of something and Luck – or anyone, really – started tickling him by surprise…

Finral shivered, a hesitant smile playing at his lips.

This was going to be a very interesting winter work day.

[kaylinalexanderbooks]

Find the word

Thanks to @elsie-writes here and here!

My words: behind, yell, couch, bird, away, eyes, stretch, moon, worm

Your words: present, just, unaware always

Tagging @whatwewrotepodcast @talesofsorrowandofruin @leahnardo-da-veggie @pluppsauthor @sunset-a-story

@eccaiia @buffythevampirelover @space-writes @alinacapellabooks @rickie-the-storyteller

TSP intro

TSP tag list (ask to be +/-): @thepeculiarbird @illarian-rambling @televisionjester @finchwrites

@nebula--nix @literarynecromancy

Keep reading for:

Kelsey's first appearance

Noelle's grilled cheese opinion

Meet George

I'm using a different definition of bird

Gwen and Akash meet

This is based on a true story

Scary telepathy facts with Carla

Gwen and Akash are dating now <3

Gross Halloween Party games

Behind - from The Secret Portal Part One (Maddie POV)

I snuck up behind her before tackling her in a hug. Kelsey yelped, but laughed, giving me a semi-hug back; the best she could give from the awkward angle. “Hey, Maddie,” Kelsey greeted, taking her backpack off the chair she saved for me and moving it to the floor. She removed the pods from her ears and shook her head to knock her short, choppy hair out of her eyes, but her bangs just fell back in her face. I took the now-empty seat next to her. “Your glasses are smudged.” Kelsey removed them and rubbed them on what I hoped, for the safety of her lenses, was a cotton shirt.

Yell(ing) - from The Secret Portal Part One (Ash POV)

“Best grilled cheese sandwich?” Noelle stopped, thinking. “Sourdough, Cheddar and Muenster, sliced tomatoes, sauteed greens, sliced pear, ham, and cut into two diagonal pieces.” Silence. I peeked into her mind. “Could you by any chance make that sandwich sometime?” Noelle smiled slightly. “Sure.” “Told you Muenster was the best,” Liam said. “Which means, I win.” This ensued more overlapping yelling.

Couch - from The Secret Portal Part One (Lexi POV)

Carla and a taller, older boy were sitting on the larger couch. The boy—or maybe young man—held what appeared to be a granola bar in his hand, out of a wrapper. A world of dragons and portals and they still have regular food? On the table in front of him sat a plate with other unwrapped granola bars set on top of it. Jeez. He wore earrings and a red beanie-like hat with a green fringed jacket over an orange crewneck. His bright blue eyes against his skin tone reminded me of Maddie. Based on the state of the room, I couldn’t help but wonder if these two lived alone.

Bird - from The Secret Portal Part Two (Ash POV)

“The rules of this exercise are simple,” said Wade from the other side of the room. “The goal is to remove the other team’s necklace. If your necklace gets taken, you cannot get it back—you are out. You can attempt to incompacitate your opponent, but the ground rules is that you can’t knock them unconscious. We don’t want any serious injuries.” “Boooo!” Jazlyn and Parker said from next to me. Wade gave them the bird from across the room. They just returned it.

Away - from The Secret Portal Part One (Gwen POV)

I realized I was staring when Akash smiled. “You’re new around here, aren’t you?” When I didn’t answer, he added, “You want me to help you down?” I nodded, and Akash wrapped his arm around me. I flinched slightly—a cute boy was touching me!—but allowed him to do so. I let go of the vent and let him fly me to the floor. I suddenly realized I had wrapped my arms around him. I quickly pushed away from him. “Thanks,” I muttered. I glanced off to the side and panic ran through me when I noticed a bed. I could feel my cheeks turning red. I just fell into a cute boy’s room! As if I wasn’t embarrassed enough.

Eyes - from The Secret Portal Part One (Ash POV)

Shelby giggled as she reached for a cookie in the center of the table. “And what happened next?” I sniggered, trying to hold my laughter in so I could tell the story. “So—” I burst out laughing. Shelby rolled her eyes, but while smiling. “So, Mr. Taylor got mad at Jasmine for not playing soft enough and?” “And—” I took a deep breath, trying to keep calm. “And Jasmine said, ‘Mr. Taylor, I wasn't even playing!’” Shelby burst into a fit of laughter as her dad walked into the dining area.

Stretch - from The Secret Portal Part One (Ash POV)

Carla fiddled with the ring hanging from the chain around her neck. “The mind can only stretch so far. If advanced telepaths did—or even do—exist, there would be no way they could function. Their minds aren’t able to communicate the information that they can comprehend. They end up lost in their own thoughts, unable to reach out to another being.” I fell silent.

Moon - from The Secret Portal Part One

“You’re right. But… tomorrow?” “Sure. It’s a—” Gwen stopped herself. “It’s a what?” “It’s a...n event. That I will mark. On my calendar. My mental calendar. In my head.” “Oh. Okay.” Akash took a deep breath. “I… just thought you were gonna say date.” Gwen felt her cheeks burn up. “Only if you want it to be.” “I would want that,” Akash said, smiling shyer than usual. “Cool.” Gwen wasn't sure if she was nervous or over the moon, but she looked around, trying to find a distraction. “Hey, look, is that Gills under that sheet?” “Yo, Gills!” Akash shouted. The person in the sheet turned. “Yes, it’s Gills.” He raised his voice again. “So lemme guess: you’re a ghost!” “No, I’m a high schooler in a sheet!” Gabriel replied. “Ah, that’s a unique costume!” “Says the person dressed as the most recognizable character in the world.” “Not this world!”

Worm - from The Secret Portal Part One

“Ooh!” Lexi gasped, pointing at a table with a bag of Skittles and cups. “Is that the Skittles game?” “Skittles game?” Robbie asked. Lexi smiled deviously. “It’s disgustingly fun.” “You use your mouth to put the Skittles in the cup,” said Parker. “Whoever has the most wins.” Robbie scrunched up his face but smiled. “Aw, that’s nasty. I love it.” “Gummy worm spit!” Maddie gasped. “Yes!” “You’re welcome,” said Tyler from the punch table. “Oh, by the way, in the center table there’s a jar of candy corn. Write down how many you think are in there. Whoever gets it closest gets the entire jar.” “Time to write down 5 million,” said Akash, floating over. “I hate candy corn.”

[honeybeezgobzzzzz]

𓅨 A Song in the Depths: Chapter Two

A Song in the Depths: While staying with your grandmother in the coastal town of Dreaming, you grow curious about a summer solstice festival the town celebrates.

Warnings: Explicit Language, Explicit Material, Dubious Consent, Mermaid Anatomy Shit.

To Note: Dark!Siren!Dream x NAMEDFemReader, I like giving names, bite me.

Word Count: ~3.3k

Previous | Masterlist

Your grandmother tries to convince you not to go to the festival as you get ready for it in, dressed in your bikini and coverup. You tell her that you are attending with a local who has promised to show you the correct steps and isn't a tourist. Absolutely nothing to worry about! But she isn’t convinced.  She expresses her concerns about the myths and rumors surrounding the festival, and the potential dangers that may await you.

"I understand your worries, Grandma," you reassure her, "but I'll be fine. I'm attending with a local who has promised to show me the correct steps and isn't a tourist."

Your grandmother frowns, her eyes filled with concern. "I don't know, Noelle. It's just... there's something about this town, these people... I can't shake the feeling that something isn't right every time this festival comes around.”

You sigh, trying to remain patient. "I appreciate your concern, but I've made up my mind. I'll be careful, I promise. And I'm not going alone – I'm meeting up with him so I won't be alone."

At the mention of you not being alone, your grandmother's expression softens slightly. "As long as you aren't alone, dear."

You smile, grateful for her grudging acceptance. "I'll be fine, Grandma. I'll see you when I get back."

With a final hug and a parting warning to stay safe, you leave the cottage and make your way to the cove. The moon hangs heavy in the sky, casting an ethereal yet ominous glow over the ocean below. You can't help but feel excitement as you approach the meeting place. You pass many tourist and villagers all heading towards the main beach, unlike you, and you note the ridiculous costumes some wear. Were they trying to dress up as mermaids?

Your mind suddenly goes back to what you had seen at the beach on your first day in Dreaming, but you quickly dismiss thoughts of concern. No doubt someone had been practicing wearing those ridiculous suits! It was a perfectly plausible explanation!

Feeling more confident in yourself, you round a bend and spot Morpheus waiting for you on the rocks. His tall, lean figure is silhouetted against the moonlight, and his wild black hair seems to shimmer in the soft glow.

"You came," he says, a glowing smile playing on his lips as he approaches.

"Of course," you reply, feeling a flutter of nerves in your stomach. "I'm excited to learn about the festival and the ritual. It’s “been really hard to get any information from the other locals.

Morpheus nods, his eyes locked on yours. "It's a great honor to share this tradition with you, Noelle. Are you ready to begin?"

You take a deep breath, trying to calm your excitement as you nod in agreement. "I'm ready."

With a warm smile, Morpheus leads you down to the water's edge, the gentle waves lapping at your feet. When his lithe fingers reach for the buttons on his, your eyes go round… that is until your brain finally registers that he's probably taking his shirt off because you are about to get into the water! So you follow suit, shyly removing your coverup by dragging it over your head.

You both slowly wade into the cool embrace of the ocean, before Morpheus takes your hand and leads you out to open waters. The water swirls around you, carrying with it an odd feeling of energy that caresses your skin.

Treading water, Morpheus turns to face you, his blue eyes now almost black. You want to question him about why his eyes now look so dark when you remember them to be so beautifully blue, when his hand reaches out and touches your cheek. In that moment, a strange sensation washes over you as Morpheus' touch sends ripples of tingling warmth through your body. His touch feels electrifying, as if awakening something deep within you. Your fluttering gaze focuses on his eyes, now dark and mysterious.

“Hold your breath,” He tells you before sipping beneath the surface, pulling you with him. You squeeze your eyes closed when your head goes under, not wanting to feel the vicious sting of salt. Your world goes quiet and you cling to Morpheus’ hand tightly, trusting him to lead you. Floating beneath the waves, you feel a peculiar serenity washing over you. Something wraps around your right ankle, brushing against your skin. It feels like fish skin and yet, you don’t panic. Morpheus still holds your hand firmly so what could be wrong?

Ignoring the odd feeling of something winding its way around your leg and caressing your bare flesh, you focus back on the feeling of serenity. It only lasts for a few moments until a haunting melody echoes through the water. You can’t tell what words are being sung, but you recognize language.

Your eyes fly open, stinging as the saline ocean water glosses over your vision. Morpheus is still in front of you and holding onto your hand dutifully, but his lips move in sync with the enchanting melody that fills the underwater world. Then your eyes take in his whole body. Gone was the pale skinned, handsome man you had met at the ruins. In his place was an otherworldly being.

His skin had taken on a luminous quality, shimmering with iridescence like mother-of-pearl. His eyes, black as night, glow with flecks of stars. You realize that its his tail that has wrapped itself around your leg, keeping you close. The very same tail you thought you had imagined that first day! Finally you gasp, what little oxygen you have slipping from your lips in a flurry of bubbles. Your lungs burn as you panic, holding your breath. In less than a second, Morpheus is pressing webbed fingers against your neck in gaze intense as he continues to sing.

You can't take it anymore and inhale, expecting to take in a mouthful of water that would rush to your lungs. Instead, you take a deep breath, causing tingles to erupt along your neck. Your hand slaps against your neck, your smaller fingers covering Morpheus' webbed ones, but you can still feel the slivers of skin against your flesh. You have gills!

What did you do!? What did he do?

Morpheus' song ends, and you are still gaping at him, your mind reeling from the revelation. The gills on your neck pulse gently with each breath you take, a strange yet wondrous sensation. You glance down at your body, worried that something else might have changed, but are relieved to see that you still have legs.

"Oh," You sigh out in relief. Then your mind catches up that you had just spoken, underwater. You have gills now, Noelle, what were you expecting? You blink, and realize the salt water no longer stings. Your fingers still in his hand, his webbed hand, tighten their grasp as you look at him and ask, "why?"

"Because I wanted you," Morpheus responds simply. His eyes remain locked on yours, filled with a sense of longing that makes your heart race. "Would you have preferred me to do as I have done with the countless others before you?"

Your heart skips a beat and a knot forms in the pit of your stomach. They weren't just stories, were they…

"I—" You stutter, not knowing what to think. His black eyes glimmer with stars and you lose focus of what you were trying to say.

"It has been over ten thousand years since I last took a human instead of a corpse," Morpheus' words hang heavy in the water, swirling around you like a school of curious fish. The weight of his confession press down on you, mingling with the strange new sensation of breathing through gills. The missing tourists… It dawns on your that with each summer solstice, Morpheus has claimed a human life, and you were his next chosen.

But he didn’t kill you.

"You... you didn't kill me," you whisper, the words barely audible as they escape your lips and float upwards in tiny bubbles. Morpheus' grip on your hand tightens slightly, his expression a mix of emotions you can't quite decipher.

“No, Noelle. I chose you to be mine in a different way," Morpheus murmurs, his voice resonating through the water and vibrating against your skin. You can feel his power swirling around you like a gentle current. Barely contained. Then his tail curls around your leg tighter, pulling you closer to him until your bodies are nearly touching. "I am bound to this place, Noelle," Morpheus explains, his voice both hypnotic and sorrowful. “Cursed by familial duty to remain in these waters, gifted only with seven days to walk among your kind.”

“But… why?” You question, the straps of your bikini floating around your neck and knocking against your chin.

“That is my destiny,” he says, his voice heavy with centuries of unspoken sorrows. As you gaze into his black eyes, you see a flicker of vulnerability beneath the ancient facade he wears. Morpheus reaches out a hand to touch your cheek, his touch gliding ever so softly over your skin. "I have watched kingdoms rise and fall, civilizations crumble into dust," he continues, his words echoing in the watery depths around you. "But I will not remain alone in my solitude any longer. Not when I have you.”

Oh no, you did not like the sound of that!

“Morpheus I can’t—” With a quick swipe of his tail, the straps holding your bikini bottoms snug against your hips break and you gasp. The moment the fabric floated away, carried by the currents surrounding you, a surge of panic washed over you.

As you reach for the remnants of your bikini, his forearms strike with precision and incredible speed, slicing through the fabric of your top without any effort. This time you struggle to cover yourself, every part of your body now exposed to the water and him.

With a swift movement, Morpheus pulls you back against his chest and tail, his webbed fingers tracing patterns on your bare skin as he whispered, "Noelle, you cannot deny the pull between us. The ocean itself sings of our connection, a bond forged by fate and sealed by desire." His words wrapped around you like a silk ribbon, tugging at the corners of your mind that still resisted him. Your mind panics once more and you wriggle around, trying to escape an inescapable situation.

“How is this even suppose to work!” You cry out in once last attempt. “I’ve still got legs, remember!”

His warm lips find their place at the sensitive spot on your neck, just above the new gills that have sprouted there. A tingling sensation spreads through your body as he traces his mouth along the curve of your neck, sending shivers down your spine. You struggle to contain a moan as his gentle touch ignites a fire within you.

“That won’t be a problem, beloved,” his dark purr isn’t what makes you freeze in his arms and tail, it’s the distinct feeling of a cock pressing between your legs. Squished against his chest and with your legs trapped by his tail, all you manage to achieve is a glance between the sliver of space between your bodies. What the fuck. What the fuck. What the fuck. Where there should have been a smooth tail, in your incredibly limited idea of what the anatomy of a merman? should be, was a notch in his tail and a very erect cock.

You gape at the sight of Morpheus' erection, fully erect. The cock fitting ever so nicely between your legs is both terrifying and exciting, confusing your mind and body in equal measure. Exactly why was your body reacting so greedily? Morpheus brings his face close to yours, his webbed fingers turning your chin so your lips are but millimeters apart, "I have been waiting for this moment for centuries, Noelle. Our bodies were made for each other, the waves themselves forge our connection."

Your breath hitches and your fingers tense against his chest. Morpheus brings his lips to hover over yours. His webbed fingers slide up your back, stroking you as they gently trace the outline of your shoulders. With a gentle pressure, he guides your lips to meet his, and you feel his warmth enveloping you as your bodies meld together. You gasp at the contact of your breasts pressing against his chest, and your lips part. He immediately takes advantage, his tongue sliding against yours, coaxing you to respond in kind. Your hand moves from his chest to his shoulder, and you feel the strength in his muscles as he holds you close. His tail curls further around your leg, rubbing against your inner thigh as his erection presses more insistently against you.

You hate the moan that escapes from your throat as Morpheus deepens the kiss, his fingers abandoning your hand and now tangled in your hair. Your now free hand sinks into the pearlescent skin of his shoulder, nails scraping across intermittent scales. The sensations coursing through your body are overwhelming, and you can’t stop your body from going limp in his arms. The ocean around you seems to approve, its currents swirling gently around you as if urging you on.

You feel the tip of his cock nudging against the lips of your cunt and you whimper softly against his lips so determined to draw only the most delicious and pleasure filled sounds from your mouth. Oh god, oh god, oh god. Your traitorous body begins to betray you, responding to Morpheus' touch with a desire that defies your self control. Morpheus’ lips break away from your lips and his teeth graze your collarbone before moving to your breasts.

When his mouth closes over one of your nipples you let out a whine as his tongue swirls around the sensitive bud. The ocean tide presses on your body, making Morpheus' cock slide further and further against your body until it finally breaches the entrance of your tight, warm cunt.

A guttural moan escapes your lips as his thick, pulsating cock glides into your slick and rippling walls. You can feel every ridge and vein as he fills you, the pressure and intensity overwhelming. Your fingers dig into his shoulders, clinging to him as your back arches in response to the intrusion. His tail squeezes around your calf and thigh, adding to the sense of being completely enveloped by him.

Slowly, he eases deeper into you, his movements careful and deliberate. When he begins to thrust, each movement creates a symphony of pleasure that ramps up with each passing second. You clench your teeth, squeezing your eyes shut and burying your face into his shoulder, trying to contain the rampant and uncontrollable sensations rushing through your body like wildfire. With every thrust of his hips, it feels as if you are being swept away on a tidal wave of pleasure.

Your body cooperates all too eagerly, your hips begin to thrust to meet each stroke of Morpheus' cock. Traitor. His mouth departs your breast with a flick of his tongue and his lips find yours again. He wraps your lips and tongue up in a spiral, pushing you towards the brink until his thrusts are so deep and fast that you can barely form a single thought.

Your next moan that brews deep within your throat almost doesn't make it past your lips, partially consumed by Morpheus’ hungry mouth. A searing bolt of pleasure ricochets up your spine and your eyes fly open as your mouth rips from his. At that point star filled eyes locked with yours, his starry gaze filled with a mixture of lust and...something else. It's as if he's searching for something within you, some hidden truth that only the depths of this union can reveal.

"Morpheus," You gasp when trickles of lightning flicker all the way from your throbbing cunt to your new fluttering gills. His eyes glow in possessive satisfaction, seeing you crumble within his arms as your body perfectly reacts to the ecstasy he gives. When you feel the cusp of an orgasm begin to over power your senses, your eyes flutter close and your back arcs.

Your orgasm feels like a torrent ocean within your body, crashing against every nerve in your body until you were clinging to Morpheus' body and pressing your pelvis against his. With a final, powerful thrust that steals the breath from your gills, Morpheus growls as he finds his release, his cock pulsing inside you and emptying his seed into you.

The intensity of the moment is almost too much to bear, and you feel your own orgasm heighten, ripping through you until you are convulsing within his hold. Your cries are lost to the roar of the ocean and the songs of Morpheus' people deep within the trenches of the sea, a harmonic crescendo as the moon reaches it's speak high above.

As the last shudders of your orgasm subside, you feel Morpheus' arms tighten around you in an almost painful hold. Yet as you cling to him, each breath you take is labored, your gills pulsating with every inhale. Your senses are heightened, and you can feel the invisible currents of the ocean now. There are whispers and echoes of life beneath the waves, ones you hadn't heard before.

When your lips part, the salty taste of the ocean lingers on your lips. You press your fingers against them, wondering how much of you has changed. Too much, how could you possibly return after this? Would you even be able to? A current presses your body further into Morpheus' embrace and your already flushed cheeks become painful. His seed clings to your flesh, unswayed by the lull of the sea water to depart. You fear the consequences.

"What have you done to me?" you whisper, your voice barely audible. He doesn't respond, at least not at first. Morpheus' fingers trace a soothing pattern along your spine, he basks in the way you fit against his true form just perfectly.

Morpheus finally speaks, his lips drawing up your neck and brushing against your jaw, "I made you one with my realm so that we may never be apart. You wanted to participate in the festival, to be offered the chance to accept the ocean," Your heart races, and you pull back slightly to look into his eyes, the stars within them shimmering with a darkened light you hadn't noticed before. ""I gave you that chance," Morpheus continues, his voice a soft murmur against your skin. "To be accepted by my realm. I made you one with the ocean, with me. You are no longer just a visitor here, Noelle. You belong to this world now, as much as it belongs to you."

"That wasn't your decision to make," you say, your voice trembling with a mix of anger and fear. The weight of what has happened crashes over you like a tidal wave, and you begin to struggle in his hold. You want to get away, return to the beach. Go home. Your forearms press against his chest, trying to push yourself backward, away from him. You don't budge, remaining trapped within his embrace and not even able to dislodge yourself from his cock.

"You took my choice away," You cry, your struggles intensifying, frustration and desperation fueling your movements. "I didn't ask for this!" you shout, your voice echoing through the water. "I didn't want this life! How could you decide for me?"

He let's you trash within his arms, slam your fists against your chest, and rake your nails along his shoulder, but never loosens his grip. Even went you unleash your anger and scream, and cry, and fight against him, but his grip remains firm, his gaze unwavering. When you finally exhaust yourself and your limbs float in defeat, you feel your eyes burn. You cry but the water carries your tears away. Morpheus can smell them, but steels his resolve.

"In time, you will forgive me," Morpheus whispers in your ear as his arms encircle your quivering form and his cock withdraws from your cunt. A whimper escapes your lips, the sensation of emptiness mingling with the lingering pleasure, leaving you uncertain if it's from longing or pain. "That is all that matters."

Date Published: 7/3/24

Last Edit: 6/30/24

Previous | Masterlist

[bullet-prooflove]

Hello, may I please request Jeff Clarke from chicago fire. With the prompt 34. There’s no chance in hell?

Tagging: @kmc1989  @witches-unruly-heart  @telepathay    @iworldlywriter @caffeinatedwoman @winchesterszvonecek @whateversomethingbruh @burningpeachpuppy @upsteadlogic @skyesthebomb @neapolitantoebeans @olymosity @stxrryswvrld @courtney-elizabeth93

The scent of smoke still clings to Jeff’s skin as he sits in a treatment bay in Chicago Med waiting for you. There’s ash smeared across his cheeks, his uniform clings to his form, sticky with perspiration. He looks like hell. He knows he does.

That last fire it had been bad one. He almost hadn’t made it out. When that beam came down he thought he was a goner and all he could think about was the things he hadn’t done. That’s why he’s here right now because he can’t go another second without showing you how he feels.

You’re smiling when you step into the treatment room, it’s a rare, beautiful thing and it lights up Jeff’s entire world.

"What can I do for you Lieutenant?" You ask him, pulling on a pair of latex gloves and his voice just dies because now that he’s here, he’s realising there isn’t a chance in hell a girl like you can fall for a guy like him.

"I seem to be suffering from an accelerated heart rate." He finds himself telling you.

He isn’t lying, everytime he looks at you he feels this way. Somehow you’re both enticing and terrifying all at the same time.

"Hm." You make the noise low in your throat, removing the  stereoscope from around your neck before you place it on his chest. He can feel the press of the cool disk through the fabric of his t-shirt, you lean in close and the scent of jasmine floods his senses. His body tightens in response to your proximity and he can’t help but wonder if you’d taste the same under his lips.

"Your heart rate’s is pretty fast.” You say quietly, your eyebrows furrowing in concern. "Were there any symptoms before this?"

"I've felt it coming on for a while." he admits, trying to clear his throat against the huskiness he could hear lacing in his voice.

"Any dizzy spells?" You ask him, removing the stethoscope. "Headaches?"

"No." Jeff says gruffly before raising to his feet. “Noelle…”

You’ve forgotten how tall he is, how well his stature fits with his broad shoulders and toned thighs. You tilt your hand up to meet his gaze and he sighs as he looks down at you. His large hands encompass your features, his calloused thumbs sweeping over your cheeks. His lips brush over yours and the moment they do you’re lost.

There’s a softness in his kiss, a tenderness you don’t expect. Your palms come to rest on his chest and you can feel the firmness of the muscle underneath your fingertips.

It’s the crackle of his radio that interrupts you. Jeff draws away unwillingly, his forehead coming to rest upon yours as his thumb traces over the line of your jaw.

“I need to…”

“Go.” You whisper against his lips, before you give him a gentle push. “I’ll catch up with you at Molly’s later tonight.”

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Like My Work? - Why Not Buy Me A Coffee

[existencebringsonlypain]

Wrote a fic. it's about kris realizing they're enby and subsequently coming out to the Holiday sisters and Azzy. naturally, they do not know they're enby beforehand, so there will be misgendering and their name will be spelled differently, but their internal monologue still uses they/them, so don't worry too much.

fuckin,,, enjoy ig

oh also it's on ao3. I made a whole ass custom work skin for it, so now if you don't like the deadnames you can just turn them off

Chris reached up to adjust their horns, having knocked them on a tree limb on accident. They were beginning to regret taking a walk with Azzy and their Holiday friends, they'd had to finangle with their accessories constantly, even unhook their shirt a handful of times.

"Eeek! My skirt!"

They were faring better than Noelle, though. Maybe it just came with having long, flowy clothing, but she just about managed to get tangled up in every stray branch imaginable.

"Shoot, and that one's brand new, too," Dess lamented, feeling the newly-torn hole in the skirt area of Noelle's outfit. "That's what you get when you ask for a long dress despite knowing you trek around in the forest all day."

Noelle whined. "But I liiiike this one!! Long skirts feel nice and I don't have to worry about being immodest around Mom!"

"Oooo, does it spin?" Chris leaned in with a grin. Hehe, that rhymed.

Noelle giggled, twirling in place once they reached their clearing. The skirt billowed outwards, and she squeaked as she stumbled on her hoof from the spinning. Dess caught her in time, fortunately, but Noelle was still laughing dizzily in her arms.

Chris flapped their hands with fervor, enraptured. "That's so cool!! Why don't I have any skirts, Azzy?"

Azzy frowned down at them. "Well, for one, you'll trip like Noelle just did, no doubt. But also, skirts are girl clothes, and you're not a girl."

Dess elbowed him. "Hey, he can wear whatever he wants! Just 'cuz skirts aren't really guy clothes doesn't mean he can't wear 'em."

"Well, yeah," Azzy argued, "but it'd be kind of weird, yeah? He's little, I don't think he really knows what boyhood entails."

"Well, Noelle knew, and she's only a year or so older than him. Most trans kids'll know something's up at that age."

"But Chris isn't trans!"

"You don't know that!"

Both Chris and Noelle looked up at the bickering teens with wide eyes. After a moment, Chris leaned over. "What are they talking about?"

"Oh, uh. I guess you didn't know me then, did you, faha. You know how I have antlers right now even though Dess doesn't?" After a nod from Chris, Noelle kept going. "That's because I wasn't born a girl. When I was younger, people thought I was a boy, like you, but it felt wrong, and when I told people, they started talking like I was a girl, and that felt much better. So I'm a girl now!"

Chris blinked. "Huh? Did they just get it wrong at first, or...?"

Noelle shook her head. "No, they got it right. It's just... Hm. Okay. I know what you look like, but mentally, in your SOUL or whatever, you just... you FEEL like a boy, right?"

Chris just stared at her for a substantial amount of time. "No? Isn't it just my genitals?"

Jumping, Noelle blushed furiously and covered their mouth. Chris pouted under her fingers, giving her the most wet cat expression they could muster, but she shook her head again. "Shhhhhh!! Don't say that so loud!" she whispered loudly. "That's inappropriate! But no, there's a mental part too. If you were in a body with... The other... parts, would you feel weird about it?"

"Nnnooooooo??" They tilted their head at her. "Not any weirder than it normally is."

She paused. "Huh?"

"I don't know, I just kinda wish I didn't have any of that. It's weird, people put me in all these weird boxes. I don't like it, I'm just a person."

Noelle looked down, thinking, before turning to Dess and tugging her arm to get her attention. "Dess? What's it called when you don't wanna have a gender?"

The argument between the teenagers was put on hold for a moment as Dess glanced at her. "Don't wanna...? Well, anyone can not want their gender, mostly because of how people think of said gender, but people who don't have a gender at all are nonbinary. Or, agender, but that's just a kind of nonbinary. Why?"

Chris craned their head to look at her before pointing at themself. Noelle followed suit, pointing at them too. Their neck hurt from looking up. Everything hurt all the time, it was annoying.

"You're saying that describes you?" Asriel piped in. Chris nodded at him.

After a moment of silence, Dess spasmed and whirled toward Azzy, pointing. "I KNEW it! I TOLD you! HA!!! TWENTY BUCKS!"

"Titan damn it- You sure you're getting this right? Would you want us to use neutral pronouns for you? Do you want to be a they?"

"I don't really... What?"

"I don't wanna give Dess twenty dollars."

Chris looked over at Dess, who was still celebrating with herself, and grinned. "Then yes."

"TITAN DAMN IT." Azzy fished out his wallet, sifted through it for a moment, then slapped down a twenty into Dess' waiting hand with a sigh. She cheered, making Chris giggle. "Don't tell me we're changing your name, too, you liked this one."

"No promises," they jeered. To be honest, they didn't really care all that much. But they're glad they they could be out of the obligation that was "boyhood", that was nice. And maybe they'd always thought of themself with the neutral words that they use for people they don't know. And maybe they wanted to mix things up with their name a little, too.

But it's just one more weird thing about them, and they're a weird person. And they like that, they think. Noelle was weird, even weirder than they realized, and Dess and Azzy were weird too. And they were pretty cool, so maybe Chris was too. They could get behind that.

"This is my friend, Chris Dreemurr. They're nonbinary, and they like chocolate. My little sister is good friends with them. Oh my god, I get to call you an enby, that's adorable. This is the best. Your queer is infectious, Azzy, they're not even related to you and they're enby. This is the best."

They smiled. This felt right. In a multitude of wrong-ness that surrounded them, covering their skin instead of fur, this was the one thing that felt correct.

Maybe they could be Kris Dreemurr this time.