#and participating in a fun holiday spirit with his friends

[4ragon]

A metaphor refantazio thought that occurred to me very early on while playing

Will is an outsider. Will has his own Eldan religion that people don’t really know about, likely based on things far older than sanctism. Will is forced to know so much about sanctism just to participate in everyday life. He has to participate in their holidays, he has to shop at churches, he needs just a baseline understanding of all of it and is still seen as wrong by many for having his own beliefs even now that he knows all of it and is participating in it. He is surrounded by people who take this culture as a given. There are other religions out there too, as well as individual cultures within sanctism, but he is the only one he knows with his own belief system. His people have always been oppressed historically for being different, for their religion being wrong and for their everything being wrong.

Will. Is. Jewish.

[totalswag]

can you do something with singer!reader having a christmas special like sabrina and when she talks about her boyfriend it’s drew that comes out dressed as santa and everyone realizes immediately.

oh my santa drew ⎯ DREW STARKEY

authors note if you havent watched the nonsense christmas on Netflix you should hehe. thank you for the request lovie! its a great request since christmas is right around the corner. writing this was so much fun and adding my own little bits in there. there's a couple lines from the actual skit too.

taglist ⤕ if you would like to be notified every time i post you will type in your username then be all set to go.

summary drew coming in as a surprised guest on a nonsense christmas.

warning(s) none just funny humor and drew dressed as santa

A Nonsense Christmas. 

This thought occurred to me one day at the beginning of this year. Christmas is your favorite time to celebrate, it was ideal. You've had incredible artists join you to perform songs and special guests for comedy skits—Tyla, Kali Uchis, Chappell Roan, and so many other talented guests.

It's been an absolute blast filming everything. The whole vibe of this small series is unbelievably funny and gets you in the holiday spirit.

Drew, your boyfriend, dresses up as Santa Claus in this skit. You wanted him to participate in this experience with you. He insisted on being Santa after you told him the final idea. No one knows about it except for the people working on set. Fans and the audience will be surprised.

The past few weeks Drew’s been walking around the house acting like Santa and going into character with his lines—No joke.

It starts off with you sitting on the single chair in front of your two friends, Alice and Max, talking about your boyfriend they haven't met. The living room set is decked Christmas out with a tree decorated behind you along with everything magical. 

"I can't wait to finally meet your man, Debbie, you haven't been hanging out with us since getting into a relationship," Alice asks, giggling at the end of her sentence. 

You quickly chuckle sarcastically, and Max joins in.

"No, I understand. Because we are doing long distance, it's been difficult to mix friend groups," you explain, making a combing hand motion. "You get what I'm saying?" you ask, leaning in slightly, squinting your eyes.

"Girl, I completely understand," Max shrugs his shoulders, offering you a nice nod of understatement, “I promise we will love him” he smiles.

Your face softens, "Aw, thank you both. I promise you, he will not disappoint," you wink playfully. 

Just wait till they see who walks through that door.

Your voice appears promising to them at that point. 

Your phone rings out of nowhere, and you pick it up; a mysterious boyfriend is ready to make his official entrance. "Oh, speak of the devil, he's walking up now," you shriek with delight as you get up from your seat and dance over to the front door—your famous tippy toe dance

Drew walks through the door dressed head-to-toe in a Santa Claus outfit, strode in with a jolly demeanor. His red suit, black boots, and fluffy white beard were undeniably festive.

Max and Alice exchanged puzzled looks, their jaws almost touching the floor. "Uh, is this…?" Alice inquired, her eyes wide in shock.

Debbie please be so for real...

"Is that Santa in front of me, or am I seeing things?" Before taking a close look, Max emphasizes the word "that." He squints his eyes and then turns to face Alice. "Yep, that's definitely Santa," he adds swiftly after reaching his conclusion.

Alice's jaw instantly closes as she tries to contain her composure and confusion over your boyfriend's sudden appearance as Santa.

"Guys, everyone, this is my boyfriend, Nick!" you cheer as you let Nick pass in front of you. introducing him to friends with a broad smile on your face. 

Max's mouth falls open, too stunned to speak. As she raises her eyebrows in amusement, Alice is attempting to piece together how this might have happened.

“I’ve heard nothing but great things about you two, It’s great to meet you” Drew says in character, pointing at Alice and Max. He smiles underneath the white bread.

Drew puts his left arm around your shoulder as you sit on his lap, putting your hands on your knees and grinning. You subconsciously find the Santa impression impressive.

With a gesture between Alice and himself, Max says, "Aw, same, um, as us..." pausing for a quick moment looking around, "Would you like anything to drink or snack on by any chance?" Curious, Max asks

Nick looks at Max and says, "Oh, um, maybe a warm glass of milk with." He sits down right away. "And a huge chocolate chip cookie topped with shards of sprinkles?" Nick added, highlighting the final phrase. 

"Yuck," Alice responds hastily.

You quickly drop your smile, looking at her. What did she say about my man?

Max frowns slowly and says, "Uh oh, I think we are out of shards." He then slowly turns, side-eyeing Alice—still attempting to take everything in.

When Nick sees that his clothing is covered in soot, he excuses himself to go upstairs to the restroom, leaving the three of you below until he returns.

As he reaches the steps, you watch him closely until Alice says, "Hey, this is actually insane but, um, that's Santa Claus, right?" She points up the stairs while posing mocking questions.

You look shocked in a moment. You respond, "Oh my god," while gazing at her as though she were crazy. You inquire informally, "What kind of messed up thing is that to say?"

The two of them ask you whether you are serious about the relationship or if it's a trick.

Max interrupts, "Debbie, girl, it's not messed up. Think about it, big white scruffy beard?" He was making bread motions with his hands.

You roll your eyes, scoffing, “well he decided to do no shave November, for your information.”

“And he has the classic big belly?” Alice tries putting her point clear.

Dramatically gasping at her comment, “And there it is, the body shaming begins,” throwing your hands in the air, Alice and Max make eye contact with each other wondering if your delusions will come to an end—Max quietly scoffs. 

"What kind of Mean Girls situation is this? You say, "Can't believe this," in an attempt to come seem as offended by their critical remarks. 

Alice mumbles to herself, "Okay, relax," as she scratches the back of her head looking around the room. 

You begin detailing his character and making it quite clear that he is Santa without actually stating so. When Nick came down the stairs, your two friends decided to stop commenting.

Max and Alice thank him for giving them gifts, and Nick flicks his fingers when he realizes he left something in the car and will be right back. "So, how does he make enough money to buy us all these presents?" Max glances in your direction.

You keep telling them that he described his exact job, but you were too preoccupied to pay attention and found it dull at the time. "If I'm not mistaken, toy manufacturer," you shrug your shoulders.

“Uh, Deb, you won’t be happy from what I’m gonna say,” Alice leans in, “that’s what Santa does,” she explains speaking in a high-pitched voice.

"Like I said before, he's not Santa Claus, his job doesn't even pay, and I don't—" You were interrupted by the sound of footsteps on the rooftop.

Is this girl okay? Max thinks to himself.

"Is your boyfriend on the roof?" Alice asks you a suspicious inquiry.

You laugh uneasily, "He's probably fixing something up there, right? He would have noticed something," you explain, "my partner can actually make something," smiling sarcastically, "like a guy," you swiftly shift your head over at Max, making a remark about what his boyfriend does for a living.

We weren't expecting to hear those words from you.

"Besides, if he was Santa," you pause, "then why is he so good in bed?" You cross your arms together, lean back against the chair, and give them a peculiar look.

The two chuckle in their chairs. "Oh, well, I didn't read that in the text," Alice replies drastically as though your remark had upset her.

A little while later, Nick shows up at the house with two gift boxes for your two friends. Your face lights up when you see him giving your two pals thoughtful gifts. Your words, "How thoughtful of you, my love!"

They had no idea how to find their gifts in front of them when they opened them and saw what they had long yearned for. You wonder how Nick knew they desired those gifts as you point to them. 

Everyone on stage and in the crowd bursts out laughing when Owen, who portrays Max, unintentionally fires the soft nerf bullet, striking Megan, Alice's character, on the side of her face. It was more humorous—Megan was fine, too.

Max and Alice, becoming all sensual in the moment, said they wrote letters to Santa Claus and just wished for them. You sigh softly and stare down at your feet. "Well, if he's really Santa, he would know that the only thing I asked for as a little girl was singing a duet with Shania Twain," you pout.

Is she coming out?

Is it my turn yet?

Suddenly, Shaian Twain enters the home door dressed as Mrs. Claus and asks to see her husband. After figuring everything out, you exclaim, "You are married?!" As you rise from your chair, your voice is full of shock and sadness.

Nick and Shain Twain explain their relationship and being open in sharing. Everyone in the living room is in a state of shock, except for Alice and Max. You quickly point to Nick, “He’s not Santa!” you raise your voice—voice cracking a little.

The audience laughs as they clap once the skit ends.

You giggle as you follow Drew after everyone has left the stage. "You did such a good job doing the Santa impression baby," you say, giving him a playful sideways nudge. 

He replies nonchalantly, as like he didn't need to practice, "Oh you know, gotta show them who the real boss is but it comes naturally."

You laugh, "Dork."

You decide to snap a quick photo of Drew before he can do anything else while he's staring at you from the couch in the dressing room with his bogus beard still on. You suddenly say, "Say cheese, Santa!" and take him by surprise.

You take a close look at the image on your screen, thinking, "Perfect for our Christmas card this year."

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[himasgod]

🎃How would they spend Halloween night with their partners? Mondstadt! version 🎃

(All! Mondstadt Characters x you! (separated))

LIYUE VERSION

INAZUMA VERSION

SUMERU VERSION

(I think I didn't forget anyone 😭😭 I had a lot of fun doing this, I hope you like it! 100 words per character)

Diluc is reserved, and though Halloween isn’t his favorite holiday, he’s determined to make it a special night. He leads you to a secluded corner of the vineyard, where he’s prepared a small bonfire. The night is filled with ancient stories of Mondstadt, some so dark that it sends shivers down your spine. Diluc doesn’t wear a costume, but there’s something about his elegant dark coat and intense expression that makes him look like a gothic hero from legend. He takes your hand and, with a half-smile, promises to protect you from any “specters” that roam the night, but it’s clear that he’s the one who makes you feel in danger… although not in a bad way.

Kaeya, being the prankster that he is, takes you to a costume party in Mondstadt. He shows up dressed as a vampire, hinting at his mysterious personality. All night long he tells you creepy stories in your ear, letting his soft, whispery words make your skin crawl. As the night comes to an end, Kaeya takes you by the hand and leads you to the outskirts of Mondstadt, saying that he wants to “show you something special.” He leads you to a hill where the stars seem to shine even brighter, and there, under the moonlight, he whispers an loving words to you that leaves your heart racing.

For Venti, Halloween is the perfect opportunity to host an evening filled with songs and scary tales. He takes you to the Cider Lake, where he has organized a small bonfire with some close friends. Venti is dressed as a ghost, a simple costume but one he plays with exaggeration, floating back and forth, looking to playfully scare you. He sings you a ballad about a lost spirit in Mondstadt, his enveloping voice filling the air. Although you are surrounded by friends, at some moments he whispers things to you just for you, creating a charming and intimate atmosphere, as if you were in his own Halloween spell.

Albedo is more observant of Mondstadt customs than an active participant, but he lets himself be convinced to celebrate with you. He invites you to Dragonspine to “see the cold light phenomenon on Halloween night.” The snow sparkles under the moon, and as you walk along, he explains the scientific and magical origin of each phenomenon. He tells you stories of Dragonspine’s creatures, and at some point he falls silent, watching your reactions. Although his explanation is completely logical, you can’t help but notice the mystery surrounding Albedo, especially when he smiles enigmatically at you and takes your hand to guide you on the way back.

Jean is always so busy that Halloween is one of the few times you can convince her to take a break. She doesn’t dress up, but she has planned a little outing just for you two. She takes you to a quiet corner of Mondstadt where she’s prepared a candlelit dinner. Though she doesn’t consider herself good at telling scary stories, she tries to tell one she heard from Lisa, but can’t help but laugh when she gets to the “spooky” part. At the end of the night, Jean lets her composure go for a moment, leaning into you and whispering how much she appreciates these peaceful moments with you.

Halloween is the perfect time for Lisa to have fun with you, and her plan includes a night of potions and magic. She invites you to her personal library, where she has prepared a mysterious ritual of sorts. Dressed in a dark cloak, she teaches you how to make an “eternal love” potion (just for fun, or so she says). She tells you stories of ancient witches, looking at you with her bright green eyes full of playful mischief. At midnight, she tells you that you can’t break the “spell” until you give her a kiss, and she won’t settle for a small one.

Halloween isn’t a family holiday for Razor, but he’s determined to do something special with you. He takes you out into the forest of Wolvendom and shows you how to build a campfire. He doesn’t quite understand scary stories, but he tries to tell you legends he’s heard about wolves that somehow sound that much more chilling in his low, raspy voice. The night is filled with the sounds of nature, and Razor, though he doesn’t speak much, stays close to you, staring at you with an intensity that says much more than he could ever put into words.

Sucrose is preparing a night of science with a spooky twist. In her lab, she has created a series of experiments inspired by the Halloween theme. She shows you how certain potions change color and emit smoke when they come into contact with certain substances. Each experiment has a scientific explanation, but she also allows you to have fun trying and playing with each mixture. At the end, as a surprise, she gives you a small luminous flower that she created for you, saying that it will be your amulet on dark nights.

Bennett is the one who really wants Halloween to be perfect for both of them, although due to his good (or bad) luck, many things don't go as planned. He takes you to explore some of the ancient ruins of Mondstadt in hopes of seeing ghosts, but you end up tripping over branches and falling into puddles. Despite all the mishaps, Bennett laughs and makes every little accident into a fun adventure. In the end, he apologizes for the unexpected events, but you know that the true magic of the night was spending it with him.

Mika is shy but excited to spend Halloween with you. He takes his costume seriously, showing up in a dark cloak and carrying a small lantern to “scare” you. While he’s not exactly scary, you find his efforts adorable. He takes you on a nighttime stroll around Mondstadt, guiding you down lesser-known routes and pointing out points of interest while telling you anecdotes about past explorations. When he gets spooked by some noise in the night, you take his hand, and he smiles shyly, enjoying the moment with a calmness he rarely has.

Eula is a bit standoffish at first, saying that Halloween is just “another excuse to make noise,” but ends up hosting a dinner party at Lawrence’s house, just for the two of you. She’s dressed in an elegant, dark, classic costume that contrasts perfectly with her serious demeanor. During dinner, she tells stories about the old Lawrences in a sarcastic, tongue-in-cheek manner, but every now and then, you notice her giving you a genuine smile, especially when you try to make her laugh. At the end of the night, she leans over to you and, as “revenge,” asks for a kiss to close the evening.

For Rosaria, Halloween is the ideal night to explore the darkness of Mondstadt. She invites you to the Cathedral, where she has prepared a secret walk into the lesser-known areas of the building. With a candle in hand, she guides you through dark passages and whispers to you disturbing legends she has heard. She doesn’t need to dress up to give you the creeps; her mysterious presence does all the work. Halfway through the tour, she stops and leans towards you, making sure you know there is no one else in this part of the cathedral, just the two of you in the dim light.

Noelle strives to make Halloween perfect for both of you. She invites you to a night of “monster hunting,” where she has prepared a treasure hunt around Mondstadt filled with candy and small challenges. Wearing an adorable fantasy knight costume, she guides you through each clue with a sweet and cheerful smile. When the hunt is over, she takes you to a hill where she has prepared a blanket and a basket full of snacks. The night ends with stargazing and conversation, while she tries to remember some scary story she heard about the Knights, although in her ever-optimistic tone, it doesn’t turn out to be all that scary.

Amber is more excited than anyone for Halloween and has organized a night of adventures in the Mondstadt Woods. Dressed as a monster hunter, she takes you to a “base camp” she prepared, complete with flashlights, snacks, and maps. During the night, she has you participate in a scary story contest and at the end she fakes a surprise attack by Hilichurls that only results in laughter. Eventually, the night becomes quieter, and as you gaze at the stars, Amber smiles at you and tells you that she will always remember this Halloween with you.

Barbara decides to celebrate Halloween with you in the most “magical” way possible: by organizing a small costume party in the courtyard of the Cathedral. She dresses up as a charming sorceress and prepares “magic” snacks and drinks (which are basically juices with bright colors and light effects). She sings spooky songs for everyone in attendance and at some point in the night she invites you to dance under the stars. At the end, when everyone leaves, Barbara takes you by the hand and thanks you for making the night special, promising you that you will always have a special place in her heart.

Here is my masterlist, in case you are interested in any more of my work or want to send me a request <3

[death---dealer]

Flame Kissed Skin. ( Caesar x Human!Reader, Planet of the Apes Oneshot. )

and then i said oh my god

Title: Flame Kissed Skin. Fandom: ( Dawn of the ) Planet of the Apes. Rating: T. ( Implications of mating, sexual themes. ) Pairing: HEAVILY! Implied Caesar x Human!Reader. Words: 3.2K+ Summary: AU where Cornelia died after giving birth to Blue Eyes. What would the Ape King's reaction be to seeing you wearing a dress for the first time? CAESAR MASTERLIST. ●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・●・○・●・●・○・

You scanned the Colony that was flickering with ambient lighting basing from the sweeping bonfire that was in front of you, the speckled torches that spotted along the inside of the Colony border that reminded you of how twinkling Holiday lights would be displayed during the Season. Blaze drenched all across the delicate but harshly torn nature of the wicker baskets that cased around the sides and down the minor cliffside, greeting with happiness at the celebration that took hold for such a successful Hunt. 

Captivating shadows along the fur of many Apes who were taking in their communal aspect of meals, greatly enjoyed and deeply imbued with a sense of respect they had to spend time together. You had not seen anything like it since arriving at the Colony; it was not done after every Hunt but done often enough, you gathered, to keep the spirits up and to keep everyone engaged in building and maintaining the lifestyle that they had enabled since the wiping of Humanity due to the Flu. 

Elk and smaller Game as usual that were freshly roasted and cooked coated the inside of the wicker bowls, free for grazing along with nuts, berries and roots that had been foraged that day by the Female Apes who did not participate in the hunting with their mates or the ones they were destined to be with. You smiled bashfully at Lake and Blue Eyes who were sitting next to you, knowing the truth of the unspoken that rested there and admired with a softened gaze how enthralled in conversation they had been before it turned more sarcastic and fun when Ash and River finally joined. 

You chattered with them, your hand signing rudimentary but you were still grateful that they were able to understand the small funny quips you were alluding to about their endeavors of the day. Sliding your boot-clad feet against the slick rock below your perched seat, you were suddenly flushed with a wall of anxiousness. 

Caesar had not made himself known to your wondering stare. You had lingered a few moments too long on Rocket who was speaking with Luca off a few meters to your left, grinning gratefully at them before turning to the right and seeing nothing of interest except for Koba who’s half a gawk always rode a chill up your spine, enough to cause you to legitimately feel cold despite the flames that were toasting the bare skin that was exposed to the ocean air brought in by the breeze.

Bringing your hand up, you slid the cap of your inch-wide sleeve upwards to the case around your shoulder and lingered your fingers there as you repositioned the strap to stop it from sliding down your arm. You were not one for dresses; they had no purpose in a world that was so harsh and cruel but… Tilting your head to the side, you ran your fingers downwards to play against your kneecaps. You wanted something different; something celebratory for yourself as you were unable to fully appreciate the Hunt that provided the Colony with such pride and abundant food. 

‘Father.’ Blue Eyes signed, flicking his gaze from his core group of friends who he had been raised with, to you for a brief moment and then beyond your smaller shoulder towards the Ape King himself who casted a minor and dancing shadow against the back of your body.

You stiffened, feeling the rounding of his large frame coming to grips next to yours, your ample eyes watching in acute fascination how his thigh muscles shifted, how his feet were able to dexterously hit the ground below to keep his balance as he returned a greeting gesture to Blue Eyes and then to the group of Apes. None of which seemed affected by his sudden appearance, none of them saw Caesar as anything more than their leader; strong and powerful, rightfully so you thought and tried to trail your peering irises towards something else as the Chimp came to sit next to you, slowly. 

Too slowly, you felt like screaming the moment that his fur capsized against the bare skin of your upper arm and you were suddenly cursing inside of your mind for not wearing actual functioning clothing. A dress, stupid decision you muttered, popping your mouth and looking at the fire.

It was red; the deeper shade that resembled more of a blood soak, captivated around the fibers were yellow and pink flowers that reminded you of the ones that grew in the meadow near the Colony. You wondered… Giving some attention to Caesar as he was engaged now with Blue Eyes about the Hunt. You had to wonder if Caesar would notice a detail like that, the small hairs that lined your body rising in anticipation as if you were seeking his validation in the first place.

You could have sworn between the gestures that Father and Son were sharing that Caesar did spot you a few glances. Sweeping his gold and green encrusted eyes against the bare nature of your legs, your feet shuffling inwards a bit out of embarrassment for not having proper shoes but you felt you’d slip and fall on rocks if you tried anything other than your worn-with-time boots.

The way your breathing picked up was noticed by Caesar, the rising and falling of the fabric against your chest pushing the small detailed and faux wooden buttons against the curve of your breasts so immaculately, like they would burst if he stared at them too intently, that he found it difficult to focus momentarily. 

There was a silent goodbye between them all, something you had not noticed in your crazed fit to ignore the way that your mind was racing with thoughts about the Ape next to you. Blue Eyes, Lake, River and Ash left you, your eyes watching their forms before you glanced over, trying to push down the lingering notion that you needed to say goodbye as well and trail to your grounded nest for the night as well. 

“Have not…” The tips of your ears pricked at the sound of a deeply rich and catapulting baritone and you twisted your body minutely, appreciating now the coldness of the rock you were sitting on against the heat on the back of your thighs. “Seen Human… Clothes… Like that… Long time.”

“Yeah, well.” You chuckled nervously and rolled your shoulders as soon as you felt Caesar’s ogle on them, the falling and shifting as your body subconsciously drifted towards his own, leaning inwards to get his utmost attention. It was like your own actions weren’t yours, there was nothing stopping you from gravitating towards Caesar as heat ran against your cheeks, against the bottoms of your eye sockets and ran all the way to the very tip of your ears.

“Wanted to wear something nice. Fo-For the Celebration! I’ve never seen the other Apes so… Celebratory.” That was stupid, why did I just say that? You looked at him from the corner of your eye and could see the huff of his broad chest. Was he… laughing? Swallowing hard, you drew your mouth into a jerked grin and muttered, “We don’t really get the weather here for these sorts of clothes, you know? I-I don’t have fur like you guys do so I stay pretty bundled up…---” Your voice tapered into nothingness as Caesar shifted once more beside you, bringing his form in the few inches it took until his bicep was kissing against yours fully, smothering at your softer skin was coarse fur that made you want to roll your eyes back in ecstasy. Yeah… You had to admit and leered down at the contact that was made. Yeah… You wanted his attention. The dress. Everything about it, you wanted to crawl into Caesar’s lap and let him feel your bare thighs around his muscular and thinner waist, holding onto him for dear life with your entire body.

“It is…” There was a moment of pause as he trudged through his limited dictionary that seemed to expand day in and day out the more time he spent with you. “Nice to see… Something different.”

A tiny shudder that was not caused by cold ran down your body and rested itself between your legs, and with the motion you made to bring your knees together to subdue that, Caesar was blessed with a shocking state of your scent. There was no mistaking it, the Ape King thought to himself and brought his eyes down to look at your face from his peripheral vision.

Downwards, dripping like slow moving honey against the bark of a tree, he was able to see the trudges of your sternum as your shoulders were brought together out of innate nerves from being so near to Caesar, there was no denying the waft of arousal that sat itself between you, coating the very tips of his fur that was caressing you in spots. Stiffening at the notion that he could see your bare breasts if he tried hard enough, Caesar drew his glance forward once more. 

“T-Thanks.” You muttered under your breath and drew air into your lungs that stayed stagnant for a split second as if you wanted to suffocate yourself. With the exaltation, the strap that refused to sit in its position against your shoulder fell down once more, reflex kicking in and you went to push it back upwards. Not before Caesar managed, his reaction time being much greater than that of a meager Human.

Hot… Your mouth parted as you looked down. Slow motion, Caesar drew your thin strap up, two thick fingers dancing lightly against the top of your willing skin. The curve of your shoulder cap was paid attention to as Caesar made the action his own, finally setting the strap down in its allotted position before his entire palm skimmed at your shoulder and held on in a ghosting whisper. There was the evident nature that his skin was calloused, but you wanted to hold every part of your body until your nerve endings were fried and you were able to feel nothing else. 

“Thank you…” That did not sound like your voice. It was wistful around the edges, almost desperate in the center. You hated it, eyes hooded as you tried to keep yourself in slacked control but there was nothing keeping you grounded anymore. Nothing anymore as you turned your head fully and felt your cheek brush against the knuckles of the Ape King, tickling at your pores were the less thick bristles of his fur that played along the flatter pieces on the outside of his fingers.

Quickened inhales paired with sharper exhales puffed air onto Caesar’s face, the fur that rode against his collarbones rose at the closeness that he never allowed himself in the first place after Cornelia passed. Something about this though, his eyes meeting yours in a moment of flurried and frenzied attraction, felt… right.

Maybe Caesar was drunk from the celebration; not from sustenance or substances, but from happiness that he never allowed himself to feel at the forefront of his pragmatic mind. Maybe it was the fact that his fellow Apes were indeed prospering beyond what he imagined was possible all those years ago, sitting in front of a rounded window and watching teenagers act as such. Maybe…--- 

Caesar looked down at your neck as you swallowed hard, the enthralling nature of which your jugular shifted all too intoxicating for the Ape King who brought the palm of his hand down to pet along your bicep, maybe he wanted to be those teenagers. Maybe, he wanted to just take you into his nest without reserve and make you his. Over and over and over. Lust was such a Human element in all of this, Caesar was never one to admit that. Caesar never really cared to admit that as he flickered his glance downwards to your thighs and how they bristled at the hem of the dress.

“You have… many… of these?” He gestured with his free hand to your entire shape and how it was filling out the fabric. In most situations, you’d have torn yourself away from the attention, away from the notions that you needed this interaction. But Caesar… Was nothing more than unwavering in how he assured you in your Human aspects that you wanted to cling to when living with other Apes. The Chimp next to you kept motivation strong that you did not lose yourself, that you remained as Human as you could because deep down… 

Drawing your bottom lip in, you shook your head and let a rattling breath escape your lips. Deep, deep down… Caesar liked everything about it. The wash of your hair in the flames, how it bounced the outline, the casts of playful silhouettes against the actual garment of the crimson dress, your fingers calling themselves in and out on your lap, relaxing into a palm before crimping into a fist; racking with nerves and fears that were not known consciously but always lingered in the back of your mind whenever the Ape King allotted himself the privilege of being so near to you.

“Thi---... This was the only one I was able to find after the Flu hit. At least, the only one that fits me.”

“Fits well.” The chortle that came from the depths of your throat was nothing more than a nightmare as you nodded, flushing your entire body with heat that rivaled even the Sun blisters. It took nearly all your will power to remind yourself that Caesar was like that; blunt and brash, oftentimes to the point of obliviousness at how his words would come across. 

But this, you came to a slow stopped giggle and allowed the delectation of staring at him once more, his side profile was just as stern and intimidating as it was the first time you admired it, but there was a softening around his browline that you figured was due to the light of the fire in front of you, why else would Caesar give you such a vulnerable look at him? You tried to argue but found fascination in it otherwise as your pointer fingers twitched out of desire to touch his brows to see if they would soften further. 

The drooling of the lightened brown that rode against the fur that lined the outside of his hardened features, the minute detailing of graying fur that was spotting through. The rise and fall of his flatter nose, calm and collected… You saw nothing that indicated that he meant the words as anything less than a compliment. Try to twist it as you may, Caesar’s stance said as he finally withdrew the hand that was near your bicep and replaced the contact with undiluted eye contact, his full face now painted in clear vision for you, I meant what I said with all the intentions it implies. 

Shuddering a bit, Caesar took note of that and muttered the smallest, “Not much… Fabric to keep you… shielded.” “Yeah… I uhm… I forgot to bring my… jacket…” You uttered in response, absolutely lost in the way that he was gawking into your stare. Dominant were his green irises, submissive were the golden flecks that were resting within that danced along with the oranges and yellows that cased against his glazed orbs from the fire. 

Stop, you wanted to say and parted your mouth, Caesar drinking up the taste of your air for you were no more than a few centimeters away from a forehead brisk, stop looking at me like that, Caesar… But your body had its change of heart, telling the truer intentions of your choice of apparel as you scooted inwards a bit more to captivate your senses against the heat of his body, Caesar relenting whatever self-control he had as he brought a hand up to rest against your bare shoulder once more. 

A near moan escaped your parted lips as he dragged his heated palm down and trenched the strap he had situated for you right along with it as you swallowed hard, to no avail and there was no lump resting in the back of your esophagus. “Cae-” “Can… Walk you back to… nest if you would… Like.  Get… warm there?”

There were heavy implications in his words that were now pairing with his actions as you nodded only wordlessly, watching with bated desire as Caesar stood in front of you, your eyes carding themselves down his frame and stiffening at the pure stance of power he had once he laid his entire weight on his proportionally shorter legs. Large hand out, you stared at it and let the other sleeve of your dress fall, beckoning to the Ape King your answer without having to say anything as you were now exposing the full scape of your collarbones for him, imagination running rampant at the prospect of laying bare bite marks against the delicate skin and snapping at the bones below. 

There was an answer to the flittering question that had yet to be asked as you dived your hand into his, feeling a shock down your fingers into your wrist as Caesar picked you up carefully, his own gaze falling down at your feet to make sure you were not going to slip. 

“W-Wish I had fur sometimes.” You joked and felt fleeting like a leaf as Caesar began helping you trail towards your smaller home, nestled on the ground rather than high up in suspended air as was the preferred way of the Apes of the Colony. Glancing over your shoulder, you were thankful it appeared that they all had returned to their own homes, the bonfire now being left to die as the night trailed into pitch blackness. 

How would you explain to any of them… That Caesar was whisking you away, his hand pressing against your hip as you hopped down a small step, nearly crunching yourself against his chest as a result. How would you explain this to anyone? Gasping quietly, you felt the bunching of your dress around your waist as Caesar grasped you even tighter and pulled you nearly flushed against his barrel chest.

“Alright? Humans… so unbalanced.” 

That was a joke, you recognized with an ample look of amusement swirling now with the future ideas of how Caesar was going to keep you warm once you arrived at your hut if you were feeling so bold to invite him in. But, the idea was already planted, it was Caesar who suggested to get you warm out of courtesy of your Humanness. You got cold, he knew that. You got cold, you tried to ignore that as you were quick to rationalize the attraction that was suddenly present but had been there since you first met. “I-I’m okay…” You swallowed hard, looking at his pectorals and lining the trace of his scar. Tucking your fingers into his furred forearms, you moved them inwards as if to give the silent permission that he was allowed to touch you, that the dress that laid against you as a second skin of sorts was nothing more than an obstacle at this point. “Y-You don’t need to walk me all the way back to my hut, you know. I-I’m pretty good seeing in the d---”

Caesar chuffed at that, the sound as encompassing as ever as you also felt it against your chest coming from deep inside of his diaphragm and the familiar wash of arousal cased between your legs and drenched Caesar's entire self, eyes dilating as he muttered, almost flirtatious around the edges as you had never heard before.

“Never said… I was taking you back… to your nest.”

[bwabys-scenarios]

Heya! Just thinking about Kurapika cuase he my fav. Since Kurta culture is such a big deal to him, how would he try to teach his significant other about it? Would he try to teach them as they go along or would he try to distance himself from his past culture? Thanks for writing these Headcannons, they get me through my busy work week lollll

Kurapika and his culture, thoughts and HCs

!!REBLOGS APPRECIATED!!

A/N: This is less of an x reader and more of Kurta tradition HCs! Also, these are all made up and not inspired by anything specific, so any likeliness to actual cultural practices is not intended. The only tradition that is inspired by real culture is the last one, which is inspired by Dia De Los Muertos(which is obvious but I wanted to give credit where credit is due!!)

Thoughts

Absolutely! As the only Kurta left alive, he’s the only one that can keep his culture and traditions alive. It’s one of the reasons he wants children so badly, he wants to have his clan again!

I think Kurapika isn’t the type to force you to learn or expect you to participate in his culture, after all it’s not your own, but he’d very much appreciate it if you did. You’re his everything, all he has left in this world and the future mother of his children, and he’d be over the moon if you wore the traditional tabards on special holidays and practiced the traditional dance that the Kurta people would preform on their wedding nights.

He also won’t be overbearing with having his kids participate, but will be filled with joy when the little ones ask why daddy is wearing something different and praying on certain days.

Kurapika will bully his friends into celebrating with him, though. Gon and Killua have their own Kurta tabards that they have to wear when then come over during holidays. And no, Gon’s isn’t green. You’ll see why later on in this post.

HCs

-I think the Kurtas had many different traditions, which I will list here.

-One tradition I already mentioned, which is the bride and groom performing a specific dance on their wedding day. It’s a sign of devotion and love that lasts a lifetime, so it’s one of the only things Kurapika really wants you to do.

-Another is celebrating the coming of fall and harvests, alone with spring, summer, and winter. Each season has a different celebration and traditions, like dancing in the snow and leaving your favorite preserved fruit in the windowsill as an offering.

-You give that fruit during winter, a time where the fields are barren so when the fruit is ripe again, the gods give back tenfold.

-In spring, there are always flowers decorating doorframes, most families represented by a specific flower(marigolds for Kurapika’s family!), which is said to strengthen the spirits of each household.

-During summer, the children all made little dolls out of straw(or clay if their family works with it) and fill them with sweets, then leave them in the forest. This is an offering to the forest spirits so they can continue to coexists among each other. The Kurta people have a lot of respect for nature, always giving back what they take.

-The most important tradition takes place during late fall, right before winter. It’s a day to remember your loved ones who have passed, and obviously this holiday is especially rough for Kurapika. Before the massacre, it was a day that was spent celebrating the lives that once were, but now it is full of grief. He wears all green. Brown and earthy tones are used for grieving too, like for widows that are in states of mourning, but green is reserved for funerals. The earthy times symbolize the deceased giving their bodies back to the earth, and the inevitably of returning to dust.

-Because their scarlet eyes are treasured in the clan and green is opposite to red, green is seen as a color of morning. Fun fact, the first time Kurapika saw Gon, he assumed he was in a deep state of mourning because he was wearing an entirely green outfit. Of course he soon learned that the Kurta way of mourning was different than the rest of the world, but that didn’t stop him from being more gentle with Gon for a while.

-Kurapika prefers to pray alone when he’s in mourning. He gets choked up and cries sometimes, and needs time to collect himself and process the tremendous loss he feels.

[rambosgirl]

Christmas with Logan headcanons (x reader)

Original trilogy Logan:

he was never big on celebrating when he was on the road, but now the x men throw a big party for all the students so now he has to participate

he claims to not care, but you can tell he's enjoying himself

you were acquaintances going into the Christmas party, but you came out as friends

you talked a bit before moving on, but as the party died down, Logan noticed that you were gone

he followed your scent to find you (not in a creepy way haha)

you were in front of the mansion's biggest window, which featured frosty edges, looking at the snowy landscape

he silently came over, putting himself by your side to look out the window with you

the wind was carrying the snowflakes in sweeping motions before adding them to the powdered ground. In the moonlight reflections, you could see how it looked like glitter.

it was beautiful outside, but he was starting to think he'd rather look at you

You made quiet conversation with each other for a while before you started feeling tired

"You should probably get to bed," Logan mumbles.

"Right"

He wants to follow you so bad but stays behind out of respect. You weren't like the girls before and he wanted to treat you right

You became better friends after that, talking more often and finding quiet moments between missions and teaching.

Worst!Logan:

He had not celebrated anything in a long time, just kept to himself in his world, probably drinking

now that he's staying with Wade, he'll just sit and watch whatever he does for the holidays

he isn't planning on participating until you show up, an old friend of Wade's

He sees you decorating part of the gingerbread house but hesitates to join in. What if you didn't want him near you? What if he messed it up?

You noticed him, taking a break to say hi

you coaxed him to join you with the gingerbread house, which he eventually did (he's pretty bad at decorating gingerbread houses, but as bad as Wade)

the two of you just hit it off, and stuck together for a lot of the party

you learned that you were pretty different from each other, but he found that refreshing

Wade teased you all evening

"Look who found their Christmas spirit! I didn't think this grinch would actually separate from his drink," Wade retorts

"Shut up"

"Are we gonna witness a Hallmark movie with you two?"

With that, Logan guided you away, ignoring Wade (and his warming face)

You later find a quiet corner to talk while Wade was distracted trying to juggle ornaments

"I didn't think I'd actually have fun tonight," Logan admitted, his voice barely above a grumble

"Well I'm glad you did"

You eventually had to go home, and Logan swore he could feel his heart sinking.

until you gave him your number

"We've gotta hang out more," you say, passing him the slip of paper, "Maybe without Wade next time." You whispered the last part

And hang out you did. A lot. in the next few months, the two of you became inseparable

Logan finally felt like he had something to do, somewhere to go. Someone to make smile. (he would do anything to see that smile or laugh)

and you would do anything to help Logan heal what he couldn't himself

[littlejuicebox]

Baking Cookies

Pairing: Astarion x GN!Reader/Tav Summary/Setting: First winter post-BG3 / You and Astarion live together and you’re trying to introduce him to “normal” traditions and things he may not have experienced before. Rating/Warnings: PG-13 / Holiday fluff / Sexual references / Maybe some mild in game spoilers Word Count: 1K Notes: This is 1/5 "Days of Star-mas!" Tried to keep this GN but please lmk if you caught something! :)

I'm also entering this into the #BG3HolidayFluffle23 challenge under the prompt "holiday spirit."

Click here to see my master list.

-----

“Darling, this entire thing seems to be quite the mess.” Astarion huffs, flicking his gaze over the bowls, trays, baking goods, and various accoutrements strewn across the counter.

“Well, my love, that’s kind of the point! To make a mess and have a bit of fun. It’s nothing we can’t clean up.” You respond, giving the rogue a small smile and a good-natured eye roll, “Now what’s next?”

You two are in the kitchen, the delicious smells of cinnamon and nutmeg wafting through the air. Astarion is leaning over the kitchen counter and returns to reading the baking instructions aloud to you as you knead the spiced cookie dough in your hands.

“After kneading, shape the dough to ready for baking. Well… how on earth are we supposed to shape it? That’s not very specific.” The vampire murmurs with an irritated huff, nose wrinkling in frustration. He really wasn’t thrilled about participating in this new Midwinter tradition of baking treats for all your friends, but you’d managed to convince him with a heavy dose of eyelash batting and a little bit of whining.

You giggle as you take the spiced dough from the bowl and begin rolling it out with a pin, sprinkling flour about the counter as you work. You nod your head at the gingerbread molds you purchased from the market earlier this week. “With the cookie molds, my love. Or we can twist the dough with our hands… you’ll see.”

Soon enough, you’ve put Astarion to work cutting out gingerbread cookies and placing them on the baking trays while you’re twisting your portion of the dough into shapes. You watch the rogue as he works, quite intently, on forming the little beings. He’d decided to give a few of the cookies horns and tails, of course, and you’d been thrilled to see him getting into the holiday spirit in his own way, so you allowed his artistic liberties.

“That one looks like Karlach!” You exclaim, as you see Astarion pressing horns and a tail onto a gingerbread form that he’s also given massive biceps.

“Exactly the point, my dear.” Astarion grins, as he places cookie-Karlach onto the final open spot in his tray. “And this one is Gale.” He gestures to a cookie cutout he’s pulled slightly to make it taller and thinner, holding a twisted staff in its hand.

You chuckle, and having just finished your own tray, take the cookies and place them in the oven to bake. As you turn back to your love, he’s holding his hand out to you and beckoning you closer to him. You quickly oblige.

“You’ve got a bit of sugar and spice on your face, darling.” Astarion whispers, moving to kiss your cheek. His tongue laps at the powder before he aims to kiss your lips and you’re enveloped in the sweet taste of sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and him. The rogue grins mischievously, pulling back to look at you, white eyebrow cocked. “Hmm… looks like there might be some powder behind your ear and down your neck, as well.”

You roll your eyes at the vampire and his obvious lie as he moves to nibble your earlobe and then swirl his tongue behind it before trailing tiny kisses down your neck. When he pulls back again to admire you with scarlet eyes, you’re completely flushed.

“Are you satisfied with your little game now, my Star?” You ask, trying your best to chide the vampire and hide your smile.

Astarion turns toward the counter, and before you realize what he’s doing, he’s already dipped his long fingers into the remnants of the cookie spice mixture and turned back to you. He quickly drags his powder-coated hands down your neck, past the exposed parts of your chest, and across your arms. You’re covered in the sweet particles and staring at him, mouth open, brimming with shocked incredulity. He grins impishly and places a small boop of powder on your nose before you catch his hand in your own, scrunching your face at the rogue.

The vampire steps forward with a good-natured chuckle to kiss the spices off your nose before wrapping you in his arms. “Not satisfied quite yet, darling. And we have a bit of time to kill while those cookies bake.”

You roll your eyes at your lover, but relax your face and smile anyway, content to join the pale elf in his little game. “Hmm… I wonder what we could do with that time, my love.”

Astarion hums, feigning thinking, as his lips wander to your neck and his tongue drags a sticky trail of saliva and sweeteners back up to your ear. He whispers, voice low and gravelly in that way that makes your knees weak. “I have a few sticky and sweet ideas.”

You two spend the entire time the cookies are in the oven on the kitchen floor, creating quite the mess. Astarion is the one to stop the fun, pulling away from where his lips had been absolutely ravaging your own. “Pardon the interruption, my dear, but I think the cookies are about finished. I can smell them, and I think you might kill me if they burned."

The both of you stand and you peer into the oven. The vampire is correct, and you beam at him, placing a little loving kiss on his bloodhound nose. “That’s a wonderful hidden talent, my Star.”

You carefully remove the trays and place them on the counter to cool, admiring the efforts and handiwork that led to such beautifully browned pastries.

“Hm… those look delectable.” Astarion murmurs, cocking his head to appreciate the cookies before turning to look at you. “But you look even more delectable, my little treat. Now come here to me and let’s finish what we’ve started.”

You eagerly cross the few paces to your lover and Astarion is quickly upon you again, easily pulling you back to the kitchen floor and enveloping you in his love. And as promised, a sticky-sweet, fun mess is soon made all over the kitchen.

[ghosttownryder]

haha i just finished my secret santa(s) event and now making it about the twst freshies!! for those who don't know what it is, it's a secret gift giving game. usually it is done with your irl friends, however you can host an online session with artists/writers :]

yuu is the one hosting for the festivities and approaching winter break holiday coming up. christmas probably doesn't exist in twst but in yuu's world it did, so they're bringing it over to celebrate with the other first years!! (i mean winter break does exist so they're utilizing that)

read more below !! vv

of course, none of the first years have ever heard of this game. once yuu explains the rules of the game, the freshies are interested to see what the others are going to get for them. is it going to be awful? or is it going to be really good and they can't be outdone like that? unfortunately grim and yuu are too broke to participate so they'll (read: yuu) be organizers and handle any questions or arising situations.

after writing everyone's names, shuffling it, and handing each slip of paper one by one, it's mainly 2 types of reactions: obvious or poker-faced. yuu quickly gets their attention to organize the time and to prevent the others from peeking into each other's paper; they settle on giving gifts before they are whisked off to winter break, back in their own homes.

minor issue: they forgot to impose a budget. oh well, it was a minimum spending budget anyway.

fast forward to a day before everyone's scheduled to leave through the darkness mirror, and yuu hears a knock on the door. sebek is the first to arrive, followed with ortho and jack right on time, and epel a mere moment later. ace and deuce arrive a little bit late.

ramshackle's not entirely too festive in yuu's opinion, but with DIY crafts, it's the best they and grim can do. yuu notices how some presents are wrapped nicely while others... there certainly was an attempt! it's endearing to see the effort put into it though.

and without further ado, grim decides to pick on someone to make them go first. a few laughing, scuffles, and a lot of unwrapping presents later, the freshies all present what they got!

ace -> limited queen of hearts collector's edition card deck along with the regular edition (from ortho) ace was shocked because he tried to get his hands on it before but failed and gave up

deuce -> crochet bunny and chick (from sebek) deuce thought of it as him and his mom and nearly teared up

jack -> a mountain load of apple-pear granola bars + its recipe (from epel) jack immediately unwrapped a bar to eat it in literally two chomps

epel -> high quality applewood roasted beef jerky in different flavors (from jack) epel was fighting demons to not rip into it right there and then

ortho -> intriquitely designed clock (from deuce) ortho got curious of its mechanics and detailing and got analyzing

sebek -> warm customized pj set + bathrobe (from ace) sebek really enjoyed the set's texture, quite a luxury

yuu's really happy for the 1st years, but they all surprise yuu back with presents of their own! they gifted yuu something similar to their own giftees.

Ace -> customized pj set + throw blanket (where he got yuu's measurements is a mystery) (he asked rook)

deuce -> working clock that doesn't require much maintenance and doesn't break often

Jack -> a lot of non-perishable food

epel -> a harveston cookbook, boxes of apples, and a handful of apple-pear granola bars

ortho -> straight up appliances like a toaster, microwave, heater, etc.

sebek -> crochet plushies--mainly a cat, hen, and mouse. (cat for grim, hen because my yuu's named chicken in the game, and mouse for mickey (he doesnt know))

incredibly touched, yuu is happy that they thought of them while going shopping. they weren't even aware the freshies would do this! at ramshackle, there's nothing but fun festivities and the holiday spirit (not the ramshackle ghosts)!

[cariantha]

Sweet December

Book: Open Heart, Book 2 (post-attack) Pairing: Dr. Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Dr. Sawyer Brooks) Rating: General Category: Fluff, Christmas Word count: 1K Summary: Ethan eavesdrops on a conversation between Sawyer and her best friend. A/N: This fic was inspired by this Instagram reel and a little “Caption This” fun with a friend. It was meant to be an angsty fic, but then I listened to Sweet December by Brett Eldridge and Kelly Clarkson and changed directions. Merry Christmas!🎄

Events/Prompts: Participating in Winter Holidays 2024 hosted by @choicesholidays | Cuddling by the fireplace

With plans to spend their day off together, Ethan insisted that Sawyer come to his after her late-night shift at the hospital. The apartment was dark except for the glow of his bedside lamps, drawing attention away from the living room and the surprise he had set up for his girl. 

The tactic worked. An exhausted Sawyer entered the quiet apartment well after midnight and headed straight for the bedroom like a moth to the flame. After a quick kiss and a much-needed shower, she draped herself over Ethan’s body like a blanket and passed out within minutes. 

It was mid-morning when Sawyer padded into the kitchen, still a little groggy, with her phone pressed to her ear. Finding no evidence of Ethan's morning coffee, she assumed he was still at the gym, which was his usual weekend routine. 

“That sounds like so much fun. I’ve always wanted to visit New York during Christmas time…” Sawyer told the person on the other end of the line. “Maybe next year.”

When she put the phone on speaker so she could start the coffee, her best friend’s voice filled the room. 

“What about you? Are you going home to Arizona for Christmas?” Christian asked. 

“No. I love my family and know they are concerned, but they have been so overbearing that I’ve started dodging their calls,” she confessed. 

“Oof.” 

“I know,” Sawyer grimaced guiltily, “and I know they mean well, but I just need time to process things on my own. I can’t take any more time off, anyway. I just got back to work and need to catch up on my clinic hours. Besides, I’m looking forward to experiencing a Christmas like in the movies. You know, someplace cold enough that it snows, and you can cozy up by the fire and drink hot chocolate."

“Will you spend Christmas with Ethan, then?”   

From the living room, Ethan watched as Sawyer shrugged her shoulders. He’d been listening to their conversation while he lounged in front of the fireplace, waiting for her to turn around and notice him. 

"I don't want to assume, but I hope so," Sawyer answered softly, then sighed deeply. "God, Christian, I know it sounds so corny, but when I start feeling all upside down, he turns me right around."

"Awww..."

Ethan continued to watch and listen as she tinkered with the coffee machine. 

"We’re both working on Christmas, but a wintery night cuddling by the fire like we had at Dagger Mountain would be amazing. As for anything else, I think Ethan’s more the ‘spirit of Christmas’ type than the ‘holiday spirit’ type. Last year, when I came over to help with Naveen's case, I brought him one of those potted tabletop trees from the hospital gift shop because he didn't have a tree or a wreath or anything. It made me sad for him."  

Ethan raised his brows in surprise, then looked to the corner of the room where, the night before, he set a five-foot balsam fir into a tree stand. Boxes of ornaments and garland that the doorman helped carry into the apartment sat on the floor nearby.  

Christian chuckled. “You sound like Cindy Lou Who talking about the Grinch. Girl, he's been a bachelor for a long time. Guys don't care about that shit. Sam wouldn't bother either if it weren't for the boys."

"Yeah, I guess you’re right." 

A loud pop from the living room made Sawyer jump. She quickly spun around to find Ethan reclined in front of the fireplace. Christian’s voice faded into the background as Sawyer's senses awakened with the warmth of the roaring fire. The smell of fresh pine needles. The twinkling of white lights in the corner. The soft crooning of Bing Crosby’s “Silver Bells.” The taste of creamy chocolate and peppermint from the cup that Ethan walked over and offered her. 

“Sawyer? Hellooo… did I lose you?” 

Reaching for her phone, she apologized to her friend. “Sorry about that, um, Ethan just surprised me… Can I call you back later?” 

“Of course! I should go anyway. I think Sam and the boys are ready to leave for the ice rink.”

“Have fun and send me pics. Love you.”

“Love you, too, babe.”

Sawyer ended the call and set her phone aside. “Hi,” she greeted, standing on her tiptoes. 

“Morning,” Ethan answered, bending down to meet her halfway for a tender kiss. 

Gesturing to the living room, “What’s all this?”

“Since you're not going home for Christmas, I thought we could celebrate together. Here.” 

“Really?”

“Yeah, really,” he confirmed with a peck to her lips.

“I’d love that...” she blushed with embarrassment, “as you probably heard.” She wrapped her arms around his waist and looked at the glowing tree. “You bought a real tree?”

“Given your family’s Christmas tree business, I knew anything else would be considered sacrilege.”

She smiled up at him. “You remembered that?” 

“When it comes to you, I remember everything.”

Pressing herself tighter against him, Sawyer rested her cheek on his chest. “It’s so cozy in here. And look! It’s snowing outside.” Sawyer moved to sit on the sofa, tugging the sleeve of Ethan’s robe to get him to follow. “Come cuddle with me.”

Ethan sat, draping an arm over her shoulder, tucking her into his side. But just as they got comfortable, Ethan moved to stand up. 

“Where are you going?”

“I forgot,” he started, “I bought one of those big fluffy blankets you said I needed for cuddling on the couch. It’s in the hall closet.”

Sawyer smiled so big. “You are so sweet sometimes.”

“Sweet?! Uh-oh, my reputation for being a Grinch is in jeopardy.”

Reminded again that he heard every word of her conversation, she scowled at him. “Hasn’t anyone ever told you it’s rude to eavesdrop? You could have cleared your throat or something.”

Ethan winked, letting her know there was nothing to worry about. “Let me grab the blanket.”

“No,” she demanded, catching his hand before he walked away. Lying back, she pulled him down and on top of her. “A blanket’s good, but you’re even better.”

Tag List: @choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics @peonierose  @potionsprefect @trappedinfanfiction 

@jerzwriter @queencarb @coffeeheartaddict2 @quixoticdreamer16 @jamespotterthefirst 

@liaromancewriter @tveitertotwrites @tessa-liam @youlookappropriate @kyra75

@socalwriterbee @txemrn @midnightmelodiz @snoopdogcone

@rafasgirl23415

[shxtodxroki]

𝚃𝚛𝚒𝚌𝚔-𝚘𝚛-𝚃𝚛𝚎𝚊𝚝!

Summary: Tsumiki and Megumi are too sick on Halloween to trick-or-treat (and are understandably devastated) so you and Satoru team up to give them the most perfect, exciting Halloween night you possibly can in order to cheer them up.

Flufftober Day 2 Prompt: Family, Friends, Loved Ones

Warnings: Reader is considered a parent (not biologically) to Tsumiki and Megumi, so I would recommend not reading this if that makes you uncomfortable! Also idk if this needs a warning but Gojo (and subsequently reader) are pretty rich and have a super fancy house

Pairing: Satoru Gojo x Gender Neutral! Reader

Word Count: 2.3k

Check out my full Flufftober masterlist here!

The sound of a pitiful, sad sneeze draws your attention to the young girl sitting beside you on the couch, your heart squeezing at the crestfallen expression painted so clearly across her face as she snuggles further into your side. One glance towards your other child, begrudgingly wrapped up in your husband’s arms as he sits atop his lap, tells you that he’s just as disappointed about how this evening has turned out, and you desperately find yourself wishing that you could push tonight's internationally celebrated holiday back just a few days so that your precious children could celebrate alongside their peers.

Poor Megumi and Tsumiki had, unfortunately, fallen very sick the day before Halloween, leaving both of them heartbreakingly out of commission for trick-or-treating and forced to spend the spookiest day of the year stuck inside, cuddled up to their parents as they nursed their poor, sickly bodies. Satoru had been almost as devastated as the kids when he realized their fate, knowing just how much this tradition meant to both of them (and having been looking forward to sneaking a few handfuls from their candy stashes as “parent tax” to satiate his undeniable sweet tooth) as the two of you desperately tried to come up with a last-minute plan to salvage as much of the holiday as you could for your beloved children.

Unfortunately, it seems that the last-minute plan the two of you came up with is a bit of a dud, as while both kids tried to enjoy the movie you had turned on for them (The Nightmare Before Christmas, their favorite Halloween movie) and the candy you had bought especially for them (catered to each of their tastes and favorites), you could both easily see that their hearts weren’t in it, and they were still feeling down about having to miss out on such an exciting holiday celebration. You were itching to come up with a new idea, some way to lift their spirits and give them the truly wonderful Halloween the two deserved even from the comfort of your own home.

After a few minutes of stewing anxiously in your own head with no success as you pretend to watch the movie, you eventually shoot your husband a glance of concern as you pick up the half-empty popcorn bowl on the table and rise to your feet, gently removing yourself from Tsumiki’s hold as your husband did the same with your other child.

“You two keep enjoying the movie, the two of us are gonna go warm up some more popcorn for you!” You try to keep your voice light and cheerful as your husband hits both kids with his best, most authentic enthusiastic grin, and both kids attempt to give you small smiles in return, though it's clear you’re all just dancing around one another in a masquerade of happiness with your pitiful attempts to hide your feelings. Still, you make your way to the kitchen as nonchalantly as you can, with Satoru following close behind you as you begin speaking to one another in hushed voices the moment you’re certain the children can’t hear or see you.

“Satoru, this isn’t working at all. We have to come up with something else, I hate seeing the two of them so heartbroken.” Your eyes plead with him for a solution to this problem, your heart aching at the sight of your babies unable to participate in the typical annual holiday fun of Halloween night. The pout on your husband’s face makes it clear he feels just the same, his hand coming up to card through his hair as you both rack your brains for ideas.

“I know, I know. I just…. I dunno what will make them happy. We already bought them all the candy they could possibly ask for…” He mumbles, thinking to himself. Satoru’s mind always went to sweets first, but because it was Halloween, you had hoped that buying the kids all their favorite sweet treats would help mitigate the loss of the trick-or-treating experience at least somewhat. You could see now, though, that the candy was no match for the experience itself (despite the kids’ attempts to be grateful for what the two of you had done and to not seem upset). 

Your thoughts are brought to a sudden, screeching halt by a sharp gasp from your husband, his face suddenly lighting up with a bright, genuine grin you've come to both love and dread. You hold your breath hopefully as you wait to see if he has an answer, some way to fix this lackluster Halloween and raise your childrens’ spirits.

“I have the perfect idea.” He brags as his bright blue eyes light up with joy, peering past the kitchen entrance to glance at the nearly full bowl of candy sitting by the children on the couch. “Why don’t we let them trick-or-treat in here?”

The two of you had gotten lucky, it had only taken about half an hour for Satoru to set everything up while you kept the kids distracted with the movie, wanting to surprise them with an idea that you prayed would work in boosting their spirits. You don’t mention a word of your plan until Satoru has everything set up, biting back the hopeful grin on your face as you watch him run down the stairs and stumble to a stop in front of the children. Their confused faces, accompanied by soft sniffles and sneezes, cause your heart to clench for what feels like the hundredth time this evening, hoping and praying that this is what they need right now.

“I need you two to go get your costumes on right now!” He exclaims once he comes to a stop, sporting a genuinely enthusiastic grin. “Y/n and I have a surprise for you!”

The kids glance at one other, seemingly hesitantly hopeful at his words, as he pulls out the hangers holding each of their costumes from behind his back. You both knew that one of the biggest disappointments they had faced when getting sick was the fact that they were unable to wear and show off the costumes they had been so excited for, and you can see the way their eyes instantly light up as they're told that they'll get to wear them after all. The genuine smiles that brighten their faces as they rush to him to grab the costumes nearly cause your eyes to water, feeling so incredibly thankful that you had found a way to make this up to them after all.

“Now, obviously we can’t take you guys trick-or-treating outside, since we can’t let you spread your cooties around to anyone else.” Satoru teases the kids, as Tsumiki giggles at his remarks. “But…. luckily for the two of you, I happen to have a huge house and plenty of extra candy, so why don’t you just trick-or-treat in here?”

You can see the confusion on the childrens’ faces at the offer, so you jump in as your husband wraps an arm around your waist and lets you explain the new plan for the evening. “We were thinking we could put this giant house to good use, so that the two of you can still trick-or-treat! Satoru and I can pretend to be people handing out candy, and you two can go through the hallways and trick-or-treat from us!” You smile softly at them as you speak, hoping they’ll be excited about this idea as you lean in to your husband’s warmth beside you to avoid the anxious habit of picking at your nails. “I know it’s not the same as actual trick-or-treating, but we still want to give you guys the best night possible even if you’re stuck inside, so what do you say?”

For a second, the room is silent, and you feel your heart plummet into your stomach as the children stare at you with expressions you can’t begin to decipher. When they run up to hug the two of you, however, your fears are immediately relinquished and you pull the two into a warm embrace. “Sounds like fun!” Tsumiki grins as her small arms attempt to wrap around you and Satoru simultaneously, sounding brighter and more full of energy than she has ever since she first fell ill.

Megumi’s always been quieter and more reserved than his sister, but you can see the small, genuine smile he wears on his face as well as he joins in on the family hug. “Thank you guys for doing this for us.” He mumbles, burying his face into your chest for a moment as you pat his head gently.

After taking a moment to enjoy this embrace from your two children, Satoru sends them off to their rooms to change into their costumes as you lean in to press a soft peck to his cheek, attempting to convey how thankful you are to him for saving the night for all for of you. “You’re so smart sometimes, babe. You really have a way with those two.”

You know your praise will go straight to his ego, and his prideful smirk only confirms that, but you can let him have the boost just this once. He manages to sneak in one small, quick kiss to your lips as the two of you make your way up the stairs, momentarily hidden away from the prying eyes of your children as you prepare for a long and busy evening. “What can I say, baby? I've been telling you, I’m the greatest man you’ll ever meet.”

Before you can begin to chastise him for his cockiness you hear the small pitter-patter of your children running up the stairs, and the two of you give each other one last loving glance as you make your way down to the end of the hallway and split off to enter into two of the many unoccupied rooms of your home. Satoru already has small collections of candy set up in each room, ready to hand out when your children come knocking, and you feel like you can finally breathe easy as you hear the soft sound of knocking echo from the other side of your door. 

The rest of the evening is filled with smiles, candy and a chorus of “trick-or-treat”s from your two adorably dressed babies, sending you and Satoru flying throughout the house as you answer each door over and over until they’re finally satisfied with the amount of candy they’ve each amassed in their pillow-cases. When the chaos has finally settled and the two are sat down on the living room floor, participating in the classic tradition of candy trading (alongside Satoru, using some spare candy of his own he had bought and hidden from the two in your shared closed) you set the spare candy aside for a later date, before returning to the couch to watch the three of them with a fond gaze.

Their trading continues for some time, as Tsumiki clammers for anything with peanut butter in it while Megumi opts for any of the fruity or sour candies, and your husband just takes whatever sugar he can weasel out of the kids (despite the fact that he bought the candy himself, and could’ve chosen whatever he wanted to keep. And once the three are finally finished exchanging for their desired candy, you decide to let the kids enjoy as much of their Halloween loot as they’d like just for tonight, knowing that they probably won’t eat much anyways considering their poor health and weak stomachs.

It doesn’t take long after that for both children to wind up passed out on the floor, intense sugar crashes and the realization of the amount of energy they spent throughout the evening crashing down onto them all at once and knocking them out cold as they snore softly. Satoru takes this moment of quiet as his chance to finally cuddle up to you, sneaking up to join you on the couch and pulling you into his side as he makes quick work of peppering kisses along your neck.

“I’d say this was a pretty successful Halloween after all, wouldn’t you, beautiful?” He asks with a cheeky grin, clearly listening for more praise for his efforts and ideas. Though, for once, you don’t roll your eyes or push your husband away as a result of your cheeky antics. Just this once, you’re willing to allow him to be just a bit cocky, turning your head so his lips meet yours instead of your neck in a quick sneak attack before tucking your head into the crook of his neck. 

“Yeah, you did an amazing job Toru. Really.” You nod happily, thankful that the two of you had found a way to brighten up the day for the sake of the kids. “You could tell they had an absolute blast….. Though I’m pretty sure they’ll be sore tomorrow morning if they sleep on the floor like that, so we should probably get them to bed.”

Rather than heeding your advice, however, Satoru pulls away from you for only a moment as he picks up your children one at a time, moving them carefully as if they’re made of glass as he’s unusually careful not to wake them. He rests little Megumi next to you, his head immediately falling into your lap as Tsumiki’s head rests on your husband’s. And once the children are settled, he quickly makes his way back to you, leaning back to let you rest your head on his chest and snuggle up to him as well. “I think I like this a lot better, actually.” He grins, content as he snuggles with his three favorite people in the universe. 

“Happy Halloween, love.” You mumble, ghosting your lips over his jaw in a feather-light kiss before allowing your eyes to drift closed as you find yourself completely at peace in his warm, soothing hold. “I love you.”

And Satoru has an absolutely foolish, lovestruck grin on his face as he watches you fall asleep alongside your children, holding you close to his heart as he kisses your head in return and allows his own eyes to flutter closed with a heart full of love for all three of you. “I love you more, baby. Happy Halloween.”

Request - Anonymous said: hello! for flufftober, please consider writing something for gojou (jjk), saeyoung (mysme) or keigo (bnha) ):

Anonymous said: after what happened, i need something of satoru gojou for your flufftober, would you mind writing something for him???

A/N: Y’all I have essentially been fixated on this man ALONE (plus a tiiiiny bit of Rengoku from KNY here and there but that’ll come later lol) for over a month at this point lol so I knew I was gonna write about him from the moment I started planning this event, but I was happy to see so many requests for him as well! Literally the first two requests I got for this event were both for Gojo which made me very happy lol :] Also

(WARNING FOR MANGA SPOILERS PAST THIS POINT, DO NOT READ BEYOND HERE IF YOU DON’T WANT THE RECENT MANGA LEAKS SPOILED)

After what’s happened recently, I definitely agree that some fluffy Gojo was necessary :( I was so distraught when I saw what happened on TikTok, I got home from school and literally cried lol but now I am in denial and convincing myself that he is actually fine and definitely not dead! 😃🙃 Plus it’s just been devastating to me to know what’s happening to Megumi and their whole little family rn too, so I’ve just been in need of some cute family bonding to ease the pain :’) I hope you guys enjoyed this as much as I enjoyed writing it, I look forward to posting for the rest of Flufftober and my requests are currently open right now, so feel free to send any requests you may have my way! :)

Taglist: @flufftober

If you’d like to be added to any of my taglists, you can fill out this form here! Thank you for your support <3

[slugtranslation-hypmic]

Hi Slug!! I'm curious about some of the religious imagery in hypmic! Kuko is obvious and I think Doppo has talked about not believing in gods before but what's up with Jakurai? Is he meant to actually be Christian or is it just an aesthetic thing?

This ended up being so long Tumblr wouldn't let me put it all in one post. Hoo boy. Under a cut for length.

Usual disclaimer that I don't live in Japan, so I'm not talking about IRL Japan so much as Japanese media. Media isn't perfectly synonymous with real life and, of course, it's foolish to draw conclusions from the general (media and culture) and apply them to the specific (individual persons). With that being said, media is indicative of real life values and cultural concerns--for example, the American high school experience is a lot less interesting than in movies, but these movies reflect a romanticization of teenagehood so widespread in the US and areas with heavy US cultural influence that filmmakers take it for granted in their audiences--so I can talk about what assumptions inform the portrayal of religion in Hypmic.

As in a lot of Japanese media, religion is present but not explicitly mentioned outside of Kuukou. It's what I would call culturally religious as opposed to actively religious. Similar to how many works in the Anglosphere are steeped with Christian ideas and phrases even if the authors/works themselves aren't Christian (the Christian concept of sin, using "God" or variations as an interjection, etc.), many works written in Japanese are influenced by Shinto and Buddhist ideas. Some people in Japan are active worshipers of Shinto, Buddhism, or both, but many more have a somewhat relaxed approach. It's not uncommon for people to have a belief in a higher power, but the nature of this higher power isn't terribly well-defined. Many people will attend religious ceremonies for holidays or funerals but rarely pray to a higher power outside of moments of great stress. That is, being culturally religious. Traditions are fun and comforting, especially if they involve dressing up in fancy clothes, eating yummy food, and seeing friends and family. Even if you're not especially devout, it doesn't hurt to pray for a bit of luck before a big test, that your child will grow up healthy and strong, or that your recently departed ancestor will be at peace. For those in predominately Christian areas, you probably see plenty of this in your community--people who maybe go to church occasionally for companionship or holiday celebrations but aren't active worshipers. Or, perhaps, people who pray like, "Hey, if anyone's listening, can you lend me a hand?" Maybe you're even one of these people yourself. We can generally assume that most of the cast falls into this camp. Doppo and Hifumi go to a festival with a religious element--charms and rituals to bring good luck by appealing to Shinto deities--but I doubt either of them have a firm belief that these particular deities exist. They may think that there's some higher power...or not. But what's the harm in a good luck charm, right? And more importantly, it's fun to play games, eat, drink, and horse around with friends! But wait, does that mean these two are only Shinto or...Shinto-ish? Probably not. There's an expression that most Japanese people are "born Shinto, but die Buddhist." Shinto rituals tend to focus on matters of the living (although Shintoism has its own distinct funerary rites, sometimes combined with Buddhist rites), while non-devout Buddhists usually participate in Buddhist ceremonies only when loved ones die. We see Juushi and Hitoya with loved ones buried in Buddhist cemeteries, but it's safe to assume both observe Shinto holidays and customs in some fashion. We also see in the very beginning of TDD that Nemu and Samatoki have what appears to be a butsudan--a Buddhist altar--in their home dedicated to their deceased parents. "But wait," some might say, "I thought spirit worship isn't a part of Buddhism." That's true for some forms of Buddhism, but not all! Buddhism is enormously varied, and some of the (many, many!) forms of Buddhism practiced in Japan accept aspects of Shintoism. There's plenty of mixing, just as we see within individuals themselves. Again, the Hypmic characters may not fully believe that spirits exist. (Well, outside of Ramuda...) But it's a comforting thought that one's deceased family members are around in some form and can be a positive influence on one's life.

[spadecentral]

🌲 Decoration Standards | Cater Diamond x Reader

>> requested: no >> a/n: merry late christmas @twst-the-night-away !!! i was your @twstedsecretsanta pinch hitter, sorry for the lateness <3

>> masterlist: here!! >> summary: you decorate a christmas tree with cater >> reader prns: they/them >> warning(s): none

Cater Diamond was never one for holidays. Of course, he went to Easter egg hunts, participated in Turkey Trots, and set up a Christmas tree. But he was never really into the idea of it. He supposed that it was because of his family–namely, his two sisters–forcing the ‘holiday spirit’ down his throat. But the only reason he does all of these things is to take cute photos with his friends to post to his Magicam account later.

That was, until he met you. He had never seen someone so keen on the holidays and spending the time with the people you felt closest too. Your stark contrast to his dislike for the holidays intrigued him, if he was being honest. So when the two of you started dating, it was definitely one of the hardest things he’s ever done. Adjusting to you and all of your holiday excitement, that is.

You buzzed with the utmost excitement as you placed ornaments on the tree that he had so carefully picked out, not caring at all where you put them. The garland that you placed on its branches didn’t wrap the whole length around the tree, causing you to find another one. And find one you did, the only problem was that it was in a different color. But you didn’t seem to care at all. You just walked around the tree and wound it higher and higher, until it reached the top. It looked as though all you wanted to do was have fun, and not care about the way things looked at all. To him, it was unsettling, at the very least.

But at the same time, he couldn’t help but love every second of it. Your carefree smile that rested softly on your lips as he took more and more photos of your decorating process did nothing less but enchant him. It was hard for Cater to stop watching you, even though he still didn’t like Christmas at all. But he would definitely try, just for you.

Stepping backwards to look at the absolutely beautiful mess you called a Christmas tree, you bumped right into him. 

“Oh Gods!” you nearly screamed, trying to regain balance before you fell to the floor.

Cater, startled by both your knocking into him and your yell, dropped his phone to catch you before you fell. Pulling you into him, he smiled discreetly to himself before looking at your face.

“Are you alright?” he asked, an undertone of suaveness in his voice. 

“Y-yes, thank you,” your voice wavered, still in a light sense of shock from your trip.

Both you and Cater stood there within each other's arms for a moment, relishing in the warmth. He took a deep breath in, finding comfort within your embrace. The air smelled of the vanilla candle that you had insisted on lighting earlier to ‘get into the Christmas spirit’, even though the smell made your nose tingle in irritation.

“Well then,” you said, pushing away from him with a slight nudge to his chest (which he most definitely pouted at). “What do you think?”

To Cater, that might have been the worst possible question to ask him. He knew that your decor on the tree did not even barely come up to his sisters’ holiday Code of Cuteness. But at the same time, he would rather die four times over than tell you that your tree was horrendous. So in a stroke of absolute genius, he said something that hopefully wouldn’t hurt your feelings. “I love its character! The way that the colors are bright and the ornaments are scattered around the branches. It’s great! Hashtag Great Decor!!”

As he looked back over to you, he could tell that you were definitely not buying it. Your eyes were half-lidded, your arms were crossed, and your eyebrow was lifted in such the smallest manner.

And you also knew he was lying straight out of his teeth.

“Cater, I think that was the fakest four sentences I’ve ever heard.” your sentence wasn’t really… mad. It was more of just general displeasure. He couldn’t tell if he liked that less. “What don’t you like about it?”

“It’s not that I don’t like it,” he was quick to say, hoping to dig his way out of the hole he created. “I just grew up with… standards for decoration, I guess.”

“There is no way you just said there are rules for decor,” you half snorted, not believing a single sentence.

“Look,” Cater said while patting his pockets for his phone. When he didn’t feel it in his pockets, his expression went a little sour before looking around him. Finally finding where he dropped it on the floor, he unlocked his phone and opened the Magicam app. Scrolling to his previous Christmas posts, he showed you exactly what he was talking about. Each tree had a set theme that the ornaments and other decorations, such as stockings, would stick to for each post. The first was cream, then red, then blue, and so on and so forth.

As you looked at the posts that Cater showed, you glanced up and down from his phone to the fully decorated tree.

“Those are kind of boring though, don’t you think?” you asked before pursing your lips in discontent.

“...Huh?”

“I mean, those are cute and all, but aren’t they kind of bland to look at? It’s like you’re overexerting a color until you can barely look at it in a way,” you huff. “If everything is nice and jumbled like this, wouldn’t it be nicer and more pleasing on the eye to look at, since it’s not a singular color and all that?”

“I never thought of it like that,” Cater responded. He never really thought of it much, anyway. He only thought of how his sisters wanted it to look ‘the cutest possible’ and how he would be forced to redo it if he didn’t decorate it up to their standards.

“See! Isn’t it beautiful?” you smiled before turning back to face the tree.

“Yeah,” he mumbled, which in response you smiled and leaned on his shoulder. But, his eyes didn’t even dare to glance in the direction of the tree. Instead, they stayed firmly planted on you, taking on every edge of your body. How your eyes glistened from the bright lights of the christmas tree, and how you relaxed after working on the tree for upwards of thirty minutes at most.

And in that blissful moment, he finally felt happy with the way things had turned out. He was happy with the decorations not being a theme, he was happy with the dim overhead lights and the bright flickers of the tree, and he was even satisfied with the thick layer of snow that was piling up outside the dorms–which is something that he would most definitely have to trudge through to get to his classes the next day.

But most importantly, he was happy with you. With being in your arms, smiling up at the trainwreck tree, and not having a care in the world. And there will never be a day where he isn’t content with you.

>> twst taglist: @tulipluvlettr | @strawberry-hyacinth | @oseathepebble | @wisteriainslumber | @villaim | @pastelmage | @xphantasmagoriax | @atlasnessie | @divinesapph | @ze-maki-nin | @silly-ez | @l1vyatan | @savanaclaw1996 | @enigmatic-pers | @ruggiethethuggie | @ravenlking | @queerlordsimon | @kyraxiyn | @rayisalive

[jerzwriter]

Turning Red: A Holiday Tale

The usual mayhem ensues when Kaycee and her friends head out to do some holiday shopping at a local mall. She's elated to be done with shopping when she finally finds the perfect gift for Ethan, and then...

Book: Open Heart (Book 2 Timeline) Pairing: Ethan Ramsey x F!MC (Kaycee) Characters: Jackie Varma, Bryce Lahela, etc. Words: 1,500 Rating: Teen A/N: Participating in @choicesficwriterscreations Holiday Event; @choicesholidays This is the most embarrassing Christmas (moment) ever! @choicesdecember2023 I'm going with Christmas :) The concept sounded fun, not sure it came out the

“Ouch!” Jackie yelled out as her head slammed into the roof of the car for the umpteenth time. “Lahela! Jesus Christ!”  

“He is the reason for the season,” Bryce smirked.

Bryce wouldn’t have tried to conceal his amusement, normally, but because it was the holidays, he tried... and failed.

Kaycee turned to him from the passenger seat. “I thought you were agnostic?”

“I am, but I’m a recent convert to sarcasm-ism. Try to keep up, MacClennan!”

“Well, Mr. Sarcastic-ism, can you try to avoid potholes? If my head hits this damn roof one more time, you’ll be responsible for the bills for my brain injury.”

“Brain injury?” he sassed, stopping what he was going to say when Kaycee clenched his hand with a stern glare.  

“Bryce... be nice.”

“But... but... Ah! You’re no fun since you started dating Ethan,” he protested. “I liked you better when you were all pent up and feisty.”

“Yeah, well, she sure ain’t pent up anymore,” Elijah laughed as Jackie gagged.

“Must we?”

“We mustn’t,” Bryce replied, “but apparently, Ethan and Kaycee must.”

“I knew I should have taken the bus!” Jackie groused.

Kaycee turned to her friend with a conciliatory grin. “Jackie, it’s an 18-minute walk to the mall from the bus stop... and it’s 24 degrees outside.”

“Right about now, enduring frostbite seems like a small price to avoid this ride.”

“That’s it,” Sienna smiled. “I know who will be the Grinch in our roomies holiday card.”

“Was that ever in doubt?” Bryce asked.

“LOOK! A SPOT!” Jackie hollered. “Please park so I can get out of this tin can.”

“I’m so excited to start shopping!” Sienna beamed. “I just love this time of year! The decorations, the music, Santa!”

“Be honest, Si,” Bryce asked with a twinkle in his eye. “You didn’t come to shop... you just want your picture taken with the big guy in the red suit, don’t you?”

“I plead the fifth!”

“Speaking of shopping, we’re splitting up inside, right?” Kaycee inquired. “I can’t buy gifts for any of you if you’re with me.”

“That’s so sweet,” Elijah declared. “But you could have just had my new Maserati delivered to me at the apartment.”

“On a resident’s budget? You’re lucky you get a Matchbox replica of a Maserati.”

“Kaycee, I don’t know why you subject yourself to this,” Jackie griped. “You have a rich boyfriend with a nice, expensive car. Why didn’t you just go shopping with him? You could have avoided these clowns and wouldn’t have to worry about run-in factor.”

“I’d have to worry about a different run-in factor,” Kaycee reminded. “Remember, we’re trying to keep the fact that we’re dating lowkey until I finish my residency. Something about us strolling through the mall together for Christmas shopping might tip some people off.”

“Yeah, especially since you get that doe-eyed look whenever he’s around,” Sienna teased.

“And Ethan gets that slightly less disgusted with the world look,” Elijah added. “I see Kaycee’s point. It would be a dead giveaway.”

“Really?” Kaycee laughed. “If we’re done mocking me... what do you say? Meet up at the food court in two hours?”

“Sounds good!” Sienna said, pulling the others away.

~~~~~  

Kaycee had to admit that Sienna was right. It was impossible not to catch the holiday spirit as the scent of the pine tree decorations and the sounds of the season filled the air. Even the bustling crowds couldn't get her down. Being a resident unable to return home for the holidays was tough. Still, it was made much easier with her found family surrounding her, and this year, she also had Ethan. It was amazing how far they had come. Last year at this time, she was secretly pining for him. Overanalyzing every word, every glance in a desperate attempt to determine if he felt the same way about her or if she was losing her mind. This year was a different story. Sure, only their closest friends knew they were together, but they were together. That's what mattered.

“And all it took was me nearly dying,” she chuckled out loud.

“I’m sorry?” An elf handing out discount flyers inquired.

“Oh, nothing,” Kaycee blushed as she rushed away. Enough daydreaming; she had shopping to do!

~~~~~  

An hour later, she was loaded down with bags overflowing with gifts for family and friends. But she had one gift left to buy. But what do you get the man who has everything he wants – which now even included her? His taste in Scotch exceeded the limits of her budget, and he refused to give her a gift list. “I know what a resident makes, and I don’t want you wasting your money on me.” As if she wasn’t going to buy him something. A sweater? Boring. A tie? He had dozens of those. Frustrated, she put the quest for Ethan’s gift off for another day and headed to Macy’s to buy some things she needed for herself.

She checked her watch after waiting in a long line to purchase a few pairs of sensible briefs for work. She had just enough time to get back to the food court to meet her friends. She was almost out of the intimate apparel department when something stopped her in her tracks.

“This is perfect!” she whispered as her fingers caressed the butter-soft red silk hanging before her. It wasn’t your standard, tacky holiday teddy... this was exquisite! Silk trimmed with scalloped red lace and a decadent velvet sash... “It’s perfect!” she muttered again. It didn’t matter what gift she was giving him, as long as she gave it to him wearing this he'd be elated!

Her hopes were momentarily dashed when she saw the price tag, but they were lifted again when she saw the 50% off sticker! SOLD! Sure, she’d have to wait in that long line again, but she imagined herself wearing this... and imagined Ethan’s reaction to her in it. Well, some things were simply worth being late for!

She rushed to get in the queue again, humming Santa Baby softly when a voice calling out made her blood go cold.

“Kaycee! Is that you?”

Please don’t let it be him! Please don’t let it be him! Please don’t let it be him! She said, turning slowly... it’s him!

“Naveen! Fancy meeting you here!”

“At the mall at Christmastime?” Naveen chuckled. “I find that I run into half of Boston here! At least half of Edenbrook.”

“Yes...” Kaycee squirmed “Bu... bu... but...”

“But?” He asked when she couldn’t get the words out.

“I just didn’t expect to see you in the women’s intimate apparel section of Macy’s?”

“Oh,” Naveen laughed, lifting up a bag. “I got Sarah in the hospital grab bag! She asked for fuzzy slippers, and they have the best ones here!”

“Oh, I... I see,” Kaycee stated, attempting to hide her sexy little garment when Naveen’s eyes fell upon it.

“Oh,” Naveen choked, turning as red as the teddy.

“It’s uhm... it’s a gift!” Kaycee sputtered, not telling a lie. After all, it was about to be Ethan’s favorite gift this year.

“It’s OK,” Naveen answered nervously. “I don’t need to know...”

“For my mother!” She blurted as Naveen’s brows shot to his hairline.

“Your... your mother?”

“Yes! No! I mean....Yes! She is going to a Christmas-themed... uh, Christmas-themed bridal shower! Yes! That’s it! She’s going to a Christmas-themed bridal shower .... for my cousin... Caroline! But she’s too shy to buy something like this herself, so, uh... I told her I’d get it.”

Naveen gave Kaycee the side eye.  He had spent a good deal of time with Rose MacClennan while Kaycee was hospitalized after the attack, and he didn’t have her pegged as the type of person who would be too embarrassed to buy a teddy, but then again, those were strange days. In any case, he wanted nothing more than to put Kaycee... and himself... out of their shared misery. So he politely ended the conversation and took his leave.

With the red teddy safely concealed in tissue paper and tucked in a pretty bag, Kaycee relayed her encounter to her friends.

“Oh my God, YOUR MOTHER!” Bryce laughed. “The best you could come up with was your MOTHER!?”

“Thanks for the support, Bryce!”

“Take it easy, MacClennan,” Jackie tried to reassure. “It’s a teddy, for fucks sake. It’s not like you were purchasing his and her sex toys!”

“JACKIE!”

“What!? Am I wrong?”

“No... I know it’s not the end of the world,” Kaycee started. “But Naveen is like Ethan’s second father... and would you want to run into your boyfriend's father while you’re buying a sexy red teddy?”

“OK, we see your point!” Elijah laughed.

“We see your point, but we haven’t seen the teddy!” Sienna winked. “Let’s see it!”

“Here? In the middle of the food court?”

“I think we should weigh in on your decision,” Bryce teased.

“Fine,” Kaycee blushed, pulling the item from the bag to her friend’s wolf-whistles.

“It’s beautiful! I approve!” Sienna grinned.

Bryce nodded. “And I’m confident Ethan will approve as well. Just ask Naveen!"

"Bryce!" Kaycee squealed, smacking her friend's arm. "Let me put this away before....”

“Kaycee? Is that you?”

“No.... this isn’t happening....” Kaycee groaned.

“Quick, give it to me!” Sienna whispered as Kaycee turned around.

“Alan! What are you doing in Boston?”

Hope you enjoyed this silliness. Poor Kaycee. lol

@choicesficwriterscreations @openheartfanfics

Tagging others separately.

[beefscrap]

It’s a little early but I drew Insight lmao

Stockings hung on his eyebrows was something I couldn’t get out of my head

Lights and hat as compliments

Happy holidays!! :D

(And here I am a little late) IM SCREAMINGG ABT THE STOCKINGS HELPP 😭😭 one for each of his friends!! Light and hat is a GREAT touch. Look at him in the holiday spirit. Idk how to describe this but his eyebrows are the perfect size for what you did. Like I can either focus on the box itself or the fact that they are his eyebrows but not rlly both at the same time …. Does that make ANY sense sometimes that happens with art with me and it’s fun. Anyways TYSM EHEHE

Happy holidays and happy new year! No matter what you celebrate.. Insight will always look at you like this if you make him participate

[solarpunkaestheticweek]

How do you do solarpunk aesthetic week when you live in a tiny apartment with no outside access? I always want to participate but I feel like most stuff y'all post is geared towards people who live in houses...

Hey, thanks for sending in the ask!

We put our heads together and came up with a few ideas for you!

Grow plants indoors! You could grow a few houseplants to green up your space, or even try growing some vegetables and/or herbs indoors! I've heard people have lots of luck with basil indoors, and my freshman year of college I grew cherry tomatoes and peppers in my dorm room! Maybe check out information on semi or full-hydroponic setups? You can also propagate a lot with a few cuttings and a glass of water! If you have a balcony with your apartment, that could also be a good place to grow flowers or vegetables--depending on the season and temps where you are, it might be a bit cold to start things out there right now, but you could always start planning!

Crafting could be another fun idea! You could try your hand at mending clothes, or making your own clothes from scratch! I (Ani) am learning crochet, if you wanna join me in spirit and pick it up as well! Kala/Fennopunk (who lives in a small apartment 👀) also knows a lot about crocheting, its a pretty nice winter craft! You could also try embroidery, so you can add unique designs onto your clothes! Other options are things like knitting, sewing, leatherwork, jewelrymaking, soap making, and maybe even woodworking or soldering if that interests you!

Learning how to repair tech would be cool! Honestly, learning how to repair anything sounds super cool and is pretty solarpunk! This can also kinda go hand-in-hand with learning how to build your own things (one of my friends knows how to repair and build computers, for example). Try finding some information on something you're interested in and going wild!

Decorate your home in a way that feels Solarpunk to you! Even if you don't get it all done during the event week, I think its definitely a nice way to bring joy! Look into ways your apartment can change with the seasons, ways to keep yourself cozy and warm in winter but cool and bright during the summer! If you get started, feel free to send in progress images, we'd love to see!

Guerrilla gardening! Winter's a great time to scatter wildflower seeds (at least here in the states for me) as it gives the seeds time to acclimate to weather conditions! if you want flowers in spring, you plant seeds in winter! Maybe find a place you wanna target if you go out, think about what seeds you want to plant, and start planning? Or if you have seeds on hand already, you know what to do! Honestly, I also kinda view picking up litter as hand-in-hand with guerrilla gardening, if you've got the vibes for that at all.

Build community with your neighbors! Even if its just saying hi, or talking about what you're up to!

Maybe guerrilla art as well? Moss graffiti, spray painting, or even plastering a couple of stickers up counts as solarpunk! I will give a general warning that doing stuff seen as illegal probably shouldn't be posted online, but hey, you can participate in the week without telling us what you do!

Speaking of art! Maybe you could make art at home! Whether you use chalk, or pastels, or paint, or pencils, or if you've got a tablet you can use--find some inspiration and draw! I've seen lots of people draw solarpunk fashion ideas, solarpunk building concepts, or just general vibe art!

You could also take a crack at writing! You could write a short story, or get started on a longer project idea! You could even just write worldbuilding-type stuff, like examples of event listings or building histories you imagine a solarpunk society would have, or ideas for holidays and festivals!

Learning an instrument feels pretty solarpunk to me! I (Ani) say this as someone who has 2 guitars around and has forgotten 80% of the stuff she learned in her lessons back in high school. Just in general, picking up an old hobby you miss, or starting a new one works great for this event honestly!

You can also check out the Apartment Solarpunk tag on the Practical Solarpunk blog, it may have more ideas for you!

We hope this helps! Either way, I hope you enjoy the event week!

[charliespringsleftconverse]

Kiss Me Again

Word Count: 8,645 | Masterlist | Read on AO3

Writer’s Notes: I was going to have a friend proof this for me but they were busy so I did some multiple self-revisions in the past few days in hopes that I caught as many grammar errors as possible. Apologies if I missed any! Anyway! This is a college AU ACOTAR Feysand fic. The concept was idiots in love. As in, they’ve baaaasically been doing couply stuff but they were too blind to see or acknowledge that they’d been in love and acting as a couple for a while. <3 

I don’t typically write AU fics, so this is a first for me! That being said, it was so much fun to write. It’s actually the longest one-shot I’ve written! A HUGE Happy Holidays to @thegloweringcastle <3 I hope you enjoy it and finally find out who got left at the supermarket! 😂

Thank you to @acotargiftexchange for putting this event together once again! I LOVE participating in this every year! <3

Squinting at the scribbles below, my eyes attempted to decipher the notes I’d borrowed. I had been able to make out the date thanks to the simple fact that it hadn’t been written in cursive like the rest of the details. It was a lost art form for me just like any other calligraphy-related configuration. I would have written down my own notes for the humanities course I was taking, in plain print, had my younger sister not lost the key to her dorm room. With her roommate out of town for the week, there wasn’t much Elain could have done outside of calling her Resident Assistant, which, to her dismay, also happened to be her ex-boyfriend. So, rather than having to face Grayson more than she needed to, she’d called me. 

Lucky for Elain, I kept a spare. All of my sisters and I did, actually. Nesta, Elain, and I all had a key to each other’s place. It had been especially helpful when we all lived on campus last year. We could just walk into each other’s rooms at any time. Like when I needed help with my homework for Calculus with Analytic Geometry and borrowed Nesta’s notes from her sophomore year. Or when Nesta needed to borrow my curling iron for a date. And, of course, how could I forget the night that Elain and her then-boyfriend broke up. She had refused to leave her room for two days. I had never been so grateful to have access to a spare key. Nesta and I had been so worried having not heard from her for more than a day. We spent that entire weekend taking turns bringing her food from her favorite places across town in hopes that they’d brighten her spirits. Thai food from Adriata’s Palace, Italian Cuisine from Neve’s Garden, and Mexican from Rita’s Margaritas. I had never seen my sister so devastated in her life. Although to be fair, Elain had never dated a boy before Grayson. 

I turned the notebook a bit to the side in hopes that the lighting from the new angle would bless me with a hint as to what words hid behind Mor’s beautiful script. Mother above. Shaking my head, I bit my lip. I should have listened to my mother when she said that learning cursive would be an invaluable skill. She was certainly right in thinking that it was a dying skill. It was dead on me for sure. Hell, the only people I knew who still wrote in cursive were sorority recruitment leads when they made their colorful, extravagant banners with fancy lettering and doctors. Which would make sense at the moment given who I had borrowed these notes from. Zeta Tau Alpha’s latest Chapter President. My mother was certainly wagging her finger at me from wherever she was. 

I sighed.

“You look more concentrated than my morning orange juice,” said Rhysand, sitting across the table. His violet eyes studying me, his brows raised in concern. We’d—he’d been studying for the past thirty minutes, meanwhile, I’d just been heavy-breathing and decoding what looked like a cipher like a treasure hunter in search of the coordinates to an ancient Greek secret temple. But unlike an archeologist, my work proved unfruitful.

“I’m trying to decipher Mor’s handwriting,” I said. Leaning back on the chair, I let out another loud sigh. “It’s beautiful. But I can’t read cursive for shit.”

Rhys and I had known each other since freshman year. More specifically, ever since I accidentally dropped a shoe on him from the fourth floor of the residence halls. I had originally been aiming for my roommate Viviane to catch, who to this day still wanted to room with me. She hadn’t wanted to come up again to retrieve the missing shoe and I didn’t want to go downstairs in a towel as I’d just come out of the shower and was still undressed. 

The natural decision was to just fling the sneaker out the window of our dorm room, obviously. What we didn’t account for was my terrible aim and Viviane’s lack of hand-eye coordination. Not only did Rhys get bumped in the head by a single white platform Vans but he also got pushed into a bush by Viviane. She had been so busy looking up, that she forgot to look forward and completely missed the 6-foot man inches from her. It had been a miracle Viviane herself hadn’t impaled the shrubbery along with him. I’ll never forget the mortified look Viviane and I mirrored, eyes wide and hands over mouth. All I could think was, he’s concussed. I concussed a man. 

Personally, if someone had smacked me on the head, I would have at least yelled at them. Maybe even called them a prick. Rhys, however, was a different breed of man. He had certainly groaned on impact but as soon as he realized he had backflipped into a small hedge and held a women’s size 8 shoe on his lap, he laughed. He let out a full belly laugh. This man—this stranger—had the audacity to laugh given the circumstances. I suppose I should have realized from that moment that nothing could truly take him by surprise or upend his day. A trait I admired. One I hoped seeped into my bones by osmosis or whatever symbiotic science allows personal characteristics to flow from one person to another. 

I apologized profusely to this man. In a towel from my window. In my pajamas after I ran downstairs. In his residence hall, after Viviane helped me put together an apology basket when we discovered he lived across from her boyfriend Kallias. Even then, this 6-foot-something of a man thought it was funny. Every. Single. Time. To which I convinced myself, I’d more than concussed him. I convinced myself I’d done serious damage for a man to laugh at that level of pain. Although, I suppose that if two people showed up in their dinosaur onesies at 9 pm on a Thursday evening with a basket for me, I’d also laugh. But still.

It wasn’t until that very week that I realized Rhys and I shared similar classes. We were both in English Composition, Principles of Chemistry, and Introduction to Sociology. Which, quite honestly, are more than enough courses for you to figure out if you have the same schedule as another student. What can I say, I’m oblivious—an ongoing theme in my life.

Another thing I’ll never forget, the smug look on Rhys’s face when we were paired together in English Composition for a research paper on the portrayal of minorities in the media. I’d wanted to find the nearest cliff and jump off it but destiny had other plans. No, fate looked me straight in the eye and said, “Hold my drink, bestie” because two years later, here we are. Best friends. 

Rhysand snatched the paper out of my hands. “The Gate of Athena Archegetis was dedicated to the patron goddess of Athens, Athena.” 

My hand rushed to jot down what he said. The table vibrated from the ferocity with which I scribbled on my notebook. What I couldn’t crack in thirty minutes took Rhys all of two seconds to read out. Why our professor for that course didn’t allow laptops or tablets for note taking, I’ll never understand. I was just grateful I had something legible transcribed now.

“You can read that? It might as well have been written entirely in Latin,” I said.

“I’ve had practice reading my cousin's handwriting for years. I’d be disappointed if I couldn’t, at this point.” Rhysand chuckled. Passing the page, he eyed the notes, likely reviewing the contents from the course he’d taken himself the semester before. 

“I, unfortunately, was blessed with my father’s handwriting.” I tugged at the sleeves of my V-neck indigo cardigan and shyly pointed at my hideous penmanship. It might as well have been written by a third-grader. It was practically childlike. There wasn’t much fixing that could be done at this point in my life when it came to my writing unless I signed up for a calligraphy course. And even then, life had no guarantees.

The irony wasn’t lost on me. An art major who couldn’t read or write a visual art form. Who could paint true-to-life full-body portraits, vivid illustrations of natural landscapes, and dramatic high-colored oil paintings but couldn’t read or write in cursive. I dropped my shoulders, frustrated with myself, and propped my legs up on the tufted dining chair pulling them against my chest with my arms wrapped around. 

Rhys’s eyes were back on me. He had a way of reading me like a billboard sign, and I could tell he was trying to figure out what was going on through my mind, what today’s bold neon letters were. I was never sure how he did it but he always knew exactly what I was thinking. Which either meant my face was easy to read and I had the worst poker face of all time or…he just knew me. 

“The ‘A’ in cursive is not a sharp letter. It’s more rounded and looks the exact same in both upper and lowercase. Similar to the way you’d write it in print,” he said.

There were several traits I admired about Rhys outside of his keen observations and nonchalant perspective on life. Like his level of empathy. I knew what his academic grades looked like but boy did I also want to know what his emotional quotient score was. Whatever it was, that score was certainly high. He never made anyone feel like their shortfalls were a hindrance. Nor would he want to. That wasn’t his style. Rather than point out my flaws and make me feel embarrassed, he read the notes aloud. 

“The Greek language served as a lingua franca,” he continued.

“That last phrase was actual Latin,” he added. Rhys flipped through the pages of Mor’s notes. I could have asked him for his own from last semester since he’d been able to sign up on time. I, on the other hand, had been wait-listed. Hence why I was taking the course in the spring. It was one of the few classes we all needed to graduate as it was one of the general requirements for all offered degrees. I probably should have asked him for his notes since I could his penmanship but I’d been too caught up with Elain yesterday to even consider asking.

“Here’s another one, in vino veritas,” said Mor, raising two bottles of wine toward us. “In wine there is truth.”

“Amen,” said Cassian, lifting a third bottle. 

“I thought you two went out grocery shopping,” said Rhysand. Laying the notes on the table, he crossed his arms eyeing the two figures by the door. The corner of Rhys’s mouth twitched as he raised an eyebrow at his cousin and roommate. 

“We did. We brought back the essentials,” said Mor. Smiling back at her cousin, she winked at him before closing the door to the apartment with a kick of her red platform heels. 

“Hmm,” Rhys hummed. 

Bringing his eyes back to me, Rhysand continued reading off the notes while the other two flocked into the kitchen. I bit the inside of my lip as I followed along the soothing sound of his voice. His warm tone always calmed me when we studied together. Which was why I was his favorite audience member when he needed to practice his presentations. I’d listen attentively, the first time. I’d even provide feedback, the second time. But I’d almost always fall asleep to the sound of his enchanting mellifluous voice any other time after that. 

“It’s wine night, Rhys. You know the rules,” said Mor from the other room. Every Friday was wine night, the one day of the week our friend group could get together with no interruptions or excuses. No one had an evening class on Fridays or a night shift so things worked out this semester. Most of the extracurriculars each of us participated in typically held events over the weekend so we’d truly lucked out with everyone’s schedules this time. It wasn’t something we were likely to have again so we were taking advantage of every Friday we had before some of us graduated. 

Though, that was one of the rules. No talks about graduation. The point of wine night was to live in the moment and enjoy however many Fridays we had left as the “Inner Circle.” It was a silly name Cassian spewed one night after downing 3 bottles of wine, and it kind of stuck. We didn’t exactly call our group that but we did change our group chat name accordingly. 

“You too, Feyre.” Mor’s voice echoed.

Another rule. No homework. That rule was more of a precaution so none of us would accidentally email professors the wrong file while inebriated. To be fair, I was only taking notes but we all tried to abide by the no homework rule as best as we could. 

“Give me a few minutes, and I’m all yours,” I said. 

“You’re telling me you’ve had all day to write those and you still haven’t?” asked Mor, her voice trailing from deeper in the apartment as she stepped from room to room. She had her apartment across town but, like me, she practically lived here too.

“Yeah, well…there have been some delays,” I said, fidgeting with my pencil. My face began to feel warm as blood rushed into my cheeks. Biting my lip, I kept my eyes down. I didn’t want to let Mor know that I hadn’t been able to write her notes because I couldn’t read her notes. Not that she would make fun of me for it but I knew that if I confessed the truth she’d barge me with questions. And I simply did not feel like answering any of that in front of everyone else. All I wanted was for something to distract her from prying right now. Just about anything would do. A pigeon flying in through the window. The fan in the living room mysteriously falling onto the table. A fire alarm. A knock on the door. Anything would do. Please. 

“Weren’t there three of you when you left?” asked Rhysand.

I felt my body relax, and my shoulders dropped. I hadn’t realized the muscles down my back had tightened and tensed so firmly until my body loosened and eased back into the chair. My eyes lifted, meeting Rhysand’s whose amethyst orbs were right on me. He winked. The man knew I’d been on the brink of jumping out a window and needed assistance to divert the tall blonde in the kitchen and I loved him for it. 

“Azriel!” said Cassian and Mor in unison. The sound of shoes running filled the kitchen accompanied by that of drawers shutting in a hurry, and the jingle of keys. The pair dashed around the apartment like parents who’d just forgotten their child at the supermarket, which was exactly what had happened. Somewhat.

A knock sounded at the door. 

The four of us froze and exchanged glances. The only thought I had in my mind was of Azriel, hoping he hadn’t walked all the way back here. Mor took slow steady steps towards the entrance and when she reached the doorknob, she tucked a strand of blonde hair behind her ear, took a deep breath, and pressed her lips together. Ever so delicately, she turned the knob and pulled the door towards her.

"Today was not my best day. I dare say it didn't even make the top five," said Azriel. He had one hand reaching the top of the doorframe, leaning slightly. His handsome face held no clear emotion but his eyes. His cold eyes stared down at Mor, making her smaller than she was. Oh, he is pissed.

“You left something at the grocery store,” said Nesta, pushing past the brooding body. Her heels clicked as she waltzed into the room wearing a black satin sleeveless dress that hugged her in all the right places from her chest to her hips. The slit on the right side exposed her up to her mid-thigh with every step. Cassian’s eyes immediately caught the movement as they slid up her body, stopping once they met her eyes.

“I would never have left you, Nes,” said Cassian. He took a step toward her, almost challenging her gaze. She held it, eyed him up and down sizing him up, and spun to face the rest of the room. With her back to him, she placed a hand on her hip, blatantly ignoring the door-framed-sized man behind her. 

Cassian stepped closer and slid his hands around her body, holding her closer. Nesta didn’t fight him. If I had blinked, I might have missed the slight shift of her body against him, leaning against his chest even closer. It was beyond anyone’s pay grade to understand where they stood in their relationship if it was even that. They’d been on and off for so long that their situationship was like the weather, something that had to be measured in every room. 

“I despise you,” said Nesta, with a hint of a smile on the corner of her lips.

“Keep telling yourself that,” said Cassian.

“Are you headed out tonight, Nesta?” I asked. 

“I only came to deliver the lost puppy,” said Nesta, taking a step forward and away from the figure wrapped around her. Cassian’s jaw ticked as she untangled herself from his embrace. “I’m headed out with the girls.”

Gwyn and Emerie, I thought. That’s who she almost always referred to. They’d been her closest friends since freshman year and they’d been inseparable from the moment they met. It was surprising that they hadn’t come up with her since they all lived together. 

“Gwyn’s downstairs waiting for me, and Emerie is already in the car,” she said. 

There it was. 

“You should take better care of pretty things,” said Nesta, walking towards the door. Elegantly spinning, her eyes met Cassian’s from beneath the doorframe. Her fingers slipped up her thigh to her waist sensually, her eyes never breaking contact as she spoke. “Someone else might steal them.”

She closed the door on her way out, leaving the rest of us too stunned to speak. 

“I’m gonna marry that woman,” said Cassian.

“Wine, anyone?” said Mor.

——

"I almost fist-fought you last night when you took the blanket," I said. Tugging on the dark blue throw-over, I pulled it over myself enough to cover my legs entirely as I sat criss crossed on the couch. The star-filled spread was dark and fluffy like Amren’s black Bombay cat. With three glasses of wine in me, if I closed my eyes and traced my hand down the blanket, I could almost picture Ruby on my lap. She was soft and cud—

A pull on the blanket brought my thoughts back.

“You snore. Loudly," said Rhys.

"I do not snore, you liar." I scoffed, tugging back on the blanket. 

We’d both fallen asleep on his bed last night after an intense studying session. Although our schedules were no longer as identical as they’d been during freshman year, we still shared one or two courses every so often. Like this semester, we had Solar System Astronomy together. We’d stayed up late on the balcony of his apartment looking up at the constellations seeing how many we could name and then placing their locations on a star map.

With 88 constellations in the sky, as recognized by the International Astronomical Union, we’d been able to spot at least seven. Ursa Major, Ursa Minor, Orion, Cassiopeia, Cepheus, Draco, and—my face was beginning to feel very warm. 

"How did the blanket end up on the floor? No wonder I was freezing," said Rhys. He was leaning against the backrest of the couch, one hand on the armrest holding his glass of wine. Rhysand’s dark lilac eyes sparked with mischief. He was baiting me and I was definitely too inebriated to ignore his comments. 

“How could you be freezing? You’re a freaking furnace!” I exclaimed. 

“Then why’d you steal the blanket? I’m basically primed for cuddles.” Rhys’s other hand reached around me and tugged me towards him. I laughed against his chest, and let my body lean into him. 

“Mother above, you two bicker like a married couple,” said Mor. She was leaning against the doorway leading to the balcony. With the door open, the cool breeze blew in, brushing her long golden hair past her shoulder. Her eyes darted between where Rhys and I sat on the couch and then shifted to something behind us. I was too focused on the elegant way she held her glass to glance away from her posture. 

“It’s not bickering if I’m right.” I slapped Rhys against his chest playfully. His chest vibrated with a chuckle.

“Az, play that one song from the other night,” said Amren. With her wine glass inches from her lips in one hand, she pointed at Azriel with her other. There was a lot you learned about a person while under the influence. In Amren’s case, during the day, she was a short-tempered finance major student who ate boys and numbers for breakfast. There was no doubt that she’d be valedictorian of the College of Business Administration. She studied hard, but she also played hard. 

“Thisssisss my jaaaaammm.” Amren’s words slurred. She raised one of her hands as if meaning to touch the ceiling lamp like a fly attracted to a zapper light. Swaying to the rhythm, Amren praised the white light above.

“Oh, she is gone,” said Mor, taking a sip of her wine.

All eyes were on Amren now as she led an interpretive dance to the beat of Dance the Night by Dua Lipa. Her choreography involved a lot of hands swaying in the air. While her claps to the music were slightly off-beat, she was giving it her all. She was the choreographer—the lead dancer. She was Barbie at the giant blow art party and the rest of us were just Ken.

“Here’s another piece of Latin for you, Feyre. Nemo saltat sobrius,” said Mor, nodding at Dance and Flex Barbie™.

“What?” I asked. Clumsily leaning forward, I propped one hand on Rhy’s thigh as I leaned closer to Mor in hopes I could read her lips over the music. I felt a hand steady me from behind. 

“Nobody dances sober,” said Azriel.

“Unless you’re Azriel, then you don’t dance. At all,” said Cassian. The couch bounced as he threw his body on the empty spot on the other side of me. He smiled at Azriel, threw his hand over the sofa's backrest, and leaned back.

“I’ve definitely seen him dance,” said Rhys. 

“No way. In his room?” Cassian chuckled.

I took this as an opportunity to make myself more comfortable, while they were distracted. Shifting my body, I leaned further into Rhys, the shape of his own welcoming me back to my spot. A soft giggle escaped my lips as Cassian grabbed my feet and placed them on his lap. Somehow my body had slid down Rhys’s and I was fully lying across the sofa on top of the boys. I was comfortable. So comfortable, I could fall asleep.

“At a party, actually,” said Rhys, his eyes glanced at Azriel while a small smile edged on his face.

“With a girl?” Cassian’s voice sounded surprised.

“With a girl.” Rhys nodded.

“No fucking way,” said Cassian. He couldn’t help but smile at Az, his mouth gaped. 

I understood Cassian’s reaction, Azriel didn’t dance let alone run or jog for anything. He was an enigma; an unsolvable riddle. The man was calm, cool, and collected at all times. Always unfazed by things that would distress the common Joe. It was slightly unnerving. If someone spilled wine on the carpet, Azriel wouldn’t panic at the thought of a huge red stain on the rug. He’d walk into the kitchen, no questions asked, and come back with a dry cloth, dish soap, and hydrogen peroxide, and blot the patch until it made you doubt if anything had actually been spilled. Whereas Mor and I would have stared at the ink-stained rug and exchanged wide-eyed looks before quietly agreeing that the room could do better without a rug.

Azriel shrugged completely unbothered. 

“With wh-

“I don’t kiss and tell,” said Azriel. Cold eyes stared back, silently telling Cassian to back off without any need for words.

“You’re just jealous he didn’t kiss you,” said Rhysand. He was trying to diffuse any rising tension. I could feel the sound of his voice vibrating across his chest. At some point, I’d given him my glass of wine or he’d taken it from me very smoothly. It would have been a disaster if I’d spilled it over the three of us on the sofa. I would have felt especially bad about it considering it was new. Their last one had moved on to a better place after Cassian put a hole in it from jumping on it during a karaoke session two months ago. 

“Hell yeah, I am!” Cassian exclaimed. 

Azriel raised an eyebrow, a lopsided grin on his lips. "Are we about to kiss right now?" 

“Wouldn’t be the first time,” said Rhysand. 

“Come here, you,” said Cassian. Throwing my legs off him, he jumped across the room embracing Azriel. The room filled with laughter at the show the two of them were putting on. Even through the loud ruckus, the short-tempered finance major was far too deep into her slumber to awaken. At some point, Amren had tucked herself into the armchair by the window and nodded off. She looked cozy and peaceful with her head lying on the armrest. We’d learned long ago that it was best to leave her alone when she dozed off. A lesson learned the hard way.

Through the open doors leading to the balcony, the sky was briefly illuminated with a bright light followed by a faint sound of thunder. I glanced at the digital clock beneath the TV sitting on the television stand. It was late and I needed to get home. There was still a buzzing feeling that tingled across my body from the earlier drinks but I didn’t live far. It was ten minutes max walking. Plus, if I left now, I could avoid the rain.

Sitting up, I scanned the room looking for my shoes. “I should get going,” I said.

“Let me call you a ride,” said Mor, already taking out her phone.

“Mor, I live within walking distance,” I said, gathering my shoes.

Azriel jumped in, “I barely drank. All I had was a sip earlier. I could give you a ri-

He didn’t finish his sentence as his eyes glanced toward the other side of the room at the sound of boots hitting the hardwood and the sofa shuffling. I didn’t think too much about it, not that I could in my current state. I was more focused on figuring out where I’d placed the key to my apartment. 

“Do you want us to walk with you?” asked Mor.

Holding on to the wall, I hooked two fingers into one of my white platform Nike and pushed my foot into the shoe. Was it counterintuitive to own sneakers with shoelaces if I never had any intention of tying them? I couldn’t help but chuckle at the thought as I did the same with my other shoe. It was unclear to me if I genuinely found the thought funny or if it was the alcohol coursing through me. Before I could respond to Mor’s question, I felt the close warmth of a tall figure standing near me. 

“I’ll walk her,” said the familiar voice.

“Rhys-

“That wasn’t an offer, darling. That was me making a statement,” he said.

I sighed, looking up at him. It was late, and I didn’t feel like arguing knowing that it would delay my departure before the oncoming storm. Having someone walk you home wasn’t the end of the world. It was an act of the purest love. That someone cared about your well-being enough to ensure you’d made it home safely. That’s what I loved about my friends. The genuine love we all had for each other. 

Sliding my baby blue nylon backpack over my shoulder, I double-checked I’d gathered everything. I went through my mental checklist. Phone, wallet, keys. Patting my pockets, I ensured I had them. I made sure to hug everyone goodbye before heading out. Well, everyone except Amren, who was ever so sweetly tucked in the armchair with a blanket twice her size. Likely one of Cassian’s massive blankets. 

When I turned, Rhysand was already by the door holding it open for me. Slipping his hand over my shoulder, he grabbed my powder blue bag and placed it over his. With the motion, my white plush bear keychain swung against the two baby penguin pins on the cerulean fabric. My backpack had a very soft aesthetic that stood out when held by Rhys who was dressed in dark tones from head to toe. It didn’t fit his aesthetic. At all. I was about to object that I could carry my own bag but his voice interrupted my thoughts. “Don’t put the top lock on the door, I’ll be right back.”

As we headed out, the sky flashed again. The air felt cool against my skin and smelled like dew. It was a calming, fresh scent. It reminded me of potted flowers and succulents like the ones I had by the window in my room. The ones I always forgot to water but always survived, courtesy of one Elain Archeron. She knew I couldn’t keep anything alive, plant or fish, so she’d made sure to get me greenery that required minimal attention, which reminded me that I hadn’t watered them in a week. If it started pouring by the time I got home, I could stick them out the window and have them be watered au naturale. 

I jumped at the sound of thunder and instinctively grabbed Rhys’s hand. His fingers wrapping around mine were warm and rough whereas mine were cold and soft. He squeezed my hand and held on to mine as we continued walking. “It caught me off guard.”

“Mmhm,” he said.

The wind picked up slightly as we headed down the illuminated path amongst the trees and apartment complex gardens that stretched across an open space. Rain was certainly on its way, it was just a matter of when. We likely had a couple of minutes before the downpour began. Thunder sounded all around us, and one, two droplets landed on my cheek. Damn. Other than being way off in my calculations, I’d also forgotten to borrow an umbrella before we left. There was no avoiding that we were going to be caught in this. 

“I’m glad I grabbed this before we left,” said Rhys, opening an umbrella large enough to cover us both. At what point he’d grabbed the umbrella was beyond me. I stepped closer to him as he fumbled opening it. He gave it a slight jiggle with one hand that became more aggressive by the second as he attempted to push the sliding metal piece with his fingers. After about a minute, the section loosened up allowing for more movement. The issue now lay with the broken stretchers that were meant to hold the fabric. 

“Who the hell leaves a broken umbrella in the umbrella stand?” said Rhys. 

“Someone who forgot to throw it out?” 

“That’s why trashcans exist,” he sighed. Rhys let go of my hand and continued fumbling with the umbrella trying to see if the pieces would lock into place. Thunder sounded above us and more drops of water began falling slowly picking up.

“If we pick up the pace, we can make it before it really hits,” said Rhys. His eyes surveyed mine and I could tell he was both disappointed and worried that he’d let me down somehow. But unless he was secretly in cahoots with Mother Nature, there was no way any of this could be his fault or something for him to blame himself for. 

“I’m sorry about the weather,” said Rhys. The way he rubbed his neck and his brows drew together, I couldn’t bear the look of disappointment on his face for something out of his reach. 

I shook my head and smiled up at him. “What are you sorry about? A broken umbrella that you had no idea was broken? The sky? Rhysand, unless you secretly own a weather machine, there’s nothing to be sorry about. Forget the umbrella.”

“In fact,” I continued, “I think this is an opportunity.”

I took my bag and the umbrella from his hands, chucked the latter in the nearest bin, and placed my bag on the ground.

“An opportunity?” 

I wasn’t sure if it was the alcohol or the moment, but I’d always wanted to dance in the rain like in movies and musicals. I felt bold and giddy at the idea of doing so now. All I could focus on was this tune from the third High School Musical installment. “Take my hand, take a breath.”

Standing in front of him, I stretched out my hand and offered it to Rhys. He looked puzzled but accepted my offer. “Pull me close, and take one step.”

“A song with instructions? I can follow that,” he said. A small smile formed on his lips.  

“Keep your eyes locked on mine,” I continued. 

His violet eyes twinkled beneath the moonlight and it almost looked like stars danced across his eyes as they softened, placing his other hand on my waist. He knew exactly what song I was referencing. After all, I’d made him watch it enough times with me. “And let the music be your guide.”

I nodded, cuing him to step with me. With his eyes wholly fixed on me, we slowly stepped into time, our shoes gently tapping against the pavement.

“Won't you promise me,” Rhys chimed. 

Pulling me closer against his chest, Rhysand guided me across the makeshift dance floor—the walkway between the trees—with a step here and a half turn there. We were dancing through the gardens illuminated by the night sky and lamp posts down the pathway as we waltzed further in. 

“Now won't you promise me, that you'll never forget.” 

“We'll keep dancing,” added Rhys. 

 “To keep dancing.” A smile curved across my lips. 

“Wherever we go next.” Our voices intertwined as we spun together, my hands held on to him tighter as the rain picked up. Swaying through the path of greenery, the scenery around us dissolved. It was just Rhys and I.  

Thunder crashed above, and the true downpour began. 

“It's like catching lightning the chances of finding someone like you,” we continued. I couldn’t help but smile brightly up at him as rain trailed down his face. The buzzing feeling from earlier that had coursed through my body now turned into a tingly feeling that reached from where Rhys was holding my hand—my fingers—to my chest. No, my body wasn’t buzzing, it was humming. We might have been dancing but I was floating in his embrace. I couldn’t look away from him. 

With every lyric, raindrops painted our clothes a shade darker. My indigo cardigan was now inked navy as we swayed to the invisible music. My feet splashed against puddles, drenching my white shoes in rainwater. They’d likely be gray by the time I got home but that didn’t matter. As our feet shuffled across the pathway, the sky reflected itself over the water on the trail creating an illusion of stars beneath our feet. We were dancing among the stars. 

We sang the rest of the song, never messing up the lyrics or missing a beat. We might have been recreating a moment by singing a song from one of my favorite films but this waltz was entirely made up by us. Rhys’s hand still grasping mine, spun me around as we brought the sound of the music in our chests to a slow end. His eyes were still on mine as we held our soaking bodies close. Was he always this beautiful?

I couldn’t help but marvel at his handsomeness and let an intrusive thought get the better of me as I ran my fingers across his cheek. He leaned into my warm touch, eyes softening. His eyes glanced from mine down to my lips. Please, I pleaded. I could feel my heart racing and my chest tightening at the thought of his lips on mine. Rhysand cleared his throat as his hands gently let go of mine, breaking the spell. 

Taking a step back, he scanned me from head to toe and chuckled. “I bet we look like drowned rats to anyone looking out their windows.”

I shook my head, holding back a smile.

“I feel like one too,” I said. Looking down at my jeans, there was not a dry spot on them. 

I bit the inside of my cheek. Had we just had a moment? I must have hallucinated it in the dark lighting. There was no way that Rhysand had looked like he’d wanted to kiss me two seconds ago. I wasn’t ignorant, I’d known Rhysand was objectively attractive. He had a strong jawline and he was fit from working out every week with Cassian and Azriel. He had nice cheekbones, luscious lashes, soft lips, and intelligent eyes. He was delightful to look at. He was…

Who was I kidding, he was handsome beyond compare. I just had never seen him in that way until now. Mother above, I was oblivious as they came. And I wished I could have blamed the alcohol for all of it—the way I was feeling, the thoughts I was having—but the truth was, I’d burned it out of my system with that dance. 

‘We should get going,” said Rhys. 

He grabbed my bag off the ground and we walked the rest of the way in awkward silence. I kept glancing sideways at him every so often. I’d definitely hallucinated that moment we’d had for a split second. The rest of the way to my place, I spent it looking at the ground contemplating while Rhysand stared at the stars as if searching for a cosmic answer. 

By the time we made it to my place, we were full-on drenched. I was sure my hair looked like a wet mop attached to my head. I patted my pockets in search of the key and found it in the left back pocket of my jeans. They jingled in my hands as I fumbled looking for the right one.

“I hope you’re not planning to walk back in this. At least let me offer you a towel.” I glanced sideways as I turned the key.

He didn’t argue. In fact, he didn’t say anything at all. He’d stayed quiet and simply nodded as I led him in. With Viviane at her boyfriend’s for the weekend, there was no one home. All the lights were off as we walked in. I flipped the light switches as we stepped through the place in search of something dry. In the hallway closet, I found some towels for us. Meanwhile, I could hear Rhys in the kitchen opening and closing the cabinets. 

As I turned the corner, I could see him pulling out two teabags from a box before his head turned in my direction. "I'll put the kettle on."

"So sweet of you, you're an angel," I said. 

On top of being handsome, he was very thoughtful. Was I really falling for my best friend? I couldn’t help but keep my eyes locked on him as he turned on the stove and prepared tea for us. I bit my lower lip and turned towards the dryer that was hidden behind a sliding door. Neither of us was shivering or in any danger of getting frostbite, but a warm towel would certainly go well with tea. After a few minutes, the machine beeped just as the kettle began hissing. I pulled both towels out of the dryer and practically moaned at the warm touch against my skin. 

“Would you like a dry towel?” I offered.

“You don’t want my wet handkerchief to dry your wet face?” He glanced sideways at me as he poured water into each cup with a smirk painted across his face.

I giggled and walked further into the kitchen. As soon as he placed the kettle back on the stove, I threw a towel over my shoulder and placed the other one on his head as he turned around to face me. I ran the towel over his head, drying his hair before sliding it over his shoulders and wrapping it around his body. 

I looked up at him. “My hair is soaked, Rhys.” 

The clothes we were wearing could have easily squeezed out two gallons of water. I could have probably fed my succulents with the amount of liquids soaked into our outfits. If I could have thrown myself in the dryer too, I would have knocked out two birds with one stone. 

Standing in front of me, wrapped around in my towel, he looked adorable. Rhys’s eyes met mine and I could have sworn time stopped. All I could do was stare up at him. Oh gosh, was I staring? I blinked rapidly and dropped my gaze.

“You still look beautiful,” he said.

I felt my heart stop and my breath hitch. My hands stilled on his body still holding on to the light blue towel. Did he mean it in a friendly way? I glanced back up. His eyes peered down at me searching for something in mine. My lips parted as if to speak but I wasn’t sure what to say. Instead, I closed my mouth and swallowed. 

“Feyre.”

The way he said my name made my heart skip. He took a step, closing the gap between us. My name sounded low like a prayer on his lips. If he was praying, then I wanted to bless him but I needed a sign. I wanted a clear sign that he wasn’t just whispering my name in an empty apartment for no reason. 

“Why didn’t you kiss me earlier?” I half whispered.

His eyes glanced from my eyes to my mouth and back in a triangle manner. A small smile painted itself across his lips like a prayer answered. “You caught that.”

It wasn’t a question, he was making a statement.

“I wanted to be sure your head was clear when I kissed you,” said Rhysand.

“Rhys?”

“Yes?”

A pause.

“My head’s clear now,” I said.

Rhysand's head slowly leaned forward, stopping inches from my face, giving me time to take a step back if I wanted to back out. I didn’t. I wanted—needed, to know what his lips felt like on mine. If they were truly as soft as they looked. His fingers titled my chin up and kissed me. Gods, his kiss was more than soft, it was life-changing. His lips were gentle against mine, so sweet and delicately slow like he’d been waiting an eternity for this moment and now that he had it, now that the moment had arrived he wanted to savor it. If I’d been floating earlier when I danced with him beneath the rain, then I was soaring above the clouds and beyond the moon now. 

His hands cupped my face as mine slid into his hair, pulling him closer by the neck. Neither one of us parted to take a breath. I could tell this wasn’t just any kiss, this was the kiss. The one that would change our lives—my life—forever. The kiss I’d compare any other to. I could feel his chest against mine as our legs brushed against each other. Rhysand's hands slowly slid down my shoulders and arms and made their way down and around my waist. We pulled each other closer, our bodies seeking contact where they could as we continued wrapping ourselves against each other. We were two colliding stars, bursting with sparks and ever-changing hues.

After what felt like forever, I pulled back slightly, eyes closed. Blood had rushed into my cheeks, and there was no doubt that the heat against my flushed face had painted them rosy. I could feel his head leaning against mine, both of us breathless. Mother above, I truly was oblivious to everything. That definitely wasn’t a friend kiss. That was an I-want-to-be-more-than-friends kiss. 

Rhysand’s hand came up against my face tucking strands of semi-wet hair behind my ear. It felt like he was looking at me for the first time or trying to memorize every freckle on my face. A beat passed and he broke the silence. “I think I’m falling in love with you. I think I have been for a while.”

My heart skipped at those words—at his confession. My mouth gaped. There were no words. I wasn’t sure what to say. All I could focus on was the rising and beating in my chest as I focused on taking the next breath. Had this really just happened? Had we truly just kissed? Did he just say that he—

“I’m hoping you didn’t just kiss me to then break my heart, Feyre, darling.” He cupped my face as he spoke the last two words. 

“I never knew you liked me,” I said, stumbling on the words. 

“Now you do. And correction, I said I love you.” The corners of Rhysand’s mouth turned up. I couldn’t help the way my eyes widened in disbelief. He’d said the words again. 

“You love me?”

Rhys chuckled as he shook his head. He lifted my head with a hand beneath my chin as if inspecting me. “Did you hit yourself with the dryer door? Do I need to kiss you again? Or maybe hold your hand as we walk through a storm? Or dance in the rain while quoting your favorite movie?” 

He loved me. He loved me, and he not only meant it with the words he’d spoken, but Rhys had demonstrated and proved time and time again that he truly meant it, body and soul. A man who could talk the talk and walk the walk. Dare I say, he was a man after my own heart. 

“If you let me, I promise I’ll spend every day making sure you never doubt how worthy of love you are,” said Rhys. The back of his hand caressed my cheek.

“I’ll do anything with you, Rhys. As long as it’s you,” I said. 

His lips met mine again, this time with more passion and intensity. Wrapping my hands around his neck once more, I felt the towel slide off his shoulders and plop to the ground. Rhys's hands traveled around my hips, to the back of my thighs before he lifted me into his arms. Instinctually, I wrapped my legs around him and deepened our kiss. I wanted him closer. I wanted his body against mine without the barriers of our wet clothes. 

As if he’d read my thoughts, I could feel us moving down the hallway to my room. Every kiss turned deeper than the last and I knew I couldn’t deny myself the truth. I was completely and utterly in love with him. And I was a fool for not noticing before that maybe I had loved him longer than my body knew. Longer than I truly knew. He was my safe space, my person, my best friend. He was everything I could want in a man. He was everything. Rhys was everything.

Gently laying me against my bed, he pulled back slightly to look down at me. His eyes were like lilac-blue stars glistening against the moonlight as he marveled at me. It was almost like he couldn’t believe that this was real. I placed my hand on his cheek, rubbing my thumb. His lips smiled against my warm touch.

“I can’t stop smiling when I look at you,” said Rhys.

He gazed at me like a painter setting eyes on their muse. Like he’d been seeking inspiration his entire life and now he’d found it. Rhys shook his head in disbelief. “How did this happen?” 

The question wasn’t for me to answer, it was rhetorical. He was speaking his thoughts aloud as if waiting for a cosmic answer to shine through the window. “I can’t stop thinking about you, Feyre. 

“When I wake up, when I’m about to fall asleep, even in my dreams I can never stop thinking of you. When you’re not with me, it feels like something is missing. And, gosh, I hate poetry, but when I think of you…I can’t help but imagine that this is what the greats write about. This feeling. It’s like poets are reciting their writings in my head.”

I could feel the corners of my eyes becoming damp. I could spend the rest of this night in his arms simply admiring him. His honest eyes were full of more unspoken words of love. I could feel the wetness of my clothes seeping into the blanket below but I didn’t care. I thumbed his lips, his Apollo’s arched bow, memorizing this moment. I could feel my shaky voice escaping me as I spoke.

“All these years, I thought we were just friends, and I was okay with that…but now I realize that maybe I’ve felt like this for a while about you. That I’ve loved you without knowing that this is what it was.”

“You love me?” A smile spread across his lips.

“Did you hit yourself with the door coming in? Or do I need to kiss you again?” I mimicked his earlier question. 

He gently rubbed his nose against mine, his lips inches from my own.

“Kiss me again,” he whispered.

I moaned against his lips this time. I wanted him to hold me, to touch me, to kiss me, to say my name. I wanted everything and more. We tugged against wet clothes, which were much harder to take off thanks to their added weight. They stuck to our bodies and made it difficult to slide out of them. But we didn’t care. We kissed and laughed our way out of the heavy wet clothing until we were skin to skin. Until we were finally warm in each other's embrace. And for the first time in a while, I prayed.

Rhys.

I prayed the rest of the night as his body melded against mine, pulling prayer after prayer from my lips. His name, the only one I wanted to whisper against the moonlight shining through my window. It was only our names echoing from the other’s lips against soft I love yous with every touch and shift against hips. We were dancing like stars in the night sky, and holding on to each other as if we’d collided into one. Our whispers and sighs grew more uneven. He was my gravity, my center, and I was his. With Rhys’s eyes on mine and a final waltz around the universe, I felt my world burst like a nuclear fission. Like a star reaching its last evolutionary stage. 

Rhys kissed me again, softer this time, and wrapped me in his arms as we lay beneath the comfort of warm blankets, tangled in each other. Pulling me against his chest, he whispered. "Did you know that rainy day cuddles are two times more effective than sunny day cuddles?"

“Don’t you have to tell Cas to lock the door for you,” I said. 

“That can wait,” said Rhys, kissing the top of my head.