#and she followed suit with the mittens and scarf

[bucket-o-slime]

??!!??

[ajortga]

the warmth of your hand

pairing: cairo sweet x fem reader

summary: tender kisses with the crisp cold of a sunset winter night, you and cairo go ice skating, another sweet memory being made.

word count: 1.9k+

Where the long lasting snow falls from the sky ever so gently,

The hushed whispers of words of the wind that blows in your hair when I brush it through my fingers.

Forever winter,

The cold that answers my prayers and tints your cheeks pink,

So I that you can ask for my warmth and comfort,

While I envelope you in a love that’ll keep you so safe, pressing my lips against your snow-fallen cheeks..

“Cairo!” you call out, your voice a soft melody as it rings through the coldness of the snow, and to the small creek that leads to the window of her room. Cairo’s ears perk as she places down her pen and swipes her thin hands over her journal filled with poetic beauty, the ink slightly smearing and leaving its mark.

She closes her notes filled with poetry of you, using the clip of her pen to grasp onto the book’s handle and wraps it in the band that keeps it together. 

“I’m coming love!” Cairo says, her voice growing a bit louder so you can hear her from outside. She didn’t want you to wait outside for long as she rolls out of bed and opens her closet, grabbing a pair of mittens, earmuffs, and wrapping a scarf around the nape of her neck. She flings her bedroom door open and swings down the hallway, opening the door to be greeted by your figure. 

You had your headphones hung around your neck, earmuffs in and your hair curled beautifully down. It took your girlfriend's breath away as she smiled at you. Your soft eyes met hers and she squealed, making you giggle. Your breath warmed up the cold air around you, a breath trying to warm it up, a sigh that is visible to one who sees it, your breath fogging in the cold winter air as it travels and dissipates. 

It’s like her writing when it comes to life. Of course it would come to life, all her writings are about you, your love, your beauty, you. Where the cold answers her prayers and tints your cheeks pink. It makes Cairo’s lips curve into a warm smile to see the way you look adorable, with your scarf covering your chin and you waddle up to her like a penguin. 

“G’morning..” you say, a small sniffle following in suit. 

“Hi baby,” Cairo whispers, ruffling your hair and scratching your scalp gently. She nuzzles your nose, having to bend down to press her nose to yours and giving your lips a kiss. Her lips are warm, soft, your lips are pouty, sweet. 

Before you can pull away and feel the eternal warmth of her lips again, her arms wrap around you and slide down to your waist. You feel her lift you up as a cheeky grin forms on your face, spinning around in her arms and making a small childish squeal like it’s Christmas day. Cairo grins, feeling your nimble hands brush the invading bangs away from her forehead.

“I missed you. And it’s cold,” you murmur, your hot breath purposely blowing against her face, causing a contagious laugh to sound from her. 

She feels the way your legs lift to wrap around her waist as she carries you, her nose pressed into your shoulder as your face buries into her neck.

“You are cold,” she states, “But that’s okay, we have plenty of time to cuddle and warm up before we go on our date in the evening, cmon.” 

She opens the door to her house and shuts it with her foot, you two kissing and making out along the way, lovely mumbles being made between each.

“I missed you.”

Kiss.

“I love you,” 

Seal that promise with another kiss.

You nestle your nose to the home of her neck as she carries you to her bed that is invaded by the sweet vanilla smell of her. You squeak as she pulls away from your lips, you press another greedy kiss to her lips again before she swings you back and forth.

“Here comes the airplane!”

“Cairo.. Cairo! CairOoOOOOOO!” you shriek as she throws you on her bed and comes right after, jumping on you and hugging you. You giggle from her funniness before feeling her fingertips wiggle against your stomach, tickling you.

“No! Stop!” You belly laugh, your body squirming under her as she tickles and tickles.

“Tell me you love meee.”

You can’t breathe from all the laughing as you snort and giggle, squeaking in between.

Your giggle is so cute, she thinks.

“Noo!! Okay yes I love you!” you squeal as you surrender your hands to say that you give up.

“I know,” she says softly, letting you scoot into her embrace. “I just wanted to find a way to warm you up a little.” 

It worked a little. You tell that to her, giving her another reason to let you rest against her body, like a puppy wanting their mothers warmth. You kiss her neck, nuzzling it with your nose as she kisses your forehead with a loving remark.

You spend the rest of the morning cuddling while resting in Cairo’s arms. She puts you to sleep by whispering her poems about you into your ear. The warmth of her breath against the shell of your ear makes you fall asleep faster. She notices the way your eyes flutter and twitches that you're fast asleep. You don’t know how she does it, you already got enough sleep but she always finds a way to make you sleepy again, even with the most amount of caffeine you may have had. From 9 to 11 you’re in a deep sleep with her sweet gentle whispers.

From 12-3 you and Cairo spend time cooking together. Boiling water and pouring some noodles in. After making your alfredo with garlic bread, anybody would die to look through the window and live your love life, your eyes looking into each other as you feed each other. Your fork reaches her mouth as she captures it with her lips and eats, she feeds you and wipes some of the sauce off your smooth chin.

From 4-5 you two get ready for ice skating, it was going to snow tonight. It’s like a rom-com movie and you would die to live in that with Cairo, sharing kisses near the campfire. Maybe more. Holding hands while you sleep and curl to each other. You cling on and your legs wrapped around her body as others look at you in pure awe.

You slip on a puffy white jacket above your top and put on some flared jeans, topping it off with some earmuffs that you may or may not have stolen when Cairo was changing. 

“I saw that.”

“No you didn’t.”

“Give me those back.”

“Cairo.”

“Y/N.”

“Do you not love me?” You say, looking like you were about to cry. You loved when you could fake cry. Guess acting classes really did benefit you besides doing theater. 

She sees your trembling lips and teary eyes and immediately she gives up. Coming to hug you and pressing her lips to your forehead. 

“Okay shh. You can wear them. Or keep them because I love you, okay?” She coos, voice coaxing you as a childish giggle erupts from your chest.

“Yay!”

You hug her and she lifts you up, kissing you softly, “Come on princess,” your legs wrap around her as she grabs her key and unlocks the door, walking to the ice skating rink not too far from her house.

-

After a few minutes of walking and giving gentle, loving kisses, she places you down on the floor, caressing your cheek.

“Okay love bug, let’s go ice skating, okay?” 

You nuzzle her neck, intertwining your hand with hers as you swing them up and down, giggling along the way. You sit next to her, snuggled up while you put on your ice skates. 

“Your nose is all red honey.”

You sniffle, letting her touch her nose with yours, feeling her scarf wrap around her neck when she lifts you up

Yours and Cairo’s feet were going to touch the rink as she examines the glossy ice, “It looks a little slippery, be careful, I can guide you-”

Before she could finish you giggled and skated on the ice, doing a small spin.

“Be careful!” she squeals, letting you drag her hand onto the rink as she clings onto you for support. She screams as her legs shake, begging you to start on the edge. Cairo was gripping onto the edge for dear life as you assured her, kissing her neck with love.

The sun was setting, you two were skating while holding hands. It was beautiful as you were cuddled up to her while she wobbled. She got the hang of it as you guys skated faster among all the other sweet couples.

“I think we look the cutest,” you whisper, looking up at her and playing with the twist of her hair.

“Oh really? I know we look the best baby. You’re making everyone jealous of me to be with a girl like you.”

A blush creeps up on your cheek as you smack her playfully, “That’s not true.”

“Well everyone else probably would kill to have a girl like you.”

“But I only have eyes for you. You are the prettiest, sweetest, kindest, most lovingest girl I’ve ever known.”

Now it’s Cairo’s turn to blush, it caught her so off guard that she lost balance and slipped, taking you down with her as you two yelped. You landed on top of Cairo as you laughed.

“See, you know it’s trueeee.”

“No!”

“Maybe they’re just jealous of us, they want what we have because we never fight unless it’s to prove the other person’s personality Cairo.”

The curled hair brunette lifts you up and you two continue skating.

-

After a few hours of skating and tenderness, the sun greeted the moon as its sweet warmth faded. The twinkling lights above the rink glistened against the ice.

“That was fun, huh baby?”

“I loved it more because it was with you.” 

Cairo giggles, your smile never fading as you two leave the ice rink. She helps untie your skates and gives your hand a little kiss before taking hers off.

You spend the rest of the night getting street food and sharing it with each other. Your hands never tear away from each other as you hug her while walking around the bustling city.

When you drop her off it’s like a scene from a romance movie that makes you kick your legs.

“Thank you for tonight,” you whisper, your hands holding on hers as she looks down from you, one stair up to her house.

“We should do that again.”

“And again,” you say, your cheeks scrunching in a small smile as she nods.

There’s a comforting silence, a soft cool breeze blowing through your hair as she looks down at you from her step.

“Goodnight Y/N.”

“Goodnight Cairo,” you whisper, before leaning on your tippy toes to reach her lips. You kiss her softly before pulling away.

"Call me when you're safe cariño."

You keep kissing her, until you turn to leave. You were a few feet away from her after taking small steps as she watched you walk to your car on her driveway before turning around.

“Actually.. Can I stay the night here and cuddle?” you whisper, looking like a precious puppy with those eyes.

Cairo knew she couldn’t say no, she would do anything to spend time with you as she smiles widely, nodding. 

You waddle up to her in happiness before jumping in her arms and kissing her again, making a small squeal as she giggles and carries you back into the comfort of her home.

[marvel-and-mischief]

❄️ December Writing Challenge ❄️

Day 7. Lost Stuffed Animal/Mittens/Scarf Returned

Pairing: Marcus Pike x F!Reader Words: 886 Warnings: food

December Writing Challenge masterlist

Marcus had his first date at a fair when he was fifteen. He remembers his date having hair the colour of dark honey and she was still wearing her cheerleading outfit from after-school practice. They’d walked around filling in the silences with awkward conversation and ended the date on the ferris wheel. He’d never been on one before and he hadn’t realised quite how high they went and proceeded to throw up on the carriage floor (thankfully not on the blue and gold of her skirt). She’d promptly left and he’d never been to a fair since.

He’d heard through coworkers that a Winter Fair had come to town, that it was the event to go to over the holidays and the burnt caramel donuts were to die for, apparently. After opening his last report of the day, he waved his colleagues off with a promise that he’d meet them there later. 

-

He could smell the donuts as soon as he stepped out of his car. The flashing lights from the rides were dazzling and the screams of fun were deafening but it was all coming back to him. The first date nerves and the cotton mouth were strong enough to give him pause. I’m not fifteen anymore, he reminded himself and stuffed his hands in his coat pockets and walked on. 

It was big enough that he could easily spend the rest of the night looking for the guys from work, but small enough to see every ride from a distance. Would they go on the dodgems first or head straight for the hotdog stand? Marcus’ stomach rumbled, making the decision for him. 

He was walking slowly behind a group of people, a couple holding hands, and a child tugging on his father’s trousers. A woman hurriedly stuffed her gloves and scarf into her bag, missed and unknowingly dropped the scarf on the floor. Marcus leaped forward to grab it but the woman had rushed off, the only indication of her whereabouts being the yellow bobble hat that distinguished her from the people around her. He tried to catch her attention but his voice wasn’t a match for the sounds of the fairground, so he followed the best he could, politely nudging his way through the crowd, always keeping one eye on that yellow hat. 

-

You were none the wiser to what was going on behind you. You were quickly warming up in the crowd. Despite your weather app telling you it was going to be close to freezing, you had to take off your scarf and gloves as soon as you arrived. You could smell food and knew you couldn’t enjoy the rides without something in your belly so that’s where you wanted to be. Except there were far more people wanting greasy food than you expected and you were in for a long wait at the hotdog stand. You reached up to take off your hat and place it with everything else in your bag when you noticed it wasn’t as full as it should be. Your scarf was gone.

“Excuse me, I think you dropped this,” came the muffled voice of a man holding your scarf in his hand. He was tall, dark haired and clean shaven, wearing a casual suit underneath a leather jacket with wool lining. He looked out of place in a fairground, like he’d come here straight after work on a whim. “You dropped it near the entrance.”

“All the way over there?” He’d followed you from the entrance? The thought crossed your mind that it was a little strange to follow a woman halfway across the fair because of a scarf, but his eyes were kind and he looked equally concerned as soon as the words left his mouth. “Thank you. I appreciate it. It’s my favourite scarf.” You smile gratefully and wonder if this kind, handsome man was on his own.

“I’m Marcus. You in line for hotdogs?” He points to the stand up ahead whilst you offer him your name.

“Did you want to join me?” you ask, unsure whether you’re reading this right. Strangers don’t offer up their name if they don’t want to join you for hotdogs, do they? “If you’re meeting someone-“

“I’m not,” he shakes his head. “Wanted to check it out before it leaves town for another year.”

“Same.” 

It’s awkward, this dance of ‘I find you attractive but we’ve literally only just met but I’d like to have fun with you at the fair’. Marcus is a gentleman, offering you his arm to get in the queue, when a large gust of wind flies through the crowd, chilling the bare skin of your neck and making you shiver.

“Here, let me,” Marcus takes back the scarf he’d handed to you and gently lies it against the back of your neck, bringing the two ends over your shoulders and crossing them loosely, twice, to sit between the lapels of your coat. He’s careful not to touch you, only the scarf, yet you haven’t felt this kind of electricity with someone in years. Your response catches in your throat as you try to thank him.

“There we are.” He’s closer to you now, his voice has deepened and he’s staring intently to catch your reaction. “Shall we?”

How can you not?

[e-milieeee]

tongue-tied (hearts entwined)—Marichat

Summary: Chat Noir has the annoying habit of sticking his tongue out whenever he's concentrating. Marinette hates that she finds it (and him) ridiculously cute.

Now all she has to do is get through the denial.

Notes: For @emsylcatac! Happy birthday, even if I’m a bit late. I know you’re a Ladynoir stan but... it’s Marichat May+Chat blepping :D 

(The last scene is also inspired by this gorgeous piece of art by @australet789! I couldn’t resist sneaking it in lol) 

Or click here to read on AO3! 

tongue-tied (hearts entwined) 

The first time Marinette notices the habit, she brushes it off.

Chat Noir sits on the balcony with her as he attempts to disentangle a ball of yarn from his body. He had claimed that no, he hadn’t in fact been chasing it and it was most definitely not his fault (meaning that it most likely was).

Now, he is wrapped like a Christmas present in neon yellow string. Marinette refuses to help him, so Chat yanks and pulls and stretches the yarn with utmost focus—all with his tongue poking out of his mouth.

Marinette watches him. He doesn’t even seem to notice her presence and only continues in his concentration. His tongue does not return to its rightful place (out of sight, out of mind)—it continues to stick out in the most obnoxiously adorable way ever and Marinette is almost tempted to tell him to shove it back in so she can stop finding him cute.

Before she can do so, Chat Noir lets out a groan. His tongue swipes over his lips and disappears, to Marinette’s relief (and disappointment). “Cataclysm,” he grumbles under his breath.

With that, he cataclysms the yarn to free himself. It falls to black dust all around him like ashes.

“What?” Chat asks when he sees her staring. “It was efficient. Don’t look at me like that.”

Marinette blinks and shakes her head. Had she found him cute just a moment ago? No, she decides. Obnoxious, maybe, but definitely not cute.

(No way.)

***

It happens a couple more times before Marinette realizes that it’s become a problem.

They’re playing video games in her room, an odd little routine they’ve developed. Chat Noir is surprisingly enthusiastic about beating her in Ultimate Mecha Strike III, which, so far, he has not been able to do.

Marinette makes the mistake of sneaking a glance at him in the middle of a match. He’s holding the controller, staring at the screen with the same intensity he often directs at akumas, and, best—no, worst of all, his tongue is sticking out of his mouth again.

She stares at him for a little too long. A little too long turns to really, really too long, because Marinette is only snapped out of her thoughts when Chat Noir throws his hands up with a triumphant whoop. “I won!” he crows at her, and Marinette turns to look at the screen in dismay.

Sure enough, he had finally bested her. The stats flash across the screen—he’d only won by a margin, but he had won nonetheless, breaking her streak of eighteen wins and zero defeats. Now, a red 1 flashes across the screen under her losses, and Marinette groans.

“No fair,” she complains. “I was distracted for a second. You wouldn’t have won if I weren’t.”

“Distracted?” Chat frowns at her. “Distracted by what?”

Your tongue does not suffice as an answer. Not unless she wants to die of embarrassment and shame. As Marinette fumbles for an acceptable reply, Chat sets down his controller and leans forward. “Admit it,” he grins, infuriously smug. “I won fair and square.”

Marinette pushes his nose away from her. Her face is burning. “I’m going to kick your ass harder next time, and you’re going to regret this.”

His grin widens. “I’d like to see you try.”

(He’s not cute. Just annoying.)

***

Chat comes by to bake when Marinette’s parents are out of town one day. He asks her to teach him how to make macarons, but it’s a far too advanced skill for his limited scope. So instead, they come to an agreement to make Chinese pineapple buns. Now, standing shoulder to shoulder, Marinette teaches him to knead dough.

He’s all wide eyes and concentration, tongue peeking out from the corner of his mouth as he follows her movements. Marinette forgets about rolling her own dough in favor of watching him. His ears are sticking up straight on top of his head.

He’s so annoyingly cute.

“Okay!” Chat suddenly announces. “Is this good enough—Marinette? Is there something on my face?”

“Huh?” she looks at him, looks at the dough, looks at her own unfinished one, and promptly feels her face flush. Then, against all better judgement, Marinette blurts, “Why do you always stick your tongue out like that?”

“Like what?” Chat tilts his head slightly then sticks his tongue straight out. “Likthe thith?”

“No!” Marinette practically yelps, then throws her hands up. “Your dough isn’t ready! Stop slacking!”

He purposefully keeps his tongue out the whole time until Marinette is shaking from laughter.

(Maybe he’s cute. Slightly.)

***

“It’s called blepping,” Chat Noir tells her.

“What?” Marinette looks up from her project. “What’s called what?”

“Apparently cats do it too,” he continues. “Stick their tongue out, that is.”

“Well,” Marinette tells him, nearly tripping over her words. “You’re not actually a cat.”

“I don’t appreciate you telling me what I can be and what I can’t be,” Chat sniffs back. “Besides, it’s not a problem for anyone, so I don’t see why I can’t embrace my cat instincts.”

“Cat instincts,” she parrots under her breath. “Yeah, right.”

“Wait. You’re not bothered by it, right, Mari?”

Marinette snorts. “Who, me? Why would I be bothered?”

Chat shrugs. “See? Then it’s whatever.”

It’s not whatever, but Marinette isn’t going to let him know that. A moment later, when he’s focusing again, she catches another glimpse of the pink tip of his tongue.

Why does he have to be so cute?

(She is in deep, deep trouble.)

***

Chat’s terrible at tying his laces.

It would’ve been funny—from the way his eyebrows are scrunched, ears twitching as he fumbles uselessly with the string—if it weren’t for the fact that all of that was accompanied by the tongue poking out over his top lip. Marinette knows she should stop staring, because then she can stop finding him cute. But she keeps staring, like a whole idiot.

To her mortification, Chat looks up at her and grins when she catches her turning away hurriedly. “Is my face that great to stare at?” he asks.

“What?” Marinette shrieks. “No! I’m looking at you tie your laces. Do you seriously not know how to do them up?”

Chat pouts. “It’s hard to do with claws,” he grumbles, wiggling his fingers. Then he sticks his leg out. “You can do it for me.”

Marinette does it, only to have an excuse to duck her face so he can’t see how red her cheeks are.

It’s one of their monthly outings that Chat Noir claims essential to their friendship. He had launched into an indignant tirade when Marinette suggested they could skate at a rink, insisting that they skate in nature.

Now, at the small pond with hints of snow beginning to fall, Marinette has to admit that he made the right call. The wind nips at her nose with the slightest hints of cold, but not too cold that it’s uncomfortably so. Bundled in her own handcrafted scarf, mittens and toque, the worst of the chill is kept out. Even Chat is wearing an overcoat over his suit.

They’re far from the city; in fact, they’re far from Paris itself. The horse Miraculous is tucked safely away in one of Chat’s pockets (which, ironically, he had borrowed from Ladybug). Here, away from the buzzing and business of the city, her thoughts feel clearer than they have been in a long, long time. The snow, fresh and still falling, offers a muted sort of quiet that leaves her room to think and ponder without interruptions.

(Too bad all her thoughts just linger on Chat.)

((Or maybe that’s a good thing.))

Marinette double knots Chat’s laces. “There,” she announces, then adds, “you big baby.”

“It’s the claws’ fault!” he exclaims again. “Race you to the pond?”

Before Marinette can react, Chat grabs the hem of her toque and pulls it down over her eyes. Then, with a boyish laugh, she hears him run off, crunch, crunch, crunching over fresh snow.

Marinette scrambles to her feet, cursing him under her breath as she snatches her mittens and brushes the wool out of her face. Chat is already halfway to the pond, and with one last desperate attempt to win, she chucks her mittens at him.

They miss by a margin, landing in the snow and inciting more laughter.

“You’re a cheat!” she shrieks when Chat reaches the ice. “I hope you know that!”

“Sore loser!” he yells from the ice, already twirling easily on his skates. “You don’t see me complaining every time you win in Ultimate Mecha Strike!”

Marinette retrieves her mittens from the ground and brushes the snow from them. “You complain every single time,” she grinds out, joining him on the ice. The moment her skates touch the pond, Chat’s already darting away from her with easy grace. He glides, spins, then starts skating backwards so the smug grin is fully displayed.

“Come get me!” Chat Noir calls, sticking his tongue out. His hands are tucked behind his back, and he loops each glide, one foot behind the other with ridiculous ease. Show off.

“If you’re going to keep sticking your tongue out, then I dare you to lick that,” Marinette yells at him, pointing at the lamp pole that stands a couple of paces from them. “Bet you won’t.”

Never one to back down from a challenge, he raises an eyebrow. “What do I get if I do?”

“I’ll bake you a batch of whatever you want.”

“Oh, you’re on. Also, if a batch of cookies is usually twelve cookies, do you think I could get a batch of twelve cakes—”

“I’m taking back the bet,” Marinette mock-threatens.

“Okay, okay! I want those mooncakes we had two weeks ago! Three of them.”

She skates up to Chat as he makes his way to the pole. He tromps off the ice, skates sinking into the fresh snow and leaving deep imprints, before sidling up to the pole.

Frost spirals in small flowery patterns over the metal. Marinette grins when she sees Chat hesitate.

“Well?” she asks. “Chickening out now?”

“Never,” he grins. Then, with one swift movement, he licks the metal pole and pulls back.

Or tries to.

Chat lets out a muffled cry of distress and pain when the tip of his tongue sticks to the metal. Immediately, his hands go to wrap around the pole, pulling himself close enough until the hurt smooths off his face, soon replaced by panic. “Marinethe!” he yelps.

Marinette stares at him, her body frozen in a mixture of shock and amusement. Then the shock gives way to pure delight, and she bursts out laughing.

Chat takes it in stride. “Ha, ha,” he grumbles as she doubles over. He looks so stupid, with his tongue sticking out, gloved hands gripping the pole as his eyebrows scrunch. “Vthery thunny, Marinethe. Can you helpth?”

“You should see yourself,” Marinette manages throughout her giggles. “Oh my God, Chat, you really deserve this for not having better judgement.”

He lets out a long suffering groan. “Geth thith offth!”

“This is what people sounded like in Shakespearan times,” she continues.

Chat side-eyes her, unable to move his head any more than a bare centimeter. “Justh helpth!”

“Ooh, I got a good one. Cat got your tongue?”

He groans. “Is thith whath ith thakes for you tho maketh a joke?”

Marinette snaps a quick picture before taking pity on him. “Wait here,” she tells him. “I packed us hot tea. A little bit will be enough to unstick your tongue, probably.”

She skates back to where their bags lay on the bench and retrieves the thermos. Half a minute late, Marinette is pouring the steaming liquid into the cap, cooling it just enough, before raising it over Chat’s tongue. “Okay,” she tells him. “Get ready.”

For all his superhero experience and near-death scrapes, he actually looks scared of the tea. “Ith won’th burn me?”

“No,” Marinette reassures and raises the cup to her lips to take a sip. “See? Warm, not hot.”

Chat closes his eyes. Very carefully, Marinette pours a small stream steadily onto where Chat’s tongue has stuck to the metal pull. “Try to move away?” she suggests.

He wiggles his shoulders.

“I mean your face,” Marinette tells him drily. “Don’t be a scaredy cat.”

He scrunches his nose, then very slowly, moves his head back.

The tea does its job, because Chat unsticks himself from the metal easily. His eyes widen as if he can’t believe his luck, then lifts a cautious hand to his mouth and touches the tip of his tongue. “Ow,” he hisses. “It feels like I’ve burned my taste buds off.”

“You froze your taste buds off, but yes.” Marinette screws the lid back onto the thermos. “Lesson learned?”

“You dared me. You wanted this to happen, huh?”

She shrugs. “Can’t say I wasn’t expecting it.”

A look of playful betrayal sweeps over Chat’s face, and he lunges for her. Marinette, expecting it, scrambles out of the way just in time for him to go barrelling into a pile of snow.

By the time Chat Noir has sat up, snow tucked between his ears and all over his hair like cotton, she is already darting across the ice far, far away from him. Chat shakes the flakes from his head and slips onto the ice in one fluent movement as well.

Marinette grins as he comes skating after her. She’s not quite as confident on her skates without her transformation, but lessons and practice have done it’s good because she’s nearly as good as Chat is on the ice. For a good fifteen seconds she evades his messy attempts to catch her, but her disadvantage without her suit comes creeping up little by little until Chat finally manages to wrap a hand around her wrist.

“Gotcha,” he grins.

Then, with a little shove, Marinette crashes into the bank.

It doesn’t hurt, per say, because it’s a snowdrift he’s sent her into, but the cold is still a shock. For a moment, she stares at Chat, who’s laughing like it’s the funniest thing in the world, before Marinette comes back to her senses and kicks a her leg at the blade of his skates.

Even his enhanced senses don’t help him from tumbling right into the pile of snow next to her.

One look at each other later, they’re both laughing.

(It’s nice; the time together, the easiness and lack of…everything else. It’s nice, his smile. His eyes.)

((And it’s then that Marinette realizes that she’s in deep, deep waters with no sight of the shore.))

***

They sit together on the bench, steaming tea between them, as Marinette shakes the last of the snow from her scarf and toque.

The sun is beginning to set, and the coldness has begun to creep into her bones, leaking through her overcoat. Every exhale sends little ghosts into the air, and even with the warm tea, Marinette is beginning to shiver.

Still, they’d arranged to watch the sunset, which means that she’s going to stay even if it means freezing to death.

“Let’s skate more,” Chat says. “You’ll be less cold if you’re moving.”

“I’d be less cold if you didn’t throw me into a pile of snow,” Marinette says between chattering teeth.

He gives her a sheepish look. “You got payback, at least? Come on.”

She looks at the hand extended to her. For a moment, Marinette hesitates, even if the butterflies in her stomach are doing a whole gymnastics routine and her heart’s thump thump thump must’ve quickened to at least twice as fast.

Then she takes Chat’s hand and lets him pull her to her feet.

This time, when she steps onto the ice, he doesn’t let go. Chat Noir’s hands are comfortably warm, tight around hers, and Marinette lets him lead her around the lake in a simple but graceful glide.

They skate until the sky turns from blue to gold, until the clouds dye orange and the world changes color altogether. It’s only then that Chat stops, lifting his head to the sunset. Marinette follows his gaze.

“It’s still cold,” she tells him pointedly, after a minute.

Before she knows it, Marinette is standing against his back, Chat’s arms draped lazily over her shoulders and his chin resting on top of her head. She can’t see him from where she’s standing, but she wonders if he can see her; if he can hear how her heart has jumped right to her throat and notice how the redness in her cheeks can’t be fully credited to the cold.

“Better?” he asks.

Marinette turns back to the sky, where now a brushstroke of red smears across the horizon. “Only slightly,” she replies as nonchalantly as possible.

His body shakes in a silent laugh. And so they stand on the ice, against the cold, until it all melts away to warmth.

(And Marinette thinks that even if she’s in deep waters, this sort of drowning is the best way to go.)

Notes: Fics masterlist here!

[amara-scott]

Confessions

Movie: Harry Potter (Maurauders Era) Characters: Remus Lupin x Reader Categories: Fluffy and Sweet

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It was a cold winter morning when Lilly woke me up to join her at breakfast. I groggily complied, following her without having exchanged a word. I am not a morning person. And she very much knows that. But she is my friend and leaving her to go alone on a Saturday morning would be too cruel. Simply because of one person. James Potter- we all know they are meant to be. They are both just too stubborn. Well, Lilly is. James would marry her right there and then.

"Thanks again, (y/n), you know I can't handle him. Especially not in the mornings." I just smirk, nodding.

But my smirk is wiped off my tired face as soon as I catch a glimpse of Remus. Remus Lupin. Aka the death of me. Those brown locks and shy smile drive me mad. Sure I didn't tell anybody, everyone would make fun of me for it. Just like they do with Potter and Evans. Besides, I know he doesn't feel the same. He has a huge crush on that Gryffindor Girl that has luscious golden locks and full, pouty lips. It's hopeless, really. But Lilly has other plans as she drags me with her, right up to the Marauders.

"Good morning, beautiful Lilly-flower. How did you sleep?" There's the reason why I'm here.

"Shut it Potter, not today." Lilly mutters as she sits down opposite him and pulls me down next to her. Her small blush obvious to everyone. I sit down. Right next to Remus. I try not to show my excitement. Or how nervous I've gotten all of a sudden. And definitely not turn toward him.

It must have been too forced which is why Sirius sends a smirk my way. I raise an eyebrow in return.

“Why so tense, (Y/N)? Can’t handle the beauty in front of you? You seem overwhelmed-“

“Actually, let me stop you right there, Sirius. Nothing of the above.” Remus chuckles next to me but it turns into a muffled cough, which catches my attention and I can’t help and turn too look at him. The first time I really do today. And a sense of hurt fills me as I see his scared face. Another rough night. I lift a hand to touch his shoulder but decide against it mid-air.

“Remus, are you alright?” He doesn’t glance back just pokes at his food and still holding a fist to his lips after the cough. He shakes his head and ignores my question. I frown and turn back forward, trying to feel hungry. Actually, trying to feel anything but a void in my stomach. And hurt. He never ignored me. Sure, he is frank sometimes and maybe doesn’t always looks me in the eye when we talk but- he never once ignored me.

“Soo, are we going to Hogsmeade tomorrow?” James asks, trying to cut the tension at the table but I can’t hold it in anymore and am scared they will see my glossy eyes.

I shake my head and stand up briefly. “Sorry.” I speed walk down the table and out of the Great Hall. I only stop once I reached the common room and decide to sit on the couch until classes would start. Who needs food anyway. I bury my head in a book and nearly miss to leave for our first class. Potions. Funny enough this is the only class I usually sit next to Remus because James sat next to Lilly the first time. Now I slow down my walk and hope he might have switched seats. When I enter though Remus is glancing around until his eyes land on me. I freeze for a second but gulp down my nerves and take my usual seat next to him.

It’s quite for a while. I don’t look over and he doesn’t say anything. Not even raising his hand when I can clearly see he did his homework and knows the correct answer.

A paper ball lands on his side of the desk which catches my attention. I don’t want to be nosey so I don’t try to read what’s written there. But I get where it must have come from by the look he is sending over to Sirius. Sirius gestures wildly at him, looking stern and I frown until he points over to me and our eyes meet- he quickly whips his hand up and ruffles his hair, sending me an awkward smile with a wave. Then turns back around.

I frown but don’t question it any further, trying to also ignore the eyes I feel on the side of my face. I Scribble down on my parchment but can’t help and notice Remus clearing his throat a couple times. After the third time I sigh and glance up. He’s wringing his fingers below the table and his eyes dart up as he sees me looking up. His eyes growing wide for a second before he sends me a small, uneasy smile.

“Hey.” He whispers. I can’t help but let my gaze linger on the scar below his eye. It looks painful and I quickly relax my face as I notice I’ve been cringing at him.

“Hi.” I reply and have to send a smile back. I can’t stop myself. He does that to me. Goofball. I am about to turn back to our task as he opens his mouth, inhaling- as if to say something. But he stops himself.

I raise a brow at him and wait. “What’s up?” Is add, trying to encourage him to keep going.

“I- I just-“ he smiles down at his hands and turns toward me slightly, “-I wanted to apologize. You probably think I’m absolutely rude and, and insufferable-“

He wants to ramble on but I glance up to the podium to see McGonogall sending us a suspicious look. I turn back to Remus, taking one of his fidgety hands and he stops talking, looking down at our hands.

“Remus, it’s okay. I still like you- let’s get back to work and talk later, alright?” I give him another small smile and he sighs, sending one back, nodding.

It took a short moment longer before I let go off his hand and turn back forward. I shield my warm cheeks from his view with my hair covering them now. The grin on my face suppressed.

___

“So- who’s up for a ride on our magnificent sled this fine evening?” James asks as he rounds the couch of the common room where Lilly and I sit, reading and talking. Our eyes go up to him as Sirius joins his side, throwing an arm over his shoulder and sending us mischievous smile. I roll my eyes and glance over to Lilly who’s sighing. But she wears a smile, her eyes finding mine.

“What do you say?” She asks me and I shrug my shoulders, standing up and throwing the book onto the soft cushioned couch.

“Why not, it’s beautiful outside.”

“Remus is coming as well~” Sirius is singing teasingly as he walks off with James to get ready, but not without winking at me over his shoulder. My eyes grow wide at his remark. Does he know? I tried really hard to hide that crush.

“-(Y/N)? Let’s go, come on.” Lilly pulls me out of my trance and pulls me after her at my sleeve.

“So, what’s that with you and Remus?” She asks, a small grin on her lips.

“What do you mean? Nothings going on.” I reply, maybe too quickly because Lilly sends me another big goofy grin and I roll my eyes, as she rummages through her stuff, throwing a beanie at me and one of her gryffindor scarfs.

“Whatever helps you sleep at night.” She mumbles and we jog back down to the common room, waiting for the boys.

As they join us, James picks up a squealing Lilly and runs ahead. Sirius carries the sleds and nods at us. “See you there, losers.” He runs off as well, yelling after them. Now it’s just Remus and me. Peter needed to rest, he’s been sick for a few days already, enjoying his peace in Madame Pomfrey’s Medical Wing.

“Are you going anywhere special this Christmas?” I ask, trying to cut the tension I felt growing. I loved that we quietly, without saying a word, decided not to run after them. We kept walking normally.

“No, just staying home, what about you?” I bury my hands deep in my pockets as we step outside, the wind instantly blowing across our skin.

“No, neither do we. My grandparents are coming over this year tho, so- that will be interesting.” I mumble and he chuckles, I glance up at him.

“I couldn’t hear what you were saying.” I realize I’ve talked into my scarf and push it down a little, my face now warm anyway.

“Hey! Watch out-“ I can’t even look at the source of the voice when a snowball hits me right on the cheek. I stumble, squeezing my eyes shut but Remus holds me before I slip.

I blink my eyes open, Remus wiping at my cheek, frowning. “Are you alright?” I nod quickly, staring into his warm eyes.

“Guys, come on!” Sirius whines and runs over.

“Seriously, be more careful Sirius.” Remus mumbles, quite annoyed as he turns to him, his hand leaving my hair, where he had also tried to get the snow wiped away.

“Aw, are you mad I threw snow at your girlfriend?” He smirks and folds his arms. I stare at the icy ground now and Remus says something under his breath while bending down and collecting a pile of snow, Sirius quickly runs off and giggles. Remus runs after him, holding his beanie as it’s slipping off.

“Get back here, Black!”

I hide my smile behind the scarf and walk toward where Lilly is watching James, who seems to struggle with a spell. He rearranged his glasses, his cheeks slightly tinted pink as he sends a shy smile over to Lilly. “I nearly got it.”

“Hey, why aren’t you sledding yet?” I ask as I join Lilly’s side.

“James wanted to make the sled bigger so- more people could fit on. But-“

“-I nearly got it, okay?” He clears his throat again and gulps. He gets so flustered, trying to prove himself to Lilly. It’s absolutely adorable. “Enlargio!”

I take a step back and Lilly follows suit. The sled grows in size, not too much either. Well, I guess successful?

“See?” He smirks and gestures toward his accomplishment. Lilly claps, her mittens muting the sound.

“Well done, you mighty wizard.” I add and he glares over, taking a pile of snow quickly. I hold my hands up.

“Sorry, sorry, please don’t- I already got enough snow in my face for today.” He chuckles and we look over to Remus still running after Sirius, he finally tackles him to the ground and pushes a snowball into Sirius’ face. We all laugh at the scene and walk over, up the hill.

“Hey, let poor Sirius go, I think he learned his lesson.” Lilly states and I nod, smirking at Remus as he stands up, out of breath, just as Sirius.

The latter stands up too, wiping himself off the snow and flares at Remus.

“What was that for anyway?” James asks and Sirius smirks through his white lashes.

“Yeah, Remus, what for?”

“I just- just don’t be so rude to-“

“-to, (Y/N)?” Sirius finishes for him and I roll my eyes, Remus sighing.

“Yes.” He grits out and I raise a brow at them both. They are standing now, facing each other again, Remus looking ready to throw another snowball if Sirius kept talking. And Sirius- well he just doesn’t know when to stop.

“Why don’t you just tell her that you like her? Maybe then I’ll stop.” He grabs more snow and strides my way, throwing a look over his shoulder at Remus. I shriek and turn, running away. But I am no way as fast as he is. He grabs me around my waist with one arm and lifts me up, laughing as I try to wriggle free. He holds his other hand close to my face, turning us to face the others.

“Come on Remus, you know what to do-“

“Sirius, stop, I’m gonna get sick-“

“I like her, okay? Is that what you wanted to hear?”

“Don’t tell me, Remus, tell her-“ Sirius turns me further and I stop struggling, looking at Remus. He seems in conflict but shuts is eyes for a moment. When he looks back at me he gulps and steps forward.

“I- I really like you. A lot.” I want to throw my scarf and beanie off, that’s how hot I got and run toward him. Telling him I feel the same. But before I can even say anything I feel cold snow. My eyes back closed. I step on his foot now causing Sirius to finally let me go.

Remus is by my side once again and helps me with the snow. “I’ll kill him.” He whispers and runs his thumb across my cheek.

“You may. But- not without-“ I lean up and holds his face as I press a kiss to his lips. Brief but all I needed to tell him I return the feelings. He smiles down at me, his face now warm and eyes lingering on my lips and back up my eyes.

“I’ll be right back.” He adds quietly and runs around me, Sirius not noticing at first so they both stumble to the ground and throw snow at each other.

Lilly walks up and James follows suit. “Well, that took longer than expected- I owe Peter 5 galleons now.” I whip my head toward him and frown, he looks back at me, startled. “Did I say that out loud?” I nod at him. “Oh oh.” He turns around and runs off, me hot on his heels and Lilly joins me.

“Come back here, Potter!”

_________________________________

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[adhd-disaster-willie]

like lemongrass and sleep; chapter 1/?

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

word count: 1,516

warnings: none

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

---

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

“The new kid's name is Alex Mercer.”

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

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

“You mean it?” Flynn asked, beaming.

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

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

---

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

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

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

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

Alex flushed slightly. “Uh yea…”

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

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

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

---

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

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

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

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

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

“Bye dad!”

“Bye Mr. Miller!”

“Let’s goooo!”

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

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

“Yea.”

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

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

Julie shrugged. “Maybe.”

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

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

---

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

[freckles-and-jalapeno]

First Snow

Word count: about 5K 🎧: this Originally I posted it on AO3 in 2 languages, English and Russian. Check it out if you'd like! Other than that, I hope u enjoy! 🌟

--------------

First snow...

No, we’re not talking about that pathetic, grey, mashed potato-like mud that makes your socks wet. It’s not those soggy pieces of cold white cotton wool, blown into the folds of your scarf by the wind. And it’s not that icy-cold frost that bites into your cheeks and ears, ruffles your hair and pierces the layers of your coat and sweaters. It’s that warm, pure December snow that quietly falls from the sky in soft flakes.

- What fine weekend weather we‘re having today! - happily said Tonks as she was crunching on her cheese toast. - Last week, you said exactly the same thing about the snowstorm - remarked Talbott, briefly looking up from his book "Transfiguration Tips for Young Wizards and Witches".

"What’s wrong with enjoying life?" Tonks would have answered, but since her mouth was still full of food, she only managed “Fffoosss wwonkk ittph eehooaaifff?”

Indeed, everyone at Hogwarts was in high spirits: the winter holidays were in full swing, half of the tables in the Great Hall were removed to accommodate beautiful Christmas trees, and students from different houses were allowed to sit together. Y/N, Tulip and Bill were the first ones to arrive for breakfast and attack the apple oatmeal; then Talbott and Tonks joined them. The air was full of joyful hubbub: the owls, who already delivered their morning parcels, were hooting and flapping their wings; students were rattling with their spoons and cups or loudly discussing the latest gossip from The Daily Prophet . And yet, there was one man in the castle who did not share the common joy.

Charlie has entered the Great Hall and tragically plopped down next to Tonks. - It’s a nightmare. I asked Francesca Wayne out on a date, and she agreed. - And... isn't that good news? - Bill gestured with his spoon of oatmeal towards his brother. Coincidentally, some oatmeal flew off the spoon, soared over the table and sludged right onto Barnaby’s shoulder.

- Her agreeing to go on a date with me was good. - Charlie said. - We were strolling around Hogsmeade, and everything was swell until some fifth-year Slytherin student unexpectedly jinxed me with the Tarantallegra charm. I began to tap-dance like a madman!.. And then it got worse. I was still dancing by the time Fitwick showed up. He did cast a counter-spell, but.. - Charlie covered his face with hands, and now was talking through his fingers. - ...by that time I had already managed to plummet into some mud nearby… I suspect it was porlock’s dung. It smelled all the same. Basically, I looked like a complete idiot ... oh, crickey!

Just at this moment they noticed a group of cute Hufflepuff girls passing by. For some mysterious reason, all girls had their hair gathered in a neat, long ponytail. The tallest gal from the gang stopped and waved in their direction.

- Hee-hee! Hiiiii Charlie! .. How are your legs doing today? ..

The feeling of shame caused Charlie’s face to take on a shade of beet.

- This is officially it. I quit girls. From now on, I will become a druid, go somewhere like Egypt and will only be dealing with dragons.

- Oh come on, Charlie! Don’t mind Francesca! - Y/N reassuringly patted her friend on the arm. - You know, I often see her in Potions class: she hides behind a cauldron and picks her nose, thinking that no one can see her.

- So true, - Tulip signed with her brows. - I bet she’s eating her boogers, too!

The whole company burst into loud laughter.

- But seriously though, - continued Tonks. - Let's forget everything about these bloody incidents and celebrate the weekend properly! Let's visit Hogsmeade, buy some butterbeer….

- Take a look at Zonko’s! ..

- Blimey, how could we forget about Zonkos’ for a split second?..

- Actually, this might be a good idea. I do need a new moke leather bag...

- I”ll get some sugar quills! ..

And so they agreed.

* * *

After shoving themselves into warm sweaters, hats, and mittens, they headed out of the Courtyard together. Bill, Charlie, and Tulip were walking in front, followed by Talbott, Y/N and Tonks. The group chatted about the upcoming semester and wondered which subject will have them writing most essays. Shortly thereafter, they met Professor Snape, grouchily making his way back to the castle, and they started proposing different versions of why he wasn’t around much these days and what mysterious business he was up to. Finally, they had an argument about what kind of festive pudding the elves would be making for the last day of holidays. Talbott betted galleons to Fizzing Whizzbees that the pudding will have strawberry flavor, Y/N voted for lemon, and Tonks - for cherry.

The road was gradually getting covered in white. Snow was sneaking into their boots, and the wind was merrily propelling them forward.

Suddenly, when friends were walking past a small brome grass field (now frozen and covered in snowdrifts), a large snowball glided through the air, furiously whistling all the while. It crashed directly into Tulip’s hood and majestically exploded with snowflake glitter.

- What the %#!*i9&! - angrily cursed the Ravenclaw as she turned around in search of the culprit.

Tonks was standing a little further away, now mockingly tossing another snowball up and down.

- Haha. One-zero, Karasu. C’mon you guys, we can't just walk away from this much snow.

Tulip shook her head to get the snow out her hair.

- Well, you're doomed, you little pink-haired witch! - she yelled and lunged herself at Tonks.

- Look at yourself, you tomato head! - metamorphine shouted in response and dashed away from her friend, laughing uncontrollably.

Unable to resist such good fun, the rest joined the battle, which was about to become the greatest strategic snowball battle in the history of Hogwarts.

They split into 2 teams. While one of his teammates was distracting the others, Talbott would conjure gigantic snowballs and avalanche them onto the heads of enemies via Wingardium Leviosa. Meanwhile, Tulip sneaked up on Charlie using a disillusionment charm; she grabbed his red hair and dipped him into a snowdrift right up to his neck. Bill, suddenly filled with brotherly instinct, jumped in front of Y/N and covered her from a charge of Tonks’ snowballs with his body. This sacrifice, however, turned out to be utterly useless, as the very next moment Charlie doubled the snow artillery in her direction; so much so that he knocked Y/N’s cap off.

At last, they tumbled in Madam Rosmerta's pub as one noisy lump of fun and laughter: cold, wobbly and covered with snow, but lively and carefree nonetheless.

- A table for six, please! - Tonks demanded in a jolly voice.

- For six? M’dears… - a low pitched, cackle-like noise came from a table at the very door.

It was professor Trelawney who tremulously perked up from underneath her thousand and one sherry-scented shawls.

- I think I heard I ... saw that you wanted a table for six? But did you know, m’dears, that the ancient scroll of prophecy specifically says NOT to sit down at a table on the sixth day of lunar December, if you are a group of six? The last one to sit down will lose a friend on the very same night ...

The group of friends exchanged puzzled glances. Of course, no one believed in Trelawney's predictions, but it was still very uncomfortable to hear things like that.

- Here, please. - Madam Rosmerta appeared in front of them before anyone had the time to reply to the terrible omen. She led the group up to a cozy table next to the fireplace.

- Blimey! What rubbish this old blind cat is saying this time? - Tonks hissed.

- Nonsense, like the usual. Every tea leaf class she’s now predicting a painful and a horrible death for just about everybody. Woo-o-o-o! Some dark forces are hovering over Hogwarts… - Y/N mimicked professor Trelawney’s voice and gestures. - But when aren’t they?

- Right. - nodded Talbott. - Besides, no one has died so far.

- Uh .. Well, who wants to sit down last? - Charlie asked hesitatingly.

- I’ll go! - volunteered Y/N.

- Suit yourself. - shrugged Charlie and hastily sat down.

- You don't believe those silly predictions, do you, Charlie? - Tulip settled down on a nearby chair. - Take a look, there are so many people around here sitting in groups of six. This doesn’t mean they will all lose a friend overnight ...

- Numerologically speaking, it is simply impossible, - added Bill and sat down, too.

Tonks sat down next to Bill. Talbott thoughtfully gazed at Y/N for a moment, and then he silently joined the others. Y/N was the last one to sit.

Without listening to friends’ endless squabble about Trelawney's competence, she stretched her legs towards fire, feeling blissfully warm and tired. Today was such a good day. And Madam Rosmerta is about to bring butterbeer for everybody! ..

- While we’re here, - Tulip cleaned her throat, - we need to make sure that there is enough of the wonderful drink for each one of us.

She took out her wand and pointed it at the glasses with beer.

- Engorgio!

The glasses had grown twice in size. They weren’t glasses anymore, really - they were jugs.

Bill raised his jug in the air:

- Let's drink to friendship! - To loyalty! - To honesty! - To dung bombs! - To holidays! - To Hogwarts!

Comfortably nestled at The Three Broomsticks, friends were clinking their glasses and drinking, and then some more, and a little bit more. At last, when everyone started to feel the soothing and flushing effects of the caramel liquid, Tulip grabbed a pack of Self-Shuffling playing cards from her coat.

- Alright, friends. How about we play some truth or dare? - she suggested.

- Since when does truth or dare require cards? - argued Charlie.

- Since today, you silly redhead. Highest card gets to ask. Lowest card gets to answer. I'll start, you chickens... Y/N, take one card, too.

Y/N stretched her hand forward and caught a card that jumped out of the deck. One moment later, the two girls smashed their cards onto the table. Charlie declared:

-Three of feathers and a phoenix. Hey, Tulip wins!

Tulip let out a wide mischievous grin.

- Y/N, tell us the truth then. Marry, flip, kill: Penny, Merula, Charlie.

Bill and Tonks immediately started to giggle and nudge each other with their elbows. Talbott and Charlie, on the other hand, straightened up in their chairs, leaned forward and stared at Y/N solemnly, without blinking.

After some thinking, Y/N tilted her head to one side and replied:

- Okay, I think I got it. I’d marry ... Charlie.

Tonks let out a loud whistle.

- I ... Uuhhh thanks I guess? - responded Charlie, blushing furiously.

- I would flip ... Merula. - continued Y/N.

- You mean you’d flip the greatest witch at Hogwarts? Ha-ha, that’s an interesting choice. - Tulip mightily slapped Y/N on the shoulder.

- Wow Tulip. - Talbott gingerly proceeded to remove Tulip’s hand from Y/N’s shoulder. - You pronounce “horrifying” differently than I do.

- Wait, so this means that you kill ... Penny? - Bill's jaw dropped in astonishment.

-Don’t get me wrong ... - explained Y/N. - She’s nice and all, but sometimes I get this feeling that she’s following me everywhere… and I mean everywhere. So yeah.

- Poor Penny. The sun-like creature who is always happy to see you. - Talbott chuckled. - And now, she has to DIE.

Their table shook from the loud cackling.

Brilliant! - Tulip clapped her hands. - The first round is over. Y/N, you won, now you get to choose who draws cards next..

Y/N chose Bill and Tonks.

- 7 of wands and 9 of stars! That was a close one, Bill. - Tonks’ face glowed up and her hair turned raspberry color. - So here is your dare, William...

- Oh no, no, no ... - Bill grabbed his red hair and started to crumple them.

- Don’t fret, dear Bill! I like you, so I will provide you with options... You can either ask Ismelda for a kiss or... you can kiss a garden gnome’s tummy!

Y/N and Talbott simultaneously snorted into their butterbeer glasses, almost choking on the drink. Bill, on the other hand, looked like someone had just asked him to drink a cup of newt’s goo.

- What bloody hell is this, Tonks ?? - he howled from annoyance and smashed his fists on the table. - There are NO gnomes in here!

- Most certainly there are. - Tonks replied calmly. - Take a peak at that table in the corner.

The table in the corner was taken up by Hagrid. He was quietly cooing with a small potato-like creature he had brought to the pub - apparently in secret from Rosmerta. At this very moment, he was feeding colorful Bertie Botts beans to the gnome.

- Merlin's saint underwear! - Y/N whispered reverently - It looks like Hagrid knitted a suit for him ...

And surely so, if one was to look closely, the gnome was dressed in a blue sweater and coarse-knit socks that were almost reaching the creature's thighs (if garden gnomes have thighs, of course). By some unknown coincidence, the gnome had no pants at all.

Bill looked at Tonks with the most touching expression Y/N had ever seen in his eyes.

- Can we play without the kisses?

- Hey, come on. I'm not asking you to kiss a Dementor, aren’t I? - Tonks just laughed in response.

(read here if you want Bill to kiss Ismelda)

I can't believe I'm doing this. - Bill shook his head. - I'll go out there and ask Ismelda for a kiss.

Charlie delightfully roared "Hallelujah!" and let a few green sparks out of the end of his wand. Tulip, Y/N and Tonks began to synchronously thump on the table and whisper: “Smooch! Smooch! Smooch! Smooch!”... Talbott threw his hands behind his head and settled himself more comfortably on the bench, getting ready for the spectacle.

... As a prisoner goes to be executed on a guillotine, that is how Bill Weasley was approaching Ismelda. The Slytherin gal was chatting with her fellow students at the bar.

- Check it out, it looks like she noticed him ... - Tulip started to comment on the action. - He’s telling her something ... great, they have contact! Come on, come on ....

- I almost feel sorry for him now - announced Charlie.

- Never let me forget this, ok? - Talbott smiled lazily.

Nobody else had the time to add anything because in the next second, the pub was filled with Ismelda’s shrilly wails, immediately followed by the ones of Bill. The girl, as one might expect, went absolutely berserk at Bill’s proposal and wacked him in the eye with all her mighty strength.

- Left hook! Fa-la-la…. A punch to the stomach! Fa-la-la ... And our hero returns ho-o- ome! .. - friends began chanting Bill's name merrily, with no tune or tempo whatsoever, which attracted even more attention to the oldest Weasley.

- Somebody please tell me why I became friends with a bunch of brainless doxies.. - Bill muttered under his breath as he was sitting down. He tried to say it with the most serious expression there is, but all the while his lips were quivering from a suppressed smile.

(read here if you want Bill to kiss the gnome)

- I can't believe I'm doing this. - Bill shook his head. - I choose to kiss Hagrid’s gnome.

- On the tummy! - abruptly corrected him Tonks. - Otherwise, you'll have to redo the dare!

- His tummy looks like pumice, did you know that? It’s crusty and hard and got some weird flakes falling off of it… And it smells just like my Great Aunt Tessie’s feet! - Bill exclaimed in anger.

- Stop whining! Just go already. While we sit here and enjoy ... - one could hear pure delight in Charlie’s voice as he was (for once) telling his older brother off.

Bill let out a sad sigh, got up from the table and started to make his way towards Hagrid. Apparently, the giant was not very happy to see him - the garden gnome would be considered quite a contraband for Madam Rosmerta, and she could forever ban Hagrid from The Three Broomsticks.

- Crickey, it's starting now! - excitedly squeaked Tulip.

The company stared at the show unfolding in front of them without blinking.

- Ah, it seems that the birds started chirping, can you hear? - Talbott said quietly.

- Fountains are sparkling, little hearts are flying in the air! - continued Y/N.

- Oh gosh, oh look! Oh, he’s kissing him!

As a matter of fact, it seemed like the angels themselves started crooning the moment Bill's lips softly touched the gnome’s belly button.

The friends doubled over with mirth. Tonks laughed so hard that butterbeer and snot started spewing from her nose.

But the gnome, as it occurred, did not like being distracted from his bean feast at all. The creature got even more upset as all the boundaries of his personal space were violated, and probably that’s why he suddenly growled and bit Bill’s nose. "Crunch!" - the sound echoed throughout the pub. Bill angrily yowled and burst out in obscenities. Now all the eyes in the pub were watching in his direction only.

- Yeh… What are yeh doing?! Stahp scaring the baby ... - Hagrid said gruffly and hid the gnome in his pocket. - Go back to yer’ friends, now, or he’ll start molting from stress .. And tis’ the worst, you know ...

Bill returned to their table, still rubbing his swollen nose in frustration.

- Oh, hey, Father Christmas! Did you bring us any gifts? - Charlie mused.

- I brought you a whipping, reptiloids... - Bill replied with the most serious face he could make, but his lips were quivering from a barely suppressed smile.

* * *

It was getting dark. While the group of friends was drinking and enjoying themselves at the pub, Hogsmeade was slowly being enveloped by velvet darkness. One after the other, the stars were lighting up. Here and there, windows of little shops and huts were blossoming in shades of orange. The garlands and wreaths, untouched after the holidays, were glittering with frost. Now there was cheerful music emerging from Madame Rosmerta's pub - those were the local musicians. They were playing flute, lute and tambone. One of the guests, who had a pig's snout instead of a nose, joined the musicians and started to grunt and beat on the drum. Many visitors picked up this joyous tune and began clapping and tapping to the beat - slowly at first, then faster and louder. One of the guests - a bubbly witch dressed in a lilac robe and a pointed hat - jumped from her chair, knocking over a mug of fiery whiskey, and began to dubstep dashingly with a goblin in a tweed jacket.

- Wowza, it's getting hot in here, - Bill said, wiping his beer mustache away. - Let's have the last round and head back. Talbott and Charlie, now it's your turn.

- My pleasure, - replied Talbott and drew a card.

Charlie drew a card with a higher suit.

- A perfect ending for a perfect day! As you can see, I'm a man of many talents, not only Quidditch. - Charlie boasted and gracefully ran his hand through his hair.

- Uh, yeah, except that quidditch sucks, - Talbott raised his eyebrows.

- You suck! - Charlie blurted.

- Mmm ... not as much as quidditch. - smirked Ravenclaw in response.

The young Weasley's cheeks turned so red that one could easily fry eggs on them if they wanted.

- Fine. Okay. If you do hate quidditch that much, maybe you’d care more for dancing? I dare you, Talbott Winger, to go out there and have the best time of your life on the dancefloor - yes, IN FRONT of the musicians! But of course I can’t let you suffer alone - sarcastically added Charlie. - Go ahead and invite someone to dance with you… if they agree to dance with a haircut like yours, that is.

Talbott squinted his eyes and examined Charlie’s face in disbelief.

- Uhhh ... I look cool.

- Pffft. Whatever you say. - the redhead let out a cheesy grin.

- I say I look cool. - Talbott replied calmly.

Tulip and Tonks audibly snorted.

- Now then… Who will be the lucky one to have the ultimate all-inclusive Talbott Winger experience? - asked Bill and started to tap his fingers on the table. The rest of the group picked on this beat and joined Bill, making the sound be a very accurate drum roll.

- Hmmm ... I know just who to take on this adventure. Y/N... would you like to dance with me? - asked Talbott and offered her a hand - I promise not to step on your toes more than three times.

- Oh? I thought you “fly solo”... - teased him Y/N as she was taking his hand and getting up from the table.

Talbott didn’t answer, just sighed and rolled his eyes at her.

The two entered the dance floor in an uncertain and shy manner. A new festive holiday song was just beginning. Another vocalist stepped onto the stage, bowed, and dimmed the pub lights with Nox . He then casually flicked his wand, created a few golden and silver wandering pellets of light, and then sent them floating around the pub. Soon, the music began to play, and the vocalist started singing in a heart-warming voice:

Last Christmas, I gave you my Hippogriff,

But the very next day, you gave it away...

Y/N felt that the majority of gazes were directed at her and Talbott - not at the singing wizard. What a strange feeling - to be in the spotlight. It got very hot; she felt a few sweat drops form and slide down her forehead. Talbott looked at Y/N with a weird expression on his face. He seemed to be slightly uncomfortable, too. Without changing his bewildered expression, he took Y/N's hands and placed them on his shoulders, then dropped his hands on her waist.

- Talbott ... I hope you know what you’re doing? - Y/N inquired quietly.

- What kind of question is this, of course I don’t know what I’m doing. - said Talbott with feigned confidence.

- Now I get it. You're winging it, Winger!

Both dancers burst out laughing. The tension was released. They began to move, jump and spin to the beat of the music. And even Merula's screams about how they looked like two prancing warty frogs could not spoil their mood. Maybe they weren't professionals and had no idea what they were doing, but they were having a lot of fun together.

The song ended. To Y/N’s great surprise, there was an applause from the audience! Someone from the crowd even threw them a bright, fragrant bouquet of orchids, freshly conjured from the air.

- For the record, I hate dancing. But it wasn’t all that horrible with you around. - Talbott said bashfully. - Maybe I should have gathered my courage and should have gone to the Celestial ... you know ...

Talbott and Y/N returned to the table, slightly out of breath after the dance and still holding hands. “Two brooos !! chilling at the Three Broomsticks! Five feet apart ‘cause they’re not friends!” - the others hollered and cheered and greeted the two back.

- Will you just shut up?.. - chuckled Y/N as she was letting Talbott's warm hand go.

* * *

It was time to return back to the castle. Friends were getting dressed in silence. All their wet clothes had almost dried up by the fire, and for those pieces that weren’t dry yet, they used their wands. Before leaving the pub, Y/N gave the bouquet to Madam Rosmerta. At the very exit, Trelawney's warnings came back to Y/N. It was so scary to think that on this night, according to the prophecy, she would lose a friend, and so she chased those thoughts away. As soon as the group stepped outside, contrast between the warm pub and icy cold air made them cough. Sniffing and cursing from freezing weather, they rushed towards Hogwarts down the snow-cleared path. This night was especially quiet: there was only the sound of snow creaking under their feet, and from time to time there came a bird’s distant cry.

- Bloody hell, we never bought anything, - Charlie complained in annoyance.

- Well… Let it burn, then. It will just be added to that list of four hundred things I have to do tomorrow ... or the day after ... or after.. or after .... - Tonks answered him with a loud yawn.

Friends were already approaching the doors of the castle when Talbott deliberately started to slow down. He stopped right in front of a path fork that was turning off the main road and leading to the owlery.

- Ummm... I need to send a letter to someone, - he said shyly, milling about the path. - Care to join me, Y/N?

“Hmm .. that’s a strange request, it’s practically nighttime... Something is fishy (pardon me, birdy) here.” - Y/N thought in her head, but out loud she only said:

- Uhh .. okay, sure. Let’s go.

After all, Talbott was her friend, and she had no reason to mistrust him.

The group of friends said their goodbyes and parted ways. Talbott and Y/N turned to the owlery. Tulip was waving at them a very long time after that, until their silhouettes blurred out, enclosed by the veil of snow.

Several minutes had passed since Talbott and Y/N were alone together. They were strolling down the path and talking about all sorts of things that happened during the past few days. The two of them were approaching the little towers of the Owlery rather quickly, and now only a small meadow was separating them from a brick staircase leading upstairs. In the summertime, the meadow was blooming with daisies and dandelions and was serving as a perfect playground for Puffskeins and Knarls. But now, the meadow seemed to have stopped in time: bare bushes were the only thing that was left from thick flowering plants; icy ground was tightly intertwined with fallen grass and wrapped in snowdrifts. Here and there, towered a few cedar pines, spruces, and chestnuts, but now they all were covered with white snow dust. For some reason, Talbott stopped walking towards the Owlery when they reached this meadow, and he began searching for something in his pockets. Finally, judging by the way his face lit up, he found what he was looking for. Aloof animagus beckoned Y/N closer. He was clutching something in his fist. As soon as Y/N approached, he opened his hand; there were two small luminous grains lying on his palm.

- What are these, Talbott? - said Y/N in quiet astonishment.

- These are midnight mint seeds, - he replied. - Professor Sprout gave them to me this Christmas.

- I have never heard of them…

- These are very rare. They can only be harvested once a year from underneath ash flowers. In places where you plant them, blood will never be shed again. - Talbott remarked in a lowered voice.

Y/N couldn’t stop staring at the grains. They seemed alive.

- Don't be afraid, touch them.

Y/N carefully raised her hand above the luminous grains and covered them with it.

- They’re warm! - not expecting that, Y/N let out a smile from ear to ear.

Talbott nodded. He looked straight into her eyes.

- I kept looking for an opportunity to plant them. Today seemed very special to me, and I decided to do it now. With you. If you want to.

- I ... of course I do! - Y/N’s cheeks and neck were rapidly getting covered with blush. - But aren't seeds planted in the fall?

- Not these. These should be planted in winter. They can only be planted under snow.

Y/N and Talbott knelt down and started preparing the soil for the seeds. They dug up a sufficient amount of snow, and then carefully placed glowing grains onto dead grass. They covered them with several layers of grey leaves and twigs, and then put a dense snow blanket above it all. But even through all these layers, the magic light of the seeds was shining through. Moreover, it seemed to have intensified and was now pulsating. For a brief instant, the pulsation stopped, and little blue stars began to emerge from under the snow, where the seeds were planted - similar to mini-fireworks. The stars took off and fell, crumbling and shattering into smaller pieces and dust. But the most spectacular thing that two friends were now hearing was... singing. It was a wonderful, calm and solemn melody without words. It was sung by the grains! Y/N had never heard such music before; she felt how her heart was opening up because of this melody. If someone had looked out of the Owlery window at that moment, then through the veil of a starting blizzard, they would have only distinguished a soft blue light illuminating two young faces floating above it.

The singing ceased; the blue light also faded away. Friends were silent for a minute, as if they were afraid to destroy the soothing feeling that the magical grains have produced within them. Finally, Talbott said in a hushed voice :

- You know, I didn’t actually need to send any letters. I just wanted to spend some time with you but without those dorks. So ... Thank you for being here with me.

His eyes crinkled at the corners as he was smiling softly at Y/N.

- It was my pleasure, - she answered quietly.

Talbott rose and brushed the snow off his knees. He then reached out his palms towards Y/N to help her get up, but he did not let go of them after that.

- There was something else. Care for one more dance with me?

For the second time during that evening, Y/N and Talbott were dancing together. But this time it was so much different than it was in the pub!! Instead of all the noise and din of The Three Broomsticks, soft spruce paws were playing them a silent symphony of winter. It was a melody of silence, a melody of bright joy, a melody of snowflakes and wind. This melody cannot be heard unless one would actively try to listen to it. The snow was falling inaudibly. It was cascading from the sky in large flakes, performing a couple of waltz motions with the dancers, and then laying down on the ground and sparkling merrily under their feet. These instants were filled with a sense of miracle: without any magic or magic wands.

- You know, dancing like this is so much better than having to dance while hundreds of thousands of eyes are staring at you. - Y/N noted.

- Agreed.

Gradually, without noticing it themselves, two friends stopped dancing. They were now standing across each other, looking at individual snowflakes on their faces and hair. Every now and then, several small crystals would shiver and gravitate down, but they would never reach the ground as they would melt in a cloud of frosty haze from their mouths. It was very quiet now. Soft light was being reflected from snow and onto their cheeks, flushed from the cold.

- We might freeze this way. - said Talbot, slightly smiling.

Slowly and gently, he unwound his blue and silver scarf and wrapped it around his own neck first, and then around Y/N's neck; now their heads were even closer to each other, connected by knitted threads. Y/N could see his face much more clearly now. She could see glitter in his brown eyes, his every eye lash, every mole, she could smell the herbal scent of his shampoo ... she could even feel the warmth of his breath.

- What I actually wanted to tell you, Y/N, - Talbott said softly, - is that the longer I think about it, the more it seems to me that professor Trelawney was right about her prophecy.

- H-how do you mean? - stuttered Y/N.

- You’re about to lose a friend because I don't think ... I don't think that I can stay friends with you any longer ... I want to be much more than that, - Talbott whispered and leaned over toward Y/N's lips and kissed her.

It was a light, subtle kiss, but Y/N could clearly feel the warmth gently spreading among her skin. And then, another kiss followed … and one more ... and one more.

All the while, the snow was falling - soundlessly, tirelessly, tenderly.

* * *

Much later, after going back to her dorm in the Gryffindor Tower, Y/N had been sitting on a windowsill for a very, very long time. She was looking through a window, wreathed by frost: at the icy lake, at never-ending fields, covered with silver and at the...

First snow.

[lycorogue]

Perfect Doesn’t Need to be Perfect: Chapter 5

Yeah, bit of a heads up, this chapter got away from me and became way more angsty than I intended. 0_0 I'm gonna try to bring this story back to fluffiness in the next chapter. Sorry about that.

In the original story (as you're well aware because I'm sure you've listen to me and read Twelve Days of Chatmas already), this chapter only had a small Ladybug cameo. Which means I more-or-less had free rein on this... probably why the angst was able to creep in. >3< (Can't leave me (creatively) alone for 2 minutes; I swear)

Also, I had no clue what to do with the akuma, so I made some weird Scrooge/Grinch/Hulk hybrid thing. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

**Contains Spoilers for Taurus Pixie’s story Twelve Days of Chatmas**

Summary: Chat Noir has run into a long streak of poor luck, all in an attempt to give Ladybug the perfect Christmas gift. Little does he know, his first try was already perfect in Ladybug’s eyes. Now it’s her turn to try to navigate around Chat Noir’s failed attempts in her own pursuit to find something equally fantastic for him. **A Switched-POV Unofficial Companion Story to Twelve Days of Chatmas by @thetauruspixie​​**

Rating: General Audience

Chapter Word Count: 1683

Story Total Word Count: 37,973

Status: chapter 5 of 12; complete

**For reals, if you haven’t read Twelve Days of Chatmas yet, read that first so my story doesn’t spoil anything for you. It’s cool. This story will still be here when you get back. ;) **

See below for chapter 5, or find this story over on AO3, on FFN, or on DA.

CHAPTER 5:

It was an exhausting day. It was a draining day. It was one of the worst days of Marinette's life. She was curled up in a ball on her bed, hugging her pillow to her chest as she stared at her corkboard of Adrien pictures. Tears stung her eyes and a hot knot grew in her chest.

“Marinette?” Tikki drifted to her bearer. “Are you okay?”

“Who were they for?” Marinette choked down a sob.

“They?”

“The rings!” She squeezed her eyes shut and curled tighter around her pillow.

The day had started off typical enough. Marinette woke up late for school after a long night of figuring out her gift for Chat Noir. She was reprimanded by both her mother for sleeping in and Miss Bustier for sneaking into class after the tardy bell. She dealt with the normal harassment from Chloe and irritation over her classmates and teachers blindly listening to Lila's lies; everyone but Adrien, of course. Sweet, loyal, handsome, brilliant Adrien.

Marinette had spent so much of that week wondering what to do as a gift for Chat Noir, she didn't realize how little time she had left to pick out Adrien's gift. He was simple though, she had an entire trunk filled with gifts for him. She just needed to sort out which one she wanted to give him this year. It helped get her through the day to imagine the beaming smile on Adrien's face as he opened up her present. He may just fall in love with her then and there if she picked out the perfect one to give him next week. She fantasized about that during her walk home and through her homework, which, arguably, took longer to accomplish due to said daydreaming.

With her daily duties taken care of, she knelt by her trunk, opened it up, started pulling out various sweaters and hats and mittens, and then her phone buzzed. An akuma was attacking the west end of Paris. Grumbling about the interruption, Marinette quickly transformed and headed towards the Champs-Élysées.

She heard the screaming first, and then had to quickly dodge a car flung through the air. Adjusting her trajectory, Ladybug swung so she was on a roof behind the akumatized villain. It was a hulking man nearly four meters tall. He was covered head to toe in green fur, and his upper body was built like a barrel of muscle. Shreds of a Victorian-era caroling costume hung off his shoulders and his pants were ripped where his legs clearly grew upon getting his powers.

“No Christmas!” the villain yelled as he stripped lights from a nearby storefront, and used them as a whip to lasso a decorated tree. With a big yank, he pulled the spruce from the ground, and he hurled it towards a crowd of shoppers trying to escape.

Ladybug sprung into action and lassoed the tree herself, swinging it away from the civilians and into a brick wall.

“Ladybug!” A chorus of people cheered as they pointed towards her. She quickly swung down to the sidewalk and shooed them away.

The green monster roared at her, picked up a plastic Santa statue, and hurled it at Ladybug. She easily blocked it with her yo-yo, then skirted behind the villain again. Sliding between his massive legs, she effortlessly tangled the villain up in her yo-yo and hurled him into an empty store. Slamming the door shut, she blocked it with one of the uprooted trees.

“Hopefully that will slow you down for a minute.” She looked up and down the street for more shoppers evacuating. There was chaos. The streets were already flooded with Parisians out shopping for Christmas, but hoards of tourists were there too. It would certainly be a hard battle to keep everyone safe while the villain raged in such a crowded location. “Where are you, Chat Noir?”

She checked her yo-yo, and once again there weren't any messages. She also didn't see him on her map. He wasn't powered up yet. She'd have to do the evacuation on her own. Sprinting up and down the street, she checked each storefront to make sure they were empty. Behind her, she heard the akuma roar again as he burst through the door.

That didn't last nearly as long as I would have hoped. Ladybug silently cursed. She glanced past her shoulder and saw the monster again tearing lights off the storefronts and destroying every last Christmas decoration. He barely moved from the empty store he had crashed out of. This could work, Ladybug thought. If he's that distracted by all the decorations, he might stay up where it's evacuated. I just need to watch for- She ducked under another Christmas tree aimlessly thrown down the street.

She checked the next half-dozen stores from each side of the street. They were either already clear or the last citizens were just leaving as she reached them.

Then she saw him.

Ladybug had caught up with the tail end of the escaping mob, and they stampeded past a blonde boy coming out of a jewelry store. As the crowd cleared the storefront, the boy was on his hands and knees, and looking quite distraught. Ladybug instantly recognized the swoop of his blonde locks, the slight rosy blush on his milky cheeks, and the blue knitted scarf wrapped around his neck.

“A-Adrien?” Ladybug swung across the street and landed beside him. She quickly glanced back to see how far away the villain was. They were safe, but she wasn't sure for how long. “A-are you alright?”

“L-Ladybug?” Adrien jumped a little as he noticed her beside him.

“Are you hurt?” He had been nearly trampled by that crowd, and he was on the ground now. She quickly circled him as she scanned for any injuries. Her cheeks warmed as she grew nervous that she wasn't able to protect him, and now he was hurt, and he'd hate her forever, and never consider her a hero again, and she'd forever lose her chance with him – not like she had a chance with him as Ladybug anyway since he could never know who she was, but-

“N-no, I'm fine.”

She let out a long sigh and rested a hand on her chest to try to will her heart to calm down. “What are you doing here? You need to find somewhere safe right away. There's an akuma on the loose!”

“I-” His eyes dropped to his closed left hand, and then to the sidewalk.

Ladybug's gaze followed Adrien's. There were four golden rings scattered on the ground in front of him. One had an emerald with three rubies in a tiny triangle on either side. Another had small diamonds encrusting one side, and onyx on the other in an almost yin-yang pattern where they met at the middle. A third had grains of garnet and emerald embedded in the band in an alternating pattern with obsidian in between each gemstone. The fourth ring had garnet and onyx lining the golden band in an almost ladybug-like pattern. The thought made her blush a little as she quickly scooped them up and passed them over to Adrien.

He opened his hand to accept the rings, and the one he was already holding had a large princess-cut ruby in the center, surrounded by a frame of emeralds. It must have been unbelievably expensive, and it almost looked like an engagement ring. Ladybug's cheeks burned a bit hotter, and her eyes stung slightly.

“What pretty rings.” She forced a small smile as she swallowed down the knot in her throat. I wish they were for me. She choked down another sob and forced her smile to grow as she handed the other four rings over. This person must be very important to him to spend so much.

“Oh...” Adrien let the word hang in the thick air between them. “Yeah...” He wouldn't look her in the eyes as he pulled the hand filled with rings close to his chest.

“Anyway!” Ladybug refocused. It didn't matter who those rings were for. What mattered was that there was a rampaging akuma just up the street, and Adrien was still in danger. “You need to get somewhere safe. Chat Noir and I will handle this.”

“Yeah.” Adrien shifted awkwardly to his feet as he put the rings and their respective boxes back into the bag from the jeweler.

Giving Adrien one last smile, she sprinted towards the villain; hoping her love would be alright, and that Chat Noir would show up to help soon.

Her partner did indeed show up just as she reached the rampaging akuma, and they were able to stop him not long after. It was a hard battle though; both her and Chat Noir either dodged a lot of heavy things hurled at them, or were tossed around themselves. The suit protected Ladybug from injury, but it was still exhausting work. It didn't help that Chat Noir still didn't seem himself, but Ladybug had her own problems. She just didn't have the energy to try to talk to him about the birds from the night before, or the hens the day before that. They barely had the time left in their transformations anyway, so they had a halfhearted fist bump and went their separate ways.

The second Ladybug got home she dropped onto her bed in a flop, and grabbed hold of her pillow to muffle her sobs as her superhero costume vanished.

“Marinette? Are you okay?” Tikki, weak but still filled with concern, drifted closer to her bearer.

Above Marinette the sky darkened, and below her the gifts to Adrien were forgotten across her floor. It wouldn't matter anyway. Nothing she'd give him could possibly turn his eye away from a woman he cared for so deeply he bought her five gorgeous and expensive looking rings.

Marinette cried herself to sleep, and dreamt of standing outside a cathedral during Adrien's wedding to a mysterious faceless woman.

Thank you for reading. Read Next Chapter

Read from the beginning: Chapter 1

Please let me know if you want me to add you to the tag list.

@discoveringmiraculouswriters

[ussjellyfish]

calm and bright | agents of shield | Bobbi Morse/Melinda May | fluff

@agentsofchallenges​

This is my gift for the fantastic @loved-the-stars-too-fondly​! Happy holidays lovely! I haven’t written May/Bobbi before and it was great fun to try. 

icy cold ice skating fluff becauswe I think they’d just love bantering with each other. 

find it here on ao3

=====

It's been cold for weeks. The cold came down from Canada and stayed, freezing the sidewalks and icing the trees. Bobbi's used to it enough, she wears her hat and coat, real lined gloves (though for the last few days she's tempted with mittens) and she wears this wool scarf she got in Russia.

Funny thing to hang onto. The scarf she got after they were disavowed. They stayed together for a while, but it never works long term, her and Hunter. She walks through the campus, smiling at the strings of lights on the trees and the warmth of the lights in the campus buildings. Her feet crunch in the snow, crossing the icy patches where the snowblowers haven't gotten the sidewalk completely clear.

This late at night no one's out, and her only companion is the blowing wind and the snow dancing across the empty sidewalk. She stops in front of the office building, looking up at the glass. A few light's are still on, but they're not the one she wants. She walks on, crossing campus, heading down the athletic field. It's windy, but clear and even this close to the city, there are a few stars. It's too civilized for it to be beautiful, but there are other things to find beautiful here.

She shifts her skates on her shoulder, wiggling her toes in her boots to keep them warm. It's an odd place for a meeting, but it suits them. Bobbi sits on the frigid bench and removes her boots, lacing her feet into her skates with clumsy, cold fingers.

A small figure in a dark jacket skates on the far side of the rink, gliding through a spin. Her dark hair fans out under her hat as she spins, glies out of it and then spins again. Bobbi's read her file and she knows Melinda can skate, but she's never seen it before. She's so graceful, like a little dark bird, sailing over the ice. Standing up slowly, Bobbi stows her boots under the bench and pulls back on her gloves.

She skates okay, it's all about balance and precision, knowing where her body is in space. She's good at that. Melinda makes it beautiful, smooth and sleek, and even the sound of her skates is a whisper over the rink.

Bobbi skates out to the middle, turns, tests herself, then follows Melinda, watching her throw herself into a spin.  Melinda spins faster and faster, pulling her arms in, then bending back and Bobbi can't help laughing.

"What?" Melinda stops, skating over, smiling with the stars shining in her eyes. "What's so funny?"

"You're an ice queen."

That makes Melinda snort.

"In a good way," Bobbi promises, extending her hand. "You own this."

"I did make the Academy flood the field."

"See?"

Melinda rolls her eyes and pulls Bobbin into a lazy arc, taking them both through a figure eight on the ice. Melinda pulls her in and they twirl together.

"It's so peaceful."

"I love it. I hated it for awhile as a kid."

"Oh?"

"Too much falling."

"Bet it hurts more now," Bobbi jokes

Melinda rolls her eyes again. "I could help you find out."  She releases Bobbi's hand and turns, facing her down as if they're about to engage in some kind of ice battle (that Bobbi will absolutely lose).

Instead, Melinda skates back, grinning, standing on the very tip-toes of her skates, tugging Bobbi down and they kiss, soft and slow and Melinda's mouth is both warm and cold. They drift across the ice, wrapped in each other.

When the kiss breaks, Bobbi gasps for breath and Melinda skates away, laughing. They chase, Bobbi has longer legs, but Melinda turns so quickly that it's going to end badly with both of them in the snowbank.

Well, Bobbi in the snowbank, Melinda standing over her laughing and helping her up. Bobbi brushes snow from her pants, trying to get it all off before it starts to melt and really it's so cold that it's the dusty kind of snow that just comes off.

It's still all over her and Melinda doesn't have any snow on her. Bobbi can fix that. She lifts Melinda up, scooping her up fast enough to toss her into the bank along side the rink and then it's chaos. Melinda twists, shifting her weight and they're both in the snow now, wrestling and laughing, trying to keep their dangerous skates on the ice away from each other.

"It's so cold," Bobbi says, laughing as she shakes snow out of her coat.

"It's winter."

"I don't usually get so intimately acquainted with winter."

Melinda gets to her knees, then stands, brushing snow off even though she's covered, as if she's been dusted with sugar. "Maybe I need to find a way to warm you up."

Bobbi stands with less grace and walks on her skates, wobbling a little, to her boots. "I'd appreciate that."

They take off their skates sitting together, arms touching, hands nearby and Melinda squeezes her hand before they put their gloves back on.

Well, Melinda has mittens and Bobbi's jealous.

"Should have worn mittens."

"Yeah," Melinda teases her, throwing her skates over her shoulder. "They're better."

"I know that now."

"Then don't forget it."

Bobbi shakes her head. "If my fingers weren't too cold to make a snowball I'd--"

"Wrong snow," Melinda says. She picks up a handful and demonstrates how it just crumbles instead of sticking. "Gets down your coat just fine."

"Yeah, felt that."

"Won't make a ball though, terrible for forts."

"You built snow forts?"

"Sure, didn't you?"

"Never had enough snow," Bobbi says, slipping her arm through Melinda's. "Not all of us lied in frozen Pennsylvania."

"I liked the Alps best, actually."

"Oh?" That Bobbi can work with, file away and hang onto until they need a trip somewhere.

"Not the skiing so much, just the way the buildings were, going inside for wine and hot chocolate."

"Can help you with two of those things."

Melinda tilts her head. "My apartment's just this way. I promise I have wine."

"Won't alcohol just make me colder?"

Melinda reaches up and pulls Bobbi's head down closer. "Uh-oh, then I'll have to warm you up."

"I have complete faith in you, professor."

[kaileeandag]

Items in Amirah’s Collection

-Meet Outfit (Adema band t-shirt, light blue capri pants, and hot pink and black sandals) -Meet Accessories (baby pink purse, copy of Sideways Stories From Wayside School book, Barbie locket containing a picture of her with her dad, and contact lenses case)

School Collection: -Amirah’s Lunch Box (a purple Barbie lunch box with Thermos and the following fake food items: peanut butter sandwich with grape jam, Fudge Brownie Dessert Lunchable, bottle of water, and bag of raspberries) -Amirah’s School Supplies (Dragon Ball Z backpack,4th grade math textbook, 4th grade science textbook, two FiveStar brand notebooks, pencils, sharpener, and eraser. The pencils, sharpener, and eraser came in a Barbie pencil case) -Amirah’s School Desk and Chair (desk can store school items) -Amirah’s Glasses and Glasses Case (glasses have a blue rim and come in a pink and purple case)

Holiday Collection: -Amirah’s Purple Mini Christmas Tree with Ornaments (the ornaments are traditional red and green balls, a father/daughter ornament, a Pikachu ornament, and various present shaped ornaments) -Amirah’s Nintendo Gamecube and games (the console is purple, non-functional. The games that she receives are Pikmin, Luigi’s Mansion and The Simpsons: Road Rage. Comes with screenshots from each game) -Amirah’s Red and Green Christmas Pajamas with Rudolph Slippers -Amirah’s Red Hot Cocoa Mug (filled with pretend hot cocoa and marshmallows)

Birthday Collection: -Amirah’s Daisy Top with Floral Skirt and Wedge Shoes (the top is yellow and the skirt is light pink) -Amirah’s Birthday Cake (a Carvel ice cream cake with a ‘10′ candle and ‘Happy 10th Birthday Amirah’ written on it in icing) -Amirah’s Party Supplies (large rectangular table with red cover, red party hats, red balloons, and a ‘Happy 10th Birthday, Amirah!’ banner) -Dragon Ball Z Cooler’s Revenge DVD (DVD is non-functional, comes with screenshots from the movie) -The Day My Butt Went Psycho book -Pokemon Monopoly game, 2001 edition

Summer Collection: -Amirah’s Daisy Bathing Suit (the bathing suit itself is light pink) -Amirah’s Wicker Beach Chair and Umbrella (beach chair is white while the umbrella is light blue) -Amirah’s Daisy Tote Bag and Pink Beach Towel -Amirah’s Amusement Park Set (comes with a bracelet for Funtown Splashtown USA amusement and waterpark, a pretend blue raspberry snow cone, a stuffed panda she won at a carnival game, and a plate of pretend fried dough with powdered sugar)

Winter Collection: -Amirah’s Red Jacket with Matching Hat and Mittens -Amirah’s Snow Boots (are a navy blue color) -Amirah’s Scarf (navy blue color)

Bedtime Collection: -Amirah’s Twin Bed and Bedding (bedding is Spongebob themed) -Amirah’s Lavender Purple Nightgown -Amirah’s TV and TV console (pretend, has screenshots from the Dragon Ball Z and Pokemon anime series, along with screenshots from Ed, Edd n Eddy and Spongebob) -Amirah’s Bedside Accessories (a non-functional Sailor Moon clock, non-functioning lamp, and copy of R.L. Stine’s Welcome to Dead House book) -Amirah’s Game Boy Color and games (non-functional, has a Pokemon Yellow cartridge in the console. Comes with screenshots for Pokemon Yellow, Pokemon Blue, Pokemon Silver, Pokemon Crystal, and The Powerpuff Girls Battle Him) -Pokemon book set (the books are Pokemon Official Handbook Deluxe Collector’s Edition, The Electric Tale of Pikachu, Pikachu Shocks Back, Electric Pikachu Boogaloo, and Surf’s Up Pikachu! graphic novels)

Extra Outfits: -Amirah’s Light Blue Sundress with Matching Sandals -Amirah’s Father/Daughter Dance Dress with Black Heels (the dress itself is dark blue with sparkles)

Extra Accessories: -Amirah’s CD Player with CDs (functional, each CD can play 30 second samples of these songs: Drops of Jupiter (Tell Me) by Train, The Way You Like It by Adema, and Got The Life by Korn) -Salon Surprise Barbie doll -Jello Fun Barbie doll (comes with a pretend Jello mix)

[maraudererasmut]

Black and White (Part XXII)

Part I | Part II | Part III | Part IV | Part V | Part VI | Part VII | Part VIII | Part IX | Part X | Part XI | Part XII | Part XIII | Part XIV | Part XV | Part XVI | Part XVII | Part XVIII | Part XIX | Part XX | Part XXI | Part XXII | Part XXIII | Part XXIV | Part XXV

((This one is a long one!! I’m sorry for posting so many in such a short period of time... I was just so excited, I couldn’t help myself!))

((TW: Drinking))

Remus dug through his tiny closet, searching for something— anything — that he could get away with wearing to the Halloween party.

There would be other artists there, so he couldn’t just show up without a costume. Lily had insisted that whatever he wore would be fine, but she also emphasized the fact that many of her friends would be dressing up.

There would also be professionals at the party, other gallerists and wealthy individuals— people that James knew and was friends with. Remus knew he couldn’t get away with some crazy outfit; he needed to look at least somewhat presentable, in case he had the opportunity to discuss his art career.

After significantly longer than he would care to admit, Remus finally settled on a fitting outfit; it was just costume enough to appease both crowds. He grabbed his coat and scarf and headed out of his flat, mentally preparing himself for the arduous task of pretending to be friendly.

When Remus arrived, there were pumpkin decorations scattered about the front yard and little strings of lights adorning the door. There was a warm glow pouring out the window, with shadows passing by every once in a while. As Remus approached the house, he could hear the low murmur of people talking and pop music playing in the background.

Ding dong.

Remus patiently waited, clutching a cheap bottle of wine nervously in his hands.

The door swung open and he was greeted by Lily, wearing an absurd amount of makeup. She had little brown freckles drawn on over her already freckled face, with a large black painted nose and white highlights on her cheeks and forehead. Her auburn hair was let down over her shoulders, and she had a headband with animal ears protruding from it. She wore a chocolate brown dress with a white belt and little black mittens. Remus couldn’t help but smile at his friend as he took in her home-made costume.

“What’re you supposed to be?” Lily teased as she gave Remus a once-over.

“I’m a werewolf,” he answered matter-of-factly. He turned his body around to show the little grey tuft of fur that protruded from his trousers. “See? I’ve got a tail and everything.”

Lily let out a joyful laugh and rolled her eyes.

“That is so low-effort, Remus! You’re just wearing your suit!”

“I have ears,” he said with a mock pout, pointing to two balls of fur that he had managed to fasten to his head somehow. “Anyway, not like your costume is more complicated. What are you supposed to be, anyway?”

Lily put a hand on her hip and raised an eyebrow at Remus.

“I’m a doe. Duh. I’ve got a tail too, you know.” She turned around and wiggled her bum slightly, and Remus had to remind himself that Lily was James’ wife and that he needed to not be staring at her tail. As Lily turned back to face Remus, her smile grew wider. “Anyway, I’m glad you’re here.”

Remus lifted his bottle of wine and gave a nervous smile.

“Thanks for having me. This is for you guys… I’m sorry it’s not much…”

“Oh, Remus! You didn’t have to bring anything!” Lily took the wine from Remus’ hands before wrapping him in a hug. “Thank you! That’s so sweet. You… You really didn’t have to.”

“I know,” Remus said, returning her hug. “But I wanted to.”

“Thanks…”

Lily pulled away and beaconed Remus inside. He closed his eyes and took a deep, calming breath in order to mentally prepare himself. When he opened them, he gave Lily a grimace and followed her into the house.

The combination of guests attending the party was eclectic, to say the least.

From what Remus could tell, there were people from all walks of life filling James and Lily's home. The house was large— larger than any house Remus had been inside— and every room Remus could see had people in it. There were men in suits laughing over beers, there were people in eccentric costumes filling cups with punch, there were people on sofas, people in chairs, people standing, people walking around.

In fact, some of the people drifting through the house were holding trays filled with tiny appetizers. At first, Remus had assumed they were in costume, but he quickly realized that they were actual servers doing their actual jobs. Remus had to bite his tongue to keep from making a snarky comment at Lily.

"Welcome to our place!" Lily beamed. "Make yourself comfortable, Remus. Let us know if you need anything."

Remus responded with a stiff nod before Lily walked away to socialize with her other party guests. The artist glanced around and found himself a corner that seemed unoccupied.

"Remus!"

Remus looked up to find James walking towards him with open arms. He had face paint and clothing to match Lily's, but his headband had antlers in addition to ears. Remus smiled at his expressive friend and allowed himself to be scooped into an aggressive hug.

"Hey, James."

"I'm so glad you came! I was worried you weren't going to make it, especially when Lily said you were hesitant on coming. I'm glad you're here!"

"Thanks," Remus mumbled, pulling himself out of James' death grip. "Thanks for inviting me."

"Of course!" James' hand landed on Remus' shoulder and gave it a firm squeeze. He looked Remus over and cocked at eyebrow. "Where's your costume?"

Remus rolled his eyes and gave a half-turn, showing James the back of his trousers.

"I've got a tail," he offered with a shrug.

"My god, the two of you! Learn to live a little!"

Remus furrowed his brow and was about to question what James meant when he was cut off by Lily's voice calling for her husband.

"Ah, duty calls!" James gave Remus' shoulder another affectionate squeeze before he sauntered off to join his wife. Remus was left alone with a bemused smile, pondering their peculiar interaction.

One of the waitstaff passed by Remus and offered him a strange concoction in a glass; seemingly some kind of Halloween beverage. With a shrug and a you only live once attitude, Remus accepted it. It was sweet and strong, a dangerous combination for an alcoholic drink.

"Evening, Mr. Lupin."

Remus turned around to find Sirius Black standing behind him, perfectly straight posture, chin lifted ever so slightly, arms tucked behind his back. The gallery owner had a wry grin on his face and his silvery blue eyes sparkled with mischief.

"Back to last names, I see," Remus teased, taking a deep swig of his drink and hoping for the alcohol to help relax him.

"Where's your costume?" Sirius asked, positioning himself beside Remus and staring out at the crowd of people that was steadily growing in size.

"Where's yours?" Remus retorted, mirroring Sirius' position, standing shoulder to shoulder with the other man.

Sirius was wearing an all black suit, complete with a black shirt and a black tie. He had his hair down, falling loosely across his shoulders, swept away from his face with a hairband, which had a pair of furry black ears. Like Remus, Sirius had a tail attached to his trousers, which the artist pointedly tried not to notice.

"I'm a dog," Sirius said, as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

"So I've heard," Remus retorted with a smirk. "But what's your costume?"

Sirius let out a bright, cheery laugh, garnering the attention of other party goers. It swooped through Remus and made his stomach drop, and the artist couldn't help but blush. Sirius' laugh was infectious, and Remus chuckled along.

"Sirius!"

Both men glanced across the room, where Dorcas was waving with a broad grin spread across their face. Sirius cocked an eyebrow and gave a nonchalant shrug, offering Remus an almost-apologetic smile.

"Duty calls," the gallery owner said, before nodding towards his friend.

"Go schmooze. I'll be fine here with my…" Remus raised his empty glass pointedly. "Whatever this is."

With a flash of a grin that seemed like it was reserved just for Remus, Sirius nodded his head and turned around. He swept across the room, offering people polite smiles and happy greetings. Remus thought back to the first night that he met Sirius, the way he commanded a room, the magnitude of his presence. This was the same Sirius— the gallery owner who knew how to chat people up and win over their hearts.

As impressed as Remus was, the soft-spoken Sirius from their intimate talk in the gallery was the artist's favourite version of the man.

——-

As the evening went on, Remus found that Lily was right— though he'd be damned if he ever told her that himself. Lily's friends from school did have a lot in common with Remus, and he enjoyed mocking the contemporary art scene alongside them.

They were quirky individuals, exactly the type of people that Remus had imagined he'd meet at art school, all wearing elaborate costumes with hand-made elements. They had a lot to talk about, constantly bickering over each other and chiming in with their thoughts. It was surprisingly fun, and Remus felt a pang of jealousy as he reminded himself that this wasn't real, that these weren't his actual friends. They were just being polite because they knew he was friends with Lily.

Remus brought his drink to his mouth and took a deep swig, vaguely wondering in the back of his mind if this was his fourth or fifth glass of mystery-halloween-drink. By the time glass four-or-five was finished, Remus was starting to feel noticeably dizzy; he bid the other artists goodbye and set out to find a glass of water.

He ended up nearly bumping into one.

"Remus!"

The artist glanced up and found himself staring into two pools of molten silver, shimmering in the sparkling Halloween decorations. He smiled at them, adamantly refusing to look away. Silvery blue was officially his new favourite colour.

"Remus, are you okay?"

Remus reached out a hand and pressed it into a black lapel. The fabric was so soft, he couldn't help but run his fingers across it.

"Yeah, 'm fine," Remus said with a relaxed grin. It was true. He was fine. For the first time in weeks, he was fine. He wasn't thinking about his art, he wasn't worried about his emotions, he was simply relishing the feeling of being buzzed, the slight numbness in his fingertips, the way the room seemed to shift and spin as he moved. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, I'm… I'm fine?"

Remus felt two surprisingly strong hands brace against his arms, and he leaned into the touch, his fingers still grazing soft material.

"Are you sure you're okay?"

Remus nodded aggressively, immediately regretting that decision. The room was feeling quite dizzy.

"Let's get you some water…"

Remus felt himself being guided across the room, he felt pressure on the small of his back, an open palm, fingers spread out. He liked that feeling.

Before he realized what was happening, Remus was in a kitchen, waitstaff dutifully ignoring him and the tall, handsome man beside him. He heard a sink running and felt a cool glass being forced into his hands.

"Drink," a voice commanded gently. Remus lifted the glass to his lips and dutifully did what he was told. He had enough wits about him to know that he needed water.

When Remus finished the contents of the glass, he felt it lifted from his hands and heard the soft klink of it being placed on the counter. He smiled, internally grateful for being helped. For some reason, the room refused to sit still, and he wasn't sure if he would have succeeded at pouring water by himself.

Remus glanced up into the silvery eyes and smiled. They were really pretty.

“What are?”

Remus furrowed his brow, confused at the question.

“Wha—?”

“What are really pretty?”

Remus blinked, staring at Sirius, vaguely wondering what his lips would taste like.

“Iunno…” Remus slurred, hardly paying attention to what he was saying. Why was Sirius so close to him? Why was he getting closer?

“Remus?”

Remus felt a hand grip his arm, giving a squeeze. The fabric under Remus’ fingers was so soft, and there was suddenly a bunch of it in his grip. Sirius’ face was closer than it had been a moment ago, but Remus couldn’t tell which one of them was moving.

“You’re so drunk right now...” Sirius had a smirk spread across his face and Remus hated it. It was the same smirk he had every time Remus did something awkward or embarrassing. It was the same smirk that Remus desperately wanted to get rid of.

“You wipe that smirk off your face, or I’m gonna wipe it off for you,” Remus muttered threateningly with a cheeky grin of his own. Sirius cocked an eyebrow at him, as if to say I’d like to see you try.

Before he knew what was happening, Remus’s lips pressed themselves against Sirius’. They were rough and chapped and it was barely a graze, but Remus’ stomach was exploding and his fingers were tingling and the room was spinning and he thought his heart might actually burst.

When Remus pulled away, he noticed the stunned expression on Sirius’ face, his lips slightly parted. For the first time since meeting the gallery owner, the man didn’t have a witty comeback. Instead, he moved forward, capturing Remus’ mouth with his own, moving his lips in time with the artist’s.

Remus closed his eyes. He felt a hand snake its way around him, grasping at his side. He felt his hands raise up of their own accord, weaving through soft, velvety locks, loose strands of hair tangled in his fingers. He felt Sirius’ hand in his curls, a thumb tracing along his cheek.

Then everything ended.

Sirius pulled away, the magic disappearing with him, and Remus desperately wanted it to return.

“I— I shouldn’t have done that,” Sirius murmured, taking a step back, putting distance between Remus’ body and his own. “You’re not thinking straight… I shouldn’t… I’m sorry, Remus.”

Come back!

Remus didn’t want the kiss to end. He didn’t want any of this to end. He wanted Sirius’ mouth and his lips and his tongue and his hands and suddenly everything was gone. He didn’t know what was happening, all he knew was that he was standing alone in the kitchen, wondering where Sirius was, wondering why he was there, wondering what to do.

Remus turned around and noticed a tray of mystery drinks. He needed one. He took it. It tasted so sweet, he could drink it all night. It was so good, and it made everything feel a little better...

[meangirlsx]

Stupid With Love

Pairing: Cady Heron x reader Word count: 1947 Warning(s): None Request: “Would you mind doing a Lydia x Reader (or Cady x Reader if you still write for Mean Girls) during the holidays? Christmas perhaps? Also, happy October 3rd!” and “This isnt technically holiday themed but, could you do Cady x reader with Cady seeing and playing in the snow for the first time?” Note: Here is a Cady piece in honor of Erika’s final day.

——

You and Cady hadn’t known each other that long. She was new to school, and school had only started a few months ago. But you were close with Janis and Damian, so when they befriended her, so did you.

You spent some time together when all four of you hung out. But after a couple weeks, she’d started asking to hang out just the two of you, too. So you’d gotten pretty close over the last few months.

And you had been crushing on her pretty much the entire time, but you hadn’t told anyone. Not that you really needed to. Janis and Damian figured it out in about three days and always found a reason to bring it up when it was just the three of you. They always encouraged you and got excited every time you and Cady hung out alone.

The closer the holidays got, the more excited they got. So when you invited Cady over on the first weekend in December, your group chat with Janis and Damian was blowing up.

You did your best to ignore it while you and Cady talked. You forgot all about your texts coming in when you saw her run to the living room window

“Is that snow?” she asked, her voice full of enthusiasm.

You followed her to the window and saw that the first snow of the year was, in fact, falling.

“It is! Is this your first snow?”

“It definitely is. It’s even prettier than I imagined.” Then she turned to face you. “Can we go outside?”

“Of course we can!”

Without another thought, she was racing for the door.

“Cady!” you called and grabbed her arm quickly.

“What?”

“Don’t you want to put your coat on?”

She laughed lightly. “Oh. Yeah.”

Her parents had made sure they bought winter attire when they moved. But as you got dressed up to go out into the snow, you noticed that Cady only had her coat and boots.

“Cady, did you bring a hat or gloves or anything?”

“No. I didn’t expect it to snow.”

“No problem! You can borrow some of mine. We have plenty of extras.”

You brought out the box your family kept of gloves, mittens, hats, headbands, and scarves. She picked out a pair of mittens, a hat, and a scarf.

You opened the door and watched as the look on her face turned to awe. She was bounding into the snow with a grin before you could blink.

“It’s so soft!” Cady shouted.

“This is the good kind of snow. We call it packing snow. It’s softer and easier to play with. For example…” You picked up a handful of snow and balled it up.

Cady’s eyes lit up. “Snowballs!” She immediately started making one, too, then backed up and stared at you. “Wait. Isn’t this supposed to turn into a fight?”

You couldn’t help but smile at that. “It doesn’t have to.”

She seemed to think about it for a moment, and then her snowball was flying through the air. You continued to throw snowballs at each other until you heard geese honking overhead.

Cady gasped and looked up at the sky with wide eyes. She watched silently for a moment before throwing herself backwards into the snow. You laughed as you joined her.

“They’re so beautiful,” she said. “My mom and I used to play this game, back in Kenya. We would close our eyes and name all the birds we could hear. We don’t do that now, but moments like these…I don’t know. It sort of feels like a piece of home.”

“That’s so sweet.” You looked at her.

She looked back at you, then down at her hands with your mittens. “Thank you for letting me borrow these. My hands would be so cold right now if you hadn’t.”

“Of course. It’s really no problem.”

“Oh! But we need to take a picture!” She removed one glove and dug her phone out of her pocket.

You moved closer for the picture, and Cady leaned against you. As she took a few photos, you noticed just how happy she looked.

To you, it was a normal day at the start of winter. It wasn’t terribly cold, but you were definitely starting to feel it. The sun only peeked out from behind the clouds on occasion. Even the geese were a normal occurence to you.

But it was all new to Cady, and she loved every second of it. Especially the geese.

“We should go inside,” you said, standing and holding your hand out to help her up. “We can make hot chocolate, if you want.”

“Oh!” Cady grabbed your hands. “That reminds me! Can we go to Starbucks sometime? I’ve always wanted to try their Venti Chai.”

“Of course! Do you want to go now?”

“Not really.” She smiled at you. “Hot chocolate sounds perfect.”

So you spent the rest of the day talking, watching movies, and drinking hot chocolate.

On Monday, you got up early so you could stop at Starbucks before school. You wouldn’t have minded being able to sleep later, but Cady was more than worth it.

When you arrived at school, you found her at her locker. She smiled when she saw you, then got confused when you held a coffee cup out to her.

“You said you wanted to try a Venti Chai, right?” you asked.

She made a sound that was a mix between a squeal and a gasp and threw her arms around you. You did your best to hug her back while holding two cups and trying not to spill.

“That’s so sweet of you!” she said, taking her cup from you. “Thank you!”

“Just be careful. It’s hot.”

“How much do I owe you?”

You shook your head. “Nothing. It’s on me.”

“What’s on you?” Janis’s voice came from behind you.

You turned to see her and Damian joining the group.

“Is that fancy coffee?” Damian asked. “At this hour? Someone loves you.”

Cady bounced on her toes and smiled. “It’s a Venti Chai from Starbucks. Y/N got it for me.”

“You’ve been wanting to try that,” Janis said and sent a small smirk in your direction. “That’s so nice.”

“That is so thoughtful,” Damian added, leaning against Janis and emphasizing every word.

“Isn’t it?” Cady said. “I should get to class. But thank you. Seriously.” She gave you a kiss on the cheek and headed down the hall.

You stood there frozen for a second.

You couldn’t quite make out what they were saying, but Janis and Damian were anything but calm.

In your second class of the morning, the candy cane grams began, with Damian in a Santa suit. He handed you one with a wink before handing out the others.

You opened the little note addressed to you.

Thank you for the Venti Chai! I loved it! We should get more sometime. Maybe this weekend? xoxo, Cady

You smiled up at Damian before he left the room, and he smiled back. Before your teacher could finish calming everyone back down, you pulled out your phone and sent a text to Cady.

Friday after school? Homework and Chais?

She texted back almost immediately. It’s a date!

The words It’s a date echoed through your head until lunch, where you found Janis and Damian and thankfully not Cady, yet.

You showed them Cady’s note and text.

“Is it a date?” you asked.

Damian scrunched up his face. “Oh, that might be my bad. I just taught her that expression and she loved it. So I think we could take it either way.”

Cady began walking over, so you didn’t have time to say anything else.

You tried not to think about it too much before Friday. You didn’t want to assume and get your hopes up if it wasn’t going to be a date, but you didn’t want to ask and embarrass yourself if it wasn’t, either. The closer it got to Friday, the more Janis and Damian insisted they thought it was a date, but you were pretty sure they were just trying to be supportive. So you figured you would follow Cady’s lead and see how things went.

Things had seemed pretty normal all week leading up to it, and even on your way to Starbucks after school on Friday.

You found a table and began to take out your homework.

“Um…” Cady said quietly.

You looked up and noticed that she suddenly looked nervous. “Are you okay? Is something wrong?”

You tried to ignore the thought in the back of your head saying that it was supposed to be a date and she was starting to regret that.

“I’m fine,” she said, and smiled, easing your tension. “I just wanted to give you this before we start.” She reached into her backpack and pulled out a small canvas painting that seemed to be one of Janis’s.

You took it and turned it over. It was the two of you in the picture she’d taken outside the previous weekend.

“I had Janis paint it. Two, actually. One for you and one for me. It just felt like such a special moment. And I felt bad so I wanted to try again.”

You looked up at her. “What do you mean?”

“Last Saturday, I felt like we maybe...connected...more? And I got really excited about that. And when you brought me the Chai, I thought maybe you really did like me back. So I wanted to send you something cute in the candy cane gram to ask you out, but I got scared and I tried to be cool and casual because I realized maybe I should be asking you in person and I ended up sending you something totally unclear and I just... “ She gestured to the painting in your hands. “This is us. This is going to be one of my favorite memories ever, and one of my favorite memories of us. I want to remember that as some sort of start for us. Not me getting scared and trying to backtrack.”

Your could feel your heart racing. “You don’t have to feel bad about anything.” You looked down at the painting, then back up at her. “So you did mean for this to be a date?”

She nodded. “I wanted it to be. But I’ve never really done this before and I really like you and I don’t want to mess it up.”

“I really like you, too. And I don’t want to mess it up, either. I was scared to ask you if this was supposed to be a date because I didn’t want to make you feel bad or make things awkward or embarrass myself if it wasn’t supposed to be one.”

“So we were both too nervous to be honest?”

You nodded. “I don’t think we’re messing anything up. We’re just...really nervous.”

Cady smiled and seemed to relax. “So, this is a date then?”

You leaned in closer to her. “Are we totally lame if we do homework together as our first date?”

“Maybe,” she laughed. “But that seems pretty us.”

“It kind of does, doesn’t it?” You laughed, too.

“I’ll get the Chais?” Cady said as she stood.

You reached for your wallet, but she waved her hand at you.

“No, no. Let me.” She gave you one more smile before heading toward the counter.

You watched her for a moment, then pulled out your phone to text Janis and Damian.

You knew?!

Damian replied first. To be fair, I didn’t know until this morning when Janis gave Cady the painting.

Then Janis. Enjoy your first daaaaate!

——

Tag list: @reader-ships, @anxiousankylosaurus, @msmith74, @broadwaymusicaltrash, @you-thinks-wrong-romeo, @theatricalwriter, @be-more-heidi-hansen, @peachy-jolly, @g1ngersp1ce, @trumancheerleadermaui, @dancewyou, @percabeth15, @coral-cat-iris, @madameboxhead, @elaineygrace, @theolwebshooter, @dontgotothenetherworld

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[perhapsitmaybedragons]

Gorilla’s Day Off

Did I wait until the last minute to do my White Elephant? Yes. But I’ve been busy and at least I got it done. It is still 2020 in my time zone.

To read on ao3: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28470540

Side note: I always use Grigori Bobrov for the Gorilla’s name cause it feels rude to keep calling him Gorilla. I’ll update if they ever give us a canon name.

Or continue reading below:

Grigori Bobrov tapped his foot impatiently outside Gabriel Agreste's door. He wouldn't dare to do it in front of the man, but right now with no witnesses a little impertinence could be allowed. He rapped at the door and waited to be granted entrance. It was rare for him to be summoned directly to Gabriel's office, but here he was.

“Ah. You're here,” Nathalie was the one who had opened the door but it was Gabriel who was speaking. “It has come to my attention that you haven't used up any of your vacation days.”

Grigori said nothing. He rarely ever did.

“Nathalie is concerned,” Gabriel's eyes shifted away the way they so often did when he lied. It was so subtle that Grigori wondered if he was the only one who noticed it. Gabriel often did this, indicating to Grigori that he was a shifty man who couldn't be trusted. He realized he'd been zoning out and tuned himself in to the next words out of Gabriel's mouth, hoping the preceding ones hadn't been too important. “At any rate, at least take the rest of today off.”

Grigori fumbled for his cell phone to check Adrien's schedule.

“I already told you,” Gabriel snapped, “Adrien's schedule is clear today. He has nothing to do except practice piano later this afternoon. And,” now his attention was on Nathalie, “He will be closely monitored to make certain he is not sneaking out instead of playing.”

Grigori shrugged, accepting his fate. In truth if he hurried he could make it to the new toy release down town. Ideally he would have been in line hours ago. He was probably too late for the door prizes, but if he could snatch one of the last statuettes of Chat Noir and Ladybug he would call it a good day. He was also hoping to add Carapace to his collection – he had a few Rena Rouges already.

“Well, what are you just standing there for?” Gabriel once again snapped Grigori from his thoughts. “Go do whatever it is you want for today. I expect you back by tomorrow morning.”

Grigori nodded and set off, wondering if current traffic would make it better to drive or go on foot. It wasn't a long walk and for December the weather wasn't too bad. He wouldn't need more than a thin jacket and a scarf. After checking his phone and determining that walking would only take about twenty minutes longer he went to his room and got his jacket, scarf and decided to grab his mittens at the last minute. It could always end up colder than he was expecting, after all.

Now fully dressed he set off from the Agreste mansion, but nearly tripped as he stepped out of the gate.

“Not now, I -oh! Just who I wanted to see!” The young woman he'd nearly fallen over was clearly a superhero. But he wasn't familiar with her. She dressed in a similar manner to Ladybug and Chat Noir, but instead of a bug or cat theme she seemed to have a bunny thing going on. She cocked her head to the side and one of the rabbit ears on her head drooped down.

Grigori blinked at her.

“No time to explain – well, guess that's not technically true. I have all the time, but you don't. C'mon, into the portal.” She pulled a stop watch out of her pocket and clicked it. A portal opened up in front of Grigori. He was about to ask what it was and why he should trust her when she pushed him through. She was surprisingly strong for someone so small.

“Bunnyx, by the way. You'll know me later, probably. Except you know me now. So maybe that's changed? Time travel gets a little tricky, sorry. I'm used to it and I can handle it but it's harder to explain to someone.”

His only response was to pull out his wallet and show her the Dr Who emblem on the side.

“Ah. Well, yes, they get pretty close to explaining it, I suppose.” They had come to a room filled with multiple other portals. He instinctively closed his eyes and covered them with his hands. “Ah, you know it's best not to see the other paths. Knew I picked right! Okay, so then...ah, this one!”

He felt himself pushed again and stumbled forward, landing on his knees. He finally opened his eyes and pushed himself up, glancing around to see where or when Bunnyx had taken him. It was still Paris.

“That's who you went to grab?” Came an incredulous but familiar sounding voice. Chat Noir dropped down from a nearby lamppost.

“Just trust me,” Bunnyx insisted, grabbing Grigori by the sleeve and rushing him along after her. They came to a car parked in the middle of the street. It was parked on top of Ladybug – she didn't seem too put out considering her current situation. She mostly just seemed angry. “So, rundown – current villain of the week calls themselves Power Taker – stupid name, I know, but don't worry about that right now. Anyway, whatever they touch we can't touch without draining our powers. He touched the car, now Ladybug's strength doesn't work. She's already got her Lucky Charm, though. If we touch the car our powers stop working, and according to Ladybug if Chat Noir tries Cataclysm it's just going to drain that ability. All of us together aren't strong enough to lift the car without our powers.”

Well. That explained it, Grigori figured. Called out to help super heroes and it was just to move a car. This was like college all over again, when his friends only called him to help them move things. He rubbed his hands together, grabbed the bumper and started lifting the edge of the car. Ladybug scooted out from under it and Chat Noir appeared at her side almost immediately.

“Are you okay, my lady?”

“I'll be better when we beat this creep. Thank you, Gorill-...uh. Um.”

Figures even Ladybug called him by the Gorilla nickname. Grigori smiled, holding back a laugh. Her face was almost as red as her suit, just because she didn't know his name. He didn't mind the Gorilla nickname. And he was too busy chuckling to give her his real name.

“Grigori, his name's Grigori. Thank you,” Chat Noir explained. Grigori grunted at him, studying him. Chat Noir was taller now, and it was even more obvious to him than previously. How anyone didn't realize Adrien was Chat Noir was beyond Grigori's comprehension. He just patted Adri-Chat Noir on the shoulder and followed Bunnyx back through her time burrow.

“Thanks for your help!” Ladybug repeated. Grigori waved at her in acknowledgment before the burrow closed behind him. He once again found himself back on the streets of Paris in his own time, but now he seemed to be right outside of Cour de Récré, one of the biggest toy stores in the city. He frowned at Bunnyx, realizing since there was no line he must have missed out on the new sale. She shook her head at him.

“I checked and pulling these strings won't cause any problems. Check your phone.” He did as she asked. It was the morning. Early morning, three hours before Gabriel gave him the day off. He tried not to worry about that part, but since he knew Adrien was safe it was easier to let go of. He was lined up before anyone else. He grunted at her in a way he hoped appropriately conveyed his thanks. When his emotions got the better of him he often found it hard to speak.

She must have understood because she saluted him and said “You're welcome” before taking off in another time burrow.

Grigori stood there playing games on his phone as others started filing into place behind him. He turned his head when he caught sight of blond hair in the corner of his eye. Sure enough the person behind him was Adrien – in a very bad disguise. A trench coat, sunglasses and a red beret that Adrien had stuffed most of his hair into. But it seemed to be fooling most of the public, even if it wasn't working on Grigori.

“You here for Ladybug or for Chat Noir?” Totally Not Adrien asked him. In response, Grigori held up two fingers.

Totally Not Adrien nodded. “Yeah, me too. ...can you tell it's... uh...” he trailed off. Grigori nodded. “Thought so. You knew it was me the whole time, huh? Do you think anyone else can tell?” Grigori shook his head no, and Adrien let out a sigh of relief. “Wanna spend the day hanging out? I mean, after this, but before piano? We could watch...” Adrien studied him for a moment. “The Princess Bride.”

Grigori gave him a bright smile. It was one of his favorites. It always surprised him how perceptive Adrien could be about others, given how self-involved his father was. Grigori gave him a thumbs up.

“Great. You know... this is really embarrassing, but I don't think I've ever learned your real name...”

[wingsofkpop]

Finding SKZ - 2: SK00

pairing(s): Hybrid!Bang Chan x Reader, Hybrid!SKZ x Reader

genre: Hybrid!AU, Dystopian!AU, heavy Angst, eventual Smut

warning(s): Mature language, mentions of death, possible triggering topics

word count: 5k

synopsis: After rescuing an abandoned hybrid from his fate of death, he has one other favor to ask of you. Not only do you have to find his eight other hybrid brothers, but you have to keep them safe from the deadly dangers of your city: Miroh

chapter directory

It’s barely dawn when you and Chan slip out of your apartment building, careful not to wake the sleeping night guard stationed at his desk. The winter air encompasses your body in an ice cold embrace and you can’t help but shiver inside your heavy coat. The hybrid beside you was no better, feverishly rubbing his hands together to eliminate the icy feeling. You reach into your pocket and retract the extra pair of mittens you carry just as a precaution. 

“Here, Chan. Put these on.” He doesn’t argue and eagerly follows your directions. The mittens usually swim on your own hands, but perfectly fit his. You make a quick note to buy Chan a scarf or something along the way too. You didn’t like how red his face was already. 

“(Y/N), I’m fine. You don’t have to worry about me.” Surprise fills your veins at Chan’s remark and you wonder how he knew of your concern. You go to ask him, but he’s already grabbing your wrist and leading you to the bus stop that’s just a few feet away from your apartment entrance. Last night, you made sure to research the earliest shuttle so you and Chan would have plenty of time to go about your plan. And while you hated to get up at four in the morning, you knew how important this was to your hybrid companion. You just wish you knew what you were getting yourself into. 

“You have the address, right? The address of Seungmin’s owner?” You can’t remember how many times you’ve asked this same question, but it had to have hit double digits by now. Chan, who you can tell senses your anxiety, reaches into his jacket pocket to pull out a tiny notebook he had found in an abandoned drawer in your desk. It was a lot more convenient than him carrying around his first notebook, which was the size of a tablet. It took him some time to transfer his notes, but he managed, and you’re glad. 

He opens the book and turns to the page he’s shown you countless times before. Grabbing your hand, he places it in your palm and nods, “Look again, (Y/N).” 

You do.

The person who bought Seungmin back in the lab was some elderly woman in need of company after her husband passed away. She was incredibly well-off, having been Miroh’s treasurer for over thirty years. She lived in the center of the city, where most wealthy individuals usually take up residence. Miroh’s capital is in the very center and home to the federal government. You’ve only been to the center a couple times, and you know it is one of the most beautiful areas you have ever visited. Possibly the most beautiful. Everything was clean, sharp and white. Really white. 

Anyway, a trip to the center was a little over three hours by bus, especially since this woman is so close to the capital. Luckily, you have a biology assignment you can do along the way. 

The screech of tires awakens you from your thoughts. When you look up, you catch the entrance of the bus as it swings open. You and Chan share a glance then make your way toward it. Chan helps you step up into the vehicle, following close behind you. You send a brief greeting to the bus driver, who only replies with a cranky grunt. You couldn’t blame him. You’d hate to be working at this hour too. 

There’s no other passengers on the bus, so you have quite the selection of seats to choose from. You head toward the back and beeline straight for a pair of seats beside a window. The seats were also hidden behind a barrier, allowing you to feel a nice sense of privacy. 

You force Chan to enter first, then plop down next to him. Although there’s none now, you want to do your best to prevent the number of stares you’ll receive. Not only does it make Chan uncomfortable, but it annoys the hell out of you. Hopefully it will stay this empty. You like the silence too. 

You dig through your bag for a couple granola bars you stashed just before your departure. Since the two of you were in a hurry, there wasn’t really any time for breakfast. Plus, you figured you’d be able to get something down at the center. It’ll probably be crazy expensive, but you need to eat. And so does Chan. 

Speaking of him, you take one of the bars and offer it toward him. Chan sends you a grateful smile before accepting the food and ripping it open. He eats it in less than two bites, and against your stomach’s approval, you end up just giving him the one you were going to eat. Over the past week, you’ve noticed how large his appetite is which isn't surprising. He is a wolf hybrid after all, and his previous owners pretty much neglected him to the brink of starvation. 

You could wait a couple hours for real food anyway. 

Searching through your bag again, this time, you pull out the files Chan showed you a couple days ago. You flip through them, stopping when you find Seungmin’s report. You had yet to read through Chan’s full one, or any of them to say the least, but you figured you should learn a little bit about Seungmin before actually meeting him. Chan mentioned something about triggers for some of them so you wanted to be more safe than sorry: 

SK00

Species: Beagle

Creation Date: 9.22.00

Creator: Kim XXXX 

Full name: Kim Seungmin 

Diet: Meat, fruit

Favorite Food: Eggs

Appetite: Three meals and one snack a day

General Behavior(s) Observed: Quiet and neat

Hidden Behavior(s) Observed: Intelligent, playful and kind

Enjoys: Listening to music, taking photographs

Dislikes: Insects

Interaction with Staff: Shy, polite and slow to warm up

Level of Human Interaction: 3.9

Interaction with Other Hybrids: Same as above, gets along very well with other hybrids

Level of Hybrid Interaction: 4.2 

Level of Aggression: 0.6

Known Triggers: None

Acceptable for Adoption

“That level should be at zero.” 

Your focus is broken by Chan’s sudden comment, eyes snapping toward him. With a shake of your head, you answer, “What do you mean?” 

“The level of aggression.” He chuckles, “Seungmin rarely became angry. He’d never hurt a fly.” 

“Oh.” You nod, tucking the file back into the envelope with the others. As much as you hate yourself for it, you can’t help but wonder about the aggression of the other hybrids. Although, you really don’t want to look at the other files. You don’t want anything to deter you from your decision. 

You don’t want anything to deter you from Chan. 

“(Y/N)?” 

“Hm? What is it?” 

He shakes his head, “It’s nothing really, I just… Wanted to thank you… For this and everything…” 

You sigh and angle your face to hide the growing blush on your face. Not knowing exactly how to reply, you choose to dismiss it, “You don’t need to thank me. I’m sure anyone would have done the same.”

“You’re wrong,” Chan’s disagreement brings your gazes to connect once again. And you don’t like the pain that fills your chest at their underlying sadness: 

“Not a lot would have.” 

~~*~~**~~*~~

The bus ride went by in a blur. Chan fell asleep about an hour into it, so that gave you the remainder of the time to work on that lab report. All you needed to finish was your conclusion and sources page, then you’d be set until your biology final in a couple weeks. The more you can get your class work out of the way, the more you’ll be able to help Chan with this hybrid hunt. God knows how long it’ll take you to find everyone. 

Tires screech as the shuttle rolls to a stop. Barely any other people had entered the bus since you and Chan, only a couple men in business suits and one older lady, all of which were getting off at your stop. You wake Chan with a gentle shake, soothing his shock through an explanation of your location. When you guys exit the bus, you realize the sun had barely begun to rise over the horizon. However, even in the dimness, the center was still as you remember it to be. 

Dozens of people roamed the sidewalks, dressed in skirts and suits and anything else non-casual. Most matched the surroundings, white clothing to marble buildings, jade accessories to the healthy foliage accenting the sidewalks and arrays of black and silver to match the cemented road. Expensive cars lined said streets, obviously caught up in the daily morning traffic jam. That was probably the only thing remotely similar between the center of Miroh and its outskirts. If you didn’t know any better, you’d think you walked into a completely different place. 

You look over to Chan to ask him about the plan only to find him lost in his own little world. His eyes were wide and mouth agape as he took in the new sights. His pupils were flitting from one place to another, almost as if he didn’t know what to look at first. You don’t blame him. While the area where you live is one of the most decent, it was nothing as beautiful as the inside of the city. Unlike those who worked for the government and those with immense wealth, the people who lived on the outskirts were more, dare you say… Plain and poor. 

“Chan?.. Hey?” 

Chan breaks out of his reverie at your call, turning to face you with a faraway expression. You hold back a laugh when he forces his focus to remain on you and you only, even so, his gaze still wandered to nearby people and structures. 

You chuckle, “Beautiful, isn’t it?” 

He nods, “Yeah… Yeah, it really is.” 

“Come on,” You hook your arm within his own, beginning to lead him to a nearby coffee shop. “Let’s get something to eat and then we’ll go from there. I’m sure you’re hungry.” 

Your companion answers your question with a sheepish grin. And you can’t help but release the laugh you were holding in before. 

~~*~~**~~*~~

“Why do only certain people get to live here?” You take a sip of your tea as Chan’s eyes flit around the mini park you two stumbled across when you two wandered through the center. After eating a quick pick-me-up at the coffee shop and taking your favorite hot drink to go, Chan wanted to explore on his way to Seungmin’s address. You didn’t have it in you to deny him. Especially when he looks so much like a kid in a candy store. 

You shrug, “It’s just how it is. If you don’t work in the higher positions of the government or have a lot of money, then you can’t afford to live here.” 

“It’s just strange.” Chan lowers onto the bench beside you, the ears atop his head twitching as you slurp another sip of your drink. “This place just seems so much more luxurious than other places of the city. Too much more actually.” 

“I don’t know what to tell you,” You hum and take the time to peer at your beautiful surroundings as well. “It’s just how it’s always been.” 

Chan doesn’t proceed to ask you any more questions after that, which allows you a couple moments of peace to enjoy your drink. However, being with the hybrid for a while, you know how much his curiosity overtakes him. So you’re not surprised when he speaks after a few minutes, “What is that building over there?” 

You turn to where he’s pointing and discover the large building that caught his attention in the first place. You immediately recognize it to be the capital. It’s one of the only buildings you’ve ever been in. It houses the entire Miroh government, along with every record, report and piece of history that has ever been created since the beginning of civilization. There’s rumors too that it also contains the victims that one day vanish into thin air without a trace. 

Like your great-grandfather. 

“That’s the capital.” You answer, cutting off whatever thoughts attempted to enter inside your head. Not going down that road, today. Not ever. 

“It’s really big.” 

“Yeah, it is.” 

After finishing your tea, the two of you set out to find the home of Seungmin’s owner. Looking at the map on your phone, you found it to be only a couple blocks from your current location. The walk there is pretty much silent, Chan doesn’t say much and neither do you. From his quiet nature, you can tell he’s tense and anxious. His ears keep moving back and forth, and if his tail was visible, his fur would be standing on end. You wanted to make him feel better, but what could you say to him? 

What do you tell someone who’s seeing their brother for the first time in years? 

The house when you arrive is like most of the others you passed by. For starters, it’s ten times bigger than any suburban home in the outskirts. It’s also white (apparently, if you’re rich, you like the color white). However, unlike the other homes, this one wasn’t so well kept. 

The foliage lining the front of the house was overgrown and decaying, almost as if it hadn’t been touched in months. Boards covered windows, some broken and cracked either from age or abuse and those still intact were filthy with grime and muck. When the two of you walk up the front steps, it stains your shoes with dirt. 

The front door is taller than basketball hoop and the color of a freshly ripe apple. On either side, there’s two golden knockers in the shape of lions. Hesitantly, you lift your hand in preparation to knock, only to find one of the doors already cracked open. You glance at Chan, before pushing it open the rest of the way and stepping inside. 

The first thing you notice is the vacancy and the lack of light. There’s little to no furniture, minus the occasional rickety chair and three-legged table. From the light of the open door, you can see the gleam of cobwebs hung from the ceiling and walls. Every time you took a step forward, dust would kick up and dance in front of your eyes before traveling into your lungs. Luckily, your scarf protected you from the majority of it. Chan wasn’t so lucky. 

“Are you sure this is the place?” You shake your head, “This house looks like it’s been abandoned for a while.” 

“I don’t understand.” Frantically, Chan pulls out his notebook and flips through the pages. He stares at his notes for a moment, before shaking his own head, “This is the address. He should be here.” 

From your vantage point, you could see how his hands began to quiver. With no hesitation, you diminish the distance between the two of you and wrap his body in a tight embrace. He doesn’t move. His hands still clutching the notebook. 

“I’m sure it’s just a misunderstanding,” You say as you pull away, your cheeks hot from the unaccepted hug. “You probably just found the wrong address or the wrong person or someone. Let’s-” 

“-Excuse me!?” A new voice has you breaking away from the hybrid with a gasp. Your eyes dart from place to place to catch the culprit, only to discover a figure stood in a nearby doorway. For a second, you hoped it to be the elderly owner Chan had known to take his brother. However, your hopes go to waste when a woman, maybe a little older than you, steps into the light. 

You shake your head, “I’m so sorry. We didn’t know anyone was here-” 

“-Who the hell are you!? What the fuck are are you doing in here!?” The woman, flushed with anger, storms over to where you’re stood. She glances over to Chan, her eyes staring a little too long at his wolf ears. With a look of disgust, she continues, “If you were looking for something to steal, you came to the wrong place.” 

“What? No, no, that’s not-” You feverishly shake your head, waving your hands toward her. “We’re not-” 

She scoffs and tosses her hair over her shoulder, “Didn’t expect anyone to be here, did you, bitch-?”

A sudden growl has both you and the girl flinching, a yelp emerging from her. You turn to see Chan glaring daggers at her, his eyes filled with pure rage and fire. However, the remainder of his face was calm. Too calm, that it ricocheted fear throughout your shocked figure. 

“Don’t speak to her like that.” Chan says, and as much as it shouldn’t, it fills your body with a slight sense of relief. He was just protecting you. 

“What the fuck? How-?” 

“-Do you know where the original owner of this house is?” Chan interrupts the woman again. This time, with a look of determination across his face.

The woman, still scowling, replies in a gruff voice, “My mother died over six months ago. What the hell do you want with her?” 

“She had a hybrid. A beagle hybrid.” You watch Chan as he speaks to the stranger, his expression still neutral. “His name was Seungmin.”

The woman scoffs, her lips curling into an even deeper frown. She shakes her head with disgust before shrugging, “Yeah, she did. What about him?”

“Where is he?” 

“How the fuck should I know? We took him to the pound once the bitch died.” A desire to slap her overtakes your body as she once again gives your companion that horrible look. You have to lace your hands together in order to distract yourself. Even then, her face still seemed like a pretty good target. “Never understood why she got him in the first place. Hybrids are fucking disgusting and should be kept in cages, not homes.” 

Chan doesn’t acknowledge her aggression, but you can tell it hit something inside of him from the flick of his ears. He nods, “Alright. Which pound?” 

The stranger shrugs again, “The only one around here, I think, Some fucking shithole where they keep them in hospital rooms or something-”

Your face pales. Your mind recognizes the one she’s trying to describe, and goddamn, you wish you didn’t. With your chest tightening, you turn to peer at Chan with warning eyes and shake your head frantically. He answers with a blended expression full of confusion and concern. You feel your heart breaking. 

“-How long ago did you take him?” The woman is obviously taken aback by your sudden question, or your cracking voice. 

She stares at your face for a moment before answering in a softer tone, “A-About six months ago. Right after she died.” 

You feel the sickness rise in your stomach. Without another thought, you grab Chan’s arm and yank him outside the abandoned house. You know he’s trying to speak to you, ask you what’s wrong and why you’re panicking. But all his words seem faint and jumbled, your mind is too overrun with what ifs and what wills to comprehend any of his words. For a moment, you lose control of your own body and consciousness. And the next thing you know, you’re stood in front of a new building with too bright walls and too clean windows.  

You stop just in front of the entrance, pausing to tear the hat off your head and forcefully put it on Chan’s, effectively hiding his ears. He whines at you to stop, to talk to him and tell him what’s going through your head. Instead, you pull him down by his collar and murmur, “You keep quiet. Understand? Don’t look at anyone. Don’t talk to anyone. Don’t. Do. A thing.” 

“But, (Y/N)-” 

“-Trust me.” The hybrid falls silent at your pleading voice. He looks over your face for a moment, as if analyzing the desperation and panic strewn across your features. With a blank expression, he nods and allows you to lead him inside the glass doors. 

The pungent odor of antiseptic and floor polish invades your nose. It stings your nostrils as you trot up to the front desk, where a preened middle-aged woman dressed in white scrubs in typing at a computer. You can tell she noticed the two of you through the corner of her eyes, but continues with whatever she is doing for a few more seconds. Finally, with a bright smile, which makes you shudder, she greets you, “Hello. What can I do for you today?’ 

You muster a fake smile, “Hi, um, I’m actually here for a certain hybrid. You see, my great-aunt passed away a couple months back and well, this morning I found out that she left me and my brother her beloved pet.”

The woman nods, “Ah, I see. Of course, what was the hybrid’s name?” 

“Kim Seungmin, I believe. He’s a beagle.” 

“Ah, yes. Here he is.” The receptionist points to her computer with another nod. She looks at you with another false smile before gesturing toward the backroom, “He’s right back there. Do you want to meet him before-?”

You shake your head, “-That won’t be necessary. My brother and I are just going to, uh, take him home.” 

“Very well.” With a dry throat, you watch as she speaks into a walkie-talkie. You can hear her requesting them to bring the beagle hybrid out, but you’re glad you can’t hear the voice on the other end because the woman’s eyes widen. “Oh, wow. I’ll let her know.” 

She hangs up the phone and returns her attention onto you, “You’re very lucky. You got here just in time.” 

While the words are relieving, the nauseous feeling still tears at your stomach. Still smiling, you nod, “Very lucky.” 

Not once through your conversation had you looked at Chan, although even if you did, you’re pretty sure your sickness would have consumed you. You wait in silence, occasionally returning the receptionist’s more than awkward smile. With how fast your heart was beating, you thought it would pounce out of your chest. But it completely stops once the doors to the backroom swing open.

On a leash pulled by a large man, was a young hybrid. Light brown, floppy ears hung down from his head, swinging with each step he took. He was barefoot, the only clothing on his body a worn pair of pajama pants and a filthy, once white, undershirt. Unlike Chan, he was on the much leaner side, so much that he looked as if he’d been underfed for years. His face told you otherwise, which you were glad for, as his cheeks were fuller. Overall, his face was kind and sweet… And young. 

You feel the hybrid behind you tense. He moves to rush to the other hybrid, but you grab his wrist and squeeze. Hard. For the first time since you walked in, you meet one another’s eyes, and though you hate the painful way in which he’s staring into yours, you stand your ground. 

It’s his and Seungmin’s life on the line. 

You mouth for the male to stay where he is. Once you’re sure he’s got the message, you release his limb and build your facade once again. With a bitter smile, you traipse over to where Seungmin is being held. He gazes at you with shock, obviously wondering why you’re with his brother. You try to talk to him with your eyes, letting him know you wouldn’t hurt him. 

Letting him know you were saving him. 

“C’mon, boy. We’ve got a lot of bitches for you to breed.” You hate the way the man beside him smirks. It takes everything inside of you not to gouge his eyes out as he hands you the leash Seungmin is connected to. The leather scalds your skin as you take it into your palm, and god, do you feel like throwing up. But you can’t ruin this. 

You pay some more smiles toward the man and the receptionist, who are watching you like hawks, “Thank you very much. We lost our male last week, so this was a blessing for our business.” 

The receptionist giggles, “Of course. Hybrid breeding is such a great thing to be in right now.” 

“It is. I hope you have a wonderful rest of your day.” You hate the sing-song pitch of your voice, not as much as the words leaving your mouth though. With one last final greeting, you lead Seungmin and pull Chan out of the building. Once the door shuts behind you, Chan opens his mouth to speak but you’re quick to stop him, “Not here. We need to wait until we get back to the apartment.”

“Wh-what?” Seungmin whimpers, looking between you and Chan. “Wh-what’s going on, hyung?” 

Chan’s expression softens, “I’ll explain everything later. But we need to get somewhere safe first.” 

You nod, “He’s right. And I promise, once we are, I’m tearing this fucking leash apart until it’s nothing but pieces.” 

~~*~~**~~*~~

To say you were scared on the way back to your apartment was an understatement. On the bus ride home, you swore you could feel countless eyes looking in your direction. You, Chan and Seungmin were completely silent. Seungmin, because he was just as terrified of everything as you were. And Chan, because he was worried. You could basically smell it radiating off of him. At first, you thought it was for Seungmin. But after meeting his searching eyes various times throughout the ride, you could tell he was worried about you. 

You don’t blame him. You were worried for yourself too. 

You knew you showed Chan a side of yourself you never wanted to. Never wanted to show anybody to say the least. Ever since your mother passed, you’ve done everything you could to erase any sort of vulnerability you had left over. It’s one of the reasons why your aunt worries about you so much. After the death, you were a wreck. But, then one day, you were magically fine. Until today.

Once you reach the apartment, you do as you promised Seungmin and tore the leash until it was nothing but scraps. Chan explained everything as best as he could, after the boys had that typical reuniting movie scene. Although, you’re not one to talk, considering you yourself shed a few tears. 

Anyway, Chan introduced you two, like, really introduced you. He explained to Seungmin everything that you had done and everything that you were going to do. The beagle hybrid, his tail wagging faster than the propeller of an airplane, quite literally launched himself into your arms and repeatedly thanked you, thanked you for bringing him to his brother. 

You said ‘you’re welcome’ once. 

Now, you watch as Chan tucks the hybrid into the bed in his bedroom. Your heart can’t help but soften as he caresses a quick hand over the younger’s head, almost mirroring the relationship between a mother and child. With one final goodbye, Chan retreats from the bedroom, shuts off the lights and closes the door behind him. 

He gives you a small smile, which you return, and murmurs, “Thank you, (Y/N).” 

“I told you, Chan. You don’t need to thank me.” You chuckle and shake your head, carding your fingers through your hair. Chan watches you for a couple seconds, his eyes unblinking and face blank. You feel strange beneath his gaze, but make no move to walk away. 

“(Y/N)?” 

“Yeah?” 

You notice his Adam’s apple bob as his lips downturn into a frown. He shakes his own head before whispering, “At that place… Why were you so scared?” 

You sigh, “Chan… That place…” 

“They were going to kill him, weren’t they?” Your heart aches at the expression of absolute pain that invades Chan’s face. You’re tempted to reach out and comfort him, to let him know that you felt his hurt. But you didn’t. 

You couldn’t. 

“When they told us we were lucky that we came in time… And how you hid that I was a hybrid…” When his eyes meet yours again, you feel the sting of tears well beneath your eyes. “You can tell me, (Y/N).” 

You nod, “Yes. They were going to euthanize him.” 

“But how did you-?” 

“-It’s not important.” You interrupt the wolf hybrid before he can finish his question. You try to send him the most genuine smile you can and murmur, “He’s alive, Chan. That is what’s important.” 

He chuckles and sniffs, his hand lifting to wipe the liquid sadness welling within his eyes, “Yeah, yeah. You’re right.” 

“You should get some rest, too. It’s been a long day.” 

Chan nods, “Yeah. You’re probably right.” 

Chan gives you one last sad smile before retreating into his bedroom. As he’s closing his door, you turn to head to your own room, before a call of your name has your actions halting. You turn to face the hybrid once more, his head peeking through the crack of the door. You can see the hesitation on his face. But after a few beats of silence, he speaks, “I just… I just don’t understand why humans are so cruel…” 

A droplet cascades down your cheek, but you’re quick to wipe it away before Chan sees. Hiding the sadness in your voice, you shrug, “It’s Miroh, Chan. I told you it’s dangerous for you guys. And it’s only going to get worse from here.

“And besides,” You chuckle, wiping a few other stray tears. “Hybrids aren’t the only things humans are cruel to.” 

You wish Chan a good night, then walk in the direction of your own bedroom. You can feel his eyes on your back, watching your legs carry you into the darkness.

Luckily, you’re safe behind closed doors and away from prying eyes when you cry yourself to sleep.

[tebarambles]

Day 3: Frost

Bernie shudders and pulls up the lapels of her coat in an attempt to fend off the cold. Holby hasn't been this icy around Christmas in years. Or maybe she is not used to these temperatures anymore after spending the better part of the past two decades in more arid regions. Either way, she should have bothered to put on a beanie, she thinks, or at least her scarf that she now realises she has left in her locker at work. 

Her shift had been more stressful than she would have thought possible on a calm - boring, a  scornful voice in her head interjects - ward like Keller. Two post-op patients had gone into arrest at the same time, so she had to spend her free afternoon in theatre. With only two hours left before the shops close, she left the hospital in a hurry, hence the lack of protection against frostbite.

Bernie tries to avoid the jolly crowd that is swarming around the various stands of Holby’s very own Christmas market, not willing to waste any more time. She usually quite enjoys Christmas shopping, always likes to make an effort and surprise her loved ones with little presents that aren’t on their respective wish lists. Granted, that hasn’t always gone well - looking back, Marcus’ non-existent sense of humour should have been warning enough not to marry him, she muses. 

This year, however, she finds herself at a loss. What do you get your newly estranged children who are still bitter about their parents’ divorce? She is not even sure they will accept her gifts and peace offerings, which is why she has put the dreaded task off until now. Which leaves her with less than three days to find something. Brilliant.

She straightens her shoulders and decides to pay Charlotte’s favourite record shop a visit first - only to be stopped by a slender young woman who steps right in front of her, waving her smartphone at Bernie’s face.

“Excuse me,” the girl beams at her, the words a bit slurred, “could you please take a photo of my mum and I? Great!” With that she hands her the phone and skips back to where her mother is waiting. Right. Okay.

Bernie makes to follow her but stops short: the other woman is stunning! She is the spitting image of her daughter, with a cute cleft in her chin and dark brown eyes. Eyes that are currently sparkling with barely concealed amusement as she raises a neatly sculpted brow and half-heartedly chastises her daughter for "harassing strangers for a silly photo." 

Realising that this might not be the right moment to explore her new-found attraction to eyebrows - who would have thought? - Bernie shakes herself out of her temporary stupor, mumbles a shy “hello,” and busies herself with the girl’s phone. Keep calm, Wolfe.

She offers the women a few vague instructions and manages a number of decent snaps before the girl comes over and eagerly snatches the phone from her hand to scroll through the gallery.

“Mum, look! We are so pretty!” she gushes, then turns around to address Bernie. 

“Look! Isn’t my mum pretty?” 

Pretty? Beautiful, attractive, devastatingly sexy, Bernie thinks, then coughs and chokes out a strangled “um…-”

“Thank you so much! Can I hug you?” the girl interrupts her and flings her arms around Bernie’s neck, not bothering to wait for a response.

“Ellie!” The mother joins them to save Bernie from her daughter’s exorbitant display of gratitude. “I’m so sorry. She had a bit too much of the mulled cider, I’m afraid.”

Bernie shrugs it off and offers her a smile. “Don’t worry, no harm done. At least she’s a happy drunk. My ex-husband used to get mopey when he had too much wine,” Bernie rolls her eyes at the memory.

Her assessment prompts the other woman to chuckle. “Ah, yes, today is one of her better days. She was right to thank you, though. Serena Campbell, nice to meet you”

Bernie takes the offered hand, notices how soft and warm it is and almost forgets to answer. “Bernie Wolfe”

“As in Major Berenice Wolfe, the new consultant on Keller?”

“Bernie is fine. But how- oh! Do you work at Holby City Hospital, too?”

“Yes, on AAU, “ Serena smiles, then frowns. “One should think that our ward would suit your talents much better than Keller?”

“Well, the spot on Keller was on offer, I applied and that was that.” Bernie shrugs, unsure what else to say. She would love to work on AAU and getting to work with Serena would certainly be a bonus.

Then she realises that they are still holding each other’s hands. 

Serena seems to notice at the same time. She doesn’t pull away, though. Instead, she encloses Bernie’s hand with both of her own. 

“Oh dear, your fingers are like icicles. What are you doing, walking about without mittens or a scarf at least? You must be freezing! Here,” Serena untangles her own scarf from her neck and wraps it around Bernie’s, “that’s better.”

“But.. won’t you be cold now?” Bernie stutters. She is painfully aware that she is blushing at the gentle touch, hopes she can blame it on the cold.

“Ah, don’t worry,” Serena rummages through her handbag, then points at Ellie who doesn’t look as energetic anymore. “I need to get this one home now, anyway. You can buy me a coffee at Pulses when you give it back.” After a moment’s hesitation, Serena envelops Bernie in a brief hug. 

Ellie smiles at Bernie. “I wanted to say thanks again for the pics. It was nice to meet you, Bernie. You’re great!”

“Hear, hear!” Serena winks at Bernie and links arms with her daughter. “Come on, it’s time to go home.”

Bernie can’t help but stare after Serena until she is out of sight. 

*

Later, when she arrives home after what eventually turned into a surprisingly successful little shopping spree, she finds a slip of paper in her coat pocket. Below a phone number it reads:

To get in touch about that coffee :)

S x

She suddenly doesn’t feel cold anymore.

@berenaadvent

[splat-dragon]

In which Jumin doesn't understand sarcasm, and the MC discovers she married an idiot. And V's there to laugh at them, too.

“What do you wish for, for Christmas?”

 A man's deep, rumbling purr of a voice broke the comfortable silence that cloaked the spacious penthouse. At a glance, the penthouse was obviously owned by someone of considerable wealth. Real wood and expensive looking appliances and furniture overran it. Two people, a man and a woman, rested atop a soft-looking pure white couch. The man was dressed in a tailored, three-piece suit, clearly fresh from the office. His raven-black hair was stylishly tousled, his bangs covering the corner of a silver eye. He sat with one leg stretched out, resting on a wood and glass coffee table, the other crossed over his knee.

 In his lap the girl rested her head, eyes closed. Her skin was as pale as milk, a light dusting of freckles highlighting high cheekbones. She wore a simple white blouse, tucked loosely into a pair of black trousers. The man's long fingers carded through her elbow-length brown hair.

 A pair of emerald eyes were revealed when she slowly opened them, blinking up at him owlishly. “What?” she slurred sleepily, nuzzling into him.

 “Christmas is only a few weeks away, MC, and I don't know what to gift you. What would you like? I'll get you anything.” He moved one of his hands to lightly caress her cheek lovingly.

 “Jumin,” she laughed, a sound like tinkling bells, “I have everything I could ever want. All I want for Christmas is to spend time with you.”

 Jumin frowned slightly, furrowing his brow. “MC,” the way he said her name was more serious than before. “Of course I will take off so I can spend the holidays with you. But it's our first Christmas together. I will give you the world if you ask it.” His tone made it obvious he wouldn't accept a no.

 MC snorted, and shook her head, allowing her eyes to drift shut as she rested her head on his lap. He gently shook her shoulder before she could drift off once more, and when she opened them her eyes were dark with irritation. “A pony, then,” she grumbled sarcastically, “if you insist on this, I want a pony for Christmas.”

 Having said that, she closed her eyes and drifted off to sleep, completely unaware of her husband, whom had a thoughtful look on his face. As she lost consciousness, he grabbed his phone from the side table and began to type.

  That Christmas morning was a cold one. Temperature gauges dropped well below freezing, and the wind cut right through anyone fool enough to step outside. A sprinkling of snow dusted the ground, just enough to make everything glitter as though covered in innumerable tiny crystals. Even the sky seemed to shine, despite being a clean celeste slate.

 MC had already given Jumin his gift (a beautifully made watch with Elizabeth carved into the face), and they'd sat down together to drink hot chocolate and share various treats. She couldn't help but to be curious, however, as he continually checked his phone. It couldn't be the RFA, she knew, as they'd all come to an agreement to not use the chatroom on Christmas and, instead, they would discuss everything Christmas-related on the day after. This way they could enjoy their time together with their significant others and/or each other, in the case of Zen and Jaehee, as the cafe owner still had yet to gather the courage to confess but had offered him a free meal to eat together.

 At fifteen until two, his phone vibrated audibly. Jumin flicked on the phone, darted through the message, and leaped to his feet. He stepped forward, extracting the scalding hot hot chocolate from her hands and gently tugged on her wrist.

 MC stood from the couch, watching him in bewilderment. “Jumin-?”

 In quick strides that she struggled to match, he hurried to the coat rack and slipped hers on her shoulders. He quickly followed with her ruby mittens, and then a matching scarf, wrapping it snugly around her neck. He urged her to step into her boots as well, taking the time it took her to button them up to dress himself in his emerald winter-wear.

 “Jumin, where are we going?”

 He ignored the question, taking her by the hand once more and leading her out the door. The executive director tugged her down the hall, and into the elevator. There she attempted to question him again, only to receive more silence.

 If she was honest, he looked... excited, almost. A youthful glee softened his features; the corner of his lips curled up in a barely-contained smile, his steely eyes had softened into something more like mercury, and he was even rocking slightly on his heels.

 The metallic doors slid open, and he quickly pulled her outside. Driver Kim stood at the curb, reclining slightly against the door of the limo. Seeing them, he straightened, bowing low and opening their door.

 Before Jumin could pull her in, MC tugged away. “Jumin Han! I am not going anywhere until you tell me what's going on!” She scowled, and he was briefly reminded of an indignant kitten, puffed up and angry, with her hands on her hips.

 The emerald-clad man smiled at her fondly, catching her about the hips and tugging her to him, kissing her forehead. “MC,” he purred, hiding his smile against her pale skin, “I have a surprise for you. Please, just play along.”

 MC eyed him warily, furrowing her brow, but in the end shook her head exasperatedly, clambering into the spacious limousine. 'I tell him not to get me anything, but does he listen? No.' His large hands suddenly closed around her wrists, pulling her so that she was leaning against him, half in his lap. He wrapped his arm around her head in a way such that his forearm blocked her vision. “Jumin?”

 He chuckled quietly, the soft gust of his breath against the sensitive shell of her outer ear making her jump. “I told you, it's a surprise. If you could see where we were going, you'd know what it is. Although, you should know already.”

  'How can I know already? I told him I didn't want anything.'

 It was a long drive, perhaps three quarters of an hour, with many twists and turns. However, the smoothness that told her that they were still on the well-maintained tarmac suddenly turned into a fairly bumpy drive that had Jumin adjusting his hold on her several times.

  'We must be miles out from the city if they don't maintain the roads; where are we going?'

 Not long after, the limousine stopped and she heard Driver Kim's door swing open and click shut, followed by his oddly-muffled footsteps. The door next to her opened, and he helped Jumin get her out without allowing her to see where they had stopped.

 “Only a little longer, Princess.” Jumin murmured in her ear, and placed his other hand at the small of her back. “The path is a bit uneven, so allow me to guide you.”

 As they walked forward, she took several deep breaths to try and discern where they might be. The air seemed to lack any of the pollution of the city, no gasoline fumes choking her breath. Faintly she could smell flowers and... was that hay?

 He tucked her into himself further, preventing her from hearing by pushing her ears into his coat and the crook of his elbow. They were close enough that the noises would spoil the surprise.

 Jumin quickly opened a gate when they approached it, herding her inside. The metal gate clanged against the wooden fence as he closed and latched it once more. Turning her to face the large building in front of them, he removed his arm from her ear, careful to keep her eyes covered.

 “I am going to go inside to get your present, Princess. I want you to keep your eyes closed, alright?” Saying so, he slowly removed his arm from around her.

 “Yes Jumin,” MC nodded, clapping her hands over her eyes as he removed his limb. She could hear him walking away, and then the sound of a heavy door. The urge to look was strong, but she didn't want to break his trust or disappoint him.

 “NEIGH!”

 “What?!” His wife yelped, jumping slightly. No, no way, no how, she did not just hear a horse. Jumin surely wasn't that crazy... was he?

 “Surprise! You can open your eyes!” Her husband's voice boomed from in front of her, and she jumped again. MC jerked her hands away, only to return them to rub the harsh sunlight from her eyes. Slower this time, she opened them.

 And stared.

  'Yup. That's a horse.'

 Well, horse wasn't really the right word. He looked to be full grown, but was just shy of her shoulder. So, a pony.

  'What. The. Fuck.'

 It stood perhaps fifty-and-some-change inches tall, looking ridiculously short next to her giant of a husband. It was a mount worthy of a princess, with gleaming white fur and what she assumed to be a fine build. It wore a gleaming red halter and lead rope, held carefully in Jumin's hand.

 As time went on and her eyes only got bigger and her jaw dropped wider, Jumin's wide grin began to fade. “Do... do you like it, Princess?”

 MC looked at him for a moment. She desperately wanted to say: 'Have you lost your mind?' or perhaps 'How many times were you dropped on your head as a child?' Or even 'What the hell is wrong with you?!' But, looking at his proud grin and puffed up chest, she couldn't find the heart to. Instead she forced a wide smile onto her lips, and said: “I love it, Jumin!”

 Jumin cracked a wide grin, stepped forward to offer her the lead. She took it in a limp-wristed hand, still boggling at the beast.

 “His name is Sir Maximillian the Eighth.”

 At the sound of the familiar voice, trembling with mirth, MC's head snapped up, meeting V's gaze. The photographer had a purse-lipped smile, and amusement was written all over his features. She glared at him balefully, and he coughed to cover up a laugh.

 “Merry Christmas, MC. Jumin asked if I wouldn't mind taking some photographs of.. this.” He waved at the two of them. “Now, Jumin, step out of the way so I can get them both in the shot.”

 The tall man strode to stand by his childhood friend's side, watching proudly as V commanded her to look into the pony's eyes. She tugged on the halter, pulling his head up to meet her gaze. Intelligent brown eyes seemed to say: “You've married an idiot.”

 MC chuckled shakily and, as the camera shutter clicked in the background, whispered to the poor pony: “I've married an idiot.”