#and struggled to light sparklers for like an hour

[quitesins]

Bonfire night so of course I’m thinking about bakugou telling you to fuck off when you suggest sparklers and just lighting up his palms instead 💥

[struggling-to-find-home]

Tw: vent.

The house is a mess.

Usually, I'm always good with upkeep, no matter how I complain about it. It makes sense - the only thing I hate more than cleaning is cleaning up a lot, which means I try to keep my messes up to a bearable level.

Well... Tried.

The house is a mess. The alarm rings for 6 am sharp. I drag myself out of bed and get ready in a zombie-like fashion, stumbling over the random shit on the floor of the room, and try to make breakfast from the pathetic state of my fridge.

Everything in my life is literally falling apart - I had to replace all my school supplies, a bunch of clothes, and shoes, all because mine are physically disintegrating - so the selection of food is slim.

The house is a mess.

And you know, I try, I really do, but when you come home from 9 hours spent in the university and you have to prepare for another nine hours and the deadlines keep running out on you? Cleaning, and dishes, and laundry, start being a priority only when you're physically out of clean clothes. I want to sleep. I can't. I have six days of full-time university and a mandatory 10am meeting on Sunday.

I had an allergy flare up from stress. The skin on my fingers has broken apart, rendering me unable to write - which means the work just keeps on snowballing, and I keep not doing it, because just holding a pen hurts.

I have around 40 pages of the microbiology textbook to fill out. It is one class out of the ten I have weekly (not including the mandatory daily lectures). I'm going to spend a holiday weekend - three days, a miracle - doing only that.

The house is a mess.

They don't tolerate sickness, they don't tolerate being late, they don't tolerate being present but not answering questions, they don't tolerate being present and answering questions in a way they don't like. 2/3 questions correct is a C, 3/3 questions correct is a B, the professor's eyes gleam with joy as he announces eight failing grades in a row, the microbiology department forces you to memorise 120 pages of facts in three days.

At this point, I'm pretty sure they just hate students. They call us lazy, stupid, slow, horrible, unfit for the profession, unfixable, worthless, tell us our hair is wrong, our nails are wrong, our voice, tone and inflection is wrong, our gestures are wrong, our movement is wrong, and we just have to sit there and take it.

Even the smart kids stopped caring. I was never one of the smart kids, so instead of not caring, I'm thinking of dropping out.

The house is a mess.

This week was shitty, no, worse than that. I barely slept three hours a night. Between Wednesday and Thursday, I slept two. I consumed as many energy drinks as I did the entire two months leading up to this mess, and spent the entirety of Halloween trying to keep my eyes open.

My house is a mess.

My friend got engaged this week. Another one had a blast partying. Another one went on two dates. All I did was rot somewhere in-between the classrooms, alone.

Well, not exactly alone... There's other third years. We're all in this together, after all. All of them with rich and colourful lives and girlfriends and boyfriends and actual passion and reason to smile day to day. I've gotten quieter recently, like a light in my eyes got snuffed out. I doubt anyone noticed; maybe that's because compared to every other year, even the sparklers look haggard and tired.

And I hate to admit it, but it's so... Boring. Last year, while a fucking mess filled with more drama than a riverdale season, was at least interesting. Now, you're either monotonously reading books or monotonously getting tortured. Even that gets old fast.

But maybe that's just a me problem. I tried getting on a dating app a few days ago, and figured out that I didn't have any good photos, nor could I figure out what to write about myself. "Hi, I'm Struggling, an absolute failure in everything I try to do and the only reason why I'm doing this is because I crave to feel something, anything, instead of monotony. Toxic, manipulative or looking for a quick no strings attached fling? Come here, and let's ruin each other phycologically!" is a horrible fucking pitch. No wonder I'm so lonely, I'm literally the worst option possible.

The house is a mess.

When I come home thursday after having to sit through a 2,5 hour hygeine lab, a pharmacology test and a lecture in which we get yelled at for two hours, I try to study, or clean, or do anything useful, but I am unsuccessful.

On Friday, I sleep through eight alarms and wake up at 8:40. Curse, internally, stop caring after a minute of two. In the class I'm not in, a professor yells at my groupmate for sitting wrong. I get breakfast - literally just a cup of tea this time - and start packing my bag.

I say to myself, I'll clean when I get back.

It's 10:30pm. My eyes are closing by themselves. I haven't cleaned yet. I'm exhausted.

The house is a mess.

[readingforsanity]

Little Girl Missing | J.G. Roberts | Published 2019 | *SPOILERS*

How can a little girl vanish into thin air? 

Five year old Cassie Bailey’s mother tucked her into bed and kissed her goodnight. This morning she’s missing, her unicorn bedcovers are empty and her parents are frantic. 

DCI Rachel Hart knows that the first few hours after a child goes missing are the most crucial, and that the Baileys are living every parent’s worst nightmare. Rachel knows, because as a child her family lived through it too, when her sister was taken. 

The days are ticking by with no sign of Cassie, and the cracks in the Baileys’ marriage are beginning to show. But are the holes in their stories because they’re out of their minds with panic - or because they’re lying? 

Rachel’s convinced that Cassie knew the person who took her, but can she find the little girl before she’s lost forever? 

A gripping and unputdownable thriller for fans of Close to Home, the Couple Next Door and Behind Closed Doors. 

Naomi and Cassie are trying to settle into their new lives together after their husband and father allegedly had a one night stand with a woman Naomi cannot stand. Charlie, Naomi’s husband, has been living outside of the home for the last 5 weeks, leaving her in charge of their 5 year old daughter Cassie alone, though this was at Naomi’s doing, not allowing him any time with her during that 5 week span of time, neither allowing Hazel, Charlie’s mother, access to the child. 

Together, the two of them carved a pumpkin for Cassie’s school, and before heading up to bed, the two of them set off sparklers in the backyard to create whiskers for the pumpkin, which had been carved into a cat’s head. After putting Cassie down for the night, Naomi retired to her own bedroom, taking a herbal sleeping pill on the behest of her best friend, Kate, in order to induce a better night’s sleep. Over the last several weeks, Naomi hadn’t been sleeping or eating well, and neither had Cassie. Naomi would often wake in the mornings to find her daughter sleeping on the couch snuggled with their cat, Pumpkin. 

When Naomi awoke the next morning, she found Cassie nowhere to be found within their home. Struggling to come to terms with this, the police arrive shortly thereafter. Charlie, who had hoped to catch a glimpse of his daughter the night before, is told of what happened, and returns home. Naomi immediately begins to blame him, while also blaming herself. 

DCI Rachel Hart is on the case, though it is strikingly similar to something she and her twin sister endured as children. She promises to do whatever it takes to bring Cassie home, though she isn’t hopeful that the outcome will be in their favor. Charlie tells them of his indiscretion with the woman named Jessica a few weeks earlier leading to his and Naomi’s separation. Jessica enters into their suspect list, which is only further suspected when she failed to appear at work the night before and that evening as well. 

Additionally, Hazel is also a current suspect, as she had left earlier that morning to travel to see her sister in another town. She would leave her phone off while traveling, and failed to let Charlie know when she had arrived safely. But, when she is informed of what has occurred, she is devastated. Despite having been on the road earlier that day, she wanted to return home quickly. 

When Hazel is stopped at a red light after arriving back in town, a semi truck rams into the back end of her. Shockingly, Hazel is left uninjured, but a liquid seeping out of her trunk looks like blood, and Hazel immediately wonders if Cassie had crawled inside of the trunk of the car, which Charlie had left opened overnight for her to place her suitcase in and she decided against it, and she was injured during the crash. 

Though Cassie was not found in the back of the car, a piece of her pink jacket was found inside and Hazel is arrested. Naomi believes that Charlie and Hazel are responsible for Cassie’s disappearance, though she comes to her senses and realizes she has made a mistake in accusing her. Hazel is not arrested, but at the same time that Hazel is being questioned, Jessica had also been brought in for questioning after having been found trying to flee the country to Spain. 

While questioning Jessica didn’t lead anywhere, she is told to stay within the country, but we come to realize that despite her saying otherwise, she was involved in Cassie’s kidnapping, along with another person not yet named. 

We later come to find out that the other person involved is Jessica’s boyfriend as well as Charlie and Naomi’s best friend Kate. Despite having a perfect life with her own family, Kate was finding herself unsatisified in life. Her husband Alan had a secret vasectomy, rendering her unable to become pregnant again for a daughter after having three sons. She cooked up this scheme with Jessica, who was able to have her boyfriend forge new documents for Kate and Cassie, and would then kidnap the child and take her to a safe place where Kate would then remove her, and move to Wales to begin their new life. 

When Kate arrives at the place where Cassie was meant to be taken, she realized that Jessica had double-crossed her. Removing everything in the house that could incriminate her, Kate moves on, but by this point, the authorities have already been told what happened by Jessica, who called into the tipline to share the information in hopes of giving herself enough time to get away, with hopes of going to Venezuela, who doesn’t have a treaty with the UK for extradition. 

DCI Hart tells Charlie, who goes to the house but their search comes up empty. Charlie, despite having been told not to get his hopes up, is crushed by the lack of Cassie being found but when he returns to his car, he receives a text message from the kidnapper, requesting $10,000. He does so, without hesitation, and awaits the two hours to confirm that the transafter had gone through. He speaks to Cassie briefly during this time, to prove that she is alive, but otherwise he has no way to confirm that his child is safe. 

After the two hours is up, Jessica confesses where Cassie is being held, and Charlie takes off, finding her tied and gagged inside of an abandoned cricket club. Cassie is, thankfully, unharmed. Kate, on the otherhand, has gone into Naomi’s house to confess what happened, but by this point, she realizes that the police have been tipped off to her involvement, and sneaks in with her key when Hazel leaves the home to return to hers briefly and the policeman left to guard the house goes inside to use the restroom. 

Kate goes to Naomi, and gives her a hot chocolate with crushed up sleeping pills inside, despite Naomi having just taken medication prescribed to her. While the drugs do their magic, Kate confesses that she had never loved Alan, and had only married him because Naomi had married Charlie. In truth, Kate had an obsession with Naomi, wanting the tow of them to live happily together and raise Cassie as their own daughter. She wasn’t into woman, only Naomi, and if she couldn’t have her then nobody could. 

When Hazel returns home, the door is locked and she is unable to gain access. The police, along with a neighbor, gain access into the home and find Naomi nearly lifeless, with Kate sitting vigil by her side. Naomi wasn’t aware that Charlie had gone to Cassie and was on the way to bring her home. 

When the two of them arrived, they were immediately taken to the hospital, where Naomi had her stomach pumped. The next morning, the family is reunited and despite everything Kate put her through, she refuses to press charges, hoping that she’ll finally receive the help that she so desperately needed. DCI Hart also confesses that she was kidnapped, along with her twin sister, has a child, and despite them being identical twins, she wasn’t raped but her sister was. 

In the epilogue, Rachel goes to visit her sister who is being kept in a private residential hospital after going through what she did. The two of them discuss the case that Rachel just worked, and they’re both happy with the outcome, and the two of them share a lunch together. 

This was a book that happened to be available on the Kindle free days that happened recently. I was able to score this one for free. I’m not happy with it, nor am I unhappy with it. I guess I’m a bit indifferent. 

I will say, however, that the ending where Naomi chooses not to punish her friend totally disgusted me. If my best friend in the entire world kidnapped my child because she thought the two of us could have a life together and raise her as our own, I would absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt in my mind, press charges against that person. I don’t care how close we are or were, or whether or not that person was suffering from a mental illness or not. She was able to manipulate several people around her, and she will eventually be released from an institution, and whose to say she wouldn’t try something like this again? No thank you. Naomi, do better. 

3/5 

[noriyoshi]

vibez. - pjh (m)

pairing: jihoon x fem!reader

genre: smut

word count: 4.8k

warnings: oral (f-receiving), use of a vibrator, exhibitionism, teasing, explicit language, explicit sexual intercourse (wrap it b4 u tap it!),

synopsis: Jihoon makes you wear a vibrator and teases you throughout the day as punishment for teasing him in front of Yoshi.

a/n: i’m new here and i suddenly got inspired to write this overnight so i hope u guys enjoy it! any feedback is always appreciated ^__^ not proofread atm

“Be good for me,” Jihoon says as his fingers lightly brush over your slit. You were wet long before Jihoon began to touch you. The amount of arousal Jihoon collects just from a slight brush against your lower lips would be embarrassing had he not been so turned on by it.

There is nothing Jihoon loves more than seeing you unravel underneath him. Your eyes are screwed shut and your lip trembles from between your teeth. You’re trying hard to focus on how Jihoon is touching you. He likes when you watch him. He wants you to see every little thing he does to you. Yet, you can’t help the way your eyes shut as he teases your entrance, finger prodding slightly only to return to his teasing. He’s turned to rubbing circular motions, applying a heavenly pressure onto your clit before dragging his fingers back down. He repeats the action a few more times, smirking when you start to buck your hips.

“Ah,” he tsks. “What did I tell you?”

“S-sorry,” you mumble, a cute pout sitting on your lips. “I’ll behave.”

“Thanks doll,” he kisses the inside of your thighs softly, inching his way inward towards where you needed him most. “See, I really wish this didn’t have to be a punishment.” Jihoon sighs, eyes staring at your core with hunger. He wants nothing more than to devour you, to make you cum over and over and over again. He makes a tentative swipe through your folds with his tongue, moaning at the taste. Your whimper sounds like music to his ears and he painfully wishes he could hear it all day. “But you won’t learn anything if I don’t teach you a lesson.”

He finally pushes a finger in, thrusting it in and out slowly before adding a second.

“B-but,” you choke when his fingers start to curl. “P-please” you whine. “I’ll be good, I-I-I’m sorry. I’ve learned my lesson.”

“I disagree,” he scissors his fingers inside of you, taking his time to stretch you open. Jihoon’s pace is tantalizing. Slow and steady, as if you both don’t have classes to attend in half an hour. You haven’t even left your dorm yet. But Jihoon doesn’t seem to be worried about that. No, his mind is more preoccupied with something else. “I think this will be a good punishment for you.”

With his unoccupied hand, he pats around the bed until his hand finds the object he was looking for. He stops the fluid motion of his fingers and pulls them out, tapping your clit lightly before he sits up to show you the object.

“What is it?” you grab the bulbous, pink object and examine it with wide eyes.

“A vibrator.” he states simply. “A remote controlled vibrator that you will be wearing until I come pick you up from class.”

“Jihoon-” you begin to protest.

“This is your punishment.” he gives you a look as to not argue.

“But what if someone hears?” you mutter quietly, cheeks dusted pink at the thought of someone knowing what you’re up to.

“Well, this baby is quiet, so no one will hear or know a thing so long as you’re quiet too.”

“But-but, that’s not fair.”

“You misbehaving and teasing me in front of Yoshi wasn’t fair either, princess. Now lay back so I can put this in.”

You shuffle back onto the bed, spreading your legs open enough for Jihoon. He subconsciously licks his lips as he stares at your still glistening pussy. He presses a button near the front of the vibrator and it comes to life. Much to your surprise, it’s not vibrating like you thought it would be. Jihoon resumes his position between your legs, pressing his fingers into you once more to make sure the vibrator will fit. He uncaps the lube sitting on the desk near your bed. Your arousal is surely more than enough for an easy slide but Jihoon is precautionary and makes sure to cover the foreign object well before pressing it to your entrance.

“Relax, baby,” he coaxes, his lips kissing your thighs again as he pushes in the bulbous end of the vibrator. After the initial stretch, it rests comfortably inside you. Jihoon sits up and massages your thighs comfortingly before pressing a quick peck to your lips. “Perfect,”

You pull up your skirt and panties and stand. Your legs are a bit wobbly, but you think you can manage. The vibrator itself isn’t exactly uncomfortable, but it doesn’t help with the feeling of arousal that’s still ever so present. You wonder what the purpose of the vibrator is if Jihoon’s not even gonna turn it on. As if he’s reading your mind, Jihoon picks up his phone and says, “Now we test it.”

You look at him curiously as he unlocks his phone and swipes through until he presumably finds what he’s looking for. Moments later you feel the unforgiving vibrations rumbling to life. The toy vibrates quickly, repeatedly pulsating in all the right spots. You moan aloud, unable to control yourself at the incredible feeling. You push your legs together, eager to relieve yourself when Jihoon turns it off, leaving you whining and unsatisfied.

“It works.” He smiles devilishly. He picks up his backpack and walks out the room, headings towards the front door where his shoes are. You rush after him, snatching your phone off the desk and your backpack off the floor. You shut the lights to your room off and slam the door behind you. “Jihoon, you’re just gonna leave me like this? All day?”

“Not all day babe, don’t be silly. It’s just a couple of hours.” he opens the door and waits for you to walk out before shutting and locking it behind you.

“Jihoon,” you whine quietly, tugging on his hand.

“End of discussion, now let’s go. I don’t wanna be late.” he grabs your hand and intertwines your fingers as you begin your walk towards class and begin the dreadful day.

Jihoon fills the walk to class with meaningless chatter, excitedly talking about a prank he had pulled on Junkyu not long ago and how now they were preparing for an assignment together so Junkyu’s set on getting his revenge. You giggle at the thought of Junkyu trying to get back at Jihoon. Ever since you had first met the pair, it seemed that despite their friendly nature, they were quite competitive. Especially with each other. You can’t imagine what Junkyu is gonna try to do next.

As much as you love to hear about their shenanigans, your mind can’t help but wander back to your punishment. More so, to how Jihoon seems to not be affected by his ministrations this morning. Sometimes you can’t help but be astounded at the amount of self control Jihoon exhibits. He could touch you for hours without so much as even thinking about himself, no matter how much it turns him on. You know Jihoon must be suffering just as much as you are, but he hides it behind his bright eyes and pretty smile. Ugh.

Before you could give it another thought, you arrive at your first class of the day. Jihoon kisses you softly, bidding you a good day. His eyes twinkled with mischief before he simply turned around and walked off towards his destination. You didn’t stick around to watch him, your mind set on focusing and getting through the day.

You’re about halfway through your first period and you’ve completely gotten your mind off of this morning’s situation. Your teacher has split you into groups to have a short discussion session. You’re midway through your sentence when suddenly the vibrator roars to life. You choke, fanning your face at the realization of what’s happening.

“Are you okay?” your classmate asks as she pats you on the back. You nod, uncapping your water bottle and bringing it to your lips. The water is refreshing but does very little to distract from the problem happening in your panties. You struggle to finish your point, rambling as you try to rapidly finish so that someone else can talk. Once all sets of eyes are off of you, you scan your classroom, wondering if perhaps Jihoon hadn’t headed to class like he said he would. He couldn’t have timed something so well if he weren’t in the same room as you but when your eyes fail to lock with his, you turn back to the discussion. You catch parts of the statements from your classmates but overall begin to tune them out.

Eventually, the attention is back on your professor but the feeling in between your legs isn’t getting any duller. If anything, it feels like each vibration is a new sparkler and the higher Jihoon turns it up, the closer they are to igniting and popping off in a beautiful array of fireworks. You lay your head down, as Jihoon slowly heightens the level of pressure between your legs. Keeping quiet proves difficult when Jihoon changes the pattern, an entirely new sensation that has you biting your arm in an attempt to keep your classmates from noticing the lewd thing going on right next to them.

You can feel yourself on the brink of orgasm when suddenly it stops. Unintentionally, you bang your fist on the table. It’s loud enough to draw the attention of your professor who asks, “Is there a problem?” She stares directly at you with an unsatisfied look. You sit up quickly, attempting to make yourself presentable and kept. “N-no ma’am. Sorry.” you mumble. She raises an eyebrow before turning her attention back to the lesson.

God, this is so embarrassing. Jihoon would be laughing his ass off right now if he saw this.

Little did you know, Jihoon has been sitting in the back of the classroom watching you attentively all this time.

He had gone to class like he said he would. Only thing is, he got bored halfway through. It was too hard to focus on the lesson when there was something much harder between his legs to focus on. He had done his best to ignore it; acting nonchalant was his best bet at getting you as needy and desperate as he wanted. But after all, he isn’t immune to you. How could he possibly remain unaffected when you have the most melodious sounds he’s ever heard. Every moan, whine, and whimper goes straight to his cock and has him hard without you so much as touching him. It makes him swell with pride knowing he’s the one pulling all these beautiful noises from you.

And god this morning when he was getting you all ready for your punishment, it took everything in him not to devour you. Your glimmering wet pussy was just begging for Jihoon to eat it out. Just the one flick of his tongue through your folds had him nearly abandoning the punishment completely. You taste like heaven and Jihoon can never get enough of it. Then, lord when he began to stretch you open.. He wanted nothing more than to inch his cock inside you slowly until you’re completely full of him and then fuck you relentlessly until the only thing you can cry out is Jihoon, Jihoon, Jihoon. He’s amazed how after he’s fucked you so many times, you’re still as tight as ever, fitting him like a glove. He almost groans thinking about how badly he wants to be buried deep inside of you right now.

But he can’t.

So he slips out of his class and takes the trek back to your classroom, sneaking in through the back doors to watch. From his position at the top of the stairs, he can see you perfectly while he remains hidden from your detection.

Like most college courses he’s been in, a majority of the students are sitting near the back which happens to be very convenient for him. He takes a seat and leans away from the student sitting two desks over. He lays his phone down face up on his desk and watches as the professor speaks. Soon after she breaks the class into groups for discussion. He pretends to join a group near him, sitting in on their conversation as they begin their discussion. Once your attention is on your group mates he slides the little emoticon up about halfway. He can’t help but laugh at your reaction. He turns back to face his group mates upon seeing your head turn in his direction. Oh, this is gonna be good.

Near the end of your first period, he heads outside to wait for you where he normally would. When your eyes land on him he’s scrolling through his phone. He looks up to see you stomping over, an endearing smile takes over his face.

“Hey babe, how was class?”

“Don’t hey babe me!” you mimic, jamming your pointer finger into his chest.

“What did I do?” he laughs, putting his hands up in defense.

“You-ugh! It was so embarrassing,” you walk away.

Jihoon jogs up to you, wrapping his arm around your shoulder. “Oh no, did something happen?” he feigns innocence.

“You’re just gonna laugh at me if I tell you.” you pout.

“I swear I won’t.” he replies but you can already sense the teasing tone in his voice.

You recount the embarrassing story with your teacher to which Jihoon cracks up laughing. “You said you wouldn’t laugh!” you protest, pushing him away though a small smile creeps onto your face.

“I’m sorry! It’s just- that’s hilarious.” he continues laughing.

“Jihoon!”

“Why so embarrassed, baby?” he’s stuck to your side again, this time his lips are pressed against your ear as he whispers. “You scared you’re gonna let everyone know how good I make you feel even when I’m not there? Hm?” he teases. “Or are you just saving all your pretty noises just for me?”

To any passerby, you’d look like any other couple who’re trapped in their own little world. No one would suspect something not so innocent from either of you. Which is why Jihoon takes this opportunity to turn up the vibrator again, this time to a much higher setting.

You gasp, looking around you before turning to face your boyfriend, hiding your face in his neck. “Aw, c’mon baby, is it that bad?”

You can’t find it in you to respond. Your hands clutch Jihoon’s biceps as you moan right into his ear. Your legs are starting to feel wobbly, the familiar feeling in your stomach is starting to build up again. Your breathing becomes more erratic. You try to keep quiet as Jihoon aids you to your next class but you can barely put one leg in front of the other.

“Fuck,” Jihoon mutters when you moan again, your fingernails digging into his arm. His poor baby is so close to falling apart right in front of him. He turns the vibrator off again and the sound you emit almost has him feeling sorry enough to turn it back on and let you cum right there.

“Please. Jihoon, please. Let me cum, I’m begging.” you whimper quietly.

“Sorry, babe. Rules are rules and you have to learn to follow them.”

Your pussy clenches around the toy listlessly, chasing an orgasm that will no longer come. It’s only been an hour and yet you know your panties are wet beyond repair. Jihoon pecks your forehead before turning you around towards the direction of the door down the hall and smacking your butt lightly.

If the first period was a teaser for what you’d be in for, your next two periods would be unforgiving.

— 

Unforgiving they were. Jihoon really knew how to get you at the worst times. You’d been so close to coming only to be left high and dry so many times it was starting to hurt. By the end of your last period you were wet and delirious. You had stopped focusing on the class material a long time ago, your mind only caring about one thing and one thing only.

As you stepped out of your last class of the day, you didn’t bother to greet Jihoon, opting to grab his hand and drag him back to your dorm with you instead. He says nothing but follows your lead, enthused by your eagerness.

From the moment the door to your dorm room closes, your lips are on his. Jihoon may be letting you take the lead now, but don’t think for a second you’re in control. You’re still on punishment and he’ll make sure you don’t forget that.

You make your way down the hall to your own room and close that door too. You thank the heavens that by now most of the residents of your hall have cleared out for spring break. Jihoon is the king of telling you to keep quiet and yet fucking you so hard it’s nearly impossible. You’ve gotten a few noise complaints so you’re glad you can avoid one this time around.

As soon as you make it to the bed he pulls you onto his lap, his lips attached to yours in a feverish kiss. One hand holds you by the small of your back, the other hand holding the back of your neck, pushing you into him. Your arms are wrapped around his shoulders, holding yourself steady. Once your pace is set, his hands drop to your ass, controlling your hips as you grind down on him.

You’ve soaked through your panties to the point that Jihoon can feel your arousal seeping  onto his lap. He groans into your mouth at the feeling. As he kissed you, you melted into him, feeling light headed from how aroused you were. Eventually, his tongue slips into your mouth, exploring every crevice it could. You hold each other tightly, as if letting go for even one second will make the euphoric feeling disappear. The longer you kissed each other, the needier your touching got. 

You could feel how hard Jihoon was now, his length sliding against your folds deliciously despite the amount of fabric between you. You wanted to quicken your pace, to finally chase the orgasm you’ve been after all day, but Jihoon is pressing into your hips so tightly it’s nearly impossible. He’ll surely leave a mark.

He begins to nip at the junction of your shoulder, biting down softly before cooling off the burn with his warm tongue.

“Have I learned my lesson now?” you rasp. You tilt your head back to give Jihoon better access to your neck. He continues to press open-mouthed kisses to your chest, leaving light marks all over it.

“For now.” he replies. Before you could ask what he meant, Jihoon tugs at your shirt, asking for you to pull it off. You comply and toss it off to the side. Jihoon follows suit, taking his off without you having to ask. He likes to think it makes you feel more comfortable if you’re both equally undressed. Small things like these remind you how considerate and sweet Jihoon is underneath his mischief and dominance.

He doesn’t spend too much time licking and sucking at your chest; his main focus for the night being the ever growing arousal between your legs. He kisses his way down your stomach and flips your skirt up. You lift your hips up slightly so you can bunch the skirt around your waist and Jihoon takes the opportunity to run a finger through the wet spot on your undies.

He peels them off and bunches them up as well, stuffing them into his back pocket.

He pulls the toy out slowly, reveling in your whine at the emptiness. He’s in love with the way your pussy clenches around nothing, begging to be filled. But before he gives in to his biggest desire, it’s only right for him to finish what he started this morning.

“So wet,” he mutters more to himself than to you. “All this for me?” he takes two of his fingers to spread your lower lips apart. He takes a moment to admire it, insanely turned on by how wet you’ve gotten over a couple of hours. He’s going to enjoy this.

You look down between your legs to see Jihoon’s eyes fixated on your core. “Stop being weird and do something,” you complain, bucking your hips up. He tears his gaze away, now looking up at you with a raised eyebrow. “I don’t think you should be talking like that to the person who decides when and if you get to cum.” he states flatly.

“S-sorry.” you reply quickly. “I just- I need you so so badly. Please do something, please.”

Jihoon decides to take pity on you. “Oh, look how needy my baby is,” he coos. “Don’t worry, baby, I’m gonna eat that pretty pussy of yours soon.”

He drags a finger through your folds slowly, admiring how it glimmers when the light catches it. He sucks your essence off his finger before repositioning himself on the bed, his face coming down to your drenched pussy lips.

“Is this okay?” he asks.

You’ve gotten this far and he still asks if you’re sure. As sweet as he is, you scoff, wanting nothing more than for him to just get on with it. “Yes.” you answer with an annoyed tone.

He chuckles but obliges. Moments later, you feel his hot tongue lick a stripe up your slit.

“Oh my god,” you cry out. 

 His tongue dove in, lapping at your folds restlessly. To say Jihoon is greedy and impatient wouldn’t be wrong. He generously licked, sucked, and slurped at your folds messily, occasionally flicking kitten licks at your clit for additional stimulation. Jihoon would stop at nothing to please you, even if that meant getting lockjaw. The thing about Jihoon is that he genuinely enjoys pleasing you (when you’re not misbehaving). He’s quick and skilled and he knows exactly what it takes to make you cum. Now, he doesn’t always take the faster route, oftentimes settling for taking his time because he could really spend the day doing this with no complaint.

You’re moaning and swearing, trying to keep your voice at bay but Jihoon can sense when you’re being too quiet. He wants you to be as loud as you want to be, as loud as you need, and sometimes he plays unfairly to get that. He buries his face in your folds and gets to work, eating you out as if you’re what he’s been craving yet so deprived of.

He brings his thumb to continuously circle over your clit while he hums and sucks and licks at your cunt. Soon enough you’re feeling the familiar heat all over your body and the coil in your stomach and this time Jihoon doesn’t let up.

“Jihoon, please.” you whine, grinding your face up against his lips.

“Please what, baby?” he pulls away. “Want me to stop?”

“No!” you say entirely too fast.

“Please don’t stop. I need to come.”

He returns to your center and laps until you’re convulsing around his tongue, shaking in pleasure and pulling away when he doesn’t let up. He holds your legs apart as you try to close them shut, not letting up for a moment even when you’re yanking at the strands of his hair, shuddering against him and grinding your pussy against his tongue until you’ve finally come down from your orgasm.

When he sits up again, he’s looking at you with a dazed yet happy smile. His lips are shimmering with your arousal and it makes your face flush worse than it already has. 

“Can you go one more round for me, princess?” Jihoon asks. You’re exhausted from your long day of teasing but one look at your boyfriend throws that exhaustion out the window.

You answer by pulling him down into another lip-searing kiss. That’s all the answer he needs. He pulls away and unbuckles his pants, throwing the belt somewhere on the ground with a clink. Next, you sit up to unbutton his pants and help him shimmy out of them. Finally, all that’s left in the way are his briefs. He watches you closely as you palm him through his briefs. The groans and grunts he lets out are music to your ears. Jihoon is always about pleasing you and though he’s never against you reciprocating, you love when you get the chance to.

You’re getting into a rhythm when Jihoon’s hand covers yours, stopping you from stroking him any further.

“Not now. Wanna cum inside you.”

If you hadn’t still been so turned on that would have definitely done it.

He pulls his briefs down and you lick your lips subconsciously. His tip is already red and angry, precum oozing from the slit at the top, the vein leading down his cock to his balls looks delicious and you want to run your tongue all over it.

This time you switch positions. Jihoon slides over to your spot and scoots back until he’s against the wall. You basically jump on him, your legs settling on the outside of his thighs, straddling him once he’s comfortable.

“Still needy, huh? Don’t worry I’ll fuck that right out of you.” he teases, his hands trailing over your body before settling on your hips. You grab his dick and slideit against your folds teasingly.

“Oh,” he groans. 

He holds you in place but gives you the free range to move. You slide his cock up and down your folds once more, pushing in, only slightly before pulling back out.

Fuck he thinks to himself.

You sink down further this time before pulling out again 

“Don’t do that.” he warns.

“Or what?” you grin.

Once he’s sheathed inside of you, he stays still, reveling in the feeling of your warm walls as you clench around him. As you finally lift your hips to begin building a pace, Jihoon snaps his hips upward too. After a few tries, you’ve managed to build a good rhythm and he is thrusting right into the spot that makes your toes curl. He cries out at your action, a sound that’s like music to your ears. His hand immediately came down to smack your ass. 

The sound of his cock driving deeply into your wet pussy echoes through your dorm. Now that you’re so acutely aware of how loud the sound resonates, you wonder if you can be heard outside these walls.

“My baby is so dirty, huh, taking my cock so easy. This cock was made for you, wasn’t it, baby?” he shifts beneath you, the new angle and his cock pistoning into you driving you closer to the edge.

You’re both covered in sweat from the exertion and your limbs are tired but you’re so close. So close. He groans and pulls out before finally picking up the pace, going almost ballistic as he fucks into you relentlessly. Nothing but the sound of skin-on-skin and loud, fervent noises fill the room.

“Fuck, yeah, I love it, holy shit-” you gasp, grasping his large hands with your small one.

You’re nearly crying out now, already feeling the tight coil in the pit of your stomach once again. You could feel his dick pulsing inside of you. He wasn’t going to last much longer and neither would you. His thrusts were getting sloppy but he wouldn’t let his pace up.

Involuntarily, you clench around Jihoon and it sends him over the edge. He’s spilling inside of you with a guttural groan. He doesn’t slow down as he rides out his orgasm, determined to get you there too. His finger thumbs over your clit harshly as you continue to clench around him.

You cum too, hips bucking and legs twitching as you cry out his name one last time. You’re holding on to his arms tightly, your nails digging crescent moons into his skin. Jihoon doesn’t mind though. Any scratch, hickey, or mark from you is something he’ll wear with pride.

You don’t want to get off his lap yet, you want his cum to settle inside of you for a while. Your head is tucked into his neck, eyes tempted to flutter closed as Jihoon traces patterns on your back listlessly. Jihoon himself is starting to doze off but he lifts you off of him with whatever strength he has left. You feel his cum trickling out of you and you crinkle your nose in disgust. Jihoon notices and pushes himself off of the bed, heading towards the bathroom to get a wet washcloth.

“Hey babe?” Jihoon calls out as he nears the door.

“Hm?” you mutter sleepily.

“I hope you don’t think your punishment is over,” he replies.

[aenaxes]

memories of a shooting star

[fives x f!reader] what answers can a falling star offer you when it dips into the atmosphere and calls you home?

warnings: none

w/c: 1.4k

a/n: for my sweet @murdertoothpick, “i am an aries, afab, my favourite time of the day is that time between 7-8pm (is that weirdly specific? maybe), i’m an introvert but i hc myself as an extrovert (don’t ask, or do; okay maybe i’m actually an ambivert), and i have no preference of n/sfw *lip bite*” i match you with (best boy) fives! i feel like he'd admire your energy, quiet as it may oftentimes be, and he'd have a knack for picking up on your comfort levels and knowing the right time to tug you close or nudge you further.

Sometimes, you allow yourself the luxury of letting your mind wander in the pressurized stillness between silent dogfights in space. When the brothers have gone to sleep and the generals take perch in high places in the turret towers, you sit over your flimsy army-issue blankets and summon the courage to wonder about breaking every regulation humanly possible.

What would a shotgun wedding look like in neutral space? What would it be like to tap Fives awake in the dead hours of night and hotwire an escape pod? What would it be like to look war in the face and, instead of bowing your head low and slowly breaking bone after bone under its weight, what if you simply refused?

If you squinted into the galaxy, could you see the dregs of another lost battle memorialized in light speed?

What would it be like to live?

How did it end up this way? You wanted to see the stars, those little specks in the night sky, so small you thought you might be able to scoop them into your palm if you reached out far enough. When did joining the war machine become a part of that dream?

They’re big questions.

So you start small, chasing the shadows of uncertainty with a grin as you lift a lighter to the smuggled sparkler stick pinched between Fives’s teeth.

Funny, how it was up to regulation to sleep against a plasma torpedo with enough firepower to knock a small moon out of orbit. But a thin stick of old-fashioned gunpowder and crude metals warranted something a little harder than a slap on the wrist.

But you see Fives grin around the wooden end of the sparkler he’d paid a merchant nearly triple for when he’d tugged you from the waterfront to the night market vendors. But you see him nearly drop the sparkler when he smothers down his laugh at your struggling attempts to get the stick to actually catch; you see him nearly drop it again when, finally, it begins to fizzle and pop soft yellow sparks between you. But you see familiar lights begin to dot the shoreline behind him; you hear Dogma yelp, Echo laughs, Jesse and Hardcase whoop over the fuzzy wavesound.

The stars don’t seem so far away anymore.

Fives reaches up to pluck the sparkler from his lips, offering it to you with a giddy triumph that trembles over his smile. You grin back, and you wonder if Fives sees the sparks in your eyes the same way you do his.

“That was in your mouth!” you laugh and twist your lips into your most convincing display of disgust as you shoo him away. “I thought that was going to be yours!”

“Baby, yesterday you literally asked me to spit in your—”

“Nah-ah-ah!” you cut him off. Briny air fills your open-mouthed grin, and you wonder if this is what the sparkler trail of a shooting star tastes like, warm with the retreating rays of twin suns sinking beneath the horizon, warm with Fives’s easy joy reflected over the gentle waves. “I’m not going to let you sneak an indirect kiss in while the boys are here.”

“Oh, baby girl, they know we do more than indirect kissing—” Fives starts.

“Ah-ah!” you tut, laughing as he reaches the sparkler towards your free hand.

You skirt his touch with a giddy shriek when you feel his knuckles brush over yours. It’s playground flirtation, it’s tag as Fives lopes after you, but the wind feels like you could call this little planet home when the war ends, when the Jedi step back, when you can look up and see the stars unobstructed by the shadow of a cruiser crusher overhead. For all that keeps you up at night, tonight, there is a warm breeze and Fives and the promise that if you turn your head, you will find family in the brothers lighting the shoreline with fizzling dots of light.

So you throw your head back. Your hair catches in your mouth and brushes over your nose as you backpedal over the sand. And when Fives, backlit by the late glow of the sunset, reaches for you, though you might be pretending to run from him, you reach back and close your fingers around gilded rays of light.

It had been a funny question to ask when you were younger: what does a star feel like, cradled in your palm? Would it consume you in its orbit? Would it be so hot it felt like you were freezing? Would it be nothing at all, just asteroid dust and the memories left behind?

It still feels a bit strange to ask, but now you have your answer.

The starlight is calloused and rough. It is young in light and yet ancient with memory. It is tired. It wakes up at 0400 to run bed checks and steel itself for another day in an ocean with no shore.

But it’s soft, too. It is the quiet, forgiving love of the dawn that crests over the waves without fail. It kisses your cheeks with honeyed warmth and lets you tug it back into bed for five more minutes. It opens itself to you and invites you to hold it close, starstreaks finally in your grasp and so, so warm in your palm as you lace your fingers with Fives’s and let him swing you up into his arms and close against his chest.

Fives brings his arms around your neck, wrangling you into a hug as you laugh and wriggle in his embrace. The sparkler crackles a few centimetres away from your cheek and showers you with cool embers as Fives dips his head low and nuzzles his beard against your cheek. Far behind you, Rex’s laughter crests with Tup’s and dips into wavesound.

By the time your laughter dies down, you realize you’ve chased each other to wobble ankle-deep in the warm ocean waters. Seafoam laps at the edges of the rolled hems of your pants, and it just feels right to wiggle your arms around Fives’s waist.

Your star skims the atmosphere and grazes close over the water’s edge, wrapping its iridescent tail around your shoulders and offering you a half-spent sparkler stick. And when you still your heart to look your shooting star in the eye, you find deep brown eyes and a boyish grin mellowing, softening with the steady burn of the sparkler’s waning lights.

Without thinking, you rise up to your toes. Sand slips over your feet, and the wind cools over your skin as you squeeze your hands over the small of Fives’s back and press your lips against his. You distantly register Jesse shooting a low whistle your way, followed by more laughter. But the warmth that spreads from the base of your ribs to the top of your head in the glow of the sparkler beside you is far from embarrassment.

“I thought you said no kissing?” Fives teases with a wry smile after you pull away and settle your heels back into the sand.

You shake your head, and you aren’t sure if you’re grinning because of the warmth in your chest or if the swell between your ribs makes it impossible to hide from his light. You squeeze your arms at his side and crane your head to peck over his beard.

“No indirect kissing,” you correct.

Fives rolls his eyes, but his teasing facade breaks with a yelp as the sparkler flame grazes over his thumb. The stick drops into the shallow waters and rocks in place where the waves lap around your ankles. Dogma yells something about littering before he dissolves into laughter with his brothers.

Reaching around into his pocket, you pull a fresh stick from its little bundle and tap it against Fives’s nose. His expression scrunches, but it doesn’t hold. Fives acquiesces with a soft huff and completes your exchange by tugging the lighter from the loose curl of your fist.

The stars are still in the sky tonight. But maybe one has pitched its orbit planetside and grazed closer than before. Maybe you make peace with the questions and the rules and everything you may never know. Maybe you reach a little further this time.

You close your hand over Fives’s as he lifts the lighter to your sparkler. Golden light spills between your chests. And when you hold a star in your palm, it glows.

[hobbitsnapes]

the elf in the café chapter 4

A corpse husband story

(I do not own this photo, nor do I know where it originated from. All credit goes to the artist.)

Summary: Never in his life, did he think going to a cafe and meeting a Harry Potter nerd could change his life. (I’m shit at summaries

A/N: H/N means his name, being that we don’t know what his actual name is currently

Days turned into weeks, as both of them spent as much time together as they could. Countless texts and phone calls each day, some lasting well into the wee hours of the night as both lay in their beds. Giggles breaking the silence of their rooms as their hearts soared.

He couldn’t remember a time he was this happy, almost feeling like he was in a dream he hoped he never woke up from. But each touch of her skin against his reminded him that this, was real. That she wasn’t a maroge, wasn’t an angel sent from above, or a fragment of his imagination. She was real and was in his life.

The last month had been filled with a plethora of dates. Most usually consisting of a meal at his place and a movie. But some, some were out of the walls of his apartment. And they grew to be some of the greatest memories of his life.

The smell of the restaurant hit them both almost immediately, sending a warm, calming sensation over both of them.

They walked over to a table, pulling out her chair for her, watching as her face flushed momentarily.

It was a lovely night, the glass of wine they had helping any residual nerves for hun. He can’t remember the last time he went out, besides the day he met her. But he especially can’t remember a night out where he wasn’t trembling in fear and anxiety. It’s like she had a calming aura around her that radiated. Like just her presence helped to ease any and all fears inside of him.

They met up again a few days later, again going over to his apartment. While he lived the night out they had, he did miss the pure comfort of just being home with her.

It was strange, they had barely been going on dates, and this being the second time she had come by. But it felt like a true home when she came. It’s like she brought warmth and a light. As if just with her presence, she made it a home.

He can’t help but let out a chuckle as they swayed around in a circle, a warmth bubbling inside of him as her eyes gazed into his brown ones. It was, magical. That was the best way to describe the feeling he had. The touch of her warm body against his, the feel of her hand clasped with his, the feel of his hand at the middle of her back, the feel of her heart lightly thumping against his, and the feel of her head resting in his neck. It was truly, amazing.

His hands tremble in hers as they enter the park, people filling it almost entirely. He feels his stomach drop as he notices just the sheer amount of people around him. He can’t remember the last time he was around so many people. He wants to run, run away back to his apartment where the feeling of his chest tightening as panic resins through him would disparate.

He’s broken from his panic as the feel of her thumb running along his hand, looking down and seeing her kind eyes looking at him. “Don’t worry hun, I know exactly where to go.”

His panic subsides considerably when they come to a clearing. It’s not large, but spacious enough to where nobody was around enough to scare the overly shy man.

They take a seat under a small tree, setting the blanket underneath them. They set out the picnic basket that he had carried for her, insisting to carry it for her.

It was the fourth of July, a day he never really celebrated. But her pleading eyes and soft voice asking for them to go see the fireworks, persuaded him.

It was truly one of the best nights he’s had in his life. Not only getting to spend time with her, but the lasting memories he’ll cherish forever.

He looked through his phone with a smile etched on his face.

They had taken a few photos and videos, all of which he was thankful for having.

Most were just them sitting, heads close as they posed for the pictures. You could tell they didn’t take them often, but it added a level of charm to them.

But his favorites, had to be the ones he’d take of her.

First one being of her smiling as she had a sparkler in hand, her smile so wide, it crinkled her eyes. Her lips painted in a true red helped to make her already dazzling smile even more breathtaking.

The second was a video, well, more a small clip. She was spinning around, making her dress glow around her. Her hair covering some of her face, but her smile still shinning.

The third was a runner for his favorite. It was a simple photo of her eyes shining in amazement when the fireworks started. You could see the lights shining in her eyes as she gazed up at them. The look of a childlike wonder on her face.

His favorite, he didn’t expect to be. He never liked photos with himself in it, always preferring ones of others with him taking them. But, he couldn’t help the feeling of his heart quivering and soaring inside him when he looked at it.

They both sat on the soft blanket, the photo being taken from above. Her head rested in his neck, only her smile being visible. His head was down, looking at her, like her, only his smile visible behind his hair. His arm wrapping around her securely, neither wanting to move. It was a candid photo, not posed or staged any. It was, beautiful, amazing. The look of sheer happiness written on their faces as they embrace one another, truly feeling the budding love between them.

He felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, dread filling him. That was, until he saw her smiling face pop up on the screen, his heart fluttering.

“Hey, what’s up?” He asks, hearing her walking, and moving what is presumably papers around her. “Just getting out of classes and was wondering if you’d go to the shops with me?” Anxiety bubbles up his chest at her question. “Uh, are you sure you need me?” He asks, pain in his heart at his response.

He’s slowly gotten out of his small bubble with her, going for daily walks and such. But there was still a level of anxiety and fear inside him each time he had to go shopping.

“I’m sorry, but I actually kinda do.” She replies, making him squint his brows in confession. “Why’s that?” “My car broke down this morning on the way to my classes.” Her voice heavy as she spoke. “I’m sorry.” She says, guilt bubbling through her. “Hey no don’t be, stay there, I’ll come pick you up alright?” He says, grabbing his keys and running out the door.

Both walked side by side as they strolled through the aisles, his hand holding onto her arm.

Over the last month, he noticed that just her touch would calm him. Just the feel of her skin or clothing, swept away any form of fear or anxiety.

She had obviously noticed as well, finding it sweet how he felt comfort just by her touch. Which is why each time they went out, she’d let him hold onto her like a security blanket.

“Mind grabbing that for me?” She asks, looking up at the cereal box. It was much too high for her, not even the tips of her fingers would be able to touch it. She watched as he struggled to reach the box, chuckling at his groan as the box falls backwards. “What’s so funny?” He laughs, watching as she struggles to keep her composure. “It’s just that, you’re tall and you’re having trouble getting it.” “Just because I’m taller than you, doesn’t mean I’m actually tall.” He laughs, making her laugh harder.

“Let’s grab another one then.” She says, going to walk away. She squeals out as she feels him pick her up. “There we go.” He says as he raises her above his head, making her stomach drop as she grabs for the box.

He sets her down slowly, making sure her legs wouldn’t give out. She sent him a glare, making him chuckle. “What? It worked didn't it?”

Both sat in the car as they drove back, the ac blasting due to the hot summer air.

He watched the road, well at least attempted to.

He had an idea, one that he had for a while now. He knew it was pointless, being that he knew she wasn’t into social media. But he couldn’t help but worry that she knew.

Logically, it made no sense. Fearing for it when he had looked up her name and only found her Facebook that she hadn’t updated in over a year. But he couldn’t help but wonder.

“Hey, this is gonna sound weird but, there’s a song I wanna see if you know.” He says, grabbing his phone and typing on the screen. E girls, he decided, would be the best one to see. Being that it was his most popular.

He watched as her eyes slightly widened as the lyrics started, keeping an eye on her reactions.

He was no behavioral analysis like her, nowhere near her level. But he could tell enough by how she reacted.

“It’s good, not really the kinda stuff I listen to but, he’s got a good voice.” Relief fills him at her statement. “Actually, he kinda sounds like you. You should try covering it sometime.” He chokes on his drink at her statement. ‘Oh, if only you knew.’ He thought.

Both lay on the couch as they watch a movie, his arm securely wrapped around her. Her head resting against his chest, smiling at the sound of his slow heartbeat.

Both had grown much closer over the last month, Marley being able to go a time without a form of physical touch. Both brought a sense of comfort to one another, always feeling secure and happiness when touching.

Her eyes opened as she felt his lips press to her forehead.

His lips lingered there for a moment, keeping them there. “Thank you.” He whispered, not knowing she was awake. Her heart fluttering rapidly.

She groaned out as she felt him shaking her lightly, making her curl further into him, making him chuckle. “It’s getting late, you still want me to take you home?” He whispered, making her finally open her tired eyes. She looked up, making her breath catch in her throat. His head was no more than a few inches from her, a soft smile on his face. “Please?” She asks, making him smile further. “Alright, let’s get going.”

Traffic was light as they drove, a soft silence filling the car. Both were context just sitting there, even without words.

He finally reached her small home, pulling into the driveway. The home was small, but beautiful. Soft flowers decorated the front porch. He noticed a small sign in one of them, seeing a photo of what looks to be a child. He couldn’t see it well due to how far he was.

She pulled him into a hug, wrapping both their arms around one another. They both let out a sigh, their hearts pulling.

She pulled away first, making him look into her eyes. “Thank you.” She whispered. “No problem.” He smiled, before his breath caught in his throat. She quickly pressed her lips to his forehead, making him melt into her embrace.

She pulled away as fast as she did it, both their faces flushed a vibrant red. “Have a goodnight.” She chuckled, making him smile.

He watched as she walked up to her door. Waiting to pull out until she got in.

He watched as her home disappeared into the dark night, a large smile on his face.

[kuronanox]

New Years - Gin Ichimaru

"Happy New Years!" (Your Name) cheered popping out of the door as he came back from his captains duties.

Gin eyes opened a bit shockingly before it closed again as he pull her into a embrace. They've spent the last 5 New Years together and this one marked the 6th.

"How was work? You got back early! We should watch the fireworks." She suggested as he stretched a bit and leaned onto her a bit exhausted.

"Hmm watchin firework with ya seems fun." He says getting into a simple yukata she had bought him a few months ago.

Oh how Gin was lucky to snatch her into his life as she was falling apart. She had accepted his weirdness, although a lot of people were not fond of Gin and found him a odd fellow she thought different.

It was a small crush, he didn't think it would actually turn into something.

She was a shy girl that had transferred into his squad after resigning from the 4th.

(Your Name) quickly befriended Kira and slowly she gradually befriended her Captain.

"What are you thinking about?" She asks him as they walked with link arms to the hill.

"Yer first few years." He answers as she scoff and lightly hits him embarrassed.

As they reached the top other Shinigamis were already gathered with friends and significant others to watch the fireworks.

"Oh it's Rangiku!" (Your Name) says watching the busty women linked arms with no other than Shuhei Hisagi. At first the lady didn't want to give the poor man a chance but after his long efforts of pursuing she finally gave in and it was safe to say they have been happy ever since.

Of course (Your Name) knew of Gin and Rangiku past relationships but he has never gave her a reason to question anything.

Gin was of course happy for Rangiku she had deserved infinite happiest after the roughness of their childhood growing up.

They were both in a really healthy long term relationship.

"Seems like everyone is here tonight."

"It don't bother me much." Gin tells her as he laid his head on her lap as they gazed up into the stars before the showing.

When the fireworks started to show up everyone jumped and laughed around. It was a good time and they didn't have to think about any invasion or threatening enemies.

Gin never understood what was the big deal of New Years but every year since being with (Your Name) he enjoyed it.

At first he would just watch from his window at the barrack but being up on the hill with everyone else gave it a different meaning to him.

Watching the lights explode he looks up to (Your Name), she was smiling and enjoying herself. Looking into her eyes he could see the reflection of the sky as he softly smiles and pushes some hair out of her face.

"Hmm?" She says as he pulls her down slowly and gives her a New Years kiss.

"Happy New Year." He responses back as she laughs and then goes back to looking at the sky.

A soft knock on her door woke her out of a trace as she sees Rangiku appearing with a wide smile. "Hey! How have you been?"

"Good actually! I can't believe it's going to be New Years soon. Seems like yesterday I spent it with him."

Rangiku sadly smiles and sits across from (Your Name) grabbing her small fingers and holding it with her motherly one. "I know, I can't believe it's been 2 years without him. You haven't been back to the hill since then either. But why don't you go with me and a few of my friends! I promise it will be fun!"

"I don't know, it won't be the same but I do want to celebrate New Years and not be alone unlike the past 2 years." She laughs a bit.

"I'm providing drinks! Come on! I know Gin would want you to celebrate just as y'all use to do!" The older women pouted as (Your Name) nodded. She agreed to go because being alone was something she was afraid of going back to.

"Kira is coming too! You won't be alone."

Kira Izuru one of her closest friend and someone she shared a close bond to because they shared a lot of similarities when it came to their mental health. Kira was hurting as much as she was so it was the least she could do.

Both of them encouraging each other.

"I got you something small for New Years!" She cheered as they got back home.

He raised a eyebrow and followed her, she directed him to sit and close his eyes. He left open both his hands as she placed a small box into his hands.

Gin looks down to see it was neatly wrapped in red as he opens it to see some dried persimmons.

"Our tree died this winter and I know they are your favorite so I went to a store that specializes in candy to get them. It's not much but I hope it's okay?"

Gin was truly happy with this gift, to anyone it might seem meaningless but dried persimmons brought him back to his childhood and it was something he always craved.

"I love it." He answers setting it down and snaking his arms around her body as he smelt the fresh fragrance of lavender she was wearing.

Caressing his hair she kissed his head. She felt extremely lucky to have him by her side.

She dressed in a simple Kimono and walked to the hill, the firework showing was in another hour but Rangiku told her to get there early so they could drink before it.

Rangiku had many different types of sake and a bottle from the human world she made Ichigo get her for this special occasion.

"You made it!" She says hugging (Your Name) tightly rubbing her back knowing New Years was something special she spent with Gin every year.

"I'm excited! Looks like everyone is here too!"

"(Your Name)!" Shuhei says waving to her as he passed her a shot glass. "Kira!" He yells as (Your Name) turns around to see her lieutenant pull up with some bottles also.

"Kira and alcohol are meant to be."

"Everyone let's enjoy ourselves!" Rangiku cheers as they four took the first shots. After Ikkaku walked by pestering why he wasn't invited.

(Your Name) smiled and looked around, everyone was having fun and she was glad to have spent time with new friends. She was grateful for Rangiku also, they both lost someone precious they held in their heart.

"(Your Name) I'm glad you came we haven't been able to hang out!" Kira slurred his words hanging his arm around her already drunk.

She giggled a bit and held him up straight offering him some water.

"Me too Kira, I'm able to come back here now."

(Your Name) found Gin on deaths door lying on the rough concrete floor as she cried and picked his head up lightly and laid him on her thighs as he always did.

"Why did you do try to attack Aizen! Why didn't you tell everyone your intentions! Everyone will think you are a traitor!" She yells at him as the tears fell on his face.

Gin struggled to lift his arm as he held her face and smiled lightly saying "I was already a traitor when I left the most important thing behind."

(Your Name) struggled to breathe, this wasn't what she planned after not seeing him for so long.

Rangiku was by their side also in the same state as (Your Name) as she cried.

"I love you (Your Name)." He says before his arm went limp and he looked at Rangiku one last time before closing his eyes.

The two broken girls cried for him and for each other as they held each other hands.

"Are you okay?" Kira ask tilting his head as she spaced off and she smiled to him.

"I am now."

"Look look the fireworks are about to start!" Rangiku cheered as (Your Name) looked up amazed at the light show.

Every year it was a different show so it lifted everyone out of their feet wondering what they were going to see.

"Here's a sparkler!" Hisagi passed to her as it lit up and she smiled warmly. It was pretty, bright and dangerous.

Holding the sparkler up to the sky with everyone else they all cheered to the New Year brightly as they all kissed their loved ones.

"Come on (Your Name) we are close enough to give each other a hug!" Kira says even though she knew he was drunk the man lost just as much as her. His arm were open for her to embrace.

She gives him an warm embrace for the New Year until Rangiku yelled at them and joined into the group hug.

(Your Name) was overwhelmed with so many emotions as the two embraced her she wanted to cry tears of happiness but nothing came out. She was thankful this year she spent it with them because at the end of the day they all cared and loved each other.

"Happy New Year (Your Name)."

She hears a familiar voice softly says in her ears as she looks up into the sky. He was watching over her, protecting and encouraging her in spirit.

"Happy New Year Gin."

(Author note: wow this is my 20th chapter! I gotta say I'm proud of myself! Also who's your favorite girl character? Mine would be Rukia, Rangiku and Nel!)

[taetaespeaches]

“I don’t know where we go from here, Dear.”

jimin x reader (or oc) genre: fluff; angst word count: 1.8K

a/n: the time has come... JIMIN IS GETTING HIS GIRL BACK!!! This is the first time they see each other after he shows up at Dear’s place in, “Yeah, I’m drunk. And you’re wearing my t-shirt and I fucking love you.” So yeah, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoy!!! 

p.s. This is sorta kinda inspired by “Until the Sun Comes Up” by Gabrielle Aplin. So yeah, do with that what you will. 

YOUR hand was nearly shaking as you adjusted your seatbelt across your body. The last time you saw Jimin was a week ago when he came to apartment looking for a way to go back in time. When he asked to see you, you expected a simple dinner date or a walk along the Han River, but you had been sitting in the car for over thirty minutes now and the city was beginning to disappear behind you.

“I haven’t been this nervous since our first date,” Jimin admitted shyly, you looking across the cab at him. “Or that whole time between, you know, our first time and first date.”

You couldn’t help the grin that formed on your lips at his admission as well as the memory of how shy he was for those two days between the first hook up and first date. You were both nervous, but he was more obviously so. At least for a little while.

You went from friends to lovers overnight. It was hard to even remember what you and Jimin looked like before the extra label was added to your relationship. It was even harder to comprehend what you looked like now.

“I was nervous too,” you told him, Jimin taking a quick glance from the road to you, obviously surprised. “And now.”  

“Really?”

“Of course,” you smiled. “I just hide it better.” You hid a lot of things better. Your love and your heartbreak for starters.

A tense quiet settled inside the car, the low hum of Jimin’s music buzzing throughout the cab. You let the silence persist as you turned your attention to the window as Jimin drove you both to an unknown destination.

It was a little over a month ago that Jimin broke up with you over a text. It was so unlike Jimin it scared you into action before you could even take in the purpose of the text. You desperately called him but every effort went to voicemail. After a text to Taehyung to have him check on your boyfriend, and Tae assuring you he was ok considering the circumstance, you got angry. And you refused to speak to the man until he showed up at your apartment drunk, sad, regretful, and desperate.

For weeks you wanted to blame him for the whole thing. But you knew you were to blame as well. You had been pushing him away for months before the breakup, letting your own personal struggles affect your relationship. You didn’t want to push him away, but how do you simply let another person into the fucked up hell space that is your mind? You had never before wanted a person so badly during those months as you wanted Jimin, but it was like you couldn’t, or wouldn’t, allow yourself to reach out for him. And that made him feel very insecure and unsure. He felt unloved.

As Jimin drove further and further from Seoul, completely losing the city skyline, you turned to him in confusion.

“Where are we going?” You asked, turning to look at him.

“Away,” he grinned cheekily.

You let a small chuckle slip as you looked at the road ahead of you. “Away where?”

“Away from ourselves.”

You looked back at him in response to his words. You scrutinized his face as he stared ahead, eyes focused on the road but his mind wandering through a million loud thoughts. “There you are being a poet again,” you teased, Jimin’s lips quirking into an amused smile.

You slowly looked away from him, staring ahead, waiting to see the final destination for your date or whatever it’s called when your ex-boyfriend/best friend takes you out of the city in his bid to win you back.

Several minutes passed in silence before Jimin called to you gently, “Dear?”

You hummed, looking over at him, the pet name sounding so natural coming from him.

“Do you think people have to be ok before they can give themselves to someone else?”

The question should have taken you by surprise but you knew Jimin well enough to know he often had these deeply personal and sometimes troublesome questions swimming around his mind.

You thought for a moment before shaking your head. “No,” you started, Jimin looking from the road just for a small moment to peer at your face. “I’ve started thinking lately that if you’re lucky enough to have someone and its real, you have to give yourself to them even if you’re not ok.”

He forced a small smile though his eyes became glassy in the dashboard light. “I’m not ok.”

You nodded in understanding, keeping your gaze on him as his face became less clear through the tears that gathered along your lower eyelid. “Yeah, me too.” He looked over at you to see you beginning to cry and his face scrunched up as his own tears increased. “Jimin,” you whimpered.

When he sniffled you reached out to touch his forearm. “I fucked up, I kept pushing you away—”

He adamantly shook his head, telling you, “no, no, this is on me—”

“No, you needed me. And Jimin, I needed you, fuck, I wanted you, I just couldn’t—”

When a sob wracked through your body into the otherwise quiet car, Jimin quickly pulled over to the side of the road as an oncoming car sped by you.

“Dear,” he started, turning to you and pulling your hands from your face where you were wiping tears, simply holding them. “I broke up with you over a text.” He didn’t say anything more, letting his words sink in as proof to why the whole situation was his fault. You both knew he wasn’t the only one to blame, but at this point, did it even matter?

“Why did you send the text?” You asked him through your tears.

“I don’t—I don’t even know, baby, it’s—I get so insecure sometimes and I was driving myself insane on tour thinking about you and whether you love me and I just—I get so scared sometimes that you’ll just walk away.”

“I could never just walk away,” you told him defensively, but also to assure him. “I hate that I made you feel so insecure and unloved because I just love you more than anything and I should have been pouring all of that love into you.” Tears fell down Jimin’s face at your words as his hands squeezed yours tighter. “It’s going to take a while for me to forgive myself for that. A lot longer than it’s gonna take for me to forgive you.”

“Can you forgive me?” He posed, looking into your glistening eyes with his own.

“You know I can,” you whispered. “But can you forgive me?”

He didn’t answer immediately. Instead, his eyes scanned your face. Then he brought your hand to his lips and feathered kisses to your knuckles. “I already have,” he mumbled against your hand.

Fresh tears burst from your eyes at his confession, Jimin gently placing your hands on the console just before they met your face, gently wiping your cheeks with his palms. You leaned into his touch, bringing your hands to grab his wrists.

“I don’t know where we go from here, Dear,” he softly admitted. “But you were my best friend before all the extra and I’m not giving up on us.” He paused for a moment, both of you watching each other carefully. “Even if you want to go back to just friends.”

You scoffed at the statement, Jimin pulling his eyebrows together in confusion to the sound. “Chim, we were never just friends. I don’t want to go back, I want to fix this.”

Jimin let a small smile greet his lips, the sight making you return a small one of your own. You leaned forward, dropping your head to his shoulder as his arm wrapped around your upper back, his hand finding your tricep. His palm and fingers soothed over the muscle as he told you, “We should probably get back on the road, we still have like an hour until we get there.”

“Jesus, did Taehyung show you some spot out here or something?” You asked, though you didn’t dare lift your head to look at him, afraid of losing his touch.

Jimin giggled. “Yeah, he did actually.” You fell into laughter, Jimin laughing with you as he shifted his position, his hand finding your chin and directing you to sit up and look at him.

“I don’t want to drive anymore, I just want to be here with you,” you told him and his thumb gently ran along your jaw. “Wherever we are right now, I just want to exist here with you and lose ourselves or whatever you said earlier in your poetry recital.”  

He flashed you a stunning smile and nodded. “Ok, but,” he started, craning his body to reach for something in the backseat, “do you still,” he sat back in his seat holding a couple of long thin plastic packages up for you to see, “want to play with these?”

You reached for the packages in realization. “Oh my god,” you giggled, inspecting the sparklers. “Of course I do.”

Within a matter of seconds, you and Jimin were out in the cool air as Jimin used a lighter to ignite the ends of your sparklers. As they fizzled with sparks, you both backed away and began waving them around.

You were spinning and laughing as Jimin giggled and drew shapes. Several cars drove past but neither of you took notice. He gave several attempts to spell your name before the sparks faded out, but he could never complete the word in time, letting out yells of playful frustration.

It felt like a dream, and he was burning so brightly in the night air, carefree for the first time in months. He was beautiful.  

By the time the sparklers burned out, you were both breathless, standing a few feet from one another, staring at each other. He walked toward you and when he was close enough, you gripped the material of his shirt and pulled him to you. Wrapping your arms around his waist, his secured themselves around the back of your head.

You didn’t know how long you stayed like that, but it was the closest you felt to him in months, and him you, and neither of you wanted to let go of that. Only time would tell how long it would take for things to feel normal, or whether normal was even a possibility. Maybe a new normal was in the making.

All you were certain of was you were willing to travel through the unknown, as long as he was by your side. And you weren’t letting go of the night. Not until the sun came up.

[trying-write-fanfics]

Shouji Mezo X Reader Remember part 47

“I’m like this class’ cheerleader. You break them down, I set them up, they pass yet another exam!” She sang. 

“Is there someone you’re particularly fond of?” Aizawa asked. He had Shouji in mind, but figured he would tip toe. 

“Want me to paint your nails and play truth or dare next?” She teased him. “Yes, I do have someone I’m fond of.”

“Are they the reason for your good mood?” He asked her. 

He was worried she was using them as a mask. 

“It’s honestly everything staying the same. I was hurt that my parents didn’t come for me at the hospital, but I’m glad that my life isn’t going to go through another change.” Y/n explained.

Aizawa sighed. He was also a failure to her too, though she now lacked the grudge, he still felt awful he couldn’t protect his students or the girl he used excessive force on. It all worked out in the end, but how long till that luck runs out? And what about Y/n? Has she been emotionally stunted? Will this experience at U.A ruin her future as a productive adult? Her parents are to blame too, it’s not all of UA’s shortcomings that amounted to a mentally scared teenager.

“To think this was your equivalent to prison.” He breathed. “Your school grades are good, so I can only trust that you’re telling the truth.”

“Oh Aizawa, if you make a cage comfortable enough, the bird will work to stay inside it.”

Something was up, and she was warning him.

Back at the dorms, Kirishima was sitting on the couch waiting for an ad to end so he could watch the actual video he wanted. Y/n walked into the common area after her talk with Aizawa. She heard the ad for the firework show and found herself behind the redhead.

“I don’t think I’m supposed to let you look at my phone,” Kirishima said.

“You can’t be a goody-two-shoes all the time. Sometimes being manly is about breaking the rules. Where was the location for that?” She asked him.

“A park in the next town over...I don’t think Aizawa would let you go if its at night time.” Kirishima said.

“Oh, a girl can dream!” She sighed dramatically.

“You really like fireworks?” He asked her.

“It’s a family tradition that we get together and see them. I can say this year it’s not happening.” She then remembered the last time she spoke with her dad he promised her, and then took it right back.

“Maybe we can get some little ones and do them off the roof,” Kirishima suggested.

“Oh, chivalrous red riot!  Grand idea, a splendid idea. Perhaps after you guys ace your license exams.”

Tokoyami overheard the conversation and decided to use it to his advantage for his friend. He went to the gym to find Shouji working out. One thing Shouji opened up about to him and not Y/n was that he felt he wasn’t doing enough for Y/n. She knew his dreams, and his strengths for those dreams, she was always complimenting him and just being the girlfriend experience he never had which was better than he imagined. He didn’t know her dreams, and neither did she. But he had to make up for something, something special. Yeah he kissed her and showed his face, it was a big gesture, but he felt he didn’t amount the proper affections. He sure as hell wasn’t going to buy her anything, her room was the opposite of his.

“She really likes fireworks,” Tokoyami told him. “Kirishima and she are planning to get some small ones to celebrate after the license exams.”

“Why were they talking about fireworks?” Shouji asked.

“There was an ad.”

So the two of them both had plans. Shouji wanted to plan something before the exams and Y/n had a plan for after the exams. Two surprises because they just wanted to show each other how much they matter in their lives.

The day of the exam grew closer and closer. Shouji slept in Y/n’s room more and more. She would try to be the big spoon, but ultimately, Shouji just wanted to wrap her up in a spider bear hug. She could call him a talented hugger and shower him with more praise. She would play with his hair and whisper him stories as his exhausted eyes would close for slumber. Since Y/n wasn’t an actual student of UA or had to take attendance, Shouji would wake up before her. Her sleeping form always delighted him, that someone resembling an angel really wanted him. His reality was a dream, though he didn’t dream of love before this. He would leave her form, but always tuck the blanket around her to ensure she wouldn’t miss his heat too much.

Tonight was the night that Shouji was going to dazzle his love. He bought little sparklers and bottle rockets for them to light. Not only that but also some (favorite snack) because he may not know Y/n’s dreams, but knew what she liked to eat at least. However, it was still noon and they were still in class. Y/n cleaned the board as Present Mic talked. It all changed when the phone rang.

“Seems like you have a phone call, Y/n” Present Mic said. “I trust you won’t run off, not because you’re on crutches,” he told her.

And like that Y/n left and didn’t return to class. Present Mic wasn’t worried because her tracker showed she just went to the dorms. After class, Shouji found Y/n in her room with all the lights off. She laid in her bed, facing the wall. Tissues littered the floor.

“Hey…” Shouji started as he opened the door.

Y/n looked over. Her eyes were puffy from crying. Her cheeks were stained with tears. She quickly rubbed them trying a last-ditch effort to hide the evidence.

“Whats up…” Her voice shook as she tried to sound normal.

“Class let out, just thought I would stop by….” He tried to sound casual.

“Its been that long...huh…” Oh yeah, she didn’t have a phone to check the time.

“Who called?”

She sucked in some air and broke again. Shouji rushed to her bedside, took out some tissues to bring to her face, and placed his hand on her back. To think tonight was going to be a happy night.

“The police station…” she sobbed.

Was she leaving? Did something happen to her case? Was she going to jail? Was there more on that flame guy? Did her old group snitch on her and now she is convicted of more cases which would lead to a harsher punishment? Was she leaving???

“Y/n…”

“My brother he’s…”

Jojo (last name) the youngest son of the (last name) family, and third child. He was the only sibling not present when Y/n went to the hospital. The last time Y/n saw him was after he had a fight with their parents and he pushed Y/n down some stairs. That had been a long time ago already. Turns out Y/n’s other two siblings thought it would be best to find him to reconnect the siblings because now more than ever, they released how disconnected they were and a majority did not want that to happen? So they tried finding their brother and hopefully to give Y/n a complete sibling reunion. Their quest went to the police after phone calls, PI’s emails, there was no way of reaching him. So they contacted the police to discover Jojo is missing and hasn’t been seen in a year. Normally it is hard to tell if an adult is missing or packed up their life to start a new one. Jojo did have a motive to leave his life, but it seemed there were no leads on the man. They called Y/n asking if she knew anything, where was the last she saw him and told her she and her parents could be the last known people to have seen him. Sure there was other who saw him, but his known connections don’t know where he is.

After hearing what happened, Shouji was a little lost. There were no cuddles, or kisses, or hugs that would bring him back. He knew Y/n probably had complicated feelings towards her brother, her last memory he treated her badly, but she didn’t think that would be her last one. All he could do was clean up her face and listen to her sobs. She didn’t leave her room for the rest of the night. Shouji did give her the snacks he got her but kept the fireworks in his empty closet. Tonight was not the night for that.

 Y/n fell into a depression pit but would try to hide it. She would cheer for everyone, but didn’t have the same energy. She couldn’t keep up with it. Aizawa knew she was struggling, so in secret, he took her to the pet store to cuddle some cats. A kind gesture, but not one to ease the pain. Y/n was still on crutches, but it seemed that her body wasn’t healing itself. If it was a tough day, she may have only lasted in class for an hour and a half at most. Even Bakugo didn’t try fighting her. He was too focused on the exam.

[bangtan-sonyeonddaeng]

Namjoon Scenario| He surprises you on your birthday

Nothing seemed to be going right today. For some reason your phone had decided to update in the middle of the night, and not turn back on. Meaning you overslept through your alarm and were almost an hour late to work. Your boss had yelled at you. It didn’t matter it was the first time you were late, they just weren’t having it. A customer had been rude to you too. Calling you incompetent and questioning how you even were still employed. You were 2 seconds away from exploding before your coworker pulled you aside and handled the angry customer. You felt like you couldn’t even do your job right. Your manager could see you were struggling, and had sent you home only after being at work for a few hours. You felt awful. And to make matters worse on your way back home there was a traffic jam and by the time you got home it was almost the same time your shift would have been over. 

You were mentally and physically drained. Trudging up the stairs and fumbling with your keys to put them in the door. You were ready to just give up and sleep the day away and possibly call off tomorrow too after the horrible day you had. You thought you heard shuffling sounds from inside your apartment. Weird. You thought to yourself. Chalking it up to exhaustion and stress making your mind play tricks on you, you put your key in the door and opened it. It was pitch black in your apartment, another thing you thought was odd. You usually always left the living room light on since you got home late and didn’t want to be fumbling around in the dark. You turn the lights on and nearly have a heart attack when you suddenly hear shouting in your apartment.

“Surprise! Happy Birthday y/n!” You scream and drop your purse, your hand flies to your chest as you take deep breaths and take everything in. You see Jungkook, Taehyung, Jimin, Jin, Hoseok, Yoongi and Namjoon all standing in your living room with happy smiles on their faces. Namjoon is holding a cake in his hand with sparkler candles now lit. 

“What are you all doing here? Who’s birthday is it? I don’t remember hosting a surprise party in my house?” You tilt your head in confusion and a few of the members laugh at you. Namjoon walks over with the cake in hand and gives it to you. He places a kiss on your forehead.

“It’s your birthday y/n. Did you really forget?” You shake your head trying to clear your thoughts as you continue to glance around the room at everyone. They all had presents in hand for you.

“It really is my birthday.. oh my gosh I completely forgot. I had such a horrible day today and I didn’t even have time to breathe let alone remember it was my birthday.” 

“Well hopefully this will make up for your bad day. Everyone! Let’s sing happy birthday!” Taehyung is the first one to start the chorus of happy birthdays being sung to you. You were so incredibly happy having your best friends and boyfriend here to spend your birthday with you. When they all finish singing you blow out the candles. 

“What did you wish for?”

“You know I can’t tell you that Namjoon, or it won’t come true!” 

“Ah yes of course. How could I forget?” You set the cake down on the table as Jin cuts up the pieces and you sit down to eat. 

“Ahh this cake is so good holy shit. Did one of you make this?” 

“Jin hyung made it.. but we all helped decorate it.” Your heart is filled with warmth at how much these 7 men care for you.

“Thank you all.. seriously. I was having such a horrible day but seeing all your smiling faces and having you here makes me feel so much better. I’ll never be able to repay the kindness you all show me.” You bow your head and suddenly you are wrapped up in a group hug from all of the members. 

“You’re welcome y/n. You make Namjoon so happy all the time and we just want the same for you. Plus you’re so hard working and such a sweetheart you deserve it.” Jimin offers with a soft smile. You open up your presents and thank everyone for the items they have bought for you. After you all visit for a little bit longer the members start to leave one by one until it is just you and Namjoon left in the apartment. You close the door after Jungkook and walk over to the couch and practically collapse. You lay over to the side and rest your head in Namjoon’s lap. He smiles down at you and runs his fingers through your hair, instantly relaxing you.

“Thank you for today. Did you set all of this up?”

“I did.. I figured you had forgotten it was your birthday when you didn’t even respond to my birthday text this morning. So I wanted to make sure you had a good day when you came home from work.” 

“You’re an angel Kim Namjoon. Seriously I was going to just give up on this entire week and lay in my bed and eat ice cream and sulk.” He chuckles at you and continues to rub your head, you let out a content sigh letting your eyes flutter closed.

“Well, you know you’ll always have me. I’m not going anywhere. If you’re ever having a bad day please let me know. Because I won’t ever give up on trying to make sure you are happy.” Your eyes open and you look up at Namjoon. His dimples are showing as he smiles at you and you reach a hand up and poke one of them. He smiles even wider and you can’t help yourself from sitting up and planting an appreciative kiss to his lips, allowing him to deepen the kiss. When you two finally break apart you start to feel the tiredness from todays events finally taking over. You let your eyes drift close and your head droops over. Namjoon scoops you up in his arms and carries you to bed, tucking you in and kissing you one more time before crawling into bed next to you.

“Goodnight love. I hope you had a good birthday today. And I hope I get to spend many more with you.” 

[nobodyeverasked]

new beginnings; nct dream

(2005 words) - medium

--platonic--

Summary: whenever you feel alone - wherever you feel alone, know that there will always be someone - whether a house away or an ocean away - who’ll be there to support you.

The night lay quiet over SM Studios, the wrinkled sheets of twilight glistening in the pale moonlight and lulling the cream stars threading the indigo clouds of the night together to sleep. Most of the halls and pine-floored rooms lay desolate, no longer cradling the ear-piercing shrieks and rampant footsteps of twenty-two men-children. All rooms except for one, screeches of sneakers of rumbles of heavy breathing rupturing the symphonies of the night soaking through the walls. The amber lights hung above the two figures dancing across the floors and captured the candlelights of concentration in their eyes - sheathed by hatches of sweat-laced hair. 

It was Donghyuck and their newest member of NCT Dream, Y/N, conquering the evening so the new maknae could finally learn the moves for their upcoming comeback. Complications have riddled Y/N’s schedule, his mind plagued with thick stacks of paperwork and too many pairs of steepled hands to count. The words escaping garnet-stained lips and the half-hearted smiles - chiseled with the lines of age - all amalgamated into one conglomerate hellfire of stress.

To say Y/N was struggling was an understatement, and the patience of Donghyuck started to wear thin between his grinding teeth and clicking tongue whenever he had to restart the music. The hollow shell of anger framing his frown filling up with the bullets of sweat running down the back of his neck. Y/N could feel the tension leaking off of Donghyuk’s languishing movements and winced at the burn of ire that trudged throughout the room every time the older - Donghyuck - combed his brown hair off his forehead.

Y/N just wanted to give up and let the person who took time out of their to just help him rest, the feeling of being a burden already clawing into his back as soon as he walked through the glass doors of the lobby on the first day. Being met with twenty-one pairs of eyes that stripped him down from his skin, and to the dirty converse now screeching along the floors in jagged steps. 

He did not want to be more of a nuisance that he already felt he was, not only taking a badge that Jisung wore proudly, but having to step into the thick haze of expectations that he feared most. The comments and opinions behind closed doors were already getting to him, and as he lay restless between his sheets every night, staring at the one wall that could bear to hear his burdens, he wonders if chasing his dreams was really worth it - or were they stars that were perched too high in the abyss of his delusions?

“I- I’m sorry…” Y/N could barely breathe out those words as he tripped over one of his tattered shoelaces again, the white string growing dirty and worn, each stain holding the countless doubts whispered into countless empty rooms. 

Donghyuck instantly stopped dancing as he could hear Y/N stuttering under the music, he even grew tired of his own heavy breathing, knowing that they have made no progress no matter how many hours awake they chisel into the night sky. Y/N could not be hopeless, could he? Even that idea started to wear under the grip of Donghuck’s trainers.

“You know what? It’s okay. We’re done.” Donghyuck did not even spare a half-hearted glance, instantly walking over to his phone and ripping the cord from the port. He was glad he missed the fall in the corners of Y/N’s mouth, the lip bitten in concentration, parted by the delicate hands of shock when the angered voice of his bandmate echoed through the room. It hit him more than the bass of the music, and dug into his heart more than any typed up comment could have. 

Even his bandmates were losing hope for him, Y/N was right. He was right all along.

The spotlight was too blinding, the audience was too deafening, the doubts were too suffocating. He can’t do this.

“W- what?” Y/N shook his head, heaved words strained between weathered breaths. He has lost count how many times he wished he could dance like Jisung, belt like Renjun and pour his heart onto the stage the twenty-one works of art that stood by his side - but never made him feel more alone. 

He could see their fingers soaring through the flames of their determination, a passion festered in their eyes. Where were his? Lost under the shadows of dejection looming in his mind? Withered to ashes by the tears staining his pillows? He didn’t know, nor did he want to search for any more answers - fearing that he would only find more reasons to pack his bags.

“I said we’re done, okay, Y/N? You’re not gonna get this tonight -seriously… Let’s just figure our stuff out tomorrow.” Donghuck tried to bite back the frustration riddling his dry tongue. He hated being angry, especially at someone who did not deserve it.

Y/N was only looking for help, and ever since he first slipped past their lobby door with the most fearful look on his face, Donghyuck wanted to do nothing more than sweep him into an embrace that could last an eternity. All he knew was that this feeling between them was temporary, and that the tides of their new memories would wash over their groans etched into the shores of the present.

 Donghyuck trudged to the door, his steps growing smaller, slower as he could that Y/N was not following him. He hid a smile in his sleeve.

“What’re you doing, Y/N?” Donghyuck whipped around, watching as Y/N started to mark the movements slowly, a lethargy-ridden voice humming out the melody of their song, and muted movements taking over his body.

“I just wanna practice a little bit more-”

“Can you just give it a rest!” Donghyuck’s voice sent a frigid shiver to claw down Y/N’s spine and pierce his limbs. Donghyuck has never raised his voice before, at least not with such a virulent frustration rumbling in his throat. He just hopes that what he has planned many nights ago can finally go through, or the future he wishes to spend with Y/N will be farther between them than he thought. “You’re not gonna get it right now, let’s just get some rest and regather our bearings.”

“O- okay… Sorry...” Y/N hung his head in pure, untainted defeat. He could feel the flames of bitterness bite at his shifting feet and spiral around his legs as he shuffled ahead of Donghyuck and pulled the door to the practice door open. The air - sweltering with tension - cradling his shaking sighs tainted with disappointment.

“SURPRISE!!!”

The screams burst through the midnight haze dragging down on Y/N’s body and sent him jumping into the air, the tears held back in the heat of Donghyuck’s anger as he finally realized what was happening, what this entire practice session was for. His heavy pants crumbled into quiet sobs as soon as the amber candlelights came into view when a large, white-dressed cake was nestled in Jaemin’s extended arms, and four other heads popped up from behind him.

Months of hard work that felt like years and passed like decades made the memories of his birthdays spent back home under the coral glow of candles and sparklers fade completely from his mind, and the smokescreen of tension and anxiety plaguing the moonlight tonight only making it worse. How did they do this? Why? For him? How long have they been thinking about him? Did he actually matter?

“Happy birthday Y/N!!!” Renjun, Jeno, Jaemin, Chenle and Jisung flew through the door, everyone piling in on Y/N as he covered his eyes with shaking hands, glistening tears carving rivers down his cheeks, an overwhelming amalgamation of confusion, happiness and surprise drowning his mind. The arms curled around him sent a warmth to slither throughout his body, one of such a love that has remained foreign for as long as the emerald coasts of his hometown left his view. He could barely believe that these people, the ones he has looked up to for so long, thought of him in this way, remembered his birthday, and cherished even the faintest memory of him - he was speechless, breathless.

Hands smoothed over the back of his head and coiled around his torso tighter as soon as his tears could be seen, soaking the fabrics of six different sweatshirts and the comforting hands clinging to his body. Chenle was the first to wipe his tears away, brushing his thumbs over Y/N’s scarlet-tinted cheeks, ones that have never housed a smile so wide. Jisung came next, pressing a long, gentle kiss to the back of Y/N’s head, the smile framing it filled with so much shared joy and adoration that he nearly burst at the seams.

Donghyuck came barrelling in next, yelling at this poor, hopeful soul was the last thing he ever wanted to do, to drag Y/N’s determination through the mud of melancholy that much further.  His hug knocked whatever remnants of air left in Y/N’s system right out of him, his coiling touch making an apology more heartfelt than anything he could spin into words or write on paper. The jagged sobs from Y/N only broke his heart more than what he had to do earlier.

“I… I… How…? What? Why me…?” Y/N shook out his hands and leaned his head on Renjun’s, who smiled as the shaking hand of their new maknae slowly rose to meet his. Many flames burned in Y/N’s head, and marred his mind, the fingers of his bandmates intertwining with his only shoving him deeper into the pools of perplexity. “Donghyuck…? Wh-”

“It’s because we love you, and we want you to know that we will always be here for you. We know you’ve been feeling alone, and we hate ourselves for every second we left you alone to fend for yourself. From now on, we just want you to feel comfortable, and we want to be with you every step of the way. We want you to talk to us, laugh with us and have fun with us, we want you to feel like you’re part of this group too.” Donghyuck wiped a stray tear away from Y/N’s cheek, looking into the eyes that were once tainted by the shadows of anguish, now gleaming with a reinvigorated determination, the ones they will have no problem falling in love with as time strolls alongside them. His lips, once pressed into a firm line of emotionlessness, now curved into a flourishing grin, one that could rival the many spotlights that will glow above all seven of their heads and shine a heavenly light on them as their burdens pushing on their shoulders grow heavy.

“I… I don’t know what to say…” Y/N tried to look at all of his bandmates through lashes blurred with tears, the glow of the dancing candle fire still piercing his tears and burning his heart with the flames of appreciation. “Thank you…”

“We just hope you know that we're always gonna be here for you.” Jeno threw and embrace around the people closest to him, his face buried into Y/N’s shoulders, and his arms draped around Jisung and Renjun - who still had their hands entwined with Y/N’s. “Always.” They could feel the pressure - built from the grounds of sleepless nights and piercing the thunderclouds of his greatest fears - melting away like the scarlet wax of the candle bringing all of their gazes to the cake. “Make a wish, Y/N.”

Y/N would always fantasize about receiving love from those he admired so much. But now that the stars perched in the highest nights of his faintest dreams are clutched between his shaking hands and shimmering between his love-struck stares between the other six boys, what did he have to wish for? 

His wishes had already come true.

[bellatrixobsessed1]

Azula Week 2020: Day 5 -Fireflies In A Cloud

Prompt: Smiles Pair: Toph/Azula Song: Zac Brown Band - Chicken Fried

Summary: It is Azula's turn to pick the activity and she takes Toph to a beach barbecue. 

She doesn’t think that she has ever been happier. Every day is a new adventure and a new kind of smile. It is nice to smile after so long of not being able to, after so many times where the smile only reaches her lips. Azula supposes that it makes sense that she can smile so much now considering who she spends most of her days with.

The girl in question slaps her back between the shoulder blades and pushes a blue raspberry slushie into her hand. Azula hears the clatter of a skateboard and Toph fixes her green baseball cap, backwards, onto Azula’s head.

“So what are our plans for today?” Toph asks.

Azula shrugs. “You usually pick the places.”

“Exactly, that’s why I’m leaving it up to you this time.”

Azula thinks for a moment. They haven’t snuck into a nightclub in a while. But she thinks that they might be overdue for a calmer kind of day or night. “What about the beach? I heard that there is going to be a barbeque and a firework display.”

“Beach sounds great, but don’t expect your girl  to go in the water.” Toph declares.

“I’m not much of a water person either.” Azula shrugs. It is her way of subtly noting that she is actually rather afraid of the water, largely due in part to that she can’t swim.

“Then why the beach?”

“Because I’m a suntan and sunglasses kind of person.”

“You’re definitely a sun person.” Toph says, “ya know, minus the happy sunshiney demeanor.”

“I’m not…!” She starts

“I didn’t say you were a stormcloud either.” Toph shrugs. “I’m just saying that you don’t shit rainbows and glitter like TyLee and Katata!” Azula crinkles her nose. And just because Toph is well aware of how she reacts to the crass imagery she continues, “you’re more of a flaming shitter, like when you eat…”

Azula swats her with the magazine she had been reading, “you need to stop.”

“You should see your face right now! I mean I can’t either, but, like I have my imagination and it is hilarious.”

To be honest, Azula can’t imagine that Toph’s mental image is too far off.

“Hey, wanna try my skateboard?”

Azula peers at Toph’s skinned knees and neon bandaids. “Depends, how often am I going to get scrapes like those?”

“Depends how good you are. You’re good at almost every sport and you’ve got good balance, so I think you can handle it. We can go skating on the boardwalk!”

“So that I can land on my ass, not just in front of you, but the entire beach and then some.”

“Exactly!” Toph declares. “Your therapist did say to do some shame attacking activities.”

Azula rolls her eyes, “sounds fantastic. And since you can’t tell I’m…”

“Rolling my eyes?” Toph fills in. “I feel like your eyes are rolling more than they aren’t.”

.oOo.

The beach is rather packed. Toph is sticking band aids to Azula’s freshly bleeding knee. She misses several times until they begin playing a game of ‘hot, cold’. “Absolutely on fire.” Azula mutters as Toph hovers the bandaid over Azula’s scrap.

Toph grins and sticks it down. Azula now wears a very bright and electric blue dinosaur print bandaid that doesn’t match her ripped jean shorts and her red, gold dragon print crop top. Perhaps she should have worn the blue flame shirt with the black backdrop.

She adjusts her gold framed sunglasses and the hat Toph insisted that she keep on for the duration of the barbecue. Even Toph is more color coordinated than she is. Her neon green bandaids match her faded, muddied shorts and her deep green sports jersey. ‘Laogai Lizards 03’ it reads in white text. Her sneakers are white and decorated with lines and doodled stars of green sharpie.

The smell of burnt hamburgers drifts over the boardwalk. “I’m going to guess that the barbeque has begun.” Azula comments.

“Did you get the stuff?” Toph asks.

Azula loads the skateboard into her car and retrieves a bagful of sparklers and smoke bombs.

Toph grins mischievously. “Perfect.”

The sun is well on its way down by the time they make their way onto the beach. Azula spies Zuko mingling with Jet and Katara. Sokka is off with Suki and Aang, engaged in a game of beach volleyball. And Mai is suffering through TyLee weaving seashells into her locks.

"Burger or wiener?" Chan asks.

"Can't you just call it a hotdog like everyone else?" Azula asks.

"Burger it is m'lady." He plucks a patty onto a bun, squeezes an absurd amount of ketchup and mustard onto it, and hands it to Azula.

"And for you?" Chan looks at Toph.

"One wiener and one burger."

"Of course!" He hands her her food.

Azula finds them a spot on the beach and spreads their towels down. She pats the spot in her lap. She remembers that the gesture means nothing to Toph when the girl plops herself down next to Azula instead. She slings an arm over Azula's shoulder.

For the longest while they simply sit there, Azula starring at the darkening sky and Toph taking in the smell of the multiple fires lighting up the sand. Palm fronds dance in the breeze as the first firework lunches into the air.

Toph jolts. She rubs the back of her head, "gee, princess, you sure know how to pick the fun activities."

"That one was orange, it kind of drooped down like a shower faucet." Azula describes as she massages Toph's shoulders. That is how they spend the next hour or so. Fireworks bursting and Azula doing her best to paint an image of them in Toph's mind.

"Challenge mode!" Toph declares at the grand finale as Azula struggles to keep pace with the sparkling bursts.

After the show wraps up, Azula leads the two of them down the beach. Water tugs and pushes the sand as the tide recedes. ."Here, hold this." Azula places two smoke bombs in either of her hands; one blue and one green. She draws a match and lights them and then lights a sparkler to herself.

"Now picture this."

Toph nods.

"There are two large billowing clouds, one green and one blue. And in them, a bunch of fireflies blink. They're small and bright yellow, bright enough to be seen through the smoke."

"Sounds pretty badass." Toph says.

"It's quite beautiful." Azula comments as she waves the sparkler through the smoke.

"Ya know what else is beautiful?" Toph asks.

"Me?" Azula asks.

"Well I was gonna say that noise Sokka makes when you step on his little toe. But yeah, I guess that you're beautiful too."

Azula gives a humored sniff. "Truly, that is actually a hideous noise."

Toph gives one of her booming laughs. "Man, we should do this again some time, princess. It's not as daring and adventurous but we should do it again."

"We will." Azula replies. She sets her finished sparkler to the side and kisses the other girl. "And many more things."

[ksfd89]

Jess Mariano’s One Man Show

Quick oneshot set during S3, as we didn't get enough cute moments between Rory and Jess!

This is not happening. Jess blinks and stares around the studio again in disbelief, refusing to accept that he's spending his Saturday night at Miss Patty's School of Dance. He's still clinging to the hope that this is some kind of hallucination brought on by eating the bacon that was sitting out too long.

"Smile! I want big smiles, right now!"

Like everyone in this godforsaken town doesn't have a crazy smile permanently on their face anyway. It's as if every neighbour is Pennywise! Of all the crazy shindigs this town could come up with, this one takes the cake. Jess was just walking along, head in book, half-reading, half-thinking about what food to order for movie night with Rory, when Miss Patty was grabbing his arm and some story was being babbled in his ear about Kirk getting stuck on a rafter. Jess actually allowed himself to be taken to the studio, more out of curiosity than real concern, and the next thing he knew the door was slammed shut and Kirk was blocking it. Jess had turned around to see a crowd of other townsfolk muttering amongst themselves and Miss Patty strolled up to the stage, a dangerous beam on her face.

"Welcome to the show, ladies and gentlemen!"

"I swear," Jess mumbled to Kirk, "after this you'll be in the rafters for real, and no one's going to rescue you."

"Oh, I'm used to that," Kirk said cheerfully and, before Jess could retaliate, Miss Patty called for volunteers which was how Jess found himself on the stage with a few other victims after Kirk had shoved him in the back. No one, Jess wasn't surprised to see, had volunteered for real, and as he looked across the audience his eyes landed on Rory. He stared at her and she looked as though she was trying not to giggle. As if there's something funny about this! And Jess thought the main struggle of the evening would be convincing her not to order from Sandeep's. The only saving grace is that Luke and Lorelai aren't here. Jess catches himself checking again, just to make sure. The jokes from either of them are more he can bear.

"I'm arranging a summer concert," Miss Patty tells them all, "and I need you dollfaces to try out a few numbers. Of course, I'll be the main event, but I need backup. Now, don't look so concerned - there's costumes in the back and a box right here!"

Costumes? No way. This is worse than being beaked by the swan! Rory isn't even trying to pretend not to laugh now and Jess remarks, "Hey, aren't you going to support me?"

"I can support you right here," Rory giggles and shakes her head as Jess asks, "You can't support me from the stage?"

"Not unless you want the audience's ears to bleed - I can't sing."

"I can vouch for that. Her singing is flatter than my first boyfriend's mattress," Miss Patty says seriously, which Jess doesn't need elaborating on.

"Fine, fine you can't sing. But -"

"You know I can't dance! Years of ballet lessons and I still stunk!"

"What about the dance marathon?"

"That was different!"

"Right," Jess sulks. "And what makes you think I'm Fred Astaire?"

"It's funny. Plus, there's your dazzling good looks," Rory remarks and Jess can't help smiling a little in a spite of himself. She's definitely not ordering from Sandeep's after this though.

Miss Patty starts tinkling a tune on the piano, stopping to rummage through the box and throw things at the 'volunteers'.

"I thought we'd start with This Little Light of Mine, as the concert's about the town of Stars Hollow and we're all little stars! Well," Patty amends with a chuckle, "I'm a big star, but this one's not about me."

Jess feels his mirth trickle away as the townsfolk start pawing through feather boas and sequin vests. Suddenly, he recalls a play he did in Kindergarten where he played a sheep. Liz was supposed to be there and Jess was so excited he couldn't eat lunch fast enough, even if his costume was more threadbare than wool. Then the play started, and Liz wasn't there, and Jess couldn't think of his line. Someone laughed, Jess remembered - baa! - and as he opened his mouth to say it his entire lunch came up instead. That was the end of any form of acting career.

"I'm not putting on some costume," Jess says and Patty purses his lips. "No way."

"It's for the show!"

"I don't give a damn!"

Everyone stops and when Jess looks back at Rory she's biting her lip, looking concerned rather than amused now. He looks desperately at her and forces his glance back.

"I'll sing for...whatever the hell this is," he forces himself to say. "But just..."

"Alright, alright," Patty says and Jess lets out a sigh of relief. "But you'd better give a good performance!"

She sits back at the piano, starting to play, and Jess can see the audience still whispering. A spark of defiance flies up. They want a performance? He'll give them a performance!

Jess waits for everyone to start singing, gradually opening his mouth and joining in and sticks his hands in his pockets. As he joins the chorus he brings out a lighter, flaring it on the word shine. Laughter and whispers start spreading across the room and Rory is shaking her head, but smiling as well. Encouraged, Jess carries on, lifting up the lighter and swaying a little.

Finally, Kirk looks over and shouts, "Fire hazard! I'm on it, Patty!" Ungainly, he jumps onto the stage, falling onto the mostly-empty box of costumes and over the room's laughter Patty exclaims, "Oh, get up Kirk! And you -" she says sternly to Jess "we've all had enough of your hooligan ways!"

Jess almost bursts out laughing. Hooligan ways? Jeez, have these people never been beyond their backyard? They should come to New York if it want to see real hooliganism. Controlling himself, Jess shrugs and says, "Just trying to add a little something to the show."

"Thank you, there'll be sparklers," Patty says and Jess practically strains himself holding in laughter.

"And those are much safer than my lighter," he says seriously and, ignoring him, Patty starts to go back to her piano.

"Okay, everyone, I think we're done with that show. Time for variety hour!"

Variety hour, huh? Either inspiration or stupidity seizes Jess and without thinking he snatches up a spare pair of sunglasses, unpops two buttons on his shirt and grabs a sequinned feather boa before loudly breaking into some Bowie.

"I'm back on Suffragette City! Wham bam, thank you ma'am!"

Loud shouts and whoops echo around the room as Jess runs down from the stage and jumps around the room, the boa swinging wildly and the sunglasses slipping down his face. Pressing them back up, he sparks the lighter up again to add a little edge, or whatever you want to call it. Patty is staring, for once struck dumb, and with a great leap Jess jumps back on the stage and finishes the chorus, "Oh, my Suffragette City, oh my Suffragette City! Suffragette!"

To really make their eyes pop, Jess gets out a cigarette. He's mostly given them up but still has a spare in his pocket. He lifts it, pretending to light it and ceases as he sees Patty glare, shoving it back in his pocket. Picking up a random tennis racket off the floor, Jess strums on it as his guitar and whistles the final bar before singing once more, "Suffragette!" There's a shocked silence and then spattered applause starts and Rory gets up in her seat, cheering. Jess takes a wide bow, dropping the tennis racket, and tips an imaginary hat.

"Encore!" Rory calls, laughing so hard she can hardly get the words out. "Encore for Jess Mariano's one man show!"

"There will be no encore, Rory Gilmore!" Patty says sharply. "I think Mr Mariano is finished here for the night!"

"Would you say I had a little talent?" Jess asks, panting a little as he catches his breath.

"I could see you on Broadway," Patty allows and Jess thinks he maybe sees some amusement in her eye. "But not necessarily on the stage."

"I'll take that as a compliment," Jess grins, straightening up and dropping the sunglasses in the box. "Night, Patty."

Rory takes his arm as they stroll out, laughing as they hear Babette shout, "Didn't I tell you he was a gnome-kicker? He can't be trusted!"

"Wow," Rory says in admiration once they're at a safe distance from the studio. "I was just teasing you when I called you Fred Astaire."

"Astaire's got nothing on me."

"You were amazing!" Rory exclaims, stopping to put her arms around him. "I was impressed!"

"Yeah, well...they said they wanted a show."

"Not complaining. I only wish I had a camera."

"Can't tell you how thankful I am you didn't."

"Remembering it's just as good."

Rory lifts up a corner of the feather boa Jess still has around his neck and, laughing, Jess lifts it up and puts it around her neck.

"Looks better on you."

"Oh yeah?"

"Yeah."

"I wore one once with a tiara."

"I'd like to see that."

He leans down to kiss her and Rory holds him tighter, eagerly kissing him back before breaking away.

"You know, it's a good thing you didn't smoke that cigarette or I wouldn't have kissed you. You know I hate that taste."

"I wasn't really going to light it," Jess jokes and then, with a grin, "But maybe you should kiss me again, you know, to make sure."

"Right," Rory says seriously. "Just to be sure."

She kisses him more than once, making absolutely certain, and Jess cups her head in his hand. She looks beautiful, even with the silly feather boa. If anything, it adds to it all. He wants to take her somewhere, be with her, do more than make out on the couch with Luke interrupting every five minutes. Rory gazes back at him, her blue eyes shining, and Jess feels his heart yearn too. He's never cared more for anyone, he knows. He wonders if he can ever say it.

"Jess..."

"Let's go somewhere."

"Where?" Rory asks reasonably and Jess shrugs helplessly. Where the hell are they going to go - her place? Lorelai will be camped out right by the bedroom door.

"Guess back to mine," Jess says resignedly and Rory smiles, looking a little daring as she says, "Hey, we'll figure something out. We'll find somewhere."

"Oh yeah?" Jess asks, brightening up and Rory laughs, sounding a little nervous.

"I don't mean tonight...I'm not um, ready..."

"That's okay," Jess says quickly and she nods.

"But sometime, I swear. Keep thinking what you're thinking."

"I don't have a choice."

They walk back to Luke's, hand-in-hand, and Rory says nonchalantly, "That shirt looks good like that."

"It does, huh?" Jess grins, using his spare hand to touch the exposed skin. He has to force himself not to think about Rory touching there or it's doubtful he'll even make it back to the apartment. He knows he'll need a cold shower later.

Rory answers by pressing herself closer to his side. They walk silently for a moment until Jess releases a breath and says, "So, Almost Famous tonight?"

"Jess," Rory groans, stopping. "We've seen that a million times!"

"Oh come on! I humiliated myself for you tonight!"

"Hey, I never asked for a Bowie concert!" Rory argued but she laughs. "I loved it though. Okay, okay, we'll watch Almost Famous."

"Thank you."

"And order from Sandeep's?"

"Rory, you know it stinks out the entire apartment!"

"But if I have to see Kate Hudson try and commit suicide again..."

"Fine, you've got yourself a deal."

"Thank you."

"You drive a hard again, Rory Gilmore," Jess says, stopping to kiss her, and Rory smiles as they break apart.

"Yes I do and you love it."

Jess kisses her again in answer. He does love it. He loved doing the Bowie riff for her, he loves all the things he does with her. Maybe he even loves her...what does Jess know? But right now he's with her, holding her to him, and it's more than Jess ever wished for. All the other junk he's going through doesn't seem important. Rory's with him, the night is theirs and Jess knows he's never been so happy before. He hopes she knows. Rory squeezes his hand, Jess kisses her head and they walk together into the night.

[ahrorha]

Flame of Winter

Hey,

I have listened to the Trespasser soundtrack a lot writing these chapters. 

I hope I have captured the essence of the chase you go through in pursuit of the Viddasala. ;) I am also very excited to be able to share these last chapters with all of you. As always enjoy.

   Chapter 31

.

The crossroads were brightly lid after the hours they had spent in the dark. Eirlana needed to catch Vivienne, who almost collapsed. Groaning loudly, she held her head and had her eyes shut. Eirlana noticed the others were also struggling, their eyes squinted as they slowly got used to the strange lighting. Somehow they didn't cope well with this environment, whereas herself seemed not to be affected. Rather the total opposite, despite her fatigue, she felt like she could walk for hours on end in this strange landscape.

Steadying Vivienne she slowly followed the others, who were having more difficulty than before to move through this place. Most likely because they were exhausted, bruised and wounded.

When they finally reached the eluvian and entered the Winter Palace again, the Inquisition guards stared at them in shock. It was understandable, they were all drenched by the water and covered with blood, dust and debris. Ryan hurried off, to inform the council, and several scouts went to fetch healing supplies and clean water, so they could tend to their wounds.

Eirlana treated Vivienne first, who was worried that her head wound would leave a scar.

Dorian soon joined them. He gasped when he saw Iron Bull. “Kaffas, what happened to you?”

“Nothing to worry about Kadan.”

“Nothing to wo...” Dorian spluttered. “You have a huge gash across your chest. And that bruise on your shoulder is as big as my head. Sit down!” Carefully he began to wash the wound. “Tell me what did you find. You have been gone for hours.”

“Not much Sparkler.” Varric sat down tiredly and began to refill Bianca with new bolts. “We found a bunch of Qunari using the crossroads. They are here to 'save the South', but how or why we haven't figured out yet. Only that it involves a lyrium mine filled with a lot of bombs. One thing we know for sure is that one of their targets is the Winter Palace and that they are using the eluvians to get here unnoticed.”

“As refreshing as it is to see the Qunari targetting something else than Tevinter for a change. This is alarming. Are they out of their mind? They can't possibly want to start a war with the South.”

Bull grunted as Eirlana took over from Dorian and began to close his wound. “I don't understand it either.” he hissed. “But this can't be a sanctioned action. I would know if they planned something this big in the South.”

“Are you sure, Tiny?” Varric asked. “You have been awfully long gone from your home.” “I am sure. They would need to keep an eye on the Inquisition's movements. They wouldn't attack blindly without knowing who would be here and how many troops we have brought to the Winter Palace.”

“Well, for now, let's get something to eat. I am starving.” Varric said and sent a servant to fetch them some food.

.

They had just begun to eat when Ryan came running back.

“They have smuggled gaatlok barrels into the Winter Palace.” he panted.

“What?” Varric exclaimed.

“You're shitting me.” Iron Bull said in disbelief.

“Are you sure about this, Inquisitor?” Vivienne asked.

“I am sure. We just intercepted an elven servant transporting one of the barrels. Leliana has her men searching the Palace for more.”

“This is bad.” Iron Bull stood up. “Let me sent word to the Ben-Hassrath. We've got to stop this Dragon's Breath before it goes any further. It can't have been authorised. My people wouldn't do this.”

“Can you tell us anything else about these Qunari?” Ryan asked.

“I know they aren't Ben-Hassrath. They're specialists, working for a Viddasala. Ben-Hassrath handle normal security. The Viddasala's people focus entirely on magic. They find it, study it, and neutralise it. And they must be desperate if they're using eluvians. I'd expect them to shatter any mirror they find. But if this Viddasala has gone rogue, it is possible her people would follow her believing they are obeying the Qun.”

“Go to Josephine and contact your people.”

“Yes, Boss.”

“The rest of you get some rest. We leave again in half an hour. We have found directions that could lead to this Viddasala. We need to find her and stop this insane plan.”

Dorian stepped towards Ryan. “I should come with you?”

“No, stay here in case the Qunari try to access this eluvian while we are gone.”

Reluctantly Dorian nodded and went after Iron Bull to see if he could help with uncovering more of the Qunari's plan.

.

As soon as they entered the crossroads again, they spotted a group of Qunari running across a newly formed path.

“There! After them!” Ryan yelled, and they all ran to catch up with them.

Eirlana, who wasn't struggling in this environment, soon was up front, and was the first to reach the eluvian, the Qunari must have used. It was surrounded by bookshelves filled with books, some to them lay scattered on the ground along with loose papers and scrolls.

Waiting for the others to catch up, she picked up one of the books. It was filled with random numbers and letters, they shifted slightly as her eyes scanned the page. It was like how she saw books in the Fade. “An eluvian marked by a bookshelf. This should be the place we will find the Viddasala.” Ryan panted as he finally reached the eluvian.

“Good.” Iron Bull drew his Stone-Breaker war hammer. “Time to get some answers.”

.

Eirlana gasped as they stepped into a massive room, that looked like a library. Sadly it was partially destroyed. The back-end of the room was blown away, and through it, they could see outside into a landscape that looked similar to the crossroads. Several islands were rising from a thick mist, and there was the same strange lighting. What was different were the many buildings and structures, that were built on the islands. She also noticed two big raven statues of Dirthamen, the elven god of secrets and knowledge. If this really was a library, it was fitting to find his statues here.

What was strange though was the air itself. It was charged with magical energy, but it felt erratic and twisted, like traces left by a giant explosion. It had affected everything surrounding them. Every building they saw was severely damaged and broken down, sometimes beyond recognition of what it once was. The damage was so great that Eirlana expected to find rifts here, because whatever and wherever this place was, it had a close connection to the Fade. They could practical see slivers of green Fade energy shimmering in the air. Also, they soon realised that the physics of this place was similar to that of the Fade. Some of the buildings were hanging upside-down, and there was even a waterfall flowing upwards.

Perplexed, Ryan looked around. “Is this some sort of old elven library?”

“It looks like it.” Vivienne agreed. “But it has suffered from a massive magical backlash. There are traces of some ancient magical catastrophe in the air.”

“Let's hope we can track down the Viddasala in all of this.”

Eirlana walked to one of the tables filled with books. Curious, she opened one of them. As she touched the pages, its context slipped into her mind like a vivid memory. Sounds, images, feelings finely interwoven created a scenery as if she had witnessed it herself. She saw how a monument was made in a single afternoon by a thousand-thousand toiling servants swarming over a lump of fallen stone as large as a collapsed mountain. By the end of the day, the stern figure of Elgar'nan stared down into a valley, carved out from the foothills of the rock. The slaves disappeared and a light radiated from the eidolon's narrowed eyes and its open, snarling mouth. 'Hail Elgar'nan, first among the gods! Mark his victory eternal!'

“What are these books?” Varric asked her.

“I think they are not books like we know them. They are more like a vivid memory. Their concept is similar to the mosaics we encountered, telling the story not by words but through magic.” she answered him.

“Hmph. Don't touch any more books.” Ryan said. “We have no time for distractions. We shouldn't linger here any longer than necessary.”

.

They walked over a destroyed road further into the ruins. It was quickly clear that all but Eirlana were struggling to move in this environment. Though it was not as bad as being in the crossroads. While Eirlana waited for the others, she took her time and looked around. Once this place must have been a marvel to be seen, with grand buildings on the different islands, connected by bridges and eluvians. Now al that was left were ruins and destruction. It was also apparent that the Qunari had explored these parts. She noticed several Qunari on different islands, though it looked like some were trapped. They wandered around aimlessly, trying to find a way back.

“Over there. Is that a spirit?” Ryan asked.

Eirlana blinked, distracted she hadn't noticed the spirit floating further up the path. It looked like it was waiting for them. They stepped closer, although some of their group were more cautious than others.

“Andaran atish'an, mirthadra Elvhen.” it greeted them.

“What does it say?” Ryan turned to Eirlana.

“If you wish, honoured Elvhen, I will speak, so your guests understand.” the spirit replied to him in common. “I am study. I am a learning thirst. Come, know what has not been lost. New words. New stories. The Qunari would not approach, but we learned their words as well. If you wish to exchange knowledge, they congregate by the lower gate.”

Ryan didn't seem pleased that he had to talk to a spirit, but they needed information. “What was this place?”

“This is the Vir Dirthara. The living knowledge of the empire. The libraries of every city. The wisdom of every court. A connecting place whose paths are in disarray. It was made with world and Fade. When they sundered, so did we. Paths broke. Knowledge fragmented. Many were trapped. I preserve their last words.”

“Last words?” Varric asked.

“What happened? Where are the paths? Where are the paths? Gods save me, the floor is gone. Do not let me fall. Do not let me... On this spot, that is all.”

“Thanks.” Iron Bull said. “Really paints a picture.” He looked warily at the edges of the path, that looked like they could crumble away at any time.

Turning away from the spirit, Ryan looked for a way to move on. “We know the Qunari are using this eluvian. The Viddasala has to be somewhere in here.”

“Viddasala. Yes.” the spirit replied. “She uses scholars and mages for study. They fear this place, but they seek to know the Veil.”

“The Veil? Why in all of Thedas would they studying it for?” Vivienne asked.

“I regret I do not have more information. I am sundered from myself. If you discover another one of me nearer the Qunari, I may know more. Kindly give it my greetings. I have not thought with myself for some time. Apologies. I knew all once. We knew. With the break, only fragments or knowledge new, since the fall.”

“Let's leave this thing alone.” Ryan climbed a set of stairs to reach the next part of the ruin. “The sooner we can leave this place, the better.”

Eirlana wished she had more time and freedom to talk with the spirit. Reluctantly she followed the others when the spirit began to speak again. “Know this: an unknown person, not of the Qunari, recently woke the librarians. The librarians facilitated learning before the fracture. Before the fall. Now, beware them. They are unwell.”

She stared at the spirit, desperately wanting to ask if Solas had been here. But she couldn't. Not with the others being here.

“Eirlana! Come!” Ryan said. He was clearly wary of this environment.

Reluctantly she followed the others, wondering what they would uncover.

.

They soon found the place the Qunari were gathering. Above their heads on what looked like an upside-down courtyard, a large group of Qunari was wandering around. Some of them looking up towards them. “Look there.” Ryan pointed above them. “Qunari. On that... upside-down island? They have seen us. If we manage to reach them, they will be ready for us.”

“Looks like a whole camp up there.” Varric agreed with him. “Or is it down there? Shit, this place is weird.”

“We need to find the right eluvian that will take us there. Be on your guard, there is no knowing what we will face in this place.”

Trying to reach the Qunari, they followed a twisted path through several eluvians. It led them to different parts of the library located on several of the islands. Everywhere they went was the same, ruins, broken structures and pathways. A couple of times they got turned around, and they had to backtrack their path to find their way.

“You know what?” Varric said as they passed through another eluvian. “This place has written Solas all over it. He would wet his pants if he was here with us now, with all this old elven stuff.”

Eirlana heart sped up hearing Varric talk about him. But not wanting their focus on Solas, she kept quiet.

Ryan let out another disgruntled huff. “More of this elven gods nonsense. In my opinion, we are lucky the elven empire collapsed. This much magic is not what the Maker intended for us.”

“I agree.” Vivienne said. “It is a pity they build an entire empire on the foundation of magic...”

“I don't know.” Varric objected. “There are worse things to base your civilisation around. Coin, the lyrium trade, tradition...”

Suddenly Ryan screamed out in pain. They had walked past a golden elven tree that was magical charged. As he came closer to it, the Anchor flared up and absorbed the magical energy.

“Inquisitor!” Vivienne exclaimed. “You! Do something!” she snapped at Eirlana.

Eirlana grabbed his arm and did her best to subdue the magic and ease the pain. Immediately she noticed that the Anchor's magic felt much stronger, as if it was steadily growing in this environment. She had no idea why, or how to stop it. When the mark flared up now, it engulfed more and more of Ryan's arm. If this continued, the magic would soon become uncontrollable and consume Ryan. At best, he would lose his arm, but if this would go on, it even could claim his life.

“The Anchor again? Are you alright?” Varric asked, looking worried.

“It's getting worse,” Ryan grunted through gritted teeth. “We best hurry.”

.

On their path through the library, they found several times Qunari that had been killed. They had terrified expressions on their faces. Whatever they had encountered, had scared them to death. They also encountered more spirits, just like the first spirit they were eager to talk and share their knowledge.

The second spirit greeted them. “Welcome. Welcome. Listen to the last words of those who lived past the fall. How could the Dread Wolf cast a Veil between the world that wakes and the world that dreams? The Evanuris will send people. They will save us. When have you last heard from the gods? When the Veil came down, they went silent. What is this Veil, what has Fen'Harel done?”

Shocked Ryan stared at it. “What? Did that thing just say that Fen'Harel created the Veil? That can't be right. The Maker created it to protect us against these things.”

“How can some guy just make the Veil?” Iron Bull looked just as disbelieved. “We must have been ass-deep in demons before then.”

“Impossible!” Vivienne declared. “If there was a time the Veil didn't exist, there would be some mention of it in human history.”

Solas created the Veil? Eirlana thought in shock. Is that what happened?

The memories of that time were sparse and fragmented. The few she had seen were often confusing and filled with fear, fear about the loss of magic, the ageing, the disappearance of the Evanuris.

She looked at the destruction around her, now she could understand that fear. If the Veil had suddenly appeared, it had impacted everything in the life of the elves. It must have been terrifying to be suddenly cut off of their source of power, the foundation of their society. The chaos of the library was a stark picture of what the result was. How many people had been trapped here? How many had died here, trying to escape? It must have been a catastrophe beyond measure.

And Solas had created it. How powerful was he to accomplish such a feat? The sheer magnitude was unfathomable. She almost laughed, amid her shock, but somehow she managed to keep quiet.

As they encountered a third spirit, the impact of Solas' deed was even more clear. It echoed the hatred against him. The same hatred that she had seen in the Fade and in the legends that had survived until this day.

“If we get out of here, I will end Fen'Harel.” the spirit echoed. “After he held back the Sky to imprison the gods, the Dread Wolf disappeared. Lies. We must tear down the Veil. The cities, the pathways... Without magic, they are crumbling. You're wasting your time. Fen'Harel's Veil has turned our empire to ruins.”

“This is a load of crap!” Ryan stormed past the spirit. “Don't listen to anything those things are saying!”

Eirlana held her breath, as she heard the spirit say 'held back the sky.' Skyhold, Tarasyl'an Te'las, Eirlana thought. Had Solas created the Veil at Skyhold? Was that the reason that the Veil was so strong there and the Fade was frozen in time?

In thought, she followed the others silently. While for them, the concept of Fen'Harel was still a legend that didn't fit inside of human beliefs and history, she was witnessing the history of Solas. It was shocking to realise and see what he had lost when he created the Veil. He hadn't just lost his home, his way of living, but also the people close to him, his followers, the slaves he saved. All the marvels of his world. They all had crumbled because of what he had done.

Seeing the destruction with her own eyes made her realise why he always carried such a deep sadness within him. To be responsible for the beginning of the downfall of the elves, it must weigh heavy on him.

But why did he do it?

Why had he cut the world and the Fade apart?

Did he do it to defeat the Evanuris and free the slaves? Or had something different happened?

.

They wandered further through the library. Occasionally they had to fight a group of Qunari that was looking for them. The fights weren't that difficult, they just had to keep an eye on the edges of the islands, so that they wouldn't be pushed off and fall into the bottomless mist. They also discovered the cause of the dead terrified Qunari when they encountered the librarians. They had been twisted into demons of fear, who immediately attacked them.

Eirlana almost laughed out loud when they were yelling 'Your books are overdue.' and 'Don't talk in the library.' at them in elvish. She wished she could have met the librarians in their true form. The knowledge they possessed must be immense.

After defeating them, they finally found the eluvian that took them to the upside-down courtyard above them. As they had predicted, a large group of Qunari was waiting for them with their weapons drawn, but unlike the Qunari they had encountered before they didn't attack.

“Survivor of the Breach. Herald of Change. Hero of the South.” A female Qunari addressed them. She stood on a balcony above them and emanated an air of authority. Next to her stood a huge Qunari. He was bigger than any Qunari they had ever seen and judging by his iron face mask, he was a saarebas.

Ryan lifted his chin and puffed his chest as he stepped forward. “The Viddasala, I presume.”

“After fulfilling your purpose at the Breach, it is astonishing to hear you still walked free among your people. Your duty is done, Inquisitor. It is time to end your magic.”

“You can certainly try. I've defeated all your Ben-Hassrath so far.”

The Viddasala narrowed her eyes. “So you have. The repercussions have already begun. I am no stranger to catastrophe, but this chaos in the South defies comprehension. The Qun left your people to curb your own magic. You've amply proven we should have stepped in long ago.”

“I have an alliance with your people. We defeated Corypheus and closed the Breach. I thought you would approve of that.”

She huffed. “Do you believe closing the Breach solved everything, that its consequences stopped there? The day we saw the Breach, the Qun decided its action. We would remove your leaders and spare those who toil. This agent of Fen'Harel has disrupted everything. Lives that were to be spared, lost for him!”

“What agent? And why would you think they work for the Inquisition?”

“Kill the Inquisitor, then follow me to the Darvaarad.”

The Viddasala was apparently done talking and stepped through an eluvian. The huge saarebas followed her. As soon as she gave her command the Qunari, surrounding them, attacked. It was an intense battle. At the end, all of them nursed several bruises and cuts, but nobody had sustained any serious injuries this time. Eirlana took care of them as best as she could. But her healing supplies were dwindling. She hoped they would soon return to the Winter Palace so she could restock. There was also the issue of her broken staff. It had snapped as one of the Qunari had tried to cut her down with an axe. With all the fighting they were facing, it made her nervous about being weaponless. Sure she could cast her magic without a weapon, but having such control over her magic would only stir up the suspicions of her being possessed. Because there would be no way, a 'simple' apostate could wield her offensive magic without the aid of a foci such as a weapon.

While she was at work, the others were searching the place for more information about the Qunari's plan called Dragon's Breath. They soon discovered that the Qunari were using non-Qunari spies to infiltrate the Winter Palace and smuggle the gaatlok barrels. Another note told them why the Qunari were in this old elven library.

“Here.” Ryan scanned the note. “It says that they came here to study the Veil and strengthen it. This Viddasala gave lyrium to the mages to boost their magical abilities, so they could study it better.”

“Let me see that.” Vivienne took the note. “So, they believe this notion that the Veil was created by this Fen'Harel. Though they call him an elven mage in these notes.”

“That can't be right.” Ryan shook his head. “The Maker...”

“I don't know.” Varric cut in. “Could be connected to that orb thing; otherwise, the magic in your hand shouldn't be able to manipulate the Veil.”

“A way to clamp down magic?” Iron Bull looked over Vivienne's shoulder to read. “No wonder she's here. That the Veil can be torn must have scared that Viddasala shitless.”

“Let's get out of here and tell the others what we've found.” Ryan looked around, making sure they hadn't missed anything. “On our way back, we can check the mines and make sure the Qunari can't use it any longer. Then we use the keystone we've found and go to this Darvaarad where the Viddasala went.”

.

“Look at it! It's completely submerged.” Ryan said as they reached the mines.

They stood on the outcrop where they first overviewed the mines. It now resembled a giant underground lake. Water was still falling into it by countless waterfalls, but the water-level looked stable.

“Did I mention lately that I can't swim?” Varric eyed the water nervously. “Just... keep that in mind.”

“At least the Qunari can't use this place any longer.” Ryan said.

“We should consider that the Qunari will find another place to mine.” Vivienne added. “We best contact Orzammar and warn them about the breach into their trade.”

“That is a good idea, Vivienne. I can't imagine they will be happy to hear the news.” Ryan agreed.

“Inquisitor, over there another eluvian.” Eirlana pointed towards the shimmering light source. It was hidden behind a cave-inn, that they had missed the first time they were here. “Judging by the gaatlok barrels, the Qunari tried to reach it. We should check it, to make sure it doesn't lead to another source of lyrium.”

They used the gaatlok barrels and freed the way to the eluvian. It led them back onto the surface into another elven ruin.

Eirlana swallowed when she saw the owl statue, symbolising Falon'Din. Though she hadn't seen a trace of him since he saved her from Xebenkeck, she was worried that it wouldn't stay that way. The ruin was small and had only a single room. Apart from the owl statue, there were a couple of wolves, representing Fen'Harel. The rest of the room was bare except for a prominent fresco. It showed a giant creature being struck by a beam of light and shattering into pieces. At the centre of the creature was a golden ball. To the left and right of it stood an elf. The left elf's hand was surrounded by a similar golden glow, while the right one carried an orb with the same symbol as depicted in the centre of the creature.

“Look at this mural.” Ryan touched it. “What is that thing?”

“If it is anything like Solas' paintings, it is probably depicting how some broody elf felt about shit that happened. If anyone sees his paintings at Skyhold in a hundred years, they wouldn't guess half the things that they symbolise.” Varric grumbled. Realising what he just had said he quickly looked at Eirlana. “Sorry.” he mumbled.

Eirlana smiled faintly at him. She knew he meant well and that he was angry at Solas for leaving her. She then noticed a shimmer hidden in the fresco, and she stepped closer. “It looks like there are ruins engraved in it.” and she summoned a globe of veilfire to read them.

The light of the veilfire activated the runes, and they began to shift, coiling and uncoiling like snakes. A thunderous voice shouted in her head. “Hail Mythal, adjudicator and saviour! She has struck down the pillars of the earth and rendered their demesne unto the People! Praise her name forever!”

For a moment, the scent of blood filled the air and a vivid image of green vines growing and enveloping a sphere of fire appeared. Then there was darkness, and it felt like an aeon passed. Then the intensity of the runes changed, they became filled with anger. There was a new vision; elves collapsing caverns, sealing the Deep Roads with stone and magic. There was intense terror, heart-pounding, ice-cold, filled with fear. And a voice whispered. “What the Evanuris in their greed could unleash would end us all. Let this place be forgotten. Let no one wake its anger. The People must rise before their false gods destroy them all.”

Eirlana blinked a few times as the images disappeared. The others looked at her expectantly. “It is a titan.” she looked back at the image. “The Evanuris fought them, and they mined their bodies for lyrium.”

“They managed to fight and kill one of those things?” Ryan asked perplexed.

“Yes. I know there is an elven song telling how Elgar'nan gained victory over the Earth that shook the elven cities. A titan probably caused the same earthquakes we encountered in the lyrium mines at the Wounded Coast.”

“Hmm, the information we find gets crazier by the minute. Let's leave, we got the Qunari to deal with.”

Before they left, Iron Bull found a mage staff. It had several small wolf figurines bound at the top. He tossed it to Eirlana. “Here, maybe you can use it.”

She caught it, twirled it around and fed her magic into it. It reacted immediately and sparkled with electricity. A strange feeling washed over her, giving her a sense of being vastly better than everyone and everything around her. It was as if she could hear faint laughter and Fade energy strangely clung to the staff. It filled her with unknown confidence. And there was something else, something... It felt like there was a presence that stirred from a deep slumber. For a moment she got a sense of a pair of round golden eyes watching her.

Puzzled by the sensation she asked. “Where did you find it?”

“Under that wolf statue. It may be old crap, but it is better than having nothing.”

“Thank you.” Eirlana said, feeling like she was being watched by something lingering in the Fade. It was a little unsettling, but she couldn't feel any ill intentions from whatever it was. It seemed rather curious. Suddenly there was a sensation of it stretching itself and taking a long yawn. The movement felt stiff as if it had awakened from a long deep slumber, and it probably had. For no one had been in this chamber for ages.

Not sensing any malice from the entity, Eirlana decided to take the staff. Before following everyone back into the lyrium mine, she looked one last time at the mural. The more she learned about Solas' past, the more she worried. He was involved in events that had shaken the very foundations of the world. It was dizzying to think about what he and the other Evanuris had done with their power. They had toyed with forces they thought they stood above. And she worried about what that vision was what she had seen. If the Evanuris dared to battle a titan, it was concerning that they had encountered something that terrified them so much that their only solution was to seal it away.

Solas what have you done?

.

The sun had long gone down when they stepped back into the Winter Palace. Ryan immediately went to inform the others about what they had found. A group of Inquisition agents had prepared a small sitting area for them outside. There was also food, wine and water.

Sighing deeply, Varric sat down. “This has been a long day. Argh, I am getting too old for this shit.”

Iron Bull also sat down and grabbed several cuts of meat. “More is to come.” he rumbled with his mouth full.

“I came here to drink beer on the Inquisition's tab, maybe play a few rounds of cards." Varric shook his head. “Should have known that trouble would show up again.”

“Not exactly my plan either. I wanted to sit at the bar and get drunk until the nobles had stopped complaining about us saving their pompous asses. Look like we were both wrong.” Iron Bull turned to one of the Inquisition guards. “You there. Can you fetch us some ale? I rather drink something decent before we go back in there.”

In the meanwhile, Eirlana had sent for more supplies, including regeneration potions and lumps of crystallised honey infused with elfroot. They were going to need them soon, having already fought through the day and most of the night without any decent rest. Iron Bull was right, at this rate they weren't going to finish anytime soon.

.

Ryan returned to them a good hour later. He looked grim and held his arm like he was in pain.

Eirlana stepped towards him. “Did the Anchor flare up again?”

“Yes, and it was the worst one yet. It is worse than when it grew under the influence of the Breach.”

She reached out to him, to help and numb the pain, but he pulled his arm back.

“Leave it! I have taken some elfroot against the pain. We have to hurry. I don't know how long I can stand this. This bloody thing will be the death of me.”

With a sigh, he sat down and began to eat. They were all quiet for a while, most of them looking worried at Ryan and the Anchor.

“Is there any news from the council?” Vivienne asked, breaking the uncomfortable silence.

“They found gaatlok barrels inside Denerim's Palace, Val Royeaux and across the Free Marches. The Winter Palace was not the only target. Our agents have helped to disable the barrels and carry them to a safe place.”

Varric cursed loudly. “This is bad.”

“The Qunari planned to strike every noble house in the known world.” Vivienne said in shock. “We have to warn the other Châteaux in Orlais. This can't be allowed to pass.”

“We already sent ravens to our agents and allies, but it looks like that they're targetting the major seats of power. If they had succeeded to strike, the South would have been in chaos. Creating an ideal opportunity to invade us.

Although our Qunari contacts are currently denying any involvement.” Ryan grabbed more bread and covered it with meats and cheese. “After I have finished eating, we will go back in. We need to find this Darvaarad. What does it mean anyway, Bull?”

“Darvaarad is not a thing, more a location. It is a place to bring and quarantine magical things, until they can be studied and disabled safely.”

“Great, so we could walk into more magical dangers.” Ryan sighed. “Maybe we should bring more templars so we can deal with them.”

“I agree.” Cassandra said as she joined them. She was armed and clad in a set of golden armor.

Startled by her sudden appearance Ryan jumped to his feet. “Your Perf...”

“Don't you dare!” Cassandra interrupted him. “I am going to come with you. I can't ignore this threat any longer.”

“Your Holi...”

Cassandra glared at him.

“Cassandra.” Ryan began anew. “You can't come. We can't possibly endanger your life.”

“If you expect me to wait patiently and do nothing, you have chosen the wrong Divine. With your hand getting worse, you need another shield at your side.”

There was no way to change Cassandra's mind, and in the end, Ryan conceded. He also sent for three templars to accompany them. Seeing the familiar faces of her guard detail among them Eirlana wasn't exactly thrilled, but she could hardly object.

.

Back at the crossroads, they used the keystone they had found to activate the eluvian. It was the very first eluvian they had encountered in the crossroads, where the wounded Qunari had tried to go through. They stepped through it and reappeared into a castle fortress overlooking the ocean. It was unlike the elven ruins they had travelled through, but a castle of modern build and well maintained. A Qunari statue overlooked the courtyard, heroically holding a spear. The courtyard itself was filled with a couple of dozen broken eluvians. A few of them were still intact, and they had stepped through one of them.

“We seem to be in a dumping ground for broken eluvians.” Vivienne remarked.

“Where did the Qunari get all these?” Ryan looked around. “And how long have they been studying eluvians? Come! The sooner we stop this invasion plan, the better.”

Iron Bull readied his weapon. “Finally, a chance to get some answers and set this right. Thanks for bringing me along, Boss.”

They encountered only a couple of Qunari that were conducting some kind of experiment on one of the eluvians. They seemed to be surprised by their appearance. Being unprepared most of them were quickly defeated, but there was a saarebas among them who didn't fall so easily. He managed to kill one of the templars that just had joined their group.

Cassandra panted after the saarebas was finally defeated. “Maker! These Qunari mages are crazed. I haven't seen anything like them.”

“This Viddasala is giving them lyrium, so their magic is enhanced.” Ryan explained.

“Saarebas are more powerful than other mages.” Iron Bull explained. “That is why the Qun leashes them and keep them under watch by an Arvaarad.”

“I heard of them, they are like our templars.” Cassandra said.

“Something like that.” Iron Bull nodded, but didn't explain anything further.

On a table, they found observation notes filled with diagrams and complex formulas, but before they could look through them the Anchor flared up again. Ryan screamed in pain. “This bloody thing! Leave it!” he shrugged Eirlana's attempt to help him. “We need to hurry.”

.

They continued their path to gain access to the castle. Eirlana looked around, the air felt warmer than it had been at the Winter Palace. Judging by the vegetation, they were much farther to the North. Her eye caught a giant halla statue in the distance. It was standing on a high cliff staring out over the sea. Even if this place was now claimed and rebuild by the Qunari, it once had been elven.

They soon encountered heavy resistance, and they had to fight their way into the castle. Iron Bull had been right in his description that it was a place to gather and study magical objects. They found a tower filled with all sort of objects, from astrariums to elven statues. They even found a piece of red lyrium that looked like it had been tampered with.

“Red lyrium.” Ryan exclaimed. “Do the Qunari even know what they are dealing with?”

“No.” Varric shook his head. “They might think they do. But they don't.”

Inside the castle, they found even more relics and a library that overflowed with scrolls and books. They quickly searched the room, looking for anything useful.

“Look here.” Ryan picked up several maps. “They have blueprints of Halamshiral, Denerim and Kirkwall. They are very detailed.”

Vivienne browsed through a hefty tome. “Unless I'm mistaken, my Dear. These are artefact catalogues. The Qunari must have more of these facilities to acquire so many. What can they be doing with all of this.”

“This almost looks like research. Are they trying to uncover secrets of elven magic?” Ryan looked around, hoping to find more answers.

“Hopefully they don't have any more ancient magic crap to throw at us.” Iron Bull rumbled. “That orb was bad enough. Though that dragon skull would make a wicked armchair. Maybe we can take it back to Skyhold after we cleared this?”

.

At last, they came upon a set of big double doors. From behind them, they could hear a strange loud growling shriek. Ryan pulled out his weapon, and everyone did the same. Carefully they opened the door.

They came into a sizeable room filled with many barrels of gaatlok. Through an arch, they could see into a circular indoor courtyard. A dragon stood there and let out a bone-shattering shriek. It had ropes bound all over its face and was clearly in distress.

Ryan gasped. “Dragon's Breath is... an actual dragon? Are the Qunari crazy?”

A Qunari spearman noticed them and sounded the alarm. “Teth a! Bas!”

The Viddasala burst through a door and didn't look pleased that they were here. “Inquisition! Nehraa Ataashi-asaara meravas adim kata!” she yelled and soon the room filled with many armed Qunari.

She looked at Iron Bull. “Hissrad! Now, please. Vinek kathas.” she ordered him.

Iron Bull nodded. “Understood, ma'am.” He turned towards Ryan. “Change of plans. Nothing personal... Bas.”

He slammed the pommel of his war hammer backwards with great force, hitting Eirlana, who stood behind him, hard against her head. She staggered, and her vision blurred. Disoriented, she held her head and watched how Iron Bull rushed Ryan, letting out a vicious snarl. With brute force, he bashed Stone-Breaker down on him. Ryan barely managed to catch the weapon with his shield and was forced through his knees.

“Bull!” Cassandra screamed at the same time and hurried to Ryan's aid.

This was the last thing Eirlana noticed before she lost consciousness.

.

“Snowflake?”

Eirlana heard Varric's voice, but it sounded strangely far away. Her head pounded with a piercing headache. Something was pushed against her lips, and the familiar bitter taste of elfroot poured into her mouth.

“Come on. Open your pretty eyes.”

More of the healing potion was poured into her mouth, and something was nudging her hand. Slowly she opened her eyes, but she quickly closed them again as the world spun around her.

“Eh eh, come on, open them again.” Varric encouraged her. “You have to try and heal yourself. That was the last of our potions.”

Concentrating, she tried to summon her magic, but it faltered. Darkness threatened to claim her once again. She could hear Varric call her name, but his voice sounded like he was far away. Something was wining softly beside her, and there was another nudge against her hand. A strange surge of energy flowed up her arm, engulfing her. It stabilised her magic just enough so she could attempt to heal herself. It was difficult, but slowly she managed to mend her head wound. Iron Bull had struck her hard, and her skull was partially fractured from the impact. There was also significant trauma and bleeding. Somehow she managed to heal the worst of it, but the headache and dizziness remained.

Slowly the world came back into focus. In the distance, Eirlana could hear the growling shrieks of the dragon, but she could also hear Ryan.

“I should never have trusted him!” he ranted. “That traitor! How is this an alliance?!”

“I should have known. It was my duty to have known.” Cassandra contemplated.

Iron Bull! Suddenly Eirlana was wide awake. She looked around and saw Bull's corpse lying not far from her. He lay there just like his Qunari brethren. In disbelief, she stared at his dead body.

“There you are.” Varric tried to keep her from moving to fast. Following her eyes, he sighed. “Still can't believe Bull turned on us.” he muttered. “He was a better liar than I gave him credit for.”

With her head getting clearer by the minute, Eirlana looked at her companions. They looked beaten and battered. Also, she couldn't see the last of templars. Looking around, she noticed them dead, lying side by side. Someone had taken the time to fold their hands and close their eyes.

Clearly, the whole group had suffered without her aid and had to rely on their potions for healing. Judging by Varric's remark, they had quickly run out. Weaving another healing spell, she managed to heal more of her injury. With Varric's help, she struggled to her feet. Something nudged her hand again, and she looked to her left, but there was nothing there.

“You alright Snowflake?” Varric asked worried, when she stared at her hand.

Eirlana nodded but needed a couple of moments until she felt stable enough to move on her own.

“I still don't understand how he could fight beside us for years, and just...” Ryan shook his head. Seeing Eirlana back on her feet, he eyed the dragon standing in the indoor courtyard. “Come on, let's move. We have that dragon to deal with. They are using its poison to hasten the production of gaatlok. We have to put a stop to that.” He grabbed his shield. Eirlana noticed it was deformed by several new significant dents.

“Great. Just what I wanted to hear.” Varric groaned and checked his Bianca. “You sure you alright, Snowflake.”

Shaking her confusion about what had nudged her, Eirlana smiled faintly at him. “My head hurts, but I will be fine. Though I will try and stand more in the back during the next fight.”

“Bianca agrees with you. All this stress isn't good for a lady.” Varric said, gently petting his crossbow. Before he moved, he glanced one last time at Iron Bull's corpse. “He probably knew he wouldn't survive this.”

Eirlana too looked at his corpse. “I can't believe it. We knew him for years and he just... How are we ever going to tell Dorian?”

“With a lot of booze.” Varric shook his head. “It was quite a sight. After he knocked you out, he just slammed his hammer over and over again into Ryan. Like he had a lot of pent up anger.”

They both looked at each other and thought about the Chargers. Ryan called for them to hurry up, and they reluctantly followed.

.

The dragon fight was a challenge without the brutal strength of Iron Bull at their side. Luckily they had found a chest containing several healing potions, so they hadn't to rely solely on Eirlana's healing. They had enough experience fighting dragons, but this time the battle was made more difficult by groups of Qunari that tried to stop them. Both Eirlana and Varric quickly moved towards the gated exit so they could face both the dragon and the Qunari fighters without being overwhelmed.

Halfway through the battle, Eirlana heard something outside behind the gate. Quickly she took a peek and saw the Viddasala directing many Qunari through another eluvian. They were all geared up for a fight, but why were they moving away from them and not trying to stop them from killing the dragon. Was there something more important for them to achieve?

After a long and challenging fight, they finally managed to kill the dragon. By now, they were all exhausted, but they couldn't afford to rest. They had to move on and try to stop the Viddasala. Opening the gate, they ran towards the next eluvian. Most of the Qunari had already walked through it, but the Viddasala had stayed behind to face them. A squad of her men shielded her and the eluvian.

Eirlana noticed the golden mosaics and statues depicting Fen'Harel next to the eluvian.

“Pashaara!” the Viddasala called out to them.

Ryan looked ready to attack, but before he could take a step further, the Anchor lid up again. He doubled over from the pain, and they all halted, ready to defend Ryan. But to their surprise, the Qunari didn't attack but held their position.

“Dear Inquisitor.” the Viddasala sneered. “You have such little time left.” she paced back and forth. “You must finally see the truth. Elven magic already tore the sky apart. If the agents of Fen'Harel are not stopped, you will shatter the world as well.”

Finally, the Anchor calmed down enough, so that Ryan could face her. His expression was grim. “If these agents of Fen'Harel are a threat, we will handle them. You have no authority here!”

“How?” the Viddasala asked. “You have never defeated anything without their assistance. You would have died from the mark on your hand, but for the help of one of their chief agents. The same agent who helped seal the Breach. Who led you to Skyhold. Who gave Corypheus the orb, then founded the Inquisition.”

Ryan's eyes went wide as she spoke.

“Solas, agent of Fen'Harel.” the Viddasala snarled.

Cassandra gasped. “What?”

“That bastard!” Ryan growled. “I knew I couldn't trust him.”

“Solas tricked us all.” the Viddasala continued. “He pushed a dying Qunari into the Winter Palace, to lure you into opposing us. Without him, we could have brought the South peace and wisdom along the gentle path. Now we must take the way of blades.”

Ryan fell to his knees as the Anchor flared up again. He screamed out in pain.

“Panahedan, Inquisitor. If it is any consolation, Solas will not outlive you.”

The Viddasala went through the eluvian with the last of her man, leaving them behind.

.

“Well, shit.” Varric sighed.

Meanwhile, Cassandra helped Ryan back on his feet. Eirlana stepped to him to ease his pain, but he pulled his arm back.

“Do not touch me!” he glared at her. “Did you know?”

“No.” she shook her head.

“How could you not know?” Vivienne stared at her with hardened eyes.

“He is not some agent.” Eirlana was adamant. “I don't believe that.”

“Face it! He betrayed us.” Ryan growled.

“He didn't betray anyone.” Eirlana snapped. “He did everything he could to help and stop Corypheus. It doesn't make sense that he would give the orb to that monster.”

“Did you know he would be here?” Cassandra asked. She appeared to remain calm under the circumstances.

“You all know I haven't seen him for over two years. I don't know why he is here now or why he supposedly works with these agents of Fen'Harel. All I know is that we came to Haven to help seal the Breach. And Solas did help, as he is helping us again right now.”

“By the Maker! Please tell!” Ryan lifted his hands up in frustration. “How is he helping us now?”

“By revealing this Viddasala's plans.”

“He didn't reveal anything.”

“We would have been blown up by now, if it weren't for him.”

Ryan yelled at her. “You know nothing. I only ask you this once. Are you going to give us trouble? We have to go after these lunatics and need to stop them. If we find Solas, don't you dare to interfere with anything.” Eirlana glared at him but said nothing.

Ryan growled in anger. For a moment, he looked back towards the way they came from. Then he stepped threatening forward and glared back at her. “I will deal with you later!” Ryan pointed his finger sharp into her face. “We have no time to turn back. But I warn you. If you betray us, I will personally END you!”

For a moment she wanted to snap at him 'I would like to see you try.' But that only would make this situation worse. So she remained silent. Ryan glared at her with such hostility that she knew she never could return to the Winter Palace with them. She would be immediately be imprisoned and interrogated by Leliana. And judging by Ryan's glare, it wouldn't be a 'friendly' interrogation this time. If she wanted to survive, she needed to find Solas or at least these agents of Fen'Harel.

But to reach them she first needed to defeat the Qunari. Judging by the Viddasala's words, she was moving her army towards Solas. Eirlana needed to go through them if she wanted to reach him. Her thoughts halted thinking about the Viddasala. What had she said? That Solas gave his foci to Corypheus. Why would he do that? Why would he let such a powerful relic fall into the hands of a madman?

Puzzled and knowing she had to watch herself, she followed the others.

.

“Another elven ruin.” Cassandra said as they stepped out of the eluvian. “There! The Qunari must have taken that eluvian.”

Ignoring the suspicious looks towards her, from everyone except Varric, Eirlana looked around. The elven ruin they had stepped into was vast. She stared over the valley onto the ruins that were stretched out all over the next mountaintop. It was vastly overgrown and had crumbled over the ages, but judging by the many towers and arches, it must once have been an enormous complex. Even now, it was a marvel to be seen. She also caught glimpses of several statues of Fen'Harel. They were everywhere. This whole complex must have once belonged to Solas or was dedicated to him. Though nature had clearly taken over, much of the ruins were still intact. It looked beautiful with the many trees and several waterfalls that flowed down the mountainside. She also noticed the reflections of several eluvians spread through the ruins. The most prominent was a giant one, shimmering brightly in the morning sun.

They had fought the whole night through. And now they were tired to the bone, their bodies exhausted from the constant fighting. They also were battered and bruised, and the majority of them nursed significant injuries.

Although their wounds had been healed by magic or potions, the trauma remained. Their bodies hurt, and their healed wounds were painful and sensitive. Ideally, they all should get some rest and sleep, or at least take some time to drink and get a decent meal, but they had no chance, as a new group of Qunari emerged from the eluvian in front of them. They were probably sent by the Viddasala to stop them.

Before they could engage them, Ryan screamed and fell to his knees. He held his left hand, where the Anchor was flashing brightly.

“Stay back!” he yelled. “It's going to... Aaaaaah.” he screamed as the Anchor's magic discharged violently.

They all were flung backwards by the force of the magic unleashed. Ryan staggered back to his feet, holding his arm and breathing heavily. But they had no time to figure out what was going on because the Qunari attacked them. With Ryan still incapacitated, Cassandra stepped forward and rushed the first of the Qunari, bashing him with her shield. Soon also Varric and Vivienne jumped in. Eirlana sprinted towards Ryan, who tried to dismiss her help. But she ignored him and grabbed his arm to at least attempt to repair some of the damage.

The Qunari quickly fell, and Cassandra sheeted her sword before stepping towards them. She looked worried at Ryan's arm that surprisingly was still intact after the violent explosion. “ If it keeps up like this, it will kill you. Solas must help, as he did at Haven.” she said.

“Chuckles. Who apparently works for Fen'Harel. It's always the quiet ones.” Varric mumbled.

“As if that traitor could help. This is so much worse than in Haven. It feels like my arm is going to be ripped off.” Ryan gritted his teeth.

While Eirlana tried to ease his pain, she could feel how the magic was gathering anew within the mark.

“Inquisitor. Try to use the Anchor.”

“What?” he snapped at her. Clearly, he wasn't trusting her any longer.

“Use the Anchor. Maybe we can prevent it from overcharging again. It already is gathering more energy as we speak. Use the magic it accumulates before it gets too strong.”

Reluctantly Ryan used the Anchor. It hurt him, but this time at least he stayed on his feet. “I can't fight like this.”

Cassandra looked grim. “She is right. It looks calmer. Use it as often as you can. Let's move before we run out of time. We have to find Viddasala and Solas.” With determination, she stepped towards the eluvian in pursuit of the Qunari.

.

They fought dozens of Qunari as they tried to get to the Viddasala. They went through eluvian after eluvian, that brought them to different parts of the ruins. They only caught glimpses of the Viddasala, but again and again, more Qunari were trying to stop them.

In a broken down courtyard, the Viddasala was finally facing them. She was clearly displeased by their continues pursuit. “Saarabas! Meraavas adim kata!” she yelled to the massive saarebas, that was always at her side. Suddenly he leapt into the air and landed in between them and unleashed a massive wave of magic, throwing them off their feet and dispersing them.

“Incoming.” Varric groaned as he got back up.

Ben-Hassrath agents slipped from the shadows, attacking them from all sides. And javelins, thrown by several spearmen landed all around them. Eirlana immediately set up her barriers, trying to keep everyone safe. Ryan and Cassandra engaged the saarebas in the meantime. Dispelling his magical shields with their templar abilities. While Vivienne faced the spearmen by creating a wall of fire on top of them.

Two Ben-Hassrath rogues attacked Eirlana. Striking from opposite sides, they tried to penetrate her defences. Shooting ice at them, she fended them off. Varric also came to her aid by throwing a flask of bees into their middle. They soon were swarmed and stung by the insects.

Suddenly the saarebas threw a massive electrical bolt towards Ryan, hitting him right in his chest. His body convulsed as the electricity surged through his body. At the same time, the Anchor overcharged again in a loud explosion, throwing Cassandra backwards.

“Eirlana!” Cassandra yelled as she got back on her feet and slammed her shield into the saarebas. Next to her, Ryan lay motionless on the ground.

Seeing Ryan was critically injured. Eirlana let out a wave of icy force of her own, freezing and throwing the Ben-Hassrath rogues backwards. They shattered on impact. Dodging several spears, she ran towards Ryan. On her way, she renewed her barriers around everyone.

As she came closer to the saarebas to heal Ryan, she noticed just how powerful the saarebas' magic was. She could feel the lyrium humming within his body. Just how much lyrium had they given him? She wondered. He must be exceptionally strong to survive such quantities.

Cassandra had sweat drip down her face as she attacked the saarebas again and again, but she had a hard time to get a solid hit. As she tried to unbalance the saarebas with a blow from her shield, he suddenly flew up into the sky and landed at the other side of the courtyard. Where he continued to throw his magic towards them. Cassandra growled in frustration and ran towards him, but he had erected a new barrier that repelled both Vivienne's and Varric's attacks. In the meantime, Eirlana managed to revive Ryan. Groaning loudly, he rolled on his side, trying to regain control over his stiff body.

“Inquisitor. Use your mark on the saarebas. I will deal with his shield.” Eirlana instructed him

With effort and her help, Ryan got on his feet. He was visibly in pain and didn't seem to have the energy to object to her any longer. He gritted his teeth and jogged towards the saarebas. With everyone being pre-occupied Eirlana gathered her magic. Making a fist, she slammed her magic onto the shield, shattering it with such a force that the saarebas stumbled. With him being disoriented Ryan activated the Anchor blasting the saarebas even further back with brute force.

The saarebas groaned and grabbed his face as if he was in severe pain. The lyrium in his veins started to glow, and he arched his back in torment. The runes on his collar lit up for a moment, but they didn't seem to able to control the wild surge of magic. With a bang, some of the chains attached to his collar broke off. Freed from his leash, he leapt up in the air again and vanished.

“Saarebas! Meravas! Meravas!” The Viddasala yelled after him, but the saarebas was gone. “You will not leave here, Inquisitor! Antaam, ebrashok adim!”

Even more Qunari troops came towards them to fight, but the Viddasala didn't wait to see the outcome and ran farther into the ruins. After defeating the Qunari, they went after her, only to face more opponents. Eirlana did her best to keep everyone on their feet, handing out regeneration potions and lumps of crystallised honey, that gave their bodies much needed energy. When they finally managed to catch up to Viddasala again, everyone was at their last reserves.

“You are dead, Inquisitor! Your soul is dust!” the Viddasala yelled at them and disappeared through another eluvian. But before they could follow her, the giant saarebas reappeared again. He landed in front of the eluvian and created a forcefield around it. They wouldn't be able to go through it, until they managed to defeat him.

.

“We are in luck. Looks like we have to face only that thing this time.” Ryan snarled.

With his shield raised, he stormed towards the saarebas, closely followed by Cassandra. In the meanwhile Varric, Vivienne and Eirlana spread out, so they could attack the saarebas from different directions. But what looked like an easy task, not having to deal with other attackers, soon turned more difficult than anticipated. Whatever happened to the saarebas in their previous battle had strengthened him.

Magic swirled around him freely, charging the very air. Electrical charges jumped wildly around, hitting anyone coming to close. Again and again, the saarebas created powerful barriers that nullified their attacks until Ryan or Cassandra managed to dispel them. As the fight went on the saarebas displayed a magical strength they hadn't encountered before. His ability to conjure bolts of magical energy was endless, and he summoned demons to his aid.

Eirlana had to throw her barriers and healing magic constantly on her companions to keep them alive. Several times she was hit by the saarebas magical force, that shattered her barrier and threw her off her feet. That was until she strengthened her barrier enough to deflect his attacks. The battle went on for a long time, and she struggled, not only was she exhausted, but the wounds she had suffered before began to act up again. Her head was pounding, and her ribs hurt with every breath she took.

The others didn't fare much better. She noticed them making mistakes as their bodies gave out, and the fatigue caught up with them. Ryan struggled the most, mainly because he had to use the Anchor again and again. His arm was shaking from the constant pain, as he tried to keep his shield up. Even Cassandra, who hadn't fought as long as they had, was slowing down in her movements.

To her right, Eirlana could hear Varric muttering that his poor Bianca was running low on bolts. The saarebas, on the other hand, didn't slow down at all. Rather the opposite, the longer the battle went on, the more he unleashed his magic.

A pride demon appeared in front of Eirlana. It laughed ominously and slammed its claws charged with electricity repeatedly onto her barrier. She could feel her barrier waver under the pressure, and she wasn't sure how long she could go on like this. Her head hurt, and it was disrupting her flow of magic. Suddenly she could hear something snarl beside her and the Veil twisted from something pushing against it. On instinct, she warped the Veil, creating an opening for whatever was on the other side.

Time slowed down as a great spirit wolf appeared beside her. All around her, the world was almost at a standstill while she still could move normally. She stared at the wolf. It looked in its shape like a huge grey wolf, but its body was made from a silvery-white light. Two intelligent golden eyes stared back at her before it leapt onto the pride demon and tore its head off. Then in a flash of light, it flew from demon to demon, until all were defeated and disappeared. It ended its attack by smashing the saarebas' shield. The wolf then returned to her. It nudged her hand affectionately and rubbed its whole body against her, wagging its tail. Perplexed Eirlana let her fingers glide through its fur made of light, as she stroked the wolf her headache lessened and her energy slowly returned. The wolf let out a happy bark before it disappeared again.

As soon as it was gone, time began to flow again. Her companions stumbled at the sudden disappearance of the demons. Nobody but Eirlana apparently had seen the wolf that had come to her aid. With her renewed energy Eirlana attacked the saarebas, bombarding him with her ice magic. The others also took advantage of his shattered barrier and attacked with everything they got left. Despite the saarebas being vulnerable, it still felt like hours until the saarebas finally staggered. For a moment it looked like he recovered by igniting the lyrium in his veins, though this time something went wrong. He arched his back and lifted from the ground, but he somehow got stuck. He was trapped in some sort of stasis, and their attacks couldn't reach him any longer. Wild magic kept leaping of off him, and they had to continuously dodge to avoid being hit.

Varric cursed loudly as he shot one of his last bolts at the saarebas. “Shit! Is there no end to this thing.”

“Use the mark!” Cassandra yelled desperately at Ryan.

They all held their breath as Ryan activated the mark again. Somehow the unleashed energy reached the saarebas, and at last, his dead body fell to the ground. Finally, the fight was over.

For a moment, they stared at each other. They all were panting heavily, trying to catch their breath after the difficult combat. The barrier blocking the eluvian had disappeared with the death of the saarebas.

Ryan held his hand, struggling to keep the Anchor under control.

“We have to hurry!” he panted and moved towards the eluvian.

As soon as he stepped through it, the eluvian went dark.

“NO!” Eirlana yelled as the eluvian became inactive. She ran towards the mirror and pressed against the glass, but she couldn't get through.

[mooshus]

tag yourselves: w101 school edition

(I’m almost 100% sure someone has done this before, but this is just my interpretation of it. If you don’t know what a ‘tag yourself’ is, it’s like ‘aesthetics’ for each of the schools or feelings/things they would do/have.)

FIRE: being perfectly warm under your covers when it’s cold outside. the noise a match makes when it lights. sparklers. fireworks. light streaming through the windows in the morning. lighting a car on fire in anger. huge candles everywhere. being overexcited about flames. the sun. golden hour. waiting for someone to crack. striving for excellence. always being warm. touching the cool glass. barbecues. being passionate. always energetic, like you’re drawing energy from the sun itself. forcing yourself to calm down/give up because it goes against your nature. 

ICE: flipping your pillow over to get the cool side. being able to take an intense amount of insults without snapping. having cold skin. never getting cold in the winter. staying calm and collected before snapping and hitting someone on the face. defending your friends. having the ability to diffuse any damage towards you. fresh morning air and the bright white snow. waking up too early when it’s still dark outside. keeping beautiful flowers and different shades of pale pastel colours. ice cream in winter. being able to manage a busy schedule.

STORM: bragging about test scores. asking everyone else, ‘what did you get?’. hair that gleams perfectly in the afternoon light. being able to hear the buzz of fluorescent lights when someone turns it on. somehow fixing every single technical problem. typing quickly. narrowed eyes and shallow breathing. knowing how to hide in a lot of different ways. flicking lights on and off. groaning loudly when the power goes off, and not wanting to have to deal with it. never having to deal with the insurance companies. always remembering to charge your phone. knowing your way around every website. liking the rain. being fascinated by lightning. 

MYTH: greek mythology. roman mythology. egyptian mythology. every kind of lore that exists sitting on your bookshelf. keeping more than one clock in your room. baking cakes at 3 am. two necklaces, one with a lock and one with a key. keeping your own secrets. asking precise questions. stopped clocks. golden watches you check all the time. always knowing the answer, as long as you’ve paid attention. rationalizing. having favors you can always call on. being able to hold your own, but working better with another person. imagination.

LIFE: healing quickly. liking sciences. looking out towards the sky and getting distracted when you’re working. cracking your neck when you wake up. blinking either too much or not enough. peeling a bandaid back. knowing the difference between soft tissues and soft tissues. being the mom friend. trusting people easily. breaking off pieces of soft cakes with your fingers. hiding underneath too many blankets. laughter. dragging people out at 2am to look at the stars. knowing how beautiful people are inside. crying secretly and quietly and wiping the tears away. always smiling.

DEATH: a weird fascination with graveyards. moths over butterflies. understanding when someone passes. feeling grief but also knowing they’re in a better place. having an appreciation for how short your life is. black and white. photography during an inconvenient time. closing the curtains when you take a nap. dark themes and photos, but still upbeat. keeping to yourself and a small group of friends. finding it difficult to trust people. fantasy and horror novels. black timberlands. defying stereotypes. smiling when people smile. antisocial social club.

BALANCE: slants and straight lines. being the hype person for other people. looking upwards thoughtfully. being able to read something once and remember it. waiting till someone proves themselves trustworthy to tell them anything. trying to find public wifi before remembering you have data. hourglasses. subtle smiles. symmetrical drawings. dark chocolate. appreciating the law, but also struggling to care about it. biting your lip for no reason. a slight tan. lots of colours toned down slightly. listening to soundtracks instead of lyrical songs. real, achievable expectations for others, but high goals for yourself. being afraid of your own power. fearing failure.

[writinginthesecrettrees]

4th of July

Currently not thinking of Henriksen sitting in his office, pouring over crime stats and police reports going back over the last 10 years, looking for some sign of what the Winchesters do for the 4th of July, unable to find a hint because this day is not about him.

It’s only them.

-

Sam is naked, bent backwards over the sun-warm hood of the Impala. The sky is brilliant, scarlet and gold fading into a deeper blue as the sun dips lower towards the distant horizon, and Dean doesn’t see it, too intent on lazily kissing Sam between sips of beer while they wait for true dark. A box full of firecrackers and sparklers waits in the backseat, and a man in a blue pinstriped suit waits in the trunk while the drugs that kept him quiet slowly wear off. If they’ve timed it right - and Sam’s a master of timing - he’ll be fully sober by the time they’re ready.

In the summer of ‘96, it was almost accidental. Sammy waited for Dean in a park after dark, sitting on a picnic table and swinging his bare legs beautiful, and Dean couldn’t really blame the perv for walking over to him, money in hand. That didn’t save the man, though, not when Dean walked up and saw him with his hands all over Sammy, saw Sammy kneeling at the man’s feet, saw the world disappear behind a haze of red.

They’d picked him a week ago, picked him up three days ago, Sam playing pretty prostitute in a dark alley, and Dean waiting, quivering eager, with a syringe and it was so, so easy. Like it is every year. There’s no sport in it, not like there used to be, but that’s not the point. As the mark’s eyes dilate and his voice goes from a sharp yell to a lazy slur, Dean watches Sam, bent over in his ridiculous denim booty shorts and too-tight tank top and beautiful while he pulls out credit cards and cash, shoving those in his pocket before dropping the wallet in their burn bag.

“What the fuck, Sammy?” he’d screamed when Sam dragged him off the man, curled on his side bruised and bloody from Dean’s assault, and Sammy grabbed Dean’s fist, pulled it to his little boy lips and sucked his knuckles clean. Dean groaned at the sight, baby brother’s eyes big and dark and looking up at him with crimson smeared over his lips. “What the fuck, Sammy?” he whispered, trembling with his need to take but it’s a line they hadn’t crossed yet.

Keeping the mark sedated and tied up in the bathtub of a motel was stupidly simple. A “Do Not Disturb” sign and $20 bucks to the housekeeping staff - “Just need some towels, darlin’, thanks,” - gives them complete privacy, and Sam’s good at breaking into hospitals, knows how to find the drugs and dosage they need to keep him docile. Dean searches out the exact right spot for their celebration later, gathers supplies. When they’re not busy with preparations, Dean takes a knife, makes shallow cuts on the mark’s chest and arms, whispers the story of why this is happening to a man too drugged to hear it until Sam lures him back to bed.

“I thought… like we talked about, I thought we could do it like that,” Sammy said and his voice was breathless with excitement. And that’s what Dean had been thinking, too, thinking about finally finally putting his hands on Sam, and he’d found a field full of fireflies, wanted to make it special for his baby boy, but then he’d found Sam with some other man all over him. “He deserves it,” Sammy continued, and Dean remembered other conversations, other wishes and desires shared in the dark, and he started to understand. Started to smile at the pathetic thing, whimpering in pain and trying to crawl away. 

Summer is Dean’s favorite time of year, when blood dries sticky almost as soon as it’s out of a body and the slaughter smell of a kill hangs heavy in the air and Sammy turns into a cat in heat, always at his dick. Baby’s backed up almost to the door of the room, and it takes less than a minute to walk the mark from the door to the trunk, get him safely stored away from prying eyes. Dean slams the trunk shut and Sam presses up against him, wraps around him all lips and legs and they rub frantically against each other until a shocked gasp reminds them that they’re not alone and if they didn’t already have plans for the night Dean would shoot Mrs. Middle America for the interruption.

Dean hauled the man up over his shoulder and he sobbed, begged them to let him go until Sammy, bright beautiful Sammy, pulled off a sock and stuffed it in his mouth, muffling his cries with the improvised gag. “Good boy,” Dean said and Sammy glowed at the praise. Sam ran ahead, spread a tarp from the trunk in the backseat and Dean dumped the creep on it, tore rags into strips and trussed him up like a pig. Sammy was already in the front seat, hanging over to watch and bouncing with excitement, and Dean grinned at him. “Gonna have so much fun tonight, baby,” he said, and kicked the man when he started struggling, eyes wide with fear.

The field Dean chose is over an hour out of town, and it takes them three to get there because Sammy’s a damn tease. Snuggles up to him and runs long fingers whisper-soft over his inseam, bends down to mouth over his cock, get the denim wet with spit and precome, nuzzle at him and talk about everything they’re gonna do tonight, how much it’ll hurt, how the blood will run sticky red over them and how they’ll lick it off, until Dean pulls off the road to fuck him again. And again. 

The field was silvery-pale in the moonlight and the fireflies danced in the grass, twinkling lights that Sammy ran after, laughing. Dean followed, pulled the man who thought he could put his hands on Sam after him. The moonlight washed away all color, left the blood dried on his clothes and skin black, and Dean wanted to see if it would be scarlet again when it flowed fresh. He yanked the rag-leash tied to the man’s wrists, sent him stumbling forward. A kick to the back of the knee dropped him, and Sammy came back, eyes sparkling brighter than any stars and the butterfly knife Dean gave him for his last birthday in his hand. 

The thumps in the trunk get louder as the sun dips down, and Dean grins down. “Time, baby brother,” and Sammy smiles back up at him, wraps arms and legs around Dean and lets Dean carry him around to the back of the car where a tarp is laid out waiting. He kneels there, shining in the moonlight and Dean remembers back years to a night of firsts, and that memory is why this night, out of all the year, is always the same. Always Sammy playing bait, always some creep thinking cash means he gets to touch what’s Dean’s, always fireworks in an empty field. He’s sentimental like that. Dean smiles fondly at the love of his life, turns to get their toy from the trunk.

He fought back. flailed wildly when Sammy brought his knife up, managed to knock the blade away and the boy down, and Sammy gave a yelp of surprise that had the red haze floating into Dean’s eyes again. His own knife was in his hand in an instant and the first spurt of arterial blood on his face had him aching hard. He stabbed into the flesh before him again, felt more blood and other bits spill out of the body under his knees, felt sharp and bright and alive. Dean raised his arm again and Sammy’s hands on his arm stopped him. He turned to Sam, snarled, and Sam didn’t flinch. Just licked his lips and said “I want to, too.” Dean let Sam take the knife, let him peel his fingers from the handle, watched as Sam climbed onto the body in front of him. Moaned as Sam leaned back into him, pressed hard against his dick. Sam took his time choosing his strike, finally brought the point of the blade to rest against the body’s chest and leaned, let his weight drive the blade between the ribs. The movement pushed his ass harder into Dean, and Dean rubbed himself against Sam. “That’s the heart,” Sam said, looking over his shoulder. Dean leaned forward, caught his lips in a kiss and it was sweeter than he’d dreamed, copper-bright with a stranger’s blood.

This year’s perv must have a killer headache, coming of the cocktail of drugs Sammy’s pumped into him over the last few days. His suit is rumpled, filthy and foul-smelling after being worn for days. That doesn’t matter. Dean grins and tosses a bag to Sam, and Sam grins back as he pulls out a handful of railroad spikes and a mallet. The man’s eyes roll in terror, show white all around. Dean sits on his stomach, grabs one leg while he thrashes and tries to throw Dean off. Sam sits on the other to stop his kicking, pulls off the fancy shoe, and hammers a spike through his foot and the tarp into the ground. The man screams, high and thin, and Dean laughs. “No one here for miles,” he tells him, and Sam shoots him a glare. Sam never likes the screamers. With the first foot nailed down, it’s easy to get the second, and then release the handcuffs to nail his hands down, spikes driven through the wrists with Sammy’s usual precision. Wouldn’t do to have him bleed out before the game’s done.

After that first taste, Dean went crazy, couldn’t get enough, felt like he’d been starving for years and found a feast. Grabbed his knife back from Sammy because the fastest way to get him naked was to slice the clothes off him, pushed him down on the gory body and painted roses on his skin with dead man’s blood, sucked and bit everywhere until Sam was covered neck to knees in vivid bruises and bite marks, thrashed about and begged for more.

Sam sets to work in earnest while Dean watches and the man screams for help. Scarlet lines open across the skin, blood welling up in runes carved into the flesh. It’s beautiful, pristine, and Dean wants to shove his fingers into the cuts, tear them wide and smear the gore across the man’s chest but it’s not his turn and ruining Sammy’s fun would ruin his later. And Sam kneeling over the struggling man is just as beautiful now as it was then, back when Sam was small and soft and fit under his chin while they killed a man just like the one on the ground. Sam cuts deeper, slices through skin and fat and muscle, scrapes flesh away from ribs so the bone shines white before blood flows in and the man’s screams go silent, turn to great wheezing breaths. His blood flows freely, coats Sam’s hands and legs and glistens black in the moonlight.

Sammy’s arms and legs wrapped around him as he sank in and everything was hot and wet and perfect on their bed of flesh. Dean stilled, had to stop or it would be over too soon and he’d waited thirteen years for this, needed it to last. Sammy was impatient, though, always had been. He dug blunt nails into Dean’s back, sharp teeth into his arm, heels into Dean’s hips and that gave him enough leverage to start fucking himself up on Dean’s cock. Dean started thrusting, hard and fast, pushing Sam deeper into the body beneath them.

“Gettin’ too old for this,” Dean grunts as he climbs up behind Sam, ruts against him. Sam looks back at him, wild-eyed with the kill, and laughs, and Dean smiles, loves Sam in all his moods but this one is a special favorite. Sam stretches out, slides his hands along the splayed arms, laces his fingers with the corpse’s and tips his hips up so Dean slides easily into his hole, still slick with lube and come, and Dean marvels at how this never gets old.

After it was over, after he’d licked Sammy clean inside and out, after dismembering what was left of the pile of flesh and bone and wrapping it tightly in the tarp, after they’d washed off as well as they could with damp cloths and bottled water, they sat on Baby and set off stolen fireworks. Sam cuddled close to him, clung tight, and Dean decided then that no one could know what had happened there. When they left, the field was in flames, and the body was sunk in weighted bags in a nearby lake.

They pack the body into garbage bags, shove it back into the truck to dispose of in a pig farm two towns over, leave the man’s suit in the field soaked in cheap vodka. Set off fireworks that they ignore, laying back on the hood of the Impala and kissing lazily, playing a game of “remember when.” Before they leave, Sam lights a sparkler, tosses it on the suit and watches it catch. They drive off with the field glowing orange in the rearview mirror, the sun barely peeking over the horizon.

-

Henriksen spends days trying to find a sign of them, but accidental fires aren’t even on his radar, too common when people are setting off fireworks across the country, and this night - this kill - is not for him.

It’s only them.

-

(masterpost)