#and that fic is in oranges and sunflower seeds

[pencildragons]

snippet from my upcoming foxquin fic sinner, sinner (come to dinner) for foxquinweek !!!!!

“Commander Fox,” says the Chancellor, smiling his kindly smile. Fox stands very still and stares straight ahead, past Palpatine and through the great transparisteel window at the city below, skyline exploding in the brilliance of the sun’s final dying rays. The fanciful part of him that will one day be responsible for his death imagines that, if he’s just still enough, Palpatine will forget him entirely. It’s ridiculous, he knows, he knows, of course he knows, but he clings to it anyway, endeavours to move as little as possible, turns trying to hide even the slight rise and fall of his chest into some sort of test of how good his impression of being a block of stone is. “Sir,” says Fox. “Commander Fox,” Palpatine says again, still smiling that awful fucking smile, but sadder, now, mournful, bushy eyebrows doing something terrible and expressive. “You have disappointed me.” “Yes, sir.” “I gave you a very simple directive, Commander, and still you failed.” Fox is barely breathing now. Only a few klicks away, the spire of the Jedi Temple burns in a halo of pink-red, spearing through the cloud-strewn sky. It looks like one of the paintings hung in the Senate rotunda corridors, the ones that like as not cost more to procure than he did. His throat is dry. He tries to swallow. It sticks. It is likely he is dehydrated. There is a little light flashing on top of the spire, warning away in-atmo transports and low-flying starships. Orange-blue-green. Orange-blue-green. He stares at it, so he doesn’t have to look at Palpatine. “Yes, sir.” “Such inadequacy is, of course, unacceptable, Commander, as I’m sure you’re aware. I really had hoped it would not come to this, you understand.” Liar, Fox thinks. You love this. “But there is only one way to learn, and that is through experiencing consequences of your actions. Perhaps next time you will not take your sworn duty so lightly, hmm?” “Yes, sir.” “Draw your blaster, please, Commander.” Fox blinks and, in his surprise, breaks his stillness to turn his head to face Palpatine properly. “…Sir?” “Must I repeat myself twice? Draw your blaster from your holster.” Slowly, Fox draws. He wonders if this is some sort of test, if he’s going to be punished further for making his weapon naked in front of the Supreme Chancellor of the entire fucking Republic. (In the light of the dusk spilling through the window into the opulent office, Palpatine’s eyes seem almost gold. It is for but a brief moment, just the rays of the fat sun catching oddly, and then they return to that sharp, ice-chip grey like nothing at all happened.) “Good,” says Palpatine, and smiles again. Like this, he looks like some natborn’s father’s father—grandfather, he believes the term is—all benevolent wrinkles and knowing looks. “Set it to kill.” Fox sets it to kill. It is not a difficult thing. He is just as much a weapon as the blaster in his hands, well-oiled, clean, smooth. Efficient. He was designed for this. It is easier to follow orders mindlessly; his brain, like all their brains (except, perhaps, Kote’s, but Kote’s a little fucked up and is an outlier for everything else, anyway), is primed for command, made to obey. A perfect, thoughtless gun, with just enough ruthlessness and self-determination to set them apart from the CIS’ droids. That’s the idea, anyway. It certainly wouldn’t be the first time the Kaminoans failed in the execution of something. “Turn around, Commander,” Palpatine murmurs, words soft and smooth and rich as the heavy velvet-fabric from his home planet that he has all his clothes cut from. “And fire at will.”

rbs deeply appreciated :]

[boysbellyrubs]

Hmm okay. Sorry in advance for the mini essay but here goes!

How about a CainexQuinn fic where the two of them are having a cozy weekend or couple days off and have been doing fun and cutesy Fall things like visiting a pumpkin patch/fall carnival, going apple picking, etc. Quinn’s tummy starts to get a little upset early on in the day but he brushes it off and chalks it up to the sweets he’s been overindulging on. He thinks he’s being discreet but there’s no hiding from Caine, especially when Caine has been able to hear the rumbling of Quinn’s tummy for the past hour and a half. Caine subtly comforts Quinn while they’re in public, pretending to be unaware. After they’re all done with outings, they go home to hole up in a blanket fort in bed and have a cozy afternoon watching movies but poor Quinn’s tum has only gotten progressively more upset throughout the beginning of the first movie. Turns out he’s coming down with case of food poisoning or a tummy bug!

Lots of comfort and fluff (but also nsfw grossness if you’re down lmao)

🪼

sorry for making you wait so long anon 😭, I've been studying for exams and shit so I haven't really had the motivation. However, here it is, a little different to what you requested because it has been sitting in my docs for years, but i hope you still enjoy :)).

it's also quite long hehe.

---

Quinn’s stomach was beginning to ache. He knew he shouldn’t have eaten a big brunch on top of all the lollies he had been snacking on. But, who could blame him? It was Halloween season and Caine loved to keep their stash of lollies topped up all the time. 

They were currently walking through the botanical gardens in their city, the day was sunny and there was a cool breeze to combat the humidity. They had set up some Halloween decorations, bats and orange pumpkins filled the paths. Caine was holding his hand the whole time, ranting about anything and everything. Quinn’s stomach gurgled faintly, mixing up the food and sending a spike of pain through his middle. He felt icky. Sweaty and an acidic burn was resting in his throat. 

“Look, Quinn, ducks!” Caine pointed ahead of them at a pair of Paradise Ducks waddling along the path. People were crouched down and snapping photos of them. Caine dragged him along to get closer. “Aw, man I love ducks. I wish I could pat them.” 

Quinn smiled. “Yeah, if only we could keep it as a pet.” Caine sighed while staring at them. He quickly pulled out his phone to take a photo, letting Quinn’s hand go in the process. He crouched to get a good photo and Quinn put his hand on his stomach, resting it on the most sore part. It rumbled as he did so, hopefully Caine hadn’t heard that. 

The other stood up, quickly reviewing his photos and taking Quinn’s hand again. They kept walking, through the arches and under the shades of trees. They made their way to a cafe area, with a pond and even more ducks. Caine gasped and quickly went over. 

“They’re feeding them! Let’s go inside, maybe they have food for them.” Quinn followed his excited boyfriend inside, letting him run ahead. The air conditioned cafe was like walking into a freezer, goosebumps immediately popped up all over Quinn’s arms. He folded them and went to Caine. The other was speaking to one of the workers and was handed two little bags full of sunflower seeds. 

“Here, these are for the ducks.” It was hard to not smile when Caine handed him the bag. He looked so elated to be doing this. Quinn pushed aside his pain for a moment and went to feed the ducks. They were aggressive little things, pecking and biting at Quinn’s palm. He chuckled as one of them hopped up right in front of Caine, eager to get the seeds in his own hand. Quinn tipped some more onto his hand and tossed them straight into the water, the ducks quacking and splashing around for them. As he watched, the splashing of the waves mimicked his belly; violent and nauseating. He hugged his middle subtly, forcing down the acidic belch that wanted to come up his throat. 

“I’m all out. Have you got any left?” Caine’s voice said next to him. He looked over and handed Caine the rest of his bag. “Are you sure?” He asked, already reaching for it. 

“Yeah, go ahead. I’m just going to find a bathroom.” Caine nodded, already engrossed in his duck feeding task. Quinn stood up. His stomach sloshed inside him like a washing machine, making him put his hand dead centre on his belly. Quinn forced a burp, the action doing nothing to help. He made his way to the cafe bathroom, quickly glancing in the mirror at his sweaty reflection before going inside one of the stalls. 

His stomach gurgled again, squeezing and churning. He hugged his stomach, rubbing along the tightest part and forcing up more burps. He cringed as some stomach acid came up, and spit it out into the toilet. God, he felt disgusting. He knew he shouldn’t have eaten so many lollies, it was bound to give him a tummy ache. He groaned at another gurgle, this one lasting a long painful few seconds. Time seemed to slow down the longer he stayed there, he felt like he was about to vomit everything up but also he felt like he was going to collapse. Quinn was genuinely considering whether there had been poison in those lollies. 

He heard the main door open. “Quinn? You in here?” 

Quinn tried to sort himself out in 3 seconds. He opened the door and smiled at his boyfriend. “Hey.” 

“Are you alright? You sort’ve disappeared for ages.” Caine approached him as he went to wash his hands. He put his hand gently on Quinn’s back. 

“Yup, I’m fine.” He knew he wasn’t really putting on a good act but, his tummy hurt, okay. 

Caine nodded, seemingly convinced. “Alright, should we head home then? We can grab some snacks at the supermarket, there’s one like five minutes from here.” 

More snacks, which probably meant more lollies. Quinn didn’t want to put a damper on Caine’s mood so he just agreed and followed him out of the bathroom. As they were leaving, Quinn felt his stomach turn, a queasy rumble echoing out of it. He bit his lip at the feeling, hating how it made his knees shake. Caine’s hand was the one thing connecting him to Earth at this point, so he squeezed it tighter as they followed the path. The other turned to smile at him as he did so. 

He leaned over, kissing Quinn’s cheek. “I had fun today. Let’s go home and watch a movie to relax, yeah?” 

That sounded like just what he needed. “Sounds good.” 

The supermarket was blissfully cold, Quinn was tempted to stay right where the meat was just to stay cool. He followed Caine around like a puppy as he picked up some dinner things and just as he predicted, more lollies. Fruitbursts, Maltesers, Skittles, Sour Snakes; Quinn’s stomach was already feeling the effects of those. They eventually left the shop with their haul and made their way back to the car. 

The trip was awful. He was barely speaking, unable to open his mouth without fearing everything would come back up. Quinn stared out the window as his vision wobbled, his stomach gurgling angrily at him. Caine not saying anything about it was a mystery. They were at a red light and Caine looked over. 

“Did you have fun today?” 

Quinn forced his head around. If anything, he was going to be nice to his boyfriend. “Yeah, it was relaxing to walk around the gardens.” 

“Good, I had fun too.” He put his hand on Quinn’s thigh, rubbing his thumb across Quinn’s jeans. Butterflies overtook Quinn’s upset tummy, floating around like the way Caine’s hair flittered along with the blow of the air conditioner. He stared at the love of his life. 

“I love you.” 

Quinn would never get over the way Caine’s cheeks went rosy as he said those words. Every time without fail. “Love you too.” He leaned over for a quick kiss before the lights turned green. The moment ended and Quinn stared back out the window. Despite his insides destroying him, he was quite content. Of course, this didn’t last very long. When he got out of the car, he felt his stomach drop down to his feet and a thick wave of undigested rubbish sloshed inside him. He put a hand to his middle. 

“Can you grab this bag?” Caine was half way out of the car, thrusting his hand back out with a shopping bag in it. Quinn rushed over and took it, the weight pulling his arms down. 

“Jesus, did you buy bricks without me knowing?” 

Caine pulled his head out of the boot, shutting it with a slam. “You must have the milk. Come on, let’s get inside.” 

The sun made their shadows long as they walked to the front door. Caine fished out his keys with difficulty, but eventually they were both inside with bags lining the bench. Quinn felt his stomach grumble and he went to sit on the couch, a wave of exhaustion washing over him. The couch dipped next to him. 

Caine’s warm hand softly touched Quinn’s nape. “Let’s have an easy night, huh? Something quick for dinner and then we can watch a movie.” 

Quinn just nodded, leaning into his touch and closing his eyes. Everything felt at peace when Caine was around, even when he felt sick. His head had progressively gotten worse on the drive home, he felt foggy and loopy. He had a feeling if he was asked to walk in a perfectly straight line he would fail on the second step. He sank further down, leaning his head on Caine’s shoulder. 

His stomach chose right now to make a fuss. It cramped inside him and he flinched, a noise of discomfort falling from his mouth. He couldn’t resist turning his head inwards to Caine’s neck. 

“Tired?” Quinn nodded. He felt like he’d been hit by a bus. This tired was the kind of tired he got when he came back from skiing, like weights were attached to every single part of his body and they just kept getting heavier. He must have a fever. 

Caine kissed his head. “You stay here. I’ll make us something.” His warmth disappeared and Quinn almost fell. However, he lowered himself to lay on the couch, wrapping his arms around his middle and tucking his knees up. On his side, his belly was gurgling louder than it had all day, desperately trying to digest what was inside. He moaned and hugged tighter. He wanted Caine to notice his distress, needing some much needed comfort after an awful day. Quinn went to stand, his head spinning once he got upright, and made his way to the kitchen. 

Caine had his head in the fridge, tapping his fingers on the door. 

“Babe?” 

Caine’s head emerged, hair flopping over his eyes. “Yeah?” 

Quinn shuffled forward, feeling much like a child who had thrown up in his bed. He stuffed his hands in his pockets and came to rest on Caine’s shoulder. The other wrapped his arms around Quinn, “What is it?” 

“I don’t feel good.” 

Caine chuckled, rubbing Quinn’s back. “I see. Bad, how?” He grabbed Quinn’s shoulders and held him out at arms length. Quinn was barely keeping his eyes open, everything was hitting him at once and all he wanted was to lie down with his boyfriend and rest. 

“Bad everything.” He whined, pushing through Caine’s grip and slotting himself back into his boyfriend’s chest. He heard the rumble of Caine’s laugh and his strong arms wrapping around his body again. This was where Quinn needed to stay forever. 

“Okay, do you need the bathroom?” As those words left Caine’s mouth, he felt his stomach get considerably worse. The churning intensified and the shakiness of his knees increased tenfold. He gripped Caine’s arms. 

“I don’t think I’m gonna make it there.” 

Caine’s eyes narrowed. “What do you-” Quinn cut him off by promptly turning towards the sink and spewing out his undigested stomach contents. He spluttered and grabbed his belly, hating how it contracted and brought up more burning stomach acid. Quinn hiccuped. 

“F-fuck me this hurts.” Caine’s hand rested on his back and the other smoothed back Quinn’s fringe from his face. He coughed again, feeling the lollies from earlier rocket up his throat and splatter into the drain. Quinn cringed at a cramp that made his back curl forward, head almost hitting the tap. His belly gurgled fiercely and he gripped it tight, spitting up more chunks of chocolate and gummy lollies. 

Caine rubbed his back. “Have you been feeling this bad all day?” 

Before Quinn could give him an answer, his stomach decided now was the perfect time to cramp and send him burping up more sick. He moaned, knees buckling and forearms smashing into the corner of the bench. “Ooh, babe.” Caine said, his arms now wrapping around Quinn’s middle to keep him steady. 

Quinn’s forehead scrunched up, god, he felt awful. It felt like his fever was just getting worse the more he kept standing, he was desperate to turn the cold water on and stick his head under it. Caine’s hands ran along his bloated belly, fingertips softly gliding across it and Quinn focused on it. 

“You alright?” Caine said. 

Quinn nodded minutely. “Just trying to focus on not falling over.” He breathed out, calming his racing heart and trying desperately to ignore the constant grumbling of his stomach. 

Soon enough, the world stopped spinning and his nausea lowered. He had just been panting over the sink, saliva dripping rhythmically onto the stainless steel. Quinn groaned, letting his head drop. 

“Finished?” Caine’s hands moved off his middle and came to sit above Quinn’s tailbone. The other nodded, spitting out the final remnants of acid and food. He slowly turned around with his arms resting on the bench. 

“Yep. Can we just relax now?” 

“Of course.” 

After all that, Caine had left Quinn to the couch while he gathered up supplies. Supplies meaning pillows, blankets, and a bucket, just in case. He came back, and set everything up and he ended up making a little fort for the two of them to stay in. It was cute. 

“Master architect right here.” Caine said, hands resting proudly on his hips. 

Quinn nodded. “Changing career paths?” 

“The building world needs someone like me.” He said with a big grin on his face. He grabbed Quinn’s hands and gently pulled him up, kissing his nose. “You're warm. And you smell like fever. No need to fear though, just sit down here and I’ll be back with some meds.” 

Quinn smiled at Caine’s antics, sitting down. Caine came back pretty quickly, settling himself down and presenting the pills from behind his back. “Now, take small sips while taking these.” 

He did, and then the two quickly got snuggled under the blankets and down on the pillows. Quinn smiled. 

“Thank you, baby.” 

Caine seemed pleased with himself. “No worries, I love taking care of you. Speaking of?” He lifted up his hand and made eyes at Quinn’s stomach. Quinn laughed and nodded, moving closer so Caine could rub his stomach. 

“I think I’ve got the stomach flu or something.” 

“Yeah, I figured. I’ll look after you for as long as you need though.” Caine kissed his cheek, keeping his head there for a moment. The two were silent for a few minutes, Quinn quietly enjoying the pampering. An upset gurgle interrupted them. 

“Mmh, it hurts.” He whined. The next few days were going to be awful. 

“Shh, shh, it’s okay. Just relax. Focus on my hand.” Caine’s hand ran up Quinn’s arms and sides. He trickled his touch around Quinn’s shoulders and gently played with his hair. “Feel this?” He poked Quinn’s thigh. 

Quinn nodded with his eyes closed. “Okay. Now this?” Another poke, this time on Quinn’s elbow. “Just focus on my touch, love. Ignore the feelings inside your belly.” His hand lay flat on his chest, up to his neck and gently across his collarbones. He poked his chin now, bringing a smile out of Quinn. 

“There we are. Don’t worry about anything else.” Besides the rustling of fabric, and Caine’s occasional comment the room was peaceful. Quinn was slowly falling asleep and the sickness inside him faded into the background. 

---

[justsomekpopstuff]

nct 127 as a baseball team - part 2

A/N: Once again taking a break from what I ACTUALLY need to be working on to provide you this!

current masterlist | fic recs

part 1

team colors are black, white, and neon green

team mascot is a black bear wearing a bright neon green jersey and baseball cap

left fielder!Yuta can regularly be seen latched on to shortstop!Mark in the dugout during games

Somehow, some way, whenever the cameras pan to the dugout, there's Mark, with Yuta close behind like a shadow, and every now and again its the other way around. Sometimes they will find themselves on the kiss cam, much to Mark’s dismay and Yuta’s enjoyment.

everyone learns very quickly that you do not come between third baseman!Doyoung and his pitchers

The first time that starting pitcher!Haechan got rushed at the mound by an angry batter, everyone watched as somehow, Doyoung got to the batter first, completely shoulder checking the batter to the ground before he could reach Haechan. Everyone was shocked except for Haechan, who just laughed instead.

first!baseman Johnny will somehow always find a way to sign things for kids before games

It does not matter where he is or how much time he has, things will be signed, especially if they have a funny sign or make him laugh. His personal favorites are he ones that say that they skipped school to come to the game or that they will trade snacks for a signature.

the first time that the team ever got involved in an all-out bench-clearing brawl involved catcher!Taeyong

Taeyong was trying to make a play at home plate when the runner intentionally rammed into him, completely knocking him to the ground very hard and kicking the wind right out of him. Within seconds, that runner was completely overrun by everyone else on the team, including the outfielders who sprinted like their lives depended on it, because NO ONE touches their catcher and gets away with it. Third baseman!Doyoung managed to pull a very sore and winded Taeyong out from the dogpile before immediately joining the fray with the rest of the team.

the entire team bows to relief pitcher!Winwin whenever he comes into the dugout after making an appearance

They know he probably will not get the praise that he deserves for saving their games as many times as he has, so they are determined to make sure that he gets it!

when right fielder!Jungwoo first joined the team, the other members decided to try and haze him, with unexpected results

They decided to haze him by making him carry around a Snoopy backpack the whole season for his gear. However, they didn’t expect him to actually love the backpack as much as he actually did. Jungwoo wore that Snoopy backpack with a smile on his face the whole season, and he still uses it on a regular basis.

every now and again when they are playing a rival team, fans will hear loud screams coming from the dugout whenever the opposing pitcher is about to throw

Come to find out, those screams are coming from quiet, unsuspecting center fielder!Jaehyun. He says that the screams are meant to throw the opposing pitcher off, to varying results. The fans quickly learn that Jaehyun is, in fact, the weirdest person on the team in the best way. Compilations are quickly made of the most iconic screams.

One of left fielder!Yuta’s favorite between-inning events is when the kids get to “steal third base”

Whenever it happens, he always makes sure to be on the lookout so he can lend a hand. On his way out to his position, he always makes sure to stop and hand the base to the kids with a bright smile, even if it means that he is fully in third baseman!Doyoung’s way and that it takes him longer to get to his position.

catcher!Taeyong has been shown feeding his teammates and his coaches orange slices on multiple different occasions

after being fed up with how many sunflower seed shells were left on the floor of the dugout, third baseman!Doyoung buys everyone their own special cup with their name on it to spit their shells in to.

starting pitcher!Haechan absolutely hates the pitch clock with a glorious, furious passion

the first time that starting pitcher!Haechan and relief pitcher!Winwin get a combined no-hitter, the entire team celebrates by throwing them both into the air and carrying them off the field like royalty

the team makes it a point and a mission to be the most distracting forces of nature in the background of every media interview that one of their teammates does...they cannot be stopped

Tagging: @daydreamingyuta (thank you for the mascot inspo!) and @vcrnons

[dustofthedailylife]

"If you look the right way, you can see that the whole world is a garden."

This is a request event to celebrate my birthday (Sept. 7). It's inspired by the language of flowers ("floriography"). I'm looking forward to your requests! <3

Event Status: OPEN ✅ -> Will start writing prompts in a couple of days once I've finished my birthday fics.

Event Masterlist (check back, once some seeds have been planted)

HOW TO PARTICIPATE

Choose a flower you want to plant (max. 3)

Choose one soil you want to plant it in

Send me an ask (no DMs!)

Refer to the prompts and descriptions under the cut!

Step one: Choose up to three flowers you wish to plant.

Red Spider Lily: Loss Death

Camellia: Deep Devotion

Daffodil: Truth

Forget-me-not: Memories

Hyacinth: Betrayal

Hibiscus: Beauty

Lavender: Peace

Yellow Carnation: Rejection, Disdain

Petunia: Anger

Marigold: Jealousy, Grief

Orange Blossom: Love

Sunflower: Adoration

Gloxinia: Love at first sight

Red Rose: Confession

Poppy: Accomplishment

Cyclamen: Goodbyes

Gardenia: Marriage

Chrysanthemum: Protection

Yellow Rose: Warmth

Mystery Seed: choose your own prompt - something you want that is not on the list? simply include it in your ask.

Step 2: Choose your soil (= genre).

Fertilized Soil (Fluff): This high-quality soil is guaranteed to perfectly nourish your seeds and make them grow into the most beautiful, fragrant flowers that make everyone's hearts swell.

Dry Soil (Angst): This soil looks lifeless and pale. Almost all nutrients are stripped from it and it feels like sand between your fingers. Whatever you're going to plant here will surely die sooner or later. But maybe it withstands the harsh conditions and becomes something beautiful in the end. You'll have to wait and see.

Damp Soil (Comfort): Do you know the soothing smell of rain on a warm summer day? That is exactly what this soil smells like. Water is the fuel of life - this also goes for plants. In this soil, your plants will find a comfortable home.

Regular Soil (let me choose the genre): This is just your average, run-off-the-mill soil. It's not bad, it's not outstanding, but it makes do. No way of predicting how your plants will grow on this. Try it out and let it be a surprise.

Step 3: Send an ask with your choices + one character from Genshin or HSR.

Genshin Characters I write for: Alhaitham, Ayato, Kaveh, Zhongli, Diluc, Kaeya, Tighnari, Cyno, Kazuha, Childe, Thoma, Heizou, Itto, Xiao, Gorou, Albedo, Neuvillette, Wriothesley

Star Rail Characters I write for: Blade, Jing Yuan, Dan Heng, Gepard, Welt, Luka

→ Example: "Hi Dust! For your greenhouse event, I'd like to plant a red spider lily and marigold on dry soil for Alhaitham!"

→ The usual request and blog rules apply for this event as well. → Depending on the amount of requests I get I will not be able to guarantee to write for everyone's request. I try to write for as many as I can and get ideas for though.

Thanks for participating <3

[beastofmoss]

WIP THURSDAY BECAUSE I WORK NIGHTSHIFT AND TIME IS AN ILLUSION TO ME

I was tagged by @fenharel-apologist94 for this! I'm new to writing things and don't exactly have a fic that I'm working on (yet), but I do have a scene I'm still working on. I'm redoing a lot of it due to literally writing it on my phone while half-asleep, but this is what I got so far!

Sunflower and Mint

The sky was like a painting with soft pinks and oranges, and clouds blushed with the warm lighting of the dying sun. A light breeze brushed past the giggling blades of grass, tickling them to dance to the wind's song. 

Deshan sat with their back against a tree, hands busy with something that Viveras could not see. The nine-year-old looked upon their older sibling, grayish eyes like water – reflecting the warm colored sky. He wondered what they were making.

Viveras often wonders where Deshan went when they weren't in the clan's camp, disappearing for days or even weeks before reappearing again with trinkets for him. Always on queue, he would ask where they had gone, and just like before they would always reply with"Trading!" Nothing more, nothing less. Asking others in the Clan was no use, and only provided frustratingly no answers either. 

A mischievous grin played at the corner of his lips, gray eyes squinting as a plan formed in his mind. Deshan has always been good at hide and seek, hiding and waiting until he came by, jumping out and attacking him with tickles while yelling "I am Fen'harel and I have come to eat you!". And it always worked, no matter how many times they did it; they always got him.

With the sweet seed of revenge in mind, Viveras took a silent step forward – slowly making his way toward the seventeen-year-old on his tippy-toes. His steps were light, brushing against the green blades of grass, getting closer with each step until Deshan's slender ear twitched.

"Yes, pollito?"

Their voice was soft and warm, filled with gentle amusement. Deshan turned to face him, head peering around the tree's truck. Their face was bare, childhood still hung upon their cheeks, and freckles danced across their nose. Their skin was a warm shade of brown and filled with love from the sun before them. Their hair was carefully and lovingly twisted into bantu knots.

"How did you know I was coming?" Viveras whined, he stomped his little feet towards them, only stopping before them to cross his arm. His eyebrows pulled down into a scowl as his older sibling let out a small chuckle. He could finally see what Deshan was working on. A half-made, albeit badly made, flower crown sat on their lap. He recognized the yellow flowers as dandelions. 

"Magic." They simply replied, hands wiggling at him. 

"You did not!"

"I did too!"

"No, you didn't!"

"And why is that, stinky?"

"Because I can do magic!"

And to prove his point, Viveras wiggled his tiny hands and little sparks zig between his fingers. 

Deshan let out a bark of laughter, their head was thrown back as the laughter took on their whole body-shaking them with their music. Viveras puff out his chubby cheeks, feeling a blush paint his tan skin. Then he let out a frustrated huff, stomping his feet once again. "Deshaaann." He whines again, making an angry face. "I don't smell either!"

Still smiling, Deshan gesture him over only to pull him down once he was near. "Hmm, let me check." They lean over to smell him, only to instantly pull back with a fake grimace on their lips. They wave their hands in front of their nose, "Ewww, pollito, you sure you don't smell? Because you stink!"

Viveras' eyes widened, his mouth agape with this offense. "I took a bath as you told me to!"

Deshan's eyebrows raised, "You sure?"

"Yes!" 

As Viveras' lips turn down, Deshan leans over to plant a kiss on his forehead, an arm snaking over his shoulders. He squirms, not trusting this open display of affection from them. There’s always a trick when it had come to Deshan’s displays of affection.  

And just like many times before, he was right not to trust them because before he knew it, he was shoved into their armpit. "You're gonna need a bath after I'm done with you!" 

He gags, feeling the accursed scent of teenage body order–a mix between an onion and rotten oranges– and he pushes against Deshan’s broad body like his life depends on it. 

Laughter filled his ears as he fought, arms pushing against Deshan's body, twisting and screaming until he broke from their grasp. He gasps, breathing in deeply the scent of freedom, before turning his boiling rage towards Deshan. “Deshan! You jer-” Before he could even finish his sentence, he felt fingers dance across his neck–making him instantly hunch his shoulders, a dying sound of laughter escaping his lips. 

He felt their arms wrap around him, pulling him closer, and he pushes and squirm. Their fingers prodded him, tickling his armpits despite his giggling pleading. The blanket of rage that beheld him before disappear, only leaving him ablaze with laughter. Viveras let out high-pitch squeals, trying to get away from them–only to be pulled back towards them whenever he attempted an escape.

After the first few attempts, he gave up and let them tickle him senselessly. His laughter and squeals bounce from his chest like a rubber ball, loud and unbashful, and through smiling eyes did he see Deshan’s own smiling face–dimples appear like clouds on a sunny day. Even after Deshan stops their attack on him, he still felt giggles bubble out of him. His cheeks were warm and hurt from smiling so much, and he lean against their strong left arm. 

He murmurs, "Your armpits smell.” 

The accusation was only met with Deshan’s soft laughter–bright and cheery as the birds in the morning–it was something that is familiar to Viveras and it never fails to get his lips to curl. 

“How are your studies?” Their hands were already back to their doomed flower crown–their eyes focus on their work, but Viveras knew better. “It’s been good,” He curtly replies, his grey irises focusing on the steady–albeit clumsily–work, “Keeper (name that's super long input here) shown me how to heal!” he gives them an excited grin, “Is that so?” They sang softly, mild curiosity plaguing their tone. 

“Yeah, wanna see?” 

They lift their rich brown irises from their doom gold, displaying their interest with a nod. Viveras felt his grin widen–for a short second he wonders how big he can smile before his head is split like a watermelon– and cupped his tiny hands together. His grey irises were drawn towards his hands, dark eyebrows knitted in concentration. Remembering what the Keeper has told him about healing magic, he let the warmth of today’s laughter fill him. A small blue glow peeked from his open palms like a shy wisp–transparent and unsteady in its glow. He looks up towards Deshan, hoping for approval from them. Their rich brown irises reflect the blue glow of his magic and for a second he thought he saw the warm browns fade to something else. A shiver ran down his spine and a seed of dread settle in his stomach–and then the glow went out.

“Oh,” Viveras glance back down at his empty hands, the feeling of dread still sprouting–speading up towards his beating heart.     

[rose-icosahedron]

Minecraft lore no. 2: Food

this is a guide to all the potentially edible things that exist in minecraft if you want to put game-accurate food in your minecraft-based fics.

meat

chicken, beef, rabbit, pork, and mutton are common in most player's diets, however some other meats are considered delicacies by some.

bats, parrots, horses, polar bears, pandas, llamas, wolves, and strider meats are eaten by some, but considered morally abject by others.

some claim mooshroom and hoglin meat have distinct tastes from normal beef and pork, tests have proved mostly inconclusive in this matter for mooshroom meat compared to normal beef, but there is a notable textural difference between hoglin meat and normal pork

spiders, bees, and silverfish are also quite edible if one manages to defeat one, but some find the taste, and more often the concept of consuming insects rather objectionable. cave spiders however are best avoided due to the large amount of poison stored through out their bodies, and ender mites are best avoided due to the teleportation magic found within them, eating one often produces similar results to eating chorus fruit.

some consider dragon meat a delicacy, though many could do without due to how hard it is to slay a ender dragon, in addition to avoiding the large amounts of acid and magic stored within a dragon's body.

sea food:

salmon and cod are the most common sea food, however they are not the only edible animals found within the oceans and rivers of minecraft.

puffer fish is edible with proper preparation, but it is very ill-advised to eat one without proper training in puffer fish preparation.

some people will eat tropical fish, although due to the large amount of species, it is very possible to end up fishing up something poisonous without knowing

calamari is much less risky to acquire, but is objectionable to some. the eddiblity of glow squid has yet to be tested.

while technically edible, many people have moral reservations about eating turtle and dolphin meat.

other animal products:

there are many animal products aside from meat that can be eaten.

mushroom stew, a substance acquired by milking a mooshroom provides a thin milky stew with mushroom dispersed throughout. it however is not spiced in any meaningful way and in quite bland.

milk is gotten from cows via milking, and while it has very little nutritional value can counter the effects of most magical effects as well as providing being used in cooking in many ways. it can also be used to make butter and cheese, both of which are incredibly useful in a large amount of cooking.

honey can be found in beehives and is comprised of flower nectar and bee spit. it can be harvested to serve as a sweetener in many dishes, and can be drunken if you feel like it. 

chicken eggs are used in alot of cooking as a binding agent and source of protein. not recommend, but you can eat them raw. not recommended,  but you could mix raw eggs and honey to create rather monstrous drink.

dragon eggs are very rare, but sometimes eaten as a delicacy. they are fairly nutritionally similar to chicken eggs.

salmon roe or salmon eggs are small orange colored salty spheres that are often eaten raw.

the mushrooms that grow on mooshrooms can be harvested via shears and are virtually indistinguishable from other mushrooms.

fruit:

apples are a sweet fruit eaten raw or cooked into desserts

melons are large fruits that grow on a vine with soft red flesh, while they are very tasty they are not recommended for cooking

pumpkins are large orange gourds. the flesh is often used in baking of many kinds, and the seeds are roasted for a nice snack.

sweet berries while they are often eaten raw, they are also great for jam, baked goods, and even wine making.

rose hips not recommended to be eaten raw, they are good for jams, ketchup,  soups, and even tea.

cacao beans while they can be eaten raw, are often taken through a process of roasting, drying, and fermentation to be used for cocoa power and chocolate in many deserts and other recipes.

chorus fruit the strange fruits local to the end they are full of teleportation magic and need to be cooked to be safely eaten. they are often eaten raw, but are very dry. they are typically used in baking. they have a unique, but not particularly strong flavor.

vegetables:

potatoes are starchy tubers. they are used in alot of cooking. you know what potatoes are.

carrots are sweet root vegetables. they are eaten raw and used in cooking. you also know what carrots are.

beetroot used in stews, or pickled and eaten, cooked with, or used in salads.

leaves, petals, seeds:

kelp, not typically eaten raw, it is often dried, and used in cooking.

acorns nuts from dark oak trees, they need to be put through a blanching process to become palatable, and are often used to make acorn flour.

alium refers to a large group of plants, this includes chives, onions, and garlic.

tulips have edible petals that are eaten raw or candied

rose petals are edible, and while they can be eaten raw, are often candied or used to make rose water which is often used as flavoring in baking.

dandelions are completely edible, often used in salads.

spruce cones in the springtime when they are green they can be eaten raw or cooked and eaten whole(like a corn on the cob). during the winter the nuts can be extracted and eaten or used in cooking.

spruce tips are the fresh growth that can be found in the springtime, they can be eaten raw, dreid, canied, and used in cooking.

spruce needles are not particularly tasty, but can be eaten in a pinch, and can be used to make tea.

sunflower seeds can be eaten raw or roasted, can also be made into sunflower oil, which is very useful for cooking.

poppy seeds: while the majority of the plant is poisonous, te seeds are often used in cooking to add flavor.

fern tips: the growth tips of ferns, sometimes eaten raw, often pickled.

wheat is a basic grain typically used in baking and occasionally in stews.

fungus:

brown mushrooms are one kind of mushroom found through the overworld, can be eaten raw, also used in cooking.

red mushrooms: another kind of mushroom native to the overworld,  usually used in cooking.

crimson fungus is from the nether and is very dry and fibrous, typically used in cooking if eaten at all.

crimson roots are roots put off from crimson fungus trees. when grated they have a strangely peppery taste and are used as a spice.

other:

spruce and birch inner bark are edible and used as flavoring.

some varieties of jungle tree bark is literally just cinnamon

orchids are typically poisonous, but one verifies seeds are used as a common flavoring in baking. (vanilla beans)

water is water, sea water can be boiled to make sea salt.

this has been an overview of all the potentially edible things in minecraft. (the base ingredients) have fun with your fic writing.

[scully-loves-ruthie]

For the one word prompts: Candy!

Fox Mulder never had much of a sweet tooth. Sunflower seeds the back of a straw; the occasional pencil even was enough to satisfy his oral urges. All that ended the day he got a taste of Dana Scully.

He'd nibble the inside of her thighs, a sweet nougat so soft three musketeers paled in comparison. The gentle folds of her lips a tangy sweet tart beckoning him further in, until her juices briny and satisfying covered his lips. The sweet sheen like a burst from a fresh orange.

He'd devour his first few treats before trailing his nose up her abdomen, stopping to simmer in the burst of her breasts, cinnamon roll sweet begging to be savored slowly and sinfully.

Underneath her neck he'd nip and lick, eyeing the list of her ingredients in the hollow of her neck. Everything was written there all at once in a spot selected just for him. A swipe of the tongue and it left the sweet stickiness of twirler's behind.

Finally making it to her mouth. A flavor wholly her own. One which he could never share with anyone. Fox Mulder was a sugar fiend, constantly craving the candy of Dana Scully.

@today-in-fic

[scullysexual]

Time Can Heal (9/ )

Season Two | Abduction Arc | Canon Divergence | Angst | Warnings: Sleep paralysis, rape (proceed carefully) | Words: 3117 | 

One | Two | Three | Four | Five | Six | Seven | Eight | AO3 | 

Mulder realises his request for the truth costs too much.

Tagging: @today-in-fic @bevh78 @mypanicface @weseeusinthefall @impulsive-astrophile @enigmaticxbee

This is probably my favourite character I’ve written so far! 

- - - 

Mulder’s apartment in Minneapolis is a lot bigger than the one in Virginia. Bigger apartments costs less here, he tells her but Dana already guessed that.

“Want something to drink?” Mulder asks as he heads towards the kitchen.

Dana shakes her head, hanging her coat up on the rack.

“Suit yourself,” says Mulder disappearing through the doorway.

Dana surveys the room. In many ways it’s a similar layout to the one back in Hegel Place; couch against the wall, TV opposite it, coffee table in the middle. The only thing missing is the fish tank, the fish given to the Lone Gunmen maybe.

She feels a tug in her chest at the absence of the fish. If they were here, maybe she could believe nothing had changed.

She does manage a smile, however, upon seeing a blanket folded on the back of the couch and the pillow tucked between the wall and the armrest.

Not everything changes.

“Still haven’t got a bed?” she asks when Mulder re-enters the living room carrying a glass of orange juice in one hand and a bag of sunflower seeds in the other.

Mulder shrugs and takes his place on the far side of the couch. Dana stays standing, watching as he places his drink and snack down and pulls out the report.

She plays with the strap of her bag and watches. Mulder thumbs through bits of papers, past autopsy photos and eye-witness accounts. It dawns on her in this moment that apartment visits were rare. Work would be done alone in their respective homes or together in their office. He came to her apartment more times than she ever went to his and in this moment she feels like a stranger, her eyes casting across the TV unit to the VHS’s stacked in a pile, bits of clutter that cover his desk and coffee table, unwashed dishes in the sink. All evidence of a man who lives alone. All evidence of someone who is lonely.

“You can sit down,” Mulder’s voice cuts through her thoughts. Her attention is brought over to him by the sound of it, he’s looking at her smiling. “I don’t bite,” he jokes.

It eases her how comfortable he is around her, even after all these months. It’s like nothing has really changed for him. Time apart, a bumpy start, but she is still his Scully, his partner, ready to crack jokes with any time, ready to infuriate with his theories or look at her with concern when he knows something is bothering her.

She begins to see his leaving her in a different light. It was his quest after all, he must feel some guilt towards everything that happened to her.

The movement is spontaneous, an action before the thought. Mulder would often ease his way into her personal space, touch her arm, touch her hand to get her attention. Dana’s always tried to maintain a sense of professionalism, they were co-workers before they were friends, two agents before they were people. A hand through his hair to check for injury but nothing more.

Now her hand lands on his knee, the feel of it having Mulder’s attention diverted from folder to his knee, to her.

Dana wills herself to keep it there, tells herself that it is nothing more than him in her personal space or touching her arm.

“I don’t blame you,” she tells him. “For the abduction. It wasn’t your fault.”

For extra sincerity she squeezes his knee before bringing it away and reaching into her bag to pull out her laptop.

“I always…” Mulder begins and she turns her head towards him again, halting her action of switching on the computer.

He’s searching for the words.

“I blamed myself for it,” he admits not quite looking at her. “I thought I should’ve done more to protect you. I thought you were really gone.” He looks away completely now, putting the folder down to stare at his hands instead. “My mom always said she didn’t blame me for Samantha but I could see it…in her eyes. And when you were gone…I saw it again in your mother’s.” He chances a glance at her before adverting his eyes away again. “And I always thought I saw it in yours.”

Dana begins furiously shaking her head. She can’t speak on behalf of her mother, on behalf of his, but she can speak on behalf of herself.

She reaches for his forearm, bringing his eyes back to her.

“I’m sorry I made you think that,” she says willing her gaze to make him believe. “It was never true.”

“It was Duane Barry’s fault,” Mulder says, his tone having a hint of scepticism behind it.

“Yes, it was,” Dana confirms, her voice strong. “Nobody else’s.”

It has some affect on him and Mulder begins to nod. He reaches back for the folder and takes out the profile he wrote, handing it her way. She goes to take it but he doesn’t quite give it away.

“Are you sure you’re okay reading it?”

This case still shook her, for reason she didn’t quite want to think about, but she was here to do a purpose and that purpose was to bring justice to the victims- dead or alive.

“I have a job to do,” she answers, taking the report from him.

Mulder nods but he doesn’t quite believe her.

.:.:.:.:.:.:.

“You amaze me,” Scully says after a while of just staring at him. Mulder takes a swig of his beer as he waits for her to continue.

A while has passed, the awkward murky beginnings long gone. They ordered food, he even convinced her to have a beer. Their reports and file lay on the coffee untouched. Scully sits in the gap between the couch and table, legs crossed and rolling the neck of the bottle back and forth between her fingers. He’s never known her to be so…relaxed.

Scully had been concerning him lately. He was worried for her, it’s not like her to run out of rooms after all.

Of course, the case was a difficult one, nobody should be expected to walk into something like this and not react, especially somebody as green as her but underneath all that Mulder was certain there was something else.

“It’s just…” she continues and shakes her head as if to discourage herself from saying anymore.

“No,” says Mulder with a chuckle. “Tell me. What were you gonna say?”

She moves onto her side, resting her arm on the seat of the couch and her head in her hand, looking at him.

“Okay,” she starts. “For arguments sake, why isn’t it aliens? Why is it not some…hair devouring slug that preys on dead people?”

He leans closer to her with false curiosity and a smirk.

“Do tell me more about this hair devouring slug theory of yours.”

She punches him in his leg and rolls her eyes. Her weak attempt has him falling into fits of laughter which just leads to frustrate her more, her eyes narrowing and a cute little pout forming on her face.

“I will shoot you.”

He doesn’t think she’s joking.

Mulder brings himself to stop laughing and goes back to his upright position. He plays with the label on the bottle as he talks.

“Certain cases have a distinct smell to them.” He shrugs. “This one doesn’t.”

“This one, out of 40 other cases, doesn’t have a distinct smell?”

Mulder chuckles again. “They’re rare but it’s been known to happen.” He glances her way. “What do you think? Do you think it’s a hair devouring slug?”

Scully grows sombre. She places her beer on the coaster on the table and hoists herself up onto the seat next to him.

Without looking at him, she mumbles, loud enough to for him to hear. “I’d like it to.”

“Why is that?” he asks as quietly as she spoke.

Mulder watches as she takes a deep breath before speaking.

“Because it’s easier to believe that monsters and aliens are the only ones capable of these things.” She looks down at her hands, fingers tangling together. “Not other human beings.”

She pulls her hands away to sit beside her, her head pointed towards the ceiling as she lets out a deep sigh.

“Scully, Duane Barry—”

“Duane Barry was insane!” Mulder feels himself physically jump back at the loud tone of her voice.

“You think it wasn’t aliens.” He realises.

“I know it wasn’t aliens.”

He looks at her with amazement.

“Scully, how? How do you know? Your memories…are they returning?”

He watches as her eyes shut almost immediately, her face crunching up as if she’s trying not to see what she’s seeing. When he looks down at her hands, the one closest to him is balled into a tight fist.

He reaches out to hold her hand, to comfort her through whatever it is she’s remembering but the moment he makes the slightest bit of contact, she’s jumping; eyes bursting open, vaulting her hand away.

“Scully—”

But she’s off the couch before he can finish his sentence.

“It wasn’t aliens.” She looks around the room, trying to remember where she is. Her eyes land on her laptop and folder and she rushes to pick them up.

“I need to go,” she says beginning to pack her stuff away.

But no, she can’t go, she’s remembering. Remembering her abduction or remembering something.

“Scully,” Mulder starts, getting up from the couch himself and walking towards her, trying to stop her from packing away her things.

“Stay,” he says. “It’s late, you don’t even have your car.”

She pauses at that, realising, before she shakes her head and resumes her task.

“I’ll book a cab.”

Mulder has nothing more he can say to her. Nothing more that wouldn’t make him sound like a selfish bastard for trying to get her to stay. Instead he nods and heads towards the telephone.

“Let’s get you back to your partner, eh,” he tries to joke but it lands flat. No response from Scully.

They fall to silence. Scully packed away and standing by the door in her coat. Mulder on the phone.

“I’ll see you tomorrow?” he asks when the call is over and her taxi is booked.

“I’ll see you tomorrow.”

She turns to leave and Mulder busies himself with tidying up.

“Mulder,” she calls and he stops what he’s about to do. Maybe, just maybe…

“You’ll always be my partner,” she says instead.

It’s not what he wanted but it warms his chest up anyway. A slight smile crawling it’s way across his face.

“And you’ll always be mine,” he answers back.

It earns him a smile of his own before she turns and disappears through the front door.

.:.:.:.:.:.

She tosses her bag onto the bed as she enters, unconcerned for the contents inside it. She kicks off her heels, leaving them in a heap at the foot of her bed and heads towards the bedside drawer.

Just as her hand touches the pack of cigarettes and lighter, there’s a knock at her door. Dana rolls her eyes, slamming the rickety drawer shut and marches her way towards the door.

“What do you want?” she asks upon opening.

Davis leans against the doorframe.

“Not a nice way to greet your partner,” he says. He barges his way into the room and Dana is not in the mood to deal with this right now.

“We’re not partners,” she retorts, closing the door. There’s a thought to keep it open but no, her gun is at her side. She’ll use it if she has to. There’s no reason for the door to stay open.

Davis sits on the edge of the bed and studies her.

“Where have you been?”

“Excuse me?”

“First time I’ve heard the door go all night. Where have you been?”

“What’s it to you?” She crosses her arms in front of her.

“I’m your partner,” Davis answers. “Do I not get to know where you’ve been?”

She’s too exhausted and angry to deal with this. She wants him out.

“Please go.”

But Davis is up quicker than she thought he would be. He moves towards her and she flinches, moving herself, her lower back colliding with the edge of the desk and sending a brief bout of shooting pain rippling through her nerves.

She let’s out a surprise breath.

“Alcohol,” Davis observes. He backs out of her personal space and Dana feels her heart beating loudly against her chest. “Drinking during a case is grounds for suspension,” he tells her as if he’s a follower of the book.

“I wasn’t drinking,” she argues. “It was one beer.”

“With Spooky?”

Her face gives her away.

Davis smirks. “So now you’ve come back all pissed off. What happened? Spooky got you all hot and horny then left you out to dry?”

The unexpected crudeness of his words shocks her, a small gasp falling out of her mouth before she regains herself. Her eyes turning to steel, she asks:

“Is there something you wanted, Davis?”

He does nothing to hide the leering look he gives it. A cold chill runs down Dana’s body, her stomach and throat tightening. She tries her hardest not to let these reactions show to Davis.

“Nothing you could give me,” he says. “I’ll show myself out,” he calls backs as he walks to the door and Dana feels the urge to throw the nearest thing to her at the back of his head.

Once he’s gone, she runs over to the door and locks it. With no adjoining door and Davis’ room one down from hers she feels safer knowing there’s no real way he could enter.

With her unwanted visitor gone, Dana resumes her task. She grabs the cigarettes and lighter and stalks over to the window, yanking it up and hurrying to light the cigarette.

Her anger slowly drifts away with the smoke. What wound her up, she’s unsure. Maybe Mulder’s pushing? Her outburst was sudden but she knew what he was going to say about Duane Barry.

Aliens didn’t take him, Mulder. I think, deep down, you know that.

Her memory had been just as sudden as her outburst. They’ve never came to her conscious before. There was a light and men were talking. It was briefer than her dreams- or felt briefer- less paralysing.

Aliens didn’t take me, either.

She flicks the cig away, watching it falls down towards the street below and debates having another one.

Instead, she brings her head back inside, shuts the window, and decides sleep would be the better course of action, the time already approaching midnight.

She drops her bag onto the floor, strips herself of her clothes, leaving them in a heap at her feet. She takes the t-shirt she packed, her usual silk pyjamas at home needing to be washed (a task Dana hadn’t had much energy for anymore) and climbs into the bed, foregoing anything else, telling herself she’ll deal with it tomorrow.

.:.:.:.:.:.

She knows it’s happening before it’s happening.

A weight on her chest. Her body frozen.

It’s dark, at first, much like it is when she wakes up in the night and her eyes have yet to adjust.

Then there’s a burst of bright, white light coming to life. Her eyes shut tight in response to it before they slowly open again.

She tries to move, to sit up, but when moves her eyes, wire is binding her wrists, pinning her down. Panic begins to grip her, her heart beating wildly against her chest. Instinct tells her to clench her fist but the best her finger can do is tap frantically against her palm.

There’s the sudden sound of movement near her feet and Dana chances a look down with her eyes.

She’s spread-eagled on the table, the way they had her during the experiments.

She tries to fight against her restraints but she can’t move, the binds too tight it begins to cut into her skin of her wrist. The gasps at the deep red blood against the pale white of her skin as it begins its descent downwards, pooling below.

There’s heavy breathing, not coming from herself, and when she moves her eyes to the other side a yelp is released from her mouth, her body growing cold as a devil stands over her, his skin as red as her blood.

He leers at her body, eyes moving south before he begins to follow. Dana follows him, her eyes trained on him as she fights to control her breath, fights to even breath. She swallows and gulps when his red arm slowly begins reaching towards her ankle. His finger is cold when it touches her skin, sending shiver up and down her body and gooseflesh forming.

She tries to fight it off but just as like her wrists, are ankles are restrained, too. Unable to run, unable to fight, she shuts her eyes as the devil man’s finger begins tracing up her leg, a hand joining when he reaches her knee.

He moves to the sensitive flesh of her inner thigh and fear grips her, her eyes shooting open, darting towards him.

“Please…” she just about manages yet the devil’s hand still makes his way towards that place.

He looks at her, sadness or pity in his eyes and, with his other hands, reaches out to brush a tear away from her face with a finger. With the other, he strokes her outer lips.

Her body reacts, begins to respond and Dana wants to cry and scream and run. She begins fighting against the restrains again, not caring for the pain as they cut deeper into her wrists. Maybe it will snag a vein and she will die, ending all of this.

She stiffens and stops at the feeling of a finger entering her. The devil man is looking away from her now, focused on his task and there is nothing Dana can do to stop him.

She stills, facing her fate, facing the fact that this is about to happen, that they’re about to take something else from her, as well. Her eyes loll to the side, vision blurring as all sensations but the sensation of the weight upon her all fall away.

In her clouded vision, a figure approaches, the smell of cigarettes, and a voice.

“What are you doing?”

Mulder…

Dana blinks a few times, forcing her eyes to remain open but her vision is still blurry.

“She is mine,” Mulder says.

“Mul…Mul…der…”

Mulder’s face approaches hers, his hand in her hair stroking.

“Shh…” Mulder says. “I’ve got you. I’ve always got you.”

[kth1]

Crosscurrents [Hoseok x Reader] Part 1

Crosscurrents - Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3 | Part 4

Genre: The Little Mermaid AU | Fantasy AU | Series Pairing: Mermaid!Hoseok x Princess!Reader Featuring: BTS Princes Warnings: Angst, fluff, rated G, sorry no smut, mentions of pain, eventual character death, it’s just a fantasy story. W/C: 6k Summary: Hoseok is a carefree middle child among seven princes, each running one of the seven seas. With a curious nature to study the world above, he makes several routine visits to the surface, once even saving an alluring princess who he grows very smitten by. With a strong determination to meet his lovely princess, Hoseok makes a risky deal with the ocean’s enchantress to become human. Author’s Note: This fic is something I was utterly happy and exited to write. Mermaids and fantasy stories, yippee. Thank you all who support me. Portions of the fic is unedited. 🐚🧜‍♂️

Credits: Story includes strong elements from Hans Christian Andersen’s ‘The Little Mermaid’; Disney’s ‘The Little Mermaid’; and Michiko Yokote’s manga ‘Mermaid Melody’. Beta Reader: @shadowsremedy​ has helped me with a handful of passages throughout the course of this story, thank you so much.

☀ CROSSCURRENT MASTERLIST ☀

Miles away under the sun-kissed surface of the ocean, where the water is clear as crystal and blue as the contrasting sky above – resided populations of beautiful mythical creatures. Down in the lowest depths, the most scarce of areas that no human would ever dare to scavenge, lived the Mer-people.

Underwater forestry, plants, organisms of wondrous visions illuminating the deepest pits of the oceans. Fishes of all sizes and shapes occupied the area, weaving through the stems and leaves of charted trees along the motion of the currents. Just as birds fly among the surface. Gorgeous sands decorated the floor along with seven separate kingdoms enriched with enchanting palaces, each declaring a claim to their own sea.

Each palace, unique in their own way. Accommodating their surrounding habitats. Each of the seven districts ruled under the marvelous Mer-King, and each sea acquainted a heavenly, handsome prince. Kingdoms decorated with coral walls, sculpted sandstone slates and amber pointed windows. Roofs made from the finest and largest of mussel-shells, clams and hidden glittering pearls and jewels. Stones of riches, easily the most expensive gems that belonged in the pits of the hidden worlds.

The Mer-King seeded the realms with seven little princes who were all very beautiful children in their own distinctive ways. For each Prince, were given a household to look after, to grow up with, and study in practice to control their provinces.

Within the Arctic Ocean, where merfolk varied in shades of murky indigo and dotted with black spots was inhabited by the eldest of sons, Prince Seokjin. The Indian Ocean decorating the waves with scales of vibrant oranges complimented with a singular stripe of white down the backside, consisted Prince Yoongi. The cold of the Antarctic rested Prince Namjoon, along with his kingdom of deep purple-to-silver tailed scaly family. Tails irradiated a glow just like the moon reflecting on water.

Creatures in the North and South Pacific diverse in tropical colors, salmon pink beings belonging to Prince Jimin in the north, and bright crisp yellow folks ruled under the south’s youngest, Prince Jungkook. The last two kingdoms lay in the Atlantic Ocean. Beautiful deep green tails of the north, quipped with touches of holographic shine belonged to Prince Taehyung. Lastly, the region in the South Atlantic was full of rays of aqua blue and speckled with gold – is where Prince Hoseok lives.

Throughout their childhoods, given brief age gaps and the stretch of locations between another, the brothers all grew up together. Frequent visits, family gatherings being a constant presence with the young boys. All merfolk belonged to another, they took after another and populated the sea floor. Fishes would swim up, gently being held, feeding out of the hands of mermaids and mermen. Eventually within a mer-person’s life, they will be acquainted with a creature of any species. A forever buddy that becomes their pet, their friend, and family.

The beauty of the South Atlantic Ocean kingdom with a magnificent palace that had astounding flowers growing between the cracks of the walls in each apartment and room, was decorated with a large garden in the front. Full of dark and iridescent baby-blue trees with fruits that glittered like gold. Matching the specs of gold that embellished the tails of the locals. Flowers blazed with hues of butterscotch yellows, resembling the bright and burning sun from the surface above. Bushes and smaller shrubs matched the color of sulfur.

Hoseok was certainly a singular child, one who was quiet and thoughtful in group settings, but was the loudest and most careless when it came to freedom. His skin was soft and delicate, like the touch of a sunflower leaf. His eyes sparked a deep blue, twisted with an almond mix of brown. His tail was no doubt the most stunning in his sector, outshining others around him, a tell-tailed sign that he was of royalty. But the most notable of signs that screams royalty was the unique earring that never left Hoseok’s lobe.

Each handsome prince was given a dedicated pearl at their coming of age ceremonies, each identifying with their tail color. To which they must protect and kept safe for the sake of their empires. For the fact that these pearls harness great mystical powers, such power compacted within one tiny jewel. But this power could completely destroy a nation if given to the wrong hands, and if their owners neglect their duties.

Nothing pleased Prince Hoseok more than hearing about the unreachable world from above. Human beings who lived on land, not within the sea. Stories fascinated the curious mind of Hoseok, constantly being riddled with tales of these notorious humans. Over time, with the help of Nannies and families, Hoseok’s knowledge grew when it came to the world that was simply out of reach. Ships, towns, land animals, you name it.

Over the course of his younger days, he ventured out into the sea, accompanied by his trusty companion, Kiko – a leafy sea dragon. Together they collected a handful of unknown knick knacks, thingamajigs, and doohickeys that they forged for from shipwrecks. To this day – Hoseok still makes these trips, ventured out further into the sea without supervision, even breaking the surface of the water to catch a glimpse of the amazing world.

Nights where he could sneak away, rise to the surface and lay under the moonlight in the clefts of the rocks. Watching lights from the shoreline flicker dimly, the casted stars sparkling the sky in beautiful constellations.

“It’s so beautiful up here, isn’t it Kiko?” Hoseok spoke towards the leafy sea dragon that circled around his fins which remained dipped in the water. He sighed, breathing in the foreign air, the dryness cutting into his lungs. The wind played with his shaggy hair, his earring dangling along. His eyes set firmly on the coast, waves easing in and out at the ridge of the bay. Everything up here was so unfamiliar to Hoseok, so tempting and entertaining.

“There’s beautiful places all over. And under.” Kiko mused back. Skeptical and cautious as she grew accustomed to Hoseok’s nightly adventures. There was no way she could talk the Prince out of his plans, ever.

“But up here is so – is so,” he pauses. Noticing a small child holding an elder woman’s hand, probably enjoying a nightly walk on the beach. “… Amazing.”

The high church-towers were in view within the town that lined the coast. Carriages and music playing in the distance, even the chime of bells ringing. The simple fact that he could not go there himself caused him to yearn for it more, wish for it to happen in his dreams. This Prince was indeed passionate about the land before him, stretching his hands towards the air.

“Careful yourself, Hoseok.” Kiko warned. “It’s late, shouldn’t we be heading back before someone notices your disappearance?”

He nodded, with his eyes still trained on the silhouettes of the strolling humans. Watching them turn up a set of stairs and disappearing behind the curve of the walkway. He was fascinated, the kinship between humans wasn’t much different from his to his folks. Humans were so distant, but they seemed so similar to him.

A small tug on his fin caught his attention, seeing his little buddy pulling him. “Let’s go, you have a busy day tomorrow.”

On the swim back, descending down into the dept of the sea, Hoseok reminisced his favorite times above water. The early mornings, the midday views of seagulls flying high above in flocks, the sunsets were clouds scattered the sky and painted in violets, reds, and oranges. Watching the Sun extinguish into the horizons plane as the cool of the night sky took over.

Hoseok loved the upper world and all its inhabitants so very much.

Daybreak tickled the waters, reflections of lights bouncing and refracting off another in the clear-cut liquids. It shined through Hoseok’s large amber window, casting a ray on his slumbering face causing him to wince. His body curled tighter in his clam-based bed; a thicket of woven blankets made of the finest kelp keeping him comfortable. Bio-luminescent decorations that drifted within his quarters losing their dim glows.

Shortly, his door would be knocked upon. Guards prepared to assist him along his daily routines, breakfast, taking a swim through the gardens, fitting for dresswear. Today, his brothers were due for a visit – since his kingdom was hosting the annual Festival of the Arts this year, as the event rotated between each realm every year.

It was always a delight to seek comfort from his siblings, to talk among another with similar thoughts and feelings as each and every single one of them were in the same shoes – in this case, fins. They were close to another regardless of the actual distance of their homes. And he was more than happy to celebrate the festivities and provide his best hosting service.

Prince Jungkook was the first to have arrived along with his party, very atypical of the youngest who outshines the mer-world quite frankly with his beaming yellow tail and natural abilities. His excitement to see his older brother urgently was overwhelming as he searched throughout the Aqua realm’s palace for Hoseok. Wittingly enough, he knew Hoseok’s patterns, the layout of the entire home.

“Hyung!” Rang through the water – not sounding quick enough for Hoseok to process before the bulldozing clash of his body into another’s. Tough arms circled Hoseok, tightening in a rush just in time for him to tilt his head to catch the sight of jet-black hair and a flash of canary yellow.

“Ah, Jungkook. You nearly gave me a heart attack!” Hoseok hollers. “Don’t sneak up on me like that!”

Jungkook laughs, holding his brother tight and against his will, “I’m sorry Hobi – it won’t happen again.” The scrunch of Jungkook’s nose and the teasing smile made his quick apology sound completely fake.

“You’ve filled out more I see.” He notes the stature of Jungkook from the last time he’s seen him. Chest expanding further, his hair longer and pulled in a half bun with loose ends spilling out around his fringe. The twinkle of Jungkook’s yellow pearl lays just between his clavicles on a threaded necklace. But his youngest brother still adorned his childlike smile, large eyes popping out with animation.

“Indeed, I have.” Said the yellow tailed man.

“Have you prepared well for the ceremony tonight?” Hoseok questioned while shifting out of the other man’s clutch, fluttering his fingers through his case of human books. Careful not to tear the thinned papers that were not made for the water.

They were in the secondary study – dedicated to Hoseok’s cherished collectibles of human items that drifted down to the sea floor. It was a private area, filled with wonder and intertwining plants. So many new and beautiful objects decorated the interior of the room along with the drifting innocent fishes that floated around like fruit flies.

Jungkook grabbed hold of his brothers’ hand, tearing him past the seaweed curtains and out of the room. “I need help with a part of the choreography – I’m not sure what to do.”

Each of the seven princes were a part of the annual festival, performing their own pieces of art. Music surrounded their lives, and each prince specialized in one of the three professions: Singer. Dancer. Composer.

In tune with another – they create a perfect melody, a rhythm they cast into the waters. And all together they grow stronger with the help of their pearls.

“Let’s not head to the ballroom – I’m sure they are still setting up.”

“Jungkook! Sir!! Prince!” A peep of a scream came from the corner, a frantic Moorish Idol fish bee-lining towards the two still Princes. “Don’t you bolt off like that again! I can’t catch up with your speed!” it pants as it swarms around Jungkook’s face.

“Gotta be quicker, Pip!” Jungkook giggled, using his fingers to brush against his tuckered-out buddy.

Pip eyed Hoseok, recognizing the older Prince and jumped in embarrassment. “Prince, I apologize! I didn’t greet you properly, please I am so dearly sorry!”

“No need for formalities.” A wave of Hoseok’s hand hushed Pip’s words. “It’s nice to see you again. Now – about that choreography…”

The rooms were lit to the high-nine. Capacity of several variations of flourished colored tails decorated Hoseok’s palace – events like these are his favorite. Not only is he surrounded by his school, he’s encircled by his glorious brothers. The only thing that stressed out the aqua tailed prince, wasn’t the planning of events, fitting for costumes, dresswear, or deciding the best dishes to cater. The performance he practiced for day in and day out alike his brothers – what stressed Hoseok out was the company of his father, the Mer-King himself who only showed his presence for special occasions.

Each Prince were presented in front of the crowd of hundreds, their titles in all. Dolled up to accommodate the affair with engaging chains that wrapped around their waists and wrists, extra clam and shell accessories added to decorate around their loose arms and tail. Designed capes, hip skirts, and sheer fabrics that moved with the waves as they would do with the wind from above. Crowns made from wreaths of white lilies with bejeweled opal white pearls dangling down the band.

One by one they presented their acts along the stage, an entertaining uproar surpassed through the crowds from the Royal’s concert. The dancers who weaved like fluid coil to the cords of music were nonother than the feisty topaz yellow Jungkook, the carefree aquamarine dazzled Hoseok, and the flirtatious yet ditzy salmon pink royal, Prince Jimin.

Contrasting the dancers were the stunning vocalists of the group, Seokjin and Taehyung. Together they crafted a harmonious aura with their lyrics and tones. Entreating voices far sweeter than any human or mer-folk around.

Princes Namjoon and Yoongi of the Antarctic and Indian Oceans were strong composers, masters in a range of musical instruments. Their wits, knowledge, and pure love for the magical symphonies poured out of their bodies through devices and tools. Drafting tunes for songs every breathing moment.

It was late once again as Hoseok frustratedly swam up to his usual cove. Hoisting his body up on a smooth rocky islet that broke through the surface. Up here, Hoseok felt light and at ease. Repressing the tensions that bellowed below in the pit of his realm. The breeze was steady and refreshing, toying with the stands of his dampened hair and drying off the droplets of water that trickled down his skin.

He shed the tokens that deemed his high rank prior to wondering off from the palace, only keeping his stationary earpiece securely in. The clouds floating are coated in golden and rosy shades, evening stars piercing the sky in the dimming east. The nearing night looked extraordinary in Hoseok’s eyes.

A large ship with three white masts settled still on the water with only one sail unraveled. People littered the deck, music and song resounded from the vessels, and soon after when the night casted over the sky, the light of hundreds of lamps burst into view.

It was odd for a ship to be sailed far out during this time, even more peculiar to have a scatter of lights beaming from floating lamps that hovered into the air.

He swam close to the captain’s cabin being cautious to stay low in the water, and with every rock of the waves Hoseok was able to look through the clear windowpanes. Kiko stayed close to Hoseok, wiggling herself into his hand for security as they drawn near the scary object that rested on the water.

There were many richly dressed humans within, gowns and suits decorating each member in a fashion. The most bewitching of them, a person who stood out of the crowd and stared into the far distance of the water was a young princess with flowing thick hair. No doubt in Hoseok’s mind that this beauty was no younger than him, and he felt completely captivated by her looks.

A festival was being celebrated on the same day Hoseok’s home celebrated his. In honor of this princess’s birthday the crew were dancing and singing on the upper deck, similar to how Hoseok’s family just partook on a stage deep below. It was fascinating his wondering eyes, activities so alike to his own. And the moment the princess appeared among the lively bunch, rockets shot up into the air, turning the night into day.

The loud boom of cracks sizzling into the air scared Hoseok and Kiko, forcing him to dip his head back under the surface.

“Let’s go back! This isn’t safe!” Kiko chimed in, shaking her frail leafy body.

Hoseok looked up through the plane of water, eyes wide with shock. Not once has he ever seen this lightshow before. These weren’t cracks of blue zigzags that dressed the sky like lightning, theses were bright loud bangs of noise that sparked fire.

Through his perception, he watched the glows vanish. Until another boom ripped through the air along with another flash of light. “Hold on.” He says.

The curious merman raised his head above water again to witness a scene of falling stars upon him. A fiery shower he surely has never seen before tonight. It was like large suns revolved around his head, the brightest of fishes swam in the air that reflected on the clear glass-slate of water of the sea. Who knew humans could have such power.

The princess could be seen distinctly throughout the sailors that laughed and jested with glee. Her face adorned with a wide smile, one that shined so bright. “Oh – she’s so beautiful, isn’t she?”

It was later now, but Hoseok couldn’t take himself away from the ship and the beautiful young princess. She remained looking through that cabin window, rocking to and fro by the motion of the sea. He was enchanted by her, charmed by this unique being. There was something about her.

“Would you look at her?” Hoseok examined, smiling to himself. “She’s breathtaking.”

Kiko fluttered around Hoseok, a nervous wreck of a fish as she sensed an unnerving suspicion. “Please, we must go back. We’ve overstayed too long.”

“Oh poppycock. The palace is in perfect condition. Nobody will notice me missing.”

“Sir – “

There was foaming and fermentation in the depths beneath causing the ship to tilt faster. Waves rose high and violent in a span of minutes. Sails were spread, a commotion coming from the desk resounded. A distant thunder was heard, rumbling through the space above.

“Ah – father…” Hoseok snapped his head, “He’s angry.”

“I told you we must go!”

Hoseok and Kiko both swam a few meters down after once last glance at the ship that furled their sails once more. Until a sudden pound echoed through the waves. The great vessel tossed and turned on the volatile waters like a rowboat as the waves rose to an extreme height. It towered over the ship, clashing forcefully into the deck and submerging the manmade object. Water filled the cavities of the deck, the stout masts bent under the swirling billows.

“Hoseok!” Kiko shouted at the stunned merman who watched with wide eyes. An internal struggle inside him to tell him to go back to the Mer-King or to help the sinking ship. “We need to go!”

“I can’t! It’s going to turn over into the sea!”

Just as he guessed, the crew among the vessel was in terrible danger; since he himself had to beware the shattered beams that tore away from the vessel and splashed down above him. Wreckage both floating and sinking, causing hazards to think twice about.

“Get him to stop Kiko, tell him I’m fine! Just stop the storm!” Hoseok shooed his seahorse away, heading himself to the surface and ignoring the pleading screams.

It was pitch dark above, so dark that he could not distinguish anything until a flash of lightning disclosed to him the whole of wreck. Burning flames above the water. Hoseok only felt urgent for his wondrous princess as he sought her out the instant the ship kissed the bottom of the seafloor.

Hoseok knows no human can breathe underwater, he knows the only times he’s seen a human up close were the bodies of corpses that drifted down into the depths. He did not want that fate for the princess.

He dove himself through the shards and fragments that sprinkled within the water regardless of the danger he was inducing but with his steady swim he found the princess having difficulty holding her head high. Her eyes already closed while clutching her frame around a piece of driftwood, inevitably would have drowned completely if it wasn’t for the aqua blue merman who came to the rescue. Bearing the force of the heavy current, holding the princess above the water’s surface.

The sun rose in the horizon towards morning, by then the ongoing storm had seized and there weren’t any traces of remains from the shipwreck. Rays of lights restored color to the princess’s cheeks, though her eyes remained closed. Her dampened dress riddled with sand and stray leaves of seaweed.

They lay off in a secluded cove far from the casually populated beach. Surrounding cliffs hiding them away. Hoseok laid gazing up at the arresting princess, stroking the strand of wet hair away from her face. Her skin was soft like a rose petal, and a slight pink undertone hid beneath its expanse. “Please wake.” He whispered as he studied her features.

This was the first time Hoseok laid about the land, just shy of the waters reach. He could see the dry green wood that extended along the coast, cliffs and mountains drawn clearer. Firm quartz sand which he now occupied along with his new companion. He turned her face towards the rising sun that was illuminating the world.

A quiet sound escaped the mouth of the princess, surprising the merman suddenly. He leaned back, head blocking the sun from direct view of her face while she sleepily opened them. The haze of her eyes coated her sight, looking at the figure that was in view. She grumbled, blinking rapidly to readjust the image before her. A stranger hovered over her, a concerned look across their handsome face as they looked down at her in curiosity. Golden brown hair flowed around; a glint of blue entrapped into his brown almond eyes.

“Hello,” Hoseok whispered, lifting the corner of his lips up.

“Who-“

Hoseok shifted the moment he heard of loud barking noise coming from the side of a cliff. His movement caused the piercing rays of light to shine into the princess’s eyes, blinding her some more.

The merman jolted away from the shore in a panic, hiding behind some stones further into the sea. Hoseok watched from afar with unyielding attention, a black four-legged being running towards the reviving princess. A small group of men followed suit to the black figure who alerted the humans of its findings.

“Oh Princess!” one shouted as they ran over. They smiled kindly down at her, assisting her off the sands and into a blanket. “Princess Y/n, are you hurt?”

She was dazed and confused, checking her surroundings for the other person she just saw. Did she see someone or was it her imagination? Who had saved her from the previous night? “Where’s the man? The one who saved me?”

The surrounding men gave another a questioning look, looking quite confused when they eyed the area around them. “Miss, nobody is here besides us? You must have swallowed too much seawater – it’s a miracle you survived.”

The black hairy creature spotted Hoseok out, yapping towards him and trying to get the humans attention. The animal saw him, no doubt, and Hoseok ducked for cover under the waves as they passed, waiting for his moment to come back up.

The princess was taken back onto the land with the assistance of the furry creature and humans, leaving Hoseok distraught behind the stones of the bay. But he was relieved that she survived, her beauty could live on longer, and he couldn’t wait to share his story about how he saved a human. Immediately, when the princess was finally out of view, he plunged beneath the water to return back to his palace.

“Y/n…” He hummed, repeating the sweet name that rang his ears. “Her name is Y/n.”

“Where did you go last night?” The Mer-King shouted in the dining hall. Hoseok floated in front of his father, eyes trained to the seabed below their fins. The six other brothers hovered off to the side in a stationary line, motionless as they watched the scolding unfold. Each accompanied by their personal pets who too drifted in the silence of the water.

“Answer me, Hoseok!” the King’s voice resembled the same boom of the magical fire show from last night.

“I – I was… I went...”

“Don’t you dare tell me you escaped up to the surface.”

Hoseok fell silent. His words lost in his throat when he made eye contact with his father. The King stood still with the length of his graying hair exceeding past his shoulder blades, a crown sat atop his head made out of coral and angulate wentletrap shells. Spikes of eelgrass flowing from the tips of the multicolored crown. His slimy tail was ombre from a berry red into a sandy brown – dorsal fins displayed wide and drifted just how a beta fish would, flared up just how a beta fish would. His steel gray eyes stared down at Hoseok with intensity, waiting for a response.

Voiceless silence. Hoseok could not speak another word without distressing his father any further. In defeat he hung his head down to the floor, sinking his shoulders.

“You are not to leave the palace.” The King’s voice broke through. “You are not to enter the surface of the water. Do I make myself clear?”

“But Fath –“

“Am I clear!?” He shouted. Voice echoing through the quiet halls of the palace – hand clutching his beloved trident tight.

“Yes, Sir.” Hoseok grimaced. Kiko fleeing into the middle of Hoseok’s back.

The Mer-King departed the dining hall, leaving the seven brothers to themselves. It was when Hoseok looked up seeing the concerning looks crossing each of his brothers, did he feel guilty for his actions.

“What are you doing? You know you shouldn’t meddle around up above. What if someone saw you?!” Namjoon spoke, the cool tone of his voice chilled through the water. The purple scaled man swam closer to Hoseok, the slate of silver shining through his hair and the tip of his fins. His purple pearl shimmered in the arm cuff on his right of his crossed arms, his crab responding in the same gesture. “Hoseok, think of the dangers.”

“I know. But hear me out – I did something so amazing last night!”

“Namjoon’s right, you know this.” Seokjin stepped in with a pointing finger embellished with his pearl, “And to pull that stunt, especially when father is visiting, you’re asking to be yelled at.” His small, very animated manta ray wiggled around Seokjin’s mannerisms, copying the same movements as he did.

Hoseok’s mouth formed a triangle frown. Resentment settling in the pit of his stomach along with a mix of emotions. “Can you just listen to me?”

“Then speak.” Heads turned over to the aloof green merman who seated himself on top of the turquoise sea-glass table. The side of his hair clipped back with a white barbed clam, allowing the rest of his deep brown wavy hair to flow naturally. Under his ear shined the dark pine colored pearl, just how Hoseok’s did. Taehyung’s fingers twirled around his pale jellyfishes’ ruffled tentacles, staring off into the distance in deep thought. “What was amazing?”

Hoseok scanned the eyes around him, taking in a strong breath before telling his otherworldly experience. The merfolk knew of legends, myths and facts about the land above. Artifacts that fallen down into their domains created curiosity but there were fears of the stories about merfolk traveling far too close to the coastline. Humans may be mystical to mer-people, but it was never wise to breach the surface to study them.

“And the lights started falling down after the loud bang! Fire burning and sizzling out in beautiful streams! It was so bright!” He exclaimed with his audience listening in. “But then the storm demolished the ship! It happened so fast!” Hoseok continued his dramatic story with such immense passion, comparing how humans and merfolk celebrated in similar ways.

It infatuated the listening ears, well, some more than others. “And then I saved her from the wreck! I saved her guys! I brought her to the shore and – “

“You what?”

Yoongi, with a tail of vibrant marmalade orange cut his younger brothers train of thought. His narrow coal cut eyes shot angry towards Hoseok. A menacing stare emitting from the shaggy dirty blonde-haired male, questioning his brother’s reckless behavior. “You went on land?!” His pet lionfish flared its fins at the tone of his owner’s voice, grumbling something about idiocy.

“She lived because of me!” Hoseok retorted, leveling up to the stinging tension that was rising quickly.

“You’re troublesome, really.” Yoongi chided. “She would have been fine if you were here in your palace! That storm wouldn’t have happened if it wasn’t for you!”

“You’re setting a bad example for the younger ones.” Seokjin nodded towards the wafting men who innocently drifted in the background of the conversation.

Hoseok fumbled over his words, mouth gaping open looking for words to fill into it. He knows his brothers aren’t wrong, they were just being cautious. But Hoseok felt like they looked down upon his widened spectrum, his drive to expand the knowledge about the world above. It wasn’t fair with all the limitations merfolk had, and even more restrictions for a Prince.

Hoseok grew quiet and reflective as days passed by. Obeying the tolls and jobs of his prince duties, being kind to other fish folk and leaning a helping hand for many in need. He stabilized his environment, praised the coral reefs that skirted his territory, even assisted with gathering the ripened fruits that sprouted from the gardens’ trees.

Though each and every day Hoseok pondered about the princess who lived above. Questioning to himself about her whereabouts, how she was doing and what she was doing. He dared to stare at the new statue that became his favorite décor in his luxurious field of flowers. A beautiful stone chiseled and sculpted to look like the princess, partially broken from the wreck of the ship, now stood in the middle of his oyster paddock.

When Hoseok wanted to be a daredevil, he succeeded in slipping away from the eyes of his staff and even his personal buddy. Rushing himself back to the surface where he loved so dearly to catch the linger of the air that dried his face and scales. Many times, he rose to the place where he had last seen Princess Y/n, where he left her on the sands before scurrying away. He always returned to his subterranean abode with a bit of sadness when he never saw her.

It was dawn when the first light creeped through the panels of Hoseok’s second study where he was toying around with one of his thingamajigs, trying to understand the use of it. He had an unexpected visitor in the middle of the night, a slither of a reflective shine catching his eye. An oily slick tinted film in the moonlight when he angled his tail in the right way.

“Taehyung.” Hoseok breathed, “You should have told me you were heading here; I would have arranged a genuine greeting for you when you entered the gates.”  

He seemed cheerier during the night hours, maybe it was the relaxation of the disphotic zone or the cool temperament of fishes relaxing. Whichever excuse it may be, Taehyung always glowed better during the evening. “I’m sorry hyung – I wanted to check in on you. I was worried.”

They spent the entire night in deep thoughts, conversing to another about their worries and provinces. A few discussions about trades between regions, assembling plans and arrangements for brotherly gatherings. Taehyung found a fascination with a particular utensil from Hoseok’s study, a metal tool that had spikes at one end and a smooth handle on the other.

Throughout the night Hoseok confessed his sorrows to his younger brother, revealing his secret about the princess he had saved. How her beauty enchanted him, imprinting on his mind, how her statue now lays in the greens of his garden. The embarrassment crept up to him, distracting himself from his feelings as he showed Taehyung around his collection of human things.

“If my memory is correct, I believe I might know who your princess may be, because I have seen a castle above the waters.” Taehyung twirls the man-made gizmo around his fingers as he speaks. “When you mentioned her before in your story, I grew curious.”

Hoseok was caught off-guard from Taehyung’s words, stunned even. “Y – You know where she lives? You need to show me!” The aqua tailed man fluttered around with a sense of emergency, he held Taehyung’s hand pleading to him. “Please brother, show me what you know. It’s a wonderful morning already, the current is leveled, and the waters are clear!”

Embracing their arms together, Taehyung and Hoseok swam out past the palace walls into the blue of the ocean. Together they rose out of the water after miles of swimming, just in front of a tall bend in a cliff. They remained far off from the cost, deep enough to be unnoticed from the naked eye. But from their point of view they were able to see a castle with bright yellow stones, a flight of marble steps that led straight into the sea. Statues topped the pillars that outlined the walls, the building crowned with a Caspian blue. A great bay window faced toward the sea, the windows expanding long and wide.

The area was farther out from Hoseok’s natural comfort spot, he would pass this sector many times when he would visit up north to Taehyung’s realm.

From a closer look the two mermen can see silken curtains that hugged the frames of large bay windows, the walls inside decorated from top to bottom with magnificent paintings. Blurred bodies of servants walking across the tiled floors and expensive rugs. Deep within one of the larger rooms there was a fountain glittering with dancing water which sprouted from several areas surrounded by long stems and tendrils of plants.

“It’s so beautiful.” Hoseok whispered, creeping himself closer towards the castle that was built on the edge of the cliff. It was a real delight for the royal mermen to witness an abode so lovely, so riveting.

“This is the only castle I know of. I’m hoping this could be her palace.” Taehyung swam down, toying around with his small jellyfish in a fit of giggles. Dangling strands of seaweed around as if he’s forging the same motion as his buddy’s tentacles.

Hoseok dipped his head under, meeting up with the green tailed strides. “Thank you, Taehyung!” Hoseok’s arms entangled around Taehyung’s waist, spinning the two mermen in circles.

“It’s not far from the area where I saved her. Oh, I do hope this is her home!”

Taehyung beamed back a boxy smile, noticing the wild spirit of Hoseok shine. He was aware of the consequences of going to the surface, aware how enraged father could get when the sons acted up. But he was very happy to help out his brother – he saw something in Hoseok that he didn’t see in the others.

“Please, whatever you may do. Just be safe.” He petted the side of his brother’s hair, flicking his finger over Hoseok’s pearl earring.

© All rights reserved under @kimtaehyunq​ - do not copy, repost, modify, edit, or translate any of my work without my direct consent. This tumblr is the ONLY place my fics are posted.

[baronessblixen]

Here’s my “shopping” fic for the @xfficchallenges challenge! Set after “The Goldberg Variation”.

Also tagging @today-in-fic

Ready

Mulder has never put much thought into grocery shopping. In and out in under twenty minutes, buying whatever he could grab the quickest and happy as long as he had orange juice and sunflower seeds. That’s him. Until today, that is. He’s standing in the produce department, leaning over his cart, staring at Scully. Yes, they’re grocery shopping. Together. Sharing a cart and all. What are the odds of that?

They got back from their latest case in Chicago where they left one Henry Weems to his luck. Their own running out, he thought, as they didn’t get to sit next to each other on the plane. They found each other after, Scully rubbing her eyes tiredly and Mulder wondering whether she’d used a stranger’s shoulder as a pillow. 

She didn’t have her car and so he offered her a ride. Good partner that he is. Until she remembered that she needed to go grocery shopping. Right now? Yes, right now. That is why he’s in the produce department, between the carrots and the apples, one half of a pair.

Scully is squeezing the tomatoes, scrutinizing them. He’s never seen her like this, in a grocery store. What an odd, strangely intimate moment to observe. He’s seen her naked, scared and hurt, but seeing her bagging tomatoes and licking her lips while doing so is a sight he’s unaccustomed to and wildly unprepared for. As if noticing his stares, Scully turns to him and carefully puts the bag of tomatoes in the cart. Their cart.

“You have to check them,” she says, giving him a side glance, “for ripeness.” She wanders off, knowing he will follow. As he does, one wheel spinning wildly, squeaking madly, he can’t help but wonder one thing:

Are they - him and Scully - ripe, too?

They make it through the aisles, a maze built out of products, barely speaking a word. From the outside, they must look like they do this every week. Exhausted couple goes grocery shopping before the weekend. Mulder looks around, sees other men like him, women like Scully, variations of them both. But are they a couple? Is this why he’s here? 

“Don’t you need anything?” Scully asks him as she puts a bag of flour into the cart. He stares into it, sees the small empty corner that he figures must be reserved for his purchases.

“Uhm,” he says, staring at the shelves. What is he supposed to do with flour? He briefly considers buying a bag anyway, just to make Scully happy, but decides against it. They move on, Scully occasionally stopping to load their cart. Mulder makes eye-contact with a father of two small children, who fight over what cereal to buy. He gives him a small nod in acknowledgment and grabs a box of Cinnamon Toast Crunch for himself.

“Look,” he says to Scully, “I’m buying something.” He half expects her to give him a lecture about how cereal is just sugar and wheat, both of which are not good for him. Instead, she gives him a smile and says, “we need milk.”

We.

Not “you need milk”, not “I need milk”. It’s “we need milk”. Mulder quickly glances around, looking for witnesses. Did anyone else hear her say it? She said “we”! In his euphoria, he almost loses Scully. He quickly makes his way through the aisle, wanting to catch up with her. His cart crashes into someone else’s and he gets a dirty look. It doesn’t matter. Nothing matters except the fact that they need milk.

He’s beginning to think they are as a ripe as the tomatoes Scully bought. Or even overripe.

Scully buys rice, pasta, yogurt and all kinds of reasonable food Mulder hasn’t had in his cupboards for years. If ever. He buys eggs and fresh orange juice, his purchases slowly tipping over to her side of the cart. Scully hands him two bags of sunflower seeds and he takes them from her, his fingers brushing hers in a silent thank you.

He’s lost all sense of time and space. They’re closer to the exit now – he thinks. Only a few aisles remain. Scully dashes into one and he follows, staring at shelves of feminine hygiene products. They’ve come a long way from fruits and vegetables to tampons. Mulder moves on slowly and finds himself in front of condoms. He stares at the colorful selection in front of him. Blue, green, yellow – condoms that glow. It’s been a long time since he’s had to even think about buying a box of condoms. 

“Mulder?”

“Hm?” Scully is next to him, her eyes darting between him and the condom selection.

“I’m done here,” she says, the words drawn out. “Do you need… these?” He can’t look at her. She’s pointing at one of the boxes that reads “x-tra large”, waiting for his answer. 

“Do I need these?” He parrots back and dares to look at her. Now he definitely feels like a tomato. Ripe or not, he knows they’re a matching color. 

“How would I-,” but she stops herself. They’re almost there. He can hear the incessant beep-beep of the checkout counter. “You don’t need them,” she says, meeting his eyes.

“I don’t.” 

Scully shakes her head. “Unless you have plans this weekend that don’t include me.”

“No plans,” he interrupts her. “No plans other than… this.” He makes a hand gesture towards the shopping cart. He can no longer say which items are hers and which are his. He’s beginning to realize that Scully never planned to keep them apart. They’ve been inching towards the inevitable since New Year’s Eve and his half-drugged, tender kiss. Maybe even before that. Ripe, he thinks again. They really are.

“Then we don’t need them.” The “we” is back and he likes this “we” - and its implications -  even better. 

“Or we could try out the glowing ones.” He beams at her. Not because of his joke. Well, not entirely. It’s because he understands now. He gets to go home with her. He gets to be with her. In every way. 

"Maybe next time,” she says. “Ready?”

“I am,” he says, swallowing hard. Scully puts her hand on the cart next to his. They push it towards the checkout together, their pinkies touching in a gentle promise.

[fairyreaper22345]

Hey can i offer you guys a short fluffy tododeku fic

syke I'm giving it to you anyway

-

Twilight was always Shouto’s favourite time of day. He couldn’t tell you why – although, if you looked into it, it may have been that he saw himself in it. He saw himself as that balance between light and dark, day and night, fire and ice. In a way, he saw himself as the moments of sundown, ever walking the bridge between two sides.

That’s why he always found himself walking along pavements around this time. He found his feet would pace out of the door, mind wandering, not really concentrating on his movement. It got dark early around this time of year anyway, so he found himself going out earlier and earlier - shops hadn't even closed by the time he left, nowadays. He usually spent this time - this time of silent, amicable, cosmic turmoil - buying things for his classmates. He had money, so why not - plus, it was an easy way to make friends. He wasn't very good at the social side of things, but gift giving? Easy peasy. He was quiet, observant, and had plenty of daddy's money. Gifts came naturally to him - it was, well, a gift.

As he wound his way along not-quite-dark, but not-quite-light-either, streets, he listed off what he should buy; more birdseed for Tokoyami, he was starting to run out. Maybe he should keep it in a puzzle-feeder, one of those fun little contraptions that cats like to play with - did Tokoyami need enrichment? Do eagles play with their food? Was Tokoyami even an eagle? He looked more like a crow, honestly. And more importantly, would Tokoyami be mad if he bought a complex feeder? He decided it was worth the risk - PetCo was on route home anyway, he might as well go inside.

Oh, and Mina needed a new pillow… or six. Hadn't she gone and corroded through it again? He was sure she'd mentioned something like that… did she drool acid in her sleep? Sounded like a problem. Maybe they sold metal pillowcases in Home Depot. That didn't sound comfortable, but in a world with such varied quirks, that must come in handy somewhere, right? Did such a thing exist as quirk-proof pillows? He made a mental note to find out.

Oh, and Iida needed some engine oil, too. His damn pipes needed lubricating or something - Shouto didn't really remember the details, just that he'd mentioned his MOT in passing. Shouto didn't know people had to get MOTs - although he supposed it made sense. 

Before he could think of anything to add to his ever-growing shopping list, a bright orange light shone to his right, his side of the road, bright through the dwindling sun. PetCo, fantastic - maybe they had the seeds Tokoyami liked. Sunflower, he thought - he was sure he'd overheard a conversation about them. Or were they his least favourite seed? Shouto didn't want to make that mistake, that would be rather-

Ding!

Todoroki's phone vibrated with a little note in his back pocket, snapping him out of his thoughts, indicating he'd gotten a text. That was a little odd - people didn't usually text him, let alone at this time. They knew he'd be out on his Walk of Contemplation.

Pulling the mobile from his back pocket, a name flashed on the screen. "Midoriya 👉👈" it said, in searing white letters.

Shouto blushed slightly - he loved getting messages from his boyfriend. Izuku was always so polite and complimentary, and so eloquent, and-

Opening the message with a brush of his thumb, he saw that, in reality, Izuku hadn't actually said anything. He'd just sent his location, no word of explanation.

If Shouto was holding anything but his phone, he'd have dropped it, consequences be damned.

Last time Izuku had texted him something like this - in fact, it was exactly this, verbatim - it was about the incident in Hosu city. That time, two of his friends had nearly died, and he could've gone down with them.

It pained him to think about it - he wasn't short on traumatic experiences, but fighting the Hero Killer was truly a grisly highlight of his tragic backstory. 

It could be a butt dial. He was really hoping that this message was a butt dial.

He wasn't willing to take that chance.

He pivoted on the ball of his foot, doing a complete 180, throwing himself away from the store front and back into the cold, darkening dusk - he gripped his phone roughly and ran.

His feet pounded against asphalt. He didn't know much about social cues, or healthy family relationships, but he did know about running. Running from the truth, from his past, from himself - running along sidewalks and cement - he knew all about that. He'd been running since the get-go.

Musutafu roads were well known. He didn't need a map. He needed energy, stamina, and he had it - danger, fear, adrenaline pumped faster than blood and stronger than fire through his broken, hurt, traumatised veins. Corners were obstructions, and side alleys were shortcuts - c'mon Shouto, faster, faster, Deku could be in trouble. His legs couldn't hold him, couldn't hold the speed of his heartbeat. 

He neared the location on the GPS, but his boyfriend was nowhere to be found - in fact, it was a block of flats. Inside the block of flats, actually - and Todoroki could see right through the window, right where Izuku should have been standing, but he wasn't - he wasn't there. Perhaps he was above. 

Fear, dread, seeping into his veins like oxygen, Shouto thrust out his arm, an icy, brittle ladder forming in front of him. On another day, he'd have no problem with something so simple as a set of steps - this day, now, with the concern in his veins, he could barely manage it.

Izuku wasn't on the second floor, either.

Leaning against the window, Todoroki breathed heavily, counting to ten - and then out, closing his eyes with the steadying rhythm of his lungs. Okay, he'd have to think about this analytically, intelligently - he couldn't see fire, or plumes of smoke, so on the surface nothing seemed amiss. In that same, long, deep breath, though, he considered that Izuku, lovely Izuku, eloquent Izuku, concise Izuku, would never simply send a location, unless it was a dire emergency. Unless it was like Hiso.

Pacing himself, he concentrated once more on frozen stairs, this time managing a cascading, glittering set of fractals, that led a path to the next flat up. Perhaps Izuku would be on this one, and he'd explain that it was all just an accident, and thank you for coming to my aide, but actually I'm fine-

The toll on his legs evident, Shouto staggered up his DIY-stairwell, glaring with growing exhaustion into the room above; sure enough, there he was. Izuku Midoriya. 

Lovely Midoriya, eloquent Midoriya, concise Midoriya, sat on a cushioned bed, shirtless, his slender back exposed to the open third-floor window. 

Shouto knew he should've said something, but he couldn't help it - he saw a wonderful, peaceful side of his boyfriend. He saw slightly muscled arms, unkempt green hair that he'd have loved to have messed with, shoulder blades like shields. He was so endearing; his freckles covered his body, from face to neck to legs, like stars in a galaxy-filled sky. Shouto wanted to trace them, follow the constellations with his finger tips, finding new star systems and signs embedded in his boyfriend's skin.

"Izuku," he breathed, at last, eyes still fixated on those Greek Pantheon shoulders, occasionally wandering from there to the All Might posters on the walls (Todoroki wasn't so fussed about the man, now he'd actually met him) or to the neatly discarded pile of today's laundry. 

Deku didn't seem so surprised. If anything, he was gleeful, glad Shouto came to see him - even if he was half-hanging out of a three-story window. "Come in, Shouto," he smiled to the boy behind him, one green eye exposed under the outside street lamp. 

Clambering through the window, Todoroki whispered a question with mild urgency. "I saw your text. I was worried. Is there an emergency?"

Izuku sat on his bed, wearing only his boxers and a smile, and grinned that sun-bringing, crop-watering, skin-clearing grin that Shouto always found himself falling deeply for.

"Nah. I just wanted to see you."

Todoroki released tension he didn't realise he was still holding, breathing a relieved, although exasperated, sigh.

Actions, they say, speak louder than words - in that moment, as he took Izuku's hand in his, kissing his knuckles gently, it was the truth. In that moment, as he rested his mouth against Deku's, it was true that no words could have meant anything more than the lazy gratitude, and the tired giggles they shared.

[ladyinfierno]

75 + 27 and fakiru for the ask thing?

I love you Fakiru anon, I reaaally wanted to do some angst but it turned out to be mostly fluff, it's what these two deserve. (Also I took liberties with the bed sharing bit :Du)

Bed sharing + Sick/Injured fic - Fakiru

- So we have this kind of solitary man who lives in the top floor/attic of an old building, nobody really knows a lot about him, only that his name's Fakir and he seems to be a writer. Or at least he spends a lot of time in front of an old typewriter by his window, where passer-bys often see him in the dim light of his room.

- The ground floor of the building is an antiques shop run by an eccentric old man and his curious granddaughter. Fakir doesn't like the man but he really gets along with the little girl, who uses to follow him around the building playing a toy drum.

-  Sometimes he isn't home for long periods of time, and some people have seen him downtown with a beautiful pair of strangers, both looking almost ethereal beside the brooding man. (Look, yes, Fakir is handsome, but Mytho and Rue? Beautiful angels.) And sometimes a man with glasses visits him, always bringing a stack of books and leaving with different ones.

- One rainy day Fakir arrives home only to discover a bird almost being eaten by a cat in an alley. So of course he chases the cat away and tries to approach the bird without startling it much. It turns out the small, pale yellow thing is a duck, and it's badly injured. Probably from an earlier fight for its life.

- He isn't good with pets, specially birds, but the poor thing might die out there and it's not really a question: He takes it home, and after a mildly panicked call to Mytho, who knows basically everything about... everything, he has the small duck's wounds cleaned and patched.

- "Alright, this is good, it's still breathing, you can do this Fakir."

- He ends up sleeping over his desk, besides the basket he put the duck in, while looking after it. He dreams of a big ballroom, bright light pouring from the huge stained glass on the ceiling, and there is a ballerina, a princess, who invites him to dance.

- He wakes up to soft sunlight right in his face from the open window, but he's so calm he can't really get annoyed by that. He checks the basket, the little duck is sleeping peacefully so he smiles. It's such a shame he can't remember what the princess looked like.

- This is his life now for the next two weeks, where he still writes and writes in the old typewriter like he's running out of time, still goes out, still gets visits. But now his fridge has a lot more vegetables than ever and fish he doesn't even like. Rue also points how he seems happier lately but he just huffs, and life goes on peacefully.

- He names the duck Duck, of course he does.

- One day though, he catches a cold. He's sick and feverish, without enough energy to elaborate more than a I'm fine through the phone to his friends. They volunteer to return home from some trip they're in but he dismisses it, thanking them but reassuring them he's fine. He makes sure his duck has plenty water and food to fend for itself, and ends up asleep for most part of those two days.

- He dreams then, pleasant dreams of soft, cold hands that push aside the sweaty hair plastered to his forehead, of a wet cloth washing the sweat from his face. Dreams of bright orange hues reflecting the sunlight threading through the thin curtains. Of a gentle smile and sweet whispers of his name and nothing more.

- It's only two days later, when he's fine enough to get up without the world turning upside down to finally take a shower that he remembers about that soothing feeling of being cared of.

- He checks on his duck but it's not there anymore, inside the basket there's only discarded bandages and a bit of sunflower seeds. He sees the slightly open window and sighs. At least it was fine enough to return to whatever place it came from.

- The next time he leaves the house it's raining again, so he curses under his breath and quickens his pace. A gush of wind threatening to snatch his hat away, and soon enough the rain increases, so he ends up under the small roof of a closed business in the curb. He doesn't really notice the other person already there until he almost crushes her with his own body.

- She smiles at him so easily, like they're old friends, and he instantly knows she knows him.

- The long orange braid is dark with rain water, but he can already see it in its true colour, the same one haunting his dreams since days ago. He can only imagine, but her small hands must be cold and soft; gentle. Yet her eyes, that shade of sky blue, are the only thing he can say for sure he has seen before, albeit a bit smaller and animal-like.

- They're the same, he just knows. And she knows he knows, too. So he only smiles back.

- ...Also on an extra scene, Fakir doesn't believe her when she says her name is Ahiru, thinking she's just making fun of him :v

[atths--twice]

Protective Covering

Day three of prompt/ask of a story. Today is a story about where the aprons both Mulder and Scully owned, came from. A tweet led to a discussion, which led to this fic. I hope you enjoy it. 

Mulder sat on his couch, his stomach rumbling with hunger. He had been off work since he came back from Bermuda. Bruised ribs, a slight concussion, and scrapes and bruises on odd spots of his body kept him home and resting. 

Scully had checked in on him, bringing food and staying for a little while every couple of days. Still working on the background checks, she complained about it to him when she came over, rolling her eyes and sighing a lot. 

She was out of town for the next few days. Her brothers were both in town and the entire family had made plans to go to Connecticut for Thanksgiving weekend. He was happy for her to get away for awhile and hoped she was having a good time.

His stomach growled again and he sighed as he glanced toward the kitchen, knowing the only thing he would find in there to eat was two cans of chicken noodle soup and some orange juice; which was most likely expired.

The thought of getting up and going out for something made him groan. The hour was far too late anyway and his desire to leave was more than minimal. And ordering in… well, he could only eat so much pizza and Chinese food.

Sighing again, he surfed through the channels, finding nothing of interest, until he landed on a cooking show. Setting the remote down, he rested his hands in his lap.

The woman on the screen was preparing a chicken with roasted potatoes. His mouth began to water as she started to describe the spices she was using and demonstrated how to cut the potatoes.

As the food was set in the oven, she took out ingredients for a strawberry shortcake and he audibly groaned as she whipped cream. He could practically taste the sugar and vanilla on his tongue.

His stomach growled again and he pushed himself from the couch, stumbling heavily into the kitchen and opening the cupboards, hoping some food had magically appeared.

Of course it had not, and he was forced to eat the chicken noodle soup, sighing repeatedly as he did, the meal a poor substitute compared to the one he had seen on TV. 

Putting the spoon in his bowl, he sighed. The meal not satisfying, he got up and searched the cupboards in more depth. Finding a box of Pop Tarts way in the back, along with a single bottle of ketchup, he sighed again. 

Placing his bowl in the sink, he grabbed a pack of Pop Tarts and headed to bed. Tomorrow morning, he would go to the store before it closed for the holiday, and buy some much needed staples. Perhaps he would even buy some items to make himself an actual meal every now and then.

Standing in a cookware store, he looked around, overwhelmed by the choices in front of him. Pots and pans, different cooking dishes, and types of utensils. Shaking his head, he walked past them and looked through a few cookbooks, finding simple recipes he could follow without screwing them up.

Deciding on one, he tracked down a sales associate. Showing her a few of the recipes and asking what she would recommend for a beginner like him. She laughed and led him back to the cooking dishes and utensils. As she explained how to use them, he listened intently.

Thanking her for her help, he took all of his items and headed to the register. Stopping as he passed some aprons, he doubled back. Laughing as he looked at them, he made an impulse decision, aprons not an item he had planned to purchase. Grabbing both aprons, he continued to the register. 

When he arrived at the store, he took the cookbook in with him, to see what he would need to create the recipe. As he walked through the door, he heard Christmas music playing, and he shook his head, the holiday arriving earlier every year. 

He pushed the shopping cart around the store, filling it with his regular items before adding chicken, vegetables, and spices he would need for the recipes he planned to try. 

Two trips to and from the car, and he had everything sitting on the table. Staring at it all, he sighed. It was more food than he had ever had in the apartment. Ever. Sighing again, he began to put it all away.

Once he was finished, he opened a bag of sunflower seeds and sat down at the table with the cookbook. Reading the step-by-step instructions on how to make the chicken and potato dish, he nodded, ready to try it out. Clearing away the pile of sunflower shells, he stood up and walked into the kitchen.

He washed the potatoes, cut them as directed, and placed them in a bowl. Pouring olive oil on top of them, he added the spices, and mixed them up. He washed the green casserole dish he had purchased, and dried it. Greasing the bottom with a little bit of olive oil, he placed the seasoned chicken breasts in the middle of it, pouring the potatoes around them.

Staring at the dish, he shrugged as he opened the oven door and set the dish inside. Cleaning up the mess he had made, he periodically checked the oven, sure he had done something to make the dish incorrectly. But soon, the apartment was filled with a delicious aroma of spices, and his mouth began to water. When the timer sounded, he picked up his newly purchased oven mitts and pulled the dish from the oven.

It bubbled and sizzled, and he closed his eyes and he took a deep breath, breathing in the delicious smell. Setting it down, he took off the oven mitts and smiled as he stared at the meal he had created.

“Well goddamn,” he said quietly.

Letting it cool, a few minutes later, he filled his plate and took a small bite. Raising his eyebrows, he nodded as he chewed a larger  bite of chicken and potato.

“Well goddamn,” he said again with a smile. 

_______________

Thanksgiving day, he went for a run and upon returning, he found he had missed a call from Scully. Not wanting to bother her, he did not call back, but smiled as he listened to her greeting, checking in on him and telling him happy Thanksgiving.

Walking into the kitchen for some water, he looked at the apron he bought for her, and the one for himself, and he laughed softly. He was sure she was going to absolutely hate it, but would also get a kick out of it.

He made a decision as he stepped into the shower. When she came back, he was going to surprise her with a home cooked meal and the gift of her apron, an early Christmas gift. 

Over the next couple of days, he tried a couple more simple and small recipes, surprising himself with his ability. 

As he cleaned up his most recent mess, he looked at his watch. He knew Scully was due to come home that day, but he was not exactly sure of the time. Putting the dishes away, he walked into the living room, intent on calling her. 

But then his cell phone rang with information from an unknown informant who worked at area 51. All other thoughts left his mind as excitement coursed through him.

Hanging up, he called Scully, grinning from ear to ear the entire time.

“Scully.” 

“Hey Scully, it’s me. How do you feel about taking a little trip?” he said, already walking into his room to grab a bag and pack some clothes. He heard her heavy sigh and he paused, realizing he should have asked how her holiday was and how she was doing, but the chance to go meet the informant had taken precedent.

“Nice to hear from you too, Mulder,” she said and he could practically hear her roll her eyes. “Fine, Mulder. Where are we going?” He smiled, as he continued grabbing some clothes and placing them in his bag.

____________________

The trip to Nevada was a bust, although some strange unexplainable things happened while they were gone. His apartment was clean, like really clean. And his bedroom… the boxes he had been moving around before he was injured, had begun to pile up, leaving only a path to the bathroom, had been cleared and put away. 

A new bedroom set had appeared out of nowhere and the mirrors on the ceiling… they had added to some interesting moments when he was alone in bed. No one fessed up to doing it when he asked the Gunmen. He did not mention the mirrors, knowing the questions Frohike would ask. 

The strange occurrences aside, they were back to the boring scut work placed on them by Kersh. They were bogged down with background checks, and even flew out to small towns, to talk to people who did not want to speak to them. He understood their irritation, as he himself did not want to be there.

They stayed in crappy motels or took red eye flights back home, both of them tired and annoyed with the assignments. Dragging himself home, he did not have the time to make any food, which eventually was thrown out, as it had collected mildew in the fridge as did the fruit on the counter. He looked longingly at the casserole dish, remembering the taste of the meals he had made.

Christmas was fast approaching and he knew Scully would have plans with her family. He wanted to have her over for dinner before she did, offering a home cooked meal as a thank you for putting up with him the last few months. He knew he was more difficult to be around and she had put up with a lot from him. 

A lot.

Plans were made for her to come over on Saturday the 19th. He purchased the food that he would need, the same chicken and potato meal he had made first, along with some wine.

Donning his apron, he put the meal together and placed it in the oven. About 25 minutes in, when it was beginning to fill the apartment with its delicious aroma with the wine open and breathing, he heard her knock at the door.

Stepping over to let her inside, he smiled as he opened the door. Whatever she was going to say died on her lips as she looked at the apron he wore.

“Wh… what?” She said her eyebrows going up.

“Step inside and you’ll see that what the apron says is true; Something Smells GOOD,” he said, extending his arm to bring her inside with a smile. She sighed, but allowed him to pull her in and help remove her coat.

“It does smell good in here,” she said, staring at his apron and then at him. “Have you seriously been cooking? Really?” He grinned with a nod. She stared at him in disbelief and he motioned to the kitchen.

She walked into the kitchen and he followed, wanting to see her expression. As she looked around, at the knives, cutting Board, and oven mitts, she raised her eyebrows, smiling in surprise.

“Impressed?” he asked, and she looked at his apron again and nodded with a smile. “Wine?” He poured them each a glass and they sat at the table as they waited for the food to finish cooking.

“So, you’ve become a chef the past few weeks? Mulder, you just keep opening like a flower,” she teased and he chuckled as he took a drink.

“Not exactly a chef, but I have learned to cook a few dishes.”

“How many have you burned?” she said, her eyebrow up, the wine glass and her lips. He raised his eyebrows and she smiled.

“Agent Scully, you wound me,” he said, a hand on his heart. She laughed and he went to her.

They continued to talk about nothing as they waited for the dinner to be ready. When the timer went off, she followed him into the kitchen to watch him take the dish from the oven.

“Well, well,” she said, crossing her arms. “It actually looks edible.” He looked at her with an expression of mock hurt and she laughed.

When it had cooled down, he served up their meal and brought it to her as she sat at the table. He nervously waited and watched as she took her first bite. Surprise, shock, and happiness crossed her face. She smiled and he nodded as he began to eat.

When they had finished and the last bit of wine was all that remained, she stared at him and he knew a question was formulating in her mind. She sighed as she glanced down at his apron again and then she laughed softly.

“That apron, Mulder…” She looked at him and he looked down at it. “What gives?”

“An impulse purchase and false advertising if I had failed, so I had something to aspire to,” he explained and she raised her eyebrows in appreciation. “Plus, you know, it protects my clothes from the day when I will inevitably spill something on it, as aprons do.” He smiled at her with a wink and she chuckled with a nod as they finished their wine.

When she stood a few minutes later, claiming it was late and she should be going, he stood with her.

“Scully, I know this has been a rough time for us. I wanted to say thanks, and this meal seemed like a great way to do it. So thanks… for putting up with me, going along on the off the book trips, and for just being there.”

“Since when have we been completely “on the books” with our trips?” she asked with a smile, as she grabbed her coat and put it on, buttoning it up and staring at him.

“True. To a point,” he said with a shrug. “Still, thank you.” He touched her shoulder and she nodded.

“Well you’re welcome, Mulder,” she said, opening the door. “Thank you for the meal, which was very good, and especially for the fun that the apron brought to the evening.” She smirked and he laughed as she stepped into the hall and turned around with a smile. 

“Good night, Mulder.”

“Night, Scully,” he replied and she chuckled softly, walking to the elevator. 

Stepping back inside, he closed the door and took off his apron. He laid it over his arm as he picked up the plates and glasses. He hung up the apron and washed the dishes. Turning off the kitchen light, he grinned as he glanced at the apron. 

__________________

“Now, um I know we said we weren’t going to exchange gifts, but, uh… I got you a little something,” he said, holding up her gift.

“Mulder,” she said.

“Merry Christmas.”

“Well, I got you a little something too.” She held up her gift and he happily exchanged with her. They grinned at each other and ran to the couch to open them.

As she untied the bows, meticulous even in how she opened gifts, he paused, wanting to watch her as she opened it. Catching his eye as a ribbon was set down, she raised her eyebrows, silently asking him a question.

“I just… hope you like it,” he said with a smile.

“Now I’m a little nervous,” she said as she ripped off the paper. He smiled as she looked down as the paper fell away.

“What… What is this?” She took the top off the plastic tube and pulled out what was inside. Unrolling it, she turned it around and laughed.

“Mulder…” was all she could say before she stood up, placed it over her head, and turned toward him. “This is hilarious.” 

He grinned as she stood wearing the black apron that was similar to his own white one. Except hers was slightly different as it read “Something Smells Goo-ood” in big, white block letters.

“You bought us matching aprons?” she giggled as she looked at him and he shrugged with a smile. “Mulder, this was not at all what I had pictured would be inside of that gift. Oh my God! Open yours!”

She laughed and clapped as she sat down beside him. the apron strings billowing behind her. “Open it!”

He grinned and opened it, tearing the wrapping paper, and throwing it on the coffee table. Flipping it over, he laughed as he looked at the title of the video tape she bought for him.

“Cooking is Easy,” he read out loud and she laughed, grabbing his arm. He looked at her and he laughed again.

“I thought it was funny, but now it’s even better,” she laughed as she gestured to the apron. “I mean, this is either really funny or I’m just super tired.” She pulled the apron out and looked at it, laughing again. She looked at him and he winked as he stood up and walked over to the VCR. He opened the tape she bought, pushed it inside, and turned on the television.

He joined her on the couch as he grabbed the remote. Turning up the volume, they sat together as an overly happy woman began to explain how easy cooking could be.

Scully giggled beside him and he glanced at her with a smile as she wore his silly gift. She moved a little closer to him and put her head on his shoulder, as she mocked the happy tone of the woman on screen. 

“This video is so much better than I had imagined,” she laughed. “I’ll have to have you come over for dinner now, Mulder. My apron has something to prove.” 

She yawned with a little moan, shifting her head on his shoulder. He smiled as she did, happy that she had not hated the gift at all. In fact, she seemed to enjoy it. 

He glanced over at the window and saw that the promise of a white Christmas had arrived. Smiling at the drastically different way the evening could have ended, he rested his head on hers, closing his eyes as he let the happy cheery voice on the video, explaining how to add water to a pot, lull them both to sleep. 

[temporalwaveofmischief]

Brian/Alex library cafè AU fic:

An elbow jabbed painfully in Alex's stomach. This caused Alex to fall from the bed that him and his boyfriend, Brian, share. Alex landed with a loud 'thump!' on the floor of their dorm room.

Brian was still sound asleep.

Once Alex got his bearings, he sat up with a huff. He got up and shook Brian.

"Brian. Brian." Then, Alex whispered in Brian's ear, "I guess we're not going to that 'suprise' you wanted us to go to."

Immediately, Brian shot up from the bed.

"Huh?! W-wuh-" Brian started. Alex kissed his cheek.

"Good morning, my star."

Brian puffed up his chest and furrowed his eyebrows. Alex only rolled his eyes and let out a quiet laugh.

Alex leaned forward and kissed Brian.

Unfortunately though, they had to start their day and they couldn't cuddle in bed for all of it. They cleaned up their dorm room, since it was looking more like a frat house than an actual room.

And they took their morning shower together. They stared admiringly at each others' bodies. Alex felt like covering up, but the way Brian was staring at his body made him feel like... a greek statue? God, when did he become sappy and dramatic? After some kisses and hugs were exchanged, they finally got dressed.

Before they went to the car, Alex grabbed his cat plush. (He named it Ash since Pokèmon was one of his favorite shows)

Eventually, they got to their car.

Alex got in the passenger's seat and opened the glove box. Inside, there were a multitude of CDs. He flipped through them until he saw what he was looking for. Alex inserted the CD into the slot. It was their special CD. It had Brian's rock and jazz music, and it had Alex's game OSTs and classical songs.

"Okay," Brian began. The jazz music was blaring through their speakers.

"Wear this blindfold."

Alex groaned. Internally, however, he didn't mind. But, he loved being a pain in the ass.

"Come ooooonnnnn, Alexxxxxxxx." Brian whined.

"How about," Alex paused. " a 'no' from me."

Brian pouted and used the cursed puppy dog eyes. Dammit. Too. Weak. Must-

"Fine."

Brian pumped his fist in the air and clapped his hands. He retrieved a cloth from his pocket.

"Ok. I'm gonna wrap this around you. DO. NOT. PULL. IT. DOWN."

"Oh. Like I did when-"

Brian put his hand over Alex's mouth.

Alex let out a snort, then a loud, unforgiving laugh.

Brian blushed. "Put on the blindfold, please."

Alex stopped and put the blind fold on.

Brian perked up, and slowly drove out of the university's parking lot.

The music blaring from the speakers was now playing one of his favorite tracks. Alex leaned back in his seat, and let his brain play white static.

However, Alex did not realize he had fallen asleep. After what seemed like forever, Alex's dream was interrupted when Brian shook his shoulder.

"Mmm. Five more minutes."

"Come onnnnnnnnnnnnnnnn."

"Sunflower, wake up."

Alex instanly opened his eyes at the name.

It was then Alex remembered he still had the blindfold on.

"Hey, uh, can I take this off?"

"Yup! We're here!"

Alex slowly took the blindfold off.

He could not believe his eyes.

It was a bookstore. Holy moly.

Alex quickly grabbed Brian's face and kissed all over it. Hell-to-the-fricking-yes. Brian giggled and screeched in pleasure.

"Glad you like it, sunflower."

They both got out of the car.

The building was of average size. It was made out of brick with enormous windows. On the door, there was a sign that said, 'Welcome to the Bluebird Cafè!' Underneath the message, there was a drawing of a detailed bluejay.

When they stepped inside, Alex was brimming with excitement. Hmm- no. Excitement was an understatement. He was in heaven.

All that surrounded the two were rows upon rows of books. It was endless.

Then, someone familiar approached them.

The man was wearing a plad shirt, khaki pants, and a green apron with a bluejay ironed on it. His nametag read 'Jay'.

"Hello!" Jay greeted.

Oh. It was that Jay. The one he met in elementary.

"Hey! I haven't seen ya' in awhile! How've you been?" Brian began.

"Oh, well, Tim's been good. He's manning the cafè if you want to see him."

"Sure. Alex, do you want to join us?"

Alex looked between them both.

"You don't have to. We can see Tim later."

Alex considered his options. Alex grabbed Brian's hand, "Sure."

Jay led the two to the cafè.

Tim was taking someone's order. After the person was done speaking, Tim paced to the coffee maker and started a fresh batch.

Tim had the same apron with the bluejay ironed on the front.

When Tim fufilled the costumer's order, Tim looked up and saw them. The stoniness that was in Tim's face immediately evaporated and was replaced with incredible warmth. It was as though stepping into a cabin and lying down near a fireplace.

"Hey, bluejay." Tim said.

"Hey sweetie." Jay replied.

Tim glanced at Brian and Alex.

"What can I get for ya' two?" Tim asked, with a pencil and notepad at the ready.

"Oh, uh," Alex stuttered.

"What are our options?" Brian replied.

"Well, lemme see," Tim looked up at the ceiling. "We have coffee, smoothies, juice, and water. That's it for the beverages. For the food, we have: donuts, muffins, eclairs, cake, and..." Tim trailed off.

"Pie and cupcakes." Jay finished for him.

"Thanks bluejay." Tim winked at him. Jay's face turned a bright shade of red.

"So, what would you two like?"

Brian looked at Alex.

After considering his options, Alex whispered his order in Brian's ear.

"Ok," Brian clapped his hands.

"I would like one orange juice and one pineapple-mango smoothie. For food, I would like a slice of pumpkin pie, and a lemon poppy seed muffin please."

"Comin' right up!"

Tim immediately went to work.

While Tim busied himself, Jay took Alex and Brian to a more secluded area of the cafe. Jay sat them down on a comfy couch with lots of pillows and blankets. In front of them, there was an old mahogany table with incense candles lit on it. Surrounding them, there were motivational posters and large windows that were partially covered with curtains.

While Alex and Brian waited, they explored the book section. While Brian wasn't really interested in books, Alex would read one within three days and pick up another one afterward. And as they explored the section, Alex began to have a stack of books in his arms that almost obscured his face.

After they were done, they sat down on the couch again and waited for their orders. Alex was already immersed in a book, while Brian just glanced around them and watched Alex's expressions. Even the tiny little things about Alex made him love him even more. The way he furrowed his eyebrows whenever the book gets interesting, or when he let's out tiny gasps when a character did a shocking thing or a plot twist happened that he didn't expect. It's just so.... Alex. And he loved it.

Brian re-adjusted his position, so that Alex laid on top of his chest.

"Watchya readin'?"

"Mmm. The Outsiders by S.E Hinton."

"Ah."

After a few minutes of waiting, Jay arrived at their table with their orders. They were pretty gosh darned good. Especially the smoothie. Eventually they cleaned themselves up, and Alex resumed his reading while clutching his stuffed cat.

They remained like this. Their hearts beating in rhythm, while rain pattered against the glass. The combination of the incense and the rain slowly lulled Brian to sleep.

They were at bliss.

And both Alex and Brian considered this the best date they ever had.

[tarotdeckshuffle]

Witch and familiar au what if one of the guys from ff xv was cursed as a furry animal and mc, the local witch, finds them and takes care of them and poof they wake up with a half whatever animal/human in their bed and the other is just all "yeah so this awkward but I gotta a good explanation." Im leaning heavily on it being Prompto with some form of dog ears.

I’m glad I can finally get to this request, @roshytsunami! I was originally going to do HCs about a lot of characters in this situation, but now I think I’ll do a short fic.

I think your idea about half fish Noctis (wait, that’s a merman, right?) is awesome! I also really want to see faun Gladio (goat legs and maybe horns?) and maybe a half cat Ignis…rotfl idk. OHH! What about a half falcon Ravus, so he can have wings?!?! Or a wolfy Nyx?! Ok, I’m getting ahead of myself. I don’t have time to write all of these right now >.

If any of these ideas sound good to you, please request them! I get to requests before originals and use them to gauge what ideas people think sound interesting.

Btw, Roshy is a mod for an upcoming Prompto centered zine that you can check out here!

Prompto just works too well with SnapChat…

Taglist: @idiotflowerex, @laststory1013, @sayaoqueen, @jophinabean, @mysme-already

If you like what you read, please consider supporting me on Patreon or buying me a Ko-fi!

Love Spell

Eye of newt,Tongue of dove,A blue flame’s soot,NOW SHOW MY LOVE!

Over your table top cauldron you chanted, throwing each ingredient in. The small container bubbled with a pinkish liquid until you chanted the last line, in which it overflowed into yellow steam over the sides. It was the color of a sunflower explosion.

Fitting, considering who you were looking for.

You must be truly desperate to be trying your own spell to find him, you thought to yourself. The room around you stayed quiet as the yellow steam dissipated.

Life wasn’t easy for your friendly neighborhood modern witch. The tarot cards were moody and only liked to read misfortune while your modern cauldron was the size of a two cup measuring cup. Who could afford a giant cast iron pot these days? You made up most of your own spells because the ingredients for the ones you found in old books or online all called for expensive items that couldn’t be found in your city. You were a witch that flew by the seat of your pants, not a broom.

Without warning, the smell of the potion exploded into the room. It was an unpleasant combination like cheap cologne and a seeding mint plant. The odor overwhelmed your small flat and your ran to the kitchen window, throwing it open to gasp at the fresh air.

As your lungs took their fill, you lingered in the warm windowsill. The sun glowed on your skin, heating your body after the cold of your flat. Your fingers played in the soft soil of your flower box, dancing between your herb plants.

Your eyes stared off into the sunny day, willing you to wander down the busy streets below in search of him. You dreamed of him as your gaze settled on your neighbors yellow and orange marigolds. They reminded you of his hair and cheerful smile.

The man you loved had been gone for three days now. He had gone out to get you coffee and never returned. You missed your love and were worried sick about him.

Sure, you had only been dating for a few weeks now, but you knew you loved him the moment you met him. It was the type of situation where the word just fit. He was your sunshine: the light of your life and the warmth to your days. But you had been too scared to tell him that. Now, you were worried you’d never get the chance to.

It had been three sleepless nights, thousands of missed calls, and hundreds of hours out looking for him. But he was still gone without a trace.

You were woken from your daydream by a sound at the door: scratching. Oh by the six, had you summoned something with your made up ramblings?

You spun from the window, grabbing the first item that could be used as a weapon, which happened to be a large wooden spoon. You held your new sword before you, ready for whatever was going to tear your door down. Your breathing came in gasps and your hands shook as you listened to the soft scratching.

Every sound made you flinch. You felt certain that the front door would come flying towards you at any moment. Your heart beat thrummed in your ears.

Silence.

“HERE IT COMES here IT comes here it COMES here itcomeshereitcomes” the words tumbled through your mind faster than you could comprehend them.

But nothing happened.

The door stayed perfectly still. When a soft whimpering was heard from the other side.

It sounded like a puppy.

You willed your frozen feet to move, to help you find out what was outside that door. Your initial instinct was to believe it a daemon’s trick, something to lure you outside, but curiosity got the best of you.

One hand on the doorknob, the other holding your spoon up to strike, you whispered, “Please don’t kill me,” before you threw the front door open.

Staring ahead, you half expected to see some giant, red and black glowing beast, ready to tear you apart. Instead, there was nothing.

You looked down towards movement on the floor to see a golden colored puppy sitting at your feet.

The two of you stared at each other in confusion, before it barked at you with its shrill but adorable voice.

Your head snapped to the upheld spoon. “Sorry!” You apologized while lowering it. The puppy rose to all four feet, trying to measure up to you.

You picked up the small baby, holding it before you to examine it. “So…boy,” you confirmed. “Tell me, are you some great daemon in disguise that I summoned to bring about my own bloodied doom?” You looked the bundle of fluff in the eyes. He just whimpered and waged his tail at you.

“AWWWW! You’re too cute to be here to hurt me! Aren’t you little guy!” At the will of this squirming puppy, you became a baby talking, giddy, melty mess. If it was going to kill you, at least you’d die happy from seeing something so adorable. You carried the little pup inside, cradled in your arms.

The rest of your day was spent drenched in sunlight, warm away from your sorrow. You now had someone to care for.

You made some homemade food for your new friend and stitched up some makeshift toys. You would sprawl out on your living room rug and play with him. As the sun was setting, painting the bricks of your flat in orange, you realized he still didn’t have a name. You smiled, watching the puppy yawn, content to put the task off until tomorrow.

You cuddled into your bed, soft and safe from the world outside. Your new friend whimpered on the floor, until you relented, picking him up to cuddle into your blankets with you. He curled up in your arms and was soon snoring under your adoring gaze.

It felt like mere moments later when you awoke. Everything was so warm; from the morning sun streaming in, to your blankets, even the breath on your skin.

WAIT!

Breath on your skin?!

You looked down frantically. Were a soft puppy had once laid, now a blond haired handsome man lay, curled up against your chest.

Your cheeks burned red as you scuttled backwards. Your bed mate moaned in his sleep.

“PROMPTO!?!” You cried! Was he really here? Now? Was this a dream?

“Errmm, [Y/N]?” He blinked sleep filled eyes, trying to focus on you. “[Y/N]!!!!” He realized suddenly who you were, tackling you onto the other side of the bed.

He was so excited to see you! You had to close your eyes to the onslaught of kisses…very wet kisses.

“Prom! Where have you…what have you…” He pulled away from you, his sky blue eyes staring into yours. You couldn’t help but notice small, fluffy ears sticking out of his golden hair as his tongue lolled out his open mouth. “What happened?!”

“I missed you so much, [Y/N]! I swear I can explain everything!” He dove into a rambling story, a tail swishing in your sheets to his cadence.

Ears, tongue, a tail…had your puppy friend been Prompto?!

“Prom, Prompto, sunshine…PROM! Stop!” Finally you got him to quiet. “I don’t think it’s all worn off…” You picked up your phone to show him what he looked like in the camera. He stared obliviously happy at you as you took his picture.

You turned your phone around. It took him a moment to recognize his own reflection. When he did, he snatched the device from your hands.

“THAT’S ME?!” He cried as though it was your fault.

You just nodded, still in shock at the puppy boy in front of you. A blush bloomed again. You had slept with the puppy, you had rolled around on the floor with the puppy, you had seen the puppy’s…

He started to panic, still staring at your phone.

“You were that puppy!” The realization left your lips.

“YEAH! AND NOW I’M ME BUT I’M STILL PUPPY AND…” Prompto had at least triple your anxiety.

You took a moment to breath. Everything was crazy, but he was here now. That’s what mattered.

“Prom, what happened?” You hoped your forcibly calm voice would help him.

“There was this person and I bumped into them and they knew my name and then I saw them here and…”

He was going to give himself a panic attack at this rate! So, you stopped him in the best way you knew how.

You pressed your lips to his. You had missed these soft lips. You felt the tension in your body release as you tasted his wet lips, letting your souls click into place.

Gently, slowly, you pulled away. “What was that for?” Your sunshine asked breathlessly.

“True love’s kiss and all that jazz,” you replied softly, half hoping it had worked.

“Oh…better try again, then.” And in an instant, your lips were reunited.

You could feel the heat in your cheeks rise. You had never purposefully been in a bed with Prompto,  much less like this before!

As heat was starting to build, he suddenly pulled away, his eyes wide. He jumped out of the bed and made for the bathroom.

“Prom? Honey, what’s wrong?” You called, concerned by his sudden departure.

“Gotta go!” He called, slamming the door.

You smiled at the strange scene.

“IT’S REALLY HARD TO GO WHEN YOU KEEP TRYING TO RAISE YOUR LEG!” He yelled from the other side of the door. Yeah, your Prompto was back.

The rest of the morning was filled with a slow breakfast and as much time in each other’s arms as you could have. Prompto kept trying to lick you instead of kiss you and he accidently did whine a few times.

Eventually, you pieced together his story. It sounded like a rival witch had been trying to cast this spell on you, when Prompto walked out of your apartment and right into it! You laughed with him but vowed to get revenge on whoever did this.

With a little bit of research and luck, you discovered that Prompto’s transformation would go away with time and “warm love”. He would need to constantly be around someone he loved, to take care of them and be cared for, until all the symptoms went away, or else he would transform back into a puppy!

“You poor thing! The shock of the transformation must have scared you so bad that you ran away!” You pet his head, trying to comfort him through understanding.

Prompto laughed nervously.

“What’s wrong, babe?”

“I guess…this means the cat’s out of the bag…heh or the dog.” He did a weak finger guns to you.

“What?”

“The ‘L’ word stuff! LOVE! Now you know…” He looked down sadly. “And I never got to surprise you or make it super romantic or something…”

You smiled, pulling him in close for a tight hug. “Yeah, but I don’t need that, because I have you.” You pulled away to hold is face in your hands. “Prompto, I love you and I never want to lose you again.”

His eyes sparked. “I love you, too, [Y/N]. Don’t worry. I’m not going anywhere.”

You held each other tight, wrapped in the strongest magic the world had ever known: Love.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

“I was a pretty cute puppy, wasn’t I?”

“Yes, you still are!”“I am not!” “You can still be very dog-like at times.”

“Well, you don’t need a leash to keep me around.” ;)

“What if I want one?”

“What?”

“What?”

[angelguk]

For the drabble game, hopefully these are challenging. Feel free to pick one, all or none 1-Knock three times 2-deaths calling card 3-sunflower seeds in the bed 4-anon messaging is off 5-spray down

i’ll do joonie for 3! thank u for sending these in they’re quite interesting (1 would go really real w/ a magician or mage fic with taehyung too and 4 would go well w/ a blogger/gamer jeongguk au! or cam!au) send in those in separately if you would like to have a summary for them :)

sunflower seeds in the bed

member: kim namjoon

genre: joonie’s gardens for a hobby (he’s really a writer) , oc is a florist, hella fluff man, joonie wears glasses in this fic, joonie has a big crush on this cute florist which is why he goes so far out of his town to buy her seeds and flowers (but she doesn’t know), pregnancy kink b/c why not, f2l, dom!joonie but oc is a bad bitch in her own right

soundtracks: hungover sunday, christian french + sunflower, rex orange county + flower, johnny stimson

summary: the one were oc has finally moved into a place where she can grow the garden of her dreams but she’s not able to do it all her own so she asks her good friend kim namjoon to come help her plant the sends but of course there’s a terrible storm and namjoon can’t try and catch the bus now! it’s so dark and rainy so of course oc tells namjoon to stay the night. she also insists he doesn’t sleep on the couch. they also may have had a glass of wine or two - so it’s natural that he kisses her without thinking to much of it. until he wakes up tomorrow morning, panics and runs off before oc even registers that he’s out of the bed. namjoon tries to vanish because he’s mortified that he made a move on the sweet kind florist and he’s absolutely sure he’d ruined their friendship - until he gets a text from her two days later.

you (03.40 pm) - tree man, my garden is suffering :/ come here and fix it pls

joonie (03.42 pm) - haha you sure you need me? you deal with flowers y/n 

you (03.50 pm) - and? i still owe you breakfast mr. run away man. 

you (03.50 pm) im offering free food come over

joonie (03. 51 pm) - you don’t need to do that. i’m fine y/n

you (04.02 pm) - if i promise you another kiss will u come?

namjoon runs to the bus so fast he nearly kills his lungs. suddenly getting a driver’s license doesn’t seem like bad idea.

(this fic would literally end w/ namjoon reading a book while on the back porch, gaze occasionally shifting to watch his child play in the garden he help oc plant.)