#and to experience joys with childlike wonder with her so much...

[sappho-knight]

commentary

[sehunniepotwrites]

with a little pixie dust | mk.l

It’s just a little faith and trust, and with a little pixie dust, your wildest dreams will be yours.

SYNOPSIS. There are so many ways your friend group could have chosen to celebrate your graduation from university but they chose the one way that fit their childlike antics most of all–going to Disneyland. With all the screams of joy and laughter filing the atmosphere, you see why people call it The Happiest Place on Earth. It’s where magic comes alive, hearts soar to the skies, and where dreams come true. With your dream job already lined up for you once you get back from this vacation, you wonder if your last and wildest fantasy–the one that carries Mark Lee endearingly close to your heart–will take flight. (But don’t worry; your best friends, with a little help of pixie dust, are determined to make it come alive by the end of night.)

GENRE. Fluff, Comedy, Best friends-to-lovers!AU, Theme Park!AU, Disneyland!AU, meddling/matchmaking friend group, all the romantic tropes that come with a theme park setting

WORD COUNT. 11.9k

WARNINGS. a lot of Disney references (movies, songs, parks, etc.), profanity, food/drink consumption, theme park rides, nothing too crazy tbh

PLAYLIST. 200 - Mark | Popcorn - D.O. | Dreams Come True - NCT 127 | Angel Eyes - NCT 127 | Fireflies - NCT Dream | Amusement Park - Baekhyun | Candy - Baekhyun | Sh-Boom - The Chords

PARK ANNOUNCEMENTS. I understand that not everyone has been to Disneyland. Because I want to paint the perfect picture in your head as you read through the fic, each scene will be titled with the land/area they are in and a picture of the land/area will be hyperlinked with a visual. It's unnecessary to click them but it would be a lil helpful! <3 DISCLAIMER. This is work of fiction. I do not own the people/characters and concepts I have written about. You cannot translate or copy my work.

Your graduation commencement came and went. The spectacle flew by so slowly but so quickly at the same time. You can’t exactly describe how you’re feeling now that you’ve graduated–relief is mixed in with panic, happiness mixed with dread. It’s a jumble of emotions you can’t quite comprehend but alas, that is the wonder of adulthood.

The happiest takeaway from your college experience is not the expensive degree you earned but the special friends you made. Karina was the first friend you made in college because she was your roommate. She introduced you to her high school friend, Jeno, who then dragged you two to the ginormous welcome event. It was there you met Donghyuck and last but definitely not least, Mark Lee. 

The other two boys were attractive, yes, but there was something about Mark that drew you to him. Donghyuck talked as much as him, sure, and Jeno’s attractiveness was on another level than Mark’s but that boy immediately caught your attention. Maybe it was the way he spoke and never completed a thought or the way he’d laugh so unabashedly, losing all control of his body that got to you. He was so incredibly endearing that your heart just claimed him.  Years later, when the friendship is stronger than ever, that beating muscle in your chest refuses to let Mark go. 

One morning the summer after graduation, you wake up in a hotel room with an alarm blaring at 6:00am. You roll over and groan, blindly reaching to stop the device. Karina is rustling inside the sheets next to you, hoping the noise will go away. Jeno and Donghyuck are on the other bed snoring up a storm. Mark, on the other hand, rolls uncomfortably on the pull-out couch. 

On normal days, the alarm set for six in the morning would be a sin but today is not a regular day. It is the day your group saved up for. 

The five of you, with your similar interests in movies and theme parks, wanted to go to Disneyland together for years. After graduation, you finally had the money and freedom for it. 

Your hypothetical plan finally made it out of the group chat—that is your driving force to get up. While doing so, you hit Karina’s side and she grumbles in response. The two of you agreed you’d wake up earlier since it would take you longer to get ready. The guys, however, could sleep in. 

As you quietly pass by the couch, Mark asks, “Is it time to get up already?” He must’ve heard the shuffling. There's darkness under his eyes. You can tell he didn’t sleep well last night. On top of his eyes struggling to open up, his voice sounds incredibly hoarse and filled with fatigue.

“No,” you answer, patting his messy head of brown hair. His body reacts positively to your touch, eyes closed and neck stretching to meet your touch. He releases a relaxed sigh as your fingers card through his thick strands. 

Lowering yourself to his level, you continue to play with his hair. “Sleep well last night?”

“Nah, not really, like dude, this shit really isn’t comfortable,” he complains with a deep exhale, “but I volunteered to take the couch so…”

“Move to mine,” you tell him, gesturing to the unmade bed. You hear the water running and figure that Karina jumped into the shower to help wake herself up. “Try to get a little more sleep, I’ll wake you up in a bit.”

Too tired to fight back, Mark languidly moves towards the bed. Once close enough, his body drops onto the mattress and he wiggles his way under the covers. You watch him until his breathing evens out. It didn't take long for him to fall asleep; after all, he did most of the driving on your road trip down to Southern California. Satisfied, you move to start your morning hotel routine. 

The fresh smell of coffee hits you as you do your skin care, apply your makeup, and brush your teeth. Karina’s done in the bathroom shortly after and you claim it to change into your outfit of the day. When the final touches of your look are finished, forty minutes have passed and it’s time to wake up the rest. 

You wake Jeno first because he’s the easiest and whisper that there’s fresh coffee waiting for him. Donghyuck throws a bit of a fit when you shake him awake, stuffing his face in his pillow. He gets up after a few threats from Karina, whining over how mean she is to him. 

Part of you wants to let Mark rest for a little bit longer, especially after knowing how exhausted he is. There’s the option of letting the other three go first while you wait for Mark to wake up naturally. The other half of you, however, thinks about two things: how much money you all spent getting these tickets and how you promised each other to be at Disneyland from open to close to make your splurge worth it. Being Mark’s best friend, you know how disappointed the guy would be if you stayed behind with him. So with no choice left, you wake him up.

You do so gently, your hand immediately going back to his unruly hair. You comb back his bangs and hold them in place. “Mark, it’s your turn now, everyone else is almost ready.”

As soon as he hears your voice, he stirs. Mark blinks the sleep away, and suddenly, you are the first thing he sees. With you sitting on the bed next to him and your hand still in his hair, Mark thinks he’s still dreaming. “Hmmm?”

“It’s your turn, Spidey,” you say, taking a sip of coffee. “We’re all ready.”

He buries his head in your lap for just a second, wanting to keep this little moment with him a little longer. 

“Okay,” he finally says a minute later, before slipping out of bed. 

Karina claims her rightful place next to you on your shared bed, still warm from Mark’s little nap. She shoots you a look and you ignore her knowing stare. “Don’t look at me like that.”

“Like what?” she challenges you, perfectly drawn eyebrows raised in question.

“That,” you gesture to her face.

“Oh, you mean the look I’m giving you when you share a little cute moment with your best friend who is most definitely more than a best friend, fine,  I won’t do that,” Karina pretends to give up, her hands raised in surrender.

You shush her at once, looking over to the boys that are currently fighting over the sink. Mark’s already dressed in some black cargo pants and an oversized Spider-Man shirt. He’s in the midst of styling his hair, struggling with one strand that will not stay in place. You hear his frustrated huffs and puffs while Jeno and Haechan chuckle at his antics. 

“Does my baby need help?” Donghyuck teases, reaching for Mark’s hair. 

“Yo, dude, no, stop! You’re gonna mess it up!” Mark shouts, backing away from him. “Don’t you dare touch me!”

“But you can’t do it on your own, my sweet baby, I’ll help you,” Donghyuck continues with the bit.

You remove yourself from Karina’s conversation and break the two idiots up. 

“C’mere,” you gesture towards Mark. 

He instantly comes to you, dipping his head down to your level as you lean against a piece of furniture. Your fingertips curl that one strand just the way he likes it, framing his forehead, and smile when it’s all finished. So focused on his hair, you almost don’t notice how close his face is to yours. Your breath hitches and you lean back to create more distance. 

Removing your hand from his hair, you smooth the non-existent wrinkles on his baggy tee.“There you go, not hard at all.”

“Right,” he murmurs back, body frozen in place but his large, pretty eyes still aimed at you. 

You clear your throat. “I, um, need to–”

“Oh yeah no, sorry,” he stumbles over his words, moving so you can get through. You shuffle past him, pretending to do a last minute check of your crossbody bag. His stare lingers on you as you fuss over your belongings and put on your Mickey ears.

You try to shake away your thoughts but Karina won’t let you. She slides up to you with a playful smile. “Not even eight in the morning and you’ve already had two little moments. When’s number three happening?”

“In your wildest dreams,” you snap back with a hiss, slinging your bag over your shoulder. Wanting to avoid the conversation from moving further, you open the door. “Let’s move, slowpokes, we gotta go!”

“Or yours,” Karina takes the last word as she exits the room. 

You can’t argue with your roommate because she’s right. You've been wanting to be with Mark and calling him yours since your first year. Yes, there were times in the past when it seemed like he wanted the same–moments just like the two you just shared–but nothing was explicitly said or done. Feelings were left unsaid. They lingered in the air until the romantic vibe fizzled out and the moment ended.  To love and be loved by Mark Lee is your wildest dream. It’s the one you’re sure will never come true. However, there’s a sort of magic in the air in Disneyland–a magic that will make even the impossible possible. You wonder if that bit of magic will apply to you, too.

✨ TOMORROWLAND

7:45am arrives and your friends are following you like little ducklings following their mother. Without you, they would be lost causes. 

It’s not your first time in the parks so naturally, you are the one who takes charge. You have all the tickets on your phone, scanning them one by one at the main entrance gate as your friends go through the turnstiles. They wait patiently until you are the last one through the gate. 

Karina holds your hand, giggling as you stroll through Main Street, happily taking in the sights and sounds of Disneyland. Mark, Jeno, and Donghyuck are behind you, phones out to capture anything and everything in sight. You hear them excitedly discussing the map, mentioning things that they want to do, and you mentally take note of them all. 

At exactly 8am, the ropes held by the cast members drop, signaling the official opening of the park. You quickly lead your friends towards the right of the famous castle and fight your way into Tomorrowland for Space Mountain. As one of the most popular attractions, it’s not so bad in the mornings when you’re one of the firsts in line. Jeno mentioned this ride in the past and you are determined to get him on it. 

The crowd is packed like sardines and Karina links her arm through yours as people shove their way through. Amidst the craziness, someone grabs hold of your free hand from behind. From the way his hand fits in yours, you can tell exactly who it is. Jeno’s hand is much larger than this one and it’s a lot rougher than Donghyuck. 

You turn your head to see Mark who asks you a question with a simple look. He knows you’re not too fond of crowds and is using this silent exchange as a check-up. You appreciate the gesture, much like how you appreciate every other way Mark looks out for you, and reassure him with a squeeze of his hand. You’ve frequented the park many times over the years so despite the mass of people, you know the theme park like the back of your hand. Mark returns the action and brushes his thumb against your knuckles. He doesn’t let go as the crowd dissipates into the ride queue and you don’t mind that at all.

As much as you love this dark roller coaster, you partially dread going on the ride, or any ride for that matter. The uneven number in your group guarantees that one person will be a single rider throughout the day and you are certain that will be you.  Jeno and Karina have been dating for a while now, so it makes sense that they ride together. Even with Mark’s hand still in yours, you’re certain he’ll sit with Donghyuck. When it comes to Mark, Donghyuck loves to cling to his best friend, no matter how annoyed the older one gets. It’s their thing and has been since childhood so who are you to get in the way of that? 

The wait goes by quickly, especially with the entertaining debates your friend group comes up with while queued up. It takes your group a mere thirty minutes to get to the front of the line. Once assigned your rows, you wiggle your hand out of Mark’s grip and silently move toward the last gate to make room for Donghyuck.  

“Wait, where are you going?” Mark masks his hurt with a confused tone.

“To the back,” you say like it’s the most obvious thing in the world. 

“Oh,” his tone drops and you can barely hear him through the echoing sounds of the ride. “I thought–”

“Huh?” you shout from the back row.

Seeing you in the last row, Donghyuck pauses for a second as if contemplating on where to go. “Wait. Why are you here?”

“What do you mean? Are you saying I can’t be here?”

“No. You’re supposed to be–” Your mischievous friend is cut off by the gates opening and the employees instructing you to enter and lower your lap bars. You do what they say and Donghyuck sighs before moving to sit with Mark.

You notice the frustrated look on Donghyuck’s face and an exasperated one on Mark’s but it’s too loud in the room to hear whatever serious thing they’re discussing. You try to lean in closer to catch a glimpse of their conversation but by the time the safety checks are done, you’re launched into darkness at a high speed with the ride soundtrack and Mark’s screams of terror filling your ears.

The ride ends quickly and you all rush to find your photo. Everyone in your vehicle looks like they enjoyed the ride minus Mark, who hid his handsome face in Donghyuck’s arm. The green-eyed monster makes a short appearance in your mind and you wonder how it would’ve been if you stayed with Mark. Would he cling onto you like that too, with his arm looped through yours and his face buried in your neck?

“Why didn’t you tell me this was a roller coaster?” Mark whines as you take a picture of the screen. You immediately send it to your group chat and Giselle, the one person missing on this trip, reacts to it right away.

“Because I knew you’d try to get out of it, you scaredy cat.” 

“Rude,” he scoffs, clinging onto you as you lead them to a breakfast spot. 

“Spidey, it’s really not that bad.”

“Yeah, says the thrill seeker,” Mark pouts at you, which makes you pinch his cheek. It’s not as soft as it used to be, his baby fat from your first year long gone. It’s replaced by the prominent bone structure that only highlights the features that you secretly want to kiss. “Warn a guy next time.”

“Okay, okay but you still did it! I’m proud of you!”

“Yeah but…” His voice trails off.

“But?” You echo, wondering what Mark wants to say.

He looks shyly at you, a faint redness painting his skin, “Can you sit by me next time?” He asks because you make him feel brave even when he isn’t. 

Mark’s timid request has you grinning from ear to ear and your heart beating faster than any roller coaster you’ve been on. Your best friend is expecting an answer, you can tell by his teeth sinking into his thin bottom lip and brown boba eyes widening with each second. 

“I mean, you know, like, sitting with Hyuck is cool,” Mark stutters when you don’t answer, trying to explain himself, “but I’d–well, I thought you were gonna sit next to me?” His voice raises at the end due to nervousness and you can’t help but giggle. 

“You mean, you were gonna leave poor Hyuck all alone?” you poke fun at him.

Mark deadpans, “He’d survive on his own.”

“I mean, I’ve been here before and it’s everyone else’s first time. I’m okay riding by myself,” you push back with a frown, trying to convince Mark and yourself for that matter, “I just want to make sure everyone is having a good time.”

“I get that but–”

“We’re here!” you cut him off, stopping in front of a quick-service restaurant. You gesture to the door and the others go inside. 

Donghyuck, Jeno, and Karina make their way in. You move to follow them but Mark stops you with a hand to your wrist. He hesitates, his mouth opening and closing, and you patiently wait for what he needs to express. The boy lets out a long exhale. 

“Look, what I’m trying to say is that riding with Hyuck is fun and all but I…” He pauses again. Mark has this habit of not finishing a full thought and you think this is one of those times. Despite that, you listen attentively. “I want you to be my ride partner today, okay?”

And again, your heart shoots to the moon. Its fuel is the adrenaline that runs through your veins as you process his words. A hint of a smile begins to peak out as Mark fuses in front of you.

“I mean, like, I’ve been to theme parks with Hyuck since we were kids, I’m not missing much with that and I just–I kinda–you know–want to experience things with you today.”

The way he confesses this, like every other thing Mark does, is adorable. You hope your forgetful brain will store this memory along with the rest of your core ones. He’s about to go off on another rant, you can tell by the small puffs of breath he takes and the redness that’s flushing his ears, so you end it before it starts. 

You cup a hand over his cheek to stop him from going even further and your fingers sense his rapidly beating pulse. “Okay,” you reply softly. 

That one word alone has Mark’s expression changing from an unsure one to the brightest face you’ve seen him make all morning. He rivals the sparkles on top of the castle and the bright sun that’s shining over you. 

“Really?” He perks up.

“Yeah,” you giggle at his change in mood, “now let’s get some food in you, Spidey boy.”

✨ THE CASTLE

“Get out, Hyuck! Why are you like this?” Karina yells from her spot beside Jeno, clearly frustrated with your friend. 

Karina and Jeno stand at the side of the castle, far enough from the crowds but close enough to still get their picture with the iconic landmark. Donghyuck is just out of frame, ready to jump in to ruin whatever adorable shot the couple is trying to take. It doesn’t really matter since you’re continuously snapping away on Karina’s phone. Knowing those two, more than one picture will turn out beautiful. Looking at them, how could they not?

“Because you’re taking too damn long and I want pictures too!”

“You already got yours!” Completely used to their bickering, you shake your head behind the camera.

She’s right. You’ve already taken everyone’s solo pictures at this picturesque spot–Karina taking the longest–and now there were requests for group or partner shots. Jeno, being the perfect Instagram boyfriend, helped take the shots of you and your girl best friend with no pointers needed. You thought you were almost done with this photoshoot but you guessed wrong.

“Not with Mark though!” Donghyuck shouts back, pulling Mark to his side.

“Yo, wait, what?” Mark squeaks.

“You got good enough shots, so move!” Donghyuck has no shame when shoving the resident couple away and dragging Mark to the exact place they stood. You shoot Karina an apologetic look, handing her phone back, right before you grab hold of Donghyuck’s device.

The younger of the duo, as affectionate as he is, has no problem hugging Mark tightly for a picture. Mark sighs but goes with it without much of a fight. You take pictures of Donghyuck hugging Mark from behind, clinging onto the older’s arm, forcing him into making a heart and standing back-to-back. As this goes on for several minutes, you endlessly snap pictures, not even looking at the screen anymore. While doing so, you miss the hushed conversation that happens at the other end of the camera. 

“Why am I doing this with you?” Mark hisses in between a grin. His arm around Donghyuck tightens and the younger one almost chokes at the sudden attack. “Are we done yet?”

“Why? Is there someone else you want to take pictures with?”

“Shut up.”

“I will not,” Donghyuck whispers under his breath, wiggling out of Mark’s grip. His volume raises as he announces, “Mark, catch me!” With that, the mischievous kid jumps onto Mark’s back and the elder of the duo has no choice but to do what he says.

Mark groans, “Why are you so annoying?”

“I will continue to be annoying until you man up,” Donghyuck nuzzles his forehead into Mark’s hair with a smirk. “I could keep this going or–”

With that, Mark lets go of his friend’s thighs and Donghyuck slides down with a helpless yelp. The boy is dramatic while dropping to the ground but Mark pays little attention to the action. Instead, he smiles shyly at you.

You raise an eyebrow at the duo’s suspicious actions. “Are you guys good or can we move on now?”

“I–um, actually–” He’s stuttering over his words more than usual, a red tainting his normal skin tone. You know he’s embarrassed but you can’t figure out what’s making him feel this way. The chaotic duo is up to their usual antics of Donghyuck being irritatingly touchy and Mark slowly losing his patience with it all so there’s no visible variable in your eyes. So, what’s the difference in this situation?

“What’s up?” When he doesn’t answer right away, you take that as a sign to keep moving. You turn your body away from him, adjust the straps of your bag to feel more comfortable, and get ready to move on. The park app on your phone is open to all the current wait times and you note that Fantasyland has low numbers, determining the most logical choice for your next destination. 

You open your mouth, preparing to spill out your plan to explore Fantasyland when Mark’s feeble voice breaks the silence. 

You don’t quite hear him the first time, leaning towards him in hopes that will help you focus on his voice alone. The excitement around the area only increases when the park marching band makes their way to the center of the castle for their afternoon set. Mark huffs in frustration when you fail to hear him for the second time. 

But as they say, the third time’s always the charm.

“Take a picture with me!” he yells when the band goes silent. The flush on his face increases tenfold and you almost coo at how flustered he is. His eyes were wide, almost begging for you to grant his request. His ears match the color of his Spider-Man plush hanging on the belt loop of his bottoms. 

Wanting to tease him a little more, you say, “We already took a group picture, Marky.”

You hold back your laugh when his hand goes back to fumble with his hair. He muses it, the strands now messy, making him look even more endearing than ever. 

“Yeah but–you know what I mean,” Mark’s voice drops at the end, his lips forming a pout. How desperately you want to peck his cheeks but you refrained, still scared of crossing that line. His brows furrowed. “You know what, never mind, dude, let’s go.”

Just as he began to walk away, you tugged him back into place. “I know what you meant, Spidey, I just wanted to mess with you.”

“You’re so mean to me,” he sulks and your fingers reach out to pinch his cheeks. It’s not quite a kiss but it’s close enough. 

You run your fingers through his messy hair, quickly fixing it and Mark just lets you, enjoying the little touches you are so willing to give.

“Hyuckie, can you please?” Donghyuck knows exactly what you’re asking of him, taking the phone out of your hands. He sets your phone to 0.5, bends down to get a better angle, and begins to snap away. All the while, you and Mark are a bit awkwardly standing side-by-side for the pictures. Your bodies are stiff--his hand is barely around your waist while his other hand is holding up a peace sign. You copy his pose, your fingers automatically making a V. 

“You guys,” Donghyuck sighs, grabbing the attention of Karina and Jeno, “at least act like you’re having fun with these pics. We’re at fucking Disneyland right now.” 

Karina laughs at how hopeless the two of you are. She takes pity on you and jumps in to give directions on how to improve your poses. “Mark, if you can just tighten your grip around her waist–”

Mark gulps, his nerves at an all-time high. Your best friend underestimates his own strength as he does what he is told. It happens a little too abruptly and you’re suddenly lurching into his body. Your head lightly hits his chest and you place a hand on the spot to create a little distance. He immediately fusses over you, looking down to check if you’re okay and it turns you into a giggling mess. 

“I’m fine, it’s fine,” you reassure Mark with a bright smile on your face.

Once he notices that you are nothing but smiles, the curve of Mark’s pretty mouth matches yours. It brightens his handsome face so much that it matches the glitter found at the castle tops. You take a mental picture of the face he makes, eyes and nose scrunched up with happiness, and the golden glow of the summer sun illuminating his beaming aura. 

Mark shakes his head and chuckles, pulling you into a hug. You sink into his hold, your chin perching on his shoulder. 

In your mind, Mark Lee is your (awkward) Prince Charming. While you stand together by the castle, you cherish every second he makes you feel like royalty.  He rocks you for a couple of seconds, swaying to the song playing in his head, and then pulls away. His stare, however, never leaves yours. You don’t dare break the connection. Your eyes curve up into little crescent moons and your hands drift back down to his chest. You feel the slight heaving from his laughter and it makes you giggle even more. 

“Stop laughing at me,” he says with a smile.

“Never,” you reply, sticking your tongue out at him.

The two of you are so caught up in your little moment, that you forget that your friends have phones in their hands, documenting everything that just occurred. 

“Oh, that one’s cute,” Karina says, snapping the two out of your shared reverie. Jeno and Donhyuck’s heads peak over her shoulders to look at the picture she’s talking about and they hum in reply. Then, she lifts up the phone to your eye level. You and Mark lean forward to take a closer look but the boy refuses to let go of you as you scroll through the selection.

Your finger swipes through what feels like thousands of photos before landing on one that catches your eye. In the photo, you’re so consumed in your laughter, lids closed happily and your dazzling smile half-covered by your hand. Mark holds you in his arms, fondly looking at you with sparkling eyes.

You stare at it a little too long, taking in the way he looks at you. You steal a glance at him and he’s wearing that same soft smile as he scans the photo. It made you wonder if your best friend always looked at you that way. You wonder if this was your first time making note of it. 

You pull yourself out of it, knowing that if you ruminate on it anymore, you'll sink into a deep neverending ocean. Your finger taps the bottom of the screen and the heart fills up, adding the picture to your favorite album. You just know this is a picture that had to be included in your photo dump.

“I like this one,” you muster out, fighting the urge to make eye contact with him.

You feel a squeeze around your waist, one that lingers for a moment, and hear him whisper, “I like this one too.”

Mark says it with certainty and with a hint of longing like there’s a deeper meaning behind his words. 

There is, of course, a message buried in his words. Mark likes how it’s just the two of you in the picture. He likes how it encapsulates how happy the two of you are in each other’s company. He likes it because it shows how in love with you he is. Mark especially likes it because it has you in it.

Mark Lee likes–no, loves–anything with you in it.

Mark loves you. 

Point blank.

Mark loves you.

And Mark hopes that by the end of the night in this magical place, where anything can happen, he can gather enough faith and trust in himself to tell you how he truly feels.

✨ FANTASYLAND

While strolling through Fantasyland, where all things fairy tales come to life, you make a pit stop at a store filled with costumes for princes and princesses. Your friends were amazed to see that deeper into the store, there was a salon that catered especially to children. All the kids sitting in the salon chairs were beaming with excitement as they got their hair and makeup done while dressed up as their favorite characters.

Karina coos as a little princess dressed as Rapunzel passed by her. She ran her fingers through the skirt ends of the costumes, admiring all the different dresses, while the boys immediately reached for the plastic weapons and shields. You hear their dramatic noises as Donghyuck stabs Jeno with a sword. Mark’s familiar laughter bounces off the walls as the fight continues, his hand shakily recording the ridiculous exchange.

“What is this place?” Karina asks curiously, turning to you for an answer. You knew she would love this place–the girl, although people perceived her as a tough girl, loved anything that had to do with princesses. 

There’s a sparkle in her eye, which only brightens when she approaches the section belonging to her favorite princess. Karina grabs hold of a pretty character headband, removing the one that’s on her head and tries on the new one. She spins to face you, silently asking if it looks good on her, and you nod enthusiastically, giving her a thumbs up. 

“Welcome to the Bippity Boppity Boutique,” you reply happily. Pointing to the cast members working on their guests, you continued, “They’re called Fairy Godmothers in Training. They help the kiddos with their makeovers.”

“Have you done it before?” Mark pops up out of nowhere, a little out of breath from the play fighting he did with the other two. He must’ve joined in the little spar after taking some pictures.

“Yeah, when I was little. I was Cinderella,” you laugh, remembering how pleased you were to be in the chair. You remind yourself to look for those photos; it’s been a while since you’ve seen them. “Can’t do it now as an adult though. Sorry, Rina.”

“Then why’d you bring me here?” She pouts at that, “To torture me? That’s mean. There goes my dream of being a princess.”

Mark bites back a chuckle at her bitter response and Karina has no trouble slapping his shoulder to shut him up. You choose to ignore the childish exchange.

“Well,” you start to say, inching towards the counter where a cast member eyes you curiously. “We can’t get full makeovers but we can get pixie dusted.”

“Pixie dusted?” Mark echoes, tilting his head in confusion. Your fingers twitch and you fight the urge to pet his head.

“The fairy godmothers have wands with them and they basically sprinkle glitter on top of your head while you make a wish. It’s really cute!”

The light in Karina’s eyes glows even brighter than before. “Really? Oh my god, can I do it?!” she asks, bouncing on the heels of her feet. 

“I knew you’d like it,” you giggle.

“Babe!” She calls Jeno over. 

His head pops up over a display, resembling a puppy hopping out of a hole they just dug. “Yeah?”

“Get pixie dusted with me,” Karina requests, reaching out for him with her wiggling fingers. 

Jeno quickly sets down the toys he was playing with, leaving a whining Donghyuck behind, and follows his girlfriend’s lead blindly. 

You and Mark watch them silently, both with smiles on your faces, as the couple holds hands and closes their eyes. The worker mumbles a little spiel as she taps her wand, the glitter raining down on their heads. Your camera is at the ready, finger holding down on the burst button for this special moment, capturing Karina’s tiny squeals and Jeno’s chuckles as the pixie dust settles in their hair and on their skin. 

“Anyone else?” The Fairy Godmother in Training asks politely, looking at you expectantly.

Mark nudges your side. “You gonna do it?”

“Of course. I’ll never pass up getting pixie dusted,” you say matter-of-factly, stepping forward.

“I want to do it, too,” Mark proclaims, stepping with you.

You laugh and warn him, “You wanna deal with glitter in your hair? It’s going to stay there for days.”

He shrugs, “They grant wishes, right? Maybe I need mine to come true.”

“Oh, yeah? And what wish is that, Spidey?”

He holds a slender figure to his lips. “If I tell you, then it definitely won’t come true. And I need all the help I can get with this one.”

You eye him suspiciously and when he doesn’t give it up, you sigh in defeat. Preparing yourself for the glitter, you bow your head down and close your eyes with your fingers linked together in the tightest hold. Your best friend nudges his forehead against yours and you let out a surprised giggle.

Just like Mark said he needs all the help he can get. He isn’t wishing for any regular thing. He wishes for something more precious than that–your heart. 

Sure, this is most likely playing make-believe but Mark Lee wants to believe in it. Maybe this is the little bit of magic he needs. Some might say he’s too old for this sort of thing but he wants to believe in fairy godmothers. He wants to believe in the shiny powder that they call pixie dust. He wants to believe in the magic that you do.

So when the glitter pours down on him, Mark shuts his eyes tightly and grips your hands with all his might. 

Mark wishes for your wish to come true,

Mark wishes for your happiness.

But most of all, Mark wishes to be yours.

Your next stop is quite the staple in the park and it’s a must-do on your list. Luckily, they all agree with you and suddenly, you are in line for the iconic teacups. For the summer, the wait isn’t too long–a mere fifteen minutes before it’s your group’s loading time. Before getting on the ride, the five of you decide to break into two groups instead of all squeezing into one tiny spice.

In their excitement, Karina and Donghyuck rush to claim a vehicle. Donghyuck lightly shoves Karina’s side when he realizes they are both aiming for the same cup, causing her to lose her balance. She groans once he hops into the pink teacup with hearts decorating the sides and scurries to grab another pink cup. 

“Why are you two like this?” You shout after them, shaking your head.

“When are we not like this?” Hyuck shouts back, his arms already spread across the rim of the cup. He calls you to join him and you do, closely followed by Mark.

Once you are seated and the door to the vehicle is closed, Donghyuck’s expression changes. “We need to spin this baby as fast as we can and we need to last longer than”–he sends a playful glare towards Jeno, whose hands are already resting on the wheel–“them.”

“Oh god, not this shit again,” you roll your eyes. 

The boys have an ongoing competition when it comes to spinning rides like these. Whoever spins for the longest period wins; the losers have to treat the winners to a prize of their choice. In the past, it’s been food, plushies, and anything else you can think of. 

“Can we just be normal for once?” 

“Bubs,” Mark laughs, “when are we ever normal?”

“Touche.”

Donghyuck dramatically drops his hands on the wheel, “Are you ready?”

There’s really no point in this competition. Although Jeno has a stronger build than you, Mark, or Donghyuck, there are only two of them in their cup as opposed to the three of you. There’s a clear winner. Despite that, you copy your mischievous friend’s actions,  a smile breaking through your unamused facade. “Alright, Hyuck.”

The spiel is blasted over the speakers, the music begins, and off you all go. Laughter surrounds you as the ride begins to spin. Your hands speedily make work and giggles spill out of your mouth when your hands pile on top of Donghyuck. Your friend matches your enthusiasm, his face crinkled in concentration as he turns the wheel, his whole body moving along with the teacup. You steal a glance at Jeno and Karina; seeing them only fueled your competitiveness and motivation to win this useless contest.

Mark, on the other hand, did not add to the spinning. He just watches his best friends, phone in hand. The device captures the most candid moments of you—smile wide enough to hear your laughter through the screen, hair flying in the wind, hands either gripping the wheel or Donghyuck when the cup goes a little too fast. 

Mark snaps a picture of you and Donghyuck cackling, bodies thrown over each other in the height of their fun. Even when your gorgeous smile is aimed at his best friend and not him, jealousy isn’t coursing through his veins. A warm feeling does instead—Mark just loves to see you happy.

He captures one last picture of you, your bright grin shining at him, and your hand reaching towards his camera. If someone were to play that Live Photo back, they would hear the giggles living in your voice as you call Mark’s name to join in on the fun.

This picture is the one he saves in his favorites folder and of course, in his heart.

✨ AVENGERS CAMPUS

“You’re nervous, aren’t you?” you ask Mark although the answer is obvious. Ever since you got in line, the boy beside you fidgeted with anything and everything possible. When he wasn’t playing with the keychains on your bag, he messed with the drawstrings of his cargo pants. He had a hard time staying still.

“No one asked you, Bubs," Mark hisses. His voice softens a moment later when he apologizes for snapping. The fussiness he exhibits is adorable in all kinds of ways and you fight the urge to mess with his hair in the meantime. You know it would only make him feel worse.

“It’s okay to be nervous, you know,” you reassure him as the people in front of you step forward. “It’s not every day you meet your childhood hero.”

“Isn’t this–I don’t know–a bit childish of me to feel like this? I mean, it’s just a guy in a suit.” 

“Hey,” you say, hating the way your best friend tried to bring himself down, “we’re here to let our inner child out. If you’re nervous or excited or whatever you’re feeling, just feel it.”

Mark sighs as the line moves again. “Right. You’re right.”

You laugh, ruffling his hair, “Aren’t I always?”

The boy groans, fingers immediately rising to fix his fringe. “Don’t mess it up, dude, it’s almost my turn.”

A soft giggle escapes your lips instead of an apology. You’re so fond of him. “You’re too cute.”

His cheeks flush with a bright red which only increases his cuteness factor. Mark, flustered as ever, opens his mouth to ask what you mean by that. His sentence is interrupted by the character attendant calling for the next person in line. Your best friend’s nerves are at an all-time high at this point and he looks to you for support.

You shake your head negatively and gesture to the phone in your hand. “This is all you, I have to take your pics!”

Mark sticks his tongue at you in retaliation before taking a deep breath. He approaches the awaiting figure with a cautiousness you’ve never seen from him. But with all due respect, Spider-Man is standing right there in front of him. If your favorite comic book and superhero character of all time stood in front of you, you’d probably react the same way. 

“H-hey,” Mark stutters out. You stifle a laugh as you snap the first picture of Mark and Spider-Man shaking hands.

“Hey, man, what’s your name?” Spider-Man greets enthusiastically. He gestures to Mark’s Spider-Man shirt, “Love the shirt.”

“It’s Mark,” he manages to say, “I’m a big fan. We just went on your ride and it was so cool.” Mark gestures to the building behind them, which housed the ride. It was an interactive ride that tasked the riders to help Spider-Man save the Avengers-themed area by shooting webs with motion-tracking technology. “My arm’s kinda tired though, I don’t think I could shoot webs like you.”

His rambling comment makes Spider-Man chuckle, his voice muffled through the red mask. “Yeah, I guess slinging webs isn’t for everyone. But hey, maybe if you train more, and go on the ride a few more times, you’ll be just as good as I am. We’re always looking to recruit new members to the team. You look like you’d be a great addition.”

Mark’s eyes glow with delight as the actor continues to shower him with compliments. “Yo, wait, that’d be so cool!”

“Should I show you some poses to start off with?” Spider-Man excitedly suggests. Mark easily complies and happily follows all the instructions the superhero gives him. While doing so, they stare right into your camera and you snap several photos of each pose. 

The joy radiating off of Mark’s face is enough to make your heart soar to a new height. The merriment he and your other friends exhibit as they make their way through the park is why you keep coming back. Disneyland brings everyone’s happiest self out and you will never grow tired of seeing people’s youthfulness shine through. 

“Got ‘em!” you shout from your place, giving the duo a thumbs up. 

You laugh as both of them return the thumbs up with a lightning-quick speed. Many people pointed out Mark’s speedy reactions, calling them his Spidey senses. Seeing Mark stand tall right next to Spider-Man himself, reacting the same way the character does, makes the term all the more fitting for your friend.

“Hey, you wanna jump in with us for a picture, too?” Spider-Man calls out to you. 

“Oh!” you exclaim, not expecting that at all. Your sole goal was to take Mark’s picture with his hero.  The thought of you joining in for a picture didn’t even cross your mind. “Sure, why not?” you grin, quickly handing the phone to the attendant on standby.

You swiftly shuffle into position, copying Spider-Man’s iconic pose, as the cast member takes a couple of shots on your phone. They prompt you to pose for the professional camera they have on hand as well and the three of you switch up your poses. The wide smile on your face is identical to Mark’s as the flash goes off. A feeling higher than contentment floods your entire being. You’re happy, incredibly so, to be in this moment with Mark and his hero.

You’re happy.

You see Mark dive right into another rambling burst with the prettiest little sparkle in his eye and you’re in love.

You’re happy and in love with Mark. 

Standing by for just a second, you see Spider-Man turn to you and nod his head in acknowledgment. Wordlessly, you open your arms to ask for a hug and the character accepts. “Thank you for making my Spidey’s day,” you whisper as Spider-Man squishes you to his side. “It means a lot to us.”

The actor catches onto the nickname and comments, “He’s your hero, huh?”

“I’m pretty sure he’s my everything,” you confess under your breath and your face immediately heats up upon realizing what you said to a complete stranger.

“Your secret’s safe with me.” 

The moment passes so quickly, that Mark doesn’t even grasp that two of his favorite people held their own side conversation. You give Spider-Man one last wave, retreat back to the attendant who hands you your phone, and stand off to the side to swipe through the pictures. Mark stops his little rant to watch you with a slight tilt of his mouth.

“She’s a good one,” Spider-Man brings Mark out of his thoughts, “We could use a recruit like her too.”

“She’s really special,” Mark lets out a fond laugh as you happily show your friends the pictures you’ve captured. “She’s my MJ, man.”

The character beside him laughs, not out of ridicule, but because of the similarities the two of you share. “Does she know that?” 

“Nah,” Mark’s hair ruffles with the breeze as he shakes his head. “Not yet.”

“Better let her know soon then,” he pats Mark on the back, gently pushing him in your direction. “And don’t let her go once you have her,” his hero adds as an afterthought. 

Mark turns back to give Spider-Man one last smile, “Don’t worry, I won’t.”

Mark Lee doesn’t have you in the way that he wants to, at least not yet, but once he does, there is no way he is letting you out of his sight. He may be the one who carries the heroic nickname but you are the one who has caught him in your web of love. Wherever you go, you have his whole heart. 

You are his whole heart. 

How can Mark Lee ever live without his whole heart?

✨ CARSLAND / SH-BOOM

“Hurry up, hurry up!” you call to your exhausted friends, who drag their feet behind you. 

“But we’re tired,” Karina whines as her steps grow heavier. She’s stolen her boyfriend’s hat to beat the heat but has little luck doing so. Jeno, noting this, turns his portable fan to face her. She wearily smiles at him, squeezing the hand conjoined with hers to thank him.

Donghyuck echoes Karina’s sentiments but you ignore their complaints altogether.

There’s no time to slow down, you think, as you make note of the time. The sun is about to set and your group still hasn’t reached the spot you want–no, need–to be in. You understand their exhaustion because you feel the same way but deep down, you know the hustling will be worth their while. 

“You guys, just do what she says,” Mark comes to your defense, giving you a reassuring glance, “I mean, she hasn’t let us down this whole day. I’m sure whatever she’s rushing us for will be worth it.”

You weave and bob through the crowds with ease and your friends fall in line behind you. You pass through the entrance of Avengers Campus and lead them straight into Carsland. A mass of people are gathered at the entrance of the land and you cringe at how packed it is. But upon hearing Donghyuck gasp with excitement, you grin and bear it. In the past, your friend mentioned that Cars was one of his favorite childhood movies. Since you’ve found that out, you’ve gifted him a Lightning McQueen present every year for his birthday.

“Holy shit, bro, I’m in Radiator Springs,” Donghyuck clutches your arm, “This is the best thing ever.”

“Oh, believe me, Hyuckie, it gets even better,” you say, pulling your friend along with you. You giggle at his reactions to every little detail you point out–how everything is built to scale, that all visitors are meant to be cars, how every third blink of the traffic light is slower just like the movie–and his brown eyes widen in childlike wonder.

Once again, Mark stands back as you take care of Donghyuck. He appreciates all the thought you put into this trip–making sure you know everyone’s specific interests and adjusting the day’s itinerary to meet everyone’s wishes. Jeno wanted to get on every thrill ride possible, so you purchased the Lightning Lane express passes to guarantee he had a good time. Karina wanted to feel like a princess, so you took her to the Boutique to get pixie dusted and scheduled time in the Fantasyland area to take as many pictures as she wanted. You spent a bit of time in Avengers Campus so Mark could get the entire Spider-Man experience. And now, you’re expertly guiding Donghyuck through Radiator Springs, equally excited as your friend who’s experiencing everything for the first time.

When everyone else voiced how worn out they were throughout the long summer day, you kept the spirits up and took care of each and every one of them. You may have not outwardly mentioned how spent you were but Mark caught onto the signs. While you were busy tending to each person's wants and needs, Mark found himself taking care of you. You’ve done so much for the group, he wonders what exactly he could do in return.

“Alright, stop right here,” you stop in the middle of the land, granting the group the perfect view of the land, “and face this way.” 

“Why are we stopping? Isn’t the ride right there?” Donghyuck points to the end of the area. “I thought we were heading there.”

“Yeah,” you reply, “there’s something we gotta do first.”

“What’s everyone standing around for?” Jeno asks, hugging Karina from behind. 

The others take a look around to see that a large crowd has formed in this area of the park, all facing the same way. Everyone is eagerly waiting for the same thing you are, their phones propped up in the air. You take another peek at your weather app and it deems it around one minute before sunset. Perfect. 

“Well, my good sir, you are about to find out,” you answer cryptically.

You squeeze Donghyuck’s hand. “You ready, Hyuck?”

“For wha–” His sentence is cut off by the area loop music increasing in volume. Everyone around you cheers as Sh-Boom by The Chords starts to blast through the speakers. “Oh my god.”

The rest of Donghyuck’s sentence is trapped between his teeth as the neon lights, starting from the furthest point of the area, begin to light up. It’s an exact replica of the movie, the lights flickering on with the beat of the old-time music. The bright lights resemble your friends’ expressions, the giddiness of experiencing this iconic moment apparent on their faces. Donghyuck is practically glowing with childlike wonder, bouncing on the balls of his feet. You snap a photo of him as he continues to take it in. Jeno sways Karina back and forth, his arms wrapped around his girlfriend’s waist and chin resting on her shoulder as she records the whole thing.

Smiling, you turn to look at Mark whose eyes are solely trained on you. His phone is in hand, aimed in your direction, and you assume he took a picture of the lit-up signs behind you. “Isn’t it so pretty?” you ask, hands gesturing to the entire area.

Mark’s gaze doesn’t falter, doesn’t leave you when he answers, “It’s the prettiest.”

A heat spreads to all parts of your face and body at his flirtatious response. You turn away from him, too embarrassed to meet his soft stare. “It’s one of my favorite times of the day. My family always came here at sunset just to watch it. It’s fun watching everyone’s reactions and seeing people dance to the music, like them”–you point to a dancing couple, the man spinning his partner and the woman laughing gleefully–“I dunno, it just makes me happy.”

“I can see why,” Mark chuckles.

Your gaze lingers on the duo and Mark spots a look of longing in your eyes. Your best friend sees a chance, one as clear as day, and with all the bravado he can muster, Mark takes it. He tugs you towards him and you gasp at the sudden movement.

“What?” you whisper.

Mark sticks out a hand for you to take and bashfully says, “Dance with me.”

“What?” you repeat in shock, eyes dropping from his face to his outstretched hand.

“You heard what I said,” your best friend chuckles, “Dance with me.”

Instead of waiting for a response from you, Mark takes your palm in his and gently places his other hand around your waist. Your breath catches in your throat, anxious eyes meeting his own, and the boy shoots you a reassuring smile. He takes the lead, guiding you through a few swing steps as you dance on the street. You’re a little unfocused through it all, your mind wandering from the warmth of his touch to his unfaltering look. 

“Have you always known how to swing?” you ask as he leads you into a spin.

Mark dances with an ease you don’t expect from his clumsy self. You’re used to his harder, sharper style of dancing he exhibits when you all go out dancing–the lighter style catching you completely off-guard. It makes you fall for your best friend a little more than you already have.

He nods as he catches you in his arms before turning you around again. “Yeah, I learned from watching my parents dance. I only really danced with my mom, though. I guess I was just–” Mark coughs, shaking his head.

“Just what?” You egg him on, wanting to hear what your crush has to say.

“No, never mind, it’s nothing.”

“Doesn’t sound like nothing to me,” you quip.

“Nah, it’s stupid,” Mark tries to dismiss it, distracting you with another spin.

With him being the perfect leader, your sneaker-clad feet move in time with him, following wherever he goes. “Nothing you say is going to be stupid,” you add, squeezing his palm.

You know you’ve won the argument when Mark sighs. He’s so close to you now, you can feel his breath hit your face. There’s a hint of fresh spearmint, coming from the gum you offered him earlier. Any closer and your lips can press right into his, completing the romantic moment that you could only dream about. 

Mark gulps nervously as you look up at him with confusion. The words come tumbling out before he can stop himself from making a fool, “I guess I was just waiting for the right partner.”

There’s more to Mark’s sweet reply than meets the eye. Once again, you burn up at the implications. You shouldn’t assume the meaning behind your crush’s words but something about the way he said it makes you believe that you are the partner he is waiting for. To be deemed worth waiting for is a girl’s deepest fantasy and your heart swells in your chest at the thought of it all.

Despite the rapid thoughts running through your head, the only thing you can spit out is a quiet, “Oh.” 

Mark renders you speechless at the favorite part of the day and in your favorite place in the entire world; he pockets this as a big win. With his warm hand resting at your waist and the other clutching your calm, Mark leads you into a flurry of sequential moves. Never once does he bump into another person in the crowd, he navigates through the small space you’re granted so gracefully. Dancing with him brings you to such a natural high, you feel lighter than air. 

The laughter that spills from your lips fills his heart with joy and as the song reaches its end, the arm at your waist tightens enough to usher you into a dip. As your torso lowers, his body follows your own. He keeps you in this position, his pretty brown eyes glued onto your shaking pupils. He’s so near, that your sight triangulates from his eyes down to his grinning lips. You notice the pink that tickles his skin, from his squishy cheeks to his pierced ears.

As Mark pulls you back up, you circle your arms around his neck and give him the biggest hug in existence. You whisper a light and heartfelt, “thank you,” in his ears and Mark responds by pulling you closer.

While the song that played through the speakers announced, “Life could be a dream,” Mark Lee deems that his life already is. To him, his life is a dream and that’s because you’re in it. 

✨ FIREWORKS

The sun has set and your entire group is tired but the day’s not quite over yet. The five of you are amongst the throng of people seated on the asphalt, bodies splayed in all sorts of configurations. Karina and Jeno are in front of you, whispering happily as they go through all of their pictures together. Donghyuck has no problem taking a nap on the floor, using some plastic bags as his makeshift mattress and Karina’s new plushie as a pillow. Mark, on the other hand, is seated on your right and silently playing a game on his phone. 

The extent of your tiredness didn’t hit until you sat on the floor, a groan leaving your mouth as you fought to find a comfortable position. The ground really isn’t the best place to sit but you have to camp out for the best view of the castle and the fireworks. You find yourself hugging your legs and resting your face on your knees to keep yourself warm. The weather is a lot cooler than it was earlier in the day and the slight breeze has you shivering. 

“You okay?” Mark asks, still looking at his phone.

“What makes you think I’m not?”

“You keep moving around like you’re uncomfortable or something,” Mark pauses his game and notices the goosebumps on your skin, “Bubs, are you cold?”

“Yeah, just a little bit but I’ll deal with it.” You leave out the fact that you’re tempted to buy a sweater from a gift shop, just as you do every single time you get cold in the parks. It’s an expensive tradition you need to break. Plus, there’s no more room in your closet for more cozy crewneck sweaters. 

Another quiver runs through your body as the winds blow through the area. Mark frowns as you tighten the grip around your legs. He immediately shrugs off the zip-up he wore, draping it around your curled-up shoulders. The warmth of the fabric combined with the smell of his cologne hits you all at once. 

“Mark, I told you I’m okay,” you pout at him as he gets up from his spot. He stops you from taking it off, his palms firm on your back. “You’re gonna get cold.”

He disagrees, pulling the hood over your head. “Nah, I run hot anyway. I don’t want you to get sick or anything so just leave it on, okay?”

“But–”

“For me?” Mark pushes. He smiles when you pout even further, knowing there’s no way you can beat him in this conversation. “That’s my girl,” he adds, a hand coming to cup the back of your neck. A sudden urge comes over him and before he even places what he's doing, Mark plants a tiny kiss on the top of your head. You feel the slight pressure of his lips between the fabric and your head is reeling the second he pulls back.

“I’ll be right back,” Mark whispers before setting off into the crowd.

You’re frozen in place, the ability to respond nonexistent in your mind. You simply watch as he fades away and then, the shyest smile breaks through. There are no clouds left in the sky but you’re officially on Cloud 9, your heart beating rapidly in your chest, and your face buried into the sleeve ends of his jacket.  

True to his word, your best friend returns fifteen minutes later with a plastic bag in one hand and a hot drink in the other. Mark pulls out the coziest Disney-themes blanket you have ever seen, folds it in half, and then places it onto the floor. He motions for you to sit on it and you smile even wider. “Better?” he asks as you settle crisscross on the soft fabric. 

A relieved sigh slips past your lips as the soft material rubs against your skin. “So much better.”

Mark plops himself right beside you. His bare arm presses against yours in an attempt to fit on the blanket. There’s lots of space left but you don’t mind, snuggling right up to his side. He chuckles at your action, draping his arm around your hoodie-clad shoulders to pull you closer. “Got you a hot chocolate too, passed by the cafe across from the gift shop,” your crush gently places the drink in your hands.

“You really didn’t have to,” you mutter, hiding your smile behind the drink.

“Wanted to.” 

“Thanks,” you reply in between your tiny sips.

“Anything for you, Bubs.”

With his arm around you and your body cozied up to his side, the time passes quickly. You’re in your own world, your quiet conversations drowned out by the chatter of the large crowd surrounding the castle area. The cocoa is passed back and forth between his hand and yours, an indirect kiss shared each either of you takes a sip. You laugh over things that happened throughout the day, from Mark’s burnt tongue to all the hideous ride pictures your friends took while wholeheartedly enjoying themselves. 

When Mark takes a big sip, you crack an unexpected joke that leaves him choking on the drink. Your roaring laughter attracts the attention of the others around you but you are so into Mark, you don’t even notice.  He’s a sputtering mess, with the hot drink all over his cheeks and hands. You help him through it, one hand patting his back and the other reaching up to wipe away the liquid with his sleeve. 

“You’re so silly,” you whisper fondly as your thumb rubs against his soft cheek.

“No, you just caught me off guard,” Mark replies, nuzzling into your hand. The moment feels a little too intimate, especially when his fingers reach up to connect with yours, but you don’t want it to end. It finally feels like something good is happening. It feels like the dream you’ve kept deep in your heart is coming true and you don’t want to fight it. 

You pay no attention to the way your friends are staring knowingly at you like this was all meant to happen. Your eyes are solely trained on Mark and how he holds you so delicately as if you were a bubble about to burst. Mark keeps you tucked into him until the five-minute before the fireworks announcement blasts through the speakers. 

Mark is the first to get up off the blanket and you hate how easily he does so. The feeling of pins and needles travel down your legs as you try to get up. You moan in pain, struggling to get up. When you finally rise from the ground, your knees buckle and you lose your balance. A little noise slips out as you stumble, your clumsiness almost leading you straight into another person. Strong hands from behind immediately fly to your hips to keep you steady and you fall right back into Mark’s sturdy chest. 

His hands remain at your hips as you turn to look at him. You mumble an apology and he clutches your waist a little harder. “Who’s the silly one now, huh?”

“Shut up.”

Even as the moment ends, Mark’s hands stay in place. The only movement he makes is a minuscule tug that molds you into his chest. He hears no complaints from you, just a pleased little sigh, that signals you’re one hundred percent okay with what is happening. 

The surrounding lights dim, projections on the castle come alive, and music that could only be described as magical begins to play. It’s the scene of your dreams–you are in the hold of someone you love as fireworks light up the sky. The show’s just begun and here you are, wishing you can stay in this moment forever.

Seeing as how he’s made it this far, Mark puts on his bravest face and circles his arms around your waist. You hum in approval, resting your hands right above his. He replies by tangling his digits with yours and you smile so widely, it’s brighter than the pyrotechnics shooting off above you. 

The soundtrack isn’t new to you; it’s the show the park features every summertime, so you find yourself humming along to every section and transition that passes. By the time the love-themed section bleeds through the sound system and the castle glows with pinks and reds, you tell your best friend, “This is my favorite part.”

He says nothing in response, too busy admiring you instead of the show. Mark rests his chin on your shoulder, his gaze directed at the side of your face. He takes in the sight of the glow the lights cast on you, your lips curled up as you mouth each and every lyric.

It’s quite obvious that he’s staring at you. Even if you didn’t catch him from the corner of your eye, you feel Mark’s steady breath hit your neck and cheek. Your entire body radiates heat upon this realization. You sink your teeth into your bottom lip to calm the hopeless romantic inside you. 

You want to look at him, you really do, but you’re scared of what will follow after you meet Mark’s eyes. But when he whispers about your favorite song playing, your heart swells at his great memory, and you turn. 

The tip of Mark’s nose grazes yours after your sudden movement. You’re right there, less than a breath away from him, and his eyes are filled with immense tenderness. In your years of knowing Mark Lee, you’ve never seen him look at another person the way he’s looking at you at this moment. It’s a look filled with endearment and affection, leaving your heart swelling in your chest. 

You barely hear the boom of the fireworks shooting off, not when Mark’s eyes flitter down to your parted lips. He’s captivated your heart and soul, you can’t help but nudge your nose against his as you inch closer. It’s a silent signal, one he understands without further explanation. Your best friend shuts his eyes, calls upon the glittery pixie dust that sits in his hair and makes his final wish of the night. He wishes for the strength to make his next move. 

Mark’s soft lips touch yours most delicately; the press is merely there, and it throws you for a loop. The kiss makes you so incredibly giddy, that you turn your head even more and your hand anchors itself to his cheek. It keeps you steady as he dives in for seconds, this one more eager than the first. With your favorite love song in the background and the fireworks booming in the distance, you are happier than ever.

You are so happy that your wide grin and little giggles cause Mark to break away for a short moment. He plants another peck amid your laughter and soon he’s chuckling too. The arms around your waist lock you in place as he burrows into the crook of your neck, placing the tiniest kiss where your pulse hammers against your skin. 

Mark’s feet are on the ground but he feels like he’s flying. His heart has grown wings, allowing him to soar to new heights. He feels like he can touch every little star in the sky. Kissing you in this land of make-believe, underneath the fireworks, feels like a miracle and he fears that he will never come down again.

He’s pretty sure the gleam in your eyes mirrors his own. It’s so pretty and bright and magical–it encompasses all the emotions stirring in his chest. They start from his heart, bubble up through his neck, and the words he’s been meaning to say spill out as a crescendo booms throughout the area. “You’re my wish come true.”

Turning in his hold, you circle your arms around his neck. You draw him closer, your lips ghosting against his to say, “And you are mine,” before closing the sentence with another kiss. 

You’ve always loved fairytale endings–how the prince always gets the princess at the end of the story. When he grins against your lips, you realize you’ve been in one the entire time. The story of you and Mark is more than a dream that filled your head. It’s more than something you wished upon a star for. Your story is the slowest burn that led to the greatest happy ending. 

All it needed was a little faith, trust, and a whole lot of pixie dust.

TAGLIST. (tagging my gen taglist and friends that I think will be interested in it hehehe) @winwintea @johtenrecs @lavendersuh @itsapapisongo @nctsworld @hotdogct @smileysuh @suhnnyskiess @jaemdonuts @haetrack @bat-shark-repellant @bebsky

FINAL PARK ANNOUNCEMENT. Hey everyone! Long time no post. I think the last time I posted a fic was in either December or January? I'm happy to be back for a hot second. This fic was inspired by many things: Mark calling his fans "his MJ," my personal visits to Disneyland over the years, and especially the trips I've gone on with friends that I've met on this site. Hehehe. I really hope you all enjoy this rainbow of magic and fluff. Please let me know what you think of it. Your feedback keeps me going! Love always, Nikki <3

© SEHUNNIEPOTWRITES, 2024

[wavesoutbeingtossed]

Randomly thinking about “tolerate it” (narrator voice: it was not random) and how under the cloak of fiction it is ostensibly inspired by works like “Rebecca” (which Taylor said she read during the 2020 lockdowns I believe?), with the line of “you’re so much older and wiser” indicating that the speaker is significantly younger and inexperienced compared to the person she’s speaking to and a pretty direct reference to the plot of the book.

But I saw something somewhere once that stuck with me about how it might not be referring to relative age between the characters but chronological age as in the passage of time in a relationship. And that made me think about how in a contemporary context, it might not necessarily be referencing an actual age gap between the two characters, but rather a sarcastic or cynical response to the man’s claims that he has matured (“you’re so much older and wiser [than you were before/than you were when we met/etc.]”), which then made me think about that line in relation to the woman. And that it could be taken like, “you act like you’ve matured so much in our time together and like you know everything, while I’m supposedly still stuck as the girl I was when we first met.”

Which then made me think of the “right where you left me” of it all and did you ever hear about the girl who got frozen time went on for everyone else she won’t know it and the bit in Miss Americana where she talks about how celebrities get frozen at the age at which they got famous, and how she’s had to play catch up in a lot of ways not just in her emotional growth but kind of in general. (Which also made me wonder if she’s ever been called out for immaturity/lack of curiosity/lack of education about things in her life…)

Which then made me think about the rest of the song, and @taylortruther’s posts yesterday about “seven” and “Daylight” and the way Taylor idealizes her youth yet contrasts it with an almost sinister reality in its wake, and the line, “I sit by the door like I’m just a kid,” because the discussion raised that her relationship let her recapture some of the childlike joy and wonder she’d lost. So this line is a double-edged sword: the speaker sits by the door with childlike hope that the person will come home and cherish her, but on the darker side, feels like the child dealing with the monsters she doesn’t have names for yet and the feelings of isolation she felt as she aged.

I’m not saying the song is necessarily autobiographical; like most of the songs on folkmore, it’s clearly a fictionalized story based on media she’d consumed and created, but we know a lot of the fictional songs were infused with her own feelings and experiences and… This idea swirling in my head picked up steam and now I kind of can’t stop thinking about it. Sorry but I’m a little obsessed now.

Like maybe it might start to shed light on why she identified so strongly with the novel in the first place…

[certaincollectionlandblog]

Mick Schumacher with a Southern girlfriend - Wedding Edition

*Disclaimer: I use Y/N and reader, but when I write this in my mind I see her as a tall plus size gal (mainly because that's my personal body type), but also because I really see Mick doing amazing with a woman like that. If there is anything I write that doesn't apply to you feel free to leave it out and like always feedback is always appreciated and loved!

Photos from Pinterest

~ Mick knew for a while that he wanted to marry you. There was no doubt about it in his mind. You were the woman for him. You gave him such a sense of comfort and home that no other woman ever gave him before.

~ He grew up watching his parents have one of the most beautiful love stories ever written and he saw that for him with you. It was like God knew what he needed in someone and put in all in a you shaped package.

~ Mick's family had a ranch in Texas and while you loved going to Texas and spending time on their ranch he knew that he couldn't propose to you there. Your family had land in another state (I'm getting a Virginia/Tennessee/North Carolina vibe here) and he knew how special that space was to you.

~ Gina and his mom were the first to know of his plans to propose. He knew this wasn't an over the phone conversation so he sat them both down. His mom cried happy tears and gave him such a bear hug. Her little boy was growing up and she was so happy to see him experience such a wonderful love.

~ In fact Mick went as far as to visit your parents while you were busy out of town at college wrapping up finals to ask their blessing. He knew he didn't need it, but you both were huge family people who were raised that family was pretty much the back bone of life.

~ He even asked your parents for their okay to use y'alls land to propose out of respect for it being their home.

~ Your mom, Gina, and his mom all helped him pick out the perfect ring. Your dad has the mission of being the one to go help you move out after finals saying your mom couldn't get off work when in reality they were ring shopping with Mick.

~ He ended up picking a ring similar to your grandmother's knowing how special she was to you and your mom almost cried.

~ Mick recruited the aid of your siblings in keeping up with the weather reports knowing how much loved snow and helping Mick put up lights.

~ A Christmas proposal that could only be rivaled by Hallmark was under way.

~ Mick knew you were so smart and would be sure to be suspicious if he was in town when you got back from college for Christmas break right away. However, your parents had the perfect plan to help him out. Your parents told you that for Christmas they had invited Mick and his family out to spend Christmas with you guys knowing how much it mean to you to spend the holidays together.

~ As soon as they got to the house your mom pointed out how nice the weather was and asked if you wanted to take Mick up to watch the stars like you two loved to do. Mick had greeted you with flowers at the airport when you picked them up, but that was nothing new. He loved to spoil you with flowers. As soon as you got to the top of the land you saw the lights all laid out and when you turned around for Mick he had already dropped to take a knee.

~ Something about the snow really made the blue of Mick's eyes pop and you knew your eyes weren't leaving his anytime soon. You were speechless and he knew that didn't happen often so he grabbed charge of the silence.

~ "Y/F/N Y/M/N Y/L/N I've fallen in love with you. Growing up we're read fairytales, but told they don't exist when we reach adulthood. You see life through a childlike joy with a compassion and love for life like I've never seen before. You make me feel at home every time I'm with you, regardless of where we are. I love you and I look forward to every second I spend with you. Thank you for making me believe in fairytales again. So what do you say, will you marry me?"

~ You couldn't say anything other than nod your head yes and pull Mick up to hug him tears threatening to spill from your eyes.

~ You didn't miss the cheers of both yours and Mick's family which had hiked up behind y'all all recording and taking photos. You were so enthralled with Mick and the proposal you didn't even notice them there.

~ You and Mick decided it would be best for you guys to wait until after your college graduation to get married knowing how stressful college was Mick didn't want to overwhelm you planning a wedding during that to.

~ You guys ended up getting married on his family's ranch in Texas three weeks after your college graduation in late May. It really was a full circle moment.

~ Mick is a shy guy, but you both knowing how important family is to y'all ended up having a huge wedding. The guests were mainly family and then some close family friends.

~ You don't know how you got so lucky, but you know that having a love so strong with Mick and your family by your side that you two could get through anything.

~Instagram~

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liked by charles_leclerc, carlossainz55, yourmom, and 528 others

yourinstagram Best Christmas gift ever!!

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Roughly six months later

yourinstagram

liked by yourmom, yourbestfriend, f1wags, and 473 others

yourinstagram Did something pretty fun yesterday. Would recommend marriage 10/10

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f1wags MOTHER HAS BLESSED US ONCE MORE

yourbestfriend I feel like I should have consented before seeing that second photos brb grabbing some holy water

yourinstagram You took the photo?! 🙄

[fizziepopangel]

Hey! I really liked your helluva boss headcanons, they're very interesting and realistic! Do you have any for Stolas? 😀

I do actually have a few! Ask and you shall receive, my friend! I hope you enjoy😋

“Oh shit. Am I in danger right now?”

When he was young, the prince built little communities for the toads and frogs that he found within the garden sometimes. This is what sparked his joy for being in the garden and he still tries his best to make the palace garden comfortable for the small amphibians that he sometimes comes across there.

Despite being a powerful demon, Stolas hates horror movies because he scares far easier than he cares to admit.

He has bald spots from where he's pulled out his feathers during panic attacks or times of overwhelming stress but learned to hide them well over the years.

Stolas is easily excited by small things which can easily be seen through his daughter’s social media where she frequently posts pictures of her father reacting in childlike wonder to things most people wouldn’t think twice about.

Baby Stolas was bathed in a bird bath the same way babies are bathed in the sink sometimes when they're really small.

Sometimes Stolas will sleep with his old stuffed animal. It brought him comfort as a child and though he's a bit embarrassed to admit it to most people, it still brings him comfort after nightmares.

He understands his duties as a member of the Goetia family, but he always wanted to be an artist or botanist rather than a prince.

Stolas’ primary love language is physical touch which tends to make him a wonderful, affectionate partner and friend…. Unfortunately, the prince also experiences touch starvation quite easily.

The abuse he took from Stella worsened after she became pregnant with Octavia because she soon found he would give in to any demand she had if it meant keeping their daughter safe if she even acted as if she might threaten the child in some way. 

He suffers from migraines due to poor vision because he's struggled with focusing both sets of his eyes at once since he was a kid. His father never took him seriously and he was often teased by others about having one set of eyes closed to both help him focus on things and get rid of his migraines…. He still does this sometimes when he's alone because he's still afraid of being teased or seen as weak.

He has a deep appreciation for classical music, but he loves dancing around to trashy pop music more than he likes listening to the classics people are used to hearing him listen to.

Blitz can be quite rough with him in bed and despite enjoying it for the most part, he wants something more… sensual sometimes. He had hoped it would be after their date at Ozzie's.

He's put off teaching Via magic because he doesn't want her to grow up just yet but he's found that their magic lessons are often some of their best bonding activities and he learns much more than he thought he would about his daughter with each lesson they stumble through. 

The demon prince is still afraid of the dark. Only his daughter knows.

He uses his human form to attend pride parades in the human realm. He loves it and has made many human friends in the years he’s attended.

Stolas doesn’t use his full demon form very often because despite how well he hides it, it takes a lot of energy and it leaves him fairly exhausted.

Unbeknownst to everyone aside from Blitz, Stolas keeps a journal of poetry he writes.

Despite the fact that they are one of the lowest classes species in hell, Stolas doesn’t necessarily view imps in that manner because he sees himself as having been raised by them since he was raised more so by the imps who served his family than his parents.

He has a major sweet tooth and chocolate ice cream with whipped cream and cherries on top is his favorite sweet treat.

Stolas tends to his garden daily and has named each and every one of the plants he cares for.

[natsuki-bakery]

⁎˚ ఎMoral Orel Agere໒ ˚⁎

hellooo can i please request cg!stephanie and little!nurse bendy hcs if it’s ok for u?? have a nice day

Caregiver Stephanie

•Stephanie’s difficult upbringing and experiences in Moralton have made her fiercely protective, especially of those she cares about. She takes on the role of caregiver for Bendy as a way to provide the nurturing she never received

•Given the harshness of Moralton, Stephanie is determined to create a safe and comforting space for Bendy. She transforms her home into a sanctuary where Bendy can feel free to regress without judgment or fear

•Stephanie isn’t overly expressive with her emotions, but she shows her care through actions. She might prepare Bendy’s favorite meal or make sure her favorite blanket is always clean and ready. Her care is subtle but deeply felt

•Stephanie’s voice is naturally soft and calming, which helps soothe Bendy when she's feeling small or overwhelmed. Steph often hums lullabies or reads simple stories in her gentle tone

•Life in Moralton is unpredictable and often harsh, so Stephanie creates a stable routine for Bendy when they regress. This routine helps Bendy feel secure amidst the chaos, giving them a sense of stability

•Stephanie’s own struggles with isolation and loneliness make her particularly empathetic towards Bendy’s needs. She understands the importance of feeling cared for and goes out of her way to ensure Bendy feels loved and understood

•Stephanie may not be outwardly sentimental, but she shows her affection in small, meaningful ways—like making sure Bendy’s favorite snacks are always stocked or quietly joining her during playtime without interrupting her flow

Age-Regressing Nurse Bendy

•Escaping Reality : Bendy’s regression is a way to escape the grim realities of life in Moralton. When she enters little space, she retreat to a simpler, more innocent world where she can feel safe and carefree

•Despite the bleakness around them, Bendy’s little space is full of childlike wonder. She might be drawn to coloring, playing with simple toys, or watching old cartoons, finding solace in these innocent activities

•Bendy often turns to Stephanie for comfort, especially when the pressures of her adult responsibilities become too much. In little space, she become more reliant on her Care giver, needing reassurance and gentle care to feel secure

•Sensitivity to Criticism : In little space, Bendy is more sensitive to the harshness of Moralton’s judgmental society. Stephanie shields her from this, offering a safe haven where she can express themselves without fear of reprimand or scorn

•Bendy’s regression might involve clinging to nostalgic items or routines that remind her of a simpler, happier time, whether it’s a childhood toy, a favorite book, or a comforting bedtime routine that Stephanie helps her with

•The rigid moral expectations of Moralton weigh heavily on Bendy, even in little space. She might worry about being seen as "weak" or "childish," but Stephanie’s unwavering support helps her embrace her regression as a healthy coping mechanism

•The unpredictability of life in Moralton makes Bendy crave stability. Stephanie’s consistent presence and the routines she establishes become a crucial part of Bendy’s ability to feel safe and grounded when she regress

•Despite the darkness around them, Bendy finds genuine joy in her regression, whether it’s through playing games, cuddling with Stephanie, or enjoying simple pleasures like cookies and milk. These moments of happiness are fleeting but precious, making them all the more meaningful in the bleak landscape of Moralton

If you're in the basic criteria , are DSMP fans, vivziep0p fans , h0tel/h3lluva b0ss fans, Owl h0use fans, St4r butterfly fans, Ghibli fans, ddlg/abdl blogs, nsfw/k!nk blogs, anti-agere blogs, or anti Christians/Christianity blogs : just dont interact !

[fandom-nursery]

Hi I just saw that u like vox machina :] I loveeee VM

What r your personal hcs? :0 /nf

- @/thetinyblossom 🌸

I have a lot! (please keep in mind I have only seen the show so this may not perfectly fit with the actual campagne)

Percy 

Big age range. Regresses between ages 2-9

Starts regressing after the Briarwoods are dead and his revenge is over he since he no longer has revenge to focus on and finally feels safe enough and trusts his friends enough to be little around them  

Struggles to control his facial; expressions when small. Everyone can always tell what little percy is feeling 

He is usually very talkative while little however he struggles to pronounce larger words 

He’s a pretty happy little full of all the curiosity and childlike wonder he had as a kid 

He loves to play adventurers or detectives while little. He enjoys running around the woods with a magnifying glass and studding the bugs. He keeps a “field journal” while little where he catalogs cool things he finds complete with drawings. He also loves to read or if he's feeling particularly young, be read to 

He has a particular book of stories that his parents used to read him when he was little. He found a copy one day while big and purchased it on a whim. If he’s ever feeling bad while little the book is a sure fire way to comfort him 

He prefers to change into more plain and durable clothing when he regresses. He doesn't want to ruin or mess up any of his fancy clothing so he makes sure to have at least once clean set of “play clothes” he can use 

All of vox machina know about his regression. The twins found out first and from there so did everyone else. 

Vox machina typically take turns watching him or babysitting when he’s in a younger headspace. The twins in particular tend to watch over him the most 

Scanlan 

Regresses the youngest of anyone in the group and us never older than 2

He also regresses the least out of any of the team's littles. He really tries to avoid doing it at all costs 

He is very good at noticing the signs that he’s about to slip into headspace and usually either finds a hidden place away from everyone or pushes it down 

He is terrified of being teased about his regression by anyone which makes it a sensitive subject for him. 

Because he regresses so little he has a hard time even walking on his own and prefers to be carried. He won't admit it but he loves being picked up and carried even while big

When little he's very openly emotional. He isn’t able to repress his emotions or play them off with jokes while regressed so they end up coming out at full tilt 

He mostly babbles or goes completely nonverbal while regressed however there are a few words he can pretty reliably say including mommy. The fact that it’s one of the words he can always say when little is the main reason it’s his safeword. Regression absolutely means he needs to be able to get out of any sexual encounters he may have been in the middle of. 

He hums almost constantly as a way of self soothing and just because he really does love music 

This man will happily fall asleep at any time. Because regressing tends to be such an emotional experience for him he gets drained easily 

Does not have a paci but really should. Currently resorts to chewing or sucking on his fingers most of the time 

Vex

Regresses between ages 4-6

Usually regresses voluntarily although she sometimes needs some prompting (usually from Vax) to actually do it when she needs to 

She is incredibly expressive and prone to very big emotions that she doesn’t have much of a handle on. While little Vex feels things at 100% wether that's joy, sadness, anger, or fear 

Her accent becomes stronger while regressed and she gets a bit of a lisp while speaking. She also tends to struggle with her volume control and is either mumbling or borderline shouting

She really loves magic while regressed. Something about the shiny lights and sparkles really entertains her. She also loves spending time with Trinket. She is also very dead set on doing everyones hair while little. It’s not uncommon to see almost the entire party sporting braids, ribbons and flower crowns after vex has gotten ahold of them. She is also a bit of a prankster and especially loves to pull them on Vax and Grog because they have the best reactions (Vax’s are usually fake but Grogs are very real) 

Vax bought her a stuffed bear that she calls mini trinket and Percy regularly gifts her little inventions he’s made for her to fiddle with

When Vax can’t be there with her while shes small he leaves one of his cloaks behind with her so she has something of him to hold onto until he gets back 

Vax has always taken care of her when he can and once the others know vox machina does their best to help her out and watch over her while shes regressed 

Vax 

Regresses between ages 3-8

Regresses less often than he should. He feels the need to always be available to watch over and protect Vex so he doesn’t let himself be small as much as he really needs to 

He finds himself slipping quickly and without warning into headspace especially when his separation anxiety kicks in. He has a few methods of pulling himself out of headspace though so he can usually stay big during emergencies 

He’s a very calm and quiet little. He relaxes and follows others (usually Vex) around like a lost little duckling 

He’s a very sleepy guy while small and if he feels safe and is around the people who care about him he will pass out wherever and become very cranky if he’s woken up 

Loves to play elaborate pretend games and gets annoyed when Vex doesn't want to play along. He’s usually pretty much happy to do whatever Vex is doing. He also loves to climb up big rocks and trees and then jump off or out of them which gives everyone else a heart attack 

He will spill his drinks if they aren't put in a bottle 

When she's not also regressed Vex is his caregiver but he is also taken care of by the rest of vox machina 

Keyleth 

Regresses between ages 2-6

She is a voluntary regressor and does as a way to cope and help her relax and calm her anxiety 

She tends to ramble while small about anything and everything that’s on her mind or go totally silent with no in between. She knows a little bit of sign language that she will occasionally use if she doesn't feel like speaking 

She’s a social napper and will only really take one if others are regressed with her and also being put down for a nap 

She loves making flower crowns and playing outside in the sun. She also really loves animals and if you put a creature in her lap she will sit with it for hours 

She loves fruits and berries and her fingers and mouth are almost always stained with juice 

She has a lot of toys because she keeps buying them while big. She's very good at sharing them with the others 

She does have a paci and will occasionally use one on days she isn’t talking or when she starts biting at her nails 

Grog 

Older kiddo. Regresses between ages 7-12

He has sort of a hard time noticing when he’s feeling little and usually it takes someone else pointing it out to him for him to realize he is small 

What little volume control he has goes out the window 

Very much plays a big brother role to the other littles in the group. He’s very protective of his friends. Pike has caught him attempting to beat up multiple rocks and logs because they “tripped his friends” 

He loves asking pike questions when small and will not be stopped from throwing rocks into water or off of cliffs to see what happens. If he’s not currently by a cliff or body of water he will pick up good throwing rocks to save for later 

Pike

Caregiver all the way 

The only one Scanlan tells about his regression first 

Hates being separated or splitting the party because she wants to be able to keep watch over everyone 

Very good at calming down upset littles 

She is very lenient when it comes to rules and tends not to be too strict 

Very good storyteller 

[ettawritesnstudies]

Please please tell me more about Otherworld Explorers Club (Honestly that's one of the best names I've ever seen)

So! I developed it in this post but the premise is exploring what happens when the protagonist of a middle grade portal fantasy story comes back to the "real world" and has to keep quiet about their fantastical experience??? The story follows four girls who had adventures in four separate Otherworlds (dystopia, high fantasy, fae, and high tech respectively), but all ended up back in their boring mundane "Real World" and now they're adults and they've found each other and they're trying to rediscover that wonder again when a lost Traveller crash lands on their planet. She's a dragonrider who's been separated from her soulmate and wants to return to the stars and so the Otherworld Explorer's Club decides to help her get home.

It's very much inspired by The Little Prince and the fact that my entire friendgroup is currently going through the 20something existential Angst of having our first corporate jobs. I'm in a relatively good position and I am militant about maintaining my sense of childlike whimsy, but it's so difficult to watch these people I love be so DEPRESSED about the daily rise and grind. I know adulting sucks and the world is big and scary but also these are such first world problems to have and we need to have gratitude!! And joy!! in the mundane joys and the small pleasures! So this story is about that wanderlust and escapism and romanticising your life and finding friends who encourage you to be authentic and rediscovering what made your child-self soar and learning how to do that on purpose again.

And also, it's about space dragons.

[bookshelf-in-progress]

Well, I'm running out of time to have a Valentine's retelling ready, so although I'm losing faith in this story by the minute, let's just keep moving forward with this experiment.

After Part One and Part Two, here's Part Three--the remaining 1,300 words of the draft I have so far. Feedback appreciated--it doesn't have to be in-depth, just general comments about if it makes sense/is readable/any points of confusion would be helpful.

Part Three

On the third day, you and your sisters return to the garden in the company of a prince--yet another who has taken up your father's impossible task. To spare you the horror of seeing me, I keep the white rose in my buttonhole and invisibly tend the wishing trees while you entertain the prince nearby.

Prince Ivan is sterner, more solemn than some of the others. Even I, a lowly gardener, have heard tales of his valor in battle. A thick saber-scar runs from his temple to his chin. He knows the danger he has placed himself in and faces it without flinching. There is something in his eyes that makes me think he welcomes it.

As I watch him, I wonder how he will fare in his quest. Will he reveal your secret or remain in the enchanted world with all the others? For the first time, I question the fate of those other princes. I have assumed they remained by choice, but in such a magical place, can first impressions ever be trusted? For their sake, as well as yours, I must follow you to the dance one more time.

When I reach your chamber in the evening, Prince Ivan is already among you. The twins, Melody and Harmony, focus on flattering him while your sisters tie on the last of their ribbons, but his eyes are for the dark-haired, sweet-tempered Princess Melisma, and I think she does not dislike the attention.

As you descend the staircase--Melody and Harmony taking the lead with Prince Ivan--Princess Aria keeps Melisma at the end of the line to scold her.

"You mustn't encourage him," Aria says. "It might give him reason to follow us back home."

"He is so brave," Melisma says, "and so gentle. Would it be so terrible for me to have him as a husband?"

"If he weds you, he will take you to the Northlands, and we shall never see you again. Is that the life you want?"

Melisma blushes. "No," she whispers.

"Then let him drink," Aria says in a low tone. "He shall be here always, for you to dance with as much as you like. He will be the same brave and gentle prince, but will never take you away from us."

That night at the dance, there is a banquet in honor of the new guest. The tables pile high with delicacies I cannot name, and silent, ghostly servants keep your plates and goblets constantly filled. Prince Ivan looks younger, almost childlike, as he takes in the wonders, and his eyes have lost their haunted look.

"Such a wondrous place!" he breathlessly declares. "All beauty and joy! No sorrow, no politics, no battle."

Aria, seated at his right hand, plies him with red wine, and leads him to speak upon the war he won such honors in. He served with valor and is proud of protecting his people, but he has lost friends and brothers, is haunted by the fields strewn with the bodies of those who died too young.

"I should not speak of such things," Ivan says, putting down another empty goblet. "They are better forgotten."

"Do you not cherish some memories?" Aria asks.

"If I could forget every moment of it, I would," Ivan declares, "and stay always in this dance.

Aria smiles, then takes a golden goblet--the largest and most ornate in the room--from a servant standing at her shoulder. "You may do so," Aria says, "if you only drink this elixir. You shall have no regrets. No duties. No memories of battle. Only the beauties of this world."

Ivan looks to Melisma, seated at his left hand. She squeezes his scarred fingers in her long, delicate ones. "I shall come every night," she says softly.

Ivan takes the goblet from Aria's hand. His face holds the grim determination of a soldier, and the innocent bravery of a child hoping a bitter tonic will bring relief from pain. He drains the cup to its dregs.

When Aria takes the empty goblet, the prince is transformed. His eyes hold the same light of joy as all the other princes, but the honorable nobility of his bearing has drained away, leaving behind an empty imitation, all paper and gold leaf with nothing solid behind. For the rest of the night, he dances every dance with Princess Melisma. She is all joy when she looks in his face, but every time she turns away, she seems close to bursting into tears.

For the rest of the night, I cannot enter into the enchantment of the dance. I see only those princes, and wonder who they were before their will was drained away. I see your sisters dancing, each with one partner more than all others, and wonder if they too renounced marriage to someone they admired for the sake of this endless courtship. I travel across the lake in Aria's boat instead of yours, and as her prince hands her off to shore, I see even she seems on the point of asking him to come with her, before dropping his hand and turning resolutely to the diamond forest.

When you alight from your prince's boat, I see no similar love or regret in your eyes. At first I am relieved, and then my anger flares at your heartlessness. I snap off a diamond-spangled branch so fiercely that the sound of its breaking makes your every sister jump.

They glance in all directions, bewildered to know the source of the sound. You look directly toward me, your face burning with shame. Though I remain invisible, I know you feel me standing at your shoulder.

"What was that?" Melody shrieks in alarm.

"My guardian angel," is all you say, and though your sisters pelt you with questions all the way through the forests and up the staircase, you do not say another word.

When I leave your room, part of me wants to run to the king and tell all, but I cannot let judgement fall upon you without giving you a chance to speak for yourself. The diamond-spangled branch I place in your bouquet is both an accusation and an offer of parley.

You come to me--though you do not know it--when I am tending to the wishing trees, in the most secluded corner of the garden. Your eyes are downcast, your face red. "You have seen," you say.

I say, "You have witnessed every one and said nothing. I want to know how you can defend yourself."

The innocent confusion in your eyes makes me repent of every crime I imputed to you. "What is there to defend?" you ask. "Every prince chooses to drink. We cannot deny them their choice."

"Do they know what it makes them?" I ask.

"If they do, they don't care," you say.

"Because they have been made incapable of caring for anything but the dance."

"Would you send Ivan back to his wars?" you ask. "Edmund to his awful father? Kristoff to his plague-filled land? They all have horrors they are escaping. It would be cruel to make them remember all the sorrows they were so desperate to forget."

The things that seemed so simple when I stood invisibly at your shoulder are more muddled now that you can look me clear in the face. There is one place in the world untouched by sorrow or strife--can I judge those who have fled for refuge there?

"You have had your wishes granted," you say softly. "Would you deny all of us ours?"

Looking into your innocent, imploring face, I find that I cannot. Your silence, I see now, is not heartlessness, but compassion. Loyalty to your sisters who wish to remain together. Pity for those princes who can find no other peace from their sorrows. There is no simple answer to the riddle that has entangled us all.

"I will not speak," I say, "if you do not wish it."

"Will you follow us again?" you ask.

"I do not know," I say. I don't know if I can bear it.

[malachiexists13]

CHARACTER/S: Giyuu Tomioka [He/Him] x Yuutsu (OC) [She/Her] PROMPT/GENRE: Yandere!Giyuu/Obsession & Stalking ESTABLISHED RELATIONSHIP: Acquaintances REQUESTED BY: @nunezs-stuff WORD COUNT: 500+ //TW: - Obsessive Behavior; Yandere!Giyuu; Stalking; Oblivious MC (?); Intrusive Thoughts; Suggestive Themes; Out-of-Character Giyuu Tomioka (obviously); Self-Deprecating Attitude; Not really Yandere but the obsession is there!;

DISCLAIMER: This was written by a minor, someone under the age of 18. If that makes you uncomfortable, please DNI and keep scrolling.

NOTES: The character used in this, Yuutsu, does not belong to me and is an OC created by the person who requested this fic. I did the best I could with this and it was the first time I’ve written a yandere character. Yandere doesn’t entirely suit Giyuu so I made it a bit subtle. I apologize for any errors in the fic.

SUMMARY: Love was a beautiful thing– something Giyuu had seen often. An experience he often saw shared between husband and wife, or two young people engaged. He’d even seen it among his fellow hashira, Obanai and Kanroji– even if they wouldn’t fully admit it. Even so, Giyuu never really thought of it as something he could experience. Not until he met her… 

But is it really love, when it goes so far into the depths?

NEXT PART: Unfiltered Honesty

AO3: Depths of Disparity

Calm and collected, two words that Giyuu was often described as. A facade he wore so meticulously crafted as to not let others see the guilt-heavy mist that lay deep within the Water Hashira’s consciousness. He rarely opened up, rarely spoke to people– not even when spoken to. He was seen as arrogant and egoistic by his fellow Hashira. But he never showed whether he let it bother him or not. Their words hurt– but they weren’t friends and they never would be, so why truly bother? Well– there was one odd card in the picture. Someone who he slowly found often occupied his mind– Yuutsu. 

She was gentle– soft, even. A cute and graceful girl. She dressed in such a cutesy way– seemingly with little care to how others perceived her. Almost with a childlike innocence. At least, that was how Giyuu viewed her. He saw her as cute and innocent; a sweet girl with a gentle smile. How easy would it be to make her his, he wondered? Was she as dumb and naive as she looked? Even if she was– Giyuu doubted it’d be easy to approach her in any capacity. He rarely saw her by herself, and even if he could approach her, what would he say? 

How would he even begin to talk to her? As much as he could watch longingly from afar– Giyuu barely knew anything about Yuutsu aside from what was obvious on the outside. Such a beautiful and graceful girl– she would never want a man like Giyuu. He was weak, pathetic, a fake unworthy of the title as Hashira. What reason was there to even bother? Even if she did give him the time of day, who was to say it would not be the outcome of pity? Or even worse– if it was to ridicule him? 

A risk Giyuu couldn’t take. As much as he hated watching her smile with the others– desperately wishing that could be him instead of them– the intrusive thoughts that whispered atrocities in his ear to get rid of the others or to take her as his own… It could never be. He could never act upon these desires. But he could watch. A bystander was all he was good for; to watch others experience life but not truly experience it himself… It was more than someone like him deserved. But unlike Giyuu, Yuutsu deserved so much more. 

Yuutsu deserved someone strong; someone who could take care of her. Someone to treat her with all the love and respect she deserved. And as much as Giyuu could long, as much as he could think and desperately desire it– it would never be him in that place. Someone like him did not deserve the joy of someone as wonderful as Yuutsu loving him as he loved her. But he could watch– that’s all he ever did. 

The depths were an addictive sense of deprecation and disparity– almost dangerous to indulge. But Giyuu would gladly continue to wear those rose-tinted frames if it meant he could watch his love for all eternity to come.

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

My requests are currently open so here are my guidelines. It is also available as the pinned post on my profile. And I've made a google form for easy requesting convenience but submitting to my inbox is fine too!

[messrsbyler]

it's me, hi! i'm the problem it's me. (actually no. you're the problem. you started this. i made it worse… then you made it worse 2x. then… ok we're both the problem here.)

so i did not sleep very well last night and i am embarrassed to admit it was because i had such an overactive brain bc of this au. (also i drank too much coffee yesterday. woops.)

first i want to explore your thoughts on what happens when will gets kidnapped and then later "possessed" (using that term for a lack of a better word, simply bc atla world doesn't really have psychic abilities and stuff, so whatever our variation of this is might be less of a possession and more just losing control over his bending in some way) and basically just his whole mess with henry. because i was thinking about it, and well like... the upside down doesn't really exist, obviously? and then what replaces the demogorgon and the demodogs and other monsters? evil spirits? (that could be cool, definitely a consideration) oh my god does will get dragged into the spirit world did i just answer my own question? my baby boy dragged into the darkest parts of the spirit world and maybe even having some sort of brief interaction with henry (who... has just been chilling there? passing time? yep we'll go with that) el being able to find him through meditation? OH OK LET'S TALK ABOUT THAT NIC

second i started thinking about it last night. and how airbending, i think about it and my brain goes to like... breathing. mostly because of this scene. and THEN i got to thinking about how airbending is the element of freedom, which is super fucking ironic because that scene is a brutal murder by ripping away someone's ability to do the very baseline function that allows them to live: breathing. and THEN i also got to thinking about... huh. where have we seen that before?

*gestures to will with the vine in his throat in s1, gestures to will getting attacked by the mind flayer on the field as it enters his mouth and literally all his orifices, gestures to will telling dr owens in s2e1 "No. Like how you feel when you're scared, and you can't breathe or talk or do anything." and also will telling the party in s3e4 "Your body... it goes cold and... and you can't breathe."

interesting very interesting how it's subtly there in the st canon (not that i think there's all that much to it in the show's canon, though please if you have thoughts i wanna hear them), but in the atla/st au event of the century. there is a LOT THERE.

because now i'm just imagining henry doing that sort of thing that zaheer does to the queen to will or whatever advanced ancient form of airbending that he does to will is similar to it, and maybe we replace the vine in the mouth with like an attempt to do that to will that failed. so henry comes back. and tries again. but THEN we get the beautiful wonderful hurt/comfort of will, who is an airbender and who actually has always loved his bending now being scared of his element and knowing it was a fellow airbender (though not knowing who yet) that did this to him. will getting panic attacks where he remembers what happened to him. will not being able to breathe and being so fucking scared in the aftermath of his experience in the spirit world and his near death experience.

also rewinding a little bit to will's near death: joyce and hopper trying to revive will as henry slinks away back into the darkness. joyce sobbing because she can't lose will obviously, but also because she specifically did not allow jonathan (an airbender, remember?) to come with them because she was scared of losing him too. but joyce thinking about how if she had brought jonathan he absolutely could've saved will with his bending. and how if will dies here in her arms, joyce knows both she and jonathan will never forgive themselves. joyce begging her little boy, her airbender who loves the sky and loves the freedom and who is so full of the joy and childlike wonder of the air nation, to just breathe. praying to the spirits that he could breathe, that there would be air in his lungs, etc. etc.

wow andi got off on a rambly topic there. that was not the point to this. i have 10 minutes before i have to log onto work let's do this.

my POINT WAS. will with ptsd after his kidnapping, right? will not being able to breathe well, gasping constantly, having panic attacks. well, guess what is wonderful about a certain best friend of his and his native element.

"Power in Firebending comes from the breath. Not the muscles. The breath becomes energy in the body." - uncle iroh my GUY!

mike, who has never quite been able to grasp that part of firebending because it's fucking annoying. mike, impatient and petulant and angry that he's forced to sit through stupid breathing exercises while nancy excels and excels and excels. mike, whose firebending is weak because it's not coming from the right place, so much like zuko who just originally lets his anger/frustration fuel him.

mike sits with will.

and they learn how to breathe again. together.

on to book 2: earth 🫡

(yes we are the problem and we look great being the problem, it suits us)

the way you sent this ask and replied to yourself in the first paragraph bc that's how great your brain is. okay but listen listen, the spirit world being the parallel of the UD is just... perfect? and yes the monsters would be the dark spirits AND think about it. the avatar is the bridge between worlds sort of like el is the bridge between the real world and the UD with her connection to the UD and her ability to go into the void and into the UD mentally without having to enter physically JUST LIKE AANG??!! so will is taken to the spirit world and because he spends so much time there he forms a connection to it? that grants him a new ability he didn't have before? kinda reminds me how iroh could see aang in roku's dragon so what if will is now able to look into the spirit world too? there's something more to be explored there but tell me why those parallels work SO NICELY?

ok ok but since in canon brenner takes el and when he learns about the UD she tries to train her to contact the monsters... what if brenner in the atla au learned that this waterbender from this small tribu was the avatar and took her so everyone else thinks the cycle broke because no new avatar was born. and OMG WHAT IF BRENNER KEEPS THAT INFORMATION FROM EL? that she is the avatar. ofc el would know she is different from the other benders from the place where she is isolated, she can control all elements, but she wouldn't know about what an avatar is and the prophecy that rests on her shoulders.

so why brenner would take el and train her to enter the spirit world? he wants to find someone there (henry) just like in canon but WHY? why is henry in the spirit world if he's a mortal and a normal bender, why brenner knows henry is in the spiritual world and WHY does brenner want to find him. what makes henry the villain of the story in the atla au. we need answers andi!!!

would brenner be too much of a fool wanting to control the spiritual world through el, using her as the bridge?

i see you are showing your true colors now, huh? made me feel comfortable, lower my walls, expose my weak spots and then you hit me with this. evil. EVIIIIIIIL. i should call you flayed andi for this one.

WHY WOULD YOU BRING THIS PARALLEL WITH BREATHING AND HOW BREATHING IS A IMAGINARY THEY KEEP USING WITH WILL AND VECNA TAKING WILL'S FREEDOM BY TAKING THE AIR AWAY FROM HIS LUNGS??????? OUCH OUCH OUCH

no but like that you ALSO form a parallel between el/brenner's and will/henry's dynamics? one being all about corrupted techniques that take away someone's freedom (brenner with bloodbending and henry with that technique from zaheer) and how both will and el having had those techniques in THEIR OWN NATIVE OF BENDING used against them broke them and made them fear of their own bending abilities but then when they escape their abusers and find friends THEY RECONNECT WITH THEIR WITH THEIR BENDING BECAUSE THEY LEARN THEIR BENDING ABILITY DOESN'T MAKE THEM DANGEROUS OR BAD IT'S HOW THEY USE THOSE ABILITIES GIVES THEM THEIR WORTH. just picture el and will being so curled so deep inside their shells but lucas being there for el showing her how their bending not only means control over others like brenner taught her, it can also mean healing others and how healing others can also heal el herself I'M EMOTIONAL JUST THINKING ABOUT IT!!! and robin teaching will (and jonathan bc even though lonnie never pulled something so brutal like using henry's technique he still abused jonathan and took away part of his freedom from his bending) how airbending is ALL ABOUT FREEDOM!! it's about being a free spirit, about lifting off the earth, about connecting and flying and just BEING FREE.

but yes, rewinding a bit, before will can learn how to make peace with his bending he is just scared of it, of exactly what you said, a fellow airbender corrupting their art to make him stop breathing. will getting panic attacks, not being able to breathe. what if will feels like he is broken? an airbender who can't even breathe properly? how can he try to bend air when he can't even keep the air inside his lungs? because now every time he tries to bend air he feels like his throat closes and his chest burns because bending itself is a trigger to his ptsd that brings him back to that moment when henry used that technique on him. WHAT THEN ANDI WHAT THEN????

AND NOOOO YOU ALREADY WENT FOR THE FINAL BLOW WHY ADD JOYCE'S GUILT ON THIS FOR NOT BRINGING JONATHAN?? AND ALSO JONATHAN'S GUILT FOR NOT INSISTING FOR ONCE AGAIN NOT BEING THERE WHEN WILL NEEDED HIM FOR BEING A BAD BROTHER (even if that's so far from the truth) IMAGINE IF WILL HAD DIED THEN NOOOOOOOO

also thinking about joyce telling will to breathe, it reminded me of joyce begging will to wake up in season two on the football field. so, if we keep the UD as the spiritual world that after being there trapped he grew a connection with it, then that was will entering the spiritual world for some reason...

joyce begging her little boy, her airbender who loves the sky and loves the freedom and who is so full of the joy and childlike wonder of the air nation, to just breathe. praying to the spirits that he could breathe, that there would be air in his lungs, etc. etc.

SHUT UP SHUT UP SHUT UP THIS BROKE ME ANDI. HER AIRBENDER WHO LOVES THE SKY AND THE FREEDOM NOOOOOOO I'M ABOUT TO TEAR UP WHY WOULD YOU DO THIS TO ME

NO NO NO you are so right THIS IS GENIUS!!! ANDI YOUR BRAIN!!! mike and will learning to breathe together i will cry I WILL CRY mike always dodging his breathing lessons because he can't even do that right, because he feels like there's no helping it either way, his self-esteem is so low it affects his bending so what's the use in practicing his breathing? his bending will always be weak and will never meet the standars nancy has set for him. but then will needs him, will needs to learn how to breathe again, how to let the air into his lungs, and mike needs to be there for him, has the need to hold will's hand to ground him, to let him know he is here in the physical world with him, right where mike can reach him so he doesn't float away, so no one can take him away from him.

and if in the middle of a session that lands on a bad day because will had nightmares all night long, because he feels the goosebumps at the back of his neck as if henry as breathing there, mocking him while he forced the air out of his lungs, what if in the middle of a session then will can't bring himself to breathe. he keeps hitching his breaths in, hiccuping, so mike reaches for will's hand and presses it to his own chest, and tells will to follow the movement, how mike's chest expands with each breath, how he only has to focus on that. and will does, with his eyes closed, noticing the come and go of mike's chest but also the beating of his heart hidden somewhere underneath there, and will also focuses on that. because mike is the heart that guides them all and now it is guiding will so he can breathe once more.

THATS A MESS BUT I HOPE YOU GET MY POINT AHSDJASDH

OKAY THIS IS SO LONG ALREADY I WARNED YOU BUT STILL AAAHHHHHH

[storybookprincess]

I don’t want to be an adult anymore, I just want to draw bees and have fun again

oh my goodness, okay, i’ve been thinking about this ask all day & i think i’ve finally collected my thoughts!!!

so, my first instinct was to go “drawing bees & having fun are not exclusive to childhood!!!! have fun as an adult!!!! i mean, isn’t that kinda the unwritten contract?? go to work & pay rent & buy groceries so that you can do whatever frivolous joyful nonsense you want to do on your own time!!!!!” but the more i thought about it, the more i realized that it’s really not that simple

so, first and foremost, i’m approaching this issue from the perspective of someone who is very, very in touch with her inner child. and i realize that’s not something everyone can do instinctively. it’s not always as easy as saying “just experience childlike joy as an adult!!!!” because lots of us don’t have the first clue how to do that

obviously i am not the expert on this subject in the slightest, but my advice for taking the first step to finding childlike joy in adulthood is to notice when you experience those uninhibited childlike emotions—joy, excitement, wonder, fascination, delight, and so on—and what triggers them. just an awareness of when & why those emotions come up for you is a big part of being able to access them on the regular.

for me, walking through the drugstore the other day & browsing the shelves had me feeling a lot of childlike enthusiasm. so then i can dig into that—what was it about window shopping in the pharmacy of all places that turned me into a kid again?? well, bright colors, for one thing. the appearance of abundance. novelty & variety. once i’ve identified those triggers, i can start trying to add more bright colors & novel experiences to my day to access those emotions.

but i think the other big factor at play when we yearn for childhood is that we’re craving a feeling of less responsibility, pressure, and stress. for as much as i consider my adulthood thus far to be far superior to my childhood, i can’t deny that sometimes shit hits the fan & you’re overwhelmed & frazzled & exhausted & want nothing more than to be a kid again for the simple fact that kids don’t get calls from medical debt collectors

in those instances, i think it can help to approach those stressors head on & figure out a plan to address them. avoiding the issue won’t make it go away, however much we’d like it to. nor can we go back to being seven & living in the blissful ignorance of things like credit scores & insurance deductibles. the only way out is through

in short, reawaken the joy & wonder & delight of childhood while also acknowledging and working through the stressors of adulthood. because that’s where things will really start getting awesome 💖💖

[lonelyspire]

On Thirteen's regeneration

Okay this is just me trying to put my thought in order and trying to figure out why this particular regeneration has felt so special and why it also feels like they didn't carry it all the way.

First things first, I'm not saying that the previous regenerations weren't special or emotional, but this one does stick out, and I think the main reason for that is how hopeful it feels. For literally every single regeneration except Thirteen's, we're seeing a Doctor at the end of their rope. Nine's is painful and melancholic after saving Rose and not getting to have more time with her. Ten's lost every single companion, he's incredibly lonely and probably thought he'd get more time to fix that before changing (i.e., 'I could do so much more'). Eleven's childlike sense of wonder has eroded and he has come to accept the things he was trying so hard to run away from (his difficult past, and subsequent refusal of being hurt again) but it makes him wistful. Twelve is so tired at the end of his run he spends an entire episode trying to stop regenerating because he can't bear it and when he finally does, it's half bitter. And Thirteen...well Thirteen looks like this

She is welcoming the future with open hands! Having stepped out of her TARDIS to take in one last sunrise, she'll be damned if she doesn't enjoy it! She's joyous at the prospect of seeing new things, a joy that is only dimly overshadowed by her grief of not being the one to experience them. She's enthusiastic, and playful ('tag, ur it' sure, why don't you shoot me) and generally just hopeful for what's to come and that's such a nice, refreshing new take on the process of regeneration that has been pictured with very similar motifs every time until now.

I'm not saying her last scenes are not painful, or that she doesn't experience anguish because she does, and sure there is something to be said about forced positivity (the Doctor is prompt to do that), but all of these things sorts of fade into the background in the face of her enthusiasm and faith for the future! She's finally reconciled the grief and the love, the happy and the sad, and this episode insisted that she carries what she has seen and felt into the future with the upmost reverence for it all. And this acceptance changes so much!

This is reflected back by the process of regeneration itself: it's not a ticking bomb wreaking havoc in the TARDIS (10 to 11), it's not a blink-and-you-miss it kinda deal (11 to 12), it's not even a run to get her things in order (12 to 13). There's almost a peaceful quality to this regeneration. She surrenders herself to it, she's finally embraced the changing part of her nature, she welcomes it, and doesn't try to run. She breathes deeply and lets it take over.

and look. I do have my problems with how the ending tied other character's arcs and relationships. But Thirteen's regeneration is not one of them. Do I wish Yaz had been there to accompany her to the other side? Yes. But despite that, I think it was one of the loveliest regeneration out there, simply because she's so genuinely hopeful about it.

Which leads me to the main problem. What the hell is the point of portraying all of this painstaking process of learning to let go and accept that there are things you cannot change and learning that moments are finite but that doesn't make them less important if you suddenly put your character back to position A (LITERALLY). Like??? I am genuinely baffled that they shot themselves in the foot with this amount of conviction - how do you miss the themes you brought to screen and obliterate them by having the Doctor be one of his old faces again??? And I love Tennant, I do, but this literally makes no sense, both narratively and in terms of the continuity and the growth this area has tried to establish. No! Damn! Sense! The only way forward with Thirteen's arc was to see the real Fourteenth Doctor beginning anew without joyful optimism! This just feels like a cheap way out, instead of having the courage to carry the message they've been trying to communicate since the first season. ("everything ends and it's always sad, but everything begins again, too. And that's always happy"). Things do change, and it's fine because they should!

So yeah, here's my rant. Might have some other in stock lmao.

[uneasyshield]

(Banner art: official art from Project SEKAI)

Created for @flufftober​’s Fluff Monthly January 2023 challenge!

Prompt: Snow

Pairing: Mafuyu Asahina & 25ji Hatsune Miku (Gen)

Warnings: None

Also available on AO3 if you prefer to read fics there.

Miku never really requested her presence in the Empty SEKAI, so when the gray-pigtailed girl had appeared on her phone’s screen in the middle of her study session, she found the specific song file at once and felt herself be transported through the digital screen. She had many exams to focus on as the school year started to wrap up, but a break wouldn’t hurt her. Besides, her parents were out of the house and wouldn’t be back until evening, so it wasn’t like they could catch her away from the books.

She didn’t care much to bring the books with her. They hadn’t even crossed her mind as the SEKAI started to form in her vision— and when her sight had come back to her, she immediately knew why Miku had called her here.

It was snowing.

The puffs of white seeped into her jeans and through her slippers. It should be freezing here— according to the laws of physics and climate, she should need a jacket— but she didn’t mind it. If anything, it was just a tad… surprising.

That was the best she could come up with.

Miku was there, right in front of her, eyes focused on the dull sky above filled with dim triangles, and now soft drops of snow. Her attire hadn’t changed in the slightest for this new weather, and it briefly crossed Mafuyu’s mind that she had never seen any of the Vocaloids in here with any costume change that their music group hadn’t brought in.

“Mafuyu,” Miku whispered quietly, like she was afraid of scaring off the seasonal snow, “It’s cold.”

Mafuyu remembered when Miku first asked about the snow of the outside world. It was her online alias, after all— Yuki, meaning snow— and her real first name meant midwinter. Moreover, it had been snowing when she first decided to post her cover of Kanade’s work online. Of course Miku wanted to know more about it. She could only see it, but she couldn’t feel it, hold it, or play in it, so she had to rely on Mafuyu for a description.

She had said it was cold, like her world. Miku had never felt temperature like that, but somehow, she was sure she understood. Now, she could experience it at a whole new level.

Mafuyu didn’t say anything in response to her observation. She stood there, watching Miku gaze around with her childlike wonder. When she was a child, she might have played around in the snow during the winter time, all bundled up with rosy cheeks and a big smile, but that joy was lost on her now. The snow should freeze around her, suffocating under the abyss of her heart.

It didn’t. The snow fell down as it normally would in the real world. Miku cupped her hand and lifted it up to the sky, bringing it down with the utmost care when something had fallen in it and cradled it to her chest. “What’s this?”

“It’s a snowflake,” she replied. “They say no two patterns are the same.”

Miku stared down at it, mouth parted open ever so slightly, like she was afraid of breaking it with a single breath. “It’s pretty,” she said. “Ah—”

Mafuyu tilted her head.

She held her palms out toward her, now devoid of any crystals except for a slight shine. “It’s gone.”

“You melted it,” she replied. “The heat of your hands caused the snow to change from a solid to a liquid.” Miku fixed her eyes on her, and Mafuyu wasn’t sure if she looked curious, sad, or devoid of anything, but she found herself continuing, anyway. “It wasn’t going to last long even if you didn’t melt it. All the snow here will melt when it gets hot enough.”

Miku kept her stare for a few more seconds, maybe even a minute or two. Mafuyu wasn’t counting, and she didn’t particularly mind. “But… I helped melt it, even if it was small.”

It was often that Miku needed confirmations like this. “Yes,” she replied, how she was used to, how Miku expected her to.

Mafuyu wasn’t sure what had gone through Miku’s mind, but the Vocaloid singer started to raise her arms up once more, collecting more and more snowflakes. She stepped gently in the snow like a robotic dancer doing her best to be human as she spun around, held them close, and watched them melt.

Something stirred in her chest as she watched Miku experience cold and curiosity and beauty all at the same time. Did she want something like that, to play in the snow once more and admire the mountains with a smile?

Miku stepped closer and closer to her, tracing a pattern with her footprints. A snowflake landed on Miku’s nose when she was just inches away from her, and she knew if she was anyone else that she would have had to stifle a chuckle watching her go cross-eyed at it.

Before she could watch her continue collecting, though, a pair of sturdy arms wrapped around her. Gray, fluffy hair blocked half her vision and remained there as she felt Miku lean into her.

“It must have snowed here for a reason,” Miku spoke, falling still with her hold around the girl.

“Yes,” Mafuyu replied, “it’s winter.”

She saw and felt Miku shake her head. “No. I think the SEKAI wants to show me… that you’re capable of melting.”

She squeezed tighter, in a way that didn’t hurt, that Mafuyu would be comfortable saying she was fine with.

Miku gazed up at her, just a tiny bit. “Is it working?”

Warmth suddenly blossomed in her heart, like she had been wrapped up in a blanket. Mafuyu wasn’t too sure how to describe it. It was as if she had stepped into a warm bath, but her limbs were still stuck in the air conditioning of the house, and when she realized this, she found her arms wrapping around the Vocaloid to complete their hug.

It was… nice.

“Miku… Can we stay like this for a little while longer?”

Her hum carried the melodic lull of a talented singer. “Of course.”

[inavagrant-a]

@idolatri​ / x

Freedom still tastes foreign upon her tongue. The breeze, the crisp sound so different from those felt within a living dream continue to amaze her in the most childlike ways. In certain ways, she's juvenile to 'living'. Buer has been existing for five hundred years in this incarnation but one could hardly call such imprisonment 'living'. Like a bud that has finally felt the warm kiss of sunlight, she seeks to grow towards the light that was once but a mirage. She'll continue to grow like all living things tend to and amass experiences that will shape her in that will further differentiate her from a shadow of a dream she cannot recall. A wisp of another life so beyond her wildest imaginationsーforgotten by the roots of time itself.

In between managing the chaos left behind by the imprisonment of the Sages and guiding Sumeru towards peace, Nahida finds solace in spending time with those she has made connections with. Something within her desires these bonds, recalling faded and distant memories of laughter and joy shared with those whose faces she can no longer remember. Memories that she believe are hers but are also not.

A card game from Fontaine has been made known to her. Seemingly simple at face value: find matching or sequential sets that have numeric scoring. The higher valued the set, the more likely one is to win. But from her observations, it goes much deeper than that. It is a battle of wits and math to decide whether or not the opponent has what they claim to. One could withdraw out of fear of losing, only for it to be revealed that the other had a lower valuing hand! How absolutely fascinating it is!

Nahida places her cards down, revealing four of a kind. The God of Wisdom leans over and collects the Ajilenakh nuts in the 'pot'.

"I believe it is called 'bluffing' here, Tetsuya." Her smile is amicable and a contrast to his scowl. It doesn't deter her when she knows that in this instance, his barbs mean her no harm. "The human players I observed called it a 'poker face'! When one's expression does not change despite the circumstances. I think this is also useful in other scenarios as well. It's nice to have something to call it though."

The playing cards float into the air and are shuffled before being dealt again. "Shall I give you a handicap this time, Tetsuya? After all, this wise leader should take care of her 'best helper', right?" It's subtle, but the slightest twitch of a smirk plays at her lips.

... H-he lost again? Again?!

Tetsuya looks on in disbelief, not believing this for a second, he could have sworn that this time around this round was his! He looks at the cards still on his hand and then at the ones she rested before him and surely enough her hand had the words VICTORY all over them by comparison to his own losing hand. “Tch,” he, with little grace, allows his cards to fall upon the table as Buer so happily claims her spoils of war. With a scowl, Tetsuya accuses her of cheating even if he knows that not to be the case, he simply does not take losing gracefully. One can imagine the absolutely wonderful (not) time he’s having losing multiple times. Many would say and label that as a fault of his, but he doesn’t care, who in their right mind would take losing gracefully in the slightest or at all? He would argue those people take no pride in themselves and that is absolutely repulsive, a huge lack in character even that he would never want to try to associate himself with. 

Tetsuya rests his cheek on his knuckle, watching with only a look a sore loser would have. He raises an eyebrow at her claim, knowing precisely what it is she’s speaking about. “I know that.” He claims simply, a poker face is one he’s really familiar with, in fact its an art of sorts to him that at this point in his life he has perfected along with many different faces to where one can’t tell if they’re fake or not. Though the best to his understanding Buer hasn’t really experienced the outside world herself... to what memories he recalls and got back and in the manner in which she speaks. She almost seems to regard things as an outsider looking in or perhaps someone locked inside looking outside a grand window would be more... fitting, perhaps a bit too close to home. “Calling someone’s bluff and mastering the poker face can do many things in one’s favor, you are correct.” He nods his head, speaking from experience himself, and straightens up his posture when it is evident that another game is underway. Maybe he should have placed a little more thought on the idea of accepting a card game challenge from the God of Wisdom. Tetsuya doesn’t have it in his plans to get used to losing, events he’s already gone through in the past pertaining a certain traveler, Buer, and a stupid damn tree has given him enough of a humbling taste. That was enough, no more of that. 

He looks at the cards that he’s dealt with, seeing them come to rest facedown on his side and then hers on her end before he looks at her, raising an eyebrow at her clear and obvious teasing of him. His eye threatens to twitch at the absolute nerve to do such a thing to him. To him (your honor)!? A capital offense! The nerve of her. “I don’t need a handicap from you, Buer,” he says oh so big and bad like his previous match was not his fifth loss. “I will win this round.” He will make it so. Though he is sore from the constant losing... he discovers that even if that keeps being the case he would like to continue to play with her if she’s so taken by this game at this time. He finds that he doesn’t even have half the mind to say he does not wish to play anymore even if he does keep losing. Even with all of that... he’s having a good time with her, simply being and enjoying himself.

[ireceived-p8250000]

October 27 - November 2, 2013

This week is my week and Regine's too. We have a Halloween party on October 29th, hosted by my Aikido friends, Jonas and Christy, which conveniently falls on my birthday. However, I have a flight the following day.

It's a long weekend, and I booked a trip to Hong Kong with Roxanne because I promised her. I told Mansoor it would just be the two of us.

I'm quite excited about that.

Roxanne and I are sharing luggage. I know she can be annoying, but I plan to top her attitude by being a bigger brat since I'm older. Also, I am her aunt, and I’m paying. So, I let her plan. I think my whole savings will go, but I will receive my salary early.

Mansoor gifted me a travel picture book from Lonely Planet, and I loved it.

October 29, 2013 - Tuesday

I went to the Halloween party in my lace dress, bringing Mansoor along. There was alcohol, but we didn’t drink much. Mansoor wore a suit.

October 30, 2013 - Wednesday

“Hoy, happy birthday!” Jonas and Christy shouted as they sang me a happy birthday. I was flattered. I love my birthday—it's Halloween!

At 3 AM, we were ready to bounce. In the corner, my boyfriend and I were kissing. No tongues yet, just slow and sweet kisses.

I was hammered when I got home and didn’t attend school. Roxanne’s semestral break had started, so we prepared for our trip. My parents were going home to Isabela again, so nobody was in the house.

We started with the bus, both of us nursing headaches.

By 8 PM, we reached the airport.

I received messages from Mansoor that the girls had gifts for me, but he had to tell them I was on vacation.

At midnight, our flight took off to Hong Kong.

I checked my bank account after transferring from PayPal to BPI and it amounted to P50,000.00 This is a big money in this economy. Considering that the expenses incurred was from P20-30K. It's already big.

October 31, 2013 - Thursday

We arrived in Hong Kong and found our hostel, where we had to pay extra. It was fine because I needed to sleep anyway.

After catching up on sleep, Roxanne and I set out to explore the city. We wandered through the bustling streets, marveling at the vibrant atmosphere and neon lights. The energy of Hong Kong was infectious.

We visited Victoria Peak, taking the tram up to enjoy the stunning panoramic view of the city. The skyline was breathtaking, and we took plenty of photos to capture the moment.

In the evening, we explored the Temple Street Night Market, where we shopped for souvenirs and tried some local street food. The market was alive with activity, and we immersed ourselves in the experience.

November 1, 2013 - Friday

We spent the day at Hong Kong Disneyland. The childlike excitement in Roxanne's eyes was contagious. We enjoyed the rides, watched the parades, and met our favorite Disney characters. It was a day filled with joy and laughter, and we both felt like kids again.

The fireworks display at the end of the day was magical, lighting up the sky in a dazzling array of colors. We were exhausted but incredibly happy as we left the park.

November 2, 2013 - Saturday

On our last day, we visited the Tian Tan Buddha on Lantau Island. The serenity of the place was a nice contrast to the hustle and bustle of the city. We climbed the steps to the Buddha and took in the peaceful surroundings.

Afterward, we explored Ngong Ping Village and had a delicious vegetarian meal at the monastery.

In the evening, we returned to the city for some last-minute shopping in Mong Kok. We made sure to buy gifts for our family and friends, and a few treats for ourselves too.

As our trip came to an end, we headed back to the airport, feeling content and a bit sad to leave. The trip had been everything we hoped for and more.

We boarded our flight back home, exhausted but with hearts full of wonderful memories.