#and yes i am watching gravity falls half awake instead of preparing for that

[songofwizardry]

it is october of 2023 and i am watching gravity falls for the first time. living my best life tbh

[mariamermaid]

Sweater Weather

Bucky Barnes X Reader

Summary: Just some cute fluff

Words: 2.1k

A/N: Inspired by the iconic song by the Neighborhood

Halloween Masterlist

 All I am is a man

I want the world in my hands

I hate the beach

 He remembered the vague idea of the beach in the back of his mind. It was hidden within the crowded thoughts, but Steve had mentioned it. He was there with his family and his little sister Becky. And now he was there again and everything was different.

Bucky stood at the beach, the weather wasn´t beachy like at all. Grey clouds spread across the sky, from the horizon crawled up even darker ones. Far away it poured in buckets, a hint of droplets hitting his bare skin as well. The wind almost felt like punching his face at an unpleasant speed, the feeling of sand itching under his clothes and his cozy sweater. But a small smile played on his lips.

 But I stand in California with my toes in the sand

Use the sleeves of my sweater

 It didn´t matter to you that it would soon rain and that the palms looked like stripped down toothpicks. The sand was cold and the icy water crashing against your feet. Or the trained assassin by your side.

You were happy.

You turned to look back at Bucky, his eyes watching you closely, never leaving your body. A hint of angst, as if you could disappear any moment. Instead, you pulled the sleeve of his thick sweater, pulling him a little closer and his feet reached the hard waves as well. His arms hugged your waist, he smiled as you put a strand of hair back behind his ear. A few short strands didn´t make it into the bun, you had precisely taught him the use of bobby pins, but apparently it was too much for him. The hair tie around his wrist was already good use for Sam to make fun of him.

“What are you thinking about?” You asked him, his eyes travelling down to your lips, then back to your eyes. He shrugged. You rolled your eyes.

 Let's have an adventure

Head in the clouds but my gravity's centered

Touch my neck and I'll touch yours

You in those little high waisted shorts, oh

 The sun had set, just a few minutes ago and the last rays left the surface of the ocean. The back window of the van was decorated by fairy lights and you stared out the window. It was nice and cozy inside. You already wore your pajama pants, which were still short, not caring about the close to freezing temperatures outside. The smell of tea crept through the van, then you felt Bucky´s weight on the bed. A few seconds later he appeared next to you, handing you a cup with tea. His shoulder brushed against yours and then remained there. The cold metal of his prosthetic arm piercing through the clothes, touching your bare upper body. You turned your head to find him already looking at you.

 She knows what I think about

And what I think about

One love, two mouths

One love, one house

No shirt, no blouse

Just us, you find out

Nothing that I wouldn't wanna tell you about no

 When you woke up, which was usually before Buck, you felt your legs tangled up with his. In the night you hadn´t felt the cold sneaking into the van, in which you lived now for two weeks. But now that you climbed out the heavy sheets, you almost shivered. With a surprising amount of hand skill, Bucky and Sam were able to put a small oven into the van. You started the heating process and fetched your book, to read a few pages before Bucky would wake up. The fall weather allowed you more than ever to stay in bed all day. The sun hadn´t made an appearance in four days and it was dark and grey all day long. You spent your days reading, watching movies and talking and you enjoyed and appreciated the time. You truly did. It was a peace neither of you had for a long, long time. A warm arm suddenly reached around you, pulling you against his body, your back against his chest.

“How´s the story coming along?” He asked in a raspy morning voice.

“They´ve reached the elves now.”

 'Cause it's too cold whoa

For you here and now

So let me hold whoa

Both your hands in the holes of my sweater

 A few days later you found yourself in probably the most stunning forest ever. All the leaves were colored in an auburn tone, some of them already fallen down. You ran through the heaps of leaves and laughed as Bucky finally caught you. Your feet left the ground as he spun you around until you both landed in a giant heap of leaves. You laughed exhaustless and your voices echoed through the trees. You couldn´t remember how long it took, but when your laughter died down, you stayed there. In an unfathomable amount of brown leaves and starred at each other. You had never imagined to be at a place like this, hell, you hadn´t even thought it was possible. The golden autumn sun reflected in Buckys blue-greyish eyes.

 And if I may just take your breath away

I don't mind if there's not much to say

Sometimes the silence guides our minds

So move to a place so far away

The goosebumps start to raise

 “What if we looked for a house?”

The question completely took you by surprise and you almost chocked on the spaghetti, Bucky had so carefully prepared. He chuckled, but in his eyes was honesty.

“I thought you liked the van life?”

You had been three months on the road and it was the best time of your life. But you hadn´t expected Bucky to grow ready so soon. It always seemed to far away in the future to even think about.

“I do, I really do. But what about a nice house? Maybe close to the mountains and with a view over the forest? With a small herb garden for you?”

You wanted to protest but resisted the urge. You had enough reserves to buy a house and why not? You had been together for a little more than two years, friends for five, the timing couldn´t be more perfect.

“Do you have anything specific in mind?”

 The minute that my left hand meets your waist

And then I watch your face

Put my finger on your tongue

'Cause you love to taste yeah

These hearts adore

Everyone the other beats hardest for

Inside this place is warm

Outside it starts to pour

 Autumn was coming to an end and you still hadn´t found a single house or apartment that you genuinely[AK1]  liked. You weren´t picky but…

The first one was too big, with three bathrooms and awfully artificial. Too clean, too much of a hospital feeling and the white counter tops were cold.

The second one, was an apartment in a small city, but the neighbors were nosy and the people in the town were driven by prejudices and vanity. You didn´t feel welcome what so ever.

The third one did technically seem fine, until the realtor hit on you, tried to kiss you and therefore got his nose broken. A truly unfortunate event.

It was a catastrophe. The more you thought about it, the more you fell in love with the idea of moving into a real place. But nothing seemed to work and you had already given up the idea of happily ever after, when Bucky stormed into the van. It was pouring and a small puddle already formed under his feet in the heavy boots. There were magazines and papers stacking up in the van and taking away valuable room, you grew annoyed of them with each day.

“I think I found something!”

 Coming down

One love, two mouths

One love, one house

No shirt, no blouse

Just us, you find out

Nothing that I wouldn't wanna tell you about, no, no, no

 “Something.” It was a very precise description. And you couldn´t put it into other words. It was indeed something.

A house just like you wished for; small, cozy with a view over the foggy woods. The only problem? It wasn´t finished at all.

The windows hung tilted, the roof wasn´t finished and therefore not leakproof. The wooden floor was wonky, but it was gorgeous. In the way it built up when you reach it with the car, how it appeared between the thick trees.  How the kitchen and living room window perfectly faced the forest, and the backyard rose above the valley. How you smelled the wooden scent of firs and moos. How the few birds left the country to fly somewhere warmer.

You walked back from the second floor; your mouth opened in awe. “It´s beautiful, but….”

The realtor was nervous, he truly was and he had every reason to. You were the last couple to even see the house, he needed to sell it. But who would want a hovel like this?

Bucky didn´t even need to ask you, he was sure, like he never had been in his life.

“We´ll buy it!”

 'Cause it's too cold whoa

For you here

And now

So let me hold whoa

Both your hands in the holes of my sweater

 It had taken a lot of work, nights of staying up late to ensure that there were no more water leaks. Then there was a long blackout that threw you completely off from your original plans. And a heavy storm that blew around half of your supplies- all in all; it was a rocky path, but now you finally stood in the house you could call your own. Not because you bought it, but because together you made it a real home.

The thick sweater hugging your body barely gave enough warmth, the mug in your hand steaming into your face. Just like so often, you admired your newly gained view.

Two strong arms hugged your body from behind and yawning, you leaned against Bucky.

“Y/n?” He asked quietly.

“Hm?” “You´re happy here? Right? Here with me?”

Surprised by his question and the nervous sound in his voice, you sat down the mug on the ceiling. “Yes, of course! Why would you ask that?”

“Because there is something I´ve been waiting to ask you since we met…”

 'Cause it's too cold whoa

For you here and now

So let me hold whoa

Both your hands in the holes of my sweater

 You found yourself awaking in a bed, it wasn´t the van. It felt surreal as you watched the sun fight through the clouds and the off-white curtains. Your alarm echoed and you almost flinched, but then you quickly fetched the phone.

Reminder: Dinner with Avengers, today, 6pm.

Bucky was awake now as well, he grunted tiredly but then grabbed your hand with his. The freshly placed ring on your finger was perfectly fitting. “I need to go shopping”, you explained with a whiny voice, while he kissed your hand again.

“Why did you have to promise them that we would cook?” He asked instead and you punched his shoulder playfully.

“You wanted to invite them over!”

After a short break and you staring at his still tired eyes, you brushed back his strand of hair. It felt like a deja-vu, but in a good and calming way. You knew Bucky liked his rituals; they gave him a sense of security and safety.

“You wanna come?” He shook his head and kissed your nose, while slowly but surely making his way out of bed. “Nah, I´m gonna make some good pancakes and orange juice, so when you come back, we can have breakfast together.”

 'Cause it's too cold whoa

For you here and now

So let me hold whoa

Both your hands in the holes of my sweater

It's too cold whoa

 “And you seriously said yes?” Sam asked now for what it felt like the hundredth time. He still couldn´t believe it, Steve on the other hand, sat proudly nodding at the table. He couldn´t do more than wish you and Bucky all the best.

“Who would´ve believed that our little winter soldier could be that romantic?” Tony commented and the table erupted in laughter. A little awkwardly, Bucky pulled you by your waist to his side.

“It was you, who wanted to tell them immediately, don´t you dare forget that”, you hushed him and kissed his cheek.

“I knew I would regret it”, he chuckled. “Inviting them or asking me?”

It was his time to playfully punch you again. “Them, obviously them.”

“Well I´m happy you told us and Y/n, you cooked wonderful as always.” Thor exclaimed and raised his cup, the others joined him in the action.

“To Y/n and Bucky!”

 For you here and now

So let me hold whoa

Both your hands in the holes of my sweater

It's too cold

It's too cold

The holes of my sweater...

 [AK1]

[solarbird]

The Armourer and the Living Weapon, Chapter 2: the emptied chamber

As before, CW: this story is going to get pretty fucked up. Archive tag: violence. Also note: I categorically do not write non-con/rape or underage. [AO3 link]

And then, one day, she was gone.

Emily howled like a banshee when she heard. A perfectly ordinary mission, a perfectly ordinary encounter with a decidedly, almost determinedly predictable opponent, and - gone? Just like that? No. Refusal, in purest, distilled form.

She spent an evening raging on the training grounds, injuring half a dozen opponents, all but killing one in her fury.

She spent a night barely sleeping, barely thinking, being apart so different now, so much worse because suspicions or not, she had no true idea where her lover might possibly be.

She spent a morning raging at Akande, demanding the right to follow, to retrieve, and was, again, refused.

She spent an evening demanding the same from the greater council, and was yet again, refused. "Impossible!" she shrieked, bursting out into the hallway. "I will not have it! I won't!"

Quietly, at the back of the table, one member of the council smiled, as the armourer stormed back to her workshop, ordering everyone out, and grabbed her rifle, enough standard rounds to kill an army, all the experimental rounds she'd made, every single one of them, and the chain grapple she'd made for herself, knowing that her unenhanced body would be wracked with pain, injured every time she used it.

She did not care, not at all. If they won't try to retrieve her - I will. And I'll make them stop me.

She made it further, far further, than she should've, then she could've rationally expected.

She made it past the therapist, and her security escort, roused to talk her down.

She made it past the security cordon, roused quickly to sedate and jail her.

She made it past the soldier ring, who weren't expecting anyone like her - certainly, not coming from the inside.

And, shoulder aching, exhaustion creeping up her spine, she made it 20 metres outside the base entirely - just short of her waiting flyer - when her neck suddenly stung, and her vision turned grey, and her skin turned numb, and her arms turned leaden, and the ground came up to meet her, fast, too fast, far too quickly for her even to say hello, before the world snapped hard to black.

-----

[Oasis]

She floated, freely, in the haze, slowly becoming aware of that, slowly becoming aware of her own existence. So calm. So still. So bright. So quiet. So unlike herself, and yet, so familiar, so like herself, so right.

Is this death? she thought. No... that can't be it. Death is... death is... peace, but not questions... and that was a question...

She didn't move. She didn't feel any urge to move, either. But if she listened, listened with her body, and not her ears, she could feel, she could feel motion, she could feel... what? She could feel her blood flowing. She could feel her heart slowly beating, she could feel everything in the little world that was her own.

What? What is... that?

A whisper. The faintest of whispers, a voice she knew, but not the one she wanted, a voice familiar, but not the one she loved, but... a voice. And words - "Ah, my lovely, do you feel it? Starting to rebuild in there, are we? Good."

She could feel so much, and yet, some things, she could not feel at all. With a beautiful clarity, she felt every strand of muscle, every shaft of bone, every length of tendon, every fibre of carbon and metal, every drop of blood, and oh, blood, there is so much of it, but so little past that, nothing outside...

Outside. There is a boundary? Yes. Of course. Skin. She has skin. Of course, she has skin, and she can feel it. So obvious, and yet, somehow, now, so novel, as though she'd never truly realised it before, not even before before, and she knew there was a before, even if she couldn't quite say what it must have been.

"There was so much," said the voice, "that we had to burn down, with Lacroix. So much to suppress, so much to rebuild, to form into your image - and ours." Fingertips, suddenly, along one arm, like electricity, like fire, and she felt as if she screamed, but didn't scream, and didn't even want to, but should have, all from the intensity of the touch.

"All that, when we already had *you*. We even knew it - well, I knew it - that's why you were the perfect template. You were already so completely, utterly prepared. And yet, we wasted so many months making a muted copy... but, well, you know that, or you will, again, in a few minutes. After all, you were there." A small laugh, and the touch vanished.

"And all you have to do is bring her back to us," the voice cooed. "Bring her back to me. Something you begged us to let you do. Then we can take all the things we've learned, making you, and give them to her, too, just like we've given them to you. And then you will both be together, and all - all will be forgiven."

I get to bring her back, she thought, and smiled, at least, inside. I have... I have a task. I have a mission. How... wonderful...

"Ah, almost there," said the voice. "Are you ready to be standing?" She realised the voice was louder now, and had been growing so, the entire time. She'd focused on it, so intently, so completely, and yet missed that most obvious point.

Moira, she knew, feeling herself take a long, slow breath. Moira O'Deorain. I know her. She found herself knowing many more things, many more things she'd already known, as if lights were turning on, one at a time, inside herself, her ability to conceptualise expanding, growing. The doctor. The one who...

"Ah, your first breath entirely on your own. How does it feel for you to be alive again, I wonder? It's been twelve weeks, you know - or, well, you know now."

Balance, she thought, feeling being poised, ready, in an effortlessly familiar way, and gravity, the pull of gravity, aware of it, at last. I'm not floating, I'm... standing.

"Are you ready to see?"

She was. She opened her eyes, spotted a running, ducking human target, and reflexively, without thinking, without needing to think, sighted that target with the metal and carbon extension of herself she held in her arms, and shot it down. She felt the bullets fly, so pure, so fast, so quick; blood spilled from the shattered skull as the body which had supported it slumped to the ground, heart still beating, at least, for a moment, spurting blood, and she admired the splatter, from her stance, not needing to move, watching the blood pool, so bright, so red, and felt it, through every cell of her body, through sinew and bone, through nerve and steel, through heart and soul, and it took what was left of her breath completely away.

"Beautiful," said the voice, by her side. "Superb."

She licked her cool, lavender lips, with a cool, violet tongue, shivered with pleasure, and turned to the good doctor beside her, appraising her anew through brilliantly silver eyes. "Delicious."

"Do you know your name?" asked the Talon doctor, the one who had given her everything she ever wanted, for a price she did not yet know. "Tell me who you are."

"Oilliphéist," she said, without thinking, just knowing, having never said or heard the word before, yet she knew, it was a great, ravening beast - as was she. "I am Oilliphéist."

"Perfect."

-----

[London]

Widowmaker lay next to a sleeping Tracer, gazing at the foolish girl's head, amused by the insanity of that hair despite the swirl of thoughts keeping her awake. This entire plan is falling apart, she thought.

What else could go wrong? she asked herself. It'd seemed so simple, at the time. So obvious. Pretend to fall in love with the irritating teleporter. Arrange a "defection," and get away from the abusive mess that is Talon. They'd finally accept Emily's petitions to upgrade, and send her out to bring her back. She'd help Emily break the conditioning, as she learned so well now how to do, and then Emily would have everything she ever wanted, they'd be together, and Widowmaker would be free. They could freelance. They could buy an island with a condominium on it. It would be wonderful.

Instead - nothing. Emily hurt, badly, trying some sort of mad run to retrieve her without upgrades, after being refused yet again. No concerted recall effort - just an "acquire if encountered" order, according to Sombra. And worst of all - worst of all - discovering she'd actually fallen for the hyperactive little idiot across from her in bed.

Disaster. Complete disaster.

Ah, well, she thought, at least it makes the acting easier. She smirked at herself. Acting is trivial if you don't actually have to act.

She rolled over, facing away from her new lover, and checked her dead-drop boxes again. Nothing... then, she blinked, and there was something, something new, appearing as she watched.

Hey, Chica, it's your best friend -

I'll keep this short. The official story? It was bogus. Most of the club haven't figured that out yet, but turns out Doc Two-Tone's been working on her out of town, and from what I hear, looks like she got your present after all.

But watch out, she's not a backup copy, she's a version two. Keep your eyes open. I don't know what new features have been bundled in, and you know what Two-Tone is like when she really gets going. She might not know either.

Good luck.

She'd signed it, "your favourite chupacabra" - one of Sombra's many running jokes the spider didn't understand.

"Mmmm?" she heard, from the woman next to her. Damn, she thought. The light from the screen woke her up.

The Overwatch agent rolled over and nuzzled the back of her neck. "G'morning, love. Whatcha lookin' at?"

The spider took a long, deep breath. I think... it is time to come clean.

[vesperlionheart]

Enemies (to Lovers) Fluff Friday

There wasn’t supposed to be an exit he could escape through, but Sakura had tangled with the Scorpion one too many times to be so disillusioned. Sasori could make the eye of a needle his bed and the tight spaces between atoms his highway. It was one of the many qualities and gifts his ancient curse bestowed upon him. It was a shame he took up a criminal empire instead of a uniform.

The alarm had been cut and the lights, once flashing, now sat dead in their sockets. The authorities were on their way, but they would be worse than useless. Sakura had to end this as quickly as possible.

The redhead stared down at her from underneath the cover of his dark nave hood, embellished with the gold needlework of The Eye of Horus and several other Egyptian symbols. He raised on hand and the parts of his coat slipped further open, showing off the bare of his chest where a myriad of gold objects dangled, each cursed with a different power that Sakura had devoted the better part of her career to combating.

Today Sasori found another one. He held out the Gold scepter and Sakura felt a chill in her gut, praying this wasn’t the item that finally tipped the scales in his favor.

“This is my birthright,” Sasori said, righting the scepter. Behind him the display case was in a glitter mess of glass shards. The plaque that read ‘Sennen Roddo: Millennium Rod’ was cracked on the floor.

“This is your trap, honey,” Sakura cooed teasingly.

“You are a fool to think this will end well for you.”

“Doesn’t it always?” Sakura teased before moving.

They had danced like this before. She was fast, untouchable, a daughter of the stars, she wasn’t a hero he would take down so easily. Her magical abilities may not be as well developed as his, but she had a well where he was a puddle. She was young, still learning, but she knew him well enough.

Or she thought she did.

With his new millennium item he had a new set of powers to add to the list of skills he had already bested in battle. His puppets were worthless under her fists and his swordplay was no better than hers.

Sakura had tried to use gravity against him, pulling him down with a thrall of void, but his rod countered that move easily, sucking up the density from her miniature black hole. She tried with another attack and he countered that one as well. Sakura moved and he countered, Sasori moved and she dodged. It was a stiff standstill for longer than Sakura wanted to admit. Sasori was playing with her.

“Enough!” Sakura roared, punching through the body of one of his puppet body guards. She was up in his personal bubble, close enough to see his eyes widen.

Sakura felt her skin begin to glow as she prepared to discharge in his proximity. It would exhaust her, but she needed to end this. Sakura was a light. She was light. She was a star. She was starlight.

The air was gone from her and she felt herself suck out a gasp, falling to her knees as her magic was leached from her into the rod, Sasori standing over her, looking nervous but victorious. If she had gone off he wouldn’t have been so lucky, but his new toy turned the tide.

“I told you, this was foolish of you to try and best me.”

“What are you-“ Sakura gasped, almost unable to form words anymore. She tried to make sound but felt the air was truly, completely gone. Darkness was eating around the edges of her vision. She was going.

‘Kakashi was right. I should have taken backup.’ She thought before she fell atop his feet in a breathless lush.

Sakura was surprised when she woke up. She was still alive. She had anticipated the death of her mortal form and the long, laborious process of reshaping herself from the particles of her magic. Hadn’t Sasori threatened to kill her in the past? She lost, a first. Why had he kept her alive.

She turned over and felt part of the reason swish in the movement. She pushed up off the bed and looked down, touching at the folds of her long, white cotton dress. There was a shimmery see through attachment at the neck that connected to her wrists and flowed out behind her. She turned and pulled the navy colored fabric up for inspection and saw stars and constellations painted in gold patterns. It reminded her of the things she wore when she first stumbled into form behind Tsunade’s forest so many years ago.

There were no chains, no robes, no binding, not even a threatening dungeon in sight. Sakura sat up on the edge of the bed and looked around, noticing how the room’s back was open to a expansive terrace with the doors left wide open.

She climbed out of bed and walked out in her bare feet, seeing a wild sight of rolling sand dunes and a binary sun-scape. It wasn’t like anything she had ever seen on earth.

“Where is this?” Sakura breathed, walking over to the railing and grabbing the edges. There was an oasis below and some sort of garden for lounging and enjoyment.

“You’re awake.”

Sakura spun, hands raised defensively in the direction of the voice of her enemy. Sasori didn’t flinch in the slightest, but swirled the wine in his glass a little more.

“You,” Sakura breathed, eyes wide. “What have you done with me and where are we? Why am I still alive and not one of your puppets?”

The redhead narrowed his eyes at her, not unkindly, and lifted the glass to his lips to sip from. Sakura noticed then that he was shirtless, dressed in a long white skirt, bronze colored sandals, and a metal collar piece that spread out like an eagle across the upper portion of his chest. He looked like some tacky sort of Prince of Egypt knockoff, or he would have in that costume if he wasn’t so incredibly handsome already. Good genetics saved a hollywood disaster wardrobe. Sasori could probably look good in a sack cloth.

“I see you’re fine enough to be up and moving. You weren’t out long, but I didn’t expect less. Welcome to my world, a land of my own making.”

“Where have you taken me, Sasori?” Sakura asked again, not understanding his words.

“This is not a place you or any of your friends could reach. We are inside of the Millennial Eye.”

“What? I thought that item only transported you places.”

He huffed and there was a small curl to his lips that made her think he was amused. “Yes, places. Any place I so choose, even a place of my own dreaming. You’ll not be rescued here so try and make the best of it.”

“Yeah, I’m going to be freaked about that later, but why would you bring me somewhere like here? You should have killed me or made me into one of your puppets. Isn’t that what you’ve threatened in the past? What do you want from me now?”

“You’re preceptive to see there is more to this. Yes, I have wants. Making you into a puppet is not one of them.”

Sakura grew irritated as a nagging suspicion formed deep in her gut. It felt like he was teasing her. “You haven’t answered my question. What do you want?”

Sasori drank more from his wine, draining the glass. “I will be satisfied,” he began to say as he slowly lowered the glass, “With your company at dinner, knowing this prison is one you will never break on your own.” He smirked at her, fully and completely before turned and becoming her down to the gazebo be the palms where a feast was waiting.

Sakura watched him leave, a bit taken aback, before she gave in a followed him there.

He had kept her a week before Sakura was too stir crazy to avoid or verbally lash out at him every free minute of the day. He would come to taunt her, enjoy her reactions, and leave her in ways she couldn’t follow.

Sasori had been right about there not being a way out. Sakura had tried, even combusting a few times, but nothing seemed to dent the fabric of the reality. His magic was from an older time, one before even her consciousness.

When he came into the gazebo she best loved to relax in she didn’t get up to yell at him or bite curses off in his direction. Lazily she looked up from her needlework and then dismissed him with a huff to return to her cross stitch, flipping the needle in and out in steady motions.

Her inaction seemed to have caught him off guard. He almost looked disappointed, but after a moment he pulled up a chair and relaxed into it, watching her.

“What is that?” he asked, after a long moment of wordlessness.

Sakura didn’t looking up from her stitching. “Needlepoint.”

“I see that, but what are you making?”

Sakura paused, but didn’t look up at him. “I’m not sure yet. I’ll know when it’s done.”

She heard him hum in acknowledgment before settling into the chair, content to watch her work. He was patient, more so than most men Sakura had encountered. Sasori could out wait them all.

Sakura paused, setting her things down on her lap to star back over her shoulder at him. “Is there something I can help you with or was there something you came to say?”

“You are delicate in your art. That is admirable,” he commented after a long moment of just staring at her face.

Sakura felt her lips tug down. “Sasori, what do you want with me?” she sighed, deflating in her seat.

He had found a pillow to draw into his lap and knead in idle entertainment. “You do not know?”  he asked, softly, eyes searching hers. “It’s been days together and still you refuse to entertain the possibility I might-“

“Be honest with me,” Sakura cut him off, annoyed with his puppy dog eyes and the too soft lips that told lies too easily.

His soft eyes turned hard as he threw the pillow down and stood. “I am serious with you. Do you think I would have aspired to take anyone into the intimacy of my world, keep them alive and catered to them so well after years of rivalry? Do you think I would have done half as much with a lack of feelings?”

“I know better than to believe you,” Sakura hummed, looking back down at the needle and cloth in her lap. She reached for them again but his hand was there, throwing it aside and planting himself directly in front of her. She looked up and glared, ready for a fight.  

“You know nothing of how I feel,” he said before bending down to slip his lips over hers, catching the back of her head with his hand and holding onto her wrist with the other.

It lasted less than a moment before he pulled away. His eyes were hungry, seeing everything in her before he turned and stalked out, taking the daylight with him and ushering in night.

He didn’t hide from her like she thought he would. He put himself in her vision every chance he could get, even if they weren’t in physical proximity to each other. Sakura let him do as he pleased, anticipating another kiss or some other form of aggressive affection, but he dared not touch her again.

Sakura tried to lie to herself about how she wasn’t disappointed.

She found him by the waters on the last marble step into the pool of lily pads and clear water. He looked up as he heard her approach, but didn’t move away or towards her. He simply watched her take up a place beside him on the last step.

“We’ve been on opposite sides for years now,” she said, watching fireflies dance across the waters. “Why would you say something like that to your enemy?”

“It never mattered to me what you were,” he scoffed. “Enemies are still capable of love. I never hated you.”

Sakura scoffed, flicking the water with her toe. “You’ve tried to kill me, more than once.”

“I was never such a threat,” he chuckled, eyes narrowed in amusement. “You were too great to be in any mere danger.”

“I’ve known you for years, we’ve fought for years. Whe-when did you…?” Sakura staggered on the words, unable to force them out. ‘When did you start to like me?’

“I don’t know. I think it might have been always, but the admiration was always there, from the moment I first beheld your splendor. It didn’t matter you were my opposite, the one who kept me from my plans. Every time we met I think I fell a little further.”  

“But we’er enemies, Sasori.”

He turned to her, eyes suddenly bright with courage. “That’s why I brought you here. Out there is where the morals hang, but here, no one need know what we share between us. No one has to know about us, I know this could ruin you, but here there is a hope.”

“Sasori…I….” She shook her head, feeling heat stir in her with uncomfortable familiarity. “I can’t be that for you. I can’t stop being who I am for a dream.”

“I’m not asking you to change, I wouldn’t expect that and I don’t want that. I fell in love with the star who championed her justice and mercy and goodness.” His voice caught towards the end and he swallowed nervously, a shaky smile on his face. She wasn’t used to seeing him smile and it made her unsettled in a thrilling way. She wanted to say she liked his smile.

She shook her head, needing to break eye contact before she be too far drawn in. “I don’t know. It’s not something you could just ask of anyone. You can’t ask me to suddenly feel something for you.”

He reached for her, tentative and hesitant. When she didn’t pull away he took her by the arm and drew her into an embrace he could fold into. She felt him breath her in and press her closer to his chest. His heart was a fluttering thing she could hear. “You don’t have to say you love me. No one means it anyway.” His voice was a flutter in her ear as his hand reached up to run long fingers through her hair. She heard him catch on his words more than once. “Just let me love you, and you can pretend to love me. I don’t mind.”

Sakura didn’t say anything, but she pulled her face away and drew his down to kiss.

It was a month later when her stitching was finished. Sakura held the swatch of fabric up, filled it with magic, and tore it clean through. A tear then opened up in the world around her, the same shape and size as the one in her hand, only magnified and she walked through.

Sasori found out shortly thereafter, hands full of gifts from Paris and deserts from Italy. His world was empty and there was nothing he could dream up to heal that scar in his heart.

He searched for her in the real world, desperately. His contacts came up fruitless, and not even her allies seemed to know where she was, or if they did his spices couldn’t tell. Some believed she went back to the stars and she wasn’t anywhere reachable anymore, but Sasori refused to believe she was somewhere beyond his reach, somewhere he would never be able to touch her again.

Others said she was dead, beaten at her own game at long last. Sasori didn’t let those rumors leave with their teeth.

Going back to the oasis world was too painful. He could scarcely step back into it without wanting to rip it apart and un-dream it all. But there was no way he could do that. In his weakest moments he went back there, to the pool, to the gazebo, to the pillows where he held her and pretended she was still there, just out of sight, lying to him sweetly.

He hated himself after those nights, and tried his best not to be that weak. After another excursion across the black forest he returned to his flat and stilled at the sensation of not being alone.

There was a music playing on the old record player he hadn’t touched in months.

A dozen different arms brandishing blades dripping with poison were pulled out from the folds of his cloak, ready and tensed.

“Put those away before you hurt someone,” Sakura lazily commented, leaning back in his favorite armchair with one knee propped behind the other. She turned her head to the side and looked at him again. “You weren’t easy to find.”

“You…” Sasori didn’t believe it. She was in his flat, willingly, perched so delicately in one of his favorite places like she knew it was where he would gravitate to. He didn’t have the words for her. All he could do was stare.

Was this where she killed him? He deserved it. Maybe he would let her. It would hurt less than having to live without her after he had tasted her paradise.

Sakura lifted a finger and paused before speaking. “First, you don’t trap me or strip me of my autonomy ever again. I won’t be caged and made your lesser in anything ever.” She lifted a second finger. “Second, you quit the criminal empire and the villain known as Scorpion hangs up his villain cape. I won’t be getting into any morally compromising commitments. And third,” she paused before adding a third finger, “You accept what I say now as truth:I never lied to you in that world. Never, not even once.s”

Never lied? But she told him she loved him just like he asked. She had told him plenty of lies. She had told him she cared for him, secrets of her childhood, of her fears and doubts. She had been so bare with him that had to have been a lie. And yet…

“Sakura, what are you doing here?” he asked, voice raw with a new emotion. He felt afraid of her. Afraid to break her, afraid to be broken by her again.

She dropped her fingers and gave him a stare like it was obvious. “Really? You have to ask that after all we’ve been through. I came back to you, freely, all on my own. You told me you fell in love with who I am, but who I am is a person that will not be caged or manipulated into love.”

She uncrossed her legs and shifted to the other direction in the seat. “If you still love me, please kiss me,” she requested softly, watching him openly.

Sasori did not hesitate.

“I have suffered through too many worlds without you.”

[schlagger]

It was just a few months after I got the result of the 2016 Bar exams, and yes, I passed. I originally wanted to go to Maldives, but the thought of the need for major preparations and plane transfers had me and my husband travelling to Taiwan instead. There, the opposite happened, not much of preparation. We were booked at a simple M Hotel in Taipei and we also had a simple goal, to tour the whole place in 48 hours, or something like it.

The Friday evening flight of Cebu Pacific was definitely intended for people who wanted to travel but are scared to miss a lot from work. We took that flight. We ended with a peaceful arrival in Taipei. It was peaceful because it was overly late, and yes, past midnight. Arriving that time was tiring physically but mentally relaxing. There was no traffic and Taipei was so quiet. The streets were clean alright but from the shadow of its sleep we could feel it snoring from a long day’s job.

The hotel room was small but very comfortable. It’s very home-y but those who are claustrophobic might have a little problem with the ceiling and the lack of window. But still, we loved it. There, I realized my different advantages, my being small and not being needy with a lot of stuff. A clean toilet was all too fine. Three hours of sleep from the time of arrival was all it took for us to be up and awake. Seven in the morning of Saturday was still wee bit early for the city people as the streets were still empty. It was like a happy ghost town, too quiet, yet happy because it’s a city.

After a few more hours, the shops, stores and offices became populated. However, they were not as busy as we have expected or at least like Singapore or Hong Kong. People were not taking strides to their destinations. They were walking like lovers in the moonlight. No one was in a hurry. Nobody was rushing. It was the opposite of Japan or even Bangkok. Riding the train was relaxing. Many of the chairs were empty, and people seemed to be not in a rush to be seated.

We went to National Palace Museum and Chang Kai-Shek Memorial Hall, a vast place where one may opt to do cart wheel a thousand times and not hit anyone. Teenagers use the area both for dating and practicing dance steps. Others use it for exercising, doing Yoga or simply, walking. It was like a park with historical feel. But it attracts people perhaps because there are a lot of trees and not because it reminds people of their heroes’ feat.

We tried to walk and go to places in Taipei which names we could not recall but definitely, there was a restaurant with a nice ambiance in the middle of the typical market, that’s the “Nice Green Kitchen,” where we had lunch for the first day. They sure serve nice and healthy foods. Good thing I took a picture of the receipt, I wouldn’t have written it on this blog without that receipt. We also walked beside Donmem market, one of those “must-go-to” places although I’d say, it is still just a market. One of the few things we could be proud of was trying their famous millk tea with pearls. It was sure sweeter than the ones served here. The difference is perhaps with the container. I’d say that in Taipei, milk Teas are a bit more tempting than in the Philippines, or maybe I was just too thirsty then.

A few hours of continuous walking was something else. We had a good rest in Taipei 101, the tallest tower in the area. When up there, the city looked like a land blanketed with buildings in a very orderly manner. Their urban planning department did a good job in knowing what infrastructure to put on where. The sun has shown himself and he was kind enough to let us see clearly everything from below. The view from the top was mesmerizing. Everything from below became very little. It made me question if gravity works faster in very minute objects, like us perhaps, falling from the tower. But of course, the tower was well-built. It had a ballast of some sort to keep it stable despite its height. That huge ball inside the building was like one of my daughter’s toys placed inside a Lego castle, amazing. I wonder if it bounces too.

The next stop was the Elephant Mountain. I never really understood why it was called that name but because it was more than a hundred steps, I couldn’t call it less than an elephant. The steps were small and that’s the good thing. The bad thing was that when you wanted to go fast, you’re going to make a big leap. I could feel my heart doing overtime as my mind wanted to finally reach the top of it. The stopovers were great but the idea that we haven’t reached yet the summit was agony. Sneaky mosquitoes also got in the way. I showered my body with mosquito spray but they seemed to be immune already. I had five bites even before we finished half of the trail. And yes, another five more bites when we got back down. Tourists were flocking the top and I so admire fathers who brought their small kids on their backs despite the torturing steepness of the hike. Cliché as it may sound, the view of the sunset was relaxing, although we only saw the shadow of it. Other tourists were struggling to get a perfect view by looking for private spots in the rocks not considering the possibility of falling (and end up dying). Up the mountain was cool but not windy. Going down was definitely better, but still not a walk in the park (thanks to the mosquitoes).

Tired and hungry, we put a halt to our mini adventure in the city and the semi-jungle. We entered Din Tai Fung, the smell was awesome. Actually, I couldn’t remember correctly when I last felt such dire need for food. I could not recall if it was my sense of smell or sight which made me feel heaven. In any case, the view and the smell of Xiao long Bao being cooked was making me drool. I know we have the same restaurant in Megamall but it’s always worth a try to have it from where it originally came from. The foods were served, and the white cover was smooth, even and soft. For the lack of words to describe foods, I’d just say, fulfilling.

Last on our list for the first day was the Shilin Night Market. I am not really fond of buying stuff but the mere walk in the market with all the lights and the sight of different foods on the street is not something that I see every day. Fruit shakes, fried foods and shirts for pasalubong were just a few of the things our eyes feasted on. The voice of the young crowd filled the air. There was excitement and a few giggles. It was hard to identify the tourists from the locals. They seemed to have merged and agreed to have one specific goal, to enjoy the colorful night with friends and with lovers. Smoke suddenly populated the some portions of Shilin. There was cooking here and there and the street chefs have become busier than ever. My knees started to complain. Our spirits wanted to stay longer but the body begged to go home. As we went back to the hotel, we noticed that shops close early on a weekend. This left me to thinking that people in this side of the world also value rest, more than revenue.

Our second morning was greeted with another tranquil moment. We woke up a bit late and had breakfast in a nearby coffee shop. The coffee was fine but the pastries were not. It needed more heating perhaps. Croissant tasted good with Tiramisu, hot brewed coffee and chamomile tea. We saw students, two or three of them, tinkering with their laptops while drinking green tea shake and or iced coffee. They were savoring the morning just like us. There was no trace of rushing, of hurrying, or of footsteps trying to catch something. That morning was a bliss, perhaps not only for the people inside the coffee shop, but also for me and my husband. The watch ticking was only a watch ticking in that side of the world. There was no need to look at it for a moment. No one would send mobile message, no email, no messenger, just a smoke from the coffee and the smell of croissant.

The rest of the day was also relaxing. We rode a double decker bus which toured us in and around the city. There was a recording to be heard explaining what we were seeing. Just like any other place, the history’s fascinating or would there be any boring history anyway? In the evening after the tour, we had a lot of belly stuffing from one of the markets in Taipei. Perhaps that place is not ideal for someone on a diet. Now to end our story, I would like to make a recommendation. Those who want to have a slow-paced vacation but a restful one, maybe you can try to consider Taipei.

Taiwan in 48hrs It was just a few months after I got the result of the 2016 Bar exams, and yes, I passed.