#anyway heres a... third ? fourth ? oc ?

[badkitty3000]

It's A Wonderful Life, Five Hargreeves

So, I got two asks today about Christmas stories:

**are you going to put your other Christmas story on here? Not trying to be pushy it's just easier to read them on here and I saw you linked others. I love your stories btw :⁠-⁠**

and

*I loved your Santa Five story. Would you be willing to do another like it? Something for the season? 🙏🙏🙏*

So, first of all, thank you so much to both of you! Wow! I was assuming the first ask was about this story? This is a multi-chapter one I wrote a year ago on AO3. It's a cross between It's A Wonderful Life and A Christmas Carol, with Five getting a visit from his guardian angel after he's not doing well without his powers in Reggie's new world, post-season 3 (written before season 4 came out). I will post it below.

In regards to the other ask, I won't be writing any new ones most likely this season, but I do have a couple other one-shots that were part of a series and that @kaybreezy3000, who is the co-author on them, and I are currently working on to make them into reader-inserts for tumblr. Those should be posted soon.

Thank you again and I hope you enjoy this sexy, sad, but sweet with a happy ending Five story! Have a wonderful holiday everyone! Cheers!

A Five x Female OC, 22k words, multi-chapter, cross-posted on AO3 from 2023

Warnings: Explicit sex, rough/angry sex, but also sweet sex, little bit of daddy kink

Chapter One: Candy

Number Five does not believe in God, or Heaven, or Religion as a whole. He knows what Klaus has told him, about the Void, and he knows he’s not lying. It’s just that Five is a man of science and logic, and he operates on proven theories and facts. He figures whenever he dies someday, if there is something to see, then and only then will he develop a belief system. He doesn’t really see the point in speculating about something that is inevitable anyway.

So, if someone were to tell him that guardian angels really existed, he’d laugh in their face. He’d ask for proof; solid evidence on which they could base this claim. And when they couldn’t produce any, he’d smirk in that knowing way, basking in the glow of always being right.

There was just one tiny flaw with not believing in the existence of angels, however, and that was the very real presence of the one currently lying naked in his bed.

🪽❤️🪽❤️🪽❤️🪽❤️🪽❤️🪽❤️🪽❤️

The seedy bar was mostly empty, occupied by only a few sad and lonely patrons that had nowhere better to go. The lone bartender looked about as despondent as his customers as he mindlessly poured the cheap whiskey and beer that they asked for. A few strands of red and white lights hung over the bar, casting a reddish glow over the dirty countertop, and someone had set up a sparsely decorated tree in the corner. Somehow, those small attempts at cheeriness just made the place feel more depressing. The jukebox playing “Blue Christmas” for the third time in a row wasn’t helping, either.

Five sat in a booth near the back wall, the table in front of him wobbling periodically on its mismatched legs. He was on his fourth drink. Or maybe it was five. He had lost count and frankly didn’t care either way. He sat staring wistfully across the table, lost in his own dark thoughts.

Along with the number of drinks that he had consumed, somewhere along the line Five had also lost count of the number of years he’d been on the planet. He thought he was around 63, but then once you factor in all of the time travel, who knows exactly. Well, actually, he should know. He was the genius, or so he had thought. Calculating his age shouldn’t exactly be a brain buster. Whatever it was, he was still younger than he felt, which was about a million years old.

Not that it mattered, really. He was here now, in this timeline, with no powers and nothing much to show for all of the effort he’d put into trying to save the world. The world was still standing, he supposed, but how much of that was him and how much of it was Reginald?

Five years had passed since he and his siblings had been dumped into this fucked up, dystopian world created by his former adopted father. He refused to think of him as anything other than an alien in human skin that used them all as living batteries and abandoned them without powers. What a giant dick.

Having no idea where to go or what to do was bad enough, but to be suddenly without the power that had coursed through his body his entire life was a real fucking drag. It took Five at least six months before he stopped trying to blink away from things or teleport as a mode of transportation.

He’d narrowly missed getting run over by cars several times, and got his face beaten in more than once for running his mouth to the wrong people and then not having an exit strategy. He could still fight, but it was a lot harder without time and space manipulation on your side. Even now, every so often, he found himself staring down at his clenched fists in surprise when his body automatically tried to jump and nothing happened.

Not surprisingly, Five had found it difficult to adapt to normal life. Part of this was the years spent in isolation and not really having a good foundation for living a normal life in the first place. He had been told, on several occasions, that he lacked “basic social skills”, and was “surly” and “borderline psychotic”, whatever that meant. If people couldn’t deal with his attitude, so what? He wasn’t exactly dying to make new friends, thank you very much.

He and his brothers had managed to stick together, despite a rocky start. And as much as he hated to admit it, he did love them, even if they were astonishingly infantile and annoying. He no longer had a sister, or at least one that he acknowledged. Allison was off living her best life, probably laughing at all of them. But the rest of them, they were ok. And they were all Five had.

All things considered, the past five years had been decent to his siblings. They still struggled with having their powers stripped, just like Five did, but overall, they were doing much better than he was. Diego and Lila had started a new life together, and now had an almost five-year old daughter. The fact that the two dimmest people on the planet were responsible for another human life was astounding, but despite all odds his niece was actually a delight to be around and insanely smart. Luther had found Sloane, although it did take a couple of years. He never gave up hope, and eventually he found her, convinced her to fall in love with him again, and they were now married for a second time.

Viktor probably had the most successful turn-around out of all of them and had moved a few miles outside of the city where he had opened his own music school exclusively for trans kids. Five didn’t see him that much anymore, but they talked about once a week on the phone. As time went on, though, Five found they had less and less to talk about.

Klaus was still Klaus, albeit much happier. With no more ghosts tormenting him, he had found he had no reason to go back to hard drugs anymore. He still liked to grab an occasional drink with Five, but overall, he was sober and doing well. At least, Five assumed he was doing well. He actually had no idea what the hell he did for money, but he always seemed happy and well cared for. Maybe he had a sugar daddy or an old lady somewhere that took care of him. Five never asked and Klaus never volunteered.

Ben (the asshat version) was still around, but he kept his distance most of the time. He had tried to go crawling back to their dad at the over-the-top skyscraper that bore his name, but was quickly dismissed by security staff, saying that Reginald Hargreeves had no children. Ben had been obviously hurt and embarrassed, but since he never really considered himself part of the Umbrella family, he went off by himself. Occasionally he would check up on Sloane, though.

So, that left Five. There were only two things from his father that Five could say he was thankful for. One was that, on top of giving him his arm back, he had also added on a few years to his body when the universe was reset, so that Five had been 18 when they emerged into Oblivion Park. The other was that all of the siblings had found a bank card in their pockets, giving them access to individual bank accounts with a few thousand dollars in them, allowing them a chance to start a new life.

Five still lived in the small, crappy apartment he had found and rented back then. He could afford a better place now, but he didn’t see the point in moving. It was just himself there and anything with a roof over his head and simple furnishings still felt like a luxury. He didn’t have a job like the rest of his brothers, but he did have a steady income. Right from the start, he took half the money from Reginald and made investments that paid off nicely. The thought of working some dead-end office job at his age made him cringe, so he was perfectly happy to play the stock market from the comfort of his living room.

With no need for a car in the city, and no interest in a fancy apartment or house, Five had plenty of disposable income. Most of it was spent on his family, particularly his niece, who he liked to spoil as often as he could. He loved watching her face light up when he brought her a present and she was about the only person he would tolerate and enjoy hugs from. It made him happy to see her happy, with the added bonus of pissing Lila off by being her daughter’s favorite uncle.

The rest of his money went to his wardrobe. Afterall, what was the point in having a trim, young body again if you didn’t put in an effort to showcase it? Between his school boy Academy uniform, scrounging for clothes in the Apocalypse, and the drab Commission-issued suits he’d had to wear throughout his life, he was finally getting a choice in his style. And while that was a small victory in the scheme of things, his finely tailored and expensive suit collection was one of his only pleasures in life.

Five had tried to fix things, in the beginning. He had tried to figure out what Reginald’s end game was and how to take him down once and for all. Luther and Diego even got the taste for revenge, and for a while they were a small team. But after that first year, they determined it was fruitless. There was no way to get to Reggie, up there in his tower. He owned the city, literally. And without their powers, his forgotten children were no threat. Five never really gave up, though. He knew there had to be a way; he just couldn’t figure it out. Even now, it’s always there in the back of his mind.

With his family off living their lives as best they could, Five was alone. Which you would think he would have been used to by now, but this time seemed different. Five had gotten used to having his siblings around again. Even if they were obnoxious and had the collective IQ of a fruit fly. He had liked talking to them, and fighting alongside them again. He had even liked fighting with them again. After all, everything he had ever done was for them.

Five knew that he needed to open himself up more. It’s not like they didn’t try to have a closer relationship with him. But he remained closed off for the most part, often alone. He knew the reason, too. He was angry. Angry at Reginald for landing them there, angry at the Handler and The Commission, who had really screwed him over. Or maybe he screwed himself over, he still wasn’t sure how that worked. But most of all, he was angry with himself. And that anger was so big and so raw, that it was always threatening to burst out at any moment. So, it was just better that he kept to himself.

The same went for relationships outside of his family. They were constantly bothering him about dating or finding someone to settle down with. While they were all a little fucked up in the head, and maybe had some major daddy issues, Five knew he was different. He wasn’t blind to women, despite what his brothers thought. He’d even tried to date a few. But there was too much baggage, too many secrets. And that was not even including the mind/body age difference, which was a whole other complication to add to the mix.

Because of the constant turmoil inside, Five hadn’t let himself get close to anyone. The last few “relationships” he’d had were nothing but one-night stands that he’d barely remembered the next day. And even those left him feeling guilty and even worse than he had before. Because what would Dolores say if she knew?

He had worked so fucking hard for everything, and for what? One time when he was drunk, he had asked Klaus that same question. Klaus had told him that he had saved them; that he had technically achieved what he had wanted, just maybe not in the way he had envisioned. But Five had just laughed and poured another drink. They didn’t get it.

So, there he sat, alone on Christmas Eve, at a shit bar, drinking shit booze, and wondering what the fucking point was. He just couldn’t find a purpose anymore.

His phone buzzed in his pocket and he groaned when he saw the caller ID, but he answered.

“Hi, Diego.”

“Hey, where are you? I thought you were going to come over for dinner tonight. Everyone is going to be here.”

“I can’t. I have plans,” Five answered dryly, his glass raised halfway to his mouth.

“Bullshit. You don’t have any plans, you just don’t want to come.”

“If you know that, then why did you ask?”

Diego sighed heavily on the other end and Five took another drink. Then he heard some shuffling and a small voice screamed into the phone, making Five wince and pull it away from his ear.

“Hi, Uncle Five! Are you coming over? Are you bringing me a present?”

“Grace!” Diego scolded. “Stop screaming into the phone, and also that’s not polite.”

The girl ignored her father and continued talking loudly with her mouth way too close to the phone.

“My mom said you’re being a grumpy twat. What’s a twat?”

Five couldn’t help smiling. “It means a really cool person.”

“Ohhh! Ok. Well, I hope you’re coming for dinner and I hope you’re going to come over and watch me open presents tomorrow morning, too. It’s Christmas tomorrow!”

“I know, Gracie, and I did get you a very nice present. I just don’t know if I’ll be able to be there tomorrow morning.”

“Why?”

“Because I might be doing something else.”

“Why?”

“Because I just am.”

“But why?”

Five ran a frustrated hand down his face. “Can you put your dad back on please?”

“Ok. DAD!”

Five pulled the phone away again before he went permanently deaf in that ear.

“Ok, here’s my dad. Hey dad, you’re a twat!”

Five laughed loudly, unlike his brother.

“What the fuck, Five? If we get a call from the school saying she’s calling the other kids twats I’m giving them your number.”

“Lila started it.”

“Jesus, you two. Anyway, are you coming over or not?”

“Not.”

“You’re kind of being an asshole.”

“This is not new information to you, Diego.”

“Fine. Well, Merry Christmas or whatever. Have fun drinking alone.”

“Thanks.”

They hung up and Five set his phone down, lifting his glass back up. He shook his head. “Fuck, I really am an asshole,” he muttered to himself.

As Five sat there, contemplating when he had become such a jerk, a waitress came over. He hadn’t noticed any waitress before, just the bartender. But she sidled up next to his table and he looked up.

“Can I get you something, handsome?”

Five blinked at her a few times. She was extremely pretty, with long, thick black hair, dark eyelashes and full, red lips. But that wasn’t the only thing that caught Five’s eye. She was dressed head to toe in what he could only describe as a slutty elf outfit. An extremely short, flared green skirt with red trim, and a tight red shirt that buttoned up the front. The neckline was so low and her tits were pushed up so high that Five was honestly perplexed at how she was keeping them from just spilling out altogether. The red headband in her hair was adorned with tiny bells that jingled anytime she moved her head. A brief vision of that headband jingling loudly as it banged against his headboard passed through his mind, but he was in no mood for company tonight. Not to mention, she was probably half his age.

The waitress smiled down at Five and spoke again after she received no response. “Did you want anything?”

Five looked back down at his half-full glass. “No, I’m all set.”

“Are you sure? There’s nothing you want that I can get for you?”

Five sighed, annoyed with her persistence, and flashed her his best fake smile. “Nope. All good.”

She pursed her lips and put a hand on her hip. “What are you doing here on Christmas Eve? You seem way too classy to be hanging out in this dump. Don’t you have a family to go home to?”

Five looked up at her, his eyebrows drawn together in irritation. “Not that it’s any of your business, but no, I don’t have a family. I’m here to drink and be left alone.”

She nodded thoughtfully, then looked around the bar again. “It’s pretty slow tonight. Mind if I join you?”

“What part of alone did you not understand?”

Pretending like she either didn’t hear him or didn’t care, the girl shrugged her shoulders and plunked herself down in the chair across from Five, her headband jingling. He gritted his teeth together.

“If you don’t have a family, then who were you talking to just now?” she pried.

“Are you always this annoying to everyone, or am I just special?”

She shrugged again, unaffected by his insult. “I just overheard you talking and saying you didn’t want to go somewhere. Was that your family? Did they want you to come over for Christmas?”

Five slammed his glass down. “Jesus! Look, I don’t know what your angle is here, sweetheart, but I just want to be left alone. Go bother someone else.”

“I don’t have an angle. And my name’s not sweetheart. It’s Candy.” She extended her hand out to Five, which he promptly ignored.

“Candy?” he asked, eyebrows raised. “That’s a little cliché, isn’t it? Even for made up names.”

“It’s not made up! That’s my real name. Candy.”

“So, what’s your last name, Cane?”

She laughed, moving her head so the bells jingled. It wasn’t a funny joke and Five wasn’t being nice to her, so he had no idea why the hell she was still sitting there with him and laughing, of all things. He looked down at his glass, which was now empty from when he sloshed it all over the table.

‘No, silly. We don’t have last names where I’m from,” she answered with a giggle.

Five chose not to address that odd statement. “Well, then, Candy , looks like I could use another drink after all. And since you apparently have no other customers at the moment, would you mind grabbing that for me?” Five picked up the empty glass, waving it in the air to demonstrate the emptiness as he smirked at the waitress.

She frowned. “Are you sure you need another drink?”

Five rolled his eyes. “You just asked me ten seconds ago if I wanted anything!”

“Maybe I wasn’t talking about a drink,” she smiled, leaning forward so that her ample cleavage was even more on display.

As aggravated as Five was by her, his eyes were still drawn to her chest. Because of the buzz he had going, too, his look wasn’t exactly inconspicuous. She noticed and ran her hand across her collarbone, drawing attention to the delicious looking divot between her clavicle and neck as she brushed her hair off her shoulder. He tried not to think about what it would be like to run his tongue across that very spot.

Five leaned back against the booth, his arm slung across the back of it. “Thanks, but no thanks. Not interested.”

Candy pulled back in shock, even though she was still smiling. “I find that a little hard to believe, but that’s ok. My feelings aren’t hurt. As much as I would love to get inside those tight pants of yours, I can take a hint.”

Five leaned in again, speaking through clenched teeth. “Then if you aren’t getting in my pants, and you aren’t going to bring me a drink, I think our little conversation here is done.”

For the first time since she’d wandered over, Candy looked a little bit at a loss of what to do. Then she smiled again and stood up. “Ok, one more drink, I’ll be right back.”

When she turned to walk away, she glanced down at the black suede ankle boots she had on. One of the laces had come undone and she bent over, directly in front of Five, not even trying to hide what she was doing. Underneath the miniscule skirt, were an even smaller pair of red and white panties, striped like a candy cane. They were cut in a way that showed off a good portion of her ass and Five found himself staring yet again. He was also very glad she was not looking at him right then, because as he was caught in the tractor beam that was her tight little rear end, he licked his lips and let out a puff of air.

“Damn,” he murmured, hopefully quietly enough that she didn’t pick up on it.

She righted herself and looked over her shoulder with a grin before she set off to get his drink. Just as Five was imagining a hypothetical scenario involving those panties and his teeth, she appeared in front of him again, fresh drink in hand. When she handed it over to him, Five paused.

“Where did you..how did you get over here so fast?”

She shrugged again, and Five found that just that small action of her shrugging was really starting to get on his nerves. In her hand was her own drink of some sort and she took a generous sip.

“I’m a really good waitress, I guess.”

“Huh.” Five eyed her curiously as he lifted the glass to his lips.

Without any invitation, Candy dropped herself onto Five’s lap, her legs swinging to the side. Five gave her what he intended to be a very murderous glare, but considering her perky round tits were right under his face, it didn’t have the same effect that it normally did. He kept his hands at his sides, not touching her in any way, but he also didn’t push her off. Because her skirt was so short, he knew that the only thing between her and his lap were those little striped panties. He could feel the warmth of her thighs seeping through onto his. She may have been annoying as fuck, but he still had a brain and a dick, and sometimes those two things got very confused about which one was in charge.

“So, if you’re not spending time with your family tonight, what are your plans?”

“To finish this drink, stagger home, and pass out in my bed. If I’m lucky, maybe I won’t wake up until Christmas is over,” he answered.

“Well, that sounds terrible. Why would you want that? Don’t you like Christmas?”

Five shifted in his seat, the irritating jingling of bells now closer to his ears. “I used to.”

Candy nodded with a small frown. Then she placed a hand on his chest. “Maybe I can help you like it again.”

Five lifted his eyes to hers, raising one eyebrow.

“I’ll let you roast your chestnuts over my open fire,” she purred with a grin.

He rolled his eyes. “Subtle. But, even after that cute show you put on for me a minute ago, and this little stunt you’re pulling right now, I’ll be going home alone this evening.”

She stuck out her bottom lip, shiny and wet with lip gloss and her drink. She traced one finger down the side of his neck and over the buttons of his white dress shirt. “That’s a shame. I was really hoping you’d have a special package for me to unwrap later.”

One side of Five’s mouth curled up and his jaw twitched as he took another drink, trying to decide how drunk he was and how much of a hassle it would be to get rid of this girl in the morning. He leaned in closer, placing a hand lightly on the small of her back.

“Sweetheart, I would shove my package down your chimney so hard and so deep, you’d still be feeling it by New Year’s. But that’s not going to happen tonight, I’m afraid.”

She laughed and then nodded, like she hadn’t expected him to say anything less. “I just thought maybe I could remind you how wonderful Christmas is. And maybe how to enjoy yourself a little more and stop closing yourself off to everyone.”

With narrowed eyes, Five lowered his glass that had been midway to his mouth. “What the hell are you talking about? You don’t know anything about me.”

“I know a lot about you, Number Five. And I know that your family loves you and they wish you could have a full and happy life.”

Five’s hand flew up and he grabbed her wrist, pulling her forward and squeezing it hard.

“How do you know my name?” he hissed in her face.

The girl only smiled again. “I’m your guardian angel, Five.”

He clamped down harder onto her wrist and roughly jerked her towards him again. “Cut the shit. Who are you? What do you want? Do you work for Reginald Hargreeves?”

She had the audacity to laugh, those fucking bells ringing again. “Of course I don’t work for your father. Like I told you, my name is Candy and I’m your guardian angel. And I’ve been sent here to make sure you know what a wonderful life you could have here, Five. If only you could let yourself.”

“I don’t know who the fuck you are, or what you want with me, but you have seriously underestimated what I could do to you right now.”

“Oooh, I would love to find out all the things you could do to me,” she said, still not trying to pull her arm away or move off his lap. “I bet you could really put me on the naughty list.”

“How about this? If you don’t get away from me right this second, I snap that pretty little neck of yours?” he growled, digging his fingers into her wrist.

Candy sighed, rolling her eyes skyward and talking out loud to the empty air above her, gesturing to Five with her hand that held her drink. “I know, I know…you warned me. This is going to be a tough one, like you said, but I still think he’s hot, though.”

Five shoved her roughly off his lap and stood up, pushing the table back with a loud screech. “Since you know all about me, then you should know what I’m capable of. So, keep that in mind; because if I ever see your face again, you’ll get to witness it firsthand. Now get out of my way.”

He shouldered past her, out of the bar, and into the cold night air. All around him, just like every other day and night for the past five years, he saw the glowing signs bearing his last name. He paused and took in the giant Hargreeves Enterprises building that loomed over the whole city. The first few snowflakes of the night had started to fall, landing in his hair and onto his eyelashes. With another look back at the bar, he hurried off down the sidewalk. His apartment wasn’t that close, and he had forgotten his coat inside the bar, but he didn’t care. He needed to walk and clear his head and try to figure out what the hell just happened back there.

Five knew the girl had to have been sent by someone. But who? And why? Maybe she was sent from another timeline, here to stop him from doing something that will affect the future. But she didn’t say that. She said she wanted to help him, which made no fucking sense. Then, to matters more fucked up, how the fuck did she know how he felt about things?

After a few more blocks, Five came to a bridge that spanned over a large river. He stopped halfway across, nearing the icy rail and peering down at the roiling and freezing water below. It was windy on the bridge, and he bent his head against the falling snow. He remembered how a year ago, he’d stood in that very same spot, looking down. He had been drunk and in a dark place, just like he was now. He hadn’t gone through with it then, and he wasn’t going to do it now, either. After everything he’d been through and survived, it seemed like a pretty stupid way to end things.

Five huffed out a short laugh, speaking into the empty dark night. “Guardian angel my ass. If that were true, where the fuck were you when I was wasting away in the Apocalypse? At least then I could have had something else to fuck besides my hand.”

“I was there with you, Five, but you didn’t need me then. You do now, though, and you’re much too hot to just be flinging that body of yours over the side of a bridge.”

Five pulled the gun he was carrying out from his waistband, spun around, and pressed the barrel into the side of the girl’s head, clicking off the safety. She gasped a little, but otherwise didn’t seem afraid. She had thrown on a red, faux fur coat over her skimpy outfit, but it remained open, blowing in the wind.

“Why are you following me?” he yelled, a little more frantically than he had intended.

“I don’t know how many times I can tell you, Five. I’m your guardian angel.”

“Forgetting for a moment that angels don’t exist; if they did, I highly doubt they would look like you.”

She stuck her bottom lip out in a pout. “Why? What’s an angel supposed to look like?”

Five couldn’t believe he was actually having this conversation. “I have no idea, but not someone that’s dressed like they just came from working the pole at Santa’s workshop.”

Candy actually laughed, despite the very loaded gun pointed directly at her head and the blatant insult he had just hurled at her. “Santa’s strip club? That’s good! Oh! I bet it would be called ‘The South Pole’.” Her eyes flitted down to where Five had pulled out his gun. “And I wouldn’t mind getting my tongue frozen to your pole.”

“Shut up! Just shut the fuck up! God, you are annoying!”

“Yeah, I get that a lot. But I’m very delightful once you get to know me.”

“I highly doubt that. I’m also not going to find out. Because, even though I could blow your brains out and throw your body into the river very easily right now, I’m not going to do that. So, I highly recommend that you walk away from me before I change my mind.”

“Oh, Five,” she said with a smile, running her hand down his arm. “You’re not going to hurt me. That’s not you.”

Five blanched at her words, lowering the gun. Even though he had liked the feeling of her warm hand on his arm, he shook her off and got in her face.

“I have killed more people than you could ever know,” he snarled.

“263.”

Five’s eyes widened and he took a step back. “What?”

“I do know how many and it’s 263.” She pointed up to the sky and shrugged her shoulders. “We keep track.”

Five didn’t know what to say to that. His heart began to race and his hand trembled as he shoved the gun back into his pants, trying to process the craziest thing this woman had said to him yet. She was right; he had kept track, too.

Chapter Two: Christmas Past

“Fuck.” 

When Five shivered against the cold, Candy opened up her coat, pulling it around his back as she stepped in closer to his side. “Here, let me warm you up.” She leaned in even closer and whispered next to his ear, her lips ghosting over his cheek. “You’re an amazing person, Number Five, and I want to show you that.”

“How?” Five’s voice came out soft, and he realized he was quickly losing his control of the situation.

Candy pressed her body into him, her arms circling his waist. When she kissed him, he didn’t try to pull away. Instead, he felt himself giving in to her and the heat of her hand as she touched the side of his face with her palm. The snow was still falling and landing over them both, but Five was no longer cold. The heat radiating off of her body was more than enough to warm them both. His eyes fell closed as he felt her pull away just slightly, her voice sounding both far away, and directly inside his head.

“Just relax, Five. Let me remind you.”

“Remind me of what?” he whispered, although he wasn’t sure he’d spoken out loud.

“When you were happy.”

Five’s vision started to fade; the snowy landscape around them shimmering like water. For a split second he thought he had his powers back. The sensation was the same. The same surge of energy through his veins, the pull of time and space on every molecule in his body. His heart raced with the possibility that his old self was back. But instead of appearing out of a portal, it was as if he stood still and his surroundings shifted into something new.

One second Five had been standing on a freezing bridge with Candy’s body pressed to his; and the next they were standing in the warm living room of the Hargreeves’ mansion. He was inside of his childhood home and Candy was holding his hand loosely in hers. None of this made sense and he looked to her for an answer. Instead of an actual explanation, she smiled cheerfully, as if nothing out of the ordinary had just happened, and squeezed his hand.

“Just watch,” she chirped.

Five really had no other choice but to wait and watch, considering he had no idea what the fuck was going on. The main room of the mansion had been decorated for Christmas, with wreaths on every window, garland on the mantle above the fireplace, and a tastefully decorated tree in the corner. Looking up, he noticed that some of the trophy heads his father had collected had lights strung across their antlers and necks and he smiled. He actually remembered helping Ben string those up, with both of them wondering if they would get in trouble when Reginald saw. By some miracle, their father either didn’t care or didn’t notice, and the rest of their siblings had laughed and clapped when the oryx and wildebeest were suddenly illuminated with twinkling lights.

Five’s smile turned back into a frown when he realized how old that memory was. They had been around 8 years old then. How the hell was he seeing this now? Before he could question Candy, he heard the stampeding sound of multiple feet running down the hallway towards them, accompanied by loud shrieks of laughter. He watched in disbelief as the 8-year-old version of himself, along with the rest of his brothers and sister, came clamoring into the room.

Five immediately ran his hands over his face and down his arms, fully expecting his body to start sweating and itching like crazy. But he felt fine, and he didn’t feel the normal paranoia creeping in. Maybe it was the denial, though. He looked back at Candy, who was watching him, and she shook her head with a smile.

“Don’t worry. There’s no psychosis here. It’s more of a flashback or like watching a home movie. They’re real but they can’t see us.”

Five rolled his eyes. “So, we’re doing the Christmas Carol thing? How original,” he muttered.

Despite his suspicions of all of this, he went back to watching the scene in front of him. He remembered that exact Christmas Eve because it had always been his favorite. They were still too young to have officially formed the Umbrella Academy, and so life was a little freer than it would be in the coming years. Even though they fought sometimes, and formed alliances behind each other’s backs, that was all forgotten at Christmas time. Everyone was happy and getting along. Their mother brought in a tray of seven mugs of hot chocolate with marshmallows and each kid excitedly grabbed one.

Five watched his younger self double over with laughter when Diego stuck a marshmallow up his nose and shot it into Luther’s mug. He couldn’t remember the last time he had laughed like that, and seeing it was both heartbreaking and uplifting. He smiled, wishing so badly he could step out of whatever bubble Candy had put them in and warn his little innocent self not to ruin his life on a whim just to prove a point.

“I remember this Christmas,” Five said to Candy, not taking his eyes off of his family. “Klaus and Allison had written a stupid play called ‘The Unhappy Christmas Tree’ and forced us all to be in it. We performed it for our mother and Pogo on Christmas morning.”

His supposed guardian angel laughed. “And what part did you play?”

“I’ll give you one guess.”

“The unhappy Christmas tree?”

Five nodded and chuckled. “I had absolutely refused to speak any lines or sing their dumb song, so they made me stand there covered in garland with a star on my head while the rest of them performed around me.”

“I bet you were an adorable little tree.”

“I don’t know about adorable. I was a pretty pissed off little tree, anyway.” Five sighed and shook his head. “Of course, you would have thought it was worthy of a Tony award based on our mother’s reaction. Not that that was real in any way, but it made Allison and Klaus feel good.”

“Did your father enjoy it?”

Five snorted with derision. “Fuck no. He never would have lowered himself to actually spend time with his children. No, I’m sure he was either out with his high-society crowd, or up in his office planning our eventual demise.”

They watched in silence for a few more minutes as his young family laughed and played. They really were a real family once upon a time, all seven of them together. Here was the proof. Ben was alive and Five hadn’t even thought of time travel yet. They even included Viktor in everything back then. Five’s chest tightened with the emotion of a lost childhood and he turned to Candy.

“Make it stop,” he told her, his voice cracking.

“But there’s more to see, don’t you want to—”

“Now,” he demanded harshly. “Stop doing whatever you’re doing.”

She looked sad, the smile that she always seemed to wear fading and she nodded her head slowly. The time travel sensation was back and gone just as quickly, and they were back on the bridge with the wind and snow whipping around them.

“What the fuck did you do to me?” Five yelled at her, yanking his hand away.

“I brought you back to a happy moment in your life. So you could remember what it used to feel like.”

Five wiped aggressively at his face, telling himself that it was wet from the snow, and stumbled backwards away from her. “Stay away from me, whoever or whatever you are!”

Candy raised her arms up and let them drop back down to her sides in frustration. “Five, please! I’m trying to help you.”

“Stay the fuck away from me! Understand? If I see you again, I will kill you!” he yelled into the wind.

He took a few more steps backwards, to make sure she wasn’t going to follow him, but she stayed where she was. Then he turned around and headed towards his apartment as fast as he could without breaking into a sprint.

Head down, Five pressed on for the few remaining blocks, not daring to look behind him. He didn’t know what had happened back there, or who that woman was, but he wanted no part of it. She probably drugged his drink at the bar and everything he had seen was a hallucination. That was the only logical explanation. Logic aside, it had still scared the shit out of him, and Five did not like being the scared one in any situation. He liked to be in control, and back there he had let himself lose control. All because she had pressed her body against his and kissed him.

So what if she was insanely hot, and had a nice ass and her tits were perfect? And so what if she was actually nice to him, even though he was being a dick to her? She was clearly insane. Even attractive people with amazing boobs could be insane, he reminded himself.

When he finally reached his apartment, Five hurried inside and shut and locked the door behind him. He stood shivering with his back against the door, breathing hard and flexing his frozen fingers to try and warm them up. He was still a little tipsy from the bar, but after what he’d just been through, he needed another drink. Striding over to his small, drab kitchen, he pulled out a glass, pouring a generous amount of bourbon, and tipping it back to swallow it in one gulp.

“Fuck,” he said out loud to no one, grimacing from the burn of the alcohol.

Before he could think what to do next, he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket, startling him back to reality. With a glance at the screen, he sighed heavily, but was actually grateful for someone else to talk to. If only to make sure he wasn’t completely losing his mind.

“Hello?”

“Heyyy, Cinco! We miss you buddy, where are you?”

Klaus was just about as loud as his niece had been, and Five found himself pulling the phone away again.

“I’m at home,” he answered flatly.

“Well, what the hell are you doing there? It’s Christmas Eve, Fivey!”

“I’m aware of the day.”

“Then why would you want to be alone? Come hang out with us. We miss you!”

Five’s heart tightened just a little on hearing that. He missed them, too. A little, anyway. But he stayed silent.

“You’re not still mad at me for spilling guacamole on your suit jacket that one time, are you? Because it really was an accident.”

Five pinched the bridge of his nose with his fingers and closed his eyes. “No, Klaus, I am not mad about that. I just don’t want to come, ok?”

There was a pause. In the background, Five could hear the rest of his family being loud and obnoxious as always, with Lila’s voice carrying over all of them. “Klaus, don’t waste your time with that crabby old fart. Let him be miserable and alone. That’s clearly what he wants.”

“We’d really like you to be here,” Klaus said apologetically.

“Yeah, sounds like it.”

“Fivey, come on—”

“Really, Klaus, I’m fine. But as Lila said, don’t waste your time on me, because I’m not coming.”

“Can you at least tell me why?”

Five huffed angrily and raised his voice. “Because maybe I just don’t want to spend Christmas with you people, ok?”

There was silence on the other end and Five immediately felt like shit. Klaus didn’t deserve that. None of them did. Why did he have to be such a stubborn asshole all of the time?

“Yeah, ok. Ten-four, big bro. Have a nice life.”

Five watched as the call went dead and he slammed his phone on the counter.

“Fuck,” he said quietly. But as usual, no one was around to hear it.

He was still wet and shivering from the snow, so after a quick check out the window and a glance at his locked door, he went into his bedroom to change. He just needed to go to bed and go to sleep, that was all. Whatever drug that girl put in his drink would wear off by tomorrow, and maybe then he could think straight. Then maybe he would go over to Diego’s in the morning and apologize; if he wasn’t too hung over, that is.

After pulling off his soaked shoes and socks and peeling off his shirt, Five was in the process of unbuckling his belt and unzipping his fly when he heard it. Those fucking bells. He paused, his hands on his waistband as he listened with his heart pounding loudly in his ears. There was no fucking way he had actually heard that. He must be going crazy. But then he heard it again, and he gritted his teeth together.

When he stormed out of his bedroom, there she was. Standing in his kitchen, helping herself to his bourbon, and looking like she had every right to be there. Her red coat had been discarded in the living room, thrown onto a chair. Five also noticed she had thrown her boots off by the door. When she saw him, she smiled happily and raised her glass.

“This is good! I see why you like it.”

Five wanted to scream or yell or do something. Something other than what he did do, which was to stammer incoherently and run his hands so hard through his hair a few strands were pulled out.

“What the…how did you…god damn it! How the fuck are you here?”

He looked over at his door, which was still dead bolted from the inside. If he had been freaked out before, that was nothing to how he was feeling now. Candy, however, only tilted her head like she had no idea what he was talking about and took another sip of her drink.

“Angels don’t need to use doors, Five. I thought that was common knowledge.”

She shrugged her shoulders, drawing his attention to the smooth skin of her collarbone again. He really wished he could stop thinking about running his lips over that skin and wondering how it would taste. He did not want this girl here. He wanted her to leave him the fuck alone. He’d been very clear about that.

“Get. The fuck. Out,” he spit out between clenched teeth.

Candy ignored him and hoisted herself up onto the kitchen countertop, wiggling her sparkly red painted toes. Her skirt was riding up far enough that Five was able to get another glimpse at those red and white striped underwear of hers. She made no attempt to try and hide them and she looked Five up and down, only just then realizing he was standing there shirtless with his pants halfway undone. She raised her eyebrows.

“Damn, Five” she exhaled quietly. “You can deck my halls anytime.”

Five’s eyes darkened and he strode over to her, muscles dangerously flexed, and he grabbed her around the neck. Only inches from her face, he hissed menacingly as he pressed his fingers in harder.

“I told you I would kill you if I saw you again, didn’t I?”

Candy clasped onto his wrist, but she didn’t seem panicked at all. In fact, it looked like she was trying to smile.

“You’re not going to kill me, Five.”

He tightened his grip again and he heard a small gurgle in her throat.

“What makes you think I won’t?” he snarled.

“Because I think you’d rather do something else to me,” she breathed out.

Five’s chest was heaving and his teeth were bared as he stared her down, his fingers not loosening from around her slender neck. Up close like that, he could see down her shirt and he realized he was standing between her legs, with the inside of her thighs brushing against his hips.

“Is that really what you want?” he growled as he leaned in even closer. “You want to get fucked by some stranger on Christmas Eve? Right here, in this shit hole apartment?”

He saw a small twitch at the corner of her mouth and she inhaled as best she could while he was choking her. Five could feel the intense heat pulsing off her body again, just like when they were out in the snow. She looked him directly in the eyes and nodded.

The one ounce of resolve he had left in him to not let his lust for this woman take over in any way dissolved immediately with that nod.

“Shit,” he cursed to himself in between his heavy panting.

Her head was slammed back into the cupboards behind her as Five moved his hand to the back of her neck and kissed her brutally, his other hand sliding roughly up her skirt and onto her hip, where his fingers dug into her skin.

Five leaned down and sucked a dark bruise on to the delicious looking indentation next to her collarbone. He heard her hissing inhale from his teeth scraping against her and he let up, grabbing a handful of her hair.

“I don’t think you know what you’re getting yourself into here, honey. Because I’m not the nice guy you think I am.” He kissed her roughly before pulling away again. One hand was still in her hair while his other traveled around the font of her skirt and he pressed his entire hand between her legs, pushing his palm hard against her until he heard her let out a little moan. “You are going to get fucked hard and rough, and I’m going to come inside of you because I don’t really give a shit about anything anymore.”

It hadn’t been a question; his drunk self just blurted it out there. He waited for her to tell him to drop dead, or to finally realize who she was dealing with and leave him alone for good. Instead, she reached down and pressed his hand in harder and smirked.

“It’s not nice to tease.”  

With a vicious smile that was more like a snarl, Five pressed his body into hers so that she could feel his hard on grinding into her thigh. He left more bruises over her neck as he eagerly bit and sucked at her skin.

“Get these fucking panties off.”

With one hand he yanked the tiny red and white striped underpants down, letting them fall to the floor while he started fingering her under her skirt. He watched with satisfaction as her eyelids fell closed and she tipped her head back with a low groan.

He wasn’t gentle with her, but she seemed to like it, and even in his inebriated state he knew what he was doing. Five pushed his groin into her again, rubbing himself against her while he stroked the soft, wet folds between her legs. She was starting to roll her hips into his hand, urging him on with the way she was panting, her chest heaving and her breasts pushed up against his chest.

When Five began finger fucking her, hard with two fingers, her moans came out louder and she thrust her hips into him.

“Ohhh…yes,” she whined, her hands clutching the edge of the countertop.

With another growling noise, Five pulled his hand away, leaving her gasping for air. He ripped open the front of her shirt, the buttons pulling apart and exposing her breasts. The bra she had on was striped just like her underwear. He pushed the shirt the rest of the way down her arms and let it fall off of her.

“Let’s see those tits you’ve been shoving in my face.”

Five reached around and unhooked her bra, throwing it on the ground. The sight of her perfectly round breasts displayed before him was too much and he let out a pathetic noise from deep down in his throat. He couldn’t wait any longer, he needed to fuck this girl and he needed to fuck her now. Candy watched, breathing hard, as he unzipped his pants the rest of the way.

“Fuck, Five…I knew you would have a big package to load into my sleigh.”

He was filled with nothing but rage and lust when he pulled her forcibly by her hips, shoving her skirt up around her waist. With one hand he began stroking his straining cock while the other grabbed her hair again, pulling her head back so she was forced to look at him. Her mouth gaped open and her rapid breaths were loud and rasping.

“Tell me you want this,” he demanded through clenched teeth.

She nodded as best she could with his fist in her hair. He shook her slightly and her head hit the cupboard again, the bells on her headband jingling.

“You haven’t shut up all fucking night, so don’t stop now, sweetheart. Tell me you want me to fuck you.”

“I want you to fuck me,” she whimpered quietly as one side of her mouth turned up in a half smile.

Five let go of her hair and positioned himself carefully, using his hand to slip the head of his cock inside of her. She sucked in a sharp gasp at the same time that Five sneered in her face.

“I am going to ruin you.”

The first hard thrust all of the way inside pushed her back and she cried out while grabbing onto his shoulders for support. Five had her hips and ass held tight in his hands as he began to pound into her hot, wet core. Candy’s headband continued to jangle pleasantly each time the back of her head hit the cupboard behind her.

“Fuuuck,” Five groaned out.

“Oh my god you’re good at this,” she moaned. “Keep fucking me like I’m your ho ho ho,” she added with a smile as her head bounced off the cupboard in time with each ‘ho’; those god damn bells ringing.

“Shut. Up.” Five panted. Then he reached up and grabbed her headband, flinging it across the room, the bells making one final, sad tinkling sound as they hit the linoleum. “Jesus, I hate that thing.”

Candy’s laugh was quickly cut off by another desperate moan as Five banged into her over and over again and she clutched at his shoulders. In contrast to his apparent anger and viciousness towards her, he couldn’t help pulling her closer. He liked her impossibly warm skin and the weight of her body on his. He began to kiss her mouth, hard and hungry, sucking at her lips and tasting her tongue on his. She was delicious, like her name, and he kept going back for more until he was clutching her against him and feeling the soft skin of her cheek under his palm and her firm tits pressed against his bare chest.

“Whatever you’re doing to me, stop it,” he begged her as his lips grazed over the corner of her mouth.

“It’s not me, this time. This is all you, daddy.”

“Oh, fuck…I like that,” he groaned into her neck.

“I know you do,” she smirked.

He was still drilling into her hard and fast, and Five could tell that he was doing something she liked because she finally shut the fuck up. The only sounds he heard were the slamming of his body into hers and her whines and cries that were getting louder and more pleading. Her fingers were digging into his skin and her head was thrown back.

“Yes…please,” she gasped in between more of his voracious kisses.

He felt her release against him as she clung to his body with her legs wrapped around his waist and her hands on his back. Her body seemed to give off a shimmering glow as she climaxed and she felt even warmer to the touch, her hot walls pulsing around his dick.

Five picked up his pace, slamming even more violently into her as he chased his own high. He felt like he wanted to break her, to crack her open with each thrust of his hips. He wasn’t even angry at her anymore, but she was the outlet for his chronic rage and he poured every ounce of it into her. It was unrelenting as he shamelessly used her as a way to get his rocks off and maybe a little relief from the constant ache of resentment he felt every day.

The aggression and ferocity kept building until finally Five couldn’t take it. He was barely aware of her existence anymore, just mindlessly penetrating her over and over again. His own orgasm came hard, and he did exactly what he said he was going to, coming inside of her with no warning. Sweating, shuddering, and with a final long, low grunt, he finished unloading into her and fell limply against her body.

“Damn it,” Five groaned sadly under his breath as he rested his forehead against his shitty cabinet door, her hair brushing against his cheek.

He was still breathing heavily, but he wasn’t pent up with rage anymore. He felt the inevitable shame washing over him like a thick, creeping fog. He had let his anger and fear get the best of him, and he had taken it out on her. When he felt Candy’s fingers threading lightly through his hair at the back of his neck, he flinched and drew back, pulling out of her and stepping away.

He immediately zipped his pants back up and pushed his hair off his face. He was having a hard time looking her in the eyes, but he watched as she hopped casually down from the counter to retrieve her bra and panties that had been thoughtlessly discarded on the floor. Once she had them back on again, she stepped closer to Five. He had no choice but to look at her.

“Wow,” she breathed out with a satisfied smile. Her eyebrows creased together when she saw his expression. “What’s wrong?”

Five wasn’t sure how to answer that question, considering it seemed pretty fucking obvious to him. He looked away from her again, turning back to the bottle of bourbon on the counter. With a shaky hand, he poured more into his empty glass. Then he felt her hand on his arm and he turned back around.

“You didn’t do anything wrong, Five. I asked for something and you gave it to me. I know you were mad, but that’s ok. That’s what I’m here for. To make you feel better.”

“That’s what you’re here for? Jesus, what kind of fucked up thing is that to say?”

She sighed. “See, this is exactly why I needed to come down here. You think you’re this cold-hearted, uncaring person, but I’ve seen the real you. And you have so much love inside you, Five. You just need to figure out how to let people see it.”

Five turned his back on her, bracing his hands on the counter so that the muscles in his back tensed and flexed and he let out a short, sarcastic laugh.

“How can you even say that, after…” His voice trailed off, too ashamed to finish the sentence.

She placed a hand on his back. “Can I show you more?”

“More what?” he asked miserably.

“Well, even though one of my objectives tonight was to take a ride on your Polar Express, that wasn’t my main one.”

Five rolled his eyes at her stupid innuendo, but he also had to fight down the smile he felt creeping up. He turned to face her again, crossing his arms over his chest.

“And now I suppose this is the point where you show me another vision or whatever it is and I come to some conclusion that life is just one big fucking ray of sunshine?”

Candy shrugged her bare shoulders, standing there in just her skirt and peppermint striped push-up bra. If Five had been in more of a romantic mood, he would have thought she looked adorable. Instead, he just rolled his eyes again, thankful that at least that fucking headband was gone.

She took another step towards him, prying one of his hands away and taking it in hers.

“Don’t you trust me?”

He shook his head slowly. “Not even a little.”

Chapter 3: I'll Stuff Your Stocking

With another soft smile, Candy placed her hand on the side of his face, just like she had done on the bridge. She leaned in to kiss him, so softly and sweetly that Five couldn’t stand how much he loved that feeling. Just like he had gotten lost in the sensation of kissing her while he roughly fucked her, he was losing himself again. He didn’t care about whatever it was she wanted to show him. He wanted to keep kissing her while her warm body was against his. There was something comforting about it and he let himself relax into her.

When he opened his eyes, he and Candy were fully dressed again, standing in another warmly lit home, with her hand clasped in his. He shook off the strangely familiar feeling of teleportation and glanced around. He knew exactly where they were and he let out a disappointed groan.

“Here?” he asked, turning to Candy with a pointedly annoyed look. “Ok, I get it. I’m a big jerk that everyone hates. Can we go now?”

Candy shook her head with a smile, and Five noticed the fucking bells were back on her head.

“Sorry, that’s not how it works.” When she saw his unamused face, she laughed. “Hey, I don’t make the rules, I just carry them out.”

Five reluctantly turned back to the scene before him. It was happening in real time, on that same night, and he watched his entire family as they gathered around Diego and Lila’s small but cozy living room.

“Shit,” he muttered under his breath and he felt Candy squeeze his hand.

“So, why isn’t Uncle Five here again?” Grace asked, as they all took seats and she sat on the floor surrounded by presents.

“He is just very busy, sweetie, that’s all,” Luther lied.

Diego and Lila exchanged eye rolls behind their daughter’s back.

"I’m sure you’ll see him soon. Now, why don’t you go ahead and open up the presents everyone brought for you?” Diego said.

Distracted by the presents from her other uncles, Grace started tearing into the paper while everyone watched. Five felt a stabbing sensation in his chest, knowing she was asking about him and he hadn’t even had the decency to show up.

He and Candy watched as the little girl opened each gift, and each time she held one up to show everyone, Five would scoff, growing increasingly agitated.

“Barbies? Please. She doesn’t even like dolls!”

“She already has Candy Land! I know because I bought it for her two years ago. She cheats, by the way.”

“Pink fuzzy bunny slippers. Ok, Klaus, you’re supposed to pick out things for her, not you. Gracie hates pink. She likes purple.”

Five was getting more and more worked up as Grace continued to open her ill-thought-out gifts. He was gesturing wildly to the scene in front of them and looking over to Candy in disbelief.

“Oh for fucks sa—are you seeing this? Dr. Seuss books? Her reading level is much too advanced for those.”

Candy stood silently next to Five, watching his reactions with her usual smile. Grace finished opening her presents and thanked and hugged everyone politely. But Five could see she was secretly disappointed.

Candy finally piped up. “Too bad you aren’t there to give her your gift. You seem to know her the best.”

Five huffed. “Well, it’s not that hard to figure out what a kid likes. All you have to do is pay attention once in a while. Dumbasses.”

“What did you get her again?”

Five hesitated. “A telescope. I told her how I used to look at the stars every night when it was just me and Dolores and she said she wanted me to show her. I was going to take her outside of the city so we could see them better.”

Candy nodded. “When were you planning on doing that? Before or after your very busy plans of getting black-out drunk all by yourself?”

Five’s eyes narrowed, but he didn’t say anything. What could he possibly say? She was right. He had no excuse as to why he wasn’t there with his family and doting on his niece like he loved to do. Only that he was a selfish asshole.

“Alright, so are we done here?”

Candy shrugged, and Five noticed the bruises he had left on her neck and chest were gone. “That’s up to you. Have you seen enough?”

Five turned back to his family. Grace had already slipped away from the group of adults, leaving her new gifts on the floor untouched. He was about to tell Candy that he had seen enough, when he realized his siblings were talking about him.

“…couldn’t take ten minutes out of his busy schedule of tossing off to mannequin catalogs to hang out with his family?”

Five flipped Lila off, even though he knew she couldn’t see him.

“I don’t know, I feel bad for him. He’s been through a lot.”

Surprisingly, Luther was defending him. Then Klaus spoke up.

“I know, but haven’t we all? And we’ve somehow managed to get on with life.”

“Yeah, but we have each other. He doesn’t have anyone,” Diego added.

Lila snorted. “Well, he could have if he tried even a little bit. It’s like he loves being a miserable little shit.”

“I do want him to be happy, though,” said Viktor.

Klaus sighed and nodded. “Yeah, me too. It’s just too bad he can’t let himself. I’m not sure the old man even knows how anymore.”

After that, the subject switched to something else and Five was left standing there with a dull ache throbbing in his chest.

“That’s enough,” he said quietly to Candy.

She nodded and took his hand again. The room started to shimmer and then disappear altogether. In a second, they were back in Five’s apartment. Candy was back to wearing nothing but her skirt and bra, her red headband lying on the floor where Five had so rudely flung it. Five was wearing just his pants, which only brought back the shame he had been feeling earlier. Shame heaped on top of shame.

“I thought you said you were supposed to make me feel better.”

“I am!”

“Well, then you’re terrible at your job because I feel shittier than before. Maybe you need to go back and take a guardian angel refresher course.”

Candy laughed. Because of course she would. “I’m sorry, Five, really. But can’t you see how your family just wants you to be happy? And little Grace…she loves you so much.”

Five nodded and leaned against his kitchen counter, hands braced behind him. “Yeah, I heard. And that’s great. But I just don’t know –” his voice trailed off and he looked away from her.

“What?”

“I don’t know how.”

“To be happy?”

Five nodded.

“Five, everyone has the ability to be happy. Some people just have to work for it a little bit more than others. But I have no doubt in my mind that you could be if you just tried.”

Five flung his hands up in frustration. “You keep saying that! How can I try to be happy? That makes no sense. You either are or you aren’t. It’s not like I can wake up in the morning and say ‘Gee, I think I’ll be happy today!’”

“Actually, that’s exactly what you can do.”

Five sighed angrily, but stayed quiet. She obviously didn’t know what she was talking about, and was the world’s worst guardian angel. Amazing body; terrible angel.

“What do you think Dolores would say?”

Eyes flashing and jaw set, he glared at Candy. “Don’t talk about Dolores,” he warned.

“I’m just saying, maybe if you listened to her –”

“STOP! RIGHT NOW!” he shouted, his voice loud enough to make ripples in the bottle of bourbon next to him.

Candy put her hands on her hips, tipping her head back and exhaling loudly. A piece of her dark hair floated upwards from her exasperated breath. With her head back like that, Five could see the love bites he’d left on her neck, renewing his guilt.

“Wow, you are making my job difficult,” she spoke out loud, to him and to whoever else was listening above.

When she looked back at him, her normal smile returned and she let her arms relax at her sides.

“Ok, how about this? You take some time to reflect on things, while I go take a much needed nap in your bed.”

“A nap? Now?”

“Yes. You are very exhausting,” she huffed. Then she smiled and winked at him, reaching out to run a hand down his arm. “In more ways than one.”

As she sauntered past him, towards his bedroom, Five continued to stand in one spot, thoroughly confused. Just when he thought he had her figured out, she’d trip him up again. He had shouted at her, insulted her, and angrily banged her into his yellow, Formica countertop. And what had she done? Nothing. Nothing but continue to be sweet, and encouraging, and sexy. Damn, she was sexy. But why was she still here? He just didn’t understand.

After a few minutes, Five wandered over to his bedroom doorway. Candy was under the covers, lying on her stomach with her head on his pillow, on the side of the bed he normally reserved for himself. He tried not to let that little fact irritate him, though. Her eyes were closed and she was breathing soft and rhythmically.

"Why are you here?” Five asked out loud.

Candy opened her eyes slowly and smiled when she saw him standing there.

“What do you mean? You know why I’m here.”

“I mean, why are you still here? I’ve been awful to you. I threatened to kill you, I screamed at you. Nothing I’ve done has been nice. And you’re still here. Why?”

She propped her head up on one hand. “Those things don’t bother me.”

Five took a few steps into his room, closer to the bed. “They don’t bother you? How?”

“Because I told you, Five. I know you. The real you. And I know you don’t mean any of those things. I’m not scared of you.”

As he was mulling that over, he came and sat on the opposite side of the bed. “I’m sorry,” he mumbled.

“I know.”

He looked at her, lying there in his bed, looking serene and peaceful despite everything that had happened. “Really, Candy, I am sorry. I’ve treated you like crap and you don’t deserve that. Even if I still think you’re a lunatic.”

She laughed and nodded her head. “It’s ok.”

With another, longer look at her, the sheet hanging loosely over her, he realized something. “Are you naked?”

Candy giggled and nodded. “All guardian angels sleep naked. We generate a lot of heat, so it’s much more comfortable that way.”

Five blinked a few times and swallowed. Apparently being sorry for treating someone like shit did not deter instant boners when that someone was a beautiful woman lying naked in your bed. He shifted, pulling at the crotch of his pants.

"I guess it’s a good thing that I got you as my angel instead of a 300lb hairy man.”

“Ah, that would be Todd. I actually fought him for this job. So, you’re welcome.”

Five wasn’t entirely sure if she was kidding or not, but then she laughed at his confused face, which made him smile in return. He still sat there on the edge of the bed.

“So, are you going to keep me company under these covers, or do you want to just sit there in your uncomfortably tight pants?”

“Only if that’s what you want.”

She nodded.

With a grin, Five stood up and shed his pants while Candy looked him over with an approving smile. He slid into bed, close to her so that he could run a hand gently down her back and over her tight butt. She was still lying on her stomach and she wriggled under his touch.

“What, no clever Christmas-themed sexual innuendo, this time?” he teased.

“I can’t think of any good ones right now.”

“Hmmm…” Five leaned in close, his hand resting on the small of her back. “How about I stuff your stocking and give you some of my special eggnog?”

Candy burst out laughing, burying her face in the pillow, before looking back at his smirking face. “I knew you were funny! See, you just need to loosen up a little.”

He looked thoughtful as he continued to trace soft lines down her shoulders and back with his fingertips. When he pushed her long hair off to the side, he saw what he hadn’t been able to before. Two angel wing tattoos, intricately drawn on each of her shoulder blades. He let out a soft laugh as he touched each one lightly.

“So, what did you have to do to earn these?”

“Nothing. Standard issue.”

“I thought guardian angels were supposed to do something special to earn their wings. You know, like every time a bell rings…”

She shook her head with a smile. “Nope. That’s just in the movies. We all have them. This is just my Earth version. My real wings would look a little too obvious down here.”

He looked at her dubiously, with one eyebrow raised. “Then what do you get if you successfully turn me into a believer?”

“I get to stay.”

“Stay where?”

“Here. On Earth.”

He let out a loud, short laugh. “Why in the hell would you want to stay here?”

She shrugged. “I like it here. You have the ocean, and the sun. Rain, trees, snow, buildings, cars, people. Oh! And the food! It’s all so wonderful!”

Now Five really thought she was bat-shit crazy, but he didn’t comment. She continued.

“It’s an incredibly difficult wish to have granted, though. That’s why they gave me you. Or rather, I chose you.”

“And why is that? What’s so special about me?”

Candy smiled coyly, shifting her body over so that she was pressing Five back into the mattress by his shoulders. She climbed on top of him, straddling his thighs and letting the covers fall off of her.

“Because you, Five Hargreeves…” she rocked her hips into him and he groaned. “…are a very hard man to please.” She rubbed herself against him again, sliding her wet heat over his cock.

Five grabbed her hips and she straightened herself, allowing him to see her fully naked body on top of him. He let out a stuttering breath.

“Well, I’m pretty fucking pleased right now. Does this count?”

She shook her head sadly. “I’m afraid not. But that doesn’t mean we can’t have some fun in the meantime.”

After reaching up to cup each breast, rubbing his thumb over her stiff nipples and watching her throw her head back, Five ran his hands slowly down her sides. He loved the softness of her skin and the curves of her body; the intense heat that got stronger with her arousal. He desperately wanted to feel himself inside of her again, but without all of the anger and malice that he had projected onto her the last time.

“If you kiss me, will you make me see things again?”

“No. Not this time.”

Five nodded. “Then kiss me,” he whispered. "Please."

When she leaned over him, she paused for just a moment, an inch from his mouth, and then her lips met his as he closed his eyes. His hand caressed the side of her face and his fingers found their way into her long hair. This time there was no anger or violence; no screaming urge to drive her away or control her. He just wanted to keep kissing her, to touch her hot skin, and feel the weight of her body on top of his. He hadn’t realized it before, but it felt so good with her naked body pressed to his. There was something comforting about it. And he was so rarely comforted.

Five wasn’t sure when she had adjusted herself so that his cock was sliding inside of her again, but her hips were moving in a steady rhythm against his, her sex so hot and wet that he was positive he’d never felt anything so amazing in his entire life.

She moved her mouth to the side of his neck, still slowly riding him, as he breathed loudly into the sweet scent of her hair.

“Five,” she whined, drawing his name out as her lips brushed across his skin.

“Oh, fuck…” He knew he had a tendency for arrogance, but he never realized just how much he loved hearing his name moaned next to his ear while he was being fucked. But he could say for absolute certainty now that he would not get tired of hearing it.

His hands were on her hips again, urging her to ride him faster and harder, all while her chest remained flush with his. Their soft kisses had turned into hungry ones, and Five latched onto the creamy skin next to her collarbone again, sucking another purple mark onto it.

“I want to give you what you want. Just tell me,” he panted, his breath hot on her already flaming skin.

“I need you in deeper, Five. I want more of you.”

“Sit up.”

Candy took the direction, pulling herself away from Five’s mouth and neck, and sat up, sinking deeper down onto his cock. Five’s strong hands pushed her down further, harder, and he thrust his hips up to meet hers.

“Oh fuck yes !” she yelled, letting him roughly guide her body.

Grasping hands; fingers digging into hot, damp skin; the sound of the bed slamming into the wall, and her desperate moans and cries were mixing together into one erotic symphony as Five drove into her again and again. It was the most blissful experience he’d ever had. He couldn’t even remember why he was so angry towards her earlier. Oh right, she claimed to be a celestial being, wouldn’t shut up, and broke into his apartment. Well, right now he didn’t care about any of that. Right now, he watched her amazingly tight body rock back and forth on top of him, his dick buried deep inside her.

“You feel so goddamn good right now. Maybe you’re my guardian angel after all.”

She let out a breathy laugh and bit her bottom lip as she continued to ride him.

“That’s another reason I want to stay here…fuuck…the sex here is…oh god, yes, do more of that…amazing…ah shit, Five!”

With a long wail of pleasure, Candy tipped her head back, mouth open, as she came undone. Five watched her face, lost in ecstasy; took in her body that was writhing and shuddering on top of his; felt her tight cunt pulsing around him. The arrogant, asshole part of him that lived inside his brain was practically gloating over the fact that he was the one responsible for all of it, too. And, fuck, if that wasn’t the final push he needed to be filling her up with his cum again, groaning through a clenched jaw as he pressed his fingers further into her flesh.

Afterwards, they laid there in silence, Candy’s head next to his on the pillow as she smiled over at him and let out a contented sigh, stretching her body out long like a cat warming itself in a sunbeam. Five laid on his back, staring at the ceiling, a million thoughts running through his head. That old feeling of guilt was creeping back in again.

“I really am sorry,” he said quietly. “For earlier.”

“And I already said it’s ok.”

He tapped his fingers on his bare chest, as one of the many nagging thoughts in his brain surfaced again. “Candy, how old are you?”

She let out a giggle that she quickly suppressed. “Are you worried that you’ve taken advantage of an impressionable, young woman that’s half your age?”

Five looked over in surprise, and then remembered that she seemed to know everything about him. Even things no one should know. So, of course, she would know his true age.

“That’s a bit of a concern of mine, yes.”

“Well, if anyone is taking advantage of anyone in this scenario it’s me with you.”

“How so?”

“We don’t really have years like they do down here, but if I were to guess, I’d probably be around 390.”

Five raised his eyebrows at her and let out a disbelieving laugh. “390 years old.”

Candy stretched out languidly again, showing off her body that could not have been more than 22 years old by the looks of it. After a yawn, she nodded. “Yep. I’m the ultimate cougar, aren’t I?” She laughed at her own joke.

With a shake of his head, Five let out a soft sigh. He was not even sure why he bothered. Every time she answered one of his questions, it only created more. In the matter of a few hours, he had gone through about every emotion in his inventory, and he still didn’t understand what was going on. Just a couple of hours earlier, he had threatened to kill this woman. He had held a loaded gun to her head. And now, here she was, lying naked next to him in his bed, as comfortable as could be. The even weirder part was that Five felt comfortable, too. He had no panicky urge to kick her out with some lame excuse; no sudden need to get up and shower, remaining aloof until she left on her own.

He liked her. He thought. Or maybe she drugged him again, who the fuck knows? Whatever was going on was strange, to say the least. He looked back over at her, and she had fallen asleep. If this little game of visions they were playing was going to continue, then that meant there would be one more. The future, he supposed. He laughed quietly to himself. Jesus, what was wrong with him?

He laid there for a while, thinking, and watching her sleep. He wasn’t tired, though, so eventually, after covering her gently with a blanket, he slipped out of bed. In the bathroom, he washed his face and looked in the mirror. He thought about what Candy had said. “What would Dolores say?” Well, he thought, what would she say? If he wanted to depress himself even more, he’d realize he could literally ask her right then. She was there, staring him in the face as he looked at his reflection. He wasn’t stupid. He knew the love of his life had been just a branch of his subconscious. Created for the sole purpose of not going completely insane. Five wasn’t sure that had worked entirely, though. Just look at him now.

“She’d say you’re being an asshole.” He spoke out loud to the mirror. “She’d tell you to stop being a whiny cry baby all the time and try to be grateful for once.” Five ran a hand down his face. “She’d tell you to stop drinking so much. And maybe be nice to people. Even if they are idiots. And to stop closing yourself off to your family.”

He sighed. Then he looked down at the chipped porcelain sink and smiled to himself.

“As usual, my darling, you are right about everything.”

As Candy slept, Five sat in the dark of his apartment, in his underwear, and thought. He had poured himself another bourbon, more out of habit than anything else, but then thought better of it and dumped it down the sink. He’d had more than enough to drink that night. So, he’d chosen water instead, and sat in the worn armchair in his living room, staring out at the skyline.

He normally hated looking out that window. When he had moved in, he had asked if they had anything on the ground floor, but the only availability was on the sixth. So, every day he had to stare out into the world that he supposed he was partially responsible for creating. In the very far distance, he could make out the obnoxious search lights that circled the night sky from the roof of his father’s skyscraper. He would listen to the sounds of the police sirens wailing continually, the constant roar of choppers overhead as they completed their nightly rounds. Each one of the vehicles were emblazoned with his father’s HE logo, since he owned the law, too. Most nights he would slam the blinds down so he wouldn’t have to look at it.

But Five was tired of being angry and resentful. He was tired of being a miserable, crabby old fart, as Lila had said. He was exhausted, actually. So, maybe it was time to take Candy and Dolores’ advice and move on. Be grateful for the things he did have. Be happy for once.

Chapter 4: White Christmas

Five was still sitting there an hour later when Candy came strolling in from the bedroom. She had thrown on one of Five’s white t-shirts, with it barely covering the striped panties she had put back on. She hadn’t bothered with a bra, and Five could make out the faint outline of her nipples through the material. When she walked over to him, she smiled and sat down in his lap, putting an arm around his shoulder.

“What are you doing out here all alone?”

“Just thinking,” he mused, while looking her delicious looking body up and down.

“Good, you need to think. Thanks for letting me sleep, though.”

Five’s hand immediately began stroking her bare legs and not-so-subtly trying to grind up onto her tight little butt.

“I guess that means you have more energy now?” His hand crept up higher, onto her hip. “Why don't you let me do something about that.”

He gave her a playful nip to her neck and she giggled. He was starting to like that sound. Better than the bells, anyway.

“That is very tempting, and I can tell, or rather feel , that you are ready for another round of ‘Hide the Yule Log’, but we can’t do that just yet.”

Five frowned. “You can’t expect me to behave when you come in wearing nothing but my t-shirt and drop into my lap like this.”

She laughed. “I know, I’m rotten. I do like seeing you squirm, though.”

Five would rather be squirming into her underpants, but considering his earlier transgressions, he decided to behave. That didn’t mean he had to stop running his hand up and down her smooth thigh, though.

“You’re going to make me see things again, aren’t you?”

Candy nodded. “It’s time.”

“Please don’t make me do this again.”

His voice had come out soft and the words caught in his throat. He looked away out of embarrassment.

“Why not?”

“Because if you’re going to show me the future, I’d rather not see it.”

“Why is that?”

“I’m scared,” he croaked out. “I don’t exactly have a good track record with seeing future events. Or future versions of myself, for that matter.”

She smiled sadly, but nodded, tracing her fingers lightly over his lips. “I know, but it’s ok. You need to see it.”

“I don’t need to. I get it. I’m an old, ungrateful bastard that needs to let people in more and live a happier life. See? I don’t need this part. I figured it out already.”

“That’s not really how this works,” Candy argued.

Five let out a frustrated groan. “Who cares? I learned my lesson, end of story. Now, why don’t you give me my shirt back and we can do something much more fun.”

He leaned in to kiss her and she held him back with a hand on his chest, shaking her head.

“Later. Right now, I need to show you.”

Five inhaled a deep breath and swallowed hard, giving her a small nod of assent. “Ok.”

Another soft kiss, another pulling sensation over his body. When Five looked up, they were back in Diego and Lila’s living room. It was the same house, but things were different. Different furniture, wall paint, and light fixtures. He was about to ask Candy if she screwed up, but then there were voices and his brother and Lila entered the room.

They had aged, that much was clear. By how many years Five wasn’t sure, but there were deep wrinkles in their foreheads and around their eyes. Diego’s hair had streaks of gray running through it.

“We don’t have to invite him, you know. It’s not required.”

Diego sighed and put his hands on his hips, addressing Lila. “He’s my brother. We kind of do.”

“Well, by that logic, do you want to send off an invitation to good old Reggie, too? Just because he’s your adopted brother, doesn’t mean you owe him anything. Besides, do you even know if the little shit stain is still alive? We haven’t seen him in like, what? At least three years.”

Five balked at that. They hadn’t seen him in three years? How was that possible?

There was another long sigh from Diego and he shook his head. “I guess I just assume he is. The old bastard is hard to kill.”

Lila crossed her arms and looked at him in the pointed way that hadn’t changed in so many years. “And do you really want another incident like Grace’s college graduation?”

“No, of course not. But maybe he’s changed; maybe he’s better now.”

“Diego!” Lila threw her arms up and looked at him in disbelief. “The man showed up hammered drunk, interrupted the commencement speaker to yell at them about how wrong they were, and then proceeded to upchuck in the parking lot in front of all of Grace's friends! I highly doubt he’s just miraculously better now.”

Diego nodded in agreement.

“And it’s not like that’s the only time. Remember that Thanksgiving when she was in high school? He drank all the wine and passed out on the floor in the living room? All in front of her boyfriend? She was so embarrassed.” Lila’s voice softened and she put a hand on Diego’s arm. “You tried your best. We all did. But you can’t change someone that doesn’t want to be changed.”

“You’re right. It’s probably for the best that we don't invite him. I wouldn’t want anything horrible like that to happen at her wedding. Besides, I don’t think she will want him there, either.”

Five’s insides were churning and the tightening sensation in his chest was making it hard to breathe. He looked over at Candy, who was watching him with a pitying look on her face.

“This can’t be real. I would never do those things. Ever! Especially not to Grace.”

Candy shook her head sadly. “I know you don’t think you would. But it’s a slippery slope from where you are now.”

Five shook his head, refusing to believe it. There was no way he’d ever let himself stoop so low. Would he? And they weren’t even going to invite him to Grace’s wedding? He clutched at his stomach.

“No. There’s no way. This did not happen.”

“But it has happened. This is the future. Unless you do something to change it.”

Five was silent for a moment, taking that in. “Lila said they weren’t sure I was still alive.” He turned to Candy again. “Am I?”

“Well, see for yourself.”

There was more shimmering around them, the living room fading away as it was replaced with a different scene. As it came into view, Five could see that it was his apartment. Or, at least a version of his apartment. It looked like many years had gone by and it had fallen into disrepair. The paint was peeling on the walls, the window looked like it had been broken at one point and was now half-hidden behind some plastic held up with duct tape. The kitchen was falling apart, with cabinet doors hanging crooked on their hinges, and the faucet dripping continually into the old, stainless-steel sink.

The television was on, tuned to some news station. The anchor was talking about the upcoming New Year’s Eve gala that was held every year inside Reginald Hargreeves’ tower. Only the very elite of the city were invited, of course, but that’s not what Five was focusing on. It was the date. He was looking twenty years into the future.

If that were true, that meant he’d been living in the same shit hole for two decades? And it really was a shit hole now. The place looked like it should be condemned.

Just as Five was about to question Candy, there was a groaning sound coming from the beat up couch in front of the tv. A figure slowly hoisted themselves up and ran a hand through their graying hair. He couldn’t see his face, but Five was pretty sure he knew who it was.

“Shut the fuck up! Fucking Hargreeves bullshit.”

Five watched as his older self grumbled out loud at the tv, standing up to turn in their direction. His heart sank. How many times was he going to have to face his future self? Of all the versions so far, however, this one might have been the worst. He should have only been in his early forties, but he looked about eighty. Even his 100-year-old self had looked marginally better.

With thinning hair and a prematurely aged face that looked like it hadn’t been shaved in several days, the older version stumbled into the kitchen, scrounging in the cupboards. Five noticed that his clothes were wrinkled and stained, like he’d been wearing them for days at a time. In fact, he looked like he hadn’t showered in about that long, too. His expensive clothes that he was normally proud of were now thread bare; his dress shirt looking more yellow than white.

Once he finally found the bottle of cheap whiskey he had been searching for, his older self poured a large glass and then wandered back to the couch again.

Five looked to Candy, his face horror-struck. “This can’t be…how could I live like this?”

“It’s pretty sad, isn’t it?”

Five nodded guiltily. The other version was mumbling out loud to himself and Five listened to his own voice croaking out of the pile of detritus that was his older body.

“Yes, I know what you said, but this is the last one for the night, I swear.” There was a pause. “You don’t even know what you’re talking about. This is only my second one.” Another pause and a heavy sigh. “Alright, Dolores. Whatever you say.”

Holy shit. He was back to talking to Dolores? And he didn’t even have a solid, mannequin version of her to at least give some realness to it. He was just mumbling to himself; like a crazy person.

Five closed his eyes and shook his head like he was trying to erase this vision from his memory, but of course that didn’t work, and he turned to Candy, his eyes wide with fright.

“Stop it. Please, I can’t stand this. This can’t be me. Change it back,” he pleaded.

“I can’t do that, Five. Only you can change it.”

“Fine. I’m sorry, ok? I’m sorry for all the ways I’ve fucked up over the years, and all of the horrible things I’ve done. I’m sorry!”

She shook her head, the bells on her headband jangling sadly. “I know you’re sorry. But that’s not enough to change things.”

“Well then what the fuck! I…I can’t let this happen. It’s such a…”

“What, Five?”

Five’s eyes filled with tears and his voice broke. “A fucking waste of a life! After everything I have done. I did not spend 45 years in a fucking wasteland to save my family and the world, just to end up as a sad, old drunk all alone. I worked too hard for it to end like this. Why didn’t I appreciate what I had? Why did I pull away from my family?” He shook his head. “No, this is not going to happen. I refuse to go out like this. I have to make it right. Starting now, I’m going to make this right.”

Candy smiled warmly and pulled him in close. She kissed his cheek and put her arms around his shoulders. “That’s all I needed to hear.”

When they were back in Five’s apartment, even though it looked the same as usual and in better shape than the future version, he still couldn’t help but cringe. He needed to find a new place, and soon, that was for certain.

Candy was not on his lap anymore, but sitting across from him in another chair. She was still wearing his t-shirt and nothing else, but Five wasn’t really focused on that at the moment. She leaned forward, her forearms resting on her legs.

“Please tell me we’re done. That was horrible and I never want to see that again,” Five begged.

“You won’t have to. As long as you change and don’t let yourself become that version.”

He nodded and exhaled a long and shaky breath. “I won’t. I’m going to stop being such a prick and start living my life.” He scrubbed a hand down his face, trying to forget everything he’d seen, and then glanced at the clock on the wall. It was still the middle of the night. Too early, or late, to really do anything now. But first thing in the morning, Christmas morning, he was going to start making things right. Five looked back to Candy.

“Even though I hated all of that, you helped me see what I really needed to see. So, thank you.”

“You’re welcome. Does this mean you believe in guardian angels now?”

Five narrowed his eyes, a smile quirking up the corner of his mouth. “I guess I have to, don’t I? I have no other explanation.”

Candy laughed and clapped her hands together, then pumped her fists in the air. “Yes! Ha! I knew I could make you believe!”

Five laughed along with her, that horrible feeling in the pit of his stomach starting to fade away. Then he quieted again and looked at her thoughtfully.

“So, does this mean you’re leaving now? Now that your job is done?”

She shrugged, and Five found he didn’t find that little mannerism nearly as annoying as he used to.  “Yes, eventually. But I don’t have to leave this very minute.” She smiled and spread her legs just enough so that Five could get a glimpse of the red and white stripes between them. “Why? Have something in mind?”

“Well, I figured I have a few more hours before I have to start being a better person. Might as well make the most of it.”

Candy stood up and crossed over, plopping herself in his lap again, making sure to wiggle her butt over just the right spot to get him hard again.

“And just what naughty thing were you thinking?”

Five smiled slyly. “It is after midnight; technically Christmas.” He leaned in to kiss her neck, not hard like before, but gently; trailing his lips over her hot skin, teasing, until he heard her make a little sighing noise and she shifted in his lap, rubbing against the growing tent in his boxers. His hand crept back up her leg and onto her hip, where he slipped one finger into the waistband of her underwear. “And since you’re sitting here on my lap, grinding your cute little ass into my crotch, why don’t you go ahead and tell Daddy what you want?”

Her breath hitching in her throat, Candy closed her eyes for a moment, teeth digging into her bottom lip before looking back at him, her breasts rising and falling with each labored breath. She grazed a finger down his neck and over his chest.

“Will you give me anything I want?” she purred with a smile.

“Anything.”

“Then I want you to bend me over…” she kissed his lips softly, “…grab my hips…” another kiss, “…spread me open…” one bite under his jaw, “…and give me a White Christmas, Daddy .” With the last word she pressed into him harder.

“Jesus Chri—” he started to moan, but he was cut off.

She was kissing him. Slow and deep, lacing her fingers through his hair while he swallowed each whimper and moan she breathed into his mouth. Five couldn’t stop his hands roaming over her body, her skin like hot silk under his fingers. Every part of her was a piece of heaven, maybe even literally, and he wanted to commit every curve to memory. She was still kissing him when he stood, picking her up with him, and carried her into his bedroom. When he placed her on his bed, she immediately yanked his stolen t-shirt over her head, propping herself on her elbows and displaying her flawless breasts.

After removing his own underwear, Five climbed onto the bed, kneeling between her legs. Leaning over her, his hands on either side of her and holding himself up, she was forced onto her back.

“I’m going to give you what you asked for, sweetheart, don’t worry. But first, I need to get a taste of this stunning body of yours. See if you live up to your name.”

He leaned in, like he was going to kiss her, stopping just before their lips met, and then he pulled away again. Flashing an overly-confident smirk, he moved south, massaging each breast and taking turns with each side; licking and sucking at each perfect nipple. Five could have spent an entire day just worshiping those soft mounds of flesh. He’d always considered himself a titty man. Tits and ass; that was his thing. As long as a woman had a nice rack and a tight ass, Five didn’t really care what else was going on with them. And fuck, did Candy have a nice one of each.

After a particularly hard bite onto her sensitive nipple, Candy gave a small shriek, but that only spurred Five on further. His bites got harder and he sucked at her skin until he left more marks all over her chest. With each one, though, her back would arch off the bed and she’d push her hips up into him.

“Five…” she pleaded softly.

“I know, sweetheart, I’ll get there. But these gorgeous tits are just too good to ignore.”

She threaded her fingers through his hair as he continued to blissfully torture her. “Please, just…I want your partridge in my pear tree!”

Five rolled his eyes and ignored her remark.

Candy hissed sharply as his teeth dragged across an already bruising mark. “Load up my one-horse open sleigh.”

He resisted the urge to laugh, and instead gave her a hard pinch on her already abused nipple.

“Ah!” she cried, digging her nails into his scalp. “But I need you! Stuff my Christmas turkey, frost my gingerbread house, eat my fruitcake, mmmph!”

Five clapped a hand over her mouth and raised himself up so he could look down on her face, his lips pressed into a thin line of annoyance. He could feel her smiling beneath his palm.

“Candy?”

“Hmm?”

“Shut up.”

After she nodded, he released his hand, and thankfully she did shut up for once. He knelt in front of her again, frowning as he started pulling her panties down her hips.

“And don’t ever wear these again. They just create more work for me.”

He shoved them the rest of the way off and flung them over his shoulder with a scowl as she laughed. Five took a moment to appreciate the fact that this amazingly stunning woman was stretched out before him, completely naked, and waiting for him to fuck her. She was dying for it, too. Chest heaving and hips twitching, it was a small miracle that Five wasn’t shoving his dick into her already. But he really did want to know what the rest of her tasted like.

When he ran his tongue up her wet slit, she thrusted up so hard that he had to forcefully hold her hips down so he wouldn’t get bucked off.

“Oh shit!” she cried out, her hands clutching the sheets underneath her as her head flung back. “Five, oh my god, that’s –”

She was cut off by her own high-pitched whine as Five sucked at her folds and her clit, using his tongue to penetrate her and hungrily lap up the slick wetness that was running out of her. He didn’t have much experience in eating anyone out, since most of his one-night stands got right down to the fucking with not much time for foreplay. Even though he was making it up as he went along, it seemed to be working in his favor, judging by the sounds she was making and the strength it took for him to hold her writhing body down.

When he felt her getting close; when she was panting loudly and moaning his name, he started drawing it out longer. He slowed down his pace, no longer devouring her, but licking languidly at her hole and pausing to kiss her inner thighs. He smiled when he heard the disappointed groan.

“Five…”

He stopped altogether and raised his head to look at her, one eyebrow raised and a crooked smile on his wet and shiny lips.

“Yeah?”

She exhaled loudly and tried to buck up into him again, but he was still holding her down. “Damn it…don’t stop now!”

“Why? Did you like that?”

“Fuck…Five, please.” Her desperate whine was on the verge of turning into an all out sob.

“Well, since you asked nicely.”

It didn’t take long after he was back on her before her moans turned into loud screams and her back was arching off the bed again. Five worked her into more and more of a frenzy as he felt her pulsing against him, coming against his mouth and soaking the sheets underneath them. He had started grinding himself into the mattress as his own arousal peaked, and Five was very afraid of blowing his load with his dick not even touching her.

He sat up and looked at her lying there with her hair in a mess around her, her chest flushed pink and littered with his bites and bruises, gasping for air from the intense orgasm that he gave her. Holy fuck, he needed to come.

Five moved up, straddling her waist as he clutched his straining dick in his hands.

“I want to fuck your tits,” he breathed out desperately.

Candy nodded eagerly and Five positioned himself so that his cock nestled in the valley of her cleavage and she pushed her breasts together, sheathing him in her warm skin.

“Oh fuck, yes,” he groaned out.

Straddling her chest, Five started thrusting hard and fast, all while he looked down so he didn’t miss out on the pornographic visual. His dick was so hard that the leaked pre-cum that was dripping steadily out smeared over his shaft and between her tits. Candy was massaging and squeezing them around him, running her thumbs over her nipples as he rutted into her. She was so soft and tight at the same time, and the feeling was so fucking good. So much better than when he used to try and use Dolores in the same manner. Back then, he’d had to envision a real live woman beneath him, but now it was very real and he was going to lose it in about ten seconds.

Not wanting to risk it by coming in her face, Five backed off, slipping out of her. Still kneeling over her, he grasped his rock-hard dick and jerked himself vigorously. He tipped his head back with a groan while he worked his fist over himself faster and faster until he was just on the precipice.

“Fuck, I’m going to come on you,” he groaned, as if that wasn’t already obvious.

He gave her the White Christmas she had asked for, painting her perfect tits with ropes of cum, covering her until it was sliding down her sides and onto the bed. Five continued to work himself over, each spasm seeming to create another spurt of semen that was strewn across her chest. When he was finally spent, he let go of himself and climbed off of her, flopping on his back in post-orgasmic bliss.

“Holy shit,” he murmured between ragged breaths.

After a minute, he looked over at Candy, who had propped herself up on her elbows and was watching him. The sight of her covered in his dripping load was quite possibly the hottest thing he’d ever seen, and if he had a few more minutes, he could probably use that image to get hard again. But that wouldn’t be very nice to leave her like that, and even he wasn’t that much of a selfish asshole.

“Hang on, I’ll be right back.”

When he returned with a washcloth, Five helped to clean her up.

“Sorry. I guess I didn’t really ask if that was ok.”

“No, you didn’t, but that’s ok. I like when you take charge.”

Five gave her a sexy smirk, but then it faltered with the realization that she was probably going to leave him soon.

“Do you have to go now?”

Candy hesitated, but then she shook her head. “Not quite yet. I can stay for a little longer…if that’s what you want.”

Five nodded, then pulled her into him, trapping her in his arms, her back flush with his chest as they laid side by side. Candy wiggled in closer and pressed her ass against him.

“Stay as long as you can, ok?” he whispered.

She squeezed his hand and placed it on her stomach. “Ok.”

With his free hand, he traced his fingers down her side and over her hip and thigh. She let out a soft sigh and relaxed into his chest. Five kissed her neck and her shoulder.

“Thank you.”

“You already thanked me.”

“This time I mean for everything. Thank you for making me see what I couldn’t before. But also, thank you for just being here. I didn’t realize how lonely I had become.”

“You’re welcome. And…I wish I could stay.”

He gave her another kiss to her neck and she closed her eyes. “Why can’t you?”

“There are rules. And I have to go back.”

“Will you ever come back?”

“If everything goes the way I want, then yes.”

Five pushed his groin that was already starting to harden again, into her firm backside. Candy let out a tiny moan and pushed back.

“Then I hope you find me,” he said softly against her skin.

“I think it would be very hard to stay away from you.”

He could feel her skin getting warmer again, and he moved so that his cock slid between her legs, brushing against her folds that were already wet for him.

His mouth sucked another mark onto the nape of her neck as he lowered his voice and his hand slid down to squeeze the inside of her thigh. “Do you want me again?”

“Yes,” she whimpered. She pressed backwards, slick running down her inner thighs and wetting his dick as he rubbed between them.

“God, I could keep fucking you all day,” he groaned.

“Just fuck me for as long as we have.”

With a deep growl, Five pulled her hard against him, as she lifted her leg and rested it on top of his. He inhaled sharply when she reached back and grabbed his cock, guiding it into her dripping cunt and thrusting backwards so that his full length was completely inside of her.

“Five,” she moaned sweetly as he rocked into her.

He kept up the slow pace, pulling at her hip and kissing any area of exposed skin that he could reach. He had wanted to hold himself back; to draw it out as long as possible. He had wanted to drink in the scent of her hair and trail his mouth over her soft skin. But then she moaned his name again.

Digging his fingers into her hip, he hissed next to her ear.

“Be a good girl and let Daddy fuck you hard, ok sweetheart?”

With the shamelessly loud groan that she released as her back arched against him, he really didn’t need an answer, but he waited for one anyway.

“Fuck yes. Give it to me.”

Five pulled out and roughly flipped her over so that she was on her stomach and he positioned himself behind her. Grabbing her hips and jerking them backwards, he lined up with her entrance again and shoved himself inside of her. With teeth clenched and jaw set, he got to work. Banging into her ferociously, his hips slapping against her as he railed into her as hard as he could. He didn’t need to feel guilty. She wanted it like this, and he wasn’t doing it out of rage. Anger wasn’t driving him this time, just pure animalistic lust and feral instinct.

He continued pounding into her and they were both lost in their own highs. Candy was moaning loudly, begging for more and clutching at the sheets underneath her. Five was grunting through gritted teeth with the effort he was putting in to fucking her; fueled even more by the hypnotic visual of her angel wing tattoos flexing and twisting as she braced herself against his powerful thrusts. After a few minutes, it was clear that neither one of them were going to be able to take much more.

With another long whine, Candy reached down to rub her clit while Five slammed into her. He could feel her hand every time he thrust forward and his balls slapped against it.

“Five…I can’t…I’m going to come!”

“Go ahead, baby. Come on my dick while you touch yourself.”

“Oh fuuuck, Five!”

When he heard her scream, he came with a loud growl, holding her flush to his body as he pumped one more load inside of her. He could feel her contracting around him as his hips stuttered against her backside. Candy’s legs were shaking and Five pulled out so she could lie down flat, her hair covering her face as she sucked air into her lungs. He sat back on his knees and gave her a playful slap on the ass before lying down next to her.

As they both laid there, trying to steady their breathing, a few minutes passed in silence. Then Five heard her giggle under her curtain of hair. When he pushed it out of the way, she was grinning up at him

“When I think about you, I touch my elf. ”

Five shook his head with a smile. “Have I told you how annoying you are?”

“You may have mentioned it once or twice.”

He leaned over and gave her a kiss on the cheek. Then he flipped her hair over her face so she was hidden again. “There. Much better.”

Chapter 5: It's A Wonderful Life

In the early morning hours, Five finally drifted off, warm and content, with his arm flung across Candy’s stomach. She never let him know before she left, but in the morning when he woke, there was no sign of her. He didn’t know why he was surprised; he knew she wasn’t going to stay for much longer. But when he walked into the living room of his apartment, there was no red coat. No black boots by the door. And, most notably, no red headband. All evidence of her existence was gone. All except for the lingering scent of her hair on his pillow and one tiny bell that he found on the kitchen floor and slipped into his dresser drawer.

He was sad she was gone, but not in a way that felt permanent or oppressive. She had shown him there was a lot more to live for, and it needed to start with himself. He didn’t need her with him to make the changes he needed to.

It was still early, but he knew Grace would have woken up at the crack of dawn on Christmas morning, so he was sure Diego and Lila were up. The rest of his family would probably sleep in a little but then they would be over at their house again, too.

After a shower, Five changed and grabbed the wrapped present he had for Grace on the way out. He stopped by a bakery that happened to be open that morning, and then caught a cab to Diego’s. When he knocked on the door at 7am, he tried not to laugh when his brother opened the door. Diego was still in his bathrobe, looking disheveled and sleep deprived, a cup of coffee in his hands. But the look on his face when he saw Five standing there was priceless. He actually poked his head out of the door and looked around him, as if there might be some kind of prank being played on him and there were cameras around to film his reaction.

“Five, what are you doing here? Are you still drunk from last night?”

“No! I’m here to watch Grace open her presents. And to hang out with you guys, too, if you’ll let me.”

Diego frowned like he couldn’t quite comprehend what he was hearing. He looked Five up and down, taking in his clean-cut appearance, and coming to the conclusion that he must not have come directly from a bar.

“So, can I come in, or do you want me to stand out here all day freezing my nuts off?”

“Oh. Uh, yeah…sure, come on in. Grace and Lila are in the living room.”

He stepped aside to let Five in, still not completely believing what he was seeing. After a moment though, he smiled and clapped Five on the back.

“I’m glad you’re here. We missed you yesterday.”

Five nodded. “I’m sorry about that. I won’t miss any more family things from now on.”

Five handed off the box of pastries he had picked up and headed into the room where Lila and Grace were gathered around the Christmas tree. When Grace saw her uncle, she let out a little screech and ran over to him, throwing her arms around his waist in a big hug.

“Uncle Five! I knew you would come! My mom said you weren’t going to, but I knew you would!”

Five laughed, then he looked at Lila who was staring at him with the same expression Diego had given him.

“Merry Christmas, Lila,” Five said with as much of a smile as he could manage, and only a hint of snark. He could learn to be nice, but he still had his limits.

“Yeah, Merry Christmas to you, too,” she said slowly, her eyebrows creased together in confusion.

Five didn’t even respond when he heard her add “wanker” under her breath.

“Is that my present?” Grace asked when she eyed the large box that Five was holding.

“It is. Do you want to open it? I think you’ll like it.”

She nodded and sat on the floor as Five handed it to her and then joined Diego on the couch. They watched as the little girl ripped open the paper and gasped.

“A real telescope?!”

Five nodded, smiling. “Yep. Now we can go look at the stars together.”

Grace looked up at him with her little chubby face and wide, dark eyes. Then she jumped up from the floor and ran to Five, throwing her arms around his neck in a hug.

“Thank you thank you thank you! I love it so much!” As Five hugged her back, Grace pecked his cheek with a kiss. “This is my favorite present and you’re my favorite person.”

Five grinned and gave her a kiss on the top of her head “You’re my favorite person, too, Gracie.”

As she returned to the telescope and busied herself with getting it out of the box, Five heard Diego sniffing next to him. Lila groaned.

“Oh my god, are you crying , Diego?”

“No! I’m not crying. It’s just…dry in here…and I have allergies…and I’m probably getting a cold.”

“Uh-huh. Ok, babe. Sure.” She rolled her eyes, but she was obviously just as happy as he was.

Diego turned to Five. “So, what happened? You just suddenly changed your mind, got your shit together, and decided to be a decent human being? Overnight?”

Five shrugged, reminding himself of Candy’s annoying habit. “Without going into the boring details, yes, that’s what happened. And I apologize for not being around more. But that’s going to change. I’m going to change.”

Diego raised a suspicious eyebrow at him. “Wow. I don’t know where this is coming from, but I’m happy. Like, really happy.” He grinned widely at Five. “I’ve missed you, buddy. We all have.”

“Speak for yourself!” Lila exclaimed from across the room.

Five turned towards her. “You know, Lila, you should really think about letting go of some of your anger. Try to be a little bit happier, sometimes.” As she looked at him like he was deranged, he mouthed “Fuck you” to her over Grace’s head. Lila just shook her head and smiled, glad to see that it wasn’t the end of the world after all.

Five stayed at the house for the rest of the morning. His other siblings trickled in, as well, and it eventually turned into another official Hargreeves’ family party. Seeing that their notoriously high-strung and unhinged brother was suddenly acting like a mostly sane person, they were obviously concerned. But after they realized he wasn’t going to suddenly snap or turn into a pod person, they all loosened up a little.

Klaus sidled up to him at one point, offering him a freshly made glass of Lila’s famously strong Christmas punch. Five waved him off, though.

“No, thanks. I’m not drinking today.”

“Uh, ex-squeeze me? Did you just turn down a drink? You know it has alcohol in it, right?”

Five laughed, a little embarrassed, and put his hands in his pockets. “I know. Just trying to turn over a new leaf.”

“Ohh…I get it. You met a girl, didn’t you?”

Five looked up at him in surprise. “Why would you say that?”

Klaus took a drink from his glass and grimaced at the strong mixture. “You hanging out with us, not drinking, being nice …it reeks of new girlfriend.”

“Huh. Well, in a way, yes. I mean, not a girlfriend, but there was a girl.”

“You should have brought her! I’d love to see what kind of woman managed to snag my darling, murderous brother.”

“I’m not sure that’s possible at the moment. But maybe someday. Stranger things have happened.”

🪽❤️🪽❤️🪽❤️🪽❤️🪽❤️🪽❤️🪽❤️🪽

“Gracie, honey, we’ve been here for thirty minutes. Pick a book, already.”

The little girl sighed and looked down at her pile on the children’s table where she and Five were seated. One of them comfortably so, the other scrunched up with his knees to his chest.

“But I can’t decide.”

“I told you, pick as many as you want.”

“Yes, but I want to make sure they’re the right ones. What if I get home and I change my mind?”

Five rolled his eyes and shifted in the tiny plastic chair. “Then I’ll return them. Or you can throw them out, I don’t care. My ass is falling asleep.”

Grace gave her uncle a disapproving look. “That’s a bad word.”

“Yes, it is. But if you don’t pick your books in the next five minutes, I’m going to say a lot of bad words.”

She sighed again, as if this was the most difficult decision in the world.

Five and Grace had spent the day together, just like they had once a month for the past six months. It was now July. July 3rd, to be exact, and they had opted for indoor activities to escape the oppressive heat of the city. Earlier, they had gone to the movie theater where Five sat through one of those horrible movies where they take real animals and CGI them into playing sports like soccer or basketball. Oh, and the animals talked, too. Completely asinine. It was ninety minutes of torture and Five wanted to stab his eyeballs out with Grace’s lemonade straw, but she giggled through the whole thing so he deemed it worth it in the end. Now they were at the bookstore next to the theater, where Five told her he would buy her some new books.

As he sat there with his expensive pants jammed into a chair in the children’s section, he decided he was going to give her about two more minutes before they were leaving. Books or no books. Who was he kidding…he’d probably sit there all day if it made her happy.

His young niece was about to say something to him, when Five snapped to attention and held his hand out for her to be quiet. He thought he had heard something. Something very familiar. But he was probably just going crazy.

“I think—”

“Shhh!” he hushed her again.

Grace sat back in her chair, arms folded across her chest with a pout. She did not like being quieted.

Five concentrated, listening for the sound he thought he had heard. There was nothing, though, which made a lot more sense, and his body relaxed again. He turned to Grace to apologize, but then he heard it again.

Those fucking bells.

It could have been anything, of course. The bells over the store door, or a baby’s toy. Maybe someone had their dog with them and its chain was jangling. But he would know that sound anywhere. He heard it in his sleep sometimes.

The sound seemed to be coming from a few aisles away. Five sprang out of his chair, his body stiff from being folded up like a pretzel for so long, and the chair tipped over behind him. Grace looked up at him, confused.

“Are we going? I haven’t made my decision yet.”

“Yes, come on. Just…grab all of them, let’s go.”

“But…”

Five groaned with his head back, wishing he could say what he really wanted to which was “Get the fuck up now.” Instead, he looked hastily around him at all the books on the shelves and on the table.

“Here.” He began scooping up piles of them, not even looking at the covers. He was grabbing four or five at a time off the shelves and balancing them in his arms. He shoved a couple at Grace, too. “We’ll just get all of them.”

Grace’s eyes widened. “All of them?”

“Yeah, sure. Come on, let’s go.”

With one arm full of random kid’s books, he held out his other hand for her to take. He all but pulled her arm out of the socket as he yanked her out of her chair.

“Ow!”

“Sorry, Gracie,” he mumbled, still dragging her behind him as she tried to keep up.

Five hurried through the store, looking frantically down each aisle. He couldn’t hear the bells anymore, and he was afraid maybe he was too late. But as they rounded a corner into the “Religion” section, he stopped. And stared.

There she was, just like he remembered her. She wasn’t wearing the slutty elf outfit, but her body was still as sexy as ever in a pair of small cut-off shorts and a tight, red tank top. Her long black hair was pulled back in a ponytail. She was looking over the back cover of a book in her hand, and Five could see she was smiling. Of course she was smiling.

Five walked slowly towards her, Grace still in tow. When she looked up, her smile grew bigger.

“I thought I told you to stop following me,” Five said with a smirk.

“Who says I’m following you? Don’t you believe in coincidences?”

Five shook his head. “Not really.”

Candy actually looked flustered and she chewed at her bottom lip. “It’s good to see you again.”

Five let out a sigh of relief. “It’s really good to see you.”

Candy looked down at Grace, who was staring up at her in curiosity, and then back at Five.

Five cleared his throat. “Oh, this is my niece. Grace. But you already know that, I guess.” He looked down at his niece. “This is a…friend of mine. Candy.”

Grace smiled shyly. Then she stuck out her hand and pointed at Candy’s wrist. “I like your bracelet.”

Five’s eyes were drawn to the jewelry at the same time Candy smiled down at Grace in return. “Thank you. It’s one of my favorites.”

Then she moved her wrist to show off the gold bracelet made up of tiny, jingling bells. The source of the bells Five had heard. He laughed, shaking his head and looking at the floor.

“I really hate that sound.”

“No you don’t.”

“You’re right, I don’t.”

There was an awkward pause, and Five glanced over at the book Candy had in her hand. The title was The Path To Enlightenment: Discovering Your Guardian Angel .

“Brushing up on things?” he asked, gesturing to the book.

“This? Oh no, this is what I read when I need a laugh. This whole section should be titled “Humor”. I mean, you should read some of the things they try and pass off as fact.”

“I’ll take your word for it.”

Candy looked to the books Five was holding and pointed a finger at the top one on the stack. “I hear that’s a good one.”

Five looked down, seeing that one of the random books he’d pulled out was I Pooped on the Potty, And You Can Too! , complete with a drawing of a cartoon elephant sitting on a toilet. Five blushed, but then he laughed.

“Well, better late than never.”

Candy nodded. “Definitely.”

Five felt a tug on his hand and he looked at Grace, who was motioning with her index finger for him to lean in closer. He crouched down so he was at eye level, and she leaned in to whisper in his ear. Although, being a kid, the whole damn book store could have heard her whisper.

“She’s pretty.”

Five feigned surprised, then looked back up at Candy, then back at Grace. “You think so?”

Grace nodded. “You should take her on a date,” she whispered loudly and Five heard Candy giggle.

“What do you know about dates?”

“I know that girls like them because my mom always gets happy after my dad takes her somewhere to eat.”

Five nodded like he was mulling this over. “I see. So, I should ask her now?”

Grace nodded, her face serious. “If you want her to like you.”

When Five stood up, Candy was covering her mouth, trying not to laugh. Then she waited expectantly for whatever Five was going to say to her.

“My tiny wingman here has informed me that I should ask you on a date. Would you like that?”

Candy nodded. “I think I would, yes.”

“Would you like to come over to my brother’s house tomorrow? He’s having a family barbecue for the 4th. It will probably be a giant shit show, but I said I’d be there.”

“How could I pass that up? I would love to.”

When Five looked back down at Grace, she gave him a thumbs up. Then she sat on the floor to look at her books since her job as matchmaker was now done. He set his own books down and took a step closer to Candy, reaching out to touch her hand lightly, brushing his fingers over the back of her hand. He wanted to do a hell of a lot more than that, but seeing as how they were in a bookstore and his niece was present, he held himself back.

“I really missed you.”

“I missed you too, Five.”

“So, you’re here now? Permanently?”

She nodded. “I am. Thanks to you.”

“Why did it take so long? Where have you been?”

“Oh, I’ve been around. You needed some time to get things sorted out by yourself. But I’ve been keeping tabs on you.” She looked down at Grace. “Seems like you’ve got things figured out now.”

“Yeah, I think I do. Thank you.”

“Just part of the job.”

Five laughed and then reached up to gently tuck a stray piece of hair behind her ear. “I really want to kiss you again.”

“I would love that,” she breathed out.

He was about to lean in, when he stopped himself. “Wait. You’re not going to make me see anything weird again, are you?”

She shook her head. “No. I promise.”

“Good. Because I’ve had enough of that shit to last a lifetime.”

In a second, he was kissing her, softly and deeply, while he pulled her body in closer with an arm around her waist. He let out a sigh when he felt her fingers trace down the back of his neck. She felt and tasted just like he remembered and it was taking everything inside himself not to pull her down to the floor right there in the Religion section.

“Ew! Gross!”

Five pulled away, the disgusted sound of his niece snapping him out of his trance. Candy laughed and Five looked down at Grace, perturbed that she had abruptly turned from adorable wingman to major cock blocker. But he supposed this wasn’t the most appropriate place for a steamy make-out session anyway.

Five cleared his throat. “Well, I guess we should get going. I have to get her home.”

“Ok. I’ll see you tomorrow, then?”

Five nodded, gathering up his books again. “Oh, wait. I’m not very good at this dating thing, but don’t you need my phone number?”

Candy shook her head. “No, that’s ok. I know how to find you.”

Then, with a sly smile, she added “Oh, and Five? Keeping in the spirit of the holiday tomorrow…you can declare my independence anytime you want. Give me your John Han cock . If you’re up for it.”

With a slightly evil smile of his own, Five stepped in closer to her again, close enough to lean in next to her ear.

“Baby, the British won’t be the only ones that are coming. Not when you red, white, and blow me.”

Candy laughed loudly, her entire body shaking and her stupid bracelet jingling. Five just smirked and turned to walk away, holding his niece’s hand and feeling undeniably happy.

[literallyjusthereformods]

Mod folder's cooked still, sharing photos of my sims from my gallery.

Not my preferred method, but I'm dying to share them! So anyways here's a mega photo dump.

Cade E Cherrypop! (Normal/Ruined)

My love for sentient entertainment animatronics is one that will forever remain unshaken. Cade E Cherrypop is the sentient android mascot of Cade E Arcade! (Thx to the new chibi preset by @sdmsims, another little mascot will be along shortly as a friend)

After society collapses due to a zombie-apocalypse-plus, the arcade falls into ruin, and Cade E eventually reawakens in the ruins in her second withered form, sun-bleached, dirty and damaged.

Xelleen Wisher

Xelleen Wisher's a gaming streamer in this world's analog to Twitch! Despite his anxiety disorder, he does his best to put up an optimistic and energetic persona for his audience. He really loves cute things, especially cats and small collectibles! He's also very, very good at videogames, dabbling in speed runs and challenge runs.

Xelleen was created by me as a very positive character. He combines physical traits that are painted as a stereotypical "neckbeard" image (acne, overweightness) with features of the "gamergirl" aesthetic (cute clothes, makeup, lots of pink.) He stands as his own person, defined by neither stereotype.

The bottom/last pic of the three shows his face without his makeup on!!

Steelie Buzzkill

(Wouldn't Be Possible Without @sdmsims's Anime Mod!!!)

Ordered as an Incarnate (an Incarnate is a special type of android commissioned to be a real-word version of a fictional character) of somebody's OC, Steelie's shipment was intercepted after the law recognizing android sentience was passed. His company dumped him and his peers on the side of the road near a rural town.

Since he was freed before artificial memories were programmed into him, he doesn't know what character he's intended to be, and he really doesn't WANT to know.

He works at IHopTopic, the compound store that exists because in this universe, IHop and Hot Topic had some sort of business deal from hell that led to a combined location.

(Between you and me, his design SOMEBODY's fannon ship child OC, but I won't say more than that, nor do the medias his parents are from exist irl.)

The rest will just be character images with short descriptions. I'll likely make individual posts later on going in more depth!!

Torren's a model! He models both clothes and makeup.

Torren's photographer, and general voice of reason. They're bascially buddies.

Aniyo loves hanging out in malls and drawing fanart for their favorite animes. Above all though, they love animals!! Their aspiration is to be a rescue caretaker for animals that need them.

A small trunked rodent I created called a 'rummager.'

It's too bad I'm missing the cc for this one, because I'd love to show their whole design in CAS. I really like this one. They have a lot to do with a certain collapse plotline.

Owner of a tattoo shop. VERY supportive of their artists, and probably one of the best bosses ever.

Tattoo artist working for Crim.

Another one of Crim's hired tattoo artists!

Third tattoo artist out of four in Crim's tattoo shop. (The fourth one's too short to show in gallery, sorry.)

Runaway teen after something really bad happened at home. Navigating the post-collapse hellscape with her horse.

Apex Zombie who's territory spans an entire abandoned city. It's antenna syncs up to the abandoned traffic cams, giving it eyes all over the urban ruins. As a side effect, the old digital billboards flicker to life in monochromatic imagery when it approaches.

@ssspringroll because I definitely used some of your CC in this. Idr where, but I DEFINETELY did. Also, you're one of my favorite creators, thank you for existing <3

[vyl3tpwny]

why it ourple

ok.

i'm going to tell you the story of how purple became my favourite colour. and then, where the name vylet pony came from.

———————————————————

ch.1 the mace windu incident

once upon a time. I really liked star wars. i kind of still like star wars i guess. but when i was a kid, i REALLY liked star wars.

in my room, i had a mace windu poster.

i still can't find the exact poster. it looked something like this

mace windu was my fav star wars character for an inconceivably long time. with that, i also became fascinated with his purple lightsaber. nobody else had a purple lightsaber. i loved it. staring at that poster constantly made me really like the colour purple. ever since the poster started exerting its technicolour pressures and whimsies upon me, i became fixated on the colour purple. forever.

"hai!~ im mace windu and i loveee Videos!" - mace windu, star wars episode iii: revenge of the sith

———————————————————

ch. 2 the viny scratch era

fast forward like 7 years. i am in the my little pony fandom now. i am 13 years old. i really like vinyl scratch. she is pictured here:

my first online presence in the mlp community was as a vinyl scratch / dj pon3 roleplay account. for a good year, people called me vinyl and "vy".

however when it came time to start releasing music in the fandom, i couldn't go by vinyl scratch at the time. this name was already being used by the artist who currently goes by Scraton!

this is still one of my favourite songs by them:

anyway. i actually held a really insane, irrational grudge against scraton for being named "vinyl scratch" as a music artist before me. i got past that after a while, because i had to stop being 13 first. i stopped being 13 and eventually fell in love with their music and we became friends later after!

but it's 2013 and i can't be vinyl scratch anymore. people already called me "vy" because of being a vinyl scratch persona.

so.

———————————————————

ch. 3 it's vylet time-wait is that can opener? CANNI?

it started on december 28, 2012. i posted to my then-instagram account this image:

you may recognize this as my oc canni. here's their reworked look in the 2022 album (10 years later) can opener's notebook: fish whisperer (illustrated by @astroeden):

can opener's original name was "ultra vylet". their colour scheme was originally intended to be the inverse of vinyl scratch's, as a sort of strange protest to not being able to be vinyl scratch. i was like ok. well if i cant be vinyl scratch, i am going to make a character that swaps the main colours. within a few months of "ultra vylet" existing, i discarded the design in favour of a completely different one:

this would be the only time vylet consistently had purple in her design until 2018 or so.. lol.

then. on april 15, 2013, i posted this to my instagram:

i had essentially combined three things:

The fact the people called me "vy'

The fact that my favourite colour is purple (violet)

The fact that I wanted to be vinyl scratch (dj pon3) before

———————————————————

ch. 4 vylet pony ≠ vinyl scratch

that is to say, i never really put a lot of thought into "vylet pony" as a name. i just made it when i was 14 and now i am going to be 25 soon. will i keep vylet pony as a name forever? not sure. do i take great pride in its insanely snarky origin? absolutely.

after i had decided firmly on "vylet pony" as a name — after dropping the "3" from it — i made a new instagram account. the very first thing i posted to it was this:

illustrated by my friend, shade.

now that looks slightly vylet-like, design-wise, oc-wise. oh. but now she is grey and black? ok.

she stopped being purple from 2013-2018.

here is how her design progressed through the years:

the first one is by my then-partner sara. this is when vylet's cutiemark was still an upside down music note, reflected from "ultra vylet" / can opener's original design. i'll show how it became a puzzle piece next.

the second one is by shade

the third one is by chibadeer

the fourth one is by astroeden

———————————————————

ch. 5 the puzzle piece

to this day, i still cannot find the fanart in question. but over instagram, someone asked to draw fanart of my pony. in doing so, they misconstrued the shape of the upside down music note as a puzzle piece, like this:

i've been looking forever for the original fanart/fanartist that made this mistake. because ever since that art, i just stuck with it anyway. i like puzzles and puzzle games. i'm also a puzzling and enigmatic person. and the puzzle piece can go into so many different things. all sorts of problem solving is like a puzzle. music fits neatly into that category in my opinion. so because of its intrigue and ability to mean so many different things, i just went with it. i never looked back.

———————————————————

ch. 6 that is the history of the colour purple and vylet pony character design

i hope this answers the question "why it ourple"!

[hells-morning-angel]

Welcome all to the circus! Please take your seats and let us begin, shall we? For my first performance, I'll recite my list of rules from the top of my head! Amazing, right? Totally! Now pay attention folks, you'll need to, as there is a hidden password hidden somewhere between the guidelines to this blog!

1) For my very first rule to you dear audience, it's a simple one to follow! Please do not rush my responses, I do have a life outside of this little blog! With that said, I do enjoy and prefer if we have conversations outside of roleplay too! I can be dmed for conversations most times! Believe it or not, I am very shy to approach one of your Audience members first, so please please approach first. If we have more conversations OOC, I'll become more confident in what I write with you and in turn, be open to more possibilities!

2) For my very second rule and I know this should not have to be said BUT I will say it anyways in the event some need to be reminded to have respect for others of different races and identities! In this circus we do not tolerate any hatred directed towards other races, sexualities or gender identities! We respect proper pronouns and names of adress! Any form of disrespect will result in a block!

3) For my very third rule and if this boundary is broken, then it'll result in an immediate ban! On this blog proshipping (Child x Adult content), incest (Family x Family) and problematic ships of that nature are absolutely prohibited! None of that belongs here!

4) And for the fourth rule, please be kind and respectful to people who have different opinions then you! In life, we won't all share the same opinion all the time and it's completely natural! There's no same person after all!

Moving right along onto our next topic, here is more information on the blog itself and the ships it will do!

On this blog, I welcome a variety of ships and pairings, including OC x Canon! I play a variety of the canon characters, Lucifer is simply my main muse! Here is a bulleted list of those I have mused before!

Lucifer Morningstar

Lilith Morningstar

Alastor

Angel Dust

Husk

Vaggie

Zestial

Vox

Adam

Lute

There are characters that I am open to trying as well in this other conveniently placed bulleted list!

Carmilla Carmine

Rosie

Mimzy

Nifty

Charlie Morningstar

Velvette

Emily

If you have another character, please request! I may also be willing to muse them for you! The one character I ban is Valentino!

As far as ships go, I do enjoy Huskerdust, Appleradio, all sorts of ships! I simply do not ship Charlastor or that one pairing with Vaggie and Angel Dust!

I am willing to muse characters on two different social media platforms! Discord and Tumblr! Just specify which audience member and you shall have your request honored! This is an 18+ blog only, please keep that in mind, viewer!

Annmd with that final message, I take my leave for now! Farewell dot now and goodnight! Did you find the password yet? The password is: There is no password! If your interested and only if your interested, please like, follow, comment, reblog or dm me!

[ash5monster01]

Getaway Camp : Eleven

Pairing: Charlie Dalton x OC!FemReader

Warnings: 18+, mentions of smut, dirty talk, slight foreplay, minor angst, language, mentions of death, fluff, lots of teasing.

Summary: Charlie and Valerie get away for the weekend, enjoying every second alone they get together. When Charlie comes back, he finds a surprise waiting for him.

word count: 3.1k

Masterlist

Ten ←→ Twelve

July 9th 1961

It’s hot when Charlie wakes up. The sun’s rays shining through the fabric above him and getting trapped inside. It’s immediately uncomfortable but Charlie ignores it as he reaches to his side, the blanket falling low on his bare hips. Yet his hand just meets sleeping bag. His eyes open to find the spot beside him empty and he sighs until he hears the clutter of a pan outside the tent walls. Sitting up he discovers his clothes from last night are gone and he has no choice but to pull on the green shirt and khakis he had packed with him.

Ever since the Fourth of July, Charlie and Valerie couldn’t get enough of each other. As predicted the great cabin shuffle was hard to recreate so the pair had to get creative. The boat house had become a common destination since Charlie knew there was a cot in there from rowing. When it came to the weekend, the couple was quick to pack everything they had and hike to the spot where they had their first date. A whole weekend that was just the two of them, in a tent, with nothing but woods around. Charlie would like to say he had connected with nature while out here but if he was being honest, he spent more time connected to Valerie than anything else.

“Morning handsome” Valerie smiles from her campfire set up, scrambled eggs in a pan. They seemed to be sticking to the pan more than actually edible but Charlie didn’t have it in him to mind. Especially since the girl sat in his blue shirt from the night before and only the blue shirt.

“Smells good” he tells her, leaning down to press a soft kiss to her lips, his hand grazing along the back of her head and to the base of her neck. Now that the pair had explored each other’s bodies she had found Charlie’s kisses to be less shy and more demanding. He had no issue positioning her anyway he wanted when his mouth met her own.

“You look cute” she says when he pulls back and despite the light blush on his cheeks he can’t help but laugh at the comment.

“I guess I should’ve packed more camp friendly clothes” he suggests, moving to sit in the seat across from her own and Valerie smiles, scooping some eggs on a plate and passing them his way.

“It’s okay, I don’t mind. I plan on taking them off of you anyway” and Charlie grins a wide and devilish smile. He was not foreign to hooking up with a girl before but this was not that. He simply couldn’t get enough of Valerie which hadn’t ever happened to him before. Each time he found himself trying to out pour his appreciation for her. By the third time around he discovered he had been making love, not hooking up. The thought scared him, but he was obsessed with her more.

“Like you did last night?” Charlie suggests, eyebrows jumping at the reminder of how they had tried to eat dinner in this very spot last night. Yet Charlie had ended up with his pants pooled around his ankles and Valerie’s pretty lips wrapped around his cock as he watched the waterfall. Maybe he could convince her to leave civilization and stay with him in these woods forever.

“Anything’s a possibility” she tells him, sipping from her glass of water as he digs into the eggs. There is barely any taste but he eats them anyway, smiling at her, and wishing they didn’t have to head back to camp so soon. He hated meeting her in the boat house and then having to go sleep separately. Yet for Nate and Levi, that was their one time thing hooking up with those girls. Charlie knew Levi wasn’t mean about it in the way Nate was. Mia just happened to be a casual hookup that they both wanted to keep casual. Who would have thought? It also made Chrissy extra whiny and impossible to escape. Charlie officially felt Valerie’s pain when it came to her roommate for the summer season.

“You keep me hostage in these woods any longer and Ezra might send out a search party for me” Charlie tells her after a while and Valerie giggles, aware of how Charlie had been favoring her over anyone else these days. She had been doing the same, ditching Levi because she only had a taste for Charlie.

“I’ll make it up to him, I think he’ll understand though. I have a very attractive boyfriend” Valerie says but almost instantaneously after the label leaves her lips, the tops of her ears burn red. “I mean, friend-boy. Guy I date-“

She’s cut off by Charlie’s bellowing laughter, his hand falling to his chest as he tries to calm down. Yet his amusement hasn’t stopped yet, the cute and panicked look on her face making him laugh more. When it finally calms he gives a wide and comforting smile as he reaches for her hand across their mini pop up table. “I’m your boyfriend V. At least I better be cause I’d be pissed if you tried dating someone else”

“Same Ace” Valerie says with a shy smile, her cheeks still a soft pink from the conversation she hadn’t expected to have.

“I don’t have eyes for anyone else. Well I still favor Miss December but-” and Valerie is launching a piece of bread from her plate at the boy, Charlie laughing as he dodges it. He still had the centerfold of Miss December, his first ever read poem written on the back of it. Yet he found himself reading the words more than looking at the picture these days.

“I have better boobs than Miss December” Valerie claims and Charlie smirks, eyes dropping to her chest. How her nipples are peaked through the blue fabric of his shirt, the outline of her curves pulling the button in that spot taught. Valerie’s aren’t nearly as big as Miss December’s, than again is anyone’s? Even Charlie knew the image was unrealistic. Valerie was still big chested in all the ways that mattered and turned him on. He always had been a boob guy.

“Yeah they are, plus I’ve actually felt them before” Charlie wiggles his eyebrows and Valerie giggles, Charlie’s hand tugging her own, and indicating she join him on his side of the table. When she obeys and sits in his lap, Charlie discovers there truly is nothing under his shirt as his hand settles on her ass. It’s no surprise to either of them he’s already hardening beneath her.

“What, you trying to get me over here to grope my chest or something?” she teases but Charlie pretends to take it seriously. Fingers tracing through the fabric of his shirt on her form, slowly moving until his hand grazes inside, fingers brushing under her breast before cupping it gently in his hand. The perfect fit.

“Maybe” he grins and Valerie just rolls her eyes before kissing him. It’s not anything sexual but her tongue ends up in his mouth anyway and she wished they didn’t have to pack up so soon to make it in time for her afternoon shift.

“You gonna see Ezra tonight?” she asks once she breaks away from his lips. She loved the taste of him.

“Yeah, if I don’t I’ll go crazy alone in my cabin without you” Charlie tells her, the hand once placed on her chest now tucked gently against her thigh and holding her in place.

“Cabin fever huh?” she asks and Charlie chuckles before giving her a genuine look.

“That must explain it, because I go crazy whenever I’m without you” and Valerie feels the words settle on her lips, yet they don’t come out. Her heart thrumming quickly in her chest because those three words may be simple but for her they hold so much weight. She had always been different from other girls, felt excluded in ways she couldn’t understand. She was used to boys, the careless and reckless ways they lived their lives. It was no surprise to her when she viewed them more as brothers than love interests. Love was never an option, and now suddenly it was everything.

“Then let’s hope summer never ends” Charlie’s affectionate smile quickly falls into a frown, not expecting such a harsh reality to be thrown his way. They had never had a conversation but he knew there was a timeline. He just hadn’t expected to put his feelings out there and suddenly find out Valerie has no interest in continuing this after camp was done. A harsh reality he was hoping to ignore for a little longer.

“Yeah, let’s hope” he agrees and she misses the sad tone of his voice as she lifts from his lap and begins to pick up their things. Charlie can’t even bring himself to admire the curve of her ass that’s been revealed to him or playfully slap it. Instead he finally feels sad knowing it’s not just him that feels there’s an expiration date to what the both of them have.

It only takes about an hour to pack up camp, the giant backpacks on both of their backs filled to the brim. The hike had gotten easier for Charlie too. Once he discovered it was worse saying goodbye to Valerie when they got back it felt like the walk wasn’t the worst thing he had to go through. He had kissed her goodbye for nearly twenty minutes before she finally pulled away because she would be late if she didn’t. Sometimes he wished she wasn’t so punctual.

Slowly he makes the short walk back to his cabin, uninterested in the rest of the day, until he eyes the small mail box nailed to the side of the cabin. It hadn’t ever changed since he got here, a layer of rust on the side, a bit crooked against the wood. Yet today the lid was propped open and the smallest corner of a yellowing envelope peaked out from inside. In a scramble he’s digging in, freeing the three letters addressed to him. He can’t help the way his stomach clenches as he reads the familiar return sender names on each. Suddenly he can’t get inside the cabin fast enough.

Quickly he plops down in the chair of the desk, shoving aside a few liquor bottles to make space for him to read. Not even bothering to find a letter opener, he’s tearing the seal open with is finger. Eagerly freeing the letter inside, the familiar chicken scratch making his heart leap. It had been so long, so long since he had seen any of them in person. Suddenly he wanted to cry, the yearning for his friends deepening inside him. In this moment he promises himself he will visit them soon, not waste another shared moment between them. Especially with how long it took to send letters back and forth from camp.

Dear Charlie,

It is absolutely no surprise that you’ve become king of the camp. Yet for some reason it’s hard to picture you sleeping in a cabin and swatting away mosquitoes. The same guy who used to have all his shirts pressed and the finest liquors hidden under your floorboards. Then again I’m sure you’ve found a supply to keep you occupied. Or maybe you’ve changed from the boy I once knew and now you’re embracing nature and all it has to offer.

The image of you on waterski’s will be enough to keep me going until the next time I see you. Even better the idea of you falling. After I made sure you didn’t get hurt of course. I’m sure you’re making the most of this summer lifestyle. This girl Valerie sounds like she makes it all worth it. Then again you always worshipped any girl you could find. Yet the way you refer to her leads me to believe you’ve finally found a soft spot. I would love to meet the lady who finally tames the wild and reckless Charlie Dalton.

Please write me back soon, no feeling in the world compares to the one I get when I see Charlie Daltons name written on the side of an envelope.

Love, Todd Anderson

Charlie chuckles, hugging the letter close to his chest, thankful Todd hadn’t lost that part of him. The confidence he found right before Neil had died. Neil was Charlie’s best friend but to Todd, Neil was his person. The one that changes the entire trajectory of your life. One that suddenly means everything and then gets ripped from you just as quick as you got him. It wasn’t fair then and it wasn’t fair now. Then again, nothing in life really was. You just had to make the most of what you got while you had it.

Charlie,

When I had heard you were to work at a summer camp I’m pretty sure I had to be resuscitated. Picturing you in a cabin, possibly with a roommate like Cameron, seems like the purest form of hell you’d ever endure. Then again I’m sure it’s nice to finally be away from your parents. What doesn’t surprise me is that you’ve found yourself a girl. This Valerie sounds like a real charmer, especially if she happened to lock down you.

I go to Harvard Law in the Fall and Chris is staying back at community college. I am already dreading when the day comes so I can’t imagine how you feel when the same happens for you.

What I can tell you is to fight for her. When I had read your letter it was the first time I saw a glimpse of the Charlie I knew before Neil had died. I’ve been waiting a really long time to have him back. Plus I’m sure Neil would’ve kicked my ass if he knew I encouraged you to let go of the first girl to ever get Charlie Dalton to settle down.

I miss you buddy, please keep in touch.

Love, Knoxious

Charlie shorts a laugh at the letter, eager to tell him that so far his roommate had been pretty cool. He should’ve expected the sentiment though. It was the romantic in Knox. Knox would beg him to stay with any girl if Charlie had even slightly mentioned her. It’s because as much as Charlie talks about girls there was never the idea of one.

Charlie,

It doesn’t shock me you’re working at a summer camp. In fact, I always had a feeling you’d give up on civilization and become one with the trees. Real life was never really meant for you. You’ve always been wild and free, I figure you fit right in. Probably friends with the animals and wiping your ass with a leaf. It makes sense.

Next week me and Pitts start early admission at Yale. Feels kind of crazy the days of college are already here when that’s all we used to talk about. Pitts says hi by the way, he agrees summer camp was meant for you. He saw no point in writing you since you’d probably be annoyed with his non legible handwriting anyway.

Charlie this is Pitts, I am happy to write you but Steven is a control freak who thinks it’s easier to send our letter combined. Miss you.

Anyway Charles, we miss you a lot. Come visit us at Yale someday, or maybe we’ll get curious enough to come visit the city. Please write soon.

Love Steven Meeks & Gerard Pitts

Charlie laughs loudly at the last one, his chest aching. He misses his friends, he misses the cave, he misses study group, he misses Welton. God he can’t believe he misses a place he hates so much. The very place he still blamed for every traumatic moment in his life, but it was where he belonged. Where he should’ve been for that last year and a half. He had missed out on so much but then he felt guilty knowing Neil was going to miss out on everything.

So Charlie gets to work, writing a handwritten letter back to each, and finally finding himself not consumed with thoughts about Valerie. He tells them about everything he’s done and everything that’s coming up. How Valerie is his girl despite the end of summer looming above them. He doesn’t leave a detail out because for once he wants to be there for them even if it’s only through a pen and paper.

It’s dark by the time Valerie makes her return. Charlie’s laid up in his bed, a book in his hand, while Andy lays on his own and listens to the radio. She doesn’t bother knocking, smiling at both of them before making her way to Charlie. Shes still in her red bathing suit, indicating she came right after her shift, and Charlie disposes the book as he welcomes her into his arms instead.

“Hey baby, how was work?” he asks, pressing a kiss against the top of her head.

“Fine, some thirteen year old boys wouldn’t stop staring and flirting with me though. I just wasn’t in the mood” she tells him and Charlie chuckles, remembering being thirteen and having way too many hormones to know how to handle. A pretty girl would’ve made him malfunction, especially one that looked like Valerie.

“I’m sorry honey, want me to beat them up?” he asks and this time it’s Andy snorting from his side of the cabin.

“You two make me sick” he teases and Charlie rolls his eyes, tightening his hold on the girl against him.

“Says you. I watched you beg Alice to stay for twenty minutes. It was starting to get weird and not just for me” Charlie calls him out and Valerie giggles against his chest, warming him over completely.

“I think it’s sweet Andy” she tells the boy and he tries to hide the smile that crosses his face when it comes to the girl he finally got to go out with him.

“Thanks Val, I like you more than Charlie” Andy says and Charlie quickly flips him off, Valerie laughing at their antics and the relationship neither of them will call a friendship yet. Dare she say they were each other’s best friends.

“Most people do” Valerie responds and Charlie gasps, pointing a shocked look her way and she smiles, wiping it off with a kiss to his lips.

“I’m hurt” Charlie pouts when she pulls away and Valerie smiles, lying back down against his chest, and wishing she didn’t have to go back to her own cabin. Wishing she didn’t have to go anywhere ever again.

“It’s okay Ace, I like you more than anyone”

Taglist: @eden-punk @octaviasdread @pursuedbyamemoryy @poetsinnyc @linmichea1

Comment if you want to be added to the taglist :))

[resowrites]

Rolo - oneshot.

Summary: Henry takes learning about his wife’s pregnancy a tad too far…

Pairings: AU!Henry Cavill x Wife!OC

Warnings: fluff, banter/British humour, language, dialogue heavy, graphic descriptions of labour/childbirth, nondescript OC body type/appearance, hastily written/lightly proofread.

WC: 3002

A/N: Remember, this is pure fiction (as in completely made up) and not in any way meant to reflect reality. My work must not be copied, reposted, or translated elsewhere. Likes, follows, reblogs and comments are thoroughly welcome and appreciated! Gifs/pics not my own. I hope you all enjoy and thanks for visiting!

Rolo - oneshot.

"Oh my God, this reads like Stephen King…"

"Will you please be quiet? I'm trying to watch tv—"

"Oh stop, you can watch the A-Team any time. Now listen to this, a 'show' is the act of the mucus plug that seals the opening of the cervix, falling out as either a blob or smaller pieces of pinkish jelly—" she threw the spoon she was holding back into her pot of yoghurt.

"Henry shut up, I don't want to hear this while I'm eating!"

"It looks a bit like that apparently," he pointed to the pot in her hand, much to her chagrin. "It signals the start of the cervix beginning to soften and thin ready for labour, though this can take anywhere from an hour to several days to begin…" She hoped Henry was finally finished and tentatively took another mouthful of yoghurt. "Sometimes the colour of the plug is red or brown—"

"Henry, stop it!"

"What? I'm just trying to share with you the miracle of creation!"

"No you're not, you're being an annoying little shit because I had the last yoghurt and you don't want to let me enjoy it!"

"Don't be ridiculous, we've got our first scan coming up soon, don't you want me to be prepared?"

"Henry, it's not a fucking quiz, and anyway, it's me who has to answer any questions, not you!"

"Well, excuse me for wanting to be ready just in case, God most women would give anything for their husbands to be this involved!"

"Henry, why is it you need to know about the 'show,' or anything else that happens at that point in labour? You're not the one delivering the baby!"

"Well, who knows? You could go into labour on the bathroom floor and the paramedics might not make it to the house in time, we are a bit out in the sticks here."

"That won't happen, most women have to be induced—"

"What does that mean? Hang on let me look it up," he flipped further ahead in the baby book. "Ah, induction means to bring on the start of labour artificially. Before this is done, a membrane sweep is performed first. This involves a midwife or doctor sweeping their finger around the cervix via internal examination. This should help separate the amniotic sac surrounding the baby from the cervix—"

"Henry, I'm really getting annoyed with you now!"

"What? This is fascinating! To continue—" she gritted her teeth.

"If labour does not then occur, an induction will be offered next. This procedure involves the insertion of a pessary or gel into the vagina. If contractions do not begin after six hours, a further tablet or dose of gel will be used. Please be aware that induced labour is usually more painful and can require assistance via ventouse or forceps. What the hell's a ventouse?"

"Henry, I'm giving you until the count of five to put that book down. One—"

"A ventouse is a vacuum cup attached to your baby's head via suction—"

"Two—"

"It's pulled gently by the midwife or doctor to aid in delivery—"

"Three—"

"However, this method comes with several risks including a third or fourth-degree vaginal tear. This means the wall of the anus is ruptured—"

"Four, five! That's it, give me that right now!" She snatched the book from Henry's hands and chucked it aside.

"What the hell did you do that for?! We were just getting to an interesting bit!"

"Really, you find the instance of vaginal tearing even remotely interesting, do you?"

"Look, I have to learn about all of this otherwise I'll be clueless to help!"

"Is that right? And what help do you expect to be?"

"… Well, I can tell the doctor what it looked like before, it'll help him put everything back in place!"

"That's it, I'm going downstairs—"

"No, wait! I'm only joking, jeez lighten up will ya? I'm just trying to have a bit of fun!"

"Yeah, but it's easy to do that when you're not the one who has to give birth!"

"What do you mean?"

"I mean, I'm already shit scared about all of this without you telling me my rectum could be torn asunder!"

"Oh for God's sake, that isn't going to happen!"

"Oh yeah? How do you know?"

"Because I won't let anything like that happen, alright?"

"Henry you're not going to have that much control over the situation, neither of us will!"

"Well maybe not but at least I'll be there to advocate for you, and I'll make sure everything is done correctly. That's why I have to learn about each stage of delivery."

"Well, can you at least stop reading aloud? I honestly don't want to hear all the grisly details thanks very much!"

"It's not grisly! It's a beautiful process—"

"Henry, birth may be many things but it's hardly beautiful—" he ignored her and continued.

"Just think, you'll be able to squeeze a whole person out of an opening that's only a few centimetres wide! Well, actually your cervix has to be ten centimetres dilated before you can safely start to push."

"Oh, God help me…"

"What? I can't wait! Being able to watch my baby being born will be the happiest day of my life! Even if it also means having to watch my favourite place in the whole world become like a Stretch Armstrong…"

"What do you mean? You're not going at the goal end, are you?!" Henry snorted.

"Well of course! Otherwise, how do I know that it's actually ours and not one that they've swapped?"

"Henry, trust me, no one is going to take our baby. So you're really going to watch the whole thing? Even as I start to crown?"

"Wait, what does that mean?" He tried to reach for the baby book which was still resting at the bottom of the bed.

"Oh no you don't, I'm not hearing any more blow-by-blows of birth thanks very much."

"Fine! I'll just look it up on my phone."

"Yeah, you might not want to do that—" suddenly Henry shrieked aloud.

"Jesus bloody Christ! Did it have to show me pictures? God, it's like she's being ripped in half!" He held his phone up close to her face.

"I did tell you not to look it up! Anyway, you wanted to see it, are you still so keen now on watching it live?"

"Well, I had no idea it was that graphic! Christ, I hope I don't end up with performance issues…" Henry looked down plaintively at his crotch.

"Oh, typical, you have to make it all about you. Did you honestly think the baby just appeared? Like all I had to do was sneeze and out it popped?"

"Well no, but now I must admit I'm getting scared as well - me and all of my brothers were big babies, I don't think it's gunna be that easy…"

"Oh well great, thanks for warning me."

"What? I'm just being honest! You could end up having one of those record babies, you know like how you see on the internet?" She breathed in hard.

"Henry, if you do that to me I will actually never forgive you—"

"Well, it's not my fault! Weren't you a big baby as well?"

"No I bloody well wasn't!"

"Maybe that'll balance it out then, besides it's not like they can't stitch you up afterward!"

"Oh God, kill me…"

"What? I can always get you a little rubber ring to sit on!"

"Henry, if you don't button it right now—"

"They use stitches darling, buttons would hardly be appropriate—"

"Carry on sonny boy and you're gunna be the one who needs stitches!"

"Alright, alright. God, I was only trying to be helpful!"

"No you weren't, you were just trying to scare me!"

"No I wasn't, I would never do that! As I said, everything will be alright—"

"You don't know that! This will be my first time giving birth, literally anything could happen..."

"Well, I'm sure there are lots of things we can do to prepare. Just let me have my handy guide back—"

"No, you're not reading any more baby books!"

"Fine, I'll just consult Google then instead. Let's see, how do you prevent tearing during pregnancy?" She took a deep breath. "Ah, see here it says an ep-is-iot-omy, a cut made in the perineum, is performed to make the vaginal opening wider where necessary—" 

"Right, I’m putting on my headphones—" 

"This cut is typically made diagonally… wait so they don't just cut downwards? You know so it's like one big hole?" 

"Oh bollocks, they're out of power!" 

"Are you listening to me?!" 

"I'm trying not to, no." 

"Well you'll be glad to know there's also such thing as 'perineal massage—'"

"Oh, well that's a relief…" 

"This can be performed from thirty-five weeks onwards as a useful tool to help prevent tears. It even says I can perform the massage for you—"

"Yeah, no thanks."

"Well, what do you expect me to do then? Just wait outside and leave you in the delivery room all scared and alone?"

"You can stay here, in fact. I'm not sure I even want you in the building anymore…"

"Oh now come on, you know I was only trying to make you laugh talking about all this stuff!"

"Henry I don't need a bloody comedian, I need a birth partner who's gunna take it seriously and actually be useful—"

"Yeah and that's why I'll be right by your side, cheering you on, and you can scream and yell and hit me as many times as you want."

"Can I do that right now?" He gave her a mischievous smile.

"I tell you what, why don't we change the subject and try some birth positions instead? Look, you can even lay like this with your arse in the air," Henry kneeled on both legs and let his face fall into the pillow. "Actually, on second thoughts, it was this position that got you into this situation..." She choked on her cup of tea. "What about like this then," he jumped out of the bed and propped one leg up on the edge of it. "It's called the 'leg-up lunge,' really helps open up the pelvis apparently and relieve back pain," Henry looked over to see her holding her face in her hands. "Or you can just do this," he rolled onto his back and pulled back each leg with his hands. In doing so, he landed on the remote and accidentally changed the channel.

"Oh for fuck sake, Henry! It was just getting to a juicy bit!" 

"Tell me about it, I need you to check how far along I am—" 

"Henry, I really am starting to lose my patience!" She leaned between Henry's legs and tried to manoeuvre him off of the remote. 

"Hey, it's me who's meant to push, not you!" 

"Will you bloody stop it?! And move out of the sodding way—" she carried on rooting around, not seeing the bottle of water he'd quickly grabbed from the bedside table. Seconds later, a jet of water hit her face.

"OH NO, I THINK MY WATER JUST BROKE!!!"

 "W-WHAT THE FUCK!!!" She coughed and spluttered while Henry collapsed into a pile of giggles. "That's it, I'm done." She scooched off the bed and headed for the door.

"WAIT, wait!" She stopped and turned round to face him. "You've still got water on your face—" she tried to storm off, only for Henry to catch her by the wrist. 

"Get off me, you arch idiot. I'm so angry with you I could scream!"

"Oh now come on! I was just trying to give us a bit of practice. I don't want you to think you've wet yourself—"

"HENRY, THAT IS ENOUGH!"

"Mmmm... I love it when you get mad. Come on, let's have some fun—" he wiggled his eyebrows suggestively. 

"You must be joking!"

"Well, what’s the harm? I've already knocked you up!"

"Henry—"

"And don't think I haven't noticed how big they're getting…" Henry pointed towards her chest.

"Listen to me you little turd, they're not the only things getting bigger. Very soon I'm going to be up to fifty pounds heavier, with an arse that could flatten even you - so don't piss me off!"

"... But I'll be able to hear you coming." 

"Right, that's it! I'm sleeping downstairs. Seeing as this is all just some big joke to you—"

"Whoa, hang on, that's absolutely not the case. I'm sorry, alright? I was just trying to make you less worried about giving birth. Honestly, I don't care if you scream, cry, puke, or even shit everywhere—" her nostrils flared. "Take it easy! Come on, let's get to bed, all this stress isn't good for the baby." She batted his hand away and folded her arms almost as soon as she was back in bed. "Okay, so you don't want to lie on your back. That's probably for the best seeing as the baby could then shoot across the room if you push too hard... I wonder if that's ever actually happened? Lemme see." She snatched the phone away.

"Henry, this is your last warning—"

"Fine, fine. Can we talk names then?"

"Oh, but we can never agree! Everything you like, I hate! Besides your mum used up most of the decent boy's names…"

"Well, let's think, what about Jack?"

"See, I like Jack but it runs into your surname because of the ‘k’ sound at the end. So it sounds like one long name, 'JackCavill.'"

"Okay, well what about Jake?"

"That's the same problem."

"Alright then, Jacob?"

"Nah."

"Caleb?"

"Nah."

"Callum?"

"Callum Cavill? Isn't that a bit of a mouthful?"

"Okay well, let's park boys' names for a minute and try out girls' names instead. What about Amelie?"

"Nah, I don't want too many syllables."

"Okay, Amy?"

"Mmm, no I don't want anything too cutesy."

"Ugh, what about Olivia then? That way she can be named after you—"

"Except my name's not actually Olivia is it?"

"Well, it's still a nice name! Why don't you come up with some instead of just criticizing me?"

"Actually, I'd rather just sit here and watch my programme in peace, seeing as how you've robbed me of that opportunity for the last half an hour!"

"But we've got to come up with a shortlist of names, otherwise, we'll struggle nearer the time!"

"Well, my sister said it's sometimes better to wait. Often you pick a name and then find that it doesn't actually suit the baby at all."

"... How about Hollie?"

"Hollie?"

"Yeah, I mean, she'll be born around Christmas time and it's a nice combination of both our names."

"Mmm… maybe."

"… And for a boy, we could always have Rudolph." She sighed and switched the tv off so she could turn over and go to sleep. 

"Hey, hang on, we're not done yet!"

"Henry, we've got months to decide and if it's okay with you, I'd like to get to sleep before I'm given any more reasons to have nightmares."

"Oh darling, there's really nothing to worry about. I mean, the chances of it having a conehead or a vestigial tail are actually very minor…"

"What the hell are you talking about now?!"

"Oh, didn't you know? When a baby is born its skull compresses so that it can squeeze its way out of the birth canal—"

"Okay, got it."

"But don't worry, it'll eventually round out in a few weeks—"

"That's good to know. Goodnight Henry."

"Wait! I haven't said goodnight to the baby!"

"Oh don't worry, they've been listening to you all evening and would now like some peace and quiet as well."

"Aww come on, roll back over so I can kiss them and you goodnight." She sighed and reluctantly turned onto her back. This was their new nightly routine and Henry wouldn't let her rest until he got to perform it. He scooted down slightly so he was level with her waist, and placed both hands gently on her stomach. He then lowered his head and spoke quietly.

"G'night bubba, Mummy and Daddy love you so, so much - only a few more weeks and we'll get to hear your heartbeat for the first time!"

"You know the lucky sod can't actually hear you just yet? It won't be able to until I'm at least eighteen weeks—"

"Will you please stop being such a spoilsport! And stop calling our baby 'it!' We at least need to come up with a placeholder name. Something sweet and memorable—"

"So that's a no to conehead then?" Henry clucked his tongue.

"Ignore her bubba, she's just cranky cos you're making her hormonal and retain water." She thumped him on the arm. "Ow! That hurt!"

"That wasn't me, that was my hormones…" Henry rolled his eyes. "And can you go get me some Rennies? I've got heartburn again."

"Hey, that's an idea, what about Rennie?"

"You want to name our baby after an anti-acid?"

"Well, can you come up with something better?" She considered it for a moment.

"How about Rolo? I mean that's the only thing I've been craving since I've been pregnant."

"Is it really a craving if you ate them lots before you were pregnant? And how come we can't name it after indigestion tablets but we can name it after your favourite chocolate?"

"Well, why not? I think Rolo's cute! It's about the size of one at the moment as well."

"Fine, although there's also the option of Henry Junior…" She gave him an annoyed look. "Alright, alright. Rolo it is. And don't worry, to me you'll always have a beautiful vagina—"

"Right, just for that, get your arse down those stairs and get me some Rolo's as well. Now, mister!"

"… Are you sure there's any left?" The look on her face made Henry shoot out of bed but not before he gave both her and her stomach a kiss.  

To be updated on when I post please follow @resowrites and turn on post notifications.

@elizabetharegina @fanfictionaddiction99 @luclittlepond @caffeinatedfestivalsheep @summersong69 @ushijimbo

[oddinary4bts]

Hey!!!

Do u think u could make an JJK FF about two people falling in love bc of fate and coincidences?

I received this before my follower milestone but it works for the celebration I’m hosting so you are in luck hahaha

The Coincidence of Fate | jjk

☆pairing: Jungkook x reader

☆rating: 18+ (no smut in and of itself, just mention of oc and jungkook making love. Minors please DNI)

☆genre: slices of life!au, fluff

☆warnings: OC slips because of a mask, one mention of characters making love

☆word count: 1.3k

☆☆☆☆☆

You weren’t supposed to be here. You still can’t believe the series of events that led you to be standing here, in this coffee shop, drenched with water from the heavy rain outside.

First, you woke up this morning with an inexplicable yearning for your favourite cappuccino from that café you used to go to when you were in college. Literally, you woke up craving the taste of it, and the aromas that swirled on your tongue whenever you studied at that café, by the window overlooking the park on the other side of the street. So you elected to make a pitstop there before going to work, as your first meeting is only at 10:30 am anyway.

Second, you forgot to look at the weather before you leave – which mind you you never do. You usually look at the weather every morning to prepare yourself for the day – what you’ll wear, if you need to put boots or shoes, if you need to bring an umbrella. This morning you forgot, and your trustee red umbrella is still on its hook, in the wardrobe next to the apartment’s door. It’s probably laughing at you from where it hangs, warm and dry.

Third, you took the wrong metro line, which is entirely because you are so used to be going to work directly from home that you don’t even think when you do it, you just let the flow of the crowd guide you. It took you three stops to realize you took the wrong line, and you pull out your phone to figure out the most efficient way to get to the café. It turns out to be a bus, so you get out of the metro and wait at the stop two streets down.

Fourth, the bus drops you off a good seven-minute walk away from the café. Which you reckon isn’t a lot, you’re usually the kind of person that always walks if it’s less than a thirty-minute walk. But the rain starts then, just a small drizzle that doesn’t worry you all that much. It’s summer, so it’s warm anyway, and the drizzle is a good relief from the heat.

Fifth, the café is closed due to renovations, but another one a few blocks down the street took over their menu – of course the café knows how important it is to the university students, so it didn’t want to betray its loyal clientele. But that means a longer walk, yet it still doesn’t scare you.

Sixth and last, the drizzle turns into a full-on shower by the time you make it two blocks down, and you run the rest of the way, trying to avoid your designer clothes getting all wet. Which obviously doesn’t work, because you’re currently dripping on the floor of the coffee house, looking like a lost puppy in the rain.

You’re still adamant about the cappuccino. In fact, you crave it even more now – you’re going to need its warm comfort.

The coffee shop is mostly empty, save for a group of girls studying in one corner, though they seem like they’re gossiping more than anything else. They don’t look at you, and you don’t look at them, walking towards the counter.

There is no one behind it, and you glance at the double doors that probably lead to a kitchen or something of the sorts. What you miss then, is the surgical mask left on the floor by a careless client, and damn you the tiles of the coffee shop have been polished recently.

The moment you step on the mask you fly, and your back hitting the floor has you feeling far too dizzy for your own good. You shut your eyes for a few seconds, wincing in pain. When you open them again, you wonder if you hit your head.

If you hit your head real good and died, because someone’s kneeling next to you, and you’re pretty sure he’s the most beautiful man you’ve seen in your entire life. He’s got big doe eyes, a soft gaze that holds so much kindness you think he can only be an angel. Strangely, what your eyes focus on is the mole under his mouth though.

His lips move, distracting you from the mole, and you notice light glinting on a piercing before you realize he’s speaking. And he’s speaking to you, with a concern-filled voice.

“Are you okay?” he repeats.

You blink a few times. “I think so.”

He helps you to sit up, and you’re painfully aware of his hands on you. They’re large, warm, and they hold you for a time, making sure you’re as okay as you say you are. His eyes don’t ever waver from yours once your gazes connect, and you’re pretty sure you’re hearing bells.

You are. It’s the bells from the door, and you let out an embarrassed chuckle as your eyes fall, and he moves his hands off of you to glance at the new client.

“Why don’t you sit while I take care of their order?” he suggests, motioning to the nearest empty table.

You blink again. “Oh.” You glance at the two guys that walked in, before nodding your head. “Yes, sure. Good idea.”

He chuckles, and you think it’s the most beautiful sound you’ve ever heard in your life. It has your pulse racing, in that good way you usually only see on a movie screen. Your gazes catch for a moment again, and it feels like the moment is stretching into its own little eternity.

Then the guy is helping you to stand, and you notice the sleeve of tattoos. They look out of place, on this sweet innocent-looking man, yet they fit perfectly. You gulp, before sitting at the table as he moves back behind the counter to serve the two customers.

His eyes keep darting to you. You know because each time he catches you already looking, and he sends you a small, secretive smile that has you think you have to know him from somewhere. The way he moves feels familiar, the stretch of his shoulders feels like you’ve seen it a thousand times before. You almost remember holding that large hand of his, almost remember the sound of his voice as he whispers against your skin…

You blush then, and your eyes obstinately fall to the table, boring a hole there.

You’ve never been a big romantic. Never believed in love at first sight… but when he puts your favourite cappuccino down in front of you, before sitting in the chair across from yours, you think maybe fate is just a series of coincidences.

“How did you know…” you trail off, motioning to the cup in front of you.

He smiles. “Intuition. I’m Jungkook, by the way. I’ve never seen you around here before.”

Blush dusts your cheeks again. “Y/n.”

He nods, as if he knew anyway.

It’s no wonder you fall in love. No wonder the puzzle pieces meet and form art, because it was meant to be. At least that’s what you think the first time he kisses you, after a Narnia pub quiz date that had both of you sharing two pints of beer, because you both don’t want to leave after the first one. That’s what you think the first time he makes love to you, forehead pressed against yours as you breathe the same air and he tells you he thinks he knows you from a past life. That’s what you think when he makes you dance amongst the falling leaves a late October evening, and that’s what you think when he kisses the top of your head first thing when he wakes up on Christmas morning.

And a year later, when he proposes in that same café you were never supposed to go to, you think he’s your favourite coincidence as you say yes, yes to an eternity next to him. Because you know, you know now your life was just a series of coincidences, all of them leading to him.

[sotogalmo]

8(yesterday) — 1:12 am

I think I should now do Rosca's turn for her own views on the Alnst OCs (minus Flor). Just for the fun of it-

So that's what I'm gonna be doing! (Forgive me if some of these are repetitive, or even small!. Rosca basically doesn't like people in general, so-)

Do tell me if I forgot your OC!

Solei ( @solei-eclipse ): Rosca is a bit.. confused about them. To say the least, in a way. Of course, though, Rosca doesn't really care all that much about history and knowledge of how things are made and why they look like that. She doesn't care all that much, and some of the things they say are very boring. But in some sense, she's grateful? She already knew it- the information, but it's nice finding someone who's like her... Who knows a lot, but of course in the thing that they are knowledgeable in.

Aurien ( @aurienneirua / @apriciticreveries ): Crybaby, loner. Rosca is.. mean to say it lightly.... Ordering people around, and especially people like Aurien; the weak will end up in a ditch! They should be stronger! Be glad that Rosca is here to at least help them with that!

Lark, Noora ( @kamersona ): As said before by kamer themselves, Rosca and Lark were together when they were being transported to ANAKT. And with all his freaking out moments, Rosca found it pretty annoying to be around him. Not sure how much he did freak out, but he freaked out and that made the trip annoyingly slow to Rosca. She has traveled before so this is nothing new, and the freaking out? Nothing new and she hates that. / Noora, a girl with vitiligo! That's a strange thing to Rosca, but then she remembers how she has traveled and has maybe seen other people like her and the other girl. Maybe she can be more better as a model or something?

Vii, Ji-Woo, Saachi, Min, Ryu ( @starry-skiez ): Rosca, IMMEDIATELY, finds them ALL strange. || Vii, firstly. .. first of all... Strange name- is it supposed to be a number of sorts? 7 perhaps? Who names their pet— ah, who cares. Aliens do what they want, so she won't question them. Did they also color their pet's hair to be like grass? That has to be a joke of sorts. / Ji-Woo, second. The red is a striking color, a pretty one! Too bad it was only there for a few days until it got washed away. It seemingly fitted Woo. Who cares though / Saachi, third. Another girl with vitiligo. Is that a desired trait? But no matter, that girl seems fine and can fend for herself in ways. She doesn't pay attention anyways. / Min, fourth. It's like looking into a reflection; in a sense. Min's acts mirror Rosca's in some small ways. It's weird, wrong but so right. Wrong in the sense of being raised as "you're special" as Rosca is the only important girl around, but right in the way of like; maybe I've already been influential before I was even born! .. but she's so mature..... / Ryu, fifth. The orange and light blonde.. to say. It's quite fitting. In a weird way. She doesn't know what else to say. This whole place is boring

Aegaeon ( @paradisedisconcert ): Fights on SIGHT/j <- just thought it'd be funny. She finds Aegaeon pretty strange, in the way of how Aegaeon acts. Cold and aggressive.. like a boy or moreso a warrior, she would think. She has somewhat seen some fights between Aegaeon and Minori but it's always so light (not that much damage is done).

Minori ( @minori-dash / @skyisjusthere ): Slightly similar to Aegaeon— cold, reverse but also similar to Aurien?? Minori is quiet and skittish. Quiet and lonely.. nothing else to note. Nothing much is important

Akane ( @aakaneeee ): Ah! A normal looking person, at least, in a sea of strange and bright (physically) people, it's nice to- oh. Another quiet one? One that doesn't pay attention to her? Hmphft! Their lost!

Azure ( @azureitri / @4listr ): Cold, reverse- annoying! He doesn't even want to talk to the most interesting girl in the garden! That's just rude of him!

Castor, Himei, Kyo, Tallis ( @lookatmysillies / @bluemoonscape ): Castor, Himei, Kyo and Tallis. Meeting them is like meeting a weird club in a cartoon that she has watched whenever she pleases to. || The oldest of the bunch in the weird club- Castor. He's an interesting one, wanting to be a parent at this age? That's quite an interesting thing to do. He's like a grandfather, or more of a grandmother because of that! / The friendly one of the weird club- Himei. She makes good clothing designs. Maybe in some moments, Rosca tries the actual clothes. Himei is good at that, nothing else to note. / The hot-head of the weird club- Kyo. A bit similar to Aegaeon if she had to think that hard about it. Wanting alone time, and being hot-headed and such. / The (expected) shy one of the weird club- Tallis. As said, to be expected. Which makes Rosca bored already, but the braids that Tallis has are interesting on a surface level. Nothing much to say

Cirrus ( @yunoftheclouds ): The pale lavender to bright purple surely also makes them stand out like Rose does. Slightly. But once again, another quiet person. Surely this isn't some sort of standard? Who cares about that though.

Daiki ( @teapotuser ): Daiki. When will the quiet and shy people- just. When will they go away!? It's tiring to be so loud, to be active and to get their eyes on her.

Ellie, Khoi, Vera, Sai ( @bittersweet-adagio / @junebluues ): Ellie, just like Min but on a physical level. Much weirder, wrong and right all at the same time. Khoi, quiet. Sai? Quiet. Yeah he might look interesting, but that's just his eyes- her eyes are better though. Vera? Another quiet one. WHEN will it get interesting!?

Stasya ( @billwasnot ): The purple hair makes them stand out. Just like Cirrus and their pale lavender to bright purple hair. But another person who is chill, and quiet. Rosca doesn't make any attempts to communicate with Stasya and others like him (or others that are just clearly shy from the get-go). It's boring like that, and it's not worth her time

Isla, Monica, Toon ( @nottoonedin ): Isla and Monica. They seem to be a pair, with further proof of how they are always, seemingly, connected at the hip. Just like a few others are like that too, a pair.

Evon, Jae ( @kofeedoggo ): Evon and Jae. They seem to be a pair? Rosca doesn't know, since she doesn't really care. Expected

Tov ( @ivanttakethis ): Rosca somewhat thought that Tov was gonna be like Noora or Saachi. Ya'know. With the skin condition, but no— and that's fine!

Lang ( @its-langgg / @pwippy ): Lang looks like Min, in a strange way. But she doesn't act like Min, at all. Which is to be expected now. Almost everyone is just too obedient, too quiet and too blank. That's why it's very important that they have her around! Or else this would've been just a static place!

Moran ( @geospiral ): A refreshing person to have in the garden. Finally! Someone with some common sense! Finally! Someone who KNOWS what they are destined for and all of that! FINALLY. And, the best part? Moran looks like her! Isn't that the best??

Rose ( @rosedeleca ): Strange in a nice way. Their uniqueness is surely a quality that makes them very.. interesting. How can one human being, be like that? Was Rose the lucky one with the lucky genetics*? They really do live up to being unique.

Onyx, Dian ( @rockwgooglyeyes ): Another pair. It seems like it's always the bright and cheerful ones with the most quiet and introverted ones ever. Like that's the only pair that is ever needed. But, besides that. She doesn't care for the both of them; it's now expected that almost everyone here would be a quiet kid or a very friendly kid. With complimentary colors that mix well

Vermillion ( @subzeromoron ): Third one of being a guy with red hair. The first one who has something hiding, a candle like boy and now someone who's named after a color of a shade of red. Who would've guessed it.

Ava ( @paperstarry ): Pretty smile with nothing behind it at all. At least that is true. (Just that, almost everything is repeating. Rosca is super glad that she's here to be in charge and at least not have this place be boring!)

*fun fact! Rosca knows some light biology of humans, due to her travels and how she has worked in plays/theaters before being inrolled to ANAKT to sing.

Again, sorry if these are short or repetitive.

[raccoonfallsharder]

fanfiction masterlist i guess ♡

*this masterlist is OLD! find the new masterlist here

here's what you need to know about what is behind this cut: lots of smut, always with feelings and fluff, praise kinks, dirty talk, maybe some light d/s, enthusiastic consent. a few clean headcanons/minifics & fan art of your amazing OCs

(it's all rocket raccoon, all the time) also, please let me love your OCs (doodle requests temporarily paused)

If you would like to be added to the fanfiction update taglist (or removed), please let me know via comment, message, or ask! ♡

recently updated

headcanon 8 - rocket, lylla, & drax [NEW posted 9/17] headcanon 9 - dad glasses [NEW posted 9/21]

Reconnaissance for Beginners: An Instruction Manual (Fourteenth Visit) [ONESHOT. added 9/18] Part Three of Domestic Scenes in Space Travel

Chapter 1/6 Year Zero: Seed [NEW posted 9/24] florescence ❀ (a meetgroot)

Chapter XIV. Exactly Like a Flower. in which comfort is shared. [WIP 9/27] Chapter XV. Galaxy-Breaking Shit. in which more comfort is shared, and life is good. Briefly. [WIP 10/5] Window Across the Galaxy

I can't keep up with updating my kinktober prompts on a daily basis (I'm honestly amazed I've managed to keep up with the writing as well as I have and I've only been doing this for a few days) So for now, please find them with the tag #rfh kinktober and when the month is over I'll make a masterlist. [NEW all month] based on @flightlessangelwings’ Kinktober 2023 Prompt List

[complete works behind the cut ♡]

spoilers: I have a preferred trope/formula that I lean into quite hard (girl falls first; raccoon falls harder) and while I do really love tragic fanfic, I firmly believe rocket's suffered enough of that so it's only happy endings here (even if it takes a minute to get there). Well, more or less, anyway.

Domestic Scenes in Space Travel

reader x rocket fluff, medium-burn?? (at least for Part One), smut. comics-based but you don't need any comics background knowledge to read this - you just need to enjoy fluff + smut + rocket (and be 18 i guess). multiple parts. see notes for summary + warnings.

The Very Boring Adventures of Space Pilot & Sweatshirt Girl Part One of Domestic Scenes in Space Travel [COMPLETE 5/5 chapters] Summary: In Rocket Raccoon: Grounded (2016) / Issue #3, Rocket asks a stranger on the ferry to "make sure nobody does anything weird" to him while he naps, and the stranger just, like, abandons him while he's sleeping?? get in loser we're gonna fix it Chapter One (The First Visit) Chapter Two (The Second Visit) Chapter Three (The Third Visit) Chapter Four (The Fourth Visit) Chapter Five (The Fifth Visit) complete post - The Very Boring Adventures of Space Pilot & Sweatshirt Girl

Outer Space Safety & Spaceship Maintenance Training (Ninth Visit) Part Two of Domestic Scenes in Space Travel [Oneshot. COMPLETE 8/21] Sequel to The Very Boring Adventures of Space Pilot & Sweatshirt Girl [domestic fluff, dirty talk, oral sex - mind the ao3 tags.] Summary: Study Night. or - why study when you can seduce your hot local Space Pilot into oral? When you were a kid, you imagined yourself growing up, working a cool job, living in a cute house, getting a big dog, marrying, and having kids of your own. You've currently got none of those things, but you are getting regularly railed by a raccoon-shaped cosmic adventurer, and he's currently showing you around his spaceship. Which is kinda better than anything you could have dreamed up for yourself. [comics-inspired, though i'm fucking around with timelines/continuity and you really don't need any comics-context to ride this ride] complete post - Outer Space Safety & Spaceship Maintenance Training

Reconnaissance for Beginners: An Instruction Manual (Fourteenth Visit) Part Three of Domestic Scenes in Space Travel [Oneshot. COMPLETE 9/18] [domestic fluff, dirty talk, orgasm delay, bf/gf silliness. - mind the ao3 tags.] Summary: Date Night. in a gesture of true romance, rocket takes you to a dive bar. of all the stories he's shared with you, his favorites are the ones where he gets saved by the space princess. not that he'd tell you that. ˖⁺｡˚⋆˙✧⋆｡°✩☼⋆｡°✩☽︎ loosely based on Rocket (2017): The Blue River Score. domestic bf/gf silliness & fluff. extensive smut. comics-knowledge isn't needed but HIGHLY recommend starting at the beginning of this collection for context (The Very Boring Adventures of Space Pilot & Sweatshirt Girl).

florescence ❀ (a meetgroot)

[WIP: Year 0/5] [mcu-based, slight au, medium-burn, eventual smut circa chapter four. tentative allies to friends to lovers. the middle is angsty but there are only happy endings here. no use of y/n.] Summary: “The only chance we got is to get to the other side of the universe as fast as we can and maybe, just maybe, we'll be able to live full lives before that whack-job ever gets there.” Rocket & Groot leave their friends behind on Knowhere, despite the latter’s protests, and end up hiding out on a nothing-planet (with a non-extradition policy) at the edge of the Shi’ar Galaxy. It was the flowers that drew you in.

Chapter 1/6 Year Zero: Seed [NEW posted 9/24]

Blackmail Material

[WIP: Chapter 2/4] reader x rocket pwp with feelings; smut & fluff & love confessions. MCU-based, post-Endgame, friends-to-lovers. Summary: a classic tale of "this fuckin raccoon found your sex-toy." as per usual: girl falls first; raccoon falls harder. see notes for summary + warnings.

Chapter One: Blackmail Material Chapter Two: Self-Sufficience [NEW posted 8/29] Chapter Three: Firearms over Flowers ???

Window Across the Galaxy

[WIP: Chapter 15/25+] [NEW chapter posted 10/5] rocket x oc angst/hurt/comfort; slow burn + eventual smut with feelings. MCU-based. slight AU starting pre-GOTG volume 1. enemies to friends to lovers but only one of these idiots thinks they're enemies. see notes for summary + warnings. could become 1 part of a 2-part series, if I have the energy/inspiration. Summary: Rocket is captured by a Ravager crew hoping to get rich off the excessively large bounty on his head. Throwing a wrench in everyone’s plans is the Terran girl they hired to do some freelance assessing on a recent haul of goods they’ve seized from a Xandaran luxury liner. Oops.

Chapter I. A Delicacy. in which our reluctant heroes meet atop a crate of Sovereign porn in the bowels of a Ravager ship. Chapter II. Monster For A Pet. in which one hero wrestles with his inner Groot, and the other is quite possibly a moron. Chapter III. A Kindness.in which Rocket gets in his own damn way: not for the first time, and certainly not for the last. Chapter IV. Got There First. in which our heroes obtain an arsenal and street food. Chapter V. Things No-One Has Said Before. in which one hero refuses to babysit and the other refuses to leave. Chapter VI. Two and a Half Billion Units. in which we lean into the “they were roommates” trope. Jolie has misgivings, while Rocket has fantasies - about getting rich, of course. Chapter VII. I'm Here.in which we visit Knowhere. Chapter VIII. The Care & Feeding of Human Pets.in which our heroes practice breathing and we lean into a new trope: “there was (technically) one bed.” Chapter IX. Scrapmetal and a Dream. in which we redefine homemaking. Chapter X. Thin Fucking Ice. in which our heroes get fucked. Not in the good way. Chapter XI. Let It Be. in which Xandar is saved and good lives are lost. Chapter XII. So Much It Hurts. in which we try not to fuck up the vibes. Chapter XIII. Don’t Wait. in which a lost sister is found and Drax grapples with the concept of sarcasm. Chapter XIV. Exactly Like a Flower. in which comfort is shared. Chapter XV. Galaxy-Breaking Shit. in which more comfort is shared, and life is good. Briefly. [WIP 10/5]

Autopilot Systems Check [Oneshot. COMPLETE 9/3/2023] Est Word Count: 1409 reader x rocket soft fluff & domestica. MCU-based, post-Endgame i guess. Summary: reader wakes up in the middle of the night and rocket is nowhere to be found. drabble based on this post/inadvertent prompt.[complete post - Autopilot Systems Check]

Kinktober 2023

based on day 8 of @flightlessangelwings’ Kinktober 2023 Prompt List Kinktober Day 8: Turbulence. rocket needs you to hold. flarkin. still. [NEW 10/8]

Other Duties As Assigned

[WIP: ???] rocket x oc email romance/LDR (lol); slow burn + probable smut with feelings. Begins five months after The Snap. I don't have an intended outcome for this fic yet (just kind of rambling around) so this has the most uncertain publishing date. Summary: Natasha Romanoff is an administrative nightmare - a fact that does not go unnoticed by the (interim) captain of the Milano. First she demands that the remaining two Guardians of the Galaxy be reachable via a primitive Terran messaging system, and then she can't be bothered to read the frickin' emails. Thank fuck she's hired a new assistant.

Headcannons & Drabbles headcanon 1 - rocket & sex work headcanon 2 - rocket & occassional post-sex feelings headcanon 3 - quill & innocence/optimism headcanon 4 (minific/drabble) - rocket & nebula (2014) in endgame/post time-heist headcanon 5 (minific/drabble) - rocket & quill were scooped at the same time headcanon 6 - cinnamon roll peter quill continued headcanon 7 - rocket & nova corps headcanon 8 - rocket, lylla, & drax [NEW posted 9/17] headcanon 9 - dad glasses [NEW posted 9/21]

Fan Art of Your Amazing OCs (and maybe sometimes mine)

Rose (@love-for-faeries-go-burrrr ) & Moon (@glow-autumz) Thank you for letting me draw these two lovelies. You know I headcanon them as interdimensional besties ♡

Brita (@pretty-chips) is such a pure, delightfully fun character with record-store-clerk vibes. Thank you for letting me draw her. She is a glowing sunbeam-soul. ♡ another Brita wearing a terran t-shirt gifted to her by my oc, Jolie Spinner

Moon (@glow-autumz) Thank you again for letting me illustrate some of Moon's rad powers. i am OBSESSED. I appreciate so much you bringing her to life!

Chérie (Cherry) (@aliasrocket) I have a crush. 10/10 would attempt to flirt with (badly). Thank you so much for creating her and letting me doodle her!

Jolie (Window Across the Galaxy) - my gremlin child. just some scritchy-scratchy character concepts. feel free not to look if you want to imagine Jo in your own way. ♡ the "real" Jolie doodle - refined, finished, && in color

Fleuret (I think?) (@elegant-fleuret) is my personal caffeine deity. i now pray to her for the ability to scrap myself out of bed and deliverance from coffee crashes. she is also the dj of knowhere which is possibly the coolest fucking job in the universe and i would like to be her friend.

Star (@cleo-is-babygirl) is a pure fluffy little sundrop and a brilliant self-taught medic/surgeon. she is also the first tanuki/anthropomorphic animal i have drawn other than rocket so i was very nervous but i did my best. thank you for letting me try something new and expand my experience, friend!

Juno (@lazarel-3000) is one of my favorite OCs ever. she is everything. i want to be her && i want to date her (unfortunately she only has eyes for rocket).

[ninyard]

i saw your tags in a recent post so TELL US ABOIT YOUR OC!!!

I’m gonna use this as an excuse to talk about one of my ocs lilya if that’s okay (as with everything I write EVER this got way too long but…here it is anyway)

- Lilya Lebedev

- 25

- striker for an east coast pro team, but shes getting frustrated that she hasn’t been signed for the US Court yet

- used to be a Raven

Lilya was young when she joined the Raven lineup - freshly 18, she was scouted from her private school team, she’s nimble and quick, and even then the Raven’s recognised her dirty style of playing that got her signed so young.

She was a freshman at the same time as Paris, and they were partners for the year he was there, but after he transferred she switched between a couple of partners before settling with someone in her third year. From the get go she was a hard ass, she took no shit, but kept in line. She was quiet enough that she kept herself in the shadows when it came to punishments, but good enough that she always had eyes on her when she played. Her attitude was typical of a Raven, a stone cold bitch when she had to be but subservient when necessary. One time as a fourth year she got into a fight with a backliner that resulted in her nose being broken, and there really kicked off her simmering resentment against the Ravens.

She was straight into one of the top pro teams when she graduated, naturally. While it was initially hard to adjust, she realised that her difficulties came from a totally opposite side as her old teammates’ did. She finds it extremely overwhelming to have someone by her side constantly. When she graduated, she had a roommate who understood to some degree her needs when it came to having someone with her all the time, but she very quickly got over it when she remembered how obnoxious she found people outside of the Ravens. They were never alone because it mattered to the game; having someone by her side constantly who wanted to talk about life and feelings and things other than Exy was a nightmare.

She has a weird relationship with intimacy and sexuality. She’s bisexual, which she’s known since she was a kid, but the only women she’s been with were Raven’s, and the men she’s been with end up being terrible people most of the time. She’s an awful person to go on a date with; if she’s hooking up with someone, she doesn’t want to talk to them before or afterwards. She ghosts people like there’s no tomorrow. She has never entertained the idea of a relationship or being with someone more than once, and avoids feelings like the PLAGUE. (That changes when she meets June, the goalkeeper for her pro team - but it takes a whole lot of patience to get there)

She kept the strict diet, and the sleeping habits, and 90% of the time when she’s not at home she’s either at the gym or in the court. She lives alone, and never got back in contact with her family. People on her team try to get close to her but she doesn’t let them.

She found a lot of peace in finally being alone, and really keeps to herself on the team. Being alone in a room with another person stresses her out like crazy, but the first time she ever had an anxiety attack after the Nest was when Paris was signed to the same team as her. He had been away from the Raven’s for a while and hadn’t been there long enough for the partner thing to have a huge effect on him, but he asked her if she needed a partner, and speaking to someone she considered to be another Raven sent her into a meltdown.

Lilya never dealt with the abuse that she personally faced, never accepted that it happened to her, and honestly she blocked out a lot of what happened in the nest for her own sake. So seeing a Raven sends her into fight or flight, like she was suddenly remembering everything at once. Because of this she avoids Paris as much as possible, but if he’s anything, he’s persistent.

When all of the truth starts to come out about the Raven’s, she’s angry at herself for not wanting to defend them. Her and Paris are mostly polar opposites in their relationship with EA. Paris hates them, he hates who they are culturally and as people, and sees very little value in them as a team. On the flip side, he recognises how good they were at finding and developing talent. Lilya is adamant on ignoring how she truly feels about the Ravens, and is dead set on changing Paris’ mind about them, because in a twisted way she hates them while still idolising them. If they have to talk, they avoid talking about the Ravens, because every time it comes up they butt heads like crazy.

They only start getting along after a post-game interview where an interviewer asks Lilya an insanely intrusive question and Paris goes OFF on them for it, defending her and calling out the interviewer. They try to work through their problems, and Paris sees the crack in her facade, finally seeing how fucked up her thought process about them is, how fucked up the things she went through are.

I gotta stop myself but…. There she is. Miss Lilya.

[pitviperofdoom]

It has been a HOT minute since I posted anything here about Caleb and Jack, my vampire-and-frankenstein-monster duo. They're two of my nearest and dearest OCs, and rest assured that no matter what else I get up to, they're always in my thoughts.

But this was the last time I made a substantial post about them, about six-ish years ago when I tried writing their story for NaNo. The way I was writing it wasn't really working out, and I shelved it for a bit so I could continue developing the storyverse they're part of.

And, well, I did a lot of development! Came up with a much more coherent plot for their intro story, ended up working on it last November for NaNo, so it worked out.

Anyway, some time after my previous attempt, Jack in particular went through quite the redesign, and for a while I've been wanting to draw how he looks now, but it's been ages since I drew regularly and I could never get up the nerve and motivation for it.

But hey! Writing's my thing! So I figured, why not just post his in-universe description?

So, here's Caleb and Jack's first meeting, in its current incarnation. Hope you guys enjoy:

Caleb’s hand was halfway to his phone when, further into the woods to the southeast, a pair of high-pitched howls rent the air.

“Shit.” He was already running. Normal wolves didn’t range this far west. What the hell were werewolves doing out here when there was a creature on the loose that already put two of theirs in the hospital?

A third wolf voice joined the rest, not so much a howl as a yelping scream. Caleb abandoned running and took flight instead, shooting upward until his bat form broke through the foliage and flitted over the trees unhindered. The wolves, bless them, continued to howl for help, leading Caleb straight to them. Once he was nearly on top of them, Caleb dove back down through the treetops. He abandoned his bat form halfway down, and let his weight carry him the rest of the way to the earth.

Three small, rangy wolves paced and snarled in the dark. One was limping. The other two crowded in front of them protectively, teeth bared to the gums at the fourth figure crouching in the loam nearby. 

It was a person, or at least person-shaped, dressed in rags and snarling like a beast. It moved strangely, its feet elongated so that it balanced on its toes like a bird. There was blood on the ground, and blood on its long, sharp, shining fingers.

One of the wolves lunged and snapped, and the creature charged. Caleb met it halfway and struck claws-first.

His talons tore through clammy flesh. The blow sent the creature stumbling back, clumsy on its oddly-built legs. Its foot caught on a root and sent it flailing to the ground, and Caleb was upon it before it could recover.

It struggled wildly beneath him, teeth gnashing and foaming as it tried to bite him. Another blow to the face, and Caleb’s claw caught on something that didn’t feel like flesh—string? Thread? Its breath smelled of blood and chemicals, and its eyes—

There was something wrong with its eyes.

It kicked out at him, and he found its feet just as sharp as its hands. He was forced to let go when it cut him in the stomach, and it broke away and scrambled back until a tree halted its retreat.

One of the young wolves charged again, baying like a hunting hound, only to catch another sharp-taloned kick to the face. The cornered creature lashed out again, and Caleb flung himself sideways into the wolf, knocking her out of the way with a yelp. 

“Get out of here!” he hissed, and the wolf snarled back at him defiantly. In the space left by their argument, the creature scrambled to its feet and fled. Caleb was about to give chase when the wolf slammed him back and took off after the creature themself.

By now the creature was wounded, and its gait made it slow. The wolf caught up in two bounds, and Caleb couldn’t reach them before the creature whipped around and tensed as if to attack.

With a deafening snarl, a fourth wolf—easily twice the size of the others, dark brown with a dusting of red around the ruff—appeared out of the trees, sank her teeth into the creature’s shoulder, and flung it back. The smaller wolf yelped in shock and skidded to a halt. Caleb overtook them and pounced on the creature before it could recover. It was trying to rise when Caleb pinned it to the earth, fangs bared. Dimly he was aware of the wolves’ snarling presence behind him, but his eyes were fixed on the creature. His mind raced. Removing the head or destroying the heart was usually a good bet, but he didn’t know what he was dealing with in the first place.

Head was easiest, at this point. If this was somehow a fucked up zombie, it might not even have a heart.

His hand closed around the creature’s throat. God, he wished he’d brought a knife.

Beneath him, the creature went limp. Its jaws cracked open, exposing smooth, shining teeth.

“St—Stuh—Stop.”

Caleb startled so badly he let go. The creature gasped and scrambled away again, before the red-maned wolf darted round to cut off its escape. A snarl from her sent it cowering into the dirt, crying out. 

“Stop please.” The words scraped their way out of its throat. Immediately it flinched, curling in on itself as if anticipating another blow. 

All Caleb could do was stare at it, then at the wolf helping him corner it. “You heard that, right?”

Maya Robinson cocked her head to the side, looking for all the world like a dog that had just heard a new sound.

“Did you just talk?” Caleb demanded, feeling ridiculous. It could be mimicry. He’d heard rumors of necromancers teaching their puppets to imitate speech.

The creature curled into a tighter ball without a sound.

“Hey,” he bit out. “Answer me if you understand. Did you just talk?”

It flinched again. Breath rattled and hissed in and out of it. “Sorry,” it rasped out.

Caleb stared at the wolf cornering it. She stared back, nonplussed.

Behind him, another growl rose from the smaller wolf from before. They crept forward, eyes fixed on the creature. The cuts on their face still bled. They lunged, only for Maya to let out the loudest snarl Caleb had ever heard. Cowed, they immediately dropped to the ground and pinned back their ears.

The creature on the ground startled visibly, rolling to its feet. Maya turned toward it, teeth bared, and made as if to lunge and put it straight back on the ground.

“Wait,” Caleb cut her off, one hand in front of her glaring face. “Just, wait. Give it a minute.” The wolf gave a disgruntled snort. “Don’t. You aren’t even supposed to be here.”

Maya snorted again, unimpressed, before turning away, tipping her head back, and howling to the sky. Answering calls reached Caleb’s ears within seconds.

“You, sit,” Caleb growled at the creature. It sat, arranging its legs awkwardly on the ground, and Caleb stepped back to take his first good look at it.

It looked human, for the most part. Its component parts seemed mostly human. It had two arms, two legs, and a head, all where they were supposed to be. Cautiously he took hold of one of the creature’s wrists, turning it over for a better look. It submitted to the inspection meekly enough, silent as it waited for him to finish. 

Maya had been half-right about it wielding knives. Its hands were knives; the fingers stopped at the second knuckle, and instead of the last two joints were six-inch steel blades. The thumb had been treated similarly, the last joint replaced with a shorter blade. Caleb tested one edge and cut himself easily. He released the wrist and turned instead to the strange shape of its feet, and had to stare at it for nearly a minute to understand just what he was looking at. Below the heel, its foot was an elongated fusion of metal and flesh that split into three toes with long, curved steel talons. It was built to walk like a bird. Like a dinosaur, more like.

Beneath the rags it wore, prominent seams crisscrossed its flesh, making its skin a grisly patchwork. The face alone had at least three different skin tones, each bordered by thick, even stitching. A shock of grayish-white hair grew from its head in uneven tangles. Caleb cautiously brushed it out of the way of its eyes, and couldn’t suppress a hiss of instinctive revulsion.

It didn’t have eyes. No sclerae, irises, or pupils. The sockets were pits of viscous black ooze that leaked like tears.

Caleb breathed in, drinking in the mingled floral-chemical scent, and sighed.

“I’m going to be completely honest with you,” he informed the wolves. “I have no idea what I’m looking at.”

[r3g-p14y3r]

I AM DONE HELL YES WHOOOOOOOO OKAY OKAY OKAY AHEM- @cosmic-quakes, LATE BIRTHDAY GIFT UPON YOU! 5,385 WORDS

Uh, I have only written a reader perspective like once, so forgive me. Anyways have my OC being his pathetic little self /silly

Welcomed Struggles

If Catal’s audience could see him now, they wouldn’t recognize him. Hell, even his colleagues wouldn’t be able to.

“Okay, I do hope I’m doing this right…”

Standing atop a stepping stool in the middle of the overly opulent kitchen, one bot is in the process of making a cake. How long has he been whisking this thing for now, huh? And why is the bowl so big?! “Hm, no, I know the answer to that last question already,” he grumbles as he mixes with as much force as he can— which isn’t much considering the strength of his arms; it’s taking him forever to combine everything. “It’s because I’m small. I’m small, everything in this world is built to be against me and that’s that,” he dramatically declares. “Sometimes this short build is a bother.”

And he still has yet to add this concoction to the flour mixture, for goodness sake.

Catal sighs and thinks back to his earlier thoughts. Should he give up now? He’s having trouble simply mixing, and the batter isn’t even complete. As quickly as those thoughts came back though, he pushes them away and scowls.

“Ahahah, no, this is for one of the very few people who I am actually close to! I am baking this cake no matter if my arm protests or not. Today is her birthday, and she is going to receive something I put love and effort into.”

Whether the announcer knows it or not, they’ve grown rather fond of the organic over the time they’ve known her. If the attempt at cake-making isn’t enough to indicate this, then perhaps the way they smile talking about her does. Usually it’s the bloodlust that gets him going.

By the time they manage to complete that one small part of the task, their arm is sore already. Nonetheless, they reach for the larger bowl they set aside earlier and pull it towards themself with a free hand to scoop the contents of the previous dish into the one on the counter, once again combining as he yammers away. “Ah, entertaining really is what I was built for, hm?” he chides himself. “I wouldn’t last in any career that has physical prowess as a necessity, if I had to be honest.”

Once done working his arm out, Catal decides to give it a rest afterward and use that break to double check the recipe.

[RASPBERRY AND LEMON CURD CHIFFON CAKE]

[INGREDIENTS]—

“No, I already have them out. Where is…” he mumbles to himself while swiping through his phone, “…flour, water, oil…ah, here we go, [INSTRUCTIONS].” He skims through what he’s already done. First paragraph, second, third. He lands on the third in no time.

The bot keeps his low volume as he reads the page aloud. “In a separate bowl— I need a third bowl?— whisk together the egg whites until soft peaks form, then add 1/4 cup sugar and continue whisking until stiff peaks form and the egg whites are glossy.”

More mixing?

They decide to read the fourth paragraph for good measure. “Using a large spoon, scoop out a large scoop of the egg whites and stir quickly into the batter. Then, gradually fold the remaining egg whites into the batter until all of the egg whites are incorporated, but do not over mix… How do I know if I have over mixed?!”

…

Catal forces air through his teeth—

And forces that air right back out.

“Perhaps I should have gotten that on-sale electric beater last week.”

And here he considered himself capable.

Well, he is, but he’s now realized that said capability for entertaining doesn’t transfer to the kitchen.

If only he wasn’t short on time, he’d head right to the store downtown and pick a beater up.

<><><>[][][][][]<><><>

Many minutes of tired sighing, self-directed frustration, and a multitude of short breaks later, the batter is poured into the two baking pans and thrown into the oven that is much too big compared to themself. “Alright, now I simply have to let them bake for 40 to 45 minutes. Simple enough!”

But what to do in the meantime?

Catal looks about the surrounding area, unsure. There’s the TV? No, there isn’t anything he wants to watch right now; it’d just make time feel slower with his boredom. “Maybe…maybe I could practice with my Beak?” The idea comes up hesitantly, but after careful consideration, they realize it’s the only one he’s really willing to follow through with. “It will help me pass the time,” they reason, “and keep me from overthinking about my plans for today. Yes. Yes, polearm practice will do quite nicely.”

As they trot up and away to their training room, they murmur one last thing before delving into focused silence.

“Here’s hoping she likes the cake…”

<><><>[][][][][]<><><>

It’s cold out.

Winter in Bubble 5 has always been quite harsh on everyone, both organic and mechanical. The frost affects all; people, animals, businesses, transportation, and much more.

Nonetheless, you trudge on in what layers you’d managed to pull together in your rush toward the exit of your home.

“I have a surprise! You’ll have to come over though…if…you don’t mind? I want today to be special since it’s, well, your birthday. You don’t have to come of course if you don’t want to! I could—” A few hours ago, Catal had made a sudden call to spew out those words to your unsuspecting ears. He kept rambling on and on about the ifs and buts, and you had to assure him a few times that yes, you could celebrate there and yes, you wouldn’t mind before he’d stop said ramble and apologize.

All that bravado really melts away when he’s faced with actual conversation, huh?

You’re driven away from that thought when the driveway ahead gives way to the familiar warm glow of the bot’s residence lamps. It’s not the first time you’ve been here, no, but the place is daunting all the same. How could it not be? Though not as fancy outside as it is in the inside, the sheer height is enough to make up for it.

When you finally reach the porch, you take the time to shake off the snow that’s collected on (and in…) your boots. Your feet are freezing and wet and gross and you probably should have checked the forecast today. Then, maybe, past-you could’ve prepared better and worn snow pants along with the rest of your winter gear.

Oh well, too late now. Hopefully Catal won’t mind if you take some time to dry your feet off.

You raise a fist to the wood and knock.

<><><>[][][][][]<><><>

Rap-tap-tap.

“ALREADY?!— OW!”

“Ow” doesn’t even begin to explain the ragged hole he just punctured in his bottom right arm. The bot stares at the wound in disbelief where it starts to hiss steam; did he really get so distracted by a few knocks on wood that he forgot basic weapon safety?

The door is rapped upon once more, this time with a tad more urgency. You’re waiting, right. The injury can be dealt with after the door is opened.

“Coming, coming!” he calls as he pulls his bec de corbin aside, leaving it by the training room’s entrance before he races downstairs. On the way to the door, they double-check what they remember about the cake:

Baked? Obviously.

Iced? Definitely.

Edible? Hopefully.

Steel footsteps land swiftly on the floorboards below, racing towards the doorknob as fast as they can carry their short owner across the living room. “Sorry for taking a little time to get here,” he starts as the door swings on its hinges, “I had…”

And then he sees the state you’re in.

“…Ohhh you’re shivering. Oh dear, um.” What does one do with a cold…? No that’s an unnecessary question! “Come in, come in!”

You’re quickly ushered inside the household and given a rapid-fire explanation as Catal begins to hurriedly walk away. “Extra blankets are in the topmost shelf left of the couch, coat hanger is by your right, dial for the heater is above said couch! Apologies for my briskness, got injured earlier so I’m just going to patch up temporarily! Be right back!” The words are spoken in such a way that if it weren’t for the fact you were used to this occasional blabber blast, it would be downright impossible to make out what they said.

With that, you’re left all by your lonesome. Another shiver wracks your body, indicating that you should probably warm yourself now that you have the chance to.

It takes a few more seconds to really process what you were told. “Injured?” you question aloud to no one in particular as you shrug off your coat and kick off your boots.

Perhaps that’s a question for when the announcer comes back.

Keeping that in mind, you proceed to toe off the soggy mess you’ve had the displeasure of calling your socks for the past hour or so it took to get here and leave them to dry by your footwear. “Ugh…” Again, gross. You’re glad you can be rid of them now.

The next few minutes are spent on the couch, bundled up in one of the blankets pointed out to you earlier (after you struggled to reach and had to use the support of the shelves below to climb up) and with the heater dialled up several notches. With the thick grey fabric pulled snugly over your head and held closed around you with your hands, you take the time to embrace this warmth slowly seeping into your bones. It surrounds and comforts you, much like the product of winter itself when it’s falling gently around your form and isn’t turning your feet into glorified popsicles.

Just as you start wondering once more when Catal is going to be back, the faint sound of footfalls approaching reach your ears, and as they get louder, the bot comes into view. “Ha, hope you didn’t miss me too much, dear! The mesh patch was about as clandestine as it gets,” he calls out, coming to a stop once he’s face to face with you. “I believe I’ll need to call up my mechanic this week for a repair, but in the meantime, don’t pay mind to this ol’ thing!” With the rest of his arms tucked and clutched together behind his back, he brandishes the affected one for your clarification. Sitting what could only be a few inches away from the outstretched hand, a silver patch of crisscrossed wire lay underneath the thin material of his limb, binding the damaged areas to it and covering the palm-sized gouge.

For a moment, you had saw the confident persona of Catal, the Catal usually reserved for the audience, appear in the way he held himself. The broad smile, stretched wide across their face told of years of practicing that expression while those vibrant heliotropes locked onto your own orbs held an abundance of mirth.

As quickly as that persona appeared though, it vanishes as soon as you voice your concern. “What happened?” It’s an inquiry anyone worried would ask, really, out loud or not.

“Ah, hm, well…” Just like that, their entire front deflates like an untied balloon along with their grin, which shifts into a grimace as they try to explain. “I was having a little practice session with my weapon and uh…” He looks as though he’s really considering whether or not he should finish his sentence. The internal debate causes the bot to switch through a variety of expressions which his antennae follow along with: cringe, contemplation, hesitance, and finally, resignation; flick down, slow wiggles up, descent back down, and then flattened stiff.

The expressiveness is rather endearing really, and the urge to say so is strong— but the one time you did so…resulted in him ignoring you for the rest of the day. Maybe it’d be best to just not.

At last, he decides to finish. “I got startled upon your arrival and forgot I had said weapon in hand. I punctured myself that way. That is all,” he answers and puts away the injured arm that’d been frozen in the air the entire time. “Ahem! With that aside, isn’t there a reason you came over?”

Although that shyness has won in him, he gathers the last remnants of his showman self to pull you up from the couch with one hand as the others gesture grandiosely toward you to say, “The spotlight is on you.”

“I-I-I…I’ve never celebrated a birthday before, so the information I’ve gathered is entirely from the web. From my understanding…” they briefly adjust that makeshift hood of yours, making sure it still covers your chilly ears, “people decorate the surroundings, have a cake to place candles upon— number occasionally depending on the new age of the person— and sing a birthday song for them before they blow out the flames?”

“Mhm! That’s pretty much all there is to it, plus gifts,” you confirm.

Upon hearing the word gifts, the shorter stiffens up right where he is, leaving his hands on either side of your head in shock. Obviously, judging by this reaction, he hasn’t got a gift.

He stares blankly at you before a nervous smile creeps onto the silicone. “Oh! Noted…”

“Gifts aren’t necessary though,” you quickly tack on to ease the rising panic you see in his eyes. “Uh, what matters is that you at least show your appreciation for the person in some way.” That seems to calm him down luckily, and he steps back to give back the personal space he’s now become aware of taking.

Catal whispers an, “Alright! Be right back then. Again. Let me get something,” with a snap of his fingers before dashing off to the kitchen to retrieve whatever that something might be.

<><><>[][][][][]<><><>

“Catal, I promise I won’t peek!”

“Ah-ah-ah, no no no, I am not taking any chances.”

Earlier, you’d been told to shut your eyes before being blindly guided through the house to who-knows-where after whatever was retrieved was hidden behind Catal’s back. he’d brought the free pair of those spindly limbs to your face soon after you followed the request, and has not removed them the entire time he’d been moving you about like a puppet.

Left, up, right, right, left— those were the first few moves. You lost more of the count the more turns you were taken on. Is he just adding extras to confuse the hell out of you?

Prooobably.

After a few more moments of confusing puppeteering, you hear the click of a door unlatching from its frame somewhere in front of you before you’re promptly herded into this newly opened room. “We’re here! I apologize for the twists and turns; it was quite funny seeing you become more confusticated with each one and I couldn’t help but add a few more.”

“Yeah? Well, that self-satisfied smirk screams ‘No, I’m not sorry in the slightest.’”

At that, the bot chuckles from someplace behind you and replies, “No, I am most certainly not.” You can practically hear the smugness in their tone and imagine the matching look.

Gently, they ease the hands that were blocking your eyes away and backpedal. The linoleum floor clicks beneath them and fades the farther they walk from your form. Two, four, six, eight clicks are heard before coming to a stop.

“Alright! You can open your eyes now.”

“Finally,” you joke.

And so, you open your eyes to see where you’ve been led.

The first thing you see is darkness; the sun had long since set from its place in the sky and left the majority of the little solarium in a state of low light. The next would be the sole source of proper light in that darkness: the other pair of eyes in the middle of the room, which are locked onto your own that are across from them.

“Ta-da~!” With outstretched arms— save for the pair hiding the enigmatic object— Catal eagerly encourages you to look around the dimness. “Welcome to the solarium! This residence was built with it long ago, and although I don’t have a use for it more often than not… I thought that maybe I could show someone if I ever had anyone over to brag about it. I mean, not every house has a sunroom, does it?”

From what you can make out in this greyscale environment, the sunroom’s largest window— if you can even call such an enormous thing that, it’s practically an entire wall— provides a burning auburn backdrop that engulfs the other’s silhouette. If it wasn’t for the situation, the scene would be intimidating; those eyes seem to bore into your soul with their intensity. It isn’t unlike the kind of view an opponent of theirs would get before getting the hammer end of their bec de corbin to the jaw. Crow’s beak, you recall the name of the weapon in English.

You’re reminded that the one here whose mental walls you’ve managed to get past is still a fighter despite their new role in the Tower. For others, seeing Catal as they are now would strike fear.

That image is instantly shattered the second they open their mouth again.

“Kidding about the bragging though! I’m kidding! For the most part…” Catal mumbles that last part sheepishly, wincing before clearing their throat; it’s a habit that they’ve adopted over time, and one unlikely to disappear any time soon.

Right, the Catal you get to deal with is an anxious mess, not a brutal speed demon.

“Anyways! I know the sight is rather bleak right now, but that’ll change soon enough. Mind sitting with me here?”

You watch as carefully, they lower themself to the tiled ground and shift the thing in their hands to the right of their form, crossing their legs into a loose pretzel once they do. The distinct scraping of ceramic on the floor is heard when the object is settled down and rotated to whatever angle is deemed right.

A plate? That’s the first thing you can think of. Or maybe a pot?

Catal gingerly calls out your name and knocks the empty space to their left when your prolonged stillness starts to worry them. “S-so…?”

“Oh! Whoops, sorry.” You push away the curiosity threatening to squeeze out your throat and onto your tongue in the form of a question in exchange of approaching the bot and taking your place beside them. “I got distracted.”

Now that you’re closer, you’re able to see the way the unsureness in him morphs into a soft, affectionate visage. As expected, his antennae accompany this change, perking up and wiggling excitedly at your acceptance. “You’re fine, you’re fine! No worries at all.”

Damn that smile and those antennae. Who gave this guy the ability to be so cute?

“Erm, now what was I on before…oh, right! The view.” Using his head, Catal nods in the direction of the dark sky hanging above the two of you. You shift your gaze up, and so does he. “You aren’t from Goremandize, let alone Bubble 5, so I don’t think you know of this monthly tradition.” While you listen to his words, that curiosity over what could possibly be on the other side of him bubbles back up.

You could chance a peek over his shoulder?

On second thought, you can wait.

“Every first Thursday of the month, the people of Goremandize shut off their lights once 5 PM hits— hence why the city is so dark now. It’s for some celebration of freedom, acceptance and such. ‘Under the starry sky, we celebrate’ blah blah blah, I do not remember the rest of the description on the website and I do not care to.”

The moment he had gotten to the reason for the event, his excitement dropped dead, replaced with a bitter face and venomously spoken syllables. You’re tempted to ask about his swift change in mood, but you think better of it; you get the feeling it isn’t something he’ll be willing to talk about, even to you.

“Tsk, as you can probably tell, I don’t care for that tradition,” he adds, crossing his arms protectively over his chassis before allowing himself a pause; a moment to calm down. “What I do care about is the chance to see the stars. You hardly ever…no, you never get to see them on any other day in this place. It is so full of light pollution due to the Tower and the constant nighttime bustle. Only once a month can you truly observe the sky.”

“…And I thought you might like the stars. When you told me November 7 was your birthday, it was the first thing that I thought of. They’re really pretty, and I think you’d enjoy them.”

The uncharacteristically timid way that part is delivered is enough to get you to tear your eyes away from the sky to your right. Catal is no longer fixated on the outside world. Instead, he has turned his head away from the glass and your general direction. “Catal?”

The subtle whir of the bot’s mechanisms fill the silence as he twists his upper half toward the opposite side of himself. Toward whatever he’s been hiding. “So, while we wait for what little daylight is left to die so we can see—”

With as much caution as one would have with something precious, they bring themself back to face you with something in hand. “We can have this! I made it earlier today. Ha—! Oh, hold on a second.”

Now, you’ve never seen Catal use his magic, only heard. So when the air sparks between the two of you and then bursts into a ball of blinding white, you can’t help but instinctively jolt back in surprise and shield yourself for a sort of retaliation.

The brightness dulls significantly when you react, followed by a guilty whisper of, “Sorry!” Only when your body language is relaxed and your face is uncovered does he resume his course of action.

The new source of light is gently nudged upward with the back of a hand to hover above your heads, casting a mellow glow just strong enough for you to see the other clearly.

Proudly presented by the little automaton you’ve come to know is a small, cream-coloured cake 5 inches in diameter speckled with pink and red from the raspberries he’d added as toppings. It’s clear that although it isn’t master baker quality (the icing is uneven in some areas), you can tell that he really tried his best making this homemade dessert. After all, that beaming smile chock-full of pride and hope says everything.

The extra two dishes underneath the one the cake sits on are likely there so the two of you can eat, if you had to guess.

So it was multiple somethings he was hiding.

“Aaas I was saying… Happy Birthday!” he declares. “This was only my third time baking, but I think it turned out well!”

Still holding up the cake and its triple-layered support with two hands, he goes on to procure a singular candle from his back pocket while schooling his expression into one more composed.

No, he does not bring out the little spiral kind made for birthdays.

It’s the kind you’d put on a candelabrum.

As he proceeds to fish out two forks and a small, sheathed chef’s knife and holds onto them, you try not to let your amusement at the ridiculously large cylinder of wax show. The happiness is undoubtedly wonderful, yes, but the candle—

You hold out for five seconds at most.

“Pfft—”

“H-huh?” Confusion flashes across his face at the mirth conveyed, followed by several rapid blinks as his head snaps up to you; he’s utterly clueless.

“It’s just…Catal, that candle isn’t—” you start, “it’s way too big for the cake.”

With your admission, he glances from the candle, to you, the candle and then back to you again. With each flick, the understanding in his eyes grows exponentially. Trying to insert the candle would just result in a gaping hole in the cake. “…E…” he doesn’t get any more than a single squeak out.

You get the pleasure of witnessing Catal turn into a bashful mess in record time, about two seconds after his gaze-swinging was complete. It’s quite the spectacle to see how many shades darker his face gets, especially when paired with the erratic twitching of his antennae and the harsh buzzing he’s emitting. He’s looking anywhere, everywhere except your eyes. He looks as though he wants to bury or lock himself in his room for the rest of his life.

“…Now that I think of it, the candle is rather…” Once again, he’s speaking real quiet— quieter than last time actually, making you have to strain your ears to figure out what’s being said. “It is rather big compared to the cake.”

In the sliver of silence that passes before Catal’s speaks again, he separates the extra plates from the one holding up the cake, offers one up to you and deposits the other into his lap. “I. Hah, I probably should’ve did more research, shouldn’t I have?” The corners of his mouth turn up slightly along with the wiry appendages adorning his head as he manages to make eye contact with you again.

Despite the abashment continuing to stain his mind and face, it appears he can’t help but find the situation amusing as well.

A shy laugh erupts from his vox, singsong and airy.

“We can still use it though! Just…not insert it into the cake and destroy it like heathens.”

<><><>[][][][][]<><><>

The remainder of the evening went smoothly; after having gotten over his state of distress, Catal managed to brush it off and serve the both of you what he made. “It’s a raspberry and lemon curd chiffon cake!” you were happily told when you asked what flavour it was, after which he took another forkful of his slice. “I hope it isn’t too sweet for you?”

As the heavens above sank deeper into the abyss, the stars began to leave their shroud of daylight and decorate the once-empty space. Glittering brightly over your heads, the distant balls of gas seem to absorb your attention like a sponge and call out. They branch out across their canvas, reaching for the limits of their world high up.

They really are pretty. The minute differences between each and every pinprick of light, in both brightness and colour, make for an astounding view that could very well rival the most grandiose establishments of Goremandize.

The other went on to prattle away about his day; the battles he witnessed, his impression of each fighter, the winners and the losers. He talked about how he felt about everything, how it excited him and added thrill to his day. By the time he was done though, all that energy seemed to go down the drain. He’d look at the night sky with silent wonder in those crosses, devoting his entire attention to the beauty of it.

You’ve never seen them so at peace before.

The comfortable silence stretches on for what feels like forever with the two of you observing through the glass panes, up until Catal opens his trap, still staring at the stars he so loves.

They go on to start yapping about you.

Or at least, they try to through their embarrassment coming back with a passion. You’re pretty much met with a blushing bundle of stuttering and antennae-waggling while they attempt to express their gratitude for your company and time and just you. Though most of it is too jumbled up from the speed at which he’s spitting out letters, you do recall a few snippets such as, “Your blasted compliments have bolstered my ego for the worse,” and, “I treasure the time I spend with you to the fullest.”

“Gah, I cannot articulate what I want to say properly,” he mutters as he fidgets with the pristine bowtie around their neck between two fingers, “but I think you get the gist, yes? I cherish you very much and…and hope this—” they swing their arms about the room and then toward the cake, “—was alright for your birthday. I didn’t have the time to purchase and display decorations, and I didn’t get the right kind of candle.”

At the mention of the latter, Catal’s crosses drift to the wax pillar he had set aside on the ground after you’d snuffed out the flame. Their sudden peal of laughter sounds almost musical in tone; it’s an uplifting yet jittery sound, one underlaid with the warble you’ve come to recognize as one of the signs that indicate he’s low on power. “Well, I’ve learned my lesson from that one I believe! You’ve…”

“…”

“Ah, wait, I forgot what I was going to say. Sorry, my mind feels foggy.”

“Sleepy?” you ask to confirm your suspicion, watching as the bot’s pupils flicker in intensity and his head droops forward. He didn’t get much sleep last night probably; he isn’t usually this tired.

“Hh?” It takes a few beats for Catal to register what he was asked in his current state. “Oh, oh. Yeah, yes, I am.”

It really doesn’t take long before Catal’s form subconsciously leans in your direction and uses you as support for his fatigued self. The last utterance he gives you before falling asleep in an instant is a sleepy mumble of, “Goodnight,” though it’s more so g’night rather than his usual proper speech considering the slurring.

You snort at the picture of this colourful automaton, not because it’s funny exactly, but because of how different he is now compared to what you see when he’s in public. They’re complete opposites; the Glass Tower? Absolutely boisterous showoff. Here?

Well, the empty purple of his eyes from switching to sleep mode and soft, content droning says enough— and the clinging. There’s that too. Having all his arms wrapped around your waist is a funny feeling. It’s like having a limpet attached to you.

He’s probably unaware of this particular habit he has in his sleep, and you’re sure that if you told him, his body would somehow figure out how to get him redder than he already does when flustered. Maybe he’ll turn into a tomato, even.

Actually, you should do that when he wakes to tell you, “Why are you still here?! You should have gone home now, it’s late!” Just for fun.

With a little effort, you drag yourself and Catal to the nearest available surface— that being the very glass you were looking through— and rest your back against it so you don’t have to keep it straight for the many hours it’ll take for him to recover enough energy to function regularly. He’s quite light for what he’s composed of.

How easy would it be to carry him?

You can figure that out another time.

“Goodnight,” you quietly reply to the one cuddling you in his sleep.

[someprettyname]

Lore time! (If it sounds bad I'm sorry)

Annual school fest in Osaka which will determine who'll represent the prefecture, right? Held at my school for a week (arts and sports together) while I was a high school first year. I was in for a debate competition (let me dream about being confident enough) and versification (Not kidding, I actually competed for poetry within my state and was SO close to getting a rank I was sobbing), but that wasn't till the third and fourth days, so I decided to just randomly walk about the school, maybe watch some programmes. Two days went like that, then the third day, when the soccer games would begin, I ended up running into our favorite crow boy who thought I was a soccer teammate of his (also from India, an OC). Took him a while to realize I wasn't a guy, but I assured him that I preferred being referred to as a guy. Then we talked and stuff, and he revealed the team had come individually, so he was trying to find them because they'd already found each other. So I went alongside him, searching the whole school together with him. In the meantime, we chatted a lot, casual and deep, and I'd felt like I'd clicked with somebody despite being an introvert. But then we finally spotted one of his teammates there, and we just sorta–

"Oh yeah, that's him there."

"Alright, well... so, I guess this is goodbye."

"Nah. You got a debate today, no? 'M gonna be there, 'cause I need to see you ace it. *Don't* sweat the small stuff, 'cause you're pretty fucking capable. Think of them as like plants or something."

And then he just pats me on the back and leaves. Just like that. Anyway, so in that daze, I somehow do participate in the debate (we narrowly won, by the way). And then I get off the stage, only to meet his smirking face. "Ya did good for all that panicking earlier."

I scoffed and decided to walk off casually, but then I tripped over my own feet (being the clumsy shit I am) and ended up spraining my ankle. And this guy– he literally took initiative so fast, catching me just before I fell completely, asking me if I were okay, before supporting me and walking me till the infirmary somehow (thankfully it was right down the corridor). He stayed with me the entire time basically, I got my foot bandaged up, then he again offered me support to walk around. I asked him when his game was, because I remember him saying his team would play the starting game.

And I'm telling you, never have I seen a guy run so fast. He just yelled a "Stay safe" to me and ran. I laughed so much that day. Anyway, that was the first part of it. After the game was done and stuff, he ended up coming to me to a say a bye, whether I'd be there the next days or not. I assured him I would, then he left with a grin.

Now, timeskip to the final day, we talked during the times we had free, I recited him some of the things I'd written, he talked about his interests during the days. We made a bet that if his team won, I'd owe him a favor and if my school's won, he owed me one. We could ask for anything that wasn't too much. Unfortunately, his team ended up winning. Fortunately, however, what he did was he only talked to me just before leaving;

"Ya owe me something, sweets."

"Ugh. Damn you."

"Mhm, deal's a deal. Here's what it is."

He handed me a folded piece of paper and abruptly went to the car where his parents were waiting for him to come. I opened the paper cause I was too nervous to ask him. Nothing much. Just his number and a note underneath it.

"Because your ass doesn't know how to text without panicking, call me. Plus, wanna hear that cute laugh of yours more. And I'm preeettty sure you like my voice, you kept spacing out while I talked."

Didn't get to grin at him– he'd left by then. So I called him right there and then. Still remember his smug voice that evening. What a cocky piece of shit that I had developed a crush on.

Anyway, that's how it started. We'd video call almost every other day. My family got used to me talking about him, they liked him pretty well. Same with his. About a year passed like that, then like, when we were passing into our third year, he just called me up one Sunday, and asked me if he could send one of my poems to confess to this guy that he had a feeling liked him back. I felt this weird tightness in my chest, but I said okay, deciding I'd ask the details after. Then, I got a notification on my phone. Checked it. One of the poems I'd written, sent right back to me, with an extra message underneath, "Wanted this to be the first text."

I agreed, by the way.

Oh em geeeeee gon do my commentary as I read tehhehe

"Think of them as like plants or something." <- Bahhahahja i cracked up

And then I get off the stage, only to meet his smirking face. "Ya did good for all that panicking earlier." <- tell me you crumbled down on the inside

And I'm telling you, never have I seen a guy run so fast. He just yelled a "Stay safe" to me and ran. <- AYO SUS 🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨🤨 was he blushing?

"Ya owe me something, sweets." "Ugh. Damn you." (<- I know you were blushing) "Mhm, deal's a deal. Here's what it is." <- GUHHHHH YOU'RE BOTH SO CUTE IM GONNA GO CHOMP CHOMP

"And I'm preeettty sure you like my voice, you kept spacing out while I talked." <- KARASU YOU BITCH BOYYYYY nice move

URFGHSHHSJSIIAHSHSJNS GAHHHHHH THIS IS SO ?!!!?!?!?!?!?

Oh my god this is so cuteeeeeeee how long have you both been together now?

[nightfuryblue19]

okay i wanna talk about fourlear now that ive named it. i dont think i have...maybe briefly

fourlear is the name of the biggest holiday on overmorrow. i explained alot of this in the solaria explaining post that im making but i think ill just remove that all and link this post in that..anyway

lots of text below so im putting it under a cut!!!

it starts on june 18, meant to end on the longest day of the year, june 21! this means that the second day of fourlear is on my birthday :3 this was completely unintentional and im still really happy about how that turned out lol

i dont feel like explaining the 4 angel dragons things for the thousandth time, theyll get a more in depth explanation in the solaria post, anyway, each day is dedicated to one of the dragons

all of fourlear is dedicated to being together, throughout all the days. sometimes most of the town or something comes together and people will camp to celebrate all four days together, but sometimes its just family at home. though on the last day is the day most people come out together to where their town is celebrating fourlear, usually in an open big field where people can settle down and camp for the first 3 days

i dont think i ever wrote dwon which day was on what, so im just gonna make it up here/try to remember the best i can lmao just to be clear im imagining all these activities they do on each day is in the place where people gather, like the field i mentioned!! but some things are also celebrated at home with family as well. i already said that too but thats okay. LOL

the first day is dedicated to art/creativity, which i remember being a bit stuck on. theres probbly really great ideas for this right under my nose that im not thinking of.. of course theres lots of..art making and sharing lol. aaalll forms of art

the second day i think was nature, which of course was dedicated to caring for their earth and sharing lots of food, i imagine people will set up temporary little shops where people gather most and people will sell plants and stuff too. obviously overmorrow isnt comleteply free from pollution, so this day focuses on that alot too. i think overmorrow's pollution is pretty under control though!!

the third day is dedicated to love, where people give gifts to their loved ones like christmas, and just spend time together, or meet new people if theyre not at home and camping for fourlear

the fourth day is dedicated to magic, and right where mainly everythign takes place where everyone was gathered up for the first 3 days. where everyone basically just comes together, celebrating their pure angel/the dragons, how much they love their planet and their loved ones. theres alot more to show off here, where the other days were more chill and stuff if that makes sense? lots of big eventful shows and music and stuff to look at and things. and alot of magic spell shows ofc lol, theres also fireworks at night and people stay up all throughout the night on the fourth day partying and making friends and eating and loving eachother

i always imagined, you can probabaly gues, that fourlear is HUGE to all of overmorrow. its celebrated worldwide, and i imagine its like christmas where people dont stop talking about it the moment its comiing up lmao "WHY ARE YOU PLAYING FOURLEAR MUSIC NOW?!?!?! ITS STILL MAY!!" i have no idea what fourlear music would sound like but i like this thought alot

i havent reallyl thoght of hhow people decorate for it and stuff. i imagine theres a lot of green/pink/blue/purple/white like the overmorrow flag in it

i think i need to flesh it out a bit more, especially on what activities people get up to in each day, but thats the basic idea haha i really want to draw my ocs celebrating fourlear someday. i might try to do that soon?yeeeeees. it owuld make more sense to draw fourlear art DURING fourlear but im too impatient for that..maybe..

[mk-writes-stuff]

Seven Stations Ask Game

I’ve been toying with the idea of making one of those fun themed ask games for a while so I decided just to do it! And I figured, what better theme on my blog than the WIP I talk about all the time? So here’s my Seven Station Chronicles themed ask game, I hope y’all like them! It’s mostly character-focused with a bit of worldbuilding. Feel free to send them in and/or reblog and get your followers to send you some

OC Questions:

Belladonna: what is your character most frequently anxious about? Not their greatest fear but the thing that’s constantly worrying them a bit

Cassie: what significant ties exist between this character and others? Would the character break them if they could?

Nellie: what haunts your character? What constantly pesters at the back of their mind?

Narcissus: what is your character most proud of? Do they show it off? How?

Ricinus: what is your character’s view on family?

Goldenrod: what does your character have the most disdain for? Do they let other people know?

Cassiopeia: what does your character think of authority? Do they want it? What do they think it should be used for?

Stellaris: what is your character fascinated by?

Rhys: what does your character struggle with doing? Do other people deride them for struggling with this thing?

Sel: what does your character do to try to help themself or achieve their goals? Does it work?

Septimus: what is your character most known for? Is it an accurate assessment of them?

Moons: is your character devoted to anything? What is it?

Asher: what are your character’s hobbies?

Gravity: what legacy does or will your character leave behind? Is it what they wanted?

Ruthlessness: how far would your character go to win a competition?

Ambition: what motivates your character? If someone wanted to convince them to do something, what would be the easiest way to do it?

Torathen: how does your character treat someone who’s struggling?

Rozael: have circumstances ever put your character in a place they didn’t want to be in? What did they do?

Korriel: has your character ever needed to step up in a big way? How?

Seffae: what does your character find funny?

Lorriat: what is your character’s type? In a partner, a friend, or an enemy

Shen: what big changes has your character gone through? How did other characters react?

Ananias: does your character do anything their society would disapprove of? What is it? Why do they do it?

Azrael: what principles does your character live by? Have they ever broken them?

Rachel: what is the biggest sacrifice your character has made? Would they say it was worth it? Do they believe it?

Worldbuilding Questions:

First: what is the oldest establishment in your world? What is its purpose?

Second: what plants are common and/or interesting in your world? Are they edible? Hazardous?

Third: what do people do for entertainment in your world?

Fourth: what is the technology like in your world? Are there any particularly interesting devices?

Fifth: what are some common religions or spiritual beliefs in your world?

Sixth: how are materials obtained in your world? Especially rare and expensive ones

Seventh: what is the state of medicine in your world?

Elf ship: are there any new societies or people that your main characters meet that they didn’t initially know about? What do they have or do differently?

Old World: what did a past era look like on your world? Was it better? Worse?

That turned out longer than I expected lol :)

Anyways, I’d love to get some asks (if you want to know why I gave a certain character a certain question, you can ask that too!) And feel free to reblog this game if you’d like and get some asks of your own :)

[pinky27freak]

Results are in!

And things took a surprising turn in my opinion, 🤭

First off, thank ya'll for voting and showing interest in these new characters of mine. It was very much appreciated and encouraging, to say the least.

Now on to the voting results ~

In first place, we have the three sharks from Finding Nemo

In second place was three experiments from Lelo and Stitch

In third place was three animals from Barbies Princess and the Popper

Finally, in fourth place, the three characters from the movie Epic.

In all honesty, I didn't know ya'll wanted those sharks so bad, buuuuuuuut unfortunately, number 1 was the wrong three characters. 🥲

Fourth was also wrong. The three characters from that movie weren't the three I had thought of.

(Though I and @lpendergast had a fan moment in the comments about this movie, and I am heavily considering trying to make an oc from it now)

Now, that only leaves us with two final contestants.

And if you picked

Barbies Princess and the Popper

Congratulations, you guessed, right!

I will hopefully have a headshot posted by the end of today of the first character (@eynnwwyjth highly recommended me redrawing their hair-)

Anyway, the characters getting twisted are the following

Midas Priminger's dog (find headshot of oc here)

Saraphena the Princess's cat. And Wolfy the Popper's cat

Oh, and don't worry, Priminger will make some appearances in the background. (He's too funny to leave out)

And for those of you who voted for the three Sharks from Finding Nemo 🤭

I have rough sketchs for them from 2 years ago. This was kinda of a test run to see if yall would be interested, and since a majority were, I'll be posting final drafts of them by 2025. But until then, please enjoy this rough sketch of Twisted Bruse