#black storm masterpost | Explore Tumblr posts and blogs

restlessmaknae · 3 months ago

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fire prince // sungho

One stormy night, a royal entourage arrives at the Phoenix Inn you've been running ever since your father left. Turns out Prince Sungho is as humble as one can be, and you quickly fall for him, but his visits afterwards hint that he might feel the same way.

➳ Characters: prince!Sungho x innkeeper!female reader/you

➳ Genre: magical kingdom au, royal male lead x commoner female lead, elemental powers au, fluff, comedy, one angst scene but it's a happy ending!

➳ Words: 8.9k

➳ Warning: one small mention of past wars, reader's father drank a lot in the past and eventually left, metaphorical cut and bleeding

➳ Dedicated to: @dat-town ❤️ Merry Christmas, dear! Wishing you all the best for 2025! I'll always be there for you, you know that. Love ya! ❤️❤️❤️

➳ Author's note: Check out the you are my fire, my wind, my flower // magical kingdom series masterpost!

➳ Header taken from this Weverse picture

It was a quiet, chilly day at the inn until the wind outside picked up its pace, and soon enough, a heavy storm followed. The rain was knocking on the tightly closed windows fervently, erratically, it even attacked the rooftop, so much that you felt like it was pouring straight onto the building. Sometimes the wind also made screeching noises, and the creaking of the wooden floors seemed even more ominous than usually. When the thunder struck, it felt like it was ripping off the horizon, so loud they could be heard.

You closed the kitchen already, so the staff could go home before the storm made it impossible for them to walk even just a couple of miles. Some of the staff insisted on staying though - like Intak, the stableboy, who said that it was more important to take care of the horses than himself because he was a big boy, he wasn’t afraid of storms anymore, but the horses were. Chanyoung, the porter, also stayed even though you told him that it was unlikely you would have many guests for the night because of the weather.

Even your dearest friend, Haewon – who was working with you, helping to share the burden as the innkeeper after your father had left – insisted on staying. Or more like, chattering your ears off for the rest of the night.

“Worst case scenario, we will have the most boring night in the history of the Phoenix Inn, and we will have a good laugh about it one day. Best scenario would be, of course, to have a mysterious, handsome young man walk into the inn, and fall in love with me,” she reasoned very seriously, and you had to give it to her that she had a very wild imagination.

“Because mysterious, handsome young men just fall from the trees around here, right?” You retorted after you put some more wood onto the fireplace, so that it wouldn’t die out. Not only was its light important for such a stormy, dark night, but it would hopefully provide enough warmth, so you wouldn’t need to walk around in your thickest coat.

“I’m just saying, anything can happen these days. You know, even that woman at the market who–”

Haewon was cut off by rhythmic knocking on the door. You exchanged a glance with her before you averted your eyes to Chanyoung who stood by the door. Beside him, Mr Kim – the usual night porter – looked out of the window, but due to the constantly falling rain, he could only see the shadows of four figures. Nevertheless, he was brave enough to open the door for the intruders, and all eyes in the hall went to the four strangers.

First, one muscular man dressed like a soldier came to the front, followed by one dressed in a thick coat, his face almost entirely covered by its hood. Then, they parted to make way for the third one who was dressed in burgundy-black with dark cotton pants and a pearl-dotted coat, even his dress shoes seemed polished. Even though the latter had an umbrella, a few raindrops sat atop of his locks, and he might have been the most beautiful man you had laid your eyes on.

The coated figure got rid of his hood, then cleared his throat before announcing:

“His Royal Highness, Prince Sungho of the Fire Kingdom, wishes to inquire if there is any vacant room for four people for the night.”

The room completely froze for a few seconds before everyone dropped into a clumsy courtesy. Or well, some form of it because you weren’t used to seeing royalty anywhere around here, much less at the Inn. You could see Haewon’s impressed face and mischievous glint, but you could also see Chanyoung’s perplexed reaction, and you had a feeling that yours mirrored the boy’s.

Most people around here had never seen the royal family. You were working tirelessly just to put food on the table, and you didn’t go to the palace’s events when common people were invited, simply because you lived far from the palace. Your Inn was actually closer to the Water Kingdom than the capital of the Fire Kingdom. So seeing the prince and his entourage at your humble little accommodation was more than baffling.

“P-prince Sungho?” Mr Kim blabbered, and you had never seen the forty-something man more flustered than when the young man who announced their arrival confirmed the question with a bob of his head. He was fairly young, around Prince Sungho’s age, but his expression was stern and his stance confident. You wondered who he could be.

“Y/N?” Haewon giggled as she made her way towards you, and her voice was enough to pull you back to reality.

“Oh yes. Yes, we do have enough room for four people… Your Highness,” you added belatedly before they could take your head (did they really do that or was it just the groundless rumours?), and you could see an amused glint in the eyes of your best friend.

“Can we talk to the innkeeper?”

“I am the innkeeper,” you answered matter-of-factly, and you didn’t know whether the young man in front was some sort of royal advisor, knight or administrative personnel to the prince, but he was the one who exchanged a glance with Prince Sungho upon hearing this piece of information. You knew what was coming, so you beat them to it; to have to ask the question on their mind.

“My father left about a year ago, and I’ve been the innkeeper ever since,” you confessed, not batting an eye. You knew it was rare that a young woman your age would be the innkeeper, but it just turned out this way. The reason half of your staff was also in their twenties was because without having your father around, most of the previous ones resigned. They didn’t want to work under a young woman, and some had been very vocal about it.

Awkwardness seeped into the thunder-stricken atmosphere, and it was even more embarrassing having to listen to the wind knocking on the windows when everyone was so silent. Maybe that’s why the prince was quick to dissolve the tension in the air.

“This will definitely do, Taesan. Thank you,” the prince decided as he turned to the coated figure, and you nodded, acknowledging his words.

“You said four people, right?”

“Yes, the coachman is still outside,” the so-called Taesan replied. You immediately asked Mr Kim and Chanyoung to help with the luggage, and let Intak know that he would need to take care of not only horses but a carriage as well.

“Is it fine with you if we store the carriage inside the stables? We do not ever have guests with carriages, I am afraid that is the best we can do… Your Highness,” you reminded yourself to address him properly, but he didn’t seem like he would mean harm. If anything, his eyes widened in a surprised manner when you even mentioned taking care of the carriage.

Once the porters came back with the luggage, you showed the way to the assigned rooms. The wooden stairs leading up to the first floor suddenly seemed too narrow with four of the royal guests, Mr Kim and Chanyoung bringing the luggage and you and Haewon following behind with four jugs of fresh water. You showed Taesan and Prince Sungho to their own rooms while Haewon showed the soldier and the coachman their own ones. You let them know that if they needed any assistance and no one was around, they merely needed to ring the bell on the desk in the hall, and someone would come and help.

However, the most important thing on their mind seemed to be food.

“Oh well,” you looked at Haewon who looked back at you with a slight pout. “Most of our kitchen staff went home because of the storm, so we cannot provide you with the usual meals of the menu. However, if you do not mind, you can join us for dinner. Those who are working here will have dinner together soon.”

You were surprised yet again that Prince Sungho gave in without hesitation – he didn’t seem disgusted or appalled by the lack of fancy options, and didn’t make a comment on the fact that he couldn’t choose what he was about to eat. You appreciated it because you were already so embarrassed by the fact that they were here, in your inn, and you were sure that it wasn’t up to the level of luxury that they expected or that they had been used to.

While the guests were settling in, you notified the ladies in the kitchen about four extra people joining you for dinner. On the other hand, since the headcount for the night was less than usual either way, it was fine, you had enough ingredients to make a big enough batch of hearty stew with seasonal vegetables and sourdough bread.

You were just about to let your new guests know that dinner was ready when you bumped into Prince Sungho and Taesan descending the stairs. They both got rid of their coats, and if anything, the prince just seemed even more ethereal in his cherry-red buttoned cardigan and silky white shirt with a ribbon in front. The way his chestnut-brown locks fell into his eyes recklessly made you want to toss them aside, so that you could look into his pearl-like orbs, but even just the thought seemed awfully inappropriate. He looked so elegant and chic compared to you, let alone the slightly run-down wall beside him which seemed ridiculously basic. That definitely needed a repaint.

Taesan, on the other hand, wore a black turtleneck that was tucked into his wide cotton pants. You heard that mostly royalty and people of high rank wore burgundy all the time which was the colour of your kingdom, however, you had never seen it for yourself. You yourself couldn’t care less about the colour of your clothes.

“You are just in time for dinner,” you announced when you found your voice, and the prince gave you a grateful smile in return. He turned to Taesan to say something to him, and he disappeared within seconds to fetch up the coachman and the soldier with them.

You led the four of them to the dining room where most of the staff already had a seat. This was where guests had complimentary breakfast, and they could also ask for lunch or dinner during the day. Obviously, not only guests could come and enjoy the meals as it was more profitable for the inn to welcome visitors and people from the town, too.

There was another round of awkward bowing and curtsy when the others caught sight of the royal entourage after they had been told who was here to visit. Prince Sungho merely waved his hand in a somewhat coy manner.

“Oh, no need for such formalities every time you see me. Please, take a seat, all of you!” He gestured for those around, and even though everyone was a bit reluctant to be the first to sit down, Intak took it upon himself to do so and sat onto the wooden chair with a loud thud. He decided to sit on the prince’s left while Taesan sat on his right, followed by the coachman and the soldier who took a seat across from them.

You could have easily joined the housekeeping ladies at the end of the table, but you felt like it was your duty as the innkeeper to keep an eye on the prince, to see if everything was up to his liking. To be precise, as much as your humble little services allowed.

So you took a seat beside the coachman, and everyone helped themselves to stew and bread, taking turns to scoop themselves some food from the three bowls that were placed at the front, middle and end of the table. Intak even scooped some for the prince, and though he seemed surprised, he appeared somewhat amused by the gesture, too.

It turned out that Intak and Prince Sungho were actually the same age though it was very difficult to believe it with the prince sitting there in all his glory and Intak being there in his worn-out pants and carrot-stained jumper that Mrs Park from the kitchen had knitted for him last winter. Despite the obvious difference between the two of them, the prince answered the boy’s overzealous questions about palace life in detail, sprinkled with a little humour here and there, and the stableboy made him laugh so much, it was endearing to see. His laughter was so genuine, you found yourself laughing along with them on more than one occasion.

Soon enough, you got to know more about your new guests; that Juyeon was the coachman and Leedo was the soldier; Taesan was the right-hand man of Sungho’s, his advisor and administrative personnel; how he had been chosen through six different tests while being the youngest of the applicants, and that they were on their way to the Water Kingdom to talk about trade matters.

It was all in good spirit, and if it hadn’t been for the thought constantly looming over you that they came from the royal court, thus they were obviously very different from you, you would have treated this conversation as a nice way to get to know ordinary guests.

“Thank you so much for the lovely dinner! This was probably the best stew I have eaten in a long time,” Prince Sungho announced after all of their plates were emptied, and turned to Mrs Park who blushed like a teenage girl.

“Ah, you flutter me!”

“I mean it. It was really good,” he insisted, sparks flying in his eyes, and your little heart did a somersault at the sight. How could he be like this, so genuine, so kind and getting on so well with common people when he was a prince? You couldn’t fathom it, and even though you had never had any fantasies of royalty falling in love with you like Haewon did, it was hard not to be affected by Prince Sungho’s words when he complimented the Phoenix Inn during dinner.

You were thankful that they put an end to dinner by standing up and retreating to their rooms because you weren’t sure that you would be able to take more from them. It was all just too good to be true.

That night, you watched the flames in the fireplace dance along to the rhythm of the rain hitting the windows. Even though it had been a few hours since the storm had started, it hadn’t seemed to die down. There had been quieter periods in between, but the wind had picked up its intensity and the thunder had returned, making you unable to fall asleep. Or to go to bed in the first place.

You had sent Haewon home, but only because she lived in the house across the inn, otherwise, you wouldn’t have insisted because there were plenty of vacant rooms for everyone who didn’t want to bear the storm. After dinner, you had asked everyone if they planned to stay, and helped them to more blankets, candles and lanterns for the night before retreating to your own room, only to find yourself restless by the cacophony outside.

So you decided to sit beside the fireplace in the hall in one of those inviting armchairs that you could sit hours in. You prepared a book to pass the time with, but you spent a few minutes just daydreaming and thinking about what had happened in the past few hours.

Until someone decided to join you.

“Oh, is there anything you need, Your Highness?” You got to your feet immediately when instead of Intak crawling out for some late night cookies or Chanyoung asking for more candles, you were pulled back to reality by Prince Sungho’s voice.

He had changed into looser clothes rid of any pattern or jewellery, but you could still tell that his nightwear was made of the finest material, smooth and thick, perfect for such a chilly night. He wore a knee-length night robe as well, something that highlighted his broad shoulders and slender build.

“No, not at all. I just can’t sleep well in unfamiliar places, but don’t get me wrong, it’s not because of the inn. Not at all,” he justified fervently before you could jump to the conclusion that it must be because his bed was less comfortable than his own bed at the palace, the room was smaller than he preferred it or something of the sort.

You nodded, signalling that you believed his words. He asked for your permission to sit down, and how could you say no? Still, you appreciated the sentiment, and watched with curious eyes as he sat down beside you, claiming the other armchair to himself, so now you were both facing the fireplace.

“It must be hard for you when you travel a lot,” you mused out loud, watching his expression change from slightly awkward to surprised to resigned.

“You get used to it after a while, and it’s never too bad to be wary of your surroundings and others around you,” he explained somewhat lightly, but there was a serious edge to his words. He was looking at you, but still, you had a feeling that he was replaying some memories in his head.

His words made you wonder if he could ever allow himself to fully relax, and the thought made you sad. You couldn’t imagine always being on alert even though you had that period in your life right after you had taken over the management of the inn. You had been certain that someone would break in or commit something horrible, and you wouldn’t be able to do anything about it.

However, you had gradually become more comfortable with the responsibilities and the duties, and besides, Mr Kim was a light sleeper, and probably the most masculine man in town, so no one would have dared to come in had they known he was here.

On the other hand, you couldn’t know for sure whether having someone like Leedo around him made the prince feel more reassured, but you didn’t ask about it.

“Do you enjoy leading this life?” You inquired instead, genuinely curious because it must have been a difficult life with all the rules to follow, the etiquette, even the dresses he had to wear. Sure, he had the luxury that most people around here didn’t, but still… you always thought of royalty as rather lonely people.

Prince Sungho didn’t say anything for a few seconds, he was still looking at you, looking into your eyes, but his lips parted slightly, as if he was taken aback by your question. Thinking that it must have meant that you offended him, you immediately apologised:

“I am sorry if I crossed the line with my question, I did not mean–”

“No, no, it’s not about that,” he objected, waving his hands in front of his chest after awakening from his stupor. He even let out a giggle, probably feeling silly for making you feel this way.

“It’s just that you are the first person to ask this question,” he started as he leaned back into the armchair, interlacing his fingers and dropping them into his lap. “People usually assume that I have an easy life, and don’t want to hear complaints about it. I can understand that though,” he added, and as he started talking about his life, it felt like listening to an ordinary person – despite the context of his words –, he was so open and genuine about it.

About the fact that though the pressure was there, he felt like he could be a part of change if he wanted, and that he could help out a lot of people. He also enjoyed the business and trade within and outside of the kingdom as those had always interested him. He also loved that he could practise using his powers safely within the walls of the palace, and even though he didn’t really have the chance to use it in everyday situations, he still thought of it as useful knowledge – just like horse riding or sword fights or literature.

You knew that the members of the royal family and a lot of those who worked at the palace or within the court possessed the power of fire because that was the base of the four elemental kingdoms. However, since the palace was so far away and their powers weren’t used to protect or destroy like back in the days when kingdoms had been at war with each other, it was easy to forget about it.

You listened to him in awe because he had such an eloquent way to say what he wanted. He shared enough about himself, but it never felt like too much. He was firm in his words, but there was gentleness to his tone – especially when he was talking about his younger sisters or working on distributing more to the elderly in the kingdom. He wasn’t boasting, but talked about initiatives that he was passionate about, and that he felt like were benefitting the kingdom and its people.

You swore you could have listened to him talk all day, and you would have been fine with it, but he asked about your side as well, if you enjoyed being the innkeeper. So you told him about how you had learned the ropes from your father, and how some people had already been working here before. How you had made friends with the younger ones, and how you felt like they were your little family since your father had left.

“I am so sorry for your loss,” Prince Sungho said in such a heartfelt way, you almost felt bad for correcting him.

“He didn’t pass away. He just left me and the inn behind. I don’t know where he went, but he hasn’t come back for a year now,” you shared with him, averting your eyes from his face to the crackling fireplace. To be honest, it was easier than ever to talk about your father, you had learned how to navigate the topic, but it was like a cut that always bled – you might not have seen it or felt it constantly, but it was there, it was hurting.

Yet, before the prince could apologise for bringing it up, you added without further prompting:

“He actually drank quite a lot, and caused trouble afterwards. Not just in town but also at the inn, so it might be better in a way that he’s gone,” you confessed, and you didn’t feel guilty anymore for feeling this way.

Deep down, you knew that he wasn’t himself when he was drinking, but you didn’t seem to be a good enough reason to give up on it. So he gave up on you and the inn instead. There had been no big argument or a sudden realisation, one day, he had just left. It had been a similarly cold, stormy night, and since then, the rain didn’t wash him home.

“It must have been difficult for you to keep everything together, including yourself,” he pointed out gently, and your heart squeezed at his words. Now that he put it this way, you realised just how true it was, and it was scary and touching at the same time that he could understand you so easily.

Sensing that you might not be able to speak up yourself after this, Prince Sungho decided to ask about funny stories that happened at the inn. He was especially interested in ones involving Intak. You let out a joyous laughter hearing his request, but you were more than happy to share them with him.

Soon, one story turned into ten, and whilst the rain was pitter-pattering on the windows and the flames were dancing beamingly in the fireplace, you found yourself falling deeper and deeper into the abyss of him, until you ended up falling asleep, kept warm by the flames he added to the firewood just by a touch of his hands.

You woke to the creaking sound of the wooden floor, and opened your eyes to see who it was, only to realise that instead of your room, you were in the hall. The memories of the previous night came crashing down on you, and you felt a blush creeping onto your cheeks while Mrs Park greeted you with a gentle smile and reprimanded you for sleeping in the armchair instead of your own bed. You reassured her that it wouldn’t happen again, and she retreated to the kitchen to start making breakfast.

You went to your room to get changed and clean up a bit before going back into the hall to rearrange the furniture. Then, you unlocked the front door and looked at the remaining puddles from last night, the first rays of the Sun painting the fading green of the grass in orange and light purple. The smell of the passing rain was evident, and you took in a few deep breaths before you got started on your day.

You made yourself busy long enough for Haewon to show up for breakfast, but after she greeted you and went her own way, she came to find you again, only to ask you about last night.

“As far as I know, everyone had a peaceful night. There was nothing major happening,” you replied to her, but she sighed so dramatically, you quirked an eyebrow.

“No, I meant what happened last night between you and Prince Sungho. Intak told me that he heard you and Prince Sungho talk in the hall.”

“Ah, I knew that he would want to get cookies for himself again,” you pondered loudly, trying to dodge the question, but the girl seemed persistent, disappointed even. So you told her that you talked because neither of you could sleep, but it seemed like you couldn’t appease her.

“Did he make your heart flutter?”

“Haewon!” You shushed her, seriously hoping that the prince wouldn’t walk by the storage room right this instant. You would soon need to tell them that breakfast was ready, and you also had a feeling that with the storm passing, they would continue their journey to the Water Kingdom. There was no time to waste for them, you assumed.

“What? He seemed like a kind person, and besides, he was giving you those eyes during dinner,” your friend chatted while helping you fold a clean batch of towels and blankets.

“Those eyes?”

“Yes! You know what I mean… people look at each other like that when they are interested in one another,” she justified as if it had been the most obvious thing in the world, and despite your best attempt at hiding your contentment, you couldn’t fight the blush invading your cheeks. Surely, he hadn’t looked at you like that…

“You like him, too, I knew it!” Haewon squealed when she caught sight of your flushed face, and you were faster than ever to clear up the situation:

“No! I mean, it’s too early to say that I like him like that. As you’ve said, he seems like a kind young man, but at the same time, he’s a prince, and we might not see each other ever again. Besides, he's him, and I’m just a humble innkeeper. We would never work out,” you said it in one-go, but your hopeless romantic friend didn’t seem saddened by your train of thoughts. She shrugged off your concerns like little specks of dust.

“You know, I believe in happy endings. I’m rooting for you,” she said as she balled her hands into fists and held them high, a sign of her support. You shook your head, a smile hiding in the corner of your lips, before you told her to notify the royal entourage that the breakfast would be served soon.

In the meantime, you went outside, and fetched Intak from the stables who had been feeding the horses (and trying to charm them with his irresistible smile and overdramatic stories, too bad the animals couldn’t understand him). Prince Sungho and the others were already seated when you showed up to the dining room, and when you caught the prince’s eyes, you bobbed your head and gave him a shy smile. He smiled back, and you already felt weak in the knees just by the sight of him there, so you decided to sit with Chanyoung, Mr Kim and Taeyang - your gardener - who were sitting at the other end of the table, not beside Prince Sungho, Taesan, Leedo and Juyeon.

However, you couldn’t hold yourself back from looking in the prince’s direction from time to time, especially because he was having a great time listening to Intak and Haewon’s stories about their times at the inn, and his laughter was so contagious, you found yourself smiling into your bowl even though Taeyang was talking about the plants that had been the most hit by the storm last night.

Breakfast came to an end sooner than you would have wanted, and it was time for the guests to go. Chanyoung and Mr Kim helped them with their luggage, Intak helped Juyeon with the carriage, and the housekeeping ladies already got ready to clean their rooms after their departure. Haewon insisted that you should go outside with her and say goodbye to them, but it must have been what everyone thought because almost everyone was outside, lining up beside the carriage. Prince Sungho seemed taken aback by the amount of people, but he said goodbye to each and every one of them and thanked them for their efforts.

You were at the very end of the line, and you were sure that the slight tremble of your body wasn’t due to the weather but due to the prince’s presence. Even as he halted in front of you, you felt like your heart was crushing your ribcage, it was beating so wildly, and the prince’s words didn’t help at all.

“Thank you so much for everything, Y/N,” he bowed his head and you curtsied as much as your dress allowed. He made your name sound so elegant, so precious, you felt heat rising to your cheeks. “You should be proud of yourself, you are really the heart and soul of the inn,” he added with a smile so gentle, it felt like a feather-like touch caressing your cheeks.

“T-thank you, Your Highness. I am delighted that you had a pleasant stay,” you stuttered a bit, your voice coming out small. The prince boasted a slightly amused smile seeing your reaction before turning around and getting into the carriage.

You could see Haewon’s lips curling upwards from the corner of your eyes, and you wished you could vanish right then and there. This encounter might have been like a fairytale, but he was a prince, and you were an innkeeper, you were sure that this was it.

You were wrong, it seemed. Even though flowers already started blooming the next time Prince Sungho showed up, he did so nevertheless. Then, he came during summer and during autumn, too. He never stayed too long, only a night or two if he decided to drop by on his way to the Water Kingdom and on his way back.

One of his sisters got married to Prince Donghyun from the Water Kingdom in the meantime, so there was a lot to do in terms of negotiating. He didn’t always tell you what he was up to, after all, you were sure that much of it was confidential, and you didn’t want to pry. However, whenever he talked, he made you feel like you weren’t two worlds apart, he shared every detail and background stories. He made you feel like you were a part of his world.

It was flattering, to be honest, and it made you wonder if he felt the same way towards you. After all, he could have chosen any inn he wanted, yet, he kept coming back to yours, keeping you company beside the fireplace at nights, and he wasn’t hiding the fact that he was looking for you whenever you weren’t around. Needless to say, Haewon always called him out for it.

You enjoyed the thrill of it; the subtle touches by the fireplace, the warmth he could quite literally bring with him, the ways he cared even if he didn’t boast about it, the gazes that you shared at the dinner table, and the times you spent stargazing on the newly built patio whenever the weather allowed. All of those who worked at the inn welcomed him back warmly, and scarcely did you have a guest who knew the prince personally, so you didn’t feel like you had a reason to hide from others. Besides, they could see what was going on between you two, and you were sure that even the quiet Taesan knew about it.

You were usually very giddy to see him again, looking forward to each and every day as it held the hope of a new encounter. However, the following winter passed by slowly and full of doubts because you had heard the rumor that Prince Sungho might be getting married to a princess. You were moping, of course, because you hadn’t heard anything about a marriage the last time he had been there, but who were you to hold him back? You were just a commoner, nothing more.

You had a feeling that the reason Prince Sungho didn’t show up until early spring was exactly for the reason you were so heartbroken in the meantime, but he did show up, and nothing seemed to change about him. On the other hand, you were more wary towards the prince, and he caught onto it. He even decided to ask you about it at night when you inquired if he had anything he needed for the night. If he had just said no, you would have had the chance to escape him. He answered differently though.

You were standing by the door in the corridor while he was leaning against the door from inside his room, but you felt like there was more than distance between you two now. The looming rumour of his marital status drove a wedge between you two.

“Am I bothering you?” He asked straightforwardly, and you were sure that he used this tone of his for trade talks: firm, straight to the point yet not accusatory. He was looking at you gently – like always –, but you felt like he was pinning you to the door with his gaze.

“No. I merely believe that there are better-suited places for a prince,” you answered rather coldly, trying to keep your voice void of any emotion.

It was better this way, you told yourself. You and the prince had been doomed from the start, so it was better that you were over it before it could turn into something more. So why… why did you feel so betrayed?

He looked perplexed for a few seconds, but then, he regained his composure and confessed as if it meant nothing to him to say such words:

“It’s because I feel the most comfortable here out of all places, and I like spending time with you, too. I feel at ease beside you.”

“Prince Sungho…” You croaked out, torment scratching your throat when his name fell off your lips. Why did he have to be so genuine? Why did he have to look at you like that – like he really meant it, and he would do everything to keep it that way? Why, just why did he have to look up from his eyelashes, his deep, dark eyes boring into yours, keeping your gaze hostage?

“Hmm?”

“You should not say things like that.”

“Why?” He blinked at you, confused, as if all those communication lessons he had sat through at the palace had been in vain because he could not understand a girl like you.

“Because it makes me hopeful,” you retorted, raising your voice out of frustration. The prince seemed taken aback by it, too, his eyes widening at your sudden change of reaction, but he stayed still nevertheless. He still had no clue, did he?

“Ah, nevermind,” you mumbled and turned around to leave, but the prince caught your wrist.

“Y/N?” He called out, perplexed and desperate, and you wished nothing but to be strong enough to resist him.

His grip wasn’t hurtful, it was gentle enough, so that you could yank your hand away from his if you wanted. The truth is, you didn’t want to, so you turned back to him instead. It was a grave mistake though because he looked so hurt, so vulnerable, your heart immediately sank at the sight.

“Prince Sungho, I am afraid I cannot do this any longer,” you reasoned quietly, looking away, so that you wouldn’t have to look at him, to look at the hurt you had caused. It didn’t help though, you merely felt worse by it, so you looked back at him. Afterwards, there was no turning back, the words just bubbled up.

“I like talking to you by the fireplace, too. I like when you say my name like that. I like that you see me for who I am, and I can let go of the burden of the inn when I am with you. I also like that you make me feel more confident in myself and remind me that I should be proud of where I am instead of what more I can do, and I like how I am feeling beside you. But… I do not think it is right for me to like any of this, to like you above all. I have heard that you might get married soon, and that is the way it should be. You are a prince, and I am just… me.”

There was no need to deny it; you were so very different, and it had been so very obvious from the start, but there was always that seed of hope within you that wanted to bloom despite the harsh weather conditions around. Now reality trampled on this little flower that almost managed to bloom… but almost was never enough.

“I am sorry,” Prince Sungho said simply, his head hanging low, and even though there was no reason for you to ask for confirmation, you had to because you didn’t want to delude yourself into what ifs anymore.

“So is it true?”

He nodded without hesitation, twisting the knife that was already deep inside your heart. You felt like choking, tearing up, anything but standing there still, unable to move.

“I’ve wanted to tell you, but I did not know how. It is complicated, but…” The prince started, searching for your eyes, and you needed everything in you to be able to hold yourself together when he continued. “I want you to know that I like you too.”

Oh, how much you have wished to hear those words before, but now they seemed utterly wrong. Now, it seemed wrong to like him out of all people when he might have to marry a princess, and you couldn’t do anything about it. The only option was to minimise the pain, so after closing your eyes for a few seconds to ponder over your answer, you decided on it.

“I must ask you to not come back anymore after your current stay. I am sorry,” you said so quietly, resigned, before yanking your hand away from his and walking away from him.

Prince Sungho didn’t come back again – just as you had asked him.

The thought of going back to the way things had been before meeting him pained you, and to be honest, it would have been futile to act like nothing had happened. Everyone knew that something was up, and since everyone else heard the rumours of his possible marriage, you had a feeling that you didn’t have to spell it out for them; that the prince would likely not come back.

Days blended into weeks and then into months. Time was moving at a different pace now that you didn’t look forward to each day in hopes that you would run into Prince Sungho again. You busied yourself with renovations of the inn until there was nothing else to fix, and still, it wasn’t enough to forget about him. Haewon tried to set you up with boys his brother had become friends with, but to no avail. You didn’t feel anything towards them even if you wanted to. Each and every time, you were thinking how differently the prince would do things, he was constantly on your mind. Rainy days, starry nights and the smell of firewood reminded you of him.

Though you didn’t hear any more marriage news from the palace, you believed that it was because finalising a marriage between royalty took a long time. That’s why you were even more taken aback that a letter arrived one day, delivered by one of the royal mailmen who insisted on staying until you gave an answer based on the content of the letter.

You exchanged a look with Haewon who seemed rather excited, so much that she took the letter from your hand because you hesitated too much. She opened it immediately, and her free hand flew to her mouth in surprise when she saw the inked lines written on the paper.

“What does it say?” You raised an eyebrow in question, but instead of answering properly, the girl hit your shoulder giddily before handing you the letter to read it for yourself.

Your heart skipped a beat when you realised that the letter was from none other than Prince Sungho himself, and he invited you to attend the autumn farewell ceremony. The Fire Kingdom had a farewell ceremony for all four seasons when people bid goodbye to the previous one and welcomed the new one, gathering around a huge fire in front of the palace and giving their blessings to the kingdom and the royal family. You had never been to one because you had been too busy making ends meet, but now the prince invited you and any companion you wanted, and if you said yes, he would make sure to take care of everything – sending you a dress beforehand and sending you a carriage on the day of the ceremony.

The prince said that he was waiting to see you and that he wanted you to be the first one to know about something important, something that he must tell you to make up for last time.

“I bet he wants to tell you that the marriage was called off, and now you can be his!” Haewon squealed, and bounced on her legs, unable to contain her excitement. You gaped at her in disbelief, but at the same time, there might have been something to her words. After all, why would he invite you to the palace out of all places if he was about to get married?

A few minutes later, when Haewon’s overly excited chattering died down, the royal mailman reminded you to give an answer, and you decided to listen to your heart and give it a try. So you said yes, and that you would take Haewon – who, though touched, didn’t seem surprised at all –, and off he went.

As promised, your dress arrived a week before the ceremony, but there was another one in the box alongside it much to Haewon’s zealousness. They were both pitch-black as black represented the end of something in your kingdom – just like how flames turn to black ashes when they can no longer feed on oxygen –, and it was the official colour of the seasons’ farewell ceremony. They were so smooth, so soft, even having patterned, lacy and pearl-dotted parts, something that you had never been able to wear before. Even just looking at them made you weak in the knees, let alone on the day of the farewell ceremony when you could finally wear them, and Haewon helped to braid your hair and do your make-up.

Even though you scarcely wore make-up, your friend insisted that you should do it this time because it wasn’t everyday that you were going to the palace. Not to mention that she was set on her ‘steal the prince’s heart’ agenda, firm in her belief that Prince Sungho wanted to let you know that you could finally be together.

Though it seemed too good to be true after your last encounter, you wanted to believe her, and most of all, you wanted to enjoy this magical time. You didn’t even remember the last time you had spent a day away from the inn, but you were grateful for everyone working there because you knew you could leave them for this time and everything would be fine. Even though Intak teased you that you would likely not want to come back after going to the palace once, Mrs Park was visibly touched when you and Haewon waited in the hall in your dresses and Mr Kim almost fell down the stairs when he caught sight of you two. At these times, they really did seem like your family.

The carriage arrived in time, and even though the journey to the palace lasted a few hours, you weren’t bored because you were with Haewon after all. However, the closer you got, the more nervous you were, and it didn’t help that you didn’t know where you were when the carriage halted and you stepped out of it because there weren’t a lot of people, except for multiple empty carriages. That meant that you were probably on palace grounds, not where the ceremony was supposed to take place.

“I will show you the way to Prince Sungho. He is waiting for you,” a court lady announced with a polite smile as she walked up to you two and you exchanged a glance with Haewon before following her through beautifully crafted arches painted with the historical moments of the Fire Kingdom, giant fountains trickling with bubbling water and an enormous statue with a man and a woman holding a torch in their hands which was actually lit up with fire. You wondered if it was always burning with magic because it seemed likely here.

You were surprised that even Haewon was quiet on the way, but you could understand her silence because it was just too much to take in for people like you; all these luxuries, beauty and wealth. Yet, the most magnificent of them all was Prince Sungho when he walked up to you alongside Taesan, wearing a burgundy suit over a black shirt tucked into his cotton pants, his broad shoulders and slender waist highlighted by the waist-length of the suit.

He seemed almost relieved when he laid his eyes on you, but at the same time, he was definitely taken aback. You felt your cheeks burning up when he averted his eyes to your dress, though he did it in the most respectful way possible, and immediately found your eyes afterwards.

“Your Highness,” Haewon curtsied beside you, and you followed suit when you finally awakened from your stupor. Heart beating rapidly, you straightened your back, just in time for the prince to call out your name.

“Y/N… So glad you could make it,” he said so gently, so lovingly, and he would have just stood there smiling at you if your friend beside you hadn’t cleaned her throat, gaining his attention. He immediately looked at her too and bowed his head, albeit a bit sheepishly. “You too, Haewon. Thank you for coming.”

“It is truly my pleasure, Your Highness. What a wonderful court you have! I was wondering if maybe someone, someone like Taesan could give me a tour?”

“Me?” Taesan’s eyes widened, the bewilderment written all over his features. He looked at the prince for help, and the disapproval was evident on his face when the prince gave in to Haewon’s suggestion, and sent him away to show your friend around. Then, the royal advisor let out a long sigh, but did as he was told.

Before they would disappear though, Haewon turned around to send you a wink, and you had to hold yourself from giggling aloud. She was so unbelievable, but in the best way possible.

When you looked back at Prince Sungho, you immediately melted into a puddle – it was his effect, it seemed. You could barely register that he asked a question, you were so occupied with the swirling feelings inside of you. You managed to pull yourself together and tell him about what you had been doing since you had last met. When you inquired about his side, he was quick to confess that the marriage offer was withdrawn.

“Why?” You asked immediately, both out of relief and surprise. You thought that when such offers were made, they would surely be finalised, but it seemed that it wasn’t always the case. Not that you knew a lot about marriage proposals…

“Apparently, I was not charming enough for the princess,” Prince Sungho answered matter-of-factly, no hint of disappointment in his voice, but you were hurt on his behalf as well.

“How? She was clearly blind then,” you exclaimed totally out of character, and you were about to apologise for your outburst when the prince let out a giggle beside you. You realised that you had missed hearing him laugh, hearing his voice, just being with him, and the warmth he carried around found its way into your heart again.

You smiled coyly seeing his reaction, but couldn’t help but ask another question.

“Why did you tell me?”

You were here for a reason, you were here because the prince had invited you, so you were certain that he had more to add to the story even though you were immensely relieved hearing that. You also felt a bit guilty for holding a grudge against him all this time when he had not been set on marrying a princess, at least he didn’t seem disappointed in the slightest.

He took his time to formulate his answer, but when he did, you were just as confused as relieved.

“Being a princess is not the only way to marry a prince. Not anymore.”

“What do you mean?” You furrowed your eyebrows, your heart thumping violently against your ribcage. You didn’t want to see more into his words than could be, but you couldn’t push down that hopeful surge of energy going through your body.

Prince Sungho boasted a somewhat content grin as he continued, his words proud and also a bit playful. You liked that look on him; when he was confident and light, his features as peaceful as they could be.

“I have just made my father approve of the new rules for royal marriage within the Fire Kingdom. Actually, it was my cousin, Prince Jaehyun, who begged me if we could tweak the law a little bit, but I felt like it was my time to speak up on the matter as well.”

You didn’t want to believe your ears at first. This was what you had been dreaming about, and yet, you needed one little confirmation to actually believe it:

“Is your cousin in love with a commoner just like you are?”

“Yes. Very much so,” he bobbed his head, and suddenly halted in his steps, so he could turn towards you. He reached for your hands to hold them in his, his touch electrifying you from head to toe. He was gentle, his touch was so gentle, even the way he looked at you was so tender and loving and caring, you felt your breath hitch in your throat.

“Yes, I am in love with you if that is why you were asking,” he confessed, keeping the eye-contact, so you could see how genuine and earnest he was. Your lips curled upwards immediately, and you felt like you could burst out in excitement.

“I-I don’t know what to say…”

“Maybe you can say that you feel the same way and let me hug you,” he suggested a bit teasingly, a lopsided smile appearing in the corner of his lips. Despite his suddenly playful attitude, you did just as he told, confirming that you were very much in love with him and hugged him tightly, sinking into this warm feeling, soaking in this happiness that seemed so far away once, but now it was all yours.

You didn’t even want to let it go, you didn’t want to let him go again.

A/N: Hope you enjoyed this story of mine! Let me know what you think! 😊

Click here for my BND masterlist

If you want to read more stories of mine, let it be for BOYNEXTDOOR or for other artists, consider signing up for my taglist here. 🥰

Hope you have a lovely day/night! Take care! ❤️

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dragqueenstarscream · 3 months ago

Text

shelter from the storm

monsterformers firedrake!optimus x harpy!starscream

my first transformers fanfic and they're not even robots. oh well, c'est la vie! this is the first fanfic for my monsterformers au, featuring my favorite transformers ship out there! it's based on optimus' hike through antarctica from "triangulation", or, as i call it, the starop episode. if you wanna know more about this au, i have the monsterformers au masterpost pinned for all who may be interested.

contains: cuddling for warmth, pre established relationship, mentions of megatron being megatron, starscream having a flashback, no smut

throughout his life, starscream had many things to regret.

he regretted believing megatron's lie that joining the talons of unicron would restore him to his former glory. he regretted leaving his home world at all. he regretted getting cocky and not outright killing the old dragon when he had the chance.

he regretted ever leaving skywarp and thundercracker behind. primus, he regretted that more than anything else.

but now, as he trudged through the hellish blizzard ripping through the snowy wasteland he'd found himself in, his wings wrapped around his body as his only source of warmth, he realized that he'd soon have another regret to add to his ever growing list.

because when he'd found the location of another relic which might help him should megatron ever come searching for him again, he'd been ambushed by megatron's new favorite, dreadwing. the snarling gargoyle had bound him in cuffs and was ready to take him back to megatron before help arrived. but, of course, because the universe seemed to laugh at starscream whenever given the chance, he'd been rescued from being dragged back to his dragon master by another blasted dragon.

well. a firedrake. but the technicalities didn't matter now.

what did matter was that optimus prime, the most powerful voice of primus, a colossus of scales and horns and teeth, terror of the talons of unicron, was currently looming over starscream as he guided the overgrown lizard to the destination of the apex armor. the harpy would rather be anywhere else, with his only comfort being that no drones or homunculi of shockwave's would be dumb enough to attack either of them, not when optimus could easily set them on fire.

fire. the thought of it chilled starscream to his bones.

he'd pleaded with optimus to set him free from his cuffs - he already couldn't fly in this weather, removing his binds wouldn't do much - but someone must've stolen from optimus' hoard earlier that day or something, because he wasn't having it. much to starscream's dismay, the cuffs stayed on. so, that was how the two traveled, starscream navigating towards the armor, optimus right behind him. he tried to fill the silence by talking with optimus, but the dragon, firedrake, it didn't matter to starscream, seemingly wasn't in the mood for conversation. after a few minutes of talking to himself, starscream fell silent.

the snow stretched on endlessly overhead, only broken by mountains pushing up through the snow like giant horns. the black sky seemed never ending, the whirls of snow covering up the starlight which guided starscream's way. and, of course, the air felt blisteringly cold, seeping beneath starscream's feathers and skin to try and freeze his organs.

hours passed, and starscream could feel himself growing weaker by the minute. right as he felt as if his knees might give out beneath him, optimus broke the monotony of the wind whipping around them by growling, "here. this way."

"s-sir?" starscream asked between chatters of his teeth. he turned around to find optimus diverging from their course, making for something starscream couldn't make out in the hellstorm of white. as he came closer, he realized that optimus had found a cave at the base of one of the mountains. the harpy felt relief wash over him at the thought of rest, though it was quickly followed by uncertainty. surely, something else would've found this cave and called it home by now.

optimus stuck his giant head into the cavern and sniffed the air. after a minute, he declared, "the scents in this cave are old. nothing has been here for quite a while."

"a-are you sure, sir?" starscream asked. optimus just snorted and made his way inside.

"we'll rest here for now," he said, his tone leaving no room for argument. starscream grumbled and followed optimus into the cave, not in the mood to argue with someone much bigger (and much grumpier) than himself.

the cave, thankfully, was big enough that they could both fit inside without being pressed up against each other. optimus began sweeping away snowdrifts with his tail, revealing the hard stone underneath. glancing to the stone walls all around him, he gave them one hard whack with his tail, shaking free some loose stones and debris. starscream shrank back beneath his wings, trying to hide from the falling stone. thankfully, optimus seemed satisfied, because he began collecting the fallen stones and arranging them into a circle near the middle of the cave, away from the entrance. starscream watched from a distance, curious.

once optimus had his stone circle complete, he took a step back to examine his handiwork. then, he drew his head back, like a snake about to strike, and opened his mouth.

starscream felt his heart leap into his throat as he saw the smoke furling from the corners of the dragon's mouth and the orange glow from within his open maw. with a terrified shriek, he scrambled backwards and pressed himself against the cave wall, covering his face with his wings. a few moments later, a fireball erupted from optimus' jaws, filling the cave with a flash of white light and searing heat.

for the briefest moment, starscream was back at the gemstone mine, cowering against the rock beneath him, as megatron reared over him, jaws open and ready to breathe a sickly purple fire. he could hear thunderous pawsteps approaching him, and he knew that at any moment, flames would erupt around him, setting his wings ablaze. he had to get out of here, had to fly away. storm be damned, he couldn't stay here with-

"starscream?"

a gravelly voice which definitely didn't belong to megatron disrupted starscream's panicked state. the harpy slowly lowered his trembling wings to see-

this wasn't the mine. and that wasn't megatron.

he was back in the cave in the middle of a snowy desert, with optimus standing in front of him, his head tilted like a confused dog. beside him, a bright orange and yellow, not megatron's unnatural purple, fire crackled in the center of the stone circle.

a fire pit. optimus had been building a fire pit.

you idiot, starscream. getting this worked up over nothing.

"why, you... watch what you're doing, you mindless brute!" the harpy squawked, clambering to his talons. "you could've killed me with that!"

optimus lifted his head just slightly, and his expression shifted, the confusion on his face washing away. starscream gulped. he knew what that face meant.

he knows.

"and anyways, what if i don't want to stay in here, hmm?" he challenged. he would've crossed his arms had his hands not been bound. "you seem very sure that i won't just leave this cave. what makes you think i won't go find the apex armor on my own? you need me to find it. what if i don't want to stop here?"

optimus just watched starscream for a moment, his scaly face still as stone. then, he started making his way over to starscream, making the harpy back up against the wall.

"i am giving you a choice," optimus said. he turned around and plodded over to the fire, laying next to it with his back to the cave wall. starscream's eyes lit up as he realized that not only were his hands now free to move independently, but the entrance to the cave was also open.

"w-what are you doing?" he asked in a shaky voice. optimus didn't respond. instead, he used one claw to lift starscream's bound hands closer to him, and with a single swift movement, snapped the chain keeping the cuffs together, like it was made of twine.

the harpy excitedly made his way to the cave entrance and rushed outside, only for the harsh blizzard wind to furiously buffet his wings, the cold sinking its claws into his skin. starscream felt like a fool as he realized the choice optimus was giving him. he could either venture out to find the apex armor and risk freezing to death, or worse, getting caught by dreadwing again... or he could stay in the cave, where he could rest, stay out of the nasty weather for a while, warm up by the fire, and find protection from optimus should dreadwing return.

even with his intense fear of dragons and their kin, starscream knew which choice he would make.

grumbling under his breath, starscream trudged back into the cave and sat by the fire, making sure to keep his distance from the dragon lying in the cave with him.

firedrake. whatever.

now that he was calm, he had to admit, the fire felt nice. he spread his wings in front of the flames, and he had to bite back a groan of relief as warmth sank into his aching muscles.

"why are you doing this?" he asked after a few minutes of awkward silence. "if you need to find the apex armor so badly, why are we stopping here?"

optimus stared into the fire, and starscream could tell that he was collecting his thoughts. "i have wanted to talk to you for a long time, starscream," he finally said.

"what do you want from me?" starscream asked.

"to talk," optimus repeated. he began tracing odd swirls and shapes into what little snow had settled on the ground as he talked. "your loyalty to megatron has been questionable for quite some time. the fact that you seek the apex armor now that you're not under his command tells me everything i need to know."

"i'm not joining you, if that's what you're asking," starscream snipped. optimus turned to give starscream a slightly frustrated stare, the tip of his tail twitching like that of an irritated cat. his body language said, just let me finish, and starscream got the message loud and clear. he cleared his throat and went quiet, allowing optimus to speak again. he turned to look back into the fire as he continued.

"you and i both know what will happen if megatron ever returns home," he said. "not only will he conquer both this human world and our own, but he will try to remake them in his image." he glanced at starscream and said, "no matter who may stand in his way."

the gentleness in optimus' eyes set starscream on edge. "i don't need your pity," he hissed, his wings bristling. "if that's the only reason you wanted to talk, you can keep it to yourself."

"that's not why i wanted to speak to you," optimus said flatly.

"then spell it out for me!" starscream snapped, his feathers puffing up out of exasperation. "if i wanted to hear someone talk in riddles at me, i would've sought out a sphinx!"

optimus went quiet for a minute, allowing starscream to collect himself. once the harpy had calmed down, optimus continued, "i'm offering you a chance at a new life. i won't lie to you, what i am offering will not be easy. you would be serving as an informant for the voices of primus, gathering intelligence on where the rest of the relics might be."

"you want me to be a spy," starscream huffed.

"correct," optimus said with a nod. starscream humphed and crossed his arms.

"and what's in it for me, if i risk my hide sticking my neck out for you?" he asked, raising an eyebrow in suspicion. at that question, optimus' face shifted, quiet confidence etched into his features.

"if you decide to help us," he said, "then, once this war is over, if we win, we will help you rebuild your home."

home.

starscream's eyes widened. his breath caught in his chest. the word hung heavy in the air like the smoke from the fire before them. the one thing starscream had missed from the moment he'd joined the talons of unicron, and optimus was offering to help him rebuild it.

no, he thought, forcing himself to hide the hope in his eyes. he could be lying to you. don't give in so easily.

"i don't need your help to rebuild my home," he sniffed. "i don't need anyone at all. i can do fine on my own. i did just fine on my own before this war, anyway."

"you'll forgive me if i find that difficult to believe," optimus said. "you must've had someone who cared about you before the war began."

"i did, once," he grunted. with a harsh, hollow laugh, he added, "primus knows where they are. they're probably both dead by now, for all i know."

optimus was right. there was no denying it. starscream felt his heart grow heavy with the memories of his brothers, still fresh as the day he left them.

optimus bowed his head, and to his surprise, starscream saw grief in his pale blue eyes. he reached out one big paw, as if to rest it on starscream's back to comfort him, but stopped and pulled away when he saw starscream lean away from his touch.

"starscream," he said softly, "i promise you that, should you decide to help us, when this war comes to pass, i will do everything in my power to help you find those you have lost."

starscream wanted to laugh. he wanted to ask optimus how dare he come up with such an audacious lie. but as he searched every inch of optimus' face for any sort of tell, any giveaway that he was lying, he couldn't find one. either optimus was a fantastic liar or he meant every word he said.

"why me?" starscream asked, his voice quiet and unsure. "why are you asking me to help you with this?"

"you are megatron's second in command," optimus explained. "you know more about his plans than anyone else in the talons of unicron, partially because you had a hand in some of his works. you would be the ideal choice for a job like this."

"well, at least you're honest," starscream mumbled, pulling his legs up to his chest and resting his head on his knees. he stared into the fire, letting the orange and yellow tongues of light consume his vision.

"and, starscream," optimus said after a moment's quiet, "i know what it's like to lose someone you love in this war. but unlike you, i now know that i can never get him back."

starscream turned to look at optimus, incredulous. he couldn't figure out who optimus was talking about. possibly someone from back home before the war? or did he mean-

"i'll give you some time to think about my offer," optimus said, interrupting starscream's thoughts. "but for now, we need rest. i'll wake you when it's time to get moving again."

unless...

with that, optimus closed his eyes and rested his huge head on his front paws. starscream watched as the big beast's breathing slowed and face relaxed as he started to fall asleep.

the harpy didn't move, still sitting in the same spot. how did optimus expect him to get any sleep in a place like this? the only thing in this stone hovel that was even remotely comfortable would be the snow.

no. no, you're not going to become bedfellows with a beast like him.

it didn't matter that optimus was probably the most comfortable spot for starscream to rest his head. he was still optimus, the foremost voice of primus, not to mention he was close enough to a dragon for starscream to want to keep his distance. no, he refused to entertain the thought any further. he could sleep just fine on his own, thank you very much. he backed up against the cave wall and wrapped his wings and tail around himself before closing his eyes, determined to get some rest.

five minutes passed, then ten, then fifteen. sleep evaded starscream, no matter how he reconfigured his body to make himself more comfortable. in his sleep deprived state, he weighed his options, few as they were, and came to as logical of a conclusion as his drowsiness addled brain could muster.

one time won't hurt, but just this once. and you speak to no one about this.

setting his pride aside for the sake of sleep, starscream got up and walked over to optimus, sitting in front of him. he turned over onto his side and started to lay his head down on optimus' ribs, when he looked up and found himself staring right into one open blue eye. he let out an embarrassing squawk and stood straight up, afraid that optimus might swat him into the fire with his tail for being annoying.

if optimus was annoyed with starscream in any capacity, he didn't show it. instead, he slowly rolled over onto his side, exposing his underbelly. starscream couldn't believe his eyes. no monster in their right mind would ever expose their most vulnerable side to an enemy, unless...

he believes i won't hurt him.

and to starscream's surprise, he had no desire to. in that moment, he had every opportunity to gain the upper hand over the voices of primus, to plunge his talons into optimus' stomach, tear him open, and leave him to bleed to death right there. he could send the voices of primus plunging into darkness, and maybe even return to his seat of power at megatron's side.

but he didn't want to. not after optimus had offered him home, offered to help him find skywarp and thundercracker. he still wasn't entirely sure about this offer, but it was better than going back to megatron.

no, he didn't want to hurt optimus. right now, all he wanted to do was sleep.

starscream knew that a dragon's underbelly was the weakest part of their body. it was valuable knowledge to keep in one's back pocket when living under the rule of a dragon like megatron. this seemed to apply to optimus as well, for when starscream experimentally rested a hand on optimus' belly, he felt not diamond hard armor, but smooth, almost leathery scales, its softness only marred by raised, puffy battle scars. when he finally laid down on optimus' belly, he could feel the warmth emanating from deep inside him, the perpetual dragonfire burning within. starscream couldn't help himself as he groaned softly in satisfaction, both from being surrounded by warmth and having a comfortable surface to sleep on.

he finally rested his head on optimus' side, and with his ear pressed to his chest, he could hear the slow, steady rhythm of optimus' strong heartbeat, and he felt the gentle rise and fall of his broad chest. in a bizarre way, starscream found it soothing.

hearing a dragging sound behind him, starscream turned his head to see optimus had moved his tail so it was curled up against his body. then, as if it had a mind of its own, it raised up and slowly wound around starscream's midsection. its grip wasn't constricting like a giant snake, as starscream had anticipated it might feel. rather, it felt more like a very strange, yet comforting one armed hug. starscream reached out to touch it, then looked back up at optimus, who was still watching him expectantly. he made no move to stop the harpy as he wrapped one arm around optimus' thick tail and squeezed gently, as if to silently thank him.

that seemed to satisfy optimus. he closed his eyes and let his heavy head rest on the stone floor. it might've been a trick of the flickering firelight, but starscream could've sworn that for less than a second, he saw a small smile on optimus' scaly face.

starscream took one last glance past the fire to look out of the cave entrance. truth be told, he had no idea how he'd let himself get here. one moment, he'd been hunting for the apex armor, with a certain gargoyle hot on his tail. he'd never imagined that, at the end of the day, he'd find himself huddled up next to optimus fragging prime in the middle of a mountain cave, but sometimes, truth was stranger than fiction.

at least things were now looking up. at least he knew another path he could take.

starscream smiled in disbelief and shook his head. his past self wouldn't be caught dead in a situation like this. once he'd realized just how megatron had deceived him, he'd sworn that he would never trust a dragon again.

but, as he reasoned, optimus was a firedrake, not a dragon. he didn't count.

with exhaustion weighing heavily on his body and mind, starscream closed his eyes and fell asleep, uneasy yet hopeful for what the future would bring.

i've never written fic for these two before, so i hope i didn't mangle their characters too badly lmao. hopefully i'll write more for them in the future!

#transformers #transformers prime #starscream #tfp starscream #optimus prime #tfp optimus prime #starop #starprime #starscream x optimus prime #monsterformers au #fanfic #i write sometimes

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pokemonheritageposts · 17 days ago

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This is now an official MONKEY POST.

Tag your friends to totally MONKEY them!

(i'm gonna have to apologize to the water starters lmao this is our third fire starter in a row)

FULL TCG RANKINGS MASTERPOST

10. Infernape (illus. Masakazu Fukuda, Platinum - Rising Rivals 43/111)

9. Monferno (illus. Shigenori Negishi, Sun & Moon - Ultra Prism 22/156)

8. Infernape (illus. Mitsuhiro Arita, EX Stormfront 3/100)

7. Chimchar (illus. Shibuzoh, XY Steam Siege 18/114)

6. Chimchar (illus. sui, Black & White - Plasma Storm 15/135)

5. Chimchar (illus. sui, BW-P Promo #171)

4. Infernape (illus. Krgc, Scarlet & Violet - Twilight Masquerade 173/167)

3. Infernape (illus. Kazumasa Yasukuni, Scarlet & Violet Promo #116)

2. Chimchar (illus. Jerky, Scarlet & Violet - Twilight Masquerade 31/167)

1. Infernape (illus. nagimiso, Pokemon TCG Pocket - Spacetime Smackdown 197/155)

#chimchar #monferno #infernape #tcg rankings #pokemon tcg

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silentcryracha · 8 months ago

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❍ ‗ Making art with Hyunjin ‗ ❍

Pairing : Hyunjin x f reader

Summary : chapter four of a cute standalone miniseries. It's what it says in the title

Genre/ Warnings : scenario/imagine/headcanon, drabble, fluff, suggestive but no smut, unserious but helpful Hyunjin, it's cute idk

Word count : 635 words

A/n : none

ps: There could be grammar errors. Do NOT repost on other socials. Leave feedback if you feel like it, otherwise enjoy! ♡︎

masterlist

series masterpost

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

Hyunjin loves art, yes, but he loves you more. Don't even try to not make things about you if you're around because you'll be unsuccessful.

"Okay mr. Picasso draw an apple for me"

Five minutes later he'd be handing you the sketchbook, a pencil sketch picturing YOU holding an apple.

"This is ridiculous" you whisper, lowkey speechless. Hyunjin would pout, looking genuinely sad for a moment.

"You don't like it?" and of course you'd throw yourself at him covering him with kisses and praises all over his face.

He's just extra talented and in love! It's not his fault!

He'd be so happy to either learn from you or teach you, if you asked. Like oh my gosh imagine if he had an actual artist as a partner? He'd be so in awe and interested in each and every step of the process.

He would a hundred percent ask you to teach him, whatever the technique. He'd just be so excited to spend time with you regardless <3

Same thing if the roles were reversed and he was the teacher! He'd be very honored if asked him to teach you, probably because even though he's crazy good he wouldn't consider himself a professional artist.

You'd just end you having so much fun together. I feel like Hyunjin would shower you with praises and encouragement.

"That looks so good already, baby."

"It's...missing an arm and hair"

And he'd just respond "It's his business not yours" in the cutest most unserious tone.

"Hyune, come here a sec" you call out and whatever he was doing, he'd walk over.

"I don't think the sketch is bad but something is off. Is it the colors?" he listens, giving you a sweet kiss on the head, then focusing on the painting.

"I think the purple is a bit bright, try adding some black. I know you usually shouldn't but I don't think it's a drop is gonna hurt." he answers softly, picking up the acrylic and then mixing.

He picks up the brush and skillfully covers up the previous color, smiling to himself in satisfaction afterwards.

"See? Now the palette is more balanced." he gives you another kiss because, well yes.

"Yes it does! Colors do make such a difference. Thank you, honey"

It doesn't always need to be a learning experience though! Sometimes you just want to have a laugh or make a mess and then then make out covered in paint like it's not that serious.

It would happen specifically when someone got stressed working on a piece, and maybe it just sucked and wanted to throw it away, so might as well transform it into a whole abstract piece and get a laugh out of it. Mood lifted!

You and Hyunjin were just chilling, sitting together on the couch late at night, a whole storm outside. He turns to you, saying:

"Do you want to play a game?" you look up at him.

"Okay, Jigsaw. What were you thinking?"

He stands up, walking around the living room to pick up two sketchbooks, some pencils and spare pastels. Then comes back to hand you one.

"We pick something in the room -in our line of view- to draw, then we each have three chances to guess it right." you bite your lip, smiling.

"Okay. And what if we don't guess right?" he shrugs, a smirk struggling not to appear on his plump lips.

"Then one piece of clothing, of choice, comes off." he replies, "Each. time." you pout, feigning innocence.

"But...it's quite cold. Will we not be cold?"

"Well then let's hope we lose fast, so we can warm each other up." he winks and you giggle like an idiot, because of course that's where he was going.

"Bet"

And the rest is history <3

.・。.・゜✭・.・✫・゜・。.

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unboundprompts · 1 year ago

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Setting Prompts

↳ a masterpost of settings to inspire writing.

↳ (#) is from my collection of random prompts, (list) contains multiple prompts.

If you like what I do and want to support me, please consider buying me a coffee! I also offer editing services and other writing advice on my Ko-fi! Become a member to receive exclusive content, early access, and prioritized writing prompt requests.

I also have a Patreon! Become a member to gain access to a Member's Only Community where you can chat and message other members and myself. Also gain access to my personal writing, which includes completed short stories, chapters from novels in progress, as well as completed scenes.

Settings in Nature:

The Tin Can Beneath the Old Tree (#25)

The House in the Forest (#100)

Icy Roads and Snowy Mountains (#136)

Music in the Dark Wood (#138)

Black Cliffs and Dark Waves (#154)

Thunderstorms (list)

The Marsh (#165)

The Campfire in the Forest (#185)

Horror Settings:

The Orchard and The Gate (#2)

The Lighthouse in the Foggy Harbor (#41)

Haunted House/Haunted Motel Descriptions (list)

The Music Under the Theatre Stage (#120)

Old Haunted Playground (#149)

The Library Underground (#181)

Fantasy / Sci-fi Settings:

The Door Behind the Fridge (#99)

Maiden in the Maze (#102)

Sudden Apocalypse (list)

The Portal to Realms Unknown (#168)

Problems that May Occur in a Dystopian/Apocalyptic World

Historical Settings:

The Town Engulfed by Flames (#67)

The Entryway of the Palace (#155)

The Old Clock Tower (#186)

Modern Settings:

The Library (#26)

The Piano in the Storm (#57)

Making the Most of It on the Poor Side of Town (list)

The Antique Shop (#124)

On a Plane (list)

The Antique Shop (list)

Car Collection (#145)

The Performer on Stage (list)

City at Night (list)

#writing prompts #creative writing #writeblr #dialogue prompt #prompt list #setting prompts

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tinyundercover · 11 months ago

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pepper & felix

part eight

Felix's apartment becomes very crowded.

MASTERPOST word count: 2.9k

Basil’s needle was heavy in her hand. Exhaustion weighed on her shoulders as she walked through the walls, suppressing a yawn. She must have been walking for hours.

Seven days ago, she had stormed away from Pepper and left him alone. Since then, she had crafted a small space in the corner of the apartment complex, where she was confident she wouldn’t run into Pepper by accident. With twenty-eight years of borrowing experience, she didn’t struggle to survive alone in an unknown location.

However, seven days was a long time to sit alone with her thoughts.

Basil turned a corner and approached a crack in the wall, thick enough for her to peer through. She immediately recognized the apartment as one she had passed seven days ago. Good. This is the right direction.

Her thoughts raced. Was it really possible for a borrower to be soulmates with a human? How was Pepper so okay with that?

She swallowed, walking briskly down the hall. Pepper was her younger brother, and she would always be protective of him… but he was twenty-two. He could make his own decisions, no matter how much it scared her.

Guilt crept into her stomach, and she sighed. She regretted leaving Pepper alone with that human. He had seemed so confused, so nervous. She hoped that he was doing okay.

It had been selfish of her to leave. She had been undeniably terrified, yes, but so was he. She should have been there for him.

After twenty more minutes of walking, her surroundings became more familiar. To her left, a round white sticker was stuck to the wall, covered in a thick layer of dust. Pepper had placed it there a long time ago as a landmark.

Her heart swelled. “Pepper?” She called softly, voice wobbly with disuse. She eventually came across a small crack in the wall and peered through, her stomach jumping at the sight of four massive humans, scattered around the living space. For a moment, she wondered if she had taken a wrong turn, but then she spotted the blonde human. Felix. This was definitely the right apartment.

She chewed her lip, mind racing with nightmare-inducing possibilities. Pepper wasn’t out there with them, right? He wouldn’t do that, right?

After a moment of observation, she concluded that Pepper was nowhere to be seen. Her heart sank in relief.

“Pepper?” She called again into the walls, confident that the humans wouldn’t hear her over their own overpowering voices. “Are you around? Pepper?”

Pepper didn’t seem to be nearby, which meant he could be anywhere in the apartment. Taking a deep breath, she tightened her grip on her needle and set on her path.

—

“The director said the cast list should be out tonight,” Alice groaned, flopping onto the couch next to Owen. “It’s almost nine o’clock. What are they waiting for?”

“Maybe they’re still deciding,” Breanna offered, chewing her lip. She was sitting on the floor next to Felix, who had his laptop open and was periodically refreshing his email. His heart was racing with anxiety.

Owen was the only one of them who wasn’t fretting. He leaned back on the couch, shrugging. “Does it matter? You three are obviously gonna be the leads. Why worry?”

The three others erupted into a chorus of “you don’t know that” and “of course it matters.” Owen raised his eyebrows, falling silent.

“I swear, I’m gonna go crazy,” Alice muttered, playing with her silky black hair. She was checking her phone as often as Felix was checking his laptop.

After a second of silence, Breanna suggested, “Let’s just talk about something else… you know, to take our minds off of it. Um, anything interesting happening recently? Alice, Felix, how are your soulmates?”

Felix opened his mouth as if to respond, but Alice answered faster, voice suddenly bright. “He only lives four hours away.” She sat up straighter, beaming. “We’re gonna try to find a time to meet up soon– maybe this summer. I can’t wait.”

As if on cue, the three others turned to Felix, expectant. He hesitated.

“Oh, uh… things have been pretty good with my soulmate.” Felix fiddled his thumbs, feeling a bit embarrassed that Alice had grown so close with her soulmate and he barely knew a thing about his. “I mean… I don’t know where he lives, yet, but we’ve been talking a lot. We usually just tell each other about our days.”

“Do you know anything personal about him?” Owen asked expectantly, earning a glare from the girls. “Seriously, you’ve been talking for like, a month.”

“Well…” Felix’s mind was racing. His soulmate had always seemed so shy and reserved that Felix felt uncomfortable pressing him for more information than he was willing to give. “I don’t know. We’re just taking things slow.”

The other three seemed a bit unhappy with his answer, and Felix fidgeted uncomfortably. “What about you guys?” He focused on Owen and Breanna. “Owen, you’re twenty-one, right? Have you heard anything?”

“Nah,” Owen said, shrugging. “Not yet.”

“Only a month until I turn twenty-one,” Breanna said, crossing her fingers. “Hopefully my soulmate will–”

“The cast list is out!” Alice suddenly gasped, clutching her phone. “I got the email, oh my god, I don’t wanna open it–” She threw her phone to the side.

“What?” Immediately, Breanna scrambled over next to Felix. Felix’s heart caught in his throat as an email appeared in his inbox, titled The Little Mermaid Cast 2024.

Alice jumped off the couch and moved next to Felix as well, jaw clenched tight. Her face was pale. “Open it,” she urged, voice quiet.

With the girls hovering over his shoulder, Felix took a deep, shaky breath, and clicked on the email.

The Little Mermaid Cast 2024

Ariel ......... Alice L. Prince Eric ... Felix B. Ursula ........ Breanna A. Sebastian ..... Ricky S. continued

“Holy fuck,” Breanna said.

Felix’s heart had dropped past his stomach and was now doing cartwheels around the room. He blinked several times, unsure if he was reading it correctly.

Noise erupted around him as Alice and Breanna burst into cheers, grabbing onto Felix and shaking him. He gasped, laughing, relief and excitement and shock and fear racing through his body in waves. “Oh my god— congratulations, you guys!” he stammered, bringing a hand to his forehead.

“We did it!” Alice cheered, throwing her arms around Felix in a hug before lunging over to give Breanna the same. “We fucking did it!”

Owen was patting Felix’s shoulder, congratulating him, but Felix was more focused on the bookshelf, where he swore he saw a tiny glimpse of movement. His heart swelled, and he briefly wondered if Pepper was happy for him.

—

Pepper smiled, leaning forward to see Felix better. Felix was undeniably thrilled, speaking excitedly to the broad-shouldered human next to him.

This human— Owen— was taller than Felix, and when he had walked into the apartment Pepper had been appalled by his size. Pepper had spent the last hour lingering on the floor by the bookshelf, observing the humans from the safety of the shadows. He remembered Alice and Breanna from the audition.

Felix had warned him yesterday that his friends were going to spend the evening in the apartment, and although Pepper was a bit disappointed that he couldn’t wait for the cast list with Felix, he understood.

Clearly, the cast list had brought good news for all of them. Pepper watched them curiously, heart growing at their positive reactions.

“Pepper?”

Pepper nearly jumped out of skin. He spun on his heel, shoulders tense, spotting a glimpse of movement past the thin crack in the wall.

He spent a nervous glance at the humans before approaching the wall, peeling inside. “Hello?” He called cautiously, wishing that he had something more than his hook to defend himself. “Who’s there?”

“It’s— it’s Basil.”

His heart skipped a beat. Blinking several times, he squeezed his way through the crack, stumbling to his feet within the darkness of the walls.

There, standing an inch away, was his sister. Basil’s brown eyes were intense, her hand clenching her needle.

“Basil,” he whispered, heart pounding. Relief filled his body at the sight of his sister, completely unharmed. He had been wondering how she was doing. “I— you’re back—?”

He was cut off. Basil threw her arms around Pepper’s shoulders, squeezing him tight in a firm hug. Pepper blinked, then wrapped his arms around her as well, his breath catching in his throat.

“Pepper, I’m sorry,” Basil murmured. Her bushy black hair made Pepper’s neck tickle. “I really, really am.”

Pepper gently pulled away, holding Basil’s shoulders so that he could meet her wide brown eyes. He stuttered for breath, blinking rapidly. “Basil, what… what? Where have you been? Are you okay?”

Basil swallowed, dragging a hand down her face. “Listen, I… I’ve been thinking… about you, and your soulmate.”

Pepper nodded anxiously, stepping back. He vaguely heard the sounds of humans talking behind him.

“I still don’t know how to feel about it,” Basil said honestly, shifting on her feet. “I mean, I’ve spent twenty-eight years fearing humans, so when I found out you were talking to one, I kind of freaked out.” She gave a sheepish smile, glancing Pepper up and down. “But… I guess he hasn’t hurt you, yet, so he can’t be terrible.”

Pepper’s breath left his body in one exhale. “Right.”

“He’s really your soulmate, then?” Basil asked tentatively.

“Yeah,” Pepper murmured, flushing. “He is.”

“Have you told him?”

Pepper swallowed, a bit surprised at how much Basil was willing to listen. Appreciation for his sister flooded his heart. “No,” he admitted, glancing over his shoulder. “I don’t really know if I should.”

“Because… you don’t trust him…?” Basil asked, tilting her head.

Pepper chewed his lip, then stepped forward, taking Basil’s hand. He gently guided her towards the crack in the wall, where she only raised her eyebrows expectantly, then followed him out into the open.

Felix, Breanna, Alice, and Owen were still crowded around the living room, speaking with wide gestures. Pepper felt Basil press into him instinctively, and he made sure the two of them were well concealed in the shadow of the bookshelf.

“His name is Felix,” Pepper murmured, pointing to the blonde human who was sitting cross-legged and leaning against the couch. Warmth filled his heart at the human’s soft smile. “Listen, I know it seems crazy, but he’s actually a good human.”

Basil sent him a sidelong glance, but said nothing, so Pepper continued.

“He caught me a few weeks ago,” Pepper explained, eyes trained on Felix. “It was the scariest thing I’ve ever experienced. I thought he was gonna kill me, but— but he just… let me go. And once I realized he was my soulmate, I actually started to talk to him more, and he… he’s really kind, Basil. He’s never tried to grab me, or hurt me, even though he could have.”

Basil followed his gaze, observing Felix. “He could be just trying to get you to trust him,” she whispered uneasily.

Pepper hummed thoughtfully. Obviously, he considered that several times over the past few weeks. But… “Why, though? He could snatch me up at any time.”

Basil paled. “Don’t say things like that.”

“He won’t,” Pepper assured quickly, comfortingly taking her hand in his. “I promise. You know me, Basil, I would never talk to a human if I thought it’d be dangerous. I mean, I still get nervous around Felix… but he’s my soulmate. I’ve lived with my soulmate for a year, and I had no idea. I can’t just move away and forget about him.”

Basil’s brown eyes softened. “Yeah. I understand.” She moved closer to Pepper, taking a deep breath. “It’s just scary, you know? I mean, you’re my little brother. I want you to be safe around him.”

“I am,” Pepper promised. “I really am.”

Basil paused. “Then… why haven’t you told him? That he’s your soulmate?”

Pepper went quiet, peering around at the group of humans in front of them. His heart twisted. “I don’t want to ruin his life,” he admitted heavily. “He has all these friends, and goes to school, and does theater, and… and he’s not even supposed to know that borrowers exist.”

He watched as Felix patted Breanna’s shoulder, saying something to her, and he continued with a frown. “We’ve just become friends, and it’s actually going well. I really like him. I’m just worried that if I tell him that we’re soulmates, everything is gonna get fucked up, and he’s not gonna want to be around me anymore. I mean, what kind of human would want to be soulmates with a borrower? It’s not like we can go out in public, or anything. I— I think he’d just be sad, to find out I’m his soulmate.” He blinked rapidly, crossing his arms in front of his chest.

“Oh.” Basil let out a small breath, glancing between Pepper and Felix. “I see.”

Pepper only nodded, gray eyes trained on his soulmate.

“Well, there’s no need to rush things,” Basil said gently, leaning closer to Pepper. “You don’t need to tell him until you’re ready. It’s okay.”

Pepper sent her a small smile, and the pair of them fell into silence, observing the four humans.

They all seemed so happy. Breanna and Felix were sitting on the floor, chatting to Owen, who was seated on the couch. Alice paced around the room with her phone pressed against her ear, excitedly waving her hand around to emphasize each word. Pepper’s heart swelled, knowing that the cast list had brought good news for all of them.

It was undeniably terrifying to see four humans in his space, but Pepper had reluctantly grown accustomed to them over the course of the evening. Felix clearly liked them, and that was enough for Pepper.

“I should probably go,” Breanna said after a moment, checking her phone. “I’ve got an exam tomorrow morning. Owen, you ready?” She glanced up at the redhead, who nodded.

They had arrived together. Pepper still didn’t understand what “carpool” meant, but that was the explanation they had used.

“Congratulations again,” Breanna said brightly, giving Alice and Felix each a firm hug. “This is gonna be such a good show.”

“I’ll walk you to your car,” Felix offered. “Alice, are you sticking around?”

“If that’s okay,” Alice chirped, sitting down on the couch.

Felix nodded, and after Breanna and Owen bid their final farewells, the three of them walked to the kitchen. The front door clicked a moment later.

“They’re not so bad,” Pepper offered, glancing towards Basil. His sister was watching Alice intently, who was on her phone.

“I guess,” Basil said thoughtfully. “I still think they’re too big for their own good.”

Pepper laughed softly, then turned towards the wall. “Do you want to stay at my place?”

Basil sent Alice one more wary look before following Pepper. “Yes, please,” she said gratefully, rubbing at her face. “I haven’t slept in a thousand days.”

Pepper stopped before he could enter the wall, raising an eyebrow at his sister. “Where have you been, by the way?” He leaned against the bookshelf, sparing Alice a quick glance.

“In the corner of this building,” Basil explained, jerking her head in the direction she had gone. “Maybe a twelve hour walk? I made a little temporary home underneath the vending machines.”

Pepper blinked in surprise. “Oh, I didn’t know there were vending machines here. Maybe I should do some more exploring, huh?”

Basil laughed. “Dude, I got a whole candy bar from a vending machine the other day. It was awesome.”

Pepper smiled in amusement. “That sounds dangerous.”

“Nah, it was totally worth it. Have you had a Twix bar before? It was life-changing, I swear—”

“What the hell?”

Both borrowers flinched. Pepper gasped, stumbling against the bookshelf as a massive form knelt down in front of them, blue eyes wide and piercing.

When had Alice come over here?!

On instinct, Pepper and Basil both dove for the crack in the wall, colliding into each other with panicked gasps. Pepper’s heart thudded against his ribcage as he ushered Basil towards the opening. “Shit, shit, shit—”

In a flash, pressure closed around Pepper. He immediately thrashed out, gasping for air.

Pepper wasn’t unfamiliar with being inside of a human hand, but being grabbed without warning brought a whole new wave of panic. Memories of his and Felix’s first meeting flashed through his mind, and his ribs began to ache.

“What the…” Alice’s voice was quiet, filled with shock. Pepper couldn’t bring himself to meet her cold blue eyes. He continued to struggle, hoping beyond hope that Basil had managed to make it into the walls.

“Let him go!” A voice erupted from the ground, rough with terror.

Alice went still, blue eyes flickering down, and Pepper’s breath caught in his throat. No, Basil, get out of here—!

Basil’s shriek made Pepper’s stomach drop. He twisted, and in the corner of his eye he could see his sister squirming and kicking and snarling in Alice’s other hand.

She looked so small.

Alice’s sharp voice made Pepper’s heart drop. “What the fuck are you doing in Felix’s apartment?” Alice demanded, glancing between them. Pepper gasped for breath, mind racing with nightmarish thoughts.

He didn’t respond, trying desperately to look at Basil. His sister was fighting desperately, and he could barely imagine the terror she was currently feeling.

The front door clicked, and in an instant, the world seemed to freeze. Pepper almost sobbed in relief, knowing that Felix would immediately swoop in to rescue them.

“Fuck,” Alice mumbled.

Pepper’s vision blurred as Alice suddenly moved him into her other hand. His shoulder knocked into Basil’s, and he barely caught sight of her wide, petrified gaze before the two of them were shoved unceremoniously into a pocket.

____________

yeah... things were going a little too well for Pepper so I had to fuck things up. whoops :P

i hope you liked it!! <3

TAGLIST: @smallsday @compact-katrina @satethesatelite @taters169 @entomolog-t

#g/t #g/t writing #pepper & felix #borrowers #g/t soulmates

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cyberstudious · 7 months ago

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Free Resources for Learning Cybersecurity

I created this post for the Studyblr Masterpost Jam, check out the tag for more cool masterposts from folks in the studyblr community!

Free Online Courses

Linux Foundation Cybersecurity Courses - many of their beginner/introductory courses are free

Professor Messer's Security+ Course - a great intro to cybersecurity, gave me the skills to pass my Security+ exam

Khan Academy Cryptography - solid foundations for understanding the math behind encryption

ISC2's new entry level cert & training CC is free, although for a limited time

Linux Journey - learn Linux, the command line, and basic networking

Free CTFs & Ways to Practice

What is a CTF? - HackTheBox isn't a free platform, but this is a good article explaining what a CTF is and how to approach it

OverTheWire Bandit - practice your Linux skills

PicoCTF - this one already ran this year but their website has plenty of resources

Microcorruption - binary exploitation challenges

Hacker101 - web security CTF

Cryptopals Cryptography Challenges

Nightmare - binary exploitation & reverse engineering challenges

Cybersecurity News: follow what's happening in the industry

KrebsOnSecurity - security & cybercrime news, investigative journalism

SANS StormCast - daily 5-minute security news podcast

SANS Internet Storm Center - security blog posts

Cisco Talos blog - security news, threat intelligence & malware investigations

Schneier on Security - security & society

Black Hills Information Security webcasts

Darknet Diaries podcast

Other Free Resources

Trail of Bits's CTF Field Guide

PicoCTF Resources and Practice

SANS Cheat Sheets - all areas of security & tech

OWASP Cheat Sheets - application security & web attacks

LaurieWired's YouTube channel - high-quality videos on low-level tech

LiveOverflow's YouTube channel - binary exploitation

SANS Webinars

Cybersecurity Certifications Roadmap

Cybersecurity Job Supply and Demand Map (for the U.S.)

EFF's Surveillance Self-Defense - guides for how to protect yourself online

Don't Forget the Library!

If you have access to a public or school library, check out their technical books and see what they have to offer. O'Reilly and No Starch Press are my favorite publishers for technical and cybersecurity books, but be on the lookout for study guides for the Security+ and other certifications - these will give you a good introduction to the basics. I wrote more about cybersecurity books in yesterday's masterpost.

#studyblrmasterpostjam #studyblr #cybersecurity #masterpost #ref

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wordsmithic · 4 months ago

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▣ ━ 10 Visceral Greek Words ━ ▣

Please note that the full and/or root words mentioned here, like most Greek words, are still in use since antiquity. As a Greek speaker, I love sharing my interesting language with people like you!

1. σπαράζω (sparázo, v)

To tear apart with nails and teeth, to tear to pieces, to rend, to lacerate. Metaphorically: to grieve deeply, to convulse, to break (to be crushed, or overwhelmed with sorrow or grief)

2. ανατριχιαστικός (anatrihiastikós, adj)

Hair-rising. Metaph: Creepy, spine-chilling. Implies hair standing up due to fear or thrill. (only used metaphorically)

From ἀνά (up) + τρίχα (hair)

3. αποστήθιση (apostíthisi, n)

Taking something from the chest. Metaph. Memorization by heart. Committing something "from the chest," symbolizing internalization. (only used metaphorically)

From από (from) + στήθος (chest)

4. μαίνομαι (ménome, v, intransitive/self-contained form)

To be mad, angry, to rage, raving, out of one's mind. Comes from μάω (to have intense desire)

μνάω- μαν- roots are connected to actions of the mind (learning, μανθάνω, remember – μνέω, μνημονεύω, foresight, guessing – μαντεύω, mania/losing control - μανία). You probably know Dionysus’ maenads (μαινάδες). Their name loosely translates to “they who are overwhelmed by intense desire”. Even μούσα (muse) is speculated to come from this linguistic root.

Greek phrase example: Η καταιγίδα μαίνεται = The storm is raging

5. αδηφάγος (adifágos, adj, - “d” as “th” in “the”)

Voracious

From ἅδην (a lot, quite, to the point of satiation) + φαγεῖν (eating)

6. ξεκαρδιστικός (ksekardistikos, adj, “d” as “th” in “the”)

Heartwrencher. Metaphorically: Hilarious (only used metaphorically) It comes from the sensation of laughing so hard it feels like your heart is coming out.

From ξε- (prefix meaning "out") + καρδία (heart).

7. αχώνευτος (ahóneftos, adj)

Indigestible. Metaphorically: Unacceptable or unbearable (mainly used metaphorically). Refers to difficulty in mentally or emotionally processing something.

From α- (not) + χωνεύω (to digest, assimilate)

8. κοψοχολιάζω (kopsoholjázo, v)

I sever someone’s bile. Often used metaphorically to represent intense fear or emotional distress, and fright that causes a visceral reaction.

From κόβω (to cut, to sever) + χολή (bile)

9. μελαγχολία (melanholía, n)

(Condition of) Black bile. In ancient medical theory, it described a condition caused by an excess of black bile, thought to result in a gloomy or depressive mood. Today is used to describe a contemplative or poetic state of emotional reflection tinged with sadness.

From μέλας (black, dark) + χολή (bile, gall)

10. καθηλωτικός (kathilotikós, adj)

Nailing down, pinning. Metaph.: Gripping, captivating. Also used in the context of nailing Christ to the cross (καθήλωσις).

From κατά- (against) + ἧλος (nail)

▣ ━ My masterpost with similar posts on Greek Language ━ ▣

#pls reblog - I tried a lot for this o.o #it took me more than it should #hellenic language #hellas #hellenic history #hellenismos #greek language #linguistics #languages

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light-yaers · 2 years ago

Text

tangerine. | part one [carmen berzatto x reader]

Fic Masterpost | AO3

Carmen shows up at your diner after five years, and everything comes flooding back like it was only yesterday.

Warnings: swearing, angst, mature themes [discussions about drugs, workplace abuse, family problems]

Word count: 5.2k

PART ONE

“What is the point of this entire trip if you’re not going to tell me the restaurants in advance?” Sydney whittled off, trying to keep up with the storming legs of her partner. “Carmen, are you even listening to me, right now?”

“Of course, I’m listening,” he said, peering back at her as his legs kept up their pace.

He slalomed through people on the sidewalk of 8th Street and St. Marks Place, with Syd close on his tail. She didn’t know these streets like he did. His prior positions in the city were prestigious, ranging from sous chef roles all over the damn city, before he finally made chef de cuisine at Union Square Cafe. As the time had passed, understanding came with it, but she still wouldn’t ever wrap her head around him leaving NY for The Beef.

She knew Michael meant a lot to him, to the family, but dropping it all for a sandwich shop in Chicago would always be something she’d secretly question. Syd tried not to think about it too much; the fear of him leaving, or bailing, and the like; because at the end of the day she’d bled herself dry for this.

A restaurant. A place. Somewhere her dad used to love, and would love after the renovation. The Beef was gone, it was true, but in its place would be The Bear. The product of all of Carmen’s and her hard work.

Syd sped up to a jog, until she finally wrapped her fingers around Carmen’s forearm. She tugged him back, and used it as an opportunity to catch her breath. “You’re not listening. I don’t even know where we’re fucking going, Carm.”

He gently tugged his arm from her grasp. “This is a last minute addition,” he said, before he placed his hands on his hips. “I just wanted to get it over with. Sorry for rushing.”

Sydney nodded at him, listening. “Okay. So, let me in, dude. Tell me about this place so I’m less confused, and you’re less… whatever the fuck this is,” she said, gesturing to his erratic behaviour.

Carmen shuffled on the sidewalk, peering around at shop fronts, and the abundance of restaurants that lined up outside Tompkins Square Park. This was an area he knew like the back of his hand, but one he hadn’t visited since long before he’d left New York.

“The first place I ever worked in the city. It’s not fine dining, or Michelin starred, or any of that shit,” he started, and despite the abrupt way Syd’s eyes widened from annoyance, she still let him continue. “The vibe of it, though,” he said, and chuckled the words out of his mouth in surprise. “Just, come on.” He gently placed a hand on Syd’s shoulder, leading her forward so they were on the same page.

From the outside, Lucky Strike Diner didn’t look like anything special. It was a small unit, placed betwixt two taller apartment buildings, to the North of Tompkins Square Park. Syd looked up at it, grimacing slightly, but she tried to keep an open mind. She’d been around her fair share back alley barbeques and hidden gems to know you should never judge a book by its cover.

When she glanced over to Carmen, he looked practically childlike. There was a glint in his eyes that she hadn’t seen since they’d first decided to bin off The Beef and bring in The Bear That wonder, that craving for something new, and excitement of something unknown. Nostalgia danced over every feature of his face, and she watched as he sucked in a sharp breath, before entering the diner.

Inside, the decor was minimalist, but homely. Black and white photos lined the walls, pictures of families, of friends, of celebrations. Cream and red colours graced the walls, and the booths looked comforting and inviting. Despite the drab appearance outside, inside was bustling. Practically every table was full, and the old style bar was inviting. Through the kitchen window, sparks and fire shot up whenever something burned, or flambed, on the grill.

This vibe, the one Carmen had mentioned; Sydney felt it all immediately. That warmth, like you were stepping into a family function instead of something elitist. Businessmen sat with their laptops, next to mothers with their babies, and grandfathers on their own. This was a place for everyone, and that was clear to see.

As servers scattered over the busy restaurant floor, one of them stuck out to Sydney. You scuttled, slaloming through tables with ease, as you made your way to the host stand by the door.

Saturday rushes were always hardcore, but you’d grown accustomed to them. You grabbed two menus before you even looked the two new customers in the eye, and let out a simple “Welcome to Lucky Strike Diner, table for two–?”

You stopped when your brain finally computed his face; a face you hadn’t seen in a long time. Carmen Berzatto was standing in your fucking restaurant. “Carmy.” His name slipped out easily, and along with it came a sickly feeling in your gut.

He cleared his throat. “Table for two, yes. Please.”

You glanced at the second member of his party, quickly, and shot her a smile. You didn’t particularly have anything to smile about, but it wasn’t her fault that she’d just been planted into the middle of this inevitable shitstorm. That smile disappeared instantly, as soon as you looked back at Carmen.

“Great,” you said plainly. Even disappearing assholes like Carmen wouldn’t stop you from being professional and civil at work. You loved this place too much, had been here too long, to do that. “This way, please.”

You steamed forward as you picked out a table in the corner, furthest away from the host stand. You didn’t want him in the middle of the room, where he could easily find you in the crowd of servers. Why he was here and what he was doing didn’t cross your mind until you seated them, dropping the menus down on their respective settings.

Carmen scooted his chair in, and peered up at you. “It’s been a long time–”

“So, have you guys ever been here before?” you cut over him, and mostly looked at his partner. She shot you a clearly awkward smile, but nevertheless shook her head politely. Carmen stayed silent, and bit upon his tongue. “Okay, so I’ll lay down the lingo for you,” you said, as you quickly went through the menu with her. “You need anything, just wave one of us down and we’ll be happy to help, all good?”

“Yeah, thank you,” Sydney said with a smile, before she looked over at Carmen. That smile quickly turned to a small frown.

“Fantastic,” you said. “Can I get you guys some drinks to start?”

“Um, I’ll take the lemonade, thanks,” Sydney ordered, as she attempted to hold this entire interaction together by the skin of her teeth.

“Great choice, it was made fresh this morning like always.” You turned to Carmen. “And for you, sir?”

A vein had popped out on Carmen’s forehead very noticeably. It was one that Sydney knew well, when he was either under insane amounts of stress in the kitchen, or fighting against the urge to yell. Maybe both meant the same thing, but still– she could see from a mile off that this was not the way he’d wanted this reunion to go.

“Surprise me,” he said, as he looked up and caught your eye.

You clenched your jaw. “I’m no good at surprises, so I’ll just bring you some tap water until you decide,” you said, trying and failing to keep things light. “I’ll be back with those drinks in just a few minutes.” You went to leave quickly.

“Hey, just–” Carmen reached out for you as fast as he could, but as his fingers grazed your wrist, you managed to snap your arm away from him just in time. He gave up when disappeared through the doors to the back, and dropped himself back into his chair.

Sydney leant forward immediately. “Okay, dude. What the fuck was that?”

“It’s nothing,” Carmen said bluntly.

Sydney started laughing breathily. “Yeah, sure, that was nothing. Don’t test me, Carm.”

“I– fuck,” he spluttered. “Just pick your fucking food, please.”

Sydney was a pro at telling Carmen to calm the fuck down, but this interaction had her stumped for a solution. “What do you recommend?” she said, switching her tune.

Carmen met her eye in some kind of silent apology. “Uhh, the eggs. The eggs are fantastic. And the french toast, that’s the restaurant’s best.” As the subject changed, Carmen delved into the menu alongside Syd. They talked about their menu ideas, and paralleled them with the dishes they saw here.

Maybe bringing a diner styled meal to a (soon to be) Michelin menu wasn’t so much of a bad idea. It fit the theme. The homeliness, paired with the decadence of the chaos menu they’d been discussing priorly.

In the back, you quickly punched in their drink order, before you slalomed through the kitchen. “Behind!” you yelled, as you made your way through each station. The chefs all shot you concerned looks, as it became apparent where you were heading.

“Is today really a walk-in day?” One of them, Paulie, said as you raced by. He’d known you for years now, and knew when something was fucking wrong.

“Yep!” you exclaimed back at him, tugging open the handle of the walk-in swiftly.

“What the fuck happened?” he boomed, but you slammed the door shut before you could muster up a reply.

Inside, you breathed alongside the ingredients. The vegetables, the homemade sauces, the fresh smoked salmon. It was cold, but not too cold that you couldn’t stand it. The cool air made everything feel calm, like you had somehow been transported to some Icelandic lake in the summertime. The air was crisp, and noise was muffled through the door, like the solace you felt by locking yourself in the upstairs bathroom at a house party.

Carmen Berzatto showing up out of the blue had been something you’d long stopped indulging in. He’d made himself clear, the last time you’d seen him, that he had no intention of continuing the working relationship or friendship you’d once had. It was only then that you realised how fast the time had gone.

You were twenty when you met him, the same age as each other. Both of you tried to navigate life together as you stumbled and fell, and got yourselves up again. You were on par with each other, both in intelligence and maturity. Paulie had liked Carm as soon as he’d walked through the door for his interview, and pretty soon after being hired, he’d turned Lucky Strike around like it was no skin off his back.

He was a refreshing change for the life you’d found yourself in. He’d made this place great, and you’d taught each other some life lessons. You’d always known he was destined for more, and you’d always been the first person to sing his praises.

Before his abrupt switch in personality, you’d thought fondly of your time here together. The same old grind of opening up the diner together in the morning. While he prepped for service in the kitchen, you did so on the restaurant floor. It was a collaborative effort, and without both of you together at that point in time, the diner would have gone under. That’s what made it sting even more, when you thought of your life now– you wouldn’t be in this position if he hadn’t come along. It was like rubbing extra salt in your already open wound.

You sucked in a deep, cold breath, and let it out slowly. The cold invigorated your lungs, and gave you the strength to continue with your day. Lunch service was on the brink of its lull, anyway, but having him there, sat outside, with his fucking face that he used to look at you so fondly with, you could hardly stand it.

A gentle knock sounded from the walk-in door, and you quickly wiped a few spots of sweat from your forehead. “Yeah!” you yelled.

“Come on out, sweetheart,” Paulie urged you, and you hadn’t been able to refuse him for the time you’d been working at the diner– so that wasn’t going to start now.

You pushed open the door and sealed it shut behind you, before you allowed yourself to peer up at him. He was a burly guy, but soft around the edges. You had no idea if he was in his forties or sixties, since he had one of those faces that were sort of stuck in time. He spoke like a character straight out of Taxi Driver.

“What the hell happened, huh?” he asked gently, patting you on your shoulders sturdily.

You sighed. “Carmen. He’s in the restaurant,” you said.

“Carmy’s here?” Paulie exclaimed, as he frantically looked around the kitchen. “Guys, Carmy’s here!” he yelled. A few of the chefs, who’d been employed here for time, started muttering loudly.

Paulie’s joy only made you feel worse, but you didn’t hold it against him. Carm had been a staple here all those years before, and had taught a lot of the guys all that they knew about their role. Literally. “Table twenty,” you said. “Knock yourselves out.”

Service stopped momentarily as Paulie and two other chefs made their way out to the restaurant. You stayed back, and peered through the kitchen window. Beyond the bar, you saw Paulie exclaim as Carmen stood up and shook his hand. They hugged like bears, and he introduced Sydney to them all.

Paulie’s voice was one that carried, so it was impossible not to hear every note of their conversation from where you were. “We’ll whip you up your old favourites. You still like salmon?” Paulie went on, and Carmen nodded and smiled in appreciation the entire time.

You composed yourself as best as you could, before you left the kitchen. You grabbed their drinks, already prepared, on the bar, and gently shoved yourself through to their table.

“Aye, aye, aye– we have hungry people waiting, Paulie!” you said, allowing yourself to don a small smile as you gently set down their drinks. “Come on now, back to work, chefs!”

Paulie squeezed Carmen’s shoulder, before he gestured to you. “She’s practically the boss around here now, Carmy. The big boss,” he said. Carmen gently met your eye, but you looked away as fast as you could.

“Alright, alright. Big boss says three orders of french toast on the fly, chef,” you said, grinning as Paulie held up his hands defensively.

“I’m going, I’m going,” he said, as he started treading back towards the kitchen. “Good to see you, Carmy!” he boomed.

“You too, Paulie,” Carmen said, before he awkwardly sat back down and tucked himself in.

You caught your breath again, as you cleared your throat. “So, it seems our chef has already picked your order for you. Can I get you guys anything else that he didn’t mention?”

“Uh, yeah,” Sydney said, pointing to the menu. “What is this exactly?”

You read the words just above her fingertip, and your gut dropped. Tangerine salade. You were torn between wanting to laugh maniacally, or leave and never return to the diner. Carmen’s eyes widened in realisation at Sydney’s request.

“Oh, it’s–”

“It’s–”

You and Carmen stopped talking when you heard the other start. You’d both gone to explain the dish– if it could even be called a dish. You held your breath abruptly and took a small step back. Part of you wondered if he remembered the entire meaning, but you weren’t about to explain it all in great detail. Not when it didn’t feel as special anymore.

“I’m sorry, you tell us. Please.” Carmen shut his mouth and sat back, as if he was on best behaviour.

“It’s exactly what it says,” you said. “Tangerine salad. Two fresh tangerines, cut into slices like big oranges, instead of peeled and segmented.”

Sydney smiled, amused. “Where did that come from?”

It came from Carmen. You had a habit of stealing fruit from the walk-in, when you realised you hadn’t eaten on a shift. Tangerines were always ordered, but hardly ever used, so there was always an abundance of them, destined to rot.

Carmen caught you everytime, eating them like orange slices, just so they were quicker and easier to scoff down during a rush. The juice didn’t get on your hands as much, and you enjoyed the vibrant colour they produced over the white pith that covered their segments when peeled. Carmen had taken it upon himself to add a new item during a menu refresh in the early days. Tangerine salade was born, and neither you, nor Paulie, had ever thought to get rid of it. Even after all this time.

“Why did you call it that?” you asked Carmen, gobsmacked to see it on the menu for the first time, all those years before.

“Salad didn’t sound as good as salade,” he explained.

“You chefs and your obsession with French words, huh?” you joked, as you rounded his station and dropped the menu down upon the pristine surface. “This is sweet, Carmy. Sweet, but unnecessary.”

“Not true,” he countered, bashing his shoulder into yours playfully. “Now that it’s on the menu, it’s got a button on the system. Whenever you need a tangerine just punch it through, and we’ll have two of ‘em, waiting for you when you get a moment to fucking breathe.”

You felt Carmen’s stare on you at Sydney’s question, and forced yourself to suck in a breath and come back to reality. “Tangerine salad is our version of McDonalds apple slice bags. For the kids,” you lied, but nevertheless kept a smile stamped on your face. Carmen looked positively pale at your response. “They’re good fucking tangerines, though,” you added, and Sydney chuckled in surprise.

“Okay, I need to try these tangerines,” she said.

“One order of tangerine salade, on top of all the rest, sure.” You made a quick note on your order slip, even though you didn’t need to. It was just a way to avoid Carmen’s stare even further.

For the rest of the lunch rush, you pretended like he wasn’t there. You did the rounds, topping up cups of coffee, and rushing fresh dishes and dirty plates to and from the kitchen. You stayed on top of admin when you got a spare moment at the host stand, and scrolled through invoices from suppliers.

Without meaning to, you’d stayed at Lucky Strike Diner for seven years. It was life for you now. You lived a few blocks away, through the park, but having an apartment felt like a waste when you practically lived in the restaurant.

You and Carmen had talked about so much, when you’d both been confined to these walls. What lay beyond for both of you. His dream to cook in top restaurants, and eventually build his own restaurant from the ground up. You didn’t really have any dreams, just the security and stability of a good life, and good people around you, but you indulged whenever he mentioned his own place.

“Well, if you ever need a front of house manager, you know where to find me,” you joked, as you wiped down the bar at the end of the day. Carmen poked his head through the kitchen window.

“Why don’t we do it, then?” he asked abruptly. You stopped wiping the surfaces, and turned around to face him. “Open our own restaurant.”

“Oh, man, I don’t know. Money, taxes, insurance, money,” you listed off, and he tossed a wet cloth at your face. You dodged it, and watched it crash onto one of the restaurant tables. “Hey!” You turned back, shooting him an amused grin.

“You’re too much of a fucking realist,” he said, as he made his way out of the kitchen and into the restaurant.

“And you’re too much of a fucking dreamer. These things take time, Carmy.”

“I know that,” he said, as he grabbed the cloth he’d thrown. He approached the bar, and leaned over it, bridging the gap between your faces. “We could still do it, though. Have our own place. Cook our own menu.”

You smiled at his words, and rearranged the napkin holders next to him. “Can’t do that when you’re about to join the big leagues,” you said, and Carmen slid off the bar.

“You’re gonna fucking jinx it!” he wailed.

“It’s called manifesting!” you exclaimed. “You’re gonna get the fucking job, Carm.” He pulled out a chair from one of the tables and dropped into it melodramatically.

“Yeah, yeah, we’ll see,” he muttered. “You think Paulie will still talk to me if I leave?”

You were the one to throw your cloth at him now, and it hit him square in his face with a slap sound. You smacked your hands over your mouth in surprise, before you tried and failed to stop chuckles from cascading out of your mouth.

“I’m sorry–” you started, rounding the bar.

Carmen slid the cloth off his face. “You’re fucking funny,” he said sarcastically.

“I’m sorry, Carmy, really,” you said through chuckles, as you dropped yourself into the chair opposite him. You took the cloth from his hands, and gently squeezed his hand in apology.

A comfortable silence, one that you’d grown accustomed to over the past eight months, descended upon the two of you. All you could hear was the playful pounding of your hearts and the soft way he breathed. It was a relaxing sound.

“You’re gonna get it,” you said again, and Carmen only had eyes for you then. “And when you do, I can’t wait to go and eat the best meal of my fucking life.”

Carmen smiled. He’d always been shy, always quiet, unless he was in the kitchen. “My brother has a restaurant, back in Chicago. When I finished culinary school, I really thought he’d let me join him, you know? It could be a family restaurant. We could run it together, or something,” he said. You hooked onto his every word. “But, he told me no. Said he didn’t want me anywhere near it, and– I don’t know. I think that’s why I came here.”

You bit your lip, inhaling his words. “Family will always be our harshest critics,” you said.

Carmen scoffed, rubbing his tired eyes with his hands. “You can fucking say that again.”

“You know, my sister lives in Chicago,” you said.

Carmen leant forward. “Really?”

You hummed. “Has for a few years now. My mom didn’t like it when she told us she was moving, but.” You shrugged. “That’s just because my mom has never lived anywhere else than here.”

“Yeah, my own wasn’t thrilled about me coming to New York, either,” Carmen said, before he huffed in dark amusement. “It’s funny. She hates us, my brother and sister and I, when we’re around, when we complain, when we do anything– but she also hates it when we all wanna get the fuck out because of it.”

You smiled at him softly, in understanding. “They fuck you up, don’t they?”

Carmen flicked his gaze over your features. “You don’t seem fucked up to me,” he said gently.

“Give it time,” you said. Smiles slowly appeared on both of your faces, until laughter trickled from your mouths like drops from a tap. “One day you’ll realise just how messed up I am,” you joked.

“Is that a challenge?” Carmen questioned.

You scoffed, and raised your hands up defensively. “Fuck no. I don’t want to tempt fate when it comes to how fucked up chefs can be.”

Carmen pointed at you abruptly, sternly, but there was amusement all over his face. “That is an untrue stereotype,” he said. “Not all of us snort coke.”

“All?” you asked.

“Well.” He leaned closer to you, stretching his arms across the table. “Not me.”

You regarded him softly. You hardly got the chance to do this during service; just look at him. Hold his gaze, feel him close. You would never admit it, but having Carmen around was a constant over the past months that comforted you. You liked having him near, liked seeing him practically everyday, and it was clear that you got on enough to talk bullshit with each other.

When you got home that evening, way past midnight, you opened up your laptop and went to the Union Square Cafe website. You hovered your mouse over the reservations tab, thinking something crazy.

Carmen hadn’t heard back from the restaurant yet, but he’d only applied as the CDC there a number of days before. You knew he was going to get it, and felt it deep within your soul. That feeling is what lead you to book yourself a solo dinner, for the first available date you could possibly find– a years’ time.

You knew that, by the time that year was up and you were sitting at your table, Carmen would be in the kitchen, cooking your meal. You didn’t tell him about it either, but kept it to yourself for the remainder of his time at the diner.

You’d been right, when within a month, he’d gone through a rigorous interview process and landed the position and USC. Paulie had faked being mad, but it was clear to see the immense admiration he had for the young Carmen Berzatto. When his last shift approached, you had secretly arranged a goodbye celebration. At the end of a long Saturday, as you and Carmen shut up the diner and headed out, you were ambushed by the servers and chefs as you tread through the park.

Drinks and laughs were shared at your apartment across the way. It was the most you’d seen Carmen socialise in the time you’d known him, but he didn’t look uncomfortable once. He knew he had a support system behind him from the diner– and from you, predominantly. When the moon shone down onto your building, you found yourself out on your fire escape with a beer bottle in your hand. You looked up at the stars, and only looked away when someone shuffled out of the window and sat next to you.

Carmen crossed his legs next to you, and gulped down his own beer contentedly. You turned to him and smiled fully, overly excited for him to start his new endeavour.

He huffed at you softly. “You didn’t have to do this, you know,” he said.

“I know,” you replied. “Doesn’t mean I didn’t want to.”

Carmen shuffled awkwardly next to you. “I know, I know, it’s just–”

“For once, you need to be okay with being the centre of attention, okay? Deal with it.” You hit back, and laughed when you saw the way his eyes widened at your tenacity. “We’re so excited for you, Carm.”

Carmen nodded, and allowed himself to accept all of your praise, just this once. “I’m excited, too,” he whispered. “I can’t believe I got it.”

“I can,” you said. “If you don’t get some type of chef award in the next year then I’ll be surprised.”

Carmen laughed. “Chef award?”

“You know, like ‘Best New Chef On The Block’, or ‘Shyest Chef In The Business’, or–”

“Enough, enough,” he let out, chuckling. You weren’t done yet, however.

“Or the James Beard award.”

He scoffed. “Bullshit.”

“It’s called mani–”

“Manifesting!” Carmen finished your sentence for you, imitating your past words. You leaned against the wall in awe at his playfulness.

“So, you do listen to me sometimes, huh?”

“I guess I do,” he said, and shot you a knowing smile. You held his gaze when he gave it to you, because it was somewhat of a rare thing.

Maybe you’d always been too out there for Carmen, but he’d learned to live alongside you despite it. You were glad about that. You enjoyed his company more than you’d ever say to his face, and despite being so happy for him to leave the diner, part of you was aching at the thought of his absence.

You flicked your gaze over his face, taking in his features. He had a strong nose, and the kind of cheekbones that they talked about in women’s magazines. His eyes, though– God, his eyes– they were so blue that they looked artificial in some lights. Like the kind of blue food colouring you put in cake icing. Alarming, but also impossible to shy away from when he was properly looking at you.

He swallowed, and his Adam’s apple shifted in his throat. “I’m gonna miss you,” he said, almost croaking out the words. Your heart melted. Your brows furrowed softly. Your chest compressed. You let out a shaking breath through your nose.

“I’m gonna miss you, too, Carmy,” you let out. It felt like the best and worst kind of goodbye.

You hadn’t thought about that day in years. The last time you had, it was after your reservation at USC the year after. Coincidentally, that was the last time you’d seen Carmen Berzatto too, until he showed up at the diner and plummeted you back to those thoughts from those previous years.

As the lunch rush died down, you wiped the bar down from lack of what else to do. In the corner, Carmen and Sydney were finishing up their meal. Sydney had made an abundance of notes in a small notebook, while Carmen talked in hushed tones and spilled all the old diner secrets. With his hands clasped on the table before him, used napkin to his left, plates practically licked clean, he turned himself around to glance around the restaurant.

You sucked in a sharp breath when his eyes hit yours. You almost froze, but remembered yourself as much as you could. You tensed, and looked away first quickly. You smacked your hands down on the counter when you looked to the kitchen, and caught Paulie’s eyes. “I’m going for a smoke!” you announced, before you slipped off your apron quickly.

“Those things will kill you!” Paulie exclaimed back, his voice booming across the restaurant floor.

“Maybe that’s the point,” you muttered to yourself, as you headed towards the back door of the diner. You slipped a cigarette between your lips on the way.

Carmen’s gaze followed you as you disappeared through the door. Sydney saw it all as she sat opposite him, and had the strangest urge to give him guidance.

“So, shall we get outta here?” she asked. Carmen’s attention was still on the door.

“Uh, yeah,” he said, but his mind was still elsewhere. “Just– give me one second,” he said, as he stood up from the table. He started towards the door, and Sydney grabbed his wrist abruptly. Carmen froze, and looked down at her.

“Don’t push her,” Sydney said suddenly. “I don’t know what shit you guys have going on, but I’m good at reading faces. Just don’t push her too hard, Carm.”

Carmen regarded her thoughtfully. He nodded. Then, he was gone.

PART TWO

393 notes · View notes