#ceramic water fountain

[it-grrl]

Beginning to suspect my elderly teenaged daughter (read: my cat)'s recent bathroom issues are arthritis/mobility related so we're trying out some joint supplements and a new litter box (switched from top entry to low front entry) for the first time in over a decade pray for us.

[lotro-tooltips-daily]

[americania]

Mediterranean Landscape - Concrete Pavers Here is an illustration of a large, full-sun backyard landscape with a concrete paver water feature in the Mediterranean.

[millionponds]

Photo of a mid-sized partial sun backyard mulch water fountain landscape.

[akashihuahua]

Brick Pavers - Contemporary Landscape

[lemaquillage]

Landscape - Mediterranean Landscape

[icanseethefuture333]

PAC: “My body is my temple” what your body wishes to tell you ⏳⛲️🔱

“Fountain baby, wash her, make it wet”

“Diamonds hit the sweat”

“Tattoo on her chest, yeah, yeah, yeah”

“I like when my remedies connect”

“That pussy and a bed, like angels in Tibet”

Trigger warning: this reading heavily focuses on body image and may contain content that is triggering or sexually suggestive, viewer discretion is advised.

Pile I:

Shufflemancy -

Movement by Hozier

Dash by Nmixx

Lalala by Naughty Boy ft Sam Smith

Connect with fire, Aromatherapy, Use Your hands, Two of Wands, Nine of Cups, & Four of Swords

"Dear, pile 1,

I hope you are doing well. I wish for you to be free with your body, for you have been blessed with the gift of movement. You are fortunate to have limbs that can twist and turn. Wiggle your hips, try to touch your nose with your tongue, be silly and stop being such a stiff all the time. I know you were told to "sit down" and "be still" as a child but it is time to express yourself in a way you were not allowed to before. Your inner child needs you, I keep them safe, stored inside your belly and in the memories of your brain. I want to tell that you are enough and I love your creativity! I want to be there with you, every step of the way. I, your body, am tense, I wish to embrace the warmth. Visit a spa and receive an aromatherapy treatment or lay on the warm sand. Why do you keep lying in bed? Your life is passing you by. You were blessed with a physical vessel that is capable of movement. I put an emphasis on this because I know you have been feeling fatigued and a lack of motivation. I know about those thoughts you have when you look at me, your body. You have features that you are confident about but I know that when you look at me, you find me simple, in comparison to a figure that might be more dynamic than I. I don't feel offended when you think these thoughts but I do hope that one day you can value me, your body. I know about the smoking or the desire you have to do it, I have no problem with it, but don't let it desensitize you from your senses. Getting high provides an outlet but it should not be used as a substance to escape from your problems (channeled song: High Alone by Sevdaliza). A coping method I would like for you to try is writing your feelings on paper and burning it. You are talented with your hands as well, please look into creating art or careers that involves craftsmanship. Take a pottery / ceramics class if you are wanting a new hobby.

Pile II:

Shufflemancy -

Indigo by Niki

Low by SZA

Alter Ego by Doechii ft. JT

Connect with Your Womb, Hydrate, Flow Like Water, Ace of Wands, Ten of Swords, & Seven of Wands

"Hello pile 2,

I am so proud of how far you have come! You are such a strong individual, I know the emotions that you store deep down. The side of you that the world does not see. You shine bright like the moon but I, your body, get to see your dark side. I know that you have goals and aspirations, you want to prove everybody who told you could never do it that they're wrong. There was a lack of representation for your body type and I know that when you were a teenager, this made you feel very self conscious. The rolls, the stretch marks, and cellulite that developed on your canvas was bound to happen, for that is the transition into adulthood. I know that you get upset sometimes at the level of weight, height, and density that I carry, but instead of letting these insecurities stop you, you have truly made a path for yourself and for others with similar a body type. You are growing and learning that the way to happiness is acceptance. Although, you hide behind a persona that is masked with confidence, people commend you for your ability to communicate boundaries, and how you comfortably express yourself through your style, but underneath this veil of deception, you are someone who desires love. You know that you are a successful and powerful being with immense sexual energy but there is a lack of vulnerability. In order to release these burdens and be more in touch with your emotions, connect with your menstrual cycle. Listen to what I, your body, am telling you to do during this time. Drink plenty of fluids and uptake your vitamins by eating fruits or making smoothies/juices. I know that you are dominant by nature but allow others to guide you in life and to provide you the help you need. If you are seeking a goal, the universe will place them into your life to assist you. "Be like water, my friend" - Go with the flow and see where the waves will take you. You should also take the time to go swimming or relax by a body of water (pool, lake, river, etc). Go buy that bikini or swimsuit you've been wanting to wear, you will look so amazing in it."

Pile III:

Shufflemancy -

On My Mama by Victoria Monét

I'm That Girl by Beyoncé

Bossy by Kelis ft. Too $hort

Connect with Your Ancestors, Ground Yourself, Build Strength, Temperance, Six of Wands, & The Emperor

"Pile 3,

If you expected me to be sweet like the other piles you are surely mistaken! I am here to give you the cold hard truth, I don't sugarcoat nothing. I, your body, am a descendant of your ancestors. Your shape was passed down from the maternal figures in your family. I don't care what other bodies look like, I know, that me, your body, is tea! I don't need to be hourglass, pear, or any other man made name of a body shape to be considered "sexy". These are illusions that the industry creates to make people feel insecure about themselves to get work done or buy products. You do not need any of that, you are gorgeous!!! I need you to wake the hell up and realize that. Those random body aches and cramps you get is because I am trying to get your attention when your ass ignores me. You will not look like those people you have been comparing yourself to, look at the beauty that your family possesses, that you possess. You need to ground yourself whenever you feel self conscious because of your reality. Those videos and images you see on social media are not real, it is a fake virtual world. You and I, are real, we need to reconnect, my love. Mediate more, do yoga, anything to bring your mind back to focus on you. You also need to be patient, if you wish to obtain a physical goal, you need to build endurance and strength. Quick fixes does not last and will only make the situation worst, invest your time in the gym. Bring your attention on balancing your masculine and feminine energy. You can highlight my qualities by sculpting me, your body. I am a piece of art. You need to learn to appreciate me as I have adored you, even when you reject me."

Pile IV:

Shufflemancy -

Summer 2020 by Jhené Aiko

Evergreen (You Didn't Deserve Me At All) by Omar Apollo

You Know Wassup by Kehlani

Connect with the Earth, Be Still, Beauty Ritual, Two of Pentacles (reversed), The Empress, & Knight of Cups

"Oh, pile 4,

You have been dealing with a lot. I know you are still recovering from that relationship, I feel it in our heart. Your world was turned upside down after being with them. Detachment is necessary at this time in order to heal, they never deserved you, and I am glad they no longer have access to me, your body - for we are too beautiful to settle for less. I hope you can see how serene life can be when you are single. The most precious time we have left on this planet is with ourselves, the memories we can make just by being on our own, and discovering the complex layers of our psyche. Allow yourself to be still in this moment in your life and reflect on how you are currently feeling. Do not focus on the past or the future but instead your present, for it is a gift. Spend time in nature or connect with animals, your nervous system will greatly appreciate it. You need comfort and relaxation at this time. Perhaps visit your favorite place or take a walk through the park, whichever you feel most comfortable with. It has been a while since you done something for me. I know you have not been feeling your best but it would be nice if we could a beauty ritual together. How about a nice warm bath with lots of bubbles and suds <3? You could paint your nails, do your skincare routine, massage your scalp, whatever makes you feel the most happy and beautiful. A little ASMR session could be fun as well. I, your body, wish to be your best friend. I look up to you so much, even though I have matured, I still feel like that little child playing in the sandbox or playing on the playground. Do you remember those times? Sorry, I sound nostalgic, hehe. Its just good to finally speak to you, I love you so much yet you never got to know till now, just like how Joy adores Riley from Inside Out. I want you to be happy in life. I know that things have been rough for you but I hope just like those moments where you cried as a child when you scrapped your knee, that this could be a healing process we can overcome, together. Take care, my lovely, pile 4. Love - Your body."

Pile V:

Shufflemancy -

Unfold by Alina Baraz

Step On Up by Ariana Grande

Tia Tamera by Doja Cat ft. Rico Nasty

Chanting, Pleasure, Create Art, Three of Pentacles, The World, & Two of Cups

"Heyyy, pile 5!

I'm not a regular body, I'm a cool body! I want to help you embody this mindset of being unstoppable and powerful. You have so much potential that needs to be put into motion. I want you to work on your stamina and start shifting into gear towards your goals. I hope you are feeling pumped - I know I am! I want you to walk into the room as if you own the place. You need to work on your confidence, straighten your posture, and keep your chin up high. Practicing affirmations or chanting lyrics from uplifting music could you get in you in good spirits. I want you to feel like the diva that you are meant to be. Also honey, I am still cute and perky, SHOW ME OFF! I love when people look at me, your body. I want attention and compliments just as much as you do. You are like a work of art, stop shying behind others and covering me up. Not to be brash but when is the last time you pleasured yourself?! Its been ages since I had a good orgasm. You need to learn to put yourself on the pedestal and stop only focusing on what make others feel good, when have you ever put yourself first? Exactly. I want you to march into that bedroom and focus on making yourself feel sexy. Adore me, wear lingerie, do something to get me excited! Its been a dry spell, so please make sure I am wet first and be gentle. I would like for you to to make me squirt for the first time (be gentle but not that gentle <3). My bad, is that too forward? I just want somebody to match my freak and you could totally do it. I am flirting with you? yes! That's how I want you to feel about me, your body. You should learn to paint, maybe even paint yourself nude, who's gonna judge? Nobody is there to see, unless you want them to see. Wouldn't it be fun if we went to a art class and allowed those peasants to paint us like the god/goddess we are? Not to brag but I know I'm good looking, teehee! In all seriousness, I want you to know that the opportunities in life are endless and you have so much potential sometimes that I don't think you realize it. I am so eager to explore my senses. I want you to travel different countries, eat some yummy food, create art, have a romantic fling, and make love everywhere in the house (if that's your thing I mean... no pressure). Anyways, what I am trying to say is be more adventurous, you don't always have to be responsible, isn't that what being young is for? How can you learn from your mistakes and gain wisdom if you are always wanting to be traditional and focused."

Pile VI:

Shufflemancy -

Focus by H.E.R

Cozy Girl by Baby Tate

Chill Pad Deluxe by Majid Jordan

Write a Gratitude List, Read, Make a Meal, Five of Pentacles, Seven of Pentacles, & Page of Cups

"I'm sleepy, pile 6,

I need a really good nap. Could we just stay in? I love being comfortable and relaxed in bed. To be truthful with you, and you might already know this, I am an introverted body. I do not like being in crowds or around other people for too long because it really zaps my energy :<! I prefer being at home, tending to the planets, and being in a zen environment. Could you make me a cup of tea? I would really like something warm and comforting to drink. I hope we can be in a environment one day that is something we always dreamed of - peaceful and zen, a sanctuary for us and our loved ones. I sound old fashioned, don't I now? I guess you could consider me an old soul, I am sorry if I hold you back at times from getting to know new people or make friends, I am still recovering from our past struggles. I also feel like I disappoint you at times. Could you please write about what you're grateful for when it comes to me, your body? I need to hear words of affirmation, for I feel I've been beat down enough by the world, I don't want you to hate me too, it makes me sad. I forgive you for all the times you ever been upset with me and whoever has hurt us. I think we should start over and get to know each other again. I want to help you with your health, I know you have gut issues. We need to eat out less and learn how to cook home cooked meals. It would be nice if we made a recipe book! I love your cooking, even if it sometimes taste a little funny. I feel childish, do you see me, your body, as childlike? I revert to this state to protect myself, I am so sorry, I'm very sensitive. If I could, I would feel like crying but that's a good thing, I could finally release everything I have been pushing down. Let's cozy up under a fluffy blanket, lay on our pretty head on big pillow, and read a book. Could you read me a bedtime story? Oh I would really like that. Maybe even buy me a teddy bear? I like to cuddle, it helps me fall asleep. I also like when you wear silky pajamas or t shirts with sweatpants, its the best combo. You are naturally so pretty. If I could hug you I would, do you mind hugging me? If I had a voice, it would be soft like Winnie the Pooh. I like tummy rubs. I am grateful for you taking such good care of me, I will do my best to support you. Thank you for all you have done and will do for me."

Pile VII:

Shufflemancy -

The Truman Show by Sylvan Lacue ft Xavier Omar

Insane by Summer Walker

Healthy by PRETTYMUCH

Spend Time with Friends, Make an Altar, Deep Breathing. King of Swords, Nine of Swords, & Page of Pentacles

"Breathe, pile 7!

Sheesh! Are you okay??? What's the rush, dude? You need to chill, I know you would like to accomplish your goals but you're making me, your body, sick! Forget about FOMO and catching up with others, slow and steady can still win the race. You have to be smart with how you use your energy. Instead of trying to tackle everything all at once, how about making a schedule and breaking it up into smaller tasks? It would help with all the stress you're experiencing. You are creating unnecessary tension in your life, stop comparing yourself to others, or feeling like you need to buy something because of a trend, you are missing out on special moments because you are in such a hurry to- well, grow up! You need to take some time to relax and interact with friends, I could use a really good belly laugh. Have a movie night with your besties and put the weight of the world away. I don't ask for much but all I ask is that you please take care of your anxiety before it becomes a concern. Making an altar with your favorite pictures and trinkets to calm you down could help provide you a safe space, you could even decorate it with flowers, candles, or string lights, whatever makes you happy! When you sit down at your altar, practice taking deep breaths, and empty your mind. This will provide clarity and help you calm down. If you need guidance or wisdom in life, please come to me, your body, before going to others. I can help you make the right decisions, pay attention to your intuition, and the signals I give you, for it might even save your life one day."

Pile VIII:

Shufflemancy -

Jealousy, Jealousy by Olivia Rodrigo

Splinter by FIG

Prom Queen by Beach Bunny

Sweet Treat, Sound Healing, Alone Time, The Tower, Eight of Pentacles, & The High Priestess (reversed)

"What's up, doll? I-I mean Pile 8!

I don't mean to pester ya. I bet you didn't expect me to sound like a new jersey housewife, eh? Or is it Harley Quinn??? Bugs Bunny?! Eh, whateva. Listen pudding. You are sweet as a cupcake, ooo wee! What a delight you are! You and me, doll, we make quite the pair, you know- given that I'm your body and all. Listen babe, you mind if I call you babe, sugar? I know you've been a bit down in the dumps for being "fun sized". Whether ya petite or a slim jim, what's it to ya?! Who cares if others got a bit more pushin' to the cushion? You're absolutely friggin' adorable! Keep it cute and perky. You're like Sandy Dee from Grease before she got the makeover and what not. The spice you need is that confidence Sandy got when she mustered up the courage to change up her look and join The Pink Ladies. You gotta show these fools you're not just somebody they could push around! Hun, to be frank with you, I'm really tense, I get all tough in the muscles because you're always being picked on and it makes me protective of you. It's hard for me, ya body, to let my guard down. . Bake me some goodies will ya? Whenever you're having a tough day, reward yourself with some treats. I want you to stop caring about how much you eat or where it's gonna go, you're perfect the way you are. Also why don't you listen to some music to unwind? Jam in your room, get a instrument, sing, listen to frequencies, do whatever brings you peace toots. As much as I am good at interacting with the peoples, I think it's time for us to get some alone time. We gotta start from the ground up because I know you're struggling with your confidence because of what happened to ya. Ya know- that traumatic event we don't really like to talk about? Yeah you know what I mean. I wish I could beat up those stupid bullies who made you cry. I know that from a young age, you always compared yourself to the popular kids and those celebrities from the magazines but doll, peaking early doesn't mean its gonna last forever. Being a late bloomer has its advantages, you have the brains and the beauty to match with it. I want you to know that you got something really special, kiddo! And I'm not saying it just because I'm your body. I want you to focus on building a career and getting a good education. Trust me when I say this, as you get older, I'm gonna spread out in all the right places, you won't even know when it will hit ya! I'll make it move like water, if you know what I mean, baby!!!"

Pile IX:

Shufflemancy -

In A Good Way by Faye Webster

Put Your Records On by Corinne Bailey Rae

How Sweet by NewJeans

Journal, Look to the Stars, Family, Wheel of Fortune, Ace of Pentacles, & The Fool

"Greetings, pile 9,

You have arrived to your destination! I find you to be so ethereal and beautiful. I hope you don't try to diminish your beauty by wanting to fit in, you look your best when you stand out. I like when you wear flowy clothing, it makes you sparkle like a celestial being from outer space. You should dressing according to the signs in your birth chart, it could help you attract abundance. Are you wishing to manifest your dream body? It is possible, for I, your body, are transformative. We constantly growing and changing in life. You should journal your thoughts and ideas, watch your goals come into reality. I want you to really shoot for the stars! Invest your money in taking care of your health. There are health issues that are genetic and run in your family, instead of fighting it, focus on taking care of yourself. Buying the right foods, supplements, and vitamins could be crucial at this time. I believe giving gifts and being generous to family members would help promote good spirits. If you are wanting to try something new lately, perhaps traveling, or going on vacation, now would be a good time to do so. I would like for us to go for a run, jog, or a walk! Let's visit places we never been to before, something magical is waiting to happen. I, your body, would also like a little buddy. Could we get a pet? So that they can accompany us in our jogs through the neighborhood, that would be fun!"

[forgetme-eternally-blissfully]

“So, babysitting?”

Alberu follows after the delinquent. From the record the vice-principal gave him access to, Cale frequently drinks alcohol, he often gets himself into a lot of fights, and he barely passed his classes at the end of the grading period. The teachers never call on him in class, girls and boys avoid him alike, and he is- supposedly- completely intolerable.

Which is why Alberu Crossman, who’s only a little older yet infinitely more mature has been assigned by the principal (his father) to get the troublemaker under thumb. Cale's father is quite wealthy, actually, and since there isn't much known about the successor to the Henituse family... it'd be bad if he had to be expelled.

Cale scowled. “Yes, babysitting, your highness. Please, leave if you must,” He jeers at Alberu, but internally he thinks, 'No, really. Please leave.' Otherwise, he might get caught in the act.

Of not actually being Cale.

Roksu aims a sour expression at Alberu, who returns it with a more flowery one. Acting as his twin for the day had been easy enough, mainly because being trash is great!- until Alberu Crossman strolled into his lunch period and introduced himself.

He is even following him out of the school to his job. Well, this job is Roksu’s and not Cale’s, but because he can’t ditch work nor can he get glib-tongued Alberu off his tail-

Well shit.

Thankfully, the kids call him hyung. Except Raon, who calls him human. Hopefully Alberu doesn’t look into it too much. If everything goes right, Alberu Crossman will be Cale's problem to deal with tomorrow. As it should have been.

“I didn’t know you liked kids, Cale,” Alberu smiles charmingly, walking side by side with Roksu. “Can you introduce me?” Roksu struggles to not put on his own disarming smile out of spite, instead plastering on a classic Cale Sneer™. It fits on his face perfectly, like he’s playing a character in a play.

They enter the building and ‘Cale’ guides Alberu to a colorful playroom, decked out in toys and a fountain of running water as the centerpiece (A gift from his father, who is still upset that Roksu doesn't visit more often). There’s a tray of fruits and oatmeal on the small table in the corner of the room, except not a soul to be seen. Picking up a bowl of oatmeal and finding the ceramic to still be hot, Roksu almost smiles.

Alberu frowns. Where are the kids he's supposed to babysit?

Roksu tells the empty air, "Come on out."

Three children appear out of nowhere in front of them.

“Hyung!”

“Human! You’re back!”

“Hyung, nya.” On examines Alberu some more.

All of the kids had been revealed the moment that Roksu spoke, as Raon unveiled the invisibility on them.

Raon runs up and grabs Roksu’s hand, who places it on his head, rubbing the black hair comfortingly. “Mm.” Raon beams at the affection.

“Raon, On, Hong,” they each look up at him at the call of their names. “This is Alberu Crossman, he is doing a report on my trashy behavior. Don’t be rude."

All three children become hostile immediately. “He isn't trash!”

On observes Alberu with an intense glare. Raon shifts under Roksu’s hand, his deep blue eyes glinting with magic. Roksu positions him away from the older teen’s view. Raon grips onto Roksu’s pant leg with a vengeance. Hong stares openly, offensive.

Alberu smiles at them.

"I'm visiting with Cale Hyung for today, nice to meet you."

Hong gasps suddenly.

“He-!” On gives her brother a look, and he clamps his hands over his mouth. Alberu feels a deep curiosity, as if something isn’t quite as it seems.

Roksu sighs. It’s going to be a long hour.

At the midway point, Alberu has easily disarmed the children. They look fascinated at the magic he shows them, while Roksu can only rub a palm over Raon’s shoulder as a warning to keep his dragon magic under control. He's still just a child that wants to brag. Everything is going well.

Bang!

“Hey Roksu! How was-“ Cale bursts through the door, bright red hair equipped with a shit-eating grin, wearing clothes far less fancy than his usual. He tenses up, frozen in place when he spots Alberu on the floor, politely sitting "crisscross applesauce" with the children. Roksu narrows a withering glare at his twin.

“… Roksu?”

Alberu looks at ‘Cale,’ sitting next to him, the one he's spent the entire day with, who is trying to send what must be the real Cale into the sun with his eyes.

“Ha… ha?” Cale winces. Roksu wipes his expression from his face.

“Cale-hyung, run! That’s the human’s bad look!” Alberu’s eyes widen as he watches the confirmed real Cale bolt back into the hallway and out of the front door. Alberu whips his head back toward the stranger behind him, who is a perfect replica of the Cale who ran like Hell. Cale has an identical twin?? Since when? Why doesn't he go to school?

Roksu levels an emotionless gaze at Alberu. “Hello, your highness. Don’t mind me.”

Alberu can only watch in astonishment as this stranger walks out of the playroom, with a smooth and deadly gait as he hunts down his twin like a predator would to prey. He recalls the look 'Roksu' gave him and it sends a shiver down the principal’s son’s spine. That gaze held secrets.

Something about this stranger is even more interesting than the sudden appearance of a twin.

On walks up to him, sitting down in his lap and looking into his eyes. “Roksu-hyung will be back soon, nya!” Hong bounds over and sits next to his sister, grinning widely. Raon huffs and looks at the door. He wants his human to come back.

[vidavalor]

Aziraphale

What's in a name?

Azir: Chosen one

Azira: "a rising star"; someone who will be successful

Pronounced as: "A zir, a phale"

Zir: Pronoun for a non-binary person

Phale: from the Middle English 'whal'/'hwal'/'wale'/'whale', used to denote any large, sea-dwelling mammal, such as walruses, porpoises, and whales.

Also: Phale: the sum of money or allotment of produce to be given to a landowner as rent

Phale: (spelled the same but pronounced "pah-lay") Tibetan word for bread.

Phale, frequently confused with Phiale:

Phiale: a shallow, ceramic or metal bowl, used for libations

Also: Phiale: a fountain in the entrance or front of a church, for blessing of water

Phale, from Phalera...

Phalera: A metal disc or medallion, usually worn on the breast as an ornament and as part of a military uniform

Also: Phalera: a genus of moth-- insects which are drawn towards light. Humans are ants; angels are bees; demons are hornets; flies are Lord Beezlebub's department...

Also: Phalera: a decoration for the harness of a horse, popular in ancient Rome

[m1male2]

The Antonina Fountain (160-180 AD) has been restored to its full splendor after centuries of pouring water like a waterfall.

This fantastic monument shows us the power and prestige of the Roman Empire and the wealth and importance that the city of Sagalassos (Turkey) came to have. Between the s. I and III enjoyed great prosperity due to trade and its ceramic production.

(Video ©️Arkeoloji Evreni)

[timeoutsoup]

Dig You A Grave Part 2

(Again thank you for @im-totally-not-an-alien-2 for the prompt. Also shout out to @spoopyspoony for the hilarious tag)

Klarion had succeeded in his mission of obtaining the tome for The Light, but at a heavy cost to himself.

Teekl had emerged from the Mayor’s Mansion having successfully gotten the book, only to be seen by the junior justice babies. They divided their attacks between him and his beloved familiar. In the end he was able to grab the book as he a Teekl were separated by a blast. Deciding to lead the heroes away and return for his beloved feline, Klarion took to the sky. Once he knew it was safe to return, the witch boy began his search for Teekl.

It had been three days and Klarion had not found her yet. Anger and worry clouded his vision, as he continued his search.

The powerful witch boy was getting sick of the light. All they cared about was their stupid plan. They kept the Lord of Chaos on a short leash, gave him rules to follow, and had him run errands, like some servant. And to top it all off none of them had cared the Teekl was missing. Savage had the audacity to tell him to just find a new one, as if that man had any power over him. He decided to find Teekl and then make his decision about the light.

The Day Before

Danny was excited about fostering the cat he found. She was so sweet, and really well trained. He didn’t even know cats could be trained. His parents had let him foster the cat, when he explained how he had stumbled upon her after the ghost fight. Also mentioning how the feline had orange fur, and it reminded him of Jazz, didn’t hurt either.

Sam and Tucker had joined him when he went to the pet store to pick up items for his new house guest.

“What if she doesn’t like anything?” Danny worried.

“Simple we will donate what we can to shelters and local rescues and come back and get different items.” Sam replied as she grabbed a bag of Churu’s off the wall.

“More importantly, since when do you buy meat products?” Tucker asked, raising a brow at Sam.

“While cats are omnivores, they eat mostly meat. Just because I am a vegan doesn’t mean I’m going to make a poor animal suffer and deny it proper nutrition.” Sam replied, giving Tucker a look.

“Huh, I didn’t know that. Maybe I should pick up a book or two on cats while we are here.” Danny said, pushing the cart down the aisle.

If Sam decided her parents should foot the bill after they had tried to replace her favorite combat boots with pastel pink kitten heels, who were the boys to complain about the Manson’s generous donation for this poor, injured kitty. They got everything, wet food, dry food, bowls for food and water, a water fountain bowl, treats in all shapes and sizes, a wool cat cave bed, a cat tree, toy and more.

Once Teekl (she had a collar with her name on the tag) had been released from the vet, which the Manson’s also paid for, Danny took her straight home, hopeful she liked it. He read the book they got and followed the vet’s advice to start by introducing her in a small safe area. The upstairs bathroom was perfect because only he really used it now that Jazz was off at college. Not everything they bought would fit into the bathroom, so Danny made the decision to put the necessities and a few extras. No matter how funny Tock found it he was not putting the cat tree in there. Carpet in the bathroom is disgusting. Just the simple ceramic food and matching water dish, the new litter box, and the shirt he was wearing when he rescued her, on top of an old pillow that smelled like Danny.

Opening the carrier, Danny watched as Teekl walked out, examining her new surroundings. She gave a courteous sniff to the food, took a few laps of water, and then plopped herself down onto her makeshift bed. Confused but happy that she felt comfortable, Danny continued to watch, making sure she was comfortable.

After a few minutes Danny left her to her own to finish settling in, making sure to close the door. Returning to his room to finish setting all the cat supplies up. Placing a bed between his dresser and the wall so she could hide in comfort. The cat tree between his bed and the window, so she can sun herself, as well as use it like steps to get on his bed. The water fountain off to the side, on a rubber mat, and her food bowl near by but not too close. And a basket, holding a variety of toys slide nicely under his bed.

Checking his watch, the young halfa decided to check on his furry little house guest again. Standing up, and turning around, the ghost boy is shocked. There sitting in his doorway, cleaning their paw without a care in the world, is Teekl.

“Well, I guess you’ve adjusted to being here then.” Danny muttered, leaning down to pick up the orange tabby. Surprised that she not only let him pick her up, but began to purr, he turned around and began to how her his room.

By the end of the day Teekl was sunning herself in the last rays of sunlight as Danny finished up his homework for school tomorrow. It was a nice relaxing moment in his hectic life. He began dissociating and didn’t notice the cat in his lap until she began to headbutt his chin. Blinking back to the present Danny looked down and smiled, gently petting the purring feline. He knows that eventually Teekl’s owner will come for her, and he does want her to be returned, but another part of him wants her to stay with him forever.

Waking up to a warm, purring cat on his chest has to be one of the best feelings in the world. Danny doesn’t want this moment to end really. He feels like a normal teenager for the first time in a long while.

Trying not to dwell on the fact that he isn’t normal, the teen gently gets up to start his day. Teekl decides to lay in the warm spot he just left.

Danny dressed quickly, rushing through his morning routine, making sure he had enough time to take care of Teekl before he rushed off. After checking everything, and topping off her food in water, Danny crouched down beside his bed, eye level with the sweet tabby.

“Alright cutie, I have to go to school now. I topped off your food and water. There are plenty of comfy and warm places to take a nap. Stay out of the fridge. I’m pretty sure the hotdogs have overthrown the ham. Also stay out of the basement. It’s dangerous and my parents wouldn’t know lab safety if it bit them.” Danny stated as he rubbed her head.

He stood up. Two rings of bright light engulfed him, and a moment later a teen in a black and white hazmat suit, white hair that seemed to move with no wind, and a pair of glowing green eyes.

“I’ll be back after school.” Danny said with a wave, turning intangible as he rushed off to school.

In his hurry he didn’t notice the glint in feline’s eye as he rushed off to school. Softly jumping down from the bed, she made her way to the door and down the stairs, only stopping for a bit of food and a drink of water.

Teekl would have usually returned as quickly as possible to Klarion, but this time was different. The being that helped her had smelled of death and power, and she was curious, after all she was a cat.

—————

Danny had made it to school on time for once, and was able to grab some food before class started.

“Wow you're on time for once.” Tucker snickered.

“Yeah, I woke up early to take care of Teeks, and no ghosts, so I also grabbed breakfast.” Danny bragged.

“Teeks? You already gave her a nickname? Danny, you know she’s not your cat.” Sam stated.

“I know. It’s just a nickname, don't worry.” Danny replied as he turned toward the board as the bell range.

—————

By lunch Danny was bored and missed Teekl. His idea of sneaking out and checking on her during lunch got thrown out as his ghost sense went off. Lunch Lady was back and had taken over the cafeteria. Ducking for cover behind an overturned table, he peered out to a scene that made his blood run cold.

“No animals in the cafeteria!” Shrieked the ghost, hurling meat at an orange tabby. “Get out now or I’ll turn you into meatloaf.”

——————-

Klarion had been flying around for hours searching for his familiar and he had finally tracked her down to a school. Racing down the hall, dodging fleeing teenagers, he finally reached a set over double doors, flung them open and was shocked by the scene in front of him.

The black-haired teen, who had asked him out during his fight with Young Justice was standing on a pile of meat, holding his beloved familiar, and wielding what looked like a thermos that was sucking up a ghost wearing a hair net. A truly chaotic site to behold.

After capping the strange device, the interesting blue-eyed boy turns to the remaining occupants of the room and opened his mouth.

“I have only had Teekl for a day and a half, but if anything happened to her, I thermos everyone in this room, and then myself.”

[kingofthe-egirls]

SNAKEMAN: LUFFY x Y/N (stripper part 3!)

stripper au: part 1 part 2

(cw: sex, snakeman monster fuck, sad luffy but u help)

(a/n: uk how it is)

Songs: “Minimize” by B.P. Valenzuela

words: 1k

****

Luffy stalks towards you, as you circle the stripper pole in your sparkly heels. They’re the newest gift he’s spoiled you with: rhinestone heels with small platforms and black velvet straps. The crystalline shimmers reflect the studio lights as you twirl around the pole, letting your legs swing your weight slowly in circles. You’re wearing black exercise shorts and a lacy bralette.

Snakeman’s haki-armored pythons suddenly wind around your waist. He slows your spin, as you release your grip on the pole so he can reel you back into his strong chest.

He’s like, five feet taller than you.

You squeak, surprised at the sudden contact between your almost-bare back and his heated chest.

“Ssssuch a sweet pussy f’me, hah?” Luffy’s hissing, snakelike voice drops several octaves as he manhandles your shorts off.

His python hands find your pussy, cupping it with his palm. He rubs the heel of his against your clit, wasting no time before dipping his swollen, steel-like fingers inside your sopping pussy. He lets out a sinful groan.

“Shiiiiit, baby~,” He snickers from three feet above you. His muscles clench and contract behind your body as he maneuvers your thighs beneath both hands. Snakeman is an impatient, slithery version of your slutty captain.

His cock stretches you out perfectly.

“Ssssooo goooood~!” He hisses, his whines turning hoarse as he starts a slow and steady rhythm.

He’s fucking you like a monster: both large hands wrapped around your thighs as he spreads your legs as far as he can. He’s lifting you up and down on his cock, his head thrown back as he stutters and moans.

Eventually, he sits.

Snakeman Luffy is sitting crosslegged on the floor of the studio, still lifting you up and down his stretched-out cock. Like you’re his personal fucktoy. Like he’s never felt something so warm, so hot, so tight before. He’s hissing out phrases of pleasure, his compliments half-bitten off and chewed as he chokes through his own whining keens.

“Ssssuch a—such a good sex doll, huh sssweetie?” His tongue flickers against your ear, before wriggling its way inside. He teases your sensitive ears with his snakey tongue, and you find yourself cumming with reckless abandon.

He snickers as you writhe and moan.

You scrabble at his hair, your arm stretched up all the way as you try to reach his head. His Snakeman locks are silken: long and swaying as if there’s a breeze. He leans down a little so you can pet him easier.

“Snakeman doin’ a good job for ya?” He asks, whispered voice betraying the self consciousness he always so deftly conceals.

“So good~!”

He starts smooching the skin of your shoulder, as his Snakeman deflates.

He’s panting, ragged and worn after his exploits. He slumps against you, his limbs wrapped around your torso as he sniffles. His face is buried between your shoulder blades.

“S’not too—freakish?”

You gasp, swirling around to smother his face in your chest.

“Don’t ever say that!!!” You say in disbelief, scratching his hair as it slowly spikes back up to its usual shortness. His body is sleepy, deflated. His skin is paler than normal, as his breaths come raspy and hoarse. He stares up at you with big, pleading eyes.

“Snakeman’s sexy, right?”

He’s asking for reassurance, for sex-driven compliments and you can’t help but pour out your affections for him. The same way statues pour water from ceramic vases into fountains: endlessly.

“Snakeman is so sexy,” you encourage him, stroking his face. His eyes flutter shut, as his smile starts twitching up again. “Snakeman is sexy because he’s you.”

Luffy stares up at you with the pit of his stomach in hell. “No one’s—ever called me…sexy…before,” he confesses, his eyes shiny with tears. He scrubs at his face: at the side with no scar. “Stupid baby face,” he sniffs sharply, “M’short and scrawny, too…,” he whispers out his insecurities, staring at the floor.

You sit up, facing him.

“You are sexy. Inherently. Your voice, your scrawny, your stupid chubby cheeks. Your scar, your eyes. The way you move. You are sexy.”

You try to tell him, to get the message across, but something in his eyes says that he’s still seeing the weak, childish version of himself.

He sniffs.

“Makino said I’ve got owl eyes…,” he says miserably, scrubbing at his face. He stares down at the glossy studio floor with shadows over his expression. “Ace said m’so short no one would ever kiss me…and Uta—,” he hiccups, his eyes red and swollen as tears flow freely. He scowls.

“Uta said m’too ugly for her to stay steady with…she said she was just usin’ me fer kissin’ practice,” he speaks bitterly.

You grab both sides of his face, anger boiling inside you with heat you’ve never felt before.

“Who the fuck. Is Uta.”

Luffy stares at you, suddenly perked up at the sound of violence in your undertone. He sees you’ve gone so terribly still. Steel is flintlocked into your eyes. He shakes his head.

“Shanks’ kid…she was my crush, as kids…,” he wavers a little, still stung by her harsh critiques.

You grit your teeth.

“She. Was. So. Wrong.”

He stares, still not comprehending.

You sear him with a kiss that starts low at your gut. Center of your pelvic floor. Magma, molten lust.

“Sexy doesn’t begin to describe it. You’re so…so handsome. Your jawline, your bone structure…,” you grace your fingertips against his cheekbones. You trace the slight slope of his nose. “Your skin is so warm, and your lips are velvet. I—,” you shake your head, “Why d’ya think all those girls flock ta ya? Cuz you’re a wanted man? Cuz you’re strong?” You shake your head vehemently. You pour as much stripper-seduction into your words as you possibly can. “Nah, Snakeman. It’s cuz you’re so fucking sexy. Your hair is dark, your skin is warm brown, your muscles are defined, your voice is so—ugh!” You’re at a loss for words.

Luffy stares at you.

“Seriously?”

You swallow.

“Seriously.”

****

[useless-catalanfacts]

There are some toys that children always love. One of them is tiny versions of cooking utensils and dishes. Here's some of them found in Catalonia from different moments of history.

Left: A tiny vase and/or lid (3.2 cm long) made of thick ceramic. Local production, 4th century BC. Museu d'Història de Barcelona.

Right: Little cup (6 cm), made of thick ceramic. Local production, 4th-3rd century BC. Museu d'Història de Barcelona.

Two pitches and a toy pitch (12 cm tall) found at the bottom of a well. This well was built in the 15th century and was stopped using when the city hall built a water fountain in 1636. The pitches had to be lowered with a string, sometimes the string would snap or the pitch would hit the well's walls and break. For this reason, archaeologists found 145 broken pitches at the bottom of the well, and this toy. Little pitches used by children to carry water have been found before in Catalonia, but this one is so little and would be able to carry such an insignificant quantity that it could only be a toy. Museu de Banyoles.

Left: Tiny dish (1.5 cm), imitating the common brown ceramics with green glaze that were common at the time. Local production, 16th century AD. Museu d'Història de Barcelona.

Right: Tiny bowl (1.7 cm). Local production, 16th century AD. Museu d'Història de Barcelona.

Tiny jar (4 cm). Ligurian maiolica ceramic of the series "a tappezzeria" with "tre nuvolette" decoration. In the base, it has the Savona coat of arms used as a workshop seal. Even though this was made in Liguria (Northern Italy), this was found in Barcelona. At the time, there was a lot of commerce between these two places, particularly for ceramic chinaware, with many upper class families in Barcelona buying imported Ligurian dishes, plates, bowls... It seems like they also did it for their children. 16-17th century AD. Museu d'Història de Barcelona.

Tiny reproductions of common ceramics of the Early Modern period found in el Born archaeological site, 17th century-1717. El Born CCM.

Picnic basket (17 cm long), 1952. Museu d'Història de Barcelona.

Cooking tools toys: pot (10.5 cm), heater (3.5 cm) and whisk (12 cm). Second half of the 20th century. Museu d'Història de Barcelona: 1, 2, 3.

And thinking of our own childhoods, I'm sure we can all remember some more.

[newbornwhumperfly]

through the frightening door...

oof, so this was an angsty one, folks. 😢😢😢 i went and made a sad prompt - @whumpmasinjuly day six: left behind -  even sadder than it already was and in the process, i penned a big part of my boy morja’s backstory, so i’m gonna tag the story crew on this one. 🥺🥺🥺

CW: Grief, death of a loved one, dehumanization, just…big sads in this one, folks.  

title insp. by the poem “my dead friends” by marie howe - “billy’s already gone through the frightening door, whatever he says, i’ll do.” 

~

Diathésimós don’t have graves. 

The fallen must pay for a grave, or their families must, and graves are, they say, costly. Plots of land which could hold a house or a slot of gardened flowers or a new statue does not need to hold a patch of dirt and a stone. The ashes are poured into the wind, as disposable as they were in life. It is rare that a family, if the dead still have one, can afford to pay for the body’s return. It is rare, indeed, for one to ask. 

That doesn't mean their deaths are not marked by those who knew them. 

There is a stone, innocuous and small, where the dead are honored. Some write names down on the stone. Others don’t bother. 

There is one marking, one stone, Morja waits to visit. Part of it might be that he doesn't have to leave until he does this thing he must not neglect. 

It’s more than just the stone, of course. It would be silly to think of that only. There are places Morja won’t see again where she would go. Where she took comfort. And not seeing these places anymore will be the drag of a knife out from where it lodged. And he will pack the spot with rags to stop it from bleeding, field medicine, how well he knows how to do that. How to plug up a wound and keep walking. Don’t stop. If you stop, you’ll fall. 

But there’s…a way only she could find something pretty in this place. Like, there was a spot by the fountain in the courtyard where a stubborn plant grew. And it would get ripped out, an eyesore, nobody intended for this little purple flower to grow between cracks in the base of that marble foundation. But the dirt underneath was strong, Morja supposes, and Roe encouraged it, is the thing. She kept nudging aside the little shiny seashells that surrounded the root - decorative, ceramic, gleaming, imported from some shop to look more perfect than real shells, no sharp edges or rough surfaces. Morja remembers what a real seashell feels like. No, he doesn’t. But his maybe-memory is rougher than the shells in this courtyard. He knows this, at least, in the way he knows when an opponent is about to strike. 

But the purple stays caught in a sunbeam, is the problem. The shaft of daylight through the pillars hits the water as it sparkles and it hits the flower too. The water from the fountain falls on the patch of land bared by Roe’s hands. Somehow, it stays and stays. Somehow, it outlives her. Everything else has, after all.

This is, of course, where Roe’s stone lies. 

Where else would Morja have put it? The dead are dead, of course they are. Gone is gone and bodies are bodies, hollow bullet casings, no powder, no spark. Useless to collect, more useless to hold onto. But Roe wanted a stone. She would have wanted a stone, probably, certainly, yes. 

It is past the alcove with the missing statue where Roe perched, sweat-drenched from long training, or bleeding from a hit, tucked into the space once filled by the bust of a marble head. The space has stayed hollow, still, and on a dark night like this, Morja could imagine, if he were to try, that the black lines of her body melted into the hole in the wall. That maybe she were there, long-limbed and tiny, clambering up in there to nap. 

He told her so often not to. 

What if she got caught?

Her bright, black eyes would shine and she would say that until the statue took her place, this was her spot. 

Hers. Like she’d laid claim to it. So stupid. Nothing was theirs, she could never understand that. 

Past the alcove, still empty, Morja’s quiet steps go past the vine full of berries he was never brave enough to eat. Never disobedient enough. Of course. She got hit for taking the berries and she got more careful at taking them. Those berries weren’t hers to take, just because she watered the vines. 

The rows of women (goddesses, Morja was told) tall and imposing and cool to the touch, their eyes looking down to keep watch on the garden, on its dwellers, and Morja would shiver sometimes when he was younger, passing by them, because what if they saw him misbehave? What if their marble fingers pointed at him in accusation? 

Roe looked up and tilted her head, one foot angled like the goddess with a bow and an arrow, elbow crooked just so, Roe so good with her aim, as good a shot as Morja, even so young. Her palms swipe sweat off, passing over the flat expanse of her torso, tugging at the close-fitting training shirt, and twisting it to match the ripples in the fabric. 

It will wrinkle, Morja fretted quietly.

Do you think I could pull off a look like that? Roe asked, 

The marble’s paint is fresh and gleaming, blue cloth draped elegantly over one shoulder, baring the breast beneath the other, her body small and yet powerful, royal, gold glinting on the folds of her skirt and the twists of her sandals. 

I don’t think we could ever wear anything that…nice, Morja had answered. 

Of course she could have. That’s what he should have said. He didn’t want to raise her hopes. He didn’t- she would have looked royal and powerful as Athena. 

The huntress looks down at Morja, out when he should not be, and he doesn't shiver anymore. He doesn’t quail before imaginary eyes as he kneels at the base of the fountain, the moon shining silver on the purple petals. Other hands have pushed the shells aside since- since the stone was placed behind the blossom. The crude shape of an animal drawn with a shaky hand, white paint on a black rock, traces the outline of tiny hooves, spindly legs, the body of a deer. 

Morja doesn’t know who drew it. It’s beautiful. And he cannot take this stone. This is- it’s tradition and he has to respect it. It would feel wrong to move this stone as stones are not to be moved. 

But he looks at it for a long time. Kneeling on the cold stone, the mist of the water landing on him and wetting his face, taking the role of the tears he cannot shed. The stone and the flower blur before his eyes but that’s just because he’s tired. He’s so tired. 

Maybe…maybe the alcove did belong to her, in a way. She was the one who used it. Maybe the fruit on the vine was hers to sit under, to eat from, unafraid. Maybe this flower was hers because she’s the only one who gave a damn about it. 

Morja doesn’t want to leave the stone. The flower. The alcove and the statue. Fuck, he doesn’t want to leave this stone. What should I do? Who will- nobody will tell me to go. Nobody will, they never will, how can I go when I’m going on my own, when nobody has sent me? How can I leave this behind? How can I leave her behind?

But…she isn’t here. And Morja can’t be, either. Can he? He can’t take this stone. And he can’t stay and watch over it. 

Morja stands, every muscle in his legs protesting, sharp and tingling, at rising. It hurts as much to stand up from kneeling as it does to kneel. But he stands anyway. Leaves the stone under the fountain, behind the flower. 

Roe has gone. 

It is time for him to leave the stone and go as well.

~

oof, i hope y'all enjoyed this important piece of juicy tragic backstory, this glimpse behind the curtain. 😢😢😢💔💔💔

taglist: @haro-whumps @much-ado-about-whumping @whump-tr0pes @whumpthisway

@i-eat-worlds @redwingedwhump @straight-to-the-pain @wolfeyedwitch @thingsthatgo-whump-inthenight

@whumpzone @whatgoeswhumpinthenight @whumpster-draganies @lave-whump @whump-me-all-night-long

@suspicious-whumping-egg @tears-and-lillies @kixngiggles @scoundrelwithboba @stoic-whumpee

have a very merry whumpas y'all! 💖💖💖💖

@whumpmasinjuly-archive

[officialstrawhat]

Hello again! Here is the next chapter in my Multi fic :)

As always I hope you like it! I'm currently finishing up the Zou Arc so if I get something wrong sorry :P

Gif is not mine.

The Rose of Dressrosa-Chapter 2

Trafalgar D. Law x Fem!Reader

Summary:

After King Riku is dethroned, Doflamingo takes you under his wing and asks you to follow only one strict rule, "do not leave the palace alone". However, your sense of adventure is too great.

Law had only one thing in mind... Revenge. And you seemed like the best way to do that.

Warnings: Dark themes, manipulation, death, murder, creepy doffy

Word Count: 1.2K

Chapter 1

Seven Years Later…

In the outdoor courtyard of the palace of Dressrosa. Palm trees swayed in the wind, in an ornate fountain water splashed delicately back into the tiled ceramic bowl. And It is there you stare at your dark-haired opponent as she points her pistol at you.

“Give up, Y/N?” She smirked. 

“Not a chance,” you raise your arms in the normal fashion, showing off your bracelets wrapped around each wrist. At the top of the bracelet was a small circular container that was filled with the richest cultivated soil in Dressrosa. Once your hands were in the right place it dispensed the soil out and when it did… “Grow! Parodia! Magnifica!” 

Rapid gunshots were fired as large cactus balls with the spikiest thorns grew rapidly from the cascading dirt. You extended your arms and shot the weaponized flora toward your opponent, stopping the bullets that were heading in your direction.

Baby Five’s eyes widened at the incoming siege and somersaulted out of the way.

“Not bad.” she rose to her feet, dusting off her hands. 

“Not bad at all” a voice from behind you. Turning you saw the man who had raised you. “Your technique has improved.”

“Young Master, ” You greeted, bowing your head slightly. “I didn't know you were back.” you added nervously.

“Just returned.” the warlord told her, you noted the stern tone laced through his words. “Come, I want to have a word.”

You looked back at Baby Five who gave you a reassuring nod. Though that didn’t make you feel any better.

You did as you were told and followed him through the palace to the library. You knew what this was about. He was going to give you “the talk”, again…

Following him into the library, you still hadn't decided how to play this.

“Have I not made myself clear?” He asked darkly, closing the large door.

“I don't know what you mean?” Playing dumb it was then. 

“Don’t lie to me,” He moved closer to you, reminding you again how he towered over people. “Why is Diamante telling me that you went into town- Alone - Again.” With each word the veins on his forehead grew.

When you said nothing he continued, “You can not just leave the palace without an escort. You know that.”

“I just wanted to explore.” You finally say looking up. 

This is exactly what he did not want to hear. “Exploring”, would ultimately lead to learning things that were best left in the dark. He leaned in closer to your face, “And you may, but not alone.” 

“But Doffy, I can take care of myself. You’ve seen me fight, I’ve gotten better!” You assured him.

“This has nothing to do with that.” He shook his head, anger rising.

This didn’t make any sense,“Then I don’t understand why Baby Five and Dellinger can go out by themselves, but I can't?!” 

“BECAUSE I TOLD YOU SO!” he shouted.

He didn’t need your shocked eyes to tell him how he was coming off, he knew, he felt the mask slipping. You had only ever seen him yell at others but never you. He had always been patient with you.

You watched him reign in his anger, as he placed fingers onto the bridge of his nose and took a deep breath. After a few seconds passed, he finally spoke again, “Do you remember what I told you when I first brought you to the palace Y/N?” 

You nodded, crossing your arms and looking away, “You said you would keep me safe.”

“And I intend to keep my promise.” He placed two fingers under her chin, turning your head back to face him. “Over the years Y/N you have grown into a cherished member of this family. I’d hate to see anything happen to my Rose.”

You felt a chill roll down your spine. It's not that you hated the nickname he had given you when you were younger. You used to love it in fact. When you younger it saddened you whenever he chose to call you by your real name.

But recently there was something about the way he said it now… You just couldn’t put your finger on it… 

“Now tell me that you won't leave this palace without permission again.” 

“I won’t leave without permission” you told him, “I’m sorry, Doffy.”

The words were like music to his ears, releasing your chin, he bent down and kissed where your hairline met your forehead. 

“Good girl.” he said, with a large smile on his face he booped her nose, “Now if you’ll excuse me I have to make a call.” 

Turning to leave you, he walked to the door opening it with ease, “Oh and Y/N,” he paused to stare at you through his red tinted sunglasses, his smile gone. “Don’t make me have this conversation again.” 

And with that he was gone. You let out a sigh, cursing Diamante's name. Though luck may have been on your side. Doffy seemed to be under the impression that you had only left the palace once while he was away, which was far from the truth. You’d just have to be more careful next time.

As you made your way to the library door, a book caught your eye just by chance. It made you stop in your tracks, and take a few paces back. Once in front of the collection you reached for the book pulling it out of the neat and ordered shelf. How had you never noticed until now? 

“Tales of Grand Adventures,” you whispered, as memories of Sea Kings, ships, pirates and treasure are revived in your mind. You ran your hand over the gold colored letters and noticed the ‘Volume II’ before sitting on the padded bench and began to furiously turn the pages of the book. A smile graces your face as you remember the woman who would read you similar stories at bedtime.

----

Trafalgar Law had been on Dressrosa for less than a week and could tell something was off.

These toys gave him the creeps and everyone seemed far too cheerful for his liking. He had told his crew to stay off shore for the foreseeable future. He couldn't risk the Donquixote family catching wind of him in town.

It had been a long time since he had seen Donquioxte Doflamigo in the flesh. Law had thought once upon a time there was no one greater than Doffy. But he was older now, wiser, stronger. And if he was going to avenge Corazon he had to be strategic about it.  What could he do to hurt the Warlord before finally taking his revenge. He contemplated this as he sat disguised at a cafe, the two old crones chatted relentlessly at the table next to him. 

“Oh it seems like our Rose is at it again,” one said. 

Law looked up to see a figure dressed in a gray hood, going into a bookstore. 

“The King will be displeased,” Law heard the other say as he sipped on his espresso. 

“I heard he hates it when she leaves the palace.”

“I have no idea why. She is so beloved by the kingdom-”

“And no one loves her more than the king,” She then lowered her voice, “You have to think about it Marta, enemies of the king could be lurking in the shadows as we speak. I couldn't think of a better way to hurt our king than something happening to our Rose.” 

They continued their conversations but for Law the way to revenge was clear. He would pick the petals off of this ‘Rose’ one by one.

And then he would kill her…

Next Chapter

Taglist: @rebeccawinters

[bangchan-mytruelove]

|Vampire!Bang Chan x Human!Male!Reader|

•Fluff&Angst•

Word count; 9.1k words.

A Thousand Years songfic.

Living in the 1800s wasn't exactly easy. With barely running water and no sources of heat, everyday life became tedious and dreadful, the long hours spent working under the scorching sun of summer caused many people to have heatstrokes, passing out from the heat. The lack of strength in their bodies, having problems remembering stuff, lack of motor control, all of that were signs of dehydration, and working such an arduous work for over twelve hours sometimes just wasn't enough to get enough water and food to survive the night.

(M/n) was one of those people, always humble and noble, and commonly known as the black sheep of his family, all because he'd rather give to those in need than take from those who struggle with their everyday lives. (M/n) wasn't exactly part of any loyal family, but they were of high status, and he didn't want anything to do with the rest of his family, always looking at others from above, with haughty looks on their faces. (M/n) was more than happy living away from them, and even if he may be struggling with food and water, he was still living life the way he found most comfortable.

However, one day, his parents dragged him out of his small hut, and forced him to clean up, told him to get dressed up, and soon, they hopped on the carriage, and the whole way to wherever they were going was completely silent. (M/n) observed outside, making eye contact with all those people he once helped, the gratitude in their eyes now replaced with disgust, turning away to avoid eye contact with him.

Well, a wolf could never become a sheep after all.

He sighed and zoned out the rest of the ride, only snapping back when his father was helping his mother get out from the carriage, and he followed closely behind her.

Now he realized they were standing in the small villa surrounding the castle, only prestigious people in sight, people who had water, food, and plenty of heat sources around, and yet, they couldn't spare anything for the people dying in the suburbs, it made him mad, the frown on his face visible to anyone that tried to make small talk with him or even just look at him. (M/n) didn't want to be there, he still had stuff to do and yet, here he is, attending the royal ball unwillingly.

He did his best to ignore the people surrounding him and his parents, not really in the mood to listen to their arrogant, stuck-up personalities and lives of luxury. Even a man as educated and well-behaved as (M/n) felt the urge to punch them in their stupid faces every time they opened their mouths to talk about stuff no one really cared about.

Entering the castle with all the people of the villa, (M/n) cringed at the gold decorations around the salon, the big round tables filled with all sorts of food he could only dream of, and he felt sick at the sight of these people living as they were the only ones worth living. (M/n) couldn't take it, and right before his mother called him to introduce him to another rich family, he walked out the back door, leading to a huge, incredibly beautiful garden. The stone path lead to the center of the garden, a water fountain maybe a little too big there, there were stone benches and ceramic tables placed around the fountain, perfect for having dinner outside, and everything was surrounded by a wall of vegetation, flowers growing everywhere.

He couldn't deny it, it was absolutely wonderful, almost like a scene from a fairytale book.

(M/n) walked closer to the fountain and just stood there, feeling the subtle splashes of the cool water on the skin of his hands and face, a few small drops landing on his clothes. His mind wandered, asking himself how nice it would be if everyone in the world could be equals, no one better than the other, everyone holding the same weight and worth...

His internal existential crisis was interrupted by a chill breeze that almost knocked his tophat off his head, and he glanced to the side, seeing a blond male with curly hair standing next to him.

His stoic expression accentuated his sharp features, his black suit perfectly embracing his muscular body, not a single sign of dust on him, he was absolutely gorgeous, but the way he stood with his back straight was enough indicator for (M/n) to know that this male next to him belonged in royalty.

In fact, he's the eldest son of the Bahng Family, Prince Christopher, the next heir to occupy his father's throne.

Awkwardly, (M/n) looked away from him, internally hoping that he wouldn't be able to hear his erratic heart, relentlessly pounding against his chest. His body's reaction to being right next to an attractive man made (M/n) remember why he is the black sheep in his family.

His parents had been hoping to have a son, who would marry a beautiful young lady and give them grandchildren to continue their bloodline, but after giving birth to three daughters they deemed useless, he was born.

Only, he is not interested in dating, marriage, or having kids. Specifically, he's not interested in women. But if anyone found out-

"Do you dislike these events as well?" The voice of the Prince snapped him out of his thoughts, turning his head back to look at him, flinching when he made eye contact with his warm brown eyes, even though they seemed to lack the bright shine of life.

"Well... yes, I will rather be in the suburbs helping people who struggle every day," he answered honestly, and he noticed how that seemed to get the Prince's attention.

"The suburbs? I've never gone there," (M/n) chuckled and reached up to take his tophat off, tired of the annoying weight on his head.

"I'm not surprised, living in this kind of place, you're not missing much, Prince," out of the corner of his eye, (M/n) realized Christopher had turned to look at him, and he glanced at him, their heights awfully similar, but (M/n) had to look slightly down.

"Well, if you allow me, I would like to see the suburbs someday," showing the Prince a small smile, (M/n) nodded.

"Any time you want, Prince Christopher."

Both males stayed there, just talking about trivial stuff, and things they disliked about their lives. Apparently, Christopher's parents weren't as tough and strict with him, allowing him to live his life until he had to take the throne, and his father was plenty healthy, so they were sure he was gonna be King for a long time.

Not only that, but every member of the Bahng Family gave away old clothing to people in the suburbs, once a week sending carriages to give away food and water to as many people as they could. (M/n) now realized who did all of that, and he was even more grateful that, even though they were royalty, they remained humble.

Such a great family.

(M/n) was having a good time spending his time with Christopher, talking with him as if they've known each other their whole lives, but his father's voice reached his ears, and as he turned around, he saw his parents standing by the door, looking at him with a serious look on their faces, of course, their frowns disappeared as soon as they realized who the male standing next to him was.

"Oh, Prince Christoper," (M/n)'s father took his hat off and bowed at the male while his mother lifted her skirt enough to bend her knees and bow her head.

Just then he realized he didn't greet the Prince accordingly, but that was the past now.

"Mr. and Mrs. (L/n), nice to meet you both," he walked closer and offered his hand to (M/n)'s father, shaking his hand with a strong grip that scared the older man, after that, Christopher reached his hand to his mother, gently holding her gloved hand and kissing the back of her hand, "Is there anything you need?"

(M/n) saw how his parents snapped back from the trance they were in due to Christopher's amazingly good looks, they looked at each other, silently asking each other who should talk, but ultimately his father decided to speak up.

"There's someone who wants to meet you, son," he looked at (M/n), who frowned as he could already guess what his father was trying to do.

He still believed his son was in a "rebellious phase" just because he didn't see the appeal in getting married and having kids, stubbornly trying to make his only son marry the daughter of a big family, close to royalty even.

"I'm not interested, father," the man clenched his jaw at having his words denied by his son as if they didn't mean they could have even more riches with this arranged marriage. However, the man decided he will have a talk with his son later and after bowing to Prince Christopher again, they walked back inside.

"Does this happens often?" (M/n) sighed and nodded, walking over to the nearest stone bench, just now realizing they had been standing the whole time they talked.

"I think getting married to someone you don't love is wrong, and growing up in this family made me realize that I just don't care about getting married," he said once both of them were sitting down, "My parent's marriage was also arranged, they don't love each other, they love being superior to everyone else."

Without knowing what to say, Christopher silently looked at the male next to him.

He could almost feel his stone-cold heart beating again, bringing a feeling of being alive to his immortal body, incapable of feeling his warm blood surging through his veins. None of that was part of him anymore, and it's been so long since he last felt alive.

But this male next to him seemed to have ignited something in him that he's never felt before.

Love.

_____

After that first time they met at the castle, (M/n) hasn't been able to stop thinking about Prince Christopher, even so, he couldn't just show up at the castle uninvited so he just stayed in his hut, helping people around whenever he could. And particularly today, (M/n) has been feeling really stressed, his father kept insisting on having him meet this girl but he kept refusing, putting up excuses he came up with on the spot, and those moments made him crave wanting to see Christopher again.

He was picking up boxes filled with fruits and vegetables from the floor when he heard the familiar sound of horseshoes on the pavement, and squinting because of the sun, he saw the carriage stop while a few men hoped down, boxes filled with different sorts of provisions in their hands as they approached people near their houses. It was at that moment when the man holding the rope around the horses' snout beckoned him closer.

(M/n) placed the box back down and dusted his hands on his dirty clothes, not really doing much apart from making the dirty fly up. The man grabbed an envelope from the inside pocket of his suit and reached his hand out for (M/n) to take it. Frowning with confusion, (M/n) grabbed it and turned it around.

His eyes widened when he saw the embroidery of the seal. The Bahng Family's embroidery. And in neat calligraphy, the name Christopher Bahng caught his attention.

He looked up at the man again, and he smiled at him, "Thank you, sir," he smiled back with a small bow of his head and the carriage started moving again once the men hopped back in.

Turning around, (M/n) walked back into his hut and sat down on the worn couch in his living room, gently opening the envelope and taking out the letter inside.

He gently touched the letter before he started reading it. Christopher told him, with eloquence, that he had been wanting to meet with him again, and for longer this time. He explained how he had fun that day at the castle, even if their conversation was nothing but trivial, and he wrote about how much he wanted to become closer to him. (M/n) smiled at that, and he soon reached the end of the letter, making him freak out for a moment.

It was still early in the morning and he had so much work to do, but Christopher said he'll be taking the carriage to the suburbs to meet up with him. He didn't say anything about going out to do something in specific together, but he was covered in dust and dirt from head to toe, he couldn't possibly meet with a Prince looking like that, but feigning appearances wasn't something that (M/n) was fond of.

If Christopher was genuine about them wanting to be close, then he wouldn't care about his dirty, tattered clothing, his messy hair, and disheveled appearance, he rarely looked as well put together as he did at the castle, and with that in mind, he got to work again, deciding on taking an earlier break to try and freshen up a bit, wash the dirt off his face and hands along with changing into more clean clothes, just as tattered and parched up as the previous ones, but not as dirty.

And now, sitting outside of his hut, he saw the same man on the horse he saw earlier in the morning, only this carriage wasn't like the previous one, this was clearly for only people, not as fancy and shiny as it'll usually be, and the moment Christopher got off, gasps were heard from the people surrounding them.

"Is that Prince Christopher?!" The blond male turned towards the group of women in their mid-thirties that had come together in a circle, observing the male in awe. Christopher showed them his big, bright smile, the sight of his dimples making the ladies fawn at his attractive features.

(M/n) just observed with amusement from where he was still sitting.

"You'll make everyone fall in love with you if you keep smiling like that, Christopher," (M/n) said with a teasing smile, and the blond male looked down at him, a smug expression on his face.

"If that includes you, I might consider having a permanent smile on my face then," (M/n) felt his face heat up at the subtle insinuation, wondering how he could openly joke about something like that with another man. So deciding to just ignore his comment, (M/n) stood up and dusted his pants a bit, standing in front of the Prince.

"Well, what do you wanna do?"

_____

Their day was spent in quite a unique way, at least for Christopher. He helped (M/n) with his work, talked to quite some people openly as if he wasn't a Prince, got to know more of the suburbs, and most importantly, he learned a lot of things about (M/n).

He already knew the male was pretty much harmless and humble, but when it came to rich people treating others with contempt he could not let that slide. That kind side of him was what caught Christopher's attention, especially since he knew the (L/n) Family was quite wealthy, however, he was glad that the male was more human than a lot of people he's met for the past years.

From then on, he kept visiting the small town in the suburbs where (M/n) lived, joining him in helping others that needed him the most, his still heart seemingly feeling warm again, the ghost feeling of his heart beating always catching him off-guard.

He couldn't and wouldn't deny it, Prince Christopher may have fallen in love with (M/n), feeling alive again every time he saw his wide smile or heard his cheerful laugh. He was well aware of how society would look at him, how he would be treated just for being in love with another man, but he couldn't be bothered to care about any consequences.

His family accepted him just the way he is, and he had a hunch that (M/n) might also like him, his lingering touches on his arm whenever he helped him with work, or the longing looks in his eyes when he thought he didn't notice.

And yeah, he was absolutely correct. (M/n) found himself daydreaming more often than not, spacing out the moment he remembered Christopher's voice, his body shivering whenever he remembered his touch on his skin, and his heart pounding in his ears as he could almost hear the sound of his boisterous laugh. He might be scared, but he was more in love with Christopher than scared of the people in the town or even the villa surrounding the castle.

If nothing worked out as he hoped, (M/n) would have to do one of two things; leave town and never come back, or get married and have a "normal" life with a wife and kids, he didn't want to do any of the those, but he couldn't hold back anymore, not having Christopher was slowly eating him away. And like that, feeling determined, he waited for him outside of his hut yet again, this time more dressed up than usual, he had finished all his work the night before and early in the morning, so he had the rest of the evening free and he used it to get ready, gathering enough confidence and looking as nice and put together as he could with what he already had.

Hearing the horseshoes nearing his house, he looked up and bit his lip at the sight of the carriage. He glanced at the basket on top of the tree trunk he used as a table near the front door and he grabbed it, wiping his sweaty hand on his pants as he watched Christopher getting off the carriage.

They watched as it left, before looking at each other and showing soft smiles at the other.

"Well, what do you have to do today?" The blond rubbed his hands together in excitement making (M/n) chuckle, but he reached his hand out for the Prince to grab.

"I finished all my duties of the day just so we could do something else, Chris," gulping nervously, (M/n) observed how Christopher's eyes seemed to shine with adoration, gently placing his hand on his and letting himself be led away from the hut, further into the woods behind it.

They walked in complete silence for a few minutes, soon reaching the clear (M/n) had found the first night he reached the suburbs, the first time he ran away from his house after a fight with his parents.

"Alright, wait here, Chris," smiling softly at (M/n), Chris stood by a three, closely observing how the (h/c) haired male took out a cloth from on top of the basket and placed it down on the short grass. After setting everything for the little picnic (M/n) made, he stood up from his crouching position and walked over to Chris, holding his hand out again, waiting for the Prince to take it.

Observing (M/n) with adoration and love, Christopher held his hand, letting the male guide him to the picnic he set up in front of him and they sat down on the cloth.

The first hour went by with some idle chat, them talking about the week they had and funny memories they may have got since they last saw each other, and like that, the sun rays started hiding behind the tall trees surrounding them, making it seem like it was getting later than it actually was, and thanks to his good orientation, (M/n) was aware that the time barely reached 5 pm, so they could be out for a while longer, eating the remaining fruit in the basket before Christopher had to leave back to the castle.

Well... is now or never, taking a deep breath, (M/n) opened and closed his fists, feeling his palms clammy due to the sweat, clearing his throat, he looked up at the blond, who had just finished eating the last strawberry, "Christopher," he freaked out slightly at the trembling sound of his voice, but the warm look Chris sent him was enough to make him feel relaxed and at ease, "There's something I need to tell you."

Slowly licking his lips, Chris felt a little bit nervous, wondering what (M/n) might want to tell him. If it wasn't because something prevented him, he would've read his mind... well, actually no, he wouldn't have, he respects (M/n) too much to do that and he kinda liked not knowing what someone was thinking for once in his life.

"What is it?" Carefully, Chris placed his hand on top of (M/n), letting him know that he could tell him anything, at any time he wanted.

(M/n) looked at their hands for a moment, before gently interviewing their fingers together, leaning slightly closer and glancing up at his brown eyes again, "I'm... I'm in love with you, Chris."

Nothing.

Absolutely nothing. The silence was dreadful, and (M/n) realized he's gonna have to decide what to do from now on, without having Christopher Bahng in his life.

But the world is filled with surprises. Sometimes good, sometimes bad, but this one...?

This one might be the best surprise ever.

After (M/n) had lowered his gaze, Chris' free hand reached up to sweetly cup his face, wordlessly leaning closer and pressing their lips together in a soft kiss. (M/n)'s eyes opened wide for a moment, but they closed as soon as he reciprocated the kiss, his hand holding tighter onto Christopher's hand while he reached his free hand up to his neck, holding him in place while the blond's hand moved to his hair, playing with strands of his (straight/curly/wavy) (h/c) hair.

Their kiss only lasted a few seconds, but it lasted long enough to make their bodies shiver from happiness, the ghost feeling of Chris' heartbeat could almost bring a dark blush to his face, feeling incredibly happy. He never knew he could be so happy just by kissing someone.

And (M/n) felt exactly the same way.

Breaking apart from their kiss, both males looked into each other's eyes, smiling sheepishly and letting out a giddy laugh before leaning in once more, unable to keep away from the other now that they'd kissed.

_____

To society's eyes and standards, Chris and (M/n) were just friends, they spend as much time together as they could whenever the Prince would come by the suburbs to help, earning him the love and respect of the people around him. They worked well together and it was more weird seeing them apart than glued to each other nowadays. Only they knew what occurred behind closed doors.

Loving each other greatly, where no one could judge them and point accusatory fingers at them, blaming them for deviating from the rule of nature.

(M/n) has seen families torn apart after finding out their children were attracted to their same gender, poor and wealthy families alike. The suburbs and the villa were the same in that regard. But thankfully for them, the Bahng Family was overjoyed to realize their eldest son had finally found love, and they supported them in every way they could.

Even so, no one could avoid the prying eyes of people who wanted nothing more than to ruin the (L/n) Family, all because of a personal vendetta against (M/n)'s father.

And like that, the rumour of (M/n) kissing another man spread as quickly as air, even reaching the castle.

In the backyard, taking care of her flowers, Chris' mother heard the loud mouth of people from the other side of her garden, gossiping amongst themselves like it was their oxygen. And the words that reached her ears made her breath get stuck in her throat, the watering can in her hand fell to the grass as a vision plagued her mind.

She saw how (M/n)'s parents barged in through the door of his hut, yelling curses at him for letting such a meaningless rumour spread like that, his mother telling him they already had a bride ready to get married, that he didn't need to get to know her, just marry her and the rumour would dissipate with time. (M/n) seemed angry and disappointed at her words, the plan they thought of being even crueler than everything they had ever done.

They would never accept (M/n) for who he is. He realized that now and he felt like an idiot for believing he could ever live a normal life without his parents always telling him what to do and how to be. Sighing, he looked down and nodded once.

"Let me use the bathroom first, mother," huffing an annoyed 'okay' they watched how (M/n) took a couple of steps until reaching his small bathroom. He stood in front of the shattered mirror and let some tears fall down his face, before catching sight of the window behind him through the reflection.

The sight of the woods behind his hut greeted him, and he didn't think twice before climbing through the window and running away from everything.

Chris... Chris... Christopher!

"Mom?!" The woman snapped back from her vision right after hearing the heartbreaking cry of (M/n) for her son, and glancing at her side, she saw him. Chris was gently holding her shoulders, probably preventing him from falling over during her vision, "Are you okay? What did you see?"

"(M/n)... He's running away, his parents..." Trying not to freak out at his mother's words, Chris took a deep breath and lead his mother to a stone bench, helping her sit down.

"Where?" Blinking a few times, she lifted her gaze from her trembling hands and looked at her son.

"To the woods."

_____

Never in his life has Chris run as fast as he did at that moment.

He jumped over the walls surrounding the backyard and sprinted in the direction of the woods, knowing by memory the way to (M/n)'s hut. When he arrived he heard the boisterous screaming of his parents coming from the inside, but he picked out the scent of his partner immediately and he ran after him.

It didn't take him long to find him, he was kneeling by the edge of the lake, his body slouched as his shoulder shook, the sound of his crying made Chris frown, feeling angry at the cause of his tears but the sadness he felt at seeing him break down was greater than his anger.

"Darling," he softly called out to him, approaching him slowly. (M/n) glanced over his shoulder and let out a choked sob, turning back to the water soaking his hands and part of his clothing, before wetting his face a bit, getting rid of the tears staining his face.

"What are you doing here, Chris?" He asked with a hoarse voice, barely looking at his partner as he kneeled next to him. His cold hands rubbed his back up and down, soothing his body and mind from the stress he was feeling. A smile stretched across his face, he had gotten used to feeling Chris' cold hands on him, not really bothering to ask him why he was always so cold, after all, his cold touch felt as warm as a fire, heating him up and silently letting him know he'll always be there for him.

Internally, he was grateful that Christopher showed up, but at the same time, he felt like a burden to him. Chris could live a normal life if he hadn't fallen in love with him, and now, they could never live in peace. Not as long as the world didn't change.

"I heard..." He trailed on, unsure of how he should explain that his mother had a vision about him, that's why he's here now, but apparently, his unfinished sentence was enough for (M/n) to understand.

Scoffing a laugh, (M/n) observed his reflection in the water.

"I'm so pathetic, I should've known this was gonna happen," Chris wrapped his arms around (M/n)'s body, holding him close as the male's eyes filled with tears once more, "I'm so sorry, Chris... I put you in this situation, and now- my- my parents..." Gently holding his face in his hands, Chris dried the tears that continued to fall down his face, leaning closer to him until their foreheads were pressed together.

"This is not your fault, darling, the world is not ready to accept that one can't choose who to love, okay?" Closing his eyes, (M/n) nodded once, still unsure and doubting Chris' words, "Why don't we...?" Stroking (M/n)'s hair, Chris made the male look at him again, "Run away? Forever?"

Frowning in shock, (M/n) pulled away from Chris, who seemed heartbroken at being denied in such a way, "We can't," was all (M/n) had to say, and now it was Chris' turn to frown.

"Why not?" Standing up and walking along the waterline, (M/n) shook his head from side to side, scoffing as he imagined an impossible life with Christopher.

"You'll be losing more than I'll ever be able to achieve."

And Chris realized why (M/n) reacted like that. He was worried about him. Him being a Prince and the next one to occupy the throne, and become King, his concern made him smile, letting out a chuckle that made (M/n) mad.

"Why are you laughing now?" He asked abruptly turning around, and Chris smiled at him, walking to close the distance between them, reaching for his hands and slightly looking up at him.

"You don't need to worry about my family, or me, (M/n), I have everything I could ever ask for..." Reaching his hands up to cup the male's face in his hands, (M/n) closed his eyes, flinching at the cold against his warm skin, but still leaning against his palm, "Right here, with you."

_____

For months, (M/n) and Chris lived in a small cabin secluded in the densest part of the woods, really close to the neighboring country's frontier. Christopher took him there, explaining that he found the cabin when he was a kid and had been fixing and repairing it whenever he needed, and it's been a while since he came back to it.

They cleaned around the place as soon as they arrived, and placed some dry logs in the fireplace, having some illumination in the single big room of the cabin. They hunted some animals that were running around and roasted their meat on the fire, boiling some water from a nearby lake so they could drink it later, and with their stomachs full, they laid down on the already dusted mattress.

(M/n) wrapped his arms around Chris' waist, both of them facing the fire, its bright light already dimmed down quite a bit, leaving the room lit with a warm yellow colour illuminating their features. Nuzzling the back of Chris' neck, (M/n) placed soft kisses along his smooth pale skin.

"Chris?" He asked in a whisper, soon hearing the blond humming in response, "Marry me."

Caught off-guard, Chris blinked and turned around in (M/n)'s arms, his brown eyes staring at him with a dreamy look in them, shining under the warm light of the fire.

Reaching his hand up, he sweetly stroked (M/n)'s face, his thumb slowly gracing his lips with a love-filled look, "I would absolutely love that, darling," he responded with a tender smile on his lips, revealing his charmingly adorable dimples, "But... How?"

A sad look clouded (M/n)'s (e/c) eyes, his hand going up to hold Chris' hand, keeping it on his face, and he turned his head to gently kiss his palm and that simple gesture made Chris shiver, "One day... one day we will get married, honey, I promise."

Softly pushing (M/n) on his back, Chris got on top of him, straddling his hips and leaning down, joining their lips in that sweet yet passionate kiss, conveying to each other how they in love they were.

That night was filled with love and adoration, not an inch of their skins untouched, leaving marks on each other's bodies as they shared such an intimate moment together, the silent promise of belonging to the other in mind and soul sealed by the last kiss they shared before falling asleep, comfortable staying in the safety of each other hold.

_____

After a whole year, (M/n) and Chris had established their new life in that cabin that slowly grew in size, hoping that someday, they'll be able to form a family, but if that didn't work, the cabin may serve someone else as a home, after all, that was just a house, because their home was wherever the other went.

They were living quite an easy, enjoyable life, until (M/n) suddenly became very, very sick.

At first, nothing seemed out of the ordinary, he started having a cough and some high temperature, but he claimed he was feeling alright, he's dealt with stuff like this on his own for years, and he trusted his body enough to know he'll be feeling as good as new in a couple of days.

But that didn't happen.

Two weeks after the symptoms started, he could no longer get up from the bed, his voice a mere whisper, causing him pain wherever he tried to speak, having to rely on Chris to help him drink water slowly, he has been choking on air recently, and it was safe to say the blond was extremely worried. He had tried to go back to the villa and bring over a doctor that could treat (M/n)'s illness, but he didn't like the thought of leaving (M/n) by himself while he tried to get help, even more since his family was still looking for him to get him to marry a woman.

With the state the male was in, Chris was scared, really scared, he seemed like he could die at any moment, and the thought of a life without him brought tears to his face, sleepless nights staying awake to watch over him, holding his body gently as to not hurt him or cause him pain.

And one particularly bad night, (M/n) knew. He felt his life slipping away like a breath, and after a bad coughing fit where he ended up coughing a whole lot of blood, Chris started crying at the sight of his dying partner, who just showed him his gentle smile, his eyes lacked their usual brightness, but they looked at him with all the love in the world.

(M/n) slightly raised his trembling hands, and Chris leaned closer to him, staring into his eyes while his bottom lip trembled and tears ran down his face, "I love you, Chris... never forget that, okay?" His weak voice made Chris go into denial, biting his bottom lip and shaking his head.

"No... No, I won't- I won't let you die, (M/n), I can't..." He tried blinking the tears away, his hands shaking violently as he caressed (M/n)'s face and down to his shoulders, "You can't leave me, darling... you're- you're all I have," a cascade of warm tears ran down Chris' face, dripping from his chin and wetting the skin of (M/n)'s palms, "I can... I can save you."

(M/n) tried to laugh at his words, weakly drying the tears off his cheeks, sweetly stroking his blond curls, "Is okay, honey-"

Hardly swallowing his saliva, Chris spoke with a serious voice, "I'm a vampire," he looked into (M/n)'s eyes and continued before he could say anything, "I can turn you into a vampire as well, and- and we can be together forever, (M/n)," he whispered, his voice breaking the more he talked, hating the mere of thought of having to continue living without the love of his life, however, that was gonna become his reality soon.

"Christopher is too late now..." Feeling his still heart shatter, Chris looked down, biting his lip hard to prevent his broken sobs from escaping his mouth, "We'll meet again, okay? I could never forget you, Chris," showing (M/n) a trembling smile, he leaned closer, pressing their foreheads together, "I love you, so much..."

"I love you too, (M/n)," he whispered before pressing their lips together gently, soon backing away and realizing that his partner had stopped breathing.

His eyes filled with tears again, endlessly falling down his face and he held (M/n)'s lifeless body in his arms, screaming all his pain and sorrow away.

He stayed as long as he could sitting on the wooden floor, the mattress on the floor and he cried everything out. Now, with no more tears left to shed, he felt empty. The sun coming through the blinds made him realize it was already morning, the sun rays hitting something with a reflection, the bright light making him blink rapidly as he looked away for a moment.

And he saw that (M/n)'s ring was the cause. Taking a deep breath, he reached his hand and slowly took his ring off, the embroidery on the inside reading, 'We'll last forever, (M/n) & Chris'. Pushing the inside of his cheek with his tongue, Chris avoided crying again, and he took his necklace off, passing the silver chain through the ring, keeping it close to where his heart is, and he stood up, covering (M/n)'s body before grabbing his shovel, going to the clear where (M/n)'s confessed to him and he started digging a hole deep and big enough to bury his fiance.

_____

With (M/n)'s body cleaned up and well dressed, Chris placed a kiss on his forehead as he jumped down in the grave he dug, placing his body on the dirt, covering him with his favorite blanket, and he cried a few minutes more, completely silent before jumping out and burying (M/n).

He grabbed the flowers he picked up earlier, made a messy yet pretty bouquet with every single flower (M/n) liked and he placed them by the cross he made. His name, (M/n) (L/n) carved on the wood, and right next to it, the year he was born and the year he died, 1795-1820, barely having reached his 25th birthday.

From there, he walked into the suburbs, people gasping at the sight of Prince Christopher having returned, but no one dared approach him. It might've been the ominous aura around him, but the devastated look on his face was a clear enough sign to let them know that the Prince wasn't looking forward to talking to others.

He walked all the way to the castle, the world muffled in his ears, ignoring every person that tried to talk to him, and when he walked through the main doors of the place he lived in, the sight of his mother made him break down, running toward her like a little kid, hugging her tightly and crying the loss of his soulmate once again.

_____

Chris wasn't the same man after that, after spending the first couple of months in his room he finally decided to leave the castle. His family understood his grieving and gave him space, letting him have all the time he needed to heal.

But he'll never heal the deep wound (M/n) left in him after leaving this world. Even though he didn't need sleep, sometimes he did just so he could relive all those happy memories of (M/n), however after a while, his dreams became plagued with the image of his last moments, only turning more and more sinister, and now, Chris became afraid to sleep ever again, passing his hours plastering words on paper, expressing the feelings he couldn't and can't anymore.

The instant Chris decided to abandon the castle, he knew it'll only be temporary, he loved his family too much to just leave forever, but again, he needed time to himself.

The months soon turned into years and Chris was still holding onto the memory of (M/n), his ring hanging around his neck, his own ring still on his ring finger, waiting for his soulmate to come back to him. Maybe... in another life.

Chris constantly remembers the stories his parents told him, how they've witnessed reincarnation, and he held onto that small spark of hope in his chest, no matter how long he'll have to wait for (M/n) to be part of his life again, and hopefully, forever this time.

The wait was long, and even though he hasn't given up yet, Chris decided he needed to get his life together, and now, a hundred and ninety years later, he's standing in Sidney's airport. He witnessed how much the world has changed in nearly two centuries, realizing he contributed to some important inventions, how? He's not entirely sure either.

Walking out of the airport with only a backpack hanging off his shoulder, he was met with his younger sister, Hannah, who smiled at him and hugged him tightly. She had missed him for so long and now, finally having him in front of her again reminded her how their lives used to be.

"I missed you too, Hannah," the sound of his voice almost brought tears to the girl's eyes, but she held them back and walked towards her car.

"Come on, let's go home."

The car ride was filled with laughter and music, after years, Chris was finally showing a genuine smile and he felt glad that he decided to come back home. And he was only with Hannah currently, the thought of seeing his parents and Lucas warmed his heart, and -accidentally- reading his sister's mind, he found out they had a beautiful dog named Berry. She was so cute and cheerful, he couldn't wait to finally meet the cute canine.

It was safe to say that the greeting he received when he walked through the door was more than emotional, his parents hugged him as tight as they could, his mother crying in his arms, finally being able to see the face of her eldest son. His father was more composed, having a better grip on keeping his emotions to himself, hugging him even tighter.

Lucas jumped on him the moment his parents released him, and he cried for a while, clinging onto his brother like a koala, and that even made Chris tear up a little.

And finally, he saw her. The small dog had walked around the corner, tailing Lucas and curiously staring at the stranger surrounded by her family. Her eyes observed Chris as he carefully approached her, kneeling on the floor and reaching his hand out.

Growing up used to the sight of vampires, Berry found Chris' scent comforting and somehow familiar. With careful steps, she sniffed his hand and soon after, nuzzled it, placing her head under his palm, enjoying the gentle pets on her soft fur.

Surrounded by the comfort of his family, Chris chose to focus on the single one thing that has worked for him ever since that fatal day. He created music. His own personal way of conveying his feelings is by writing meaningful lyrics, making the soundtracks soul-touching, and the notes in the song making your whole body shiver as you can feel the raw emotion put in the music.

Something about making his own music made him feel safe and sound, as if nothing could go wrong ever again, and he even dared record himself singing or rapping the lyrics along the soft, slow pace of the song.

And somehow, he ended up finding himself making it big in the music industry a few years later, going by the name Bang Chan, he became the leader of a kpop group, Stray Kids.

Never has he gone through the amount of stress this job was making him go through, but even if his body was exhausted, his mind was erratic every second of every day, only feeling sadness whenever the anniversary of (M/n)'s passing got closer, taking the day off to connect with himself and his memories, observing the drawings he's made along the years. He even had a portrait of him done by Hyunjin, who found it fascinating how his hyung had managed to draw the same face by memory now, as if he actually met the male in his past life.

_____

Walking along the corridor, Stray Kids were heading toward the practice room JYP told them to meet him at, peeking in through the open door and seeing him in the middle of the room, the members of Twice were also in the room.

"Oh, boys! Come in," everyone walked in and Seungmin closed the door after being signaled to, since he was the last one in, "Well, I'll explain to you what I already explained to the girls," Stray Kids turned to look at Twice bowing at them in silence, and some members noticed two groups sitting at the back of the room, "I've been planning on making another survival show."

Felix seemed to shiver as he remembered the bad time he went through during the survival program SKZ did, and Minho rested his hand on his shoulder, sharing the feeling with the freckled male.

"And I wanted to change things up a bit, you'll be their mentors to help them get ready for a possible debut," the word possible weighed on everyone's shoulders, especially the trainees', "Twice would mentor the girl group, and Stray Kids would mentor the boy group, as easy as that."

Of course, it wasn't "as easy as that", the man was just giving his job to others because that's just how he is. Another tyrant in the entertainment industry.

"The filming would begin next week, so get to know each other a little better," he said heading to the door and leaving the room. Twice were the first ones to approach the girls who had already stood up and they stood in a corner of the room, while Stray Kids slowly walked towards the boys who were hesitantly standing up.

Chris wasn't too interested in participating in this project, he didn't want anything to do with JYP and his group projects, treating humans like experiments, but he couldn't do much about that, just obey.

"Hyung, isn't he the guy from your drawings?" Hyunjin whispered in his ear, and he blinked confused, looking up at the group, observing every single of them closely and finally, his brown eyes landed on a young male standing at the back, completely silent and slightly separated from his group.

Chris couldn't believe his eyes, he was seeing (M/n) again, in front of him. Alive.

Feeling a heavy stare on him, (M/n) looked up, immediately catching Chris' eyes, and like a movie, Chris saw every second of his life next to (M/n), the ring touching the skin of his chest feeling like it was burning as if it knew it was in close proximity of its original owner. He was unsure if it was actually (M/n), his (M/n), but the moment he saw his gentle smile he knew.

That was him, his soulmate. As if he wouldn't recognize that warm smile that made him feel alive, as if his heart was beating again.

_____

After getting to know each other a little better, the members of (M/n)'s group made their positions clear, even though everyone was kind of an all-rounder, they were better at something specific. (M/n)'s was dance, he was the main dancer of the group and Chris was absolutely mesmerized the moment he saw him dance.

The night they danced by the fireplace, or under the moonlight, even in the rain, getting soaked yet not caring about it... Chris couldn't help but space out, only snapping back when claps filled the silent room after the music stopped.

Now, (M/n) had to decide if he was gonna be a vocalist or a rapper, however, Chris found an excuse to talk to him and spend more time with him. His Korean needed some polishing so he offered to help him.

Being able to see (M/n) again had him mesmerized, having him so close making it hard for him to hold himself back, but he managed, after all, he wasn't sure if (M/n) remembered anything from his past life, especially because he was still unable to read his mind.

With days turning into weeks, the survival show was being now recorded and streamed on national tv. Months of training showed results, and round after round, everyone showed just how talented they are, making the decision of picking more and more difficult every time.

But the one that seemed the most promising, was (M/n). He constantly showed great improvement in his dancing, but he lacked confidence, something that made his stage presence weak, and opaque, adding to that the trouble he still had with the Korean language. Everyone saw his talent, and the potential he wasn't using.

Well, that's what Chris was there for.

The next round was proving to be one of the most difficult ones. Each group had to pick a song, and sing it, all with the purpose of showing great, powerful vocals from everyone, or at least, the vocalists.

Chris had been debating with everyone which song the group should sing, and (M/n) came up with a good one. One of his favorite songs.

(M/n) was left to rearrange the song, making the notes higher and longer, the tempo slower, good enough to fit the vocalists' voices, including his.

But that didn't seem to be working. Chris made it his job to help (M/n) with belting the highest note of the whole song yet, receiving help from Seungmin, Jeongin, Minho, and Jisung, who only gave him encouraging words whenever his voice failed him.

Every rehearsal was a waste of time, or that's what (M/n) thought. He wanted to do a good job, he wanted to prove that he could do big things, and achieve anything he set his mind to, but it seemed like a mountain too high to climb. Even so, he didn't give up, and by the time they were on the stage, each one of them having a reflector light up on their parts, (M/n) took deep breaths as his part got closer.

"And all along I believed I would find you, time has brought your heart to me, I have loved you for a thousand years, I'll love you for a thousand more," he listened attentively to the maknae's line, taking a deep breath to prepare himself mentally and physically, "One step closer."

"One step closer..." He harmonized with the youngest, waiting for the instrumental in his earpiece to reach his verse.

He gripped tightly onto the microphone, closing his eyes and letting himself be swayed away by the song.

"I have died every day waiting for you. Darling, don't be afraid I have loved you for a thousand years," the arrangement of the song made it so that the end part of the song would have the highest note, and even though he hasn't been able to achieve the perfect belting till now, he felt the emotions in his chest take control, "I'll love you for a thousand more."

Everyone was mesmerized by his voice, the raw emotion and pain made some people in the audience tear up, and Chris related to this song more than ever.

(M/n) belted that note beautifully and seemingly effortlessly, his eyes filled with tears as he spilled his heart with the song, images flashing inside his mind, all of them of a man awfully similar to Bang Chan.

"And all along I believed I would find you, time has brought your heart to me," he opened his eyes for the rest of the song, people gasping at the sight of his glossy eyes, his gaze landing on Chris who was also holding back tears, "I have loved you for a thousand years... I'll love you for a thousand more..."

The piano melody filled the room they were in, and (M/n) tilted his head down, letting his tears freely fall from his eyes and onto the stage.

_____

After that wonderful round, the final approached quickly, and now an audience bigger than only their sunbaenims filled the room. School girls accompanied by their friends and parents, women in their twenties, captivated by the charms of the boy group, teenage boys, and young adults cheering for the girls.

Honestly, the public didn't have a favorite group exactly, both groups proved to be capable enough to debut and make it big, but (M/n)'s singing had gone viral worldwide, already having thousands of fans from outside Korea.

The final round soon began, music, singing, dancing, and cheers filled the room, and everything seemed to go by so fast to even realize that the audience had already voted for their favorite group.

And dramatically announced by JYP, the boy group, REBELS, had won the voting by less than ten votes. They had a group hug but (M/n) turned to the girls and bowed at them, and he was soon being tackled by them, their voices breaking from sadness, yet the bright smiles on their faces were enough to let everyone know that they weren't upset.

"You deserve it, (M/n), all of you do, so do your best and don't disappoint us," the leader of the girl group muttered in his ear and he nodded, hugging them back before being dragged by his group.

From the crowd, Chris observed how (M/n) was surrounded by everyone, chants of his name reaching his ears and echoing off the walls.

(M/n) was gonna debut and Chris was happy for him but, what was he gonna do now?

Well, he waited nearly two hundred years for him, he could wait a while longer... Or that's what he was hoping for, not really trusting his self-control when it came to (M/n).

this is the longest fic i've ever written, hopefully, it was good ☺