#character tag autumn bramble

[autumnbrambleagain]

ding

This is the train to [xxvv88x8x8xx8xx8]. The next stop is [-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-/-]

still getting used to this borrowed tablet, it's, weird

[katebishopofearth]

Flowers At Dusk [an our flag means death fanfic]

Fandom: Our Flag Means Death Relationships: Blackbonnet Characters: Stede | Ed Rating: T for canon-typical language Other tags: fae AU | fairy tale logic | fae!Ed

|| Prompt from @kronosa113: Maybe Stede has a dream similar to Ed's vision? i.e. Ed's a mythological creature and meets Stede as a merman? ||

I misinterpreted took massive creative liberties with the prompt, and combined it with my niche interest in folklore and an embarrassing amount of research into flower languages and gardening.

i. autumn's turn

Stede had always loved the woods. Ever since he was a little boy, he had felt at home in the hush beneath the trees, the winding paths left by countless feet before his, the sunlight that dappled through the branches. He could spend hours in here, wandering between ancient trees, picking flowers and herbs, following the tracks left by dozens of little creatures that hid themselves from a human presence. Here, he felt like he was worlds away from the village where he lived and its petty troubles – the children who bullied him, the father who looked down on him, and, later, the wife who was constantly disappointed in him.

Oh, he had always been different, ever since he was old enough to understand what that meant. “Head in the clouds”, the village wise woman said when he was a boy – always daydreaming, picking flowers, and trying to befriend the birds and beetles. Never quite understanding the people around him, only sensing the mean-spiritedness behind their snide comments and cruel snickers. The other children were the worst – and children who threw rocks and punches grew up into adults who threw barbed words like fists.

He thought it would be better once he was married and had children of his own – and for a short while, it was. He and Mary never loved one another, that much was clear, but there were far worse people to put up with, and they both loved their children dearly, even if they were little strangers who mystified him. But his hopes of finding someone who understood his immense loneliness and the solace that the forest brought were no more than a daydream. The one time he brought Mary into the woods, shortly after they got married, she had been scared of everything and wanted nothing more than to emerge from the creepy half-light and go home. As for the kids, Mary forbade him from bringing them with him on his walks, claiming that he would forget to keep an eye on them and they would wander off and be eaten by wolves. He had to admit that she had a point. He could never do anything right – not by her, and not by the children.

The woods were his escape from all of that. Among the brambles and bracken, the larks and ladybirds, he could walk until he left behind the weight of all the expectations that he could never live up to. Until all the traces of human civilisation faded, and it seemed as though the forest – ancient, infinite, wise – was all there ever was and all there ever would be.

One cloudy autumn afternoon, when the air began to nip and the leaves started to curl and brown and the trees smelled especially, deliciously crisp, Stede was wandering in the woods, as he tended to do. He followed the footsteps of a fox, then he found a blackberry bush and feasted on its tart fruit. A breeze picked up then, blowing the brittle leaves from the trees, so he let their orange palms beckon him deeper and deeper into the woods. They eventually led him to treasure – a patch of foxgloves, their tiny bells a shade of purple-pink so deep they were almost violet.

It was late in the year for them, but maybe they were late bloomers. Stede reckoned that not every bud made it in time for the summer, and these guys were doing beautifully – they were so vibrant that they almost glowed in the shadowy undergrowth. Stede wished, not for the first time, that he had any kind of artistic talent – or pigments – for capturing their luminosity. Instead, he sat down next to them and tried to imprint their exact hue upon his memory.

He wasn’t very good at that, though, because he soon got distracted by all the other details. Even when his feet were still, his mind was wandering. He noticed the coo of a dove somewhere, the rustling of pampas grass as the breeze ruffled their fluffy stalks, and over there – a shrub of fragrant thyme. Delighted, he plucked a handful of stalks and wrapped them in his handkerchief to take home.

Sprigs of thyme safely bundled and tucked in his pocket, Stede stood up and realised that he was deeper in the forest than he had ever gone before. There was a smell of wildness in the air – here, the human world, with all its silly rules and orderliness and practicalities, was no more than a half-remembered dream. The only law was that of the forest itself. Here, anything was possible.

Dusk was gathering above the canopy, and the light that reached the forest floor was growing dimmer by the minute. He should head home – while it was still light enough for him to find his way back. He walked in the direction that he thought he came from, hoping that it would take him home. He stepped on a twig – its snap preternaturally loudly. He was struck by the sudden realisation that he was just another tiny creature in the wild, vast woods.

“Are you lost?”

The deep voice made Stede jump. He spun around to locate where it came from. Almost missed him – in the shade of a hawthorn tree, almost melting out of the shadows, was the most gorgeous person he had ever seen in his life. He was slender and strong as a young aspen, with silver-and-black hair loose about his shoulders, a sweeping beard, and tattoos that seemed to glow in the gathering gloom.

“Um, I’m –” Stede hesitated. He wasn’t stupid, he knew that mysterious strangers in the woods – mysterious, beautiful, otherworldly strangers – were probably up to no good. On the other hand, he really had only the foggiest of ideas on which direction home was, and not nearly as much light as he would be comfortable with to blunder his way back.

The stranger stepped out of the shadow, into a patch of fading light. His eyes, wide and warm, held Stede captive like a beetle stuck in amber tree sap. “If you’re heading to the human village, it’s that way.” He pointed to Stede’s right. “I can show you, if you’d like.”

Was it a trap? A trick? Stede looked into those gorgeous brown eyes – the colour of a leaf just before a gust of wind plucks it from a branch, the colour of molten honey dripping from a comb – and sensed no malice in them. Unlike the people who lied just to mock him for how easily he gave his trust, or those who took his kindness for foolishness, this man had no trace of falsity. And Stede didn’t really have another option, other than blindly trying to retrace steps that he took over a whole afternoon of not paying attention. So he said, with a flourish of his hand, “Lead the way.”

[continue on AO3]

[autumnsister]

I posted 822 times in 2022

That's 822 more posts than 2021!

804 posts created (98%)

18 posts reblogged (2%)

Blogs I reblogged the most:

@salt-and-bramble

@aoca

@octobermother

I tagged 819 of my posts in 2022

#autumn - 807 posts

#nature - 270 posts

#interiors - 184 posts

#food - 181 posts

#homes - 78 posts

#places - 78 posts

#my photo - 46 posts

#looks - 38 posts

#holidays - 34 posts

#animals - 32 posts

Longest Tag: 80 characters

#i wish i could pause the queue but it’s better if they just post anyways i guess

My Top Posts in 2022:

#5

Source

60 notes - Posted November 16, 2022

#4

See the full post

67 notes - Posted October 16, 2022

#3

See the full post

110 notes - Posted November 5, 2022

#2

Instagram

148 notes - Posted November 16, 2022

My #1 post of 2022

See the full post

580 notes - Posted October 1, 2022

Get your Tumblr 2022 Year in Review →

[ao3feed-narlie]

Hawthorne

read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/hR2l4zQ by Ye_cats333 The bracken was a burnished gold amongst the evergreen, the herald of autumn after a bountiful summer. Nick watched with contentment as Nell darted wildly in and out of the bushes and brambles – a brown and white flash in an endless search for rabbits – appearing buoyantly free, just as he felt. Walking aimlessly in the cool autumn air was heaven when compared to the oppressive furnace of the smithy; the sweet strain in his calves from ranging up the steep moorland was a welcome change from the ache in his arms from the swing of his hammer. And Nick loved being present for the turn of the season. Watching the leaves crisp up and drop, every colour and shape shedding from the boughs, felt like witnessing the release of old burdens – new beginnings. It was enough to make Nick want to shed his own leaves and keep walking forever. It felt like such a heavy shame that tomorrow he was due to start his return journey back to Longstone Manor, back to his work, back to Ada and their forthcoming nuptials. Words: 3647, Chapters: 1/?, Language: English Fandoms: Heartstopper (TV), Heartstopper (Webcomic) Rating: Teen And Up Audiences Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply Categories: M/M Characters: Nicholas "Nick" Nelson, Charles "Charlie" Spring (Heartstopper), Tara Jones, Darcy Olsson, Victoria "Tori" Spring, Oliver "Olly" Spring, Nellie Nelson, Nathan Ajayi, Jane Spring Relationships: Nicholas "Nick" Nelson/Charles "Charlie" Spring Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - Fantasy, Fae & Fairies, Alternate Universe - Fae, Long Ago, Blacksmith!Nick, Magic!Charlie, Love at First Sight, Bi-awakening, True Love, Grief, Destiny, Folklore read it on AO3 at https://ift.tt/hR2l4zQ

[bramblepatch]

where can i find more about your ocs tho I wanna know more before i ask...

OK SO I'm terribly disorganized but a few of the highlights:

#bramble's adventures in tabletopping is my TTRPG tag, recent/long term PCS include:

Tally Goodbobbin, halfling warlock of the archfey, homebrew 1910s setting (D&D 5e). Shiftless youngest daughter of an affluent merchant family, made a pact with the Fourth Bride of Winter while blackout drunk on absinthe at a party and now travels the countryside with her friends in a stolen model T doing good deeds because it's easier than dealing with consequences. Won the parentage of a two-year-old in a fairy riverboat casino and recently failed to prevent the assassination of Fantasy Archduke Ferdinand.

Bastiaan "Much" Eikenboom, gnome druid of spores, Waterdeep Dragon Heist (D&D 5e). Perennial grad student in applied mycology who accidentally initiated himself into the Circle of Spores and is now on indefinite medical leave from the school. Not a necromancer, he insists, as he uses niche necromancy knowledge that he learned in his theoretical necromancy classes to solve necromancy problems.

[the sound of a stone hitting a bandit's shitty helmet], or Plunk, kenku scout rogue, Rime of the Icemaiden (D&D 5e). Grew up in Ten-Towns, is now investigating the whole "eternal winter" thing on behalf of her family's powerful contacts from Luskan. The only adult in the party.

Kit September, antiquarian darkling of the autumn court (Changeling: the Lost). Snarky, perpetually on its phone, uses it/itself pronouns. Put a party member on a magical baby leash and has more or less adopted its own fetch.

My main original cast right now is my Goblins of Hillock House, major characters are:

Notorious highwaygoblin Rose o' Roads - successful and extremely flamboyant bandit, a bad influence but in a fun quirky way, Has A Motif And They're Sticking To It (it's roses).

Jenny Leech, doctor at Hillock House Hospital - no-nonsense, generally wears a vaguely plaguedoctor-like mask, very enthusiastic about disinfecting things although she may or may not have a working understanding of germ theory.

Alfred the Poisoner, alchemist and apothecary - would like to remind everyone that it was one time, ok, he hasn't poisoned anyone in years, stop laughing Rose he knows you're the one who convinced everyone to call him that. Fussy and a bit of a softy.

Jenny Little, apprentice apothecary - Alfred's student, her parents sent her to study at Hillock House after like the third time she accidentally poisoned herself in the hope that she'd learn what not to put in her mouth.

Also I have like a zillion fantrolls, I'm not gonna list 'em but you can ask about anyone who shows up in the fantroll tag on my artblog.

[luck-and-larceny]

Character Summary - Malika Bajihri

Alias/Nicknames: Mal, Lia, Lucky, Stormy, and like a thousand random names she’s created for herself for individual jobs

Gender: Female

Age: 25

Zodiac: Libra [The Balance]

Abilities/Talents: stealth | acrobatics | deception | pick-pocketing | breaking and entry | showering in strangers’ homes after breaking and entering into them because she’s definitely very normal and very well-adjusted | climbing | fast-talking | fast-running | causing distractions | being extremely irritating | causing distractions specifically by being extremely irritating | taking big risks | lucking into opportunities at the last moment | Sewing/Weaving/Tailoring | Half the time can read astrologian cards accurately | half the time definitely has no idea what she is doing | Can play woodwinds (best at bamboo flute) and piano

Alignment: lawful / neutral / chaotic / good / neutral / evil / true

Religion: Surprisingly religious; specifically follows Nymeia

Sins: envy / greed / gluttony / lust / pride / sloth / wrath  *I’m not thinking of ‘lust’ just in terms of sexual appetite (though, sure, she’s got that too) but sort of as in she needs to experience everything. I’m not saying greed here, despite her being a thief, because she doesn’t care about having ‘the most things’. She just wants things that feel important to her. She has like negative envy.

Virtues: charity / chastity / diligence / humility / justice / kindness / patience *She steals things and frequently just gives them away. Put ‘justice’ here because it’s not justice as far as the law is concerned, but sort of a moral balancing of scales for her. Someone does something shitty to someone else and she’ll try to make things right for the person who was mistreated.

Languages: Common and Thieves Cant. 

Family:  Maeryn Albright. 

Friends: She is friendly with a great many people! But she considers herself genuinely a friend to only a few: @dumb-hat, @kestrelvylbrand , @argentrenard , @the-wanted-man​ count among them.  

Sexuality: heterosexual / bisexual / pansexual / homosexual / demisexual / asexual / unsure / other (polyamorous)

Relationship Status: single / partnered / married / widowed / open relationship / divorced / not ready for dating yet / it’s complicated

Libido: sex god / very high / high / average / low / very low / non-existent

Build: slender / average / athletic / muscular / curvy / other *She stays in shape but she also -thoroughly- indulges in food and drink and she certainly doesn’t train herself into chiseled, immaculate, fighting form. She’s lithe and nimble, but she’s got a soft belly on her.

Hair: white / blonde / brunette / red (auburn) / black

Eyes: brown / blue / gray / green / black / other

Skin: pale / fair / olive / light brown / brown / dark / other

Height: 5′3″

Scars: She’s got a small scar above her left eye and through her left eyebrow.

dogs or cats || birds or bugs || snakes or spiders (NOPE) || coffee or tea || ice cream or cake || fruits or vegetables || sandwich or soup || magic or melee || sword, dagger, or bow || summer or winter || spring or autumn || past or future present

Some songs that remind you of your character

-Bad Reputation (Joan Jett & The Blackhearts)

-Get Lucky (I like the Halestorm cover of it a lot)

-Tightrope (LP)

- Tongues and Teeth (The Crane Wives)

- As Long as There is Whiskey in the World (Murder by Death)

Tagged by: @thevoilinauttheory​ and @vivah-valentini . Thank you so much for the tags!

Tagging: @dumb-hat, @kestrelvylbrand, @thefreelanceangel, @starforger, @meteor-dancer, @songofthemeadow, @the-wanted-man, @cigarettes-n-daisies, @swingbeard, @argentrenard, @shadowofthejackal, @sundered-souls, @adanceineorzea , @porxienapper , @brambles-n-biscuits, @tough-bit-of-fluff, @furys-mercy, @tea-and-conspiracy, @corpse-dancer​ and on and on! And you! Definitely you reading this. You should do it too.

[ofalamhigo]

— { Character Summary } —

Alias/Nicknames: Eynar. Wolf. Hey you.

Gender: Male

Age: 32

Zodiac: Scorpio

Abilities/Talents: Wood working | Survival Skills | Can use anything as a weapon | Trap making | Cooking | Concealment | Burglary | Tracking

Alignment: lawful / neutral / chaotic / good / neutral / evil / true

Religion: Rhalger

Sins: envy / greed / gluttony / lust / pride / sloth / wrath

Virtues: charity / chastity / diligence / humility / justice / kindness / patience

Languages: Common

Family: Deceased (as far as he knows)

Friends: As sad as this sounds, none

Sexuality: heterosexual / bisexual / pansexual / homosexual / demisexual / asexual / unsure / other

Relationship Status: single / partnered / married / widowed / open relationship / divorced / not ready for dating yet / it’s complicated

Libido: sex god / very high / high / average / low / very low / non-existent

Build: slender / average / athletic / muscular / curvy / other

Hair: white / blonde / brunette / red / black / it’s complicated

Eyes: brown / blue / gray / green / black / other

Skin: pale / fair / olive / light brown / brown / dark / other

Height: 5'6"

Scars: At his right thigh there is a ragged star-shaped wound near the outside of his thigh, both front and back, that was an arrow finding its mark. Faint scars along his knuckles and fingers from smaller accidents (and punching people/things). There are also old scars, thin, that crisscross his back .

dogs or cats || birds or bugs || snakes or spiders || coffee or tea || ice cream or cake || fruits or vegetables || sandwich or soup || magic or melee || dagger or bow || summer or winter || spring or autumn || past or future

A few songs that remind you of them:

Not Gonna Die - Skillet

Wrong Side of Heaven - Five Finger Death Punch

Never Surrender -  Shangrii-La

Natural - Imagine Dragons

Made For This - The Phantom

------------------- Tagged by: @eligos-venator, @damienward-ffxiv, @yokasaris, @brambles-n-biscuits, @sundered-souls

Tagging: I am super late to this so whoever hasn’t done this consider yourself tagged!

[ao3feed-izuku-midoriya]

Of Pumpkins and Brambles

Of Pumpkins and Brambles by Darkside Dreamer

Autumn had arrived, the season of pumpkins and dying brambles. Hitoshi steels himself to ask Inko for help in a personal matter. Dekiru (Izuku) finds his work study with Eraserhead moving to another island for a few days to deal with a thorny problem.

Words: 4122, Chapters: 4/4, Language: English

Fandoms: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: Gen

Characters: Midoriya Izuku, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Midoriya Inko, Shinsou Hitoshi, Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic, Eri, Hyphae (OC hero)

Relationships: Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead & Midoriya Izuku, Midoriya Inko & Shinsou Hitoshi, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead/Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic

Additional Tags: Autumn, Pumpkins, Brambles/Thorns, Letter, wilt, Fluff

Read Here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34032940

[lal-ffxiv]

Character Summary | Luka E’res

Alias/Nicknames: sand cat, U'ka, lil' miq, Eres Gender: Agender Age: 20s Zodiac: Nald'thal Abilities/Talents: Luka is a master of none in the sense they know many crafts, have variety of skills (some better than others, and some not every well at all), and their echo granted talent only gets them so far. Therefore, Luka is always looking to get better and try everything. Alignment: lawful / neutral / chaotic / good / neutral / evil / true Religion: Thesist Sins: envy / greed / gluttony / lust / pride / sloth / wrath Virtues: charity / chastity / diligence / humility / justice / kindness / patience Languages: Common, understands most language because of echo, but still replies in common Family: Brother Friends: @ayaoaibori Sexuality: heterosexual / bisexual / pansexual / homosexual / demisexual / asexual / unsure / other Relationship Status: single / partnered / married / widowed / open relationship / divorced / not ready for dating yet / it’s complicated Libido: sex god / very high / high / average / low / very low / non-existent Build: slender / average / athletic / muscular / curvy / other Hair: white / blonde / brunette / red / black / it’s complicated Eyes: brown / blue / gray / green / black / other Skin: pale / fair / olive / light brown / brown / dark / other Height: 5'7" Scars: A faded mark on their elbow. The scar on their back. Pick One: dogs or cats || birds or bugs || snakes or spiders || coffee or tea || ice cream or cake || fruits or vegetables || sandwich or soup || magic or melee || dagger or bow || summer or winter || spring or autumn || past or future A few songs that remind you of them: • Dear Fellow Traveller - Sea Wolf • The Crane Wives - The Moon Will Sing • The Lighthouse and The Whaler-This Is an Adventure (This Is an Adventure) ---

Thank you for the tag  @brambles-n-biscuits  @thevoilinauttheory!!!!

[poemsfromthealley]

first lines meme

Rules: List the first lines of your last 20 stories (if you have less than 20, just list them all!). See if there are any patterns. Choose your favorite opening line. Then tag 10 of your favorite authors!

I was tagged by @lynne-monstr. and @ladymatt, so here goes! I'm just gonna pick the last 20 fics I posted to ao3, regardless of completion status.

1. Talking With Strangers (Shadowhunters, malec, university AU w/ marriage of convenience and an approximate fuckton of pining)

On the day that is going to define the rest of his life, Alec jerks awake to the gentle chiming of his phone and proceeds to fall off the couch.

2. The Stair Into the Sea (SH, malec, The Lighthouse Fic, i.e. the magnum opus, a magical realism au with a haunted seaside village and a fraught summer romance) [NSFW in chapter 10]

Magnus stepped off the coach onto the grizzled asphalt of the tiny bus station and thought, not for the first time, You're out of your head, Bane. And the next bus service out of this place is the day after tomorrow.

3. The Underwater Heart (SH, malec, fairytale AU w/ a soulbond twist)

Far across the ocean, in a kingdom whose name is lost to time, there lived a young prince.

4. Bramble (SH, clizzy, canon-divergence getting-together fic, on semi-hiatus until I figure out a kink in the plot)

Isabelle has a problem. Like a not insignificant number of her problems, it starts with a kiss.

5. From the Green Shadows (SH, malec, The Witcher fusion, Alec & Magnus as fellow monster hunters — this is the PWP coda to the main fic) [NSFW link]

Magnus weaves through the crowd, a tin mug held high in each hand. Alec watches his progress as he ducks around a server with a flourish of apology, a quick, glittering smile.

6. is it bright where you are (SH, malec, post-canon, fluff w/ (im)mortality talk)

Magnus collapses into the pillows with sticky, boneless satisfaction, limbs going every which way. Alec presses a damp kiss on his brow. "Be right back."

7. The Birthday of the Sea (SH, Alec & Maia, lighthouse fic prequel about their friendship)

On his thirtieth day as a lightkeeper, Alec woke to find a girl in the parking lot.

8. Walkers of the Winding Path (SH, malec, The Witcher fusion, the main fic in the verse, a fantasy road trip romance w/ a helping of family feelings) [last two chapters are NSFW]

The first frost of autumn surprises Alec on the road. The forest pond near which he camped is covered in glittering rime so fine that it melts at a brush of his fingers. Horse stamps and snorts on her tether, her breath forming clouds in the dagger-sharp dawn air.

9. ring the bells that still can ring (Star Wars sequel trilogy, jedistormpilot, The Return of Skywalker coda)

The night after they win the war, only the wounded sleep.

10. you who have come from my old country (SH, malec, Magnus after Alec, post-canon, a take on the future of the New York Institute)

On a crisp, cloud-strewn day in September, Magnus goes up the steps of the New York Institute for the first time.

11. the wine of your dreams (SH, malec, canon-verse PWP w/ friendly tentacles) [NSFW link]

Here's a thing about dating Magnus Bane: just when Alec thinks he has the hang of it, something new comes up.

12. to make the saints attend them long (SH, malec, canon-verse future fic, implied main character death)

When Alec falls, Magnus doesn't sense it.

13. as if I have eaten fire (SH, malec, canon-verse PWP w/ light D/s) [NSFW link]

Fingers dip into the hollow of Alec's spine with idle curiosity, followed by the mark of a kiss between his shoulder blades. He gasps through the last of his dream. His back curves into the touch before his waking mind catches up.

14. Will They Sing of Us (SH, malec, canon-divergence from 3.10, mid-danger wedding fic during a hypothetical siege of Alicante)

The streets of Alicante burn.

15. an act of faith against the night (SH, malec, canon-divergent 3.18 coda where Alec can’t go through with the breakup)

Alec turns away, and all Magnus knows is the white flare of panic eating up the air in his lungs.

16. a hazy shade of winter (SH, malec, another canon divergence from 3.18 w/ Magnus dealing with his magic loss)

First of all, Alec comes to Magnus and says, What if we contact your father.

17. Rosemary For the Soul (SH, malec, 3.12 coda, a domestic evening w/ stories from Magnus’s past and emotionally fraught sex) [NSFW link]

The front door sounds just as Alec is staring, with semi-religious fervor, at the final stages of his baking experiment in the oven.

18. Book of Days (SH, malec, 3.11 coda feat. Magnus carrying the memory of everyone he’s loved)

Magnus breaks gently from Alec's grip, muttering about the time and feeling drowsy.

19. love has drawn red from my hands (SH, malec, 3.10 coda feat. bad coping via sex and eventual emotional catharsis) [NSFW link]

There is a sense of wrongness in Magnus's mind like a splinter dug into flesh.

20. bodies full of untold stories (SH, malec, canon-verse case fic w/ accidental soul bond set in early season 3, Magnus & Alec (& Izzy) solve the mystery of a potion gone wrong) [last chapter is NSFW]

It happened on an ordinary Thursday.

So. I cheated slightly by quoting the whole opening paragraph for each story. In most cases, that is a single sentence. This tells me I like to find a short and distinctive opening line (and sometimes I can spend days looking for the right one; the rest of the fic is basically there but if I don’t know where to start I cannot get to it).

I like to start with an emotion or a specific image. Usually I’ll use the opening line to showcase that emotion/image and then start on the wider context in the next paragraph. #20 is a good example of that: the “ordinary Thursday” stands lonesome as its own paragraph, and the next sentence expands on Magnus at his potion experiment. #12 and #14 also fall into this category.

Also, I should never again start a fic with Alec waking up. That is clearly a thing I do too much. xD

I can’t pick one favourite, but right now I really like opening lines #1, #4 and #11. They’re snappy and evocative and also set the tone of the fic nicely.

Here are no-pressure tags for @lightwormsiblings, @faejilly, @electricshoebox, @firstaudrina, @ohfreckle, @la-muerta, @bytheangell — and whoever else wants this. Feel free to blame me, as usual!

[autumnbrambleagain]

i cant sleep

[abalathia]

character summary!

Alias/Nicknames: Esja. Nothing more, nothing less. Not anymore.

Gender: Female.

Age: Unknown but neither young nor old.

Zodiac: Libra.

Abilities/Talents: Leather and woodworking, tracking, killing, herbalism, survival, crochet.

Alignment: lawful / neutral / chaotic / good / neutral / evil / true

Religion: One old and long forgotten.

Sins: envy / greed / gluttony / lust / pride / sloth / wrath

Virtues: charity / chastity / diligence / humility / justice / kindness / patience

Languages: Broken common, Woodspeak.

Family: Estranged.

Friends: Many acquaintances, but none she’s allowed close enough to be considered a friend - yet.

Sexuality: heterosexual / bisexual / pansexual / homosexual / demisexual / asexual / unsure / other

Relationship Status: single / partnered / married / widowed / open relationship / divorced / not ready for dating yet / it’s complicated

Libido: sex god / very high / high / average / low / very low / non-existent

Build: slender / average / athletic / muscular / curvy / other

Hair: white / blonde / brunette / red / black / it’s complicated

Eyes: brown / blue / gray / green (with some hazel) / black / other

Skin: pale / fair / olive / light brown / brown / dark / other

Height: 6′3″

Scars: 

dogs or cats || birds or bugs || snakes or spiders || coffee or tea || ice cream or cake || fruits or vegetables || sandwich or soup || magic or melee || dagger or bow || summer or winter || spring or autumn || past or future

A few songs that remind you of them:

Hozier - In the Woods Somewhere

Greta van Fleet - Built by Nations

Nothing but Thieves - Honey Whiskey

Civilian - Wye Oak

Easy Life - Nightmares

Tagged by: @brambles-n-biscuits​, thank you! <3 Tagging: Anyone, feel free to use me as your tag!

[ao3feed-hitoshi-shinsou]

Of Pumpkins and Brambles

Of Pumpkins and Brambles by Darkside Dreamer

Autumn had arrived, the season of pumpkins and dying brambles. Hitoshi steels himself to ask Inko for help in a personal matter. Dekiru (Izuku) finds his work study with Eraserhead moving to another island for a few days to deal with a thorny problem.

Words: 4122, Chapters: 4/4, Language: English

Fandoms: 僕のヒーローアカデミア | Boku no Hero Academia | My Hero Academia

Rating: General Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: Gen

Characters: Midoriya Izuku, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead, Midoriya Inko, Shinsou Hitoshi, Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic, Eri, Hyphae (OC hero)

Relationships: Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead & Midoriya Izuku, Midoriya Inko & Shinsou Hitoshi, Aizawa Shouta | Eraserhead/Yamada Hizashi | Present Mic

Additional Tags: Autumn, Pumpkins, Brambles/Thorns, Letter, wilt, Fluff

Read Here: https://archiveofourown.org/works/34032940

[ao3feed-tomarrymort]

by relic_crown

Caught in the brambles was a clump of black feathers, stark against the autumn sky. A beak, knife-sharp and glinting. The arc of talons curving into the heavens. 

A crow pinned into the thorny canopy, dry in death, a messy papercut.  

For a long time, Tom was just another violinist, perfect and beautiful and boring. Then Harry saw him, and knew he was anything but boring - he was the edge of a pocketknife, the red of nightshade berries, a lie in a crisp black coat.

Harry had never fallen in love so quickly.

Words: 5510, Chapters: 1/3, Language: English

Fandoms: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling

Rating: Teen And Up Audiences

Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply

Categories: M/M

Characters: Harry Potter, Tom Riddle, Ron Weasley, Padma Patil, Cedric Diggory, Sirius Black, Oliver Wood

Relationships: Harry Potter/Tom Riddle

Additional Tags: Alternate Universe - High School, Alternate Universe - Non-Magical, Orchestra, Death Fascination, Fluff, Banter, French Horn Player Harry Potter, Violinist Tom Riddle, First Kiss, Getting Together

[bramblescrossing]

some more about me q’s!

I got tagged in a bunch of these lately, so here goes!! <3 (thanks to everyone for thinking of me!) my answers are under the cut!

i tag anyone who hasn’t done it yet! seriously, if you see this and want to, fill it out and tag me so i can see! <3 <3 <3

name: i don’t go by my  actual name on here, mostly to stay un-google-able by my students!

nicknames: bramble or bram!

zodiac: pisces (my birthday is march 11th, so in like 4 days!! <3)

height: 5′4′

language: English

nationality: American

FAVOURITES:

season: autumn

scent: cinnamon and fresh peach!

flower: poppies, anenomes, &  tillandsia xerographica (not a flower, but still!)

color: golden yellow

animal: foxes! 

fictional character: i really love luna lovegood

coffee, tea, or hot cocoa?:  coffee every morning, tea occasionally, and hot cocoa in the winter evenings with a good book <3

average sleep: 7 hours or literally i can’t function!

dog or cat person: cats, but i grew up with all sorts of animals!

number of blankets: as many as i can, i really like the weight of them when i sleep!

dream trip: Japan! I went with my students a few years ago, but i’d love to stay for like a month and really experience it!

blog established: oh gosh, i think my first post was in June of 2014?

random fact: i’ve played rapunzel a few times (and belle once!) for my little sister who runs princess ball events locally. of course they are not disney affiliated and there’s all sorts of legal carefulness around it, but i LOVE doing it and making dreams come true! (my little sister got hired in August and is now a character performer at disney herself!)

[darkhymns-fic]

Wolf Bite

Most people might say it's not advisable to make friends with a werewolf, but Lloyd gave Colette nothing to be afraid of. That, and her weakness for fluffy doggy ears had won out over her caution.

Fandom: Tales of Symphonia Characters/Pairing: Lloyd Irving/Colette Brunel, Kratos Aurion Mirror Link: AO3 Notes: Based off this pic by @frayed-symphony​! And others! This was meant to be written for Halloween, but now it's a few days late and it's not exactly spooky scary, but hope it's enjoyable anyway!

---

"And where are you off to at this late hour, young one?"

Colette turned with a quick half-step, nearly tripping over herself on the hem of her red cloak. But luckily the weight of the basket she carried seemed to offset her tumble, righting her balance again. "Oh! Mr. Huntsman! I'm sorry, I didn't see you there."

The huntsman made no obvious expression, instead moving up from the pathway to be more visible in the moonlight. His leather boots crunched against the gravel on the ground, his felt hat nocked perfectly over his rather wild hair. Colette noticed his hunting rifle slung over his right shoulder, his hand near it for an easy reach. "My name is not actually Huntsman, you know…"

"Ah right, sorry! Good evening, Mr. Kratos." Colette waved to the man. They had crossed paths numerous times before in the forest, it being so close to town. He was always so kind and would tell her when the roads were safe to go through! But she was surprised to find him here at dusk, especially when she had been trying to not be found herself…

"Do you not usually visit Phaidra much earlier in the day?" Kratos asked, all while keeping an eye on the dense foliage around them. The leaves, usually so bright underneath the midday sunshine, seemed to soak up all the shadows that the coming night gave. Even more so now that autumn had come, turning the once bright green to lustrous shades of red and yellow. "I would expect she would be asleep now."

Colette had anticipated this, so with a twiddle of her fingers against the handwoven handle of her basket, she prepared her little lie. Hopefully, Kratos wouldn't be able to tell…

"I'm taking care of grandmother's doggie!" she proudly stated. 

Kratos' expression...didn't change still. But his voice held some disbelief. "So, she got herself a pet?"

"Yeah! Just recently. A stray she found in the forest. She took it home but she gets tired very easily. So, she's asked me to feed it and take it out for walks when she’s unable to."

Another pause. "This late?"

"Yes! He's more of a night-owl type of doggy, hehe."

"Hm." Kratos turned away for a moment, considering. "I have not come across any lost dogs during my travels in the forest."

"Well, maybe he just got here," Colette helpfully suggested.

"...I suppose so."

Trying not to let the relief show on her face, Colette arranged the red cloak she wore, as well as fit the hood better atop her head. Her long hair sneaked out from its confines, but she would worry about fixing that later. “I should be going now. The doggy gets a little fidgety when hungry…”

Kratos looked around the woods once more, down the tree-lined pathway, where the night birds sang from out of sight. "I believe I should come with you."

"Oh no! Um, I mean.." she hastily tried to recover. "He gets scared very easily. It even took him a while to start warming up to me." That part was very true indeed.

The huntsman raised an eyebrow. “And your father is okay with you traveling out so late?”

She nodded quickly. Well, one more little lie wouldn’t hurt! “Yes. But I won’t stay out for too long.” She smiled. “Don’t worry. I have it all planned out!”

Maybe that was too self-assured there, but the basket felt heavy in her arms. She would really like to get going now!

“If you’re certain…” Kratos said, and she nodded her head quickly. “Just remember to get some rest then when you arrive, and don’t overdo it.”

“I promise!” she said, and just when she was about to leave, Kratos still had more to say.

"Colette, I must warn you of one thing however, if you insist on traveling. A creature has been sighted in these woods recently. It's been scaring the townsfolk, with reports of food being stolen and the like. It could be dangerous."

"Ah, I'll be careful!” Though while she knew this was a risk, still she asked. "What...does this creature look like?"

Kratos looked straight at her, seeming to assess his own words before saying them aloud. "From the few sightings reported, this creature appears to be… dog-like."

She knew for sure who he meant then.

---

Colette hadn't been lying exactly when she said was taking care of a certain dog.

The woods were truly much darker at this hour, but she would press on, hurrying down the path she would take each day to visit her grandmother. Except this time, her basket was laden with more food than usual, full of prepared roast beef sandwiches and the like, instead of the usual sweet cookies and gels she’d take, although she had plenty of those too! It was just her grandmother didn’t typically eat this much, but her new friend however…

There was a bend in the pathway that led her away from the direction towards her grandmother’s house, and instead much further into a thicker grove, enough so that the hem of her bright cloak would sometimes catch onto the brambles that lined her way.

Not seeing her friend right away, and hoping the huntsman wasn’t near, she called out. “Hey! I brought some- oops!”

Of course, she was falling again, this time down a slope, the fallen leaves making her descent more slippery.

A pair of arms quickly caught her around the waist, lifting her up easily.

“Whoa! Are you okay?”

His breath was warm against her ear, and she felt the familiar fur fringe from his coat tickle her neck. She giggled. “I’m okay, Lloyd.”

“You need to be careful! You almost fell down this steep hill…”

Colette still couldn’t help but smile, falling against his hold like he was a big fuzzy blanket, something she genuinely liked after the chill of the ending day. “I’m sorry, but I came by just like I promised!” With reluctance, she stepped out of her friend’s hold, holding up her basket to him. “See? I brought some food!”

Within the dim glow of the sky, she could still see him clearly. His brown hair was painted with streaks of gold from the setting sun, doing the same with his great furry ears that extended from each side. Colette kept herself from reaching out to pet them, even though instinct kept telling her to! It didn’t help that Lloyd also had a cute fluffy tail, one that kept wagging behind him… Oh! Did that mean he was happy to see her?

“Oh really? You didn’t have to do that…” But Lloyd smiled wide, sharp teeth gleaming white. Maybe to another person, it would have looked scary, but Colette could only find adorableness in each of Lloyd’s features. Clawed hands that had held her just moments ago now fidgeted, looking ready to take the basket from her hands.

With a grin, Colette held out the basket. “It’s for you though! And my arms are a bit tired from carrying it actually…”

Lloyd blinked, finally seeing into the basket. “Did you carry this much?! It’s not like…well, okay. I would probably eat everything…”

At that, Colette could barely contain her excitement anymore. “Not just that! Look, look!” Reaching into the basket, underneath a heaping of sandwiches and apple gels, she pulled out the item she had seen in the local shop window earlier that day and knew it would be perfect for her new friend. “Isn’t it so cute?”

Furry ears flicking, Lloyd stared at what she held. “Did… you get me a collar?”

“Uh huh! I even put in a nametag for you. See?” She pointed out to the bright, jingling tag, shaped like a bone. Sure enough, it said, ‘Lloyd’ on it!

“Um…” Lloyd’s tail drooped. “That’s uh…”

Colette, seeing Lloyd not as excited, felt her own hopes falter. “Oh… you don’t like it?”

“It’s not that! I… think it’s really cool!” Lloyd perked up, grinning again. “Heh, it’s even red…”

Colette’s mood brightened once more. “Yeah! I remember you saying it was your favorite color. And see here?” She pointed to the back of the tag which stated, ‘If found, return to Colette Brunel.’ “That way, if you ever get lost, someone can help you come back to me!”

Lloyd blinked. “I’m not sure if people will hang around me long enough to read that though…”

"Well, it's good for just in case! That way you always have a home to go to."

Lloyd grinned at that, tail wagging again, scratching the back of his head with just a bit of shyness. "Heh, thanks, Colette. Um, I'll wear it after I eat! I'm kinda starving…"

And just as they had done since she first met the werewolf, Lloyd and Colette sat on the leaf-covered ground, ready to share their meal together.

Colette had seen many odd things in her venture through the woods, but the werewolf boy she had come upon had been quite new to her. Like a stray, he had been hungry and very lost, his fur and hair a little matted, his clothes ragged, and his eyes a bit wary as she moved closer. Maybe if it had been someone else, she would have been frightened, but she felt that he was more scared himself…

---

.

.

.

Colette heard something shuffling in the brush next to her. On her way from leaving her grandmother's, the day was nearly ending, the dusk painting a soft, melancholy glow over the trees. The leaves color were fading, blending with the fierce red of the sunset. 

She heard nothing afterwards, but that only pulled at her curiosity even more, making her venture from the safe roads towards the thicket. Branches reached out to snag her cloak, her hair, and her confidence. But then she found a boy her age, his back turned to her. He looked like any normal person… until she got closer and noticed the now obvious fluffy tail he sported. 

It was hard not to audibly squeal at the sight. Instead, she cleared her throat, then call out, "Hello? Are you okay?"

Something about his eyes then had been so striking, a russet brown that matched his fur (he had fur!) along with pointed furry ears that stuck out from the depths of his wild hair (and that hair seemed familiar too?). He turned to her with tension in his shoulders, claws gripping onto something.

It was...a sandwich? Had he been trying to make one? But it seemed to be missing a few ingredients…

"I didn't - I only, I just took a little bit!" The boy growled out, and she had to think on that word a bit. Growled. She saw the sharp teeth bared, like a scared puppy who only wanted to feel safe again. "I'm not hurting anyone…"

Someone else might have fled at the sight of his teeth and his claws, the way his eyes caught the setting sun's light. But Colette, seeing the lunch her grandmother could not finish, held out her basket to him. 

"Would you like some cookies? I have some fruit sandwiches if you'd want that!"

The boy stared, teeth no longer as bared, but his ears moving at her voice. He looked to the attempt of a sandwich in his hands. The low timbre of his voice was still there, but soft instead of rough this time. "You can put fruit in these…?"

Colette tried to take a step forward, but the other noticed and scurried backwards on the ground. The poor sandwich had fallen the ground in his haste. She could then more clearly see the black claws that took the place of his fingernails. “Hey!”

“Sorry! I’m not going to hurt you…” With her experience of treating scared animals before, Colette then knelt on the ground, so that they could be on equal grounds. The boy still seemed on edge, his fur bristling, his eyes seeming to even glow from the sunlight reflecting off them. She then reached into her basket and held out the fruit sandwich. “Do you want a bite?”

The sandwich had left her grip in a flash. The furry boy was still some distance away from her, but she could see him chewing at his food, tail wagging. It was much too cute, she realized.

"What's your name?" she asked, hoping he was calmer now to tell her. Did he have one? Maybe she could give him one, just like she always did with the stray doggies… She brushed that thought aside. He was not a doggy! Maybe… It was hard to think differently with those ears and tail.

The boy looked to the side, munching on that fruit sandwich, red coloring his cheeks. "Well… give me your name and I'll give you mine."

So she did.

.

.

.

---

That had been a few weeks ago, and now the boy’s fur was fuller, and his clothes of much better quality after Colette sneaked some from her home. His ears would perk up as she spoke to him, and his tail was as fluffy as ever! (She made sure to groom it on the other days she had come by to visit him). Lloyd’s smile was always so bright now too. It was hard to see him as the same scared creature that she first met.

Lloyd's tail was wagging at rapid speeds as he chowed down on feast presented to him. "There's so much roast beef!" he was exclaiming while he was chewing on the sandwich at the same time. "This is great!" Then his eyes swiveled to something else that Colette was eating. "Is that a tiny cupcake?"

"Yeah! They're like gels but way tastier!" Finishing her own, she reached into the basket and held up another, it's fruity frosting so bright, matching her cloak. "Here. Since your hands are full, I can feed it to you?"

Lloyd had more than one foodstuff in his hands (or claws? Which was more accurate?), consisting of half a sandwich, a gel or two or three, and even some of the cookies. Colette wondered how he carried it all so effortlessly while eating. "Oh. Yeah I guess that makes sense." His tail was wagging again, but she could already see in his sharp-toothed smile that he was happy. "I bet I can eat it in one bite!"

"They're not that tiny!" Colette warned, holding up one of the sweets in her hand. "Or maybe I can throw it and you can catch it!"

"Hey, I'm not ready for that!" And before Colette could say she was only joking, Lloyd leaned forward with an 'Ahh' and quickly took the cupcake from her fingers.

She hadn't expected the suddenness, or the warmth of his mouth over her fingertips. Colette only flinched slightly - but didn't pull away.

Lloyd only seemed to realize what he did after he'd gobbled up the cupcake from her hold. "Uh, o-oh, sorry! I… was really hungry!"

"Hehe, it's okay," she reassured. “I guess you did eat it in one bite!” Looking back to the basket, she felt a sudden feeling take hold. "I can feed you more!"

"Huh? Well, I can just set this stuff down and -"

"No, it’s okay! Let me! Please…"

About a dozen or so cupcakes later, most of the food Colette had brought over was gone. She felt Lloyd sit next to her, his face so bright from all the food he got to eat. She hoped he really didn't mind on her insistence on feeding him…

"You really didn't have to bring me so much stuff, Colette. Even though it was really good!" His right ear flicked as if by its own accord. "It was probably hard to scratch my ears while feeding me too, so you so you didn't have to…"

"It's okay!" Colette quickly reassured. She sat up straighter, eye straying to those furry ears. "But, do you still want me to now?"

Lloyd immediately knelt closer to her, his tail thumping against the ground. "Yeah! If you don't mind? It just feels really nice."

Colette was experienced in petting furry ears for many years! Sometimes dogs would just instantly trot up to her, sitting at her feet, ears – from the pointed variety to the long, floppy ones – would lift, waiting for Colette’s famous pets. She made note of Lloyd’s own (pointed and really, really fluffy) and got to work on giving him the best ear scratches he ever received in his life.

Lloyd fluttered his eyes shut, facing her still as both her hands dug through his hair, fingers gently massaging his scalp, and then massaging his ears. “Hehe…” he chuckled, and Colette knew she was definitely doing something right.

Just one thing though – her arms were a bit tired. She wasn’t used to doing this for someone taller than her! “Ah, Lloyd, do you think…”

“Huh? Oh! Right, sorry. I forgot…” With that Lloyd promptly laid his head on her lap, sharp teeth so bright in his grin, his russet hair splayed against her red cloak. “Better?”

“Much better!” Colette answered, and so with no more pressure in her arms, she scratched behind his cute fluffy ears again. His tail was thumping against the ground again, his happiness so plain for her to see, giving her confidence in her touches.

This is what they did on most days she visited Lloyd. It wasn’t always at the same place, Lloyd moving around the woods – for reasons she was beginning to suspect. But when they found each other like now; they’d have snacks, or chat, or just lay like this on the ground, her hands so eager to make Lloyd as happy as he was now.

And in such a moment like now, she felt she had to ask. “Lloyd…” she said, hands still entwined in his hair.

“Hm?” Lloyd answered. His eyes were closed, his face so peaceful. “What is it?”

“Do you… do you already have a home to go to, Lloyd?”

Off in the distance, she heard the soft calling of birds, the wind rustling the leaves on the ground. But from Lloyd, she heard nothing. His tail had stopped moving.

She thought he would get up to leave the reach of her hands, but instead he turned his head to the side, his eyes open but looking away. “Why do you wanna know?”

In the short time they had known each other, Colette realized she had never asked Lloyd this, remembering the scared boy from her first encounter. Maybe it was invasive to ask, maybe it was rude. But underneath the darkening sky, with the sunlight shining on his cheek, it seemed now that….

"I'm sure your family must miss you,” she said, thinking she must have been quiet for too long.

Lloyd stayed still in his current position. She couldn’t see his expression too clearly. “My family didn't want me… and I can't make trouble for the one person who did." He paused, the coming dark casting shadows against his hair. "It was my fault anyway. I didn’t use to always be like this, you know.”

There were so many questions in her head – it was hard to just pick one. But in her eagerness, she probably went with the worst one she could ask. “You mean you didn’t use to be so fluffy?”

“Huh?”

Colette panicked. Oh, that was so dumb to say! “S-sorry! I meant–”

“Wait, shh.” Lloyd turned his head back towards her, his pointed ears now perked up sharply. Eyes darted around. “Someone’s coming.”

“Wh-” Again, Colette didn’t have much time to respond. Because suddenly, Lloyd was hugging her. Not just catching her as she fell, as she tended to do so much, but embracing her so fiercely. She felt the fur fringe of his coat against her face, the soft growling reverberating in his chest. He took her further into the grove they had previously had their picnic in, then hid them both among the brush.

Colette kept quiet. It seemed like Lloyd wanted her to. But also, she felt if she said anything, she’d no longer feel this closeness again.

She finally heard the footsteps. Kratos? she thought. Was he looking for her? She even tried to hold her breath, though Lloyd’s scent surrounded her completely.

It seemed to last much too short – Lloyd’s arms soon relaxed, though his hands remained on her shoulders. His voice was against her ear. “That was close…” She felt the turning of his head. He didn’t let go, she noticed. “Sorry. I think someone’s… hunting me, if that makes any sense.”

Colette nodded. “It’s okay. N-not about the hunting part! Just…” She bit her lip, staying close. “Does this happen a lot?”

She could feel him weighing his answer in his head, poised on his tongue. “I guess so…”

The image of a scared Lloyd in the forest came back to her, so strong and so sad.

And again, she wanted to know more where he came from, how he came to be how he was now. Had Colette ever met Lloyd before his time as a werewolf? Should she secretly be grateful that such a thing happened, or she never would have met him in the first place? That’s so selfish of me.

Lloyd still didn’t let go of her. Maybe because she hadn’t moved away yet. “Ah, I’m probably in your way. I can just…” Her hands had been pressed against his chest. She lifted her head, and just then couldn’t help but look at him.

There was something about the way his hands held her, the way he stared at her. The setting sun reflecting off his eyes got Colette entranced. She couldn't help it if she leaned in just a little, enough to see the hidden tiredness in his face. Lloyd was so very tired, living out here in the woods alone. One day, could she bring him back home? Sneak him in through her window like she'd do with the strays in the village before her Father said they could not keep them? But Lloyd was…

When he kissed her, she felt his breath, rapid and warm. Her tongue brushed against the sharp edge of his teeth. But he didn't hurt her. He never would. She knew he would never hurt anyone, but he had been living all alone, in fear that people would think he did.

Lloyd broke the kiss quickly, blinking at her. Colette felt guilty suddenly.

"Oh! Sorry… I've never kissed anyone, so it probably wasn't very good, was it?" She said it with a soft giggle, even if her own words pierced her sharply.

Another fierce embrace from him. His warmth was everywhere. Again, like a big fuzzy blanket she could fall into. "Don't be stupid," he said, the growl in his voice sending vibrations throughout her entire body.

Perhaps things were meant to go a different way. If they hadn’t been interrupted, maybe Lloyd would have stayed closed off, but she could feel the beating of his heart against her own chest. He was so warm.

They stayed like that for a while.

---

The sky was getting so dark. The sun hidden behind the trees, leaving only its glow of soft pink against the edges of the clouds overhead. Far later than when she would visit her grandmother. But both Lloyd and Colette remained seated on the ground, his arms still around her. She hadn’t wanted him to let go.

“My dad’s a woodcutter,” he was telling her, his voice back to being lively and eager. “He makes a lot of cool stuff, like these figures and even swords! He lives in this forest too, but I haven’t gone back to see him.” A worried fidget, his hands placed over her own as they laid in Colette’s lap. “I don’t want to cause any trouble for him.”

“But, it’s not your fault you’re like this though!” she argued, turning to him. “You couldn’t have known that person you were trying to help would bite you…”

“Yeah, I guess so… Man, it really hurt!” Lloyd frowned at the memory. “They looked like a normal person to me… but I just look like this all the time instead. It doesn’t make sense!”

Colette considered this, remembering the legends of werewolves. “Maybe each werewolf is different? Or he bit you really hard and that made the difference?”

“He did bite me hard…” Lloyd whined.

“I bet you could bite him back!” she said with her full support.

“I don’t really want to bite people though…”

But he was laughing, looking as happy as he did when they had their picnic. But Colette made the mistake of looking up at the sky, mentally noting the hour it must be.

"I… should probably go back.” She only said it because she felt she had to, only that. Her words were faint, too drawn by the fuzzy softness that Lloyd’s body offered.

“Oh.” Something held in the air – his voice struggling. “I didn’t know it was already this late.”

Colette tapped her fingers over his claws. “Were you… going to ask me something?”

His hands were still around her, along with the scent of leaves dried out by the sun only to soak in the night's shadows. She could see the dark claws on his hands, entwined among her fingers, but they had never frightened her. In Lloyd, she always saw someone so kind and pure, even in their short time knowing each other.

When he finally asked the question she could see he was struggling with, it was almost like a beg. "Can you stay tonight?"

The leaves were so soft underneath them both. Even the chill of the wind didn’t bother her so much, not with him holding her. It made her remember the days she would nap outside when she was younger.

Lloyd seemed to realize the note of desperation in his voice, trying to brush it away with a laugh. “Ah, that’s… kind of a weird thing to ask, yeah?” She could see his tail to the side, the tip brushing against the ground methodically.

“Well… I think it would be okay if I stay for a little while?” she said, leaning away from his chest, but only so she could smile up at him. “We just ate so… we should let the meal settle!” She wondered if that made any sense, actually.

But Lloyd was grinning down at her, those teeth so sharp, and already finding herself wanting to kiss him again. How had that happened before? Had she just imagined it? “Yeah! Okay, for just a little while then.”

She nodded, then dared something else. She felt too shy to kiss him but maybe… “It’s probably easier to settle if we laid down?”

Lloyd didn’t even hesitate. “Right! That’s smart, Colette.”

“Heh, thanks!”

So, it felt so easy to lean into his hold, to lower themselves to the ground, the sunset-colored leaves all around them. The sky took up her vision, so close to nightfall. Sometimes the woods could be eerie at this hour, but she felt Lloyd hug her still, feeling comfortable. And always warm.

“I forgot to bring a blanket…” she said, turning towards him so she could lean into his chest. “I’m sorry… But your fur is really…”

“Hm? You trailed off, are you-?” Lloyd blinked, turning towards Colette who was already fast asleep. He smiled, cuddling more to her. “Heh… thanks for staying, Colette.”

The wind ruffled the leaves, Lloyd’s fur, Colette’s red cloak, and then, “It’s okay… if you bite me…”

“Huh?”

But she still seemed to be asleep. Lloyd wondered if he had just imagined that. “Dork…” he muttered, already feeling too sleepy himself to question it.

Neither ever felt the chill of the autumn winds all night.