#destiny trio bedrooms

[luxmoogle]

[hyukassubi]

🍪01 | Your Eyeliner Sucks But This Ceremony Doesn't

♡𓂃 Pairing -> (Former) Knight! Huening Kai x Seamstress! Reader

♡𓂃 Synopsis -> Growing up, you never believed in purpose, nor destiny. Simply following the path of life, becoming a royal seamstress didn't at all seem like a bad idea. Only thing is, it wasn't your idea.

Your best friend who just so happens to be the crowned prince knows what it's like to grow up having limited choices, and Prince Kang Taehyun doesn't want the same happening to you. The commander knight, in turn, has other plans for the future. After Huening Kai closes a profound chapter of his life, he seeks refuge from the chaos of his past, opting for a cozier lifestyle instead.

... And it just so seems that those plans wouldn't be fulfilled without you.

♡𓂃 Wc -> 851

Twenty-two years old, having been the Royal Seamstress for the last six years, expert hands when it comes to stitching and sewing together fabrics, beads, jewels, other materials others couldn’t possibly deem as ‘wearable’, crafting together the strongest bulletproof armors for hundreds of knights, and you still can’t do a perfect eyeliner wing.

Dipping, stroking, erasing on repeat for the past hour or so at the prince’s vanity but you can’t cry and rip your hair out because someone is on a stallion coming in from the east at a hundred miles an hour back home where he belongs.

Commander Knight Kai Kamal Huening is coming home, or Kai, for short.

Prince Taehyun, pink haired and silver-tongued, wearing that deep emerald green corset over his white flowy blouse and tight-fitting black leggings designed by none other than you, perched cross-legged on his cloud-soft silk-satin bed, blowing over his black-painted nails. “Y/n, stop.” How endearing of him, truly.

“Not until my eyes look like they can cut through fruits, dramatic and beautiful.”

Childhood best friends, the two of you were, which explains everything.

“Honey.” Taehyun said the word per syllable. “You already look dramatically beautiful without all that cakey face paint junk.” And that was the truth.

Your wing on your left eye had a higher arc than the one on the right, a slight tilt, a ten degree angle difference.

You can’t leave this room until you look like a model, there’s no way. Not after you pieced together an outfit just for this occasion.

You scrubbed that black ink right off. “Taehyun, I can’t unglue myself out of this vanity—”

“—my vanity—”

“—Until my look is complete. It’s a one time thing, okay? Kai’s coming home after like, what? A whole year? I have to look good for his ‘Welcome Back’ ceremony.”

Taehyun threw himself onto his bed completely, arms flailed, sighing, deep in thought.

Some part of Taehyun couldn’t believe this was real, then again, he feels hopeful. Having that burned hole in the trio filled again after all these years feels surreal, to say the least, but wasn’t that all he hoped for all those years ago? Kai’s quick and safe return? So that both you and him wouldn’t have to spend your days under the sun longing for his presence ever again?

You still had Taehyun, and Taehyun still had you. The prince had his seamstress, the seamstress had her prince… but perhaps the palace did feel a little less sunny, a little more spacious without the knight’s presence.

“I wonder if Kai had changed.” Taehyun stared blankly at the high ceiling of his elite bedroom, getting used to the view of an oil painted spring sky. “I wonder if he’d changed after his year-long quest of dragon slaying and all of that… God forbid they made him shave his head and grow a beard like all the other knights that my father have set on extreme voyages.”

You grimaced at the vivid imagination you had in your head, continuing on a more hopeful note, “I just hope he’s okay.”

“He can be bald and bearded up and still be okay.”

“I will actually rip the pink roots out of your hair.” Your left wing swooped the wrong way. Again. “Unless you have anything better to say, stop painting that picture in my mind.”

Taehyun chuckled and you hated how cute he has to look whenever his lips crease up into a smile like that. “Whatever you say love, whatever you say.” The prince can’t help but feel proud for raising his best friend to have a smart mouth, just like him. Perhaps not as sharp or quick-witted, but still an all rounder in sass. “Are you done, by the way? The entire kingdom is literally right outside the castle gates just… waiting… for us.”

“Waiting for Kai.” You corrected, reminding him that the main character of today is Kai Kamal Huening and not Prince Kang Taehyun. “I hope his ten thousand fangirls won’t trample over him and his pony once he arrives.”

“I doubt that'll happen, not when Kai will probably be trampling over you of all people.”

You closed off the half-full eyeliner container. “Taehyun, do my wings look decent?”

“More than decent.” He hopped out the bed onto his feet, walking to the door. “Now, come on, we've got a ceremony to attend to and a knight to meet.” He unlocked the wooden door to reveal a long hallway, as most castles do. “After you, Royal Seamstress.”

You curtsied, fanning your closed eye in the process. “You're very welcome, Prince Taehyun.”

Walking out of the prince’s room, your heels clicking on the marbled floor and down the set of stairs passing the prince’s bedroom and your design studio, the faintest cheer of a crowd from up ahead, your heart races just thinking about Kai’s return.

The last time he'll ever return.

Masterlist | Next

♡𓂃A/n: Taehyun being sassy. That's it. That's the author's note. (proofread this once and dipped but I hope everyone enjoyed this nonetheless! Taehyun may not be the love interest in this story but his sassy bestie energy is unmatched, solomons can't miss this.)

♡𓂃Tags: @imcringebutimfree @i-like-to-read-at-4am @pengningie @marloree

Reblog & review if you like my work !!

[msmercury84]

"Viva Las Vegas! Is Stardom in the Cards for Leigh?" "I Double Dare You-A Rendezvous With Destiny"

*Author's Note: Bill Guarnere enjoyed trips to Las Vegas where he had fun in the casinos. This information came from podcasts and interviews with his granddaughter.*

In February, 1946, Leigh got a call at the CBS radio station from Maxine Andrews. She was surprised when Maxine asked her to join her and the other Andrews Sisters for a few shows in the up and coming gambling mecca of Las Vegas.

Maxine explained that the sisters were performing at the Flamingo casino and resort on the same bill as Louis Prima. She told Leigh that all expenses would be paid by the manager of the popular trio.

Leigh happily accepted the offer of a two week vacation, providing that her and Bill's bosses would agree to their taking time off from work.

Since Bill had never taken his vacation time from his government job, he was cleared to go. Leigh's boss gave his approval quickly, knowing that the CBS affiliate would get publicity.

After leaving work one afternoon, Leigh decided to do a little shopping for the Las Vegas trip. She bought a light gray , long sleeved wiggle dress with pleats at the bottom of the back of the garment. It fastened in the back with a row of small scarlet buttons. The buttons began after a sharp 'v' in the upper back of the dress.

Then, she purchased some scarlet pumps and some scarlet gloves to accent her dress. Bill had bought a brooch for her that looked like a red rose on a slender gold stem and Leigh planned to wear it on the dress.

Leigh found an excellent bargain in the same downtown Philadelphia department store where Bill bought the red wiggle dress and the red satin bra, panty and garter belt set for their first Christmas as a married couple.

She bought a coat in the same shade of scarlet as the buttons on her dress. It had faux black and gray fur trim on the cuffs, the top and the bottom of the coat. It had been reduced to 50% off the ticket price and Leigh was delighted to pay $20 for the well made garment.

Later that day, after the supper dishes were washed, Leigh told Bill,

"Honey, I bought a dress and some new items for our trip. Will you let me know if you like them? I'll model them for you." Guarnere agreed to give his opinion on the dress and whatever else she bought.

Leigh went upstairs to their bedroom. She took the dress out of the bag from the department store. Then, she took off her day dress and put on the new dress and the new red pumps.

It was a little difficult for Leigh to button the dress, but she was able to get it fastened. She walked downstairs.

"Here's what it looks like from the front." Leigh then turned around to let Bill see the back of the dress.

"That dress is really doin' somethin' to me, Baby. It's almost as sexy as the black lace set ya bought in Paris" He walked over to stand behind Leigh and he embraced her, pulling her close to him as he kissed her neck.

Leigh could feel that Bill was becoming aroused and she moved her behind against him, prompting a faint groan from Guarnere. He nibbled her right earlobe, whispering,

"Baby, ya know what that does to me. You're beautiful all over an' that dress shows your sweet, sexy ass off to perfection. Do ya have a coat to go wit' this dress? I can't go through the train station like this."

She moved forward slightly, giving herself enough room to reach back and gently stroke Bill's hard cock through his trousers.

"You would certainly attract attention this way. Let me go upstairs and get the coat I bought and see if that helps. I bought this on sale with money from my check. Honey, I don't want you to think I'm spending your money foolishly." Guarnere kissed her neck,

"You don't have to explain, Baby. I know you wouldn't do anythin' like that. You're always very careful wit' money. If you want somethin' or if ya really need it, like a new coat, let me know. I'd like to spoil ya once in awhile."

"You're so sweet and understanding, Honey. Stay nice and hard for me until I get back."

"All I have to do is think o' you in that dress, Baby. I'll be ready for ya." Leigh went upstairs to their bedroom. She took her coat and her red gloves out of the bag from the department store and put on both items.

Before leaving the bedroom, Leigh quickly unfastened her garter belt, removed her panties and fastened the garter belt again. She placed her panties in the hamper.

Next, she went into the bathroom, removed her red gloves, inserted her diaphragm, washed her hands and put the gloves on. Leigh walked downstairs to find Bill in the same spot, patiently waiting for her.

She turned in a small circle, modeling the coat and gloves.

"You look like a movie star in that coat an' those gloves. Baby, you're a beautiful, classy lookin' woman. You're gonna turn some heads in that outfit."

"Thanks, Honey. The only head I want to turn is yours. Does the coat help your...condition?"

"It will at least let me walk through the train station wit'out drawin' attention to myself. You really look like a million bucks in that outfit." Leigh carefully took off the coat and gloves, placing both items on the coffee table.

"I have a little surprise for you. If you're still in the mood, do you want to find out what it is? You'll have to unbutton those buttons in the back to see it." She winked at him.

Guarnere had a slightly wicked grin as he replied,

"I'm always in the mood where you're concerned, ya little fireball. If you turn around, I can get to work on those buttons." Bill kissed Leigh's neck again before he started to unbutton the top three buttons on the dress.

He saw that she was still wearing her bra, so he unbuttoned a few more buttons. Leigh ground her bottom against his hard cock, prompting a slightly louder groan from him.

Guarnere unbuttoned a few more of the scarlet buttons to reveal the top of her garter belt. He grinned, knowing that Leigh probably wasn't wearing panties. Bill unfastened two more buttons and slid the dress down slowly to reveal her bare ass beneath the garter belt.

He slid the dress down her legs, asking her to step out of it. Leigh complied and Bill gathered up the dress, carefully folding it and placing it on the coffee table.

Guarnere cupped her ass in his hands. He nibbled her ear and whispered,

"You look so goddamned hot, Baby. I wish you'd go wit' out panties all the time. Let's take this upstairs. We don't want anybody payin' a surprise visit, catchin' us gettin' busy." He picked Leigh up and carried her to their bedroom.

He placed her on the bed and quickly disrobed. Leigh removed the bedspread, the top sheet and the pillows. Bill removed her bra and began gently sucking on her nipples.

Leigh ran her fingers through his hair, loving the feel of his lips. A few minutes later, she was on the verge of coming. Bill abandoned her breasts for a moment as he traced kisses down her torso, pausing to look at her.

"You wanna watch me, don't ya."

"Oh, yes, Honey. It makes everything more intense when I watch you licking and loving my...pussy."

Bill groaned softly,

"Goddamn! I love it when ya say that. Let me show ya how much I love it." He maintained eye contact with her as he gently sucked her clit between his lips. He alternated licking and sucking until her hips rose involuntarily.

"Oh God, Baby that's so good!"

Guarnere continued to look into her eyes as he worked two fingers into her warm interior.

"You're soakin' wet. That's my sweet angel." He broke eye contact for a moment to devote his attention once again to her clit. Leigh watched him and that quickly sent her over the edge. She called out his name as a glorious climax swept over her.

Bill never stopped, he helped Leigh ride out her orgasm. He was proud and happy to know how much he pleased her. Once she recovered, Leigh was trying to pull him up, wanting to continue their lovemaking. Guarnere grinned,

"My baby's ready, ain't no doubt about it. Tell me what ya want, Sweetheart." He stayed still despite his need to get relief for his nearly aching cock.

Leigh arched her back, trying to get him inside her. She knew what Bill was doing and it further inflamed her desire.

"I want you to fuck me!"

"Oh, hell, yes!" He moved up as Leigh slightly closed her legs, making it easier for him to enter her. Bill easily slid his cock into her.

He thrust into her, saying,

I'm fuckin' the hottest...(he thrust into her again) the most beautiful...(he thrust into Leigh again) an' the sexiest woman in town." Leigh tried a technique that Julia told her about. She tightened her grip on him with her vagina, being sure to meet his every stroke.

Bill quickly picked up the pace as Leigh grasped his ass, pulling him into her. They kissed passionately until Leigh broke the kiss, calling his name.

Guarnere loved to hear her saying his name.

"You're so good at fuckin'! Bill circled his hips and they continued, going at a frantic pace. Leigh felt another orgasm building. When she contracted around Bill's cock as she came, his thrusting lost rhythm and he groaned as he came.

In the afterglow, Leigh lay in his arms. Guarnere ran his fingers through her hair.

"Baby, I don't know what ya were doin' inside, but it was hotter than the fires of hell."

"A woman I know told me how to do that. She said it drives her husband crazy."

"I'd like to thank her, 'cause I loved it. Not that I haven't enjoyed the way ya make love, you're perfect, Sweetheart." Leigh giggled.

"You can call and tell her any time. You already have her telephone number." Bill stopped running his fingers through Leigh's hair.

"Baby, please tell me it wasn't Ma who told ya how to do that." (He pronounced the word as 'dat') Bill was greatly relieved when Leigh assured him,

"It wasn't Mama, Honey."

"I don't have that many phone numbers for people except Maria an' Julia."

"It wasn't Maria."

"Holy God! It's Julia. Oh, hell, that's more than I ever wanted to know about her an' Sal. I'm glad she told ya, but, Jesus! Knowin' what my sister does in the bedroom, I could do wit'out that part." Leigh couldn't suppress her urge to laugh.

"Does this mean that you never want me to do this again?" Guarnere quickly answered,

"Oh, hell, no! I loved it. I'll just enjoy it an' try to not think about how ya learned it."

Bill and Leigh departed Philadelphia on a cold, snowy day for Las Vegas. The trip would take several days on the train. Leigh wore the new gray dress, the scarlet shoes, scarlet gloves and her new coat.

She and Bill were treated to a private sleeper room on the train, courtesy of the Andrews Sisters' manager. The room had a bed that could also serve as seats, should they decide to stay in the room.

They enjoyed the accommodations and discovered the experience of making love while traveling at about 60 miles per hour on the new diesel engine train.

Bill and Leigh enjoyed their suite at The Flamingo hotel and casino. This trip began their love of casinos and Las Vegas. While the temperature was cool, it was warmer than the weather in Philadelphia.

Leigh met with the woman in charge of the Andrews Sisters' costumes. She eagerly accepted the sisters' generous offer of a custom made dress for the show. The dress would be a sleeveless wiggle style dress made of red silk. Patty, Maxine and Laverne now wore cocktail type dresses for their concerts.

The night of the show, Bill had a corsage of a white rose edged in a thin gold colored stripe and tied with a thin gold metallic bow sent to Leigh by a courier.

Midway through the show, Leigh did a solo as the sisters took a break. She told the audience,

"My next song, " Ooh, Papa, Do," is dedicated to my husband, Bill Guarnere. Honey, would you please stand up?" A stage hand directed a small spotlight from the stage to illuminate the area where Guarnere was standing.He was wearing a white dress shirt, black trousers and black shoes. Bill smiled as the audience applauded.

She walked to a concert sized grand piano, sat down and started to play the introduction to the uptempo song. The band joined in and Leigh started to sing.

"I've got a man who loves me, I swear by the stars above. And every night, we dim the lights, he tells me of his love. When he kisses my cheek, all I can speak is 'Ooh, Papa do, Papa do.

He lets me know he needs me. This I do declare. This much I know, I love him so, I'll take him anywhere. When he says goodbye, all I can cry is 'Ooh, Papa, do, Papa do.'

"Ooh, Papa do, do the things you do. It sets my soul on fire. Ooh, Papa, do, I really go for you. You're my heart's desire.

When time comes for him to leave me, I stand with tears in my eyes. This much I know, I love him so, he's the man I idolize. And when he holds me near, all you can hear is, 'Ooh, Papa, do. Papa, do. Ooh, Papa, do. Papa do. Ooh, Papa do. Papa, do."

Bill enjoyed the slightly suggestive lyrics of the song. He thought,

"My baby is outdoin' the singin' she did in Paris. She's lookin' an' soundin' super hot."

The following day, Maxine Andrews called Leigh. Louis Prima's wife, Keeley Smith, had to have an emergency appendectomy. Prima wondered if Leigh would be interested in filling in for her. This would be his last show since he was taking time off to help Keeley after she got home from the hospital.

Andrews didn't have to wait for an answer. Leigh happily accepted the offer. Bill was delighted with the news and he promptly called Augusta to tell her the good news.

Since Leigh was a fan of Prima's music, she was familiar with the way he and his wife performed the songs on their record albums. She needed no coaching on how to perform. Keeley was known for being the 'straight man' to Louis' humorous interpretations of some of the songs.

Of course, Prima and Leigh rehearsed, but she effortlessly stepped into the new style of performing and singing. Lacey Davis and one of her friends decided to attend the Prima show.

Both women moved to Las Vegas in hopes of finding work as singers or chorus girls. Davis had yet another job as a receptionist. Her friend was still looking for work and they shared a small apartment on the outskirts of town.

Lacey wore a wiggle dress in emerald green with matching shoes. Davis's green eyes and red hair was accentuated by the color of her dress and shoes. Her roommate Angie Shane, a tall blonde, wore a cocktail dress made of blue taffeta. She wore matching blue shoes.

Before the show began, a man in a tuxedo walked onstage to tell the audience,

"Keeley Smith is in the hospital. She had to have her appendix removed. Fortunately, an extremely talented woman performing with the Andrews Sisters here at The Flamingo will fill in for her.

Leigh Guarnere, formerly known as The Songbird of the 506th, will appear with Louis Prima." Angie noticed the sour expression on Davis' face. Lacey felt her stomach clench as she heard the name of her perceived rival being announced. She cursed under her breath.

Then, she briefly filled Angie in on the backstory of how Leigh got everything Davis ever wanted, from their days as USO performers to the present time. Shane reserved judgment of Leigh since she was also a fan of her singing.

Leigh had the audience alternately applauding and laughing throughout the show. Bill was wearing the charcoal gray suit tailor made by his father for his Christmas present from Leigh, a white dress shirt and black shoes. He had a beaming smile as he proudly watched her perform.

In the middle of the show, Prima told the audience that Leigh was "married to a paisano from South Philly who fought in the 101st Airborne. Ladies and gentlemen, please give a round of applause for this paratrooper who served our country." A spotlight shone on Guarnere as the audience applauded.

Lacey,a Rita Hayworth lookalike, told her friend,

"I will never understand what the hell a good looking guy like that sees in her." Angie correctly thought that Davis was jealous, bitter and petty, especially after Lacey told her,

"He lost most of his right leg in the war. Crippled men do nothing for me, they're disgusting, but I'd overlook the lost leg for a roll in the hay with him." At the end of the show,after Leigh had a standing ovation with two encores, she started to walk to her dressing room. Louis Prima approached her.

"Kid, there's someone who wants to talk to you. He's waiting in my dressing room. Looks like you just made a big break in show business." Leigh thanked Prima, who walked with her to his dressing room. After she entered the room, Louis went to a pay phone to call the hospital to find out how his wife was faring after surgery.

A tall, thin man with gray hair, wearing a tuxedo, shook hands with Leigh, telling her,

"Mrs. Guarnere, my name is Martin Beckley. I'm a talent scout for Decca Records. Please, have a seat. I need to discuss some business with you that could change your life in a big way.

After hearing you with the Andrews Sisters in Paris, I wanted to sign you to the Decca label as a recording artist. Then, the Andrews Sisters told me about your husband being seriously injured in the war and I wanted to wait to offer you this opportunity until he was well again.

Louis Prima, the Andrews Sisters and I all agree that you have the talent to become a major singing star. I realize that this is very sudden, but I need you to think about signing a contract with Decca to be our next big recording star. You can think about this for a few days and we can meet here."

Leigh was stunned for a moment by the news. This was the realization of a dream she had for many years. She saw no sense in making Beckley wait for an answer, so she told him,

"Mr. Beckley, I appreciate this offer and I'm both honored and flattered by the fact that you and four professional vocalists think that I have the potential to become a star." He smiled, waiting for Leigh to continue speaking. A look of bewilderment replaced the smile on his face as she added,

My husband and I are planning on starting a family. There's no way I could be a devoted and nurturing mother if I toured the country doing concerts and promoting my records.

Sir, my husband fully supports any decision I make regarding a singing career. It would be highly unfair to make him the sole parent of our child or children.

I love my husband very much and I intend to be a devoted wife, too. It might not make sense to you, and I know you don't make an offer like this without great consideration, but I'm very content to keep my life as it is right now. Thank you, Sir, but I need to turn down this offer. Knowing I'm good enough to be a star is completely satisfying."

Beckley could tell that Leigh was serious about refusing the recording contract.

"I respect your decision, Mrs. Guarnere. I can't help but feel that you're throwing away the opportunity to live a financially comfortable life. If you ever change your mind, please call the telephone number on this card." He paused to get one of his business cards from an inner pocket of his tuxedo jacket, handing it to her. Leigh thanked him for the card. Beckley added,

"If I'm not available, please let one of the Andrews Sisters know if you change your mind. Their manager could then contact me. I would be happy to help you book shows here in Los Vegas whenever you would like to perform. A voice like yours will never go out of style, no matter what type of music is popular. " He shook hands with her.

"I appreciate your offer to book me for concerts here in Las Vegas. That sounds like something I'd enjoy doing." Before she left to go to her dressing room, Beckley told her,

"If that's the case, I will keep in contact with the Andrews Sisters and Louis Prima. I'm certain that they would enjoy sharing a stage with you again ." Leigh then exited the room and walked down the hall to her dressing room.

Bill was sitting on a chair in her dressing room, patiently waiting. He noticed a strange expression on her face as she entered the room. By his estimation, Leigh appeared to be stunned.

"Baby, is everythin' OK? What goin' on?" She hugged him and pulled a chair close to where he was sitting and sat down.

"Bill, Louis Prima told me that someone was waiting to meet me in his dressing room. A producer from Decca Records, Mr. Beckley, was waiting for me. He's wanted me to sign a contract since the time of the Paris concert. All this time, he kept in touch with the Andrews Sisters and he wanted to wait until you were healed from your injury before he made me an offer." She paused, wondering how to phrase the rest of the news.

"Go ahead, Sweetheart, this sounds like somethin' big."

"Mr. Beckley said that he, Louis Prima and the Andrews Sisters all agree that I could be a recording star." Bill excitedly and loudly told her,

"Holy God! I knew you were gonna make it big! Baby, this is amazin' news! I gotta call Ma an' tell her ya signed a recordin' contract. My baby's gonna be a star!" Leigh took Bill's hands in hers,

"Wait a minute, Honey. Please listen to me before you call Mama. I didn't sign the contract." Guarnere looked puzzled,

"Leigh, what's goin' on? Your dream finally came true."

"That was my dream before we met. Remember when we discussed this in Paris? I haven't changed my mind. As I told Mr. Beckley, we're getting ready to start a family. I can't be a devoted mother if I'm on the road constantly doing concerts. I want to be there for the baby's first words, the first time he or she crawls, the first steps..." Bill cut in,

"Sweetheart, think about this. You're throwin' away a chance only a few singers get. You know I'm behind ya 100 percent. I'm willin' to do whatever it takes for ya."

"Honey, I know that and I appreciate your devotion. Babies need their mother, too. How can I bond with him or her if I'm not there? Chances are excellent that we would have to move, too.

I love our life in South Philadelphia. Everything we need is at home. Being a devoted wife and mother is more important to me than any recording contract. Not going to sleep and not waking up beside you would be unbearable. My mind is made up, Bill.

Mr. Beckley told me that I could do concerts here anytime and I like that idea." Guarnere realized that he couldn't change her mind. He put his arms around Leigh, pulling her close to him, giving her a passionate kiss. When the kiss ended, he tenderly cupped Leigh's face in his hands.

"Baby, you mean the world an' everythin' to me. Knowin' you gave up bein' a star to be a devoted wife to me an' a devoted ma to our kids makes me love ya to the moon an' back. How 'bout we start a family after our first anniversary?"

"I'm glad you understand, Bill, and you mean the world and everything to me, too. That's fine with me. I'm honored to be the future mother of your children. You're somethin' else." They kissed again and departed the room.

Midway down the hall, Leigh realized she left her purse in her dressing room. Bill needed to use the men's restroom, so they agreed to meet further down the hall.

After Guarnere exited the men's room, he waited for Leigh to return. Lacey Davis lied to a security guard about being a friend of Leigh's since their time as USO singers to gain access to the dressing room area behind the stage. She hoped to run into Bill. Lacey's eyes brightened and she smiled as she saw him standing in the hallway. He was surprised by her saying,

"Hello, Handsome. Remember me?" Bill slightly frowned.

"I remember ya."

"How about we slip off and have a drink together. We can get caught up on everything that's happened since the last time I saw you."

"No thanks. I'm waitin' for my wife. She forgot her purse." Lacey moved closer to him,

"Oh, come on, one little drink with an old friend won't hurt anything."

"No offense, but you ain't exactly what I'd call a friend." Lacey noticed Leigh coming out of her dressing room. She waited until Leigh was close enough to see her, then she put her arms around Bill as she gave him a passionate kiss.

Guarnere was angered by her behavior. He pushed Lacey away from him, taking care not to hurt her. He glared at her as he said,

"What the hell do ya think you're doin'? Like I told ya before,I love Leigh an' I'm a happily married man." Leigh heard Bill's question and she told Davis,

"As my husband asked, what the hell are you doing? You're really pathetic, Lacey, throwing yourself at a man who obviously isn't interested in you." Davis sneered,

"Little Miss Perfect, God's gift to showbiz.Your hubby is too much of a gentleman to do anything in your presence. I bet I could change his mind if you weren't with him." Bill angrily asked,

"Who the hell do you think you are? You don't know me! I don't want anybody else, Leigh has my heart for eternity." Leigh added,

"As you can plainly see, my husband can think for himself. If you ever touch him again, you'll be wearing one of my stiletto heels up your ass." Bill couldn't help but grin when he heard her reply to Lacey. Davis ignored Leigh as she concentrated on another way to manipulate Guarnere. She thought,

"He's fiery and passionate. I like that." She couldn't understand why Bill wasn't receptive to her. Other men were, for the most part, easy to convince and seduce. Davis honed in on what she thought would appeal to Guarnere.

"You need an experienced woman who knows how to please a man. I can do things your little wifey doesn't know how to do. No doubt you were goody two shoes' first lover." Bill turned away from her, putting his arm around Leigh's shoulders. Before walking away, he gave Davis a verbal parting shot.

"My baby is perfect at makin' love. Nobody could please me more than Leigh. The Army had trainin' movies about broads like you. They said avoid 'em 'cause those broads had so many men, a guy could get the clap or syphillis." Leigh laughed at Bill's words and the stunned expression on Lacey's face. She decided to add a parting comment,

"Lacey, Bill is absolutely dynamic and highly skilled in bed. Of course, you'll never have that experience with him." Davis's face turned red with anger and she stalked away from the Guarneres. Bill burst into loud laughter. He told Leigh,

"That's tellin' her, Honey. Thanks for complimentin' me."

"You did an excellent job telling her off, too, Bill. Thanks for your rave review about me, too."

She and Bill laughed as they headed for their suite in the hotel. Two days later, they started their trip home.

While Bill and Leigh were on the train to Philadelphia, they were unaware of an article in the top entertainment publication, Variety. Beckley immediately contacted a reporter and told him about a woman who turned down a chance to be a recording star in favor of being a devoted wife and mother.

Lacey Davis spotted the story as she read the publication. She angrily threw it in the trash, thinking to herself,

"What's wrong with that stupid bitch? She threw away the chance of a lifetime! I would literally kill to have a recording contract. It makes me sick that a big time guy like Beckley thinks she's star material. If I could get an audition with Louis Prima, he would see that I'm just as good as she is."

Lacey forced herself to snap out of her musing about Leigh as she boarded a city transit bus to get to her audition.

The elder Guarneres and the Spencers were happily surprised to learn about the offer of a recording contract to Leigh. They weren't surprised at her decision and both couples were looking forward to becoming grandparents.

[fullscoreshenanigans]

Hello!! I'm really sorry, but could you do a summary of the Krone and Isabella light novels? I can't find anywhere to read them. thank you so much!!

No need to apologize, happy to help!

I've talked about the contents of the first light novel here. Almost all of it is available either translated in text or via sound dramas with English subtitles. The exception is the "NER in Bird Cages" story, which is only available in English as a summary.

I've provided a general overview of the second light novel here, as well a link to the masterlist of TPN content for the English-speaking fandom. The first half is dedicated to Isabella, and the second half to Krone, though if you've read chapter 181.2, you'll already be familiar with most of it.

If one of the stories is part of the content of a post, I'll usually tag it as light novels, the title of the light novel in question, and the title of the specific story. (e.g., TPN Light Novels + Moms' Song of Remembrance + The Starry Sky and Leslie's List)

Here's all the light novels laid out with their story tags (with the exception of the fourth one because I've only read the half that's translated):

Light Novel 1: A Letter from Norman

• "The Ghost Incidents at Grace Field House" - Norman reminiscences about his earliest memory with Emma and Ray, when they were about three or four, trying to solve the mystery of the spooky occurrences around the house. • "The Day Emma Cried" - Norman recalls an incident when he was about seven and became terribly ill retrieving Emma’s handkerchief during a rainstorm. Thinking he’s on death’s doorstep, with Isabella’s permission (to both appease Emma and test Ray’s loyalty), Emma and Ray go out to find the miracle cure, a white flower that only blooms at night. • "NER in Bird Cages" - Norman muses how he's never seen Ray cry before he remembers the incident where they rescued an injured bird sometime after Emma's ninth birthday. Ray deals with the grief of not being able to save his beloved older sister, Susan, if he wants to save Emma's and Norman's lives. • "A Gift from the 39th Girl" - The Grace Field kids secretly work on putting together a gift for Norman’s eleventh birthday.

Light Novel 2: Moms' Song of Remembrance

• "The Starry Sky and Leslie's List" - Isabella's story where she remembers helping Leslie with a list of goals he set out to accomplish over the course of two days before he's shipped out. She also reflects on her relationships with Ray and Sarah. • "Searching for the Skies of Freedom" - Krone's story; chapter 181.2 is a retelling of this.

Light Novel 3: Records of Comrades

• "Two Paths" - The story of how Lucas and Yuugo's group acquired the tea set we see Yuugo with in the bunker, interspersed with scenes of Lucas interacting with Emma and Yuugo interacting with Ray during the present timeline. • "Two Wills" - Gillian and Nigel's story of their earlier days at Goldy Pond when they both lost their sisters, Lala and Emilia. • "Two Destinies" - The story of how Mujika and Sonju met and how Leuvis inadvertently ended the farm system and thousand-year promise because he was bored.

Light Novel 4: Films of Memories

• "The Days to Celebrate" • "Operation Stormy Night" - The Grace Field children reminiscence about the night their older siblings helped them feel safe during a particularly bad storm. • "Ray and Conny" - The Grace Field kids are telling Emma about their life at Grace Field house when Conny comes up. Ray recalls to himself how he helped three-year-old Conny adjust to sleeping in the larger shared bedrooms with some indirect help from Susan. It's a story only he and Norman know now. • "The Chess Proverb" - Ray teaches Norman how to play chess, and Emma and Norman join in a match with Ray against Isabella. Serves as a metaphor for how each of them approaches a problem and how they balance each other out when they work together. • "Don and Gilda" • "The Guiding Star" - The story that explains how the trio got on the roof for the chapter 119 cover art and the comfort they each draw from the stars.

Finally, here's my general tag navigation page that's hopefully accessible on mobile as well as desktop.

[millenniumdueled]

Day of Judgement: Part 1

Something had to give. Too many people were getting hurt, getting caught up in what should have been his fight. His friends were one thing. But now, Professor Hawkins...

Yugi shifts against a sleeping Joey, where the two of them rested against each other in one of the bench seats of the Hawkins' RV. Across the table, Tristan and Duke snooze in a smiliar fashion.

The conversation between Yugi and his Other is quiet, spoken inside their hearts, communicated with feelings more than words. They both know what it feels like to worry about their Grandpa. Yugi glances over at the door to the RV's little bedroom at the back, where Téa and Rebecca sleep. He owes it to her to find him. To bring him home. To do so without endangering anyone else.

Yugi moves slowly, slipping out from under Joey's arm, careful not to wake the other man. He dons his jacket, his shoes, his Duel Disk, and quietly leaves the RV.

He has to Duel Doma's Three Musketeers. He has to win. Even if that means condemning his opponent to the cruel fate of the Seal of Orichalcos.

Those three have been with him through everything. They've seen the Shadow Games. They knew him at his worst.

But he can't let them see that side of him again.

He glances at Duke's Cadillac, considers for a moment. But he's never driven before, and the roar of the classic engine would surely wake everyone. He wanders from the RV, past the charred remains of the Professor's house and to the stables behind.

They don't need to speak, they share the same memories of that horse camp in middle school.

It's awkward, especially at first. But somehow, some sort of instinct takes over as the Other Yugi does too, sitting there on Rebecca's beloved horse Billy. But awkward as it is, he manages to coax the horse out of his stables, and into the desert, chasing the location left for him by Doma's Musketeers.

The ride seems to go on forever, but his heart keeps him going, even as the ranch falls far out of view behind him. He's not sure how he knows the way. Maybe it's destiny guiding him, or Timaeus on his deck. Maybe it's that little stone he's been wearing around his neck since that Duel back in Domino City.

But eventually, he sees another person. The tallest member of the trio, the man who called himself Raphael, standing expectantly across a rickety suspension bridge.

Yugi's heart pounds in his chest.

He brings Billy to a stop, nearly tumbling to the dusty ground as he dismounts. But that little fumble hardly deters him, as he turns to fix an icy, piercing glare on the man across the chasm.

"This ends here, Raphael," he growls as he marches, confidently, across the precarious bridge.

[casscreative]

heritage for the future: joestar family playlist

well, after over a year of finding songs befitting of it, my joestar family playlist is finally done!

link: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5yRo0PqxBYLi61gbmiTDJi?si=1e4ce89ba2ae48bd&pt=18d228e171ae74a5d7466d9901416257

tracklist and a short explanation for my picks are under the cut

1. Made In Heaven by Queen

this song talks about fate and accepting destiny on one’s shoulders even if it hurts. this is very poignant for the joestar family

2. Noble Aim by Sleeping At Last

this song is talking about a family and the struggles they face in a non-narrative fashoin, and how their facing of said struggles is noble since they do it out of love for the family. this motivation also makes it easier to swallow the hurts they experience. again, very joestar core

3. Heirloom by Sleeping At Last

this song is again about a family, more about the generational trauma and legacy stains this time. it’s becoming less majestic and more sad

4. Moth’s Wings by Passion Pit

this song is about dealing with death (of a friend) which every joestar faced. also the “you’re just like your father, buried deep under the water” is just so so so poignant

5. Battle Cry by The Family Crest

this song is about the struggle of having will in a, at best, indifferent universe and at worst, a fateful universe that therefore actively fights against you re the free will thing. and how you dont want to lose the ones you love to such a universe wihout at least trying to fight back

6. Meet Me in the Woods by Lord Huron

this song is very fluffed up in poetry but i believe it’s about undergoing trauma which again, very joestar core. the woods mentioned specifically is inciting events of big t trauma. also the implication of this trauma occuring while on an adventure/journey/trip...yeah

7. Slow & Steady by Sleeping At Last

i see this song as a continuation of noble aim. it’s acknowledging how hard and tiring it is and there’s nothing really noble about it. it also talks about continuing to try with will vs fate which again, is very joestar

8. Carry on Wayward Son by Kansas

mooore generational trauma specifically i think it’s talking about Realizing “ohmy family is a little fucked up a bit actually” which is a moment i think all the joestars had in their lives. so. but also despite that fucked-up-ness that you can’t do anything about, there is a lot of love. this only complicates things. it’s a continuation of made in heaven

9. Caesar by The Oh Hellos

talking about fate specifically in a religious sense. since almost all the joestars can be paralleled with jesus (to Me) i think this song fits therefore

10. Resolve. by Sleeping At Last

part three of the noble aim-slow & steady-and now resolve trio. everything hurts so bad and the legacy of this family kills its youngest members (or tries to)

11. Wolves of the Revolution by The Arcadian Wild

big allegory for fighitng against fate. very joestar core esp after the realizations in carry on wayward son and resolve

12. Buy the Stars by MARINA

me when star imagery. anyway it kinda to me is foreshadowing that like, pucci and what he represents will not be able to pin down the family (“i’m not yours to keep”) and also just about the joestars trying to stay true to themselves

13. Bad Blood by Sleeping At Last

continuation of heirloom. it is definitely not noble or majestic anymore it jsut hurts

14. Human by Of Monsters and Men

more star imagery and also joestars are at their wits end. they are only human. lol

15. In Our Bedroom After the War by Stars

joestars WIN despite their crippling mental health GOODNIGHT! specifically this is about my reading of the ireneverse or if you like of the eoh storymode ending. just. them being happy and safe. the war is over. fuck off

[chorusfm]

Bright Eyes Announce New Album

Bright Eyes will release Five Dice, All Threes on September 20th. Today they’ve shared the new song “Bells and Whistles.” Bright Eyes have announced their new album, Five Dice, All Threes, for release on September 20th via Dead Oceans. Comprised of Conor Oberst, Mike Mogis, and Nate Walcott, the beloved band’s 10th studio album features guest performances from long time friends Cat Power, The National’s Matt Berninger and The So So Glos’ Alex Orange Drink. Alongside today’s album news comes the release of the first track, “Bells and Whistles,” and a slew of tour dates for the United States and Europe, including headline slots at Riot Fest and BFF Festival. All shows listed below.   “Bells and Whistles” is a rollicking, anthemic bop that gallavants from NY to LA, its lacerating lyrics referencing Banksy, Princess Diana, the Mets, Silverlake stalwart bar Edendale, music biz pitfalls, and Kevin Costner’s greatest film. The lighthearted video, directed by Josh Boone, was filmed in Omaha, Nebraska and features a magical photobooth, a bar fight, and a performance.   Of the track, Conor Oberst says, “This is a song about the many little details in life that can seem insignificant or frivolous or temporary at the time but eventually end up forming your destiny. And it's also kind of a whistle while you work scenario.” Self-produced, and recorded at Mike and Conor’s studio, ARC, in Omaha, Nebraska, Five Dice, All Threes is a record of uncommon intensity and tenderness, communal exorcism and personal excavation. These are, of course, qualities that fans have come to expect from Bright Eyes, nearly three decades into their career. The tight-knit band of Conor, Mike and Nate tends to operate in distinct sweeping movements: each unique in its sound and story but unified by a sense of ambition and ever-growing emotional stakes. Even with this rich history behind them, these new songs exude a visceral thrill like nothing they have attempted before. Conor has always sung in a voice that conveys a sense of life-or-death gravity. At times throughout Five Dice, All Threes, you may feel worried for him; other times, he may seem like the only one with the clarity to get us out of this mess. As is usual with Bright Eyes’ work, the music comes loaded with subtext that invites deep listening—the signature touch of a band who has always honored the album as its own exalted work of art. With the new songs the trio embrace the elusive quality that has made them so enduring and influential across generations and genres, bringing their homespun sound from an Omaha bedroom to devoted audiences around the world. In Conor’s songwriting lies a promise that our loneliest thoughts and feelings can take on grander shapes when passed between friends, blasted through speakers, or shouted among crowds. Five Dice, All Threes is as confessional and unguarded as Conor has sounded in years. Throughout these timelessly constructed yet unabashedly modern songs, he earns his place among a rare class of songwriters who have grown more fearless and boundless with age.   In the game of threes, the titular move would indicate a perfect roll. Perfection, however, means something different in the world of Bright Eyes, where our flaws are what grants us authority and finding meaning is only possible if we bear witness to the dark, winding journey to get there. On Five Dice, All Threes, Bright Eyes embrace these beliefs with music that feels thrillingly alive, as if we were all in the room with them, shouting along and gaining the strength to move forward together. It doesn’t just sound like classic Bright Eyes. It sounds like their future, too. Track Listing * Five Dice * Bells and Whistles * El Capitan * Bas Jan Ader * Tiny Suicides * All Threes * Rainbow Overpass * Hate * Real Feel 105° * Spun Out * Trains Still Run On Time * The Time I Have Left * Tin Soldier Boy --- Please consider becoming a member so we can keep bringing you stories like this one. ◎ https://chorus.fm/news/bright-eyes-announce-new-album/

[gmc10gmc]

Last time these two met it was the blonde who made the brunette submit in a sexfight. Before that it was the brunette who outfucked the blonde and blowed the loser’s boyfriend as a prize. So the score was even now. That is way the blonde’s boyfriend wasn’t surprised to find them ready for another round at the following weekend.

This pic was taken at the bar where they met. Both posing proudly to the camera while thinking how much better they are than the other. Both ready to grab some hair and throw those bodies against each others as soon as possible. But they knew better to behave in public. The boyfriend got the message and offered to drive them home immediately.

The girls went to the backseat while the guy drove, taking a look in the mirror every now and then. It didn’t surprise him that they were already going at it kissing roughly and grabbing boobs over clothes. The horny women really needed to fuck each others hard. Luckily the trip wasn’t long and soon enough they reached their destiny.

They knew this would be the decisive match. After getting inside the clothes came off and the fight begun. They made only to the living room when the blonde forced the brunette on the couch and made her cum. That victory didn’t last long. While all three of them started to move to bedroom the brunette attacked from behind at the kitchen and made the blonde cum with her talented fingers. ”You fucking cheating bitch! On the kitchen table next, cunt to cunt, slut!” The blonde demanded.

The brunette was happy to continue their fight and they jumped on the table and started tribbing. This didn’t go well for the blonde either. The brunette attacked the blonde’s bigger tits and managed to make her cum again. The boyfriend watched as her girlfriend was dominated by the brunette sexbomb. ”I give you one last chance, to the bedroom now! I want to beat you in your own bed, whore!” The brunette announced angrily.

The trio moved to the bedroom for the final part of the sexfight. Brunette told the guy to take his clothes off too, she would want her prize as soon as possible. Once again the girl went pussy to pussy on the bed and started fucking each others. The guy watched them slowly jerking his cock while the girls insulted each others and raised the speed of fucking.

After a long even battle it was the blonde once again who couldn’t go any longer and screamed her submission while cumming hard. The brunette climbed on her face, grabbed those big tits and rode to a huge orgasm. Then she throw the blonde to a chair and tied her to watch the winner fucking the loser’s boyfriend all night long. There can be only one queen.

[tinx-methinks]

Why I stopped reading Grimrose Girls

Grimrose Girls was a book in my TBR pile I was hugely looking forward to but had to stop reading because of some of the choices the author made, which I found hugely disappointing (and possibly very problematic). Those of you who know me will know this isn’t something I usually do, and often even if I don’t like a book I’ll force myself to finish it. 

I couldn’t do that with this one and I’d like to tell you why.

After the mysterious death of their best friend, Ella, Yuki, and Rory are the talk of their elite school, Grimrose Académie. The police ruled it a suicide, but the trio are determined to find out what really happened. When Nani Eszes arrives as their newest roommate, it sets into motion a series of events they couldn't have imagined. As the girls retrace their friend's last steps, they uncover dark secrets about themselves and their destinies, discovering they're all cursed to repeat the brutal and gruesome endings to their stories until they can break the cycle. This contemporary take on classic fairytales reimagines heroines as friends attending the same school. While investigating the murder of their best friend, they uncover connections to their ancient fairytale curses and attempt to forge their own fate before it's too late.

This book made a lot of promises and I was frankly super looking forward to it. So I make it about a quarter through the book and get to the reveal about the fairy tale characters and I realize something neat. The character’s names hint at their nature. "Ella" "Ash"worth is Cinderella. Yuki's name means Snow. The "Shiro" part of her surname may mean white. Rory's surname means Briar. Edric's name was likely chosen due to is proximity to Eric from the Disney movie, likewise Pippa and Phillip. Nani means "Beauty" and her surname means "Clever". What fun, I originally thought. The author obviously put a lot of thought into the names!

So then I got to Svenja, the only transwoman in the book. Svenja's name means "boy" "young man" or "swan".

To me, it’s super distressing to have an author with a background in German make that kind of choice however I thought maybe it was fine as "Svenja" is still a gendered female name. 

But as I continue in the book I realize the author has also made Svenja the BEAST from the Beauty and the Beast story arch Nani is part of. 

Also when Svenja's bedroom is seen in the book she's decorated her room with a multitude of images of herself pre-transition and blackened out her own face. I feel like this was a profoundly ignorant method of drumming up suspicion in a reader about a trans character.

I couldn’t reconcile this in my mind and decided to put down the book. Actually I went through to look for any more Svenja scenes first. I do think there were moments the author was genuinely trying to have her reject the “beast” narrative. Perhaps this fell flat for me because at this point I’d lost faith in the author. 

Within the story Svenja says she chose her name because she feels as though she became a swan upon transitioning a-la-the ugly duckling. Unfortunately that isn't the fairy tale Svenja appears to represent in the book.

No. Svenja is supposed to be Odette from Swan Lake (This is assuming her cousin Odilia is Odile). It makes me very nervous to see an author craft a story for a transwoman through retelling a story that already relies so heavily on that theme of false others/ reflections.  And by placing Svenja as Odette and referring to her transness as her “turning into a swan” she’s  placed Svenja’s trans identity in the role of Odette’s “curse”. 

So that’s why I had to put this one down. At first I was going to do so without saying anything, but a few friends pointed out that by doing so I might help someone else save a few bucks if they also think this might bother them and while I don’t think the author is full of ill-intent I don’t think it hurts to mention when it’s something like this. 

[luxmoogle]

I'm so satisfied how people are picking up on stuff in the Destiny Trios bedrooms art, I was worried my thoughts wouldn't translate well without narration but everyone's scoping out the details~♥

[hyukassubi]

☕ 19 | Grand Opening...

♡𓂃 Pairing -> (Former) Knight! Huening Kai x Seamstress! Reader

♡𓂃 Synopsis -> Growing up, you never believed in purpose, nor destiny. Simply following the path of life, becoming a royal seamstress didn't at all seem like a bad idea. Only thing is, it wasn't your idea.

Your best friend who just so happens to be the crowned prince knows what it's like to grow up having limited choices, and Prince Kang Taehyun doesn't want the same happening to you. The commander knight, in turn, has other plans for the future. After Huening Kai closes a profound chapter of his life, he seeks refuge from the chaos of his past, opting for a cozier lifestyle instead.

... And it just so seems that those plans wouldn't be fulfilled without you.

♡𓂃 Wc -> 1,528

“Huening Kai!”

“Kai Kamal Huening!”

“Kai!!!”

What was it? Who is it?

Was it another Dragon attack? Did the remaining knights accidentally burn themselves from an imprompted Barbeque again? Did Huening Kai forget to leave his plushies out of the washing?

Huening Kai rubbed his eyes awake, bedraggled, back… not at all sore because he wasn’t sleeping on a deflated air mattress under a thin yellow tent in the middle of nowhere, no.

He had awoken from his king sized bed, plushies providing him company and comfort. The sliver of light that had passed through the crack between the curtains, absorbed into his crystal suncatcher casting the barely decorated room into this mellow liveliness.

The banging from his left side only grew louder.

“Kai wake up!”

Huening Kai sighed.

He unlocked the bedroom door in his mint green pajamas and dragon slippers that had its own fuzzy tails and wings and hyper-realistic ruby eyeballs with seven centimeter eyelashes.

“Yeonjun…” Would you please stop knocking down my bedroom door this place costed me an arm and leg not to mention water bills and taxes.

Yeonjun, wet hair tucked in a pink hand towel, face covered in a thick balm of lavender facial scrub, wearing his most favoured pink bathrobe with the fuzzy ruffles at the sleeves and hem, went on to say in a rushed tone, “I know I know it’s super early I get it but Kai.”

“Hm?”

Soobin came out of no where, in that black business suit of his, running down the hall while fixing his tie, “We have customers. A lot of customers.”

What…

Oh!

…

Oh. Right, Huening Kai thought, still rubbing his eyes, It’s opening day.

Yeonjun grabbed Huening Kai in the most visceral literal sense while trailing behind Soobin. The trio spiraled down the steps, the restaurant empty but not at all quiet.

Chittering, it sounded at the front door… all the way to the village.

Huening Kai blinked.

The line up for customers started from the village all the way to his restaurant.

And the first few people at the door were his lethargic palace buddies, Taehyun and Beomgyu holding boxes of cookies, and your parents.

“Hello Kai,” your mother says, holding a wagon of boxes of cookies twice her height, “We thought we’d make a quick delivery for the opening day so we came as early as we could, right hon?” She turned to her husband, holding only a handful of floral banquets in his arms.

Because the rest came in boulder-sized sacks tied to both Taehyun and Beomgyu’s backs.

“Mhm! Picked out all the best flowers in my shop. We’re looking forward to eating some good food!”

“Mhm, katsudon is our favourite…” Your mother’s eyes trailed towards her husband’s, reminiscent in every sense of the word.

“Oh yes it is~” Your father sighs dreamily.

The customers behind them must’ve noticed the couple talking not to themselves but the glass walls… the people inside the glass walls.

Screaming and the tossing around of fansigns and aegyo heart eyes ensued.

Taehyun and Beomgyu’s eyes twitched, backs at a forty-five degree angle leaning forward, eyebags ablaze twitching internally screaming, ‘help us, please, let us out of our misery.’

Yeonjun and Soobin stared back at Huening Kai.

Soobin went, “… You’re the boss.”

Huening Kai didn’t need to think twice.

He walked towards the glass door with a great big smile, so big, so brave.

He flipped the ‘closed’ sign backwards, reading out, ‘Welcome to Kamal’s Katsudon!’

The flyers Taehyun had initially ordered the previous week to be given out to the entire village, the free cookies your mother baked for Huening Kai and his first handful of customers as well as the flower banquets your father had prepared both for the customers and to decorate the restaurant in, the grand opening of Kamal's Katsudon went smashingly.

And you were the marketing genius behind all of this, smirking to yourself when you watched from your room, the intense line-up of hungry customers trailing like a horde of ants straight into the restaurant. Well done to everyone, truly.

The stress you felt when working unwavered you. Typically.

… You stared out your window, the sun asleep, the line-up of customers completely gone by now. And so was your to-do list of Queen’s orders, all mostly done. Everything sewn together far earlier than its designated deadline.

You stared out your window, the to-do list, the window, the to-do list… the window…

Rubbing your darkening eyebags, you began the gruelling five minute walk to Kamal’s Katsudon.

And it was the prettiest thing ever.

A verdant row of puffy bushes nestled amongst the sidelines of the sandy-yellow dirt road, trees packed with thick fresh leaves and scaling trunks, a walk over a quietly frantic stream just up ahead, looming with a decent amount of fireflies and gray pebble stones.

Props to Soobin’s construction team for crafting such a mesmerizing soul-enriching five minute walk.

At the end of the road stood the restaurant, glowing, seriously radiating the warmest brightest light in the forest. It was only near the restaurant you realized how orange the tree leaves were, falling pitifully like snowflakes on a calm winter day, except the air wasn’t at all dry and crisp, it smelled of a mother’s kitchen on a sunday afternoon: fried chicken, curry, tea.

The full moon stood high, and judging by the window walls, it was… closing hours.

There you stood, gazing upon the now retired knight, in a kitchen apron, wiping down counters behind the countertop…

The doorbell rang for the thousandth time that day.

Yeonjun could feel his bones squishing down into cubic blocks.

Soobin didn’t give a flaming damn that Yeonjun had bunched up his wiping cloth against a curry-stained table. His eyes simply remained glued onto his intriguing mysterious book.

Huening Kai did, though, and so he straightened his shrimp back and says behind the counter, “Sorry, we’re clo- oh?” Huening Kai stops whatever he’s doing and races around the counter.

He recognizes this girl from anywhere.

The door closed behind her, the beauty in a black cloak releases her hoodie. “Surprise, surprise.“

Yeonjun slapped his dirtied cloth down.

Soobin snapped his book shut.

Everybody cheered, “Y/N!”

Huening Kai had ushered the both of you to a quiet corner of the restaurant, a seat against the window walls, away from everything else.

To save Yeonjun from dish washing duty, all you had ordered was a cup of barely tea.

Two cups of barely tea had landed on your table instead.

“You came…” Huening Kai says, taking a seat right infront of you, back twice as big as the chair. To say the man looked out of breath was an understatement. Huening Kai smells so terribly pungent of herbs and spices, apron stained, constantly breathing shallow breaths while wiping the sweat off his neck.

It was the look on his face, however, that evoked a different unotable feeling inside of you— lips slightly apart to take in breath after breath, creases around his eyes and the tight skin around his face.

It sort of kind of mirrored you on a busy day, just a couple hours ago, in fact. “Busy day, huh?”

“Tell me about it.” Huening Kai exasperatedly rolled his eyes which was, at the moment, the funniest thing ever coming from someone typically unwavered by anything. “Your parents really outdone themselves with the free rose and cookie giveaways, we’re all out of supplies for the next two months…”

“Whoa. Um.” Mission successfully failed? “Did you notify your supplier about the stock shortages?”

“Yeah.” Huening Kai casually notes, pointing at the back of his seat towards a designated spot in the restaurant, a mini shelf of storybooks and a big red bean bag perched next to it. “He’s right there.”

Soobin quietly flips to the next page of his book, sinking butt first deeper into the beanbag.

Huening Kai sighs deeply. “We’ll manage. Is everything okay on your side?”

“Hm?”

“Seamstress duties, I mean.”

“Oh. Oh yeah, everything’s alright. I just completed a couple errands today, actually.”

“Ahh…" Huening Kai shifts in his seat, staring out the window walls every once in a while which, you can't blame him, was a type of beauty you don't pass by every so often, "well, if you’re not too busy, I wanted to… ask if you’d like to join me tea plucking this weekend?” He straightens up. “For work. It’s for work, but it’s a relaxing type of work. I thought we could catch up because even though I’m not a knight anymore and I don't work under the royal family anymore I...”

“No, don’t worry about it Kai, I get it, we’re still friends, no question.”

“Yeah… Yeah, of course.”

“Mhm! Tea plucking does sound wonderful, by the way.”

Huening Kai’s eyes light up. “You think so?”

You did. You really did think it would be time well spent with Huening Kai after so so long. And… perhaps you could take a break from your own duties every once in a while…

Your mouth moved faster than your thoughts. “Yeah, I do. I’ll do anything as long as it’s with you.”

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♡𓂃A/N: SOOBIN AND YEONJUN CHAPTER WAHOOOOO EVRYBODY CHEER

♡𓂃Tags: @sweetheartsaku @imcringebutimfree @i-like-to-read-at-4am @pengningie @marloree @stormy1408 @blossommi

Reblog & review if you like my work !!

[vindicatedvirgil]

soulmate september / day twenty-two: glow-in-the-dark stars

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21

Day Twenty-Two: When you close your own eyes, you can see what your soulmate sees.

Summary: Logan was positive that he didn’t have a soulmate, or that everyone around him was making up the whole thing. Virgil kept his eyes closed as much as he possibly could, because when he did, he saw what his soulmate saw.

Ship: Analogical (Virgil x Logan)

word count: 847

(big thanks to Danni from Discord for helping me figure out what ship to write for this and for the idea with the glow in the dark stars on Logan’s ceiling. i heart you both with my heart.)

@tsshipmonth2020

---

Logan was taught from a very young age that when you close your eyes, you see what your soulmate is looking at. His parents would use this to their advantage when doing grocery shopping or attending school productions or events. But whenever Logan closed his eyes, all he saw was darkness. Nothing was there, and as he grew older, he began to think that he didn’t have a soulmate.

Perhaps the whole concept of soulmates was a trick told by parents, like Santa Claus or the Tooth Fairy, to make their children believe that love was real and that there would always be someone out there who loved you, who was meant for you. Maybe Logan was doomed to never have someone love him more than life itself, to have someone to hold in the middle of the night as they gazed at the glow-in-the-dark stars on his ceiling.

Those stars followed him throughout his whole life, from his childhood bedroom to his college dorms and finally into his bedroom of his own apartment, one he moved into once he began working at the local observatory. Every night, he’d lay on the bed, staring up at the ceiling of intricately organized glow-in-the-dark stars, mimicking the way the sky looks on his birthday, and hoped that maybe his inklings were wrong. That maybe the stars would be kinder to him tomorrow, that he’d close his eyes and see what his destiny would be.

-

Virgil was born blind. He didn’t mind it too much, since his dad was always there for him and when he focused on the movements of closing his eyes, he saw stars. Specifically, glow-in-the-dark stars on his soulmate’s ceiling. His soulmate spent a lot of time looking at those stars on their ceiling, at stars in books, at doodles of stars in the margins of his school notes. As Virgil and his soulmate grew older, he noticed the stars followed them everywhere.

He wanted to meet the man he had watched grow up through the mirror. The man was tall, thin, and had black framed glasses around his bright blue eyes. He wore lots of button-up shirts and ties and sweaters, and Virgil loved him for the encouraging smile he would give himself as he adjusted his tie every morning.

But Virgil didn’t know how to find him. How do you find someone you’ve only seen when your eyes are closed, and you can’t see when they’re “open”? He finally asked his friends Janus and Remus (who were lucky to find each other in elementary school) for help in finding his soulmate. He would focus on the surroundings of his soulmate, trying to read the signs and describing everything he saw to his friends. Finally, they realized it was an observatory, so they started by going to the one closest to them. Maybe they’d be lucky.

Virgil described him in as much detail as possible, down to the exact things the man was wearing that day, and the trio walked around the observatory for a bit when Janus finally came to a halt.

“Virgil, focus. What does he see right now?” Janus asked, eyes focused ahead.

“I see…” he took a deep breath, focusing on what his soulmate saw. “Three guys, one on each side of…”

“Does the one on the left have a mustache? And the other is wearing a hat?” Remus asked quietly, for once not making jokes or saying inappropriate things.

“He’s here,” Virgil breathed out. He decided to step forward, towards the man. “Excuse me, do you work here?”

Logan’s eyes focused on the man in front of him. “Yes, I do. How can I help you?”

“This is going to sound really weird, but… I’m pretty sure you’re my soulmate. I can see myself right now,” he said. 

“I don’t have a soulmate,” the man said coldly. “When I close my eyes, I see nothing.”

“I’m blind,” Virgil explained quietly. “You have glow-in-the-dark stars on your ceiling. You have ever since you were a child. I know because I’ve been looking at them for my entire life, too.” Logan thought all of the air would be forced from his lungs as the words hit him at full force.

“What’s your name?” He asked the man standing before him. He watched as hands gripped his arms, and a smile crossed the man’s face. 

“I’m Virgil,” he said, and Logan thought the name was the most beautiful he’d ever heard. “And you are…?”

“I’m Logan.”

-

Logan slipped into bed beside Virgil, his arms wrapping around his boyfriend gently. “You still awake, starlight?” He asked quietly, and he felt Virgil nod, then snuggle closer into his chest.

“Will you look up at the ceiling for me?” Virgil asked, as he did every night. Logan smiled, adjusting so he looked up at the glow-in-the-dark stars on his ceiling, but during the day he had changed them around. Virgil shifted, and then a gasp left his mouth. “Logan… what did you do?”

In the stars, Logan had spelled out Will You Marry Me?

[cinnamonrusts]

heart’s true destiny -- 1

[axel x reader - orig. posted on my ao3]

✧.* ✧.* ✧.* ✧.* ✧.*

The night sky always was your favorite. You would sit on at your windowsill and watch as the smoke from the chimneys of homes around you wafted up to the stars.  Radiant Garden slept peacefully as you were kept awake by the sounds of yelling that screeched from below your floorboards. It was a nightly routine for your parents, they would bark at each other over something trivial before they would quiet down for the night. You tried your best to ignore it but it was getting harder and harder to, tonight was no exception. So, you decided you had enough, your chest huffed a sigh and you pushed the window upward with a single motion.

You sought solace in friends, but one friend brought you a sort of comfort that you couldn't exactly explain. It was a fellow schoolmate with red hair that matched his fiery personality. He was a tall and lanky boy, his raging locks stuck out in spikes from his head and his emerald like eyes shined from his light skin. This schoolmate turned friend was named Lea. You didn't know much about him at first, but he was universally liked by everyone on the school and was notorious for having quite the loud mouth. Attached to his hip was his indigo haired friend, Isa, who's personality could be comparable to your own. Soon, the two them would become your dearest pals.

 You met when Lea's frisbee collided with the back of your head.

Your legs dangled over the edge of the park table that you were sat on. The back of your shoes kicked the wooden bench and your attention was buried to the book that was in your lap. Suddenly, a hard item smacked you in the back of the head, the book tumbled from your lap as you stood up in frustration. At your feet was what looked like a frisbee decorated with a flame that had a menacing looking expression. "Who threw this?!" you yelled as you bent over to pick it up. "Oh, man!" you heard a voice and the shake of the chain-linked fence that was behind you. It was that red headed guy from school. He stuck a foot in a link and hoisted himself up and over it, then landed on his feet before he approached you. "I'm sorry!" he took the disk from your hand and smiled sheepishly with an awkward head rub.

"It's alright," you forgave him and your [e/c] orbs connected with his emerald ones. A silence hovered in the air above as the two of you searched for words to say but nothing seemed to come to light. "Hey, you're, [Y/N]." he finally spoke. "Yeah, and you're ---," you struggled to remember his name, "Lea! Got it memorized?" he finished. "Sure," you answered. "You okay, though?" he asked as he pushed himself onto his toes to try to see the back of your head. You rubbed the spot where it smacked you and nodded, "Yeah, you just got a heck of a throw." Lea felt awkward again and rubbed his head once more, "Sorry, again, heh." A quiet laugh giggled in your throat, "Well, when I'm finished studying. You'll have to let me beat you."

Lea grinned, "Who wants to study, when you could just be having fun!" The teen had seen his fair share of F's on his tests. You insisted that you needed to finish what you were doing to his disappointment. "Well, [Y/N]. I'll be waiting for you!" you nodded with a smile. He held his palm up in the air, "Friends?" you raised yours to meet his high-five, "Friends."

You leaped from your bedroom window and landed on the cobblestone street below. Your feet carried you to the same location that you went when you needed an escape from the "family" that you lived with. It wasn't far, just about a few streets away and up over a stone wall.

Once you reached the barrier, you pulled yourself up, sat on top, and peered down to the window of the home that was below. When you jumped down and approached the glass, you could see Lea inside who was fast asleep; his limbs were sprawled across his bed and his mouth was wide open as he snored. You knocked quietly on the glass to wake him up but his snoring was so loud that he couldn't hear it. So, you tried again but a little louder this time. The sound of glass rattled loudly through the empty alley behind you but if you did it any louder, it would most certainly wake his parents up. "Leaaaa..." you whispered with another knock but he simply rolled onto his side, still asleep. Your last option was to just open the window and slither inside. It was unlocked and you slowly pushed it up but when you tried to slip in - you tumbled down onto his carpeted floor.

Slowly you peeled the covers back and slid inside his bed beside him. Your hand rested on the back of his bicep which startled him awake, when he called out you hushed him quietly. "[Y/N]?!" he asked in a whisper. He had his back turned toward you and his feet kicked around until they met yours, "Hush, yes it's me." Once he heard your voice he calmed down, "What're you doing here?" his whisper was now lower than before and he flipped on his other side to face you. Your first response was a shrug but eventually you gave in, "I just needed some fresh air." you didn't need to go on anymore, Lea already knew about all your issues at home. He let you know that his home was also yours, and that he would always be there for his friends. Lea was silent for a moment as he studied your face in the dark, "I'm sorry." as he frowned, his hand took the blanket that was bundled at his waist and pulled it over the two of you. Your cheeks warmed at his tenderness and you hoped that the darkness would hide the pink in your cheeks -- you could only imagine what he would say if he could see it.

 Your heart beat quickened when you could feel Lea's heat on your skin but your a blooming warmth blossomed in the pit of your stomach. This sensation trickled upward to your increased beating heart. You liked him, you really, really did. It wasn't just a, "oh - he's my friend", no, it was more of a, "I think I love him".

Lea's foot tapped yours as your blossomed feelings made you grow quiet. "D-Do you want to get some sea salt ice cream tomorrow after school? Maybe go to the fountain park after?" you asked impulsively. The feeling of his skin on yours and your realization triggered you to ask him on a date. Sea Salt Ice Cream was a normal part of your diet but it was your trio that would indulge in the cold delicacy, but this time you wanted it to just but you and Lea. "I'll tell Is-," you cut him off with a finger to your lips, "Just me and you." your finger remained on your lips and you could feel your palms grow clammy. His expression was hard to read for a moment before he smiled, "It's a date." After an unknown amount of time, the two of you drifted off to sleep...

 "Lea! You're going to be late!" the sound of his mother's voice yelled from behind his bedroom door. The knocks woke you up with a jolt, you quickly shook him awake and he nearly flipped off the side of his bed. "Hang on, mom!" he yelled back which gave you time to scatter to the window. "I'll see you at school," you whispered before going out the window.

 Later on at school...

"Are you two finally going on a date?" a tall, slender brunette asked as she walked beside you in sync on the way to math class. "Do you really think it's considered a date, Aerith?" She nodded quickly, "Of course! It's just going to be the two of you, alone...tonight," she paused as the two of you reached the doorway into the classroom, "Speaking of which, look who's over there." she pointed toward Lea and Isa who were further down the hall, they were leaned on the wall and seemed to be invested in whatever they were talking about. A blush surfaced to your cheeks as you made eye contact with your date, he smiled and waved when he noticed you; Isa turned around and gave you a nod in acknowledgment.

Once you disappeared into the classroom, Isa turned his attention back to Lea. "So, are we finally going to break in tonight?" Lea grinned and hit his chest with the side of his fist, "For sure!" His attention drifted off as he imagined all the cool things that the mysterious castle just outside of the city held, but then he remembered your date. "Oh, man!" he ran his fingers through his hair, "I got a thing with [Y/N] tonight!" Isa scoffed as he folded his arms, "You two are dating?" Lea shook his head, "No! It's just -- going out for ice cream." he insisted with a shake in his voice. The indigo haired boy shook his head, "Date or not, we've been planning this for weeks, Lea. You can't dump me now."

Lea groaned and rolled his head around, "Fine!" he didn't want to pass up on this chance, "I will help you break in but only for 30 minutes and then I'm out!" he shoved his hands in his pockets and then took off toward his class, but before going to far, he turned around, "I have to meet [Y/N]."

Later on in the day the two boys met in the center of town to discuss their plans of breaking into the castle. They wouldn't let the black haired ponytail man get them again...

 But as the boys prepped, you got ready for your night with Lea. You brushed your hair in the mirror and happy thoughts danced through your mind as you imagined the events that would unfold. Would the two of you kiss? Would he maybe ask you to be his girlfriend? All the possibilities! Once you finished your hair, you pulled a sundress over your body and slipped on a pair of shoes. You gave yourself a once over in the mirror and practiced kissing faces to make sure you were prepared for anything. Anything!

Your feet carried you toward your destination, you nearly skipped to Scrooge McDuck's shop where he sold the sweet treat. A white duckling greeted you when you arrived, "Two, please!" When he handed you the blue treats, he asked, "No Lea and Isa?" Your head shook as you batted your lashes, "I'll be meeting Lea over by the fountains in a bit!" a smile spread as you grew more and more excited. You took a seat at a fountain when you arrived, your feet kicked in the air as you looked around to try and spot a mane of red hair. Time began to pass --- and the 30 minutes that Lea insisted he would be inside the castle for had gone and passed.

The once frozen treat turned into a sticky puddle beneath your shoes and traces of the blue coloring stained the skin on your right hand. Your ice cream was eaten about 15 minutes into your waiting and you tried to save Lea's but when too much time went by, you tossed it onto the ground. The sun was now just barely over the horizon and the town clocks chimed their nightly tunes, it was too late to stay out now. You started to walk home and your head hung in sadness as you felt betrayed. Lea ditched you. Maybe he really didn't like you or was off with Isa in that stupid castle instead... Your heart hurt and you were confused.

  Days turned into weeks and no one in Radiant Garden had heard nor seen the two teenage boys. You asked their families if they had gone off somewhere but they had no answers because they themselves were unsure. The two closest people in your life literally disappeared into thin air without a sign -- what happened to them?

During this time, a depression shrouded over you -- your body felt like a vessel for a weak soul. Your heart hurt and felt smaller as each day passed without Lea and Isa. "Are you okay?" Aerith's voice called out over the rush of the many fountains. "Hmm?" you turned your head to her, "Yeah, yeah, I'm fine." your response was not reassuring and your slight shoulder shrug was not either. You knew that Aerith would go through her list of questions that she seemed to have drafted since the two teens disappeared, she asked because she cared but you weren't in the mood to give your recycled answers. "I'm going to go home," you said as you bent over to pick up your bookbag. "Be careful, [Y/N]! I'll see you tomorrow!" she waved goodbye and you assured her that you would see her then. Aerith's kindness made you feel better for the time being and that warm feeling carried with you until an overwhelming sensation of being watched overshadowed it.

You stopped walking and raised your line of sight to meet the top of the roof of a home in front of you. Your eyes squinted as you made out what looked like a cloaked person standing next to the large chimney; their hood was pulled up to disguise their face and they were draped in completely in black. They must had noticed you saw them because not long after you stopped walking, they turned around and jumped off the opposite side. "A -- person?" you asked, confused.

 "How long are you going to keep watching her like a creep?" an identically dressed person asked the one who had been watching you from the roof. "I'm not a creep! And anyway, what does it matter to you?" your stalker snapped. The other cloaked person shook their head and placed a hand on their hip, "Well, the boss isn't going to be happy to hear that you're spending time stalking and not working."

Your stalker snapped again, "We're off the clock, idiot." they rounded the wall of the building they previously were standing on. With their back pressed against the stone, they peeked around the corner to see if you were still looking for them. A sigh of relief blew from between their lips when they saw you were now gone. "Just hurry up and get it over with, I wanna go home." the other cloaked person groaned before walking away through a dark portal they summoned with a swipe of a hand. "I'm just not ready yet..." your stalker whispered as they stared at where you not long before.

 The thought of someone watching you was on your mind the rest of the way home. Who was it? Why were they watching you? How long were they watching you? It made you feel uneasy and once you got to your room, you went to the window and looked outside - hoping to maybe catch another glimpse of them. This fear of a stalker added to your troublesome list of anxieties. You were sad and angry that Lea left, but now you were scared about whoever it was that was watching you.

So many unanswered questions. With little hope of any solutions.

[andrewmoocow]

Steven Universe Alternate Future chapter 22: Pumpkin Patch (originally published on August 9, 2021)

AN: At long last, the homestretch of Part 3, which I have already dubbed the Tearjerking Three last time. And for our first entry into this trilogy, we finally get an update on the relationship between Peridot and Lapis, which I found to be done so dirty in Future as a Lapidot shipper. I mean, they didn't even interact with each other even when they were in the same episode together! Plus, Pumpkin just disappeared into thin air once the movie came along, leaving the only hint of where she is now are those similar gourd puppies from The Future. But enough griping, let's get my personal answer on what really happened, and maybe a big surprise that I no doubt have already spoiled on DeviantArt anyways.

Synopsis: Steven, Peridot and Lapis reminisce on the anniversary of Pumpkin's death.

Cast:

Zach Callison as Steven, Pumpkin

Shelby Rabara as Peridot, Squaridot

Jennifer Paz as Lapis, Laz, Zuli

Estelle as Garnet

Michaela Dietz as Amethyst, Ocean Jasper

Deedee Magno-Hall as Pearl

Uzo Aduba as Bismuth

Amy Sedaris as Teal Zircon

Jeff Bergman as Farmer

Featuring Billie Eilish as Turquoise

--

"Maybe I'll find myself smiling on that distant shore," Steven sang to himself while gazing at his watch as the oven timer counted down in front of him. "Maybe I'm not alone."

The timer beeped, notifying Steven that whatever he had in the oven was ready. After putting on some oven mitts and opening the oven, Steven pulled a pumpkin pie out and set it on the counter to cool. "This one is for you two, guys." He said before gazing at a nearby calendar that read June 7th. "I remember it like it was yesterday." Steven then began to reminisce on the aftermath of his visit to Homeworld.

--

A few weeks the Crystal Gems have successfully convinced the Diamonds to help them in healing the corrupted Gems on Earth, these Gems now needed somewhere to live. As far as Steven knew, there was no way they could expand the Temple to make room for all of them, and he's sure none of the newly healed Gems wanted to return to Homeworld, so the Crystal Gems decided that their only choice now was to build them their own little town. They had some basic ideas down, but all they needed now was a name.

"How about Peritropolis?!" Peridot suggested as she wrote down her choice of name on the whiteboard, with little sketches of her face surrounding the name for emphasis. "Pretty cool, huh?"

"How about something that won't stroke your ego?" Steven frowned at the idea.

"What about Barnstantinople?" Lapis proposed. "We are building it around where the barn used to be after all."

"Speaking of which, how's clean-up on that going?" Amethyst asked, looking out the window to gaze at the wreckage that was once Lapis and Peridot's barn house home. "I think some bits of it might be useful somehow."

"I say we put that on hold." Lapis stated. "That old barn caused just as much harm to Peridot and me as much as it did good."

"You serious about this?" Peridot asked her blue roommate. "I mean, we had so many good memories in there."

"Yeah, and a lot of those memories were you just bending over backwards trying to keep me happy." Lapis added. "I know you're still sad about me jumping ship and coming back with only a "Hey", but I still got things to work out, y'know."

"OK." Peridot said just as their pet Pumpkin opened the door. "Oh, hey Pumpkin!"

In contrast to Peridot being excited to see Pumpkin, the little canine fruit let out an exhausted bark before sitting down to nap, revealing wrinkles around her eyeholes.

"Hey, is your little buddy there doin' alright?" Bismuth asked. "I barely know a thing about the lifespan of organic creatures, but even I know she ain't doing so hot."

"Oh, I'm sure she's just tired!" Peridot assured Bismuth. "Just needs to rest, that's all!"

"Don't be so sure Peridot." Garnet advised the little Gem. "Pumpkin was brought to life with magic, which means she's probably lived longer than a pumpkin normally does."

"Just let her be happy Garnet." Pearl whispered into Garnet's ear. "She's already been through so much recently, and I don't think she can take anymore."

"You sure she's OK Dottie?" Steven asked Peridot regarding Pumpkin. "Nothing lasts forever, you know."

"Oh, she just needs some extra time in the Sun!" Peridot laughed. But despite her insistence, that wasn't how the story really went.

--

"Okay, a little to the left!" Peridot commanded Squaridot as the eye Gem Peridot levitated a lifeguard chair around while Bismuth, Ocean Jasper & Teal Zircon dug up the ground to build a swimming pool. "No, your other left!" she corrected herself. "Wait wait, your other OTHER left!"

"There's no such thing as an other other left!" Squaridot yelled and grumpily set the chair down next to where she was standing. "How's this?"

"Perfect." Peridot gave her fellow technician a thumbs up before turning around to see the Lapis twins walk towards the construction site. "Oh, I see our lifeguards wanna start early!"

"Why was it necessary for us to dress in these?" Laz wondered while modeling the red one-piece she was wearing. "I don't think red is my color."

"I don't know about you Laz, but I make this look good!" Zuli declared while flaunting her body in a matching outfit. "We look just like the hotties on Coast Patrol or Destiny from CPH season 3! By the way, where's Lapis? She's head lifeguard, so shouldn't she be out here with us?"

"She still has the suit, but she's not coming out because today is a special day." Peridot stated. "It's the anniversary of a certain something."

"Hey, I think I can see Steven's car!" Ocean Jasper cried out as she peeked out of the hole to find Steven disembarking from his Dondai Supremo and walking over with the pumpkin pie in hand. "And he's got a pie, maybe as thanks for our hard work."

"Naw, I don't think it's for us Ocean." Bismuth said just as Steven walked over to Peridot. "I think we should leave them alone for a bit and get back to work."

"Aw, but I wanted a pie!" Teal Zircon complained.

"I see you got the pie." Peridot said to Steven while gazing at the pie in his hands. "In case you're wondering, we worked on a new meep morp last night dedicated to her."

"Okay, why don't you show me?" Steven offered.

"I'd be happy to." Peridot smiled before turning back to everyone at the in-progress pool. "Keep up the good work everyone, I'll just be taking the rest off!"

"Yeah, take some time for yourself, Peri." Bismuth replied while Squaridot used her burgeoning ferrokinesis to lift the blacksmith out of the pool. "Just don't get too teary-eyed and fill up the pool early."

"Yeah, we're planning on filling the pool for our opening ceremony!" Teal called while struggling to get out.

"And I'm just gonna catch some rays." Laz declared as she sat down on a lawn chair, pulled some sunglasses over her eyes, and began sunbathing. However, her moment of peace was cut off by Zuli loudly blowing into her whistle and laughing.

"So, who's the pie really for Bis?" Ocean Jasper asked as she climbed out the pool before helping Teal and the two sat down next to Bismuth.

"You two got a moment?" Bismuth asked, and the Jasper and Zircon nodded in affirmation. "Well, the pie is actually for a friend of theirs."

--

Steven and Peridot kept walking away from the pool and eventually found themselves in front of the Little Homeworld house that Lapis & Peridot shared. It looked like a smaller version of the barn the two Gems once lived in, but instead of being decorated with a mishmash of items around the barnyard, it now looked like Peridot did most of the construction with bits of metal and advanced technology sprinkled onto a simple-looking two-story cabin.

"Hey Lapis, we're here." Steven called out to Lapis as he and Peridot entered the cabin to find Lapis napping on the couch with a manga on her lap and a red one-piece hanging on a clothes hanger nearby. "Lapis, wake up."

"Agh, don't go with her Pierre!" Lapis yelled as she woke up from her nap and rubbed her eyes to find Peridot & Steven before her. "Sorry you guys, I was trying on my lifeguard uniform, but then I got bored and decided to relax a little."

"You still remember what day it is?" Peridot asked while Steven presented his pumpkin pie.

"Yeah, I still do." Lapis declared sadly. "Want to see the meep morp we've been working on, Steven?"

"Sure." Steven replied before the two Gems took him upstairs to their shared bedroom & workshop, where a very large sculpture of Pumpkin stood, a big smile permanently etched onto the front beneath a pair of innocent eyes. "Almost like the real thing. Except bigger."

"Showing this to you makes me miss her even more." Peridot began to hold back tears. "I still remember how I coped with it too."

--

The groundbreaking ceremony of what would soon become Little Homeworld went quite swimmingly for the Crystal Gems, thanks to the support of their Beach City friends and the Diamonds. But amidst the rejoicing of a new beginning for Gems on Earth, there was some bad news that flew right under everyone's noses.

After Peridot marked the giant pit where the barn once was with Little Homeworld's flag, Pumpkin came strolling up to her green owner looking far wearier and more decayed than she did previously, a sight which worried them greatly. As soon as the ceremonies ended, Pumpkin was rushed back to the beach house.

"Please Steven, you gotta do something!" Peridot begged Steven while Pumpkin laid before the trio with a heavy sigh emitting from her mouth. "Pumpkin doesn't have much time left, surely you must have the solution like you always do!"

"I'm really sorry Peridot." Steven said regretfully. "As much as I would love to help you and Lapis out, Pumpkin wasn't long for this Earth anyways. Death is a perfectly natural part of life. It can be real sad and scary to watch someone you treasured so dearly go, but ultimately, their time will come all the same."

"So, she was going to die regardless?" Lapis said apprehensively while stroking the living gourd's rotting body. "I don't really see how this is possible since you did bring her to life with your powers, but I can deal with it."

"Well, I'm not!" Peridot objected tearfully. "It's not fair! I've already been through so much, why does the universe have to keep nailing the hammer into the coffin?!"

"Peridot, I know you're upset, but you gotta listen." Steven tried comforting his little green pal. "Death is completely natural, even if it's scary. I mean, my dad might die someday, and so might Connie. I'm not sure if I can die like a human though."

"Well, your race is different." Peridot declared. "None of you will ever know what it's like to live forever!" With that, she stormed out of the beach house to vent, leaving her two friends to worry for Peridot.

"I don't think I want to know where this is going." Lapis muttered.

"If it's anything like what happened to Peridot after you left Earth, I don't think she'll take it very well." Steven agreed.

--

Using a trashcan lid, Peridot flew far away from the general area of Beach City and into the countryside, where farmlands were very prosperous. Farmlands like the ones she and Lapis tended to together in the past, and the ones where Pumpkin was born. The very sight of all these fresh crops made her more miserable. What gave them the right to grow so healthy while Pumpkin looked so withered?

"Rackum frackum produce, I'll show you what for!" Peridot mumbled as she touched down in front of a pumpkin patch and swiftly got to work on destroying them. "You walked so Pumpkin could die!" she yelled as her green body became covered in orange pumpkin insides. "Why can't anything go my way for once?!"

"Hey, get offa my crops ya gremlin!" a farmer yelled at Peridot while stomping over to her with a pitchfork in hand. "You got any idea what it's like to work so hard on a great harvest, only for it to be ruined by a bunch of punks?!"

"No, but I'm sure you don't know what it's like to love someone only to lose them!" Peridot argued with the farmer, a retort that stunned him a little before he tried to look more sympathetic.

"Coping, eh?" the farmer said. "Look, you have every right to get mad, but that don't mean you can just stomp all over someone else's hard work! You gotta find better ways to vent, ya know!"

"Look, sir, I literally just ran away from home, I don't have time right now." Peridot coldly rejected the farmer's advice.

"Well, looks like you left me no choice." The farmer shook his head before reaching behind his back and pulling out a scary mask to frighten Peridot with. "BOOGEDY BOOGEDY BOOGEDY!"

"AAAAAHHHHHH!" Peridot screamed loudly before flying away from the farm on her lid.

--

As soon as Peridot returned to Beach City, she soared right towards Steven's house, where she found him making a grilled cheese sandwich, and began pounding on his window.

"Steven! Steven!" Peridot yelled from outside, getting the half-Gem's attention. "Let me in, I wanna talk!"

"You know you can just come in yourself." Steven suggested before opening the door for his green friend. "How have things been going?"

"I got an idea for you." Peridot stated. "How about in exchange for helping me with Pumpkin, I'll do something for you in return. Just name your price, I'll do anything!"

"Peridot, are you trying to bribe me into saving Pumpkin?" Steven asked. "Didn't I tell you earlier that death is a natural part of life?"

"But you managed to save Lars from death with your crying!" Peridot objected. "Why can't you do the same to Pumpkin?! Why does she have to die while so many other pumpkins have to live?!"

"Pumpkins?" Steven asked. "What other pumpkins?"

"I vented my frustrations by whaling on some farmer's pumpkin harvest." Peridot confessed innocently. "He didn't take too kindly to that."

"I think I know where this is going." Steven realized. "Five Stages of Grief, right? First was anger, now you're bargaining. Which means depression might not be too far behind." Just then, as if on cue, Steven's phone started ringing with a message from Lapis that he readily picked up. "Hello?"

"Steven, is Peridot there?" Lapis asked from the other end of the line. "Ever since she fled the house, I took Pumpkin back to our place, and now she wants to see us both before, you know."

"See what I mean?" Steven declared to Peridot, who was now on the verge of breaking down because now, she finally realized it was too late. "Do you want to see her?"

"Yes please." Peridot began to sob and hugged Steven tight. "Promise me that you won't ever leave too, Steven."

"I promise." Steven stated, hugging Peridot back.

--

Meanwhile, at the massive construction site that would soon become Little Homeworld, Lapis gently watched over the slowly dying Pumpkin, whose normally bright orange skin now had splotches of grayish-black, as she let out a weak yip. "Don't die yet, sweetie." Lapis assured Pumpkin. "Peridot will be here soon, I know it."

And right on cue, Peridot and Steven soared right towards Lapis on the trash can lid to see Pumpkin off one last time. Peridot raced as fast as she could towards the groundwork for her and Lapis's new home and tightly nuzzled her pet gourd, unaware that it wasn't in the mood for such a tight hug.

"Peridot, let her go! She's in pain!" Lapis yelled while prying the sentient pumpkin from Peridot's embrace, much to the green Gem's agony.

"No, please!" Peridot cried. "Just let me hold her!"

"I'm sorry Peri, but I don't think she can take much more!" Lapis argued while on the brink of crying just as much. "Pumpkin's already dying. She's so scared right now, so let's just-"

"Don't try to argue Lapis." Steven solemnly interrupted Lapis. "Peridot's already having a breakdown as is."

"I'm sorry about that." Lapis quickly apologized before she turned to Pumpkin. "Pumpkin, if you can still hear me, I want you to know that you and Peridot were the only things keeping me sane here, even when I ran off to the moon." She said to the dying fruit. "I can't thank you enough for brightening my day with your cute little smile, your barking, and all the days we spent playing together. Even if we find a replacement, none can ever replace you, little guy."

"You want a turn, Peri?" Steven said to Peridot.

"Fine, but I won't like it." Peridot sniffed loudly as she walked up to Pumpkin. "You were like an offspring to us, Pumpkin." She said quietly. "When I first saw your little carved face, those adorable stubby legs, it filled my heart with so much joy. Figuratively, of course, since we naturally don't have hearts. But every step we took together, every struggle, kept me grounded here on this crazy planet. Oh stars, now I won't know what to do now."

"Mah, mah," Pumpkin barked weakly with her last breath. "Mommy."

"I promise you," Peridot declared while her gem touched Pumpkin's forehead. "I'll never forget."

And with that, Pumpkin gently shut her eyes, allowing herself to pass on with her mothers and her creator by her side.

--

The funeral that followed was a private affair, with only the other Crystal Gems, Connie and Greg in attendance, and Pumpkin buried outside Peridot & Lapis's house. However, it was after the funeral when trouble began brewing. Just like when she had first begun living with the Gems, Peridot began hiding away in the bathroom for the next week to grieve the demise of Pumpkin and seemed resilient in refusing to come out, no matter how much they tried.

"C'mon P-Dot, open up!" Amethyst called while pounding on the door. "If you're planning on flushing yourself down the toilet again, let me tell you again, I tried that once and it didn't work."

"I think I know what to do." Greg proposed his idea and held up a boombox that began playing a song he knew she would recognize. "I look up to the sky, that's full of stars-"

"I'm trying to mourn here, leave me alone." Peridot despondently declared.

"I say we should respect her wishes." Garnet stated before she turned her gaze to Lapis. "Unless…."

"You think I should go in there?" Lapis asked.

"You are quite possibly Peridot's closest friend." Pearl agreed with Garnet.

"Closest friend?" Bismuth raised an eyebrow. "C'mon, we all know there may be something more than that!"

"Well, okay then." Lapis finally accepted with a shrug and slowly pushed the door open. "Wish me luck." She then said before entering the bathroom and closing it behind her. "You still in here?"

"So, they sent you in now." Peridot observed hoarsely. "I may have lost all hope, but I can still hear you know."

"They do say we're the closest." Lapis said before she sat down on the edge of the tub where Peridot had hidden herself away beneath a cocoon of Steven's bedsheets. "Come on now, get up and sit next to me."

"Okay, if it's you, I'll talk." Peridot succumbed to Lapis's offer and rose from her comfy shell to talk with her barn mate. "I'm sorry for worrying you all this past week, it's just that Pumpkin was basically our baby! Watching her die was like watching a child die!"

"Except the child wasn't human, it was a magical living pumpkin." Lapis remarked, which caused Peridot to glare at her. "No offense."

"But still, outside of our relationship, why did you volunteer?" Peridot wondered.

"Well, because I wanted to return the favor." Lapis answered. "Remember what happened after that boat trip I took with Steven and his dad?"

--

As soon as Lapis dropped Steven and Greg off at the docks following the boat trip gone wrong, she needed someone to lean on in her time of need. It didn't matter who, it could be any of the other Crystal Gems, or one of Steven's human friends. But right now, there was only one person, or rather Gem, that she could turn to.

Lapis could now see the barn in the distance, and as reluctant as she was to admit it, Peridot was the only one who could understand her regarding a certain Quartz. "Peridot, are you there?" she called for her green housemate. "I'm back!"

"Lapis, so glad you could make it!" Peridot exclaimed while racing out of the barn. "I discovered that I can move spoons with my mind, I made some decent progress on my Camp Pining Hearts essay; though I'm still stuck on the poutine theory, and-" However, she realized a bit too late what Lapis was feeling. "Is something the matter?"

"Steven and I found Jasper during the trip." Lapis said morosely. "She wanted to fuse with me again because she says I changed her. And to be honest, I think it was kind of my fault. Unfusing with Jasper drove her mad and I even said I missed taking all my frustrations out on her!"

"Lapis, are you serious?" Peridot gasped in alarm.

"Yes, I'm serious." Lapis declared as her eyes darkened and she turned away from Peridot. "Go ahead, run off and live with the Gems again so you don't have to be another one of my victims. If Jasper says I'm a monster, then I guess I really am one, especially after the way I treated you when we first moved in together."

"Okay Lapis, I don't want your garbage right now!" Peridot yelled, briefly breaking Lapis out of her funk with the almost exact words she described the tape recorder she broke. "I can see you're very stressed out. You want to scream so bad, to hit something, to let your anger out! But whatever you do, don't lose it on other people."

"Wh-what are you saying?" Lapis asked.

"I'm mostly just repeating stuff I read online," Peridot admitted. "I think what you need is a way to vent healthily, maybe on a perfectly defenseless object."

"Like what?" Lapis raised an eyebrow in suspicion.

"One second!" Peridot exclaimed while walking into the barn and coming back out with an alien plush wearing a top hat and bowtie that she gazed at with a solemn expression. "I'm so sorry my sweet." She said softly to the stuffed toy before presenting it to Lapis. "Go ahead, hit it as hard as you can. Or maybe something else violent, whatever."

"Okay." Lapis sighed as she began feeling around the toy for something to do before grabbing at the bowtie and ripping it off the alien's neck, causing some stuffing to spill out of the hole she created. "Whoa."

"So, how did that make you feel?" Peridot asked as the alien dropped from her grip.

"Good." Lapis muttered in awe of what she just did. "I feel so much lighter now, like a real adrenaline burst."

"See, as I told you." Peridot smiled happily. "You just needed healthier ways to relieve stress."

"You're right." Lapis agreed when she got an idea. "Now, how about I try something a little heavier?" She then glanced over to a nearby pickup truck and used the water from Peridot's makeshift pool to lift it into the air. "How about this?"

"Yeah, I think that could work." Peridot nervously replied before Lapis suddenly tossed the truck into the air. "NO WAIT, THAT'S A LITTLE TOO-" she screamed and covered herself to avoid getting hit, but the truck instead crashed into the wall over the barn entrance, creating a massive hole that the vehicle filled. "Hm, guess I was wrong."

"Well, if we're gonna be living here together, why don't we make ourselves at home?" Lapis laughed and put a hand on Peridot's shoulder.

"Yeah, I think this is a good start." Peridot agreed while wrapping her arm around the taller Gem's waist and the two began brainstorming ideas for remodeling the barn.

--

"Yeah, I really was there for you back then." Peridot realized with a grin. "And from then on out, we were so close."

"You bet." Lapis replied and cupped Peridot's face in her hands. "Let me be a shoulder for you to cry on this time. I love you Peridot."

"I love you too Lapis." Peridot responded happily before the two began to kiss, and their gems started glowing as they began to fuse into a tall, slender Gem with turquoise hair, dark cyan hair in the shape of a maple leaf, Peridot's glasses, Lapis's top with a bright yellow star on it, a skirt with a bronze ribbon around her waist and dark teal sandals with bronze accents.

The new, accidental fusion of Peridot and Lapis looked around the bathroom and gazed down at her four hands. Feeling around her body, she felts the gems of her components on her forehead and back before coming to a shocking realization and let out a loud, confused scream. "AAAAAHHHHHHHH!"

"Is something wrong?!" Steven exclaimed as he barged into the bathroom to discover the fusion before him and started screaming as well, but this time in joy. "AAAAAAHHHHHHH!"

"AAAAAHHHHHHHH!" the new fusion continued screaming and covered her face in alarm at Steven as the two continued shrieking at each other.

--

"But was that fusion really an accident or maybe something more?" Peridot asked while she, Steven, and Lapis walked outside to her and Lapis's garden in their backyard.

"Maybe a mix of both?" Lapis answered with a shrug. "I mean, we did kiss each other after saying "I love you" to each other, but the fusion part came out of nowhere."

"Still, we were all so happy to see you two fuse at last." Steven said. "Words could not describe how long I've been waiting for that moment."

"I couldn't shapeshift, so I just assumed I couldn't fuse as well." Peridot observed before they happened upon a makeshift tombstone that read 'In memory of Pumpkin. A good girl to the end.' "You know, all this talk reminds me of a song I've been writing for the past few days. It may seem a little short and I pulled from other sources, but it's the best I got."

"Well, what are you waiting for?" Lapis suggested eagerly. "Sing for us."

"Yeah, we never heard you do a solo before either." Steven agreed with the ocean Gem.

"Okay, if you insist." Peridot declared before she cued a nearby Robonoid tending to the garden to start playing jazzy music, and she started to sing. "My sweet little pumpkin o' mine, a living gourd with a smile so fine. You made us smile with your bark, your stem's like emerald, and filled with seeds of gold. You were our most beloved work of art."

Almost as if Pumpkin was coming back to listen to Peridot's eulogy, many similar living produce like additional pumpkins, some gourds, and squashes, began coming out to watch. "You saw fields of corn, sandy beaches too. In summers so warm, it was just us and you." Peridot continued singing. "And I think to myself, what a wonderful pet."

Soon, Lapis began to join in on the song as well. "Though your time was short, like all things are." She joined Peridot in singing with her own solo. "We'll always think of you, when we look at your star."

"Our sweet little pumpkin of ours," the pair finished the song and embraced each other. "You were a wonderful pet."

With that, the two Gems fused into Turquoise, this time on purpose while surrounded by living Cucurbita, and smiled.

"Thank you for coming today, Steven." Turquoise said to Steven. "It really means a lot to us."

"Nothing to it girls." Steven smiled while rubbing his finger on his upper lip.

In Memory of Thea "Muriel Bagge" White

June 16, 1940 – July 30, 2021

"What courage you have."

--

So ends the first installment of the Tearjerking Three. In comparison to what will come next, I'm pretty sure this will be tears of happiness at these two dorky barnmates basically becoming an item at last and even fusing too (also, I totally took Turquoise's design from @artifiziell, she makes some amazing stuff, go check her out). But next time, we move on from someone being dead for real to someone being dead to Steven. Can you guess which one? Oh who am I kidding, if you watch me on DeviantArt, I basically spoiled everything after this.

[ari-writes-stuff]

Dandelion Tongue - Chapter 4, “Explanation”

Kairi was, well, surprised. She probably shouldn’t have been, being so used to Sora’s antics, but she still found herself impressed by the amount of time Ven was able to keep himself entertained by staring out the window. The look of wonder had yet to leave his face, and he had hardly moved from his position at all, even when Chirithy had gotten up to explore the ship. She watched him with her hands in her lap. Chirithy was somewhere in the closed off quarters that made the bedroom and bathroom, and Aqua and Terra were sharing quiet conversation between each other as they took turns piloting.

Kairi pulled out her Gummiphone, the screen flickering awake to show the time. It had been nearly two hours since they left The Land of Departure, which meant Ven had kept himself busy staring outside for nearly two hours. That also meant that Kairi had kept herself busy watching him stare outside for nearly two hours. She sighed, sliding her phone back into her pocket.

She never could have guessed how much of a constant reminder of her best friend Ven would become. There were days when being around him hurt, just as there were days where she felt as if she was talking to an old friend, instead of a person she had hardly known for a year.

A whole year . Sora had been gone for a whole year now, and any progress they had made was small. Sure, they had some leads from Kairi’s memories and Riku had left for Quadratum to look for him, but it didn’t feel like anything had changed. It was different when he was gone not long after Kairi had returned to Destiny Islands when she was 14. Then, missing him was just a dull ache, a longing she couldn’t quite place for a boy she couldn’t quite remember. And as horrifying as it had been, the steps to get him back were simple. Destroy his nobody, reconstruct his memories, recomplete him. But now things hurt so much more. Kairi knew exactly what was missing and why . Sora had sacrificed himself to save her , and what was she doing about it now? Hardly anything. She was supposed to be the one protecting him now; she had promised . Instead, he had become a festering wound inside her heart. A gaping hole that she couldn’t fill despite her best efforts.

She closed her eyes, resting her head on the back of her chair. She was tired of being cast aside. She wasn’t going to be the weak, helpless girl of the group anymore. This time, she was going to get Sora back, no matter what it took. They were going to go back to being the carefree trio that had lived on Destiny Islands what felt like so long ago.

“We’re going to be landing soon!” Aqua called from the driver’s seat. “Chirithy! Can you let Ven know?” At the mention of his and his Dream Eater’s names being called, the young boy looked up from the window for the first time and instinctively held onto the back of the couch. The spirit quickly shuffled into the room.

“Nevermind,” Aqua laughed. “I think he’s got the idea.” Chirithy sighed and turned to Ven, saying something to him in the language only they understood. The boy nodded, relaxing slightly into the couch. They chatted back and forth, Ven pulling the Dream Eater onto his lap at some point.

Ven, as Kairi was learning, was full of surprises. He had already changed so much from how he had been that morning. Even before that, he was always quick to find the positive in any situation. Aside from occasional flickers during sparring and his scene from earlier that day, Kairi couldn’t really remember ever seeing him upset. Maybe she just hadn’t known him for long enough, but what she had seen so far was, well, impressive. Even Sora hadn’t been this content all the time.

She watched as Aqua carefully chose a landing spot behind the world’s castle, nervously setting the vehicle down in as clear of an area she could possibly find. The blue haired master was still nervous about driving the ship, and usually didn’t have much good reason to practice. Upon landing, she wiped her hands on her pants—yes, pants; she had finally decided that her previous outfit wasn’t fit for her line of work—and released the pressure lock holding the door closed.

The four of them, er, five, if you counted Chirithy, exited the ship, stepping out into the warm sunlight that reminded Kairi of her home on the islands. Aqua closed the ship up once Ven had stepped out, curiosity in his eyes. He spun around slowly, taking in his surroundings. His gaze finally settled on the blonde girl standing in the shade of the castle.

“Naminé!” Kairi called out to her. The girl smiled and carefully walked over to the group.

“It’s nice to see you all,” she said. “You said Ven was having some… issues?” Aqua nodded.

“We think he—” she glanced at Terra, “—may have suppressed some of his memories while trying to uncover ones he had forgotten.”

“I see,” Naminé nodded, a solemn look flashing over her face. “Oh, I shouldn’t force you to stand outside. Please, come in!” Kairi followed her other into the large castle, the others close behind her.

-

Ven liked this new world much more than the one he had woken up in. It reminded him of Daybreak Town, in a way, and the lack of hallways so far was a definite plus. The blonde girl that had welcomed them shared quite the resemblance with the redhead girl— Kairi. Maybe they were sisters? He would have to get Chirithy to ask. If Kairi had reminded him of Lady Ava, then this new girl—he thinks her name is Naminé, but he can’t be sure—reminds him of Lady Invi. Quieter and more shy, but she seemed nice all the same. Unsurprisingly, he can’t understand anything she says either, but it’s less of a frustration now that he’s getting used to it. Probably-Naminé makes conversation with the others, while Ven pulled his Dream Eater a little closer to his chest.

“Her name is Naminé, right?” he asked. Chirithy nodded, and the blonde girl perked up at hearing her name being said. She gave him a polite smile and then turned back to talking with the others. They followed her through the castle, passing by several libraries and rooms Ven didn’t even have names for.

Eventually they ended up in a futuristic looking room with a large computer. One of the walls was made entirely of glass, giving a view into a long corridor with tons of… Containers? Ven couldn’t quite tell. Stacks of papers and books littered the floor and the counters. Naminé motioned for them to sit in some chairs that looked like they had been set up specifically for the occasion. She nodded at the older two, commenting something in their language, before excusing herself from the room.

“We just have to wait a little bit now,” Chirithy explained as their wielder watched Naminé leave. He nodded in understanding, then chose to occupy himself with observing his surroundings. This new building shared some similarities with the Clock Tower, at least more than the castle in the mountains had. It felt mechanical, and the piles of books reminded him of his bedroom. It made the nearly empty room feel lived in, gave it a little bit of personality.

Ven wondered why there would be so many books in this room in particular, given that there were many libraries that probably served much better for housing them. Maybe this room was someone’s favourite spot to read, he thought, as he remembered how he would spend hours in his own reading corner, far enough away from everyone else that it would be quiet enough to concentrate, but not so far that he would get lost trying to find his way back. After his reading sessions, he would usually stack the books he had been reading somewhere on the floor or tables in his room. Despite all the books he kept in there, he tried not to read them in his bedroom, as he would usually get tired, try to read in his bed, and then fall asleep only to wake up later with a sore neck and his book dropped on the floor with no indication of where he left off.

He temporarily pulled himself from his daydream to hug his Dream Eater closer to him. Kairi was showing Aqua what looked like a small, flat, box.  She would occasionally tap and swipe at its surface, smiling and talking with the blue haired woman. Terra watched over their shoulders, adding his own comment every now and then. Ven wondered what the box could possibly be, if it was able to hold all of their attention like that. He was about to ask Chirithy when he heard a loud crash outside the door. Everyone’s heads jerked up at the sudden commotion, and Terra got up to his feet and sped to the door to see what lay on the other side.

“Again, I am so sorry,” the young scientist muttered, bringing in the last of the books he had dropped in the hallway. “We’re still in the process of digitally archiving all of Even’s notes and you came on such short notice—.”

“It’s alright, Ienzo. Really.” Aqua gave him a patient smile. “We’re not in any hurry.” Terra sat the pile of books he had helped Ienzo gather on the counter, giving a nod that showed he agreed with her.

“Right,” Ienzo sighed. “Well, would you be willing to elaborate on your issue? With… Ventus’s memories, I believe you said?” Aqua nodded.

“Well, he woke up this morning and suddenly couldn’t recognize any of us or speak our language. The only one he remembers is Chirithy, and they can talk with each other just fine. Chirithy said they had been trying to restore some of Ven’s lost memories, and we think that he somehow repressed his memories of being with us in the process.”

“That is peculiar,” the scientist remarked, looking over to the young boy. “Have you been able to deduce what language he understands now?” Terra shook his head.

“It’s nothing like any language I’ve ever heard before.” He looked over to Ven’s spirit. “Do you know the name of it, Chirithy?”

“Oh, no, I don't,” they squeaked. “Only that Ven and I have been speaking it all our lives. I’m not sure about him, but I’ve only recently become fluent in English.”

“I see,” Ienzo said, resting his hand against his chin in thought. “And you’ve known Ven since he was a child? Do you recall the name of the world he grew up in?”

“It was known as Daybreak Town,” the spirit explained. “But I don't think it’s around anymore.” Ven suddenly perked up and asked them a question in his strange tongue. Ienzo listened intently as the two of them conversed.

“Uh, if you will excuse me for a moment, I believe I may have some resources on this language.” He moved towards the door. “I believe Naminé was assisting the guards with a task; she should be back momentarily.” Aqua and Terra nodded, signaling they would be alright in his absence. He slipped out the door, leaving the five of them in the computer room.

“Ven grew up in… Daybreak Town?” Terra asked, turning to Chirithy.

“I’ve never heard it before,” Aqua remarked.

“Neither have I.”

“Um, yes, but, I believe it was, er, destroyed a long time ago,” the spirit said. “I haven’t been there in quite some time…”

“It’s a shame,” Aqua said. “I was kind of hoping we could pay a visit. Especially with how Ven is now...” Chirithy nodded.

“It would be nice, but—,” they shook their head, attempting to clear their thoughts, “—sadly, that’s not possible.” They leaned in closer to Ven’s chest, feeling his warmth that they had gone so long without. “I’m sure right now, most of all, Ven is the one who wants to be there the most.”

[hana-bean]

Close to you (3/7)

I will always be by your side Though I can do nothing else

---

His eyes fluttered open, hearing the faint sounds of chatter from outside his closed bedroom door—all female. Seiya stayed still for a few moments to process his incapacitating physical pain and his surroundings, the decor reminding him of the meeting room from the previous night. After a few more seconds of waiting for the rest of his body to wake up, he also recognized more than one of the voices; Serenity stayed true to her promise by releasing Yaten and Taiki from the detention center.

Seiya staggeringly readied himself for company, taking advantage of the unused toothbrush before dressing in the previous night’s clothes. He grabbed his cane and hobbled out and down the hallway until he happened upon a bright dining room, the chattering voices no longer muffled.

He was met with the scene of a transformed Yaten and Taiki, as Sailor Star Healer and Sailor Star Maker respectively, standing while surrounded by five women including Serenity. She was clothed in a flowy white robe while holding an ornate teacup in one hand as she poked at the purple band on Maker’s arm with the other. The four other women asked questions as they more or less kept their hands to themselves.

“So what happens when you get all sweaty? Does the leather not stick to you?” One woman with long dark hair inquired, rubbing her hips while imagining the discomfort of leather adhering to skin.

“No, actually it kind of expands when we get hot.” Healer answered, mimicking her movements. “The gold part in the middle is actually a separate pair of shorts.”

The gaggle of gals looked at each other with a synced resounding of, “oh” and steady nodding. However, the sight of Seiya was caught by one of them, and a woman with half of her long golden hair tied up in a red bow pointed at him as he leaned on the doorframe.

“Hey, there’s the other one!”

As all eyes were directed his way, Serenity’s gaze was warm and welcoming, paired with a smile emitting breathy laughter. The sweet sound serenaded Seiya’s heart into continuous drumming.

Healer and Maker then immediately charged him, taking him in tight embraces from both sides around his neck and waist, ignoring his grimace.

“I’m so glad you’re okay.” Maker whispered with a sigh of relief.

“What?” Seiya wrapped his free arm around her waist. “Of course I am.”

“These chicks are weird.” Healer’s voice cracked in his other ear, also at a whisper. “I can’t tell if they’re gonna eat us or become our best friends.”

Seiya snorted. “Probably neither. You barely suffice as an appetizer, and you’re mean.”

Healer growled before she pulled away to dead-leg Seiya. While Maker and his cane saved him from completely wiping out on the floor, his wobble was hard to miss.

“Seiya, are you okay?” Serenity approached the trio, a worried expression hovering over her teacup.

“Yes, your highness.” Seiya straightened up as he shot a glare toward Healer, who stuck her tongue out back at him. He softened his face with a smile as he looked at Serenity. “Trying to get used to bowing with one leg.”

“No need to do that! Please sit down!” She shuffled toward a chair at the table and pulled it out.

“You’re too kind, your highness.” Seiya began to make his way over to the offered seat, taking the opportunity to press his cane on top of Healer’s foot using all of his weight. The Starlight’s breath caught in her throat as she let out a quiet squawk, hiding her tears and yelp in Maker’s shoulder.

Once Seiya was seated, the rest of the women huddled behind Serenity to get a better look at the third alien guardian in his male civilian form, all the while blushing at his telepathically agreed-upon handsomeness. However, the queen found herself staring and smiling a bit too long herself and had to be elbowed by a green-eyed brunette to come out of her daze.

“So uh, um... these are my friends and our fellow guardians—Ami Mizuno, Rei Hino, Makoto Kino, and Minako Aino!”

Each woman perked and waved at him when their respective names were said as Seiya smiled and tilted his head forward as a greeting.

“Ooh, Ami, tell them about what you're doing!” Serenity got excited and patted Ami’s arm repeatedly and eagerly, then turned around to wave Healer and Maker back over. While both obliged, Healer seemed to have picked up Seiya’s limp suddenly.

Ami nodded and took out her crystal cell phone from her back pocket, swiping and tapping around a few times before addressing the three foreigners.

“As of five AM this morning, we’ve been scanning a database of alien artifacts and antiques registered with the CTDAAA. Anything considered to have royal, historic, or scientific significance from another planet that is brought to Earth must be registered in this database by law. So if the incense burner you’re looking for is in fact here, theoretically we should find it from this scan.”

Maker cocked her head. “Theoretically?”

“Yes, well, the merchant would have had to register it themselves. Of course, many things are smuggled, especially if it’s illegal or has been reported stolen. Or perhaps they simply don’t want to deal with the paperwork and waiting periods.”

Healer crossed her arms. “So how far along is the scan?”

“A whole point-three percent!” Ami’s voice and expression held sarcastic enthusiasm. “This database does span the whole planet.”

Serenity sighed and shrugged her shoulders. “Well then, I guess the only thing we can do now is eat!”

The rest of the women erupted in agreement and dispersed to find their seats at the table. As Seiya watched Serenity head for the chair next to his, something within him said it was okay to grab for the royal hand. And to his surprise, he was faced with her kind and curious cerulean eyes.

He tried to gulp down his blush and excitement, but the feeling of warmth on his ears told him that did nothing.

“Thank you… your highness… for all your help. And happy birthday.”

She wrinkled her nose as she grinned, squeezing his hand in appreciation.

---

Waiting in the queen’s chambers, Ami, Rei, Makoto, and Minako each gasped and held their breath as Serenity emerged from the bathroom.

“So?” Minako widened her eyes, expecting good news.

Serenity couldn’t bring herself to share in the shared anticipation and shook her head to relieve them of their happy mood. The four women groaned.

“I’m so sorry.” Makoto took the queen in an embrace.

Serenity released a sound between a sigh and a sob, sinking into Makoto’s chest. “What is wrong with me?”

The rest of the group took that as their cue to join in on the hug.

“Nothing is wrong with you.” Rei stroked her back. “You still have plenty of time.”

“But how long will that take? Another four years… four-hundred years?”

“When it’s meant to happen.” Ami rested her forehead on one of Serenity’s buns. “You know Chibi-Usa will be here. You need to trust destiny.”

Serenity sniffled. “Yes, that’s true. But it’s just… I don’t understand why it’s taking so long.”

“It'll happen, Serenity. But on the bright side: at least you can drink today.” Makoto’s mouth twisted in a smile as she pulled back from the group hug.

The others let up as well, allowing Serenity to dab her eyes with the sleeve of her robe and nod in agreement. “Sure. I just wish Mamo was here.”

“Is he still in LA?” Ami furrowed her brow.

“Yes. He was supposed to come back yesterday but there’s been a series of bad storms over there and he’s been stuck. They’re saying flights won’t open up until the end of the week. Then he has to go straight to Canberra.”

Rei scoffed. “That sucks. I’m sorry that happened.”

“Don’t be.” Serenity hugged herself and shook her head. “I’ll have an eternity of birthdays for him to attend.”

“At least we got cute men to hang out with this year.” Minako raised her eyebrows to indicate her impish thoughts. “I call dibs on the short one.”

“Dibs on Seiya!” Rei clapped and raised her hands.

Serenity dropped her jaw in disapproval. “Rei, you can’t call dibs on him.”

“What?” Rei’s jaw also dropped. “Mina just called dibs on Yaten!”

“Yes… but… Seiya’s injured. That’s a little messed up, don’t you think?”

“The man has a limp, he’s not braindead.”

“Okay, but his whole body is still healing! You saw how he almost collapsed this morning—”

“If he’s horizontal, it won’t matter—!”

“Okay-okay-okay!” Makoto, unable to contain her smile, walked in between the bickering duo as she held her palms out on each side of her. She then turned her attention to the fiery guardian, speaking through laughter.

“Rei, it would seem that our queen has already called dibs on Sailor Bar Fighter—”

“What? No!” Serenity tried to sound as offended as possible, but her blush betrayed her.

Ami gasped. “Serenity! How could you?”

“Ami, it’s not like that!”

“You know he does look a lot like Endymion…” Minako tapped her pointer finger to her chin.

“Mina! Don’t!”

Rei rolled her eyes with a smirk, flipping her hair over her shoulder. “Well, I guess since it’s your birthday, you can have him—”

“Rei, stop it!” Serenity threw her hands up before rubbing them down her face in distress and then defeat. “Fine, have at him, and have fun doing all the work!”

“I need some exercise anyway.” She blew a kiss.

Minako looked over at the only two women who had yet to call dibs. “So who wants lanky legs?”

Makoto and Ami met each other’s gazes, their eyes squinted in opposition.

“How should we do this?”

“The old-fashioned way, of course.”

If an arm was covered with a sleeve, it was rolled up. Or if it was bare, it was being massaged in preparation. Both then slapped their right hands together and curled their fingers into each others’.

“One, two, three, four, I declare a thumb war!”

While the rest of the group was distracted with the competition, Serenity walked over to her birthday bar cart stocked with cakes, pastries, and premade mimosas and poured herself a full flute of the orange drink. As she emptied the glass down her throat in only a few gulps, she secretly hoped Seiya wasn’t attracted to Rei.

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Please note if you would like to follow this story, I will be updating the rest of the chapters under the tag: hana bean close to you and other iterations of the spacing. I love you all!