#don't have a great spot for a tree in this house

[freepassbound]

Grocery list or no grocery list?

Do you decorate your house for holidays? Which ones?

Favorite high-effort meal that you make?

Please :)

Grocery list or no grocery list?

Sometimes yes, sometimes no. Depends how desperately I need something (and thus must remember it) combined with how recently I forgot something because I wasn't using a list. 😅

Do you decorate your house for holidays? Which ones?

I haven't even ever really finished moving into this house, so, no. I've thought about doing something for Christmas (which is the only one I've ever decorated for), but... no family is around in the winter. Though I did up the old family house a few times when I was solo (for various reasons)... this place... for whatever reason it just doesn't seem worth it for only myself? Also, there's no tradition of doing it here, I think is a big part of it.

Favorite high-effort meal that you make?

I am not much of a fancy chef, but there is this dish called hamburger pie (which I make with ground turkey) that goes well with mashed potatoes... it's delicious, but it's a lot of work for a single person. Brown the ground turkey, wash potatoes, peel potatoes, cut potatoes, mix the turkey, prep the dish, pop in oven, drain potatoes, mash potatoes... it usually ends up being about two hours (though there is some down time waiting for the potatoes to cook).

[webslingingslasher]

jbae!! if you're taking requests, can I ask for something with trouble comforting peter? maybe he's had a terrible week and loads of things pile up and he just collapses (maybe he even cries out of frustration cause I'm a sucker for that) and trouble just holds him to her chest and runs her hands through his hair 🥺 only if you want to though!! have a great day ily

*you always ask when peter knows he's in love with trouble...* (cleaning out my drafts)

peter's been m.i.a. all day.

rumor is he skipped class and slept past breakfast... and lunch. the unanswered texts you have string along with the theory. you were talking to peter last night so you don't think he's sick, at least not with a cold.

he'd been pulling back the last few days because he's been so busy. you haven't seen him in three days because of a test or a frat meeting or dinner with his aunt - in your opinion, he's spread a little too thin and you think that caught up to him today.

if peter can cut class and hang out at the frat house so can you. unsure if he's taking another nap. you're not risking a phone call that'll wake him and settle for a quiet entry with slow steps up the stairs before silently opening his door and sliding in.

peter's not asleep; he's awake and staring at his ceiling. he knows you're here but he can't bring himself to make believe happy. so he doesn't.

you softly shut his door and rest your back on it. 'do you have a case of the sads?' peter stays in his starfish position for way too long, you think he's building the courage to speak for the first time today. when he does, it's raspy and riddled with depression.

'i have a case of the sads.' even saying it makes him want to curl into a ball. it's times like this he wishes he was home and still small enough to crawl into his aunt's bed.

you've never seen peter this depleted, all spark in him has fizzled. 'do you want to cuddle?' you don't need to ask what's wrong, you already know. and you're getting the feeling he really just wants silent company.

peter sits up to open the space next to him, he's not moving until you're settled because he's about to rest his entire weight on you. the second you steal his spot, he lays on top and buries his face into you while you warmly accept the pressure.

peter only hides in you like this when he's sick or really tired. you don't say anything while you gently tuck a curl behind his ear, you lightly smile and graze the outer edge with your finger- a small twitch tells you he doesn't like it.

normally, you'd double down. today, he needs nice.

'you have cute ears.' it's barely above a whisper, 'i should see them more often.' peter doesn't respond, you didn't need him to.

it's a peaceful quiet, you think it's nice just being in peter's presence sometimes. you keep dragging your hand up and down his back, you're trying to tell him he's okay with your touch. your other combs through his hair over and over, you think he might be falling asleep and you gladly welcome it.

you're not sure how peter's breathing he's tucked into your chest so tight, but as long as he's able to you won't complain. you start to trace little squares over his skin while slightly zoning out on a bird on his balcony collecting what looks like twigs from the overhanging tree.

your shirt feels like it's clinging to you, peter's washing his hot breath into it. you change your shapes to squiggles. the bird hops around, another twig is scooped up. you glance down at your chest and stop your hands.

it's not just choked breath.

'are you crying?'

the floodgates burst.

peter digs into you, holding you so tight you almost wheeze. his shoulders shake as he sobs into you, your heart shatters as he breaks down. peter's never cried in front of you and it's fucking terrible to see.

you don't know what to do, you just act on instinct and try to wrap your arms around him like he always does to you. it always makes you feel protected and secure, it makes you feel like peter's a safe place and nothing can hurt you in his hold.

'you're okay, petey.' you're saying it for the both of you. 'you're okay.' peter thrashes his head back and forth, he doesn't agree. you steady him and say it again. 'you're okay, i promise you're okay.'

it's a little weak because you don't feel like you're fixing much but it always helps when peter says it.

'i'm here. you're gonna be okay because i'm here.' you hear a trumpet in your mind when peter crawls further up to tuck his head under your chin. it's working, you're doing good.

peter's never cried in front of a girl before. his aunt doesn't count and neither does- he doesn't let his mind go there, he's already spirling hard enough.

but you're warm and soft and really fucking loving and it's making him cry harder because it's all he wanted today and you showed up with an abundance of it.

you're crushed at the sound, if you could suffocate the sad out of him you would've already done it. 'please don't throw yourself into a panic attack.' he wasn't going to, but now that you said it he thinks he's approaching that territory quickly.

you can sense it too. you press him closer and breathe deep, his head sinks with your chest. 'do one with me.' it's weak and followed by a cough.

'one more.' he mimics you, it's better this time. peter does the third on his own, you praise him with a back rub. 'see? you're okay.' the smallest of nods, a short stutter of breath and he's sniffling to hold more in.

'let it out. you broke yourself to get to this point, let it out.' it's another wave but it's not as brutal, it's bordering on the verge of pitiful. 'you're not allowed to do this to yourself anymore, peter. i didn't say anything but next time i will. you can't stretch yourself like this, it isn't healthy.'

'i'm sorry.' he doesn't know if he's sorry for crying or for making you care this much. it's a blanket statement, he thinks. you won't let it be one. 'don't you dare say sorry. there's nothing to be sorry about.'

peter can't fathom why, but he almost spews out an i love you and it terrifies him. he feels it in his chest, there's a level of care and affection you're giving him that he's never had before. if he knew he was dying, he'd do it right here in your arms.

peter's never felt safe in another person's hold before. you'd protect him at all costs, even from himself and you just proved it. he needs to see you, he needs to see the face he calls home. he needs you to smile softly at him like he's your world because he promises this time he'd do the same.

you do exactly what he wishes and he feels a pang to his heart when you lightly wipe under his cheeks. 'are you all cried out? if not i'll bully you into more.' god, he wants to swarm you with a thousand kisses.

'i'm okay now.' he hovers over you, an arm on each side of your head. you accept a tiny kiss where your neck and collarbone meet, it's a delicate marking. 'good, you needed it. you also need to eat, and please tell me you had some water today. i'll make you anything you want, or i'll buy you dinner- anything you want, you deserve good things when you have a case of the sads.'

you don't recognize the look on peter's face but it makes you a little self-conscious, you might be a tad overbearing. 'why are you looking at me like that? am i being a little over the top?'

he's still wearing it. 'not at all.' you feel good about it, you're sticking to your guns about standing up to him if you need to. 'okay, good, because even if you said i was, i wouldn't care. i know you're mr. big strong tough man but i swear you need someone to check you sometimes because you get-'

'i really need to kiss you right now.'

you stop yourself and blink at his words. 'oh.' your cheeks feel warm, you nod one time before peter's pressing his bottom lip to your top one and lowering himself until his chest brushes yours.

it's a different kind of kiss, there's nothing behind it except just wanting to do exactly as he said. a cluster of pecks before he pulls back to look at you, you can't place what he's thinking.

'what?' peter shakes his head before going in for another, after the third time he'd failed to remove himself from you, you stop him. 'i don't care how many times you kiss me, mister. you're not getting anything until i see you eat something.'

funny. your request just makes him want to kiss you more. 

[carnivalcarriondiscarded]

Bard-aby <3 except he's only loosely a bard bc i don't subscribe to absolutes <3

rambles:

BARNABY WITH PANTS??? BLASPHEMY!!! however this is a (dnd-inspired) fantasy au so. pants! loose pants tucked into modified boots because no one can tell me No!

based off of Clown's pokemon au human Barn, it seems like he might be a bit of a jewelry guy! he was wearing rings! and had an earring! also i think Barn just looks great w/ some extra shinies, yk yk

since ties aren't really a Thing in fantasy settings, i combined the iconic pattern w/ his vest for a two-in-one. then suspenders bc they fuck severely! his belt buckle is a bone both as a nod to the pattern on his tie / house decoration, and to go along with how Wally has an apple buckle! besties stay twinning!

you can't see it but on his other side he has his pack & his smoking pipe holster, which attaches to his belt! it's very high quality leather that he spent so much money on. his pipe is important to him - he carved it himself out of wood from an important tree from his childhood, so he wants it to be properly stored & protected! he has two kinds of tobacco for it - normal, and magic tobacco that essentially allows him to cast minor spells w/ the smoke

the feathers on his hat are from Ms. Beagle! in my mind he left the farm to go adventuring on a bit of a bad note, but his mama made sure to give him a couple feathers to take with so that she'd always be close <3

he keeps his claws blunt so that he doesn't accidentally scratch people/things, and so that he can play stringed instruments without cutting the strings. while i imagine for this au he plays a wide range, he prefers Loud Handheld Instruments that allow him to sing along. so in mind he has an Accordion here! loud! jaunty! but i imagine he also keeps a recorder in his pack for when Frank needs annoying. (he did have a lute, but he broke it over someone's head in the act of defending Wally's honor)

im still trying to pin down the right balance of colors for his outfit, but! for a little au tidbit - all of his spots are the same two blues as his ears. in this im imagining that he, at a young age, learned a very basic cosmetic spell that allowed him to change his spots color to mimic Ms. Beagle's! he wanted to look like his mama! but by the time he's in his late 20s he no longer changes his spots

ohhhh i forgot to add his pockets. Oh Well

[strawberryblue-blog]

Sea of ​​love —Fermin Lopez.

summary: After being in love with Fermin for many years being Gavi's sister, he finally confesses and the sea is a witness of your love.

warnings: none. (mention of alcohol, discomfort, bad language)

word count: +4k.

#SEXYNOTE: I'm sorry for the delay :( I was taking exams. How is everything going? Kisses, love you <3

Laughter erupted in the living room when you saw your brother do something stupid. Everyone knew that Gavi was the life of the night and that his 'guess what' attempts were not something he did very well, even more so when he was drunk but he still ended up being the funniest thing in the world. Unfortunately your mood wasn't the best these days and you were just drowning your sorrows in alcohol.

Trying to forget.

Bottles of beer lay on the floor, on the living room table, sofa and even on the kitchen counter. Summer vacation was something you really loved when it came to coming to your house by the sea, where everything was surrounded by trees, beaches and flowers, a swimming pool with beautiful views and a summer barbecue.

Your parents and sister had gone on a trip and your brother had thought of coming with his friends and inviting your girlfriends for a great vacation. Something you couldn't say no to, as you had been looking forward to it for a long time but weren't excited enough to really enjoy it.

You loved this place but you hated being here right now.

Laughter and screams could be heard all around you, but you weren't really listening to them, not when your eyes were anchored on the boy sitting a few feet in front of you, as if he was the only person in the world. Trying to get his gaze back or at least a little bit of interest from him.

You felt empty, forgotten, ignored and trampled on. You couldn't take it anymore.

"Let's dance" your friend tried to take your hands, but you refused. "Don't be an old lady!" she shrieked snorting.

You smiled a little trying to hide your pain. Your spirits weren't very high today, nor were they a few weeks ago, not after he rejected you like that. You just wanted to drink until you passed out drunk and forget everything.

Falling in love with one of your brother's best friends was a myth for some but a reality for you. A reality that hurt.

Fermin Lopez was the typical young prodigal and kind, who has all the girls at his feet and with that angel face and smile that bewitches, you could not blame them. You had also fallen into his net.

But he would never touch you, his words, not yours.

"Did you come to cry for a man or to fuck three others instead?" your flirtatious friend whispered and pointed to the other members of the group, Ferran, Joao and Pedri.

Your gaze wandered to three drunken boys laughing and joking with each other, playing with your brother and your other friends. You laughed in denial they were just like that, a couple of idiots.

"I'll pass" you whispered. She nodded and kissed your forehead tenderly.

"Well if you don't, i do" she joked with an amused grimace. You laughed before finishing your bottle of beer and watching her walk off after the partying soccer players.

You got up from your spot and walked barefoot around the dining room to your slippers, quickly putting them on. You needed air or to get out of this place before you exploded.

Unseen, you opened the back patio door and stepped out hugging yourself as the evening breeze hit you. It was a pleasant night, the stars were shining brightly overhead, the moon was lighting up the sand on the beach, the tree branches were barely moving.

You sighed a breath of air and took it all in hard. You had been putting up with it all, the journey here, days eating at his side, nights criss-crossing him in the bathroom, evenings and mornings enjoying your own home. It was hell.

You were rethinking to yourself if it had been a good idea to come or if it would have been better to stay in Barcelona, in your small apartment with your studies and your strong emotions. You walked without fear, down from your house until you reached the beach, feeling the waves lapping on the shore. The lighting was dim but at least you could see perfectly where you were stepping and even the moon helped with that. You sat on the sand feeling it grainy under your body, sniffling dejectedly.

It had been at least a couple of years since you had felt this. The feeling of having everything but at the same time nothing, that everything was out of your reach and there was no escape. A tear fell down your cheek and you blamed it on the alcohol that had undoubtedly taken its toll on your body.

You closed your eyes smelling the warm scent of the summer night enjoying the feeling of your limbs burying in the sand when you took off your shoes and the salty of your tears sticking to your face when they came out uncontrollably. Feeling the sensation of being alone in front of the sea with only your feelings drowning you and your bad decisions.

You didn't want to go back to that living room knowing that Fermin was there. You had been on good terms but it was clear that you didn't want to be just his friend and he ignored you completely, except that he felt obligated to greet you when you met in the mornings or ask you for something because he was at your house when Gavi was busy.

After a while behind your back, you heard someone walking by but you ignored them. It was probably one of your friends, your brother or the boys seeing you leave.

Your body was surrounded by a thin layer of clothing, over your summer bikini, giving you validity when the breezes blew your hair. You touched the jacket on your shoulders and its scent came straight to your nostrils, making you bristle.

Damn it.

"What are you doing here?" you heard his voice above your peace.

Your body froze.

You hadn't expected him to come at all, he hadn't even seen you leave, in fact he had never seen you. What was he doing here? Why did he come? To keep hurting you? How dare he? First he ignored you worldwide as if you didn't exist for him and now he appeared out of nowhere with some concern?

"Y/n..." he called out to you when he heard silence. "It's late, it's not safe for you to be alone here, come in the house" he asked from behind.

You raised an incredulous eyebrow.

A hand from his hands touched gently, calling out to you. A shiver ran down your back but you removed your shoulder as if you were a capricious child. Fermin removed his hand quickly at your discomfort.

"I like being alone" came out of your mouth with some wariness.

"I know" he affirmed. Again there was silence but this time, Fermin moved and sat a little away from you. He was respecting your space, you had always liked that about him. He was cautious and kind.

"I like you too" you kept saying. Again you were sure it was the alcohol talking but it was so true.

Fermin sighed. "We talked about... this."

You clicked your tongue. A wry chuckle escaped your lips at the memory.

"Yeah, i know. I'm not your type and you only see me as a friend" you blanched your eyes sighing.

Suddenly, again tears invaded your eyes. But you weren't going to cry, not in front of Fermin.

"It's not that Y/n, you're confused and don't know what you want" he reasoned lifting his shoulders.

"What do you know what i feel?" you snatched raising your voice. "What the fuck do you know what i want!?" you shouted.

The situation was starting to make you desperate and to see him there, so calm with his soft voice and confident feelings. He clearly didn't want you.

"Gavi would never agree to this, it's not right. He's my best friend" he kept excusing himself.

Rage started to build up in your body every time a word came out of his mouth. Why the fuck did he keep making stupid excuses? First you weren't his type, then your brother and now what?

You loved Fermin. Since you were eleven you were in love with him but he never looked at you with different eyes. Was it so hard for him to tell you? Was he such a coward?

"Go away" you asked hugging yourself in the cool night. "Forget everything and fuck off" you spat.

The urge to scream got stuck in your throat when he looked ahead and sighed without saying anything. You were letting him go, why the fuck wouldn't he leave. He didn't want you to come closer, he had asked you explicitly, but why did he come here? He wasn't looking for explanations or he wasn't going to give them either, why had he come in the first place?

He had broken your heart into a thousand pieces from day one. You knew he went out with other girls and that didn't bother you but sometimes it was unbearable, it hurt. Even so, you always kept choosing to love him because the heart doesn't decide who to fall in love with. It just happened.

He had been Gavi's friend since you were little and with that, you also knew him. You had no memories where Fermin was not present as you became a teenager. He was the person who protected you and took care of you, the one who beat up idiots when they tried to get with you, the one who took you home when you were drunk, the one who covered for you when you went out with friends, the one who defended you from Aurora and Pablo when they played with you.

How could you not fall in love? If he was always sweet to you, always watching you with that smile on his face, always worried about you. Fermin wasn't just your brother's best friend, he was like your brother. But you hated that part. Because that was the answer to everything, you were just that to Fermin Lopez.

He knew everything about you and that was your weakest point. He knew how you felt, he knew you liked him and he knew how you were suffering. And that you were a disaster.

You got up from the ground and started walking to the sea. You wanted to get away from him as soon as possible, besides it was all he wanted but he was still there. Sitting silently with his head hidden between his knees like a coward.

Fuck it. Your feet came in contact with the water and you shivered as you felt it was freezing but you weren't going to stop. You were going in deeper and deeper as tears slipped down your cheeks, love was cruel and it hurt to be in love. Why couldn't it be reciprocated, why did it have to end like this?

I guess this was the end. Your end. Not the end you wanted but the only one fate had for you.

Shit fate.

You took a last breath before sinking into the freezing cold water shivering but when you submerged everything disappeared. Your clothes got wet and your hair floated but you didn't care that you were shivering underwater, you didn't hear anything anymore, you were just there. Sinking under your feelings with your broken heart.

The water surrounded your body and tried to push you up but you held steady under it, feeling the silence and darkness beneath you.

At least when you came out Fermin wouldn't be there. Or so you hoped because it would be really embarrassing for him to see you a mess. The mess he had made. He didn't care and it was okay, it was already a hopeless case. You were going to get over it.

Maybe Fermin was right and your feelings were confused or maybe you were infatuated and it would all pass. At least you were praying that when you surfaced it had all been a dream.

When your lungs began to feel the lack of air, you stayed in the water. You weren't going to do anything crazy but you needed a little adrenaline to take your mind off it. Your limbs were cold and the tears had stopped flowing and had mixed with the deep sea water.

Arms wrapped around your waist and pulled you up, pushing you out as your lungs took in air again in desperate gasps.

"What the fuck is wrong with you, y/n!" he yelled trying to help you float, his hands holding your waist tightly as you continued to gasp for air.

Your vision was a little blurry, because of the darkness and the drunken state but your body recognized that touch. His soft fingers pressed against your skin and you trembled.

"It's fucking freezing!" he shrieked again at your silence. "Are you crazy?" he continued. "What would have happened if i left?"

"Nothing, stop acting like you really cared" you replied dryly trying to pull away. You wanted to swim away from him, back to shore and go far away but his arms stopped you.

"I fucking care about you, Y/n!" mentioned harsh. You moved your shoulders catching your breath but when he said your name you were out of breath again.

"Tell me what you want" he said angrily. It was one of the few times you had seen him like that, his eyebrows were furrowed, he was worried but you could tell his neck stood out and he was red, he was definitely angry.

"I told you to leave me" you said again gritting your teeth from the cold.

"I'm not doing it!" he replied but you denied and turned to resolutely get out of the water.

You heard it hit against the water but you tried again to get out, it held you again stopping you. The breeze hit your body and your skin bristled under the water.

"Tell me what the fuck you want!" he shouted at the top of his lungs and you looked up at him until you faced him.

"You, Fermin!" you shouted just as loudly. "I want you" your voice was choppy but you still screamed euphoric.

You weren't afraid to scream. You knew what you wanted and compared to him you weren't going to be quiet no matter if your brother or anyone else could hear you. Even though you were literally inside the sea, there was no one else around but the two of you and your friends were too busy partying to notice what was going on outside.

Your chest was rising and falling and despite feeling your heart almost explode, you dealt with it. Fermin was speechless and then you sighed in denial. Was that what he wanted? To humiliate you again? He had. It wasn't the first time you had told him how you felt but here you were still, feeling your heart break with every feeling.

"You don't understand" he murmured slowly. He was already calm and you were still on fire.

"What, Fermin?" you replied exhausted from the situation.

"I can't choose between you and your brother" he whispered and your heart jumped. "It's not fair" he said taking a step forward.

Why would he have to choose you? You weren't asking him to choose you, you were asking him to love you. This wasn't about Gavi but in some part you understood. And that terrified you too. But it wasn't a valid excuse when it came to love, it didn't matter at all when it was true. You understood perfectly well that sometimes love was unrequited but he always came close and made you feel special, as if he knew exactly what you felt having him around. As if he felt the same but ended up walking away or excusing himself.

"I can't put you in that situation, i can't put Pablo in that situation either" he kept saying. "You don't understand, you're beautiful and i really like you but it's not the right thing to do."

You nodded slowly. Your belly churned and your eyes threatened to tear up but you stopped them. You really had a hard time deciphering if his words were true or if he was trying to comfort you and excuse himself, either way it didn't make sense anymore.

"You are the most beautiful girl i have ever met, you are funny and caring, you loved your friends and family, you always take care of everyone and expect nothing in return" his hands cupped your cheeks and lifted your dull face. The waves gently lapped your bodies and the sound was music behind his words.

Your eyes were watery and your heart pounded, their cold bodies surrounded by water and their fingers were icy but nothing mattered. His touch burned your skin and you felt the closeness of their body, making you sway.

"You drive me crazy" he whispered. "You know what it's like to see you every day? With that beautiful smile but then when you see me it disappears, to see you sad and not being able to hug you, i can't touch you, i can't tell you how i feel about you" he confessed so close to you and your face cradled in his hands.

Were you still in a dream? was it true? or was it a lie? you no longer knew if this was true or if your unconscious was creating a parallel reality to your pain. Although his skin over yours indicated to you that this was really happening, you had never felt it so close, so true, so real before.

"Why?" you asked defeated. "Why don't you?" you pleaded.

Fermin caressed your face, shaking his head, his eyes lowered to your lips and looked at you hungrily, desperately.

"I can't" he barely said.

He wanted to kiss you. Those words were an attempt to converse to himself, Fermin wanted to kiss you. His voice trembled and he refused holding back.

"I can't" he repeated and you didn't let him think about it.

You were probably going to regret this but you couldn't help yourself and kissed him. You took his face and pressed your lips against Fermin's, taking him by surprise. But as if it was an instinct, he reciprocated a few seconds later.

The feeling of happiness invaded your stomach and you felt how the whole world revolved around you. It wasn't the first time you kissed a boy but it was definitely the first time you felt something like this. A shiver ran from the tips of your toes to your last hair and made you bristle. Fermin's hands took your waist delicately groping the area before placing them there.

The kiss was delicate, awkward and tender. As if it was a first time. Because it really had been, it was the first time you kissed Fermin and you knew it was going to stay engraved in your heart. The waves moved your bodies but Fermin's hands held you tight and made you feel safe.

"You have no idea what you just did" he whispered as your foreheads pressed together.

"I didn't do anything" you jokingly defended yourself.

"You do everything" he said again and cupped your face in his hands.

His eyes shone like headlights and you wondered was that if how the stars above you looked. The touch of his skin against yours was familiar, Fermin always touched you but this time it felt different.

Again his lips sought contact with yours but you stopped him, pulling away a little to make space between you. It was obvious you wanted to kiss him but you were afraid that after he kissed you, Fermin would run.

"You said we couldn't" you murmured biting your lip.

Nerves were itching in your belly and you were desperate to feel his lips but you couldn't let him hurt you again.

"You kissed me first" he replied whimpering. You smiled in denial.

"Because i know what i want!" you squealed determined. You had always known and not because you wanted to meant he could use you.

Fermin sighed releasing your cheeks. The chill ran through your body again as he moved a little further away, pulling away from you.

"Pablo is my best friend" he said scratching the back of his neck.

"So what?" you snatched, you were going to get it all out today.

It was all or nothing.

"Don't do this to me, y/n" he pleaded worriedly.

You weren't doing anything. Nothing he didn't want, was he going to blame you? Couldn't he set the record straight? For not wanting to admit how he felt?

Pablo was not an obstacle, you knew that if this was real he would support them. Of course it would cost him, first he would get angry and act offended, then he would too but in the end he would accept his. And if he didn't he'd be damned, it was your damned life and Fermin's.

"Aren't you afraid?" he asked taking a step closer. You lifted your shoulders.

Of course love was scary. Everyone painted it as something beautiful but after being ignored several times by Fermin you were beginning to believe that love was just part of Disney stories.

"It's okay if you want to let me go but you have to at least try first" you complained disappointed.

"I don't want to hurt you" he mentioned and his arms grabbed your forearms again. You wanted to pull away but Fermin took you in his arms and wrapped his arms around you against his body. Again you felt his overwhelming warmth and the cold disappeared, at times you felt on top and at others underneath.

"You already do..." you whispered so slowly that the words vanished on the breeze.

"I'm sorry, Y/n" he apologized squeezing you. "I love you and I don't want to lose this thing we have" he said in one ear.

"We won't lose it if you really want me" you admitted.

"I really want you" His eyes spoke before yours.

Your heart was pounding a mile a minute. You were agitated and excited at the same time, you wanted to kiss him, you wanted to touch him, you wanted Fermin to hold you and not let go. Your fingers caressed his locks of hair and his hands took your waist, rising up to surround it and stay on top of him.

"Let's not tell Pablo yet" he whispered kissing your forehead softly.

His words made you raise your head until you could see his face. Had he really said that?

"Tell him what, Fermin?" you asked pretending not to notice.

"About us" he murmured clear and precise.

Every atom in your body began to jump with happiness. A smile was marked on your lips and quickly spread it towards the boy.

About us. It sounded unreal coming out of his mouth. You had always had feelings for each other but only you would admit them. Now he was the one saying it and you began to wonder if that's what love felt like.

Fermin grabbed you by the face again.

"I've been in love with you for as long as i've known you, i don't understand how i could endure these years, i don't understand how i could push you away like this" he whispered caressing you.

Your eyes watered. The night was perfect. You surrounded by darkness, under the starlight with the sound of the waves crashing against the shore, the water surrounding your bodies, it felt like a real dream you had ever had.

Only this time it wasn't.

You were here, in the sea, your favorite place, with your favorite person.

"I really love you, Y/n" he said firmly.

He couldn't hold it in any longer and brought their lips together again.

[pensat-i-fet]

His very own real princess (Pedri x Reader)

**I'm back with another imagine! This one was requested many moons ago and the anon who sent it might have forgotten about it so sorry 😕 but I got the inspiration for it and so I wanted to share it! I'm not so used to writing short format anymore so I feel everything could be a series. Let me know if you'd like this concept to be one! ☺️ And enjoy! ❤️**

Word count: 3675

Masterlist

Wattpad

Being famous was not as great as people made it up to be. For Pedri, it meant leaving the house was too much sometimes. He had to deal with people following him and even getting in front of his car just to get his attention. He was asked to sign autographs and to take photos every couple of minutes. While he loved his fans, it could be a bit much. Especially when he could tell they were filming him so they could post the video on TikTok for a couple hundred likes. So, one day, he tried to avoid those people by going to a park. He could probably lose them there. There were so many trees and dogs that made it harder to move quickly around the area.

For you, it had been a bit different. Growing up your family wanted to keep you a secret almost. For security reasons…or so they said. So, naturally, you wanted to rebel against them and do the complete opposite. Still, it wasn’t until you turned 18 that you started to show up at official events. And now you were 20, you realised maybe your parents had been right all along. But you weren’t going to tell them that. Of course. So while some paparazzi were chasing you, you spotted a park and thought you could hide there for a bit. Maybe even call your chauffeur so he could pick you up and save you from the vultures.

“Oh! Sorry”.

Pedri turned to look at the girl who was apologising to him. You had bumped into each other and he hit you in the head with his shoulder without meaning to. He hadn’t even seen you there.

“No, I’m the one who’s sorry. Are you alright?”

And then, it happened. You looked up to see his face and you couldn’t believe who it was that you were talking to.

“Oh my God…oh my God”, was all you could say.

“I take it you know who I am”.

“Yeah, who doesn’t?”

Pedri chuckled. “I guess there are some lucky folks out there who don’t. But really, are you ok?”

“Yes, it’s fine. Just more shocked to see you here than anything else”.

Pedri smiled at you and you were trying hard not to swoon. Being hidden from the public eye meant you hadn’t been around a lot of famous people before. Your second cousins were way more used to this and always told you famous people were just normal people. To them…not to you. To you, famous people were…fascinating.

“I was planning on hiding here for a bit”, you said.

“Me too, but I don’t want to ruin your plan so I could leave…”.

Pedri started to look around, getting ready to leave so you stopped him. “You don't know who I am so that makes you good company. Perfect company actually. So you can stay. Also, you got here first”.

“Should I know who you are?”

“I guess not”, you shrugged. Not everyone followed your family. Thankfully.

“Are you a singer?

“Babies cry when I sing”.

“Actress?”

“Nope”.

“Influencer”.

“I only influence how much money there is left in my dad's bank account”.

You thought it was really cute how he concentrated, trying to guess. “Then…a model?”

“No, but I appreciate the compliment”.

“What compliment?”

“If you think I could be a model, then you think I'm pretty”.

“Well”, he started. “I like to invite pretty girls to eat or have a drink so…which one is it going to be?”

“There is an ice cream ban there…if you dare approach it”.

It made you laugh how Pedri looked around the area, making sure no one who could know him was there and then he turned to look at you again.

“What flavour?”

“One ball of coffee and one of vanilla, please”.

“Sounds sophisticated”.

“I guess you’re getting closer to my identity”, you laughed.

“What are you? A princess?”

“Nah, the princesses are my cousins”.

Pedri laughed before going to the ban to get the ice cream. The funny thing about being part of the Royal family was that it was so weird that many thought you were joking when you said that. But you weren’t. Not many people knew your parents but they still were part of the family so…they got attention. And now, you got the attention too.

“Here is your ice cream, your Majesty”.

“Thank you, Golden boy”, you joked back.

“Does that make me royalty too?”

“I guess. Football royalty so less hated than real royalty”. “Less hated? You clearly aren’t on Twitter”.

No, you weren’t. No amount of therapy would heal you after reading what people wrote about you or your family there.

Sitting down on the grass and eating an ice cream while chatting with Pedri was something that healed your mood. It was so nice to be with someone who didn’t know who you were but that also understood how you felt. Even if he didn’t know it yet.

“There are a lot of kids and parents around now. I feel no one will even look at us while we leave”.

You looked around and agreed with his assessment. “Ok, where should we go?”

“I don’t know. Wanna go walk near the beach? It’s usually where I end up when I go out. It’s not often I do but it’s nice to go there”.

“I like the beach”.

“Where are you from?”

“Well…it’s a funny question that one”, you sighed.

“How so?” “I was born in The Netherlands, then lived in Madrid for a bit, went to school in Switzerland and Wales and now I’m back in Spain. I go to different cities all the time. I like travelling”.

“Wow, that’s a lot. Was it a boarding school you went to?”

“Yeah”.

“Maybe you are a princess after all”.

You giggled and looked down to hide your blush. Yes, your life sounded very much like that of a princess. Even if about 40 family members needed to die for you to become one for real.

“I love this”, you said, looking around and feeling so…normal.

“Yeah? That’s good”.

Pedri smiled at you and you realised maybe it wasn’t so normal what was going on. Sure, you were on a walk like a normal person but you were walking with a very famous footballer. That didn’t happen every day. At least not to you.

“And I see pizza there. Do you want a slice?”

“I probably shouldn’t…”.

“But Pedri! Today everything is possible! You’re not a football player but just Pedro from Tenerife. And I’m not a princess”.

“What are you then?”, he asked, smirking.

“I’m just a girl standing in front of a boy…asking him to get some pizza”.

The excitement of the crazy afternoon made you lose a bit of the control you usually had and you grabbed Pedri’s arm to take him to the pizza ban. It wasn’t like holding hands but…once the physical contact started, you were both very aware of it. But pretended it was all normal.

After buying the pizza slices, you didn’t wait a second to start eating. You were so hungry and it wasn’t often you got to eat greasy pizza with your hands.

“That burns!”, you complained, opening your mouth and using your hand as a fan.

“Maybe wait a little to eat”.

“I was hungry”, you pouted and that made Pedri stare at your lips.

“You got some sauce on your mouth”.

“I think I have a mirror on my bag…”.

But before you had time to find it, Pedri used one of his napkins to clean your face. When you looked up at him, you noticed he seemed to have done that without even realising.

“Sorry”.

“No, don’t be. Thank you for not letting me look dirty while we walked”.

“Princesses have to always look perfect”.

“Exactly”, you told him, laughing.

But good things had to come to an end and soon Pedri started to notice people looking at him. That meant it was time to go home.

“I’m sorry. It just…that’s my life”.

“I get it”, you told him, wanting to explain to him how much you actually got it. “It was fun to spend some time with you though”.

“Would you like to do it again?”

“I would. But maybe somewhere more private”.

“Do you have Instagram? So you can follow me and we can talk about meeting”.

That made you pause. You had an official account controlled by people hired by your family but also a private one. So maybe you could use that one to follow him.

“Yeah. I’ll follow you later and send you a message”.

“Cool. See you…soon?”

You nodded, not knowing what to do. Should you hug him? But then all the people ready to surround him showed you that no, a hug wouldn’t be a good idea. So you said goodbye and left.

Pedri was entering the dressing room a couple of days after you met, not really looking at his teammates but at his phone. You two had been texting ever since you separated. And he was constantly checking to see if you had sent him a new message.

“Hello, your Majesty”, said one of Pedri’s teammates and it took him a second to notice he was looking at him.

“Sorry?”

“I just said hi to your Majesty. Would you like us to find a throne for you to sit on?”

“What are you on about?”

“Haven't seen the cover of the magazine yet?”, asked Frenkie.

“I haven't done any covers lately…”.

“The gossip magazine”, pointed out Lamine. “It’s all everyone is talking about”.

“I don’t get it. I haven’t done anything to be in one of those magazines”.

“How about going out with a pretty girl the other day? Paparazzi are everywhere. You should know that by now”.

So people had seen him when he was hanging out with you. Great. You didn’t seem like someone who’d enjoy the attention. But why make such a big deal out of him being seen with someone unknown?

“You also chose the wrong girl to date”.

“I’m not dating her but she's just a normal girl…”.

“Who's related to the Royal family. And here we were worrying about Gavi being the one who could become king”.

“I would have made a great king”, said Gavi, raising his chin proudly.

“You would have made a terrible king”, told him Fermín, shaking his head.

“What do you mean Royal family?”

Pedri was about to start freaking out. You joked about being a princess but…was it not a joke? What? He knew the princesses! Leonor, Sofía, Victoria, …none of them were you. So what the heck was going on?

“She’s like a second or third cousin of the real princesses but the media has been trying to find out everything about her in the last few years”, explained Pau.

“How do you know so much about that?”

“My mum loves the Royals. I live with her and she talks about it”, shrugged the youngster.

The jokes continued but Pedri didn’t care. He just kept thinking about how you had lied to him. And he got it in a way. It couldn’t be easy to be in your position but…you had spent two days talking to each other about a lot of personal stuff. Didn’t you trust him enough to tell him the truth?

When he finished training and picked up his phone again, he saw a text from you saying “I’m sorry”. A part of him wanted to ignore it but you didn’t deserve that kind of treatment despite your lies. So he asked you to meet instead. But you were in Madrid for a couple of days so it’d have to wait. You apologized multiple times and Pedri told you it was ok but…you weren’t so sure.

“What’s wrong?”, asked your cousin Sofía, who was a real princess.

“You saw the magazines, right?”

“Yes. Wanna talk about it?”

“I…we bumped into each other randomly and it was so good to meet someone who didn’t know who I was. You get it, Sof. If someone gets it, it’ll be you”.

“I do. Is he mad at you for lying?”

“Not really”, you said, frowning. “I expected him to be but he seems to understand why I lied. He also gets it”.

“I bet he does. So, what are you going to do?”

“We’ll meet when I get back to Barcelona in a few days”.

Sofía laughed looking at you. “That smile…someone is smitten!”

“How could I not be? Have you seen him? And he’s super nice too, not just handsome. But I fear I’ve ruined it”.

“Don’t be so negative. Let’s just get ready for the match and forget about your Barça boy for a couple of hours”.

It wasn’t a secret that the king of Spain supported Atlético de Madrid and a lot of people suspected his daughter Sofía did as well. However, it was very hard for her to attend matches without people noticing but she had become a bit of a pro at it. And now she was taking you to the match too.

The match was fun and Atleti won so Sofía was very happy. And you didn’t get spotted by anyone…or so you thought.

“Pepi!”, called Ferran when Pedri was entering the dressing room in the morning.

“What?”

“Your princess is a traitor, she doesn't even support you”.

“What are you talking about?”

“She was at the Atleti match yesterday with Princess Sofía. But I bet you can turn her into a Barça fan”.

Ferran’s wink didn’t stop Pedri from feeling so weird about this whole situation. Or more like jealous. What if you had your eye on an Atleti player?

But he could only stare at the photos in the article. After your meeting, he had only the memory of how you looked that day. Your private Instagram only had a handful of photos and a few were of your dogs. The official Instagram only had a few official photos and…even though that was you too, it wasn’t the you Pedri knew. The girl in the photos from the Atleti match was you. Laughing with your cousin and looking so happy.

The article…he didn’t like as much. After the photos of what the press called “a date” were published, they just assumed you were seeing Pedri. So what were you doing watching a rival team? It wasn’t as if you went to see a Real Madrid match, God forbid. But still…shouldn’t you be supporting “your boyfriend”?

“Hi”.

A few days later, you were back in Barcelona and Pedri invited you to have lunch with him. Finding a place where no one would see you was hard, but your family knew a few tricks to achieve that.

“Hey. It’s good to see you again”.

This time, you did hug as a greeting. Even if you had spoken only via texts, it still felt like you knew each other so well now. So a hug seemed like the right thing to do.

“I’m sorry about everything that happened. I just…I don’t know, Pedri. Being with you made me forget who I was for a second and I didn’t think about how this could affect you”.

“It’s ok. You know I get it. It’s the same for me. My every move is overanalysed. Though I guess being a princess is a bit more important”.

“Not this again”, you shook your head, laughing. “I’m not a princess. I’m a nobody, really. But the press was waiting for a moment like this. A scandal or whatever”.

“Eating pizza in public is very scandalous. I don’t know how your reputation will recover”.

You laughed at Pedri’s joke but also remembered what you had been told. “It’s not so much what I did but who I did it with”.

“Oh…ok”.

When the photos were published, your parents talked to you about all the reasons why you should stay away from Pedri. Before you even had time to say nothing was going on…at least not yet.

“It’s stupid. I told you I’m a nobody. But family connections dictate this or that…I don’t want to date a politician or another royal just because it’s what I’m supposed to do. I don’t have it as bad as my cousins. You know, the real princesses. But still…it’s boring. I want to be able to make my own decisions”.

“You don’t want to date a politician…but would you like to date me?”

Being so annoyed with your family and their restrictions, you didn’t realise Pedri wasn’t stupid and could easily read between the lines.

“You’re better than a politician so…”.

“Look”, said Pedri, grabbing your hand to hold it. “No relationship was going to be easy for me. I knew that. So…this doesn’t scare me”.

“Really? I was actually worried it would”.

“I could see it in your face”.

“Can you read minds now? Is that how you know where to shoot the ball?”

“No, that’s because I’m a generational talent”, joked Pedri, making you laugh. “But I mean it. I’m not scared. Are you?”

“Not as much as I probably should”.

“But…are you an Atleti fan? These are the important conversations we need to have before trying to date”.

“That’s my cousin. I don’t really have a team. So I might let you convince me to become a Barça fan. I already support Spain so…”.

“Even against The Netherlands?”, he asked. Your mum was Dutch so it was a fair question.

“Only if you play for Spain that day”.

And so you both forgot about what people would say, what people would demand from each of you and started to date. There was no need to hide since there were photos of your first date online already. Even if back then you didn’t want to admit it was a date.

Being together compensated for any comments or insults…but Pedri was starting to get a bit tired of his teammates curtsying in front of him and calling him Majesty. They did it with you too, which only made you laugh.

“I told you, guys. I’m not a princess”.

“No. Not officially”, told you Pedri. “But you are my very own princess. My queen even”.

Your blush made everyone laughed. It was so obvious to everyone how in love you both were.

However, the media was going to try to find anything that could make it sound like your lovely love story wasn’t so lovely.

Something your family always had to do was attend charity events. It was probably one of the few things you liked doing, since many of those events raised money for great causes. So when you were invited to one to raise money for cancer research, you said yes immediately. It being organised by the Atlético de Madrid foundation didn’t matter to you. But for the press…it was a different story.

“Hi, it’s nice meeting you”.

You turned to see it was Álvaro Morata, the player who presided the event, saying hello to you.

“Thank you, it’s nice meeting you too”.

“I heard about you and Pedri…sorry if it’s too informal of me to say this”. “It’s ok, don’t worry”.

“So…you two are really together?”

“Yes”, you said, blushing.

“Good. He’s a good guy. I’ll see you around the Spain matches then”.

“You will”.

Other players were there too and you were introduced to all of them. Mario Hermoso, Marcos Llorente, …they were all very nice to you. But it was a younger player you had to sit next to at your table. One that you hadn’t met before but that introduced himself as Rodrigo Riquelme. However, that wasn’t what his teammates called him.

“Should I call you Rodrigo or Roro?”

“I feel I can’t ask someone of your station to call me such a nickname”.

You laughed seeing the Atleti player blushing. “I don’t mind. I’m not really that important”.

“You are the most important person here”.

“Depends on who you asked”, you shrugged.

It was lovely having someone young to chat with at such an event. You were usually surrounded by old politicians and entrepreneurs who bored you to death with their conversations. So you had a great time…Pedri didn’t have as much fun seeing all the posts on social media talking about how his girlfriend was being too friendly with another player.

He knew it was stupid. You were just chatting with Riquelme. Pedri knew you now and realised that was how you talked to his friends too. That was how you talked to Ferran, for example. It was nothing like how you talked to Pedri.

But still…it wasn’t nice to see so many people doubting your relationship. And, what was worse, insulting you.

“You look unhappy”, you said when you met him again in Barcelona. “Is it because of the articles? Nothing happened with Riquelme. I swear”.

“I know”, he sighed, wrapping his arms around your waist and kissing your forehead. “I just hate how people will try to find any excuse to try and hurt us”.

“We knew it was going to happen…”.

“It’s not nice anyway”.

“But we’re fine?”, you asked, worried.

“We’re fine. I missed you a lot”.

“I know. I missed you too”.

Knowing Pedri trusted you was so important and you felt you needed to prove you were worth that trust. So, even though you knew you were likely to get in trouble, you forgot about protocol and attended his match wearing his shirt.

It wasn’t even the most important match but when it ended, you went as close to the pitch as you could and called Pedri so he could go meet you. Every one of his teammates that walked past curtsied and called you two “your Majesties”. But you didn’t care. You looked around, noticing the cameras were all pointed at you, and kissed Pedri.

“Making sure everyone knows you’re just my princess?”, he whispered.

“Yes. And while we’re at it, everyone can also learn you’re my prince”.

[specialagentartemis]

Citizen Science and Contributing To Scientific Endeavor When You're Not "A Scientist"

Comments on some of my posts about science and misinformation express frustration with scientific establishments, and want to see more accessibility and attention given to amateurs participating in the scientific process and having their scientific voices heard.

If being involved in the creation of knowledge and discovery is something important to you, that's something I strongly encourage! It's absolutely possible. Amateur researchers with a passion and an eye for detail have made some fantastic discoveries - but what is often glossed over in stories like these are the years of work, the patient dedication, and the collaboration with university researchers that often underlie such discoveries.

The search for truth and information and the passion for science is present in a lot of people who aren't official "scientists" - curiosity is natural! And if participation in scientific observation, hypothesizing, experimentation, and discovering new things about the world is important to you, there are lots of ways to go about contributing - and the new year is a great time to start.

What are you interested in?

Ecology

Observing the world around you is for everybody. Getting invested in the environment of your hometown is for everybody. And, as the Mythbusters famously said,

Some ideas for a local ecology project:

Record the temperature outside every day at the same time - at sunrise, or noon, or sunset, or midnight. Depending on where you are, the local weather recording station may be miles away or on top of a mountain - measure the temperature yourself and compare it each day to what your app says. When is it accurate? When isn't it?

Record the weather every day. How much precipitation? What time of day? What kind?

Record what animals you see every day, where, when, and how many. Or choose a specific animal, like birds, or bees on flowers, or turtles or frogs in a local pond, or whiptail lizards vs. invasive house geckos, and record the numbers you see each day.

Record when in the year you see the first, or last, of a plant or animal. When the crocuses sprout, when the buds appear on the maple trees, when you see the first clover flowers or prickly pear flowers, when the first robin comes out or the first lizards come out of hibernation.

If you have an outdoor cat or a free-roaming dog, attach a GoPro or similar small camera to its collar to see where it goes and what it does.

Identify the plants growing in your neighborhood, and check in on it regularly to keep track of how each one fares in different weather conditions, or if any animals particularly like or don't like to eat it.

Bulk order some test strips, then take a small sample of soil from a local park or water from a local waterway each weekend and test them for PH, lead, chemicals, or whatever. See if it changes over the year, or after a heavy rainfall, or during drought.

Take a photo of the same spot every day for a year.

Linguistics

The study of how people use language! Everybody uses language in some capacity.

Do you have any small children near you? Talk to them! Record how they pronounce things and what they call new (or even familiar) concepts. Look for patterns.

Ask people you know if "dog" and "blog" rhyme, or if "Alohop" is a good pun for a pineapple beer. My family gets ENDLESS amounts of mileage out of this one with each other. Ask people you know questions about how they pronounce things, or what they call things. Make maps of dialectical differences between generations, neighborhoods, etc. Track linguistic shifts in the modern world.

History

Everyone and everywhere has a history, and accurate history is pressingly relevant always.

See if you have a local historical society, library archive, or history museum that is looking for volunteers to transcribe or translate collections.

Get elbow-deep in local archives. You likely have some sort of local archive near you that has not been fully digitized. Go in with a topic you want to learn about - Black families, Jewish communities, how your hometown transferred from Indigenous hands to settler ones, women who owned their own businesses, immigration, inter-racial relationships, sports, ice harvesting, farming practices, contemporary opinions on a major world history event that now seems so inevitable, sports and people's reactions to sports - and read everything in newspapers, wills, deeds, photographs, or other available records about your topic of choice. See if you can find connections that you haven't seen anyone else talking about.

These are just some things that occur to me immediately as something that anyone can do, if you're sufficiently interested in a question and want to discover more about it. The more local your topic, the less likely anyone has a solid answer to whatever you're wondering - and the more immediately relevant to the people around you your discoveries may be!

Combining it with a New Year's Resolution can also get you more motivated to do the things you want to do. Is your resolution to get more exercise? Take a brisk walk each morning and take a picture of the same area every day for a year. Take a walk every weekend down to the lake and count the turtles and frogs you see. Is your resolution to keep a daily diary For Real This Time? If nothing else, resolve to write down the weather and precipitation each day! Do you want to volunteer more or meet new people? Look for citizen science or local history groups! Feeling like you're working toward something Real is a great motivator.

Henry David Thoreau's detailed descriptions of the nature each day around Walden Pond in the 1840s provides a valuable benchmark for modern ecologists to compare environmental and climatic changes since then on a granular level. Silly rhyming poems and idiosyncratic spellings in letters and diaries help linguists track dialectical and pronunciation changes across time. Amateur science is great and valuable! We all can have a part in understanding and paying deeper attention to the world around us, if we want to.

[starfried]

Through and Through

first fic i've written in a VERY long time hehe. this part is a lil silly and mostly just a prologue, next part will focus more on reader and law's relationship! this part and the next part take place during law's novel, before he sets off to sea. criticism welcomed & encouraged!

slowburn, childhood friends to lovers, multipart, not proofread (im on mobile xP, will comb through it later), no use of (y/n)/(name), gn reader (they/them pronouns, no gendered nicknames)

wc: 3.2k

You regularly found yourself lamenting the fact that you were born on a winter island. No matter how many layers you wore, or how thick your boots were, you were always freezing. Sure, the snow was beautiful when you watched it fall through a window in a warm house. But here you find yourself, lost in the woods, cursing every single snowflake that dares to cover up your previous footprints.

You kick a thick tree root in frustration, only to tumble over when your foot gets caught in it.

Great. Lovely. Whatever. You're cold, hungry and tired. If this is how you die, then oh well.

...

...

...

"I think they're dead."

I'd rather be dead than here. You think to yourself.

Something sharp jabs into your ribs.

"OW!"

"They're not dead!"

"Are you stupid, Penguin?! That's not how you check if someone's alive!"

You lift your head to scowl at them, but are quickly thrown off. Three boys and a...polar bear?

"And you-" the boy in the spotted hat says, pointing at you, "-are YOU stupid?"

"Huh?" You don't even have time to question the bear.

"Did you seriously just fall asleep in the middle of the woods?! No shelter, no fire, not even any food?"

"N-No! I...fell. I fell and haven't gotten up yet."

He narrows his eyes at you.

"You're covered in a layer of snow. If it takes you that long to get up after falling, you really need to exercise more."

Oh. You really are covered in a layer of snow. You push yourself up from the ground, only to stumble over again as soon as you put weight on your foot. Luckily for you, the polar bear was able to catch you before you faceplant into the snow.

"I gotcha!" The polar bear says.

"A talking bear?!" You shout in surprise, pushing yourself away. Ultimately, you end up face first in the snow again.

"Oh...I'm sorry...you'd rather let yourself fall than be near me. I get it. I'm pretty gross after all..."

"Huh?! No, I'm just...surprised?" You reply, completely dumbfounded.

The boy in the spotted hat pinches the bridge of his nose in frustration. "Just...ugh. Bepo, carry them back to the cabin with us."

"Whoa, whoa, whoa!" You exclaim. "What cabin? You're taking me to a cabin in the middle of the woods? Can't you just...take me back to town?"

"That's over an hour walk," Spotted-Hat replies, "I doubt you can walk that far. And even if you could, the sun's almost down. I'm not going to drag you through the woods when we can barely even see."

"But...I just think that's really suspicious, y'know? Dragging me off to your cabin at night. That...sounds dangerous."

"Don't worry!" The boy with the hat covering his face chirps. "If we were gonna kill you, we would've done it already!"

"O-oh..."

"Stop whining!" Spotted-Hat barks, "What kind of doctor would I be if i just left you out here to die? You're just gonna have to trust us. Maybe this'll teach you not to wander aimlessly around the woods."

Reluctantly, you end up learning a bit about the four boys. Their names are Law, Bepo, Penguin, and Shachi. They're all relatively new to Swallow Island and happen to work small jobs in the city. Law, with his medical knowledge, wraps up your sprained ankle and chastises you for frost nipped ears and nose.

"Seriously, don't you have a scarf? You've lived here your whole life and you still can't understand how serious frostbite is?"

You even get to meet the great inventor Wolf, who's actually pretty well-known in the city. Though he grumbles about having to tend to 'yet another brat', he drives you back into town the next day with little complaints.

It wouldn't be the last they saw of you, though. Far from it in fact. In an attempt to repay them for helping you, you would slowly worm your way into their daily lives.

Especially Law's.

[maiko-san]

The Chain + TP! Reader (1/?)

Linked Universe belongs to Jojo

Part 2 >

Plot : You are Twilight's childhood best friend, who like Twilight can turn into an animal, that is a crow. You just happen to follow Twilight into the portal in your crow form and meet the Chain.

( Fem Reader )

You and Link have been friends ever since you were kids, always went on adventures together. After the event of Twilight, Link had gone out on a quest to find Twilight Realm, to find Midna and usually he brings you along with him but this time he didn't.

You asked him why, 'It's too dangerous, (N/n). I don't want you to get hurt....' he said. You know he cares about you...but you know how to protect yourself. He has been acting differently, as if he's hiding something from you.

.

.

"I'll be going now, (N/n)" Link said, holding your hands. "Be careful, Link" you give him a smile as Link returns the smile of his own before pulling you into a hug. He takes a deep breath, burying his face into your soft hair and taking in your scent before pulling away. "Wait, before you go!" you said, grabbing his face and kiss his cheek.

This causes Link to turn red from embarrassment, "What's a hero without his good luck kiss?" you smile. Link coughs lightly as he plants a kiss on your forehead, "Love you" he whispered in your ears. NEIGH! Both of you hear a whining and turns to see Epona sticking her head through the window, "You want one too, girl?" you questioned. The chestnut horse nods as you give a kiss on her forehead. "There you go, my lovely" you said, rubbing your cheek against her.

Link smiles at the interaction as he opens the house, "Next time, I'll be staying home for a few days" he said, caressing your cheek before mounting Epona's back.

"Bye!" you said, waving at them as you watch Link rides away. As he disappears around the corner, you quickly go to your room and take out your drawstring bag.

"I'm going to follow him, whether he likes it— or not!" you said. You open the door and close it behind you, making sure to lock it. You make a sprint and jump, your body shifts and turns into a crow. Your bag shrinks along to make it easier for you to carry it on your back. It was a gift from Midna which she enchanted so it can shrink whenever you turn into a crow.

You fly high up in the sky to locate Link, it takes you a while to spot him and you finally see him along with....

A group of men.

You land on the tree branches and hide away from view, you observe the situation and you were shocked. 'Why...why do they look almost like him?!' you thought. All of them almost look alike, blue eyes, blonde hair well it's in different tones but the face!

Are they his brothers? Distant relatives. No wait— both of you grow up together and there's no way he has relatives. If he does, he would tell you!

'Doppelgangers?!' you gasped in your mind. Oh wait— he had told you about meeting people during his adventures. Are they the ones he was talking about?

You couldn't hear what they're saying but they're heading in the same direction. You follow them and make sure you check the wind's direction to avoid Link to pick up your scent.

The group stops as you perch on a branch, your eyes widen at the sight of a large swirling portal.

'Is this why he doesn't let me come?' you thought, it looks dangerous and your crow instinct tells you to stay away from it. You watch as they enter the portal one by one, the last one was a man in armour and has a scar over his right eye. He shares the most resemblance to Link.

He checks his surroundings as if making sure nobody is following before entering the portal. You wait a moment before you dive into the portal, you close your eyes and go through. You feel the breeze hit your feathers, you slowly open your eyes and see that you're no longer Faron Woods but instead an unfamiliar one.

'Where am I?' you thought. 'Urgh...I feel sick all the sudden' you cover your beak with your wing to hold back your breakfast.

"It feels great to be back" a voice said, you panic a little and quickly jump into a nearby bush. You take a peek to see the group up close, "Since we're at my place, lets gear up and start our search for Shadow" said the one in multi coloured tunic. "I want to pay my grandfather a visit before we go" he said. The group walks away and you quickly fly after them, you're not risking getting lost in an unknown place.

You follow the group from above and you can see a small house ahead, yet again you hide in the trees and watch them enter the house but others decide to stay outside and wait.

That would be your Link, a blonde with pink shades, a young boy, a dirty blonde with white cape and a man with a blue scarf.

"So, Twilight. What took you so long anyways?" questioned the one with the blue scarf. "I went to fetch some stuff from my house and talk to my friends" Twilight said. So, they called him Twilight instead of Link? Weird....

"Oh really? Then, what's that on your cheek then?" pinky said with a smirk on his lips. Twilight's hand touches the cheek and turns to look at the window to see lipstick on his cheek.

Twilight blush lightly, "Oooh~ our rancher has a special someone~" teases the scarf boy. "Wait what—really?!" gasped the little boy as he stared up at Twilight. "Do tell why you are keeping a maiden all to yourself, hm?" he smirked. "Oh hush it, Wars." Twilight said. "Haha, come on guys, stop teasing the rancher" smiles the one with the cape.

You hold back a snort as they tease Link or Twilight about his love life with you. The others come out from the house, "What's with the ruckus?" questioned the one in armour.

"Hey, Time! Guess what! Our rancher here has a girlfriend!" Warrior said, bringing Twilight in a headlock, pointing the lipstick mark on his cheek. "Oh—" Time was surprised and gave the rancher a teasing smile. "Malon would be delighted if she hears this" he said.

"Time!" Twilight shouted, face now burning from embarrassment. You watch the men laugh wholeheartedly, causing you to smile at it.

[ End of part ]

[intimacyequalsdeath]

Bubz's 12 Days of Ficmas fics: Day One Decorating (Poly!Sinclair Brothers)

Hello all and welcome to my first 12 days of Christmas fic event! This is going to span from the 13th to the 24th to make 12 days even. With fics going up on both the 13th and Christmas itself. I came up with this idea back when Fictober was happening so I've been really excited to get it out to you guys, I hope you enjoy your Christmas present! <3

Notes: Minors DNI, Fluffy, no specific pronouns or descriptions of reader used. This is a Poly fic so if you aren't into that then this isn't the fic for you. SFW.

"Oh come on Bo please!" you pleaded from your spot on the couch. Bo sighed dramatically.

"Darlin' no, It's a stupid idea. who is even gonna see it ?" Bo questioned. You had asked Bo if you and your boys could decorate Ambrose for Christmas this year and maybe even the main house too.

"You, Vinny and Les would see it! plus Les thinks it's a great idea" You argued back.

"Honey of course Les thinks it's a good idea, He's not gonna be the one who's gotta clean it up" He deadpanned.

"No the four of us would put it up together and take it down together, I promise, We could start a new Sinclair family tradition with it!"

Bo rolled his eyes at you and took another drink out of his beer as the front door swung open revealing Vincent coming back from a day at the museum.

"Vinny!" You exclaimed jumping up to hug him "Don't you think we should decorate for Christmas?" you asked him, he shrugged.

"Why?" He signed "No ones around to see it" You groaned and Bo chuckled.

"Thank you Vince, that's exactly what I said" Bo snickered from the couch.

"Vinny WE would see it though! We could start a new family tradition and actually have fun for once instead of working all the time. Lester's already on board with it and if you're with us then we outvote Bo"

Now it's not clear if your convincing worked on Vincent or he was fueled by sibling rivalry and just wanted to oppose Bo. Either way with that, he was convinced.

"Yeah sure, sounds like fun" Vincent signed to you, you grinned and hugged him.

"Thank you Vinny" You said pressing a kiss to the cheek of his mask then turning to look at Bo with a smug grin painting your face.

"It's now 3 against one Bo and the ball is in your court" You said smugly. He groaned and rolled his eyes.

"I'm the only adult in Ambrose, Ya'll 3 are children" He muttered "Fine, if you want to decorate have at it, but like you said I'm not going to be the only one taking it down when Christmas is over"

You walked over to Bo and planted yourself onto his lap for a moment to press your lips against his.

"Thank you baby" You said gratefully once you pulled apart. Bo tried to hide his grin as he wrapped his hands around your hips.

"Yeah, It's whatever"

================================================

"We look like fuckin' idiots" Bo grumbled from his spot on the ladder.

"You said it yourself Bo, it's not like anyone can see you besides us" You snickered from your spot on the ground, making sure Bo and Lester hung the lights straight.

Vincent stood next to you with a light sweater on and one in his hands just incase you needed it, despite Louisiana's lack of cold weather in the winter.

"Sweet pea does it look good?" Lester called from his ladder opposite of Bo's as they held the lights up to the roof of the house.

"Yeah it looks perfect Les" You called back, the two men nodded and started hammering the lights into the house.

"Vinny did you start making those candles I asked you for?" You asked him, He nodded.

"Yeah their almost done, just need to put the etchings in them like you wanted" He signed.

"Perfect Vinny, and we've found the old Christmas tree up in the attic right?" Vincent nodded.

"Yeah all the indoor decorations are still up there, mixed with mine and Bo's junk" He signed once more.

"Dammit Les can't you hold the lights straight!" Bo yelled sucking on his thumb from where he hit himself with the hammer.

"Sorry Bo! I didn't mean it!" Lester exclaimed biting back a laugh at his older brother's misery.

You smiled at their antics before motioning for Vincent to follow you inside to work on the Christmas tree. The boys had taken the liberty of moving the tree and a majority of the decorations into the living room for you to pick through.

Vincent helped with the heavy lifting of setting the tree itself up, while you went through all the ornaments. You smiled to yourself finding the ornaments the boys had made when they were kids.

One particular ornament caught your eye, it was a photo of all three Sinclair brothers before they were separated into foster homes. Trudy must've put it together one year before the boys were taken you figured. You didn't know if the boys would like it being on the tree as their mother was still a sensitive subject.

"Oh Jesus Vince!" You exclaimed when he suddenly put a hand on your shoulder. You could see his eye make it's way to what you had in your hand.

"Oh- i was just-" Vincent placed a finger to your mouth, silencing you before taking the ornament from you. For a second it looked like he was about to put it back in the box before he walked it over to the tree and placed it right in the middle.

He turned around to you to get your approval, you nodded at him with a smile.

"That looks perfect Vinny" He puts and arm around you pressing the lips of the mask to your forehead for a moment as the two of you gaze at the decorated tree.

The peace was disturbed by the front door swinging open.

"Bo I said I was sorry! I don't know what else ya want me to say" Lester said as he made his way into the living room.

"I want you to-, well would ya look at that" Bo stopped when his eyes landed on the tree. More specifically the ornament with the photo.

Lester made his way to the side of you not occupied by Vincent, also giving you a kiss on the head as the 2 of you waited for the oldest Sinclair to give his verdict.

"Whaddya think Bo?" You asked softly with baited breath. Bo's eyes were still glued to the picture of him and his brothers attached to that "stupid" as he would put it, ornament his mom made when they were kids.

"I-I think that maybe...Maybe Christmas ain't that bad" He finally said, his eyes tearing away from the ornament and landing on you and his brothers.

You smiled and walked over to wrap your arms around him in front of the tree.

"So can we do this every year?" You asked with a grin.

"I didn't say all that, I still wanna make sure I'm not the son of a bitch that's gotta take all this shit down" He said putting back on his facade as quick as he lost it.

You grinned at him never the less before laughing, Vincent and Lester joining you in laughing at their grump of an older brother. Though you could've sworn you saw a grin cross Bo's face maybe that Christmas miracle would have to wait until another year.

[rkay07]

The Traveler

c!Technoblade x fem!reader

(I don't have time to put warning so read at your own risk I guess and this is an UNFINISHED fanfic so sowwy (:)

Word Count: 6.1k (that's a big number)

Living alone has its benefits, privacy, everything and anything is on your own time, and you don’t have to worry about anybody. At least almost anybody.

You were having some time up in your attic reading about potions, even though you’ve read that book about seven times already. You zoned out, staring off out the window. It took you a second but you came back and focused on the snow that was falling outside, you smiled at yourself knowing that you haven’t gotten fresh snow for a good couple days. Admiring the scenery, you stared off into the distance at the trees. Beautiful spruce trees, covered in white powder is something you couldn’t get enough of when you looked out from your house. In all the years you’ve lived here alone, you never took them for granted. You get up from your chair and stand in front of the window, opening up your view to the whole field of snow you had. You leaned on the window sill and closed your eyes as you felt the coldness from the glass pane kiss your face.

You grinned and opened your eyes. But as your eyes adjusted, you could see wrestling off to the side of the tree line. The tree branches tossed and turned with leaves falling from the disturbed sticks, you were eager to see what it was but you didn’t have a great view. So as fast as you could possibly go, you booked it for your ladder, sliding down and hopping over your stairs to get to your front door windows. You grabbed your bow and arrows as you flew through your room, setting up right in front of the tree that was still moving rapidly. Honestly, you weren’t scared but confused, you thought the thing was trying to get something out of the tree but what? There was no food in the spruce trees. It was very strange to you. You thought about it again and took a deep breath setting your bow and arrows down under the window. You unlocked your door and headed out onto the porch, you had your sword with you in case of an emergency.

The tree line was a great deal away from your house, 25 yards to be exact. As you slowly walked up to the forest you thought it might be your horse that had gotten lost a couple days earlier while you were hunting for rabbits in the same forest but he could have been anywhere. You got a few feet away from the forest when you heard murmuring like someone was talking to themselves so you held your ground, planting your feet in the snow and having your sword ready behind you. You hesitated to speak but then it stopped, the talking had stopped. You froze at the sound of silence, your eyes narrowed in on the trees, jolting at the slightest movement. You held your breath but your heart rate sped up, skipping a beat when a rabbit jumped out a little ways down the tree line. You focused on the place in front of you trying not to become impatient with the lack of noise. You took one step forward but a voice from beyond the trees' bold and thick vibrates your head, “Don’t.” It said. So you stopped, daring not to take another step for the sake of not knowing what’s back there. The voice speaks again but sounding softer this time, “I’m just passing through but I think I have something that’s yours.” You scrunch your eyebrow together, not really thinking of what this person might have.

You hear sticks crack and see branches move as the person steps closer towards you. You take a big breath and a single step back when you finally see what was talking to you, tall, short pink hair, and tusks. Wait, no, he’s wearing a mask but still tusks? Huge cape too, gosh he looked like royalty. You slid your sword back into its spot and straightened up, “Sorry.” Was all you could muster at the sight of him. He continued to walk out from the forest, making a path with his sword through the branches. He had a horse with him, it was walking behind him, slow and tired, it looked like it hadn’t rested in days. When the man finally got into a good spot off the tree line, he turned around and clicked his tongue, “Is this your horse?” Your horse came running out of the trees, bucking and trotting around the snow like he hasn’t seen snow in forever. You chuckled and smiled at the sight of your horse prancing around, “Oh my goodness, Rusty! Where have you been?” You glance at the man petting his horse and decide to walk over to Rusty, your horse.

When you got Rusty settled down you walked back to the man and stuck your hand out, “Thank you, sir.” He looked at your hand, finger tips red and cold from standing outside for a little too long. He took your hand and firmly shook it. His hand was warm despite it being frigid outside. You took your hand back and turned to look at your house and back to him, “This sounds odd but would you like something to eat? I just got done making some mushroom soup and I think your horse would enjoy hanging out in my barn for a little bit.” You gave him a weak smile and cocked your head. He looked over your shoulder towards your house and at the barn that was a bit farther away. He looked at his clock and finally back at you, “I don’t think so.” He started to walk off, every step going deeper into the snow. You press your lips together at his statement, “It’s the least I could do for you because you found my horse.” He shook his head and kept on walking but his horse stopped behind him. The man turned around to his horse and gave the reins a tug, signaling that he wanted to keep going but the horse had other plans. His horse turned around and walked back to you. He nudged your arm and rubbed his face against it, “How long have you guys been walking?” You tried to sound caring more than anything. He exhaled and walked to his horse, mumbling under his breath, “A day or two.” He took his horse by the reins and pulled him away from you. “Have you rested at all?” You ask, trying to look around his horse and at him. You could hear him murmuring to himself again, the same exact tone you heard earlier behind the trees. You could tell the horse was tired the moment you saw it and now questioning if he’s even rested for a straight day or two. You look at Rusty and signal him to go to the barn, he stomps his foot and trots off to the barn as you walk with the man and his horse.

“I think you would get to wherever you’re going faster if you rest for a couple hours.” You said quietly, wondering if he even heard you. It takes a couple seconds before the man stops in his tracks making the horse bump into him. The man turns around and faces you. Not prepared for you to be so close to him, he stepped back, “Fine. But when I’m done, I’m gone.” You smile and start walking to the barn.

You made a bowl for you and the man as he sat over at the table, you occasionally looked back at him sitting there very quietly. You hadn’t had another person in your house for a very long time and it felt weird but not uncomfortable. You grabbed the two bowls and took them to the table. You sat across the table from the man, you had so many questions and you didn’t know why. He probably didn’t know the answers to them anyway so you asked a more relevant question to break the silence, “So where are you traveling to?” You had looked up from your bowl but he didn’t, he kept his eyes on his bowl. Looking at it like it was going to be the last meal he was going to eat. You put your eyes back on your bowl and took a sip from your spoon, you were a little surprised, you had made the soup very good this time. You got a little excited because you got to share with someone else but you kept your cool and kept eating.

He looked up from his bowl and at you, seeing that you were eating the soup, that made him feel a little better about eating it but it was still questionable. His skepticism got in the way of him actually enjoying a meal with you, he couldn’t go anywhere without feeling like everyone was out to get him. He was looking at you longer than he should have, observing a person that he had never seen before. His eyes widened when he realized that he might have a crush on you, he immediately looked back at his bowl and started eating. He had a feeling this wouldn’t be the last time he would see you. And next time wouldn’t be an accident.

He did what he said, he was gone when he was done. You watched from your porch as he galloped away on his horse, set off down the field and into the forest again. He was gone in a blink of an eye. You felt this warmth inside you that you had never felt before, you were outside on your porch in freezing temperatures and you felt warm, you thought you were going crazy, it was so unknown to you. You walked back inside and closed the door behind you. You sighed leaning against your front door. You thought about the man and buried your face in your hands, you never got his name. You were ashamed of yourself, asking where he might be going instead of asking him what his name was. You couldn’t believe yourself. You pushed off the door and started to walk to the stairs when you saw a napkin still on the table where the both of you ate. You picked it up to throw it away in the trash but it had writing on it, you couldn’t help but read it. 

The name’s Technoblade but you can call me Techno, I’m headed off to the town a few miles from your house. If you don’t mind, I'd like to stop by your house again on my way back.

You smiled at the note and walked up to your room, happier than ever.

You waited for him to come back, you were excited to see him again but got a little worried when it hit the fourth day. You tried your best not to think about it like hanging out with Rusty and moving hay bales but it was hard not to.

You were outside when you heard trotting in the distance, a big smile was plastered on your face when you saw Techno on his horse. You stopped what you were doing and walked to your porch to greet him. You took your gloves off and set them on the thick railing of the porch and crossed your arms. You grinned as he slowed down. He got off and whispered to his horse, the horse pranced around finally making its way to the barn where it found Rusty eating some hay. He took one step onto the stairs but stopped, he looked across the field from where he came from and took a second to stare. You noticed he had a little more emotion on his face than last time, he looked worried. You pressed your lips together, “What’s wrong?” You asked, taking a step down. He closed his eyes and was still facing the field, he didn’t know how to put it but he wasn’t at all worried. He turned back to you, “Nothing.” A smile tugged at his lips but never seemed to form. You nodded your head and walked into the house, he followed close behind, closing the door to not let the nice warm heat escape the house.

It was colder than usual at your house so you had the fireplace going. Techno sat in the seat he sat in the previous time, staring at the fireplace. He couldn’t tell if the heat was coming from the burning wood or his blushed cheeks. To be honest, he was also delighted to see you again and he was hoping that he could spend more time with you and not just on this occasion. He liked the company, and knew you did too but he didn’t know if you liked him. He whipped his head towards you when he heard you speak, waiting to hear that lovely voice of yours for days. “So do you have family? Brother, Sister, Father, Mother?” He was caught off guard by your question, he thought about an answer, one that wasn’t so complicated. He didn’t want to lie so he only said the basics, “A Father, a wonderful Mother, and…” he paused, you thought you heard him sniffle but it was probably you. He rubbed his chin before he finished his sentence, “And a little Brother.” You smiled at yourself, knowing he had family made him seem not so big and scary but a lovable giant. You picked up the board of bread, cooked chicken, and two wooden plates and walked over to the table sitting in the same spot as last time. You notice that he took off his big cape, exposing the rest of his figure. You thought you were prepared to see but he looked too hot. He was wearing a tight wool long sleeve making his arms seem massive, and brown wool pants that looked comfy as clouds. You didn’t know if he knew what he looked like but if he didn’t you would show him one day.

It seemed like the both of you talked for ages but when Techno checked his clock, only three hours had passed. He wanted to hit the road but he didn’t want to leave you here all alone. He was tempted to ask you if he could stay the night but his mind quickly discarded it. When you saw him check his clock you knew it was time for him to go, you got up and stacked everything. You made your way to the sink, rinsing the board and plates off. You rinsed your hands, drying them off with a towel. You started walking back to the table but Techno was already sitting on your couch watching the wood pop and sparks flying in the air. A smile tugged at your lips as you looked at him, you walked over to the couch across from him and sat down. You looked at the fire mesmerized by its light, your gaze trailed off to Techno. Your eyes met his, that made heat rush to your cheeks and your eyes widened slightly. He had taken off his mask before you guys ate but his facial feature glowed in the light of the fire, you couldn’t help but stare.

He leaned back onto the couch, putting his foot on his knee and resting his arm on the back of the couch. You had to look away before you walked over to him and kissed the living daylight out of him. You grinned as you looked down at your hands, “You’ll be traveling in the dark if you don’t leave soon.” You sounded as if you were trying to convince not only him but yourself too. He nodded and tapped his leg. He knew he had to go but he was convinced that you liked him back. He didn’t want to push it though and tapped his leg again. He got up and walked over to you. He held his hand out and waited for you to take it, “Thank you for letting me stay.” You took his hand but didn’t expect him to pull you into his arm and hold you by the waist. You were starstruck looking up at him, he was so tall and muscular, at that moment you didn’t know what to do.

Your brain froze for a second from being so close, his body was at your fingertips. But you knew better if you wanted him to at least have some sun for his travels you would have to let him be for the time being, “Anytime.” He leaned down as if to kiss you but hugged around your waist, bringing you up on your tippy toes. You hugged him back, wrapping your arms around his neck and burrowing your face into the crook of his neck. He hugged you back even tighter when you did that, moving his hand from your back to the back of your shoulder basically strapping you against him. You felt safe, that was something you didn’t feel very often but with him you were never going to get hurt. You ran your fingers through his surprisingly untangled hair, you leaned back but he held you close. You chuckled, cupping his face with your hands, “Would you like to take anything for the road?” The words of your request slipped your mind but he took notice of your ‘mistake’. He opened his eyes and looked deep into yours, if looks could kill. He tucked some hair behind your ear, “You.” Your lips curled into a soft smile and butterflies formed in your stomach. You shook your head and patted his shoulder, not believing what he said, “I meant food, Silly.” You made your way back to the kitchen and he followed you, walking incredibly quiet, “And I meant you.” You shook your head once more.

He ended up not taking food but he did take some night vision potions you had and some fire resistance. He was impressed by how many books you had of, well, everything. From potions to cooking, from ruins portals to strongholds. He had mentioned earlier that he was the boredest man alive when he was traveling through the tree because he couldn’t go fast unless he wanted to hit a tree at 35 mph. So you gave him a book of his choice because you don’t like being bored yourself and that gives him a reason to come back but to be honest he didn’t need a reason to come back to you.

It was over two weeks until you saw him again. It was a relief to see him and his horse walking out of the forest and finally getting to have time with him. You weren’t letting him leave until you got at least one kiss. You leaned on the porch watching him signal his horse off to the barn, the horse trotted away behind the house but you kept your gaze on Techno. He kept his eyes on the ground for his own reasons, walking up the stairs and finally looking at you. He looked sad but smiled anyway. You smiled back at him as you cocked your head, tilting up when he got close to you. You blinked at him, you would never get used to his massive stature, you were tiny compared to him and you think he liked it. He moved some hair out of your face and behind your ear. He glided his thumb across the skin of your cheek, you were cold and hot at the same time. You closed your eyes as you melted into his touch, “We should get inside.” Your voice soft and shy. He was taken aback with the sudden change of appearance, he nodded and let you lead the way with his hand on your back.

You went to the kitchen as usual but he followed this time. He hung his cape and mask up and walked over to the counter that you weren’t using and leaned against it. Your back was turned to him but you knew he was staring, tracing your body with curiosity and affection. A slight smile appeared on his face as you turned to give him a bowl of beetroot soup, your shocked expression came across your face when your eyes met his. And it didn’t help when you saw his smile get bigger, his canines showing and his hands on the counter. You raised the bowl to him and he took it, sipping on it as he looked at you. You didn’t know what to make of it, you stood there quite flabbergasted and he liked every moment of it. You stepped closer to him and leaned against the same counter he was, you finally felt ok to eat. You didn’t if you were uncomfortable with it or if it was just awkward to you but it didn’t matter because you snuggled next to him and he wrapped his arm around your shoulders. He rubbed your arm and took a sip from his bowl. The both of you sat in silence for a while before speaking, enjoying each other's company.

You guys had a few things in common, like you both lived alone, you both lived in snowy areas, and you both liked reading. Not much but it was enough to get on topics you could talk about for hours. You and Techno were sitting across each other on the couch, the fire going ablaze and your conversation getting hotter by the minute. You felt the tension between you and him but you were nervous, you didn’t know how he was going to respond so you stayed put, holding your tongue every time you thought your remark was too much.

He saw how jittery you were and wanted to make sure you were ok, “How long has it been since you’ve had someone else in your house?” He leaned forward his elbows on his knees, your mouth parted slightly at the sight but you were brought back instantly, thinking about his question for a moment. You messed with your fingers as you spoke, “Honestly I can’t remember the last time I had company other than you in my home…” you trailed off, your gaze landed on the very bright fire, dancing in the fireplace. You had the sudden urge to cry, tears filled your eyes and you didn’t know why. You quickly rubbed your eyes and face, trying to remove any evidence of sadness off. You felt the couch shift and strong arms wrap around your shoulders, big hands softly rubbing up and down your back. He was unbelievably soft to the touch, he wasn’t scary at all to be clear, someone couldn’t be any further from the truth if they said he was scary. Sure, he was humongous and built like a spruce tree but that wasn’t even close to his heart, he cared, he cared about you. He had one leg on the couch and one foot on the ground, you moved in between his legs and leaned against his chest. It didn’t seem like he was phased but he was, but not because you were close to you know what but because you were so small, you fit perfectly between his legs and he couldn’t get enough of it. He wrapped his arms around your waist and pulled you as close as possible which was actually quite close but you didn’t care. You settled into him and held onto his arms, you couldn’t believe how thick his forearms were so you stared at them as you tried to calm down.

He couldn’t help but think that it was his fault that you started crying. He nuzzled into the crook of your neck and whispered, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to make you cry.” He nuzzled even further into your neck to hide his flushed face. You chuckled lightly, “No…no, you didn’t make me cry.” You brought your hand up to his hair and ran your fingers through it. He chuckled and came out of his hiding place, resting his chin on your head for a second. You looked up at him and gave him a soft smile, he cocked his head and smiled back. You moved your hand down to his jaw and gave his lips a couple glances. He took notice and cupped your cheeks with a free hand, wiping a tear that had escaped from your eye. He examined your face and gave your forehead a gentle kiss. You looked up at him with pure fondness, you didn’t kiss him, it wasn’t time but maybe you should have because before you know it someone’s knocking on your door.

You looked at the door shocked, almost scared. You never get visitors, never. This was frightening. You look at Techno, he saw how scared you were and told you to either not move or go up to your room and see if you can see anything. You nodded and quietly sprinted up the stairs, finding your bow and arrows and peered out the window. You had a perfect view but the porch was covered by the awning. You saw no horse standing out in the snow so you were confused by how anyone could get to your house from anywhere if this person didn’t have a horse. You sat up there, waiting for absolutely anything, then you heard Techno open the door.

Techno watched as you ran up the stairs making sure you got up before he pulled anything out. He was silent, not making a sound whatsoever, he picked up his cape and satchel from the bench next to the front door and pulled out his sword. He looked through the window next to the door, being as stealthy as possible. How could he miss the guy standing outside? It was the last person he ever wanted to see, especially at your house. It was like seeing a ghost, this guy was thought to be dead but he was standing right outside the front door. He took a deep breath and gripped his sword behind his back. He put on his mask and opened the door slowly. “Hi.” The man spoke as if he was waiting for this moment his whole life. He had a huge scar across his eye that the one and only Technoblade had given him not so long ago. Techno held the blade by his side to show that he wasn’t messing around. “Oh come on, Techno. I’m just here to chat. Nothing more should happen unless you decide to be difficult.” Techno narrowed his eyes and scanned the man, he trusted him once but after what happened, after he tried to execute him, it would be the last time he could ever trust that man again. Techno stepped out onto the porch, appearing much taller than said man, “What do you want, Quackity?” Quackity grinned looking all around the porch, the floor, the walls, the windows. He sighed, “Techno, you know how it goes- I find you…I kill you.”

You stared at the tree line, questioning if this person had more people with them. You could hear muffled conversation, a short conversation, from downstairs. You slowly opened your window to pull your bow back, ready for some action. You stepped back to be more in the room, hidden in the dark shadows. Straight away you saw movement in the trees and pulled back all the way. You saw a person, who seemed to be taller than Techno, walk out of the forest holding an axe. Then right after him was another person, shorter than the one before, holding a crossbow already loaded and pointed at the porch. You had multi-shot on your bow so this was a piece of cake, it seemed as if time slowed to a snail’s pace. Your eyes jolted around the treeline, no one else was coming, you could feel it so you lined up for a shot but they dropped their weapons.

Two guys emerged out of the trees, one after another. One holding an axe and one holding a loaded crossbow. Techno chuckled at their gesture, “You really think you can kill me, after you failed to do it the first time.” He steadily raised his sword, resting it on Quackity’s chestplate, “Put it down Tubbo.” He said looking over Quackity’s shoulder, “You too Ranboo.” They only gripped their weapons tighter, eager to get a hit but knew they had to wait for the signal. Techno breathed out in disappointment, he really thought after everything they’ve been through he would put it down, for him. Techno leaned down to Quackity’s ear, “I can kill all three of you in a heartbeat.” Quackity gulped as Techno leaned back, straightening up he let the tip of his sword drop to the ground. Making quite a loud thud but surprisingly you didn’t hear it. Techno glanced at all three of them knowing they weren’t leaving until he was finally dead, “Fine. One last fight. But first let's get even, you take off your armor and I’ll take off mine and we’ll only use swords.” Quackity stared at Techno for a second to see if he was kidding but he was not. He turned around and gestured to lower their weapons, they dropped the weapons in the snow. The axe sank lower than the crossbow into the fresh blanket of snow that came that morning. Techno watched as they threw the weapons, taking a breath as a sigh of satisfaction. Techno and Quackity took off their armor at the same time, not breaking eye contact from one another. An evil grin appeared on Quackity’s face, “You’ll be lucky if you even get a scratch on me.” He threw a right hook to Techno but it couldn’t compare to his reflexes as he caught the punch and twisted around to his back, making him walk towards the porch stairs as Techno’s sword was held across his neck. They got to the first step of the stairs, Tubbo picked up his crossbow but it was too late, an arrow went straight for his shoulder, sending him to the ground. Ranboo looked up to see where the arrow came from but he saw nothing but an empty window, he went for the crossbow hoping to grab it before the next shot came but another arrow went right through his forearm. It sent a shock of pain through his arm up his shoulder making him wince and grip where the arrow was. Techno pressed his lips together, “See, told you I could kill all three.” Quackity stared at the aching bodies in the snow, “Well where’s the third one?” His breathing was now heavy, probably from adrenaline and the lack of heat running through his body. Techno shook his head and pushed Quackity into the soft snow, “I was going to spare you but I guess I’ll have to put another scar on you for you to understand.” As Techno talked he took a small step down the stairs, one after another after another and after another, making each second more painful than the last. Until he was standing over Quackity with his sword in his face, waiting for him to make the last snarky remark he would ever make for the rest of his life.

After shooting a couple shots, you saw a man fly down the stairs of your porch into the snow. Techno walked down the stairs, talking while he was taking steps, finally getting to the man and looking down at him with the sword in the man’s face. You had your bow ready for another shot, ready to take it whenever. You saw Techno kneel down to the man, gliding the sword not even an inch over his skin. Your eye caught the guy with the crossbow, trying to take a shot again. You fired and missed by a centimeter, as you quickly grabbed another arrow you heard someone gasp in pain. Pulling back and firing again. You sent the arrow straight through the guy’s other shoulder, he poofed into thin air before he hit the ground. 

Techno knelt down to the ground and glided the sword across Quackity’s face, “You can avoid all pain if you leave right now.” Two arrows were fired, one missing and one hitting Techno’s right peck, he hummed in pain trying to keep his noise level to a zero. There was a moment before another arrow was fired hitting Tubbo and sending him back to respawn, wherever that may be. Quackity looked to see who was shot, his eyes widening when he only saw Ranboo. He looked back at Techno, who was trying to stop the bleeding, he looked up past his shoulder and saw you standing in the window with your bow pulled back aiming at him. He tried to squirm out from under Techno but he pierced Quackity’s leg before he could get away, “Finish him!” Techno yelled, knowing you were up at the window. You breathed out and let go of the arrow, it went flying straight for him, penetrating him and he was gone in a cloud of dust with only a blood stain left behind in the white snow. Techno was unbalanced and dizzy from losing blood. Stumbling to get up, he used his sword as a cane to help him. He looked up at Ranboo, “Go. It would be a waste of your time to try and fight me.” Ranboo honestly didn’t know what to do, he could either fight and die or run and hide. And he chose the better option. Run and hide. He disappeared back into the woods and ran for his life.

You ran out to Techno to help him get up the stairs, he was slow but ‘stable’ as you took off his mask. You got him inside, setting him on the ground with a pillow to rest his head. You laid him down on the floor and took a look at him, it didn’t hit anything severe which was great. You moved some hair out of his face and slid your hand to his neck, “You’re going to be fine.” He nodded and let out a light cough. You got up and ran to your kitchen, grabbed your box of potions and pulled out regeneration and healing potions. You also grabbed a bunch of bandages from your box and quickly get back to Techno. You set all the bottles down and gave it to him one by one, you could already see he wasn’t so tense anymore. You asked him if he could take off his shirt, for medical reasons, and he said yes but he also told you that this wasn’t the only way to ask him if he could take it off. You scoffed and helped him take the shirt off. He was more handsome than you could ever imagine, his pecs were huge, his shoulders also huge and those light abs. You blinked away the images and carefully pulled the arrow out, you tried your best to be soft but it was an arrow. You swiftly wrap him up in the white bandage, applying all your pressure to the wound so it would stop bleeding.

When you were done, he took your hand. His touch was gentle as he ran his thumb up and down the back of your hand. His hand was cold for once, it felt like you were holding ice that was never going to melt away. You put your hand under his, raising it up and rubbing it against your cheek. He looked at you with love in his eyes, “Thank you.” He gave you a small smile and you smiled back. You set his hand down beside him and leaned down, giving him a kiss on the forehead. He leaned into the kiss wanting you to stay there for a little longer. You gave him a couple more kisses on the forehead before resting against his. You moved more strands of hair off his forehead as you spoke, “You need to rest.” He looked up at you, lightly gliding his fingers up and down your arm. He nodded and you nodded as well, you got up to go make something to eat but he held onto you. You looked back at him concerned but he had a smirk on his face, “Stay with me.”

[delicrieux]

𝑻𝑰𝑴𝑬 𝑻𝑶 𝑷𝑹𝑬𝑻𝑬𝑵𝑫, 2. summer 1972, august

pairing for this chapter—regulus black x f!lestrange!reader   warnings for this chapter—none! word count—2.3k

regulus can get quite mean in the sweltering summer heat.

masterlist | buy me coffee☕ | ttp masterlist | < back | next >

the grandiose patio is lined with wet footprints. yours. and regulus’. the sunshine is too unkind to him – burnt easily, he seems even more miserable in summer. he’s not much fond of water, even if you constantly drag him into the depths of the pool. the chlorine reeks, he had said displeased, trying to swat away his wet hair from his eyes. you had fought, tooth and nail, not to state, you reek. it would’ve obviously been a joke, and sirius would have laughed so merrily at your boundless wit, but regulus would have flushed in embarrassment and confined himself to silence.

you don’t like much when regulus is silent. in fact, you don’t fancy silence at all. father’s silence usually entails bad news, and mother is always silent. your house is too big to retain any noise, and rodolphus is contemplative and rabastan doesn’t take up enough space. with bella here, perhaps things will become more rowdy.

already, she’s turning everything upside down in what she has dubbed ‘the great upheaval.’ the new lady lestange has expensive taste and moody preferences, and so the walls are getting painted, and all sorts of curious trophies and relics from the depths of gringotts are being brought as decorations. she had let you practice explosive magic to knock down a bookcase she believed to be misplaced. you had been very thrilled to help.

now, though, the pleasant buzz of nature is satisfactory. the gardens and the orchard have remained untouched, though the greenhouse has been smashed completely. the remnants of glass glimmer on the sun-sparkled grass, a perfect spot to avoid as the pool beckons your return. not that mother's menagerie had been of much interest to anyone for years. the servants had tended to it, but it remained vacant of visitors, except the rare moments rabastan felt particularly sentimental. all those exotic butterflies spilled into the crisp, open air. it was quite magical. regulus was particularly down that evening.

of course, bella hadn't given much faff for any of it, so you don't dwell. a morning in the sun is a morning in the sun, after all. and, surely, if mother isn't to care for her property, then why should you?

"you recon sister will hire more staff?" you muse aloud. regulus has languidly settled under an olive tree, the leaves framing the thin, half-naked body like an all-too-pale depiction of pieta. his head hangs, the burn-warmed skin glowing, "without me to help she’ll hardly be able to manage all of these household duties."

regulus raises a brow at that, "what have you done exactly to help," the way he says it is half-chiding, half-mocking. as though he thinks that's the way to speak to the owner of the manor, "you blow up bookshelves."

you turn away from his stare, and keep yourself upright against the pool, knees scraping against the pebbles.

"well," you reply with a sniff, "if you had not noticed, she has taken a shine to me."

"shines are used for small jewels."

you hit his leg in a mindless display of violence.

his sharp inhale isn't playful – "what was that for?!"

"that was for talking down to me." you scoff. and his cheeks grow red, but not because you caught him in his error.

his next response is bitter. "i see how it is," the pitch of his voice rising ever-so-slightly, a subtle crack in a violin string, "you grow more pompous every day."

with his legs folded under his chin, arms crossed tightly, his discomfort in his position isn't masked as well as his emotion is. his wide eyes belie an even wider sadness. a hunger, a wanting for the type of affection a mother provides. something you'll never want to think too hard on because you understand, but also have been told by father not to ponder on.

"was that you attempting to speak down to me again?"

"no!" he snaps back, before muttering, "not that you wouldn't deserve it."

your temper has spiked. that isn't fair, what did he know of all that you must put up with! father expects a lot, and yet you are not given enough to do, but your brothers still complain at everything, and then you must put on a smiling face in front of bella, and how rude is he, really, to disrespect you so!

regulus doesn't receive a single hint of a reply from you. if his plan to make you more malleable to conversation wasn't working, he could start something of his own.

"have you made up your mind," the subject switch makes you jump, "about what house?"

oh. he hasn't stopped prodding since the end of june. that's almost cute of him.

"why are you obsessed about this?"

regulus makes a face. "don't try to understand. i just am," he pauses. for once, he regards you carefully, head tilting slightly to one side, "so you have made up your mind."

"slytherin sounds lovely," you admit, as you have been practising this speech in the mirror for a fortnight now. it feels more real coming out of your own mouth and not an apparition's. you could never admit to gryffindor, as your secret would unravel. regulus would spot his brother’s influence, and he would know, with certainty, that you prefer sirius to him. he must know already, but chooses to ignore it, like you chose to ignore all things inconvenient.

regulus stills for a moment. "wonderful," he comments, and resumes the snootiness of his demeanour, but more distant, "i'll definitely be in slytherin,"

yes, clearly, he would suit the snake very well. and he would fit in, like cissy. no matter the apparent fragility to him, it seems to be hiding a will stronger than all of yours combined. his eyes glitter and gleam when the sunlight hits them just right, but their core seems deeper, darker. no cracks or fissures. just an endlessness.

"and so would you," he finishes the sentiment.

"wh- whatever do you mean?!" you cry in his face, startled out of the depths of your musings.

"dear cousin," he simpers, "for how much time must your father spend pontificating on how utterly useless you are before you realise i'm in your same boat."

he may not mean it, but the insult is unbearable. and perhaps there's a sliver of truth that irks you. that your own kin think so lowly of your abilities. but, nonetheless, "behind my back, at least," you sound, "please, regulus, don't say such things to my face!"

he snorts, faintly amused at your ridiculousness, "will it make you feel better if i apologise?"

you huff. your pride has been bruised. he has, as always, thrown you into a sulk, which will be harder and harder to get over now. especially with you sitting a little more self-conscious than you had been ten minutes ago. and really, it had been such a pleasant afternoon. sweltering, and you bask in sunlight like you're famished for it. the rivera had been sweet, always bright and sunny, but england is hardly ever not gloomy. yes, the weather is worth more mental effort than regulus black, you decide. you would rather converse with a house-elf than him. he, yes, is useless, but you have some use, surely.

"think before you speak," you warn, not very menacingly, "honestly, if my life is already doomed, you'll not aid in ruining it any further."

"what life? father dotes on you endlessly. even if you've got not a single brain cell, he still fancies you," he drawls, "really, you're like a pet. a mooncalf. not a thought behind those eyes."

there it is. the nerve that tics. and though he'd spoken in a lazy, pensive drawl, your response is razor-edged and dagger-thorned. you're the blight. the aphids that sully. the plagues of locusts, “so what!" you counter, and you're barely standing on the border, "what is it my trouble? at least my father loves me, which is too much to say of your own."

regulus rises sharply. it is the fastest he's ever moved in all his life. that face would strike a serpent cold, you imagine. "take. that. back." his tone is chillingly even.

but a quick wit has always served you best, "no. not till you're nice to me."

"fine," the sun casts an angry, dark shadow of his figure over the pool. only eleven, yet he might be the most daunting creature you've ever encountered. all long lines, jutting ribs, and pale skin. and those eyes. downturned, forlorn. a regal hazel. the lids are flutter-thick.

the silence that settles is thick with discomfort. you think of your mother’s room at the top floor, how hot she must be with the heavy curtains drawn. it would be good to air it, lest she grows sicker from breathing in all of that old dust. yes, you shall let a servant know as soon as you finish chipping away at regulus’ resolve with your withering glare.

finally, slowly, carefully, "you won't tell mother i upset you, will you?"

"aunt walburga has much to preoccupy her. of course i won't."

he takes this as enough an acquiescence.

you find a part of him has softened. the edges, maybe.

"why should i apologise anyway," he adds, as if by way of an attempt at conversing in your manner, "the truth needs no apology."

his voice, not that of his father's but certainly not the poshest, has something odd about it.

he waits for a few more seconds, in what you gather, is a wait for an excuse to take the blow off of himself. you keep thinking, and these thoughts blunder quickly about. of mother’s room and father’s study, of rabby down in the cellar, of rodolphus prancing around his new wife. of sirius locked in his guest room, all of his muggle trinkets confiscated. sirius would have a laugh if he wasn’t too busy sulking. this impish row would cheer him up.

you've accepted the role now. it feels like a coronation. the signet ring would fit. pretty thing.

"regulus," you start, but can't keep your straight face. his stare bores into you, until the laugh finally escapes.

"you twit!" he accuses you, "i thought you were really angry for a moment! good thing i wouldn't actually worry, with how loose tongued you are. and stupid! to think, everyone always bellows about how pleasant and intelligent you are."

"could hardly be talking of me," you say, feeling not very bitter, but the taste of it is tart on the back of your tongue. this is a new pattern. a childish bickering, or even teasing, "i've never wanted to know anything. everyone else is terribly inquisitive."

regulus just eyes you in bewilderment. as though your view on the world is rather strange. regulus is fond of reading, and he has a plethora of curious facts to share to anyone who would listen. he had been more vocal of them when he was younger, but at eleven, he's growing very reserved and respectable.

to anyone but you, it seems, because he's rude and standoffish in your presence, even if his cheeks start to burn when you catch him staring at you. maybe you should've let him know. it'd be sweet to see his eyes widen in surprise, or his lips purse. that'd be worth all his rude jokes and unwarranted insults. his silence has allowed him to believe that all his sentiments are harmless. but they are not.

perhaps you are useless, not even a little bit useful at all, if a mere boy who's still gangly and graceless has you wound around his little finger, while not even knowing it. you can't decide if that's better or worse than knowing. it doesn't really matter anyway. when the family meetings took place late in the evening, and you were pointedly dismissed, you had decided you shan't ever want to know anything. to live in simple bliss of a fantasy, to enjoy what you're good at enjoying, and never touch the dirt of any of their messy problems. the end of childhood doesn't concern you, no more than any of the scandals you overhear and promptly ignore. gossip you adore, but only if it's mindless, like a poor matching colour of a robe.

the rest you are well off without.

pretty thing, mother had once called you when awake. her gaze had been vacant. you refused to decipher the meaning, if there was any to begin with. pretty things needn’t be sensible, they only need to be admired.

regulus offers you his hand. a rarity, him touching you, because he rarely is one for contact. especially with you, it had seemed. the small, slim fingers don’t tremble in their wait, "want to swim?"

your earlier mood melts away like the heat waves over the warm stone. the blood has flushed both your skins, but his more.

it's not important anyway.

"thought you don't like water," you say smugly, happy to lord over this very basic information you know of him over his head, "you'll look like a prune."

regulus wrinkles his nose in distaste at the idea. his pale complexion is so easy to scorch and scar. the redness blooms on him beautifully.

but then, all he says is, "you're my favourite, you know that, right? always have been."

the pleasantry, in such an instant, brings another surge of blood to your cheeks.

"why?" you have to know.

a shrug, then, a smile. not malicious at all, and you've always enjoyed it when he can't hold the pretences up in your company.

"dunno," and his expression goes blank again. his gaze roams somewhere far, "so do you want to go swimming?"

his offer has something more, and the confusion lingers.

"it is very hot," is all you find to say.

and what else, but to hold onto his outstretched palm?

[struckd0wn]

I'll Make You Mine ── Hanzo Shimada

Hanzo Shimada × ftm!reader

CW: mentions of noncon (not w/ Hanzo), Hanzo leads Shimada Clan AU, sex slave, reader had top surgery, clit and cunt used as describing anatomy, he's gentle :3, mention of scars and bruising from previous experiences,

A/N: this lowkey drags on so mb, also dk if I hate it or like it ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

You were on your way to the Master's room, nervous and shaky as two women led you there. They had retrieved you at his request. First they took you to the bathhouse, pampering you with soft hands, making sure to not miss a single spot. The two scrubbed and washed your hair, almost relaxed if it weren't for your nerves. The bath was filled with cherry blossom soap, probably made with the trees just outside the Shimada castle. After, they dried you off promptly before adorning you in a plush robe that came down just below you knees.

You had been in the castle for a little over a month now, having been captured by the Shimada clansmen. You had gotten yourself stuck in business you had no need to be in and it led you here. You were supposed to be dead, and maybe you would have preferred to be. Instead they kept you in a room, by yourself, to be used by the men of the castle for their pleasure. They were rough, you deserved it according to them. They had spared you so you owed them, and you payed with you body, and although you were greatful at first you didn't care much for it now. The ladies of the clan would come by twice a day with food, which you would eat with bound hands and the door locked at all times. You weren't bathed, simply wiped down with a damp rag after every use.

Word about you had gotten around fast, in your first week you were visited more times than you could count, and now he wanted to see you. You never met Hanzo truly, only seeing him in passing or hearing about him from the clans members. But he had never stopped to see you, you wondered if he even knew about you, and here you were on your way to his private bedroom.

You'd better behave, one of the women would tell you. He's the Master, you cannot upset him. The more and more they warned you, the more and more tense you got. But you couldn't turn back now, standing right outside what you assumed was his bedroom door.

"Master Shimada, he is ready for you." The other woman chimed out, giving you a worried look before sliding the door open. You stood there, completely silent as you took in the scene in front of you.

His room was boring. A futon, low to the floor on a short wooden frame, pushed head side to the wall. Next to the bed was a nightstand, similar to the one in your room, that housed a small bonsai tree. He sat with his back turned to the three of you. The sliding doors in front of him opened to reveal a private garden, dark but lit with small lanterns, the curtains blowing gently in the crisp summer wind. Next to him on the floor was an incense stick, the smoke wafting through the room almost creating a fog. He wore his typical blue, only this time a yukata, one shoulder uncovered to reveal his tattoo, his hair down and draping over his shoulders.

The clans woman pushed you into the doorway, causing you to stumble slightly as the door shut behind you. You stood there awkwardly, fidgeting with your robe. "Sit." He speaks out, holding a hand out twords the futon. You flinch before rushing over to kneel on the bedding. You again wait, watching as he lifts the incense stick, blowing it out and tapping the ash into it's holder. The wind feels cold on you collar bone were the robe doesn't cover but you don't say anything. He turns slowly, looking at you for the first time. Your face feels warm and you try to prepare yourself for whatever might happen.

Hanzo stands up, walking twords you. You can't help but admit he is a very attractive man, much better than the clansman that would bed you every night. You avoid his eyes, gaze wandering to his tattoo that spans across his exposed chest and left arm. The Master sits in front of you, looking you in the eye. "I will stop... If you want me to." His voice is soft but raspy and you're surprised at the suggestion. No one had given you the option before. You nod your head a little at this and he continues.

The bigger man leans forward, gently pushing you at the chest to lay down. Your nerves are at their peak, staring up at the clans leader. He rest himself between your legs, pulling you so your legs rest on his thighs. The man in blue is silent the whole time and you almost wish he'd say something, or at least direct you so you do him no wrong. Hanzo's large hands find you thighs below the robe, pushing the fabric up to see.

You busy yourself with looking at the ceiling. His hands rub the fat of you thighs, one hand stops, and his thumb pushes down over one of the many bruises. You hiss out in pain and your hand flies down to grab at the Master's wrist before you can even think about. Panic. "Sir! I'm sorry, I didn't-" your words are cut off shorts as he flips his hand in yours, instead taking your wrist. But it's not angry, he holds it softly in his own. His eyes fall onto the ring of red on your wrist where your hands were bound together. Tutting his lips, Hanzo leans down to press a kiss to the bruise on your thigh, then to your injured wrist. You stare down at him in awe.

"If I was aware they were hurting you, I wouldn't have let this go on for so long," He admits to you. "You do as they ask and they are still greedy." Hanzo's voice is sad, disappointed in his followers for your poor treatment. Even if you had gotten into their business, you were serving your "duties" yet they still found time to disrespected you.

He drops your hand, continuing up to the bow that held you robe together. The man watches your reaction as you gulp heavily, but he persists, unraveling the tie and letting the robe fall off your front. He doesn't make efforts to take it off of you entirely, his hand moving up to hold you at your plush hips. He squeezes at you love handles with a small smile, taking you all in with one look. You refuse to meet his eye but Hanzo doesn't object, his right hand sliding down to your crotch and the other to you chest. One thumb strokes the scarred flesh of your pectorals and the other finds your clit, applying a pressure that makes you squirm.

Hanzo is completely enamored by you. Robe half off, skin glowing under the moonlight that shines in from the still open door to the garden. You hide your face from him but you can't hide the moans that escape you and the way your hips move to chase his touch. It's the first time someone had stopped to touch you how you wanted. He wasn't just taking, also giving as he rubs you to near explosion, just watching you wiggle below him, indulging in your sounds.

Life as a clans leader was lonely, the Master didn't have time for relationships outside of business so this within itself was a treat. He had heard about you, his clansman weren't discrete about you, not at all. But the thought weighed heavy in his mind about having you for a night, and he wasn't regretting it now that he had you.

You feel your peak nearing but the man doesn't allow it for a second, pulling his hands away. You let out a deprived whine but he's to busy now, moving his yukata out of the way to reveal his hard cock underneath. "Don't worry, you'll get your fill soon enough." Is his response to your whining. He stroked himself with a low rumble before running his tip through your folds. You take this time to finally look at him, as now he was to busy to notice.

His face was serious yet relaxed. Hanzo was a fit guy, you traced around his muscles with your eyes, watching as the tattoo formed around them perfectly. You wanted to see more, so feeling a little daring you reached out twords him. Your finger hooks under the fabric of his obi, the band of fabric that held the yukata together. Tugging very gently at it, this gets his attention. The Masters eyes find your finger, then your eyes. Hanzo smiles sweety down at you, using both of his own hands to remove the obi. After, he shrugs the yukata off his other shoulder, fully revealing himself to you.

Before you can look for another second. He pushes his tip into you, your head rolling back against the pillow. Hanzo moves slowly, pushing inward with his hips and it doesn't take long before the two of you are connected at the base. The man's large hands find your hips again and he uses them for leverage as he pulls out painfully slow. He watches every expression, listening to every noise you make.

He begins to move faster, thrusting into you with a pace that makes you head go foggy. The drag of his cock as he pulls out is almost teasing you before he slams back in. You can't help but get a bit louder now, but he can't either. Your moans are sweet and his are ragged, grunting over you eagerly. Hanzo leans over to kiss you, lips connecting to yours, moving slowly as he swallows each whine that comes from you. The feeling excites him, he grips tighter on your hips, fucking you deeper into the mattress below. His lips move down to kiss your jaw, then neck, his ear positioned near you mouth. You're loud, but he doesn't care. You smell like the trees that surround his home, his castle. You're soft and lovely to handle, not to mention how good you felt. By the minute Hanzo grew more and more obsessed with you, beyond the point of sex, he found himself wanting to know you.

"I am drunk on you," He admits out loud. You just barley process it, but you are truly flattered. By now he's entirely wrapped around you. His large arms wrap around your middle as he ruts into you endlessly. "My senses are full of you, I can't get enough of the way you feel, how you look, how you moan for me. I imagine you taste just as perfect, " Hanzo confesses. "I bet they say the same thing, but who wouldn't. You're beautiful." He continues on thrusting into you faster than before, the coil in your stomach on the verge of snapping. The thing is, they didn't say the same things. To the others you were just a good fuck for whenever they needed. You wondered how they could be so relentless and brutal but their leader is wrapped around you and desperately telling you how amazing you are.

Hanzo pulls the two of you upwards, now sitting on his thighs as he fucks upwards into you. Your arms wrap around his shoulders and your head leans down to rest on your bicep. He watches as you barley have the energy anymore, the two of you growing more tired, but your end is fastly approaching. "I won't let them treat you badly anymore. You're mine, I want to know you. I want to treat you nicely, but only if you allow me." Hanzo tells you, and if feels nice to have a choice, nice to feel wanted instead of being constantly degraded. You whine in response, and finally you feel yourself snap.

Your orgasms is strong and you tense in his arms before fully letting go. You moan his name as you wrap around him tighter. His breathing is harsh and he's still pushing into you eagerly, the feeling of you realising over his cock is to much as your walls flutter over him and soon enough he's finishing too. Hanzo groans loudly, hissing in pleasure as he cums inside of you, gently fucking into your sweet pussy. He pulls out slowly, your legs and his waist are covered in your combined slick. You relish in the feeling for as long as you can, having been the first orgasm to come purely from pleasure to happen for a while. The man leaves you, and you wondered if he'd just leave you there to be picked up, after everything he had said. He's back before you know it, back at your side with a glass of water and a rag.

After he cleans you he lays beside you, facing you. It's all a bit awkward now, but you're to tired to care. "I meant what I said..." His voice is quite, but you hear him. "I've seen you. I've overhead you and my maids talking and I grew interested in you. I thought maybe you wouldn't want to see the leader of the clan that is keeping you here." He tells you, his hands move to brush the hair out of your face. "I really didn't know they were hurting you and for that I am sorry. If you'd let me... I'd love to make it up to you." The wind picks up a bit outside, but the air is warm. The moon is shining in onto the two of you, it illuminates his face with it's serious expression.

"I'd like that..." You whisper back, closing your eyes to fall asleep.

[roo-bastmoon]

To the Sockpuppets in my Asks

"Jimin is so private! What does he have to hide?"

*Flashbacks to Jimin's mail being "omitted" four times and his national ID and address being leaked online, which the press sat on until his OST With You dropped, or, years prior, when folks accused him of whoring and doing coke because he... [checks notes] played a forehead-flicking game at a pub restaurant in Paris*

"Jimin keeps saying he's all alone!"

*Jimin is seen at work, at the gym, taking trips for work and vacation, posting photos on Insta, and appearing on shows and in dance challenges*

"Jimin never goes out anywhere!"

*Yet another idol scandal is in the news, this time involving illegal drugs, yet somehow, Jimin's photo at the official Nike dinner with Joon gets circulated as him "out clubbing"*

"Jimin and Jungkook never show that they hang out! They are never together any more!"

*South Korea enacts  Article 92-6*

Look, conspiracy theories are bullshit, but ALSO:

Jimin and Jungkook are both cooking big, big feasts for us before service and they are focused on that right now. There's still plenty of evidence they see each other and are on great terms, if you actually listen to them, so stop flooding my ask box under sockpuppet accounts, crowing that Jimin is all alone and Jungkook doesn't care about him.

Look, puppykitties...

I cannot tell you Jikook are dating. I do not live in their cupboards and watch them 24/7.

Yes, JK has been hanging out with 97 line friends these days and yes, Jimin and Yoongi (and Hobi) have all gotten super duper close (or are at least more comfy talking openly about how close they've always been) in solo era. And yes:

Jikook don't talk about Jikook these days.

But what ISN'T being said sounds so loud that half this fandom froths at the mouth every other day.

Jimin has two gaming chairs in his apartment--including one chair that really looks similar to the one Jungkook had.

Jimin traveled half-way around the world to be with Jungkook during his debut and we still have no idea what they were doing at the restaurant or on the boat. Let's wait patiently.

There's been some highly suspect photos in the past of a guy in a white bucket hat with JK via CCTV at a quick mart (illegal, won't be posting) or of suspiciously similar-looking hands during game nights on JK's brother's Insta (family stuff, won't be posting). There's also video of someone who looks eerily similar to Jimin in expensive designer clothing at the arrivals terminal of the airport when JK got back from the World Cup--and later, just beyond the airport, footage of JK's car pulling away from another company car with fans screaming "Jimin!" to the riders inside (unofficial content, won't be posting).

Jungkook knows every single lyric in Jimin's songs, and his choreo, AND what he says, word for word, on his interviews.

Jimin took up boxing and has showed us he has a punching bag in house.

Jungkook muttered that Jimin moved his lamp.

Jimin went to the airport sporting what looked like a big dog scratch.

Vminkook went to a cafe in Jeju. K-Army said they spotted Jikook there well before Tae posted about it.

Jimin and Jungkook both watched the same random anime series recently.

Jimin ran up to Jungkook to cutely say "periri" so often that Jungkook was afraid he'd accidentally say it on stage.

JK quietly stopped by Jimin's docu-live, and Jimin lit up like a Christmas tree and then grabbed his moob.

AGAIN: I. CANNOT. TELL. YOU. THEY. ARE. DATING.

But don't come here with that "Jimin is always alone" and "JK only cares about his career, not Jimin" nonsense.

Please make better use of your time by watching JUNGKOOK'S GOLDEN PREVIEW and JIMIN'S SPECIAL TALK LIVE and then go watch YOONGI'S SUCHWITA WITH 2MIN for good measure!

And next time you come to my blog, if you can't say something nice...

Okay?

Okay.

*hugs* Love, Roo

[reinedeslys-central]

more!! again!! for the nico after blood of olympus fic!! actually I thought of this while writing the last one but I just finished it.

His elbows buckle and he lets himself fall into Will, snorting at his theatrical groan under the weight. They lay there for a second until Will shoves him gently, and Nico lets him manoeuvre them into a more comfortable position.

"Hi," he whispers, moving a curl away from his cheek. The greenish tint of the loft window casts a weird shadow over Will's face.

"Hey yourself," Will murmurs back, winking.

Nico rolls his eyes. "You look like Apollo when you do that. Please stop." Will squawks in protest.

"I do not! Also, since when do you remember what Apollo looks like? Actually, no, don't answer that, you can't bring up my dad while we're in bed, Nico, why would you do this to me?"

Now it's Nico's turn to sputter and whack Will in the chest - getting another dramatic oof and a laugh in return - before turning around to face Hazel's bed. He's not sure when he'll ever be able to sleep facing the wall. Will can't do it either.

As Will's arms curl around his waist and draw him back against him, just like they did back in the infirmary that one day, he thinks maybe he'd be okay trying that with him sometime. One day, in a house with gates, no longer wary of monsters.

Will noses the back of his neck, causing him to twitch. "What is it?"

Will's answering smile presses through the rough cotton of his t-shirt. "Nothing, sunshine."

Nico frowns under the covers. "Hey, what do you think of houses with gates?" He whispers.

"Gates? Well, it'd be safer, I guess, but we'd lose the neighbours coming over -"

"As if you want to see random people at the door anyway. What if they're monsters?"

"Oh, come on, darlin', I'm from Austin. Of course I gotta keep space for the neighbours to come knocking."

"…Fences? Actually, hey, why'd you assume I was talking about us? Obviously - Obviously I was talking about random. Random houses. For architecture reasons."

Will muffles his laugh into the back of his neck, again. "Oh, my bad. And I'm only here because you ripped a stitch on the lava wall yesterday."

Nico feels his ears warm.

"Shut up."

"I didn't say anything."

"..Still."

Will reels him in closer until his back hits his chest and he can press a soft peck to Nico's still-red ears. "I think a fence is a great idea, by the way. We could ask Hazel for help with some ward stones too, like you have in the cabin. Gotta make sure we've got at least one window and standing space in every direction, though, or at least in the east, because you know my dad would sulk if he didn't get to scream me awake in the morning."

Nico's blush gets worse.

"Now who's talking about your dad in bed?" He gives up on pretending. Will sees him through every time, anyway. "Also, shrines, obviously, and we need a spot to stargaze."

"Yeah, shrines, obviously. Maybe just yours, mine, and Lady Hestia's though, or else everyone else is gonna get pissy."

Nico barks out a laugh like it's shocked out of him. "Pissy? Don't let them hear you say that."

Will holds him tighter and settles against the pillows. "Sure thing, sunshine. Now can we sleep?"

"Yeah, yeah."

It's not long after that that Will's breath evens out behind him, his muscles untensing. Nico knows he's got a few minutes yet, so he thinks.

Today was…. good.

Today was nice. Normal, even. Just a day of camp schedules, working in the infirmary, an admittedly short campfire, and this. No monsters, and no mistakes. No deaths, but..

Unbidden, the moments in the infirmary come to mind. He thinks of helping Will scrub in for his one surgery of the day, a kid that had gotten parts of an arrow stuck in their leg a week ago and hadn't noticed til yesterday. He thinks of yesterday during capture-the-flag, stepping in and desperately trying to copy what he'd watched Will do, because Lydia was hanging crooked from a tree and there was no one else around but him-

He thinks of Patroclus tying the straps of Achilles' armour, watching his lover sleep peacefully. He thinks of what Connor had told him about at the campfire weeks ago, of Silena Beauregard taking on a drakon when Clarisse declared the Ares Cabin wouldn't be fighting.

He thinks he might understand.

Lydia wasn't the same (thank the gods), but if there was something to be done that only Will could do right, yet couldn't, and the only way Nico could take up his mantle would be to die trying - then, yeah. He'd do whatever it would take for these kids. To do what Will would do. He's gone to Tartarus already, hasn't he? At worst, he'd try his best and greet his father early if he failed to survive. Nico could even give Charon a tip on the way in for the hell of it, why not?

If there is a luxury that comes from being a child of Hades, after all, it is that dying is not the thing that scares him.

There's a brazier still lit outside the window. Its glow falls in slits across their bed.

Will grumbles, pushing his feet forward until their ankles are wound together. The sheets shift.

Nico smiles into the dark, into the chirping of crickets and the soft glow of the fireflies out the window, and falls asleep.

more for this fic:

scene 0 - prologue-ish scene 1 - the library of social awkwardness or here (or in my heart, 'kidney function is not a right, it's a privilege' lol)

general writing directory

also lmk if you want more lore. I am so down to talk about this fic + the worldbuilding ideas I have for it in the notes it is unreal

[weird-an]

Billy always feels like a kid when he climbs up the wooden ladder.

When Harrington first told him, Billy laughed. Of course Harrington would have a fucking tree house. Not a few planks nailed together with a piece of cloth on top, but a proper tree house every five year old dreams about. Full of pillows and blankets. Fairy lights bathing the tree house in a golden light.

According to Harrington, Billy can hang out here whenever he wants. And Billy does. He doesn't tell Harrington, but he has slept here occasionally, because the blankets are soft and comfortable. One time he passed out, head pounding after Neil decided to stop drinking from the bottle and decided to throw it around.

He isn't sure if Harrington knows. He could see the light outside his window, so Billy rarely switches it on. Because if Harrington wants him around, he gets usually bend over the nearest surface or bed.

The tree house is a good hiding spot. Harrington doesn't know what a great gift he gave Billy with that. Not that Billy plans on telling him. They don't usually talk much, too busy with sucking each other off or fucking. They have sex, smoke a joint, because Harrington tries to quit cigarettes which is hilarious to Billy and then Billy leaves and goes back home to Neil and his anger.

It would be perfect. If it wasn't Harrington occasionally kissing him too long, too hot, asking Billy what he likes and touch him carefully like Billy's about to break. But maybe Harrington just misses having a girlfriend.

He is sure Harrington didn't realize that Billy would take his offer and actually come here.

But he does. It feels safe. No one knows about it, no one can get him here.

This is why Billy is here today, too. Neil has been in a mood all week which usually means for Billy to better stay out of the house. He still got a purple shiner as a birthday present.

Billy stretches himself out after piling two pillows on top of each. Rich people are insane, he thinks. This fucking tree house is better than his room at Cherry Lane. It's not even nine, but he's so tired. He sleeps at home, but always feels tense, always listening to the noises or his dad's footsteps. He sleeps better when he's here.

He must have dozed off, because he blinks, one eye bleary, one throbbing and Harrington is right above him, stroking a curl out of his face.

It's weird. It's Harrington's tree house, but they have never been here together before. Harrington surely wouldn't like the thought of Billy coming here that much.

Harrington grins at him, moles dancing when his lips stretch wide. He looks so fucking happy, like he's glad Billy is here.

"Your treehouse looks like a whorehouse," Billy says and it's a stupid lie, because he has to pretend it's the first time he's here, because it's so fucking cozy and his stomach flips, because now he's with Harrington, because the blankets are so soft and it's warm and this isn't what they're doing... ever.

"Shut up." Harrington rolls his eyes.

Billy sits up and wonders if he should already take his shirt off, fingers fiddling with the hem.

"I've got something for you," Harrington says with a crooked smile and Billy halfway expects him to pull down his pant- when Harrington holds a bag of sour candies out for him. His favorite. Fuck knows how Harrington knows this.

Billy takes one, but doesn't dare to eat it. If he eats it, he might owe Harrington or something. He doesn't want to owe anybody.

Harrington's face falls and a few more lightbulbs must have died, because its somehow much darker inside the treehouse now.

"Max lied, didn't she?" Harrington crinkles his nose. "You don't like sour candy, don't you?"

Why the hell is Harrington talking to Max about whatever candies Billy's likes? Why the fuck does Max even notice what candies are in the Camaro's glove department? Is Billy still asleep? Did Neil finally hit too fucking hard?

"I have candy cigs, if you like those better," Harrington rambles and Billy stares from the pink candy wrapping to Harrington and back. Harrington behaves like he has fucked up somehow and Billy can't stand it.

"No, these are fine." He unwraps it and puts it in his mouth. Sweet and sour twirl into each other on his tongue. Jesus, he doesn't know when he last ate that. Not ever since he moved to Hawkins, because he had a diet to stick to. Hawkins didn't feel like there's much sweetness in his life anyway.

"Good," Harrington says, leaning forward and pressing a kiss on Billy's forehead. Like Billy is worth something and not a toy to be played with. Like they're lovers. "Still tired?"

His smile somehow makes the room brighter. Billy stretches his arms and suppresses a jawn.

"I could blow ya, Harrington." And then fall back right to sleep.

"It's Steve." Harrington's smile falls a little. The light dampens a bit. "That's not what I'm here for. I saw the lights and I wanted to check on you."

Oh. He must have turned them on without thinking. Billy blinks, wondering if he's still asleep. He tries to remember the last time somebody checked on him that didn't end up with a belt on his back.

"I'm fine, Har -" Steve makes a face. "Steve."

He's always so adamant that Billy should use his first name. Billy tries to avoid it. Because if he starts to turn Harrington into Steve, he's fucked. That would mean his racing heart isn't just because of the black eyes and his dad's yelling earlier.

"Do you want some Advil?" Steve asks, fingers brushing along his temple, close to the bruise.

"Nah." Billy drank a few beers on the way here. It does the same job in numbing the pain.

"What happened?" Steve looks like he already knows what happened. Like he just needs Billy to tell him, because he doesn't want his suspicion to be real.

Maybe it is the tiredness, the stupid fairy lights or Steve's fucking softness that make Billy say: "He's just in a bad mood. It'll pass."

Neil Hargrove has his ups and downs. Angry, bitterness and then the few moments when they share a beer and he asks Billy how his days was, almost caring. Deep inside, Billy is scared that his dad is the only person that ever cared for him. That this is the only kind of love he'll ever get. That he deserves.

Steve makes a strangled noise and Billy stares at him, nostrils flaring and so angry like Billy has never seen him before.

"He can't do this, he can't..." Steve bites his lips. "You're.. you're his child."

Steve says it like Billy is a kid. Which he never got to be ever since his mom decided that he wasn't worth keeping.

Billy wants to say stupid stuff about turning 18 today and that maybe Neil does it because Billy is his kid and not despite that, but Steve shuffles closer and puts his arms around him, pulling him into a warm embrace.

Billy shudders.

"I'm sorry," Steve mumbles and its fucked up because this isn't his fault, it's mostly Billy's. "I'm here for you, okay?"

It's a bitter sweet lie Billy would love to believe. That he wants to eat up, just like the sour candies. He wants Steve to hold him. He wants Steve to be Steve and not Harrington.

Steve strokes his hair and Billy just nods, because he wants Steve to mean it. He wants this to mean something, so much it hurts more than his swollen eyelid.

Steve holds him tighter until Billy lies on him. Billy melts against him. Steve smells like the sour candy and fabric softener.

Billy falls asleep, listening to Steve's heartbeat, wrapped in fluffy blankets under golden lights. He hopes they will wake up like this, too. It's the greatest birthday present he could have wished for.

@harringroveweek: Thanks for organizing this beautiful event! <3

[elizaditton]

Too Small To Be Afraid (Chapter 17)

Cover / Master Post / Previous Chapter / Next Chapter (Coming Soon!)

I struggle to support myself on Derrick's shoulder as he walks. I was having a hard enough time balancing when he was sitting still, so trying to steady myself as he moves definitely isn't any easier.

As I hold onto my deskmate's shirt collar for dear life, I scan the horizon for any sign of that tree. Since I was always in Derrick's hands when he walked me home before, I was never able to see too much of the surrounding area. Now that I'm up here on his shoulder, I can see everything: stores, houses, cars, and of course nature. It's unreal seeing it all with my own eyes! But as I look around, I can't seem to spot that cherry tree.

Derrick wouldn't take a detour, would he? Since the apartment is so close to the school I highly doubt it, especially since he knows how in love I am with that cherry tree. But if we haven't taken a detour... why have we been walking for so long? I know I wasn't able to see much scenery before, but why don't I recognize anything at all?

"Here we are," Derrick says.

I gaze up at the blue house in front of us. This is not my apartment.

"Um," I start, "where are we?"

"What do you mean?" Derrick asks. "This is my house."

I nearly lose my footing when my legs threaten to buckle beneath me. He took me to his house?! For the party?! Why?! What happened to asking my dad first and helping him with... that thing?!

Panic sets in as my deskmate reaches for the front door. What should I do?! I can't stay here!

"W-wait!" I stammer, hoping to get Derrick's attention.

"Yes?" He asks, a note of confusion in his voice. "What's wrong?"

"I-I— um, I think there's been a misunderstanding!" I blurt out.

"A misunderstanding?"

"Y-yeah, I... didn't think we were coming here. I thought you were taking me home."

Derrick rubs the back of his neck. "Oh. When I asked you before we left, I thought you said you wanted to come over."

My heart sinks. "I-I don't remember," I utter, my core twisting and tightening at my current predicament.

"I'm sorry," Derrick says. "If you want me to, I can turn around and take you home."

"Are you sure? You wouldn't mind it?"

"If you're not ready for this, I don't want to push you," he says as his brows turn upward.

"Then could you—"

Before I can finish answering, the front door opens.

"What's the birthday boy doing standing around out here?" asks a woman with long, wavy brown hair and big green eyes.

"Oh, we were just— I mean, I was about to—" Derrick stammers.

"Well, don't just stand there," says the woman, smiling warmly. "Come in, come in!"

The woman grabs hold of one of my deskmate's hands and pulls him into the house. The unexpected movement causes me to stumble, but Derrick catches me in his free hand before I fall and holds me close to his neck. My heart pounds and pounds in my ears as heat radiates from my reddening cheeks. I thought we were close before, but this?! This is a little too close!

"Mom, I need to—" he starts. "Hey, what's this?"

When Derrick pulls his hand away from me, I scramble to regain my composure. Once I'm able to balance myself on his shoulder I look around the room and see it's decorated with balloons, streamers, and gifts. There's even a banner that reads 'Happy Birthday John And Derrick.' I blink, cocking my head to the side as I read the sign. Who's John? My eyes widen and my heart bangs against my ribcage. How many more people are coming to this party?!

"Don't go thinking I wouldn't decorate just because your brother's not here!" Derrick's mom exclaims.

I forgot Derrick has a twin brother who's away for university. As curious as I am to see how alike the two look, I'm relieved to have another perthean out of the picture.

"Right," Derrick says. "Anyway, Mom, I need to take—"

"What do you think?" His mom asks, clasping her hands together. "I know yellow is your favorite color, so I tried to use as much of it in the decorating as I could."

"Um, it's great! But really, I need—"

"What time are your friends coming over again?"

"5:30. Which is why I need to hurry and—"

"And who's this?" The woman says, leaning towards Derrick's shoulder with her eyes fixed on me.

A shiver runs down my spine as I struggle to think of something to say. "H-hello, m-m'am," I wave.

"This is Kaylin, my deskmate," Derrick says. "And I need to take her home."

"Home? But you just got here!" Derrick's mom says with a frown.

"Well, yes, but I was only... I mean, I just wanted to show her where we live. It was on the way," my deskmate lies.

"I see," the woman says with a smile. "Well, Kaylin, you're welcome to stay if you'd like! I'm sure your deskmate would enjoy your company on his special day."

Guilt builds up in my chest. What was I thinking letting Derrick walk me all the way back home? And on his birthday, no less! He should be using this time to prepare for his party, and here I am forcing him to deal with me. Should I really be treating him like this?

My heart sinks when Derrick turns to leave. This is my last chance. Can I really do this? Will I really be able to make it through this party?

"Hey," I whisper.

Derrick stops in the doorway. "Yeah?"

"It's... okay," I mumble. "I'll stay."

"You will?" Derrick says, his eyes wide and a smile spread across his face.

"Mhm," I hum, although something deep down inside of me still wonders if this is really a good idea. "I think it would be fun to... hang out with you. Outside of school, that is."

Derrick looks down, his grin stretching from ear to ear. "It means a lot to me that you'd say that. But Kaylin," he says, shifting his gaze back to me, "are you sure you're ready for this?"

"I... um," I think for a moment, unsure of what to say. Am I really ready? Do I think I'll be able to handle this? "Well, I don't know. But what I do know is that I want to be here."

"Okay," my deskmate says. "But only if you're sure."

"Don't worry. I'm sure." I say, although the doubts running through my mind don't make me feel sure at all.

What if Derrick misplaces me in such a big house? What if a ton of people are coming over and he forgets I'm even there? What if I get stuck somewhere? What if someone doesn't notice me on a table or counter and I'm knocked around or squashed?

Anxiety wells up in my core as Derrick turns around and closes the door behind him, sealing my fate.

"Oh?" Derrick's mom pipes up from in front of the kitchen sink, where she's begun to wash dishes. "Change your mind?"

I give a shaky nod from my place on Derrick's shoulder. "I-I thought I might as well stay, since I'm here and all."

"Wonderful!" The woman smiles. "Make yourself at home! If there's anything I can do for you, just let me know."

"Th-thanks," I stutter.

Mrs. Drake's brows turn upward for a moment as she smiles. As she returns to washing the dishes, I can't help but wonder if she's caught on to my fear. I need to get a hold of myself! I can't keep stuttering like this! I don't want anyone to think I have anything against pertheans!

"Derrick, honey, don't you want to change into something more comfortable before your other friends come over?" My deskmate's mom asks.

Derrick looks at me with worry in his eyes before looking back to his mom. "I don't exactly want to leave Kaylin alone. Since she's already here, I mean."

"She won't be alone. I'll be right here the whole time," Mrs. Drake beams. "And besides, I'd love to get to know her!"

My gut twists into a knot within me as my arms and legs begin to shake. Left alone with Derrick's mom?! How in the world am I going to handle that?! I immediately start to regret my decision to stay at this party as Derrick raises an open palm to his shoulder for me to step onto. Taking a deep breath, I release my grip on the collar of his shirt and carefully inch towards his hand. I don't know how I'd ever live it down if I stumbled in front of another perthean!

My deskmate lowers his hand onto the kitchen table, and I somehow manage to step onto the hard surface without flailing around much. A hollowness suddenly overtakes my core like a punch to the gut as Derrick removes his hand, leaving me stranded where I stand. The table is much lower than the average balcony, and my head starts to spin as I crane my neck back to look up at my deskmate from the wooden surface.

Noticing my struggle, Derrick crouches down in front of the table. Now he's the one looking up at me, but his size is still so overwhelming to me. He's just so... big. His face nearly fills my entire field of vision! I back up a bit, clutching at my skirt as anxiety floods my nervous system. He's so close. We were close before when I was on his shoulder and when he held me to his neck, but... this is just different. And I'm not so sure I like it.

"Will you be okay?" Derrick whispers.

I let out a deep, trembling breath. "I-I will be. You can go."

When Derrick stands to his full height, I don't dare look up at him again. I keep my head down as my heart pounds and pounds in my chest, begging me to find someplace to hide. Once Derrick leaves, the sound of the running faucet is all that fills the room.

I spin around and see Mrs. Drake continuing to work on the dishes. If I'm lucky, she won't say anything, and I'll only be waiting a short while for Derrick to come back. I figure this is as good a time as any to let Dad know I won't be home for a while. I pull my phone out of my skirt pocket and slide over to my text conversation with him. I write what comes to mind.

Won't be home until later.

I pause. What am I supposed to tell him? Do I really tell him I'm at my deskmate's birthday party? That would be a huge win in his book. I can picture my dad now gloating about how he was right in sending me to Pacific. I shake the thought away and add to the the message.

A friend wanted to hang out.

I gulp, silently hoping he won't ask any further questions, and send the message. It takes a moment, but eventually I get a single thumbs up emoticon in response. I let out a sigh of relief.

"So..." Mrs. Drake says as she glances over her shoulder at me. "Kaylin, right?"

"Mhm," I nod.

"And you're new to Pacific?"

"Yes, ma'am."

She hums in response, returning her gaze to the dishes in the sink. "And... have you always lived in town?"

"Actually, I just moved here. I was born and raised in Maedri," I answer.

"Oh, Maedri!" Mrs. Drake says with a wavering tone. "I heard they have a bustling undercity there."

"Y-yes," I stammer, "it's pretty expansive compared to Chancelor."

A moment of silence passes us by. I watch quietly as Mrs. Drake sets various plates, bowls, and utensils on a rack to dry.

"It would be easy to live entirely underground without ever seeing a perthean then, wouldn't it?" She finally asks.

My heart sinks. What's she getting at? "O-oh, I guess so," I say.

She hums again. "And... might I ask what brought you to a school like Pacific?"

I swallow dryly as my legs quiver beneath me. What am I supposed to say to that?!

"U-uhm," I start, begging my voice to come out without any more stutters, "my dad wanted me to go to his old high school."

"Ah," the woman says. "And would you say you're... handling everything well?"

She has to be onto me. Why else would she be asking me all these questions?

I'm about to answer when I hear footsteps approach from behind. Finally.

"Sorry I took so long," Derrick says, emerging from the hallway. "Kevin and Brittney are on their way, I just got off the phone with them."

As I turn around, my eyes take in every aspect of my deskmate's attire. Jeans and sneakers, a striped yellow and white t-shirt, and a gray and yellow jacket. He's dressed so... casually! I stare down at my school uniform. I feel overdressed.

Derrick chuckles at the sight of me. "Sorry you didn't get to change," he says. "Do you want to take off your blazer?"

I think about his question for a moment. I tend to feel safer with more layers on, like I'm wearing some kind of armor to protect myself from danger. Although, I don't want to risk wearing my blazer to the party and getting it dirty somehow. And maybe it's just because I'm so nervous, but it does seem to be getting hot in here despite how much cooler it typically is above ground.

"Where should I put it?" I ask, removing my blazer and letting my arms breathe through my white button down shirt.

"May I see?" Derrick asks, approaching the table and placing his hand in front of me.

I reluctantly lay my blazer atop my deskmate's fingertips, and he pinches it between his thumb and index finger before lifting it high up to his eyes.

"Wow," he whispers.

My entire body is immediately overcome by a hot flash of some kind, and I begin to tremble where I stand beneath my looming deskmate.

"I-I'm sorry, I didn't mean to say that!" He stammers as his face reddens. "It's just that it... and you... I mean, it's just really tiny. Not that you're... that. I mean, I would never—"

"I-it's okay," I interrupt. "I know I'm... short."

Derrick seems to relax a little at my words. He sighs. "Anyway, there's a place for this right over here," he says, carrying my blazer to a coat rack beside the front door. He hangs it on a smaller arm that seems to be designed for human items. "There."

They have a spot for human items on their coat rack? I thought for sure nothing in this house would be fit for a human!

"You look confused," my deskmate states.

I straighten my head and unfurrow my brow. "I-it's just... I didn't think you'd have something like that here."

Derrick looks back to the coat rack. "You mean a coat rack? Doesn't everyone have one of these?"

"No, I mean that," I say, pointing to the smaller arms. "Why do you have a spot for human items on your coat rack?"

"For human guests! Why else would we have it?" Derrick asks.

My mouth hangs agape at my deskmate's words. I thought items like this were something I'd only ever see in the movies! I didn't think pertheans would actually include items in their homes for human guests! Come to think of it, I didn't think pertheans would entertain human guests often— yet here I am.

"You think this is special?" Derrick laughs as he approaches the kitchen table and pulls out a chair to sit down. "Wait until you see what else we have!"

My mind swells with wonder and curiosity at the idea of there being other human-friendly items in this house.

"Derrick, honey," Mrs. Drake says, pulling me from my thoughts. "What would you like for dinner tonight?"

My heart skips a beat at her words. How could I forget about dinner?! My body trembles at the thought of sharing dinner with— who knows how many people? No, how many pertheans?

"D-dinner?" My deskmate stutters, his eyes widening with surprise.

"Yes, dinner! You said this morning you'd have to think about what you wanted and that it depended on whether or not one of your friends was coming."

Derrick turns to look down at me, his face a bit pale. "Oh yeah, um... one girl has a few allergies, but... she isn't able to make it."

"So what did you decide on, then?" His mom asks.

"Um..." Derrick starts, his brows upturned and his eyes focused on my quaking frame. Suddenly, a smile appears on his face as he turns back to his mom. "You know, actually, we won't be hungry for dinner. We all had big lunches at school."

Mrs. Drake folds her arms, tilting her head to the side as she narrows her eyes at her son. "Do you really expect me to believe that? You know, the last time something like this happened—"

Derrick abruptly pushes his chair away from the table and stands from his seat. "Mom, can I speak with you for a moment?"

Mrs. Drake nods, letting out a sigh and following my deskmate down the hall.

What's going on? Why is Derrick trying to avoid having dinner so badly? Could this be about me? What does his mom mean by 'the last time something like this happened?' Is Derrick going to tell her about my fear?

Although I know it's rude to eavesdrop, I can't help but try to listen in on the two pertheans' conversation. All I'm able to make out is some harsh whispering, interrupted by the occasional 'why.' At one point I hear Derrick whisper, 'just give me some time!'

As the duo emerges from the hallway, I try my best to look like I wasn't just poking my nose where it didn't belong. I try to ease my tremors by rubbing my arms, but it doesn't help much as Derrick and his mom resume their previous positions in the kitchen. Derrick's mom flashes a polite smile at me, only to immediately turn away and resume drying and putting away dishes. What the heck happened back there?

Bing-bong!

"Oh!" Derrick says, standing up again and heading for the door. "That must be our other guests!"

I gulp and wipe my shaking, clammy hands on my skirt. The party's about to get started, and there's no turning back now.