#he never responded when i ended things w him (in a polite and friendly way!)

[ylangelegy]

⋆.˚ don't ask "what are we?" ♡︎ skz.

── .✦ headcanons of how the members of stray kids would be like if you were in a 'situationship' with them, ala-i like it. the boys are a bit 🚩 in this one, to varying degrees— you have been warned.

CHAN.

Chan doesn't have the time to date properly. In between managing expectations as a leader and keeping all the boys in line, he hardly has a moment to think of being in a dedicated relationship. He thinks it would only be a distraction from his goal, from everything he has built so carefully over the years.

And so maybe he settles for the next best thing— being just a little too close with you, someone who's supposed to be just a friend. Chan treats you like he's your boyfriend.

He sends 'u up?' texts at 3 AM. He spends his days off at your apartment, just lounging around. He'll hug you at any chance that he gets and chalk it up to the fact that he's always been physically affectionate.

When it comes to blurred lines, it's the worst with him. He's perfectly polite and still plenty friendly, enough to have you justifying that he probably treats everyone this way. Right?

After the nth 'u up?', after the one where you've finally had enough and you respond with "Why do you keep doing this to me?", Chan is frankly just horrified. He had no idea that his affections could be misinterpreted— a product both of his culture, and his comfort with you.

Chan will apologize profusely, will say things about 'never wanting to get your hopes up' and 'being more careful in the future'. He'll probably try his darndest to fall back in to being friends with you, but it won't work. He doesn't know how to be just friends with you.

At the end of the day, the group and its image will always come first for Chan. He wouldn't risk it for anything. If there had been a part of him that had even considered being with you, it's kept under lock and key. He tells himself over and over again that it's for the better.

🎧 friends, ed sheeran | friends don't treat me like you do— and i know that there's a limit to everything, but my friends won't love me like you.

MINHO.

When Minho needs to not be Lee Know, when he just needs to be Minho from Gimpo, he knows that he can count on you. It's Minho's style, to mess around with someone who knew him before all of this— the idol lifestyle, the worldwide stardom.

Minho is aware that he's being a little cruel. You only ever hear from him when he's back home, after all. He gives you nothing of his life in Stray Kids; instead, he gives you the scraps of the boy he once was.

He visits on the rare holiday and the even rarer day-offs. He'll roll his eyes when you ask him to cook for you, but he'll already have all the ingredients to your favorite dishes. He'll complain about you sitting on the kitchen counter, but he'll still listen to your stories about work, about your day-to-day life.

You could convince yourself that you're just two friends who are catching up. But if you squint, you see the little things. How Minho's comments about your suitors are always a touch bitter and snide. How his gaze lingers as you eat the meal he prepared.

And when you ask him, one evening, "Why are you here, Minho?", you almost miss the look on his face. Almost. But it's gone as quickly as it came, replaced with something closer to boredom. "Because I want to be," he'll say. A part of you knows that he means it. Another part of you wishes that he meant it in a different way.

Minho keeps coming home to you, but he also keeps leaving the next day. He never looks back as he drives away.

🎧 'tis the damn season, taylor swift | we could call it even, you could call me babe for the weekend... i'm stayin' at my parents' house, and the road not taken looks real good now.

CHANGBIN.

It should come as no surprise that Changbin finds romance in the gym. It's one of the few places he frequents outside of the company or the dorms, and it's rare for any of the boys to be with him as he goes.

Maybe you know who he is. Maybe you don't. Changbin can't really bring himself to care. The only thing he's concerned about is that your form is atrocious; he's concerned you're going to break your back if you keep it up. On the day he caves, he does it so casually— a cool offer of "Need a gym buddy?"

The two of you fall in to a ninety-minute routine every M-W-F. At first, it's strictly companionship. Over time, it becomes a little closer to friendship. And then— does Changbin's hand stay a beat too long at the small of your back? Is his hold on your bicep just a little on the possessive side? You're not entirely sure.

If nothing ever happens, it's not for the lack of trying. You've asked Chanbgin out to dinner, to drinks, but he always gives you a sheepish smile and some flimsy excuse. Prior plans. A strict diet.

Still, he's devastatingly funny, and always sincere when he compliments your progress. He touches you like you're fragile and his eyes follow you across the gym. It's torturous, the plausible deniability that you both attempt to maintain. Months in to this arrangement, you try to ask him out one last time. Like every other instance before, he looks like he's genuinely debating it.

But, like every other instance before, he shakes his head. You go your separate ways after the usual pleasantries— good night, see you next week, take care— and you learn that some things are just not meant to work out.

🎧 goodnight n go, ariana grande | it's bad enough we get along so well; just say 'good night' and go.

HYUNJIN.

Honestly, anything akin to a 'situationship' would kill a hopeless romantic like Hyunjin. A part of him thinks that he'd rather stay single than deal with the uncertainties of a casual relationship, than not give his all to just one person.

It gets lonely, though. A lot lonelier than he cares to admit. And so Hyunjin finds solace in you, in just how much he can get away with. Unlike Chan, Hyunjin is aware of what he's doing. You're an imitation of the real thing. A balm meant to soothe, but never meant to always have on.

He plays his role well. He gets sulky when you don't respond, but then he'll go days without saying a word to you. He lavishes you with words of affirmation, but it's never the words that matter the most.

It's like putting a band-aid over a bullet wound. Hyunjin knows that his little charade with you doesn't drive away the lonely, not completely. It can only keep it at bay. With the life he lives, he figures that it's the most that he can get.

Out of the eight, Hyunjin is the only one who will ask you to stay. When you try to break it off, when you attempt to call him out— he's not above begging. He knows it's a little pathetic, to be so desperate for the facsimile of the romance he wants. But it's all he can afford.

It's a vicious cycle. Hyunjin is hot; Hyunjin is cold. He leaves you with a love that's lukewarm.

🎧 tug of war, carly rae jepsen | you seem too good, too good to be true. i'm loving you longer— longer than i'm used to.

JISUNG.

Jisung enjoys the anonymity that the internet can give him. There's only so much places he can go without being recognized, only so many people he can meet who don't know him as HAN from Stray Kids.

On the internet, he doesn't have to be an idol. He's just some guy in his mid-twenties, looking for romance. His profile says he likes desserts and music. He's confident, here, because the people on the other side of the screen— like you— are just as nameless.

It gives him confidence. His usual sharp humor is still in place, but he's a smooth talker, too. He shamelessly tells you what he thinks, when he thinks it— everything from that outfit suits you to I like talking to you.

One time, Jisung even jokingly tells you, I'm just trying to find inspiration for my songs. That has always been his biggest flaw: He has yet to learn how to look at a person and not see a writing prompt.

Jisung is the one who makes the cleanest cut. If you dare to ask him more about himself, or if you question what lies underneath your mutual flirtations, he'll just... leave. The internet makes it so easy to ghost, to charge it all up to experience. And if you're the one who leaves— that works, too.

It doesn't matter who leaves. It always ends the same way: Track three on their recent comeback or a member's newest [SKZ PLAYER], with Han in the credits.

🎧 bad guy, hatchie | and you could be the bad guy, i could be the bad guy. any way you wanna try, it doesn't make it feel right.

FELIX.

Felix's situation is somehow one of the worse types, because his is clearly just a matter of circumstance. It's a waltz of 'will they, won't they?', where Felix just can't seem to make up his mind on how he wants you.

He cares for you. He knows that much. And it shows, too, in the ways that you interact, in the little things he does for you. He enjoys your company, whether it's playing video games with you or teaching you how to bake. He likes you. Sure, fine.

Enough to date you, though? To put you through the terrifying ordeal that is dating an idol?... Felix isn't sure about that. He dances around the truth, inadvertently stringing you along as he goes.

In a way, it feels like the two of you are in lockstep. Felix will just barely cross the line of friendship before reeling in, before taking it back. It can be draining; it can be thrilling. It's whatever you make it.

Felix never comes to a decision. There's too much on his plate, and he will ultimately put the boys— in extension, himself— first. The two of you have the best luck in staying in touch, in settling for something that resembles a proper friendship.

(But it's still there. Felix, at the end of the day, cannot completely close himself to you. Call it kindness. Call it cruelty. The door, still half-open; the lights, still on.)

🎧 light on, maggie rogers | if you're gone for good, then i'm okay with that. if you leave the light on, then i'll leave the light on.

SEUNGMIN.

Seungmin might not be the most tactile in the group, might not be the 'clingiest' in the traditional sense of word, but he has his moments. He craves attention, companionship, people. While he has his pick of the litter with the boys, there's also only so much that they can offer.

Enter you. Let it be made clear: Seungmin would never get in an arrangement like this if you weren't both on the same page. From the get go, he tells you his intentions. "Nothing serious," he warns, his eyes sharp and his jaw set. "None of that 'love' stuff."

And it's not because Seungmin doesn't want to fall in love. Of course he wants to! But at the price of his career? Never. He's willing to compromise, though. To treat all of this almost like it's a business transaction. To only ever have you in private, in secret.

He knows his boundaries. He never gives you everything, but he also never leaves you high and dry. In a way, you're both just filling the gaps in each other's lives— almost like it's a quota. You steal away on private dates. You both get your fill of physical affection. Neither of you call it a relationship.

There are one or two versions of this story where Seungmin is the one who falls first. It is inevitably you, and when he picks up on it, there is no screaming match. No 'break up' in a parking lot. It's a quiet sort of ending where you can tell that Seungmin is just a little bit disappointed to have to cut you loose.

🎧 lowkey, niki | i know we're a little fucked up to stay still, love. be as quite as you can 'cause if anyone sees they'll just blow shit up.

JEONGIN.

Being surrounded by seven other guys who constantly treat him like he's the youngest, it's a little difficult for Jeongin to not let it get to his head. He still sometimes acts his age— especially when it comes to dating.

He's never hasty enough to cause any real damage, though there are times where he comes dangerously close. If there's anything bound to get him in to trouble, it's his tendency to just leave when something no longer serves him.

Jeongin is acutely aware, after all, of the little power that he wields. He's a big believer that he can get anything he wants as long as he puts his mind to it. And so he dates you for a short time, in a way that can only really be described as love bombing.

He loves sneaking out to go on dates, loves late night phone calls and shameless flirting. He'll send you a dozen selcas; he'll ask you to help pick out his outfit. He's sweet in a way that only somebody reckless and young can be, and it's the reason why people fall so hard and so fast.

But the moment Jeongin catches any hint of that— the impending commitment conversation, the just-about-to-hit question of 'what are we?'— he's already blocking your number. He may seem devil-may-care, but he'd been careful from the very beginning.

You'll never be able to definitively say that he flirted with you, that you were together. He knows how to cover up his tracks. When Jeongin clears out, it's always in a way that leaves you wondering: Did it really ever happen at all?

🎧 good graces, sabrina carpenter | it's not that complicated; you should stay in my good graces or i'll switch it up like that, so fast!

[notjanine]

i’m taking them to my friend’s wedding tomorrow, so it’s time for my autistic ass to lead socially 😳

i’ll stop talking about this mf eventually but like okay. i hate being taken care of. 99% of the time, i HATE being taken care of. but i am also not naturally skilled at social stuff, like i’ve learned and i can do it and i’m good at it now, but—iiiii hate to admit it—but i’ve always wanted to be with someone who can like. take the driver’s seat, socially. and Bookstore just knows exactly how to shine the spotlight on me in a group setting. sometimes i get so overwhelmed taking everything in that i forget to talk even when i have relevant things to add! but they know just when to say Oh al said/did/made me watch/read/listen to xyz, and then give me the space to elaborate. or they’ll be more subtle and say like [Nearby person who likes something i like], have you seen/do you know about [specific thing they know i love] and it’s. gosh it’s really nice. also they are very big and warm. gosh

[rainydaydream-gal18]

(The Hobbit) Thorin x Reader: Dragonsickness and the Heart

(Author’s Note:  Well, it’s spring, and usually spring gets me in a hobbit/LotR mood, so here we are.  I actually wrote a shameless OC self-insert a few years ago, and decided to just take a section of it an make it a reader-insert.  

Warnings: Thorin acts like a lil creep, but in the end he wouldn’t do anything to hurt reader.  

While under the effects of the dragon sickness, Thorin says some things... You wonder if it’s the sickness talking, or perhaps it is his true feelings coming out.

Enjoy!)

   You struggled with the dwarvish armor, finally letting it fall to the ground. It was much too big and clunky: you could barely stand in it! Thorin had given the order for the Company to armor up, but it didn’t look like it would be possible for you. The clank of metal sounded in the armory around the corner, and you let out an exasperated sigh. You had taken your chosen armor to an empty room to avoid the humiliation as you attempted to try the foreign material on. Even after you managed to finally figure it out, the weight of the metal was too much. You weren’t exactly in the mood for endless teasing on Fili and Kili’s part. Dwalin might even find it humorous and would never let you live it down.

   Footsteps sounded around the corner, and you whirled around to come up with an excuse or explanation of some sort as to why you were hiding away like this. To your surprise, it was Thorin, all armored-up and looking…well…looking pretty good.

   Even with everything that had happened, after how crappy of a person he had become since the dragon sickness took its hold, you were surprised to feel your heartbeat pick up at the sight of him. He entered the dimly-lit room, eyes flickering from you to the bulky armor lying on the floor. He flashed an amused smile that made you feel weak.

   “Trouble?” he asked, pacing over with a raised brow.

   “Uh, y-yes,” you mumbled back, unable to meet his intense gaze. You tried to remind yourself that this wasn’t him. He wasn’t himself, yet it didn’t stop your heart from doing flips in your ribcage. “It obviously wasn’t going to fit. I don’t know why I tried anyways.

   “Because you’re you,” he responded with a chuckle, prompting a nervous laugh from you. He was being friendly, but there was still something off about him. His voice. He spoke in such a low and silky tone, practically laced with dragon sickness. It made you feel uneasy and not necessarily in a good way.

    As Thorin took a step forward, you caught movement in the corner of your eye and flinched out of instinct from being on the road. He noticed and paused, holding his hands up to show that he meant no harm. He only meant to give you something, he said. When you nodded, he rounded the corner until he was out of sight.  Moments later, he returned with a bundle of armor in his hands though these were different from the weighty pieces you had already tried. He handed you the iron shoulder plates first, and you marveled at the simple designs cast into them.  They looked as if they’d been made just for you.  Judging by the warmth in Thorin’s eyes, they had been.

   “These should suit you better.”

   You tentatively accepted the shoulder plates, fiddling with the leather straps that would hold them in place. You tried putting your arm through one loop as if it was a sleeve, but it felt wrong, so you tried a different angle, a different loop…

   As if reading your mind, Thorin took and unbuckled it. “Here.” 

   You gulped as he carefully took your arm and put it through the correct loop. Each movement he made was slow and drawn out, and you wondered for a minute if he was doing it on purpose just to make your heart race. It wasn’t doing anything to help the situations of your one-sided love towards him. You resolved to accept the rest of the armor politely and go find another hidden room to figure it out on your own, but as soon as the shoulder plates were secure, Thorin proceeded to strap on a chestplate.  Then he continued with a sort of metal shin guard.

   “There,” he said finally, checking some of the straps to ensure they were in place. “You will be much better protected.”

   “Yeah,” you murmured, releasing a breath.  “Thank you.”

   He gazed at you, placing a hand on each of your shoulders. “I will do all in my power to make sure you are safe.” Your eyes widened as he leaned in to whisper in your ear. “You should know I have grown rather fond of you, _________.”

   You remained still, absolutely shocked at the unexpected statement. It felt as if your body wouldn’t respond.  Surely, he doesn’t actually mean what he says? It must have been some strange effect of the dragon sickness, right?  

   You had joined the Company early in the journey in hopes of changing the ending.  You and Gandalf had an understanding that you would gain the Company’s trust and use your knowledge of Middle-Earth to ensure the line of Durin survived.  From the moment you appeared on the dirt path in front of the Company in your modern clothes feeling lost and uncertain, Thorin hadn’t taken much interest other than to bark orders to you or spare a disdained glance at you and Bilbo at your “softness” when it came to life on the road. 

   Over time, you learned to place your trust in the Company and to do your part so they’d trust you- including Thorin.  He and you had started to bond, especially in Lake-Town when you’d spoken to each other outside in the snow during the celebration of the dwarves’ return to the mountain.  You even managed to make him smile a few times.  You realized that as Thorin had begun to trust you, you trusted him not only as a leader but as a friend, and your affection grew beyond what you’d originally thought.

   Still, you wondered if perhaps it was all in your head.  Thorin had seen you as young and naive early on, but that was only because of your inexperience in the world of Middle-Earth.  Things had changed.  Perhaps they had changed more than you thought?

   Thorin’s breath disappeared from your ear as he pulled away to circle aroundyou, the armor clanking with every step. You were frozen to the spot, but your lips managed to form words.

   “What about Balin? You told him that you felt nothing for me and that you were focused on the quest.”

   An eerie chuckle echoed from behind. “I told Balin what he wanted to hear. I told him that so he would not question me any further on the matter, but the truth remains…” His voice sounded right behind you. “I care about you.”

   He was saying what you wanted to hear all along, and yet it felt so wrong now. This wasn’t the real Thorin, right? You could not possibly accept this declaration of feelings knowing that he would snap out of it soon enough.

   “W-we should go join the others…”

   His arm snaked around your waist, earning a gasp from you. “I love you, ________, and I want you to say you feel the same.”

   “Thorin, I can’t. You’re not yourself. The stress of the Arkenstone and the battle must be affecting you.”

   “My own kin has betrayed me. One of them has taken the Arkenstone. Please, do not  turn away from me as well. Say you love me. Be my queen.”

   You were left breathless by his words. He had released you from his hold and circled back around to stand in front of you. Thorin leaned in, eyes flickering to your lips briefly. It was beyond tempting. All you had to do was lean in a few mere inches, and you would feel his lips on yours. It was what he wanted, and it was what you wanted…

   “I have to go,” you stated, putting some distance between the two of you. Thorin’s lips pulled down in a frown as you stepped around him.

   “You’re making a mistake,” he called over his shoulder.  “An offer such as this will not come again.”

   You hesitated at the doorway, shaking your head. “Then so be it.” And then you left. You didn’t dare look back as you hurried down the halls to get as far away from him as possible. He was crazy. Insane.

   And so are you for turning him down, a small voice screamed from within your mind. You could have been his, even for a short time. You could have had his love, even if it was twisted.  His kiss. His embrace… It could all have been yours if you had just said so.

   But it was wrong, and you knew it, to take advantage of his situation.

   “Bilbo!” You halted when you rounded a corner and almost collided with him. “Where are you off to?”

   He glanced around to make sure no one was near, holding a long rope coiled up in his hand. “I can’t just stand by and do nothing. I am taking the Arkenstone to Bard to use for bargaining. It’s the only way the people of Lake-Town will get their fair share.  Hopefully, we will avoid war.”

   “That’s a great idea. I’ll cover for you while you’re gone.”

   “Thank you, ________,” he whispered gratefully. “I’ll be back as soon as I can.”

   You pulled him into a quick hug. “Be careful. I’ll see you later!” You parted ways with the hobbit once more, him heading for the front gate while you lingered in the corridor. You felt so alone, standing there. None of the dwarves could understand the situation.

   It wasn’t the time to tell Bilbo what had occurred with Thorin.   It would be yet another dark secret to weigh on you for now, along with the possible fate of the journey.

   That night, the dwarves talked and laughed by the fire as usual. Even though they had all of Erebor to go off and choose a room from, the Company still liked to gather together to share a meal and camp out just like old times. Fortunately, Thorin never participated, spending his days and nights in the throne room. You joined the group, glad to have something take your mind off of the recent events. Bofur led the group in a few songs, Fili and Kili told jokes, Nori and Dori bickered and teased each other, Ori laughed along with Bombur, Bifur, Oin, and Gloin.

   Balin and Dwalin were in a more solemn mood, but couldn’t help cracking a smile every now and then. At some point, the dwarves started sharing stories of hilarious hardship over the course of the quest.

   “But don’t you remember the time in the beginning of the journey when we had to cross that river?” Bofur asked with a grin, earning a few bursts of laughter. “Quite a few of us took a plunge that day!”

   “I lost a lot of supplies,” Bombur said with a nod.

   “And what supplies you did have left was soaked!” Bofur laughed, slapping his knee.

   “I do recall the stew being soggier than usual that night,” Gloin joked.

   “Or what about the afternoon when _________ quite literally got sick of traveling?” A teasing grin spread across Kili’s face. “She jumped off of her pony to go throw up in the bushes.”

   “Hey! I felt terrible that day!” you protested playfully. “Besides, it’s not like I had ever ridden a pony all day every day for weeks before.”

   “The best part was that Thorin scolded her anyway for holding the Company up,” Fili chuckled.

   “Well, I’m pretty sure I remember a time when you and your brother were supposed to be watching the ponies and nearly got us all eaten by trolls when we had to go find them.”

   “Ooh, that’s cold,” Kili feigned offense, unable to hide the amused grin. 

   “You don’t miss a thing, lass,” Bofur teased.

   “Whatever,” you rolled your eyes, still smiling. No one asked about Bilbo, or wondered aloud where he was. The hobbit had been spending more time alone as of late, so it wasn’t unusual for him to not join them for dinner. He would return before dawn, you knew, but as each hour passed that evening, you became a little more anxious.

   You managed to set aside your worries and let sleep overtake you. You fell into a deep sleep, and a certain dwarf king haunted your dreams that night.

[akitohsworld]

Disclaimer: I wrote this some time ago, when I was very sleepy. How they could've met before the exchange? I love stupid references don't@ me lol

Warning: slight NSFW at the end (under the cut)

Put a spell on me |Solomon X m!Reader

Saying Solomon was feeling under the weather was an understatement. He felt like absolute shit. His stomach was recoiling, giving him the impression he had to vomit, but couldn't. Resulting in him being wobbly on his feet. Although, he was currently trying to sober up. The lack of water caused his head to hurt, while he walked alongside the river to go back to his apartment. He was in no shape to teleport, not with the sense of orientation he had right now.

A frustrated groan escaped him as he grabbed onto the metal fence beside the river, letting gravity take over as he slouched down onto the floor.

It was a beautiful night, you could see the starry sky reflecting in the river. The silence only being disturbed by some outlandish music in the distance. Somewhere, there was another party raving besides the witches sabbath he had successfully escaped.

He knew he shouldn't have accepted that many drinks from the witches. But it had been a successful year, he was only going back to the Devildom next week... And, probably, going to meet that other exchange student by then.

"Hey fam, you okay?" A voice slurred above him, blocking the blinding streetlights before him.

"Yeah yeah, thank you for your concern-," Solomon looked up surprised. He thought he was the only one here-

"Here ," a handsome guy, probably not a sorcerer, held out a bottle of water to him, grinning friendly. "You gotta stay hydrated when drunk."

"Uhm.. thanks?" Solomon chuckled. "That's nice, but I hear I shouldn't accept drinks from kind strangers"

Their hair reflected in the warm light, along with unfocused eyes glistening in the dark, when he shot Solomon a kind smile.

Solomon suspected he was from where the music was coming from. Another rave or party or whatever, since he was wearing flashy attire and sweat was glistening on his smooth skin.

From dancing, maybe? It wasn't that warm. Rather fresh, if Solomon would say so himself.

"Hmmm", the stranger put a hand on his chin. "I guess, I'm feelin' a biiiiit brave tonight haha. Here, I'll take a sip from it first."

He chucked down a bit of water. "There."

Solomon just stared at him for a solid second. Maybe, probably, surely, this was the alcohol. But this stranger had something alluring about him. His glistening lips from the water made Solomon unable to do anything else but stare.

"You going to take it, or not?"

"Ah yes", Solomon grabbed the bottle and took a sip before putting it back down again.

"May I sit with you?" He put a hand on his neck and averted his gaze. "I- uhm came here to get away from all the noise for a bit- I don't wanna be creepy or anything-"

"Oh- Yes of course! Don't worry about it"

The grin returned to his face as he slouched down beside him. "Thank you."

Solomon took another chug of water. He didn't really have anywhere to be, nor did he have the strength to go home anyways. So he figured he might as well sober up, while making some new memories.

"Out of curiosity.. what do you mean by brave?" Solomon smirked at him.

"Well...", the stranger just smiled, a slight tint of colour dusting his cheeks. "You're pretty handsome. And I normally can't ask out guys for the heck of it.. so yeah. I'd say I'm being stupidly brave by talking to someone as hot as you."

The sorcerer laughed. "How very direct"

"Must be the alcohol", he chuckled. "I don't know anyone around here.. and I have a habit of drinking too much when I'm at social gatherings without friends.. What about you? Why are you here all alone?.. If it's okay to ask, at least."

"Ah it's okay~ I'm trying to sober up from drinking too", Solomon sighed. "It was an exhausting night.."

The stranger nodded sighing. "Tell me about it."

"So.. what are you celebrating?"

And so, they proceeded to talk about the reasons why they were here. Their conversation slowly but surely going of its original rails, from politics to religion to light-hearted shows and childhood memories.

Solomon, of course, didn't go into much detail about magic nor anything like that. They were simply trailing off into more and more different topics, running their tongues because of the alcohol.

"Wait, people avoid you when you invite them?" He asked in shock, "Even after you offer to cook for them?! Woah, that's rude after everything you've done..."

Solomon hung his head in disappointment. "I really don't know what the issue is, you know? It's not like they outright avoid me when we nee- want to hang out, but everytime I offer my hospitality they just.. you know?"

"Shiiiit bro... ," he thought for a bit, then joked, "Maybe your cooking sucks?"

Solomon sighed dramatically, proceeding to pout. "Can't blame the tasteless."

"Just kidding kidding!!" he smiled sympathetically, "Maybe it's best if you ask them directly about it. Honesty is always key, no matter where you're from."

Solomon remembered something.

"So, I'm guessing you're not from around here?"

The stranger looked him up and down, seeming to think for a bit and then smirking back at him.

"You tell me, wizard boy. Am I?"

"Oh? How do you know?"

"Know what?"

"That I'm", Solomon gesticulated dramatically, "a wizard."

He became serious and leaned closer to Solomon, putting a hand on his shoulder. Solomon's breath hitched ever so slightly as the stranger's intense gaze held him entranced.

"You're a wizard, Harry."

"Huh?"

The stranger wheezed at his reference, as Solomon finally understood and erupted into laughter himself.

He stopped himself to respond seriously:

"..A wizard?"

"Don't you feel it ," the stranger put their hand over Solomon's heart, making his heart pound a bit harder, which surprised him, "...,Mister Krabs?"

"Huh- What?-"

After a perplexed pause they looked at each other and wheezed and cackled in the cursed manner your friends laugh when someone tells a ridiculous, dumb joke.

As they sat there, next to a river enveloped by the light of street lamps in a park, their laughter erupted through the silent night. Nothing but very faint music could be heard in the distance. Solomon didn't even know why he was laughing so hard. It was a stupid reference. And this stranger was clearly out of it.

There was something about him... Solomon just couldn't put his finger to it.

"S-so haha you're a man of culture as well~", Solomon calmed down, "What's your name?"

" Of course~ (y/N)." The stranger responded smiling, wiping away a tear. "Yours?"

"Solomon.", he answered reciprocating the smile.

"Solomon the wise?"

"Yes." He shot him a knowing glance. "So you do know me~"

"Oh yes~" (y/N)'s fingers slid over Solomon's coat. "You dress like a wizard, you look like a wizard aaaaand your named after King Solomon the wise. Great literature surrounds you: like Ars Goëtia and the lesser keys of, well, you", their gaze turned to look into the sorcerer's grey eyes.

With that, Solomon understood.

This person didn't know him . He knew of his tales, the legends, basically fairy tales.

He was like most humans... Unaware of the magical world he lived in. The realisation stung a bit, but the sorcerer decided to play along anyways as he felt himself sobering up.

"Well, I can't disappoint a fan like yourself now, can I?" Solomon smirked.

"Ohh~ So are you going to show me any tricks?" (y/N) laughed, standing up challengingly. "Come at me with your best shot, wizard boy~"

Solomon didn't know why, but he felt the urge to impress the young man.

"Hmm", he stood up, although a bit wobbly. "Alright. But I'll need an assistant~"

"Oh my oh myyy" (y/N) excitedly clapped their hands together. "I'll sacrifice myself for the greater good then."

Solomon chuckled, shooting him a provocative glance through his lashes at which he thought he saw (y/N) blushing.

"So, (y/N), are you ready?"

"I'm was born ready"

Solomon offered him his hand. "Take my hand, my cute assistant~"

"Oh my, and he has a way with words", (y/N) overdramatically took his hand, "The ladies will die if you do that, you know?"

"Oh will they now?", Solomon pulled him towards himself, "What effect do you think Hecate's power will have on you?"

"I like your funny words, magic man", (y/N) smirked playfully. "Tell me more~"

Solomon scoffed. This guy is a walking reference book.

"Have you ever danced with a sorcerer in the pale moonlight?", he asked, putting another hand on (y/N)'s waist, said man's breath hitching.

"W-well, I'm pretty sure the proverb goes different, Solomon", he put a hand on his counterpart's shoulder as he let Solomon take the lead, "I thought you were going to show me a trick though~"

"Patience is a virtue", he simply said teasingly.

"-and a pain", (y/N) retorted, while taking the first step back.

"So you know how to waltz?", Solomon began to lead.

"School taught me many things", he imitated a rough old man voice, "You youngsters would never understand"

Solomon tried to contain his need to laugh.

"Aha~ Funny, enlighten me?"

"Well, I don't know what they teach in wizard boy-school", they turned, " But back in my day, they tried to teach me calculus"

Solomon quirked a brow. "Tried?" Then he spun (y/N) around.

"Well, I was busy drawing into my notes", his cold hand slipped to Solomon's neck, making the sorcerer tense up.

"And what kind of Mona Lisa-worth drawings were you working on? I bet only of the highest quality~", sarcasm dripped from his voice as he shot (y/N) a teasing smile.

"Oh you can't even imagine~", (y/N) rolled his eyes in an exaggerated manner before shooting him a deadpan look, "Penises mostly"

A laugh escaped Solomon. "How refined"

"I am nothing but refined, sir~"

Solomon spun him around again, matching no pace in particular, as he pulled him closer to his chest this time. A small gasp left (y/N)'s mouth.

"H-hey now, be careful there. Or do you want me to fall?"

Solomon's lips pursed up in amusement, but quickly froze as he looked into the man's face.

(y/N)'s expression was contorted in utter joy, like he couldn't contain their grin. He looked stupidly adorable...

Solomon felt his heart clench at the sight. But he quickly snapped out of it as he shot (y/N) another charming smile.

"So, about 'the ladies dying' at my charm.."

"You're still on about that?" (y/N) chuckled amused, "Give it a rest wizard boy. We get it, you're handsome-"

"What about you?" his cheeks burned as he felt himself getting... Nervous? That's new.

Solomon hoped the darkness wouldn't give him away, "How do you feel about my 'charm'?"

For a second everything stood still and they both came to a stop. Their eyes locked and silence engulfed them. Tension began to claw at both man's braveness, as realisation struck them. This encounter had progressively turned into something more. Not some random thing.

It felt like..

(y/N) averted his gaze, face flushing a bright red as he chuckled nervously. "It... It takes a bit more for me to die, Sol.."

Fate.

"Is that so?", Solomon's fingers interlaced with his as he slowly inched closer.

"I mean.. you could find out..." (y/N)'s eyes slowly closed when-

Strings of colourful magic sparked around them.

"Huh?!" His eyes shot wide open, grip tightening on Solomon's hands, "What-"

(y/N) looked around stunned and extremely surprised.

"So? How was that for a 'magic trick'?"

(y/N)'s gaze returned to face him. "Y-you.. How?"

The sorcerer just hummed. "Who knows?"

"This... Must be a dream then..", he sighed disappointed, a tinge of sadness in his voice, "That's a bummer.. I really like you."

Now it was Solomon's turn to blush.

"I- I understand the confusion, but- mph?!"

With that his lips pressed onto Solomon's.

The sorcerer froze, while (y/N)'s mouth opened a little, slipping his tongue through Solomon's mouth. He tasted like sweet liquor, further entrancing the sorcerer in a passionate kiss.

Solomon got over his shock quickly as his hands found the other's waist, pulling him towards himself. When (y/N) sighed into the kiss, hands burying into his white locks, excitement shot through his spine.

Solomon pressed him against a nearby tree. He grew hot as (y/N)'s soft, wet lips brushed against his, the passion growing with each passing second.

"Mnh hah", (y/N) parted for a second, a string of saliva connecting them, lips barely brushing against his, "This.. feels too real though.."

"Because it is- ", Solomon panted against his mouth, connecting their lips again with more of his own vigor this time. His tongue eagerly brushing over the other's.

God, what was he doing?

What was he doing??

But fuck it felt so good.

He couldn't resist the desire to touch (y/N) more and more. He wanted him closer and it showed.

As if on cue, (y/N)'s hand slid over Solomon's pants, suddenly palming his half hard erection and making him moan into the other's mouth longingly.

"Mnn- (y/N) wait.."

"Mnh? Oh sorry-!", he stopped abruptly.

"N-no I mean... Let's.. let's go to my place-"

"Oh~" (y/N) smiled and kissed him again, teeth pulling at his bottom lip as he parted panting.

"Alright then. Show me the way, wizard-boy~"

[jeonglixie]

[12:45am] “Can we…get out of here?”

The boy gave you a worried look but he nodded and grabbed your hand. You made your way through the drunken crowd.You took a deep breath as you stepped outside. Chan didn’t say anything,he just placed a hand on your back and slowly rubbed it.

“Are you ok,what happened?” he rasped after a while.

“I just…don’t feel like being in there right now.” you whispered.

“Are you drunk?”

You shook your head.Chan hummed and went towards his motorcycle.

“Let’s go.”

“W-where?”

“You’ll see.”

—–

You got to know Chan in the third year of college. You always saw him around campus with his friends,Jisung and Changbin,but you never really got a chance to speak to any of them. It’s like they all screamed trouble,their aura intimidating. So you’d either find them together or each of them alone.

Changbin seemed the scariest of them,his eyes piercing through your soul. You guessed you shouldn’t make mad this one.His hands full of tattoos and you were sure if he were to show more skin, there’d be more of them.

Jisung was more of a piercings guy,one on his left eyebrow and his ears full of them. He always seemed so confident and you could swear he screamed fuckboy.

Chan caught your attention first as you got more classes together. He seemed like a friendly one,but he didn’t really talk to anyone.He got that attractive smile that showed his dimples,on top of it, he got piercings on them. He’d usually sit in every class with his laptop and headphones. He was probably producing? You heard this trio was into music and rapping somewhere. You wondered if he ever paid attention to class though.

You were the exact opposite, cause other than staring at him before class started, was hanging from the professor’s lips and taking notes.That’s why he actually approached you the first time.

You were terrified when you turned your head to see who tapped your shoulder and met the familiar blonde haired boy.

Fuck,did he saw me staring?

When he politely asked if he could take your notes,all you could do was nod and give him your notebook with a half smile.

“Y/N right?”

“U-uh? Yeah, that’s me.”

“I’ll return this tomorrow,yeah? Thanks.” he winked,gave you a dimpled smile and left.You sighed in relief and made your way out of the class.

Little did you know he indeed saw you staring.

—–

Since then,in every class,he would usually sit next to you and sometimes have a small talk or flirt just to tease you. Then,a group assignment happened and he asked to be your partner. It was the first time you ever saw so much music equipment on someone’s house,as you stepped in his room.

You finished the assignment rather quickly and he suggested you should stay for a while and hang out. You should’ve known he didn’t really have something innocent in mind when he did so. Like that,one thing led to another and he ended up fucking you on his couch and probably giving you the best orgasm you ever had.

“We can do this a casual thing,if you want.” he told you as you stepped out of his apartment.

You didn’t really have something to lose,and as you needed some way to relieve stress,you agreed.

“No strings attached though,I’m…not really a relationship guy.”

“Sure.”

—–

Months passed and your relationship stayed the same; you hang out and fucked, sometimes you just enjoyed each other’s company. The intimidating guy turned out to be one of the kindest persons you knew. And that probably was going to be the death of you. Cause as the time passed,you weren’t attracted only by his body. You could tell he wasn’t feeling the same way though,as he immediately turned cold when you got intimate. No cuddles after sex,no staying over. That didn’t mean he wasn’t the softest when it came to aftercare. But then reality hit him and turned back at being his usual self again. That’s how he was. Hot and cold.

Jisung and Changbin weren’t that bad either. Jisung was funny, talkative and a little cocky but he was a nice guy overall.

It took a while for Changbin to open up to you. He would usually act like you weren’t there most of the time. He didn’t seem to like the relationship you and Chan had, he thought everything happened too quickly and Chan didn’t know you that well when he suggested the whole friends with benefits thing.

So when you went over to Chan last week and he opened the door instead of him,you knew this was going to be awkward.

“He won’t take long,you can wait for him.”

“O-ok.”

You both sat on the couch, awkward silence filled the room. You grabbed your phone and scrolled through your apps to keep yourself occupied.After a while he sighed.

“Chan’s ex girlfriend was a horrible person. She really fucked him up.”

Your eyes widened and your head snapped towards him. His eyes anywhere but you.

“She used him,had a good time,then she cheated on him and just left. He really had a hard time getting over that bitch.”

“So when he told me about you and the whole arrangement thing you have, I knew this won’t go well. That idiot really doesn’t think before he acts…”

“Look, I love Chan, he’s my best friend and I’ve known him for years. He’s not that kind of person. He’ll eventually catch feelings and I don’t want him to get hurt. So I’ll be clear. If you don’t care about him,get the fuck out of his life before it’s too late.”

His gaze now on you. If eyes could kill you would really be dead by now. You felt shivers down your spine but that didn’t stop you from responding, feeling slightly offended by his words.

“I know where you’re coming from. But I can tell Chan has no feelings for me and-”

“If you open your mouth to say bullshit babygirl then shut it.”

Your jaw dropped.He stood up and casually walked to the door and opened it with a smirk.

“I think I was clear.”

You felt your blood boiling. Not only he didn’t let you speak and explain,he also got that smug look on his face you really wanted to punch. You jumped from the couch and stomped towards him,fuming as you grabbed and slammed the door shut.

“Listen here Seo Changbin” you aggressively placed your index finger at his chest. “I don’t care what the fuck you are to Chan or how long you know him or whatever, but that doesn’t give you the right to assume I’m the same shitty person like his ex. I care about him as much as you do and like hell I would hurt him. The only idiot here is me for throwing myself in a situation like that and then catching up feelings. So don’t fucking worry about your friend getting hurt,he doesn’t give a fuck about my feelings and I don’t plan on telling him about them so he won’t feel guilty.”

You were sure you were screaming at this point and by Changbin’s surprised face,you knew you went overboard. You didn’t realize tears were running down your cheeks till you stopped and took a deep breath.

“Hey,are you-”

“Keep it. You said enough Seo.”

The boy didn’t really have time to act as you quickly went over the couch and grabbed your things,then ran and opened the door to leave.You froze when the first thing you saw while getting out was Chan’s surprised face. Your eyes locked for a split second before you felt more tears forming and you ran past him.

That probably was going to be the last time you’ll see him.

—–

One week passed and you didn’t really speak with Chan. You’d see him at the class but he was sitting nowhere near you and didn’t even spare a glance. You figured out he heard everything then and just didn’t want commitment. You were heartbroken of course but that was your fault. Chan said from the start he didn’t want a relationship.Jisung texted you and asked you to go to the party he was throwing but you didn’t really feel like doing this right now.

You were going back to your apartment as you felt your phone vibrate in your pocket.

unknown number: hey this is Changbin

unknown number: I know this is kind of random but can we meet at the café near campus? I have to talk to you

You: ok,sure

You opened the door of the café and the strong smell of coffee and cinnamon hit you. You spotted Changbin sitting on a table near the window. His face turned to you when he heard the door open and he gave you a small smile.

“Hey..”

You sat on the opposite side of the table.

“Sorry if that caught you off guard.I guess you’re not that happy to meet me,after what happened last time.”

You shook your head.

“No I….I was indeed kinda surprised but it’s ok. What did you want to talk about?”

Changbin let out a shaky sigh.

“I wanna apologize. I really was an asshole.”

“When you left,I tried to speak to Chan but he didn’t really want to. He avoided mentioning the whole thing,but I could see he was struggling.”

“I thought a lot about this too. I was overprotective and from the start I treated you like a parasite. And that’s a dick move.”

“You’re a person with feelings too and I can tell you hurt as much as Chan did. And it wasn’t your fault,as I wanted it to be. I won’t blame Chan either. He’s confused and scared.”

“I told you many times I care about him and I want him to be happy. He seems happy with you and I can tell he’s missing you more than anything. So I just couldn’t sit back and watch you both get hurt just because you’re scared to admit your feelings.”

“So…I want you to come to Jisung’s party tomorrow. You two have to talk.”

You stood silent for a while.

“Changbin…I’m not sure what to say…”

“You don’t really have to say something. Just please,come and talk to him.” He reached your hand on the table and smiled bitterly before he stood up and left.

You sat there,trying to comprehend what just happened. After a while you stood up and left as well.

The next day,you felt anxious as you dressed up and stepped out of your apartment. You didn’t know how this would go and definitely weren’t ready to get your heart crushed but you had to get over this.

When you stepped in Jisung’s apartment people were already wasted,dancing on the music. You first spotted Changbin and his eyes widened as you made eye contact,a grin slowly appeared on his lips.

“You came.” he yelled over the loud music. “Thank you.”

You smiled.

A gasp left your lips as suddenly someone pushed Changbin out the way and you met Jisung’s ecstatic face.

“Y/N oh my God you came! I’m so happy! Here try this,I made it!” he mumbled and shoved a cup with a questionable drink at your face.

“I don’t think so.”

“Please? Please, please, please, for me?”

You let out a sigh.

“Ok,ok,here.” you drank the liquid and winced as it burned your throat.

Jisung looked satisfied and quickly went back to the kitchen, probably to grab a second one.

“Where’s Chan?” you asked Changbin.

“I’m sure he’s around here,we were talking just before you-”

“Y/N?”

You turned to see Chan,a surprised look on his face.

“Hey.”

“I didn’t think you would come.”

“Trust me,me neither but he-” you stopped as you looked around and Changbin was nowhere to be found.

This motherfucker.

Chan tilted his head but you mouthed a “nevermind” and you both stood there awkwardly.

Minutes passed and you felt anxiety bubbling up your chest. Why did you even listen to Changbin in the first place? This was a bad idea. You weren’t ready to talk with Chan yet. The loud music started ringing at your ears,you had a hard time breathing,it felt suffocating. You felt Chan tap on your shoulder.

“Hey,are you ok?”

—–

And that’s how you ended up here,behind Chan,holding him tight as you passed by the busy roads.

His bike stopped as you reached a hill outside the city,the view breathtaking as you watched down the flicking lights. Chan took off his helmet and placed it on his bike. You both stayed silent.

After a while he reached in his pocket,took out a pack of cigarettes and lit one. A bad habit,Jisung once said,he always pulls when he’s stressed. It was the only thing you hated about him.

“I guess you heard me.” you finally spoke. “When I screamed at Changbin.”

“Yeah…”

“That day he told me about your ex….but he was quite rude so we ended up like this.”

Chan cracked a smile.

“I thought you were going to come out and take my head or something back there,I won’t lie.”

You couldn’t help but giggle,but your smile faded quickly.He inhaled the cigarette and exhaled the smoke through his nose.

“Chan,I genuinely like you. And you know I’ll never hurt you,right?”

Chan felt a pang at his chest. He sucked a deep breath.

“It’s not like you don’t know already,but I’m scared. I’m scared to give my heart to someone and be vulnerable. I’m scared everything’s going to end up the same way.”

“Thought it could work like that. Having sex,no feelings. But sometimes I can’t help but crave more. Since when I got to know you better I needed more.”

“But it’s fucked up. How my brain works. I really want to trust you but I-”

He stopped and let out a frustrated sigh. He liked you,right? Then what was holding him back?

“I don’t know…”

You both fell silent. You didn’t really know what to say at a time like this. You wish you’d know what was going on in his mind right now,he looked so lost. Your eyes fell on his plump lips as he inhaled once again the cigarette.

“Stop doing that…” you said,your voice shaking. “You’re hurting yourself…”

You meant smoking or overthinking? Chan couldn’t tell. He scoffed and his eyes turned at the trembling city lights.

After a while he dropped the remaining cigarette on the ground and stomped it.

“Fuck this,let’s…go at my place.”

His features now hardened,his expression unreadable. You just nodded.

—–

You knew when you’d step in his house he’d probably slam you on the wall and have his way with you. That’s how Chan was. Cold and dominant, he loved to have you begging.

But that night you and Chan didn’t fuck. He made love to you. Heart on his sleeve as he softly kissed your face. You never saw that side of him. Slow and passionate,he touched you like you’d break.

You felt drunk,loved even.

When he finally slipped in you,you were far too gone to see the tears running down his face. He thrusted into you desperately, trying to cope with all these overwhelming emotions. You both came with you screaming his name and him groaning yours. He slowly then made his way to the bathroom to grab a towel. He stopped as he glanced his reflection at the mirror; all he could see was a coward with eyes red from crying,his puffy face making him wince. He returned not long after to find you still on the bed,eyes half closed,your breathing back to normal. Sleep immediately knocked you out after he cleaned you up with the soft towel.

You didn’t see his eyes glistening at the moonlight.You didn’t see how he sat at the edge of the bed,face in his palms.

You didn’t see him smoking his last cigarette and throwing the almost full pack at the trash.

That night, Chan promised himself he won’t run away. He’d stay here with you,even if that meant he could get hurt again.

[snwscript]

pivot point || hyunjin.

pairing: guard!hyunjin x princess!reader.

genre: historic au, strangers to lovers au.

themes: fluff + a bit of angst i guess??

word count: 7.6k

summary: when the task of picking the newest royal guard comes to you, the princess, it isn’t difficult to choose. one applicant, with charming looks and an interesting hobby, catches your eye and attention. maybe he might find himself shooting arrows into something other than targets?

tw: this contains a female lead, and terms such as princess. also, some things might not be fully accurate to how things worked in historical times, but i really tried to research as much as I could.

a/n: i miss him w blonde hair but whateva it’s fine (〃ノ∇ノ) also prince minho is not minho from skz !!!! oh and if a word is underlined, it’s a song you can listen to to feel more in the fic :]

masterlist.

As you were the princess of one of the most well-know palaces, a lot of weight was put on your shoulders. The thought of being next in line to the throne, along with the absolutely tiring schoolwork and boring schedules always filled your head as you waited for the next day to roll around.

It sometimes felt like you were forced into that life. But your head always perked up when you were asked first about a decision.

“Y/N, darling.” Your mother called your name as she sat at the dinner table.

“Yes Mother?” Making your way to the dining room from the living room, you rested your arms on the chair in front of your mom. You looked at her, eyebrows furrowing as you questioned her sudden ask of your presence.

She started with a sigh and you could tell she was stressed, her hand sparkling with accessories holding close to her head. Her eyes looked up from the papers in her other hand and to you. “Oh, there you are. I need your help with something.”

Your ears perked up as you looked away from her shining decorations and nodded. “Okay, what is it?” You leaned in to look at the paper that was in her hand. It had different names written on it, next to them were their skills.

But when did Mom get the time to do this?

“Well, we’re trying to get a new royal guard since one had to step out due to a finding of their criminal record, remember?” She queried, looking up at you from the paper.

Whipping away from your thoughts, you nodded. “Yeah, I do. But why so sudden? I’m pretty sure we don’t have to get a new guard.. we had enough already.” You said with a soft sigh. Your palace had originally had more than ten guards but due to the hardships the job gave, they had resigned. Now you only had five

“Y/N,” your mother stopped you, “we’ve talked about this. You know that your coronation is coming and when that day comes, you know how the crime rate will be.” There she goes again, talking about your coronation. “I would hate to have you suffer like your grandfather on his crowning.”

Her statement was blunt but it made sense to you. You made a small frown and nodded. “Yes Mother.” You took the papers out of her hand and made your way out of the dining room.

Your mom could tell you were upset about the conversation so in a small cheer she said, “I love you.”

“Love you too.” Your response short as you walked out of the dining room and back to your room.

On your way, your friendly chef Felix smiled at you, walking past saying, “Good morning, Your Highness.” You did a small head bow, but deeply wondered why he was being so formal. He wasn’t that much older than you, and he normally talked to you on friendly terms. Shaking the thought away, you continued back to your room.

But just like with Felix, whenever you would see one of the kind workers throughout the palace on the way to your room, they would always greet you with polite nonsense like: “Good day, Your Highness,” “Hello, Your Highness,” and “Wonderful weather we’re having, Your Highness!” It only broke you when you saw your older brother Seungmin reply, “Hey, Your Highness.” It was still in his joking tone but it was so chilling that you had to get out of there.

You ran out of the palace as a whole and decided to chill by the pool.

Sighing to yourself, you looked at the pool and tried to calm yourself. You were deeply confused why they had all responded like that. You weren’t even close to becoming the queen. You had thought it was all too much for you, like all of a sudden you were an adult. But it didn’t feel like it.

“What’s wrong, your Highness?” Chan said after seeing your distressed manner as you sat on the steps.

“Oh god, not you too Chan!” You buried your face in your hands.

He laughed heartily and soon went to sit down next to you. “Sorry, it was Seungmin. He asked me to say that to you since I was in debt to him for a while.” Looking over to you, Chan saw your sad expression.

He didn’t say anything for a while, his thoughts calculating as he thought of what to say to you. “You know, I probably have no say in this but the whole crowning doesn’t seem too bad.”

Your head whipped around to him. Confusion furrowing your eyebrows caused you to respond, “How can you say that? Everyone’s been treating me like I’m the Queen already..”

Chan laughed a bit, but not as happy as his last. It contained remorse for you. “Well I can tell you as a royal guard that they’re only doing this to get you ready for another year.” His statement softened to a whisper and covered his mouth near the more important end of his sentence.

Letting out a chuckle of unbelief, you crossed your arms. “How could they- Never mind that.” You stopped yourself before sighing and then looking at Chan. “Thanks for telling me, Chan. I swear, you’re one of the only guards I can trust.” You said jokingly, a soft smile making its way onto your lips.

A smile creeped up on his face too, showing his pure pleasure in seeing you smile again. “No problem, your Highness.” Chan finally said with a fake bow.

“Oh, stop it.” You slapped his shoulder in an attempt to get him to stop embarrassing you any further.

Chan laughed again, his serotonin boosting laugh making you laugh with him. With another smile and a two-finger salute, he said, “Alright, duty calls. See you later, Y/N!” He dashed off and started to make his way back into the palace.

“Ok, bye!” But by the time you responded, he was already gone.

He had always been so good to you. Always doing his best to make you feel better. Still, he had no real idea what you truly felt.

...

After a while of laying on your bed while reading a book, you looked at your nightstand. Those terrible papers seemed to look right back at you. With a sigh, you decided to take the time to look at the papers your mother had given to you that morning.

The candidates were.. okay. Your mind was still frazzled from the day’s events and soon after 15 minutes of looking, you came to the last page. You had skimmed over his credentials but when you came across his hobbies, you found yourself leaning into the paper.

Hobbies: reading, singing, & archery.

A-Archery? Were you reading it right? No matter how many times you read it, it still read the same thing. You had heard about it before, when your mother and father had left to go to a match with friends from another kingdom. It had always made you wonder what it was like, and seeing a candidate with that as a hobby made you feel inclined to approve his submission.

No photos or further reading needed, you put a check next to his name and went to put it in your parents’ room.

On your way back to yours, you were stopped by Seungmin. He leaned against the wall, arms crossed and his right leg crossed over the other. You shrugged, wordlessly saying, “What do you want?”

“Was that the guard slip?” He soon asked, a chuckle coming with the end of his question.

With a nod you replied, “Yep. Hopefully Mom doesn’t scold me for who I chose.” You continued to walk to bed with the words, “It was the archer, by the way,” leaving your lips. You had known Seungmin had seen the papers before they were given to you, so of course he had asked.

Seungmin’s small giggle turned into a happy laugh, but you couldn’t tell what for. A wave of relief came upon you as he called, “You’re so predictable. I knew you’d pick that one!”

You walked to your room that night to your older brother’s laughs echoing in the main hall.

It had been about two weeks since you had made the final mark on those papers but fortunately, your mother hadn’t said anything about it. Today was the day you were going to greet what seemed in your mind as the kind archer fellow. You were somewhat nervous, for reasons you knew.

As you got ready in your room to finally meet the archer, a soft sigh escaped you. Was it the right choice? Sure, knowing how to do archery was unique but you barely looked at any more of his credentials, so it made it hard to truly know him. You chose to shake the thought off for now and make your way to the front of the palace.

...

“I can’t wait to see who you chose!” Your mother said with happiness in her tone, hands clasped in excitement. She looked over to you, and was concerned as to why you were so quiet. “Something the matter?” She asked.

Your single head shake was enough for a response and your eyes kept looking out for the carriage the guard would come in. If you had to be honest, you just wanted to see what this guy looked like.

And just as you would have it, the clopping of the carriage came along the cobblestone. You felt your heart race as you heard the gates open for his arrival. And there he was, walking up to your family politely with his hands behind his back.

His appearance though, was much more ethereal. Eyes of a dark brown color and long hair that you didn’t see often, all while wearing a soft smile. His clothes were both sleek and looked comfortable. You could tell you were staring for too long so you decided to get your eyes off him with a small head bow. In response, he did the same.

“It’s nice to meet you. I hope I can serve you well.” He said, his soft voice causing you to look up with a kind smile.

Your father held out a hand for the boy to shake and replied, “Of course. We’re happy to have you..?” His reply became more of a prompt for his name.

“Ah, Hyunjin. Hwang Hyunjin.” He replied happily as he took your father’s hand and shook it. His soft smile had become an eager one, as if he was really excited for his new job. The boy who was apparently named Hyunjin looked from your father to you and did a small head bow to you. “Nice to meet you, Princess. Hopefully we can be friends.” His expression softened. “And hopefully I can serve you well.” He continued, his eyes crinkling as his smile widened.

“Of course, same to you.” You replied, voice soft after being out of focus. From the start, you knew that he was kind but the fact he even acknowledged you kindly made you smile.

Your mother broke up your kind exchange by cutting in, “Well now that introductions are over, we can get you inside and talk a bit more. It’s a bit humid out here.” A posh laugh came with her statement as Hyunjin mouthed “Of course” and you all went into the palace.

After two of your other guards opened the palaces’ doors, you could hear a gasp come from Hyunjin. He soon exclaimed, “Wow.. this place is huge..,” voice drifting at the end of his sentence. He seemed like an excited puppy, eager to look more around the place. To get his attention, you let out in a small whisper, “Excuse me, it’s this way!”

He turned around and covered his mouth, obviously embarrassed. “Sorry!” His voice low in a whisper to match yours.

You and Hyunjin soon caught up with your family in the drawing room, both acting like you had been there instead of staying behind in the great hall. Almost on queue, your father turned to you with a smile. “Ah yes, now that we’re here, we can talk more on the agreement.” Your father’s tone was soft but still had the power of a king.

“Yes, Your Highness.” Hyunjin said, eyes burning with confidence.

Your mother smiled. “Then let’s get to it!” She said, taking out some more papers, probably for him to sign.

...

Though it took what felt like a few hours, Hyunjin was ready to take the oath. What you noticed during the long talk and signing was that he was very active. Your mom mumbled a few things he had done to get to where he was now, including training for a year and a half at a camp. It seemed like he desperately wanted to get away from his normal life and land a better job at the palace, though it was harder than most. It made you wonder..

Your thoughts were taken to a pause as your father said, “Alright, now that you’re done signing, you can take the oath.”

Hyunjin nodded as his smiling face was replaced with a serious one. When you looked down at his hands, you saw his left closed in a tight fist. It soon loosened as he rose his right hand like your father told him to not long after.

“Repeat after me,” your father said firmly, his right hand raised as well, “I, Hwang Hyunjin, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Royal Family, their heirs and successors, according to law.”

He soon repeated before taking a deep breath, “I, Hwang Hyunjin, do swear that I will be faithful and bear true allegiance to the Royal Family, their heirs and successors, according to law.” His hard expression soon softened when he earned an accepting nod from the king.

“And now, you’re officially a part of the royal guard.” Your father cheered, a raised curve you knew was a smile coming to his face. Though he didn’t show it much, you could always tell the difference between his capitalist smile and his genuine one. Hyunjin seemed to know too, as he brought him in for a hug.

“Wow, thank you so much for this opportunity!” He let go and then shook the king’s hand. “I promise I won’t let you down.” He said in a voice filled with gratitude. The king let out a hearty laugh at Hyunjin’s peppy attitude and nodded.

“Happy to know you’re excited.” He soon said. Your mother’s mouth turned into a smile, soon turning to you with a brighter one. The pleasant feeling in the room made you smile back.

Hyunjin looked to you and remarked with an assuring smile, “I’ll protect you for real, now.” His statement made you burst laughing, still more calm than your normal laugh as to not expose yourself. “I know you’ll do well, Hyunjin.” You replied.

“Thank you, princess.”

You woke up the next morning to the sun coming through the window. Surprisingly, none of the maids or butlers was there to escort you out of your room. Making your way down the stairs and then the long hallway, you started to make your way to the kitchen to start to make breakfast yourself.

You usually weren’t allowed to when your parents weren’t around because they entrusted the chefs to cook every meal. Though you didn’t mind them cooking for you, you always like to cook by yourself. Unfortunately, the kind chef Felix walked in as you took out some flour.

“Ah, your Highness.” He did a small head bow with his bright smile. His formal behavior made you a bit uncomfortable. “Good morning.”

You still mustered a smile. “Good morning, Felix. It’s good to see you.” Your statement was true despite you knowing he would be making breakfast for you.

“Y/N, don’t worry. I’ll let you make breakfast for yourself. You always look so eager when you see me cooking anyway.” Felix let out in a chuckle. His laughter brought a happier smile to your face.

“Thank you, Felix.” You replied while bringing him in for a hug. He happily hugged you back, his warm hug made you smile.

You decide to ask him, “Hey, why do you keep calling me “Your Highness”? Have we drifted?” Your tone was soft, and Felix responded with a shaking of his head.

“No, of course not Y/N! It’s just.. the king and queen have been wanting to prepare you for the life you’re going to have in a couple years. So I’ve been listening to their wishes. But don’t worry,” Felix let go of you and held you by your shoulders, looking at you with caring eyes, “we’re still friends.” His bright smile reached his eyes.

“Well that’s good! I got a little worried.” You replied with a laugh.

After clearing up the situation, you started to make your breakfast, every now and then having Felix help you. Who would’ve known that making french toast and fluffy eggs would be harder than you thought?

...

The happy feeling you had soon drifted with your parents came back home. You had prepared yourself for this, but you really hadn’t wanted to.

As they walked in, they appeared with your “destined prince,” as your mom called him when you were a kid. You made eye contact with him immediately as a rush of a hurt came through you.

Prince Minho of the Cha family, the future husband of your dreams. (but was he?)

It wasn’t like you hated Minho, he was fine. Charming looks, a great personality. He even loved animals and had 2 dogs of his own. You just weren’t ready yet. But though you wanted to, you couldn’t tell him. If you had known sooner that the marriage decision had been made when you were kids, you would’ve declined already.

Minho walked up to you with a soft smile. “My darling Y/N. I haven’t seen you in ages.” You smiled shyly at his pet name. “You still look as cute as ever.” His eyes stared into yours longingly.

“It’s good to see you too, Minho.” You took his hands and nodded. Still, you couldn’t shake the sorry feeling in your chest. It felt like you were playing with him.

Your mother interrupted your soft exchange with a clearing of her throat. “Alright, lovebirds, let’s get moving to the ballroom. You two,” she said pointing at you and Minho, “need to practice dancing together.”

Minho smiled at your parents and then at you. “Don’t worry. I won’t step on your feet.” You chuckled at his joke and made your way to the ballroom.

...

When you got there, you saw Hyunjin from the other side of the ballroom standing against the wall with his hands behind his back. He smiled to you as a soft greeting and you smiled back as a reply.

“Hyunjin,” your mother called to him, “do you mind turning on the gramophone and putting on the record for me?”

The smiling guard nodded, “Of course, your Highness.” He walked over to the gramophone that was on the coffee table and put in the record. After glancing at you and Minho for a second, he went back to the wall he was at before.

The music from the gramophone was somber, a soft piano piece. You had heard it many times when you were younger. It brought back memories and a soft smile to your face.

You slowly waltzed with Minho, hands interlocked. Minho kept eye contact with you, his eyes sparkling happily. You traveled along the room with him, careful with each step as the music flowed. The song came to an end as Minho took your hand and kissed it.

“You danced wonderfully, Y/N.” He said with a soft tone.

Your smile toward Minho was sincere, you nodded happily. “Thank you, Minho. You didn’t do half bad either.” You joked.

He let out a little chuckle and linked arms with you. Making eye contact with your mother, he asked, “Do you mind if I have lunch with her, my lady?”

“No, of course not,” she shook her head with a smile, “I don’t mind at all. We wanted you to have lunch together, anyways.”

“Thank you.” Minho looked at you once again and started to walk out of the ballroom.

You looked back to Hyunjin who stood there with a smile you couldn’t quite place. You gave him a quick beam, making him nod to cheer you up. Before you could mouth “thank you”, Minho walked out of the door with his princely smile and you.

“I don’t get you sometimes.” Seungmin shook his head at you, arms crossed.

“What do you mean?” You replied innocently. Clearly, judging by the look on your brother’s face, he was talking about your boring lunch with Minho.

Seungmin sighed; it was full of annoyance. “You know exactly what I mean!”

You still pretended to be curious as to what he meant so you shrugged.

“Why did you come from lunch with Minho so.. normal? Usually when people have a meeting with someone they really like, they can’t think of anything else but that person. But you.. you seem fine! Almost too fine.” He put a hand on your shoulder. “Do you really not feel that way for him?” He finally asked.

You looked up into Seungmin’s eyes. You couldn’t find it in yourself to lie to him. “I-I’m just not ready yet.” You replied, your voice soft. “I thought you knew that.”

“I do know. I’m not mad at you, I just don’t get you. This is a big opportunity and Mom’s gonna be upset with you, I’m just telling you now.” Your older brother replied.

“I know she is.. Minho’s a good guy, it’s just I don’t think I could marry him, or anyone for that matter. Not right now, anyway.”

Seungmin let out a sigh again. He was done nudging an answer out if you. “Alright, just don’t be so indecisive for too long. It’s all in your hands.” He began to walk out of the room but stopped himself. “Remember that you have to talk with Mom at 3, okay?” His smile was soft as he continued to walk.

You watched him walk out of the room, leaving you at the table. You grunted softly and put your hands over your eyes. I need to get some fresh air.. your thoughts festered.

...

Again, you found yourself outside by the pool as a way to calm down. You had understood what Seungmin meant and that he was just looking out for you, but you couldn’t stop thinking about it..

“Do you really not feel that way for him?”

You tried to shake off the feeling by continuing to look into the pool and soon threw water towards your face. When you went for another splash to wake yourself up, you heard someone walk up to where you sat and soon the voice that belonged to it:

“I hate to be interrupting something but are you okay, Your Highness?” It was Hyunjin. You looked up at him with your chlorine drenched face and smiled.

“Yeah, I’m fine! No need to worry!” You replied with a small laugh. “Just trying to calm my nerves..” Looking up at him again, you saw his hand holding out a handkerchief.

Hyunjin smiled. “Here. I think you need it.” He chuckled.

You were surprised at his kindness and took the handkerchief, a soft smile coming to your face. “Thank you.” Taking his hand to get up, you met eyes with him. Something about seeing him so close made you feel kind of nervous, even though you weren’t the one with the new job. Still, he made you feel comfortable. Hyunjin was doing his job as a guard right.

Hyunjin tried to break the silence. “So, care to explain what you’re doing out here?” He asked curiously.

“Well,” you started, “I usually come here to calm myself down. Seeing the water settles me.”

“Oh, I see..” He didn’t want to pry on what could have been messing with your emotions and decided to try and keep conversation. “Whenever I get stressed, I like to go out and shoot some arrows. It feels good to just shoot without the worry of doing wrong.”

You looked at him, your eyebrows furrowed, as you asked, “So then, what do you do? Do you just.. shoot?”

Hyunjin laughed at your question, his smile reaching his eyes. “Yeah, pretty much! Of course, still with the skills I’ve learned. I just try not to be fancy with it.”

“Okay.. I think I get it.” You replied to him, your voice drifting in volume. “Do you mind showing me some of the “fancy work,” mayhaps?” You looked up at him with a small smirk.

“If the Princess allows it.” Hyunjin replied; your nodding seemed to be a yes. “Alright then, let’s go to the fields. The King let me set up some materials over there.”

After walking to the fields, your eyes widened when you saw the archery setting. Bows and arrows on their own table, targets set at different ranges. It was like you had heard of before from Chan. You were excited to see how it really looked in person; seeing archery was different than hearing about it.

Hyunjin bent down to pick up one of the bows and an arrow from the table. He looked back at you and smiled. “I’ll shoot to the second nearest one so you can see it.” His voice lifted near the end of his sentence and his smile matched his happy tone. As he adjusted his form, he took a deep breath. He lifted the bow and arrow and closed his right eye, trying to get the best shot. You watched his smile turn into a serious straight face as he got a confident glint in his eye. Hyunjin soon released the arrow and watched it hit the target he had been aiming for.

“Wait a second,” you said, looking at the target, “you got it straight in the middle!”

He nodded and held the bow in his hands. “It’s like I told you! I still use the skills I’ve learned.” Hyunjin smiled at you again and handed you the bow.

“What is it? Why are you giving me-“ He stopped your question and put an arrow in your free hand.

“Don’t worry, I’m just gonna help you.” His voice was soft as he adjusted your hand placement and your angle. You ignored the hot feeling in your cheeks, but you were thankful for his help.

“Okay,” Hyunjin continued, “now close your right eye, since that’s the hand you’ll be shooting with.” You listened to his words and closed your eye. “Now just hold back your right arm. Only shoot when you’re ready.” You strengthened your grip and almost forgot that Hyunjin was there. Straightening your gaze like he had done before, you finally let go of the arrow. Your eyes closed immediately as you did.

Your worries wavered away as you heard Hyunjin’s laugh. “You did good for your first try! Come on, open your eyes and look. I promise you actually got a hit on the target.” As you opened your eyes, you saw the target with the arrow on the third ring. You looked at him and smiled.

“It’s okay, Princess,” he chuckled, “The third ring is good enough.”

“Thank you, Hyunjin.” You replied. His laugh made you laugh along with him. “I’m surprised that you even wanted to show me! So thank you very much for the lesson.”

He shook his hands around in a sporadic manner. “Don’t worry, it’s not a problem.”

You could tell that he really was happy to teach you and that his smile was genuine. A rush of shock ran over you as you realized how late it was. “Oh no... I totally forgot that I had to meet with my mom today.” Your eyes were sorry as you said, “Please forgive me for leaving so suddenly, I have a meeting and I can’t stay too long. I’m really sorry, Hyunjin.” You did a head bow as an apology.

“Please don’t bow to me, Princess Y/N! If you need to leave, it’s okay. Feel free to go! I-I wouldn’t want to keep you any longer.” Hyunjin’s words were a jumble, he couldn’t figure out what he wanted to say to you. Especially after your politeness towards him.

You giggled a bit at his flustered behavior. “Alright, see you later! Thanks again for the archery lesson!”

Hyunjin watched as you dashed off into the distance, probably going to the castle. There was a pleasant feeling in his chest. He was glad that he could have a good time with even a Princess. But he couldn’t figure out what it was about you that made him smile so much to himself... was it your attitude? Your kindness? Maybe he was thinking too much about it.

“Oh hey Hyunjin!” A familiar voice greeted him. Hyunjin turned around and saw Chan standing there with his bright smile. “What are you doing out here? Doing some archery?” Chan referred to the setup in front of them.

“Yeah! I even got to give Princess Y/N a small lesson. With her permission, of course.” Hyunjin replied.

Chan was intrigued as his mouth formed a small ‘o’. “Oh, I see. That’s good, I’m glad she’s trying new things.” He smiled again.

Hyunjin nodded happily. He glanced to the table that had the bows and arrows on them and noticed there were only two bows instead of the three that were there before. “Oh, I guess she accidentally took one of the bows with her. She was kind of in a rush.”

“That makes sense. She doesn’t like to make the Queen upset over simple things like being late.” Chan patted Hyunjin’s shoulder. “Don’t worry too much, she’ll probably be able to give it to you later.”

“Yeah..” He started to walk with Chan back into the castle.

“Hey,” Chan said quickly, “Do you think I could learn some archery skills from you, too? I can teach you how to handle and fight with a sword in exchange.”

Hyunjin chuckled. “Sure, I’ve been needing to get better at that, anyway.”

...

You had met with your mother that day to talk about the harvest festival taking place in a few days. It was the pride of your kingdom; the small amount of time that most ‘regulars’ could come into the castle to join in games, music, and dancing. You looked across the table at your mother with confusion in your brows when she told you that you were going to be greeting people for most of the festival.

“What? What do you mean? That’s what you and Father usually do.” You retorted.

Your mother sighed. “Yes, I know. It’s different but it’s okay! Instead of us, it’ll be you and Minho. That’s why you two are doing the ending dance instead of your father and I. And then you can take the prized crown alongside Minho.”

You found her smile too pleasant. It made you feel betrayed that she would tell you so early, as if she knew you would’ve tried to leave. “But.. why didn’t you tell me earlier? I’m still just a young princess, you know.”

“Don’t play that game with me. Why else would I have you practice with Minho beforehand? Be reasonable and stop arguing with your mother.” She said plainly.

“Fine, I guess I have to do it.” Her tone made you feel overpowered, like whatever you would’ve said wouldn’t have mattered anyway. “Thank you for telling me, Mother. I hope I can greet everyone well.”

She laid a hand on your cheek and smiled at you. “That’s my girl. I’m going to pick out the best dress and accessories for you, I promise. You’ll wear the crown greatly.”

“Thank you,” you told her again before you left. All you wanted to do is get to your room, the one place you could let your emotions out. At this point, you didn’t want to go to the harvest festival at all. You jumped on the bed at stayed there for a few hours.

You hadn’t wanted to do much around the castle the next few days. Your mother and father had decided to let you do what you wanted to do; to be by yourself. Your father came to you yesterday to reassure you that you could do it, just for one night.

Though you didn’t respond at all, you remember him talking about sudden threats that had come around every harvest festival. All he wanted was for you to be safe, and he knew that throwing you into it was not the best decision. Your father just knew in his heart that you would do well, like he and your mother did.

You decided to get up after two sluggish days. You looked outside of the window and then at the clock. “I guess I’ll have to really do it tomorrow.” You mumbled.

Maybe, just maybe it wouldn’t be so bad.

...

As you sat at the mirror getting ready for the festival, you practiced your smile. You even tried different ones to change it up and give your face a rest. One of your designers laughed.

“What are you doing, Princess Y/N? You look so funny.” She said, still chuckling.

You looked back to her and retorted, “I’m practicing my smile for the festival. Father says not to look too dull.”

“Well trust me,” she laughed, “the king will be surprised and probably pleased.” You shared a smile with her but she quickly faced your head towards the mirror. “Now face forward. I need to finish your makeup in 30 minutes.”

Before you knew it, you were walking down the spiraling staircase to the main floor. You felt stiff due to the makeup and extravagant light red dress, but you had to admit that you looked good. When you got down, you saw Minho standing there in his tuxedo. It was a nice red with white accents. The red matched your own.

You smiled as you came to him, deciding to be as nice as you could to him that day. “You look so nice today. Your courters dressed you well.” You remarked.

“Thank you, Y/N. You look splendid.” Minho replied as he went for a kiss on your hand, as he usually did.

“Let’s get going, okay? The gates open in a few minutes!”

He beamed at your enthusiasm and took a tight hold on your hand. “Of course.”

...

For the past two hours at the harvest festival, you had been stuck greeting every single person who had stepped through the door. You were glad to see all of your citizens but while all of them moved on from the line and had fun, you were still stuck at the door. And to make matters worse, Minho held onto your hand like it was life or death.

All of a sudden, the music playing from the ballroom stopped. You remembered it from before.

“Now, we’ll stop the dancing for a few minutes to have a special couple dance together.” Your father’s voice was clear from the ballroom.

Minho looked at you. “I guess that’s us.” He walked with you, hand in hand, to the ballroom.

“And it’s not just any couple. It’s our very own junior fiancés!” Your mother added as you and Minho walked in. All of the citizens clapped and cheered for you, yet only you were surprised by the term ‘fiancé’.

Soon, you and Minho were the center of attention. All of everyone’s eyes were on you two. Minho tried to assure you that everything would be okay with his eyes, as if he could tell that you were worried.

You must’ve spaced out; the music started playing again. A smile came back to you as you remembered the song. You waltzed with him like you had practiced before, moving your way across the floor. Minho’s glimmering eyes showed a deep effect of love towards you. You tried your best to ignore how close he was until the end of the song.

The citizens clapped for your shared dance. You smiled, you must’ve done it well. “Guess we didn’t do too bad, huh?” You said quietly.

Minho placed a hand on your cheek and surprised you and everyone else in the ballroom; he kissed the other one. You didn’t know why he would’ve done it so passionately, it wasn’t like how you had practiced. Your feelings were unsure.

What’s going on? Is this okay? Why do I feel like this?

You pulled away after a few seconds of thinking. Backing away, you ran out with a small mumble, “I’m sorry.”

Your hands were clammy. You felt like you hadn’t drank water in days. The butterflies in your stomach seemed to only get worse. You needed to get out of there. No, you needed to get anywhere but there. Your thoughts were a giant mess as you thought of where to go. Thinking of leaving the castle was already a no, but where else could you-

“Ah!” You let out after bumping into a familiar figure in the main hall.

Hyunjin caught you. “Careful there, princess. You remember what the King and Queen said, hm?” He said, keeping your eye contact. “You should be in the ballroom.” Leaning over your shoulder to whisper those few words.

“I know. It’s just..” Steps could be heard down the hall along with your mother’s calls for you. You glanced back to him. Your thoughts ran dry, and you did the only thing you thought to do. “Kiss me.”

“Princess Y/N-“

“I said kiss me.” You didn’t know where the straightforwardness was coming from but what would happen was unexpected.

Hyunjin leaned in for a kiss on your lips and closed his eyes. You had enjoyed it as you both moved swiftly into the room next to you. He had held onto your head tightly as he continued to kiss you.

When you both let go, you smiled. You couldn’t help but giggle a bit. “You’re a good kisser, Guard Hwang.”

“There’s no need to call me that, Princess Y/N.” He shook his head with a smile, still a little shocked that he kissed the princess in the first place. “But I have a question.”

You looked at him with curious eyes. “What is it?” You asked.

“Why did you come sprinting down there? And I understand that it might be hard to talk about.” Hyunjin replied softly.

“Well, you remember the prince I was dancing with that day, correct?” Hyunjin nodded at your question. “Basically we did the same dance at the festival today. But Minho changed things up and kissed me on the cheek. I didn’t know what to do, I was just confused..” Your voice fell to a quieter level.

Hyunjin patted your back and sat you down on the bed in the room. “Don’t worry about him, it’s okay. He should’ve known that you wouldn’t have liked it as much as he would’ve.”

You shared a pleasant smile with Hyunjin as he continued to pat your back. You were glad that someone was there to uplift you.

The lovely feeling in the room soon disappeared when yells of “intruder” and “thief” came upon Hyunjin’s and your ears from outside the room. You looked at him worried but he shook his head.

“Stay here, okay? I’m still supposed to be on post.” Hyunjin stated.

As Hyunjin walked out of the room and down the hall, he kept a serious face. His eyes glanced around as if he could feel someone else’s presence was there. He slowly got the bow — one of the secondary ones from your small lesson — off of him and slowed his pace.

“You guys are very bad at hiding.” He mumbled. He easily could see one of the culprits hiding behind a pillar in a mirror right across. Without any hesitation, he lifted the bow and strengthened his grip on the arrow and shot for the mirror instead.

The man screamed and jumped out of the way. He started to shake on the floor. Hyunjin sighed as he walked up to the man and held him by his collar. “I’m sorry sir. I don’t care what sob story you give me, duty calls. I have to take you to the King for intruding.” He flipped the man over and stood up with him, soon grabbing his wrists from behind and placing them over each other.

“Let’s go.” Hyunjin’s tone made the guilty culprit start walking with his head down.

“You do know that it’s not just me, right?” said the man.

“Well of course. There’s never just one.” Hyunjin replied quickly.

The man sighed as if he was immediately sorry. “I’m very sorry for what might happen to the kingdom after all of this.”

“There’s no need to apologize to me,” Hyunjin said to the man, “that’s something you need to take up with the King and Queen. Just know that it’s likely that you’ll go to jail for this.”

The man was surprised at how nonchalant Hyunjin was. “Thank you for not being too rough with me.”

“Just doing my job, sir.” Hyunjin said with a small chuckle.

After a few minutes, the intruder and Hyunjin made it to the King in the ballroom. “Here, Your Highness. I’ve caught one of the intruders.”

“Thank you, Guard Hwang. I appreciate it.” The King smiled as he took the culprit to some policemen that were called to the scene. “Here’s one of them!” He called to them.

Hyunjin looked around the ballroom, recognizing the faces he had seen at his post. The citizens murmured worriedly all around. But he could tell that someone was missing.

“Your Highness,” Hyunjin called, “do you mind if I check outside? That culprit over there told me that there’s more than just him.” The king nodded. “Of course, just take another guard with you.” He motioned towards Chan. “Guard Bang, go with Guard Hwang to check outside. If there’s more intruders, just call for more.”

“Yes, Sir.” Chan grabbed his sword and shield in hand. “Alright let’s get going, Hyunjin.”

Hyunjin nodded and the two went out of the castle, soon being met with the slowly setting sky. They looked all around the perimeter of the castle after deciding to split up but after they found nothing, they threw away the plan and searched together.

“Do you think anyone’s actually out here?” Hyunjin whispered to Chan softly.

Chan shrugged at his question. He wasn’t quite sure what could come from searching or not. “Usually there’s more than one when it comes to castle takeovers, so probably. But it’s hard to see with only the moon enlightening us. So try not to worry. The King won’t kill you if no one’s out here.” He tried to lighten up the mood with a chuckle.

“Okay..” Hyunjin mumbled. For a while, only the crunching of the grass under their boots could be heard. They paid close attention to their surroundings.

“S-stop right there!” A voice shouted from behind them, their voice breaking near the end of their scream. Hyunjin and Chan turned around to see the person who owned the voice: Prince Minho with a sword held in front of him. “What are you guards doing out here?”

Chan held his sword in a tight hand. “We should be asking you the same question.”

“I just wanted to get some fresh air. It was a bit congested in there.” Minho’s light laugh had a nod to something else. He had kept one hand behind his back.

“Are you sure about that?” Hyunjin spoke up. “There’s something more to what you’re saying.” His eyes stayed close to the prince’s hidden hand.

“Your Highness,” Chan started, “may I ask you to lower your sword?”

Minho’s face tightened. He didn’t expect this. “O-of course. Of course I can.” His voice shook slightly; he was terrified. He knew they knew. But still, he didn’t lay down his sword. He couldn’t. “Actually.. no. Shouldn’t you be a bit more respectful to your future king? I can do as I please.”

When Minho turned around to leave, Chan pushed his weight onto him and tried to hold him down. “Hyunjin, here!” He held out what the prince had been hiding: the crown. “Go and return it! I’ll take care of this guy.”

“Okay!” Hyunjin ran off and dashed through the castle. He held to a pause when he saw you standing there in the hall. “Princess Y/N.. I think this is yours.”

You held the crown tightly and smiled. “Thank you so much, Hyunjin. I really appreciate it.” You wanted to thank him but the confidence from before came back to you. “Hey, do you have time to dance with a princess such as myself?”

“Well, I think so. I do have to do my job as a guard and stay at my post.” He chuckled. “But of course, Princess.”

You smiled softly and took his hand to lead him into the room you were both in before. “I know the perfect song.” You soon put in the song that gave you pleasure into the gramophone.

Hyunjin took your hand gently and began to waltz with you. His smile was soft on his face as it reached his eyes. The strings in the music led you across the room. You hadn’t wanted your final dance any other way. The song calmed along with your dancing near the end.

“I feel like I’m going to cause you trouble, Princess Y/N.” Hyunjin said, his hand was tenderly clasped with yours.

“I would count it as good trouble, my archer.” You softly replied as you kissed his cheek. As Hyunjin put the crown atop your head, you both laughed. The two of you waltzed in the room for the rest of the night, the sun’s final colors setting behind you through the window.

[workofthediesel]

Something with marcia + sarah being friends/Literally Just Nice To Each Other For Once (or smth angsty w marcia,, maybe both) combined

fic requests are open! send me an ask!

Sarah sat in her sitting room, her hands clenched awkwardly in her lap. She was used to having people over for tea—back when the kids were still kids, Sally Mullin would be over once a week for a cup and some gossip, and even now they kept up the tradition, moving from her cluttered room in the Ramblings to her equally cluttered sitting room in the Palace. But it wasn;t the familiar and friendly Sally sat across from Sarah now; it was none other than Madam Marcia Overstrand.

Marcia was perched on the edge of the sofa, looking every bit as uncomfortable as Sarah was. She was holding one of Sarah’s old mugs in her hands--like everything in the sitting room, the mug was something the Heaps had brought with them from their old life in the Ramblings. It was old and chipped, but Sarah was too sentimental to let it go.

Silence was thick between them, neither one of them knowing what to say. They were only here on Septimus’s request. After he’d heard about the disaster that had led to Sarah getting trapped in the Palace in the middle of the Darke Domaine, he had insisted they learn how to at least be civil to each other. He didn’t want his own family--and here he’d hurriedly added “and Marcia,” almost as if he was correcting himself--constantly at odds with each other.

Sarah had been indignant at first. The argument had had nothing to do with her. It was all Macia’s fault for barging in and barking orders without explaining anything. But Septimus quickly shot her down, telling her that Marcia had been trying to explain, and that while Marcia may have to learn how to talk to people better, Sarah had to learn how to listen. Sarah didn’t have a come back for that and she shut her mouth, listening in stunned silence as Septimus told her that Marcia would be over for tea the next afternoon and he expected them to both at least try to get along.

So here they were now, crammed into Sarah’s tiny sitting room, waiting until Marcia finished her tea so she could leave. They’d tell Septimus that the afternoon was a success and then they’d never have to do it again.

A loud quack from behind the couch shattered the silence in the room. Ethel waddled out from where she’d been napping and made a beeline for Sarah’s feet. Without a moment’s hesitation, Sarah scooped her up and pulled her into her lap, wrapping her arms around her.

“I see that duck is still as enamored with you as ever,” Marcia said. They were the first words either of them had spoken since she’d arrived.

“Her name is Ethel,” Sarah told her snappily.

“Right, Ethel. Of course,” Marcia said. “I remember that now.” The silence resumed for a few moments, and Sarah hoped that that meant it would be the end of the conversation, but Marcia continued, “Did you make that coat for her yourself?”

“Of course I did!” Sarah said, arranging Ethel to be more comfortable in her lap. “The poor dear doesn’t have any feathers, how else is she supposed to keep warm?”

Marcia nodded, taking another moment to choose her words. “It’s very… dedicated of you to take such good care of her.”

“Hmph. Well, someone has to do it. She can’t just be left to fend for herself.”

“Of course not,” Marcia agreed. Sarah suspected that she was thinking that it might have been better off for everyone if Ethel had been left to fend for herself in the Darke Domaine, but she at least had the sense not to mention it. Instead, she changed the subject. “Where’s Silas?”

“Oh, I don’t know,” Sarah said. “Out somewhere looking for those silly game pieces of his.”

“Ah, yes,” Marcia said knowingly. “The Counters.”

“That game has completely taken over his life--and mine, too,” Sarah complained. “It’s all he ever talks about anymore.”

“It’s a rather childish game,” Marcia said. “Fitting, I suppose, that he likes it so much, but I can’t imagine there’s that much to talk about.”

Sarah shook her head. “You’d be wrong about that. Every conversation with him now turns into how he’s wondering where all those pieces slipped off to, how they’re doing, if they’ve gone completely feral or if he might be able to get them back. On top of that, he has all these big plans for creating a Castle Counter-Feet League and hosting all these competitions at the Palace. He’s even been writing books about the wretched thing.”

“Books?” Marcia echoed, sounding shocked.

“Well, pamphlets, I suppose. All about strategies and tips for training and how to build your set. He spends all his spare time working on them. I think he hopes to get them properly published. Even I don’t know how many he’s written.”

There were a few seconds when Marcia didn’t know how to respond. Eventually she settled on, “Well, at least he’s passionate about something.”

“Yes,” Sarah agreed reluctantly, “I suppose it’s better than him sitting around like a lump on a log, but couldn’t he have gotten passionate about something useful? If he’d had this much dedication to his studies years ago, he would have been the ExtraOrdinary Wizard.”

As soon as the words left her mouth, Sarah bit her tongue. For a second she had forgotten who she was talking to. She was sure Marcia was about to blow up on her, and Septimus would be so disappointed in her for failing him on his plan. She was wondering if she should apologize just to smooth things over--and if that would even work--but Marcia was already talking.

“He didn’t give up his Apprenticeship because he didn’t care about it,” she said. “He gave it up for you. You and the boys.”

“I know he felt bad about spending so much time at work,” Sarah said, “but if he put his mind to it like he does to this game, he could have--”

“No,” Marcia cut her off, shaking her head. “It wasn’t about the time he spent away from home. At least, not entirely. Alther told me that he backed out of his Apprenticeship because he was starting his Darke Week?”

“Darke Week?”

“It’s something unique to ExtraOrdinary Apprenticeships. The ExtraOrdinary Wizard needs to have a much better knowledge of the Darke than Ordinary Wizards do, so during their Apprenticeships, they spend quite a bit of time studying the Darke. It all adds up to a big project with the Apprentice undertaking some Darke task to prove they can responsibly and safely incorporate some of the Darke into their studies. It’s a very big deal in ExtraOrdinary Apprenticeships. Anyway, Alther told me that Silas gave up his Apprenticeship when they got to the lessons about the Darke. At first I thought it was because he was too afraid of the Darke to continue, but Alther told me it was because of you and the boys at home.”

“Me?” Sarah echoed.

Marcia nodded. “He was so worried that something Darke might follow him home, and he didn’t want to risk putting you and the boys in danger.”

“Oh,” Sarah said after a few moments. She didn’t know how else to respond. She’d never held Silas giving up his ExtraOrdinary Apprenticeship against him, but she did privately think that if he had just put in a little more effort, they could have been a lot better off than they were. Not that she was ever unhappy with him in the Ramblings, but life there wasn’t exactly easy with seven kids and just one salary. But knowing that him stepping down from his Apprenticeship wasn’t him being lazy but was a move to keep his family safe…

Marcia was watching her quietly. “Did he really never tell you?”

Sarah shook her head.

“Well, I suppose that makes sense. The Darke Week isn’t really something ExtraOrdinary Apprentices are supposed to talk about.”

“Will Septimus have to do this Darke Week?” Sarah asked nervously.

“He’s already done it. And passed with flying colors, I should add. Not that I ever expected anything different.”

Sarah nodded in agreement. Septimus truly had skill like no other when it came to his Magyk.

They slipped back into silence for a minute before Marcia set her mug down on the table and stood up. “I should be going now,” she said briskly. “Thank you for the tea, Sarah, it was lovely.”

“Of course.” Sarah stood as well to show Marcia to the door. “Thank you for coming, I had a wonderful time as well.” The words were routinely polite, but Sarah was surprised to find that they weren’t entirely untrue.

Marcia carefully picked her way across the sitting room to the door Sarah was holding open for her, watching the floor to make sure she didn’t accidentally step in any of the piles of duck poo that were laying about. When she made it to the safety of the hallway she picked up her usual speed, her cloak billowing out behind her as she made her way down the hall.

Sarah stood watching her from the doorway. Before Marcia could turn the corner and disappear completely, Sarah called out to her on impulse. “Marcia?”

Marcia stopped, turning back to Sarah. The impatient expression Sarah would have expected to see on her face was nowhere to be found.

Sarah felt a little unsure about was she was about to say, but she said it anyway. “Simon’s wedding is coming up. I’m sure you already knew that because Septimus will need the day off to attend, but… It would mean a lot to us if you came as well.”

The shock that initially crossed Marcia’s features was, perhaps, deserved. She and the Heaps had never quite seen eye-to-eye, and it wasn’t a secret that any event of theirs she attended was because of how important she was to Septimus. But the wedding was Simon’s special day, and no one had discussed whether or not to invite Marcia. But Sarah knew that inviting Marcia was the right thing to do. Septimus would want her there, Simon would want her there, and surprisingly, Sarah found out that she wanted her there.

In just a second, Marcia schooled her features back into an impassive mask. “It would be my pleasure,” she said evenly, but Sarah could hear the notes of genuine happiness that were trying to sneak through into her voice.

With that, Marcia turned on her heel and strode off down the hall, fighting to keep a smile at bay. Behind her, in the sitting room, Sarah was doing the same.

[juniebjoneswrites]

Bring Me Home // Harry Styles

Are We Out Of The Woods? (5)

Next chapter is 90% Harry, strap in!

t/w: remembrance of assault 

/the past/

“This is in everyone's best interest. It will help Elijah and his family to have the best outcome for any of you to come forward with information of his whereabouts,” a detective tells the five of us, they think he’s a runaway. “We know you six were close so odds are at least one of you knows something.”

We’re all sitting around Sam’s room waiting for someone to talk. I know if I speak a single word my secrets will spill from me like a knife wound. I cannot afford the blood loss no matter how great and valid the retribution. I am scared. I pace the room with my hands in my pocket. How does the prey become the shark? Or how do you make the shark afraid? All I have on my hands are questions in blood and I can feel Eli sinking into me whispering more. I can’t shake his presence or chill. “I’m sorry,” I scream, “I’m sorry. I’m sorry.” But my mind is only ever as loud or violent as a echoed whisper.

I don’t know when they all decided to leave but my sister pulls me from the floor I’ve found my way to and out to her car. I still say nothing. She pins me against the passenger door. “What’s going on?” she whispers harshly. I whimper and shake my head. “You were acting like a fucking lobotomy patient in there, June,” she’s pleading. “What is going on?”

My strings are unraveling and I can’t hold on for long. I need a foothold but all I can find are fault lines. I want the earth to split open, the Devil himself to wrap his red, scalding fingers around my ankle and drag me down so I don’t have to live with this. I reach for the door handle and attempt to pull it open. Tears are coming down so heavily that if I don’t get into this car now she will have to put me in like a child. I glance at his house. The house that chose him and he quickly learned to choose back. I see the days there with our bikes in his yard that turned into days where our cars littered his driveway. I saw my childhood intertwined with his and the secret time capsule we buried in the backyard with our keepsakes. We still haven’t dug it up. I see my first kiss and my first crush. I see Josie knocking on his door and politely asking for me only to then drag me out for being late for curfew. I see secrets and promises and love. But I no longer see him.

I watched us grow and change in that house. We’re eight years after that winter day and I can still feel his hands on me. They’re different now, rough and calloused from his guitar. I feel him watching me with his eyes like the ground from our mother earth, he gave me life. I feel him around me even now, in the wind and sun. I feel him in my sisters hands, hard on my shoulders. I feel him in my chest threatening to break free and tell her everything. I am sobbing. “Quiet,” I beg him in my mind. “Quiet. Please, please.” The ground is cool and is the first thing I register. There are pebbles pushing into my skin and I can only be thankful that they’re only things threatening it now. The sound around me is high pitched and far away. I think I can hear my sister crying for me to respond but I can’t make my body move to her. “I’m trying,” I try to say. I don’t think I’m talking but there’s another voice that carries with hers. Before I can make it out everything goes black.

I wake up in my bed, I don’t know how long I’ve been asleep. My fathers snoring on a chair he brought in from the living room in the hazy evening sun. I roll over and my body feels like it took the impact of an asteroid. I try to sit up but a wave of dizziness washes over me so I lay back down. When I wake up again it's the middle of the night. I roll into the warmth next to me and find my sister's body; curling into her, she wraps her arm around me.

“Don’t do that to me again,” She whispers exhaustedly.

“I’m sorry. What happened?" “The doctors said it was from stress. You hit your head too,”

I feel my head where it hurts and it stings to the touch. I suck in a breath. Great. When I sleep again I’m being chased through the woods.

I’m running through throngs of people, and past places I’ve never been. Am I being chased? I can’t tell. But it feels like it and it feels like he's gaining. I run harder. My lungs have never felt like this. It’s like being sliced with razors and pebbles bouncing off the walls. It feels like lava disintegrating my insides. I keep running. House, house, house, house, apartments, apartments, corner store, laundromat, run down law office, pizza shop, apartments, apartments. I do not know these places. How long have I been running? I don’t know. The more my body aches to stop, the more I feel him behind me. I run harder. Runners? Wave. Have an alibi. Don’t go missing. Don’t go alone. Don’t go into the woods. Don’t go on any paths. Stay in sight. Stay alive. Run on near the coast. Find Eli.

I run like this for hours and at a certain point my mind goes blank. The only thing I feel is the heat inside. Almost tripping on an uneven sidewalk, I slow and walk over to the pier to look at the ocean. Where are you? I sit on a bench and try to steady my breath. The warm morning air buzzes as the pier comes to life. I close my eyes and listen to the sounds like a heartbeat, letting the warm sun lull me. I can almost find peace here. The pain in my body eliviates as I sink into the bench. I hear young children laughing, busy streets, the pier workers setting up their shops, people walking by on early morning business calls. Someone drops something, I imagine it’s coffee, or maybe tea. I hear them grumble. I almost want to offer to trade them their troubles. I’d like to be upset over spilled milk.

I hear seagulls cawing. Opening my eyes I watch them dip and dive in an intricate dance of fish breakfasts and stolen bagels. They are chaos in the making and I want nothing more than to see one succeed. They’re bullies, the ostriches of the skies. One lands on the arm rest opposite me and stares. “I have nothing,” I say, showing my hands. It squawks and flies away, getting lost in the mess of them. A child screams alone in front of a local bakery. I look over to find her parents and see no one. As I start towards the crosswalk for the girl a man and woman step from the bakery looking panicked. I freeze instantly. The mom gives the father her purchase and scoops the child up, thankful she didn’t get far. The man puts the food in the stroller and scans the street to cross. His gaze is on me for what feels like an eternity but I’m sure it was only a fraction of a second. If he recognizes me as they pass, he shows no sign of it, nor does his wife.

A slamming car door brings me back to and I cross the road to get as far away as I can. A runner waves on the opposite side when I make it across. I stare at him for recognition but he’s wearing glasses and a cap and the distance makes it hard, but I smile and wave back. He seems friendly enough and if that man did recognize me, I would need a witness for my timeline. I run back home.

I don’t even make it through my door before my mom flings it open and pulls me into her. “Where have you been?” She’s worried. Her hair’s thrown up out of her face, sleeves rolled as if she’s going to throw hands with my captor for my safety.

“I went for a run,” “No one knew where you were,” she pulls back. “You were just gone,”

“Mom you’re the one who told me to run,” I say back in an almost laugh.

“Yes but not before the sun is even up! Do you know what time it is?” I do not know. “Just leave a note next time or take your phone with you for Christ’s sake.” I apologize and she forgives the way moms do and offers to make some breakfast while I shower.

I turn the water as hot as I can stand and then make it hotter. I wanted to burn his eyes off of me. He must not have recognized me. I think back to remember if he ever saw my face. I massage the shampoo through my hair and feel Elijah's hands running through it. The memory quickly shifts; that man is wrapping it around his hand and shoving my face into mud and leaves. I quickly rinse and open my eyes. My scalp is still sore from his assault and my fall but the long hair he had held is now gone, cut to the chin.

I did it two days after coming home in the dead of night. Quietly, washed the crusted dirt and leaves from my body and clothes as a bruise formed over my cheek where it hit a rock after I fell. Thank goodness for the power of makeup for my ability to hide my wounds. But I couldn’t hide my shaking and panic though so I faked a stomach bug and stayed in bed for three days.

Every time I try to go to the police I can hear his voice, “I will gut you,” he pushes my face into the ground. “I will kill your family,” there’s pressure against my back. The gun cocks, “No one will believe you,” and they won't. Because cops don’t kill people. He will have no repercussions. I’m crying and trying to crawl away but he just laughs and then everything goes dark. I can’t know if he saw my face after that but the forest was dark and the moon was dim. I couldn’t even see my hands in front of me so I feel secure that if he tried to know me, the earth he pressed me into would’ve at least hidden me well enough. I still feel it swirling in my mouth like a shaken snow globe of blood and dirt.

Downstairs my mom has made blueberry pancakes and I smell banana muffins in the oven. My sister sits reading at the end of the table in her favorite pink nightshirt with an old, faded Garfield on it. Classic rock buzzes softly through my ears as my mom hums along. The sun still shines through the windows in a late, hazy morning glow. I can smell the flowers on the sill outside as the bees bobble and bounce around them. My feet are cool on the wooden floor and not far from them our tabby cat lazily lays in the sun's rays, tail flicking happily. My chest rises and falls with this safety and I control my emotions enough to hug my mom from behind as she flips the eggs. She laughs lightly and I can hear her smiling. She rubs her hand over my arms and turns within my grasp to kiss my head. “I am so thankful for you,” She whispers. My breath hitches and I bury my face deeper into her. When I feel the mud threatening me I will remember this and it will bring me home, wherever I may be.

(1) / (2) / (3) / (4) / 5 / (6)

[myownworldstayout]

New Friends Ch.3

Ch.1 / Ch.2 / Ch.4

(Thank you guys so much for your support and kind words!! It really means so much to me that you guys enjoy my writing this much! Anyway, Here’s chapter three :D )

Kagami tried to take notes for her class, but in the end they made no sense. She couldn’t even write a coherent sentence with her thoughts lingering on Agreste. 

I’m going to talk to him today. She had decided. 

Kagami didn’t doubt Marinette, but there had been misunderstandings with the girl before. Perhaps this was just that? Another misunderstanding?

She certainly hoped so. Adrien was the first friend she made at this school. If there was a bully in the class, she liked to believe that he would have enough honor to defend the victims. 

“Kagami~” Aurore sang beside her, finally gaining her friend’s attention.

Kagami flinched, looking up with her deep brown eyes, wide with shock.

Aurore pulled a sweet smile, though it faded into concern a moment after.

“Class is over now. You don’t usually get so distracted. Is something wrong?” 

Kagami glanced around the classroom. It was indeed empty. She stood up with a huff, irritated that she let her thoughts wander so easily. 

“Everything’s fine. I just need to have a talk with Adrien.” Kagami said calmly, placing her tablet in her bag. 

“About Marinette?” Aurore said curiously, following Kagami down the steps and out of the classroom. 

“Yes, where are the boys?” Kagami turned back to Aurore in a brief halt. 

“They said they’d meet us at the cafeteria.” 

“Good. I’ll see you there.” 

Aurore nodded towards the implied request. She knew better than to get in the way of Kagami’s “quests”. 

The two parted ways, and Kagami soon found herself outside of Adrien’s classroom. Unfortunately he wasn’t there. It appeared she’d be going to the cafeteria sooner than she originally thought. 

~~~~~~

Marinette walked with Felix to the cafeteria, mostly because no one else wanted to walk with either of them and they were going in the same direction. 

They went through the cafeteria line just as they had walked to the cafeteria. Silently. Though it was a bit awkward at times, Marinette preferred the quietness to listening to Lila. she could still hear her over-glorified classmate from across the lunch room. 

Her class was eagerly flocking around the foreigner, taking in her every word. Every embellished story. The only thing Marinette could even remotely give her credit for is coming up with all of those stories in the first place. Lila tells new ones everyday, none with the same basis except for her being the hero. 

“No wonder she’s so thin. She can’t keep her mouth closed long enough to eat properly.” Felix muttered to himself. 

Marinette couldn’t help but overhear, and before she knew it she had a hand to her mouth trying to suppress the fit of giggles taking over her. 

From the expression he was wearing, she knew he was being serious. The comment was hilarious to her nonetheless. It was a shame she was the only one that heard it. 

“That’s a bit harsh.” 

Or maybe she hadn’t been. 

The two looked up to see none other than Adrien, wearing a frown, right behind Felix in line. 

“Been a while, Agreste.” Felix raised an eyebrow. 

Marinette and Adrien’s eyes widened in surprise. 

“How do you know my name?” 

“Of course you don’t remember me. Even when we were kids, you were just as self centered as Chloe. She just doesn’t hide it.”

Marinette knitted her eyebrows together in confusion, but Adrien’s eyes seemed to glaze over with recognition.

“Felix..”

“I also wasn’t surprised when Dupain-Cheng said you were the one who told her to stay quiet about Rossi’s lies. You never did like actually standing up to the status quo.” 

Adrien furrowed his eyebrows, looking around Felix to see a pale Marinette who was gripping her tray much tighter now. His frown deepened, and he opened his mouth to comment, but Marinette didn’t give him the chance.

She whirled around, moving for a place to sit where Adrien couldn’t follow. Her eyes desperately flicked to different tables until- 

“Marinette!” A savior called out for her. 

The ravenette sighed with relief when she saw Luka, Wayhem, and Aurore waving her to their table. She took a step forward towards safety, only to be stopped by a hand gently grabbing her arm. It was Adrien. Of course it was.

“Mari, can we talk?” He asked politely. 

She knew what he was doing. They had had this talk several times before. Marinette wanted to say no, but his emerald green eyes sucked her in, just as they always did. She couldn’t say she felt as strongly about him as she used to, due to all that’s happened; however, Marinette also couldn’t say her feelings for him were completely gone.  

“Adrien, I-I really don’t-” 

Marinette was cut off by an emphasized clearing of the throat. They expected it to be Felix, but, upon looking up, they found Kagami instead. Felix was still in line picking out his food. 

“I don’t mean to interrupt-” she began, sharing a look with Marinette “-but do you have a moment, Adrien? There’s something I’d like to discuss.” 

Confusion spread across Adrien’s features. His grasp on Marinette’s arm loosened just enough for Marinette to slip away, retreating to Luka’s table.

He called after her. She didn’t turn around. 

Luka pat the chair next to him with a smile, silently requesting her to sit next to him. 

Marinette gladly obliged, setting down her tray and pulling in her chair.

“What did Adrien want with you?” Aurore inquired, glancing back to see Adrien following Kagami into another area. 

Marinette turned around as well, watching them go around the corner.

“Nothing important.” she sighed.

“That’s for sure.” Felix grumbled, sitting down next to her.

Marinette straightened, glancing at Felix with a tense look in her eyes.

Felix raised an eyebrow questioningly.

Marinette bit her lip, looking at him with curiosity and worry. “W-what was that about with Adrien just now? Do you know him personally?”

She knew it was a dangerous question, and frankly, she wasn’t even sure she wanted him to answer. Unfortunately, Marinette also knew it was a necessary one. 

Felix narrowed his gaze- one of annoyance, she assumed -and he looked down at the table.

“I hate to admit it, but he’s my cousin.” The stiff teen revealed.

Marinette, along with the rest of the group, widened their eyes in shock. Wayhem actually dropped his fork.

Despite the circumstances, Adrien could literally be considered the sun on a cloudless day. Felix, on the other hand, was something relating to a storm cloud, his words similar to acid-like rain.

And they were supposed to believe the two were related?

“Oh..” was all Marinette ended up saying. 

“Does Kagami know?” Luka suddenly asked.

Felix nodded. “Let’s change the subject. I hate saying it out loud enough. I don’t want to dwell on my unfortunate bloodline.”

No one argued.

~~~~~~~

Adrien didn’t understand what was going on with Marinette. Hadn’t they agreed to keep Lila under wraps? Not to mention, he thought Felix was new at the school. How did Marinette know him, and why was she talking to him about Lila? None of this made sense.. 

“I apologize for pulling you away from lunch.” Kagami said at first, regaining Adrien’s attention. 

“It’s alright. What did you need?” The blonde replied, pulling a friendly smile. 

“Do you know a girl named Lila?” She got right to the point.  

“Yeah, she’s in our class.” 

“I’ve heard she claims to know ladybug, that they’re good friends. Is that true?” 

Adrien shifted uncomfortably, obviously unwilling to answer the question.

“Well, you never know I guess..” He ended up muttering. 

Kagami’s eyes narrowed. That wasn’t the reaction she had expected nor wanted. 

“So you think she���s lying?” 

“I..” 

“Does the rest of the class know she’s been lying?” She pressed further. 

Adrien frowned at that. “You already know the answer. So why are you asking me?” 

“You’re in their class. I assumed you wouldn’t let them be deceived.” Kagami snipped, though her calm demeanor remained. 

Adrien stiffened, becoming a bit defensive at the implied accusation.  

“Look, it’s complicated. I just don’t think that outing Lila to the class will help anything.” The boy finally admitted, awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck. “If we do that, she’s just gonna get akumatized again.” 

Kagami’s gaze sharpened when she heard his reply. 

“Marinette was right..” She whispered to herself with a mix of disbelief and disgust. This changed things. 

Adrien was now not only confused, but surprised. Did Marinette tell Kagami about Lila too? How many people did she tell? 

“That’s all I wanted to ask. Thank you for your time.” Kagami abruptly ended the conversation, walking past him and back to the cafeteria.

Adrien turned around to ask her some questions of his own, but she was already gone.

~~~~~~~~~~

When Kagami returned to her table of friends, Marinette noticed she seemed frustrated, yet determined. Since she brought her own lunch, Kagami skipped the line and sat next to Aurore with a pondering expression. 

“How’d it go?” Aurore was the first to ask. 

Kagami didn’t respond at first. Instead, she looked to Marinette. 

“You were right. Adrien’s enabling Lila.” 

Confliction pricked at the back of Marinette’s mind. She was relieved that Kagami believed her about Lila, but to say Adrien was enabling her was a different story. Kagami said it yesterday as well. Marinette couldn’t fully agree with her then either. He just wants to keep the peace..or so he says.

“So what do we do about it?” Luka spoke up. From the look in his eyes, Marinette could tell he was upset about this. 

“Adrien Agreste strikes again.” Wayhem sighed, surprising Marinette further. 

When she first met him as Ladybug, he was extremely obsessed with the model. Does that mean he’s changed his opinion of Adrien since then? 

“Should we tell the class about Lila’s lies?” 

“That hasn’t worked out for Marinette before. We need a different strategy to clear Marinette’s name.” Kagami speculated. 

As the group buzzed about ideas and what to do about Lila, Marinette took the time to think things over. Kagami had a point. If Adrien knew about Lila’s lies and didn’t tell people, he was technically enabling her. Could Marinette really lean on someone like that? 

Alya and Nino didn’t even believe what she said anymore, so they were a clear no in loyalty. 

“Maybe..” Marinette began, hesitantly and quietly. “Maybe we don’t need to.” 

She looked up at the group, who had trailed off. 

“What do mean?” Luka furrowed his eyebrows. Of course they needed to clear her reputation!

Marinette drew in a breath, her gaze flicking to Felix. He hadn’t spoken this entire time. 

Felix met her eyes for a brief second, before going back to the book he was reading. 

“Adrien knows Lila’s not only been telling lies about herself, she’s also been telling lies about me. Yet he does nothing to stop them, going so far as to ask me to do the same.” Marinette chose her words carefully. “The class has known me for years, and Alya’s supposed to be my best friend. Despite that, no one hesitated to believe Lila. doesn’t that.. Doesn’t that mean something?” 

The group went quiet at the question. None of them felt they had a correct answer. 

Felix was looking up now, curious as to where Marinette was going with this. 

Aurore tilted her head to the side with a troubled expression. “Marinette, what are you saying?” 

“I’m saying.. I think.. I think we should just not do anything. To make everyone believe, I mean. If they didn’t believe me at first, is it.. Is it really worth it?” She finished, uncertain. 

The group seemed to think it over, before exchanging glances and nodding in agreement. 

“Okay, Mari. if you want us to leave it alone, we will.” Wayhem said supportively. 

“But would you wanna hang out with us?” Luka then offered, the others immediately joining in. 

Marinette smiled at the suggestion. Hanging out with these wonderful people? People who actually believed her?

“That sounds great.” She answered brightly. 

If she wasn’t sharing so much excitement with the others, she would have noticed a small smile on Felix’s lips when she accepted the proposal.

Tag list: @unabashedbookworm @bluerosette23 @minightrose @rhub4rb @clumsy-owl-4178 @kuroko26 @angstyrastuff @fanboy7794 @choaticneturcl @kristycocopop @dargeon-lissa

(Sorry if some of the tags don’t work. I tried lol)

[riarushi]

dnyl | healing

❥ m.list ↳ ch.1 / ch.2 / ch.3    dnyl | heartbreak

❥ summary- the odd distractions from a terrible heartbreak. ↳ genre- high school au, fluff, angst   word count- 1.4k

➵

"So, who's the new guy?"

You raised your eyebrow at your friend. "What new guy?"

"You know, the pretty one you're always talking to!" She pouted as she began to question your honesty. "I see you guys talking whenever I pass your calculus class, don't lie to me!"

"Ohhh," you sounded. "You mean Harvey?"

"That's his name?" Nodding her head, she began encoding the information into her mind. "When did you guys get together?"

You laughed. "You make it sound like we're dating."

"Are you not?"

A blush made its way onto your cheeks. "Of course not, we're only classmates."

Your friend narrowed her eyes at you. "Hmmm..."

"W-what?"

The comfortable distance returned as she moved beside you. "Okay, if you say so." She shrugged, acting unbothered before changing the subject. "Wanna go to a cafe with me and the love of my life? One just opened nearby!"

"I can't," you responded. "Harvey and I have to work on our bio project."

"Whaaaaat?" Your friend huffed. "Are you spending all your time with that guy?"

You shake your head. "I promise I'll go next time."

"... Fine."

You watched as the girl approached her boyfriend, who was waiting at the doors for her. A smile crept onto your face as you watched him take her books from her arm, effectively making your cheery friend turn red. As they left the building, you decided to make your way to the classroom where Harvey wanted to meet.

I wonder how long he'll be..

You peeked inside, scanning over an almost empty classroom only lit by the sunlight pouring from the windows. Double checking the room number, you stepped in and took a seat near the front. There wasn't much to take in from, just the rows of wooden benches and desks to your sides. On the whiteboard were doodles of hearts and happy faces, probably left behind by students. Perhaps the teacher was the friendly type, enjoying their students' art.

When you turned around, you noticed another student sitting in one of the seats at the back. It was a boy, probably in your grade. You weren't really sure, since he didn't seem to be in any of your classes. His hair was dyed a fashionable silver, covering his face as he was hunched over the paper on his desk. Curiosity was burning in your mind. Surely, it wouldn't be weird to converse with the only other person in the room.

Slowly, you made your way out of your chair and up the small stairway. What you saw him working on made you speechless. It was a random drawing, but it looked professional. The shading made everything pop out, almost as if the paper was three-dimensional. Shuffling closer behind him, you tried to peak over his shoulder and get a better look.

"Do you mind?"

The sudden voice made you jump. He was looking at you, clearly a bit pissed off. His glare was intimidating, contrasting the aura that had previously made him so approachable. You noticed his arm was now covering the art piece.

"Oh, um, sorry..."

The boy let out a sigh, flipping the paper over to the blank side and hiding his work. "Is there something you need from me?" he asked. He leaned back in his seat, still facing you with an irked expression.

"Um..." Honestly, you just wanted to spend time talking to someone while waiting for your bio partner. It didn't seem like asking this student to do that was going to end well. "I... was wondering if you know where this guy named Harvey is?" you began rambling. "He has blonde hair and really blue eyes. And.. um.. he also has--"

"I know who you're talking about," he interrupted. His expression lost its forced softness, scaring you a bit. "If you're looking for him, maybe the last thing you should be doing is sitting in a classroom doing nothing except bothering people."

What is up with this guy? You frowned, thinking about how you had originally meant to approach him in a friendly manner. Now, you didn't even want to be in the same room as him.

"That wasn't my intention," you defended.

"Well, I'm clearly busy," he snapped back.

Just then, you heard a familiar voice come from the doorway. "Y/N!"

You turned to see the blonde running up the stairs to meet up with you. He had a bright smile on, as usual. The tense air immediately fell in his presence.

"Sorry for keeping you waiting," he started. "I had to help a friend out with something."

"It's no problem." You turned your back to the artist sitting behind you. Harvey glanced over you, noticing him.

"Oh, Renjun! I didn't know you and Y/N were friends." His surprise took over the grin on his face, making his lips form a small 'o' shape.

"We're not." Renjun returned to his original hunched posture, flipping his paper over and picking up the pencil. "She was just asking where you were."

"Oh, whoops." The other boy laughed, slightly guilty. "What're you doing here? There's no club today."

"I just wanted somewhere quiet to sketch."

Harvey, the sweetest person you've met in the past month, is friends with the person that couldn't even say a single polite thing to you two minutes ago? You watched them chat for a while, eyebrows furrowed in confusion.

"Well, Y/N and I should probably get going. See you tomorrow, Renjun!" Your partner taps your back gently before running down to grab your bag at the front of the desk. "Come on, we need to get that project done, don't we?"

You took one more look at the guy known as Renjun, who had already become engrossed in his creative mind. I guess Harvey is the type that can befriend anyone.

"Do you want me to carry your stuff all the way to the library?" the boy beside you teased.

"Oh, sorry." You smiled, taking the backpack offered to you. Feeling a comfortable atmosphere between the two of you, you decided to satisfy your curiosity. "Who was that guy?"

"Hehe, he's a scary one, isn't he?"

Right on.

Harvey's gaze moved up towards the roof, still keeping his pace with you as you made a turn towards the far exit at the end of the hall. "He's not as mean as you think, y'know. Renjun and I are in the same club."

"What club?"

"Hehe, wouldn't you like to know?" he joked. Noticing you vigorously nodding your head, he continued. "DNYL, or 'Don't Need Your Love'."

You had never heard of that one before. "What does the club do? Or, like, what kind of club is it?"

"It just a gathering club," he explained, "for people who have had their hearts broken."

Ouch. That hit you in a spot that you didn't want to think about.

"Have you had your heart broken before?" you asked quietly.

"No, not really." Harvey pushed the door open, ushering you outside. "I just think a club like this is nice. People who've been hurt can find others that understand them, and together they heal. Even if I haven't experienced heartbreak, I can still cheer people up."

What a Harvey thing to say.

"What about you, Y/N?"

The question caught you off guard. "Have I ever had my heart broken?" His encouraging smile tempted you to keep going, but you were unsure about how much to share. Maybe you weren't close enough just yet, or perhaps he would think you were over-explaining. "Um, no. I haven't really had something like that, either," you lied.

"Really? That's cool." His obliviousness allowed you to relax a bit. "You should still join our club, though! We're pretty small and I could use some help building the community~"

"Don't you think it would be weird, though?" you asked.

"Why would it be weird?"

Your mind immediately went to your two friends and your crush (or, previous crush). By joining a club called DNYL, you were basically admitting your pain. "Wouldn't people think I got rejected...?"

"No, of course not! Everyone's welcome," he exclaimed. "Take some time to think about it, I think our members would like having you around."

You nodded silently, walking side by side towards your partner's home.

Maybe we should focus on getting a good grade before worrying about a club.

[musedblues]

Always Something There To Remind Me [Part: 4]

summary: Home is where the heart is. You’re working on finding yours. After a handful of misfortunes, your old friend Joe helps to unravel life’s greatest mystery while adding a bit of extra grief to the mix.

warnings: Some fun, a little angst, and a whole lot of mixed feeling!

w/c: 6k

a/n: We’ve reached the halfway mark of this story! I hope you enjoy this update. Let me know what you think, lovies!

​taglist: @im-an-adult-ish​ @mrsmazzello​ @lettinggosthehardestpart​ @the-moving-finger-writes​ @imtheinvisiblequeen​

Part 5

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

The spring was blossoming to life and after your fair share of sulking, you went on the hunt for a job. Funeral expenses and travel had cleaned out your account, and you needed income. In the local mall, you scored part-time at a tiny flower shop. A lovely couple of old men owned the place and handled deliveries, insisting your only job was to sit behind the register and wait for customers to buy something.

There were plenty of shoppers, but even more spare time to listen to podcasts and text Tegan. You were in the middle of sending your friend photos of the floral arrangement one of your bosses let you mess around with over lunch break, when a familiar voice floated past your counter.

“Oh my God!”

Lacy Duval was standing in front of you with a strangely excitable grin and a perfect ponytail flowing from underneath a Yankees ballcap. Oh my God was right.

“Hello, Lacy.” You gave her a cagey smile. There was no reason not to be polite, but something about the girl really got under your skin.

“I saw you here on my way to Urban Outfitters and I couldn’t not say hello.” The girl was pretty. It almost blinded you to look right at her. But she’d taken to leaning against the counter to shove her smile in your face.

“Well, hello.” You offered once more. “Please, don’t let me get in the way of your shopping.” You nearly plead, glancing past her, willing another customer to show up.

“Oh, no I work at Urban. I totally don’t mind clocking in a few minutes late.” Lacy giggled like this was some kind of big, secret, inside joke. You only let out a very nervous chuckle, afraid if you opened your mouth again you would be a little too rude. Lacy leaned against your register for five solid minutes, gabbing on about the mall and the people she worked with and how she’d never see you here before.  All while looking over her shoulder and around yours, like she had somewhere better to be. That’s what stopped you from dropping your guard and actually listening to what Lacy had to drone on about.

She left with a reluctant sigh and you wondered how she justified talking to you for so long with absolutely nothing to say. You shook it off in a hurry, going back to your texts with Tegan and selling a few promposal bouquets near the end of your shift.

Except after then, something horrific happened. For the next two weeks, Lacy kept coming in to say hello. Every. Single. Day. She even learned your schedule and made a habit of stopping in to greet you before her shifts across the mall started. And for a while, you didn’t totally mind the tradition. She kept it up so long, with a pleasant smile. She must have really wanted to talk to you, right? But by her fifth visit, her all too obvious intentions were finally brought to light.

“So how’s Joe, then?” Lacy kept her smile wide and her eyes glued on yours.

“Oh, you know, some kind of superstar.” You half-joked, almost through your teeth. Joe was off with his castmates, winning awards and attending red carpet parties. You couldn’t have been happier for him. He deserved a bit of fun after the winter was so cruel. You just didn’t like that Lacy was asking.

“He’s always been popular but he’s properly famous now, isn’t he?” Lacy pointed out, giddy. “Every time I post a photo with him I swear I gain at least a hundred more followers!” She practically swooned.

It took every ounce of your strength not to throw your head back and groan out loud. Yeah, he was an actor. Yeah, he was good- and recognized for it. You’d had this conversation more times with more people than you ever really realized was possible.  And if ever he dared mention your old pal, Kris always referred to Joe as “that famous friend of yours.” Was Joe’s celebrity really all that mattered to anyone? What about his favorite Chinese food, or his theory about the end of Easy Rider? He was a motherfucking person.

And just when you thought it couldn’t get much worse, it got so much worse.

You had just closed up shop, paying no mind to the last-minute mall rats who still bustled around the other open storefronts. Before you could make your way too far past the flower shop, someone tapped you on the shoulder.

It was Joe, who proceeded to wrap you in a big hug the moment you registered his surprise presence.

He was gone for what felt like longer than ever before, but he looked way more happy to see you now, than the last time you reunited. You threw your arms around his shoulders and he lifted you off the ground for a moment, exchanging merry hello’s.

“Alright, alright! We have a guest.” Joe set you back on your feet, gesturing to a very tall and happy looking fellow you recognized from many photos.

“Gwilym.” You proudly smiled up to him, confirming you knew of him well enough to be happy to see him here now. 

“Y/n!” He pointed at you, as if this meeting were a long time coming.

Joe went on to explain how Gwilym had been staying with him the past couple of days after all the press tours and premiers were over. And how they drove all the way back here to Joe’s measly hometown because his mother insisted they both stop over for brunch, so she could get the chance to see Joe’s friend. Apparently, she adored Gwilym. You could see why, even just having met the guy, he oozed a certain gentle charm.

Joe knew to find you here at the mall, because you’d kept up your promise of sending the occasional text message update when something more than mundane happened in each of your lives. You listened to him and Gwilym yammer on about how exciting the past couple of months had been for them, taking a beat to notice how good Joe looked. There was a light in his eyes you hadn’t seen since you’d been back in the states.

And then you saw her. Lacy was leaving her shift down the way. You watched her realize just exactly who was talking to you, stop, and turn in a very big hurry in your direction.

“Joey!” She shrieked, rushing up to your best friend. Gwilym was practically shoved aside by the girl on her mission to invade Joe’s personal space. What was even more unsettling was how Joe seemed glad to see her. He pulled her into a friendly embrace that she squealed during. Even though you and Gwilym had just met, the two of you shared a befuddled expression trying to reason why you’d both been left on the sidelines all of a sudden.

Even when Joe pointed to Gwilym, introducing the strangers to each other, Lacey didn’t dare turn her gaze from Joe. She didn’t miss a beat as she went on saying;

“I’m so glad you’re here! So listen, my sisters are throwing this big party and I promised them I’d get you to come. I wanna show you off!” Lacy swayed in place, looking up to Joe through her fake lashes.

“Oh, wow uh sure, when is it?” Joe smiled, pulling his phone from his pocket as you crossed your arms, realizing you were invisible to her now. Lacy gave Joe the details and had the nerve to sweep her eyes over you as she skipped away. What the fuck? She’d spent all month popping in to “say hello” to little old you, but now that Joe was around you’d become irrelevant. She was only trying to get to Joe and you knew it all along, but you were still fuming at her disregard for you during the past couple minutes.

“That was weird.” Joe realized with a shrug, watching Lacy walk away. You knew if you responded you’d only blow a gasket, and luckily Joe was interested in moving on. Gwilym stood watching on in near comical horror as Joe snapped everyone back to business.

“Alright, listen this is very important.” Joe grabbed your shoulders, wearing another hopeful grin. “I want you to come back and stay with us, this weekend. But the thing is you need to say yes right now, cause we’ve got to leave right now.” Joe nodded. You realized he was serious or he wouldn’t have tracked you down at the mall, with the excitable, dashing Gwilym in tow.

///

Gwilym was put to work charming the socks off your mother as Joe raced you up the stairs to help pack your bags. He was desperate to make it to some very specific pizza place before it closed for the night. You just laughed as he threw your clothes into an old JanSport, before stealing it from his grasp to finish packing your thing; full of mostly new clothes you splurged on with your first big paycheck. As you packed them to wear, you felt strangely like life was finally taking a turn for the better.

When you scurried back down the stairs, Gwilym had managed to make a cup of tea and was busy trading some recipe with your mother who was sad to see him go. Joe rushed the pair of you out the door and off onto an adventure.

Gwilym insisted you take the passenger seat on the way to the city and begged you to expose the depths of your Spotify playlist, from the back. The car ride was spent laughing about the musical phases you’d all gone through, and rocking out to the classics everyone loved.

“Hey, this is fun.” It hit you as you gazed at the cars zooming past the speed limit on either side of the freeway, and you didn’t feel usually dreadful. You let the comment slip out without thinking about it, without thinking of Gwilym in the back who might have wondered why you’d be shocked to find a road trip suddenly appealing.

But Joe knew, and he smiled as if to disguise a frown. He seemed to get this same strange look on his face when you even slightly alluded to your recent past.

“John told me what happened, why didn’t you?” Joe asked, quietly, worriedly.

Oh, yeah. Your car slid off the road last month.

“I didn’t want to make a big deal about it.” You shrugged, almost too much like a little kid. But you caught a glimpse of Gwilym in the back, pretending not to notice the shift in conversation. So you reached to turn the music up, and Joe reached for your hand.

Then you all declared this weekend was to be dedicated to nothing but having fun.

///

You made it to the city in time to hurry into Joe’s favorite pizza place an hour before closing, where you and Gwilym played the basic twenty questions of getting to know each other. And there was no stopping the way you each roasted Joe into oblivion, making him laugh all the while.

Joe’s apartment looked different than it had in all the photos you’d seen. The walls were decorated in old family photos and there were plenty of knickknacks you recognized from the years gone by, and some you didn’t. Stepping foot into his home felt strangely invasive, and you felt funny for wishing you’d been here more times than just this once.

You thought it was only natural that Gwilym took the only guest bedroom. The guy was one hundred feet tall, and you had no business taking up Joes spare California King. But Gwilym insisted the couch was just fine by him, and it was a big sofa after all. All of his bags seemed to be resting in an armchair nearby, anyhow. You couldn’t justify arguing, and soon you were shutting yourself into the spare room with sleep on your mind.

That was until rain pelted against the sealed window next to you, and you swore you saw a draft blew the blinds back. You cursed your hasty packing. You’d only grabbed an oversized tshirt instead of a sweater. After a moment of bringing your bare knees to your chest to get warm, desperate times called for desperate measures.

The apartment was dark, and Gwilym was peacefully sleeping on the L shaped sofa, borrowed knitted throw blankets decorated across his form. The glow from the streetlamp outside the kitchen window provided enough light for you to tiptoe toward Joe’s room, where soft yellow light seeped through the bottom of the door. Was he still up, too?

You knocked softly, in case he was asleep and your silly request wasn’t meant to matter. But you heard a shuffled from close beyond the door, and soon it creaked open.

“What’s up?” Joe asked, seemingly a little surprised to see you, but it was hard to read his face in the dim doorway.

“I just forgot a sweatshirt. Could I borrow one?” You asked sheepishly, folding your arms out of shyness and a bit of a chill.

“Yeah of course.” Joe breathed in sharply, turning on his feet toward his closet. The door creaked open further and you noticed Joe rub his eyes, before reaching to grab an old college sweatshirt. What was up with him tonight?

“Hey…” You cautiously began, slipping into the room and clicking the door shut. “Are you alright?” You padded toward your friend as he barely turned toward the sound of your voice.

“Uh,” Joe seemed to decide as he gently shoved his sweatshirt toward your grasp. You instinctively held it to your chest but dropped it the moment Joe turned away and started drifting toward his bed. Before he could totally answer your question he started to cry. The second you registered his snivels you darted toward where Joe stood quickly falling to piece. Then he began to explain himself.

“We said our goodbyes and everything, I shouldn’t still be so sad.” Joe croaked, covering his face with his hands so you couldn’t see his broken expression. But you felt the weight of his sadness stomp your heart out.

“You just miss him, Joe. It’s okay to miss him.” You missed his dad too, but saying so seemed selfish. Joe was still catching his breath under his hands as you pulled him toward his bed where the covers were already turned down.

You laid him down and wasted no time curling up next to him, pulling his head toward your shoulder. Joe sheepishly latched onto you while he steadied his breathing, and neither of you spoke. You just smoothed down his hair while he grabbed onto you. Joe was stronger than before.

“You are cold.” Joe noticed, chucking a little into your hair. But you sort of forgot your reason for coming in his room or the goosebumps that decorated your bare legs. You were completely comfortable in his arms. His embrace made you warmer than any sweatshirt ever could. You felt attached to him, but simultaneously cautious of the affection, you didn’t deserve this kind of all-encompassing comfort. Why was Joe’s embrace so much more multiplexed than it had been some odd years ago?

Joe was quiet, but the silence was heavy with whatever was on his mind. You could tell he wanted to say something more, but he never did. You lay together in understanding silence, trying to unravel your tangled thoughts about it all. But the effort made you tired and you drifted off there with Joe.

You woke up later, completely unsure of the time, but noticing the sun had yet to rise. Joe was still lying against you, now in peaceful sleep. You almost felt bad for squirming out from under him. You would hate to disrupt him, and his body was warm against yours. But you knew you couldn’t stay. Tiptoeing toward his door, you scooped up the previously abandoned college sweatshirt, squeezed through the door and back down the hall to the guest room. It was still cold, maybe even colder now.

///

Later that morning you awoke to a clattering from the kitchen. You slid some short on under Joe’s sweatshirt and ran your fingers through your hair before padding out of the guest room to discover what was happening.

Joe and Gwil were dressed for the day, drifting around the kitchen, arguing over something like an old married couple.

“Good morning mom and dad.” You snickered, grabbing your bottle of water from the night before, and watching Joe and his friend point to the oven. Joe shot you a look but turned his gaze back to Gwilym to finish the argument.

“If the fork comes out clean, it’s ready!” Joe pointed to the oven.

“Yeah, but you stuck it in the side, not the middle! You gotta go for the middle!” Gwilym argued. You took a sip of water and watched on in amusement. Had they really woken up and headed straight into baking something?

Joe turned to you, making some kind of whine as if pleading for you to help him prove his point. But Gwilym was right.

“He’s right.” You pointed your bottle toward Gwil who proudly sauntered behind the island to join you there.

“Ha!” Gwilym boasted.

“Ha? That’s the best you’ve got?” Joe playfully jabbed.

“It’s Welsh for ‘fuck off I’m right.’” Gwilym falsely reported, trying to save his comeback. Hey, that was good. You might steal that one. Joe laughed but looked at you with that same funny little micro-expression like he couldn’t choose between horror or sadness. But you couldn’t help go on smiling.

“You’re from there, right? Wales?” You moved your eyes toward Gwilym, who leaned against the counter toward you.

“Well no. Me mum is. I’m a fraud.” Gwil rose a brow and made you chuckle.

“Well, that’s a shame. We could have had our own secret language.” You gently admitted. Gwil kept a curious eye on you as he moved to sit next to you.

“You speak Welsh?” He asked, reaching for his cup of coffee across the island.

“I lived there for a while.” You shrugged.

“What the hell! Joe’s talked for ages about you but never mentioned that.” Gwilym cast a befuddled glance to Joe across the room.  Joe talked about you back when you weren’t talking to each other? He was occupying himself with putting a couple of dishes away. You couldn’t read his face when he stepped closer toward the opposite side of the island. Joe responded by lifting his phone in the air and snapping a photo of you and Gwilym in the middle of the morning lit kitchen.

“What was that for?” Gwilym laughed.

“Something to remember you by when the oven catches on fire because we left this damn dessert in too long.” Joe fanned his hands around. You laughed out loud, utterly delighted to be amidst the chaos. You’d missed this side of Joe. His wit and spunk had sort of all but fizzled out through the winter. It was nice to see he hadn’t lost his touch.

The photo he took was accidentally wonderful. The bright kitchen looked like heaven around you and Gwilym, sleepily leaning on the counter.

“I’ve got to post this! Or do you want too?” Gwilym asked, pointing to the picture on your phone. You had an Instagram but scarcely used the platform outside of admiring other people’s posts. Something about how excited Gwilym became and how pretty the picture was made you excited to open the old dusty application. You sent the photo to yourself and posted it to your Instagram without hesitation. It looked like the start of something new. The bright white photo stood out among the rest of your grainy theme, mostly filled with photos of you and Tegan from the pub in Wales. You tagged Gwilym and Joe.

///

That day became a game of sneaking candid photos of each other. You snuck up on each other as you strolled through the city streets and snapped shots of one another buying ice creams and looking in storefronts. But the game got out of hand. Gwilym took one photo of Joe when he was least expecting it, as he was standing on his tiptoes to reach for something in a candy store you’d fallen into the trap of. Gwilym decided it was blackmail, and then the game was on. You got a photo of Gwilym taking a massive bite of lunch and Joe got one of you making some dumb face as you had to wait in line to use the restroom.

All the while, you felt hyper aware of your surroundings and started to take more photos of stickers on light poles and titles of books that were far too expensive but probably cheaper on resale somewhere. You watched Joe open a picture book of old school baseball players. You couldn’t help but snap a shot of the way he held the book open upon the stack of others. His long fingers ghosting over the pages like a treasure. The sun casting patterns across the scene.

“What is happening to you?” Joe laughed at your newfound hobby.

“We’re having fun, remember? I am anyway.” You chuckled, raising your camera inches from his face to snap a photo and giving him a mischievous grin before you scurried away. Joe’s laughter followed you out of the shop and all around the city.

//

That night Joe hyped you and Gwilym up into getting a little dressed up and going to a bar after dinner. Luckily the newer purchases you packed included a nice enough dress. Then you ended up at a piano bar. Something stuttered in your heart when you noticed the excitement in Joe’s eye’s as they peered into yours. You hadn’t played the piano since you sold your keyboard a couple of years ago. You barely even thought of playing, actually. But Joe clearly had picked this place for a reason, with the knowledge that it had always been your dream.

The piano bar was complete with green naugahyde and mahogany wood, totally stuck out of time but still classy somehow. The crowd varied in age, and you were charmed to find a girl younger than you playing the baby grand on the risen velvet stage.

You, Joe and Gwil sat in the middle of the room, at a cozy table. You ordered dark drinks and listened to each other’s stories while other peoples chatter blurred into the background. Joe ordered something fruity with a straw and held it in front of you, insisting you try it. You took a sip and looked to your friend with wide eyes to confirm it was super good. Gwilym snapped a photo of the two of you then.

“Awe, see, that’s the opposite of blackmail!” You chuckled.

“Or is it?” Gwilym shot you a menacing grin as he stood to order a new drink at the bar. Before you could decode his secret message, a voice caught your attention.

A nice looking gentleman with a German accent tapped on the microphone at the front of the stage as your friend walked away.

“Tonight we are inviting you lovely crowd to come up and play if you know how, or even just want to. Don’t be shy, but do take turns!” The man encouraged, slinking off stage while waving for the crowd to get up and muck about.

“You should.” Joe leaned forward, speaking quietly just to you. His soft gaze made your heart crack a little. You weren’t about to do that. But you almost wanted to, just because of how excited he looked. Had he known this was going to happen? Or was he just dazzled by the hands of fate opening this random door?

“Oh, I don’t know.” You shrugged sitting up a little. Joe did the same, following your gaze. “I haven’t played uh… for a while.”

“Oh, really?” Joe frowned. You didn’t want to disappoint him. You knew he chose this place just for you. But you couldn’t lie.

“I sold my keyboard years ago.” You sorrily shrugged, recalling the time you had no other choice to pay rent. And realizing now that you never told Joe out of some kind of shame. You’d moved overseas with big plans to play, and they all crumbled around you.

“Oh…” Joe bit his lip and got that look in his eye that you realized he always got at the mention of Wales.

“Okay listen.” You turned to Joe, gently demanding his attention. You’d had enough wine to delve into this conversation. And you had finally become fed up with how Joe always seemed more upset that you at the mention of your past.

“Kris and I were like… broken up or something for like, months near the end. Things weren’t good. All I’m saying is that things with him were over before they ended for real. And I don’t miss him. I don’t. I know I should. That’s what keeps me up at night. But I don’t miss him. So please don’t look at me like I’ve lost everything.” You spoke, reaching out touch Joe’s arm. He uncrossed them and turned to face you then with an answer.

“What happened to your 'it’s okay to be sad’ speech from last night?” Joe furrowed his brow, speaking a little louder than you had been to get his point across. But you didn’t feel better for talking about this, like you thought you might.

“This-” You sighed a groan, wanting to suddenly move far away from this topic. “This is different. My life in Wales died when Kris did, okay?” You decided, getting a little angry at the end of your sentence. You wanted to move on. That’s when Gwilym reappeared, a new drink in hand.

“Should we… maybe call it a night?” The lean Brit suggested, glancing between you and Joe. Your friend looked like he had more to say, but you couldn’t go on talking about it all tonight.

“No!” You demanded. “Sit down right now so we can have fun!” You’d gotten your first taste of good times after fearing they’d never come again, and you weren’t ready to give them up.

“This place is beautiful and I’m glad you picked it out, Joe.” You looked to him sincerely and his once-troubled expression softened. You hadn’t realized you left your hand on his knee until his fingers rested on top of yours.

///

After a few rounds of drinks and jokes about things you missed laughing about, you found yourself locked away in Joe’s guest room for the second night in a row; comfy in the sweatshirt you once asked to borrow (now sort of taken hostage.) Your phone rang as you turned down the bed, and you answered right away.

“Helllooo!” Tegan chirped from the other line right away, like she’d been waiting on to hear from you for weeks on end.

“What have I missed this time?” You laughed, snuggling against a heap of pillows.

“Me! You’ve missed me. Actually, I suddenly feel like I’m the one missing out.” Tegan playfully scoffed on the other line.

“Well, of course, I miss you but what are you talking about?” You wondered. Tegan knew the only activities that filled your days were sleeping, working and occasionally seeing Joe.

“I’m talking about the dreamboat in your Instagram post! What kind of bender are you on? Does he have a hot brother or would he be interested in-”

“Oh, God.” You cut her off with a laugh, afraid of what she might say next. “He’s Joe’s friend from the movie. And that’s all.”

“So he’s single and ready to dial my number then?”

“Well, he is Welsh.” You chided.

“I know, I stalked his profile long before this interrogation.”

“So then what’s with the twenty questions?” You laughed. Tegan never failed to keep you guessing.

“I was trying to get you to admit you miss me and this place so much that you’d found a tall handsome fellow to bring you back round.”

“No, no I’ll come back on my own someday, dear.”

“I know.” Tegan lowered her voice as if someone else might have been listening.

“I’ve got to find my sea legs though, yeah? I haven’t had a nightmare in a couple of weeks.” You proudly state, tossing the covers over your legs.

“That’s because you’re living the dream, honey,” Tegan stated, as if she really meant it, as if it wasn’t a joke.

After chatting a while longer about how she’d been managing the pub without you and filling you in on the happenings about the quaint little Welsh town, you had to call it a night when your eyes could hardly stay open.

After you hung up, your phone buzzed a few times in a row. Who could possibly try to be getting ahold of you now? You checked to find a notification from Instagram, about a new follower. Assuming Gwilym had just finally got around to liking the photo you posted featuring him, you went to go admire it one last time. But before your eyes focused on the photo in question, a shocking number arose from your notification button.

You had hundreds more followers and more than a thousand likes on your newest photograph. below hundreds of comments.

y'all are so CUTE!

Why is Joe tagged?

Is that his sister?

Where is Joe?

Oh shit, you thought. These boys really mattered to people who didn’t know them. They found you all because you’d tagged Gwilym and Joe. They wanted to know why Joe was tagged. They cared. The astounding influx of followers and likes alarmed you for a few seconds, as you stared at your profile, wondering if you should delete everything. But why? You were proud to finally have something to post about that wasn’t old a grey.

Just as you thought of closing out the app, another notification popped up, unlike all the rest. Joe had tagged you in a photo. He’d just posted the picture of the two of you that Gwilym had taken at the piano bar. The one of you drinking from the glass Joe is holding while you’re looking at each other. In his caption, only a couple of music note emojis.

///

Gwilym left the next afternoon, with a long face and a suitcase full of New York souvenirs. You hugged him for a long time at the loading gates of the airport and laughed when he lifted Joe off the ground for a hug of his own. You weren’t sure if you’d ever see Gwil again, because that’s how life worked. But instead of worrying over it, you felt happy to have gotten to know him.

Joe started the long drive back to your hometown. He blabbered on about how he needed to help his mom with something anyway so he was glad you came along in the first place, just so he could drop you back off again. But you started to feel bad about how long you’d spent mucking about Joe’s flat and wasting his newly valuable time.

“I can drive a little, if you want.” You nervously offered to spare him a little while of responsibility.

“Do you want to?” Joe shot a curious glance your way as he drove out of the city.

“I don’t mind.” Because, no you didn’t really want to. But you would.

“It’s okay,” Joe assured, settling back against his seat, both hands on the wheel.

“Well, then I can give you gas money, yeah?” You thought. You were suddenly desperate to pay him back somehow for the weekend.

“No,” Joe laughed unbelievably. “Why are you being weird?” He was still chuckling.

“Because! This weekend you’ve been absolutely way too generous. So let me do something for you! Are you hungry? I’ll get us dinner.” You waved your hands to make your point and turned to face Joe from the passenger seat.

“I guess I could eat, yeah.” Joe smiled, nodding his head toward the road as he drove. You were a couple of hours away from home, and thirty minutes from a few good stops.

“Alright! Cheesecake Factory. No buts! Step on it!”

“Do you have Stockholm Syndrome?” Joe outlandishly quizzed. You laughed. “Do I have Stockholm Syndrome?”

Joe continued to imagine insane scenarios all the way to the Cheesecake Factory. You skipped inside together and put your name in at the desk. There were three other families ahead of you in line, and a big party that had followed in just behind you and Joe. You didn’t mind the wait, and leaned against the wall next to Joe, clutching the restaurant buzzer in your fist.

“We’re going to tell them it’s your birthday, so get ready.” You smiled as if you were kidding, but you weren’t. There was a deep desperation in you that demanded you shower Joe with the kind of attention he’d shown you this weekend, and always now that you thought about it. You were tired of sulking. You were ready to get back to the way things should have always been.

“Why can’t we tell them it’s yours?” Joe jabbed your side, his sparkling eyes looking into yours with a question.

“Because tonight is very special all about you night.” You reminded as if this had always been clear.

“Alright well, I want to tell them it’s your birthday.” Joe decided, imitating a snotty brat, sticking his nose in the air as if to make his decision final. Just as you started to laugh and curse at him, someone snaked their way through the waiting area packed with people and stopped in front of you.

“You two!” A voice rang. You were looking at Joe when you heard it, and watched his eyes turn in recognition. A girl with mousy brown hair dyed blue at the tips stood in front of you, and she looked the same as she had in high school.

“Keeley!” You practically shrieked, pushing yourself from the wall to wrap her in a hug. Keeley was one of your closest friends from high school. She would invite you over to play guitar hero and help you cheat on homework. When you weren’t riding bikes around town with Keeley, you were usually with Joe, but on many treasured occasions you could be found at the baseball diamond as a trio, when her little brother was on the same team as Joe’s brother.

“I didn’t realize you were back in town.” Joe hugged the girl after you had your turn. She went to Chicago after graduating and you slowly stopped texting each other long-winded updates over the years, even forgoing checking in on social media. But there didn’t seem to be any hard feelings.

“I didn’t realize either of you were back in the country!” Keeley laughed, looking between you and Joe.

“Oh, God I’m sorry, babe-” Keeley turned around and wrapped her fingers around someone’s wrist. “This is my fiance Rebeca.” Keeley beamed a smile at a woman with big brown eyes and a timid smile.

“This is Y/N, who I will always be indebted to for getting kicked off the volleyball team when she took the blame for the time I slashed the principal’s tires.” Keeley fawned over you as you shook your head in remembrance.

“And this is Joe, our resident movie star and the only person who has ever beaten me at Scrabble.” Keeley gestured to Joe as her fiance cocked her head. You knew that look. Joe did too.

“Hey- weren’t you in that Queen movie?” Rebeca pointed up to Joe with a smirk. He let himself smile and started to give a coy nod as he turned his eyes toward you, for some reason.

“That’s why you were so excited to see it, huh?” Rebeca turned to Keeley and your old high school friend started to laugh.

“I’ll always go see your movies, Maz. I’ll even sit through shitty cop shows just to see that cute face of yours. You’re really good, ya know that?” Keeley gave Joe a playful punch in the arm when your buzzer started to go off.

“I’m still much better at Scrabble than anything else.” He smiled.

“Man, we’re being summoned.” You frowned, holding the timer in view.

“Call next time you’re in town!” Joe demanded toward the girls, preparing to follow you toward the desk. You reached out to give Keeley a quick hug. You waved to Rebeca and assured it was nice to meet her as the ladies turned to leave.

“Come on, birthday boy.” You grinned, looping your arm through Joes and foiling his plans to foil yours.

“It’s your birthday? Happy birthday!” Rebeca called over her shoulder.

“Thank you.” Joe sighed through his teeth, dragged you away giving you a look that made you laugh out loud. You totally won whatever game you were playing tonight.

But just nanoseconds before Keeley and Rebeca were out of earshot, you heard your friend’s fiance gush “They were so cute together!”

But you were too distracted by a friendly hostess to let the distant comment sink in.

∘₊✧──────✧₊∘

[fly-sky-high-bug-games]

Hi! I saw you answer an ask about your OC Alyssum and I was instantly pulled in. I went to your list of muses to go read some stuff on her but the link isn't working for some reason. Care to share? 😁 also what other hcs do you have about her (optional w/mugo) 👀

I THINK THAT’S MY FAULT, I keep tagging her as available muse but she’s technically listed as “npc” on the muse post because I didn’t want to introduce her yet (so far story wise, she only appears through dialog and hasn’t popped out yet, hard since she’s at Highgrove and setting is in Hallownest). However, her muse has been... oddly strong lately, I keep drawing and doing tiny rp scenes with her with few friends just to test the waters with her and BOY IT’S KIND OF... INTERESTING.

She might be “oopsie haha murder” kind of character but she’s also playing the nobility part quite well. She’s “polite”, invites bugs for a tea, a little chatter (maybe even a friendly one, she’s capable of it), possibly propositions, no refusal, nice job offers~ or death. One always gets to choose, acting like they have an option but forcefully narrows it to few and plays on mental and emotional state at such circumstances. Tricky~

I have yet to develop the details of her faction and who’s in it but very few people will be. Wasps I already covered, I just have to work around clan leader that’s in contact with Alyssum. Others would be black market dealers (lead merchant), underground snail-mail (postal snail), one of the weavers who’s good with seals and couple of others~ I need to brainstorm on this still. :0

Damn, I already rambled about this and didn’t talk about her much, hold on *throws Alyss tidbits under read more if tumblr allows it to work...*

She was looked after by Magnolia and basically raised by her, some time after she turned to be a queen. Fun tidbits about Magnolia family as a whole, they are not related to one another (mostly) but consider themselves a big family because they took down the previous queen and king of Highgrove while raising from poverty. However, Magnolia and her followers were never kind and forgiving, but with promises that there will be change in balance of the hierarchy, they got a lot of followers and supporters from commoners to usurp the royalty and did so successfully.

Alyssum was young when this happened so while she was somewhat birthed under poverty, she was fully raised as a noble. I don’t have much of her childhood worked out but there isn’t much to say aside from that she was raised and thought under the cruel but rich conditions of the kingdom.

The binding seal on her wings she earned not long before she met Mugo, almost like a sign for maturity and set under higher position in the family and not just as a student. The seals are powerful magic that uses soul, sewed in with magic by the weaver and afterwards trained to use it. It manifests through the shape of petals: swirling, cutting, chipping, slashing or severing, depending on the number of petals created, used, how fast, how they’re choreographed... It’s all soul but she can use regular flower petals that make less damage but not much soul required. Alyss can also use the wings as a shield since the binding is right on them and actually getting through them with anything is worse than trying to cut the metal open. (like, I imagined in game moves, if you know how THK blocks twice then slashes, she does similar things with wings, where she blocks two times but then bursts open the wings to blow the opponent back to the other side of the screen)

But you know, she’s a lady~ Of course she won’t get her hands dirty. :3c She has others to do that for her~

As for her and Mugo... (OH BOY HERE WE GOOOO~!)

I have to say, their relationship and love was rather genuine, it kind of makes me sad it ended up the way it did... With Magnolia, Alyss (and even Zeeke and his family) still visiting Hallownest some time before Pure Vessel was sealed and before infection went crazy (I canonize, by human years, that that was 20ish years before current events, since Hornet seems 15-18ish years old but who knows with bugs~ I just needed approximate idea for the setting). They were at City of tears but Mugo met her somewhere close to it, as she was hiding away from the nobles to explore the outside on her own and spotted Mugo.

Sure, Mugo crushed on her first but when she tested him by giving away her symbol necklace and pedant of White Magnolia for him to sell at black market and get good money, he refused because it was a memento from someone dear to him. It still is... he didn’t take it off because this is when their love was true and pure... Alyss never forget that either. It was very touching to her.

Their relationship was fine, both shared nothing in common but that was such a fun time for both because of it. They were clicking because they were like two different puzzles pieces that do fit together... but sadly, the pieces didn’t give the right picture when one by the other. (don’t you hate when this happens when you’re trying to puzzle grass or sky together?? *shot*) 

Alyssum explained to Mugo how Magnolia works. He didn’t like it one bit, as he ran away from Highgrove partially because they usurped the old rulers and rendered his family’s status almost homeless. Meanwhile, Alyss didn’t like that Mugo kept throwing himself in danger for his job, even if it’s a hobby that means a lot to him, all for sake of survival and geo.

They dated for some time, had fun, but slowly things started kind of... falling apart. The closer Alyss was to heading back to Highgrove the more she pressured Mugo to come with, become part of the family and live with her under riches the Magnolia offers. His counter proposal was, if they’re really in love and she is aware of Magnolia’s wrongdoings, that she would leave them instead and live with him while making the adventures she loved hearing about from him, together. Basically, Mugo put his love for her over riches or anything but Alyss wanted him for herself under the comfort and safety of Magnolia. She couldn’t throw that away, not after building the status and becoming a favorite to Magnolia herself. She thought this was selfish of Mugo but Mugo tried to explain it was for her changing a new leaf and starting over as something good, not ruled by fear and power.

So they started to disagree... argue... and finally physically fight. Of course, Alyss won. Mugo isn’t a fighter. At that moment, it was either she has him or no one does. For Mugo, he could only bark threats. So he did, angered, throwing words he couldn’t even imagine himself doing. When she lighted up her wings, he threatened he will cut them off. So in retribution, she cut him, scaring his face. He saw something or someone completely different then. Mugo ran for his life, leaving Alyss alone.

That was the last time they saw each other, 20ish years ago. Mugo hid away at the lake of Unn and suffered depression and withdrawal for a very long time. As for Alyss... she pulled off something she shouldn’t and Mugo didn’t know about...

He only got one last letter from her, to met her one more time at the Crossroads before she leaves for Highgrove, saying she wants to try one more time and... that she had a surprise for him. He didn’t respond. She waited for him there then left when he never showed...

That was that. :U Until now, at least~ :3 She got to hear about her ex thanks to Zeeke’s shenanigans at the Colosseum~ Oh, what are the odds of the noble meeting and having issues specifically with a certain, scruffy moth~

20 years is quite a bit of time for someone with a heartbreak and power to grow... kind of crazy. Of course she never let go of it. And now she knows he’s still alive too~ Wonder what Alyss will do. :3c

[alexsmitposts]

In America, Privilege is Far More Fatal than COVID Yesterday, I received a report from Syria. It told of blistering heat and no electricity, of fuel lines, of food shortages and economic suffering by the Syrian people. This is an excerpt: “I wonder if people in EU, US and UK had to deal with the repercussions of their government sanctions on Syria, would they fight harder to get sanctions banned as a hybrid war, sadistic strategy. It is 41 degrees in Damascus, the cloud cover makes it heavy and oppressive. Electricity where I am is on for an hour, sometimes two before it cuts for three or four hours, just as the air conditioning makes your environment bearable. For some living close to me, they were without electricity for 14 hours in this sweltering heat. I wet my clothes to keep me cool while I am working, it is the only thing that helps. Mobile phones do not have time to charge. Food goes rotten because the fridge is off much of the time. Syrians traditionally store enough food in their freezer to last them two or three months. They are having to throw much of it away. At the same time, food prices are sky high. Nobody can afford to eat luxury items like chicken anymore. Lemons have become a luxury item, the price of one kilo has trebled in a few months. Parents do not know if they can feed their kids every day, they are living hand to mouth. All the roadside kiosks are seeing their livelihood go down the drain, literally, as everything in their freezer section melts or goes bad. The queues for fuel, while not as bad as before, are still a stressful scrum with cars lining up to take their ration. These are only a few of the effects of sanctions. Sanctions are designed to hurt, to deprive, to depress and, ultimately, to kill slowly and more painfully than the swift ending of life by a mortar or a bullet. Sanctions strip people of their dignity and leave them beggars in their own home.” Syria is but one nation targeted by the Trump regime, there are others and the stories like this are in the millions, told by those who still live. When Syria was attacked, it was not just starvation, it was terrorism as well with up to 400,000 dead and 5 million refugees. Iraq suffered a far worse fate, 2,000,000 dead. Both nations are still partially occupied by the United States, the nation that engineered this suffering. Now it is all coming home to roost, as here in the United States, what was done to Syria and Iraq, to Yemen and Iran, and to the best of Trump’s ability Venezuela’s people as well, is being deployed against the most vulnerable of Americans. We had another police killing yesterday, one we know of, there may well be others, in fact it is likely. This was in Los Angeles, another African American, his crime was riding a bicycle “improperly.” To understand how privilege applies, Dylan Roof, white mass murderer who killed 9 a the Emanuel AME Church was arrested with considerable care and, before being processed, was taken to the local Burger King for lunch by police as Dylan told them that murdering so many people “made him feel hungry.” As American humorist Jim W. Dean so often says; “You just can’t make this stuff up.” This is not unusual, this is the norm, this is how things work but you will not know unless you ask people, people who trust you with the truth. Problem there, the divide in America is so profound that the victims of insanity and brutality that started long before the current epidemic under Trump don’t want to talk to the media, such as it is and have no faith in political process. You see, political process in America reeks of corruption and privilege as well. Privilege, as with exceptionalism, is a form of corruption whether it is state sponsored apartheid as in Israel or the other version of apartheid, the American one, with walls and children in cages and bodies in the streets. Let us be clear about something else, while the media tries to smear the most well know victims like Beonna Taylor, every person of color in the United States is victimized unless “hand selected” like Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas, a despicable human being reviled for his love of all things fascist. We might take a moment to discuss Breonna Taylor as well. This is a young woman of color living in Louisville, Kentucky, employed as a paramedic/first responder. Police broke into her home and killed her based on a false warrant. This is someone who had never committed a crime of any kind, police simply kicked down her door and murdered her for being black skinned, there is no other explanation. Yesterday, according to reports in the Washington Post, local prosecutor Tom Wine, a Trump backer, offered freedom to a number of drug suspects, if they would falsely incriminate Beonna Taylor, in order to aid Donald Trump in his election chances. Sources tell us Wine would then be nominated as US Attorney by Trump appointee William Barr. This level of corruption is seen every single day, even reported every single day but as the victims are of color in a land of “white privilege,” those who protest being falsely imprisoned or murdered by police are “violent hooligans.” Again, “you just can’t make this stuff up.” To understand the violence that is sweeping America today one can easily look at the violence that has swept the world, not just after 9/11 but long before. There are two words that are one in the same, one personal, one far greater, both are fatal. They are privilege and exceptionalism. The nature of “privilege” is insidious. For those who do not have COVID, for instance, who are not on a respirator or mourning the hundreds of thousands now dead, the disease is “fake.” This is privilege, denialism of the suffering of others because they are “others.” An unreported fact, nearly 4,000,000 older Americans live in nursing homes or residential facilities. None have been visited by family for nearly 6 months. Over 150,000 have died of COVID but reports that are creeping in speak of malnutrition, bed sores and widespread abuse and there is no one to help as families are not allowed to see their forgotten elders. The result of this, of course, is that older Americans have now become defacto “people of color” and reside in defacto “cages” like little brown babies ripped away from their mothers to amuse Trump’s political “base.” The insidious nature of privilege is that it can infect anyone, whatever their race or ethnicity. Privilege has become a hallmark of some religions, such as Christian Evangelism, infecting 35,000,000 Americans who attend church, pray continually but bask in a belief system that feeds exceptionalism and hatred. Privilege and exceptionalism are most often driven by fear. For some inherited money drives the unearned feeling of superiority, though Trump has, to a large extent, destroyed this concept through his bumbling ineptitude. Even the drooling Baron Rothschild and his carriage drawn through London by a team of zebras was not able to do that. If you are poor and white in America, “at least you aren’t black.” Thus, those who are otherwise the most marginal and vulnerable, not in all cases but some, perhaps many, take solace in having someone beneath them. “The humbleness of a warrior is not the humbleness of the beggar. The warrior lowers his head to no one, but at the same time, he does not permit anyone to lower his head to him. The beggar, on the other hand, falls to his knees at the drop of a hat and scrapes the floor to anyone he deems to be higher; but at the same time, he demands that someone lower than him scrape the floor for him.” – Carlos Castaneda Turning to Castaneda, whose “Way of the Warrior” defined excellence for so many during the 60’s and 70’s, in a way defines the failures in America’s culture today. “The basic difference between an ordinary man and a warrior is that a warrior takes everything as a challenge, while an ordinary man takes everything as a blessing or a curse.” – Carlos Castaneda What can safely be generalized about how things really are in America? Yesterday I spent time with one of my friends, a painting contractor, American born Hispanic who speaks no Spanish, highly successful, and we discussed local police in my own affluent community. His experiences with the same police who are to me beyond polite and helpful, not so helpful mind you that I would ever depend on them for protection, are quite the opposite of mine. I now know there is a problem. Will I do or say nothing and if I find our community subject to disorder because of our collective indifference to the rights of all, will I be surprised? Am I privileged and exceptionalist? Were it not for time I spent as a police officer decades ago, a miserable job, his words would seem unreasonable but anyone who has worked in law enforcement knows that the greatest stress isn’t from the public, too often referred to as “potential suspects,” but rather from corrupt and ignorant coworkers. It does not take long to see that they are the real criminals. As a former police officer, one is typically never stopped by police or if one is, one is immediately not just released but usually engaged in friendly banter. To be clear, some departments are better than others, but none are perfect and some, like Kenosha, Wisconsin, are brutally incompetent and dangerous. What we have also seen at mass killing like Columbine or during the fear driven killings that are sending hundreds of thousands into the streets, many police are quite simply cowards with guns, a very dangerous combination. Many, however, are not. Many are competent, polite, professional and often end up sacrificing their lives for others. The problem there is that if you are one of these, working with the others is a nightmare. In many cases, “good police” are ostracized and threatened for failing to be corrupt, which is my own experience. This makes the job impossible and the victims are many, certainly good police suffer as they invariably are commanded by the most corrupt and incompetent but the communities they supposedly serve suffer as well. This is the case with Kenosha. There, the police department, as a whole, is generally seen by other police as very poor quality, highly corrupt, racially biased and a very bad place to work. For the community, if you are white, you won’t be arrested unless you do something exceptionally bad and if you are a powerful “insider,” you can never be arrested at all as police are likely to aid and abet in any criminal acts. In the post George Floyd world, however, it is the community that has allowed its police to degenerate into a “blue gang” that is suffering now, subjected to violent protests which are, quite frankly extremely well deserved. Each community has a choice, to stand for justice for all, which should be equal enforcement of the law and, if need be, strong but fair and legal crackdowns on criminal elements even if such elements are people of color. Police are there to investigate and take potential offenders into custody, based on reasonable procedures, where fair courts administer laws. The truth is everything, but this happens. Police administer punishment, too often based on hatred driven by misguided privilege and institutionalized corruption and extremism. As cohorts in “blue gang” violence, prosecutors and many judges throw law, justice and the constitution aside to the extent that any attorney representing a criminal defendant feels overwhelmed. Time and time again, trials are a mockery and lying police and fake evidence rule every process, all openly accepted not just by insiders but the media and the privileged and exceptionalist community as well. Worse still, in many cases those of color who manage to rise into “the system” become the worst of the worst, almost accepted by their white brethren, which is why we included the Castaneda quotes. The disease, as we define it is privilege. The byproduct is dehumanization and indifference. This is a disease so powerful that very few can stand up to it and fewer still can admit it exists or if they choose to do so, go to great lengths to misdefine it. We began by discussing Syria but what is happening there, engineered by “privileged exceptionalists” driven by extremism, is terrorism in its purist form. American policing may well be described as institutionalized terrorism as well. Every child in America can at some time be caged, certainly if of color or if one’s parents are of questionable ancestry. Every American can be murdered by police with impunity. In fact, the massive ownership of assault weapons by Americans is driven by a fear of police. Rural and suburban communities, where gun ownership is greatest, are not subject to even the rumor of “racial violence” that the media stokes with every word. Every spectrum of politics from right or left shares one thing with those of color, distrust of government and fear of assault not by armed criminals but by armed criminal police. The sad thing is that too many take solace in the fact that they will be the last to go, not the first. From Martin Niemoller: “First they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out—because I was not a socialist. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out— because I was not a trade unionist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out—because I was not a Jew. Then they came for me—and there was no one left to speak for me.” And so it goes…

[justallamaimaginingthings]

This Charming Man [Moder!Jorah Mormont x Reader]

Request: "Ay drug dealer can I get a fresh batch of Modern AU!Lord Mormont?" by @orderoftheflamingflamingos

A/n: Coffee Shop AU is just perfect for this case. I realized many of my imagines are named after song titles, oops. Hope you like it and thanks for requesting 💘

Words: 1900  || GoT Masterlist

Working in a small coffee shop in the heart of Edinburgh was not how you imagined your life after college would be. Unfortunately PhD's did not pay for themselves so you were forced to take a gap year in order to collect enough money that would finance you for at least the first few months. The fact that you were new to the country had seemed a bit frightening in the beginning but slowly you got used to the gloomy and yet majestic city and its habitants.

People were kind and friendly, especially as they made their orders and you had even come to know most of the regulars. Your life was going smoothly without any hint of drama or tension and you couldn't be happier about it. And then he walked in.

It was a specifically rainy day and you had lost the bus making you super late for your morning shift. Having run into the rain and cold caused your hair to end up in an absolute mess. It was that day the hottest and classiest man you had ever seen chose to enter your life. He was wearing a dark navy blue coat with a matching suit underneath. He sat down in a small table next to the window and pulled a book out of the leather briefcase he was carrying. Seeing how focused he seemed to be you were reluctant to interrupt him but you did either way.

"Good morning, what can I get you?" you asked politely hoping you didn't sound as nervous as you felt. There was something about that man that radiated calm and confident. The moment his stormy blue eyes met yours you could swear your heart skipped a beat. Never before had you seen such a capturing blue color, making his glance to seemingly pierce right through.

"A latte, please" he replied as his deep velvet voice send a small shiver down your spine.

"O-of course" you stutter mentally kicking yourself for your awkwardness. Usually you made the most amazing latte art, always causing a smile to form on customers' lips but knowing he was observing you, there was no chance your hands could be steady enough for that.

"There you go" you said leaving the hot cup of coffee on his table, a few minutes later.

"Thank you" he responded giving you a nonchalant smile. Soon, that became a routine, he'd come every day, sit on the same table and read. At first you didn't talk much but as days went by the two of you started chatting and getting to know each other and in no time there was no denying you had a huge crush on him. Jorah was always incredibly thoughtful and kind, never failing to make you laugh and lift your spirits.

Sometimes he would even wait for the end of your shift just so you could continue a conversation that had been interrupted way too many times. The two of you talked about all kind of things, but the one that stood out was literature. Never in your life had you seen someone having the same interest as you in the classics before meeting Jorah. The subject had come up when one day you saw him reading War And Peace, one of your favorites and had asked him about it.

After having been disinherited by his father, Jorah had left Edinburgh with no intentions of ever coming back and yet, years later, he was summoned back by the family lawyer only to be told his father had passed away without leaving any heir. Being back had been all but pleasant for Jorah, until he met you. Getting to see you every morning was the highlight of his day. Somehow he found himself unable to keep his thoughts away from you and all the feelings your soft smile caused him. At first he brushed those feelings off as mere excitement of having someone as young and beautiful as yourself around. However, he slowly started to notice it was much more than this. In the end it was your witty and intriguing personality that won him over.

Yesterday had been one of the most stressful days of his life and the results made themselves known the moment he opened his eyes in the form of a splitting headache. Mentally groaning, Jorah decided to ignore his body's way of demanding some peace and quiet and continued with his daily routine, making his way towards the familiar coffee shop.

"Morning, may I guess, the usual?" your cheery voice broke Jorah out of his thoughts. However, there was something different about him that day and you realized it the moment your eyes met his. Instead of replying he nodded in agreement prompting you to cock your eyebrow giving him a questioning look "Something's on your mind" you stated.

"It's just some family related stress, don't worry about it" he explained, but you knew there was more behind it.

"Want to talk about it?" you asked leaving down the trail you were holding and sitting next to him. Usually that conversation happened the other way round, as the blue eyed man had a way of understanding whenever something was troubling you.

"I wouldn’t want to impose on your time" he said despite wanting the exact opposite. Somehow talking to you always made him escape his problems and feel better. You could turn even the darkest days bright, with your sweet smile and comforting voice.

"Nonsense, just give me a second" you replied before getting up. A few moments later you returned without the signature green apron or the tray "It's sorted, I'm out for the day. How about we go for a walk and you can tell what's going on" you suggested and Jorah couldn't refuse the offer as a wide smile made its way to his face. He picked up his coat and followed you outside.

"You didn't have to do that, you know" he said feeling slightly guilty

"Jorah, you're always helping me through my problems I want to do the same" you explained reassuringly as you made your way to a nearby park and sat on a small wooden bench "So, what's going on?"

"My family and I haven't had the best of terms the past few years but after father's will was opened I have been running the family company. There were some bumps along the way but things finally smoothed out" Jorah explained trying to stray off details as much as he could. It wasn't that he didn't trust you, he was simply terrified you'd change your mind about him.

"I'm sorry about your father" you said, shocked that you didn't know about it sooner, as you placed your hand on his shoulder in a comforting manner causing Jorah's heart to flutter. In general you were a very touchy feely kind of person, for which Jorah couldn't be thankful enough as he enjoyed every single chance of physical contact that made his skin burn and his heart race.

"I hadn't seen him in a long time" Jorah added, brushing it off "The problem is my niece returned to town. She categorically despises me and to be honest, I don't I really blame her. Nonetheless, it reminds me of the person I was back when I lived here and the mistakes that person had made. I have greatly tried to let go of the past" there was a great amount of sadness hidden behind his blue eyes, finally coming out after being pent up way too long.

"I don't know what happened between you and your family, but I know who you are, Jorah. No matter what you've done in the past, that's exactly what it is, the past. You're a great person with a good heart, you only have to show her that. You deserve a second chance" you argued looking into his eyes. Seeing you defend him like that gave Jorah a newfound sense of confidence while the fact that you believed in him was enough to make a spark of hope light up in his heart.

"Do you really believe that?" he asked and it was the first time you ever saw him acting so vulnerable seeing that usually he was the most collected and put together person you knew.

"Of course I do, Jorah. You've been nothing but a great support to me. And I refuse to believe a person who loves War and Peace so much to be a bad person" you added chuckling which caused him to mirror the action as a slight laugh escaped his lips "Your niece will come around, just give her time to see who you are now"

"Lyanna may not be as forgiving as you are, but that can work" Jorah was about to say something else before your eyes widened in shock.

"Lyanna Mormont as in the youngest MIT graduate? I knew I had heard the name before. Lyanna is your niece? But I've heard she came from a noble family. Wait are you…?" your mind was struggling to wrap up around the facts causing a bemused smile to light up Jorah's features at your adorably confused expression.

"Lord Jorah Mormont of House Mormont" he introduced himself formally, deep down enjoying the way your jaw dropped in surprise.

"W-what?" there was a ton of questions running through your mind in the speed of light as it all clicked together. His sharp appearance and formal vocabulary, the love he held for classic literature and the way he seemed to know everything about the city, everything made sense.

"Precisely" he agreed nodding positively.                                        

"So, you live in Mormont Manor? I've heard you can see the whole city from the balconies, is that true?" you asked enthusiastically. It was no secret you had heard a lot about that place.

"Indeed it is" he replied and that was when it hit you that you were completely missing the point.

"I'm bubbling aren't I? I'm sorry for intruding" you apologized suddenly feeling like you had overstepped a line.

"It's perfectly fine. Besides, I'd like to suggest something, my cousin Maege is holding a celebration for Lyanna's return and I hoped having someone with me would help making it worth suffering through" he suggested trying not to let his nervousness show. If he wanted to be honest if it weren't for you, he would find a way to skip the whole event despite knowing it would only make the situation worse. Maybe, with the right company, there was a chance to make the most of it though.

"You mean like a date?" you asked before you could stop yourself, instantly feeling your face burning by the intense blushing.

"A date, indeed" Jorah agreed giving you a heartwarming smile

"I'd loved to" you replied mirroring the action with one of your own.

That was the last thing you expected to come out of this day and yet you couldn't be happier. Jorah had come to mean a lot to you and seeing that he trusted you with something as serious as that meant a lot. Upon seeing the look in his eyes, you couldn’t help noticing a hint of excitement and maybe something more, something you'd go as far as to call affection. All in all, you couldn’t wait until Saturday…

[barnestruck]

her name

(gif creds to owner)

pairing: bucky barnes x reader (high school!au)

summary: in which bucky admits his feelings for you...to his mom.

word count: 1.9k, yep just a wee bit longer than the last one :)

warnings: fluff once again bc i was crying a lot earlier while reading angsty fics and i wanna feel happy again! Also haha snuck some aladdin lines in there too ;)

a/n: i really didn’t intend to make this like a “her ___” thing but i’m down for it. i’m writing this to pass the time bc i’m waiting for my friend who lives in korea to be free so we can talk. also, wow! “her laugh” was really well received! thanks friends :) feel free to leave any feedback you may have for me! [oh, i mention some things about how the anglican church began in a funny way, i’m not trying to offend anyone’s religion so plz don’t take it that way]

-

History was hands down your favorite subject. Something about analyzing past civilizations was so fascinating to you. To think that the things you read about in textbooks actually happened was mind-boggling but also really amusing. There was a guy, a king for that matter, that wanted a divorce so badly that he created an entirely new church in the process of separating from his wife, who he also proceeded to decapitate (okay, maybe that part wasn’t so funny).

You looked forward to your history class every day because of your love for its engaging and rigorous curriculum...for the most part. A small part of you also excitedly anticipated the conversations you would have with the cute guy who sat behind you. Bucky Barnes. The quarterback of your school’s football team but also president of the Science Olympiad club. Could he get any more perfect? Apparently, yes. Not only was he a skilled athlete and an intelligent student, but he was simply a good guy. Surprisingly, that was hard to come by at your school. Guys would either brag about their perfect SAT scores or about all the sweet girls they cut off. Bucky wasn’t like that. He was so far from that. Whenever he caught you in the halls, he’d shoot you a smile or a wave and sometimes he’d even offer to walk you to your next class despite your protests that he would be tardy.

A poke on your shoulder snapped you out of your daydream. You turned around to meet the glorious blue eyes of the person that was the focus of said daydream.

“Hey, sorry (Y/N), but that pretty little head of yours is blocking the board,” he whispered, afraid of getting called out by your teacher. His compliment brought an intense blush to your face that you would not let him see. You muttered a quick “sorry” before scooting over and turning your head back around to prevent him from noticing the redness of your face. You tried your best to suppress your thoughts about your little crush and focused your attention on your teacher.

“Alright class, now that we’re beginning our study of the 20th century, I’m rolling out a project in which you and your choice of a partner will do research on the most important political, economic and social aspects of a decade that I’ll be assigned to you.” 

Great, you thought. You weren’t really close with anyone in your history class except for Bucky. All your other friends were in the class period after you. You knew Bucky was gonna pair up with Dot, the head cheerleader who had been pining over him since she found out he was the quarterback. She was nice, you just knew you couldn’t compete with her for Bucky’s affections. Not that you really forced yourself to. You didn’t need a boyfriend, especially not now. You prioritized your studies so you could get into your dream school, not getting a man. But...that didn’t mean you were against one. A significant other wasn’t necessary for you but...you saw it as a welcome addition to your life.

Your teacher announced that students were allowed to move out of their seats to find partners. You stood up and anxiously surveyed your options. Bucky was out of the picture. Maybe his friend Steve? No, you knew he was gonna pair up with his girl Peggy. Scott Lang? No, he’d be a fun partner but you knew it would be really hard to get him to avoid procrastinating. Wanda? That could work. You didn’t know her that well but who knows? Maybe you’d gain a new friend after this project. But as you were approaching her, the president of Academic League, Viz had beat you to it. Fuck, now what?

Just as all hope seemed to be lost, you felt a familiar poke on your shoulder. You turned again to meet the same eyes you had looked into just minutes before.

Bucky sent you a friendly smile as he asked, “Got a partner, yet?” with his hands scrunching in his pockets, almost nervously?

Words almost failed you but you managed to let out a little, “Nope”. He smiled at that. Nodding, he replied, “Cool”. Huh, maybe he wasn’t out of the picture.

~

You and Bucky had been assigned to study the 1940’s and the both of you were currently on your way to his house to get a head start on the project.

“You can have control of the AUX cord if you want, it’s gonna take a while to get to my place,” Bucky offered as you got into his car.

“Oh, I don’t know, you might judge me for my music taste,” you said shyly.

He let out a playful scoff. “No way, you’ll be fine...as long as you don’t play like Jake Paul or some shit.” You giggled at that. “Oh, I’d never do that to you.” You ended up playing some 80’s songs that you were currently into. Bucky seemed to enjoy it, even opting to quietly sing along.

He pulled into his driveway, stopped the car and quickly got out to open your door for you. You smiled at him for the chivalrous gesture. Before he unlocked the front door, he turned to you instead, “I didn’t mention this earlier but I’d just like to apologize for my mom and sister in advance. They can be a lot sometimes.” You softly shook your head. “Oh that’s fine, I’m sure they’re fine.”

With that, he let you in first before yelling, “Ma! Becks! I’m home!” You heard, “Ok honey, in the kitchen! Have a snack before starting homework!” in reply. You followed Bucky into the kitchen; you leaned against the wall as he walked towards a middle-aged woman, his mom, standing in front of the sink with her back facing you. He gave her a quick kiss on the cheek and said, “Hey ma, I’m gonna be working on a project with (Y/N) for a bit, I’m gonna get some snacks for her too.”

“Who?” his mother asked. She looked around the room to find the person in question, aka you. When her eyes settled upon you, she jumped a bit and remarked, “Oh, I’m sorry dear, James didn’t mention that he’d have someone over.” As she got a better look at you, she—not so subtely—whispered to Bucky, “Ooh, she’s really pretty Jamie.” Shock overtook his features, prompting him to softly nudge his mothers. He coughed to mask his embarrassment. “What my beautiful mother means is,” he began, “she’ll have snacks ready for us soon so we should just start working.”

He quickly lead to you to the study, away from the kitchen where his smirking mother stood preparing cookies for the both of you. A younger girl was already seated in the study when you approached it.

“Becca, can you study in your room upstairs, I need to work on a project,” said Bucky.

The little girl, Becca, looked up from her notebook with a sassy look and retorted, “Why don’t you work on your project in your room? I got here first.”

Bucky let out an exasperated sigh. “Because, (Y/N) and I need a lot of space to work on this.”

Becca cocked an eyebrow towards her brother’s direction. “You mean you need a lot of space so you can make out with your girlfriend?”

You wished with everything else in your being that you could’ve turned invisible. You tried to sound confident to defend yourself but your words came out as stutters. “Oh! W-we’re not d-dating. We’re just p-partners.” Becca turned to you with a suspicious look on her face. She started you down for a few second before shrugging.

“Ok, whatever you say. Just call me over when you’re done so I can use this room after.”

Bucky graciously looked to his sister. “Will do, thanks Becks.”

After she retreated to her room, Bucky turned to you. “Like I said, they can be a lot.” With that, you began working on your project.

~

You and Bucky worked for about 3 hours with short small talk breaks in between before calling it a night.

“Alright, thanks for offering to use your place today. We could work at mine next time, or maybe the library so it isn’t that much trouble to you?” You suggested.

“No it’s alright,” he said. “I like having you here.” His remark brought a similar blush that graced your features earlier that day. You bashfully looked away from him and let out a soft laugh.

“Okay...I’ll see you at school tomorrow. Tell your mom I’m really grateful for her hospitality.” He nodded. With that goodbye, you began your journey home. Turns out, you only lived down the street from Bucky. He had offered to walk you home, but you resisted saying that he had already done so much for you that day.

He made his way back into his house and the kitchen, where he sat on in a seat by the island and buried his face in his hands.

“She seems like a nice girl, James,” his mom said. He removed his hands from his face and moved them to hold his chin.

“Yeah...she really is,” he responded with a blissful smile and gentle look in his eyes. His mother grinned at his obvious infatuation with the girl.

“Do you like her?” his mother teased.

Bucky’s brows furrowed as he replied, “No mom, (Y/N) and I are just friends, we aren’t together.”

His mom sent him a sly smirk, “I never mentioned her name, Jamie.”

He looked confused at first but then he realized his mistake. “Shit.”

She nudged him with her elbow. “Hey, don’t you use that language around me young man.”

Bucky simply groaned and buried his face in his hands once again. “It’s okay Jamie, you can tell me. You can tell me anything, you know that.”

He let out a lovestruck sigh. “I don’t know what it is about her ma. She’s smart, a-and fun.”

“You think she’s pretty?” she asked.

“Beautiful!” he answered almost instantaneously. “She’s got these eyes...a-and this hair! Oh, and her smile?” he let out a helpless sigh. “I could go on and on about her smile.”

Bucky’s mom was really happy seeing her son like this. He’d been through a lot at a young age, losing his father and having to take on the father/big brother role for Becca was tough for him. He never prioritized himself, he put his mom and sister first. They were the ones he cared about most and he did everything in his power to make sure they were happy. That meant he had to sacrifice his own desires to ensure that his family got theirs. But it was Bucky’s turn to be happy now.

“If that’s the case, then you go on and tell her that,” his mother said.

“But—” Bucky began to protest but changed his mind. His look of concern was replaced with one of determination. “You know, I will do that. Tomorrow, I’ll tell her. Maybe I should buy her flowers to make it really sweet? Or no, maybe that actually might be too much...Or I could just be really casual with it and just approach her at her locker? No, I don’t want to make it look like I don’t really care...Or maybe…” Bucky mumbled off thoughts to himself as he left the kitchen to his room.

Bucky’s mother looked after him as he walked away thinking about how grateful she was that you had made your way into Bucky’s heart.

[nelvana]

In which bad deeds are fixed

First [ARC 1]: In which the human is transformed First [ARC 2]: In which a present is prepared Next: In which the trouble with evolution is discovered Previous: In which the Gardevoir awakens

    The next few days for Team Galaxy and their guests progressed without a hitch.

    It took another day for the beds to come in, so Alex offered up the hammock for Gardevoir to sleep in while he and Ceebee managed to fit their way with Tsuki onto the mat so that Damien could take the couch. Fortunately, it was that afternoon that they managed to bring in the new furniture, so they didn’t have to worry about the problem with sleeping arrangements after that.

    Damien didn’t want to risk going out into Pokemon Square, so he lingered around the base most of the time. This confused Gardevoir, so they ended up having to explain that part surrounding his past; of accusing Nelvana of being the human from the Ninetales Legend to have her chased out or killed. Surprisingly, at least for some, Gardevoir didn’t seem to change her opinion on him after hearing that. Either way, no one outside of the team and Gardevoir seemed to figure out he was around, and that simplified a lot of things.

    Gardevoir stuck around the base to either train with Ceebee or keep Damien company, but she also loved getting to know the citizens around Pokemon Square. It didn’t take long for everyone around there to figure out not only who she was, but also that she was incredibly sociable and kind. Often times whenever she would get bored, Gardevoir would end up assisting someone with small tasks; usually keeping an eye on Caterpie, Metapod, and Diglett so Whiscash, the usual babysitter as she and others discovered, could get some rest.

    One day though, there was a knock on the door early in the morning; and after Ceebee’s antennae flicking around with telepathic intent, her eyes lit up and her expression broke into a smile.

    “The B Squadron is finally back!” Ceebee exclaimed, hopping up and fluttering up to the door to open it up.

    “They weren’t back already?” Nelvana asked under her breath, more to herself than anyone else, but joined the others in heading over to the door as well nevertheless.

    Opening the door showed that, of course, Ceebee was correct about who was behind it. The five pokemon that were part of Team Galaxy’s B Squadron were all gathered up together, trying to fit in front of the doorway as much as possible all at the same time in order to greet their friends inside.

    “You’re back!” Keahi chirped, “where did you wander off to? Was that mission really that long?” he asked.

    “Yes and no,” Pearl responded, chuckling warmly at the torchic’s enthusiasm. “The walk to catch up with Bulbasaur’s herd was so nice, we decided to walk back instead of just teleporting.”

    “Indeed! Our route followed by some lovely scenery; even better by this time of the year,” Baguette added, gesturing with a wing up towards the trees with reddened leaves. “I would love to take Spinda there when he gets here…?”

    “Spinda is your partner, right? The nephew of Spinda at the café?” Edgar asked curiously.

    Baguette nodded, “that very same one!”

    Rayden buzzed with static in such a way that could almost be considered as clearing their throat, “BZZ BZZ! WE WOULD HAVE CONTACTED EVERYONE HERE, HOWEVER THE BADGES SEEMED TO HAVE HAD SOME SORT OF MALFUNCTION. A MESSAGE SHOWED UP OFTEN SAYING THAT THERE WERE TOO MANY MESSAGES GOING ON FROM TOO MANY LOCATIONS. IT SAID THERE WAS A STRAIN ON THE CONNECTION,” they explained.

    “Oh, I went on a mission too, that might have been it,” Nelvana commented, squeezing her way beside Keahi at the front of the doorway. “I guess the tech wasn’t prepared for everyone to be wandering all over the continent. Sorry that messed up your badges.”

    “It’s alright! We didn’t need the badges much for communication anyway! If you needed us, there is a psychic-type around now,” Bobo pointed out, glancing upwards at Ceebee.

    “You went on a mission too?” Hiram asked, picking out that part of what Nelvana had said. “How did that go?” he inquired.

    “Yeah, she did! It’s a bit of a long story if we get into the details though… Hey! If you guys aren’t busy now, you could come inside and we could catch up,” Keahi responded.

    “Sounds good to me. I’m sure everyone else would agree with that,” Hiram replied, taking a step instead. “Hold on…”

    Damien, who had not expected there to be an invitation for other guests to come inside, had been quietly reading over one of Nelvana’s human books off to the side of the living room. Hiram’s gaze snapped over to the gengar, and he managed to shove his way mostly inside to glare down at him. Damien looked up, jumping to his feet in surprise, though he didn’t teleport away; not yet at least. There were still enough pokemon between Hiram and Damien, and Hiram seemed to have enough self restraint anyway, that this hopefully wouldn’t end in an actual fight. The rest of the team shuffled back indoors properly, including the rest of the B Squadron, and were all now exchanging glances with one another and the gengar.

    “Why is he here?” Hiram hissed, tearing his glare away from Damien to look at everyone else. “I’d hope that you were getting to that part?” he continued, swiping one of his scythes at the air.

    “We were, don’t worry,” Nelvana assured him, exhaling as she watched the scyther slowly relaxed out of his more aggressive position. “Gengar… Damien now, helped me with the mission. He wanted to bring back Gardevoir; from the Ninetales Legend.”

    Gardevoir, at being mentioned, waved politely. Her shoulders were stiff with tension at the suddenness of all this, but still managed to bear a friendly smile towards the rest of Team Galaxy. She stayed quiet for now however; deciding to let this get settled and into more cheerful territories of conversation.

    “And?” Hiram prompted, his tone still balancing on a growl.

    Nelvana sighed, “he’s been trying to become a better person, and we want to help with that.”

    “BZT. SO, HE IS STAYING AT OUR BASE NOW?” Rayden asked, “THE ONE ON THE LAND OF THE ONE HE VANDALISED? BZZ BZZ.”

    “Yes,” Nelvana answered courtly, furrowing her brows with mild frustration.

    Pearl hummed thoughtfully, “you must have thought this all over carefully, I suppose? We have not been around for many days now, so it would not surprise me if we have missed a lot about this choice and what could have influenced that,” she murmured, “I am willing to trust this choice; but, is everyone else?”

    Hiram scoffed, crossing his arms, “not until I’ve seen any changes. Does anyone at Pokemon Square know about this yet?”

    “Not yet. We have been thinking about the best way to approach them with this news. I doubt they will take it any better than you have, Hiram,” Tsuki responded, licking her whiskers absentmindedly.

    “PEARL HAS A POINT, BUT SO DOES HIRAM. YOU SHOULD NOT BE… HIDING… HIDING, BZT, DAMIEN FROM EVERYONE,” Rayen pointed out, “THAT WILL PROMPT THE MOST CHANGE, I BELIEVE. BZZ!”

    “Hm… that’s definitely something to consider; good point,” Alex murmured, glancing over at Damien, who shook his head at him in response.

    “Well, while you think about that, we should probably head to our homes. Our folks ‘re probably curious as to where we’ve been at this point; ‘specially Bobo’s,” Hiram muttered, turning back towards the door.

    “But what about catching up?” Keahi questioned, his expression faltering as he hopped in front of the scyther.

    “We can catch up later, but things should be settled around here first,” Hiram told them, pushing open the door to head out. “Come on guys.”

    “But Hiram! Why not settle things now! Do we really have to leave just as we got back?” Bobo pleaded, scuttling up to the larger pokemon, climbing up so that he could perch on his friend’s shoulder.

    Hiram exhaled, his tension deflating as the paras’ words, “I…”

    “I can leave so you all can catch up, if that’s better for you,” Damien offered, slowly standing up. “Look… I’m sorry for what I did, and I want to keep working to make things right again,” he said.

    “You-“ Hiram spun back around to look at the gengar again with another glare, but soon faltered. “Prove it,” he settled on saying, “don’t leave now; there’s no point. I’d like to stay and talk… but I really think it would be best to enjoy everyone’s company all together later. Please, if you really want to make up for the past, you need to reach out to more ‘mons. Using our team’s goodwill to hide away all the time won’t get you far. It’s a start, but you can never beat a dungeon hiding on the first floor.”

    With that, Hiram turned away again and walked through the open door, and down the path without so much as another word to his closer teammates. Bobo still clung on the scyther’s shoulder, but he lifted a claw up to wave before he was carried off and out of sight.

    “Ah… that Hiram,” Pearl sighed with a soft chuckle, “he does have a point though; even if his words are harsh. Sometimes, you must confront your past for a better future. I see you have done some of that already, but your actions touch many more lives than you may sometimes expect,” she continued.

    Baguette nodded in agreement, “I carry no ill will towards you, my friend, but there are many who evidently still do. Communication is always key to any relationship!”

    “AGREED. I MUST ASK THOUGH; ARE WE GOING TO FOLLOW HIRAM AND BOBO OR STAY HERE?” Rayden asked, their eye glancing over towards the open door.

    “I’m afraid it would not be the same without them here,” Pearl admitted, “I hope you all do understand.”

    “Yeah, of course,” Alex replied, nodding. “We’ll let you know a good time to come back though, alright?”

    “BZZ! BZZ! THANK YOU! WE WILL MAKE SURE TO COME BACK ANOTHER TIME. WE HOPE THAT THIS SITUATION GOES OVER WELL IN THE END,” Rayden hummed.

    “Oh, alright! See you all later then!” Keahi chirped, accepting the fact that they wouldn’t be catching up with each other today.

    After more goodbyes from everyone else, the remaining three of the B Squadron left the base as well, making sure to actually close the door behind them. As a silence crept in with their departure, the suggestions from their friends and the question of what to do next lingered in everyone else’s minds. Damien stewed under these thoughts hanging in the air for a few moments before finally speaking up.

    “Should I really go to Pokemon Square?” His voice was quiet and hesitant, but broke through the silence like a yell. “They’re probably- no, definitely still mad.”

    “You won’t have to go alone,” Nelvana assured him, “I’ve had to convince people to let you stick around before, I’ll do it again,” she added with a small laugh.

    “You helped me out; I can help attest to your better side,” Gardevoir chimed in, approaching the rest of the group again now that it was just them again.

    “Me too!” Edgar exclaimed.

    Keahi smiled, “I’ll go too; I’ll be good at getting everyone’s attention. Plus, aside from… just Nel, I’ve known you the longest, Damien. I’m sure that will carry more weight to my words.”

    “I… I am certain that my word would help as well, but I am still not the best at dealing with crowds like that,” Tsuki murmured, hanging her head. “Best of luck to you all; you are welcome to mention me in your speech if you believe it will help prove Damien’s changes.”

    After a pause, Alex spoke up as well, “I’m with Tsuki on this one. Besides, I doubt I could add anything that you as a group won’t cover on your own already,” he sighed.

    “Ah!” Ceebee stiffened, realizing she was the last to weigh in her thoughts on this. “I’m not sure what I could add either! I didn’t meet Damien when… well, before, so I doubt I could say anything new either!” she admitted, “but! I, and I’m sure Alex at least, can hang around nearby if you need us!”

    “Wait, so are we doing this now?” Damien questioned.

    “Not unless you have a good reason not to!” Keahi pointed out, “I have to agree with what Hiram said; there’s no reason to be hiding this, you, from Pokemon Square. What’s the worst that could happen? They try chasing you out again? You’ve got a gold ranked rescue team defending you, remember!” he continued, puffing out his chest feathers with pride at his last comment.

    Damien let in a sharp inhale, making a hissing noise as the air passed through his teeth. He buried his head in his hands, letting out a groan before finally looking up again.

    “Fine,” he groaned, “I swear you guys only keep me here to torture me,” he muttered.

    “Only if you consider torture to be giving you a place to stay, feeding you, and helping you fix your past mistakes,” Nelvana countered, “come along now then, if we’re going to do this, then we should head out now.”

    Alex snickered at Nelvana’s response, while Damien rolled his eyes. Nevertheless, the agreed group headed out the door together, leaving a trio behind at the base again; though Ceebee promised to come down as well if they needed the extra words of persuasion.

    Getting into Pokemon Square started out as normal, but the moment Damien was noticed by one pokemon, soon everyone else had their attention on the group, who made their way to the center of the town. They didn’t even have to call out to announce a meeting of sorts like in the past; soon a crowd was gathering about to see what Team Galaxy was doing with the familiar gengar. Judging by the already beginning whispers, popular opinion was that this was a sort of victory speech before shipping him off to jail.

    As the whispering grew louder, Keahi raised a wing to try silencing them. This brought more success than the torchic expected, and he had to take a moment to beam with pride at his friends before actually drawing attention to what they wanted to say when coming out here.

    “Hello everyone!” Keahi called out, “ha, it’s been a long time since we’ve done this sort of thing!” he realized with a laugh, “we’ve got something important to talk about; as you’ve probably already gathered. And no, we aren’t arresting Gengar. Getting that idea out of the way right now.”

    A ripple of surprise and mild annoyance went through the crowd at this news, and Lombre stepped up through the crowd and to the group to respond to this.

    “Then what are we doing with him?” Lombre questioned, crossing his arms. “There had better be a good reason why we aren’t just sending him away to be locked up,” he hissed.

    “That reason is that he’s been putting in the effort to become a better person,” Nelvana explained briefly.

    “That’s why we’re here! Because of course you all are still upset over what happened, so we knew it would be important to talk about that before we just expect you all to let him around town,” Keahi added.

    “What kind of effort?” Snubbull doubtfully asked, stepping up beside their friend.

    “He went with Nelvana to break my curse,” Gardevoir answered, “he didn’t have to, we haven’t even met before, but he risked his life to help bring me here.”

    Damien squirmed slightly under everyone’s gazes and Gardevoir still blissfully unaware of who he really was, but he forced himself to put up a braver face and stand taller against the crowd.

    “He’s been staying with us for a few days, and he’s done nothing wrong! In fact, he’s been helping out around the house a bit!” Edgar chimed in.

    “How can you be sure that isn’t an act?” Lombre interjected.

     “Might I remind you we have a psychic-type and an absol on our team. They would know,” Nelvana shot back, crossing her arms. “Besides, I’m sure most of us are aware at this point of his acting skills,” she added with a warm chuckle and a glance back at Damien.

    “Speaking of that, why isn’t the rest of your team here?” a voice called out from the crowd, not distinctive enough to be picked out from the numerous pokemon gathered around.

    “They’re busy,” Nelvana told them, biting past hiding part of the truth. “They asked us to speak for them on their place though; you can even ask them later,” she continued.

    “Regardless! We believe that Dam- Gengar, well, Damien now…” Keahi shook his head after fumbling with the names. “We believe that he is honest about his willingness to become a better person, and want to be supporting that sort of change.”

    “Let’s hear it from him then!” Lombre insisted, stomping even closer.

    Damien froze up for a moment, but then managed to get himself to speak clearly, “I really do want… to help you all, and make things better. I’ve wronged you all so much, and it took me too long to realize how bad that was,” he said.

    Murmurs rose in the crowd, all the pokemon debating on how to take this information. Many of the words that could be picked out sounded negative, but they also seemed to pick up on the unspoken point that if Team Galaxy was saying this, then there had to be some merit to it, especially with how much they had been affected by the gengar in the past. Regardless, they still sounded reluctant overall. It seemed not many were willing to just forgive and move on.

    Taking the opportunity to cut through the crowd to join the group in the center, the kecleon brothers stepped up to weigh in their thoughts. At the sight of them making their move, the murmurs faded back into silence, everyone respectful awaiting what the two highly esteemed shopkeepers were thinking about all of this.

    Green-Kecleon spoke first, “ah, Team Galaxy, as I’m sure you already understand, this is quite the message you’ve given us! We certainly all believe your word here, as you have proven your trustworthiness time and time again, but you must realize that we have all been harmed by Gengar and his team’s plots before even the Ninetales Legend accusation,” he explained.

    “Team Meanies was a nuisance to us all for a long time,” Purple-Kecleon added, “stolen goods, vandalization, overprized rescues… There simply wasn’t enough to send in a report to disband them for a long time; seeing as in the eyes of the guild we are but a small town in the middle of nowhere, and Team Meanies was just a successful team with a peculiar name.”

    With what the second brother added in, some angry cries burst out, declaring their buried frustration towards the delinquent rescue team. Calming raising his hand though, Green-Kecleon was able to calm them again.

    “So, what I would suggest is some… compensation,” he said, “many have been wronged, and while he has certainly helped heal over those wounds for your team, he has done nothing for Pokemon Square. There is a broken trust here, and trust is important for any sort of interaction. Gengar has proven to be untrustworthy, so just as he has worked to prove himself for you, I would request that he does the same for us,” he told them.

    “What kind of compensation?” Keahi asked, blinking.

    The brothers paused for a moment, mulling over the exact answer to this question. They even turned to whisper to each other, sharing ideas with each other privately.

    “Little things. As my brother said before, a lot of what Gengar has done was… material,” Green-Kecleon began, “so, we believe little material favors would help build back that broken trust.”

    “What my brother is saying,” Purple-Kecleon continued, “is that we believe that the best way for Gengar to work back being a trusted citizen, is to work for it. He could sweep the streets, perhaps help organize some wares, general volunteer work. If we let him come in to help, and he does help, that will help show change to us,” he explained, “because we believe that many of us will want to see a more physical change as well.”

    “So, does that sound agreeable to everyone?” Green-Kecleon prompted.

    Before anyone in Team Galaxy could get a word out in response, cheers of agreement erupted from the various pokemon. The kecleons had stated the case well, and judged what was wanted efficiently as well. Glancing at one another, the group still in the center of all this nodded to each other as well, making sure they were all alright with this solution as well before one of them spoke for all of them. Once Damien had finally nodded with the others and the crowd quieted down again, Keahi smiled and spoke once more.

    “That sounds like a great plan,” Keahi hummed.

    Green-Kecleon clapped his hands together, “splendid! So, where shall he start?”

    “Who needs help with something?” Gardevoir asked in return.

    At first, no one seemed willing to step up. Despite all the enthusiasm around Damien improving and doing so by helping complete chores around town, no one wanted to risk the change that he was just going to ruin everything again. While the point about it being difficult for this to be all an act, there was still that doubt that hung in everyone’s minds. The growing silence quickly became overbearing, with eyes darting around to search for someone to be the one to say something.

    Until finally, Kangaskhan stepped forward with her usual warm smile.

    “I don’t have many extra tasks around my job, but I’m sure there’s some general cleaning that can be done to start off,” she said, “I won’t turn down someone wanting to improve themselves.”

    “Thank you,” Damien blurted out in relief, “uh… do you want me to go now then?” he asked, glancing around at his friends, who were still smiling supportively back at him.

    Kangaskhan chuckled, “I don’t see why not! No sense in delaying progress,” she hummed.

    With one last encouraging nod from the trio of Team Galaxy and Gardevoir, Damien stepped away from the group and over to Kangaskhan. She spoke to him softly for a moment, and then led him back away from the middle of town and over to where her own stand was for work.

    No one quite sure what to add to this meeting, the crowd slowly dispersed again, splitting off into those who had something to do and just those who gathered together in small groups to gossip with each other about this latest town discussion.

    “I’m glad that all worked out,” Nelvana sighed, relaxing from a tension she didn’t even realize she had.

    “It’s good that he’ll be working with Kangaskhan first too! I’m sure this will turn out great!” Keahi chirped, “good job everyone! Let’s tell the others about how it went!”

First [ARC 1]: In which the human is transformed First [ARC 2]: In which a present is prepared Next: In which the trouble with evolution is discovered Previous: In which the Gardevoir awakens