#i always found it so silly when people act like humans are better or separate than animals and the rest of the planet

[syncrovoid-presents]

Okay but consider, if we stretch eyes to include all eye-like organs and not just human-like eyes, then we must include pinhole eyes (eyespots and photoreceptors, to be more scientifically accurate).

Therefore, you must consider Giant Clams! These beautiful creatures have not one, not two, but several thousand eyes each, all along the edge of their outer mantles! Each eye spot is around .5mm wide, so imagine how many of those you could fit on the mantle of a 4 foot to 4.5 foot (average size of a giant clam, it depends on the species). Plus there are approximately 12 species and they can live upwards to 100 years old!

So! That means each giant clam adds a few hundred eyes to the eye count. If you count a clan's foot as a leg, each adds only one to the leg count. (Yep, that's right. Clams have one singular foot.)

Also underwater you can find Chitons. They are truly bizarre and outstanding creatures, and also have photosensitive eye-like structures, sometimes aesthetes and sometimes ocelli (possesses lenses). Guess how many of these eye-like structures a chiton has? Not one, not 100, but upwards to a thousand (or more depending on the species!) of eyes. Want to know something even cooler? Though there isn't solid proof, I must mention that there is a small theory that chitons can even regrow eyes if they lose them. Plus they have no real legs!

I think that balances out some of the leg counts from millipedes.

AND!! I AM NOT DONE!!

If you count compound eyes as singular, then yes a dragonfly or butterfly only adds 2 to the count. But if you count compound eyes as exactly that, a compounded group of eyes, then bugs add hundreds or thousands to the eye count!

Consider, a human eye has one lens, and each facet of a compound eye has one lens. Both are a single point where light or vision is achieved, so a compound eye would be like if a human face was covered in eyes. A bit like that anyways! But then multiply that to thousands, because bugs have so many eyes!

Dragonflies have up to 30 thousand facets/lenses, butterflies have up to 17 thousand. Mantis shrimp, who have some of the most impressive eyes, can have upwards to 12 thousand. And spiders? These lovely little creatures have single lens eyes, so they only have 8. But scorpions can have 12!

Now here is the most controversial take. If we consider eyes as structures that allow a living thing to see, regardless of how bad that vision is, we need to talk about plants.

Plants, you may ask? Well, dear reader, are you aware of the fact that plants can, in a rudimentary way, see? Plants have special structures called photoreceptors, not too different than some scaled creatures that have a specialized "third" eye, a photoreceptor organ that let's them detect light. For plants this let's them detect an array of wavelengths, allowing them to sense light. They "see" through the visible, far red and ultraviolet light spectrum, although their vision is quite different than a human's.

Plants can see you (though their vision is so poor they cannot see the difference between different humans), and they can also feel you, how silly!

But with plants it isn't as easy and counting how many photorexeptive structures they have, as it grows and changes as the plant does! But if we say every plant counts as one more eye (though it would be more accurate to say hundred, just think each tree leaf counts as an eye, how many leaves does a tree have? That's a lot of new eyes to count!).

Personally, I am on the side of the plants, so I will count them as having eyes (as should you, as should you! It is very rude to ignore those that can see you (this is silly, they don't actually watch, don't worry! @:P )

Also don't forget all the microscopic creatures that live on you, because each person is an entire ecosystem of their own! But the less mentioned the better. Protip to everyone, do not look up demodex eyes. One would expect I formation of the animal, but that is not the case. And for anyone with scopophobia don't research giant clam eyes)

SO!! There are many, many eyes in the world, so think again about this question. I, for one, voted for eyes, as I am a firm believer that there are more eyes than legs on this very planet. And another fun fact, technically the average human has less than 2 eyes, which means that you reading this, yes you. You quite likely have more eyes than the average human. Aren't statistics funny?

Please vote eyes

[carrdfan]

Venom/Eddie Brock x Reader

summary : when it all started, you had promised Drake that you would do nothing but stay by his side. Yet as time went on and he showed his truth, by the time Dora tells you about her future plan to stop Drake, you debating about risking it all once you come face to face with the intruder.

main tags : enemies to lovers , headcanons , gender neutral reader

At first, you were nothing but ecstatic to the fact that you were able to work at the Life Foundation

It felt like a deserved achievement, and the fact that you started at a reluctantly young age meant that this could be just the first few steps to a successful life

You were nothing but respectful to everyone at work, particularly to Drake since you commonly work with him

Yet, the bright flower for this job was to slowly wither away unbeknownst to you

Over the following few months, Drake's behavior turned into something more cynical. Especially once the symbiotes found their way to the planet

The fact that he showed no remorse to people all because they were on the less fortunate side disturbed you greatly. Unsettlement increased by the passing day and you became entirely concerned with Drake's well-being

One day, you ran into Dora while both of you took the elevator to get into work. You were familiar with Dora so you spoke up to end the deafening silence

The conversation was going relatively normal until you two got onto the topic of Drake and his recent actions

"Hey Y/N, has Drake been acting.. Strange to you?"

You took a moment, you had your answer, but it was more of the worry of if Dora was trustworthy enough to receive your truth

"...Yes, ever since the symbiotes came into the frame he's always been strange." You soon turned back and made strict eye contact with Dora. "Why? Got something on your shoulder?"

Though your last comment was more silly then serious, still, you felt relief you weren't supposedly the only one concerned over Drake's actions

Dora took a breath, "I do." Your eyes widen to the serious response

"Dora, what are you planning to do?"

She looked hesitant to tell, as if she was a child nervously having to admit they did something wrong

"I want to expose Drake of what he's doing. You know, he's testing humans like they're pure animals ever since those aliens arrived. I think it's better if we put him down."

You were impressed, the fact Dora wanted to go to such lengths to end this villainous of a man made you happy.

But then again, these same lengths were also what struck fear in you. The last thing you wanted to hear was Dora getting caught and punished.

Before you could reply, the elevator stopped and you both had to separate your ways. Time was moving too fast at the worst of times.

"Just.. Take in what I said. I'm gonna try and find someone to help me out tonight."

With that, Dora excused herself and headed off on her way. Leaving you to process the warning before quickly stepping out yourself.

Time had passed but there was never a moment where you didn’t think about Dora’s words. Was she really going to risk it and try to take down Drake?

By the time you were heading home, it was late evening. You were just a few steps away out the door before hearing a familiar voice.

From afar you could see Dora, still in the building mere hours after she should've been home. She was waving goodbye to a security guard before excusing herself.

When she turned and noticed you, you walked up to her and whispered, "Dora, what the hell are you still doing here?"

"We don't have time, we need to leave before they—"

Suddenly sirens went off, alerting that there was an intruder as both of you covered your ears. The alarm added nothing but more questions, yet you had to act fast

You soon placed a hand on Dora's shoulder and guided her to the door

"You get out of here, I'll see what's going on."

"Y/N, I can't let you do that, if you get caught they'll—"

"I'll be fine Dora, unlike you, I have a passable alibi. You should've been home hours ago. Now get going! I'll call you later tonight."

Dora resisted for a moment before nodding her head and leaving. That only left you to go and investigate what happened

You decided to rush through the back ally, catching a glimpse of security guards trying to hop over a fence, hinting that the intruder had escaped.

Walking up to them, you quickly asked what the hell was going on. To which they replied explaining how someone came in and took one of the symbiotes.

You expressed how you wanted to help, so you got in the car with the guards and proceeded to drive out in the middle of the nearby forest, where the supposed intruder was last seen.

After a while of searching, nothing prevailed. You stared out into the distance before being called by the guards to get back in the car so they can retreat and inform Drake on what happened.

Shockingly, you declined the offer, explaining how you still had a gut feeling that the intruder was close. Having no other choice, the guard nodded and all proceeded to drive back to the building.

You watched as the cars left your vision before looking around the area one last time.

You raised your voice, yet still being cautious if any possible guards being close, "I have a feeling your here. I'm not gonna turn you in, I'm with Dora."

There was nothing for a moment, you almost gave up before hearing creaking as a small branch suddenly fall to the ground. You looked up to see the alleged intruder at the top of a tree.

The man seemed extremely troubled, and you couldn't even blame him. You ran next to the tree and took the next few minutes slowly helping the man down.

After some time, you both managed to get into your car and leave the building safely. Both of you were still puzzled by what went down

"Dora told me about her plan, though.. If I was informed a bit more, this would’ve been more correlated." You told the man to simply reassure that he can trust you. You really didn't have any idea how to handle the situation, but you trying to come off as if you did.

"I'm Y/N by the way. Also, I kinda need the address to your place to drop you off..."

The man was still quiet, but then again you told yourself it was you who was rushing the conversation. You accepted the silence politely.

"..Eddie. Eddie Brock."

You had heard of Eddie before on the news, but he looked a lot more.. disorganized in person.

"Well Eddie, it's nice to meet you."

Both of you got to Eddie's apartment as he proceeded to bust through the door while trying to call Dora.

Sadly, your time could only last for so long before suddenly getting a call yourself.

It was Drake.

You dropped into a panic as you slowly closed the door and ran down to the ground floor before answering the phone.

"Hello? Drake?"

"Y/N, where are you. Guards are saying you stayed out looking for the intruder."

You freaked out as you tried to think of a diverse lie that could also match the testimony with the other guards.

"Yeah, I stayed out for a few extra minutes but to no avail. I didn't find anyone and left the building, I was getting off anyways."

You looked at yourself while making this final decision. You were lying to someone you had told many times that you would do nothing but share the truth with. You made it clear to Drake with the actions that he could trust you, and now here you were, covering the enemy.

"Y/N, I just wanna make sure, but you aren't lying to me, are you?"

Now was your last chance to turn back to the thing you had built so much to achieve. You were either going to save your career or save a thief. Yet thinking back on the outcome Life Foundation was going to be in with Drake's sinister ways, you gathered yourself and managed to tell him.

"No. I didn't see anyone out there. The intruder unfortunately is loose and his whereabouts are unknown."

With that, you and Drake briefly talked before hanging up the phone.

You wanted to go back and check on Eddie, but you convinced yourself not to and see him another time.

Right now, you needed to remain undercover yourself. You are an ally with the villain after all.

[just-someone-who-likes-to-write]

Prince Nuada x Angel!Reader (P.3)

(Requested by @blackwoodwinter​ : Hello! Could i request a story of reader x prince nuada, where the reader is naturally born human with powers & mutations that make her look like an angel. She also works in the BPRD alongside Red and Abe and when she first meets Nuada he mistakes her for a mythical creature, initially not liking her of betraying mythical creatures for humans, but she clearfies she is technically human and shows him little by little there is still good in humanity.)

Warning: None I guess.

Word Count: 2,888

Part1 Part2

It has been weeks since the resurrection incident, (Y/n) had recovered and has rejoined the investigation for the Gargoyle. During the said investigation, Nuada has been keeping an eye on the little human angel, which surprised some because he always showed nothing but disgust towards her and now he will not leave her side unless she expressed wanting to be alone. Of course, he was subtle about it, only those who knew him well enough noticed such actions. Hellboy didn't like the sudden interest the elf prince had in (Y/n), Abraham was between being hopeful that Nuada accepted her as a friend and worried that he was up to something, Liz and Nuala on the other hand had a pretty good picture on what was possibly happening but said nothing only acted when Hellboy needed someone to hold him back or poor Abraham who needed reassurance that everything is fine.

 However, unlike what the girls were thinking, Nuada wasn't staying close to (Y/n) because he had feelings for her, but rather was intrigued by her and wanting to know what else she is able to do.

 "Can you fly with them?" He asked one day when he caught her stretching her wings, his eyes mesmerized by the feathers that shone against the light.

 "Uh… Yeah." She replied a bit startled since she thought she was alone.

 "How high can you go?" He took a few steps forward to get a better look at (Y/n)'s wings.

 "Well, the highest I went like… 60 story building." You answered self-consciously. Nuada raised a brow of bewilderment.

 "Only 60 story?" He repeated confused. "Forgive my bluntness, but I believed you could go higher since your wings look strong."

 "I might be." You said with a shrug.

 "Might be?"

 "Well, I never really went any higher than 60 stories." You looked around to make sure they were alone before whispering. "I'm actually scared to go higher."

 "Why is that?" Asked Nuada in bewilderment.

 "I'm just afraid that something might go wrong." You answered. "What if I went too high that I can't breathe anymore and lose consciousness and fall to my death, what if my wings got tired and cramped and caused me to fall to my death, or what if I got high enough that-"

 "Bunch of human hunters would mistake you for a bird and shot you down to your death?" Said Nuada with a smirk finding (Y/n)'s imagination amusing.

 "No, that would be a silly thought." She retorted before continuing. "I was going to say, that I would accidentally be pulled into a plane's engine without me being able to prevent it.

 Nuada looked at her with wide eyes of amazement before bursting into laughter.

 "Why are you laughing!?" (Y/n) exclaimed with a bright red face, Nuada continued laughing.

 Nuada agreed to keep her secret on the condition of allowing him to help her get over her fear, which she reluctantly agreed to. When the weather was clear they would go outside where she would try and fly a bit higher, she would get scared after a few meters away from what she was used to but with practice, she is getting used to it. Of course, flying isn't the only thing he was teaching her. In the training room, he would teach her hand in hand combat and that she should not just depend on her wings. One day she came forward and asked him to teach her how to fight with weapons specifically with sword…that she already has.

 "Tell me again how did you obtain such a weapon." Said Nuada as he stared at the sword in her hands that he dared not to touch, for even if it was naked to the human eyes he could sense the holy aura around it.

  "It was found centuries by humans who passed it from one generation to the other, then from and organization to the other until it was settling beneath the Vatican vault." She explained. "I remember that we needed further information about a monster we were after, and such information can only be found in the Vatican. It was one of my first missions outside the country, Professor Broom is the one who insisted to take me along with them in hopes that by seeing me 'An Angel' that they would be a bit lenient on us, of course, Hellboy was forbidden to go along with us, so it was just me, the professor and a few protection agents….  I remember that while the professor was looking into the documents I felt a pull towards a locked room that to this day I still don’t know how did I get into without alarming anyone, all I remember is one moment I was standing on one side watching the professor work and then suddenly I was holding the sword in my hand while Vatican security was pointing a gun at me to let the sword go."

 Nuada watched her closely as she told the story, her eyes shone slightly as she stared down at her sword.

 "And what convinced them to let you keep it?" Asked Nuada pulling her out of her thoughts.

 "It was the Pope." She continued. "He said that the sword found its owner. I still don't understand. Of course, there were a lot who objected on letting me keep the word, but the Pope's words were final."

 "Does anyone know where the sword came from?"

 "They don't know exactly where, each one just said a different story." She sheathed her sword back to her side. "But the one I follow was the one Professor broom told me, That millenniums ago, in the war between Lucifer and god, that an Angel must have lost their weapon causing it to fall on earth…. I'm still skeptical about it but I think the story sounds really cool!"

 Nuada just stayed silenced and nodded at her.

 Everything was going well for Nuada. Manning trusted him more which allowed him more freedom to even walk outside the building unsupervised, He got to know Abraham more for his sister's sake, and even his relationship with Red become of a friendly rivalry rather than pure trust and distrust, and even humans around him started to become less tense around him, going as far as greeting him in the halls when they saw him or ask him about her day. Everything was going well…until Manning called for an emergency meeting that everyone including the paranormal agents had to be present in it.

 "His name is Hugo." Said Abraham as he presented the few blurry pictures they were able to catch on the digital screen.

 The moment he uttered the name Nuada could feel his blood grow cold and his heartbeat slightly rise with nervousness. He did his best not to show it. He would be lying to say that he didn't expect to hear about the gargoyle again, but part of him still hoped that the beast would follow his advice and disappear for a few centuries before striking again. The prince tried to ignore the bang of guilt he felt when remembering his first encounter with Hugo and how he let him go. His eyes looked to (Y/n) who was concentrating on whatever Abraham was saying with a serious look in her eyes while her hand rests on her sword, ready to fight. Aside from guilt now he also felt ashamed because he deceived her. The Elven prince stared back into the screen trying to mask his true feeling with a nonchalant stare.

 "We found the Gargoyle Coven and asked them about if any one of their members went rouge and they confirmed that Hugo was one of them, that he spent centuries complaining about the humans and even refusing to protect them from harm when they saw them in danger." A few murmurs were filling the room but were quieted down as he continued. "They cast him out of the coven after he not only witnessed the death of an innocent human family but helped the culprit escape."

 "How horrible." Said Nuala with a sorrowful look. "What kind of creature would allow such a thing."

 Nuada averted his eyes with shame from his sister, looking down at his weapon which he refused to raise against the gargoyle. He was now part of such a crime because he too let the beast flee undetected.

 "Listen, we still don't know what is his weakness since every book we had said that gargoyles are invisible…" Said Red earning everyone's attention. "Except against one thing and its sunlight, when it touches them they turn to stone, it still doesn't mean they are dead, they just become immobile until nightfall. So our best option is to find him, tie him down until sunrise, and when he turns to stone we break him to pieces!"

 When he said the last part he slammed his stone fist against the table breaking it.

 "…Oops…" He said as he took a step back.

 "You know Red.." Called (Y/n). "I was really admiring your plan, that you finally said something that didn't involve shooting something down, but then you go and do this."

 Her remark made the people in the room laugh or giggle, except Nuada who was trying to figure out what to do and how. Because if they did manage to catch the beast he will blurb out that he had helped him escape, which will lose him to lose everything he has now. Respect, Trust, and loyalty. The humans would probably lock him back with no hope of a second chance, his sister would look at him with disgust… and (Y/n) would never want to be near him again.

 No, he needed to do something and fast.

 ---

 "What is troubling you brother?" Asked Nuala as she entered his room.

 "Nothing is troubling me." He lied skillfully.

 He was in the middle of preparing for leaving with the others to look for the gargoyle. They had been informed of a large group of humans going missing around a specific area in the city so they planned to make different search parties each one lead by either Hellboy, Abraham, (Y/n), or him. His plan however was simple, slowly separate from the human group, search for a possible lead to Hugo, when he finds the Gargoyle he will convince him to leave the city. Nuala's eyes narrowed at her brother, who still has his back to her.

 "I sensed how agitated you were during the meeting." She said with her arms crossed. Nuada paused for a moment before continuing his work.

 "It was just the fact that I have to work with humans." He lied swiftly but Nuala didn't believe him.

 "Brother…" She called timidly, he just hummed in response. "Did you do something you shouldn't have done?"

 Nuala came forward to place her hand on her brother's shoulder in hopes of learning what he was hiding, but Nuada dodged her hand, which fell in mid-air. His sister froze when she saw the harsh glare he gave her.

 "You are my sister, and I love you dearly… But…" He growled. "If you tried to read my mind again without permission, I'm afraid I won't be so kind."

 He then turns around to leave his stunned sister in his room, her eyes wide because Nuada rarely becomes angry with her, but also because his action reminded her of when they were little, he would avoid her like the plague whenever he does something he shouldn't, like stealing pastry goods or breaking something valuable, but they were adults now and for Nuada avoiding her touch let alone give her such a glare means that whatever he was hiding was big, which makes her very worried.

 "What are you doing Brother." She said to no one in the empty room.

 ---

 Nuada was wearing a cloak to blend easily with the shadows whenever a human was about to see him. From the device, in his ear, Nuada could hear the human agents talking among themselves whether it was a casual conversation or just stating what they were seeing as suspicious, only rarely did they talk to him, and when they do it is only to ask him if he is seeing anything. He had enough when he saw that in a couple of hours they will have to go back, so Nuada told the humans that he was going to search from the buildings surface to have a better look at the dark sky to catch the Gargoyle if he was by chance flying over them. they trusted him and just told him to inform him if he saw anything so they can inform the other groups and come to help him. Nuada shook the bit of guilt he felt at the blind trust that these humans have given him, and continued jumping form a building to the other, when he deemed himself far enough he used the fire escape to go back down and go somewhere a bit more open for the Gargoyle to fly in freely. Nuada had seen how big Hugo was, not to mention the length of his wings, knowing that he would need an open place to be able to continue his kidnapping easily, Nuada had led the humans to an area that was closed, to keep them away and safe.

 He was walking on the side of the road looking up to the sky and keeping his senses sharp, to any movement near him. He kept walking until he reached a park. He was outside by the high iron fences, his eyes glanced to the lack of green graces, how the ground was filled with brown spots, most of the trees were dead or dying, even the children's ground was dirty and broken. A small bush of yellow flowers caught his attention, the flowers were growing on the small space between the iron fence bars, and they were slightly beaking out in the sidewalk. He didn't know why but he wanted to at least feel the small petals of the flowers, he knelt and reached for them but before his fingertips could someone called for him.

 "Don't pick the flower!" A small voice of a little girl who was running towards him.

 Nuada quickly took a step back and he tugged his hood down to assure that his face wasn't visible, but he still could see the little girl who was kneeling down to inspect the flowers. She then looked up to him.

 "I'm sorry for scaring your mister." Her tiny voice said politely. He just nodded in response to show that it was alright.

 Nuada watched as the little girl pulled out a worn-out plastic bottle which was filled with water. She opened the cap and proceeded to pour an amount that was obviously too much for the flower to absorb, but she did know that. When the bottle was half empty she stopped, and gave a satisfied nod at her work before closing the bottle again.

 "There used to be a lot of flowers, but after last summer almost all of them died because no one was there to take care of them…" The little girl explained. "So I decided that do it myself!"

 She gave Nuada, who was staring at her with interest, a big proud smile at what she just said. The prince couldn't help the small smile that graced his lips.

 "What is your name little one?" He asked gently.

 "My name is Sophie."

 "Well, Sophie, I must say that what you are doing is admirable." He said sincerely. The girl titled her head.

 "What does that mean?" she asked confused. He chuckled at her nativity.

 "It means good." he explained as simply as he could. "What you are doing is very good."

 The girl's eyes widened in realization before giggling, delighted to being praised by a stranger. He was still curious about something.

 "Why are you watering them at night?" He asked.

 "Oh, My mom grounded me today and I couldn't go and water them, so I sneaked out." She said as if she was caught doing something wrong… which she was.

 "It is dangerous to go into the night this late you need to return home now." Nuada said in a soft yet stern manner. The Girl's smile dropped, replaced by a sad frown.

 "B...But my flowers…"

 "Your flowers can survive till morning and I am sure if you told your mother she will understand." He said. "But sneaking out late at night with no one knowing your location, now go home now, it's dangerous."

 The little girl looked as if she was going to say something but refrained from doing so and she turned and ran away. Nuada as well turned on his heel to continue his search for the Gargoyle. However, Nuada failed to notice how the little girl stopped her track after she thought she was far enough from him, and when she saw him turn in a corner and disappear the little girl returned back to the park to tend to the rest of her flowers, disobeying the stranger's orders, believing that she will be safe enough to water a few more flowers.

 Unaware of the glowing red eyes that are watching her from afar.

--- 

I hope all of you enjoyed this part and will look forward for more.

Reminder Requests are closed.

[yesvaldemarharder]

Yandere Arcana

Ayo so um.. with 723 followers I really be expecting people for more input on things I should write (requests, ideas, convos, etc) but um.. I guess not? Lol. Anyway since I’m basically writing for like a couple people (people who actually respond to my work cause I like that. If you just like and reblog that’s fine but I still like hearing what people have to say about my work. If your shy don’t be.. I literally don’t judge..) I’ll go ahead and write scenarios for Yandere Arcana. If y’all want more of this just tell me. I was almost tempted to do nsfw lol!

I wanna say that I haven’t played the game enough to finish anyone’s route and while I want to, ya girl broke so picking choices is something I have to wait a while for as well. (The cost on those coins and I can’t even get a Valdemar route??? What type of shit-)

If any of the characters seem ooc I apologize I just really wanted to write this so um.. yeah.

I guess I’ll take the time to part a warning right here: If you don’t like yanderes or anything of the sort I suggest you don’t read this! I would do the ‘below the cut’ thing but I’m all honestly I don’t know how to.. so here ya go!

You have been warned!

-

Asra

Asra is a tricky yandere. He knows you well enough to get into your head.

He may take times to keep a distance from you but whenever he messages you or comes back he always makes sure to show you so much affection just so you hopefully don’t question anything.

He’ll act like something to you matters to him, and usually they do matter but if you’re talking about a love interest or something he’ll act supportive but will really be a bit annoyed on the inside.

Depending on your love interest he may get upset or simply will smile and try to ‘help you get them’. Don’t let it be Lucio or Julian.. he’ll be furious.

If he acts like he’s happy to help and your LI disappears then he probably did or didn’t send them somewhere where neither of you two can meet again. Like a portal to a dark cold place or something.

He’s like a snake.. or even a fox. He’s the magician for a reason.

Nadia

Nadia probably won’t even hide how much of a yandere she is.. okay maybe just a little.

She’s the countess, what does she need to hide? She’s also meant to be with you and you’re supposed to love her no matter what. Nadia seems to be a bit of an oblivious yandere. Not aware that what she does for you is rather scary at times.

She showers you in gifts. Some of the cutest clothes just to basically play dress up with you like your some little doll. She doesn’t like it when you turn down a gift and while there’s a couple times she’ll get frustrated in the end she’ll send the gift to you late at night with a sweet not hoping you take it.

While she usually ask for your input against other’s, when it comes to someone who isn’t much use to the palace or her especially sniffing up on you she’ll usually deal with them.. whether banishing them and having them get hunted down throughout the forest like some sort of game.

She can be ruthless, and when she’s really in a bad mood it’s hard for her to listen to anyone. Don’t beg for her not to kill off someone because she most likely will act you didn’t say anything, kiss your forehead, and will proceed with the execution.

Also gets really touchy with you when her sisters are around..

Portia

Portia is usually a very carefree chick but while she can be easygoing she can be rather on guard about you.

It’s not often with you, because she doesn’t want you to know the bad things she’d do for you, but every once in a while she’ll ‘joke’ about killing for you. She’s caring and always makes sure you’re safe so you don’t question it until she actually does it when you have a suspicion that she did it..

Will cry and manipulate you into believing she’s innocent because seeing fear on your face towards her makes her scared. She was just doing what was ‘right’, of course her terminology of right is different from yours tho.. that’s why she lies about not doing it.

You’ll trust her and while you’re still a bit nervous she’ll work on that making sure to check up on you often. Once she gains your trusts back again she grows to be a lot more sneaky.

Rat poison is probably what slipped into the man’s tea after her kept messing with you but who knows?

Julian

Julian can be much like his sister but instead of growing emotional to defend himself he grows serious. It’s so different from his usually jokingly self and reminds you of the red plague times so you can’t help but apologize for accusing him.

He may not have killed Lucio but he’s definitely took a couple people out for you. Most unintentionally but still did it anyway. That guy couldn’t swim and Julian simply didn’t hear him crying for help.. it’s okay though cause you did say he had a weird vibe about him anyway, obviously Julian agreed.

He can be clingy, needy, and touchy. If you don’t know about the yandere in him you love it and you loving it just manages to feed it more. If you do know about it and you’re scared he uses his touches to try and calm you down. To have you let your guard down.

He’ll use his self hate against you for many different reasons now. While he does hate himself he found that you usually encourage him or try to make him feel better after he talks about himself too much. He’ll use it on you to stop you from running away from him because your morals are far better than his at this point and he knows you’ll stay to try and help him.

When you find out that he’s been killing people you’re terrified and even though you know you should runaway and leave.. you also can’t help but want to help him.

What if he’s actually innocent like he was with Lucio? (Definitely not.) What if the depression got so bad and he couldn’t help himself? He needed help and only you could help him.

He’ll chuckle sometimes at how cute and silly you are. With how he is he knows you won’t be going anywhere and he’s perfectly fine with that because had you did think of running away he’d just chase you down and use he’s depression against you to make you feel bad for leaving and to bring you back to him.

Lucio

The coliseum was made for a reason... Lucio likes a good fight and anyone touching you, speaking with you, or even looking at you can make him want to have one.

If it isn’t a physical fight it’s a fight with words (which he isn’t that good at but his smugness makes it pay off)

He’s a hopeless romantic type of yandere and unlike his wife he actually doesn’t recognize or acknowledge the bad sides of himself. He either doesn’t to face them or actually thinks cutting that servants throat for huffing in your presence was justified.

You honestly can’t tell but hey, you’re scared. He’s a Count though... THE Count.. if he’s your yandere it’s going to be hard to get away from him without getting hunted down. He’ll make sure to keep an eye on you. (much like Nadia)

He’ll lock down the whole palace if it means keeping you in place. If you do manage to escape he’ll be highly impressed honestly before he’s goes hunting you down. When he finds you he’ll make sure the palace is locked down a lot tighter then it has been before.

Muriel

He definitely starts out as a silent stalker type. Muriel isn’t really attracted to anyone before you and even though he is interested in you he makes you come to him.

I believe he’s actually one of the nicer yanderes but he does have his moments of being possessive.

He doesn’t want to hurt anyone unless it’s absolutely needed.. wouldn’t want to kill anyone for something silly.. of course not.

Ok! I’m at the courtiers! Now these ones might be sadder because I have a lot of headcanons for them. Mainly the horsemen and I do believe Valerius doesn’t have much story on him either so yeah.

Volta

Volta’s an absolute sweetheart. Tis is all.

Nah I’m fucking with y’all, it’s a yandere post.. anyway while Volta is a sweetheart she can’t help but be a bit possessive over you. Unlike the other courtiers her emotions come out a lot more and with her past she never thought she find someone like you.

Now that she has though it’s hard to separate the two of you..

She clings to you, cry for you when you’re gone for too long, feeds you if she’s really into you..

People don’t really see her as a threat and that’s only until she threatens to eat them.. when she gets like that people make sure to leave you be because the really aren’t sure if Volta will actually do it but with that bright playful but warning look in her eyes they don’t want to put it past her.

Vlastomil

Vlastomil kinda has that same oblivious energy in him as Lucio or Nadia however it may seem like he doesn’t know what he’s doing is wrong but he really does.

He’s a demon, he knows how to play with humans but the thing is what he does is just him trying to understand himself better. Before you he only cared about his worm and now you were here.

He pretty much treats you like he treats Wriggler.. you’re very dear to him and let anything happen to you he’ll make sure everyone around knows how he feels. Whether it’s crying, shouting or simply anxiously looking for you.

He fears with other humans you’ll either get taken from him or get hurt but them and neither one of those are things he’s ok with obviously.

He’s a tricky demon, he may trick you into believing his morals verses your own.

“I love you dear! That’s why he has to go.. you don’t want him to hurt you yes?” He’ll manage to make you believe that everything he does is for you. If you have any sort of trauma he might even use that against you so be extra careful.

Valerius

I can see Valerius being much like Muriel but worse. He likes to stalk and watch you from afar until he can figure what’s the best route to take and going about getting to you.

He’s almost relieved you come to him first. The relationship is rather.. bumpy. At times he’ll be grumpy for no reason and sometimes you can get tired of that but anytime you threaten to leave him he gets you into bed a second faster and distracts you.

I can see him either being a good or bad yandere.. there’s no in between. Either he knows exactly how to keep you to himself or he struggles doing so which only frustrates you. You can say he takes some of that frustration out on you but he tries not to because the last thing he needs in to tell Lucio you ran off and have a bunch of guards chase you down.

Oh that’s right, Lucio helps him when it comes to reeling you in and keeping you their. It’s scary but how are yo to go against the Count and his Consul?

Valerius might say some really cruel things to you to make you stay. He doesn’t want to even think about you leaving him. The second he saw you was the same second he fell for you. He might question his own emotions a lot but after a while of simply stalking or having other people stalk you and report back to him, he can tell it is you that he wants.

Vulgora

Vulgora is one of the bad ones you can get. Their aggressiveness and bluntness can be scary so when you need to escape them not many will be willing to help you. Many might even be on their side out of fear of what the war demon can do.

I feel like Vulgora is one of these two yandere types if not both.

Either the type that uses anger as a way to express themselves even if they don’t want to. Like, they care very deeply about you but they are one of the courtiers who don’t understand these emotions.. it frustrates them to not understand and it makes them angry. They try not to take that anger out on you and usually ends it with taking the life of a mortal.. or a couple considering one isn’t enough.

The other type is the yandere who can’t hold their temper and simply wants you because they can have you. It’s a possessive thing.. no one can have you but them.

They won’t hesitate in killing for you and if you ask or grow scared they would try to say they didn’t do it. They’ll be honest. What are you going to do about it.. fight them? Leave them? Oh darling they believe you’re too smart to do something stupid like either one of those..

They’ll leave their mark on you, usually biting because even if there’s very few beings with teeth like theirs in the palace everyone know the deep marks belong to someone dangerous and usually people put a distance with you.

People might be scared of you for simply being trapped and stuck with them. Poor thing..

Valdemar

Go ahead and just pass away sis, we ain’t making it away from this one..

In all honesty Valdemar might be the worse yandere out of this group. Vulgora following after as well as Lucio, Vlastomil, and maybe Julian..

Now it’s either they don’t care about your feelings at all and well make sure you know it or they care far too much to let you out of their sight. Valdemar might be persistent to test on you and might do it even if you don’t want to but also they might grow worried about your safety if they do do it.

You’re like their precious little specimen and no matter what you do they are always watching. You can’t even escape them after death because they are death. There’s simply no escape.

It’s been centuries since they’ve felt as strongly for someone as they did you and that person didn’t make it to where they are now.. they refuse to let that happen again..

If you try to run from them they’ll have beings chase you, they’ll make you run for your life and when you come crying for help they’ll cackle in your face. They want you to know you can’t live without them and once that’s drilled into your head they’ll never allow you to ever get away.

[mimedking]

Bagginshield Modern AUs

They're all set in a modern time, that's for sure.

A Remover of Obstacles by MistakenMagic. Complete - E - 371k

"Dis often chided her older brother for being a misanthropist. She did it so often it had become a term of endearment. It was true that Thorin struggled with people; he struggled to form and maintain relationships. Dr. Grey had diagnosed him with this and Thorin hadn’t the heart to tell him this wasn’t a symptom of his PTSD, it was a symptom of his personality. He exercised a sense of apathy with almost everyone he met… But Bilbo was different. Thorin actually found himself wanting to know more about him."

Alone is a word not meant for you by authoressjean. Complete- G- 5k This is the first fic I ever read in this fandom :)

The holidays are fast approaching, and Thorin's been dreading them, now that it's just him and his nephews. Harder still given that Fili still barely speaks and hasn't really since Dis died.

So when Kili drags them into the bookstore to look for children's literature author Mr. Baggins' new book, and they find the author himself reading his latest, Thorin isn't expecting anything beyond maybe making his nephews a little happier. He certainly isn't expecting to find something for himself but he may have done just that.

By Request by HildyJ. Complete - G - 2.2k

As a musician, Thorin's life can be summed up in tempos. For instance, the concerto he's performing on Friday is Allegro - quick and bright, followed by Andantino - slightly slow, and then back to Allegro again.

On the other hand, his relationship with his cute neighbour? Larghissimo - very, very slow.

Fairy Nests by MilkTeaMiku. Complete - NR - 27k

Bilbo is a fairy. Thorin builds fairy houses.

Flowers and Flaws by Erinye. Complete - G - 58k

There are few things Thorin feels about as deeply as he does about flowers - his nephews’ education, the conservation of Derbyshire dales, Sunday’s lunch with Dís and the boys. Until one day a stranger with flowers tattooed all over his arms shows up at the shop and Thorin would rather like to indulge in the meaning of every single blossom inked on the stranger’s skin. But the stranger may not be a stranger after all and though he has flowers on his wrists, he may not wear his heart on his sleeve.

Bilbo Baggins is at a turning point. Call it mid-life crisis, call it responsibility, call it teaching Geography to kids in the bloody middle of Derbyshire. Of one thing Bilbo is certain: disgruntled-yet-rather-endearing florists are not what he needs in his life right now. Definitely.

Good Things by orphan_account. Complete - M - 12k

A car accident leaves a once proud and egotistical Thorin scarred and partially blind, and he locks himself away from the outside world, certain that he deserves a life devoid of human interaction.

It Started With A Cup Of Tea by alkjira. Complete - G - 9k

“It'll be very good for you, and most amusing for me."

Those were the words that heralded Bilbo Baggins’ transformation into a cat.

Plan B by Drenagon. Complete - G - 85k

Plan B: an alternative strategy; a contingency plan, devised for an outcome other than the expected plan.

Or, sending an unqualified temp to act as Thorin Oakenshield's PA because no one qualified can put up with him.

(He'd say they can't meet his standards. Of course he would.)

Meet Bilbo Baggins. He just became Plan B.

Share My Space by thesoundofnat. Complete - G - 4.7k

Bilbo is on a business trip and is staying at his old friend Balin’s place while he’s in town. What Balin forgot to mention was that his very attractive cousin Thorin was visiting as well with his nephews. What happens when Balin’s brother suddenly shows up and Bilbo is forced to share a room with Thorin?

The Ghost And Mr Baggins by perkynurples. Complete - G - 76k

They say that everything can be cured by saltwater - sweat, tears or the sea. Bilbo Baggins chooses the last option, taking his recently orphaned nephew and moving to the charming Oak Cottage, overlooking England’s grislier shores. The house charms him instantly, and though he knows nothing at all about the sea, or about making ends meet on his own so far from everything he’s known his whole life for that matter, he’s quite determined to stay, and see his nephew get better, odd sounds in the night be damned. He’s living in a modern world, after all, and the nonsense he’s been hearing about the house being haunted by its former owner, the mysterious Captain Durin, is just silly superstition… isn’t it?

The Grocer and The Prince by HildyJ. Complete - G - 9k

Sometimes separate worlds touch briefly, allowing travel from one place to another. But no matter the world, Bilbo and Thorin seem to always find each other.

Winter Wish by Jezunya. Complete - G - 1.4k

Frodo climbs up onto the stepstool, Bilbo’s hand on his back to steady him, and grasps the edge of the table in his little hands, carefully following the two DJs’ instructions of not too close and speak slowly and clearly and you’re doing great, kid, and then, when they nod and tell him to start, he says, right into the microphone:

“My Winter Wish is for my uncle to get a boyfriend.”

[hes-a-rat-whisperer]

Sorry to disturb you a lot!! But do you have any explicative lore posts, i love yours ocs but what the hell do they do, did and will do!?!?!?!? I literally know almost nothing abt them /nm

I have a few of those posts scattered around here and there, but I honestly don´t know where, so let me give you a brief summary:

Alistair Connor: an old, british gentleman with a rather short fuse. he is also a serial killer, most commonly known as "the rat whisperer". he feeds the remains of his victims to his rats, (of which there are a LOT) which is why no bodies could ever be found, only blood and tiny claw marks. some people in his neighborhood think it´s some kind of animal that roams the streets at night, while others think there is a person behind these cases. but since nobody can really tell for sure, ´the rat whisperer´ is more or less a cryptid. him becoming this ´unknown evil´ has to do with a traumatic experience at his old workplace which ended with him murdering his boss with a letter opener.

Cornelius and Cornelia Kelly: two chipper and positive leprechauns who were both raised in a household where tradition is valued very highly. unfortunately, that tradition also involves that Cornelia would get forcefully married off as soon as she turns 18. they were devastated about that, but their father was so blinded by his need to keep the old tradition going, that he didn´t seem to care. Cornelius and Cornelia were in a relationship around this time, something they of course kept secret, but now with the marriage inching closer and closer, they were dreading that they would get separated..

Guinness: another leprechaun, one who has a bit of a temper, similar to Alistair. however, instead of solving all of his problems with violence, he tends to only choose violence when he´s exhausted all other options. he´s very protective, with a strong sense of justice and a well functioning moral compass. he is best friends with the kelly twins, even more, they see him as their older brother who always helps them with a reassuring word or two, or even by giving them some good advice.

Gosgo: a hybrid creature. he has features of a rabbit, a lion, a kangaroo and a wolf. nobody knows what he is or where exactly he came from. the kelly twins, who found him as an orphaned baby in the forest, immediatelly took him in and begun raising him as their son. Gosgo is very positive, a bit naive and always sees things from the most brightest angle. people tend to think he´s stupid, since he can´t understand sarcasm and has issues with certain ´human´ things (like brushing teeth) but intelligence has nothing to do with that. Gosgo is a literal sunshine, always wanting to help, always trying his best and always offering hugs and candy to people he barely knows or even just met.

Elijah: a wild and somewhat irresponsible unicorn boy. Elijah is best described as a "kind jock". he´s a team player who always includes everyone, but can also be very stubborn! while most unicorns pride themselves in their magic and beauty, Eli is most proud of his speed! he would constantly race through the forest at high speeds and boast about how fast he is. he even snuck onto horseraces at some point! and the leprechaun family would assist him in that adventure, by pretending to be his "jockeys". Guinness even gave him his hat, so he could hide his horn better. he eventually stopped though, due to his sister Lilith being very worried about him. it took a lot of convincing, but he stopped.

Lilith: a beautiful unicorn lady with a long luxurious mane and sparkling eyes. at first glance, she has the same intimidating energy as a high school "mean girl", but that couldn´t be further from the truth. sure, she has a posse (or herd) of rather catty unicorn girls behind her who are always acting like their girl Lilith is the queen of the forest, but Lily thinks they´re just being silly and supportive. Lily works as a barkeeper and as such, always lends an ear to whoever needs it. she is very bad with confrontation though and would rather stay out of it, which is why her friend Guinness is always there to keep an eye out and to throw out troublemaking patrons. he´s pretty much her self proclaimed security guard, if you will.

extras!!

Alistair´s rats: he has a lot of them, but they´re ALL aggressive and they all have a taste for human flesh. they love their "daddy" and always snuggle close to him whenever they sense that he´s not feeling well. sometimes, Alistair thinks that they would simply leave him if he stopped providing them with food, thinking they´re only hanging around because he feeds them, but that is far, far from the truth! they´re loyal and will follow their daddy to hell and back.

Lilith´s herd: catty. all of them. they´re all unicorn ladies with differing mane and horn colors (and I don´t really have names for each one) they always stick together, as a herd does, and find great joy in the way everyone looks at them as they march through the forest. also, they absolutely adore Lilith´s brother Eli! they always dote on him and tell him just how adorable he is

[btsandvmin]

What made you like Jimin individually and Taehyung individually ? And do you have a slight preference between the two ?

I love all the members so much, and for me picking a bias is still kind of difficult. I have concluded that I do bias both Jimin and Tae but kind of switch between them at different times for different reasons. As for a bias wrecker I legit cannot choose and it changes all the time.

The way I got into BTS was through the BST MV and then trying to learn the members (the first one I learned and checked up on was Namjoon). I also got fascinated by the BU storyline as storytelling and analysis/reviews is a big hobby of mine (the fandoms I’ve been in are many, and character/story analyses/reviews/theories are something I have engaged in a lot). 

On top of that I work in the media industry and have an interest for visual storytelling as well and I got hooked by the concepts, the beautiful MV and the both story-based and symbolical clues they left. I also loved their music and like groups in general because of the interesting vocal dynamics you can create.  Basically, BTS managed to hit all my buttons and I had to look up more.

Mind you, I barely knew the members' names properly and I was already investigating the meaning of their MV and storyline. I listened to their album and loved the songs before I could tell which member was who. (Both Awake and First love made me cry without even knowing the lyrics).  I also have to mention how much I love both of Vmin’s voices, who are both very unique and interesting. I basically biased their voices before I knew who they were. (Fun or sad fact but I am really bad with faces and actually learned the members' singing voices before their faces.)

Let’s just say that I got into the music and visuals/concept first, and then started to consume material to get to know the members. They all also had incredible chemistry between each other and reminded me a lot of one of my favorite j-pop groups with their dynamics. 

What I started to watch was “get to know them” videos and recent interviews and clips, meaning from BST era. It was hard for me to not notice Jimin (even though vocal line were the ones I had the hardest time separating from each other in the very beginning). And perhaps even more so since the introduction videos tended to have a lot better and varied things to say about Jimin amongst vocal line. But even on his own Jimin simply stood out to me during the BST era when I joined. He took a lot of space in the group as a performer (especially with his high notes, his dancing, his hair and his outfits all combined) but also as an individual in off stage material. I fell for his voice and performance and the “Jimin effect” was hitting me hard. 

I also related to him a lot. I am a sort of clingy but shy person who is a perfectionist and likes being in control. I also thought he was both cute and funny without being too over the top with things like aegyo (I mean, we all know he is horrible at it when he tries to do it on purpose). I think the way Jimin is so open (though private) makes him easy to understand and relate to. He has a lot of different moods and there is an honesty in how much he shows us even though he clearly still remained in control.

As time went by, I found myself focusing on Jimin more than the other members and I realized my bias. I was simply drawn to him more than the others from the start. That in turn brings me to Taehyung... Because honestly, at the time it was impossible not to notice their closeness. And looking up a lot of old material, where Jimin was there was also Taehyung. They were very clingy and had a lot of cute interactions. One of the first things I watched of their more off-stage material was also Bon Voyage in Scandinavia (being from there myself I was extra curious) and the Vmin moments in there just cemented their bond for me.

I am not saying I only appreciate Tae for ship reasons, simply that Vmin got my attention early on and that did make me focus more on Taehyung as well. I thought as many that he was a bit odd, but very funny and playful, that he was incredibly good-looking (my opinion from the start was that JK and Tae were the most good-looking) but also a bit difficult to read. Taehyung made me want to understand him, and I was interested in him for quite different reasons than how I related to Jimin. I love him for his way of thinking and how he seems to have this innocence or happiness in the small things about him. Like, Tae getting lost in Sweden but still being happy about the small adventure, enjoying himself and stopping to blow on a dandelion might just be one of the most endearing things I have ever seen. (Honestly, another point I relate to Jimin on so much is his love for Tae and how he just makes us smile no matter what he does.)

Of course, as they change and as I get to watch them more, the more I find to love and appreciate (as well as flaws of course) and now I would say all the members are just very precious to me and I love them both for who they are on their own and for their bond as a group. It is impressive and not to be understated how rare it is to find a bond like theirs. I have seen many groups, and few are as compatible as BTS, and few seem to truly love each other the way they do.

But as for bias it will likely always be Jimin and Taehyung unless there is some drastic change.

For Jimin I love the way he dances while controlling every fiber of his body, the way he pours love into all his relationships but isn’t afraid to call people out, the way he keeps getting funnier (I think Jimin’s sense of humor is so underrated), the way he acts like an angel but actually has the whole world fooled (and he knows it), the way he shows his emotions so animatedly no matter if he gets annoyed or laughs with his whole body, the way he knows his principles and stands his ground when he believes in something, the way he works so hard to improve and better himself both as a performer and as a human, the way he thinks about things deeply and is so eloquent with how to express it, the way he is there for both ARMY, his members and even strangers because he is empathic to his core. There is a lot to love with Jimin, and he always makes sure to return that love when deserved.

For Taehyung I love the way he stand against the norms, the way he shows it’s ok to be different and embrace himself and others without judgement, the way he almost plays with us when he performs, the way he sings with such emotion and how he loves to express himself through all kinds of art forms, the way he learns and take in valid criticism but isn’t afraid to call bullshit, the way he knows when to be serious but also the importance of having fun, the way he is both the biggest dork and a fierce performer at once (I mean he can be so unapologetically silly and then suddenly switch to lethal seduction), the way his unique way of thinking opens up to new points of view, the way he can’t help but show his excitement or love for something and wants to share it with the people around him. He goes all out when he loves something and doesn’t hide his opinions when he doesn’t. Taehyung is just a very honest (though perfectly capable of lying and fooling us thank you very much) and incredible person that I both admire and adore.

There is just so much, and even small things get to me, like don’t get me started on their smiles, or even just their habits when they laugh... (how Tae usually laughs quietly but once in a while will let out these light giggles, or the way Jimin seem to automatically covers his face when he laughs).

I love them both to death (as all the members). It is not easy to just sit down and pour years of love into words, but I tried. I love them both as singers, performers, artists, and humans. I also love them as soulmates and how much they both just spread love and positivity to the people around them. The impact they have had on me, and surely many of you, is hard to comprehend. I am so lucky and happy that I decided to become a fan of this wonderful group and these wonderful people.

Phew, that was a lot wasn’t it? All opinion based, probably a bit hard to understand and not very well structured either. This is all just a flow of consciousness, and I likely forgot to mention a lot of things I could have said. Even so I hope you found it a nice read. :) Thank you for the ask.

[elisajdb]

The Red Thread of Fate

A story for (CC) Carol Winner of the @the-gochi-awards Favorite Comic

 Goku stretched his arms over his head as he woke from his nap. He groaned when he heard the sounds of rain tapping the window. It was the rains’ fault for his nap. It rained all day so he couldn’t go outside to train. He could but his new wife wouldn’t allow it. The first time he came home after training in the rain, he spread mud all over the floor. It enraged ChiChi so much she forbid him to train when it rained. Goku, not wanting to anger his new bride oblige. When it rained, Goku stayed home. Sometimes he spent it with ChiChi and other times like now, he took a nap.

 “Goku!” He turned to see his wife come downstairs. The way she said his name told Goku ChiChi was in a really good mood. Despite her temper, Goku learned his wife was generally a happy person so whatever she was in the mood for, Goku figured it must be good for both of them. “Show me your little finger.”

 ChiChi held her hand up with her pinky finger extended to him. Goku thought her excitement meant she cooked a meal for him or she changed her mind about him training in the rain. He figured his new wife was keen to teach him many things. Some he really liked (kissing, sexy times), some confused him (shopping) and some he didn’t like (work). He hoped whatever she will teach him will be something he will like.

 “Okay.” Goku extended his pinky to ChiChi. “Now what?”

 “Have you heard of the ‘Red Thread of Fate’?”

No. ChiChi looked so happy about it. If ChiChi was this happy, Goku tried to guess. He wondered if it was food. He hoped so. He wouldn’t mind having a meal now. “No. Is it something about food?”

 “NO!” ChiChi groaned exasperated. “Why do you always make everything about food?”

 “Sorry,” Goku apologized, “but you know I don’t know a lot of stuff, ChiChi. What is it?”

 “It’s an invisible line that links people to their true love. See?” ChiChi wrapped a red thread around her pinky finger and she wrapped another around Goku’s little finger. “Like this. It will connect us our whole life… until we die.”

 Goku pulled the string linking his finger with ChiChi’s. He was skeptical to believe this red string could connect them. He wanted to believe ChiChi but the string felt thin and weak. “Are you sure? It’s just a regular string. Won’t we need a stronger one? I can ask Kami for a stronger one.”

 “No,” ChiChi flexed her finger to show the string was strong enough for them. “This red string is a symbol to reflect our connection and dedication to each other. We don’t need anything else.”

 If ChiChi was sure this string was strong enough, Goku believed her. She knew more about love and marriage than him. “Okay. If you say so.”

 Five Years Later

 “What’s the matter with you, Goku?” King Kai noticed his pupil in a down mood. As upbeat and jovial Goku acted, there were times Goku was depressed. It was rare and something Goku tried to hide from the wise Kai of the North but he knew and gently tried to pursue Goku to share his thoughts. “Is my cooking that bad?” He thought the joke would crack a smile but the dead warrior merely sighed and

looked away. He must be in a sour mood to not comment about his food. Goku never held back how the meals King Kai cooked were bland.

 “King Kai,” Goku suddenly spoke, “are connections to people broken when they die?”

 So, that’s what going on. Goku missed his family. “Connections are never broken if you don’t forget about them, Goku. The connection is severed now because you are dead, but you’ll be back with them and your connection to them will be stronger than ever.”

 “Really?” Goku brightened hopeful the Kai of the North was correct. “I’ll be reconnected to ChiChi again?”

 “Of course, Goku.” King Kai assured him. “After this mess with the Saiyans, you’ll go home and be with your family for a very long time. I’m sure of it.”

 Four Years Later

 King Kai knew when Goku died again, he couldn’t leave Goku in the afterlife alone. For all his innocent, happiness and his ability to handle things alone, he had another side and learning of Goku’s time on Earth, King Kai knew Goku would be lonely. He didn’t want Goku, after making many friends in his life, to retract to that little boy left alone after his Grandpa Gohan died.

 King Kai expected growing pains from Goku this time because he knew he wasn’t returning to the living in a year. He will be dead forever and separated from his family for many years. So far, their time on the Grand Kai’s planet has been very enjoyable. Goku was happy and got along with all the fighters. He was eager to spar with them and study all the new fighting techniques they possessed. The newness of the situation took Goku’s mind off his decision to stay dead but King Kai knew the crash will come when it hits Goku on what he did.

 Which was now.

 Time passed differently in the afterlife and Goku spent several days from Grand Kai’s palace. Some fighters hadn’t noticed; some had and suspected but King Kai knew why. In Earth’s time, Goku was gone for a week. King Kai thought that was too long for Goku to dwell in his own thoughts.

 He found Goku sitting on one of the high peaks of a mountain staring at the sky. King Kai settled beside him. He knew now was not the time for his terrible jokes. He saw the sadness in the warrior’s eyes and knew he was thinking of his family and their severed connection. Being a God in his own right, the Kai of the North never needed strong ties like family. He had a connection to Bubbles and Gregory and his precious car but it wasn’t like the feelings Goku shared for his family. Spending time with Goku he understood the human emotions to it and why humans (some) cherish it.

 “King Kai, can connections be established again if it’s severed for a long time like years?”

 “Of course, Goku. You know no matter how many years you are apart, you will never lose that connection to your family. Just keep remembering them and know the next time you see them, you won’t be apart again.” He had a wife and son he thought about but King Kai knew his current feelings were for his wife. He said goodbye to his son but not to her. “Your wife, ChiChi, will be so happy to see you again.”

 Goku looked away to briefly rub his eyes. “Really?”

 King Kai patted Goku’s back again. Sometimes he really was an innocent child who needed reassurance. “I’m sure of it, Goku.”

 Seven Years Later

 It was raining again but Goku didn’t think the day was boring. Nope. Not anymore. After being dead for seven years, every day was fun and exciting even the dreary rainy ones. It sure was quiet. With Gohan at school and Goten in his room doing schoolwork, the day was very quiet but Goku didn’t mind. ChiChi was with him, sewing and talking of their precious, youngest son. Yesterday, during a hike with Goku, he ripped his shirt off a tree branch. That was the story Goten told her but ChiChi knew her son was sparring with his Daddy.

 ChiChi sorted her knitting basket pulling out balls of yarns and spools. “Oh, dear. I think I ran out of orange.” ChiChi pulled a red spool from her knitting basket. “But I think this red thread will match nicely with Goten’s shirt.”

 Red thread? It was as if a clap of thunder struck him. He has been home for nearly two months and he forgot again. He snatched the spool from ChiChi. Yup. Yup. This was it. Goku unfurled a short string and wrapped it around his left pinky. Hmm not enough he decided. Goku extended it to wrap around his ring finger. Nope. Still not enough. He wrapped it around his middle, forefinger and thumb. He looped a red thread around his wrist. The more the better Goku thought but to be sure, he wrapped string around the pinky of his right hand and ChiChi’s left pinky.

 “Goku,” ChiChi looked at the thread linking her and Goku’s hands, “what are you doing?” She was deeply appreciative Goku was back and loved enjoying his company again but there were times like now he truly confused her and she wasn’t in the mood for any games. “You suddenly took my thread. I’m fixing Goten’s cloth.”

 “ChiChi, you remember this?” The red spool of thread she bought at the market? Not really. “‘The Red Thread of Fate’?” Oh. That. It had been so long but ChiChi remembered sharing the story when they were newlyweds. Goku didn’t understand then and ChiChi didn’t think Goku really cared or remembered but he did.

 “You…..” ChiChi was awed and so happy to be wrong, “you remembered.”

 Goku confirmed with a nod. “You said this will connect us until we die….. but I died already before. I forgot to do this when I came back from Yardrat.” He felt a little silly now as he stared at his hands. Perhaps, he did go too far wrapping it. “So I used this thread to link us again. It’ll work, right?” He was optimistic it will work but he needed ChiChi’s assurance. “See? Not only the little finger but I tied my whole hand.” ChiChi didn’t speak but the tears in her eyes and her beautiful smile told him all he needed to know. It will work. “Yes, it sure will.”

 “Yes, it will work,” ChiChi choked overwhelmed with tears. He remembered. He understood. “Oh, Goku,” ChiChi grabbed Goku’s hands and linked them with hers. “Thank you. You don’t know how much it means you remember.”

 “Ah, ChiChi,” ChiChi being so happy always warmed his heart. “Don’t cry. You know what that does to me.”

 “I can’t help it. You’ve made me so happy. We’ll always be together,” ChiChi promised. “No matter what.” A silly tale or a story with seeds of truth, ChiChi knew she and Goku will always be together.

[ggtwrites]

Call of the Sea (v2)

selkie!Dawon a selkie is a magical creature said to be able to shapeshift between the forms of a seal and a human [includes angst] word count: 2920

a/n: This is a repost of a favorite fic of mine - I made some edits and I think it’s definitely better, and I’m glad I took the time to make some changes. Most of the changes are in the 2nd part, but there are some in the 1st part as well. I hope you enjoy this fic if you read it!

Today was going to be a day of relaxation. You had hauled all your beach gear down from your hotel room, carefully arranging it into the perfect set up. With your chair positioned under your umbrella and a soft sea breeze cooling the warm air, everything felt perfect.

However, just as you were opening your book, settled comfortably into your chair, a strong gust of wind blew down the beach, pulling your hat off your head and sending it sailing away. “Hey!” You yelled indignantly, scrambling up to chase after it.

You ran, praying desperately that it wouldn’t land in the water. Your hat angled towards the ocean, the wind intent on forever separating you from your beloved sun hat. You didn’t have the speed to catch it before it reached the water, your loss of hat seemed inevitable.

Fortunately, your hat did not meet a watery fate. With a deft arm movement it was in the hands of a stranger. His back was facing you, so all you could see was what looked to be a leather jacket, but it was gray, dappled with black spots. As he turned towards you, you were greeted by the sight of a handsome man with curly black hair. Your eyes met his and he smiled. His smile seemed warm, but there was a look in his eyes that promised mischief.

“Is this yours?” He asked as you jogged up next to him. You nodded, trying to catch your breath, and he placed it carefully on your head. “You’d better keep a hand on it, the winds around here can get pretty intense.”

You laughed, still a little out of breath, “Yeah, it would certainly seem so. You must come here often to know that.”

The stranger shrugged, a small smile on his face. “I do come around the area now and then.”

“Well,” you said, your hand on the brim of your hat to keep it from blowing away again, “thank you for saving my hat, I would’ve been sad to see it lost in the waves.”

“It was no problem, I was happy to help such a lovely person in distress.” While normally a comment like that might lead to an eye roll from you, there was something about the way he said it that made it seem like a joke, and you were beginning to realize that the twinkle in his eyes was very alluring.

“I’m Dawon,” he said as he stuck his hand out, “it’s nice to meet you, and save your hat of course.” As you shook his hand you told him your name. He repeated it, his lips curving up into another wonderful smile as he spoke it.

As your hand fell back down to your side you added, “It’s nice to meet you too, I haven’t seen many people around here, it’s nice to find someone to chat with.”

His smile widened, “You’re right, about there not being many people around. It’s a pleasant surprise for me to meet such a pleasant person here on the beach.” You looked down, not sure how to take his words, but he simply continued to talk. “So what brings you here? I don’t think I’ve seen you around before. If you don’t mind me asking of course.”

“It’s fine, I don’t mind saying,” you said with a shrug, “I wanted to have some time to get away from my usual life and I decided that this was the place to do it. How about you?”

Dawon shrugged his shoulders, just like you had moments before. “I enjoy coming here every now and then, it’s easy to get to and a peaceful place to think.”

“Oh, I see!” You said with a nod. “It does seem like a good place for some peace, at least for me, the sounds of the beach, especially the waves, are very relaxing.”

Although you weren’t exactly sure why, this statement seemed to please Dawon, as his face lit up with a bright smile. “I’m glad you think so, it’s nice to find someone who feels like I do about the beach.”

“It sounds like you really enjoy the beach.” You commented.

With a laugh he said, “Yeah you could say that, but I like the ocean even more.”

You raised an eyebrow, intrigued by his statement. “What do you mean?”

“Without the ocean, I couldn’t enjoy the beach the way I do. It’s the crash of the waves, the smell of the salt in the air, the feel of the cool water on my feet that makes me enjoy the beach, and all of that comes from the ocean.” As Dawon explained he looked out towards the ocean, a far off look in his eyes.

But like flipping a switch his focus was back on you, a twinkle in his eyes. “Hey, want me to teach you to skip stones so well it looks like magic?”

Your eyes lit up with interest and you nodded. “Yeah, that’d be great! I’ve never had a chance to learn how to, and looking like magic sounds pretty cool.”

As it turned out, Dawon was a good teacher, and you picked up stone skipping quickly. Soon you were skipping stones eight or nine times before they sunk below the waves. He was even better though, with one particularly well shaped rock he was able to skip it fifteen times. There was something magical in the way he skipped the rocks, the way they skimmed perfectly over the waves.

After you’d both had your fill of rock skipping, the two of you took a break in the shade of your beach umbrella. As you settled onto your blanket, Dawon doing the same, you turned to him. “Aren’t you hot wearing a jacket like that in the summer?” You asked with a curious tilt of your head.

“No, this jacket is like a second skin to me, I’d feel odd without it.” He smirked as if something in what he had said was amusing. “But that doesn’t matter, let’s talk about how great a teacher I am when it comes to rock skipping.”

You laughed lightly, nodding your head in agreement. “Yeah, you are pretty great.”

“Pretty great?” He huffed, “that’s it?” Dawon looked at you with a pout, but you could see that joking sparkle in his eyes that you were quickly growing very fond of.

Tapping your chin you pretended to think. “Hmm, I suppose I could say you did excellent. Would that be good enough to satisfy Mr. High Maintenance?”

The look of mock indignation on his face made you double over with laughter. “I’ll have you know I am not high maintenance. Stop laughing, it’s true.” But you couldn’t stop laughing, even as he continued, “In fact, I might even say I’m low maintenance.” This statement was given a snort in response and the frown on his face only made you laugh more because of the smiling eyes that went with it.

With you laughing the way you were, he couldn’t keep up his act and soon he was laughing just as much as you were. His laugh, his smile, his eyes directed at you, your heart almost couldn’t take it. The wind blowing your hat to him had truly been a blessing.

Over the next few days you got to know Dawon better, but there was always a part of him that felt so distant. However, you grew to love the parts of him he let you see, especially his teasing and silliness. The two of you grew close, and it felt so natural that when he asked if he could hold your hand you agreed without hesitation.

There was something about him that just felt right, and you wished your time with him could last forever. As you walked down the beach, your hand in his, a question occurred to you. “Is Dawon really your name?”

“No.” He responded with sparkling eyes and a mischievous smile. “You like asking questions, don’t you?”

You shrugged. “Not always, but you’re a mystery to me, and I want to know more about you.”

The sincerity in your words seemed to shock your curly haired companion. He stopped and turned to you, a look you couldn’t describe in his eyes. “You’re quite the person, you know.”

“As it happens, I do know,” you said with a giggle.

“Good. It would be a shame if you didn’t know, you truly are something special.” He bumped his shoulder against yours as he smiled down at you. This smile had more warmth than any you’d seen before, and despite all his teasing it felt like he truly meant what he said this time.

Without even noticing the two of you had paused. As you gazed up at Dawon, you became lost in the depth of his eyes, the dark browns swirling around his pupils tugging at your heart. There was a warmth in his eyes, and beneath all the mischief you knew there was sincerity. But there was also something else in his eyes that you couldn’t put a name to.

“Hey,” he said quietly, letting go of your hands as he reached out to brush your windswept hair out of your face, “can I kiss you?” There was no longer any mischief in his eyes, and the warmth was being overtaken by an intensity that made it hard for you to breathe.

Caught up in his eyes all you could do was nod, your whole body filling with warmth as he leaned towards you, one hand gently lifting your chin as his lips met yours. He tasted like the sea in a way that was strange and yet enticing. As his soft lips brushed against yours your whole body felt alive.

You found yourself clutching the front of his shirt for support. It felt like you were being overwhelmed, Dawon’s presence was like a wave crashing all around you as he kissed you softly. And then, it was over. He pulled away from you, his hand dropping to his side and your hands let go of his shirt.

The two of you simply stood there, staring at each other with wide eyes, unable to say a word. He regained his composure first and with a laugh he said, “Wow,” which summed up your feelings as well. All you could do was nod, your mouth hanging open.

You felt his fingers on your chin as Dawon closed your mouth, a smirk now on his face. A shiver went down your spine as his fingers brushed against your chin as he pulled them away. Your eyes were still wide as you tried to manage coherent thought, but you weren’t able to.

“No questions for me now, huh?” He asked jokingly. “Maybe I should kiss you more often then.”

Spluttering indignantly you were finally able to speak again. “Hey!”

Dawon laughed as he leaned forward and kissed your forehead. “I’m kidding, sweetheart. You know I love your questions.”

You huffed and turned away, but when his hand reached out for yours, you let him take it. Turning around you were faced with a warm smile from him, his eyes soft as he gazed at you. You smiled back, giving his hand a squeeze and the two of you continued your walk down the beach.

Seven Years Later

Shaking off the sea water that still clung to his hair after the transformation, Sanghyuk made his way up the beach that had become etched into his mind. The years had passed so achingly slow, but finally he was back.

If he had known the way the tides of oceans and the magic in his veins would prevent him from stepping on these sands until now, would he have gotten close to the person he had met all those years ago? Yes, without a second thought. Over the years he had treasured his memories with them like precious pearls.

He knew it was a long shot to even try and find them again, but there was a small part of him that held onto hope. Even though Sanghyuk never had the courage to tell them, he had truly loved them. He had loved their beautiful eyes, their curiosity, the softness of their features when they were surprised, and more than anything, the way they made him feel at home.

The idea of feeling at home out of the ocean had both excited and scared him, but he had embraced the feeling, enjoying every moment with the person that had captured his heart. However, Sanghyuk was pulled out of his thoughts by the sound of laughter further down the beach.

Turning his head towards the sound his heart lurched as another person laughed, and this laughter sounded like a distant dream. As he spotted the source of the laughter his heart stopped, and he felt like he was being stabbed in the heart.

Although the two people coming down the beach were too far to see clearly, his aching heart led him to believe that one of them was the person he had longed to see for so long. They were holding hands. His breath shortened as he began to notice more details the closer they came. The look in their eyes, the closeness, everything about the pair walking down the beach he noticed came with a stabbing pain in his heart.

Caught up in the hurt he barely managed to hide behind an outcropping of rocks as they got closer, too close, close enough they might have seen him. He knew it would be completely unfair to expect that person to wait for him, and it still wasn’t clear what their exact relationship was, but none of that could stop the pain and loss crashing down on, all reason like sand trying to stop a tidal wave.

He glanced towards the water, the pull to throw himself into the ocean and lose himself in the waves calling to him, but the aching to know and the fact that they might see him caused to stay still, immobilized by all the thoughts and emotions racing through him.

As he waited for the pair to pass he heard a voice he wasn’t sure he’d ever hear again. “Did you see that? I could have sworn I saw a person right here.”

They were right on the other side of the rocks. So close. And yet, it was like they were on the other side of the ocean from him.

The person they were with responded and Sanghyuk could hear the affection in their voice, even as they answered such a simple question. “No, I didn’t see anything. Are you sure it wasn’t the light off the water playing tricks on your eyes?”

“I thought… For a moment… Are you sure?” There was something both hopeful yet sad in their voice, many complex emotions just in the voice, he thought he might cry if he saw their face at this moment.

“Still looking for your mystery man, even when I’m standing right here?” While their voice was playful, there was an edge to it that made Sanghyuk tense up.

There was a sigh, a lovely sigh, and then, “You know I’m over Dawon,” his heart stopped, his breath stopped, everything stopped as he heard the name he had given to her all those years ago, “I can’t help but look for him, for closure. I never found out what happened to him, but you know my heart belongs to you. I may have had feelings for him at one point, but it’s been seven years, and I can’t imagine my life without you.”

There it was, what he had been dreading since they had started talking in front of his hiding spot, one he was regretting the more he heard, but it was even worse than he had thought. While he had always wished for their happiness, a part of him had held onto the hope that their happiness might be with him, no matter how unrealistic that might be.

They sounded happy, they had someone, and it wasn’t him. His heart shattered to dust as the couple continued walking down the beach, their conversation becoming faint. Crumpling to the group there was nothing left in him but tears, he was empty, a void in humanoid form.

Coming back had been a mistake, his desire to know a curse destroying him from the inside out. Would he have been better off not knowing they were happy but with someone? Did the reassurance outweigh his grief? Maybe it would in time, but in that moment all he felt was despair.

Finally able to stand he made his way back towards the ocean. He waded in until the water was up to his knees, standing in front of a drop off. Closing his eyes he sighed and let his body fall into the ocean, the embrace of the cold salt water welcoming him into its depth. As his body sank beneath the wave his skin began to ripple and he was surrounded by bubbles.

Soon in the place of the man with curly hair was a seal, its gray body dappled with black. Although he was in the ocean where he felt most at home, a part of him was forever lost to the beach, to that person he had longed for all those years. In the pieces of his heart, still shattered beyond repair, he knew he could never leave the sea again.

[bonjour-rainycity]

Double Heart | Chapter Four ~ Cosima

|previous part|

Pairing: Haldir x OFC

Rating: PG

Word count: 4887

Warnings: None

**Read on Ao3 under the user “bonjour_rainycity” if you prefer!**

A/n Thanks for all your interactions with this story! In honor of all the writing I got done for the World Wide Write-a-thon, here’s a bonus chapter :) 

Translations: Mellon = friend

Haldir wasn’t kidding. In order to make up for the time spent with Alex, he pushes us hard. That, combined with the unfamiliar gait of Rumil’s horse, leaves me sore and aching by the time we finally stop well after dark.

Rumil helps me to the ground, giving me an apologetic look. “Sorry.”

I wave off his concerns, starting my stretching routine. “S’alright. I’ll probably get used to the all-day riding the second we get to Imladris.”

At this, he cracks a smile. “If you want to wash in the river, better go now. I’ll take dinner to Alex.”

I shouldn’t leave Alex alone. But my body aches and is covered in dirt, and a part of me just isn’t ready to face him. I need to take a moment for myself, away from everyone else, to process and think about what all this means. So I skirt around the hill that marks camp and head to the riverbank.

I undress and wade into the river, stopping when the cool water comes to my shoulders. Baranor had supplied me with an extra bar of soap and I use that to cleanse my body and hair of the dirt that attached itself to me during the day. At the top of the hill that overlooks the river, I catch sight of Alex, sitting isolated near the pile of bags that indicate our spot of camp. I purse my lips.

What does his presence mean?

I had been quite convinced that this world is in my head, that I’m concocting some elaborate, possibly lucid, dream and that I would wake up any minute. Or, perhaps, that I had hit my head like Baranor suggested and am now in some sort of coma. But now Alex is here. The memories I have of him clearly show that he’s important to me. I can recall a long line of birthday parties, study breaks, summer camping trips spent staring up at the sky. I remember him comforting me after a bad day, us getting into arguments and then making up, me cheering him on at some sort of competition. But when I try to look at the other faces there, to zero in on any one and pull up memories of them, all I get is a vague blur and a splitting headache. I give up the fruitless effort and turn my thoughts back to Alex.

Alex, who I know I know, is just as real to me as Haldir or Baranor. And each man here acts in a way that I wouldn’t expect — if I created them, wouldn’t they act as I would? I am not stoic like Haldir or silly like Rumil. I don’t posses Baranor’s healing knowledge or Orophin’s attention to detail. And just the sheer vastness of this world…there’s no way I could imagine it all. Even now, we follow a path of which I have no knowledge, so how could I have dreamed up that path?

The ache behind my eyes deepens.

This is too much.

This world feels real. The people feel real. My budding friendships with them feel real—just as real as my friendship with Alex.

I groan, flipping on my back to float.

And I lose the ability to breathe. Because these constellations aren’t the ones I remember. They dance in unfamiliar patterns across the inky black sky, distant and watchful as always, but completely unknown to me.

I love the stars. I love them in a way that causes my heart to ache, that sometimes makes me weep. Night after night I sought them out, charting them by telescopes and my naked eye. I know my constellations like I know the back of my hand—I studied and tracked them relentlessly.

I wouldn’t have replaced my stars.

I release a shaky breath.

A cold dread creeps through my bones, turning the water frigid. Everything suddenly seems more predatory, more dangerous, from the tall grass on the bank to the trees far in the distance….Even the men I travel with.

For one, wild moment, I entertain the idea that they are exactly who they say they are — elves from some unknown realm. Elves, not men. Elves who have pointed ears and wear intricate braids and walk with a grace I could never hope to imitate. Elves who can see far into the distance, hear every comment I make under my breath, ride for hours without tiring, and draw their weapons in less than a second, using reflexes that far outmatch mine.

Elves who inhabit a world that has a foreign set of stars.

The water that brushes against my neck feels suffocating. Gasping, I swim to shore, pulling myself onto the riverbank. It takes me multiple tries to redress, and I realize that my hands are shaking—I am shaking. I collapse into the grass, drawing in heaving breaths. This is too much, this is too much, this is too much!

“Cosima.”

My name comes from over the hill.

It’s Haldir’s voice.

In the beats of silence that follow, all I can hear is my wavering breath.

He calls my name again, closer this time.

I squeeze my eyes tightly shut, concentrating on the sound of his voice. Solid, assured, stable. Everything I do not feel. My breath begins to even out. My shaking subsides. The sound of grass crunching underfoot reaches my ears, and I stand just in time to meet Haldir’s approach.

He settles his weight on his back foot to balance on the slope of the hill, giving me a stern look. “We lost sight of you.”

I stiffen, pulling back from him. “Were you watching me bathe?”

His eyes blow wide. “N-no! Of course not, I-I would not presume to—” I’ve never seen him look so out of sorts. The tips of his—pointed—ears burn red and his eyes dart wildly around looking anywhere but at me.

The sight is so at odds with what I know about him that I can’t help it.

I burst into laughter.

It’s a little hysterical, and maybe I’m crying a bit, but it feels so good to laugh. Haldir lets out a noise that sounds suspiciously like a sigh of relief, and chuckles hesitantly. It rumbles deep in his chest, sounding almost warm. I wipe the tears from my eyes, shaking my head slowly. As the laughter subsides, I study him, taking in everything that marks him as clearly not human.

He feels real.

I pull my gaze from his braids and instead settle on his ice blue eyes. They stare evenly into mine, perhaps studying me too. A wind blows over the river, reminding me just how much I long for my mat and blanket. The fatigue once again makes itself known—much worse after my panic on the riverbank. I shift on my feet, gesturing up the hill. “I think I’m overly tired.”

Haldir inclines his head in acknowledgment, clasping his hands professionally behind his back. “Understandable, given the day you’ve had. I will escort you back.”

I trudge up the hill, concentrating extra hard to not slip in the mud and ruin the bath I just had, Haldir not far behind. We reach the top of the hill and make our way to where the bags are laid out as well as dinner rations distributed.

Alex sits by himself.

He raises his head, his smile of greeting turning to a scowl the moment Haldir crests the hill behind me. He looks past me, addressing Haldir only. “What were you doing with her down there?”

I feel Haldir bristle and once again hurry to de-escalate. “It’s fine, Alex. He only came to get me because I was gone for a while.”

He shrugs, the action seeming jerky and unnatural. “I could have gone to get you.”

I turn and give Haldir a look of apology. I honestly don’t know why Alex doesn’t like him, they haven’t even had a proper conversation. Haldir watches Alex intently, his own mouth set into a hard line. Then, saying nothing, he stalks forward, leaving us alone.

I groan, bringing a hand to my forehead. “They’re not going to hurt me. They’re not going to hurt you, either.”

Alex shakes his head resolutely. “I don’t trust them.”

“You haven’t given them a chance!”

My words—louder than they’d needed to be—ring through the countryside, destroying the peaceful silence.

I sigh, berating myself for once again treating him too harshly. He’s owed the time he needs to adjust. Tentatively, I take a seat across from him. “I’m sorry. I know it’s a lot to take in. It took me a little while to get comfortable with them, too, you’ll—”

“No, Cosima,” he groans, cutting me off. “There is no ‘getting used to them’, there’s no ‘learning to trust them’. They’re delusional. They’re dangerous. We can’t let our guard down and get caught up in that. We have to focus on finding a way home.”

I rest my chin on my hands, feeling overwhelmed and exhausted. Something in his sentence reminds me of the conversation I had with myself in the river. Maybe he’s been thinking along similar lines. “Alex, if you’re talking about getting home, then you believe this place is real.”

He squints, raising an eyebrow. “Of course it’s real. There’s no way we’re both making it up. We’re probably in the plains of Africa or-or maybe somewhere in Europe, I don’t really know. The point is, these guys are lying to us. They’re trying to keep us confused and isolated. We need to stay sharp and look for an opportunity to escape.”

“Escape,” I breathe, definitely not wanting the others to hear our conversation. “Have you seen the land we’re traveling? With no supplies, no horses, no maps—we wouldn’t last two days.” Never mind the fact that just a few days ago, I was considering escape, myself.

“We’ll steal supplies then.” He shrugs, passion alighting his eyes. “It doesn’t matter—we’ll figure it out. In the meantime, learn as much about these guys and the landscape as you can and stop letting them try to convince you that they’re a fictional species. I’ll work on taking supplies. Then, when we have enough, we’ll leave.”

I shake my head slowly. Something about leaving, about separating myself from the group and striking out on our own feels wrong. Every survival instinct I have screams at me to stay put, to not abandon the safety net I found by chance. And a voice in the back of my head reminds me that if I’m seeing different stars…if I am under a different sky…well, then maybe there is no going home. I try to reason with him. “They haven’t tried to hurt us yet. They’ve given us their food, their water, allowed us to ride their horses. They’re helping us!”

He rolls his eyes, clearly about to interrupt.

“Just—go along with it until we reach Imladris,” I beg, holding up my hands to silence him. “Then at least we’ll have seen more of the landscape and will know what we’re dealing with. Maybe there will be supplies in the city that we can take, or even someone with knowledge of how to get back to America.”

He grits his teeth. “You need to stop playing into their lies.”

The two of us stare at each other, equally unwilling to back down.

Rumil appears at the top of the hill, smiling broadly. Either he’s oblivious to our argument or trying to diffuse it. He sets a bedroll at my feet. “For you.”

I look between the mat and Rumil, feeling quite guilty. There are only four bedrolls between the six of us now, and I’ve slept soundly on one for every night of my journey. I don’t deserve that…especially now that I’m thinking of robbing and abandoning them. My stomach churns. “Thanks, but I’m fine on the grass. I don’t want to keep taking your stuff.” I wince. Did that sound too suspicious? Could he know my thoughts?

Rumil only winks and plops onto the ground next to me. “Nonsense. It’s Orophin’s anyway.”

I sputter, the laughter escaping me without any real thought. It just feels so natural to be comfortable with Rumil, the others too. So what if they think they’re elves?

So what if they are elves?

Alex’s foot digs into mine, and my laughter dies. His words return to haunt me. They’re delusional…stop playing into their lies….

Haldir joins us. He sits across from Rumil, completing the small circle, saying nothing. He takes out a knife and what looks like a small rock and begins to sharpen the blade.

It’s clear Rumil doesn’t care for silence and he quickly tries to strike up a conversation. “Obviously you know each other now, but Cosima, you couldn’t remember Alex before today. Has anything changed? Do you remember something more?”

I feel each of their eyes on me and I search through the vague remnants of my memory. “I…didn’t know I knew Alex, true. But the minute I saw him, the memories came rushing back—not everything, of course, but I got more context into who he is and who we are to each other. But no, nothing more than that.”

Rumil raises an eyebrow, intrigued. “And who is he?”

“Her friend since childhood,” Alex cuts in smoothly, responding before I can.

Images of two children running down a paved road, cutting up paper and gluing it to popsicle sticks, trying to hit each other with foam swords, race through my mind.

“We…lived down the street from each other,” I recall, smiling as the memories take firmer hold. “I used to go to your house after school and your sister would watch us until our parents got home.”

“We went to prom together.” He gives a short laugh, fondness softening his guarded eyes. “Only because we couldn’t find anyone to go with either of us.”

“It was better that way,” I declare, the start of a smile twitching at my lips. “Who else would have ditched halfway through with me to get snacks and watch a movie?”

He shakes his head slowly, fondness giving way to nostalgia. “I had fun that night.”

“Me too.”

Look at all these memories you have together. See how long you’ve trusted him? How long he’s stuck by your side? Maybe you owe it to him to trust him now.

“That was good.” I whip around, startled to see Baranor leaning against a tall tree, clutching his healer’s bag. I had assumed he was on watch with Orophin. He makes his way over to us. “Perhaps the more you talk about it, the more you will remember.”

I shrug, heart rate slowing down after the scare. “Hopefully. Right now, it seems like my mind’s gone completely blank. I only have the memories I described. Anything beyond is just that—out of reach.”

“Be kind to yourself. Any progress is admirable.” He smiles, walking to the middle of our circle and crouching in front of Alex. “I’d like to take a look at your head and address any injuries you acquired in your time traveling alone.”

Alex hesitates, then rolls up the end of his right legging to reveal a dirty red and brown gash.

“Alex,” I gasp, recoiling from the wound. “Why didn’t you say anything?”

He shrugs, wincing slightly when Baranor prods at the edge of the cut. “There were more important things to deal with.”

I roll my eyes as a new set of memories—annoying me more than giving me hope—come to mind. “You always tried to be tougher than everyone else.”

He grins, then grimaces slightly when Baranor starts the cleaning process. Despite that, he retains a playfulness in his tone that’s welcome after our arguments. “True. Way tougher than you! That time you fell out of the tree—gosh, we could hear you shouting for miles.”

That memory flashes forward, too. “I was seven and it hurt!” I defend, crossing my arms indignantly.

Alex quirks a teasing eyebrow. “And did you ever climb a tree again?”

I sniff, turning my head to the sky to avoid seeing the blood weeping from the wound. “I can’t remember.”

“Well, you didn’t,” he snarks.

“Must be why you’re afraid of heights,” Rumil muses, reclining on the grass to watch the stars. Stars that I’m not making up. “You’re going to hate Caras Galadon.”

I turn my head in his direction. “Why?”

Mischief shines brightly in Rumil’s eyes. “The city is built into the trees.”

I gulp, wondering how on Earth I’m going to visit a city that’s built so high up, but then Alex catches my eye, and I understand.

We will not be going to Lothlórien.

{***}

The morning greets us with a cloudy sunrise and a harsh breeze.

Haldir eyes the sky warily. “Secure your supplies as best as you can We are in for a storm today.”

I grimace. It’s not that thunderstorms scare me, but from what I’ve learned about Haldir in our few short days together, I have a feeling he’ll require that we keep riding, no matter the weather conditions. Today probably isn’t going to be fun. A particularly gusty wind blows my cloak from my shoulders and I huff, yanking it back into place.

“Here.” I look up to see Haldir offering me a green and silver clip in the shape of a leaf. I eye it in confusion. “It will keep your cloak secured,” he explains, pointing to his own that clasps at the base of his neck.

“Oh,” I take it from him, slightly stunned at the kind gesture. “Thank you.”

He nods once then pivots on his heel and marches back to his horse a few yards ahead. I turn the clip in my hands, admiring its craftsmanship.

“That will come in handy today,” Rumil notes, bringing his horse up the hill to meet me.

I smile in greeting, securing the edges of my cloak with the clip. “Hey, I was thinking. Would you show me how to tack up the horse? That way I can help with that while you do some of your other tasks.”

He nods, agreeing to my proposal, and launches into a surprisingly in-depth description of how to properly care for and prepare a horse for a day of hard riding. I take in as much as I can but, knowing me, I’ll need some repetition and practice before it truly sticks. When Haldir gives the order to leave, Rumil gives me a leg up. But, much to my confusion, he settles himself behind me on the horse, rather than in front.

“What—“

He reaches around me to take the reins and place them in my hands, which have already clenched into fists. “You are not the only one who has good ideas. Today, I teach you how to ride. Do try your best and please don’t steer us into the river.”

I groan at the truth behind his joke but take the reins in my hands, knowing that its a good idea for me to learn. Riding skill will help when Alex and I are on our own.

Haldir doesn’t turn from his watch of the horizon, but he raises his voice loud enough for us to hear. “Do not slow us down, Cosima.” And, though his voice holds the same seriousness it always does, I swear I can hear the smallest hint of amusement.

{***}

By late morning, it starts to rain. The droplets are cold and big, taking away any warmth spring has to offer. Not long after, it begins to pour and the path turns to mud. Rumil switches places with me then, wanting a more experienced rider directing the horse through the worsening conditions. The rain soaks through my cloak, my tunic, my leggings. I shiver. Looking over, I see that Alex is equally uncomfortable and sits rigidly on the back of Baranor’s horse, using one arm to grip his cloak tighter around him. The others seem inconvenienced, but otherwise unaffected. They do not shiver, nor obsessively wipe the rain from their eyes. They certainly don’t react to cold rain like humans.

About an hour later, the storm really starts, the rain having apparently only been an introduction. Flashes and booms fill the air, loud enough for me to feel the vibrations in my chest. The wind howls and blows fiercely, causing the horses to bend against it to keep their pace. Water falls from the sky in sheets, completely obscuring my line of vision and soaking us all to the bone. With a note of panic, I realize that the river is steadily creeping up the bank, mingling with the mud that has become our path.

I shout over the rain. “Rumil!” Tugging on his arm, I point to the rising water, and he uses his knees to spur the horse forward. We pull up beside Haldir, who greets us with a questioning gaze.

“The path is in danger of flooding,” Rumil informs him, gesturing his head to the water mere inches from the horses’ hooves. A crease appears in Haldir’s brow and he glances around, working to form a plan.

To my surprise, he addresses me rather than Rumil. “Can you and Alexander continue in this weather? Is your health in danger if we do not seek shelter?”

Oh, I want to stop so badly. I want to find shelter, to let my clothes dry, to have a break from being pelted by icy droplets of rain. I want a snack and a blanket and perhaps a warm fire, if that’s not too much to ask.

But Haldir is appealing to my honesty, trusting me to give him an accurate answer. He is showing me the same respect he gives to his brothers, to Baranor, and I cannot take advantage of that trust. So, with a sigh, I shake my head. “No, we’ll be fine. We can keep going.”

Haldir nods once, a tendency of his, and raises his voice to be heard by all over the rain. “Leave the path and go uphill. We ride over the plains.”

I shudder. The planes are exposed. We will lose what little cover from the rain that the trees provide. But I push aside my dread and steel myself for the rest of  journey. I can do this.

Hopefully, the rain will stop by nightfall.

{***}

Mercifully, it does. An hour before we stop for the night, the rain dies down, taking the wind and lighting with it.

Rumil has to practically peel me off the horse. He looks me over, eyes widening in alarm, and wraps me in his arms. “Mellon, you are shaking.” I lean into his warmth, though his clothes are as soaked as mine are.

Haldir dismounts and stomps over, giving me a withering glare. He speaks sharply, a bite to his words. “You said you would be fine.”

“And I meant it,” I snap back, annoyed from discomfort and the venom in his voice. “I just need to dry off and warm up, is all.”

He holds his glare steady, probably assessing the honesty in my statement. Or just trying to intimidate me. Finally, he nods, still angry, but resigned. “Baranor is starting a fire. You and Alexander shed your cloaks and sleep as close to it as you can.”

“Don’t you need me too-”

He cuts me off. “We will take care of the preparations for the night. You rest.”

When I make a noise of agreement to his plan, Haldir walks away, taking Rumil’s horse with him. With a final, worried smile, Rumil pushes me in the direction of the small fire, walking the opposite way to follow his brother.

I practically collapse on my bedroll next to the fire.

Across the flames, Alex sets me with an indecipherable look. “That was a long day.”

I huff in agreement, unable to do much more now that my body realizes how drained it is.

A pause. Then, “Do you think we’ll reach Imladris soon?”

I squeeze my eyes shut, wanting desperately to sink into sleep. Instead, I force myself to do some mental math. “Based on the timeline Orophin gave me, we’re probably about eight days away. Though, I don’t know how much the storm set us back. Why?”

He flops on his mat, pulling a probably damp blanket up to his chin. “Just trying to figure out how much more of this awful traveling we have ahead of us.”

I want to roll my eyes, but, before I can, sleep takes me.

{***}

When I open my eyes, it’s still dark out.

The fire has mostly died, though it retains a soft orange glow that gives me enough light to see the faces of my soundly sleeping companions. Alex has not moved from his spot across the fire, but to my right and left are Rumil and Baranor, the four of us forming a circle around the weakening flames. Haldir and Orophin must be standing watch.

I sit up slowly, trying to avoid making noise that could wake my friends. I press my hand against my cloak that is laid next to the fire—still a bit damp. It will need until morning. Twisting slightly to stretch my aching body, I notice the small bundle next to my mat, and curiously pull back the cloth. Inside the makeshift pouch sits a serving of lembas bread and a handful of red berries. I smile, pulling the dinner into my lap.

While I eat, I let my eyes scan the rolling hills of the plains. I’ve noticed that Haldir relaxes camp when we’re surrounded by trees, but in the plains, he sets a double watch. Looking at the landscape, I suppose I understand. The dips and peaks provide good cover—not just for us, but for anyone wishing to do us harm. There are plenty of hills around us of equal height, meaning the advantage of having the high ground is pretty much nonexistant. And, tonight especially, the landscape is encapsulated in a thick fog, obscuring much from my eyesight. But elves have much better vision, I reassure myself. Haldir and Orophin will be able to see just fine.

I hold my breath.

They are not elves. They are men, just like any other.

It seems I have to remind myself of that more lately. It seems too easy, given the differences between us, to accept their story. But as Alex says, they have to be playing some sort of trick on us. But why? Out of malevolence?

Immediately, I recoil from that thought. My companions seem much too kind, much too genuine to be liars. Even Haldir, who defaults to being standoffish and cold, has never made me feel like I’m in danger. In fact, he actively keeps us all from it. Even now, I’m sure he’d much rather be asleep, warming by the fire, but he and his brother brave the elements, keeping themselves awake and uncomfortable to ensure our safety.

How can people like that be liars?

How can they be bad?

Boots squelch against the mud and I look over my shoulder. Haldir walks up the hill, coming back from watch. Upon noticing me staring at him, he raises an eyebrow and comes to crouch between my mat and what’s left of the fire. He holds up his hands, warming them. “Can’t sleep?”

I shrug, fiddling with the edge of the cloth that holds my dinner. “Don’t know why, I’m tired enough. How was watch?”

He smiles softly as he glances around, still seeming to subconsciously take note of his surroundings. “Foggy, but quiet. We probably don’t need two, but I feel better that way, given all the hills.”

I offer him the remainder of my bread and berries, which he accepts with a nod of thanks. “Are we in danger?”

He pauses, chewing a berry. He doesn’t look at me and seems to take the time to choose his words very carefully. “The risks are lessened here.”

“Which means the worst is ahead of us,” I guess.

His eyes leave the horizon and turn to bore into mine. “The four of us are well-skilled in battle and have made this journey a hundred times before.”

I raise an eyebrow. “You didn’t answer my question.”

He only raises his own eyebrow to match mine, popping another berry into his mouth. He stands, brushes his hands off and returns the bundle to me. “I must wake Rumil and Baranor so Orophin can come back. You should try to sleep.”

I nod, my full belly and the warmth from the fire lulling me back into tiredness. I lay down on the mat and tuck my head into the crook of my arm just in time to see Haldir rouse his youngest brother and take his spot on the mat. Rumil gives me a sleepy smile before waking Baranor and the two head off together, presumably to relieve Orophin and take over watch.

Haldir settles on his mat and notices my gaze over the hill. “Goodnight,” he says pointedly, then rolls onto his back.

“Goodnight,” I mumble, falling back into sleep.

A/n Thanks for reading! Likes, comments, and reblogs make my day :) Let me know if you would like a tag! And if you’re having trouble being tagged, try subscribing on Ao3! That will notify you automatically when I post there. 

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[cafeinthemoon]

The Leaves of Her Garden - Chapter XIII

Title: The Leaves of Her Garden

Genre: Fanfiction

Pairing: Madara Uchiha x reader

Rating: Mature

Word count: 2901

Chapter (s): 13/?

Read the previous chapters here: Chapter 1, Chapter 2, Chapter 3, Chapter 4, Interlude, Chapter 5, Chapter 6, Chapter 7, Chapter 8, Chapter 9, Chapter 10, Chapter 11, Chapter 12

Symbols: ⭕ | ➕ | 🖤 | ▶▶

Chapter XIII - Madara and the God of Shinobi

Since you were brought to Madara’s house, you felt like you were under some sort of spell. You’ve been living through the days as if you were inside another person’s dream, following events, hearing conversations and seeing scenarios that could only be experienced through their eyes. Even when you were the center of such events and all eyes were turned to you, you just couldn’t feel them like the real things they were. Being introduced to other members of the clan – elders, women and servants – under your new name only reinforced this impression.

This and the fact that you’ve spent those days without your husband’s company.

The next day after the ceremony came silent in your room. When you opened your eyes and sat on the futon, your first action was to seek for Madara; you did it without even realizing it. He wasn’t there; somehow, the silence of his absence was way different from when he was just quiet, out of your immediate sight. You were left alone and felt a bit anxious for this.

The room had everything you needed to take care of yourself, and this is what you did after leaving the bed. When you were ready, you found a new robe and went to the porch, still tying its straps around your body.

You sat on the wood platform with your feet dangling right above the grass, the warm light of the morning touching your face and everything your sight could reach. Twirling around the place there were rosy petals that just have fallen from the cherry trees, so natural while carried by the breeze that you could think they were living beings; some of them were carried away, and a few ones came to rest upon the grass, close to your feet.

Yes. You have been through so much that you completely forgot that Spring was on its apex. Still, you were glad that you could take some time to appreciate it now. That was the first time you did it the way you should in a long time, without fear, uncertainty or anxiety clouding your thoughts: now you had a family and a house by the side of a man who was able to guide and protect you and two women who acted like true friends, taking care of your needs when you weren’t able to do it for yourself.

After all the things your had to endure, you were finally in peace.

You were thinking of this when you sensed your had company. You glanced at your right and saw him there, standing in the shadow of the closest porch’s columns. He wasn’t using a robe anymore: instead, he had the full traditional clothing of his clan, with its long sleeves and its high collar; however, he was on barefeet. You noticed you were starting to get used to his sudden appearances, even welcoming them.

You stood up from the porch. At first, you thought of greeting him with good morning or something, but you stopped your tongue at the last moment. Somehow you sensed the moment asked for silence.

Madara came and took the place by your side. He held your chin, then approached his lips of your temple and left a kiss there. It was a strange treatment he gave you, that one: you felt it like it was a way to mark you as his property. The gesture didn’t lack gentleness, however: there you had a man who used to take good care of what belonged to him.

He was the first to speak.

- Your look visibly better – and still with his had under your chin, he made you turn from one side to another in order to examine your traits, as a way to confirm what he said – The effects of a good night of sleep cannot be denied when we look at you right now.

When he released you, you felt safe to speak.

- Indeed, I feel better today, Madara – again, you almost said the -sama, but stopped in time – I hope you slept well too.

At first, he smiled at your preoccupation with his well being, but soon that smile fade into a contemplative expression. You didn’t have to wait too long to find out the reason behind it.

- I’ve been waiting for you to wake up, Y/n – he started – It is good to see that you are used to leave the bed in the first hours of the day, even when you do not have to.

- I am actually used to wake up earlier – you replied with modesty.

Your cheeks burned to what he said after that.

- After the last night, I would not blame you for staying in bed for a longer time – he smirked – Anyway, there is a reason for my waiting. I need to inform you about some events you must expect to attend today. The first one is the Todoroki’s farewell by midday, which you naturally will have to watch by my side, so that I will sent the women to prepare you when the time comes.

You nodded, and he offered his arm to you: he intended to take you for a walk in the garden, which you accepted without thinking twice. The morning was too beautiful for you to stand under the porch’s protection for much longer. That time you took the traditional path and reached the garden within minutes. You appreciated the walking: though you wouldn’t complain if Madara took you in his arms and reached the place in seconds, you always enjoyed using your own feet as a normal person, so that you were content to see that he respected this.

In fact, knowing that the Todoroki were going to leave soon brought some relief to your mood: you wouldn’t need to maintain Sachiko’s role for much longer once they’re gone. Only when you had to communicate with other members of the Uchiha, who weren’t aware of the whole story.

What he said next, however, had the opposite effect.

- Now, I am afraid that what I am going to tell you might bring some apprehension to you, and I apologize for that. Y/n, in a few days I am going on a mission with my brother, and I am still not sure of how long I will be away.

Madara was right. Hearing that he was leaving in some days made your heart beat faster with anxiety. Despite not knowing him long enough to say you loved him, you cared for him, as your husband and your protector: you’ve heard about the challenges and dangerous situations in which the shinobi used to be involved during their work.

You tried to contain your preoccupation, but you weren’t sure you succeeded, judging by his reply:

- I know it will not cease the worries you are already feeling, but let me tell you that there is no logical reason for them. Some of our men will be sent to travel alongside the Todoroki, and these ones will only leave in my presence. However, our best shinobi will stay to guard the compound, and some of them will follow me and Izuna in our mission – a smile grew on the corner of his mouth when he noticed you were still worried – As you can easily imagine, I would have to be too reckless, or too stupid, to leave you and the rest of my people unprotected after sealing a treaty with the Todoroki.

You did your best to calm yourself, but you needed to be honest about the situation. You stopped; looking down at his hands and releasing your arm from his, you took them into yours, too small to contain them in their entirety.

- Despite the little time we have spent together, I already trust you and Izuna-sama and the other people. But I cannot help being worried when I hear you say you will be far away, where I cannot reach you. If only there was a way to assure you will be alright… I would not bother you with these silly feelings.

When you said that, you looked into his eyes seeking for another assurance. But the glimmer you saw in them in response made you shiver though the morning was as warm as the Spring would allow it to be.

Madara held your hands in his with the same firmness you sensed when he did it for the first time, in that night you met. Just like that time, you felt fascinated yet overwhelmed by the sensation that he chose this particularly gentle gesture to push his power and unpredictability into you.

His words came only to confirm this impression.

- Maybe my mere words are no longer enough to make you understand it – and with a smile that left a deeper impression than the look in his eyes – I think it is time to show you what the name Madara Uchiha means to the ones who hear it.

With this, the black of his eyes faded, giving space to the reddish pattern of his Mangekyo Sharingan. Was he going to immerse you in another memory? You were still questioning yourself about it when the sight around you changed, and the morning light and the warm weather disappeared.

You saw yourself surrounded by a suffocating, hot atmosphere that seemed to melt at the constant explosions of light and fire you saw and heard around you. It was like being at the edge of a volcano.

When you felt able to look ahead, you spotted high rocks eroding with earthquakes that didn’t last longer than seconds. Upon them, facing each other and separated only by a few meters there were two human forms, dark against the fires.

Two men.

You felt your eyes looking closer at the scene and recognized one of them – Madara. And he was the one who produced all the fire you saw, doing this through his chakra. However, it was the way he was doing it that stunned you: he had his hand close to his mouth with his fingers pointing above in the traditional chakra releasing position used by the shinobi while at combat, and from his lips came out gigantic streams of fire the devoured everything ahead and around. So, that was what your husband was capable of?

You immediately turned to the opposite side, where the other man was standing, to see what remained from him. Because, of course, nothing could survive such attack. It was when you held your breath: the man was alive.

And not only he was alive, but he was also defending himself: with his palms united and clenched against each other, he used his chakra to make colossal branches grow around him. Yes, he was producing pure wood with his power. You soon understood that they were the cause of the earthquakes: the strength with which they opened their way through the hostile ground moved the stones from their place, changing the land’s geography.

It was like the branches surrounded by fire were about to finish the world and leave nothing to tell the story.

You observed that man with more attention and felt like you knew him, but in a peculiar way; it was like you have met him in a dream, or during a moment when you were seeing with someone else’s eyes.

Whether you knew him or not, his presence and appearance impacted you almost as much as Madara’s: his red armor shone at the fire’s light, and around his shoulders’ protectors his long, dark hair floated with the hot winds coming toward him. Just like your husband, that man had a dark toned skin, as if he was touched by the sun the same amount of times as him, only visible through his face and hands; in his traits there was something distinct, softer despite the seriousness of the battle and the fact that he was surrounded by fire, something that made him look even younger than Madara. On that face, however, you saw a courage, a rage that was equal to his.

A sudden change in the atmosphere around you made you shiver. The air became warm, almost as pleasing as before you were dragged to that place, and now you were watching the battle without suffocating with the heat. This change was operated at the same time you felt a pair of known hands held your shoulders from behind. Not wanting to take your eyes off the events before you, you glanced over your left shoulder and whispered:

- Who... is that man? How can he stay alive with everything falling apart around him?

Somehow you sensed when Madara smiled; he seemed content with your surprise and interest. Right after came his reply.

- Look closer. Look at his forehead.

For the first time you noticed that the man was wearing a white protector around his head, covering his forehead. On its front you saw an emblem that answered all your questions as soon as you recognized it: you were a teacher once; you had to spent time surrounded by books and scrolls that told you the history of the land where you lived, and many times your eyes met the symbols of its most prominent clans. That symbol belonged to one of them – the Senju.

So that was…

Madara seemed to read your thoughts even before you verbalized them.

- I think you figured it out by now – you heard him laugh to himself – That man is the head of the Senju clan. His name is Hashirama. You’ve probably heard about him. About the cognomen that was given to him.

Your reply was automatic, as if it wasn’t coming from your mouth.

- The God of Shinobi.

- Yes. It’s good to see that you know part of the story – Madara complimented in a cheerful tone, ignoring what was taking place before you – This sensation you have, that you’ve seen him before, is easy to explain. You’ve seen him in my memories yesterday. Hashirama was the boy you saw at the river with me.

You turned to him to hear more, leaving the battle behind. Its sounds diminished as Madara spoke; what he had to say now was more important than that vision.

- Hashirama and I were friends at some point of our lives. This friendship did not last long, and perhaps it was for the best. Today, we are what you would call rivals. What you just saw is nothing compared to what he is capable of doing. And the same can be said about me, I must point out.

You sensed your eyes widening. What you just saw was enough for you to understand why people called him a god. Madara laughed at your reaction.

- Don’t you see, girl? – his fingers caressed your cheek as he spoke – This is one of the countless memories I have regarding our meetings. In this one in particular, we were not dancing with everything we got. We were just rehearsing.

- Dancing...? – you immediately remembered of your training and felt ridiculous.

- Hashirama is the only person who is able to dance in a way that entertains me. Things use to get a bit tedious when you are surrounded by people who aren’t able to follow your rhythm, so that someone like him is quite necessary. It brings balance to everything.

While those words were said, you felt a slow, subtle change in the environment around you two. The lights and shadows created by the fires and the wood were fading into something constant, calm as a morning sun, and the with it came a breeze that you welcomed with your heart after the intense atmosphere you experienced moments before as it brought delicate rosy petals to fly around you like silent birds.

You look around, at them, and saw that you were back to the garden. The vision was over, and the change in the scenario served as proof. Madara had his arms around you now, and you were grateful for that, for you weren’t sure if your feet wouldn’t fail you after your return to reality. When you raised to eyes to him, his eyes were dark again, and they were turned to you. Only then you felt the impact provoked by what you witnessed.

Just like the Senju warrior, Madara Uchiha carried enough power to transform the maps of the known world inside him. Yet he called the spectacle he just showed you a rehearsal, and your surprise and admiration was a source of diversion to him.

And to think that you were now the wife of such man, destined to sleep by his side for the rest of your life, and that his hands were around you, keeping you close as you trembled before a vision…

You laid your head on his shoulder and he tightened the embrace. You stood there in silence, sensing him breathing in and out; soon your own breath adjusted its rhythm to his. After everything you saw, it was clear that any preoccupation about his integrity was silly, not to say worthless. But you were the one who asked for an assurance, and Madara gave it to you.

You were going to be careful about what you ask from him from now on.

[incorrect-ikevamp-quotes]

May I request GHJPU for Sebastian? Sebby needs more love :D (eee sorry if any of this overlapped or its too much, have a cookie for your troubles 🍪)

DID SOMEBODY SAY LOVING SEBASTIAN HOURS!?!?!?!?! FERAL EYE GLEAM

Bless your heart!!! Sebastian has found a new and very dear place in my heart as of late, I would be delighted to offer my thoughts!!!!! :D (your cookie offering has been accepted with the utmost glee 🍪, I hope my humble writing efforts will bring you equal joy, lovely~💖💖💖) 

G = Gifts (How does he feel about gift giving? What are his habits when it comes to this?) 

Awwww haha, baby boy Sebby is honestly a very observant and reliable kind of S/O, I think. He will notice even the tiniest of changes in MC’s expression--the slightest shifts in her temperament. As a result of his attentive nature he has an easy time deducing the things she might like, always makes a mental note of where her eyes linger. Is there a classic she once loved in her time being published for the first time in their era, on display at a bookstore nearby? Noted. Does she hover near shops filled with self-care products--things like scented candles or lotions or bath salts, things she considers indulgent luxuries? Noted. Is there an outfit that caught his eye in a boutique, something he thinks would complement her complexion perfectly? Noted. 

The thing about Sebastian is that his gifts will be heartfelt, timely, and devastatingly thoughtful. Whether something small or something lavish it will always be precisely what she needs/wants, and she can sense the loving care he put into finding the perfect gift.

H = Holding Hands (When/how does he like to hold hands?)

Honestly? Sebastian has spent the better part of his life alone. His circumstances weren’t the worst; for all that he’s lost in his life he never went hungry, lived comfortably. But...that doesn’t change the fact that his life has been fairly devoid of meaningful human contact. Even in college, friends and close colleagues were hard to come by. The few people he did develop budding feelings for he always gave up on long before it could become any kind of substantial relationship. He was always the type to admire from afar, never really felt worthy of the people he liked.

It was MC that was the first to reach out to him, and for the first little while in their relationship she will be the one most naturally inclined to reach for him. He isn’t really used to having someone by his side like this, somebody who would be delighted to hold his hand--who wants to be close to him. It’s always a shock when they go grocery shopping and he just feels her fingers wrap gently around his. She blushes a little and says something about not wanting to get separated, but it’s clear what her real motivation was.

After those first few months, it becomes much more natural for him to reach for her hand when they’re traveling somewhere together or when they’re alone. He likes to intertwine their fingers, loves the way they fit against his perfectly. His shyness wears off after a while, and it’ll be rare to see them together without them holding hands--unless they’re cooking or at work.

J = Jokes (Does he like to joke around with or prank her? How?)

Do you know how cats have their eyes all narrow thin pupil but then they go REALLY REALLY round? That’s Sebastian. I tend to refer to it as “Silly Time Mode Engaged.”

Now then, his kind of joking is very dry and very deadpan. It’s subtle and immediate, so if you’re not attuned to it it can be easy to miss. That, or people just look at him weird because they don’t quite get the connection he’s making and/or the delivery feels off because his facial expression doesn’t change at all, completely flat. That being said, one of his all time favorite things to do is to say something absurd or nigh histrionic (which tends to be uncharacteristic of him) and wait for the confused head turn/startled laughter to hit. He will make puns and play on words all the time--he puts his academic knowledge to good use.

“I swear when I first met you I was convinced you were an AI.” “Alexa taught me everything I know.” He’ll bow. “Oh? Do I have competition, in that case?” “Your speakers are suboptimal (he pokes her freckles), but you possess what Alexa lacks.” “And that would be?” He’ll gather her close, smiling against her lips. “My heart.” :D cutest robot I ever saw uwu

Bonus bc I have a problem: “Is stealing hearts in Alexa’s programming? Just to be safe, of course.” “I think it’s safe to say it isn’t within the parameters of her design--but that doesn’t mean you’re out of the woods just yet.” cue sounds of tickling and laughter

The other way Sebastian messes with MC is that he is an ENORMOUS tease in the bedroom. He’s very much the kind of lover that prefers to tantalize and draw things out; a long, slow seduction that will render MC immobile from the pleasure by the end. The promise of a kiss is almost always only a whisper of the feeling he intends to drown her in. Remember that Sebastian’s stoicism belies a nigh inhuman ardor and self-control. He’s more than willing to leave her wanting in order to fully capitalize on that desire later at night.

P = Pet Names (What does he like to call her?)

Other than her name? HE DOESN’T AHAAHAHAHAHA Just kidding of course, but given where he comes from pet names between couples aren’t...really a thing…(take it up with Japan, I Was Today Years Old, my sappy romantic ass would never survive)

The funny inverse of this though is that he does NOT fuck around with people that try to call MC pet names. When Arthur Tries It™ he canonically goes all steely saccharine, openly telling the others they’re together. So none of that “luv” or “doll” business, he will not have it (he won’t fight the purebloods on it because 1. they’re more like doting grandfathers than anything and 2. Sebastian does not have a death wish). If MC has a nickname of some kind, then I could see him using that or adding his own spin on it with a great deal of affection c:

U = Upset (How does he act when she’s upset?)

Whether he was the cause or not, Sebastian has a single modus operandi when his beloved is upset (and to anyone who’s upset really) and that is to offer gentle reassurance/an apology. He is very, very sensitive to the feelings of others and really takes it to heart when someone isn’t feeling well. That being said, he won’t always be overt about his concern--he’s more the type to do little things that offer constant support/reminders that he’s there for them. 

If it’s something more serious, he will do everything in his power to minimize the harm done and sooth the MC. His attempts to comfort her will be tender, muted, and consistent; prolonged hugs, doubles his offering of sweets, makes her favorite foods, gives her a relaxing bath salt to use--anything that he knows for certain will coax her lips up into a smile. He’s the type to freely offer space for her to figure things out if she needs it, but he will also be watchful; he won’t let things escalate if she needs externalized support to heal (bc lbr some problems we can’t solve alone ;-;).

His other go-to method is to offer distractions in any capacity that he can. Will offer to teach her a new recipe, or find a new type of flower he wants to plant together, or make up some kind of project he needs help with. Sometimes he’ll genuinely need the help, but most of the time he does it for the express purpose of getting her mind away from negative things and focused on him/the present. It’s hard to dwell on upsetting things when you’re body is physically demanding something else from you, even more so if it’s a fairly complex task. She’s known to be very dutiful; she’ll be so focused on doing a good job she’ll forget the sadness/irritation for a bit and the intensity of the emotion might ebb slightly.

If the issue is lighter, he’ll probably just cuddle/tickle her back to fighting spirit, pressing kisses wherever he can reach until she starts giggling. In these instances he prefers to hug her from behind, a reminder that she doesn’t have to face anything unpleasant or unnerving all on her own; he’ll always be there to hold her steady whenever she needs him. 

And rest assured, this man is always gathering data to optimize his comfort capabilities. He is incredibly adaptable, and will always be watching her reactions closely to adjust his strategies.

[waywardwrestlewritingwaif]

Life of the Party

This is the fluffiest thing I’ve ever written and it still involves a swingers’ party. But seriously, other than the setting, this whole thing is just humor and boy-meets-girl cuteness. 

Pairing: Adam Cole x reader

Word count: 2,117

Content advisory: nothing beyond the setting

“Could you please stop acting so uptight?” Jeanie asks, poking you hard in the ribs. “You said you wanted to try it.”

Yes, you have to admit, you did say that you wanted to try it. Jeanie had been sharing her stories with you and Ellen about going to the swinger parties hosted by a physiotherapist who regularly attended Jeanie’s yoga classes and her husband, and a month ago, she’d finally persuaded Ellen to come along to one. Ellen had been so impressed that she’d talked about it for a week nonstop and you finally had to concede that, yes, you were curious and that you did want to come along the next time there was an opportunity. And you had wanted to come along. You wanted to get into the spirit of liberation and exploration that these nights offered. But here you were, walking into a party with a very select guest list and all you could think of to do was make wisecracks. 

Jeanie and Ellen were both insistent that you keep your mind open, to which you responded that you couldn’t keep your mind and legs open at the same time, which got a chortle but also a withering look from both of them. Your inclination was to separate from the crowd with them and to pass the night making catty comments. They, however, preferred to circulate and see who might be interested and what they might be interested in. Normally, sarcasm and irony were the weapons you used to prevent yourself from feeling vulnerable. But normally, your friends would be right beside you. Tonight, they weren’t so interested in smart remarks and were more interested in seeing what kind of adventure they could find. It was almost like disinterestedly scanning through Tinder and getting frustrated by playing eye contact games with guys in bars wasn’t enough for them anymore. 

It took exactly 38 minutes for you to completely lose your sense of ironic invincibility. You know this because you’ve been able to time it on your phone. In those first minutes, you were joking with Jeanie and Ellen, then they chose to migrate into the crowd and started chatting with a few people. Then you’d just chilled on your own and thought it was funny how everyone else seemed to be trying to hook up with someone. Then it had occurred to you that everyone else was hooking up with someone, almost as if being open about what they wanted was something that wasn’t a source of humiliation for them the way it was for you. Then you’d realized that you were standing by yourself, protected by an impenetrable wall of sarcasm, completely isolated while everyone around you was getting laid. 

You’d sure showed them. You alone had discovered the secret to not having sex at a party the point of which was to make sure that everyone had all the sex they wanted. Lucky for you that the guests were so distracted that it was easy to just steal alcohol from the refrigerator. It was like you were doing the hosts a favor, making sure that the supplies they laid in didn’t go to waste. There were little hors d’oeuvres on trays catered from a company whose treats didn’t come cheap, so you grabbed plate full of those too and retired to the back patio to feel awkward and superior and incredibly envious that there were people who could just approach other human beings and tell them they wanted to have sex with them and get it. 

This goes fine for about fifteen minutes, or two full glasses of wine and about half the plate of exquisite mini pastries and vegetable art, at which point another solitary figure slinks out onto the patio with you. There is immediately a dirigible of silence between you, swollen with mutual desire, the desire to be left alone and to have no one notice you. On the other hand, it is also fueled by the awareness that the two of you are the party’s resident weirdos and that social convention demands that you try to forge some kind of connection so that you can eventually make eye contact and fall in love or something. It’s you who gives in first. 

“Miniature sausage?”

The tumescent blimp of tension between you deflates as the man looks up with a combination of defensiveness and hostility. 

You press the still half-eaten plate towards him. “They ordered these individual mini sausages with gourmet ingredients and everything. There’s like four different kinds and they all look like they’re made by hand. I mean, I can’t imagine they found a machine that could make them this size.”

He’s still giving you a bit of a suspicious look, scanning you for any sign that you’re mocking him but gradually he drags his chair a little closer to observe the food you’re proffering. He snatches up a tiny deconstructed spanakopita-type-thing that crumbles in an avalanche of phyllo crumbs over his dark shirt when he tries to take a bite. 

“Those are a bit tricky,” you commiserate. 

“So, you’re the… official taster?” he kids, obviously trying to project a bit of cool as he brushes himself more or less clean. 

“Sure, we can go with that.” You once again extend the plate to let him try something else and, after allowing his hand to hover a moment, he takes one of the perfect little sausages. 

“Ok,” he says, nodding, “you have a point. These are pretty awesome.”

You resist the urge to say ‘I told you so’ by pushing one of the salmon-lemongrass wraps into your mouth. 

“You prefer fish?” he grins. 

“I just like to eat.”

He laughs a little and, as ridiculously clichéd as it is, you bat your eyelashes because now that you’re able to get a better look at him, you feel your thighs inadvertently press together. He is really good looking. His light brown hair is drawn back into a loose chignon, and he has that perfected, give-a-shit scruff you’ve seen in musicians and you hope to god that he’s not one of those because they’re always such cocky assholes. But what really draws you in are the bright, sparkling, mischievous blue eyes. You can’t stop staring at them and into them, imaging what they’d look like sparked with lust and… you realize it’s been an inappropriately long time since either of you has said anything. 

He takes your last oyster, the bastard, and tips the shell against his mouth, allowing the flesh to slide through his lips and over his tongue that flashes out for just a second to capture the drops of briny liquor. The change in his expression shows that he’s definitely caught you looking in a way that’s entirely appropriate to the party inside. 

“So why aren’t you enjoying the main course?” you ask, trying not to be quite so obvious and hitching your head in the direction of the house. 

“I have no idea what the fuck I’m doing here,” he sighs. “I was with my girlfriend, well, my ex-girlfriend now, for seven years. Two weeks ago I came home from a tour a day early and I run into her with her movers clearing all her stuff out of our condo. Braden’s my nutritionist and told me he and Sheryl were having this party and he thought it might be a good chance for me to shake off some of the… well, you know. Seven years with the same girl and now I’m single.”

Everything after “home from a tour” is a sort of verbal soup to you. A tour. He is a musician. Oh no. 

“What about you?” he asks. “How did you end up on Fuck Island?”

“My friend Jeanie is Sheryl’s yoga instructor,” you squeak, wishing very much to leave it at that. He gives you a pointed stare and a smile that seems to light up the entire yard and so, feeling more than a little self-conscious, you continue, “My husband left me about a year ago and I haven’t been… well, I haven’t dated anyone since then and Jeanie figured that this might be a good opportunity to get back in the saddle.”

He gives you another big smile and you think, or at least hope, that there’s a bit of a flirtatious glint in his eye. “I didn’t know they had a saddle too.”

It’s a silly joke but it does make you laugh and that makes you feel a little less awkward that you basically told a complete stranger that you got your ass dumped and hadn’t had sex since. Still, you’re eager to move on. 

“So you’re a musician?”

“What? Oh, because I was on tour. No, I’m a professional wrestler.”

And that, you think, might be worse than a musician, because it’s sort of like being a jock version of a rock star, right? All of the testosterone and none of the creativity? 

“What do you do?” he asks, pleasantly enough. 

“I’m the curator at the A.E. Backus Gallery.”

His dazzling eyes widen. “Wow…” he stammers, “Art.”

You giggle and pour yourself another glass of wine. “Wow… Wrestling.”

He leans in and takes the bottle from you, gulping directly from it as he leans back into his chair. “I’m not really arty.”

“Not at all?”

“Does videogame art count?”

“It can,” you answer, pushing a note of gentle humor into your voice. 

“Well then I guess I’m a bit of a collector. Maybe you can sell me something.” He hitches his eyebrows a little and it is endearing. 

“I didn’t know wrestling paid so well.”

“It does when you’re as good at it as I am,” he grins, taking another long swig from the wine bottle. 

His arm is slowly moving towards you and you’ve leaned forward so that you’re at once helping to close the distance between you and giving him a nice view of the tops of your breasts, something which does not appear to go unappreciated. Feeling a little cheeky, you take a big drink from your wine glass and allow a drop to fall from your lips. As you were hoping, he reaches over and brushes it away with his thumb. His eyes are definitely more intense, more curious and threaded with a hint of lust and they are every bit as thrilling as you thought they would be. 

“I’m Adam,” he whispers. 

“Eva,” you tell him, and you both laugh a little at that. 

“So I guess we really should be naked.”

“Or if we felt self-conscious, I think that one of the hors d’oeuvres has some minced grape or fig leaves.”

“Are you suggesting that I would be able to cover myself with just a tiny sausage?”

You laugh again and blush because his hand is still resting against your face, stroking your cheek ever so softly. 

His eyes flicker towards the house and he struggles for a minute to form words, his jaw twitching a little with the effort. And as much as you feel yourself growing damp at the idea of being with him, the idea of doing so in a sauna of sex mist is not working for you. 

“I cannot tell you,” he begins finally, waving a hand towards the indoors, “how uncomfortable I am with this whole thing.”

“Oh,” you exhale in sweet relief, “you don’t need to tell me because I just… This is not my scene. No judgment but this just isn’t going to work as a way of getting back out there.”

He gives you a wink. “Eva, would you like to go somewhere and not have sex with me for a bit?”

You look down at what you’re wearing, dismayed. “I’m basically wearing lingerie.”

“You look beautiful.”

“I feel naked.”

“It’s ok,” he assures you. “I know an amazing place to get drive through. You know. If that’s something art gallery girls can get into.”

“I can get into that.”

He stands and offers you his arm, the muscle flexing a little as he helps you up and sending an electric shiver through your core. Toned and firm but not the bulked-up, steroid-ridden balloon you would have imagined all pro wrestlers to possess. You bite your lip and he definitely notices, edging just a little closer to you,

“I really hope no one’s fucking in my car,” he says wistfully. 

“I’m so glad I came here in a cab.”

The two of you share a conspiratorial glance as you pick your way down the driveway and onto the street towards his hopefully unoccupied car. No sex for a bit, you tell yourself, but maybe not too long of a bit.

[sickassastrology]

What made you different? 🥸

This is a general reading for the collective. This read is about your person you have in mind. Remember that because it is general it will not resonate with everyone. So take what sticks. Your free to choose whatever pile you feel. Heck, there could be little messages in all the piles. Time is fluid and we all have free will. So things can play out at anytime or maybe not at all. Follow your heart always. -E 💙🌻

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Pile 1 🍒🍒🍒

Greetings pile 1, the classy crew with the rider Waite deck. let's get into it. I'm getting whoever this was misused you when they had you. I heard the line from Jackson 5 I want you back. when I had you to myself i didn't want you around, those pretty faces always made you stand out in the crowd". With this group I'm feeling like what made you different to this person was that you had it going on. you had a lot going for yourself. and you didn't share that with just anyone. your riches. your glory. whether it was your body, money, time, energy. whatever the case was...you were selective in who you gave to. you are an attractive energy and human pile 1. and you know it too. 😜 confident. I'm getting the energy of I have a lot going for me, and I'm not going to just be out in these streets. my money is good, I look good, I feel good. It took a lot for you to get there and so you won't share that with anyone & everyone. and then....you gave it to this person and decided to act a fool, right? lol isn't it always like that. this person saw you as being able to take care of yourself, even when it was a lot. im getting heavily that some of yall have family members or siblings (big on the siblings) that you take care of. you are the parental figure to them. you had a lot of responsibilities, and yet you were still like a breathe of fresh air. you still knew how to smile. mature. you always smiled in the mist of sadness. and you meant it too, like it wasn't just a mask. it was like "I still have something to smile about in life. my flowers still grow. there's happiness all around me." you still knew how to give to this person. managing the connection even with your own stuff going on. and they admired that about you. when things got tough you remained calm. never too out of control. you handled each situation how it came and for what it was. although you told this person about your life, you NEVER made it burdensome to them. like that's my life, but we are separate from that. and this person was acting stupid. I see a few of yall into the occult too. and that definitely makes you different, doesnt it lol. but you don't mind it and didn't hide it because it's who you are. when you saw there was sneaky behavior going on, you left. you used your intuition to guide you. and now, this person does have a lot to give and will give it but if I screw them over they will bounce out. you are not the one to do an unfair relationship. I'm seeing this person got caught cheating on their phone. like you saw some hidden text messages. I also heard "nude" like nude photos you found. this person was doing too much. and you were like no it's not fair. and it was like they didn't care. they were only sorry they got caught. they see you are strong, know who you are, know your worth, and you won't bow down to anyone. and that's on purrrr! it hurts you, but you know your special and you are a gift to somebody out there. so if you have to leave, then bye. you'll see why I'm special later on. and this hurts but you know how to keep pushing forward. and your person is just like, omg how are they doing this, how are they still okay!? pile 1, your energy is so beautiful 😍. its very tranquil. and im not saying that you never get upset or anything like that but there is a peace about you. like it didn't work out. okay, cool. I'll just keep working on my life, taking care of me and mine. and best of luck to them, ya know? I see you did love them, like them a lot. but that's the way the cookie crumbles. and tbh, pile 1 I feel you'll be better off without this person anyway. like you'll be happier being a lone, find somebody else, or just keep taking care of business. so many blessings to you all, you deserve wonderful things. ❤

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PILE 2 🥠🥠🥠

Hi pile 2, so while I was shuffling I heard likeable. so your very easygoing and charming im getting. this pile is nurturing, motherly. I get the energy of "ill lick your wounds for you so you don't have to". Ouuuu a healer. I see. (make sure that people don't try to get over on you, because they will try it)! You are a kind person. I'm getting friendly to everyone around. This pile is let's make love, not war. You don't like to agrue much. This person could have been a fireball and you just put their fire ALLLL the way out lol. I feel like some of yall worked with this person or around them. and there would be competition around you, and they would try so hard to get your persons attention. like look at me!! trying real hard. and then there you were like " I'm just here, doing me". you weren't trying to stand out. and they looked right at your ass too. 😂😂 Pile 2, you are almost too loving for your own good, aren't cha. 🥰 you love life. you showed this person a different way of living, like just go with the flow. but you weren't reckless. if you did go out or drink. I'm feeling like a festival or winery type. you showed this person that life is fun. you are a true free spirit. you don't let a lot of life's qualms bother you. this group is very natural. humanitarian. I heard the word garden. this pile is the type that give to the less fortunate. I'm seeing a person on the street and like you'll give them money, food, or whatever it is with no second thought. very "here you are. be blessed". and this person was in awe of that type of generosity. because this world doesn't have people like that. you weren't doing it for attention. you are a G-I-V-E-R. Tbh, with this pile I'm really feeling like you have a gift to help people, but I'm not sure that you even know that yet. you think that's just how you are. but i see you really doing things with the community. know your purpose you all, because its so important. you are balanced. Yes you are such a giving person. BUT you will hold back IF needed. you know when to hold em & fold em. that's you. you just don't have to try hard. I'm getting your person wears a mask to fit in. you do nothing, you can get somebody's attention without doing much of anything really. you love life and you give life into others. into earth. the seas. skies. heavens. whatever it is, you give life to it. this pile is an empress. very divine feminine. *(remember tarot have NO gender, it is only energy)* you'd make a good parent if you had children. *as I said that, I heard I don't want kids but I have fur babies*. 😂 okay so you take care of your pets as your little babies. we love them too. 🐾🐾 this group wishes good on other people. as I was pulling your oracle. the card purpose slips right from my hands. and it reads. purpose: I know what I am here to do. didn't I say this group fits in to a bigger picture. find the reason you are on this earth, do not waste another minute because you will feed so much life into other people. earth angels. 🥰 beautiful. pride: I love myself and see myself in everyone. and gratitude: I am thankful for life and the opportunity it presents. come through pile 2! confirmation again. I just said you love the life you live. the pride you have is almost humble. it's like you like yourself. the good. bad. ugly. and there's no better way to be. and that's why they like you! heck, I like you 😂 so awesome. let your light shine.

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PILE 3 🥦🥦🥦

Pile 3, whatsup!? How are yall feeling? So right off. This is more about your mindset pile 3. your intellect. this person valued your decision making. you moved very carefully when it came to other people. they would come to you and ask about somebody. and you could look and examine and tell if that person was okay or had some type of ill intent. umm....intuitive much? you are a very wise person. you listen a lot to your gut, even if you have to sleep on it. your going to go with what you feel. you knew how to get work done but you still made time for the connection too. I'm getting that some of you have an important job or school that takes up time BUT you knew when to be silly and take breaks too. I'm feeling like you and this person had really goody times together. snapchat filters and silly faces 🤪😂. you are a very determined person. when things get hard or you fail. you never stop trying until you succeed. but you pace yourself, never tire yourself out. sheer determination from yall. love it. there's a lot of power in that. this group loves gathering information. reading. tv. listening. however you gained it, you shared it with your person and other people. a teacher. you actually made this person become better when you spoke to them. it challenged them. you also had a quirkiness about you. I'm getting you had hidden talents about yourself that were really random 😂. but your person loved it. you all pulled the empathy card. it reads: I am open to seeing both sides of the situation. again yall, you really know how to read people. use this to your advantage and get in touch with yourself. Tbh, if you tap in...you can sense auras. if you can't already! 💫🔮

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I have to say, every single one of you are special. each of these piles possess such unique abilities and talents. bless you all. not to say your perfect by any means. but beautiful works in progress. so whether or not these connections work out or your person comes back. you matter. you don't need to change what beauty inside yourself. keep growing. keep challenging yourself. don't compromise. your worth it. so climb to the highest mountain top and scream. "I AM WHO I AM. I AM WORTHY. AND BEAUTIFULLLLL". bless. -E 💙🌻

[holdmyowos]

Passion (Tamaki x Female Reader Lemon)

Includes: Oral sex

Y/N is pretty much like Kirishima but a girl. She does not have a known quirk, and is enrolled in general studies at U.A. as a senior. Y/N has a quirk gives others confidence when she's excited. No one knows because it's not a very obvious quirk.

"Amajiki-Senpai! There you are!" You ran into your boyfriend's open arms. After every day of school, the two of you always met on the school roof. No one else ever came up here. It was a special place for just you and him to go.

Today had been a long day. He embraced you back with a smile. "Sunshine, I told you that you can just call me Tamaki. Everyone else does." His smile was so cute and fragile. You chuckled. "But everyone else calls you that. I want to be special to you.  By letting them call you by your first name, you let them walk all over you. Be a man! Show some backbone!"

"I-I'm sorry!" He backed away from you and went to put his head against the wall. Before he could, you took his head and rested it against your chest. He always seemed much calmer after you hugged him against you. He leaned into you.

You learned certain words triggered his anxiety. You had gotten much better at thinking before you say anything, but sometimes things just come out. "I didn't mean it in a mean way, I just want people to respect you! You're the coolest hero in training that I know. I just want others to see that too. I want you to see that. How cool you are. How great you are."

Tamaki took in a shuddering breath. His arms wrapped around you. He trembled. You expected him to let go, but he did not. His fingers traced your body. "How did I get a girl like you? I'm a nobody!" "Don't be silly! I'm so happy to have you as my boyfriend. Just seeing your smile melts all my sadness and worries away." "That... you have such a positive attitude. So happy. So supportive. Of me. That... turns me on." He tugged sharply on your tie, causing you to fall down onto him. "Amajiki-Senpai?!" He never acted like this before. Sure, the two of you had done some foreplay before, but he was always so submissive. He slowly undid your buttons from top to bottom of your uniform. You let the uniform fall off, revealing your nearly see-through white button up. "Are you sure this is what you want? I mean, this doesn't seem very like you to-" He put his hand under your shirt and undid your bra. Gently, he massaged your breasts. "Tama~" you moaned. "Tama? I like that. It suits me. Just by existing, you make me feel so good. I need to make you feel good." He took your shirt all the way off, and placed his head in between your breasts, "So soft. I always wanted to do this. I wonder why all of a sudden I have so much courage. It's you, probably." He started licking at one of your buds. You let out a whimper. He gently bit one nipple and squeezed the other with his thumb and pointer finger. You let out some lewd sounds. He pressed his hips against you. You gasped as you felt his erect member against your womanhood, even through your clothes. You did not think Tamaki Amajiki could feel that way. "It's definitely you, Sunshine." He sucked on your neck, making deep hickies.

As good as it felt, you pushed him away. "Stop it. Just stop. What are you doing? This isn't like you! Who are you?" This could not possibly be your Amajiki. Maybe it was another one of the hero students with a transformation quirk playing a prank or something. You covered your chest by crossing your arms. He took a step away from you. "W-what do you mean? I thought y-you liked it!" You could see the anxiety settling in again on his face. How could he act like that and then this? It did not make sense. "If you really are my boyfriend, tell me about our first date." No one else knew about that.

"W-well, in the cafeteria, I- I um... I accidentally spilled ketchup on you and I felt really bad to have messed up your pretty uniform so I apologized for it excessively and got some napkins and wiped it off of you and then everyone was staring at us it was so scary and I didn't know why and then I realized that it was probably because I was wiping it off of your chest area and then I panicked really badly..." Just remembering that time made him start trembling. "Skip that part. Go to that happy parts." He shook his head. "Even the scary parts worked out. I put my head on your chest because I didn't know what else to do and you... you didn't pull away from me and I knew you were the one for me... you were so kind. And then you invited me to the park and we skipped the rest of school which was also scary. But it turned out to be one of the best days in my life. You ... you gave me a... a..." he gulped, unable to continue. "A blowjob? I remember that. Your moans were so loud and we were in public. Luckily, no one else was there."

You slowly unzipped his pants while staring into his eyes. He broke eye contact with you. "I'm so sorry for doubting you. Amajiki-Senpai." You took his pants and boxers off. "N-no, I guess I- I was acting odd." "That's not a good enough excuse. You were so happy, I could tell. You never got into the moment like that before. And I messed that up." You started running your fingers against his dick. "N-no i-it's f-fine I should be apologizing to yo-you and..." you made the rest of his words unable to be understood by sticking his tip in your mouth and swirling your tongue around it. He let out a loud huff. He was back to his old self. What had happened to that passionate friend you were with earlier? You had an idea. With only two fingers, you rubbed him. "Y/N. Sunshine. Please. Why'd you stop? You know I want it." You switched to only one finger. His face turned into a frown. "What are you going to do about it, Amajiki-Senpai? Don't let me get away with this. I believe in you." You took the last finger off of him. He whined in protest at the sudden lack of stimulus.

A moment passed. Gently, he took your head and pressed your mouth  against himself. You slowly took him in. He moaned as you went deeper onto him. "Sunshine, why are you doing this? Do something. You're acting like... like... like I usually would. Just a doll, doing nothing."  A rhetorical question, obviously. Your mouth was full. You moved your tongue up and down him. He groaned in pleasure, and pressed your face harder onto his cock. Tears trailed down your face. You could feel him twitching under you, likely almost ready to cum. He grabbed your shoulders, his nails digging into your skin. "Sunshine... I- you know... I'm about to... to... to cum!" He released down into your throat. You swallowed it as he did. He let you go, and you gasped for air. "I-I'm sorry. Was I too... too-" before he could finish his dumb apology for nothing you covered his lips with yours in a deep kiss. He kissed back. He slowly pushed you down onto the floor with him on top of you. "You don't need to apologize for anything. I love you. You're my favorite person in the whole world." You laughed.

He hummed back at you with a smile on his face. He gently took off the rest of your clothes, exposing everything to him. "Right now, somehow you make me feel strong. Not insecure little Tamaki. I feel more... more like Suneater..." He placed his lips against your ear and growled. "...my  Sunshine." You felt a moist sensation and blushed, crossing your legs to hide your wetness. "No, no, my Sunshine. I'm going to eat you up~" He pried your legs open despite your giant blush. He gently pushed your folds aside and licked up and down your clit. "Tama~" "You like that? I always wanted to taste you." You blushed furiously, and unable to stand his unwavering gaze piercing your eyes. You looked up at the sky. He nipped around the area a bit and sucked it a few times before putting his tongue in, which caused you to moan. He pushed his tongue in and out, nipping at your pink area.

(Ok so now the rest is hentai ngl 👉🥵👈 you can stop here if you do not want to read it)

Slowly, the sensation changed. His tongue got longer and harder. It felt oddly bumpy. "Amajiki-Senpai! Is that wha-what I think it is?!" You stuttered. You looked down at him devouring you, and gulped. "Like what you see?" His tongue had transformed into a tentacle. He pushed the appendage into you slowly. You gasped. "Wha-" "You can take it, Sunshine. I know you can." You could feel tears coming from your eyes. "W-why are you doing this? You're acting so odd! I mean, I'm not against it, but it's just weird! What the hell has come over you?" His tongue slowly uncurled inside of you. "I don't know, my Sunshine." You were caught in bliss, and he made you scream. "No, we can't have that. What if someone found us out?" He took one hand and made each finger into a separate tentacle. He put one into your mouth to shut you up and another snaked into your ass. You could hardly even think. It was like getting fucked by three different people. He filled you up with his fingers and tongue. "Mirio said girls like this sort of thing. He has more experience with it than me, so I guess I'll just have to trust him." Of course. This was Mirio's idea. The stimulation was too much. You felt a knot grow in your stomach. Your breathing went harder, and you came. Tamaki turned back into normal Tamaki, and sucked it up with his normal, human tongue.

The two of you just stood there, panting hard. You put your clothes on and leaned on Tamaki, and the two of you fell asleep on the roof.

[skelligiri]

Obligatory lockdown fic

“Good night, angel.”

Click.

Aziraphale hung up the phone, and, with a hum and a spring in his step, went right back to baking. He had come across a carrot cake recipe in one of the oldest cookbooks in his collection earlier that day and busied himself with weighing Ingredients (the carrots miraculously fell out of the bag finely grated). But no matter how hard he tried to keep his mind focused and to not think of the phone conversation, he couldn’t suppress the desire to pick up the phone again as the night progressed. The print date of the book, which indicated that it had been printed shortly after the Reign of Terror, didn’t help, jolting memories of being locked up in the Bastille and being saved from a violent discorporation by an unlikely friend.

2 days. After that, he wouldn’t hear Crowley’s voice again until July. The angel wasn’t sure why he was even giving it any thought - Crowley had a habit of sleeping for months, years, even decades at a time, and had done so countless times over the millennia.

He just hadn’t spent prolonged periods of time asleep since the aborted Armageddon a year prior, Aziraphale mused. Crowley had mentioned how he couldn’t get himself to cause any havoc because everybody was miserable enough already, which was not surprising – the angel knew that, at heart, Crowley was a decent person. However, when reaching for the cake tin, a thought stopped him in his tracks – Could it be that Crowley was not only bored, but that the misery of the situation had gotten him down? His friend certainly hadn’t sounded happy.

---

Somewhere in central London, a demon swatted aimlessly at his bedside table until he found his ringing phone, sending his designer sunglasses tumbling to the floor in the process. It didn’t concern Crowley; his glasses knew better than to invoke their already cross owner’s wrath by breaking.

“What?” he snapped. “It’s me again. I just wanted to know how you are feeling today.” “Same as yesterday. Same as every day since the lockdown started. Bored. Didn’t forget, did you?” the demon drawled. “No… no, and it does make sense I suppose, there are certainly things I am looking forward to after this whole lockdown business. I wonder how the birds at St. James’ park are doing. If the little cafe on Belgrave Street is still going to be there - it used to be a book shop, you know. Anyway, now that I have a better understanding of the baking process, I do wonder if I will have a newfound appreciation for cake. Not that I ever did not appreciate cake, as I’m sure you are well aware, but the cakes at this particular establishment have always been home baked by the owners, wonderful people. Their children worked some odd jobs there to help pay for their education –“, Aziraphale babbled, unable to contain the flood of words until it was cut off by his friend’s exasperated groan. “Aziraphale. You do know that depriving someone of sleep is a method of torture, right?” Aziraphale blinked in response. “You were asleep already? I thought you were going to wait two days?” “Yeah, but I had a very productive day yesterday. Scared a seedling into growing 2 inches, sat around doing nothing. Started a few arguments on Twitter, although that really wasn’t much of a challenge. Sat around some more. Decided to treat myself to an early nap.” “Ah. Right, um. I really just wanted to know how you were doing. And…”

The angel found himself considering his words for a moment. Even in his head, they sounded a bit silly. Still, the question burned on his tongue.

“Out of curiosity… ever since the events of Armageddon and the… fallout thereof. Have you ever felt a little lonely?” As expected, the question was followed by a cackle on the other end of the line. ‘”Yah, I really miss Hastur. Real hard, not having to put up with the threats and the stench.” He paused. “Don’t tell me you’re starting to miss the ponces up in heaven. Missing Gabriel, are you? Michael?” Aziraphale’s face contorted, and he outright shuddered when Crowley added “Sandalphon?” “Oh heavens no!” he blurted out, ignoring Crowley’s snort. “I don’t miss heaven. The bookshop feels more like home to me than heaven ever did, you know that.” “Well then, let me go on the record saying that I don’t miss Hell either, big shocker I know. Was there anything else?” There was a short silence between them, which Aziraphale found himself unable to fill. “… Angel, I’m going to ask you one more time. Do you want me to come over or not?” Crowley asked. “I… I couldn’t possibly ask that of you.” “Right. Well in that case, I’m going back to sleep.”

Aziraphale fidgeted. There was one more question that needed answering. “W-well, before you go! You… You definitely shouldn’t come here. But, in theory, if I were to find a way to come over to your place…” “…You. Come over here?” “Yes.” “Wha, you gonna get on a bus during a pandemic? I thought setting a bad example and getting too close to people is something you consider demonic activity. Angel, I’m almost impressed.” “Without breaking any rules, of course!” “And how would you go about that, then?” Aziraphale could’ve sworn there was a hint of a smirk in Crowley’s voice. “… Not sure. It’s just hypothetical, really. Anyway, would you mind if I did?” “’Course not, why in the heavens would I mind, not like I haven’t had you over before.” “… Right, right. Well, I won’t keep you any longer. Good night, my dear.”

Click.

----

Not even Aziraphale’s gramophone seemed to be able to drown out the silence of the following days. The angel often found his gaze locked on the black feather he kept next to his recipe books. A keepsake from Crowley. He had passed it off as a meaningless gesture. Aziraphale knew better.

Being honest with himself had never been the angel’s strong suit. But he had gotten better at deciphering what his gut was trying to tell him in the months since the war had been averted. Rather than decades, centuries or even millennia, it now took him a mere fortnight to realize that he couldn’t drown out what he wanted more than anything.

He wanted to be near Crowley. To keep his friend company. They had always had each other to rely on whenever one or more of the horsemen had raised their heads.

But Pestilence posed a very unique challenge, turning the very need for people to reach out to each other during hard times into a potentially deadly risk. He couldn’t just walk out of the bookshop and set a bad example for humans. Maybe he should wait until July, he thought to himself. Sit here, on the couch, where the demon had slept so many times over the years there undoubtedly was a Crowley-shaped indent in the foam, drink tea and eat cake while catching up on his vast collection of books… but after hearing his dearest friend’s voice, this thought suddenly felt so much less appealing. He found himself picking up the phone again, aching to speak to Crowley, but what was he going to say? There was nothing else to say. The time for talking had passed, he realized. Now was the time to act – which was a harrowing thought.

But he should definitely follow the rules of the lockdown, Aziraphale decided, which meant no leaving the house. Not being able to get sick or transmit the disease was beside the point. Laws were there for a reason, after all. But while the laws surrounding the lockdown were not to be broken even by him, not all laws that applied to humanity applied to a celestial being. For one thing, angels weren’t bound by the laws of physics. And just like that, an idea hit Aziraphale as his gaze locked on the phone in his hand.

Crowley had done it before, he had (repeatedly and proudly) bragged to Aziraphale all about how he had outwitted Hastur back before Armageddon’t by travelling through the phone line and trapping the duke of hell on his ansafone. It was one of his favourite stories to relay after a bottle of wine and usually culminated in him thanking the angel for being the sole reason he even kept the ancient eyesore in his flat. If Crowley could do it, Aziraphale reasoned, why couldn’t he? “It might just work…” he mumbled to himself. Hesitating, Aziraphale considered the phone line separating him from his demon. The rules of the lockdown were one thing, but there were other rules to consider. 6000 years of careful consideration, of boundaries, of careful movements so to not spook or even endanger the other. But those times were over now, weren’t they? They were on their own side now, they didn’t need excuses. They were meant to be free. They deserved to be free.

And nothing was stopping them. Not really.

Aziraphale took a long look around his bookshop. He closed his eyes. A thought, a silent prayer, a faint smell of ozone, and just like that, he knew that it would be safe until he returned, whenever that may be. He took a deep breath, braced himself, and without further ado, willed himself to dissolve into particles straight into cyberspace.

Inaudible to anyone but Aziraphale, the phone line for the next fragment of a second was filled with panicked, garbled noises of distress, as a defragmented angel was trying to herd the atoms making up his corporation through a telephone line. He had to admit: Pulling this off without any atoms escaping was brag-worthy. He found himself wondering if bouncing around weightlessly like this was what a rollercoaster felt like. He didn’t much care for it. And he didn’t much care for re-emerging, either, all his atoms snapping back in place like magnets, sending him stumbling aimlessly. All he could do was brace himself for the unavoidable impact.

But luckily for the angel, Crowley’s phone had rolled out of his hand when he’d fallen asleep after their last conversation, on a bed that had to have been touched by a demonic miracle or a dozen to reach such an unnatural level of softness. The yelp that followed Aziraphale’s body hitting Crowley full-force would have usually caused the angel a great deal of concern, but Aziraphale was too occupied with his own spinning vision and trying to figure out where he was and which way was up, limbs flailing, helplessly entangled in black, velvet bedsheets.

“What the FLYING FUCK-“ Crowley yelled, followed by a string of expletives, and Aziraphale realized that the sounds were coming from the floor next to the bed. “Ah – I didn’t mean to - Apologies, my dear.” he offered breathlessly. “Aziraphale?!”

The demon’s upper body emerged from beside the bed, golden eyes wide. “What the heavens - How did - wh-?!”, he stammered, ever so eloquently. Aziraphale scrambled to sit up, tried to brace himself on the wall, missed, and found himself face-first on the bed with a groan. He realized that Crowley must have rushed to his side when he felt himself being propped up by a steadying hold under his arm. That thought was confirmed when he heard Crowley hiss under his breath. The angel held on to his arm for dear life. “I… I’m so sorry to wake you like this. Are you hurt?” “No, just got better acquainted with the floor, thank you very much.” Aziraphale barely managed to lean against the headboard to wait for his vision to stop spinning. “I just. Thought this might be a way of coming over without breaking any rules. I must admit, you made this whole traveling through the telephone line business sound rather a lot easier than it is.”

His vision slowly focused on the demon, who was sitting beside him on the bed, more frazzled looking than the angel had ever seen him. Unkempt, bleary-eyed, and absolutely, stunningly beautiful. With a start, Aziraphale noticed that the plants on the balcony had shifted into unnatural positions. As though they were leaning in to see what all the commotion was about. Crowley took notice and turned around to glare at the plants, which immediately went back to their original positions.

Aziraphale took a steadying breath. “It’s good to see you, my dear.” “Yeah it’s… yeah. Same.” the demon stammered. “I was a little worried about you. You must really be concerned about the humans, to so adamantly refuse to break the rules. Commendable as it is.” Crowley made a face at that last remark. “Rub it in, why don’t you.” “I’m not trying to be flippant, dear. What I’m trying to say is… I’m a little surprised you didn’t come over.” Aziraphale admitted. “I didn’t come over ‘cause you told me not to.” the demon retorted. “That’s never stopped you before. You know as well as I do that I was tempting you.” Crowley blinked at the angel’s blatant honesty. “Angel,” Crowley began, “This is different. I just…” Crowley threw back his head and let out a frustrated groan, “I couldn’t just go on a limb and invite myself to stay over for however many weeks or months it’ll take for Pestilence to get tired of mucking up everyone’s day and to bugger off again, could I? Taking up your space and drinking all your wine. ‘sides, we’re not just talking catching up, but. You know. More than that.” When it became apparent that Aziraphale wanted more, Crowley ran a hand over his face. “Living together for fuck knows how long. Didn’t want to overstep.”

Oh.

“W- well,”, Aziraphale started, a familiar warmth rising up in his face, “I certainly didn’t mean to overstep-“ “You’re not.” “Oh. Good.”

Aziraphale swallowed. The heat in his face remained. “Still… I can make myself scarce, if you like. Go back to the bookshop, if one of us needs space, I’m sure I’ll get used to traveling through the telephone line. But, truth be told, I have missed your company.” He swallowed again, followed by a deep breath. “Rather terribly, actually. In fact, I don’t know how I ever managed to spend as much time apart from you as I used to. Things have been different since the events of last summer, haven’t they? Speaking of, the anniversary of what could have been Armageddon is coming up in three months, hopefully things will be better by then. Maybe the Ritz will have re-opened and we will get a chance to celebrate the world not coming to an end, like we did last year.” When Aziraphale’s eyes met the demon’s, there was no trace of white to be found in them. “Until then, I’d very much like to stay here with you. If you’ll have me.”, he added.

The silence hung over them thickly, every second stretching out endlessly. “… Crowley?” Aziraphale asked tentatively, but the demon appeared to be frozen in place, still holding on to the angel’s arm. By the time Crowley finally opened his mouth, Aziraphale wondered if he had said too much.

“I need a nap.”

Aziraphale blinked. “Beg your pardon? Did you hear what I just said?” “Y- Yeah, and, if you don’t mind, I really need a nap.” “You may feel free to nap all you want, but-“ Aziraphale started, but before he could say anything else, he felt himself gently being pushed back against the headrest, and before he had realized what was happening, Crowley’s face was buried in his shoulder, arms wrapped around the angel’s torso like his life depended on it. Aziraphale quickly snapped out of his bafflement and gave his friend a concerned look. “Are you alright, dear boy?” he asked, and Crowley nodded into his shoulder wordlessly. “… Well, are you still planning on napping until July? I will have to miracle myself some books over if you do.” Crowley shook his head. Aziraphale returned the embrace, one hand gently stroking the demons back, resulting in a small, full-body shudder. Crowley chose not to comment when, emboldened by this reaction, the angel pressed a kiss on the top of his head, but he did make a noise that sounded suspiciously like a sigh of contentment. They had touched more frequently since the events of the year prior, more precisely since the night of the body swap, but it never failed to make their hearts flutter. “Well then, let’s get comfortable, shall we? If we’re in this for the long haul.” He grabbed the cover and draped it over Crowley. And as the arms around his torso squeezed him just a little tighter, he added “We have all the time in the world. The cakes in the kitchen know better than to go stale.”

---

Well, seeing as it’s technically the 30th anniversary of Good Omens  today, I thought I’d try my hand at writing. This is actually my first fanfiction, and I plan to write a bit more often in the future. Hope you like it!