#i don’t really have expectations so I’m eager to see the results!

[gaymars97]

So I know this might not reach a big audience but

Btw by best I mean favorite obvs

[smileysuh]

ice cold, cabin fever - part 1

🌙 staring. Seungcheol & Mingyu x afab!Reader

🔮 preview. "come on, let’s just go back to snakes and ladders and you can pretend we’re not snowed in with no firewood and a dude you hate locked in the bathroom."

cw/ tw. threesome, daddy issues, mean/tsundere cheol, wet dreams, spanking, marking, dirty talk, choking, unprotected sex, pain kink, dacryphilia, breast play, praise, degradation, fingering, oral, hand job, blow job, multiple orgasms, overstim, edging, orgasm denial, manhandling, size kink, cumplay, finger sucking, spit roasting, hair pulling, voyeurism, I petnames. (hers) princess, bitch, whore, baby (s.coups) cheol, douche, dick, daddy (mingyu) gyu.

👹 rating. 18+ explicit I wc. 25.9k

🍭 aus. e2l, s2l, step brothers Jihan, non idol, ski resort, roomies, etc...

☀️ mlist + an. so when I tell you I know practically nothing about skiing... also, the recent soop episodes have been giving gyucheol and jihan and I'm dying. I other inspo: 🙂 🙂 🙂 I pls note. this fic has so much dialogue, it exceeds the number of paragraphs allowed in a tumblr post, so it will be split into 2 parts posted at the same time I read the whole thing in one post + the bonus by subscribing to my patreon and clicking here

Prologue: 

“You guys aren’t going to believe this,” Jeonghan says as he enters the main area of the flat he shares with his brother and two best friends.

Three sets of eyes turn to him, and it’s Joshua who takes a shot in the dark and asks, “Did you get chlamydia again?”

“Aish, fuck off,” Jeonghan picks up a pillow to launch at his brother, “I just got off the phone with mom you idiot.”

“Ouch, since when are you telling mommy about your STI results?” Seungcheol teases, earning himself a pillow as well, that he easily bats out of the air.

“Tell us,” Mingyu urges seriously, “what did your mom say?”

“Only that our new step-sister decided to join us for the destination wedding, super last minute,” Jeonghan explains, taking a seat next to the youngest and sweetest of his friends.

“Did your mom tell her that they already gave up the cabin?” Seungcheol’s heart drops to his stomach, thoughts of powdered snow and skiing swirling on the periphery of his mind.

“Fuck if I know,” Jeonghan shrugs. “She sounds like a bit of a bitch if I’m being honest- sorry Gyu, but it looks like you’ll be giving up your bed.”

“We’re sharing a cabin with her?” The maknae’s jaw drops.

“Well she’s definitely not staying with us,” Joshua stiffens in his seat, “I don’t know what weird step-sibling porn you’re into Gyu, but we’re not that kind of family.”

“Listen,” Seungcheol leans forward, eager to keep the peace, “none of us have met her before- but your mom really likes her dad- let’s just hope she’s as nice as he is… I really doubt she’s a bitch. If it comes down to it, I can give up my bed, there’s a pullout in the cabin too, right? We’ll make it work.”

The glances all four men exchange betray how unsure they all are, and Seungcheol only wishes he was as positive as he makes himself out to be. 

1: Thursday - Arrival

“Y/n! You made it!” your dad’s excitement should be contagious, but as you haul your suitcase into the lobby of the ski resort, you’re much too exhausted to mirror his attitude.

In fact, you’d bet you look exactly how you feel; done with this vacation before it’s even started.

Despite this, you accept the hug from your dad, trying to relax a little before he lets you go again. “Was your flight very long?”

“Too long,” you sigh, taking a deep breath before returning his question with “and you?”

“Too long,” your dad laughs. “But you can rest easy now, the hard part is over.”

Is it? 

“I’m so excited for you to meet Suelki,” he continues, “and her two sons.” 

“I’m excited too,” you really force a smile this time, trying your best to look sincere.

“Good,” your dad nods, beginning to lead you through the resort. “So listen, this trip is kind of like my honeymoon- so we really don’t expect to be seeing that much of you- Suelki and I have a suite in the actual hotel itself, but I think I mentioned to you over the phone that we booked two of the rustic cabins-”

“Yeah, you mentioned that,” your grip on your suitcase handle tightens.

“Because you originally said you wouldn’t be coming, we gave the second cabin up to Suelki’s boys’ roommates- and unfortunately, the entire resort is booked up this week, so we couldn’t get you your own room.”

“Right-” He’d mentioned something along these lines during your quick phonecall when you’d changed your mind about coming on the trip, and you’re eager to see what fix he has for this.

“Each cabin had a pullout though, so you’ll be staying in one of them, and whether it’s with Suelki’s boys’ or their friends, I really hope you use this trip to get to know your new step brothers.”

Your mouth feels dry, heart jittering in your chest at the concept of sharing a cabin for a week with two boys- 

“The wedding is on Saturday,” your dad and you have reached a door leading outside; icy air hits your face when he opens it. “And the cabins you’re looking for are the last two down this road here- cabin 6 and cabin 7. Just follow the string lights-”

“Are you-” you swallow. “You’re not going to take me out to where I’m staying?” You tighten your grip on your heavy luggage, eying the snowy path.

“Sorry darling, but your plane was late, and you’ve arrived at a bad time- Suelki and I have massages scheduled in-” he checks his watch, “ten minutes? I really have to go- but you’re a strong, capable girl, you’ll find the cabins no problem.”

This is exactly the type of behaviour from your father that you’re used to. 

Part of you had expected something to be different- you’d been hoping that the wedding jitters would make him more inclined to be compassionate to you- but it looks like he’s as intent on letting you go about it yourself as he’s ever been.

After your long flight, and now this- you’re really questioning if you should have come on this trip at all.

2: Thursday - Arrival

“Joshie, come look at this,” Jeonghan urges, holding his tea tighter while gazing out the small cabin window.

“What is it?” his brother sighs, putting down his book but remaining seated on the couch.

“Some girl is dragging her suitcase up the path.” 

He can’t help but snicker. With the road covered in snow for the winter season, accessing the cabins isn’t the easiest task in the world. 

Having been here before, the brothers had packed accordingly, and carrying their duffles had been substantially easier than the struggle Jeonghan is currently witnessing. 

“Oh shit.”

“What?” Now Joshua stands up.

“She’s coming to the door- shit-” Jeonghan pulls away from the window roughly, and hot liquid spills over the edge of his mug, making contact with his fingers. “Shit!” he shakes his hand out-

“Must be the step sister?” Joshua suggests, ignoring the elder man tending to his reddening skin. 

“Must be,” Jeonghan hisses, putting his tea down just as there’s a knock on the door.

The elder of the two takes a seat on the couch, pulling his hoodie sleeve down to cover his hand while Joshua answers the door. 

“Hi-” your voice carries into the small space, and Jeonghan silently urges Joshua to move to the side so he can get a better look at you. “Are you Jeonghan?”

“No, Joshua,” he shifts, allowing you to see into the cabin, “that’s Jeonghan.”

Jeonghan lifts his unharmed hand, wiggling his fingers at you and offering a smile. 

His eyes quickly take you in, assessing your cute outfit- and its lack of weather appropriateness. He finds himself stifling a laugh again, shaking his head to snap himself out of it before saying loudly, “Aren’t you going to let our new step-sister in?”

You look like a bunny entering a wolf’s den, and you stop just past the threshold, allowing the door to be closed behind you.

“I guess you guys know about the cabin situation?” Your first words aren’t something Jeonghan had particularly expected from you-

You’re much more forward than your appearance gives you credit for, and he begins to wonder if his little bunny has teeth. 

“Cabin situation?” Joshua comes to join Jeonghan on the couch, reaching for his book.

“Yeah-” you swallow, “I heard my cabin got given up to two of your friends?”

“Right, that cabin situation,” Jeonghan and Joshua exchange glances, and they leave space for you to continue.

“I was thinking,” you shift awkwardly on your feet, a chunk of snow shifts off your boot and onto the wood floor, “uh- you guys aren’t really going to make me share a cabin with two of your friends, right?” 

“What do you mean?” Joshua cocks his head, and Jeonghan leans back in his seat, enjoying the scene playing out in front of him.

“Just that-” you release a deep sigh. “Guys- I’m going to be honest, I’m really tired- is there no possible way one or even both of your friends could- I don’t know… crash in this cabin with you guys?”-  there’s a beat of silence, Jeonghan and Joshua exchange glances - “like, that’s a pullout couch, right? So- at least one could stay here-”

Joshua opens his mouth to respond, but Jeonghan places a hand on his knee to silence him, taking the lead in these new family negotiations; “You might be able to convince one of them to stay here,” he tells you, “but I doubt you’d be more comfortable alone with a strange man you’ve never met, than you would be having two.”

“I mean…” you look between your new step-siblings, “these guys are your friends, right? It’s not like they’re going to- erm… try anything?”

“You’re right,” Jeonghan nods sympathetically, “let’s go over there and you can see which one you prefer to spend a week alone with.”

You shift again, releasing a groan. “I know we just met- but I’ve gotta say, you’re a bit of an asshole, you know that?”

Jeonghan laughs.

“He’s right though,” Joshua sighs. “As unfortunate as it is that your cabin got given up, there’s no chance both of our friends are going to give up their beds to sleep on a pullout in here with us.” He stands up. “I saw you were struggling with your bag earlier- I’ll carry it for you, we can go to the next cabin over and discuss the situation with Cheol and Mingyu-”

“Thanks, but no thanks,” you open the door, holding your suitcase tightly, “I’m a big girl, I’ll handle this myself.”

The new brothers watch you leave the cabin, and then Joshua heads to the window, eyes following you as you trudge down the path back to the main road again. 

“Is she still struggling?” Jeonghan asks.

Joshua lets out something between a laugh and a sigh, then he nods. “She’s really struggling.”

3: Thursday - Arrival

“Is that your stomach growling?” Cheol groans, distracted from the Christmas film he’s watching for what must be the third time-

“I’m sorry-” Mingyu whines, hand rubbing his tummy in slow circles, “you know how I get when we go skiing-”

“Then eat more at dinner next time,” the elder man snaps, grabbing the remote to turn the sound up in the hopes it will drown out his friend’s stomach, “and make some ramen or something.”

“I’m too lazy, I can’t get up,” the large man sprawled on the couch groans, his voice switching to something more on the girly side when he says “oppa, make me ramen? We can have Netflix and ramen?”

“Aish-” Seungcheol reaches out to bat his friend’s foot.

Mingyu is the baby of their apartment back home, and all three of the men born in 95 try not to make a habit of indulging him in maknae privileges. In fact, Mingyu often ends up being the one who cooks and cleans, but Seungcheol will never admit that to anyone.

“Stop complaining and watch your movie,” Seungcheol urges, eyes returning to the screen, where Jim Carrey’s Grinch is having a similar meltdown to Mingyu’s.

A knock at the door stuns both men, their heads whipping towards the sound- then Mingyu is jumping off the couch, as if he wasn’t just claiming to be a lazy bum less than a minute ago. 

“Who is it?” Cheol groans, leaning back against the pillows, stretching his tired arms out in front of him. 

He’s never going to get through this movie if there keeps being distractions-

“Shh- it’s a girl-” Mingyu’s whispered response is another shock to Cheol’s system, and he suddenly finds himself sitting up in his seat.

“Well, answer the door!” he whispers back.

Mingyu follows through with the command, and a moment later he’s greeting you with a “Hello?”

“Uh, hi? Are you… Cheol?” 

“No,” Mingyu steps to the side, “he is.”

Seungcheol blinks at you, taking you in.

He’s definitely never met you before, so how is it you know his name- 

How is it you know the name that only his friends use?

“Then that makes you… Mingyu?” 

You’re not even looking at Seungcheol anymore, your eyes have slipped over him and returned to the large man in front of you faster than Cheol can even clock-

“That’s right,” Mingyu nods, then, “wait! You must be the step-sister!”

“That’s me,” you sigh. “The step-sister.”

“Come in,” Mingyu urges you, “and let me take your bag, I bet you’re tired from your flight-”

Seungcheol rolls his eyes, setting the remote down. It’s unlikely he’ll be returning to the movie anytime soon, and he supposes he should be friendly with you- despite his exhaustion from a long day on the slopes.

“Did you drag your suitcase all the way through the snow?” Mingyu asks, blatantly bewildered at your behavior. 

“Uh huh,” you nod, closing the door behind you and reaching down to take off your boots.

“No one helped you?” Mingyu’s tone makes the whole thing seem like blasphemy, and Cheol watches the way he fusses over you, setting your bag at the foot of his bed before rushing to help you take off your jacket-

“No one,” you confirm. “Joshua offered, but- I managed by myself, like always.”

“So you stopped at the other cabin first?” Seungcheol confirms, “Met Hannie and Josh-”

Your eyes meet, and then Seungcheol finds himself looking at your lips-

“Yeah,” you tear your gaze away, turning to Mingyu when you explain, “wanted to talk with them about bed arrangements first-”

“You can have mine,” Mingyu offers, flashing you an earnest smile.

“Really?” your eyes widen, and you look between the two men again. “You’re not uh… too big for it?”

Seungcheol feels like he’s been hit in the chest. 

If you’d had asked your question without looking directly at him, he might have been able to convince himself you weren’t insinuating anything- but it’s clear what you’re saying. It’s clear you’re clocking him as being smaller than his younger friend, clear you’re inadvertantly suggesting that as the shorter man - Cheol - should sleep on the couch.

A month ago, Cheol had suggested the very same thing, thinking you’d be some nice girl he could give his bed to.

But now? 

He wouldn’t give you his bed if your life depended on it. 

“It’s okay,” Mingyu is quick to assure you, “you can have my bed. Here, have a seat, we’re watching a Christmas movie-  did your flight serve you dinner? Are you hungry?”

“Starved,” you sigh, collapsing onto the couch, taking the corner Mingyu had inhabited earlier. 

“I’ll make us some ramen,” Mingyu tells you. “Ramen always goes well with Christmas movies.”

Seungcheol notes the way you smile at Mingyu’s words. 

He feels invisible, and most of all, bitter. He’s not happy about any of this, not the way you’d taken a hit at his pride, nor Mingyu’s new burst of energy and overly friendly demeanor.

Picking up the remote again, Seungcheol hits play, and he hopes nothing else sets him off tonight, or he just might explode.

4: Friday - morning

Waking up is slow at first, and then it hits you all at once. You sit up, clutching the quilt to cover your body while blinking away the last of your drowsiness, eyes acclimatizing to the soft glow of the room.

Sunlight is coming through the cabin shades, and you realize two things very quickly. First, that you’re alone, and second, that you’re not where you’d fallen asleep last night.

After settling in and eating your ramen, you’d gotten comfortable on the couch. The movie hadn’t truly captured your interest, and you’d begun to doze off with the intention of waking up when the film was complete to move to the bed- 

But you have no recollection of being woken up.

You hadn’t even had any dreams. You’d been so exhausted from a day of traveling that you’d blacked out, and now, you’re left with confusion and body aches.

Someone must have carried you to bed- 

You hope it was Mingyu.

When you look down, you see you’re still dressed in your travel outfit, so the first thing you decide to do is explore the small cabin and find the shower.

Part of you is grateful the men you’re rooming with allowed you to sleep. It makes finding a routine easier. You take your time in the shower, allowing yourself to relax a little, and you consider what your day might look like.

You guess the men are on the slopes, as the skis that had been propped next to the door when you’d arrived are gone, and you decide exercise might be exactly what you need.

Besides, you’re at a ski resort, skiing seems like an obvious choice- although you’re not quite sure how it will work, seeing as you haven’t brought your own equipment-

You begin looking around the cabin for a resort map- and you’re so busy looking in all the hard places you almost miss the glaringly obvious piece of paper resting on the coffee table under a set of keys. 

Your heart lurches in your chest. You pocket the keys and open the paper to find it’s the resort pamphlet you’ve been searching for. 

Along with a map of the mountain, someone has taken the time to circle cabin 7, draw a line to the main hotel, and circled another section, which has been labeled ‘ski rentals’ in handwriting that’s just barely legible. 

There’s no other writing to indicate which man has left this for you, so you decide to assume it’s Mingyu.

Cheol had barely talked to you last night. He’d given off cold vibes; a man with walls built up around him. 

You truly can’t imagine that the quiet, brooding man had stopped to write on a map and leave you keys.

And honestly? You don’t want to imagine it.

It’s much safer to identify one of your roommates as a tall, white knight, and the other as a dark entity you’ll have to suffer through for a week. 

It makes it easier to plan on ignoring Cheol. 

5: Friday - afternoon

Today is a good day for Seungcheol. 

He’d been worried that your arrival would mean babysitting duty, so when you’d slept in and he’d convinced Gyu to leave you be, he’d been nearly ecstatic. 

He’d clocked you as a non-skier the moment you’d arrived without the correct equipment, and despite his day job as a physical trainer, Cheol is not in the mood to be teaching anyone how to do anything.

No, he’s much happier taking the slopes with his best friend. 

Mingyu isn’t as adept with skis as Cheol is, but he’s good enough for the elder not to worry too much about him. 

After tackling a few of the harder slopes, the two men find themselves on a green run. 

It’s enjoyable to take the hill in an easy manner, crisscrossing down the incline, watching the powder fluff up and take air with each harsh turn-

The day is gorgeous-

And then Cheol spots you, and his mood drops instantly.

You’re a couple hundred feet down the mountain from he and Mingyu, and they both stop for a moment, battling the glare from the sun-

“Is that-”

“Y/n,” Seungcheol confirms with a sigh. “First the thing with her bags, now this- it’s like she’s never been to a ski resort before.”

“Maybe she hasn’t,” Mingyu cocks his head to the side, looking thoughtful for a moment. “We should go help her.”

Seungcheol scoffs. “You really think she wants our help?”

“It never hurts to offer,” the younger, more considerate man points out. “Besides, this is Jeonghan and Joshua’s new step-sister, we’re trying to be nice to her, right?”

With a sigh, Seungcheol agrees, and the two continue down the mountain, catching up to you easily. 

“Hello!” Mingyu calls out to you, in classic extroverted Mingyu fashion. This earns him a smile from you, and you stop your slow slope descent to chat.

“Hi Mingyu,” you say, pushing your hair out of your face and adjusting your hat.

You don’t say hello to Seungcheol, and he doesn’t greet you either.

“How’s your day going so far?” Mingyu asks. “Are you enjoying the fresh air?”

“Yeah- found some skis at the rental and I think I’m getting the hang of it,” you tell them, “wasn’t sure I’d be skiing much this trip but, well, here I am.”

“You slept in,” Seungcheol finds himself stating. “We weren’t sure we’d bump into you today.”

“Right…” you trail off, giving Seungcheol a quick once over before your eyes return to Mingyu, and an easy smile works its way across your face again, “Have you been skiing long? I mean, I get the feeling that I’m the only person on the trip who doesn’t have much experience with all of this- you guys all brought your own skis.”

“Yeah, we’re all big snow sports people,” Mingyu tells you. “Seungcheol was actually almost an olympic level snowboarder-”

“Really?” Now you’re looking at Seungcheol. Truly looking at him. “But… you brought skis?”

“He’d be much too fast on his board,” Mingyu grins. “Skis slow him down, make him level with the rest of us. But, he’s still pretty good at skiing too.”

“Could give you a few pointers if you want,” Seungcheol says, earnestly. 

He’d gotten a good look at what you were doing wrong before they approached you, and a few minor tweaks would have you skiing with the best of them-

“Erm, thanks, but no thanks, I think I’m good learning at my own pace for now.” 

He notes the way you avert your eyes, upper lip curling slightly with disdain. 

He should have never bothered to offer you help. 

Seungcheol takes a deep breath. “You two are probably more compatible for your level, and I want to do some harder runs. I’ll see you around.”

And with that, he leaves you and Mingyu, taking off down the mountain at a speed his friends can only dream of.

6: Friday - evening

It’s been a good day for Mingyu, and settling in for dinner with his friends is the perfect ending for it. They order half the menu, covering the table in all sorts of foods to try together, and it reminds him of their time in university. 

While Mingyu is younger than his friends, he’d entered their frat before they’d graduated, and the bond he has with his older hyungs is truly one born out of a shared love for food. 

“Try this,” Jeonghan insists, and Mingyu opens his mouth before he even gets a good look at what’s about to be fed to him. “It’s good right?”

Mingyu can only nod happily while munching, hand reaching for his beer.

“Where were you guys today?” Joshua asks, “we missed you on the slopes.”

“Did a couple of the harder ones,” Seungcheol responds while the maknae has his mouth full, “then bumped into your step-sister on the easier hill-”

“Oh?” This grabs both Jeonghan and Joshua’s attention. “She was skiing?”

“Badly,” Cheol leans back in his chair, sipping his beer.

“She wasn’t that bad,” Mingyu insists, swallowing his food so he can defend you. “I did a couple runs with her and she wasn’t that bad, really.”

The brothers exchange a glance that Mingyu can’t read. 

He’s always been jealous of how in tune Jeonghan and Joshua are. As ‘irish twins’ - siblings born within the same year - it’s like they can read each other’s minds, and Mingyu always feels like he’s missing some crucial part of the conversation.

“Did you guys sort out the bed situation?” Joshua asks, looking down at the steak he’s cutting. He gives off an air of nonchalance, but Mingyu can tell that this is a topic both brothers are interested in. 

“I think you mentioned giving up your bed when we talked about it a few months ago,” Jeonghan adds, “isn’t that right, Cheol?”

“That was before I met her.”

The brothers exchange a glance, and a smirk works its way onto Jeonghan’s face. “Looks like Gyu got the short end of the straw, huh?”

“I offered her my bed,” Mingyu insists. 

“But she fell asleep on the couch during our Christmas movie,” Seungcheol says smoothly. “I moved her to his bed, wasn’t going to let him off the hook that easy.”

“My neck is aching,” Mingyu groans, rubbing at it, “but it was worth it. I told her she could have my bed, so she had my bed.”

“He’s so eager to help her out,” Cheol teases, pushing at Mingyu’s shoulder. “When we saw her on the mountain earlier, she refused my help, but was more than happy to ski with him.”

Joshua and Jeonghan exchange a glance that has Mingyu rushing to assure them, “she’s your new step sister- I’m not trying anything, I just want to be friendly-”

“What was that?” Cheol leans closer, “I don’t think I heard you?”

“I said,” Mingyu raises his voice, “she’s their stepsister, and I’m not trying anything!” 

“Perfect, that’s exactly what I thought I heard,” Seungcheol grins, and then he’s looking at something over Mingyu’s shoulder. “Hey Y/N, you should join these three for dinner.”

“Uh…” 

Mingyu turns to find you standing there, and his skin heats with embarrassment. 

He’s pretty sure you’d just heard what he’d loudly said to his friends, and his skin tingles with regret, ears heating-

“Really,” Seungcheol stands, “take my seat, I was just leaving.”

“Where are you headed?” Jeonghan asks, more curious about his friend than his own step-sister.

“The pool.” Cheol grabs the jacket on the back of his chair. “Have some knots in my back, but nothing the hot tub jets can’t fix.”

For the second time today, Mingyu finds himself watching Cheol make a hasty retreat in order to avoid spending time with you. And for the second time today, Mingyu finds himself eagerly attempting to help you fit in, despite his oldest friend’s rejection of you.

“Come eat,” Mingyu urges, patting the newly empty seat next to him. 

“Are you guys sure? I can always eat alone-”

“Don’t be ridiculous,” Joshua laughs. “You’re one of us now, come sit.”

Mingyu is glad that your step brothers immediately start asking you questions, and for a little while, everything runs smoothly. 

Every minute he spends with you, he warms up more and more to your presence.

It’s obvious to him that yesterday, when you’d arrived, you’d been out of sorts after hours of traveling. Your temperament has improved drastically, and Mingyu finds himself laughing along with his friends at small jokes you make here and there.

The four of you spend a much longer time in the resort restaurant than Mingyu had expected, and it’s only when Jeonghan begins to yawn that you all decide it’s time to head back to your cabins.

The night is cold, but it’s not snowing, and your small group follows the poles of string lights diligently.

Jeonghan and Joshua pull off one stop earlier than your own, wishing you goodnight before heading into their cabin.

As you and Mingyu continue up the path, Mingyu finds you walking closer to him, and he’s surprised when you say “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“Carrying me to bed last night,” you respond, “and the map you left on the coffee table, the one with the ski rental circled.”

“Oh, uh…” Mingyu swallows thickly, “that actually wasn’t me. I think it’s Cheol who you have to be thanking.”

“Oh…” 

‘Oh’ is right.

7: Saturday - morning

When you wake up, you’re struck by two things. First, that you’re alone, as you were when you woke up yesterday. And second, that your father is getting married.

Your body aches when you sit up, muscles screaming at you for having the audacity to ski as long as you had with Mingyu, and you decide pretty quick that another attempt at the slopes is off the table.

You remember what Seungcheol had said yesterday, about the pool and the hott ub, and decide maybe he had the right idea about jets and sore muscles.

He can be an ass, but you suppose he uses his brain sometimes.

You change into your swimsuit, and make sure to layer yourself with comfy sweats and your parka, pool bag in hand before you set out to take on the weather. 

For the billionth time since arriving at this God forsaken cabin, you wish you’d gotten a room in the resort itself. It’s snowed over the night, but the path is somewhat cleared. Even so, the trek to the main hotel is difficult, and your muscles are even more tired when you arrive.

The resort is a ski destination, and you cross your fingers that most of its patrons are on the hills and not utilizing the various pools and saunas. 

Your wish comes true, and you’re pleased to see hardly anyone as you pass through the indoor pool to check out the outdoor areas, intent on having a hot tub to yourself-

As you’re walking along the pool deck, clutching your parka tight around your body, you notice someone swimming. 

He’s underwater, slicing through the pool like a professional swimmer. The glare from the overcast sky makes it impossible to get a great look at the athlete and you settle next to the hot tub, hoping to see more when he comes up for air. 

You’ve just taken off your parka and are wading into the hot tub when the swimmer stops at the edge of the pool. He’s in the shallows now, and he’s able to stand up, his back to you.

Droplets of water glisten down his back in the light, steam immediately beginning to lift off of his skin-

His shoulders and back look like they were crafted by the Gods, and the man runs a hand through his hair, shaking it out of his face.

You just wish he would turn to look at you, so you can see who you’re drooling over-

In no time at all, this wish is coming true, only, you wish it hadn’t, because the moment the gorgeous, well-muscled athlete turns to look at you, you’re locking eyes with your least favourite person on the mountain.

Seungcheol is as taken aback as you are for a moment.

He’d been reaching for the rail to pull himself out of the pool, but now, he’s simply frozen.

You’re practically gawking at each other, and you’re the first to break eye contact, clearing your throat and looking away.

You can feel your skin heating, and it’s not just from the hot tub, which you wish you could simply submerge yourself in and never come back up-

In the periphery of your vision, you see Seungcheol getting out of the pool, and it takes every ounce of self-restraint in your entire body not to turn and watch him.

Then, to your surprise, he gives you an excuse to look at him, calling out, “The wedding starts at four, don’t be late.”

Your jaw hits the hottub floor, and you watch Seungcheol practically run away from you.

It’s becoming an all too familiar sight. 

8: Saturday - afternoon

Sitting in his mother’s hotel room, watching her do the final touches on her wedding look, Joshua is struck with memories of the past.

There’d been many mornings growing up where he’d sat on the closed-lid toilet, watching her brush through her hair, sometimes braiding it, before taking him and Jeonghan to school.

In the quiet of their small apartment bathroom, nothing could come between them, not Jeonghan whining for whatever reason, nor the angry father who’d disappeared from the picture when the boys had turned ten.

To Joshua, the moment feels like peace, or at least, as close to it as he’s ever come.

He can tell, by the way his mom smiles when she looks at herself in the mirror, that she’s truly happy, and it’s all he’s ever wanted for her. 

The moment is fleeting, as Jeonghan enters the room and brings with him a certain level of chaos, the kind of windswept mayhem that follows him everywhere, like a moving storm.

“Booze?” The first word to come out of his mouth.

“In the fridge,” Joshua motions to the small cooler before asking his elder brother, “drinking already?”

“Just spent half an hour running all over and making sure everyone’s doing what they’re supposed to be doing,” Jeonghan sighs, bending down to retrieve a can of beer, cracking it open with nimble fingers.

“You wanted to be the best man,” Joshua points out.

For such a small wedding, consisting of only close family and a few friends, roles hadn’t been a necessity, but Joshua wasn’t aware that scrambling around to make sure people are in place would be necessary either.

“Y/N forgot her shoes at the cabin, so Mingyu ran to get them, but by the time he got there, Seungcheol had apparently realized the heels were needed, so he’d grabbed them- and somehow they’d missed each other in the lobby-” Jeonghan cuts off his own ramblings with a large sip of his drink. 

“Sounds like quite the goose chase,” their mother’s calm voice visibly settles the best man, who takes a seat next to his brother.

“You look amazing,” Jeonghan tells her, as sincere as Joshua’s ever seen him. “Our new step-sister’s dad is a lucky man.”

“Since when did you stop calling him by his name?” Seulki laughs, returning her gaze to the mirror, fixing her veil. “Looks like you’re both getting used to Y/N though, Joshua mentioned that you all had dinner last night. Is she settling in okay?”

“I think so,” Joshua says thoughtfully.

“Mingyu really likes her,” Jeonghan adds.

Joshua nods. “And we do too.”

Their mom gives them a knowing look. “How’s Seungcheol finding his cabinmate? Haven’t you both always said he’s a good judge of character?”

“He’s also a stubborn ass,” Jeonghan grins over the rim of his drink, “so we can’t really trust his opinions on her- besides, any time she’s around, he runs the other way. I doubt they’ve talked much.”

“That’s a shame,” Seulki frowns. “I bumped into her with Mingyu on the slopes yesterday, she seemed really lovely.”

“She is,” Joshua admits. He’d also enjoyed getting to know you last night over food and drinks.

“Well,” Seulki turns to her boys, “let’s just hope Seungcheol warms up to her, but we’ll put that to the side for now, we have a wedding to get to.”

9: Saturday - evening

The ceremony had gone exactly as planned. 

After the initial goose chase looking for your shoes, there’d only been one or two small details Jeonghan had been forced to attend to. But after it all, his mom had walked down the aisle, vows had been said, and Jeonghan had gained a father figure.

Standing at the alter next to his brother, Jeonghan had watched everything take place with a keen eye.

He’d been pleased to see the three couples invited - his aunt and uncle, and two of your father’s friends with their wives - sitting in the small venue with his roommates. And he’d been even more interested in watching his friends react throughout the service.

Mingyu had gotten teary-eyed the moment Seulki had begun her walk down the aisle, and even Seungcheol had torn his gaze from you for long enough to admire the dress.

When everything was said and done, the small party had moved to a secluded room off the main restaurant to have food, drinks and further celebration. Here, Jeonghan had again noticed Seungcheol’s affinity for having you in his line of sight.

“You know,” Jeonghan says, as he settles into the seat next to his brother, eyes fixed on his muscular friend by the small bar, “for a guy who runs away whenever y/n is around, he spends an awful lot of his time watching our step sister.”

Joshua chuckles, sipping his champagne. “You noticed that too, huh?”

“Hard not to,” Jeonghan grins, following Seungcheol’s gaze to where you’re clinging to Mingyu on the makeshift dance floor. “What do you think about those two?”

“I think Cheol better cut his losses now,” Joshua says, setting his drink down. 

“Really?” Jeonghan cocks his head, considering it all. “We’re only two days into this trip… a lot could happen before the week is done, don’t you think?”

“A lot could happen,” Joshua admits, “especially if someone like you decided to meddle.”

“I never meddle, only… help push things along.”

“In the direction you want it to go.”

“Touche,” Jeonghan lifts his champagne, gently clinking it against his brother’s discarded glass. 

“I think I’m going to go ask y/n to dance,” Joshua says, pushing his chair back and standing.

“Now who’s meddling?” Jeonghan laughs.

“Still only you.”

10: Sunday - morning

The couch had been uncomfortable on a normal night, so Mingyu supposes it’s his own fault that he wakes up aching after a night of drinking and dancing at the wedding.

Stretching his arms over his head, he tries to ease the tight muscles in his shoulders, but he’s unable to get comfortable again.

He lays there for a few minutes, watching you dance in your cute bridesmaid dress on the back of his eyelids. He’s not sure if it’s you, the dress, or the visual combined, but he knows he’s going to remember last night for many years to come.

When he finally sits up, Mingyu looks towards your bed, and he’s not shocked to find you still sleeping. This is the third day waking up in the same room as you, and Mingyu’s becoming accustomed to the fact that you sleep in longer than he does.

He’s becoming accustomed to your cute, unsuspecting, resting face.

It makes sleeping on the couch worth it, and his sore muscles are almost forgotten- until he has to stand up, and they scream at him again.

Cheol is sitting up in his bed, scrolling through his phone, and he looks up when Mingyu stretches his arms above his head to release his shoulder tension.

‘Did you sleep well?’ Cheol mouths at him.

The two have been scared to even whisper in the mornings - scared to wake you up - and have adopted this silent way of communicating. Mingyu nods quickly, pointing back at his hyung as if to say ‘and you?’

Another quick nod, plus a thumbs up, then Cheol makes the motion of a man shoveling food into his mouth and points to the door.

Mingyu holds up his hand, ‘give me five minutes’ and slowly begins to tiptoe to the bathroom, where he can have some water, fix his hair, and change into better clothes. 

It’s a routine they’ve gotten used to, and for the third day in a row, Mingyu prays that when he exits the bathroom, by some miracle, you’ll be awake and eager to join them in the resort restaurant for breakfast.

Mingyu and Seungcheol - quite predictably - end up weathering the early morning elements without you, and it’s on the snowy path that Mingyu tells Cheol “I think I’m going to skip skiing today.”

“Really?” Seungcheol’s shock is written all over his face.

Mingyu nods. “I feel bad that we’re always ditching y/n- and we mostly go on the slopes she can’t ski on, so… I figured, after breakfast, I'd stay behind at the cabin and wait till she wakes up, then see what she wants to do today.”

There’s a long pause, and then Seungcheol sighs. “I see how it is.”

“Hmm?”

“You also walked her home last night after the dinner. Hannie, Joshie and I stayed up drinking, you usually join, but instead, you walked y/n home.”

“We were both tired,” Mingyu defends himself. “Watched a bit of a movie, then fell asleep.”

“Is that all that happened?”

“What do you mean?”

“I mean… part of me wondered if I should have stayed on Jeonghan and Joshua’s couch last night, to give you privacy.”

Mingyu’s heart skips a beat in his chest, and he fumbles with the hood of his parka. “We didn’t- we aren’t-”

“You guys danced a lot last night, then you walked her home… if it’s not like that then… well, people might get the wrong idea.”

“Who’s people?” Mingyu nearly laughs. “It’s just us here- you think anyone really cared last night?”

“I guess not.” There’s a pause, then Seungcheol changes the topic, asking, “What do you think you’ll have for breakfast today?”

It’s then that Mingyu realizes, someone did care last night, and that someone, is Cheol. 

11: Sunday - afternoon

You’d been a little shocked to find Mingyu reading on the couch when you’d woken up from your long sleep, but when he’d explained to you that he’d stayed behind from skiing with friends to make sure you had a proper buddy for the day, your heart had melted.

After a slow start, the two of you had decided to rent some snow shoes and use the back slope trails, which is how you end up climbing one of the smaller mountains together.

“We’re almost at the top,” Mingyu tells you, pulling out the trail map provided by the resort. You try to catch your breath while he points to a spot on the paper. “I think we’re about here, so just-” he drags his finger up the green line, “this far to the top.”

“Are you sure?” you laugh, grasping onto his arm to pull yourself closer so you can get a good look at the map.

There’s a pause, then he shakes his head, “No. We could also be sort of lost.” 

“Don’t say that-” you grin, pushing at him, “you’ve been mostly using this map alright- I trust you, and your trail-following capabilities.”

“Maybe you shouldn’t though,” Mingyu insists. “Honestly, following maps is definitely Cheol’s thing. One time, we were on a road trip, and we were going down this road for half an hour before we had to pull over and he got to look at the map- we’d missed a turn and it set us back like two hours-”

“It’s easier to miss a highway turn than a trailhead,” you assure him. “Come on, we said we’d climb this small mountain, and then we can take the lift back down and finish our movie from last night at the cabin- just think about our nice, warm cabin-”

“Nice, warm cabin,” Mingyu nods, folding the map back up to put in the pocket of his parka. “Let’s go, we can do this.”

You watch the large, beautiful man pull away from you and continue your trajectory up, and you can’t help but smile, echoing the sentiment, “we can do this.” 

12: Sunday - evening

Seungcheol had been surprised to find the cabin empty after skiing, and he’d been even more surprised when he went to the restaurant to find you and Mingyu not there either. 

However, he does find Jeonghan, who informs him that he’d seen you and Mingyu getting snow shoes a few hours ago, and Seungcheol’s heart sinks.

There’s a storm coming, and darkness has already begun to settle in across the resort- 

He hopes, for both your sakes, that you’re not on the top of the mountain, lost in the trails, when the worst of the winter weather hits.

After waiting diligently for his meal order to come through, Seungcheol ends up trekking back to your cabin with food and firewood in hand just as the snow begins to get heavier.

The last thing he expects when he enters your lodging, is to find you sitting there with a minty green facemask on, and for a second, he stands in the doorway just staring at you.

You break eye contact first, calling out “Cheol’s back!” and a moment later, Mingyu comes out of the bathroom, mid-facemask application.

“Cheol!” Mingyu beams, rubbing the green goo against his cheek, “you’re back from skiing!”

“I was back earlier-” Seungcheol closes the door behind him, “stopped here for a bit but you guys weren’t around.”

“We just got back from a snowshoe hike like, twenty minutes ago?” Mingyu tells him, looking at you for confirmation. Seungcheol watches the way you nod at Mingyu, and his friend lights up. This time, when he says “twenty minutes ago,” he says it with confidence.

“Well, I brought food and firewood,” Seungcheol sighs, kicking off his snow boots and entering the small space.

“Firewood?” You’re looking at him again, and Seungcheol can’t find it within himself to meet your eyes while you’re green in the face like this, so instead, he sets the food down and moves to the small cast iron fireplace in the corner.

“Did you think this cabin heats itself?” The question comes out much snarkier than he’d intended, and he regrets it as he begins to build the fire.

“No- I mean, I noticed it was cold when we got in twenty minutes ago- but I don’t know, I sort of assumed that maybe hotel staff would bring the wood and keep the embers going-”

Seungcheol scoffs. Of course another good deed of his would go unappreciated. 

“It’s plausible!” you try to insist.

“I never said anything.”

“You scoffed, you went like-” you mimic the throaty annoyed sound he’d made, “you went like that, a scoff- you scoffed at me!”

“Here’s your dinner,” Seungcheol pushes the bag of takeout towards you across the floor, eyes fixed on the fire he’s still building.

“What if I don’t want your food? What if I want to finish with this mask and go grab food for myself?” 

Seungcheol sighs again. “There’s literally a storm coming in- if you go out, you’re going to get windswept away- just eat the food I brought.”

“What if I don’t like the food you brought?” you insist again, and Seungcheol’s getting real tired of your bratty stubbornness. 

“You will, it’s what you’ve been eating for two nights in a row.”

This finally gets you to open the bag he’d brought, and you remove the three takeout items, eying them. “How did you know I like this?”

“Like I said- you’ve eaten it two nights in a row.”

“Why were you watching?”

“Oh my god,” Seungcheol groans, running a hand through his hair. “Just say thank you and eat your fucking food while I make this fire so you don’t freeze to death- why does everything have to be so hard with you?”

There’s a long pause, and he hears the sound of a food container opening. 

He’s thankful you’ve finally shut up and are going to eat.

“Even without the fire- this cabin is well insulated enough that we wouldn’t die,” you say after a moment. “The hotel wouldn’t be able to have a cabin where its renters could just die.”

If he hadn’t just lit the fire, Seungcheol might have considered allowing you to test your theory out of spite.

“You always need to have the last word, don’t you, brat?” He stands up, dusting his hands off on his pants before turning to look at you.

You open your mouth to respond- but quickly shrink under his hard gaze.

A moment later, you pick up the remote, and a movie begins to play.

At least in this, Cheol’s gotten the last laugh. 

13: Monday - morning

“Fuck-” Jeonghan’s cursing does more to wake Joshua up than the knock at their cabin door had, and the younger irish twin goes to cover his ears while Jeonghan stumbles out of bed.

“Who is it?” Joshua groans, giving in and sitting up, squinting at the door that his brother throws open to reveal their eldest friend.

“Are you two really still sleeping?” Seungcheol pushes into the cabin, throwing his gloves down before gruffly kicking off his boots.

“What time is it?” Jeonghan asks, rubbing at his eyes and groaning before running back to nosedive into his bed.

“Late enough that you should both be awake.”

“Y/n’s not awake,” Jeonghan insists, tucking himself back under the covers, “and I don’t see Mingyu anywhere- why do they get a free pass from your bitching but we don’t?”

“Because they’re not my ski buddies today,” Seungcheol says smoothly. “Seriously, what’s up with you two- and why is it so cold in here?”

They all look towards the castiron fire place, and the emptiness of it gives Joshua a chill that he feels tingling through his entire body.

“We thought we had enough firewood to carry us over from the evening and into the night, so neither of us picked up any dry wood from the hotel yesterday-” Joshua begins to explain.

“Evidently you both ran out,” Cheol concludes, scanning the rest of the small space with his precise, all-knowing, eyes. His gaze lingers on the bottle of fireball on the coffee table. “Instead of running to get more wood, you guys took to drinking, huh?”

“It’s not like we were going to cuddle,” Jeonghan groans.

“So you’re both hung over.”

“Just a little,” Joshua sighs, swinging his legs out of his bed. “Give us half an hour and I can be up.”

“It’s funny,” Cheol says, moving to sit on the couch, “I just had a fight with your step-sister last night about whether we’d freeze to death if we forgot firewood- and at the same time, you guys were over here, resorting to fireball instead of an actual fire-”

“It’s not like we could go out and grab wood once we realized we didn’t have enough,” Jeonghan defends himself. “The storm was really bad.”

“And it’s going to be bad for the next few days,” Seungcheol tells them, “so you better get used to grabbing firewood every evening after dinner.”

Both of his friends groan. “Sure, dad,” Jeonghan buries his head in his pillows. “You know what? If you’re going to be like this, maybe I’ll sleep in and not be your ski buddy today.”  

“Mingyu ditched me yesterday, and now you’re ditching me today-” Seungcheol clicks his tongue, “am I really being that much of a dick this vacation?”

It’s Joshua who responds, pointing out, as thoughtfully as he can; “you have been more of a dick than usual.” 

To which Seungcheol replies, “Yeah, well, you guys have been pissing me off more than usual.” 

Except, Joshua knows it’s not necessarily he and Jeonghan who have been pushing Seungcheol’s buttons this trip- but he keeps that to himself. 

14: Monday - afternoon

After skipping out on skiing with his friend and brother, Jeonghan had gotten some much-needed rest. Then, around lunchtime, he’d left his cabin in search of food only to bump into you and Mingyu doing the same thing.

As if that wasn’t coincidence enough, when your odd trio had entered the resort restaurant, you’d found Joshua and Seungcheol midway through their own meals.

Jeonghan had insisted you all join together, fully intending to meddle with you and your cabin mates. After all, he’d just gotten some sleep, and his mischievous mind was eager to stir the pot.

To his disappointment, the seating arrangements make poking people’s buttons difficult- with Cheol all but ignoring you from his vantage point as far from you as possible.

Despite the less-than-ideal format of your table, Jeonghan still finds a way to draw everyone into the conversation when he states, “so I heard there was a fight over cabin temperature last night.”

This earns Jeonghan a rough kick under the table from Cheol, as well as a harsh look from you. 

“Who said that?” you ask.

“Cheol did,” Jeonghan smiles through the pain in his shin, and this time, when Cheol goes to kick him, a quick movement of his leg has him narrowly avoiding his friend’s boot. “This morning, when he came to pick of Joshie for skiing.”

“It wasn’t a fight,” you go to insist, but the harsh glare you send Seungcheol’s way has Jeonghan nearly laughing.

“Definitely not a fight,” Mingyu confirms, and Jeonghan almost feels bad for the way he’s sat between you and Seungcheol. A man caught between two stormy personalities ready for a clash.

“If it makes you feel any better,” Jeonghan says, “we ran out of wood last night, and we didn’t die.”

You sigh, leaning back in your chair. “Well, that’s good to know.” 

“Y/n was saying last night,” Mingyu adds, “that she doubted we’d die without wood- hotel regulations and everything-”

“Was Cheol insisting you’d die without a fire?” Joshua’s eyes have widened, and he leans in, elbows on the table next to Jeonghan’s food. “Cheol? Really?” 

“He was just being dramatic,” you say, and Jeonghan watches the way his friend’s ears turn red at your statement.

“Says the girl who was going to go out in the storm instead of eating the food I brought for her.” Seungcheol crosses his arms over his chest, and a muscle feathers in his jaw. He’s glaring at his plate, and a thick tension blankets the table.

Jeonghan loves it.

But then something happens that he couldn’t possibly predict: your parents enter the restaurant, and before he knows it, you’re hopping up to go say hello to Seulki and your father, leaving the men to deal with the unresolved tension.

“Are you trying to start something?” Seungcheol whispers angrily as soon as you’re out of earshot, his angry gaze fixed on Jeonghan.

“Who, me?” Jeonghan touches his chest, pretending to be the most innocent person in the room. “I was just looking for conversation. Besides, we’re the one’s who forgot firewood last night, it’s quite embarrassing for us.”

“You don’t look embarrassed,” Seungcheol notes, sitting back in his chair.

“He has no shame,” Mingyu adds, nodding sympathetically.

“You’re right, I don’t,” Jeonghan’s grin widens, and he looks over Seungcheol’s shoulder to see you leaving the restaurant. “Now that it’s just us, I suppose I should be a good big brother and figure out which one of you intends to fuck my new step-sister.”

Mingyu had been taking a sip of his drink, and now he’s choking, which only adds to Jeonghan’s delight. 

“Jeonghan,” Joshua’s harsh warning bounces off the elder brother, whose smile is becoming something akin to the Cheshire Cat’s.

“Neither of us are going for your stupid step-sister,” Seungcheol growls, thumping Mingyu on the back to aid with the water caught in his lungs.

“Oh, so you’re both in denial?” Jeonghan’s eyes widen. “I’d thought at least Mingyu would fess  up.”

“Fess up to what?” Mingyu says between coughs. “I’m just being nice to her!”

Jeonghan nods. “Sure you are.”

“Why do you all think I want to fuck your stepsister?!” Mingyu whisper screams at his friends, doing a quick look around the restaurant before adding, “you guys are all horrible.”

“Cheol’s been bugging you about this too, huh?” It’s one of the first things Joshua’s really said, and Jeonghan realizes his brother is right. 

“Bet he had a lot to say about the way you danced with our sister at the wedding.”

“Were you all watching that?!” Mingyu’s eyes have widened. 

“It was quite the spectacle,” Jeonghan plays with his glass of water. “Cheol was jealous.”

“What!?” This time, when Seungcheol misses Jeonghan’s shin with his foot, the whole table shakes from impact along the underside of it. “Was not! I didn’t even dance with her- how could I be jealous when I never even danced with your stupid sister-”

“Stop calling her stupid,” Joshua’s harsh tone is a surprise to everyone, and the table goes quiet. “Just because you’re in denial about everything doesn’t mean you get to call our new sister stupid.”

“Someone’s taking their older brother role a little seriously-” Seungcheol lets out a whistle.

“Deflect all you want,” Joshua sighs, “Change the topic and make fun of me, but at the end of the day, you’re only making things harder on yourself… both of you.”

For a moment, both Seungcheol and Mingyu are put on the spot, then Seungcheol insists, “We’re not doing anything.”

“And denial is a river in Egypt,” Joshua sighs, shocking the whole table with a pop culture quote- something that’s very unlike him. “Cheol, you’re done eating, let’s leave these two and get a few more runs in before the storm makes skiing impossible.” 

15: Monday - evening

Sitting on the floor with your roommates, roasting marshmallows on the fire while the storm rages outside, you find yourself noticing all the small details about them both.

It’s the first night that you’ve actually allowed yourself to take a breath and relax, accepting that, with the extreme weather, there is really nothing else that can be done except to work on enjoying your company.

Mingyu is easy, as you’ve grown accustomed to having him around. You’ve gotten used to his large form, the clumsiness and easy smiles.

Seungcheol, on the other hand, is something you’re newly exploring, sneaking glances at his side profile whenever you think he’s fully distracted in his marshmallow making.

Unlike Mingyu, who thrusts his treat into the fire and watches it burn, Seungcheol is meticulous about his food, preferring a spot where his marshmallow can slowly turn golden near the embers.

He’s got a pretty side profile, and there’s a stubborn set to his jaw when he focuses, eyes fixed on flames that light his face in pretty hues. 

His nose is also quite striking, and along with his strong brow, his face is altogether quite attractive, something you’ve been fighting yourself on since the moment you entered the cabin and he’d been cold to you.

There’s something about the duality of him that has your heart racing whenever he’s around. 

You’re never sure which Cheol you’re going to get.

You’ve had glimpses of his softer side, especially on your first day when he’d carried you to bed and then left you a map- then there’d been the way he brought you your dress shoes after you’d forgotten to pack them and trekked to the hotel in snow boots on the day of the wedding-

It seems as if Seungcheol is the kind of man who likes to do nice things for you when you’re not watching, but after your small altercation last night, wherein you’d realized he’s also been doing fire duty, you’ve made more of an attempt to notice small things.

 Small things like the way he takes the perfect golden marshmallow out of the fire, places it between two chocolate graham crackers, and hands it to you without a word, giving you the best s’more of the night.

He balances his kindness to you by offering Mingyu the s’more after, and you think he must be doing it as if to say ‘you’re not special, I’ll share with everyone’ but you can’t help but think there might be more to it. 

To your surprise, Mingyu is the first of the three of you to get sleepy, and after a quick washup in the bathroom, he’s collapsing onto the couch and falling asleep. 

For the first time since arriving at the cabin, you find yourself truly alone with Seungcheol, no big, human buffer to keep you both in line.

The silence is thick. Even so, in the quiet, Seungcheol gives you wide birth to go wash your face and brush your teeth while he cleans up the few items from your s’mores.

There’s hardly anything to be said, and the two of you find yourselves getting into your own beds in no time at all.

“Turning off the light,” Seungcheol tells you, hand reaching for the lamp chord. 

He pauses, waiting for your curt “okay” before following through with his statement of intent, and the room is captured in darkness.

The wind howls outside, drowning out any sounds of your roommates breathing, and for a little while, you can almost pretend you’re alone. 

Almost. 

In the dark, your mind begins to have all sorts of thoughts, and you surprise yourself when words slip out of you; “I’m sorry for calling you dramatic today.”

The air feels thick and heavy, a few beats of silence passing that almost convince you Seungcheol’s asleep, but then, he responds. “I’m sorry for referring to our disagreement last night as ‘a fight’ when I talked to Jeonghan this morning.” 

“It’s okay,” you say quietly. 

For a short while, you think nothing else is going to be said, but then; “Goodnight y/n.”

You take a breath, wrapping yourself tighter in your blankets. “Goodnight, Cheol.” 

CONTINUE READING PART 2 HERE I note. the fic was too long to be posted in one tumblr post 🤪

PATREON I Kofi I Paypal I Tumblr Masterlist

© smileysuh — all rights reserved. reposting/modifying of any fic, reaction, or piece of original writing posted on this blog is not allowed. Translations not allowed.

general taglist: (send me an ask to join either tag list:)

@gotshinct - @subhyuck - @fraechan - @learnthisfeeling

@runahways - @d-abin - @milkteade - @woogyuhae 

@anothershorthuman - @nihxxy - @vantxx95 - @bangshii

@poutypoutybin - @notbeforelong - @creepybakeoven

@ninetechculture - @yungiland - @suhsfam - @binchangf

@chogiwapadada - @librarian-stacks - @meowniee

@learnthisfeeling - @gigilame - @cumtrov3rsy

@mocha000 - @darthlunaa​ - @just-here-to-read-01​ 

svt taglist:

@romromthedeer - @strawbwebbie - @rebeccasficrecs

@alltowoo - @taestrwbrry - @13956789 - @greysdarling

@joonsneptune - @jedi-nightingale - @candidupped - @cheolussy

@yourfavoritefreakyhan -

thanks to those who interacted with the promo :)

@shmooooo - @yoongimingyu - @minnie-mouser22 - @ryusha-rose

- @itsmeas - @lydinews - @yunchans - @ilovepeachesuwu

@ginlogbi - @potatofrieswithketchup - @heavenly-mobo

[tired-biscuit]

thinking about big biceped and big boobed jock kiba staring at you with hungry eyes, licking over his fanged canines with his tongue. he's hovering above you on the bed on all fours, but his dick is so big you still feel the fat leaking tip brushing against your thigh and trailing his pre-cum along your soft heated skin. he can't wait to devour you. 🩷

18+ MDNI, fem!reader // cw: size kink

divider by @/benkeibear

kiba thinks he’s one lucky son of a bitch when you come back home for winter break and he finally gets the chance to see you.

however, he thinks he’s even luckier the moment the clothes you’re wearing come sliding off.

your eyes are big as you lay in the bed that belongs to your childhood bedroom, completely naked and pinned underneath your boyfriend’s much, much bigger body. the soft glow of the festive fairy lights that decorate the window — and which you’ve excitedly put up only hours after arriving back home for the holidays and unpacking your suitcase — reflects inside them.

as a result, there are sparkles twinkling in your pupils.

kiba thinks they make you look like a dream.

with a voice that’s barely above a gruff drawl, he leans in closer to your ear, all until your naked chests are flushed together. “make sure to stay quiet when i push in, ‘kay? i don’t wanna give your old man a reason to beat my ass.”

the way he speaks, all hushed and borderline breathless from mere grinding and heavy petting that you’ve been indulging in ever since you’ve both excused yourselves from dinner that you were having with your parents and rushed upstairs to your bedroom, makes his yearning for you evident. consequently, it also quickens the speed of your pulse.

your heart feels like it’s hammering behind your teeth because of it as you slowly nod your head yes and meekly utter, “i’ll be quiet. i promise.”

“i mean it, though.” he glances at you, a faint blush warming his cheeks. “your dad scares the crap outta me.”

“i know, ki.” you pause before giggling. “it’s brave of you to be doing this right now… i’m really proud of you.”

kiba, currently kneeling while looking nice and snug between your legs, smiles at the compliment and the rather expectant look that sits on your lovely face.

he’s got both hands on either side of your head as a means to support his own weight while you get ready to enjoy each other at long last. thick fingers dig into the pillow you’re resting on, blunt nails sinking into the delicate bedding; that is until he moves one hand in order to stroke a line along the smooth curve of your cheek now.

it is warm underneath the tips of his calloused fingertips. he’s missed you so much that he can’t help but dip down to press a tender kiss onto it before he caresses it once more, gripping you by the chin right after.

the distance has been tough. the last time you’ve seen each other was well over three months ago, and while the occasional visits have succeeded in making the entire thing at least somewhat bearable, they always seem to end much too soon for your, and his, liking.

however, you’re both home now. furthermore, you have more than enough time to make up for the one you’ve lost while attending different universities. even with the risk of your parents possibly hearing you while they surely watch their favourite TV show in the living room downstairs.

but never mind that! all you should be focusing on right now is how good your boyfriend looks as he holds himself nice and steady above you; broad back slightly hunched, strong arms flexing, making the muscles in them ripple with drool-worthy tightness.

you’ve got a literal beast of a man caging you, bending you at the waist. all those years of sports have really paid off, huh? dating a jock does have its good sides.

and that beast seems to be awfully eager to finally have you underneath him again after months of nothing but dirty texting and even dirtier phone calls. you can see it in his brown eyes, in the way the corners of his lips keep kicking upwards, in the way his fingers reach down to stroke your hips so that you can align them properly with his own.

but you can also see it in how freaking hard he is; the weight of his cock prominent, the tip repeatedly leaving sticky splotches of shiny pre-cum on your hot skin whenever it touches your thigh, nearing your center inch by inch. in how his wide chest heaves when your hand wraps around the base of it then, urging him to push it inside you already.

fat cockhead nudging your sticky entrance, you look into each other’s eyes at the contact. he looks out of place inside your room. kiba is rugged; all male and tough and mean and dark, and the bed sheets he’s planning to screw you on are pink and girly. to make things even worse, there are numerous soft, cuddly plushies surrounding you on the bed, making the situation almost sinful.

he shoves the colourful squishmallow that’s getting in the way off the bed with an irked huff before he reaches between your bodies to push your puffy folds apart with the help of his fingers. he presses his thumb onto your clit, then and your back arches in response to the pleasant sensation, a deep sigh leaving your lips.

that sigh quickly turns into feeble moaning by the time he starts rubbing circles over your most tender spot and finally presses into you, ever so slowly filling you inch by inch with the dick you’ve been longing for for the last three months. your hole stretches to accommodate the entirety of his cock, tummy all of a sudden feeling full, the heat inside it spreading like a wildfire.

the pace he has to fuck you in in order to not make noise is excruciating — it’s so slow. a shiver still tumbles down your spine when his dark pubic hair tickles your clit, but you miss the way he tends to slam into you whenever you have the place all to yourselves.

he makes up for it by folding you in half and bending your legs until your knees are nearly touching your ears, though.

and that changes everything. he holds the back of your thigh with one hand, supports himself with the other. it’s almost scary — how big he is. he covers you from view entirely with his body, and at the same time makes you feel like you’re going to burst.

breaths mix together, hasty kisses get exchanged. his pace quickens just the tiniest bit.

“oh, fuck yeah... there we go.” he grunts quietly, baring his oddly sharp canine teeth with a clench of his jaw when he feels your walls start to squeeze around him. “attagirl… takin’ my cock so well even after not getting it for s’long.”

“shit, shit, shit… god—” you whimper in response, throwing your head back into the pillow. he’s so big that it feels like he’s inside your womb, no, your throat.

“shh. you need to be quiet… remember?” he hushes in-between ragged breaths as beads of salt form and glimmer on his brow. the pink, heavy duvet he’s covered up to the waist with in case someone would decide to walk in without knocking is already making him sweat profusely. it’s pure torture for someone as hot-blooded as him.

you could say the same. feeling the touch of a hand that isn’t your own for a change causes you to turn even more slippery between your legs than you already are despite the laggard pace you have to keep in order to refrain from making the bed frame squeak and the headboard slam against the wall.

his hand leaves the underside of your thigh as he drops lower to be closer to you. you gasp when he bites you just below your collarbone, a place that he’s positive won’t be visible when you put your shirt back on. his tongue laps over the now-aching spot, sucking on it lightly, making your toes curl against the small of his back and your fingers dig into his dark brown hair.

“ki—” you whine, unable to say his name at how he keeps on thrusting into you, keeps on reshaping your entire cunt somehow. the pace is slow, sure. but it’s deep.

so fucking deep.

“c’mon, baby; i thought i told you to zip it,” he hisses lowly, his big palm clamping over your mouth. he lifts his head just enough to look you in the eyes while he drags his thumb up and down the side of your face again, your jawline. “i know it feels good but you gotta keep it together. you promised me you would.”

are you capable of doing that, though? you’re so small, so delicate. and he’s so strong, so big and intimidating — dangerous, even. it feels like he could crush your entire skull with one hand if he wanted to.

instead, he licks his teeth and swallows the saliva that’s gathering inside his mouth before he whispers, “now tell me… did ya miss me?”

your pupils grow to the size of the dinner plates that your mother had put in front of you both earlier as you nod vehemently, letting out a muffled noise of approval behind his palm that he still has firmly clamped over your mouth.

“yeah? good, ‘cause i did too… missed ya a whole fuckin’ lot. and this pretty lil’ pussy of yours.” kiba grins, feeling blood rushing south at your answer, causing him to get even more hard than he already is — if that is even possible. he’s such a sucker whenever it comes to being desired, he just can’t help it.

“now stay quiet so that i can fuck your brains out, cutie.”

[longing-for-rain]

https://www.tumblr.com/atla-confessions/759438562978562048/zutara-and-azutara-both-agree-katara-would-have?source=share

Do a post on this please I don't have the energy

I see this sentiment a lot lately, and yes, it is frustrating. But I’m going to talk about it because it perfectly illustrates the way (kataang) fans take power away from Katara’s narrative and reduce her complexity as a result.

For those too tired to look at the OP (understandable) it’s an anon saying that both Zutara and Kazula would be problematic and harmful to Katara because the Fire Nation would never accept her, and that she and her family would always be in danger yada yada blah blah.

And honestly? I agree with that. It would be dangerous for Katara. But if you think that would stop Katara, you fundamentally don’t understand her character.

Do you really think Katara is some poor little damsel who needs to be protected at all costs and sent away to live a quiet life in the countryside? No; that’s never been Katara. Katara wants to fight and she has never backed down from a challenge. It’s who she is.

Katara is the girl who left her home to travel across a war-torn world to chase even a chance that she could play a part in ending the war. She’s constantly putting herself in dangerous situations because she follows her heart, she does what’s right even if it’s a risk to her safety. The Katara we know from ATLA is not some demure, unassuming girl who would be happy to sit back and become known for her healing above all else while her friends fought in her place. Katara would have hated to see her future as it was written. She is loud. She is proud. She is a fighter.

Katara not only accepts a challenge; she’s eager for it. She’s strong, she knows it, and she isn’t afraid to use her power for good.

I know someone is going to jump in the comments and accuse me of “shaming” Katara for her “choices” (nevermind the fact that she’s a fictional character so every choice she makes isn’t her own; it’s a narrative chosen for her by the male writers) but I’m not even saying that being a healer is inherently weak or bad. I’m saying it’s not Katara.

It’s a shame that so many people are willing to overlook the butchering of her story just because they’re so protective over canon and are completely unwilling to engage with it critically.

This sentiment reflects the issues many fans have with canon kataang, because it’s a very common misogynistic trope in media. A female character can be strong, but it’s only temporary. We can see her fight and triumph, but at the end she’s expected to give that up for marriage and motherhood after the war. Her identity is reduced to her relation to a man. She isn’t expected to retain her strength; she is expected to accept a quiet recognition while the world sings the man’s praises.

That was the fate of Katara in canon. And it is a disservice to her character. Katara would have wanted to continue to fight, because the fight wasn’t over. Anon’s recognition that Fire Nation nobility would have an issue with her holding power shows they understand that too. So why do you think Katara would be fine with sitting back and letting that happen? Why do you think she’d let that scare her away? Not my Katara.

Especially when love enters the picture. Let’s say Katara did canonically love Zuko, or Azula, or anyone outside of her nation for that matter. Yes, it would be more difficult for her. But do you really think Katara would back down for that reason?

In fact, do you realize how insulting it is to imply that she should to anyone in an interracial relationship? Or a same sex relationship? Yes, societal pressure and bigotry make them more difficult. But it doesn’t make them wrong. And the idea that it’s selfish or wrong because it’s endangering the family is insulting.

Especially in the case of Kazula. The Fire Nation is canonically homophobic. There would be danger and backlash for any same sex relationship, especially involving a member of the royal family like Azula. So…what then. Are gay people supposed to stop existing? Is Azula supposed to just never date or marry because it would be too dangerous?

Yeah, no. 0/10, trash take, do better.

(This part is mostly a joke but I also want to point it out)

The anon also implies that Katara’s canon relationship (with the Avatar) wouldn’t also carry the same risks. Which it would, probably even more so. Katara could be used as leverage against Aang by people trying to get to him. I mean, it already happened in canon.

And quite frankly, Aang was pretty useless at protecting Katara in that situation. Look at his face. Literal baby goo-goo-ga-ga shit. She’s lucky Fong wasn’t willing to actually kill her and that she was safely underground when Aang had his Spirit Tantrum because she would have been dead meat. So if your argument is that poor helpless little Katara would be sooooo much safer with Aang, I’m really not convinced.

If you’re going to decide who to ship Katara with based on who can protect her from danger the best, well…

I’m just saying 🤷🏻‍♀️🍵

[minghaoslatina]

1:03 pm ✰ WOOYOUNG

now playing 🎧 sure thing by miguel

You carefully make your way through the aisles of the cozy bookstore where you work. As you scan each shelf, you can't help but feel a sense of pride and ownership over the store. You've worked hard to ensure that every book is neatly organized and properly placed, and the result is a beautifully curated collection that any book-lover would appreciate.

Your passion for literature shines through in everything you do, and you're always eager to share your thoughts and opinions on your favorite books and movies. However, there are times when you worry that you might be too talkative, especially when meeting new people. But all those concerns fade away when you're with your boyfriend, Wooyoung. He adores your chattiness and always encourages you to be yourself.

As you navigate towards the classic section of the bookstore, you spot your all-time favorite classic, Little Women, and decide to take it out for a nostalgic read. In the process, you catch sight of a familiar mole near someone's eye and squint your own eyes to get a better look through the gap between books. Your heart skips a beat in surprise and delight as you realize the person on the other side is none other than your boyfriend, Wooyoung.

"Wooyoung?" you giggle, not expecting to see him here.

"Hi beautiful," he smiles and disappears from view, heading around the corner to greet you properly. Your heart flutters with excitement as you realize he's come to surprise you. As he approaches, you notice he is holding a brown paper bag and a steaming cup of coffee. Before you can even question him about why he's here, he wraps his strong arms around your waist and pulls you close, planting a sweet kiss on your lips. You can't help but smile back at him like a schoolgirl in love, feeling grateful for this unexpected moment together.

Unable to hide the adoration in your eyes, your heart races as you ask, "What are you doing here? I thought you had practice?"

Wooyoung releases his grip on you and shows you the contents of the paper bag and coffee cup he's holding, "I stopped by your favorite café to grab lunch for you. I know how much you love this place, and I wanted to make sure you ate well. Plus, I really wanted to see you." You can't help but feel touched by his thoughtfulness and attention to detail. Moments like these remind you why you fell in love with him in the first place.

"Aww, Woo, you're the best boyfriend ever," you say as Wooyoung lets out one of his signature giggles. Your words seem to have made his day as he grins widely and pulls you into a warm embrace. You can feel your heart racing as he holds you close, and you quickly set down your lunch in your book cart to focus on him entirely. You lean in to kiss him all over his face, savoring the feel of his skin against your lips.

Despite your love for books, you realize that there is something even more important to you.

"I love you, Wooyoung."

"I love you more, angel."

🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷🩷

a/n 💌

hi :)) this is my first time writing fan fiction so I’m sorry if it’s bad 😅🥲 I am currently writing a one-shot for seonghwa, but I don’t think it’s any good 😭 I might post it on Friday 👀 let me know ur thoughts 💭 <3

[glitchyko]

I’ve decided to just go wild and start showing off my ocs and stories here that I’ve had in my brain and have made art for, even if they make absolutely no sense, starting with my oc that arguably makes the least amount of sense, but I still love her despite that, Xiǎodàn

To explain what’s up with Xiǎodàn, she kind of started as a sort of silly what if thought I had that went something along the lines of, “What would happen if someone was like, born in the scroll?” I’m not sure how to explain it, but before I knew it I was just running with the idea and Xiǎodàn is the result of that-

I’m still working out some of the details of Xiǎodàns story, but I have a sort of general idea of her backstory and her family’s to an extent

So this story starts with Xiǎodàn’s mother, Xīcai, who was a celestial maiden, though she was only a servant/attendant, nothing too grand or special. But she was forced into assisting in a crime (this is one of the things I’m still thinking on) and was caught and sentenced to be imprisoned in the memory scroll, however her punishment was reduced to be only temporary since it came out that she wasn’t helping of her own free will

But when Xīcai was eventually released from said scroll, two things were different about her now, one being her divinity was taken away from her (this was part of her punishment) and she was pregnant-

To explain that Xīcǎi, falls in love with a man who is a apart of the ink scroll (he’s the memory of someone else, I don’t really know how to explain it, ink scroll stuff is hard to explain, but basically he’s not the actual guy, but a memory of him) and stuff happens from there that leads to Xīcai to be expecting when she’s freed from the scroll

So now that she’s a mortal woman, and soon to be a mother, Xīcai works her ass off building a life, getting a home and job and integrating into the mortal realm and raising her daughter, who she named Xiǎodàn, and her daughter looks and acts completely like any mortal human kid would

That changes after Xiǎodàn’s 13th birthday

One day, Xiǎodàn noticed on the very tip of her middle finger, was a small black mark, that no matter how much she scrubbed and wiped it, wouldn’t go away. And with each day that passed, that black stain quickly got bigger and bigger and more appeared as well, and within a month or two, she was basically an ink person, though unlike the ink demons shown in s4, her body has more physicality, she’s got flesh, bones, etc, and her body doesn’t stain everything it touches

So while Xīcai is trying to figure out what to do about her daughters transformation and who she can go to for help, Xiǎodàn stays home and in her room most of the time, since she can’t go outside with her current appearance, cause of this, she’s grown incredibly lonely since she can’t see or talk to her friends in person now, the only person she can talk to face to face is her mom. One day at some point she’s just curled up in her room, and she mutters how she just wants someone else to talk to, before pressing her face into her knees, unaware of drips of ink on the floor slowly coming together and forming a small puddle, until a figure starts coming out of said puddle

It turns out Xiǎodàn can summon Inky (that’s what she calls the protective curse/ink MK) and de summon him whenever she pleases-

In a way Xiǎodàn is kind of like a walking scroll, she can create/summon ink people, but she can’t imprison people in the scroll (maybe she could if she had a piece of the scroll but I’m still deciding on this)

Xiǎodàn is not super eager to trust this ink monkey person who appeared in her room, and Inky isn’t super keen on trusting her either, though they are very curious about what exactly Xiǎodàn is and what she could be capable of, since she was able to bring them out of the scroll without a having a piece of it, and Xiǎodàn summoning inky and talking to them does make her wonder what exactly can she do (inky helps spark her curiosity) but she doesn’t tell Xīcai about this because she doesn’t want her mother to worry or freak out, and Inky advised her not to. So Xiǎodàn sort has Inky as a secret friend, summoning when she just wants someone to talk to about whatever.

One day inky is summoned by Xiǎodàn, and inky notices some bags are being packed and asks what are those for, and Xiǎodàn explains that her mom says they’re going to go to a city called Megaopolis to meet someone Xīcǎi says might be able help her, and when inky asks who, Xiǎodàn says he’s called the monkie kid and Inky just quietly says with a smile, “Interesting…”

And that’s all I’m gonna share for right now, I know this oc and this story don’t really make sense when you think about it, and there’s things I still need to decide on, but I wanted to share these here cause why not

[skyward-floored]

I feel like you’re in need of comfort, so here you go <3

Link watched the captain as he worked on washing clothes. It usually was something a lower ranking soldier would be tasked with, leaving Hyrule’s Hero with time to do other duties, but it seemed that the Hero of Warriors preferred the time alone.

Link usually wouldn’t bother him as a result, but he seemed… sad, for lack of a better word. And perhaps Link wasn’t the most helpful person, but he could at least keep him company.

Approaching the captain, Link settled on a rock beside him. The captain glanced up, blue eyes meeting red, and tilted his head to the side. “You good?”

Link raised an eyebrow. “Are you?”

“I’m fine,” his friend huffed.

“You can lie to the younger heroes, not to me,” Link replied perhaps a little too curtly. He was here to help, he reminded himself, trying to reel in his annoyance at the dismissal. “I’m not a fool.”

The captain sighed tiredly. “I didn’t say you were.”

“Then stop thinking I can’t see something’s wrong,” Link replied. “Do you want me to get Impa?”

“Wha—no!” The hero hastily stammered. “I—no. I don’ t need the general.”

Link squinted a little, analyzing him. “You two still aren’t on good terms, then?”

“We were never on bad terms,” the captain argued mildly. “Just…”

“I talked to her, you know,” Link interrupted as his friend trailed off, catching the other warrior’s attention. “About… things. About you. She… it seems anybody who bears her name struggles to really express themselves, I think. Must be a curse.”

The Hero of Warriors laughed a little, perhaps somewhat bitter sounding, but he still listened.

“Look, I’ll leave the actual explanation to her. It’s a conversation you two should have,” Link said carefully. “But all I’m saying is… she did what she thought was best for you.”

The captain quirked an eyebrow, somewhat unconvinced but not really willing to argue the point. A glimmer of hope was in his eyes, though, despite whatever skepticism was trying to fight it, and that was enough for Link.

Getting back to the point, he asked, “What’s wrong?”

His friend grew quiet, and Link threatened, “I will get Mask and Tune.”

The hero stiffened. “Don’t you dare. They’re already bad enough, but somehow you’ve managed to weaponize them more than I thought possible.”

Link almost laughed. He did seem to get along with the younger ones quite well. They were sweet. He tried to be a bit more respectful of the Hero of Winds, knowing that the kid was around the age he’d been when he’d passed his trials and had been trying to prove himself. But… he still seemed so young. And the Hero of Time… goddesses, Link thought he’d had some rough experiences. That kid won the prize for worst destiny ever. But he could at least make the little one smile and laugh.

“Then tell me what’s wrong,” he pressed.

The captain sighed, grumpily tossing his wet clothes back into the water. “It’s just… I don’t know. Sometimes everything weighs on you, you know? It seems… irresponsible, or perhaps insecure and immature to doubt. To doubt… everything. Everyone. I try to… oh, never mind.”

“You don’t think you’re the Hero everyone else believes you to be,” Link supplied quietly. The captain snapped his gaze to him, brow furrowing, and then shriveled into himself a little, the polar opposite of the usually proud and confident picture he painted for the world.

Link didn’t doubt the man’s confidence, really, or his desire to help. But he could see the telltale signs, how eagerness and courage spurred a soldier into a war before he was thrown into something far bigger than he expected to be.

It hit far too close to home, honestly.

Sighing, Link wrung his hands before playing with his tunic nervously. Then he said, “You… are the Hero that the goddesses need you to be. Nothing less, and nothing more. Focus on defeating whatever new evil arises, and you’ll be fine. We’ll defeat that hag soon enough.”

“I almost got myself killed,” the captain muttered.

Link knew that. They’d all helped get the Hero out of the predicament he’d run into, the shadowy versions of himself nearly overwhelming him. It had been fairly disturbing. And he was pretty certain General Impa had chewed him out afterwards… while also being terrified for him.

“I’ve made plenty of mistakes in war,” Link said, trying to be helpful. “If the army expects you to be perfect, the army is stupid.”

That elicited a bark of surprised laughter from his friend. Link felt his own heart speed up a bit at it, at seeing him smile and at the fact tha he’d said something so blunt and rude.

Perhaps he was tired too.

“Sometimes… nothing ever seems enough, you know?” Link said slowly, parsing out the thoughts in his head. “But… you… have to be better than that.”

Be better than me.

“Be better?” The Hero of Warriors questioned.

Link fumbled a little. He himself didn’t even know what he was saying anymore. “I just… don’t want you to… it does you no good. To… to compare yourself to what others might expect or think of you. Just… figure things out yourself. Please?”

This was probably horrible advice. He was giving horrible advice. He was about to backtrack entirely and leave when the captain smiled a little, looking off at the sunset. “Yeah. I get what you’re saying.”

Oh. Well. Great. Because Link didn’t. But if someone could be better off than his own stupid self, he’d take it. Especially for his friend.

The captain bumped him playfully with his elbow. “When was the last time you washed up, anyway? You look like a wreck.”

Link’s cheeks flushed. “I’m not a child.”

“But I think I’m still older than you.”

“You don’t know that! What difference does that make?”

“I’m in charge.”

“No, you’re n—”

“I’ll get Impa involved.”

“Don’t you dare!”

The Hero of Warriors laughed as he nearly tackled his brother-in-arms, splashing soapy water in his face.

<3 <3 <3

Skye you didn't have to write something for me I'm just being a grouch 😭😭😭

augh I love these two. I love how Power keeps threatening to get Impa over here (he talked to her?? ooh??) also how miserable they both are with talking about feelings lol 🤣 and then they're both silly at the end hbngbhgbhgb I really like this <3333

[detectivesebcas]

Promptober Day 28- Horror Movie Night (AU, Post-STEM)

Prompt: horror movie night where someone gets scared

Warnings: none

“It’s scary movie night,” Sebastian announces as soon as they return from trick-or-treating.

With all of the changes their little family has gone through in the last year, he’s been eager to start implementing some traditions.   His past efforts have produced mixed results in terms of enthusiasm from Stefano and Lily, but this time they both seem to be fully on board.

Stefano goes to the kitchen to make popcorn, and Lily changes out of her costume.  Once she has sorted her Halloween candy into things that must be eaten right now and things that can wait a little bit, she plops down on the couch next to Sebastian.

“What are we watching?” she asks, tucking her feet underneath her and watching the screen, where Sebastian is scrolling through a seemingly endless array of movie possibilities.

“I’m not sure yet…” Sebastian says.

He hadn’t expected picking a movie to be so difficult, but Lily is eleven, and it seems like all the Halloween movies are either animated stories intended for younger kids or slasher films that would be more appropriate for a teenage audience…or maybe Stefano, but Sebastian isn’t going to go there.

Then a title catches his eye.  “Got it,” he says immediately.  “We’re watching Poltergeist.”

“It looks like an old movie,” Lily says, eyeing the title screen with suspicion.  “Are you sure it’s scary enough?”

“Oh, it’s scary alright,” Sebastian says.  “I saw it when I was nine, and I didn’t sleep for three weeks.”

Just the sight of the title screen takes him right back to those days, trying to convince his parents to leave the hallway light on and checking his closet door a dozen times to make sure it was really closed before jumping into bed, burying his head under the covers, and anxiously waiting for morning.

“So it is a really old movie,” Lily says, her fears clearly confirmed.

“How old do you think I am?” Sebastian asks.

Lily looks him up and down.  “Thirty-five,” she says, and her tone makes it clear that as far as she’s concerned thirty-five is positively ancient.

Sebastian laughs, because apparently he’s even older than Lily’s definition of ‘old’.

“I’ve never seen Poltergeist,” Stefano says, entering from the kitchen holding a bowl of popcorn.

“What?”  Sebastian is genuinely shocked.  “How?”

Stefano shrugs.  “I don’t think I was born when it came out.”

“Probably not,” Sebastian says, “but still…”

He scoots closer to Lily so Stefano can sit down on his other side and starts the movie.  Stefano leans over to turn off the lamp beside the couch, so the living room is almost completely dark except for the glow of the TV.

The movie begins, and Sebastian is already starting to feel like his nine-year-old self.  He wraps an arm around Stefano, leaning his head on Stefano’s shoulder while his eyes remain fixed on the screen.

They watch in silence at first, but Sebastian’s heart is pounding, not just at the scary parts, but every time he anticipates one of the scary parts, which is basically the entire movie.

“Oh no,” Stefano says about forty minutes in.  “Did you pick another movie where someone’s child is missing?”

Sebastian does have a special talent for doing that by accident, but right now that’s not at the forefront of his mind.

“That’s not even the worst part,” he says.

“Oh?  Then what is the worst part?” Stefano asks.

“The ghosts,” Sebastian says, thinking this should be obvious.

Lily snorts in laughter.

“What?” Sebastian prompts.  “You don’t think this is scary?”

Lily looks at him apologetically.  “It’s creepy, but the monsters don’t look very real.”

He glances over to Stefano, who nods in agreement.  “I don’t know if the special effects hold up.”

“But…” Sebastian sputters, pointing to the screen where one of the most intense and iconic scenes of the film is playing out.  “Are you guys even seeing this?”

Stefano pats him on the shoulder.  “I can see how this would have been frightening when you were nine, but haven’t you seen much scarier things since then?”

“I guess so,” Sebastian replies.  Some of the things he saw in STEM were pretty terrifying, but those memories feel different than this movie does.  He remembers the horrors of Union and Ruvik’s domain, but he was always so focused on saving himself or saving Lily that there was no time to be afraid, no time to dwell on any of it.

Here he can’t do anything, can’t help the people on the screen.  He can only sit and watch the horror play out before him, and that, plus the remnants of his nine-year-old imagination, makes this so much scarier.

Even if Stefano and Lily aren’t convinced, Sebastian’s eyes are glued to the screen for the rest of the movie, and when it ends he still feels jumpy, on edge.

Lily goes to bed without complaint, and after they’ve cleaned up and turned off all the lights downstairs, he follows Stefano up to their bedroom to turn in for the night.

“Are you going to be able to sleep?” Stefano asks playfully when he has finished undressing and brushing his teeth.

“I don’t know,” Sebastian says, only half-joking.  Then, “Are you guys ever going to let me hear the end of this?”

Stefano frowns.  “I expect Lily now has some very good ideas about pranks to play on you.”

“What about you?” Sebastian asks, giving Stefano a pointed look.  “Are you going to keep me safe from the ghosts?”

Just saying the word again brings up an image in his mind- long black hair and flowing white fabric, an eerie voice singing a haunting song…Anima.  He shivers.

Stefano is staring back at him, and he’s sure they’ve both had the same thought.

“Okay, maybe STEM was scarier than the movie,” Sebastian says, “but I still need you to make sure the closet door is shut before you come to bed.”

Stefano leans in to kiss him.

“I think I can manage that.”

[havenofcybele]

Some thoughts on feminism from a trans perspective

What has feminism done for trans people? This is, surprisingly, a question that isn’t often asked. But the answer is quite revealing: nothing, unless one wants to include negatives, in which case, a lot of bad things.

There’s an expectation for trans women that you’re supposed to be a feminist. So much as questioning feminism, or even expressing indifference to it, is frequently met by vitriol and hostility, typically expressed through misgendering, whether covert or overt. I’ve even had trans women say I deserve transphobia for not being a feminist. ‘Vitriol and hostility’ are really understatements of how tense other trans women can get when you don’t have the right opinion on this subject. The only possible outlet for criticism of feminism is criticism of TERFs, and transfeminists are extremely eager to point out that the TERFs are supposedly a minority, and hell, they’re probably not even real feminists anyway!

But again, my mind just returns to that question. What has feminism done for trans people? If you actually pose that to a transfeminist, they begin to stumble. They’ll stop talking to you, or they’ll deflect, or they’ll ignore the question and focus on something else you’ve said, or they’ll claim that somehow feminism laid the foundations for trans rights and that we don’t owe trans rights to the trans men and trans women who fought for them, or even to the researchers and surgeons who developed lifesaving transition-related care, but instead to activists who were fighting for unrelated concerns and who, by and large, were and are hostile to us.

What they’ll never do is actually name something substantive. I’m not saying individual feminists have never done anything substantive for trans people, but I can’t think of a single thing, and seemingly even transfeminists can’t either, otherwise they’d tell me. I can think of a large number of bad things feminists have and continue to do in regards to trans rights. Janice Raymond contributing to the removal of trans healthcare coverage under the Ronald Reagan administration of the United States, resulting almost certainly in the deaths of trans people, for example. Or the fact that gender recognition reform in the UK has been utterly derailed by feminists, or the fact that feminists have effectively destroyed youth transition resources in the UK. Or how about the time Sheila Jeffreys called trans people parasites to the Houses of Parliament? Feminists have been calling for the elimination of trans people since at least the second wave, constructing glossy looking pieces of academic tripe from The Transsexual Empire in 1979 to the Declaration on Women’s Sex-Based Rights in 2019. In my own homecountry, the people spearheading the anti-trans movement aren’t a bunch of far-right Handmaid’s Tale larpers, dreaming of a Gilead knock-off they hope to institute one day–they’re feminists.

Of course, I’m ready to hear the cry of ‘those are TERFs!’ or ‘those aren’t real feminists!’, well, where precisely are the real feminists? Again, what have feminists done that is good for trans people? Can you blame me for being antifeminist, when all the feminists I see having any influence on my life and the lives of my people, both now and in the past, are ones who want to eliminate us? At the very best, most feminists are utterly indifferent to trans issues, in which case, why should I support a movement indifferent to my suffering? At worst, most of them harbour transphobic viewpoints–not, perhaps, as toxic as your average TERF’s, but transphobic nonetheless, and such a conclusion is the one I lean to, considering how prevalent transphobic attitudes are in all areas of society, and my own anecdotal experiences.

What is interesting though, is that even if the correct choice is to support feminism despite its sordid history, the response to antifeminist or even just feminist-sceptical trans women is still insane. You think a movement which has been tarnished so badly by transphobia would be a little bit more understanding to those trans women who are reticent to interact with it, but instead all they receive is shaming, misgendering, and outright hostility. There aren’t even attempts to create dialogue around this issue, unless you first kiss the feminist ring and swear undying allegiance, in which case any dialogue you do attempt to make will be neutered from the start, set out entirely according to the terms of cis feminists. 

A retort might be that feminism means equal opportunity for women, or ending oppressive structures against women, or gender equality, or whatever else, and so the only reason you could be opposed to it is due to being a misogynist who hates women. This is a specious argument. Movements are defined by their members’ actions, goals, and political stances–not by a pithy, idealised definition which floats in a vacuum. Unless you transfeminists think that the only reason one might be opposed to MRAs is simply because one thinks men should have no rights?

In sum, I see no reason to support a movement that hates me and wants me gone, nor do I see any reason for my sisters to support it either. Antifeminism is the only path to true liberation for trans people, and I dream of the day most trans women shed this unhelpful ideology.

[risingoflights]

i’m not burned out on art because there are still lots of things i consider fun to draw, but i’m very burned out on the self-promo aspects of being a social media artist

it’s always been running just to stand still. it has to be constant or people trickle away faster than they trickle in. and it’s not and never has been anybody’s fault - i know folks are eager to support the creators they love. but while you might have a dollar for a handful of your favourites, you don’t have enough dollars for them all. that’s just the way it is

what’s discouraging has been the sharp dive of social media reliability recently, and the rise of certain artist displacement tools. now, those tools in and of themselves are... scope for a whole lotta discussion which more qualified people than i are doing... but one overall result of the tools existing and being used has been further undervaluing of artists’ skills. furthering the view that artists are just fodder to be consumed

so what if a bunch of artists are out of work? there’s always more that are willing to do more, for less. and worst case scenario there are the machines

but i’ll say - most people who appreciate artwork don’t feel that way. they do care about artists. but people who appreciate artwork are also not most people. outside in the world ignorance reigns. again, not anybody’s fault. it’s harder than ever these days to see past our own immediate problems

to be honest i’m surprised i’ve managed to get this far at all. when i quit the stable career i trained so hard to get into to pursue this lifestyle it was mostly from desperation - at least, no matter how stressful things are as an artist, nothing’s going to die because of error or incompetence or negligence on my part. but i have a safety network that allowed me to try, and stick around when things got tough. i’m already one of the lucky ones. no wonder so many others are leaving art fields for good

i’m hoping to find a full time art job, at least for a little while. though seeing very successful freelancers say it’s the toughest it’s ever been, and seeing how professional industry full-timers have been treated to meet expectations and demands in this emerging world... it’s not really a happy prospect either. but it might help dispel some of this gloom from appealing to the social media gods

the thing is... regardless of how shitty things are for professionals now... people are still always going to make art. people are always going to love making art. which is why there will always be artists to exploit. which is part of this whole... misery of the situation.

but no job is without its miseries, right?

nice to just vent once in a while

[threeletterslife]

34 | Legends of Darlaria

⨰ summary: You wake up in yet another unfamiliar place. This time, however, these strangers seem to recognize you. With your previous judgments and aspirations thrown out the window, you're now forced to face where your loyalties really lie. Who will you betray? And which General will you choose to stand by his side?

⨰ pairing/rating: yoongi x reader & jungkook x reader | PG-15

⨰ genre: 70% angst, 30% fluff | war!au & magic!au

⨰ warnings: profanity

⨰ wordcount: 8.9k

⨰ join the taglist! (pm/send in an ask/reply/reblog)

⨰ previous | series m.list | next

⧖⧗Many, Many Circas Ago⧗⧖

His name was Jungkook. No one knew his last name. No one even knew where he came from; they said the 19-year-old showed up one day in the 12th city, eager to work with ragged clothes and hopeful doe eyes that they simply couldn’t refuse. 

He was shy, didn’t speak much but did good work as a varlet. His job mostly consisted of setting up the duels for the cadets and cleaning up after them in the barracks, but somehow you’d never crossed paths before. Hajin did say he was fairly new when you asked her about the mysterious doe-eyed boy wandering around the training grounds.

“Yeah, a recent hire, I think,” she said, then crinkled her eyebrows. “Why? Do you like him?” she said with a lilt to her voice that implied that she was teasing you.

“N-No!” you sputtered, feeling your face heating up. “Just curious.”

The curiosity continued for days as you began seeing him everywhere.

You saw him as you entered the training grounds at the crack of dawn, wiping the wooden dummies clean. You saw him as you began running your laps around the field, tending to the orchard, picking himself an apple when he thought no one was looking. You saw him diligently serving lunch, which usually consisted of some combination of meat, bread, and corn. You even saw him setting up an arena for a duel once. You were only passing by, but you made eye contact then, and both of you paused to stare before you looked away and headed off in the opposite direction, your cheeks growing too hot for your liking. 

It was only the last day of Circa Opal—the trees were nearly bare and the winds were chillier than ever—when he approached you. You were wrapping a black scarf around your neck, picking up a few of your belongings to head over to the castle for the night when you saw him. You froze, your fingers hovering around the warm wool around your neck as you stared at him. His face was backlit by the setting sun, and he was glowing once more. Your breath hitched as he approached closer.

“Hi,” he said.

It was the most breathtaking thing anyone had ever spoken to you.

“Hi,” you replied, though you didn’t know how you were getting any words out.

“I…” He fidgeted with his hands. “I’ve seen you around.”

“Yes… Um, so have I.”

There was an awkward bit of silence.

“I’m sorry.” “Do you want to walk around in the orchard?”

The two of you spoke simultaneously and the result was a jumbled mess of words. Embarrassed, you began tugging at the scarf around your neck, cheeks heating up.

“What are you sorry for?” he asked, eyes wide with surprise.

“I um… Well, I uh, last time, I bumped into you,” you managed to reply rather sheepishly. “Surely, that warrants another apology.”

Jungkook smiled, and it was the most beautiful smile you’ve ever seen. “It was my fault too,” he said. “No need to apologize.” He was fidgeting with his hands again as he glanced back towards the orchard. “So, um… About the…”

“About the…?” You blinked cluelessly. “Sorry… I-I um, I don’t think I heard you the first time.”

His cheeks blushed a rosy pink. “Do you… Would you want to walk around in the orchard?”

Oh.

Oh!

“Y-Yes!” you said, though it came out a lot more eager than you expected. But the truth was, you really were that eager to get to know him. There was something so comfortable about him. Something so familiar, though you swore you never met him before. And you were glad, so glad that he somehow felt the same—or it seemed so, at least. Perhaps this was what fate felt like, the same fate that was often described in your old bedtime stories. 

You were never really much of a talker, but with him, you weren’t able to shut up. You couldn’t help it. He was such an intent listener, his soft gaze never leaving yours, him hanging onto your every word. As the moonlight drenched the orchards, leaving every surface bathed in dim light, you told him everything—things you never thought you’d ever tell another person.

You told him about your parents, that even though they lived in the 12th city with you, you barely ever saw them. You told him about Donghoon, who you still thought about from time to time, wondering if he was doing all right on his own, if he still despised you. You told him about Joonhee and his valiance—that he trusted that his comrades would carry on his legacy even if he died on the battlefield. Then, you told him that sometimes, you wondered if Joonhee was still alive and well. You hoped he was, for he was largely the reason you were here today. You even told him about Instructor Shin and her guiding light of a letter to you, which pulled you out of the deep end. Finally, you indulged him with your adventures with Hajin, though you left out the bits about the underground tunnels, which were to always be yours and Hajin’s little secret.

Jungkook sat and listened to it all, nodding his head and staring at you intently the entire time. When you were finally finished giving him the spiel of your life story, the two of you stared up at the sky in silence as the grass underneath tickled your legs. It was a rather cloudy night, which was why the moonlight was so dim, but it was still beautiful nonetheless. 

“It’s admirable,” he said, quietly. “The way you lived your life so far.” His voice was as silver as the moon in the sky, as delicate as the wispy clouds, too. He always spoke in such a hushed voice, and it made you want to listen more intently than ever. As if his voice was the only music left in the whole world.

You felt your face heating up again. You hadn’t realized how much you talked—you’d given him your whole life story! An unfortunate croak left your lips when you attempted to respond. “Sorry,” you said, clearing your throat in embarrassment and wrapping the scarf tighter around your neck. You looked down at your shoes. “I didn’t mean to talk your ears off.”

He shook his head. “You didn’t. I enjoyed listening.”

Your face was burning now. “Um, but what about you?”

“What about me?” he asked, cocking his head.

“I mean, how did you end up here?—if you don’t mind answering,” you said.

“Mm…” He sighed, looking up at the sky once more. He was deep in thought, eyes glazed over, lips slightly parted. Then, he blinked, and his soft doe eyes were suddenly filled with fervent passion. “I’m trying to make a name for myself,” he said. “Thought the best way to do it would be here.”

He was short and sweet with his response, which you didn’t really mind. You had a feeling that he was a rather private individual, which you usually were too, though today had just been an anomaly for you. And part of this, this pull to this boy you had was because he was so enigmatic. Perhaps one day you could learn his life story.

“You know, you’re very talented,” the boy spoke, looking over at you. “I heard about your showcase that got you into the program. You know, turning a metal spoon into gold. I heard the General himself visited you to recruit you.”

“O-Oh,” you said, a little startled that he knew about that. “Y-Yeah… That was a few years ago. Three, in fact.” You fidgeted, always feeling a little awkward when others complimented you. “The General was the Lieutenant, then.”

“Ah. But how did you learn how to do that?” he asked, eyes wide with curiosity. “Turn something into gold?”

“I taught myself,” you answered, but that sounded a little boastful, so you added in haste, “though I had the resources to do so. I used to attend Botswana.”

He looked confused.

“It’s just some academy,” you clarified.

“Ah…” was his response.

“Why?” you asked. “Do you want to learn?”

His eyes lit up. “Yes. All things magic interest me.”

So you did the next most natural thing, which was to offer to teach him all that you knew. Mostly, it was an excuse to spend more time with him, and perhaps he asked to spend more time with you. But no, there was a hidden flame in his eyes, one that burned brightly behind those wide, innocent doe eyes. It was a look of pure determination to learn. You admired that.

The two of you didn’t leave the training grounds until the sun was peeking up above the horizon, bathing the land in its warm light. There was so much to talk about, now that you finally met each other as it felt like fate had planned. And though you didn’t get any sleep, you weren’t tired, simply exhilarated. 

It was only several hours later, after you parted ways, while you were doing your morning exercises, that you realized the two of you never exchanged your names. But it didn’t really matter because somehow, you knew he was Jungkook and he knew you as the excellent alchemist, though those were his words, not yours. He probably knew your name too; it was plastered at the very top of the large ranking board and often whispered by the entire squadron of cadets, anyway.

Every night, you met with Jungkook at the training grounds. It was cold now that it was Circa Citrine, but the weather never deterred either of you. You taught him everything you knew about alchemy, which was a lot more than you realized. He was a quick learner, taking up new skills as if he’d practiced them for years.

“You’re a natural!” you complimented him.

He shrugged. “I’m not.” Then, he casually size-shifted a pebble into a sizable rock and heaved it at the target. It landed with a satisfying thump! straight at the center, just like the last several times. His movement caused his birthstone to slip from his pocket again, but before it hit the ground, he caught it with one hand. He turned to you, slightly frustrated with himself as he often got during training. “I’m a natural divinist, that’s what I am.” He sighed. “Damn jewel,” he said, before shoving the sapphire back into his pocket. 

“Well, I think your birthstone is very pretty,” you said, trying to make him feel better, but it was also the truth. “And you’ve been doing really well! Size-shifting is infinitely more difficult than color-shifting and you’re great at it. You’re learning this much faster than I ever have.”

“You think?” He cocked his head curiously. “But I can’t do it like you. I tried thinking in steps like you taught me. I tried thinking that pebbles never existed and that all pebbles were really larger rocks, but it just didn’t make sense in my head. I couldn’t get myself to believe it. Only when I get a little frustrated or a little excited is my magic effective. I’ve been thinking about throwing that pebble so hard it would be out of sight in seconds.” He frowned. “That’s the only way that I can make it size-shift. I’d do anything to have a diamond like you do.”

“But your birthstone doesn’t dictate what type of magic you’re innately good at, Jungkook,” you tried to soothe him. “It doesn’t even dictate the branch of magic you tend to gravitate towards. There’s nothing wrong with practicing light magic,” you said. “It’s preferred in the army, anyway.”

“Mm…” He still looked unsure. “I never knew any of that stuff. The stuff about the birthstone not dictating the type or branch of magic we’re good at. Where did you learn that?”

“At Botswana,” you said, sheepishly. “They teach you the theory of magic there. Amongst many other things.”

“Sounds valuable.” A pause. “So why did you leave?”

“Um…” You looked away. “I guess I wanted to do something more for Darlae.”

“For Darlae?” 

“Yes, for my nation.”

“Ah…” He sounded a little perplexed but he didn’t press further.

You suddenly felt a little embarrassed, wondering if your reason didn’t come off as genuine as you hoped it would.

As if he could read your mind, Jungkook shook his head. “No need to be embarrassed,” he said, giving you a gentle smile. He didn’t need to say his next words because you gleaned them anyway: It’s admirable. You’re admirable.

Thank you, you told him wordlessly.

He smiled wider in response.

Sometimes, it was a lot easier to have these wordless conversations with Jungkook. It became sort of a little secret language, though it wasn’t really a language. You would exchange small glances and looks and somehow, the other would be able to translate. Silence became your comfort. You never had anything like this with another person. No one else ever understood you well enough to speak inside your mind, but he did. When you were with him, it was almost like seeing a reflection of yourself, only better.

He was everything that you weren’t.

What took you years of practice to learn, he caught on in less than a week. In a few circas, he had nearly mastered permanent color-shifting and size-shifting. He had essentially crammed the entirety of Botswana’s alchemy content in three circas—when traditionally, it would’ve taken four years. Now, he was trying his hand at masking, learning it at the speed of which you didn’t know was humanly possible.

What took you hours to understand, he understood the first time he read over it. You didn’t think that he would actually enjoy some of the strategy and logic books that General Son assigned you to read every week, but he did. Some of the text General Son asked you to read was unnecessarily verbose, filled with run-on sentences that perhaps no one but the author could discern. And when Jungkook first asked if he could read a few of these books, you warned him so. He admittedly was disgruntled by the long-winded ways of the logic and philosophy books, but he always understood the content—better than you ever could. Sometimes, he advised you on your assignments.

By that point, you couldn’t help but put in a good word about him to the General. 

“There’s this varlet boy I know, sir.”

“Hm?” The General said, looking up from his battle plans. “Is that so, cadet?”

“Yes, sir. I’ve been… Well, I’ve been overseeing his alchemy, and sir, he’s truthfully phenomenal.”

“Phenomenal?” General Son raised his eyebrows. 

“Yes, sir. He’s a quick learner. Specializes in divination, but has a knack for alchemy too. He has a knack for light magic, really. He learns skills more easily than anyone I’ve ever seen in my life. He’s also a quite talented strategist. I admit that he has been looking over a few of my assignments.”

General Son had no visible reaction. “A varlet boy, you say?”

You nodded. “Yes, sir.”

“What’s his name?”

“Jungkook, sir.”

“His surname too, cadet.”

“He… He doesn’t have one.”

“Why is that?”

“He doesn’t know who his parents are.”

General Son didn’t miss a beat. “And you say that his boy is phenomenal?” 

“Yes, sir. He grasped masking in a few weeks. He has this thirst to learn and become better. I’ve never seen someone so ambitious I think—if you would allow him, sir—he would be a great cadet and even greater strategist.”

“And he has had no prior alchemy training before meeting you, cadet?”

“Yes, sir.”

Silence.

There were often moments of stillness when you and General Son “discussed.” When you had first become acquainted with him, you were under the impression that these extended periods of silence were a bad thing. But the more time you spent with General Son, the more you realized that this was how he calculated his next moves and how he strategized his future steps. He needed absolute silence to think—as if he were alone with his thoughts—and you always admired his ability to block out the whole world to do what he needed to do.

“I’d like to meet him.”

Your head shot up as you stared at General Son with wide eyes. “Really, sir?”

“Send him over. I’d like to discuss a few things with him before I decide if he deserves to be let into my army.” 

Promptly a week later, Jungkook moved into one of the cadets’ barracks and began his new life as a soldier-in-training. Then, two circas after that, his name was right under yours on the ranking board. Cadets began wondering who the hell he was, popping out of nowhere like that and dominating the squadron’s ranks. You sometimes wondered that too. He was just so unbelievably perfect. 

Hajin, of course, had a few things to say about your increasing involvement with the young prodigy. “Ew!” she would always tease you after you got back to the castle late from your nightly training with him. “Don’t leave me for him, now! Remember? We’ll march into our first battle together. You promised!”

“I’d never leave you, Hajin!” you’d reply, and that was the truth. “I’d never even dream of breaking that promise.”

You truly wouldn’t, but you also didn’t want to leave Jungkook, either. So, you supported him in every way that you could, giving him alchemy pointers, watching all of his duels and cheering him on. He became the most formidable dueler in the entire squadron in just a few circas; everyone knew a match against him would mean an instant loss. He was quick and rather skilled at masking; plus, he wasn’t afraid of cuts and bruises as you were. What’s more, he always seemed as if he were ten steps ahead, somehow being able to predict his opponent’s movements. 

Jungkook was forever grateful to you for helping him become more than a varlet boy, and he did what he could to repay you, though you always insisted he didn’t need to. He watched all of your duels—plus Hajin’s—and gave you the quiet reassurance you needed from time to time. He didn’t have much, but if he found something that reminded him of you in the mini-markets of the 8th city, he’d come back with a little gift for you. He also had a knack for knowing when you were in a self-doubting spiral and always managed to cheer you up by taking you on a night walk around the orchard. 

After a while, Hajin didn’t make a face every time you mentioned Jungkook’s name, and Jungkook wasn’t so terrified by the princess’ presence. Still, they liked to play a never-ending game of fighting for your attention, which on the contrary, made you uncomfortable yet amused them. 

By the time you were 18, the three of you hung out nearly every day. On the off days that you reserved to visit the castle libraries, Hajin conveniently never felt well, so Jungkook was your only company. You and he would sit there for hours, reading book after book after book. He loved telling you about the new historical events and war tactics he learned about, and you loved retelling the fairytales you became newly enlightened with. This exchange of information would always last until Hajin barged in—looking perfectly healthy, mind you—demanding that the two of you quit your book marathon for dinner. 

But most days, and usually past midnight, you and Jungkook huddled in the castle libraries, swathed by the piles and piles of assignments General Son gave the two of you for the week. Sometimes, though rarely, he asked for essays. You were never satisfied with what you came up with; ironically, when you wrote, you were as verbose as the philosophy books you found confusing. Jungkook, on the other hand, delivered perfect, efficient essays with flowing paragraphs and impenetrable arguments. 

It was obvious that General Son was pleased with his new protégé, though he didn’t outwardly show it. He pushed Jungkook just as hard as he had pushed you, and Jungkook responded to it faster and better than you ever had. He never took any of General Son’s criticisms personally, and he never paused to doubt himself and his abilities. Even when the General threw a curveball that had you breaking out in nervous sweat, Jungkook barely reacted.

You remember once when you and he walked into General Son’s study, where the brooding man was already waiting at his desk and simply pointed to an open scroll, which had instructions scrawled upon it. He ordered, “You have five minutes.”

Your stomach dropped at his curt instructions, and you glanced nervously at Jungkook, your hands already flying up to play with your necklace. But Jungkook was already staring intently at the scroll, reading its contents with that look on his face that told you he was so focused he’d blocked out all external stimuli. You chewed on your lip, frowning, trying to focus too, your eyes desperately scanning over the words on the paper.

You are surrounded by enemy forces that outnumber your defenders. Food and supplies are running critically low, and your soldiers are exhausted. The enemy is offering you a chance to surrender with safe passage for your troops. What is the optimal strategy that will buy time, boost morale, and maintain your army’s capabilities?

It was a war strategy question, one that strayed a bit from the standard tactical assessments, but you would expect nothing less from General Son. You only had five minutes to come up with something that he would deem optimal. A rare test. Failing wasn’t an option.

Frantically, you thought about different approaches, the pros, the cons. You began weighing possibilities in your head, searching for the one that was the closest to ideal. You tried to remember a few of your assigned readings, attempting to garner inspiration from those texts. Your thoughts were a jumbled mess, and you could physically feel the time ticking close to zero. Sweat began accumulating on your forehead, and you broke your focus momentarily to wipe it away with the back of your hand. You still had around ninety seconds left. So you pushed yourself, biting down on your lip to focus on your thoughts. You began compartmentalizing your ideas with the speed of light—no doubt with help from the adrenaline. And in the last, agonizingly short thirty seconds, you rehearsed what you wanted to say over and over again.

When the five minutes were up, the General stood and splayed his hands on his desk. “Y/N,” he called, which made you nearly leap in fear. “Your strategy?”

Your hands were shaking, and your mind was threatening to go blank. You weren’t sure why you were so nervous; a wrong answer surely wasn’t going to make General Son kick you out of the lesson, but it might change his opinion of you, and that possibility terrified you. But the man was waiting for an answer. And keeping him waiting seemed worse than giving him a subpar response. So, you gritted your teeth and took a deep breath. 

“My strategy, sir,” you began, trying to still your shaking hands, “would be to begin negotiations with the enemy, entertaining their offer for us to surrender. However, I would purposefully elongate these negotiations, not exactly settling for an agreement but not quite rejecting their offer either, in order to buy time for my soldiers. I would hope that any amount of time will help them rest, ration the remaining food, heal the injured, and count and redistribute supplies. In that time, I would use a combination of the siege disguise and false flank tactics to confuse the enemy about our remaining stretch to give the illusion of a larger force. These methods will mask our ulterior motive for the prolonged negotiation as the enemy will be led to believe that our forces are much stronger than they had expected. Once I reach a favorable deal in the negotiation, I would take my soldiers and retreat gracefully.” It was a miracle you’d spoken so much without stuttering once. “My ultimate goal would be to have no more casualties.” It was like you were a completely different person. Your voice was clear, loud and confident, and you didn’t hesitate or blubber once. You didn’t know you had it in you, and your own eyes widened at your smooth delivery. 

I’m proud of you, Jungkook seemed to say. He nodded approvingly. It was as if he knew the mental turmoil you’d gone through to get to your response. You smiled at him nervously.

General Son, on the other hand, gave no reaction. “And you, Jungkook?”

Jungkook didn’t even hesitate. “I would not take their offer to surrender,” he said, which made your eyes widen even more. “The enemy’s promise of ‘safe passage’ is not guaranteed, and they have no reason to honor their end of the deal—not when they have the upper hand. However, I would agree with Y/N to drag on negotiations to keep them distracted, but for a slightly different means of distraction.

“While the negotiations are in session, I would organize hit-and-run raids on the outskirts of the enemy encampment. The raid will force our enemies to disperse their forces and slow down their advances, which will buy us more time to prepare an attack. I would strategically leak information to the enemy, making it seem like our defenses are crumbling, especially after such a last-ditch effort as a raid. I want to make them think that we are close to surrendering. This could potentially lead to the enemy underestimating our resolve and delaying their full-scale assault. Then, I would prepare my soldiers to attack. Surrendering is never an option; I would never lose my strategic position or bargain for power. When enemy morale is low and they are heavily distracted, I would lead the charge against them myself.”

“Hm…” General Son said. “Quite unorthodox, don’t you think?”

“You’ve led many ploys like this yourself, sir,” Jungkook replied. “It may be unorthodox, but it is unoriginal.”

General Son raised his eyebrows. “That is true, yes, I have led battles like this. But the prompt tells you that your soldiers are exhausted. Do you expect them to perform well on these raids when they are starving and fatigued?”

“Yes and no,” Jungkook said. “If they perform well, the enemy will be much more distracted due to their instinctive need for damage control. If they do not, it will be easier for the enemy to buy the idea that our forces are on the verge of surrendering.”

“Hm. And the casualties?”

“There is no war without casualties, sir,” Jungkook said. “If I had ordered a retreat and the enemy had ambushed us instead, we would be unprepared and therefore decimated entirely. It is better to attack first when we have had a hand at controlling the situation.”

“Perhaps, but the enemy could have kept their word.”

“I do not trust them to,” Jungkook replied. “Sir, if there is one thing I learned from reading thousands and thousands of battle plans and strategy sheets, it is that we never trust the enemy. Even if they come to us limping, bloodied and bruised, we should never show mercy.”

You nervously played with the necklace around your neck as you took in Jungkook’s words. 

“Do you not agree, Y/N?” General Son asked.

“It’s… Well… I…” You stared at your feet. 

It’s okay, Jungkook said wordlessly. He gave you an encouraging look. Disagree if you want.

The reassurance from him was all you needed.

“But what if the enemy offered us safe passage because they were dealing with internal escalations?” you said. “I define optimal as having the least amount of casualties while maintaining dignity and momentum for the next battle. If… if we were to attack, with fewer soldiers and depleted supplies, then I’m not sure if that would boost morale at all. Soldiers need time away from the battlefield to be able to rest fully. Perhaps it is a… safer idea to surrender with grace and give these soldiers a guarantee to see another day.”

“But what if the enemy offered safe passage knowing we would take the bait? I wouldn’t want to risk it,” Jungkook said. “Optimal in a war means victory. And it will always mean victory.”

General Son cleared his throat. “The word optimal will always mean whatever the current General wants it to mean.”

That left the question: What did ‘optimal’ mean to General Son? He didn’t elaborate upon his response, and something told you that he wanted you to figure it out yourself.

“Ahem,” General Son cleared his throat as if to change the topic. “And before I forget, lessons will be held twice a week from now on. The extra lesson will be done individually.”

Jungkook, without fail, waited for you outside of General Son’s study every Sunday after your private lesson. He would always be a little tired and sweaty from combat training but would always greet you with a smile on his face and a small loaf of bread he lifted from the royal kitchen. While you munched on the bread, the two of you would discuss war strategies all the way to one of the castle libraries, where you would start on General Son’s assignments together.

Sometimes, Hajin would tag along just so she could spend some time with you. But half an hour in, she always declared boredom and marched right out of the library, in search of an adventure. 

Most nights, you and Jungkook studied in silence in the grand castle libraries, often until dawn broke the dark sky and the yellow streams of morning light filtered in through the mosaic glass windows. It was these nighttime reading sessions where you and Jungkook found out about monocode. There was an entire collection of books about it, which Jungkook had quite literally stumbled upon after he’d dropped his birthstone again and had gone looking for it on all fours. The monocode books had been hidden on the very bottom of a shelf in the corner of one of the smaller castle libraries. They were so old that cobwebs feathered with dust linked the collection of books together.

When the two of you began reading these books, both of you became completely enraptured. Monocode was an archaic way of communication that consisted of binary sounds that would make up letters of the alphabet; one could speak without necessarily speaking. It was as if the language was made just for the two of you. 

Tap. Tap tap. Tap tap tap tap. 

You looked up to see Jungkook tapping his fingers on the page of his open book. He was smiling at you. Tap tap tap. Tap? Tap tap! Tap tap tap tap? he repeated. You smiled back, nudging Jungkook’s foot underneath the table as you looked down again at your book.

Tap tap tap tap, you responded, lightly tapping your quill against the ink bottle’s rim. Tap tap tap… Tap, tap tap!

Jungkook snorted, closing his book and standing up. He outstretched his hand, motioning you to follow. You’re right. Hajin’s going to start looking for us any minute now, he seemed to say.

You stood up as well, pushing in your chair and gathering up your scrolls. Of course, you smiled. It’s nearly dinnertime.

Well, I hope they serve roast duck tonight. Isn’t that your favorite?

Something fluttered in your stomach as the two of you walked side by side, out of the grandeur library and into an equally grandeur hallway.

You know me so well.

And Jungkook did know you very well. He knew you so well that he always seemed to know what you were thinking. It was fascinating how easily he was able to answer questions that had never left your lips but had steeped in your mind. And it was endearing how much he tried to help you understand him on the same level as he did for you. 

It was one of those nightly walks around the orchards when Jungkook finally told you about his past. He spent most of his childhood in the 3rd city, begging vendors for underpaid odd jobs and sleeping outside under the wooden stalls, hidden by the table cloths. He ate sparingly, only when he could afford it, which wasn’t often. And when he was desperate, he resorted to stealing. He wasn’t proud of it—more ashamed, really. 

“If I stole, I tried to steal from the vendors who were better off,” he said, “though it doesn’t justify what I did.”

“You did it to survive,” you consoled him, but it didn’t really seem like he needed it. He told the tale with a straight face, not a lick of emotion on his countenance. “Did anyone ever try to help?”

Jungkook shook his head. “No.”

“I’m sorry…” you said. “That must’ve felt horrible.”

“I got used to it,” he replied nonchalantly. “I always wanted to be in the army, though. I dreamed of it ever since I saw soldiers marching down the streets of the markets, on their way to the 1st city.”

“Really?” you asked, eyes widening. “What about them fascinated you?”

“They were very orderly,” Jungkook said. “I liked how they were marching in formation; you know, perfect straight lines, shoulder-to-shoulder… To me, it looked like every single person in that line had a purpose. I think I even caught a glimpse of the General once, the old one, not General Son. He was wearing the same uniform as everyone else, not a single embellishment to indicate his status, but it was the way he walked, Y/N. His chest was out, his head was held up high, and he was leading that whole brigade. I guess in that moment, I realized that I wanted to be like that.”

“A leader?” you asked.

“Not necessarily,” Jungkook said. He was silent for a moment, brows furrowing as he gathered his thoughts. “I want to become the best version of myself,” he finally said. “I want to be someone who exudes so much confidence that I don’t need embellishments to show how great I am. I know I have potential. I feel like I’ve always known. I just had no means of getting there. If my greatest self is someone who can command hundreds of thousands of people, then that’s fine too.”

It was your turn to call him admirable. Jungkook only shrugged.

“I do things for myself,” he said. “You, on the other hand,” he nudged you playfully, “want to make a difference in the world. It’s objectively more altruistic.”

“That’s true,” you said, “but in doing so, I’m also working hard to become the best version of myself. And I believe your best self is someone who can make a difference.”

Jungkook hummed in deep thought. “Different goals, same journey,” he said. “I like that.”

“I like it too,” you said. “And I’m really sorry,” you added. “That you weren’t shown kindness when you needed it.”

“It’s all right,” Jungkook answered. “I still made it here myself, didn’t I?” He shrugged. “Sometimes, I still can’t believe I’m here. Here, on the castle grounds. When I became a varlet, I thought it would be an uphill battle to convince someone to let me into the training program. I didn’t know who to ask, if I could even ask…” He trailed off, staring up into the cloudy night sky. “I can’t believe I go to bed with a full stomach,” he said. “I can’t believe I even have a bed. And I can’t believe that people here know my name.

“It feels like a dream,” he whispered, eyes glossy and voice softer than usual. “I’m a cadet now. And one day, I’m going to be a soldier. A hell of a good one too, considering how much shit we’re cramming a week with General Son.”

You smiled. “Well, I believe you have the makings to become the General,” you told him, and it wasn’t just to make him feel better; you believed it too. “One day, I hope I can boast that I was the one who taught the Darlaean General alchemy!

He smiled at you, and his eyes said it all.

Thank you for believing in me. No, thank you for everything.

Your heart nearly stopped when Jungkook reached over, his fingers lightly grazing yours, before they intertwined with yours perfectly. His hand was calloused and cold, but his touch burned. In fact, your entire body felt like it was burning.

This wasn’t the shy, fidgety boy you bumped into last Circa Opal. Or perhaps this was who he always was—someone who was confident, ambitious, and charismatic in his own way. Perhaps he never had the chance to grow into it before he entered the 12th city. Perhaps he was truly himself now. There were too many speculations, which you didn’t mind, for you always thought in questions and maybes. But there was also one striking certainty when it came to Jungkook: the way he made you feel.

Jungkook…

Mm…?

You looked away. Now, your heart was beating too fast. It felt like it was threatening to burst from your chest.

Tap tap tap. His fingers lightly drummed on top of your hand in monocode. He was asking if this was okay.

Of course it was! You stared at him wide-eyed and nodded a little too hard. Your cheeks heated in embarrassment, but Jungkook seemed to like your enthusiasm.

Well, then, he seemed to say. Let’s continue our walk, shall we?

And so hand in hand, you and Jungkook wandered deeper into the orchard, where the moonlight grew dimmer and dimmer, filtered from the dense leaves of the trees. But the further you walked, the lighter you felt, and soon, it felt like you were floating. It was such a strange feeling, one that you hadn’t exactly experienced before.

Only he could make you feel so lightheaded that the usual traffic of thoughts in your head came to a halt. In fact, the only thing you could think of at that moment was him. He and how he made you feel like you were soaring in the air like an incandescent phoenix.

Nearly a year after you first met him, Jungkook confessed his feelings for you. It was the 28th day of Circa Peridot, just four days before his 20th birthday. The night was warm with a slight, gentle breeze and the moonlight streamed down over the tops of the trees in the orchards. 

He stood before you, doe eyes staring fondly into your surprised ones. When he reached out to hold your hand gently in his, your heart nearly leaped out of your chest. You missed the feeling of your hand in his. You could feel yourself drifting in the air again.

Your lips parted, but no sound came out.

Jungkook…

Yes?

His stare was gentle, and his unspoken words were somehow gentler. Then, he was softly tapping on your hand with the pad of his thumb.

Your eyes widened as you translated the monocode in your head. 

He only smiled in response.

It was ever since I met you in Circa Opal, Y/N, he continued, slowly, but not hesitantly.

You, on the other hand, hesitated, fingers hovering over his hand. Ever since we met? you tapped.

Yes, he responded. You inspire me, and you helped me turn my life around. It took me 19 years, but I’m finally getting somewhere. Thank you for seeing potential in me. I’m forever indebted to you. He paused, staring deeply into your eyes. His intense eye contact almost made you want to look away in shyness, but you couldn’t. Your heart was beating faster and faster in your chest. You’re the kindest person I’ve met in my life. No one else has ever cared as much as you have.

You forgot how to breathe.

He only smiled his angelic smile.

You make hours feel like seconds, he tapped, gently, enunciating every word. You make me want to care about you. You make me want to be better. When he saw your frozen face, a crease line settled on his forehead. Am I being too forward? A blush rose on his cheeks. The shyness you haven’t seen in a while was back.

“N-No!” you said, breaking the silence. Then, realizing how loud you had been, you ducked your head down. I’m just… You hesitated. I’m just so happy.

Jungkook broke out in a larger grin. If I tell you that I want to be with you, would it make you happier?

The shyness had melted away again, replaced by his usual confidence; it made you feel weak in the knees. No, he made you feel weak in the knees.

And that night, that night when Jungkook confessed to you and told you he wanted to be with you and you said it back—though you could barely remember because you were so nervous you were seeing white—you couldn’t sleep. From midnight to the break of dawn, your heart refused to steady, beating rapidly in your chest hours after it had even happened. But it didn’t matter that you didn’t get a wink of sleep. Not when the entire time you were awake, it felt like you were in the most wondrous dream.

Hajin would not let you hear the end of it when she found out that you and Jungkook were officially together.

“A part of me’s thinking, ‘finally!!’ but another part of me wants to sock him in the face.”

“Hajin!!”

“It’s a love-hate relationship,” she snorted. “Jungkook understands. I give him so much shit, but he takes it. Also, he kind of has to because I have the authority to govern him!” She had a wicked smile on her face. “I’m just joking, Y/N!” She laughed boisterously, slapping her knees when she saw the horrified look on your face. “But seriously, if he ever hurts you, I’ll banish him out of the nation!”

You just patted Hajin’s shoulder, laughing. “Oh, Hajin. He wouldn’t do that.”

“You’re right,” Hajin sighed. “You think he’s so perfect.”

“And what if he is?”

Hajin just rolled her eyes. “Whatever. Come on, let’s throw him that stupid birthday party.”

It was Jungkook’s 20th birthday, which fell just a few days after he had confessed to you in the moonlight. Miraculously, it had been Hajin’s idea to host a small party for him in her chambers.

You presented him with your gift first, which was a beautiful silver sword you saw him eyeing the last time you visited the 3rd city together. There was an empty socket at the edge of the handle—where his birthstone would go.

“A trinket,” you said, shyly handing over the rather heavy gift to him. “So you won’t drop your birthstone around anymore.” You paused, eyes darting across his features to discern his reaction. “I hope you like it.” 

He could only stare at you, eyes wide, unable to speak. 

Hajin just snorted. “Come on, Jungkook! Just say something! You’re leaving us all in suspense!”

“Right. Sorry,” he said, blinking rapidly as if he couldn’t believe what was in front of him. “I wasn’t expecting a gift, Y/N… Not even a party.” He glanced at the small feast Hajin had the royal chefs put together. “Thank you,” he said, clutching the sword close to him. His voice had gone soft again, blending in with the slight breeze that wafted in through the princess’ window. “I’ll cherish it always.”

“Damn right, you will!” Hajin laughed. “You don’t even know how much Y/N would worry about you losing your birthstone. I don’t know how you’ve existed for 20 years now without having lost it!” She grinned. “But I suppose I’m happy for you. That new trinket of yours should come in handy when you go off to the 1st city to fight in a year.”

Jungkook turned to Hajin, a small smile playing on his lips. “Do you want me to leave that badly?”

“Well, it’s frankly annoying that you get to graduate before us,” Hajin huffed. “But you make my best friend happy so that’s that. Plus, you’re not too shabby of a cadet, either. Anyways, I have a present for you too, you know.”

Jungkook raised his eyebrows. “I’m surprised.”

Hajin rolled her eyes. “Well, don’t be. My present to you is giving you my blessing for dating my best friend,” she declared, crossing her arms over her chest and looking quite serious.

You laughed. “Hajin!”

“I’ll take it,” Jungkook said. “Thanks.”

He was still shaken by your gift, staring in awe at his silver sword and running his fingers down the shining blade. You watched him as he took out his birthstone from his pocket and carefully slotted it into the socket at the edge of the handle. 

“It’s perfect,” you told him. “Like the sword was made to hold your birthstone.”

“Yeah even I have to admit it suits you,” Hajin said, nudging Jungkook with a grin on her face. “And here,” she said. “I picked this up for you when Y/N was looking for your perfect trinket.”

Jungkook took the thick book she handed to him, cocking his head. He turned it over, meticulously taking in the silver binding and the violet leather cover, running his hands over it before flipping to the first page. “Tales of the Blackwoods,” he read. “You’re not trying to convince me to explore the Blackwoods with you, are you, Hajin?”

“Well, I will in the future, but this is just so you can brush up on Darlae’s fairytales,” she said with a grin. “You see, your girlfriend’s quite a fan if you haven’t noticed. So I suggest that you read up on Guseul’s Hill to win her favor. That’s her favorite.” When she saw Jungkook’s stoic face, she burst out laughing. “I’m just kidding! I know you don’t believe in fairytales. You can keep the book though because I won’t read it either. Hmph!” She crossed her arms over her chest. “I thought it was a funny joke, but you never laugh! Fine. Here’s your real present.” She handed him a black leather sword belt while avoiding eye contact. “A practical accessory. It’s a little boring for a present, but you’re a bor—I mean, a practical person, so I thought you’d like it.”

Jungkook smiled. “So you got me three gifts, then?”

“Oh, shut up,” Hajin sighed. “Just take them.”

“I think you’re warming up to me,” he replied. She shoved him lightly in response.

You laughed, sitting back on Hajin’s bed listening to their banter. Though both Jungkook and Hajin kept up a hard front, you could tell that they also cared about each other quite a lot. At least, you knew how much Jungkook wanted that blessing from Hajin, and you knew how long it took Hajin to pick out the perfect present for him. They had a strange way of showing it, but they did like each other, which was all the more reason to spend more time together.

True to her word, Hajin begged and begged you and Jungkook to explore the Blackwoods with her. When neither of you relented, she decided to wander off alone, and she would have succeeded in her lifelong dream of exploring the forest if you and Jungkook hadn’t caught her and dragged her back to her room. You had to sit down with your best friend and remind her of the terrible things that happened to the wanderers who dared to enter the Blackwoods. 

“But what if I can fight off what’s in there? What if we can fight them off?” Hajin countered. “Come on! No one’s been in there for decades! What if it’s safer now? I’m dying to know if it’s true—that cave in Guseul’s Hill.”

Jungkook shook his head in disbelief, not even bothering to interfere anymore.

“Hajin… It’s just… The risk—er, risks—are too high. Maybe… I dunno, maybe we shouldn’t get so distracted? Don’t you want to live to see the day you graduate and move to the 1st city?” you asked. “You need to avenge your mother, right?”

You hoped that pulling the vengeance card would work in your favor, but you didn’t think that Hajin would acquiesce so easily. Those words were all that Hajin needed for her to never mention exploring the Blackwoods again—much less wander around it.

There were plenty of other adventurous things to do in Darlae, anyway. Hajin made sure to take the lead, touring Jungkook around the royal family’s abandoned summer home and taking the two of you skating on the frozen lake. She showed Jungkook the best spots to watch the sunsets on the castle grounds and the best shops around the 3rd and 8th cities—all the things she shared with you too. The three of you became nearly inseparable, and your friendship with Hajin grew deeper, just as your relationship with Jungkook did. With Jungkook, you kept the secret of monocode, and with Hajin, you kept the secret of the underground tunnels. 

But things weren’t always about fun and adventure. The three of you were still cadets in the rigorous training program, and you had your ranks to maintain. (Of course, you tried not to train for the sake of keeping your name in the first slot, but you also couldn’t lie that a part of your motivation came from the fact that you would disappoint everyone around you if your ranking were to drop.) So, you trained hard with Jungkook and Hajin, practicing on dummy targets in your limited free time.

Occasionally, one of you would be matched with each other in a duel, and when that was the case, Hajin would always groan—she’d never been able to beat either you or Jungkook. On the other hand, Jungkook preferred being matched with you. He never won, of course, but he enjoyed the challenge immensely.

You always helped him up after he surrendered and he would always say the same thing to you, smiling, with his doe eyes sparkling. “One day, I’m gonna win. Don’t ever go easy on me.”

And you would always respond with a teasing grin: “I would never think of it.”

Life felt like a never-ending balancing act. This wasn’t a sometimes, but an always. On top of your training (which thankfully wasn’t difficult anymore), you still had your private and joint lessons with General Son, which led to at least eight hours of outside readings and work. Then, on your own time, you were also training with Jungkook and Hajin at night until you went to bed with sore muscles and a throbbing migraine. When you weren’t doing army-related tasks, you were either out exploring the nation with Hajin or the knowledge inside the castle libraries with Jungkook. 

That left only a little bit of time for you to spend alone, which you loved just as much as spending time with those you cared about. So, at obscure hours of the night, when inspiration hit you the most, you would sit under a lamplight in a library, sketching gowns and frocks and other garments in one of your collections of notebooks. Then, from the bits of fabric you carefully gleaned from your market trips, you would reify your designs. 

There were many failed attempts—most of your masking was temporary—but there were also a few tries that yielded successful results. One of them was this beautiful lavender-colored gown with sage green ribbons and lace that you spent weeks perfecting, little by little. You loved it so much that you wore it every day for a week, slipping into it as soon as you peeled off your uniform. 

Ultimately, however, you wanted to be able to mask your sketches straight into reality. It was going to take years of practice, but Jungkook was always supportive.

“It’s an effective hobby,” he told you, looking quite proud as you twirled around in your lavender dress for him. “Masking always goes far. It could save your life one day, too.”

“You really think so?”

He nodded. “On the battlefield,” he said. “Especially since you’re so good at it. You’re the most formidable cadet on the castle grounds, and you’ll become the most formidable soldier on the battlegrounds one day.”

Something about the way he said that made it seem like he knew that was going to happen. It was those divinist tendencies. Sometimes, things Jungkook said turned out to be true, so you didn’t have much reason to doubt him. Except, you weren’t a formidable person. You never were, and no divinist could convince you that you would become one in the near future. If anything, you believed Jungkook would become the most formidable soldier on the battlegrounds. You didn’t even have to be a divinist to see it.

⨰ previous | series m.list | next

⨰ a/n: okay my bad this is late AGAIN. but i swear this chapter was in need of major surgery and i had to hang onto it for an extra day to fix it LOL. i hope you enjoyed it heh <3

please consider telling me your thoughts with a comment, an ask or a reblog :) i love hearing readers' impressions/rambles/predictions! if you want to join the taglist, send in a private message, ask, reply to this post or reblog with your request!

[aeoki]

[Idol Story] Yuzuru Fushimi - Good Fortune May Even Come Unexpectedly

Location: Season Avenue Characters: Touri, Yuzuru & Wataru Unlocked in: [4☆] The Bond with King Season: Spring

Yuzuru: *Sigh…* (Who would have thought the day would come where I’d be walking King.)

(I’m fully aware the other servants at the mansion are busy, but if I could have avoided this situation, I would have very much loved to…)

…Please, King. Listen to what I say today.

(There are times when this dog won’t listen to me.)

(I would have thought he would be calmer now that he’s in his old age, but he must see me as lower ranked than him.)

(He even tried to bite me when I was feeding him previously…)

Eek!? K–King! Why are you barking all of a sudden?

I knew it – this dog must really think lowly of me!

Please, do not thoughtlessly do anything bad!

Wataru: –I mentioned this once, but I can’t believe how much you dislike dogs, Mr. Butler…

You’re always so calm and composed – what an extremely rare scene I’ve witnessed ♪

Yuzuru: Oh, Hibiki-sama. To think you’d bear witness to my unsightly behaviour…

Wataru: No no, it doesn’t bother me at all.

Everyone has a thing or two they dislike or have trouble handling.

That’s King, Hime-kun’s beloved pet dog, isn’t it?

Oh, how wonderful! Such lovely eyes and fluffy fur!

I can tell you’re loved at a glance ♪

Yuzuru: (That fussy King is being well-behaved and allowing Hibiki-sama to pet him!?)

(As expected of Hibiki-sama. He has not only grasped human hearts in the blink of an eye, but also the heart’s of animals.)

(But this is good luck. Hibiki-sama is also someone I trust.)

Ahem. Hibiki-sama, I’m fully aware I’m making a rude request, but if you’re fine with it, would you be able to walk King in my place?

Wataru: Walk King, you say? Oh, I see.

Why, that would be a bit difficult. I’m also out on a walk with my beloved partners ♪

Yuzuru: Your partners? The pigeons?

But I don’t see them anywhere.

Wataru: No no, they’re always right next to you, Mr. Butler.

See? They’re right on your shoulder…☆

Yuzuru: Oh, you’ve taken me by surprise. Well done.

Wataru: …Hmm. The usual Mr. Butler wouldn’t have fallen for that.

But it appears you really have a dislike for dogs. I see, I see.

You’ve once mentioned that you wish to overcome your dislike for dogs, no?

Yuzuru: Indeed, I have. As long as I serve the Young Master, I cannot avoid living with King.

Therefore, I cannot always run away and complain about it.

Wataru: Amazing! I’m moved to tears by your spirit, Mr. Butler!

Then I, Wataru Hibiki, shall lend you a hand ☆

Yuzuru: Lend a hand? Will you walk King in my place?

Wataru: No, that wouldn’t aid you in overcoming your dislike.

I could this time but it wouldn’t help you at all.

That wouldn’t be any good. It would end in a sad result with no love nor surprises.

Now that I’m involved, I won’t acknowledge such a boring punch line. Hehehe…

Yuzuru: But what on earth should I do then?

Wataru: It’s simple – You and King must overcome difficulty together.

If you do, then your bond as human and dog shall deepen.

If you continue to separate from each other out of fear, then the relationship won’t develop.

Yuzuru: I see. I have a feeling Oogami-sama and Akehoshi-sama said something similar in the past.

My fear will also be picked up by the dog.

In order to overcome that fear, I must work with King to achieve something, correct?

Wataru: Exactly!

Hehehe. I see you’re feeling quite eager now ♪

Then here is the specific strategy.

King shall learn one trick.

Naturally, the one who will teach him this trick is you, Mr. Butler. I shall support you only.

After learning a trick with so much hard work, I’m sure love will blossom and a bond will be established between the two of you!

Yuzuru: …Alright. I shall prepare myself.

I shall teach King a trick under your instruction, Hibiki-sama!

ㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤㅤ< A few days later… >

Touri: –So, what was the result?

Yuzuru: Right. It was a long journey.

This is the result of the strict training we received under Hibiki-sama’s instructions…

Please watch once more, Young Master!

Come, King~ Please focus here~

You mustn’t move while I’m looking at you. Alright…

Red light… green light!

Look, Young Master!

King has learnt how to play “Red Light Green Light” ♪

Touri: Don’t give me that!

That Long-Hair taught you two both something weird~!

I’ll mess up his long hair and tie them into buns the next time I see him!

*Sigh…* But well, I guess this means you’ve gotten closer to King, right?

Yuzuru: No? He barked numerous times during the training and I had to hold him down – I think it was rather traumatising for him.

In terms of results, I don’t think our relationship has changed all that much.

Touri: Just what on earth were you two trying to achieve…

[goldenlilium-ocs]

November 27th, 1995.

(thank you to @multifanenthusiast with your assistance with this scene last year)

Loss. For such a universal experience, Juliette had never expected it to be so isolating. It had been five months now since the death of Cedric Diggory. The world did not stop spinning for the death of angels. Juliette had learned that the hard way. There were no more handwritten letters at breakfast, no picnic dates on the quidditch pitch or astronomy tower, no matching shirts bequeathed by Seb and Kingston. She had danced with Death for the first time and it had left her lonely on the dance floor while everyone else continued Life’s waltz. It was like she had forgotten the steps. 

She had received her O.W.L results over the summer. Her aunt had gotten engaged, Gwenog Jones had visited to share her prayers- and yet none of it meant anything. Nothing mattered anymore. Not when it couldn’t be shared with him. 

Those around her grew impatient now. It seemed the socially acceptable mourning period was coming to an end. The gentle nudges to contact friends, the invitations to Hogsmeade, owls from both her and his parents. Juliette, once so eager to please, no longer cared for the worry she caused others. Let them worry that she was falling apart. They didn’t understand that she already had. The pieces of her lay scattered in that grave with Cedric. Now she was just a shell of Juliette Bishop, moving through the motions.

Juliette spent most of her time in the library these days. It was a good way to avoid the heavy eye-prickling sorrow that threatened to take over every second of the day. Madam Pince made a pretty good bodyguard with her affinity for scaring people away the second they spoke a decibel higher than the sound of a pin dropping. It had eventually encouraged even her own best friend Kingston to give up and leave her be as soon as she stepped inside the library. The witch kept to a table by the windows in the very back of the room, usually only occupied by the most studious or couples snogging. Fortunately, they usually left pretty quickly once they spotted ‘The Girl With The Dead Boyfriend’.

It was one of those days again today. The emptiness hollow yet weighted permanently in Juliette’s chest as she stared blankly at her potions homework. Amortentia. Death was cruel, but Life was ruthless. Lost in her voided mind, the shadow passing over her almost went amiss until the intruder cleared their throat. As the brunette glanced up, she was taken aback by the sight of Mattheo Riddle. Especially without his usual cohort. Up close, he looked like shit.

His dark curls seemed in disagreement about which direction to stand in. He had bags under his eyes and kept shifting from foot to foot. He opened and closed his mouth multiple times, an odd sight to see. What was even odder were the words that finally came out. 

“I’m sorry.”

Juliette glanced around, wondering if maybe he’d knocked over her ink or dropped some books. Nothing seemed out of place except for the Slytherin standing before her. “For…?”

He still stood there, mouth puckering like a fish. Eventually he inhaled sharply, gazing down at the books on the desk. “Diggory was- he was really good. Death’s sort of a strange concept for me and all but…he didn’t deserve that. And… I know he’s my father but- I mean I don’t know him. Never met the bloke.”

Juliette’s gaze fell onto the books in front of her, as if staring hard enough might burn through any rising emotion. She thought she had run out of tears to cry by now but they poked at her eyes, begging for release. 

“It wasn’t your fault.” The witch shrugged. She wasn’t even sure he had bothered to attend the finale of the tournament. Perhaps because he had known, but the look in his eyes told a different story. She knew pain. 

Mattheo seemed confused. As if the genuity of her words had shocked him. “No, but I still have to live with the consequences of what he does.” He stated. "No one should have to die for this. No one should lose the one they love the most..." Mattheo said, trailing off wondering what the feeling was that he just spoke of. Much like death, he knew little about love. He had love from his aunt growing up. He knew brotherly love from Theo. But a love that is so strong you can smell it in a potion and be reminded of a single person- the love he saw in Juliette's eyes every time she looked at Cedric was a love Mattheo had never known. It was a love he craved, but would never feel. He didn't deserve to feel that level of emotion.

“You didn’t give the order or perform the curse as far as I’m aware. It wasn’t your fault.” Juliette steeled herself to look up again. She just wished he would leave already instead of trying to take responsibility for what happened to Cedric. She didn’t need to relive that night again. Or be reminded she might never be loved like that again.

Instead of leaving, Riddle pulled out the chair opposite and sat down. “Where’s Chance?”

The worst part of it all was that this boy who didn’t even know her, looked genuinely concerned. Juliette was so sick of that look. She shrank into her chair, folding her arms across her chest. The truth was that Kingston was losing hope in her. He was inviting her to eat less and less, no longer bothering to bring her the homework she never completed from classes she never attended. But she wasn’t about to tell him that. 

“Has anyone ever told you it’s impolite to shove your nose when it doesn’t belong?”

“Once or twice.” The Slytherin replied, the humour wrapped around his tongue was absent from his gaze as he stared her down. “Do you really think this is how he wants you to mourn him, Bishop?” 

Why was it always the people who had lost nothing who were the ones acting like they understood how it felt?

“Don’t act like you knew the first thing about him.” Juliette’s scowl deepened. She doubted he’d ever uttered a single word to Cedric. Too many people in Cedric’s life had just assumed they had him pinned down. It had to have been exhausting. 

A hushing sound came from over the Slytherin’s shoulder, the shape of Madam Pince disappearing behind the shelves, and Juliette glowered. “Are you done?”

Apparently not.

“Look, I get it. He was your boyfriend. You probably thought he was the love of your life,” Mattheo continued in hushed tones, “But you have got to stop being dead set on being the girl with the dead boyfriend. I know you’re pushing people away. This is my table, you know. Nobody comes here. I know your grades are slipping. Since when does Theo score higher than you in potions? He’s always complaining about how uptight you are in that class.”

So he was impolite and a stalker. 

“I am not uptight.” Juliette huffed, another shush coming from somewhere to her right. She rolled her eyes and went to pull her planner toward her, but Mattheo tugged it right out of her hand. 

“Bishop, your planner has two different colour code systems, you’re always obnoxiously on time to everything. You push away anyone who tries to sympathise with you and you hate when people don’t match the effort you put in. Up. Tight.” Mattheo leaned back with a smirk, proud of his freakish oberservations, but then his expression turned serious again. "Everyone around you can see it. You've become a shell of yourself since losing him." He muttered. 

Juliette’s hands shook a little, and she gripped the edge of the desk, gazing away from the Slytherin. “I didn’t lose him, he was taken from me. And they’re trying to call it a fucking accident.” She hissed. 

She watched as Mattheo leaned forward, resting his elbows on the table with that stupid smirk on his face. His dismissal of her anger was irksome, as if he’d been waiting for it. “There you go, Bishop. Let out the aggression. No use in keeping it bottled up forever. Strength is better than weakness. Be angry.” He even chuckled, which made her insides burn. 

Her cheeks flushed a little, brows furrowing in confusion. Was he actively trying to piss her off? “I’m not angry. I’m fucking sad.”

“Sadness is just rage turned inwards.”

“You’re insane.” Juliette scoffed. She rose to her feet, packing the books back into her bag. 

“Yeah, I’ve heard that one before.” Mattheo stood too, sidestepping to block her escape. Her planner was still clutched in his hand. “You’re allowed to be angry. Merlin knows it’s better than feeling sorry for yourself.”

“Don’t tell me how to feel!” 

“Out!” Madam Pince had appeared out of nowhere yet again. And despite her whispers, the shrill of her voice still pierced Juliette’s ears. “One week’s ban, both of you.”

Juliette paled. Where else could she go to escape her friends? No, not escape them, just get away for a bit. “Nice going.” She spat, glaring at Mattheo as she tore her planner from his hands on the way out. 

She began walking away, but she couldn’t get rid of that nagging voice in her head. Cedric would have handled it better, he handled everything better. She risked a glance over her shoulder. Mattheo was still standing there at the entrance, he seemed to be muttering angrily to himself. Juliette felt a little bad for snapping now, but he shouldn’t have pushed her. And she was not uptight. 

She turned back with a sigh, changing course for the Hufflepuff common room. She probably owed her friends a visit by now. If Cedric were here, he’d definitely be smug about her sudden change of heart.

“Shut it, Diggory.”

[0nlythrowharrybeaux]

Hii i have a very sad (a bit angsty?) request if you’re still taking them? y/n and Harry being best friends for a long time and she's still a virgin (and a little immature for her age if that makes sense) and she has a very big crush on Harry but he (truly) doesn’t like her in that way. And when she admits it he comforts her and stuff but he feels so bad for her and wasn’t expecting for her to love him 💔

Hi! Of course! I’m on vacation right now so I’m doing this on my phone! Apologies in advance for any awful typos that may occur! I’ll fix it when I get back home!

This is an AU as well:) I hope you like it!

From the moment Harry met Y/N in year 9, he knew that they would be best friends. She was new to the school that year and the first thing he noticed about her as she was introduced to everyone at the front of the class was the Coldplay poster tucked into the sleeve of the back of her binder. She seemed sweet, despite how nervous she looked and he decided that he would try and make her day a bit better. He recalls going up to her at lunch that day and asking her about her favorite songs and god, they were musical soulmates! And well, the rest is history. Fast forward many years and they’re both nearly 30 and still as great friends as they were all those years ago.

Naturally, she started to like him, who wouldn’t? Her little crush on Harry continued on developing and by the time she was 17 she was fully in love with him. In her eyes, Harry could do absolutely no wrong. However, he kept her a bit shielded from any of his less than savory endeavors, but that was intentional. Harry always viewed Y/N as like a pretty, new puppy - or at least she had the personality of one. Sweet, curious, eager, playful, and extremely lovable - there wasn’t even a single molecule in her body capable of bringing anyone displeasure. And while this was gorgeous, it also made her vulnerable to people with bad intentions. People that Harry had always shielded her from to spare her pain, but that also meant sparing her from experiences of growth & opportunities to thicken her skin. His coddling of her resulted in a naïveté that would bite them both in the ass someday in some way.

Harry’s shielding of Y/N applied mostly to men. Any man who was interested in Y/N was deeply scrutinized by Harry. It didn’t help that Harry was jealous over his best friend, that just made him more zealous in his witch-hunts. And this too had a consequence. Being nearly 30, Y/N had only gone on a handful of dates in her life. 2 of those were for formals, which Harry had been her date to, so truly it was maybe a little less than she counted. She had only ever had 1 boyfriend, but that was when Harry started dating someone more seriously & she felt bad for liking him while he was taken. So she started to go out with a guy she liked from university & they ended up going out for about 4 months. It ended mostly because he wanted to have sex and she wasn’t ready for anything like that. Naturally Harry stepped in and told her that “that’s why you don’t date guys I don’t know”. She hardly had any experience with any man outside of Harry. And her sexual experiences were very limited to mostly herself now. She didn’t mind this though; she’d always known that her first time would be for someone she was in love with. And all her life, that had been Harry up to this point. She hadn’t pictured anyone else in thad scenario and she wasn’t in a rush to. She would just continue to wait.

To new friends seeing all of this, it seemed that Harry was like this with Y/N because he was in love with her and just too shy to say it. When people started getting this information to her it spun her world into mayhem. Could he really be in love with her? Just as much as she was in love with him? It seemed impossible, but the more she gave it thought the more it made sense. It made sense to everyone else! So maybe they were destined to be together at some point. Whenever that was, Y/N awaited that day very patiently. From then on she saw herself as a real and probable option for him. At some point he would have to realize that none of the people he pursued romantically were as perfect for him as she was.

There were several occasions that made her feel like “this is is it!”. But the big declaration never seemed to come. And the older they got, the more she wondered what was going on up until their friends wedding. They had gone to a friends wedding in the Bahamas and had the most marvelous time. It was nearing midnight and the beach was still warm and breezy as she and Harry walked off their drunkenness just a little bit. The whole time their arms were brushing, neither of them made a move to create any distance between them. And right before they got back to rejoin the party Harry had stopped her and leaned down to kiss her. She just looked so beautiful, he couldn’t help it. He had always been curious about the feeling and taste of her lips and boy, he was not far off the mark. She tasted as sweet as she was. Her lips were smooth and pliant against his own, and the kiss had been really nice. But when he pulled back and saw her eyes glossed over with so much adoration for him, he knew that he couldn’t kiss her ever again, as much as he might want to. That’s when he realized that she liked him. The weeks after that had fortunately been very busy for him at work and made him keep enough of a distance that things just cooled off all on their own, or so he thought.

Y/N was stumped by this for weeks and she realized that the only way that she’d get an answer was if she asked herself. Coming up with the courage to do this took months. She’d plan to say something and then chicken out before she could bring it up. But the not knowing was eating away at her horribly and she just wanted an answer! Everything people had told her before came rushing back to her mind, everything they had in common, all of the amazing years and memories they had shared for basically half their life now and now there was that kiss! They were all obvious pointers towards their impending and inevitable coming together. Or at least in her eyes, it had all been leading up to them being together. She loved him and she had been waiting ages for him. Maybe if she was open about her feelings for him it would help him overcome whatever nerves he had about facing the truth that he was also madly in love with her.

It hadn’t been anything too complicated, just dinner at her place, it was rather common place. She had made a pasta dish that he really enjoyed and even his favorite dessert! She was excited and nervous and the only thing stopping her from chickening out of her plan was this mental image that after they confessed their feeling for each other there’d be another kiss and maybe… more. She was ready for more if it was him. She knew that he would be so lovely and patient with her when the time came, so she wasn’t stressed about gaining experience in that aspect. In her mind they could learn about each other in that way when they finally would get together.

Her illusions for how this night would go were sky high. She felt like her heart wouldn’t be able to handle the anticipation and nerves for much longer. Even as she got ready, she was mindful of wearing the perfume he always complimented and loved on her. She wore a necklace that he had gifted her when she got her first real, adult job. And she reminded herself that tonight was going to be the start of the rest of her life with him. This was it.

She had just set down the bottle of wine on the table when her doorbell rang. She rushed over and was beaming as she saw his handsome and smiling face on the other side of her door.

“Hi! Come in!” She greeted him and opened the door wider to let him in.

“Oh wow, smells incredible.” He complimented as she locked up.

“Thank you.” She said with a smile as she turned towards him. And he came closer to hug her and he kissed her cheek and she returned the gesture, this was their usual greeting.

“Mmm, you smell incredible too.” He hummed close to her ear.

“Oh, thanks.” She smiled bashfully before they pulled apart.

“Course love. Is there anything you need help with?”

“No, everything’s ready. Just sit down.” She assured and he obliged as she just grabbed some napkins for them.

Harry didn’t miss the set up. Obviously something big was going on. They hadn’t really spent as much time together as they usually would over the past couple weeks. And well, the kiss in the Bahamas had been maybe 4 or 5 months ago, so he didn’t even think this was related to that.

“How was your day?” Her question broke him out of his thoughts as she set a napkin down beside him.

“It could’ve been better.” Harry admitted, “We hit a snag in reaching a deal with a potentially huge client, so we’ve all been scrambling a bit. You’ve no idea how happy I was you called. I needed this.” He said as he exhaled and she smiled.

“Well good, I’m glad you were able to make it.” She responded, “Do you want wine?”

“Yes please.” He said and she smiled even wider now. She couldn’t help but feel so excited that his day was about to get a million times better. Everything was falling into place, she could feel it! “And what about you? What’s the occasion?” Harry asked as she carefully poured him a glass.

“Nothing really. I was just in the mood to do something special.” She shrugged as she poured herself her wine glass.

“Oh really?” He asked with a grin and she nodded.

“Yeah, I swear.” She said again as their eyes met and he saw no hesitation in them.

“Alright, we’ll thank you for this.”

“Course, H. Dig in!” She insisted and he chuckled before he went for it.

As usual, they talked about everything and anything that came to mind. When dessert came Harry quite literally groaned with disbelief. “You spoil me, love.” He had said and Y/N couldn’t help but think about how much more she’d spoil him when they were together. They ended up on her couch, feet up and facing each other as they talked. There was some flirting and laughter and fun, nothing out of the norm. And well, Y/N just needed to bite the bullet. As their laughter died down from something she took a deep breath and let it out before sipping down some more wine.

“I actually did want to talk to you about something.” She said, not making any eye contact yet.

“Oh yeah? What is it?” He asked and she sighed nervously before looking into his eyes. And that gave her all of the comfort and courage she needed. He was her safe space, he protected her and took care of her, he loved her. How could she live another day without expressing everything she felt for him.

“We’ve been friends a long, long time.” She said and he nodded, “And I don’t know, I mean, you know that I’m not the most experienced person out there-”

“Did you have sex with someone!?” He asked with a shocked expression on his face and she scoffed.

“What? No!” She said and he chuckled.

“Oh, OK. Good.” He hummed before drinking from his glass and her heartbeat spiked. Maybe he would be the one saying this after all.

“Why is that good?” She giggled and he shrugged.

“Because…” Harry shrugged, “You’re just…too special for any random guy you meet on the street. You deserve someone who sees every part of you and sees just how wonderful and extraordinary you are. All the guys out there are assholes.”

“If that’s true I’m going to die a virgin at this rate.” She joked and he laughed.

“I doubt that. I mean, look at you.” He said and she smiled bashfully.

“Oh hush…” Y/N chuckled breathily. Trying to ward off the effect his words had on her.

“Alright, so if that’s not the occasion, then what is?” He asked curiously.

“Well… I’ve been thinking a lot.” She started nervously. She felt like the ground would open up and swallow her whole, “Just about the future and about everything that I want to accomplish and well…when I think of that I- I can’t help but think about like… love and marriage and that part of things too…” she explained. His eyes widened as he listened.

“Oh? H-have you met someone?” He asked more seriously and she nibbled on her bottom lip to suppress her bashful smile.

“Ummm kind of.” She finally said and Harry didn’t mean to frown, but he was shocked and a bit hurt that maybe she had been seeing someone in secret. They never kept anything serious from each other and so while he was upset at her potential withholding of information, she was interpreting that Harry was upset because he was jealous. Jealous that maybe she had met someone else.

“Why didn’t you tell me? Is it serious?” He questioned and she giggled nervously.

“H, I-I’m trying to now.” She explained.

“Right. So how long has it been or when did this happen?” He asked and she chuckled.

“God, just let me finish!” She insisted with a smile. She was taking his concern for something it wasn’t and it was giving her the courage she had been lacking up until now.

“Yes, of course. Sorry.” He stopped and drank from his wine and set it down. His expectant eyes landed on hers and she sighed.

“Harry, it’s…it’s you.” She said softly and he sat up straight, trying to make sure he heard her right.

“Wait, me?” He asked and she bit her lip and nodded.

“I’ve been in love with you for ages. Quite literally and I mean, everyone says it makes sense. And I think they’re right. And I see how you treat me and the way you act sometimes, and I know that it’s scary to turn what we have into more. But now that you know that I feel the same way-”

“Wait. What?” He interrupted and her smile dropped a bit, “I’m so confused right now.”

“What?” She asked and he sighed nervously. His stomach felt like it was in knots as realization struck him harshly; this was not going to be easy.

“You’re talking about us? Like you and I?” He asked and she was nervous now as she nodded with some hesitation.

“Y-yes.”

“How did you…come to that conclusion?” He asked and she sighed with so much anxiety. He didn’t seem upset or anything bad, so she wasn’t sure where this was going now.

“Well, if I recall correctly, you kissed me. At Willow’s wedding?” She reminded and his eyebrows raised in surprise, “I just thought that…” she trailed off when she saw his hands come up and cover his face.

“I’m so sorry.” He nearly winced into his hands. And her eyes immediately started welling up. He didn’t even need to say he didn’t feel the same, his reaction said it all. She forced down the lump in her throat as she stood from the couch. “Fuck.” He whispered.

“This was a huge mistake. I’m sorry. You can show yourself out.” She nearly whispered and hurried off to her bedroom with hot tears streaming down her cheeks. She rested her weight on the door and shut it as she covered her mouth to muffle her sobs.

She has never felt so stupid in her entire life. She felt like she had just been fed information by other people and believed it, like a gullible kid. Maybe she wasn’t as sharp as she always thought? She felt like an imbecile. And the more she cried the worse she felt. How could she have been so stupid? The feeling worsened when she heard a few taps on her door.

“Y/N?” She heard Harry’s muffled voice through the door and she wanted to scream. Then she heard the door knob turn and she reached out to stop it from completing the turn. “Love, let me in.” He requested softly and she exhaled shakily as her tears continued to fall.

“Please go away.” She cried softly and he sighed.

“Love, I can’t leave you like this.” He said and she shook her head as she rested it back against the wood.

“I’m fine!” She insisted.

“You just told me you’re in love with me and I…” he stopped speaking, “you’re not fine.” He said instead. “Please, I’m not upset or grossed out or anything like that!” He said, “I…get it.” He said softly and she felt so much rage build up inside of her as he said this. He didn’t get it. Not in the slightest! She turned around and suddenly opened her door, it startled him a bit.

“No you don’t. You really don’t get it, H.” She sniffled and he sighed.

“Trust me, I do.” He said coming closer and she backed up.

“Are you fucking kidding me!?! I just embarrassed myself… I’m so fucking delusional for thinking that you’d love me back!” She almost shouted.

“Hey, you’re not delusional.” He shook his head as he finally reached her and grabbed her face in his hands. He was peering into her tearful eyes with so much sympathy and it made her feel even worse. “I did kiss you because I wanted to. So badly. And I just knew from the moment we pulled away that I had messed up.” He said and she cried harder, “It’s not because I regret kissing you!” He said to appease her, “I wouldn’t have kissed you if I hadn’t been wandering about it all my life, Y/N. Believe me love, I’ve thought about it since we met.” He said gently as his thumbs wiped tears from her cheeks. “I just… never wanted to be the one that hurts you like this.” He said quietly and she shook her head as her eyes squeezed shut.

“What does that even mean?!” She asked and he sighed.

“It means that I’m no good for you, love.” He admitted with a solemn tone.

“How would you even know that if you haven’t even tried?” She asked and he rolled his lips together as he thought about his next words carefully.

“Love, I… I don’t do relationships. Like serious ones. I don’t want to get married. I don’t want kids. I just…like to have fun.” He explained and she sighed as she started to think about what he was saying.

“What about that time you were with Sheila?” She asked and he swallowed thickly with a small frown on his face.

“S-she got pregnant.” He explained and she frowned and pushed him back. He was fully prepared to rush after her, but she just sat at the edge of her bed and stared at the wall as she took this information in. “You and I both know how I grew up. I didn’t want that for me but it was the right thing to do, especially if it was my baby in there.” He said and Y/N was just so shocked. “B-but she was lying. When I found out she had been further along than she had told me I made her either do a paternity test or fess up to what was really going on.” He explained, “We had slept together one time while she was still…with her ex. But it had been too far back for the baby to have been mine so-”

“Wait, what?” Y/N suddenly interrupted his story as his words finally caught up to her. “You slept with someone in a relationship?” She asked with so much disappointment in her voice and he sighed.

“I have.” He confirmed, “Multiple times.” He confessed and her frown deepened, “I told you! I’m not good enough for someone like you!” He said and she shook her head. “And it’s not that I’m not attracted to you,” He said, “Believe me, I’ve wanted you too but I couldn’t. I couldn’t allow myself to be so selfish with someone that I love so much.” He said and and she scoffed.

“And what about everything else? You’ve taken opportunities from me. I could’ve…been happy with someone else by now!” She nearly shouted in frustration.

“Those guys were dicks, Y/N!”

“Apparently you all are!” She shouted and he frowned, “And you’re the worst one of them all!” She shouted through her tears and Harry felt his heart break as her words cut deep. “Because you made me believe that you loved me with all of the crap you were doing! Protecting me, making me feel special, and safe, and kissing me like that…Jesus!” She shouted.

“I’m so, so sorry.” He said as he came closer, You’re right. You’re so right, love. I was selfish because…because I’m afraid of losing you to someone else. You’re my best friend-”

“I don’t think so, H. We said we’d never keep big things from each other and here you are confessing things to me that are making me realize that I don’t even know who you are!” She said with frustration.

“I get that, love. But I just…didn’t want to hurt you or disappoint you. And I…know how this feels for you because I loved you too once. When we first met.” He explained, “You liked my mate though, remember? Daniel?” He said and Y/N nodded as she recalled that, “I saw you guys kiss at some party and…I was livid. He knew I was gone for you too.” Harry said with a sad smile as he sat beside her and she turned towards him, “I wanted to be your first kiss. I wanted to…have every experience with you and when he did that, I mean…fuck I was gutted for weeks.” He recalled, “I just knew I never wanted to feel that way ever again-”

“Wait, are you trying to tell me that somehow this is my fault?” She asked and he shook his head.

“No! Not at all, but I just realized that…being in love with you was not going to end well for either of us in the long run. Back then, it was because I valued your friendship far more than having you as a girlfriend. Because changing things put forth some risk that if things ended we would lose each other. And as I got older, the reasons for why I didn’t pursue you like that kept changing, and for the last decade or so the reason has been that I can’t give you what you want or deserve. Also, I’m a total fucking prick.” He sighed sadly and she shook her head.

“You’re not a prick. You just…do prick things.” She sniffled and he chuckled as he grabbed her hand and interlocked their fingers. He glanced down to see their hands together like that. He liked how natural and safe it felt.

“I…appreciate that.” He said softly and she hummed. “I’m really sorry for misleading you. I never meant to do that. I just wanted the best for you. I want you to be happy with someone who deserves it as much as you.” He sniffled.

“Every single person on this earth deserves to be happy, H. And they should get to choose for themselves what that looks like.”

“I know.” He said softly, “I promise, I won’t interfere ever again.” He said and she chuckled sarcastically.

“Yeah right.”

“Well, I’ll try my best not to.” He corrected and she smiled, though it didn’t light up her eyes like usual. And soon that smile faded and her tears started falling again. “What is it?” Harry asked and she sighed.

“I know that I’m probably a fool for it, but I just have so many feelings for you that I don’t think I’ll ever stop loving you.” She sniffled, “And it…hurts. It hurts so much.” She cried quietly and he pouted as he pulled her into his chest.

“Oh babe, I know it hurts.” He said, “And I know that it feels like it’ll never go away, but it will one day. I can’t tell you when exactly, but one day it’ll be less hard than it was before, and so on until one day you’ll wake up and it’ll be just a memory.” He said quietly as she cried in his hold. “I understand if you need space for a while.” He said and then licked over his lips and he swallowed the lump in his throat before getting out his next words, “O-or if…you don’t want to be friends after all of this.” He said, “I just want you to do the best thing for you, regardless of what that means for me. I don’t deserve all of that wonderful, untainted love in your heart.” His voice faded into a whisper and she sighed as they sat in silence like that for a little while. The tears never stopped streaming down her face as she tried to think of what to do. It was hard to be objective while being wrapped in his arms. When she made the move to get out of his hold he immediately let her go and she paced before her bed a few times before looking in his eyes.

“I uh, I think you should go.” She whispered and he bit down on the inside of his cheek as he nodded and stood up, despite the hurt and regret in his chest and started heading to her front door. She followed him in silence and he grabbed his things before he opened up and stepped outside. Her tearful eyes met his own, his were full of anxiety and fear for what this meant for them.

“Thank you for all of this tonight, it was really sweet and thoughtful of you.” He said and she bit her lip to stop herself from crying some more.

“I don’t know what to do.” She confessed, “I just need some time I think.” He nodded.

“Yeah, of course. Anything you want.” He assured and she nodded.

“OK. Good night.” She said and started to close the door.

“Y/N, wait.” He said stopping her with just a few inches to spare, “No matter what you decide I want you to know that you’ll always be my best friend. I won’t ever be too busy for you. If you call tomorrow, next week, next month, 5 years from now! I don’t care!” He sighed with a smile.

“OK.” She gave him a small smile and a nod before he moved his hand from the door frame and she locked up.

As soon as the door closed she let out a big exhale and slid down her door. She felt defeated, lost, confused, hurt…there were so many things she felt, but the most conflicting thing was that she was still in love with him and she had absolutely no idea who he was. She closed her eyes and willed herself to piece this all together and it was damn near impossible.

What in the world was she going to do now?

[readnburied]

Book Review: Spellslinger by Sebastian de Castell

Date of Publishing: May 4th, 2017

Author: Sebastien de Castell

Publisher: Hot Key Books

Genre: Fantasy, Young Adult

This is book 1 in the series of the same name and follows Kellen who is doing his best to become a spellcaster, a feat which seems impossible for him as he’s unable to conjure any type of magic. And with his sixteen birthday approaching, he better get some magic to pass the four trials or he’d be facing a fate worse than death. But when a stranger shows up to help him, Kellen must decide if he should trust her or face eternal damnation. However, trusting this stranger will come at a cost, just like everything else.

This is a series I’ve been meaning to get to for the longest time but I either kept forgetting about it or prioritizing other series over this one. However, I finally got the chance and I have to say this book did not disappoint at all. It actually took me by surprise and I was glad it did because it’s difficult for me to find books that surprise me now.

The main thing I loved about this book was the humor. The author has done an incredible job injecting humor in the most strategic places, which gave the entire narrative an unprecedented depth and made it difficult to put down.

The entertainment level of this book was top notch and combined with the intriguing and unique plot, I kept flipping page after page until I reached the end with a heavy feeling in my heart. And I’m eager to continue with the series and see what else does Kellen get up to.

Kellen was an interesting character and one of my favorites I’ve read about this year. He wasn’t the perfect know-it-all like so many other protagonists, rather he was scraping rock bottom in terms of talent and skill. And even when he found his powers eventually, they didn’t bring him the glory like one would expect. He suffered even after getting his powers and that’s why I found this book such a refreshing read.

The other characters were just as interesting and I especially loved the visitor who came to help Kellen. I’m always a fan of anti-heroes and this character seemed like one to me, but she was interesting and I loved the power she wielded and the fact that she didn’t care about what society thought of her truly made her a badass in my books. However, Kellen’s family really pissed me off and made me want to scream in frustration. They should’ve been accepting of their son rather than caring about their own reputation, but once again, the author did an excellent job of showing a glimpse of reality via fiction.

The magic system was unique and I found the various rules and regulations regarding it captivating. It was simple yet intricate and I wonder if there’d be more to it in the upcoming books. But the society as a whole was interesting, even though I didn’t like some of their rules, but it just shows there always be certain practices that would be deemed acceptable while others would result in immediate banishment. It happens in the present world, so one shouldn’t be surprised that this happens in fiction as well.

Moreover, the trials were an interesting aspect of the story. They really raised the stakes and I feel like they were a key component to the story as without them, I doubt the story would’ve been able to stand on its own. But considering how talented the author is, I’m sure he would’ve made it work had he decided not to put the trials into the story.

The climax came with the most unexpected plot twist. I really didn’t see it coming, but it made so much sense and I fully empathize with the antagonist. I know what they did was wrong but I understand why they were doing it. And I couldn’t help but think that sometimes your circumstances force you to do the things you don’t want to, and sometimes people take justice into their own hands because they think it’s the only way they’ll get it.

However, there’s much more to Kellen and his adventures and I really can’t wait to dive in to the next books to know exactly what that is. I recommend each and every one of you reading this to go and buy this book and read it if you haven’t already. You will enjoy it as much as I did if not more. I’m grateful to the author for writing this series and can’t wait to read more of his works.

Let me know if you’ve already read this book and what you think of it. And if you have more recommendations feel free to let me know.

[dr-spencer-reids-queen]

Damaged: Part Two

Pairing: Spencer Reid x Female!Reader

Word Count: ~2k

Warnings: canon violence, canon language, canon talk of death, methods of kill

Author’s Note: I do not own anything from Criminal Minds. All credit goes to their respective owners. If there is any warnings that exceed the normal death/kills from the show, I will list them. If you’ve seen the show, then it’s the same level of angst unless otherwise stated

JJ gets out her phone and messages you that she is on her way. Your phone rings with the message, and you silently breathe a sigh of relief. Rossi called someone to come and meet him, and when a police car pulls up next to your SUV, you and Rossi both get out.

"Agent Rossi. I'm Gary Willis with the Indianapolis police department."

"I asked for Captain Giles."

"He died a year ago."

"I'm sorry for your loss. He was a good cop. Do you have the Galen files?"

"Yeah, they're right here."

Gary passes over the files to Rossi, but he seems confused by them as if he expected more.

"Do you have anything new?"

"If we do, it's not in this file."

"You don't know? Who's working on this?"

"No one. Twenty years is a long time for a case to be cold. I didn't know this was an FBI case."

"Well, it isn't. Not officially. I was on the original scene the day it happened," Rossi reveals.

"You probably know more about it than I do. At least you had someone to talk to. No one's lived here since that day. There's a housekeeping service that comes in once a week, but otherwise it's empty," Gary says about the house you've been parked outside of for the past hour.

"I know. I own it. I bought it at an auction two years after the murders. The money went to their grandmother. She raised them after... Well, she died some years later and they're still living over there at her house."

Rossi grows sad when he talks about the three children, so this case must truly be haunting him.

"That's pretty personally involved. Do you know these people or something?"

"No. It was their kids. I kind of got attached. Look, I don't mean to be a hard-ass."

"It's no problem. Are we going inside?" Gary asks, eager to get started.

"No, I've spent years looking in that house. There's nothing there, nothing we missed, and no evidence we didn't find. I was hoping you had something new. I'm sorry to bother you. Thanks for coming."

"Could I keep the file?" you ask, and Gary hands the file over to you.

Gary leaves, and you look through the file. It's always good to bring in new people because they might see something that the original agent might have missed. Plus, with your abilities, you know you can solve it if Rossi would just ask for your help.

"We should go inside, Rossi. If the walls were caked in blood, as it says here, then I might get something out of it." Rossi shakes his head, but you grow angry at his attitude. "Look, you're the one who asked me to come here. Unless that reason was to be your company, then use the resources you have right in front of you."

You need Derek, Emily, and JJ out here immediately. If she messaged you twenty minutes ago, you can only imagine they're on the plane over here right now. It's only JJ, Derek, and Emily on the plane as Penelope stays behind. The entire A team is separated with no one left at the office to do the grunt work.

"You know, there's not really much to this file, Garcia," Derek says to Penelope over video chat.

"Oh, there's a latent fingerprint that's making a second run through APHIS as we speak. As soon as I get results, I'll let you know. Then, there's also apparently some crime scene notes that agent Rossi wrote up that I'm still spelunking for."

"So, he was at the actual crime scene with the local detectives?"

"Apparently. It could be why it bothers him so much. It would make sense why he would bring Y/N. A case that cold is no match for someone with Y/N's abilities. This was clearly a bad one. The weapon was a long-handled axe."

"Yeah, but we've seen worse since he's been back," JJ points out.

"There's nothing else cross-referenced. Are there no other crimes tied to this?"

"No, nothing," Penelope answers Emily. "I mean, certainly nothing with these signature elements."

"Okay, so it's a double homicide, but a single occurrence with no apparent issue of state lines? Was there a request from the local authorities for the FBI's help?"

"I don't think so."

"Then why is this a BAU case?"

"I don't think it was."

"Alright, Garcia, I want you to double-check any other unsolved murders in Indiana or the surrounding states near this time. Something this brutal doesn't feel like a one-time thing.

"You've got it."

"What is it about this case? Why is he so focused on this one?"

Emily can't help but think why Rossi only asked for your help when he has a whole team at his disposal. You're still not sure why he chose you if he refuses your help. You're this close to leaving him alone in Indianapolis, but you really don't want to leave him high and dry.

"Rossi, you have to talk to me about this."

Rossi takes out his phone and calls Penelope, placing her on speakerphone. He wants your help, you can feel it, but he doesn't know how to ask for it.

"Agent Rossi?" Penelope answers.

"Anything come back on that print?"

"No, not matches. There is nothing on file. I'm sorry."

"What about my notes?"

"Those, I do have. Do you have a PDa? I can email them to you."

"He doesn't know what that is, Penelope," you say when you see the look on his face.

"Okay, is there a fax number where you're at?"

"I'm staying at the Palmer Hotel. I'll be there later. I don't have the number."

"Okay, I will find it."

Rossi hangs up on Penelope, and now is a good time to come clean about Derek, Emily, and JJ. He will find out sooner or later, and it's best if it's now.

"Rossi, there's something I need to tell you. Emily, Derek, and JJ are all concerned about you when you and I didn't show up for work this morning."

"You told them about this case?"

"We're all worried about you."

"Damn it! I asked you to keep this between us."

"No, you asked Penelope that. You never said anything about me." He glares at you, and you know you have to rip this part off quickly. "They're also coming here. I told them to come here."

"You did what? You know what, asking you to come here was a mistake."

Rossi turns and heads back to the car, but you're too pissed to let him get the final word in.

"You want to know why this case has been cold for twenty years? It's because you did it alone." Rossi stops walking and turns to face you, and he is not happy. "You never asked for help once, and it's arrogance like that that is keeping you from solving it. You need this team and fresh eyes, and you need to learn how to ask for help. If not for yourself, then for those kids. Twenty years is a long time to suffer, so why are you putting those kids through more pain? If you didn't want my help, then why the hell did you ask me to come with you?"

Rossi turns and gets into the car, leaving you behind. You know the way back to the hotel, but he needs to be alone. You cross your arms as he passes by you. It may be childish to leave you behind, and if Hotch were here, Rossi would get an earful.

You know exactly where he is going. The hotel isn't far since Rossi wanted the closest one to the house he bought. You could very well order yourself an Uber, but you'd rather walk back to the hotel. It will give you time to clear your head, and it will give Rossi some time to think about your words.

When you get to the hotel, you head straight for the bar. Rossi is sitting at the bar, like you expected, but his drink is untouched. He ordered something to drink, but he didn't want to touch it when he's this upset. Without a word, you sit next to him and cross your fingers together. Five minutes go by before he has the courage to speak.

"How can you help?"

"Things are different than they were twenty years ago, Rossi. It doesn't matter how much time has passed, I will always connect with energies and spirits. They fade over time, sure, but they never disappear completely. If I were to talk with these kids, I could use their trauma to paint a picture of what happened all those years ago. Their trauma could help me see who might have done this, and it could give me details about the unsub or details that may have been missed.

"You asked me to come here for a reason, Rossi. There is some part of you, no matter how small it may be, that believes in what I can do. All you need is to give me a chance."

Rossi catches the bartender's attention and orders another drink, sliding it over to you when it's ready. It's his way of apologizing to you without the need for words.

"If you're buying, I'm drinking," Emily says.

You turn to see Derek, Emily, and JJ walk into the bar.

"I don't think any of us could afford this place otherwise," Derek says. "We thought you could use some help."

"You're wrong."

"Rossi," you say in a mom-like voice. "What did we just talk about?"

"This isn't even a BAU case," Rossi pouts.

"Maybe not yet, but I can make anything a BAU case if I want to," JJ smirks. "It's about paperwork and I know the paperwork."

"Why do you care?"

"Because you do."

"Use them, Rossi. We're here for a reason. That's what family is for."

Rossi sighs and leaves his drink at the bar, heading to a booth that is more fitted for five people.

"I was here for a serial rapist in '88. It was pretty short work. The day after we collared him, a local detective was driving me to the airport. He hears a call on the walkie of kids screaming in a house not far from where we were. He asks if I mind taking the job with him. We were first on the scene. Inside we found the axe had been left behind, but it had been wiped clean. It turns out it belonged to the family. The oldest daughter, Connie, told me her father bought it on Christmas Eve a few months earlier to cut down the Christmas tree. Now, I always associate the whole thing with Christmas. I've never been able to put a tree up myself again."

"He never hurt the kids?" JJ asks.

"Not physically. He only hurt the parents and then left."

"Using a weapon he found at the scene and not eliminating all of the potential witnesses makes him disorganized," Emily says.

"But he left no evidence, which means he's organized."

"There was a fingerprint," JJ points out."

"It was behind the bedroom door. I don't even think he knew it was there. There should have been prints in other places, but they were wiped clean. That one good print was not a match anywhere. I've been over this a million times. I keep thinking, if there was just one more piece, one more thing to go on, then I'd be able to figure it out."

"He might be dead," Derek suggests.

"I have to be sure."

"Rossi, if he's dead, you may never really know."

"When we arrived on the scene before any of the other units got there, I could hear them before I even got out of the car. It was a warm morning, and the windows were open in the upstairs bedroom. Their voices floated out into the street. They were crying and calling for their mommy and daddy. Three terrified children screaming for their murdered parents. I've seen so much death and pain, but that sound... It's been twenty years and I can still hear them screaming every night... crying. If I can't tell them for sure that whoever's responsible will never do it again... that screaming might never stop."

"There is only one way to stop it, Rossi. Let me talk to the kids. I guarantee you, I will get something that you might have missed. I just need to talk to them."

"Okay," Rossi whispers.

x

Follow my library blog @aqueenslibrary​​​​​​​ where I reblog all my stories, so you can put notifications on there without the extra stuff :)