#i guess i need a tag if i’m gonna keep posting about tea huh

[windrunner]

Anyways I made some Earl Grey green tea from the big Vahdam tea sampler pack I got as a gift and had it with fish for breakfast. I tried not oversteeping it or adding in the whole 10g to the pot (i’m sorry i just love really strong and bitter teas) and? It’s not bad. I prefer the Himalayan green tea I had a few days ago tbh.

It looks like dried spinach. I need to figure out a way to take a good photo of my infuser mug without any weird warped reflections because this shot looks like I’m photographing a captured beetle. My fucked up seaweed beast.

[inciting-chaos-series]

The Night Shift: Chapter Four

If you'd like to be tagged when new chapters are posted let me know! -Ghostiewvlf ✦ The Night Shift Masterpost ✦

➢ Tag List: @valleys

➢Author: Ghostiewvlf & JTheGhost ➢ Rating: Mature ➢ Pairings: Corpse X reader | Corpse X y/n ➢ Themes: Slow Burn | Coworkers To Lovers | Angst | Holiday | Mutual Pining | Fluff | Smut? | Hurt/Comfort | Soulmates | Fake Relationships | Miscommunication | Forced Proximity | Found Family | ➢ Warnings: Crude Humor | Suicidal Jokes/Ideation | Drinking | Smoking |

➢Summary:

You work the night shift at a local dog kennel for boarding and daycare. You love the peace and quiet of the shift, but just when you get comfortable- a few break-ins happen around town, and upper management decides to place your quiet, brooding, shift lead on the schedule with you.

☽✧ Chapter Four: Fun & Games ✧☾

-Y/N POV-

After spending all day in labs and lectures you really were not on your A game for tonight's shift. You felt completely fried- mentally and physically. Walking across campus to and from your science and math courses and arriving on time when you had barely a five minute window between them had been exhausting, and the content in the classes left you wondering if you even had brain cells left. 

If you had any energy left you would try to remember to not set your schedule this way for your last semester- though the way your feet dragged as you entered the building and clocked in had you realizing it was no use. 

“Damn- long day?” Liz chuckled from behind the reception counter. 

“So long…” Your voice sounded defeated as it left your mouth. 

“Well, good news- most everyone was picked up from boarding today- we did have one drop off though…” Her voice wavered in uncertainty as you joined her behind the counter. 

“Oh yeah? Who got dropped o-” 

“Just the coolest little dude ever…”

You turned to the comically deep voiced interrupter and watched as Logan walked in from the adjoining break room with a small black Shetland puppy cradled in his arms. 

“Oh my god!” You swooned over the dog and cautiously approached to pet him, earning a laugh from both Liz and your boss as the puppy struggled out of Logan’s hold and into yours. 

“Suppose that will make your night a bit better huh?” Liz laughed out as she gathered her things to leave. “Also… Ryder wasn't picked up from daycare today. I emailed his owners and they requested to leave him here tonight, they're aware of the charges but still need to be billed, I left it open on the computer for you guys.” 

“Is this the universe apologizing for my long day?” You laughed as the puppy licked incessantly at your face. 

“Guess so…” Liz smiled and shrugged as she headed out, wishing you an easy night. 

“So, if you had a rough day- I’m guessing you’ll want to finish up that invoice, since you’ve got some furry company…” Logan chuckled. “I suppose I can lend you my son and get started on dinners.” He rolled his eyes playfully. 

“Oh so he’s your son now? Have you let his owners know- should I send them a quick update email while I’m at it?” 

“Fuck off…” His laugh was much more sincere than you expected as he waved off your comment on his way to the back. You smiled to yourself and got settled at the computer to invoice Ryder’s owners and collect payment, keeping the small puppy in your lap as he absently chewed your hoodie strings. 

---

“Do you drink coffee or tea?” He broke the silence between you as the dogs started to settle down from playing outside. 

“Um, tea usually…” you laughed softly and gave him a questioning glance, “why do you ask?”

“I don’t know- thought I’d ask in case I stop and get us drinks again.” He shrugged as he grinned down at the puppy jumping at his ankles. He groaned dramatically as he sat on a rock and placed the small dog in his lap- chuckling as it immediately gnawed at his fingers. “Plus I don’t know much about you- and if we’re gonna work most nights together I should probably learn the basics.” 

“Fair point.” You smiled and sat beside an exhausted looking Ryder a few feet from him. “That coffee was really good, especially for how cold it was.” You chuckled. “I usually get iced chais, so that wouldn't have been as ideal. What about you?” 

“Well, glad I made that call then. Cause I get the same…” He chuckled. “I mean- usually I turn to- stronger drinks- but chai will suffice at work.”

“Yeah, we wouldn’t want any red wine stains on our clothes at work…” You teased as you pet the panting dog beside you.

“Of course not… totally unprofessional.” He laughed along and rolled his eyes. 

“Well, if we're getting to know each other- umm…” you paused as you thought of good questions (that were at least somewhat professionally appropriate) to ask of your boss. “What made you get into animal care?” 

“Hmm, well I’ve always wanted my own animal- but I’m not sure that my lifestyle or whatever would allow me to properly take care of one, or that I could handle it I guess… I started out just watching my friends' dogs or cats. Then I saw an opening here and figured it would be a nice place to work.” He shrugged and smiled before meeting your gaze. “What about you? I know you worked on the vet side for a while- and you were at an ER before this right?” 

“That's… super cute? Sorry just- picturing you- deep voice and intimidating nature… as a pet sitter, it's strange to think about.” You laughed at the thought. 

“I know… I don’t really look- or sound- the type huh?” He chuckled in agreement and you shook your head and smiled.

“But um- yeah I did. ER was really cool, I got to see a lot of interesting cases there… and working on the vet side here was nice since I still needed more experience for vet school, but both those jobs were really demanding, and I needed to cut back so I could focus more on finishing school- so this seemed perfect for me right now.” 

“I'm glad…” he smiled sweetly, “-you’re smart and deserve to take the time you need to get your school stuff sorted. Especially if you have such a good plan.” 

“I wouldn’t say it’s a good plan- I mean, who knows what I’ll really end up doing.” You scoffed softly. “I never really wanted to go to college or anything but my family pressured me into it, saying I could never make it as anything without it.” 

“Well that's just- not true…” He scoffed loudly.

“No?”

“Definitely not. I mean, I basically raised myself- I was never close with my family- so I don’t really understand that perspective, but school never worked for me. I ended up dropping out pretty early…” he shrugged and turned his attention back to the puppy, now falling asleep in his lap. “I mean, it’s difficult dropping out so young and being like ‘I'm gonna make something of myself someday, I’m gonna do something big-’ but it’s definitely doable.With or without schooling.” His voice softened slightly as he spoke. You couldn’t help but stare at him, almost in awe, at how much he revealed. 

“I’m sorry Logan. That sounds… awful- I’m sorry you went though that…” you paused, “-but thank you. I suppose you’re right, it is difficult for sure… making a name for yourself, or figuring out what to do in life. ” You weren't really sure how to respond to such a candid response. 

“Eh, that's how life goes right?” He chuckled awkwardly, carefully picking up the sleeping puppy as he rose to his feet. “Spose we should let these guys back in, everyone seems tuckered out.” 

“Yeah, suppose we should.” You carefully stood as well, hoping to not rile up the dogs again as you all made your way in for the night. 

-Logan’s POV-

He stayed quiet as the two of you cleaned around the building, silently admonishing himself for his loose lips earlier. He had no idea why he’d shared so much, why talking with you made it so easy to share what seemed like all the most negative things about him. Maybe he was compensating- getting it all out in the open about how he was toxic to befriend so you’d turn tail sooner rather than later. 

He couldn’t help the nagging feeling of relief though, having told you a bit about himself and getting such a kind response. You probably just felt awkward, or pitied him, after all. He shouldn’t make it a regular thing. 

Eventually when you both had finished cleaning, you settled in at the front desk again. He was grateful when you pulled out your notebook and binder from your bag, knowing you would need quiet to do your homework and he couldn’t run his mouth any longer. He did find it a bit funny when you asked if he minded, of course he didn’t care if you got some homework done, especially with the awkward tension in the air now. He put on some soft lofi for you and scrolled on his phone as you worked. Every few minutes or so he’d sneak a glance at your papers, instantly regretting it as he was greeted with complex molecules, chemistry equations, and the pervasive fact that you were far more intelligent than he ever considered himself.

You huffed loudly, breaking the silence as you pushed your papers away and leaned back in the chair. He turned to give you a questioning glance. 

“If you’re stuck on something- I hope you aren't going to ask me for help.” He chuckled. “Because if I lock eyes with your papers again my brain will melt.” 

“No, no…” He bit down on the inside of his cheek as you laughed. “I’m finished. It’s not all correct, but I’m done.” 

“Ah, well good… its aura is haunting the entire room.” He chuckled, cringing away as you put everything back in your bag. 

“Yeah, believe me I know.” You pursed your lips and leaned back again. “You can put on regular music again if you want… Unless you brought your laptop?” 

“Fuck, you remembered that I said that?” He groaned and hid his face in his hands. 

“Sure do, so when you bringin it?”

“Hmmm…” he paused, humming suspiciously. “I don’t know I feel like- if I had some dirt on you, I might be more motivated to remember to bring it…” He insinuated with poorly feigned innocence.

“Wow, blackmail- that's bold.” You giggled, he merely winked in response, a sly grin across his lips. “I guess I’ll have to think of some dirt on me then…” 

The rest of the night was fairly calm. He pulled up some games on the computer for you two to pass the time, and he continued to joke with you throughout the night until it was time to clock out. 

“See you Thursday I guess…” He dramatically huffed as he walked with you to your cars. 

“Are you pouting about the shifts you work alone now?” You laughed as you tossed your things into your car, he smiled and rolled his eyes. 

“Hey, my two to three shifts I have alone are boring now…” 

“Right, because you’re such a conversationalist…” 

“Fuck off…” he chuckled before pausing as he did the same, “drive safe, text me when you get home…” 

He again waited until you were safely out onto the road before pulling out and heading home himself. He took a longer route home this time, opting to stop and pick up some groceries on his way-  not because it would keep his mind off you or from overthinking everything he said, it was only because his fridge and pantry were barren. 

After arriving home and putting everything away, he couldn’t help but feel anxious as he saw you still hadn’t messaged him. He groaned and took a swig from a new bottle of wine he’d gotten and began typing. 

Logan 🐺:

Did you make it home ok?

You: 

Right, sorry… forgot lol yes I did

He chuckled and rolled his eyes.

You: 

Were you worried? lol

Logan 🐺:

Well yeah you didn’t text me 😤

Sorry I care if my friends get home safe… sheesh

You: 

Oh so were friends now? Lmao 

He laughed as he sent back a barrage of offended gifs and memes. He couldn’t really remember the last time he’d been so eager to continue a conversation. 

You: 

Don't be butthurt haha, I just only ever see you at work is all 

Logan 🐺:

Well you're so busy with school- otherwise we could hangout

You: 

Hey don't blame me- you make my work schedule, you know what days I’m off 🤷‍♀️

Logan 🐺:

Fine… fair point…

Sunday?

You: 

I’ll think about it…

He rolled his eyes and sent a few gifs of graves before tossing his phone aside and attempting to wipe the ridiculous smile off his face. He knew this was likely a mistake, but he didn’t really care right now, maybe it was time to make a new friend. 

➢ Links:

✦ Fics Masterlist ✦ The Night Shift Masterpost ✦ ✦ AO3 ✦ Wattpad ✦ Art ✦ ✦ Requests Masterpost & Guidelines ✦ Request Trope List ✦ 。:゜:.*∵✧∵ ☽ Submit A Request ☾∵✧∵*:.゜: 。

[presumenothing]

fmab (+03) fic masterlist

because even i’m starting to lose track of what i’ve posted so far. all writing is eventually crossposted to ao3, individual tumblr posts linked below the cut because it’s lengthy as hell 

(this is like 85% post-promised day fic with the occasional canon-divergence au for flavour, ft lots of resembool kids, riza, and roy. basically gen with near-zero ship content because that’s how i roll)

update: total wordcount has now broken 20k 25k 30k 35k 40k 45k(!!!!) 

update 2: now with crumbs of 03 content because yeehaw

april

“Actually, Winry – can you do something for me?” 

“Lieutenant. Would you ever consider learning alchemy?”

“I guess I just – want to figure out who I am. Me, not the Fullmetal Alchemist.”

Besides, the scars on his palms have been – pardon his language – hurting like a bitch ever since he woke to this gloomy weather this morning.

Ishval had given him plenty of practice at that soldier’s art of taking even the lightest of naps whenever circumstances permitted.

[au] Ed has never had reason to hate how swiftly his mind works, not until now.

It’s just simple clerical error that leads to Edward Elric retaining his title and pay as a State Alchemist, even after the Promised Day. No, really.

may

He’s just tired, not about to collapse.

These days Ed’s journals are actual proper travelogues, no coded shit or anything.

[au] It doesn’t even start until after they arrive in Resembool. 

(can’t have been the more socially-adjusted brother, obviously.)

[au] “I don’t,” Ed bites out, “know any damn alchemists.”

Maes raises an eyebrow and sloshes his near-empty cup pointedly. 

august

[wip] “Is this about Al, or you?”

“–of course I know these aren’t the most efficient routes!”

Ed seriously considers dyeing his hair more than once, in the After.

Winry only needs a glimpse of red to know what it must be.

Rush Valley talks. Winry listens.

Much as Al loves his brother to itty-bitty-and-very-shouty pieces,

The first time someone mistakes Al for the Fullmetal Alchemist, 

+ The thing is, Al gets it.  

“Brother told me that you told him about Ishval,” Alphonse says.

It’s an honest observation – as honest as he can ever get, at least –

[au] In another world, she is never named the Hawk’s Eye.

“Somehow I doubt your place is much better, sir.”

would it be the most impossible thing to have happened to the Elrics?

“I can’t believe he didn’t tell us,” Ed growls,

a minimum age limit on all candidates for the State Alchemist exam.

“There’s gotta be a shark somewhere around.”

The Elrics make transmuting without circles look easy.

The problem, if Riza is to put it into words,

Al completely botches the first dozen or so transmutations

(Ed? Talking about automail? Over food?)

[au] in the end it’s Al who really takes after their father.

“Fullmetal realising his celebrity status? Woe betide us,”

The tea is actually well-made, first of all, not burnt 

“Not like– I mean, personal about me, not you!” 

[au] “Huh,” Al says.

Still less work than getting entropy-murdered by Olivier, he decides.

[au] It’s not every dead person that he sees.

[au] They weren’t even meant to stop in Resembool.

Jean just wants to make one thing – okay, a few things – very clear.

Ed knows this firsthand from too much Winry exposure.

The lump on the couch lets out a string of wholly intelligible noises.

september

“Take me out to dinner,” Riza says.

“We’re not even in Amestris, though.”

[au] Riza had been angry too, when she had let herself be, but hers is a cold ire, locked beneath glaciers and the burn of frostbite. Wrath makes no such pretences.

[outline] But in the case of Fullmetal – more specifically in the case of Fullmetal and Youswell – Roy mostly wishes he could unknow things.

[au] Roy forces enough air into his lungs to get the words out. “You’re dead.”

[outline…?] winry’s gonna like this, al says.

Alphonse flaps a hand. “Oh, because it’s complete bullshit.”

“Y’know, you really aren’t that tall, Brother.”

getting to finally keep a cat hadn’t been very high on his list of priorities.

[au] “Edward. Get out of here, take Envy with you.”

[wtnv au] “Welcome to Resembool.” 

october

just because you’re immortal doesn’t mean you can’t die from food poisoning, young man.

[au snippet] It’s sort of a belief, in the eastern parts of Amestris,

[03] Al’s hug is the first real thing he’s felt in years.

[03] Never thought you were, Ed retorts lightly, and lets Alfons turn away with a huff.

“When you said to come visit you in Rush Valley this is not what I was expecting!”

(and jeez, only Ed would manage to make it necessary to keep a kit on hand for actual minor-to-major catastrophes during a semi-honeymoon trip)

november

[03] Except the sight of his brother only serves to make everything worse, for once.

[au] The worst thing about this is that it’s not even equivalent. 

[au] “You wanna know why? The real reason, not the quantum bullshit I fed Mustang.” (+ more in the tag)

[snippet] And just for that I won’t be leaving Wrath any.

“I shall finally exact the decisive vengeance that I have always dreamed of,” Scar booms right back before Armstrong can even ask, 

Al knows from the moment he wakes up that it’s going to be a good day.

[snippets] The real disaster comes when Ed learns how to weaponise his height.

[03 au] The man in the brown overcoat. That’s all anyone ever seems able to recall of Edward.

[au] They say the Elric house is haunted. Of course. Empty houses are always haunted.

Of course, this assumes that said person is an alchemist of some ability, and that said life has been one of some loss and strife. 

“Are you alright? Nod for yes, swear at me for no.”

from the intervening pause he surmises Riza is jotting something down on the notepad she keeps by the phone.

She’s been looking forward to the day when her hair finally gets long enough to – well, no longer be short.

“Remind me of this the next time I decide to trust Ling any further than I can throw him.” ( + xing tag)

december

Ed’s almost twenty when he realises that Hawkeye must’ve been around his age when she was deployed to Ishval.

[au] At least this far out from Amestris Ed could mostly brush the first one off as an interplanetary translation fuckup.

bonus textposts and assorted nonsense

the Better Alchemist™️

on the topic of ed’s scrawl

al, defender of cat

*csi miami theme but with cats*

on the topic of flat affect + 200000% turbo by default

on the topic of pain tolerance + further thoughts

ed @ mustang’s problem solving skills

ok but about liore…

terrible TERRIBLE ideas (three of them)

putting the SHORT in SHORT-TEMPERED

clap reflex

you’re retired, ed, r e t i r e d

and by “ambidextrous” i mean “confused”

protip: you can’t

YEEEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAAH (aka csi miami theme, riza redux)

feral ducklings, the continuation(??)

does THIS count as elric telepathy

honestly, y’all

too much fire?? sounds fake

on the topic of academia

sometimes the stars align

on the topic of riza hawkeye

terrible idea, berthold version

immortal troubles

THE CHURCH OF EDWARD ELRIC

PRIDE (& WRATH): one, two, three (4koma)

objectively the worst post-cos timeline

serious stuff: fma drama cd, daughter of dusk

asks: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 aka izumi pwns roy, 9 aka not coffeeshop au, 10 aka legalities, 11 aka autograph woes

[merryfortune]

Day 26 / Lips

Clover and Violets 2021

Ship: Lassieshipping | Asuka/Junko/Momoe/Rei

Universe: GX

Word Count: 1,347

Rating: T

Tags: Secret Relationships, Polyamory, Misunderstandings

Edit: so you guys weren’t just gonna tell me only half of this fic posted, huh, is that it?

Loose lips sink ships, Rei reminded herself as she saw something that maybe she shouldn’t have seen.

She pulled herself back behind the endless bookcases of the Obelisk Blue Dorm and she felt her heart race and her cheeks hue with warm pinkness. For someone so obsessed with love and romance, Rei was actually quite shy when it came to the minutiae of it. But only because in this instance, she thought she might have seen something salacious. Scandalous. Hilarious given it was only the chastest kiss between Asuka and Junko in the library. Oh, it had been so romantic, Rei could have swooned. Junko sitting at the table, quibbling with her pen as she tried to take notes. Asuka sashaying back towards her, putting her hands on the edge and then initiating a surprise kiss. They looked so good together in the dim, dust mite ridden light that came in shafted sunbeams through the library’s sky-lights in the ceiling. All secluded and to themselves but here’s the thing. Rei could have sworn that it was Junko and Momoe who were a thing. Her heart hammered in her chest as she saw what she thought was adultery. Momoe was so sweet, sweet as a peach, there was no way that her girlfriend and their mutual best friend would do something so harmful to her behind her back such as kiss on the lips together - and who knows what else. Rei waited a moment and then she stole another glance at them. She just knew this had to have been bad luck; Chronos giving her a free pass to the Library because he wanted to see her excel and join his ranks was too good to be true. This was clearly karma for accepting a nicetie from such a harsh teacher. She saw that Momoe had returned and they were giggling amongst one another. It was as though the kiss between Asuka and Junko had never even so much as happened. She clearly did know. Oh, this was horrible. Rei had never known either Asuka nor Junko to be so cruel but apparently, even girls as nice as they were capable of horrible things too. Since they were clearly going to be there for a long while, Rei slunk out the way she had came. Sticking close to the bookcases and getting out there. Studying be damned. She didn’t need to pass biology anyway; this was a school for card games, why did they need to know punnett squares, anyway? But after witnessing such an event, Rei felt something awaken in her. A sense of duty and justice to her friend, Momoe, perhaps? A betrayal of her own eyes and what she saw; maybe they had just been talking and she had imagined or misunderstood what she had seen. Either way, Rei began to fixate on how Asuka, Junko, and Momoe behaved around one another. Junko and Momoe were always super-duper cuddly with one another. Sometimes even involving Asuka in their impromptu hand holding and arm linking. And Rei watched carefully how Asuka would stiffen before softening into whatever affection that Junko and Momoe were sharing between themselves and then inviting Asuka into it. She couldn’t help but wonder if that initial aversion from Asuka was an admission of guilt, that she knew she was doing some terrible to Momoe by having Junko in secret? Rei didn’t know and she kept having to look away, like a voyeur, because she didn’t want to get caught. She knew that this wasn’t her business but she was boiling up and over about it because she didn’t want Momoe to be hurt but she didn’t want Asuka and Junko to be either. All of it, seeming, to be the glisten on lips. Because it had started with a glimpse of Rei seeing lips where they maybe shoudln’t have been but she had begun to fixate on Asuka’s. And Junko’s. And Momoe’s too for good measure. They all seemed so soft and pretty, especially compared to her own. Rugged and chapped. She wondered what sort of lip balms that they used - and likely shared among each other. And just as Rei was on her way to the dining hall to hopefully score an egg sandwich, she saw Momoe and Asuka together. She wondered where Junko was and at first they were talking but as she walked by, she saw it in the corner of her eye.   Another kiss. It was melancholic with the late afternoon sun filtering through the branches; it sort of seemed like a thank you kiss, sweet but with eyes open, shared in full, both girls standing up straight, not even holding hands.   Rei stopped in her tracks so that she could gawk and unfortunately, Asuka and Momoe had noticed.

Momoe giggled, “Rei, you pervert,” she teased, “get over here.”   

Rei’s face went red. She nodded and she very stiltedly walked over. Just as she arrived, so did Junko who had drinks for three and not four.

"Oh, hey, Rei what’re you up to?” Junko asked as she handed out a water to Asuka, a peach iced tea to Momoe, and kept a diet cola for herself.   

“She was being a lookie-loo again.” Momoe told her.   

“It’s not like she meant either times…” Asuka offered as Momoe tilted her drink to Asuka so she could unscrew the lid.   

Momoe smiled at the small gesture that was otherwise unacknowledged.   

“I’m sorry!” Rei said. “I didn’t mean to, um, see either of that.”   

“Thank you for keeping it to yourself but, er, you still sort of gave it away in your body language. Everyone can tell you’ve been tense about something for the past few days.” Asuka said.   

“I’m sorry!” Rei said again. “For, um, thinking you were an adulterer, Asuka. And to you, Momoe, Junko, I knew that Junko would never go behind your back to kiss Asuka but I’m kind of confused. Who's dating who?”   

Junko laughed. “We all are, silly.”   

“O-oh, um, really… how?” Rei asked.   

“The same you would if you were only dating one person, I guess.” Momoe shrugged. “Works for us, we get a lot of crushes after all.”   

“True, true.” Junko said. “I have no idea how Asuka here puts up with us given she is very, very slow to develop any feelings for anyone.”   

Asuka blushed. “That’s not quite true.” In her flushedness, she was quick to change the topic of conversation. “But we like to keep it on the downlow since it is a bit unusual, you are right about that, Rei. It can be difficult to explain…”   

“I - I see.” Rei stammered out. Her eyes were all huge and starstruck - Junko and Momoe couldn’t help but notice.   

Junko leaned in and Rei’s heart jumped to her chest. She could smell the kind of tropical lip balm that Junko used.   “But now you’re curious aren’t you, aren’t you, girlie?” Junko teased.   Rei made a tiny hand gesture, “Only a little…” she murmured.   

“It’s natural to be curious about that sort of thing.” Asuka assured her.   “Okay, well, I am…” Rei admitted.    

“I think three’s just not big enough yet, you know.” Junko said, flicking her attention to Momoe.   

Momoe giggled, “Me too.” she agreed.   

Asuka sighed. There they went again. Getting more crushes but she had to admit. If it was Rei, she wouldn’t mind. And poor Rei. She was standing there still, not quite sure what to do with herself as it was a bit above her head but she did look cute with her eyes all lit up like that and her own lips a little slack.   Only to be kissed on the cheeks from both sides from Junko and Momoe. A sparkly, fizzy kiss on one side and a sweet, fruitier kiss on the other and it just made her go all red and smiley and her heart beating a million miles an hour because she was right to have a fixation. Junko and Momoe really did have nice lips.    Now it would just have to be Asuka’s turn next.

[flowerpowell]

Unexpected (Drake x MC)

PART FIFTEEN

A/N: So... Dani and Liam kinda took over this chapter but I hope it’s okay. I promise it is getting somewhere! Also, sorry for the delay in posting, I had a hard time with writing anything. Also x2, this chapter may suck because I think I forgot how to write in English. Pardonne-moi.

Rating: PG

Word count: 2256

Tagging: @gardeningourmet @delightfullypinkglitter @desireepow-1986 @hopefulmoonobject @dcbbw @kingliam2019 @the-soot-sprite @thequeenofcronuts @badchoicesposts​ @burnsoslow​ @annekebbphotography​ @alesana45​ @axwalker​ @walkerduchess​ @ao719​ @texaskitten30​ @lodberg​ @cordonianroyalty​ @emichelle​ @siriusxxvideos​ @i-bloody-love-drake-walker​ @samihatuli​ @choices-lurker​ @i-miss-trr​ @drxkewalker @nikkis1983​ @innerpostmentality​ @msjr0119​ @bascmve01​ @mind-reader1​ @edgiestwinter​ @drakesensworld​  @queenjilian​ @princessleac1​ @saivilo​ @yukinagato2012​ ♥

“Hey, can you please pass the charger?”

Dani looked up from her bed and wordlessly threw the charger at her sister.

“Thanks.”

“Are you going to call Drake?” She asked but already knew the answer. It had been a few weeks since Riley moved out from Drake’s cabin and moved into Dani’s hotel room. She said she talked with Drake but decided it was better for them to stay separate. She still visited him when it was his turn with Bartie.

“Nah, I’m just looking at furniture for my restaurant.”

“Riley...”

“Please, Dani, stop. I don’t want to talk about it.”

“Ri, it’s been weeks. You’ve seen the lab results, Drake didn’t do anything wrong, he was tricked!”

“I know. And this is why I shouldn’t be with him.”

“That makes no sense.” Dani shook her head.

Riley swallowed hard before blurting out, “we both will be safer that way.”

Dani turned to her and sat down on the bed. “What do you mean?”

“I mean... It’s better for us if we’re not together.”

“But--”

“I tried to love my parents but they didn’t care about me. I loved my grandma and she left me. I... liked Drake and he got drugged. I just... I need to accept the fact that I should be alone.”

“This is nonsense! Riley, people--”

“Dani, please. I made my decision. I just wish Drake would hate me already. It’d be easier for us.” She said quietly. Drake tried to talk to her, call her but she wouldn’t answer back. She expected him to give up but he never did. Never... until this week. It was Thursday and he hadn’t called for the whole week. Riley wasn’t sure if what she felt was a relief or a hearbreak.

Dani shook her head. She loved her sister but couldn’t understand her. The only thing she knew was that she couldn’t fix her sister’s relationship. She had to do it herself.

Dani had been meeting up with Liam for the past few weeks, trying to figure out the way to bring Drake and Riley together but nothing seemed to work. Nothing because Riley was too stubborn.

She looked at her phone and read a message from Liam.

“You’re smiling like an idiot. Is it Liam?” Riley asked and Dani looked at her sister innocently.

“I don’t know what you’re talking about. I need to go though. And I might pick up some coffee to wake me up,” she added.

“What’s up with you and coffee? You always hated it!”

“I never hated it, it just always made me feel like I was having a heart attack. But I’ve been so tired recently that coffee is the only thing that keeps me awake.”

“Man, you must be pretty stressed,” Riley murmured and went back to scrolling.

“Yeah, well, my sister is now living with me because she had an argument with her husband, my brother-in-law was drugged and my father is sending me to law school. I guess I am pretty stressed,” she answered and her eyes widened in horror. “I’m sorry I didn’t mean to sound so passive aggressive. I’m just really tired.”

“It’s okay. I didn’t know about the law school. Why did you agree? You hate law!”

“Do you remember the last time I tried to disagree with father? This is why.”

“Dani... Maybe you should talk to him. And stop caring so much about everything. It only makes you sick!”

“Someone has to care,” Dani replied and. Riley sighed.

“You know... Not everything that’s weighing you down is yours to carry.”

Dani looked at her, surprised, but Riley was already focused on her phone. She shook her head and left the room.

~~~~

“I talked to Drake, he’s ready to give up,” Liam told Dani as they were drinking coffee. “He’s tired of not knowing why Riley is acting the way she is acting.”

“I know, I’d be pretty frustrated too. But he can’t give up. Riley... is a mess. She has many issues she needs to figure out but I’m sure she’ll finally realize she wants to be with Drake.”

Liam sighed, “I just hope it won’t be too late.”

He took empty mugs and put them back on the drawer. Dani walked up to Liam’s desk and looked at his laptop.

“Is that the footage from Savannah and Betrand’s disappearance?” she asked and chucked when Liam raised an eyebrow. “Riley told me everything.”

“Yes. The first one is what our police found and the second one was lost but Madeleine’s detective found it and she gave it to us.”

“Madeleine, huh. And it’s not fake?” Dani asked as she watched the two videos carefully.

“Nope. The footage is legit. No editing, no photoshop, no--”

“NAILS!”

“No nails?” Liam asked. “No, that’s not what I meant.”

“No! I mean, look!” Dani took Liam’s hand and paused the video. “The first footage, they go in. Look at her nails,” she zoomed in a little. “Perfect manicure. Love the color though. I wish my father let me wear dark polish too.”

“Okay, manicure. What about it?”

“Look at the second video, the one taken an hour later. She has pretty much no polish on! Either her nails grow extremely fast or she chipped it or...”

“Or?”

“Or the video was taken much later. Like, about three, four weeks later. Which would kinda explain why both of them look a bit stiff.”

Liam swallowed hard as he felt dizzy. He sat down and looked at Dani. “How did you even notice that?”

“I work in a bank, remember? Noticing the details is a part of my job. Plus, I’m kinda obsessed with dark manicure.”

“You’re wonderful, you know that?” Liam asked before realized he said it out loud. Dani blushed.

“Yes, well, umm, so that means... they were kept somewhere. And are alive. Or at least were so the video could have been taken.”

“Seems like it,” Dani nodded.

“And if you say her manicure was around a month old, it’s the time between us finding out they are gone and Drake’s outburst at Madeleine in the court.”

Dani’s face lit up. “That’d make perfect sense, she recorded the video so Drake would stop suspecting they’re still in Karlington!”

“I need to call Drake.”

“And I’ll call Riley!”

A whole thirty minutes later, Drake was watching the footage with his fists clenched and anger written all over his face. Riley was seated in the other corner of the room, comparing pictures of Savannah’s hand that Liam quickly printed.

“I hate them. I HATE THEM!” Drake hit the table, spilling the tea from his mug. “I’m gonna make them pay for what they did to my sister. THIS BI--”

“Drake!” Liam raised his voice. “Please. I know you’re angry but--”

“Angry? Just angry? I am furious and I’m going to show this little spoiled brat what--”

“Drake! She can’t know we know or everything will get lost,” Liam explained and Drake sat down, breathing heavily. “We need more evidence. Her manicure is not really gonna be enough,” Dani added, offering him a fresh cup of tea.

“So what, I’m supposed to sit and do nothing?”

“Not nothing, just acting as if everything is normal so we can gather more evidence.”

“I can’t do that, my sister might still be alive and she’s in danger!”

“Oh my gosh, Drake, just sit your ass down and stop making a bigger mess!” Riley yelled, stunning everyone.

“Why are you so mad? What do you want from me?!” Drake asked, raising his voice Dani flinched.

“A divorce,” she answered, quietly this time.

“Great then, because that’s exactly what I want too. Who needs a wife who doesn’t even care about her husband being drugged. Liam, divorce us now.”

Liam’s eyes widened and he looked at Dani who only shook her head ‘no’.

“I-I can’t can’t,” he said and Dani showed him a thumb up.

“What do you mean you can’t? You said you’d annul our marriage!” Riley inquired.

Liam looked at Dani again, panicking, and Dani started showing him some strange gestures. He shook his head to let her know he didn’t understand but Riley noticed that and looked at her sister as well. Dani quickly stopped gesturing and looked up at the ceiling, pretending to be admiring it.

“Because... a new law has just been introduced!” Liam lied and nodded his head as if to make it more believeable. Riley narrowed her eyes.

“New law? About divorce?” Drake asked, confused.

“Yes, new divorce law. It says that the couple has to be married for at least a year before annuling their marriage. Sorry guys, my hands were tied.”

“Aren’t you the King?” Riley asked.

“Umm, yes but... but...”

“The referendum!” Dani cut in. “Liam couldn’t do much, the nobles voted him out!”

“Exactly!” Liam nodded.

Drake looked puzzled and Riley was looking between Liam and Dani.

“Right,” she said. “Anyway, I gotta go. Let me know if you find out something!”

“The in-depth analysis of the footage should be tomorrow,” Liam told her and she nodded in understanding before leaving.

“Well, I should be going too,” Drake said and started heading out.

“She still cares a lot about you, you know,” Dani said and Drake turned to her. He looked conflicted.

“It doesn’t matter now, does it?”

“You two will be fine, I know it. Just give her time, please,” she asked and Drake nodded slowly, before exiting the office.

“That was close,” Liam whispered after a few minutes of silence.

“Too close. But good thinking with the new law!”

“Good thinking with the referendum! We make a good team, don’t we?” he smiled softly at her and she retured the gesture. He felt his heart skipping a beat a little.

Stop it. It’s not gonna happen, stop hoping for it like an idiot.

~~~~

“Are you sure you really can’t go?” Riley asked her sister for the tenth time that day.

“Yes, I’m sorry. I feel too sick,” Dani rasped. She was lying in her bed, feeling miserable.

“And this is not just an excuse so I’ll be there with Drake?” Riley raised an eyerbow.

“Liam will be there as well. I wanted to come, I promise. I just feel terrible.”

“Well... Okay. Feel better soon, then,” Riley hugged her sister and headed out, leaving Dani alone.

Dani groaned as she buried her face in the pillow. She was lying for a few hours, mindlessly watching funny videos of dogs online when someone knocked on the door.

“Come in,” she answered, assuming it was either Riley or her parents.

“Hi.”

She sat straight immediately after hearing his voice. Seeing Liam there, in her hotel room, while being in her pajamas, was the last thing she expected to happen that day.

“Hey! What are you doing here?” she asked, trying to cover herself with the comforter. Despite the fact that Liam had seen her naked before, she still felt weird about him seeing her like that.

“Riley told me you are sick so... I wanted to check on you,” he smiled at her sheepishly. “I also brought soup that my mom used to make for me and it always made me feel better.”

“Thank you, that’s so... thoughtful,” she smiled at him, trying to swallow a giant lump that was formed in her throat. There was a King in her hotel room. A King who just brought her a soup because she felt sick. And she was in her pajamas that had little Mickey mouse faces all over it.

While Dani was internally panicking, Liam took out the jar with the soup and heated it a little in the microwave.

“Be careful, it’s hot,” he warned her as she took the jar from his hands. He sat down next to her when she was eating the soup and filled her with everything he found out after the analysis. It felt almost strange. Nice but... strange. It felt cozy. It felt home. It felt dangerously good and Dani was scared.

At some point, Dani finished the soup and lay down for a bit and Liam joined her. They were lying on her bed together, on two different sides on her small bed, both silently looking at the ceiling, their index fingers intertwined.

No words were exchanged but the silence still felt good. And if only they could hear each other’s thoughts, they’d be surprised at how similar there were.

I know I’m not perfect, I know I made a lot of mistakes but please, let me stay in Cordonia with him. Let something happen so I can stay here with him. Give me a sign, anything. I can’t imagine not being here.

I’m so ungrateful, I know. I know I shouldn’t be asking for this but please. Please, make something happen so that she stays here. Anything so that we could be together. I know I probably don’t deserve this but I’ll do everything to make her happy. I can’t imagine being without her.

[ryuukia]

[Translation] SolidS Drama Vol.5 “One faithful day, I saw you laughing under the starry sky” Track 3

Now that online courses have become a thing worldwide, I have more time to translate. I have to say, this track gets rather emotional towards the end and I was even considering posting the audio together with the translation, but decided not to (the bgm is increasing the pain). I still recommend listening to the CD while reading this, it makes everything feel more natural and vivid.

Many thanks to Ryota for helping me proof this.

Please don’t repost/retranslate/reuse my translations. Likes and reblogs are appreciated.

Track 3: Gloomy

Eichi: Well then, I’ll head back. It seems Issei and Icchi have also returned.

Rikka: Give them my regards.

Eichi: Okay, I’ll let them know! And once again, good job today! You were really cool.

Rikka: Thanks.

Eichi: Feel free to tag along in our common room. I’m sure the others would be happy. Ah, I’ll leave the walking coaching in your hands too!

Rikka: Roger. Talk to you later then!

Eichi: Okay, laters!

-the two separate-

Rikka: I’m back!

Tsubasa: Oh, welcome back, Rikka!

Rikka: I’m back, Tsubasa. 

Tsubasa: Good job with the shooting! That finished surprisingly fast. I thought it would take longer. 

Rikka: We advanced pretty smoothly. Want to see the results together?

Tsubasa: Oh! Show me, show me!

Rikka: Uhh -taps-... Here it is.

Tsubasa: Let’s see~. Whoa, how nice! You look so pretty! It’s not really the kind of style SolidS would lean on.

Rikka: I tend to shoot a lot of simpler poses when I do photoshoots alone. Women’s magazines seem to prefer off-shot casual portraits. 

Tsubasa: Dai-chan and Eichi went to the studio to watch the shoot, right? How nice~! I wanted to tag along too~. Oh, when is the magazine going to be released? Let me know later, I want to mark it on the calendar. I won’t forget to check it out!

Rikka: You don’t really need to go and buy it, we’ll be receiving a sample anyway.

Tsubasa: What are you saying? It’s a lot better to go and buy it for myself especially when I’m excited about it~!

Rikka: Really~ You’ve always been good at knowing what to say to cheer me up, huh~ Should I brew some tea? I brought some souvenirs with me.

Tsubasa: Oh! Lucky me~! Just when I thought I was hungry. What did you buy?

Rikka: This. Daifuku with beans. 

Tsubasa: Oh, Japanese sweets. That sure is unusual.

Rikka: They’re really delicious. I’m sure you’re going to like them.

Tsubasa: Hearing you say that makes me want to eat them immediately! But… maybe it’s better to wait until Dai-chan gets back… But stilllll…

Rikka: Eh? Dai’s not back yet?

Tsubasa: Yeah. I called him earlier. He said something about going out to a bouldering gym for a bit.

Rikka: Eh? How nice…I want to go too…

Tsubasa: I told him the same thing and he answered “Don’t.”, then ended the call. 

Rikka: -chuckles- He’s probably shy. He must have started going there recently. 

Tsubasa: I'm sure that Dai-chan falling is gonna be cute, too!

Rikka: -laughs- I guess he won’t let you come because you’d say that. And now all this talking made me hungry too. 

Tsubasa: Alright! Let’s dig in then! Dai-chan will have to bear our bragging when he’s back!

Rikka: Okay! Wait for a second.

-Rikka goes to the kitchen-

Rikka: What were your plans for today, Tsubasa?

Tsubasa: I came home pretty late yesterday, but I’m off today. I woke up in the afternoon and spent the rest of my day checking interview articles. 

Rikka: What’s the point of your day-off then?

Tsubasa: I’ve been so busy with things I need to finish lately that Fumi-chan grinned from ear to ear while scolding me. He made me promise not to go out today.

Rikka: He probably… won’t let you out until you’re done with it.

Tsubasa: Exactly! Ah, but I’m sure that this’ll definitely take a while. What about Rikka? When do you do your work?

Rikka: If I can’t find enough time to do all of them, I tend to spend 10 minutes or so doing what I have to before I sleep.

Tsubasa: Wha, how efficient! Though I’m the type who likes to finish everything in one go.

-Rikka places the tea on the table-

Rikka: That part of you's just like Shiki, Tsubasa.

Tsubasa: Eeh, don’t put us in the same boat!

Rikka: I completely meant it as a compliment though...

Tsubasa: That didn’t feel like a praise at all.

Tsubasa: Speaking of Shiki, hasn’t he been kind of strange lately? I haven’t seen his face once today. What is he doing?

Rikka: Right. I don’t know. Work’s been keeping me out of the dorm, so I didn’t really get the chance to see him. Here, your tea.

Tsubasa: Wha, thank you~! Mmmm, it’s delicious!

Rikka: I’ve been going to his room daily to check on him in the morning and evening. 

Tsubasa: Ooh, Rikka is so nice! Thanks for the food!

-Tsubasa tries the daifuku-

Tsubasa: HM!? What’s this!? It’s amazing! So good!!

Rikka: Right?

Tsubasa, munching: By any chance, is this one here with the fresh cream meant to be for Shiki?

Rikka: Well… more or less.

Tsubasa: Really, you’re so nice, Rikka. And too soft on Shiki. Soft just like the fresh cream.  

Rikka: Eeh, is that so?

Tsubasa: It is! You shouldn’t mind him much, y’know? He’s a masochist who loves to drive himself into a corner when it comes to music. Just let him live his jungle life on the Amazon until he’s satisfied.

Rikka: The Amazonian jungle you say…

Tsubasa: I can’t say my own room is super clean, but the way his bedroom looks right before a deadline is simply frightening. So yeah, the Amazon. Plus, Shiki’s the type who’ll clean up on his own if he wants to without us complaining about it. That’s why, fussing about him is sorta pointless in my opinion..

Rikka: …You completely get him now, huh. Even though you fought all the time in the beginning...

Tsubasa: Pretty much. But it’s not like I’m completely going soft on him, okay? If he ever sulks or decides to ignore us, I’ll make sure to knock him back to his senses.

-the door is closed in the background-

Tsubasa: Oh, Dai-chan’s back. 

Dai: I’m back. 

Haiduki: Hello, sorry to disturb.

Rikka: Haiduki-san!

Dai: He picked me up by chance.

Haiduki: I was waiting at the traffic light and I saw a familiar figure. That was a surprise.

Dai: Gotta say though, noticing me just by seeing my back is amazing.

Haiduki: Any capable manager would be able to do that. Ah, tell me more about this bouldering thing after this. 

Dai: That’s fine by me. It got me pretty addicted.

Tsubasa: Oh, so mean! I want to hear about it too!

Dai: You’re too annoying, no way.

Tsubasa: Eh, Dai-chan…

Haiduki: Ah, right. I got a call thanking me for the photoshoot you had today, Rikka. 

Rikka: The arrangements were well done and things went smoothly on the set. The staff also praised Haiduki-san a lot.

Haiduki: I’m glad to hear that. The results made all my adjustments worth it then. That magazine’s surveys got good reactions, so I wish to continue working with them if possible.

Rikka: In that case I hope I can surpass the editors’ enthusiasm.

Tsubasa: Anyway, you came at a good moment, Fumi-chan. We’ve got some delicious daifuku brought home by Rikka here~

Haiduki: Oh, that sounds good. I’ll enjoy them while checking your progress, Tsubasa.

Tsubasa: Half of them were already done, so ever since I woke up I’ve been checking the articles like I promised!!

Haiduki: I’m relieved to hear that. As expected, you’re always ready to walk the talk, Tsubasa. But before that, there’s one more job I need to finish.

Tsubasa: What job?

Dai: The one Shiki’s working on.

Rikka: If that’s the case, may I come with you? I want to bring him some refreshments and check up on him.

Haiduki: Eh? Uhhh... okay. Let’s go together then.

Rikka: -knocks on the door- Shiki, can I come in?

-no answer-

-the door opens-

Shiki: Rikka? Sorry, but-

Shiki: Why are you here?

Haiduki: How are things going? You don’t need to glare at me like that. 

Shiki: Don’t use Rikka as a pretext to enter my room. Sigh. I said I wanted to focus.

Rikka: You’re wrong, Shiki. I asked Haiduki-san to let me come with him. I wouldn’t be able to see your face even once per day otherwise. I wanted to check up on you.

Shiki: I see. Sorry for making you worry.

Rikka: If you’re aware of that, then show your face in the common room from time to time at least. Here, I bought some daifuku. It’s delicious.

Shiki: You’re right. Thank you. So, Haiduki. Care to tell me why you came?

Haiduki: How mean. Do I need a reason to show up? I was around anyway, so I decided to pay you a visit.

Shiki: Don’t make me laugh. You didn't strike me as a worrywart type. I told you this whenever you called or came here to persuade me and I’ll say it again. This time I can’t forgive myself if I give up on this.

Haiduki: This time, huh.

Shiki: If you’re not satisfied with this, go ahead and reconsider it. Anyway, this is my final decision.

Haiduki: I get it, I get it. You don’t need to get so serious. I’ve been thinking of ways for how to break through this, so let’s talk about it constructively and realistically.

Shiki: Sigh. …...Rikka. Sorry, but could you leave Haiduki and me alone for a bit?

Rikka: Eh… sure. Of course. I didn’t mean to interrupt anything. Go ahead.

Haiduki: It seems like it’s not progressing as much as he thought so he doesn’t have much time to relax, is all. It’s nothing bad, so leave the rest to me.

Shiki: Don’t say anything more than necessary, Haiduki.

Haiduki: I get it. See you later then.

-Rikka leaves Shiki’s room-

Tsubasa: Oh, Rikka! Welcome back. How did it go?

Rikka: I... gave him the daifuku.

Dai: Not that, how’s Shiki?

Rikka: Ah, right. He won’t say anything more than usual.

Dai: That’s strange. Shiki’s always been the type to do what he wanted even though people were worrying over him.

Tsubasa: Can’t be helped I guess. I wonder what our mighty leader is so stuck on this time. 

Rikka: Who knows. I was chased away in the middle of the conversation. I don’t really get it…

Rikka: ...Ugh, that’s not it!

-Rikka throws himself on the sofa-

Rikka: Agh, seriously! I’m such an idiot!

Tsubasa: Eeh? What happened?

Dai: Why are you tumbling?

Rikka: I’m just…...mad at myself. 

Tsubasa, whispering: Hey, Dai-chan. Did Rikka ever tumble in self-loathing before?

Dai: Who knows.

Rikka: I feel like that was a bad way to phrase it… I hate it.

Rikka: Maybe I’m just tired…

Tsubasa: Of course, you’d be! You’ve been working since this morning.

Rikka: But right now… I’m...

Dai: I don’t really get what’s going on, but maybe you should eat the daifuku for now.

Tsubasa: Let’s do that! I’ll pour the tea.

Rikka: Mm…...Thank you…

-Tsubasa pours tea-

Tsubasa: Okay, Rikka. Sorry to make you wait. -hands the cup to Rikka-

Tsubasa: Alright. Rikka’s finally feeling tired again.

Dai: Jeez. If you’re feeling that down, you should rant a little if you want to, you know?

Rikka: Sorry… I must be gloomy.

Dai: I wouldn’t really call that ‘gloomy’.

Tsubasa: Right? But honestly, I feel relieved.

Rikka: Why?

Tsubasa: You’re always smiling, calm and gentle, but there’s no way such a perfect human can exist. Plus, everyone’s got something in them that they don’t like.

Dai: Like how Tsubasa’s always noisy and causing uproars.

Tsubasa: Exactly! Also hey, Dai-chan!

Dai: Being exhausted isn’t really surprising. It’s something normal to want to vent out your feelings. If we’re feeling gloomy, I’m sure you’ll comfort us, too.

Rikka: You’re right. Thank you, Dai. And Tsubasa too. 

-Rikka sits up and takes a sip from the tea-

Rikka: It’s delicious. Hot drinks really do heal you.

Tsubasa: I put in all my love. So, what did our mighty leader do to get you like this?

Rikka: Shiki didn’t do anything wrong…

Tsubasa: Then? What’s the problem?

Rikka: It’s just… uhm…I feel like I’m being narrow-minded...

Tsubasa: Aah, I think I got it. Let me guess: he ignored the daifuku despite knowing how worried you were for him, then started to talk about work with Fumi-chan, which got you bitter.

Rikka: Well, I guess… you could say that…

Rikka: Aagh… I’m seriously the worst! 

-Rikka buries his head into the sofa again-

Tsubasa: No, no, no! There’s nothing wrong with you, Rikka. Ughh, seriously. Aaaaaagh! I want to stuff Shiki’s throat with daifuku and curse him to 10 hours of sleep!

Dai: I think that’s more life-threatening than a curse.

Tsubasa: I mean, it doesn’t look like he’s gonna reflect on it without a few good hours on the pillow.

Rikka: It’s fine, really. Shiki’s not at fault. This kind of thing is normal for him. And Haiduki-san is our manager, so it’s something natural to consult him when it’s about work. There are conversations I’m not meant to hear anyway. I’m the one at fault for getting in the middle and turning gloomy on my own.

Rikka: But if I think about it, it’s always been that way. I’ve been fueling my own worries ever since our old days.

Tsubasa: Shiki’s been like that since the beginning?

Rikka: Can you even imagine Shiki not being the way he is now? 

Tsubasa: Ah, -laughs awkwardly- that’s kind of…

Dai: I can’t imagine that at all.

Rikka: Right? … He was the same back then. Though, I feel like I was the only one trying to get along with him...

If you like my work and you want to support me, you can now buy me a coffee by clicking right [here]. I also started taking commissions, more details are right [here]. Thank you~

[kirby-the-gorb]

reply roundup!

I didn’t realize how long it had been, whoops! below a readmore for length.

on [edgeworth]:

@isdisorigionalenoughforyou​ said: OH MY GOD OP I LOVE YOU

aahhh thank you!

@nokomitsu​ said: this is the only good edgeworth fanart i have decided.

that is high praise indeed :O

@jadeharleyofficial​ said: kirbworth kirbworth! edgeby...

both are very good options....

@escargon​ said: kirbworth.

I guess you’re the tiebreaker vote lol

@ow-the-edge​ said: :0

who knew he could be this unthreatening lol (nah edgeworth’s actually a big dorky softie under all the trauma)

on [float]:

@jeremy-the-bear-orca-hybrid​ said: *happy poyo noises*

he’s having a good time!

@inexplicably-spookified​ said: floaty orb

he’s very buoyant.

on [:0]:

@dragonofcupcake​ said: *axolotl yawning meme intensifies*

definitely one of my favorite memes lol. I’m gonna have yoshi’s island stuck in my head all day tho if I’m not careful!

on [thumbs]:

@the-halo-of-my-memory​ said: you always make him look so cute, i love seeing him whenever you post

aahhh thank you! your tags are always a delight too :’)

@knightmareindreamland​ said: gamer!

he’s a hardcore gamer! he only plays on easy because otherwise he’ll just embarass everyone else!

@dragonofcupcake​ said: the little chubby thumbs-

he can grow thumbs at will I guess. gotta push the buttons!

@tomhardyon​ said: :3

:>

on [yellow]:

@rick-the-hamster​ said: look at that smile

he’s having a nice day!

@dragonofcupcake​ said: hes just standing there... menacingly

wee-woo wee-woo wee-woo!

on [music]:

@the-halo-of-my-memory​ said: *plays my bologna*

I’m partial to “now that’s what I call polka�� myself lol

on [tea]:

@kitten-solari-completed​ said: poyo

wise words. *nods*

@squawylaous​ said: Me but with soup

yeah! you can put whatever you want in a mug. tea, soup, cake....

@inexplicably-spookified​ said: i’m not a tea person but i would happily enjoy a cuppa with the gorb

he also has hot cocoa on hand!

on [detective]:

@inexplicably-spookified​ said: kirby the orbtective!!!!!! on the case (to find the best snack)

a tricky case indeed! can it ever be solved?

on [princess]:

@the-halo-of-my-memory​ said: absolutely adorable. im soft. i love princess gumdrop so much

;x; princess gumdrop.... an extremely good pair of words....

on [folk]:

@swiggity-switchface​ said: My son

kirby has so many parents! he’s very well loved!

@frankie1205​ said: he looks like every bland battle cat design

@pickls-n-pinks said: yeah.

hmm yeah that’s valid.

@tailgxted said: hm

-thinking emoji-

on [rest]:

@the-halo-of-my-memory​ said: me too gumdrop, always wrapped in a blanket

blankets are good! (they’re fun to make too! which is why I always have too many)

@berrykirby​ said: little kirby all curled up. op your tags about rest, needed that !

good! I’m glad you got a reminder you needed -u-

@inexplicably-spookified​ said: i wish i had a life-sized kirby plush to snuggle with in bed, that would be Very Nice. i love my lil pup one though his name is cobalt and i've had him for ages. he's a blue heeler c:

oh man, that would be so comfy. I’ve seen that giant one in person once before, that’s like 2′ diameter or something, it was fascinating. (and cobalt sounds like a very good pup!)

on [smash]:

@dragonofcupcake​ said: [Insert Koolaid Man reference here] wait a second maybe this is where he went-

(in reference to stroll below) ah! it must have been very important business!

@inexplicably-spookified​ said: H U Z Z A H

@akirenhell​ said: HE'S HERE

he has ARRIVED

on [green]:

@the-halo-of-my-memory​ said: adore this lil gumdrop

thank you :>

on [hello]:

@bubblesthesanddragon​ said: hello! o/

@victoryfanfare​ said: hello babie

kirby is happy to see you all! \o/

on [stroll]:

@the-halo-of-my-memory​ said: his tiny face just makes me so happy 🥰

same tho! small face. big heart.

@dragonofcupcake​ said: kirby has made his way to the town.

he has traveled at a reasonable pace.

@apollo-hemingway said: have a kirb to get u through these tough times

yes! that is what he’s here for!

on [stealth]:

@inexplicably-spookified​ said: goooood shit

lol ty

@the-halo-of-my-memory​ said: peekaboo! i def want to see him around plants and flowers, he's so wholesome ☺️

yeah I don’t know why I forgot I can draw him with cute friends! he pairs very well with plants.

@dragonofcupcake​ said: this reminds me I should water my plant-

good idea!

on [flower]:

@bubblesthesanddragon​ said: flower!!!!

yeah!!

@victoryfanfare​ said: rond....

he really is, huh

on [luigi]:

@gigilefache​ said: luigi orb

I’m trying to think of a funny portmanteau and I can’t -n-

on [jinbei]:

@inexplicably-spookified​ said: god i wish that were me

highkey same tho

@boopdamouse​ said: mood. thats really cute btw!!

thank you! :>

I hope everyone is as safe and well as possible right now. it’s important that we keep respecting each other and ourselves, and make sure decisions are being made with compassion. (and resting is very important! you make better decisions when you’re well-rested, and stopping to rest means you can give even more later.)

[inuwritesstuff]

The performance of a Lifetime - PART TWO

PART ONE

Crossed posted on Ao3 

FIC MASTERLIST

Actor AU!

 Kuroo x Reader

Reader is female

WC: 1564

You pulled on a nice dress and looked in the mirror. Too formal? Maybe? You sighed and pulled off the dress into the discarded pile of clothing you started to make already. You wanted to look good but not too high strung. Or look too frumpy considering your outfit today was really bad for making a good impression on Bokuto. You furrowed your eyebrows and looked into your closet trying to find something. Anything. You heard a soft knock at the door and quickly grabbed an oversized shirt to cover you up as you opened the door. 

“Hey Y/N. Tsuki is wondering what you want for dinner.” Tadashi smiled softly  as you stood there. He was starting to finally get use to you not wearing a lot of clothing around the apartment but this was a lot for him you figured by the blush. “Hey Tadashi. Yeah. I’m going out tonight with some cast mates! Save me some leftovers though. I love Kei’s cooking.” You had two friends move in with you after desperately trying to find roommates after the last two bailed on you. You barely knew them when they moved in but you all were pretty good friends, well you and Tadashi were. You never know where your relationship stands with Tsukishima except he called you by your first name, something he barely did with people. Tadashi nodded and smiled softer. “You going with Bokuto huh? You need help with an outfit?” “Oh god please. I need something good. How did you know he was a cast mate?” You questioned as he walked into the room. He picked up the discarded dress from earlier, put it back on the hanger and then placed it back into your closet. “He texted Tsuki the moment he could that he got the role of Ram. I guess Tsuki didn’t tell you that?” he mused softly, looking at your closet before rubbing the back of his neck. “I think it was a bad idea for me to offer help since I know nothing about clothing but you know you could always wear this thing back here? It’s cute right? With a thick belt?” He asked, pulling out a black dress you barely wore. “Maybe… I just want to look good for him. So bad. Then I wanna show up Kuroo.” You clenched a fist. Your roommate blinked at you. “Oh Kuroo is going with you too. That’s gonna be a show. I would love to hear how that goes.” He laughed, handing your dress over to you. “Just don’t hurt the poor guy. I know you don’t like him but he’s nice… He helped me and Tsuki out a lot when we first started living here.” “I knnnnnnnnnnow and that makes it even more annoying. He’s such a good guy but he’s also an asshole and steals all the roles that newcomers should have gotten. Like come on. How many awards does he need?” you threw your free hand into the air as Tadashi chuckled and walked out of the room. “Y/N you need a life.” you heard a blunt Kei from the doorway. “You need to stop. Just stop.” You argued back to the blonde making the freckled angel who helped you laugh. “Put on pants and maybe we can talk like adults.” He rolled his eyes as he shut the door on you. You grumbled and flipped off the door before sliding into the dress. You were honestly surprised it still fit. It had been ages since you wore it but all those dance lessons helped you keep off the added weight that time normally put on someone. “Put on pants…” you mocked Tsukishima and frowned as your struggled to find a belt. “He’s just as bad as Kuroo sometimes I swear.” You looked at yourself in the mirror and nodded. “Yeah okay this can work.” you grabbed your mini backpack that you used as your purse and your phone and headed out of your room to see Yamaguchi lounging on the couch, propping his feet on Tsukishima’s lap. They were so comfortable with each other. It was like second nature for them to be so close by now, you noted. “Heading out. I’ll see y’all later. Behave and no parties while I’m gone.” You stick out your tongue, knowing the two would never throw a party unless you hosted it yourself. You arrived at Natsumi’s and walked inside, hoping that you wouldn’t be the first one there. Nope. You weren’t. You sighed as you walked up to Kuroo and tapped his shoulder. “Hey. I’m here. Where’s Bokuto? He was the one who said 8.” you tapped your foot impatiently, looking around for the familiar head of white and black. “Oh. True. Let me call him.” He pulled out his phone and pressed the phone up to his ear after tapping the screen. “Hey Kou. Where are you? Y/N and I are her- oh.. Akaashi huh? Okay.. Well you make sure he’s feeling better. Roommates come first.” He ran a hand through his messy hair before hanging up. “He’s not coming. Akaashi got sick apparently and Bokuto is taking care of him.” He shrugged. You groaned and swerved for the door before you felt a hand on your shoulder. You figured it was Kuroo by the way he talked. “We...We can still have a meal Y/N. No point in going home and wasting an uber or bus fare to get here for nothing.” Damn. He had a point. You turned around and crossed your arms looking up at him. “Fine. One meal together. That’s it.”

--

Halfway through the meal you found yourself laughing at the stories Kuroo was telling you. Them ranging from his time as a theater kid in high school to his streamer best friend and roommate to the crazy shit him and Bokuto got into. You covered your mouth as you caught yourself laughing again. He gave you a smile you hadn’t seen him wear yet. It seemed like he was enjoying your company??? But that was impossible. He was an asshole who ignored you when you asked for help during your first production with him. How could he be a good guy? A tease heavily but a good guy over all. Ugh this was irritating for sure.You just wanted to hate him but literally everything was showing you why you shouldn’t hate on him. 

You looked away from him and glanced at your phone. “Kei and Tadashi are most likely waiting for me to get home. I should go.” “Mind if I tag along? I wouldn’t mind seeing them again. I wanna hear how Yamaguchi’s book is coming.” You nodded not looking up from your phone. “Yeah sure whatever. You were friends with them before me. I’ll just warn them.” Text to Yams > Yoooo precious freckled angel- Kuroo is coming home with me 

Text From Yams > A) are you drunk? or B) You are actually getting along with Kuroo??

Text From Yams > I bet it’s A .

Text to Yams > Rude. Kei is rubbing off on you

You rolled your eyes at Tadashi’s reaction. “Hey yeah you can come over.” This felt unnatural. You were getting along with him. This felt so damn weird.

“Cool. I’ll get an Uber for us.” 

--

You two arrived at your apartment; with Kuroo keeping very little personal space between you and him. He was a very animated talker too when he got into a subject. Maybe... Maybe this is why he was getting so many awards. He got along with so many people. Maybe he bribed them all. Kuroo sat down next to Kei and Tadashi on the couch as you gathered tea for everyone. “-And then that's when Kenma turns to me and tells me for the last two hours I’ve been looking at the wrong screen during the game.” He looked at you and smiled as you handed him a tea. Damn that smile was nice. UGH STOP IT Y/N !! You thought, sitting next to Kuroo.

The moon rose high as you all continued to talk into the night. You yawned wide and leaned back into the couch and before you knew it it was morning and you were in your own bed. When did that happen? You wondered, getting up and seeing the black dress still on you. Well Kei had to have carried you to your room again. Damn. 

When you walked out of your room to go brush your teeth you weren't expecting to see a tall and lanky Kuroo standing in the kitchen with Kei. 

Did he spend the night on the couch? Ouch his back. That couch wasn’t comfortable at all. 

You walked out after finally getting ready and wrapped your arms around Kei’s waist from behind him. “Make me food.” “No. Make your own.” “You made Kuroo food though. I can smell it!” You whined. “That’s because he carried your dumb ass to bed.” He snickered, looking behind him at you. “You were totally passed out and he was so kind to carry you like a princess to bed.” You flushed with embarrassment and you pulled away from Kei. “Ah thank you Kuroo.” you muttered to him.”I’ll just get something on the way to work. We should go soon Kuroo if we wanna beat traffic.” 

“Sounds good to me.”

[finn-nelson-for-the-win]

The Good Life: Chapter 17

Hello, my lovelies! I’ve been pretty absent on this blog/on social media/in life in general recently, but I hope y’all don’t mind me popping back in here to post the latest update to this story that I definitely am still working on and definitely have not given up on ahaha...anyhoo, here’s about 2300 words of absolute fluff. I hope you enjoy!

Need to get caught up? The Good Life: Ch1, Ch2, Ch3, Ch4 , Ch5, Ch6, Ch7, Ch8 , Ch9 , Ch10, Ch 11, Ch 12, Ch 13, Ch 14, Ch 15, Ch 16

If you want to be added (or  removed) from the tags list for this story, just feel free to let me know!

@pink-royaute @believethaticanandiwill @milllott @likeashootingstarfades @i-dream-of-emus @eveerez @saintsisterwriter @loolea

The Good Life: Chapter 17

Rae and Henry stepped out of the lift in Rae’s apartment building and walked together through the parking lot towards where Henry’s truck was parked.

“Thank you for coming over on such short notice today. I really appreciate it!”

“It’s no trouble, really. I had fun!”

Rae looked over her shoulder and noticed a familiar car driving up and parking a few spaces down from Henry’s truck.

Finn turned off his car and took the keys out of the ignition before stepping out of the car. When he looked up and saw Rae and Henry standing a short distance away, he smiled politely in response to Henry’s waved greeting.

“Well, I’m meeting my mum for tea later today and I have a long drive ahead of me, so I should probably get going now,” Henry replied as he gave Rae a quick kiss on the cheek and climbed into his truck.

“Say ‘hi’ to your mum for me. I’ll talk to ya later, yeah?” Rae replied just before waving goodbye to Henry as he drove out of the parking lot.

“Hiya, Finn!” Rae called out as she walked towards where he stood beside his car as he slung the strap of his bag across his shoulders.

“Hey, Rae. How are you?”

“Doing well, I suppose. How was work today?” Rae asked as the pair walked together towards the lift to get up to their shared apartment.

“Well, I got called in to work at five in the morning on a Saturday. I didn’t want to be a work today, obviously, but it was alright I suppose.” He added with a shrug as they stepped into the lift and pressed the shiny metal button to take them up to the fifth floor of the building.

“I have a surprise for you!” Rae said excitedly after a few silent moments passed between them.

“A what—A surprise? What for?” Finn guffawed.

“Yeah, a surprise! I don’t wanna spoil it for you, so you’ll just have to wait and see,” Rae replied with a smirk.

“Uh, alright…”

Rae sped up to walk slightly in front of Finn and as soon as they reached the door to their apartment, she stopped and turned on her heels to face Finn.

“Now before I let you inside, close your eyes and don’t open them until I ask you to. Please!”

“Alright,” Finn huffed quietly before doing as he was told.

Rae turned back around and unlocked the door, casting a quick glance over her shoulder to make sure that Finn’s eyes were still closed, before pushing the door open.

“I’m gonna lead you into the apartment now, but remember, no peeking!” Rae sing-songed as she grabbed one of Finn’s hands to guide him into the apartment.

After closing the door behind them, Rae continued to lead Finn by the hand into their living room before stopping and letting go of his hand.

“Okay! You can open your eyes now!” Rae said with poorly contained excitement clear in her voice.

Finn opened his eyes slowly and allowed them to adjust before actually noticing in the surprise Rae had for him.

“Surprise!” Rae cheered when Finn had not said anything or showed any reaction for a few seconds.

“Rae…Is this really a—” Finn gasped as he approached the tall tree positioned in one corner of the room.

“A massive Christmas tree?” Rae added, finishing Finn’s question for him, “Why, yes. Yes, it is.”

Finn stood in front of the Christmas tree that was lush and quite a bit taller than he was, admiring the tree while Rae continued talking.

“This why I asked Henry to come over earlier today. I needed his truck to drive the tree across town and to help me carry the tree into the apartment and get it all set up.”

“It was nice of him to help. But, why?” Finn asked as he gestured silently towards the tree.

“I know that Christmas time is always a bit tough for you because it was your Nan’s favorite time of year and this is your first Christmas living away from your Da, but I thought that we could at least make it feel a bit more like Christmas in here. If you want to of course.”

“Rae...I don’t even know what to say…” Finn muttered.

“Well, you could say that you love it and don’t think this was a shit surprise to come home to after a long day at work,” Rae replied with an uneasy chuckle.

“Rae, I love it. It’s perfect, really. Thank you,” Finn replied with a smile as he pulled Rae into a tight hug.

“I’m just glad that you like it.” Rae added with a smile, “What do you say we turn on some Christmas music, light the fireplace, and decorate the tree to start making this place feel a bit more festive, yeah?”

“Sounds good to me. I’ll put on the music if you wanna get the fire going,” Finn said as he went to his bedroom to get his collection of holiday music records.

When Finn walked back into the living room and turned on the record player they had set up on one side of the room, Rae had already got the fireplace started and was sitting cross-legged on the floor in front of the tree beginning to sort through the chaotic mess of Christmas decorations that she had saved from previous years in which she had decorated.

When Finn got the record started and a man’s voice began streaming from the speakers, he joined Rae on the floor and helped her sort through the various boxes.

“What record did you decide on?”

“Uh, it’s Bing Crosby.” Finn mumbled, “His Christmas record was my Nan’s favorite thing to listen to every year.”

Rae smiled at Finn and hummed gently as she kept sorting.

“It’s sort of crazy…”

“What is?”

“The smell of the Christmas tree...it reminds me so much of how my Nan’s house smelled every December when we’d spend Christmas together as a family. My Da always thought using real trees were too much hassle and too messy, so he just had an artificial tree that we’d decorate every year, but it’s not the same. This is the first time I’ve decorated a real Christmas tree since the year before Nan…” Finn trailed off with a sad smile. “It’s nice.”

“Well, I’m glad that you like it,” Rae replied as she passed Finn a knotted string of lights for him to untangle.

The pair continued to decorate the Christmas tree and scatter the various remaining decorations around their apartment to make it feel more festive until Rae set aside a nearly empty box of decorations that she had been working her way through.

“I bet you’re starving, huh?” Rae asked as she glanced down at and set aside her mug of tea had had grown cold while they decorated, “I can go ahead and start cooking something for us.”

“I think we’ve decorated enough for now. I’ll help you cook!”

“You don’t have to do that, Finn. Just relax and I’ll let you know when the food is ready.”

“Don’t worry about it. I want to help,” Finn replied as he reached forward and brushed his fingers through the hair covering Rae’s right ear.

Finn chuckled lightly at the look of surprise on Rae’s face before holding up something shiny.

“You had some tinsel stuck in your hair, but I got it for ya!”

Finn let Rae lead the way towards the kitchen and stood beside the counter as he waited for Rae to decide what she wanted to cook.

“How does pasta sound? I haven’t had Italian food in a while and it’s pretty quick and easy to make,” Rae asked as she looked through the fridge to find all the ingredients they may need.

“Sounds great! I’ll get a pot of water started for the pasta,” Finn replied as he stepped around Rae to get the large pot off the shelf.

When the pasta was boiling and Rae put the simple marinara sauce she made on the stove to simmer, the two got started on preparing a salad and garlic bread to eat along with their meal.

“So...you and Henry, huh?” Finn began awkwardly as he rinsed the greens for the salad before adding them to a large bowl, “How’s that, uh, going?”

“You’re really asking me about how my relationship with Henry is going?” Rae asked with a small laugh as she mixed together a basic vinaigrette for the salad.

Finn kept alternating between prepping the fresh vegetables and adding them to the salad bowl, waiting for Rae to speak.

“Uh, it’s going well. I think we get along well. I like spending time with him,” Rae shrugged.

“Do you love him?” Finn asked as he began to toss together the salad.

“I, uh--I dunno,” Rae paused briefly while grabbing two plates from the cabinet and turning to face the stove while serving each of them some pasta.

Finn pulled the garlic bread from the oven and followed shortly behind Rae as she put their plates on the table before Rae spoke again.

“No, I guess not. We’re just having fun together, for now at least. We like being around each other, but I wouldn’t call it love.”

“I see,” Finn replied, allowing the topic to be dropped.

“Go ahead and sit down, I’ll grab the salad and something to drink,” Rae said as she waved off his attempt to keep helping her.

When Rae walked back to the table carrying the large bowl of salad in one hand and a bottle of wine and two glasses in the other, Finn smiled and set aside his cell phone to help pour their glasses of wine.

“You seem quite interested in your phone tonight,” Rae commented before taking another bite of her pasta after Finn checked his phone for the umpteenth time.

“Oh, uh, yeah. I suppose,” Finn replied with a chuckle.

“Who are you texting? Or who’s texting you that has you all flustered like this?”

“I’m not flustered! I’m just—I’m texting a friend, well, an acquaintance really…”

“What’s her name?”

“I never said it was a girl!”

“Ya didn’t have to. You’re my best mate, Finnley, I can recognize that look you get when you’re flustered or talking to a girl you like pretty well by now. So who is she?”

“Uh, she’s a client. I was able to help her out last week and she said that she wanted to buy me coffee as thanks.”

“Oh? You really do take ‘good customer service’ to a new level at your job, huh?” Rae joked.

“Trust me, I tried to make sure she knew that she didn’t owe me coffee or anything and that I was just doing my job, but she was persistent. We got coffee a couple days later and have been texting off and on since then.”

“Huh, I see,” Rae said as she took a sip of her wine, “You should take her out on a proper date. If you like her and want to see her again, that is.”

“You think so? I guess it was kinda nice to go on a date, even if it was a bit of an informal date. Maybe I will ask her out for dinner or something…” Finn trailed off as he reached for his phone.

“So, do you have any plans for Christmas in a few weeks?” Rae asked when the conversation had lulled.

“Uh, my work gave us the whole week of Christmas off of work, so I’ll have a bit of a break to enjoy my holiday. I’m meeting my Da for dinner the weekend before Christmas to celebrate early, since he is going on a ‘lads ski trip’ with some of his old mates from Uni, but on Christmas Day I don’t have any plans that I know of. What about you?”

“My office gets really busy around the holidays so I’m back at work the day after Christmas, but they are throwing a massive company Christmas party the Friday prior to Christmas, so that should be fun. My mum and sister are going back to Tunisia with Karim for two weeks, so I’ll just spend Christmas here, most likely.” Rae added with a small smile.

“Maybe we could spend Christmas together?” Finn suggested, “We could just have a relaxed night in, or something, but at least we’d be keeping each other company and celebrating a little bit, right?”

“Yeah, that sounds really nice, actually. I’d like that!”

When they had both finished eating, Finn helped Rae wash and put away the dishes they used to make it faster.

When they were done, Rae grabbed the opened bottle of wine and divided the last of it between both of their glasses and handed Finn his glass before walking over to the couch.

The pair assumed their usual couch positions with Rae lightly resting her feet across Finn’s lap.

“This is nice,” Rae muttered as she sipped her wine, idly watching the fireplace burning while the old Christmas records continued playing in the background.

“It really is nice. I, uh, wasn’t sure what to expect from this Christmas because everything has changed, but this,” Finn said as he gestured around the room at the decorations they had spent hours putting up, “this makes things feel a bit more like how Christmas should feel.”

“I’m so glad. It was the least I could do, really. Plus I love the way that all these decorations bring new life to our apartment!”

“I agree. I also think that Nan would have loved it,” Finn mused with a gentle smile.

“I know that she would have,” Rae added as she settled further into the couch to get comfortable as she continued sipping her glass of wine.

A/N: Wow, it’s been a minute since I posted, or even wrote anything tbh. Life has been particularly difficult as of lately and just trying to make it from on day to the next and be a human being has proven difficult enough, so I just haven’t been able to write as much as I would have liked.

I can’t say for sure when things will get back on track or when the next chapter will be coming, but I mapped out where I want the next few chapter of this story to go in terms of the plot, so that’s a start at least, right? Until next time: Stay Awesome, my friends! :)

[bluerosesburnblue]

All Answered: 25 Emoji Asks

Tagged by @callmederok so I’m assuming this was about HPHM!

A bit of a long one (at least if you answered things the way that I did), so don’t feel like you have to do it, but I’m putting the usual tag list of @oveliagirlhaditright, @wilhelminafujita, @missnight0wl, and @batgirl-87 here.

🌟 When your OC loses all hope, who do they turn to first? What helps make them feel better? What calms them down and reassures them? Why?

The first one implies that Seren has a functioning support system, which at the current time she doesn’t. It used to be Jacob, and it will probably be Jacob again when they get things sorted out. When they were kids, he was all she had. Once they’re adults and able to stand on an equal level, though, I think it’ll be a lot better for her.

The whole problem is that once Seren gets upset, there’s very little that can get her out of it besides time. Her instinct is to withdraw somewhere private to just ruminate on everything. She used to cuddle plush toys to feel better, though I think those would get gradually replaced with the creatures that she adopts over time (it’s hard to stay sad with a crup pup licking your face!). But I think the main draw of finding solace in creatures is the fact that they make her feel “needed,” which for someone who constantly doubts their own worth is very reassuring

☀️ What makes your OC genuinely happy? A person, an item, their hobby? Where is the place they’re happiest, or most at home? What is the happiest they’ve ever been?

Again, taking care of creatures is something that genuinely makes her happy with no strings attached. Creatures don’t generally judge you and are incapable of comparing you to your brother, after all. Once she becomes an Animagus, I think turning into a raven and flying about wherever she wants would be something that makes her very happy due to the privacy of flying about unnoticed, the freedom of the movement, and the sense power that comes from mastering the skill. Also, being in animal form makes emotions simpler to process, so there’s very little that could make her unhappy for a prolonged amount of time in that form!

Relatedly, the happiest she’s ever been (at the current point in HPHM) would be her first Animagus transformation. The elation of knowing that you managed to get a very difficult bit of magic done right, pretty much by word-of-mouth on the particulars, and that the new skill would be unimaginably helpful combined with just the adrenaline of the transformation itself and relief of not having to deal with all of the precise timing stuff made it her happiest moment in recent memory

She’s happiest in private areas. Since she’s dorming and her home isn’t really a safe place for her, that ends up being the forest or the school rooftops that she can access post-Animagus

🌙 If your OC could have one wish come true what would it be and why? Would there be consequences to this wish or would they regret it once they get what they want? What would they give in return for this wish to come true?

Ooooof. Uh... that’s really hard because Seren is a Hufflepuff through and through. She wouldn’t be satisfied in the outcome of the wish unless she had to work for it. I suppose she’d probably use it on someone else or just ask them what they wanted and wish for that

If she had to wish for something for herself, though, then maybe she’d just wish for more restful sleep because she doesn’t get nearly enough. No regrets, she probably wouldn’t go out of her way to get the wish. It’d just be a nice, practical bonus to help her mental health

❄️ What makes your OC sad, so sad that they can’t help but cry all day? How do they cheer themselves up? Does their sadness upset any of their loved ones too?

Really, a better question is what doesn’t make her sad? She’s a pretty easily depressed, melancholic person when you get down to it. It wouldn’t even be sadness that would make her cry all day, but frustration at how everything seems to go wrong with the Vaults or with her friends. Stress and existential dread are huge issues for her

Covered it above that she doesn’t really cheer herself up, she just waits it out. I’m sure that the fact that she’s so difficult to cheer up makes her friends, and especially Jacob, upset, too. I guess he’ll just have to turn into a bird and incessantly attempt to cuddle up to her while tickling her with his feathers, huh?

🔥 If your OC known for having temper tantrums? If not, what gets them really angry? What makes their blood BOIL? Is there anyway to calm them down or are they unstoppable? What are they like when they’re angry? Do they take it out on their loved ones?

I wouldn’t really say that she has temper tantrums, but she does lash out a lot when she’s angry. Basically, a pissed off Seren is very volatile. She doesn’t resort to physical violence unless whoever’s offending her refuses to take the hint and leave her alone, but she’s very likely to get shouty, verbally aggressive and rude, and maybe take her frustrations out on objects in the environment. And it’s very hard to calm her down (honestly it’s hard to calm her down when she feels any strong emotions, and emotions for her are all or nothing so...)

There’s a reason that one of my best friends described her as “intense”

Things that piss her off include but are not limited to: people being hypocrites, Albus Dumbledore, unnecessary cruelty to people, unnecessary cruelty to animals or creatures, Merula Snyde, elitism of any kind (blood, species, living situation, etc.), potatoes, the implication that she likes potatoes, Albus Dumbledore and Merula Snyde, withholding of pertinent information for someone’s “safety,” being lied to, and being compared to Jacob

❤️ What would your OC’s ideal lover be like? Appearance, personality, voice? Would their family approve or would it be civil war?

Hold on, I have, like, a tiered list of Seren ships to reference here

So first of all, I don’t think she cares about appearance. Her self-confidence is low enough that the idea of anyone finding her attractive would probably far outweigh whether she finds them attractive. Though a little bit of messiness in their appearance and a bright smile certainly helps

I think the biggest thing for her would be whether they like creatures and animals. If the answer is no, then she won’t ever feel anything towards someone. It’s hard to like someone who doesn’t care for your passions. The other big things that I tend to take into account for her is the partner’s ability to handle her strong emotions. They usually always fall into two categories: cheerful and determined in a way that keeps her from falling too deep into her melancholy while also being laid back enough to counteract her anger, or quiet, calm people who sort of “absorb” her more passionate parts so that it evens out between the two of them. And being snarky doesn’t hurt

(For anyone curious, the ship list is:

Tier 1: Seren/Charlie and Seren/Talbott

Tier 2: Seren/Chiara, Seren/Orsino, Seren/Kirley, and Seren/Aurélie

Considered but Eliminated Because I Made Them Third Cousins: Seren/Barnaby

God Tier: Seren/Tuna Sandwich)

The only family who would care who she’s with would be Jacob and I think he’d approve of anyone on that list. Though fair warning: if you’re gonna romance Seren you have to be prepared for Jacob to third wheel the entire situation. You’re basically dating both of them he will not leave you alone

🕊️ Would your OC ever get married or are they already wed? If they’re married, describe what their wedding was like! If not, describe their ideal wedding (or do this if you feel like it anyway!)

I think she’d like to get married someday if she found the right person, but it’s not a particular priority. She doesn’t think about it much considering she uh... does not think she’s worth being in a relationship with

If she were to get married, I think her one specification would be that it be a small ceremony. She only has one family member who would show up and she’d be really upset if whoever she was marrying had more people there to support them than there were people there to support her (just rub it in that she’s been disowned yaaaaaaaay), so the guest list would be restricted to close family and friends only. I also think she’d prefer a wedding late in the evening and outdoors, maybe sometime in the spring or fall when the weather isn’t too hot or cold and there’s a nice breeze. Overall, it’d be a pretty casual affair

🍼 Does your OC have any children or want children? What names would they pick? Are they good with kids or a complete disaster?

Nope. Absolutely not. She has no desire for kids. She does not trust herself with kids. She is terrified that because she grew up in an emotionally abusive home that she’d be the same to her kids and she doesn’t want that. She also doesn’t want more responsibility and kids are A Lot, especially if you own a whole ton of pets already and you’re basically your brother’s entire sense of restraint. Not only does she not want kids, she hates her family line so much that she’s ecstatic that she might get to be the last Dwyn if she outlives Jacob

Ironically, though, she’s decent with kids. Though more so in the “cool aunt” way. She’s protective but also, like... an instigator who goads them into some stuff that I’m sure their parents wouldn’t approve of because Seren has weird standards of “normal and safe” (”Hey, kids! Wanna feed an Acromantula? I’ll teach you the safe way to do it!) Personally, I think Teddy Lupin considers her his aunt with how close she was to Tonks and he’s the closest to having a kid she’ll ever get

☕ Give us one (or more if you feel like it) of your OCs deep dark secrets! Why do they keep it hidden? Spill the tea!

The one thing she refuses to let anyone know about is the fact that her dad is a Squib. I know, that’s not really “her” secret to keep, but she’s a pretty honest person so she doesn’t have many. It’s not that she’s ashamed that her father’s a Squib, but just that she knows that there’s a lot of wizards who would find that something worth mocking and with everything happening with Jacob she just... doesn’t need the extra stress in her life

I mean, I guess her middle name being Aisling is a secret because she doesn’t want anyone to realize that her initials are SAD. Not really a “dark” secret, though. Her birthday’s another one, but that’s just because she doesn’t want people to go out of their way to get her gifts

And then there’s the whole “unregistered Animagus” thing that would surely get her sent to prison

(*cough* If she had a crush on someone that would be a secret, too. *cough* Wouldn’t want anyone to feel pressured to be in a relationship with her or anything. I don’t consider the First Date quest to be part of her story)

🍂 What are their opinions on the different seasons? Which one do they hate and which one do they love and why?

Hates summer because she can’t deal with hot weather, and because she’s forced to go home to parents that don’t want anything to do with her. Even when she’s an adult and doesn’t have to deal with her parents anymore she still hates it. Her birthday is in summer. She hates people celebrating it. Summer is just a sign that it’s gonna be her birthday again.

Winter is her favorite just because she likes snow (another point for being a raven Animagus: they really like rolling around in the snow and it’s adorable). The cold doesn’t bother her. And she loves Christmas.

She likes fall and spring because of the breezes, but that’s about it. She has no strong feelings for either one

🦋 If your OC could change everything (or just something) about their life would they? What would they change? What do they think would happen if they did? What would their loved ones think?

Everything? Maybe not. But not having emotionally abusive/neglectful parents would be nice. I really think that’s the one thing she’d change if she could, but there’s no good way to go about that that doesn’t screw up some aspect of her life. If her dad isn’t a Squib her never gets the job that he meets her mom at. If her mom isn’t a Muggleborn, then she doesn’t end up at the Cafe her dad worked at after leaving home. If she isn’t born a witch then she never goes to Hogwarts and meets any of her friends, and probably wouldn’t be as close to Jacob. So much of her life has been tied to it that there’s no way to change it without starting a horrible avalanche of consequences

💐 Does your OC like flowers? What are their favourites? Do they keep a garden of some sort? What flowers would they use in a flower crown? (and if you like, research the meanings behind those flowers!)

Yeah, she likes flowers a lot! Herbology’s actually her chill out class because she just likes being around them. At Hogwarts, she likes taking care of the Common Room plants (yes, I know Jane, they’re enchanted to be watered but I like to be sure) and will be keeping houseplants as an adult. Although, they’re mostly medicinal herbs and potions ingredients

She’s a big fan of water lilies and water poppies (gee, I wonder why), but she also has a fondness for odd-looking blooms like Bleeding Hearts. And the thing about flower crowns is that they’d be personalized for every person she makes one for. Actually, that would probably be a Christmas gift one year. Personalized flower crowns for everyone (probably sneak a blue water lily in each of them as a shorthand for “hey, this is from Seren!”)

🌼 Write a short drabble from your OCs POV meeting their LI (or if they don’t have a love interest, their best friend. If you don’t want to do a drabble, describe their first meeting instead!)

(The meetings for pretty much everyone are shown in-game... except for Charlie so let’s do it! Works for friendship because Seren’s slow to fall in love. Ain’t no love at first sight for her)

Her footsteps were just barely audible as she hurried down the spacious hallways of Hogwarts castle, until they were suddenly drowned out by a scream in the distance followed by a firm shout of “Riddikulus!” She didn’t stop until she was outside of the castle doors. The small Third Year leaned back against the cool stone of the castle’s exterior, closed her eyes, and breathed in the cool, late autumn air.

Ever since the boggarts had started appearing as part of the latest curse, Seren Dwyn had been making herself scarce. Part of it was due to the fact that her fellow students were quick to blame her for their appearance. Part of it was due to the fact that the boggarts always took the form of him, and she just couldn’t face him. Not yet. Not until she was certain that he was real, and that he was safe. (Besides, if any of the students who made fun of her found out that her boggart took the form of her brother, then they’d never let her live it down.)

She opened her eyes again and pushed off of the wall, kicking her feet against the ground and running her hand through the hair that fell over her shoulder. The stress was starting to get to her and she knew it. Walking around in constant fear that a boggart might show up only made them much more likely to show up, and she was far too smart to let that happen, or so she told herself. No, she just needed a way to take her mind off of them. Then she could return to the castle without the shapeshifting monsters impeding her search for the next Cursed Vault.

“...alright. Alright,” she whispered to herself in an attempt to bolster her confidence. She knew that she wasn’t technically allowed out this late, but there was only one place she was aware of to escape the boggarts and relax at the same time. And so the little Hufflepuff set off towards Hagrid’s Hut.

The long walk down had done wonders to lighten her mood, and she practically skipped up the steps to knock on the door to her favorite half-giant’s abode. She swung her fist up to pound the thick, wooden door loud enough for Hagrid to hear when she froze in her tracks. There was laughter. One of the voices was Hagrid, of course, who was so loud that he nearly drowned out the second voice. But she caught it.

Oh, stop being such a coward! she chided to herself, letting out a shaky breath that she hadn’t realized she’d been holding. Strangers always made her nervous, irrational as she knew that was. Just knock!

Her fist had barely touched the door when loud howling erupted from inside of the building. Taking that as her cue, Seren opened the door, gripped the edge of the doorway to avoid being knocked over, and allowed her favorite pup to leap up at her and start licking her face. He’d gotten so big! And, for the first time since the boggarts appeared, the girl started laughing. Genuinely, wholeheartedly laughing. And when her laughter started dying down, she noticed that it hadn’t just been her. The unfamiliar voice had joined in as well.

She looked up and her eyes finally met those of Hagrid’s guest: a boy of roughly the same age as her with a very familiar shade of red hair that he’d unsuccessfully attempted to tie back into a ponytail despite the fact that it was far too short. He was sitting on the floor, his back leaning up against the wooden crates that had been left in the corner and the pile of blankets next to him indicated that Fang had been laying down by his side. The freckles on his face highlighted his huge grin, an expression that extended up to his deep brown eyes. He was, by far, the cheeriest person she had seen in months.

He waved at her, and she could’ve sworn that she’d seen that exact same thing before. “Hello!”

“H-hi?” She waved back, and then quickly put her hand down. You’re making it awkward, ya eejit!

“You’re Seren, yeah? It’s nice to finally meet you in person! Not to be rude or anything, but Bill’s stories about you just haven’t been cutting it.”

“Oh!” That was it! She’d never talked to this boy before, but she had seen him around the castle. There were several times where it had seemed like he’d waved at her in the hallway and she’d just looked away and continued walking, assuming that he must have just been waving at someone else. But the red hair, the fact that he knew Bill... “You- you’re Charlie Weasley!”

Well, damn. Now she just felt rude in hindsight.

He didn’t seem to mind, though. If he’d even thought of those incidents at all, he certainly didn’t let it show. “Yeah! I was wondering if we’d ever run into each other. Hagrid said that you visit a lot.” He chuckled a bit. “I just thought it strange that we hadn’t once been here at the same time!”

“Charlie an’ I were jus’ talking abou’ tha’ purple Chinese Fireball tha’ they found las’ week! Ya hear abou’ tha’ one?” Hagrid asked.

Seren finally slid into the hut fully, closing the door behind her. “No. Been a bit busy,” she muttered, striding across the room and plopping herself down right next to Charlie, knowing full well that Fang would follow her to his little nest. Normally she would be nervous sitting this close to someone else, but something about Charlie just felt... safe. She glanced over at the boy and then quickly glanced away when he met her gaze. Maybe not that safe, yet. But she felt that she’d get there. “Tell me about it?”

Visiting Hagrid’s Hut that night had been a wonderful idea, she thought. And every time Charlie waved at her in the hallway after that, it took her mind off of the curses and the fear pervading the school. She had one more person around who was happy to see her, and that made all the difference.

🥀 Has your OC ever been hurt by someone they love? Ever been betrayed? Abused? Attacked? Give me the angst! (if you’d like, write a short drabble about it!)

Well, let’s see. Her mother resents the fact that she has magic and neglected her. Her father’s afraid of her because she has magic and he doesn’t and his mother used magic to abuse him. Her grandmother didn’t think she was good enough to be her heir and ignored her. Her brother disappeared on her... yeah, I’d say she’s been hurt by people she loves. Loved.

🏞️ If your OC could travel to anywhere in their world where would they go? Why? If they could live there would they?

Deep in the middle of the forest where no one can find her. Actually, despite the fact that she’s not very close to her mother, I think she’d still like to visit her mother’s homeland of the Faroe Islands. It certainly helps that they aren’t too densely populated. I think she’d mostly just want to visit because she thinks she might be able to figure out more about herself if she can see where her roots are and understand them better

I can’t see her moving there, though. It would remind her far too much of her mother and she kiiiiiiiinda wants to break away from that and just move on. That’s kinda the whole point. You can’t move on from something if you don’t really know what you’re moving on from

🏡 Describe your OCs ideal house! Give us a tour around! What’s their garden like? Their bedroom? Kitchen? Where is it and how many people live there?

So I’m just gonna describe her future shared apartment with Jacob because that’s pretty close to ideal

It’s not too big. Only a few rooms, but they each have a purpose. There’s the main sitting room and the kitchen right behind it. Down the hall is two bedrooms, a bathroom, and the “laboratory,” which is basically just a makeshift potions room because like hell are we paying for pre-made things when we can just prepare the raw materials and brew them ourselves (also experiment with potentially illegal brews just shhhhhh). Most rooms have some manner of houseplant in them. There’s a miniature Wiggentree near the front door for good luck that also houses Seren’s Bowtruckle, Durward, who protects the apartment from invaders

The whole place is filled with houseplants and small areas for Seren’s myriad creatures to settle into. Otherwise, the decor is pretty scarce, though Jacob has tons of framed pictures that he’s taken around. Muggle tech is in some spots where it would be easy to hide if they need to. Seren’s room in particular has a lot of fairy lights hanging around in it, and there’s books of every kind scattered about

There’s an entire shelf in that kitchen just dedicated to alcohol. Too much alcohol. Kids, please, I’m concerned about the way that you’re handling your mental health levels of alcohol (alcohol doesn’t do much for them. That’s what the Gillywater in the back is for.)

🔪 Has your OC ever killed someone? Ever had to defend themselves against violence? How did this make them feel? Or, alternatively, has your OC ever attacked someone? Seen someone die?

Not... yet. She has not killed anyone... yet. But she’s getting really close to trying. She’s never seen anyone die, either, but I can guarantee you that if that doesn’t change during the events of HPHM, then it will soon afterwards

As for violence and/or defending herself, well... *gestures in the direction of the entirety of HPHM* I dunno, you tell me. Though I will say that during the part where Rakepick breaks MC’s wand, I’ve always thought of it more as Seren waiting until after class to confront her and then attacking first, eventually getting her ass handed to her and her wand broken while she’s down. And I think she’d be more frustrated at herself than anything else because how could you be such an idiot of course you lost. You’re the worst. You don’t deserve to have these wounds healed just live with it. You useless failure

💎 Does your OC collect anything? Is there a reason? When did they start and is it beginning to turn into a little bit of a hoarding issue? What do they do with their collection?

Trauma. Actually, not really? Unless you want to count her creatures as her collection, but I don’t because they’re not really objects. And if you need a reason for them, I’ve mentioned it a whole bunch up above. It basically starts with inheriting Jacob’s owl and snowballs from there, though most of them are going to be given away at some point because it’s hard to take care of a lot of pets when you’ve been freshly disowned and are still unemployed

📚 If your OC was given some kind of forbidden knowledge, what would they do with it? Would they tell anyone? Use it for evil or good? How would it change their outlook on life, if at all?

Depends on what the knowledge even is. In general, she’s not big on keeping things from others for their own safety, so more than likely she’ll tell someone. But she’s also not an idiot and if it’s something like seriously, seriously so bad that it would be disastrous if even a hint of it may get out, then she may keep it between just herself and Jacob. Kinda hard to keep secrets from your mind-reading brother

There’s a very real possibility that she just will not care and continue on. Since she’s a detective it may influence the way she solves cases but... She wouldn’t use it for evil, that’s for sure. But she also may not use it for good because we never specified what the knowledge was and if it would be relevant to anything

🌗 Early mornings or late nights? What do they spend their time doing during these hours?

Late nights. The ones she doesn’t spend trying desperately to sleep and just not succeeding, she usually spends researching things that may be useful for the Vault search/detective work. Maybe a bit of experimenting or gift crafting if there’s a birthday or holiday coming up. She’s not an insomniac like her brother is, but she does share his tendency to just... not. Sleep. Sometimes. Though she’s far more likely to medicate herself to sleep

👑 If your OC was made royal (or is royal) how would they use their power? Are they a good leader or bad? Do their subjects like them or is it ‘off with their head’? Do they enjoy being royal?

If Seren was ever made royalty, then she would abdicate almost immediately. Use her position to establish a democracy and then leave. Like, that’s her whole thing. She’s a very competent leader. Very kind, but stern. Very good at shutting her emotions down and delegating. But she HATES being in charge. She prefers working alone or with 1-2 partners where everyone’s equal. So if she was ever made a royal, she’d use her power to plan for her absence, and then leave

💕 How is your OC like with physical affection? What are their boundaries? Do they enjoy being touched or is that a no-go? Is there any reason behind this?

In general, Seren is a “no touch” person. She doesn’t give affection to most people, she stiffens up when she receives it. And it’s because she’s not used to it and is constantly worried that she’s going to mess it up or intrude on others’ boundaries

She’s really only comfortable receiving physical affection from people that she’s very close to. Her brother, friends close enough to be considered siblings, potential love interests, and any possible future in-laws (though she’s more likely to reject them than others). I think the only person she’s totally comfortable giving physical affection to is Jacob. With him she can be pretty rough. But everyone else she’s much more shy about it with. She may get more bold if she’s been with a romantic partner for a long time, but in general you’d be lucky to get a hug from her

☁️ What’s something your OC wishes they could forget? Why is this? Or, what is something that your OC has forgotten? (or do both!)

Mmm. That’s hard, because Hufflepuffs are honest people and that includes being (or trying to be) honest with herself. So forgetting something would be going against that to her. I suppose if she had to pick something, she’d forget about MERULA SNYDE. Once she’s out of Hogwarts just ERASE HER FROM MEMORY SHE’S NOT WORTH YOUR TIME. Merula is just so insignificant to her and I want to see the look on “The Greatest Witch at Hogwarts’” face when, years later, the girl that she obsessively made fun of in school just looks over and goes “Who are you?”

I don’t think there’s anything specific that she’s forgotten about other than the general stuff, like some instances of kids making fun of her in Muggle school. You know, the normal stuff that just fades over time

👀 Describe your OC through the eyes of another person! (bonus + specify who)

From Jacob’s perspective:

She’s everything that he could’ve wanted in a friend. The perfect straight man to his funny guy, whose look of disinterest just makes all of his jokes sell harder. She’s smart enough to keep up with him, quick-witted enough to challenge him. But she needs to be protected. Protect her. That’s his little sister and he can’t fail her again. He loves the way her eyes light up when she starts rambling about creatures, how she takes every little adventure he comes up with and escalates it into a full-blown epic

When he sees her again it’s like that person’s not even there. Someone else is. Her eyes that were the color of the deep ocean look murky. Lifeless. The bags under her eyes rival his own. Her hair’s short now, and a mess, but he can’t help thinking how much it suits her. Makes her look like her own person and not like she’s trying too hard to be their mother. She always tried too hard to be their mother. She almost reminds him of himself, or she would if she hadn’t put so much of her own spin on everything. When she turns to him he’s worried about what she’s going to say.

“Jay, ya fecking dope. You stupid...” She sighs, tears forming at the edges of her eyes. “I missed you so much.”

Ah, there she is. That’s the Seren he remembers. So it wasn’t that she’d changed. Not really. She just stopped hiding who she was from everyone else.

❓ A random fact or short drabble! Or make up your own question to ask the OC!

Students shuffled out of the way as they saw her approach. She looked like she hadn’t slept in days (and she hadn’t) or like she was about to get into a gang fight. Her hair was even messier than normal, the bags under her eyes so deep that they could hold all of her schoolbooks and then some.

She’d stopped caring about the uniform a while ago. Her yellow tie was haphazardly thrown around her neck without even an attempt at tying it and her hands were stuffed into the pockets of the navy hoodie that she now wore at all times as she strode down the hallways. The scowl on her face was probably what kept her fellow students away, but that hardly bothered her. Better they get out of the “cursed student’s” way than risk being petrified. As though she had any control over that. As though she weren’t the one doing everything to stop those curses.

Five years. Five years of that nonsense and she was done with it. A sixth year now? Noooooo thank you. But a sixth year was what she was getting. Nothing much she could do about that except put a stop to it as fast as possible.

Find Sickleworth. Sickleworth leads you to Rakepick. When you find her, make her regret buying you a new wand. Find Sickleworth. Find Sickleworth.

Her mind was racing through all of the steps that she’d need to take and all of the possible ways that a fight with her ex-mentor could go down when something jolted her out of the mental rut she’d ended up in. A yelp, or perhaps more of a whimper. As she finally rounded the corner down to the Hospital Wing where she’d hopefully find her target, she spotted the source of the disturbance.

A tiny, tiny Crup puppy was shuffling about near the door to the Hospital Wing, doing its very best to avoid being stepped on by the throngs of students that payed it no heed. It let out a whimper again, the noise drowned out by the chatter of students, as it backed up against the wall. It seemed as if no one noticed it at all. No one except the girl in blue, anyway. She didn’t even hesitate to walk on over to the little pup and squat down in front of the trembling little thing.

“Hey, there, buddy,” she murmured, stroking the little creatures head as gently as she could. “What are you doing out here all alone?”

The tiny creature didn’t make a sound in reply. It only turned to lick her outstretched hand. She was glad that she was facing the wall at the time, because she suddenly found herself choking back tears.

“Did everyone leave you behind, too? Find some- find someone better to be around?” If anyone who knew her had heard her in that moment, they would’ve been shocked. No one had heard that kind of tenderness in her voice in months. Months that had felt like years to the quiet, somber girl.

She placed her hands around the pup as gently as she could before scooping him up into her arms and standing upright so that she wasn’t in the way of the Hospital Wing.

“I know what it’s like,” she whispered into the soft fur on the puppy’s head. “Everyone else may leave. But I won’t. That wouldn’t be fair to-”

Bang!

The tender moment was broken as an older gentleman came careening into the area, his artificial leg slamming hard into the stone wall that he must not have seen due to the decreased depth perception from his missing eye. If the students had been shuffling out of the girl’s way, then they were sprinting out of the man’s as he bellowed at the top of his lungs, “SPUD!? HAS ANYONE SEEN A CRUP- oh, Miss Dwyn!”

“Afternoon, Professor Kettleburn,” the girl said as she nodded towards the man, completely unfazed. Actually, she was much more impressed that nothing had been broken. That was a rarity with the good professor. “I ah... I assume this one’s yours?”

“Why, yes!” he replied, marching right on up to the young student. “One of our Crups just recently had a litter, you see. I was marching the little devils back to their room after a nice, long walk when I noticed that the smallest of the bunch had gone missing! Such a quiet little one, that Spud. Easy to overlook. But I see you found him! Of course you did! I should have expected one of my best students to come to a creature’s aid!”

“Yeaaaaaaaaah.” She shifted awkwardly on her feet, adjusting the puppy so that he was in a better position.

I should have expected as much. Why else would a Crup be here?

She glanced away from the man, before sighing and muttering under her breath, “So I... assume you want him back?” The magical dog licked her hand yet again, and she forced her eyes shut as she prepared to give him back.

Don’t cry in front of your professor. Don’t cry in front of your professor. Don’t cry in front of your professor. Don’t cry in front of your professor. DON’T-

“Miss Dwyn?”

Her eyes shot open as she finally met the gaze of the kindly professor. His expression was as soft as hers had been just minutes ago. Or at least, it seemed so. Sometimes it was hard to tell with the bandages covering his face.

“I’d feel terrible separating a creature from someone he’s bonded with. Especially if that person is one of my favorite students! You should keep him. He gets overlooked easily, but you... I’m certain that you would take good care of him.”

While the hallway was far from silent, it felt as though it was as the girl in blue processed her professor’s words.

“But- I- Wh... Are you sure?” she gasped out, hugging the pup closer to her body. “The... there’s no way that they’d allow me to keep him. A-a-and even if they did, I’m so busy that I couldn’t...”

“Sure you could!” The professor waved his artificial hand in a dismissive manner. “You’ve always gone out of your way to help with any and all creature related matters. I’m sure that with a good word from yours truly that Professor Dumbledore would let you keep him! You’ve more than proven that you could handle it.”

A little yip came from the girl’s arms in seeming affirmation, twin tails wagging. A few tears escaped the girl’s eyes.

“...thank you.”

“Think nothing of it, Miss Dwyn! If you wait here, I’ll go and fetch his things so that you can set up a nice little spot for him in your dormitory.”

And the man marched off, in the slightly clumsy but nonetheless upbeat manner that he always did. Still, the girl could have sworn she caught him say under his breath “No one deserves to be alone, after all.”

She leaned back against the wall, scratching her new pup’s chin and, when she thought that no one was looking, kissed his tiny head. Just being around the little guy made her feel more relaxed than... well, than she could ever remember feeling. She looked off down the way that the professor had left. She supposed that she would have to stick around for a while. Sliding down the wall into a sitting position, she placed the magical dog down on the ground to let him roam freely and smirked to herself.

“Of all things, though, why’d you have to be named after potatoes?”

[s3tracha]

Paranormal... activities ?

Am I capable of naming my stories ? Probably, if I tried. Do I try ? Absolutely not.

Hewwo evewyone, I usually never post my writing on sideblogs and such but look, this sideblog is for the boys, there’s a challenge specifically for the boys, I’m not about to post it on my writing sideblog. Nobody follows it anyway and I’m not a fool

I know I’m not posting this in time. :3c

Summary: in short, the adventures of Minho and Jisung in the abandoned house.

Content warning: I don’t think there’s any warning to be given ? It’s supposed to be spooky month but it’s more humourous than anything ! I guess there’s some cussing though. And maybe bad English, redundant phrasing, #notanativespeakergang.

Reblogs are very much appreciated - and if you wanna add commentary in the tags or replies you’re more than welcome to do so !

[4:12 pm]

“ You know what ? This is going to be so much fun. No, really, we’re about to have a great time - why would we not enjoy it ? We’re paranormal investigators ! Surely, it can’t go wrong. “

[11:43 pm]

“ This is the worst thing we’ve ever done. “

“ Mh. “

“ This is so, so not fun at all. “

“ Mh. “

“ I hate everything about this. I wanna go home. Can we go home ? “

“ Mh. “

“ … Are you listening to me ? “

“ Mh. “

With that last response, Jisung frowned and looked back at his friend. … Silence. Minho was completely silent. Mouth agape, eyes kind of glaring at everything and nothing at the same time, his hand holding onto Jisung’s arm pretty tightly now that he was paying attention to it… What, really ? He was going to have to be the driving force here ? Not that he wasn’t already aware of that, but… ah, geez. The younger teen took a few seconds before exhaling a soft sigh and looking around them again.

Minho’s reaction was understandable. The house wasn’t only abandoned, it looked awful ! Like the walls were rotting ( and he was pretty sure that wasn’t something walls usually did but he couldn’t attest to this if questioned about it ), the floor was much dirtier than any damn house floor should be… Weird, unsettling paintings everywhere, clothes here and there, so many broken glass bottles he couldn’t count them - some of them hadn’t been finished and the liquid which he could only assume to be alcohol had given the place quiet a stench. Terror was a pretty appropriate reaction to a place like this. He’d seen places that were less scary to sleep at.

Maybe sending them both together hadn’t been the greatest idea but he hadn’t considered the cons hard enough before agreeing. And even if he hadn’t agreed, he couldn’t have changed it.

As a full team, they were nine, rotating in two pairs each time and trying to not send the same two people all the time. The two who’d investigate were chosen randomly and, sometimes the same person could go twice in a row… As a result, this was Minho’s third time this month. Needless to say, going with Chan and then Hyunjin hadn’t been very beneficial to his already very pronounced fear of… pretty much everything. When it wasn’t the ghosts and demons and whatnot scaring him, it was the other boy present with him. With Hyunjin it wasn’t necessarily intentional, Hyunjin was just… loud at the wrong time.

Maybe agreeing to being paranormal investigators along with their entire friend group had been a mistake in itself… Couldn’t really back out anymore.

Now Jisung wasn’t exactly the most reassuring presence either but for an entirely different reason: though not as scared as himself, he was just… more pressure. He wasn’t scared as much as he was stressed and tried to play it off like he wasn’t, obviously and maybe that made it worse. Either way, Minho was both terrified and spacing out. 

Great. Truly, the most fun they’d have in their entire life.

“ Uh, so, about the occurrences… Seungmin said we should be able to hear footsteps and some whispers here, the whispers would come from a crying man, and maybe he can move stuff too so… “ Jisung spoke again, his voice shaking slightly as he tried to bring himself back on the right track. The track of not being scared for the sake of his poor friend who clearly still wasn’t listening to him.

“ Poor guy passed of heartbreak after his wife took the kids and left… Maybe he’s not that mean. Maybe– maybe he won’t try to scare us, y’know… “

He trailed off, eventually just keeping to himself. Kind of forgot where he was going with this anyway. He was more focused on observing their surroundings while Minho was seemingly finally coming back to his senses - and with a small gasp and his other hand now holding Jisung’s arm as well, he shook his head to make sure he was, at last, processing things right.

“ Great, so, what’s up with the footsteps then ? “ He immediately asked, trying to take a look around as well. The least he could do.

“ Oh, dude had a pet dog that let itself die after his owner passed… “

“ A dog ? “

“ And a cat. But dog footsteps are louder than cat footsteps. “

“ Of course they are. “

Minho rolled his eyes, shaking his head again with a sigh. That earned Jisung another frown. “ What ? It’s true ! “

“ Mh. “ 

Ugh, great. The boy stared for a few seconds before sighing in his turn. Was there really no way to put the other in a good mood ? Well, the setting probably didn’t help either, but now that was just getting upset over a problem that didn’t even exist. So he was afraid of ghosts but cat ghosts are fine ? Ridiculous ! For one, he was scared of both equally.

Still, as much as he hated doing this - and especially doing this with Minho -, he at least wanted the atmosphere to not be tense for no reason at all. He had to fix it. He had to make something up on the spot and then the others would make fun of him for it when they’d hear about it. Yup.

“ W- well, I’d forgotten about that but… Um, Seungmin also said that… that you can– I mean, sometimes, rarely, you can hear… uh… the cat ! You can hear it ! “

An admirable attempt. Maybe the other’s face lit up a little at the words, too.

“ He said that ? “

“ Yeah ! If we’re lucky… I mean, maybe lucky isn’t the right word but we can hear it meow ! And… purr… and scratch the walls…? “

“ You’re kidding, of course lucky’s the right word ! Okay, where do we start ? “

The sudden enthusiasm from his previously mortified friend sure managed to throw Jisung off. Once again staring for a few seconds, time for him to think of something to answer with and to deal with how easily his lies had been eaten up, god he’d hate himself if Minho found out he lied, he eventually seemed to gain all of his confidence back and flashed a bright smile. One of those smiles that make it seem like he’s not only confident, but cocky about it as well. 

“ I suggest we… go separate ways to visit ! So we can get it all done fa– “

“ Pass, next. “

“ Wha– Why ? I thought we were good ! “ Jisung exclaimed, visibly taken aback once again. Was this ever going to make any sense ?

“ So long as I haven’t heard the cat I’m not gonna be any good and I certainly don’t wanna be left alone here,” Minho retorted, his grip on Jisung’s arm not loosening. “ Chan tried. I left the building. “

“ But Chan’s an ass when we’re investigating, and I’m not ! “ He knew he wasn’t changing anybody’s mind. “ Ah, fine. But we’re gonna have to stay awake muuuch longer. “

Minho shrugged. “ Fine. I got snacks in my bag. “

“ Well, cool. “

“ Yeah. “

Silence. Jisung was pulling a face. Minho was looking around, though this time probably more avoiding Jisung’s face than actually looking around. Jisung considered the possibility of them doing standup comedy rather than paranormal investigation in the future, with how comical every situation they got into ended up being, but that probably wouldn’t really pay bills… not that paranormal investigation did though. Oh, and they had all of this on tape, right. He’d kind of forgotten they had cameras.

The silence kept on going before Jisung of course it’d be him gave in and gestured vaguely. “ I guess we’re gonna start with… downstairs. That’s not where the guy died apparently so we shouldn’t see anything but we can still hear the footsteps, and the sobs. But we’d hear them better upstairs so for now– “

Cut off by a door slamming, followed by the both of them screaming and Jisung almost dropping the camera he was holding. And silence again. Two weak hearts needed some time to calm down and assess the new state of things, which was different in one way: a door, they did not know which nor where it was, was now closed.

This time, rather than talk, Jisung went and started walking again, Minho being forcibly dragged along despite how reluctant he might’ve been had he been able to be a little more responsive. The lights strapped to his and the other boy’s foreheads were probably the things he was most grateful for at the moment…

Their quiet investigation kept on going until after they’d gone around the kitchen. It had been quick, given the putrid smell they really wanted to get away from as quickly as possible.

Then Jisung laughed.

“ That sure was something, huh ? “ Not an ounce of confidence in his voice. Definitely faking it still though.

“ Sure was, “ Minho muttered, nose slightly scrunched up from the smell still, “ and also I don’t think I wanna see what the restroom’s like so let’s skip it. “

“ Yeah, okay. “

He’d already avoided some rooms with Jeongin once. They just pretended they lost the footage when asked about it. Surely that didn’t only happen when he was part of the investigation, right ? Eh, whatever. He’d just cut off the footage they already had so it’d seem like they opened the door.

“ Okay, anyway… Hello, ghosts ! I am incredibly NOT scared of you, and you can’t do anything to me ! “ Oh, here’s the bravado. “ Let’s just talk and have some tea, and maybe some snacks and– “

“ No, wait. Shh. “

He raised an eyebrow but complied. Something he had feared was Minho being the one to notice something, because who knew how Minho would react to anything ? If he noticed something first he could at least anticipate his reaction. Not his own, but… that was less of a problem, as surprising as it might’ve been given he wasn’t too relaxed either.

And then it came… the footsteps. Jisung felt not only himself going stiff, but Minho as well - his grip tightening on the poor boy’s arm who ended up wincing in pain instead of focusing on the noise.

“ Does… Does the dog attack ? “ Minho whispered, voice shaking slightly.

“ I… No, “ Jisung answered just as quietly, “ please don’t cut off my blood circulation. “

“ Does the dog go upstairs ? “

“ I don’t… think s– Hey, stop ! “

Here they were, rushing to the staircase, and it was Jisung’s turn to be forcefully dragged there since Minho wouldn’t release his arm.

“ Come on, that’s crazy ! There’s a dead man’s ghost on this floor, it isn’t any better ! “ Jisung tried to argue, mentally attempting to rationalise anything they would do in the next eight hours aside from sleeping very uncomfortably and complaining about it.

“ I don’t care, if you don’t know a dog you never know how it can react, everybody knows that ! “

Jisung groaned. Why did things have to be this way ? He’d almost dropped the camera again, if this kept on going like this he’d definitely lose it.

“ … Besides, I sure hope you can’t find any… alive people’s ghosts, “ Minho continued. “ What’s a “dead man’s ghost” ? Redundant. That’s what it is. “

“ Oh, whatever - you got what I meant ! “

Silence should be the third main character given how often it appears but here it is, the silence. More looking around, and kind of… trying to walk around as well, though Jisung wasn’t very into it despite the brave act he’d put on just a few minutes ago.

“ So now that we’re here… Um, we’re supposed to sleep in the kids’ room, “ he explained, trying to figure out which one of these equally dull doors led to the room in question. “ The guy’s ghost never leaves his room but he makes stuff move, so… if you hear chairs moving in the middle of the night… “

“ Yeah, I get the gist of it. “ Pause. “ And I don’t like it one bit. “

“ Guess it’s good you’re with me then, “ a response which prompted a nervous snort. “ Hey, what does that mean ? “

“ Nothing. Let’s get going. “

The next minutes were spent visiting the rooms, trying not to touch things and remaining careful of any noises they might hear. Nothing just yet, aside from the footsteps from before, and even the man’s bedroom seemed pretty okay ! Well, aside from the smell, once again. The kids’ bedroom didn’t smell as bad from what Jisung could remember of the maybe two minutes they’d spent ‘visiting’ it.

“ Hey, look at this, “ Minho called out from the end of Jisung’s arm. “ There’s a journal on the desk. It was left open. “

“ Oh, sick, let’s read it. “

And with this, the two boys jumped onto the journal. Perhaps that wasn’t the best call though ; a few seconds into it and the chair was suddenly thrown into them, reminding them they were kind of invading the privacy of an actual ghost… and yes, they ran out of the room.

Next step was locking themselves up in the kids’ room, quickly setting up their sleeping bags all while remaining glued to each other, each whispering a different list of swears and prayers before Minho spoke up with a desperate “ Man, what the hell ! “, and Jisung responding as desperately with “ I don’t know, dude ! “.

They let themselves plop down on Minho’s sleeping bag. Panting, Jisung dropping the hand-held camera to hold the other just as tight as he was being held, overall looking very comfortable with the situation they were in.

“ It moved. Right. “ Minho asked, though it was more of a statement.

“ Rammed into my legs, yes. “

“ I should’ve been the one to take it, I pointed to the journal... Sorry about that. “

“ Nah... It’s good. I shouldn’t have tried to read it. I could’ve left it alone or something... Not your fault we’re both kinda stupid. “

Jisung trailed off again, slowly resting his head on the older boy’s shoulder and giving up. That was what it was, giving up that act he was putting on so Minho would relax more, now he just wanted to…

“ Didn’t you say something about going home ? “

“ I did… I mean it more now though. “

“ Thought so... Me too. “

[2:37 am]

“ Okay, so… the cameras are set up, with the audio recording. “

“ Correct. “

“ The door and window are closed even though there’s this uh, kind of inconvenient hole in the wall here. “

“ Uhuh. “

“ And you got snacks. “

“ I do. “

“ Then does that mean we get to sleep now ? Shouldn’t get much worse than that… “ Jisung’s sentenced ended with a yawn.

“ Guess you’re right. “ Minho’s voice was as disheartened as it could possibly get. It hadn’t been much but the both of them were drained.

Jisung sighed and took the frontal camera off along with the light, setting it next to the sleeping bag then looking back at his friend, waiting for him to do the same. And he didn’t.

“ … You won’t take it off ? “

“ You never know what can happen - and in case something does happen I need to be prepared. “ Minho turned the frontal light back on as to prove his point, blinding Jisung in the process. “ Dude, you didn’t have to. “

“ Did too ! I let you get hurt once, what am I gonna look like if you get hurt a second time and I do nothing about it ? I’d rather die. “

“ No, I meant... You didn’t have to flash it in my eyes like that. “

“ Oh. “

Silence is back.

“ Sorry. “

“ I’m not mad, don’t worry. “

Minho hummed softly, turning the light back off before slipping into his bag, and all Jisung could do was… watch. 

“ Thanks for what you said though. I’d rather you don’t die if possible, three ghosts is enough for one house... “

That earned Minho a small chuckle as he looked back at his friend. He had that sleepy smile on his face but, as comforting as that smile was, he didn’t find it in himself to smile back truthfully. Something about this place just made him sad, he didn’t really like it and the prospect of sleeping in a bag by himself wasn’t really something he fancied either.

The other boy just waited. They were staring at each other for a few minutes with very different thoughts crossing their minds. For Jisung, it was a weird form of separation anxiety despite them sleeping in the same room ; for Minho it was a 13 minute long cat compilation. No thoughts, head empty… only cat. Jisung didn’t move, neither did Minho, but Jisung seemed much more inconvenienced sitting next to the other boy who was arguably comfortably lying down ready to sleep.

More silence. Then Jisung slipping into Minho's sleeping bag as well, snuggling up to his friend - warmth was truly the best way to feel safer. Minho said nothing. Instead of words, he responded with an embrace. A lazy one. He wasn't holding tightly onto Jisung anymore, it was rather relaxed... For the first time of the evening, Minho had relaxed, which only comforted his friend more. 

 " Night. " 

 " Night. "

[3:54 am]

... " Minho. Minho ? Hey, dude-- please wake up. " 

 " Mh... What ? It's late, why won't you let me... " 

 " I'm feeling something on me. Something that I don't think is your leg. It... it vibrates a little. Oh god. It’s a demon. There’s my sleep paralysis demon sleeping on me. I’m going to die. I’m sorry, Minho, I’m gonna have to leave you- " 

Flash. A small noise came from the... mass that was lying on Jisung, then two tiny ears perked up, followed by a meow. Quite the terrifying demon.

“ ... It’s a cat, “ Jisung observed, slowly coming down from his panicked state, while Minho had already sat up to pet the small animal. 

“ If your sleep paralysis demon’s a cat, I’m willing to get sleep paralysis. “

“ No, no ! It’s... fine. I had no idea it was a cat... “

Great way to make a fool of himself but it wasn’t like it was the first time, nor did Minho really seem to mind now that he had something to hold onto to keep calm.

“ I wonder how it got in, we kept the door and window closed... “

 " Ah, uh. Maybe the small hole. " 

 " I guess that’d make sense. Well, now that’s settled... We should just go back to sleep, yeah ? “

 " Yeah... " Jisung muttered.

That wasn’t something he’d expected. A cat... Maybe that was just how Minho was ? Capable of attracting nearby cats ? He’d never thought that’d be something he’d one day be grateful for, and yet here they were. This cat would be the key to a good night’s sleep, guaranteed, with the purring soothing him and the warmth... Again, warmth helping him feel safe. Maybe it wasn’t so bad.

[5:26 pm]

“ You lost all the footage ? All of it ? “

The seven boys were glaring. Ouch, that kind of hurt, didn’t it ? While not all of them were as serious as Chan, it was kind of hard on Jisung... Lying to everyone like that, could they do it ? 

“ Oh, we sure did, “ he responded with that good ol’ fake confident smile, maintaining eye contact to the extreme, “ we’re all out of footage for the day ! “

“ Yeah, cameras said there was no space left before we were done filming and deleted everything stored in it. Sorry. “

Apparently, Minho could do it better than him without much trouble.

“ But instead, I’ve got something even better !”

Lo and behold, there’s a fucking cat in his coat ! Gasps coming from the younger boys and Changbin, Woojin aww-ing and Chan having to give it to him, getting a cat out of an investigation was pretty cool, the proud look on Minho’s face could not be more relieving to his more anxious friend.

“ I’m taking her home by the way, but I’ll let Jisung pick the name with me - don’t be too jealous, I’ll send you videos of her. “

They’d gotten one good thing out of this night. Jisung had gotten way with lying about the ghost of that cat. And... well, they’d gotten away with deleting the footage themselves, though they didn’t review it before doing so. How unfortunate that they didn’t see the man’s ghost petting the cat while they slept - that would’ve made their day !

[afewmarvelousthoughts]

Truth Pt. 12

Truth Master List

Request:

What’s up sug! sorry you’re struggling right now but I’ve come to help you If you could bring this to light for me I’d absolutely love for YOU TO DO JT So basically Bucky X Enhanced reader who are fuckin enemies. Hate each other to every last fiber of their beings bc Bucky is rude and she calls him out on it. AnywHs, they get drunk, truth or dare (go crZy baby) and LOTS LF dirty talk if u wanna do smut but if u don’t then buck taking care of her while she’s drunk cause she admitted her feelings

Pairing: Bucky X Reader (Enhanced)

Summary: Since The Avengers gave you a home the only blight has been Bucky Barnes, a ghost from your past that you can’t seem to shake. It makes you hate him. The feeling, it seems, is mutual. But… a simple game reveals that maybe things aren’t quite so simple. (Post Winter Soldier AU)

Warnings: FLUFF, FEELS, CUTE MOMENTS, only a little sad

A/N: Look. I’m a sucker for Bucky dancing, I’m a sucker for cheese (sometimes) and also I just thought these two deserved a moment like this after everything they’ve been through. Ugh. I love them.

Tags are open!

@midnightdream83 @mywinterwolf @disagreetoagree @breezy1415 @peachthatdrinkslemonade @wonderlandmind4 @piensa-bonito @handplucked @buckysstar @sam-jae @marauder--harder @for-the-love-of-the-fandom @andreagf956 @marvelousmeggi @jewelofwinter @fairislesheets @animegirlgeeky @lydklein1 @katecolleen @siriuslycloudy2 @zannemes 

The next morning you slip out while Bucky is still sleeping for your appointment with Tony and Bruce.

You were happy he managed to get some sleep. Throughout the night you kept waking up, terrified he’d stopped breathing or constantly seeing that image of him bleeding from a wound you’d inflicted on him…

The moment the elevator opens you’re met with Black Sabbath blaring. It wouldn’t have been your first choice but you’re not mad about it either.

“Mornin’ Sparks!” Tony bellows from the other side of the room.

“Coffee or tea?” Bruce asks.

“No fasting?”

“Nah.”

“Coffee.” Bruce pours you a cup and brings it over to the chair you were at a few days prior.

“We just needed that for the initial blood tests.” You hold your arm out and he begins to attach the nodes.

Tony heads over when Bruce is about done, Dum-E on his heels. “Sorry, had to fix this idiot.”

“Be nice to him,” you smile at the robot. 

Tony laughs shaking his head and holds out a bag of banana chips. You take a few, munching them, mind wandering back to Bucky.

“Hey,” Tony sits next to you, placing a hand on your shoulder, “you ok?”

“I’m fine. I’m not the one who got a hole torn in their side yesterday.”

“It really looked worse than it was,” Bruce says, tone trying to reassure you.

“I know how much worse it could have been…” You feel the energy rise in you.

“Damn,” Tony looks at the screen. “Tell me, after a fight are you able to get your power up and running faster?”

“Uh… maybe? I’ve never really paid attention to it.”

“Because it took almost an hour for you to reach this high of a level the other day. And now what, five minutes?”

“Could be linked to emotion too.” Bruce would know.

“Yeah. Both maybe? Sorry, I know that’s not helpful.”

“No, but it’s interesting.” Tony studies the readings as the energy quiets. “The signature is also just a touch different-”

“Not quite as stable,” Bruce finishes. It’s like you’re not really there. Which is honestly ok with you.

“So you and Lefty,” Tony pops some chips in his mouth, “had quite the tiff. Guess you made up?”

You glare at him for a minute before responding. “I guess making him bleed was good enough payback for being a chauvinist.”

“Maybe,” he glances at the screen. “You should actually talk about it though.”

“Are you really giving me relationship advice?”

“More of a suggestion. Based on my own many and likely continuing mistakes.” Bruce snickers and Tony throws a chip at his head.

You laugh and sigh. “As much as I hate these words, you’re probably right.”

“You just broke rule #1, Y/N.” Bruce shakes his head in mock disappointment.

For the rest of your appointment, you run through some of the same things you did before. Bringing your energy up and down, letting it crackle from your fingertips, forming and dissipating.

Tony and Bruce both study the screens after you’re unhooked. “You boys need anything else from me?”

“Nah, you’re good Sparky. I’ll let you know if we need ya.”

“Have fun nerds!” You call over your shoulder as you head back to Bucky’s apartment to check on him.

When you open the door the smell of bacon makes your stomach growl. The sound of Bucky singing along to Sinatra’s Fly Me To The Moon brings a smile to your face and an ache to your heart. What if you’d-

“Y/N?” Bucky’s calls from by the stove.

“Yeah, it’s me. Sorry I didn’t knock…”

He comes out of the kitchen with a mug of coffee for you. “You don’t have to knock.”

“Thanks,” you take the mug from him but don’t take a sip, your lips pursed, trying to settle your nerves.

“You’re welcome. Thought you may be hungry.” He nods toward the kitchen and heads back.

Slowly you follow taking a seat at one if the bar stools. You stare into the mug, the silence only broken by the sizzling from the pan for the next few minutes.

As he cracks and whisks the eggs you can’t stand it anymore. “Why are you doing this?” You snap.

He turns around, bowl in hand one brow raised. “Like I said, I thought you’d be-”

“I could have fucking killed you Bucky…”

“Yeah,” you feel your face contort at the admission. “But it was my fault.” You turn back to your coffee, the guilt too overwhelming.

He turns the burner off and comes to your side, “Look at me, Y/N.” His right fingers graze your left cheek, gently turning your face to his. The expression on his face is soft, eyes crinkled slightly at the corners. “You had it handled. I… I was... well I was acting like my fucking father. Like I knew better based on nothing but my own pride. Because of that I got in the way and got caught in the crossfire. That isn’t on you, baby.”

You reach a shaky hand out to touch his side lightly where the bandages were. Bucky takes your hand in his, lifting it to his lips. “I can’t promise I won’t ever be an authoritative prick again. But I’ll work on it, I promise.” Sniffing hard you nod. “We ok?”

“Yeah. We’re good.”

The two of you enjoy a nice breakfast and have just curled up on the couch to watch a movie, both of you still tired from the mission, when Tony texts you:

“Hey. Can you come back for a minute? Wanna talk about something.”

You sigh heavily.

“What is it?” His back is pressed against your upright torso, head on your chest. Tilting his head to the side he looks up at you.

“Tony needs me to come back to the lab for something.”

“Ok,” Bucky groans a little as he sits up, the exhaustion clearly kicking in. “Tell him if he keeps you too long he’s gotta deal with me.”

You laugh, “You got it, Sarge.” Standing you lean down and press a kiss to his forehead.

Tony’s at his desk, the lab quiet for once. It’s unnerving.

“What’s so bad that you don’t even have music on, Ton?”

“Huh?” He looks at you distracted. “Oh! Nothin’ bad just needed to focus and couldn’t find the right song.” He flashes you a half smile.

“Tony…?”

“I just can’t work out how you tick. It’s unlike anything we’ve seen…”

You can’t help but laugh bitterly, “Well you’ve only tested me twice.”

“True but the results are so different. I mean… the base readings are pretty similar but… I just hate a problem I can’t solve, or that I don’t even know how to start.”

“Are you trying to… fix me, Tony?” A cold feeling of betrayal begins to settle over you.

“No! Absolutely not!” He looks horrified and you feel like an idiot for thinking that. “Unless you want me to… I just want to be sure we can keep you, ya know...”

“From blowing up and killing everyone?”

He rolls his eyes, “I was going to find a more tactful way to put it.”

“Tact isn’t your style man.”

“Ouch!” He dramatically grabs his chest. “Anyway, I was wondering if you’d be cool with me tagging along on your next few missions as a non-combatant. I just want to monitor your levels in real time, see how they change in combat vs. in a controlled setting. But I don’t want you to feel like I’m babysitting you.”

You think about this. It could be a little weird. Tony usually stayed out of most basic missions, only really getting involved in the ones where they needed the extra firepower. Honestly you always like when he’s along and you can think of another good reason to have him…

“I’m game. But I need you to promise me something.”

Tony’s brows raise with suspicion. “That makes me nervous… suuuuuure.”

“If you’re with us and something goes wrong. If I’m down or compromised in some way… get him out.”

Tony’s face settles into a stoic mask as the weight of what you’re asking settles over him. “Y/N…”

“Look, I don’t have any intention of throwing myself to the wolves or anything but after yesterday… I just don’t trust he won’t do something stupid to save me if he thinks he can… no matter if it’s a lost cause.”

“He’ll put up one hell of a fight. I saw how he looked at you Y/N the other day. That man is-”

“You can handle him. Plus… you’re the only one that can besides Steve and…”

“He’ll hate anyone who pulls him out. You figure I can handle that.” He smirks.

“Tony…”

“No you’re right, I can. And I am the only one. So yeah, deal.”

You give him a cold smile, it wasn’t exactly something to be happy about. “Alright.” You stand and extend a hand to shake on it.

He takes it and pulls you into a hug. “Just don’t put me in that position Sparky. You don’t get to just cash it in, ok?”

“I won’t.” You pull away, this time your smile is genuine. “Besides, without me, who’re you gonna make playlists for?”

“Exactly.”

You enter the elevator with a strange sense of hope warming your chest. A sense that grows and grows over the next few months.

For the most part, you’ve moved into Bucky’s place. Sure you still technically have your own apartment in the tower but you haven’t stayed there one night since that mission where you injured him. Your clothes, records, and even some of your photos have made their way into his drawers, shelves, and onto his walls slowly but surely.

On nights where you’re not beat from a mission or eating with the team, you cook together. Dancing everything from the waltz to tango as various dishes bubble away on the stove. You even convince him on a few occasions to invite one or two people over for dinner or drinks that aren’t Steve.

Nat and Clint join you one night. Another it���s them and Steve, which proves to be hilarious back and forth between best friends calling one another out on their reckless bull shit. You laugh yourself to tears more times that night than you can count. When you have Sam over things are awkward for about a half hour before they gang up on you to argue the superiority of Star Trek to Star Wars.

Tony accompanies you to whatever missions he’s able. Mainly he hangs back in the jet, looking over the feedback Jarvis sends him from the cuffs he modified to not only offer (hopefully anyway) emergency stabilization but to give him readings on your energy levels, how the signature changes, temperature fluctuations, and other minute details you never pay attention to.

When you’re back on the jet he usually would do a more thorough scan as you fly home. Determined to figure out just what Hydra did and how he can give you the most control possible. It warms your heart that he’s so determined.

Only twice do they pick up on any more energy signatures that come close to your own. The first was a false positive. While the other seemed to be just residual energy since the facility appears to have been abandoned for years. In fact, you’re fairly certain it was one of yours, judging from the way your head feels like it’s filled with static and the soul-shredding dreams that followed that night.

Bucky held you while you screamed and cried. You weren’t able to make your tongue form the words, some block in your brain preventing you from speaking about that facility. It was ok though, he understood. The night was spent with him rocking you gently in his arms, singing softly to you, grounding you to a present so wonderful it made the past truly feel like nothing more than a bad nightmare.

You weren’t the only one to deal with ghosts though. It was a particularly brutal mission, the Hydra agents were determined to win or die… needless to say, they didn’t win. Bucky had been cornered with Nat by about 10 agents. When you saw them after they were both covered with viscera and blood, looking more like animals than humans.

That night you rolled over to find the bed empty the door to the bathroom cracked, the sound of the shower running seeping out. You padded quietly over, pushing the door open slowly, not wanting to startle him. Bucky was on the floor of the shower, head pressed to his knees. Scalding hot water hitting him from all angles, his skin pink and red. When he lifted his head you felt your heart shatter. His face a mask of fear, pain, regret, and horror.

He didn’t have to explain to you why, though he wants to. What he wants is irrelevant. Had you asked for a mission report he could have given it, could have recited every horrifying detail of the day. His mouth opens and closes as you tentatively approach.

“Zamorozka,” is all he’s finally able to manage in a shaky voice when you’re by the shower. Freezing. Cryo. That’s what they would have done after a mission like that just to be sure. Wipe. Reset.

Nodding you strip your clothes, stepping into the cloud of steam to sit behind him, warm him further with your body, pull him as far from that freezing hell as you possibly could. For a long while, you hold him, kiss his tense back muscles, remind him where he is. When you coax him out of the shower you tell Jarvis to crank the heat in the apartment. You wrap Bucky in cozy clothes and blankets and though you’re practically sweating you don’t care.

But even with those and a handful of other times that your past comes knocking in the night, the two of you find something neither ever hoped for. Happiness. He frustrates the hell out of you some days but he makes you laugh, never questions your silences, and goddamn if he wasn’t incredible in the sack.

And it seems that you make him happy too. You’ll catch him watching you from time to time, a warm smile lighting his features. He’s more personable to everyone, even Sam commenting that he likes him better now. Steve is convinced you’re bringing back more of his old self, you hope that’s true.

-

Bucky can’t help the smile on his face. All you’re doing is caring an armload of blankets in from the bedroom but still… it makes him unbearably happy.

Everyone is wrapped up in gala business. Some necessary evil PR stunt for the Avengers. No one has mentioned anything about having to attend to either of you so instead, you’re taking the time to watch movies and eat copious amounts of shitty food.

He pops a cheese puff in his mouth and you look over to him. “If you eat all those I’ll zap you.” Laughing Bucky walks over and tosses a neon orange ball at you. Effortlessly you catch it, munching loudly.

“What’re we starting with?” He settles next to you, tugging you close.

“Reservoir Dogs, Tony’s been harping on me to watch it and I just want him to shut up about it.”

Bucky laughs, “Alright. Hit it Jarvis.” The windows darken to block out some of the early afternoon light and the film starts.

They’re no more than 20 minutes in when Jarvis pops in. “Pardon the interruption, Captain Rogers is on his way up.”

You exchange a glance, “Everything alright, Jarvis?”

“To my knowledge, yes.”

When Steve raps at the door Bucky gets up to let him in. “Hey, sorry to interrupt.”

“It’s fine.” You pipe from the living room as they head in. “Cheese puff?” Steve smiles at the proffered bowl, never one to turn down a snack he grabs a handful as he sits.

“What’s goin’ on?” Bucky settles back at your side, automatically taking your free hand in his own.

“This damn gala.”

Bucky laughs, “You never did like a dance, Stevie.”

Steve rolls his eyes, “Hard to when every gal had a foot on me at least.”

“Mhm. That was why.” He turns to you, “He just doesn’t like dancing.”

“You do though.” You both turn your eyes back to Steve, Bucky’s suspicion mounting. “That’s kinda why I’m here…”

He reaches over and nabs more cheese puffs, shoving some in his mouth before continuing. “Hill thinks maybe you should both attend.”

You just popped a puff in your mouth and begin coughing a bit, “What?!”

“Don’t shoot the messenger,” Steve holding a hand up in surrender. “She said it would be excellent PR for the team to let people see-”

“The reformed freak show?” Bucky’s grip tightens on your hand. This puts a bad taste in his mouth. Steve looks wilted and Bucky regrets his tone.

“No man, at least I don’t think it’s like that.” His fingers begin to drum on his knee. A classic Rogers tell that he’s nervous as all hell. “I think it’s more to show people that you’re not something to be afraid of, either of you.” Bucky feels you shift next to him.

“The public knows there are two former Hydra assets on the team. You,” he gestures to Bucky, “they know about from the Battle of The Potomac. But, Y/N, you’re a total mystery which is almost worse.”

Bucky stares at the place where your clasped hands rest. People fear what they don’t know. “So… this is a PR suggestion, not a team decision?” He can feel the tension in your body.

“Yeah, but everyone agrees it’s probably a good move. It’s a secure event, every attendee vetted. Plus it’s here in the tower so if you need to duck out, you can.”

“Bruce said the last one wasn’t bad,” your voice seems kind of small.

He looks over at you, your eyes also glued on the spot where your bodies connect. “Do you wanna go, doll?”

You laugh a little bitterly, looking up, “I mean… it’s not my thing, I didn’t even go to prom but if everyone thinks it a good call and will help PR… I kinda feel like we should.”

Suddenly he feels kind of excited, having you on his arm, dancing with you… Of course, there’d be all the other people, press, and… He swallows hard. “Alright. We’re in.”

“Thank god.” Steve looks genuinely relieved.

With the gala on Saturday night, your relaxing Thursday afternoon immediately shifts. Now there are clothes to be chosen and fitted, logistics to discuss, various preparations to be made.

Bucky is drug off with Tony and Pepper takes you on. Tony gets his tailor on fitting a suit for Bucky immediately since apparently what Bucky had wasn’t suitable, despite the fact that Tony keeps insisting that the event isn’t super formal. It makes him think of when he’d let his sisters dress him up. Except he’s more annoyed and less endeared.

The next day you’re both back in fittings after breakfast. When you’re done it’s lunchtime and you both look spent. Still, it’s off to a meeting with Hill to cover security details, as much for the attendees as all of you.

Most everyone would enter at the beginning of the party, do the press thing, answer a few preselected questions, etc. When they’re going over this Steve looks like he wants to puke. It’s the one time Bucky’s happy he’s known for being an unstoppable murder machine.

The two of you and Bruce would hang back, coming in an hour after the others once the event actually starts. This doesn’t mean there won’t be some pictures snapped throughout the evening or even that people won’t attempt to interact with you all but it will take the pressure of being in the spotlight off. All that’s really asked is that you all stay for at least a half hour but if you need to leave that’s ok.

No weapons would be allowed into the building. All of you were welcome to arm yourselves as you saw fit. While they never anticipate anything to go wrong, few were bold enough to make a move inside Avenger’s Tower, after all, it never hurt to be prepared.

Saturday morning comes and you’re both already over it. His initial excitement has been smothered in anxiety and general annoyance with the whole process. Plus he knows as soon as he sees Tony, he’s going to have to once again make it clear that he’s not cutting his hair.

“Let’s just say we’re sick.” You press tighter into his side, burying your face in his chest.

His lips curl a touch as he strokes the back of your head. “Don’t think that’ll fly, doll.”

“Thirty minutes has never seemed so long in my life. And after Hydra, I feel like that’s saying something.” You roll over onto your back next to him.  

He can’t help but laugh. “It’ll be fine,” he tangles his fingers with yours. “Besides, didn’t Tony say he put together a great playlist?”

“Not worth it.” Your phone buzzes on your nightstand. Groaning you pick it up. “It shouldn’t take a whole day to get ready for anything ever. It’s just not right.”

“You’ll have fun, Nat’ll be there.” You slide him a sidelong glance. “Promise after this we’ll see about running off someplace for a few days. Sound good?”

You smile before pouncing on him, straddling his hips, kissing him hard. “The thought of having you all to myself for a few days may just get me through this.”

Your phone buzzes again and you go to get off, he pulls you back, “I think they can wait a minute.” He lifts his hips to fully press the hard length of him against you.

“I think you’re right Barnes.”

His good mood lasts until the exact second Tony asks about his hair for the sixth time in the last three days. “Stark, if you ask me one more time I swear to god I’ll-”

“Alright, alright,” Tony’s hands are up. “At least pull it back.”

“Planned on it.”

“Give him some credit, Tony, the man wasn’t raised by wolves,” Clint pipes up from the couch where he’s waiting to try his suit on too.

Bucky doesn’t see you for the rest of the day. Pepper planned what she swore would be a fun ‘girls day’ for all the women on the team. He hopes you’re having fun but as the clock ticks closer his anxiety over everything is peaking. Seeing you, he knows will calm some of it. He’d face anything with you by him.

You were all meeting in the common space for a toast before the majority of the team went down to kick things off. When he gets there, it’s just the guys, drinking whiskey and lounging.

“I guess you clean up alright Barnes.” Sam lifts his tumbler of amber liquid in Bucky’s direction.

“You don’t look terrible either, Wilson.”

“Psh,” Sam scoffs as Bucky takes a seat by Steve on the couch, “I know I look damn fine in this Armani. Not that you’d know taste if it hit you upside the head.”

Bucky has to admit, Sam’s burgundy suit is pretty sleek. He’d opted for something black. Its slim cut seems strange but it’s the style now. The jacket, Tony insisted, could be worn open and thank god this wasn’t something he needed a tie for. In fact, the perfectly tailored white button-up was open a few buttons, making it fairly comfortable.

It’s almost twenty minutes before the elevator dings. Everyone but you and Natasha file out. Tony catches Pepper up in a passionate kiss. Hill looks incredible in pants that hug her legs and what looks like a men’s blazer without a shirt under, very her. The other gals look great too.

Since time was getting tight Tony goes ahead and gathers everyone around, popping a bottle of champagne and pouring glasses. Finally, Natasha saunters in but oddly you’re not with her.

“Sorry I’m late, had to figure out where comfortably put a pistol,” Natasha announces. She’s in a bold number. Gold, short, strapless, with a triangle cut out showing her cleavage perfectly. 

“Told you not to go with the Versace,” Hill quips.

“Ok, but how could I not. Just look at me.” She flashes Bucky a smile, “Y/N is right behind me.”

On cue, the elevator doors open and you step out and Bucky’s jaw hits the floor. You’re radiant in a floor-length black gown, sheer from the waist down with black overlays resembling roses with crystals providing shimmer, the neckline plunges almost to your waist, your arms bare. Your hair is swept and pinned to one side, curls perfectly shielding half your face, your lips a deep blood red. 

“Woah.” Steve breathes out next to him. “I don’t know if you can handle that Buck.”

“You may be right,” Bucky can’t take his eyes off you as you float over to them.

“I feel slightly ridiculous.” You say exasperated as he wraps you in his arms.

“You look beautiful.”

You smile softly, a slight blush on your cheeks. “Thanks”

“I may have to take back what I said about your lack of taste, Barnes.” Sam teases before Tony shuts everyone up for the toast.

When the time finally comes to slip into the party you grab his metal hand so hard you’d likely break a regular Joe’s bones. Bruce goes first. Since you’re supposed to wait a few minutes he pulls you into him. Kissing you, his fingers grabbing your hair by the roots, body pressed tights against yours. Your panting when he releases you.

“You’re lucky this lipstick is magic.” He laughs noting it didn’t budge.

“Ready darlin’?”

“Now I am.”

Hand in hand you walk into the room. The door is tucked in a back corner so no one really notices either of you for a minute. That is until Captain America just has to pull up next to you both.

“Save me,” Steve whines.

Bucky can’t resist laughing at how visibly uncomfortable his best friend is. He clasps his free hand on Steve’s shoulder, “Come on, pal. Can’t be that bad.”

Honestly, it wasn’t bad at all. People keep a wary but curious distance from the two ex-Hydra agents in their midst. This means when the other team members want to have a minute away from their PR faces they just gravitate toward the two of you. He wants to dance with you but honestly, he’s too nervous to drag you out into the big middle of it all. It’s fun to watch the others dance and get a little silly though.

After a couple of hours, Tony and Pepper approach you.

“Come on,” Tony’s free hand grabs Bucky’s.

“What?” Bucky has no clue what Stark is playing at.

“Grab that gorgeous woman and get on the damn dance floor with us.”

Pepper smiles at you with a wink, “As much as I hate to agree with Tony, that Elie Saab you’re wearing is too beautiful to be a wallflower.”

A few light synth notes start and all the sudden you bust out laughing. “Foreigner?! Tony? Really?”

“This is a great song!” Tony’s face takes on a mock look of offense. Bucky doesn’t know the song but he’s not hating it, unlike some of the other stuff you had him listen to.

As the four of you begin to sway on the dance floor the crowd there thins out a bit. You’re still giggling in his arms. “Tony is such a lame ass.”

“What was that Sparky?” Tony shouts over the music.

“You’re a lame ass!” You shout back, Pepper belts a laugh and there are distinct snickers from the crowd.

You’re both laughing as he spins you out when the melodramatic chorus kicks in. The two of you manage some kind of waltz sway mashup, giggling like kids.

Natasha and Sam join you all and seem to be getting a kick out of the song choice too, singing along. As the song turns takes on a choral vibe you, Tony, and Pepper, along with a chunk of the crowd all join in. Bucky swears his face aches from smiling.

When it ends he can’t help but spin you into his arms and kiss you. A few whoops from around them makes it sink in just how public this is. Somehow he doesn’t really care. Your head falls back and your ringing laugh sends his heart soaring.

“Careful Tin Man,” Tony playfully elbows him, “wearin’ your heart on your sleeve there.” 

Bucky thinks that Tony Stark had never been more right in his life. 

[cavaliant]

Get to know Fergus

tagged by; doing it again Tagging; ᕕ( ᐛ )ᕗ

(Verse: Conote’s heir -- post-game, a few years down the line. Age: somewhere around 25-30.)

Name? “Fergus. Prince Fergus of Conote, if you wanna be formal about it, but there’s really no need for that.”

Are you single? “For now. Some ol’ sticks-in-the mud have been making noise about me producing an heir, though...”

Are you happy? “I can’t say it’s the life I’d imagined for myself, but I wouldn’t say I hate it.”

Are you angry? “Well, there’s still some things that tick me off, just like anyone else. I’ve gotten better at controlling it now than I was before, though, just ask Karin.”

Are your parents still married? “Nah, they never were. It’s part of the reason me being in this position was so scandalous, y’know? I’m a bastard, through and through. The people here say I’m my mother’s son, but...I don’t want anyone forgetting who my father was as well.”

NINE FACTS –

Birth Place? “Conote. Right in the castle, even. Not that I got to take it in much before my little baby self was whisked away.”

Hair Color? “Blond. Sunshine, spun gold--you want me to go on?”

Eye Color? “Hazel. Not much like the nuts, though...damn, now I’m kinda hungry...”

Birthday? “December the ninth, I guess you’d say here.”

Mood? “I know there’s always a lot going on, but some people just need to learn to take it easy, ya know?”

Gender? “I do wonder sometimes...if things now and back then would’ve been different if I’d been a Princess instead of a Prince. From what Miranda--Princess Miranda--tells me, though, bein’ a Princess has its own sets of problems...”

Summer or winter? “Summer…don’t gotta worry so much about food shortages then. And I do still like napping in the sun--when I can get away long enough to do it, that is. Hahaha!”

Morning or afternoon? “Ugh, mornings...just thinking about them makes me wanna hide under my blankets again. Another new day, another new set o’ headaches to worry about...”

EIGHT THINGS ABOUT YOUR LOVE LIFE ? –

Are you in love? “Nah. Might be better that way, really--they’re probably arranging me at least ten different potential marriages as we speak.”

Do you believe in love at first sight? “Nah. That’s a load of horse shit. Or, uh. Horse...dung? ...Poppycock? Trying to talk without swearing my ass off is harder than I--damn it. Ignore everything I just said.”

Who ended your last relationship? “No one, I’m still ‘Conote’s most eligible bachelor’. I kid, I kid...though, uh. It is kinda awkward to get a love confession in the middle of the street. Is this why my advisers were telling me off for strolling around town so often?”

Have you ever broken someone’s heart? “Uh. Probably. Given the whole...love confessions in the middle of the streets...what, I let them down nice and all! Don’t look at me like that! I’m not the same incorrigible flirt I was a couple years ago--what do you mean, ‘that’s impossible’?”

Are you afraid of commitments? “I committed to this whole song and dance, didn’t I? And by that I mean this whole...prince thing. Not gonna lie, I sure didn’t want to to begin with, but...”

Have you hugged someone within the last week? “I finally managed to get some time off to go see my own brother--though since he’s a king and all now, of course there was tons of pomp and ceremony when I went to visit...I gave him one of those polite, no-soul hugs for a public greeting, and then gave him a proper hug later. He’s still just as lanky as ever...”

Have you ever had a secret admirer? “Streets. Confessions. I don’t really know that they’re secret after those, but maybe there’s more just waitin’ in the wings. You’re not gonna suddenly profess your undying love for me, are you?”

Have you ever broken your own heart? “I could say I did it when I took this post, but I guess I shouldn’t really joke about that. I don’t hate it, honest! There’s good and there’s bad things about it, and you just gotta make the most of what life hands you. It’s just...a lot of work. A whole lot of work...”

SIX CHOICES –

Love or lust? “I still find lust easier to deal with, but I’m not really supposed to be sleepin’ around now that the royal cat’s outta the bag. Not that either of my folks were really such shinin’ examples of restraint, huh?”

Lemonade or iced tea? “You got some on you? I could use a drink...”

Cats or Dogs? “I get chewed out for my ’catnaps’ a lot, but I’m gonna say dogs. There’s a reason a whole bunch of them are runnin’ around the castle!”

A few best friends or many regular friends? “Huh, I dunno really.”

A wild night out or romantic night in? “I haven’t had a real wild night out in a while now. Wanna help me change that? Drinks on me!”

Day or night? “Night. It’s when I finally get to sleep!”

FIVE HAVE YOU EVERS –

Been caught sneaking out? “Loads of times. I can’t tell you the number of times I’ve been dragged back to work...I was just getting a bit of fresh air and stretching my legs, honest!”

Fallen down/up the stairs? “I’m way too dignified to do something like--like...pffhahahaha! Ah, I can’t keep up that snooty act for very long. Yes, I’ve probably done both.”

Wanted something/someone so badly it hurt? “A good night’s sleep, for one. A completely free schedule for a day, for another.”

Wanted to disappear? “It’d be a pretty big waste of all my uncharacteristic hard work if I just ditched now, wouldn’t it?”

FOUR PREFERENCES –

Smile or eyes? “Smile.”

Shorter or Taller? “A prince does not care about something as banal and plebeian as--ahhh, nope. Still can’t do it. I tried!”

Intelligence or Attraction? “Mm. Once upon a time I’d have answered the second in a heartbeat, but I gotta think with more than just my dick now. I mean, uh. My...royal sceptre? Ok, no, that’s just terrible, even for me...”

Hook-up or Relationship? “I kinda wish people would get their noses outta my business with them both, but we can’t have everything...”

FAMILY –

Do you and your family get along? “I only got the one living relative--we get along pretty well. The rest of them kinda had their deaths orchestrated by a tyrannical Empire, and--and, I better stop there if I wanna keep tryin’ to refrain from swearin’ my ass--damn, not again! Man, I really suck at this, don’t I? Not that it’s really news...”

Would you say you have a “messed up life”? “Welcome to Jugdral! I’d say enjoy your stay here, but I feel like that’s a contradiction somehow. We’re workin’ on it, believe me.”

Have you ever ran away from home? “…Yeah. I don’t regret it, but. I wouldn’t recommend it much unless you really know what you’re getting into...”

Have you ever gotten kicked out? “I kinda left before they could formally do it, so...”

FRIENDS –

Do you secretly hate one of your friends? “Nope. All that court backstabbing and shit ain’t for me. I mean--ah, forget it. I give up on the whole swearing thing...”

Do you consider all of your friends to be good friends? “Nah. Don’t mean we can’t get along fine though.”

Who is your best friend? “Hm, I wonder...”

Who knows everything about you? “Diarmuid would be the closest. Though, there are some things that baby bros just don’t need to know...ol’ Leif--King Leif--and Karin know a fair bit now too, though I wouldn’t say everything.”

[pretty-little-howtown]

I’m Gonna Keep This Forever

Summary: The life of a makeup artist isn’t easy and it’s so much harder when you have a crush on one of the actors.

Genre: Fluff

Word Count: 1,944

Another day, another movie and another couple months of work. You walked into your trailer and started taking out and sorting all your make up supplies. Over your run as Marvel's main make up artist you've had everyone in the chair. From the stunning Scarlett Johansen to the charismatic Chris Hemsworth. Even the newest edition to the Marvel roster: Tom Holland.

Ever since he sat in your makeup chair for the first time you were practically the best of friends. If he had a problem he'd sit down and ask you for advice. You always wondered why you and he would always reply with 'you just have the best advice'. The two of you became so close that whenever he was going somewhere after the day was wrapped up he'd always invite you to hangout with him and his friends.

Your life was a dream come true. Everyone had sat in your chair, Tom more than others, other makeup artists would come and go depending on when they were needed but you were the constant. But your perfect lifestyle was in peril. It was in danger from your self. You had fallen hard for Tom. You didn't want to risk over stepping any lines, whether they already be drawn or not. Makeup artists are supposed to always be there but in the shadows not in the spot light. Over stepping those lines would put you in the spotlight and that's not what was supposed to happen.

Suddenly, Tom threw open the door to your trailer and pranced in elated, gripping his phone firmly in his hand.

"Y/N! Hey, I was wondering if you'd let me live stream you doing my make up for the shoot today. I just wanna show everyone part of the process ya know." He beamed with the hope that you'll let him live stream you doing his make up.

"Let me double check what you have to start off with today and then we'll see. We don't want any spoilers getting out. Do we Tom?" You asked with a raised eyebrow to which he blushed a little and awkwardly laughed. "Alright, you're in the clear. Set up anything you need and I'll go get the supplies." Tom fit pumped the air has he unlocked his phone, placed it against the wall mirror and started up the stream.

From the other side of the trailer you heard him mutter some words about what the two of you discussed earlier. You retuned with some basics. Foundation, concealer and the like.

"Right, this is Y/N the main Marvel make up artist," he explained as you waved to his phone, "today she's gonna do some basic make up for today's shoot."

He sat in the chair and you turned him sideways so that you could work but still have his audience see him. As you were putting on the foundation he asked you to read a few of the comments to him so he could reply and keep the stream as interesting as it can get. You found endearing when he went off on a tangent about something and his eyes just lit up talking about it.

"How did you get to where you are today?" You told him applying some concealer, waiting for him to reply.

"Well, it took a long time but I finished my GCSEs and then went to a preforming arts academy and did a course there for two years." You were concentrating on applying the highlighter while he talked you tuned him out. Until he looked directly at you with eyes full of curiosity with a hint of love and asked, "what about you?"

"Uh, me? I uh, I finished my GCSEs and my A levels. Did pretty well in both. Then I went off to uni and specialised in cosmetics. So a did four year course and got my bachelor's in cosmetics." You didn't say much as you weren't used to being the one answering the questions. To pressed on saying that he wanted to find out more about you. You said only a little more before asking about him.

He retold you his whole life story. His family life friend life even past girlfriends before asking you wether you were single. You answered with the truth. Yes. Although you did blush a little. In your book asking if someone was single was sign one of the asker being interested in the, aforementioned, someone.

You finished his make up and waved to Tom's audience as he ended the stream. He then put his phone into his pocket and swooped you into a hug. He even lifted you off the floor and spun your around. He thanked you once more and existed the trailer. A smile was still lingering on your face when Chris Evans walked in with a knowing look on his face.

"What?" You asked.

"Did I just hear Tom ask you if you were single?" Being the father figure he was, he answered a question with a question. Followed closely by yet another question, "and am I delusional but did you reply with yes?"

You just smiled asking him to sit in the chair and then looking outside at the large queue that had formed. It was back to the grind.

The next day you woke up with a small headache and a small memory gap that at first didn't appear to be a problem.

You went through your normal routine. Eat, brush teeth, get dressed brush hair, leave. You settled down in your car; looking at your watch on decided you still had time until you had to leave. Yawning with your thermos of tea in hand you opened your phone and saw it blow up with messages.

Tom invited you with Harrison Jacob and Zendaya to celebrate the end of filming. You went to Z's favourite bar and ordered a couple rounds. For most of the night you refused to drink anything stronger than whiskey, until Tom 'convinced' you to take a shot with him. He then had the brilliant idea to take a phot with all of you. He asked someone passing by to take the photo. You were in the middle with Tom's hands wrapped snugly around your waist and his chin atop your head. Zendaya and Jacob were on wait her side with Harrison on his side at your feet. After the photo was taken you honestly couldn't believe that his phone wasn't taken away. Tom then sent it to everyone so that you could all share this moment. The five of you then exited the bar and walked each other home. First Jacob then Z and then you. Tom wanted to spend as much time holding you as he could. When you got to your apartment he practically wouldn't let you go. He wanted to savour the moment because he knew full well that when the liquid courage wore off, he wouldn't be a ale to do it every again. Before he let you go however, he had another bright idea. This time to post the picture on Instagram tagging all of you in the photo.

You looked at the caption. 'Crazy last day of filming love you guys!' Under the post you read some of that comments that have been blowing up your phone.

'Omg who's that Tom's holding?! Are they dating?!'

'OMG OMG OMG @y/n IS SO CUTE WITH TOM SHIP!!!'

"AHHH IM NOT ON THAT PICTURE FUCK" you laughed at the last one. It sounded a lot like something you would say. Most of the rest of the comments were alternations between 'are they an item?' and 'I ship them so much.' Blushing you started your car and drove back to set. You had to clean up the makeup kits you left after Tom dragged you to celebrations.

When you got there however you weren't expecting Tom. He had no reason to be here, he was part of the cast his day was done. Yet he was still here.

"Hey Tom." You greeted, "what are you doing here?"

"Well uh I thought I'd- I'd hell you clean up. Yeah. Help clean up." He replied blushing. His was gonna do it. This was the day he was gonna say it. He wasn't gonna back out or more accurately Haz wasn't gonna let him back out. No more hiding. No more pretending. Today was the day.

You smiled, "okay well if you could bather up all the brushes that would be great." He did as you asked. The time was spent in stony silence. While Tom was hyping him self up to tell you by figuring out how he wanted to say it to you; you were were getting ready to give up. You were so focused on packing up that you got startled and fell backward when Tom tapped you on your shoulder. Tom's reflexes kicked in but instead of firmly holding you in his arms you fell on top of Tom. Your back to his front. You head a now from underneath you and saw Tom. Panicking you started standing up and apologising

"Guess I'm not as strong as I thought huh?" He laughed, "you don't need to apologise it was an accident." You nodded you head and went back to work still embarrassed by the previous situation.

You spent what felt like an eternity but was actually more like two seconds before Tom spoke again.

"Hey, I actually came here to tel you something. It's pretty big and I get if you don't wanna accept or anything but I'd still like to be friends after this. If you want to that is and if everything falls to shit like I feel it might." He started fiddling with the bristles of a foundation brush, suddenly finding them the most interesting thing in the world. "You see. There's not subtle or easy was for me to do this. When I told you I wanted the moment to be perfect but after last night I couldn't take not telling you any longer. I like you, a lot. Hell I think I love you. But like I said, I get it if you don't want anything to do with me or if you feel the same way." You stood there shocked. Tom stood there shocked. Why haven't you said anything yet. Are you gonna walk out and leave him? Is that gonna be it?

"Tom," he was dreading the answer but there was still a small glimmer of hope that you might like him back, "I like you too. I didn't think you'd like me back so I just kept it to my self hopped it'd go away. I was honestly just about ready to give up." Tom swooped you up in a hug the same kind of hug he gave you yesterday as a thank you. You heart swelled with joy. You got the guy.

"Can I kiss you now?" Tom asked waiting impatiently and almost immediately you replied. Yes. His lips captured yours in a passionate dance comparable to a tango. Tom traced your bottom lip with his tongue asking for entrance. Before he went in he nipped it sending a shock right through you. The shock coming out as an audible moan. He explored your mouth and you pulled away, lovingly looking into each other's eyes. Then you saw a flash. Turning towards it you saw a Haz shaped figure emerging from the bushes.

"Two posts in the span of a couple hours. The fans'll go crazy." He smirked and handed Tom back his phone. Tom showed the the picture.

"I'm gonna keep this forever"

[painting-wings]

Diabolic lovers |5|

Description: Honestly how good is this gif..imagine its blood. 

Warnings: Swearing, sexual body touching and drug use (lightly) 

Pairings: Jungkook X reader, Jin X reader. 

Tags: Vampire!AU

Masterlist

Chapters: one | two | three | four  | six 

A/n: Hey so sorry its been a while I have posted, but I am happy that you guys like the story and I hope to update more. My requests are OPEN so ask me away.. now on to the story!.and this is unedited...

|5| Toxic Touch.. 

‘You was gifted to us as a sacrifice’

Jimin’s words rang through your head as you were still trying to piece together at the fact that your own father sent you to them as a sacrifice but a sacrifice for what? Too deep in thought you didn’t hear someone calling for you.

“Y/n?...y/n!”

“That can’t be true” you speak, turning you see Jungkook staring at you with his big doe eyes, that where far from innocent.

“What can’t be true?” he answers.

“Was I a sacrifice for your family? Some sort of toy to enjoy?” you sadly speak. As Jungkook looks at you expressionless.

“I don’t like to be kept waiting come with me” he avoids the question as he starts walking away.

You walk with him, it seems like entity until you reach a gated area, walking into it you notice that it is a graveyard, “Jungkook..why are we in a graveyard?” you question looking around at the sketchy area and also being here at night.

“I like them, they are interesting and peaceful” he smiles as you give him a shocked look when he just smiled “my mother's grave is here”

“Oh..your mother passes away? I’m sorry” you reply taking a step forward to the large gravestone.

“I killed her” he mumbled making you freeze, “childbirth killed her, you can place the flowers down” he spoke solemnly.

You placed the roses down, turning back to Jungkook. “Well I guess we should go now?”

“Your so self centered aren’t you?” “Huh?” you reply as you can see the anger building in Jungkook’s eyes, as he whips around, facing you as you take a step back.

You lose your footing and fall back making Jungkook laugh mercily.

“What a pathetic girl! Look at you crying at any inconvenience, it’s humorous really” he smirks as his eyes soften. “But you are sweet...and that’s enough for me” Jungkook speaks as he then straddles your waist.

“Jungkook! Stop” you panic as his eyes flash red before he leans down, fangs baring at his lips. He stops before speaking.

“Wait aren’t mortal women more happy if they get a kiss before pleasure?”

“What are you-” you try to speak but by this moment jungkook already has his lips on yours, it was slow and sweet as his lips moved against your timid ones. You wanted to kiss back but was afraid too.  

Contemplating if you should or not Jungkook already moved on to biting your neck making you gasp, arching up into his touch as he smirked before biting down again in a different spot on your neck. You whimper at the feeling it gave you, a shock of electricity. Jungkook comes up to look at your slightly blissed out face as he smiles.

“Oh look at you, putty under my touch” Jungkook speaks as he runs a hand through your hair, before pulling down your top to reveal your collar bones as he dived back in again kissing and biting you.  

“Jungkook..s-stop” you whimper out as he smirks and licks down to your chest making your breath hitch. Holding onto you tighter as you let out a strangled moan. As he continued to feed off of you.

~

Walking home dazed, you felt drained. The fact that Jk drank a lot from you made you feel fuzzy and light headed. But you didn’t notice the two people watching you as you wonder back into the house.

Hoseok was the one watching you as you aimlessly walked the gardens of the house.

“What are you doing out here?” a voice spoke as Hoseok looked to his left to see a white haired body. Hoseok smirks.

“Yoongi...what a surprise you woke up” Hoseok said jokingly as Yoongi rolled his eyes.

“Fuck off anyway what are you doing out here?” he bit back as Hoseok was having fun with this.

“I’m keeping an eye on our little toy here” he gestured to your body as you still walked like a zombie around the garden, dreading to go back inside.

“hmm..I haven’t bothered, it’s overrated anyway. Why would I want to share? My food with you guys” Yoongi grumbled. As Hoseok giggled lightly.

“Oh brother...we are just getting started and anyway Jin, you and myself haven’t even had a taste yet” he tased as Yoongi glanced your way, meekly biting his bottom lip.

“I know you want to...and anyway she’s our walking blood bank, we treat her nice she will crumble into our hands” Hoseok smirked, his tongue coming out and quickly wetting his lips as his gaze was now trained on you.

“How long do you think before, Jin caves in?” Yoongi spoke as he gave a small smirk to Hoseok who gave a sideways glance at his brother.

“Not long..anyway it’s a full one tonight” he spoke before they both disappeared from their spot.

~

You walked back into the house as you now needed sleep, like really needed it. Upon walking past an open door. Curiosity got the better of you as you hesitantly walked into the room, looking around everything was neat and clean, you see Jin asleep on the chair at an uncomfortable angle.

You didn’t want him to get a bad neck to you lightly touched him on the shoulder.

“What are you doing in my room?” Jin spoke as jumped back.

“I’m sorry I-”

“I woke up by the smell of your blood” he cooed as you look at him in shock.

‘Again I am sorry..” you speak as he hums in approval.

“Don’t worry anyway what can I do for you” he asks.

“I was just passing by and saw you-”

“None of that, let’s make some tea” Jin interrupted you.

You now where sitting at a table awkwardly as Jin was quiet.

“You have interesting items in your room” you break the silence as Jin glances up from his cup.

“Yes they were gifts, I like to read things” he bluntly asks as he looks you up and down, you can see that spark in his eye, which made you feel slightly warm inside. In your flustered state you take a sip from your tea, as the warm liquid ran down your throat, your body felt numb. You immediately dropped the cup as it smashed to the floor.

“Look at you” Jin purred as he gripped your face, as you stare up into his eyes. He used his thumb to open your mouth as he dropped some clear liquid into your mouth. You fell to the floor cutting yourself on the broken glass.

“Oh no you cut yourself, the sweet aroma invites me” Jin spoke as he took your hand and kissed it before giving a bite.

“Jin- I-”

“Enough! I want you, and i’m gonna get it” Jin spoke as he lifted your body from the floor and pushed you against the wall. Making you gasp.

“Jin think about this!” you squeak as he places a finger on your lips,

“You mortals are nothing but a container of blood, here to pleasure us” he leans in kissing your neck softly. “You give me pleasure and I will give it back to you”

He then went in for the kill, the sting of the bite ran through your body as you pushed him away from him to pin you down, “know your place!” he growls making you freeze.

As he bites you again but instead of gasping in shock, you moan.

[andagii-writes]

“A Drop Echoes” Postmortem

Or as I like to think of it, a grand old vomitfest that I've been writing in between chapters so I can keep myself oriented on the fic. And I waited until I finished uploading A Drop Echoes in the Hollow to post it here.

Speaking of which, did you guys enjoy it? While I see all the comments and kudos and bookmarks on AO3, as well as reviews, favorites, and follows on fanfiction.net, I just want to ask. It's literally been nearly 6 years since I posted ANY fanfic online, and having had a not-so-good experience with online socializing or collaboration before, I'd been fairly apprehensive to start posting again.

Shout-out to both Ginger and Draco @gingerdrakewrites and their fics for giving me the courage to move on from those bad memories, and spurring me to start writing and posting again.

I’m here to share some thoughts with y'all about this here fic, 'kay? It's gonna be a long one so pull up a chair, warm up a tea or coffee or cocoa or whatever, drape yourself in a blanket, and relax.

Regarding Kutone

Writing professors told us all the time, that the first full-length project we finish will almost always be some kind of autobiography.

While I haven't had the same tribulations as Kutone, yeah, she is my autobiography.

Mixed race, Afro-Asian. Fairly successful in academia and supposedly has the potential to do more, but she throws it away to pursue something for her own sake. Overcomes self-inflicted isolation and learns to trust and love people again. (Admittedly, I'm nowhere close to doing that last bit.)

After that, she's the ideal I want to be.

Successful. Cool. Sexy. Independent. A little bit taller. A bit of a baller. Badass. Experienced. Confident. I count all these things she has that I don't, and I shrivel up inside.

So here's Kutone, the woman I wish I could be, and I, as the writer, pushed her off her pedestal and shattered her. It felt nice. That there's character development, supposedly.

Writing professors and college-level workshop mates also told me "don't use exotic names for your characters."

To that I say fuck all y'all.

Regarding Sebastian

AKA, the major reason why I decided to purchase Stardew Valley in the first place. Funny story, this one. I was scrolling through the screenshots on the Stardew Valley Steam page, and I think there was a screenshot that happened to show Sebastian's sprite. "Oh okay," I think, "he's kinda cute."

My sister charges in, takes one look at the screenshot, and says, "Man I was about to say he's cute, but god that nose..."

And as we cackled at Sebastian’s expense, I bought the game and started playing it. Made Kutone my avatar (meaning she seriously had no significance until I developed a certain businessman...) and started futzing around in Stardew Valley. With Harvest Moon and Animal Crossing under my belt, I got it pretty quickly.

Met Sebastian and had to put my head down for a few minutes.

‘This man is a reflection of me,’ I thought. I know a lot of other players feel the same way, like the dev had unknowingly taken a piece of my psyche, molded it into pixels and coding, and then, huh, here's a relatable character named Sebastian. That being said, I wanted to write him in a way that avoided the usual tags and labels people tend to slap him under: "emo," "goth," "depressed," "anxious," "gloomy," and basically every other iteration of those words that I felt made him so... meh, you know?

I settled on a new label for him, a label intrinsic to A Drop Echoes: "pathologically introverted."

The guy's actually really expressive, you know. It's just that, due to not being able to wholly trust anyone, he doesn't readily show those expressions. Which would explain why he's such close friends with Sam, and it also gives him a whole other layer of characterization to work with. Minimal, yet loaded. I guess that's where the popular "emo" tag comes from, but I'm still not a fan of the nuances of that label. Yes, he's emotional, and he tries, I think, to not show it, but in the face of sheer logos (like Demetrius), Sebastian knows he doesn't stand a chance. He's hyper aware of the fact he's emotional, but can't compromise that with his more logical side. So he shuts it away.

He needs a safe place to open up. Sam is that safe place. Abigail is that safe place. To a lesser extent, Robin is that safe place. And in writing A Drop Echoes, I wanted him to find another safe place--a permanent safe place--in Kutone. Someone who's a lot closer to him in personality, and someone who seriously puts her faith in him as a safe place. More than anything else in his life, that reciprocation is the magic he needs to "come alive" again. After that is a matter of, will he take it and run and see how far he can go? He knows he has potential. And he has his plan: take his bike out and never look back. Head out to the city and live his ideal life there. Does he fulfill it?

The original game didn't let him.

I like to think Kutone did.

Regarding Rhei

Origin? I had a crush on someone a lot like him--though mine was more angelic in comparison to devilish Rhei--at the same time I remembered a rule in a handbook about no dating in the same workplace. Yeah...

Anyway, based on what I eyeballed from the comments, about 96% of you hated Rhei. How do you feel about him now? Tell me things!

At the time I wrote the chapter starring him, I made this post, which was basically me fangirling over my own character.

Bet you didn't click it. That's okay. TL;DR, Rhei very nearly destroyed the rest of this fic, because Kutone was thiiiiiiis close to getting back together with him. Maybe in some AU version of the fic, they did, and that would be an interesting story on its own. She would have totally broken Sebastian's heart. Totally. That would have been some fun angst to write, but dealing with love triangles and their fallouts--even thinking about that concept makes me shrivel up inside.

I actually have an entire standalone document detailing Rhei and Kutone's relationship! How it started, how Jaci got involved, how successful Rhei and Kutone were, how deeply in love they were. They were too perfect for each other, so they burned up like blazing sawdust. This piece is their theme song. (Also I'm in love with biosphere mkay spare me.)

Regarding Changes

Grading myself here, I think I'm at a B-?

I did good on this fic. Still a good chunk of room for improvement, but despite the fact I want nothing more than to get it out of my face, I like what I've done. Like damn. I wrote a book and I kinda like it.

Things I'd change:

1. Wordiness - I do get too purple in some places, but I also would not sacrifice my prose poetry in certain parts either. 2. Risks - I thought about a lot of these. For instance, Kutone should have slept with Alex, and Seb should have caught them. Again, like Rhei barging in, this would have changed the entire arc of the fic, and I believe that once you cheat, there's no going back to what you were before. Doubt's always going to be a source of conflict in the relationship, and I refuse to believe people like Sebastian or Kutone would ever trust each other again if an affair was on the table. So I shriveled away from that risk too. Sometimes, I gotta let my imagination go there, and see where each rabbit hole takes me, y'know? 3. Omit BS - I'd either cut or fuse a lot of the early chapters. Also, much as I love Alex, a couple of his chapters were really unnecessary. 4. Character arc/Story arc - Is it even there? It needs more! What is even a climax? That was always the one point in the "mapping plot arcs" lessons that I could NEVER understand! More studying necessary.

Any other thoughts? Anything you guys want to ask me about A Drop Echoes before I fully focus on Sunset Stars? Ask me anything, send me your thoughts, theories, conspiracies, cries of mercy, comments or questions to my characters, anything at all, to my lonely inbox.

Also, lastly, but not least, I want to use this moment to thank you all again. For real. Thank you for your love and support, and thank you especially for cheering Kutone on to the end. 

With that...