#i so badly wish we knew what she was like as first enchanter

[abyssal-ilk]

i think one of the most unfortunate parts of dai when it comes to vivienne is that we have zero idea how she is regarded amongst the other mages outside of the inquisition. we know how dorian and solas feel about her obviously, and we get little snips between vivienne, fiona, and morrigan, but the average mage? we don't really get anything. we don't really get anything about how the loyalists or the rebels actually feel about her. we don't even have any information on how her own circle feels about her or what she was like as first enchanter.

[hannahlovesluca]

T.S.

| In which you release an original song, Enchanted (t.s.), for Shu.

| WARNINGS: mild cursing, angst to fluff, mentions of sex, Shu being both a dick and an absolute sweetheart

“There I was again tonight, forcing laughter

faking smiles; same and tired lonely place..”

Shu’s heart pounded, he knew you were releasing your very first song; and he also knew the possibility that it may be about him.

You and Shu had a complicated relationship. One day, you’ll be cuddling in bed together, kissing, making love, even. The next, Shu refuses to talk to you. Ignoring you.

The truth was - he was so, so fucking scared.

Scared about his feelings towards you. He had never experienced this before. He was also scared that in the long run, he would lose you. The one person who made him feel safe, secure, happy.

“Walls of insincerity, shifting eyes and

vacancy vanished when I saw your face…”

Your voice rang through his headset, he was so, so infatuated.

He thought back to the night you first got intimate.

His hand running down your hips to your thighs, your hands tangled in his hair. Soft grunts and groans being shared now and then… God, he craved for that to happen again.

”All I can say is,

it was enchanting to meet you.

Your eyes whispered, ‘Have we met?’

'Cross the room your silhouette

Starts to make its way to me.”

The night you had very first met, was not when he debuted as a member of Luxiem, but was a year or so beforehand.

Shu does not like parties, he does not go to them. He got dragged to one by a friend. But, god, was he happy that he had gone.

When his eyes landed on your figure, he knew he had to talk to you. He knew there was something there.

He knew.

He knew.

He knew.

And god, was he right.

”The playful conversation starts

Counter all your quick remarks

Like passing notes in secrecy.”

The live chat to the premier of this song is going nuts. Superchats, members, akasupa’s even. The occasional NIJI member sending a message

Vox Akuma [NIJISANJI EN] 🔧: OH MY GOD

Kyo Kaneko [NIJISANJI EN] 🔧: OKAY I SEE YOU

Even people from other companies were going feral into chat. He wanted to say something - he really, really did. But he knew the song was for him, he knew you were in pain; and he knew he was the cause. His hands remain on his letter-less keyboard, trying to think of a message to send but nothing coming to mind.

“And it was, enchanting to meet you…

All I can say is I was enchanted to meet you…”

Shu decided against joining the VC that was listening to your song live, afraid they’ll connect the dots.

Since when did he care what others thought?

Since when did Shu fucking Yamino even have romantic feelings for anyone?

He wants so badly to console you through the screen - tell you why he hasn’t been there for you… embrace you… give you his words of affirmation..

“This night is sparkling, don't you let it go

I'm wonderstruck, blushing all the way home

I'll spend forever wondering if you knew

I was enchanted to meet you

The lingering question kept me up

2 AM, who do you love?

I wonder 'til I'm wide awake

And now I'm pacing back and forth

Wishing you were at my door

I'd open up and you would say, ‘Hey’”

Shu never wanted to admit this fact to anyone else, but he knew that you knew.

Shu had slight feelings for Petra.

I know, crazy right?

Petra did not return those feelings, she saw him as a brother and wanted to keep it that way. The feelings he had for Petra were nowhere near as big as the ones he had for you, of course.

Especially now, hearing the desperation in your voice.. The longing… The way his heart is pounding.

He knew.

He knew how much he loved you, and he knew he had to make things right.

”This is me praying that,

This was the very first page,

Not where the story line ends..

My thoughts will echo your name, until I see

you again.

These are the words I held back,

as I was leaving too soon..

I was enchanted to meet you.”

At this point, Shu was tearing up. God, he hated this. He hated this so much. He hated this stupid song, he hated his feelings, and most of all he hated you.

He hated you for making him feel this way.

He hated you for writing this beautiful song, he hated you for kissing him, he hated you for being so goddamn pretty.

He hated you.

Hated you so fucking much.

But fuck, he loves you.

He loves your smile, he loves the way your eyes crinkle when your laughing, he loves your voice, he loves the chokehold you have him in.

He knows.

He knows he loves you.

“Please don't be in love with someone else

Please don't have somebody waiting on you

Please don't be in love with someone else

Please don't have somebody waiting on you..”

As the song neared an end, Shu found himself sobbing into his hands, not daring to look up at the beautiful art displayed across his screen. He longed to hear your voice in a more appropriate manner, in a way that could reaffirm him.

He wanted you.

Scratch that, he needs you.

And he has to show you just how badly he does.

He tries to subside his crying, his vision blurry whilst he pulls up Discord on his center monitor.

He goes to your profile, staring at your beautiful, beautiful, profile picture.

It was a picture of you laying in his lap giving a peace sign, although no one besides him could tell whos lap you were in.

His fingers type away onto his keyboard, as soon as he sends his message, one from you comes in.

“I love you.”

“I love you.”

[fallenlightsif]

do the speak now (tv) album ask for this blog too 👀 i have to know what songs my blorbos relate to

Ofc anon 🙏

Mine: MC/Marcella

"Do you remember, we were sittin' there by the water? You put your arm around me for the first time; you made a rebel of a careless man's careful daughter; you are the best thing, that's ever been mine"

Sparks Fly: MC/Florian

"I'm captivated by you, baby, like a fireworks show; drop everything now, meet me in the pouring rain; kiss me on the sidewalk, take away the pain; cause I see sparks fly whenever you smile"

Back to December: MC/E

"I'd go back in time and change it, but I can't; so if the chain is on your door, I understand"

Speak Now: Kira

"So don't say yes, run away now; I'll meet you when you're out of the church at the back door"

Dear John: Rowan

"But I took your matches before fire could catch me so don't look now; I'm shining like fireworks over your sad empty town"

Mean: MC @ their mom

"You, with your words like knives and swords and weapons that you use against me; you have knocked me off my feet again, got me feeling like I'm nothing"

The Story of Us: MC/E

"Oh, I'm scared to see the ending, why are we pretending this is nothing? I'd tell you I miss you but I don't know how, I've never heard silence quite this loud"

Never Grow Up: Ezrah & MC

"To you, everything's funny, you got nothing to regret; I'd give all I have, honey, if you could stay like that"

Enchanted: MC/Florian

"There I was again tonight, forcing laughter, faking smiles, same old tired, lonely place; walls of insincerity, shifting eyes, and vacancy vanished when I saw your face"

Better Than Revenge: Ilaria

"Sophistication isn't what you wear, or who you know, or pushing people down to get you where you wanna go; they didn't teach you that in prep school, so it's up to me"

Innocent: Orion

"Did some things you can't speak of, but at night you live it all again; you wouldn't be shattered on the floor now if only you had seen what you know now then"

Haunted: Rowan

"It's getting dark and it's all too quiet and I can't trust anything now and it's coming over you like it's all a big mistake"

Last Kiss: MC/E

"I hope the sun shines, and it's a beautiful day, and something reminds you, you wish you had stayed; you can plan for a change in the weather and time but I never planned on you changing your mind"

Long Live: The Childhood Friends (Florian, MC, Marcella, and E)

"Hold on to spinning around, confetti falls to the ground, may these memories break our fall"

Ours: Orion/MC

"They'll judge it like they know about me and you; and the verdict comes from those with nothing else to do; the jury's out, but my choice is you"

Superman: MC/Cier

"He's not all bad like his reputation and I can't hear one single word they said; you leave, got places to be, and I'll be okay"

Electric Touch: MC/Julian

"I've got my money on things goin' badly, got a history of stories ending sadly; still hoping that the fire won't burn me just one time"

When Emma Falls in Love: Ari

"She won't walk away unless she knows she absolutely has to leave; and she's the kind of book that you can't put down, like if Cleopatra grew up in a small town"

I Can See You: MC/Cier

"I can see you waitin' down the hall from me, and I could see you up against the wall with me; and what would you do, baby, if you only knew?"

Castles Crumbling: Ilaria

"Ones I loved tried to help, so I ran them off; and here I sit alone behind walls of regret, falling down like promises that I never kept"

Foolish One: Dimitri

"And the voices say, “you are not the exception, you will never learn your lesson”; foolish one, stop checkin' your mailbox for confessions of love that ain't never gonna come"

Timeless: Orion/MC

"That's when I came upon a book covered in cobwebs, story of a romance torn apart by fate; hundreds of years ago, they fell in love, like we did, and I'd die for you in the same way"

[feastingonfanfiction]

Watching the witcher ep 5 for the first time while putting here my unfiltered thoughts

(Watching for tissaia/myanna buring)

Bro has bodyparts in jars and looks at self nekked

Now there's a dude who shows up and he doesn't cover self up

What is he?

Which time line is this?

...gonna wear this one for a while ok so he takes people's skins and wears it...hate that

Also again the body parts in jars are real creepy

Oh magic guy...Oof he throw up

The white flame????

Is this the guy who's gonna get killed....oh no oh no he's gonna...

Lmao do we have to, bruh you agreed to it...guy so unappealing he don't want to.

Magic guy of lil princess is gonna...maybe die...

OK so he's not dead, they didn't...oh no they are gonna kill him...no!!!!!!

OK we got a creepy shapeshifter who has bodyparts in jars

....yennefer wants a kid now? ....ah so she's doing this now????

Oof to keep the lil princess? To not? Oh they killed the spies that are after her

LMAO They just chatting about her right in front of her and she's just there like.

Oh she definitely didn't like this decision...if magic man is dead and replaced with a shapeshifter and he gets in I worry for this group

Geralt goes...fishing?

Oh there's jaskier

He's not fishing he can't sleep

He's gone mad

Oh He's looking for the wish granters...

How does he know its in the lake???

How's his singing? Oof that's not something you'll want to hear jaskier

He needs a nap? No shit Sherlock, you trying to conversate with him will not make him happier in his sleep deprived annoyed state

Oh he caught something

Never open strange pots or make sus deals

Damn he really was butt hurt over geralts comment

Opens the bottle and starts stealing geralts wishes almost using all 3 I don't want to assume badly but bro just let the man be able to sleep you were gonna just use all 3 and let geralt be unable to sleep

Like greed is not a good look

Nah jask don't start begging for geralt you did this to yourself bro

Oof oh no

I dont jask to die even tho he was kinda acting as a pompous prick

That's a LARGE welt on his neck

Watcha not saying Mr medical healer?

Imprisoned the mage in his house?

Powerful and malicious? Off to see the mage

Tissaia "you like pain" to yennefer

TISSAIA :D

Haven't seen her for years? Damn really yen?

!!!!:D when tissaia talks!!!!

Is being an irrelevant mage so bad? Sometimes a person wants to live a simple life

You knew the cost of enchantment!

(Ye exactly that!)

But i didn't know what it would mean to me(???)

Her body her choice but she knew the terms and conditions before doing the thing to escape her fate of being sent somewhere else and be pretty to get her elsewhere and now she regrets it?

Perhaps it's like the message doing stupid things when you were younger that you regret kinda now thought but just idk

I wonder if she had a chance to go back and do it again would she?

She escaped being sent to nilfgaard, but if she had the chance would she change that decision and go to nilfgaard but by doing so she keeps her ability to have children? Or was it all mages go through that transformation? Idk

What does it mean to you?

Why?

I would like to know too

If yen didn't have the whole ordeal of protecting the lady and baby would she still be doing all of this? Would she still regret?

Just cause she doesn't know a cure there isn't one

I'd assume there's dark dealing for that kind of thing ma'am

The way tissaia talks is so lovely just 😍

Return to aretuza

And she says no! The audacity

Aretuzas not just everything to her

People value it!

Could have gone to aretuza to teach next gen

She sees it as her being used

But it could be seen as a sense of fulfillment for what she can't have, though the girls aren't a baby or child she's still teaching someone who will need guidance and thought it's not the same it's as close to I guess?

...idk how to feel bout yen right now?

She's given all she could give but yen wants everything...

Oof she just brushes her off

Two guys on a horse very lil space a part cause they're on a mission to heal one of them(said in voice of two bros chilling in a hot tub 5 feet apart cause they're not gay)

He just holding him like sack of flowers as he wheeze

Oh Jeez mayor is nakey

...she? Is the mayor OK?

Oh...fantasy spice

They just walking through it

YEN???

Are we merging timelines now?

YEN THE FECK?

What is this I got you apple juice, idk it felt like funny offer like gift of adult to child

What'd he fail to mention

Jaskier probs would love it if only he weren't struggling with his giant lump on throat

Yen:just a friend?

Me....they are fruity kinda

But also what? Is this interest?

...yen flirting with geralt not sure how to feel

Oh no telling her about a wish granter when she so badly wants her uterus back bad idea

What's the chance she tries to take your wish?

Damn They were under a spell for the whole....spicy stuff

Bath in house of place where spice was happening

Bro really is desperate for sleep

Like a lil magic but then servitude?

....is this a Canon ship?

Are they trying to give...vibes here between them? Idk

Not sure how to feel about it

Again he chooses to take a bath

...they bathing together

Interesting conversation

Yen:a friend?

Really stuck on that huh

Geralt said some mean things cause he was sleep grumpy but nice that he doesn't want it to be the last thing he remembers

Oh he caught her doing sus thing

Oh and now she's using jask

Yo wtf

She kiss him???

Oh a trap

Oh healer man from before

...dungeon?

He looks haggard

Did she control him?oh she did

...elf man loves yen???

Oh the bard awakens

Will yen get her wish?

Damn jask really worried he did the spice and is trying to run

Starts to sing song

Oh valley oh PENIS

lmao

I wonder if geralt was asleep in some sense when he was under yens control?

Oh magic creature???

How??? How'd he get it???

OK geralt escaped

The duos reunited

And then he's gonna turn around and try to stop her in true geralt fashion

Lmao geralt:ur making me uncomfortable

To elf man

He's really going to help her

Like I can see it but also like...

Yen stop it!

Gosh if she just said I want my uterus back

He would've given it like bruh, but she wants more

Is he gonna wish for the creature to just go away?

Oh the house is breaking down and the creatures gone

...elf man still in love with yen? How'd that happen?

Yen you good? Probs not

She's gonna be pissed

Their faces are very close I could see how people would ship it with like tension there

I dont ship

But then again I'm not sure what I ship?

And they kiss

How the feck did it get to this

Oh they getting spicy

They were JUST ARGUING

....oh no elf man sees the lady he likes getting it on with Mr witcher

Mr steal your girl

Jask just stands there and stares

They're really alive lmao

Yup

Bro stop watching

Yes elf man drag him away....

Damn geralt sleeps after that spicy

Oh now we go to lil princess

NOOOO KILL THE DOPPLEGANGER

NOOOO GET AWAY FROM HIM

THEYRE GONNA GET IN AND HURT THE TRIBE NOOOOO

.....DONT TRUST HIM

MAKE HIM DRINK THE WATER

Nooooooooooooo! No!No!

Dara save her! Be sus of magic doppleganger shapeshifter

Please if you just gave him the freaking water it'd probs save this whole situation

No don't let her leave!

Gosh I hope they're OK after this if nilfgaard hurts the tribe ill be so pissed

[shortmexicangirl]

graphical representation of how songs on Speak Now (Taylor's Version) correspond to different miraculous ships/characters because YEAHHHH DATA!!!

full breakdown of each song and their corresponding category under the cut!

mine - feligami

“You learn my secrets and you figure out why I'm guarded / You say we’ll never make our parents mistakes”

sparks fly - marichat (in elation)

“Kiss me on the sidewalk, take away the pain”

back to december - first half of s5 ladynoir

“You gave me roses and I left them there to die”

speak now - adrienette (in emotion)

“Horrified looks from everyone in the room / But I'm only lookin' at you”

dear john - adrien @ gabriel agreste (gabriel agreste SUCKS #1)

“Well, maybe it's me and my blind optimism to blame / Or maybe it's you and your sick need to give love and take it away”

mean - marinette @ gabriel agreste (in pretension specifically) (gabriel agreste SUCKS #2)

“All you are is mean / And a liar, and pathetic / And alone in life, and mean / And mean, and mean, and mean”

story of us - s4 ladynoir

“A simple complication / Miscommunications lead to fall out / So many things that I wish you knew / So many walls up I can't break through”

never grow up – emilie @ adrien

“You got nothing to regret / I'd give all I have, honey / If you could stay like that”

enchanted — love square

“These are the words I held back / As I was leaving too soon / I was enchanted to meet you / Please, don't be in love with someone else”

better than revenge — marinette @ lila

"She's not a saint and she's not what you think, she's an actress"

innocent — ladybug (in strike back)

“Wasn't it easier in your lunchbox days? / Always a bigger bed to crawl into / Wasn't it beautiful when you believed in everything / And everybody believed in you?”

haunted — ladynoir (post chat blanc)

“I'm holding my breath / Won't lose you again / Something's made your eyes go cold”

last kiss — ok… i’ve always said this song is ladynoir because i miss them and i’m biased but post revolution it’s gotta be adrienette

“I do recall now the smell of the rain / Fresh on the pavement, I ran off the plane / That July ninth, the beat of your heart / It jumps through your shirt / I can still feel your arms”

long live — ladynoir (always but especially in revolution)

“Long live all the mountains we moved / I had the time of my life fighting dragons with you / I was screaming, "Long live that look on your face" / And bring on all the pretenders I’m not afraid”

ours — adrienette

“I love the riddles that you speak / And any snide remarks from my father about your tattoos / Will be ignored, 'cause my heart is yours”

superman — ladrien (adrien’s pov) (these specific lyrics are LITERALLY that chat blanc ladrien scene)

“I'm lovestruck and looking out the window / Don't forget, don't forget where I'll be / Right here, wishing the flowers were from you / Wishing the card was from you”

electric touch — adrienette (post kwami’s choice)

marinettes pov: “Just the first time ever hangin' out with you tonight / I've got my money on things goin' badly / Got a history of stories ending sadly / Still hoping that the fire won't burn me / Just one time” adriens pov: “I've been left in the rain, lost and pining / I'm tryin' hard not to look like I'm trying / ‘Cause every time I tried hard for love, it fell apart”

when emma falls in love - marinette dupain-cheng

“When Emma falls in love, she paces the floor / Closes the blinds and locks the door / When Emma falls in love, she calls up her mom / Jokes about the ways that this one could go wrong / She waits and takes her time / 'Cause Little Miss Sunshine always thinks it's gonna rain"

i can see you — feligami

“I've been watchin' you for ages / And I spend my time tryin' not to feel it / But what would you do if I went to touch you now? / What would you do if they never found us out?”

castles crumbling — ladybug (in strike back)

“And I feel like my castle's crumbling down / And I watch all my bridges burn to the ground / And you don't want to know me, I will just let you down / You don't wanna know me now”

foolish one —adrigami (kagami’s pov)

“Cause you got her on your arm and me in the wings / I'll get your longing glances, but she'll get your ring / And you will say you had the best of intentions / And maybe I will finally learn my lesson”

timeless — love square

“We would have been timeless / Cause I believe that we were supposed to find this / So, even in a different life, you still would've been mine”

ok and i'm DONE! join me next time i try to push my taylor x miraculous agenda on you all

[darcyfangirlsfrequently]

Speak Now (Garvez's Version)

for @hey-dw

Summary: Penelope was driving to work when she heard "Back to December" and it hit her in the chest like a ton of bricks. She had to pull off to the side of the road to cry, and who sees her pulled over and comes up to her but the very person she's crying about: Luke Alvez. The two bond over favorite Taylor Swift songs, which ultimately leads to some interesting revelations.

Word count: 3677

Can also be read here on Ao3

The day was July 7th, 2023. Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) had come out that morning, and Penelope Garcia was on her way to work. She considered herself to be quite a big Swiftie, and so of course she had the album playing on her way in. She had it on shuffle, and just as she was over halfway through her commute, “Back to December” came on. And all of a sudden she was crying. She didn’t know what had happened, but she was sobbing uncontrollably. She pulled off to the shoulder of the road, unable to safely drive through her tears, and cried. The song ended and the next one, “Enchanted,” came on, but she went back and put “Back to December” on a loop, hoping it would help her get all her tears out. And maybe listening to it again and again would help her figure out why she was crying in the first place. 

On her third listen-through, it hit her. The bridge. 

I miss your tan skin, your sweet smile

So good to me, so right

And how you held me in your arms that September night

The first time you ever saw me cry

Maybe this is wishful thinking

Probably mindless dreaming

But if we loved again, I swear I’d love you right

I’d go back in time and change it but I can’t

So if the chain is on your door, I’ll understand

And shit. She had messed up. Badly. Those words dislodged something in her heart that she had buried deep down for three years, but something she remembered all too well nevertheless. Her feelings for Luke. She thought she’d gotten rid of them, sure she’d gotten over him, but there they were. As strong as ever. She loved him, and she had never stopped. She had missed her chance, she knew it—she had thrown her chance out the window on that fateful dinner three years ago without even a second glance. She’d gotten in the way of her own happiness, and it was definitely too late now. Coming back to the BAU had been hard on her, and then Tyler inserted himself into her life and she found herself pushed from the precipice and clinging to the nearest lips. Long story short, he was the wrong guy. Obviously. But there was no way that any feelings Luke, the right guy, had had for her—if there had been any—would still be around. Not after everything she had said to him. After everything she had put him through. She had been terrible to him, she realized that. It was a miracle he still wanted to be her friend, so he certainly would not want anything more. Certainly could not. 

A soft knock on her window startled her out of her despairing thoughts. The planets and the fates and the stars all must have aligned on that day, because who was outside her window but the same man she was crying about. Luke Alvez.

“Hey, are you okay?” His voice, though muffled through the glass of her window, was achingly soft and full of concern. 

She nodded, but he fixed her with a disbelieving look, so she waved him around to the other side of her car, gesturing for him to get in so they could talk.

As he opened the door, she remembered to pause the music, but not before he heard what was playing.

“What’s got you crying so hard to ‘Back to December?’”

Penelope stared at him, wide-eyed. “You know Taylor Swift? Scratch that, you know Taylor Swift well enough to be able to identify what song I’m listening to just by a second?”

Luke lifted his chin in the air, jokingly indignant. “I’ll have you know I listened to Speak Now (Taylor’s Version) on my run this morning.”

She turned in her seat to face him completely. “You did not!”

“I did too! Here, I’ll prove it.” He opened the music app on his phone and showed her his history. Sure enough, there was the album. 

Penelope laughed, leaning back into her seat. “Wow, I can’t believe you like Taylor Swift.”

He shrugged. “My sisters got me into her music. I mean we were what… in our twenties when her first album came out? I’ve listened to each album as they’ve come out, it’s been a great way for us to stay connected all these years.”

"What's your favorite album?" 

Luke let out a huff, contemplating. "Probably 1989, but I'm… oh god what is it all the younger fans are saying online… in my Speak Now era." 

Penelope laughed. "Aren't we all?" 

"What's your favorite album?" 

"Definitely Lover," she replied, not even having to think about it.

"Yeah, that does not surprise me at all." 

"What's that supposed to mean?" 

"Have you seen the inside of your office?" 

"Okay, fair play. What's your favorite song?"

"Oh god," Luke groaned, half laughing. "There are too many to pick from. Can we do favorite by album instead?"

“All right, sure. What’s your favorite song from her first album?”

He barely considered it. “‘Stay Beautiful.’”

“Really?”

“Why, is that surprising?”

“Well, not necessarily,” Penelope admitted. “But it’s just not one you hear people say a lot. Now I feel basic saying that mine is ‘Our Song.’”

“Hey, there’s nothing wrong with basic,” Luke said. “It’s a popular one because it’s good. A very close second, in my opinion.”

Penelope smiled. “Okay, favorite song from Fearless?”

“It has got to be ‘You Belong with Me.’ C’mon, it’s a classic!”

“I will give you that, and it is an excellent choice, but personally I’m going with ‘The Best Day.’ Reminds me of my mom.”

Luke nodded. “A completely understandable favorite. I’m not going to lie to you, I still cry every time I listen to it. And then call my mom.”

“Aw, that’s so sweet! I’m guessing you don’t want me to pass that information along to Tara?”

He threw his head back laughing like a little kid. 

When she heard his laugh, she looked up, smiling. He had the best laugh.

“No, that would not be ideal,” Luke answered. “I don’t want to give her another thing to tease me about. Okay, what’s your favorite song from Speak Now?”

“Well, right now, it’s ‘Back to December.’ Yeah, I was just crying to it, but it’s just so good.”

“What were you crying about, anyway?” Luke asked her, sympathy and concern back in his voice. 

“I’d rather not talk about it, if that’s okay. Plus, you haven’t told me your favorite song from Speak Now.”

He stared at her for a moment, his brown eyes shimmering, beautiful. “Enchanted,” he finally answered. He was still staring at her, and she was staring right back, the air between them becoming charged. 

She was the first to break the silence. “Okay, what about Red?”

“Oh, ‘All Too Well,’ definitely.”

“Which version?”

Luke scoffed. “Ten minutes, obviously, I have taste.”

Penelope laughed. “Okay, yeah, I’ll admit that. Mine is ‘Begin Again.’”

“Ooh, a fabulous choice from the fabulous Ms. Penelope Garcia. What about 1989? And tread carefully, remember, I said this is my favorite album, I will be judging your answer.”

“Is ‘You Are In Love’ acceptable, Mr. Judge?”

Luke looked exceptionally pleased. “Ooh, very. Mine is ‘Welcome to New York,’ and not because I’m a New York kid. Well, not exclusively. Every time that I drive down to visit my family, my younger sister has me text her as I cross the state border into New York, and she sends me that song.”

“Aw,” Penelope replied. “That’s really sweet! Okay, what about Reputation?”

“I really like ‘Delicate.’ I know it’s not a lot of people’s favorites, but I like it.”

“No, it’s a good one. My favorite is ‘Gorgeous.’”

“Ooh, another solid choice. Okay, favorite from Lover?”

“Right now? Probably ‘Afterglow.’”

“Really?” That’s kind of surprising. I was sure you'd say 'Me!'"

She cocked her head to the side. "Why's that?" 

"Because I promise that I'm never gonna find another like you!" 

It was Penelope's turn to laugh. "Okay, okay, what's your favorite song from Lover?" 

"'Daylight,' but 'The Archer' is a close second."

Penelope couldn't help but smile. His choices were just so good. "Okay, Folklore?" 

"'The 1.' How about you?" 

"Oh, definitely 'Mirrorball.'" 

"Ooh, yeah, that's definitely a gut punch of a song. What about your favorite from Evermore?" 

"'Long Story Short.' You?" 

"'Right Where You Left Me,'" he answered without hesitation.

“Really? I don’t know what I expected you to say, but I don’t think it was that. Why that song?”

He paused for a moment, trying to think of the right way to describe how the song makes him feel. “The sentiment, I guess. The idea of being in love with someone even when they aren’t in love with you, especially if they used to be, that kind of unconditional love. It’s sad, but it’s beautiful.”

Penelope tilted her head to the side, looking at him as if seeing him for the first time. “First you know Emily Dickinson, and now you have these deep insightful opinions on Taylor Swift? Luke Alvez, you never cease to amaze me.”

“I’m glad,” he replied, smiling widely. “Now, last and most certainly not least, what’s your favorite Midnights song?”

“Oh, ‘Bejeweled,’ hands-down.”

Luke brought his hand to his chest and gasped in fake shock. “What? You? Really? I’m astounded!”

Penelope rolled her eyes and shoved him playfully. “Shut up. Now come on, what’s yours?”

“Probably ‘Mastermind.’”

“Yeah, that’s definitely a good one.” 

“Why are all those songs your favorites?” Luke asked her then. 

“I relate to them,” she answered without hesitation. “I mean, almost all of them. I think ‘Our Song’ is the only one I don’t relate to.” She realized that she may have given too much away by implying she related to “Back to December.” She did, but that didn’t mean she wanted him to know that. Fortunately, he didn’t seem to notice.

“Yeah, I’m pretty much the same. But I feel like I relate to at least one line in each of my favorite songs. That’s what makes them my favorite.”

Penelope nodded. “Yeah, I get that.”

Luke fixed her with another warm smile. “Feeling better now?”

She smiled and nodded. “Mhmm. Thank you.”

“Any time,” he said sincerely, and damn if she didn’t get butterflies. He leaned across the center console and hugged her tight.

She returned the hug, arms wrapping tight around his middle and burying her face in his shoulder.

"We should probably get to work now," Luke said as he begrudgingly pulled out of the hug. "I'll see you there, okay?" 

Penelope smiled and nodded once more. "Okay."

*** 

Something struck Penelope not long after they arrived at work, and it bothered her all day. Luke had said he related to all his favorite songs. Including "Right Where You Left Me." Why would he relate to that song, especially now? What could possibly be the reason? 

Well, she had one idea. She just didn't think it was possible. There was no way. Absolutely no way he still felt anything for her, never mind loved her. Because that was what he had said, right? Unconditional love. There was no way he loved her like that. They were just friends. They had agreed on that. 

But then again… had they? She had assumed that the date was awkward because he had realized he didn't actually like her that way but had still shown up out of respect, because of course he would, and was just trying to find a way to let her down gently, because of course he would. She thought it would hurt less if she beat him to the punch, so that's what she tried to do. And she was right, partially. And she'd thought he had agreed, but thinking back, the only thing he had said he agreed with was the date feeling clunky. He hadn't agreed with her, but he hadn't disagreed with her either, and she mistook that for agreement. It occurred to her that he might have kept any difference of opinion to himself out of respect for her and the boundaries she was laying down. Because of course he would.

Penelope thought back on all the people she had dated or liked, the boys and boys and girls and girls, and while not all of them had been bad—in fact a lot of them were good—there was no question about it. Luke was the best of them. By far.

She had had feelings for him since the start. She had found him attractive the very first time she had seen him. She saw him and he was just… he was so gorgeous, it made her so mad. She had felt a bubble of… something else just underneath the surface, but he was her co-worker and what’s more, he was Morgan’s replacement. Those feelings felt like a betrayal of her friendship with Morgan, so she had pressed them down and tried to fight them off by fighting him. It hadn’t worked. Her feelings had stayed, as strong as ever, and then she left. And he asked her out. And she said yes. And then she spent the next three years making very bad choices. 

First, she didn’t even see the date through. Didn’t even try to see if the conclusion she had jumped to was the right one. She said some mean things. Some wrong things. Then she virtually cut all her old friends out, claiming she needed a “clean break” from everything to help her heal. It didn’t fully work. This was the one area where Luke didn’t give her space, where he pushed her. He told her that this wasn’t healthy, she needed to talk to someone. Then the lockdown started and she was desperate to talk to someone, so she started virtually seeing a therapist. Tristan told her exactly what Luke had, that the way she cut out her friends wasn’t healthy and wasn’t healing and encouraged her to reach back out. When she did and apologized for her behavior, she was welcomed back with open arms. Luke was the first to tell her that all was forgiven. That was probably the one good thing therapy did for her, looking back. Everything else just made her selfish. And then… the thing with Tyler. God, that was the worst of them all. She saw the red flags, but he was the wrong guy showing her the right attention in a time of significant change in her life, and she fell for it every time. With Shayne when her parents died. With Jason Clark Battle when she was trying to get over Morgan. With Kevin when she had been shot. This was the pattern she fell back into time and time again. She had hurt Luke… everyone she cared for, and all for someone who ended up hurting her just like she should have been able to predict he would. She wounded the good and trusted the wicked. Again. She hardly expected their forgiveness… she hardly forgave herself. But they all gave it. Gradually. Except for Luke, who had forgiven her without a second thought. He forgave her before she even realized she was in the wrong. Because that was just the kind of person he was. 

Luke, Luke, Luke. That seemed to be all she could think about. And of course she just kept coming back to the songs. “You Belong With Me.” “Enchanted.” “The 1.” “Right Where You Left Me.” Was it possible he related to those songs because of her? Was he trying to send her a message? 

She didn’t know. But she hoped. Lord did she hope.

***

Luke spending his whole day thinking about one Penelope Garcia was not a new thing by any stretch, but today he was hung up on one particular subject. She had been crying, full-on sobbing, to “Back to December” and he could not for the life of him figure out why. 

Well, he had one idea. He just didn't think it was possible. There was no way. There was no way she was regretting the way things had ended between them now, three years after the fact. 

No, overthinking their date was what he did. It was what he had been doing every day for the past three years. Their first date… he didn’t kiss her and should have. Even if it was just on the hand or the cheek, something so that he could be clear, so she could know how he felt. That he thought, no, knew that there was something between them. He had been so crushed after that night, but he didn’t want anyone to know what had happened, so he had spent the following weeks before lockdown forcing laughter, faking smiles, doing whatever he could to convince everyone else that he was completely fine and hadn’t just had his heart broken by the woman he’d been in love with the last four years. He had gotten used to the fact he and Penelope would always be a story that never got told, a daydream he’d never get to hold. Well, until that morning.

They had just been talking and laughing in her car, and he started thinking to himself, “Hey, isn’t this easy?” Because that’s how things were for them now. Easy. Right. Comfortable. We wished things could have been that way on that night three years ago, but there was no way to go back in time and change things.

That train of thought, of course, brought him right back to Penelope. If she had been crying and relating to “Back to December,” then she had to be regretting the way a relationship—or something of the sort—had ended. Luke had become her “tell everything” person throughout the pandemic and still since, so he knew it wasn’t anyone else. The only person she had never said, “I don’t regret the way that ended” about was him. And granted, she had never said, “I regret the way that ended,” either. She had never said a word about it. Neither of them had. So maybe, maybe she regretted things. Maybe there was a chance. 

That was it, he needed to talk to her. However, it was still the middle of the workday, and this was absolutely not an appropriate conversation to be having on the clock. So, he waited. And he drew out his paperwork. And he waited some more. It reminded him of his early days with the BAU when he would work unnecessarily slowly so he could leave at the same time as her and accidentally-on-purpose meet her at the elevator.

Finally, once everyone had left, he made her way over to her office, where she was packing up her things and powering down her computers, just as he thought she would be. Years of observing her routine made him good at predicting things like that. He smiled at the dark room that she managed to make bright and colorful. Even after years of not being there, she could still make the whole place shimmer. “Hey,” he said. “Can I talk to you about something?”

“Yeah, actually, I need to talk to you too. Do you mind if I go first?”

“Go ahead.” 

“Why did you say you relate to ‘Right Where You Left Me?’”

“Why did you say you relate to ‘Back to December?’”

They stared at each other then, seeing who would crack first, who would admit that the other was the reason they’d had their heart torn to pieces again and again over a fucking song. Eventually, Penelope spoke up. She could hear it in the silence, his confession. His declaration that she was the reason. “So how wrong was I?”

He knew what she was talking about. She was asking how wrong she was when she had said there was nothing between them, that they each had their person out there but they weren’t each other’s. “Incredibly,” he replied, voice full of emotion.

“Why didn’t you say anything?”

“Why would I? Why would I disrespect you like that? I wasn’t going to pretend that your words weren’t what they seemed, I can take ‘no’ for an answer.”

Penelope’s eyes started to fill with tears. “This is what I mean! You’re so good to me! So… right! I don’t deserve the way you are with me.”

He reached out to her then, placing a hand on her arm, unable to keep himself from her for a moment longer. “What do you mean?” His voice was achingly soft.

“I’ve hurt you. And I’m sorry, Luke, I’m sorry that I hurt you. I never meant to.”

“I know. Which is why I forgive you. ‘Cause I like you, I love you, Penelope, and when the people we love hurt us unintentionally, we forgive them.”

“You love me?” Penelope echoed.

Luke nodded. “Yes. I love you now and I loved you then. We were something, don’t you think so? Back then?”

“I do.”

“Then if you want to be something again now, if you ever think you got it wrong, I’m right where you left me. If you want me, just say the word, Penelope, and I’m yours.” He was close to tears now himself.

She didn’t even hesitate. “I want you.”

Luke wrapped an arm around her waist, pulling her flush to him. He brought his other hand up to her cheek, cradling her face and wiping away her tears. Then, finally, after seven long years of waiting, he kissed her.

“I love you too,” she whispered once she eventually pulled away, holding him tight. “I didn’t say that before but I do. I love you.”

He buried his face into her shoulder, breathing in the smell of her until it filled his lungs completely and he was just completely encapsulated in her. “I love you too. Always have. Always will.” He kissed her again, a silent promise. Forever and always.

[houseaeducan]

quick lil trev siblings scene below the cut. super early game in lyra's worldstate

Lyra is only up for a few minutes before Lysander arrives in her room, a satchel of some kind in one hand and two mugs of ale in the other. 

“Did I wake you?” he asks, not waiting for a response before settling himself into the room’s only chair. “I come bearing breakfast.” 

Lyra sits up in bed, smoothing her hair self-consciously before settling on the edge of the bed. She still isn’t sure how to talk to her brother, and the impromptu nature of this visit is doing her no favors. Wordlessly, she accepts the food as Lysander hands it to her, some bread and cheese, some preserved fruit, and one of the mugs, which she considers before tasting. 

“Courtesy of Flissa,” Lysander says. “She told me to say she’s glad you’re doing better by the way.”

She wonders if Lysander is sleeping with Flissa. She has only met her briefly, but she likes her enough that she considers warning her off – she doubts her brother would do his duty by a barmaid should something happen. She tries the ale again, grimacing at the bitter taste. 

Lysander frowns, then looks delighted. “Is this your first time?” he asks. 

“Hardly,” Lyra replies, which is close enough to true. She had had a glass or two of wine at plenty of dinners with the senior enchanters, especially in the days leading to the Conclave. And she had a few sips of ale back in her apprentice days, supplied by one of the girls in her dormitory, a fiery redhead who was sleeping with one of the templars. He would sneak in all sorts of contraband for her from the outside, and all the other girls would jealously pour over treats and fine jewelry and books that had no place in the Circle’s library. 

Lyra had thought it was a bad idea at the time, and her distaste for rulebreaking was validated a few months later when the affair ended badly and the girl was quickly transferred away to the Kirkwall Circle. 

She had almost certainly been killed in the Annulment, she realizes. It’s a grim thought to have about someone she hasn’t spoken to in years.

She takes another gulp of the ale, trying her hardest to mask her distaste, and sets the mug down primly. 

“When will you be heading back?” she asks. Back to where, she isn’t certain. Her understanding from Mother and Father’s letters is that Lysander has spent the past decade or so living at the whims of different wealthy, noble friends, staying at their estates until his host finally tires of weeks or months of her brother’s revelries and he moves on to the next. 

There were vocations between that, some meaningless role in the Ostwick militia, sporadic semesters at the University of Orlais studying Maker knew what, each of which her parents grew less and less hopeful about each time. 

The matter of Lysander’s eventual inheritance has been an unspoken conflict for as long as Lyra can remember, and as much as her parents seem to have finally given up the prospect of him growing into a worthy heir for House Trevelyan, no plans to instate one of her cousins instead seem to have been made. Her mother only acknowledged it once in Lyra’s memory, in one of her rare permitted visits to the Circle. Lysander had done something – skipped out on an opportunity her parents had arranged for him or disgraced himself in some manner that required their parents' intervention – and as she complained about it, Lyra’s mother had taken Lyra by the hand and said, “If only you hadn’t been a mage. If only we could have had you instead.” 

She stopped herself immediately after, looking a bit ashamed. “This is all a part of Andraste’s plan, of course,” she corrected. “I only wish She’d show me what it is.”

Lysander shrugs at her question. “Who knows,” he says. “I thought I might stay around for a bit, keep an eye on my dear sister. Interesting things are happening here.”

Not interesting to men like her brother. Haven’s encampment is made of rough cabins and tents and a single tavern. Most of the women here are Chantry sisters. But Lyra doesn’t believe in his brotherly affection either. “A bit late to start keeping an eye on me now.” 

“Better late than never,” he replies affably. “I have news, by the by. Letters from our esteemed parents.” He produces two envelopes from the satchel. Lyra understands now. Staying here, keeping an eye on her, evaluating the risk and reward of House Trevelyan’s role in the fledgling Inquisition, is doubtlessly his latest assignment from their parents, the same way attending the Conclave was in the first place, before he slept drunkenly past it. She has no doubt this will turn out just as poorly. She gives it a fortnight before he leaves for more exciting company. 

She fingers over the letters, one from Mother, one from Father, before putting them in her bedside drawer. She’ll read them later, in private. 

Lysander watches this with surprisingly apt attention before he snatches up a piece of Lyra’s breakfast and takes a bite. 

“Did you know we had family at the Conclave?” he asks. “Present company aside, obviously. You remember Mother’s cousin and those two horrible twins of his, the templars? Did you know them?”

Lyra shakes her head. “They wouldn’t have stationed a templar at a Circle where they had family,” she says. What if a mage became possessed? A moment of sentimental hesitation could be the difference between life and death. 

She does remember the twins, though. The two girls – named Hippolyta and Hester or something equally horrible and alliterative – were younger daughters of a more minor branch of the family. Other families as far back in the line of succession as her aunt and uncle might have seized the chance to arrange strategic marriages, but Uncle Leontes, more pious than even Mother, was more interested in earning the Chantry’s approval, so the girls had been sent to be trained as templars as soon as they could walk. 

Lyra had only met them once, at their older sister’s wedding. She was freshly Harrowed at only 18, and her parents had seized upon her new status as a full Enchanter to request she be allowed a reprieve from the Circle to demonstrate her magic at the wedding. It was the kind of assignment usually granted as a reward for more senior Enchanters, but Lyra’s sterling reputation and two well-timed donations – one to the Circle library, one to the templar armory – had earned her approval for the excursion. 

If anything, it had been a chance for Mother and Father to play at another life for the three of them – Lyra had truly attended not as a representative of the Circle, but as the only daughter of Lady and Lord Trevelyan, clad in fine dresses rather than stiff Enchanter’s robes, introducing herself to family members that in another world she might have had full lives with, and even allowing herself dances with third and fourth sons of guests from the groom’s side.  

The twins both wore the crimson regalia of off-duty templars, a notable step down from some of the evening’s finery. They had the same tan skin and grey-blue eyes as the rest of Lyra’s family, but both borrowed twin shocks of dark blonde curls from their mother. The girls were clearly identical, both with flat cheekbones and pointed noses, but the resemblance stopped beneath their chins. One of them was big – not much taller than Lyra and no taller than her sister, but simply big – stocky and muscular in a way that was impressive even among templars. She had smiled at Lyra when they were briefly introduced, muttering a greeting that she didn’t quite make out. The other was smaller, with an archer’s broad arms and willowy legs. She had looked Lyra up and down with a practiced, incisive ease. Lyra wasn’t sure what to do, so she had curtsied and was taken aback when the other girl responded with a small, stiff bow. 

“Enchanter,” her cousin said finally. 

“Ser,” Lyra had replied, and spent the rest of the night trying to ignore the templar’s continued gaze. 

“Well,” Lysander says. “They’re dead.” He shrugs, and for once, Lyra isn’t sure she believes in his flippancy. That could have been him, after all, if he had been a bit less lazy and a bit less of a drunk. 

Lyra had hardly seen Lysander that night – the only time they had been together since she had been taken to the Circle nearly a decade earlier. He hadn’t been at her parent’s estate when she arrived. “Out with his friends,” her mother had said with a roll of her eyes – a euphemism for more colorful complaints of her son that she would make later that night, once she had had a bit to drink. 

At the wedding, their only interaction had been when Lysander, already tipsy, had grabbed her arm and pulled her to the middle of a conversation she hadn’t been a part of. “– and this,” he had said, “is my dear sister, already graduated in the Ostwick Circle.”

“Harrowed,” Lyra had corrected. 

“Indeed. And young for it too. How old are mages usually when they hallow? 20? 21? I couldn’t lace my own breeches at 18.” She didn’t know how he had known that. The inner workings of the Circle were little known on the outside, and while she had told all of this to her mother and father in their letters, she and Lysander had never written. 

Whoever he was speaking to had laughed, and with that, her part in the conversation was over. She didn’t see him for the rest of the night, he having no doubt faded into some back room to gamble with other guests or flirt with the servants or partake in some other debauchery Lyra had no knowledge of. 

But Lyra rarely thought of that night. In her mind, her brother was still the nineteen-year-old watching her from the other side of the hall when the templars came, still the boy with the too-easy smile who had turned his gaze when she looked to him. The man from the wedding and this drunken fool sitting before her were still strangers. 

Lyra sighs. “Well,” she says. “Maker rest their souls.” 

“Weightier words from the Herald of Andraste.” 

Lyra nods. She doesn’t want to talk about this, not with Lysander. 

For once, her brother is quiet, his gaze lingering on her, waiting for her to speak. With a shock, she recognizes something sincere in it – he is waiting for her to tell him if she is or isn’t. If she says she is, he might even believe her. 

She feels embarrassed, not excited and certain like she had when she had first heard the title. “The Maker has a path for us all,” she says vaguely. “I’m just trying to follow mine the best I can.” 

He relaxes a bit, taking another sip of his ale. “Hear, hear,” he says. “In another life, you might have had a great career as a Chantry sister.” 

She smiles – she’ll take it as a compliment, even if he means it as a jab. “So I’m told.”

[grandtheftaristotle]

Hey so I was inspired by @likeadevils's brilliant album reworkings to do one of my own cause I LOVE finding new ways to procrastinate on homework

I decided to do Speak Now cause it's one of my favourite Taylor albums and while I think the current order is great, it was a fun challenge to try and come up with something else. So here's what I have!

So first of all, I think I’m gonna call this rework The Story of Us. Not only is Speak Now the song not on this version, but The Story of Us fits these vibes better Each song is its own contained story that forms an overall narrative, kinda like folklore.

Timeless: It feels so much like a closing track that it gives off a nice ‘end at the beginning’ vibe. Also parallels nicely with the closing track.

Sparks Fly: I like the idea of the earliest written song on the record being track 2. Although she rewrote it to be less naive, I do like how Foolish One could be its answer. Also it leads into…

The Story of Us: ‘How we met and the sparks flew instantly’. Too obvious? Nahhhh. I like that it foreshadows the heartbreak of the later album but frames it in an upbeat way so as not to let us down too much. Plus the awkward party element leads us nicely into the next track.

Enchanted: Is it the same party? A later party? Not sure, but it continues the vibes of the last song, while also offering one last little piece of fairytale whimsy and romance before the latter half rips our hearts out.

Mean: As you can see, I am not adhering to the track 5 rule lol. But this is a set up for Castles Crumbling and Innocent, with the talk of fame and the different ways of responding to criticism.

When Emma Falls In Love: This song kinda makes me insane when I think about the context in which Taylor wrote it. She was dealing with everything surrounding JM when she wrote the line ‘she won’t lose herself in love the way that I did’. The last line (‘between me and you, sometimes I wish I was her’) is a GREAT set up for the next half of the album; it establishes everything Taylor didn’t do in these relationships and the person she wishes she had been. Part of me wants to do another rearrangement with this as the opening track, cause again, that last line.

Back to December: We have an excellent lead in with Emma; ‘I wish I was her’ and then a song about how badly she screwed up a relationship. Plus, the rest of the album is like an explanation of why she screwed it up. We’re slowly zooming in…

Last Kiss: Almost a flipped perspective of Back to December? I’m a little shaky on this placement, I almost feel like this song and the next could switch places, but idk how I feel about Last Kiss and Dear John back to back. Therefore, the next song is…

Ours: Getting into another relationship after heartbreak, one that others don’t approve of but that makes her happy. It’s a love song, but an understated one, not as bombastic as Sparks Fly or as sweepingly romantic as Enchanted. Cute, but careful.

Dear John: THE AFTERMATH. Christ. The parallel of Emma and the result of Ours and the events that led to Back to December. The fireworks line is a slight parallel to Sparks Fly and The Story of Us as well. It’s a moment of triumph amidst the heartbreak. ‘I lost you, but I’m still shining for the crowd. Oh wait…’

Castles Crumbling: AND NOW SHE’S LOSING THE CROWD. The formal demolition of her fairytale outlook and the parallel to Mean. She’s living in the big old city, but the big old city’s getting tired of her. It also looks ahead to the last track, where she hopes to be remembered regardless.

Haunted: I just like that we have Enchanted on the first half and Haunted on the flip side. She’s no longer enchanted by a stranger, she’s haunted by someone she thought she knew well. I also like how the word haunted works with Castles lol.

Innocent: Even on the OG record, I feel like this should’ve gone after Haunted if just for the ‘you and I walk a fragile line’ ‘lost your balance on a tightrope’ of it all. On some level I get why she didn’t cause it would’ve been this song and then Last Kiss, which, ouch. But anyway, I know this is about Kanye but FUCK that guy so now within the narrative it’s her talking to herself (just ignore the 32 part). Even after everything she’s been through she’s still an innocent, and it’s not too late to regain her balance.

Foolish One: Again, kinda shaky on this placement, I feel like it should be earlier in the second half. But as is, it’s a parallel to Sparks Fly where she’s cautiously optimistic about a guy; that song was sung by the voice in her head she talks about here. It’s also a follow up to Innocent; you may be innocent, but it doesn’t mean you have to be foolish. PLUS it’s a little bit of a hope spot after all the heartbreak (‘the day is gonna come for your confessions of love / he just wasn’t the one’). As an aside, I am fully convinced she added that line for the rerecord. She sings the rest of the song in a higher register matching her voice in 2010, but for that line she lowers her voice closer to her current register, making it seem like it’s her future self talking. Plus she recorded that when she was still with Joe; something something ‘this ain’t our fairytale’.

Long Live: Our moment of triumph!! After Castles Crumbling, this is where she says ‘hey, even if people run me off, we’ll still be remembered’. Parallels our opener both in title (Timeless / Long Live) and in subject matter; she and the guy weren’t timeless, but the legacy of her and her band will live forever. Edit: ALSO. Can’t believe this didn’t occur to me before. But starting off the album with the stories of other people that have become folklore (haha) of sorts and the ending the album with the hope that one day Taylor and her band will become similar folklore. Yes PLEASE. “These precious things that time forgot” vs “one day we will be remembered”.

BONUS TRACKS

Better Than Revenge: Really my only justification for this is that I couldn’t fit it on the main album but if she hadn’t released it in 2010 we NEVER would’ve gotten it. Plus it being a bonus track gives off the vibe of ‘oh you thought you were off the hook??? You thought I wasn’t gonna write about you??? Lmao fuck you’.

If This Was A Movie: Similar justification for this as with Better Than Revenge; since she kinda rebranded it as a Fearless song with the rerecord, if she didn’t put it out in 2010 we may not have gotten it at all (she wrote it in 2009 so I don’t think it could’ve been a Fearless vault track either). That said, it fits the ‘story’ themes of the album so I think it works. Plus I like how it interacts with BTR; from pure unfiltered rage to ‘BUT I’D TAKE IT ALL BACK NOW’.

Mine: It KILLED me to leave this off the main album, it really did. Maybe one of my all time favourite songs of hers. Part of me wants to switch this and Timeless, but I also like the idea of having Mine as the last track just because of how it rounds out the album. The narrator is very disillusioned with love at the beginning, so it could easily be taking place after this string of heartbreak she experienced throughout the record. I also love how it ends with ‘hold on, make it last’; after being burned so many times, she finally starts to believe in love again and the notion that they could be forever. The way it interacts with Timeless, which was a portrait of very idyllic fairytale romances that last forever (love letters during a war, forbidden lovers eloping, two people growing old together), this song focuses on the more mundane parts of life that still make up a beautiful relationship. Also if we’re thinking about this as part of her album timeline, the next album she puts out is Red, so we go from ‘there’s a drawer of my things at your place’ to ‘you’ve still got [my scarf] in your drawer even now’. OW.

And as vault tracks we have Speak Now, Superman, I Can See You, Never Grow Up, Electric Touch, and Battle. Because I’m still a little offended we never got an official version of that song :/

[cjsmalley]

A Royal Birthday:

Damian’s first birthday knowing his biological father was an extravagant affair; the Waynes were invited as Royal Guests and were given a front row seat to what a royal birthday was like.

There was live music, snacks, including a multi-tier cake decorated with various paintings, a ghostly circus (that promptly welcomed Dick in), a ghostly petting zoo, and many other attractions.

The entire Phantom family, including those adopted because their family member was sold, was in attendance. It was a daunting number of people.

The Waynes were quickly absorbed into the massive family; Tim and Barbara talked tech and inventions with Tucker and the elder Fenton couple, Jason hit it off with the so-called Marauders, Dick also fell in with the Marauders but also chatted with Buffy Summers and her group, Cass found a kindred spirit with Buffy as well, Stephanie hung with Adrien and his girlfriend, and Duke found allies in sanity in Jazz Fenton, Lily Potter, and Alice Longbottom.

Alfred was speaking quietly with Clockwork.

Bruce waded his way through the organized chaos, grinning at his children, to Danny and Sam, who were taking a quiet moment with their youngest, still just a baby, Anakin.

“Enjoying the party, Bruce?” Sam asked with a grin.

“Quite a bash,” he agreed, taking a seat on a bench.

“We tend to go all out with birthdays and gotcha days,” Danny admitted, cuddling Anakin, “especially for those who were actually Sold to us.”

“I see. And the family?”

“All are always invited,” Sam assured, “we have a loose definition of family. Like you. Because you’re related to Damian and good for him, you’re family too. You, your kids, anyone you consider family.”

“Huh.”

“Oh, look, Ember’s taking the stage,” Danny pointed out mildly.

Ember was a ghostly young woman with fire for hair.

“She wanted to be a singer in life,” Sam explained, “but died in a housefire as a teen.”

Ember began singing, her sound almost rock but mostly a punky-pop.

“She used to hypnotize teens with her music,” Danny added, “caused an incident in Amity back when I was just starting out as Phantom. Now I let her be my bard if she promises not to try that again.”

“Her Obsession is music?” Bruce asked, mind working.

“With recognition for her musical talents,” Danny corrected, “or just recognition in general. Naming her the Royal Bard helps with her Obsession. Damian loves her. All the kids do. When we first got Damian, she made a CD of lullabies for us to use. Which was lucky because we ran out of the lullabies we knew so fast.”

“Do you hire all your former enemies?” Bruce questioned.

“Um,” Sam thought, “well, Skulker’s our bounty hunter now, him and Wulf. Ember’s our bard. Technus works cybersecurity with Tucker. Desiree we keep on a short leash, she’s the genie ghost, but she’s allowed reasonable wishes as long as she doesn’t twist them too badly. Everyone else’s either behaving or in Walker’s prison for crimes against humans or the Crown.”

Damian joined them, smiling wide.

In his arms, a ghost puppy was snuggled.

“And Cujo’s the family dog,” Danny finished, “Dami, enjoying the day?”

“Of course, Father,” the boy assured and Bruce noted an electric pink lion painted on his left cheek.

It was smiling too.

Then it winked at Bruce.

Bruce let it go. He knew damn well the Phantoms would never intentionally endanger a kid, let alone one of theirs. So it was likely just some safe little charm or enchantment.

“Who did the lion, Dami,” Sam asked, “I might get one too.”

“Uncle Sirius and Uncle James have started face-painting,” Damian replied, “they are quite good at it.”

“Huh,” she passed the diaper bag off to Danny, “let’s go see what they can do.”

Damian and Cujo led her away into the crowd.

“Little spells like that really don’t work on me,” Danny explained.

“Ah.”

Wished Away 4

Do The Research (or, How to Sell Your Sister's Soul):

The Ghost King paused, blinking, “You’re not actually trying to sell her soul?”

“No!” Buffy shouted, “I want to sell my soul for her!”

The King blinked some more, “But the ritual sells Dawn’s soul, not yours.”

He stopped floating and poked at the ritual circle, pointing out, “You used the right runes to sell her soul, not yours.”

“I wanna sell my soul,” Buffy assured, almost desperately.

“Okay, time out,” the King made the motions needed, “why are you trying to sell me souls? What for?”

And so Buffy explained and the King listened attentively, asking questions as needed and obviously already planning an offense.

The King, Danny, clapped his hands, “Okay, so here’s how we’ll play this. I’ll accept Dawn Summers’ soul—ah, ah, ah, hear me out, Buffy—like I said, I’ll take Dawn back with me to my dimension while we all work together on this Glory situation. After the dust settles, I’ll send her back. I don’t actually want her soul. So I’ll technically own her soul but we’ll do…shared custody? If that’s okay with you?”

He thought some more, “I’ll also pay her bills; like child support.”

The Scoobies boggled.

“That’s it?” Xander finally asked, “you wanna…adopt Dawnie?”

“Yes? That’s how we treat any kids I get sold. Adopted. Ours. Dawn would be my fourth child, second daughter…although I would probably just act as her uncle in this case. Her care and keeping would still fall to me.”

“Buffy,” Anya spoke up, “take the deal. I don’t think he’s lying.”

“But—”

“Slayer,” murmured Spike, “he isn’t lying. Bloke’s bein’ honest. Take the deal, protect the Nibblet.”

“What do we tell everyone while I’m gone?” Dawn asked.

“That you went to yer wanker of a da,” Spike answered quickly, “he took ya away from Sunnyhell, finally answered his phone after yer Mum died.”

“We’ll pack some things, make it look good,” Willow added, “we’ll pack a lot of your things, like you really are moving out.”

“Everyone will be upset you’re gone,” Tara agreed softly, “so it’ll be an easy charade.”

“I do want copies of her medical records,” Danny spoke up mildly, before asking, “So, Buffy Summers, do we have a Deal?”

“Dawn?”

“If he can help with Glory—”

“If I can’t, I can find someone who can.”

“Then I’ll go with him.”

Buffy nodded, squared her shoulders and said, “Then we have a Deal.”

Danny nodded, “Well, then Dawn Summers, welcome to the family.”

Within the day things were packed and the needed files were gathered.

The Scoobies met Dawn’s new family, or, well, part of it.

Who quickly absorbed the entirety of the Scoobies into the family, very few questions asked and most of them about allergies and favorites.

Even Spike was accepted, though the King’s parents had questions for him about his biology.

Eventually, though, it was time to say goodbye and Dawn was taken through a portal.

Danny and his eldest son—who refused to give any other name than ‘Chat Noir’, or, in English, the Black Cat—stayed behind as the atmosphere shifted into something decidedly more…tactical.

[haechanluvr]

Enchanted

A/N: I was listening to Enchanted by Taylor Swift when I got the idea for this, so please enjoy my Taylor swift fantasies.

Warnings: none.

༻✦༺ ༻✧༺༻✦༺ ༻✦༺ ༻✧༺༻✦༺

Oh Miguel Diaz. He had no clue how long I had been crushing on him. He first moved to this school, and I was mesmerized, he was cute and dorky, I was shy and only could seem to admire from afar, then Samantha Larusso got a hold of him. Of course she caught his eye, she caught everyone’s eye. She was sweet, and nice, she was beautiful, confident, outgoing, everything I wasn’t. As they dated, and broke up, and their drama unfolded, I continued to crush on him from a distance. Hoping one day that by some chance, I would build the courage to talk to him, or he’d notice me, and talk to me, but it never happened.

He was a popular kid, even if he didn’t start out that way, everyone liked Miguel, girls around the school had crushes on him, and his friends. He changed as the time had passed, but my crush on him never faltered. I so badly wished I could’ve been one of those girls that was captivating enough to earn his attention, to at least have him know my name, or know of my existence, but it never happened. He was in his own world, and I so pathetically dreamed of being apart of it. 

Now here I am, at the masquerade Halloween dance that the school decided to have. I was with a group of friends, forcing laughter, faking smiles, same old tired lonely place. Shifting my eyes around the room, hoping to catch a glimpse, or even see if i could make out the silhouette of the boy that I so badly wished I was at this dance with.

I spotted him, there I stood across the room, staring at him with admiration. He was here alone, no girl around his arm, his friends with their own dates, and we locked eyes. Before I could look away, his silhouette made it’s way to me. 

“Would you like to dance?” I nodded, and he held his hand out for me to grab, I gladly took it. I wrapped my arms loosely around his neck, and he had his sitting comfortably around my waist. I tried looking everywhere except his eyes, not wanting to become more nervous than I already was, but that didn't happen. We locked eyes, and his held a bit of confusion, as if whispering have we met, he stayed looking at me then softly spoke. “Have we met before? You seem familiar, but I can’t quite put my finger on it.” 

My chest tightened, he couldn’t know who I am. It’s not possible, I’ve never had the courage to speak to him, except for him casually asking for a pencil in class, or if I knew what was going on with the class work, other than that, we’ve never interacted with one another. “I don’t think so. I mean, it’s a pretty big school, we may have had some classes together, but I don’t think we know one another.” He nodded his head, not very convinced, but dropped the subject.

We danced in a comfortable silence for a moment, then the playful conversation starts, countered all his quick remarks, like passing notes in secrecy. It was enchanting, like I had a sudden boost of confidence, he didn’t know who I was, so it felt easier to talk to him. I spent forever wondering if I would ever have this moment, and here it is, the only words to describe the way i’m feeling in this moment is enchanted. This night is sparkling, not wanting to let it go. I’m wonderstruck, blushing behind my mask.

“I really feel like I know you from somewhere, but I can’t pinpoint it. Are you sure we don’t know one another?” He took off his mask, his features being illuminated by the lights in the room. He looks beautiful, and my breathe is caught in my throat. I stepped back a bit, and looked down at the ground. “You know who I am, don’t you?” I shamelessly nodded. 

“I do. I’ve known who you were this entire night.” He nodded his head slowly, and lifted my head, so our eyes could meet. “So we do know each other.” I shook my head no. “No, I know who you are, everyone knows who you are Miguel, you’re a popular kid. You for sure don’t know who I am. I can guarantee that. You’ve never even looked my way, but I hope you know I was enchanted to meet you, to get to dance with you for the time that we did, and to share this moment.” He looked at me stunned, I started walking away. 

Walking home, knowing that he knows I was enchanted to meet him. Those were the words I held back, as I left too soon, but knowing that he wouldn’t know who I am, and he’s bound to be in love with someone else, or having someone waiting on him, but I still can’t help but be wonderstruck, blushing all the way home. 

Once I got home, I changed, and went to sleep knowing that even if he had no clue who I was underneath the mask, he still asked me to dance, and I felt we had some sort of connection tonight, and even if that didn’t help the ever growing, pathetic crush that I have on him, I saw him in a whole new light, rather than just from the distance where I had always admired. 

The next day at school, it felt like any other day, as if last night hadn’t happened. I made my way through students, and to my locker, when I saw a note fall from my locker. I opened it, and couldn’t believe what it said. ‘Hey, I was enchanted to meet you too.’ My heart started racing, and I looked around, to see Miguel standing a few feet away from me, hands in his front pockets, sending me a small smile. As I made my way over to him, my mind raced with a million questions, and my palms grew sweaty, I was more nervous than ever. 

“Last night was the very first page, not where our story line ends.” I stayed looking into his eyes, and he grabbed my hands. “Last night when you told me I couldn’t possibly know who you were, and you walked off, I ran after you, you were gone before I could catch you. I racked my mind trying to piece together who you were, and I only wanted it to be one person. Something in my heart told me it was you, and god did I hope and pray that I was right. My thoughts echoed your name, and I knew I had to take a chance and see if my intuition was telling me the truth. Your reaction told me everything I needed to know.”

“But, I don’t get it. You’ve never spoken to me before last night, except for minor things, and you never spared me a glance.” He chuckled and looked into my eyes. “That’s what you think. Every time that i’ve asked you for those minor things, it was because I panicked and chickened out of starting an actual conversation with you. I can’t believe you didn’t notice. Hawk was always clowning on me afterwards, he was never quiet about it either. I’m pretty sure everyone in our first period class knows that I have a massive crush on you.” I couldn’t comprehend what was happening, and this was all I had wanted but, had I really been this oblivious. 

“Y/N, I always admire you from afar. You’re the most beautiful girl I have ever met, you’re so shy and cute. I don't think you understand how nervous you make me. I’m surprised i’m even talking to you right now, because those beautiful eyes of yours, they make me nervous, and I could get lost in them forever.” I bit my lip as I felt a blush creep its way to my cheeks. 

“I don’t think you understand how long I’ve been wanting this. I’ve had this embarrassing crush on you ever since you moved here, but also, please tell me the truth as to how you knew it was me last night.” He laughed and let go of one of my hands to rub the back of his neck. “After you left, and I had missed you, I walked back into the gymnasium, and saw the group of friends you were standing with. Your friend Vanessa told me who you were, and I did so badly want it to be you, so when she confirmed my wishes, I went home with only you on my mind.”

I moved my hair behind my ears, and smiled. “So, would you wanna go out with me? No masks this time, and you don’t run away when you see me picking you up at your front door.” I laughed and nodded. “I’d love to go on a date with you Miguel.” He looked at me with a goofy smile on his face and lifted a brow. “Would you say you’re enchanted to go out with me?” I playfully shoved him.

“Shut up Miguel.” He grabbed my hand, and held it as we walked into class together. 

[chxrrysangel]

To Adore You

Relationship | The Avengers x plus size fem reader

Words | 1,742 words

Warnings | discussion of insecurities + body image, fluff and lots of it, minor language

Notes | To add on to my comfort fics with Tony and Loki, I wanted to provide headcannons of all the avengers and how they’d react to such insecurities. But tbh, it could work for anyone, plus size or not. We’re all a little broken. <3

Notes Pt 2 | Should I add anybody??

Notes Pt 3 | Did I mention how much I cried while writing this?

Steve

Steve lived through the 40s. He’s seen many women during his time, and yet you are still the most enchanting. You’re everything he’s ever wanted, everything he’s ever dreamed of. He’d die in war for you, although you’d resurrect and kill him if he did.

“You’re my best girl,” he say, watching you stare at yourself in the mirror and picking away at your “problems”.

He’d take you out in dates, to go dancing, to the movies, or somewhere else, just to get the opportunity to look and feel your best. He knows how much a nice dress and makeup makes you feel like your best self. But when you get home and peel back all of the layers, you’re left feeling empty and plain. Steve would spend all night worshipping your body, holding you close and kissing all of your insecurities. “You’re my world dove, and you’re perfect.”

Some days he’d catch you talking bad about your size, how you’re too big, too fat, too everything. Steve would just wrap his arms around you, serving as a reminder of how tiny you are in comparison to him. “Our bodies were made for each other, as though we were carved straight from stone and made to fit like puzzle pieces.”

When you aren’t looking, he’d pulling out his tiny notebook and draw you, hoping you could see yourself the way others see you; how he sees you. We are all our own biggest critics, but the outside world can’t see these tiny blemishes you cry about. They can’t see the way your hair supposedly doesn’t fall the way it should.

Natasha

Nat never got to love her body as it naturally existed(just like Bucky), forced to be a government experiment and become a pon in a larger game she knew little of how to play. She just went along with it, being dragged by a locked collar. There was no freedom for her.

That is why she despises watching you break down, tearing apart your natural body in your free existence. “Baby, you’re the greatest thing that’s ever happened to me, you know?” You mean everything to Nat, providing her with a comfort she craved many years for. She never thought she’d find someone to love, someone she could love the way she does you. Not even Steve is as special as you are.

“Angel,” she say, holding your face so there’s no room to look anywhere else but at her. “You know why I call you Angel? Because you saved me. You, yes you. With your body, the perfect one that gives you strength, wakes you up in the morning, the one that allows you to see me everyday, that one. She can’t bare to hear you talk shit about yourself, knowing how much she adores every part of you.

Nat might even threaten to fight you, knocking you out cold until you come to your senses. But sometimes, not even she can sway you. So she’d just listen. She’d hold you close to her, head against her chest so you can hear how much of an effect have on her. She’d whisper sweet nothings to you, and talk about every moment where looking at you had taken her breath away. Of course that’s every moment, she’d confess, but she’ll limit it to the first time you met and your first date at the least.

Bucky

For a long long time, Bucky had no control over his body. He knew what it was like to hate the skin you lived in, to wish every day that you were someone else. That’s why it tears him apart to see you cry about your body. It feels as though someone is setting fire to his lungs every time you talk badly about yourself.

“Doll, you’re the moon, you know that?”Every day the sun sets, encasing the planet in a seemingly eternal darkness. But then the moon comes, as bright as she is. She may look dull in comparison to the sun, but her light is just as critical. She is different, but no less important. She casts a ray on sparkling waters, her reflection bending in the turn of each wave. She changes, she grows, and yet the people rely on her and love her through every stage. She is the light amidst their darkness, same as you are for him.

“You’re my best girl,” he’d remind you. His only girl. He’d go through cyrofreeze again for you. He’d do anything and everything just to keep you smiling. He adores your smile, reminding him of the Wakanda sun in summer. He’d seen a thousand sunsets, yet there’s nothing like that one in particular.

When you’re upset, Bucky would hold you real close, steel blues staring deeply into your own. “Plum, you are everything to me. Okay? There’s not a bone in your body, a strand on your head, a mark in your skin that I don’t love. And If you hate it, I’ll adore it for you in the meantime. Got it?” You’d nod of course, and he’d kiss each of your tears away. He’d proceed to wipe his own tears because when you’re sad, he is too.

Peter

Peter is probably the most awkward human being on the planet, so feelings are definitely a sore spot for him. He’s always afraid of saying the wrong thing. His love language are acts of service and gift giving; what he can’t say, he can show.

Whenever you’re feeling less than perfect, which is what you are, Peter would make crowns out of your favorite flowers and put them in your hair. He talk to you about flowers and the golden ratio, the manifestation of perfect in nature. It exists without any influence or manipulation. They’re perfect, untouched and allowed to be bent but never broken. No matter what they look like, what color they are, whether the stem is long or short, they’re perfect. And he’d remind you ever day, if need be, how naturally occurring perfection is in all of its forms, the same as the two of you.

He’d created like sculptures and figurines made from his webs or Tony’s plethora of gadgets. He’d stay up all night, despite Aunt May’s tumultuous warnings to go to sleep, just so he could make your day. It’s the little things, just to see you smile.

He’d carry you when you’re feeling down, reminding you that you don’t have to be “dainty” to be carried bridal style like the queen you are. He’s not gonna drop you, don’t worry.

Sam

Sam is your personal hype man, always and forever your biggest cheerleader. That’s why he’d be upset to see you talk down on yourself.

“Have you seen you?,” he looks at you incredulously. He kiss his teeth, grabbing your hand and dragging you to the mirror. He’d go over each part of your body, kissing each and every so called “imperfection.” Your body is a temple, he’d remind you. It carries you to a from work, it helps you breath, it helps you dance as good as you do, it sings the most enchanting melodies, etc. So how and why could you not love it? And while you’re in the journey to adoring every party of you, he’ll take on the job until you see yourself the way he sees you.

Sam might even take you shopping, because a good outfit always lifts the spirits. He’s scream and cry like a fan girl every time you leave the dressing room, bragging to the other customers about how stunning you are. “Look at my baby guys! That’s my baby!” He’d embarrass you wholeheartedly, but you’d never forget who’s cheering you on from the sidelines in the last quarter.

Thor

Thor is a god, so he’s always around beautiful people. Despite the many beings he’s encountered, he’d argue without hesitation that you are “the most beautiful creature in all of the galaxies, my love.”

Thor would provide countless examples of gods and goddesses with all their imperfections, who were regarded as royalty. Their imperfections were perfect in others’ eyes, the same as you. He’d talk about Freyja, the goddess of love and the most gorgeous of them all. She too, was plus size.

He’d worship the ground you walk upon, talking until his throat is dry about how no mortal, alien, wizard, or other could hold a candle to your beauty. And not only are you beautiful to look at, your soul is kind. Who you are beneath your skin is the woman he fell in love with, the person he would cross galaxies for and experience Ragnarok 10x over to see again.

He’d probably call you an idiot, yelling about your “audacity to insult the woman I love!” He’d be heartbroken honestly, seeing how torn up you are and hating everything he couldn’t get enough of. He’d come up with the dumbest ideas to cheer you up, many of them involving making a complete and utter fool of himself. But he knows a hearty laugh does the soul good.

Bruce

Bruce is…difficult. He’a such an intelligent man, but so profoundly stupid. He likely wouldn’t even realize at first what you’re upset for. But once he does, he’d drop everything for you, nearly burning his arm off in his lab by spilling a strange chemical on his way over.

As hulk, Bruce had never felt more unlike himself. He spent years battling his own body, hiding away what he thought were the ugliest parts of himself. Even though hulk is cool, strong, and important, Bruce couldn’t live existing that way. And he practically broke apart in trying to accept that element of his life.

He knows your insecurities aren’t just going to magically go away because he doesn’t see them, the same as everyone else. But, he’s willing to hold your hand and guide you in a direction to see yourself through his eyes. He probably could if we’re honest, with the right tech and formulas.

But for now, he’ll settle on talking to you. He’ll sit quietly, rubbing your back and kissing your face while you talk about everything that’s “wrong” with you. Then, he’ll tell you everything he loves about you. From your smile, to the way your nose crinkles when you shiver, to the way your lip pouts when you’re upset(which he finds hilarious and cute), he loves all of it. Every single part of you, even the green and “ugly.”

[abyssal-ilk]

wish we knew more about what vivienne was like as first enchanter of her circle. her insistence that the most dangerous thing to a mage is lack of knowledge is soo... cronching on it. i wonder how she handles the harrowings in her circle, since they traditionally rely on secrecy. especially given how badly her own harrowing rattled her and she was so young when she underwent it. many thoughts.

[binniesthighs]

a/n: and we’ve got another lil valentines day drabble eeee hope you all are staying cuddly and fuzzy! 

sweet like strawberry | reader x felix

Paring: self insert, gender neutral reader x lee felix 

Genre: fluffy fluff hehe 

Tags: valentines day special, coworkers au, friends to lovers, cafe au, two cuties in love, stuck with you au, wintertime au, teeeny bits of magical vibes, mentions of food, teensy bit of food play (sfw but like a leeetle suggestive), that good good makin’ out hehe 

Word count: 4.7k 

Tagging: @stayhavens​ thank you for letting me join for Felix as well ❤️

“Oh! And one more thing, for some reason, the security system keeps acting up. If the doors don’t lock up the first time around, just try it a couple more times and I think that it should work...I kind of just try it enough times until it works.” 

Felix nervously adjusted his cap with the little embroidered yellow chick. 

“Okay. Sounds good to me.” 

Your boss tucked his neck deep into his cable scarf, then tipped both you and your coworker a little salute. 

“Thank you both for being here on Valentines Day. Just a couple more hours! You can do it!” 

The back door to the café slammed shut from the blustering winter wind behind your boss’ coattails. 

“It’s really coming down out there isn’t it?” Your friend, and coworker-in-suffering Felix, shifted from foot to foot. 

Outside of the shop windows, the howling of wind shook at the shutters of the the display case filled with little mock-up cakes and pastries. The snow storm had been unexpected, but it hadn’t seemed to dampen anyone’s spirits on the holiday. Since the snow had picked up in the afternoon, customers still came rolling into the cafe with flakes all caught up in their hair, scarves and hats. On this day in particular, you had seen dozens of school girls and boys come in carrying their stash of valentines letters, bouquets of flowers and all kinds of candies. Little groups of friends would share slices of your special Valentines Day cake and smear cream over each other’s noses in a tizzy of laughter. 

You didn’t mind Valentines Day; there was something extra heartwarming and universal about it all. One day, out of all the days of the year, everyone stopped for just a few moments to say “I love you” or give out an extra hug or kiss on the cheek. How could you not feel all lovey and gushy from it all? Maybe you were a romantic, or maybe you really had just watched one too many dramas to make you feel this way. 

Earlier, you had been making a couple lattes, and a couple sitting by the window had arranged to meet right at the loveseat by the door to exchange gifts. One of them had given the other a couple books and a journal, and the other gave them what looked like hand-knitted mittens. They held the frayed fabric in their hands while the watched how their partner reacted. Of course, they accepted the mittens with a wide smile then pulled their love in to give them a giant hug. 

I love them. So much. Thank you. 

You thought that was what they had said from as far away as you were. 

This kind of love, was your favorite kind. The kid of love that was unconditional, that was given no matter what time of day, no matter what it looked like or how it was expressed, it simply was. 

You had always hoped, this was the love that you would have some day. But, you hadn’t found it yet. Not in all your years of crushes from afar, or love letters written in the night when you should have ben doing work. You had wondered, what was it really like to have someone love you like that: a love that existed in the early mornings, and dead of the night; the kind of love that looked over at you for no reason, and smiled at you just because. 

Perhaps you would spend your whole life looking: and while it saddened you, in a few ways, you had come to terms with it. If you had to wait, that just meant that you were waiting for something really great...right? 

You wondered what kind of love Felix wanted. The thought had crossed your mind time and again. You figured, he was the kind to fall in love fast and all the time. He would even get crushes on people who would come to the register to pay for their coffee and custard tart. It was supremely adorable. He’d stammer over his words with hands trembling at the keys of the register, and the tips of his ears would turn rosy pink. 

“U-ummm here-here’s your receipt....” 

A tiny smile would spread across his freckled face after they would leave, then he would rake his cute little hands though his hair, stammering even more about what a fool he had made of himself. 

“Well, when you think about it, you might never see them again?” You’d joke to him with a playful jab to his side. 

“But what if I doooooo??” 

Maybe Felix was the kind of person who wanted a love that would last forever, or the kind of love that he could daydream about. You thought that this might’ve suited him. It seemed as if that boy was often in a faraway place. There had been a couple times when he would stare out the shop windows wistfully with his mop in hand, or would giggle a little when he made designs into the lattes and mochas. He was just so happy all the time, but for what, you had no idea. 

Maybe Felix already had a love. You wouldn’t put it past him seeing how dreamy he was often. Felix deserved love more than anyone in the world you had decided. He deserved some to love him so hard and all the time. Admittedly, it made your heart ache a little thinking about how badly he deserved it. He deserved someone to kiss away on all those freckles on his cheeks on his cute little wrists. He deserved someone to shower all their love into his strawberry pink lips, and ruffle up his golden hair just to make him laugh. 

Maybe...you wished that you could’ve been the person to do so. 

“Do you think that we’ll get any more customers?” 

Felix had squatted down on the floor behind the counter into a pseudo-sitting position. His tan apron crinkled on the ground. 

“Don’t you think that everyone’s gone out by now? And the snow is picking up?” 

You squatted down next to him. “I don’t think we’ll be seeing anyone else. There’s only one more hour left anyway.” 

A sly smirk started to sprout on his lips, “What if we left a little early? No one is coming so...” 

“Have somewhere that you need to be?” You patted his head. 

“...No, unless spending the night with my cats counts as “plans.”” 

“No...date?” 

“Date?” He scoffed, “Me? Nooooo.” He paused, and with a tentative air, met your eyes. “Do...you have plans tonight?” 

“Mm-no.” 

Felix sucked in a tight inhale, as if he was mustering his courage. 

“Well, m-maybe, after we leave, --only if you want--we could--” 

The bells over the café door tinkled, sweeping in snowy and white air in with it. 

“I’m sorry, are you still open?” 

The old woman carefully closed the door behind her and clung tightly to her shawl that was wrapped around her shoulders. Only dressed in the thin fabric, you figured that she must’ve been freezing. Both you and your coworker sprung to your feet to attend to her. 

“Yes! How can we help you?” 

She was an odd woman, the kind that you could only really describe to look witch-like. While she had warm features, her aged skin had grown stretched with little marks and veins feebly showing. Bags under her eyes were deep, but they didn’t look tired, but like they held many years of wisdom, like he had witnessed much, and knew much. 

“A-aren’t you cold?” Felix rushed to the other side of the corner to help her to a chair. “It’s so freezing outside, and you’ve barely got on a hat.” 

His tone was gentle, like the one that you guessed he would speak to his cats with. 

“I’m fine. Nights like these, I’ve lived through many of them. They don’t phase me any more. I just thought that I could come inside for a moment to have a slice of that strawberry cake that you have in the window. It looks very delicious.” 

You nodded quickly then plated the second to last slice for her. You brought the dish over quickly with a little fork. “Anything else that we can get for you?” 

The woman shook her head politely, then took up the fork in her shaking hands. She ate quietly, merely making little “mm’s” as she licked the cream away. You and your coworker didn’t really know what to do, seeing as she hadn’t paid, and wasn't shivering from the cold at all. Felix shot you a confused glance, then rushed to the back of the café and to his locker. You heard the usual metallic clang, and he came jogging back with his own scarf that he had worn that day. 

“H-here. Please put this on.” He offered her the periwinkle blue fabric. 

“Oh. Dear, you are so kind. I just knew that you would be such a sweet soul. I could sense it.” 

The woman dabbed her mouth with the napkin that you had placed under her plate. 

“That was wonderful, I could really taste the love that had been baked into that cake. It’s always refreshing to feel that.” 

You and Felix nodded, still unsure of the situation, but smiled as politely as you could. She then swaddled her neck in the scarf, and sighed in her contempt. 

“No one has ever offered me something like this before. You are quite special young man.” 

She had voiced the comment about Felix, but she had held your eyes as she said it. Her eyes were a bit hazy, some kind of color that must’ve been blue at some point, but here now a type of soft grey-lavender. They were enchanting, and mysterious, but you had felt that you had known them somehow. 

The old woman rummaged around in her pockets, the pulled out two gold coins that were hefty in size, and thick like the kind of candy ones. You had never seen anything like them before, and they were a bit comical to look at, but still shone like the golden sun. On both sides of the coin, there was no writing, but merely an insignia of two arrows crossed over eachother. 

“I think that should suffice.” Her chair creaked under her as she rose, and placed one in your hand and the other in Felix’s. “Thank you so much for taking care of me. Both of you deserve all the love that’s coming to you. I hope that you remember this.” 

Felix muttered and turned over his coin in his hand. “T-thank you.” 

You shot Felix a glare. You had not the slightest idea how you could have accepted this as payment, but Felix seemed completely fine with it. 

The woman’s crinkled hand wrapped around the door handle, and she pulled her shawl around her once again, then buried her neck back into Felix’s scarf. 

“Happy Valentines Day!” She waved to you both, and you found yourself waving back. 

The door slammed, and you felt as if you had been snapped out of some kind of hypnosis. 

“Wow.” Felix whispered with a little smile. 

“What. The heck. Was that?” Your body trembled in the way that you would’ve have as if you had plunged right out of cold water. 

Felix stood smiling and gazing out, not even paying attention to your remark. 

“Felix? ...Felix?” 

“Hmm?” He turned nonchalant. 

“Did you hear me?” 

“What?” 

You reached your hand down the pocket of your apron to study that strange coin only to find that you couldn’t feel the cold metal. 

“...What?” You rummaged around even further. “I could’ve sworn...” 

In Felix’s hands which he had left cupped in front of him, his gold coin had vanished too, and he hadn’t even noticed. 

»»————-　♡　————-««

“I hope that this works.” 

Felix’s mittened hands tapped over the keys of the security system keypad and he mouthed the numbers as he did so. The pad illuminated with a green light and made little beeping sounds with each number. Once he finished the sequence, it flashed with a red light. 

“...Does that mean that it didn’t work?” 

“I think so?” 

The two of you had shoved your bodies together in the little corner nearest the back exit of the café. 

“I should try it again?” 

“Isn’t that what we’re supposed to do?” 

Felix gave a determined nod, then did the passcode, only for it to flash red again. 

“Oh my god, what if we mess this all up and then someone breaks into the café and then we get fired--I mean--I get fired because it would be all my fault--” 

You snarked out a laugh and pushed him lightly aside, “Here, let me try. No one’s getting in trouble.” 

You pressed in the same code, getting red once more. 

“What do we do????” 

As if it was his security blanket, Felix tucked his neck into his coat collar. 

“One more time, alright? Maybe there’s a manual in the office or something. We can try that.” 

An ahhh circled Felix’s mouth and he let out a relieved exhale. “Right. Right. That’s a good idea.” 

This time, you pressed the numbers in hard, as if that would make any difference, but you thought it best to try. But, red again. 

“I’ll go check the office,” Felix announced, and shuffled closer to the manager’s office near the back door. He wiggled the doorknob, finding it locked as well. “We’re doooooommed.” 

“No, we’re not. I’m not giving up.” 

In your head, you cursed out the damned security system up and down. If it wasn’t going to work, you would make it work. 

“5. 9. 2. 5. 0. 8.” 

beep beep beEP! 

“Oh my god!!! It worked!!” Your friend jumped up and down in his excitement. 

“Thank God.” 

Felix hiked up his backpack on his shoulders, grabbing the door handle at first, but then stopped. 

“Wait.” He licked his lips, “Before we go out there, I...I wanted to ask you, since it seems like we’re both not doing anything tonight, would you like to maybe...do something...with me?” 

His anxious eyes widened, and you could see his breaths quicken under his wool coat. For a moment, you couldn’t even believe that he had said such a thing. Normally a timid boy, his strike of courage was something that was astonishing to you, but it also made your heart beat just a bit louder in your ears. 

“You want to do something...with me?” 

“Y-yeah.” 

“Me?” 

He giggled lightly. “I just said you.” 

“On Valentines Day?” 

“I-is that weird? I-I’m sorry if I’m weirding you out, I didn’t mean to. I know that we’re friends a-and I think that you’re really cool--I’ve always thought that--but, I never really had the guts to say so, and honestly I don’t know how I’m getting it out now but, I just don’t like the thought of being alone right now, or you being alone. So--” 

“--Felix! Felix, calm down...” Even though your chest was thumping, your sweating hands squeezed your palms to calm yourself down. 

“Sorry...I ramble when I get kind of nervous.” 

His hands nervously fidgeted at his sides, and under the light of the emergency exit sign, a glimmer of gold winked between his fingers. 

Felix asked his question with glimmering eyes. “Would you like to?” 

“Yes. Yes. I would really really like to.” 

“Really?” His smile was filled with the very sunshine that he seemed to carry with him every day. 

“Really.” 

“Okay.” He reached for the handle once more, yanking it down, but instead of it swinging from it’s hinges, it clanked, glued to the wall. 

“What?” Felix shook at the handle once more. “It’s not...budging.” 

“Let me try.” You mirrored his action, and sure enough, the door had locked itself in place. “Wait. I thought that it wasn’t supposed to lock after we exited?” 

“I...thought the same.” 

Once giddy, Felix turned solemn and worry chased across his brows. 

“No. Nononono. This can’t be happening.” 

“It’s okay. We’ll just unlock it again.” 

You went back to your mortal enemy, the keypad, and pushed in the buttons, but no green light came from the action. 

“Is it on? Is that supposed to happen?” Felix’s tone edged with anxiety. 

The display screen on the interface had turned blank too. You had seen in movies that if you slapped the thing, maybe it would turn on, but after you had tried, nothing happened. 

“I’ll try the other door.” Felix scuffled over the the front of the café, and you could hear the answer loud and clear even from the back. The other door also had locked and it’s metallic clang resonated through the empty tables and chairs. 

“What do we do?” He asked once he returned to you in the back. 

Even though your heart was racing its way up your throat, you remained as calm as you could. “We call for help. It’ll be okay. Look, there's a phone number here on the panel to call the service company.” 

You drew your phone from your pocket, and it added yet one more object to your list of worries. “I-I don’t have service?? What the hell?” 

Felix opened his phone screen too, and showed you his non-existent bars. “Me too. It’s gotta be the storm right?” 

Your coworker’s eyes flicked back and forth in the darkened hallway, and you could hear his breaths start to quicken one after the other. 

“Hey, hey, it’ll be okay.” You fluffed his hair like you had down a few times before, an action that never failed to make him giggle, so you hoped it helped put him at ease. He keened his hand into your hand a bit like a cat would, and it was just too frickin’ cute, even in a situation just as this. 

“So we’re just gonna wait? Wait until our service comes back?” 

“I guess so.” 

Felix started with taking his coat off, and hung it back up in his locker. “Who knows how long that we’ll be here?” 

You did the same, but left your hat on, merely liking the way that it warmed up your head. “Maybe we can make ourselves something to drink? How about, I make something for you, and you make something for me? Sounds kinda fun?” 

“Sure.” Felix responded with a faint smile. 

In the dim lighting of that hallway, you reached for his small hand at his side. 

“Um, looks like we’re still getting to spend tonight together. I wish that it wasn’t like this, but, it’s something, right?” 

He was startled by your action, but let your fingers lace between his. The small connection was the one that had made you feel butterflies just thinking about, and now it really was happening. 

“Felix...I’ve thought before, I think that you’re really cool too.” 

»»————-　♡　————-««

You knew that using the ingredients for your own experimentation was against the rules, but you had hoped that your boss would’ve understood considering the situation. The rule had been written on the little spreadsheet that he kept taped to the side of the syrup holder, but that wasn’t going to stop you. 

“No peeking.” Felix giggled as he shook something together in one of the hand-held mixers. 

“No peeking to you either.” You said, scooping some macerated strawberries into the bottom of a cup. 

For a boy as sweet as him, you knew exactly what you wanted to make: it was your own version of the strawberry milk that you had made in the café, but it had chocolate dripping down the sides of the glass and it was topped with chocolate shavings and a lovely amount of whipped cream. 

“You done yet?” You asked while adding your finishing touches. 

“Juuust about.” He rummaged around the little array of fresh prepared herbs that you kept in the minifridge under the counter. “Oookay! Now I am!” 

In the corner of your eye, that last slice of strawberry cake called your name. You thought to yourself, I could always make more. It was the last slice anyway. 

The two of you made a little set up at one of the tables and Felix even thought to turn off a few of the light fixtures, and brought out a couple of those birthday candles that you would use on customers, and arranged them in a cup to burn. 

Celebrate! 

Happy Birthday! 

You Are Special! 

Congratulations! 

“Aw, cute.” You slid your drink for him closer, and admired the way that the yellow glow of the candles flickered in his soft brown eyes. 

“I-I thought that it would make it more special, considering that where we are isn’t like, the most special place. Especially for tonight.” 

“I think that it’s special. Or, who you’re with is what makes it special.” 

Your coworker smiled coyly, then took a sip of your strawberry milk. 

“Try yours!” He pushed the iced drink in front of you. It looked a bit like lemonade, but not exactly. Swirls of purple juice danced along with the pulp of the lemons. He had garnished it with a sprig of mint. “It’s blackberry lemonade. I’m sorry if it’s kind of tart. It was my first time making it, but I thought that you would like it.” 

You took a sip, and the second that the concoction touched your lips, it was heavenly. While it was a little tart, the juice of the lemon bit wonderfully on your taste buds, and was complimented well with the sweetness from the ripe berries. 

“Good?” 

“Really good. Thank you.” 

He sighed a sigh of relief, then passed you a fork. 

“Maybe this isn’t so bad after all.” 

“You thought that being trapped with me would be a bad thing?” You teased. 

Felix’s eyes adorably widened, looking as if he had spilled his strawberry milk all over the table. “N-no, I didn’t mean that, I just thought that being locked up would feel--” 

“--I’m kidding! Kidding, okay?” 

A tiny oh formed on his mouth, so he took another sip to fill the gap of silence between you. “Your drink is really good too. How did you know that I liked strawberries so much?” 

“Hm, it was a hunch.” 

Actually, he had said it a dozen times or more, but, it was much cuter letting him think that he hadn’t said it before. 

With the light of the candles now dripping a bit of wax onto the table, all of his features seemed so much softer: he was like some kind of dream, almost like a mythical being that you must’ve imagined. 

You wondered, maybe this was the kind of love that he wanted: the kind of love that was sharing something that you had made, something special to you in a simple place, a place that was not much else other than the people who made it. Or, maybe this was the kind of love that you wanted. 

Your pants pocket felt a little heaver, and you snuck your fingers in. The touch of your fingertips felt the cold and smooth metal first, then they ran over the outline of the arrow shapes on the flat side. 

“Mmm. You made this cake so well!!” Felix did a little dance while popping in a bite. 

“Felix?” You ran your finger over the golden piece. “I’m glad that we’re stuck here together.” 

“Me...too.” He shied. 

Carefully, you took your fingers to trace the yellow strands of his hair dipping over his forehead, taking in the way that they tickled your skin. In his nervousness, he took another sip, gulping loudly with eyes fluttering. On his lower lip, a bit of the cream streaked, and all you could do was wonder how it might’ve tasted there on his strawberry pink lips. 

“Can I...kiss you?” 

You could nearly see the way that his heart was beating as fast as a hummingbird in the way that his shoulders rose and fell with his anticipatory breaths. 

“Yes.” He whispered. 

You leaned forward slowly as to not scare him, tilting your head to the side as you pressed your lips against his. You had thought right: there really was nothing sweeter. His shaking breaths quivered over your lips while he tentatively kissed back, and it made your chest ache thinking about how nervous he must’ve been. You didn’t want to startle him, bur rather gently kissed him slow, carefully and respectfully. He shivered at the feeling, and his hand crinkled the napkin in his hand. The other, he had drawn out to rest on your leg, and rubbed his thumb into your jeans. The sweetness of the cream on his lips caught on yours, and it was unlike any kind of flavor you could have ever imagined. 

After a moment, you drew back, and Felix appeared like he was about to burst with giggles but held himself back. 

“I-I really liked that.” He tried his best to keep his composure. 

“Me too.” Turns out, you really didn’t know what to do with yourself either. Instead, Felix made the decision for you. In seconds, he had launched his small body into your arms and wrapped himself around you in a hug so tight that it was nearly suffocating. 

“I always kinda wondered what that would be like...with you.” He squeezed you tighter. “I can’t believe that just happened.” His smile cracked though his words. 

You wrapped your arms back around him and you could have sworn that you could feel his fluttering heart against your own. 

“Me too Felix.” You breathed in his scent which was that of daisies and candy floss. 

“Can we...do it again maybe?” He leaned back with arms slung around your shoulders and pleading eyes. 

“Of course.” You wove your hands into his puff-ball hair. “Can I try something?” 

An even more sickly sweet idea crept into your brain. 

“What’s that?” 

You took your thumb to scoop up just a little bit more of the cream bubbling on his drink, then carefully wiped it over his bottom lip, just as if you had been coloring him like a finger painting. You sucked off the excess, and he watched as you did so with wonder. 

“You’re just so sweet, I can’t get enough of you.” You hushed into him, leaning closer once more. 

His eyes fluttered closed, and with his quivering breath, he waited for you to kiss away the taste there, sucking the flavor into your mouth, then going to kiss over his parted mouth. A rather awkward creaking of chairs echoed, and he pulled his body closer to yours, and let you fill him to the brim with kisses in all of the places that you desired. A smile tugged at the corners of his mouth and he even giggled into some of your kisses too. His hands found the sides of your face where he held you there gently. Once he was comfortable, the warm feeling of your tongues met, and he nearly melted from the sensation. Your hands crept around his tiny waist, and you never let go. 

It felt like the moment that you had been waiting for. 

Your lips broke, and Felix threw his arms over your shoulders again, dipping his head into the crook of your neck where he stayed for a while as you ran your fingers up and down his back. 

Outside it was a much colder and harsher world, but here, it was your own kind of paradise, and it was sweet like strawberry. 

»»————-　♡　————-««

At some point, you had fallen asleep together on one of the loveseats: a pile of legs and arms all tangled up together. When the morning came, the snow had subsided, but rather was caught up everywhere in the streets and sidewalks, and sparkled like diamonds. 

It was your manager that had woken you up, and of course you had gotten in trouble, not at first for sleeping in the café, but for leaving the all the doors unlocked. 

[eirikaanemo]

The Candy House

Venti x GN!Reader

3k Words

Warnings: eviction, manipulation, servitude, minor character 'death', temporary blindness, kiss at the end

Notes: This is NOT incest. You and Venti are strangers and are not related at all.

Getting lost in the enchanted forest was easy. The fog covering the ground, the trees blocking out the light, and the original path taking so many twists and turns made sure of that. From the chill sinking into your bones you can tell that it’s getting late. Fear settles into your heart. Who knows what lurks in these woods? All you know is that of all those who have entered these woods, no one has ever come back out.

The rumors all tell of monsters and creatures roaming in the night, devouring any unfortunate creature they may find. You can only hope that they are wrong. Perhaps if you find some sort of shelter you can be hidden and make it through the night. Unfortunately you have not been able to find any sort of shelter, anything would do at this point. And yet it’s nowhere to be found and all that’s left to do is keep searching.

Then you see a light in the distance, illuminating the silhouette of a house. Speeding up, you change course to move towards it. The closer you get, the more details you are able to make out through the fog and the dark. And the closer you are, the odder it looks. It doesn’t seem to be made of brick or wood, or any other sort of building material you have seen.

As you get even closer you find that it’s kind of made of bricks, if giant chocolate covered raisins count as bricks and dried icing counts as mortar. The windows tint the light different colors as the light passes through the semi-transparent hard candy. The front door is made of chocolate and has a gumdrop handle. The roof is made of wafer shingles held together by layers of caramel. It looks delicious.

When you approach the door it opens to reveal an old woman. Her eyes are white and unseeing but hold an unsettling glint, though her smile assures you that you are welcome. “Oh you poor dear,” she says mournfully. “Out lost in the woods at night! You must be cold. Come in, come in and stay the night. Dinner is ready and I would love to have some company. Please do come and join me!”

The thought of food makes your stomach rumble. You haven’t eaten anything all day. This is like a dream come true, too wonderful to be real, and yet it is. “I would be happy to,” you tell her and follow her inside. Just like the outside of the house, everything is made of candy. Everything but dinner, that is, thankfully. The food is absolutely delicious and you enjoy every bite.

After you help clean up the dishes she leads you to the next room over. It’s small with meager furnishings which include a comfortable looking cot. “I’m sorry, I know it’s not much,” she apologizes. “Being out here in the woods means I so rarely get visitors.”

“It’s fine,” you reassure her. “This is much better than trying to find shelter out in the woods.” She nods her head emphatically. “Oh heavens yes,” she agrees. “You wouldn’t even survive a night out there! The locals aren’t fond of strangers wandering around their forest.” The thought causes a shiver to run down your spine as she wishes you goodnight and leaves you to your thoughts.

Sleep comes easily that night but the morning is much too early. You’re shaken awake by the old lady, more harshly than you would expect from what she was like the night before. When you open your eyes, sit up, and turn to look at her she even looks different from yesterday. Gone are the sweet, soft features of an old lady and instead are the haggard, worn, and wicked features of a dark witch.

“By partaking of my food and generosity, you have sold yourself into my service.” The witch informed you. “Now get out of bed, you have chores to do and have slept in far too late.” Your eyes go wide as you remember the basic rules you’ve always been taught for dealing with the magical. Do not eat. Do not sleep. Do not accept favors. Three of many, and you had broken them. She is right, and you have no one to blame but yourself.

For breakfast you are fed bread crusts and water. Then you start on your chores. Most of them are normal things: sweep the house, do the dishes, and dust dusty surfaces for example. Oddly enough, she prepares meals despite it being one of the more risky tds for her. Then again she does have a lot of experience so there might not be as much risk as you might originally think. And apparently she doesn’t usually eat either.

There are also a couple odd chores. The most odd one being: feed and fatten up ‘[her] next meal’. When you ask her how to complete that task she mutters about how she knew she was forgetting something and releases a spell hiding a large hanging birdcage in the corner of the room. A birdcage with someone in it. There is a pile of bones beneath the cage. Human bones. You’re sick to your stomach.

At some point the witch must have left, leaving just you and them in the room. As if sensing that she’d left, the figure cracks an eye open, sits up, and stretches, then sends you a bitter smile. “I guess we’re both stuck here,” they say. A he, you judge by the sound of his voice. “Yeah,” you mutter, equally bitterly. “Tricked me with dinner and a place to stay when I really should have known better. And I didn’t even realize how badly I messed up until this morning.”

He sighs. “I tried to warn you, but she put up a spell to hide me before she went to bring you in.” He sounds so defeated. You shrug. “Thank you for trying. Don’t blame yourself though. This really is my own fault. How did she catch you?”

“Much the same as you,” he admitted. “I was searching for a treasure I had lost and found out she had it, which was true. So I came to try and get it from her but she tricked me into eating and trapped me here. Now she’s just waiting until I’m fat enough to eat it appears. I guess we’re stuck here together for now. And after she eats me, you’re probably next if allowed.”

The two of you are silent for a minute as you ponder your imminent demise and his rhymes. “Well I feel kind of bad now that I know, but I’m supposed to give you this. It’s one of my chores so I have to do it.” You hand him his breakfast through the bars of his cage. It’s a much better breakfast than your own but he wrinkles his nose at it before giving in and eating it.

As he eats you continue with your chores. Most of them are in the same area he is so you’re easily able to take care of his breakfast dishes. The two of you end up chatting while you work. He introduces himself as Venti the bard and tells you stories about his travels all over Teyvat, often times in rhymes. When he isn’t telling stories he’s singing you songs while you work to distract you from the numerous aches and pains that you’ve developed from all the work you have been doing. In return, you tell him about how you ended up in the enchanted forest in the first place.

You explain how the village has become convinced that you were a witch, even your own family. They had cast you out and now you have nowhere else to go. It was hard to talk about but oddly enough you felt better after telling Venti about it. He didn’t judge you or pity you for it, there was just a serene sort of sympathy that helped you feel heard and validated. And since you don’t really talk to strangers about that sort of thing, the two of you decide that you are friends.

A couple days pass and you notice that the witch has been testing how fat he is by feeling his finger. And the fatter he is, the more he has eaten, the closer he is to being eaten himself. Every meal has to be finished, she knows otherwise and the consequences aren’t pretty. So far he certainly isn’t fat, but both of you know it’s only a matter of time.

Then you come up with a brilliant idea. “What if,” you whisper to him after she leaves the room after checking, “you have her check that bone instead of your finger when she next checks? Her eyesight is bad enough that she probably can’t see the difference and it will buy us time while we try to come up with an idea to escape.”

“That might just work!” He declares. “And that would be just the thing to wipe off her smirk. It should buy us the time as long as she doesn’t give it too much mind. Here’s hoping it works, because the alternative will be much worse.” You slowly nod your head, “At least it’s a start.” He smiles at replies, “And it’s truly is quite smart.”

You blush at the compliment and feel your heart flutter in your chest. As time has gone by you have found yourself falling for him. It’s not any one specific thing, but a combination of many things that make him who he is: his jokes, kindness, thoughtfulness, and trying to make the best of your situation, to name a few. And it doesn’t hurt that he’s so cute.

Thankfully, the trick does work to your delight and her frustration. She started making his meals larger, but he just shared with you instead of eating it all himself. After all, the food needs to be eaten. And you may have admitted to be surviving off of bread crusts at some point. “I can’t have you dying of hunger, we need to escape together after all. And besides, friends take care of each other.” He insisted.

You swear that you fall just a little further in love with him every day. Sometimes you catch yourself staring and have to look away quickly, hoping he didn’t notice. Part of you suspects he does notice judging by the blush that dusts his cheeks you spot before you manage to look away. But if he does notice he doesn’t say anything.

Things continue like this for over a month with the witch becoming more and more impatient as time goes on. The two of you have yet to have found a good plan of escape and can tell things are getting more and more risky as time goes on. And one day, the witch finally snaps, the weight of her hunger breaking through what patience and reason she had left.

“I’m tired to waiting!” She exclaims, stomping on the floor. “I’m so hungry that I’ll just eat him, skinny as he is. And you know what? I’ll eat you too! Heat up the oven already, it’s time for me to feast.” Her gaze is fastened on you as you shakily start putting firewood in the oven in jerky motions. Both of you have gone pale and Venti has gone eerily still in his cage.

All too soon a fire is roaring in the oven. “Now check the temperature,” she orders you with a wicked gleam in her eyes. Venti caught on immediately and started silently gesturing for you not to do it. With his warning you realized what was going on. “Um, how would I do that?” You inquire instead.

“I’ve never used your oven before because you always do all the cooking.” It’s technically true, but you have used similar ovens in the past and know exactly how dangerous checking the temperature could be in this situation. But if you manage to turn it around… well, that might just work.

The witch stomps over to the oven and demonstrates how to check the temperature, leaning towards the oven with her head nearly inside. Rushing up behind her, you push her in and latch the door. There’s silence, so you unlatch the door and peek inside to find a melting gummy bear instead of the witch. “She’s a melting gummy bear. She won’t be eating anyone anymore.” You reassure Venti, who takes a deep breath out in relief. Not wasting any time, you start searching around for the key to the cage and eventually find it in the drawer of her bedroom nightstand..

He cheers with a big grin on his face. “You did it! We’re saved!” Fumbling with the keys and with a couple failed attempts you were able to open the door to his cage and he lept out. “Now I just need to find my treasure! Could you help me find it?” He requested. “Sure,” you say, already starting to look through her kitchen drawers. “What does it look like?” He shrugs. “Oh, you’ll know it when you see it,” he mentions vaguely as he works his way through checking some of the smaller rooms in the house.

After a while of searching you reach into a vase filled with flowers made of spun sugar and pull something out. It appears to be a queen from a chess set with a glowing turquoise orb set in it. “Is this it?” You question loudly so he can hear you from where he’s searching at the other end of the house. Footsteps approach as he rushes to check and his face lights up as he sees it. “That’s it!” He crows as he takes it from your outstretched hand.

He holds it close to his chest and the room flashes with a bright turquoise light. Not expecting the light, it blinded you and you dropped to your knees with a cry. You cover your eyes with your hands belatedly and try desperately to blink the darkness from your vision. Distantly you can hear him curse as he realized his mistake.

“I’m so sorry,” he apologizes. You feel him gently peel your hands away from your eyes and replace them with his own. A cooling, numbing feeling soothes your eyes. He moves his hands to the sides of your face and runs his thumbs over your eyelids one more time before you dare to try and open them.

At first you’re surprised by your restored vision as you look down at your hands. But when you look up you’re surprised for a whole other reason. Venti still looks like Venti, except for where he doesn’t. There’s a lot more skin showing than there was before, revealing turquoise tattoos on his chest and leg as he crouches in front of you. He is dressed in an immaculate white and gold outfit with turquoise accents that almost seems to glow. But most of all, he has sprouted white wings from his back.

“Huh?” You utter, very articulately, mouth gaping. Rubbing your eyes again, you try to see if that will fix your vision. Nope, he’s still there. You can hardly believe your eyes. He lets out a laugh at your reaction and it sounds like the tinkling of bells. “Am I really so amazing that it’s left you speechless?” He teases. All you can do is nod slowly, which makes him frown.

“I’m still Venti, you know,” he tells you, trying to put you at ease. “Sure, I may be Barbatos too, but I’m still your friend. There is no need for such awe. Though I’m afraid to say that it does mean that I can’t stay. I need to return home. But before I go, I can grant you one wish as a reward for all of your help.”

You gaze at him silently for a couple minutes as he patiently waits for your response. “If you have to go, then I wish for you to take me with you,” you admit. He blinks, surprised. “I would love to, honestly, but you know that means you won’t be able to come back, right? And I’d have to change you. You wouldn’t be human anymore.” You smile and nod. “I’m certain, it’s not like I have anything left here to return to anyways.”

“So be it then,” he says with a grin before he leans it and presses a kiss to your forehead. Your whole body tingles as your features change. Your ears grow longer and narrow into points at the ends. Wings sprout from your back, tearing holes in the back of your shirt. Your height adjusts to make you within an inch or two of his height. Opening your eyes after the transformation, you spy the blush dusting his cheeks as he avoids eye contact with you.

“You missed,” you tease, leaning in closer to him. His blush grows as he looks back at you, gaze getting stuck on your lips as he gulps. You can feel your own cheeks warm at the thought of what must be going through his head. “May I kiss you?” You implore, moving your hands to rest on his knees. He nods his head shakily.

Reaching up to cup the back of his neck with both hands, you pull him down to you so your lips can reach his. The kiss is simple but lingers as you pull away. He pulls you back in before you get too far. The next kiss is more passionate than the first, with an edge of desperation.

Eventually he breaks away. “We’ll need to finish this later,” he hums, nuzzling his nose against yours. ���But there will be plenty of time for this in the future. We have all the time in the world now. And I want to spend every second of it with you.”

[yutahoes]

Different

(Part 2)

Part One

word count : 1.6k words

a/n: I was arranging some WIPs when I found this and realized that I promised @cosmiclatte28​ a second part of Different. 

The moment Yuta’s feet landed at the airport from Japan, he knew that he needed to see Haru or he would surely go insane. A lot of things had happened in Japan that he just wanted to disappear for a while. He wanted to be warm again. 

“Appa!” Haru shouted, running to him when he spotted him from outside the school. It’s a good thing that he paid attention and had his schedule memorized. He talked to his babysitter for a while, asking if he can just take the young guy. Although hesitant, she agreed with some cash and Haru’s puppy dog eyes. “Are we going somewhere?” He asked gleefully. “Can we visit eomma? She’ll be happy to see you.” 

A smile escaped his lips. He hopes she is. 

The father-son duo took a cab to the hospital where Y/N is working, the younger taking the lead since he’s been here a couple of times already. And honestly, this is his idea. To surprise his mom. 

Yuta wondered what she would look like in white. He remembered back in university, it surprised him that this girl is a nursing student. Sometimes he would see her walking along the soccer field in her lab coat and he assumed that she’s a Physics student, even a Chemistry student back then. Then there were times that he would just see her crying in the library that the image of a perfectionist girl was etched on his mind. He realized, now, she’s far from that. 

The nurses were looking at him, making him self-conscious. Is it the bouquet of sunflowers? Or because he doesn’t really know where to go? Haru greeted them politely and he felt a sense of pride, he’s growing up well. “Haru.” someone called that made the two look at the man in white, watching them. “Does your mom know you're here? Do we have a session today?”

Session? The younger shook his head, smiling at the man who sat down so they could be of the same height. “Doctor Kim, where is eomma? Appa and I are here to surprise her.”  The older nodded then lightly glanced at Yuta. “He’s my dad, Yuta Nakamoto.” he introduced. 

Yuta lent a hand to shake and the older took it. “I’m Kim Doyoung, Haru’s doctor.” His gaze fell on the kid in front of them as he took out his phone. “I’m going to call for your mom.” Haru nodded and he told the two of them to just sit down and wait. “Sunshine…” Yuta raised an eyebrow at that. “Your son is here.” 

A loud beat thumping in his chest was all Yuta could feel when Y/N went outside the elevator then ran to the lobby, next to Doyoung. “Eomma,” Haru called and she carried him in her arms, checking if he’s alright. “I’m fine. I’m not sick.” he grinned. “Appa and I just wanted to surprise you.” And that’s when she noticed him, giving him a confused look. She looked so cute. Is she really a mom? “Are you surprised?” 

She hugged him tight in her arms, caressing his hair. “I’m just happy that you’re feeling fine, Haru.” He saw how the worry changed to relief in her eyes, her emotions are so transparent. She’s endearing like that. The younger asked if he could hang out with his dad and she nodded, staring at Yuta once again. He handed the bouquet of sunflowers that made her smile, “I didn’t know your back.” 

“I just returned this morning,” he claimed, eyes locked at her. She looks really good in white. Like an angel. “I went to see Haru immediately.” She just nodded at that. “I’ll bring him home early.” She handed him the keys to her house, thanking him for taking Haru out. 

She hugged their son and he peppered her with kisses that only made her giggle. She’s right, Haru is so lovable. He isn’t even shy to show how much he loves his mom even if there are eyes watching them. “I love you the most, eomma.” he exclaimed, making her smile. That enchanting smile. 

He smiled. It’s not just Haru who is lovable, as a matter of fact. 

--

The two spent the whole day in the mall, playing games, eating delicious food, and even shopping for toys and clothes. Haru was just too tired when they reached home that made Yuta guilty. What if he gets sick again? He was breathing heavily, seated on the couch that made Yuta worried. “Do you have your medicine?” he asked. The younger told him that it’s located in the upper cabinet of the kitchen which he immediately took. 

He returned with the pill and a glass of water, watching as to how the younger boy took it as if he’s been doing it his whole life. Which he obviously does. 

Yuta remembered the first time he saw Haru. He was two years old at that time. A chance encounter. He was just at the mall when he saw a familiar face, Y/N. He greeted her and she looked scared, nervous in fact. He knew she’s pregnant with his child but she made sure that it’s not Yuta’s responsibility. She calls that night her mistake. But when he saw the twinkle-eyed little boy in the stroller, he knew he wanted to be part of his life. 

The second time Yuta saw Haru was when he’s four years old. Tubes and machines were connected to his body and he remembered shouting in anger at Y/N. He felt annoyed at himself that he cannot do anything for his ailing child and she badly hid it from him. Luckily, Haru’s leukemia was cured with a stem cell transplant from his bone marrow. And he promised to be a great part of his life. 

Now, seeing him weak like this made him hate himself more. He should have taken better care of him. Will Haru suffer from sickness if he just stayed with Y/N that time? Will he still be sick if he became a better dad for him? Haru reached out a hand to touch his cheek while smiling at his father, “I’m fine appa. Don’t be worried.” Yuta only smiled, why does he know him so well? 

A knock on the door came and Haru nodded at Yuta who looked worried at his son. Y/N was standing with a surprised look on her face, "Why do you look…?" But when she saw Haru breathing hard on the couch, she knew why. 

Her bag was left on the floor and Yuta picked it up to get it inside. She was now seated on the couch, the younger boy seated on her lap. "Follow eomma's breathing, okay?" She said calmly and the younger nodded, obeying her. Yuta watched as the two breathed together until his breathing stabilized. "Did you drink your medicine?" 

Haru nodded, wrapping his arms on his mother's neck, nuzzling his head on her neck. "I'm sorry eomma." He whispered. "But I had fun today." 

"I know, love. And that's all the matters." She whispered, hand caressing the back of his head. "How are you feeling now? Better?" He nodded. "Do you want to take some rest?" 

"Can appa stay the night? I want him to sleep next to me." Yuta nodded which made the younger smile. 

Once inside the room, Y/N breathed hard. "I'm sorry. I didn't realize…" But she just shook her head. "How is he?" 

The girl sat in front of him, sighing. "He's getting worse." She said as if scared of what his reaction might be. "The side effects of his medicine are taking a toll on him. And he knows it, he just doesn't want to show me." 

"Can't we do something?" He hated that he could read her expression. She's hopeful. "There is." 

Y/N sighed. "I need you and Mika's help." The mention of the name startled him but she shook her head. "No, sorry. I don't know what I was thinking." 

She stood up but Yuta held her wrist, stopping her. "What is it?" 

"A younger sibling." She said quietly. "If he has a younger sibling, they can use them for stem cell treatment." She explained. "But that's wrong. Sorry. I don't want him to feel bad about using a younger sibling like that." 

Before he could speak, she smiled at him. "I'm sorry. Don't worry about it. I already talked to Doyoung, we're doing everything." 

"Doyoung?" he repeated. Haru's doctor. 

"I'm dating Doyoung." She confessed. "Haru still doesn't know. I'm looking for a time to tell him." 

 His hunches were right. They're really dating. His smile, that nickname. "Congratulations." He said quietly, nodding. He forced a smile on his face. "I'm happy for you." 

It really is too late. Why does he have to realize these feelings when she's happy with someone else? And she deserved it. He just hoped that he was earlier. 

Yuta cooked breakfast, even apologizing for rummaging through the kitchen that made Y/N shake her head. "Don't worry. This is your house as well." It isn't. This is home. With her and his son. 

He volunteered to walk Haru to school and she nodded after the incessant pleading of the younger one. He even cried when he found out that his dad is returning to Japan in the evening. "Please say hi to Mika for me." She said when they were parting ways. She's still the same. 

Yuta laughed. "Mika and I broke up." She looked surprised and Yuta thought that she's so cute for a second there. "We already signed the divorce papers." 

"Yuta, I…" 

He shook his head then held her shoulder. "I'll see you and Haru when I return next month." He smiled. A broken smile that he was forcing all this time. "Be happy, Y/N. Take care of yourself and Haru." She nodded. 

He abruptly turned to walk the opposite way from her. It's too late. 

He wished he did everything differently.

-------

Third Part

[give-grian-rights]

HERMITCRAFT 8 LIVEBLOGGING

fifteen hermits worth of liveblogging. i am losing my mind. LONG POST AHEAD.

JOE HILLS (First HC8 Video)

Mumbo did the speech. he forgot everything he was supposed to say <3

Pearl and Gemini were just .in a pit . having stuff thrown onto them

Every Hermit is staying on the same continent !!

FIRST DEATHS VERY QUICKLY, Iron Golems took out Tango and Etho (maybe more?)

Joe seems to be the only one looting the chests

Evil Jevin !!

Evil Xisuma appearance on Jevin’s 60 second video!

Pearl has something planned for an “archeticual wonder” for a resupply area upon death?

Stress, Xisuma and Joe are capturing villagers and starting up a resupply debut.

Bdubs is killed by Cleo and is now OUT FOR BLOOD

First death counts- Etho, Tango, Bdubs, Cleo?

Cleo was killed by Keralis

Joe has now supplied Cleo with weapons and food . She left but not before saying “Time to kill BDubs again!”

Gemini was killed by Bdubs! They both died and are now at spawn.

Pearl was killed by Cleo

Pearl is planning a respawn inn !!

Cleo was killed by Iskall

Cleo was killed by Pearl

False, Stress, and Gemini team up??? AA!!! they brought a delivery of supplies to Joe <3

i wish i knew what was happening on that end .

APPARENTLY XISUMA IS ONTO MAKING THE SECOND VILLAGER BREEDER ALREADY ??

Iskall is the first with Diamonds??

Breathe in that ash !

WAIT IS TANGOS EYES LIKE THAT RN BECAUSE HES TEAMED WITH KERALIS AND BDUBS ???

KERALIS, BDUBS, AND TANGO TRIED TO DO A SHAKEDOWN ON JOE. HE TRIED TO DROP LAVA, GOT HIMSELF ONTO TWO HEARTS BECAUSE HE PLACED IT ON HIMSELF, AND IS NOW SWIMMING OUT INTO THE SWAMP

the big eyed trio are now off to shake down Gemini

Joe fell in Lava in the Nether

Joe Death To Lava Two: Electric Boogaloo

Joe drowned trying to kill a glowsquid

WATCH JOE’S VIDEO OH MY GOD SEAN HILLS RECAP RAP??? MY BELOVED????? i am gonna be streaming this unironically later LIKE OH MY GOD THIS SLAPS. ALSO THE CREDITS AT TEH END IS HILARIOUS

Zedaph Episode Recap

Zed gave us a recap of the continent every Hermit will be living on !!

Wouldn’t recommend Zedaph as the first video for the season, he skips the intro/speech but it’s Zedaph and hes making it fun!! Lots of nice editing :)

~SCIENCE TIME !~

Zedaph.. why is your starter base made out of concrete ?

There are no sheeps whatsoever on his mountain

Hes calling his lab an icecream sandwich..yeah i see it

Zed tried to make a portal underater...f

Scar died to a creeper </3

Zedaphs base is gonna be tracking how long hes there/someones loading the chunk!

XISUMA LIVE BLOGGING

A cool cinema scene of him becoming an axolotl!! <3

NOW I CAN SEE IT, GRIAN WAS THE FIRST DEATH!! Death by Iron Golem!!

XIsuma’s baseplans need over 45 THOUSAND BLOCKS TO BE PLACED

He’s also planning on making a shulkershell farm!!

i’m not gonna lie ! talking axolotl X is horrifying ! thanks !

Day one Villager Breeder... chaos.

Xisuma Derp! looked straight at a buncha wool and said how badly he needed beds and then walked away

THE GIRLS CAME OVER AND CONVINCED HIM HE NEEDS TO MOVE THE DESIGN OVER MY FIVE BLOCKS FOR SWAMP VILLAGERS..

THE GIRLS ARE JUST LAUGHING AT HIM AND HIS VILLAGER TROUBLES

day one and Xisuma has got his axolotl!!

Very pretty starterbase!!

XB’s

..I’m not gonna lie theres not much to say!! He’s very calm :) he says hes going into it without a plan, and htat last season was the only time he had any thought of what he was gonna do.

He made a real nice starter house and thats about it!

Cleo’s

Bdubs: “She ain’t gonna hurt me!! i’m invincible, babey!”

Cleo learnt that BDubs will never hurt her even if she deserves it . I am starting to realize why she kills him

SHE DECIDED SHES GONNA BE A PROPER CHAOS GREMLIN THIS SEASON...

AISDJASID CLEO GOT PAID TO KILL BDUBS?? HDUIAIHSI SCAR WHY

“Alright I found my mission for the season! Murder.”

Cleo, Mumbo, Grian, and Scar are all holed up in a cave together!

..Scar died from a skeleton !

Cleo has now split from Grian and Mumbo! Scar is missing in action

CLEO FOUND A GOAT

SHES KILLING THE GOAT???

she got a HORSE <3 and Joe gave her a saddle! I think her name is..Widget?

She LOVES the candles for shamboo n waterbottles and bits n bobs for her armorstands!!

Got her Armorstand stickgod book <3

Geminitay POV

NEW HERMIT NEW HERMIT NEW HERMIT!!

She has a LOVELY voice!!

The pov of her in a hole . being surrrounded . is kinda hilarious

It might’ve been Etho who was first death?? I GENUIENLY CANNOT TELL BECAUSE OF EDITING

All the murder was just for heads!

Seriously her voice is. wow

WE LOVE A QUEEN WHO KNOWS HOW TO CRAFT A SHIELD WITHOUT USING THE GUIDE <3

False, Gemini, and Stress are on the great journey for MOSS !

Gem just blew their minds with the moss.

TANGO KERALIS AND BDUBS ARE BACK Keralis: “Show the diamonds show the diamonds show the diamonds!” Gem: “Keralis. This is not how you make friends.”

The boys suecessfully recieved a diamond each

Etho n Iskall are travelling together!! You dont see those two together often

Etho got a glowsquid head!!

Gem: “Etho doesn’t share, is what i’m learning..?”

Etho hooked her with a fishing rod and said she has to do what he said .

In order to get the diamonds, Tango, Keralis, and BDubs placed down a sign saying “Gem is Great!” and Gem used a glow inksack on it.

Etho: “So..What is this? Do you have an ego, or this a motivational thing, or..?” He said, while laughing

Iskall: “I think its really funny that you have set your base up in the middle of a birch forest.” Gem: “I love birch forests! Do you not like my birch forest? Iskall: “I love it, yeah.” Gem: “This is the best biome in the game, Iskall.” Iskall: “Mmmm..” Etho: “I’m pretty sure I heard Iskall talking earlier that like, of all the biomes in the game, there was one he hated more than anything. Gem: “Oh really? And what was that one?” Iskall: “..Taiga.” Gem: “Taiga.. That’s true, thats a good one, thats a good one.” Iskall: “Don’t like Taiga.” Gem: “Mhm.” Etho: “Which one do you hate more than anyone?” Iskall: “..Diorite fields. Thats a bad one.” Etho: “Yeah thats a bad one.” Gem: “Didn’t know about that one. Well make sure to avoid’em. Birch forests are really good.” Iskall: “I’m a big fan of birch forests.” Gem: “Yeah, me too, me too. I’m glad we’re on the same page :) This is so beautiful! All the white and- and the like zebra stripes! is fantastic.” Iskall: “I..Um.. Yes.”

OH SHE’S CANADIAN,, ETHO HAS A FRIEND /j

She’s still in college :O SHE’S A SCIENTIST?? SHES WORKING AT A HOSPITAL?? POG!!

She accidentally found an enchanted golden apple in a mineshaft!! she thinks its the first she ever found in survival!!

She has a cow, sheep, and a few crop farms set up!! Her starter house has INTERRIOR!

SHE CHANGED HER SKIN AND ITS SO PRETTY AND HAS OVERALL AND I LOVE IT!!

shes doing a cottage core inspired base!

WOAHH!!! SHE MADE HTE MOST GOREGOUS CUSTOM TREE I’VE EVER SEEN ??

BDUBS IS HERE and he is so so so impressed by the tree ?!

also hes carrying a clock.. :(

He’s here with a present!

HE BROUGHT BAMBOO!

she thinks its so funny that he stops conversations to sleep AOIDHFEAUI\

SCARS

WE GOT A TRANSITION SCENE!! the canonical reason for the bed in his old village always being occupied is because underneath it, was his wizard portal!

Bdubs: “It’s a new season! You’re the little guy now!”

They are all very amused by that ^

they’re rubbing the fleece of bdubs jacket .

Bdubs: “Have a nice rub :)” PLEASEAHSIOJDIUASLDHIASDA

His starter base is gonna be a wagon and he wants the end game to be a bioshock esque skyscraper!

he confused a horse for a player . flashback to iskall thinking mumbo was a mob

PEOPLE THINK MUMBO DOESNT HAVE PANTS ON.... </3

Scar, Mumbo, and Grian.. have NO braincells. at all. THey just placed a crafting table with a boat on top with a bed on top with a boat on top .

this is what BROS FOR LIFE looks like.

BOATEM POLE !

SCAR IS STUCK UNDERGROUND IN THE MIDDLE OF THE NIGHT IRL AND HAS NO PICKAXE..

AND HE DIED TO A CREEPER .

it seems like Grian, Mumbo, and Scar are working together !!!! HOLY SHIT !!

THERES SO SO SO MANY FARMS???????

he died several times trying to catch a skeleton with a sword

FIRST CHEST MONSTER OF THE SEASON <3

SCAR JSUT TOLD BDUBS HE LOOKS LIKE OSCAR THE CROUCH... BDUBS CANNOT EVEN ARGUE

OH NO.... GRIAN WENT AFK IN A HOLE . WITHOUT A HELMET .

THEY PUT A  GLOWSQUID HEAD ON HIM

OH MY GOD MUMBO MADE A NOTEBLOCK SONG?? AJUDA

SCARS BUILTING IS SO SO SOOS GOREGOUS SERIOUSLY GO WATCH THE VIDEO OH MY GOD ITS HUGE

its a giant ass house boat wagon . its pulled by a llama . that killed him . so now its trapped, pulling hte agon, forever

Grian: “..Thats a very big house, for a very little hat.”

GRIANS SUPER SPECIAL EGG??

SCAR PUNCHED IT..

they really came out here . and killed the egg already.

Scar: “..I touched the thing”

TANGO POV

We see the three big eyed boys forming <3 they interrupted Tangos intro

THEY’RE BULLYING HIM ABOUT HAVING SMALL EYES AHIDUIASUHDWIS

HE TRIED TO CALL THE TRIO TEAM BUG EYE... THE OTHERS ARE VERY OFFENDED

they found an axolotl and Bdubs was TERRIFIED just screaming “WHAT IS THAT YELLOW THING?!”

BDUBS IS ATTACKING IT ???

okay nope Bdubs caught one and Tango lost it

Bdubs is naming his axolotl Idiot

AMAZING HOUSE. WHY IS TANGO SO GOOD AT BUILDING AND REDSTONE??

Impulse POV

MUMBO TRIED TO PLACE DOWN A BERRY BUSH TO HURT IMPULSE . HE FORGOT HOW BUSHES WORK..

I DIDNT EVEN NOTICE THAT IMPULSE WAS IN THE BOATEM POLE

so it looks like those four are hteo nes who grouped up together

PEARL BROKE THE CONSTITUION SHE GOT IN THE WRONG BOAT SMH

THIS IS SEASON EIGHT! FIVE BROS !

So its gonna be about five people in the same area!!

YOO!! Fantasy build for Impulse!!

G gave Impulse a spyglass, they had a fun moment of zooming in on eachothers face and complimenting eachother IHAUDIHAW

Grian and Impulse worked on an xp farm!

ASHDUIWAHISD GRIAN JUST LOGGED ON INFRONT OF HIM

a pillager stole his boat . not just any pillager . the one with a banner. </3

he has to live with Mumbo tuning a song .. </3 haha

Mumbo POV

it took fifteen seconds until Grian ran in during Mumbos intro

CONFIRMED? GRIAN WAS FIRST DEATH?

SECOND PERSON TO THINK MUMBOS PANTS ARE SKIN COLOR. GRIAN..

Grian: “Can you..Briefly explain why you’re just wearing a hawaiian shirt?” Mumbo: “Uh- what do you mean ‘just wearing a hawaiin shirt? I have shorts on as-well, dude”

FOLLOWED BY

Mumbo: “Can you explain why you’re wearing a red jumper?” Grian: “You know- you know i was born with this!”

MUMBO AND GRIAN STOLE THE BOAT LOOT FROM RENDOC

I THINK RENDOC JUST STOLE THE DIAMOND MUMBO THREW??

Grian: “Is that Scar?” Mumbo: “I can’t see past your giant waffle!”

DSFSDFJIOA they did an edit where they placed down a boat, both Mumbo and Grian got in, they made noises and then bopped up on top of the ravine they were in <3

THEY HAVE NO BRAINCELL THEY JUST PLACED DOWN A BENCH AND SAID “THIS IS THE MARK OF OUR VILLAGE!” and then placed a torch and a boat and a bed and aANOTHER BED..

..Mumbo is trying to be a pacifist this season!

Grian’s taunting him with beheaded things

And obviously part of being pacifist means he’s gonna be vegetarian in minecraft!

..he cannot use monster farms because pacifisim..

Mumbo was in the middle of reading the magical Timmy shack that Tango made (did i remember to mention that? who knows) and IN THE MIDDLE OF GETTING TO THE PART ABOUT IF YOU REMOVE STUFF FROM THE CHEST, NOTHING WILL BE ADDED IN IT AGAIN. Grian opened the chest . Mumbo SHOUTED HIAUDHUW Grian jumped man

They renamed it “Cave of Do Not Enter” HIAUEDUH

Mumbo and Scar BOTH did not know- at least Mumbo didn’t, Scar forgot,  that podzol spawns from two-by-two spruce..

him and his guitar song to be played underneath his house.. it goes with the aesthetic i suppose

MAN HE NEEDS SO MUCH HAYBALES I FORGOT THATS NEEDED FOR THE TUNE HE WANTS

Mumbo: “What.. On Earth.. Scar, it’s meant to be a starterbase, buddy! What is this? This is many things, many many things, a starterbase is NOT one of them!”

HE LITERALLY DIDNT KNOW THAT THE DRAGON EGG TELEPORTS... WHEN YOU TOUCH IT...

BDUBS

nothing special we havent seen yet!! just him screaming about axolotls.

He was working in the Mesa in his intro, skipping the “speech” from Mumbo

He released Idiot the Axolotl and lost it .

Him SCREAMING “Gemini” is HILARIOUS

While Gemini gave away those three diamonds, Keralis got so excited he won a bet with Tango and Bdubs, that he gave back . two of the diamonds . and none of htem released until well after they left

Bdubs: “That’s why i have my mwoss skin!” PLEASE I LOVE THE WAY HE SAYS IT.. make the moss hood.. REAL..

it took me a while to figure out what his base is but i LOVE IT so so much!!!

Nothing much new to add !!

Stress pov

please i love her . very good !! False seems to have joined her sheerly because Stress sounded like she knew what she was doing. she does not.

False felt peerpressured and asked Stress for permission to fight her because everyone was killing eachother .

It ended up with Stress following False. they found a village!

ISKALL only saw him one other time today!!

JEVIN APPEARS AGAIN !

XISUMA FELL INTO HTE BREEDER AND IT WAS SO FUNN IUAHHYIAUSD

Ren: “Ya look goregous, Stress!” Stress: “Thanks! Don’t murder my dog!”

She’s so proud of herself for caving!! (with False n Gem

Iskall blew up!

..Iskall fell from a high place

Stress has a LOVELY ravine base!!

False

False wants to become pirates with Stress <3

gatekeep gaslight girlboss

BIG OL MUSHROOM HOUSE !!

it looks like a mushroom church and i LOVE IT.

Nothing new we didn’t see from Gem. She does want to come up with a banner design for her base, though!

Grian

..Mumbo just thought Grian had a purpose so decided to follow him <3

ALSO HIS INTRO, AS HE JOKED ABOUT IN THE OTHERS VIDEO, WAS, IN FACT, THE BOATEM POLE

Grian is SO PROUD of the fact taht they got good loot from a treasure map. Ren and Doc are NOT IMPRESSED

Grian: “Lets go, potato boy!”

Mumbo: “I don’t have to replace everything I break! Peace Love and Plants- are these plants..?” He says, mining amethyst

pants

he who controls the egg, controls the server... Grian.. you’re doing great sir

...He decided.. his goal.. is to make his OWN..caves and cliffs update... HELLO..?

Grian was the first one to kill the enderdragon, MAN. Speedrunning career WHEN? /j

Grian: “And now [Mumbo] is flexing on my bed!”

he might not have a base. but he has an egg.

It is now 2am. i cannot do this anymore. This will be continued.. tomorrow!