#i will add lilac/purple where i can

[sandushengshou]

xiao zhan appreciation [83/ ∞]

[hwasshvur]

Shadowed Obsession

summary: when Y/N a normal girl who works at a bookstore and tries to get through college helps a male get a gift Soon turns into her nightmare.

Nasia's note: This is my first little ' story' on here!

TW/: Yandere, threats, death mentions, angst, stalking, Wooyoung mother has passed, kidnapping ( If I need to add anything let me know! I want to make my readers comfortable!)

Pairing: Stalker! Wooyoung x female reader

WARNING: This story does NOT portray Wooyoung or any way in this way this is strictly for the plot.

'Another shift' you thought to yourself as you sat your bag down and looked at the list of tasks you needed to complete during your shift. "Y/N? I thought you took the morning shift because you had evening classes?" your older brother Heesung asked you as he grabbed his belongings to leave, his shift ended a while ago but he decided to help the manager dust off some books. "No, not anymore I had morning classes today." you gave your brother a soft smile and put the list in your cardigan pocket. "Ah okay! Good luck today it's kinda busy because everyone is studying for their exams." Heesung sighed wiping an imaginary sweat from his forehead. "Speaking of exams, shouldn't you be studying as well?" He cocked an eyebrow up in your direction. "Yeah, I'll study during my breaks since I'm working the closing shift tonight," you said with a dramatic sigh at the end. "Oh okay, call me if you need food or a ride home, and be safe Y/N," Heesung said as he hugged you and walked out the back door to the parking lot. you sighed and walked to the front of the library and proceeded to tackle most of your tasks. After doing your task you sat at the front desk and studied for your upcoming exam when a voice called out to you. "Um, excuse me?" you looked and your eyes met with an attractive male who looked around your age, he had a soft smile. "Oh yes, how may I help you? you immediately answered with a shy smile not wanting to weird the male out. "I'm looking for baking books for my mom, she loves baking and her birthday is soon." The male responded playing with his ring that looked like a fidget ring. "Oh! Of course, follow me please" You said with a soft smile and walked with the male to the aisle where all the recipe books were. "We have different types of baking books here but I like to bake in my spare time and this book is one of my personal favorites," you said smiling picking up a book with a lilac purple cover. The male takes it from your hands and examines the pages with a small smile. "You like to bake?" He asks. "Yeah! I bake with my older brother and our mom sometimes or I bake by myself it's kind of a way to escape from reality," you said with a soft smile. The male hums "I'm Wooyoung by the way" The male spoke reaching his hand out for you to shake. "I'm Y/N, it's nice to meet you," you said as you shook his hand. "Excuse me miss can you help me? I'm looking for the college textbooks" A female calls out to you breaking the silence between you and wooyoung. "Of course, miss follow me," you said walking toward the female and taking her to the correct aisle. Wooyoung might have been a stranger to you but you weren't a stranger to him. You two had the same classes together he sat far away from you of course he didn't want to bring any attention to himself. He stalked you and watched your every move from afar at the university all the way to your little apartment off campus. He knew you baked in your spare time that's why he came to get a baking book. His mother passed away 3 months ago and she hated baking she never really understood why people would make a treat that can be bad for your teeth. He only said she did because he knew your mother loved baking. She loved it so much that she became a baker and even taught you and your brother some baking tips. He knew everything. your birthday, name of your favorite stuffed animal, childhood nickname, dream vacation. He wasn't stalking you no no no. he was just... researching you! He knew about your shitty ex-boyfriends and he knew he could be better he could do better he knew you better than you knew yourself he was sure of it. Wooyoung walked to the check-out area just to be met by you his angel. "Hey, I'm gonna check out with your suggestion," Wooyoung said sending a playful wink your way. "Really? I hope your mom likes it!" you said giggling at his wink. You checked out his book and put it in a little bag and gave it to him and 'goodbye' to him. You thought it would be your last time seeing him But he knew it wouldn't be.

Part two?

[lolasimms]

how do you think abbu would react to being invited to lilas tea party?

Tea parties and mockery

Summary: Abby has a tea party with Lila and Levi, and it ends with her getting taunted by her 4 year old daughter. Reader is away on a work trip.

“Momma, are you going to make us some tea?" Lila comes in the room wearing one of your coats. She says it makes her look classy. The black fabric is hanging to the floor like a dress, but the 4 year old doesn't seem to care.

You were away on a work trip, meaning Abby was at home with the babies for the weekend. She’d left the kids with her dad in the morning and then dropped you off at the airport. After lots of hugs and kisses she’d left you at the front and then made her way back to her dads to get the kids. Levi was taking your absence well but Lila on the other hand was fuming, since you’d promised her a tea party earlier in the week. So here she was, getting the tea party in order for her grumpy daughter and agreeable son.

"Yes, give me a minute, honey." She makes her way into the bathroom, where a newly potty trained Levi is done. He stands up and claps, once he spots his mother. "Good job honey, now let's wash that stinky behind." She calls out, pulling the toddler off the potty.

"Eww, put on your pants Levi," Lila says as she watches her half-naked brother get cleaned up.

Abby finishes cleaning Levi and then proceeds to carry both kids down the stairs to get a start on the tea. It was an expensive lilac tea that Lila had insisted Abby buy for her since it was the plant she was named after. If she was being honest, Abby thought the tea tasted like the smell of air freshener, but she’d do anything Lila wanted. Even if it meant spending $30 at an organic tea shop.

Lila plays with Levi in the living room while Abby prepares the tea. She was told by the vendor at the store that lilac was good for relaxing and digestion. She only hoped that was true, so she could calm the two gremlins down, enough to get them to sleep at-least. She throws the overpriced tea bag into the pot and then pours in the boiled water, she doesn’t add any sugar though. She always tells Lila that real adults don't put sweeteners or sugar in their tea. It's a lie, but she’s not willing to deal with the aftermath of a 4 and 1 year old on a sugar rush.

"Alright kiddos, tea is ready."

"Yaa! Levi the tea is ready.” Lila shouts, attempting to lift up her brother but fails miserably, immediately she sets him back down. Levi loves every minute of it, just looking up in excitement at his big sister. "Okay, momma, you have to carry us." Abby looks at the hot teapot she’s holding and then back to her two kids.

"I can only carry Levi, cause I'm holding your teapot." She explains to Lila.

"Hmmpph." She pouts and crosses her arms across her chest. Abby knows she doesn't stand a chance. She either does what Lila wants, or she'll have a full-blown tantrum.

"Fine, hop on, mommas back." She squats down so Lila can hop on, and she does so happily.

Abby then scoops up Levi with the arm that is not holding the teapot. And by some miracle she manages to get them both upstairs with no falls or third degree burns. If you had been home to witness this, Abby Anderson would have been a dead woman.

Lila serves Abby and Levi the tea. As they’re all sat around a fancy tea table and matching chairs that her grandpa Jerry had gotten her for her birthday. Abby’s bulky figure cant fit in the chair, or else she’d break it. So instead she opts to sit on the floor. Lila’s teapots are white with purple embellishments coated on them, alone with matching cups.

"Momma, don't forget to hold out your pinky."

"Oh yes, baby, I apologise." She points her pinky outward as she takes a sip from the cup.

Levi is quiet as he patiently waits for Lila’s instructions, to tell him what to do. He is so enamored by her, and Abby loves the close knit bond the two of them already have.

"Okay, so momma how was your day?"

"It was nice."

"What did you do?"

"I dropped mommy off to the airport and then spent the day with you two.”

“Is mommy your girlfriend?”

“She’s my wife, and how do you know what that is?”

“Do you and mommy kiss?” Abby’s eyes go wide and she immediately turns red.

Lila starts to jump around the room, hysterically laughing and Levi runs after her laughing as well, copying his sister's actions.

"Momma, kisses mommy" Lila begins to chant, over and over again. Trying to get under Abby’s skin.

“Alright we’re never having another tea party again.” Abby playfully yells over the chanting.

"Momma kisses mommy!!” Lila continues running around her room and screaming. Levi doing the same, and Abby is just perched on the floor, smiling in amazement that she’d be stuck with these two gremlins for the rest of her life. She loved it.

—

abby

can you please come home now???

y/n

what’s wrong love, the babies okay?

abby

your daughter made fun of me because I kiss you

y/n

you poor thing, is our 4 year old giving you a hard time?

abby

yeah :/

y/n

want me to ground her when I get back?

abby

would you actually?

y/n

if she’s bullying my wife then I’ve gotta teach her a lesson :)

[maxipad031]

hey girl! i loveee ur account! can we get a best friends to lovers fic please? Shuri and reader are like 20, and reader realises she isn’t straight because she starts crushing on Shuri.<33

i like you silly

synopsis: fluffy and short fic where you start to realise your growing crush on your best friend, shuri. you don’t know where she stands, but she soon lets you know and you begin to understand yourself more.

contains: shuri x black reader, cute crushing, fluff, brief sadness, make out session, best friend to lovers x

and thank you smmm!🥰

novacane by frank ocean blasted in your sony headphones as you bopped your head continuously to the beat, your hand moving rapidly as you scribbled down equations for your calculus homework. it was literally due the next day and you'd forgotten all about it until your friend reminded you like 30 minutes ago through a lengthy text explaining how she lost it. your room was flipping messy, clothes on the floor, on the bed, heaped upon your vanity chair. the curtains were basically closed but there was a peak of natural light as your purple LED lights dominated the room, making it glow a soft lilac. something about purple just put you in a focusing mood, so yes your room had to be covered in it. just as the song was about to change, it stopped abruptly, and you shifted your gaze over to your phone, confused. sighing, you realised a call was coming through and when you saw who it was, your heart leaped in your chest.

my shuri <3

was displayed on the rectangular screen and you hurriedly fumbled everything away to pick up your phone to answer, crunching the papers under your weight in the process. as you clicked the bright green phone button, her breath taking voice came through into your headphones, loud as fuck.

"y/n, are you busy?" she asked softly, waiting patiently for your reply. you glanced at the phone, your homework underneath you and your phone again, "nope!" you answered, maybe way too excitedly.

"ah perfect, can you meet me at café moon in 10?"

"of course shuri, ill be there." you assured, packing away all your papers and into their designated folders, "is everything okay though?" you asked, realising its unusual behaviour for shuri to be calling you randomly since she's always busy with her tech projects.

"oh yeah, i just want to see you, make sure you're okay." she replied, her voice laced with some kind of additive that made you want to hear it all the time.

"okay, see you hunnie buns." she didn't reply straight away, but you cut off the call as you didn't want to hear her reply to your bold action anyways. well, to be honest, it wasn't even that weird because in your....friendship, you called each other lots of things like bae, darling, love, honey. it didn't really mean anything....or so you thought. you disconnected your headset and slipped it off, resting it on your oak desk as you attempted to make your dorm room look at least a little presentable, just in case you both came back here. shuri was used to your room being a mess though, she always says "it adds to your character, " with that silly, cute eye smile she does that makes you want to just give her pecks all over her face.

your mind often wavered like this and at first it was just subtle, cute scenarios you'd imagine before going to bed, but now it's just full blown delusion, things that would never happen between the two of you; i'll leave that up to your imagination.

you'd always identified as a straight individual since all you did were date boys in high school, but after meeting shuri, all of that went straight out the window and you've only been able to look at her: everyone else is blotted out with a black marker pen. she's in the centre of your thoughts, running around in your head rent free. you'd never really had close friends, so you orignally thought it was your clinginess that made you so drawn to her, constantly wanting to be around her at all times. however lately, it didn't make sense that you'd been feeling this way for this long, almost two years now. you usually lost interest in other friends you had but this was different, it was so clear now,

you fucking liked her.

it was a hard pill to swallow, the fact you were probably bisexual...or a lesbian? actually no, because you genuinely had feelings for the guys you dated, so you're probably bi...you think? whatever, labels confuse you and you don't care about them. right now, you're shurisexual and that's all that matters.

you sat up on your bed to look in the illuminating mirror as you ruffled your tangled curls, to the left, to the right, just everywhere until it looked nice and presentable. you were already wearing a large purple hoodie, so you just replaced your booty shorts with baggy ripped jeans. quite motivated to look nice, you picked up your makeup pouch from the vanity table and began to touch up your face, only a little concealer and lip gloss. once that was done, you cleaned your room further, stuffing your disorganized clothes deep inside your closet and kicking any loose objects under the double bed. with a deep sigh, you grabbed your phone and the keys from the drawer before heading out, making sure to lock your door securely. you walked quickly past all the loud kids occupying the dorm hallway, and rushed down the spiral stairs to basically sprint outside. as there were no cars coming at that moment, you crossed the quite busy road and ran down to the café shuri had told you to meet her at.

by the time you arrived, you were huffing and puffing as you tried to catch your breath. you had no idea why you ran but it was probably due to the fact you were so eager to see your best friend again after like two days. the cafe’s large glass windows exposed it’s interior. it wasn’t that busy and looked calm as always, everyone minding their own business studying or talking. as you grabbed the door handle, you eyes flickered to a familiar presence . it was shuri, sitting on a high chair that was facing the window, which faced the street, and seemingly engrossed in something on her phone as she scrolled. you walked in and the bell above the shop door rung at your arrival as shuri’s head whipped in your direction. you adjusted your hair behind your ear shyly and watched as she flashed you a bright smile while you walked over towards her.

“heyy ma, how is my darling.” she greeted, wrapping her long arm around your torso as you hugged each other. her embrace was comforting, you never wanted to let go. unfortunately, you had to depart from her and when you did, you sat down on the high chair next her.

“shuri, you forgot about me for two days, huh.” you scolded jokingly, as you crossed your arms and fake pouted.

“you know that’s not the case y/n.” she laughed at your fake act, taking a sip of coffee that she just ordered, “do you want anything to eat or drink?” she asked in a caring manner as her hands nestled in her lap.

“nah i’m alright, thanks though.” you played with the hem of your hoodie subtly as you grew nervous under her gaze. this was such an unusual feeling, you were normally the one making people shy, not the other way around. she nodded and rested her elbows on the shelf-like table before you both. she stared outside for a minute, her sharp jawline flexing as her eyes travelled. she has recently cut her curly hair and it was shaved at the sides, leaving the top sitting nicely and dropping over her forehead. the day she sent you that selfie pic of her freshly-cut hair, a tear ran down your leg; it was so attractive on her and she definitely knew it. you were beginning to understand that you didn’t wanna be her, you wanted to be with her. she wore a purple tracksuit this day, kimoyo beads wrapped around her slender wrists and her sunglasses propped up the middle of her forehead. she clicked her tongue softly and spun the chair around to face you,

“i have something to say.” she announced. your heart jumped and skipped and hopped before falling back down into your ass. you knew she wasn’t going to say what you thought she was going to say, but it was nerve wracking nontheless.

“go on.” you said, eyes wide open in anticipation.

“i’m going back to wakanda in two weeks.” shuri replied, playing with her glowing kimoyo beads as her eyes darted around the small cafe, avoiding your eye contact.

“wait what, why?!” the corner of your lip twitched with disappointment.

“my brothers funeral, i must be there.” she said, smiling weakly as an emotion of sadness washed over her eyes simultaneously. seeing her grieve for her brother broke your heart into a million pieces and you wanted to do nothing but comfort her. you slowly reached over her lap to cup her cold hands in yours. you massaged it lightly as you looked up at her, “that’s totally fine shuri, i’ll be here waiting for you.” shuri shifted her gaze to you and you swear for a split second it was a look that said, “i love you so much,” but it also might’ve been your imagination. she gave you another hug, squeezing you so tight, you had to tap her shoulder for her to soften up a little, “you don’t know how much i appreciate you y/n.” she sniffed a bit as she pulled away from you, holding her head up ever so lightly so stop any welling tears from escaping.

“hey, why don’t we go back to mine.” you suggested, pulling her up off the high chair. seeing her upset broke you and you wanted to cheer her up as soon as possible. shuri grabbed her now cold-coffee with her free hand and nodded her head as she obliged. you both stood up to leave and you led her out of the shop. the sun was blazing above and you instantly regretted wearing a big hoodie. shuri seemed to notice your discomfort as you constantly pulled at the neck of the clothing,

“you should come to wakanda, you’d die if you wore something like that outside.” she commented picking up the pace to walk beside you, her infamous eye smile displaying itself and making you melt as you stared at her.

you chuckled before replying, “take me then, i’ve always wanted to go.” you unintentionally held her hand as you crossed the road together. shuri paused and stared down at the interconnection of your hands; she didn’t pull away but held on tighter instead. you didn’t even notice the small act of affection as you scanned the road, careful you both didn’t get hit.

“alright.” shuri whispered under her breath, seriously contemplating to take you with her.

~~~

“how dare you plus five me, what the fuck!” you yelled, as shuri aggressively put down a blue +5 card. you two had resorted to playing uno flip and right now, she had you fucked up. she’d never played it until now but boy did she pick up the game fast, she even knew tactics to stop you from winning.

“sorry but i’m not letting you win.” shuri smirked as she watched you reluctantly pick up five cards from the deck when you previously had two cards left. the game resumed and you stared menacingly at her, your competitive side really coming out. shuri had four cards left whilst you ended up with seven from picking some up. she put some reverses, which skipped your turn, but just before she put down the second to last card, you yelled out UNO before she could realise and you cackled maniacally, picking up two cards to give to her. shuri quickly realised her mistake and shook her head, “you didn’t even tell me i had to say uno when i had one card left.”

“yes i did? that’s the point of the game.” you arched your eyebrow.

“you didn’t.”

“wanna fight?” you asked jokingly, putting your cards to the side and pretending to pack up your thick hair.

“like you’d win.” shuri rolled her eyes and cuffed up her sleeves as she put her cards to the side as well.

full on ready to actually wrestle with her, you leaped from your side on the bed to hers and she surprisingly caught you, flipping you over and laughing as she pretended to punch you,

“please please please, let me live, oh mighty black panther please!” you closed your eyes as if you were scared, rubbing your hands together as a sign of mercy. you were the only one here in america that knew she was the black panther by accident, and you’d sworn to never tell a soul.

after you heard nothing, you opened your eyes to peek and saw her doing a funny face. you both then bust out laughing at your silly behavior, forgetting that she was still on top of you. your laughing started to die down before you suddenly realised the position you were both in and instantly start to panic. her face was literally inches away from yours, as her minty breath tickled your nose. completely rapt, you didn’t know what to do so you just lifted your hands up to hold the sides of her small waist. she felt the sudden touch, and looked down at you, also realising how close in proximity you were to each other. you could do nothing but stare at her lips, perfectly two toned, glistening from the lip vaseline she always uses, and slightly parted. the urge to kiss her was so strong and nearly overtook you but your mind started to ramble and it unfortunately transferred into words out loud,

“shuri, i’m so sorry, i know this is probably the last thing you want to hear right now, but i like you, i really do, i’ve been liking you since i met you, i just didn’t know how to say it, i’m sorry, you probably don’t even feel the same way, but i just felt like i needed to-”

it seemed like shuri had the same thing in mind as your words were interrupted, by the feeling of her soft lips placed upon yours, maybe as a way to indirectly tell you to shut up. your eyes were wide open from shock but you shut them and kissed her back with a more needy approach. it felt like you were in another realm entirely, just you and her, together, nothing else mattered. your lips moved in sync as you held onto her waist tighter, liking the way her body felt on top yours. before you could slip some tongue in, she pulled away licking her lips as her eyes danced around the room, seemingly embarrassed by what just occurred. she gently climbed off of you and sat up, packing away the uno cards. you held yourself upright with your elbows watching her contently.

“shuri.”

she didn’t reply, focused on tidying up the bed.

“shuri!” you held your hand to stop her from her actions and she stared at you blankly before grabbing the sides of your face and pulling you into another kiss.

what in the world was happening right now.

her hands were enveloped in your brown locks and you pulled her closer, putting your hands on her shoulders to deepen the intimate kiss that was being shared by the two of you. shuri seemed like she wanted this for a long time, but so did you and you were going to make every second count. she was the first to slip her tongue in your mouth and you eagerly welcomed it. her muscular arms wrapped around your waist and propped you up onto her lap impatiently. you’d previously taken your hoodie off when you two came back and so you were left in a white tank top. her large hands rubbed against your chest area unintentionally and that riled you up even further. the kiss got hungrier, deeper as you snaked your hands around her neck, fingers laced in her tight coils as you devoured each other.

honestly, if this carried on, it was going to lead to something else and you didn’t think you were fully ready for that right now especially if shuri didn’t feel as deeply for you as well, so you hesitantly parted your lips away from shuri’s, leaving a string of saliva connecting the two of you. shuri breathed heavily as she looked up at you through her chocolate orbs, her lips having grown in size from the fervent make out session. you adjusted your top that had rode up from the touching and carefully got down from shuri’s lap,

“i’m sorry if i made you uncomfortable, i don’t know what came of over me, i understand if you don’t like me anymore i’m sorry-” shuri blabbered, worried to death that she’d made you feel weird, hence why you stopped.

“no shuri, that was amazing, of course i like you silly, i just told you a whole essay about it.” you giggled, placing your forehead on hers lovingly, “i stopped because i just have a question to ask you.” you said mysteriously, as you sat up against the headboard of your double bed.

“go ahead,” shuri urged you to continue as she followed you, also moving so her back was against the headboard.

“do you want to be my girlfriend?” you inquired bluntly. you didn’t think you’d ever say that to anyone but surprise surprise, here you were.

“i thought you’d never ask.” shuri hugged you for the 30th time that day and you hugged her back, filled with absolute bliss. you were so certain she’d reject you but her feelings for you might’ve been even stronger than yours for her; no that’s impossible. you couldn’t wait for what’s the future held for you two as well as how your relationship would work out. however, not everything was all roses and daisies as you remembered that’s she’s eventually going to leave you soon.

“wait shuri, aren’t you leaving, i’m not going to be able to see you.” you pouted, holding her hands as your head was down in woe.

“well, you said you wanted to come, didn’t you, i can definitely organize that.” shuri replied, lifting your chin up to look at her.

“what!? you don’t mean it...i can go to wakanda?! oh my god, no fucking way, i’ve always wanted to go! shuri, i could literally buy you a lamborghini right now.” you yelled out, full of excitement as you jumped off the bed and ran laps around your small dorm room screaming your head off like a lunatic, almost tripping on the loose objects all over the floor.

shuri laughed wholeheartedly at your thrilled uproar, loving how gorgeous you looked when you were happy. this was going to be a great few weeks for you two.

🫶

[stayevildarling]

Wilhemina Venable x Regina Mills x Reader- Burying our memories Part 2

A/N: This is the second and last part to this. I had originally planned to write this ending but the first one was so long and considering everyone asked ❣️ Also wanna say again this is quite different to the plot and storyline in ouat, so more of an AU.

tw: mention of sickness, cursing, heartache, angst, happy ending

word count: 12k

taglist: (added some people who commented on part one so you could find this again- dw I won't add you to the permanent taglist, just for this)

@lunaticwhittaker, @billiebeanhoward, @lanawinters-ily, @kenzbro, @minaslittleone, @httpfiftyshadesofgay , @whitelotus00 , @ninaahs , @vintagepaulson , @isle-of-earle , @paulsonsratched , @stepintomyworld , @grilledcheeseandguavajelly , @lucyintheskywithxanax , @fanfics4world , @mymiraclewitch , @hazard-to-myself , @awritersometime , @ohrwurm26 , @wastdstime , @gayestswiftie , @marvelwoman-sugarbaby , @blu3dimples , @thesamesweetie , @fanfiction-24824

The morning sun casts a warm glow over Storybrooke as you step out into the garden, a sense of tranquility and normality washing over you. Her garden is your sanctuary and had always been for as long as you can remember, a place where you can escape the worries of the world and lose yourself in the beauty of nature. As you begin laying out your tools and getting started for the day, the large white mansion behind you, the sun shies on the several hedges and bushes as well as the vegetable garden and fruit trees.

As you begin tending to the flowers and lush greenery, you hear the sound of footsteps approaching, her heels echoing through the air. Turning around, you see Regina stepping out onto the patio, her expression neutral. ,,Good morning Madam Mayor'' you greet her as she inspects your work carefully, unable to ignore the way your tank top exposed your muscles. She can't help but smirk, having told you several times in the past that you could call her Regina, considering you had worked for her for several years at this point. ,,How are you today?'' you ask almost absentmindedly as you tend to your work.

The brunette returns your smile, her eyes lighting up as she takes in the beauty of her garden, despite you not being able to see her expression. ,,Good morning dear'' she replies ,,Quite well, how about you?'' she speaks, which wasn't really like her. You knew she was respected in the town, especially given she was the mayor and took that role seriously but you could tell she was considerably softer with you, unsure why. She had offered you multiple times that she would be happy to offer you other housing other than her pool house but you had refused every single time, content with your living situation and being so close to your work.

,,How's the garden coming along?'' she asks and you gesture proudly to the array of flowers and plants around you. ,,It's coming along beautifully'' you say, excitement evident in your voice. ,,The roses are in full bloom and the lilies are starting to open up. Oh and your apples should be ready for picking'' you explain proudly. You notice then how her eyes sparkle with genuine interest as she listens to you talk about the garden, her admiration for your work evident. ,,It's truly remarkable what you have done here'' she remarks, her voice filled with admiration.

As the brunette continues to watch over your work, occasionally glancing at her phone to check for any new emails regarding work, your gaze drifts over to the neighbouring house, where Wilhemina lives. You catch a glimpse of her exiting her house and walking towards her car, assuming she was heading of to work. Her demeanour was much lighter, despite you not remembering an ounce of the woman you had met in a different version of reality before. She was different now, much lighter than she used to be, the dark purple replaced by a soft lilac. You can't help but smile at the sight of her, feeling an odd sense of warmth and affection wash over you, despite not understanding remotely why but you accepted it as it had been that way for as long as you can remember.

Regina follows your gaze and notices Wilhemina as well, rolling her eyes a little, tugging at her lips, seeing her ex-wife. And then with a swift motion, she leaves you be, getting ready for her day ahead. You watch as Wilhemina enters her car, catching a glimpse of her eyes finding you, her demeanour the usual one before driving off, leaving you to finish your workday. And then you spent your day the way you usually would, working til around lunchtime before taking a quick lunch break. In the afternoon, heading to some shops for some more supplies and materials, before finishing for the day. Your days were monotone really, always the same and sometimes you felt a little trapped with how the days always looked similar. But nevertheless you enjoyed it, not really having the option to do much about it and knowing you should be grateful working for Regina, considering the kindness and generosity she has been showing you since you can remember.

When Regina returns in the evening, she finds a basket with picked beautiful red ripe apples and she can't help but smile, even a little smirk tugged at her lips as she carries it inside, for a second feeling the strange urge of finding you and thanking you. In the end she decides against it, considering how late it was but you had pleased her today and she already knew just how she was going to thank you for it. And so as the next morning approaches, the sun illuminating the town of Storybrooke and her beautiful rich garden, Regina is up early, looking forward to the weekend. Today, you decided to sleep in a little, as you usually would on the weekend. By the time you make it outside, watering some plants, you already find your boss on the same patio. And you can't help but think about how beautiful she looked, in a blue silk blouse, some long black pants, exposing her heels.

,,Miss Y/L/N'' her voice rings through the garden, her heels echoing as she makes her way over to you. As you look up you take in her features, sensing that she was in a good mood today, wondering whether her work week had been good or whether it was due to some other factor. ,,Good morning'' you greet her before she begins speaking again ,,Are you free tonight?''. Her words take you by surprise before you open your mouth but the words get caught in your throat, your brain feeling a little empty. And so all you can do is nod, hoping that response would be sufficient. ,,How would you feel about joining me for dinner tonight?'' she asks, a small smirk tugged in the corner of her lips. Your mouth is slightly agape, having expected a few things but definitely not this and so again you simply nod, before she walks away, swaying her hips a little more than necessary as she walks back into the house.

And through your daze you had failed to notice, a certain redhead watching the scene unfold, not necessarily understanding every single word but the woman smart enough to connect the pieces. Furiously she balances on her cane, walking from her balcony back into her house, that unfortunately overlooks her ex wife's gardens, meaning she would often be able to see you working or Regina very obviously flirting with you. Her features are over washed with anger as the glass door bangs shut, startling you a little in the process as your eyebrows furrow, not understanding the extent of your situation yet.

As the day progresses, you find yourself lost in a whirlwind of emotions and tasks, your thoughts consumed by Regina's unexpected invitation to dinner. You go about your tasks in a daze, unable to shake off the feeling of anticipation that courses through you. And eventually evening falls and the sun dips below the horizon as you make your way towards Regina's mansion, opting for the front door as entering through the patio seemed a little off to you. You knock on the door, your palms sweating as you wait for her to answer.

Regina opens the door, her smile radiant as she welcomes you inside, she is dressed elegantly, wearing a beige dress, exposing her beautiful curves and legs, her hair styled perfectly and a hint of expensive perfume lingering in the air. ,,I'm so glad you could make it'' she says, her voice smooth and inviting.

As you step into the mansion, taking in the expensive surroundings you try hard to hide your wide eyes. Regina leads you to the dining room, where a table is set with candles, soft music playing in the background, almost making the atmosphere romantic but you quickly brush the thought of considering she was your boss, mayor to Storybrooke and definitely not interested in her gardener.

,,How would you like a glass of the best apple cider you have ever tasted?'' she asks suggestively and you simply nod, watching her leave for a moment before returning moments later. As you sit down, Regina begins pouring you both a glass, her eyes never leaving yours. ,,To us'' she says, raising her glass in a toast. You clink your glass against hers, feeling a rush of warmth at the gesture, unable to hide the trembling of your hands and how loud your heart was beating against your chest, sure that she could hear it too at this point.

Throughout the meal, Regina engages you in conversation, her wit and charm captivating you. You find yourself laughing and smiling, enjoying her company more than you ever thought possible. You aren't oblivious and you had heard the town gossip of course, often spending your free time in town, strolling through some shops or the occasional meal at granny's. You had heard about the awful gossip, that she only had her own intentions at heart, not the towns, how she was cruel. However you never saw her like that and especially tonight you don't see an inch of it in her features or her behaviour but the thought keeps crossing your mind why she was so interested in you and why she had been from the beginning, you often tried thinking back to the earlier days in Storybrooke but whenever you tried that, your brain blanked, not remembering as everything had always been the way it had been.

,,Do you have any room for some delicious apple turnovers?'' she asks and you nod, feeling full from the meal but not wanting to be rude. As she gets up to leave, you quickly reach for her own and your plate, wanting to at least make yourself useful, feeling bad for her having done all the preparations and cooking. ,,Let me'' you offer and she simply nods as the two of you carry the dishes and remaining dinner into the kitchen. You are captivated by the beauty of her house, the interior both luxurious and fancy, matching the woman currently standing by the oven. You watch as she reaches for some oven mitts, the smell instantly filling the air.

,,Smells delicious'' you praise, watching as she smiles at you before putting some on both yours and her own plate. ,,Certainly, they are after all from our garden'' she chuckles, leading you back into the dining room. And you picked it up, of course you do ,,our garden?'' you think to yourself, a little unsure if you maybe misunderstood the brunette.

The evening eventually draws to a close, the two of you in light conversation throughout several hours, more apple cider consumed, laughing with each other and smiling. And as Regina walks you to the door, a smile playing on her lips ,,Thank you for tonight'' she says, her voice soft ,,I had a wonderful time''. You can't help but return the smile, feeling a flutter of excitement in your chest. ,,Me too, thank you'' you reply, your voice barely above a whisper as you meet her eyes.

As you step outside into the cool night air, you can't help but feel a sense of longing. Regina watches you go, her heart heavy with a mix of emotions. She knows she is playing with fire, but she can't resist the pull you have on her. Meanwhile, Wilhemina watches from her window, her heart breaking as she sees you leaving Regina's mansion and the smile playing on both of your faces. She knows she should let go, having fought for several years but the sight of you with someone else fills her with a fierce jealousy she can't ignore, especially it coming from the woman who had caused her to lose you in the first place. With a heavy sigh, she turns away, her eyes filled with tears as she retreats into the darkness of her own thoughts. Missing how Regina caught a glimpse of her at the window, almost a cruel smirk playing on her lips, her head tilted upwards a little, almost smug and proud of her actions.

A few day had passed since your dinner with Regina and you had noticed how she had been even more talkative than usually, even a little touchy and you couldn't deny how beautiful she was and how kind she was treating you and had been for as long as you can remember. You had also noticed barely seeing Wilhemina since the weekend and it had worried you, wondering whether she may be sick as you hadn't seen her leave or arrive from work at her usual time and you had thought about checking in on her but you felt like you couldn't as you really didn't know the woman all that well, despite feeling like you had known her for a lifetime, unaware that you had even loved her in a different one.

Fate decides to play into your hands though as Regina finds you in the garden, working hard as usually before smiling warmly at you. As your eyes meet hers, you are taken back a little bit, looking beautiful today, wearing a silk blouse, long skirt and you couldn't help yourself and stare. ,,Would you mind doing me a favour Y/N?'' she asks and you set down your tools in order to give her your full attention ,,Of course'' you reply with a warm smile before she hands you a letter. ,,I found this in my letterbox this morning, would you mind taking it over?'' she asks, gesturing towards her ex wife's house and you take the letter despite your eyebrows furrowing a little. ,,Of course'' you announce and the brunette, ever perceptive, notices the question marks very visible on your features. But before she begins to speak you gesture her that you didn't need to know further and she appreciates it nevertheless before she heads to work, wishing you a good day in the process.

And so after finishing most of your work, your break approaching, you decide to quickly change, considering the sun had caused you to sweat a lot and change your clothes. With a slightly increased heart rate due to feeling strangely nervous, you make your way over to her house, stopping in front of her door before ringing the doorbell. And it doesn't take long before you can hear the sound of her cane tapping against the floor, approaching you, a sound that seems so familiar, yet unfamiliar at the same time. As she opens the door, you take a moment to take in her features, dressed in a lilac long skirt, similar to Regina's, the same shade for her heels and matching her suit jacket. Even the collar of her shirt matches the outfit and you can't help but wonder where the purple fetish came from. You quickly brush the thought away as her brown eyes pierce straight through you, one eyebrow raised ever so slightly.

,,Yes?'' her voice rings through the air, pulling you out of your thoughts as you can clearly sense the annoyance in her tone. ,,Um-'' you blank a moment, completely mesmerised by the redhead and forgetting your initial task. ,,Letter'' you mutter out, holding out the letter to the woman in front of you ,,Sorry- Ms Venable, I have a letter for you'' you quickly compose yourself, clearing your throat. ,,It was delivered to Regina's house'' and you can't help but notice how her eyebrows knit before she takes the letter from your shaking hands. ,,And how come you are the one delivering it?'' she questions, her voice almost laced with a hint of curiosity. ,,Um-'' you pause again, unsure what to reply before she carries on talking ,,I thought you are her gardener not her slave'' she remarks, her voice now laced with some sarcasm and you couldn't quite tell whether she was being serious or not, never really having talked to her before in this version of reality.

,,I don't mind helping out'' you announce and if Wilhemina wasn't so good at composing herself, she would have faltered at your statement, again your true kindness showing and her heart turning angry thinking about how Regina was using you, possibly even manipulating you. ,,Do you now?'' she questions with a suggestive smirk before you nod. ,,How would you feel about joining me for some errands?'' she questions suddenly, taking you by surprise as your mouth is slightly agape, your eyebrows raised in confusion. ,,Sure Ms Venable'' you announce, before she tuts ,,Call me Wilhemina'' she offers and you smile at her, before you watch her leave for a moment. Catching a glimpse of her hallway, you notice almost the same luxury, similar to Regina's home, despite it looking more homey and comfortable. She abandons the letter before grabbing her purse and balancing on her cane as she makes her way over.

As the two of you make it to her car, you are relieved that you in fact changed as otherwise this would be slightly uncomfortable. And so she begins driving towards town, some music playing in the background as you take in the scenery, always having loved this town. She parks closely to some shops and you kind of follow her pathetically like a lost puppy as she wanders through a grocery store with you, picking up some things you assume she needed for dinner, before she makes a brief stop at the pharmacy. This time you could tell she wanted you to wait outside and you simply do just that, offering to hold her bags in the meantime. You aren't quite sure about her condition, as you try to think back whether Regina had mentioned it to you before, having noticed it must be her back due to her posture and the obvious signs of pain lingering behind her brown eyes. ,,All done?'' you ask as you warmly smile at her and she nods before taking you back to her car where you help her put the bags into her trunk. ,,How would you feel about some lunch?'' she asks, again taking you by surprise, before you nod as she gestures towards granny's and you accept, loving that place and especially the grilled cheese sandwiches with all of your heart.

It doesn't take long before the two of you are seated and having food in front of you, Wilhemina going for a healthy salad and you could see the little smirk on her face when you had ordered your usual and you could tell she was judging you for the choice. ,,So tell me do you enjoy this little life of yours?'' and as you swallow your food, you can't help but wonder why she chose her words around you in such a specific way. ,,I do'' you announce happily before continuing to munch your food. ,,May I ask what you do for work?'' you ask cautiously before she fills you in for the company she works for out of town. And then you think to yourself how you never really have been out of this place, despite enjoying it. And for the remainder of lunch, you get to know the woman a little more, making her feel like much less of a stranger than she had before. You fill her in on your days and how the gardening was going and she listens intently, hiding the way every single word and being in your presence hurt in her heart as she remembered you so vividly before the curse.

,,Can I get you two anything else?'' Ruby asks before you both shake your head and you get ready to pay. ,,I've got it'' she announces as she retracts her purple wallet. As the two of you walk back towards her car you stop in your tracks as you suddenly see Regina walk over, her face unreadable, however the pace of her walk announcing she wasn't too pleased about this. ,,Well well Ms Venable'' she addresses the redhead ,,And Miss Y/L/N what a surprise'' she announces, her eyebrow raised. Wilhemina sighs and you watch as she rolls her eyes, clearly not in the mood for the brunettes antics today. You can't help but notice how the two of you were on a first name basis until now and you could tell she was annoyed. ,,I was just helping Wilhemina with some errands'' you quickly explain yourself, feeling bad as technically it was still your workday and you for sure didn't want to get in their business. ,,My my helping Wilhemina with errands'' she remarks and you quickly shut your mouth, realising no matter what you would say, you are only making this worse. ,,Save it Regina'' the redhead quickly remarks before she walks back over to her car and gestures you to follow.

,,I'll be back at work at once Regina'' you reassure before nodding politely and following Wilhemina. The mayor watches as the two of you drive off, her features angry, nostrils flaring as her plan had failed. She wanted you to go over to Wilhemina yes, hoping that maybe seeing and talking to you would send further heartache to the redhead but she for sure didn't expect the two of you actually spending time together. And so furiously, she makes her way back to work. The remainder of the drive is mostly silent and you could tell that the redhead was annoyed and you can't help but feeling bad, feeling like you are responsible for this. ,,Let me help you with these'' you offer as you reach for the shopping bags. ,,I can manage'' she announces but you are already by her door, placing them neatly on the wooden bench near her front door so she wouldn't need to bend down in order to reach them. ,,Thank you for lunch and today, I really enjoyed myself'' you thank her before overlooking the gardens and knowing you needed to head back to work. ,,Likewise'' she smirks before watching you leave.

It had been a few days since your awkward encounter with Regina and you could tell she had been avoiding you. However as you kneel in front of your work today, you hear the urgent clicking of heels approach. ,,What the hell are you doing?'' she questions, overlooking a little patch of lavender that you had been planting in the last few days. As you look up at her you can tell that she didn't approve. But she could tell by your genuine confused and shocked reaction that you had no intention of upsetting her. ,,I'm sorry Ms Mills, I thought adding some lavender might be a nice addition, I can get rid of it at once if you don't like it'' you apologise but she softens then, realising that you had no idea about the connection to her ex wife. ,,No- I'm sorry'' she apologises as you watch her internally scold herself for the unnecessary outburst. ,,I'm sorry about the other day too'' she apologises, taking you by surprise as you really didn't take her for being the one to apologise. ,,It's okay Ms-'' you begin but she cuts you off ,,None of that'' she ushers and you nod then, smiling warmly at her before she overlooks her garden, pleased with the result before catching a glimpse of Wilhemina's house. ,,How would you feel about dinner tonight?'' she offers and you find yourself smiling again, your cheeks coated in a slight red shade.

As you approach her house a few hours later, you are surprised when she opens the door and you find her fully dressed, including a jacket and handbag and you wonder whether something may have come up or whether she had forgotten. ,,Regina I-'' you begin but she can tell by your reaction that insecurity washes over you. ,,I booked us a table somewhere nice dear'' she announces and you simply smile, glad that you dressed appropriately before following her towards her car. And again Wilhemina watches, lingering by the window watching you two walk towards Regina's car before driving towards the darkness of the night, leaving her feeling empty and lonely. The brunette and you end up spending the evening over dinner, chatting, laughing and talking some more and you are so mesmerised by her presence that you fail to notice the knowing glances from some of the people in town, equally as the two of you make it back to her car as Regina takes you by surprise and wraps an arm around you. It was all playing right into the older woman's cards but yet you remained so taken back by her beauty and affection towards you that you missed it all.

,,I really enjoyed this Regina'' you smile at her as you walk her back to her house a little while later. ,,Me too dear'' she smiles and before you know it, time seems to stop for a moment as you look into her brown eyes and hers lock with yours. You lose yourself in the depths of her eyes, a beautiful tone of brown reminding you of autumn, warmth and strangely home. She startles you a little when she moves towards you, your faces now inches apart as your eyes flicker from her eyes to her lips and then she closes the gap as she takes your lips into her own. The kiss causes you to almost melt into her, your heart aching for her, glad you didn't read this wrong, wanting this moment to never stop as your life suddenly felt like it got meaning. The two of you pull away in search for oxygen and you can't help but smile as you lose yourself in her eyes again. ,,Good night dear'' she whispers before winking and leaving you outside her door, your thoughts racing as she smirks and closes her front door. Like a drunk teenager, you make your way home, again oblivious that Wilhemina had watched the scene unfold, her heart breaking at the sight despite her inner rage.

The next day, you begin work early, the sun barely having risen, the birds already singing their tunes. But you hadn't been able to sleep much since the night prior, the kiss replaying over and over again in your mind and you needed to make sure to be outside early enough to catch a glimpse of Regina. However as you watch her rush out of her front door, you can tell that something was bothering her, the phone clutched to her ears and you assume it meant some kind of town emergency as those kinda things happened regularly and something needed the mayors attention. Hours pass and you lose yourself again in your work, putting your attention on her fruit trees and the vegetable field, some of them finally ready for harvesting which you had been excited for. Meanwhile it was Wilhemina's day off and it looked like any other day off for her as she strolls through town, picking up her medication and purchasing some groceries. ,,Did you hear the mayor and gardener went on a date last night'' she overhears one of the towns gossips and she can't help but sigh heavily, hastily paying for her things before leaving, her cane echoing loudly.

And then as she begins driving home, a wave of rage and anger washes over her as she abruptly stops her car, just passing city hall and ultimately Regina's office. With angry and heavy steps she approaches her office, not caring about knocking as she enters holding onto her cane hard. Meanwhile the mayor is sitting at her desk, reading over some documents before she finds a very visible shaken Wilhemina in front of her and she can't help but smirk. ,,Well to what do I owe this pleasure?'' she begins, only infuriating the redhead further with her antics. ,,Save it Regina'' she snaps, her cane banging on the floor once. ,,What are you playing at?'' her voice rings through the office, before Regina composes herself, tilting her head a little and blinking innocently at the redhead. ,,I have no idea what you are referring to dear'' she huffs, averting her gaze but Wilhemina was far from done.

,,Why the sudden interest? why take her on a date, in town of all places?'' the redhead snaps, her anger bubbling out of her. ,,Jealous are we?'' Regina remarks with a raised eyebrows before Wilhemina fights back the lump in her throat. She couldn't believe the brunette at times, after everything that happened, after all the pain that she had caused the redhead. Regina's curse broke the redhead, despite the former evil queen predicting every piece of her curse, making every single person forget despite her and Wilhemina, even blessing them with a beautiful house, even making them share a life together, marriage. But Regina had taken everything from the redhead as she was utterly in love with you and that eventually broke them both including their marriage, despite the breaking of that coming slowly and over several years, before you eventually joined the picture and Regina decided to move you into their lives, making you her gardener of all things despite the irony of it.

,,You know I could break this pathetic curse of yours in an instant?'' Wilhemina remarks, now feeling like she has the upper hand all things considered. Regina pauses, reading the redheads features carefully, scoffing, acting as if she had no idea what her ex wife was talking about, despite knowing ever so well. ,,If I kiss her, true love's kiss will break it and she will remember'' the redhead remarks, causing Regina's eyes to widen, not remotely understanding how she could possibly know this. ,,It would never work my dear'' Regina scoffs, pretending to carry on with her work. ,,And why is that?'' Wilhemina scoffs, before the brunette fills her in. ,,She doesn't love you, she doesn't remember you'' the mayor hisses, enjoying the little power play, her eyes burning with desire. ,,Well she doesn't love you either because nothing happened last night when you kissed'' the redhead remarks in annoyance, each statement of them, causing the other one feeling more powerful.

They are both unaware that you just walked into the hallway, planning to bring Regina some lunch, figuring that she probably wouldn't get the time today, considering her busy schedule and wanting to be nice after not seeing her this morning and at the same time longing to see her again. You halt as you see the opened door and hearing raised voices, carrying a bottle and the lunch in your now shaking hands. ,,Wrong dear, I kissed her yes but I don't love her, I don't care for her'' Regina proudly smirks before Wilhemina turns on her heels, not being able to stand being in her presence for a second longer. And as the redhead leaves her office she halts in her steps as she sees your presence, visibly shaken and she worries which parts of the conversation you had heard. ,,Y/N'' she remarks, seeing your heart breaking in front of her. But she quickly understands that you must have only overheard the last one as you seem more hurt than confused.

Regina reaches the door, seeing the tears swell in your eyes before you glance at them both and leave, dropping the lunchbox and bottle in the process. ,,Shit'' she mutters under her breath and Wilhemina's eyes land on the evidence of your true kindness and heart as she figures you must have wanted to bring her ex wife some lunch and it kills her, seeing how Regina was using you like a pawn in some kind of game. ,,If you hurt her again, you will face consequences you can't even begin to imagine'' she warns, glancing at Regina, and if looks could kill, the former evil queen would be on the floor right now. Regina watches as the redhead leaves, her steps rushed as her cane bangs loudly against the marble flooring.

Despite the redheads best efforts of finding you she couldn't, knowing this must have broken you and despite feeling so angry and overtaken with jealousy, she can't even blame you as you had no fault in how Regina was playing and using you. Meanwhile you had returned home, a sobbing mess, the brunettes words repeating in your head again and again ,,I don't love her, I don't care for her''. As you sob into your pillow you couldn't believe how foolish you had been, thinking you are just a piece in their game of jealousy and knowing you should have never gotten between them considering they had been married before, not understanding the full extend of the situation yet. As Wilhemina returned home, she had attempted of finding you but it was hopeless as you didn't open the door, assuming it was Regina, who only tried hours later, feeling remorse for you overhearing what happened as her words weren't exactly true, simply wanting to annoy her ex lover in the process and confused herself as why the kiss never broke the curse.

And so as a result, you spend the next few days inside, working on the garden in the night, not wanting all your hard work go to waste as you hadn't been able to sleep either way, but not in the mood to see anyone, especially not Regina given her words and equally Wilhemina, feeling embarrassed and pathetic for her witnessing your heart breaking in front of her. Somehow it seems as the days continue passing, that your emotions are connected to the weather as the temperature had dropped significantly, causing you to be left shivering and shaking at night, unable to sleep and the heating in Regina's guest/pool house certainly wasn't sufficient to keep you warm. On the third day since the incident, Regina grows increasingly worried, not having seen you but noticing the garden in perfect shape and finding fruit and vegetables still harvested and neatly packed in baskets on her patio every night. And as the next morning approaches, she really begins feeling remorse, feeling terrible for having hurt you with her sharp words.

Pathetically she tries knocking on the door, even calling you a few times but it was pointless and as she makes her way back to her patio she sighs heavily before catching a glimpse of Wilhemina in her garden, the redhead watching the scene unfold and deciding to investigate for herself as she had been worried about you, not having seen you for a few days and any attempt of finding you unsuccessful so far. ,,Is everything okay?'' the redhead voices startles the mayor as she hastily glances from her phone to her ex wife. The brunette huffs then, stressed and not necessarily in the mood to fill her in but the concern for you causing her to give in. ,,I haven't seen Y/N in days and I'm worried'' she begins before glancing at her phone again ,,But I need to get to the office urgently'' she speaks, another incoming call ringing through the air. ,,Let me take care of it'' Wilhemina offers, her features matching the brunettes concern before the brunette for the first time in a long time, genuinely smiles warmly at her and muttering a quick ,,Thank you''. She turns on her heels, reaching for her handbag that she abandoned on her patio ,,You know where the spare keys are'' she ushers before leaving.

And so Wilhemina retreats the spare keys, walking over to the guest house before overlooking the gardens and finding a lavender patch, the sight warming her heart. She knocks a few times, her knocks eventually growing more impatient, the concern lingering on her features ,,Y/N it's me open the door'' she instructs but it's hopeless and so she unlocks the door, stepping inside carefully. She almost didn't remember what the place looked like but she couldn't deny that it was nice, small but you kept it tidy, neat and comfortable. As she glances around the corner, she catches a glimpse of you on the sofa and she can feel the cold prick on her skin and run a shiver down her spine. As she takes another step, abandoning the spare keys on the small kitchen counter, she finds you on the sofa, bundled in several blankets as you shiver uncontrollably. The sight almost kills her and she is quick to rush over, before calling out your name again.

Struggling, you manage to open your eyes and see a glimpse of the redhead, brushing it off as another fever dream as you expected anyone but her. The back of her hand softly comes into contact with your forehead and she gasps then, feeling the temperature and by your pale expression being able to tell that you had fallen ill. ,,Y/N can you hear me?'' she tries softly, the worry gnawing at her insides at the lack of your response before. And then your eyes snap open, realising this wasn't another fever dream and that the redhead was standing there ,,Wilhemina'' you whisper, your voice sounding broken, tired and small. ,,I think I'm a bit sick'' you struggle to mutter out and the redhead can't help but chuckle at your statement, finding you so adorable despite your vulnerability. ,,A bit little one?'' she repeats your statement, her eyes showing genuine concern. ,,Let me get some things I'll be right back''.

And so Wilhemina is quick to go back to her house, returning moments later with a thermometer and some cold medicine. She ushers you to sit and take the medication, checking your temperature and seeing how high it is. In the meantime she had messaged Regina, letting her know that you are sick, somehow feeling the urge to let her know all things considered. It doesn't take long before the effects of the medicine mixed with your symptoms cause you to fall asleep again but the redhead remains by your side for a while, deciding to check on you a little while later again. Meanwhile Regina had finished work a little early, making her way over to you immediately, Wilhemina having left the door unlocked as you didn't really seem in the right state to open it yourself. As Regina enters, she can feel the cold and she finds you sitting on the sofa, having woken up a little while ago. Her features are tense as this was the first time since seeing you at her office the other day. ,,Y/N are you okay?'' she asks, almost a little nervously, trying her best to cover up her own anxiety.

,,I'm fine'' you mutter, despite the pounding headache making it a little hard to concentrate, her words still linger on your mind and you are confused as to what she was doing there considering she made it so clearly that she didn't care for you. ,,Y/N it's freezing in here'' she remarks, shivering a little herself but you ignore her statement, feeling both nauseous and heartbroken. ,,Please let me put you in one of my guest rooms, it will be much warmer than in here'' she tries but you simply look at her before muttering ,,I said I'm fine'' and she leaves you be then, glancing at you one more time before leaving, feeling awful. The door opens again five minutes later and you can't help but sigh ,,Regina- I said I'm fine'' you huff but you quickly stop yourself when seeing Wilhemina walk inside, carrying a container of soup and a spoon in her hands. Your features soften, feeling bad about your statement and bad that she was going through such lengths for you as of right now you didn't feel like you deserved it.

,,Here'' she offers warmly, before taking a seat beside you and you hesitate, not remotely feeling hungry but you didn't want the gesture to go to waste so you carefully begin eating some spoons and instantly feeling relief as the warm liquid begins warming you a little. ,,How are you feeling?'' she smiles warmly at you as her concerned eyes meet yours. ,,Better, thank you'' you return the smile before the room fills with silence. And you can't help but notice her shivering a little as well ,,Typical of Regina to let you stay in here without central heating'' she remarks and you don't say anything, not wanting any part in their play anymore. ,,Why don't you come stay with me til it gets warmer?'' she offers and your eyes meet hers, appreciating the gesture. ,,Thank you but I'm okay'' you reassure, leading the spoon with warm soup to your mouth again. ,,Y/N you are sick and it's freezing in here'' she remarks sternly. ,,The least I can do is offer you a warm room'' she adds before you stop her ,,Wilhemina I appreciate it but Regina has already offered the same'' you explain before her eyebrow shoots up in surprise.

,,Then why on earth would you want to stay in this cold place?'' she questions and you gulp then ,,I don't want to stay with Regina'' you explain, before the events from a few days ago linger on her mind, the concern over you from today almost causing her to forget but she nods understandingly before her eyebrows furrow. ,,Why won't you stay with me?'' she asks before you avert your gaze. ,,I don't want to intrude'' you explain before she scoffs. ,,Y/N you couldn't ever intrude, now come on, get some things'' she ushers and this time you can't even fight her, feeling both sick, exhausted and terribly cold. And so on shaky legs, you put some things in a bag before following her to her house, the moon illuminating the now quiet town of Storybrooke. Almost in a daze you follow her, feeling the pounding headache return, your body shaking uncontrollably as she leads you upstairs, towards a room and you are quick to sit on the bed, feeling like your legs would give in any moment.

Wilhemina is quick to turn the heating on in the room, walking downstairs to fetch some water and more medication for you and as she returns she finds you on the bed, already asleep still shivering and shaking. She can't help but frown at the sight, quickly tugging you in and making you comfortable before opting for an armchair by the window, her back feeling a little sore after all the moving and bending. And as her eyes land upon you, she can't help but feel her heart aching, having her little one so close but you had no idea who she was truly, how she loved you, how she was an enemy to you at first but you captivated her heart and the memories of holding you close linger on her mind just before the curse, when she whispered her love confessions, begging you to remember no matter what happens but you didn't remember and it broke her, causing some tears to stream down her tired features as she continues looking over your shaking sleeping form. As the night wears on, Wilhemina doesn't move an inch, sincerly hoping that you wouldn't wake and find her staring at you but she couldn't help herself, having missed you so much that it nearly killed her and she didn't mind the pain in her back as long as she could spend one more night with you, despite you being so incredibly far away.

And as the next morning arrives, you wake up, your eyes slowly opening at the bright sensation from the sunrise, beautiful shades of yellow and orange coating the room. At first your eyebrows furrow a little, unfamiliar with the surroundings until your eyes land upon the redhead woman sitting asleep in an armchair at the other corner of the room and you then remember the events from the night prior. ,,Wilhemina?'' you ask a little confused before she instantly wakes, her breath hitching before she composes herself. ,,Y/N, are you okay?'' she almost mumbles, before balancing on her cane and walks over to you. ,,Yes but what are you doing here?'' you whisper as you look into her brown eyes as she hovers nearby the bed. ,,Well this is my house you know'' she remarks, causing you to raise an eyebrow. ,,I know but-'' you pause then looking at the armchair where she was sleeping but choosing to remain quiet. ,,How are you feeling?'' she asks, her hand travelling to your forehead and noticing how you still feel a little warm but a lot better, as well as the colour now back on your beautiful face.

,,Much better thank you'' you remark before quickly standing up, again feeling like an intruder in her home. ,,What are you doing?'' she asks a little confused before you whisper ,,I'm just leaving, I'm sorry for intruding'' but she is having none of that. ,,Nonsense Y/N, you are staying with me until that heating situation gets fixed'' and before you can open your mouth to protest she gives you a look, almost a scolding one and you knew no matter what you would say she wouldn't allow it so you simply smile thankfully at her. The following week you spend with the redhead woman, at first having a hard time to adjust and not feel like an intruder in her home but you couldn't shake the feeling that she enjoyed your company and so you allowed it, you working in Regina's garden throughout the day as soon as you feel better, Wilhemina working and returning to you in the evening, you often providing her with a meal either from granny's or asking if you could use her kitchen. And she got so lost in it all that sometimes when she returned in the evening, it almost seemed normal, having you by her side, smiling warmly at her as you asked about her day.

As the weekend approaches, any remainder of the sickness now gone and Wilhemina successfully getting Regina to install some heating and that being done, you know you needed to move back, still feeling a little strange with the whole thing considering she was Regina's ex wife and you still feeling like a lost piece in their game and only adding to their very obvious issues. And so by Saturday, you stand downstairs with the remainder of your belongings in your bag, seeing as Wilhemina walks from the kitchen towards the hallway, her features neutral despite her heart breaking, wanting nothing more than to have you close, than to have you stay with her. ,,Thank you so much for letting me stay here again'' you remark, meeting her eyes from across the hallway. She moves closer then before speaking ,,You are welcome li- Y/N''. You hesitate, not wanting to just leave like that and feeling the strange urge to say something else, despite unsure what. ,,I hope you won't be a stranger'' she announces and her features almost seem bitter then and you still couldn't tell her true intentions, despite the kindness she had been showing you this week.

,,Definitely not'' you chuckle before thinking about it for a moment ,,Maybe I could cook for you again soon?'' you offer and she nods then, having loved your cooking this past week. ,,I would love that'' she remarks and with those words she watches you leave, her heart breaking as she feels like losing you all over again. And she considered the entire week, of filling you in, of taking you across the border of town, of kissing you, anything to have you back in her life but she couldn't, not wanting to rip you out of your life and making your whole reality fall apart, knowing there was a risk that you wouldn't remember, Regina's words still lingering on her mind how you don't love her, how you could never love her. And so she retreats back into the darkness of her loneliness, you retreating back to your home, only in the afternoon making it outside again and beginning on some work that you had missed this week due to being ill before.

And the remainder of your weekend and the week following is almost as monotone as it had been before, working in the garden, avoiding Regina, not seeing Wilhemina a lot as she had been working but whenever you did you couldn't help but smile, feeling much closer to her than before. Towards the middle of the week, you decide to make a brief stop at the shops, feeling the odd sense to thank the woman for letting her stay with you. You had texted her whether you could maybe cook for her on the weekend and she agreed gladly. And as you browse through town in your lunchbreak, the sound of a cane startles you, thinking it was Wilhemina at first but quickly finding Mr. Gold standing in front of you with a slight smirk, not really knowing him all that much, knowing about his store and really only seeing him from time to time and greeting him but nothing more than that. ,,Good day Miss Y/L/N'' he greets you and it takes you by surprise, greeting him in return. ,,I have heard you have grown closer to mayor mills and her ex-wife lately'' he remarks, causing you to raise an eyebrow, not expecting the man to be involved in town gossip of all things.

You don't say anything, simply staring at him before he speaks again ,,I find it fascinating, how true love can break any curse, don't you?'' he remarks before leaving you standing a little dumbfounded, trying to figure out what his statement meant, wondering if he possibly meant their marriage by the curse? You brush the thought off quickly, making your way back home and continue your working. And by the time the weekend finally approaches, you are beyond excited, even buzzing as you had missed Wilhemina terribly. And you knew you shouldn't as you could feel your heart rate increasing whenever you thought about her and it reminds you of the feeling you had towards Regina, barely two weeks ago and you knew you shouldn't play with fire but you couldn't help it, considering how they equally had you captivated. As soon as the evening arrives, you find yourself in front of her front door, a basket with dinner you had already prepared.

As she opens the door, her features are soft and welcoming as she leads you into the kitchen, her house now familiar as you had stayed with her for a week. In a swift motion, you serve dinner for her, opening the bottle of wine you had equally brought over, before the two of you make it into her dining room and ease into conversation, filling each other in about your weeks. ,,This was delicious thank you Y/N'' she praises after dessert and you cleaning all the dishes. ,,I have one more thing for you'' you remark, before walking back into the kitchen ,,Now if it's any more food I think I'm gonna explode'' she chuckles and you quickly shake your head before handing her an item, wrapped in some paper. Her eyes meet yours, questioning the gesture before you encourage her to open it up and reluctantly she does, the paper exposing some lavender soap, the smell instantly hitting both of your senses. ,,I made this'' you exclaim excitedly and her shocked eyes meet yours, taken back and deeply touched by your gesture.

,,You made this?'' she repeats your words before you nod excitedly and her heart melts at the gesture, watching as your eyes sparkle almost the way they had before. She wasn't one to recieve gifts often and she for sure didn't know how to handle it and so she simply smiles gratefully at you before the two of you make it to her living room, easing into some conversation, sitting on her sofa by the fireplace, each with a glass of wine in your hands. ,,I enjoy having you around'' she admits, taking you by surprise a little, almost feeling a strange sense of a deja vu that you really only could brush off for now. As time flees by, the two of you move in evidently closer, and before you know it your faces are inches apart, the redhead woman definitely the one taking the initiative as she longed for you, longed to feel your lips on hers, longed to have her little one close. And you hesitated, Regina's words and actions still lingering on your mind, wanting to kiss the redhead with all your being but unable to think about anything else but the consequences.

The butterflies return in your stomach as her eyes travel from yours to your lips and so you close your eyes, ignoring your thoughts before moving closer but now Wilhemina is the reluctant one, Regina's words suddenly lingering on her mind ,,She doesn't love you, she could never love you''. Her own insecurities get a hold of her as she pulls away, leaving you there in front of her, eyes closed and expecting her to kiss you any moment and it breaks her as you open your eyes and she sees your heart breaking again ,,Y/N I'm sorry'' she whispers, fighting back her own tears. ,,I don't think we should'' she admits, her features filled with guilt as you fight back your tears and the lump in your throat, the pain of rejection hitting you like a slap in the face by reality. ,,It's okay Wilhemina, I understand'' you muster up your best smile, trying to compose yourself before setting down the glass of wine and reaching for your coat. ,,Y/N- wait'' she tries, as she catches up with you in her hallway. ,,It's okay really, thank you for tonight'' you mutter and with those words you leave, tears streaming down your cheeks as you make it back home, now definitely understanding you should have never became a part in their twisted game of jealousy and their once perfect marriage.

As the night wears on, you find yourself unable to sleep, your thoughts circling around both women, your eyes traveling around your home, trying to think of anything that could rid the heartache. And then your eyes fall upon a crate of apple cider, that you assume Regina had left for you and you can't help it, shrugging before retreating the bottle and walking outside, sitting down in the garden before drowning your sorrows while staring at the bright moon. Ironically the sense of lavender hangs in the air and it almost makes you sick, seeing the redhead woman in your memory, the almost kiss and her rejection. Equally, Regina had been unable to sleep, eventually also abandoning the thought of getting any sleep as she retreats to the kitchen for some water before seeing your shadow in the garden and as she steps onto her patio, she feels the strange longing to see you, talk to you as you had been avoiding her for weeks now.

,,Y/N?'' she whispers softly, before kneeling down, finding you sitting in between the lavender patches, bottle of apple cider in your hands. You don't say anything, the effects from the several glasses of wine, the apple cider and your loneliness all mixing into one, slightly unaware of your surroundings and not caring about her presence. ,,Are you okay?'' she asks as she decides to sit beside you, hating the thought of her favourite satin pyjamas possibly staining with grass and mud but brushing it off for now. ,,Not really Gina'' you sigh heavily, definitely unaware of anything as you had never called her that before and wouldn't in any clear state of mind. ,,What's wrong darling?'' she asks, the genuine concern lingering on her beautiful features. ,,I thought she liked me'' you huff before her eyebrows furrow, placing a comforting hand on your tired shoulders. ,,Who?'' she asks a little confused, her ego causing her to believe you had been talking about her before. ,,Wilhemina'' you mutter out, a stray tear streaming down your cheek. ,,We almost kissed tonight'' you admit which causes her eyes to widen ,,You what?!'' she questions, her heart beating fast thinking about the possibly consequences of that.

,,But she doesn't like me and neither do you'' you sigh in defeat, your shoulders slumping as you down the rest of the bottle. Despite feeling relief at your statement and the two of you not kissing, she can't help but frown, feeling bad seeing you like this and despite it all not wanting to cause you any pain because unlike her behaviour lately and her actions, Regina did have feelings for you. ,,I do like you Y/N'' she tries, hooking her finger under your chin to make you look at her. And as you look at her, you meet her brown eyes, the way they ached for your pain and how she wanted to make it all go away. ,,You do?'' you ask almost hopelessly and confused. ,,Yes honey and I think-'' she hesitates then, assuming you wouldn't remember any of this in the morning anyway ,,And I'm sure Wilhemina does too, in fact I know she does'' she smiles warmly at you, causing you to smile and close your eyes as sleepiness and a sense of fatigue washes over you. ,,Come on, let's get you inside'' she offers and with an arm wrapped around her, she leads you back inside, getting you comfortable in your bed, before tugging you in, leaving some painkillers and water with you, knowing there was a hangover coming for sure.

And the hangover definitely greeted you in the morning, a pounding headache and instantly closing your eyes again as soon as you opened them, swallowing the painkillers beside you before sleep washes over you again. And when you wake again, the memories from last night slowly creep back into your mind, remembering the evening with Wilhemina, almost kissing her, and a brief encounter with Regina despite not remembering anything from the conversation with her. And so as the days continue in its monotone way, you decide to focus more on yourself, your work, polite with each of them whenever you saw them but wanting to focus more on yourself. But despite your best efforts, the only thing lingering on your mind was them, their marriage and how you had become between that lately. And for some reason the words from Mr. Gold had replayed on your mind a lot ,,True love can break any curse'' still thinking he was talking about their marriage. And so within the last few days as another weekend approached, you had decided to take matters into your own hands, to fix this, fix the damage you had caused.

It was cheeky really, texting both Wilhemina and Regina to meet you at your place tonight, both of them surprised and hopeful for your forgiveness and wanting to see you. But you couldn't shake the feeling that they needed to talk this out and so after Wilhemina walked into your home, finding it empty, only the dining table set with some fresh dinner, the smell making her mouth water, you were quick to sneak around the back, watching as Regina walked in before locking the door, hoping to give them a few hours this way to talk things through, to bring them closer again, Mr. Gold words still on your mind. ,,What is this?'' Regina hisses as she sees the redhead sitting by the dining table, the same confused expression on her face. ,,Y/N asked me to meet her here'' Wilhemina remarks before Regina's eyebrow raises. ,,Me too'' she announces, holding up her phone exposing the text message. ,,Screw this'' Regina hisses, quickly abandoning the redhead and walking towards the door only to find it locked.

,,What game is she playing at?'' Regina remarks annoyed, not wanting to spend her evening with her ex wife under any circumstances. Wilhemina can't help but smirk, her features much softer than usual before she remarks ,,You do have to admit, it's funny of her to parent trap us like this'' she chuckles lowly before the brunette simply rolls her eyes, trying to find another exit, even considering of breaking out through a window but Wilhemina stopping her. ,,Come on, you really can't spend two hours with me?'' the redhead asks, some seriousness in her question after all. And so the two of them eat, feeling both hungry as they both enjoyed your cooking, despite the death glances they exchanged, Wilhemina finding the whole thing rather amusing and so much like you. ,,Tell me, why didn't you kiss her?'' Regina asks after a long silence, causing the redhead to meet her eyes, not expecting her to know about it. ,,I-'' Wilhemina begins speaking but the words get caught in her throat. ,,You could have broken the curse you know? she loves you'' Regina remarks, causing some tears to swell in the redheads eyes. ,,I can see it in her features, just like before'' the mayor recalls and this causes Wilhemina to falter, sighing heavy as her heart aches with regret and longing.

,,And what would you have done if that happened? killed us both?'' Wilhemina questions, causing the brunette to scoff. ,,Of course not'' she huffs, the comment hurting her as since and even before the curse she had tried her hardest to redeem herself with the people she had hurt in the past. The room fills with silence, you meanwhile sitting on Regina's patio, hoping sincerly your plan would work and that they wouldn't murder you afterwards. ,,For what it's worth I'm sorry'' the mayor sighs, knowing at this point the curse was mere days away from breaking by the feelings you and the redhead had developed. ,,You are?'' Wilhemina questions, almost sarcastically with a raised eyebrow and Regina nods then. ,,All I ever wanted was for you to be happy'' the former evil queen admits, causing the redhead to lock eyes as they now sit beside each other on the sofa. ,,If that's true then why all this? why this curse?'' she questions, unsure whether she could believe her ex wife. ,,It was too late by the time we developed feelings for her, the curse was done'' she admits before pausing ,,I wanted us to be happy here together but I thought I was losing you because I know you love her'' Regina admits, for the first time in years truly laying out her true feelings.

And Wilhemina could tell how much time had passed and how much Regina had changed, considering she once believed that love was nothing more than weakness. ,,But she loves you too and she did back then'' Wilhemina remarks, causing a stray tear to run down the brunettes features. ,,Do you really think that would have worked, with us three?'' Regina questions before Wilhemina's features soften again, wiping the brunettes tears before nodding. And yet their eyes lock again, time seeming to stop as after all had been said and done, they suddenly feel drawn to each other, Wilhemina for the first time since it all, really seeing Regina again and not the things she had done and the pain she had caused her and in return the brunette truly feels remorse, knowing now the three of you could have led a life together if she only allowed it to happen. And as it had been several hours, you walk back towards the door, beginning to feel incredibly sorry and wanting to unlock the door. However as you approach, you watch as they are inches apart, smiling at yourself for having achieved what you wanted as their lips slowly meet and despite it hurting a little, you knew you could probably move on, happy to at least have fixed their relationship or at least given it a start.

However, as their lips meet, a bright yellow sensation washes over you, over all of town as you blink for a few times, suddenly a wave of memories crashing through your body, causing you to almost lose your balance. Equally their eyes widen, never expecting them to be true love after all but their admissions tonight, enough proof of just that and that their love for each other and you was stronger than Regina's curse. Wilhemina's eyes widen as she watches the brunettes fear, knowing that despite her best efforts pre curse and in Storybrooke, a lot of people would be after her and despite the redhead efforts to calm her, the only thing she wants to do is find you. And so with a swift motion she balances on her cane, finding you in the darkness of the night, standing in the garden, the door long unlocked as she finds you ,,Y/N'' she calls out, hoping with her whole being that you would remember. And of course you do, seeing her so vividly before the curse broke and her words as she hold you close ,,Mina'' you almost whimper, tears streaming down your cheeks as you almost run into her arms, wrapping around her and she doesn't let go, having waited for this moment for a lifetime. ,,Oh little one'' she breathes out, quick to catch your lips in a kiss before wrapping her arms around you again.

The two of you lose each other in the moment, holding onto each other as if making up for all the years that you had missed each other. Your hearts beat loudly against your chests as she holds her darling girl close, before she senses you tensing in her arms, letting go of you to see your scared expression as your eyes land upon Regina, who stands by your house, her face filled with guilt and remorse. Reluctantly, Wilhemina shields you a little, unsure what Regina's response would be like to the curse breaking, worried that this meant the return of the evil queen but to her surprise it doesn't, the brunette taking some steps closer before meeting your eyes. ,,I am so sorry'' she whispers, tears streaming down her features before brushing past you, almost defeatedly walking towards her house to brace for the impact of her actions. ,,Regina wait'' you call out, leaving Wilhemina's grasp for a moment as she turns to face you. ,,Where are you going?'' you ask almost confused before she chuckles lowly through tears ,,Await my fate, I assume a lot of people will want me dead'' she remarks, not in fear more in acceptance of her own actions.

,,I truly hope you two get the happy ending you deserve'' she smiles painfully but her words and eyes filled with honesty. You glance at Wilhemina behind you, who listens to her words in pain and despite it all, despite the pain she had caused and despite a part of you scared of her dark side, over the last years you had gotten to know her, even lover her and see her true colours. ,,There is no happy ending without you Regina'' you remark, causing for her to meet your eyes with a shocked expression, her mouth open as if she was going to speak before she glances at Wilhemina. The redhead simply stands behind you with the proudest expression, so utterly in love with your kindness and the events from tonight reminding her of the love she once had and still has for Regina. But the brunette couldn't trust your words, knowing you may be forgiving but worried Wilhemina could never trust her again despite their kiss breaking the curse. ,,I agree little one'' she remarks, catching Regina by surprise. ,,Let's get inside and figure this out'' the redhead instructs.

And so at last, the three of you get a chance to reveal your true feelings, Regina talking about what led her to cast the curse, the genuine remorse she was feeling for you both and the town and how she wanted to make amends. And as the three of you lay in each other's arms, holding each other close and drying each other's tears, you knew that this would be a long road ahead. Knowing that in fact the town was going to want to find Regina and hold her responsible but you and Wilhemina already had a plan for dealing with that. And you knew tonight wasn't merely enough to heal, to forgive and forget but all you had wanted all along was to be in their arms and so for now all you can do is enjoy just that, burying the painful memories in the back of your mind and letting go to replace them with new ones, happy ones with the love's of your life.

[holidaywishes]

lilacs and ice cream

Requested: 👍

Summary/Request: Idk if your taking requests but, If you could (if your doing it) write something about Bo Bichette again please, preferably with a gn or fem reader. I’ve read everything that I can read about him that also applies with me.

Author's Note: Alright, @goodiesinthecloset21, I'm gonna do my best with this one. I want to add that I know absolutely nothing about baseball so any terminology is the work of a quick Google search or something I've heard in a movie. Anyway, I know that you sent your request like a million years ago so I hope after all this time, it gives you a bit of what you're looking for. I decided to do something softer this time, more fluff, since the last one was smut but let me know if that's not the way you wanted it to go and I can give it another shot. Thanks babe! Love ya, stay golden!

P.S. some of this is kinda giving “strained family relationship” which was unintentional, so I’m sorry about that. Hopefully, that doesn’t take away from the story.

masterlist

the other masterlist

xx

Summer in Toronto was beautiful. You loved the way the flowers bloomed, the bright purples popping against the bright green grass; even on the smoggiest days. There was only ever one thing missing - someone to share it with. That is, until Bo came into your life. You had gone to the baseball game with your family begrudgingly, but the seats were good and you knew it was something that your dad had wanted for a long time

“I just want to be in that stadium,” he’d say at least twice a month for most of your life, “just once. To see a game and watch the Jays win”

It was nice to see him, and the rest of your family, so happy. You watched the game, intermittently laughing at your dad as he tried to start a wave that barely made it past your section, or when he spilled his popcorn after jumping up in excitement. You really started to get into it around the 3rd inning, the crowd was getting loud and rowdy and it started to rub off on you. By the time the game ended, you were beaming with excitement, so much so that you weren’t watching where you were going and you somehow walked right into a crowd of people.

“Oh my goodness I’m so sorry!” you laughed, “I guess that’ll teach me to watch where I’m going next time”

“That’s alright,” one voice said, “are you okay?”

“I’m fine. A bit embarrassed maybe,” you added before finally looking up to see who you’d bumped into. Speechless when you saw Bo Bichette smiling back at you, “but you know…” you continued, trying not to blush as you stared, “fine”

“Glad to hear it,” he said cheerfully before his teammates called him to the bus that was waiting for them, “don’t go running into anybody else now.” You watched for a second while he hopped on the bus, feeling a small tug on your arm from your mom pulling you towards your family

“(Y/N), come on, what are you doing?” she laughed

“Yeah, yeah,” you answered distractedly, “I’m coming.” Your mind wandered to that encounter all through your family meal and you weren’t sure you could ever forget it - or that you wanted to.

xx

It had been nearly a week since you bumped into Bo Bichette at the Jays game. Honestly, it kept you going during your boring serving shifts at the pub you worked at.

“I mean it was a fun story,” your co-worker, Brit, smirked as she leaned against the wall where you were cleaning a table, “but don’t you think you should be over it by now? I mean.. it was a chance encounter,” she teased, “we don’t live in a rom-com”

“I’m sorry,” you laughed in return, “but it’s one of the more exciting things that have happened in my life. And.. yeah, maybe I’ve been single for a little longer than I would like.” Brit gave you an almost pitiful look before the door was burst open by a loud crowd of men, laughing amongst themselves before stopping at the host stand to ask for a table; you could only watch for a moment as they were directed to your section before you were pulled away to run food. When you finally got to the table of boastful boys, you noticed who exactly they were

“Well, hello again,” Bo smiled as he greeted you, “I was hoping I'd see you again. Maybe get a name this time?”

“H-h-hi,” you stammered, as you looked at him until you realized you should probably be professional, “hi, I'm (Y/N),” you course-corrected, “I'll be your server today. How is everyone doing today?” It was an awkward segue but you didn't know what to do

“Hi, (Y/N), I'm Bo. Nice to meet you,” he said, introducing himself in return and it calmed you down enough for you to... not look like a complete moron when doing your job, “officially.” You felt a blush creep across your face as you continued to take everyone’s orders. When you finally left the table, you exhaled sharply while your co-workers giggled

“I can’t believe this,” you whispered to yourself, “this is insane”

“It’s gonna be fine,” your friend said with a smile, “think of it this way: you’re finally continuing your rom-com”

“Come on, Brit,” you replied, hanging your head, “this isn’t funny. I’m too flustered to give them… to be a good server”

“You’ll be great!” she continued, “just be your bubbly self. They’re just people, don’t think of them otherwise”

“Yeah, just people,” you repeated, “incredibly well-known, well-recognizable, wealthy people”

“You know you also have other tables…” one of your other co-workers, who had been listening to the entire conversation, interjected, forcing you to snap out of your pity party

“SHIT!” you said quietly, rushing out to check on your tables, refilling water glasses and clearing plates where needed, all the while keeping an eye on the players of the Toronto Blue Jays. At some point in the night, the host came to grab you

“(Y/N), they’re asking for you,” the host said, “I don’t think they’re upset but they don’t want to talk to anyone else. Not even the managers”

“How long ago did they ask?” you asked

“Like less than a minute” she answered

“And they’re not upset?”

“No.. I mean I don’t think so but maybe they’re pretending? Being ‘polite mad’?” You chuckled a bit before thanking her and heading back to them, greeting them happily, making sure everything was alright

“We just wanted to ask you a question” Bo smiled

“Bo wanted to ask you a question,” one of the others clarified, and your interest was suddenly peaked

“Ah, okay,” you returned, placing your hand on the back of Bo’s chair, “what’s the question?”

“What are you doing after your shift?” he asked

“It’ll be late,” you admitted with a chuckle, “so I’ll probably be going to bed”

“What time are you off?”

“I’m on a split tonight, so I’m here until at least 10pm” you replied

“Do you work tomorrow?” Bo continued, earning a shy smile from you

“Tomorrow’s my day off. I hardly ever work Sundays”

“Are you free around.. noon?”

“Sure,” you said, “for what?”

“There’s this path I love hiking, how do you feel about that?” you said that would be great, both of you smiling at each other, almost completely ignoring everyone at the table. It took you until you got into the kitchen that you realized you had just been asked out on a date - ‘I guess it has been a while’ you thought - and now you didn’t know how to act. Bo was the one who confirmed the date, leaving you with a blush that covered your whole face; you were sure it looked like you were having an allergic reaction but you hoped he wasn't embarrassed of you...

“I'll see you tomorrow” you managed to get out after what felt like an eternity

“Tomorrow,” he said with a smile, walking backward as he left the pub, keeping his eyes locked on you until one of his teammates turned him around so he didn't hurt himself by running into the door.

xx

You woke up the next morning and practically hopped out of bed, immediately texting Brit

“Did I dream Bo Bichette asking me out on a date?” you asked

“No,” she replied plainly, after about 10 minutes

“I'm going hiking with a professional athlete today?”

“Yes”

“WHAT DO I DO?!”

“First of all,” she started a string of texts, “it's 8 in the morning, calm down.” You chuckled at her text, knowing that she had probably bitterly rolled out of bed after hearing the chime of her phone, “second, what do you mean what do you do? You go on a date with Professional Baseball Player, Bo Bichette”

“Okay.. sure," you typed, “but what do I wear?”

“You're going on a hike. Don't wear jeans”

“Thank you for that”

“Always here to help”

“I should start getting ready...”

“Again, it's 8AM” she repeated

“And the date is at noon...”

“Yeah”

“You don't need four hours to get ready”

“I need to shower”

“20 minutes”

“I have to find an outfit”

“5 minutes, 10 max”

“I have to do my hair and make myself look presentable”

“We'll say 30 minutes to be safe”

“I have to eat something...” You were grasping now but what could you do, you were nervous

“Maybe he's planning on taking you somewhere after the hike?” she countered, "I don't think eating before a hike is recommended”

“BRIT!” you text-shouted, "I'm freaking out. I don't want to be freaking out but I am. I don't want to make a fool of myself. Or him...”

“Okay, okay, okay,” you could practically hear her sigh through the screen, "you're not going to make a fool of yourself or him. No one's gonna be made a fool today. But you don't need to worry so much. Wear a pair of shorts, the ones you really like, bring a bandana or something - to get your hair off your neck a bit but also to get rid of any sweat you don't want him to see - and make sure you wear sneakers. Don't wear boots or flip-flops. And sunscreen. Always wear sunscreen!” You thanked her quickly, jokingly saying that you were glad she was finally getting on board, and placed your phone back on its charger before hopping in the shower.

“Maybe Brit was wrong. Maybe this really was a mistake…” you grumbled to yourself as you fixed your outfit in the mirror, nearly jumping out of your skin when the doorbell rang. You tried to be as calm as you could, letting out a deep exhale before answering the door

“Hey!” Bo said with a wide smile

“Hi,” you said simply, any doubt you had was now replaced with butterflies in your stomach - being nervous was so basic but you couldn’t help it.

“I.. you ready?” He stammered. It made you feel better that he seemed a little out of his element as well

“Let me just grab a water bottle” you smiled, leaving the door open as you ran to the kitchen; a way of saying ‘you can come in, judge my apartment a little if you want,’ but you were maybe just a little too quick.

“Let’s get going then,” he remarked happily and the two of you were on your way. You weren’t sure what to expect with this hike but Bo using the word path led you to believe it wouldn’t be that bad - which would be ideal since the last time you properly went hiking would be at least 5 years ago. However, it turns out, you forgot to take into account that Bo Bichette was, in fact, Bo Bichette: Professional MLBer. In the middle of the hike, you leaned against a tree, claiming you needed the shade

“I forgot to put on sunscreen and I don't want to burn,” you falsely claimed, catching your breath as Bo leaned against the tree with you

“Sure,” he smirked, bringing out his water bottle to take a sip, “I mean I don't burn as easily but we can stay in the shade.” Once you had finally evened out your breathing, you took a sip of water and looked out at the path that you were about to continue walking

“It's beautiful out here,” you smiled, leading both of you back onto the path at a slower pace now, “I can tell why you like it so much”

“I almost brought you flowers, lilacs,” he gestured to the flowers on the path, “but I knew the path and I knew there would be lilacs here, so I decided against it”

“Aww,” you said, pouting slightly to hopefully show how cute you thought it was, “that's really sweet. I would've appreciated it either way but I'm glad I got to see this first”

“I chose right then?” he asked eagerly

“Yes,"”you smiled, “you chose right.” Bo kept your pace for the rest of the walk but you could tell it was not what he was used to and you felt a little silly not telling him you hadn't been hiking in so long. “I'm sorry that this wasn't a very.. exciting hike,” you laughed uncomfortably, “I haven't been on a trail of any kind in about 5 years. I used to do a lot more physical activity and then I guess I just kinda... stopped”

“That's okay,” he smiled in return as the trail came to an end, “it was nice to see it at this pace. Yes, I do typically go a bit faster,” he laughed to himself, “but I don't always take in the beauty of the actual walk. So, I guess I should thank you”

“You're very welcome,” you returned jokingly and he bowed to add to the humour. The two of you finally got to the car and you hesitated as to what was going to happen next

“Everything okay?” he asked, noticing your reluctance to open the door

“I just... had a really good time,” you admitted, “I'm wondering, I guess, what's next?”

“What do you mean?”

“Are we going somewhere else or should we end it here?” you said, “I mean, sorry,” you continued awkwardly, “I don't want to be presumptuous. I'm just flushed”

“What would you like to do?” he smirked

“Whatever you had planned” you admitted

“Then, I think we should go get some ice cream,” he offered, “I know a great place nearby.” You happily agreed before hopping into the passenger seat of the car. You felt butterflies the entire car ride to the ice cream shop and tried not to stare at him too often but would occasionally catch him looking back at you.

“Is Rocky Road your usual choice?” you asked, as you scooped a bit of your favourite into a spoon and bringing it to your mouth

“No,” he admitted, “I’ve never actually had it. I just wanted to try it”

“And…?” you giggled, “what do you think?”

“It’s okay,” he laughed, “I’ve had better but I’ve also had worse.” You smiled at his words and continued eating your own ice cream, taking in the pastel colours of the parlour at the same time, when you heard Bo giggle slightly; your attention immediately drawn back to him

“What?” you blushed

“You just have…” he began, gesturing to his mouth and it took you a minute to understand that you must have ice cream around your mouth.

“Oh,” you said in surprise, tinged with embarrassment, but his finger soon grazed your lip, wiping away the small mess there. “Thank you,” you whispered in this unbelievable rom-com moment, his finger lingering slightly before he cleared his throat and removed it

“My pleasure” he grinned. You wondered if there might be a kiss but let him take the lead - you didn’t want to set expectations. As he drove you home, you couldn’t help think how sweet this all was - the walk, the lilacs, the ice cream, the moment - but the one thought that kept sticking in your mind was: I really hope there's a second date. He walked you to the door to your apartment building, stopping short of entering the lobby, “I had a really nice time”

“I did too,” you returned, “thank you for… everything. It’s been one of the best dates I’ve had in the city”

“I’m glad,” he smiled, reminding you of your first meeting, “maybe we can do it again?” You felt giddiness take over you and you rushed to agree, hoping that did not throw him off. “Perfect,” he finally said after what felt like a long pause, “then I think the lake is open. It’s another physical activity, I know, but paddle boats are always fun. What do you say?” The smile that spread across your face felt like it might consume you and all you could do was nod your head in agreement, “I will pick you up tomorrow then, same time?”

“I’ll bring the sunscreen,” you joked, “I wouldn’t want to burn.” He smiled at you lightly before placing a small kiss to your cheek, a feeling you’d think about until the very moment he picked you up for each and every date.

[ellraiser]

Mudborne Deblog #7 - World Building

Hey friends! Another month whizzing by, but I managed to get a lot done for Mudborne - here's what I've been up to.

Cold As Ice

Towards the end of last month I started designing the 4th region, where things are a bit colder. 

At the start of this month I finished up that area, spending some time to make the snow look pretty, or add some details like the player breathing or skating around on the ice. 

I then decided the colors and plants for the 'dream' version, I wanted to keep the more turqoise color and boost the saturation, and then make the ice more of a lilac color to match the dream "white" i use a lot already.

The main mechanics of this area (apart from yeeting around on the ice) is using heaters and coolers - heaters so you can melt frozen paths or objects (or frogs), and coolers so you can create new ice.

As you might have noticed in the screenshots above, the deeper water has ice too, which normally isn't passable by the player. By freezing the deeper water you can then cross over to areas you couldn't access before and find all sorts of places and secrets!

There'll be a few puzzles to work out using the heaters/coolers, but they also affect the nearby environment, allowing you to make the extreme ends of temperature for your mushrooms to find some new species.

This means I can 'gate' off a few types of mushrooms and trait modifications until you've come to this region and gained access to the machines.

I also wanted a way to let the player turn on/off weather, as it does have some uses and although you can sleep until the next day for a different weather pattern, I like to give players full control over stuff like that as they progress.

It also fits within the theme of the region, which is very much like a sort of 'climate control' type area - plus the idea of changing weather fits with the existing climate control machines. I tried to design the machines to be similar, but still have their own unique style.

I finished up some other bits and bobs and then that area was good to go! Now it was time to move onto what I thought would be the last area...

===

Central Hub

After getting past the 'tutorial' region of the Spawning Pools, you end up in a large central area that leads to all other areas, and it's where your main goal of the game is that you have to come back to. I wanted this one to be more unique and stand out to the other areas, and seem much more important (because it is!), so I went with a more purple palette to emulate some feelings of it being more 'connected' with the dream world.

I've tried to make all regions have some unique characteristics but I wanted some extra stuff with this region, hence the large purple lilypads and special pink trees, and the light pink pollen falling over the area. This is also the area that will have the large central 'temple', that is a giant version of the smaller gates you use in the game - will take me a while to finish drawing it, I reckon it'll probably still be one of the last things I'm tinkering with right down to release...

===

Yet Another Region

I thought I was done at this point with adding regions and was relieved as there's a lot of setup involved in getting everything in and working - there is a 6th area but it felt like an extension of the central region at the time so I thought I'd use the same region style. However at the same time of doing all this I was also working on designing the full map for the game, and realised that this area would actually be a bit bigger than I thought initially, and also connects with the starting area so I wanted to make sure it had a different style to make it clearer that its not just part of the central area.

This region has a lot of different research labs, and is focused more in the dream area with lots of 'dream' research being done - there's a few different machines for this area but I don't want to spoil them too much so I'll just show their designs instead.

There's also quite a few big important lore things here, so you can't actually access it right away and instead have to come back later when you've progressed enough. With this region done I did some last little tests with each of the regions to make sure I was happy with how they looked - this is how my "developer" map looked by the end of it:

With that done I was about halfway through the month - now it was time for the biggest task of the entire game's development, actually designing the full world map.

===

​Game Cartography

Trying to start tackling this was definitely one of the harder parts of making this game for me - I had all the pieces, the mechanics were all done, I knew roughly what each area would have and do, but trying to put that alltogether in a giant interconnected world is very daunting. I decided to do this all on paper first so it'd be quicker to iterate, starting with really rough sketches of each region and the things that should be there guiding me on what the structure should roughly be like.

I then taped together a bunch of grid paper so I could have one 'main' map rather than keep swapping between what was already like 7-8 sheets of sketches, and started to pencil out the first couple regions together.

After sketching I then started to color in the areas, which was some nice screenbreak time but also let me think more about the regions and how the player would progress through them all.

As a final step I then went over the area with a pen to mark some key stuff - where lilypad crossings would be, gates, doors to rooms etc. I could then use this later for mapping the actual content or paths.

I didn't really need to color in all the darker water for most regions, but tbh it was just fun to do and baby ellraiser used to draw custom rayman 1 overworld maps when they were young so who am I to deny my inner child!

​It took me about 8 days but eventially I had the final map! Technically it's still not the final map as there's a couple areas I didn't want to put on the map for spoiler reasons and I knew I'd be taking photos of it and posting it around. However its good enough to keep me on the right track and remind me of what goes where - I'm also really happy with some of the routing of the areas, I think it should be really fun to explore and unlock and backtrack!

​With that done I could start plugging it into Tiled - I tried to not be too strict with blocking out the areas, at first I was doing like exact square by square, at great eye-straining cost, but then I realised really I just needed to make sure the regions were roughly where I expected them to be and got a bit more loose with some island shapes. Just this blocking stage along took some time, as I was first just blocking in the islands and water, then I was going and doing the 'proper' tiles, then the stone tiles and the grass/mud on top - this was so I could stop having to keep looking at the bigger map all the time.

Blocking out all the other regions took me all the way to pretty much the end of the month, on paper (lol) it doesnt sound like much to have a 500x400 map, but after actually drawing it all I can say it really is!

With all that done there was still lots to be done - for each region I need to add all the stone + grass "decor" (cracks, bricks, grass patches, posters etc). Then I need to add the actual flora objects to the islands (grass, shrubs, trees), then add all the water plants for both the shallow and deeper areas, add all the world decoration, and then block out all the rooms! Then I need to do the collision layers for the bottom and top floors...

It took me about 2-3 days to go from the blocked out version of the first area, to a 'finished' area (that still needs a few last bits added to it) - to give an idea on the scale, there's about 15,000 objects in the screenshot below, including all the plants and grass and decoration, all placed by hand. I'm not going to do every single decoration and scenery piece for every other region right now, as thats something that can be done later - the main thing is making sure it all fits together and is walkable and all the doors lead to the right places.

Adding all the extra decoration and scenery is something I can do quickly at the end while doing playtesting/qa/localisation, so I don't want to spend too much time on it, but I wanted to get at least the first area fully finished off so that it's clear what each area will look like when finished up!

===

Big old month really! I'm a lot further ahead in my rough plan than I expected to be, I was thinking I'd be deciding the last 3 region designs in November and had expected to do all the final designing in December - but with this approach I'm finishing an entire area at a time and the first one is nearly done now, so I'm feeling a bit less stressed than I was, just a 'normal' level of stress now :') Next I'll be going through the other regions, roughly placing some of the scenery (but not all), and just focus on the actual gameplay and the routes the player will take so that I can start doing some internal playtesting! ~ Ell

[zeearts]

......vash wing tutorial?? Pls?? On like how you color them?

oh gods a wing tutorial? Colouring this is using as many digital artist cheats as possible but I will endeavour to explain. First I fill it on 1 flat colour like this!

I then add where I want the glow spots to go like this:

they're just flat dots i try to make as patchy as possible!! Then I add in where the shadows go, to make it more obvious what is on top and what is on the bottom and to make some of the feathers stand out just a smidge more. This took like 2 multiply layers and a light grey-lilac colour if you're curious.

then I run over it with a bit of lighter blue overlay to make the feathers pop more!!

more digital art magic: using gradient maps. I saw someone do it once! Tbh all this does is give my colours a bit more depth. I choose a gradient of colours i'm fond of (usually pink blue purple because I CAN. Beaming bisexuality on all my art lets go-) and then i just run a soft brush over areas on the masking layer, I want to retain the original colours and leave the bits where I don't mind for it to be darker cause its not the focus areas.

and then I once again run through with another 2 overlay layers of light blue to give it that nice blue sheen!

Then its my favourite part!! Colour dodge layer! This is where I start adding glows and speckles with a glow and speckle brush, to make things start looking glowy! I abuse this way too much. You can probably cut back a little, unlike me. I also line some of the feathers for a bit of light reflection. I threw in some purple for that galaxy feel :>

thats it! Sorry its not as uh, in depth as maybe people are hoping?? I just use a lot of layers an experiment until it looks the way I want and that I'm happy with. I'm glad people are enjoying how I do his wings 😭

[rabbitenn]

TEARS OVER.

@highcollargirl requested: can you write sogo x fem reader where mc falls ill and sogo takes care of her and they kiss at the end.

ft. Osaka Sogo x fem! reader.

cw/genre: comfort/fluff.

Thank you for requesting, this is a very soft and sweet idea ! I hope it’s to your liking <3 I’m deeply sorry it took me so long to post it…

Everything seems blurry.

With weakening steps, you try to make it to the kitchen, perhaps you’re just dehydrated.

But no, this is wrong.

Why is it so hot? And what’s this coat of cold sweat drenching your clothes?

Just a little more…

Leaning against the wall, you finally make it to the kitchen, parched lips finally tasting the insipid sweetness of cool water.

And yet, the awful sensation doesn’t dissipate.

Your breathing grows heavier, it might be best to go back to bed.

Was the room always spinning, though?

This is bad, your legs can’t hold you anymore.

The last thing you remember before blackness engulfs you is the hard wooden floor hitting your knees and a subtle lavender fragrance, wrapping itself around you in balmy waves of softness.

—

You come to in a warm lit room.

Your room.

You remember exiting it this morning, but the way back to it… it’s all blurry.

Perhaps you dreamt it in your feverish state; however, you think you remember someone holding your body, a steady heartbeat lulling you into the peaceful sleep you hadn’t known for days.

Your lashes flutter open, the purple skies outside sending in dusk light into the space.

“You are finally awake, dear.” A soothing voice greets you.

Then, you register the pleasing sensation of someone caressing your hair, their movements soothing the heat and sweat.

And when you turn towards the voice you always loved to hear sing, your gaze meets one that matches the violet clouds of the crepuscular skies.

“So…” You call him, voice still hoarse from sleep and fever.

He brushes a few unruly strands away from your eyes, his touch so delicate; a barely there brush of butterfly wings against your flushed skin.

“How are you feeling?” Your lover asks, already knowing the answer can’t really be all that good, just by seeing your lidded eyes.

You stretch a little, sitting up in bed.

“Not great, honestly.” You mumble, bringing a hand to your forehead. Your thoughts are still fuzzy, a sharp pain piercing through them in chaotic disarray.

“I expected that much.” Sogo says, a concerned smile reaching his lips.

And it must be your jumbled mind, but you think a kiss from him would make all your pain disappear.

Before you can tell your boyfriend that, though, he adds:

“You should probably lie down for now, dearest. I’ll bring you some snacks, okay?”

Truth is, the prospect of eating your favorite treats sounds very tempting right now, but you don’t want Sogo to leave.

And you are aware you’re probably being childish and whiny, but you don’t care about that right now.

Before he can get up from the bed, the idol feels a slight tug on his sweater’s sleeve.

“Stay here…” You ask, as you look up at him.

And something in the way you ask, something about your tired tone, and your eyes that you’re struggling to keep focused, tugs at your partner’s heartstrings.

He could never say no to you, after all, could he?

Lashes of moonlit hyacinth brush against his cheekbones as he graces you with one of his tender expressions.

Under warm ironed covers, he joins you, the softness of his embrace a thousand times more comforting than any blanket. To be with him is to stand beneath demure lilac skies, a spring breeze gently touching every blossom, their fragrance wafting around and towards aster hued clouds.

You nuzzle against Sogo’s chest, as his lips tenderly place a kiss to your temples.

From between fluffy blankets, you look up at him.

His lips are too tempting for your dry lips.

You need him.

But at the same time, you don’t want him getting sick too… He has important work, both for IDOLiSH7 and MEZZO.

If he couldn’t perform because of you…

Your line of thought shatters at the call of your name, his voice barely above a whisper.

So’s face is millimeters away from yours, warm breaths mingling together.

And against yours, and his, better judgment, you both lean in.

Starlight and an horizon lined in shades of amethyst collide when his lips touch yours, a starry nebula, opening the gateway into a shared parenthesis in time, dyed in morning glories.

—

The next time you open your eyes, you are in a dim lit room.

You know this room.

Its walls have witnessed the affection shared between you and the man holding you close to his chest right now, after all.

“Good morning, So.” You whisper, planting a delicate kiss to his jawline. “I love you.” Are your words, before you cuddle against him, for a few more minutes of sweet dreamy indulgence.

Your boyfriend’s kisses were certainly the best medicine.

[venturethighs]

Ohhhhhhhchcbbcbdncnncjskd not the zombie fleshlight fic that I'm going to publish at 4:51 AM when everyone is asleep... AAAAAAAAA–

You undo the stitches of your legs and collapse into your shared bed.

How long have you been walking today? You lost track of the hours. Not to mention the near unbearable heat despite taking a parasol to protect yourself under. You were lucky you didn't rip any stitches with the amount of bloating your body went through.

The scent you wore for your date was more than enough to cover the corpse stench, though. You're thankful for that.

Despite the fact they reassured you that they understood– you still didn't want to embarrass them. Even though they promise they could never be embarrassed by you.

A nice cold shower was more than enough to reduce the bloating for the night. Now, it's just time to focus on sleep.

Or... so you thought.

You shuffle and crawl your way over to your beloved and wrap your stitched arms around them like they were your teddy bear.

An ancient, cursed and mummified teddy bear... but a teddy bear nonetheless.

You reach over and place kisses to their unwrapped face. They frustratingly stir from their sleep before realizing it's just you, and proceed to happily accept the affection being given to them.

"Did I wake you up? I'm sorry..." You apologize.

"I was barely asleep, so don't worry." They lean over and scoop you up into their arms.

"Plus, you can wake me up whenever. I don't care." They place delicate kisses to your face just as you had done for them.

"You need your rest." You tell them, fighting the urge to giggle with every peppered kiss.

"I've been sleeping for centuries before you came along. I'd say I'm good." They nuzzle your face with theirs. "Plus, you're the one who woke me up... silly."

"Sorry!" You jokingly apologize.

For a moment you two share breaths as you rub your nose against theirs. It's times like these you cherish the most– no one interrupting you, no one making unnecessary comments, no judgemental eyes cast from across the way. Despite it all, your date was definitely one to remember.

"You're so sweet. I could just eat you up." They smile.

"Aren't I supposed to be the one saying that?" You lightly laugh.

"Good thing I don't have a brain then, hmm?" They softly pet your head.

"I bet it was the size of a peanut." You joke again. They move to squeeze their arms around your waist, pulling you closer.

"I still have it, thank you very much! I just can't remember where I put it..." They sigh.

"How ironic." You add.

They plaster more kisses to your face. You can't stop yourself from smiling.

"You looked so cute today." They think back to seeing you all dolled up just for them.

"You really think so?" You feel yourself turn a light shade of purple from their compliment.

"I wouldn't say it if I didn't mean it." They reassure you.

Then– from almost nowhere– they hook one of their fingers underneath your lacy underwear and pull the fabric back before letting it smack against your cool skin. Shock lights up your face instantaneously.

"And you think I wouldn't notice you wearing something like that for me?" They lightly laugh.

Your lilac blush turns into a darkened amethyst.

"I didn't think you could see it..." You look away for a moment, but a hand reaches over and guides you back to their piercing gaze.

"Are you joking? I had to stop other people from looking at you." Their hand lightly kneads the flesh of your hips. "Your outfit... are you sure you didn't do it on purpose?" They snicker.

Okay. Maybe you did intentionally choose something that was a little more sheer than intended– but you didn't think it would be that bad.

"Not entirely..." You confess. "I... didn't know it was that bad."

"You're lucky I have centuries worth of patience or I would've torn into you when I first saw you." You can hear the switch in their voice– the darkness starting to cloud their mind.

"Wear it again for me sometime. I really liked it..." They admit.

Their fingers dig into your hips and knead a little harder. Then their second hand joins in on the other side, now slipping underneath your underwear as you lightly squirm above them from the sensation. In your growing excitement you place harsh kisses to their scarred lips as they continue their handiwork.

"So sweet." They whisper in between your shared intimacy. "Like... the sugary cloud we ate today."

You giggle. "Like cotton candy?" You remind them.

"Yes... like cotton candy... and the cold, pink, sweet milk–" It seems like they had no idea what modern sweets were.

"The strawberry milkshake?" You add.

"Milkshake..." They repeat. "Cotton candy... and our strawberry milkshake..."

They recall the flavors they experienced for the first time today.

"They were all good. None of them are as sweet as you are, though." They smile.

"Am I really that sweet to you?" You verbally prod them to hear more praise. "Like the treats we shared?"

"More so." They reiterate. "I still remember your taste very well."

They only move their hands to adjust you enough to begin placing kisses down your neck. Then, their hands slide down and underneath the delicate fabric around your hips once more. They waste no time shuffling them down and discarding them into the floor where they belong.

"Ah– I unstitched my legs because I was so tired." You explain. Your voice softly cracks from their hands squeezing and kneading at your hips again.

"No need to apologize." They murmur.

One of their fingers lightly brushes against your folds and an abrupt whimper escapes from your lips. You can feel them snicker against your neck as they continue placing more kisses down the side of it, occasionally stopping to bite and suckle in order to place hickies on your discolored skin. More whimpers and whines rise from your throat as a result.

"Your sounds are also sweet." They praise you further.

You can feel their length harden and poke against your legless hips.

"Make more of them for me, please." They ask– almost coming out as a plea.

"You have to earn them." You tease.

They wrap their arms around your waist and maneuver themself on top of you. Your hair fans out underneath your sensitive figure– reaching upwards with your arms to in order to bring them closer. They happily let you wrap them around their neck and look down at you with their glowing eyes. Their length continues uncomfortably poking you between your unstitched thighs.

"Be gentle with me." You pout. "My body is still sore from today."

They lower themself even further for a moment to nestle their face against yours.

"As you wish. Though, it's hard to hold back... when it's you, at least." They warn you. "If it hurts... please tell me..."

You softly nod.

They sit up and free themself just enough that their cock is showing but their legs remain covered.

You'll never get used to seeing it. Each and every time it sends the electricity straight between your legs, causing your amethyst blush to turn pure indigo. They nearly match the shade of purple on your face– so at least it was a mutual feeling.

They take the shaft in their hand and rub the precome soaked head between your folds. You shudder in delight as it glazes over your slick, throbbing clit and it earns them a gentle moan of encouragement.

"The look on your face is so endearing." They mumble to themself.

They rub the tip inside of your glistening folds a few more times just to see your reaction. The way your head sinks into the mattress and your back arches off the covers... it's so utterly hypnotizing to them. If only they could capture it forever in some way. Except– no painter nor picture could ever do it justice. Not to them.

"Does it feel good...?" They ask.

Your hands are desperately grabbing at the sheets beneath you.

"Mmh... yes~!" You answer between heavy breaths.

They align themself at your sopping entrance before their fingers prod gently between your folds to continue where they left off. Every delicate flick of their fingers has you writhing in pure pleasure. If they focus hard enough they swear they can feel the electric current pulsating underneath your skin.

But they can't have you coming just yet– and the look you make when they stop is near heartbreaking.

"I'm not done with you yet, so don't pout like that." The dark undertone begins to come out further as they grow more provoked.

"I can't help it, your fingers feel too good." You complain.

They only laugh in response.

Then, they proceed to slowly slip inside of you. Their hands grasp at either side of your hips and lift them up for better access. Like a toy– a personal toy– for them and them only. Had you kept your legs connected then they'd surely be wrapped around their waist right now.

At first their pace is slow. They're kind enough to let you adjust to their thrusting before they get anymore vicious. They watch as one of your hands replace theirs between your folds– hastily circling your sensitive center as they lazily continue pumping in and out of you at their own pace. Every moan you make as a result is absolutely intoxicating. You can feel yourself spasm around their cock with every quick, repetitive movement of your stitched fingers.

And they can't let themself fall behind– so they instantly increase their motion to become harsher as a result.

Every rough grind against your hips drives your body further and further into the mattress of your shared bed. Their glowing eyes are transfixed on the reactions this causes– the soft bouncing of your chest, the twisting expression of bliss on your beautiful face, all the wonderful noises that arise and escape your lightly drool covered lips.

"So divine. So radiant–" The ancient Egyptian comes out once again. "Do you know that?"

Of course you can't understand a word they're saying, but it sounds positive– especially by the way their voice is nearly cracking on each word.

Every passing minute has them growing rougher until their fingers are practically ripping into your undead flesh, and if it wasn't for the fact you had a higher pain tolerance you'd be yelping from it all. You feel yourself tighten around their length as it desperately throbs inside of you just waiting to spill it's essence within.

"Are you close...?" You ask, your fingers still attentively working on yourself.

They wearily pant.

"Close..." They repeat in their native tongue. "Are you... getting close...?"

You can sense the substantial feeling building between your legs as the pleasure heightens with each of your strokes. You can only imagine it's the same for them, considering they're no longer thinking straight. Every sound that you make becomes louder and frantic as you feel yourself rapidly approaching the end.

"Please... come with me..." They beg you. "I need... you... to come with me..."

Even though you can't understand a word they said, you definitely get the gist of it. Near uncontrollably, they find themself coming so hard that they almost lose themself to the sheer force of it. Inside of you is decorated white with their seed, and they're seeing stars along side geometric patterns flying haphazardly in their vision before it clears up enough to see you collapse on the bed alongside them.

Then the curse dissipates. As it always does.

Your fingers are tired. Your body is tired. Their hands move from your hips to grab and pull you into their chest for cuddles. They lovingly pet your head and cradle it as if you were precious treasure– and you are, at least... to them, you are.

"Are you okay...? I didn't hurt you, did I?" They casually slip back into English.

You shake your head.

"Just tired." You answer honestly.

"Then rest. You deserve it." They place a kiss atop your forehead. "It's been a long day for the both of us."

A moment of silence passes.

"Mmm. I love you." You feel yourself slowly drifting away into sleep.

A soft smile lights up their face.

"I love you, too." They whisper back to you in ancient Egyptian.

[thefloatingwriter]

I'd adore more of your wiress and beetee hcs if you had any more to share maybe

thank you so much for this ask anon i love any excuse to talk about them. i can’t tell if you want just beetee and wiress or them separately but i’ll give you both because i have lots of thoughts.

Beetee:

he was born on july 23rd, 21 ADD.

he has five siblings, two brothers and three sisters. he’s the oldest. in order they are: adeline (six years younger), roent (eight years younger), tera and ruther (ten years younger), and dayta (thirteen years younger).

he grew up really poor, his family barely making ends meet. his father died when he was fourteen and his mother kind of lost herself after that.

because of that, he became his siblings only real parental figure when he was really young.

his favorite color is blue.

he won the 40th at nineteen. it was the oldest a victor ever was at the time of their victory.

he dismantled an old computer he found in the trash and then put it back together when he was six.

he’s either still up at three in the morning or is out at nine pm. there’s no in between.

he also wakes up really early every single morning. wiress thinks he’s insane.

he’s actually pretty tall.

he knows how to ice skate.

he prefers cold weather over warm weather.

he loves the snow.

he’s a dog person.

he’s really good with kids.

Wiress:

she was born on november 6th, 29 ADD.

she has an older sister named barbara (four years older).

she’s polish and her last name is lisiecki.

she’s an acrobat and singer.

her family was richer than most residents of three. her father was a software developer until he passed (i have a lot of dead dads in my hcs). her mother ran a sort of theatre group/circus to entertain capitol and three citizens. it’s where wiress learned acrobatics.

her hair is naturally curly.

she won the 48th when she was eighteen.

she’s really good with crowds but hates one-on-one talking.

her favorite color is lilac.

she had a cat before she won named fleur. fleur went on to have three kittens named iris, leni, and luna.

she loves the smell of lavender.

she is not a morning person at all. she can barely function in the mornings.

she loves both coffee and tea.

she has a giant sweet tooth.

she cannot cook. like seriously. last time she tried she started a fire and almost burnt her house down.

she was always a naturally curious person. as a child she snuck into the woods surrounding three and took walks for hours. it scared her mother senseless every time she up and disappeared and she always sent barbara out to go find her.

her district token was a woven purple bracelet her sister made for her when she was younger.

Wiress and Beetee:

this is basically canon but they can talk with their eyes/just understand each other without saying anything. the other victors have made a game out of figuring out what they’re talking about.

beetee’s token was his glasses for both of his games, so for the 75th he took his wedding band and added two silver stripes on the sides out of the metal.

most of the victors have absolutely no idea what their relationship is. like some of them think they’re just really good friends, some of them think they’re dating casually, and some are like, “no they’ve been married for a decade.”

he was her mentor. the 48th was the only year where both tributes were from “richer families” (i.e. three’s version of merchant families). atlas, the other victor from three, came from a merchant family but beetee didn’t and there’s a lot of animosity between the poorer and richer people in three (similar to twelve but if like everyone acted like mrs. mellark) so he was really worried that wiress was going to be rude or disrespectful. and then he meets the sweetest eighteen year old he’s ever met who sings for fun and hums to herself when she’s anxious. safe to say he was surprised.

beetee really hates explaining stuff so when wiress comes along they can sometimes forget they have to explain stuff to people and they won’t get it if they give them The Look even though they both get what that means. they don’t even mean to but they can be hanging out with anyone and make them feel like they’re third-wheeling.

bonus:

Beetee adjusts his glasses as he squints at the computer in front of him. “Our brains are made of the same wires.”

Wiress looks over at him, a small smile playing on her lips. “That’s genuinely the most romantic thing you have ever said to me.”

(this is 100% going in a fic but why do i have the best ideas for random lines at one in the morning like why can’t inspiration hit at a normal time ffs)

sorry this took a minute for me to post <3 i hope you like these! anyway, again anon ilysm for this ask seriously i love love love talking about them.

[aetherfoundationassistantlilac]

For now it was your usual day at the Aether Foundation. Some Employees seemed to work hard, some didnt work at all and preferred to slack off and some were a bit...too enthusiastic about work. Lilac was one of these Employees that is always ready for a new task. This time she asked her, as she calls him ,,boss, if theres anything else to do. A science project where she could maybe help, a field trip to an unknown place, any other current problem or just...cleaning his office. Whatever would work for her.

Excitedly she would raise her hand to get his attention.

Psst @majesticfaba

I can be bad at wording at times sadly, do some typos here and then without noticing and in general probably add some Art here and then because I think that would be fun :D (and I can express myself through Art better sometimes I would say;)

Side Infos: Lilacs texts will be purple if she says anything, if I am going to add Xenley then she will high likely get pink.

Feel free to go in any direction. I am open for the possible chaos >:] (or I will start the mess mwehe)

[return-to-twisted-wonderland]

🔆anon

Soon before the SDC. (So after winter break)

Dusk: *Using his front camera to look at his hair after using magic to alter it to have red streaks.*

Lilia: *appearing out of nowhere* What are you doing there.

Dusk: *jumps back* Really?! Is this a thing? Jumpscaring me? First Baul now you?

Lilia: Did Baul startle you?

Dusk: Yeah, during our visit home. Where we talked about… stuff…

Lilia: … So what’s with the red hair?

Dusk: This? *touches his hair* You can probably guess…

Lilia: Yes, I can, but I didn’t want to assume. So why are you changing it?

Dusk: I’m not sure if I’m changing it yet, but I always was thinking about getting it dyed. …Before comining back of course… But with being in the SDC, I just wanted to see if I could spice it up too, even if I’m not on stage.

Lilia: You’re not sure if you’re adding red or any color at all?

Dusk: I don’t know.

Lilia: Light purple, like your eyes, might work.

Dusk: Not pink like yours?

Lilia: It’s your hair, not mine. If you still want to match me, that’s fine, but it’d be great for you to find something you like.

Dusk: *looks back at his phone to check his hair again before dispelling the color.* I think, for now, I’ll just keep it black. Maybe I’ll change it in the future. Who knows.

The kid spent so much of his life idolizing his dad, so much he wanted to be a copy. But with a push from Baul and another from Lilia, he can start letting go of that, hopefully.

(I do want to imagine in the future, like a decent amount after NRC, Dusk keeps his long hair and he does add purple color. I’d imagine it starts as black then fades to lilac in the tips. He’s got magic for infinite hair dye and I’m jealous.)

Lilia: Use your hair as the first mark of your individuality. Now my pink accents highlight my cuteness factor, but you shouldn't have to follow after your old man. *Chuckles* Let the color come to you naturally.

[allureasdiary]

My Aesthetic Color Palette

● The main Colors are black, pinks, red (dark reds) and Purples (deep lilac, bright lavender). Alot of it was inspired my the 2010s black barbie aesthetic, Victoria Secret bombshell photoshoot and perfume bottle and the purple comes from an outfit I saw on bratz and purple happens to be my fav color so why not? With the red I just wanted a dash of femme feel in there if anything I'd call it a sub color for me but I think it'd work really well for colder seasons alongside more vibrant pinks (ex: hot pink, Fuchsia)

● my neutrals consist of dark gold/silver, white, tan, browns, rose gold (which looks best on me), and muted greys (grey is still a growing color on me however I absolutely can't wear it without wearing a popping color also it just feels boring without it I like pairing it with vibrant pinks). I thought about adding navy to this for colder seasons so as a replacement denim blue will be added

(The 2 photos on the left are another example of my main colors)

● when it comes to details ruffles, pearls, frills and fur are my choice as well as diamonds, soft sparkles/glitter and bling. This is mostky inspired by the icy girl aesthetic, old hollywood glam with the fur and opulent jewelry and tons of blingy bedazzled items in the 2000s as well as the bratz forever diamonds looks and also hime gyaru influence for the ruffles and frills. It gives a little girliness and softness to the black and pink combo. Denim can also be added to details in a way (still deciding) .

● fabric textures like silks, sheer(LOVE THIS!!), cotton, denim, metallics and satin are also there. Lace hems as well I like when there is some form of elusiveness to it (ex: hoisery lace hem socks) where it's not too vulgar but leaves a bit to imagine. Honorable mention to velvety fabrics tho I'm still unsure if I'll add but I love the luxe feel that it adds to any outfit. I would probably use to for jackets or maybe a headband but it's honestly too hot to wear it rn😭

● my patterns consist of cheetah print and my new obsession which is leopard print (the snow leopard for sure too), plaid and finally stripes, specifically the Victoria secret style

[whatcoloristhatcat]

hello fellow cat color enthusiast check out my bewildering kitty

so first of all her eyes changed from brown and angular (kitten) to green and round (adult). not really related to her fur color but it's just. that's not really how cats work, but sure

and here's her fur color, the first two are in sunlight. allegedly she's just your average grey tabby, just with smoke obviously, but note the pinkish/purpleish tint to her fur, the light pinky brown where her fur transitions to white, and the fact her nose isn't a typical color for a grey cat either, or even a blue cat. also the fact that she's darker than most dilute grey or blue tabbies but she's lighter than most non-dilute grey or blue tabbies

she's closer in color to a lilac cat than anything else but she's also probably just a random bred cat. she's such a funky color i love her

what a beautiful lady!! and yeah that eye change is striking!!

yep, i think she’s a dilute black (blue/grey) mackerel tabby with low white spotting! dilution can have a pretty wide range in lightness. her tint looks like it’s due to rufousing :) we can add her to the list with that other purple cat on here

[quibbs126]

pspspspsp How about a Tea Knight/werewolf fankid or a Affogato/Lilac Fankid??

Sorry, I didn’t have one for Tea Knight/Werewolf, but I got an affolilac (I assume that’s the ship name) one for you, this girl is Black Tea Cookie

So I know her name doesn’t quite sound like the obvious solution, so let me go through my thought process. So first I thought to do a poisonous purple flower, bc lilacs are purple flowers and Affogato has an association with poison. But then later I thought, “coffee is a drink, so maybe a drink made with flowers?” and so I went looking for teas, and then I decided on black tea, which technically isn’t made from flowers, but the plant does make flowers

Black tea (and also the flower of camellia sinensis)

So initially I planned for her to be more purple, but since black tea is more red and I wanted to keep that in the hair, and the red and purple didn’t look like they belonged together, so I made her more red. I was also debating giving her the coffee pupils, since black tea does have caffeine in it, but I ultimately decided against it. I made her outfit entirely Yogurca inspired since I imagine that the family is living there, and also that Affogato might just be wearing that outfit because he was working in the Dark Cacao Kingdom. From what I understand he’s not native to the area. Also I wanted to add some camellias into her design, since Lilac has flowers in his. To be honest, I feel like she definitely looks like Lilac’s kid, but I’m not so sure about Affogato’s

Anyways, on to her herself. So like I said, in this hypothetical scenario Affogato moved to Yogurca and decided to stay there with Lilac, meaning this is where Black Tea grew up. She may look sweet and innocent (I’m not sure I properly conveyed that but that is how she’s supposed to look), but like her fathers she is in to some shady business, specifically poison. She’s been fascinated with it all her life, and I imagine Affogato encouraging this behavior. Not sure about Lilac, but he’d probably at least teach her to kill. Unlike her parents though, she is very upfront about what she does, offering people poison as a solution to their problems. And just in general she’s a pretty honest and responsible little girl. She just also deals in poison, and has possibly killed a Cookie. Nobody knows for sure if she has other than her, including her parents

I have this image in my head of her meeting either Caramel Arrow Cookie or Dark Cacao Cookie, and while they’re wary of her for being Affogato’s child, they recognize she’s not evil. She just follows them around or something. A situation arises and she just goes “we can use poison on them” and they’re just like “no, stop resorting to murder, what is your obsession with poison??”

Yogurt Cream basically made himself Black Tea’s uncle and probably tries to spoil her, but Black Tea’s favorite person is her aunt Scorpion Cookie (I suppose assume Scorpion and Lilac got back on good terms). Scorpion genuinely loves Black Tea back and trains her in the art of poison

I think that’s about it for her, hope you enjoy!

Edit: the top pic is a redesign, though not much changed other than the face. This is the original