#i'm gonna try to do stuff during the holidays

[onesnoopyaday]

I AM AT MY LIMIT

Snoopy #90

30/12/2024

description under the cut

[description: a cartoon-style drawing of Snoopy's head. Snoopy is a white dog with black ears. His eyes are shut and his mouth is a horizontal line. There are two large blue teardrops, one under each eye. The text "I am at my limit" is handwritten across the top of the image.]

[zosanbrainrot]

in all timelines, in all possibilities

process of this from ref to finished drawing 💙

I did work on color/rendering with the linework layer on, I just liked the colors on their own so I exported it this way really wanna try and channel that workflow without relying that much on lines, I've seen some crazy good art of people mostly using flat colors, without any linework and it's been really inspiring *cough cough* @galaxyspeaking being the main inspo *cough cough*

I really should work on my freelance gig during the holidays, but I wanna draw more jayvik so bad kfdjgjkgf

also happy holidays to people who celebrate 💙 I'm gonna be spending today working lol and in the evening defrosting my borscht and eating it with some mashed potatoes well I say mine, I bought it from an Ukranian place down the street, got some paszteciki too :3 sounds lonely, but I prefer it 1000% over doing fake family stuff with people I dont care about, finally will have time to rest properly

[mayasaurusss]

hello!! how are ya??

may I request a jinx x FEM/GN reader who is shorter than her and has cat-like features almost like lest from arcane s2?? thank you and happy holidays Maya :D

A/N: hello anon! I'm fine, how about you? I hope you're okay with this, it's not a full oneshot but a series of thoughts/headcanons.

Thank you for requesting, and I wish you happy holidays as well!❤ (not gonna lie, when I read that I squealed 'cause of happiness😂)

Not proofread!

Jinx was transfixed with you from the first time she met you.

She met you during one of her raids in the undercity, and you, coincidentally, were one of the people who were near when she attacked. The enforcers, as usual, had entered the city's grounds and wrecked havoc. She, on the other hand, decided to bring her trusted granades and gun. Silco had explicitly ordered her to stay away, but she's Jinx: she does what she want and today, all she wanted was to have a little fun and distract the voices from her head.

You were one of the people running away from the enforcers. Blood caked in the small layer of fur you had, eyes as tight as slits and panic on your features. And when she drove them away, too scared to face Silco after her last little stunt, you looked at her with pure adoration.

And Jinx? She just has to admit that she was smitten with you from the start. Not immediately, let's make that clear, but somehow you tugged at something inside of her and slowly reached out into her heart.

Jinx who was at first, despite her interests, a little freaked out from you. She doesn't want you to know that, but something about how you looked just made a little alarm bubble pop off above her head. Overtime though, she started to get used to you and with it, became more and more infatuated.

Jinx who, every day, runs her hands into your fur. She likes to warm her cold hands in it, consequentially making you freeze. She smiles devilishly when she does so, while you try to pry her away or run from her grasp, but alas, she's too strong. You're gonna warm her up for a while.

Jinx who is utterly amazed by your eyes, far more intense than any she's ever seen. She wouldn't admit it to you right away, but she gets cranky whenever trying to draw you because no matter what shades of colors she uses, she can never replicate your eye's colours quite right.

Jinx who plays with your ears. They're very sensitive so she is careful, but she likes to play with their tips, twirling and pinching them. She likes to run her fingers in the floof at the base. When you're stressed, she'll scratch the back of your ears, making you fall asleep above her.

Jinx who just loves to annoy you for your height. She didn't even thought that there could be people shorter than her; you know, besides Isha and the yordels.

Jinx who, despite all her good will, sometimes will be pretty oblivious to social standards. Cut her some slack! She has only ever had relationships with Silco and... Sevika, in years! So she'll blurt out stuff without really thinking too much about it. "Do you need to do drink some milk, kitty cat?" and she says that every time you're cranky. Oh she's so lucky you love her, or by now she'd be scratched all over.

Jinx who boops you! All. The. Time. Throughout the day, few are the moments she doesn't spend her time with her fingers on the tip of your nose. She has the habit of booping your nose with her thumb and then pressing a kiss on it. The second after doing so, she let's cute aggression get to her and she starts to bite your cheeks and squish them.

Jinx who is all happy and fidgety when you bring her your "preys". Those are, of course, just little things you found around the under city that made you think of her. Usually they are shards of the most beautiful blue glass, copper coloured gears or some new set of crayons you bought. On that note, maybe you were better off as a bird. She always gasps and marvels at each of your gifts, always shocked by how much you know her. "Kitty cat! These are amazing!" she rolls the blue and pink polished shards of glass in her hands, "I'm going to make a beautiful necklace out of this for you!".

Jinx who tries to not be mad when she finds your fur on her clothes. "Please" she begs you, "please, one pair of pants. Leave me one pair of pants!".

Jinx who falls asleep immediately ever since you've entered her life. Her nose is pressed on your torso, limbs tangled in you. The voices are gone, and you are so soft and warm, so nice and loving... And as she drifts to sleep, she knows her place is here with you.

[copinghex]

3:00 a.m in Birmingham | T.S

Summary: Tommy's wife has trouble sleeping and resorts to a method he disapproves of. As usual, he tries to solve this issue in his own ways.

A/N: I stopped frequently reposting old works because I thought "oh, I'm gonna work on new stuff now," and then I didn't. Anyway, this is one of my favorites

Tommy sighed in relief as he found her car parked in front of their old house at Watery Lane. He's been looking for her for hours and although her whereabouts weren't exactly mysterious, Tommy couldn't stop his hands from trembling with the possibility of her being gone.

The house was dark as usual, even if they had enough money for it, none of the Shelby's saw the point of paying for electricity for a house they barely went to, the only electric light came from the betting shop, since the business place was closed for the day, the house only counted with the light from streets that shined through the windows.

Thomas walked from each to each room looking for his wife until he finally got to their old shared bedroom. She was sitting on the bed staring at the wall, arms resting on her knees while her hands played with a bottle of something he couldn't identify.

"I thought you didn't like this bedroom," Tommy drawled, holding himself from scolding her, she might not be physically injured, but he knew she wouldn't run away if she was alright.

"I don't, it's too small,"

"Yeah, I don't like it either," Tommy agreed and sat by her side, "so we shouldn't be here,"

She peeked at him by the side of her eye and brought her hands near her chest, trying to hide the label of the bottle, "I needed a place to relax,"

"Oh, why didn't you try a spa?"

"Because in case you haven't noticed, it's three in the morning, we must be the only people awake in Birmingham," she humorlessly chuckled, "well, perhaps with exception of the night shift workers,"

"Right, but why here in all the places?"

"...It was our home for many years, I thought the feeling of familiarity would help me relax, help me sleep,"

Tommy arched his eyebrows at his wife's answer, she had problems sleeping for some time since the business started to grow and brought some consequences, but for the last few years he could swear she's been sleeping well, she's been even able to convince him to try to rest.

"You should see a doctor," he spoke softly with a bit of humour, usually, she was the one suggesting that.

"Nah, all doctors are children of rich people who don't actually care about people," she bitterly spat, it was an honest belief of her, however, there was another reason why she refused to see a doctor.

It was because she already did, during the busy weeks Tommy was barely home, she managed to sneak a doctor into the house and the diagnosis wasn't pleasant, stress was keeping her from a well-deserved night of sleep and the recommendation was to absent herself from any stressful situation. Well, being married to Thomas Shelby was very stressful.

She thought of taking a break, perhaps going on holiday with the children, every time Tommy got home though, he seemed to need her more, business related papers, loneliness, a stress relief, she filled all the gaps Tommy turned a blind eye through the day, because he was always sure she'd effortlessly fill them for him.

He needed her, he told her that many times, mostly not verbally, but the way his tired eyes bored into hers when he got home from work, the way his hands pulled her close to him and how he seemed lost when she didn't greet him at the door left no doubts, together with whiskey, opium and cigarettes, she kept the broken pieces of him tightly tied.

Hell, she knew the best she could do for herself was to leave him, Tommy was unstoppable, he had no limitations or limits, he'd never rest and he lived something near fine with it. She was different, she didn't mind doing paperwork or looking after the broken man she called husband, but she needed assurance things wouldn't fall apart at any moment, she needed to sleep knowing her empire wasn't built on unstable land and that was something Tommy couldn't offer.

Trying to solve this impasse, she bought sleeping pills, the strongest she could find. They worked well for the first two years, eventually she became immune to the effect, increasing the dose wasn't an option anymore either, it'd probably make her overdose instead of sleep.

Now, she was sitting near the cause of her insomnia in the old bedroom they shared, refusing to confess the true reason for her sleepless nights.

"What 's that?" Tommy suddenly asked, eyeing the bottle in her hands.

"Nothing,"

"Show me," he offered his hand for her to give him the flask.

"No,"

"What is it? A secret? Show me," he tried to take it from her hand and she pushed him away, "what the fuck are you hiding?"

"It's none of your business, did you come here only to bother me?" she complained.

"Worrying about you it's bothering now, eh? Give me that fucking thing," he forcefully took the bottle from her.

She pressed her lips together as Tommy read the label, "Did the doctor give them to you?"

"No,"

"Who did?"

"I bought them,"

"With whose prescription?"

"Nobody's, Tommy! I just take them to sleep,"

"These are fucking strong, did you take all of them?"

"Yeah,"

"How long have you been taking these things?" he frowned, insisting when she didn't answer, "Hm?"

"Two years,"

"Two fucking years? Does a doctor know about it?"

"What right do you have to scold me, Tom? Do you think I can't smell opium on you?"

"It's not the fucking same, these can be dangerous,"

"Oh, and yours are not?"

"For fuck's sake," he sighed and stood up, adopting a scolding posture, "why didn't you see a doctor?"

"I don't like doctors, Tommy,"

"Neither do I, but I'd see one if you asked, I know what I'm doing, it's what I always did, you got these pills out of nowhere and hid them from me,"

"I never hid them from you, if you got to bed a bit earlier you'd have seen me taking them!"

"Argh, sorry for not keeping an eye on you, you know I have so much free time," he said ironically, "why don't you go around saying how much of a bad husband I am?!"

"Well, I wouldn't be lying, would I?" she snapped, "I went to a doctor, Tommy! Do you wanna know what he told me?! To stay away from stressful things, but guess what? You stress me out, being by your side is stressful!"

Tommy gulped, assimilating the words his wife just told him, he was not by any means surprised by them, he knew it was all true, but he never expected her to throw them on his face like this.

"...you're with me by choice, if you're not happy, leave," his tone of voice was calm, but there was a dangerous challenge in it. After so long together, she doubted Tommy would accept a divorce, it was certain that when she died, the name Shelby would in her grave.

Besides, leaving Tommy was not her true wish, except for the lack of sleep, her life was comfortable, her child went to the best school, she wore the best clothes, drove the fastest cars and drank the best wine. Also, her love for Tommy was undeniable.

"I don't want to leave you," she mumbled, watching Tommy's tense expression change to relief, "but I need to sleep, I need to be alright so I can help you to be alright,"

"I don't want you to be with me for pity," he sat back down.

"It's not pity, I wouldn't be here if it was," she hesitated for a second before confessing, "I love you,"

He weakly smiled, still looking shaken by her previous harsh statement, Tommy always thought of himself as a not good enough husband, now she just crossed all the lines and defined him as a bad one.

"Tommy," she whispered, "nothing in this world would make me leave you, you won't get rid of me so easily,"

"Nothing?"

"Nothing, not even my sleep craving body,"

Tommy nodded, humorlessly chuckling, he stood up and took the car's keys from his pocket, "Let's go then,"

"I came with my own car,"

"I'll tell the driver to bring it home tomorrow, c'mon,"

As Tommy made the way to his car, she followed after him. It took a few minutes until they got on the road.

Tommy drove slowly, at this hour there was no one in the streets but them. The darkness of the night would have consumed the scenario if it wasn't for the car's headlights.

Despite the engine's noise, she relaxed, the car smelled of cigarettes and Tommy's cologne, it was a familiar scent and she felt safe sitting beside her husband. However, the unknown road Tommy was taking strokes an alert light in her head.

"This is not the way home," she warned.

"I know, I've thought of going somewhere else first," Tommy answered, secretly with no idea of where he was driving to, he only knew it wasn't home.

"Where?"

"You'll see when you get there,"

"I can't keep secrets from you but you can keep secrets from me?"

"It's not a secret, it's a surprise,"

"Tsk, I don't believe you set up a surprise at three in the morning,"

"Better believe,"

As the world got silent, she rested her head on his shoulder, allowing her eyes to close and her arms to wrap around his.

"You know, only this time I'll let you put your feet on the seat," Tommy spoke softly.

"Oh, such a gentleman," she took her heels off, "where are we going, Tom?" she peeked the road through her heavy eyelids.

"Right now I'm trying to find a rotary on the way home,"

"Where the fuck are we going anyway?"

"Just wait and see,"

"Go on, Tommy, quit the mystery,"

"Be patient, love."

She sighed in frustration and made herself even more comfortable in the car seat. The shakes caused by the bumpy road worked almost like motherly lulling.

Tommy's plan went exactly like he expected, his wife fell into deep slumber, this time without the need of any pills.

[gallusrostromegalus]

An AEIWAM Bit:

Kensei Muguruma has a weird phobia of Things That Flap.

He tries very hard to pretend he doesn't, but things flapping in his proximity are extremely startling and make him jittery at best, or hyperventilate and collapse. Something about the fluttering triggers a fear response, and his total inability to ask for help or admit weakness has caused this to balloon into a terrible reactivity to almost anything with flapping wings.

Kensei was was very excited to move back into his digs in the Ninth. So excited that to no longer be living in crummy living world apartments that he has all his stuff moved in an unpacked before Shuuhei and Mashiro had actually gotten out of the hospital after the battle of Fake Karakura. It was the middle of winter, so all the division windows were closed and he didn't really look around outside.

… but the first warm-ish day in February he opened up the windows for some fresh air and screamed when he was suddenly barraged by several dozen songbirds into swooping his office looking for snacks, then becomes howlingly enraged when he realized there's easily a hundred different types of birdfeeder on the wall outside his office that Shuuhei has been dutifully filling in Tousen's Absence.

---

Kaname, over in the 12th: "Why do I feel like I've forgotten something important?"

---

Eight minutes later in the public groupchat:

KMuguruma: @KTousen WHY DO YOU HAVE SO MANY DUCKING BIRD FEEDERS???? KMuguruma:*FUCKING NOT DUCKING GOD HELP ME IF A DUCK FLIES IN HERE KTousen: ah. KTousen: @JUkitake got me into birdwatching in your absence. KMuguruma: BIRDWATCHING??? KTousen: Well, more like bird listening in my case. KMuguruma: WHO NEEDS A HUNDRED BIRDFEEDERS FOR BIRDWATCHING I THOUGHT YOU DID THAT SHIT IN THE WOODS?? KTousen: @JUkitake then got me a new type of bird feeder, bath or house for every subsequent holiday gift exchange. KTousen: It was very generous of him! KMuguruma: IF HE WANTS TO BE GENEROUS HE CAN COME GET THIS GODDAMN EAGLE OR WHATEVER OUT OF MY OFFICE. SHisagi: It's a pigeon sir. KMuguruma: IT'S HUGE AND TRYING TO KILL ME. IMadarame: @KZaraki Boss you gotta see this shit. KMuguruma: IS HE GONNA COME STAB IT?? IMadarame: lol. lmao. KMuguruma: IT'S NOT FUNNY!!! SHisagi: It's also not going to kill you. It's a pigeon. SHisagi: The only reason I haven't caught it yet is you keep screaming and swinging the broom at it every time it lands so I can't grab it. KTousen: It's a surprisingly grounding pass time. It really helped build a connection with the natural world around me that was of great solace during The Fuckery. KTousen: Actually learning something about birds might help with your phobia. KMuguruma: I DO NOT HAVE A PHOBIA!! KMuguruma: BIRDS ARE FUCKED UP AND EVIL AND TRYING TO KILL ME. KZaraki: That's totally true actually. KMuguruma: THANK YOU. KZaraki: I'm coming to kill you specifically in my Capacity as Prince Of All Birds. KMuguruma: what KZaraki: Be there in 10. KMuguruma: no wait what do you mean "prince of all birds"? IMadarame: The Boss is the son of She Who Rules The Sky By The Mandate Of Heaven, AKA The Firebird. IMadarame: 🔥🐦‍🔥🔥 IMadarame: So he's Prince of All Birds. IMadarame: Also, technically an Eagle. KMuguruma: wtf SHisagi: Yeah actually you should get moving he's not kidding about kicking your ass. KMuguruma: WTF?? SHisagi: He takes slurs against his people very seriously. SHisagi: also, if you leave I actually have a shot of catching this pigeon. KTousen: I'll send @MKuna over tomorrow to collect everything. @SHisagi if you can help get them off the wall? SHisagi: Roger that, Captain. KMuguruma: HEY! DON'T CALL HIM CAPTAIN! I'M YOUR CAPTAIN. SHisagi: He's still *a* captain, sir. KTousen: also the bat houses on the water tower. KMuguruma: THE FUCKING WHAT HOUSES??? SHisagi:🫡 KMuguruma: WHAT DID I JUST TELL YOU?? SHisagi: With all due respect Sir, I can see @KZaraki's dust cloud approaching you really should leave before he puts a hole in the building and we have to delay publication while we fix it. KTousen: Bat houses! There's approximately 2,600 rabbit-eared bats living in the old water tower on the roof. RUnohana: They do an excellent job eating mosquitoes over the entire city! Not one case of malaria or dengue fever in decades! RUnohana:💖🦇💖 🚫🦟🚫 KMuguruma: WTF WTF WTF???? SHisagi: @NinthDivision: CODE ORANGE, EVACUATE THE BUILDING AND PREPARE FOR A ZARAKI EVENT. KMuguruma: WTF WHY DOES HE HAVE HIS OWN DISASTER CLASSIFICATION??? SHisagi: You are about to find out! Godspeed Captain, I am evacuating the building. GSYamamoto: 😎👍 RUnohana: Just like the Good Old Days, Sir? GSYamamoto: Just so! SHisagi: I have caught and safely evacuated the pigeon! IMadarame:🥳🙌🙌🙌🥳 KMuguruma: WHY DID I COME BACK HERE???

[verycoolusername1]

At Home With Nobody To Hold

Summary: You're missing your boyfriend during the holidays, unaware you're about to get the best present ever.

Track 5 of fruitcake - is it new years yet?

A/N: Gave family members some names(Nora, Ray, Sara, Ava, etc) definitely not from any DC show... *sigh* I miss legends

And I'm so jealous rn I need a bf like this now!!! This one shot is so cute got my giggling and everything-

I also was gonna have a comedic ending, but this ending is too cute that I just couldn't do it(but there is a jack hughes reference that I could not write without laughing)

You sipped on your soda for what felt like the five hundredth time. You were on the balcony trying to ignore your grandmother's questions about grandchildren. The holidays sucked... but then again, you wouldn't have met your boyfriend Ethan if you hadn't gone to the Christmas party before break two years ago.

It sucks being so far away from him for a week, but you two had regular calls now and then. You just wished you could be with him right now.

Your cousin Nora opened the screen door and joined you outside.

"Oh god, you look like a mess." She chuckles. "Missing the boyfriend?"

"Missing the boyfriend." You confirmed with a sigh. "I thought I would be fine with it, but here we are."

Nora nodded to your words. "Yeah, long distance is a bitch but you'll live. You two been through this sort of stuff before."

"I hope so." You mutter under your breath.

"Dinners about to start, think you'll be able to suck it up for an hour." Nora looked at you.

You rolled your eyes. "Yeah yeah I'll be fine."

Suddenly your phone starts to ring, seemly ending the conversation there. You looked at your phone, it was Ethan.

"You guys go on without me, gotta take this." You placed your soda down and answered the phone, Nora going back in the house.

"Hey baby." Ethan's voice rang through the winter air.

"Hey. What are you doing?" You asked, fiddling with your sweater.

Ethan hums. "Oh, nothing. Just watching some Christmas movie."

You nod. "We're about to have dinner."

Ethan stayed silent for a moment. "Oh damn I called you at the wrong time then."

"No, you didn't." You laugh. "I'll always make time for you, you know that."

Ethan's heart swells at your words, a smile breaking out on his face. "Where are you again? Your moms?"

"No, I'm at my grandma's house. She keeps asking me about you and... grandkids." You explained. "Wish you were here to suffer with me."

Ethan laughed. "Yeah, I'm sure that'll be fun, watching you get all flushed."

You laughed at his words. "If anything, it's embarrassing. I mean, we aren't even out of college yet."

Ethan lets out a sigh. "Yeah, just a couple more months. Then we can finally move in together just like we always wanted."

"Yeah, in jersey." You groaned. "I love you and all, but I didn't know there were even cities in New Jersey. And the apartments... they... actually look nice."

Ethan laughed loudly over the phone. "You did not just say that."

"Well I've never been to New Jersey before!" You argued.

I'm so telling Luke about this." Ethan mutters.

"You aren't telling him anything." You hiss.

"Texting him as we speak." His voice was stern.

You looked back to the kitchen to see your family sitting happily and chatting. You start to imagine Ethan sitting next to your dad, laughing at whatever joke he said or him talking to your niece, agreeing with her on anything and everything. It made your heart break slightly.

There was shuffling on Ethan's end as he heard your sniffle.

"Hey babe you okay?" He asked.

"Yeah, yeah, just the cold." You answered.

"You should get inside then, get warmed up." Ethan noted.

"Yeah, I should." There was more shuffling on Ethan's end. "What are you doing?"

"Just getting in the car, quick stop to the store." He answered like it was obvious.

"Is it freezing there in Canada?" You asked.

"Uh, not really, which is surprising." Ethan joked.

You went back inside and sat on the couch, suddenly there was a doorbell at the door.

"Maybe you should get that." Ethan said.

"Right cause I'm the only one that isn't occupied with food in their mouth." You chuckled. "Be right back."

You got up and headed towards the door, expecting trade marketers. You unlocked the door, and your jaw dropped.

"Ethan? Ethan! What-what are you doing here? I thought you were with your family."

"You needed me more." He looked down at you as he kissed your forehead.

"Y/N, who's at the door?" Your grandmother, Sara appeared in the doorway. "And who is this fine young man?"

Your face flushed as you cleared your throat as you came up with a reply, Ethan coming up with one before you did.

"Oh, my name's Ethan." He introduced himself. "I'm Y/N's boyfriend."

"Ethan?" Your dad, Ray appeared. "Oh come on over here."

Ethan chuckled as he gave your dad a hug.

"Looks like you won't be grumpy this holiday after all." Nora joked, to which you scoffed at.

Ethan made his way back to you. "I forget something." His hands resting on your waist.

Ethan grinned at your confused face and leaned in and kissed you passionately, ignoring the cheers from your grandmother. He broke the kiss and rested his forehead against yours for a moment.

"I love you." He mumbles seemly lost in your eyes.

Your hand caresses his cheek. "I love you too."

[thezombieprostitute]

Christmas Grump

Summary: Walter has hated the holidays for many years, much to your chagrin. But this year you've got an idea to soften him towards Christmas.

A/N: Written for @the-slumberparty's December Daze Challenge.

Prompt: you hate the holidays and i love them.

Warnings: None. Please let me know if I missed any!

Walter has been on the force for long enough that he knows to expect the worst around the holidays. Good will towards mankind? Bah, humbug. He knows better. Christmas time is when the worst of the worst comes to the surface and he hates every moment of it.

You've been determined to temper his grumpiness at the holidays pretty much since the day you met, back when his beard barely had any greys to it. Unfortunately, Walter was just about as stubborn as you.

At the very least Walter didn't try to stop you from celebrating. You'd decorate the entire house, except for his office. And goodness knows he never complained about the extra baking you did this time of year. He could be the biggest baby about making sure he got "his share" of all the cookies and treats you made for the department. Some of his friends joked about him practicing for the role of Santa with how many cookies he would eat but he never let it get to him.

In truth, he had been warming to the Christmas holiday since you came into his life, but it was hard for him to still appreciate the moments in comparison to the years of holiday trauma he'd seen. It was actually one of the reasons he insisted on going shopping with you during this time of year. He could see your joy at the lights, the gift ideas, the cutesy holiday paraphernalia and he could keep you safe. More times than you knew he'd silently warned off someone who looked like trouble just by glaring at them. As much as he wished you'd pay better attention to your surroundings, he was very grateful you didn't see the world like he did.

Meanwhile you appreciated that he would go shopping with you because he could carry the heavy stuff and it gave you access to his big truck!

"You're sticking with me, right, big guy?"

Walter rolls his eyes, "in spite of my better judgment, yes."

You chuckle and playfully slap his arm, "such a grumpy old man!"

"I'm not that old."

"How old is Faye again?"

"Too old," Walter shakes his head. His daughter was attending college already and Walter was suddenly feeling his age.

You kiss his bearded cheek to distract him. "Well I, for one, think you've aged like fine wine. You're even more handsome than when we first met."

He snorts in disbelief, but lets himself smile at the compliment.

You're almost done with your shopping list. They didn't have the canned mandarin oranges for the cranberry relish, but you can do quick checks for them until it's time to start the cooking. Maybe they'll have the snack cups of them in stock if you run low on time.

Looking at the remaining few items on your list you stop to hype up Walter. "Okay, Walter, we're about to go into the toys section." He groans. "Hey, hey, hey, we're going to get through this. It'll be okay! We're just gonna get in, get a bunch of stuff for the toy drives, and get out. Right?"

"Right," he sighs.

"That was weak sauce, Walter! You can do better!" You cheer him on with a playful punch to the arm.

"Right," he repeats, more firmly.

"That's better! Let's do this! You keep close to me and watch my signals for when to stop, when to turn and when to get the hell out."

"Right!" he high fives you before you lead him into the overcrowded toy section.

Walter is on high alert. He's seen what happens when two or more parents fight over the latest popular toy.

You signal a few turns, wasting no time in grabbing some items specifically requested by the people running the toy drives. The bulk of toys donated were for kids between the ages of 3 and 11 so you made sure to go for the toys outside of those age ranges. Some baby chew toys, infant mirrors, board books and the like for the youngest ones. Sports equipment, sketch books, makeup kits and the like for the older ones.

Walter was helping you get some hockey sticks into the over-packed cart when you were both interrupted by a cry of "SANTA!" Suddenly Walter feels a weight around his leg and, as he looks down, he sees a toddler holding onto him like a baby koala.

"Hello," he says to the toddler. "Can I help you with something?"

The toddler looks up, eyes wide with wonder. "I got wost. Mama says 'no talk to stwangers' but you Santa! You can he'p me!"

Walter's eyes immediately soften and he effortlessly picks up the kid. "Are you here at the store with your Mama?" They nod their head yes. "Can you tell me what she looks like?"

"She's pwetty," they answer.

"I'm sure she is," Walter says with a smile. He turns to you, "do you think you can get to the customer service? Ask them to send out an APB, or whatever they do, for a parent missing their child?" You nod and get moving, hearing Walter say, "how about I put you on my shoulders and you can look for her?"

It takes you a few minutes but you're finally able to find an associate to help out. They send out a notice over their walkie-talkies and you take them back to where you left Walter. You have to fight the urge to coo when you see the large, grey-haired, bearded man with a toddler on his shoulders. You and the associate show up just as the toddler starts pointing and yelling "Mama!"

It takes a bit to calm down both Mama and toddler. Your heart swells to see Walter in his element, taking care of others. It's one of the reasons you fell so hard for him. He is a very kind, caring person who genuinely wants to help others. But he needs someone who can take care of him so he can keep going. You're happy to be that person.

As they little family goes off, the toddler waves, "bye Santa! T'ank you!"

Walter's smile widens and you can't resist, "so when can I start calling you 'Santa'?"

He gives you a stern look. "Never."

"I dunno, I think that kid was on to something," you tease.

"No."

"I mean, the beard, the big build, getting toys for kids..."

Walter grabs you and growls into your ear, "be careful you don't end up on the naughty list."

"I wouldn't mind sitting on your lap," you giggle. He takes a breath and you can feel his body stiffen at the mental images. "But, first, we gotta finish shopping. Let's go, Santa!" you playfully yell as you break free and get back to the cart.

You keep laughing as Walter gives you a look that promises a delightful punishment for your behavior.

Tagging:

@alicedopey; @changenameno; @delicatebarness; @icefrozendeadlyqueen; @irishhappiness;

@kingliam2019; @lokislady82; @peyton-warren; @ronearoundblindly

[simpjaes]

speaking of hoon edging himself for days when you're not available, can you write a quick prompt about how he'd fill up and overflow all your holes when you get back. fuck, he'd be the type to go for ages even after you're all fucked out and overstimulated

reminder that I don't do requests but since you asked for a prompt, i'll write a lil somethin' somethin'.

christmas setting woohoo!

warnings: major edging, a billion orgasms, reader is smaller than him and can be lifted and held up.

wc: 1.4k

Sunghoon, your busy, busy boyfriend. Sunghoon, you're amazingly sweet, loving, and careful boyfriend. Sunghoon, your very, very horny boyfriend.

Honestly, he hates himself every time he does it. Sometimes it's intentional, but this time it wasn't entirely his fault.

It's the first time since you started dating him that you had to go home for a week during the holidays. Which is fine, you've only been dating him since the beginning of the year and it was somewhat expected that you wouldn't be spending christmas with him and him alone. After all, you expected him to go home too.

And he did, which arguably makes his situation worse.

Sunghoon, your needy, pathetic, and annoyed boyfriend.

What's worse is that edging is one thing, but this is just blatant torture. He thought it would be fun to be long-distance for a week. He wanted phone sex, he wanted to see you fuck yourself on camera for him, he wanted you to show him how much you missed him. And that's ultimately where he fucked up.

Because you can barely even respond to his text messages let alone call him for phone sex. Due to sharing a room with your cousin, due to constantly helping your family out with holiday preparations, due to-- doing stuff that doesn't involve helping him out.

You're entirely being distracted from him right now. Family, holiday tradition, and merry joy or whatever.

And you know, it wouldn't be that big of a deal if it weren't for the fact that his libido is far too high to have a girlfriend not on him every night. And by every night, it's really every night.

He's supposed to be distracted, though, with being home too and all. But he's entirely tuned into the fact that he's been so fucking hard since the day after you left. It's almost painful now, especially because something inside of him drives him to enjoy this torture. To try and hold off for the day you both eventually land back in the same city, and he can fuck all of this frustration out of himself and into you.

Plus, um, it's kind of hard to jerk off in his family home surrounded by said family. If anything, he should not be as horny as he is. He should be entirely turned off, and entirely tuned in to wrapping gifts and pretending santa is real.

Which, again, isn't working because with each day that passes, all he can think about is you and how you looked the last night you were together, all pretty with your lashes fluttering up at him. Pretty face, pretty mouth, pretty pussy.

Man, he's gonna fucking explode before this week is up.

・・・・・・・・・・・・・・

Safe to say, Sunghoon did not explode.

But upon looking at him when he storms into your dorm room? He seems pretty fucking close to it. He looks sleepy, spent, and even exhausted.

You were half ready to offer your bed up for a nice little afternoon nap before he came up to you and immediately had his hand down your loose pajama shorts.

"Hoon?" You ask with a light chuckle.

"You couldn't even call me." He very nearly whined, which is kiiind of new to you.

Then it clicks. Right. Your boyfriend and his libido. His sex drive.

Oh my god, he must have been suffering.

"I'm so hard right now," He chokes out, rubbing himself against your thigh. "I've been so hard all week, babe, please."

And he doesn't really need to ask, but it's kind of cute that he does.

"Why didn't you take care of it?" You ask playfully, feeling his frantic fingers work you up so that you're ready to take whatever nightmare amount of cum he needs to give to you.

"Why didn't you take care of it?" He counters, fingers stopping for a moment before he shifts entirely, pulling his hand out of your pants and immediately shoving you back and against the small dorm kitchen counter.

You chuckle, because of course you do. You'll never get used to being needed or wanted so badly by someone, and it fills you with so much joy that he's really this desperate.

"I should maybe leave more often," You smile at him when he's slipping your pants off of you, hiking one of your legs up and against his waist before fumbling with his own pants. "Never seen you this horny--"

He shuts you up fast, your voice only working him up more and more with your stupid, stupid playful words. You're loving this, you must loooove to see him fucking suffer over you.

And then, the only sound that you can hear is the ringing in your ears as he plunges himself into you. Cock already hard and wet, pulsing with the need to fuck something. You, specifically.

It's like neither of you could speak if you wanted to, with his consistent groans and relieved sighs of feeling your pussy squeeze him like he missed so much.

"Missed you, fuck-" He manages to choke out, already nearing the point of orgasm before it slams into him without warning.

It's the first time he's ever come so fast, barely a full ten strokes into you before it happened, but you love it all the same. It felt somehow better than usual. After all, he could go for an hour or more when his sexual appetite is fed nearly every night by you.

Arguably, he appears to be able to go an hour or more now too, as your face falls into that of shock that his orgasm doesn't render him flaccid or spent.

He paused through his first orgasm, feeling it run through his body in a numbing way, only to immediately fuck up and into you harder once it's subsided. He knows he has more to give, so, so much more. A weeks worth of fucking you will be had now.

And man, you feel every inch of him, deeper and deeper until somehow he feels bigger than usual. Somehow he's splitting you open better than he ever has, and he's filling you up with orgasms that have never once lasted as long as the ones he's shaking through now.

A second orgasm comes in the form of him wrapping your other leg around his waist too, where he's essentially holding you up and against the counter absolutely railing your pussy until his legs nearly buckle.

And well, they do buckle. He's careful though, maintaining his balance before tapping your legs without a word and immediately pushing you to the floor. You stared in awe at how his cock is still working through the two orgasms, despite his brain clearly having gone blank the moment he said he missed you.

There, you give him a third orgasm with your throat. It took a little longer, and it only happened when he let it. Holding your head in place with both hands, fucking his hips into you just to feel your throat constrict and strangle his pathetic and still needy cock. You hear his brain start working again through this, and the only words he can mutter is, "it's like you're doing this on purpose, god, look at how you take it."

You take all of it and you taste all of it, again and again as he stumbled in front of you, angling his hips into your mouth to push it deeper, just to come to the point that you're choking. You wish you could have seen the way he chewed against his bottom lip and threw his head back as it happened.

You're so good to him though, letting him take it out on you like this. So, so good to him.

And it didn't stop. For hours he fucked himself into every part of you that you'd allow, offering you several orgasms in turn from sheer force and need alone. He didn't really even try, because for the first time with you, he was solely desperate to focus on himself. To empty his body of this buildup, and to fill you up with how frustrated he's managed to become.

By the next morning, you weren't the only one rendered unable to walk. His own legs felt weak, his head hurt, his eyes were strained at the morning light. But when he looked at you, smiling as if you really would leave more often just to have him lose his goddamn mind like that again, he immediately scolds.

"Why are you smiling like you're gonna do this shit to me again?"

And you'd just smile wider.

"Because I definitely will."

He rolls his strained eyes at you, thinking hard about the fact that as much as he hates not fucking you, he might kind of love the way you make it up to him.

[jess-the-vampire]

Happy Arborgeist Day/ Hurl'ullack!

Checked out the storyboard for another deleted s1 episode "No Tree Left Behind"

You can read it here:

An episode about boiling isles holidays and traditions? interlaced with eda and lilith's sister drama? This one was actually pretty interesting, and got me even a little sad, despite it absolutely being non canon now.

Thoughts on the cut episode below:

Honestly this board really serves to remind me we didn't get to know a ton about the actual culture of the Boiling isles, like we kinda get to know the stuff witches do on the isles, what they eat, and the everyday stuff they get into....but not so much about it's culture. You can kinda chalk that up to belos a little but this boarded episode was basically about keeping tradition and making new memories, even in spite of change, so it more or less feels like the crew either didn't have time for this or had other things to focus on.

So the culture of the island is a lot more in the background in the actual series as it keeps it's focus more on the characters dealing with their personal issues and with the conflict at hand.

Speaking of which, despite belos being the bad guy for his hatred and fear of witches, can't deny....the culture of the isles is quite disturbing at times that i can understand that not all humans are gonna have luz's extreme acceptance. Like king's holiday is primarily the celebration of demon overlords and is very casual about maiming others to present to the deity when talking about it. If the isles was a real place i think most humans would be a bit disturbed.

Anyways, king's part of the episode, while funny at times, is the least interesting of the two, the real emotional core is the A plot with eda and luz.

(I did think the scene with willow and gus was fun tho)

There is one scene where i think another demon calls king insensitive for putting the wrong bloodthirsty battle painting of demon history on display and king being like "Tomatoes, tomatoes, it's all the same and not a big deal", and the guy gets SUPER offended and i don't know how to take this scene.

Eda is such a menace during the holidays my god

Luz trying to tell Eda it's ok if her celebration tree is gone because she and her mama celebrated all holidays even if it wasn't on the correct day, and it was more about family in the end then the tree itself.

Only for it to be revealed this tree meant so much to eda because it reminded her of the days she and her sister got along is actually pretty heartbreaking.

Even Lilith, who, despite threatening luz's life to get her way, still has a moment of sadness for the fallen tree you can really feel from the panels. It's really good.

We get some moments for both the construction coven and the plant coven, though the construction coven acts more like.....an actual construction team.

The plant coven members being old guys had some fun jokes tho, think it's cute one wanted to intern willow at the end.

Also kiki cameo.

I know this is a canned episode, but i'm a bit glad we don't have an episode where some of the jokes are about eda telling luz their holiday traditions involve them all being naked and dancing around a tree, this....would of been taken a weird way.

also witches might be able to remove their SKIN??????!!!!

Also this board just remined me how inconvenient it really is that the coven guards don't have palisman, like eda just.....easily flies away from them and they can't catch up to her. Like this is an incredibly bad security system if your trained guards can't even fly up and chase after criminals, like my god.

One reason for sure you know this is basically non canon is apparently the tree in question, the Arborgeist. Is the tree that eda made her staff from, and there's only 10 of these on the entire isles that i assume supply all the palisman.

Basically, these were the proto palistrom trees.

I can kinda see why this was changed, like even if we take it that belos is cutting them down for his palisman eating, this would just raise the question why he's doing it NOW of all times. But on top of that, these rare trees that apparently only show up once per generation all being cut down at once feels like the kinda thing that would REALLY tick off the isles, especially if all palisman are being supplied by it.

Having the trees just be a normal thing that was depleting due to his consumption makes both him seem less suspicious, and the witches seem less dumb for just being....ok that they're not going to make staffs anymore.

It's implied they don't protest mostly out of fear, but still.

Also belos's, i assume fake, reasoning for chopping down the trees is apparently "We can't have you people celebrating non-coven holidays" and it's just, it's so petty.

granted, it's much more meaningful to actually SEE the tree being cut then having it be stated offscreen like in the show. Like even the resolution to this episode, as in, finding a sapling they plant, is still an offscreen thing in the final series. Where they just talk about replanting trees.

And of course, we gotta have a dance party ending, tho i do think the last scene tying back to the tale eda told about the holiday is very cute.

So it seems a lot of elements of this episode were more split between multiple episodes.

Still, a pretty decent episode, moreso for the main plot but the boards do great at really making you feel for eda and lilith despite it not even being animated.

[verstappenf1lecccc]

Hey p here!! 👋🏻👋🏻 Merry Christmas (belated😅) and Happy New Year!!!! Miss you. I'm gonna quit my rambling now🤭

Could you do Toto Wolff with wife reader with their son, Jack celebrating Christmas together. Busying themselves during the winter break after all year of hard working and traveling around. Finding presents for each other, spending time with families and friends. Just fun stuff. Suggestive, fluff. Ask me anything you want to. Up to you. Thanks!!! :))

With prompts : "Don't act like you don't like it." & "You'd make a cute elf."

Here's a link to the pics of this story based. They're so cute!! 🥺 https://www.tumblr.com/f1archives/771048027944337408/toto-susie-wolff-at-christmas-via-susies?source=share

Credit to @f1archives

Love you❤️❤️

hii p heheh missed ya loads!! hope you like this

Last Christmas I Gave You My Heart

The Wolff family home is bathed in the soft, golden glow of Christmas lights. Outside, a blanket of snow covers the ground, and the air is crisp, filled with the scent of pine and wood smoke from the fireplace. Inside, the warmth of the fire flickers and crackles, the room a cozy sanctuary from the cold. The Christmas tree sparkles with twinkling lights, carefully hung ornaments, and a star perched proudly at the top.

You, Toto, and little Jack are fully immersed in the Christmas spirit. Jack, brimming with excitement, runs through the house, eagerly pulling you and Toto into the holiday fun.

“Mom, Dad! Can we decorate the tree now?” Jack’s voice rings out from the living room, his little hands clasped together in excitement. His eyes gleam with the energy only a child at Christmas can have.

Toto chuckles as he scoops Jack up into his arms, his strong arms cradling him with ease. “Of course, we can’t leave the tree looking bare now, can we?” he teases, his eyes twinkling with playful mischief.

You watch them with a smile, your heart swelling as you see Toto—always so serious in his professional life—become a playful, doting father. You know how hard he works, how many miles he travels, but moments like these, when he’s home with his family, are what ground him.

“I’m going to make this tree the best one ever!” Jack exclaims, his little voice full of determination as he runs to the ornaments. You and Toto follow behind him, laughing at his boundless enthusiasm.

As you move toward the tree, Toto walks up beside you, his arm casually brushing against yours. “I love how excited he gets for Christmas,” he murmurs softly, his voice low and full of affection. “And I love sharing this with you.”

You glance up at him, your heart fluttering slightly. “I love it too. It’s perfect,” you reply, your voice sincere.

Toto leans in just a little closer, his lips brushing your ear as he whispers, “You’re the perfect part of my Christmas.” His breath is warm against your skin, and you can’t help but feel the pull of his closeness. You try to concentrate on the ornaments, but his words linger in your mind, sending a flutter through your chest.

You reach for a delicate glass ornament, but before you can place it on the tree, Toto’s hand gently wraps around your wrist. His touch is gentle but firm, and you can’t help but shiver at the way his fingers brush against your skin. His voice drops to a low, teasing tone. “You’d make a beautiful elf, you know,” he murmurs, his eyes twinkling with mischief. “I’d love to see you all dressed up with a little outfit, all wrapped in ribbons and bows.”

You raise an eyebrow, your lips curling into a playful smile. “Oh? You think I could pull that off?” you ask, teasing him right back. “And what would you do with your elf once you caught her?”

Toto chuckles, the sound low and rich, sending a pleasant warmth through you. “I’d spoil her,” he replies with a wink, his hand sliding to your lower back, pulling you in just a little closer.

“Give her everything she wants.”

You lean in, just enough to make his heart race, but before either of you can take the teasing further, Jack calls out, “Mom! Dad! The star! The star! We need to put it on top!”

You both break into laughter, but Toto’s hand stays on your back, a quiet, intimate connection between you as you both move to place the star at the top of the tree. The soft click of the ornament in place feels like the perfect conclusion to the decorating. But the moment isn’t over. Toto leans in once more, his lips grazing your ear as he whispers with a playful grin, “Just wait, I’m not done with you yet.”

You glance at him, a teasing glint in your eyes. “I don’t think Santa’s going to approve of your behavior, Troger”.

He laughs softly, brushing a strand of hair away from your face. “Santa can mind his business,” he says with a wink, his voice laced with playful heat. “I’ve been very good this year… as long as you’ve been good, too.”

You smile up at him, your fingers lightly tracing the edge of his jawline. “I’ve been good,” you tease, stepping closer to him until the distance between you is almost nonexistent. The warmth of his body radiates against yours, and you feel the gentle hum of affection between you both.

Before anything else can happen, Jack bounds back into the room, interrupting your moment. “Mom! Dad! It’s cookie time!” he exclaims, eyes wide with excitement as he drags a tray of freshly baked cookies into the room.

Toto chuckles, his hand on your back once more as he watches Jack’s enthusiasm. “Looks like we’re going to need all the energy we can get if we’re going to finish celebrating this Christmas,” he says, his voice playful, as he helps Jack set the cookies down on the table.

You grin, slipping your hand into Toto’s as the three of you enjoy the sweet treats together. You feel the warmth of the moment, the closeness, and the joy of spending time as a family. The love you share is palpable, a soft, steady rhythm that feels like everything you’ve ever wanted.

The night continues to wind down in the Wolff household, the soft glow of the Christmas tree illuminating the room as the fire crackles in the hearth. The house is quiet now, the only sound the occasional snap from the flames and the soft hum of the holiday music playing in the background.

Toto’s hand is gently resting on your shoulder, his thumb brushing small, soothing circles across your skin as you sit together on the couch. You’re tucked close into his side, your head resting on his chest, the steady beat of his heart comforting and steady. Every now and then, you glance up at him, catching the soft, affectionate look in his eyes as he watches you, his gaze warm and full of love.

The night feels perfect. Jack’s already asleep in his room, his soft breaths barely audible from the hallway. The house feels peaceful, calm—filled with the kind of love that can only come from the warmth of family. This year had been a whirlwind, but in moments like these, surrounded by the people who mean everything to you, all the chaos of the outside world fades away.

Toto leans down, his lips brushing against your forehead in a gentle kiss. “I meant what I said,” he murmurs softly. “This… this Christmas with you and Jack… it’s everything I could have ever hoped for.”

You smile up at him, your heart swelling with affection. “I feel the same way,” you reply quietly. “This is exactly where I want to be.”

Toto’s eyes soften, his hand lifting to gently cup your face, his thumb brushing across your cheek. His gaze moves from your eyes to your lips, and there’s an undeniable pull between you both. The warmth of the room, the quiet intimacy, it all builds up to this moment.

“You make my world better,” he whispers, his voice low and husky. “You and Jack… you both make everything worth it.”

You close your eyes for a moment, the depth of his words sinking in, before opening them again to meet his gaze. “And you make everything feel safe,” you respond softly. “Even on the hardest days.”

Toto leans in, his lips brushing gently against yours in a tender kiss that speaks of everything you’ve shared and all the moments still to come. The kiss is slow and lingering, sweet with the promise of many more quiet nights like this, full of love and shared dreams. When you pull away, both of you are smiling softly, the connection between you deepening with each passing second.

“Do you know what else I love about Christmas?” Toto asks, his voice playful but sincere.

You raise an eyebrow, a smile tugging at your lips. “What’s that?”

He leans closer, his lips hovering near your ear as he whispers, “The way you make everything feel like magic.” His breath is warm against your skin, sending a soft shiver through you. “You have this way of turning ordinary moments into something special.”

You chuckle softly, your fingers tracing his jawline. “I think you’re the one who makes everything magical,” you reply, your voice full of affection. “You and your teasing.”

Toto grins, his hand sliding down to your waist, pulling you closer as he gives you that charming smile you’ve always loved. “Well, I’ll keep teasing you then, if it means I get to see that beautiful smile on your face,” he says, his voice low and filled with adoration.

You can’t help but laugh, your hand resting on his chest. “You’ve certainly got your work cut out for you, Mr. Wolff,” you tease, though the affection in your voice makes it clear you wouldn’t have it any other way.

The two of you sit in comfortable silence for a while, just enjoying the presence of each other. The fire crackles, and the Christmas tree sparkles in the background, casting soft reflections on the walls.

Eventually, you rise from the couch, holding your hand out to Toto. “Come on,” you say softly,

“Let’s go check on Jack. Make sure he’s really asleep.”

Toto chuckles, standing up and taking your hand. As you both walk down the hallway to Jack’s room, the peace of the night wraps around you both like a blanket. The soft glow from the hallway light spills into Jack’s room, where you both peer inside to find him tucked in tight, his little hands clutching his favorite teddy bear.

You smile down at him, feeling a sense of deep gratitude and contentment wash over you. “He’s perfect,” you whisper, your heart full as you watch him sleep.

Toto stands behind you, his hand resting on your shoulder. “So are you,” he says softly, his voice filled with warmth. “You make everything feel perfect.”

You turn around to face him, your eyes meeting his once more. In that moment, with the quiet hum of the world around you, you know that this is exactly where you’re meant to be—surrounded by love, laughter, and the warmth of family.

You lean in, pressing a soft kiss to his lips. “Merry Christmas, Toto,” you whisper against his mouth, the words full of meaning and affection.

“Merry Christmas, love,” he replies, his voice tender as his arms wrap around you once more, pulling you close.

As you stand there, in his arms, you feel everything—how much you’ve both given to each other, the life you’ve built together, and the future still to come. The world outside may be cold, but inside, there’s nothing but warmth, love, and the soft promise of many more Christmases spent like this—together, with your little family.

[mysteryshoptls]

Happy Winter Holiday Gift Calendar 2023

These are all the messages that you get from the boys when you log in during the Winter Holiday Campaign from 09 Dec 2023 to 31 Dec 2023! For those that want to read them again, you can find them in the Album, under GIFT CALENDAR 2023.

"How will you be spending the day?"

HEARTSLABYUL

Riddle

I think I will go to the library today. There were someone's scribbles all over the book I borrowed yesterday, you see. It disrupts my focus, so I plan to find a replacement book. Seriously... It's a terrible crime to deface a book like this.

Ace

Today? Well, it's snowing outside, and I got no club practice, so maybe I'll check out on my streaming service a movie or show that catches my eye. I can stay warm and cozy in my room, all while munching on some snacks. Don'tcha think we deserve lazy days like this sometimes?

Deuce

I'm going to try to finish the assignments I got today, before the day ends. That's what an honor student should do, right? But... The first question is already a tough prac app question...? Right! Just gotta hunker down and get down to it!

Cater

Maybe I'll surf Magicam for some 'cammable spots that're only available in the winter. Stuff like diamond dust, or hotels made from ice... Knowin' they're only limited to the season really gets me psyched up!

Trey

It's pretty cold every day now, so I think I'll stock up on lemonade-ginger syrup. It'll warm you right up if you drink some. What, according to the Queen of Hearts' Laws, we can't have lemonade after 8 o'clock? Well, this has ginger in it, so it's a completely different drink, isn't it?

SAVANACLAW

Leona

No plans worth mentioning. What, not what you were expecting? Well, too bad. The campus is completely covered in snow, so the best thing for me to do is just to get back to my dorm room and relax while solving some chess problems.

Jack

The track team has practice today. But since it's supposed to snow in the afternoon, it may just end up being indoor training. It takes a while or the body to get limber in the winter. That means we need to extra thorough in our warming up exercises.

Ruggie

Obviously, I'm gonna be workin'! Today, I'm at a cake shop, and tomorrow I'm waitin' tables at a restaurant... The holidays are coming up, so 'tis the season for a ton of high-payin' temp jobs to fill my pockets, too! Shishishi!

OCTAVINELLE

Azul

As always, I will be awaiting everyone's visit to the Mostro Lounge. On a cold day such as this, we usually receive orders for dishes that are more common in the winter season. I'm sure today will be a rather busy day.

Jade

I thought perhaps I would make a herbarium. The atmosphere this time of year tends to be dry, so it is the perfect opportunity. How would you like to join me? No need to worry, I will show you how everything is done.

Floyd

Yesterday I saw someone wearing these boots lined with fur, and it looked kinda fascinating, so I thought I'd try to find some in town. I wonder if it's hard to walk in? If I find a good pair, I think I'll buy 'em and try 'em out.

SCARABIA

Kalim

Today, we have travelling salesmen from the Scalding Sands coming. I'm planning on buying a ton of stuff for the holidays! It's so exciting to think about what kind of treasure I might find! You should bring some friends over and check it out, too.

Jamil

There's no club activities today, so I plan to look into a few things. My family will be going on a trip over the holidays, you see. Tourist attractions, climate, local cuisine, souvenirs... Never a bad idea to gather too much information, don't you think?

POMEFIORE

Vil

I intend on picking up the spring coat I had on order. I'll also look for accessories that go with it while I'm out. Hm? It's too early to think about spring attire? If I wait to prepare everything for after it starts to get warmer, then I'll completely miss out on the season.

Epel

Snow's piling up again today, so I'm plannin' on clearing the magical shift field with the rest of my clubmates. Didn't bother me none, but the other guys were all dog-tired... Pathetic, ain't they?

Rook

I plan to check on the houseplants we are cultivating in the Science Club. Fufu, I wonder what sort of expressions they'll have today? I do hope there'll be some changes from yesterday that I'll get to enjoy.

IGNIHYDE

Idia

Obvi, just been hyperfixating on my online games, like always... Rather, why would you think I'd go out in cold weather like this in the first place? I recently overhauled the internet speed in the dorm, so it's crazy fast now lol. Gonna actually pull an all-nighter, it's been a while!

Ortho

It'll probably be a game day with my roommates, since the new game that I ordered online arrived. Physical games might take up more space, but I just can't help but want to actually collect my favorite games, y'know?

DIASOMNIA

Malleus

It's chilly today. The best thing to possibly do on days like this is to warm my room and enjoy some frozen treats. Perhaps I'll invite Lilia and the others later. Fufu... I suppose it's not a bad thing to be the one making preparations for them once in a while.

Silver

I will be practicing my swordsmanship with Father after this. I thought I would finish up my assignments beforehand, but... Before I realized it, I had fallen asleep and my notepad was completely blank. What should I do...?

Sebek

I plan to read the book I ordered from the Mystery Shop the other day. It's a book that I've been eagerly awaiting. Grandfather was the one to recommend it to me, so I must read it over and over again and tell him my thoughts on it!

Lilia

We have band practice today. However... When it gets cold like this, my fingers get numb and hard to move. Hm? Naah, I already have the songs memorized. It's really only about staying in rhythm with the other members!

OTHERS

Grim

Brrr, it's cold～! Hey, henchie! Today we're gonna stay cozy under that "ＫＯＴＡＴＳＵ" thingie. We'll have some snacks and play some games together... Myaha! Today's totally gonna be a blast!

Requested by Anonymous.

[phoebe-delia]

My Drarries during Hanukkah

My lovely friend @greattemptation tagged me in the 'what your Drarries are doing for Christmas' game (GT's is here) and they've all been SO fun to read!! Tonight's the last night of Hanukkah, and Eight Drarry Nights series is finally done, so I'm gonna talk about what my Drarries are doing during Hanukkah!!

(Note: I headcanon Harry as Jewish, but not Draco, so I imagine they do Hanukkah stuff for Harry and Christmas stuff for Draco. I also think Harry does Christmas with the Weasleys and has done so basically since he was a kid.)

(Note 2: Anything Jewish-related I write is usually based on my personal experience as a Jewish person)

This will contain some minor spoilers for these fics lol.

this is me trying

Harry and Draco host a private Hanukkah party in the bakery on the first night. Harry is selling sufganiyot (jelly donuts often eaten during the holiday) during Hanukkah at half price, and he's running out every day.

They give each other gifts each night, but Harry's most excited to give Draco a first-edition copy of a Frank O'Hara poetry book. Draco's most excited to give Harry a magical tool that tells him when baked goods are perfect and ready without having to open the oven first.

Just Between Us

They're in Paris now, having left on the day after Christmas. Draco surprised Harry with the tickets and fully-planned trip on Christmas Day.

Little does Draco know, Harry's been carrying around a small, black velvet box in his pocket for a few weeks now. He's been waiting for the right moment, but he finds it when they're walking across the Pont des Arts. Draco, of course, says yes.

Just Take Me Home

Draco gets too drunk at the Ministry Employee Holiday Party, so Harry gets to take him home for once. The next morning, Harry greets Draco with a hangover potion and a smug smirk, saying, "Who's your DADDIE now?"

___

Tagging some of my loves (sorry if any of yall have done this already!) @basicallyahedgehog @kittycargo @phdmama @peachpety @pineau-noir

[writing-whump]

Sensory overload

☕️-anon wished to see how Hector and Arnie were doing in the meantime, so here we go. A bit of Arnie and Hector plus Olive and some emeto.

Arnie found Hector glaring at his phone on the couch at 7 pm.

"I don't think you can make it bend to your will that way," Arnie said as he rubbed at his eyes.

Since Sunday he had trouble sleeping for some reason, waking up at 5 or 6 am although he was never a morning person. He would turn in bed for two hours, trying to get himself back to sleep, but to no avail. It left him tired and grumpy, cause he wanted to sleep but couldn't.

To compensate, he took frequent naps during the day, like the one he just woke up from. Probably worsening the problem by not being tired enough to sleep through the next morning again.

Hector grumbled something, leaning back with his coffee only for his eyes to return to the phone screen 10 seconds later.

"Who's not answering?"

Hector scoffed, like the name wasn't worth saying out loud. Arnie kept quiet and watched him until his older brother finally caved. "Isaiah."

"Oh? It's so rare for you to message him." Arnie sat down behind the table, still disoriented from sleep.

"Yeah. And just when I do he ignores me. Isn't it weird?"

"I told you he planned some special anniversary thing with Seline on Saturday. That's why we weren't meeting. And then she likely stayed over so he had his hands full over the weekend."

"It's Tuesday," Hector protested.

"It's summer break," Arnie reminded. "More busy with free time with his pack and stuff."

"That's why I..." Hector turned his head away to scowl at the twilight behind the window.

"What was that?" Arnie gave up on the table and went to sit down next to Hector instead, grabbing his untouched coffee from his hand. "Look, you have been super busy during the holidays. You work 25 hours from 24 each day or train or claim some new territories you don't need. Isaiah can't be waiting around for you to make time for him."

Arnie didn't mean himself at all when he said it. He felt more than a little neglected by Hector's constant 'work' excuses. It was his last holiday before starting university and Hector was nowhere to be found.

Hector growled at the cup being taken out of his hand but said nothing. "That's why I wanted...never mind."

Arnie took a sip and grimaced at the taste. No sugar. "Wanted what?"

Hector bared his teeth at no one in particular. "I thought we could plan a trip, okay?! Just the three of us. I'm fed up with the city, so I thought we could do mountain climbing or some shit in nature. And when I suggest it, he doesn't respond. Asshole."

Arnie sighed. "That's really nice, Hex. I'm sure he will like it once he sees it." The younger blond leaned back on the couch. "You know how Isaiah is with the phone detox thing. He likes to take breaks from screens and being available."

"It's the girl," Hector spit out angrily. "Just when we get him back he has to have a girlfriend and a new pack to piss me off."

Arnie rolled his eyes. "We are not losing him to Seline, come on."

"Women always destroy families. Especially brothers. And wolves."

"I'm sorry, how many experiences do you have with that?" Arnie said with a snort.

"Oh, not you too!" Hector crossed his arms on his chest, sliding farther away from him on the couch.

Arnie chuckled. Delaney and Hector's other closest wolves have been bringing it up from time to time now. That Hector should be looking for a partner soon, ideally a witch to cement his position as branch leader.

Everyone knew wolves couldn't rule alone. Stability came from relationships, from functioning compatibility. A leader should have a witch to lead with, to offer to the pack, to bring them all together.

Hector, who had zero interest in dating since Arnie could remember, saw this part as particularly annoying.

"So. You gonna be in this splendid mood for the rest of the evening or we putting on something on Netflix?" Arnie yawned, putting the coffee away.

Hector got up, pacing the living room. "Can't sit still. I'll go for a run."

"You gonna leave me here alone?" Arnie pouted. Free evening and Hector was gonna spend it away again?

"You can join me," Hector said with a knowing smirk.

Arnie groaned. Hector knew he was not very keen on exercise. Being around a superhuman you could never hope to keep up and who would never let you win even knowing this was rather demotivating.

"I thought so. Enjoy wasting your life on useless Netflix shit, I'm leaving."

Arnie huffed and slid down on the sofa into a more comfortable position. Agitated Hector needed the exercise to keep his shadow calm. It was for the best.

...........

If you looked for a piece of quite in a crowded city such as Vienna, school grounds were the safest bet during summer.

It was tiring for wolves to be this surrounded by humans, noise and scenes all the time. Hector felt like the proximity of the buildings got only smaller, squeezing the air out of him.

He needed open space. Nature. Something green with a free view of the sky and the horizon.

Hector ended up back at the university campus at the bench near the ditch he found Matthew passed out not that long ago.

Of course he wanted the campus for himself now. He spend so much of his time there because of the uni that it felt like a base to him.

It was surprisingly lively on the way to the Messe, lights and people coming and going like fireflies drawn to light of the giant exhibition building. None went through the dark space around the bench though, for which Hector was grateful.

Not until his name suddenly echoed through the whole park.

Olive pushed her way through the crowd, which was quite an achievement since she was so small. "Hector! I didn't expect to see you here!"

Hector shrugged. "Just passing by." It always fascinated him how happy Olive seemed whenever she saw him. Her whole face lit up, her smoky gray eyes so big like a doe's.

"Oh." She stopped at the bunch, a cute little pout to her mouth. "So you are not coming to the expo?" When he looked perplexed, she continued, "Illusion and light play exhibition! It's just here for a few weeks."

Ah. That explained the liveliness.

Olive shuffled her feet. She wore a white button-up that hugged her slightly chubby figure, an orange-red necktie, short black hair hidden under a red beanie, and bright red shoes. Hector internally shook his head. Artists had the weirdest tastes.

"Would you...like to come too? I have been there several times, I know the best parts!"

She got excited so easily about the smallest things. If an exhibition or a nice sunset or a collection of crayons could make him so happy...then again, why not? He was not managing to stop thinking about Isaiah's unread messages and he could use a break from thoughts about his duties and goals before they started turning in circles too much.

"Whatever." He got up to his feet, which made Olive almost bounce on her feet.

"You are going to love it!" She actually grabbed his arm, dragging him forward.

Hector blinked at the contact. He wasn't sure how he felt about her being so comfortable touching him. On some level, he suspected she didn't realize he was a wolf or who he was in that world, but he couldn't bring himself to tell her. It was amusing how relaxed she was, how she treated him with such friendliness. Was that normal with girls around guys?

Besides, it made him feel all smug he managed to throw people off his scent as a wolf. Managing this degree of control to not be recognized by the energy and danger wolves emitted or the thickness and reactiveness of their shadows was a point of pride for civilized wolves.

As they got inside and he automatically paid the ridiculously small tickets for them both, he wondered if there wasn't something else. Hector liked who he was. He was proud of who he was, and he never pretended to be anything else.

He was the Executioner's younger brother. He was Vincent Wolfson's son. He was the pack leader's nephew and chosen branch leader in a city as big as Vienna, in the heart of Western and Eastern Europe. Destined to achieve something big, to take over one day. That was his aim—he wasn't secretive about it.

But with Olive he was...just a guy. A stuck-up economy student who could be too blunt at times, but that she, for some reason, found amusing.

The exhibition's theme was the universe. There were seperate rooms projecting different light plays, from infinite space to exploding suns, kinetic installations, Milky ways changing colours, labyrinths of mirrors and light sculuptures.

Olive kept dragging him around, showing him her favorite pieces and projections, flooding him with background information and cool facts he didn't have the vocabulary to understand.

His eyes were beginning to hurt. The constant onslaught of lights that were actually everything but regular, the flashing patterns and ever-changing chaotic rooms...there were no points of reference. And worse, there were so many people—smashed together in an even tighter space, like a city, but smaller.

Hector felt a dull, throbbing headache building behind his temples. It reminded him of the subway, but worse. The lights were too much, the noise was too much. The rooms were spinning and turning, blending together and then spitting him out in confusing directions.

His stomach felt unsettled, waves of queasiness coming and going. Sweat was forming on his upper lip and at the back of his neck.

"O-Olive..." he blinked and screwed his eyes shut, stopping where he was, reaching with his hand in search of something solid. A wall or a door, something that wasn't moving.

"Hector? Hey, wait, what's wrong?"

"G-..." he gulped, his stomach feeling impossibly heavy. Heat went to his face and chest, intensifying the nausea. He gagged, slapping his hand against his mouth. "Get me out-"

He couldn't see in the confusion, the hall was too dark to contrast the effect of the rooms.

"Okay, just a second." A small hand closed around his. Hector squeezed it, maybe too tightly in his disorientation, mouth overflowing with saliva. Damn, he needed to sit down. The claustrophobic feeling was back and he gagged again, splash of acid against his throat.

Her small hand and trace of scent led the way and he let her, the only familiar focus point in the chaos of people and lights hurting his eyes. He crashed against the door on the way and cursed, but the pain of something solid against his side was a relief.

"Just a couple of steps," Olive said, tugging at his arm. "Almost there, I promise."

Hector unglued himself from the door with great difficulty, one more door coming up, when finally, finally he was hit with a wall of fresh air.

He gulped down on the semi-clean night wind greedily, panting to breathe against the nauseating sensation. Almost winning the round, if his stomach didn't cramp that moment and he groaned.

"Okay, okay, let's sit you down, okay?" Both of Olive's hands were wrapped around his arm, using all her weight and strength to steer him to the side of the entrance.

He couldn't tell where the bench was or where they were going. The ground was tilting again, all wrong and his knees buckled, sending him to the ground. Olive didn't let go, going down with him.

"I guess not. Okay, let's stay here, it's fine-"

Hector gagged, the world going deaf for a second and then retched as his dinner came out with a splash against the yellowed grass. At least it wasn't the pavement, that would have splattered more.

Olive was still under his arm, pressed into his side. Her hand snaked around his shoulders, tapping gently. "Feel better?" Her eyes were so wide again, glittering with concern.

"Sorry," he rasped. His body heaved with another retch but he fought it down. "Don't know what-"

"The lights. I'm sorry, I didn't know. The movement and lights can be overwhelming for more sensitive people-"

Hector scoffed, rocking up and down in attempt to catch his bearings. Why was he always throwing up around this girl? "I'm not sensitive."

"I didn't mean it like that," she said sharply, indignant now. "I mean, prone to motion sickness or with senses like shadow wolves. You can't say they are sensitive, can you? But there is even a warning at the entrance that it isn't good for them, cause there is a higher risk of sensory overload."

"Ah. That makes sense, then." He let himself fall back to sit on the ground properly, spreading his hands out. The world was still spinning, but it was slowing down a little.

Olive let go of him, kneeling at his side. "Huh?"

"I'm a shadow wolf too, Olive." Hector focused his eyes on her, wary of her reaction. "You really had no idea."

Her mouth made a little o, looking even more winded than he was. "Oh wow."

Hector cleared his throat. "So what? Scared of me now?" He shifted away. Normally, he enjoyed people being wary of him, of respecting his power, but the idea of Olive being scared of him wasn't appealing at all.

Maybe that was also one of the reasons he was in no hurry to correct her.

A flush crept up her face. "No, I'm not! I'm..."

"I wasn't hiding it, you know?"

"Right. The turf talk, and the people always behind your back. And how sick you felt at the subway...I just didn't...I never spoke to a wolf before. What does that- what does that mean now?" She covered her mouth with both hands. "Does that mean I was breaking all the rules of interaction? I'm sorry, I didn't know-"

Hector chuckled dryly, which turned into a cough and into another small gag. "Damn it."

Olive lifted herself up on her knees, gripping his shoulder. "You still feeling icky?"

Icky? What kind of word was that? He felt comforted by her unconscious touch though. On some level, he still didn't feel like a wolf to her. "Nah, almost good." He closed his eyes for a second, breathing through the sudden heat wave, letting out a loud burp against his hand before letting it fall to his side again.

"What does that mean for me?" Olive asked in a small voice. "You are not going to kidnap me or eat me or something, right?"

Hector had to laugh again. "No. That's not in our rules either." He looked at her hand on his biceps, realizing for the umpteenth time he didn't mind her touch as much as he should have. Not at all. Somehow she had touched herself into his shadow's graces and sense of space. "You don't have to follow any rules. Not with me. I'm too high up to mind," he reassured her.

She ducked her head, and when he tried to straighten up to catch her eye, he lost his balance and flopped right onto his back.

"Oh, so high up," she said with an involuntary giggle, leaning over him. "You okay?" Her hand climbed higher on his arm all the way to the top of his shoulder. "You are so sweaty."

"And dizzy," he admitted with a grimace. His arm shot up to grab onto her hand that was touching him. "A little warning, Olive. Wolves tend to think anything they are touching is theirs. You keep doing that," his eyes rose slowly over her arm to her body, "and I might forget how to let go."

Olive blushed even more, her round cheeks furiously red. Oh, he could get used to that expression.

Part 2

[missasahina]

Lips that hold love, Chapter #003 - Book 1, Season 1

MASTERLIST

The chapter is below the cut

Heyyy

Actually, I planned to post these chapters (the last 2 from book 1 that I wanted to translate) earlier today or, depending on where you live, yesterday :D But I somehow managed to delete it or smth while trying to post it on a time stamp. So, I had to organize all the content once again.

The good thing? I kinda improve it (?) or I hope so.

The original intro I wrote for this chapter was in Spanish, and I did my usual song and dance, summary, glossary, and stuff. This time I'm skipping the summary, I don't even know if someone reads it lol it's just fun for me.

On to the glossary:

受験生 (Jukensei) student preparing for or taking examinations (usu. entrance exams). Iori refers to himself as this, I translated it as test-taker.

ノーテンキ (notenki) laid-back; carefree; easygoing; thoughtless; happy-go-lucky. Being carefree, or a person who is carefree (perhaps recklessly so). Futo calls Ema this, I tried to check if this term is rude in Japanese but couldn't find anything conclusive. Personally, I think the way he uses it is rude.

ヒンソーな胸の女 hinsōna mune no on'na. Flat-chested woman. Again, Futo. Hinso by itself has the meaning of seedy-looking, thin. This one is rude and insulting, 0 doubt.

Also, I wanted to highlight that Futo, for some reason, is written in Katakana. Everyone else uses more standard Japanese, or at least the terms are easier to look up because they are written in the correct alphabet for native Japanese words (hiragana). If someone knows why, please explain it to me because I'm really curious.

The last thing, I tried to give characterization to how Tsubaki speaks. English is my second language, I don't have any accent or know someone who has it so... I wrote the phrases in standard American English and asked chat GPT to give it new york flavor lol

I don't think it's 100% accurate; I just thought it would be a nice touch. The way he is written originally gives him so much personality and if I just translated it as it was... it sounded meh.

The chapter is below:

The rainy season is over, and summer is finally here.

When you think of summer, you think of the sea! White clouds in a blue sky!

How wonderful it would be to relax at a tropical resort...

That's what I was thinking while watching an ad for a resort...

One night in July, when the tourist season had begun, as dinner was about to end, Ukyo-san spoke calmly.

Ukyo: " What should we do this year about that trip to the island?"

(Trip?)

I wonder what he is talking about.

While I was wondering, Tsubaki-san, who was drinking his after-meal coffee, pulled out his cell phone out of nowhere.

The others were also all looking at the calendar hanging on the wall.

Apparently, they were checking their schedules.

When I was in a daze, unable to comprehend the situation, Ukyo-san explained.

Ukyo: "Once a year, our family takes a trip to our mother's villa."

“Does she own a… villa?”

Ukyo: "Yes. It's a little far from here but on a remote island within the country."

Wataru: "It even has a private beach; it's amazing!"

Added Wataru-chan with a big smile, peeking his head from beside Ukyo-san.

I knew Miwa-san was a successful career woman, but...

(Her villa even has a private beach!)

Honestly, the scale of it all is so big that rather than being surprised, I was taken aback.

Ukyo: " Well, that's why we're deciding the dates for our family trip. What are your plans?"

"Oh, yes! Well..."

I get excited when I hear the words ‘family trip.’

After all, it's the first big event since I came to the Asahina household.

"I think I have classes until the 16th, so any time after that is fine."

Ukyo: "I see..."

When I told him that, the brothers began talking about their schedules.

Tsubaki: "Azusa and I are super busy with events and stuff during the summer holidays... Hmm... What we gonna do, Azusa?"

Azusa: "Yeah, that's true..."

Tsubaki-san and Azusa-san groaned as they looked into their respective cell phones.

After all, it's hard for popular voice actors to take time off.

Wataru: "Can't Tsukkun and Akkun come with us?"

Wataru-chan, who had been listening, said with a sad look on his face.

Tsubaki: "Don’t gimme that look, Wataru."

Wataru: "It’s just that... I want to go on a trip with everyone."

Azusa: "Don't worry. I'll make sure to adjust my work schedule accordingly."

Tsubaki-san and Azusa-san said that while taking turns patting Wataru-chan's head.

Ukyo: "So, how about this? We could all schedule our days off around Tsubaki and Azusa's, who are hard to schedule."

Ukyo-san summarizes, and everyone nods in agreement.

Azusa: "But wouldn't that cause problems for Futo?"

Kaname: "Well, he's around the clock, and we don't know what his schedule will be like because of work."

Azusa-san was worried about Futo-kun, who was away at work again today, but Kaname-san brushed it off.

(They say that when you're a member of an idol group at the peak of its popularity, you don't even have time to sleep...)

Come to think of it, I first met Futo-kun in the middle of the night.

I remember he was exhausted and lying on the sofa on the fifth floor...

At the time, he said some nasty things to me, which irritated me, but I guess that was just because he was tired from work.

I hope the timing works out so that Futo-kun can join us.

Kaname: " Ok, for now, students who have summer vacation will have to adjust to the working adults..."

Kaname-san clears his throat and says this, and Ukyo-san looks puzzled.

Ukyo: "Working adults… does that group include you, Kaname?"

Kaname: "Eh?! What are you saying, Kyo-nii? Of course, clearly!"

The brothers all sighed at Kaname-san's reaction.

Louis: "Working adult... somehow, that doesn't fit with Kaname-niisan..."

Louis-san said with a sigh, and Subaru-san agreed with him, nodding slightly.

Kaname: "Ah!? What's that? What do you mean?! You guys don’t seem to know, but I've been working properly!"

Ukyo: "You mean easy work, mainly flirting with women?"

Kaname: "Ah, well, that, that's... hey, Kyo-nii! You should at least support me!"

I couldn't help but laugh as I listened to the exchange between Ukyo-san and Kaname-san.

(Come to think of it, I may have never actually seen Kaname-san behaving monk-like...)

Kaname: "Ah. Imōto-chan, you just laughed, right?"

"Eh? No, no... that..."

I hurriedly deny it, but Kaname-san slowly approaches me.

Kaname: "If you're laughing, does that mean you think the same about me?"

"Uh……"

When I was at a loss for words, Kaname-san leaned in closer.

Kaname: "Am I right? Does my cute imōto-chan want to be punished?"

"Eh, no... No, that's not it!"

Oh no. Kaname-san's eyes are so serious!

Masaomi: "Yes, yes, that's enough."

As I was panicking, Masaomi-san intervened with a very relaxed attitude.

Phew, what a relief!

If I continued like that, it felt like I was in danger of being seriously punished.

Masaomi: "Well, then, for now, once Tsubaki and Azusa's schedule is decided, let's all go along with it. Fuuto, if he's lucky, he'll join in."

In the end, that's what Masaomi-san concluded, and the meeting came to an end.

(So, everyone's going on a trip to the island...)

I returned to my room and looked at the calendar hanging on the wall.

"I need to buy a swimsuit...!"

That's right. I also want a hat and a new travel bag.

I'll go shopping for them on my next day off.

I excitedly enter shopping plans into my planner.

I'm really looking forward to a villa with a private beach.

I hope summer vacation comes soon!

And then...

"Wow! This is a private beach!"

A few weeks later, we siblings were standing on a remote island a few hours away from Tokyo, a short flight and ferry ride away.

I put my luggage down at the stylish villa that stands near the beach, reminiscent of a tropical overwater bungalow, and stepped out onto the terrace.

The endless blue ocean spread out before me. And the white sand beach...

I can't believe this is only for the Asahina family.

It’s a shame that Papa is missing out on this view.

Apparently, Papa and Miwa-san couldn't make it because of work commitments, so in the end, it was just us siblings who came to the island.

(It's a shame because it's a special family trip... but I guess it can't be helped if it's work...)

As I gazed at the ocean with these thoughts in my mind, Iori-san came to my side.

Iori: "How is it? Do you like it?"

"Yes! A lot!"

When I answered, Iori-san chuckled.

Iori: "You're always so cheerful, aren't you?"

“I-Is that so…?”

Maybe I got a little too excited?

Iori: "Don't be so embarrassed. There's nothing wrong with being cheerful."

"I'm sorry..."

Iori: "So, don't apologize, okay?"

Iori-san smiled and patted my head.

(Uh... I feel kind of embarrassed...)

I don't really know what to do in this situation.

Iori: "Everyone else has already gone to the beach. Why don't you go, too?"

"I’ll do that."

I decided to return to my room and change my clothes at Iori-san's recommendation.

I changed into my brand-new swimsuit and stood in front of the mirror.

Actually, I wanted to get a one-piece swimsuit, but I followed the sales clerk’s advice and went for the two-piece type.

"Hmm..."

I'm a bit worried about my figure, maybe?

Juli: "Chī, what's with that outfit?"

"Huh? Well... it's just a swimsuit. What do you think?"

Juri stares at me.

Juli: "I think it suits you well."

"Thanks, Juri!"

Juli: "But..."

"Hmm?"

Juli: "Well, isn't it a little revealing?"

"Yeah, I guess... but it's a swimsuit, so I guess it's okay."

When I said that, Juri tilted his head.

Juri has been with me since I was little, and he's become like a dad to me. I'm sure he's worried about me.

"Only my siblings are here today, so don't worry."

I don't want Juli to worry unnecessarily.

Juli: "But that's why I'm worried."

"What?"

Juli: "No... it's nothing."

What's wrong, Julie?

After getting changed, I carefully applied sunscreen and headed to the beach.

Each sibling seems to be spending their time as they please.

Ukyo-san has set up a sunbed beside the cottage and reading a book.

As for Iori-san...

(I wonder if he's studying?)

Even though we are on vacation... That's impressive.

As for everyone else...

Subaru: "Oh!"

"Ah, Subaru-san"

As I was walking and looking around the beach, I bumped into Subaru-san coming out from behind a tree.

"Subaru-san. Are you going to go swimming now?"

Subaru: "Y-You..."

I wonder what's wrong with Subaru-san? Looking closely, his face is a little red...

Subaru: "What's with that outfit..."

"That outfit... it’s a swimsuit..."

Subaru: "I-I know that much!"

Maybe it doesn't suit me...

While I was feeling anxious, Subaru-san took off the hoodie he was wearing.

Subaru: "Wear this!"

"Huh?"

Then he thrusts it at me.

"What do you mean, “wear this” ...why..."

Subaru: "Nh-never mind that!"

Huh, what?!

What’s happening all of a sudden?!

While I was confused, Subaru-san seemed angry for some reason and shoved his hoodie on me.

"Uh, huh..."

Somehow, I feel like I have to wear it.

Subaru: "I'll get going!"

After watching me put it on, Subaru-san said this and ran off to the water's edge.

(Subaru-san is strange...)

Without making sense of it, I started walking towards the sea again.

The sun shining down from the blue sky is already shining brightly as we approach the height of summer.

(Good thing I put on sunscreen!)

The white sand is hot under my feet. I can't wait to dip into the cold ocean!

Just as I was thinking this, I heard Wataru-chan's innocent cry.

Wataru: " Onee-chan! Come here, come, come!"

"Wataru-chan!"

Wataru-chan and Masaomi-san were by the seashore. Together with Kaname-san, they were playing in the water.

When I approached them, Kaname-san looked dissatisfied for some reason.

Kaname: "Huh? What's with that unfashionable hoodie?"

"Ah, this is Subaru-san’s..."

Kaname: "Eh? What were you thinking, Suba-chan? Come on, let's take it off!"

"What!?"

Kaname-san stopped playing in the water and tried to take off Subaru-san's hoodie that I was wearing.

Wataru: "Why are you taking off Onee-chan's clothes, Kanakana?"

Wataru-chan asked with a puzzled look on his face.

"Oh, that's right! Why are you taking it off!"

Kaname-san stopped his hand as I tried to take advantage of Wataru-chan’s intervention.

Kaname: "That's right. I'll take off her clothes after the kids go to bed. I’ll look forward to it tonight.♪"

"K-Kaname-san!"

...You don't have to be looking forward to it...!!

Kaname-san grinned and finally let go of my hand.

Wataru: "......"

"Wataru-chan? What's wrong?"

Wataru: "......No, nothing."

For a moment, Wataru-chan seemed sullen. Maybe it was just my imagination?

After playing for a while, I came out of the water and saw Louis-san on the sandy beach.

(What’s he doing?)

Out of curiosity, I went closer...

"Wow, amazing...!"

Louis: "Huh...?"

In front of me was the Taj Mahal made out of sand? And even the Sagrada Familia...!

"A-all of this...Louis-san made it all?"

Louis: "Yup."

It's like a sculptor's work...! As expected from a hairdresser, she's very dexterous with her hands.

I was watching in awe when...

"Huh? Louis-san?"

Louis: "..."

Louis-san froze in place like a statue.

"W-what's wrong?"

Louis-san is staring at one spot, so I wave my hand in front of him...

Louis: "I'm almost at my limit. It's hot..."

What!?

As soon as Louis-san said that, he fell face down onto the pile of sand in front of him.

"Oh my! Someone, please!"

I screamed, pulling at the hem of Louis-san's clothes as he lay there.

It's heavy!

Tsubaki: “Hey, are you okay!?”

"Ah! Tsubaki-san!"

Tsubaki-san came running over.

“Louis-san suddenly collapsed!”

Tsubaki: "I can tell just by lookin’ at it, but what should we do?"

"’What should we do?’ Carry him to the shade!"

I said this while tugging on Louis-san's hem even more, and Tsubaki-san grinned.

Tsubaki: "There's a pile of sand in the right place, so let’s bury ‘im in there.★"

“Eh!?”

Tsubaki-san said something outrageous!

Then, Azusa-san rushes after Tsubaki-san and immediately slaps him on the back of the head.

Tsubaki: "Ouch?!"

Azusa: "You idiot! Stop joking. Let’s take him over there."

Tsubaki: "Yes, yes."

Oh, thank goodness...! Louis-san is too heavy for me to carry by myself.

Azusa-san and Tsubaki-san carried the exhausted Louis-san, laying him down under the parasol.

Azusa-san quickly took a cold towel from the cooler and tended to Louis-san.

"You seem pretty experienced at this."

As I was impressed by his skill, Azusa-san said with a wry smile.

Azusa: "This guy did the same thing last year."

"What?! Last year?"

Azusa: "When Louis gets absorbed in something, he doesn't notice what's going on around him."

Ah, I see... It certainly does seem that way.

Tsubaki: "Alright, if we keep ‘im cool like this for a bit, he should be fine. It happened last time, too."

As Tsubaki-san says this, he flaps a towel over Louis-san, blowing air on him.

Tsubaki: "Well, Louis is an idiot, but those guys are pretty damn dumb too."

"Hm?"

I followed Tsubaki-san's gaze as he looked at the horizon and saw two tremendous water splashes off into the ocean.

"Those are..."

Azusa: "Subaru and Yusuke. They were really excited about competing in swimming long-distance."

"Yeah..."

Azusa-san shrugged her shoulders.

Really, those two are full of energy.

Once Louis-san's condition had stabilized, we returned to the villa, where we found Iori-san and Futo-kun studying, just like before.

At first, Futo-kun was too busy to join the trip.

However, by coincidence, the shooting location for the drama he is in takes place near the island, so he's joining the family for a short while.

Iori: "Hey. Did you go for a swim?"

"Yes! Uh... are you studying, Iori-san?"

Iori: " Yeah. I'm a test-taker, after all."

Iori-san says this with a wry smile.

Futo: "Unlike carefree girls like you, we're busy."

"C-carefree...!"

Futo-kun snorts as he looks over something that looks like a script.

It really makes me angry...!

But be patient! Futo-kun is my younger brother.

"Aren't you two going to the beach?"

Regaining my composure, I asked.

Iori: "When I get sunburned, I get red right away. It's a bit embarrassing."

Iori-san laughs in a troubled tone.

He is indeed very white, and it would probably be terrible if he got sunburned...

Futo: "I can't just go out in the sun without thinking, like that flat-chested woman. I mean, a sunburn is totally out of the question. I'm an entertainer."

Hmm? A flat-chested woman?! Is he talking about me?!

Futo: "You’re flat-chested, so you're wearing that hoodie to hide your figure, right?"

"Wh-what! It's true that I don't have much chest, but..."

So annoying! Super offensive!

No matter how isn't this something awful to say?!

Iori: "Futo...!"

Futo: "Hmph!"

Iori-san chides him, but Futo-kun just turns away and doesn't even bother to apologize.

Ugh!

Why do I have to stand this!?

"I'm going to the beach again."

If this keeps up, we'll probably get into a fight. Thinking about that, I ran out to the beach again.

When I returned to the beach, the sun had gone down.

The weather had been so nice just a moment ago...

Even the sea breeze felt a little cold.

─── By the way, I wonder if Louis-san is okay?

I looked under the parasol, but there was no one there.

Masaomi: "Hey!"

"Oh, Masaomi-san."

Suddenly, Masaomi-san came running. He seemed to be really panicking.

Masaomi: "Have you seen Wataru?"

"Eh? Wataru-chan? I haven't seen him since we parted ways earlier... What happened?"

Masaomi: "Well, he just disappeared from sight."

"What??"

That's terrible!

"You mean, into the ocean?! Did he go too deep?!"

Masaomi: "No... he can't swim. Besides, I told him to play in shallow waters only."

Even so, Masaomi-san couldn't hide his anxiety.

"Let's split up and search for him!"

Masaomi: "Yeah..."

Then, Kaname-san, Tsubaki-san, and Azusa-san came.

Perhaps sensing our uneasy state, Kaname-san asked,

Kaname: "…Has something happened!?"

As Masaomi-san explained, the expressions on their faces changed in an instant.

Wataru-chan is a soft-looking boy, so I'm a bit worried.

Kaname: "Let's split up and search for him. Azusa, go back to the villa and tell Kyo-nii. Tsubaki, go call Subaru, Yusuke, and Louis."

Kaname-san gave instructions efficiently. Tsubaki-san and Azusa-san nodded silently.

At that moment, a raindrop suddenly slapped my cheek.

"Rain?!"

The weather was starting to turn bad... I'm more and more worried about Wataru-chan.

Kaname: "You should go back to the villa."

"...I'll help you look for him!"

Kaname: "But you’re unfamiliar with the surroundings..."

As he was worried about me, he said that.

"Wataru-chan is my younger brother!"

I say this outright. I can't be the only one quietly sitting out!

Kaname: "......."

Kaname-san stares at me intently. I stare straight back into his eyes.

Then, as if giving up, Kaname-san's mouth quirks into a smile.

Kaname: "Then, Masa-nii, go search the sea. Tsubaki and the others, too. You and I will look behind the villa."

Everyone took those words as a signal and dispersed.

Behind the cottage, there was a dense forest.

The rain and wind gradually got stronger, causing the trees to rustle and ruffle.

"Wataru-cha───n!"

No matter how loud I scream, the noise drowns out my voice.

"Where did he go...?"

I was at a loss, wiped the rain from my forehead, and sighed.

Kaname: "Are you okay?"

"Yes..."

Kaname-san looks at me with a worried look on his face.

"Let's go a little further in... achoo!"

‘Let's look further.’ Just as I was about to say that, I sneezed.

Kaname: " Imōto-chan, you're cold, aren't you?"

"I-I'm fine...sniff!"

Kaname: "You're actually surprisingly stubborn. Here..."

"Huh??"

Kaname-san smiled bitterly and slowly pulled me by the shoulder.

His arms wrapped around my body.

"Uh...?! K-Kaname-sa...?!"

(Wh-what...? What is this...?)

Kaname: "Your body is completely cold, you know."

As he says this, Kaname-san gently tightens his embrace.

As he hugs me tightly, my heart involuntarily leaps.

(Ugh...!!)

The warmth of Kaname-san's chest and arms slowly seeps into my body.

(My heart is pounding... my heart is pounding because of Kaname-san... even though he's my older brother...)

Not knowing what to do, I just let myself rest in Kaname-san's arms when he whispered in my ear, ‘Thank you.’

I looked up at Kaname-san's face, feeling embarrassed,

Kaname: "Thank you for searching for Wataru in this rain,"

Kaname-san added.

"B-but Wataru-chan is my precious little brother..."

Kaname: "Yeah, that's true. But you're also my precious little sister, so I don't want to push you any further than this."

Finally, as if whispering into my ear, Kaname-san gently asked, "Do you understand?"

Kaname-san's breath felt strangely hot to my ears, which had gone cold.

Just when I was about to say something like that───

Tsubaki: “Kananii!!”

Hearing Tsubaki-san's voice, I hastily shook off Kaname-san's arms.

Tsubaki: "We found Wataru!"

Tsubaki-san said, out of breath.

Thank goodness! Wataru-chan is safe.

Kaname-san and I breathed a sigh of relief.

Kaname: "Anyway, let's go back."

"Y-Yes!"

I nodded to Kaname-san's words and started walking.

Kaname-san was walking in front of me, talking to Tsubaki-san.

When his arm came into view, I couldn't help but look away.

(Am I becoming aware of Kaname-san...?)

Kaname-san thought of me and warmed me up like that...

Even though we didn't know where Wataru-chan was, my heart started pounding when he hugged me...

I'm insensitive.

But───

Wataru: "I'm sorry...!"

Everyone is gathered in the villa’s large living room.

Wataru-chan would occasionally glance up at everyone, then look down again.

As expected, he seems extremely dejected.

It seems he is very shocked that it got so serious.

As for where Wataru-chan was, it was no big deal.

Tired from playing in the water, he returned to the villa by himself and took a nap with Juri.

"I'm glad nothing happened."

Wataru: "Onee-chan, I'm sorry..."

"It's okay. You're all right."

I patted Wataru-chan's head gently. Then, Wataru-chan looked up at me with a crying face.

Tsubaki-san, who was watching the situation, said with a dumbfounded look on his face,

Tsubaki: "You, kids ain't s'posed to be runnin' around alone, got it?"

Hearing this, Wataru-chan looked a little annoyed.

Azusa: "Is there something you want to say?"

Azusa-san asked gently and after a moment of silence,

Wataru: "…I'm not a kid anymore,"

Wataru-chan muttered in a mosquito-like voice.

Her round eyes were filled with tears.

(Perhaps he was sulking because Kaname-san called him a child while we played in the sea earlier, too?)

Suddenly, I remembered our conversation early that day.

At that time, Wataru-chan did seem a little sulky...

Masaomi: "Wataru, if you say you're not a child, then you shouldn't cause trouble for everyone."

Wataru: "Makkun..."

When Masaomi-san spoke, Wataru-chan's face looked like he was about to cry. His mouth was twisted in a frown.

I patted Wataru-chan's head again, saying, “It’s okay, it’s okay.''

I know we shouldn't spoil him, but seeing Wataru-chan crying really makes my heart ache.

Ukyo: "You've caused a lot of trouble for everyone, so I need you to help me prepare dinner tonight. Adults pay the price for their mistakes, right──?"

Ukyo-san's eyes sparkled mysteriously.

Suddenly, Wataru-chan, eyes still watery, clung to me.

This looks like it's going to be a bit of a harsh punishment.

Do your best, Wataru-chan! This is surely the first step towards becoming an adult.

As I was cheering him in my mind, Ukyo-san said,

Ukyo: "By the way, you guys should go get changed. You're soaking wet."

Come to think of it, everyone was soaked from the rain.

"Oh, that's right. Subaru-san, your hoodie got wet, so I'll wash it and return it to you."

Subaru: "No, don’t bother... Don't worry about it. Just give it back."

“That’s not…”

Subaru: "No problem. I kind of forced it on you… so I can't cause you any more trouble."

Hmm? Subaru-san seems kinder than usual.

"But I feel bad about it... Oh, if you don't mind, I can wash your clothes too!"

Subaru-san's clothes are soaked from searching for Wataru-chan. I might as well wash them together.

"Take it off, please!"

Subaru: "Hey? Stop..."

I gently tug Subaru-san's clothes...

Wataru: "Onee-chan, taking off your clothes is supposed to be a fun thing to do at night, right?"

Wataru-chan seemed to remember Kaname-san's from earlier and said that.

"Huh? W-what did you say..."

My brothers looked puzzled.

And at the same time, Kaname-san burst out laughing.

Subaru-san looked at me, shock in his eyes.

Subaru: "Hey, what in the world did you tell Wataru..."

"What?! It wasn't me, I didn’t say anything ...!!"

I shook my head vigorously and repeatedly denied it...

Late at night.

Unable to fall asleep, I went out to the beach with Juli.

I can't get the memory of Kaname-san hugging me in the forest out of my mind...

(Ha, I... I guess there's something wrong with me...)

Even during dinner, I kept glancing at Kaname-san...

I was clearly not my usual self.

I looked up at the night sky, sighing.

The rain had stopped. The pitch-black sky was filled with stars.

It was as if they were falling from the sky.

"It's amazing... You can't see a sky like this in Tokyo."

Juli: "That would be hard to do in the city."

"Come to think of it, a long time ago, when I went camping in the mountains with Papa, I saw a sky like this."

Juli: "That brings back memories. Chii used to cry a lot because she was scared of the sound of insects."

"Juli used to get eaten by mosquitoes all the time."

Juli: "Why do you remember something like that...?"

"Well, because..."

As I casually conversed with Juli, I suddenly heard a voice from behind me.

Kaname: "You're talking to yourself pretty loudly, aren't you?"

"Huh?!"

Surprised, I turned around to see Kaname-san standing there, smiling brightly.

Kaname: "Or maybe you were having a conversation with the squirrel?"

"No, not at all..."

I shook my head vigorously.

I wanted to keep the fact that I could talk to Juli a secret for now.

It's weird to be able to talk to squirrels in the first place...

Kaname: "I was just joking. You don't have to deny it so desperately."

"Y-You're right..."

Ah, he surprised me. Kaname-san can't be underestimated because he is strangely sharp, even if only occasionally.

Kaname: "By the way, imōto-chan, are you taking a lonely walk along the beach at night?"

"Not lonely, but that's right."

Kaname: "I see. Maybe you couldn't fall asleep?"

"Huh..."

When he asked, my heart leaped involuntarily.

(I-it sounded meaningful because I was strangely conscious of it, right?)

"I-the sound of the waves... it was bothering me a bit..."

Kaname: "What a coincidence, me too. Did the sound of the waves lapping and retreating make your heart race?"

I said that as a last resort, but Kaname-san replied nonchalantly.

Somehow, there was something a little different about him than usual.

The Kaname-san I know is more...

Kaname: " Imōto-chan?"

"Oh, sorry..."

No good, I was spacing out.

I feel like I'm just floating around all alone; I shouldn’t be like this...

Kaname: "Well, since we're here, why don't we enjoy the night breeze together for a while?"

"Yeah, I guess..."

Is it really okay to be with Kaname-san in this situation?

For a moment, I felt uneasy.

Kaname: "Well, let's go."

"Y-yes."

And yet, the next moment, I was walking, urged on by Kaname-san.

Somehow, Kaname-san tonight has a magnetism that compels me to do so. That's what I felt───. . . . . . . . . . . . . . Kaname-san and I took a walk along the beach at night. I silently follow Kaname-san from behind. The sea at night is incredibly calm. Occasionally, I can see the moon floating in the night sky reflected on the water's surface. The sound of Kaname-san's footsteps overlaps with mine. For some reason, that makes me nervous.

Kaname: "I love the ocean at night. It gets pitch black, and the boundary between the sky and the ocean disappears. You're thrown into a vast space... I like that feeling."

Feeling unusually romantic, Kaname-san smiles quietly as he saunters along the water's edge.

Kaname: "The ocean on a dark night is filled with ripples... Don't you think humans are insignificant when surrounded by nature like this?"

"Yes, that's right... All we can do is surrender ourselves to it..."

Kaname: "That's right."

Kaname-san said in a singing voice and slowly walked into the sea.

"Kaname-san, be careful, okay?"

Kaname: "It's okay!"

Kaname-san laughs as he says that, somehow, he looks like a child...

Kaname-san has an entirely different atmosphere tonight than usual.

I can't find the right words to say it, but...

(If someone told me his usual appearance is just temporary, I would probably believe it.)

The way he is now may be the true Kaname-san.

He waded into the ocean up to his knees and stretched his arms towards the night sky.

Kaname: "When I'm in a place like this, I really feel like I'm alive thanks to God's blessings. I don't care about trivial things... don't you think so?"

Kaname-san spoke in a light-hearted tone.

But his words penetrated deep into my heart.

"Kaname-san, so you can think of things like that. I thought you only thought about women."

Kaname: "You’re cruel. I'm a monk, you know? I'm always thinking about peace for all humankind, peace of mind, and maybe a little bit about women."

See, he thinks about it after all.

I chuckled, and suddenly Kaname-san stopped moving.

"Is something wrong?"

Kaname: "Nothing, you... have you caught a cold?"

"Oh, yes... I'm fine, thanks to you."

Kaname: "That's good. Thank you for today. I'm so glad to have a girl like you as my little sister."

Saying that Kaname-san smiled gently.

I can't help but be fascinated by Kaname-san.

That's right───.

He's always smiling and saying things that I can't tell if they are jokes or serious.

He seems a little gentler today. And there's depth to it...

Perhaps the way Kaname-san looks right now is───.

And just as I thought that...

Kaname: "Whoa!"

"Ka-Kaname-san?!"

Kaname-san disappeared into the black waves.

This is bad!

I took Juli off my shoulders and hurried into the sea.

"Kaname-san?! What's wrong...?!"

...There, sitting on his butt, Kaname-san looked a little stunned.

Kaname: "Wow, that's lame. I'm so lame..."

"Pfft...!"

It seems some seaweed has gotten tangled around his leg.

I'm sorry to say that Kaname-san looked a little dejected, and his expression was a little strange. Trying to hold back my laughter, I held out my hand.

And then───.

“!!!!”

Kaname-san pulled me hard by the hand...

Splat! I plunged headfirst into the ocean.

"Pfft... W-w-that's cruel!"

Kaname: "Getting my revenge for laughing!"

I’m soaking wet, though!?

I brushed the water droplets off my face and opened my eyes.

Then, Kaname-san's chest and face were right in front of me.

"W...!!"

The memory of him holding me in the rain comes back to me.

(W-What am I thinking...)

As I hurriedly tried to leave, I suddenly noticed something.

Kaname-san has a tattoo on his right collarbone.

"That's..."

Kaname: "Hmm? That tattoo?"

"This is the first time I've seen one up close... Is this a cross?"

Ah, but he's a monk, so probably it’s not a cross.

Although, he's probably the only monk with a tattoo.

Kaname: "It is... a sword."

"A sword?"

I wonder why he chose a sword as a motif.

Kaname: "Hey, imōto-chan. Can I tell you something today?"

"Eh?"

As I wondered about this, Kaname-san smiled gently and began to speak.

Kaname: "It's about the sword. There's a saying that goes, 'The pen is mightier than the sword.' It means that speech is stronger than force...Did you know?"

What is he saying all of a sudden? A pen? A sword…?

As I was wondering about this, my arm was pulled hard. Kaname: "But there is something in this world that is stronger than a sword or a pen." Kaname: "You know, that's love."

"Love?"

That word was tangled between our lips.

By the time I tried to ask what that meant, my lips...

were already covered by Kaname-san's.

Juli: "Wha-wha-wha-what?!"

I could hear Juli's voice in the distance.

What on earth is going on?

Not understanding what was going on, I could only abandon myself to the slow swell of the waves.

#003 Lips that hold love

Iori laughs a lot, Futo is a brat, Kaname please control yourself.

[skele-bunny]

No one asked for it but I'm gonna share it anyways bc I want to. Queued post don't kill me.

World Building!

(Specifically during Era 3 bc I can do what I want.)

CW - Privacy Violations, inhumane punishment

Despite Terzo trying so, so hard for his ghouls — to make changes to the regulations, to give them a chance to simply live, Terzo wasn't able to do much. He was so restricted. Again for example, have you seen those uniforms?? Terrible :(

Ghouls were monitored heavily, and still only really acknowledged as weapons/servants. They had duties and they had to perform, and if they were unable, they were retired or simply sent back. A cruel thing to many, but no one able to protest.

To even simply want to buy personal items, a form had to be filled out and could STILL be rejected despite it coming out of the ghoul's wallet. They made so little as is, but the rejection was truly a punch in the face sometimes. It was little stuff, too!! A band shirt, or one of those cheap necklaces, toys, anything ranging to even personal shoes! It could be denied. All those days of waiting and saving for nothing.

When Dew wanted to merge his and Aether's room, they had a GIANT packet to fill out. They had to list all of their items, why they wanted to merge rooms, why it would be beneficial, why it should be approved, and signed. The waiting process took longer than anything else, so much so that it was only after Dew's transition that their form got approved.

Very fuckin strict curfews, too!! Every morning and night, a Sibling would come in the den and do a roll call. If a ghoul wasn't in the den and claimed to be at work, it had to be double checked. If the ghoul was labeled as missing, they'd get SERIOUSLY reprimands like weeks of detention, or stuck with the weeds in the garden back to back, or lose a privilege like their cellphone. If it was super bad, then solitude. Stuck in a cell-like room with only a toilet, sink, and a bed.

If a ghoul was caught sneaking out? Immediate confinement for MONTHS until they learned, practically weeping at whoever's feet, that they'd never do it again.

Speaking of cellphones, they were confiscated a lot. Some of them figured out how to jailbreak their system and be able to consume media or go on websites not allowed at the time. A looot of privacy violations happened as pictures and texts would be gone through as well. When Pebble first experienced it, he literally cried in a Cardinal's office as his nudes were gone through.

Masks were strictly enforced if not inside the den, but even still had to be on for roll call or visits from humans. Even on tour, they weren't allowed to show their face to any of the stagehands/techs; glamoured or not.

Era 3 had the highest turnover rate simply because of sickness and torment inflicted by the clergy. Zephyr, Alpha, and Ivy all having their own severe illnesses that forced them to retire but still able to work; so somewhat useful... Delta who was literally mangled in the mind from being the first surviving elemental transition, left as only half of who they were — retired. Omega who's essence just simply burned out and he couldn't continue, try as he might (and he did try!) — Retired. Aether who eventually succumbed to his own fate like Omega in later years; but could still work. Aër who was stuck in solitude for years and years until he passed simply because he no longer wished to be a pawn.

There was a LOT of violence during the first 3 eras, mainly 2&3 from how exhausted and cooped up the ghouls were. Barely given days off, but always could rely on the holiday festivals (unless you were one of the unlucky ones still forced to work.) They needed enrichment and they simply couldn't get that properly until Copia became Papa, just as limited while Cardinal.

Needless to say, the Ghouls weren't always happy go-lucky and prosperous. There was a lot of favoritism and neglect going on, and it took multiple times and working protests for certain things to be done; such as accessibility and better living standards.

[songsformonkeys]

[A little snippet of something I've been playing around with just for fun during the Holidays. Inspired by this drawing by @nonacquiescent.

It's nowhere near done but I still wanted to make a banner and it felt silly to post it completely without context.

So here's a little something for any potential Steddie and Nimona fans out there!]

***

A soft chuckle came from behind him and Eddie's eyes flew open to find Steve Harrington leaning against a pillar a few feet away. Goddamn twinkletoes! Eddie hadn't even heard him come up the stairs.

”Thought that was you I spotted pacing up here,” Steve said, looking amused. ”You trying to wear a hole in the balcony before the ceremony? Or are you practicing walking so you don't trip on the way up to the stage?”

Eddie groaned and let his head fall back against the floor. ”Not helping, Harrington.”

”Sorry.” He sounded anything but.

This time, Eddie heard the light footsteps as Steve pushed away from the pillar and came over to sit next to Eddie, letting his own legs dangle over the edge as well as he crossed his arms over the lowest bar of the railing. Eddie watched the back of Steve's head as the other man surveyed the workers below. As always – and unlike Eddie's – Steve's hair was perfectly styled for the evening, chocolate brown waves that just seemed to beg for someone to gently run their fingers through them. Not that Eddie dared to assume that his grubby fingers would be allowed to do so.

Steve was the most beautiful man Eddie had ever laid eyes on. And the bravest. And kindest. Eddie had the looks and charm of a tadpole, by comparison, and how Steve had become his friend was still somewhat of a mystery. They were an odd pairing, as people so often pointed out. Steve was a fairytale prince while Eddie was more likely to be cast as the troll living under the bridge. And trolls, no matter how good friends they were, did not get hair-caressing privileges.

Eddie must have made some long-suffering noise in response to his own thoughts because Steve turned to look at him.

”Nervous?” he guessed incorrectly, but only because he'd chosen to ask at the exact moment when Eddie's mind had been otherwise distracted. With the question, the nausea came rolling back in and Eddie sat up to lean against the railing as well.

”Like I'm gonna puke,” he answered.

”Well, if so, you've picked one hell of a spot. I hope the people below us brought umbrellas.”

Eddie snorted out a laugh at that, and Steve looked pleased with himself.

”Were you nervous?” Eddie asked after another few moments of silence. ”Before you were knighted.”

”Not really,” Steve replied. Eddie was about to call him a cocky bastard but Steve continued. ”Nance said it was probably because I'm more of a doer than a thinker. I'm not smart enough to figure out all the stuff that can go wrong so I just… don't think about it.”

”Nancy says a lot of shit sometimes,” Eddie grumbled. It earned him a surprised look from Steve, but Eddie had meant what he said and refused to take it back. Nancy was sharp as a tack but it didn't mean she was always right. And when she voiced her opinions as facts, her tongue could be sharp as a blade. And when Steve was the one on the receiving end of that blade, it made Eddie fume. Because Steve thought the world of Nancy and her brain, so he never questioned the validity of what she said. Even when she was dead wrong.

Eddie glowered at people below but, in his peripheral vision, he still caught the small smile Steve gave him.