#i'm shuffling some things around thats why no numbers on this one

[the-flower32]

Practicing writing Friendships; pt1

Is this a realistic depiction of a friendship? idk plz tell me

I'm working on a book with a pretty big friend group, bigger than any I've had irl, and have decided to practice by writing short stories (about 1000-5000ish words long) of friend groups to practice. And I will be posting them here for feedback on if I've depicted a realistic friendship or not. (note; its been a while since I've talked to the freinds i have & the freinds i have, like me, are just about all neurodivergent in some way.)

[Bc of special interest reasons, they'll all feature Wizard of Oz (books) Characters. (yes you can consider this a fanfic, but its still writting practice.). And bc of that there's some references to the books- so ask any questions you have about things you may not understand.]

The story is below the 'Keep Reading' (its 1086 words long):

“Do you think the others know how to play ‘Go-Fish’?” Trot asked as Betsy shuffled the deck of cards.

“P’robly but I don't think it’d be a good idea to have ‘em all playing it.” Dorothy said, resting her head on her knees and ran her fingers through the grass. “Remember how heated the argument between Scraps and Scarecrow got during slap jack?”

“Don't remind me, by the way- did that table ever get fixed?”

“Yes, and Tinman banned that game from being played in his castle.”

Betsy gave a short laugh as she started dealing out the cards.

“Just be glad we don't have a copy of Monopoly.” she cringed, “played it once at school- I’ve never seen two kids argue so aggressively.”

“Whats monopoly?” Dorothy asked as she looked at her cards.

“Weird game about money or something- I’ve forgotten most about it, it was boring. Anyone have any threes?”

Trot rolled her eyes and handed over two cards. 

“My turn?” Dorothy asked.

“Yeah sure.”

“Alright, any queens?”

“Go fish.” Trot and Besty said at the same time. 

Dorothy pulled a card, smiled, and put done one pile of four cards. All sevens.

“Already?” Betsy asked.

“Seven’s a lucky number-”

“For girls named Dorothy.” Trot and Betsy finished. 

“Did you ever learn how Shaggy man knew that?” asked Trot as she rearranged the cards in her hand. On the sill of a window looking onto the three girls,Toto the dog an Eureka the kitten sat and talked to Hank the donkey.

“Why would they name a card game after fishing? Thats just misleading.” Eureka curled up and rested her head on her paws.

“Because,” Hank started, “they’re ‘fishing’ for the cards they want.”

“I still don't like it, just makes me hungry.”

“Im pretty sure the head chef’s still around if you want to go find them.” Toto said to her.

“And miss another card-game incident? Not likely.”

“Why? Theres not even any table to break this time.” Hank asked.

“And Scraps isnt even here. What would happen?” Toto added.

“You two weren't there to watch Dorothy play cards with Zeb.” Eureka answered as she licked a paw and cleaned her face. 

“What do you mean?” Toto said, Eureka didn't answer. “Eureka what dose that mean? What did she do?”

Eureka only watched the trio sleepily. 

“- No, Go-Fish.” Trot looked among her cards, “Dose anyone have any Aces?” Trot asked.

“I mean Im here, but I doubt thats what you meant.” Dorothy said, struggling not to laugh at her own joke. 

Besty snorted and Trot rolled her eyes with a smile. 

“I’ll take that as a Go-Fish.” Trot pulled a card and her smile fell. “Oh darn- we forgot to take the joker card out.”

“What do you mean?” Betsy asked. 

“We forgot to remove it before playing? Like everyone dose?” She clarified.

“No?” Dorothy tilted her head, “Em, Henry, ‘an I always play with the Joker card.”

“Really?” 

“Don't you and Cap’n Bill use it?” Betsy asked. 

“No, we just toss it out.”

“I guess that makes sense since there'd be only two of you playing.” Dorothy said, folding her pile and placing it in her lap.

Betsy turned to her with a raised eyebrow and scrunched nose.

“Since when did the number of players affect the joker card?”

Dorothy blinked. “Because it makes the last to say Go-Fish go again?”

“Since when?”

“Since always?”

“No- theres two joker cards, and if you get both of them you make a pair with them. Like how you make… uh- whats the word for a set of four?” 

“Quartet?” Trot suggested.

“No thats just with music… I think.”

“Lets just not use the joker card.” Dorothy suggested as she picked her cards up. 

Betsy and Trot nodded, as Besty was placing the Joker card back into the pack a small group of Bileena’s Pullets walked past. 

“Hello miss Dorothy.” they all said, some in unison, some not. 

“Hello Dorothy Jr’s, and- Daniels… are there Daniels with you.”

“No,” a younger Dorothy Jr stepped out of the flock, “all the Daniels are at home.”

The chicken looked over at Betsy & Trot, and walked closer as the rest of her siblings moved on.  “What are y'all playing?”

“Card game.”

“Can I watch?”

“Sure!” Dorothy patted the ground next to her and the chicken sat down.

Then Dorothy got an idea, she looked over at Trot and Betsy, they were still discussing the joker card, and she leaned over to the young chicken to whisper.

“I wonder why theres different versions.” Trot said thoughtfully.

“Eh, people are weird. Who’s turn is it?” Betsy asked.

“Dorothys- wh- hey!” The young chicken had pecked a card out the fishing deck, and upon Trot yelling the chicken took off. 

Right towards the window.

“Wait- Jr- no!” Dorothy jumped up, followed by Trot and Betsy, as Dorothy Jr leaped up-and-through the window. 

Nocking Toto over as Eureka jumped out of the way and onto Hanks head, the Kitten laughed as the Chicken and Dog rightened themselves.

“I told you!” Eureka said between laughs.

Dorothy ran through the nearby door and over to Toto and Dorothy Jr. 

“You two ok?” she said, stifling her own laughs. 

Toto sat and stared at her, in disbelief and confusion, as Dorothy Jr dropped the card in Dorothy’s lap.

“I was already at the window by the time I remembered you said to go to the bushes.” The young chick said.

“Thats ok.” Dorothy patted Dorothy Jr’s head.

“What dose she mean you told her to go to the bushes?” Toto asked.

“Yeah, what dose that mean?” Betsy joined, sticking her head through the window. Trot on her tiptoes beside her. 

Dorothy shrugged.

“Did something similar with the chickens on my cousins farm, course they don't talk so I had to lure them to the pile with corn. I thought it’d go better this time since Dorothy Jr can talk but- I guess not.” she explained. “I was getting a little bored.”

“Thats what you meant!?” Toto shouted at Eureka, who was still chuckling to herself over the incident. 

“More or less.” Eureka said. 

“You could’a just said you were gett’n bored.” Trot said, putting her chin on the windowsill. 

“More fun this way.” Dorothy smiled.

Betsy rolled her eyes with a smirk. 

“Well lucky for you, we have a new game to play,” she pointed a thumb towards the scene behind her, “Fifty-Two Pickup!”

Dorothy winced but stood up with a smile.

“Yeah that's fair.”

[theoldaeroplane]

monachopsis, n. — the subtle but persistent feeling of being out of place. A small series about two scouts.

BOOK III: WARNING & GOOD RIDDANCE & SOMEONE

READ PREVIOUS READ FROM THE BEGINNING

[———]

WARNING

When Ashley took off, Lorne had stayed frozen to the spot, startled. He had been anticipating needing to bully him into it. People would always surprise you.

In a flash, though, he was running after him, and the motion must have caught Salem’s eye. A heartbeat later and now Salem was running, too, making a wild break for it down the street. Salem was short, compared to his brother. And he couldn’t run worth a damn. Ashley caught up to him in seconds, with Lorne hot on his tail. Having caught up with him, though, he didn’t seem to know what to do next. It came down to Lorne scrambling ahead of them and blocking Salem’s path to bring the party to a halt.

There was a hoarse, ragged sound ripping the air up, Salem’s breathing. He was already on the defensive, bristling with his hands curled into fists in the dark, as he wheeled around to try and put his back to the chain-link fence they had stopped next to. And he was talking. “Don’t,” he was saying in a voice that was nothing at all like Ashley’s. “I’m giving you one warning, don’t—”

“Salem,” Ashley cut in again, through panting. “It’s, hey, we’re not—”

Whatever he was trying to say died in his throat, strangled out by a pained shout. Salem had whipped around, and as he did Lorne realized his hands were not merely fists. The dim light flashed off of something small and steely in his grip as he turned. “Fuck!” Ashley snarled, staggering back and clutching his arm. “Salem! It’s me!”

Nothing doing. It would appear Salem had something in common with Ash after all, because the moment Ash withdrew he had whirled back around and slashed his switchblade at Lorne. Lorne, at least, got out of the way in time.

Knives were a problem, but Lorne had not spent his time on BLU in vain. Salem and his switchblade were nothing compared to the RED spy and his balisong. He lashed out with one hand like a snake and got lucky, seizing Salem by the wrist. A twist and the blade clattered to the ground. Salem was silent, still breathing hard, and when Lorne got another look at him his face nothing short of terrified. “Hey,” he tried, loosening his grip enough to not hurt, “Salem, man, chill out, okay? We aren’t looking to hurt you but you gotta settle down.”

“Who the hell are you?” Salem snapped back, trying to wrench away. “How d’you know my name? Let me go!”

“I’m Lorne, I’m real cool and I wanna help you out. And I think you know that guy.” Lorne nodded in Ashley’s direction; Ashley was putting pressure on the messy slash in his forearm. “Or did we get the wrong Salem?”

Hesitantly, Salem turned to look. Lorne could feel it when his terror started to morph into shock. “What,” he started, and swallowed. Lorne let go of his wrist. “What the hell?”

Ashley glanced up at him, hunched over himself. “Um,” he started. “Hey. Hi. Didn’t mean to scare you.”

The silence was thicker than tar. Quietly, Lorne bent down and picked up the knife.

[———]

GOOD RIDDANCE

The reunion was … messy.

Some of it was what Lorne had expected, going off of what Ashley had told him: Salem demanding to know where he had gone, and what he was doing back here. Ashley answering, sheepishly, omitting plenty of detail. There was more silence than he had anticipated. Maybe Ashley’s way of not talking about anything was hereditary.

“So what do you want?” Salem said at last, curt and on edge. “I don’t have any money.”

“What? No, it’s—it’s not like that—”

“I don’t have drugs either.”

“It’s not like that!” Ashley repeated, a little more sharply. From where he had stopped to lean against the fence, Lorne watched him straighten up. “I just … I wanted to see you.”

Dead silence, again. Then: “You’re an awful liar.”

“Hey, kid, give him a break,” Lorne interjected. This won him a sullen glare. Lorne rolled his shoulders. “Look, you cut him and he’s still not trying to kick your ass. What’re you doin’ with a knife anyway?”

“It’s for in case I get jumped by crazy people. You know, like what just happened.”

Lorne exhaled, long and steady, out through his nostrils. This was maybe going to take some doing. “Okay, how about we start over?” he said, shaking out one hand and extending it. “I’ll go first. I’m Lorne, that’s Ashley, you’re Salem. We don’t want anything except to talk.”

He was answered with an even darker stare. Salem’s eyes flashed back to Ashley. “Maybe I don’t want to talk.”

“C’mon, you ain’t seen him in, what, like two years? There’s nothing you wanna say?”

Salem’s lip curled. “Yeah, okay. How about ‘good riddance’?”

It was almost imperceptible, the change that came over Ashley at this. He slouched by the faintest degree, casting his eyes aside. “Okay,” he said. “Okay, I get it. I’m—”

He was interrupted by the faint clatter of the chain-link fence as Lorne pushed himself off of it. “Kid. Look. Come over here a minute.”

It was an imperative, not a request. Lorne knew about making those, knew the right degree of iron to layer into his voice to hit the no-questions-asked quality it needed to move someone. Nevertheless he was still surprised when, after another long, black look at Ashley, Salem turned and followed Lorne across the street. Lorne looked behind him only once. Ash stood staring after them, every inch of him already defeated.

[———]

SOMEONE

Idiot, Ash tells himself. Of course something like this was going to happen.

He watches in stock-still silence as his brother and his partner leave him. His arm hurts like a bastard; it’s a shallow cut, but that doesn’t make it hurt much less. Seeking distraction he pulls his palm away from the gash, examining the blood smeared across it. In the dim light it is muddy and colorless, like tar or mud.

Of course Salem hadn’t wanted to see him. It wasn’t like Ashley had ever acted like he cared about him before he left. Casey probably would’ve been better received, he thinks bitterly, even though in the pit of his stomach he knows that’s garbage. Casey’s probably dead somewhere. Casey had been on more drugs than Ashley even knew the names of. And Casey had never liked either of them. Ash can count his pleasant memories with Casey on one hand; even Carver and Joan have more to their names than that.

He wonders when Salem began carrying a switchblade. He wonders if maybe he always has, and he just never noticed. It seems likely, but he isn’t sure. Salem had always been quiet and withdrawn; too girly, by Carver’s scathing approximation.

He risks a glance toward Lorne and Salem again. Salem has slouched back against a stop sign, and Lorne is half-perched on a fire hydrant, talking animatedly. He watches them, straining his ears to try and catch what they’re saying, until Salem glances his way. Ash rips his eyes away instantly, this time fully turning away.

This is all happening too fast. Everything has been happening too fast. Two months ago he hadn’t even known Lorne; he hadn’t had more than a shadow of a thought about Salem since he’d left home. He curls his fingers around the chain-link fence and presses his forehead to the wires, trying to understand what had happened. How Lorne had known there was more to him than what Ashley revealed, when even Ashley hadn’t known that. He doesn’t even remember what he used to do every day, before Lorne wedged himself into his life. It was like he hadn’t even been a real person.

He considers this, weighing his past even as he forces himself not to look behind him. No real answer comes to him, just a jumbled collection of memories he has a hard time piecing together, as if they belonged to someone else, and really, maybe they had. He wonders about that, about what it means. Maybe it doesn’t matter what or who he used to be. Maybe all that matters is that now he can be someone else. He thinks he could be okay with that. He already likes whoever he is now more than he liked the thing he had been before.

Good riddance indeed.

Carefully, he extricates himself from the chain-link fence and turns. The anxiety returns twofold when he sees Salem and Lorne crossing the street again. They come to a halt in front of them, and Lorne’s expression is unreadable. “Hey,” Ash says.

Lorne gives him a nod, glancing at Salem. Salem is shorter than Lorne, just barely, but the way he carries himself makes him look a great deal smaller. For the first time Ashley notices the shadows under his eyes, though his brother’s gaze is fixed on the concrete. “Hey, um,” Ash tries again. “Salem?”

Salem’s eyes flit up for just an instant. It’s long enough. “I’m sorry,” he says, the words clumsy in his mouth. “I … I haven’t been a very good brother, is what I mean. You, you don’t have to forgive me, or nothin’ like that. But, just, if you’ll let me—I want to try and make up for it, if you’d let me.”

He gets no answer, not at first, and looks up at Lorne in a mild panic. Lorne meets his gaze, brow knit. They are interrupted by the unmistakable sound of a sniffle. When Ash looks again, he finds Salem with grit teeth, pawing dampness from one eye. And, slowly, he nods. Ash bites his lip, looking again at Lorne. “What the hell did you say to him?”

“Wasn’t me, man,” Lorne says quietly, as he reaches down to carefully put his hand on Salem’s shoulder. “All I did was ask if he’d hear you out.”

[illfoandillfie]

so plans changed and i was able to buy the tarot deck yesterday already instead of next week :) i got the modern witch tarot. do you cleanse your deck before using it for the first time? or do you have any tips on how to get started? it's brand new but i'm still worried it might have some bad energy, i didn't sleep well last night :/ i kept the deck in my nightstand, but that's probably just me overthinking it. i don't have any crystals or anything like that tho (yet)

oooo thats v exciting!!

my answer got a lil long so i chucked it under the cut

I sometimes cleanse my decks before I properly use them, but I have two methods I use depending on how lazy I feel lmao. If I can be bothered I'll cleanse it with a candle. I'm an aries, so a fire sign, which is why I started using the candle method and basically I'll light a candle and then wave the deck through the smoke/heat coming off the flame. Usually I do it a couple of times before I'll shuffle them but sometimes if I find it's not shuffling particularly well or lots of cards keep falling out of my hands I'll give it a second pass over the candle.

But, if I'm feeling lazy (which, lbr i often am) i'll do the moon method and basically leave my deck overnight somewhere where moonlight can touch it. And if I'm feeling really lazy I won't worry so much. I don't necessarily buy into the idea that the cards pick up energy but I do think you as a reader will and so cleansing rituals can be more about clearing your own mind than clearing energy from the physical deck.

As for getting started, I think just getting used to the deck is important, holding it, shuffling it, getting a feel of it. Maybe play around and draw one or two or three cards regarding something going on in your life. It doesn't even have to be a big thing, just something you can focus on while you get the hang of pulling cards. Maybe draw one card each morning or right before you go to sleep as an indication of what your day will be like. It can also help you decide how you're going to read - are you going to shuffle a certain number of times before pulling a card or are you going to wait and see if any cards fall out of your hands or are you going to split the deck in half after you shuffle and take the middle card? there's more than one way to pull cards for a reading and in my experience most people have a preference even if they switch things around sometimes.

One habit I got into was to sleep with the deck somewhere near me - on my bedside table or under my pillow or wherever - for at least a couple of days. It's said to help you connect with the deck or whatever and I don't know if it really works but 🤷‍♀️ sometimes it did seem to help.

Also, during readings, definitely recommend using the guidebook that came with the deck, especially at the start. You're 100% allowed to look things up even if you're pulling cards for someone else. Tarot can be confusing and the guidebook is included to make it easier so you may as well use it.

If you're someone that finds it easier to learn new things when you take notes then starting a tarot journal could be of use. Just somewhere to jot down key words associated with each card that you can quickly refer back to. You could also use it to write notes on readings you so for yourself and others.

There's also a spread that I stumbled onto online which is a "new deck interview". Basically you draw 6 cards (which each answer a different question) when you get a new deck to try and understand/connect with it. I don't do it as much anymore but I did for a while. I found it was a good way to sort of break in a deck and it gave me something ready made to do my first draw on so that I didn't have to like come up with something myself lmao. The six questions are:

Tell me about yourself. What is your most important characteristic?

What are your strengths as a deck?

What are your limits as a deck?

What do you bring to the table -- what are you here to teach me?

How can I best learn from and collaborate with you?

What is the potential outcome of our working relationship?

That's everything I can think of off the top of my head but if you think of anything else you're curious about i'm always happy to answer questions!

[exoparkchanyeogiwa]

Coughs and Sniffles (Oneshot)

(Pic is not mine)

'At least you were at home, in the arms of the one person in the world who made your life complete...'

The sun is shining, the birds are singing and you wake up with a smile on your face. However, your smile quickly fades when you see a shivering, sniffling, coughing Jongdae, trying to sleep comfortably beside you...

---------

Oneshot

_____

Genre: Fluff

Member: Jongdae (Chen)

_____

The room was enveloped in complete darkness except for the trail of sunshine that peeked through the left side of the curtains.

You rubbed your eyes and sat up in bed. You kept your eyes closed for a brief second in order to focus on the sound of the car tyres shuffling across the road outside and the faint melody of birdsong that was playing just beyond your bedroom window.

Today was going to be perfect.

Both you and your beloved Jongdae had a day off work and were both planning on going out to see a movie and then have dinner at a restaurant in order to celebrate your upcoming birthday.

Excitement coursed through your veins as you opened your eyes, leaped out of bed and pulled the curtains apart. The glowing sun caused warmth to spread throughout the entire room as you stood in front of the window and took a deep breath.

You turned to face the bed where you were met with Jongdae's sleeping figure. You stared lovingly at his handsome features and smiled contently. Suddenly, Jongdae  let out a gruff cough. This sudden disturbance to the silence caused you to jump slightly and you placed your hand above your heart until its beating slowed.

You placed your palm on Jongdae's forehead and concern overtook you - he had a fever and a very high one as it seemed...

He was pale and sweaty. His breathing seemed irregular and his eyebrows were knitted together making him look like he was struggling and pained.

You moved his dampened hair out of his face and proceeded to the bathroom to grab some medicine and a soaked wash cloth. You made your way back to the bedroom and placed the cloth onto his forehead. You wiped the beads of sweat from his brow and then headed to the kitchen to grab a tall glass of water.

"Dae," you whispered "Dae, it's me. Wake up and drink this."

He shifted in his sleep and turned to you with a tired expression.

"Morning, beautiful. What's that?"

"It's medicine Dae," you replied "Now drink up. It'll help you feel better."

"Medicine? What? I don't need medicine. Why would I need medicine?" he said.

A series of coughs and splutters followed this statement and you looked at him and mumbled:

"That's why..."

Jongdae decided to quit being stubborn and complied to your request.

Once he had swallowed the medicine, he attempted to stand up - only to be pushed back down onto the bed by you, who was not going to allow it...

"Kim Jongdae I will not let you get out of bed in this condition!" You stated.

"But what about our dateeee?" He whined.

"Forget the date, Dae. Look at you! You can barely walk three steps without going into a coughing fit!"

"Thats not tr--" - he barely even finished his sentence before he was inturrupted by yet another series of coughs and sneezes.

You gave him the 'I told you so' look and he whined in defeat.

"Ughhh how are we gonna celebrate your birthday nowwww?"

"Just stay in bed, baby. It's okay! Don't worry about the date and don't worry about me! Your health is my number one priority right now and I highly doubt that either of us would enjoy a date if it mainly consisted of endless bouts of coughing and sneezing... and I doubt that the people around us would enjoy that either." You reasoned.

Jongdae sighed and said:

"Okay. Fine. But I don't want you to have to look after me all day. Go out! Buy yourself a million chicken nuggets or more, baby - you deserve it. Leave me here and enjoy your day off! I'll be fine here."

You looked at him with a confused expression.

"Okay I'm sorry but that's the stupidest thing I've ever heard you say and you've said some pretty stupid things before, Dae."

He scrunched his face in confusion.

"Do you seriously think that I would enjoy my day off if you aren't there to enjoy it with me?"

He looked down and shook his head.

"Exactly!" You said, "Now lie down. Let me take care of you."

"No." He argued.

"Kim Jongdae, now is not the time to be stubborn. You're sick! You need to rest!" you said.

"Can we go downstairs instead? Please? Lets watch a movie together. It's too stuffy in here."

You were about to refuse his suggestion until he pouted and showed you his dreaded puppy-dog eyes. You winced and nodded your head in agreement which caused him to weakly raise both his arms with excitement.

You walked, hand-in-hand, into the living room and you told him to make himself comfy on the sofa while you went to grab something from the kitchen.

Minutes later, you returned with a glass of water and a bowl of chicken noodle soup in your grasp.

You laid the bowl and the glass of water down on the coffee table and grabbed a blanket from a nearby pile. You placed the blanket over his legs and turned on the TV.

Commercials were being played so you used this as an opportunity to feed the sniffling Jongdae some chicken noodle soup.

He happily ate every spoonful and left the bowl nearly squeaky clean by the end of it. He licked his lips clean and said:

"I feel so much better now! Thank you so much baby. I love you! And did I mention that you make THE.BEST.CHICKEN.NOODLE.SOUP. E V E R?"

You smiled and said:

"Aweh thank you, Dae. I love you too!"

You pecked his lips and looked deep into his dark, brown eyes once you pulled away -not even caring if you would get ill as a result of it.

"You still wanna go out on that date babe?" He asked, "C'mon we still have time to celebrate your birthday today!"

You shook your head, "Dae, my birthday is in three days... we have tonnes of time to celebrate! And who's to say that this isn't a good enough celebration huh? I'd even say that cuddling on the couch with you whilst watching my favorite TV shows is the absolute perfect way to celebrate my birthday."

Jongdae grinned, wrapped his arm around you and kissed your temple. You burrowed into his embrace and inhaled his cologne - your favorite scent in the entire world.

The commercials on the TV finished playing and an old re-run of Glee started to air. You both watched intently as you waited for your favorite part of the show to begin - the singing!

The characters began to sing your favorite songs. You and Jongdae just couldn't help but sing along with them. You both sang together with your voices filling the entire room, causing an atmosphere of happiness and delight to flow through the air.

"You sing the female part and I sing the male part of the song okay, baby?" He said, smiling.

"Got it!" You beamed.

You sang and sang and sang, your smile never leaving your face and with your laughter errupting between every other line of the song.

Then, when Jongdae's part came, you ceased your laughter and just smiled - you smiled because you were lucky enough to love the beautiful human being that is Kim Jongdae and you smiled because you were lucky enough to have him love you just as much.

The day didn't quite go as planned. But that was okay because you were there with him. You were there, listening to him sing his heart out. And eventhough he sounded a little croaky and gruff because of his fever, you still thought that he sounded like an angel sent to you from heaven... and in a way, he was.

The occasional cough and sneeze still escaped past his lips but spending the whole day with you in his arms had really helped him regain his strength.

The final TV programme ended and Jongdae clicked the 'off' button on the remote. The screen turned to black. Jongdae checked the time on his phone. It was 9pm.

"Hey, love, lets go to bed now. I know you must be tired" he said.

The only response he got from you was a soft snore and an unconscious whimper.

He smiled and kissed your head before he proceeded to carry you up to your bedroom.

He laid you onto the bed and covered you with the duvet to ensure that his beautiful girlfriend would be kept safe and warm.

Tomorrow. He thought. Tomorrow we're gonna go to the Cinema and watch that movie and go to dinner together just like we planned.

With that, he made his way onto the bed, wrapped his arms around you and drifted off into a peaceful sleep.

The next morning, the sun was shining brightly once again. Jongdae woke up, stretched his arms out and let out a mighty yawn. He stood up and made his way to open the curtains.

Sunlight filled the room once again as Jongdae made his way over to your sleeping figure.

"Love, loooove, wake up! Let's have a shower and eat before we head to the cinema."

You groaned and turned to face him.

"Oh my gosh you look horrible." He stated, bluntly.

"Gee thanks, Dae. I love you too." you scoffed.

Jongdae put his hand on your forehead and guilt consumed him upon feeling your high temperature.

"I guess we won't be going to the Cinema afterall..." he said.

"Do you mean to say that we get to spend another day cuddling on the sofa?" You asked.

Uh.. yeah. Is that okay? I'm sorry baby. I told you that you should've just left me home alone..." He said.

"SHH!" You said, putting your index finger up to his mouth in an attempt to shut him up.

"It's completely fine, Dae. Besides, now you get to look after me." You said, smiling brightly despite the pounding in your head.

But you took no notice of your aching bones, pounding headache or scratchy throat because you knew that a certain sweetheart named Kim Jongdae would be there, by your side, to help make you feel a hundred percent better again.

So what if you weren't out, celebrating your birthday in a fancy restaurant or watching the latest Avengers movie? At least you were at home, in the arms of the one person in the world that made your life complete.

In all honesty, you had hoped that everything would turn out that way...

~~~~~~~~~

I wrote this so quickly so pleaseee excuse any typos... I have really fat thumbs...

Anyways, I hope you guys like this one! Please tell me what you think cuz that would mean a lot! ♡

-Z