#idk if its living a city or just routine changes or WHAT but i do not enjoy this at all

[bsaka7]

i feel like my headaches have been getting worse :/

[targaryenluvs]

— ALL MINE

pairing - prowler!miles morales x reader, miles morales x reader

summary - whilst on the run, your boyfriend miles and yourself were taken home. although your hometown is not as it seems. with a shadow clinging to your every move, will you make it out of this universe? part two - not yours

warnings - possessive!prowler miles, he’s like low key delulu, swearing, violence.

notes - i am absolutely in love with prowler miles. THE BRAIDS HAVE A CHOKEHOLD ON ME. sorry if this seems to resemble other fics but i just wanted to do my lil version since all the others are half way done :P and i’m writing again since i’m in the holidays :) also idk if miles can make people invisible but for the sake of this text yes he can. also big fancy words idk if i used em correctly. comment for p2!!!! also pushing the 42miles calling his girl ma agenda 😘

wordcount: 2.1K

you had to catch your breath.

you’d never been the most athletic person in p.e and it certainly wasn’t going to change then and it certainly won’t now. but as miles eggs you on to keep moving you ignore all the un-athletic bones in your body and push yourself to keep running.

as you reach your destination miles grabs your hand and the two of you creep your way inside. miles begins to mess around with computers as margo tried her hardest with the help of lyla to figure out what on earth was going on.

as miles scanned his eyes he pulled you into his arms, “you okay?” he asked as you nodded, “for now, as long as miguel-”

and to your luck he barrelled through the doors at the exact moment you uttered his name. “bloody mary much?” you muttered under your breath as you took a step back.

and as he clawed and fought his way in your hand tightened its grip on miles’s. “it’s okay, he’s not getting in y/n/n. it’s okay.” and as he reassured you to the best of his abilities you couldn’t help but feel grateful. he always put you first, no matter what.

always made sure you and his family were okay.

and his reassurance managed to calm you down as margo looked up at the two of you, her finger hovering over the reboot button but as she looked between the miles and you, she couldn’t help but aid the two of you. as miles pulled his mask over his face, you saw the pure rage painted over miguel’s face and you couldn’t help your indignation towards the man.

but you didn’t see him for long as the pair of you were sucked out of the room and travelling at the speed of light (or so it seemed) to freedom.

the lights were harsh on your eyes.

as you adjusted to the luminosity of the neon signs you looked to your right to see miles on the floor.

“miles? miles!” you rushed over and rolled his body over as he coughed, “i’m okay, i’m okay. how about you?” you smiled, “i’m fine babe. we made it, we made it home miles.” you cried as you engulfed him in a hug.

he smiled as he reciprocated, “thanks to you y/n. but we needa get goin okay?” you nodded as you stood and helped him up by his arms.

“hold on tight.”

you’d honestly forgotten how nice the cold air felt on your face. the thrill of swinging through the city, passing people by as they stared in wonder, slinging by and grabbing a few treats on the way, yours and miles’s normal routine almost everyday in the past six months. you never knew you could miss a place so much.

but being with the spider society and being at the HQ managed to make you deeply homesick.

as you neared miles’s home you felt a weight being lifted off of your chest.

you were almost there.

you had gotten home in time.

you’d save mr morales, be allowed to call him jeff and his wife rio, miles would have his father, he’d continue being spider-man, the two of you would move to new jersey (fingers crossed), miles would study something new (seeing as the two of you have had your fill of other universes in the past few days), you’d study journalism, you’d get your own place, travel, live and love.

together.

as you got to his rooms window you held on to the ledge as miles opened the window and carefully guided you in. you’d never expected to feel so elated at seeing his single bed, his action figures and posters, everything. but as you entered, the waves of fatigue messed with your head to the point where you managed to overlook the contents of his room.

you were so exhausted you didn’t even manage to make it to the bed and relaxed in-front of it in the corner. as you looked around you couldn’t help but frown. it looked, different.

some things were missing such as all the posters and figurines. you chalked it up to mrs morales packing them away perhaps, or miles moving them to his own place.

as you slowly drifted off you missed the creak of the door opening.

rio walked through the door with her laundry basket clung to her hip.

miles turned around quickly, relieved to see his mother. “ah mom, you don’t know how happy i am to see you.” rio furrowed her eyebrows as her son ran over to smother her in a tight hug. it’d been so long since he’d acted so.

and was his hair out?

he seemed shorter too.

what on earth has this boy been up to?

as he rambled on explaining himself she couldn’t help but smile. he seemed so, innocent. before everything, before the pain, before the loss, before it all happened, before he changed, permanently, before her.

“miles, i think it’s cute your into uh what’s it called cosplay? you one of them comics-con kids?”

“what’s that? i- no, this isn’t cosplay ma.”

as she walks into another room miles stands frozen as his uncle aaron walks into the home. albeit a different version of his uncle aaron but it doesn’t change the way miles’s hands are sweating, his heart threatening to implode.

as aaron rested a pile of cash on the table miles stared in awe. “you ready to go miles? damn you took your braids out? what’s going on man?” he joked as he walked to the door his hand gesturing miles to follow along. “yeah lemme just grab something and i’ll be there.”

miles shook you awake and asked you to follow along but not too closely.

you were perplexed as to why but followed along nonetheless. as you made it to the door you saw aaron in-front of miles. and suddenly something came at miles, knocking him out.

you ran to him, “miles! shit, are you okay?” you felt your chest tighten as he didn’t respond, his finger tips twitched yet he was unresponsive. “fuck what the hell did you do aaron?”

aaron couldn’t believe his eyes.

how- what?

you were there. sitting, cradling miles’s body in your arms as you stared up at him.

alive.

“y/n?”

it was a whisper. but you caught it. “no i’m the fuckin sun. yes it’s y/n.” you said as you continued to inspect miles, looking for any signs of injury.

“you want her too?”

your head snapped up as you heard aaron speak again, he was looking behind you and you honestly didn’t have the energy to see someone else right now but as you looked back you wished this was a bad dream.

the prowler.

he stood tall, not as tall as aaron but at least a few inches more so than miles. his suit was a little different, his claws sharper and his mask. he nodded towards aaron, yes.

it was as frightening as aaron’s. aaron. if he was right infront of you you then who the hell was thi-

your head was throbbing so much, but you were currently being tended to. or, you thought you were. someone was lightly dabbing a wet cloth on your forehead, your head was supported by something, it was nice.

when you built the strength to open your eyes you saw miles. “arriba mi vida.” you squinted. “what?” you saw a slight smile on his face, “try to get up.” miles wrapped his hand around your neck, cradling it as you attempted to get up.

you rested against the cold wall as you took in the environment around you. “where are we?” you asked miles as you tried focusing your eyes, you swore you saw the outline of someone tied to a, was that a boxing bag? the light from the window behind them illuminated their outline, their face left unknown.

“shh, está bien y/n.”

“miles you know i cant speak spanish that well.”

“i’m sorry, i forgot. you feelin’ okay ma?”

as you were about to respond the body tied to the bag started to move and mumble, causing you to actually realise that someone was tied up. your eyes were adjusted now and as you looked around and settled on miles’s face you couldn’t help but frown.

“since when do you wear braids miles? and do you honestly think this is the right time to try out a new hair style?” you questioned as he got up, “you don’t like my braids? you use to do em all the time ma.”

your eyebrows furrowed as the body finally came into focus, and you saw-

miles?

you slowly rose from your spot on the floor and looked back and forth from both miles’s. the one in front of you had a certain way to him. his shoulders straightened, taller than usual, hardened face, he seemed so, formal.

whilst your miles was a sloucher most times, not short but he didn’t tower over everyone, usually with a smile donning his face and always easy going.

“i- you.” the words scrambled out and you had no idea what was going on. all you knew was that you needed to get out of here. as you walked towards what you had assumed to be your miles, other miles grabbed your hand and yanked you back.

“whatchu doing?”

“i was seeing my miles. what are you doing? why did you tie him up?”

“can’t exactly have someone running around my streets with my face now can i?”

“okay, i understand that miles but you need to let me go. we need to get back to our universe otherwise mr morales is gonna- and we can’t let that happen you know that. untie him. please.”

“why would i do that shit? what’s so special about him? why does he get to have everything so good? his school, his friends, his family- you.” other miles was getting a little too close for your liking and you found yourself backed up against the wall. not a great position to be in when completely helpless and tired as hell against someone who could probably throw you across the room.

his hand came to your face as he pushed away a stray strand of hair from your eyes. “i- did we- did you date someone like me?”

“not someone like you ma, i dated you.”

“no you dated another version of me. that’s not me, that’s her, wherever she is i’m sure she missed you and if you picked up the phone and called-”

“she’s dead.”

your eyes widened, “i- i’m sorry for you. and for her. i’m sure you loved her a lot but, i’m not her. you’re not my miles, my miles is right there. and i love him. please you have to let us- me go. y/n wouldn’t have wanted this for you i’m sure of it.”

“you gonna tell me she wanted me to be happy?”

“uh i’d assume she wanted that for you. i’m sure you guys were amazing together miles.” you smiled as you tried to suppress your fear. it was hard to, you could feel it slowly creeping in, the miles in front of you was hypnotising, his eyes were warm so warm you could feel them burning into yours. he was absolutely gorgeous, the soft glow from the night life outside highlighting his face. he was so gorgeous it was insane as well as scary. he took your breath away, the same way your miles did.

“we were, and we will be again.”

“i’m not so sure you can bring people back from the dead. i understand you miss her but you need to let her go and move on. speaking of moving on miles and i should be moving on back to our universe so if you would so kindly-”

“i got her right here ma.”

his grip on your hand tightened as he somehow got closer. all the air had apparently hopped out of the room since you felt your chest tighten.

“no me dejarás de nuevo mi vida. your staying with me, here.”

“You won’t leave me again my life.”

“stop it, i understand you’re hurting but please just-” you tried with all your strength to push him away but his feet were planted firmly into the floor, as still as a statue and you couldn’t help but cry.

you’d escaped one place to be potentially imprisoned in another.

“shh, shh y/n/n. i got you right here.” he held you as you sobbed, praying your miles would wake up soon and save the two of you.

as miles held onto you he couldn’t help but feel his tensions and sorrow seep into the floor as he held you again after all this time and as he did he couldn’t help but whisper,

“you’re mine mi amor,

all mine.”

[gemmahale]

Gemma's NaClYoHo 2024

I had too much free time on my hands this morning and I wanted a repository for all the posts I make beyond just scrolling the hashtag #Gemma's NaClYoHo.

What is NaClYoHo? National Clean Your House month. Spearheaded by @copperbadge, the intent is to do something for your household - chores, tasks, even life-related things like calling for appointments - every day of the month of November.

In Sam's words:

The goal of "NaClYoHo" is not actually to end up with a clean home; it's to spend the month of November addressing what you’d like to change about your living space.

For Kallen and I, a lot of this is going to be the maintenance tasks we've put off around the house. Being full time employed (me) and self-employed and disabled (him), a lot of things have been pushed off to "later." And later has become now.

There will be routine tasks sprinkled in here too (laundry, dishes, gathering trash, etc). We're making a wish list of things to purchase to improve spaces (shelves, bins, etc.) and will add those in as budget allows.

We're listening to the podcast Victoria's Lift while we do things. (Unless it's too loud, in which case...tbd.) I'm excited, because it's just enough spoop to keep me intrigued but not enough to wig me out. The podcast's description:

Part Twilight Zone but wholly unique, Victoria's Lift is an ongoing audio drama featuring a mysterious girl who guides visitors to their transformations. A dark place whose original luster is now lost to time, the unlikely, old Victorian building sits overlooked by most on the edge of Pittsburgh. Originally built as a luxury residence for some of the city’s most well to do residents, it now serves a different purpose. Within its dilapidated walls sits Victoria's Lift. Step inside and ride it to the floor chosen for your transformation.

But I'd really like to see:

Appliance maintenance performed

The garage I park my car in sorted

The kitchen functional and organized

The depot (Kallen's shop) functional - front half minimum

The storage space/laundry room downstairs better organized

My future office cleared and ready for furniture

Kallen's office reorganized

Kallen's printer room (idk what we're calling this room; it's half storage half 3D printer stuff) sorted

General house pick-up (this is mostly on me, the yarnie lol)

My yarn all catalogued and sorted (this one's an ambitious one)

The Daily Posts!

Day 1 - No post, rest (we didn't get home until after 8pm and were exhausted) Day 2 - laundry, dishwasher, trash, picking up Day 3 - Rest (I got my vaxxes and I went down like a rock) Day 4 - Laundry Day 5 - Bust. Day 6 - Emotional resting Day 7 - Waiting Day 8 - Grief Day 9 - Shopping Day 10 - Shelf building in laundry room Day 11 - Veteran's Day Day 12 - All day seminar Day 13 - Incoming

[chrrylpstcks]

( madison pettis, 25, cis woman, she/her ) ☼ i know it’s a small town, but i run into WHITNEY BAPTISTE every time i go to THE LIBRARY. it’s like they practically live there and not PELICAN TOWN for THREE MONTHS. it must be because they’re DETERMINED and SHARP. come to think of it, that’s probably why they’re a JOJA MART DISTRICT MANAGER IN TRAINING too. but i did hear they want to CLIMB THE JOJA LADDER AND BECOME CEO, and sometimes they like to RUN. rumor has it they also like RUBY but dislike SPRING ONION. what do you think? + meagan, 28, she/her, est

history

born and raised in the ferngill republic's capital city

her family didn't have a lot of money growing up, but her parents always thought her education was really important. they even applied for her to attend a private school on a scholarship, and she got in.

they were always very strict with her about her grades and extracurriculars and anything that would look good on a college application, and whitney really did want to make them proud

the kids at her school were not very nice and would sometimes bully her for being poor, but she just took it, knowing they were idiots and one day it would all be worth it

went to an ivy league school for undergrad where the people were not much nicer, and then a second one for her mba. all the while, she kept her nose in the books, never making many friends because she was too busy studying, studying, studying to keep her scholarships and her eyes on the prize.

right out of her mba program, she landed a spot in joja mart's prestigious district manager program. she spent the first year of her job managing a joja mart store somewhere else in the ferngill republic. the hours were long and hard, but her boss saw something in her and continued to push her.

as the second year of the program, she is a district manager in training, and the valley is one of her stores.

the valley is...new to her, to say the least. she has always lived in the city, so it's a not-so-welcome change of pace, but like everything whitney is just taking it in stride. the company bought a house for her to stay in as she travels in and out of the town often, though they really want her to focus on the stardew valley store because it hasn't been performing as well as some of its peers.

whitney is determined to bring it from last to first in the district, showing joja leadership just how dedicated and good at her job she is.

has been here three months but hasn't really talked to anyone and it hasn't been going as well as she wants it to. realized she needs to talk to people more to understand the market, so getting out her routine more and trying to meet people.

personality

determined, smart, blunt, sharp, insecure, immature

can be charismatic when she wants to be

so hungry to prove herself and very concerned with how every move comes off to other people, particularly in the context of her career

headcanons

she is 5'1

often found at the library with her joja-issue laptop muttering under her breath about how the connection is slow and surrounded by mountains of paperwork

blows off steam with a 6am run every morning, so any earlybirds will see her zipping around town -- she does not want to talk, she has a schedule

DOES now talk to townspeople at other times though, mostly to secretly conduct market research

often carrying a clipboard with her to do list and other paperwork around during the day, as well as her work bag

wanted connections

beefing with people who don't like joja mart

people who thinks she's friends with them

someone she does eventually become friends with but it will be a slow burn

next door neighbor in pelican town

idk maybe a crush, maybe it's unrequited on her or by her

open to more of course we can brainstorm :)

[runner-owen]

i know sending oc questions for whatever oc(s) you want to answer them for is kinda lame but am low energy

also tried (and failed) not to escalate too much with these abshdhsh (which is hard bc i want to know Everything ahshdsb) (you can answer in like separate posts as well idk)

✈️ AIRPLANE — does your oc like traveling, or do they consider themselves a more homey person?

🎮 VIDEO GAME CONTROLLER — what are three of your oc's favorite hobbies?

💍 RING — does your oc have any piercings? do they want any (more) piercings?

🖊️ BALLPOINT PEN — does your oc have any tattoos? do they want any (more) tattoos?

💯 HUNDRED POINTS SYMBOL — share three random facts about your oc that others may not know.

💤 SLEEPING SIGN — is your oc a light sleeper or a heavy sleeper? how are their sleeping habits?

🔺 RED TRIANGLE POINTED UP — does your oc know how to use any weapons?

🍎 RED APPLE — where was your oc born? do they still live in/around their place of birth or do they live somewhere else? how do they feel about their birthplace?

💔 BROKEN HEART — what are three of your oc's negative traits?

🖤 BLACK HEART — has your oc killed or seriously wounded anyone before? have they broken someone's heart and/or broken someone's trust?

Thank you for including the questions themselves, that makes it a lot easier on me!! Let's do these for Owen

✈️: Owen hasn't left Therris since he arrived when he was 13. I don't think he plans to leave any time soon. The city is big enough to explore on its own, not that as of writing, he's thought much about that. Maybe that will change...

🎮: Owen loves to read, take walks, and people watch!

💍: nope, no piercings for him, as far as I know

🖊️: no tattoos either!

💯: three facts for you!

1. Owen has a scar/birthmark over his heart.

2. He has a serious soft spot for animals of all kinds.

3. His name may be Rosedown but his actual favorite flower is lavender.

💤: Owen is a restless sleeper. Especially during the current story, he has odd dreams and wakes easily, though he's good at pretending to be asleep. His sleep routine involves changing clothes, rinsing out his mouth, and praying to the Goddess before crawling into bed.

🔺: Owen has always been a blunt force trauma kind of guy. He doesn't know how to use a gun or a sword but he sure can beat you up with anything he can grab hold of!

🍎: Owen doesn't remember anything before the age of three. He's an orphan and foundling so he assumes his parents or other family just didn't want him anymore.

💔: Owen is deeply depressed at the start of Farewell Vesperos. He is also easily intimidated and impulsive.

🖤: now here's a question I've never once thought of before... I don't think Owen has ever intentionally harmed someone. But unintentionally? That I'm less sure about...

This was fun, thank you!!

[starglitterz]

♡ LOVE, OR THE LACK THEREOF. — or in which thoma questions what love truly means.

warnings ; angst, lowk implied cheating (?) a/n ; whaaaat wdym my first post of valentines month is angst nooo idk what ur talking abt hahaha anyways i wrote this for school and then tweaked it a bit to fit thoma + genshin i hope u all enjoy! <3

please reblog! it helps a lot :)

what is love, really? sometimes when thoma ponders the question, he prefers to think of it like a series of images in his head, a mess of abstract thoughts rather than coherent sentences. is it all-consuming, like a candle flame eating up its own wax to burn brighter and brighter until there's nothing left but a sparking stub? or is it wild and uncontrollable, harsh kisses and the rough movement of skin against skin like a beast left uncaged to mark its territory as it desired? or perhaps is it peaceful, like a garden of gently swaying flowers in a grassy field under an azure sky? to thoma, love is about trust - unshakeable faith between two people that permits an infinite river of words flow effortlessly as they open their hearts to one another and talk about everything and anything under the sun. but recently, it feels as though a dam has been built in his throat. it stops the flood of his sentences from rushing out and leaves him to drown in his own thoughts instead of share them with you.

and he doesn't know why.

you've been coming home later and later nowadays, and he swears he catches a whiff of a playful cologne curling around you possessively when you step through the door. it's one he's never bought, and one that reminds him strangely of kamisato ayato. his eyes are bloodshot from waiting up for you, but yours are lively and full of warmth, as if you've just returned from a night of laughter spent with someone who isn't him. your kisses feel hollow now; the fervour that was once there when your mouth met his has faded, with bruised lips the only thing remaining. even the dates he tries his hardest to plan go awry, with you always calling a rain check at the last minute due to work and vowing to reschedule. (you never do).

when was the last time either of you exchanged the words 'i love you'?

thoma has been lying to himself, forcing himself to ignore the truth he suspects because he just doesn't want to lose you. ever since coming to inazuma he's felt alienated, but he did his best to hide it under a facade of friendliness and camaraderie with everyone in town. he never stopped missing his home of mondstadt, but everything changed when he met you. you became his new home, and he hoped he was yours too. it was easier to forget how the cultural festivals in this electric nation reminded him of the traditions in the city of freedom, or how his wish changed from wanting to find some way back to mondstadt to desperately desiring to stay with you as long as he could. he knows he's holding on too tightly to something that has probably already crumbled, but he'd do anything if it meant he wouldn't have to let you go. he's already fallen into routine with you, and coming back to your shared home is the highlight of his day ever since you moved in together. maybe he should just confront you and end your dying relationship already, that seems to be the most logical course of action.

he finds himself wondering why neither of you have done it yet.

but late at night when you're wrapped up in his embrace, the soft sound of your breathing in tandem with his and the feeling of your chest gently rising and falling against his body as you tuck your head under his chin makes thoma realise something. in the end, love is familiarity, the sense of knowing one another inside out and growing used to the warmth of their presence. even if this feeling is nothing more than an ephemeral dopamine release, the comfort derived from finding solace in one another's arms feels eternal. (thoma wanted it to be.) but though your torsos are pressed up against each other, a cavernous distance built from everything left unsaid stretches between you both - maybe all you were to each other was a temporary relief, a distraction from the other problems rattling around your head and concealed in your heart.

yet even so, thoma hopes the two of you can stay like this for just a little longer.

© starglitterz 2022. do not repost or modify in any way – reblog / follow if you enjoyed !

[imagineyouandharry]

Gypsophila (H.S)

Summary: Prince Harry has been under great pressure to find a wife, and he finds his Queen in a way far more unconventional than he could’ve imagined. 

Words: 5,730

Warnings: It’s a bit strange I guess? Idk lol.

A/N: Someone requested a Prince!Harry au forever ago, and then I didn’t really have an opportunity to write for a while, and then this idea sprung up on me and I’ve been lost in this little au for the past few days. It’s like a little twisted fairytale, taking inspiration from Snow White and Sleeping Beauty mostly. Part two is already a work in progress. If people are interested I’ll even put out a little sort of world building lore post with a map of the kingdom etc (I’ve been in DEEP). This part is a bit choppy and barely edited because I was just so eager to write it and get something out, but I would really appreciate any constructive criticism and editing notes! TYSM!! Long story short, enjoy!!!

 ♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡♡

Harry Edward Styles did not believe in true love, in fact, he thought it was the most ridiculous idea ever. Harry’s certain he’s laid eyes upon every eligible young lady, from his kingdom and the ones surrounding, and he hadn’t felt a single thing when looking at any of them. He prayed every night that he would find his love the next day, and finally be able to put his parents out of their misery and ascend to the throne. At the age of 27, Harry’s the oldest person in his family to not be married, no one every waited this long in the royal family. He would’ve had an arranged marriage at 21, though when his parents suggested that he ran away on a sailing ship for two months. One thing was clear to him: though he may not have experienced love yet, he wasn’t going to ruin his chances at true by being forced into a loveless marriage. It wasn’t only Harry’s parents, but the entire kingdom that woke each day hoping to hear that their Prince had found his Queen. They referred to Harry as the Good Prince, his subjects adored him, and lived for his acts of charity and selflessness, and they only hoped he would find a Queen that would treat them the same.

Harry’s outlook on love changed however, after his most recent hunting trip. Sundays are for family and hunting, that’s what Harry was always told. No day was for Harry, he’d come to learn that. Living under a microscope meant for very little alone time, and almost no guilt-free alone time. He and his hunting party rode across the fields and out to the dense forest surrounding the kingdom, and over the two hour journey Harry found himself agitated with the topics of conversation going on around him. He wanted a break, tired of everyone only ever speaking about royal duties or politics. Harry had discovered a fresh water lake if he went off the trail, and when he realised they were edging closer to his favourite place he decided to excuse himself with the excuse of needing to fill his canteen.

The natural spring was a hidden treasure indeed. Harry’s entire kingdom was cut off from the rest of the world due to the thick forestland surrounding it. There was only one trail in, and one trail out, and even then only experienced riders were able to make the journey. The end of the trail, in the deep of the forest, was also often lined with thieves and outcasts making it not the safest journey. This spring wasn’t necessarily hard to find, however thick trees that lined the main trail hid the spring, the gorgeous wild flowers, and clearing of soft grass either side. Harry tied his horse to his usual tree, softly parting the bushes careful to not cause any permanent damage, and stepped his way through. His kingdom was full of hidden treasures like this, tucked away in places only to be found by those adventurous enough.

The sound of the running water was most prominent, however the closer he walked to the spring, the more he could hear a faint, delicate singing voice. Harry couldn’t recognise the song, but it was one he’d never forget now. It felt as though his heart dropped in his stomach, and he had to lightly scratch his arm on a branch to double check he hasn’t died and was hearing an angel of heaven sing to him. He walked closer, with quiet footsteps so not to disturb the singing. He knelt down to the edge of the spring and began to fill his canteen, looking around his eyes eventually focused on the source of his siren, standing in the clearing over the other side of the spring as she picked a bouquet of dainty flowers. Lavender, daisies, bellflowers, poppies. Her body was dressed in sage green, the simple dress showed she definitely was not from a wealthy family, but it was simple and beautiful in its own way. Perhaps she sewed it herself, it did look as if it were made for her. He could see her hair shine from here, and the features of her side profile were striking him even from a distance. She didn’t look real. The strange girl across the spring looked ethereal, like her beauty was too surreal for this planet. Had he hit his head? Was he seeing a forest fairy? He hadn’t even realised the staggering increase in his heart rate as he watched the girl, and listened.

He lost track of how long he had been watching her for, snapped out of his daydream when he heard a “Your Royal Highness! We must be getting on!” Harry heard shouting at him from a distance, most likely back where he had tied his horse. The girl had heard the faint noise and her eyes shot in Harry’s direction. His cheeks flushed with heat as their eyes met only for a brief second, before she ran away. The eye contact brought a slight curve to his lips, although she was leaving, at least he got another good look at her.

“Wait!” He called as he stood up, his hand and canteen dripping wet. His eyes softened as she simply left, looking back briefly in her stride, but he’d blown it. “God fucking damn it.” He cursed under his breath as he began to trudge back to his horse, his feet weighing heavy on the ground.

That was the most he’d ever felt, looking at the stranger across the lake singing as if it were for him, and he couldn’t help but feel like he’d just lost his future Queen. Half of him wanted to wade through the water and run after her, but Harry wasn’t a often disobedient Prince, when one of his parents or advisors told him to jump, his usual response would be “how high?” It’s ironic how for someone who’s whole life depends on finding his future Queen is given so little time to actually explore a social life, or love life himself. He was always set up with suitors who his parents found best. In the rare times he’s able to sneak away he’d gotten around, and most definitely wasn’t a virgin, but he’d never found a girl who had made him feel the way he wanted to feel about his future queen. He only wanted to please his family, and his realm, but this was the one thing where he refused to compromise.

Y/N was as far away from a future queen as it could come, or at least that’s what her step-mother wanted everyone to think. The entire town hoped to marry their daughters off to the elusive Good Prince Harry, however her step-mother only wanted her biological daughters to have that chance. When Y/N’s father passed away her step-mother sent her out to live as a recluse in a tiny cottage in the woods, she had always feared that her beauty would distract future husbands away from her actual daughters, and didn’t want to ruin their chance of being married. Each Sunday she drops Y/N off the supplies she needs, but that was the only human contact she was given. It wasn’t too bad, she managed to keep herself busy with sewing, baking, or whatever other art or craft she could think of and had the materials for. It was lonely though, and she was ultimately alone.

Well, if you don’t count forest fairies. Y/N hated being outcast into the forest, and spent most of her early months in the cottage crying to whatever wild animal she could find that day that would stick around long enough. Eventually, these wild animals started bringing their fairy friends along with them. They would spend their days with Y/N tending to fruit and vegetable gardens, watering plants, having picnics, and making daisy chains. Her life was simple, and although not one she asked, it was one she was growing fond of. Male company was something she could only imagine and long for, or read about in story books. There were dozens of fairies living in the forest, but she’d become particularly close to a group of some of the female fairies.

Each Sunday before her step mother visits, Y/N will pick her step mother a bouquet of flowers in attempt to win her over, in hopes maybe one day her sweetness will earn her way back into town. Y/N had total obliviousness towards her step mother’s plan, and towards what was going on in the city. This year, any woman over the age of 21 was to present herself to the Prince. Y/N’s 21st birthday fell on the day she was scheduled to be presented to the Prince. The letter had been delivered shortly before she was sent away to the forest, Y/N never laid her eyes upon it though. The letter outlined the royal guard would be coming to collect anyone who failed to present themselves on the day, and to Y/N’s step mother that meant the only option was to make it so Y/N never turned 21, or made it to her birthday for that matter.

Seeing the Prince most definitely did spook Y/N during that day in the field, if her step mother ever found out she’d had contact with a male there was no chance she’d ever be allowed to move back home. She did all she could think to do. She ran. She ran so fast that the petals of the flowers she had picked were ruined in her haste, quickly shutting herself inside the cottage to gather herself before her routine afternoon visit from her step mother. Sure she knew of men to be dangerous and terrible, but she feared her step-mother’s wrath more than anything any man could put her through.

Like any other Sunday, she scrubbed the house and dressed herself in whatever new garment she had stitched herself this week. The fairies had been busy this week and she’d had a great deal of time to herself, embroidering colourful flowers into the soft white linen of the new dress she had made. Her step-mother would bring her fabric and thread to sew dresses for her step sisters. It was something to be proud of, but most likely would be over looked. Little was said upon her step-mother’s arrival, but her character seemed off. Her step-mother’s eyes darted around, checking windows as she insisted on making the two of them tea. Y/N sat down at the small dining table, recounting tales of her week, ensuring to leave out anything about fairies or a boy. She watched a small bunny outside the window, forgetting to speak as awe overwhelmed her whilst she watched its tiny nose twitch. Her daydream came to an end when the sound of the ceramic mug hit the hard wood of the coffee table. “Drink while it’s warm, my love.” Her step-mother told her, sitting down in the seat at the head of the table beside Y/N. It wasn’t long after that that Y/N hit the floor, and her step-mother was shrouding herself in a hooded coat and sneaking out of the tiny cabin.

Elsie, a fairy most close to Y/N, who specialises in healing, came to the conclusion that she was only out for about six hours before the fairies found her. They did all they could over the following weeks to bring her back to life, trying as many possible rituals, potions, and spells to give life to her body once more. Nothing was of use though, and instead they decided to preserve her in a glass case in the clearing amongst the wildflowers. She had professed to them that the clearing by the spring had been her favourite place, so they saw this fit. Preserving her in the glass case was simply because the idea of her beauty decaying away made any of the fairies shriek. Fairies never communicated with humans, however Y/N was different. Elsie had always theorised that Y/N had magic in her blood. Amongst the many spells and rituals they tried to bring Y/N back, they threw in a spell that would hopefully bring her back with true love’s kiss. It was like a safety net, or a ‘what if?’ But they eventually tired and wore out, preserving her was well enough for now. They kept her dressed in the new dress she had crafted for herself, it was so beautiful after all. They had placed tiny baby’s breath flowers throughout her hair, and made sure everything was perfect. They even went as far to adorn her in delicate gold jewellery, with beautiful crystals of all colours. Her body rested upon a large rectangular slab of rose quartz.

****

Harry was dreading sitting in the throne room, while all the eligible females from the town were presented to him like livestock. It made him sick, and left a terrible taste in his mouth. All he could think of was the girl from the clearing. Is she a sign? Is he his ticket out of here? Was seeing her fate? Questions like that simmered over his mind and kept him awake at night, he had been sleeping little and finding it hard to focus on his duties. His best friend Niall was he closest confidant, the only one he had told about the beautiful girl in the clearing that day. Niall cared more for Harry than anyone, really. He didn’t just care about his fame or power or wealth, Harry was his best friend and he hated seeing his best mate so down about his love life and the pressure to marry a woman he doesn’t love. He made it his mission to find the woman, and his detective work lead him down a path he didn’t expect at all. First he went to the clearing where Harry filled his water in the spring, that was where he first noticed something over the other side of the spring that he couldn’t quite make out. He followed the spring and found an area narrow enough to cross, making his way to the structure he’d seen earlier. He didn’t know what to make of this discover, a dead girl in a glass coffin. ‘Forever at rest, only to be woken by true love’s kiss’ read an inscription on a gold plaque. He really didn’t know what to make of this. He didn’t know what to tell Harry.

Sweat lingered Niall’s brow as he made his way back to the castle to find Harry, to tell him of his discovery. “Look… I just need you to come with me and tell me what you think when we’re there.” Niall tells him, his voice somewhat breathless. Niall himself was still in disbelief, shock, his eyes wide as he shook his head. “I just- I don’t know what to tell you. You need to see it for yourself.” He adds.

Harry nods. “I’ll come immediately.” Harry tells him, his trust for Niall outweighing anything else going on in his head. Together they rode to the forest, crossed the narrow part of the spring, and towards where Niall had discovered Y/N.

“Is this the girl you were talking about?” Niall asks, however when he looks from the girl to Harry, he knows the answer. Harry couldn’t help but fall to his knees, pressing his palms against the glass as he looked inside. He noticed how long her eyelashes looked, and the freckles on her nose. His nose was almost touching the glass as he leant here on his knees at the side of her, taking her in up close.

“What happened to you?” He whispers, his eyebrows knitting together. Niall gives him a moment before he decides to mention the plaque at the foot of the structure.

“It uh, says something weird about being awoken by true love’s kiss. I don’t know if it’s true, and it’s revolting to think you would kiss a dead body for nothing, but someone has put her here. Someone made this. My grandmother in her old age would mutter stories about forest fairies and their magic… It just makes you wonder, you know?” He ponders, his eyes wandering away. It felt silly to bring up magic, it was something very commonly dismissed.

“Help me get this off.” Harry said as he brought himself from the ground, the soft grass had left green stains on his tan riding pants. He pushed the sleeves of his white linen button down up past his elbows, and the two men carefully lift the heavy glass case up off of the rose quartz Y/N had been resting on. It wasn’t easy, and the glass at the bottom dug into Harry’s fingers before they set the glass piece of the structure down on to the grass. “Alright. Here we go.” Harry said, in attempt to psych himself up for kissing a dead girl. She didn’t look dead though, just sleeping, you could only tell she was dead due to the missing rising and fall in her chest with her breath. “I might start walking back to the horses, give you some privacy.” Niall said, giving him a slight smile. He also didn’t really want to witness someone kiss a dead person, if she didn’t end up waking up.

“Good luck. Take your time.” He adds, part of him had no doubt it was going to work though. The stories his grandmother would tell him of the forest fairies were something he’d always held on to, those stories were amongst his most treasured memories. He’d always had some hope.

Harry waited until he could no longer hear Niall’s footsteps before he leant down close to Y/N, brushing a strand of hair back behind her ear. He took a moment, if this never worked it was going to be the last time he’d ever see her. He couldn’t fathom coming back to this spot if this didn’t work. His heart began to ache at the thought, it made his chest feel tight, and gave him the urge to rub at the spot.

“I really hope you’re who I think you are.” He whispers as he looks down at her. “This might seem like absolute madness. I don’t even know your name, but if you wake up for me, I swear to you I will be yours forever.” He began, to Harry this almost did feel like a ritual, it felt special, and the words he was speaking were amongst the most genuine he’d ever given life to. “I promise, I will protect you. I will provide for you. I will love you. I will never, ever harm you. I will love you until my very last breath, I just need you to do this one thing for me.” His voice was barely a whisper now, and breaking as hot tears welled in his eyes. He very carefully leant down, pressing his warm, puffy lips against her cold, smooth ones. He didn’t know how long to wait, but it didn’t feel wrong. It was a sweet, tender kiss. His eyes closed, and he felt at peace. It felt more than at peace. The long grass, wildflowers, and tree branches that surrounded them began to stir with wind, petals floating up into the gusts that took them. This girl had a tendency to make him feel like he’s dead and in heaven. Her lips slowly began to warm, and skin began to glow with heat. It felt like they were floating, as if the universe was made up of just the two of them. The flowers beneath him began to grow taller and more dense, and it began to feel like his heart was pulling towards hers. It felt like a tether had been formed, connecting their energy, he could feel as her heart began to pump blood again, and her energy radiate from her skin. It felt too surreal.

Slowly, Harry removed his lips to allow Y/N to breathe. He let a hand lay gently resting on her cheek as he watched her gasp for her first new breath, eyes shooting open as she looked up at him. It wasn’t shock she was met with when her eyes met Harry’s, but peace. The luminous green eyes that were gazing down upon her were like lighthouses, guiding her towards safety. So many questions began to race her mind as she came to reality, unable to decide which one to ask first. As if based on intuition, Harry decided to speak. “I uh- I’m not too sure what happened to you but my friend found you here today and brought me to you. I believe I saw you a few weeks ago, in the same spot. I’m not sure how long you’ve been out here, but there was this little plaque at the end of this thing here, that said something about a kiss to wake you up… I’m sorry for kissing you without your consent, but I couldn’t risk not taking this chance.” He didn’t mean to ramble or to overwhelm her with his spiel, but he was overwhelmed himself with everything that had just gone on. True love’s kiss. His queen. His true love. The other half of his soul, in human form. Y/N’s lips parted as if to speak, but nothing came out. She closed them once more as she sat up and looked around, swinging her legs off the side of the marble before looking back up to Harry. Her movement had disconnected his hand from her face, and they both longed for each other’s touch once more already. Her eyes began to well with tears as she began to think about how she got here, her last memories.

“I can only assume how overwhelming this must all be for you… We can stay here as long as you need, it’s just us. When you feel ready for it, I can take you back to my home and we can get you showered and fed. I don’t mean you any harm.” Harry doesn’t even need to add that last sentence though, because she can feel it. She can feel his love for her, she could almost hear it if she listened closely enough, as if his heart was now beating a song for her.

Harry stood back, as if to give the doe eyed girl some space. She looked at him as if he was the most precious treasure on Earth, he’d never felt so overwhelmed with love. This was followed by her delicate hands reaching out, taking ahold of his as she brought herself to stand in front of him. “Is it alright if you hold me for a second?” She asked softly, needing time to process things.

It had been so long since she had been touched affectionately, she couldn’t really remember it. Her father was never affectionate, nor her step mother or step sisters or anyone else she’d met. She felt comfortable with the stranger in front of her though, and didn’t have the energy to resist the magnet like force pulling her towards him.

“Of course.” He responds, his voice soft as he wraps his arms gently around her frame, pulling her into his warm figure. Harry was like the perfect, giant teddy bear… but he wasn’t really that soft. Pressed against him she could feel how chiseled his features are. Her arms wrapped around his waist as she relaxed into him, cheek against the skin of his chest kindly revealed by the first few buttons of his shirt being undone. “What’s your name?” He asks, tangling his fingers in her hair to lightly rub his fingertips against the tender skin at the back of her neck.

“Y/N Y/L/N. Yours?” She asks, looking up to the tall, broad man.

“Harry.” He decides on leaving out his royal title or last name.

“Just Harry?” She asks, her eyebrows raising.

“For now. We have plenty of time to talk about me later.” He notes, removing the same rogue strand of hair as before from her cheek, tucking it behind her ear. It was almost as if her hair had a life of its own, breathing, like the other flora growing in the forest. He had noticed the baby’s breath in her hair, though her hair moved, they remained in the same places, as if growing out of their place on the strand of hair. “What do you last remember?” He asks, needing to know if whatever put her in eternal sleep had been by accident, or as an act of malice. She looks back away from his face, resting her cheek once more against his chest.

“My step-mother, Styephania came over, she made me tea. That’s all I can really remember.” She said, unable to stop the disappointed sigh from escaping her lips. Maybe she’d had a freak health accident, like a stroke. Just because she’d been mistreated by her step mother her whole life, didn’t mean she was capable of murder. She knew her step mother didn’t put her out here though, this was the work of fairies. They were looking on, hiding in the bushes as they stood witness to young love blossom in front of them, not wanting to disturb the two of them. “I look crazy, and it sounds crazier saying this, but I’m certain the forest fairies are responsible for looking after me and putting me here. The day she came over was the day I think you saw me here, and I’m not sure how I’m meant to feel but I don’t feel like I’ve been a dead body since then. I feel like no time has passed at all.” Harry avidly listened to her speak, her voice like caramel, seeping in his ears and warming his whole body. Harry wasn’t phased by her mentioning fairies, Niall had suspecting this being their work earlier. It was the only explanation Harry could think of. He couldn’t understand why her step mother would leave her here, why she wouldn’t find her help.

He didn’t want to worry his sweet girl now, he wanted to make sure she felt alright, safe, and cared for. His grip on her wasn’t too tight, but firm in a comforting way. “The plaque… It mentioned how you’d only be woken by true love’s kiss.” He figured the longer he waited to tell her the stranger it would be. His cheeks were red, as if embarrassed or ashamed to tell her about the plaque, how strange it all was. Her eyes met his, and the connection gave him whiplash. He couldn’t peel his eyes away, getting lost in the little pools. He wanted to know everything about her, what she liked, disliked, what she ate for breakfast, her favourite songs, flowers, secrets. Everything.

“I don’t know if I know what love feels like. The only men I’ve spoken to are all twice my age. I wasn’t really allowed to see boys. You’re definitely much, much more beautiful than I would’ve imagined a man to be, and I’m certain that my heart is literally beating for you now, since you woke me.” She tells him, the descriptions of heroes in stories she would read, or how she would imagine the older men to look when they were younger, were incomparable to Harry. The compliment made his cheeks flush. With each beat of her heart, it was as if it was pulling her closer to Harry, calling out for him, begging for him to love on her and soothe the ache in her chest.

“How has God made something so sweet?” He mumbles, he hadn’t even realised he’d said it out loud at first. “You’re breath taking. The most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid my eyes upon, and trust me when I say I’ve seen a lot of them. Even from far away, the first time I saw you… You make me nervous. You make my heart race, and my palms sweat, and I get butterflies in my stomach and nervous when I think about saying the wrong thing or not having you like me. It’s as if you’ve been carved by God himself, like he was showing off when he made you so beautiful. I wish I’d met you sooner.” Those last words burn his throat, how easier the last few years would have been if he had just been able to find her sooner.

*****

Harry sent Niall back to the castle first, having him instruct everyone to clear out the path that the Prince and his soon to be queen would take to his suite, he didn’t want to spook her with people around. The guards had to stay though, non-negotiable. He also had Niall ensure the doctor was on standby, just to check on Y/N and stay in the castle over the upcoming weeks in case anything else happened. Security was going to be increased, and tightened, and a warrant put out for her step mother.

The two hour horseback ride to the castle would give them well enough time to get to know each other, Harry and Niall had also switched horses, Niall’s being the slower of the two. “I don’t want to startle you when we get there. I also don’t know how to really tell you this. I’m in the royal family, so the guards and whatnot are something to just be ignored. They’re for your protection. I don’t know if you heard much of what I was telling Niall earlier, but you’re going to be very safe here, and we’ll find out what happened. I’ll look after you, I promise.” His eyes are ahead as he speaks, looking over the vast green fields ahead of them once they eventually emerged from the forest.

“Still just Harry, to me.” She reassured, sensing his nerves about revealing this information to her. His shoulders relaxed at her reaction, and a smile formed on his lips when his mind began to wander into what their future may be like. His queen.

“Hey, one day that’ll be King Harry to you.” He joked, thankful that it was received with a laugh. Her laughter was almost as sweet as her songs, and for the rest of the journey he made it his mission to mine as many possible laughs out of her as he could, like little nuggets of treasure. After making their way through the fields that lined the forest, they went down a long road that served as a divide between two of the castle’s towns, and at the end of that road just past a small valley of mountains was a sight far more glorious than Y/N had imagined. Her village was a small village that contained mostly candlemakers and dressmakers, and it sat further to the east, people only ever going out there to purchase fine candles and clothing. It was niche though, and not many could afford the fineries the master crafters in her village would create. Y/N hadn’t even really seen a home larger than a cottage, Harry’s castle looked large enough as if it could contain its own little world, a complete wilderness of towers surrounded by fine gardens, protected by a large moat with a standalone drawbridge. Harry didn’t even need to announce himself, the drawbridge was already in the process of being lowered for him.

“I had Niall clear our path, I don’t want to overwhelm you. I’ll introduce you to everyone when you’re ready.” Harry reassures her, she hadn’t even thought of anyone else though, too in awe of the sights around her. Flowers she’d never seen before laced these gardens, with fine marble sculptures and fountains protruding from them.

“I can’t believe this is your home.” Y/N whispers, unable to think of anything else to say.

“Your home too, if you’d like.” Harry replies, though his words immediately shrouded him with nerves about rushing Y/N into anything. It was stupid, they were each other’s true love’s, but it felt wrong being strangers, so Harry tried his best to conceal things. He’d never been in a conventional relationship before, never mind whatever this arrangement is or was going to be. He just knew he wasn’t meant to rush things, so he tried to refrain from expressing his feelings as best as he could. Her arms around his waist tightened, Y/N needing to feel as close to Harry as possible. He held the reins in one hand, the other arm resting over hers around his stomach, holding on to her arm to make sure she couldn’t let go.

“I’d like that.” Y/N reassures, gently rubbing his side to soothe him. Harry was too caught up in his own feelings to pay attention to how calm Y/N was. She could feel his anxiety though, and continued to try to soothe him as best she could. Y/N knew very little about Harry so far, but what she did know was that he was kind, caring, and had a lot of worries. She’d never been a worrisome person, and if anything would even refer to herself as naive, it was something she’d always been almost ashamed of but in this moment felt like maybe she’d been made to be by Harry’s side. Y/N liked the idea of spending her days being Harry’s rock, a voice of reason. She’d rather a man like this than one who had no emotions, that was for sure. It could’ve been whatever was now eternally bonding them, but she swears she was feeling his emotions, able to see his aura if she really studied hard enough. She sunk into him some more, her arms around his waist, cheek resting against his back. Harry made sure to take it extra slow, giving his love enough time to appreciate the flowers. She seemed to like flowers, and his mother took pride in this being the most beautiful garden amongst all of the kingdoms. He couldn’t wait to show her all the fineries that came with his life.

[silentspaces]

in which I use this microblogging platform as an actual blog. there’s no rant, just rambling, because i just feel very out of sorts tonight for some reason. Very stream-of-consciousness, not really written for anyone to read. I’d put it on private, but then I’d lose it forever, just like the last couple of private posts I had made. XD

idk. sometimes you just don’t want to be at home--i guess tonight was one of those nights. i left in the late afternoon to go print and work on a last-minute editing job, but I ended up falling asleep in my car in front of the convenience store for 3 hours. maybe it was 3 hours. can’t be sure; the bright lights of the store interior erased all traces of time and my natural circadian rhythm. I then spent the next 4 hours in a diner, working while talking online, but even though it was hitting 11:30pm, I still didn’t feel ready to go home. one of the downsides of living in a countryside town is that almost everything closes at midnight, so I had to escape to either another convenience store or one of the 24-hour rice bowl places. I chose the former, opting to spend some time reading in my car, once again bathing in the white spotlight while reading a borrowed copy of Six of Crows. I haven’t read any other book in the series. As I read, I thought about how strange it felt to imagine a story where teenagers are the main characters--I work with teens every day, and let’s face it, they can be real dumbasses. There’s nothing like reality to break the illusion of fantasy. Even 3 years ago this kind of YA story wouldn’t have fazed me--in fact, I’m quite fond of the YA genre--but that was before I became intimately familiar with the high schooler psyche. I mourn the loss of my suspension of disbelief. Oh well, I won’t be in this job forever; maybe one day I’ll forget what teens are like, and I can slip back into YA fantasies without interrogating and criticizing its depiction of teenagers. Either that, or I’ve crossed some invisible threshold, and rather than some kind of loss of innocence, it’s a loss of connection to my own feelings as a teenager. Maybe it’s too far in my past for me to reach anymore. Maybe I’ve had to be the authority figure for too long, consciously separating myself from the idea of adolescence and performing adulthood, and I’ve become Robin William’s Peter Banning from Hook. Have I forgotten how to fly? It certainly feels that way sometimes---ever since my last job, it just feels like the part of me that experienced spontaneous wonder and joy got crushed beneath the heavy boot of workplace capitalism. The business world was not kind, and though I escaped, it feels more like my soul came back from a war, scarred and changed. Even my current job feels rote and routine, the city I live in feels like a narrow cage at times, and I no longer find myself randomly gazing happily at the morning light on my way to work. My sense of peace and serenity has disappeared in the last 5 years, replaced by...well, not a numbness, but just a continued state of being, punctured by deliberate excursions of fun and travel, like using a defibrillator on my life. Where’s the deeper meaning of it all? Why do I feel so disconnected from the universe? Sometimes I wonder if I should throw it all away and move back to the remote area I used to live in by the seaside. but would it be the same? could I find that spark for life again there? But the spark doesn’t originate from the place, it originates from the person, so if I can’t find it here, would it be pointless to move at all?

What do I want out of my life? Where do I see myself going? I can’t seem to hold onto this conversation with myself for more than 3 minutes. I just know that I don’t want here. But where do I want? And what do I want to be doing? Who do I want to be with? Is it loneliness that is eating away at me? Tonight, it felt like an Edward Hopper painting. That’s exactly what it felt like. After the second round in front of the convenience store, I went to Sukiya, a rice bowl place, and worked there for another hour or so. But the night felt empty, in limbo, but there was nothing to wait for. Both the restaurants I visited tonight had their fill of guests, and even the sky itself kept itself busy and alive for hours with silent lightning. But it didn’t quite seem to reach me, I a traveler in a reverse odyssey, trying to stay out of my home as long as I could. But as it reached 2am, I knew my time adrift in the liminal space was ending, and I finally drove home beneath the flashing darkness, past the mysterious red glow on the other side of the hills to my left, and the white haze to my right in the distance, a light that seemed as if it were being pressed down and contained by the night’s soft but firm hand of black. Everything was in a haze due to the remaining mist from the day’s rain; even the inside of my car kept a film of condensation all evening, only adding to the undefined and unformed quality of the space and time I experienced for the last few hours. Alas, I am home now, the crisp clacking of the keys and the faint chirp of the crickets outside bringing back definition to a very strange and vague night.

[extremelyblackandwhite]

innocence - 04

PAIRING: bodyguard!bucky barnes x innocent actress!reader

WARNINGS: age gap, sexual harassment (please don’t read this chapter if it triggers/makes you uncomfortable, your safety comes first)

A/N:  i do realise i’m on a roll posting every day but uni starts early and idk why i keep writing like i’m running out of time😂 hope you enjoy this chapter. much love xx

* additionally, there is a light sexual harassment scene in this chapter and if anyone is uncomfortable or triggered by it i would skip it. your mental health and safety come first. *

NEXT CHAPTER

One day I’ll fly away...

She remembered the very first role she got to play as a lead. She was the standby for Glinda in Wicked. She could still feel her hand shaking as the backstage technicians secured her to the bubble. She could still hear the bubble machine engine rumble as the bubble raised up in the ceiling and for a moment she was above everything - above the audience, above the cast, above the stage itself. It felt like flying, soaring through the gasping of the crowd. She remembered feeling like this was her height, this was her flight but as things went, as she got more roles and as she progressed to the screen as she always wanted, the feeling of flying just seemed to soar, turning her into a creature of air.

Flying for Bucky was something he couldn’t remember, he remembered crashing. Remembered falling from the train waiting for the peaceful slumber of death to come but it never did, remembered the cold snow melting through his jacket reaching his skin. It’s cold. Remembered diving in after Steve, lungs filled with water, heavy suit. It’s cold, it’s quiet. Soaring was only something he could dream of while frozen or when they put him on a cell with a small window. Crashing was more like something he could remember, drowning, pushed to the bottom by his arm, wishing death came to greet him

More powerful than crashing was sound. The theatre was always filled with whistling from men getting a peak at ladies’ legs, women giggling and security trying to keep out children and teens away. You could hear the laughter reverberating from any material, it was electrifying. Her voice however seemed to melt over distorted past sounds, a melancholy while held hands with the old telling it never of its former glory but of what it can be. Bucky knew now why her agency kept her so locked up, all people with a voice eventually fly away. 

     - Don’t just stare at me. - she bite her lip, looking the other way. Did she sound that bad? She thought she sounded just fine in the shower that morning, maybe her bathroom had better acoustics. - Should we go back home? Before it gets dark?

     - Sure. - he got up from his seat, extending his hand towards her so she could jump off the set. She put her hand in his, another hand coming to rest upon his shoulder as her elevated her up into the air before bringing her down onto the worn out floor. 

The walk back to the subway was quiet. People were starting to crowd Coney Island for night time dates. Bucky remembered bringing girls to dates in Coney Island, even remembered bringing Steve along, he just didn’t remember the girls’ names anymore. There were some flashes of what they were wearing but surely those memories were replaced with that of Y/N staring at the ferris wheel as they walked back to the subway.

Once there, her child like wonder of the city that never slept and the city which she now lived in didn’t seem to leave her eyes, sparkling brighter than the billboards in Times Square. The walk back to the apartment was once again quiet, with their footsteps being the only thing echoing in the halls. Soon enough they reached her door, still looking as intact as they left it.

     - Thank you so much for showing me Coney Island. - she handed him the teddy he had won. - Thank you gift. 

     - I won it for you, Y/N. Besides, I think I’m a bit past stuffed animals. 

     - Well, I’ve had my fair share of stuffed animals to last a life time and I insist you keep this one. - she stuffed the teddy between his arms, finding it incredibly adorable how the little toy looked smaller in the middle of his arms than in hers. - Little Coney Island memento. 

     - I should get going. - he changed the subject, gesturing with his hands as he looked at the time on his watch. - It’s been a great day, Y/N.

     - The pleasure’s been all mine, Bucky. - she smiled as she held the edge of the door. She stood by the slightly opened door watching as he turned the corner which led to the lift. Once he was out of sight, Y/N walked into her apartment, closing the door behind her but still holding the knob with a silly smile on her face. 

Bucky reached the headquarters around 11 PM. Despite going the long way home, expecting Steve to be asleep when he returned. Steve had a very mundane routine when it came to sleeping, he could still sleep but he would wait until everyone was asleep for him to go to his bedroom. Bucky didn’t want to have to dance the first day in the job waltz. He knew he cared, he knew Steve wanted him to be alright. There was only one small thing; Steve wanted Sergeant James Buchanan Barnes, his Bucky, and he just wasn’t that man anymore. He didn’t like being asked who he was, he doesn’t know who he is.

Opening the door to the living room, he found Captain America himself sat on the big lounge chair, skimming through his list of modern day TV shows and movies. His blue eyes moved from the bright lights of the television to him.

      - How was the first day? - he questioned, regular optimism present in his voice. Steve had remained the same, maybe it was that which made him believe the spectre of the boy Bucky was could be revived. He seemed to forget dead people can’t be revived. 

      - It was good, went to Coney Island.

      - Coney Island? - Steve muted the TV, contorted face expression settling into his youthful features. - I thought you were going to guard her door.

      - She wanted to see Coney Island. Couldn’t let her go alone?

      - Didn’t her personal assistant tell you she couldn’t leave? - he had been noisey, he had looked into Bucky’s contract. He told himself it was just in case, just in case Bucky needed his help. - You don’t want to get in any trouble, specially with agencies. They’re the devil.

      - I’ll take it into consideration. - his skin tightened as he smiled a tight straight line. 

      - Do you wanna stay for a while? I’m watching a series Sam recommended. 

      - I think I’m gonna just go to sleep.

Steve nodded allowing Bucky to return to his bedroom. There wasn’t much in the bedroom, a bed, side table and wardrobe, nothing else. No mirrors and no windows, silence, grey and black bedding, no decoration rather than a postcard his sister had sent him during the war framed in a plastic frame. No glass, Steve wanted nothing around he could harm himself with. It was almost like living in an insane asylum. 

He looked at the little teddy bear in his hands before placing it on the side table, a little smile on his face. A Coney Island memento indeed. 

The morning came rushing like the rain which fell against Y/N’s bedroom glass window. She turned around in her bedding, pushing her knitted quilt up to her nose, the scent of fresh crisp cotton invading her senses. The mood would’ve remained the same comfortable, early morning type had it not been for her comforter being yanked off her without any warning. Through the fogginess of morning sight, she could make out Ms. Olson in her traditional black suit co-ord. She thought it fitting, considering her morning was now ruined.

     - Get up. We have much to do. - she barked like an infuriating dog.

     - But I thought I had the weekend off.- Y/N rubbed the sleep of her eyes, sitting up, quilt covering her body. 

     - You have last mine commitment. Now run along and change into something more ... - he analysed her before gazing her face, tight expression settling in. - Enchanting. 

She left Y/N in the bedroom, clenching her bedding as she looked around the place she’d rather be. Nevertheless, she rose from her bed and walked up to her wardrobe grabbing the first dress she could find and a pair of heels. Her routine during work was different, she normally showered, got her makeup done, dressed and then out of the door. Mechanic, controlled, with Ms. Olson asking her to hurry up. In a split second she returned to the living room, bag held on her shoulder, sunglasses in hand as she prepared to walk out with Miss Olson.

    - You should’ve put some product on your hair. The ends look dry. - Miss Olson commented as they walked outside. She looked around hoping Bucky would be around but it was just her and Miss Olson. 

    - Is Mr. Barnes not coming? 

    - It’s a dress rehearsal. - Y/N froze in her mind. Dress rehearsals were supposed to be better than fittings but after her last experience she really wasn’t in the mood for another experience with the director.

Time seemed to stop, freeze in spot as she stepped inside the car. No noise, no sound, even colour seemed to fade as the car drove faster and faster. She wondered what she could do, open the door, roll over, maybe do it like what she had seen in Lady Bird but the driver always kept the door fully locked and Miss Olson always had her eye on her like Sauron’s Eye.

She looked at her phone in her lap, fingers loomed over Bucky’s name. He was employed by her, maybe she could ask him to come over. Maybe if he was there it would be easier. She sent the message hopeful he would reply, but the text bounced back. Looking at the network, she was lacking all the bars on her phone. Sighing, she leaned against the car seat, looking off the window, dark clouds on the blue sky mocking her. 

As the car came to a halt on the same building as before, she almost had to be pulled out the car by Miss Olson. Once inside, Y/N could see him, she could smell his patchouli fragrance as he wrapped his arm around her. She stood once again in front of the camera lights, muffled cries in her head as she was squeezed into a corset and a then a body con dress. Her eyes were blinded by the lights, behind those lights Miss Olson and Mister Powell gazing at her. Her hand slide down her collarbones to her lap, feeling the fabric as the cameras kept flashing, locking her in a case of lights. 

Once the lights dimmed, she could see them looking down at her, almost five feet tall, mumbling she couldn’t hear as one of the costume designers helped her out.

     - Costumes are looking fantastic. - the director walked up to her, hand wrapping itself around her waist, raising up to lay just below her breast. - Maybe you should try and cut some weight. You would look a bit better.

     - We’ve already started a diet plan. - Miss Olson added. - Not to worry, Mr. Powell. Y/N is fully invested in this movie.

She remained caged in the conversation, being moved by someone back onto the car and dropped at home. She looked around her hallway, wondering if it had always been this cold. As she opened the door to her home, she noticed the jar of flowers the director had sent her on her kitchen balcony. White carnations in a crystal clear jar. She stormed to the kitchen, ripping the tag of the carnations. To my perfect leading lady. The handwriting wasn’t his, probably his assistant. 

When had it all gone so wrong? Why did it felt wrong? Why did the flight felt like a burning crash? When did it all get so screwed up? 

She wrapped her hands around the glass jar, hands trembling, the sound of her ring hitting against the glass being the only thing she heard before a shattering sound filled her mind. It was fast, too fast but she threw the jar against the wall, watching as the glass shattered into a thousand pieces, falling into the ground like small diamonds. She thought it would make her feel better but instead she feel to the ground, trying to gather the pieces together as guilt embraced her. 

    - Y/N?

taglist: @disasterbii @lookiamtrying @buckysteveloki-me @nsfwsebbie @americasass81 @jamesbarnesappreciationclub @lostinthebeans @mariahthelioness29 @buckyandsebastian @peaches-roses-sins @theadorasabditory @sipsteacasually @tonystankschild @saiyanprincessswanie @booktease21 @noiralei @learisa @everythingisoverrated @uglipotata72829 @naturalthrone22 @husherstan @mandiiblanche @vicmc624 @newyorkgoddess @itsallyscorner @chipilerendi​ @emzd34​

[bnbc]

I and Q for Kou, T and N for Rach, and W for both ❤️

Omg thank you so much for so many asks!! Fluff Alphabet

Inspiration - Did their s/o change them somehow, or the other way around? Like trying out new things or helped them overcome personal problems?

Where is my clown nose because y e s.

The most notable moment was when Kou (along with me LMAO) was thinking that she is in a good place mentally, and it’s on her to help one grumpy bodyguard to recall how to live for himself. And well, she did. But later it turned out that she… wasn't really living either but surviving. So here we both were, being scolded likes school girls by my mental image of a certain pixel man xD

And also, there were some consequences of Kou’s old trauma we both counted as resolved, and they also got better with time. I don't really like to talk about all this problem complex, but thanx gowo for being patient and respectful to her xD

And ugh she kinda broadened her horizons because of him? Started to learn his language and study culture to understand him better (poor granny Wako who became her guidance lmao) I can’t say she always is a smart student SHE IS NOT she is a chaotic i-know-better-i-m-gonna-act type but she is trying and its priceless

Q uirk - Some random ability they have that’s beneficial in a relationship.

IDK really. Does the ability to be an adorable gonk count? It's a very special ability I INSIST and it's hella handy in a relationship.

W ild Card - A random Fluff Headcanon.

Goro is the one who should be thanked for Kou keeping her old eyes in her new life. Well, the shape was similar originally, but when ‘saka modified Kou’s body they installed their own optic, of course. It was a no good because when Goro visited Night City in 2082 (??? I don't rember my dates sorry) he met with Vik and got from him Kiroshi with integrated old fashion lenses similar to those Kou used to wear, and he promised Vik that when Kou is back she will be looking at the world with her own eyes.

So, there was a problem. Goro wasn’t in the position to demand anything openly as he needed to play it like he had no personal motives in bringing Kou back to life. But he needed this done so he reached out to one of the medtechs responsible for her modification and basically forced him to change her eyes (using threats and personal info, it was a REALLY unpleasant scene) and to hide all the information about this surgery. So, she’s got her Kiroshi that seemed like Arasaka optics to the whole system

I just think it’s neat

and thank you so much for rembering about ms Vogelman :3

Thrill - Do they need to try out new things to spice out your relationship? Or do they prefer a certain routine?

Routine kills! Actually, Rachel has a kind of open relationship with her partner. Partly because she sometimes needs something new, partly — because she isn’t really into BDSM stuff and Meredith needs to see someone else for it (but mostly ‘cuz they both are busy and stressed af and sometimes don't see each other for a long time and don't mind about little something on the side as long as it says one-night stands)

Nicknames - What do they call their s/o?

Rachel shortens Meredith’s name to “Mer”. Meredith sometimes calls Rach Birdie because of her suname (Vogel means birb in german) and because Rachel likes to sing (she love musicals and knows a lot of cool parts)

Wild Card - A random Fluff Headcanon.

When they get togeter again (after their break up in 2077, not long before game events end) they invited a lawyer to create terms of their relationship and signed the contract. Yes, for dating. I think, it’s cute for them lmao.

[bananagukkie]

sidekick. jjk

summary.⇢ You didn’t realize that your best friend was in love with you or the fact that he was Busan’s “newest” hero. 

genre.⇢ fluff, a pinch of angst

words. ⇢ 6,583k

rating. ⇢  idk, can you handle neck kisses?

a/n ⇢ well i finally finished it JKEFNKJFN it kinda sucks but I’m new to all this. oh well, hope you like it??? <33 also i wanted to change the fuCKING TITLE BUT I ALREADY MADE THE IMAGE SO I  T WAS TOO L A TE

As a kid, you were always fascinated by super-heroes. Whether it was the superhero saving the innocent citizens of Busan or the western superheroes on the TV. When you were a kid, your mother had always told you that heroes were just humans and at one point they needed to be saved too. The idea of a superhero -- a savior -- needing to be saved was a concept that you were never able to grasp. You scoffed at the idea, they were far too strong to ever get hurt, at least that's what you thought. Countless memories of you staying up late at night to watch your favorite movie and getting up early in the morning to watch the news. It was a strange sight for your mother whenever she would walk into the small living room to see a six-year-old take notes of the heroes on the news. Your childhood consisted of freaking out over any hero poster in the stores, buying costumes for Halloween, and hours upon hours of staring at the TV. Your obsession was almost as comical as it was serious. 

When you reached your teenage years, it didn’t get any better. You had saved up all your money to buy yourself a bicycle and a camera- right after quitting your two part-time jobs. Your daily routine was to head the living room (or any nearby television) to watch the news, head to school, come back from school, watch the news again and take pictures whenever a Super-Hero was in the city. To be honest, people thought you were some nosey fan account whenever they saw you with your bike and camera. Not that it wasn’t true- but it still hurt. Being called an Aspiring Journalist would’ve been better.

You still remember it vividly. The terrified screams that ripped through the city’s air, the sound of buildings collapsing and the thousands of footsteps running away from the epicenter of the battle like a stampede. 

To others, it was the most terrifying moment in their lives- but to you, it was the most exciting. 

Camera in hand, it was the fastest that you’ve ever peddled. Your muscles screamed at you for a quick break, the pain spreading up your body. Did you ever stop? No. You couldn’t, The fear in your body was overshadowed by the adrenaline, the excitement, the anticipation. Ignoring all the shouts and the screams, your eyes held stars in them. You were finally going to see a superhero up close. The closer you got, the more chaotic the situation was turning.

Squinting at a blurry black figure, you tried making them out, taking mental notes in your head along the way. It was a new villain- someone you’ve never seen before. They seemed almost abnormal. Big muscles bulging out inhumanely, their hands had large claws for fingers, their teeth were pointy with extra sets in the back. Worry settled in the back of your head, they were far larger than the hero fighting them off. 

Pedaling backward on the breaks, your bike vibrated as more buildings began to collapse when the villain jumped on them. Hopping out of your bicycle seat, you swiftly guided it to a small alleyway, “please don’t fall on my bike,” you whispered to yourself, it’d suck if the building destroyed your hard-earned bike. 

Camera in hand, your eyes searched the sky for the two. A flash of bright red and blue appeared from behind a large building, hanging onto what seemed like a small thread. An audible gasp escaped your mouth in shock. The new hero. You’ve seen them on the news before, though everything they did was small. You swore you saw him helping an old lady across the street once. Their body seemed too frail to be an experienced hero, if you saw them on the streets you’d guess that they were just a cosplayer.

Crouching down, you quickly took as many pictures as you can of the two. The monstrous villain and the rookie hero. Don’t want to flatter myself but I’d totally rock as a photographer, you snickered to yourself. Humor was the only way that you could successfully push all your fear away. 

The ground vibrated once more, but this time it had been much stronger. The villain didn’t latch onto one of the skyscrapers- it decided to land on the ground, cracking the cement beneath it. Its chest was heaving up and down rapidly, tired of the chase. The fear had begun to settle, your muscles tightening up in discomfort. As scary as it was, you couldn’t pass up the opportunity to get a close-up shot. The shutter of the camera sang loud and clear.

“Ah shit.”

Your breath got caught in your throat as the monstrous villain turned to face you. A nervous laugh escaped your mouth, “ah shit”. A chill ran down your spine as you came face to face with the monster. They didn’t look too different from the hero that they were fighting. Though the only similarities you found was the web pattern on their body and the shape of their eyes, the symbol on their chest was a bright blood red, mimicking the spider on the hero’s chest. You felt frozen in place, your feet suddenly weighing more than a boulder. For the first time ever, you felt fear resurfacing from the depths that you forced them under for so long.

Locking eyes with the villain, you felt your body tremble under their stare, chills running down to your bones. You didn’t dare blink, scared that the  monster might pounce on you when you did. Apparently, you didn’t need to blink.

The weight of what seemed like a thousand bricks jumped on your small body, the air getting knocked out of your lungs. The monster released an odd sound that resembled a sinister laugh mixed with a screech. The only thing you could do was kick and scream, your throat burning at how loud you were. It’s weight pressed down on you further and further, small cracking noises reached your ears but there was no pain.

The monster was quickly shoved off of you. 

Finally opening your eyes, they were a few feet away from you. It was completely silent other than your own heavy breathing and someone else’s.  Looking up at your savior, you felt your breath getting caught in your throat. The hero stood over you, a gloved hand reaching for yours. “Ah shit, I’m so sorry,” he apologized, his voice muffled by the mask over his head. He analyzed you for any injuries, guilt settling itself in his stomach. He shouldn’t have let that happen; it shouldn’t have happened.. “I have to get back to chasing this big guy away,” the hero mumbled, patting your head as he shot out a web and flew off into the distance.

Dumbfounded, you stayed in your spot. The pain coursing through your body was strong but your confusion was much stronger. Forcing yourself onto your knees, you scrambled towards your camera in hopes that it had not broken due to the collision with the ground. Releasing the breath that you didn’t even know that you were holding, you ran towards your bike. 

“Holy shit, holy shit, that did not just fucking happen,” you repeated. Disbelief floods your mind. First, you were attacked by the villain himself, then rescued by the hero. “What the fuck?!” you shouted, hopping onto your bike and pedaling off as fast as you can, avoiding the debris.

In your peripheral, you saw a bright red blur following you. His eyes looming over your fleeing figure protectively.   

It was late at night. You had slipped into your pajamas earlier, expecting Jungkook to arrive back at the dorm. He never did though. “So much for having a roommate,” you scoffed, slipping your head through the over-sized shirt. 

The performing arts major never arrived at the dorms early. He was either out with friends or in the studio dancing his. It was an admirable trait- a hardworking student. While you tried your hardest at everything, your roommate was easily able to outshine everyone with ease. “What a flawless man,” you mumbled to yourself, closing the door to your room behind you. There was nothing he couldn’t do.

You didn’t want to admit it but you always felt lonely when he wasn’t around. He was constantly doing something- sometimes he wouldn’t arrive until early morning around 6 am. You felt like you didn’t know him. After a few years of attending the university, you were stuck to the male by the hip- he was your only friend after all, as embarrassing as it was. Nobody wanted to be associated with the odd journalist major who had a weird obsession with chasing heroes. You learnt to accept it after your first year.

Walking towards the small couch, you quickly turned on the TV and went onto the News. Bringing your knees up close to your chest, the TV sprung into action and displayed the daily news and events. It was funny, you always held the same habit of instinctively walking towards the TV, your fingers knowing what buttons to press to get to the news channel. A small content hum left your mouth as you wrapped yourself in your warm blankets. 

The solitude was comforting on hard days. Though the minute you returned to the dorm on a good day, a sudden melancholic feeling appeared in the pit of your stomach. “Jungkook and his stupid schedule,” is what you would always blame. 

The vibration of your phone moved the entire coffee table. Jumping in surprise, you glanced at your phone. A text from Namjoon happened to pop up.

Namjoon was another close friend of yours that you had met in the library, sulking while preparing for a test that you were not prepared for. Turns out, he was just a friendly nerd who happened to have an alarmingly high IQ. He insisted that he’d help you study for the test since the subject was easy for him. You reluctantly obliged and from then on, the two of you became friends. You would meet each other every so often at the coffee shop or the library, becoming closer and closer.

Smiling fondly at the memory, you grabbed your phone and unlocked it to see the text. The television providing background noise, you weren’t paying much attention to it anyways.  

Namjoonie: Hey!? Get on the news asap. There's something wild going on right now…

You sat there rereading the text multiple times, confused. Wild? There was nothing going on right now. Not for you at least. The phone began to vibrate aggressively against your hand as you saw an incoming call from Namjoon. If he was really that panicked to call you right after texting- it must’ve been urgent. Quickly picking up the call, he shouted your name. “Namjoon! What the hell?”

“Ah, I’m sorry but it seems pretty serious. I’m sure you’d think the same if you saw it,” he paused, “are you watching the news?” his question muffled by the sounds of his own television.  

Finally averting your attention to the small TV in front of you, you felt like an idiot for ignoring it the entire time. The crew was filming from a helicopter, hovering over the city’s skyscrapers, zooming in on the familiar hero. The camera was shaky but it did it’s best to focus on the hero. Finally, the lens focused and you felt your heart drop to your stomach. The striking red and blue suit brought back memories you thought you had forgotten. They looked exactly the same as before- no - they seemed much more mature now. They seemed stronger and taller, their movements radiated confidence and bravery. Unlike before, the spider-like hero seemed like a true hero. 

The kind of hero you’d obsess over if you were still a young teen. 

The villain that the spider hero was fighting came into view, releasing an inhuman screech that caused the camera to move in surprise. “Even the people in the helicopter were able to hear that,” you told Namjoon as he hummed in acknowledgement. Quickly reading the headlines, your mouth murmured the words on screen. 

“The new hero in Busan: Spider-Man.”

New? He was anything but new. He had been there since you were a teen. The memory felt in your mind fresh now that you saw Spider-Man once again. 

The villain attempted to leap onto Spider-Man though it was quickly dodged by the agile hero, rolling out of the way. Latching one of his webs onto the villain’s back, he swung the villain into an already damaged building. Your eyes widened at the power he had. “Namjoon-ah, does the villain have a name?” you asked, curious about the villain. If you guessed correctly, it had been the same villain that attacked you years ago. “Yeah, they’re calling him Black Widow,” he informed. 

It made sense. It’s body was bulbous and had muscles sprouting from every limb, their eyes bright red along with the small patterns on their body. Black Widow finally sprouted from under the debris, picking up a column before launching it at Spider-Man. The speed was frightening, surely you’d be killed if something that big was thrown at you that fast. Your nails dug into the couch, your heartbeat quickening. “Please, Spider-Man,” you whispered, quiet enough that Namjoon wasn’t able to hear it. Getting up from your couch, “Namjoon, I'm heading out to see it closer,” you told him as you grabbed the keys to your car from the coffee table. “Don’t you fucking dare,” Namjoon scolded you through the phone. Staring at the small device in shock, your jaw hung open at his words. Namjoon was not fond of cussing in front of others, he claimed that it made him look stupid and immature. For you to hear him cuss- especially at you - had you flabbergasted. Slowly setting the keys back down onto the table, he sighed. “I’m sorry but you should know by now that you shouldn’t be risking your life for some news article on your blog, YN. I know how much heroes matter to you, as well as journalism- but please take your life into account as well,” his voice was apologetic and gentle. When he said sorry, he truly meant it.

“Yeah,” you whispered, “I’m sorry, I shouldn’t be so careless,” your eyes glanced at the Television once more, your grip on the phone tightening. 

Just then, Spider-Man fell onto the floor Black-Widow on top of him. Gasping, you walked closer to the TV touching the screen. “Get up,” you silently pleaded. He was struggling to get Black Widow off- no doubt about that. Even after all these years, Black Widow was still significantly bigger. You saw a web shoot out from his arm, grabbing onto a stray piece of debris before flinging it at the monster-like villain, hitting him in the head. It wasn’t enough to knock him out but it let Spider-Man get out from under Black-Widow. 

A small surge of relief passed through your body. “What a hero,” you heard Namjoon say, he sounded just as relieved as you were. A loud screech reached your ears before the TV shut down entirely. Relief was quickly replaced with panic and fear. “Namjoon?” you called out, though you were met with silence. Soon after, the lights were quick to shut off as well. 

Chucking your phone aside, you ran to the window behind the TV and saw the city’s lights slowly turning off. Building by Building. “What the hell,” was all you could muster. A chill ran down your spine as the entire city of Busan was dark as midnight, the buildings were barely visible. A loud knock was heard from your bedroom window. Tensing at the sound, you stared at the open door. “What the fuck,” you whispered, your voice shaking with fear. 

Slowly approaching your door, you peeked into the room and saw a familiar figure hanging onto a web, hand on the window. You felt like you couldn’t move. A hero was at your window. Snapping back into reality, you released a startled yelp before running to the window to open it. Lifting the heavy window, the suited hero stumbled in and collapsed on the floor groaning in pain. The window sill was tainted red with a thick substance, it had not been there before either. Looking back at the groaning hero, you quickly crouched down at his level. Flipping his body so he can face the ceiling, “Fuck- I’m so sorry,” he groaned, his hand covering his gash. 

His voice…

His voice sounded like music to your ears, it felt like centuries since you’ve heard that muffled voice. Everything about him matured. “I’m so-” “you’re bleeding…” your voice sounded more like a sad whisper than a statement. He turned his masked head to face you, shocked by your somber tone. Gently removing his hands from the wound, you internally cringed at how bad it was. The blood stained suit. It was hard to see with the lack of light because of how much blood was seeping out of the injury. Shifting in your spot, “I saw you on the news,” you bit your lip, not sure what to say. What could you say when a hero was in front of you? This caused Spider-Man to chuckle quietly, “did you now?” he smiled under the mask. He knew you weren’t able to see it, nevertheless, he smiled. “Did I look good?” he said with a teasing tone. 

Stiffening and retracting your hands from his wound, you refused to answer such a question. Your cheeks burned with embarrassment, “I’m not going to answer that,” you replied quietly, “You look better than you did years ago though”. Spider-Man shook his head, a giggle escaping his lips. “You’re so cute,” he commented, pinching your cheek. He knew who you were, hell- he lived with you. The two of you were never seen without each-other in public, it raised suspicions. ‘How could some weird writer get at someone like Jungkook?’. You were an angel in his eyes, the most beautiful woman on the entire planet, not some weird writer girl. Jungkook would keep you safe if it meant risking his life.

He never had the courage to tell you. He doubts he ever will. Spider-Man and Jungkook were entirely different people. The confidence and bravery that he has with Spider-Man completely disappears when he’s Jungkook. It never stopped him from being his full self around you though.

The gentle pinch reminded you of Jungkook, it was a habit of his whenever you did something dumb, sometimes he just did it out of random. Smiling at the hero, “stay here”.

“I don’t have anywhere else to go, babe”

Your face flared with heat and color at the nickname. It was something you weren’t used to. No one dared to call you such things, they’d rather call you ‘nerd’. Leaving the room, you shined your light from your phone and made a quick trip to the restroom. Opening the door, your eyes landed on the cabinet beside the shower. Quickly grabbing the first aid kit with shaky hands, you accidentally dropped your phone in the process. 

Apparently, it was loud enough for Spider-Man to hear. “You okay in there, babe?”. There he goes again with the embarrassing pet-name. “shit,” you cursed yourself, picking up your cracked phone and running back into your room. 

“Are you okay?” you asked, afraid that you had left him waiting for too long. Kneeling next to him, your clammy hands opened the first aid kit. Namjoon had shown you how to stitch and clean wounds when you had cut your palm open with glass before, he was like your mom. It was safe to say you knew what you were doing. “Me? I heard you fall or something. Seems like someone is clumsy,” his voice was a lot more quieter, trying to preserve his energy. “Coming from the bleeding hero,” you retorted, pouring hydrogen peroxide on a clean rag. His eyes glued to the rag, he gulped harshly and grabbed your wrist gently. “Maybe, we should use water,” he suggested, obviously on edge because of the hydrogen peroxide. You rolled your eyes, “shut it and be a good boy for me. You act like you didn’t just get slashed from a villain” you mumbled, shaking his hand off your wrist.

It was odd how easy it was to talk to him, it felt like you’ve known him since forever even if you’ve barely started talking. You halted, staring at his wound. Realization hit you like a ton of bricks, averting your gaze to Spider-Man. “Uh… I'm gonna need you to take your suit off,” you stuttered your words out miserably. “Right… wanna help me?” 

There wasn’t a teasing tone apparent in his words, it was him genuinely asking for help. Nodding slowly, “I’ll be gentle, I’m sorry,” you weren’t sure how you got yourself in this situation. Staring at your figure for a few more seconds, he nodded. Reaching behind his neck, there was a small click. Tilting your head, you watched him with interest. The hero paused, “you know you should probably take me out somewhere before I get naked in front of you,” he joked, a shit-eating grin on his face. “Oh my gosh,” you buried your face into your hands, it felt like your face was set on fire.

His hands dragged the tight bodysuit as far down as he could without hurting himself. Pushing his hands away, “there. I’ll do the rest, please. I don’t want you to get hurt even more,” you said, grabbing the suit. A fond smile tugged at the corner of his lips, letting go of his suit, “go ahead, babe”. Removing the suit from his torso, you frowned at the nasty sight of the wound. It was worse than you thought. 

Grabbing the rag, you wiped away any of the blood around the wound, being as careful and gentle as possible. Jungkook watched you diligently as you worked on him. He noted how your cheeks were visibly red even in the dark. He noticed how ethereal you looked when the moonlight hit you at a certain angle. Your lips were hanging open slightly as you worked hard on him, concentrating on treating his wound. The wound was on his lower side, above his hip. He couldn’t help but smirk at how flustered you were to see his bare upper body. 

You felt like you couldn’t concentrate. He was built like a Greek god for fucks sake. Not only that but he had a cute little birthmark on his collarbone, which only furthered your embarrassment. Sure, you’ve seen shirtless guys here and there, but Spider-Man was on an entirely different level of attractive. Looking back up at his masked face, you frowned. “I’m sorry if this hurts,” you warned. He simply shook his head, “as long as it gets the job done, right?” he pinched your cheek again, making you smile.

Nodding, you gently dabbed the rag with hydrogen peroxide on his wound. His entire body tensed up in pain, it wasn’t overwhelming- but it wasn’t the nicest feeling ever. 

Swallowing hard, “you know, I used to think of Heroes differently.” you begun, sending him a sorry smile. Tilting his head, you took it as a cue to continue. “I’ve always been obsessed with heroes. For as long as I can remember, I would go out of my way to look for heroes doing their job, taking pictures and notes. I had an entire book dedicated to heroes,” You remembered how much time you dedicated to finding heroes in Busan. “I saw them as people who couldn’t get hurt,” you looked up when you were done cleaning his wound and stitching, only to see him staring at you. Taken aback, you shyly smiled at the hero. ‘But I guess, along the way… I realized that they were just humans,” you finished. “They need a hero of their own, I suppose,”

He wasn’t sure what to say. Jungkook felt his cheeks burn with heat, his mouth agape. Gently, he held you cheek in his hand, cherishing the warmth that you radiated. Bringing you closer, he felt like his heart was going to jump out of his chest. You felt like a deer caught in headlights but you hastily made up your mind. Turning your body to face his, you place your hand on the ground to support your weight, the other lifting his mask to reveal his mouth, a small mole under his bottom lip stood out to you. He didn’t complain or stop. Pulling you closer, your lips were centimeters away from his. His hot breath was fanning over your cold skin, sending goosebumps to spread all over your body. “

You didn’t have a chance to kiss him. 

The city lights of Busan turned back on, the high volume of the TV in the living room startled the two of you. Spider-Man stiffened, suddenly reminded that he had a job to finish. Getting off of the ground, he pulled his mask down. Coughing awkwardly, “I’m so sorry, but I really have to go,” he said, panic evident in his voice.

You couldn’t deny the fact that you were disappointed. A frown appeared on your face, making Jungkook’s heart clench. He wanted to kiss you as much as you did, but he couldn’t. Not with a city to save. Walking over to the bloody window, he fit his body through.

“Wait!”

He turned back to you.

“Thank you for being my hero”

If his heart didn’t break right then and there, he’s not sure what happened to it. “I’m sorry baby,” and with that, he carefully closed the window, shot out a web and left you alone on the floor.

It felt so familiar. To be left alone in the dorm. The air around you felt empty, the only sound providing you with comfort was the TV. You felt your chest tighten, you wanted to hear his voice one more time. Your hero’s voice.

Your eyes fluttered open, the ambient noises of the city filling your ears, keeping you safe from the silence. The window from yesterday was still stained with blood that had now oxidized, the curtains bunched up away from the window, allowing the light to seep in. The memories from last night flashed in your mind, reminding you of what happened. Looking on your bedside table, the small electronic clock displays the time in bright red numbers. You had two hours before your first class of the day, there was still plenty of time for you. 

Mustering enough strength to drag your body out of bed, you stretched your tired limbs, groaning in relief. Dragging your feet towards the living room, the sound of cans clinking together and items being moved around filled the room. 

Eyes landing on the suspect, a small smile tugged at your lips. Jungkook was digging through the small fridge, looking for something to eat. The boy had quite the appetite after all. An evil smirk appeared on your face. Running towards the male and jumping on his back, wrapping your legs around his waist while your hands grabbed at his shoulders. The noise that came out of the male’s mouth alarmed you. He groaned in pain and grasped at his side, quickly realizing your mistake- you got off of him. “Kookie?” you whispered, worried for the boy. A small yet pained chuckle escaped his lips, turning to face you. “Ah.. I’m sorry, I’m just a little sore,” he dismissed his pain with a blatant lie. Jungkook wasn’t one to lie, so the suspicion of him lying to you was out of the question.

Your eyes trailed up and landed on his face, a small gash on his cheek right below his eye. “Jungkook!” you scolded the boy, causing him to sheepishly wince at your tone. “I’m sorry,” he whispered. He wasn’t planning on seeing you today, not after what happened yesterday. He didn’t want you getting suspicious. Placing a hand on the side of his face gently, “when did this happen, Kook?” you questioned, your bottom lip sticking out in a pout. 

You’ve known him for a while now, it was only natural for you to be protective of him. You cared for him more than you really should. 

Jungkook hung his head low, “I got in a fight yesterday”. Another lie. 

It hurt to lie to you so blatantly, you didn’t deserve to be lied to. It was for your and his own good, though. ‘Hey, YN. Did you know that I’m Spider-Man?’, it was easier said than done. Leaning into your touch, “If it makes you feel better, it doesn’t hurt a lot,” he gave you a weak smile. Scoffing lightly at the boy, “come on, it looks like you slept without taking care of it,”  he giggled, pinching your cheek, another reminder of what happened last night. 

“Yes ma’am”

The two of you walked towards the small bathroom. Everything was how it was yesterday, even the cabinet was still open. Jungkook seated himself on the toilet, looking up at you as you grabbed the first-aid kit. ‘Guess I might just make friends with this thing since I’ve been seeing it a lot’ you joked, opening the kit. “How’d you get in a fight?” you asked, the silence killing you in the inside.

Jungkook tensed up. “I… They were just saying some stuff,” he shrugged, toying with his bruised fingers. His entire body ached. The fight with Black-Widow really took a toll on his body. The injuries on his side and cheek were only one of the many. You frowned at Jungkook, “C’mon Kookie, you have better shit to do,” you scolded the boy, swatting his nose gently. His wide doe eyes followed your movements, not flinching when you hit his nose. “I guess I did, huh?” he offered you a smile which was hard to deny. Smiling back at him, you never really noticed how cute his smile was until now. An odd feeling settled itself in your stomach, you decided to ignore them.

Dabbing the small cotton ball on his wound, he grimaced. “I’m sorry,” you mumbled, biting your lip in concentration. You didn’t want to see him get hurt, especially for small things such as fighting. He was far too pretty to have gashes and cuts on his face.

Instantly, his eyes landed on your lips. The brief memory of yesterday flashing in his mind. They were so rosy and plump, he wondered if they were soft. Scratch that- he knew they were soft just by staring at them. Swallowing hard, he shifted in his seat. “You okay, Kook?” you asked, placing a bandage on his gash. “Now that you’ve healed me up, Nurse YN,” he joked. He was left disappointed when your hand left his cheek, he craved nothing more than to be loved and touched by you. 

Slumping, “Hey YN,” he called out at you before you had the chance to leave the bathroom. Turning around to look at Jungkook, the tips of his ears were red and he was fumbling with the end of his shirt. “Can we go get coffee?” he asked, shooting you his best attempt at puppy-dog-eyes. Your chest clenched at his ministrations, it was hard to ever say no to Jungkook. “Of course,” sending him a smile of your own. It’s been a while since you’ve spent some time with Jungkook other than being with him during class.

Averting your eyes to the clock on the wall, the two of you had plenty of time. “Let me get dressed, okay?” you told him, walking to your room to change out of your pajamas.

--

The weather was fairly nice today. No cloud in sight, not too hot or too cold. It was perfect, hell, even the breeze was perfect.

The warmth of the coffee protected your hands from getting cold from the breeze. You were walking alongside Jungkook, who towered over your small frame. You had agreed that you would watch each other to class after you finished the coffee, hence why the two of you had your backpacks on. There was a comfortable silence between the two of you, but you decided to break it with a question that had been itching at the back of your mind.

“Kookie...  Why are you never at the dorms?” pausing, “It gets lonely sometimes, and Namjoon won’t always be there to provide me company when you can’t” you finished, gluing your eyes to the ground, biting your lip. There was a moment of silence, Jungkook gathered his thoughts for his next lie. Well, half of it was a lie.

He spent most of his time dancing when he had the chance, the other percentage was his defending the city of Busan as SpiderMan. The moment you looked up at him, he was already opening his mouth to answer.

“I’m sorry,” he started off with an apology, because you deserved it. No- you deserved more than a sorry. To him, you deserved the entire world. Bringing up his hand to rub the side of your cheek gently, “I’m sorry I'm not always there. It’s not that I don’t want to be there, I’m just always so busy either at the Library or dancing my ass off,” he offered you a joking smile, “Dance is competitive, YN. When you’re not practicing, someone else is. When you’re not taking opportunities, someone else is”

It wasn’t a lie. Well, it was but it also wasn’t. Maybe he should use his expert lying skills when he gets into a fight more often. 

Looking down at you, you were toying around with the straw sheepish at how you even asked such a selfish question. “I know… But even the best dancers take breaks,” you gently hit his arm. Overreacting, he groaned and grabbed his arm. “Did you get stronger, YN?” teasing you as he pinched your cheek affectionately. “Yah! You’re gonna give me a bruise,” you scolded the male as he laughed.

He looked down at your hand, sliding his own into it. “I’ll try and make it up to you, okay?”

“You better, I’ve watched at least every single Netflix movie by now. Alone”

Rubbing the back of his hand with your thumb, “I just worry about you sometimes,” you whispered, leaning into his side and staring at the ground to avoid his gaze. And yes, he was staring at you. And yes, you felt that shit.

He felt like he was going to melt. His face felt hot and his heart sped up when you leaned into him. Jungkook knew damn well how whipped he was for you. Stopping, you looked up at him with confusion. “You’re so perfect,” he whispered, his finger lifting your chin up, his other hand brushing stray hairs away from your face. Shocked by his choice of words, you felt your face heat up, flustered. He noticed the familiar red hue on your cheeks, smirking in victory. 

“You can’t say things that aren’t true. That’s lying,” you pouted slightly, dismissing his flirtatious comment. 

Perking a brow at your words, he gently shoved you against the wall in an alley. Where did it come from? You guessed it was nearby, you didn’t question it. 

“It’s too bad you don’t see it,” his hands were at the sides of your face, his lips hovering over yours. You felt everything. The warmth of his calloused yet gentle hands, the hot breath that came out of his mouth, his knee between your legs. His hand trailed down your body slowly, sending chills down your spine, it landed at your hip. Squeezing it, “because to me, every inch of you is perfect”. You felt your heart beating at a thousand miles an hour, like it was going to jump out of your chest. You took this time to admire how attractive he was, the cut on his cheek, the mole under his bottom lip, his doe eyes. Everything about him was ethereal. “Kiss me,” you breathed out, eliciting a smirk from the male. “Don’t have to tell me twice, baby”. Instantly, his hot lips collided with yours, a sense of neediness and desire evident. His hand on your waist was rubbing soft circles, trailing further down slowly. Pulling away, you took a small gasp for air. “Do you know how good I’d take care of you?” he whispered in your ear, his voice deeper than usual. You surely weren’t complaining though, if anything it only gave you butterflies in your stomach and an ache in your arousal. 

“How good I’ll be for you?” he continued, dragging his lips down your neck, planting kisses as he goes. Gripping his shirt, you were nearly embarrassed at how hard you were breathing. “So show me,” the words you tried so hard to speak managed to slip out. You felt him smile against your neck, “I’ll show you”. Jungkook bit down on your neck, a wanton moan escaping your mouth. “Fuck,” he groaned at the dirty noise that came out of your mouth. “You sound like an angel, baby” he sucked on the tender skin as you squirmed under him. Kissing the forming bruise, his lips trailed further down. “Jungkook, please,” you whined, tugging at his hair. 

His ministrations stopped, the ground beneath your feet rumbling softly. Detaching his lips from your neck, he looked around. “Earthquake?” he thought out loud. Earthquakes weren’t so common in Busan, so he quickly dismissed the assumptions. “You felt that right?” he looked back up at you. Gulping down your worries, you nodded. “I don’t think it’s anything to worry about, though’. 

The ground started to rumble harder than it did before, “nevermind” you piped up, gently pushing Jungkook off of you. Walking out of the alleyway, with Kookie right behind your trail, a black figure was hanging off the side of a building, looking down at both of you with hawk eyes. “Ah shit, Here I was thinking I fucking scared him off,” Jungkook exasperated, putting his hands on his knees and crouching over. “Huh?” turning to face him, nothing but confusion evident on your face. 

Jungkook shook his head in dismay, “I love you, YN. But I got a job to do,” he pulled your wrist, bringing you close to him. Placing a soft kiss on your lips, he smiled at you. “Gotta protect what I love right?” with a wink, he walked into the dark alley that you two were just in. It took a moment for you to fully register what was going on. 

Wait he said I love you?

You heard a ‘Syoom’, turning your head to face the alley, a web shot out and latched onto the building near the villain. A familiar body flew across your vision, landing on the tall building. A blur of blue and red combined. Gasping silently, a proud smile tugged at your lips. “Well how about that,” you mumbled. Cupping your mouth with your hands, “SpiderMan!” you shouted, your voice echoing through the street. It was enough to get the hero’s attention. 

“I love you too,” you mouthed.  

You didn’t hear it but his chest bobbed up in down as he laughed. Bringing his hand up, he formed a small heart with his fingers.

[thethousandyearwitch]

The Show Must Go On! Chapter 4

- A Youtuber AU you didn’t want and didn’t need -

Hisoka Morrow, italian Makeup Youtuber, enjoys his life in the comfort and occasional drama of his profession. But nothing brings more drama into his life than the eldest son of the Zoldyck fashion magazine empire.

Meanwhile, aspiring australian Twitch Streamer Gon Freecs forms a special bond to a Speedrunner commonly going by "Kil".

Chapter 4 “Shifting Sand Land” out now!

AO3 Link

Illumi had always feared that one day he might inherit any of his mother's illnesses. It wasn't out of the question, and he considered himself lucky that no ailment had reared its head so far into his life.

"Do I look as good as how I feel, darling?"

Until now.

Suddenly it felt like years of sickness had caught up with him, spun his head around and made his stomach curl.

It was a coincidence that this sickness would appear the second he laid eyes on Hisoka, wearing the suit that was fitted just for him.

It was a coincidence that he looked like all those marble statues in museums, sculpted in the image of gods and lovers.

It was a coincidence that this sickness could be swallowed and repressed like any measly feeling he had ever encountered.

"I told you to wear a shirt, maggot."

And the symptoms disappeared.

But the disease didn't.

 ----------------------------------------------------

Gon: Killua?

It had been quite a while since Killua had responded to any of Gons messages. Well, it had been about 2 hours. But compared to their normal pace of slinging messages at each other any passing minute, this felt like an eternity to the young boy.  He wondered if he had done anything to upset his friend, though their last conversation was just usual banter about breakfast, snacks, and the new battle pass.

He fidgeted in his seat a bit more, the classwork Aunt Mito had supplied him with almost entirely forgotten. The now broken routine made his bones itch, but the attempt of any distraction just made him fear he'd miss when Killua would finally come back.

So, he waited.

He even started half-heartedly filling out the math quiz that had been taunting him from the corner of the desk, though he always glanced back at the computer screen.

Question number 27: (X-3)²-25= 0

Ping

Gon wasn't sure what to do first; Be thankful that finally Killua replied or be thankful that he found an escape from this hell called math.

Kil: Yo.

GON: Hey!!! Are you okay? :O

Kil: Yeah, whats up?

He was obviously not okay. But Gon knew that pressing the issue wouldn’t make things better, though if he pretended like everything was alright would just be an issue bottled up.

GON: Do you wanna play some Fortnite Duos maybe? We can try grinding for the new tiger costume you like :D

Kil: cant

Kil: my mom took my fucking PC away in attempt to become mother of the year

GON: :( im sorry!! But im sure she’ll give it back soon, right?

Kil: fat chance, I probably have to wait till my brother comes back from his stupid trip

Gon tilted his head in thought. This has probably been the longest Killua had ever talked about his family with him. Up to this point it had only been passing remarks about siblings whose actions and personalities melted into each other due to lack of discernible unique traits, and that his family was rich.

GON: How long is that going to be?

GON: Maybe your mom will calm down and change her mind <:(

Kil: lmao, maybe if id actually study now shed be satisfied enough

Kil: but theres no way in hell im going to give her what she wants

Kil: ESPECIALLY NOW

GON: So whatre you going to do??

Kil: idk

Kil: talk to you and think about how to set fire to this place?

 The young boy smiled, though for some reason he could feel a knot tighten in his chest.

 GON: How about only talking to me for now?

 And they talked. For a couple of hours, they talked about Gons new streaming schedule, about how he wanted to have one dedicated day in the week solely for collaborations. They talked about a new exploit for Super Mario Sunshine that could potentially scrap 10 seconds off of the current World record if executed correctly. They talked about how Leorios medical-student VLOG channel had been trending again after he made a hypocritical video about the damages of energy drinks.

Kil: he could have at least cleaned the infamous pyramid out of frame…

GON: Haha he said that in hindsight too

GON: But I think it was his boyfriend who finally made him clean it up -v-“

Kil: must be nice to have someone living with you who gives a shit

Kil: I think at this point the housekeeper hasn’t even touched the minefield that’s my brothers room in months

GON: It can’t be that bad :”D

Kil: you bet?

Kil: what do you think, how much chip dust is needed for an anime figure to come to life?

The mental image of Killuas home slowly shifted in Gons mind again. A large mansion, bedrooms as big as some apartments, with individual housekeepers for everyone. And one room dedicated to imitating a postapocalyptic anime merch shop.

And somewhere in that large mansion, is a room probably equipped with a messy bed, a (now empty) desk and gaming chair, maybe some shelves with books and games. In the middle of it a slightly blurry figure, maybe a bit shorter than Gon, pale skin and messy hair and piercing bright eyes.

He had seen pictures of Killua, a handful of selfies taken at his desk, one picture his sister (who he’d mention the least from his mysterious family) had taken of him in front of a rose bush. And no matter how dimly lit the picture would be, or out of focus, or taken from a distance; His eyes were always the first thing Gon would focus on. At first, he was convinced that he was using a filter, there’s no way someone in real life would have eyes like that.

But Killua did. Killua hid electricity behind those eyes, dangerous and yet enticing, beaming with a life energy that can barely be contained. Gon had heard poems and songs about blue eyes, though none of them ever came close to describing eyes like these. Or the feeling Gon would get from looking at them, tingling in his fingertips, making him smile and giggle and stomp his feet. Kind of like getting a victory royale.

Gon has other friends besides Killua. But none ever made him feel the same way when they talked. He craved no one’s presence as much as he craved Killuas. And something inside him felt the constant urge to tell Killua that, to tell him how much he meant to him, what’s so amazing about him, how he didn’t want this friendship to end.

But that’s just not something friends would tell each other unprompted, and it’s not something that could easily told to Killua, who danced around the word “friends” as if it were a dangerous animal. So, he didn’t say anything.

 Kil: gon?

Kil: did you fall asleep?

GON: No haha, I was just thinking about how huge your house must be!!

Kil: yeah its huge and ugly, sometimes way too loud, sometimes really fucking quiet

Kil: im sure it must be nicer in your home

GON: I mean, it is pretty nice, but its also a little lonely I think

GON: All my friends live closer to the city, so usually no one is around to just come outside and hang out :^T

Kil: if I could id fly over right now and you could show me all the gross spiders that rule your continent with 8 iron fists

GON: They aren’t gross!! Spiders are really fun once you get to know them :^D

GON: And you know, you’d always be welcome here, Aunt Mito would be thrilled to meet you ^^

And Gon meant it. Though Killua never let too much slip of his family life and surroundings, Gon could tell it was trouble, and he deeply wished he could give Killua even just a one-day break from whatever went down in that mansion.

Kil: since we are both home schooled, we wouldnt even need to wait for summer break or anything

GON: Right :^D And its not like either of us are big on studying either ^^”

Gon glanced briefly at the disregarded Math work and shuddered.

Kil: you mean it, right?

Kil: if I were to text you some time that im at an airport and im coming over, you wouldnt let me be stranded somewhere on your prison continent, right?

GON: Of course not!!!

GON: … but I’d prefer it if you give a heads up so I can clean my room :^D

Kil: thanks gon, I appreciate it

Kil: i appreciate you

Gon felt his heartrate skyrocket. Of course he’d let Killua stay, even if he rang at his door without any prior notice. Because even if it goes unsaid, Killua was his friend. Maybe even his best friend. And he’d do anything to keep him safe, or to just give him one minute that he doesn’t have to think about his family. He wanted to see those blue eyes reflect the Australian sun, free of worry and tension.

GON: I appreciate you, too

[yakocchi]

The Bewitching Full Moon // Count

smh they’re never gonna release points-based event cards ever again are they guess I gotta make my own 5-min headers

This event is another one of those “His POV” events. I guess the reception on those has been very positive (which, good, bc I like them too) so they’re pushing them out more and more. They’ve also been pushing the envelope on these ooh lala so sexi ma gah stories with these scandalous avatars. yea sexy ok w/e but are they fashionable? idk abt that one chief... and according to the twitter surveys the community has been comparatively lukewarm too. I mean if they’re gonna make event avatars harder to get why are they getting uglier man

also holy crap the resulting doc for this thing got really long i hope tumblr doesn’t destroy me copypasta

edit: here comes me “slept on it” day after edit, fixed formatting issues and grammar errors that stuck out. if it made it even worse imma cry-

Spoilers under the cut! Please credit if you take any of it, thenk u (･ω･*) image-heavy!

Under the full moon, which shimmered with an ominous violet light - a single stagecoach wheeled through the city. (I wonder how many times it has been where I’ve left the manse like this with her.) I sneak a glance to my side, and gaze at Kara’s dress-clad form. (Dress, shoes, gloves, necklace, hair ornaments...) (I give you every single object, article to wear - and with that you are dyed in my color.) (I experienced that joy even before, but...) Now that we have become lovers, that joy is becoming more and more difficult to come by. (Whenever I look at you, there is this emotion - one that is difficult to put into words - that surges within me.) (Frankly, I try my best to simply suppress it.) (...Well, there is particularly something that is too much to entirely subdue.) I recall that sweet sensation of the very moment where I get to strip off the dress I give her– While deep in my thoughts, a smile cracks my features.

count: the joy from dressing her up is becoming rarer me: ? o whys that count: bc the horny supersedes it me: sir

[Kara]: “Count?” (Oops- if she learned of the things like the carnal passions I bear, she would surely grow disillusioned with me.) [Count]: “It’s nothing. You are just so stunning that a smile eased onto my face.” [Kara]: “D-Don’t play around, please…” As if to hide her face, she lightly puts her hands on her cheeks. She takes small breaths, apparently to temper her heart, before looking up again.

[Kara]: “Um… Tonight’s banquet is opening quite late, isn’t it?” The typical banquet opens its curtains at approximately sunset, where the usual routine is to have dinner together before taking pleasure in dancing and chitchat. However, the time now is already past 10. (Will this be your first time going to this type of evening gathering?) [Count]: “There are nobles who grow tired of the same old pattern of the typical party.” [Count]: “So occasionally, evening parties with fascinating themes appear.” [Kara]: “Fascinating themes’?” [Count]: “Costume parties, calling on an acrobat…” [Count]: “Which reminds me of this one gathering where all the lights of the mansion were to be off. It was quite the fascinating party, yes.” [Count]: “Well, now I’m wondering what tonight’s party will be like.” [Kara]: “Hehe, I’m looking forward to it.” (Whenever you so innocently accept the circumstances at hand like this– because it’s you, I get worried. But...)

With a hand I quietly turn her waist towards me, and bring my lips to her ear. [Count]: “I don’t mind if you enjoy yourself, but I would like if you could firmly avoid being careless.” [Count]: “As in these kinds of parties, the dangers lie hidden.” [Kara]: “What do you mean by ‘dangers’…?” She quietly stares at me, visibly failing to catch the meaning behind my words. [Count]: “In a space separated from everyday life, reason easily crumbles away.” [Count]: “And when instinct conquers reason, the floor changes into a hunting ground for love.” I smoothly stroke her back and hug her waist. [Kara]: “Coun-…“ [Count]: “I do not have even the slightest intention to present my adorable lover to such wolves.”

[Count]: “Because you only belong to me, after all.” [Kara]: “—Nn,” I wrap my arm around her body that had slightly jumped, and as if to engrave my touch I press my lips against hers. [Count]: “…So that you will absolutely not separate from me. Understood?” [Kara]: “…Under, stood…” [Count]: “—Good girl.” I narrow my eyes in satisfaction at her answer, and intertwine our hands against my knee.

(Back before we became lovers, I feel that I still had my wits about me.) (So it was quite unexpected of me to become brimming with emotion like this from simply spending time after time together.) (But, tonight… it has become more difficult than usual to tie down…) I shift my gaze to the window, and the moon that floats in the sky above radiates this violet. (—It couldn’t be… Well.)

When we step inside the noble’s mansion, a different world stretched before us. The saloon was colored a brilliant red, and several tables had been arranged in a line where aristocrats entertained themselves with card games and roulette.

[Count]: “So you’re surprised by the casino.” [Kara]: “Wow… I’ve seen Arthur and the others play these sort of games, but this is the first time I’ve ever set foot in a place like this.” [Kara]: “So there can even be things like casinos in the parties of nobles, huh?” [Count]: “In the beginning, gambling was an activity popular within the elite. So it has been as much as a long time for me too.”

“get it cuz im old as fuuuu”

Her eyes swelled of fresh expectations as she looks around the saloon. (We came here to enjoy ourselves, so yes, I would like you to have fun. To be honest, I would rather not teach you how to play the more dubious games, but…) (If it’s just something like cards, there shouldn’t be a problem.) While I survey the surroundings, right in the direction of the bar counter a voice calls out to me.

[Baron]: “Ah, the Count. It has been a while.” [Baroness]: “After this we’re playing a bit of poker, but would you like to join us?” I turn my eyes to see a baron who I was acquainted with and his wife beckoning me over. [Count]: “Kara, would you like to try?” [Kara]: “I only know the very basic rules, but I’ll try.” [Count]: “I’ll teach you, then.”

[Count]: “…And with that, I have shown you more or less the fundamental rules– but is there anything else that you may be confused about?” [Kara]: “I think I’ll be okay from here…!” [Count]: “Then, let’s put it into practice.” [Kara]: “Please go easy on me.” [Baron]: “Well, young miss, when it comes to winning or losing there’s no such thing as leniency.” [Baroness]: “Oh, you! You shouldn’t scare such an adorable little lady like that.” During our pleasant chatter, the cards are dealt before the four of us and we each check our individual hands. (A King, another King, a Three, a Seven, and a Jack… With only these, I can form One Pair with my Kings. A rather mediocre hand.) (Or, I could discard the other three cards and aim for a Three of a Kind?) (Well then. And Kara…?) While maintaining a poker face, I slide a glance and— [Kara]: “…” Within the tension her cheeks were slightly flushed red, and her mouth was shaped into a faint smile. (It appears that good cards have come to her.) (…But I probably should have also taught her the techniques of forming a poker face.) Though subtly smiling bitterly, I pleasantly watched my beloved to whom I shall compete with in her first poker game – She was fixated on the five cards in her hand before suddenly lifting her eyes. The moment our eyes met…—

(Huh…?) Almost in slow motion, my fingers move… [Count]: “—kgh,”

My fingers pick out the two Kings from my hand and throw them into the muck without a moment's hesitation. (Why, am I acting like…) (For a moment, it was almost as if someone had taken over my body—) Akin to a marionette, my actions had disregarded my own will. In my centuries of living, it was the first time I had ever experienced anything like that. (Just what on Earth was…) 

[Baroness]: “My, it’s rare for the Count to lose his poker face like that.” [Count]: “Perhaps it’s also all just an act?” [Baron]: “As you’d expect from the Count, you can’t underestimate him.” While playfully exchanging banter, my consciousness was once more preoccupied with some thorough reflection. What rose from my mind was the suspicious moon that had risen in the sky. (—The “purple moon”.) Much like tonight - once every several centuries, there is a night where moon gives off a violet light. (That moonlight sharpens the vampiric senses, and additionally…) (On the night of the shining purple moon, vampires cannot oppose their loved ones.) As for my loved ones, it is undeniably Kara. (In other words, tonight my body is – controlled by Kara.)

If this is the case, then it would explain the cryptic behavior from just a minute ago. (If I cannot go against her wishes…) (Right when I met her eyes, it is highly probable that she had wished to beat me.) I turn over the new cards that were dealt to me in exchange for my discarded ones. (An Eight, and a King.) (If I hadn’t thrown away those Kings, I would have formed a Three of a Kind...)

[Count]: “…It appears I’m out of luck.” I line up my random assortment of cards by suit and place them down on the table. [Baroness]: “Hehe, I have One Pair.” [Baron]: “I also have One Pair.” [Kara]: “I have a Three of a Kind.” She breaks into a cheerful smile and reveals her hand. [Count]: “It seems that Lady Luck is smiling upon you.” [Kara]: “Hehe… it seems like it.” From that carefree smile, a sweet feeling spreads within the depths of my heart.  (The real thrill of poker is supposed to be the psychological warfare, but) (When you are so innocently delighted I seem to forget all about that.) (This is not entirely the way I would have wanted it, but I got to see something lovely.)

And so, as the game continued— …In the end, I was unable to outplay her. [Baron]: “It surprised me to see the Count so clumsy at poker.” [Baron]: “Are you up for another round?” [Count]: “Please forgive me, but I cannot afford to display such an unsightly side of myself in front of my beloved anymore.” [Baroness]: “Miss Kara, I had fun with you tonight.” [Kara]: “Me too. Thank you for inviting me to play.” We leave the table, and I call on a waiter dressed in black to halt for me. [Count]: “May I have two glasses of champagne?” Receiving the pair of flutes, I hold out one of them to Kara. [Count]: “For your victory.”

[Count]: “So, for the occasion, shall we have a toast somewhere?” [Kara]: “Yes, of course… Um, where are we going?” [Count]: “How about someplace like the balcony?” [Count]: “With your first poker victory, it is a special night.” [Count]: “I want to have a quiet toast between just the two of us.” [Kara]: “O-Okay…”

Between the two of them, the honey-colored champagne sways in the glasses as if to mark the beginning of a sweet night…

Clinking our glasses, the champagne bubbles rise to the surface. [Count]: “Congratulations. Even to the end, I just couldn’t beat you.”

or rather “Congratulations - For I couldn’t win (over you) even at the end.” but that sounds kind of shady hm

[Kara]: “Thank you, but I definitely just got lucky there.” [Kara]: “I guess there really is such a thing as beginner’s luck, huh.” [Count]: “You say that, but you still seem rather happy about it?” I set my glass down and stroke her grinning cheeks with my fingertips to poke fun at them. [Count]: “Are you really that pleased about besting me?” [Kara]: “This is the first time I’ve ever won against the Count with something, so naturally I’m happy about it…”

lol i know they mean by “winning” in the general sense but i like to think they’ve played several types of games together and he just never lets her win

(You are truly not wearing a poker face of any kind right now.) (Even when you do try to hide it, it’s clearly apparent when you are thinking about something else.) [Count]: “But that’s not all, is it?” (I know that you wanted to beat me because the light of the purple moon had affected my body to do so.) (You so deeply wanted, from the bottom of your heart, to win - so I want to know the real reason behind it.) [Count]: “Come, truthfully confess to me.” [Kara]: “I can’t let anything slip past you, it seems…”

She’s at a bit of a loss for words before slowly looking up at me to possibly gauge my expression. [Kara]: “The truth is… back from when you kissed me in the carriage, I had been thinking about it.” [Count]: “That you wanted to beat me in something?” [Kara]: “Yes. At the time, while I was trying my hardest to calm my heartbeat…” [Kara]: “You, however, maintained your composed, collected face, right?” [Kara]: “That moment today wasn’t the only time it’s been like that; ever since we’ve become lovers, it has happened so many times that it’s impossible to count…” She tightly bites her lip. [Kara]: “I just can’t compete with someone like you.” [Kara]: “But then I thought with something like poker, I could perhaps win with luck on my side.”

[Kara]: “Since I’ve always been the one being toyed with…” [Kara]: “Tonight, I thought… that I wanted to see the Count’s– see Abel’s, restless face…”

At that moment, I realized the consequences I had wrought from my prying – but it was already too late. The instant she shot through me with those eyes blurred with shyness, I could hear the sound of my reason shattering into pieces…

[Count]: “kgh—” (—I cannot fight it.) (Kara, I want to… No, I need – to take you.)

So I changed this entirely bc there’s no English equivalent. The original line can be literally translated as “Kara, I want to take you… no, take you.” What he does is change the pronoun he uses for “you” (kimi → omae) to signal the change in the level of intimacy. With most people (mansion residents, people in general) the Count uses “kimi”. Though with those who know him at a closer level, like Leonardo and Vlad, he uses “omae”. (Mostly) men are only really supposed to use “omae” with people they’re close to or it comes off as rude. This is significant with the Count and MC’s relationship because he begins to refer to her as “omae” when they’re alone together (and thus wants to make a point about how personal it is) once they reciprocate their feelings in Chapter… 24(?). The writers are more than aware of this, because all of the Count’s His POV stories in his route are titled 「君○○」 “kimi ____” but the His POV titles for the Endings use “omae”.

[Kara]: “—gh, Abel…” When I strongly embrace her, from the corner of my eye I catch sight of the moon in its sheen of purple light. Paired with this boiling sensation in my blood, I once again realize the meaning of my existence. [Count]: “…As you desire, I shall become just a man for you.” [Kara]: “A, bel…? —Mn, nn…” I steal her lips, as if to take away all of her warmth. (Just simple touches are not enough.) I draw her head closer and entangle our tongues to steal those lips even deeper. (What’s this - it’s sweet… from the scent, the touch, and the taste…) However, my hunger was not sated even by this kiss. (More - I want to taste you, more…) I pull her waist towards me and capture her tongue that had attempted to escape in a fluster. Dominated by instinct, like a starved beast I devour her lips.

(…Seeking her in this way, in an unknown place where someone could come, what in God’s name is wrong with me?) The remains of my reason murmur from the edge of my mind. But, contrary to those feelings, there was a certain kind of a pleasure intoxicating my heart. (The sense of my reason being thrown aside… is this sweet, hm…?) My fingertips, in their longing for her, slowly ride up the hem of her dress.

sir this is a community balcony i’m gonna need you to take yourself out

[Kara]: “Ngh… A, bel…”

[Count]: “Whether to accept or refuse me, is up to you.”

PREMIUM ENDING

The “purple moon” sharpens the vampire’s senses, and additionally– a vampire’s body that basks in its moonlight shall be dominated by their loved ones. [Kara]: “Since I’m always the only one being toyed with…” [Kara]: “Tonight, I thought… that I wanted to see the Count’s– see Abel’s, restless face…” —A loved one’s wishes, for tonight, can be granted under this moon that emits this mysterious light. My fingertips, in their longing for her, slowly ride up the hem of her dress. [Kara]: “Ngh… A, bel…” [Count]: “Whether to accept or refuse me, is up to you.”

Releasing her lips from our deep kiss, I securely hug her from behind and place her hands against the balcony. [Kara]: “Abel, what are…?” The eyes that look over the shoulder quiver in confusion. (Right now, as instinct overwhelms me... I want to take you.) [Count]: “Show me that disheveled form of yours some more.” A hand glides upwards to approach her chest, and wraps around her breast through the silk of the fabric. [Kara]: “Nnn… Abel,” [Count]: “It’s all right. I shall hide you in a way that no else can see.” [Count]: “Even for myself, I do not intend to show that sweet expression of yours to other men.” [Kara]: “That’s not the…” Her eyes were widened, and moistened with shame. [Count]: “And just who was the one who said that they wanted to see my restless face?” [Kara]: “That’s...” The adorable figure of my beloved, trapped with lowered eyes, also makes a bewitching pleasure sharply simmer within me. (If I happened to look into a mirror right now… Without a doubt, I would see that the face I’m wearing is far from that of a gentleman.) [Count]: “I know that you also want to learn of these indecent pleasures, hm?” [Kara]: “I…—nn,” To cut off her words, I rub the peaks of her breasts against the silk with the pads of my fingers. [Kara]: “ah- Mn…” [Count]: “To the point where I can find that out immediately— harden them for me.” [Count]: “Not wanting to know this pleasure... you don’t seem that way at all, or am I mistaken?” (Because of the purple moon, I cannot go against her wishes tonight.) (If she truly didn’t want this, I wouldn’t be able to even lay a finger on her.) (Since I am able to touch her, this means—)

[Count]: “…You truly, want me to forcibly take you, don’t you?” Burying my face onto her nape I move my fingers to agitate her, her body trembling within me. Desperately biting her lip, she stifles her sweet voice. (Whatever it is that you are thinking, I will quite distinctly know what it is.) (Because the one controlling me, is you yourself…) I rub her with my fingers again, and she twists her back with a shudder. [Kara]: “Hah, ah…” [Count]: “It seems that you are feeling it more than usual.” [Count]: “To seek a thrill like this, what a bad girl you are.”

[Count]: “But, if you don’t keep that voice down, you will be heard, no?” [Kara]: “Ha, ah- But… I can’t… hold o-…” [Count]: “There’s no other choice, then.” The corners of my lips raise into an elegant smile before I lift her chin. [Count]: “I’ll stifle it for you.” [Kara]: “Mn, uhn…” Continuing to lovingly caress her breast in one hand I press my lips to hers, providing even more heat. A voice laced with temptation spills out from her wetted lips. [Kara]: “A…bel… if you do, any more than this, I…” [Count]: “Then if I do any more than this, what will happen?” [Kara]: “Don’t bully me…” Her lovely voice cries out between the light brushes of our lips, and my chest sweetly tightens from the sound. (This appetite will not be satisfied until I make her wholly mine.) [Count]: “Do you take me for a man who only teases and leaves you unfulfilled?”

[Count]: “I shall stain your entire body with pleasure.”

…In a certain room. I slip off my coats, vest, tie, and finally shirt to reveal my bare skin…While I fling them onto the sofa one by one, I lead Kara in the direction of the bed. (The part where I drive her to the corner like this… is exceptional tonight.)

[Kara]: “Ah…” Hitting the edge of the bed, she casts her eyes down as there is nowhere else to go. [Count]: “…Got you.” I capture her beloved body into my arm’s embrace, and slowly push her down onto the bed. [Count]: “In here, you can be as loud as you like.” [Kara]: “But… is it okay to use this room as you please…?” [Count]: “When we arrived tonight we had talked about the themes of evening parties, correct?” I move my hand from stroking her blooming cheeks to press a fingertip against her lips. [Count]: “For those who wish to indulge in something rather risqué for the night, they prepare rooms like this.” [Count]: “So I shall receive this room for use with my humble gratitude.” I unravel the ribbon on the back, and the silk dress almost seemed to glide off her shoulder as it fell down.

(I do like to beautifully dress you up – but stripping you down with my own two hands also sends my heart racing.) [Kara]: “gh…” I seize her hands that were about to cover her chest and pin them to the sheets. [Count]: “Without hiding anything, show yourself to me.” Her exposed skin became shamefully dyed with the hue of roses before my very eyes. This color, teeming with vitality, made my vampiric instincts ache painfully.

[Kara]: “n-no… It’s embarrassing…” [Count]: “Then, if I stop looking… I shall have a taste instead.” I meet her breasts and crawl the tip of my tongue along the peak. [Kara]: “Ah, aah… Abel… Mn,” She pushes against my chest in light resistance. But before long her resistance had ceased, and gradually changed to that of her disheveled sighs and sweet gasps. [Count]: “It seems that you’ve become quite honest with yourself.” [Kara]: “To be loved like this – I have no choice but to be honest, right…?” [Kara]: “As tonight will be the only time I’ll get to know of your ferocious emotions…”

My mind is suddenly drawn to her wording. (Does she know about the purple moon…?) But I cannot imagine that she would know about something like a rare phenomenon that occurs only once every several centuries. I stare at her as if to look into her heart, and our eyes meet.

[Kara]: “More… Please, lose yourself to me, more…” (If she does know about the purple moon, and thus is purposefully provoking me, then…) [Count]: “What a naughty girl. Do you want to ruin my composure that badly?” [Kara]: “Yes…” The Count’s body is completely, sweetly steeped in her words, and as if it were alcohol his reason gradually dissolved. (Right now, even the words that I always shower her with will not come out.) For his heart was dominated only by the instinct of a vampire, and only by the instinct to love her as a man. [Count]: “I want to cast away my morality and reason, and just love you.”

FIN

this guy…………is a lot. i thought maybe everyone would be like this for the event but no, leo only gets weird bc essentially his mc was dumb enough to try to pick up broken shards of glass with her bare hands (im not trying to shame her… but i am) and then it’s not really isaac’s fault when he already has the worst bloodthirst out of all of them so sir step into the paddy wagon, the horni police will question u shortly

anyway tl;dr the sweet ending has the mc reveal to him early that she knew what the purple moon does to vampires in terms of the heightened vampire senses and crud but not the obedience to loved ones so he tells her blah blah romanceu talk but he still wants to bone and so they go home to do it instead. 

Make sure to purchase the Epilogue when you have the chance! It’s good stuff ( ͡° ͜ʖ ͡°)

So, thanks for reading! (`･ω･´) Sorry if it’s hard to parse through. there’s a reason why editing is a job people get paid for orz

[thelucyverse]

Suburbs fic idea Milippa /2 (1)

When Philippa wakes on the next morning, it is because someone is ringing the doorbell, and for a moment she is filled with limitless rage at being woken when for once she managed to sleep through the night, at being so tired it borders on feeling dead inside, at the frustration of having to be awake and alive.

This is a draft version. Expect nothing else or maybe wait for the finished product on ao3 lol

Note to self: thinking about maybe changing Tilly to another single woman instead? Single mom? Idk... I think Tilly/Chris is interesting, but like, idk

Then, she takes a deep breath and drags herself out of bed, takes her meds, goes looking for her clothes and only briefly goes into the bathroom to make herself look like more of a person. Then, she forces a smile onto her face and faces the world - or rather, the hell that is a small neighborhood.

Her first welcome committee is made up out of a woman and man - the redhead from the window yesterday, and the man presumably her husband from how he's standing next to her, carrying a plate with cake.

"Hi!" the redhead chirps brightly, beaming over her entire face. Philippa doesn't know whether that is making it easier or harder to keep the smile on her own face. Perhaps it's both - annoying yet also contagious somehow, and they cancel each other out.

"I - hello. Do come in."

"Thanks!" the redhead skips inside, followed by the two men who have yet to say a single word. The one holding the cake platter looks a little awkward with it, and Philippa points him to the thankfully already fully built-in kitchen counter, earning herself a grateful smile.

"Oh, I'm Sylvia, but everyone calls me Tilly!" the woman tells her happily and extends her hand. "And this is my husband Chris - oh, did you?"

"Already handed over the cake," Chris says with a fond chuckle, and Philippa smiles, too.

"Yes - thank you, really."

"You're welcome!" Tilly beams. "We're so happy that you're moving in here, the house has been standing empty way too long! And we have a wonderful neighborhood, there's a holiday party and now in the summer there will be barbecues... Um, yes, sorry," she breaks off a little awkwardly when she notices that she hasn't even let Philippa introduce herself.

"Hello- nice to meet you both. My name is Philippa Georgiou, feel free to call me Philippa. I must say, I am not much of a people person myself- I'm sure we will all still get on well, I just thought I would say that immediately, because otherwise you might think I'm standoffish when I really just have a limited capacity of... /people/ energy for a day, I usually prefer the anonymity of the city because of it, but I'm quite burned out from work and got recommended to live in a smaller town to calm down a little."

Tilly gapes at her a little, and Philippa suppresses a wince. She had planned to be honest from the start (well... About all but one thing, at least), so she wouldn't have to start awkward explanations later and get it all over with instead in one go. But maybe that was a little /too/ honest, now...

"Oh, alright," Chris says a little awkwardly, and Tilly finally catches herself.

"I guess maybe we should leave early then, leave you some energy to meet the rest of the street?"

"No, no, don't mind me, I can survive a day of welcomes, and we haven't tried your cake yet... I just meant in general, for the future... Wait, is really everyone going to come today?" Philippa can't keep her voice from showing some of the pain she feels at that thought. She had thought it would only be her direct neighbors, and maybe even then not all in one day, as people are busy with their own lives... But of course, in a town like this most everyone is at home on a Saturday, with nothing else to do but the routine of their daily lives.

"Um... Are you sure that it's fine? I can text and ask whether some can come tomorrow, or on the weekend, if you'd like... If you're okay with them knowing, that is?"

"Yes, thank you, that would be a relief. I don't mind at all," she never caref much about what people think, and in this case she actually likes spreading awareness on the issue, mental illness is still way too stigmatized, when in the current economic climate most can do nothing /but/ work themselves to exhaustion - not that she needs to, not anymore. She got lucky, making as much money as she did during the last years... But in the process, she unlearned what it means to relax and take a minute to herself.

"Alright, then I'll just let everyone know!" Tilly beams, pulling out her phone. "Not that we have, like, a neighborhood groupchat, just several inofficial friendgroup chats, we're all friends here, really"

"Yes?" Philippa asks, sounding perhaps a little too amused and slightly unbelieving now.

"You don't think we'll be friends?" the expression on Tilly's face is the epitome of 'Puppy-dog eyes', and somehow Philippa doesn't think that she is doing it on purpose. Next to her, Chris is looking at her with a quite besotted expression on his face.

"Oh, by the American definition, sure. I would just use the word acquaintance instead, you see? In most places of the world, you don't use the word friends quite so often, just for what you might call best friends here - and we don't have a ton of 'best friends', just one, maybe two or three in a group, and if we move and have a very good friend there that might be my best friend in that town, but it will be clear that it is not the best friend in general. Then maybe a few close friends, a bunch of friends, and friendly acquaintances..."

"And neighbors are just acquaintances?" Chris asks, sounding sincerely curious.

"Friendships can happen there too, but personally I would take even longer to switch the terms there - you're neighbours first and foremost, you have to live in the same area, that's a category all on its own."

"So, you don't think we can be friends soon?"

Philippe laughs. "Maybe we can be. You both seem nice so far, I promise."

"/So far/?" Tilly asks, just a little bit affronted.

"Well, don't know you very well yet, after all. There is more to a person than just whether they are friendly to a newcomer, and there are a number of issues I'd have to know about someone before I can consider them a 'friend'."

Her gaze falls onto the [xx and she xx unhappy memory about one bigot manager oso]

"Oh- ooh, don't worry about that! We're an inclusive bunch, or trying to be. You won't have to worry about-" she nods at xx, "Just down the street Joan and Keyla Owesukan are also a couple - no, married now of course, and we also have a bunch of gay guys, and everyone is just nice in general... So, you don't have to worry about being gay, a single woman Xxlikeherself?, or a witch"

"I'm not a witch," Philippa says a little perplexed.

"Then what are those crystals?"

"Oh, I just think they're pretty. I'm a bit of a magpie, if anything, a hoarder of shiny things..."

"Oh, you'll have to meet Paul then! He's an engineer, but he makes some shiny jewellery in his freetime, and also he's gay, living with his husband Hugh- not that I think you have to be best friends with all the gay people, of course! Just that well, you're here all alone in the big house, unmarried... And he knows everyone in the gay community, I think, might be able to introduce you to some ladies in nearby neighborhoods, I don't think Joan or Keyla would be much help there, they mostly stick to themselves"

Philippa makes a face. "I don't know whether anyone would want to be in a relationship with me, with how much time I need for myself," that had always been true - only in the past, she had retreated to write. Now, she just needs to be alone to breathe. "And I wouldn't want to live with anyone, I'm quite content having the entire house for myself I don't think many people would be willing to have a serious relationship at a distance that way."

Tilly looks like she is about to say something - like maybe, she knows someone fitting to Philippa's description - but then she just smiles.

[purplesurveys]

969

What is your least favourite thing about your full name? I don’t know if it’s right to say I have a least favorite thing about it. At this point in my life I’ve gotten over complaining about anything about my name and I’ve ended up liking it, actually.

How good is your grammar? My fluency in both English and Filipino is pretty much perfect. Kinda called for when it comes to communications graduates, haha. But yeah I grew up speaking Filipino and then learned English through media, school, and my English-speaking friends, so my exposure has always been balanced.

Do you like the age you are? Idk I feel like age loses its significance when you’re like 20. < Yeah, same. The last age I got excited about was 20, but turning 22 this year felt a little boring and not just because I had to celebrate at home. I’m imagining it would be the same for 23, 24, 26, 27, etc and that I’ll only look forward to milestone years now, like those that end in 5 or 0.

Music. It’s amazing. Do you agree? It’s great, but I’m not as attached to music as most people are. It’s hard for me to get into new acts and I mostly stick to the artists and albums I’ve listened for years. Music can also sometimes be too emotional for me, so most of the time I prefer flocking to content that will entertain me when I’m sad, like sitcoms or YouTube videos.

What’s your favourite kind of poptart? I’ve mentioned this before but only like, five flavors ever get shipped to the Philippines. My favorite is chocolate fudge, but I’m sure I would have other favorites if we were able to have their whole flavor roster.

Do you like sunglasses? I don’t really care for them. They look nice and there are certainly a lot of cute and classy sunglasses designs out there, but ultimately I don’t like how it impairs my vision. No matter how bright it is where I am, I tend to not feel comfortable when everything I see has a black or brown tint to them. 

Do you think dreams can give us insight to things? I don’t know if it can give insights, but I believe that your general emotions and life experiences can have a hand in what dreams you end up having. In my case, whenever something is currently heavily troubling me I always, always end up dreaming about them.

Have any cheesy kids songs memorized? Depends on what you mean by cheesy kid’s songs. I don’t actually know what that refers to.

Besides your computer, what else is cluttering your desk? A Tupperware with peanut brittle, another Tupperware with a half-eaten brookie, two notebooks, my copy of Midnight Sun, my phone charger, a nearly-empty glass of water, and my night light.

Why is your worst enemy your worst? I don’t have an enemy...haven’t had one since, like, grade school.

What does your dad do? He’s an executive sous chef at a luxury liner. But his company and the nature of his work is obviously one of the most affected by Covid, so he hasn’t been in his workplace since February and it’s impossible to tell when he’ll be needed again.

How late do you usually stay up? During weekdays, I’m in bed by 9 or 10 PM. Work is exhausting most days. But on the weekends, I’m able to stay up til midnight or even a few hours beyond that.

The political spectrum. Where do you fall? The more radical side of the left.

Do those commercials from the ASPCA make you cry? They’re a US-based org so no I haven’t, but their ads probably do have the ability to make me cry.

When was the last time you visited a nail salon? I remember going inside a nail salon with Gabie in like 2017? 2018? because she had been trying to get me interested in pampering sessions for myself haha. I never saw the appeal though and if I remember correctly that was the only time I ever found myself inside of a nail salon.

What was the last thing you used sliced bread to make? My breakfast yesterday. I just used the bread to wrap a hotdog. 

If you had to eat one type (Chinese, etc.) of food which would it be? I would have absolutely no problem eating Indian food for the rest of my life. Their spices, the curries, breads, chutney, samosas, paneer? *chef’s kiss*

Enough about food. Have you used Wikipedia for a school report? I used Wikipedia all the time but use the sources on the bottom of the page. It was so easy to go around the whole “don’t use Wikipedia for research” when the sources cited in Wikipedia articles are always subject to strict review by the site’s moderators to ensure their credibility lol.

What is your favourite glass to drink from? I love my mom’s Starbucks mug. I use it all the time when she isn’t home.

When did your family immigrate to wherever you live now? We’ve never migrated, even though my mom had always wanted us to. If we pushed through with it, we most likely would have landed in either the US or Canada.

What does your room look like when you sleep? Completely dark. I also like keeping my windows open and my blinds partially open, because the cold air at night feels nice.

What tabs are open on your computer? The window I’m currently on is pretty loaded actually. There are six Tumblr tabs, 12 Bzoink tabs, two tabs on Google search, and one Wikipedia tab.

Are your fingers long, or short? They’re rather long. 

Reality TV: Love it, or hate it? OMG hahah I like most of them, but I can’t stand dating shows. As a demi, I just could never relate to the idea of casual dating and dating shows have always been super boring to me. I can binge most of the other reality TV shows though, especially cooking ones and KUWTK.

What time is it in the country you get the most of your heritage from? Welp, that’s a creative way to put it. 6:47 PM.

Do you use a top sheet? My current bedsheet doesn’t come with one but I do have other bedsheets with top sheets that I routinely change to.

How often do you engage in illegal behaviour? It comes up every now and then but it’s nothing more than illegally downloading books and movies lol.

Who is your favourite comedian? I’m not big on comedians but I came across Sindhu Vee’s stand-up comedy on Facebook a month ago and she’s sooooooo fucking hilarious. Jokes about extreme Asian parenting will never get old for me. I definitely wish more of her acts were available online.

Do people say you have an accent? Sometimes I’ll get compliments for being able to speak in English well, but idk about accents.

Could you tell me what the capital of Bosnia is without looking it up? Nope. I wouldn’t even be able to point at its general region on a map. Soz.

AOL: Do you use it? No.

Do you find Family Guy’s cutaway scenes funny, or annoying? I generally find cutaway scenes funny. I’m sure I would find Family Guy’s funny as well, considering I’ve enjoyed their humor styles in the past.

What colours are on your current shirt? Brown.

How many children do you want/have? Two.

Would you rather live in this decade, the 1960’s, or the 1910’s? 1910s. The very limited women’s rights and social issues of the time would be sucky to witness, but I’m still interested to see how different life was back then whether in terms of technology, how different my city used to look, or whatever.

Pepsi vs. Coke? Neither.

Do you think you look good with a hat on? Sure, I like hats :)

[syfynjvall]

OTP ASK GAME - farah & juliette

tagged by @havennly thank u!! i’m gonna tag @agentnatesewell @bryceslahela @agentfreckles @serafinedupont @agentnats if youve done it already i apologize ksks

(long post warning)

DISAGREEMENTS.

Who is more likely to raise their voice?

juliette, but it’s honestly never anything serious. more often than not its just bc she gets very competitive during game nights

Who threatens to leave but never actually does?

neither, even kidding about it kinda hurts each others souls

Who actually keeps their word and leaves?

neither

Who trashes the house?

i cant see either of them doing it

Do either of them get physical?

never in a million years

How often do they argue/disagree?

not often, and when they do its mostly about petty things like leaving empty containers in the fridge

Who is the first to apologize?

both are good about it

SEX.

who is on top? Who is on bottom?

hmmm they switch

any kinks?

welllll jules put on her old cheerleading uniform from college as a joke once and farah was into it. theyre both into roleplay

who has the strangest desires?

jules

who’s dominant in bed?

it’s a pretty even split

is head ever in the equation?

yes

if so, who is better at performing it?

probably farah

ever had sex in public?

once. under the bleachers at the football field. pretty cliché

who moans the most?

uhh both

who leaves the most marks?

farah

who is the more experienced of the two?

definitely jules. she had a LOT of fun in college

do they ‘fuck’ or ‘make love’?

make love. it’s very special for both of them bc they know they’re gonna last

how long do they usually last?

it depends but both of them can usually go pretty long

rough or soft?

typically soft, but rough if theyre in the mood

is protection used?

no

does it ever get boring?

no

where is the strangest place they’d have sex?

dont know? maybe in an empty room in the agency? idk lol

FAMILY.

do they plan on having children/or have children?

oh yeah definitely

if so, how many children do they want/have?

juliette loved the look on farahs face the first time they talked about it and she said she wanted ten kids. it was a joke obv but they probably end up having three or four. jules always wanted siblings growing up and she was sad she never got that wish so she doesnt want her own kids to be lonely like she was

AFFECTION.

who likes to cuddle?

both of them are huge cuddle bugs and they get cozy almost everywhere

who gets naughty in the most inappropriate of places?

juliette

who struggles to keep their hands to themselves?

both

how long can they cuddle until one becomes uncomfortable?

their cuddles can last a while but farah probably wiggles away first

what is their favourite non-sexual activity?

they love girls night out and its even more fun when tina joins them. put the three of them together and its basically nonstop chaos, but so fun

where is their favourite place to cuddle?

predictable, but the bed. jules is one of those extravagant mattress people so her bed is basically a giant pillow and its very comfortable

SLEEPING.

who snores?

both

if both do, who snores the loudest?

jules, and you better believe farah teases her relentlessly

do they share a bed or sleep separately?

jules WAS a very picky sleeper until she got together with farah, now she gets pouty if they dont share a bed

if they sleep together, do they cozy up together or lay far apart?

they cozy up, but juliette is a blanket hog so she usually ends up with most of the covers

what do they wear to bed?

jules usually just wears a top, farah wears pajama sets

are either of them insomniacs?

no

can sleeping pills be found by the bedside?

not before everything that went down in book one, but since murphy, yeah. jules has a hard time falling asleep now

do they wrap their limbs around each other or just lay side by side?

definitely cuddly sleepers

who wakes up with bed hair?

both

who wakes up first?

farah. she’s usually the one to rouse juliette when she’s about to be late

who prepares breakfast in bed for the other?

neither of them can cook so... neither lol

what is their favourite sleeping position?

farah loves being the little spoon and jules loves making her feel safe so

do they set an alarm each night?

jules does but she hits snooze at least six times a morning

who has nightmares?

juliette, and farah has no problem soothing her back to sleep when she wakes up

can a television be found in their bedroom?

yes. they’re both obsessed with trashy shows

who has ridiculous dreams?

farah!

who sprawls out and takes up most of the bed?

again, juliette is an unfortunate bed hog

who makes the bed?

farah. juliette is cute but she’s not always that tidy

what time is bed time?

whenever jules feels like it, and farah will follow her lead

any routines/rituals before bed?

other than the typical going to bed things, no

who’s the grumpiest when they wake up?

farah probably

WORK.

who is the busiest?

both are pretty busy but since juliette has two jobs i guess she is a little bit more

who rakes in the highest income?

juliette probably?

are any of them unemployed?

UB gets paid right? so neither then? lol

who takes the most sick days?

juliette. her “bend the rules” stat is at 88%

what are their jobs?

detective and agent

who sucks up to their boss?

definitely not jules. farah might a LITTLE bit since rebecca is juliette’s mom but i think we know how that turns out lmao

who is more likely to turn up late to work?

despite juliette’s aversion for rule following she’s usually pretty puntcual at least, so im gonna say farah

who stresses the most?

im gonna say neither

do they enjoy or despise their careers/occupations?

farah loves hers for the most part, jules feels like hers is more of a chore but she does love interacting with people.

are they financially stable?

yes

HOME.

who does the washing?

farah. once again juliette isnt super messy per se, but she is a bit cluttered

who takes out the trash?

both

who does the ironing?

jules is pretty good about that

who does the cooking?

neither. they both try but they’re both disasters so they order out mostly (more than they should)

who is more likely to burn the house down just trying?

it’s about equal because again, they’re disasters

who is messier?

juliette

who leaves the toilet roll empty?

farah

who leaves their dirty clothes on the floor?

neither

[redacted] you are not going to miss this question.

who loses the car keys when it comes time to go somewhere?

both

who answers the telephone?

juliette

who mows the lawn?

they dont have a lawn

who does the vacuuming?

probably jules

who does the groceries?

when they remember to do it, they like to go together

who takes the longest to shower?

jules

[redacted] you are not going to miss this question.

MISCELLANEOUS.

is money a problem?

no but farah does love buying stuff

how many cars do they own?

just one

what’s their song?

it changes but rn lucky by jason mraz fits them so well

do they live in the city or in the country?

juliette LOVES city life and farah thinks it would be fun too so they plan to move to the city one day

do they own their home or do they rent?

rented for now, for juliette anyway

do they enjoy their surroundings?

jules has a nostalgic fondness for wayhaven but again, really she’s itching to live in the city. farah likes it too but it’s a little too mellow for her liking sometimes

what do they do when they’re away from each other?

oh my god, theyre both clingy babies so they’ll be pouty and sad and constantly just text each other

where did they first meet?

juliette’s office

who spends the most money when out shopping?

probably farah

who’s more likely to flash their assets?

jules, but farah will too

any mental issues?

juliette definitely has ptsd after book one, and then its worsened after the trappers (she saved farah so she had to see sanja die)

who finds it amusing when the other trips over?

they both do lol

who’s terrified of bugs?

im thinking farah

who kills the spiders around the house?

juliette

do they have any fears for their future?

they’re both afraid of losing each other, mostly. juliette also worries a bit that maybe farah will get sick of her because she’s a “lot,” she was always told by past bfs/gfs that she was a handful or too wild or whatever so she worries she might scare farah off but when she voices that thought farah is very quick to very seriously assure her thats not going to happen

their favourite place?

the bar, also the forest to stargaze or picnic

who’s more likely to surprise the other with a fancy dinner?

jules, but it’s definitely at a restaurant lol

who pays the bills?

definitely juliette

who’s the tallest?

jules is 5’9, farah is 5′4

who’s more likely to just randomly hop into the shower with the other?

farah

who wanders around in their underwear?

jules

who sings the loudest when singing along to the radio?

both!! theyre both so goofy about it

what do they tease each other about?

pretty much everything, they’re bantering almost constantly

who is more likely to cringe at the other’s fashion sense at times?

neither of them are exactly fashion experts, so

who crushed first?

juliette

any alcohol or substance related problems?

no, jules enjoys drinking but she knows her limits

who is more likely to stumble home, drunk, at 3am?

jules

who swears the most?

both