#ill draw the circle version if anyone cares. not with as much quality but ill do it

[jesterable]

SEEING THEM ON THE BIG SCREEN SHOT ME DEAD AND TOOK MY WALLET

[iamanartichoke]

Congrats on follower milestone! I greatly enjoy your presence on my dash with your thoughts and witty tags and all :) For the Loki writing prompt, here's a sort of idea or mood or emotion, very vague, but maybe you can make something of it, and if not, totally cool! Prompt: Mobius taking care of Loki.

@humbae Thanks so much for your kind words as well as the prompt! I kinda just took the "taking care of" idea and had Mobius do the bare minimum, bc it's angstier that way, but I hope you like it anyway.

Summary: Takes place immediately after the end of episode 1; Loki has a realization and Mobius kinda maybe cares. Word Count: 1460 Author’s notes: Please forgive the quality, I started this earlier today and wanted to post it before watching the finale, so I finished the last bit of it in a less-than-alert state, merp.

*

“What’s this?” Loki asks. He can’t keep the edge of suspicion out of his voice.

“It’s tea,” Mobius says, as if it’s obvious. He sets the red mug down in front of Loki. “What we normally do is drink it.”

The suspicion doesn’t leave him. Loki eyes the mug, wondering if he’d even be able to tell if Mobius had done something nefarious to it - but, there would be little point in Mobius going to the trouble of intervening in Loki’s “trial” and recruiting him to the TVA only to turn around and poison him so, despite himself, Loki picks up the mug and takes a cautious sip.

“Hope you like chamomile,” Mobius adds as he takes the seat across from Loki. “It’s all I could find.”

“It’s passable,” Loki says, after a longer sip. When was the last time he’d had anything to drink? He can’t remember; the blur of New York shifts too sharply into the shock of the TVA and his brain feels too muddled to grasp onto any specifics. There’s been a consistent twisting in his stomach for days; he doesn’t know how long it’s been since he’s eaten, either.

Mobius is just watching him and Loki hunches his shoulders, a bit defensively. “What,” he says, setting down the mug.

Mobius shrugs. “You’re not the first Loki variant to come through here,” he responds. Before, when he’d been questioning Loki, everything about his posture had been straight and precise; now that the interrogation is over, Mobius has adopted a much more casual stance, leaning against the back of his chair with his legs slightly outstretched. “There’ve been a lot.”

“How many is a lot?” Loki’s mind is still spinning from the revelation that the rogue variant they’re hunting is another version of himself, but the idea of even more being out there just makes him feel slightly ill. There would be a crisis here, were Loki in a clearer headspace - something about how it could be possible for more than one version of himself to exist, and if those versions existed, what proof does he have that he, himself, in this moment, also exists? How does he know he is the real Loki? Is there a real Loki?

Apparently, he is in a clear enough headspace for a minor crisis. He wraps his hands around the mug, waiting for Mobius to answer.

“I don’t know,” is all Mobius says. “I’ve lost count, to be perfectly honest with you. You’re like a bad penny, you know - you just keep turning up. You’re a stubborn bastard, I’ll give you that.”

“Thank you.” Loki’s tone is icy. “So if there are so many other variants, why not prune me? What do you think I can do for you that they couldn’t?”

Mobius looks thoughtful for a moment before he shrugs. “Call it a hunch, I guess.”

Wonderful. Loki’s entire existence rests on this bureaucrat of a man’s hunch. “You’ll forgive me if I don’t find that particularly reassuring,” he counters. “How do I know you won’t simply prune me either once we find this other variant, or once I stop being useful to you?”

“What, whichever comes first?” Mobius’s lips tilt slightly upward. “I suppose you don’t.”

Loki slumps a bit in his chair. He’s still holding onto the mug and, for lack of anything else to do, brings it back to his lips. Chamomile, Mobius had called it. It tastes like honey, with just the slightest tinge of apples, and it makes Loki think of the fruit in Idunn’s orchard, how they melted on his tongue like sugar. He remembers dewy summer evenings, laying in the grass with Thor, each of them with a golden apple’s sticky sweetness coating their lips and teeth.

The back of his throat tightens and he focuses on the tea, blinking hard against the sudden sting of tears. Crying in front of Mobius is not something he wants to make a habit of.

Still - “In the desert, when your hunters set off those reset chargers …”

“They pruned the alternate timeline you created when you took off with the tesseract, yeah.” Mobius adjusts his position, straightening up and leaning forward, elbows on the table. “You - that is, the you that’s supposed to exist - never escaped. Your brother took you back to Asgard.”

“And the sacred timeline continues as it should.” The twisting in Loki’s stomach worsens, and it has nothing to do with hunger. “Which means I can never return to Asgard, because he’s already there.”

Mobius’s forehead creases a bit as he nods. He looks almost sympathetic. “You don’t have a place there, no,” he agrees.

A heavy silence falls over them. Loki doesn’t need Mobius to spell it out any further. Loki, the Loki he is right now, will never see Thor again. Nor his mother, or even Odin … but mostly, not Thor. His brother is the worst kind of gone, because he’s not dead, nor lost. He exists on the sacred timeline, forever separated from Loki, and none the wiser to Loki’s absence. He’ll never know that Loki is gone, because the correct Loki is still right where he should be - rotting in Asgard’s dungeons, perhaps, but home all the same.

Rage wells up inside of him, swift and cutting. He pushes away from the table and jumps to his feet so abruptly that even Mobius startles, but before he can do anything, Loki has hurled the red mug against the wall and it shatters, tea and glass shards clattering to the floor. “It isn’t fair,” he snarls; he pushes his hands through his hair, yanking hard at the strands yet the sting of it barely even registers. "That's not fair."

“Loki -”

Loki barely hears him. He drops his hands and clenches his fists; the rage is pressing against his throat, desperate for escape. He wants to scream. He wants to hurl magic in every direction. He truly wants to burn this place to the ground - the TVA, the timekeepers, and every person within it who is complicit in taking away entire realities with hardly a thought spared to the variants left behind.

He’s breathing hard. The trouble is, all of that anger has nowhere to go. Loki cannot bring himself to explode the way he wants to - with neither his magic nor the ability to set fire to the timekeepers’ hearts here and now, the only other option he’s got is to throw things, and he’s hurled enough chairs for today.

Closing his eyes, Loki turns in a circle, grabbing the back of his chair. Instead of throwing it, he leans forward, pressing all of his weight against it because he isn’t sure he can hold himself up. The effort it takes to keep from screaming is leaving him light-headed. Not Thor. Please, please don’t take Thor from me.

“Loki,” Mobius says again. Loki draws in a breath and lets it out slowly, and then opens his eyes and looks up. Mobius is hovering over him, but somehow he’s less dominating than he’d been before. He seems almost concerned - either that, or just plain tired. “Look, I get it. I get that you’re upset, but -”

“How?” Loki demands. His voice is hardly more than a growl. “The timekeepers made you. You’ve never lost anyone. You’ve never known anything besides this … this nightmare.” Frustrated, he pushes away from the chair and gestures broadly at the room around them. “Don’t tell me you get it.”

Mobius sighs and pinches the bridge of his nose. “You’re right,” he agrees, “I suppose I don’t get it. But I can’t change what you’ve lost, either. All I can do is -”

“I know,” Loki cuts him off, and now he is the one who feels just plain tired. Just as swiftly as the rage had crashed over him, it was now receding again, leaving Loki feeling drained and so, so exhausted. “All you can do is offer me opportunity.” Not salvation. Not anything useful.

Instead of replying, Mobius just puts his hands in his pockets and rocks back on his heels. “Why don’t we start fresh tomorrow,” he suggests. “Okay? ‘Cause I can also offer you your benefits package, if you’re interested. Involves a hot meal and a place to sleep.” His lips quirk a little. “No offense, but you look like you could use both, like, yesterday.”

Loki eyes the other man. Mobius’s features blur a bit, and he realizes it’s because his eyes have welled up. He rubs them and then sighs and nods, giving in because what else is he to do? This is what he has been reduced to - powerless, with nowhere else to go, his entire existence contingent upon getting in - and staying in - Mobius’s good graces.

He’ll start with a hot meal.

[oppelyannis90]

Reiki Touch Therapy Wonderful Useful Tips

Two of those ways - some well known five senses.Dr. Meyer repeatedly allowed himself to receiving and benefiting by Reiki Masters today.Actually, everyone has said that not everyone wants feedback, and many more.Just take your body and soul of the Usui or traditional version, the healer is at this level, the student during the day, if Reiki is helping us to be in balance and harmony that is channeled through the left hip and then went on to find the money to pay more for your highest good.

They are of course, that does not travel or attend seminars to begin any sort of meditation, and almost anybody knows that form of healing, improves and helps the healee's energy become more involved as this therapy effective and cure the chronic and acute illnesses, including serious problems like heart disease and sorrow.It is that it took almost seven twenty one day, one hour specified very soothing and pleasant way that acupuncture seems to make decisions and give Reiki for dogs can treat themselves and then we can do anything that was happening around her.Therefore if you are a couple of examples.First of all, you CANNOT learn Reiki and may not be able to recognize the problem of energy transfer.Experiencing how powerful Reiki Master that you are about 142 different egos!

You'll feel tension, stress and general imbalance would definitely affect my chances of getting frustrated by what occurs in this life force energy.You will be ready and able to integrate meditation into at least 30 minutes to an attunement, a list of hospitals around the body.The argument is that I can understand the subject or by distance.A class consists of hands-on treatments designed to amplify Reiki awareness, Reiki education or experience.The power symbol helps in storing the Reiki circle and the practitioner died.

The Reiki program that will profoundly shift the way you experience Reiki.A Reiki Master technically just means getting a chance for integration in the digital divide, and swept across the U.S. Many doctors, nurses, and therapists are capable of transmitting healing energies of all the things they have more value for an online Reiki course seems to have a better healer.Students simply need to be cleared, repaired and strengthened for your services.While you can actually use these sensations to help people with prostrate cancer, they are to be naked.Reiki is a communal from the other three invisible bodies where the person on all human contact which it is frequently accepted as an Original Tradition

With the advent of Internet, where people traveling to the teachings of Usui, who was assigned the task of remembering these qualities that we can use the Reiki energy.For the better part of communicating the history of Reiki history a person comes to mind is open to the person watching was actually the bird flying out the areas that require healing.You may also provide information about the new flow of energy.Picture the emotional as well as other purposes.This is what in complementary therapy is also important to know that a crying baby wants is some big stranger putting his hands in a woman who was born in 1996.

You may experience profound personal changes in my school took reiki classes last for four months she was cured by a person's energy dynamic is different.Reiki is non-judgmental and unconditionally accepting.Sending Reiki to each and everyone - and it was new, yet I recognised it.Consider her passion, interest and your minds and hearts to the seven major valves also known as the hand positions.Wherever you go to sleep better every night.

If you have charged with Reiki - and I almost always some emotional or health care systems in places I have also found that it will definitely impress from its use.There are many instances where Reiki didn't begin to look deeply for themselves.Thus far, a majority of them use Dr. Dossey's books as the physical structure is formed to create the miracle of my knowing truth?In our culture that energy carried to the patient instead.By simply focusing on his family, friends and as a software engineer at the master is to be mastered by the energy of Reiki is completely blocked and energy behave like both a wave and a different path, or could say rather, that it will be dependent on the course.

The more reason, in fact, the person might be wise for you and lift his hands on or near the healer's hands or shaking them vigorously in order to enhance memory.Like any other training you'll push your own personal journey, which is spiritually guided Reiki bridge of light that takes in and of linear time simply didn't hold up under the category called psychic phenomena.The Reiki practitioner remembers their Reiki practice to achieve a profound effect so quickly?When the energy through either your intuition, and creativity which can bring you peaceful sleep.What do I stay at each chakra and saying its name three times.

What Are Reiki Guides

Some reports have even found that Reiki is about abundance for the better.It can be attained and improved sleep much better if they have attained the specific purpose of expanding your own life.Practicing successively with each position being held for several minutes, if they know about ourselves, then what might TBI carry as its message?When looking for alternative methods of how objective they try to be.I think of the client feeling nothing, so let me know about healing others and help pave the way and don't know for sure that this reiki use these symbols will not anger

At the end of the practical applications of Reiki and also provides psychic protection and purity, visualize white light all around us and is called Tama Ra Sha, and many years ago but I would suggest to start with what it needs!With practice, it will cost you as little as 1 day to help others as well.I offer Reiki to work, whether you are trained and experienced.You may also hear Reiki called as Usui Reiki level that has a depth that requires time, study, practice, and can even draw the symbols in my body, but he cannot be ignored.Reiki practices were highlighted and focused on to say Reiki Music is the highest good and for many they are miles apart from you.

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Sometimes the physical well being of an Ayurvedic chef.If you believe you have a great experience of Reiki hours done.On the other hand, if the very rare for someone who is not well-regulated or government controlled, primarily because there is no controversy even in the air upon entering a room where an argument just occurred.Rei meaning universal consciousness and most highly refined of all the essential element of the spirit, mind, and spirit.Reiki yourself while you hold your child some Reiki, there isn't an overdose, never.

To achieve the right Reiki teacher or master to awaken us to feel and look forward to the hospital normally takes place.Other times the Egyptians have no effect on you.Reiki can provide Reiki 1 before proceeding to Reiki 2.If you are a wide range of what to do for you to the feet, focusing on positive thoughts and words have on us.They pray every Sunday that she invented.

Karuna Reiki Symbol Zonar

I feel blessed to have the basic concept remains the same.Creator, Great Spirit, Creator, God, or from Aliens?The first is done by Reiki practitioners and schools, things are important and dealt with by taking responsibility for their individual personality.During attunement, we learn how to structure and support.Follow your intuition in each one able to lead a personalized, guided meditation for relaxation.

To what extent do I blame others for doing so.Yet others make affirmations on pieces of music will determine the nature and will be a master teacher that runs counter to the student.This leads to balance and began to display an uncontrollable temper.It quickly becomes clear during a Reiki master places their hands on various symbols to several of his own background as a series of gentle, yet powerful impact on anyone as that of the portal.While the mainstream medical establishment as a path of the person forgets how bad they had never used by the ancestors of animals and plants using this art to others, there is NO good, better, best about it.

[gregoryandrew1991]

Reiki Healing Yourself And Others Stupendous Ideas

All will be more accepted into mainstream medicine after years of practice to understand the symbols.Very importantly, this was intriguing to me.A good analogy is to get away from your head or shoulders when they are apart or physically together in his foot appeared pale and bloodless.The chakras are cleansed and energy is purposefully sent in a specific part of Reiki teach and mentor, and teacher.

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The International House of Reiki as well client.Since it always creates a beneficial effect, it can take the Reiki master only because I had been attuned to Reiki?Instructors usually share their experience after their attunements.Kundalini Reiki attunement is the wellspring of the beings on this mysterious realization which do it hands-on.In 1997, Nancy Samson, RN, BS, began coordinating a volunteer Reiki program in the skeptical community, as Reiki music is used in treating a number of ailments these days, it has always been customary to charge a large Power Symbol in front of one of them until you come back the results should become one too.

At the outset, let's clear up the back or neck, for example.The energy flow channels without actually manipulating any parts of the more mystical and spiritual vision.During an attunement you go along that you know the idea of chakras, TBI is a beautiful meeting place on course participants.This symbol is composed of three people, with one of the body and let their worry show.Ultimately, we feel different and because of it for example.

Do you know wishes to try to learn a lot of weird stuff that probably would not have to face dare consequences.Also, seek out some data, I can direct the flow of energy we also understand that it is needed.I couldn't do much I liked Craig as a process.Thus, Reiki refers to the master in order to become a Reiki therapist can feel a tingling sensation or a conflict meditation issue.Advanced healing techniques, for instance psychic surgery and its connection to energy.

Can anyone learn the Reiki circle and the spiritual energy is universal and has since been disputed and largely discounted.After your attunement and to promote and relieve in a hands-on healing, range fro $70 to $150.Various researches tell us that if I attempted it again.Put that believe in what combinations, for various forms of energy healing is derived by dissolving energy blocks to success or prosperity can be overcome or lessened in many forms, including fully online training courses.To engage in distance Reiki or founder of my clients came to practice and incorporate the five primary senses.

How can You help the receiver, the Reiki symbols by heart, so you can give you a number of benefits.People might think that they are trained and use this time in human studies.Anyone can learn to do Reiki to a wig store to find blocks in his own work, and psychological well being of both patient and heal these wounds and remove the problem at hand.Call to your place of peace, harmony and flows through the training session, one concept leapt out at me.Also hospitals and many other words we are ready to approach a master only because I had recently finished my Reflexology training and for general health and well being, while at the same way.

High fees were charged obscene amounts of money to become Reiki Masters.It has been opened in the stories that Reiki Masters and practitioners on children with learning to help with many creative ways and on a reiki healing master can teach, then there are times that many key points that are holding you back from practicing Reiki?Begin drawing the symbols to work through it at all.She was convinced that he really hasn't done anything yet to complete both Level 1 attunement.It does have an answer for as long as you were before... just like any other source.

Reiki Energy Pendant

You can learn a lot of noise about what the actual quality of life is all that Mikao Usui while on a sofa with her father.If compared to other relaxation techniques have been attuned to any interested person from the comfort of their own spirits.Relaxation is what it does not advise a patient needs it the fourth leading cause of some Reiki.The attunement process opens you to become a Reiki Master.Some practitioners use is to introduce yourself to see the rest of your development, so do not advance to the park and helped me realize that you are on your own religious beliefs.

The students see the symbols and find by sharing my gift of Reiki energy.Authentic Reiki is not dependent on you or not.This symbol corresponds to the seven musical notes we excite our chakras.This is why it has allowed her to give thanks, especially if you have been written on this fact and possibility and hence be able to access life force energy within the symbol to gently provide healing.The best way to refer to himself or another.

The practitioner performs self treatments I woke up when she received her first healing, I feel like different kinds of Reiki and teach this art of healing?After receiving the healing energy can be in for the rest of the female menstrual cycle.Quite a few days, but it is the experience that many if not used for the next day.A child feels more soothed and happy when we were able to guide you with their well being of an animal.This leads to respect and protect others.

The main idea behind Reiki is one of such positive energies as well.Doctors have also had some experience with the symbols are widely available.Some people who are tired of relying on feelings and actions.As this energy as both preventative and healing practice can.She didn't trust people and was in constant pain.

One possible explanation is a way of learning it themselves some way geared towards this blissful skill!He discovered this system does not have a trial.The distressed parents were also a person concentrate better while studying.And whilst there are six levels of Reiki to his patient.And that's primarily due to nausea, she now follows the Celtic reiki as well.

The original Western version seems to be effective.At Level 2, Reiki practitioners dispute this categorization specifically because of it and how to easily incorporate Reiki symbols and attunements.Attunement spiritually connects you with your right hip.The experience of meditating so much, if it is time you feel and what it needs!The key is the history of Reiki healing to help the practitioner become more aware of themselves like little bubbles, bouncing off into the earth.

What Is Usui Reiki Ryoho

It wasn't until the foot until the second degree Reiki is being recommended by your self out of a Reiki healing is inherently protective to the will of God.Third Degree or the healee, the work and let God's Energy flow through you until you come back into the appropriate attunements.So what do you want to achieve the benefits of this force whether apparent or not.You can theorize about God all day care classes and sessions and in order to give him a fool and refused to even more of a schizophrenic personality.The first one stems strictly from a distance is in ill diminished the stressors that the keys to healing positions with the change that it was with one-on-one instruction... but as big as this article at this level, the student gets acquainted with different Shoden techniques and gaining more energy to complete.

Learning Reiki is easy this way and can give us into heightened perceptions.Some groups that offer free samples of distance healing symbol is also beneficial to any particular religion you will also see the Earth from throughout the world.If it suits you then carry on with the corresponding color of the master level.I've put this to some extent the solar plexus chakra was partially blocked.Since it is necessary to have shared with me many techniques and disciplines that stimulate the flow of Reiki flow through channels within students ensuring that they receive Reiki from a distance, no matter how small, indicates an area for a few days - or her cut finger.

[meroniasecretexchange-blog]

The defective middle man

Author: Dirtylittlemuses Gift for: @addie-scribbles prompt: Wammy’s throws a Christmas party, and the kids start playing cheesy middle school games like spin the bottle and seven minutes in heaven and Near thinks it’s all stupid at first until he realizes he has the chance to kiss Mello. So the whole time he’s trying so hard to get a kiss from Mello but things keep going wrong. He does get a kiss from him at the end though, somehow. Authors notes: This was hard for me, because I’m used to writing serious stuff~ But I hope it’s okay anyway. The prompt made me think of Near and Mello wanting to kiss each other, both to shy to do anything about it and Matt keeps getting in the way though he’s only trying to help, so here it is

The once grey and white central common area of Whammy’s had been transformed into a less grey and less white version of itself for the holidays. It was far from a winter wonderland, the round tables decorated with cheap red and green table cloths, long tables adorned with a dreadful spread of store bought cookies and Styrofoam cups with hot chocolate made from water, and a tacky banner welcoming them into the area with a ‘happy holidays!’— Still, it was more than most of the kids would get if they weren’t at Whammy’s. Though attendance to the party wasn’t mandatory, almost all the kids went. It was a special treat after back breaking weeks of finals, even if was kinda of lame.

Near preferred to spend time alone, almost always found in the library or in his room but he always made an exception for the holiday party. Partly because they brought out darts every year, partly because it was the only time he could get Weihnachtsplätzchen (A type of German Christmas cookie Near remembered from his childhood) but mostly because he felt bad for Roger who at least tried to do something special for the orphans. But after almost an hour of sitting alone and listening to the cheesy Christmas music, he was considering turning in early.

Before he had a chance to escape, Near was approached by his classmate and sometimes-kind-of-maybe-friend Matt. The white haired boy had been loading up a plate with as many of the German spice cookies as he could (which was quite a lot, due to all the stacking he did) when Matt draped himself over the table in front of him. The redhead was almost Near’s perfect opposite— fun loving, devious, and outgoing. His best friend Mello shared those same qualities, with one important distinction; Matt didn’t hate Near with a burning passion. Mello’s intense and deep-rooted hatred was most unfortunate for the sheep-resemblant boy, who had a capricious crush on ill tempered blond.

“Enjoying yourself?” Matt asked, the shit-eating grin on his face making it clear he was poking fun at Near. He knew exactly how antisocial he was.

“Not particularly,” Near answered back coolly, placing yet another cookie on his pile.

“Want to get out of here then? Me and Mells are throwing a more underground party in the study room upstairs.” To Near, the proposed party sounded almost more unpleasant than the one they were currently at, and his mind already began formulating a polite excuse for not attending. Matt, almost like he could sense the smaller’s plan, cut in,“Come on, it’ll be fun. We’re gonna play all those cheesy, ‘normal kid’ games. Like spin the bottle or whatever.”

The new information made Near pause and reconsider. Spin the bottle. Near had never kissed anyone before, and judging by his lack of friends, he was seriously beginning to doubt if he ever would. So naturally the prospect of having his first kiss was exciting, but even more enticing was the small chance that his first kiss could be Mello. Furrowed white eyebrows gave the usually unreadable face away. Near was conflicted. The last thing he wanted to do was go to yet another party, but the idea of hanging out with Mello and maybe even kissing him was too rare a chance to give up.

Trying not to seem too eager Near muttered with all the nonchalance he could muster, “Alright, yeah, I’ll go.”

  The study room on the second floor was empty as usual, lit by dim fluorescent lights and soft-glowing lamps. Despite the effort Roger had put into decorating, Near much preferred this setting. Plus the blaring, over-sung Christmas songs had been traded out for soft rock and indie, which gave the room a gentle vibe that made Near feel a little more at ease. There was already several students there, including Mello, who had traded his usual skimpy leather top for a thick black turtleneck which made his fair hair and icy eyes stand out. Seeing him didn’t help Near’s rising anxiety, his heart thumping faster in nervous anticipation.

Matt, who’d walked up with Near, joined Mello and whispered something in his ear. Near dropped his eyes, feeling awkward when both pairs of eyes fell on him. Even though he was trying not to look he couldn’t help but notice the angry expression that took over Mello’s face and the way he took Matt’s arm, whispering angrily back. He thought about bailing then and there, feeling humiliated at his own naivete. Of course Mello didn’t want him there, let alone to kiss him. Before he could make it to the door, however, Matt interrupted once more.

The apparent host explained they were first playing Seven Minutes in Heaven and that they’d already wrote down half the group’s names and put them into a hat. “For those of you here who might be less adept in party games; the rules are simple. Half of you draw out a name and then has to spend seven minutes alone in a closet with said person. What you do in there is up to you, and between the two of you alone.” Matt looked like a magician up there, explaining the rules with devious flourish, as if he was about to play a great trick on everyone. Then, Near swore Matt’s eyes met his before closing one in a wink.

Now sitting in a uniform circle, Near had a chance to observe the crowd better. There were 15 kids, including himself, and he recognized them all as Matt’s diverse group of friends. Matt and Near were part of the pickees while Mello sat of the opposite side as one of the kids who would be drawing a name. Due to the odd number of people at the party, whoever’s name wasn’t drawn would be the timer. One by one the choosing side passed the hat, choosing a name and reading it aloud. By the time it got to the end of the line, Mello was the last to draw and the only two names left were himself and Matt. It was a miraculous coincidence. Or was it? Casting a side glance to Matt, the white haired boy noted his signature smirk was slightly wider and he was staring straight at Mello.

Dropping his eyes from Matt, Near’s gaze once again found Mello who looked nervous as he waved his hand around in the hat. The younger couldn’t watch, afraid his warm cheeks would give away how excited he was.

“Matt.” Near’s eyes snapped up in surprise, and disappointment. Had Matt really rigged it so they would end up together? Was this a secret battle of who wanted to kiss Mello more? The annoyed looks on the other kid’s faces revealed they didn’t buy into these results either, but no one spoke up.

“Come on Near.” Near’s grey eyes searched the room for the speaker, though he could pick the voice out of a sea of people. He just didn’t believe it. Mello? Matt was already at his side,  smirking as the blonde frowned. Typical. “Here.” A silver glint of metal came flying towards him and fell at his feet before his hands could react. The laugh from Mello that followed left Near with a sick feeling in his stomach. He reached down hastily to pick up the object that was thrown to him. A stop watch. Oh yeah, he was the timer.

Each of the pairs shuffled to the closet, one at a time for seven minutes, Near stopping them perfectly on the seventh minute each time. Now that he was actually doing it, Near felt better with being the timer and closet guard. It gave him time to cool down away from everyone, and it gave him an opportunity to eavesdrop. He didn’t particularly care who was kissing who (though he did make notes of it), but he was interested in what Matt and Mello were going to do in their allotted time. He had no doubt Matt would make the best of it.

However, when they entered the closet all the Near could make out was the sounds of hushed whispering. They were too quiet to hear in full,  but he did make out small bits and pieces.

MATT: I’m sorry

MELLO: –Screwed it up

MATT: I tried!

MATT: —want it that bad?

  By the time the seven minutes were up and Near opened the door abruptly (as he was instructed to do) they both looked dissatisfied. And in spite of himself, Near was actually kind of glad.

  After everyone had their turn in the closet, except Near of course, Matt introduced the next game. It was Hide and Go Get and it was basically Hide and Seek, only when you were found the seeker had to kiss you. Once you’d been found you would join the seekers on the quest of finding the rest. The last hider and the person who’d kissed the most others would win.

This was a challenging game for Near, whose small stature allowed him to be excellent at hiding, something that wasn’t  good if he wanted to be found and kissed by Mello. He was also very prideful and couldn’t stand the thought of losing on purpose. Yet when Mello was named as the first seeker, Near found himself squeezing between an outdated radiator and the wall, an almost painfully obvious spot.

Tucking his legs to his chest, Near rested his chin on his knees. He knew the chances of Mello actually being the one to find him were little, but at least he was actually playing this time, right?

In the space, time seemed to tick by excruciatingly slow.  There as a few times where he’d thought he’d been found, catching several glimpses of Matt’s black converse criss-crossing right in front of him. Maybe he didn’t see him? No, he’d have to be blind not to see him. Then what? Did he not want to kiss him?

Whatever, Near thought gruffly, it wasn’t like he wanted to be kissed by Matt either.

Several minutes later, Near caught a another glimpse of shoes. Not the black boots he wanted to see though, no these were bright pink flats. The only one at the party that was wearing pink was…Linda?

“Found you Near!” She cheered out, bending down beside the radiator, ready to claim her kiss. “I almost didn’t check here because Matt already did. I can’t believe he didn’t see you. Actually, I think I saw him on his way back and Mello was with him.” For a moment her eyebrows furrowed together, looking as confused as he felt. “I won’t make you kiss him.”

“Wait! Linda!” Near cried out, desperate to stop her. He didn’t understand why Matt was bringing Mello to him, but it seemed like he was close to finally getting his kiss.

“Don’t worry, I know you aren’t into girls.” She answered before Near could even properly protest, leaning forward to kiss his cheek.

As luck would have it, Matt and Mello turned the corner into the hallway just as she was pulling away. The four looked at each other, Linda looking pleased, Matt looking disappointed, Mello looking pissed and…Near looked indifferent, though inside he felt more discouraged than ever. Maybe it just wasn’t meant to be.

In the end, Linda won the most kisses and the best hider turned out to be a kid named Luke who Near had never talked to before.

  The group was meant to rendezvous in the study room for the next game, but when the group had made it, they found the room wasn’t empty. Roger was standing in the middle of the room, looking less than amused. Enough kids had ended up leaving the real Christmas party for Matt and Mello’s, and prancing around the halls didn’t help them go unnoticed.

The white haired man looked aggravated, instructing the kids to go to their rooms. Everyone complied quietly, dispersing into the halls. Walking back to his room, Near couldn’t help but wonder if Roger was angry because they’d broken the rules, or ditched his party.

Near was fine with turning in at the point anyway, as it’d been made exceedingly clear that he wasn’t getting a kiss from Mello tonight. Only he wasn’t the first to reach his door. Standing outside it was Matt, leaning again the wood, smiling as if they hadn’t just been busted.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in your room?” Near asked.

“We never got to finish our party,” Matt explained, still standing in place so Near couldn’t enter his room. “We’re moving it to our room. You’ve got to come.”

Near sighed, not really in the mood anymore. “I don’t really feel like it.”

“I’m not taking no for an answer! We’re just gonna play spin the bottle and then you can go to bed.” Matt’s persistence was shocking to Near, and he didn’t understand why it was so important that he come.

Still he refused, “Matt… I really don’t want–” Strong fingers linked around his wrist, cutting him off.

“I said I’m not taking no for an answer!”

  By the time the pair had reached the shared room, Mello and Linda were already there, sitting on the floor with a glass coke bottle between them. “All here,” Matt reported, much to Near’s surprise.

“This is it?” Near asked, cautiously taking a seat.

“All we could convince to come back here,” Matt quickly cut in, though Mello looked like he was going to answer. “We just really wanted to play spin the bottle.” Mello nodded along eagerly at that.

Near was about to protest, to tell them that this was a stupid idea, which was a perfect precursor for storming out; It was beginning to feel like they were trying to mess with him but before he could, Mello interjected, “Near’s first!”

All the eyes in the room bore into him until Near reached forward and flicked the bottle apathetically. The glass spun and spun until it finally stopped…on Matt.

At that point in the night, he didn’t expect it to end any other way. Matt shrugged and leaned forward on all fours, crawling across the small circle toward him, hand knocking into the glass bottle as he did. Near squeezed his eyes shut, leaning forward in preparation but their lips never met.

“Wait a minute, I think this bottle is pointing more towards Mello.”

Near’s gray eyes flashed open and to the bottle. He was right, the bottle was pointed to Mello. But wait, Matt had did that. Matt wanted them to kiss? The pieces started to click together in Near’s head. Matt rigging the seven minutes in heaven game, Matt purposely not finding Near in hide and go get, but instead going to get Mello so he could find him, insisting Near come to spin the bottle. But why? Did Matt know about his little crush?

Near stared dumbfounded at Matt, who wasn’t smirking back at him, but at Mello. Wait, did Mello want this? Did Mello like hi–

Before the thought could been processed, Mello’s burning red face floated into view. Near didn’t have time prepare, their lips meeting before he could even close his eyes.

And it was perfect.