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bikerjongho · 3 years

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welcoming song | song mingi

genre: supernatural, horror

characters: vampire!mingi ft. vampire!jongho

description: After a millennium of imprisonment for crimes, the dark, powerful, and vampiric Lord Song returns home and catches up with his life that passed him by.

word count: 4.5k

warnings: violence, murder, explicit mentions of a dead body, blood

author’s note: happy birthday mingi and welcome back from your hiatus!! I hope your day is amazing, special, and you enjoy it to the fullest <3 and now onto evil vampires.

taglist: @itsapapisongo @mangomingki @irehlevant @blueprint-han @doievoir

For thousands of years, the Song mansion had withstood the test of time. Nestled in the dead-center of a lush forest, the mansion had proved itself to have incognito techniques as only few ever found it. Lucky travelers and explorers would get to experience the towering and magnificent architecture of the home, the addicting fragrances of the flowers that seemed to never die, and the unnaturally clear pool of water that looked to be the drink of the gods. All of this was available for them to drink in, and yet they were still thirsty, for if the outside was as glorious as it was, surely the inside would prove similar.

No sooner did these travelers step foot on the marble staircase leading to the doorway did the hidden arrows built into the bird feeders release and rob them of life. Wild bears and decomposers alike took delight in the delicacy of human flesh lying quite literally at their front door. When the mess was cleaned by the hungry animals, the stage would again be set for another unsuspecting victim to be drawn in by the beauty of the mansion. Because while the mansion had the looks and was clearly adept at drawing people in, the mansion was not to be entered by anyone other than the owner. And he hadn't stepped inside in over a thousand years.

The travelers were correct in assuming that the inside of the mansion was beautiful. Much like how the outside of the mansion lured in curious travelers to the front porch only to be transported to the doorstep of the afterlife, the inside swarmed with even more beauty. But this beauty was not soft and warm like the outside. It was as sharp as a blade, and just as piercing as an animal's teeth gnawing on meat.

There were over fifty vampires in this mansion, each adorned with fangs and priceless clothing. The vampires had been living inside the Song mansion since the days where it was new, and they worked hard to conserve its attractive looks. Though their hearts didn't beat, they moved with the swiftness of the most nimble humans and worked endlessly for the hope that one day, Lord Song would return.

Every golden piece of pottery was glimmering at all times, and the floors were like mirrors because of how reflective they always were. Cleaning in this household was no issue because of the sheer amount of vampires that were in this mansion, but there was also never anyone to mess up any of their work. The pillows were always too fluffed and the fireplace too kindled, and this was like that because of the hope that Lord Song would return. The mansion had to look spotless and perfect, to tell him that even after a thousand years, his servants were still as servile to him as they had been before he had been taken from them so unexpectedly.

But unbeknownst to the vampires, the anniversary of one millennium had passed and the prison sentence for a man was finally lifted. Black and buckled boots made their way through the forest, a cloak of the same color billowing behind the wearer. The traveler inhaled sharply when he saw the immortal beauty of the mansion, and increased his speed to the front porch. As usual, the sharp arrows shot out from their hiding places to pierce the newcomer, but the newcomer knew of this trick. After all, he was the one that had installed it.

A pale hand shot out and caught the sharp arrow. His eyes swiveled to the left to glance at the point of the arrow that was only inches from his face, inspecting it. Then, with a swift flick of his wrist, the arrow was snapped in two.

Mingi Song had arrived home at last.

His knock at the door sent reverberations across the entire mansion, and every vampire snapped their heads to the direction of the sudden noise. There hadn't been a knock at the door in a thousand years.

A small child with a mop of black hair and eyes as big as tennis balls clung to his mother's dress and stared at the door. His small fangs dug into his teeth and he huddled in close to his mother in fear. "Did the arrows-" he whispered, but his mother cut him off.

"The arrows never miss."

She said this with a shake in her voice, and all of the vampires could hear it. All eyes, red, black, yellow ones, were glued to the door and this mysterious visitor that had somehow bypassed their impenetrable security.

Finally, a vampire woman with long and silky black hair stepped forward towards the door in a move of bravery. Her hand shook as she grabbed the cold handle of the brass doorknob. She turned around and looked at her vampiric brethren. When Lord Song had been taken to jail because of his war crimes, none were given an estimate of when he would return. Many thought he had died. The majority held it within themselves that he would return someday. This person at the door, whoever they were, was not just some traveller. They could have been another vampire from the Song family taking ownership over them, or an entirely different vampire that wanted to kill them all or take them for their own.

But none of them truly expected Lord Song to be at the doorstep.

The all-familiar sight of his crimson red eyes caused most of the children vampires to burst into bloody tears. Mothers and fathers gathered them in a hug to soothe them, but couldn't close their mouths while they gaped at their Lord Song.

Prison had hardened him, but in the same way that polish on metal made the hard material shine even brighter. Despite being immortal, he looked older, but he had a new glint to his sharp, red eyes that suggested that the recklessness of his youth had subsided. His hair had been a tangy orange upon his arrest, and now it was a dark and jet black that rested over his forehead. He was tall as ever with a commanding presence that was frightful to enemies and comforting to friends.

His crimson eyes glanced over all of the vampires in his walkway. Some had been on the second floor and were frozen over the banister at his sight.

"Lord Song," a vampire finally said. "You've returned."

Mingi held out his arms and enveloped a child running towards him, smiling as he spun her around and she giggled with glee. "You all seem well," he said, and many of the vampires began to fan themselves to stop tears from running.

He placed the child back into the ground and walked forward. His knee connected with a small and wooden table by the entrance to the foyer, and the potted plant that had been placed on it tipped and shattered onto the floor.

Mingi's eyes were wide with shock, but this only caused even more tears and happiness within the crowd of vampires.

"Lord Song, I'll clean it up!" a woman cried.

"I will! It's my pleasure!" Another sobbed.

A millennium of meaningless dusting, sweeping, and wiping for anticipation of Lord Song now had meaning. And for the vampires of Lord Song, cleaning was the least they could do to show their admiration and loyalty to him.

A child pushed away from his mother and, disregarding a dust pan and broom another vampire had ran in with, began picking up the glass pieces with his bare hands. Blood prickled on his palms before spilling out onto the floor as he cleaned.

Mingi, surprised only moments ago, was grinning at the child. "Why, thank you," he said softly, then stepped over the child like he was a toy in the way of his steps. His long and black cloak brushed over the child's head without concern. Some of the vampires had fallen to their knees. Others averted their gaze to hide the tears of happiness in their eyes.

"Lord Song," a man sobbed. "I've missed you. You've returned."

"Tell us of your troubles that you faced while you were gone so that we might soothe you," another suggested, wiping away their bloody red tears with a white cloth.

Mingi surveyed all of them with his eyes, his hands stuffed into the pockets of his pants. "I'd like that," he said after a minute. "You all have kept this home in perfect condition. Let us have a drink while I tell my tales." He smiled with a glimmer in his eyes. "There's much to say. A millennium, however short that is in our lifetime of forever, is still long."

The beautiful and enormous dining hall, which had been bare and dull for a millennium, was waking back up with Lord Song's presence. The vampires cracked open aged blood and ushered Mingi into the hall with the grace of a palace servant. One pulled out his seat for him, while another was unfastening his traveling cloak and black gloves. The rest ogled at him like he was a magnificent piece of art in a museum.

Fancy glasses that hadn't seen light in so long were shining by the light of the chandeliers and candles. The cool, crimson liquid in the glasses swirled around as the vampires amused Lord Song with stories and tales that had been thousands of years in the making. A little boy excitedly told Mingi about the new species of bacteria that had spread around the mansion in the course of six months over three hundred years ago, and his mother told the story of the wild pack of bears that had nearly ransacked the house, stopped only by the mansion's poisonous and lethal breed of ants that lived in the lawn. But it all ceased when the binder of suitors was brought to the table.

A vampire with a monocle and poster straighter than a board dumped a six inch binder in front of Mingi with no preamble. He adjusted his tie while Mingi raised his eyebrows, and the rest of the vampires grinned at him with their fangs expectantly.

"Much time has passed during your absence," the monocled vampire began, and Mingi recognized him as one of the sparse British vampires in the mansion because of his accent. "We had grown bored of boredom during your absence. Days and years passed us by with a wink. Isolation can make you do many things," he said, and tapped the binder with his pointer finger.

"This is a matchmaker binder," he began, and Mingi's eyes widened as the vampire flipped it open and he was greeted with tens of faces on each page. There must have been thousands of pages. "We weren't sure if you liked men or women, or both, so we have everyone," he said casually, and flipped from a grouping of women to a section of men.

"My God," Mingi breathed. "Pray tell, why-"

"She's pretty, isn't she?" The vampire asked and pointed to a woman in the binder with dark hair down to her shoulders.

"Yes," Mingi began, but the vampires were too excited to let him speak.

"I like this one," cut another one, pointing to a man with blonde hair and a large smile. "He's also a Lord. I would marry him if I wasn't so low class."

"This one looks like he could kiss me until the sun rises," a girl sighed and pointed to a man in the binder. "And then we'd evaporate together. That's love, isn't-"

"Enough," Mingi said abruptly, pushing away the binder from himself and silencing the vampires. "Enough," he repeated, rubbing his brow.

"What's the matter?" The original vampire that had given him the binder asked. A hundred pairs of eyes leaned in closer for his response.

"Why did you do this?" Mingi sighed, looking at all of his vampires with contempt. He lifted the glass of blood to his lips and took a long drink. A hundred pairs of eyes watched every last drop dribble into his mouth, and then he set down the glass. "This is childish."

At that, many of the vampires sunk into each other in embarrassment. The monocled vampire coughed. "You are a fine man," he said simply. "We thought it would be a good idea to get you interested in the vampires available so you may extend the Song family for millennia to come. Many vampires of your class in recent years have found that marriage is a wonderful experience to behold in life."

"And as soon as I got back from my imprisonment was your best time to tell me about this?" Mingi snapped and the monocled vampire bowed his head in shame. "I was hoping to share my stories, not engage in some mindless and useless talks about love."

The vampires hung their heads. "I'm sorry, Lord Song," the monocled vampire lamented, sliding the enormous binder off the table and securing it in his arms. "We won't bring it up again."

A little vampire, a girl that looked no more than eight years old, appeared next to Mingi. "Lord Song," she spoke in a voice that was small but had hundreds of hidden years behind it, "tell us your stories now."

The room hushed and chairs squeaked across the floor as the vampires leaned towards Mingi. A thousand years was not even a twentieth of a vampire's lifetime, but it was still long. Eager ears awaited to hear the experience that Mingi had gone through during his time in jail.

Mingi cleared his throat and surveyed them all once again. Jail had been terrible and boring. It was the price he had paid for the crimes he had committed as a younger and reckless vampire, but he couldn't say that he regretted doing any of it. Mingi had taken himself and all two hundred of his servants to town after town, mowing through houses and draining the residents of their blood. The screaming of the townspeople had only made their own blood curl, and blood with adrenaline tasted richer. Despite being a dead being, Mingi had never felt so alive in that moment. It had been a display of power, a display of the awesome and terrible Song family that had roamed for eons.

But no one else had found it funny, especially the supernatural council that had reigned at the time. Mingi's name protected him from the worst of punishments, but not even he could squirrel himself out of an extended period behind bars. His servants had been sent back to his home and had been locked in with no idea of when Mingi would return, and Mingi had rotted in a cell for a thousand years. It wasn't all bad, though - there were vampires like him, burning with the desire to escape but burdened all the same with exhaustion and the cage that surrounded them. Mingi had lots of time to reflect on his actions, and he had come to the conclusion that if he was to do such an event again, he'd have to be much more discreet about it.

But now he was home. Mingi described the bad conditions of the jail to his enraptured crowd, preached about the terrible clothing he had to have on his back and vocalized the terrible treatment that the jail had given him. With every word, the shock on the vampires' faces melted into anger and sadness.

"Lord Song," many of them sobbed, "we are so sorry you had to go through that."

"What's done is done," Mingi murmured. "Stop crying. It's over now. Rejoice that I'm back."

And amongst the sudden cheers that yes, Lord Song had returned, Mingi smiled. A sliver of fear had baked inside of him when he had been released. He had been concerned over the thought that his brigade of vampires had deserted him. After all, a thousand years inside of a house with nothing to do was not an enjoyable time. But his stupidly obsequious servants had stayed locked in the house all the same.

The arrows at the front of the mansion only hurt those coming towards the mansion. They could have left any time they wanted to. But Mingi relished in the idea that they knew fully well of the arrows that were awaiting if they ever decided to come crawling back. His servants were locked in, and Mingi now knew with confidence that the leash he had on them was tighter than a double-knotted knot.

He raised his empty glass and savored the multiple vampires that tripped over chairs and table legs to reach his glass and refill it. He had them wrapped around his finger.

The next week allowed Mingi to be acclimated back into his home. The couches he rested on gave him peace and restfulness that he had forgotten he could feel during his time on the rock-hard floors of the prisons. The constant vampires that were begging to wait on him was also a complete change from before. But while his servants entertained him and kept him company, Mingi longed to talk to someone on his own caliber. So the next day, Jongho was on his back doorstep.

Only friends knew that the back door was the correct door to enter if they liked to keep their brains inside their head, and even then Lord Choi was smart. "Mingi," Lord Choi exclaimed when he was brought to the dining hall by Mingi's servants and saw him at the table. "It's wonderful to see you once again."

Like all vampires, Lord Choi hadn't aged a day since Mingi had last seen him. The only noticeable difference in his features was his now slicked back dark hair that gave him a more mature look, a look he never would have attempted thousands of years ago. He still had muscle on his arms, if not more, and his black and large eyes that seemed to catch every visual in Mingi's mansion had grown softer, more tempered. Something had tethered him down, and Mingi was curious to find out what it was.

The two of them circled one another in a hug, patting each others' backs as they laughed at their reunion. "How long has it been?" Jongho laughed when they broke apart. "A thousand years?"

"A thousand years," Mingi repeated. "What have you gotten yourself into?" He asked as Mingi's servants led the two of them to their seats at Mingi's long dinner table and sat them down. He expected Jongho to launch into a terrible and exciting story about a murder spree - he was famous for those when Mingi had last known seen him.

But Mingi was wrong. Jongho was more than happy to talk about his disciplined and mild travels he had done around the world. While a glass of red liquid was poured out for him and Mingi, he talked about his travels around Europe, Asia, and most recently, North America.

"I was most impressed by the humans' ability to be clean," he said as he took a long drink of his blood. "A bit of a shame because blood was so much easier to obtain when humans threw the carcasses of each other outside of doorsteps when plague raged. And I quite enjoyed the phase of blood-letting. But now, at least there's no more human feces for me to step upon when I stroll through the neighborhoods in London. I call that a win."

"You'll have to tell me about that," Mingi said and raised his eyebrows. Vampires didn't need to use the bathroom or sleep, but Jongho was glad to explain the modern wonder of indoor plumbing.

"And I think Ireland was my favorite place to visit," Jongho continued. "I was there about two-hundred years ago. Met some interesting humans, I had a book written after me as well. You may know of the book."

"Quite highly of you to think that I was allowed to read in prison," Mingi said, not unkindly, and Jongho laughed.

"Just a little book about vampires. Written by Bram Stoker."

"Never heard of it," Mingi said, and Jongho once again shook his head.

"We need to go on a trip together at some point," Jongho smiled. "To get you accustomed to the new world. You would be surprised how much human innovation has happened in the millennia you missed."

Jongho went on to continuing his life story that Mingi had missed, and Mingi was amazed to listen. Prison had been hard. It had been boring and harrowing, but he had survived, in the end. But he couldn't help but feel a pinprick of jealousy as Jongho described his tales and freedom he had, even if his adventures weren't as violent as he would have guessed. Jongho, like Mingi, had taken his vampire servants many times through towns for blood feasts. But Jongho had perfected the art of subtlety and remaining underneath the radars of watchful vampire councils that made sure none of them stepped out of line. He had found a way to let his innate vampire desires tear through himself and never subject himself to the horrors and pain of prison.

Mingi listened, but his ears turned greener as Jongho continued on about his life.

It wasn't until Mingi's servants arrived with that too-familiar courting binder of vampires did Jongho stop talking. Mingi opened his mouth to shoo them off, but the book was placed in front of Jongho and the vampire that had placed it cleared her throat.

"We hope you don't mind, Lord Choi, but we've come up with a few potential suitors, both male and female, that you may be interested in," she said, giving a bright smile to Jongho. Jongho's mouth twitched and he burst into laughter.

"Lord Choi?" The vampire asked, gasping. "Is something wrong?" Mingi looked at his servant and Jongho, equally as confused as she was.

"No, nothing," he said, "it's just that I'm married already."

"You're what?" Mingi choked and the vampire flushed with what little blood she had left in her body.

"Married, like I said, you missed a lot," Jongho said and reached in his coat pocket for a piece of paper. He threw it on the table, and it was a photo of a bright and smiling woman with blonde hair. "This is Analise, my beloved of almost seven-hundred years."

"Seven-hundred years?" Mingi gaped. The female vampire that had given Jongho the binder was already dragging it away from him, her face hidden by her hair.

"Yes, and she's wonderful," Jongho said casually, shrugging. "It's simply the way of life. I'm sure you'll find someone."

Mingi made a mental note to go back to his own binder later. "I never thought you'd get married," he said, and Jongho smiled.

"And neither did I. But sometimes, you just meet someone," he sighed, then looked at Mingi. "I haven't felt the need to go out and ravage towns or humans now that I have her. She keeps me occupied and happy."

Mingi's question as to why Jongho seemed more calm was finally answered, but it was accompanied by bubbling discomfort. "She must be truly amazing," he said through his teeth.

"She is," Jongho sighed, and then went into stories about her. The stories warped back into tales about his travels around the world, and soon night had fallen across the sky. Jongho couldn't have left the mansion earlier because of the sun and he hadn't brought a cloak, but now the moon could aid him in walking back into town.

"Be sure to come with me to Australia," Jongho said and hugged Mingi before he left. "It'll be lots of fun." And then he smiled, and Mingi's heart broke at how soft he had become.

"Of course," he said, giving a painful smile. Jongho grinned and left the mansion through the back door.

Mingi was back with his thoughts. He watched Jongho walking away through a window and retreated to his study. He sat down at his desk to write something on a piece of paper with a quill. When he realized all of his ink had dried up over the course of a thousand years, he begrudgingly took his glass of blood from earlier and wrote one phrase onto the paper using it: never to be sanguine.

It was a phrase that he and the rest of the vampires at the prison had learned and repeated to each other. Because while sanguine meant blood-red, it also meant that a person was blindingly optimistic and cheerful. And Mingi ached to never, ever, become like that. To be optimistic, to be sweet and kind and cheery, was to ignore the inhumanity of being a vampire. It was to align with humans more than vampires, their own kind. He had lost Jongho to the sanguine nature.

"Not like Jongho," he said, his hand shaking as he finished the end of the word sanguine. "Never like him." Because if prison had taught him anything, it was to be patient, it was to be quiet.

It was to be unassuming. Mingi rushed to his vampires. He must have seemed shocked, because the vampires nearly fell to the floor into a bow. "I need that matchmaker binder," he said. "My binder. The one you tried to give me a few days ago."

"But Lord Song," the vampire said, quivering, "you didn't even want-"

"I want it now," Mingi growled and the vampire shook. He left and came back a minute later with the book in his hands. Mingi yanked it from his arms and stormed back into his study.

Analise had made Jongho soft. The vampire council must have seen this, they must have known this. He flipped through the book until he found a page of attractive people.

A partner was exactly how Mingi could keep going with evil misdeeds and remain under the radar of the council that could reprimand him. The council must have had the impression that a partner would tame him, just like Analise had done with Jongho. And even if his partner ended up hating him for who he was and the actions he did, he could pay them a handsome sum to keep quiet. It was the perfect disguise.

"Marriage," Mingi murmured, and looked at his bare ring finger. A ring would allow his greatest diabolical plans that he had thought of in prison to come to life. He stood up and walked out of his study with the proposal of proposing in his mind. "The secret to staying hidden is to hide in plain sight."

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savannahsdrabbles · 4 years

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Ocean Song - Part Three

rating: PG summary: Marine biology student April O’Neil makes a startling discovery.

notes: An AU originally based off of the 2012 TMNT universe, but can be compatible with most versions of the characters. <3 2k words. A03 link can be found here. Also special thanks to @cloakedrabbit and @starfiretheninja for beta-reading!

“Oh my gosh.” April cleared the space between them in two steps and fell to her knees before the cage. “He can talk – you can talk!”

The creature lurched backwards as April drew near, eyes shining with pent up tears of fear and frustration. His entire frame trembled as he spoke again in a slow, raspy voice, still anxiously glancing back and forth between April and Casey. “Need out NOW. Need help – Small Brother trouble – not know where- hurt hurt - need out out out!” At the last three words, the turtle slammed his open palms against the glass again and then resumed squawking and crying out.

April placed her open palms on the glass and turned back to Casey, eyes wide. “Tell me that I wasn’t the only one who heard that.”

Casey drug both hands roughly through his hair as he rapidly shook his head. “Holy crap.”

Turning back to the turtle, April knocked on the glass again to catch his attention. The turtle was still hammering at the walls and letting out distressed screeches that made April want to clamp her hands over her ears. When he didn’t acknowledge her, the redhead chose to raise her voice and call over the noise. “’Small Brother’ – was that the other turtle I saw with you?”

Mentioning the name did the job – the turtle instantly snapped to attention and placed his own palms on the glass, eyes furrowed into an expression of startling ferocity. The claws on each hand suddenly seemed much larger when they were less than an inch away from her own. “Small Brother – where?”

April saw Casey’s reflection in the glass, his body tensed in anticipation of the creature lashing out again. “Small Brother is still out there - in the ocean. I don’t think any of the other scientists saw him.”

The turtle huffed in relief, eyes closing for a moment as his shoulders lost some of the tension they had been holding. “Brother safe. Brother safe. Good.”

The three sat in relative silence for a moment, the only sound in the room being their heavy breathing and the low whoosh of water and air being pushed through the pipes overhead.

“What the heck are we supposed to do?” the teenage boy finally muttered as he stepped forward and sunk to the floor beside April. The turtle drew back warily at his approach, but made no move to start screaming again.

“I- I don’t know.” April waved her hands uselessly. Her mind was still reeling with shock over the new development. “I don’t even know what he is at this point – there’s no procedure for this.”

“Should we tell your dad?” Casey fidgeted with the string of his hoodie and scuffed a sneaker on the linoleum, still staring at the turtle. The turtle blinked back at him and wrinkled its snout. It took April a moment to realize that not only was he listening to them, but he was comprehending what was being said, at least to a large degree.

April tried to imagine explaining the situation to her dad and the other scientists. Instantly, an image of the turtle screaming in terror as it was strapped onto an exam table and prepped for dissection entered her mind. She shook the thought aside. “I don’t think we can. Not without it leading to him…” She allowed her voice to trail off as Casey nodded in silent understanding. They watched as the turtle tensed, as if it understood their tones.

With a pitiful whine, the turtle rapped on the glass again and whimpered in such a way that sent a dagger through the teenagers’ hearts. “Need help. Need out.”

Casey suddenly leapt to his feet, causing both of his companions to jump in surprise. “You know what? Screw procedures.”

“What - ?”

The teenage boy turned to look April in the eye as she rose to her own feet, one hand still placed on the glass. His expression was filled with the same fierce determination that April had seen many times right before Casey had leapt into an argument. “This thing obviously has a family – a brother, at that! – and doesn’t deserve to be trapped like a freaking animal. I mean – yeah, he’s an animal – but it’s just not freaking right!”

“Casey –”

“- He deserves to be back with his family! And I’m sorry April, but if you disagree –”

“But I agree with you!” The girl snapped back, earning a look of surprise. April glanced back down at the cage, where the turtle had started breathing heavily again in anticipation and was looking back and forth between them. “Heck, I can’t believe I’m saying this, but you’re right. I don’t care what this will do to research- he needs to be back in the ocean. It’s just not right to keep him here.”

As if on cue, several things suddenly happened at once. The lights above the door to the exam room began pulsing with a muted orange glow, causing the turtle to let out a cry of sudden agitation. Energy renewed, he leapt back at the glass and strained against the chain on his leg, eyes full of fear as he stared pleadingly at the humans. Then there was a loud click, and a hissing sound filled the room. Casey and April both took a step back, fists clenched and shoulders tensed as a clear gas began to fill the tank. Within a minute, the turtle’s whining was silenced and he sank back to the sand, eyes shut and breathing beginning to slow.

April pivoted on her heel as the gas clicked off and the lights returned to normal, her teeth clenched in anger. “C’mon, Casey. Let’s go find my dad.”

***

Of two things in his life was Doctor Kirby James O’Neil proud – his beautiful daughter, and his ability to negotiate. The pride of neither, however, could quell the rising headache that surged behind his eyes as he placed the phone back on its receiver and reached for his coffee mug. Discussions with the Board always left him feeling drained and in need of caffeine.

He raised the almost empty tin to his lips, mentally making a note to bring a second mug to work the next day, and was just beginning to take a sip when the door to his office slammed open and April raced in, closely followed by a gangly teenage boy who looked more out of place in the research building than a fish out of water. Dr. O’Neil lowered his mug automatically, his eyes moving to check the clock on the wall before he stood and moved around the desk.

“April, honey – I was just starting to wonder whether the school bus was running late.” The man smiled warmly and extended his hand towards the boy. “And am I right to believe that you are Casey Jones? April told me that she was doing homework with one of her classmates recently. It’s nice to finally have a face to put with the name.”

“Uh, yeah. You too, sir.” Casey shot a quick glance at April, brows furrowed as the two seemed to have a mental conversation, and then reached out to receive Dr. O’Neil’s outstretched hand. “We actually wanted to come talk to you about some stuff you’re doing.”

“I’m sorry?” Kirby cocked an eyebrow at this and turned to April.

“It’s about the turtle, Dad,” the girl explained. It was then that Kirby finally took a good look at his daughter. The girl’s cheeks were flushed from running, and she was trembling ever so slightly as an electric energy pulsed behind her blue eyes. “And yes, Casey knows about it.”

Dr. O’Neil raised his eyebrows in surprise and took a step back to lean against his desk. When April was this worked up, the safest procedure was to back away and allow the storm to pass. “Ok. Also, I would have preferred that you not leak information – no offense to you, lad. Is everything alright? Or wait – is it about your injuries? I was afraid that you might over-exert yourself today.” The man paused, and then turned to grab the manila file that still laid in the center of his desk, opened from the phone call. “Which reminds me – I need to make a mark on the file about the incident before I fax everything out.”

April rapidly shook her head and threw another side glance at Casey. The boy was dancing from one foot to the other, obviously itching to speak, but waiting for April to finish. “No no, I’m fine, but – wait – what? What are you faxing?”

“The turtle’s file, of course,” Dr. O’Neil tapped the folder excitedly. “I suppose April has explained the basics of the case to you, Casey. Well, we took blood samples this morning, and the creature’s biological DNA almost perfectly matches that of an average loggerhead sea turtle – which is clearly not what you would expect upon observing it, right? Upon closer inspection, however, we were then able to see that there were varied sequences of genetic code that had been mutated– as if this creature were once an average turtle and then something external happened to it that managed to permanently alter its very DNA!”

“But – what could do that?” April’s hands were still balled into fists, but her shoulders lowered slightly as she cocked her head in confusion. “That doesn’t make any sense.” Casey nodded half-heartedly from behind her and offered a small ‘it doesn’t?’.

“That’s what’s so remarkable – it shouldn’t be possible for something to change DNA! It would be one thing if the turtle had been born with a mutation in its DNA that caused it to develop like this, but based on what we saw there was a specific moment – likely very early on in life or perhaps while still in its incubation stage – that traumatically and dramatically changed it!” Dr. O’Neil waved his free hand wildly as he spoke, making gestures that Casey immediately recognized as being something April would do. “Whatever happened, it’s clear that this creature is truly one of a kind! I told the Board of our findings, and they ordered that we transfer the turtle to their main base immediately for further examination and dissection. Apparently they have several scientists in the head department who specialize in bizarre cases of this sort, so they were highly interested in the acquisition. Right now they’re currently negotiating a sum to pay for Hamato Laboratory’s discovery and handling of the subject.”

“They’re going to dissect him?” Casey’s voice was thin and angry when he spoke again, though Mr. O’Neil seemed too excited by the topic to notice. Even so, April elbowed him sharply and the teenage boy quickly closed his mouth, though it was obvious that he was still mentally fuming.

“Of course. This is clearly a large moment in marine biology – if something occurred to make the creature like this, we have to know what caused it in order to prevent the same thing from happening to other innocent creatures.”

“When are they moving him?” April suddenly interjected with a tight smile. “I had… hoped that they were going to be handling that here. I wanted to watch the procedure.”

Dr. O’Neil hesitated in his answer, staring curiously between his daughter and the boy at her side. “The Board seemed really eager to get started, so I’d imagine a transport is likely already on its way. If they don’t stop for the evening, I’d assume they’ll arrive around midnight.”

April’s smile tightened, but she forced an accepting nod and wave. “Man, that sucks. Okay. Well, we’re heading to the library now – got a big test tomorrow. See you at dinner. Bye, Dad!” Without another word, the girl suddenly grabbed Casey tightly by the arm and dragged the struggling boy out the door.

“Nice to meet you, Mr. O’Neil!” Casey called out as the two disappeared.

“Err, you too, son!” Kirby stood unmoving, suddenly alone in his office and pondering the meaning of what had just happened. He briefly considered calling April’s cell phone and asking what in the world was going on, until the desk set flashed the Board’s caller ID and began to ring again. With a tired sigh, the man sank back into his chair and reached for his empty coffee mug.

Next Part!

#tmnt #rottmnt #rise of the tmnt #tmnt 2018 #tmnt 2012 #savannah drabbles #nickelodeon #sea turtles au

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madllamamomma · 4 years

Text

Journey Back to the South Part 3~ SWF. FLUFF and LORE

[Stay calm, there is more smut, I did say this was gonna be long... OwO. But this has a lot of lore and sweet soft moments. On the scale of softness, from concrete<--to-->teddy bear, I am freakin’ mash potatoes....so soft....but hearty, and hopefully filling.... Enjoy!]

Journey Back to the South Part3~

Muriel and you enter into the large tent, surprisingly inside was a warm fire. The very top hand a hole about three or four feet open to let the smoke escape. The tent even had dividers within it, creating little make-shift rooms. It appeared that Una, Gilbert and their smaller children stayed all in this tent, the older children must have had their own. Despite having a hole in the top of the tent, it was very warm and comfortable, slightly cramped. Muriel seemed to feel right at home. It did feel like the hut in a way.

Una and Shona stand at the front and usher you both next to the fire where blankets are all spread around where Gilbert is sitting on the ground, adding another log. Inanna comes barreling in, and quickly makes her way next to warm embers next to Gilbert. Una speaks to Shona in Rune quietly, she sharply nods, handing Una her baby, and quickly marches out of the tent. “So I must ask you, Muriel. Where have you been all this time?” She asks sitting between him and Gilbert (you sit on his opposite side).

“Vesuvia…. It’s northern.”

Gilbert barks a short jolly laugh, “That’s not just northern, that is the north!”

You giggle a little. “Well Parka is the furthest, it past the sea. And technically there are cities past that. It’s just little known territory.”

“Our friends went adventuring around that area last year.” Muriel adds.

“Vesuvia… that pretty big city if I'm not mistaken. I don’t think that your parents thought that merchant would take you that far.” Gilbert folded his arms thinking hard.

“Good thing they did.” Una says almost sadly. “There was nothing but devastation here for years.” Una then smiles sweetly looking at you attempting to uplift the conversation. “Is that where the two of you met?” You nod with a happy smile, she stares at you a bit, looking at your features. “Hmmm. You don’t completely look like a Northerner. Where were your parents from, Rhemi?”

You shrug a little looking down to your thumbs. “I, ah. I’m not sure about my family. I am missing a lot of my memories.” Glancing back up Una and Gilbert look at you very sad all of a sudden. You shudder for a moment, shaking your hands, you didn’t mean to make them feel bad. “Ha! B-b-but it’s-it’s fine!! It sounds way worse that it really is! Really!! Muriel and I both have great friends back home. Besides…” Grabbing hold of Muriel’s hand and interlacing your fingers, you look up at him sweetly. “...All that matters is the future.” He looks back at you with a small sheepish grin, a bit of blush colored on his cheeks. “..We can only go forwards, not backwards.”

Una and Gilbert look a bit more relieved. “That’s a good way to think about it. You’re right. One cannot dwell on the past.”

Una holds her newborn wrapped tightly in a little fur swaddle, they coo adorably in her arms, eyes wide open. Muriel can’t help but look at the baby with a sweet smile, almost gazing with a bit of longing. Una catches a glimpse of him and gives him a knowing grin. “....Would you like to hold them, Muriel?”

“—Hmm?! Wha-?!” Muriel suddenly becomes flushed and has a wary look on his face. “Oh! N-n-no!.... I-I might…. break...them or—“

“Nonsense!!” She says while simultaneously handing him the small bundle. “..Just support his neck.”

“—W-wait! Wait! I-I-I don’t know how to—” Muriel founders in protest, but takes the bundle very carefully, afraid to let go. The baby stretches then snuggles right up to his warm chest popping his tiny fingers in his mouth, eyes loosely closed. Muriel stops breathing, his entire body stiffens, terrified to move even an inch. But his face and eyes softens as he watches them curl up in his large strong arm, looking like his heart just completly melted.

“See? You’re fine, my boy!” She says while standing to her feet again and start to bustle in the small makeshift kitchen area next to the room dividers.

You giggle at Muriel’s reactions and lean into him quietly, tenderly placing your hand on his forearm. “You can breath, Muri.”

Muriel takes a deep breathe then starts to very slightly relax his shoulders, but keeps his arms very tense, cradling the babe tightly. “It’s... so...tiny.” He says very softly trying not to disturb him, attempting to hide a joyful grin.

“It’s a baby, silly. Of course they’re tiny.” You can’t help but feel like your heart is melting as you watch him hold the baby so gently. In a way, you find this incredibly attractive.

He blushes and sneers at himself, “I don’t think I was ever tiny….”

“Oh! Yes, you were!!” Gilbert gives out a booming hearty laugh and it fills the large tent. “I’m-I’m sorry, little cub. But your— your face! Your father looked that same exact way when he held you for the first time.” Muriel finally lets himself smile back at him a little, he seems to like to hear about his parents.

Una laughs through her nose while fetching a few wooden cups from a wooden chest. “You were so small when you were born, but you were always strong. Everyday, you grew and grew and grew!!” Muriel looks away for a moment, he looks almost ashamed. For so long, that always bothered him, growing larger and taller everyday when he was younger. Having to eat more because of it. He believed for so long that was the reason why his parents sent him away. But that couldn’t be further from the truth. Hearing about how much they care for him is difficult, and yet, it’s good to know. You know him so well, you can read his emotions running through him right now.

The baby starts to cry a little and fidgets in Muriel’s arms snapping him out of his thoughts. He stiffens again, beaming at you, looking like a desperate plea for help. You giggle, lean over to look at Una for permission. “May I?”

She nods with a pleasant smile and you open your arms and he very delicately hands the baby off to you. “G-got him?”

“I got him.” You continue to smile sweetly at Muriel then to the baby as he coos and stretches. You relax your arms, but hold him at an angle, rocking him a bit. “I got you little one~” You whisper to the little sweet bundle as he stares at you with a small sleepy smile.

A little smile doesn’t leave Muriel's lips, he wouldn’t admit it, but he enjoyed every minute of it despite feeling afraid of somehow hurting him.

Gibert jollily places his hand firmly on Muriel’s shoulder. His long arms are able to stretch all the way over to him. Strangely, Muriel doesn't flush or pull away, he looks almost comfortable. Gilbert looks at him with such kindness and warmth as he smiles ear to ear. “Ahhhh….if your father could see you now, Muriel… you are the spitting image of him—Except just a wee bit shorter if I’m not mistaken.”

“How did you know him again?” You ask as you let the baby hold your pointer finger, Muriel can’t help but continue to smile watching you hold the baby, seeing a kind of sparkle in his eyes.

“Well, my father was his mother’s brother. Artturi and I were born only a few months apart, so we grew up together. He was like my sibling. We even called each other mo bhrathair—my brother. Your father was an only child, and I was the only boy out of seven girls in my family.” His smile falls a little. “I… I wish you got to know him, little cub. Artturi was a great man...he was my best friend.”

Muriel takes a deep breath again, mustering up the courage. “....What… what were they like?...My… my parents.” He finally asks.

The corners of Gilbert's lips curl up at him again and he looks to the fire deep in thought. “Your father was outgoing, strong, but surprisingly very gentle, liked to work with his hands…. good with animals. I swear he could even understand them. He was loyal and brave, with a great sense of humor—could always make you laugh.” He pauses and sighs almost sadly, but keeps a big smile. “He… he would do anything for you. Even put his own life before yours…”

Una walks over handing her husband a cup of warm milk, then places a small bowl for Inanna, she sits herself up and starts to lap at it happily. Una looks at the corner of the tent, grinning fondly and shakes her head a little. “Muriel, you may look like Artturi, but your demeanor is that of Glenna’s. She was also shy, quiet, kept to herself, but once you got to know her, she was patient, kind, thoughtful, very good natured, smart, but she was also very tough and very feisty. She was rather blunt. Glenna studied herbs and flowers, things like that. She was fascinated by them, we even called her the plant shaman. She and her mother made remedies from them. Glenna even taught me how to use magic to help things grow.”

Muriel leans a bit onto you. There is no telling how hard, yet wonderful it is to be told about them. Your glances meet and he gives you a small soft grin, but behind it is a bit of pain. But he still wants to know more. He swallows hard and closes his eyes for a moment. “I….I have so many questions….”

Gilbert places his hand back on Muriel’s shoulder and gives it a comforting squeeze. “We would be more than happy to answer them, son.”

Muriel pauses, thinking about which question he wants answered first. “...How’d they meet?”

Una gives a short chuckle and rolls her eyes as she hands Muriel two cups of warm milk for you both. “Are you both comfortable? We are all going to be here while!” Una sits onto the blanket with a smirk next to you. “...When the Master Speaker starts yapping his large trap—”

“GAH!” Gilbert clutches his chest like he’s been struck, but still keeps his large happy grin. “Oi!! That hurts! I’m not that bad, Moonlight!! Besides this is a tale from eyes, not the old songs.”

She shakes her head, snickering to herself as she gets comfortable sitting on the blanket and reaches out for her baby about to breastfeed him. You carefully hand him over to her. “Thank you, child.” She mutters to you.

Gibert crosses his legs and straightens up his trunk. You can tell this was what he was good at. “Every year during the winter, all the Kokhuri bands joined together on this great plain. On the winter solstice, we cast ourselves to our Athair Mor—Great Father Sky’s Great Lights and celebrate. It is also a good time to find a partner outside of your band. Some of the Kokhuri even called it the gathering of ‘Lovers and Lights’. Your mother, Glenna, was part of Khamgalai’s and Una band, a smaller one from the southwest Steppe.” He shields his mouth with his hand to hide from Una and loudly whispers. “...We called them the stumpy band.”

Una sputters into an amused giggle with an eyebrow raised, “—Excuse me! But you fell head over heels over a ‘stumpy’ southwesterner! And so did your father, Muriel. Besides, your band was just filled with giants!!!”

Gilbert blushes a little, snickering to himself, Muriel and you can help but be entertained by their cute banter. “Anyways —Your father, Artturi and I came from a larger eastern band…. Your parents met many years ago when they came here during winter. We were always the first two bands to arrive at the end of autumn and prepare for the others to arrive. Artturi and I were just teenagers at the time. We were about to help pitch the large gathering tent, then he stopped dead in his tracks as he saw Glenna. She was alone picking flowers and herbs in the meadow, where the graves are now. He said something about her that was enchanting, he wanted to get to know her. During the next few gatherings he slowly tried to approach her. He was patient, and he was charming, and smooth—”

Una suddenly chuckles stopping Gilbert from continuing. “Smooth?! Artturi?! No, I don’t think so! Is that what you think happened, mo ghaol? He just effortlessly swept Glenna off her feet?!”

“I-I know it did! I saw it happen!” He scoffs a little at her.

“And I did not?” She snorts. “Well that was not what Glenna thought. She wanted nothing to do with Artturi at first! She was so bashful it was ridiculous, she’d put Ida and Muriel here to shame.”

Gilbert scratches the back of his head a little. “Well, perhaps she was a little…. apprehensive.”

“Apprehensive?!” Una throws her head back in disbelief. “HA! For the love of our Mathair Mhor! She didn’t even want to speak to him the first year! Oh, Muriel.... your father was such an awkward mess when he tried to approach her. It was like watching a trout flounder helplessly out of the stream. He could barely get out any words—So, she would just walk away from him without batting an eyelash. That was Glenna for you!” Gilbert looks up through the hole of the tent, scratching his scalp, looking like he was thinking, Oh…righhhht... Una starts a little reminding herself of something and carries on. “OH! Berty! Don’t you remember? Once he tried to terribly strike up a conversation with her, she and I were both at the time scattering seed on the eastern fields. He-he says to her, ‘That’s some nice flowers you got there, but there are other things here that are prettier.’..” Muriel and you just scrunch up your faces. It was probably one of the worst pick-up line you’ve ever heard. Una laughs at his reactions. “Didn’t I tell you it was terrible, cub? Glenna just groaned, turned around, throwing the basket over his head, dumping the rest of the seeds in him, shouting, ‘Don’t you have anything better to do than to annoy me? There aren’t even any flowers in this field!’ And just... walked away!” Una starts to laugh a bit harder in remembrance, Gilbert tries to stifle his own laughter as well. “Oh me!.... Poor Artturi, he looked so heartbroken…. It didn’t help that I couldn't stop laughing at him at the time. BWHAHAHA!!!” She playfully smacks her knee.

“Oh noo!!” Gilbert groans almost painfully, slapping his hand on his face, feeling embarrassed for the man, muttering. “Ohdeargreatfather…. I almost forgot about that time…. I’m the idiot who told him to say that—” He then suddenly stops himself and quickly remarks in realization, “—Hey! I thought I was the storyteller, woman!”, still hiding his laughter. You curl your lips into your mouth, badly trying to hold back a huge smile and try not to giggle either. It’s actually a funny little story, although cringy. Yet it was rather cute in a way, los love stories have at little bit of cridgy tales in them. Even Muriel sports a large grin with a very amused look on his face.

“Fine. Carry on.” Una grins mischievously, flicking her wrist at Gilbert as she turns away a little opening up her parka coat and carefully so the baby can latch on, then covers herself to keep her and the child warm. Hearing these two talk together made you feel something warm in your chest, it was sweet and funny how they interacted with one another.

“....Thank you! Alright, so now that my wonderful wife kindly pointed that out. He did have a hard time getting her to talk to him. For quite some time actually now that I think about it…. But lucky for him, she also didn’t have many suitors because she was… well… how do I put this…people were—”

“—She was different.” Una interrupts again, but her husband didn’t seem to mind this time. “...Some were fearful... Some of our people didn’t care for the gifts our Mathair Mhor and Athair Mor, our Great Mother and Great Father gave us. Our small band had a particular surplus of these gifts. Glenna and I were close because of it. She said that she felt I was one of the only person our age that understood. Your mother could see visions of the future--”

“....That’s what … what Khamgalai told us.” Muriel utters. “....She knew about the outcome of the battle with the Scourge.” Una nods slowly, a sorrow frown taking over her lips.

You hold tight to Muriel’s hand as he sits very quietly listening intently and Gilbert continues. “...Glenna was known to be very quiet and didn’t like to talk to many people when she was younger, she got teased a lot... But your father didn’t mind her gift at all—AH! I’m getting ahead of myself....Lets got back to where we were... So anyways, after failed attempt, after failed attempt, your father still wasn’t giving up quite yet. But every time he tried to face her, she never opened up to him. And he still really wanted to get to know her, despite her surliness to him. So one gathering, he started to visit her dreams...”

Muriel and you give the same look of bewilderment. That sounds far fetched. How can someone just visit someone in their dreams? I mean… Asra did it once before to me. But that's because he was the realm of the Arcana. I don’t think the Kokhuri use magic like that…. then again, something like that was mentioned in that book.

Gilbert continues with a bit of gleam in his eyes. “He said she was this beautiful silky black bear. In her dreams she wasn’t afraid to be herself. Surprisingly she didn’t even mind him there, so he kept coming back to visit her. I guess that made her feel less different…. After a while, they slowly got to know each other that way. She even started to talk to him a little when they were awake, without dumping seeds all over him. One night, she showed him her favorite flower… The specific kind escapes me… But, after that night, your father woke up early before dawn and ran around everywhere for those flowers! They were rare and hard to find. It took him almost all day, but he brought an entire bouquet of them to her. Your mother’s cheeks were so red, I thought she was going to explode!”

“Aw!! I remember that, Berty! She never had anyone do that for her before! She didn’t know what to do!” Una interjects tilting her head and closing her eyes.

“It was quite sweet wasn’t it, Moonlight? Artturi was afraid at first she didn’t like them for a second, but she actually took them. It was the first time he made her smile outside the realms of dreams. That night, during the midnight celebration, when they cast their aura to the lights, she stood by him. She casted first, and it even waited for his to emerge! Their casts danced and played with one another, and then ran up into the great sky together. It’s very rare for casts to know one another.”

Una sighs happily reminiscing. “It was an amazing site. Father’s Great Lights were so beautiful that night.”

Gilbert chuckles as he speaks. “Your mother grabbed Artturi by his coat, pulled him down and kissed him so quickly! Sharing their first kiss under the Great Lights. They were inseparable after that! After winter was over, Artturi decided to join the southwestern band. He just wanted to be with her. I had nothing better to do at the time, so I followed him, that’s when they introduced me to Una. A few years later they got married, and a year after that you were born here, Muriel.”

Their love story is so sweet. But you both feel a little dumbfounded. “...Cast their… aura?” Muriel squints his eyes looking at you for a potential answer. You shrug shaking your head, you haven’t a clue what that means. You’ve never heard of that before, that wasn’t in the book either.

Gilbert jolts a bit, realizing that you two were getting lost. “Oh! My apologies. Of course you wouldn’t know that. A cast is what we call your own ah,—your spirit, or energy. The solstice is when Kokhuri’s spirits and hearts are at its strongest. We summon them… it’s like a small piece of you that takes on a form of its own… it is usually an animal—Kokhurian’s casts are mostly bears. Once we project our casts, they take a life of their own, and we use that energy to renew Father Sky’s Great Lights so we can keep safe from the dark long nights of winter.”

“Energy?...” You whisper to yourself, pondering this for a minute, tapping your pointer finger on your bottom lip. Then you start when you realize. “—You mean… magic?” You quickly ask, eyes wide.

Gilbert chuckles, slowly nodding. “It’s a form of it I suppose, yes.” It’s all starting to make sense now. The book you have wasn’t very far off. The Aurora is a part of ancient magic.

You look to Muriel with excitement, but he still looks lost. “What do you mean my father visited my mother’s dreams? How’s that even possible?”

Gilbert gestures to the ground and the air. “Our Great Mother Earth and Great Father Sky have given us many things. Fertile land, healthy animals, and to some, the gift of something Kokhurians call leaping.” He returns his hand back to the tops of his crossed legs. “Artturi had the gift of leaping into the present—into other people’s dreams, no matter how far. He could also feel other people's presents when he was dreaming. Out of all the gifts, leaping into dreams is the most seldom.” Gilbert leans his trunk a little closer and points his finger towards Muriel. “... But you inherited his gift, little cub!”

Muriel blinks, stumbling on his words. “M-m-me?” Gilbert nods sharply, looking somewhat excited with his wide hearty toothy smile. “That…. doesn’t sound believable.” Muriel scoffs a little, totally unconvinced.

Una sees his lack of belief on Muriel’s face, she turns back to you and gestures to her baby. “Would you mind, my dear?”

“Oh! Yes— I mean no! I mean...I-I’ll take him, gladly.” Una giggles to herself at your floundering, handing you the baby again, you grin and happily take him without a second thought. You feel like you could hold the tiny sweet bundle forever. She hastily ties her parka back and and stands to her feet, goes over to a small chest and brings out a tapestry and gives it to Muriel. He takes it from her hands tentatively, it look a bit older and weathered. It’s a bear that looks ghostly and see-through, floating into the sky, jumping on clouds, while another one that is black and appears to be whole, is curled up on the ground looking like they are fast asleep. Una kneels next to him as his eyes scan the tapestry. “When I got older, I started to have dreams of the Great Lights. Father Sky calls to all of us, he needs our casts to continue to brighten the dark sky… I’ve had this dream for quite some time. But this year, you've been leaping into my dreams, Muriel…. I suspected it was you, but I was never completely sure. So I just started to sing to you. And you kept coming back.” Una tilts her head slightly as she continues to speak. “...Haven’t you leaped in other dreams before?”

Muriel scratches his head, he looks so baffled. “… H-How should I know? I didn’t even know I...‘leaped’... into yours.” He fumbles for words a little, taking back by all of this. “H-how do you even know it’s me...leaping? Couldn’t you be doing it, Una?”

“Couldn’t be.” Gilbert reaches out to Inanna so she can sniff his hand, then she nuzzles her face into his palm and he starts to pet her. “...My wife has the gift of leaping into the past. She can see other people’s memories by touching them, and can also share hers, as you experienced first hand, Muriel.”

Muriel looks at you with his mossy green eyes, completely blown away. Gilbert chuckles through his nose. “Unlike your parents and my lovely wife, our Great Mother and Father didn’t bless me with any gifts.” He shrugs.

“That’s not true, Berty. They blessed us all different gifts. This wonderful serenading voice you hear is a gift!” Una stands by her still sitting husband, leans over and kisses him on the forehead, he can’t help but melt into her touch. They truly love each other, watching them makes your heart flutter….God I’m a freakin’ hopeless romantic. “Do you really think I was won over by your looks?—ha!” She playfully smacks him on the shoulder.

Gilbert blushes a little and snorts. “I suppose you're right, Moonlight. That is why I am a Master Speaker! A historian! Keeper of our verbal history, our stories, our songs.”

Muriel hands the tapestry very carefully back to Una, she takes it and delicately folds it back up and places it back to the chest. “Hmmm. You may have leaped before and just didn’t know it, little cub…. But it does make me wonder why you leaped into my dream now after all this time.” She says as she walks back over to her spot by the fire and starts to peel potatoes from from a large basket.

Muriel sighs, and shrugs for a moment unsure, then glances at you, immediately remembering something. “.... We… we did read something about the Kokhuri from that old book.”

“You think that triggered your gift somehow?” You ask with an eyebrow raised. It does make sense. He didn’t know about the ritual with the solstice until after the book, then he started dreaming about it almost immediately after. Maybe it just reminded him...

“... A book?”’ Gilbert’s face seems to twist for a moment before stopping himself. “...You read about us….in a book?” He seems conflicted about hearing this.

“I-I have it if you would like to look at it.” You offer.

Una and him exchange somewhat wry looks before he kindly nods in agreement. “If you wouldn't mind.” You hand Muriel the baby again, this time he doesn’t fuss as much, but he still is incredibly stiff when he holds him, making your heart melt once again.

You quickly return from the horses, carrying your cross body satchel. Carefully taking out the heavy book, Magic of the Ancients, find the right chapter and hand the open book to Gilbert. He starts to look at the flip through the pages, he appears to know how to read. “Hmpf.” He murmured to himself. “Well… whoever wrote this was most definitely not Kokhurian. They probably didn’t even get permission from us. Most of this isn’t really accurate.” He turns the page with the wedding looking ritual and scoffing. “....What the hell are they talking about? That’s a Gabhail Ris ceremony!... Trials? Pfft!!! We don’t do trials!! That’s preposterous! We just… haven’t done that ritual in a very long time.” He deeply huffs and closes the book carefully handing it back to you. Muriel darts his eye between the baby that's still in his arms, holding his large pinky finger and Gilbert's slightly frustrated face. Gilbert folds his arms and ponders looking into the fire. His face softens before he speaks again. “...Well, I can’t be too surprised…. at least this book did help you find us, Muriel. We all feared that we’d never get to see you ever again… and you wouldn’t have known about the solstice if you didn’t read it. So… I guess it’s not all that bad.”

“Actually I—I wanted to ask,” You sit on your knees beside him and take out your blank leather-back journal and show it to Gilbert. “We’ve been searching for information for a while. But that's the only thing we found. Since there isn’t really anything about Kokhuri, I was wondering if I could write things down. Make it completely accurate, telling your story from your eyes.”

Gilbert stiffens at your request, then thinks really hard about this for a minute, stroking his beard, staring at the journal. He then sits himself up tall, folding his arms tightly, gazing at you with his bluish-greenish eyes, looking at you very seriously. “... And if we don’t like how you wrote it?” He asks with an eyebrow raised.

You shrug, popping your bottom lip out a little bit, then gesture to the fire. He snorts, then throws back his head in laughter, unfolding his arms. “I like you, Rhemi! You’ve got a keeper, Muriel!” Muriel blushes a bit, but keeps a proud smile across his lips. Gilbert places his very large hands on your shoulder, patting it very gently. “... Alright then. You can write about us as long as I approve of how it’s told.”

You give him a huge smile feeling very giddy, “Deal! T-Thank you so much!”

Ava’s tall figure comes through the tent without even glancing at you or Muriel, and taps their father’s shoulder, he turns to look at them. They wave their hands expressively, and he watches intently. They must communicate that way. He nods, understanding everything. “Ah, yes, yes, yes! We’ll be right there, Ava.” They nodded sharply to him, quickly turning about to head out of the tent.

You blink a little and ask the question to Gilbert before you could think twice. “...Are they deaf?”

Before Gilbert can answer, Ava whips their body around to face you and scowls a little, making you and Muriel jolt in surprise. They vigorously shake their head, pointing expressively to their ears, gesturing that they can in fact hear. Muriel brow furrows, disliking their attitude. “....S-....sorry.” You rub the back of your head nervously, feeling a little rude for asking that.

Una clears her throat and shoots Ava a particularly scolding look, they then scoff as they turn their heels grumpily stomping out of the tent. Una shakes her head slowly. “Don’t mind Ava. They’re just….very wary of new people.”

Gilbert stands on his feet, and you hear his older knees crack and pop a bit. “Ava said that your tent is ready.”

Muriel and you look at each other confused. “But we...we haven’t unpacked the horses yet.”

“Hmm?” Gilbert brings up his hands and waves then apologetically. “Oh! Yes! Sorry! Sorry! Ava, Shona, and Shawn have made both of you one! It gets icy on this tundra, and you need a tent where you can have a fire safely inside. The one you have just won’t do.” Muriel and you exchange glances and Gilbert looks pointedly at him. “You… You do intend on staying with us at least until the solstice… yes,?”

Muriel’s eyes flutter a little. “You…want me….to join you?”

“What?!” Gilbert’s shoulders drop a little, baffled. “O-of course we do, little cub!! You are a Kokhurian after all! Our Great Mother and Father obviously wanted you here with us! Why else would they give you the gifts? The more casts during the midnight celebration the better! And by the looks of it, your cast will be very strong!”

Your gaze meets with his. He has never looked so honored. You smile at him reassuringly. He exhales hard, processing everything for a moment. “Only…. only if Rhemi’s aloud.” You feel your heart leap.

“Why, yes!! Of course! Of course! Of course! Rhemi is very aloud! She’s going to be your wife after all! What kind of family would we be if we didn’t allow her?” Gilbert shoulders quake as he lets out another hearty laugh while Una chuckles, making quick work of the potatoes still. “We’re just happy to have you here, cub.”

Muriel can’t help but look very delighted. You never thought he'd be happy to be with a bunch of new people. But he is. Una and Gilbert were different, they made you both feel not like an outsider looking in, but a part of they’re large family. It’s strange, but also…. nice. It feels good to be around them. You don’t remember your family... Neither does Muriel. It’s refreshing in a way, like you have been secretly longing for that feeling of belonging somewhere.

Suddenly tears swell in Muriel's eyes. He tries to fight them back as he looks away and wipes them before they run down. “S-Sorry.” He whispers, clearing his throat. He never seems to cry in front of anyone except you, it’s alarming for him and you. But he’s starting to open up to them already.

Gilbert holds out his hand to Muriel and Una drops the potato in the blanket, grabbing the baby from his arms. He looks at his large hand for a moment, then slowly takes hold. Gilbert pulls Muriel up to his feet and throws him into his arms quickly, giving him a very tight, but genuine comforting fatherly hug. Muriel is very tense at first, but even Gilbert has tears. “Nothing to be ashamed of, little cub. We are proud and happy to have you back.”

Muriel slowly leans into him accepting the embrace. Those words. We are proud. They’re difficult for Muriel to accept, but it must be so good to hear them. Una hugs Muriel’s side while holding the child in her arms. “We love you, Muriel. We always have.”

Gilbert and Una release him and let him continue to sniffle and wipe his tears from his eyes. Looking at his feet. “I just...I-I don't feel like I deserve it.” He mumbles, still choking back his tears. “You don’t really know me....”

Una places her hand on his cheek and he glances at her. “But you do deserve it, my sweet cub.” She grabs his wrist inspecting the scar tissue where his chains once were and looks back up to him with sorrowful knowing eyes. “...You’ve been alone for long enough.” Una… she must have looked into his past. She must know about his suffering. She doesn’t love him any less either. You keep standing next to the fire watching this scene. Taking it all in, tears in your eyes too. It’s good to see this. You can’t help but feel so proud of Muriel’s growth, he never would let anyone see that side of him more than a year ago. But Muriel needed that loving reassurance more than either of you realized.

“T-thank you.” He utters with a soft smile and Gilbert squeezes his shoulder again, wiping away his own tears. You finally make your way to his side and he takes your hand. Muriel then straightens himself, resuming his iconic embarrassed and flushed face. He fakely coughs, floundering a little. “S-So, ah…. that —that tent…. you were, ah, t-t-talking about, G-Gilbert?”

Una and Gilbert laugh to themselves. Muriel isn’t a man who shows emotion like that easily. They both know it, you can see it in their eyes. “Come! Let's get you two settled in. It will be dark soon. Dinner will be a few hours.”

Gilbert opens the entrance to the tent and starts to show you where your new tent is as Muriel holds your hand tightly.

You feel so excited. This is a whole new experience for Muriel. You feel so humbled to be here too.

To be continued~

Hey all you trash pandas! I’m on AO3 now under the same username: MADLLAMAMOMMA

Anyways. Sorry this is so long winded. But there is A LOT to explain here. Keep yourselves posted for the next bit, as always, Hoped you liked my hot trash!

#the arana #the arcane game #muriel #muriel the arcana #the hermit #the mountain man #muriel the mountain man #muriel the hermit #muriel x reader #muriel x oc #muriel x mc #lore #worldbuilding #love story #fluff #cute fluff #swf

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chyrstis · 4 years

Text

20 OTP Questions

Tagged by @risenlucifer @tommymillers and @shellibisshe! Here I am about so many days late, but I still wanted to do this, and I appreciate the tags every time. <3

Tagging: @sharky-broshaw @amistrio @foofygoldfish @softmillers @shallow-gravy @bimollymauks @himbopike @jmcolt @shelliechen @scarlettkat86 @guileandgall @honesthearts @geronimo-11 @seedlingsinner @ma-sulevin @fromathelastoveritaserum @raisinghellinotherworlds and anyone else that’s interested! There’s no obligation ever intended, however, so don’t mind me at all.

Guess I have no choice but to get a little more Hana/Sharky in I love them a little too much not to, though I may have to revisit this one as well (b/c I know Hana/John deserves a turn, as well as the three all at once. :D).

Art courtesy of the lovely @bintangy!

1) who can outdrink the other?

Hana would try, but honestly Sharky would drink her under the table, and probably still be sober right around the time she’d offer to sing along to the next song on the jukebox no matter what’s next on rotation. And then proceed to dance to it too, all while Sharky’s trying and failing to wipe a stray tear from his eye.

2) who says “i love you” more?

This’ll have to go to Sharky. Once it’s official, he doesn’t have much trouble saying it, though he’ll often go for other ways of voicing his affection, usually with the sappiest grin on his face, and she loves every moment of it.

Hana’s a little more restrained with it. Not that she isn’t feeling anything as strongly as he is, but it’s easier to show him and to touch him rather than let it slip out. But she’s also been 100% guilty of dropping it on him in the middle of sex, so...in the heat of the moment anything goes.

3) who has trouble sleeping alone?

While the two can, and have, slept alone, neither enjoy it. It’s an empty space that becomes glaringly apparent unless someone’s there talking, resting, or snoring nearby, so even if they’re not sleeping side by side with someone, having that other presence helps. And with the other, once night falls they’ll always find the other fast, feeling content knowing the other’s never more than a few inches away.

4) who swears more?

Sharky, easy. Hana’s got no hope of reaching his record, though she’s not far behind.

5) who does more of the housework?

They try to make it an even split, but for the more annoying chores they’ll rock/paper/scissors it.

6) who forgets their anniversary?

They’re both guilty of this, because with everything going on at the time, neither remember the exact day that Hana said ‘fuck it’ and finally decided to jump Sharky’s bones. But they do have a decent guess as to which week it was, and it’s one of the first things that Hana marks down on their calendar in the bunker. And having an entire week to celebrate the other? Pretty damn awesome in their book.

7) who steals the duvet in their sleep?

Hana’s going to snag it, and turn into the most airtight burrito ever. There’s no hope of Sharky getting it back.

8) who keeps the other awake at night with their snoring?

Sharky. Not enough to get her to leave the room, but some nights she’ll jostle the bed to see if that’ll help. It’s pretty hit or miss.

9) who finds stray animals and begs the other to let them keep them?

While Hana rescued Boomer, Cheeseburger, and Peaches during the game, outside of that, there’s a decent chance she would try to attract a stray cat or two by leaving out food to feed them. Sharky wouldn’t really have a problem with that since he’s left some food out himself once or twice...but after repelling a furious skunk, he decided it really wasn’t worth it. Especially when they end up getting into the pizza boxes left by the firepit anyway.

10) who usually makes dinner?

Hana takes point with Sharky providing ample backup/fire support. It’s a passable affair with what’s available, but she can heat up a can of beans over a fire no problem. Anything fancier than that’s..debatable.

11) who plays their music out loud?

Sharky, Sharky, Sharky. This is the man that has a full-blown surround sound system set up at Moonflower, with everything cranked to the highest volume possible just so he could have some tunes to jam to while messing with the Angels. He’s got her absolutely beat. .

12) who hogs the bathroom?

They’re both pretty even, though Hana will absolutely hog the shower if there’s hot water to be used (and if she stays in there long enough, there’s a good chance Sharky might find his way in there with her too)

13) who gives the most compliments?

Sharky. It took zero prompting before they were together to do it, and after he’s just as enthusiastic about it. He’ll open his mouth and dive right into the most absurd statement ever, talking about how cool she is, how she should have three movies made about her, and she’ll immediately go three shades darker because he’s not even done yet.

14) who usually starts/causes arguments between them?

Hana. It’s not intentional, but she refuses to let him follow her into certain situations and places, and on the off-chance that leads to her getting caught that’s like a knife to the gut for him every time.

15) who isn’t afraid to embarrass the other in public?

Sharky, though unintentionally. He wants to put a smile on her face, and won’t hesitate to say or do everything he can to make it happen, which unfortunately means that Hana’s been the victim of a spit-take more times than she ever hoped to be. But she also laughed her ass off afterwards, so mission accomplished, Sharky.

16) who gives the other cringeworthy pet names?

Sharky has a field day with them. Most don’t ever go beyond the bedroom though, especially when Hana’s laughing too hard to take any of them seriously.

17) who fusses over the other when they get sick?

If anything dared to bowl Sharky over for longer than ten minutes at a time, Hana wouldn’t stop until she’d found anything and everything he could possibly need to start getting better asap.

But Sharky’s really no better, considering he barreled into Nick and Kim’s place when Hana was on the verge of collapsing, and refused to leave her side until she was able to get up and move around on her own again.

18) who finds it impossible to stay angry at the other for long?

Hana. While Sharky will apologize first, she has no hope of ever staying mad or holding a grudge for long when it comes to him.

19) who clings to the other for comfort when they’re sad or scared?

Hana. She’ll grope for Sharky’s arm whenever things go to absolute hell or they’re about to, and even when she’s not directly reaching for him, he’s already moving towards her, so he’s never too far to reach.

20) who is more ‘physically passionate’? (hugs, kisses, or maybe more…)

They’re both pretty awful with this. Once the switch is flipped, and these two are well on the same page, Hana’s reaching for his hand, leaning on him, and standing up on her toes to get a kiss, all while Sharky’s half-draping himself all over her whenever the two are able to stop and breathe for more than five minutes at a time.

To any and all people they travel with they’d like to apologize, and do try to tone it down a little if they’re not exactly in private (sorry, Grace) , but they’re way too giddy and eager to really keep much of it contained for long.

#otp: hanarky #I'll just be forever soft for these two #and I have a feeling I'm going to have to start a future idea for them soon #just to indulge in that added softness #I kind of need it right now

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ckret2 · 5 years

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what are ichi, ni, and san attracted to individually?

Oh man I found my draft of this buried way deep in my docs, I meant to finish answering this ask weeks ago. How long have I been not working on this? Dang.

Anyway.

I've made some posts about who each of them are individually attracted to, but I haven't done one yet on what each of them individually finds attractive, so sure! A lot of the below will also discuss the love interests each of them has expressed attraction to, to the extent that each of their individual love interests reflect their individual tastes.

This post is 2700 words, buckle up.

Let's start off with what they've got in common—because what they've got in common vastly overwhelms their differences. All of their personal tastes have been heavily shaped by the trauma they went through, so both their collective tastes and individual tastes reflect that. Most prominently: they're all attracted to skilled/strong warriors, because 1) under the Xilien military they had it beaten into their heads that the only thing of worth about them is their ability to destroy, 2) at this point nearly all their hobbies and interests besides fighting have atrophied to nothing so fighting is the only couple bonding activity left to them, and 3) they live under constant terror that if they care about something, it will be destroyed/killed, because they ARE an instrument of destruction/death and that's the framework through which they see the universe—so a partner who can defend themself against anything that might try to destroy them is very appealing.

So you get a powerful warrior, that's gonna put a check mark on all three of their "ideal partner" wish lists.

They're also going to be collectively more attracted to people with dorat-esque physical traits. Scales, coloration in the yellow range, long flexible bodies, articulated wings, a one-head-and-four-limbs symmetrical body layout, snoutlike face with one mouth and two eyes... (When you've been around enough aliens, things like "symmetrical bodies with four limbs" and "one mouth and two eyes" are no longer a given.) Not that EVERYTHING is necessary for them to be attracted, of course, but little things add up. For example, if they were forced to choose and if he wasn't their Hated Nemesis, they'd find Godzilla more attractive than Kong on the basis of the fact that he's reptilian, he's got a tail, and he's got a row of spines down his back, and therefore he's more doratlike than Kong. However, Godzilla loses out to Manda, who's snakey, has horns, and is close to a color that dorats actually come in.

This isn't a conscious thing on their part—they don't, like, mentally tally up dorat-like traits. But if you went up to them and asked "hey, what traits do you consider hot?" and for some reason they decided to answer instead of incinerate you, the list of features they'd provide would end up pretty well describing a very handsome dorat. They don't REALIZE they're looking for dorat traits, but if you pointed it out to them they'd be like "Oh, huh. Well, yeah, basically. But a good looking dorat."

Plus some variations based on their original Dorat Sexualities; like, Ichi and Ni are both more attracted to smaller wings and longer/spiny tails, while San is the opposite. (Not that this is necessary. San looked at Gigan's itty mainly-for-decoration wings and went "yeah these are fine" and Ichi looked at Rodan's little nubby tail and went "sure, still cute.")

Other traits they've got a shared interest in: positivity, optimism, upbeat attitudes, all that, because they've got none themselves; self-confidence, courage, bravery; people who understand the war machine life—they don't feel wholly relaxed around people who don't have a kill count that can be measured in planets, they feel like they've got to keep up an artificially harmless façade not to be cast out by people who Don't Get It; someone they can see more as a "beast" than as a "person" because they feel like "people" are out of their league but "beasts" are their equals (which is an artificial divide that they absorbed from Xiliens, based on arbitrary measures of personhood like "does their culture wear clothes" or "did they invent their own technology or inherit someone else's").

Okay, so, on to their individual preferences. In order!!

Starting with Ichi! A.K.A. The Only One That Actually Has A Crush On Rodan. Most of the reasons he likes Rodan are because he hits a lot of the traits that all of them find attractive: great warrior; he's pretty upbeat; he's brave; he gives them "oh this is definitely A Fellow Animal and not a Person" vibes; they think that he's totally down with destroying the world (because they don't realize that he didn't understand that that was what they were up to); and he makes them go "oh, he's like, 60% dorat? 65%?"—because of his appearance, because he (like them) survived the oxygen destroyer unscathed, and because he could break out of their siren song mind control. So those are all reasons for Ghidorah to like Rodan.

But it doesn't explain why Ichi likes him so much more than the other two.

And deep down... deep, deep down... I think Ichi just wants to get dicked down and Rodan looks like he can do the job.

But seriously though—Ghidorah, as a whole, has been suppressing a broad swath of their emotions for an extremely long time, ESPECIALLY their capacity to form emotional connections with anyone else. Ni and San have both cracked on that front—Ni's got an ongoing crush that he deals with by burying it alive, and San's got a star-crossed love half a galaxy away that he left behind kicking and screaming—but Ichi's never cracked. He's never let himself fall for anyone. Ni and San see "keep Ghidorah isolated, independent, self-contained" as an obligation; Ichi sees it as a duty—his duty to his other two parts.

None of the three is officially the leader/in charge, but Ichi ended up the de facto leader because back when they were even worse of a psychological wreck than they are now he was the one who just barely held it together enough to corral them and keep them going. He's the team Mom Friend, assuming that the mom in question is also a hardened drill sergeant without an ounce of natural maternal instinct, and the friends the drill sergeant mom friend is mothering are two traumatized soldiers trying to escape a postapocalyptic hellscape so they can forage for food. He's done a better job of not getting attached than the other two because he's felt most strongly that that's absolutely not an option.

But then they're on Earth, one of the worlds they've struggled the hardest to try to conquer, one of the most frustrating experiences of their post-Xilien-escape life; and they've just woken up from several millennia in ice, pissed the fuck off but also disoriented as hell and keenly aware of the fact that they lost a HELL of a fight in order to have been frozen; and mentally, they're somewhat rattled apart, they're still rebooting their usual emotional shields and defenses, they're still trying to get the mental pieces put back together, and Godzilla attacks them like a minute after they wake up and their brains are definitely not put back together—

There are holes in Ichi's mental defenses that have never been there before. He's vulnerable in a way he hasn't been before. It's not that something about Rodan is more attractive to him than it is to the other two—it's that the other two keep a good solid inch of iron around their capacity for affection, but Ichi keeps a nice fat five-foot-thick steel wall around his; and right now that wall is missing. He is completely exposed to the possibility of someone swooping in and seizing his heart—and Rodan went right for his chest with talons extended. And because just that one time, that one day, he's already shaken up, he's already vulnerable, Rodan gets through when the next day he might not.

And so even though the other two can also look at Rodan and agree, yes, the things Ichi is attracted to him for are indeed attractive, Ichi falls hard and fast when the other two don't.

Or, the tl;dr version:

Ichi has been suppressing his sexuality for several times longer than the human race has existed. For a moment—just a moment—all that suppression is gone; and so he's at risk of latching on to anyone that struck him as attractive. On this day, at this moment, he wants to get dicked down, and by god, Rodan looks like he can do the job.

And with all that written... because everything we've seen that Ichi is attracted to so far fits in with what Ghidorah-as-a-whole is into, I'm not sure that I've got anything specific to list that sets his tastes apart from the collective's. I might come up with some later, but since thus far they haven't been relevant in what I've been writing, I haven't come up with any in particular. Maybe it's just the case that all the things he's attracted to also happen to be things that The Whole is attracted to. Y'all wanna suggest specifics, I'll see if I like any that I can work in?

Ni's romantic tastes are best covered here, with the explanation of why he's into San:

https://ckret2.tumblr.com/post/187039340467/anonymous-said-why-did-redacted-fall-for

And honestly... that's it. That's his taste. San is his taste. His taste is San. He had a babycrush on San since back when they were three individual dorats that barely knew each other, long before they were picked up for Highly Unethical Animal Experimentation, mutated, combined, and turned into Ghidorah; and realizing that one of the two people he was stitched together to and sharing brainspace with was the dude he had a crush on was one of the primary things that galvanized him to, like, survive. And since then having a secret limerent obsession with one of the two dudes he's fused to has determined almost everything about his romantic preferences, sexuality, and entire mental/emotional landscape.

What he liked San for originally can basically be boiled down to:

1) He was less "hivemindy" than other dorats, particularly dorats of his sex—San's sex is the one that's got less control over their empathic abilities, and so it's easy for a bunch of them to get together and catch the same emotion from each other like a fast-moving contagion. San had a tendency to go less "tunnel vision" on whatever The Group was thinking about and notice things going on outside their current activity—often with such great interest and attention that it broke The Group out of the zone as well, to their consternation—but Ni, who was uncomfortable in hiveminds, appreciated that about him.

2) Ni's of the dorat sex that's got stronger empathic abilities, but also a better ability to dim the degree to which they're active—and Ni liked to not just dim his ambient empathic field but also turn it off completely, because he didn't like others reading his feelings at all times. This is uncommon enough in dorats that it actually drove their owner to take him to the vet to make sure his head was okay. (And it was okay; he was just Extremely, Extremely Introverted by dorat standards.) Most dorats thought that this made Ni super weird/uncomfortable/off-putting. San thought it made him interesting, a unique novelty worth investigating. Ni appreciated that San didn't radiate Wild Discomfort in his presence.

3) San was, like, pretty hot. For a dorat. To other dorats. Adolescent dorats. Basically he was the cutest preteen snake in the room because he looked like a 14-year-old snake instead of a 12-year-old snake.

But that... was an extremely long time ago. And basically none of it applies anymore. What's being hivemindy or not matter when there's only three of you and you're always in and out of each other's heads? What's it matter that once upon a time long long ago San thought Ni was okay for shutting off access to his emotions when now there are only two people who CAN feel Ni's emotions/thoughts and both of them are equally chill & used to him keeping his mind closed/filtered to them? What's it matter that San was a cute baby snake when they're now three terrifyingly ancient monster snakes that were mutated to look almost identical?

So, by this point? What he's attracted to is, legitimately, "whatever San is like." His preferences shift so that they're always San-centric. San is the emotional rock Ni is clinging to.

... It's honestly kind of terribly unhealthy.

So if you asked him what he's attracted to, he'd say, like, "Oh, you know... someone who's observant, attentive... someone who's curious about his environment, likes learning... someone who appreciates the little things... uhh...... someone who's closer to the left shoulder than the right shoulder........." and then he'd peter out of traits to list because at this point Ichi, Ni, and San's identities are like 75% overlapped and there's not much room left in them for their individual differences.

But he wouldn't be interested in any of those listed traits if they were in somebody other than San.

(Ni is capable of being "interested" in other people—but it's 50% "I'm interested in you as a friend" and 50% "We, Ghidorah, currently in a mood to feel like an individual instead of like three people, are together interested in you romantically." Ghidorah slides back and forth between being "three-in-one" and being "one-from-three."

San's tastes are covered pretty thoroughly in the post about why he (and the rest of Ghidorah) is into Gigan:

https://ckret2.tumblr.com/post/186622638902/more-on-the-relationship-between-gigan-and

Beyond all the reasons San likes Gigan that Ichi & Ni share—his skill in & passion for violence, his familiarity with what it's like to be an unwilling war weapon—he also likes his sense of humor, his ability to appreciate and revel in little details the way San does... and, probably more importantly than anything else, Gigan represented a way out.

All this time, Ghidorah has kept together and remained... if not "stable" in the sense of "emotionally healthy," then "stable" in the sense of "maintaining a mental balance well enough not to fall over"—but they're stable like a tightrope walker who's gotten really good at maintaining that balance on their tightrope, not like somebody who's standing on solid ground. And they maintain that balance through isolating themselves, never letting themselves get attached to any place or any thing or any one, never letting themselves linger in one spot for long, always moving on, on, on, on, back into space. They're that meme "If I keep my body moving and my mind occupied at all times, I will avoid falling into a bottomless pit of despair."

Which is all well and good, except "avoiding connecting with anything" does not adequately keep San's mind occupied, and the only reason he hasn't fallen into a bottomless pit of despair is because he's got two other people in his head just barely tugging him back from toppling in. But he's desperate for... a sense of continuity, a sense that he can invest something in life that won't vanish in three days, a sense that anything matters. He wants desperately to connect to something else—or someone else.

Gigan offers that connection—Gigan is someone safe they can connect to, because he has the same lifestyle as them. He's someone that San can let in... without them having to change their life at all.

So, that's what he's attracted to that sets him apart from the other two: he's attracted to escape routes. He falls for someone who can anchor them so they don't keep tumbling off into space, from world to world and apocalypse to apocalypse. He wants someone who can be an excuse for them to stop and hold still. Someone who's compatible with them, someone who's just like them, someone who burns worlds the same way they do, but is capable of wrapping their arms (wings? tails? whatever) around Ghidorah and holding them in one place—whether that's "one place" physically or emotionally.

He's just tired of floating through outer space in asteroids.

#king ghidorah #kotm #godzilla #rodan #gigan #headshipping #ghidorah #about my writing #headcanons #meta #anonymous #ask

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writemywaytoyourheart · 5 years

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One- Next

a/n: so like, here it is. tada~ I hope you guys like it! Sorry if it seems a bit rushed, I just really want to get to the present day so that we can meet hobi T-T but I did do my best! again, pls don’t let this flop

pairing: idolau! Hoseok x female reader

genre: angst, fluff

word count: 2,904

warnings for this chapter: language, cheating, non-consensual kiss, implied self-harm...I think that’s it

Trigger Warning: if u get triggered easily, pls read other stuff on my ML. It's in my bio!

Tag list: @melikeylikeyjimin @jannoda

if you want to be on the tag list, send an ask or dm me :)

Daisies in the Dark Masterlist

Part Two: When Somebody Loves You

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The second you stepped through the threshold of what would be your new home; a breath you hadn’t even known you were holding released with a huge sigh. The apartment wasn’t big at all with a small kitchen, a tiny sitting space that had bookshelves about half full with what you assumed were Eui’s books, a small hallway turned off to the right where you figured the bedrooms and bathroom were, it was dimly lit with a small lamp on a coffee table.

It was perfect.

Eui stumbled into the apartment a second later and laughed breathlessly at your stunned face as she plunked one of your bags down, “like what you see? It isn’t much, but it is cozy.” You spun around over and over taking in every single inch that you could and holding in tears of joy before you turned back to your new friend, “it’s absolutely amazing, I love it so much, thank you.” The lingering nausea from your nerves was now gone completely, replaced by comfort at your surroundings.

Eui smiled while nodding then patted you on the shoulder, “no need to thank me girlie, I know we’re gonna have an awesome time together! Let’s get you unpacked!”

To say you had an awesome time together would be an understatement. You were more of an introvert before coming to Korea because you never really had anyone to hang out with, always eating lunch alone and studying alone. Group projects were always the worst when everyone jumped to grab whoever they wanted to work with, constantly leaving you in an awkward position seeing as everyone had a partner but you. Things were different after you met Eui though, she took you out to the arcade and to food stands, slowly bringing you out of your comfort zone. At first it was just the two of you, then she introduced you to some other girls that you would be going to school with.

The rest of the semester and through the summer was filled with giggling girl talks and romantic movie nights, stuffing yourselves with pizza and junk food. When school started again, you were nervous but knew you could handle it with Eui and your new friends to do it alongside you. Classes were hard but you continued to study and do your best, to thank your wonderful teacher who sent you here and prove that she hadn’t done it for nothing.

About two months into the semester you felt Eui start to pull away a bit. It happened after she met a boy in college; you were studying one night when she burst into your room and jumped on the bed squealing. You shut your books and laughed at her excitement, “what’s going on?? Why are you so excited??” She took a deep exaggerated breath then proceeded to explain, “ok, you know Kim Yung-Kwon from mathematics that I’m totally in love with?” You nodded and she continued, “he started talking to me today and he literally ended up asking me out to coffee!!” Your eyes widened and you jumped up to join in her mini dance party, screaming and giggling over her crush liking her back.

Needless to say, she accepted the date. After that day she spent a lot more time in her room on the phone with her new boyfriend, which you totally understood, so you gave her space. You two stopped your daily outings and only went out together once every few weeks. It was okay with you since you were busy with school and actually happened to find an internship at a company not too far from your place.

You got the internship, and from there everything went to hell.

6 months before the incident...

“Hello, my name is Y/L/N Y/N, I hope we work well together. Please take care of me!” You bowed to your new coworkers and they smiled, bowing in return. They were really nice people and your first day went smoothly. You were in charge of making copies, bringing coffee, scheduling meetings and taking notes for those who could not attend said meetings. It was pretty easy; especially since the girl training you made it easy to understand and she was super nice.

After your shift you went to clock out, you were looking down to fix everything you were holding and ran right smack into someone’s hard chest. You looked up to apologize and stepped back in surprise when you saw who it was, “Kim Yung-Kwon?” You asked and he nodded while laughing, “Y/N?” You bowed and smiled laughing a bit yourself, “funny running into you! What brings you here?” He smiled back and picked up some of the papers you dropped after running into him. He handed them to you and answered your question, “I got an internship here. I’m guessing you did as well?” You nodded and he brightened then stepped to the side to let you walk past, “well I hope to see you around Y/N, I have to go, but you should join Eui and I on a day out sometime!” You smiled once more while passing by him, “that sounds fun! Let me know what you guys come up with. See you around!” You waved to each other then you walked away, a pit of dread in your stomach at the butterflies that were in you at your encounter.

Kim Yung-Kwon was a very handsome young man, but he was definitely taken. You slapped yourself gently on the cheek to bring your mind back. Don’t you dare Y/N, don’t you dare! You chided yourself as you walked to the bus stop. Eui was your best friend and if there was one thing you wouldn’t do, it would be stealing a taken man. You stepped into your home and saw Eui lounging on the couch. Eui looked up from her phone and waved to you, asking happily, “how was your first day?? Yung-Kwon texted me and said he ran into you today!” You breathed a sigh of relief that she already knew and plopped yourself down next to her. You two spent the night talking and gossiping like the old days a few months ago. Like nothing had changed.

Except that day, everything changed. Neither of you knew it yet though.

Work and school were your norm those days. Day in and day out, studying and doing the internship. Yung-Kwon was always really sweet to you and you hung out with him and Eui a few times a week. You knew he liked Eui a lot and you knew you could keep your feelings in check, but you couldn’t shake the feeling that you were doing something wrong, the uneasy pit dwelling in your stomach made you miss out on a few outings with them.

It was all saved however, by Lee Jin-Ho. A boy that would talk to you on a daily basis since your start of school. You always thought he was cute and sweet, and he was really easy to talk to. You were completely blind-sided though when he finally had the courage to ask you on a date. Your feelings for Yung-Kwon disappeared the more you went out with Jin-Ho. You never had a boyfriend in your entire life so the whole ordeal was foreign and a bit stressful for you. Jin-Ho was a complete sweetheart and totally infatuated with you, so he was patient and never pressured you into anything.

3 months before the incident...

One time about two months into your relationship, you two went to the arcade together. You walked in and smiled at the purple flashing lights, K-pop songs blasting and people laughing. Jin-Ho went immediately to a claw machine that had stuffed animals in it. “Which one do you want, Y/N?” You laughed and joined him, scanning the toys and pointing to a little stuffed bear, “I want that one!” He nodded and got right down to business. Never in your entire life have you had someone care so much about you, let alone like you. This whole thing was mesmerizing and you were so scared that it would shatter into a million pieces at any minute. It must be a dream, because good things don’t happen to you.

After a good twenty tries, Jin-Ho finally hollered in victory, holding up the tiny bear and presenting it to you with a smile. You weren’t thinking and went right in for a hug, it was the first time anything physical besides holding hands was initiated between you two. He froze for only a second before hugging you back just as tight. You’d never been happier, and you knew you never would be. You didn’t need anything else.

Turns out you’d never been more wrong in your life.

2 months before the incident...

It was the party. You knew going to a party would be a terrible idea, but Jin-Ho knew the person throwing it and told you that the people there weren’t the reckless drunk type you always heard about. You two walked in and you could smell the alcohol already, flashbacks from your past started to swarm your mind until you felt his arm around your waist protectively. Jin-Ho whispered into your ear, “it’s okay baby. I got you.” His pet name for you sent a chill down your spine and you nodded. Your boyfriend kissed the top of your head and led you to a couch, “I’m going to get us some drinks, stay here and don’t worry.” You grabbed his hand and stuttered, “n-no alcohol, right?” He smiled and nodded, gave your hand a reassuring squeeze before disappearing into the crowd.

That was the last time you saw your boyfriend that night. Now, Lee Jin-Ho you did see again, but this time he had a girl on his lap making out with her and running his hands all over her body. You had gone to search for him, and you found him. He happened to see you a second later. But unlike what you expected to happen, the boy you thought you loved didn’t look concerned or regretful. He never got up or pushed the girl away. He never called your name out to explain himself. Instead, he smirked at you before raising an eyebrow, as if to say, what? Watch all you want, before turning back to the girl and continuing what he started. Who knew that something so precious and dear could be ripped from you in a split second?

You ran to the bathroom, shoving past people, some gave you pitiful looks and some laughed at you. You rushed to the toilet and threw up a few times, until nothing was left in your stomach. You were numb. A lot of running happened that night as you ran out of the party and all the way home. There were no questions asked when you burst into the apartment sobbing, your makeup running down your face. Eui gestured to you and held you in her arms, singing to you. Rocking you back and forth while you cried your heart out over your first relationship heartbreak. Eui whispered how much she loved you and how sorry she was.

You took a few days off, saying you were sick. Which, technically you were throwing up. At just the thought of that man, you couldn’t help but rid your body of the little you ate that day. Your stomach wouldn’t stop turning for weeks. Eui came in however, after about a week. She pulled you out of bed and forced you to dress, eat and go out with her. You couldn’t explain how hard it was to do normal everyday tasks, especially when Jin-Ho was still in some of your classes.

He never spoke to you again, would walk by you as if you were nothing more than-

a used tissue....

But, you wouldn’t let him continue to hurt you. So, you turned back to what you promised yourself you would never do again. You numbed the pain, and there was only one way that that always worked. Long sleeves would have to go back in fashion again, for you at least. If anyone could hurt you, it would be yourself.

“You’re fine, Y/N….You don’t need him anyways.”

1 month before the incident...

You continued to do the internship, the best part of the day was when you ate lunch with Yung-Kwon and Eui when she came to join you guys. Yung-Kwon never acted as if he pitied you, for which you were extremely grateful. It had been almost a year since you came to Korea, and a lot had happened. You just hoped that it would get brighter from there on out.

The final straw was that day.

That one day you would forever wish you could turn back to and stop. Stop everything that was never supposed to happen....

1 week before the incident...

It was just another day at work, you were typing up a few emails while you rubbed your eyes in exhaustion. It was around lunchtime, but you still had a lot to do. You were sending your last email when you got a text from Yung-Kwon:

“On the roof?” You asked yourself in confusion, but then brushed it off. There were lunch tables on the roof and you three had wanted to try it out someday. You wished Eui would be coming, but you guessed she was busy. Your feelings for Yung-Kwon were strictly friendly those days. You had been able to talk sense into yourself and realize he was just a nice guy, and your heart hadn’t been used to nice guys. After seeing one it immediately wanted him. Now you knew better, and so did your heart. You packed up your stuff and got up to make your way to the roof. You walked up the stairs and pushed the door to the roof open. Yung-Kwon was standing at the balcony looking down into the street. Just then your phone pinged with a text from Eui.

What was she talking about? Yung-Kwon said she was busy….You quickly typed a reply and smiled, Yung-Kwon would be happy that she could make it!

You frowned at the text in confusion but got distracted when you heard Yung-Kwon call your name, “Y/N! Come on, I got food already.” You walked over and sat down on one of the benches. Yung-Kwon sat right next to you, which confused you. You scooted a little away from him and started opening your sandwich that he bought for you. You decided to let Eui surprise him so you said nothing.

“Thanks for the lunch.”

“Of course Y/N.”

He opened his sandwich then turned back to you, “uh, can I ask you something?” You nodded and went to take a bite of your food when his next words made you freeze, “are you in love with me?” You turned to him in shock, your eyes bugging out of your head and your mind screaming at you to just get up and leave. You stupidly stayed put, furrowing your brows and shaking your head, “what are you talking about Yung-Kwon? I am not in love with you, weirdo.” You laughed it off, thinking maybe he was pulling a prank on you. It wasn’t a very funny one though.

You jumped when he grabbed your hand and you tried to pull away. He held on tight and looked into your eyes, “Y/N, you can be honest. I know you’re scared because of what Jin-Ho did to you. But, I would never hurt you. I- I think I’m in love with you.” You yanked your hand out of his and stood up, “you better shut up right now Yung-Kwon. I don’t know what you’re playing but it isn’t funny. You think I would turn right around and cheat with someone right after knowing what it’s like?! And to my best friend??” He stood up and walked towards you, forcing you to walk back until you couldn’t anymore because of the railing.

“Don’t be ridiculous Y/N. Jin-Ho was an asshole, and we all know it. I’m in love with you and you’re in love with me so it’s different!” You stared at him in shocked silence before responding, “what the hell are you talking about?? We don’t love each other! You love Eui!!” He shook his head, “no I don’t! Ever since I found out you were interning here, that first day. Something changed for me. I knew you liked me then.” You flinched at his touch on your cheek and slapped his hand away, “don’t touch me!” At that moment, you saw the door to the roof open behind his shoulder and saw Eui slip through carrying a bag of food.

You were about to shove him away from you and call out to her, when to your horror he grabbed your hands and pulled you to him.

Maybe Eui would run to help you.

Maybe Eui would understand and come save you.

Maybe Eui would know you.

But, don’t you remember, silly girl? Good things don’t happen to you.

Yung-Kwon smashed his lips against yours at the exact second Eui waved, her eyes locking on the scene before her, her face blanching. She dropped the bag with a thunk.

Yung-Kwon stole your first kiss…..and your best friend in the entire world went right along with it.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

a/n 2.0: ok...this gave me more grief than the first chapter lmao. if y’all don’t like this im giving up....JUST KIDDING IM GONNA MAKE A HOBI FIC IF IT DESTROYS ME . which it probably will.

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canesshi · 6 years

Text

Heat | 4

Pairing: Dragonshifter!Jimin x reader

Genre: Angst, Smut, Fluff

Plot: Your husband was supposed to steal your heart, but the dragon that kidnapped you from your own wedding made it hard for him to do so.

A/N: Sorry for the long wait!

[1] | [2] | [3] | [4] | [5] | [to be continued]

It smelled like seawater. Seawater and burned ashes. The sound of the rumbling thunder in the distance had woken you up. Even though it had started raining you didn’t feel as cold as before. You had dragged the helpless boy underneath a ledge that sheltered the both of you from the heavy rain that overtook only minutes after you had patched the boy up. After that you must have fallen asleep next to him.

Taking a deep breath you smelled the familiar scent. It was so close. And that’s when you felt the heat against your backside. Careful not to wake the man next to you, you scooted further away from him and sat up. He was still asleep. You must’ve been cold and snuggled up against his warmer form. Laying a hand against his skin you were pleased to find out that he had cooled down quite a lot even though he was still really warm. Must be the side effect of being a dragon.

A dragon.

The smile you didn’t even know you had on your face vanished suddenly. You should go. You should just leave, he would be fine on his own.

Carefully you stood up and tip-toed away, always keeping an eye on the stranger. You knew you wouldn’t be able to leave. You just couldn’t. But you needed to find food, water and a better shelter anyway. He would be okay being alone for a few minutes. Besides, the animal was still there. He would protect him.

A few minutes ended up being two hours of looking for trees or bushes, anything that could maybe provide the two you you with food. You had found a freshwater pond rather quickly after just looking around for a few minutes. Even though it was a little small it looked like it had been there even before the heavy rain the day before but you couldn’t be sure so you ended up searching for a few more water sourches just to be on the safe side. You wished the boy was awake. He probably knew all the places and where to get the best food. But instead of finding fruits or vegetables you ended up having to catch a few fish which was harder than it looked but after a few tries you managed to catch two fishes which you were really proud of, considering the fact that you had never caught a fish with your bare hands before.

Killing them proofed to be the worse part though. You ended up just letting the fish die on land. You knew it was brutal but you just couldn’t bring yourself to grab them and smash them against a boulder or hit their heads with a rock.

When finally you found your way back to your makeshift shelter after getting lost for a few minutes you dropped both fish as you saw the empty spot in front of you. Instead of the boy the tiny animal laid there, sprawled out even more than before, its belly turning towards the sky.

“Where is he?!”, you hissed but still hurried to pick up the fishes before. The creature flinched and awoke. It blinked a few times before staring you dead in the eye. You repeated yourself, knowing that it wouldn’t answer. “Where is he?!!” It might have been your imagination but the tiny creature seemed to be just as shocked as you. “You had one job! ONE. JOB!”

“GUY?”

“DRAGON BOY?!”

“WHERE ARE YOU?”

You had been shouting for a while but everything was quiet. Only a few seagulls could be heard and the smooth waves hitting the sandy beach. Nothing more. That’s when you saw him waist deep in the sea.

He didn’t turn to look at you, not even when you shouted for him again. Finally having enough you rushed into the cool waves. Your feet stung a bit from the cold water but you choose to ignore it as you got closer and closer to him. With one hand still holding the two fishes which you feared might turn alive again with being so close to the water you reached out with the other as you were finally close to the boy.

“What do you think you’re doi-” He flinched as you touched his shoulder. His eyes suddenly burned holes through your entire being and he grabbed you wrist roughly. For a few seconds the two of you just stared at one another but after a few seconds his eyes softened and he released you.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to worry you.” His head slumbed down a bit as he breathed in heavily. “I thought you left.”

“That doesn’t explain why you are out here.” Your voice was far softer than you wanted it to be but somehow you felt like yelling at him now would shatter him like a fragile vase.

He didn’t answer and the mood suddenly seemed very heavy as you booth just stood there in silence.

Trying to lighten the mood you proudly held up the two fish. “I-... I went looking for food but couldn’t find anything.. So I guess this is our breakfeast. Only if you want, of course.” His eyes met yours and a shiver ran down your spine. His gaze was too intense to even hold for a second so you quickly glanced down which proofed to be even worse. His bare body was glistening with pearls of water running down his lean figure. He seemed to glow in the golden light the sun was provinding. It lit up his outline and made him look like a young god.

You literally had to tear your eyes away from the sight. Without looking back you left the water and strode towards the beach. You didn’t need to look back to know that he was following you. The soft splashes of water gave his presence away. Stopping abrubtly the young male bumped into your behind. You turned around to him and it looked like he was awaiting a scolding.

“I don’t think I ever got your name.”

His face lit up and a tiny smile formed on his lips. “Jimin.”

You held your hand out to him. He hesitated as if he wasn’t entirely sure what he was supposed to do. After a short awkward while he carefully took your hand.

“Y/N.”, you introduced yourself and made sure to smile politely.

He nodded and smiled back.

“Now that you’re awake we need to find a place to stay.”, you told him as you continued walking. An agreeing hum was all you could get out of him but it was enough for now.

After the two of you had arrived and the tiny animal came running towards you, greeting the both of you, Jimin made a fire and helped you prepare the fish. You watched him in awe as he tore the fish guts out. It send a shiver down your spine. You shouldn’t forget that he was dangerous. He was a threat. Still, you were sitting there with him eating the fish you had cooked together. He would send you glances here and there but his eyes would never linger longer than a few seconds and it made you wonder. What was he thinking? He was the dragon after all. It didn’t even make sense that you were there with him right now.

“I know a place where you can stay. It’s at the very top of the mountain. It isn’t much but it should be enough until your husband arrives to save you.”

It felt like the air was knocked from your lungs. How were you able to even forget that you were supposed to be married right now? But how high were the chances that he was looking for you? They probably thought you were dead by now. “He’s not my husband.”

Now Jimin was looking at you. “I know but does it matter? You are going to marry him sooner or later after all.”

Not wanting to keep talking about your wedding you tried to change the subject. “So you’re just letting me go?”, you asked calmly but your blood started boiling under your skin. “What else am I supposed to do?”

You didn’t answer.

When you looked at him he suddenly seemed a lot tenser. He clenched his jaw tightly to a point where it looked painful and his hands were formed to fists.

“You need to leave as quickly as possible.”, Jimin muttered and even though his head was hanging low you could see the sparks that made his eyes glisten just that tiny bit more. You were slightly terrified and got up from your position next to the fire.

“Now!”, he hissed and sprung up as well. He was gone before you could make out what was going on. You knew you needed to get away. You didn’t know what was going on but you just knew.

‘It’s at the far top of the mountain’

Right, that’s where you needed to go. You did your best to kill the fire and hurriedly picked up the tiny creature and started your journey without looking back. The little thing squirmed in your hold but you didn’t intend on letting go.

“Ouch. Fuck, you little bastard!” That little fucker had bitten you! And now it was running off into the distance. Sighing dramaticly you looked to the top of the mountain and had to cover your eyes because of the sun. It was too far up anyway. You wouldn’t make it in time so you could as well follow him. You had a hard time catching up to the animal but you managed. The atmosphere got uneasier the closer you got to the enormous crack in the stonewall in front of you. The animal hurried inside but you were too scared. Whatever was happening wasn’t right.

Growls. Screams. Loud huffs.

Slowly you inched farther and farther away from the gap. He had shifted. You were sure of it. But what was he doing in there? There was barely enough room to fit through. If you wanted to get inside you needed to squeeze yourself inwards siedeways and with a lot of effort and probably pain.

If he shifted inside there, woudn’t he die? The dragon was powerful, no doubts, but he wouldn’t manage to break through these enormous walls created by mother nature. The growls got quieter until everything went quiet. Only a faint, small noise could be heard. Slowly you got closer to the opening.

He was singing.

And it ripped your heart apart. The hurt in his voice. The pain. Here and there a few hiccups and sobs would break his song but he continued until he didn’t sound so fragile anymore. His breathing steadied, and his voice wasn’t shaking anymore.

As you noticed that he had stopped singing and tried to make his way out of the crack you quickly turned on your heels and started running. You didn’t feel like explaining why you had listened to him this whole time, so you just ran as quickly as you could. Up the trail and towards the place where he said you could stay.

Next part >>

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foreverevanescent · 5 years

Text

Nightmare from the Past (Chapter 3)

Sam Simpson looked over at James with a cross look on her face. She needed to go on a date with him in order to see whether or not he was up to something. As she was walking towards the one man she hated the most at the moment, she was counting her blessings that school was now over and that the hallways were virtually empty. Sam walked over to James, who immediately got stars in his eyes when she came up to his locker.

“Sam! I was hoping I would get to see your beautiful face again,” James complimented, smiling a million-dollar smile at Sam, who rolled her eyes in response.

“Listen…I’ll take you up on your date offer---

“You will!? Really!?” James nearly bellowed out, looking at Sam with bugged-out eyes and his jaw wide open. Sam sighed in annoyance before nodding.

“Really, but I want you to promise that after this date, we’re done. You stay away from me, and I stay away from you! Got it!?” Sam explained, jamming a finger into James’ chest. Before he could respond, Sam heard a voice that made her heart stop and her mind go blank.

“So that’s what you sound like,” the voice said with interest as Sam turned around, with a blush on her face, as she saw the brown curly hair and green eyes of her crush, Danielle. “Man, I never thought I’d get to hear you talk, especially when you didn’t say a word during our project,” Danielle continued before Sam was able to calm down enough to say something.

“Oh…uh…hi…Da…Danielle,” Sam barely stammered out, with James looking on in confusion.

“Hi there Sam. Isn’t that the boy you were yelling ay yesterday?” Danielle asked, pointing at James.

“Oh…well…you see…I’m…uh…” Sam stammered, trying to think of a proper explanation, but James stepped in, putting his arm around Sam’s neck, which caused Danielle to twitch for a fraction of a second, which James and even Sam didn’t notice.

“Oh, that’s because we’re going on a date tomorrow,” James responded, with Sam elbowing James in the gut.

“You’re…going out with him?” Danielle asked, with a combination of surprise, and a little bit of disappointment. Sam shook her head and waved her hands emphatically in front of her face.

“No, no no! It’s nothing like that at all! I don’t even like this guy!” Sam yelled, her face completely covered in a red blush.

“Then why are you going out with him?” Danielle asked.

“Well, …it’s a little complicated. But trust me, I don’t like him, and he’s not my boyfriend. I’m totally available for dates, parties, marriage…uh, dates, anything,” Sam responded, looking at Danielle with hearts in her eyes, and her hands clasped together in front of her. Danielle nodded, seemingly not hearing Sam mention marriage, and handed her a ticket.

“Awesome, because I got this ticket for the new Demon Slayer movie, and I was wondering if you wanted to come with me,” Danielle offered, leaving Sam in stunned silence.

‘She…wants to…go out…with me? A date…a movie…just the two of us…I must be dreaming,’ Sam told herself, breathing in and out with the hearts in her eyes growing. James gave Sam a pat on the back, bringing her back to reality.

“Uhhh…yes…yes! I’d love to! But…I don’t know a lot about Demon Slayer. And by that, I…mean that…I’ve never watched anime,” Sam admitted, with James shrugging in the background.

“I could never get into that stuff anyway. A friend tried to show me some Bleach, and it was kind of…there,” James shrugged to himself, but Sam and Danielle ignored him and continued talking to each other.

“Oh, well we could have a study session before our trip to the movies so that I can give you a crash course on Demon Slayer so you’re not completely out of the loop,” Danielle offered with a smile that made Sam’s heart skip a couple of beats.

“Sure…that sounds amazing,” Sam said with a nod. Danielle smiled back and gave Sam a book, which was the first issue of the Demon Slayer manga.

“Cool! We can meet on Friday at 3 at my house. And that’s the first issue of Demon Slayer so you can get a sneak peek before our study session. I’ll see you later, oh, and have fun on your…date?” Danielle said, still not entirely sure about Sam going out with James. Sam’s face contorted into a grimace, as she turned around and looked at James, who was taking some textbooks out of his backpack.

“Don’t count on it, but I feel like I’ll enjoy my …d…d…date with you,” Sam said, with a love-struck tone in her voice that matched the look her eyes were giving. Danielle smiled before turning around with a wave and heading towards the exit of the school. Sam looked at Danielle’s disappearing form, then at the manga, then at the movie ticket.

“OK James, we have our date scheduled for tomorrow at 7, now if you’ll excuse me, I have to process getting asked out by the love of my life,” Sam said in a monotone voice before walking away from James. She walked with a blank look on her face until she reached the nearest women’s bathroom. One Sam went into the bathroom, she looked around to make sure she was alone, and when she made sure she was all by herself, she let out a loud high pitched scream while jumping up and down.

“Oh my God! I have to tell Clover and Alex!” Sam exclaimed, before taking her phone out of her pants pocket, and started typing to her two friends, telling them to meet her in the bathroom. A couple of minutes later, Alex and Clover ran into the bathroom.

“Sammy! What happened!? Your text said it was important!” Clover exclaimed before Sam responded to her by showing them the Demon Slayer manga and the movie ticket that Danielle had given her. Clover and Alex ogled the objects in Sam’s hands with eyes wide open in interest.

“Does this mean what we think it means?” Alex asked, her eyes full of hope much like Clovers.

“That’s right. We’re going out on a date!” Sam exclaimed, giving Clover and Alex a hug, who returned it with ferocious vigor, leading her into jumping up and down with them.

“I can’t wait! This is like a dream come true! Me and Danielle…in a dark movie theater…with our bodies co close…,” Sam mumbled, trailing off with a blush on her face and a tiny amount of drool dripping off of her mouth. Clover and Alex chuckled a little before Alex snapped her fingers to get Sam’s attention.

“Don’t get ahead of yourself, Sammy. You still have to get through James,” Alex said, immediately making Sam’s smile disappear.

“Oh yeah, what happened with James, you said you were going to ask James out,” Clover asked.

“Yeah, against my will. We’re going out tomorrow, and then he can be out of my life for good. I don’t care what he does afterward because unless he’s really up to something evil, I never want to see his lying bastard face again,” Sam seethed, nearly crumpling up the movie ticket in her frustration and anger.

“Oh don’t worry Sammy. It’s just one date, how bad could it possibly be?” Alex asked.

Later that night…

Sam was sleeping in her bed when she heard some pebbles hit her window. When she got up, she was praying that James wasn’t outside. Her prayer went unanswered, as James was outside her window, waving at her with an acoustic guitar in his hands.

“Hello, Samantha! I’m so happy that you accepted my offer for a date that I decided to sing you a song, to showcase not only my happiness but my love for you!” James announced before he brought the guitar in playing position.

“Please don’t,” Sam mumbled, but to no avail, as James started to sing a love song. While his singing wasn’t bad, Sam covered her ears with her hands and went away from the window. She came back a couple of minutes later with a paperweight. She opened the window and glared a hole through James, who was still singing and playing the guitar.

“SHUT THE HELL UP! IT’S THREE IN THE GODDAMN MORNING!” Sam screamed, throwing the paperweight at James, narrowly missing him and instead hitting the ground two inches to his right. James, instead of being frightened or angry, stopped playing, put the guitar in a case, and smiled back at Sam.

“Sorry my darling, I cannot wait to see you tomorrow!” James called before he walked away from the window. Sam sighed and plopped back down on her bed, putting the pillow over her face, screaming in frustration.

“Jerry owes me big time for this,” Sam mumbled before she put the pillow back under her head to try and get some sleep so that she could get tomorrow over with.

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promptmephlint · 5 years

Text

(This is not a Yuri On Ice!AU because its been forever since I watched that anime and I don’t remember it aside from it was gay. Also, sidenote: I know jackshit about ice skating, okay? so this is the part where you suspend disbelief. Stop the video at 3:05 btw.)

“Honestly, Tasha, what even makes you think your coach is gonna let me be your partner?” Clint jogged to catch up to Natasha, entering the rink. The cold air quickly soaked through his skin and he had to zip his hoodie up. “I thought he was a hard-ass.”

“He is.” Natasha answered nonchalantly as she placed her bag down and started doing mild stretches. “But he’s also one of the best coaches in the country. Which means, if he thinks you’re good enough to be my partner, then you’re good enough to win us a gold medal.”

“So, no pressure” Clint said, rolling his eyes at her and dropping his bag next to Natasha’s things.

“Exactly.” Natasha clapped him on the back and turned to the two gentlemen talking amongst themselves on the bleachers. “Coach Coulson! Over here! I brought you fresh meat.”

Clint resisted the urge to groan at being called ‘fresh meat’ and focused on looking presentable. Coulson, the shorter man of the two, mousy brown hair, and crow’s feet on the corner of his eyes, said something to the other guy before walking over towards where Natasha and Clint were.

“Romanov, you’re 10 minutes late.” He said, in lieu of a greeting. “Start your warming up on the ice.”

“Yessiiiiir” Natasha drawled, but did as she was told anyway.

Clint felt like he should be standing at attention when Coulson looked him up and down. His gaze was so intense that it was like Coulson was trying to size him up for his costume with just his eyes.

“-ame?” Clint shook his head as his ears caught the tail end of a question.

“Sorry?”

“Your name. What is it?” Coulson asked again, his crow’s feet deepening as he smirked.

“Clint. Clint Barton.”

“Okay. And how do you know Natasha, Clint?”

“We have a few classes in uni together.”

“And you skate?”

“Not competitively, but I know how to.”

“He used to run with acrobats and gymnasts, he’s pretty flexible!” Natasha said as she passed them both by, waggling her eyebrows for good measure. How kind of Natasha to announce to the entire rink that he’s ‘flexible’. Clint felt his face heat and tried not to hide behind his hands. Instead, he just closed his eyes and sighed.

“Do you know any moves?” Coulson asked, as if he didn’t hear anything Natasha had said.

“I know the names of the common skating moves, and I can probably land them 40% of the time.” Clint explained. His foster mom was a retired ice skater so he learned from her.

“He’s lying! I haven’t seen him fall on his ass yet!” Natasha yelled again as she skated by.

“Natasha’s comments aside, I think I’d like to see you skate for myself."

“Um- Natasha and I actually practiced her routine from last year to show you. If you’d like, we could do that.” Clint offered. “We thought since you were probably going to be partnering me up with Natasha if I do manage to impress you, then I might as well show you what I can do with couples skating, right?”

“You can do the whole routine?” Coulson asked.

“It might not be up to your standards yet, but I’ve definitely got the steps down.”

“Good. You’re skating with me.” Coulson nodded.

“Wait, but- It’s Natasha’s piece isn’t it?”

“Don’t worry. I choreographed it, and trained her. I probably know that routine just as much as she does. And what better way to assess your skills than to skate with you.”

---

Clint shook the nerves off, and entered the ice. Coulson had everyone get off the ice, so they could move freely. That meant that everyone who was practicing was now watching Clint and Coulson, probably waiting for Clint to mess up so they could go back to practicing.

Clint turned to where Natasha was in a final attempt of salvation but the redhead just gave him two thumbs up.

He’s got nothing to worry about. He’s done this routine with Natasha enough times, that he should be able to do it relatively well. Just... please don’t let him drop Coulson.

“Ready?” Coulson asked, mirth twinkling in his eyes.

“No.” Clint answered automatically.

“Great. Let’s do this.” Coulson took his coat off and so did Clint. He took Clint’s hand and led them both to the center where they laid down.

Clint was staring up at the ceiling, and Coulson was beside him, curled into himself and away from Clint. The music started and Phil rolled over to straddle Clint and quickly roll off to his other side. Clint did the same but got up just as he straddled Coulson. Phil arched his back and spread his arms as he sat up, letting Clint pull him up and in an embrace. Phil put his arms behind Clint’s head, holding on as Clint picked him up and spun them around.

Phil gave Clint a small curtsy as he was placed gingerly back on the ice. He gave Clint his right hand, and Clint took it, his left hand resting on Phil’s hip. They skated like that, looking like they were lovers walking hand-in-hand in a park.

The routine was a story about lovers who were beginning to drift apart, reminiscing the times when they were still very much in love. Which was probably why a lot of the moves had them pulling at each other to get closer, Phil clinging to Clint, or Clint holding on to Phil. The only real time they weren’t holding on to each other was when they had to dance in sync near the end of the song, and even then, they were only apart for maybe fifteen seconds out of a three minute routine before they were back to holding each other’s hands.

In the last few seconds of the song, Clint let go of Phil and skated on his own, leaving Phil to follow him and catch up. As soon as Phil was in front of Clint, he put his hands on Clint’s face, cradling it, and bringing their foreheads together, their lips only inches apart. Clint placed one hand on top of Phil’s holding it in place, and the other was on the small of his back, pulling Phil closer to him.

They stayed like that until the song faded. Frozen in place with the other’s touch, gaze, and breaths. It felt like they couldn’t move away. They didn’t want to. They stared at each other, silently daring the other to move first, a dangerous game of chicken. Clint’s eyes darted to Phil’s lips, tempting him to move. Phil continued to stare, waiting.

The people on the bleachers started cheering, breaking whatever it was that kept them from moving, and they broke apart. Clint heaved a big sigh of relief and smiled at Coulson.

Coulson gave him an approving nod, and held his hand out. “Welcome to the team, Clint. I look forward to working with you and Natasha.” Clint took his hand and shook it. “Okay, everyone, back to practice.”

Everybody started filing in to the ice, returning to their respective practice areas.

Clint remained where he was, still processing what had happened.

“You know,” Natasha said as she approached him, circling him like the shark that she was, “I’m pretty sure that routine was supposed to end with the two of you lying on the floor. Not Touching. like at all.”

Clint opened his mouth to explain himself but closed it right back for a lack of an excuse.

Natasha laughed at him.

#Mine #Text #Phil Coulson #Clint Barton #Clintcoulson #c/c #Hawkeye #SHIELDHusbands #Agent Coulson #bowtie #Natasha Romanov #Black Widow #Ice Skating au #meet cute

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junionigiri · 6 years

Text

Ruby Red and Caramel Ch 3: Dark Chocolate Truffles

Chapter Summary: Late nights and late nights.

Relationship(s): Bakugou Katsuki/Yaoyorozu Momo; background Hagakure Tooru/Sato Rikido; background Kendo Itsuka/Tetsutetsu Tetsutetsu

Rating: T

Warnings/Notes: after internally debating with myself where to cut the chapter because there’re so many words i cut it right in the middle of a scene ahhh wth. I hope this isn’t... too awkward T_T

as always, also available on AO3 (JuniRiceBall) and FFNet (Juni Onigiri)!

Momo makes it to Ward Five as planned, with a sharp gleam in her eye, a skip in her step, and a determined swing of her ponytail. Kendo Itsuka is already there with all the charts in front of her, ready to do rounds with her. She’s in the middle of an animated discussion over the phone though, so she patiently waits for her to finish.

“Mmhm. Mmhm.” She glosses over the charts in front of her as she intently listens to the other end of the conversation. “No… Tetsu, that’s... Don’t panic, okay? It’s just potassium, you just have to--” She catches Momo’s eye, gives her a lopsided grin. “No, Tetsu, the patient isn’t going to die from that, okay? Listen, so Yaoyorozu’s here, I have to discuss a ton of cases with her, so maybe ask Shiozaki for help if you’re not sure? No, she isn’t going to send you to hell. Not today. Hopefully.”

Momo stifles a giggle when she hears Tetsutetsu’s distressed voice clearly through Kendo’s phone: “Kendo you know she’ll kill me for this!!! Please I’m stupid and you’re smart and you’re the nicest one I know help me help me help--”

Kendo giggles. “Fine. I’ll help you, and you’ll buy me dinner, okay?” She bites her lower lip and has to pull the phone a couple of inches off her ear from Tetsutetsu’s overexcited yelling. “Okay. I’ll text you. Bye.”

The redhead finally hangs up the call and gives Momo an apologetic grin. “Yeah, sorry about that Yaoyorozu… you know how Tetsu gets sometimes.”

Momo nods in understanding. “You do know him best, Kendo-san.” The shine of her teal eyes, how her finger twirled ‘round her vermilion hair, and how she can’t stop smiling doesn’t escape her.

The other girl snorts and slaps her on the arm playfully. “Hey, what’s with that look? Are you… teasing me?”

“Oh, not at all!”

“Yes you are! This is so out of character for you, Ms. Prim-and-Proper. Since when have you acted like a charm school delinquent, huh?”

“I only calmly regarded how… radiant you seemed speaking with Tetsutetsu-san, that’s all!”

“Whatever, Yaoyorozu,” the redhead counters playfully. “Is this a takes-one-to-know-one kind of thing? You’re the one who’s ridiculously perky these past couple of weeks, you know.”

“... I don’t know what you’re talking about.” Momo begins, putting her nose up in the air haughtily. Isn’t it unfair how Kendo easily changes the subject of scrutiny from herself to Momo? They were talking about her obvious affection for Tetsutetsu, and now… “And we aren’t talking about me, we’re talking about--”

Kendo’s gaze is a little too investigatory, and she finds herself avoiding her gaze altogether. “We can tell, you know. Smiling all the time? Literally bouncing when you’re talking to anyone and everyone? Humming Mariah Carey’s Emotions, on loop?”

Momo sputters, “It’s a good song!”

“Yeah. Honenuki tells me that he and Todoroki have that song stuck in their heads for an entire week now ‘cause of you.”

Oh. So that explains the pained look on Honenuki-san’s face whenever Momo comes in. Has she really been humming that song all the time? But it’s a good song, a classic. Anyone can fight her on that.

“Whatever it is… you got it bad, girl.” Kendo ignores how Momo’s ponytail starts twitching tensely as the accusation comes forth. “Even Best Jeanist asked me if I knew why you’re acting strangely.”

Momo freezes and starts to fret. She thinks she did a good job of separating her silly, dreamy adolescent feelings from her work facade, but apparently she hasn’t, if their infamous training officer has noticed a change in her. “Dr. Hakamata noticed something? Oh, did he comment on how I lack confidence again? Or maybe he wants to give me more duties, because I’m not doing very well?”

The redhead gives her an odd look. “No, of course not Yaoyorozu! Actually, it’s the opposite. He likes how you’re suddenly so… bright and positive and decisive.”

Momo can’t keep her surprise hidden. She feels her ponytail twitch upward happily. Kendo notices and stifles a giggle.

“He actually asked me if anything good happened to you. Like, if you won the lottery or something. But I’m sure it isn’t the lottery, since I’m sure you have like a pile of inherited gold doubloons hidden somewhere in your room--”

She most certainly does not have gold doubloons in her room. She isn’t a pirate or a dragon with a hoarding complex. But Momo has invested in gold before. She chooses not to clarify that point for her.

“--whatever it is, he says you should keep it up. Aren’t you glad, Yaoyorozu? Best Jeanist practically gave you his blessing to keep seeing this mystery person of yours~”

Momo can’t keep her face from flushing when she sputters, “That’s not--Dr. Hakamata doesn’t know about--”

“About what? Or… whomst?” The neurologist gives her a little eyebrow-wiggle of her own. “You’re thinking of a specific face in your head now, aren’t you?”

“No-one! Really, Kendo-san!” She’s relieved that Kendo doesn’t have a mind-reading quirk, because the face of a certain blonde cafe owner that flashed out of nowhere in her traitorous mind would be misinterpreted as cold, hard evidence of her outrageous claims. “I think we should start discussing these cases, please? We have a long day ahead of us!”

“Mhm.” Kendo shrugs and says nothing more about the subject. The mischievous grin on the other doctor’s face doesn’t go away, though, and Momo knows that she isn’t off the hook. “So about Mr. S in room 504-A…”

Kendo starts to discuss the new referrals eloquently and seriously. With a laser-precision focus, Momo pushes all the silly love-struck soundtracks and explosives to the back of her mind.

Momo is correct. It ends up being a long day. And even though she doesn’t have night duty that day, the evening rush is over by the time she finishes everything and steps out of the hospital. As is her habit for the past couple of weeks, she looks both ways and crosses the street and quietly peeps through the windows of the NTG Cafe.

The lights are dimmed. The little wooden signage that hangs at the glass door reads Closed. Momo sees Kaminari at the far end of the cafe, rearranging the last of the tables and chairs and then disappearing at the back.

She sighs. Of course she didn’t make it. It’s eleven in the evening on a busy weeknight, and people should be going home to rest by this hour. They all have a full day ahead of them tomorrow.

Well--it’s not so bad. As a direct result of her being so ‘bright and positive and decisive,’ as Kendo-san eloquently put it, for the past few days she was able to finish work earlier and to make it minutes before the cafe closed. And because of that, she has been able to see Bakugou-san more frequently. So she’s only a little down when she decides that it’s all right that she isn’t seeing him tonight, for once, and decides to go home to her apartment.

As she turns around to leave though, the door chime sounds behind her. “Hey. Ponytail,” a familiar rumble calls out to her, sending a shiver down her spine.

She turns around, trademark ponytail swishing behind her. “I have a name, Bakugou-san.”

Despite her stern response, she can’t stop the smile breaking into her face.

Bakugou has that unbearable smirk on his pretty mouth when he looks at her up and down, as he usually does when they meet. He doesn’t have his apron on anymore, and Momo is treated to the sight of him, lean and mean in a tight-enough black collared shirt and jeans. His arms are crossed, showing off those strong arms of his, the sleeves of his shirt struggling to contain them, and she’s so sure that if she leapt into him right now he’d be able to…

Momo internally reprimands herself for still not being used to this sight after 2 weeks of exposure

“Whatever. You comin’ in?” His gruff voice interrupts her unladylike ogling. She snaps up to attention to look at him curiously.

“But it’s past closing time already…”

The blonde shrugs. “Never stopped you and your bottomless-pit-of-a-stomach before, Brainy.”

By this time she’s almost completely immune to his natural predilection for profanities, even those targeted towards her. She hopes she isn’t bouncing her way inside when she obliges.

Bakugou leads the way to their usual spot near the counter, orders her to sit down, and disappears out back. Kaminari, already clad in his casual clothes, ambles his way up to her with his backpack, evidently ready to go home. He greets her with a wiggle of two short blonde brows. “Hey, doc~ You’re here a little later than usual. How’s the hospital?”

“Oh, busy. But nothing that I can’t handle. Thank you for asking, Kaminari-san!”

“Aren’t you bright and bouncy, Yaomomo! Man, you have no idea how starved I am for a pretty face--it’s just me and Baku-boss the entire day, and I’m just about to lose hope in the human race…”

She giggles. It’s always hard to keep one’s composure around the jocular Kaminari-san, but she tries her best. “Oh, I can only imagine. And the cafe has been busy lately, right? But you seem to be doing a good job.”

“Thanks! You’re the only one who thinks that!” He makes a face, hears Bakugou coming out from the back again, and exaggerates the said face. “Did you hear what Dr. Yaomomo said, Baku-boss? She said I was doing a good job! You should give me a raise--”

“Didn’t hear a fuckin’ thing,” he grumbles as he places the tray on their table. “But, I should give you a fuckin’ deduction for what you did to the fuckin’ toilet, Pika-shit. Thanks for remindin’ me.”

“Whey. This is abuse,” he sighs dramatically amidst Momo’s giggles. And then, a look of concern on his face. “But hey, you’re going home soon, right, Baku-boss? I mean… you know we can’t keep Dr. Yaomomo for too long here…”

The odd, careful tone in his voice doesn’t go past Momo unnoticed. Bakugou doesn’t look up to meet his gaze. “Yeah it’s fine.”

“You sure?” Strangely insistent and gentle to the point of being parental, Kaminari leers comically close to his boss’s face and narrows his empty eyes. “We got a full day tomorrow, boss, and it’s way past your bedtime--”

“Fuckin’--what are you, my mom?! I said it’s fine!” He shoves the shorter blonde’s face away with one strong hand, making the latter yelp and discharge a few shocks from his head. “Now get the fuck outta here. I’ll take care of the rest.”

“Okay~ You two take care, I guess.” The concern in his face is completely gone, making Momo wonder if she was just imagining things. Kaminari salutes her with his usual silly grin and double thumbs-up. “Y’all have fun now! Good night!”

“Good night, Kaminari-san,” says Momo, with a gentle wave of the hand. When he disappears, she shifts her attention to Bakugou, who has already grumpily fallen into his seat across from her. “Is… this really okay, Bakugou-san? He seems worried for you…”

“Tch,” he begins, as grumpy as is the norm. “Don’t mind that dopey fucker, a’ight? I told you it’s fine.”

She stares at him quietly. There are circles dimming the undersides of his eyes, and a very subtle droop in his shoulders as he sets the plates in front of her. But his eyes are fully awake and alert, and when he reaches over to grab her hand and push the cutleries in her palm, as always, his hands are as strong and fiery hot as they’ve ever been.

“W… well… if you say so,” she relents. Maybe she’s looking too much into it. It is late, after all. Anyone would look tired by this time. She turns her attention to the food in front of her instead, and feels herself brightening up considerably. “Oh, Bakugou-san, it’s beautiful…”

Discs of vibrant, rainbow pasta are layered up with filling. From the light, stimulating fragrance emanating from it, Momo can only guess there’s fish, shellfish mousse, and vegetables blended and cooked perfectly within. The piece is plated artfully and tastefully on a wide plate. She feels all her senses activate her hunger centers, but also feels terrible at the prospect of cutting the dish open and ruining the aesthetic.

But the feeling doesn’t last long when she takes the first bite of the meal. “Oh my… Bakugou-san…!!!”

The cafe owner snorts at her first reaction, which is to moan a little too suggestively and stomp her feet in an undignified manner. “You like that, Ponytail?” he says teasingly.

She can’t believe how good it tastes. Before she can stop herself and regulate her excitement, the praises escapes her mouth. “All the layers are exquisite! The cacciucco, the shellfish mousse, and the broccoli work so well together! And unexpectedly, the pasta balances the flavours neatly! Everything is just elegantly done!”

There’s no way that he didn’t spend hours making the dish. Either that, or he’s an actual demon in the kitchen. It won’t take a lot to convince Momo of that anymore. “You know it,” Bakugou says easily, with a self-satisfied smirk. “When have I ever given you anything that ain’t cooked to fuckin’ perfection, Ponytail?”

Never is the only answer to that question. But Momo doesn’t tell him that, because she’s perpetually worried about how big his ego is getting and how unhelpful she is in that regard.

Which reminds her… She puts down her fork, making Bakugou raise an eyebrow that she even dared to stop in the middle--really, does this man think of her as nothing but as eating machine?--and delicately pats her mouth with a napkin. “It’s delicious, as always, Bakugou-san,” she begins, when he looks like he’s about to sit up and loudly demand an explanation from her. “But I’d like to pace myself, for one. Also, I want to show you how I appreciate the meals and company you’ve given me so far…”

The mild confusion in Bakugou doesn’t go away, and grows and grows when Momo shifts in her seat to rifle through her handbag and to push a slim box into the blonde’s hands.

“The fuck is this, Ponytail?”

His odd reaction catches her off-guard. “It’s a gift, Bakugou-san.”

“It ain’t my fuckin’ birthday or anything like that, Brainy.”

“I know it isn’t,” Momo tells him humorously. Although, come to think of it, she doesn’t know when his birthday is. She takes a mental note to somehow wheedle out that information from him later. “It’s simply something to show my appreciation for you. You’ve made me these marvelous things, and I don’t think I’ve done enough to do anything for you in return…”

His face remains skeptical as he opens the package. “Memento Truffles, huh?” he says flatly. The look in his eyes is unreadable. Momo doesn’t want to think that he’s unimpressed or insulted, but the way his eyebrow raises, she isn’t sure what to think.

“Do… you not like them?” she asks carefully. She hopes her ponytail isn’t deflating too much. She’s glad that she didn’t tell him about how she has had to beg her mother to contact one of her dearest friends in Belgium to purchase and have them delivered via priority mail within the past week.

Unaware of her inner turmoil, Bakugou pops one casually in his mouth. “Hm. They’re not bad, I guess,” he says thoughtfully mid-chew.

“Not bad…??” Momo begins, affronted beyond reason. “Jacques Memoir, one of the top ten chocolatiers in the world, handcrafted these! When you bite into them, you ought to feel as if you’re simultaneously remembering all the nice chocolates you've ever eaten! Dark chocolate that is neither too sweet nor too bitter, the insides of which are soft and whipped, but do not immediately melt… toppings of Hungarian paprika, violets, wild flennel that give an unexpected punch of flavor… the pleasing, classic aesthetic that ties them altogether… is merely not bad for you, Bakugou-san?”

He listens to her affronted monologue with a self-satisfied smirk. “Yeah. I could do it better.”

The girl sputters indignantly. Bakugou almost chokes laughing at her mid-swallow. “Y-you think you can do better than one of the top ten chocolatiers in the world?!”

“Nah. I know so.” The self-satisfied smirk on his face tells Momo that he isn’t even joking and it just blows her mind how highly he thinks of himself. “What, you think I’m talkin’ shit?”

She scoffs. “You’re simply unbelievable, Bakugou-san.”

“Don’t I know it.” She only rolls her eyes at that, and he laughs again. Ugh, she should really hate it, but she can’t stop her stupid mouth from smiling when she hears it. “Anyways, this is too much for me, Ponytail. Come on. Eat.”

“Hm? Oh, but these are for you, and you only... I have to repay you somehow, for--”

He actually growls and widens his eyes like a wild animal at that remark. “I ain’t fuckin’ cookin’ you all these great meals so you could pay me for it. What do you think of me, haa? If I wanted to, I’d be chargin’ you a fortune from day one.”

Momo pauses and feels her heart squeeze. Did she just… insult him somehow? Was her gift too much, too soon? “That’s… not my intention at all,” she says quietly. “I’m sorry if the gift is too much, Bakugou-san. I’ll take note next time.”

He snorts and puts the truffles down between them. A silence envelops them, with Momo half-heartedly poking through the rest of the dish, and Bakugou staring right at her with searching ruby eyes.

“If you want to give me a gift that bad, Ponytail--”

She snaps her head a little too quickly to look at him.

A mischievous glint is in his eyes. They look challenging, somehow. “Make me something.”

She blinks. “Um… I can’t cook, Bakugou-san…”

He sneers at her. “You know, somehow I guessed that.” Momo pouts at him, but cannot contest the point any further. “But that’s not what I fucking meant.”

She tilts her head curiously at him. “So… make something? Oh, like a collage or a papier-mache? Oh, I’d love to, I have so many ideas--”

“No! You fuckin’ nerd!” Momo hates how easy it is to make him laugh at her expense. “I meant, make me something with your fuckin’ quirk! Geez, and I thought you were supposed to be a genius…”

“Oh,” she says with a little humph. Really, he should have started with that. She wouldn’t call herself a genius, but she isn’t usually this… daft. “Well, I suppose I can make you something… what would you like?”

“Fuckin’ anything. Sky’s the limit. Come on.”

“That’s the point, Bakugou-san. If you won’t be specific, it’ll be hard for me to think up of something you would like…”

“Fine,” he says gruffly. “Make me… something that’ll remind me of you when I look at it.”

How… how could you say that so nonchalantly, Bakugou-san? With that rumble in your voice, that roguish glint in your eyes, that devil-may-care smile? Momo feels herself blushing from her neck to her scalp, and dares not open her mouth lest another undignified sound escapes from it.

Also, there’s nothing specific about his request! What is she supposed to make? She straightens her mind, forms an image in her head, breaks down the components of the object and wills it to form over her chest.

The object materializes in between her breasts; for modesty’s sake she turns around, and to her relief she senses the explosive barista turning away of his own accord. When it’s fully formed, she takes it and places it gingerly on the desk.

Bakugou shifts his gaze to the object. A smile is on his face as he slurs out, “Now that’s more like it, Ponytail.”

Matryoshka dolls are one of the first things she’s learned to make as a child, and one of her favourite things to create. She remembers telling Bakugou about it, when they talked about quirks during one of their dinners in the past week. “This isn’t like one of the dolls I’m used to making though,” she explains as she watches him open the dolls with interest, one by one. “Instead of the usual babushka designs that I tend to make, the dolls are dressed in explosive-themed dresses. Because you’re the human incarnate of a bomb.”

“I can see that,” he says, amused. The grenades look real in his hands, oddly, like they would explode into blossoms of light in his explosive grasp. “Looks like you were thinkin’ of me when you made it, huh Ponytail?”

She tries her best to say, “Yes,” without blushing further.

“Well… they’re the best grenade dolls made of fat I’ve ever seen, Dr. Ponytail. Good job.”

She stares him down in annoyance and playfully moves to snatch the dolls away from his grasp. With another obnoxious laugh, he keeps it away from her reach, stands up, and walks to the counter.

“There. Now everyone who walks in the cafe can stare at your fat and see how nice it fuckin’ looks,” he tells her with a victory smirk. “This belongs here now. No takebacks.”

Speechless, Momo can only nod weakly at him.

The night ends as it usually does, with Momo crossing the street to her home and Bakugou watching her until she reaches the lobby. She looks back at him and gives him a small wave of the hand.

Tonight is a little different, though, because for once, he waves back--no hesitations, no pretenses. He walks back to the cafe, lights shutting behind him, and Momo is absolutely stunned.

She can’t stop the smile forming on her lips, or stop the impulse to hug herself and roll around her bed like a teenaged girl when she makes it up to her condo unit.

Perhaps it was the next day during a short lull in her busy workday when Momo receives a phone call from an old friend.

“Hey, Dr. Momo! So you’re alive after all!”

Momo smiles down at the phone. “Satou-san! Oh, it has been a while, hasn’t it?”

“It is. You haven’t been visiting us for sometime now. I feel like you’ve been having an affair with a different cafe!” Chef Satou Rikido uses his best hurt voice, but it’s still playful and makes Momo giggle.

“Stop, please,” Momo says lightly. She keeps her mouth decidedly shut about his accusation of having an affair with a different cafe. “But you are right, Satou-san. I haven’t been visiting for some time now… I really should, shouldn’t I?”

Satou hums from the other end. “Well, I sure hope you do, doc. I actually called to ask if you were going to make it on Friday.”

Momo blinks once, and then rapidly when realization dawns on her. “Oh my… Friday is that night already?”

The chef makes an affirmative noise. “Yep! Satou’s Coffees and Cakes Farewell Party! All of our patrons and favorite customers are welcome! And you really are one of our favourites--you know, Hagakure’s sad that you haven’t been going, and she’s going to throw a tantrum if you don’t show up on Friday…”

“Oh! Of course I’ll be there, Satou-san!” She stares at the calendar on the office wall--good, she doesn’t have to stay the night then. “You can count on me! Please, tell Tooru-san and Koda-san to save some of the chiffon cake for me!”

“That’s great! I’m glad, Dr. Momo. We gotta see you before we leave for Paris, eh?”

“... We?” asks Momo curiously. As far as she knows, Satou is going to Paris by himself for further training as a patissier.

“That’s about it! I’ll see you Friday, then!”

Not knowing the meaning of the cryptic message, Momo shrugs and makes it through the work day, until the rest of the week passes by in its usual blur and it’s already Friday. She finished a little later than she’d like, but she needs to show up to Satou’s.

With a bottle of rose champagne, she enters the familiar, homey interiors of Satou’s Coffees and Cakes.

The bell hanging over the door announces her arrival. She sees the party already beginning at one of the reserved areas of the restaurant. About twenty people are already there, passing bottles and hors d’oeuvres around.

She makes her way inside--at the center of the room, a commotion is already going on, and seeing the character involved, she quickly understands why.

“Satou Rikido!!! The star patissier of the Musutafu Culinary Academy’s deplorable class A!” Monoma Neito, of Monoma’s Boulangerie et Patisserie, is dramatically wailing as he always does. He’s got a half-filled glass of wine in one hand, and a half-empty bottle of fine Cabernet Sauvignon in the other. His face is already flushed pink, likely from the alcohol. “Again! I prove my superiority to you!!! All that you’re going to learn in Paris, I already know like the back of my hand!”

A cacophony of drunken hoots and boos and sneers emanate from the crowd. Satou, however, only looks mildly amused at his declaration. “I know, Monoma. No-one’s as good as you when it comes to French cuisine.”

More boos. Momo recognizes Sero Hanta’s voice from the crowd, “No way! Team Satou all the way, baby!!! Monoma, your orange chiffon cake sucks!”

“Silence, you plebe!” Monoma makes a grandiose gesture--some of his wine spills in the process--and again points one finger at Satou. “Listen here, Satou! Our rivalry is only put on hold! Once you train abroad and come back, you’ll have no further excuses! I’ll be able to prove once and for all that Monoma’s makes better pastries! So you better come back, and--”

His tirade is cut short when Satou laughs and takes him in a surprise bear hug that takes all the air out of him. “Yeah, yeah. I’ll miss you too, buddy! It’ll be lonely baking without you yelling across the street!”

The crowd goes aaaaw!!!, and the suddenly speechless and blushing Monoma can only freeze and bristle like a confused cat before awkwardly returning the hug.

Momo covers her mouth at how cute the scene is. While it was stressful to watch the first time she saw it, she’s going to miss the noisy rivalry between Monoma and Satou. Her visits at Monoma’s will surely be quieter for the next few years…

A glass of sparkling wine is under her nose in the next moment. Blinking, she turns to see a floating pink-and-purple dress next to her, accompanied by a cute voice. “Dr. Yaomomo!!! You finally made it!”

“Hagakure-san!” They hug each other warmly. Momo takes the glass from her. “I apologize for being late! It got really busy at work.”

“We guessed as much! But I’m happy that one of the world’s best neurosurgeons made it to our little party!”

“No, not at all,” Momo begins weakly, but trails off when Satou spots them and comes up to them. “Oh, Satou-san, congratulations!”

“Thanks! Wow, you really made it, Dr. Momo!” He gives her a bear hug, which also knocks the wind out of her, and takes the bottle of champagne from her. “This sure is fancy, doc. This for us?”

“Of course! Apart from saying goodbye, we have plenty to celebrate… after all, you’re going to work with one of the top chefs of Paris! It’s a big deal!”

Satou laughs heartily. “I can think of other important things that deserves a fancy drink such as this.”

Momo blinks curiously at him and looks at Hagakure, who also appears confused, judging by how her sleeves are shrugging. But before she can ask what he means, Satou is already calling everyone’s attention by tapping his wine glass with one strong finger. “Everyone! May I have your attention please!”

The people in the room simultaneously turn quiet and turn to stare at them. As they give their attention to Satou, Momo takes the opportunity to scan the faces in the crowd. Sero Hanta, one of the nurses from Hosu Gen’s pediatrics ward, is standing next to Aoyama Yuuga from ICU. Some of Monoma’s staff, namely assistant pastry chefs Kinoko Komori and Tsuburaba Kosei, are both trying to steady their obviously inebriated boss. Their occasional part-timer, Rin Hiryuu is also there, quietly standing next to a frowning man with a camera. She’s able to recognize Tsunotori Pony, the prominent businesswoman from Texas who invested in both Satou’s and Monoma’s, looking on with mild interest.

Both Kirishimas are also there. She sees Mina pausing mid-chortle to listen to the announcement. And under Kirishima Eijirou’s arm is an obviously disgruntled and partially uncomfortable…

“... Bakugou-san?” she whispers out loud.

The explosive man is at the other end of the room, surely out of earshot, but looks up at her bewildered whisper. When red eyes meet black ones, his mood visibly shifts. That trademark devilish grin of his makes it to his mouth and catches her off guard.

Momo tries not to look to happy at this unexpected meeting, and busies herself by drinking her wine a little too quickly.

When the room has completely quieted down, Satou begins to speak. “First of all, thank you for coming to my humble little gathering… tonight, as you know, is the last time that I’ll have all of you here to eat my food as customers and friends!”

Momo hears the audience make a variety of sad sounds, especially Hagakure beside her, who starts sniffling. But she can’t concentrate, not when Bakugou is staring at her like that…

“... well, at least the last time until I get back in three or so years,” Satou adds with a laugh. “I’d like to thank you all for coming to celebrate with me. It truly has been a pleasure serving you all for the past five years--”

… and her, staring back at Bakugou like that. Perhaps. It’s his fault. Momo hasn’t ever seen him wear anything other than his work clothes. And to suddenly appear before her without warning, wearing a black button-down shirt, with the top two buttons undone and the sleeves rolled up, showing off his nice arm--and those dark jeans, different from the looser, mildly distressed ones he wears to work--

“--and I’ll never forget all of your support and… sheesh, I’m not really good at these speeches.” Satou cuts his speech short, to a comical effect, and raises his glass amidst chortles from the audience. “Cheers!”

“Cheers!” Momo almost misses the cue, and attempts to take a sip from her glass, only to find herself drinking empty air.

Bakugou notices. He looks like he’s about to burst from laughter. She gives him a stern look, but again tries her best not to smile too much.

Ah, but it’s a little hard. She might have drunk her wine a little too quickly after all. And on an empty stomach too. She’s light-headed and bubbly and teetering on the edge of embarrassing. She focuses away from his piercing gaze and back to the man of the hour.

“But that’s not all I want to celebrate.” Satou begins again. “I also want to celebrate my co-workers for being with me for the past five years--Hagakure-san! Koda-kun! Come up here, won’t ya?”

Hagakure stammers next to Momo. She’s able to catch the server’s meek ‘what’s going on?’ before the smaller woman bounces her way next to Satou. Koda, the quieter server, doesn’t look as confused when he walks up to the chef, but looks quite nervous all the same.

“So as many of you know, Koda-kun won’t be in the restaurant business for very long,” Satou says, patting the large man on the back. “He’s finally about to finish his Veterinary Medicine degree, like he’s always wanted to! Everyone, say Congratulations, Dr. Koda!”

“Congratulations, Dr. Koda!” everyone chants, to which the anxious animal doctor signs his thanks frantically.

“Now… as for Hagakure Tooru-san.” Satou turns to her with a playful smile. “You haven’t told any of us your plans after Satou’s closes down tomorrow, right?”

Hagakure falters. If Momo could see her face, she’s sure that she has a sad smile on her face then. “Th… that’s because I don’t have any plans at all, Satou-san--I mean, this is my first and only job, and I really like it very much, and--”

There’s a break in her voice, and Momo is sure that she’s trying her hardest not to cry. The audience makes a simultaneous sad aaaaw. Satou pats her on the back with a large hand and looks at her warmly. “Then… if it’s okay with you, Hagakure… I have a proposal for you.”

It happens very quickly--one moment she’s looking up at him, confused and speechless, and in the next moment she’s looking slightly downward when he falls on one knee in front of her, and everyone else.

“Uwa~~???!” She cries comically, as suddenly Koda brings a violin out of nowhere, playing a touching rendition of Love Me Like You Do. Someone flips a switch somewhere, and rose petals suddenly float from the ceiling, all around the invisible girl who’s mesmerized beyond words.

“Hagakure Tooru,” Satou attempts, as he holds up a little velvet box in his large hands, presenting it in front of the girl and her incomprehensible sobbing, “We’ve known each other for the past five years… you changed my life for the better… so if you would do me the honor of going to Paris with me, as man and--”

She screeches excitedly and practically throws herself at Satou. “Yes! I will, Satou-san! I will! Yes!!!”

“Let him ask the frickin’ question, Hagakure!” Someone yells from the audience, amidst all the clapping and cheering.

“Shut up! I’m getting married!!! And going to PARIS!!!” Hagakure retorts loudly, much to everyone’s laughter. She’s literally beaming, she’s so happy she’s covering the entire room in flashes of light, and the party has to continue cheering and drinking their wines with their eyes closed.

Momo feels tears stinging her eyes--she isn’t sure if it’s her overwhelming happiness for the happy couple, or if it’s all the light getting into her eyes. It doesn’t last very long, but the flashes are enough to make her dizzy. As her eyes are closed, she feels a familiar warm hand enclose around hers, and in the next moment she’s being dragged to somewhere else.

She opens her eyes when cold air hits the bare skin of her shoulders. The first thing she sees is the night sky and the bright full moon calmly glowing within the darkness. The stars that are visible against the city lights are few and far in between, but still they glow brightly and beautifully, unaware of the mess of life below them.

“Fuckin’ finally.” The rumble creeps up to her ear and crawls right into her thumping chest. “I got you where I want you.”

She smiles as quietly as her heart will allow her. “Good evening to you too, Bakugou-san.”

His blonde hair glows ethereally under the scant light of the sky. He’s close to her, close enough that she sees the shadow of his lashes on his cheeks. “Yeah. Good evening or whatever, Dr. Ponytail.”

“I didn’t know you were invited as well.” She takes two careful steps backward, increasing the distance between them. She doesn’t know why she wants to, why it suddenly feels so dangerous to have Bakugou close to her. “And I didn’t know that you were close to Kirishima-san, as well--”

“Yeah. Diabetes invited a lot of other cafe owners. You've seen that other blonde psycho," he says, pointing his thumb at the cacophony inside. "And Shitty-Hair’s a guy from my high school. Still fuckin’ clingy after all these years…”

No remorse at all for the terrible nicknames he’s given everyone. Momo gives him another stern look, and he leers right back at her. “Really, Bakugou-san. Is it so difficult for you to call people by their given names? You know, come to think of it… I’ve never heard you call me by my actual name since we met!”

“So?”

“So… do you just have terrible manners, or a terrible memory for names?”

“Definitely the first one,” Bakugou replies brashly. “My memory’s awesome, thank you very much.”

Momo humphs. “I highly doubt that. I’m willing to bet that you call people by those terrible nicknames based on appearances because remembering things is something you’re bad at. And you don’t want to admit it, because you hate being bad at something. I’m willing to wager that you can’t even remember what you had for breakfast.”

“French toast and OJ,” he answers easily. And then, with that dangerous grin on his face, continues. “Try again… Yaoyorozu Momo.”

Oh… no.

She feels herself freeze under his searing hot gaze. Her mouth moves, but all she’s able to manage is a meek bite of the lower lip.

“What? Why you lookin’ at me like that… Momo?”

“I beg your pardon?”

Ridiculous. Simply ridiculous. Just the mention of her own name in his voice, and already it does things to her insides that are hard to describe. She fights to keep her gaze steady, her mouth in a straight, unaffected line. She knows it isn’t working, because he’s smiling and sauntering closer and closer, and she isn’t moving away.

Please, Momo, get a hold of yourself--

“You heard me.” She’s flustered, and he knows she is, and he isn’t stopping. “You’re starin’ at me like…”

That smile, that awful, awful, smile. Momo struggles for a witty remark. “Like what, Bakugou-san?” is all she’s able to manage, in a voice that’s too breathy for her own.

“Katsuki.”

She blinks.

“If you’re gonna whine about using names, I’m gonna call you Momo from now on,” he tells her--tells her, not asks, as a man like him is wont to do. “But you gotta call me Katsuki in return. Aight?”

“All right,” she says. She straightens herself, looks at him right in the eye. “Katsuki-san.”

He clicks his tongue. “Fuck no, what am I, your fuckin’ supervisor? Try again.”

She giggles. “I apologize. Then… Katsuki.”

He smiles. “That’s more like it.”

He’s standing close to her still--one more step forward, and he’d have her cornered against one of the tables out in the garden. He’d be so close, if he pushed her just a little bit, she’d fall over it. And he’d have to catch her in those arms, he’d have to lift her up and over the table, wedge himself between her legs, and then he’d be close enough to crush his lips against hers, and--

And whatever it is, Momo would let him, would let him get his hands all over her hair, her bare skin, her face--

No, Momo, have mercy on yourself oh my god! She takes another step around the table, distancing herself away from the man and his heady scent. Too much, Momo, too much. Calm down.

Surely he isn’t like that… She’s sure he’s different, this Bakugou Katsuki. They’re merely friends, one of them a little more inebriated than the other, perhaps. Their odd relationship is the reverse of many poor experiences with men she's had in the past, where she's treated as nothing more as an object of their desire.

And now here she is, thirsting for him in her mind, rather shamelessly and one-sidedly at that. She reprimands herself for her debauched thoughts, again, and clears her throat for some clarity.

A quiet falls over them in the next moment. There’s a bottle of wine on the garden table next to them, with two glasses. A nice, benign set-up, between friends who like to talk and eat and drink together. She gestures for them to sit down, and he obliges.

“I suppose since there’s wine, it’s only logical for us to drink it,” she tells him as she moves to pour into two glasses. Before she is able to fill his, he stops her with one hand.

“I don’t drink. Don’t fuckin’ force me to,” he says sharply.

“Oh… I’m sorry, I didn’t realize.” So it really is just her with alcohol to blame for any form of candour. She puts the wine aside and leaves him with an empty glass.

“But if you want to drink, I ain’t stoppin’ ya from getting shitfaced,” he continues. He cradles his head against one hand and stares at her with interest. “Don’t make me carry you home though. I ain’t a princess carriage or anything.”

She sticks her nose up in the air. “I know my limits.”

“If you say so… Momo.”

#bakumomo #yaoyorozu momo #bakugou katsuki #bnha fic #cafe/hospital AU #is thirsty momo too thirsty or #is this amount of thirst justifiable

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vminity21 · 5 years

Note

I just would like to say I ABSOLUTELY love your blog! You are a talented writer! Can I request a drabble with Jimin? Like the reader and him meet on a rooftop and hangout all night and end up falling for each other. Like super flirty and fluffy lol Anyways I love you!! I hope you have a great night ❤❤

i live for Jimin Fluffs so lemme relive posting this imagine

ROOFTOP WISHES

Pairing: Jimin X Reader

Word Count: 1.2k

Genre: Fluff

Exhaustion exhibits from every ounce of your frame, sluggishly you walk into your apartment, freeing yourself from your tear-stained scrubs and shuffling into a pair of yoga pants and a loose sweatshirt trying to smile through the long workday regardless of the scenarios you witness daily as an ICU nurse. Running a hand through your hair, you decide last minute to run to your favorite spot, find some serenity for the evening, and with a turn of a heel, you grab your keys, the jingle of them echoing in the breeze until you make it safely in the driver's seat.

The rooftop. One nestled above a bustling restaurant with dimly lit décor, stringed lights shine along the railings revealing woven, cushioned chairs circling around a wooden table; red cloth adorns certain areas to bring a romantic feel to the atmosphere reflecting the glimmering stars blanketing the city in the dead of night. The cool breeze wisps along your figure as you make your way to the elevator, singing along with whatever song is playing, swaying your hands with the beat until you make it to the top floor.

Stepping onto the pavement, you remember a painting that you created for inspiration of this place. Just the soothing feel of the atmosphere envelops you in a blanket of peace, you settle into one of the seats, your eyes never leaving the view of the sky above. Constellations stare down at you, your fingers moving to fiddle with the locket resting around your neck, soon turning to silence your ringer on your cellphone, also admiring the lock screen of your gray cat, Ninja, before placing your phone face down on the table in front of you.

Tonight is a night where you refuse to let the stress of work overcome you. Instead, you promise yourself to think about the anime convention visiting your city soon; one you and your friends, Taehyung and Jungkook plan to tackle by storm, dressing from head to toe like your favorite characters, your goal is to win the best costume for whatever money prize is offered. Laughing at yourself, you're so intrigued by the scenery around you that you hardly hear the footsteps trailing behind you.

"Well, well, well, if it isn't evil Eevee," a familiar voice bellows.

"Park Jimin!" You gasp, a hand flying to your chest, "You scared me!"

"First of all, it's Pikachu," he lifts his index finger, plopping into the chair beside you, setting his leg over his knee, "Second of all, that was the point," he leans into the chair as you shake your head at him.

"I'll get you back one of these days, you just wait," you threaten, returning to face ahead, his feathery chuckle reverberating every space of the roof bringing a pitter patter to your thudding heart. "Besides, if Eevee's evil, then what does that make you, Pikachu," you tease, "A prick?"

An 'oh' forms on his thick lips, his black hair fluffing on his forehead as his eyes widen in a playful stance. "Okay," he slumps, "that was a good one. I take it back."

"Mhmm," you smile triumphantly, your bubbly countenance winning over his heart as it always does though he has yet to voice it. "Where's Tae and Kook?" You question, "I thought you all were going to play Pokemon Go tonight," you shift just enough to be able to see his face; your eyes trailing the handsome curve of his jaw, the way he chews at the corner of his bottom lip, his shimmering, brown eyes remaining on the sky above. Jimin shrugs, lifting his sleeves further up his arms, the fabric loose on his build.

"Didn't feel up to it tonight," he admits though inwardly the real reason is he wanted to see you; him knowing the rooftop is your main spot on nice evenings like this.

Peering at him, your smile remains, "You mean Taehyung beat you again," a snicker uttering when Jimin abruptly turns to meet your eyes.

"I'll have you know that I've had the top score for three weeks now-,"

"He found Mew, didn't he,"

"Damnit, [Y/N], listen I was in the shower," the two of you cackle, Jimin's eyes disappearing from when he leans forward, trying to catch his breath from his shaking shoulders, multiple squeaks uttering from his laughter. "I was positive Jungkook would catch Mew to be honest. That kid stayed up 24 whole hours," you incredulously shake your head in amusement, chuckles still escaping momentarily, and when you lean to nudge Jimin's wrist with yours, you notice how close he is from what you realized.

"Did he cry?" You joke erupting, even more, chortles from Jimin.

"Posted it on Snapchat," Jimin waves his phone in the air, the laughter hardly dimming, and without registering, Jimin's arm is brushing yours, the two of you leaning on the sides of the chairs that touch; Jimin's hand is so close that the desire to feel his fingers interlace with yours has never been so strong. Little do you know he's staring at you, wishing he could read your mind; wishing he could find the bravery to verbally express how he feels about you; how your smile lights up his entire world every single time he sees it. He barely catches himself- seeing the way the moon shines among your skin reflecting the glistening assemblage of stars resonating in your eyes, or the way your curly hair sways with the light breeze- the words spill from his mouth before he can comprehend it.

"You're so perfect," he whispers.

You're nearly frozen, questioning if you heard him right, your eyes enlarging when you meet his timid gape. Rendered speechless, your lips part, your eyes flickering back and forth as you search his eyes, the feelings you've managed to hide wanting to roll off your tongue without a second thought.

"Jimin," you whisper, looking down to fill his empty hand with yours, his fingers soft as they intertwine, palms pressing together in a perfect fit as if the two of you were made just for each other. You can hardly repress the bundle of nerves traveling through your quivering frame; butterflies fluttering within your stomach. When light fingertips graze your chin, your worries dissipate, Jimin tenderly lifting your face to where he can see all your beauty from the inside and out; both your hearts hammering in unison, sounds from the world completely drowned as the two of you get lost in only each other, forgetting about any fears that may have prevented a moment such as this.

Jimin inches closer, you shut your eyes letting the plush feel of his kiss awaken the soaring feeling now exuberating from your soul. He pulls away just enough to rest his forehead on yours, his finger tracing your jaw before he closes the small distance once more, stealing your lips in the sweetest motion, his hand moving to stroke your cheek while you let him give you the escape you have always dreamed of only having with him. The pent-up emotion lifts off both your shoulders into the starry night where it will be lost forever; for now, Jimin kissing you so lovingly beneath the stars in your favorite place of tranquility, you will never be afraid to show him how you feel.

"So," Jimin pulls away, a nervous smile evident, "Does this make up for all the times I said Eevee was evil? Or, the time I accidentally fed Ninja a milk bone?"

Your hands rest on his forearms as boisterous laughter leaves your smile, "Yes, Jimin," you beam at him, his smile so wide your heart nearly bursts, "Now, shut up and kiss me!"

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rememberthattime · 5 years

Text

Chapter 47. Fiji

I was born on May 13, 1989. I don’t remember much about the day, but from pictures, it looked like a great time. My parents were celebrating, there were balloons, someone brought a children’s Chicago Cubs baseball set.

Today is my 30th birthday, so I’m reflecting … looking back all the way to the very start.

It’s interesting to imagine my mom & dad’s thoughts in that delivery room 30 years ago. They must have been terrified by the responsibility of raising a toddler (I would be), but also excited for their new son’s future. What will he grow up to be? Where will he live? What will he do? Their dreams for me had to be bigger than their 1980’s hair.

In the least dramatic way I can say this: they couldn’t have predicted where I’d end up 30 years later.

Birthdays are important to celebrate, but especially milestone birthdays. This is mainly Chelsay’s influence speaking, but I agree with her: milestone birthdays are ones you’ll always remember. 15 years from now, we’ll think back and ask: “What did we do for your 30th birthday?” ... I won’t let that be an ordinary memory. Life is busy though, so it’s tough to carve out a day for festivities, let alone plan them. Even a month ago, Chelsay and I didn’t know how we’d be celebrating. Chels had plans in motion, but my work complicated things by scheduling meetings in Atlanta the week before. My trip back to Sydney would require 24 hours of flights, so would we still be up for a big celebration? The answer is Yes. I’m not 70, and I just said milestone birthdays were important, so we’re making this happen. Work would pay for me to get from ATL back to SYD via any route, so Chels and I started looking for convenient connecting destinations. Hong Kong, Tokyo, Patagonia, and Hawaii were all considered, but in the end, we found the perfect blend of celebration, relaxation, adventure, and convenient flights in Fiji. Fiji is a county made up of 330 islands, and each island chain has its own unique characteristics. Viti Levu is the main island and home to Nadi Airport, but most tourists don’t stay here. Near Viti Levu are the Mamanucas, small sandy dots amongst the expansive blue. The Mamanucas are stunning, but they’re typically more resort-y and popular with nearby Aussies & Kiwis. Then there are the Yasawas, where Chelsay and I chose to stay. The Yasawas are further from the mainland, and their remoteness means their less touristy.

This is a double-edged sword though, because less tourists means there’s less tourist infrastructre, so finding a comfortable option would take some research. We eventually decided on Paradise Cove, which perfectly balanced vacation comforts (comfy bed, outdoor shower, and excellent food, which can’t be understated on a remote island) with a sense of wild adventure (fewer guests, great snorkelling, and hiking paths around the large island).

I nailed my meetings in Atlanta, so my birthday weekend was off to a good start even before boarding the plane. For the next 24 hours of flights, I had nothing to worry about - just enjoying a few movies and catching up on sleep. Chelsay and I met up in the Nadi Airport after extremely disproportionate flight times (hers was only 4 hours), and caught a ferry to Paradise Cove. Seaplanes were an option, but they were 5x the price and this wasn’t our honeymoon. The other advantage of the ferry is that it allowed us to see the different Fijian islands up close. Viti Levu and the Mamanucas were very nice, but Chelsay and I knew we’d made the right choice as we arrived in the less crowded Yasawas.

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We were in heaven as we stepped onto the sandy beaches of Paradise Cove. A jungle of palm trees lined the beach, at first hiding the resort before eventually revealing a dream island getaway: shaded cabanas, pool-side lounge chairs, and a bar concocting frozen, fruity treats.

The pineapple on top of this pina colada was that Chelsay told the resort it was both of our birthdays, so they upgraded our villa and outfitted it with balloons and welcome drinks. As birthday surprises go, drinks on a beach in Fiji was pretty good.

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After drinks on the beach, scuba diving wasn’t really an option, so we decided to snorkel in Paradise Cove’s house reef. I was really surprised by its color. It was just last week that I wrote about the scale of the Great Barrier Reef... but out in the middle of the Pacific, Fiji’s immense soft coral, highlighter vibrancy, and sea life abundance were incredible.

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Now, it was inevitable that jet lag would catch up to me. Atlanta is 16 hours behind Fiji, and I was mentally nearing midnight. Chelsay was also dealing with severe time zone change (2 hours), so she was equally down for a nap. We gave ourselves 90 minutes but would wake up well before our 6:30 dinner. Apparently we woke up to the alarm at 5:30... I don’t remember. I guess I turned it off and only woke up once Chelsay checked her phone. 6:20. Woof. I say all this only to give you an idea of the mental state I was in over dinner. It was similar to that infamous Innsbruck dinner, where Chelsay and I giggled through our whole meal in a tired haze. After our mains, I asked Chelsay if it was time to call it a night... Despite having sour straws in the room, she insisted we stay at the restaurant for dessert. “Alright, well if we’re going to be here awhile, I need some extra bug spray.” I stumbled back to the room and, as I was re-applying, I heard singing in the distance. “Must be the ‘Kava Social’ by the fire pit,” I thought. ...These resorts always put on a show. Still in a sleepy haze, I leisurely made my way back to Chelsay. As I got closer though, I realized the singing wasn’t coming from the fire pit… it was coming from the restaurant. I turned the corner and could see they were surrounding Chelsay and I’s table... and Chelsay had her hands clasped over her mouth... and they weren’t making eye contact with her... and they had a cake. OH NO! They’d been singing this whole time for me!!!! Ahhhhh-I rushed back to the table, face bright red, and started clapping along as they sang a Fijian happy birthday song. I don’t know what they sang actually... it could’ve been the alphabet. I just tried to focus on Chelsay and not on the fact that the song had been going for at least three minutes. I thought to myself, “Chelsay must be so embarrassed!” And then I thought, “Oh no everyone thinks I was taking a shit!” The song finally wrapped up, and the waiters were laughing with Chelsay and I. They accusingly pointed out that it was the longest they’ve ever had to sing happy birthday… “Guys, I swear, I was putting on more bug spray!” Luckily a nearby couple caught the awkwardness of camera.

The next morning, Chelsay and I had scheduled back-to-back dives. We’ve been diving quite a bit recently, but it was still fun to float around the bottom of the ocean. Much like the local humans, Fijian fish seemed incredible friendly: the sea life was very comfortable with divers, staring back at Chelsay and I from only a few inches away.

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After our dives, Chels and I took a 1.5 hour hike around the island, stopping at a secluded beach for private snorkelling. Along the hike, the resort had set up a few small exercise stations. One station was a tire flip... like what NFL prospects train with. This is probably why all the Polynesian players are so big. Anyway, Chelsay challenged me to flip it and I did so without difficulty. It must not have looked hard, because Chelsay confidently stepped up to try it herself. She bent down, grabbed the tire, lifted from her legs for less than one millisecond, and walked away with nothing but a “Nope.”

At dinner that night, first of all, there were no birthday song surprises. Second, we had phenomenal steak with a spread of beetroot, pea, and garlic purée. It was exceptional, as was every meal we ate at Paradise Cove. This can’t be overstated. I mentioned earlier that food in many Yasawan islands is poor, often limited to rice and fries. These resorts just aren’t prepared to meet all vacation comforts... Paradise Cove was ready though. Over our three days, we enjoyed tasty local kokoda, beef lettuce wraps, coconut crusted chicken, and their many fresh catches of the day.

The next morning, Chelsay and I joined a snorkel excursion through a nearby island channel. In Fiji, these channels serve as a funnel for pods of manta rays, which are probably my favorite non-dog animal. See, ever since our failed hunt for mantas in the Maldives, I’ve had an appreciation for how hard they are to find. Even though we’ve since seen entire pods of mantas, I’ll always jump at the slightest chance to see another. Our boat between the two islands, and the guide jumped in the water. He wore a weight belt so that he could sink down where the mantas swim, which I only mention because I want to remember how easily he descended 10 meters (30 feet), sitting in the dark blue for 2 minutes before resurfacing. This guy is a fish. On the other hand, Chelsay had a less graceful descent. When we scuba dived the day before, we exited the boat by sitting on the ledge, tanks over the water, and just falling backwards. The weight of the tank would naturally fall into the water and 360-degree flip you back to the surface. When snorkelling though, you don’t have the weight of the tank. Chelsay threw herself back and entered the water, but was too buoyant to complete a flip. She’d contoured herself into an arch, with her belly sticking out of the water and fins frantically trying to rotate over. She probably scared the mantas away. It took about 30 minutes of tense anticipation, but while staring down at the blue abyss, we heard the guide yell, “Manta!” Chelsay and I swam over quickly to take in the majestic giant. At around 3 meters wide, this female manta was bigger than me, yet swam with such gentle grace. Its grace is deceptive though, because it’s actually still moving quickly - between our hunt and subsequent chase, I probably swam 3 km that morning.

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Chels and I were tired when we got back to Paradise Cove, but it was our last day so we decided to snorkel the house reef one more time. It was cool to see the soft coral again, but we were pooped. I actually had to tow Chelsay back: you know, when I swim in front and my wife just holds onto my foot.

As I was towing her, we passed over a shallow part of the reef but I kept powering along. Suddenly, Chelsay let go of my foot and started slapping the water. I stopped in my tracks, unsure what she was freaking out about. She swam off, so I followed, and it wasn’t until we’d gotten to shore that she told me what it was: apparently a venomous white-banded sea snake popped out and launched within 1.5 ft of me. That was enough sea life for this trip, so we spent the rest of the day on the resort’s inflated jungle gym. We laughed, played around, and attempted backflips (key word: attempted). Just a reminder that I’d turned 30 a few days before.

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That note actually transitions well into my conclusion…

A lot of people get anxious about their 30th birthday. It isn’t a vitality thing - too early for that - but the anxiety comes more from gauging where you are vs where you thought you’d be. Life isn’t a checklist, but it’s natural to have expectations for when you turn 30, 40, etc. Well, I’m writing this from my villa patio in Fiji, so I’m nailing the “Where you are” part. To answer that question less literally though, I’ll instead consider “Where I am” against Chelsay and I’s life motto, something we wrote in our wedding vows: “We’ll never let age get in the way of our youth.” This is perfect motto for age-related milestones because youth isn’t a concept tied to age. It isn’t chapter in your life that just fades away. It’s a mindset, and it’s one you can measure whether you’re 5, 20, 30, 40, or 80. To be youthful is to be energetic, playful, and optimistic. Now I’m technically 30, but this milestone age doesn’t bother me. “Where I am” is energetic enough to swim with Mantas, playful enough to laugh at awkward cake situations and splash around on an inflatable jungle gym, and optimistic enough to make a celebratory Fiji weekend happen despite all of life’s complexities. I’m not worried about turning 30, because after the past weekend, I know I’m as youthful as I’ve ever been.

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miissmr · 6 years

Text

I Said Loved

@foreveryoungxxoo wanted someone to write something angsty for Rucas based on the song Marry Me by Thomas Rhett. (BTW, I love this song now!) I couldn’t sleep, so I thought I’d give it a go. I had no idea what you had in mind, but this is what I came up with. I hope you enjoy. <3

word count: 2,301

Lucas didn’t think his day could get any worse—his truck didn’t start in the morning causing him to be late, he spilled his coffee all over himself on his way to work, he stepped in animal droppings, and after work, his truck had a flat tire.

He thought he would be able to relax once he was at home, but his day only seemed to worsen as he looked at an ivory envelope addressed to him. He already knew what was enclosed within it. Lucas had heard from Zay and Farkle about Riley and a recent boyfriend. They hinted that things were getting serious, but Lucas didn’t think wedding serious because surely Riley would have mentioned it during their phone calls. Sure, they were becoming less frequent and shorter each time, but it was the only way Lucas could protect himself. Talking to Riley—hearing her voice, her laugh, hearing every little thing she shared with him on their, then hour now twenty-minute, phone calls—he knew he missed his chance with her, and it was something that haunted him, more specifically one day.

Lucas had just graduated from veterinary school, and of course, all of his friends came to Texas to celebrate his accomplishment with him. He didn’t know how he and Riley ended up slow dancing under the Texas sky, but he knew this is where he always wanted to be, with Riley. Her eyes were bright but under the moonlight their emulated magic. Magic. The moment was magically for Lucas, something out of a fairytale, and the only way to complete it was with a kiss. A kiss Lucas had dreamt about day after day, a kiss Lucas wished had happened. But, as he leaned in, a flash of panic blinded him. He couldn’t do it because there was the possibility that he was taking that step forward alone and to him, it wasn’t worth it.

As he thought back on that day (that happened a little over a year ago), he thought maybe it would have been worth it. Because maybe instead of whatever guy’s name was inscribed next to Riley’s name on the invitation, it would be his.

His phone rang shaking him out of his mind, and he doesn’t look away from the envelope as he reached into his pocket to answer it.

“Hello,” he said stoically.

“Hi, Lucas.” The voice danced in his ear. It had almost been two weeks since he last heard her voice.

“Riley, hi.”

She giggled, “Hey.”

He cleared his throat trying to calm himself as his body reacted to his favorite sound. “So…I got your invitation, your wedding invitation. W-Why didn’t you tell me that you were getting married? I mean, when did you even get engaged?”

“I thought I told you,” she nervously said. “It’s really not a big deal.”

“You’re right. It’s a huge deal. C’mon, Riley, I know you. Every single time we had movie night and if there was a wedding scene, you went on about how you wanted to get married in a field of flowers so even after the wedding the flowers can still thrive. Or, how you wanted someone that means a lot to you and the person you are marrying to peach the service. Or, how you only wanted your family and closest friends so it’s more personal.”

“Yo-you remembered that?” Riley fumbled over her words.

“I do. I remember everything about you…and Farkle and Zay,” Lucas added and immediately regretted when a deflated “oh” rang in his ear.

“Anyways,” he started again, “when’s the big day?” Lucas wanted to momentarily slap himself. “Nevermind. I have the invitation in my hand.”

She laughed softly, and Lucas found himself smiling to himself as the rhythm in his chest quickened.

“So, can I count on you being there?” Lucas wanted to make up an excuse. He didn’t think he could watch her marry another man. He always thought he would have time to make a move, to ask Riley out on a date and woo her, to make her fall in love with him the way he was in love with her.

“It would mean a lot to me if you came,” her angelic voice sang, and it was over.

“I’ll be there,” he said.

“Great. So, what animals did you save today Dr. Friar?” Lucas laughed and dropped the sealed envelope on his counter. He didn’t want to think about her walking towards another man in a wedding dress. He wanted to enjoy what short amount of time he had left talking with Riley because they had already been on the phone for four minutes, and he knew if he was lucky, he had twenty-one minutes left. And, Lucas wanted to enjoy it.

It’s been a little over three weeks since Lucas learned the news of Riley’s wedding, and he still couldn’t believe it. He was at the botanical garden were Riley would become a Mrs, and he didn’t want to accept it. He saw the small white tent pitched where Riley was with her bridesmaids getting ready for her big day. Lucas saw the groom with his groomsmen standing near the front of the aisle, and the fifty some chairs that were set in neat rows.

Lucas took in his surroundings from a distance. “She got everything she wanted,” he whispered to himself. He sighed before he reached for the flask he had tucked away in the inside pocket of his jacket. He knew he couldn’t make it through today sober, he just hoped the whiskey would numb him from the pain—but so far it hadn’t.

Mr. Matthews wasn’t the only giving Riley away today. Today, Lucas was giving away the dream of the possibility of him and Riley ever happening, and he took another swig to forget that very thought.

“Maybe you should take it easy.”

Lucas turned to see a blonde smirking at him, and he tucked the flask away. “Riley needs to talk to you,” Maya said, but all Lucas could do was shake his head. “No? What do you mean no?”

“I mean I can’t see her, Maya.”

Maya took a step forward and grabbed Lucas by his necktie, but unlike in high school, he pulled himself out of her grasp. “Okay, Huckleberry what’s wrong?”

Lucas dropped his head. He felt the tears building, but he knew if he let one fall he would open the fluid gates. He had to hold it together just for a few more hours. He would be okay—at least that is what he kept repeating over and over in his head.

“Lucas,” Maya proceeded, and Lucas heard the caution in her voice, “you love her, don’t you?”

He looked up only to be met with the sympathetic look from Maya. “I can’t talk to her. It’s wouldn’t be fair.”

“I get it. I’ll tell her-”

“Guys,” both look to the sound of the voice and see someone walking towards them wearing a dress that matched Maya’s, “Riley said it’s really important that she speaks with Lucas. She needs him,” Smackle said with urgency.

“Actually, Lucas needs-”

“It’s okay,” Lucas interrupted Maya. Lucas wasn’t sure if it was the seriousness he heard in Smackle’s voice, or if it was the second time hearing that he was needed by Riley.

“I’ll go talk to her. She needs me.”

Lucas pushed out his arm moving the flap the covered the entrance out of the way, and that was when he saw her. Her back was facing him, but she looked beautiful. Her hair fell in effortless curls. Her simple lace bodice dress fit her perfectly. It wasn’t too much, but it was enough to make the natural beauty of Riley shine.

He cleared his throat, “Yo-you look beautiful, Riley.”

She spun on her heels to face him a tender smile on her lips. “Thank you, Lucas.”

Neither one said anything for a minute, and it looked as if Lucas was the groom having his first looked at his bride to be. It was in the minute that Lucas took in her entire appearance. Her wedding veil covered her shoulders, and for a second all Lucas could think about how it would feel to inch the fabric away to place a gentle kiss on her skin. Her lips were covered with a warm red lip color. It wasn’t powerful like passion, but he knew that’s what he would feel with his lips on hers.

Riley looked absolutely perfect to Lucas.

“It’s your big day. Congratulations,” Lucas tried to sound as sincere as he could, but he wondered if she saw through him. He offered her a smile, and he hoped it reached his eyes.

“Am I making a mistake?” she whispered the question, but it screamed at Lucas.

He wanted to tell her yes. He wanted to tell her that it was him that she was meant for. He wanted to tell her he loved her and he has loved her since he met her, but he couldn’t do that to her.

He couldn’t take this day from her. She wanted to get married, and as much as he wished he was the person she wanted to marry, he wasn’t. All of this—the dress, the ceremony in the garden, the small intimate wedding—was for someone else. Riley thought of her soon to be husband while she made all of these decisions, and that is exactly what Lucas thought when he gave her his answer.

“I think only you know whether this is a mistake or not. I can’t tell you what to do. Trust yourself, Riley. No one has ever gone wrong putting their trust in you.” Just as the words left his mouth a lady wearing a headset stuck her head in the tent.

“Five minutes.” Riley nodded, and the woman left.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be more help.”

Lucas took a step back, “I’ll see you out there though,” he said, but Riley reached out and grabbed his wrist and that is when Lucas felt it—the spark. He felt it even after she had let go.

“I waited for you,” Riley said, tears welled in her eyes. “I waited and waited for something to happen between us. I waited for you to tell me you love me. I wanted so badly to confess to you, but I was always scared.”

“What did you want to confess to me?” Lucas asked without a thought.

“That I loved you!” she shouted and a single tear slid down her cheek, and neither Lucas or Riley made an attempt to wipe it away. “I wanted you here because you have always been my friend but-but that was a mistake. I think it’s best if you leave.”

“Riley.” Lucas voiced shook.

“You being here, near me, confusing me. So, please just leave.” Tears fell freely from her eyes, and Lucas wanted so badly to wipe them away. But, when Riley took a step back, he knew it was over.

He swallowed back the lump that formed in his throat. “I wish you the best, Riley.” His stared at her. He wanted to remember the way she looked before the tears that stained her cheeks or the sadness that invaded her eyes. He wanted to remember the way she looked just moments ago.

She shook her head as if she was telling him to leave once again, so he did and that is when the first tear fell, and it was impossible to get the rest of his tears to stay at bay—especially when he heard the sobs of Riley through the tent as he walked away.

Lucas texted Farkle and Zay to tell them he had left, and he would be at Zay’s apartment. Lucas wanted to hide from the city until he could escape back to Texas, and as soon as he reached Zay’s apartment, he pulled out his flask and finished the remaining contents as he walked inside.

He kept waiting for the whiskey to numb him, but it never did. He didn’t think he could be numb to the pain he was feeling, and as he thought back to their conversation in the tent, he only felt more heartache because he never told her that he loved her and still loves her, and he’ll never get the chance.

Lucas took off his jacket and tossed it on the countertop. He began to loosen his tie when his phone rang. “Hello.”

“Lucas! Riley called off the wedding,” the voice shouted at him on the other end, and Lucas wasn’t sure he heard them right.

“What?”

“She called it off and left. No one knows where she went.”

Just then, there was a knock on the door, and Lucas’ heart began to race. He wanted Riley to be on the other side, and he prayed that Aphrodite heard the wants of his heart.

He opened the door, and there she was, still in her wedding dress staring at him. “Zay, I have to go.” He hung up and looked at the perfect person in front of him. “Riley? What are you doing here?”

“I said loved,” is all she said.

“What?”

“I said loved. As in I did love you now I don’t, but that’s not true. I love you, Lucas, and I need to know if you love me because I just walked out on my wedding because I couldn’t go through with it knowing that there was a possibility that you thought I didn’t love you anymore,” she rambled with fresh tears that threatened to fall. “Because I love you. I’m in love you.”

Lucas didn’t hesitate to cup her face and press his lips to hers. It was a longing and passionate kiss that Lucas had waited for, for far too long. And, when they broke apart, Lucas pressed his forehead against hers. “I love you, too,” he whispered just loud enough for her to hear.

#rucas fanfic #is this angsty enough?#it's kind of all over the place i think but it's finished #the first finished piece for me in a while #i can't sleep so i write

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