#its a flavor your honor and i will not apologize for my tastes

[sacredpurpleprose]

it's always such a bold declaration to me to say people only ship the brothers in any media bc there are so few shipping options with women and not because people can be little free freaks and maybe those are the dollies they wanna mash together

[oceandiagonale]

This is something I thought of in terms of how Youkou would possibly greet Gene should she meet him, and that's with a freshly steeped cup of hōjicha. She'd be overwhelmingly polite & modest and honestly very nervous and trying to not trip over her words and not come across as too much because, how often do you meet someone who is the champion of multiple regions? That is like, the greatest honor!

This has the unfortunate side-effect of making her come across as incredibly stilted as a way of maintaining a calm appearance.

I'd imagine that Gene would pick up on this and gently tell her that they're both equals; to not fret over it, and to not think of him as some sort of celebrity but as just A Guy, and she'd calm down substantially and apologize. (he'd probably tell her to not worry about it and then she'd have to bite back apologizing about apologizing. She's better about this after knowing Fukakai for some years and she loosens up quite a bit and isn't so formal, but it's still a hard habit to break. She's making progress, though) She'd be much more naturally friendly to him and not be so worried about making a flawless first impression. (especially so if he catches sight of her Alcremie and remarks on its uniqueness to which her anxiety would dissipate and she'd happily gush about it and how much she adores her precious Kanbi)

Though she offers him hōjicha, she'd certainly also offer one of her homemade confections that would be best paired with it. ("Some flavors that pair beautifully with hojicha are maple syrup, chocolate, matcha, black sesame, sweet potato, fig, caramel, and vanilla.")

She'd make specifically hōjicha for him because she'd learn of his love for coffee and not know how exactly he feels about tea, so she'd go a safer route by making a tea that tastes and smells reminiscent of coffee which also has the plus of being the most luxurious of the tea she sells. (again, first impressions��� but also wanting to provide him with a gift of something very nice to enjoy)

(Gene would like hōjicha, right? I had a thought he possibly would given what's stated in this [https://www.goldenmoontea.com/blogs/tea/106690311-hojicha-the-perfect-tea-for-the-coffee-drinker] and this [https://hojicha.co/pages/hojicha-vs-matcha#:~:text=Hojicha%20is%20made%20by%20slowly,stems%2C%20stalks%2C%20or%20twigs.] I am not concise so I give the links themselves for viewing. Anyway, I thought this, and your answer as to Gene's taste in coffee further left me with the feeling he'd like it, but I'm curious to know how he'd react to a tea that smells similar to coffee and tastes somewhat like it)

(context for fukakai, context for youkou)

(link 1; link 2)

(Honestly that tea looks so delicious I'm tempted to buy some myself to try it... My sister makes matcha all the time and I'm a huge fan of jasmine green tea and my mom can't drink coffee, so it would be a big hit in our household 😳😳😳)

Absolutely, Gene would jump at a chance to have a decaf tea that still has the taste of coffee,,, I originally planned to have him cut back on the caffeine over time and start drinking more tea once Team Ultra Flare got defeated, but (gestures at Lysandre and the others who are still working as usual)

More importantly, Youkou is so sweet,,,, her character design and personality are so well implemented, and Gene would love to hear about her Alcremie 🥺🥺🥺

[69misato69]

Icing and Sprinkles (KokoTao & FiLlei) ✦ SFW, 2k

archive of our own ✦ twitter ✦ masterlist

fischl and collei are helping kokomi and hu tao bake for a tea party

cw: food, 1 small kokotao kiss <3

enjoy!

“Oz, my loyal companion, fetch me the eggs.” Fischl swayed the loose, undone parts of her hair behind her shoulders right after cracking one more egg into the bowl. 

Oz shook his head in worry, “Mein Fräulein, that is more than enough for a single batch.” 

The mixture was turning rock hard the more Collei tried to knead it, losing flexibility and probably flavor with each passing second. 

Fischl let out an exaggerated huff, “Ozvaldo von Hrafnavins, you dare question the actions of your Prinzessin? Fetch them this instant!” 

Oz wanted to protest for the sake of the cookies, but Fischl was unyielding as always. Collei wiped the drops of sweat on her forehead with her arm, “Oz is right, Fischl. It’s turning so stiff, I can barely knead it anymore…”

Fischl leaned in, inspecting the batter closely as Collei struggled to bend it with her fingers. After a millisecond of worry, she placed her hands on her hips, wetting the apron, “Food is merely a reminder of the shackles of our flesh, Collei. You mustn’t trouble yourself with matters of mortals, for I—” 

“But, we are mortals.” Collei’s brows raised.

“Fischl, have gazed upon this land countless times—” 

“It’s our first time in Inazuma…” 

“And have concluded that the products of our hard-work are nothing but mere fuel for our earthly vessels.”

Following the short monologue, Oz and Collei stared at her hopelessly, until a smile took over Collei’s face. So preoccupied with preparing and mixing the batter, she hadn’t had the time to look at Fischl for the past thirty minutes or so. 

She looked absolutely adorable in her apron, decorated with ravens and purple hearts that Collei had embroidered for her. An imprint of flour had painted the tip of her nose white, with more marks along the front of the apron. Her cheeks were rosy from running around in the kitchen all day. 

And though she tried to hide her worries of screwing up, Collei could easily read the stress ridden under her confident façade. 

“You look… so cute.” as Fischl tried to make sense of her long stare, Collei accidentally blurted out.

“I—” Fischl gasped, “Hmph!” 

But soon, she couldn’t help but join Collei, chuckling with embarrassment and the affection that overflowed from her heart. 

Simultaneously, at the town square where food vendors would gather every Sunday, another couple was running into a world of trouble. Well, at least one of its members was.

“Hu Tao… You can’t just eat everything you see…” Kokomi stared at her girlfriend in worry, but Hu Tao already had her teeth sinking into a fruit that she hadn’t even seen before in her life. 

“Hah?” She chewed carefully, lost in thought, as if she knew what it was supposed to taste like in the first place, “But I have to do a taste test before we spend all our Mora on it!”

Kokomi turned around to eye the other stalls, “But… They’re more or less the same, it’s just for the toppings anyways.” 

Though it had only taken her a few seconds, upon her return, Hu Tao was already stuffing her face with a product that was definitely not suited for the fruit cake they had planned out. 

“No, no no, Hu Tao! Don’t eat the flowers!” Kokomi reached out her hand. 

“Duhh-nt eat th—hmmph—what?”

“Those are not… edible.”

The vendor watched the outlander with a fond look on his face, “If you’re hungry, we can offer you a lot better than Naku Weed, Miss.” 

“Apologies, please excuse us, my girlfriend is from Liyue, she’s still…” Kokomi wished she hadn’t looked at Hu Tao mid-sentence, because the sight of her trying to rid her tongue of the taste like a nauseous cat was making it so hard to keep a straight face—

“Getting used to Inazuma. I will compensate you for everything she has taken.”

The vendor smiled, “Oh? The Divine Priestess! What an honor. No, please get as much as you want, it’s on the house.” 

Hu Tao’s eyes sparkled the second she heard the phrase ‘on the house’, eager to get everything that she wanted to try. 

“I’m afraid I can’t accept your kind offer, please, I know it has been a rough season.” 

“It would be even worse without your assistance, milady. Please, it’s the least we can do to thank you.” 

Kokomi took a moment to consider and decided it was best to accept, on the condition that he would be compensated later for his kindness and understanding.

“Then, please allow the maidens of the shrine to stop by every once in a while.” she came up with a solution. 

“Hehe, you’ve got yourself a deal.” 

The two shook hands, Kokomi was now relieved as Hu Tao kept tasting all the different fruits and creating a surprisingly impressive array. After debating on how they were going to decorate the cake, they stuffed their arms with the shopping bags and set out for home. 

The island was as lively as it was every Sunday. Groups of kids playing out on the fields as their parents chatted and enjoyed tea on picnic tables, senior citizens taking their time picking out their groceries, haggling and joking around with the vendors, house gatherings similar to the tea party that they would be holding later that day, it was serene as Kokomi herself and as enticing as her beloved butterfly jumping around next to her.

“I hope Fischl isn’t burning the house down.” Kokomi giggled. 

“Ah, don’t worry about it, they’re probably fine.” Hu Tao said, lax as an old man who had seen it all, but Kokomi already seemed a bit jittery. 

“Oh… You are worrying about it.” Hu Tao dropped the bags on the ground and Kokomi followed her lead. 

“Not… just about them but, this whole thing. I would like to be a good host and, if I start shutting down…” she gazed down at the floor, shoulders dropping down. 

Hu Tao cupped her cheeks gently, “It’s gonna be okay. We have that play prepared and everything. There will be more than enough entertainment. And, if it gets really overwhelming…” her hands lingered in the air, the same way she stuck out of closets and corners with a mischievous ‘boo!’, “I’ll scare the shit out of them, hm?” 

Kokomi wrapped her hands around her neck, “I don’t think that would be very hospitable of us.” 

“Then I’ll stick to entertainment.” Hu Tao’s hands landed on her waist softly, “We’ll deal with it, angelfish.”

After taking a quick look around, Kokomi stole a kiss from her girlfriend’s lips, leaving a peck of gratitude for always being by her side.

“Thank you.”  

Back at the house, the kitchen was now shared by two duos, diligently working to complete their desserts and pastries before the guests arrived. Their harmonious method was commendable, ingredients being swapped around quickly, team members shuffling away from their stations and switching places to maximize efficiency as the smell of vanilla and fresh fruits surrounded them. 

With all goods ready to be baked and the arrival of their guests fast approaching, Kokomi pointed at the oven, “Can you preheat it?”

Hu Tao clutched her vision very confidently until Kokomi rushed to hand her a small box, “With the matches!”

“Oh… Yeah… Yeah, of course. Teehee…” 

Fischl and Collei couldn’t help but giggle.

“Kids, why don’t you go rest a bit? You’ve been taking care of everything since the morning.” Kokomi smiled at them. 

They nodded, heading into the living room to make sure all the props for the play were in place, and then stepped out to the garden.

A gentle breeze swept over the grass and flowed into their hair and clothes.

Fischl gently folded the apron she held near and dear to her heart, prepared by her beloved Collei. It was a must to have it on whenever she walked into the kitchen. The ravens were now paled out with flour and sugar, Fischl made a mental note to give it a thorough wash-up after the party was over. 

They settled on the grass, Collei sitting and Fischl laying down with her head on her lap. 

“Do you… like it here, Collei?” she reached up to brush away a strand of hair that tickled Collei’s nose. 

“Yeah, sure. It’s beautiful and the people are so nice. Do you?”   

“Well, of course. I have created many fond memories during my travels.” Fischl closed her eyes peacefully, “But, it is a lot more enjoyable when you visit it with your betrothed.”

Collei’s eyes widened before she bursted into laughter, “I don’t think my Prinzessin knows the meaning of betrothed.”

“Hm?” 

Collei averted her gaze, “It means um… Engaged, you know…”

“It does?” 

Fischl sounded so surprised that her voice was returning to its natural tone, it wasn’t often that she would fail to absorb words she read in books into her vocabulary. 

“Indeed it does, my Prinzessin.” Collei reminded her. 

Fischl cleared her throat, “Oh… In that case, the Prinzessin stands corrected.” 

She scratched her head, trying to figure out where she adopted it from, wrongfully so.

“Strange, I thought it just meant the one you loved.” she thought out loud. 

Collei's cheeks turned red. 

She was the one Fischl loved. And it was always so endearing and heart-warming no matter who she was, whether it be the Prinzessin or just Fischl. It didn’t change anything other than Collei’s position, which swayed between Fischl’s princess or her girlfriend depending on the circumstances. 

It all remained the same, how Fischl rested on Collei’s lap. A constant, even though the setting would never stay the same. But that was the exciting part, getting to travel the world together and experience all of it together. Climbing its hills, soaking in its rivers, walking on the paths of villages they have never been to before. 

Embracing all that's new with open arms as they reveled in the comfort and familiarity of each other's presence.

How could you feel homesick when home was a person that stuck by your side no matter what?

It was Fischl who had first taken Collei’s hand inside her own, and after that, Collei never felt weak ever again, not one day in her life. She didn’t feel scared, alone and misunderstood anymore. She didn’t feel hurt or sick, a wilting flower like she used to. 

Instead, she was in bloom. 

Seeds of love were planted deep within her heart, flourishing alongside her soul with each passing day. The soil of it being nurtured and fed with affection every time she cried of laughter with Fischl, everytime she fell asleep on Collei’s shoulder, and everytime they held each other tight as storms roared outside. 

“I love you, Fischl.” she spoke softly right before they headed inside. 

“Settle down everyone and gather around, for I hold a tale unlike any between my two lips!” Hu Tao reeled all the guests in with her cheerful yet mysterious voice and the ridiculous outfit she had on. 

“Prepare to laugh, prepare to cry, prepare to say ‘awwwww’ and clutch your pearls! These outlanders will bring you a touching story about a brave knight, and her beloved princess that she must save from the forces of evil.” 

With every sentence she pointed to a different audience member, making everyone giggle as Kokomi watched her with a loving gaze. 

Lastly, she pointed at herself and held the two pieces of fabric acting as a curtain in front of their small stage, “Yours truly, starring as their trusted companion. Enjoy!” 

Applause and whistles filled the house as the lights dimmed down. Thus, the play commenced. 

[bluerasbunny]

scampers in :3 ( au game !! )

⭐️

and !!!

📓

OOBHH THIS IS A GOOD ONE.. so i'm going to do all 3 of my main AUs

⭐️ - Favorite AU character design?

VKTRS; Definitely Sun's design! There's something so vibrant and fun about the blue/yellow combo!! His rays can be a pain (and I always end up forgetting his earrings), but I think I nailed it with his color palette and outfit design!

ICHOROUS MELODY; Moon! Ok, yeah, he's a basic pale vampire with red eyes and black hair but the sallowness of his skin and his almost skeletal appearance is so fun to draw! Not to mention the victorian era fashion!

CAROUSEL WALTZ; The Yellow Rabbit! No further comments.

📓 - Show us a current WIP for your AU!

Under the cut!

VKTRS;

"Our dearest night host does have quite the eye for you." That brings you pause. A puzzled expression crosses your face, brows furrowed at the phone as if Day can see your every minute gesture. "And, I must say, I do see why. You're a curious little thing. Quite the mystery yourself! But some things are better left alone." You sit silent, staring forwards at the wall in front of you. "Some things, sweetheart, are not meant to be." Your heart pounds, ears ringing faintly. "Some places are places you should not be." Day pauses, as if to let his words sink in. His voice rings, swallows your mind and replaces thought with adrenaline.

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

ICHOROUS;

"Most unfitting for a God-honoring man." Sun drawled, a low tease smooth on his silken voice. Moon chuckled into his glass, blood sweet on his tongue. He indulged, for a moment, the image that it's Suns, the taste of saltwater and the richness of iron. "My apologies. I hadn't realized you were a devout Christian." Sun barked out a laugh, bowing forwards with a grin. His teeth glistened in the candlelight, half-empty glass loose in his clutch. Would the liqour flavor his blood, too? "Far from it. You and I are deep below what God would claim as his own." He replied, drunken smile lopsided and messy and beautifully impure. Can a vampire die a second time?

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

WALTZ;

"Now I will tell you a story." The moon's light cast a sickly glow over Eclipse. Its face crinkled with glee, calm and wise and old as time. Eclipse nods, slow, urging it to continue in eager silence. "A story about a mournful actor, in a place he did not choose to be. A place he was unhappy in. Desperate to cope, the actor split himself down into three. The first piece, a radiant light intent on joy, falls into a dream and disappears into the dark. The second piece, dark and simmering, traps all the worlds light in a cage, until all that's left is a dark eternal night. The third piece seeks to put them back together. They chase the rabbit that leapt into the moon. They're trapped in the rabbits endless orbit forever." Silence echoes through the forest. Eerie, calm and unsettling in Eclipse's core, eyes wide and lit with a sickly blend of confusion and recognition. Eclipse breathes out a shaky question, meek and alight with a whirlwind of thought. "What?" "Good night, Eclipse."

[cookie-run-kingdom-story]

Heroes of the Light: Day 5

(Screenshots from Royal Mike!)

Villager Cookie 1: Wow! We have more guests from the Republic! Villager Cookie 1: I guess they really enjoyed our Kingdom! Clotted Cream Cookie: Greetings. How have you been? Villager Cookie 3: Um, hi! It's so good to see you again! We've prepared some more Raisin Jellies for you, since you seemed to really enjoy them last time. Villager Cookie 1: Would you like some? They’re even more shriveled up now! I took extra care! Tee hee! Clotted Cream Cookie: … Clotted Cream Cookie: …Of course! Thank you! This unique flavor has been on my mind all this time. Clotted Cream Cookie: Financier Cookie. Would you like one as well? Financier Cookie: Thank you, it's delicious. As if I could taste the nature* itself... I don't think I'll ever forget its taste.

*actual text

Villager Cookie 3: …Really?! Villager Cookie 3: I’m so glad you enjoyed it!!! Villager Cookie 3: Lemme know if you want more! We have some very delicious desserts prepared! Clotted Cream Cookie: Ha ha ha, thank you.

Clotted Cream Cookie: Pure Vanilla Cookie. Hollyberry Cookie. Dark Cacao Cookie. Clotted Cream Cookie: Your cooperation and lending of the Soul Jam has allowed us to discover both Magic and Pearl Candies. Clotted Cream Cookie: You have my foremost gratitude in this endeavor. Clotted Cream Cookie: And once again… I must apologize for involving you in the politics and turmoil of our Republic. Clotted Cream Cookie: I am honored and relieved that the Soul Jam was returned to you safe and sound. Pure Vanilla Cookie: You have done much for the world, Clotted Cream Cookie. Pure Vanilla Cookie: With the Republic’s help, many Cookies all over Earthbread will be able to wield a newfound power. Pure Vanilla Cookie: And this experience has proven that friendship and cooperation are key components in defeating Dark Enchantress Cookie. Pure Vanilla Cookie: We still have a long road ahead of us! Beast-Yeast awaits, as does our foe. Dark Cacao Cookie: We must still reunite with Golden Cheese Cookie. Hollyberry Cookie: As well as making contact with the dragons and the elementals. Pure Vanilla Cookie: Indeed! Our alliance expedition will be bolstered greatly with their help. Pure Vanilla Cookie: Defending the world against the wrath of Dark Enchantress Cookie will be difficult. But by working together, hope remains strong. Pure Vanilla Cookie: After all, we are a team!

Hollyberry Cookie: What an adventure! To think. We started by bickering and then all of a sudden we're fighting beside each other and the best of friends now! Hollyberry Cookie: Which reminds me! Don’t forget, Clotted Cream Cookie! We must compete in juice drinking when we get a chance! Hollyberry Cookie: I look forward to seeing how much you can stomach, ha ha! Dark Cacao Cookie: Ahem… Be prepared. Her stomach is a limitless void when it comes to juice. Clotted Cream Cookie: Aha ha.. ha ha! Pure Vanilla Cookie: Why don’t we share a glass right now? To commemorate the end of the Council of Heroes? Hollyberry Cookie: A grand idea! I already thought up a speech for this very moment! Hollyberry Cookie: Ahem! Everyone! For peace and friendship across all Earthbread! GingerBrave: For peace and friendship!

Pure Vanilla Cookie: The camp has been cleaned! It’s so pristine, Dark Cacao Cookie! Pure Vanilla Cookie: Not a single wolf hair present! Dark Cacao Cookie: The warriors of Dark Cacao do not leave a single trace behind. Dark Cacao Cookie: Thank you, Pure Vanilla Cookie. Pure Vanilla Cookie: It is a shame we must say goodbye so soon after reuniting. Dark Cacao Cookie: Write often, friend. Now that the road between our Kingdoms has been re-established. Dark Cacao Cookie: Pigeons are quite efficient messengers as well. Dark Cacao Cookie: …Asking GingerBrave to deliver a message may be… a tad too difficult to repeat. Pure Vanilla Cookie: I will! I promise to write often, good friend. Dark Cacao Cookie: Then farewell. Take care of yourself, Pure Vanilla Cookie. Pure Vanilla Cookie: Goodbye, Dark Cacao Cookie! I hope to reunite soon!

Pure Vanilla Cookie: It saddens me that you will be leaving soon… And this room will be empty once more. Hollyberry Cookie: Don’t be such a downer! Chin up, Pure Vanilla Cookie! We will meet again! Hollyberry Cookie: Besides, our Kingdoms are not located too far from each other. Hollyberry Cookie: Also! I am not the ruling queen of the Hollyberry Kingdom! I have nothing but time on my hands, haha! Hollyberry Cookie: C’mere! This calls for another hug! Pure Vanilla Cookie: *GROAN* HA HA! HA… HA! Can’t… breathe… Hollyberry Cookie, this feels more like squeezing than… hugging! Hollyberry Cookie: You did well, Pure Vanilla Cookie.

Hollyberry Cookie: And… I am sorry that I could not share the weight that burdened your shoulders. Hollyberry Cookie: Whenever something happens… Talk to us, let us know. Please? Pure Vanilla Cookie: …Hollyberry Cookie. Hollyberry Cookie: AHEM! Anyhow! You really must eat more! No Cookie should ever be so flat! Hollyberry Cookie: Lots of Jellies, ya hear! LOTS! Pure Vanilla Cookie: Ha ha! Yes, my friends. I will. Hollyberry Cookie: I’m off! Write often! Pure Vanilla Cookie: Have a safe journey home! Say hello to Royalberry Cookie and Jungleberry Cookie for me!

Pure Vanilla Cookie: Clotted Cream Cookie. What are you planning next? Clotted Cream Cookie: Though we must prepare to search for Dark Enchantress Cookie… Clotted Cream Cookie: I have also heard of many fragments of Soul Jam scattered across the world. Clotted Cream Cookie: I intend to collect every last shard before they fall into the wrong hands. Clotted Cream Cookie: Once collected, its power will be returned to you, the Ancient Heroes of legends. Pure Vanilla Cookie: Do you think we will meet once more? Preferably before our expedition to Beast-Yeast. Clotted Cream Cookie: Why yes. The Crème Republic will stand with you every step of the way. Pure Vanilla Cookie: It was an honor to meet you, Consul. Pure Vanilla Cookie: I wish you a safe journey home! Clotted Cream Cookie: Thank you for hosting us, Pure Vanilla Cookie.

Financier Cookie: Consul, sir! Financier Cookie: Urgent news from the Republic! Clotted Cream Cookie: What is it, Ser Financier Cookie? Financier Cookie: Mille-feuille Cookie and the White Masks… Financier Cookie: They have disappeared without a trace! Clotted Cream Cookie: What…? How…? Clotted Cream Cookie: I personally crafted the Light Cage that held them… It’s impossible! Financier Cookie: The scene is clean. There is no evidence of a forced escape. Financier Cookie: Not even a speck of sugar or flour was found… Financier Cookie: Consul… Could it really be some sort of godly hand that aided their escape? Clotted Cream Cookie: We must return to the Crème Republic at once. Let us check the scene with our own eyes.

Villager Cookie 1: Look up there! In the sky! Villager Cookie 1: It’s the airship! Villager Cookie 5: It’s so far away! It looks really small! Villager Cookie 3: Clotted Cream Cookie, Financier Cookie and Madeleine Cookie are onboard, right? Villager Cookie 3: That’s so cool… Cookies flying in the air! It’s just… so cool! Villager Cookie 5: One day… I’m going to be an airship pilot! Black Raisin Cookie: You might want to complete the homework that Pure Vanilla Cookie gave you first. Black Raisin Cookie: And by homework… I mean all of your homework. Villager Cookie 5: GAH! You’re right! Villager Cookie 5: Gonna get started on them now, see ya! Black Raisin Cookie: Don’t work too late! Come by the Crow’s Nest Inn for dinner, you hear! Black Raisin Cookie: Ha… Life in the peaceful Vanilla Kingdom… I could get used to this.

Villager Cookie 2: Aww, I guess everyone is returning to their kingdoms… Villager Cookie 2: But it was so nice to have the streets busy with Cookies. Villager Cookie 2: I guess the inn will return to the peaceful and quiet place it was. GingerBrave: Don’t worry about it! GingerBrave: I can bring my friends from the Kingdom! GingerBrave: They’re all fun and amazing! I bet everyone will love this place! GingerBrave: You’re gonna have so much fun talking with them! Yup! GingerBrave: Oh, and they’re really good at their jobs! Villager Cookie 2: Ha ha! Now you’ve got me curious! Villager Cookie 1: Alright! It’s a promise! Promise you’ll come back, okay? I’ll have the finest sheets and dishes ready for you and your friends! GingerBrave: You betcha! I’ll be back soon! GingerBrave: Stay crispy until then!

Strawberry Crepe Cookie: Oh. Hey! Strawberry Crepe Cookie: The airship’s taking off! Espresso Cookie: I see. Strawberry Crepe Cookie: Eh? What’s that? Did I detect a hint of sadness in your voice? Strawberry Crepe Cookie: You sure you don’t wanna go back? Don’t you have like… a home there? Espresso Cookie: Not to worry. I have brought all the necessary papers and notes, as well as the equipment I need. Espresso Cookie: Besides… rent is much too expensive to handle on a researcher’s salary. Strawberry Crepe Cookie: Huh? What’s that? Espresso Cookie: Never mind. I was merely talking to myself. Strawberry Crepe Cookie: Hmph! Anyway! You still got a lot to learn if you want to do research like me! Strawberry Crepe Cookie: In the mornings, the Wafflebots need to be rinsed! The tools need to be organized and properly! Screwdrivers go here, wrenches go there! Strawberry Crepe Cookie: Working with me isn’t going to be easy! After all, I AM the Vanilla Kingdom’s only genius! Espresso Cookie: Hmm. It won’t be too difficult. Espresso Cookie: After all, this place has some amazing coffee.

[raven-at-the-writing-desk]

Moe Moe Mallekei Kyun~

In which Malleus and Cater go to a maid café, and shenanigans ensue.

... I’ve been wanting to write this for a long time.

***Warning: mild spoilers for Malleus’s PE Uniform personal story!***

Imagine this...

“Lilia-sama.”

Two bodyguards fell into line, saluting simultaneously to their vice dorm leader.

“We just finished combing through the prime gargoyle locations around campus,” Silver reported. “Unfortunately, there was no sight of Malleus-sama to be found. The accounts of the various students we interviewed also corroborate that the Young Master has not recently been spotted in the area.”

“I see. Thank you, Silver.” Lilia sighed, cupping his cheek in one hand. “Hm, this is a bit odd. Wherever could he have wandered off to this time?”

At that moment, a ping! sounded off. Lilia fished his phone out of his pocket and, with one glance at the screen, his expression softened.

“You don’t suppose some dastardly villain has… kidnapped the Young Master and is holding him for ransom, do you?!” Sebek’s eyes nearly bulged out of his skull at the thought. “If that is the case… THEN WE HAVE FAILED AS MALLEUS-SAMA’S KNIGHTS!!”

“Now, now--let’s not jump to conclusions. Even if that were true, I’m certain that Malleus would be able to easily fend off assailants on his own. Perhaps he has simply lost his way, or headed off campus to run an errand.”

“... Without warning us in advance?”

“I would have happily accompanied the Young Master wherever he went--EVEN TO THE ENDS OF TWISTED WONDERLAND ITSELF!!”

“Kufufu. Malleus is still young at heart. Let us allow him this moment of independence, just this once. He will find his way home eventually.”

“Welcome home, my masters!!”

Malleus skidded to a stop in the doorway—for beyond it laid unknown territory. The interior sported cream walls, with fairy lights, streamers, and paper flowers strung up. A number of tables and chairs, populated with people, were set against flowing white curtains.

Young ladies flitted about, balancing trays of food and drinks, cameras, and microphones. Each wore the same outfit, consisting of a frilly headdress, an apron, and a black dress with lace trim and ribbons.

And now, one of those uniformed girls extended a hand to him and a warm, welcoming smile.

Malleus frowned and turned to the orange haired young man beside him. “... Diamond. What is this strange establishment you’ve brought me to?”

“Mm? It’s a maid café,” Cater chirped, glancing up from his phone. “You said you’ve never been before, right?”

“Well, yes… However, when you invited me to join you for an outing, I did not expect this to be our destination.”

“It’ll be fine~ We’re already here, so let’s get seated!” Cater insisted cheerily, ushering the fae through the door. 

“Right this way, my masters!” The greeter giggled and led the way, eventually stopping at a vacant table set for two. As the duo slipped into their seats, she handed them menus and moistened towels. “We have a wide selection of special services and delicious dishes for your enjoyment!”

Malleus hesitantly flipped open the (very pink) menu and ran his eyes down the page of available items. Along with the expected offerings of desserts, savory foods, and beverages were odd listings: massage, ear cleaning, karaoke, game, arts and crafts, picture, spoon feeding, live song and dance...

He stared quizzically at Cater, who seemed to be taking everything in stride.

“I’ll take a plate of omurice! How about you, Malleus-kun?”

He stared back at his menu, trying to make rhyme or reason of the unique names. What in the Great Seven was a Pyon ❤ Pyon Sunshine Bar…? Or a Lucky☆Happy☆Cookie? Malleus’s brows furrowed in both concentration and confusion.

“I… I shall have the local specialty, whatever that may be,” the fae prince declared at last.

“Excellent choices! And would you like a bunny, or a kitty?”

“You hand out animals at this eating establishment? Is that not a health code violation?”

“Aaah, Malleus-kun, she doesn’t mean real rabbits and cats. Look--you’ll see when she brings them, okay?” Cater laughed awkwardly. Then, turning to the waitress, he held up his index finger. “One of each, little lady~”

“Of course!” She scribbled down a few words on her heart shaped notepad before prancing off.

“... Diamond. Are you certain this is the fabled maid café of which you spoke of?” Malleus asked, folding his arms. “I find it difficult to believe that every patron here is descended from a high class lineage. Furthermore, the servers are wearing attire entirely unlike that of a traditional household servant.”

Cater blinked once, twice—then chuckled.

“Maid cafés are like normal cafés. Anyone can go to them to play pretend and chill for a while! The difference is that the waitresses are dressed cutely and offer fun services. Singing, dancing, playing games—that kinda thing!”

“I do not understand.” Malleus swept a hand at their surroundings. “The purpose of this establishment is merely for… amusement?”

“Yup! People get tired of the daily grind sometimes, so they go to places like this to see cute stuff and just take a load off.”

“I… I see.” Malleus tucked his thumb and forefinger under his chin. “We do not have anything like your maid cafes in the Valley of Thorns.”

“You don’t? What sort of things do you do back home for fun, then?”

“I was not allowed to venture far from the palace grounds. Most of my time was spent indoors, studying spells or honing my magical abilities.”

Cater inclined his head. “Oooh, right! Because you’re a prince and all, you weren’t able to do much—but hey! Things are different now! You’ve got Cay-kun to show you a good time!”

“Ah, yes. A ‘good time’...” Malleus attempted at a smile, which came out more wary than he had intended.

“Thank you for waiting!” a girlish voice chirped—their waitress had returned, wearing a tray of food in one hand and two headbands in the other. “Here is your omurice and Nyan ✨ Nyan ✨ Kitty-chan Parfait, plus one pair of kitty ears and one pair of bunny ears!”

She handed Cater his dish—a bed of ketchup flavored fried rice, sealed by a wobbling omelet and garnished with a sprig of parsley.

“Mm! Smells delicious. Thanks a bunch~” Cater grinned, winking at his server.

The maid giggled and placed Malleus’s dessert before him, along with the headbands.

“Would you like me to draw or write something special for you on your meal, master?” she asked, gesturing to Cater’s omurice.

“Sure thing! Could you write ‘Mallekei’? Oh, and a couple of hearts would be cute, too!”

“As you wish!”

As the maid set to work, Malleus marveled at the sight of his parfait.

Colorful scoops of ice-cream, granola, and sliced fruits were layered inside of a tall glass cup. A generous crown of whipped cream and a drizzle of strawberry sauce topped it off. Sticking out from the whipped cream were two wafer triangles and dots of chocolate candies, forming a cat-like face.

How adorable.

… But not adorable enough to be spared.

“Thank you for the food.” The fae raised his spoon to demolish the poor parfait kitten—

“Stop, stop, Malleus-kun!!” Cater cried, frantically waving his arms. “N-Not yet!!”

Malleus lowered his spoon with a frown. “Food is meant to be consumed, Diamond. Is there an issue you have with my table etiquette?”

“Well—no, but…” Cater played with a lock of his orange hair and sighed. “There’s certain rituals we need to do first!”

“Rituals? Oh, my apologies. I was not aware. Please proceed with your regularly scheduled… rituals.”

“Ahaha, you’re a quick learner! First thing’s first, let’s put on our headbands!” Cater swept up the cat ears and passed them over. “Here, to match your parfait! I’ll take the rabbit.”

Malleus gingerly nestled the cat ears on his head, copying Cater’s movements. It was a bit tricky maneuvering around his horns, but somehow, he managed.

“Oh!! Those ears suit you so well!” the waitress said, glancing up from decorating the omurice. Carefully placed splotches of ketchup spelled out ‘Mallekei’, hearts and little sparkles littering the space around the boys’ combined names.

“... Do they?” Malleus doubted it.

“They do!!” Cater reassured him with a laugh. “Ne, ne, miss! Can you take our picture so my friend here can have a souvenir to take home with him?” 

“Certainly!” She replaced the bottle of ketchup and hurried off, returning shortly after with a polaroid camera. “Are you ready, my masters?”

“Ready, Malleus-kun?”

“Hmph. Of course. I will have you know that my posing abilities have improved considerably since our last encounter. Do not underestimate me.”

“Oh, that’s great! You’ve been practicing! Then… on the count of three, we nyah, okay?”

“... What is ‘nyah’?” Malleus inquired, his confidence suddenly waning.

“Eh?” A blip of surprise crossed Cater’s face. “Like, y’know… nyah!”

The influencer curled both of his hands into balls and made a pawing motion at his friend. “Now you try!”

“Like this?” Malleus mimicked him. He was more stiff—definitely not as practiced—but the general motion was still recognizable.

“Very good, master!!” the waitress gushed, raising the polaroid up. “On three?”

“1, 2, 3… Nyah!”

A flash went off, sending stars into Malleus’s vision. As he rubbed the daze out of his eyes, Cater’s voice called out to him.

“Are you okay there?”

“I am well. There is no need for your concern,” the fae insisted. “This ritual… it is more confounding that I took it to be.”

“Eeeh? It’s not meant to be hard or anything. Just relax, relax!” Cater paused before adding, “It’s part of the ritual’s requirements! You need to be nice and loose for the last step!”

“What is this last step?”

“We need to cast a magic spell to make your food taste extra tasty!” the waitress declared cheerily.

“Hoh?” A smirk found its way onto Malleus’s face. “That can easily be arranged. Allow me to do the honors.”

He put his hand before his parfait, an eerie green glow emulating from his palm. The sinister light engulfed his dish and Cater’s, sending them floating midair. Radioactive ice-cream and omurice hovered above their heads, causing both Cater and their maid to recoil in shock.

Other customers stared at the spectacle from their own tables. One man’s jaw dropped, the forkful of spaghetti bolognese in his mouth clattering onto the floor.

“You, who provides sustenance to the masses, become that which is delici—“

“H-Hold on a sec, Malleus-kun!!” Cater practically leapt over the table to seize his friend’s glowing hand. “Not that kind of spell!!”

Eyes wide with surprise, Malleus allowed his magic to settle down. The parfait and omurice gently floated back onto their table, and the maid sighed with relief.

“Is there a different spell needed for this occasion? I assure you that I am well-versed in practical magic—you need only speak its name, and I can conjure the proper…”

“No, no! It’s—“ Cater casted a look at their server and nervously chuckled. “Ne, Maid-chan~ Think you can give us a demonstration of the right spell?”

“Yes, master!” the girl, ever professional, flashed a perky grin. “Please watch carefully!!”

The maid set down her polaroid on the table. She then arched her fingers into C-like shapes, thumb extended straight. Pushing her hands together, she formed a heart and aimed it in the direction of the boy’s dishes.

“Moe moe kyuuuuuun!”

“What an odd spell. In all my years, I have never heard of such an enchantment…”

“Well, there’s a first for everything, right?” Cater flicked one of his floppy rabbit ears. “Plus, it should be no problem for the great Malleus-sama to pull off this spell, right?”

“This is child’s play,” Malleus’s laugh was like the earth itself rumbling. His lips quirked into a small smile. “You will join me in performing this sacred ritual, will you not, Diamond?”

“Of course~”

“Very well.”

They made hearts and thrust them upon their meals. And together, they uttered those three magic words.

“Moe moe kyuuuuun!!”

“Welcome back, Malleus,” Lilia greeted. The vice dorm leader nonchalantly hung from the ceiling, his raven and magenta bangs suspended midair. “Did you have fun on your outing?”

“Lilia. You knew?” Malleus slowly shut the door behind him, chasing away the cool air of the night. He spoke softly, knowing that sounds carried in the dusty hallways of Diasomnia and could disturb its residents.

“The wonders of modern technology,” Lilia trilled, expertly landing beside his young master. He brandished his phone in a gloved hand, a text message displayed on the screen.

hey hey lilia-chan! gonna steal malmal-kun for the day~ he’ll be back later, but do me a solid and keep it a secret from s&s til then, ‘kay? thnx!! (✿˶˘ ³˘)~♡

“It looks as though I have been exposed.”

“There is no shame in making new friends. In fact, I’m proud of you for expanding your horizons.” Lilia beamed. “Though what a shame it is that I was not present to grab a few pictures. Hopefully Cater fulfilled that task for me.”

The ancient fae tilted forward in his toes and peered up at his prince. “Soooo? Where did you sneak off to?”

“Fufu. Wouldn’t you like to know?”

“My. Is that any way to treat the man that kept Silver and Sebek from hunting you down?” Lilia teased, wagging a finger.

“Such loyalty,” Malleus smirked, hands on his hips, “deserves to be rewarded.”

He produced a polaroid photograph from his breast pocket and presented it with a flourish. The image, forever captured in time, was that of Malleus and Cater—the former with cat ears, the latter with bunny ears—with hands balled to resemble paws. Cater cheekily winked, while Malleus looked slightly bewildered.

The edges of the polaroid were dotted with stickers—smiley faces, flowers, and hearts. Marker had been used to scrawl on whiskers and blushes over both boys’ cheeks.

Overall, cutesy—overwhelming so.

But the Malleus and Cater in the picture were happy.

Their eyes shining like jewels.

Nyah-ing their hearts out.

[archonanqi]

fragile as dust  / 3

🔖 [first] [prev] [next]

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ch 3 | first impressions

    Please, sit,” the man offered. His voice was back to the way it was before, quiet, gentle and solemn. You obeyed, sitting gingerly on the edge of one of the wooden seats. “May I have your name?”

    “Hansi, sir.” Quickly, you add, “though sir can call me whatever sir likes.”

    “Hansi,” he murmured. In his lips, your name — something that’s been baggage all your life, a reminder of the woman who threw you away — sounded like divinity. “Please, call me Zhongli.”

    Okay. The meeting was not going at all how you expected. But then again, it was what you figured: honorable in public, but behind closed doors—

    “Yes, Mr. Zhongli,” you nodded.

    “Would you like some tea?” He gestured to the other cup in the middle of the table. It was filled with a faint, golden liquid. “Please, help yourself. It’s Pu’Er.”

    You only froze for a second. Sure, you’d play along. You thanked him, reaching for the cup. It burned your fingers through the porcelain, but Archons be damned if you were going to drop and break it. You took a small sip. It scorched your parched throat all the way down.

    “How is it?”

    “It’s good, sir—“

    “Zhongli,” he reminded you gently.

    “It’s good, Mr. Zhongli.” It was not a lie — you wouldn’t be able to tell good tea from boiled grass, but the cup you just downed warmed your stomach and soothed your frayed nerves.

    “I’m glad to hear that,” he smiled, and suddenly — too late — you realized that maybe you shouldn’t have drunk something that you hadn’t watched this strange man prepare. You knew of the drugs that these men sometimes slipped into the food they gave to street rats like you, you’d seen many a woman and child stolen away because of it.

    You cursed yourself — what had happened to keeping your guard up? Was a soothing voice and pretty face all it took to earn your trust these days?

    You stiffened as he raised a gloved hand. You didn’t know what you were expecting, but you certainly were not expecting him to launch into a monologue about the history of Pu’Er tea.

    He did, anyway, losing you somewhere between “harvested from the caves of Ling’ju Pass” and “aged delicately for fifteen years”. To say that his behavior had transcended bewildering was an understatement. Was this some kind of setup? A sick joke that rich people played on their new servants and slaves?

    You realized that he’d stopped talking, clearly awaiting a response.

    “Wow, aged for fifteen years. That’s a uh, long time,” you offered lamely. Archon help you.

    “It may seem so,” Zhongli mused, “but it’s precisely that fermentation process that gives the Pu’Er tea its signature flavor. Fifteen years is but a small price to pay for such a unique experience, don’t you think?”

    Briefly, you remembered all the trinkets and wallets and jewelry you’d stolen from passersby, how desperately you’d pawned them off at the nearest willing merchant for the promise of a meal or two.

    “Yes,” you agreed, even though you couldn’t begin to imagine being rich enough to wait fifteen years to sell something.

    It had been a few minutes since you’d drunk the first sip of tea, and you were still fine. Besides, he was drinking from the same pot. Maybe the tea was safe, after all. You took another sip, finishing your cup. Despite yourself, you found yourself hoping that Zhongli would continue talking in that silky voice of his, even if it was just about fermented tea leaves.

    “I do apologize for rambling the evening away. I’m sure you’re exhausted from your journey.” He continued, “If you’re finished with your tea, perhaps we should head home. We can talk tomorrow, once you’ve rested.”

    Home. You swallowed a dry retch, the implications stuck in your throat. Of course. It served you right for forgetting what you were here for. Behind closed doors—

    “Yes. We can go if that’s what pleases you, Mr. Zhongli.” Your voice broke twice in that sentence. If Zhongli noticed, he did not say anything about it.

    He rose from his seat, and suddenly you realized just how tall, how solid he was. If you ran, he would catch you. If you fought back—

    Sweeping by you, he opened the door and stepped aside, gesturing into the night air. “After you.”

---

    You trailed a few feet behind him as you two walked through the quiet, twisting alleys of Liyue. You thought you knew the city well enough, having lived on its streets for as long as you had, but he seemed to know the back roads of the city like it were an extension of his own body.

    You took a deep breath to calm yourself. He left behind a faint lingering scent of flowers — like the glaze lilies you’d stolen from Yujing Terrace to pawn, but mostly, he smelled of warmth — earthy, spices, the fresh spring grass.

    Seeing Zhongli in all his standing glory made you suddenly and horribly aware of how unsightly you were in comparison. You’d been cleaned up before the escort, but there were still yellowing bruises that the damp cloth couldn’t erase, chewed fingernails and frayed hair and rib bones that jut out from under pallid skin. And while the dress you were wearing was the nicest thing you’d ever owned, it was but rags in comparison to the elegant outfit Zhongli was clad in.

    Your gaze stopped at his waist, and the golden gem dangling at his belt.

    “Is that a Vision?” you blurted, and immediately regret it. “I’m sorry, it’s not my place to ask about you, Mr. Zhongli.”

    “Please, never apologize for speaking your mind,” Zhongli answered, without missing a stride. “And to answer your question, yes. A Geo Vision.”

    The one at your chest is still warm against your skin. “That’s amazing,” you say, and you meant it. Vision users were powerful people capable of unbelievable feats — even raised on the streets, you knew that. You wondered how Zhongli got his Vision: a fight, perhaps, against the ferocious monsters that roamed the wilderness outside Liyue Harbor?

    If Zhongli had a Vision, there was no longer any doubt about it: the Vision given to you was a mistake. How could you ever hope to compare to someone like him? “You must be an incredible person, if Rex Lapis himself acknowledged you.”

    Zhongli did take pause at that, peering at you with a strange look in his eyes. A small smile danced across his lips. “That is one way to think of it,” he acknowledged, as he continued walking. “It has been said that Rex Lapis only grants Visions to those he deems the most worthy.”

    The rest of the trek was silent, until he stopped walking so suddenly that you almost bumped into him. You looked up from the ground, and found your breath taken away by the sculpture before you. It was a statue of Rex Lapis — there were plenty around Liyue, but tonight, silver stone gleaming under a sky full of stars, he looked ethereal.

    “This was cast by the first generation of Hanfeng Ironmongers, long before mankind mastered the properties of flame and the forge,” Zhongli said, citing the name of the most famous clan of blacksmiths in Liyue Harbor. “Each time I pass it, I like to take a moment to stop and admire it. It’s a beautiful statue.”

    “Beautiful,” you echoed absently, “he’s beautiful.” This was the Archon who had saved your life with that Vision, whether he’d meant to or not. You offered a silent prayer — of unyielding gratitude, for forgiveness, and for mercy. When you opened your eyes, Zhongli was eyeing you with a strange look on his face.

    “I would ask you what you prayed for,” he chuckles, “but some superstitious folk would say then that your prayers won’t come true. Shall we continue? We are almost home.”

---

    After ten more minutes of walking, you could feel your ankles trembling under the weight of your body. You and Zhongli had left Liyue, and begun walking through the forests on the outskirts of the city. Finally, he came to a stop in front of a house tucked into the foliage of a valley. It was a sizable estate, with a walled back garden and two floors, but you were mildly surprised that he hadn’t brought you to a castle, at this point.

    Zhongli unlocked the door and gestured, again, for you to go ahead. Your stomach in knots, you took your first step into your new home — and prison.

    It was warm.

    Embers crackled in the fireplace of the living room, casting a faint golden glow on the tasteful, lavish furniture that lined the floor. There were tapestry scrolls on either side of the fireplace here too. You don’t understand the poetry written on these ones, either.

    “Welcome to my home,” Zhongli said, walking past you. He did not touch you. “We have much to discuss, but that can wait until tomorrow. You look like you’re on the brink of collapse, and we can’t have you getting sick from exhaustion.” Despite yourself, you feel a small twinge of something at that — you’d never, in your life, had someone care about your health. He probably just doesn’t want to deal with the hassle of a sick servant, you told yourself.

    “Let us go to bed and have a good night’s sleep first,” Zhongli continued, and anything you’d felt quickly soured.

    Bed. You swallowed the panic rising bright and hot in your lungs. You might not be as educated as he surely was, but you were not naive. You knew that sleep was not what you would be getting tonight. The plea got stuck on your tongue. What could you say, to stop this rich, powerful man from claiming what was his?

    “Let me show you to your room.” He beckoned at you to follow as he strode down a long hallway. You blinked, too stunned to obey for a moment, before running after him.

    “My room?” You asked.

    “Yes.” He paused at the end of the hallway, opening one of the doors to reveal a cozy bedroom. Like everything else about Zhongli, it was tastefully decorated — lush, dark green curtains framing a circular window. A bed sat in the corner of the room, adorned with thick blankets and more pillows than you’d ever seen in your life.

    “This room was a study until very recently, and so these drawers are still currently full of my things,” Zhongli gestured to the bedside table, “but the closets are empty and free for you to use. I was thinking that we could go shopping for some clothes for you tomorrow, if you were feeling well enough. I do apologize for not purchasing any in advance, I was not sure of your measurements—“

    “Wait,” you said, afraid to let yourself hope. “Wait. We won’t be sharing a bed?”

    He turned to look at you, surprise briefly flashing in his eyes, and you’d never wanted to take back a sentence so badly in your life. A palpable silence draped the room, as Zhongli studied you so intently that you thought you might fall over dead, right then and there.

    “Truthfully tell me,” he said, voice as low as a hum. “Is that what you would want?”

    It took all of your courage to shake your head.

    “Then we will have our separate rooms,” Zhongli said, with an air of decisive finality, and continued like he hadn’t just shaken your world. “I will show you around the house tomorrow. There is water in the jug by your bed. Is there anything you might need for the night?”

    You shake your head mutely, again.

    “Very well. My room is right across the hall — please do not hesitate to shout if you need anything.” Zhongli smiled, and it’s so beautiful that you had to shake the shivers from your spine. “Good night, Hansi.”

    There it was again, your name in his lips — divine.

    Zhongli closed the door gently behind him, and you sunk to your knees, all the strength suddenly gone from your body. You’d survived the first evening with your new master. You’d survived.

    Once you picked yourself back up, you peeled your Geo Vision out from under the dress, taking your first look at it under the proper light of an oil lamp. It’s unframed, of course, unlike Zhongli’s, but the golden gemstone was identical in all other ways — catching the light in all its facets with a dazzling shimmer. When you put it into the bedside drawer, shoving it under the piles of scrolls and parchments, you were surprised to feel a twinge of sadness.

    Stupid. How could you miss something that was not rightfully yours?

    Still, you couldn’t help but feel a little excited as you clambered into the bed — your first very bed! Sinking into the sheets (they smelled heavenly), you let out an embarrassingly loud sigh of contentment.

    There was a little voice in the back of your head screaming — and part of you still knew, irrefutably, that you can’t trust Zhongli — but the call of sleep is much, much louder. You let your heavy lids fall shut, and quickly fell into the most comfortable slumber of your life.

[oyaterriblyfunnyreallywitty]

Strawberries & Cigarettes

Warnings:  falling in love with a fictional character

Word count: 1524

Summary: In a twisted turn of events Draco is smitten by muggle reader. Based on the song Strawberries + Cigarettes by Troye Sivan. 

Remember when we first met, you said “light my cigarette”

Draco had opposed fervently to the idea but he was out number, three imbeciles to one sane man.  That is how he found himself in this dodgy alley in muggle world which he wished he could just vanish out of; just to be clear, he could. Draco just couldn’t bring himself to leave behind Crabbe, Goyle, and Zabini unsupervised inside that muggle dance room, he could think of a few distasteful endings to that scenario.

“Hey,” a girl’s voice cut through the silent night air, “do you have a light?”

His face turned into his signature scowl, muggles. Such dependent creatures, couldn’t she see he was busy sulking? He didn’t turn in her direction in hopes she’d just wonder off into the night and leave him to his own thoughts.

“Helloooo! Earth to blondie. Can you light my cigarette?” she’d said with a playful chuckle as she grew closer. His head snapped, how dare she- but the anger at her insolence quickly melted at the sight in front of him. Her beautiful y/e/c eyes had struck his heart the minute they’d met his. She was a deadly combination in that black dress which hugged her body in all the right places, her y/h/c hair framing her angelic face as she flashed him a smile. He swallowed. He was reaching for his wand, the word ‘lumos’ on the tip of his tongue when the girl leaned forward, cigarette still in mouth looking up at him.

Muggle.

Right! He drew his hand away from his wand quickly as if he’d been burned and gave her an awkward smile, “I actually don’t have one.”

“That’s fine, it was just an excuse you know.” She said giving him a sly smile as she tucked the cigarette into the small pink purse that hung over her shoulder and looked back at him.

“Y/n.” she said reaching out a hand.

“Draco, Draco Malfoy.” He said straightening up and reaching to shake her small hand, a surely stupid looking grin finding its way onto his face.

“Oh, are we doing the James Bond type of introduction?” She said letting out a small laugh at her idea of a joke.

“Uh.” he didn’t get it.

“Don’t tell me you’ve never watched James Bond!?” an incredulous y/n stared at him.

“Not really, wha-“ he felt inadequate, he didn’t know anything about muggles, how would he ever keep this charade up.

“That’s a CRIME!” she shouted the last word, “I can help you there.” She said nodding to herself and giving him a crooked smile as she began the longest one-sided conversation in the history of speech.

Muggles, such fascinating creatures, he’d thought as they walked down the empty streets with her talking him through the storyline of each James Bond movie until the sky began to lighten.

But we couldn’t go very far cause you locked your keys in your car so you sat and stared at my lips and I could already feel your kiss

The hot summer sun was scorching and Draco decided muggle ice cream was their best invention to date. He watched as y/n licked her strawberry ice cream cone and smiled as a pink dot appeared on the tip of her nose deciding he’d let her keep it. He’d gotten the green mint scoop against y/n wishes and he liked it very much.

“You have got to be JOKING!” He heard her yell as she rummaged through her purse.

“What?” Draco asked as he took another spoonful of the minty goodness.

“I left the keys in the car.” She said finally returning to her ice cream cone after one single minute of searching.

“Are you sure you looked everywhere?” If he didn’t know any better he would’ve thought she’d done an undetectable extension charm on that bag of hers, always losing stuff in there as if there were no end in sight to it.

“Mhm.” Y/n said, taking another lick as she eyed their surroundings. “I’ll text my mum to bring me my other set of keys, lets go wait there.” She pointed to a big tree across the street.

Lucky for the both them there was in fact a park right across from where they stood that was willing to provide some relief from the unforgiving sun with its trees.

Draco was sat with his knees up to his chest, still savoring the last bit of his mint ice cream.

“Oh, but that you can find.” He said with a snicker as y/n pulled out a cigarette, a nasty vice that’d brought them together. “How does that even work?” he said scrunching his nose and eyeing her other hand still holding her cone.

She was laughing, “Hey, hey, you gotta take the good with the bad. Now hold this.” She said handing him the cone.

He sat down his own, now empty, ice cream cup and held onto the strawberry cone. He glanced at her out of the corner of his eye. She was still struggling to start a flame with her lighter so he gave the ice cream a quick lick, then another, it was quiet good. Tasted like authentic strawberries. He should’ve gotten the strawberry one.

“HEY!” y/n said laughing, “I TOLD YOU! Now you have to live with your decisions.” She said taking the cone back despite still working on lighting the cigarette.

“Fine.” He sat there, contemplating going back to the store for a different flavored cup when he inhaled a mouthful of smoke.

It sent him into a fit of coughing with y/n profusely apologizing.

In the end, his near death experience, got him to keep the strawberry cone.

They sat there until the sun felt bearable and then some more.

“So, when do you go back?” y/n asked, her cigarette long put out but its scent still lingering.

“Wha-Oh, yes. I should be going back by the end of the summer.” He hadn’t told her the full truth about being a wizard, but boarding school had been convincing enough.

“That’s,” she counted on her fingers, “four days from now.” She finished, her face falling.

“Yeah.” He said, leaning his head back into the trunk of the tree, for once, wishing he too were a mere muggle.

He felt her shift besides him and turned to her, their eyes met and he recognized the look. She kept glancing from his lips back to his eyes, a universal sign amongst wizards or muggles. He cupped her cheek with his hand, took one last look look into her y/e/c eyes, and dove in head first.

In years to come all he would remember from that afternoon would be the taste of strawberries and cigarettes.

And y/n, always y/n.

Remember when you taught me fate, you said it’d all be worth the wait

Alas, time was unforgiving, and tonight was their last night in muggle world. Zabini’s father, the most unorthodox one of all the pure blood families, who had allowed this escapade in the first place, wanted them back in the manor by tomorrow at noon.

Y/n had planned a night full of fun in honor of his parting.

Cars were very useful, he thought as he sat inside the car, music playing and ceiling open to the night sky.

She’d also had bought loads of muggle candy which was surprisingly better than what the Honeydukes Express had to offer on its best day.

Although key details of Draco’s life were glossed over he talked to her about everything.

There were a few moments were no words were spoken as their lips were much too preoccupied.

They however managed to talk about everything that mattered; their lives, their hopes, and their dreams until the sun defeated the moon, rising triumphantly once again.

The promise was exchanged in the brand new daylight to meet again next summer. 

You always leave me wanting more, I can’t shake my hunger for

It was their first morning back at Hogwarts, Draco couldn’t help but feel a little under the weather as he took a seat across from Crabbe and Goyle who were fighting over who got to grab the first toast. Why was he friends with them?

Draco let out a sigh as he took a sip of his pumpkin juice, recalling the events from the past two weeks. He missed y/n terribly, if he would make through this semester was still to be seen. He was contemplating escaping the manor during Christmas break when he felt something fall on his lap.

Crabbe and Goyle’s idiotic argument had concluded but not before they’d managed to spill everything on the table. His own pumpkin juice now dripping down the edge and onto his robe. Zabini was letting them have a piece of his mind as Draco mumbled, “You both couldn’t be more daft if you tried..” looking down to his lap. Crabbe and Goyle were now the last thing on his mind as he eyed the strawberry. He’d been so absentminded he hadn’t even noticed the bowl of strawberries that had been set in front of him. He picked it up off his lap and bit into it, memories flooding in all at once. He found himself smiling like an idiot the rest of the day, summer couldn’t come fast enough.

Strawberries and cigarettes always taste like you

[needs-to-stop-looking-at-yigas]

what about kohga putting sooga on a leash? i bet sooga would love when kohga yanks him around 👀

How have I NOT fucking done this already??? It sounds like something I'd do??? Lets fix that??

"There's my Soogy Woogy!"

Sooga raised a brow as he was having a snack break with his fellow Yiga. He was just having some dried wildberries while talking with Von and Cil, when Kohga just popped in, apparently just. Giddy.

"Master Kohga. You needed m-"

He stopped the second Kohga got a hold of his face, rubbing his cheeks, just how he liked. Poor Sooga was just, limp in his hands.

"I did! I got my good boy a present! When you're done having your snack, you meet me in our room, okay?"

"Y-yes, Master Kohga."

This was so oddly...tender, given that they weren't alone. Not that Sooga minded. Kohga gave him a light tap on his forehead, before walking off. Sooga damn near fell to the floor, still swooning. Had it not been for Von ducking in and grabbing him, he probably would've.

"Daaaaaamn Sooga, look at YOU, my BOY!"

Cil huffed, arms folded across his chest.

"You're a love sick buffoon."

Sooga looked up at him, huffing.

"You're just jealous because YOU'RE not a good boy."

Cil stammered for a response, only to stop once Von laughed.

"HE GOT YOU THERE, BITCH-OW!"

Cil glared at him as he kicked him in his shin. Yep, absolutely jealous. As he should be.

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

"Master Kohga?"

Kohga knew that tone in his voice. For such a big, burley man, he was real bashful. But Kohga liked that about him, really he did.

"Oh good, you're here. Come in, come in. I have a TREAT for you!"

Sooga, excited by the idea of a reward, yet nervous of what that implied, helped himself in, locking the door behind him. Kohga had a small box of things next to him, which was still supposed to be a surprise, given the way he was trying to draw his attention away from it. Sooga was about to speak, when he suddenly found his face yet again in his master's hands. Oh the way his fingers rubbed at his jaw, it was heavenly.

"Shhh shhh shhh. You're too pretty to have such a fussy head. Such a pretty boy, my Soogy woogy~"

Sooga was a puddle. His Master was being so sweet, so flattering, he didn't even realize he was on his knees, head resting on his lap.

"You're being...so sweet today."

"Because I love your big dummy head. My boy is so pretty and precious and perfect ~"

Sooga was so honestly and incredibly hard right now. His Master knew exactly what he was doing.

"I'm..h...honored..."

Kohga lifted his face to look up at him, oh so tenderly.

"Get up for me, yeah? I want to see that body of yours. Strip. All but the mask."

Sooga had to recall how to stand, before obeying. Stripping down till he was nothing but a nude, helpless man in a mask.

"Sorry. I know I'm...usually much faster about this sort of thing."

"No no, it's cute, really. Thought you were never gonna get it off your feet."

"I...did struggle with that more than I'd care to admit."

Kohga chuckled, lifting his foot up to press against Sooga’s cock.

"Long as you ain't struggling where it counts. Look at my big boy, all ready to go for me."

Sooga tried not to hump his foot like some beast. It felt so good, the cloth, the warmth against him. He stayed still, unable to fathom that there was a surprise past THIS. Kohga nessed with him for but a minute more, before he motioned for him to come to him. He obeyed ptomptly, making Kohga chuckle.

"You ready?"

"Absolutely, my Master. My everything."

"Good."

He damn near passed out when Kohga put his hair down. He always did it so slowly, so confidently, he couldn’t believe he was already panting. Oh and the way his fingers dug into his scalp and ran through his hair-

"What. What did you just."

He put something on him. Something was on his head.

"Cat ears!"

Kohga put cat ears on his head. This was a first.

"What. Why would you-"

"Shhh its a part of the outfit!"

Then he felt it. A leather collar, complete with metal studs, and even dog tags. Kohga clipped it around his neck effortlessly, and Sooga...liked it. He liked it even more when the leash was clipped on.

Then Kohga pulled. Oh the way the leather tightened around hid neck. Kohga wrapped the leash around his hand, yanking him till his face was right in front of his.

"So. Does my pretty boy like his new look?"

"I...do. I really...do."

Kohga held him fast, tilting his mask a bit, and leaning in. Oh his master's lips never looked so inviting. He managed to feel his breath before he pulled away, chuckled.

"Oh...pretty puppy wants a kiss so badly. But he's gonna have to earn it. Does my puppy want his other treat?"

Sooga watched as Kohga pulled off his pants. He was enjoying this, given that his cock was semi hard. Kohga pulled the leash, suddenly and harshly.

"Go on."

Sooga didn't need to be told twice. He cupped his Master's stomach as he leaned in, kissing and licking up and down the length of his cock. It tasted as lovely as it always did.

"Oh...that's a good boy. Such a sweet, pretty boy. Who's-hey! I'm asking you for a blowie, not a fucking rimjob."

"S-sorry. It was just...there."

"It's okay. My boy is just so excited. That's what I like about you."

Kohga gave him a little scratch on his chin, just to show he wasn't mad. He would've basked in it, but Kohga had yanked the leash downward, forcing his mouth upon his cock again. Not that he minded. His cock was so wonderful, his grip on his leash was so tight-Sooga was loving this almost as much as Kohga was.

"That's it. That's my pretty boy's mouth. He sucks cock so well, doesn't he? All nice and sweet and precious."

Sooga knew he wasn't told to do so, but he couldn’t resist rubbing Kohga’s balls in his hand, slowly and firmly. He could feel the cum inside of them, could tell his master was going to give him so much. Kohga yanked at his leash, pulling him away from his cock.

"Open your mouth, stick that tongue out for me."

Sooga obeyed. Kohga pulled at his lips, stroked his tongue, inspected him as if he were cattle he was bargaining for.

"God you’re SO pretty. Just the prettiest boy for you. I deserve someone fine like you. Pretty face, a disciplined mouth, and just the most precious little ass."

Kohga kept his grip on the leash as he leaned over to grab a fistful of his ass, knowing it'd keep him nice and still.

"You know, I WAS gonna cum in your mouth, because I like watching it drip. But I think I'm gonna stuff your cute ass. Would my boy like that?"

Sooga nodded furiously. Kohga had done it before, but him digging his fingers into his ass, it made him even more excited for it.

"Good. On your back for me."

Sooga obeyed. He was expecting Kohga to just start fucking him, only...that didn't happen. Instead, he watched as Kohga tied him to the bed post, get out of bed, and sit on a chair, leaning back and lazily stroking his cock.

"What. I thought you wanted to-"

"I know what I want. But what does my boy want? Does he want me to stuff his pretty ass?"

"I do! Honestly I do!"

"If you want it so bad, then come over here, plant that adorable ass right on my cock, and ride me."

Sooga made the attempt to come to him, but the leash kept him in place, tightening around his neck.

"I c-can't, the leash is-"

"Oh no. I hear you. You don't want this afterall."

"B-but I do! I really do!"

"Obviously not. If my adorable boy wanted my cock and my cum so badly, he'd find a way. You aren’t trying."

Sooga tugged against it again. He must've looked pathetic, thrashing about, cock hungry, mouth drooling, desperate for what he was owed. HE was the good boy, HE deserved the treat, HE made his cock hard for him, HE needed to have it.

"I am! I swear I am! I want you! I swear it! Truly!"

He didn't care that his begging was sad, loud, practically proclaiming that Kohga was what he wanted. Kohga chuckled, seeming to be unconvinced.

"Oh...you really don't. You're playing it up. You don't want my cock. Hell,"

Kohga leaned over his dresser, pulling out one of his lip balms (wildberry, always Sooga’s favorite), slowly gliding it against his lips, and even puckering them, just to tease him.

"I bet you don't even want a kiss."

Sooga always, any time of day and in any situation, want a kiss. Kohga threw his head back as he chuckled. Kohga was tormenting him. In reality, he was probably going to unclip him and give him what he wanted, but Sooga wasn't going to risk it. Motivated by the thought of tasting those plump lips, Sooga thrashed like an angry, desperate animal, and snapped the leash. Kohga looked surprised, clearly not expecting it, but that didn't matter. What mattered was that he was in his Master's lap, cock shoved into his ass and lips against his. It was a starved, grateful, rough kiss. What a lovely flavor.

"Please. Don't ever deprive me of yourself. I love you. I adore you. I ALWAYS fucking want you."

Were his hips bucking too fast? Yes. Was he kissing him roughly enough to bruise his pretty lips? Yes. Did he care? No. All that cared was Kohga dugging his fingers into his ass, and cumming, with Sooga following suit only seconds after. They both sat there for a minute, basking in the afterglow, when Kohga chuckled.

"F-fucking hell. You broke your leash."

"I apologize. I didn't want to. But the idea of NOT having you. It sickened me. I'd break through any barrier to get to you. Through wood, stone, even flesh and bone."

"That's cute Soogy, really, but uh. I never said you couldn't unclip the fucking thing."

"...oh."

Kohga laughed loudly, before scratching under Sooga’s chin, making him melt yet again.

"You're a dumb, pretty boy. I love you. My big ol' sweetie. My big stud muffin. My schmoopie-"

"Master p-please...~"

He was already feeling aroused again.

Woof.

[catharrington]

I don't know if you have time/desire for more catboy but if you do...

Steve getting something gross stuck in his fur (maybe Billy's bubble gum or some candy?) and Steve's trying to contort himself to clean it, but it's in a spot he just can't quite reach so they have to figure out how to get it off when a bath just makes it worse.

Time? None at all. Desire?? Overflowing with it, babe!!

Oh my gosh let me take this opportunity to enjoy some Halloween time!! I imagine cat boy Steve loves Halloween because hey free built in costume he always wears! Him and other cat people just have the best All Hallows ever!

Steve didn’t have much when he first came to Billy’s, just the ears on his head and the collar that got unceremoniously dumped into the trash can. Billy convinced him to go shopping together once, and Steve didn’t care for it much. Felt far too close to a date, too close to what he wanted from Billy— but not what the other wanted from him.

So soon billy just started leaving money on the coffee table where he could. Small amounts. Just enough for Steve to use it to feel some sort of independence. Because billy was stepping far too over the line— no way Steve actually wanted to be in a serious relationship with the guy he nicknamed ‘kidnapper’.

Halloween was different, Halloween was everything goes. Steve had gotten a job at a library just down the Main Street of town, not a 5 minute walk from their apartment. He would sit behind the counter tapping his long nails across a hard back book, most days, using his pointy ears and flicking tail to point out teenagers making too much noise. And the older woman who worked there all fawned over him.

He took the later evening shift, he said it was to help the old bats out, also I’m by myself! Don’t have to worry about them touching my ears or calling me ‘kitty’ to my face!

He would stumble home every day with his ears low on his floppy brown hair, and his shoulder bag filled with books across his chest.

Billy told him he shouldn’t be walking that late at night, don’t care how far, makes me worried someone might want a pretty cat like you?

And Steve would laugh, strip down to a pair of flannel pajama bottoms he stole from Billy, giggling the whole time, and lay down so his head is on Billy’s chest. Let those rough from work hands relax the tension in the muscles around his ears.

They didn’t talk much, didn’t need to. They felt like two jigsaw puzzle pieces meeting. And those don’t have to talk to know they fit.

Halloween was the first time Billy got to see the side of Steve that wasn’t soft sweaters or library books. Wasn’t a fierce independence acting as a wall againt the trauma of abandonment. Of abuse.

Halloween was the first time Billy got to see Steve in a skin tight black cat suit. Designed for cat boys and bought because there’s a bar right down the block from the library and it’s free drinks for cats tonight! I’ve just got to go, Billy, that’s so rad!

Halloween was when Billy followed Steve around, not the other way around. Pulled out an old leather jacket he was surprised still fit him at all. Didn’t talk about the way Steve was going for an all black look but didn’t make any move to take off the brown leather collar Billy got him as an apology gift.

Didn’t talk about the way the wet look pleather on Steve’s cat suit matched. Didn’t mention they looked like a couple. That Billy might hinder Steve if he’s looking to ride a dick that night.

No, he just smiled and walked arm in arm down the block as the sun set. Pretty oranges and red filling the sky. Leaves crunching underfoot the same color as Steve’s pretty hair, all styled up with hairspray and perfect as could be.

The building is lit up with strings of bright purple, a lime green naked bulb sits in the front door where a bouncer stands and collects Billy’s head fee while Steve just flicks his tail to get it.

The bar is crowded with ghouls, and goblins, witches line the bar with their pointy hats. Decorated with arching white spider webs.

Billy knows Steve really only drinks wine because it actually tastes good unlike the piss Billy drinks, so he ain’t surprised when he orders some candy-apple monstrosity. Laps it up with his devilish pink tongue when he gets it. Catches Billy watching over the rim of his tall beer glass.

Steve downs the martini in one gulp before grabbing Billy around the hand, pulling him with a naughty glint in his eye towards the dance floor.

He turns around, moves Billy’s hands around his hips, purrs dance with me, nice and slow?

In a question that doesn’t sound like a question. His tail wrapping possessively around Billy’s legs. Billy groans back, right into the chocolate fudge swirl of his sensitive ear, set the pace, pretty cat, you know I’m good for it.

They let go for song after song, rolling into the next like their bodies roll. Billy’s belt buckle shimmering and catching against the fabric of Steve’s cat suit. Both a mess of sweat, dripping off their foreheads into their greedy open mouths. But they don’t care, they don’t stop.

Not until Steve’s ear gets yanked by another bar patron. Billy’s got his face burrowed into the side of Steve’s neck, drowning the way his wild flower and musk cologne always lingers on the plush leather, so he doesn’t realize anything happening until Steve’s hands move off his own. They lift from where they were cupped around Billy’s own to swat at another hand hovering around his head. His ears. They stayed at if risking another grope.

Steve hissed low and mean, warning three’s a company, creepy bastard! Now back off before I show you how quick I can bite off a dick. His voice nothing like Billy’s heard it. It made his head snap up so quick.

The guy wouldn’t let up, his face ruddy with alcohol and his golden Roman crown as lopsided as his sheet he’s trying to pass off as a costume. He pops a sucker out his mouth to reply. It’s made his whole mouth cherry red, Billy hates to look at it. Hates the words he’s spewing even more.

Steve only lets him get a sentence into his explanation about how a wild cat like you needs a firm hand before he’s shoving with two fingers into the center of the guy’s chest. Backing him up with a sharp nail that disappears into the fabric. Hopefully to leave a prick of blood.

Billy’s hand snaps forward of its own accord, pressing his huge palm flat into the guy’s shoulder and sending him stumbling backwards. He’s always up for a bar fight, knows a drunk bastard like this wouldn’t win always. He shouts out I warned you man, and now I gotta kick your ass! But doesn’t get that far.

He’s caught by two hands on the lapels of his jacket. Yanking him to the side where Steve’s turned from the ass hole. Watching Billy with those nervous dinner plate eyes again. All glittering gold and chocolate chips, making his knees weak. He’s not worth it, Steve purrs. And he’s right. The guy isn’t worth it. But Steve’s worth winning one bar fight and so, so much more. He’s worth the world to Billy. So he listens and follows as they dip to the bathroom.

It’s not until Billy’s coming out of the stall he used to take a leak does he notice that creepy bastard’s pop stuck in the fur of Steve’s tail. It’s amazing he doesn’t feel it, all glossy and red and clutching at the silky fur, but it’s a testimony to how thick his tail really is. Billy knows, he’s had the honor of running his fingers through it enough times.

He offers let me help, get some soap and try to scrub it out.

But Steve just laughs, bracing himself on the side of the cracking porcelain sink, lifting one leg up while the other held his weight, then twists around until the flat of his tongue can lick across the base of his tail. Gathers spit by licking and licking, grooming the pop off his fur inch by inch until it detached into his mouth.

He drops his leg from the sink with a sigh, a dreamy moany thing that Billy’s never going to get out of his head.

Watches as Steve rolls the pop around in his mouth a couple times, savoring the artificial cherry flavor. Savoring the way he wasn’t about to let that ass hole ruin his Halloween. Then he pressed to open the trash bin with one stomp before spitting the pop away.

Billy’s never been more turned on, never been more grossed out as the same time he’s so hard. Never wanted to taste the lingering bubble pop cherry flavor from another pair of lips before.

He simply leans back against another sink and whistles, says that was something else, Stevie, where all can you reach?

And Steve doesn’t tell him. Huffs out the side of his mouth while he rolls his eyes. Blushing pretty. Says I seriously need another drink now. And something not cherry!

And Billy follows him back to the bar, decorated for Halloween and dripping with spider webs, with a smile.

[cozy-the-overlord]

Dances and Daggers

Summary:   The Summer Festival is upon Asgard, as is the tradition of the dagger ceremony, where each unmarried gentleman chooses a lady to bestow with the honor of carrying his dagger for the night. As Prince Thor’s betrothed, Teki’s only goal is to accept his dagger with grace and hope that her violent stepfather doesn’t find fault with her in the process. But Prince Thor is unpredictable, and when he ignores his engagement on a whim Teki finds herself in a desperate situation. Luckily, Thor isn’t the only prince in Asgard…

Pairing: Loki x Original Female Character

Chapter 7: The Gatekeeper

Previous Chapter |  Next Chapter

Word Count: 2,044

Chapter Summary:  A trip across the Rainbow Bridge seems in order.

Thanks for reading! :)

TW: mentions of child abuse

Tags: @lucywrites02 @gaitwae

if you want to be tagged, just send me an ask! :)

Read it on Ao3!

“It doesn’t mention anything about him leaving at all?”

Teki shook her head. “No, nothing.”

She and the prince were huddled in one of the back tables of the library, flipping through the pages of her father’s journal in search of some kind of clue. Teki had wondered if Loki would even be interested in continuing to help her—her life was such a mess, she didn’t see why anyone would want to willingly jump in—but he seemed just as eager to find her father as she was.

Although, neither of them had any idea as to where to start.

Loki had suggested beginning with the journal, since that was their main lead. “If he wrote in it every day, then he probably mentioned something about leaving, right?” he asked. “That couldn’t have been a decision he took lightly.”

Teki thought so as well, but the more she looked, the more it appeared that her father had done nothing of the sort. When he wasn’t writing ballads, it seemed the only thing he wrote about was her.

Teki and I went into town today to watch the parade. She was ecstatic—especially fascinated by the violinists. She’s been dancing around the room, pretending to play violin all night long. She says that she wants to learn, and I have half a mind to start teaching her. After all, she’s picked up the piano like it was nothing. Such a musical heart—I’m so proud of her.

Seeing her name—her nickname, that is—written in her father’s handwriting took her back to the letter he had left behind, the one that dissolved his marriage and rejected her as his daughter.

My dear Tekla…

That letter had been in the box too, along with several other letters he had exchanged with her mother before they were married. Rereading it for the first time since he had left, Teki was once again struck with the belief that there was something dubious about her father’s message. The whole thing was so stilted, so emotionless. It felt… it felt scripted. As if his hand was only transcribing another’s words.

And he called her Tekla.

Next to her, Loki sat straight up. “Why, we don’t have to look through all this!” he cried. “I can’t believe I hadn’t thought of this before!”

She frowned in confusion. “What are you talking about?”

“Heimdall!” Loki stood, grinning. “He sees everyone in the universe. We can just ask him where your father is.”

Teki’s heart stuttered. The Gatekeeper stood at the edge of the Bifrost, eyes that protected Asgard from the threats that lurked beyond. Asking him to check for her father seemed… disrespectful. “Are we—are we allowed to do that?”

The prince laughed. “Why wouldn’t we be?” He pulled her to her feet. “Come on, let’s go!”

“I—now?”

“Why not?” He hesitated. “Unless—if you’d prefer, I could just—”

“No.” Teki inhaled. Loki was right. This could be the best way to find her father. It was time she got over her fear of … everything. She took his hand. “Let’s go.”

…

They rode out to the Rainbow Bridge together on Loki’s horse. It was… a bit odd, to be sharing the reins with someone, but Teki didn’t have her own horse and wasn’t keen to wait for the stable hands to pick one out for her. It wouldn’t have even mattered anyways, because they didn’t have any sidesaddles on hand, and Teki knew that in the time it would have taken her to change into slacks, she would have talked herself out of going at all. Instead, she found herself perched awkwardly in the front of Loki’s nightmare black mare, Brynja.

“You—you can still see, right?” she asked as Loki shifted in the saddle behind her.

He hummed in affirmation. “Um—I think—” his hand fluttered stiffly at her waste. “Would it be alright if I—if I held on to you?” Teki twisted around to see his cheeks were bright pink. It reminded her of the night of his Nameday Feast, when she had to ask him to lace her dress up, and her face flushed as well.

Loki coughed. “Just so you don’t fall off,” he added quickly. “Apologies, it’s just that I’ve never ridden like this, and—”

“No, it’s fine,” she interrupted quietly. “You can… hold on to me.” For a moment, Loki didn’t move. Then, very slowly, he brought his arm to rest across her stomach, holding her to his torso. Teki forgot how to breathe.

“Ready?” he whispered, the little puff of breath ticking her hair. She giggled, nodding. With a click of his tongue, Loki spurred the horse forward. Teki was soon grateful for his arm at her waist, because she was certain that without it, she would’ve gone flying when they shot forward like a cannonball.

“Oh!”

She had never ridden across the Bifrost before. Teki could only cling to Brynja’s mane and try not to scream as colors whizzed across her vision, speeding high above the rolling waves of the Asgardian ocean. Loki shouted something, but she couldn’t hear him above the wind roaring in her ears.

By the time they had reached Himinbjorg, she was panting as if she had been the one racing for miles. Loki laughed.

“Have you never galloped before?”

She bristled. “I’ve galloped.” But riding horseback had never been one of Teki’s favorite hobbies, and she felt Loki could tell.

Smiling, he jumped to the ground, helping her slide down as well and offering her his arm. “Let’s go.”

She took it haltingly. “We—we just go in?” she asked. “Don’t we have to… announce ourselves?”

Loki laughed again. “He sees everything! He already knows we’re here.”

“Wait.” Teki froze. “Everything? He sees everything? Even—” Even Osvald?

For a moment, the prince seemed confused, but realization flashed across his face.

“Yes, but Heimdall doesn’t interfere with what he sees, not unless there’s significant threat to Asgard,” he reassured her. Something dark passed across his face. “Not even when he should.”

Teki swallowed. Loki had so far honored his promise to keep what he knew of her family’s dynamic to himself, but he made no secret of the fact that he thought she should tell some higher authority. He was convinced that Osvald could be stopped by someone like his mother. Teki wished she shared his optimism.

Walking into Himinbjorg was like stepping into a whole other world. The spherical walls glowed with an archaic power that seemed to vibrate through her every fiber. The very air seemed to have a different taste, as if flavored by the intricacies of the cosmos. She needed no knowledge of the Bifrost to understand this was sacred ground.

In the middle of the room, a figure stood on the raised platform still as a statue, a golden silhouette cutting through the multicolored stains of the galactic skyline. The curved horns of his helmet glistened in the starlight, completely motionless as Teki and Loki entered.

The prince inhaled. “Good Heimdall,” he said. His voice had taken on a very grandiose tone, and Teki had to suppress the urge to laugh. “We wish to ask a favor—”

Heimdall turned, and the urge died almost instantly. The watcher of the worlds was an imposing form. His helmet cast his face in shadow as he stepped forward, his intricate golden armor echoing the design of the hilt of the giant sword he clutched in his hands. But it was his eyes that sent shivers down her spine. His deep orange irises bored deep into soul, as if he was seeing things about her that she didn’t even know herself. She quickly dropped her eyes to the ground.

When he spoke, it was in a deep baritone that boasted of ancient wisdom. “I know why you’re here.” Even when she wasn’t looking, she felt the weight of his stare. “Lady Tekla. I cannot give you that for which you search.”

“We only wish to know the whereabouts of her father.” Loki interjected. “Steinn—” he looked to Teki questioningly.

“Kjellson,” she whispered. “Steinn Kjellson.” She pulled her gaze from the metal floor, forcing herself to meet his piercing eyes. “Do—do you know where he is?”

He was still looking at her, studying her intently as if she were a piece in an art display. Teki realized suddenly that he had not looked at Loki once since they arrived at Himinbjorg. She squirmed.

“I know of whom you speak,” he said finally. “But it is not my place to speak on the matter.”

“What do you mean?” Loki demanded, frowning. “Is your place not to serve Asgard, and her royal family?” He motioned towards Teki. “She is to be your Queen.”

Heimdall’s gaze didn’t waver. “You’re not asking the right question,” he said directly to her.

“I—what?” What right question? Flickers of irritation began to burn at her nerves. “Can’t you see him?” she asked.

Heimdall only stared.

She scowled. “I haven’t seen my father in years!” she snapped. “Can you at least tell me if he’s safe?”

“You’re not asking the right question,” he repeated.

With a huff, she turned to Loki. “This is a waste of time. He’s not helping us.” The prince nodded, glaring at Heimdall.

“It’s time we left,” he agreed. He held her hand as they stormed out of the building together.

Even as Loki helped her back on to Brynja’s back, Teki felt the gatekeeper’s gaze entrapping her in its scope. She turned around to find that Heimdall had not budged an inch from where they left him, orange eyes piercing hers. She balked.

You’re not asking the right question.

But what other question was there to ask? All she wanted to know was where her father had went. What other way could she ask that? Teki glowered as Loki pulled himself into the saddle.

“I’m sorry Teki,” he was saying. “I really thought he could help.”

“You were right,” she mumbled bitterly. “He could help. He just didn’t.”

Loki sighed, urging Brynja forward, but not too fast yet. “We’ll have to try something else,” he mused. “You said your father used to work as a court musician?”

“Yes. He quit when he married my mother.” Teki pulled at her sash. When she was little, she had always imagined what it would be like to be the daughter of a court musician, what it would be like to not have to worry about curtseys or tea time, to spend her days helping her father prepare for his performances. She had always felt he wished he hadn’t had to leave the musical troop, picked up on the longing even though he did his best to mask it.

“It’s a good thing I’m not in the troop anymore,” he had joked wistfully with her once, after she had finished playing one of his piano pieces without sheet music for the first time. “You’d have me right out of a job!”

Back in the present, Loki seemed to be engrossed in some idea. “Do you know any of his fellow players?” he asked.

Teki frowned. “No. By the time I was born he wasn’t involved with them anymore.” She turned around to face the prince. “Why?”

His face was scrunched up in thought. “Well, maybe they know something,” he said. “If they were close enough, they may have some idea as to where he went. We can check the court records, figure out who was with him when he was working.”

She cocked her head to the side. “You know, there might be something there.” The bitterness in her throat from their visit with Heimdall begin to melt away. She smiled shyly at the prince. “Thank you.”

Loki let out an embarrassed chuckle. “For what?”

“I don’t know.” She shrugged. “Everything. Helping me.” Her cheeks were burning. Why was she always such a failure when it came to speaking?

But Loki didn’t seem to mind. “Of course.” He leaned forward to wrap his arm around her waist once more. “Are you ready to go?”

She nodded, unable to hold in her squeal as they shot out once more across the Rainbow Bridge.

[parkersbliss]

The List | H. Osterfield

Pairing: Harrison Osterfield X Female Reader

Warnings: no-no words, sexual innuendo, none of this is accurate and tbh it’s a bit choppy

Wc; 4.5K

Synopsis: 24 hours to do 24 things before Harrison turns 24, will you make it?

a/n: a very happy birthday to a very special guy, in honor of Harrison’s birthday! <3

Masterlist | Prompt list | Taglist

—

Your alarm rang out through your dark room. Usually, you would have pressed snooze and slept it off, but not today. Instead, you throw the duvet off your bed, grabbed your backpack full of everything you needed, and headed straight down the hall to his room. You didn't bother knocking, knowing he was still peacefully asleep, no, instead, you burst down the door and jumped on the bed.

"Wake up, Haz! It's time to go!"

He groans, and you roll your eyes, grabbing his arm and yanking him out anyway. Harrison stumbled a bit, not used to being awake at this hour, but he grabs his backpack full of supplies and follows you out the door. He was starting to regret this idea even though it had just begun. You both got in the car, Harrison yawning as he starts up the car.

"Okay, first one, road trip!" You said, reading off the paper in your hand. Harrison leans over to read some of the things, all written with your colorful and bright handwriting. His eyes scan the list, landing on number 24 where you hand covered it up.

"How come I can't see that one?" He asked.

"Because it's a surprise," You replied. The date was July 3rd, the day before Harrison's birthday. In the coming week, you had put together a list of 24 random activities to do in 24 hours before he turned 24. Granted, Tom and the rest of Harrison's friends were helping along the way, but right now, it was just you and him.

Harrison said nothing more, too tired to argue with you, "Please tell me you have coffee."

Your reply was to pull two thermoses from your backpack, setting them in the car's cup holders. Harrison nods, grabbing the cup and taking a long sip, the warm liquid sliding down his throat and making him feel more awake with each passing second.

"Alright then, where to love?"

...

Harrison pulled into the parking lot, turning the keys and shutting off the car. You grabbed a pen from your backpack, crossing off the second item on the list.

Road Trip

The sun had just started to rise, and you looked at your phone, checking the time. Eight in the morning. Your pushed open your car door, leaving your backpack in your seat and grabbing only your phone and wallet. Harrison walked around the car, placing a hand on the small of your back as he glances at you, "what are we here for?"

"Three things," You said, "number six on the list, go to a farmers market, number one, eat watermelon and number 23, ice cream!" You listed them all on your fingers, bouncing on your feet at the mention of the ice cream.

"Ice cream?" Harrison questions, "it's eight am, love."

You scoff, "never too early, plus we could use the sugar. We have a long day ahead of us, pretty boy," You taunt, mocking his use of 'love' earlier. It wasn't uncommon for you to call each other names, that was simply the way of your friendship. It wasn't an unspoken thing, you never did speak about it, but you planned on changing that later tonight.

Harrison chuckles, shaking his head, "lead the way."

You grin, slipping your hand in his and taking off toward the market. You both wandered between all the different stalls, gawking at the variety of fresh fruit amongst other things. Harrison stops in front of a stand, tugging at your hand, and you spin around. He points toward the melons gathered in baskets, and you clap your hands. The owner comes over, holding a knife, "would you like to try some?" He offers using his hand to motion to all the different melons. There was cantaloupe, honeydew, seedless red watermelon, and yellow watermelon.

You nod eagerly, "can I try the yellow, please?" The farmer nods, cutting a slice and handing it over. There's no hesitation as you bite into the melon, it tastes just like regular watermelon, just a tad bit sweeter. Juice drips down your chin, and you use the back of your hand to wipe it off, grinning widely. You offer the piece to Harrison, "want a bite?"

He leans down, biting the rest of it off as you let out a gasp, snatching your hand away, "I said a bite."

Harrison shrugs, laughing through his mouthful of stolen melon, "not sorry."

You smack his arm, resulting in him giggling more. The farmer smiles at the two of you, "I assume you'll be buying?"

Harrison nods, swallowing the rest of the melon, "I think (Y/N) would about murder me if I didn't."

You ignore his comment, "One yellow and one red, please."

The farmer hands you the two melons, and you thank him, handing over the money.

"Think you can handle both?" You tease.

"Easy," Harrison smirked, picking one up in each arm. You follow behind him, keeping a close eye on the melons, making sure he didn't drop them. Harrison pops open the trunk and rests the watermelons inside, before slamming it shut. He crosses his arms, leaning against the trunk of the car, "ice cream, you say?"

You snicker, "I thought you said it was too early?"

"Now I know the heat is getting to you, that's an absurd thought."

He grabs your hand again and pulls you back into the market, searching for the ice cream stand. Harrison weaves in and out of the crowd, leaving you to apologize for his atrocious behavior.

"Harrison, slow down!" You exclaim, tugging on his arm as a warning. He obeys, slowing the pace to a jog as he pulls you out of the crowd and into his side. It's a few more minutes of pushing and pulling until you arrive at the ice cream truck. Harrison orders for you two and hands you the cone while he pays.

"I told you this was a good idea," You said in between licks of your ice cream.

Harrison nods his head, eagerly eating his breakfast. You both move to a seat under the shade, your ice cream rapidly melting in your hands.

"What flavor did you get?" You ask.

"Caramel cone," He replied, licking up the side of his cone to catch a drop, "You?"

"White chocolate raspberry truffle."

"Oh, give me a bite!" Harrison said, leaning over.

You scoff, "No way! After what you did to my watermelon, I don't think so."

"Please, love? You can have the rest of mine," He bargains, a pout on his lips. As soon as Harrison pulls the pouty face, you know you're a goner.

"you know I hate it when you do that," you grumble, handing him your cone. He laughs at that, taking a small bite of your ice cream, "I know that's why I did it. You can't resist me."

Oh if he only knew

You roll your eyes, grabbing his hand with his ice cream in it and taking a bite yourself. You hum at the sweet taste of caramel and take another nibble. Harrison lets you, holding up his earlier bargain and figuring this was payback for the watermelon.

"I'm going to eat this all if you don't take it away from me," you joked, pushing it back, a few drops of the treat making their way down your chin. Without thinking, Harrison reaches out to brush them away, his thumb just grazing your lower lip. There's a moment where you both pause in realization, but it ends as quickly as it started, and he wipes his thumb on a napkin while you mumble thanks, cheeks on fire.

Watermelon, farmers market, ice cream

...

Sweat dripped down your brow as you let out a huff, "Harrison!"

He spins around, hands on his hips as he takes in your exhausted form, "Yes, love?"

"How much further?" You whine. It felt like you'd been hiking for ages. You were covered in sweat, legs burning, probably sunburnt and hungry. Turns out, ice cream is not the best choice for breakfast. As each second passed, you wondered what demon possessed you to put go on a hike on your list. Anything else would've been better, and yet, you put that down.

"Half a mile, give or take," Harrison replied, squinting as he tried to spot the lake in the distance. You groan, throwing your head back, "this was a horrible decision."

Harrison laughs at you, and you glare at him, of course, he wasn't exhausted. He was your all-around athletic guy that could do anything. It seemed like every time you went out, he surprises you with another activity he could perform with ease. Although, you stopped being surprised a long time ago, accepting the fact that Harrison was just perfect in everything he did.

"Get on," Harrison said. He was crouching in front of you, arms extended, waiting for you to hop on.

"Harrison..."

"C'mon, love, I don't mind. It's only half a mile."

You can hear the smirk in his voice when he says that. You roll your eyes - not that he can see - and jump on his back. Your arms weave their way around his neck as his hand grab the back of your legs, keeping you flush against him. He stands up slowly, pushing you up a bit further as you cross your ankles.

"good?" He asked.

You nod your head, dipping it into his neck, "great."

Harrison carries you the rest of the way there; your head nuzzled into his neck as your body gets the sweet relief it deserves. You close your eyes at some point, listening to the sound of Harrison's breathing and the birds chirping in the trees. Very faintly, you catch the sound of running water, letting you know you were close to your destination. Harrison turns his head, forehead pressed against the side of yours so he can whisper in your ear, "we're here."

Your eyes flutter open as he gently lowers you to the ground, feet landing in the sand surrounding the lake. The sun sits high in the sky, reflecting into the clear pool of water. Tall dark pine trees surround the lake and a few rocky areas around the coast. The water sparkles under the sun, moving in small waves.

"Holy shit," Harrison breathes out, taking in the view.

"Yeah, wow," You agree, still trying to take it all in. A small family of ducks swims across the lake, and you watch as one of the ducklings swims away from her mom, diving under to catch some fish. By the time its head breaks the surface, she's gone. You don't hesitate to rush down to the lake and scoop the duckling into your hand.

"(Y/N), love..." Harrison stared, eyeing the duckling.

"It's number 20 on the list, no argument, pretty boy!" You said, cooing at the small creature in your hand, "plus, look how cute she is! Let's call her Daisy."

The duckling chirps happily in your hands, and you smile at Harrison, "I think she likes us."

Harrison leans over your shoulder, and Daisy quacks.

"If you say so. What was the other thing on your list?"

"Oh!" you pass Daisy to Harrison, who despite himself, cups her softly and fawns over her.

"Carve our names!" You announced proudly, pulling the knife from your bag.

"Woah, be careful with that thing!" Harrison said. He passes Daisy back to you and gently takes the knife out of your hands, "I think I'll be doing the carving part."

You place Daisy in the pocket of your shorts as you and Harrison scan the area for the perfect tree. You eventually find a tall pine near the water, and Harrison gets to carving. The knife drags against the wood as he engraves two names into the bark.

Harrison + (Y/N)

July 3rd, 2020.

He tops it off with a heart surrounding it, before brushing the wood chips off his hand, "there."

"it's perfect," You grin, clasping his hand in yours.

"Yeah," Harrison mumbles, his gaze wavering over you. "perfect."

go on a hike, adopt a duckling, carve our names

...

"No."

"This one?"

"No."

"Okay, what about this?"

"No way."

"This?"

"Are you crazy?"

"This!"

"Love," Harrison chuckled, grabbing onto your wrist and pulling you to his chest, "you're kidding, right?"

You push away from his chest, "I think the pineapples would look great on you."

Harrison groans, still holding you in his arms, but neither of you had noticed, "Please, anything but the pineapple one."

"Okay okay fine, what about the hibiscus one?"

Harrison's face drops, and you laugh, grabbing onto his arm to support you.

"This is London, not freaking Hawaii, (Y/N)."

You scoff, "Yes, but we're going to a beach party, so I think you should at least wear something tropical."

"No."

"Please?"

"Nuh-uh."

"What about a dolphin tie?"

"And just when I thought your idea couldn't get any worse."

"wait, wait, hear me out, pineapple shirt, pineapple tie, and yellow shorts."

"That's it we're leaving," Harrison said, gripping your hand in an attempt to drag you out of the store.

You whine, trying to pull him back, "Hazzy, wait, okay, I'll be serious now!"

Harrison stops and crosses his arms, "go on then. What should I wear?"

"I think you should wear the pineapple shirt," You mumble.

"what's that, love?" Harrison asks, wrapping an arm around your waist and pulling you to his chest so he could whisper in your ear. You turn around in his arms, poking him in the chest, "I think you should wear the pineapple shirt."

"(Y/N)..."

"Hear me out: You can wear it unbuttoned with a tank top and jean shorts."

Harrison thinks about it, and you watch the conflict across his fast. You wrap your arms around his waist and peer up at him, pout adorning your lips, "please?"

Harrison doesn't miss a beat. "Sounds perfect."

"Yes!" you cheer, leaning up to kiss his cheek before you can even think about it, "Tom's going to love this."

You pay for his outfit and drag him out of the store, and back into the sun, Harrison immediately shielded his eyes.

"What's next?" He asked, nearly missing getting hit by someone as you haul him through the mobs of people.

"Just wait," You shout, turning back to smile at him as you make your way to a clearing. A small fountain stands in the center, a few people surrounding it. A lady stands in the middle, arms, and legs rippling with muscles as she smiles kindly at everyone.

"Welcome to African Zumba!"

"Oh no," Harrison whispered under his breath, turning to walk away, but you grab onto and give him a pleading look.

"It'll be fun. I promise it's only half an hour."

Harrison sighs, mumbling something under his breath but coming to stand next to you.

The dance instructor introduces herself as Maya, giving a bit of History on Zumba and her culture.

"Now, we start!" She exclaims, pressing play on her phone as the music starts floating through the air. "Just copy me."

And Harrison tried.

Oh, how he tried, but it seemed you finally found the one thing Harrison couldn't do. The poor boy tripped over his feet and often crashing into you, mumbling an apology as he continued to try and copy Maya. Half an hour later and Harrison swears he's never sweated so much in his life.

"Are we done?" He asked between pants, hands on his knees as he tried to catch his breath.

You laugh, a bit breathless yourself, "yes, you big baby. We're going to go home and get ready for your party later."

"Thank god," He mumbled, brushing his hands off on his shirt as he stands up, blonde locks falling in his eyes.

"c'mon, it wasn't that bad," You tease, bumping shoulder with him.

"I think the fifty bruises on me say otherwise."

You snort, picking up your bags and grabbing onto his hand, "Yeah, yeah, whatever, we're going home so you can change into your outfit."

"don't remind me."

"you'll look so handsome."

"I think you mean ridiculous."

"Same thing for you."

Harrison scoffs, stopping in his tracks, causing you to almost trip. He pulls you to his chest, arms wrapping around your waist, "wouldn't you know."

A moment of silence passes as you gaze into each other's eyes, your lips brush against each other, and you wonder if maybe this is it, but then he pulls away, and you push yourself out of his arms.

"Those macaroons aren't going to make themselves."

...

Bake Macaroons, make lemonade, learn to dance, shopping

By the time you got to the beach, the sun had started to set, but that was perfect. You guys planned on being here all night as Harrison's birthday was tomorrow.

"Close your eyes," You said, holding both of Harrison's hand in yours and leading him down the boardwalk to the beach. Your feet dig into the warm sand, the sound of waves crashing onto the shore much more prominent now. Tom stands to the side with the rest of Harrison's friends. He gives you a knowing wink as you roll your eyes at him, leading Harrison to the center of the celebration. The tables were placed a few feet away from the ocean; all of them covered in food and confetti. There was a fire pit in the middle, a few chairs, and towels surrounding it. Some umbrellas were still propped up, the sun only just making it's decent.

"and open!" You squealed, letting go of Harrison's hands as his eyes roamed the space set up for his birthday.

"Happy almost birthday!" His friends cheered, raising their beers to the sky.

Harrison grins, cheeks flushed, "thank you, guys. This is awesome, but enough about me. I won't be 24 for another six hours, so lets party!"

Tom and Harry jog up to you, Tom landing a hit on Harrison's ass as you giggle.

"hey birthday boy," Tom said, nodding to Harrison, "how many more activities do you have left on the list?"

All three boys turn their attention toward you, and you pull the slip of paper out of the pocket of your shorts. "Pull- an all-nighter, get drunk, catch fireflies, karaoke, water gun fight, photoshoot, bonfire, make smores, midnight swimming, stargazing and number twenty-four."

The two Holland exchange knowing glances at the mention of the magical number.

"Do you tow divs know what it is? C'mon then, spill it!" Harrison urges.

Both shake their heads, "nope, we were sworn to secrecy by miss (Y/N) here."

You shrug, giving Harrison an innocent smile, "you'll find out soon enough."

Tuwaine appears behind you, holding four bottles of beer in his hands, "I heard getting drunk was on the list?"

You nod eagerly, everyone grabbing a beer and popping off the lid, clicking them together before taking a large swig.

"Hey, divs!" Sam calls out from a microphone, "whos' up for karaoke?"

...

"Tom!" You scream, aiming your gun at him and rapidly firing. He laughs, knowing full well your aim sucked. The war rages on as you both continue squirting water at each other. You watch as Harrison comes up behind Tom, giving you a thumbs-up as he begins soaking him.

"mate, what the hell?" Tom exclaims, turning around to see Harrison grinning as he continues to fire at Tom, "traitor!" Tom shouts, directing his water gun to the birthday boy. With Tom distracted, you sneak over to the bucket of water balloons, grabbing as many as you could in your hand before Harry toses one at you, hitting you in the stomach. His laughter rings out as you chase him in hot pursuit, landing a few hits on his back and hair. You feel spurts of water on your exposed back, and you turn around to see both Tuwaine and Sam firing at you.

"Harrison, help me!" You squeal, getting soaked in water as all three boys began dousing you.

"Harrison, you div, get over here, or I'll come after you!" You shout, using your hands to shield your face from the water. The boys eventually stop their torment when they find themselves out of water, and you soaked. Your hair is matted to your forehead as you pick up your water gun, "where's the birthday boy?"

Harry, Sam, and Tuwaine smirk knowing what was about to happen, "he's over them with Tom," Tuwaine answers motioning to them.

"He's so going to get it," You said, breaking into a run. You race past the water balloon station, picking up a few.

Harry grabs his camera, previously sitting on a chair, and brings it to his wet face, ready to capture the moment.

"Harrison!" You roar, cocking your gun at him and dousing him in water.

"Wait, (Y/N), love- don't do this!" He begs, firing between both you and Tom. He turns his attention to Tom, who's laughing like a manic, and you take the chance to hop on Harrison's back, he doesn't falter once.

"This is for letting me get soaked!" You said triumphantly, popping a water balloon over his head.

Harrison gasps as the cold water rushes down his face and soaks through his hair, "babe!"

You throw your head back laughing, arms snaking around his neck to keep yourself in place. Water drips down both of you, but your faces are adorned with stupid grins.

"well?" Sam asked, leaning over Harry's shoulder. Harry moves the camera back to admire the shots he got of you two.

"I like that one," Tuwaine said, pointing to a shot where you're laughing as Harrison looks over his shoulder, grinning at you.

"Yeah." Sam muses, "it'll be great to embarrass them with later after they're together."

"and they say they're just friends," Tuwaine huffs, "such bullshit."

The Holland twins murmur their agreement as they turn their attention back to Harrison, spinning you around as you squeal, holding onto him tighter. Tom stepped away, letting you have your moment and finding a towel to wrap himself in as he approaches the other boys, "Shall we start the bonfire?"

...

You were wrapped in a towel, pressed against Harrison as you held a s'more in your hand, laughing at some embarrassing story Tom was telling about Harrison.

"Shut up, mate! It was a bloody accident," Harrison said.

"Accident or not it's still hilarious," Tom laughs as Harrison rolls his eyes.

"I've got one from today!" you spoke up, Harrison instantly tenses beside you already knowing where this was going.

"love-"

"so we did African Zumba today," You start, a fit of giggles overcoming you as Harrison groans beside you.

Harry and Sam burst into laughter. Everyone already a bit drunk, "no way!"

"He was horrible!" You said, laughing with everyone else as Harrison blushes, "It was hard!"

"I can think of something else that's hard," Tom said suggestively.

That sends Sam and Harry back into a fit of laughter, both clutching onto their stomachs as they lean forward. Tuwaine raises his eyebrows at Harrison, receiving a glare in return.

"Wouldn't you like to know," He mumbles.

"No, but I think (Y/N)-"

You grab a marshmallow from the bag and chuck it at Tom's forehead, "Don't finish the sentence."

He shrugs, shoving the marshmallow in his mouth and winking at the two of you. Harrison opens his mouth to say something else, most likely a sarcastic retort when Sam interrupts him, "Hey guys, look at the stars." Everyone's attention is directed toward the sky. The star glimmer in the dark atmosphere, winking at you as they bathe in the darkness. Harrison's arm drops down to your waist, pulling you against him as you stare at the stars. Your head falls on his shoulder as he wraps the towel a bit tighter around you two.

"five minutes," Harry broke the silence. "Thirty minutes until you're 24 Hazzah."

"did you get everything on the list?" Tuwaine asked, looking to you cuddled up against Harrison.

"do you consider us drunk?" You inquire. As if to prove your point, Sam lets out a laugh. "Us drunk? Never."

Tom turns toward you, "yes," He deadpans.

"Then there's only two things left."

"Well, get on with it," Tuwaine urges.

"what are they, love?" Harrison asked.

"midnight swimming and number 24."

Harrison throws the towel off of you two and grabs your hand, "midnight swimming it is."

He drags you to the ocean, and the colds water laps at your bare feet, making you shiver, "this was a bad idea. The water is freezing!" You whine, trying to back away.

"Oh no, babe, we're in this together." Harrison grabs onto your waist, throwing you over his shoulder as you scream, pounding onto his back.

"No, please, Hazzy, pretty boy, it's going to be cold!"

Harrison ignores your pleas and walks further into the ocean, water lapping at his waist. He turns around to see his friends trying to push each other into the water as well, Harry shouting at Sam as he almost tips back.

"Ready?"

"Harrison, please," You plead, "don't do this."

As usual, he ignores you and drops you into the freezing ocean. Your head breaks the surface as you stand up, shivering a bit, "asshole."

Tom cheers from the shore, having knocked Harry in as well, but mostly focus on you two, "He did it! He actually dropped her!"

You give the boys the middle finger, all laughing in reply.

"Midnight swimming, check," Harrison smirks, standing before you, shirtless and blonde locks pushed back, "what's number twenty-four?"

Your heart pounds in your chest at the mention of the last item on your list, after all this time, and it seemed you were still scared. A light catches your eye, and you see Tuwaine waving his phone, and Tom yelling, "ten."

You furrow your eyebrows at him, and he taps his wrist, signaling the time.

Ten seconds left

"Well?" Harrison asked again, his hands finding your arms.

Tuwaine's hand shot up, all five fingers showing.

Screw it

You grab the back of Harrison's neck and crash your lips onto his. Your eyes flutter close, savoring the feeling of his velvet lips on yours. It takes you a minute to realize he's also kissing you back, but when you do you smile against his lips. The ocean laps at you, bringing the cold with it, but you pay no attention to it when Harrison pulls you to his chest, hands coming up to cup your cheeks. He tastes faintly of chocolate from the smores earlier, but if anything, it makes you want to kiss him longer.

Reluctantly you pull away first, "number 24," you whisper, pressing your forehead to his, "kiss him."

"We could've done that a lot sooner," Harrison quips.

You shrug, "doesn't matter, I still did it."

The cold finally catches up with you, and you shiver in Harrison's embrace. He takes notice and scoops you up again, wading his way back to the shore where his friends await him.

"so, lovebirds, what's the verdict?" Tom asked.

"We can talk about that later, right now, my girlfriends freezing."

Your heart swells at the mention of being Harrison's girlfriend. He was really yours now.

Harrison sits you down, draping a towel over your bare shoulders and leaving to grab some food, but you tug at his hand, bringing his lips back toward yours.

"Happy birthday, baby."

— END —

🏷 Harrison Osterfield Taglist: @cams-lynn @runway-to-my-aid @yoinkyourheart @t-monosapiens-h @hollandsamor @riz-holland-osterfield @imanativeofswlondondahling @duskholland @mendes-marvel @unsaidholland @parker-potters @marshxx @viagracex @joyleenl @liberty-barnes @ellyseveronica @notsosmexy @36musicalkeys

🏷 Permanent taglist: @yansi1923 @sleepybesson @fallinfortom @averyfosterthoughts

[nomstellations]

what’s your favorite trope in vore? write it ♥︎

Anon bless your soul bc I got to write something very self indulgent that only appeals to me, probably. This might be a blend of more than one favorite trope, but hey! I loved writing this! It’s pretty long, so apologies to you guys for that ; ; I love dialogue!

Inkopolis was a bustling hub of culture and activity, filled to the brim with seafolk of all kinds. Nestled in the corner of the plaza was a cafe known as the Coral Reef, which was notably quieter than the area around it. Inside it seemed as though things were slow, with only one cashier behind the counter and a handful of inklings enjoying their snacks. Artemis, the colossal inkling behind the counter, is staring off into space with a rather dreamy expression on his face. Truth be told he was waiting on a certain someone he adored to come in today, and the gentle chime of the door being opened got his attention. In strolled an ink stained inkling, one he knew very well and it caused him to grin. “Well, if it isn’t the one and only~ You look like you’ve been in a fight or two.” The small bobtail squid strides up to the counter, sighing as she tries to wipe ink off herself. “Ugh, hey Artie...ranked was a struggle today. What’s with the look, did you get a raise or something?” He shook his head and stood up to his full height, reaching under the counter and handing her a towel to dry herself off with. “No no Ace, I was just thinking about some things. Thanks for bringing me back to reality, as you tend to do berry blue~” Ace takes the towel and wipes her face, hiding the small blush Art’s baritone voice brought her. He was always a big flirt, but he always laid it on a bit thicker with her. She figured it was just how he was, but she couldn’t help but get blue in the face when he directed them at her. Setting down the towel, she yawns and stares up at the menu. “So, whatcha got today? I’m starved after all that action!” “Well~” He hummed, gesturing to the display case full of treats. “I just finished setting out some of our house specials and a few fruit cheesecakes! I’ve been working on a little secret that may be on the menu as well, buuuut it could use some taste testing to assure its quality!” Ace’s eyebrows raised in curiosity, interested in the new development. “A secret, huh? Mind telling me, your best customer??” She smiled at him, and one to match it slowly grew on Art’s face.

If he can pull this off...he’ll have her right where he wants her.

“Well...it wouldn’t be a secret if I said it during business hours, but you are my best~” He leaned down to whisper it into the much smaller squid’s ear, taking note that she smells deliciously sweet as always. “Red Velvet Cake~ How’s about you come try it for me? You’ve got good taste!” Literally. Or, so he hoped. Ace visibly perked up, that was her favorite! And Artemis made the best cakes, she almost immediately jumped on the offer but a realization gave her pause. That back room...she’s seen a few inklings go back there with him, but only he ever stepped back out. She was suspicious, but the allure of her favorite dessert was a hard one to resist...going back for just one slice shouldn’t hurt. “Alright, you got me...I’ll just have a slice, I wanna get back to turf!” Artemis can hardly contain his delight, he’s been waiting so long for this day! “Ah, so the blue beauty finally joins me for a tasting session...I must say, I’m honored~” He opens the little door that separates the two of them, beckoning for her to come back with him. “Layin’ it on kinda thick there, Artie.” She grumbles as she follows his lead, trying to ignore the blush on her cheeks. He opens the door to the back for her with a wide smile, the light glinting a bit off of his fangs. Curiously and a bit hesitantly, she peers into the room and is met with the sweet scent of things baking. There’s a tray of muffins cooling on the table, along with a covered pan. Is that it? As if he was reading her mind, the orange-hued inkling stepped forward and pulled the cover off, revealing the red dusted cake to her with a mock bow. “Ta-daaa~ A lovely cake for the lovely little lady.”  Ace gasps in delight, moving over to get a closer look. “Oh, Artie...that looks so good! Cut me a slice please!” He’s way ahead of her, slicing through the moist cake as she says this and cutting her a sizable piece. “Your wish is my command, sweetness~ Enjoy!” Ace smiles at him and wastes no time digging into the moist cake, humming in delight at its sweet flavor. It doesn’t take long for her to finish it, and she pushes the plate away with a happy sigh. “That was a perfect pre-game snack, thank you so much! This’ll be a big hit with the customers, I guarantee it!”  “Thank you for your input, but is it good enough for seconds?” He nudges another slice onto her plate as he says this, it’s slightly bigger than the last. “Well, I don’t want to get sick fighting...after this I’m going to get going, okay?” The cake was eaten so as not to disappoint her large friend, and when she was finished she stood up and prepared to leave, much to Artemis’ dismay. “You’re leaving so soon? Ace my dear, I haven’t seen you all day...why don’t we talk about how you are over a third slice of cake?” Ace stared at him a bit suspiciously, why did he want her to eat so much of it? “Third…? That’s a lot of cake and I’m just one squid, I want to stay in fighting shape!”“Oh darling, every shape of yours is flattering and ready for a fight~ I baked this with love knowing you’d see me today...won’t you eat my gift to you?” She blushed, her tentacles curling up a bit as he mixes a few flirts into his words. “It’s a lot, can’t I just take it home?” Artemis’ stomach growls impatiently, he better move fast...charming her is fun and all, but his cravings are growing stronger by the moment. “I would much rather see those cute cheeks puffed out as you finish it off...come on, it’s taking you on! The great Ace could finish off a cake just as easily as she can wipe a team!” Ace nervously eyes the cake, it was smaller than what he’d normally bake as it was for tasting purposes, but it was still a lot for her. However, it’s at his insistence, and she didn’t want to waste something he made specifically for her… “Alright, fine. You owe me if I can finish this off!” “Oh not to worry, you’ll definitely be rewarded~” He smiles, trying to keep his exterior calm as he watches his plan work beautifully. Ace drills through the cake despite her previous remarks, leaving her with a visibly stuffed stomach that Artemis eyes hungrily. He didn’t want to abuse her competitive spirit but it was worth it, it’s about time for him to eat.... The sound of a chair scraping against the floor pulled the colossal squid from his hungry thoughts, and he watches in surprise as Ace stands up to leave. “Ugh, definitely overate...I think I’m just going to head home, sorry Art.” No, she can’t leave now! He can’t, he won’t let this opportunity slip through his fingers now that he’s so close! As she makes her way to the door he quickly cuts her off, leaning against it and smiling nervously. “W-wait Ace, you can’t go quite yet…" She stares up at him, his immense size over her starting to intimidate her alongside his weird behavior. "A-art, why can't I leave…?" The look in his eyes is ravenous, and as he leans down closer to her she can hear the loud and impatient growls of his stomach. "Ace...I've wanted this for the longest time now, I'm sorry…" He opens his mouth wide, his orange, slimy tongue dragging itself up the side of her face, making it clear exactly where she'll be going. Rattled, Ace digs her hands into his large, soft belly, hoping to get him away from her. “A-ARTEMIS! WHAT ARE YOU DOING?!” He’s undeterred, making a shaky and pleased hum as she’s sweeter than he could have possibly imagined. “I’m sorry, I just can’t hold myself back any longer...you’ll be fine, I can promise you that much.” No longer listening to her protests he clamps his mouth down over her head, sealing her in humid darkness and continuing his tasting. Though now he’s mostly driven by hunger he gently strokes her back, trying to relax her so he doesn’t accidentally hurt her. She squirms and struggles as much as she can, tapping into her battle strength even, but it’s moot as Art pulls her further into his mouth and begins swallowing. Her small size relative to him makes eating her simple, with a powerful gulp already pulling her head and chest into his throat and her belly into his maw. He takes his time here, licking all over it and savoring her flavor and its fullness, before standing up and tilting his head back to let gravity do the work for him. Ace’s struggles gave out at this point, and she let peristalsis and the occasional light glurp from the colossal inkling pull her ever deeper to the loud groaning that was his stomach. When she was finally entirely sealed in his throat he sighed, sitting down in a chair and gently rubbing his stomach as she slipped inside it. She curls up without another word, and there’s a beat of silence before Artemis speaks again. “Ace...I’m truly sorry for deceiving you like this, but...I love you. I have for so long, and I wanted you as close to me as possible...you’re safe in there, I would never bring any harm to you. I just...wanted you in my embrace.” She lays still in him, processing his words. All those flirts...he meant them? She wondered if he was telling the truth, and judging by his stomach’s harmless churning and quiet, gentle burbling, he must have meant it. She had always liked him, but didn’t quite know what to say. As if he read her thoughts, he spoke again. “I understand that it’s overwhelming...when I let you out, we can talk more. I just want to hold you for a while, if that’s fine…” She subtly shifts, which is about the best answer she can give. He sighs, settling in to give her a massage. Truth be told, it wasn’t as bad as she thought in here….will he be doing this more if they got together?

She wouldn’t mind the idea of cuddling like this, if so.

[mikauzoran]

Lukadrien: Among the Wild Things: Chapter Nine

Read it on AO3: Among the Wild Things: Chapter Nine: Ghosts

Nino, Adrien, and Marinette continued to snuggle in subdued silence for a few minutes more until Nino took it upon himself to lighten the atmosphere by asking Marinette about what kind of outfit she was going to design for Luka for the wedding-slash-coronation the following day.

Marinette launched into an impassioned doctoral dissertation on the designs she had in mind that would match the outfit she had already created for Adrien while also suiting Luka.

Luka, Adrien, and Nino stopped her every so often to ask questions and seek clarification.

Soon, the lively discussion turned to mortal wedding customs and the order of the ceremony.

Adrien explained that Nathalie would make sure that Luka knew everything he needed for the ceremony, but the three humans took turns describing aspects of the event and answering Luka’s questions.

Nearly an hour had passed when Adrien’s stomach rumbled, and the young king was reminded that it had been hours since he’d last eaten.

Bidding a fond farewell to Nino and Marinette and assuring them that they would meet again soon, Adrien and Luka made their way to the King’s chambers where dinner was waiting for them.

 “The kitchen made your favourite dishes, Your Majesty,” Chef Cheng announced, bowing as he removed the dish covers with a flourish.

Luka (with his glamour back up) gawked openly at the feast in miniature set before them on the small table near the windows in the King’s chambers. There was a wide assortment of vegetable and seafood dishes, curries, salads, hummuses, and bread…and a tiered tray of bite-sized desserts to round out the meal. Luka found himself astounded by the variety of colours and textures partnered with the heady yet pleasing mix of spices.

“Thank you, Shifu,” Adrien responded with a wide grin overflowing with gratitude as he scooped up some of the lemon and rosemary hummus with a slice of pita still steaming fresh from the oven. “I can’t tell you how much I’ve missed your food. Please give the kitchen my thanks.”

“Of course, Your Majesty,” Chef Cheng assured, glowing with pride at Adrien’s show of appreciation. “It is our honor to serve you. Please enjoy your meal.”

With another bow, the great chef took his leave, and Adrien greedily bit into his pita.

The food seemed to turn to dirt in his mouth, leaving Adrien choking.

“My Love? What’s wrong?” Luka entreated, getting to his feet and hurrying around the table to his husband’s side, his hand going to rest on Adrien’s back between his shoulder blades.

Adrien reached for his wine goblet, taking a large swallow of the liquid and nearly spiting it out again just as fast.

“It tastes like over-steeped tea,” he choked, staring at the spread of food with a look of utter betrayal.

“Oh, no…” Luka breathed as he realized what had happened. “You can’t eat mortal food anymore after consuming fairy food for so long. I’m so sorry, Adrien. I completely forgot.”

“Me too,” Adrien muttered mournfully, picking up a pickled radish and taking a tentative bite. He cringed as the expected acidity of the vinegar failed to materialize on his tongue, replaced instead by the taste and texture of hay.

He looked up at Luka. “Does it taste this bad for you too?”

Luka scooped up a creampuff from the dessert tray and popped it into his mouth. “…It’s fine. Light, flakey exterior…subtly sweet, creamy interior.”

Adrien grabbed a mini pain au chocolat, biting into it in desperation.

He waited for semisweet chocolate to coat his tongue and bring back the usual rush of memories of his childhood…but the pastry was gritty in his mouth.

His hand fell away from his lips, and the pain au chocolat landed with a bounce, leaving crumbs and a smear of chocolate on the pristine tablecloth.

“Adrien?” Luka called gently, concern building with every passing second.

Adrien fought to keep his breathing steady as his heartrate picked up, a wave of panic overtaking him. “…I used to eat those with my mom.”

“Oh, Adrien,” Luka cooed, his heart breaking as tears began to spill over his mate’s cheeks. “Little Prince, it’s going to be okay,” he promised, pulling Adrien out of the chair and into his arms, holding his husband tight, holding him together.

Adrien choked on a sob, wrapping his own arms around Luka and squeezing to keep himself grounded. “I’m so sorry. I didn’t realize… I’m sorry. It’s just food. It’s not important. I haven’t even thought about pain au chocolat this whole time. I just…”

“Shhh.” Luka gently started to sway, rocking Adrien from side to side. “It’s okay, Adrien. It’s going to be okay. If it helps, Alya’s mother is an exceptional chef. We can figure out how to make the foods that are important to you. You haven’t lost anything. Okay?”

Slowly, Adrien started to nod, mentally grabbing onto Luka’s words like a life raft. “Okay,” he agreed shakily. “Yeah. That…That’s a good idea. We can ask her when we get back home. Sorry. I’m just feeling a little emotional being back here.”

“There’s nothing to apologize for,” Luka whispered, nuzzling Adrien’s hair comfortingly. “I get it. I’m sure being back here dredges up a lot of old memories for you, and there’s a lot going on at the moment with your father’s death and everything. It’s okay to feel raw right now…. I’ve got you.”

Adrien tipped his head up to lick Luka’s cheek in gratitude. “I love you.”

“Love you too,” Luka assured, returning the lick lovingly. He paused, noting, “You taste like you did that day I first licked you…. You were crying then too.”

“I cried all the time back then,” Adrien chuckled ironically.

“It made me think you were fragile…that I needed to protect you,” Luka hummed, reflecting. “But you’re not, and I don’t.”

“What if I want you to?” Adrien chuckled, tears gradually drying up as Luka continued to bring him back into the present moment.

“Don’t you have a guard to protect you, though?” Luka teased. “Nino has the biggest queerplatonic crush on you. He’d be happy to do the job.”

Adrien leaned in, touching his nose lightly to Luka’s. He then shook his head so that he was nuzzling his husband as he pretended to pout, “No. I want you to protect me.”

“You’re very persuasive,” Luka observed, tipping his head to lower his lips to Adrien’s.

The kiss slowly deepened and picked up intensity until Luka began to wonder if they were skipping dinner and going straight to bed.

But then Adrien’s stomach noisily groaned in protest, threatening to eat itself if no other suitable substitute was offered to slake its hunger.

Luka pulled back with a chuckle, making Adrien whine almost as loudly as his stomach. “Later, Love,” he snickered. “First, we need to feed you. I’ll run back home and grab you something edible until we can make other arrangements to keep you nourished for the duration of our stay.”

“No!” Adrien cried in a sudden fright, tightening his hold on his husband. “Please,” he added in a more level, composed tone. “Sorry. Please don’t leave me. I don’t think I can take being alone here right now, not even for half an hour.”

Luka pursed his lips, studying the worry lines cutting into Adrien’s face. “Adrien, you can’t deal with all this on an empty stomach. Water should be fine for you to drink, but what are you going to eat?”

“There’s plenty of food,” Adrien argued, tipping his head back towards the myriad dishes covering the table. He tried not to cringe as he took it all in. “I’ll just…”

“What?” Luka snorted lightly. “Choke it down?”

“…Yeah,” Adrien sighed in resignation, breaking away from Luka to rescue the rest of the pain au chocolat he had earlier dropped.

He closed his eyes, imagined the burst of flavor that he should be experiencing, took a bite…and tasted dust. His eyes began to water as he forced himself to chew and swallow.

“Oh, My Love,” Luka cooed sympathetically, gathering Adrien into his arms and pulling him down to sit on Luka’s lap in the red velvet armchair. He rubbed Adrien’s back encouragingly as the repatriated king sullenly consumed his dinner.

 It was slow going, but, eventually, Adrien managed to eat a sufficient amount to quiet his stomach and keep himself going.

“I feel sick,” he whimpered into Luka’s neck.

The kelpie continued to run his hand up and down his husband’s back, making the soothing whickering and whinnying sounds Adrien liked so much.

Adrien had told Luka once that the sounds reminded him of the horses in the royal stables that he had befriended and often talked to about his problems.

“I’m sorry, My Love,” Luka whispered.

“Don’t be sorry,” Adrien sighed, reluctantly disentangling himself from Luka and getting to his feet. “I brought this upon myself. It’s not like it’s your fault.”

Luka grimaced as a stab of guilt pierced his chest. “Isn’t it, though? In a way, at least? If not for me, you’d still be able to enjoy this food.”

Adrien rolled his eyes and gave his head a toss. “If not for you, I wouldn’t be able to enjoy this food because I’d be living a purposeless life without freedom and full of misery.”

Luka hummed thoughtfully at this new perspective. “Well…if you put it like that…”

“Exactly,” Adrien snorted. He then seemed to get distracted by dark thoughts as he looked to the chamber’s double doors. “…I suppose I should make a show of retiring to the Queen’s rooms so that we don’t scandalize the servants.”

Luka’s eyes narrowed as he picked up on the hint of fear in Adrien’s tone.

He stood, placing his own hand on top of the hand Adrien had rested on the table. “Something wrong, Little Prince?”

Adrien turned his head to look at Luka, and Luka saw that Adrien’s lips were quivering almost imperceptibly as he entreated, “Come with me, please? I don’t know if I can…” He paused and took a breath, trying to wrangle his flighty thoughts. “I haven’t been in my mother’s rooms in years. Not even after I convinced Father to open them back up again after he’d initially walled them up right after her death. I wasn’t ever able to do more than peek inside, so…” He shook his head, screwing his eyes closed. “I think this is going to be another one of those things that makes me emotional.”

“Shh,” Luka cooed, lacing his fingers through Adrien’s and giving his hand a squeeze to reassure him of Luka’s presence. “Of course. I’m with you.”

“I feel so stupid,” Adrien laughed at himself, an unkind bark. “I’m acting like such a baby.”

Luka tipped up Adrien’s chin with a finger, making Adrien meet his loving, empathetic gaze. “You are the strongest, bravest person I know. In the Couffaine family, we tend not to confront problems. We pretend they’re not there or we avoid them or run away from them. We don’t take responsibility or ownership. You, though,” he chuckled, smiling and shaking his head in disbelief. “You chose to uproot your life, leave your happiness behind, and come back here to deal with other people’s problems because you care about what happens to your subjects. You didn’t have to do that, Adrien.”

“Yes, I did,” Adrien argued, blinking in confusion. “This is my kingdom. What happens to it and its people is my direct concern.”

Luka continued to shake his head. “It’s really not,” he informed. “Your sense of duty and decency tells you that it is. My Love, you could have stayed home and let the kingdom figure out things on its own. You didn’t have to come here…but you did anyway because you’re a good, compassionate person. I can’t convey how much I admire you for that.”

Adrien looked to the side with a blush, warmth spreading from his cheeks outwards as he was unable to face the intensity of the emotions in Luka’s eyes, unable to deal with the way Luka’s expression made him feel.

“You’re here confronting all these issues head on when I would have looked the other way and pretended that it didn’t concern me. You have carte blanche to cry however much you need to cry,” Luka informed insistently. “You have every right to panic or shut down or respond however you need to respond because you’re here facing your demons, and that’s about the hardest thing a person can do…and I think the world of you for having the courage to come back here and do this.”

“How do you always do that?” Adrien laughed weakly, on the verge of tears even as he smiled and slipped his arms around his mate.

“Do what?” Luka quirked an eyebrow curiously.

“Make me feel like I’m an amazing person worth loving and not a pathetic waste of space,” Adrien snickered.

Luka squeezed Adrien protectively, mentally cursing Adrien’s parents for failing to instill in their child any sense of self-worth.

“Easy,” Luka whispered into Adrien’s hair. “It’s just a matter of showing you the truth, replacing those nasty lies about yourself you’ve believed your whole life. It’s easy to believe the truth.”

Adrien hummed softly in thought for a moment. “You make me feel like it really is the truth.”

“Would I lie to you?” Luka challenged without heat.

“…I don’t think so,” Adrien realized.

“Then it stands to reason that I’m telling you the truth,” Luka pointed out.

Adrien laughed, an ironic puff of air so soft Luka might have missed it.

“Yeah,” the young king whispered, pulling back with a cloudy smile. “I guess I’m still learning to see myself the way you see me and not the way that people here saw me.”

Luka squeezed Adrien’s hand. “You’ll get there in time. I’ll see to it.”

“Thank you,” Adrien stressed, gratitude shining in his eyes.

They stayed there, suspended in that moment, for a long beat, and then Adrien gave Luka’s hand a reciprocal squeeze before letting go and going over to the wall by one of the large, oak bookcases.

Luka arched an eyebrow as Adrien reached up and took hold of one of the brass sconces, pulling it down.

With a groan of unoiled hinges that hadn’t seen use in years, a hidden door swung open, granting passage into the room next door.

“Oh, wow,” Luka laughed, taken by surprise. “These old castles actually have secret passages? I thought that was just in the human tales.”

“This place is full of secret passages and hidden doorways,” Adrien snickered impishly, motioning for Luka to follow him. “How do you think I used to sneak around without getting caught?”

“I assumed your attendants felt sorry for you and looked the other way,” Luka snorted, stepping through into the Queen’s chambers.

Adrien stopped just inside the doorway and looked around, all manner of mirth falling away in an instant as nostalgia hit him hard.

Luka stood by his husband’s side and took in the room with interest.

It was quaint and yet stately, comfy yet decorous. The furnishings were mainly in the Victorian style with a few Second Empire pieces. The walls were papered a soft, avocado green with intricate floral designs, and the furniture was upholstered in shades ranging from pear to muted wasabi.

It was a calm, dignified room—nothing like the brazen, authoritarian scarlets, garnets, and vermillions that had reigned imposingly in the King’s chambers.

“Your mother had good taste,” Luka quietly observed. “It has a cheerful, serene atmosphere.”

Adrien nodded, taking an unsteady step forward like a sleepwalker. He went over to the sitting area by the empty fireplace and ran a hand along the back of the settee, remembering when he had sat there with his mother, taking tea, when he was a child.

“She brought most of this over with her when she came from England,” Adrien explained softly. “She liked to surround herself with things that reminded her of home.” A wane smile lifted the corner of his mouth as he added, “I’ll have to show you the little English rose garden we have out back. I insisted that the gardeners keep it up after she died because it reminded me of her.”

He blinked and frowned as it occurred to him, “I don’t know if they’re blooming yet or not.”

“You can still show me,” Luka encouraged, following Adrien over to the writing desk. “I’m sure that just listening to you describe it will be wonderful.”

“Flatterer,” Adrien snorted, brushing his fingers over the wood of the desk.

“Not at all,” Luka assured. “I’m just that smitten with you.”

Adrien hummed as he opened the top drawer of the desk and pulled out a small family portrait painted when Adrien was probably about ten.

The child in the picture was smiling and bright-eyed yet obviously trying to rein in his boundless energy in an attempt to appear regal.

Behind him was a beautiful blonde woman with clear, peridot eyes much like her son’s. She smiled sedately, and the action didn’t make it to her eyes.

Beside her was a scowling, taciturn man already starting to go grey despite his relative youth. He projected power and control, and he rested possessive hands on his son’s shoulder and at the small of his wife’s back, laying claim to them.

Luka could read the unhappiness of the family contained in the miniature portrait as clearly as if it had been written out for him.

“You were an adorable kid,” Luka remarked conversationally. “You favor your mother.”

“Oh? Yes…. Yes,” Adrien responded distractedly as Luka’s words pulled him out of his thoughts. “We’re a lot alike, actually.”

“How so?” Luka prompted gently, giving Adrien an opening if he wanted to talk.

“We have similar dispositions,” he elaborated. “Similar circumstances.”

Adrien stared down at his mother’s image, running a thumb over her painted face. “…Her father pretty much sold her. He was land-rich but cash-poor like a lot of the old, titled families. He had two daughters, and he’d already married my aunt to a wealthy merchant’s son who was looking to buy his way up in the world. My father met my mother at a party while he was abroad and promptly fell in love with her.”

Adrien chuckled bitterly, carefully setting the portrait back down into the drawer and closing it. “It was the only rash, idealistic thing he ever did in his life. He made my grandfather a generous offer, and that was that. It didn’t matter that she didn’t want to go, that she didn’t really care for my father. They packed up her things and shipped her off.”

He looked up and around the room, watching a hundred ghosts of his mother reenact memories tied to the space.

“…She was so miserable here,” he whispered sadly. “Father was cruel. The only way he knew how to express love was by exerting control and subjugating. She told me she thought about running away many, many times…but then she had me, and she told me I made it a little more bearable here.”

Luka stepped in, slipping his arms around Adrien from behind and giving his ear a comforting nuzzle.

“She’s a big reason why I knew I could never marry someone I didn’t love. I saw how it slowly choked the life out of her. I watched as my father killed her year by year….” Adrien turned in Luka’s arms, burrowing his face into his mate’s chest as he whispered tearfully, “I knew the same thing would happen to me if I let him marry me off.”

Luka squeezed tighter, pressing bolstering kisses to the shell of Adrien’s ear. “It’s okay, Little Prince,” he soothed. “Go ahead and cry. I’ve got you.”

Adrien’s fingers curled around the fabric of Luka’s tunic, gripping it to keep himself grounded as his heart broke for a mother who had felt trapped and hopeless.

Luka patiently served as a supportive presence for his husband, radiating comfort and acceptance as Adrien slowly recomposed himself.

“Thanks,” he whispered, pulling away with a sheepish smile.

Luka gave Adrien’s cheek an answering lick. “Any time.”

“I just get so upset when I think about how she must have felt…how easily I could have been in her position.” Adrien shuddered and shook his head. “Some of the women my father was considering for my wife… He made sure that they were firm, strong-willed…someone who could keep me under her thumb just like my father had.”

Luka leaned in, placing a solid kiss on Adrien’s forehead, and then carefully wiped away the tear tracks still lingering on Adrien’s face. “It’s okay, My Love…but you’re safe now, and your mother’s suffering is over.”

Adrien took a deep breath, shaking off morose thoughts. “Right. You’re right. Sorry. I feel ridiculous crying like this over every little thing.”

Luka shook his head slowly. “These aren’t little things. …You remind me of Juleka, actually. You’re both traumatized by the accumulation of your experiences, so it may feel like just a bunch of little things, but a lot of little things really add up in the long run. So don’t feel ridiculous. Like I said before, you’re facing your demons, and that’s an amazing thing.”

Adrien’s eyes went reflexively to a door at the far end of the room. “…This is nothing. The real demons are in there.”

Luka frowned, following Adrien’s gaze. “What’s in there?”

Adrien gulped. “The bathroom.”

Luka’s first inclination was to ask what was so frightening about a bathroom, but he held his tongue and was later glad that he had.

“The bathroom?” he echoed instead.

Adrien nodded, cautiously beginning to approach as if he were sneaking up on a sleeping dragon. He took the doorknob in a shaking hand and held it, frozen there, for a long beat.

Luka rested a hand on Adrien’s shoulder in solidarity. “If it’s too much, we don’t have to do this now. Just coming in here after not being able to for six years is quite the accomplishment.”

Adrien shook his head. “I’m not going to be able to sleep in this room tonight if I don’t open this door. I’ll have nightmares. I need…” He gulped. “I need to know that she’s not in there.”

Luka nodded despite not quite understanding. He placed his other hand on top of Adrien’s on the doorknob. “Want to turn it together?”

“…Okay,” Adrien agreed in a small, scared voice, just on the edge of tears.

“On three,” Luka instructed and then slowly counted down.

The door opened, and Adrien’s knees nearly gave out on him, making him stumble, leaning on Luka for support.

His mother lay in the overflowing bathtub, her hair and dress billowing out around her reminiscent of Millais’s Ophelia. Tendrils of blood snaked through the water spilling out onto the floor and soaking Adrien’s shoes.

Luka turned on the bathroom light, and it all disappeared.

“See?” Luka coaxed as he half held Adrien up. “No one’s there.”

Luka winced as he saw how translucent Adrien’s complexion had gone. “…You doing okay, Little Prince?”

Adrien shook his head, swallowing a few times before he was able to articulate, “This is where I found her.”

Luka arched an eyebrow. “You…found her?”

Adrien nodded. “The chamber door was locked, so I used one of the passageways. I heard the water running, and I called out to her, but she didn’t respond…. I don’t know what I was thinking at the time. My memories are so blurry after I opened the door and saw her,” he admitted. “I think I thought she was sleeping or sick or something, so I went to the door and unlocked it and called for the guards. Nathalie was out in the hallway, and she came and saw and had one of the guards take me to my room. Later, Nathalie came and told me Maman had drowned.”

Luka’s eyes went wide in horror, and his stomach flipped as he realized that Adrien had been the one to find his mother dead. He had to choke back the bile that rose up in his throat. He felt absolutely ill.

“Oh, Adrien,” Luka gasped, pulling him into a crushing hug. “How could those nitwits make you sleep in here? And for what? To keep up some semblance of propriety? They should have just let us have guestrooms. This is unforgiveable. How could they make you come back here?”

“It’s okay,” Adrien protested without strength, melting into Luka’s arms.

“It’s not,” Luka growled, already plotting the pranks he would play on Damocles, Raincomprix, and Bourgeois throughout the remainder of their stay at the palace.

“It will be okay,” Adrien rephrased, turning his head to look once more at the empty bathtub. “I had to get over this sooner or later, didn’t I?”

Luka couldn’t form words to express the sentiment that he didn’t think Adrien would ever truly be over something like that.

“Come on,” he whispered, tugging Adrien gently out into the main room, turning off the bathroom light, and closing the door. “We’re done here, right? You saw that she’s not in there?”

Adrien nodded weakly.

“Okay. Good,” Luka sighed, guiding his mate over to the banquette seating by the windows lining the circular turret.

Adrien didn’t protest as Luka pulled Adrien down to sit between his legs and wrapped his arms tightly around Adrien from behind.

It felt good to be supported and protected as Adrien’s body struggled to recover from the intense stress.

“…You don’t need to worry. I really am fine,” Adrien whispered several minutes later when he was finally feeling calmer.

Luka scoffed softly into Adrien’s neck. “I’m not fine.”

Adrien lifted his head, twisting to get a look at Luka’s expression. “What’s wrong?”

Luka shook his head.

Adrien got up to sit on the banquette beside his husband, taking Luka’s face in his hands. “Hey. Talk to me. Please? What’s wrong?”

Luka met Adrien’s gaze forlornly. “It’s pointless wishing I could change things that are long past, but…if I could, I’d do anything to save you from some of the pain you’ve suffered.”

“That’s sweet, but I’m really okay,” Adrien assured, rubbing his thumb back and forth along Luka’s cheekbone. “Don’t get upset on my account.”

“But there are so many things…” Luka bit the inside of his cheek as he thought about how to get across what he was feeling. “…I thought I’d understood what your life here was like from what you’d told me when you used to come to our clearing and vent about what your father had done to upset you that particular time…. Adrien, today I’m seeing how little I understood, and it grieves me deeply.”

Adrien averted his gaze, dropping his hands to clasp Luka’s. “It was fine. I mean…I hadn’t known any different until I came to live with you. I just thought that that was how the world was, so there was no need to really talk about it. I wasn’t trying to hide anything from you.”

“I know,” Luka reassured, giving Adrien’s hands a squeeze. “I didn’t mean to imply that. It’s just… Was there anything good about this place?”

“I was happy here sometimes.” Adrien looked up to meet Luka’s eyes. “I have happy childhood memories, and there were people who were very good to me. It wasn’t all bad,” he muttered defensively.

Luka nodded even though he wasn’t sure he fully believed Adrien.

“…I just missed my mother…and wished my father were capable of expressing love the way I’d seen other parents do…. And I thought I would never know what it was like to love someone so much it burned inside of me and for them to love me in return just as fiercely,” Adrien admitted. “But there were still good things. Nathalie isn’t a very expressive woman, but she loves me. Nino and Marinette are the truest friends I could ever ask for. I enjoyed some of my lessons…. There were good things,” he assured sedately.

Luka leaned in, pressing an airy kiss to Adrien’s temple. “Of course there were. I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to imply that your life before me was all bad or anything. I just…today has been eye-opening. That’s all. Just when I think I know you, you go and surprise me. It’s not a bad thing to have layers. I’m just…”

“Processing?” Adrien supplied, and Luka nodded, glad that his mate was following him.

“Definitely,” Luka agreed. “Processing.”

Adrien hummed thoughtfully. “Yeah. Today’s been a lot for me. I didn’t even stop to think that maybe it’s been a lot for you too.”

“I’m glad I’m here, though,” Luka hastened to assure. “I’m glad I’m with you, that we’re here together.”

“Like I said before,” Adrien chuckled, “I’m so grateful not to be on my own. I really don’t know what I would do without you.”

“Oh, you’d make it,” Luka snorted, giving Adrien’s cheek a bolstering lick. “I believe in my Little Prince.”

“At least one of us does,” Adrien snickered, leaning in for a quick kiss. “Come here. I want to show you something good about this place. I think you’ll like it.”

“Oh?” Luka arched an eyebrow in interest as Adrien took him by the hands and pulled him to his feet, leading him across the room to the harpsichord halfway between the bed and the door out to the hall.

“Oooh,” Luka purred, pleased with the prospects that the instrument offered. “Am I finally going to get to hear my talented spouse’s true musical abilities?”

“If this thing is in tune,” Adrien chuckled, pulling out the bench and taking a seat, motioning for Luka to sit down beside him. “They’re supposed to keep it in tune as part of the general maintenance cleaning, but I don’t know if they’ve bothered since I haven’t been here to pester anyone about whether or not it’s been done.”

Adrien pressed his fingers to the keys, playing a simple D major chord. He nodded in satisfaction as the picks inside of the instrument plucked the strings and the notes sounded true.

“Looks like we’re in business,” Luka hummed in pleasure. “What are you going to play for me?”

Adrien folded his lips back over his teeth in thought as he warmed up with a series of scales and arpeggios. “Don’t laugh when I fail miserably. I’m completely out of practice, but…this is a song my mother and I used to play. It won’t sound right, since it’s supposed to be played by two people with four hands, but…”

He shrugged and started to play the first minute or so of Mozart’s Harpsichord Sonata in D Major, K.381.

Luka closed his eyes and listened as Adrien’s fingers fluttered up and down the keyboard.

“You’re not out of practice at all,” he snorted. “Unless you were truly phenomenal before, anyway.”

Adrien rolled his eyes, elbowing Luka in the arm. “Do you even know what the song is supposed to sound like? I’m missing notes all over the place, and I’m completely off tempo.”

Luka clicked his tongue. “Not at all. Maybe a few finger flubs here and there, but it’s still very pretty. I like your harpsichord playing.”

“Maman was better,” Adrien whispered, fingers going still.

Luka opened his eyes and turned to find silent tears parading slowly down Adrien’s cheeks. He wiped them away and replaced them with a kiss. “Maybe I should learn to play harpsichord. Would it be good to have someone to play the pieces you used to play with your mother with, or would that just make you sad?”

Adrien bit his bottom lip, chewing on it in thought. “I think I would like that…. Someday, I want to play the songs I played with Maman with our children. It would be really nice to share them with you in the meantime.”

He turned to Luka with a timid smile and was rewarded with an enthusiastic kiss from his husband.

“I really like the sound of that.” Luka could barely contain a face-splitting grin at the thought of their future family together.

“Good to know we’re on the same page,” Adrien chuckled, smile growing wider. “…Shall I play something else?”

“If you’re feeling up to it,” Luka encouraged. “I could listen to you play for hours, honestly.”

Adrien nodded, fingers beginning to flow over the keys once more. “This is one my father makes me play all the time, but I still like it.”

He played Bach’s Prelude and Fugue in G Major first and then followed it with a few more short pieces. Eventually, his fingers slowed to a stop, and he lowered his hands back down into his lap.

“All done?” Luka inquired, reaching up to play with Adrien’s hair.

Adrien nodded. “For tonight, anyway…. This was nice. I used to hate when my father made me practice, but…I did miss this.”

“It sounded lovely. Thank you for sharing that with me.” He leaned in to nuzzle Adrien’s ear.

Adrien closed his eyes and let himself enjoy the attention.

After a minute or so, he spoke up, bringing himself back to reality: “…I should probably go and visit my parents in the mausoleum…pay my respects.”

He grimaced at the thought.

Luka shook his head. “I think you’ve done enough emotionally taxing things for one day. We’ll go first thing in the morning. For now, you should go to sleep and rest up.”

Adrien contemplated protesting out of a sense of duty but ultimately decided against it. “Okay. First thing in the morning, but only because I am completely drained, and I don’t think I can bear to face them right now.”

“They’ll understand,” Luka assured, taking Adrien’s hand and giving it a bolstering squeeze. “Go back through the passage into the King’s chambers and make a show of leaving and coming in here so that we don’t scandalize any servants. I’ll wait here for you.”

“You’re the best,” Adrien chuckled, giving his husband a kiss before getting up to go.

[jingukk]

wrong order

Pairing: secretary!namjoon x ceo!reader

Genre: drabble, fluff | office romance!au

wc: 1.5k

Your new secretary is cute and shy. How long can you provoke him until he snaps?

The overwhelmingly bitter, unfamiliar flavor that dares to invade your taste buds is the last straw, leaving you to slam the coffee cup on your desk and glare at the stiff, broad figure standing in front of you. He’s nervously shifting his weight from one leg to another, right hand coming up to fumble with his glasses before shakily returning to his side. 

“Kim Namjoon,” His name is icy coming out of your mouth, your tone effectively causing said man to freeze in his place. A bit sadistic on your part, you find that you feed off of his fear, enjoying the way he stares at you like a deer in headlights. “Your transfer up here began a little over four weeks ago, yes?” you ask, cold air practically radiating off of you.

Still frozen in place, he takes a second before nodding furiously.

“Use your words, Kim.”

“Y-Yes! Yes, it's been 30 days,” Namjoon manages to stammer out, the waver in his voice giving you some satisfaction. 

Suddenly you rise from your desk, causing him to step back quickly in surprise. Slamming your palms on your desk, you lean towards him, cleavage on full display. you made sure to unbutton the next 3 buttons of your blouse before calling him in To your glee, you notice his quick glance down before he averts his eyes, as well as the bob of his Adam's apple as he goes and adjusts his glasses once more. Cute. 

“For the time that you have been here, you have flawlessly aided in company presentations, and meticulously looked over files that are vital to this company. You have been assigned to this level, specifically to me, because the board felt you were the smartest and most useful out of all your peers down in marketing,” you say carefully, eyes boring into his as your frown turns into a slow smile. At this his eyebrows raise. “Did you know that?”

Bashfully he chuckles and looks down, his dimples appearing, (a feature of his that you hate to admit constantly crosses your mind), and a small smile adorns his face. “I didn’t know that, and I'm honored that you think I’m doing so well, Miss Y/N, that’s ni-”

Before he can finish you abruptly knock your coffee cup off your desk and straighten yourself, lips dropping back into a frown as you stare at him in such a manner that he is rendered nervous once again. Lip caught between his teeth, he averts his eyes to stare at the spilled drink. Slowly, you walk from behind your desk towards him, the clack of your heels echoing throughout your office making Namjoon pale, gulping harshly as he fidgets with his fingers and avoids eye contact.

 “If you are, in fact, the best out of all the others,” you drawl out as you slowly make it a few feet in front of him, “tell me why,” you step closer, “you can’t seem to remember something as simple as my coffee order.”

Though you are significantly shorter than him, Namjoon can’t help but to cower under your presence. You’re just so intimidating to him, your confidence and aura so powerful and alluring he can't help but to become a disorganized mess whenever you’re around. He never would have thought he would get to work so close to you, he considered it a blessing just to be able to work under you, that having more meanings than one. You keep stepping closer, and closer, and closer to him; Why he hasn’t backed away yet he isn’t sure of, perhaps its a flaw in his fight or flight response which enables him to have a third option: fight, flight, or freeze. You’re so close that he’s sure you can hear his heartbeat, feel the way he’s trembling, notice the way his cheeks burn a faint red.

He’s partially right. Bosom almost touching him, a fact you take delight in, Namjoon looks as if he is about to faint, and you take note of the beaded sweat rolling down his forehead as you continue to stare him down. His lack of vocal response makes you tilt your head. “Are you going to answer me, Kim?”

You swear you’ve never seen him so panicked. A stuttering mess, it's adorable really. 

“W-Well, y-you see, I uh-,” he clears his throat and shakes his head, trying to get his thoughts in order. Seeing as to how he’s at war with himself, you decide to strike again, merciless.

“What is it, hm?” You say snarkily, lifting an eyebrow at him. “You’ve messed up only my order for the past week and a half. Are you doing this to just piss me off? Is that it?”

His eyes widen in alarm as he quickly waves his hands, “NO! N-No I swear that isn’t my intention, Miss.Y/N, please-”

“Then what is it? How are you soo perfect at everything, but when it comes to a personal errand you can’t seem to do a minor task?” What started off as you trying to get him flustered has suddenly escalated into you getting riled up about bitter coffee. In your defense, the fact that he only ever gets your order wrong, you know, considering you’re the boss and all, is odd.

“L-Listen, I-”

“What is it, huh?”

“If you would just let me finish-”

“Finish thinking of excuses?”

“Please just wait I-”

“Come on, Kim!”

“Y/N!”

He's breathing heavily at this point, chest heaving and mouth slightly parted. After a few seconds, Namjoon sighs, and shocking the both of you, he grabs your hands, enveloping them in his own. They’re larger, warmer, softer. Your eyebrows shoot up.

“Listen, Y/N,” he starts, the amount of eye contact he’s managing to hold with you so startling in its rarity, you stay quiet. “I admire you a lot and I’m scared of embarrassing myself in front of you.” 

The pad of his thumb brushes against your knuckles, the feeling making a tingle of warmth shoot up your spine. “You built and are currently running a multi-million dollar company at such a young age. You’re passionate, driven, intelligent, and beautiful. I'm not usually so easily intimidated but something about you makes me forget everything I’m doing. I just get so nervous around you I can’t concentrate, and you’re so pretty and-”

As if a button was pressed he stops talking, eyes widening almost big enough to match your own that feel as if they’re about to fall out of their sockets, and he drops your hands, backing up a few steps.

Neither of you say anything.

For what feels like forever you’re just two idiots, gaping at each other not knowing how to process what has been said. 

Soon enough you’re in for another surprise when he decides to speak up first.

Back to stammering and stuttering, Namjoon fixes his glasses, eyes miles away from meeting your own as he hangs his head down as if he has been scolded. “Miss Y/N I’m so sorry please forgive my outburst, I didn’t mean to say all of that, I mean I meant it but I didn’t mean to say it now? Not that I had plans to uhm,” he continues to ramble on, furious apologies mixed into his added wandering thoughts. 

Finally he stops and catches his breath. Looking back up at you, his face warm and red. “It was uncalled for and unprofessional, I will work harder and do better, I am so sorry.”

Through Namjoon’s ramblings, you manage to steady yourself. Pretty. He thinks you’re beautiful. And intelligent. Hiding your smile, you nod and try to maintain a neutral expression, praying he can’t see how your eyes are glowing at his praise. “Namjoon,” the sound of his first name rolling off your tongue is foreign, but you like it. By the glow of his cheeks it seems he does too. “Don’t apologize, it’s fine. Back to the topic at hand, you were offered the position of my secretary and you accepted it eagerly and willingly. For that I am grateful.” 

Your dismission of his outburst is not as smooth as you would have liked but hell, you’re still geeking over it. He nods, relief causing his shoulders to relax a bit. 

“But!” you continue, “If I feel that you are not capable of working alongside me you will be sent back down to your old department. I can replace you just as fast as I got you, do you understand?”

He nods once more, a harder, stronger look cementing itself on his face. “Yes I do, I won't disappoint you Miss Y/N,” his lips purse in determination, “I swear.”

“Good.” You turn around, making your way to your desk, pausing before you take a seat. You look up at him gesturing to the mess you had made earlier. “Now before I finish this paperwork for order number #134340, I expect that spilled coffee to be cleaned and a new, correct, drink to be in my hand, yea?”

His dimples are back in all their glory, the sight endearing by itself. “Right away, Miss.”

A tiny grin washes over you as you watch him walk away briskly from your office, his lips mumbling your order over and over with the empty, incorrect coffee cup in his hand. This will be fun.

a/n: the drabble started with joon before i switched it to jungkook halfway through and then decided i was right with joon, rip shy kook, hi shy namjoon </3

[willymywonkers]

Experiments

Summary: A flashback to when Wonka first opened up his factory, and his relationship with his partner and close friend, Maude, were all the rage. A new guy pulls into town and has his sights set on Maude. Drama ensues.

A/N: Oof, I apologize if the ending feels a little rushed. I should say this fic does have a bittersweet feel to it, but that's how I like it lol. I am working on rewriting one of my other fics because honestly I think I've gotten better at writing Wonka, lol

Willy Wonka made headlines around the world when he opened the largest chocolate factory ever in history. He stood proudly in front of the looming building as the press went wild.

People stood all around the factory, celebrating such a momentous occasion. Especially, Maude Figgle, who stood right in front of the crowd, chewing on a piece of gum.

While chocolate was Willy's main passion, Maude helped out in crafting different kinds of gum. She even invented a kind of gum that would never loss its flavor. The press never seemed to care much about her, even though she was the brains behind most of his famous candies.

"Hello, and thank you for coming." Willy began to speak on a podium. He began adjusting the microphone. He took out several notecards, flipping through each of them.

Finally, he spoke again. "It is with great honor that I, Willy Wonka, have finally opened the largest chocolate factory in the world. Candy has always been my passion since I was a little boy, and I couldn't have done it alone. Maude Figgle, my very good friend and partner, has done so many things to help me on this incredible journey that I could never imagined of doing it on my own. Now, without a further ado, Wonka's factory is now opened!"

The crowd cheered as Willy stood up and cut the rope of his shiny new factory.

Maude ran up the steps, waving to the crowd. She hugged Willy, tightly.

Will was a bit surprised at the hug. He chuckled nervously, hugging Maude back.

It was the happiest day of their lives.

Will sat in his office, admiring all the workers below. After just a few months, people already seemed to enjoy working at the factory. Will would go down from his office sometimes, and test the different samples that people had made.

Maude was usually in the experiment room, where she made most of her breakthroughs. She was currently testing out a type of rock candy that projected different kinds of emotions.

"Maude, if you keep chewing that gum, your jaw will close shut, haha." Will said, jokingly.

"Yeah, says who, Smartypants?" Maude chuckled, and continued chewing.

Gum seemed to be the only thing that keep her focus. Ever since she was a little girl, she had a habit of chewing gum. She would chew faster if she was nervous or extremely focused. When she didn't have gum to chew, Maude would chew on her hair, pencils, or anything to keep her mind to focus.

Willy's stance on gum was obvious. He hated the stuff, but when it came to Maude, he seemed to tolerate it a lot more.

"Whatcha working on?" Will asked, leaning over Maude's shoulder.

"None of your business." Maude scoffed.

Will pouted, crossing his arms. "Haha, jokes on you. This factory is my business."

"Oh, of course, Mr. International Hotshot." Maude pushed Will gently to the side, and grabbed a few chemicals from behind him.

"You better believe it, missy." Willy looked to the experimentation table. There seemed to be a rock that was glowing pink.

"What does that mean?" Will asked, looking to Maude.

"It's emotional rock candy. You just touch it, and it'll glow whatever color you're feeling." Maude said, excited at her new invention. "It's like a mood ring."

"Uh-huh, and what does pink mean?" Will asked, again, placing his gloved hand on the rock.

Maude blushed, slightly. "Um, it's usually referred to the feeling of love or well happiness. It's kinda not really completed yet."

The rock candy began to shake as well as turn several different colors.

Maude gulped, grabbing Will to the ground. The rock exploded and bits of rock candy seemed to blow everywhere.

Luckily, there wasn't any other workers nearby, but Maude and Willy.

Willy grabbed his cane, and started laughing. "That was magnificent! We should do that again, but next time we should add different labels on the colors."

Maude chuckled as well. "Hehe, of course."

"Yes, we should definitely do that when I get back from India."

Maude's smiled quickly faded. "Leaving? To India?"

"Prince Pondicherry asked me to build him a palace entirely made out of chocolate." Willy chuckled. "It's really a strange request, is it not?"

"Yes, but, who will be in charge when you're gone?"

"You will, of course."

Maude's eyes widened as Willy headed out the door. "But, wait, why me?"

"Why not you? You're the only gosh darn person I'd trust to run this entire factory."

Maude smiled, slightly. She seemed a little troubled. "I'll do my best, Will."

He smiled back at her, pulling her into a hug.

Maude hesitantly hugged back. She looked up at the chocolateir's face. He looked young and bright. His lips were almost kissable. His hair was all short and crooked.

Maude pulled out of the hug and looked away. The very words "I love you" hung to her tongue, as Willy walked out of the factory.

"Good luck, Will."

A few weeks later, the press were hounding the factory, curious to where the chocolateir went off to.

Maude tried to maintain her composure without him, but it was no use to the press. They liked to dismiss her like she was some secretary. It annoyed her at times.

Even some of the workers in the factory didn't seem to care that she was in charge. They would say revolting things behind her back. Soon she didn't show up to the break room anymore. She started chewing her gum a lot faster.

"Um, excuse me, miss." A man said, knocking on the door of Wonka's office.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Mr. Wonka isn't here right now. Is there anything I can help you with?" Maude asked, opening the door for the man.

"No, actually. I was just looking for you." The man stammered.

The man seemed to have red hair, with captivating green eyes.

"Well, is there anything that you need help with, sir?" Maude repeated.

"Um, I apologize if this comes off as a bit dodgy, but I wanted to ask if you'd get drinks with me later?"

Maude crossed her arms at the offer. "I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to decline, because I've got lots of work to catch up on."

The man still insisted. "The drinks would be on me."

"Uh-huh. Another thing is I don't even know your name." Maude said, rolling her eyes.

"It's Ron, Ron Duncan." The man stuck out his hand.

She looked at his hand, and raised an eyebrow. "Maude Figgle. Now, I'm really swamped with work, if you'll excuse me."

"Look, I get that you're busy, but, I really admire your since I was a kid. In my opinion, you'd be better off without Wonka." The man turned to leave.

Maude stopped whatever she was doing and looked at him. "That's very kind of you. You know what, sure, I'll go."

"Great, then it's a date." Ron smiled at her and walked off.

From that first meeting, Maude didn't expect to be in a relationship with him. Ron seemed so nice and caring, but there was something off about him. She didn't exactly know what, but she did have a feeling that his intentions were cloudy.

When Willy got back from India, he was greeted by a tight hug from Maude.

"Ah, it's good to be back after such a long time. India is scolding hot, you know." Willy said, as he hugged Maude back.

"There's someone I want you to meet." She smiled at Will, bringing him over to Ron.

Willy's smile faltered, when she gave Ron a kiss on the cheek. "Heh, hi."

"This is Ron. He's my boyfriend." Maude said, holding onto Ron's hand.

Ron stuck out his hand for Will to shake it. Will hesitantly shook it with a disgusted look on his face.

"I find it extraordinary that after all this time you guys held up your friendship." Ron smiled. It seemed to have a sour connotation to it.

Will smiled back, just as sourly. "Uh-huh, yeah. We've had the same dream since we were kids."

Ron's smile disappeared, slightly. He gave Maude another kiss before heading off. It made Will grimace slightly, as Ron walked off.

Will didn't know how to describe it, but he didn't like Ron. In fact, he grew to despise him, but he just didn't know why.

Whenever he would see Maude all lovey dovey with Ron, it just made Will sick to his stomach. Soon, candy sales began to drop. His chocolate just wasn't tasting as good as it used to.

It started getting worse when spies began stealing his life's work. The only thing that kept him afloat was Maude.

One day, Maude announced that she was getting engaged. However, she didn't seem too thrilled about it.

Willy picked up on it right away. She didn't seem to want anything to do with him anymore.

Maude began to distance herself from Will more and more. He felt more hollow without her.

During the wedding, Will showed up to walk Maude down the aisle.

"H-hey, Maude." He began.

"Yes?" She answered.

Will couldn't get over how she looked in her wedding dress. Her hair was done up all nice, and her lips looked almost kissable. He placed his gloved hand on her cheek, as the words "I love you" hung on the tip of his tongue.

"Good luck." He said, as he walked her down the aisle.