#its just actually crazy to me that we both once on our own decided to do that

[achilleslyre]

my brother and i growing out our hair at the same time while also having not talked to eachother for like 5 years and then finally emailing and skyping and seeing ourselves currently and just staring at eachother like :0 because we look so similar between the facial hair and hair length and type was actually insane btw how did we do that

[hardly-an-escape]

for @bucktommypositivityweek Thursday 8/22: soulmates/string of fate | meant to be | 870 words | rated T

“I hate it when people talk about twists of fate,” Anna liked to say. “When it comes to life, we spin our own yarn, and where we end up is really, in fact, where we always intended to be.” —Julia Glass, Three Junes

“Do you ever think…” Evan said idly, and then seemed to get distracted, following the path of a droplet of sweat with one fingertip as it wound its way down Tommy's temple toward his jaw.

It was a lazy Sunday morning, and they were still catching their breath, sticky and satisfied and gloriously naked together. Tommy had just been starting to think longingly about the coffee machine downstairs.

“Do I ever think what?” he asked.

“Hmm?” Evan said. He'd already replaced his finger with his mouth, dropping a line of light kisses down the side of Tommy's face.

“You started to ask me something. Do I ever think what?” Tommy prompted.

“Oh. Yeah. Do you ever think, like, what would it have been like? If we had met each other before. When I first joined the 118, I mean.”

“I don't think you would have liked me very much,” Tommy said.

“I know you wouldn't have liked me very much,” Evan chuckled. “I was kind of a dipshit.”

“Was?” Tommy said dryly, and Evan pushed ineffectively at the side of his face.

“Shut up,” he said. “I'm in my Buck 5.0 era.”

“I don't even know what that means.”

Evan snorted, and rolled on top of Tommy, and for another long minute got distracted again, rubbing a stubbled cheek against his neck and collarbone until Tommy’s skin was tingling pleasantly.

“I mean it, though,” Evan said thoughtfully, kissing the cleft in Tommy's chin. “You know, if you think about it, we – we came so close to meeting. So many times. Even me joining the 118 was like, such a near miss.”

“Right, because you came in as my replacement.”

“That's the thing,” Evan said, finally pushing off Tommy's chest to sit upright, and oh, Tommy realized, he'd really been thinking about this. “I don't think I did? Bobby mentioned once that he meant to hire me to fill the spot left by someone named... Deluca? I never met him.”

Tommy pushed himself up on one elbow. “Wait, what? Sal Deluca?”

“Yeah, I was supposed to come in to replace him, but then you transferred, too. So A shift was a man short for a while, which I actually didn’t even realize at the time? And then when Bobby brought Eddie on we were finally at full strength.”

“So what you’re saying,” Tommy said slowly, “is that you and I were supposed to work together?”

“Yeah!” Evan said excitedly. “I think so! Isn’t that wild? But then you decided you wanted to fly again, and so we didn’t even overlap.”

“Wow. That’s… kind of crazy.”

“I've kind of been realizing there's a whole bunch of moments like that. Like, these little things that were connecting us way before we ever met. Like how Chimney called you in for the water drop that time and I was on the ground. I, uh,” he smiled shyly. “I really like to think about that.”

“I like it, too,” Tommy said.

He rubbed absently at Evan's knee and let his mind wander. He'd seen pictures of Evan back then, when he was fresh out of the academy and still a probie. He looked slender and lanky like a colt. And so young. For all the ego that radiated from him, the Evan in those photos had a raw, unfinished quality to him. Like he hadn’t quite finished cooking yet.

“It explains something I overheard Bobby say last week,” Evan said.

“Oh?”

“Yeah, at the barbecue. I, uh, I wasn’t eavesdropping, I swear,” he said, and Tommy made an incredulous noise. “Really! I was getting us drinks, and Bobby and Athena were just inside, and he – he said something about how he knew we would work well together, and she was like, Really, all skeptical like she gets, and he was like, Maybe not the way I originally thought, and then they both kind of laughed.” Evan grinned down at him and laughed a little. “So maybe we were. You know. Meant to be.”

He sounded a little facetious, as though he was expecting Tommy to make fun of him. But Tommy found himself humming thoughtfully instead, running one hand up the unfairly long line of Evan’s thigh from his knee to his hip. Gripping him there, at the opposite shoulder, gently, and even more gently pushing him back against the pillows and insinuating himself between his legs.

Evan was still laughing, a little breathlessly now, and when Tommy kissed him, sweet and slow, he almost thought he could taste Evan’s smile on his lips.

“I don’t know if I really believe in soulmates, Evan,” he said, eventually. “But it does feel like there’s something there, doesn’t it? Some kind of string tying us together.”

They kissed again, and Tommy ground down a little against Evan’s pelvis, just for the pleasure of skin on skin, for the pleasure of a good kiss with absolutely nothing between them.

“I don’t know if I believe in soulmates either,” said Evan, still a little breathless. “But if I had one, I – I think it would be you, Tommy.”

“Yeah?” asked Tommy. He felt his heart stutter a little in his chest.

“Yeah,” said Evan. And kissed him again.

this has been languishing in my drafts for weeks and I finally finished it for Positivity Week! based on this post by @unfuckablebogtroll

[alfredosauce50]

Night at the Museum

[America x reader]

Rating: M Word count: 5, 887 Synopsis: You and Alfred decide to visit New York’s Museum of Natural History for old time’s sake. In a stroke of bad luck, you two get locked in overnight, unaware and unprepared for the dangers lurking within. It’s where history comes alive, and he ends up in a dangerous game of cat and mouse with a bloodthirsty warlord. The whole time, he’s also wrestling with his feelings for you, and he doesn’t know which is harder. Solipsism: knowledge of anything outside one’s own mind is unsure; the external world and other minds cannot be known and might not exist outside the mind.

“The more you know about the past, the better prepared you are for the future.” — Theodore Roosevelt

“Man, we haven’t been here since we were little kids,” Alfred took it all in as he made it inside, to where he was greeted by the skeleton of Tyrannosaurus rex in an awe-inspiring pose. With its head bowed toward the entrance, he and other patrons were greeted by a set of razor-sharp teeth grinning down with a hunger for the ages. “I wonder if anything’s changed. Probably a lot.”

“A bunch of stuff, actually. But it looks like they did a huge revamp on all the wax figures,” You lifted your gaze from a brochure you collected from the front. The museum of natural history wasn’t half as impressive as the Smithsonian, but it had a special place in both of your hearts. “They’re meant to be super realistic now. You know, the whole ‘history comes alive’ pizazz.”

“Huh. Then what would be the difference between here and Madame Tussaud’s?” He glanced at you.

“The people here are worth remembering.”

“Good point.”

As local New Yorkers, it was tradition to come back every once in a while. Yellow cabs, subway crazies, and the best pizza in the world — there was no other city quite like the Big Apple, and you two decided to swing by during your semester break to reconnect with your roots. Needless to say, it was nice to get away from the upbeat chaos of life on campus.

“You think you’re gonna go to Arthur’s Christmas party?” He asked you, peering around the room of American history. There was a shining stagecoach pulled by four black horses, mannequins in confederate and union uniforms with their guns trained at each other, a giant moose, and eagles watching over everything else.

“Well, we kinda have to. Can you imagine how upset he’d be if we didn’t? He’d probably be heartbroken.”

“Yeah, but I get crazy diarrhea every time.” He scoffed, eyes wide as he recalled blowing up the toilet last year.

”You don’t have to remind me.” You shuddered.

“I know, I was just saying. I was thinking we could go somewhere fun,” Alfred gave you an expectant look as he tried to sell you on it. “We could go skating, or just watch a movie back at my place. What do you say?”

“Hm, I don’t know. I’m really craving his scones.”

“Seriously?” 

”But not as much as our time together,” You smiled, watching him light up. Taking his hand, you pulled him along and said this with a laugh. “I’d rather go to the dumpster with you than the Met. You’re my best friend.”

“Yeah.” He softened his gaze. You said that, but the way you held his hand said otherwise. Or was it because you two were that close? Either way, he was starting to go down the pipeline he swore that he wouldn’t.

”Are you okay?” You asked.

”Yeah, I’m fine.” He adjusted his glasses.

“Wanna kiss it better?” You swung his arm playfully.

Alfred glared at you as the only diversion from the fact that he was blushing. It was so like you to say things like that. You were attractive, and you knew it. With your sense of humor, it made for a dangerous game. But he’d been playing it for a while. He covered your entire face with his hand, then pushed you down to a nearby bench in one clean movement.

”Hey!” 

“Hey yourself.” Alfred walked off with his hands in his pockets, as cool as a cucumber.

This might’ve been all fun and games with you, but you weren’t the loneliest animal on the planet here. Not that it made his feelings for you any less real. He liked you, and not because you were an idea in his head.

You were real, every strange thought and neuron of your imagination. You could be as sharp as a tack when you wanted to be. He loved your mind and the way it worked, or at least when you weren’t tantalizing him.

“Remember when we were little we used to take baths together?” You sprung up out of the blue.

”Barely.” Alfred exhaled, wildly unprepared for what just came out of your mouth. But before he reacted any further, he reminded himself just who he was talking to. “That’s probably why we did it in the first place. Why?”

You were sleeping over that time, as you always did every Friday after your philosophy class. Your things were strewn all over his bedroom, like a half-eaten cup noodle, some snacks, and the clothes you brought over.

While he browsed the rest of the displays in the room, he let himself get immersed in that particular memory.

That was when you caught up with him again, even having the nerve to smile up at him with ‘hehe’ written all over your face. He glowered down at you, but really, he was just happy that you were by his side again.

You had a thirty second rebound before doing or saying the next pain in the ass thing, but he forgave you even faster than that. And it had been that way since horseshoe crabs were the only thing roaming the Earth.

”You think we could fit in the bathtub?”

“If you’re asking if I wanna take a bath with you, it’s an immediate no. We’re way too old for that.”

“You don’t have to be such a prude,” You mumbled, rolling your head away. “I was just wondering.”

“I’m not a prude.” He grumbled.

“And it’s not like I haven’t seen your dick before.”

“Yeah, when I was little!” 

“Can’t imagine it’s grown much since then.”

He glared at the ceiling, not wanting to give you the satisfaction of seeing how embarrassed he was.

As much as he’d like to pull his pants down to prove you wrong, he didn’t. Someone had to uphold a sense of decency around here, even if that person had to be him, the worst possible example of it, if he was one at all.

“If you’re done, I’m gonna go to sleep,” He sat up and twisted around to fluff up his pillow. You were starting to drift off by then, but he didn’t let you off so easily. “Don’t let me catch you peeking or I’ll molest you.”

“I wasn’t planning on it, geez.”

And to think he used to be such a cute kid, kicking his ball over your fence just so he could come over to play. You both grew up since then, and with that, came his awful sense of humor among other things.

But if you asked him, he learned from the best.

“You know the nicest people make the best Nazis?” You asked, walking by a glass display of three wax figures. Sakagawea, a young Shoshone woman who guided Lewis and Clarke on their expedition to the Pacific.

“Do they?” He narrowed his eyes in interest.

“Nice people look the other way and just wanna get along with everybody else.” You said, towing him along. “Have the whole country doing that, plus a heap of propaganda, you could get away with anything.”

“Well, if I was a German, I wouldn’t buy into it.”

“I wouldn’t be so sure.”

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Alfred frowned, genuinely offended. “I’m not a freakin’ racist.”

”Being scorned is your kryptonite,” You pointed out, getting him to roll his eyes. So he didn’t like to deviate from standards, and being a raving right-wing was one at the time. “And trust me when I say you would be.”

”That’s why the second amendment exists,” He smiled sagely with a hint of mischief. “If the government was to push some crazy agenda into us, the rednecks wouldn’t have it. We shape society to what we want.”

”What if the society you want isn’t the society someone else wants?” You asked, stopping in front of an exhibit of a male Algonquin warrior. “We all worship something. What’s normal to you might be crazy for someone else.”

”I guess you’re right,” He agreed, gazing upon the person who lived — and believed — in things drastically different than did. His brows came together as he marveled at the man who stood over him, a chief’s son who had been dead for well over a thousand years.

Allen was his name. He had striking scarlet eyes, dark maroon hair, tawny brown skin, and a toned body from a life of hunting and gathering. As he stared out into the middle distance, there was something uncanny about him, like he could come alive at any second, but didn’t.

“What do you think this guy worshipped?” Alfred murmured faintly, strangely captivated by him.

It was humbling to be in the presence of all of these historical figures, but intimidating to imagine them as people who existed. He was a history nut, and one thing he understood was how astonishingly cruel and violent the past could be. From the swashbuckling tales of the Wild West to the burning sands of Ancient Egypt, everything was best enjoyed from the comforts of his modern American home. Or in this case, a museum.

Where all of the exhibits were mere imitations of the long dead and gone, it would take no less than a miracle for any of them to come back to life. Little did he know, a miracle was exactly what he’d be in for tonight. 

You two poked around some more, eventually ending up in the Northern European section of the museum. Nothing really stood out to him besides the Vikings, who also caught the attention of the general public.

“This man was the greatest viking to have ever lived. Mathias Densen, the king of Danes,” A guide showed off a wax exhibit to a crowd of tourists. You and Alfred were among them, having taken the liberty to tune in.

Some took pictures, others whispered amongst themselves at the impressive lookalike made to imitate a legend out of the sagas. He had blonde hair swept up in the front in an unruly mane, and the bluest eyes you’ve ever seen. With his arm raised and axe in hand, he was frozen in time, suspended in a pose so natural, it looked like he’d bring it down at any given moment.

“He was the most feared warrior in all of Scandinavia. When he threw an axe at his enemy, he never missed. But all blood and gore aside, he will go down in history as one of the best leaders and explorers of all time.”

”Wouldn’t wanna get him angry, huh?” Alfred gave you a side-eye, returning his gaze to the information plate. That was when he saw a portrait of a woman who was supposedly the only one who could go toe-to-toe with his ruthlessness. “You know, she kinda looks like you.”

”Really?” You leaned over. “I don’t see it.”

”No way. You guys are like twins!” He exclaimed.

“Maybe just the eyes.”

“Maybe she’s your long-lost ancestor or something.”

After another hour of walking around and talking, you and Alfred left to get to the exit. It was approaching closing time, and you two were among the last to leave. A security guard stood near the revolving doors, bidding farewell to guests. But before he could acknowledge you two, Alfred stopped and patted around his shirt.

“Shit, I left my glasses.” He winced.

Neither of you two thought it would’ve been problem to go back and retrieve them at the time. Who would’ve thought they’d made the security so much tighter that it would end up the biggest mistake of your lives?

After sweeping room after room, he eventually found them on the ground next to a bench. Sliding them onto his nose, he picked up a brisk jog as he made his way back downstairs. But by then, it was too late.  

“Now let’s get out before we get locked in.”

”Don’t jinx us.” 

”Not gonna happen.” 

And he said that so confidently too. Because when he pushed at the revolving door, it didn’t budge. 

”What’s wrong?” You asked from behind. 

“Nothing, just give me a sec…” He rattled it a few more times, but to no avail. Then, he let out a heavy breath as he admitted the one thing he thought could never happen. “… Okay, I think we’re locked in.”

“You’re joking.” You blurted.

You brushed past him to give the door a strong shake, needing that same taste of defeat before believing it yourself. Sure enough, it was locked shut, and would likely stay locked all the way up til morning.

“Oh my God, we are. What are we gonna do?”

”Call the cops.” He suggested, pulling out his phone to dial 9-11. After a few tries, to which he stared at you tensely with it pressed up to his ear, he found that the call kept failing. “Annnnd the cops aren’t picking up.”

“Well, keep trying! Call Arthur or something.” 

For the next thirty minutes, you both paced around while trying to reach local government services, then friends or loved ones. It slowly became apparent that you two weren’t getting out anytime soon.

You weren’t the type to express it, let alone say it, but you were getting scared and uncomfortable.

So was he, but like hell he’d let it show. Not because he didn’t have the balls to admit it, but it was the last thing you needed right now. You weren’t looking at him, and he knew in an instant that you were on the verge.

“We’re not gonna make it out, are we?”

Alfred was crushed with so much guilt, he couldn’t even react when the lights dimmed, plunging the museum into a pitch-black darkness. His eyes stayed wide with remorse, even when he couldn’t see you anymore.

In that moment, he came over and hugged you as tight as he could, lips pursed in a deep frown. It wasn’t every day that he could hold you like this, but he set aside every shard of his shattered ego to do it.

Even if he had to do it in the dark.

There couldn’t be a better metaphor for his feelings. Alfred had always been too afraid to tell you how he felt, and if he did, he’d do it in a way that was hidden from plain sight. This was one of those times.

It was one thing to admit he was scared. It was another to say he was sorry. But telling you how much you truly meant to him was damn near impossible. So instead of doing any of the above, he let you sleep on him.

He had his back on a cold hard bench while you drifted away. There was no way he was getting any sleep tonight, but this was just his karma. So he stayed like that for the next few hours, to which you began to stir. 

“You good?” He asked in a soft murmur.

”Yeah,” You rubbed your eyes. “Just a little thirsty.”

”I’m pretty sure there’s a fountain outside.” He helped you up, putting on his glasses. “I’ll come with you.” 

”No, it’s fine.” You sighed, getting up to leave the room. 

”Hey,” Alfred softened his gaze, getting you to slow to a stop. He was so exhausted, all of his walls were coming down. And he couldn’t stand to bottle it up inside him any longer. “I’m sorry, okay? This was all my fault.”

”It’s okay. We can’t all be born perfect.” You cracked a smile, walking off. But the happy note only lasted so long once you got to the hallway outside. It was so dark, you could barely see the ground beneath you.

With nothing but the wall lamps to illuminate the empty halls, the institution turned into nothing but a graveyard: a dim labyrinth of the long dead and gone. And like all graveyards, there were ghosts.

The black outline of wax figures lined your peripherals, and you gazed at them nervously as you made your way to the fountain. After a few satisfying gulps, you began making your way back to the room. That was when you heard the echo of footsteps in the distance, too far away to have made sense at the time. Someone was at the end of the hall, and it couldn’t have been Alfred.

“Hello?” You called out to the source.

The shadow of a man appeared around the corner, the details of his wild, upswept hair showing up on the wall. When he revealed himself, he was covered head to toe in thick fur pelts and armor. Your eyes went wide ever so slowly, heart racing as you were struck with this realization. He was a spitting image of the viking you’d seen on display, but he wasn’t just an inanimate statue made of colored wax and glue. He was moving.

Breathing. 

He was alive.

Alfred waited patiently for you to come back, though he regretted letting you go out by yourself. It wasn’t like there was anything out there, but you must’ve been afraid under that bravado you showed him. If only he knew how wrong he’d been. As he sat on the bench, the museum slowly came to life. All of its waxy inhabitants, people gone for centuries, returned from the dead.

And the lights came back on, one by one.

The Viking’s chest heaved for the air that hadn’t filled his lungs in eons. And with eyes as blue as the oceans he sailed across, he stared at you like he had just seen a ghost. They had a light in them they never had before, a consciousness, a soul, and you stared right back. But the way he looked at you was like nothing you’d expect. There wasn’t a trace of hostility in his gaze, but something deeply emotional and coherent.

Not that any of that mattered to you.

You split, running from him as fast as you could and with more adrenaline than what you thought was humanly possible. But then again, what you witnessed was a testament to the impossible. The dead walked, and you were trapped in here with hundreds of them. Whipping your head over your shoulder, you let out a frightened cry when you saw him chasing you. 

Your screams echoed down the hall, and Alfred felt his blood go cold hearing them. But he forced himself to stand, and without a shred of hesitation, he ran outside to look for you. When you weren’t by the fountain, his heart sank to the pit of his stomach. And his face, now whiter than a sheet of paper. Where did you go?

“(F/N)!” He yelled, sprinting down the hall.

But more importantly, what was it that made you scream? Whatever it was, he knew he’d never forgive himself if something happened to you. The lights were now on, and he swore he could hear the tapping of what sounded like hundreds of footsteps. There was something around the corner, or someone, he just never would’ve anticipated it beyond his wildest imagination.

“Where are you?” Once be got around the turn, what he saw put a stopper to his thoughts, derailing them with the most fantastical thing he had ever seen. His eyes flew open, and his mouth went agape so he could let out a shaky breath. “What the hell is going on?”

Swathes of people dressed in cultural adornments and even objects were out and about, talking to each other in languages he couldn’t even begin to decipher. Inuits, African tribesmen, and Edwardian socialites walked along the halls like time had just shattered upon itself. Marble sculptures, copper statues, and other pieces of art were moving about like they weren’t made of some kind of rock. There was even a Terracotta soldier, who was accompanied by a Chinese dragon made entirely out of green jade. Elephants, rhinos, and giraffes passed by in a strangely calm fashion like this wasn’t their first rodeo in the museum. Everyone did, except for him. 

“No way.” He whispered, glancing left to right as he picked up a jog. If he wasn’t wrong, everything in the museum had come to life. Was he dreaming? He had to be. In his dazed stupor, he ran into a medieval knight. There was a loud clank, and he would’ve winced from how much it hurt if it weren’t for being spoken to. 

“Excuse me. Watch where you’re going!” 

“Sorry!” He blurted. “I’m so sorry.”

”That’s alright! But you look a bit pale there, kid. What seems to be the problem?” The knight questioned, still wearing his helmet and hiding his face. Aside from his silver armor, he wore pure white garments with a blood red cross — the signature outfit of a crusader knight.

“Oh, um, where do I start?” Alfred panted, speaking in a frazzled manner. Funnily enough, this was the straightest he’d been thinking now that someone was talking to him. “Oh, I know! How the hell is everyone and everything in this museum alive right now?”

“I’d normally have a better answer, but I’ve never read anything like this in the Bible,” The other scratched their head through their helmet inquisitively. “Maybe I missed a chapter. But honestly, I’m just as lost as you are.”

“I’m sorry, what?” 

“The Bible. The word of God. Haven’t you heard of it?”

”I know what the Bible is!” Alfred raised his voice into a frustrated hiss, but he instantly felt bad for it. “Sorry. I’m talking to a monk, here. I should be more respectful. But never mind that. I’m looking for my friend. I’m worried something happened to her.”

”I could help you look for her!” 

“That would be great, thank you.” 

”I’m Gilbert. Proud Templar Knight and brother from the Temple of Solomon.” They took off their helmet and held it against their hip, revealing a head of white hair and ruby-red eyes. Then, they outstretched a gloved hand for him with a toothy grin. “Pleasure to meet you.” 

“Nice to meet you too. I’m Alfred, uh, son of Arthur, and student hailing from New York,” Alfred improvised awkwardly, giving it a slow, disoriented shake. “Wow. I can’t believe I’m talking to a Crusader knight right now.”

“So where did you last see your friend?” Gilbert asked.

Mathias carried you all the way to the other side of the museum, and you thrashed the whole time, begging him to let you go. When he finally put you down, he kept a firm grip on your hand. You were greeted by other Vikings, and just when you thought you’d be sacrificed like a goat, they broke out in wide smiles.

Besides them speaking in old Norse to you, which you had no way of comprehending, they were more than pleasant to you, even offering you some plastic food, which you politely declined. From the way they acted around you, it was like being with an old friend.

It became clear that they had no intention of harming you, but why they brought you here was still a mystery.

”I’m sorry, but I don’t understand what you guys are saying,” You interrupted meekly, darting your nervous eyes between them. They stared at you with blank faces before exchanging confused looks with each other. “Could you please let me go? I don’t want any trouble.”

“Where did you run off to? I haven’t seen you all week. I was worried something happened to you,” Mathias spun you to him, hugging you tightly before putting his hands all over you. “You’re speaking in tongues and acting very strange! We need to get you a doctor.”

”I didn’t understand that either.” You sighed.

”It’s worse than I thought. Somebody get Olaf,” The Dane ordered, summoning another Viking to come over. They took your arm and led you off, much to your dismay. “Look after her for me, friend. In the meantime, I have a man to hunt. He’s the one responsible for this.”

”Hey, wait! Where are you taking me?” You exclaimed, glancing back at Mathias as he left. In that precise moment, your best friend’s words replayed in your mind like a tape. You looked just like his wife, and so much that it had the actual guy fooled. “Oh no. Alfred!” 

It didn’t take a linguist to know that he was in trouble, but there was nothing you could do. Your companions kept you inside their make-shift hut, treating you as one of their own. They laid you down and spoke to you very slowly, so they must’ve thought you had a concussion. Either way, they weren’t letting you out of their sight.

You just hoped Alfred brushed up on his history, because he’d be needing it tonight.

”Where the hell could she be?” Alfred walked with his newest companion. “We checked everywhere!” 

”Actually, we still haven’t checked Northern Europe.” Gilbert corrected, getting the blonde to turn in the direction of said location. But he launched a hand out and grabbed him, pulling him back. “Don’t. It’s suicide.”

”Why?” He frowned.

”It’s occupied by Norse Pagans.” The albino warned, pulling him close for a tantalizing whisper. He glanced around before he continued, almost as if speaking of them would summon them like the devil himself.

”Norse Pagans? You mean Vikings?”

“They came here last week, and it’s been Hell ever since.” Gilbert took his collar as he whispered in a panicked hush. “We sent a missionary up there once, and he came back to us completely dismembered!”

“Oh, fuck.” Alfred dug his hands through his hair, now a nervous wreck as he envisioned the thought. But what made his stomach really churn was the unshakeable thought that it was probably where you were.

For that, he was surprised he hadn’t vomited already. And he almost did when Gilbert went off on a passionate spiel of the Scandinavian heathens and everything they’d done. That was when one appeared at the end of the hall, and it wasn’t just any Scandinavian heathen.

”I mean, he’s okay now, but it was really disturbing.” The other made a face of unease as he recalled the sight. It wasn’t something a person was meant to see in their lifetime, but at least he was in a more dubious position now. “I don’t think they care for God.”

“Dude.”

”What?”

”That’s the Viking I saw earlier today.” Alfred whispered, locking eyes with Mathias who stood no more than three hundred feet away from him. In the next three seconds, the Dane broke into a sprint, charging at him at a terrifying speed like a mad bull. He let out a wheeze, likely the sound of his soul escaping his body. “Aaaand he’s running at us. Well, this has been a good life.”

”God hasn’t forsaken us yet!” Gilbert unsheathed a gleaming longsword, swinging it in impressive circles.  

Mathias launched an axe at him, and it spun through the air so fast, it passed as nothing but a white flash.

It cut Gilbert’s head clean off, getting it to land on the ground with a thump. There was no blood or flesh, just a cross-section of wax where he was decapitated. While he had his face planted on the floor, he said this in a muffled voice. “So that’s what that feels like.” 

But Alfred had already fled by then.

He never stuck around to see his friend lose his dignity, much less his own. He whimpered a little as he pumped his legs as fast as he could. He was running on so much adrenaline, his bloodstream may as well have been battery acid. But not everybody could outrun a Viking, and he would’ve eaten it if it weren’t for the arm that shot out from the side, pulling him into a room.

When he turned to the stranger who’d saved him, he recognized him to be the native Algonquin warrior he’d seen earlier that day. Only this time, he was perfectly canny and had an unrivaled sharpness that would end up ensuring his survival. While Mathias ran by outside with his pelts and armor clinking away, Allen put a finger up to his mouth to get him to stay deathly still.

But above all else, quiet.

There they crouched, hidden from plain sight like the watchful forces of nature. In the most tense ten seconds of their lives, they stared at each other, cerulean and scarlet eyes as wide as they could get them. For a moment, Alfred forgot he was being chased, deeply enchanted by the person in front of him. He was quite literally gazing back into history, a thousand years into the past to be precise. But once the coast was clear, he went back to hyperventilating. He was still in shock from everything that just happened, and the first thing he let out was an excited, albeit exasperated gasp. 

“Oh my God. You just saved my life. Thank you!” 

”Don’t mention it.” Allen took his bow off so he could arm himself with it. Then, he peered outside the door, making sure there weren’t any Vikings in the area. Turning back to the blonde, he pulled an arrow from his quiver without breaking eye contact. “I’ve been tracking that guy for days, and this is the craziest I’ve ever seen him. You have any idea why he would be after you?”

“How should I know? I don’t know the guy personally!” Alfred exclaimed, following him out into the hall. 

“You must’ve done something to piss him off.”

”But I didn’t do anything!” 

“Then he wouldn’t waste his time chasing you when he’d rather search for his girlfriend.” Allen remarked. “One of my pals can speak his language, and he says he’s been looking for her ever since he got here.”

“Fuck, that’s it. Why didn’t I think of it before?”

They ran to the elevator, to which he pressed the button for the basement. It had always been on the tip of his tongue, but the whirlwind of a night left his head more scrambled than he thought. And now that he had it all pieced together, he came up with a plan to save you.

“I came here with my friend, and she looks exactly like his wife. He must’ve seen us together. But it’s okay, I have an idea. They must have extra wax figures in storage, right? If she’s as important as they say, they must have her tucked away down here somewhere.”

“Okay, so we do a trade-off.”

”Exactly.”

”Smart.” Allen pursed his lips, thoroughly impressed.

The doors slid open and thus, they began their search, sweeping the entire basement for the reason why the museum had turned into a war zone. After an hour or so, Alfred heard someone banging away and calling for help from inside a tall wooden crate. A woman, and she sounded just like you. He and Allen walked up to it, then cracked it open like a treasure chest. Lo and behold, it was your doppelgänger, but dressed in the height of fashion from what was a thousand years ago.

“I think we found our girl.” He murmured in awe.

The three of you got back to the elevator. It was a given that the you from the Viking age was a little hesitant to get into such a tight box, but Allen had a way with body language. He made a few gestures to let you know where he was taking you. What more was that these two men had just broken you out of an even tighter box, so you had no reason not to trust them. 

“You know, I meant to ask, but doesn’t it bother you that there is a living, breathing, homicidal axe-wielding maniac running around the museum every night?” Alfred asked, feeling strangely calm now that he sensed that the night’s excitement was coming to an end. 

“We’re not alive the way you’re alive,” Allen told him. That was right. As magical as it was to have the museum come to life, it wasn’t real. History had done its course. He spoke with power and humility as he confronted that fact, and for that, he seemed to be at peace. “We’ve had our shot. But you still have yours.”

“I have the craziest chills right now.”

”But also because we’re made of wax.”

“Okay, that makes more sense.” Alfred laughed a little, turning to him. ”So how come you speak English?”

”I’ve been on display here for years,” Allen grinned, walking out now that the elevator doors opened. They returned to the bustling halls of the Museum of Natural History, where history had really come to life that night. “New York is my home. Always has been.”

”Explains the accent.” 

It didn’t take long to track down Mathias again, and when he finally laid eyes on the one he’d been searching for, he turned into an entirely different person. His anger, terror, and everything that made him a legend, had all but melted into a deep emotional coherence.

He was nothing but a man now. A man with his own joys and sorrows like everybody else.

He dropped his ax and ran up to his long-lost love, picking her up and embracing her after what felt like an eternity. He finally found her again after a thousand years, and the scene was quite profound to behold.

But if you asked Alfred, it wasn’t as touching as his reunion with you. He found you in the hall of Northern Europe, holed up in a tent and rubbing your eyes. They were red from crying, and the way you looked at him was something he’d burn in his mind forever. And the way you hugged him, a feeling he’d never get tired of.

”I knew you’d come.” You squeezed him.

“Of course I came,” He squeezed you back, burying his face into the crooked of your neck. “But maybe it’s time that I switch out my glasses for some contact lenses. Don’t wanna keep losing them like I did tonight.”

“No way!” You gushed. “I like the way you look now.”

”Yeah?” He smiled rosily. From that outburst alone, he knew you’d forgiven him for everything that happened. But from the sound of things, you had a much easier time than he did. On the way home, he enthused you on the people he met and his close brushes with death. 

“You ever hear of a term called solipsism?” You asked. 

“Doesn’t ring a bell.” He shook his head.

“It’s the concept that everything around you doesn’t exist and is made up by your own mind,” You explained, stopping him in the middle of the street. It was dawn by then, and the rising sun cast a golden glow over your tender smile. “But if everything around me is just my imagination, you’re the best thing I’ve come up with.”

His eyes went wide, shocked by how sweet you just were. Just like that, everything he ever pined away for didn’t matter anymore. He was worth more to you than an adventure of a lifetime because he was that adventure. But at the same time, Alfred fell even harder for you, and it showed in the way his gaze softened. 

”Right back at you, sport.” 

[chikkou]

ok i was waiting until my laptop got here to finally tell all the bullshit thats happened in the last like. 5 months lol. cause its a lot to type

im gonna put it all under the cut so no one has to read if they dont want. its a LONG fucking story.

tl;dr:

ok so for basic background, for the last two years or so, i was living with a roommate in connecticut. the roommate was my (now former) best friend since middle school. in july of this year his behavior totally shifted, and he started picking fights with me out of nowhere, told our high school friends a bunch of straight up lies abt me to make me look like a horrible roommate & person, and just generally became a two-faced dickhead. in the end, it turned out to all be excuses to justify his decision to move out (unofficially, name was still on the lease) so that he could live with his boyfriends and not pay any bills. at the time i was really devastated by this bc i felt totally betrayed by this person i had been close to since i was 12/13, but frankly after everything else that happened i barely fucking think about it now LMAO. this is set dressing more than anything else

so anyway, i had been living alone since about august, that was the last time i saw him in person. i wasnt handling the situation well because i had spoken to my high school friend and found out the extent to which hed tried to paint me as a slovenly, horrible roommate, to the point of telling actual lies about really dumb stuff (which didnt work btw - my friends, god bless them, were more concerned about my mental health than anything and thought i was going down a depression spiral, which my former friend told them he was helping me through. they believed me right away once we finally did talk). all that is to say, i was going kind of crazy lol, and i decided to go back home in october just for a short while, to recharge my batteries and all.

i was gone for a couple of weeks, not very long. i felt MUCH better after being with my family & friends in person, as i felt pretty isolated from everyone (my hometown is in new york, i was only 2 hours away by train but scheduling times to visit was sort of a hassle, so i only did it once every couple months). my grandfather and mom dropped me off at my apartment in early november, we were very lighthearted and discussing my next steps, since my shithead friend had been behind on rent more than 5 times (i always paid my half on time) and i was facing eviction because of it. we get to my apartment, i go to open the door, and it wont open. not that its locked, it just straight up WONT open. my grandpa tried to ram the door with his shoulder, and nothing. hes a strong ass dude, and this door wouldnt budge for anything.

my mom managed to get the kitchen window open and climb in that way, and it took both her and my grandpa pulling/pushing at the same time to force the door open. i wont even dress this up: there was mold. fucking. everywhere. on the floor, on the walls, all over everything i owned. i have pictures (had to take them for insurance) and im not even going to show them because they are beyond fucking disgusting. everything i owned was soaked in water and mold, and i do literally mean EVERYTHING. it was very warm in there too, like the temperature of a swamp. i was in a haze after that. i just remember sobbing, like genuinely heartbroken sobbing, as i wandered around looking at everything that was ruined. my mom & grandpa had to go and get maintenance because i was just utterly useless, and they were equally horrified & said they'd never seen anything like it.

i managed to save some items that were irreplaceable (journals, notebooks, etc) and whatever clothes werent utterly soaked in mold. all of my cookware, my books, my laptop & desktop (i cried the hardest when i saw the desktop) - it was all ruined. we found out later that the water boiler in my apartment had a catastrophic failure while i was gone, which caused it to constantly send water back through the pipes, empty, and refill itself. my bedroom was directly above the boiler downstairs, so it got the most significant amount of damage. all told, i lost like 95% of the things i owned. it is possible that i could have saved more, but the amount of mold in that apartment made it a genuine safety hazard for me to even be in there, so i had very limited time to grab what i could. the cruelest irony of all that? my shithead ex-friend's room, which was on the other side of the hallway, was pretty much untouched. he lost absolutely nothing lol.

so immediately, i had to leave the state. i moved back to ny with my family. my mother - who had a stroke last year following a diagnosis of an exceedingly rare neurological disorder, AND had two separate brain surgeries to improve her quality of life - was in the process of getting evicted. the landlord didnt give a fuck about any of my moms situation, not her being disabled, not her being widowed, not her having 3 kids under the age of 18 to care for - he just wanted her out so he could increase the cost of rent on our house. at the same time as all this was going on, i got saddled with a $600 electric bill (likely caused by the water heater's malfunction), which neither insurance nor the apartment would pay, so it came out of my pocket. in addition, i found out in december that i was also getting laid off.

we had nowhere to go and couldnt afford to live anywhere in the tri-state area. we had no choice but to move somewhere much cheaper, and since my mom already had a friend living in a mid-atlantic state, we chose to move there. the eviction went through in january and we had less than 2 weeks to pack all our shit, find a place to live, and get the fuck out. needless to say, we were not successful lol.

we stayed in my grandparents 1 bedroom apartment for about a week, then all of us drove down together to stay with my moms friend in her 3 bedroom apartment (she has 5 kids, 3 of whom live in the apartment). my moms apartment, which was supposed to have been ready by january 31st, still had people actively living there. the property manager kept promising us it would be next week for the entire month of february, to the point that my mom got fed up and chose to rent a small house instead. the reality of being essentially homeless for that time was beyond horrifying, and having anywhere between 8-10 people in that house (my cousin also moved with us, but he stayed in a hotel for the first week) was more taxing than i can express.

but things have gotten a lot better since then. i also found a cute little house to rent just up the road from my moms, and its very cheap for its size. i still havent found a job yet, but thanks to what was essentially the liquidation of everything i owned, ill be ok for a couple months more. im slowly but surely repurchasing all the things i lost and trying to acclimate to the new environment. things are still not totally stable right now, but they are slowing down, and at this point thats all i can really ask for lol.

so yeah. if u were wondering why i suddenly stopped posting after literal years of posting every day, thats why LMAO

[equixen]

Looking back at ‘Before You Go’

Welcome to part 2 of my Narnia fanvid retrospectives which consist of me talking about a specific fanvid I’ve made and how I’ve interpreted the lyrics. This time, I’ll be talking about my second Caspeter fanvid, ‘Before You Go’, which I uploaded almost one and a half years ago now [original post].

Before I get into it, I just wanted to say that this one is especially for @an-angels-fury because she enjoyed my retrospective post for ‘Run To You’ and said that ‘Before You Go’ is her other favourite of my Caspeter fanvids. 😊

Okay, so this one actually has an interesting origin story and that’s because this fanvid was very close to being my first Caspeter fanvid and also very close to never happening at all.

Let me explain… 😊

When I first became obsessed with Caspeter, it wasn’t long till I decided to try making a fanvid about them. I started by going through my music and eventually narrowed it down to two songs. This one and ‘What Hurts the Most’. I liked both songs very much so it was quite possible that ‘Before You Go’ would have been the first one to be edited although I ultimately decided on ‘What Hurts the Most’.

As for why this fanvid was almost never made at all… well that’s because, at the time, I thought Narnia and Caspeter would go the way of many of my other recent fandoms up till that point. That I would do one fanvid, maybe two if I was lucky, but eventually either my interest in that fandom would wane or something new would come along to take its place as my latest obsession. So, I knew that by picking one song over the other, it was quite possible the second one might never have been made.

Well, we all know how that turned out. 🤣 Several more fanvids (and even fanfics) later, Caspeter and Narnia ended up becoming so important to me for various reasons (I’ve written more about this in another post if that’s of interest) which led to Caspeter becoming my OTP of OTPs. 🥰

Alright, now onto the lyrics. This fanvid is all from Caspian’s POV.

‘I fell by the wayside like everyone else’

I feel like there are a couple of ways this line can be looked at for Caspian. Firstly, it’s Caspian personally feeling like he doesn’t measure up to the High King from Narnia’s golden age. And secondly, that Caspian thinks that Peter sees him as less-than because of his Telmarine heritage. Also, I still really like the visuals I chose for this sequence… of Caspian deferring to the higher status of the Pevensies and hanging back as they enter the How for the first time.

‘I hate you, I hate you, I hate you, but I was just kidding myself’

Yep, Peter drives Caspian absolutely crazy in the beginning. Two young men with their own axes to grind and who are out to prove themselves. Caspian both hates how stubborn Peter is during the strategising at the How, but also can’t help seeing beyond that tough exterior that Peter puts up. Someone who is both more and less than what Caspian grew up hearing about in all those stories. Because Peter might not be all that he imagined in terms of the magnificent battle-hardened warrior (at least not at first glance) but he’s also more human and more beautiful and has more heart than Caspian ever could have imagined.

‘Our every moment, I start to replace, 'cause now that they're gone, all I hear are the words that I needed to say’

Despite the connection they share, their time together is over too soon. And once Peter is gone, Caspian can’t help regretting all the things he never told Peter while he had the chance. While I’ve had multiple versions of what Caspian might regret after Peter leaves Narnia in my head for different projects over the last year and a half, when I was editing this fanvid, I was very much imagining this to be that Caspian never told Peter that he loved him.

‘When you hurt under the surface, like troubled water running cold. Well, time can heal but this won't’

I think this was the line that first made me take notice of this song as a potential Caspeter fanvid. The way it reflects their regret over the loss of so many lives after the failed castle raid. It is something that will probably haunt both of them for the rest of their lives. And even though we had no closeup of Caspian’s face when they escape the courtyard, I was rather pleased that I was able to fake one by using a shot of Caspian from the start of the film which I still think works rather well. 😊

‘So, before you go, was there something I could've said to make your heart beat better? If only I'd have known you had a storm to weather’

Apart from his siblings—who Peter could never hope to hide anything from—I feel like Peter is the kind of person who’d keep his troubles close to his chest. So, for most of the time that Caspian and Peter would have known each other, there’s so much about Peter that would’ve been a mystery to Caspian. And at the top of that list would be the hardships Peter had faced as a result of being forced back into his old life after living in Narnia for so long. Constantly being underestimated by the adults in his life as well as being bullied and belittled by his peers.

‘So, before you go, was there something I could've said to make it all stop hurting? It kills me how your mind can make you feel so worthless’

There are definitely times when Peter feels worthless. But for the first instance of this line, I chose a moment where Peter feels like he’s worth less than others. And what better representation is there than the, “what about your own future?” deleted scene between Caspian and Peter. Caspian learns for the first time just how much Peter is willing to sacrifice for those he loves and for the greater good. Even his own life. That thought alone scares Caspian more than anything so he prompts Peter to think about his own future in the hopes that it will give him something else to fight for.

‘So, before you go, would we be better off by now, if I'd have let my walls come down? Maybe I guess we'll never know, you know, you know’

The moment when it all comes to an end. Caspian has just been crowned King and is looking forward to getting to know Peter away from the hardships of war. Just seeing where these feeling take them. But then Peter drops the bombshell that they’re leaving and Caspian can’t do a thing to stop it. All he has left now is regret. Regret over all those missed opportunities where he could have said how he felt but didn’t as well as wondering what could have been if he had. 😢 And I still rather love that sequence for, “I guess we'll never know, you know, you know,” where it looks like Peter is kicking himself for not being brave enough to say something to Caspian when they’d had a moment upon first entering Cornelius’ office. 😊

‘Before you go, was there something I could've said to make your heart beat better? If only I'd have known you had a storm to weather’

When Caspian finds Peter during his and Susan’s talk with Aslan, he can see that something isn’t right with Peter. He wants to help but how can he when he never knew the depths of what Peter, a king to a nation that had been home to him and his siblings for 15 years, had dealt with by being flung back into their own world against his wishes. A loss of self, of purpose and of feeling like he truly belonged.

‘So, before you go, was there something I could've said to make it all stop hurting? It kills me how your mind can make you feel so worthless’

And now we come to the second instance of this line where I focus on a moment when Peter feels worthless. Of course, no one is harder on Peter then Peter himself. As the High King, he has the weight of the world on his shoulders and he when he messes up, he feels the shame of it in every fibre of his being. After the failed castle raid, and the subsequent run-in with Jadis, Caspian starts to see a side of Peter that he never had before. The side that makes mistakes and, in his darkest moments, doubts his value. And that only makes him feel for Peter all the more and wish he knew the right things to say that would make Peter feel otherwise.

‘So, before you go’

And lastly the ending. What can I saw about the ending that hasn’t already been said. I mean, between Peter’s, “we’re not really needed here anymore,” and Caspian’s, “I will look after it until you return,” has there ever been a scene where two people who love each other have said so much and yet so little at the same time?? They were so close to having it all and now they’re being torn apart as Peter walks out of Caspian’s life, never to return. 😢

--------

And on that note, I think I’ll leave it there. I’ve had so many feelings about these two over the last year and a half and, with yet more fic/vid ideas percolating in my mind, I don’t think that will be ending anytime soon. 😊

[archiveikemen]

Liam Evans Main Story: Chapter 21 (Crazy Love)

I do not own any of the Ikemen Series content being uploaded on this blog, everything belongs to CYBIRD. Please support them by playing their games and buying stories. Not 100% accurate, expect mistakes.

read this before interacting with my posts

Liam: I don’t ever want to disappear before your eyes again.

The pair of rose coloured eyes staring at me contained a passion I had never seen before.

I noticed a change in Liam that was small, yet definitely there.

Liam: Hey, Kate.

Liam: I couldn't take your hand back then. But—

Liam: But…

While his face contorted as he tried to force out the words that were caught in his throat, I shook my head.

(He’s referring to the time he tried to end his own life.)

Kate: You don’t have to force yourself to say something. When you’re ready, you can tell me.

Liam: … Tell you?

Kate: Yes. Things like… what’s on your mind, what’s making you happy, or what’s hurting you.

Kate: I’ll wait for you. Don’t worry, patience is one of my biggest strengths.

Liam: … Mm. Thanks, Kate.

I nodded and we looked up at the night sky together.

The small changes in Liam were like faint lights of hope twinkling in the sky.

…

The next day, Liam and I went to The Scala to discuss William’s plan with everyone there.

(Hm? It's unusually quiet today.)

The practice room was usually bustling with actors doing their rehearsals, but today it was filled with silence.

Liam and I went backstage, and saw Tom looking at the script in his hand all alone.

Liam: … Tom?

Tom: … Liam.

Tom’s eyes widened and he ran to pull Liam into a tight hug.

Tom: Liam! Ahh, I’m so glad you're safe. If anything were to happen to you, I would’ve—!

Liam: I’m so sorry, Tom. I…

Tom: It’s alright. You're back in one piece and that’s all that matters.

(Tom must have so many questions, but he’s holding them back…)

Liam: Are you the only one here today, Tom? Where’s everyone else?

Tom: I actually wanted us to carry on with rehearsals while waiting for your return, but your absence made everyone unmotivated.

Tom: So I decided to give everyone a break until you’re back.

Tom: The Scala very seldomly goes on break. That makes you everyone’s superstar!

Liam chuckled in response to Tom’s teasing yet kind words.

Tom: Anyway, did the two of you come today just to show your faces? You seem like you have something to tell me, but—

We slowly explained our plan to Tom.

There was a dangerous organisation in England known as ‘Golden Butterfly’ that was once annihilated. However, it had recently been showing signs of a potential revival caused by an unknown instigator.

As the identity of the instigator remained a mystery, our plan was to use The Scala to spread word of it to all of England and put a stop to its revival.

Tom: … I see. I have a general understanding of the plan, and that you don't want this ‘Golden Butterfly’ to revive.

Tom: However, Liam and Kate, how did you obtain this information and why do you want to stop them?

(The Scala must never know about my job as a fairy tale writer and the existence of Crown.)

(In order to protect them… we mustn't reveal any more details.)

Liam: I’m sorry, Tom. I can’t tell you that.

Liam: But… I don’t want people to be burdened by any more unnecessary suffering.

Tom: …

Liam: I swear to protect you and everyone at The Scala. … I absolutely will.

Liam: Therefore, will you help us…?

Kate: … I plead for your help as well. Please help us.

Tom: Lift your heads, both of you. I don’t see any reason why I… no, both myself and The Scala should refuse to cooperate.

Kate: Really?

Liam: … Really?

Tom: Yeah. I believe that people's thoughts have the ability to change them, and that’s why I named this place ‘The Scala’.

Tom: This is the perfect opportunity to show The Scala’s true spirit, isn’t it? We must make good use of it!

Tom: Also… I’m glad to have you asking me for a favour. This has never happened before.

Liam: … Tom

Tom clapped his hands together to dispel the sentimental atmosphere.

Tom: Now that it’s been decided, we should start thinking about how we're going to spread word about ‘Golden Butterfly’ through theatre.

Kate: Firstly and most importantly, I think we have to be able to get the audience’s attention. A well-known play would easily do that…

Tom: You’re right, I was thinking the same thing. We should integrate ‘Golden Butterfly’ into a performance that will captivate people's interest.

Liam: Are you saying that we’ll alter an existing story to include ‘Golden Butterfly’?

Tom: That’s right! — I think that ‘this’ would be the most suitable.

Tom gave us the script in his hands.

(‘Hamlet’...?)

Kate: … ‘Hamlet’, one of the four tragedies of Shakespeare?

Liam: As expected of you, Kate. I’ve only ever heard about its name and nothing more. What’s the story about, Tom?

Tom: It’s a story about a prince named Hamlet who seeks revenge on his uncle who murdered his father, took the throne, and wedded his mother.

Tom: You’ve heard the line ‘to be or not to be. that is the question.’, right?

Liam: … A story about revenge.

Tom: ‘Hamlet’ may be a story about revenge, but I believe that its true meaning lies elsewhere.

Tom: To me, the story tells us that if someone wants to live, they have to be strong and endure all their suffering.

Tom: I was reading the script while waiting for you to come back, and thought that you absolutely had to play this role.

Tom: Liam, endure the hardships as Hamlet. And after that, play Quasimodo in ‘The Hunchback of Notre Dame’.

(Tom wants Liam to persevere through struggles as Hamlet, then be successful as Quasimodo.)

Liam nodded.

Liam: … Yeah, let’s do ‘Hamlet’.

Tom: That’s great! Now I shall work on the script, and then we’ll let the others know…!

Kate: Let me know if there's anything I can help you with, anything at all!

Tom: Haha, you’re very dependable, Kate. Alright then, first of all—...

…

The days that followed were busy enough to make our heads spin.

Members of the theatre troupe readily agreed to participate in our plan, and that marked the start of a period of intensive rehearsals.

Despite that, watching ‘Hamlet’ gradually take shape gave us an indescribable feeling of accomplishment and joy.

— In the meantime, there was an unexpected visitor at The Scala.

Troupe Member: Excuse me… you can’t just barge in like this! Excuse me!

Kate • Liam: …?

I gasped when I saw what was written on the armbands of the visitors as they forced their way into the theatre.

(‘The Shadow’... the gossip magazine that published the cover article about Liam…!?)

Not only were there journalists from The Shadow, a number of them from other magazine and newspaper publishers had also infiltrated into The Scala.

I instinctively hid Liam behind my back to protect him.

(I won’t let them hurt Liam ever again. I’ll protect him no matter what.)

— To my surprise, that wasn’t the case.

Magazine Journalist: We’re here to cover your theatre’s next production! It’s called ‘Hamlet’, is that correct?

Newspaper Journalist: We’ll be here on the actual day of the performance as well, and we’re looking forward to seeing the exciting play. Ah, could you allow us to take pictures of you during your rehearsal?

(Huh…?)

Liam: Could it be…

Liam looked up at the second floor of the theatre — where Harrison was standing.

Harrison noticed us looking at him and left with a smug smile.

Liam: Excuse me for a moment. I’ll be right back…

…

Liam: Harry, wait! Harry!

Harrison, who was walking through the town square that was dyed crimson red by the setting sun, turned around.

Harrison: What, you actually came after me? Dealing with interviews from journalists is your job, Liam.

It was clear that Harrison was the reason why the journalists were there to interview Liam.

However great the performance may be, its influence would be limited if it didn't go beyond the theatre’s usual audience.

(And if that happens, there’s a chance we wouldn't reach the person behind the revival of ‘Golden Butterfly’, hiding somewhere in England.)

(Therefore, Harrison made use of his connections to the media to create a buzz.)

Liam: Harry, I…

Harrison: It’s all up to you now, Liam. I have high expectations for you.

With that, Harrison walked away and left Liam standing there, staring.

The casual ‘I have high expectations for you’ was more of a ‘do your best’.

Thanks to the newspaper and magazine articles, word spread throughout England about ‘Hamlet’ even before the day of the performance.

Rehearsals grew more intense after being motivated by that, and the opening night gradually came—.

…

Everyone from The Scala was gathered at a tavern to give themselves a boost of morale before the performance.

They clinked their mugs over and over again, and I quietly left the gathering.

I stepped out onto the street, the gentle night breeze brushing against my cheeks that were flushed from the alcohol.

(... I’ve been wondering about this for a while. Why do all the actors have such incredible tolerance for alcohol?)

While I was cooling down, I saw someone slumped against the wall of a nearby shop.

Kate: … Tom?

Tom: Oh, Kate. Haha… I’m not a very good drinker. Just trying to sober up.

Kate: Perfect timing, then. Let me join you.

Sitting down next to each other, we looked up at the night sky.

Kate: … Um, I’d like to thank you.

Tom: What for?

Kate: For many things concerning Liam. It’s probably rather odd for it to be coming from me, but I just wanted to tell you that.

Tom: Actually, I wanted him to play the role of Hamlet for my own sake.

Kate: What…

Tom: Take this as just some rambling coming from a drunkard, yeah?

Tom: When I first met Liam, it was in the audience seats at The Scala. Oh, judging by the look on your face, you’ve heard about this before?

Kate: Yes. He happened to see a play with no one watching in the audience… and all the characters in the story died in the end.

Tom: That’s right. Back then, I was still struggling and constantly trying new things. It felt like the entire world was criticising me.

Tom: That day, although the play had such a tragic end… Liam remained in the audience even after the performance ended.

Tom: He sat there all alone, staring at the stage. And before I knew it, I approached him.

– Flashback Start –

Tom: Excuse me, you over there.

Liam: … Erm, me?

Tom: Yes, you. Hey, are you interested in theatre?

– Flashback End –

(... He must've felt so happy when Tom approached him like that.)

Tom: Liam’s growth as a stage actor was impressive. His progress was also The Scala’s progress.

Tom: Watching The Scala grow greater and greater made me so, so happy…

Tom: And that's why, even though I knew… I turned a blind eye to it.

Kate: Turned a blind eye to…?

Tom: The dark side of Liam’s talent, which is his ability to completely immerse himself in the roles he plays, as if he and the character have become one person.

[lemoncrushh]

Cubicle // 6) I Wanna Be with You

STORY PAGE

Word Count: 1545

Roni

Harry pulled up to the valet and handed him the keys. The doorman greeted us as we approached, and I suddenly felt very posh and important. With Harry's hand on the small of my back, we walked up to the hostess. I had no idea Harry had made reservations, but I suppose that's what one does when going to such a fancy restaurant. Still, he earned a couple more points with me because of it.

Once we were seated, a waiter quickly appeared to welcome us and take our beverage order. Harry asked me what I liked, and I told him I'm a red wine drinker, so he ordered a bottle of whatever the waiter suggested. The entire menu was in French, and I don't speak it, so when the waiter left, I leant over and told Harry to ask him to do the same with my food.

"No problem," he smirked.

Closing his menu, Harry placed his hands on top of it and leant forward. He stared at me for a moment, not saying anything. I felt something run through me - not nerves because I'm not particularly a nervous person. But I suddenly felt a bit self-conscious and warm in the face. I took a deep breath, wishing the waiter would return with some water.

I took the next moment to survey the room. This restaurant is lovely and lives up to its name with white and gold decor, but not in a gaudy way. I was fixated on a crystal chandelier when I heard Harry say my name.

"Hmm?" I sounded before peeling my eyes away.

When I looked at him, he still had the same expression on his face, though his eyes looked darker. I cleared my throat.

"I'm so sorry," I exclaimed. "I'm being rude."

"No you're not," Harry said. "I enjoy looking at you."

The waiter appeared then to deliver the water glasses and to pour our wine. But Harry and I were not phased. We just continued to stare at each other. I slowly grazed my teeth against my bottom lip, not quite biting it. I could tell it drove Harry crazy because he gulped and shifted in his chair. He thanked the waiter while I grinned down at the table, trying not to laugh. After the waiter had taken our order, Harry turned his attention back to me.

"Tell me about your tattoo," he inquired.

"Oh," I mouthed, absent-mindedly touching my shoulder. "Actually, it probably sounds silly, but I just like lilies. All kinds. But I'm particularly fond of stargazers. So I decided to get a tattoo of one."

"I like it," Harry commented. "Very pretty. Suits you well."

"Thank you. I think white ones signify purity, and although I love white lilies, I didn't really think that fit me. So I went with a pink one which is supposed to signify wealth and prosperity. And sometimes romance."

The corner of Harry's mouth curved up slowly and sent shivers down my spine. I grabbed my wine glass and was about to take a sip when he stopped me.

"Wait," he insisted, holding up his hand and taking his own glass. "We need to toast."

"Oh, okay."

Harry licked his lips as he raised his glass. "To you Ms. Graver. To a wonderfully magical evening. And what I hope will be the first of many."

Alright, so the boy finally made me blush. I couldn't help but giggle a little bit as I clinked my glass with his. Our eyes locked as we both took a sip of wine, and a rush of desire ran through me. Sometimes the anticipation of what's to come can be greater than the end result. But I had no doubt in my mind this was not going to be the case. I knew I wanted Harry. Shit, I knew it the first moment I met him. Being with him is a delight, and he's charming as fuck. I just couldn't wait to see what he was like in bed.

Harry

Dinner was amazing. I couldn't stop staring at her. Jesus, she's so fucking beautiful. As she told me about her tattoo, I imagined touching it, licking her soft skin. Part of me wanted the time to hurry up so we could get back to her place, but the other part of me wanted to savour every moment.

I knew she wanted me. The look in her eyes was obvious. The way she lightly bit her lip almost made me come unglued. I actually caught her blushing when I made the toast. The slight show of vulnerability made me like her even more. I'm not saying she has a hard exterior; I don't really think she's that tough to crack. But she does display a certain confidence that might come off to some as being cold and intimidating, but to me is sexy and intriguing.

By the time we'd finished our entrees, as well as our bottle of wine, we were in full flirt-mode. Roni was laughing at my stupid jokes again, a couple of times reaching over and grabbing my hand. When the waiter returned to ask if we wanted dessert, Roni insisted she couldn't eat another bite, but I took it upon myself to order the chocolate dipped strawberries. They arrived whilst Roni was in the ladies' room. The waiter asked if we were enjoying our evening, and I told him very much. Then he said we made a lovely couple.

When Roni took her seat again, I took one of the strawberries in my hand and offered it to her. With unspoken understanding, she grinned and took a sensual bite. Licking her lips, she grabbed another strawberry and did the same to me. As I bit into the luscious fruit, I felt her foot touch my leg under the table. She moved it up and down, her eyes never leaving my face. We continued to tease each other until we'd devoured all the strawberries. I winked at her as she sucked on her fingertips. The waiter came and asked if we needed anything else.

"No, I think we're good," I replied, my eyes still on Roni.

When I'd paid the cheque, I asked Roni if she wanted to take a walk as the restaurant wasn't far from the river.

"Absolutely," she agreed.

As we walked around the corner, I took her hand. She looked up at me with her beautiful smile and laced her fingers through mine. We talked a little about work. I asked her how she enjoyed her first week and she shrugged and said it was okay. I had to laugh when she made it a point to mention her disdain for Gerard Holcomb.

"He's so full of himself," she said.

"Tell me about it," I snorted. "Has he tried to hit on you yet?"

"You mean like you did?"

I stopped in my tracks with my mouth open. "I ..."

Roni chuckled. "I'm just playing. You were a gentleman. Gerard's a slime ball."

"So he did hit on you?" If she only knew the things I had been thinking when we met.

"A few times," she rolled her eyes. "My first day, mind you, he actually called me his baby doll and told me even if any of the other sales people gave me work to do, I should do his first."

I want to kill him.

"I'm sorry," I said through gritted teeth.

"Not your fault," she smiled as she pulled me closer.

We reached the River Thames and stood by the railing, looking out at the moonlight bouncing off the water. A light breeze blew through Roni's hair making her appear angelic. I let go of her hand and wrapped my arm around her waist.

"As many times as I've looked at it, it never ceases to take my breath away," she mused.

"Mmm," I agreed, my head facing her. "I know."

I spotted her mouth forming into a slow smile as she first looked at me out of the corner of her eye before shifting toward me. I took the opportunity to pull her even closer, so that her stomach met mine. Then I lightly brushed her shoulder with the back of my hand, making my way up to her neck. Leaning in cautiously, I kept my eyes on her lips, wanting so badly to kiss them. When she placed her hand on my chest and licked her lips, I took it as a green light and let my mouth touch hers. Soft, baby kisses at first, taking my time.

When I heard a delicate gasp rise from her throat, I deepened the kiss, letting my tongue separate her lips and meet hers. She tasted so sweet, like wine and strawberries. Her hand moved up from my chest the back of my neck, her fingers in my hair. Both of us were breathing hard when we finally separated. Then Roni did that fucking sexy lip bite that drives me insane.

"Maybe, um," I started to say but had to clear my throat. "Perhaps we should start walking back."

Roni nodded a few times before saying yes. I took her hand again as we backtracked toward the restaurant. I couldn't wait to get her alone.

MASTERLIST | KO-FI | FEEDBACK

[sarifinasnightmare]

The Whoopsie

Rating: For Everyone

Pairing: Sarah/Bucky

Summary: Bucky is recovering from a whoopsie. The Wilsons behave accordingly.

Prompt: Found Family

Author's Note: It's a day late, but I hope that's okay. 😁

_________________---

“Sam, what did I tell you??”

“Sarah, this wasn’t my fault!”

“Like hell this isn’t your fault! You’re the one who took him from our family dinner table to investigate that factory just because your Falcon senses were tingling!”

“Falcon senses?” *snort* “Ow, that actually hurt.”

“Don’t move too much James. My poor guy.”

“James?? When did he become James??”

“Uh…recently?”

“Recently??”

“Yes, recently! You might as well know; Sam. James and I are official.”

“Aha! I knew you moving down and having dinner at the house wasn’t just you being protective! What did I tell you about dating my sister??”

“I-”

“I am grown, Sam! He is also grown! If we want to date each other then there’s nothing you can do to stop us!”

“I got a Vibranium shield and a Wakandan suit that has allowed me to do a shitload of things and that could include cutting a geriatric super soldier into tiny pieces when he least expects it!”

“I’m kind of already hurting soo…..”

“Samuel Thomas Wilson don’t you dare raise my man’s blood pressure! I want him alive!”

“Listen Sarah Eunice Wilson, he was my friend first, so I get to decide whether he lives long enough to be dating my little sister!!”

“Are you guys fighting over me?”

“Shut up, man, don’t make it weird.”

“I’m not some Southern belle that needs to be protected from gentleman callers! I am a woman and I have needs!”

“Gah! I don’t want to know about that!”

“Then stay out my business and let me take care of my man! And stop hauling him out on your crazy adventures. That’s what Joaquin is for!”

“Joaquin is still green, and I know Bucky could handle himself. It’s not my fault he caught the grenade and threw it too late.”

“Baby, a grenade?? Are you trying to break my heart?”

“No, babe, I swear I tried to move fast…”

“James if anything had happened-”

“Shhh, it won’t. I’ll be good, I’ll be so good for you.”

“….”

“…”

“Are you two really going to make me sit here and watch you kiss each other??”

“There’s the door. No one’s stopping you.”

“I ain’t leaving my partner while he’s recovering. I stayed for Steve, and I’ll stay for Bucky.”

“Thanks, man.”

“You’re welcome. I’m still kicking your ass though.”

“No, you’re not. Once James is allowed to leave, he’s coming home where I’m going to make sure he gets all the TLC he needs.”

“Aw babe, you don’t have to.”

“Hush and be spoiled, James.”

“Yes Ma’am.”

“Hey, how come I never got any TLC when I get hurt?”

“When was the last time you got hurt?”

“Uh…”

“Exactly!”

“I got some cuts and bruises here!”

“Nothing some painkillers and Merthiolate can’t fix.”

“Nope! Get that shit away from my cuts!”

“Chicken.”

“Like to see you handle it!”

“Look at these hands. Does it look like I can’t handle a nick or two?”

“Yeah, yeah. Not like I don’t have my own. You gave me a few when we were kids.”

“That’s what you get for picking on me.”

*snort* “Ow…you need to stop making me laugh.”

“You hungry, baby?”

“I don’t think I can handle anything heavy right now.”

“Sam go ask if they have any soup.”

“Fine, you want anything?”

“No, just want my man home.”

“Home with you sounds good right now.”

“Ya’ll behave. I’ll be right back.”

“He’s protective of you.”

“He’s protective of you too.”

“We’re both soldiers. We don’t leave our own behind.”

“It’s more than that, James. You’re important to us Wilsons and we protect our kin.”

“I’m family?”

“Damn right.”

“I like that. I like that a whole lot.”

“Good, now rest and let that super soldier shit do its thing so we can get you home faster.”

“You got it….Eunice.”

“Boy don’t start with me.”

*snort* “Ow, your middle name is Eunice.”

“I didn’t ask to be named after a great aunt. Now shut up before I get on your name Buchanan.”

The End

[ticklishfiend]

um long irl tickle story because i’m tweaking out rn 😀

so i’ve got this friend who is also not Just A Friend and it’s complicated LMFAO anyways, we’ve done kink play stuff before so we know everything each other is into. obviously this means they know i’m real big into tickling fjskjf (which no, is not purely sexual for me lol. neither of us are very sexual people, kink isn’t always abt sex and i think more people in this community need that to register in their brains LOL)

ANYWAYYS so i dont think they know Just how into it i am, like they dont even know abt this blog but im slowly working up the courage to tell them abt it bc i know they wouldnt be weirded out (im just shy LOL). so bc they dont rlly know how big of a thing this is for me, they’ve never Really tickled me before.

now, i’ve tickled them. plenty actually lol. it’s super fun and i love tickling them sosososo much bc they’re reactions are so cute and they’re really good at holding still lol. but anytime they’ve tickled me, it’s mainly just like a poke here or a squeeze there, nothing for real yknow.

which is like. it’s fine. but every time they do it i get skyrocketed into the biggest lee mood for like days on end and usually i get too embarrassed to tell them dhsjndjsg

but the other day i actually decided to tell them how much it affected me. we had both spent the night at a friends house, and at every sleepover when its time for bed, our other friend goes to her room and then its just the two of us alone in the living room. we were high the other night and cuddling, and they kept teasing me by making claw hands and wiggling their fingers at me (i’ve told them before it flusters me So Bad when they do it and now they’re just relentless with it 😭😭), they poked me a few times like usual but also kept quickly skittering their fingers on my foot which they’ve never done before and dhsjjdjdf i was too high i was losing my mind

so that was it, but the next day when i got home i texted them telling them they were so evil for that bc now im feeling crazy. they found that hilarious and teased me abt it for a minute 😭 so i thought that was the end of it bc they rarely tease me too much (im mainly the dom in our relationship so i can understand why lol)

but then. but then.

my friend group went hiking all day today, so when we got back to my friends house we were pretty beat. me and my friend were cuddling on the couch watching tv, but they just kept. poking. me. i felt crazy LMFAO

so ofc bc im me, i was tickling back! i’m more deliberate with my tickles, so i kept squeezing their side and poking places i know they’re ticklish at. they ofc kept making wiggly hands at me, but atp im like so lee and it’s not enough 😭

so. i called them a coward! (teasingly, ofc). i didn’t get specific cause our other friends were right there and id rather they not know abt it LMAO but this main friend knew what i was talking about. they were playing all offended, trying to defend themselves, but they kept not actually tickling me so ofc i kept calling them a coward hehehe

so later tonight once we were at our own houses, we text each other almost immediately. ofc because i was feeling super lee after all that i told them i was (playfully) mad at them for teasing me earlier

they started defending themself again saying they aren’t a coward, so i texted back with “always threatening but never actually does anything about it 🥱 coward behavior to me”

they texted back with “when i come over tmrrw its over. im gonna get you”

😨 WHAAAATRTSJS

AAAAHHHHHH

i was. freaking out LMFAOOO

they kept teasing me back and forth about it and i am STILL losing my mind and that was hours ago 😭😭

we’re hanging out tmrrw night and yall. yall idk if i can HANDLE ITFNFKD we’re spending the night like we always do so once we’re alone and ALSO HIGH AGAIN………bitch i can’t my stomach just turned a flip thinking about it omfg

anyways yeah sorry i know this was long but this little back and forth on “will they ever actually tickle me” has been going on for almost a YEAR now so im justifiably freaking out abt it LMFAOO

i’m also taking my driving test for my license tmrrw before we hang out so let’s hope i don’t start thinking abt tickles and crash the car 👍

[abernathyvalois]

AH forgot i sent that ask about wlw situationships: anyways.

get this, for a year we were orbiting a relationship but we each have our own issues that set us back from actually committing (we share the same friend group, we both have commitment issues, she had a fwb relationship at the time) blah blah. this past spring, i got busy with an internship and things sizzled out.

EXCEPT. when ever we got drunk with our friends, boom we're clingy, we're making out, we're inseparable. ALL THRU OUT THE SPRING AND SUMMER.

now she's seeing this new person, but the worst part is she homewrecked that relationship (it was semi long distance, but she wiggled in and "accidentally" homewrecked). its none of my business whatever right

so through out this past fall semester, i'm working as a barista (typical gay person) and she starts bringing by this new person she's seeing, and only texting me if i'm working. never asking to hang. blah blah whatever im grown up ive moved on i dont have time for this drama. but i am also a jealous person and i dont let myself get drunk around her anymore.

i made that mistake once for a birthday party last month and i ended up 7th wheeling one night and it got so sad i left early.

THE WORST PART is that the person she's seeing is SOOO BORING. i try being friendly but they just do not engage, ask questions, or directly talk to me. like i had to be around the two of them one time for a drive for food and they talked to themselves the entire time i thought i was a cab driver.

so this is the current situation, i decided to not host a nye party that originally only 6-8 people were coming to bc she invited them and i am not going to be doomy and gloomy on nye.

anyways, no one understand the wlw situationship horrors and i've been stuck holding this all inside bc it sounds crazy

Duuuuuuuude that sounds insane. that’s the thing about wlw situationships isn’t it ? The lines r all blurred. Like ur fooling around one minute than the next they pull back and it’s like you don’t know how to act, to hold on or to let go it’s this constant push and pull of miscommunication. AGGGEGGRRVVFVVVV I get ur frustration good for u for canceling the party! I hope ur nye is going well despite that. Hopefully in 2024 there’s less of whatever the fuck this is

[logically-asexual]

OKAY IT HAPPENED

i saw a spoiler that i SHOULD NOT have seen. but its a funny story so im going to scream about it under the read more and once im done im going to go pirate those 7 episodes i have left even if i have to watch them in french im losing my absolute mind.

dont click on this if you havent finished the show dont make my mistake aksjdhasjdh

SO i keep acting without thought and snooping some miraculous posts that appear under the recommended thing that sometimes shows below my own posts. and a while ago i saw a post that said something about gabriel not being technically adrien's father and i thought that was stupid and i chose not to believe that as a spoiler. also because i had just read a fanfic posterd years ago that decided emilie had been a villain who cheated on gabriel and that's how she had adrien and i just do not like the idea of emilie having been secretely a bad person. and i just didn't like the idea of adrien having some other father. but it wouldn't leave my mind. the only thought i had was that maybe felix and adrien shared the same father and it was the guy who died? but i didn't care much for that.

THEN i watched the episodes i posted live reactions to these past days, which include these two episodes where we finally learn felix's intentions with the peacock miraculous. and okay. i got it when he said the thing to kagami about having a responsibility towards the "beings you create" i got that it was a thing about "our parents shouldn't control us". i just found it cute and interesting and it hasn't left myh mind because i really didn't expect to see this soft side of felix ever.

I ALSO haven't been able to stop thinking about WHAT the hell did Emilie want with the peacock miraculous. because again, i don't want her to be evil. i want her to have mysterious secrets, yes, but i want to know what non evil purpose she could have with the miraculous.

so THIS VERY MORNING. A FEW hours ago my mind randomly put these three dots together while i was having breakfast and watching QuintonReviews talk about crazy theories for nickelodeon sitcoms and said "WHAT IF.... Emilie couldn't have children for some reason and adrien is a sentimonster?"

and i thought.. haha... that's INSANE. im going to remember i had this thought because its SO silly and i want to laugh about it when i have finished the show and have all my answers... how funny LOL.

and just. forgot about it. until A COUPLE MINUTES AGO I ONCE AGAIN GO SNOOPING. and i skim over a post that's like "marinette in season 1: juggles babysitting, being ladybug, idk what else, felix in season 4" and mi think its alright to read this because it said SEASON 4. but then it said that he finds that adrien and him are actually not kasjdh i dont know how they phrased it because i ran away as fast as i could but nowmy WORLD is crashing donw.

because . i did think it was silly. but now EVERYTHING makes sense????? when adrien was going to kiss marinette and he hear gabriels voice in his head saying no and he stopped and i thought he definitely had dont something to him but then maybe it was just a way to represent how adrien's mind works under the abuse of his father but no that wasn't it.. it was GABRIEL FUCKING CONTROLLING ADRIEN BECAUSE HES A SENTIMONSTER IKM ADKFJASHKDJHASKJFHASDKJFHKJFHKASHGFLasd

im losing my mind

is Kagami one too?????? do they control them with their rings?????

so i told my friend that i would wait for her to watch up to episode 20 like i just did before w both together would find the last episodes online and watch them but no. IM watching those fuckers right now because every minute that passes is another minute im pacing around the room and having these revelations in the style of Rapunzel when she figured out that she was the lost princess and she just crashes into a mirror adn breaks it with the force of her shock. im like that. i needthe episodes to tell me this stuff i can't keep going like this.

WHAT THE FUCK GYUS

[spirituallyunhinged]

SO in this post i wanted to kinda track myself up until now to better see my progress throughout my practice but, as my own shit memory works against me constantly, im sure i’ll remember more as i go or like randomly in the near future

also its kinda my intro for this blog atm so thats cool (this took several hours n ik im missing key stuff but like its totally fine)

Rough timeline of my practice

got really into tarot

i watched so many videos on youtube with a friend of mine during like the end of 2020 to like beginning 2021 i think it was closer to 2021 tbh (this was also so many crisis times for other things too but once i went to college n ended up on calls with my friend we kinda got into it together)

2021

bought my own tarot deck and started doin readings for my friends n myself

side note: after reading for myself like twice n had no idea about veiling i gave my friend a few — the second time i did this i ended up gettin kinda possessed by their guide it was crazy n id love to be able to do it safely but it left me mad sick n i havent figured out how to do it without the sick afterwards but yea i ended up veilin hardcore for readings for a whileee after

stopped considering myself as a being apart of organized religion

while i was raised in the christianity kinda ive had multiple points durin my life where ive fallen off or gotten back on BUT after actually fading away from it i just decided i didnt wanna deal with the labels thing — tbf i wasnt really thinking i was anyways but i just kept puttin it off so i didnt have to deal with it :)

started gettin into like witchtok n witchcraft

i was super fascinated by witchcraft n i still am

went home for the summer and decided to pack it all away so my fam wouldnt notice

ended up still on the passive learning about witchcraft n tarot but like it was very little cuz i was goin through it

went back to college n my roommate was into tarot too

this was legit the best n i did so many readings for strangers when my roomie didnt wanna

started listenin to guided meditations on youtube n tryin to meditate myself

i struggle with it so bad tho hence the guided vids but yea no i hated it alot n dropped the everyday one like a week into it (now i do more like flow state meditation n i hate it alot less i want to do the silence one but i actually despise it)

i made a protective spray for our room

i was dumb about it tho n had to use a water bottle i stabbed holes in cuz i had only a tiny ass spray bottle (this one ended up goin with me everywhere

figured out out room was kinda haunted n while bein kinda scared i was more pissy about it

we left to the cafeteria n talked about it before goin back n i ended up talkin to our ghost n then we were vibin with em but ooo before we were cool they kept fuckin kickin my bed corner as i was about to sleep for legit two weeks before i brought it up n found out my roomie saw them knock shit off the desks n we both had been hearin the corners humming fuckin randomly until we looked over there like oh it was a time

i got into makin moon water n charging everythin i could get my grubby mits on

i kept stealin rocks from the campus n my friend gave me some theyd gotten for me when theyd gone out n about into nature it was great

ended up constantly veiling and worryin about protection on myself

this was due to being overwhelmed by the energy of large crowds i got like constant headaches n it was bad :D

oh subplot of the protection i ended up using the like shield technique before i was veiling and it was effective but like i didnt think it was enough n THEN i started veiling like all the time 🫠

got really into cleansing

this is something im still really into but at the time i did it like once a week n now i do it every time im in the shower since i saw a hack about using the waters properties as well as the cleansing stuff so yea that was it for me so yea while i still cleanse when i feel like i need to usually i cleanse myself everytime i shower

got into candles and candle magic more

bought some protection based books

i def read them but like ehh i use some of the things from em but i only got two n one seemed kinda intimidating since it was very hecate based which was so cool but like idk they were that guys personal stuff n i didnt wanna intrude (?) it was weird ik but eh its fine

sun cleansing! + a lil bit of sun water makin

kept drinkin the moon water until the aries one set me off for like two days of physical shaking

i didnt stop drinkin it but like i think about it more now instead of being like welp i made it im finna drink it all rn for fun 🤩

struggled with astrology— birth charts specifically

i still dont really understand birth charts n they confuse me :) so i had costar on my phone instead for a while

durin a readin for my roomie from another friend i ended up gettin kinda possessed again

this wasnt my fault i wasnt veilin cuz i thought i was safe… i was very wrong which lead to me veilin anytime someone was gettin a reading from my roomie

got a concerning amount of obsessed about soulmates

big yikes past me was still goin through it BUT in their defense past me kept gettin weird ass intuition based things about what i think was a potential soulmate kinda situation n then that person kinda kept sendin shit into my energy n latched on a lil bit but all good now 🫡

dreams dreams dreamsss

had so many vivid dreams that seemed to hold a shit ton of messages n everythin from “the divine” which then transferred to from my spirit team lmao

incense since my roomie loved it — smoke cleansed n protected the room with salt alot

started hearin things during my roomies readings of ppl

like i started pickin up on the shit their readings were sayin without doin anything which like this was primarily through songs but also really jarring yellin sometimes

went home for the winter break n accidentally brought our ghostie with me cuz i was worried theyd be alone n my roomie was takin the plant so

at home i was able to better sense the house ghost that was in the spare room i was sleepin in at the time

2022

went back to school n the veiling had to be bumped up to like all the time

aura colors!! like had to focus on ppl but ooo was so cool

was wearing protective charms n charged jewelry all the time

used so much music in my divination (shuffle that shiiitt)

woke up late at night n saw some like bad energy tryin to fuckin seep through the celling at me

was havin issues with a girl who wanted to like take over my place to be with my roomie n im pre sure that was from her but eh

said girl asked me to help her protect her room n i did cuz u wanted to be nice

did some candle magic for her n read her tarot like all the time too

had to take a theology course n an ethics one

the theology one was really into the old religions n mushrooms n like all sorts of stuff like that n the teacher was a Buddhist so it was so good

had a dream for my roommate n it was so vivid n weird cuz i did shit i would never ever want to do

when i woke up i realizedthat we had talked about her doin that thing like a month ago n i realized what the message was actually about but holy shit weird

learned about spiritual guides some more n tried to meet them

kinda worked kinda didnt but like i was using a guided meditation off youtube so after tryin again had some success (mainly through dreams)

went home for summer again n put it kinda on pause

it was during this time that i had a dream for another friend of mine who was all up in my energy at the time n it was actually fuckin terrifying

i have no idea what the dream was about but i had it woke up scared to some tall ass ppl over my bed like sternly tellin me to tell the other person n i asked them if i told them theyd leave n let me go back to bed without the terror — they said yes n was like “TELL THEM” kinda loudly n it was actually scary but yea i frantically typed that up n sent it to the person n once i did their ppl immediately left n i was immediately okay again

went back to school with a new roomie n more into protecting my room every few months

was learning n vibing with my spirit guides oh n more dreamss

saw a figure of a lady over my roomie late at night was pre freaky at the time

when i brought it up to her she was like oh 😀

stopped protecting so hard

instead of every time i cleansed i put up shields i kinda just put em up when i really needed em — stopped veilin all the time but like i kept up with the protective jewelry n rocks

in retrospect i think ive been doin it subconsciously n when im not my guides take care of it more now which is super nice im ngl

i learned about alters/shrines n that kinda worship

used that knowledge to make an alter for my spirit guides that was in my closet

made incense offerings n various food stuff

i remember giving them a huge ass chocolate easter bunny for help with something one time

did a protection spell in a teacup that sat on their alter too for a while

used a pendulum like all the time

read some tarot at a party for like five ppl

2023(?)

also sometime around here felt called to give a smoke offering for help with something n gave it to some greek pantheon figures

i really shouldve seen the hellenic polytheism coming like dammit it was so obvious

was like giving physical offerings i think pre often before learning that you could give energetic ones without a physical offering too

i was charging the physical offerings like every time before learning about how some ppl just give energy when they cant give physical stuff

a relative got really sick n i kept giving energetic offerings n incense for like almost a month

said family member decided to not go through any more treatment n once i found out i tried giving more but after visiting with my whole family i went back to my dorm n i got this feeling n heard “2 weeks” with like finality n it was like such a heavy feeling that came with it n i tried to put it off but like i knew that was all the time she had left with us

i ended up going home n spending as much time as i could there but yea it was like two weeks later when she passed n i was really not okay about it n i was angry that i hadnt given enough to get her to stay but ik there wasnt much we could do n i think my offerings mightve helped but couldnt have put that kinda thing off much but yea oof that was rough

took a week or so where i shoved my practice away after askin about her n makin sure she was okay

after that week or two i started doin more energetic offerings

saw a relatives dog right after he had been put down like before i knew he was gone n saw him run around the kitchen then walk over to my family member id lost earlier that year

dont remember anything else rn other than cleansing all the time n energy offerings like every night to my spirit guides

2024

reworked my alter

did some protective candle magic for my friend

basically on my own so been learning n havin some experiences here n there but having trouble with specifics rn

learned more about spirit guides

learned more about other forms of divination

mainly bone throws, dice, cartomancy, n some others i can’t remember

energetic offerings every night for my guides n talkin to em them

got wayyy better at hearing my guides

became really aware of the spirits id been seeing all of the sudden when talkin to my ma

once i realized id been seein them or like their energy n i focused i could see some features like what they tend to do n hair colors specifically

got really into learning about hellenism n devotional work

granted u had learned about it before as well but i came back into learning about it with a fervor

had some spirits turn up right before i went to bed

asked them to come back in the morning so that i could read tarot on it

started doing some worship type stuff for the greek pantheon through energetic offerings n while doing certain tasks

randomly tasted iced coffee for a few hours which i never have so i asked if someone wanted an offering n got a yes so did that which was cool

set up new alter/shrine spaces

started giving energetic offerings to my new shrines as well

last week of may i gave specific offerings because i was panicking about some medical issues n couldnt sleep it was a whole thing so i reached out to Hypnos for help sleeping and Asclepius and his daughters for help with the medical thing

this was a great idea from panic filled me tbh n ive been sleeping wayyy better n feelin better

ive been givin offerings since to them along with a few physical offerings

since then ive been tryin to learn n worship in my own kinda way

also ended up on new meds (im chronically ill lmao) n then because im allergic to em i ended up overnight in the hospital haha so i ended up turning to some if the gods for help

i gave a bunch of energy offerings since i was ya know not at home n then once i was free to do ish again i poured some offerings down the sink in the hospital

ive been attempting to add to my shrine rn but since i crocheted the cloth my spirit guides’ shrine has so i wanted to do that but i made like two version n hated em so far so im still workin on it

thats it for the moment but ill try to update it as i remember or like as ish happens!

[fluffy-canada-pancakes]

Bangtan Kitty Cafe Chapter 1

Hi there! This is my first story, I’m not super duper confident with it but this would be labeled chapter one! If people really like it and want more I’ll try and write more of it, constructive criticism would be very appreciated. Writing was never my best subject so sorry if i do a lot wrong 😂. To my AP English teacher, I’m sorry about this grammer fuck. Thank you for soending your time reading I greatly appreciate it!

Taglist : @imnotlauriane

———————————————————————

Owning your own business is harder than some people make it out to be, but owning a cat cafe is even more chaotic. It started after I began coming to Café Bangtan. The old coffee shop I went to closed, it was the little hole in the wall Café Bangtan that I found. The place was so cozy that I would visit it every single day and play with the cute cats. After a few months the owner, Sejin, offered me a job as a barista. Working with Sejin was the best job I’ve ever had, I actually enjoyed working there. Taking care of the cats was the best part of my day, except for getting to eat the left over pastries of course. Sejin was always strict, but in a caring way that pushes me forward. After working there for a year, I learned that Sejin was actually thinking of retiring. None of his family wanted to carry on the Café, so he offered it to me. After a lot of talking and lawyer visits, Sejin gave me the Café. After the first few crazy weeks I finally settled into my roll of being the owner. It was really difficult at first, so I decided to try and get another pair of hands. The first few people didn’t fit in right, so I kept looking.

Until a younger college sophomore named Jungkook came in asking for a part time job. After I hired him, Jungkook also brought two of his friends Jimin and Hoseok. Both were looking for a job, and after a interview I hired the both of them. Now we all have this nice system we have, along with our nice regulars. A music producer named Yoongi who always orders a striaght black coffee and sits in the back corner next to the book cases in the corner, who normally sits by himself, every once in a while with our sleepy chunky Koya. Then there’s the college Professor Namjoon, a nice man who always has nice book recommendations and always gets his vanilla frappe, as well as normally with fluffy RJ or sleek Chim Chim while he grades papers or studies for future lectures. Lastly is Seokjin, he’s the well known eye candy of the Café, every time he comes in at least one or two new customers swoon at him. He’s always been super nice, he’s a small time actor who comes here to read his new scripts and have his coffee and occasionally a tea, he also always sits with any of the kitties. Another person we see is a lot is our strawberry delivery boy Taehyung, he always comes on his day off from school to deliver them. He’s always very sweet and he stays to just hang with the cats and talk with everyone when we’re slow.

As chaotic as it is, I truly love my job, my friends, and of course my little kitties. I love waling up early every day and making our pastries with RJ who loves watching me bake. I love when I hear Jungkook, Jimin, and Hobi laughing while goofing off when were slow. I love having a little book club time with Namjoon when I need my break. I love helping Jin practice his scripts with him. I love when Yoongi does his little performances for our little coffee shop on Sundays. I love spending time with Taehyung and he tries to get me to give him pastries when we both know I was already going to give him some. And most importantly I love my 7 kitties.

However, more recently I’ve been struggling to get new customers to come in, a week ago a new coffee shop opened up a block away, and since they’re new everyones checking it out. I’ve been trying quiet a few things, themed days, happy hours, even lowering my prices, but its just not working. It’s getting to the point the boys are starting to notice my worries. I’m just hoping I can think of something, and something fast. There’s been talk of a block festival where we have stalls and show off our wares to try and kickstart business, which may work.

While thinking these thoughts I suddenly hear the door bell ring and I look up and see Hobi come in for his morning shift, I look outside realizing the sun is starting to rise.

“Morning Y/N-ie, sleep well” He smiles brightly as he comes behind the counter. I nods while taking the pastries out of the oven, “I did, what about you Hobi?”

“Pretty good! I woke up early so I took Mickey on a walk!” He smiles lovingly while he puts on his flower print apron. At that moment TaTa hopped up on the counter and sat right in front of Hobi, just staring at him. Hobi does a mic between a grimace and a smile.

Tata has always been a.. special cat, he hardly meows and just enjoys watching. He really loves Hobi, even though he creeps Hobi out a lot. RJ hops over and starts to rub himself all over TaTa and grooming him, and I quietly coo at them. When suddenly, the bell tolls again and we look up to see Jimin and Tae walk in with his crate of strawberries, while joking. In that moment I begin to forget about my worries and just enjoy the happy moment

[shonenkun309]

A/N : HALT!! When was the last time I updated a chapter?! *ᵃᵖʳⁱˡ ²²* Yikes...two months...Damn Character.Ai it's all your fault- Ahem ahem!! Hello my sweet sweet sweet sweet potatoes, Who missed this incomprehensible and vague series, the very series that who knows when it's gonna finish? Anyhow!! After simping over Koga as I usually do, I was also busy with real life related things *ᵐᵒˢᵗˡʸ ᶜʰᵃʳᵃᶜᵗᵉʳ'ᵃⁱ ⁱˢ ᵗᵒ ᵇˡᵃᵐᵉ* but here I am and I'm back and promise you...two months of absence will never happen again...😚🌹

𝑯𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝑭𝒖𝒏 ~𝑺𝒉𝒐𝒏𝒆𝒏~ words : 2595

Chapters : 1 , 2 , 3 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 7 , 8 , 9 , 10 , 11 , 12 , 13 , 14, 15, 16

Tags : @just-somehuman @the-bird-and-the-flute @kogasimp1 @callmeklair @colourless-hydrangeas @randomf2p @blackmond11

ᑕᕼᗩᑭTᗴᖇ 17

Aoi leaned closer, his brow knitted with concern. "You sure about this?"

Futaba nodded, her voice heavy with uncertainty. "Like I said, I was chasing someone in my dream, then suddenly I was just... there, in front of my house. It was like my mind was screaming to stay awake, but my body? It had other plans. I couldn’t stop myself from sleepwalking."

Aoi absorbed her words, piecing together the bizarre puzzle. "So let me get this straight: you were being pulled into a dream where you ran after this mysterious figure, but your feet had a mind of their own, leading you right to you door house?"

Silence stretched between them, thick and palpable, as both comrades processed the strange experience. Futaba's voice broke through the quiet, an edge of anxiety lacing her tone. "I’ve never sleepwalked before. This was a first for me."

Aoi tilted his head, his expression shifting. "Does your dad know about this?"

Futaba sighed deeply. "I can't tell him. I don't want to worry him, especially not after our talk yesterday. I want to figure this out on my own."

Just then, the shop bell jingled, breaking the tension. Oji came through, arms full of groceries.

"Oh, look who's here! How’s it going, bright eyes?" he greeted with a warm smile.

"Hello, Oji," Futaba replied, forcing a smile.

"Still feeling down?" Oji asked, noticing her fatigue.

"Actually…" Futaba decided it was time to spill the beans. She recounted her strange dream, watching Oji's expression shift from casual interest to something serious.

"So, are you saying this is all because you wanted to chase after that entity?" he pondered, concern creeping into his voice.

Futaba bit her lip. "To be honest, I was curious. But it felt more like I was being dragged along rather than making a choice."

A heavy silence settled around them once more, pierced suddenly by a flicker of insight from Futaba. "Could it be…"

"That Tsuchi is behind all this?" Aoi interjected, his eyes widening.

"But can Tsuchi really mess with dreams? That sounds... crazy!" Futaba exclaimed.

Oji frowned, scratching his chin thoughtfully. "I’m not convinced this isn’t connected to what happened on that night. After hearing Yura's story, I couldn't help but wonder..."

As the memory flooded back, Futaba recalled how they had dealt with those horrifying sand men, one of them trying to snatch her away. "But Kuya took it down right there! You’re not suggesting it continued chasing me in my dreams, are you?"

"We can't rule it out," Oji said gravely.

The seriousness of his tone sent a shiver down Futaba's spine. "We really don’t know much about that ayakashi. Its powers could be beyond what we can even imagine," he continued, a hint of unease flickering in his eyes.

Just then, the soft jingle of bells interrupted them again, and all three turned towards the door.

"Kuya?" Futaba called, spotting him as he sauntered in, exuding his usual lazy energy.

"Old man, I'm starving." he blurted without a second glance.

Oji chuckled. "Long time no see, Kuya."

Aoi jumped in. "Any updates on the situation?"

Kuya shrugged, his expression nonchalant. "Nope, nothing yet."

Futaba's heart sank a little at the response, her hand cradling her cheek as thoughts spiraled.

"Hey, where's that little girl, Fukajiro?" Kuya asked, looking around.

Futaba hesitated. "I... didn’t see her on my way here. Why?"

A strange stillness enveloped them as Kuya suddenly locked eyes with her, an unspoken message hanging in the air. Futaba felt a chill run down her spine; it was as if he was trying to communicate something urgent and necessary, but the meaning eluded her.

"Is that so?" Kuya finally said, breaking eye contact.

Futaba felt a wave of confusion wash over her. What was Kuya trying to say? Even as he settled into his usual spot and dove headfirst into his rice omelette, her mind raced with questions—an uneasy mixture of curiosity and dread tugging at her thoughts. She couldn't shake the feeling that something significant waited just beneath the surface, urging her to uncover the truth.

°•°•°

Later, as Futaba prepared to leave Racord alongside Aoi, she turned to him with genuine gratitude. “Thanks for tagging along, Aoi.”

He shrugged, making it all seem too casual. “No biggie. I was planning to check up on Koga after everything that went down.”

The mention of Koga’s name drew a sigh from Futaba, an audible signal of how heavy it weighed on her heart.

“Hey, listen…” Aoi said, his tone turning serious. “Don’t let it get to you. We promised Koga we’d look out for you if anything went sideways. We’re in this together. You know that, right?”

Futaba felt a rush of warmth wash over her, the connection between them solidifying in that moment. She smiled, grateful. “Thank you, Aoi. It really means a lot that you're still here through all this chaos. Sometimes I think my problems are just dragging you down.”

“Stop it,” he replied firmly. “We’ve got each other’s backs. Just like Ginnojo always says, our goals are aligned. But, hey, promise me something—if you’re ever in trouble, you’ll come to me first. Not that I’m saying you shouldn’t lean on others. It’s just—”

“Haha, I get it, Aoi,” Futaba cut in gently. “I’m counting on you and the rest of the crew. Thanks again for everything.”

Aoi felt his face heat up, a blush creeping in as they shared an awkward moment. Trying to shift gears, their eye caught something in the distance. A group of kids was playing nearby, laughter dancing through the air. Among them was Masanobu, lost in pure joy. Futaba was used to these scenes, but Aoi nudged her to take a closer look, and she gasped when she noticed Fukajiro standing apart from the children, her emerald eyes trained on the carefree laughter, an expression of either sorrow or icy detachment written across her face. She was hiding behind a pillar, a spectator to the happiness just out of reach.

Suddenly, the familiar sound of a deep, commanding voice called out. “Saotome.”

Futaba recognized it immediately. “Major Aizen?”

Approaching them in casual attire, Aizen looked like a man shedding the weight of his rank for a moment.

“You seem to be in top form today, Saotome,” he commented, eyeing her with a mix of appreciation and concern.

“Looks like you’re on a break, Major?” Futaba replied, keen to ease the gravity of the moment.

“Indeed,” Aizen confirmed. “I had intended to take the day off, but I just got word I need to return to HQ for something urgent.”

Aoi’s brows knitted in concern. “Did something happen?”

“I don’t have all the details yet, but if I learn anything important, you will be the first to know,” Aizen answered, his tone unwavering.

Futaba and Aoi exchanged worried glances, the calm atmosphere feeling thick with unspoken tension.

“So, how’s Kitamikado holding up?” Aizen shifted the topic, his focus on Futaba, who seemed taken aback by the sudden inquiry.

“I can’t say for certain…” Futaba hesitated, searching for the right words. “He’s the same… like a lifeless body.”

The weight of that truth sunk in deeply, leaving her feeling utterly powerless as she thought about Koga.

Aizen pondered, his expression growing serious. “If that’s the case, it’s akin to what those afflicted by the phenomenon are experiencing. Their conditions resemble something closer to a coma—or worse.”

Futaba felt a chill strike her, anxiety creeping in about Koga's fate and what the future held if the situation continued to deteriorate.

Aizen turned his gaze to Aoi. “I’ve always been curious, Satori. How did you know Kitamikado was still alive? Did your powers allow you to peek into his heart?”

“I did,” Aoi replied, his voice steady but laced with uncertainty. “But when I tried to delve deeper, I sensed another presence inside him, blocking my way. Something feels really off about it all…”

Silence enveloped them, the implications of the situation hanging in the air like a storm waiting to break.

“There’s a lot we need to discuss, Major Aizen,” Futaba finally spoke, her voice steady amidst the turmoil.

Aizen nodded, his seriousness unwavering. “When the time is right, I’ll summon you, Saotome. I just hope things don’t spiral further out of control. Now, if you’ll excuse me, I must take my leave. I’ll see you again soon.”

As Aizen walked away, the uncertainty of the present loomed heavy over Futaba and Aoi, leaving them in a haze of worry about the days to come.

The tranquility of the moment shattered as an exuberant "Tadaa!!" erupted into the air. Startled, the duo leaped into action, their eyes widening in surprise as Fukajiro appeared before them, laughter bubbling from her lips.

"You've certainly adopted a new style of greeting," Futaba quipped, her sarcasm laced with a playful amusement as a smile crept onto her face. Fukajiro, quick to catch the glimmer of humor in her expression, grinned wider.

"I had to change things up a bit to unearth a new side of you, Futaba. And Aoi! It feels like ages since we last crossed paths," Fukajiro continued, her voice bright and inviting.

Aoi’s demeanor remained stoic, yet the flicker in his green eyes revealed unspoken affection for this little girl. "Don’t startle us like that again," he replied, his tone tinged with exasperation but softened by a hint of warmth.

"Hehe, I’ll do my best, but I can't make any promises," Fukajiro shot back, her enthusiasm infectious. As they conversed, the earlier tension gradually dissolved, enveloping them in a comfortable familiarity akin to that of old friends.

“How long have you been standing there, Fukajiro?” Futaba probed, her curiosity piqued.

“Oh, I caught a glimpse of the two of you with someone else and thought I’d wait to say hello until he left. Who was he, anyway?” Fukajiro inquired, her brow furrowing slightly.

“He’s just an acquaintance. Don’t worry about it,” Futaba replied dismissively. However, just as Fukajiro prepared to continue the conversation, her gaze fell upon something—or rather, someone—in the distance.

Aoi and Futaba exchanged glances and turned their attention to where Fukajiro was staring. There stood Kuya, his cold golden eyes fixed unwaveringly on the little girl, his frigid demeanor contrasting sharply against her innocent emerald gaze. The air thickened with an unspoken tension as the two locked eyes, sparking a mix of apprehension and intrigue within Aoi and Futaba, who recalled Kuya’s previous inquiries about Fukajiro.

As she looked into Kuya's eyes, a small yet curious smile spread across Fukajiro's face, unaware of the storm brewing beneath the surface. "You… where have you been?" Kuya's voice cut through the charged atmosphere, cold and accusatory.

Fukajiro tilted her head in confusion, the innocence of her expression clear. “Um… me? I’m here…” she replied, a hint of perplexity crossing her features.

“I don’t mean that," Kuya pressed, his gaze unyielding. "I mean that night. Where did you disappear to?”

Futaba's heart raced as she darted her gaze between the two, sensing the growing anxiety in the air. Just then, the shopkeeper’s voice rang out, calling Fukajiro back to the world of work.

“Fukajiro, sweetie, would you help me here?” The interruption broke the tension like a fragile thread, and it was as if a spell had been lifted.

“I’m on my way!” Fukajiro called back, but before she dashed off, she shot one last probing glance at Kuya, her eyes lingering on him as if to silently ask: What just happened?

Without waiting for an answer, she turned away, leaving Aoi and Futaba bathed in a shared perplexity as they turned to Kuya, who appeared unperturbed.

“Kuya, why did you ask Fukajiro that question? It caught her off guard,” Futaba asked, her voice laced with confusion.

“What are you talking about? She vanished that night—why wouldn’t I ask her?” Kuya shot back, the cold edge to his words leaving Aoi incredulous.

“Sure, but…” Futaba hesitated, unsure how to express her concern.

“Why did you have to phrase it like that?” Aoi interjected, prompting an uncomfortable silence from Kuya, who seemed caught in the web of his own turmoil.

“Look, I know you’re upset about Koga’s situation, but you can’t fault a little girl for it,” Aoi continued, trying to reason with his friend.

“That’s what you think…” Kuya replied, his voice trailing, revealing the weight of unacknowledged emotions.

Astounded by his response, Aoi and Futaba exchanged glances of disbelief. Kuya’s expression hardened as he declared, “I’m done talking here. I’m going home.” With that, he stalked away but paused briefly to glance back at Aoi and Futaba, silently urging them to grasp the gravity of his departure.

°•°•°

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows across the town, Futaba returned home from another visit with Koga. She recounted her haunting dream to Nachi and the twins, seeking solace or insight into its cryptic meaning. But to her dismay, nothing had changed; the situation remained as opaque and unsettling as the twilight sky, leaving her to ponder the threads of fate that had woven them all together in this moment of uncertainty

**Flashback**

Yura gazed intently into the depths of his thoughts. "Prithee, I doth behold. It seems to be a form of dream manipulation." The words lingered in the air, heavy with portent.

Gaku, furrowing his brow, chimed in, "Doesn’t this resemble the work of the ‘Yume no seirei’? That spirit of dreams?"

Yura shook her head, her expression grave. "Methinks not, for this type of ayakashi doth bring nightmares."

"But what I experienced wasn't a nightmare..." Futaba interjected, her voice rising in disbelief. "There was nothing frightening about it. I simply found myself in pursuit of an elusive entity."

Kuya, ever the pragmatist, crossed his arms. "That still doesn’t explain your appearance outside the house when you fell asleep in your own room... It doesn’t add up."

Aoi sighed, confusion etched across her features. "This just grows increasingly bewildering with every word we exchange."

Nachi turned to the group, eyes narrowed with suspicion. "But can we truly connect the Tsuchi to whatever it was you encountered in your sleep?"

Futaba shook her head slowly, a cloud of worry eclipsing her face. "I’m utterly lost now. People think the ordeal is over, yet I can’t shake this foreboding feeling. Something lingers, and I fear it won't conclude well for any of us."

**Flashback Ends**

Futaba let out a weary sigh as she stepped inside, the weight of today’s discussions pressing heavily on her shoulders. Yet, her fatigue was abruptly interrupted by an unusual sight by the veranda, near the flower garden. As she drew closer, her gaze fell upon the vibrant yellow rose standing resilient, untouched by the passage of time. In stark contrast, the camellia lay in ruins—its petals scattered like fleeting memories. Intrigued, Futaba bent down and picked up one of the fallen petals.

“Strange...” she murmured, her brow furrowed in thought. “Instead of merely wilting, its petals have simply given way... But how is it possible? I received this flower just yesterday, how can something so beautiful fade so quickly?”

Before she could delve deeper into the enigma, a sudden shift in the air caught her attention. A dove flitted toward her. Its arrival was a harbinger of urgency—there was a development in the phenomenon, and Futaba was needed at headquarters immediately. Realization struck her like lightning; there was no time to lose. She had to leave at once, the weight of responsibility igniting a new fervor within her.

𝑻𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒖𝒆𝒅 →→→→→→→→

[azlovesem]

Noooooooo i have be very good now. I think so. Forget can its more like have to at least see for me. I know im not gonna forget i tried. And i cant fire at you the way i can with just abput anyone else. Barring the kids im always pretty flattering to them and im nor lying how i feel. But i would not tough any of them fuck other people and what they do i dont do it with kids my neices age. I dont care how hot they are or what they fo for a living irvwhwtjer theyvaantvto or not none of thats an issue i just dont go there. Its not hard, well, it gets hard for em, but them talking can turn me off pretty fuckn quick. Plus im entrusted with my neices personal and overall defense when shes sleeping. So how can i be that if i diddle girls that young in her slumber? I wouldnt be Azriel if i acted like some other Archs used to. Besides its ok for me to go for woman. To me its well beyond 30 at this point thats still PRETTY young to me. Im lucky i can still get girls attention at all. Im not paying for or going after the ding bats and one day if youre smart, youll all give up the kids shit. It doesnt last. It just doesnt. And it gets old fast if it doesnt youre fucked. Its not about being a better anything its about trying something new amd seeing if that works better. Through the evidence you actually see around not just your own opinions. Im ready, lets see if the girls, having mpre of them in higher places can make a difference. Like in the Office of the President of the United States of America. Try whats her nane fuck i still cantvremember. Ladt name Harris the nsje of our old premier that fuckn guy. Anyway shes not a guy and i just feel with two big buldging bully white guys in charge might be like throwing gas on an already out of control fire. So even neithernone of us can vote if we could i hsve a suspicion Emma might vote for the nive Lawyer Lady as opposed to two crazy drug taking psychos. I dont know why i thonk this maybe im wrong. But ill homwiyh tjatniyf i had to guess and my life depended on it which it doesnt. Two white men in charge would definitely benefit me more than whsts her name would. But thats not change and then id likely just wanna kill myself even more. Why you jacks decide ill be uh chilln in the hot springs in chi chi boo i hope. And notveven thinking about it or caring one way or the other? But i just think if we could vote for huhhhhhhh pamela pomala its not comin to ne thats not whats important. And im not surecwhat is but if Emma and i Voted i think wed vote for the nice lawyer lady and not death on hot wheels. I know trluble and those two will just cause too much. Whats her name is just running on her own she aaid it. She dont need no fuckn jerk off actor as a vice lresident shes gonna do both jobs. Just do one job in the morning and walk down the halkwaynor go home and do some other job in tue afternoon. Girls fo that now. Girls who are officiaks of some sort…..ahhh and have cute foreign accents of all kinds. English French or both mixed together. Japanese too i slept with a Jspanese French girl once at York University. And a Brazillian after her. But motvwsy too many. I havent had way more sex than well maybe a little more and better quality i dont know. I dont think its getting way better with age so get some now before youre old. We re old. I want you!

Emma Watson

[m1ckeyb3rry]

LMAO I just saw all the master lists on my feed and they look CLEAN im crying the Karasu one being filled is so funny but also talk about a blessing to Karasu nation

SHREK AND FIONA LMFAOOOOOO WAIT SO REAL I’ve also never watched shrek in its entirety I’ve only watched like clips of it in passing?? Never took the time to actively sit down and watch the whole movie oops that would actually be hilarious though and LMAOO SATOSUGU COSTUME wait nagi Lowk is perfect as Gojo though soooo

Manifesting we both return to normal too this is not fun LMAO it’s ok once the sickness goes away the inspiration will be back x10 stronger trust….

FRRR wait also speaking of im just realizing they skipped over the entire fight scene between Rin and Shidou after the first match????? Not that I care THAT much abt those two but I WANTED TO SEE OTOYA AND KARASUS REACTIONS????? Maybe they cut it there and decided to add that extra scene in ep1 but I’m lowk not happy about that but it is what it is I guess….

KIDNEY BEANS LMFOAJS that’s too funny and now that you mention it I see the vision…but fr maybe they just said Barous special like that so he gets his own color LMAO

Anything next to Karasu bfb looks small LOLLL ok but the kiyora fic was fr so cute…the fact that you basically hit all his main personality traits before pwc and the egoist bible drop though is CRAZY

frrr you can really feel the quality over quantity with kyoani it’s just >>>> also FR also the reason why I basically never watch the isekai genre too (I also just don’t enjoy the one piece art style on top of the way the women are drawn like…)

LMAAOOAA no because it’s actually such an entertaining dynamic but it’s funny cause we see like Karasu and yuki like high giving or something mid match too like canonically we don’t see beef but the dynamic matches their characters so well but wait the subgroups you’re making are cooking omg imagine tabishoken….thats just my lineup of gentlemen like hello??? Also YEAH I am surprised we don’t see much interaction with yuki and Karasu or others in general tbh (maybe it had something to do with his one track mind mindset from the ln because of his eye issues?) wish we had more I need more filler eps honestly also otoya bachira Shidou would probably cause property damage they’d be so out of pocket and chaotic LMAOO

YUKI AGENDA FULLY IN MOTION he was just too beautiful I WAS JUST GONNA BRING UP IGAGURIS FANTASY BECAUSE I FORGOT TO LAST TIME LFMOAAOAAOOAOAIAHSIAOAOAA THAT WAS SO FUNNY FR LIKE WTF the way he imagined Rin smiling and standing all proud like igaguri was his right hand man had me SENDING Shidou as a wingman would be an experience itself like the lead up of prepping for the date would be insane (imagine rseu after oaeu jkjk unless….)

Mmm yuki fic…ok but wait that cast is kinda dangerous wdym Barou as a guard and Karasu taking over yutas role um….that looks like prime swerve material…/j LMAO wait I’m ngl I actually kinda forgot about hollyhock and peregrine while listing that out (clearly) SHDGSHSHS my bad but also wait your workload/plans are kinda insane

ME TOO no because I never would’ve imagined all of our twin moments either like this is insane…Karasu really bringing people together LMAO

- Karasu anon

HAHAHA OMG YAYY i’m glad you like them!! i didn’t want to do smth too complicated given how many characters i’ve written for and probably am still yet to write for…like i know for a fact i’ll need to make barou, yukimiya, and noel noa ones in the future so i didn’t want smth that would waste a ton of time but this is just a simple divider + recolored manga panel (plus unicode for the masterlist label) so it’s really easy to make while still looking nice!!

HAHAH no me too i feel like i generally know what happens in it because of pop culture but when i was younger i didn’t really watch a lot of movies or anything so i never actually watched it!! but omg i just think a shrek and fiona costume for miraeita would eat so hard he would definitely think it’s hilarious (bonus points if we make karasu come with us as the donkey) and HELP satosugu costume with nagi is actually too fire i fear he’s literally the same height as gojo too and he has the pale hair and he’d probably be chill with wearing the outfit becuase it’s just black clothes LMAOAOAO stroke of genius right there

we can only hope 😭🙏🏻 this weekend is halloween weekend so i know for a fact i will be offline because i will be #partyingitup…developing lore most likely 😩 if any guys bother me i’m telling them i have a boyfriend and showing them yukimiya though i am not in the mood after the last time i went out ended up being the basis for the kiyora oneshot 😓

yeahhh i noticed that too i wanted to see karasu being salty and otoya making fun of them…it does feel like they replaced it w the scene in episode one but also i feel like it does a disservice to shidou’s character?? because in the manga they get in a fight because they can’t agree on scoring goals whereas in the show shidou just randomly jumped rin for like no reason SDKFHJS

IT’S LITERALLY THE SAME SHADE AS UNCOOKED KIDNEY BEANS i can’t stop laughing sae slander is so funny but yeah ig barou is just that guy no one can top him or copy him or even that close 😤 speaking of barou i cannot wait for his goal in the u20 match they better put every single drop of their budget into that idc about isagi’s goal or the rin v sae showdown or shidou or whatever just give me five seconds of absolute glory from barou and do justice to the celebration with him nagi karasu (and ig isagi is there too but idc abt him) and i will be happy

HAHAH it’s funny because compared to most of my stories for other fandoms (anything from aot, pomegranate ink, hurricanes/hummingbirds, my one atla fic) karasu bfb is pretty short?? like back in the day i could’ve finished that in a week MAX LMAO i’m getting unproductive 😓 it’s the fall slump happens every year but trust once winter hits i’ll be hit with insane inspiration and write something soul crushing and life changing like pomegranate ink again

yeah the op art style is not for me idk how people simp for characters from it SDKLFJH on the whole i’m more picky about art styles than animation because that’s what matters to me more than the quality of the animation hence why i would rather watch smth like bllk than op even if the animation for op is technically better LMAOOO and yeah i have literally never watched an isekai anime all of my isekai knowledge for the aegislash arc/hollyhock rin is based on those korean villainess manhwas where i’m also really picky about the art style but there’s so many of them that it’s possible to do that

THAT’S WHAT I’M SAYING like we have a lot of canon evidence of karasu messing with other guys (apparently he was yelling at bachira for being naked and making fun of tokimitsu for not being confident during the day before u20) i think yukimiya is like. the ONLY character we actually never see him slandering or saying anything mean to actually?? probably because there’s nothing TO make fun of SKJDHF but yeah so basically the beef is actually just entirely made up by me but it just always ends up making so much sense that i can’t stop adding it in

LMAO no because karasu barou yukimiya are like the responsible cool adults of bllk (barou = strict father that lowkey also spoils his kids, karasu = problematic fun uncle, yukimiya = role model rich uncle) they would get along so well meanwhile bachira shidou and otoya would be insanely problematic it would just be shidou and bachira randomly getting into beef with strangers and otoya cheering them or like it would otoya trying to teach shidou how to rizz people or smth and bachira critiquing even though he has ZERO experience with which to be critiquing KSLDJFH

SHIDOU IS LIKE AN ANTIWINGMAN TBH LMAOAOA like imagine him introducing a girl to karasu…karasu’s already like bro i am not hearing you out whoever you’ve brought for me is going to be insane if they willingly talk to you 😭 omg wait rseu where it’s the opposite of oaeu and shidou WANTS to set his teammates up with girls and be involved with their love lives but no one trusts him so they’re like “GO AWAY” and he’s like “NO SHE’S PERFECT FOR YOU HEAR ME OUT PLSPLSPLS” and somehow he’s actually right?? like he guess their perfect types every time but no one wants to admit it…wait and instead of aiku + niko we have charles as shidou’s sidekick and instead of being an unpaid intern charles actively makes things more difficult for shidou by ruining his reputation with the bllkers further and making them even less inclined to listen to him

THAT’S LOWKEY WHAT I WAS SAYING like as much as i love yukimiya having karasu and barou also being royal guards would have me SWERVING SO FAST for literally both of them 😭 like serious but gentle guard barou and sassy but talented guard karasu who likes to joke around to make reader feel better when she’s upset??? HOW CAN YOU EXPECT ME NOT TO FALL FOR HIM i think atp if i’m writing for any other character i need to just not even include karasu or nagi in the stories because i WILL swerve for them 100% of the time…barou’s on thin ice i think if it’s just him though i could stay loyal to yukimiya 🤔 wait ykw maybe we should just make the side characters opps so there’s no chance of swerving SLDKJFH change of plans yuta’s role is now going to be isagi and barou is going to be gagamaru (not an OPP per se but irrelevant to the miraverse) /hj okay maybe barou can stay but karasu has got to GO alright wait and instead of otoya as inumaki i’m throwing hiori in because he kinda fits better tbh (he’s not QUITE as mischievous as inumaki but giving hiori a joking side is more believable than giving otoya a serious diplomatic side yk)

HELPP i haven’t even updated peregrine since june and hollyhock since july so i don’t blame you for forgetting abt them anyways yeah the workload is a bit crazy rn hence why i’m trying to not have too many new ideas 😭 also side note ever since posting my masterlists i’ve gotten so many new followers i guess because they probably showed up in the character x reader tags?? so all of my older one shots from the summer are getting revivals (ex fwtkac) which is kinda funny…yk what’s truly insane actually is how popular OTOYA’S bfb is?? i thought the karasu version would be the one that more people read but i think besides seabird the otoya version of bfb might be my bllk fic with the most notes (i’d have to go through and check for sure but yeah) lowkey insane but no complaints ig

REAL i still think it’s crazy how we’re always syncing up…anyways i know i sent you a bazillion tik tok links in the second ask i responded to yesterday (which actually i posted that right as you sent this so ig we were online at the same time LMAO) but here are a few more because the edits are going crazy atm

BAROU EDITTTT bro i feel like i NEVER talk about him outside of our convos but i love him sooo much he’s so fine i don’t understand how he doesn’t have so many more fans

this is fr the audio that plays in my mind when yukimiya comes on the screen LMAOO

THE WAY THEY MADE YUKI SMIRK AGHSHHDSJKSJDNDD thank you 8bit THANK YOU 8BIT 🤩🤩🤩