#like his hair is messy in the same way that his cottage was messy

[hanzajesthanza]

i think it would be really funny if regis had a kind of fucked-up haircut

“he could save everyone except himself” but like with regard to the barbery, and not the surgery. kind of like when chefs don’t cook very well for themselves. or when fashion designers wear sweatpants all day.

but moreover. i think the aesthetic effects of a bad haircut would help to dampen his natural lugosian allure and good looks. to reduce any potential suspicions

[bookyeom]

campfire - bsk

pairing: seungkwan x reader word count: 1.7k warnings: the tiniest mention of blood at the beginning request prompt: "What are we to each other?"

A/N: Thanks so much for all the support for my 700 follower celebration. You guys rock! I'm doing my best to get through the requests, but there were way more than I anticipated so bear with me!

"I’m bleeding," you wince. You sit down on one of the rocks, turning your foot to assess the damage. A small trail of blood leads from your ankle to your pinky toe, and you let out a little whine. "Gross."

Who’s idea was it to go on a hike at 5:30am, anyway? 

Yours. Right. It was your idea. 

You’d thought some of your friends would join you – you’re on a week-long cottage vacation. Why would you not immerse yourself in the nature all around you? But only one person had signed up to tag along – the one you thought liked you the least. You don’t even know if you would consider him a friend.

The hike had been mostly silent, awkward even – and then, like an idiot, you’d gone and tripped. 

Seungkwan wastes no time, immediately crouching down on the ground in front of you. He motions for you to put your foot up on his knee and you oblige, wincing again as you move. You can’t help but watch his face as he assesses the injury. His hair is messy from the wind, and parts of it are falling across his forehead as he leans forward. He looks kind of beautiful in this element, you have to admit. All sweaty and flushed from the exertion. You try and fail to suppress a shiver as his fingers run across your skin, and his eyes meet yours in concern. 

"Did that hurt?" 

You feel your cheeks heat up as you shake your head no, before breaking his gaze and looking back down at your foot. You watch as he pulls off his backpack, resisting the urge to comment on the fact that he has a first-aid kit in there (because of course he does), even though that’s what you do. You and Seungkwan are just that – two people who happen to have the same friends, and bicker over the dumbest shit. But right now, with the way he looks so soft and concerned, his lower lip between his teeth in concentration, you can’t find it in you to make a snarky comment. 

You’ve been finding it harder and harder to do that lately, if you’re being honest with yourself. You don’t know when it started to happen, but the teasing between the two of you just makes you feel warm all over now, instead of irritated like it used to. You’re starting to resent the way he makes you smile.

“This will hurt.” Seungkwan’s voice snaps you out of your thoughts, and you nod, unable to find your voice as he presses a piece of peroxide-soaked cotton onto the affected area. You hiss at the pain, and his free hand gives your calf a gentle squeeze of reassurance. “It’s not sprained,” he tells you, “but it’s going to hurt like a bitch. You should be okay to walk on it, but we should definitely head back.”

He starts packing up his bag again, and you wish that you could find something, anything to say. You know a thank you is in order, but all you can manage is, “Since when did you become an expert in sprained ankles?”

Seungkwan snorts, but he doesn’t so much as flinch while he continues to put his things back in his bag. “Being the captain of the volleyball team has its perks, I guess.”

“And co-captain of the badminton and table tennis teams.”

That makes him look up. His eyes are wide in surprise, and you try to ignore how flushed you’ve suddenly become under his gaze. “Yeah,” he says slowly, “I didn’t know you even knew that about me.”

You can’t help the defense that shoots back up as you retort, “What do you mean? It’s all you talk about. We get it, you’re sporty.”

“Right.” His lack of response to your quip has you flustered. He simply hums, stands up and slings his backpack over his shoulders. “Can you walk on your own?”

You feel stupid all of a sudden. “I think so,” you respond, dejected by the weird energy between the two of you, and you can feel Seungkwan’s eyes on you as you stand, testing the weight on your foot. “I’m good, just go slow.”

You don’t talk to Seungkwan for the rest of the afternoon. He disappears when you make it back to the house, and all you get from him over lunch are some smiles and a giggle when you guffaw at Mingyu tripping on his own shoes. You spend the afternoon hanging out with Vernon and Seungcheol in the library, ankle propped up as you read in silence. 

A campfire is on the agenda for dinner, and you're told to sit back and relax as things are brought out from the cottage. You’re entertained from your seat by Seokmin and Mingyu as they begin cooking, and the rest of your group comes out one by one. The sun is beginning to set, and the sky is a beautiful array of blues, pinks and purples when Seungkwan sits in the chair next to you.

“How’s the ankle?”

“It’s fine,” you manage, and he nods. He settles in, eyes on the fire, and you can’t help but gawk at him. He chose to sit next to you?

The evening passes without much more chatter between the two of you. Your other friends are entertaining as always, and the time slips away peacefully until Jeonghan announces his early retirement, and others begin to follow suit. The fire is dwindling when Chan, Soonyoung and Seokmin announce that they’re headed in, leaving just you and Seungkwan, and you’re about to ask Seokmin to help you back to the house when Seungkwan interjects.

“I’ll help them.”

You flush at the chorus of oohs and ahhs that echo through the remaining group, but Seungkwan doesn’t even flinch, already maneuvering his chair in front of yours. 

“Come on,” he pats his thigh, “let me see.”

“Seungkwan…” 

He hums, focused on the task at hand. It’s quiet now as he stops fidgeting with the bandage, moving instead to gently massage the sore area around the wound. His touch is gentle but firm, and you feel electricity shoot through you. You’re holding your breath, and you feel a little dizzy; there are goosebumps on your leg from where he’s touching you. It’s not cold out, so you know you can’t blame it on that. It’s quiet, and all you can hear are the murmurs and occasional laughter of your friends in the distance, and the dying fire. 

“Why are you doing this?” Your question comes out harsher than you mean for it to, and you wince.

Seungkwan looks up at that, his fingers stilling on your skin. He’s silent for a moment, processing. “What, helping you?” He sounds incredulous, and you shrink a little bit back into yourself. He begins to gently press his fingers into the muscle of your ankle again, his eyes falling back to his work as he adds, “Didn't know you thought so lowly of me.” 

“It’s not as if you like me either, Seungkwan.” You wish you could pull your ankle away from him without it hurting, wish you could find a way to hide from whatever this conversation is about to be — but you can’t. 

Seungkwan shakes his head, the disbelieving huff of a laugh escaping his lips as he does. “Unbelievable.”

You cross your arms, defensive. “What?”

Despite being obviously annoyed, Seungkwan is gentle as he sets your foot back on the ground. “Nothing. Just let me help you back to the house, alright?”

You stare at him in disbelief as he stands, moving his chair back to its place before he holds out an arm to you. “No. What? You’ve got to be kidding me, Seungkwan.”

He runs a hand through his hair, jaw tight as looks away from you and mutters, “Fine. Get back to the house on your own.”

“That’s not…” You fight back the sudden urge to cry, blinking rapidly. “Seungkwan.”

Something in your voice makes him turn back to you, and now his own arms are crossed in defense. “What, Y/N?”

“I…” You don’t even know what you mean to say, really, and it takes a moment before you whisper softly, “What are we to each other?” 

You can tell he’s surprised by your question. His eyes widen as he straightens. “I… I don’t know,” he admits honestly. “But I can’t figure out why you don’t like me.”

His admittance lingers in the air around you, and your mouth falls open as you process. “Do you like me?” 

Seungkwan’s hand lifts to run over his face as he sits back in his chair. He’s embarrassed, you realize, and your heart stutters over itself in your chest. “I mean, yeah, but I just meant — you think that I hate you or something, but I don’t, even though you don’t like me —“

“I like you,” you blurt out, cutting him off before he can ramble any further. “I thought that you didn’t like me because you’re always so competitive and want to beat me at everything, and you never seem excited to see me or try to talk to me at parties, so I just… gave up on trying to make you like me.” 

Seungkwan lets out a whine. “You intimidate me! You’re good at everything and yes, I’m competitive, but you’re an equal match and that’s so hot. But I thought you didn’t like me, so I didn’t try, either.”

“Oh my god,” you say after a moment. 

You stare at one another in the dim firelight for a moment. And then you both begin to giggle.

“Are we going to ignore that you called me hot?”

Seungkwan stumbles a bit, the arm he has slung around your shoulders tripping you up a little bit too, but he quickly catches himself. You bite back a smile. “Yes. Yes we are.”

“Why? I think you’re hot, too.”

Seungkwan fully stops the two of you now, turning to you with an exaggerated pout. You can just make out his features in the light from the cabin up ahead, and he looks so cute you could cry. “Don’t tease me,” he whines.

“I’m serious,” you tell him honestly. He looks away, but you can see the shy smile that’s formed on his face. 

“Fine,” he says as he begins to walk again. “We can talk more about that inside.”

@wheeboo @tae-bebe @waldau @eoieopda @gyuminusone @minisugakoobies @lvlystars @seohomrwolf @variety-is-the-joy-of-life @christinewithluv @wqnwoos @iluvseokmin @darkypooo

[grabattheseballsss]

Needy, rough sex with könig coming riiiiight up, boss! ☝️🤓

CW: {pet play, my shit German (pls be nice) sweet könig to mean könig to nice könig because yes!, eye contact, praising and degrading, about 10 seconds of fluff}

Reader is gender neutral, but they have a coochie meow meow and there’s some pregnancy mentioned bc 🤷🏻

(This is how I imagined koni to look like :3 the beautiful art is by @toxooz , their art is so HNNNGGGGGHHH)

He loves sitting on the couch, watching whatever’s on the tv, or reading a book, finally relaxing after a rough mission that went on for way too long.

He could hear the bell attached to your collar jingle as you crawl your way towards his sitting form, putting your hands around the lower half of his leg, resting your pretty face on his thigh as you look up at him, just begging for attention.

Feeling his huge rough hands move your hair out the way as he cups your flushed cheek “was ist lose, Mein Schätzelein ?” He asked in a quiet tone, his voice is already gone from yelling orders around the base, and he loves how quiet it is in your little cottage.

You didn’t reply, just wrapped your legs around his ankle and buck your hips against his leg, his muscled limbs were so thick and huge compared to you, he loved seeing your smaller frame in between his legs, arms, underneath him, above him, fuck he could stare at you for the rest of his life and he’d never complain.

“Use your words, Häschen” his tone turned stern now, as much as he loved your shy approach whenever you want something from him, he needed to teach his darling how to use their words.

“…need you, kö…” you’d whimper, slowly climbing up his lap, your thighs on either sides of his, your hands moving up his torso to his chest, groping and feeling him up, you’d put your head in the crook of his neck, your warm breath sending shivers up his spine as you whispered near his ear “need you inside me, Meister…”

König was a patient man, he had self control, he’s a colonel after all, if this was his younger self he’d have your legs on his shoulders, ramming his thick cock inside you in an aggressive pace, he’d leave bite marks and bruises all over your pretty body, he’d beg in your ear to let him knock you up, to have his babies, even if you both know you can’t he still wants to mark you inside and out, to turn you into his dumb doll that only thinks of him.

But, he’s already turned you into that, here you are, merry seconds ago you were humping his legs, begging for his touch and now, your bare body humping against his clothed dick, your breathing becoming shaky as your sensitive core was begging for him.

He’d bite his lower lip, restraining himself from taking you, but he knows that’s what you want, you act all innocent and sweet with him, all cute in your collar, your butt plugged with a beautiful short fluffy tail, your hair messy and face flushed as your body twitches and rubs against him for some sort of friction, just to please that itch you’ve not been able to get rid of.

Knowing that your fingers are far too small, your stamina is far too low and your toys are far too underwhelming for you to have a real orgasm, been ruined by this man that sat underneath you, his smirk only frustrating you more as he did nothing to help you, you know he wants the same thing, fuck you can’t feel it with the way his dick twitched towards your warm core, how his hips slightly buck up when your hips move away

But he’s too prideful, he loves seeing how desperate you are, how much of a mess you become just to have him inside you, just to have his hands all over your body, tugging your hair, forcing you to look down where you two meet, how his thick veiny cock enter and exit your hole, taunting you with how your hole holds onto him, how you’re basically begging to be bred by this point.

“Köni… please baby, I can’t take it anymore, please please, I’ve been sooo good all day, I promise, didn’t even touch myself, please please” oh your desperate cried never fail to truly turn this man feral, you yelped as his rough hands hold the bottom of your ass, his other hand landing a slap on it as he got up, with you clinging onto his body like a koala and the sound of the jingles of your bell that rang with each step he took.

Chuckling at your surprised state, how your body immediately held onto him as soon as he got up “come on, meine Häschen, let’s go get your reward for being such a good girl/boy” he kissed your temple as he made his way to your shared bedroom, throwing your body into the huge soft bed, your knees trying to touch each other but failed as he spread them apart, his huge hands trailing up your torso, groping at your chest, squeezing your nipples as his tongue lapped at your exposed cunt, sucking at the tip, his fingers coming upwards, groping at the meat of your thighs before he coated his finger with your slick juices, chuckling at the way you were already dripping.

His fingers slid in swiftly, making him hum “you sure you haven’t touched yourself darling ? Usually you take a few seconds to get my fingers inside you… did you lie to me, dear?” You choked at his words, tears starting to form up, shaking your head

“No! No no I promise, master, I didn’t touch myself!” You cried out as he took his thick middle finger out, slapping your pussy as his other hand gripped your face and forced to look at him

“Did you hump the pillows ?” He asked, your lips shut and you slowly nodded as your eyes drifted away from his, too embarrassed to look him in the eyes

“Filthy slut… but a smart one, you used your words carefully didn’t you ?” He praised ? Degraded you ?? His hands leaving you as he got up from the bed, taking his shirt off, his sweatpants and boxers following suit, you gulped at the sight, you never get used to how attractive he was, how his body looked like it was sculpted by the gods specifically for you.

His dick was standing, proud and eager, your breathing turned heavy as you waited for him to be inside you

“My eyes are up here, slut” he commented as he climbed up the bed, getting on top of you “fucking filthy mutt, rubbing your cunt on anything like a bitch in heat, Hm? Can’t stay away from my dick for more than a day?” His words were condescending, mean, but true, you both knew it was true, you were just a stupid whore who couldn’t help not having him inside you for too long

You nodded with your eyes closed, not caring for the degrading anymore, which earned you a slap on your face, your eyes shot open as you looked up at him “keep your eyes on me, it’s the least you can do after trying to trick me” his eyes were dark, his hands grabbed the back of your thighs, lifting them up by your head swiftly, his dick was lined up with your slick, wet pussy, the friction only making you shake from anticipation

“Now listen to me, and listen carefully, with each thrust I want you to apologise, got it?” You nodded quickly, which, again, earned you a slap “use your words, dumb bitch”

“Yes sir! I understand!” You yelped out, your feet now resting on his shoulders as he rammed his dick inside you, the motion making your bell ring again as you cry out from the pain, you haven’t had him inside you for days and none of your toys were anywhere close to his size, you gasped as you tried to catch your breath

“I-I’m sorry sir” you shakingly blurted out, and so he slowly took his dick three quarters out before ramming it right back in “I’m sorry, sir” you cried out again

And with each thrust you’d apologise, his eyes never leaving yours as he thrusted in and out of your tight hole, as it clenched onto his dick, begging him to stay in there forever, your hair was even more of a mess and the jingles from your bell just rang more and more.

“You thought you were clever, Hm? Acting all shy and innocent, trying to trick your master into giving you a reward you don’t deserve ?” His voice was low, quiet and terrifying, sending shivers down your arching spine as you shook your head and apologised over and over again

“I’m so sorry sir, I couldn’t take it anymore! I wanted to have you so bad! I love your dick do much, I’m nothing but a stupid cocksleeve, master!” What a way you had with words, such a smart, pretty doll, but sadly that tongue of yours got you into this so whatever you say will only dig you a deeper hole

His hand came up again to cup your face, squishing your cheeks together, laughing at you, how stupid and messy you look, how desperate you are, all for him to fuck you

All for him.

His pace quickened as he rested his forehead against yours, sweat drops travel from his face onto yours, your noses right besides each other as you both moaned and whined, your orgasms both getting close, the only sounds in the room were your whines and his groans accompanied by the jingles of your bell, your hands came up around his neck, wanting his body and yours to be glued together, your fingers in his hair as he cried out, his dark and stern tone turned into whined as he was reaching his climax

“Meine liebling, meins, oh mein gott, Ich möchte, daß Du bettelst! You can’t cum until you beg for it”

“Please, please sir, please, cum inside me, I want to have you filling me up, please! I need your cum stuffed inside me, breed me, köni… please I want to make you a daddy, please baby” your words were messy, just begging him, your mind was far too foggy to truly comprehend what you just requested.

His könig’s mind wasn’t, his thrusts turned slow and rough, as his cum spilled out his hips were glued to yours as he was determined to not waste a drop

His duck twitched inside you as the last drops of cum filled you all the way up, as you tried to move his hold on you tightened “don’t… move” you couldn’t say anything but okay, staying there in his arms as yours wrapped around his neck still, playing with his hair as you both were breathing deeply, calming your beating hearts

You let out a sigh then put your cold feet on his back making him jolt up, which made you laugh as he flared down at you “you little shit”

You giggled before he took his dick out “ugh I never get used to this sight” he mumbled with a smile “wait right there darling” he commanded, not like you had the energy to even move a muscle anymore, you moved your hand to take off the collar, getting tired of the sounds.

he returned with a warm towel, cleaning up the mess between your thighs before he scooped you up and took you both to the shower, pressing kisses all over your face, his touch turned soft and gentle, holding you like you were the most precious thing in the world

And you were. <3

[loserboyfriendrjl]

“Evening,” Sirius called out, when Harry entered the kitchen, particularly quiet as he walked down the corridor. It was late, past midnight, definitely, yet it was one of those nights (which had turned into most of them) in which he couldn’t sleep. “Careful not to wake my sweet mother up?”

Harry laughed a “yes”, before sitting down. “She’s quite charming.”

“She is, isn’t she?” Sirius asked, running a hand through his hair, already flecked with grey. “Always was, my mother. Thought Molly sent you off to bed already.”

“I wanted to talk to you,” Harry said, sincerely. “You seemed down.”

“I don’t like being here,” He rasped out, looking away from his godson. “But I reckon you know how that feels, considering how eager you were when I told you to move in with me once my name would be cleared.”

Harry chuckled. “Yeah. Dudley’s not the nicest cousin I could have.”

“The offer’s still on the table, though, you know.”

He smiled, so alike to James. “I know.”

“Is there something in your mind?” Sirius asked, pushing his chair back with a harsh scrape and propping his legs up on the table. “You seem off yourself. Nervous about going back to Hogwarts?”

Harry a hand through his messy hair. “I’ve been told by many that people think I’ve gone off the rails.”

Sirius scoffed. “You shouldn’t care about what other people think of you. You know you’re telling the truth about Voldemort, and that should be enough.”

“Yeah, well, but considering the Ministry’s saying he’s not back and everyone listens to what Fudge says, it’s kind of hard to not be the poster for gone mad.” Harry let out a small laugh. “Which would be easier to deal with if fewer people believed him, but I reckon I don’t have credibility considering I’m a fifteen-year-old who’s been deemed bonkers and unstable.”

Sirius leaned on the two back legs of his chair. “The Ministry’s spreading the same propaganda during the first war, too. Nothing’s happening, we’ve got everything under control, obviously, how could we not, and Voldemort’s little servants’ attacks are actually just tragic accidents of an unknown nature — that’s a heaping pile of shit, obviously.” (Harry snorted.)

He picked at his nails. “They’re still the main voice, though.”

“I know,” Sirius replied, “but soon enough when they’re not gonna be able to cover up the attacks anymore, they’ll figure everything out.” Sirius took a swig out of the wine glass. “Now that we’ve gotten that out of the way, is there anything else that’s on your mind, besides Fudge being an idiot and, I assume, the exams?”

Harry looked away from him. “There’s this girl…”

“Merlin’s beard,” Sirius murmured, chuckling into the hand he had run over his face, “you’re just like James. Tell me, is she perhaps a redhead with a fiery temper and a knack for picking the worst mates out of the bunch?”

Harry laughed, then completely stilled and, when he was sure the portrait of Walburga Black hadn’t started shouting again, he leaned forward arms on the table. “No. She’s on the Quidditch Team.” He then bit his cheek, obviously looking for his words. “Did they love each other?”

Sirius’ gaze softened as he poured himself another glass of wine. He looked at the boy sitting on the chair at the old, wooden table in his childhood kitchen — all James looks-wise, besides his eyes, Lily’s. Yet his temper was just like Lily’s, as seemed to be a big part of his personality; Remus told him so, the few weeks he’d stayed at his shabby cottage in Glasgow and had the time to find themselves all over again.

“Yes. Very much. Well,” Sirius tsked, “James was gone, that’s for sure. For years before something actually happened between them. But Lily obviously loved him, too. I remember their wedding — I was the best man, you know? — your father got quite, ah, tipsy, and by the end of the evening, he’d declared his undying love to your mother probably over twenty times. It was a beautiful night. Happened in the August after we graduated. They’d been planning it for months before; it wasn’t a big thing, but it was probably the best night of my life. I’ll have to ask Remus if he still has the pictures.”

“Why would he have them?” Harry asked, curiously.

“We used to live together,” Sirius answered. “Lily and James moved out, and then it was the two of us. Peter lived with his mum after they moved to Godric’s Hollow — that’s where they lived, where you were born — so Remus and I kept the apartment for ourselves. Reckon he still has the pictures, even though he moved out, since I don’t have them.”

“You two lived together!?” He demanded, incredulously.

“Oh, yes,” Sirius chuckled, sitting back down and downing a good part of the wine he’d poured himself. “We moved in together, like I told you. I knew him pretty intimately, so to say.”

Harry nodded, then rubbed his eyes and yawned tiredly.

“It’s getting late, now. Head off to bed before Molly catches you and tells me off for being such an irresponsible godfather,” He said, acutely aware of how irritated his voice sounded.

Harry smiled. “Night, Sirius.”

“Good night, Harry.”

[gabessquishytum]

Rivals in an annual bake off at the local county fair.

Dream, every year now, wins his local pie bake off. He first entered as a lark, Orpheus was making fun of Dream's cooking/baking skills and dared his father to enter and win.

Well, Dream never turns down a dare (and having Orpheus joking with him and them laughing together is the most cherished of experiences).

This year, Dream comes in second to an "R. Gadling". Dream hasn't lost in years, to come in 2nd to a name he doesn't recognize,,,sets Dream to grumbling.

And this year was going so very well - Dream met another single dad, Hob, while walking the fair with Orpheus. Hob had his son Robin with him and let Dream know that they had more or less just moved to the area. (They met some way silly, like grabbing for the same set of napkins or something). Hob has a great laugh (and bum) and won Dream a stuffed bird.

Hob (charmingly tugging his ear): Are you really upset about getting 2nd place?

Dream 😳: No. Not really. It's just Orpheus is always so happy when i win....i don't want him to be disappointed in me.

So!!! Cute!!! These two absolutely have "rival PTA dads" energy and I love it. Dream is the queen bee, Hob is the interloper - and he knows that Dream’s cupcakes were store-bought!!! He will keep the secret in exchange for a kiss 😉

I just really love the idea of them being normal dads doing normal things. After Hob reveals that he is in fact 'R Gadling', and admits that he used to own a small bakery in the big city before he moved to the countryside for Robin to have a nicer childhood - Dream insists that Hob makes up for taking his crown by baking with him. Hob is only too happy to invite both Orpheus and Dream back to the cottage he's recently moved into. Robin wants to show Orpheus the garden (apparently there are many interesting bugs). Hob has a fancy stand mixer and plenty of ingredients, and he acts as sous chef while Dream rather enjoys lording it over him. Flirty banter quickly evolves into touches and kisses, and there's a whole lot of flour in Dream’s messy black hair...

By the time the boys come in, a cake has been made (and rather hastily decorated). Hob’s t-shirt is on back to front, and when Dream turns around there are two big flour handprints on his bum.

It's nice to make new memories. Orpheus teases Dream all the way home, both about losing the bake off and getting a boyfriend. So there's really nothing to grumble about, after all.

[mothfables]

Ravio and Thunderstorm

Thunder boomed. Rain pelted the windows of the cottage, sending streaks across the glass as wind rattled the panes.

Ravio watched the storm from the safety of the couch. He’d already made sure all the doors and windows were shut tight, and that Sheerow was inside with no way to get out and swept up in the storm. He was cozy in a sweater and fluffy socks, with a quilt wrapped snugly around his shoulders.

It seemed to be just another storm - albeit a fair bit stronger than what he was used to from Hyrule so far.

So preoccupied was he in watching the storm that he almost missed it. The next crash of thunder had him flinching at the strength of it, only to pause at a faint sound from elsewhere in the house.

He frowned, straining his ears to hear it again only to be met with nothing but the howling of wind and rain. He almost dismissed it as Sheerow making noise in another room, only for a quick glance around to prove that untrue: Sheerow rested peacefully on the perch beside the fireplace, head tucked under a wing.

Another boom of thunder was followed by the same soft sound. Ravio’s frown deepened - it sounded almost like a child’s cry.

He pushed himself up from the couch, wrapping the quilt tighter around his shoulders as he started to search for the source of the noise. The first floor was clear, so with a sigh he turned his attention upstairs.

The sound slowly became clearer the higher he went; soft, muffled cries following every bout of thunder. They seemed to be emanating from Link’s room.

…Link’s room.

Ravio stopped in his tracks as the realization hit. He hadn’t seen nor heard Link since the storm began, and it was with a horrible rush of guilt he remembered his friend’s confessed fear of storms.

With a curse he hurried down the hall toward Link’s room. Opening the door, he was met with what looked to be an empty room. He knew better than to assume that was the case, though, and immediately began looking for his friend.

It didn’t take long.

Ravio found him under his desk, a blanket over his head and hands clasped tightly over long ears with his eyes squeezed shut. Ravio could see him shaking from where he stood. Thunder boomed and he watched as Link jumped, letting out a terrified little sound. His eyes squeezed tighter.

‘Oh, dear…’

Ravio knelt down before the desk, watching as Link trembled and did his best to curl into a tight ball.

“Link,” he said quietly, watching to see if he heard.

Nothing. That was unsurprising. The sound of the storm was enough to drown out almost any sound. He was surprised he’d been able to hear Link at all.

He tried again, louder this time. “Link, it’s me. It’s Ravio. I’m here.”

He set a gentle hand on Link’s knee as he spoke. The other boy startled at the touch, looking up with wide, shining eyes. Ravio’s heart ached at the frightened, lost look in those eyes.

Link whimpered and Ravio knew without a doubt that he was small. His heart broke at the sound; he’d had an inkling his friend would likely be regressed, but seeing it confirmed was like a knife to the chest. His dear friend had likely been small and afraid for hours.

“Hey, bun. Sorry I didn’t realize sooner. I’m here now.” Ravio moved closer to the desk, shifting to sit cross-legged and opening his arms. It only took a moment - there was a resounding BOOM and Link yelped, flinging himself forward and into his lap, clinging tight. Ravio immediately wrapped himself around him as he began to sob.

“Shh, shh. It’ll be alright,” he crooned, stroking messy pink hair. He continued to murmur reassurances as he did his best to comfort his friend. Another crash of thunder had him covering quivering ears and soothing Link when he gave a frightened cry.

He cast his mind about for ways to soothe his friend. Almost subconsciously, he started humming an old lorulean lullaby. It took a few moments, the notes faint in his memory, but soon his voice grew bolder, more confident. In his lap, Link sniffled and shifted to look up at him; Ravio smiled and pressed a soft kiss to his brow, still humming.

Slowly, Link’s sobs died down to shaky hiccups and sniffles. Ravio realized the storm had quieted as well. The thunder was no longer quite so loud, the lightning no longer so blinding.

He kept humming, rocking side to side in the way he knew Link liked. The rain was only a quiet patter, now. Link sniffed before letting out a sigh.

“How are you feeling, bunny?” Ravio asked softly. Link was quiet for a moment before he answered.

“…better.” His voice was hoarse and scratchy from crying. “Thanks, Ra- Ravi.”

“Of course, bunny. I’m sorry it took me so long.” Ravio nuzzled soft pink hair apologetically. Link shook his head and curled closer, tucking himself under Ravio’s chin.

“‘m jus’ glad you were here,” he murmured. “Um, co-ould you hum again? Please?”

“Sure, bun. What do you wanna hear?”

“I like what you were humming before. That one?”

“The lullaby?” Link nodded, eyes beginning to droop now that most of the storm had passed. Ravio cooed and shuffled to sit more comfortably, taking a deep breath before beginning to hum again.

The two of them sat there together on Link’s floor, waiting out the storm.

[idontknowwhatimdoinglol]

Diaval x gn reader (meeting) - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

To y/n everyday was the same. They would wake up, go to work on their farm only stopping to have a small meal before heading back, though recently a group of peasant women had moved near their house. She had first met them at the market. They were buying fabrics when two of them had started to bicker, which in the end led to one of them being shoved into a fruit stand and splattering the product all over. Safe to say they had gotten themselves banned. Feeling a bit of pity towards them, y/n had bought the fabrics they were planning to purchase and had been able to catch up to their wagon and give them the items. In return they had let them come back to their cottage and have some of there home grown vegetables as a thank you. As the weeks went on y/n had continued to bring them fabrics, flour and other things that they had needed from the market. Y/N would even help watch there orphan child Aurora when they had needed a nap or had to do the chores of the house. One day y/n had been on her way home after delivering a few bags of flower to the cottage when a man with messy black hair and scruffy clothing had fallen onto the path in front of them. "Are you alright?" asked y/n concerned for the stranger. "well nothing feels broken so I'm going to assume yes" he says standing up, brushing the dirt off of his black clothing. "I haven't seen you before, Are you new?" y/n questioned, not recognizing the handsome face of the stranger before her. "I've lived here my whole life, I've just stuck to the forest, less people" he answers. "makes sense, do you have a name?" y/n asks. "Diaval, and yours?" Diaval replies "I'm y/n its a pleasure to meet you Diaval" y/n says doing a small curtsy. "The pleasures all mine" he says kissing their hand. "i must get back before dark, I do hope to see you again" y/n says before walking off to their small farm a blush gracing their cheeks from Diaval's gesture.

bonus: "I cant believe you embarrassed me like that" Diaval said to the fae stepping out from the trees "you have been squawking about them for months now I figured you should meet for once" maleficent said "well not like that they probably think I'm a klutz and dont even get me started- CAW" Diaval tried to say but had been returned to his crow form with a swipe of magic "enough of your complaining without my help you never would've have spoke a word to them`" maleficent said before walking back into the forest Diaval following close behind

- - - - - - - - - - - . o 0 O 0 o . - - - - - - - - - -

[daydreamgoddess14]

The Ties that Bind - Chapter 4

I'm not going to lie... this 5k chapter does not contain an awful lot of plot. No spoilers here but... well, the rating has definitely gone up! The Emmys happened, ok? And I've been on a whole other planet since then. No apologies, the heart wants what the heart wants 😂

Onwards! Enjoy 🤭 - I'd love to know what you think!

Tagging: @thomasshelbyswife, @cillmequick

CH 1 | CH 2 | CH 3

Masterlist

Chapter 4

He took a few steps to the table, it had been a while since they'd been actually been alone together and the weight of that wasn't lost on Seren. Tension seemed to seep into the room under door cracks and through keyholes until she felt paralysed with a nervousness greater than any she'd felt before. Their weeks and weeks of banter and flirting had built to a level they were both unable to ignore. Beneath his own tense fidgeting, Seren decided that River looked like he could devour her at any moment. His face gave nothing away but it felt as if he knew what she thought about when she was alone with him, as if he could read her mind. Her breath quickened and the urge to press her thighs together was overwhelming. Before she could answer his question, he crossed what was left of the room, forcing her to take one final step back against the counter, and leaned down to capture her mouth in a messy kiss. The shock of it made her gasp, giving him access to deepen the kiss, his tongue gliding with hers. His hands were everywhere, trying to touch as much of her as possible. Seren let her hands roam up his arms and into his hair to keep him close, trying to get him even closer. The length of his body pressed against the length of hers and she felt him hard against her hip. Deja vu. Feeling how much he wanted her only made her need him more and all sense of propriety was heading out of the door, along with her previous reasons for keeping their distance from one another. “Are you staying?” He asked again, his hot breath on her collarbone. He reached into the open hoodie to the bare skin between her short t-shirt and jeans. 

“River,” she moaned as his hands gripped tighter. He sighed and pulled away from her.

“Stop?” He asked, the disappointment evident. Seren shook her head, trying to find her voice, her breath.

“No. No, don’t stop. But not down here,” she said, breathless. She wished she could bottle the smile that broke out across his face, instead settling for running her thumb over his lips and cupping his cheek. He turned his head to kiss the palm of her hand before freeing her from his grip and leading her to the stairs. She switched off lights along the way and as they crept upstairs they both avoided the same creaky floorboards. She’d never been in his room properly, only to leave any belongings he’d left scattered around the house. He must have been given some free reign to decorate at some point because it was more masculine than the rest of the cottage. The walls were dark navy and a large bed took up much of the space. He had a small bathroom through a door in the corner. As he turned to ask her something she brought a finger to her lips. “Sshh, we need to be quiet,” she whispered. He grinned wickedly and pointed at her.

“You need to be quiet.” She opened her mouth to argue but he kissed her instead, clicking the door quietly shut and pulling her all the way into the room. He tugged at the loose sleeves of his hoodie, pulling it off her body, “think I'll take this back.” He whispered. 

“Finders keepers,” she told him, dragging his t-shirt over his head and then reaching for the button on his jeans. 

“Slow down, I'm not going anywhere.” He stilled her trembling hands and then toyed with the hem of her t-shirt, “I've been so patient, waited for so long,” he whispered, she laughed quietly into the crook of his neck. He pulled it over her head and threw it on the floor with his own, and with a quick flick of his wrist he had the button of her jeans open and slid them to her hips. She wiggled them down impatiently and kicked them away. Seren blushed as he took in the sight of her in summery coral lingerie in the dim lamplight, he watched like a starved man as she reached behind to unclip her bra and let it slide down her arms, reaching to pull her into him. His hands were warm on her bare skin, tickling up her left side and taking the weight of her breast. “I deserve a fucking medal for keeping my hands to myself,” he muttered, “you won't be able to get rid of me now.” 

“You're an idiot,” she teased, blushing. 

“You're beautiful.” He told her, hands dropping to grip the curve of her ass. She pushed herself against him, feeling him hard against her core. Slotting a hand between them, she slid a finger along the waistband of his boxers before dropping to her knees in front of him, pulling his jeans down over his hips. She pulled them all the way off, and he stepped out of them. Seren heard the shaky breath leave his body and focused her attention, her mouth watered in anticipation, it felt like she'd waited an eternity to touch him. She ran her hands up the taut muscles of his thighs and, holding his gaze, pulled his boxers down.

“Do you think you can be quiet, River?” She whispered. She slid her tongue along the underside of his cock and swirled it around the hot tip. He rocked against her, his hands fisted at his side, tense from trying to stay quiet. She took his hands one at a time and put them on her head, looking up his long body to watch his reaction to her pumping his cock with kiss swollen lips. 

“Fuck me, you look so fucking good -” He rasped, his voice strained. She hummed in agreement, the vibration running through his body as she let him control the speed and depth. He tugged her hair lightly, the sensation sending waves of desire to her core and making her thighs rub together in desperation. He removed one hand, reaching down in search of hers, intertwining their fingers. Seren squeezed his hand in reassurance, it had become clear in the months they'd known each other that River had very few people in his life he had physical contact with. In all their encounters, he seemed to seek out her touch. When he tugged her hair again, it was a request for her to stop, to come back to him. He wasted no time in nudging her to the bed, caging her with his body. He kissed her softly, swallowing her sighs. He slid a large hand down her side, reaching to grab her hips and press them into the bed. She arched her body up against him. 

“River, please-” she whispered, his hand pushing her thighs wider open to accommodate him. His grin was wicked as he kissed a hot path down her body, roughly palming her breast as he nipped at the dip of her waist. 

“Seren,” he warned, his voice deliciously low and dangerous, “If you make a sound, I'll stop,” he warned as he dragged her knickers down just before he circled her clit with his tongue. “I wonder if you taste as sweet as you look?” He asked. She gasped as his tongue eagerly slid into her aching cunt, “is this ok?” He asked. Seren sucked in a sharp breath and nodded. She held it for what felt like hours as he devoured her. The effort of keeping quiet was torture, his every touch designed to bring her closer to the edge. She had to bite her own fist to stay silent, but it was impossible to disguise her laboured breathing and tiny whimpers. He didn't need her to make a sound to know she was close, her thighs quivered and he got right to the point where he was certain she was about to come… and stopped, moving away from her entirely so he wasn’t tempted to let her finish just so he could keep tasting her. Seren's eyes widened at his audacity and she clamped a hand over her mouth to stifle the whine of desperation she couldn't hold back. He removed the hand and pinned her wrists above her head bringing himself level with her breasts, swirling his tongue around her nipple. Seren's hips rutted up against his stomach.

“River,” she pleaded. 

“Fuck, Seren,” he could feel how wet she was, how much she needed him, and it only made him harder. 

“You like that? Think I could make you come like this?” He sucked at the soft, sensitive underside of her breasts, leaving his mark on her and dragging her so close to orgasm again. Seren was in no doubt that he could make her come just from this alone, “No, please no,” she pleaded again as he denied her again, “I need you to touch me, River.”

“Tell me what you want, babe,” he whispered, moving above her, held up on his elbows. 

“Fuck, River, I need you inside me,” she whispered quietly, her body vibrated with her need for him. She was certain she looked a mess underneath him - her hair tangled in bedsheets, her lips red and swollen from where she'd been biting them in an effort to keep quiet, and her eyes glazed with lust.

“You're so beautiful.” He whispered and sat up, dragging her into his lap as he did. She lifted up onto her knees, hands on his shoulders for balance as she lined him up against her, he cupped her heavy breast with one hand while the other grabbed the swell of her ass as she lowered down onto him. “Fuck-” he hissed, his forehead pressed against hers. With her thighs spread wide over his, the depth was incredible and his size took a second to adjust to. His tongue followed his hand across her nipple, taking it into his mouth, rolling it and biting gently. It was enough to have her grinding down on his cock and arching her back to have him fill her right to the hilt. Her forearms on his shoulders gave her the perfect leverage to rise and fall on him over and over, he used the proximity to keep his eyes fixed on hers while his hands kneaded and grasped her hips, helping her keep her rhythm while his cock split her open. She rolled her hips slowly, not wanting to make huge movements and make the bed squeak under them. The languid pace and tight, deep thrusts were intoxicating. River barely took his eyes off hers, Seren was taken aback by the intimacy  and tenderness of it all. 

“Feels so good, River,” she moaned quietly as he reached a hand between them both. Her breath hitched as she bared down against his thumb on her clit, her head dropping to the crook of his neck, “oh, god-” she whimpered. 

“Wanted this for so long, Seren,” he whispered into her ear. 

“Please, River, more-” she begged. “I need you.” His previous ministrations had taken her so close to the edge, she couldn't take the anticipation any longer. She clutched at his shoulders as she sank down onto him, desperate to find her release. He keened against her, his nose buried in her throat while his fingertips left bruises on her hips. With a final swipe of his thumb against her clit, she reached her peak and shuddered as her climax overcame her. River had managed to remember their whereabouts and quickly captured her lips with his own, disguising the babbling expletives and whimpers of his name. Her movements stuttered so he gently twisted them round and lay her on the bed.

“Still with me?” He murmured, bracing his body on his forearms and rolling his hips as he fucked her into the mattress. The new depth and angle made her melt against him, she smiled, reaching up on her elbows to kiss him again.

“I’m not going anywhere,” she mimicked his earlier words. Her words seemed to ignite him once again. 

“God, Seren-” he groaned into her mouth as she pulled him down on top of her, relishing in the weight of his body against hers. She wrapped her legs around him as he took her wrists and pinned them either side of her head once again. He set a new, desperate pace, hungry to feel her walls flutter around his cock again. Seren tried to hide her breathy moans as she felt the tension coiling in her abdomen once again. She closed her eyes tightly, her attention split between her need for release and the need to keep quiet. “Look at me,” he asked softly. She opened her eyes and held his gaze as she clenched around him and felt his hand gently cover her mouth as she came with a wail of his name. She felt his muscles tense as he joined her over the edge with a whisper of her name, not taking his eyes off her at all. He slumped against her, his hand slipping from her mouth as he replaced it with featherlight kisses instead. He released her other wrist and she grazed her hand up and down his back as they both regained their breath. They lay still together for a while, his nose in the crook of her neck while his hand softly smoothed across her ribs and the side of her breasts. Seren's legs no longer locked around him, she stretched out and enjoyed the weight and warmth of his body covering her. 

“‘M crushing you,” he mumbled. His voice low in her ear made her shiver and despite not being ready for another round quite so soon, her hips bucked, “You're keen, give me a minute,” he laughed.

“You're not crushing me, and I'm not ready yet either,” she grinned into his hairline and kissed his temple. 

“Hmm if you say so.” He rocked against her, half hard again already, needing to hear the broken little moan that ghosted over his head. He moved away enough to wrap the blanket around them both and rolled onto his back, taking her with him. “Better?” She sighed happily.

“Hmm yeah, much.” She closed her eyes as he ran his fingers through her hair, the small, intimate gesture making her sleepy. River reached out to turn out the lamp and held her as he fell asleep. 

*

He woke to an empty bed. With a frown, he lifted up onto his elbows to see Seren fastening her bra and looking around for the rest of her clothes. She smiled shyly at him. 

“Hi.”

“You're going?” He asked, his voice thick with sleep. He'd lost count of the number of times they'd found each other during the night, sleepily reaching for one another. 

“I need to go and get changed, I can't be here when he wakes up.” She said apologetically. He sat up fully and reached out a hand to pull her close to the edge of the bed.

“Time is it?”

“Early, 5am. Go back to sleep.” She brushed her hand across his cheek. 

“Just a bit longer?” He kept a hand on the back of her thigh to hold her against him, and the other traced the leg of her underwear, hooking inside. “Let me make you come one more time?” He dragged his fingers along her slit, already wet for him. 

“River-” She rocked down against his hand, her body giving away how much she wanted him. His fingers slipped her underwear to one side and he pushed two inside her, curling them just so. Seren gasped, clinging to his shoulder to stay on her feet. His thumb rocked against her clit, his fingers fucking her as she moaned quietly.

“Fuck, River I-”

“I know, I've got you. I need to see you like this again and again, and when you're driving home I want you to know that I'll be thinking of you, you see what you do to me?” He palmed his cock through the sheets. 

“Ohhh-” She sighed, he noted the hunger in her eyes. 

“You like knowing that?” He pressed his palm harder into her clit and kept his fingers moving inside her. Seren’s breath hitched with every movement of his hand, her walls clenching around his fingers. She wobbled against him as her knees buckled with her climax. She gripped his shoulder tightly to stay upright.

“Shit, River,” she mumbled. He held her hip a little tighter. He removed his fingers with a pop and brought them to his mouth to kick them clean. “You're a menace.” 

“You're welcome.” He grinned, dropping a kiss to the soft dip of her waist. She stepped out of his reach and finished getting dressed. He watched her from the bed. When she was ready, she went back to him, cupping his face between her hands. 

“Get some more sleep,” she said with a soft smile.

“I won't be here when you get back. I'll call you later?” She nodded, kissed him lightly and crept out of the room, taking his hoodie with her. 

*

“Seren, this is the third game in a row you've lost.” David smiled over chess. She'd returned to the house later that morning as promised with croissants and they'd completed the previous day's crossword, walked to the village library and had lunch. Seren had been uncharacteristically distracted throughout. 

“Sorry David,” she sighed. “Why don't you take your book to the sitting room. I'll get some jobs done and then you can set me free on your garden?” She hoped the physical excess of cutting the grass and preparing the garden for autumn would stop her replaying the previous night over and over. She hadn’t realised how isolated her life had become, aside from the families or individuals she worked with she saw very few other people. Family lived on the other side of London and her work had led her to a very limited friend circle and social life. Until she’d hugged River in the kitchen, she struggled to remember the last person she’d had any kind of physical contact with. In her initial recognition of River seeking out her touch, she could also clearly see herself. In the garden, she worked hard. Pulling the heavy old mower up and down the garden, emptying old pots and clearing away fallen branches. From his perch, David pointed out new things for them to tackle over the coming weeks.

“We need to repair that fence,” he pointed. “Do you think we can get it painted before the weather turns?” He looked to the sky as if asking the weather gods.

“I don’t see why not. I can drive us to pick up paint tomorrow if you like?” “No offence dear, but your car splutters like it’s about to give up the ghost. I’ll get River to take us at the weekend, you can help me pick out some plants.”

“You want me to come with you and River to the garden centre?” She asked, arching an eyebrow.

“I do indeed, you’ve a good eye for colour. It’s been such a long time since anyone actually enjoyed working in this garden.” He mused. She smiled and slumped into the chair next to him.

“Deal. I’ll be charging you overtime at this rate though.”

“Hmmm. Take it up with the boss.” He chuckled, pulling his hat down over his eyes for a short nap.

“Yeah, I think I should.” Seren wondered. 

They didn’t make it that weekend, nor the three weekends following. River had become overrun with work and his visits were few and far between. Seren had upped her time with David to compensate and ensure he wasn't lonely. His memory lapses were difficult to predict, she could spend entire days with him and have no problems but the last half an hour he would have no idea who she was, or there could be one moment of lucidity in a whole day. The hardest days were when his mind couldn't decide. She could fetch him a cup of coffee and he'd forget her, she could return with a slice of cake and be remembered. Finally, finally, Seren arrived one Saturday morning to find River already at the kitchen table. She stopped short in the doorway. 

“Oh. Hi.”

“Morning,” he smiled. “He's upstairs,” he explained, seeing her wondering where David was. They both hovered awkwardly, unsure of how to proceed. Though they'd been in plenty of contact, it had been weeks of not seeing each other and though that in itself was nothing new, the circumstances were certainly different. Standing on opposite sides of the kitchen felt so similar to the last time they were in the same place at the same time that Seren couldn’t help but laugh. River chuckled, “what’s so funny?”

“Nothing, just… the last time we were in here, and now… well, here we are again.”

“Yeah,” he nodded in agreement. They fell into silence, furtively stealing glances at one another. Seren wrung her hands.

“Should this be this weird?” She asked finally. “We didn't leave it this weird?”

“No, no you’re right. I don’t want it to be weird?”

“Good. Me either.” She nodded firmly, worrying her bottom lip with her teeth. Her heart thrummed in her chest.

“Apparently the old bastard has big plans for today?” River spoke up. 

“I'm taking him to the garden centre. He wanted to wait for you but you've been busy.” He looked bashful. 

“I'm sorry,” he said sincerely. “Every time I've tried to get here it's been too late to see you.”

“It's not a criticism. He's missed you,” she explained. 

“And you?”

“What about me?”

“Have you missed me?” Seren opened her mouth to answer but heard David on the stairs and smiled apologetically.

“You’re here,” he said happily to Seren. “Shall we be off then?” He asked, the tension in the room going completely unnoticed.

“Lead the way,” Seren replied, following the Cartwrights to the car. She slid into the backseat behind River in the driver's seat and focused on watching out of the window so she didn’t keep catching River’s eye in the rear view mirror.

“What are you going this way for?” David demanded from the front seat, “it’s left at the lights.”

“There’s half the road dug up down there, I’ll go around.” River countered.

“Bloody ridiculous,” David muttered. Seren kept her eyes on the window, bringing her hand to her mouth to keep from laughing. 

River finally escaped from the car. He’d been bickering with David for the whole journey. His grandfather led the way, instructing River to follow behind and pick up everything he pointed out. Seren ambled along between them both, occasionally picking things up. He watched her closely, cursing his own stupid awkwardness from earlier. He’d wanted to tell her he’d missed her, had thought about her everyday, couldn’t stop thinking about their night together… but hadn’t. She stopped ahead of him, reaching up to a much higher shelf. David had gone on ahead so River stopped. 

“Here, I’ll get it,” he muttered, a hand on her bare waist where her t-shirt had ridden up. He reached over her head with ease. “This one?” He asked. She shook her head, wide eyed but quickly recovered.

“River, that one’s half dead. The other one, please.” He took a small step forward, her back pressing to his chest as he reached further along and handed her the plant she’d been after. Taking a quick look around for safety, he dropped a kiss into the crook of her neck.

“Sorry I made it weird.” He whispered against her skin. She shivered and shook her head.

“S’ok, you’re not the only weirdo,” she admitted. His hand dropped to the curve of her ass and squeezed.

“We’ll talk later?” He asked, feeling her nod against him. “I might die before then if you keep walking in front of me though.” He teased. She pushed him away with a gentle shove and a knowing smile, and walked away to catch up with David. He trailed after her as she followed David, watching them together as they argued good-naturedly about which colours would look good in the garden and how much work they could palm off onto River. River took every available chance to be near her, letting David take the turning into each aisle so he could take her hand just for a moment or walk alongside her. The trip out had exhausted David. By the time they reached the car again, his temper was rising. When Seren offered him an arm to help him out of the car, he snapped. 

“I’m not a fucking invalid, Seren.”

“I know,” she held up her hands and took a step back. “I’ll get the kettle on.” She offered.

“Don’t bother. River will do it, I can’t stand the niceties anymore today. You should go.” He told her. She hesitated but he went on, “just stop being so sodding nice all the time.” He demanded. River paused, halfway into the boot of the car.

“I’m not being nice because it’s my job, David. I’m being nice because I like you and I like spending time with you.”

“Oh bullshit. You’re paid to be here.” River peered around from the back of the car,

“Grandad-” he warned.

“It’s fine,” Seren assured him. “You’re right, I am.”

“You’re not going to go, are you?” He sneered.

“No, I’m not. I’ll do what I always do when you ask me to leave, I’ll stay out of your way until you’re ready to talk civilly again.” She let him make his way to the house, grumbling under his breath.

“I’m sorry-” River started.

“It’s fine, really. He gets like this sometimes, when he’s pushed himself a bit too far. He’s just tired.” She lifted one of the paint tins from the car. “By the time all this stuff is away, he’ll be asleep and when he wakes up he should be feeling better.” She was right. River followed David into the house while Seren offered to put their purchases away in the garden. She knew the easiest way forward was to do as David had asked and at least stay out of his way. When she made it back to the kitchen, River gestured to the coffee he’d made her on the table. He sat at the table so she leaned against it facing him.

“He’s asleep,” he informed her.

“Told you he would be.” She reached over to brush his hair from his eyes. “I can handle it.” He took the hand and pulled her into his lap, her legs straddling his on either side of the rickety wooden chair. It creaked dangerously underneath them both. “If this chair breaks…”

“I’ve got you.” 

“We’ll be in trouble, was what I was going to say.” She chided him. He ran his hand up her back, drawing her closer, finally capturing her mouth in an impatient kiss. Seren let herself sink into him with a sigh. “I’ve been thinking about this all day,” she whispered.

“I’ve been thinking about this for weeks.” He countered, grazing his nose along her collarbone. She squirmed in his lap, the chair responding with an ungainly squeak.

“We need to move.” “Upstairs?” He asked. Seren shook her head.

“Sorry to disappoint, no time.”

“You’re far from a disappointment.” He told her, taking another kiss. She rocked against him, trying to get closer, he smiled against her mouth. 

“We can’t do this now.” She huffed, frustrated.

“I know,” he agreed, “I’ll make it up to you.” He promised.

*

Seren immersed her hands in the kitchen sink. River had called to say he was stuck in a work ‘thing’ so she’d opted to keep David company for a little longer than usual in the hopes that they might get some time alone when he did arrive. She hummed along softly to the classical record David played in the living room. She’d picked up some vinyl records for him from a shop a few villages away and he was enjoying educating her on which ones were worth her money and which were duds. She looked up and out of the window, the evenings had been getting darker sooner and it always seemed to catch her off guard. As she peered through the window, a face peered back. Her breath froze in her throat as terror overtook her. She backed away from the sink, hands dripping water everywhere.

“David,” she half whispered, voice strangled. “David!”

“Come and listen to this piece, it’s truly remarkable-” David called through from the sitting room. The face in the window grinned as it came closer to the glass, a leering sneer that then winked suggestively.

“Fuck. Fuck, David,” Seren turned and bolted for the sitting room. “There’s someone outside,” as she spoke, the back door banged.

“Who?” “How should I know? A man, shit, David we need to call the police.”

“Call River.” David instructed, rising quickly from his chair. “What the hell is he going to be able to do?”

“We need to get out of here, into the fields,” from the drawer by the chair he pulled out the same pistol he’d drawn on Seren months previously.

“The fields? Wait, he gave that back to you?!” She stared at the gun, incredulous.

“Seren, I need you to trust me. Call River, tell him we’re aiming for the farm and we’re on foot. We need to move, now.” He spoke firmly but calmly and Seren knew he was utterly lucid. She pulled out her phone and brought up River’s number, hitting the green call button. David pulled her along with him to the front door as the back door banged in its hinges again. On the way past, she grabbed the long iron poker from beside the fire. “Excellent idea my girl, now come.” Seren didn’t notice the call connect, or hear River shouting for her attention. The back door banged and this time, opened. Seren shrieked.

“Run David, we have to run.” She bellowed as her phone clattered to the stone floor and the call ended.

[airplanned]

Castletown Academy 4

Link and Flora see the little guest house they’ll be living in.

8,000% fluff.  More drama tomorrow.

---

Ralphie had pulled up a little stool to the front window, and, with his hands pressed between his knees, waited for Flora and Link to arrive.  He was still there when Zelda returned after changing out of her work clothes, so she brought him outside where they sat on the porch steps with a bubble wand and a jar of bubble liquid.

In a way it was good that Ralphie was nervous-excited, because that forced Zelda to be calm, to be an example for him.  Otherwise, she'd be bouncing on her heels and peeking out the same window where he'd been camped.  She forced herself to sit and blow bubbles and feel the wind on her face instead of tidying the front porch, which could honestly use another sweep.  Ralphie's bike was out.  Should she put it in the garage?

When the blue car pulled up into the driveway, Ralphie become very still, and Zelda calmly screwed the cap back onto the bubble liquid, tucking it away on the side of the steps.

Link's car was an older model, but by no means falling apart.  It looked freshly washed, as if he was trying to make  good impression, which made her stomach sink a bit.  She hoped he didn't feel embarrassed.  She hoped she hadn't caused him to feel embarrassed.

Oh, Goddess, what would he think of the house?

It was a large house.  There was no denying that.  But she thought it had character that set it apart from the other houses in the neighborhood.  And if the house didn't set it apart, the yard certainly did.  The house was warm brick, with flowers spilling out of beds and stepping stones leading to the front porch.  Above, more than one balcony spilled even more flowers.  Wind chimes hung from the eaves. When Zelda looked at it, she saw a cute cottage.  She wondered what other people saw when they looked at it.  Hopefully it was welcoming enough to set Link at ease, but she suddenly had a feeling that he would find it too messy.

The second the car engine turned off, Flora scrambled out of the car shouting, "Ralphie!"

A smile tugged at her son's lips even as he ducked his head lower towards his knees.

"Stand up and say hi," Zelda urged, rubbing his back.

Flora's hair was in French braid pig tails today.  Zelda would bet they'd looked very cute and neat this morning, but by now, a whole section by her temple was coming loose.  "This is your house?  Is it a pollinator garden?"

"It is," Zelda said. 

"That's so cool!  I like your wind chimes.  How many do you have?"

"I'm not sure," Ralphie signed.

"Let's count," she announced.  "We can count and find our favorite."

"That one's my favorite," he said--out loud--pointing to a wooden one nearby.

Flora inspected it, then nodded.  "That's a good one.  We'll call that number one."

Then they trotted down the porch to count the rest.

Zelda stared after them, and it took her a moment to shake herself and turn to Link, who was looking up at the sky blue paint on the underside of the porch roof.

"Hi," she said.

He lowered his eyes to her and smiled.  A large part of her relaxed.  "Hi."

"Um.  So.  This is me."  She waved a hand at the house behind her.

"It's close to what I pictured."

"You...you pictured this?"

He shifted his weight and rubbed the back of his neck, his eyes caught now on some of the stained glass that came in a kit for kids that Ralphie had made and now hung in the bay window by the front door.  "Actually, at first I was expecting--You know those mansions they have on TV?  Everything's white and neat and...corporate?  Sorry, that's rude."

"No, I deserve that."

A teasing light sparked in his eyes.  "With your bribe to donate an auditorium?"

She threw her hands in the air, "I was at my wit's end!"

He laughed.  "That's obvious."

"But..." She darted a look at the house, again trying and failing to see it through his eyes.  "Then what made you picture this?"

"Your packet."

"My pack--you read that!?"

"Of course I read it."

She couldn't stop a flush from rising in her cheeks.  What had she been thinking writing all that down?  And he'd actually read it?  And read it so promptly?  How utterly embarrassing.

So she started babbling.  "I started putting in the pollinator garden about three years ago, so I still have a lot of work to do on it still.  Oh!  Let--let me show you the guest house.  Around here.  Kids!  There's a path around the side, so you don't have to come in the main house.  Although, you can also go through the garage if you feel more comfortable.  I don't know what--There it is!" 

The backyard was more of the same--too many flower beds, but this time also with to many bird feeders.  The guest house sat back on the lot, red brick like the main house, but less intricate because of its simple size or lack of decorations.  The inside was bare in a way that made her itchy.  Neat, he'd said.  Corporate.  But surely Link would fill it with his own things and create his own home.  Two bedrooms, a bathroom with a washer/dryer snuck in a closet, a kitchen, and an open living room/dinning room.  She showed him everything, and he nodded without saying much until they arrived at Flora's room. 

"The terrarium can go here.  This window faces..."

"East."

"...East.  That will be good for the jade plant.  But what about the peace lily?"

Link said, "It can go in the living room. There are north facing windows there. And we're allowed to paint." He shot a quick glance at Zelda to make sure that was correct.  "So if you wanted to--"

"WE CAN PAINT STARS ON THE CEILING?!"

Her squeal was so piercing that Ralphie scurried back a step, which was probably for the best since Flora darted around the room like a ping-pong ball describing where every piece of her furniture would go to best view the ceiling.

Link signed at Ralphie, "She's excited.  She'll calm down in a second."  And with a deep breath, Ralphie relaxed.

Link spent some time in the kitchen checking the stove while Flora explained that she would have to pick a date and time to align the stars accordingly.  For accuracy.

Link's fiddling with the stone complete, he propped his hands on the kitchen island that worked to separate the kitchen from the rest of the living room/dinning room.  "Well, what do you think, kid?  You like it?"

"I love it!"

"Alright then."  He opened up the folder he'd been carrying around, and pulled out some paperwork, marked with little sticky notes.  She quickly recognized it as the lease. The sticky noes were the many places he had to sign.

"You're signing already?" Zelda asked.  Shouldn't he think about this a bit?  Sleep on it?

"Hudson looked it over.  He says it's a pretty standard lease except for the complete lack of rent.  I mean, he had other things to say, and he's still looking over the other stuff, but he said this one is good to go."

That night after they'd left, and Ralphie had gone to bed, Zelda poured herself a beverage and flipped open the folder containing Link's lease.  She'd just meant to double check it and then file it away.  But it was too thick.  The lease was not this many pages.

She flipped through until she came to a cover page.  Basic Information About Link and Flora.

[queengiuliettafirstlady]

Lovely surprises

Lovely Surprises

Fandom: Ikemen Prince

Pairing: Luke x Julie

Tag: Childhood sweethearts Established relationship Fluff Gifts

Word Count  2.371

Author’s Note: A special day deserving to be celebrated as such for Luke and Julie, reflecting on their past cradled together on the bed engulfed by the same feeling that held them together since childhood an affection unlike any other that soon turned into a passionate tender sweetest kind of love. 🥰

Tag list

@kissmetwicekissmedeadly   @aquagirl1978  @randonauticrap @thewitchofbooks @princess-pray-a @itsjudesfault

You can find me on AO3 as QueenJuliet 😊

Thank you for everyone who will like, reblog, or comment please be gentle with me english is not my first language so please do not leave rude comments I apologise for eventual errors I hope you will like it 😊

It was a quiet evening, the sun had set on the countryside stretching long shadows on the greenery of the hills chasing the animals seeking refuge for the night in the luscious forest, they paid no mind to the birds flying high in the moonlight ready to explore the valley where bees wandered in directed to their hives.

Here nestled in that peaceful forest stood a cottage unlike any others, flowers decorated the windowsill of dark rooms.

All except one, there cocooned in a soft sea of handmade blankets there were two lovebirds lazily staring at the spectacle of the fireflies playing hide and seek among the bushes in search of a lover, they had the luck to find since childhood that fateful day they met one another.

She stifled a yawn hiding her face in his chest purring in delight at his fingers trailing to caress her hair before sliding to tighten lightly around her torso keeping her closer.

“Ya know this was the day I looked forward to the most when I was a child.”

His voice woke her from her dizziness, a bit groggy from the pleasant tiredness of the day that went by, filled with laugh and chats enough to leave their throat sore and their eyes glimmering with happiness, one she knew he never think to deserve until she prove him wrong sticking to his side as she has to hers since childhood, forging a path for them both with the feeling overflowing their heart only for one another, love.

“And now ?” She looked up at him, and her heart jumped in her chest at the sight of the tenderness glimmering in his bright green eyes as he looked at her, like she was the whole world and to him she was.

“Even more.” She nuzzled tenderly in his chest as her fingers caressed his abs right above his heart.

“I felt the same.” His eyes crinkled with happiness as he continued on, trailing his fingers ever so softly on her hips trailing up from time to time to brush through her raven messy locks.

“It was my favorite day ‘cause I could spoil you.”

“Ahhaha like you did each day.”

“Yeah but that was special cause I could shower you in love and thank you for your existence.” 

She looked up at him, meeting his eyes filled with reverent devotion and unbounded affection he conveyed in a sweet tender kiss he left on her forehead, a promise of protection and an oath of love he would have kept no matter the cost.

“I always was so wonderfully happy for your choice to stay with me and immensely grateful you came into my life and brightened it with your love. When I met you I immediately understood  deep down the reason for my existence. All along I knew that I was born to love you.”

“Oh Luke.” She was so moved by his words she couldn't do anything and so she hugged him tightly, raising to brush a gentle kiss on his cheek.

“I felt the same way. I really was so happy to share my day with you ‘cause I was grateful for your existence and for you coming into my life warming it with your affection for this I wanted to thank you. I was born to be your lover.” 

Her words moved him. She saw it as much from his glossy eyes, he did his best to hide nuzzling in her hair leaving soft tender kisses as he tightened his arms around her.

“You were the only one ... that was happy about my existence” 

There was a wistful cloud covering the sun in his eyes dripping over his voice as it cracked under the weight of his past, of the feeling of being unwanted, undesired, unloved.

Until he met her and his world changed, binding their heart together in affection destined to turn into love.

Her make heart tugged in two as he tighten his arms around her, an unspoken plea for affection she was immensely happy he was comfortable asking her, without hesitation she adjusted better in his hug leaving a soft kiss on his heart before sliding upward to reach his beautiful visage she peppered with tiny kisses until she saw the sun returning to his eyes as carefree giggles tumbled from his lips. 

“Alright alright I gotcha. I surrender.”

“So soon my bear.”

“Only to you my princess.”

She dived in his chest reaching to tickle his torso, sliding on his soft tummy, paying no mind to his plea too focused admiring the spark of happiness springing in his eyes.

“Oh please give me a break.”

“Why should I ?”

“Because you are kind.”

“Good tactic but flattery won't work on me.”

“Please ahah it wasn’t ngghh flattery.” 

“I wonder about that.” 

“It isn’t.”

He looked into her eyes and what she saw took his breath away, pure earnestness glimmered in his leaf green irises sprinkled with such a tenderness   as she took a break only to switch her tickles to the feather light trail of her fingers on the soft auburn hair on his abs left uncovered by the half opened shirt of his green pyjama, whose color matched her long sleeved nightgown moving around her legs entwined with his own as she was almost on top of him.

“Please Julie be merciful with me.”

“Why so ?”

“Because I adore you.”

Taken off guard by his candid confession she didn't notice he had turned the cards on her squeezing her tightly to his chest all the while letting his fingers brush her back, pinning her down under him.

Carefree giggles rolled from her tongue as she pawned at his chest, revelling in the blissful tender smile curling his rosy lips.

“Come on Luke you can't do this to me.”

“Why so ?”

Instead of answering she pouted, she did her best to try and pretend to stay mad at him but she couldn't, not under the soft assault of his sturdy fingers tickling her in each place he knew so well to elicit her laugh.

In that moment she really felt they knew each other like the back of their own hands and tha through was enough to warm her heart, unable to stay still she reached to him brushing her lips on his heart before looking up at him pleadingly.

“Julie.”

“What’s wrong?”

“Ya know I am weak for you. Ahhh what could I do with you ?”

“Then you will have mercy.”

“Let's see why I should ?”

“Please.” She mustered her best puppy eyes, a Cheshire cat smile curled her lips at the sight of hesitation showing in his eyes, a moment she didn't waste time taking advantage of cupping his face only to lean her lips a few inches from his own before smacking a soft kiss on his nose.

She read bewilderment in his bright green eyes and even a tinge of disappointment, and yet she couldn't stop herself from teasing him even more because his payback would have been so sweet she couldn't help but yearn secretly for it.

Before she could think of anything else he melted his lips on hers, robbing her of any coherent thought as he entwined his tongue with hers, groaning at her fingers divided in his hair deepening the kiss while his fingers curled on her hips keeping her closer still.

Reluctantly he pulled away leaning back on the bed sneaking one arm around her waist, holding her close to his chest, smiling down at her as she nuzzled into his chest.

“Julie.”

“Yes.” 

"I hope you don’t mind me telling you this only now ... but I have another gift for you."

After a while he continued almost shily promptly reassired by the light caress of her fingers trailing from his soft tummy to his chest.

"I know me and your family already gifted you tons of things … but this is special.”

“Special ?”

Her eyes glimmered with curiosity as she looked up at him nodding as he offered her a soft smile.

“Yeah but for this I need you to do something.”

“Anything.” 

“Ahaha I am so happy to see you so eager to be spoiled.” 

“Ya know I love it when you spoil me.” 

“Good ‘cause I adore spoiling you.”

He gave her a gentle kiss on her hair, revelling in her blissful smile as she caressed his chest, his tone achingly tender as he spoke to her.

“Do you mind being a good girl and closing your eyes for a bit ?”

“Not at all.”

She covered her eyes with her hands giggling as she laid back sighing softly at the warm sensation of the blankets engulfing her torso.

“Do not cheat or else you will get none.” 

“Oww you are so petty.” She feigned offence pouting.

“Alright it’s not true you will get it anyway ahhh how can I resist you ?”

“Ehehehe.You can’t.”

She giggled in triumph before leaning back on the bed lazily draping her hand over her eyes.

“I know I love you too much for that.”

“I won't anyway, don’t worry.” 

She heard his weight shift on the border of the bed before opening the drawer of the nightstand, an ear perked to catch any sound, the only thing she recognized was the noise of some ruffles of what seemed like paper and then something light shifted the weight of the covers sinking near her hip.

“You can open them now.”

“Oh what a nice package.”

“I have done it myself.”

“I don’t doubt that. You are always so thoughtful and sweet.”

“Only for you.”

“I know.”

She smiled at him before taking it in her hands, trying to find an hole in the Emerald wrapping paper to take a peek inside but to no avail, far from surrendering she boldly took the green ribbon giving it a gentle tug until it came undone under her fingers.

Her eyes widened with wonder as she took the object in her hands holding it as it was a priceless treasure … and for him her reaction was an even better gift that anything could ever be, something money could have never bought even more because he knew that as long as it was him she would have love anything he would have gifted her, occasions he didn't let him slip by doing all he could to give her exactly what he wanted only to see her smile for him.

“Oh Luke.”

There was such a tender expression in her chartreuse eyes, dripping over her gorgeous smile as she looked up at him, still holding the little bears’ statue in her hands before cradling it carefully to her breasts.

“Do you like it ?” 

“I love it.”

Overwhelmed with feelings she nestled it on the covers before throwing her arms around his neck.

“Your love is the best gift I could ever receive, like your smile.”

“I think the same.Thank you so much my bear.”

“Anything for you, my little princess.”

At the endearing nickname she brushed her lips on his in a sweet tender kiss they hoped enough to convey the deep affection swelling in their heart only for one another.

Gently they pulled away only when one of his arms sneaked between them to retrieve the statue drawn in the sea of blankets on the bed, as they remained squeezed together on the mattress.

“I bought it ‘cause it reminds me of us.”

He took it in his hands raising her to her eye level indicating a little bear wearing a pink dress and then one wearing a blue one.

“This is you and me, forever together.”

His words moved her to the core he saw it in the glossiness of her tourmaline eyes she did her best to conceal nuzzling in his chest, tenderly he caressed her hip with his other hand tightened his arms keeping her even closer.

“Me and you forever and ever.” 

She looked up at him, gently caressing the bears’ statue, the same he placed it with care safely on the nightstand, before entwining his fingers with her own, squeezing his lightly as they gazed into each their eyes.

“Always together.”

“Never apart.”

“To protect you.”

“And make you smile.”

His fingers curled on her hand protectively as her own squeezed his in return, their smile radiant and warm like the sun itself, imbued with all the love they felt only for one another deep in their hearts.

“I love you to the madness my little princess from the bottom of my heart.”

“I love you too, my big bear, so very much.”

Their lips were but few inches apart distance he didn't wasted time filling in melting his lips on her own rolling on the bed as he was pressed almost on top of her, groaning at the softness of her fingers wandering in his locks while his own tighten gently around her hips holding her closer still as they merged into one another in that kiss a promise soon to turn into so much more.

Reluctantly he pulled away only to lean his forehead to hers engulfing her in a bear hug she didn't shield away from reciprocate, smiling blissfully at the reverent kiss full of devotion he placed on her forehead melting her heart with his affection the same she didn't shied away from showering him in leaving a gentle kiss on his heart revelling in the way his arm tighten ever so softly around her.

Ever so careful he adjusted the duvets around them both, sneaking his arm around her waist to keep her close even when they would have drifted off to sleep, reaching the dreamland together and waking up to the sweetest of sight at seeing each others’ smiles first thing in the morning eager to show their love in a more intimate deep way until the sun would have set and rise once more on the horizon leaving only the aster and the stars as peculiar audience to their love.

Their cottage was their own little world, a love nest crafted with the same affection that linked them together since childhood, toward a future they were crafting with their love whose unbreakable power melted their hearts in one, as they always had been and always would have, like written on the stars binding their destiny and hearts forever together like bear and honey.

[freebooter4ever]

Ok, during lunch i was goofing off by browsing the dat*ng app and came across a profile who 'liked' mine that was some blonde haired pretty boy with this as a tag line: "looking for the sophie to my howl". My heart flew into my throat....was i about to live out some teenage fantasy? I got incredibly excited until i realized with dawning horror that this dude possibly meant movie!sophie...

Full offense to the movie but the artists shaved off all the harsh edges on both sophie and howl to the point of unrecognizability beyond basic plot points. So anyone who is searching for the soft, gentle, pleasant version of sophie in the movie absolutely could not handle the slightly manic cleaning lady who enjoys bullying fire demons from the book. Book sophie is quite literally a bit of an obnoxious witch(with a b). She gets angry and expresses herself by murdering weeds. She enjoys teasing howl mercilessly. She gets panic attacks and wears the curse around her like a blanket to protect herself from anxiety and uncertainty. Book sophie is a fully flawed three dimensional character in the same way that movie sophie is a picturesque daydream meant for someone more in love with the idea of being in love than wanting to actually be in love.

But it also just annoyed me because this dude was unwittingly buying into the exact flaw of movie howl. Movie howl was remade into the idea of what women want: he's perfect, he's courtly and an utter gentleman, he acts like a prince. Movie howl is what book howl pretended to be when he went off on dates.

And the entire point of the book is that it took these disguises coming off (howl's princely fake romance character and sophie's literal old woman curse) for these two idiots to fall in love. Sophie starts out as a shy timid mouse, too scared to even talk to howl - she literally runs away from him when they meet in the market. She's so insecure and unable to be selfish that the curse is a blessing in disguise for her. The minute she becomes an old woman she no longer has anything to lose, all her fucks are gone, she's for once in her life just being herself. And she marches into howl's castle looking for a place to sleep because she thinks an old woman would be safe from howl's heart stealing (womanizing) ways.

And howl, meanwhile, doesn't know anything about this crazy old woman except Calcifer likes her (and calcifer represents howl's true heart so it's essentially his gut instinct), and he sees through the old woman disguise before she sees through his but the point is he's still seeing the real sophie - not the shy timid one (movie sophie).

And sophie sees behind howl’s entire facade! The book emphasizes that howl's towering powerful ‘castle’ is hollow smoke - it’s really a tiny three room cottage. Sophie gets to meet howl's real family and find out his working class plain mouse-brown hair background from an unmagical unglamorous world. Sophie cuts up his fancy suits immediately when howl tries to put on his disguise and ‘steal hearts’ again. That was the entire theme of the book: real love doesn't need disguises and artifice.

THAT was the teenage daydream: struggling with insecurity and posturing and a whole bunch of nonsense to discover honest true love underneath. And the movie was about none of that.

Teenage me never wanted the stupid princely version of howl. Teenage me wanted the messy, vain, spider loving, too soft hearted, cowardly, loyal, andre aggassi, stubborn-assed wizard from the book. I will never never forgive the movie for taking all that and turning it into something some guy who fancies himself a handsome courtly prince can put into his d*ting profile. 

Anyway if any wizards are in need of an old cleaning lady to befriend their fire demon let me know. Fire demon not required - i have my own, my blue teardrop of a car named Clacifer. And i have the spiders. And i have the facade of success thats on the brink of crumbling. And i keep heartlessly rejecting everyone who wants to date me. Shit fuck ive turned into howl. Except im also my own manic cleaning lady so maybe ive just hyper independently doomed myself to lonliness \o/

[jinx-on-mars-19xx]

Witches, Bitches, and Beasts

Not Natural ✨ The Devil's Trap ✨ Holy Water ✨ The Demon's Altar ✨ Midnight Meeting ✨ The Hunter's Trap ✨ Sharp Secrets and Bloody Blades ✨ A Hunter's Beast Tamed ✨ No Chick Flick Moments

Dom x Colson (Yungblud x Machine Gun Kelly)

Warnings: SPN inspired, ABO dynamics (knots, slick, heats), demon Kells, hunter Dom, threats, secrets revealed, Tom being Tom, magic, drug use, showing off, fighting, threats with a weapon, choking (not the fun kind), drastic misuse of prayer, talks of mpreg, curses, talks of infertility, mentions of voyeurism, PTSD, physical attack, implication of physical attacks being foreplay, grinding, dry humping, needy boys, finally opening up, mentions of abuse and possible rape (his parents long ago not them but still be safe), boys not so secretly in love ⚰️ rating: mature

When Dom returned to an empty car he was surprised but honestly not too annoyed. He'd been through and learned a lot he probably should have already realized and he was exhausted. His brain was buzzing with too much information and voices he couldn't quiet but Tallulah always relaxed him. "Fine Kells. I'll see you in the next 'otel. If I let you in."

Kells grumbled at Dom's voice in his head but he couldn't hide a smile. He shouldn't have been able to hear the boy's voice like a prayer but maybe it was just the blood they shared. They'd exchanged every bodily fluid almost and he hoped it wouldn't be long for the rest- that was all that was locking their minds together. That was it. The forest he found himself in was thick but he could hear the man cursing and he followed the sound mixed with… was Tom chopping wood or bodies?

"Brat child. I don't know why I try. Fucking-" It was mostly curses and insults hurled at the demon's lover but he could tell it was all from worry. He didn't know if he was there to calm the fear or scare him off completely but he'd figure it out as he went.

"Nice wards you got. I'm guessing you're the witch who taught Dom everything?" The beast asked as he found the man in a clearing. Tom jumped and whirled around with his axe raised but Kells caught it by the blade and pulled it from his hands. He tossed it away as if it were no heavier than a table knife but the witch wasn't impressed in the least. Just annoyed with him for interrupting.

"Obviously you're not just a demon or you wouldn't have made it through. What the hell are you? What are you doing with my Dom?" He huffed, tying his hair back in a messy bun.

"Aw, is this the 'what are your intentions with my boy' talk? Yeah, fuck that. You're as much monster as I am by this point. Some of the magic here hasn't been taught in centuries." Kells snarked back, crossing his arms over his chest. He could feel it in the air around them, scent it in the soil under their feet. Whatever the witch knew was ancient- wisdom or not.

"Perhaps I just had a good teacher." Tom hummed, putting his hands on his hips like some angry mother about to scold him. He even had the frazzled whisps of hair escaping to frame his stern face.

"I think you just look good for your age."

The witch scoffed and turned to magically move the wood to the pile next to his cottage. Cabin. Kells wasn't sure but he was confused why he would cut the trees like a human if he was just going to use his powers on the rest. Maybe it was stress management, if so he needed a few more chops. "I could say the same for you. So, we've got that out of the way. We're old as fuck. I'm a witch, now it's your turn."

The devil glared and offered some help, snapping his fingers to move all the pieces at once. Maybe he was still trying to show off, he wasn't sure. "You know what I am. Garden variety demon."

"Oh please, even if you were only a demon it wouldn't be garden variety. You're stronger than a prince of hell but it's because you're not just from hell. You were never human. You haven't died. You teleport but you don't smoke out. You can heal."

"Oooh, big fan, huh? Is that why you're so upset with Dom? No offense, you're cute and all but not my type." He joked. He wasn't weirded out exactly but he didn't like anyone knowing so much about him.

"No, you just like whatever your father likes." Tom threw out the truth like holy water and Kells couldn't help but growl at the burn. His eyes flashed their true form as the sky darkened above them. "There you are. Nephalem. I've never actually seen one. Can't even get your wings up can you?"

The demon cursed, summoning a blade to his hand as he teleported closer to the witch. He couldn't kill him though, it would hurt his lover too much. He refused to damage Dom like his father had, he wouldn't steal the last of his family even if it meant the boy finding out and leaving him. He swallowed a scream and his power, throwing the blade to the ground. As he felt his gaze bleed back to human Tom furrowed his brows. If he didn't know better he'd think he'd finally impressed the bastard. "I don't have any. There's not a fucking drop of angel in me. Please? Not enough to count. No one can know."

The witch looked him over, he didn't mean to let the devil shake him so badly but it was… such a real moment to see. He could have easily tried to kill him but instead he was calm- if a little desperate, and pleading with him? "He won't hate you. If anything he can help you I believe. You healed him, didn't you? And you can hear his prayers to you? He's already helping you. Let him." Damn. He hadn't meant to show kindness to the monster but he was seeing something he hadn't expected. "You love him."

"Shut the fuck up! Ew. I don't- I'm not- you love him." It was said with all the strength and tone of a little sibling loosing to an older brother bully. He hated the feeling of a failed burn.

Tom's brow went up so slowly it almost looked painful. "My mistake earlier. You're actually five. Of course I love him, but not in the way you do. You don't want him going after Astaroth, do you?"

"Fuck no! I want to keep him safe!" Kells grumbled as he took a seat on the left over stump.

"Careful, that'll grow back soon. It's spelled. I recycle." Tom didn't know why he spoke up, the thought of the demon being surprise impaled made him want to laugh but it might take a bit to heal and he'd never hear the end of it from Dominic.

The devil almost laughed as he ran a hand down his face. Of course he recycled. "I just needed his help. The Colt is hidden away and you have to be at least mostly human to find it. Those fuckers rebuilt it but hid it. I was just going to get his help that far and then take over. Originally I thought he might could come with me, he deserves his revenge too but-" He buried his face in his hands and muffled an exasperated scream. "I want him safe. Everything got messy." It was the bittersweet truth and he didn't know why it bothered him but it was getting worse by the day.

A scent hit his nose and he dropped his hands to find a joint being offered in front of his face. He took it gratefully and breathed deep, holding it in as the witch watched him. "You have to tell him. Everything. What you are, who your father is, all of it. He deserves better."

"I know he does." The beast sighed out before taking one more hit and passing it back. He watched as Tom took a drag before he commented. "I really didn't think there was any angel in me before I healed him but then I knotted him and-"

"You fucking what?!" Tom shouted so loud the forest went silent and then he choked on the smoke, coughing and flicking the lit end to land on the demon's arm. It bounced and landed on the ground and he waved his hand to remove it before something caught on fire. Just to make a slightly good impression he summoned a glass of water for the witch.

"Don't die. What the fuck dude?" He asked. Tom took it from him and downed half the glass before glaring a moment and splashing the rest in the monster's face. "Anyone ever told you you're a bit dramatic?"

"Go. Talk to him. Tell him EVERYTHING! Think about what the fuck you just said. Tell him if he wants to kill you I'll help him bury the body."

"Yeah. Dramatic."

"Just talk to him and bring him here. Are you really so dense? Think about it Kells, your father cursed Dom for himself. Why wouldn't you work as well?" Tom spoke as if talking to a child. He didn't understand how someone older than him was so bloody daft.

"Chill, I literally can't- um... do what you're worried about." He didn't even want to say the words. He wasn't sure if it was out of pain or fear but he'd always had trouble talking about it. He wasn't even sure why he was spilling his guts to Tom but maybe it was to make sure he wouldn't stop them from being together. Dom was his. "A Hunter thought I was my dad and cursed me. I guess they had a drop of his blood for the summoning but maybe I was closer… I don't know. I was pulled into the trap and fixed... basically. Magically. I can't… Yeah I don't think it works. Don't worry."

"Oh." Tom sighed as if all the breath was knocked out of him. His stomach hurt at the tone of the devil's voice and he couldn't help wondering if he knew the Hunter in question. He'd been around for a long time. "I- I'm sorry. That's not fair. Maybe I can help you reverse it? If you want. Someday. I still think you should tell Dom everything."

"Is that- are you being nice to me Tommy?" Kells gave his patent Cheshire grin but it didn't reach his eyes. "Yeah, I… I'll think about it. It's probably for the best. Who wants my spawn, right? Astaroth has made enough of us all over."

"I think someone might change your mind."

'Kells, if you don't come find me you'll 'ave to fuck ya'self tonight.' Dom's voice floated through his mind as the tether in his chest felt tugged tight. He had to lean over his lap to hide the erection forming there and he almost blushed. He thought it would be a while before his lover felt up to it again.

"Ew, go. You're both impossible. Seriously though, being him here. I'll help you search out the Colt and I can look into angel protection to keep Raziel out." Tom waved him off but he paused at that name.

"You know about the angel? You spy all the time, you fucking voyer?" He teased.

"Not the sticky bits. I worry for him though. I'll watch less now that you're there. But yes, I know about Raziel and… Ramiel." The witches voice went soft and it was the devil's turn to look at him funny. "Never mind, we'll talk later. Tell him I swear to be civil with you. Just come."

"Oh I'll make him cum alright." Keliphos joked, winking at the witch before he vanished, leaving Tom to faux gag at his words.

🖤☠️⚰️☠️🖤

Dom was pacing the hotel room, his stomach in knots. A sadness had come over him a few times since his devil disappeared and he didn't fucking know why. He felt despondent and restless and he hated it. It didn't feel like it was coming from inside his mind, it felt like it was slamming into him from somewhere else. That mostly black eyed bastard. "KELLS!"

"You rang darling?" A voice purred in his ear as arms wrapped around him from behind. His Hunter instincts kicked into overdrive and without thinking he flipped his lover onto the ground from over his shoulder. He was a bit surprised how much the giant's height helped. Thankfully the demon laughed before he grabbed Dom's offered palm of help and yanked him down into his lap. "You might try a martini or something babe, not that I don't like your attempt at foreplay."

The human rolled his eyes and stuck his tongue out like a child before sitting back on his partner's dick hard enough to make him curse. He crossed his arms over his chest though everything was a little sensitive. "You left." It came out more a whine than the grouch he was intending it to be but those blue eyes still softened.

"Only to figure out why your friend has a stick up his ass about me. Did you miss mine up yours?" He teased, groping at Dom's plush globes and grinding them together. It was almost insane how much he had actually been enjoying the high school-esque foreplay. Before they actually had sex that was mostly all they were doing and even something as simple as dry humping felt intoxicating with the kid.

"Please, you ain't 'ad me arse."

"Are you sure you and Tom aren't related? I can see the family resemblance." Dom scoffed at his playful words and he realized how the boy took it. He couldn't shake his head fast enough but he tried not to squeeze him so tight he'd bruise. "Not like that, holy shit. I meant the petulant bitch thing. Don't worry Domie, this cock is all yours."

The Hunter blushed before he could stop it and he swatted at his lover's chest. "So why did you go? You didn't kill 'im did you?"

"No. Damn, have a little more faith in me. We're homies now, he even said we should visit together. We just needed to smoke up together and talk shit out."

Dom let himself be led down to the beast's chest. He didn't know why he was apprehensive but something still felt off. "Okay. So wha's wrong?" He hummed, letting Kells kiss him gently and for just a moment he got lost in it as they melted together.

Keliphos sighed deep against Dom's lips and looked up at the boy. Fuck, he was gorgeous. How had he ended up here? "I came to you at first because the only weapon I know that can kill Astaroth is the Colt. I don't know if you know it but Samuel Colt made a special gun that's supposed to kill anything. I mean that's general obviously, it didn't work on Lucifer but… It's still out there. Only a human can get it. I should have told you. I'm still here because… because I care way fucking more than I should but Tom helped me see I need to fucking talk to you. Before we do anything else." He tacked on at the end and the kid's brows furrowed.

"Alright. Talk."

The breath he took was so deep but he still felt as if he were choking on the story. His story. He didn't have to say everything though, right? Just the important shit. Just to be safe he waved his hand and strengthened the wards around the room. He didn't need anyone else hearing them. "My name is Keliphos and I'm- I'm a nephalem. Half demon. Half- half angel."

Dom sat up a little better to make sure he could hold eye contact with the demon- the nephalem underneath him. So much made sense suddenly- the way he was able to heal, the way his eyes appeared, even the scent of ozone that followed him everywhere. He'd only ever met demons that smelled of sulfur or nothing because they were masking the stench but Kells was special. "Okay. Wait- so you is an alpha? At least 'alf?" He was trying to keep his voice level but his stomach turned. Could something be growing inside him? If so… how was he supposed to feel about that?

"Shit- stop before you spiral!" Kells interrupted his thoughts and tucked his fingers under Dom's waistline. He needed skin to skin contact. "I was cursed a long time ago, someone mistook me for my dad and basically neutered me. Great punishment for him but-" He paused and prayed to a heaven that wasn't listening that Dom wouldn't run. But hey, they helped him before so maybe at least one or two angels were keeping their hearts open to him. Or waiting for the perfect moment to punish him. "Astaroth is my father. He kidnapped my mom- an angel, I don't know who, and kept them for months. From what I understand my mom was trapped in holy fire in a warded dungeon most of their pregnancy but the power blast from a nephalem coming into the world shattered the wards. They ran with me. They never returned to heaven from what I understand. I don't even know if they're alive anymore but he found me when I was four and took me with him. When hell was created he hid there with Lucifer. I grew up there but I always hated him. I've been running and fighting since I could escape."

Dom didn't speak, he could barely breathe as he looked at the creature below him, bearing his soul. Part of him said he should run but most of him just kept thinking how strong the nephalem's mother was. How much they had in common. "I could have been your mum." He whispered, his heart racing and his eyes burning with tears. "I'm not 'appy you lied Kells, seriously. I'll probably fhrow it back in ya face a few times but- I get it. I wouldn't 'ave trusted you."

"Do you now?" The beast asked softly, his throat felt too tight. Fuck. He'd never been so scared.

No. Maybe. "Yes? God Kells, the shite you must 'ave seen and yet you still ended up like 'is? You kinder 'an me!" Dom's voice broke on some noise between a sob and a laugh. "You was cursed because of 'im too! Like fuck- I… I don't even know wha' to say. Your poor mum."

"Hey, please don't? Please don't cry for me? I can't handle that shit." The demon cringed internally. It hurt the place he thought humans had souls.

"Well fucking tough! You tell me depressing shite, you deal wiv the tears. It ain't much anyways. Jus' take it. Ain't tha' wha' you say?"

"I think my reasoning for saying it is way better. Shit doll, come on. Let's lay down. You can tell me what we're hunting." He sighed, gathering the omega into his hold as he crawled on his knees to the bed.

"No, fuck tha'. Someone else can deal wiv it. We going for the Colt." Dom vowed, pressing soft kisses to his lover's cheek.

"Uh nope, I mean maybe. But let me at least take care of the monster here so it doesn't bug you. Then we'll go to Tommy's and get a battle plan. He wants me to talk you out of it."

"Fuck tha'."

"Yeah I figured." Keliphos grinned, turning to kiss the boy softly before he tossed him up on the bed. The kid didn't just bounce on the ratty piece of shit, he jiggled in all the right places and the demon wanted to bite every one of them.

Dom watched as the creature's eyes filled with storm clouds and his smirk fell to something far more predatory. He might be part angel but he was Dom's devil and he was craving a little darkness in him. The news was a lot to take in and he knew it would make him panic at some point but with how his lover understood him better than anyone had before he was pretty sure he could handle it. Lots of people had terrible in-laws and not everyone could kill them, maybe he should count himself lucky in a few ways. "But before alla tha'-"

Kells chuckled and stood up, reaching for the neck of his shirt to pull it off one handed. "Before all that I'm going to fuck you. Cool?"

Dom swallowed hard and licked his lips to catch any stray drool. Fuck, his nephalem was gorgeous. Obviously troubled if he needed to erase the pain of their conversation with sex so soon, but gorgeous. It wasn't like Dom could talk, he could already feel his core wet and hot and getting more needy by the second. Maybe they were both fucked. Maybe they were perfect for each other. He couldn't say that though so instead he whimpered- "C-cool. Yeah. If you fink it's best."

Author's Note/Tags: @iamnotanearthlingmotherfucker @hollywoodxwhore @jaxbreaker @fenoy7 @cole-way-iero28 🖤

I know I normally do every other day now but I was inspired. It's a bit long and no smut until next chapter but I promise, it's worth the wait! We have a few answers to our questions, I hope you're still enjoying it! Who is his mother? Why was he 'fixed'? How much angel is actually in him and why is it coming out with Dom? I hope you keep reading to find out! ⚰️🖤

[224terminal]

𓇢𓆸 𝒶𝓂𝒶𝓇𝓎𝓁𝓁𝒾𝓈.

situated on a lush hilltop and overlooking the sparkling seascape, a lone stone cottage sits. externally, it's unassuming with its sun-bleached cobbles and circular windows. plum trees flank the seaside abode, and glass bottles in an array of spectacular colors are tied to boughs heavy with fruit. they sway in the summery breeze, singing a fragile melody that permeates stifling, sticky humidity.

inside, however, the home is as eccentric as its inhabitant. paintings, both finished and unfinished, line the walls, some hung and others propped, and the stone floor is mired in dry paint splatter. cloth curtains are parted to allow sunlight to filter in through large bay windows, offering a view of the glimmering ocean beyond. there is no second floor, merely a ground floor and a cellar, and so every room necessary to the layout exists here: a bathroom, a kitchen, two bedrooms, and the main, paint-spattered room. there is no television, but there is a radio and it rests on a windowsill as if it's a pie put out to cool. it details this afternoon's forecast between static crackles: clear, sunny skies with a zero chance of rain.

idyllic and isolated, this will be your new home. and a young man named amaryllis, the one who followed up with you in response to the listing he had posted, will be your new housemate. his standards for a companion were easy to meet: must be okay with messy workspaces (lots of paint). must enjoy peace and terrible internet connection (sorry in advance). must not mind sounds at night (bottles hung on trees make noise). must be good at running errands and doing light physical work. he was warm and friendly in the listing, what with his additional comment of i will provide you with plenty of plums should you need any. and with an eviction notice hanging over your neck like a guillotine's blade, he was a godsend. a godsend you'd snatched up the minute you found him, desperate to find a new place to stay before the end of the week.

his name is amaryllis. he's polite and accommodating, mostly quiet, and he's an artist. his hair is dyed a brilliant, fiery scarlet. when you questioned such a bold color, he offered you a tiny, nearly bashful smile and said, "everyone has a specific vision of what an artist should look like. i want to embody the kind of artist who is strange, but not quite strange enough to be ridiculed. more like...a strangeness that can be charming if looked at the right way. that, and the color matches the flower i'm named after."

he's so sweet and clearly passionate about his profession as a painter. in fact, it's how he makes a living. he's mostly housebound, so he paints all manner of artworks and sells them to the local museum in town. they proudly display his work in pretty frames with even prettier placards. amaryllis was humble in his explanation, but you think it's a very impressive talent of his. he should brag about it more often. when told that, he chuckled and shook his head. boasting, according to him, is not an appealing facet of humanity. you stuck your tongue out at him in reply: "if you have skill, show it off. why hide?"

why hide indeed?

you work at a tea shop in town. in the summer, it's bustling with activity. tourism keeps the island afloat, and so you're never spared the stress of a midday rush. although amaryllis insisted you needn't work so hard to pay rent, you argued that you'd feel like a leech if you didn't. so in the mornings and late into the afternoons, you make deliveries for the shop and work behind the counter. it keeps you active, and it's enough to provide you with rent and grocery money for amaryllis. sometimes your boss permits you to bring home some of the imported tea. you share it with amaryllis; he's fond of bittersweet, herbal blends.

amaryllis never paints the same thing twice. landscapes must have notable differences, even if he's only ever peered out his window to paint the slivers of the sea he sees between the plum trees. it's harsh criteria, but you suppose many artists are similar when it comes to the tribulations of creation. he paints the most delicious-looking still lifes. plums show up in a lot of these—the only similarity you'll ever find between his paintings. you asked him about it, ever the curious one, and he offered a thin smile and a cryptic answer: "plum blossoms symbolize hope. in a world where we're always racing against an invisible clock, i want to have hope. and what better fruit to symbolize that than plums? they're delicious and nutritious and, better yet, fun to paint."

you sat beside him, admiring the splotches of green giving way to an azure sky on what was once a pristine canvas. plum blossoms bristle in an unfelt breeze. amaryllis shudders through a brutal coughing fit. he does that a lot.

amaryllis owns a motorbike. it was a gift from a friend who sent it to him when he bemoaned not having the capabilities to see one firsthand so that he could try his hand at sketching it. your jaw had dropped when he wheeled it out of the cellar onto the grass, huffing and trembling like a fawn on unsteady legs. the unveiling was grand, even if it was just you and him at the peak of a hill, surrounded by plum trees and swaying bottles. it's a sleek, purple vehicle that looks practically new despite being aged by years.

"and," amaryllis says, puffing his chest out after catching his breath, clutching the tarp close, "purple like a plum."

"i'm starting to think you're fond of plums."

"they're my lifeline."

"you say the strangest things."

"like a true artist! see? now you understand the appeal of the weird, don't you?"

you open your mouth, shut it, and then snort. before you can stop yourself, you're laughing. under the shadowed shade of the plum trees, amaryllis smiles wistfully.

"i have no need for it. i'm also not very good at painting vehicles, so it's yours to use. now you won't have to pay bus fare."

"or walk the twenty minutes to the stop," you add, grinning.

"that, too."

wind rustles through the grass. it tugs on your clothes, bringing with it fleeting scents of summer sea salt. you intend to say it first, but he beats you to it.

"thank you."

"what for?" odd. you should be the one saying that.

"for being here. it's nice to have a friend in all of this isolation." he turns his glacial gaze seaward. "perhaps i'm burdening you, but i just didn't want the house to be cold and empty when i..." he hums, contemplative, and corrects himself. "i wanted to know what it felt like to surround myself with company who cares. they told me i had five years and that i'd be lucky to know even one of those... but it's been two and so far i'm really grateful for my luck. if it wasn't for that and plums, i never would have met you."

at first, the meaning leapt over your head like a horse over a vertical. you almost replied with, "and if it wasn't for my eviction notice, i never would have searched for a housemate," but then it hit you. and it hit.

it hit hard.

"oh. oh, amaryllis..."

his eyes showcase stories his lips don't dare speak. frigid and sharp as ice one moment, and the next they're weak and watery. he disguises his sniffle in a poorly feigned cough.

"i spent the first year wallowing in pity and hatred. the world is the worst, but then so am i. i thought things like that. i wanted good health. i wanted to walk and run long distances. i wanted to leave this island and travel to a big city. i wanted to ride a motorbike and feel the wind grabbing at my clothes and hair. most of all, i wanted more time. i never know how to use it correctly, and i was always getting lost in my drawings so that i could ignore it. but when the sun sets i'm reminded i'm losing days." he scuffs his slipper against the grass and forces a laugh. "i guess i grew out of the bitterness. it's easier to swallow a plum-flavored pill than it is to try choking down mean sentiments. i think that now."

"i... i'm sorry."

as soon as it leaves your lips, you feel overwhelmingly stupid. you have a million things to say to him, and yet none of them can be properly phrased.

"there's nothing to be sorry for. it's not your fault."

"but..."

"it's not so sad anymore, so please don't fret." he gestures to the bottles swinging on the branches, each clink an echo of something forlorn. "i put these up to keep death away. i can't outrun him, but i can scare him off with loud noises." this time, his smile is hopeful. "and if two years is enough proof, i think it's working."

you watch him in silence. how he can smile despite being crushed by the weight of time—by the unfairness of the world—you'll never understand. for a while, the two of you stand there and watch the bottles in the plum trees. blue, green, yellow, purple, brown, orange... they're in every shade imaginable. every shade except red.

when amaryllis recovers from his most recent coughing fit, his fingers are curled into fists. red, you realize, is not a color he's fond of, even if it's the color he's chosen to dye his hair. red is a color you can find in his palms, imprinted like a stain, a permanent reminder of incurable frailty.

the ride to work is made in a daze. you don't even realize you're thirty minutes late. funny how time works.

"if you could have anything in the world, regardless of how expensive or strange it might be, what would you choose?" amaryllis asks this one starry night. the two of you sit near the sea on a patchwork quilt, listening to the distant splish-splashing of fish in the sea. the moon casts a silver spotlight on a quiet, evening tea party.

teacup in hand, inhaling a flowery aroma, you consider his question. "i'm sure i have something in mind, but right now i'm drawing a blank."

amaryllis nods his understanding. "i would want more time." you try to soothe him with something better than an apology, but he's quick to add, "not to live! but to paint."

"aren't those essentially the same?"

"not quite. when i paint, i'm alive and well. things outside of that are stagnant and almost...dead. or should i say unfulfilling? loneliness is more painful than death itself. well, that's what i think."

"wouldn't you get bored after so much painting? what would you even paint with all of that extra time?"

having been moon-gazing for the entirety of that exchange, amaryllis turns to you. he smiles. "you."

"me?"

"there will never be enough time to truly capture all of you." he glances at the ground, his finger tracing swirls and loops in the sand. "your habits and mannerisms. your smile. the light in your eyes. the way you get so worked up when it's too humid. every part of you that's so you—i couldn't begin to attempt to portray all of it in so little time."

"then don't. i'd rather you spend your time doing something comfortable and less...stressful."

"it's never stressful painting you."

"you've been painting me?"

his smile falters. "i..." he clears his throat, suddenly awkward. "i have. yes. i... i'm sorry."

"hey, it's fine! no need to apologize just... why haven't you shown me? i'm flattered, you know."

"it's embarrassing and...strange."

you quirk an amused grin. "isn't strange what you want to be?" you lean in close and he jerks away so quickly it's comically cute. "a strange artist who can be charming if looked at properly. that's your ideal vision for an artist, right?"

"of course. but..." he sighs, his shoulders deflating. "i don't paint people often."

"but you painted me."

"you're an exception."

"does that mean i'm not a person? or...am i like a fruit or something inanimate?"

"maybe." his eyes shine with mischief. "maybe you're neither. maybe you're an angel."

"please." you roll your eyes, snorting around the rim of your teacup. "i'm not an angel. i'm just me."

"the beauty of art is that you can glamorize and romanticize the mundane. like doing laundry! it becomes far more appealing when it's put on a canvas." he's traced an inescapable maze of lines into the sand. you miss the next part, for it's spoken so softly. as if it's forbidden sin. "when i put you on my canvases, you're an angel. my angel."

under a velvety blanket of stars, you think you hear whispers in the wind. you shrug them off and down the rest of your lukewarm tea.

angels are not unknown to amaryllis. in fact, there's a room in the cellar, designed to be secretly accessible to those who know of it. he's named it "the angel room." for the first few years of his childhood, he was in perfect health. and during those treasured, bygone years, at a small primary school in the center of the island, he met his angel. you don't recall him now, for he was yanked from school in his third year, destined to be homeschooled for the rest of his slowly deteriorating youth, but he's remembered you. you left an impact as all angels often do.

rather than feathers and halos and white silks, you adorn yourself in things that are you. your smile. your eyes. your laughter. your kindness. these things cannot be bottled or replicated, nor can they be plucked from your back to ensure you'll never fly again.

a school portrait is framed in the angel room. the class is small, comprised of just eleven students, and of those eleven two faces are circled—yours and his. it's the only photo he has of you and him. the rest were taken by someone who was paid handsomely to travel the distances amaryllis can't reach to capture you on film. for the sake of creativity. for the sake of imprisoning the muse. for the sake of being strangely charming. a dying man's wish carries more weight when life's gifts are not guaranteed. subtle manipulation works best when weaved into a sob story. canvases line the walls. none of them are finished. they're all attempts to paint you perfectly. no matter how hard he tries, he can never get it right.

it's unfortunate and frustrating, but then he can't change it. the world has dealt him a cruel hand, but he can be crueler. he can be greedy and cling to the time he has left. he can be selfish and keep you in his reach, shackled by way of circumstance.

it's fate, or so he thinks when he recalls all the time spent in a lingering infatuation, hoping for a day in which he could meet you in person after so much time apart. sometimes the world gives him sorrow. this time it's given him an angel. for as long as he lives, amaryllis will keep this angel to himself.

time means everything when it's limited, but for today and tomorrow and the foreseeable future it's all he needs to feel some semblance of relief from the ever-encroaching unrest of the inevitable.

sometimes amaryllis catches himself thinking how much better it would be if he could take you with him. it's wrong and terrible, but then it would be fair.

he's never known fairness. he's never known romance. he's never known the joys of life. but with you, his angel, he knows it all and so much more. and for that he is forever thankful.

[siriannatan]

Band Practice Surprise - ScottfWhip

Warning, possible vague spoilers for Secret Life Gem and the Scotts and all the band talk woke up my band!au desires. And maybe this post by @vyeoh...

This was supposed to be a completely normal band meeting and practice. They'd talk about their upcoming gigs. Plan what they'd play. Talk about new songs. And then they'd practice for their next show in Gem's converted garage. Simple band stuff Scott was used to.

But there was a thing about Gem neither Scott nor Impulse - who technically knew her longer - knew. Her twin brother. They knew she had one. But have never met him. He was never home when they came over for band practice. Or never bothered to leave his room when Gem had her bandmates over.

Today was different. As Gem and Impulse argued over outfits while Scott idly strummed on his guitar HE appeared on top of the stairs. Practically taking Scott's breath away. And at all not like Jimmy or Martyn did.

Copper-ginger hair same as Gem's tied in a messy bun. Thick wire glasses resting low on his nose. Freckles… Scott absolutely never considered that he could have a thing for freckles but at the moment they were possibly even more distracting than tired blue eyes scanning the living room. "It's band day," he hummed and yawned as Scott tried to remember how to function as a human being. "Hi… I'll just grab a snack and I'm back to my nap," he coughed and yawned. Scott was so focused on his face that he missed the loose t-shirt and sweatpants he had on with what looked like tattoos peeking from under his sleeves.

"No need to be so awkward, fWhip. You're always welcome to join us," Gem rolled her eyes as her brother made his way - barefoot Scott couldn't help but notice.

"Yeah, nah, I'd rather have a nap," fWhip waved her off but neither of them seemed offended. Not that Scott could judge his brother… they did not get along well.

With fWhip in the kitchen, Gem returned to trying to get Impulse to dress a bit more cottage-core-y as it was their band aesthetic. Scott tried to listen to her but it was hard as he didn't have much to add. He himself didn't mind Impulse not matching him and Gem but she cared and she was in charge. To distract himself from fWhip thoughts - it seemed inappropriate to think about him in his house - he reached for his soda. Completely forgetting it was empty.

It was a rule pretty much from the first time they met like this, that they could grab anything from the kitchen. Gem would just replace it all later from the band budget. And it worked well. When it didn't mean Scott would be alone for any amount of time with fWhip.

But Scott kind of wanted a drink not as a just distraction. So with barely a mumble, he went to the kitchen.

fWhip was obviously still there. Waiting for the kettle to boil with a plate of sandwiches ready. Scrolling his phone but he looked up as Scott walked in for just a second before coming back to it. Understandable. Scott was Gem's friend, and fWhip seemed to have little interest in the band. So Scott grabbed his drink mumbling something about Gem saying it was okay and returned to the living room just as the kettle finished.

They soon moved to practicing their set for the next show. Passing fWhip on their way to the garage. Gem stayed behind to talk to him for a second as Scott and Impulse got ready.

The practice went really well. As a good bonus, as they were ready to leave fWhip came down with his plate and cup. And, even looked at Scott for a brief second. Scott would count that as a win. And was maybe still slightly angry Gem didn't warn him her brother was hot…

Once at home Scott as usual went through his pockets. He tossed his keys and any random change he had into a basket on some surface near his door. And he found a note. He didn't remember anyone putting anything into his pockets. And it was too plain to be from Gem. All her notepaper was cute with cats, puppies and flowers. Not plain grid paper likely torn from a bigger page.

And Gem wouldn't need to give him her number… Hoping for an explanation Scott turned it over and almost fell to the floor. 'Coffee? - fWhip' it said in neat tight handwriting. Scott wasted no time - hating to have fWhip think he was not interested - texting a 'sure thing' to the number. He really hoped he was trolled.

He was sure it was a genuine invite when he got a photo of a sleepy-looking fWhip among a pile of dark pillows back. Scott of course sent one back. Just to be fair. Before proposing when they could meet. He'd leave where to fWhip.

[queen-of-obsessing]

I wanna write my blorbos from my original wip but its 4 in the morning and I'm too lazy to drag out my computer so y'all getting it here...it's so out of context lol

tw for violence, PTSD, general depressing vibes

The nightmares were getting worse. Since arriving at the old cottage, James had struggled to sleep. Something about the peaceful silence of the woods only made his mind torment him more. Every night it was different. Das getting stabbed in the throat, Evelyn getting beheaded. Every night it was a new horror, memories of battles gone by contorted by fear.

But here in a comfy twin sized bed, with the bay window overlooking moonlit trees, and the tranquil buzzing of fireflies, a new nightmare awaited him.

This one wasn't particularly terrifying, at least  not at first. James was walking down the hallway of Evelyn's castle, a drink in hand, as he always did, on his way to find David somewhere in the maze of hallways. He wanted to tell him something, and searched for him in all the many rooms, until he came to his own.

By all rights it looked the same as it always did before he ended his engagement and left - same bed with the orange quilt, same curtains, and same full body mirror positioned by the closet.

It was in this mirror where he caught sight of himself, and it was enough to freeze his blood. His skin, artifically pale by powder, his lips tinted. The exhaustion and pain. It was him as a slave. He would know that face anywhere, but hardly recognized it as his own. It felt like a century ago since he was a slave to an evil queen, and the pallor of face powder was all he had known.

He tried to wash it off. He grabbed a washbasin and scrubbed furiously, a desperate attempt to cleanse himself of it. Bit it would not wash off. It was a tattoo, embeded into him. Her cruelty, a stain on his soul.

He woke up screaming.

David whipped his head from the window. He had been sitting there all night, watching James as he slept. He knew he shouldn't have, but he knew how hard it was for his friend to find rest. David knew it acutely because he couldn't either. The past haunted him, too.

So, when James awoke in a cold sweat, crying out with a pain that squeezed David's chest so tightly he feared it may it may explode, he already knew what happened, and rushed to his side.

"James?" He whispered, clutching his shoulder.

His friend was distraught, pale even in the  moonlight, reflecting the tears on his cheeks. "It was - I was -" he tried to explain, but couldn't. The panic was all consuming.

"I know, it's alright," David said, pulling his shaking form to himself. "You're okay." He stretched an arm across his chest, holding him to him, and resting his cheek atop his messy red hair. "I'm here."

James could still see his lifeless face in his mind's eye every time he shut his eyes, but against David's chest, hearing the steady sound of his heartbeat, the fear began to subside. "Is it still gone?" He whispered, gripping David's arm that was pressed across him.

David knew exactly what he meant, and reached for his wrist, lightly tracing the area where his slave number was once tattooed into his skin, before they asked Victor to medically remove it. "It's gone," he confirmed. "You're safe now. She's dead, remember?"

James shut his eyes once more, listening to the sound of his voice. He would know it anywhere, even if the world was ending, and he had lost all sense of sight or sound, he would still know it. Feel it as he felt it now, vibrating his chest and filling his bones. His lips on his hair, breathing slowly and steadily.

Despite David being his safe haven, as he always is, James still felt the need to explain himself. You can't just wake up in the middle of the night screaming and not explain. "It was another dream," he attempted, despite how his chest tightened at the thought of it. "I dreamt I was..."

"You don't need to explain," David said, firmly. "Don't force yourself to."

He lifted his head slightly. "But I woke you up-"

His friend shook his head. "Don't. I was already awake."

James glanced away, still tucked into his arms. He hated what he was going to ask but knew he had to. "Can you stay?" He hated how small his voice sounded, how desperate. He hated David knowing that the mere idea of him leaving his side made him irrationally angry, not after he rejected him just two weeks prior. But a lot can change in two weeks, and it had for him. He knew how he felt, he was just terrified to admit it, and even now asking him to stay, he was still terrified. But David being David, he somehow managed to wrap around his fear and stifle it so that all he felt was a calm peace. It had been that way from the start.

"Always," was all he said.

James was in awe of its simplicity.

[gritsandbrits]

Forgiveness Isn't Easy...

But Harumi takes the risk anyways.

Harumi rode in the passenger seat of Odette's Swan Driver as she rode them around the rural outskirts of Ninjago City. They were looking for a certain place, Odette mumbling in frustration as she fuddled with the complex GPS. She offered to go with Harumi, as the Ninja were busy with their duties&reconstruction efforts. In her mind she imagined the rest of them wanted anything to do with her. Not after the things she did.

After years of clinging on to anger and bitterness, Harumi discovered the real culprit behind her parents' deaths. It wasn't the ninja as she initially believed but the VERY entity who brought her back to life and promised her everything. Abandoning her revenge she ended up helping her enemies fight him off. Once the literal dust settled Harumi vowed to spend the rest of her life to make amends to all the people she hurt.

The first on her list: Hutchins' family.

Her old bodyguard mentioned having a wife and son one occasion. It was risky giving out too many details of his personal life, and Harumi never cared much.  "I guess we all had our secrets" Harumi mused sullenly. She needed him out of her way, he was getting suspicious and the last thing she wanted was an obstacle to her revenge. So she bombed the palace, killing him and her so-called "parents." A sob story to earn the Ninjas' sympathy so they'd accept her quicker. But after dying herself, spending time as the Overlord's errant girl, and learning the truth of that day, she realized she killed an innocent man. That same pain she felt, now his family had to experience it.

And it was all her fault.

"We're here," Odette replied quietly breaking Harumi from her thoughts. The ex princess saw that they were in a rural area dotted with cottages.

Odette spotted the house with the correct address. "There it is," she said as she parked the bird shaped vehicle a few yards away from the cottage. Harumi unlocked her seatbelt and was about to head out when Odette asked, "Are you sure you don't want me to go with you?"

Harumi shook her head. "No. This is something I gotta do alone."

Nodding, Harumi started to make her way up the gravel path. Clutching the strap of her messenger bag to calm her nerves. In other situations she would've had a trick up her sleeve. Or her trusty dagger. But not this time: just her and the apology on her tongue.

Once she got to the front door she paused unsure whether to go through with this. Would they shout and scream? Curse her name, or call the police? She knew Odette had her back - even after everything she put her through, the Yokai was still looking out for her, something she'd never openly admit her admiration for - but still the possibility frightened her. But with Hutchins' grave in her mind, she understood she had to do this. So with a deep inhale, she knocked timidly on the door.

She heard footsteps then the door unlocked and a woman's face peeked out.

Harumi coughed. "Excuse me but are you Mrs hutchins? I'd like to have a chat with you."

Mrs. Hutchins opened the door fully and they stared at each other. The widow graying brown hair were in a messy bun, and she wore gray mourning robes. When her red shrunken eyes fell on Harumi she grimaced.

"Why are you here?" Mrs. Hutchins asked.

"I'm here to say I'm sorry for-"

"Hmph! You didn't seem very sorry when you were standing beside Lord Garmadon laughing and grinning," snapped the widow.

Harumi flinched. That brought up another memory of her fatal overconfidence.

"I know what I've done and I'm sorry. But I'm not here to wallow in self pity or beg for your forgiveness."

Mrs. Hutchins replied chilly, "Then why are you here?"

Harumi took another deep breath and looked back at Odette, who was watching the whole scene. She smiled softly, which gave the teenager the courage to speak up.

"The reason I'm here is because I want you to know I will do everything I can to make sure no more families get hurt. I've lost mine yet I've been using that loss as a crutch.

"I wanted people to hurt as much as I did. I wanted someone to understand what I was goin through. I didn't care who got mixed up in my business," Harumi spoke calmly. She stopped, swallowed then continued with her speech. "In my hatred, I've done terrible things and I've hurt you. Your husband  tried to help me and i rejected that help."

At the mentioned of her fallen spouse Mrs Hutchins' lips wobbled in grief. Harumi lowered her eyes knowing she was the one behind her appearance. But the words still flowed out of her mouth.

"When I look back at it now, zi'm ashamed at the monster I've allowed myself to grow into, He didn't deserve to die."

Harumi's eyes stung as the widow's eyes bore into hers. "You didn't deserve that pain, and no amount of apologies will bring him back." As she finished she bowed as low as she could.

Part of the the old woman tempted her to slam the door in her face. But when she saw that there wasn't a hint of smug on her face, Mrs. Hutchins knew this girl was not playing. The anger ebbed away.

"Who's that at the door?" A young man, presumably Hutchins' son, asked as he came to his mother's side. He stopped when he glanced at their unexpected guest. Awaiting what's next Harumi stood back up. Her heart lurched at the man it was like looking at Hutchins again. But unlike the strict older man, the son was very cross.

"You little witch! How dare you step foot on put property!" He lashed out at her.

Mrs. Hutchins gasped. "Jin!"

"No your son is right," Harumi cut in quickly. "I was a witch for that. I took his father he has every right to be angry with me."

"You damn right I'm angry! How could you do such evil things? What did my dad ever do to you?!" Jin's voice trembled as if trying to hold back his own tears.

Harumi pursed her lips and bowed her head. What had Hutchins did to her besides trying to stop her before her anger got the better of her. She thought about the times he took her to the library.

Odette walked up to the porch having heard the commotion.

"I'm sorry to intrude on your Privacy Mrs. Hutchins but she isn't a threat anymore, Please just hear her out and we'll be on our way," pleaded the Pink Ninja.

Jin glared down at Harumi, she averted his eyes. "It's alright Odette. I still have one thing to say," said the blonde teen.

She slipped out an object from her bag and gave it to the widow. She took it carefully and unrolled the scroll. As she did her eyes and mouth widened with shock.

"On behalf of the royal family, the royal palace is now under the ownership of Lady Hutchins, and any related heirs," the woman announced.

"Hold on a sec," Jin exclaimed taking the scroll out of his mother's hand. He read it through and gaped. "You're giving us the palace?"

"I'm not a princess anymore I have no use for it," Harumi allowed herself to shrug, before continuing in a serious tone. "I know this won't make up for anything but I will make sure your family lives comfortably as long as I live."

Tears began to form in Mrs. Hutchins eyes. "Thank you this means so much to us," she said. "We've been trying to keep our house afloat and-"

"Everything is paid for. No rent, all of it is yours! Paid by my own hands," Harumi explained quickly. Seeing the relief on their faces filled her with an emotion she feared she could never feel again. She felt...prideful. Not the smug version she perfected in her quest for revenge. A different sort of pride. She couldn't explain it, but it was a damn good feeling.

"We'll think about it," Jin said still deeply hurt by everything. "Come on mom, let's talk over it."

As the family went back inside, Harumi and Odette walked towards the vehicle.

"Well that went better than I expected," Harumi exhaled, relieved that things didn't explode.

"Yeah I thought he was gonna tear your head off," Odette remarked. "Still I'm proud that you did it."

Harumi smiled softly. "Yeah. But I still feel so awful. If only I had listened, Hutchins would still be here."

"If he was I think he'd be proud of you too," replied Odette. "Even though I never met him."

"Heh, yeah I'd think the two of you would've gotten along," Harumi commented as she looked back at the house. Even though giving the palace wouldn't do much, she still wanted to help them. Maybe that could be it: no more tearing families apart. She'll work off her debts for them. For Hutchins. For her parents. For Ninjago. For herself.

Author Note: Odette is my OC for the show more content of her will be published. But in this au she is a human/Oni hybrid, a "yokai" who became the Pink Ninja and Lloyd's love interest following s10. I do have another AU where she is Harumi's decoy/handmaiden. Hutchins wasn't married in canon but I feel like giving him a family hammers down the point how Harumi's past actions hurts innocent people. I don't want her easily forgiven but actually WORK on her redemption, - with some help ofc. Plus I'm starting to practice writing canon characters and Harumi's redemption arc makes for a lot a fun.

++ the reason why Lloyd didn't go is I know he forgave her and all but i imagine him still keeping his distance. He won't forget what she did to him and it'll take a long time if ever for him to fully trust her. And Harumi would likely want to seek amends her way and not risk dragging Lloyd or anyone else into anymore of her mess!