#little late in the game to post this but it's fun

[captain-bubble-wrap]

Warnings | none

Word count | 5.1k

Summary | 6 years is a long time to go without talking to someone after they hung up on you. What do you do when that person messages you out of the blue?

Tagged cuties | @quinnsbabygirl @quinnhughesandqenthusiast @ruinix

- - -

"You just don't understand it, Quinn!"

"I don't? Really? Maybe you don't understand how it works! You don't own me, you know."

"I'm not trying to, but you keep playing with me!"

You were pacing around your dorm room, phone against your ear, deep in an argument with Quinn. He was less than four months into his rookie NHL season and you were starting another year at Michigan. Things had been rough between the two of you since he had left, but now it was so much worse. Talking to him was impossible, or rather, getting him to talk to you was impossible. He rarely texted your first, and if he did, it was to tell you that he was going on the road and just wouldn't want to be on his phone.

Trying to be in his life as much as he'd let you, you tried to watch as many games as you could while balancing class and work. Tonight, Vancouver had lost to the Lightning 9-2 in Tampa and you had just called to be there for him, and it had been a fight since he answered.

"Playing with you?" He scoffed. "You don't let me breathe, Y|N! You don't trust me! I can't do this anymore. I'm over it!"

You rolled your eyes, mouth open to interject just as soon as he was done. "Why would I trust you? You keep me shut out all the time! You have no idea how shitty you are in a relationship, Quinn. Go run around with the rest of your little fan club. Find one of them to screw around with! Don't call me--"

"Hadn't planned on it," Quinn said, interrupting you before ending the call.

That had been almost six years ago.

Quinn was enjoying some time off, down in Florida, around the holidays, trying to get over a hand injury that had been plaguing him for some time. It was late in the evening when he found himself alone in the hot tub, making sure he didn't drop his phone in the steaming water while he scrolled through his Instagram. He had connected with a girl based in Vancouver a few weeks ago and was about to DM her when something else caught his eye. Someone he hadn't thought about in years; someone he hadn't realized he was even still following.

The two of you had met in college; Quinn having enrolled the year prior. You were on the university's Equestrian Team, but it had been your shared Literature class that had brought you two together. You knew nothing about hockey, but Quinn had been more than willing to explain it to you, when you learned he was a star on the team. Everything had been so fun when you were together. However, that fun soon ran out when he left the States for Vancouver. Twenty-five hundred miles apart had been the biggest strain on your relationship, but the time difference, the unknowing, and the mistrust on your part had been the final nails in the coffin.

You had been nineteen, and he was twenty. Neither of you had any business in a long-distance relationship, let alone any kind of relationship built on a fast-paced attraction and no emotional foundation. However, you had taken everything he had done personally, as he had been only the second guy you had ever dated. You just didn't know what you were doing. That was something that you had realized much later in life, and you'd be lying if you hadn't wanted to reconnect with him, if just to apologize, but too much had happened, and you felt it was too late. His posts on Instagram still dinged in on your phone and you would view them when you were curious enough, but often times you'd just clear the notifications. Those days, between the two of you, had been so long ago, and you feared he didn't remember you anyways except for maybe a black spot in his memory.

Your hockey-watching days had come to and end when your relationship had bit the bullet, but you had heard from mutual friends, who remembered Quinn and who were avid sports watchers, that he had made some significant strides in his career with the Canucks. You were happy for him, sure, but the constant reminder of you having been with him had hurt too much and you wondered if it would just be easier to unfollow him. However, you never did. It wasn't like he posted that often, anyways.

It was nearing eleven in the evening outside St. Augustine, Florida. You were getting buckets ready for the morning's feedings when you phone pinged. Anytime your phone went off that late you always made sure to check it. Your parents always told you that calls after hours were never good news. Though, when you turned on the screen, you weren't expecting to see that notification.

Who had sent you a message? Did that say Quinn Hughes had sent you a message? The message read almost like spam, but the account was verified. So, if it was really him, then why? You hadn't spoken since the breakup. In fact, the last message had been from 2019...

Quinn Hughes: Hey, Y|N. I don't know if you even want to hear from me. I thought I might see how you were doing. I hope you're well. It would be nice to hear from you. (11:11pm)

You were in shock. Quinn, after all of these years, had actually reached out? Again, you wondered, why? He had all of these years and now, of all times? You thought on it for a minute, and the only conclusion you could come to was that he was looking for someone else and noticed you were still on his list. There was no other reason for him to notice you. Sure, your Insta account was active, you had a decent following, but you weren't being sought after by any professional athletes, by any means.

Quinn, on the other hand, while he waited for you to reply, if even at all, decided to return to your photos, and pick up where he had left off. He saw your two new horses, your sponsorship with Nikovian, the purchase of the barn in St. Augustine, but what stopped him from scrolling was the gold medal you had won at the Paris Olympics last summer. He remembered going to a couple of your shows back in college, but had no idea what was going on other than you were jumping things against a stopwatch. He found himself smiling at your picture without meaning to. He was taken aback by how much had changed since the two of you had been together. He couldn't get over the massive advancements to both of your lives: he was the captain of the Canucks, and you were a gold medal Olympian.

Twenty minutes you'd leave Quinn on read before you managed to figure out what you wanted to say to him. There had been so much you had wanted to say in the past that no longer carried the same weight as it did now.

Y|N: Well, yours was definitely the last name I expected to see flash up in my notifications. (11:35pm)

Quinn Hughes: I wasn't expecting to see yours either. I figured you had blocked me. (11:36pm)

Y|N: No, I never thought about blocking you. Deleting you, sure, but even then, I didn't do it. (11:40pm)

Quinn Hughes: Well, that's good. :) (11:42pm)

What was he doing? How were you supposed to respond to what he was saying -- how he was coming off? You wanted to be bubbly and excited to talk to Quinn, but considering that the last time that you talked to him had been when he had hung up on you, it was still hard to completely let that bit go. He seemed different, however, and how would he not be? It had been years; both of you surely had changed in big ways since that argument. The thing was, was that he had hurt you -- hurt you deeper than anyone else ever had. Not to mention he had never apologized. You knew you weren't blameless either. You hadn't reached out to him at any point in time to make amends, but you never disagreed that you weren't stubborn.

Y|N: Sorry-- I really don't know what to say. (11:45pm)

Quinn Hughes: It's alright. Honestly, the fact that you replied at all means a lot. :) (11:46pm)

You weren't oblivious, you could tell how quickly he responded to you -- the eagerness. You wondered if he was laying in bed, just watching his phone for your reply, wondering if you were doing the same. There were still horse chores to be done but every time that Instagram notification went off, you checked your phone. You felt like that little nineteen-year-old again which scared you slightly.

Quinn Hughes: Hey, I just noticed the time, I'm sorry if I'm keeping you up. (11:48pm)

Y|N: Just getting feed buckets ready for the morning, you're fine. (11:55pm)

Quinn Hughes: You're still working? It's midnight! :0 (11:58pm)

Y|N: I have almost 20 horses boarded here, so it keeps me busy. I don't always work this late but my lessons ran long this afternoon. (12:01am)

You found yourself in the tack room, laying on your back on the leather sofa. There was no denying that you were tired, but Quinn had you curious -- too curious to just end the conversation and go to bed.

Quinn Hughes: Wow, 20!? That's incredible! Knowing you, I'm sure the place looks like a magazine. ;) (12:02am)

Y|N, Ha, you're not wrong. I'd say you're welcome to come visit, but Vancouver is a bit of a trip. (12:03am)

Deciding to take a risk with the open door invitation, you noticed how fast your heart had started to beat. The instant regret ramped up when the notification that Quinn was typing -- making you quickly turn off your phone's screen to avoid him getting the "read" alert as soon as it delivered.

Quinn Hughes: I'm actually not too far away. Spending a little more time down home while I deal with something. (12:03am)

Y|N: Are you alright? (12:04am)

You couldn't help yourself feeling some sort of way about him, or about asking if he was okay given how he had worded his last statement. Self-control was becoming a slippery slope.

Quinn Hughes: Yeah, for the most part. Just a tendon issue. (12:05am)

Y|N: "Just" a tendon issue? (12:05am)

Quinn Hughes: Haha, fair point. I'm listed week-to-week at the moment. It's been bothering me for some time, but lately it's gotten worse. Just trying to give me some down time to get right before the 4 Nations in February. (12:07am)

Y|N: Hockey players with hand issues doesn't sound ideal! (12:08am)

Quinn Hughes: I would assume like a horse with a foot problem, lol. ;) What's the phrase you always said? (12:10am)

Y|N: No hoof, no horse? (12:10am)

Quinn Hughes: Yeah, lol. (12:10am)

You couldn't contain your smiles. How had him remembering the stupidest little thing bring a wave of emotion over you? Falling into a spiral of what-ifs, Quinn would double-text you which would snap you out of your delusional headspace.

Quinn Hughes: Would you really want to meet up? It's been a long time. Not sure if you were being serious or just said that to be nice. (12:18am)

It had now been over an hour since Quinn had messaged you for the first time in years, but it had felt like just ten minutes had passed -- somehow those six years felt like it had only been a week ago. The Quinn Hughes whirlwind was insane.

Y|N: Yeah, I meant what I said. If you want to come by, I'd love to show you around. (12:19am)

How long had it been since you used the word "love" and "you" in the same message sent to Quinn? It felt both foreign and familiar -- the warning lights were flashing behind your eyes, but the alarms were muted.

Quinn Hughes: Are you busy tomorrow? (12:21am)

Y|N: Tomorrow as in this morning, or actually tomorrow-tomorrow? (12:21am)

Quinn Hughes: Oh, lmao, right! ;) Tomorrow as in this morning. (12:22am)

Y|N: I'm always "busy" but I can make time for you. (12:23am)

Your throat tightened after hitting send on that message. You wanted to kick yourself in the ass for coming off like there wasn't any bad blood between you. Not that it was anything terrible, and you had grown since that moment, but that didn't mean you were still hopeful to talk to him about it -- clear the air.

Quinn Hughes: What time works for you? (12:23am)

Y|N: Whenever, really. I'll be here all day. (12:24am)

Quinn Hughes: Alright, well, I'll let you get your stuff done and I'll get with you in the morning for directions? :) (12:26am)

Y|N: Work for me~ (12:26am)

Quinn Hughes: Have a good night. :) It was nice to talk to you. (12:28am)

Y|N: You too, Quinn~ <3 (12:28)

By the end of the conversation, you felt like you were floating above the cushions of the sofa. Had you really made plans to see Quinn in the morning? For a fleeting second you wondered what the hell was wrong with you. You wondered what morning-you was going to think about your decision...

- - -

Sunrise had come too early. Your late-night chat with Quinn, and feed-prep had cut into your sleep, and you could feel the repercussions that morning. Regardless of how you felt, you had a job to do and a guest due in in a few hours. Hopefully that wouldn't turn into a mistake.

Just like he had said, Quinn texted you for the directions, at a much more reasonable time than he had yesterday.

Quinn Hughes: Morning. :) (8:04am)

Y|N: It's definitely morning, yep. (8:15am)

Quinn Hughes: Did I wake you up? (8:17am)

Y|N: No, I've been up since 5:30... (8:21am)

Quinn Hughes: I shouldn't have keep messaging you last night. I'm sorry. (8:23am)

"You'll apologize about that...really?" You thought to yourself.

Y|N: You're good. I could have just stopped messaging~ (8:24am)

Quinn Hughes: Fair point! (8:29am)

Y|N: Before I get too busy, here's the directions and the passcode for the gate. (8:31am)

Quinn Hughes: Gated, huh? LOL Thanks, I'll see you in a couple hours then. (8:36am)

Y|N: Be careful (8:39am)

Quinn Hughes: :) (8:40am)

- - -

Those two hours had come a lot quicker than you thought they would have. No sooner had you DM'd Quinn for the last time, your first lesson of the day arrived, and they were late. They were supposed to have been there at nine, but hadn't show up till closer to ten. Thankfully, it wouldn't affect your afternoon timeslots, but it was going to put you still teaching when Quinn arrived. Just one of those things that couldn't be avoided.

After imputing the code into the terminal, Quinn drove up the long, shaded lane until the property opened up to him. It was expansive, with numerous green pastures, white rolling fences, and several outlying buildings. Everything was perfectly manicured and matched from one side of the property to the other. Every building was the same shade of paint, the same style of doors, and even the landscaping. It was like a real-life drag-and-drop tool had been used. He had been right: it was straight out of a magazine.

Unsure of where to park --as he hadn't thought to ask about it-- Quinn pulled up to the house and got out. He was met with something that took him back several years: the sweet smell of fresh alfalfa, and the indescribable smell of horses. It was your place, for sure.

With hands in the pockets of his joggers, Quinn decided to wander towards the larger of the barns he could see on the property. Horses in the outside turnouts knickered and trotted up to meet him along the fences as he went past. They made him smile as he petted the noses of the ones who had been curious enough to see if he had any treats or not.

"Do you have a lesson?" Asked a little voice, pulling him from the moment with the animal. She couldn't have been much older than ten and looked at him with narrowed eyes, her hands on her hips.

"I, uh...no, I don't," Quinn replied, not sure how to approach the situation, resigning his hands back to his pockets as the horse nudged his shoulder.

"Well, you shouldn't pet horses that aren't yours! You don't know how to do it right! You'll get bit!"

"Emily, that's rude. You need to apologize," said the girl's father, deeply embarrassed by his daughter's outburst. "I'm so sorry about that."

Quinn laughed softly, "It's alright. Hey, actually could you tell me where Y|N might be?"

The little girl continued to side-eye Quinn harshly. "Are you her boyfriend or something?"

"Emily," the father said, unable to refrain from rolling his eyes at his daughter's possessive attitude. "Drop it, please."

Smirking, Quinn looked down at the grass for a moment before returning them to her disapproving features, "I used to be."

"You better not have been mean to her. I'll beat you up! Miss Y|N is the best!" She balled her right hand into a tiny fist before her father took her by the arm.

"That's enough! You do not threaten anyone for any reason. Do you understand me?"

"But--"

"Do you-- understand me?"

She gave a silent nod, still eyeing Quinn suspiciously while her father confessed his deepest apologies to him, expressing that he wasn't sure what had gotten into his daughter.

"This is a first. Please, forgive us. Um, I'm sure Y|N is still in the upper arena. Just follow that path there, and you can't miss it. Again, I'm very sorry about all of this."

Quinn had to contain his want to laugh, as the father and daughter returned to their SUV, the child looking over her shoulder at Quinn one more time. If looks could have killed... With the vague directions, he followed the paved, concrete path to the east and towards a very large building. He had to decide which door to take, and hope it would be the right one and not one that would put him face to face with a twelve-hundred-pound animal that wasn't expecting him to be there. Thankfully, he had guessed the correct one, and it would open up into a posh viewing area behind glass with numerous matching leather armchairs. Quinn thought to himself about how grand this whole property was and that he wondered if he should have dressed a little nicer.

The other people in the seating area gave him similar looks like the little girl from earlier. He, however, found himself locked onto you as you rode around the arena with the girl involved in the lesson. You looked like you had in your Instagram photos, but nothing had prepared him for how you looked in person. He couldn't even remember the last time he had been next to you, but there you were. His smile deepened when you came closer to the glass, but you didn't notice him. Quinn assumed it had two-way effect which allowed parents to see their kids, but the rider or the horse would be none the wiser to the distractions on the other side.

"Do you need help with anything?" Questioned one of the women in the room once Quinn sat down. "You don't look like anyone we've seen here before. How did you get in?" Her tone was of fake interest and niceness as was her smile.

"Just waiting on Y|N," he said softly, returning his attention to you. "I have the code for the front gate." He would miss the woman looking down her nose at his two-day scruff, wild curls protruding from his hat, and the relaxed look of his clothes. He didn't fit the aesthetic of the holier-than-thou equestrian elite and he didn't care. He was there for you and that was it.

The woman and her friend would leave before the lesson had come to an end, finally letting Quinn breath a sigh of deep relief. It was like the whole room had warmed ten degrees and the air didn't feel as heavy.

Eventually both horses exited the arena, leaving Quinn unsure of what to do now. He grabbed his phone and shot you a DM, hoping you would be around your phone before too long.

Quinn Hughes: Hey, I'm here. I'm in some kind of sitting room in the arena. In case a certain blonde tells you I'm here, I'm not looking to rob the place. :( (11:04am)

It would be fifteen minutes before you saw his message.

"Oh shit!" You muttered to yourself, checking your phone after getting the lesson horse returned to its stall. Without replying, you'd rush off towards the large building, stopping to collect yourself before you opened the doors.

"Hey--," you said, seeing him turn to face you. "I'm sorry you had to wait on me."

He stood up, already with a smile on his full lips. You didn't really expect him to look a certain way; you hadn't stalked his account like he had yours. You just hadn't had the time that morning to prepare yourself, but you weren't disappointed. His style was a stark contrast against your polished riding clothes, but you didn't care. He looked so comfortable and you were jealous. There was nothing comfortable about English riding gear. Everything was tight against the skin, restrictive, and painfully hot in the Florida heat.

"It's alright, I knew you were busy. You look--," he stumbled over his words. "It's great to see you."

Unable to keep yourself from smiling, you returned the warm greeting, "It's been a minute."

- - -

"Do you still have Tater?" Quinn asked as the two of you walked slowly through the stable.

You hadn't expected him to remember, "Oh! Tater Tot? Yeah, I still have him! I think he's turned out right now. C'mon, let's see if he's out here."

Leading Quinn through one of the side doors, he'd linger behind you for a moment before returning to your side. He couldn't help admiring the view, but didn't want to come off like a creep. It was hard for him to come to terms that all of this was actually happening.

"I'm shocked you remember Tater," you added, leaning against the white fence rails after whistling for the horse's attention. It wouldn't take long for the bay horse to come trotting from the back corner of the turnout.

Quinn laughed softly to himself, "Hard to forget being bitten."

"Oh, pfft, he got more of your hoodie than actually of you! I told you not to put those treats in your pocket."

"I didn't want to hold them, though," he smirked, reliving the full memory in vivid detail. "Think he'll remember me?"

"They don't forget, just hold out your hand."

Quinn gave you a look of disapproval before it melted to a shit-eating grin, "I'm dealing with enough hand issues at the moment."

"He's not going to bite you!"

Tater stopped just short of you, obviously looking for a reward for having been pulled away from his grazing. He towered over the both of you, and Quinn seemed reluctant to approach given his past with the animal.

"You said that the first time, too!"

Looking over, you'd laugh, because Quinn looked like a little kid scared to get any closer for fear of being eaten. You'd back off the rails and take him by the arm. The eye contact between the both of you, following the physical contact, left you both blushing. Quinn would extend his arm out on his own, but your hand wouldn't drop away from his body till the horse moved forward. You should have been enjoying the sweet moment, but all you were doing was internally chiding yourself for having been so upfront and touchy. He didn't seem bothered by anything, but you were for the both of you.

Once the horse was dissatisfied that he wasn't getting anything extra, he turned away and left Quinn and yourself alone in the awkwardness.

"See, I told you that you'd fine," you forced yourself to say, watching Tater walk away instead of making eye contact with Quinn for the time being.

He chuckled, putting his hands back in his pockets, "How long do you have until your next lesson?"

You'd have to look at your phone for the time. How had nearly two hours gone by already? "Oh shoot, um-- looks like I have a half-an-hour."

"That flew, huh?"

"Yeah..."

Quinn paused for a moment, trying to find the right thing to say, "Well, thanks for letting me come by. It was great to see you, Y|N."

"Are you leaving?" You were shocked to hear him saying his goodbyes so soon. "Did I say something wrong?"

"What? No, no! I just thought you'd want me out of your hair so you could get to work."

You looked away, feeling torn between two options, "You're welcome to hang around, Quinn, unless you have other places to be."

"Are you sure? I don't want to be in your way."

Shaking your head, you'd reassure him that you didn't mind if he hung around. He was welcome to stay out in the barn, the house, or just wander the grounds. He seemed happy to be told that he didn't need to turn around and head back to the lake house so quickly. Honestly, you didn't want to him leave so soon either -- not since this was the first time you had seen him in nearly six years. However, you couldn't let yourself be too excited. You still needed to talk to him.

- - -

The rest of the day seemed to fly by. Your afternoon lessons had been on time and went off without a hitch, and after the way the morning had gone, you were thankful. Quinn, funny enough, had spent the majority of your teaching time in your living room, asleep on the couch. You were so envious of the fact that he got a nap, considering it had been his late-night messages that had kept you from getting much sleep at all. Again, five a.m. had come quickly for you. Regardless, you knew you'd feel better with him driving home if he was rested.

Your two stable hands were helping you with feedings, when your phone buzzed in your pocket.

Quinn Hughes: Do you need help with anything? I feel weird just...hanging out in your house. (4:43pm)

Y|N: We're just finishing up, you're good, but thanks. Help yourself to whatever. I shouldn't be too long. (4:45pm)

Quinn Hughes: Are you sure? (4:46pm)

Y|N: Just don't drink all of my cherry wine in the fridge! LOL (4:50pm)

Quinn Hughes: Dammit! I'll just sit here then (4:51pm)

Y|N: If you're that desperate, you can come feed your buddy Tater. (4:55pm)

Quinn Hughes: I'm good! Like I said, I've already got one bad hand! (4:55pm)

Y|N: Suit yourself! ;) (5:01pm)

Another half hour would pass before you finally dragged yourself back to the house. Quinn was still where you had left him: on the sofa, but now the television was on, and tuned to the NHLN channel. (Go figure.) You thought to yourself.

"All done?" He asked as you planted yourself on the bench by the front door. It felt so good to sit down on something other than a saddle, because your back was killing you. The sigh that escaped your lips non-verbally expressed how tired you were; even a blind man could sense it, despite your head falling back against the wall.

"Finally," you breathed out.

Quinn frowned though you wouldn't see it. It pained him to see you so exhausted just sitting there. "Are all of your days like this?"

You'd pull yourself off the wall to finally look at him as you struggled to remove your riding boots. "Pretty much. Normally, I have a little more sleep."

It wasn't your intention to punch him in the gut like you did, but he remembered the early morning conversation that had kept you from your bed. "That's my fault, sorry."

"Oh, you're fine! It happens! I told you I could have just stopped replying."

"Yeah, but--"

Your second boot would hit the floor with a thud, almost interrupting him. You could tell your feet were going to swell... "Maybe I'll sleep in in the morning, ha!"

Quinn didn't know how to respond to your sarcasm and opted to just remain quiet.

"Don't feel bad about it, honest. It happens."

"I feel like I should get out of here so you can get an early night. Maybe we could get lunch tomorrow or something?"

You glazed over his wishes of leaving early to focus on his want to come back tomorrow. "You want to drive back down tomorrow?"

He looked like a deer-in-the-headlights, "I invited myself over again, didn't I?"

"No, it wasn't that! I'm just-- shocked, that you'd want...to make the drive again."

"It's just a couple hours."

"One way," you stressed.

"It's no big deal."

His smile took your breath away, prompting your heart to run away with your words, "Why don't you just stay if you're planning to come out tomorrow, too? If-- you want that is." You prayed he didn't see your blushing cheeks through the Golden Hour sun streaming through the living room's large windows.

"Oh, I couldn't--"

"There are plenty of rooms. It's not like you'd be putting me out. But, you do what you want." You dragged yourself to your feet and shuffled past him through the living room. The words you had picked made you feel like you were trying to gaslight him into saying. Best to physically leave that conversation for a glass of wine in the kitchen. However, you wouldn't be alone for long.

Leaning against the doorframe, Quinn had followed behind you. "You're sure?"

"I'd feel bad if you fell asleep driving..."

Thankfully his nervous laughter broke whatever tension was starting to form, "Yeah, I don't want that. Thanks."

"No problem," you replied, your back to him as you grabbed a glass. "Are you as hungry as I am?"

"Starving!"

"

[liwinly]

( ౨ৎ ) ──────── UP!

MELODiES AND MEMORiES ── prompt 12 / / ni-ki x fem!reader .:. g. fluff , bestfriends to lovers ..: w. skinship ( hand holding , hugging ) 𓂃 wc. ~ 1000 ;. lily's note. made this for mei or @miukidoll <3 (I told you it's nothing scary) hope you like it 🫶 btw I'll try to post chapter 1 of fooled hearts next week!!!

It was a usual Saturday afternoon. You were sitting on the grassy field at the park, waiting for Ni-ki. It was a thing you two always did, hanging out and having fun. Ni-ki, your best friend since you could remember, had promised to meet you after he finished his practice session for his school soccer team. He always had a smile that made everything feel better, and even though you had known him for so long, it always made your heart skip when you saw him.

You looked at your phone, tapping your foot impatiently. He was taking forever today, and you just wanted to have fun with him. That was the thing with Ni-ki—he could always make even the simplest things fun, and today, you had a new idea for something to do. You’d been thinking a lot about it, and it made your cheeks turn red just imagining it. But you didn’t want to mess up what you had with him. What if he didn’t feel the same way?

A sudden voice broke your thoughts.

“Y/N! Sorry I’m late!” Ni-ki called out as he jogged over, waving his hand.

You smiled at him, your worries melting away the moment his eyes met yours. “It’s okay, you’re not that late,” you said, though you knew you were lying. You were just glad to see him.

“Good. So what are we doing today?” Ni-ki asked, plopping down next to you. He sat so close, his shoulder brushing against yours. You didn’t mind, though. You actually kind of liked it.

“Well, I thought we could play that silly game you like,” you said, referring to the one where you two would make up random rules and try not to laugh.

Ni-ki grinned. “I’m in!” He slapped your back playfully, and the impact made you giggle. “But first, I need a snack.”

You laughed and pulled out a bag of chips you had been snacking on earlier. “Here, I brought these.”

Ni-ki took the bag with a grin. “You always think ahead, huh?” he said, popping a chip into his mouth.

You shrugged. “I know you too well.”

For a moment, the two of you just sat there, eating chips and chatting about random things. The wind picked up, and the sun was starting to set, casting a warm, orange glow over everything. You both sat back and just enjoyed the moment, your bodies leaning against the tree that was shading you. Ni-ki’s presence was always calming, like everything was right when he was around. But today, you couldn’t help but feel something more when he laughed or smiled at you. It felt like there was more than just friendship between you two. But you didn’t know if you should tell him.

The game you played together was always goofy. It was just a way for you two to laugh and forget about everything else. Ni-ki was always full of energy, even when he was tired from soccer practice. It didn’t matter how many people were around or how embarrassing it got, Ni-ki would always be willing to make a fool of himself for your sake.

As you were trying not to laugh at his ridiculous dance moves, Ni-ki suddenly grabbed your hand.

“Hey, no laughing at me!” he said, his face serious but the spark in his eyes showing he was joking.

You stared at his hand in yours. It was warm, his fingers wrapped around yours in a way that felt...different. Your heart started to beat a little faster, and you wondered if maybe he felt it too.

“Ni-ki…” you whispered, your voice coming out a little quieter than usual.

He looked at you, his expression softening. “What’s wrong, Y/N?”

You didn’t know why you were so nervous. You had always been close, always known each other inside and out. So why did this moment feel so different? You glanced at your intertwined fingers and then back up at his face.

“I don’t know... I just... I don’t know what’s happening,” you stammered. Your face turned red as you realized how silly you sounded.

Ni-ki chuckled softly, his eyes sparkling. “You’re acting weird,” he said. “It’s okay. I’m here.”

You didn’t know what to say next, but it felt like everything in the air had shifted. Ni-ki leaned his shoulder against yours, a gentle touch that made your skin tingle.

“You know,” he started, his voice quieter now. “I like hanging out with you, Y/N. Like, really like it.”

Your breath caught in your throat. “I like it too…”

Ni-ki looked at you then, his gaze intense but kind. “I mean, like, a lot. More than just friends. You’re always so cheerful and fun, and I don’t know... it makes me feel like I can be myself. Like... it’s different when I’m with you.”

You felt your cheeks grow even warmer. “Me too, Ni-ki. I feel like... I feel like I can tell you anything. You make me feel happy.”

A small smile tugged at the corner of his lips, and before you could say anything else, he suddenly pulled you into a hug. It wasn’t anything crazy—just a simple, warm hug—but it made your heart race like crazy.

“You make me happy too,” he whispered into your hair.

You stood there, your heart beating loudly in your chest as you hugged him back. His arms felt strong and comforting around you, and for a moment, you didn’t care about anything else. The world could have been falling apart, and you would’ve still been okay as long as he was holding you.

Finally, after what felt like forever, Ni-ki pulled back, his hands still resting on your shoulders. He smiled at you again, and this time, it felt like the smile you had always been waiting for.

“Y/N, I think... I think I like you more than just a friend,” he said, his voice soft and unsure but sincere.

Your heart fluttered. "I like you too, Ni-ki," you said, your voice barely a whisper.

Ni-ki grinned. "So, are we finally on the same page?"

You nodded, smiling so wide your cheeks hurt. "I think we are."

As you sat back down, still holding his hand, you knew this was just the beginning of something new. No more wondering, no more holding back — just the two of you, rising up together.

── .✦ @woniefication @sugarikiz @slayyuna @amoressb @irasvr @miukidoll

[vaguely-concerned]

there's something so incredibly sweet about how many times davrin notes in his journal that talking to rook helped him with something. he keeps bringing them out to touch grass and gaze at nugs out in the woods with him which I think must be very good for them, and their company clearly helps him work through and get more clarity on things he's been stuck on emotionally. it's just kind of lovely and a great little nuance in that relationship.

[lulu-draws-stuff]

Happy birthday psychonauts 2 !!

[pyrosomatic-metamorphosis]

i love it when bad is very specifically a good roleplayer by giving other people good prompts. like casually bringing up wilbur now to tallulah. or when he put missa in the petting zoo. or all those times he Tormented the Lesbians so they could protect each other from him. its just so !!!! I love watching roleplayers be considerate of other roleplayers and gleefully hand over something they Know the other person's character can react to. i've seen cellbit do it, too (that time he handed his knife to bbh. oh my god). it's not a rare thing, and it's possible to be a good roleplayer without keeping that sort of considerate back and forth in mind, but its one of my favourite things to notice. foolish does it too, sometimes- i haven't watched him much, but i did take note of when he Made Sure to bring jaiden along with him on a cucurucho quest. and basically every interaction he had with bad when the eggs were missing. its just so so good

[mossy-paws]

Art dump (PHIGHTING)

Starting strong with this. Thing that a friend requested I saw, do I have regrets? No. Will it forever haunt me because apparently she has a shrine that she will not tell me about? Yes (ROSA I SWEAR TO GOD PLEAAAAaaaaSE WHAT IS THE SHRINE)

ANNND these things! These were style experience at and I honestly had a lot of fun with them LMAO, I was wanting to play with a more anime/manga-esc art style and it was pretty much so win :3

There’s also sword, this may or may not be a draft for mermaid au sword idk just maybe

(It was for a Twitter thing by the way! Just a small simple doodle I did for fun)

[tiniest-hands-in-all-the-land]

Just some friends going on an adventure :)

[monty-glasses-roxy]

I want to send Monty a collection of sunglasses in various colors and shapes. Let him have a bit of variety.

For the second time today, you dig through your backpack for a gift to give. What will this one be? You hope it’s a good one like the last pair. After what feels like an age, your paw lands on something. You eagerly pull it from the backpack to give it a good look over and read the tag. It was a present wrapped in green polka dotted paper, a sticker on one side of the ambiguous shape with the name Montgomery Gator written on it, the whole thing decorated in stickers. You check your database for the animatronic in question and start to make your way up the steps in front of the daycare, towards the security door you hoped would lead directly to the atrium.

The door opened without question for you and you stepped right through, once again wondering when you were going to run into the security around here. You always do eventually… or at least you always do when the location has security to run into. You shake off the thought as you take in the atrium for the first time from the walkways.

This place is huge! You can’t help but gawk at all the lights and colours in awe. There was just so much to look at, you struggled to find a place to start!

Strangely enough, you end up starting at the scaffolding and white covers over the attraction at the opposite corner to where you’re standing. What’s that about? Fazerblast next door and Bonnie Bowl next door but upstairs looked fine though. Your curiosity almost got the better of you but you shook yourself out of the desire to explore over there for now. You turn your gaze determinedly towards the attraction directly to your left, all green and full of fake plants of the jungle variety. Do alligators live in jungles? You’re not so sure… but then again, Fazerblast is clearly themed on space and bears aren’t aliens so you wouldn’t be too surprised if Fazbear got it wrong.

Or at least… you’re pretty sure that bears aren’t aliens. They’re not aliens… Are they?

It takes you more effort than you’d care to admit to break out of that train of thought and get back on track. You have a job to do! You can’t keep getting distracted!

With that in mind, you march onwards towards Gator Golf.

Eyeing the golf ball ride as you pass, you continue on until you find yourself standing in the attraction itself. There was even more fake foliage in here, with mini golf greens marking a path throughout the place and an alligator ride still chugging along far overhead. How in the world are you going to find Monty in here?

You wander along the path of greens, passed holes and bunkers and mechanical alligator heads jumping out of the water, passed the huge stage, around the game hazards and under the giant bucket. It takes you a while before you finally spot him. At first, you thought it was just another cool prop, but as you drew closer, you realised that the green and red thing in the water was the real thing.

And that you’d walked passed him at least three times.

He was just floating there. Belly down and snout just above the water line, his tail acting like an anchor. With the star shaped glasses on his face, you couldn’t tell if he was watching you or not.

You whistle to draw his attention but he doesn’t respond. He just carries on floating. You whistle a little louder, but still no response. You try once more, as loud as you possibly can, and still nothing. Maybe he lacks audio sensors? He wouldn’t be the only one after all…

Leaning in closer, you wave at him instead, hoping his eyes are open under those glasses. You lean over the barrier some more as he seems to drift lazily towards you with the water current. Your frantic waving has no effect. You keep trying, wondering if you could drop something on his head to get his attention as he drifts closer to you. You’re about to leave to try that-

Splash!

In a blind flurry of motion, Monty suddenly launched up from the water. He snapped his jaws. You leapt backwards, teeth missing you by an inch. You stare, wide eyed from the floor at the figure now hanging over the railings from the opposite side. Monty laughs, almost cackling at your misfortune, completely unbothered by the water dripping from his every limb. He nudges his now decidedly stupid glasses up his snout as you huff and pick yourself up off the floor. You brush yourself off as he continues to laugh.

“Damn, I gotcha good, lil’ guy!” Yeah, no kidding. This must be the Pizzaplex’s resident funny man without the funny. You’re pretty sure every Fazbear location has one of these goofballs. “Who are ya anyway? Not seen you ‘round here before. You new?” You shake your head and insistently pat the badge you proudly display on your chest. He raises his glasses and an eyebrow at it, studying it for a few long moments before muttering a ‘huh.’ You give him a second to process, wondering if he knew what your badge meant or not. He perked up as the realisation seemed to hit him and his eyes fell straight to the green package at your feet. He should consider himself lucky it’s not soaked…

“Ya got somethin’ for me?!” Monty’s eyes almost sparkled with surprise and excitement and the second you nodded, he dragged himself over the railings so fast you’re surprised he didn’t break anything. “Really?!” You nod, stepping back a bit so as not to get dripped on as he towered over you. Safe from the rain, you stand up straight, puff out your chest and present the gift to him, holding it up as high as you can. He gasped, jaw dropping a little as he stared at the present in awe.

It took him a while to gently lift it out of your grasp and sit himself on the floor with a ground-shaking thud. His tail wrapped around himself, his legs crossed and his eyes never left the little green bundle in his hands. You wave your paws to it to urge him to open it, hoping he does so before the water soaks through too much of the paper. You don’t know what’s in it, but the last thing anyone wants is for him to ruin it like this…

He pays you no mind, taking his time to deliberate it for a good while longer before taking his claws to it. He drags them lightly down the side, cutting paper and stickers alike, but never harming what lies beneath in an impressive display of precision and control. The paper tears away with ease, falling to the floor in surprisingly clean strips and gradually revealing the container within. It didn’t give much away, with no markings to speak of and no labels to describe the contents. With the lid opening towards you, all you could do was wait until Monty showed you to see what it was.

“Oh hell yeah!” A grin split his face like lightning as he beheld it, wasting no time in lifting them up to try them on. He swapped the star glasses already on his face with a blue pair with lenses shaped like the moon, “whaddya think?” You think for a moment before nodding and offering a thumbs up at his goofy smile. “HAHA!” He cheers before swapping the moon glasses for silver clouds with little lightning bolts dangling from them. You mouth an ‘oh’ and nod more enthusiastically. He sniggers with mischievous glee as he digs through the box for the next pair of glasses that catch his eye. The next pair replaces the old, this time shaped like bolts of fire.

“Heh, bet Rox would love these!” You had to agree these ones were pretty cool… what else does he have though? Peeking around the edge of the box, your vision suddenly turns purple and you almost lose your balance from how roughly the glasses were shoved onto your face. You blink a few times as you adjust them with your paws, taking a good look in the mirror on the underside of the box’s lid to find that they’re shaped like paw prints. A smile makes itself known and it only grows as you turn to find Monty grinning goofily at you with red lightning bolt glasses that barely covered his eyes at all. You can’t help but quietly giggle too and before you know it, you and Monty have spent at least an hour trying out his new collection of coloured shades.

He must have had every shape you’ve ever seen in that box! Love hearts, diamonds, rabbits, apples, flowers, feathers, and heck he even had a pair shaped like fish! And of course, Monty had set aside a pair or two he thought would suit each of his friends, often commenting how much Bonnie would have loved this. It was perhaps the only time his cheer was dampened throughout your time with him. What was up with that…?

Well, it was none of your business anyway. If he didn’t want to say, then he didn’t want to say. Who are you to pry? Instead, you would choose another pair of glasses at random and offer them up to him, managing to bring his attention back to the positives as much you could.

As you’re about to take your leave and return to your important job, you place the glasses you were just wearing softly back into their box. You turn to leave, ready to wave goodbye as you go when your arm is suddenly grabbed and you’re pulled back a few steps. Your vision turns purple as the pair of paw print glasses is plonked right back onto your nose.

“Hold onto these ones for me, will ya?” He lets go of you and starts making a mess of the glasses in the box, acting like the lid won’t fit. “Can’t get ‘em all back in so you might as well have ‘em.” He winks behind Saturn-shaped lenses and a good natured, toothy smirk. You’re surprised for a moment, but gradually, a happy smile replaces your round eyes and open jaw. You clasp your paws together and nod your thanks. Your hair is ruffled with a light chuckle in return before he nudges you back the way you were going before he stopped you.

“C’ya later, yeah?” You nod again with enthusiasm, readjust your backpack and wave goodbye as you head on out. He waves back, and just as you’re about to turn a corner and out of his sight, you hear him call out, “you better watch out for alligators next time, lil guy!” You snigger and poke your head back around the corner to give him a thumbs up before you leave.

You make your way back through the jungle foliage and back into the Gator Golf section of the atrium, coming to a stop beside the golf ball themed ride to once again slide your backpack from your shoulders onto the floor. The glasses slip a little as you look down at the bag and you can’t help the smile as you push them back up your nose. It’s not very often you get a gift as well, but it leaves you feeling warm and fuzzy inside every single time…

Sticking your paw into the bag, you can’t wait to show the next person your new glasses. You wonder who you’ll be going to see next...

[amischiefofmuses]

WHAT FLAVOUR IS YOUR SOUL?

honey - "sugared mel e lingua serpentis." sugared honey from a serpent's tongue. oh dearest, look how you gleam. how the sunlight dances off your shoulders, how the heavens shine across your wingtips. but you are hollow, hollow, hollow. even the taste of nectar can choke a man. sometimes the sweetest flowers hide the sharpest poison. you lie to yourself, the worst lie of all. you needn't be so obsessed with perfect. the greatest beauty lies in our faults. do you think the moon apologizes for their mara? no, their craters add to their glow. my dear, breathe. you are not an island, breathe, before the honey drowns you. you wish to be lovely, you long to be loved. but did aphrodite trade her powers for perfection? she did not. you can be beautiful, and also whole. be whole above anything else dear. a heart of diamonds is worth nothing if inchor oozes from it. inward. look within and question how well do you know yourself? little petal are you trying to be a god? why? can a god bloom from sullen soil? no. you are whole as you are.

lavender - oh moon child, restless sleeper, tell me what it's like to dream? you float along the margins of reality, picking up the pieces of fallen memories to sculpt into your own realm. you are searching, but your tongue is quiet, quiet, quiet. open your mouth and sing my dear, silence only does you good for so long. and here you planted roots in the darkness, where not even the moon can reach your leaves. there is such a thing as being too practical, for you sail your ship on perpetually calm waters, and never have you spotted land. your mind has wings, uncage them! allow yourself to dream, you are not too far gone. there is no such thing! trust in yourself dear.

rosemary - ah, the old soul, nice to meet again. the time of ages is etched into your bones, you see clearly. you've watched the heartache in this realm and sworn to solve it. but kindness without limits is self destruction. oh little leaf, strong and wise, you seek to bring peace with your presence. I'd be wrong to say you fail at this effort, but you mustn't set yourself on fire to keep others warm. you wish to please everyone, to protect them all. but if you shield the saplings from the sunlight they will never grow, and you one day will wither. protect yourself too. you know there are no happy heroes, so don't be one. be a friend. your loved ones will not forsake you for not being perseus slaying all their demons. you have your own monsters, why not meet them first before you conquer anyone else's nightmares. oh true-hearted paladin you are brave, and you are good enough. you know that right? be true to yourself, one cannot do anything saintly if they did not tend to their own wounds first.

Tagged by: @templeofvengeance Tagging: @compelledcurator | @ficklefables | @witchoflegends | @biblicallyaccuratemcu | @bucketfullofocs and anyone else that would like to do it!!

[icewindandboringhorror]

Recent-ish things ~

[tianhai03]

hi. i got fallout new vegas awhile ago and i finally started playing it the other day. have some sketches of my guy <3

[high-voltage-rat]

One of the more niche things about writing RvB fic that I love to chew on is the weird overlap with Halo lore. Because in most cases it's never openly stated whether the Halo canon applies and you have to decide what makes sense based off the box of scraps you have and what's shown on screen.

Like. The MJOLNIR armour they all wear is, in Halo canon, unusable by a normal person without their bones being shattered and muscles or ligaments being torn, let alone having the mental processing and reaction time to function. But in RvB, it's worn by simulation troopers, who almost certainly wouldn't even qualify for the augmentation needed for its operation in Halo lore. But then after the loss of a set of armour, the UNSC launches an investigation into project freelancer- they go on an entire extremely dangerous mission with the primary goal of recovering lost armour. So clearly it is cutting-edge, important, dangerous enough to warrant that kind of treatment. But then later, an entire planet of people wear the armour despite being an outer colony abandoned by the UNSC to fend for themselves.

So the questions remain. What do we chalk up to a limitation of the engine, a limitation of the machinima medium? What do we carry over from Halo lore? What do we treat as RvB-specific room for headcanon? What do we regard as an oversight by writers who didn't think anyone would think this hard about things?

Do we treat the reds and blues as spartans? What about the freelancers? If they had the ability, would some of these characters actually have been normal people in poorly fitting marine armour?

There's just so many questions like these to play around in, and I find that a hugely enjoyable part of RvB fandom.

[lesbiansanemi]

I’ve been spending less and less time on this stupid ass website recently and honestly….. good

[sysig]

DAX is just so expressive ♥ (Patreon)

[annakie]

Big downside of having energy is that napping feels near impossible even when you know you need one.

[silverselfshippingchaos]

this whole scene is so nuts akdhajsb I love them