#lush day chilling today

[starlightandsouls]

Yours To Have, Yours to Break

Summary: What if instead of Nesta, Cassian found out about Azriel and his secret lover. What will happen when the hearty general, in his anger of being left out, causes his brother's happiness to fall apart? How will he atone for his mistake?

A/N: Of course I had to make my comeback with the angstiest angst to ever angst. And that too by turning my fluffiest fic into pure pain. I guess you can say that this this is a spin off of Yours to Keep and Cherish. Also... I know I dropped off the face of the earth but life happens guys. I'm sorta back and here's a fic to make up for it.

Disclaimer: If you're an Elain fan, I would recommend you not read this. I would hate to ruin your day. I do not hate Elain. This is just an idea I got from all the soap dramas I've been seeing recently. Don't kill me please.

Also this shit and not edited. But I was so desperate to post something that I honestly don't care. Hope y'all like it. And yes there will be a part 2

Cassian POV:

As the General of the Night Court’s armies, Cassian had many duties: training soldiers, commandeering battalions at the borders, coming up with war strategies, buying romance novels for his mate and her friends. He wasn’t sure when the last one made its way on his list of responsibilities, or who put it there, but there it was. And who was Cassian to deny his mate?

So that’s how the Lord of Bloodshed found himself standing aimlessly in the middle of the Rainbow, scratching his head, with a list in his hand. Nesta had sent him off to find the newest edition of a Sellyn Drake novel but he hadn’t the slightest idea where to find it. His mate had instructed him to visit a particular bookshop named “The Quill”, being sure that they would have the newest book. Unfortunately, because luck had named him its nemesis at birth, the bookshop was closed for the day. He had asked around and apparently the owner had just left an hour prior to his arrival. Of course, they had.

That is why he had been wandering around the Rainbow, walking into one bookshop after the other, but somehow not one of them had the book Nes wanted. What are the odds of that? How is it possible that only one bookshop in the entire city had this specific book? And why did it have to be closed today? Cassian knew returning empty handed would not only incur the wrath of his beloved mate, but also her Valkyrie sisters. And given the fact that he himself had been teaching them some new disarming techniques, he had no desire to become their training dummy.

While he did not intend on stopping his hunt, he was quite parched. As the summer season approached, afternoons in Velaris became increasingly sweltering. A chilled glass of wine would do just the trick to cool him down, and also relax his nerves. Just as he was deciding on which bar to stop at, he remembered a conversation he had had with Mor the other day. She had told him about a café she had discovered that served the best margaritas during lunch time. Honestly, she hadn’t stopped raving about it for almost a week. What the hell. He was already out in town, might as well try a new place. If it turned out to be good, he could bring Nesta to placate her in case he couldn’t find her book.

Mind made up, he took off to the air, the subtle breeze as he did so, instantly making him feel better. Gliding through the clouds, the twists and turns with wind, were always a guaranteed way of cooling down.

Said café was perched on a hill overlooking the Sidra. He took in the view and the lush gardens outside the café as he landed, and started to walk in. The interior was just as beautiful as the exterior; the décor a blend of elegance and coziness. Oh yeah, he was definitely bringing Nesta here for a date.

He had just given his order to a waitress who looked way too giddy writing it down. Thank the Mother Nesta wasn’t here. Or someone might as well have lost a hand.

Although this is one of the reasons why he didn’t like coming to restaurants and bars alone. Not having company meant he didn’t have anyone to share his stories and jokes with. So, as he waited for his order to arrive, he sat back and took in the people around him; a habit that looked casual enough but was one instilled in him during his years training in the Illyrian camps.

He had been admiring the view from the balcony in the corner when his order arrived. Smiling a thank you, he took a sip from his margarita and damn was it good as Mor had said. He made a silent note to himself to thank her for the recommendation. He was in the middle of another deliciously cold sip, when something caught his eye in the corner of the room, causing him to choke.

What. The. Fuck.

Cassian was sure he looked like a blubbering fish with how his jaw dropped open and his eyes bulged out their sockets. He had to be dreaming or hallucinating from the heat. Yes, that must have been it, the heat had surely gotten to his head. For Cassian could think of no other explanation for the sight in front of him.

His brother, the Shadowsinger of the Night Court, torture extraordinaire, was sitting hand in hand with a beautiful young woman, smiling like a love-sick fool and… eating macarons? Since when did Azriel like deserts? Or the more pressing question: who the hell was he sitting with? Cassian knew his brother liked to keep his lovers secret, but deep down his gut told him this was no mere fling, or one-night stand. For starters, Azriel was smiling like a puppy drunk on love, while bringing the lady’s hand up to his lips to kiss. Cauldron. Just as Cassian had somewhat stopped gawking like a fish out of water, he saw the lady lean over and whisper something across the table, causing Azriel to throw his head back and let out a hearty laugh.

Although he couldn’t explain why, but at that moment Cassian felt a sharp hurt go through him. For he could not remember the last time Azriel had laughed like that with them. Damn it, he couldn’t even remember the last time he had seen Azriel smile nearly as much as was doing now at any family function.

Before he could even begin to process what had unfolded before him, he saw Azriel pay the bill for their food and the couple walked out hand in hand. Immediately Cassian was on his feet, ready to follow them. If someone had asked him why he did what he did at a later moment, he would not have been able to explain himself. At that moment, Cassian was driven only by curiosity and a minor note of hurt too-why had his brother hid this from them?

Rushing out after paying the bill, Cassian saw the happy couple walk down the cobblestone path, once again arm in arm, with the woman leaning against Azriel. Another thing that shocked Cassian: how the hell had Azriel not noticed him by now? Those pesky little shadows normally informed his brother of every detail of his surroundings; Azriel’s own heightened senses and observational skills were what made him the Spymaster of this court. So, for him to not notice Cassian so obviously trailing behind them at a distance, was a testament to how captivated his brother was by the woman on his arm.

At one-point Cassian thought that his brother would winnow with his partner and he would lose them, but the couple continued their stroll without a care in the world. He continued to trail behind them while also maintaining somewhat of a distance. Azriel may not be as hyper vigilant as always, but he wasn’t blind by any means- and Cassian was no small man either.

“Breakfast was delightful, darling. We should plan another afternoon here, what do you think?” he heard the woman comment.

“Of course, but I am oh so very tired. I think I need a few days alone at home with my nightingale to recharge,” Azriel replied with a smirk.

Cassian balked on the inside: okay Mr. I Don’t Need To Resort To Poetry.

“We could always have breakfast here again on Saturday. It is our two-year anniversary, and I intend on spending the day however my nightingale wishes. I think the café can be a brilliant start to our day,” Azriel offered, laughing as the woman swatted his arm at the previous comment.

Reaching the end of the path, Azriel grabbed the woman in his arms and winnowed away, leaving behind a thoroughly perplexed Cassian.

………………………………………………………………………………………………………

Cassian was convinced he must have stood there for another half an hour before coming to his senses. He then took off to the House of Wind, ready to face his mate and the Valkyries’ collective wrath. And his assumption had been right; the three women had blown up when they saw him return empty handed and had proceeded to go on twenty-minute-long rant. For the life of him, Cassian could not have repeated a single word they had said. Because he had not listened to a single word, at least not while paying attention. As their rage had quelled, Cassian had simple gotten up and walked to his room, ignoring the questioning looks from his mate.

While Nesta was still in the library with the girls, Cassian had retreated to bed. And that is where he was now: sitting in bed, staring at a wall, completely at a loss for words. He could not even begin to process what he had seen, let alone understand what he was feeling. For some reason he could not get over how openly Azriel had laughed with that woman, how alight his eyes had seemed. It was as if the Shadowsinger was glowing with happiness, as paradoxical as that sounds.

And it’s not like Cassian wasn’t happy for his brother-quite the contrary. He was just hurt that Azriel had chosen to hide something like this from him for two years. Two years. The words clanged around his head like the sharp tolling of a bell. Azriel had this from them for two goddamn years. And he had a sinking feeling that if he had not discovered the two of them today, he would not have found out for quite some more time.

But why? Keeping casual flings a secret was no big deal. They all had had ventures they didn’t tell anyone, he was sure of it. But if the couple were celebrating their two-year anniversary, then it must be serious. Cassian could tell his brother was committed just by how he had been looking at the woman. And if Azriel truly was serious about this woman, why would he hide it from them? His family?

That is the part that pierced his heart. Up until this day, Cassian had thought the two of them to be rather close. Sure, Rhys and Az clashed from time to time because of their own attitudes, but he liked to think that Azriel and him had always been close. Azriel was his best friend for Cauldron sake. Whenever he had had issues with Nesta at the beginning of their relationship-and he had plenty- Azriel had been his confidante, the one he went to for advice. His brother had been there for him at the highs and lows of his journey with Nesta.

So why hadn’t he let Cassian do that for him? Why had his brother chosen secrecy when he could have confided in Cassian? It’s not like he wouldn’t have supported them. He knew his brother was secretive and shy, but it was one thing to hide things about his work and another to choose to hide such a major part of his life from his brothers.

They were brothers, they were supposed to support each other, to stand by one another, not keep secrets and tell lies. All of a sudden Cassian saw the past two years in a different light. He recalled all the times Azriel had shown up to breakfast with an unusually cheery mood, all the times he had been rushing to leave family dinner, all the times he had skipped their get togethers with the strangest excuses. How long had this been going on? And for how long had they been so painfully oblivious?

Did Azriel not trust them? No, that can’t be it. Did Azriel think he could not open up to them? Each explanation he came up with seemed less plausible than the last. As he continued to spiral, Cassian began to question whether the two were as close as he thought them to be.

Why. Why. Why.

“You know if you stare at the wall any longer, you’re going to burn a hole into it.”

Nesta. He hadn’t even noticed when she had come into the room, and judging by her amused look, Cassian assumed she had been there for some time. Pushing off the wall she had been leaning against, Nesta walked over and sat by him on their bed.

“I’ve been calling your name for the past five minutes, where’s your mind at?” Nesta asked while pushing some stray strands of hair behind his ear.

Shit. What was he supposed to do? He couldn’t just tell Nesta something he himself wasn’t supposed to know. If he hadn’t walked into that café by chance, Cassian would have been none the wiser about this whole situation. For whatever reason Azriel was keeping his relationship secret, he didn’t think it his place to reveal it.

“It’s nothing, Nes. Just thinking about Wind Haven. I’m supposed to head up there next week and I already know Devlon’s going to be a pain in the ass,” Cassian tried to divert.

“Since when have you started getting so worked up over Devlon? He’s going to whine and throw a fit, but ultimately he is going to have to do what you say. You’re worried about something else. What is it?” his ingenious mate inquired. How her intuition was so good he’d never know, honestly sometimes he thought of handing over the mantle of General to her, with how good she was.

“C’mon. You know you can tell me whatever is bothering you,” Nesta pushed while grabbing his hand in her own and damn did he melt at that.

“Alright. If I tell you, you cannot tell anyone else.”

Nesta sat up straighter at that, ears perked with curiosity, eyes wide open and eager.

“I won’t tell anyone,” Nesta answered while nodding.

“I’m serious about this Nes. You can’t tell anyone, not even Emerie or Gwyn. No one,” Cassian reiterated, trying to get his mate to understand how serious it was.

“Alright, alright. I won’t tell anyone, I swear.”

Cassian sighed before revealing what was very much not his secret to reveal,

“Azriel has a girlfriend.”

“Wait-what?”

“Az has a girlfriend,” Cassian repeated.

“No, I heard you the first time. But…how…when??? Why hasn’t he told anyone?”

“I have no idea, Nes,” Cassian replied while falling back against the headboard. He once again took to staring at the wall; confusion and hurt running rampant through him again, echoing the same question again and again.

Why had Azriel kept this a secret from them? From him?

“When did he tell you?” his mate inquired.

“He didn’t,” Cassian chuckled, “I stopped at that new café by the Sidra to get some drinks to cool down while I was out for your books. I saw them together there.”

A beat of silence passed between them before Nesta barged on with her questions,

“You seem…upset about all this?”

“I am. Not at the fact that he has a girlfriend, Cauldron no. It’s about time the idiot found someone. It’s just…why didn’t he tell us? Why keep it a secret?”

“Maybe…it’s new? You know Az. Maybe he just wants some time to figure things out himself before he tells you all,” Nesta reasoned.

Cassian let out a bitter laugh before spitting out,

“It is very much not new. The two were planning their two year anniversary at the same restaurant this weekend. Two goddamn years, Nes. He’s been lying to us for that long.”

He wrenched his hand from hers at that. Cassian knew he was being unfair and unreasonable, but he was angry. Maybe he had no right to be but one does not think clearly when in the clutches of fury.

As his previous confusion and hurt settled, they left behind only anger in their wake. That is what he felt right now. Anger. At Azriel, for lying to them all this time, for hiding something so significant. Did he not consider them brothers?

Before he could succumb to the ravages of anger, his darling mate was there to pull him back, as she always did.

“I can feel all that you know. Don’t let your anger override what you know to be true. This relationship of Azriel…it has nothing to do with us. We’re not entitled to anything regarding it just because we’re his family.”

“Oh so what I’m just supposed to ignore the fact that he’s been lying to us about his whereabouts and plans for the past two years, when he could have just told us?”

“No I am asking you to trust Azriel. You know your brother, Cass, probably more than anyone else. You know that he has a reason for everything he does and you know that he would never do anything to hurt his family intentionally. If nothing else, trust in that.”

Cassian sighed a defeated sigh. His mate was right, as she always was. For whatever reason Azriel had decided to keep this relationship a secret, Cassian would have to trust in it. And when the time came, he hoped his brother would feel comfortable revealing the truth himself.

……………………………………..................................................

Little did Cassian know, that despite the fact that he had made Nesta swear not to tell Azriel’s secret, he had unintentionally revealed it to a third. For outside their bedroom clutching books she had meant to return, stood Elain. Elain, who had almost torn the books with how hard she was clutching them. Elain, who’s hands quivered with rage.

This is why Azriel had been ignoring her. All these months she had been trying to get his attention and he had always slipped away. Because of this?? Some common girlfriend?

No matter. Elain would get him back. How could he ignore her for some commoner? Who deserved his love more than her?

As she walked away, already planning her schemes, a wicked thought went through her mind, a precaution in case she couldn’t convince Azriel:

If I can’t have him, no one can.

...............................................................................................

Azriel POV:

The past few days had been the happiest he had ever been. Although Azriel wasn’t quite sure how fair that judgement was. Each hour he spent with his nightingale, he deemed his happiest. And it has been two years of such blissful happiness. Two years together at each other’s side that they were celebrating today.

He had already arrived at the same café they had breakfast a few days ago and was now anxiously awaiting his beloved girlfriend. Honestly, he would have preferred that the two arrive together, not wanting to spend a minute away from his nightingale. But alas, not everything had to be as he wished. As soon as she had woken up, his nightingale had slipped out from his arms (something he had still not forgiven) and had rushed to her book shop. According to her, she had some urgent delivery that she just had to be there for. Therefore she had promised him that she would meet him directly at the café.

That left him, sitting in their favorite spot in the café, with his head swiveling to the door every time it opened, hoping his nightingale had arrived. It wasn’t like she was late, it’s just that he too early, wanting what he hoped would be a great start to a celebration filled day.

“Oh, Azriel!”

He heard his name be called, but his heart instantly dropped, that voice did not belong to his nightingale. Turning around he saw…

“Elain? What are you doing here?”

“What a coincidence, Az! I was just out for some errands and thought I would get myself a drink. I’m absolutely parched! Thank the Cauldron for this lovely café!” Elain replied in an unusually high pitched voice.

“Yes, how lovely…” he trailed off, gaze flicking to the door. He knew his girlfriend would be arriving soon and he would much rather Elain not be here for that… for a plethora of reasons.

“Well, what are the chances of meeting you here Az? And look, you’re alone too! Why don’t we have lunch together, it feels like we haven’t caught up in forever.”

“Actually I’m meeting some…”

He never got to finish his sentence. If someone asked him later what happened, Azriel wasn’t sure he would be able to explain it. One second Elain was smiling at him, trying to grab his hand, the next her gaze turned cold, flicking to something behind him. The next thing he knew, within a matter of seconds, Elain had grabbed him by the collar of his shirt and smashed her lips to his.

What. The. Fuck.

Azriel didn’t even process what had happened, didn’t even realize that she was kissing him. Elain. Was. Kissing. Him.

The last thought jolted him out of his state of shock and he pushed her away. Not caring for who saw or heard, he yelled,

“What the fuck Elain? You can’t just grab people like that! What the hell is wrong with you?”

“Oh c’mon Az. It was barely a peck. I had barely begun to enjoy it,” Elain replied with a callous smirk.

All of a sudden he did not recognize her; he didn’t recognize the cruelty in her eyes, the indifference in her expression. Where was the kind hearted woman he considered a friend? And who was standing in front of him in her place? When he didn’t say anything, still riddled with shock, Elain continued,

“Well no matter. It may have been short but it achieved it’s purpose,” Elain replied slyly. She inched closer and grazed her hand up his arm and whispered, “if you want to continue, I would gladly indulge you, Azriel.”

He didn’t know what the fuck was wrong with her, why she was doing this, in a crowded café no less. But Azriel was way too uncomfortable to try to find out. He wrenched his arm away from her and was about to give her a piece of his mind when he saw it again: Elain’s gaze flickering to something behind him with a wicked smirk on her face. One of victory.

Hoping against hope it wasn’t what he feared it was, Azriel turned around. And it was like time itself had stopped. For there, at the entrance of the café, with tears streaming down her face, stood his girlfriend, his nightingale. A millennia could pass and Azriel would not forget the raw pain, the betrayal shining in her eyes amidst the tears.

No. No. No. No. No. This is not happening. This cannot be happening.

He took one step toward her, to explain, to make her understand he had no fault in what she had seen. But before he could, his nightingale turned around and left the café.

Not knowing what to do, Azriel followed after her to see her almost running away from him.

“Love! Please! Listen to me, its not what it looks like,” Azriel begged, anguish lacing every word.

“Oh please Azriel. Do you know how typical you sound right now?” He did, Cauldron he did. But she had to understand…

“Darling I would never hurt you like that. I don’t even know why she was there… or how… but you have to understand… she kissed me! I pulled away… I would never do that to you,” Azriel let out. He knew his fragmented thoughts probably didn’t make much sense. But panic and fear were making it difficult to come up with something cohesive.

“Really, Azriel? You don’t know what she was doing there?! For Cauldron sake, Azriel! I know you called her there. You know, if you wanted to break up with me, you should have done it yourself like a man. You didn’t have to use her for it!” his nightingale spat at him.

What? Break up with her? Break up with the one blessing the Mother had bestowed upon him? What the hell was she talking about?

“Love… I don’t…”

“You don’t what? Huh? Have any need for me anymore? Well you don’t have to worry about me getting in the way, please go enjoy your life with your darling Elain?” His girlfriend yelled, throwing out Elain’s name like it was poison.

Vaguely he sensed Elain coming up behind them. How did she catch up with them? His love spat out a wry laugh, before saying,

“Look, she’s here to get you Azriel. Go be with your love.”

Before he could refute it, Elain jumped in,

“Its okay, Azriel. I told her everything. She’s not in the way anymore. We can be together now!”

“Elain, have you lost your mind? What the hell are you doing? Why are you doing this? You-”

“Cut the act Azriel. Go. Enjoy your life.”

And with that his nightingale walked away for good, taking the shattered pieces of his heart and soul with her.

… … … … … … … … … … … …

Azriel stood in that spot like a blubbering fish for Cauldron knows how long. He was smarter than this. He was quicker than this. He knew that. But for some reason his mind felt addled, like it was submerged in some murky fog. He couldn’t think straight for some reason.

What the fuck had just happened? Did it truly happen? No, it had to be a nightmare. It had to be. He didn’t just lose the love of his life. He didn’t. He wouldn’t be able to bear it.

Azriel had almost convinced himself of his own delusion, when Elain’s rustling snapped him out of his daze. The woman had the gall to walk away after everything she just did. Not so fast. He grabbed her by the arm and yelled in her face, propriety and etiquette long forgotten,

“WHAT THE FUCK ELAIN? WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST DO?”

She wrenched her arm back and held her head up high when responding, as if she just had just committed some honorable deed,

“I did what I had to. You were never there Azriel. I always tried to talk to you… but you were never there. And to find out that it’s because of her! Some commoner! I couldn’t bear it. But she’s not here anymore, Azriel, we can be together!”

“What?! Are you hearing yourself Elain? I don't love you! Not like that, I never have-”

“BUT I LOVE YOU! WHY ISN’TTHAT ENOUGH!” Elain screamed back.

“You’re out of your mind. You… how did you even find out?”

“Cassian told me,” Elain replied calmly, her demeanor immediately changing. There was something seriously wrong with her.

But her words were what caused his world to stop spinning.

“What?”

“Cassian told me. He saw the two of you together the other day and told me that I would find you here today as well.”

His mind was reeling. Cassian knew too? How? He had been so careful with everything? How had it slipped past him so easily?

Elain patted his shoulder one last time before saying,

“We’re meant to be together, Azriel. I love you so much that I’ll ignore this commoner you were sullying yourself with. She might have left you. But I’m always here for you with open arms.”

And then Elain left, simply and quietly. As if she had not sentenced Azriel to a life without the one happiness he had salvaged for himself in this cruel world.

..........................................................................................

Cassian POV:

Cassian had been sharpening his blades in the training arena, waiting for the Valkyries to arrive, when he felt the wards shift. Someone had winnowed in. Before he could question who it was, he saw Azriel standing at the entrance.

Despite Nesta’s words, his immediate reaction at seeing his brother was one of annoyance. He doubted Azriel was here to confess so the continuing secrecy bothered him even now.

Any rant or anger that Cassian was planning on letting out, disappeared as he neared his brother. Azriel had tears streaming freely down his face, shoulders shaking from the sobs.

“How could you?”

Was all his brother let out. Cassian was at a complete loss for words. His brave stoic brother was falling apart before him and Cassian knew neither cause nor cure. His lion hearted brother who had bared five centuries of pain and trials and had never let out even a wince. And now… It seemed like something was tearing Azriel apart into shreds.

“Az, what’s wrong? I-

“How could you?” Azriel repeated, his sobs getting more and more violent. And each falling tear fell like acid on Cassian’s heart. All previous annoyance was replaced by an overwhelming urge to soothe and comfort.

“How could you? What did I ever do to you?” Azriel cried out again.

“Az… brother… I have no idea…”

“Oh don’t act stupid. Don’t act like you don’t know about my girlfriend!”

Oh. That is what this was about? Azriel knew that he knew? But why was he so upset about it? Cassian didn’t think him finding out warranted such a reaction-

“You knew and you send Elain there to ruin everything!”

What? Elain? What did she have anything to do with this?

“You ruined everything! My nightingale… she’s gone… she won’t even talk to me… She won’t look at me… And it’s all your fault!” Azriel let out in between hiccups of tears.

Cassian knew he had to intervene before Azriel spiraled into a full panic attack.

“Brother, calm down. Alright, yes I saw the two of you at the café, but I only told Nesta, I swear on it. I have no idea what you’re talking about, or what Elain has to do with anything.”

Azriel moved further away from him. The utter betrayal shining in his eyes made Cassian want to bury himself in the darkest corner of the world. He did not know what his fault was but he was ready to spend eternity atoning for it if it meant Azriel would no longer be in the pain he was so clearly in.

“DO NOT LIE TO ME!” Azriel roared, leaving Cassian stunned, “ You did this! You couldn’t bear it, could you? You couldn’t stand the fact that I was happy so you sent Elain to ruin everything. You always do this, you always have to take everything away from me!”

Before Cassian could ask for an explanation or beg for forgiveness for a crime he did not know, Azriel had winnowed away.

Alone, his mind was working on overdrive. What did Elain have to do with anything? Cassian was no fool. He had long been aware of the youngest Archeron sister’s affections for his brother. But he also knew his brother had never reciprocated those affections, had always seen Elain as nothing more than a friend.

How did she know about Azriel’s relationship? Nesta could not have told her. Despite how close the two sisters were, his mate had sworn to him and he knew Nesta enough to know that she did not go back on an oath. Had Elain somehow overheard them? And if she had, what could she possibly have done to cause Azriel so much pain?

So many questions were whirring through his head, not one of them had a coherent answer. But amidst the chaos, a singular thought rang the loudest, and it was one that pierced Cassian’s heart:

What have I done?

[httpknjoon]

surprise, surprise | jjk

plot | When you asked what your boyfriend wants for Valentine's, Jungkook challenged you to surprise him. But when you did, he wasn't the only one surprised.

words | 2.1k+

genres | fluff,  secret relationship au, established relationship au, friends to lovers au

pairing | jungkook x reader

warnings | none

note | another part will follow :)) enjoy reading!

main masterlist  |  drabble series masterlist

It was a late afternoon, during a warm sunny day, you and your boyfriend finally went on with your picnic plans after weeks of talking about it. Under a lush shade tree, Jungkook laid out your classic red gingham picnic blanket. He also has pillows from his place, knowing that you would love to have one while chilling. On the flip side, you brought out the food from your basket which includes various colorful sliced fruits, sandwiches, chips, orange juice, and a bottle of chocolate syrup if ever your boyfriend wants to put it on his fruit.

It has been past an hour since you arrived at this spot in the park, half an hour away from the city you and Jungkook live in. So, with no worries about seeing your friends around, you two were free to basically do whatever you wanted on the grass. Jungkook brought his digital camera and you were already sure that half of the photos he took today are Bam’s. You were just giggling when you saw Jungkook trying to make your pet stand still with his green toy ball and sounds he learned from The Dogist, a dog photographer who posts every dog he meets online.

“One more, Bam. Stay…” he commanded as he closed his left eye to focus on his camera’s viewfinder. 

Your pet, eager to have a treat and his toy, heeded. Followed by a shutter sound, you hear a satisfied chuckle from your boyfriend. He handed Bam a treat and then threw the ball for your pet to run after.

“How was it?” you asked, sipping on your glass of orange juice.

Jungkook turned around in your direction and instead of answering immediately, you found him staring at you. Used to him dazing out sometimes, you just smiled and took another gulp from your glass. Jungkook took this opportunity to point his camera lens to you. He moved around, finding the best angle where the light makes you glow from your greenery background. You were an angel before his sight. He clicks for your candid shot. When you hear the first shutter sound, you realize what he is doing.

“Wait! Take another one.”

This time, you smiled for the camera, making him smile behind the lens. After a couple more shots, he sat next to you to show you the results. By the small sound of awe you made, he knew you loved them.

“You’re such a great photographer, babe,” you told him.

“I just have a very beautiful muse,” he replied.

You looked up at him and he laughed when he saw your eyebrows scrunching together. Perhaps it was too corny and sweet. But your scrunched expression softened up before giving him a peck on his lips. He was about to lean in for more but you pulled away with a smile.

“You used to get girls with those lines?” you teased and laughed.

And before Jungkook can defend his game, Bam runs back with his toy in between his teeth. Half an hour passed, and the camera was now in your hands while Jungkook lay his head on your lap, scrolling through his phone. Bam is napping on the grass beside you two, tired from playing. The weather was not too hot since there was still wind blowing from time to time, perfect for a midday nap. With no more energy to take pictures, you settled his camera down. For the next few minutes, you spent the time running your fingers on Jungkook’s hair and appreciating the peace of the place. You can feel your heart feeling at ease.

“I can’t believe we’re already in the second month of this year,” your boyfriend suddenly spoke, eyes still glued on his phone.

“I know, babe. It seemed like yesterday when we celebrated New Year’s Eve at Dara’s and our anniversary,” you replied. “Then, we told Blaire about us.”

He put down his phone with that, looking at you, “We didn’t tell her, you did.”

You just rolled your eyes since you know you cannot really defend yourself. You were too drunk that night, Jungkook had to tell you what you shared with your friend the morning after. And after a whole-day conversation with Blaire, she agreed to not say anything about it and simply called you two “sneaky rats” in a teasing way.

“Anyway, Valentine’s Day is next week.” Jungkook brought up the topic, sitting up. “Do you want to do anything or go anywhere?”

“Well… we already did this picnic.” you clicked your tongue as your eyes traveled away, thinking. 

And after a few seconds, an idea pops into your head. An activity you saw online that you found cute and perfect for you two. You beamed as you told him about it. Jungkook nodded as he listened intently, eyes traveling down his tattooed knuckles.

“I love that, we can do that! That’s wonderful, princess.” He smiled, eyes crinkling. “Do you already have any ideas about the design?”

You shook your head, “Oh, not yet.”

“Okay, okay.” he nods again,

You squeeze his hands, “How about you? What do you want to do?”

He looked up at the leaves on the tree as he sighed, “I don’t know… Really. That’s why I asked you. What you want is what really matters to me.”

You raised an eyebrow, “Really? Nothing?”

He nodded his head but not a second after, he spoke again, “Okay, I have an idea.”

“Okay, spill.” 

“Surprise me,” he said like it was a challenge.

“Surprise you?” you repeated.

Looking back at your relationship, you were a little weak at doing surprises. You cannot really lie well and always see his reaction when you get him something meant for a surprise. But maybe you can try again.

“Okay, babe.”

“Isn’t this sad?” Wooshik sighed in between the film playing on the television. “It’s the day before Valentine’s. We are both single straight guys, watching Meryl Streep boss around people because we don’t have any plans tomorrow,” he added.

I do, Jungkook said in his head. Today is the thirteenth. It has been days since you two went on that picnic and he has been secretly waiting for your surprise. You didn’t want to give him a spoiler about it since you both know how bad you are at lying. So, you didn’t give him even a single clue.

And since it’s the day before that day, you and the girls in your friend group went out for your Galentine’s Day. You told him your activities for the day, which included going to a baking class and pampering yourselves in hair and nail salons. So, in return, he and Wooshik are pretty much shooed away when the latter begs to come with them.

“It’s for girls only! Go hang out together,” Jenny laughed. 

So, they did. Initially, they planned on playing video games in Jungkook’s place. But after two hours of playing and having succeeding losses, they got exhausted and opted to watch a movie. The streaming service recommended a lot of chick-flicks so that’s what they settled for.

“This is fine. The girls are single too. A lot of people are spending tomorrow single.” he noted, focused on the film.

But Wooshik exclaimed, “But love is in the air! I don’t want to be lonely. Maybe we should pull up at a bar or something. Maybe we can have dates tomorrow.”

“I told you, I’m not into those things anymore.”

“Those things?! It’s called dating, JK. So you’re not into dating now?” Wooshik asked his tone in disbelief. Jungkook just laughed at his dramatic reaction. His friend continued, “What happened to my friend who used to introduce me to his new girlfriend every two weeks?”

Jungkook tossed him a pillow, smacking it right to his face, “Hey, people change!”

“You used to hold the record for most partners in a year in our friend group, JK.” Wooshik snickered.

“And now, I don’t. I’m happy where I am right now.” 

“Blablabla. That’s something a person with a great high-paying job or a nice love life would say. And I don’t think your job pays you that high for you to say that.” Wooshik quipped while watching the movie again.

Jungkook laughs. He’s right. But Wooshik is not aware of how fun he is having with you. Your friend doesn’t know how much you made his life more than nice. You made his days a lot more warmer and brighter than it has ever been.

“And the girls are not really single. Jenny said she will be busy tomorrow–”

“She is. She works as a head chef in a restaurant. Tomorrow is like a festival in her workplace.” Jungkook cuts him off. 

His friend snickered, “Okay, but she’s going on an occasional date with that same guy she met at a food convention. Blaire is having an on and off and on relationship with Grace. Dara is dating–”

“She is?” Jungkook asked.

Wooshik nods like it’s something he has known for a long time, “Yeah… and YN, I just know that one is seeing someone.”

Something in his stomach dropped when Jungkook heard that, “Yeah?”

“Remember when I stayed for like a week in her house when I had something renovated in my place? I swore I saw her sneaking out a guy one early morning.” his friend shared, clueless about the guy who was now sitting in front of him.

“Are you sure?” Jungkook asked.

“Yeah, I just didn’t see him properly since the lights were off. But I heard YN talking to him.” 

Yeah, it’s him. 

Not wanting to talk about it anymore, Jungkook said, “You know what? Maybe we should go out.”

It’s like Wooshik’s ears perked up when heard that, “Where?”

“Just out. Maybe get something to eat or… I saw this new bowling alley opening up around the corner. We can walk there from here.”

Originally, Jungkook wanted to take you there first. But with his best friend being bored and talking about you and your relationship, he just thought of going to that place.

“Oh, okay. Maybe fate can find me a date there.”

Jungkook chuckled, getting up, “Okay, I’ll just take a quick shower. Then, we can go.”

Wooshik nodded and Jungkook walked away. Left alone in the living room, Wooshik reached for the almost-finished bowl of chips on the center table. He rarely watched chick flicks but he really liked this one. Maybe because of the lead actress. But nonetheless, he enjoys the story.

“I just don’t get why she has to leave her great job for Nate. I mean, he did not even support her when she was having growth in her work and she was in Paris!” Wooshik exclaimed as the screen showed Anne Hathaway walking away from her boss, portrayed by Meryl Streep.

The credits were rolling in when he heard the knock on the door. He was about to call his friend when he heard the distant trickling from his shower. Wooshik got up and opened the door, dusting off the cheese powder from the chips. A delivery guy stood in front of the door, holding a box of pretty flower arrangements.

“Delivery for Jeon Jungkook.” the guy said.

Confused, Wooshik had his mouth slightly open before answering, “Oh… uh, he’s in the shower. But I can receive this for him.”

“Okay. Please, sign here.”

The guy handed him a paper and Wooshik followed. After the flowers were handed to him, he said thank you and closed the door. His eyes scanned the whole arrangement filled with various flowers. A white folded card sat on top of it. As he carefully placed it down on the table, one question stayed in his head.

Who the hell would send flowers to his best friend?

So just like what any nosy, curious person would do, Wooshik flicked the card open.

Blooms for the best person I know. 

I was with B in the flower shop and he helped me pick the flowers. I hope you’ll love them.

Know that this is the first of other surprises I’ve planned for tomorrow ;)

But firstly, let me ask you for the first time,

Babe, will you be my Valentine?

-Princess

Princess? Who the hell is Princess? Who is B? Is B a person? Did his friend have a baby and didn’t know it?

“Hey, let’s g– Oh, where did that come from?”

Jungkook came in, hair damp. His eyes land on the bouquet of flowers. Wooshik is frozen in place. His hand is still holding the card as he stares at him.

His eyes gradually squinted, “Who is Princess, and why is she sending you flowers?”

TAGLIST (closed)

@hobiuwusunshine @alinerl @bbangtanlove95 @daydreamiies @craftymoonchaos @awseokjin @yoonabeo @luvrsofbts @hisbutton-nose @bloopkook @chvngbiin @takochelle @wildarmy @cuddlysoftbear @luv-minhyun-world @shydestinyyouth @bbtsficrecs @fan-ati--c @rjsmochii @jkbabiey @hopeworldjimin @chieftoadturkeynickel @ppeachyttae @tannies-luv @loomipee @sanctify-mp3 @stuffy16 @laylasbunbunny @di0rgguk @tswisal1 @amara-mars @jksgirlhere @callmejimmeo @rapmonie2047 @petalsofink @daemontargaryenwhore @juju-227592

[pocketjoong]

❥𓂃𓏧WHAT IS A SOULMATE?

ꕥ𓂃𓏧 (SYNOPSIS): You and Seonghwa go on a trip across Europe and you use this as an excuse to make a little birthday video for him. But on the day of his birthday, Seonghwa feels nothing but grief as he watches the video you made for him.

ꕥ𓂃𓏧 (PAIRING) idol!Seonghwa x fem!reader

ꕥ𓂃𓏧 (GENRE AND AU/TROPE): fluff. angst. meet-cute. nsfw.

ꕥ𓂃𓏧 (WARNINGS) NSFW! MINORS DNI. oral. fingering. unprotected sex (it’s a big no guys, please use protection and stay safe). pet names (mc is called dove). mentions of food. allusions to and mentions of a serious accident. angst. fluff.

ꕥ𓂃𓏧 (WORD COUNT) 4.3k

ꕥ𓂃𓏧 (NOTES) @pyeonghongrie-main :) Here's the promised reupload hehehe

────────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────────

London

Outside the confines of your hotel room, silence blankets the city much like the fog that hangs overhead. The first light of dawn is yet to break through the ink-black sky as the metropolis cradles its inhabitants in the silence of the night. This part of the city is still asleep, each soul embraced by the arms of Morpheus, awaiting daybreak to rouse them from their slumber.

Your gaze fixates on the horizon from between the sheer curtains. A pang of anticipation stirs within you, for out of all the alluring sights of nature, sunrise has always been your favourite. After all, regardless of wherever you are in the world, the sunrise is the only constant in the transient nature of life.

Today, however, as the dark black of the night fades to inky blue and splashes of pinks and purples bloom in the east, the only sight you focus on are his eyes. Seonghwa’s eyes are brighter than any galaxy and softer than the cherry blossoms that have begun blossoming on the tree just beyond the terrace. In that moment, you are happy to forego the sight of the beautiful sunrise to watch the coffee and hazel in his eyes melt to form the most gorgeous shade of brown you’ve ever seen.

It won’t be an exaggeration to say that sometimes, you feel like all of your life—each second, each breath, and each step—amounts to Seonghwa. Every decision you have ever made has been a stepping stone in your journey to meet him that one day six years ago when he was only a trainee.

Close to dawn, you had been wandering through the streets of Seoul to find a spark of inspiration for your first-ever project as a photography major. You knew  you wanted to play with the idea of light and dark meeting together to form the most beautiful of sights, and what was a better time to do so than twilight?

So there you were, braving the winter chill for a decent grade while your friends were sleeping soundly, snuggled up in their warm beds.

But it seemed that fate had other plans for you that morning. You took a sip of the coffee you’d bought from the only cafe open at this ungodly hour, forgetting for a moment that it was piping hot. With a wince, you glared at the beige paper cup as if the liquid energy had personally done something to spite you.

A snicker caught your attention, and you turned around to narrow your eyes at the person, only to freeze in your tracks. Wearing a brown, fuzzy coat coupled with dark skinny jeans, the male looked like an angel sent from heaven. The thought that he was a hallucination of your sleep-deprived and cold body crossed your mind, but you discarded the thought when he realised that you’d heard him, and he scrambled to apologise for laughing.

You didn’t know then, but your life was for him. And, it won’t be an exaggeration to say that your life is all him. As winter melted into spring and spring made way for summer, you fell in love with the colour brown: the lush cocoa of Seonghwa’s eyes, sweeter than any hot chocolate you could find, and the tan of his skin, reminiscent of the buttery sweetness of roasted chestnuts. As the weather became humid and the days turned longer, you didn’t even register the beginnings of love taking root in your heart.

It began slowly, like the dripping of water from a tap. Drop by drop, your heart filled with adoration for him. Starting with an appreciation for the awe with which he experienced the world as if doing so for the first time. Then, it became more serious: you found yourself yearning to be around him, to listen to him talk about anything and everything, to be the only one he’d think of as being worthy of his heart.

And then, as if that wasn’t enough, you fell for his voice, a deep baritone with the consistency of honey that you couldn’t get enough of. And the best part? You got to hear it every day before sunrise, for that was his designated time for you in his busy schedule as a trainee and then later as an idol. Dawn was yours, had always been yours, and would always be yours as long as Seonghwa was beside you.

And so, without your knowledge, you fell in love with him bit by bit. You fell as if falling under a spell you couldn’t find a counter for. Not that you wanted to anyway, not when he was there to catch you.

A year later when spring arrived, love and hope sprouted in your heart when Seonghwa’s lips pressed against yours for the first time under the cherry blossoms. He etched himself into the deepest crevices of your soul and your heart. His touch was like that of the sun against your skin after a dark night, igniting your soul in a way that reminded you of fireworks. Under the light of dawn, as he kissed you, you learned a truth. Like the sunrise, Seonghwa is the only constant in your life.

“What are you thinking about?” His soft whisper pulls you out of your reminiscing, and you find yourself gazing into his wide eyes that are brimming with affection and curiosity.

Even after years of being with Seonghwa, the way he looks at you as if you are the one who hung the moon in the sky always floors you. Your skin tingles at the warmth and adoration in his gaze.

“You,” lost in way his thumb grazes against your waist, the word slips out of your lips without a second thought. You almost curse at yourself for being so taken with him when you see a devilish smirk pull at his lips.

“Is that so, my dove?” Chuckling, he lets himself get closer to you, if that’s even possible, considering how you’re basically pressed against him. His hands rise to cup your face, drawing you to his lips.

You lose yourself in the warmth of his mouth. His kisses are softer at first, but soon, his lips are moving insistently against yours. His teeth sink gently into your bottom lip, and he swallows the moan that leaves you almost hungrily. Seonghwa’s hand slides up the side of your body to slide your nightgown off you, exposing you to the chilly morning air.

He pulls back from you momentarily, the loss making you whine, but the protest dies in your throat when he gazes at you with nothing but love and adoration. In what little light filters through the sheer curtains, he looks ethereal with his glowing bronze skin. His dark hair is messy, and yet he manages to look as if he’d just stepped out of the pages of a manhwa. As if knowing what’s going through your head, a soft smile pulls at his lips.

“Stop looking at me like that,” he breathes, voice thick with sleep and desire.

“Like what?” You ask, your own hands finding purchase against his shoulders.

“Like I’m the damn sunrise.”

“You’re more breathtaking than any sunrise I’ve ever seen, Hwa,” you cradle his cheek in your palm, words ringing with sincerity as you gaze at your boyfriend.

Seonghwa ducks down at your words, hiding his face in your neck as you chuckle at the way he reacts to your compliment. Your amusement doesn’t last long, however, when he leans down further to lave his tongue against the marks his teeth had left against the column of your neck the night before. His teeth sink into your skin, cutting you off mid-laughter, while his palms come to cup your exposed breasts, and you find yourself arching into his touch. 

You watch Seonghwa descend the length of your body, leaving a trail of open-mouthed kisses wherever his lips can reach. His hands slither downwards, fingers digging into your thighs to spread your legs open for him. Bringing his mouth to your core, he smirks when you let out a broken moan, bucking into his mouth. Seoghwa keeps his eyes on you as he devours you.

“Hwa—” you choke back a moan, reaching for him with a trembling hand. You pull him to your lips, tasting yourself on his tongue. “Want you. Please.”

“My beautiful dove.” Seonghwa breathes reverently. His hands are gentle against your waist, cradling you close to him while his lips trace their way up your jaw to meet yours in a sloppy kiss. 

As the sun rises over the Thames River, he ravishes you with a gentleness that feels like the first touch of warmth of the morning light.

────────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────────

Madrid

“Are you recording me?” Seonghwa laughs, walking backwards on the sidewalk as you fumble with the camera—it’s heavier than what you’re used to—but you don’t mind because you’re more concerned about the quality of the video than anything else.

You can’t help but grin at the sight in front of you: Seonghwa in a beret and a long, dark coat that he has paired with jeans contrasts so well with the potted geraniums in front of the restaurant you had stopped to get breakfast at. The flowers herald the happiness blossoming in your chest at the sight of your lover glowing like the sun while surrounded by the the tell-tale signs of the approaching spring.

Seonghwa jokes that these flowers are blooming because it is his first time visiting Europe with you. You laugh off his silly comment, but in your heart of hearts, you can’t help but agree with him. It’s almost as if nature wants you to document the most beautiful sights while you record Seonghwa in the cities you are visiting.

Before you can answer him, something catches his eyes, and before you know it, he is dragging you to a toy store he has spotted on the other side of the road. His smile as he eagerly scours the store for something to buy reminds you of sunlight upon the tides, bright and blinding as the sun itself on the waves that lap gently at the shore.

Seonghwa makes his way to the sunglasses, trying on the goofiest ones, making you giggle. Encouraged by your laughter, he continues to make a fool of himself, pulling funny expressions for the camera and not caring if people are giving him funny looks. At one point, he tries the poison green alien sunglasses, and despite you laughing at how atrocious the design is, you can’t help but think how easily he can pull off even the most ridiculous of accessories with grace.

Behind him, you spot something that makes you gasp, and you rush to the shelves to grab one of the Toothless plushies. Turning around with purpose, you’re caught off guard by how close Seonghwa is, but you don’t let it faze you.

“Look, Hwa! I found you on the shelf,” you giggle at him, holding the plushie up so that it lines up with his face.

He rolls his eyes fondly, used to such jokes by the rest of ATEEZ and his fans. Despite that, he takes the plushie from your hands and puts it on his head, allowing you to capture him with ease. His touch is careful as he holds the plushie, similar to how he handles everything he lays his hands on. Delicate and light, he touches everything he comes across with care, and that’s one of the reasons you find him endearing—for he’s one of the few people who truly take the time to appreciate the beauty the world has to offer.

“If I’m Toothless, doesn’t that mean you’re my Light Fury?” You watch the way his eyes scan the shelves for something.

“I guess,” you shrug, chuckling as you help him in his search for a plushie of the said dragon.

“Do you think we should buy these?” Seonghwa asks, interrupting your search, and you turn to find him holding up the two plushies. He glances at the two stuffed toys—Toothless and the Light Fury—with his eyes furrowed as he weighs the pros and cons of buying both.

“You have multitudes of these back home, Hwa.” You remind him, in fact, he has so many plushies and figurines that he had to store some in your apartment because his manager had threatened that he would throw them out if he saw one more of the HTTYD-themed merch.

“But—”

“Hwa.”

“Fine, break my heart, why don’t you?” And with a pout, he places them back on the shelf reluctantly. You know he’s joking because when you gesture towards the plushies later on, he shakes his head with a smile.

Throughout the day, you explore the city with him, telling him everything you had learned about the places from the little tourist booklet you had snagged from the hotel that morning. He listens to you earnestly, watching you talk with a smile as admiration settles under his skin.

Later in the night, you find yourself in a cafe. Taking a deep breath, you inhale the scent of coffee that permeates your immediate surroundings. Since the cafe is basically empty at this time of the night, a sense of tranquillity surrounds you, much like the warm coat Seonghwa has draped over you. You watch late stragglers making their way home from their jobs through the window you’re seated against, hands curled against a warm cup of hazelnut latte.

“Dove,” Seonghwa’s quiet voice comes from next to you, causing you to snuggle into his shoulder, humming for him to continue. “Don’t fall asleep. We have to walk back to the hotel.”

“Shall we leave, then?” Stifling a yawn, you ask, causing him to nod.

He leads you out of the cafe, keeping his hand on your lower back as you walk through the sparsely populated streets. The very next moment, however, it begins to rain out of nowhere, and before you know it, you are being drenched in the downpour.

Seonghwa laughs in surprise but turns his face upwards to allow the raindrops to kiss his cheeks. Even though the world is blurred around you and your vision is warped by the drops in your eyes, you can still see him clearly. He basks in the rain, lets himself get drenched by the droplets cascading down his face, neck, and shoulders. The rain is so heavy that the raindrops make streams as they make their way down his body.

Watching him like this, you find yourself reaching out for him. As if on the same wavelength as you, Seonghwa takes your hand in his, lips curling up in a smile when you entangle your fingers with his. Reaching out, he cups your face gently, and it seems as if the world stops around you, your senses failing to register anything beyond his touch. Seonghwa trails his thumb along your lips, wiping the raindrops that have settled across your skin.

Drenched in the downpour with him, it’s easy to think of Seonghwa as the rain and yourself as the earth that craves rain after a dry spell.

────────────── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──────────────

Seoul

The wallpaper drips with grief, mimicking the gloom that has taken root in his heart and doesn’t seem to want to leave. The glow of the streetlights filters through the windows and is the only source of light in his dark room. In the centre of the whirlpool of dread and darkness lies Seonghwa, curled up against the messy sheets he can’t bother to straighten.

The silence is uncanny. He’s not used to it—for years, he has shared a room with Hongjoong, and even though, more often than not, the younger male wasn’t actually there because he preferred the studio or the living room couch to the bedroom, the mere idea of sharing a room with someone always made him feel at ease. Hongjoong has been Seonghwa’s anchor in the years he roomed with him, but now alone in his room, the walls seem to press in around him like waves trying to drown him, leaving him breathless.

If Hongjoong is his anchor, you are his beacon, his guiding light, his polestar. And tonight, as his ship is battered by the biggest storm he’s ever faced, you aren’t here either. Desperately, he searches for something to ground him, but too many days and nights filled with sorrow and false optimism have built up and around him, crushing him with a weight he can’t handle anymore. When love wasn’t enough to save you, how can it be enough to help him stay afloat in the rough seas?

Outside of his room, spring touches everything with its delicate hands. For Seonghwa, however, winter still lingers, and the beautiful weather outside just irks him further. He hasn’t been in love for the last week, and even nature cannot revive him this time around. Without love in his heart, the only thing he feels is despair.

Even now, he can’t forget the way red painted his hands as you lay in his arms. Sometimes, when he squeezes his eyes shut hard enough, he can see your smile. In the very same moment, his heart opens and breaks when the image of you in his arms dances across his vision, and he dies again and again, bleeds until there’s only a shell left behind.

The beeping of his digital clock startles him. The digits read 00:00, distorted from the tears that line his lashes but never seem to fall. For a long time, he had thought today would make the pain bearable, but it persists, lingering in his heart and his room like stubborn rain clouds that linger even after the storm has passed. It is possible that you may not return to him, but he tries to remain optimistic. If he doesn’t believe you to be strong enough to fight for him, for your love, then who will? 

His phone dings, and he looks at the device for a moment. Each beep of his phone has, till now, started him into a sitting position, and every time, it has not what he expected. But foolishly, he still hopes for a miracle.

His phone dinging again with the custom notification he had set for you has Seonghwa scrambling to check his phone. It’s a scheduled email, but your name lighting up the screen renders him breathless. At the sight of your name, the storm raging around him quietens down, leaving him in calm seas. There’s a video attached with the email, and he clicks it open.

[Exterior. Mid-morning. Shots of the streets of London from a car. In the foreground, the text reads Happy Birthday, Seonghwa! A female’s voice is heard speaking in the voiceover.]

Y/N: What’s a soulmate?

[The camera pans and focuses on Seonghwa as he looks out of the window, pointing at all the things he remembers from the few times he has been there with ATEEZ for concerts.]

SH: And that’s the cafe Jongho liked a lot. He said the coffee there was amazing. We should definitely visit it after we’ve settled in hotel room, you look like you could do with some caffeine in your system.

Y/N: [laughing] Not everyone is used to sleeping in aeroplanes.

SH: [shaking his head, he sniffs as if wounded by your comments] Well, if you toured with me, you’d be used to it. You’re the only one who keeps declining when I ask you to come with me! My poor self has to live without you for months just because you won’t agree.

Y/N: Your idea of bringing me along includes you stuffing me into your suitcase. Sorry if I don’t want to be thrown around with the other luggage.

SH: [snorting] It’s your fault for being so small.

Y/N: [sighing] Whatever, Hwa.

[Midday. The video cuts to a shot of Seonghwa walking along the Thames river. He has his arms wrapped around himself. The sky is covered with fluffy clouds, and one can tell that spring is fast approaching with the way little green buds are seen on the trees in the background.]

Y/N: It’s a… Well, it’s like a best friend, but more.

SH: It’s so cold!

Y/N: Should we go and get something to warm us up from the cafe you pointed out earlier? I think it’s close to where we are right now.

[The video cuts to the two of you inside the cafe. The camera is placed on one side, allowing it to capture both Seonghwa and you. You’re laughing at Seonghwa, who took a sip from your iced americano and immediately made a face at the taste. The video skips a bit and Seonghwa can be seen humming along to the music from the speakers while you watch him, enraptured by his vocals.]

Y/N: It’s the one person in the world who knows you better than anyone else.

[The video cuts again. This time, Seonghwa is in a hotel room, standing against the backdrop of the Eiffel Tower and posing goofily while you are laughing in the background. He waddles over to the camera, forcing you to put it on the table as he twirls you around, dancing to a song he’s humming.]

Y/N: It’s someone who makes you a better person.

[The video cuts to a closeup of Seonghwa’s head in your lap as you sit on the couch. He’s sleeping soundly while you run your fingers through his soft hair. His lips quirk upwards in a smile, causing you to halt your motions, but a whine from him has you resuming your actions.]

Y/N: [soft whisper] Did I wake you up?

SH: [hums and shakes his head] Not really… [yawns] I wasn’t fully asleep.

[There’s silence for a while as Seonghwa shifts around to get comfortable.]

SH: I love you.

Y/N: That was so random, Hwa.

SH: Hey! You’re supposed to say you love me too!

Y/N: [snorting] I love you, you overgrown child.

SH: I’ll have you know that’s Wooyoung.

Y/N: Don’t let him hear you say that. He’ll bite your arm off or something.

SH: [laughing hard]

Y/N: Actually, they don’t make you a better person, you do that yourself… because they inspire you.

[The video cuts to Seonghwa amidst the geraniums in Madrid before he drags you to the MINISO. His shenanigans from the store can be seen, with him wearing goofy sunglasses and playing with the Night Fury plushie.]

Y/N: A soulmate is someone who you can carry with you forever.

[Seonghwa can be seen busking with a guy playing the guitar. He sings Angel Baby by Troye Sivan, smiling wide when you start swaying one of your hands in beat with the music, causing people to follow your actions. When he’s done, people come up to him, telling him that he’s an amazing singer, and he thanks everyone with a bashful smile while watching you look at him with a look of pride on your face.]

Y/N: It’s the one person who knew you and accepted you… Believed in you before anyone else did or when no one else would. 

[Seonghwa excuses himself from the crowd and makes his way towards you, wrapping his arms around your frame and sways the two of you as the busker starts crooning a song in Danish.]

SH: Thank you for always believing in me, dove. Especially when I didn’t believe in myself.

Y/N: [smiling] I love you, and I’ll cheer you on, especially during the darkest days.

Y/N: And no matter what happens, you will always love them. 

[The camera pans to you in your editing studio, and you wave at the camera with a smile on your face.]

Y/N: It’s quite late [glancing at the clock on your desk], 3 a.m. to be precise, and I’m working on your birthday video. [Laughs] I hope you like this little video I put together with clips from our trip to Europe. Give me a call once you’re done watching this. I love you so much, Hwa! Happy Birthday, my star!

Y/N: Nothing can ever change that.

Seonghwa wipes his tears, sniffing as he gets up from the bed. With a meticulousness characteristic of him, he goes through the motions of dressing up to pay you a visit. That’s the only thing that seems to make sense, so with bleary eyes and heavy feet, he walks through the deserted streets of Seoul.

The staff members at the hospital allow him to see you, used to his untimely visits. The nurse watching over you gives him a sad smile and leaves him alone with you when he enters your room. He notes that the pallor that had settled beneath your skin is now fading, albeit slowly. 

Maybe you’re getting better? But you still haven’t woken up, and seeing your face, he finds himself falling, falling through the memories of the day of the accident. His eyes close of their own accord, and he sighs, trying to get those images out of his mind. Unable to stop his thoughts, he relives the day all over again.

Logically, he knows the accident isn’t his fault but of the person who was behind the wheel.

Or maybe it was, the voice in his mind tells him.

Somewhere in the back of his mind, he can’t forgive himself for the events that led up to the accident. If he hadn’t called you to pick him up from the company that night when it was raining, you’d be safe in his arms, celebrating his birthday with him.

No, it wasn’t. Seonghwa desperately wants to believe his own words. But there’s still that small voice of doubt that rears its ugly head, and before he knows it, fresh tears are rolling down his cheeks.

“I’m sorry,” he whispers. Seonghwa is too emotionally exhausted and too choked to speak any louder. “My dove, I’m so sorry for this whole mess. I’m sorry. Please wake up soon. I can’t do this alone—I can’t live without you. Please. I love you.”

[red5tars]

minors + ageless blogs dni or you will be blocked.

“could i... perhaps.... indulge you on bear hybrid price... and breeding kink. but not like, just stuffing you full, i'm talking round of his seed just overflowing... 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️” - ask from anon

oh boy..

bunny!reader who stumbles across a beautiful patch in the forest. it’s a nice set up, lush greenery, some flowers to nibble and admire, and a stream that provides plenty of water.

and most importantly, the land is empty. no predators, or prey. just your cute little cottontail and no one else.

it quickly becomes your home, spending your days laying down in the shrubbery, skipping by the stream, and eating your fill in plants. a perfect routine you plan on sticking to until you die.

at least, that’s what you thought it would be like, until you found out why this patch was so empty.

it happens on a rainy day, and while the feeling of water running down your fur and skin is enjoyable, the downpour is harsh today. in need of shelter, you quickly seek out the nearest cave, finding one hidden in plain sight. it’s covered by vines and moss, blending into the greenery. thankfully, you’re able to pick out such things, it’s how you found this place after all.

stepping inside, you realize how dark and cold it is, a shiver making your ears stand up. at the very least, you wouldn’t have to be here for more than a few hours. what’s the worse that could happen?

it seems the answer chuffs behind you, a growl making your body stiffen.

as you turn your head over your shoulder, your met with the grizzly sight of a large bear hybrid. your ears drop, fear running through you as the beast stares you down.

“anyone ever told you about trespassing, bun?” he asks, his deep voice rattling your bones.

somehow, you manage to shake your head, stammering, “i-i didn’t know this was.. i thought.. i-“

“thought wha’, hm?” he asks, his tone bordering on condescending, “thought this little patch was yours for the taking,” there’s a hint of smile in his tone, and you see it as he emerges from the shadows.

with every step he takes forward, you take one back, hoping to reach the entrance of the cave.

“n-no,” it comes out naturally, a defensive response. the bear just chuckles, shaking his head.

“oh bunny.. poor stupid bunny,” the dim light from outside glints against his fangs, canines that are waiting to be sunk into your flesh.

“everything in this little section of the forest is mine, from the trees,“ he gestured above your head, but you don’t dare turn around. it would be unwise to give him an opening.

“the grass, and even the little stream like you to hop in,” a chill runs down your spine. it never occurred to you he was watching, eying his next meal.

with one more step, you find yourself close to the entrance. but it seems he redirected your path, feeling the hard wall of the cave hit you instead of the rain’s humidity.

his whole body cages you, keeping trapped.

“and now.. you do too.”

——

you knew he was going to devour you, just not like this.

the bear, price, has you pinned down with an arm on your lower back, stomach glued to the cold floor as his tongue glides up and down your slick cunt.

even with his weight on you, your instincts scream at you to move. to run away and never look back.

“quit yer squirming, bun,” price commands, growls. the low timbre of his voice adds vibrations to your pussy, causing you to do the opposite of what he said. a quiet squeal leaves your lips, ears stretched far back behind you in embarrassment.

even though you defied a direct order, he doesn’t punish you. instead, he goes back to eating it, eating you, your sopping wet cunt.

you can’t even recall how you got into this position, all you remember is the bear claiming you as his, telling you his name, and then wrestling you down into the floor.

..so maybe you can recall how you got here.

after another agony of his long licks, price pulls away from your cunt. it’s completely drenched in his spit, and you bet it smells more like his mouth than you.

“think you’re ready now,” he grunts, and despite the haze his tongue has placed you in, alarm bells ring in your head again. swiftly, you manage to turn, eyes wide, “r-ready for wha-“

your question is cut off as something big is shoved inside of you, your meek voice shifting into something closer to a scream.

just like everything about him, it’s big. it feels like he’s burrowing himself inside you, which is ironic considering his species. it’s just all too much far too quickly.

“p-price pull out pl-please,” you beg, and not even the earlier pleasure can outdo the pain. but he doesn’t pull out. in fact, it seems your pleading spurs him on, trying to shove even more (was there more?!) of himself inside of you.

“can’t do that bun,” he huffs, squishing your cottontail as he practically rests his full weight on you, “gotta claim you.”

and with that, he moves.

it’s brutal, the way he slams home into your tight pussy. it’s almost like being stabbed, except the blade is thicker and more meaty and not a blade at all but probably the fattest cock you’ve ever felt-

it seems price can pick up on your pain, tasting it on his tongue (amongst other things). with one hand, he manages to cant your hips, snaking a paw in between them.

“being too mean, aren’t i?” he says almost effortlessly, not a hint of strain in his voice despite the robust movement of his hips, “soft thing like you isn’t used to this type of breeding..”

as a sign of mercy, his fingers play with your clit, pinching and rubbing the bud.

and oh, does that help.

instead of focusing on the harsh piston of his hips, he offers pleasure, toying with your little button, rolling it between his fingers, putting enough pressure to have you squeaking.

it pulls sounds out of you that you never knew you could make and sentences that consist of pleasepleaseplease and moremoremore.

it seems price revels in your enjoyment too, grunting harder as your insides clench on his length with a vice-like grip.

“yeah? you like that, bun? you always turn into a slut when someone flicks that little button of yours? hm?”

despite his patronizing tone, you’re unable to deny his claims. instead, you meet his questions with moans, turning into what he describes as a cock-focused cottontail slut.

before long, the warmth in your stomach erupts like a dormant volcano, making you clench his cock in a vice-like grip. your orgasm shakes you, body rigid as you come undone under this predator.

it seems he wasn’t far along either, as price buries his face into the back of your neck, pressing himself to the hilt as a massive load of his cum spills inside you.

it’s hot and thick, making sure not to just coat your insides but also fill it. you half expect him to pull out, but price just stays sheathed inside you.

it isn’t until you feel your womb is going to burst that you finally speak up, “um.. i.. i think you should.. p-pull out..” you whimper, having to actively search for words instead of fall deeper into this haze of lust.

but it’s rare for predators to spare mercy, even rarer for them to do it twice.

“no can do bun, see” and he completely drops his weight onto you, a quiet oof exhaling from you at this, “i was pretty lonely before you showed up, and it’s been near ages since i had a mate..”

as he explains himself, you can feel his cock coming back to life, practically keep all his cum plugged deep inside of you.

“and when you wandered into my territory, i knew i had to have you,” his hips move shallowly, barely separating from you. “had to make you mine,” at this, a moan leaves your lips while a deep chuckle escapes his.

“attagirl. now,” he curls an arm under your waist, palming at your soft belly, “jus’ lie there while i make you fat with my cubs, okay bunny?”

[winxanity-ii]

JOIN US FOR A BITE

ship: polities x fem!lotus eater!reader warnings: non-explicit word count: 6.1k a/n: Y'all forgive me, i'm currently addicted to EPIC: The Musical 😭😭😭 i had to get it out......so because i'm such a random ass person, expect a few one-shots of these 🥴

★·.·´🇪‌🇵‌🇮‌🇨‌: 🇹‌🇭‌🇪‌ 🇲‌🇺‌🇸‌🇮‌🇨‌🇦‌🇱‌ 🇲‌🇦‌🇸‌🇹‌🇪‌🇷‌🇱‌🇮‌🇸‌🇹‌`·.·★

In the dappled shade of overhanging trees, you, a daughter of the Lotus Eaters, moved with the silence of a whisper.

The island, your home, was a place of serene beauty and hidden sorrows, where every berry and leaf held stories untold.

As you foraged, the unexpected sound of low voices sliced through the quiet, a rarity in this secluded paradise.

In the heart of the island, where the sun played peek-a-boo through the lush canopy, you were lost in your routine of foraging, the familiar, comforting task providing a rhythm to your day.

The island was your sanctuary, a place where each leaf and berry whispered stories of peace and forgetfulness.

But today, an unfamiliar murmur shattered the symphony of rustling leaves and distant waves—a discordant note that prickled your skin.

Hiding wasn't something you Lotus Eaters did often; your island was a haven, not a battlefield. Yet, instinct took over, and you found yourself crouching under the embracing shadow of an overhanging tree, its leaves casting a mosaic of light and dark around you.

Your heart thudded a frantic rhythm, trying to drown out the low, masculine voices that sliced through the serenity of your world.

You couldn't catch their words clearly, just fragments floating through the air like leaves caught in a breeze—"too worried," "need to relax"—phrases that seemed out of place in the tranquility of your island.

Your curiosity piqued as their voices faded, swallowed by the whispers of the forest. The urge to look, to know, overpowered your hesitation, and you peered through the veil of green, your gaze snagging on flashes of gold.

Gold here was not a common sight. It wasn't woven into your garments or hoarded in chests; it was a color of the sunsets, not of men. Yet, there it was, adorning these strangers in the form of armor, glinting with a promise of other worlds, other wars.

Your breath caught at the sight of their swords, tools of harm so alien to your way of life, and a chill skittered down your spine.

They were heading toward your village, toward your people who knew no harm.

Panic, sharp and urgent, spurred you into motion. You couldn't just sit and watch. The safety of your village, of the gentle souls who had never known the cold bite of steel, was in your hands.

As you darted through the underbrush, the island blurred around you, a whirl of green and brown streaked with your anxiety. "Strangers are coming," you rehearsed in your mind, "armed strangers, with intentions as unclear as the shadowed depths of our waters." Your feet knew the way, carrying you faster than thought, driven by a need to protect, to warn.

Reaching the village felt like emerging from water, a sudden rush of air and noise. Your people, your family, they were all there, living their peaceful lives, unaware of the disturbance heading their way. You gasped for breath, words tumbling out in a rush, "Strangers… armed… heading this way…"

The village's rhythm halted, eyes turning to you, a mixture of confusion and concern blooming on familiar faces. Kio, your elder, stepped forward, his presence like a calm in the storm. "Tell me everything," his voice was the steady beat of the drum, grounding and solid.

As you recounted what little you saw and heard, the weight of responsibility bore down on you. You were a community that thrived on harmony and understanding, yet here you were, the harbinger of potential discord. "I saw their swords," you confessed, the words heavy, "weapons that shows tales of war and death."

The air was thick with unspoken fears, with the weight of what was to come. You stood there, amid your people, feeling the shift in the breeze, a harbinger of change, unwelcome and unbidden.

In that moment, you realized that the sanctuary of your island was no longer a given—and you can't help but wonder what the arrival of these strangers heralds for your people, for your way of life, and for the harmony that has always been your world's heartbeat.

As the last echoes of your warning hang in the air, a sudden rustling at the village's edge cuts through the stillness. You barely have time to finish, "We must hide!" before the underbrush parts, revealing the very strangers you feared. The village, usually a bastion of tranquility, pulses with a mix of apprehension and curiosity.

Your eyes are immediately drawn to the darker-skinned man, whose presence seems to command the sun's rays, casting a warm glow on his deep-toned skin.

He stood out with a demeanor that contrasts sharply with the tense atmosphere, his short, dark curls restrained by a golden headband that speaks of valor yet does not overshadow his approachable aura. His face, framed by a full beard, is alight with a friendly smile, his brown eyes reflecting a depth of wisdom and kindness, suggesting a soul seasoned by journeys and battles yet untouched by their harshness.

He is clad in a heroic ensemble that marries form and function—a chest plate of polished bronze that narrates tales of past skirmishes, worn over a tunic vibrant against the natural backdrop of the village.

Golden armlets encircle his muscular arms, shimmering with each movement, while a belt with intricate designs anchors a leather skirt, designed for the dual demands of agility and protection. His attire is completed with greaves and sandals, hinting at readiness for both celebration and conflict.

Beside him, a man with lighter skin presents a stark contrast, his rigid posture exuding a sense of urgency and latent power. His armor, less adorned yet no less formidable, speaks of a life spent in strategy and combat, his expression one of focus and resolve, his eyes scanning the surroundings with a commander's vigilance.

You watch, your gaze hardening, as Elder Kio and the other respected leaders step forward, their arms spread in a gesture of welcome that's as much a part of your culture as the lotus itself; it's a silent offering of peace and welcome, a tradition unbroken for generations.

The children, with their innocent faces peeking out from behind their mothers' skirts, gawked at the men, their usual playground of earth and sky momentarily forgotten.

The mothers, though curious, held their children close, sensing the shift in the wind, the ripple of change that these strangers brought with them.

A greeting that's supposed to be met with gratitude is instead met with tension.

The lighter one, his armor catching the sun's rays, draws his sword in a swift motion that cuts the air and the brief moment of peace.

The reaction is immediate. The elders halt in their tracks, their expressions morphing from open welcome to guarded caution. The villagers, their voices once rising in a harmonious welcome, now fall silent, their songs of greeting dissolving into a tense hush.

The children, sensing the shift, draw closer to their mothers, their expressions morphing from excitement to a dawning unease.

"Stay back!" the command ripples through the gathered crowd, a stark contrast to the open-hearted reception offered by your people; it acts as chilling reminder of the potential danger these strangers represent.

The villagers, once buoyed by curiosity and the novelty of new faces, now retreat into a wary distance, their initial welcome cooling into a collective apprehension; unused to such intensity, leaned in, their eyes flickering between the sword in his hand and the stoic expressions of their elders.

Yet, you, alongside the village elders, remain steadfast, your eyes locked on the two men who've disrupted the peace of your haven.

"We're only here for food," the lighter one said, his voice carrying the weight of command and desperation. "I need enough to feed 600 men."

The word 'food' echoed through the crowd, a simple yet profound need that resonated with every villager. Your people, always so giving, now faced a dilemma as the shadow of the upcoming drought season loomed over the island like an ominous cloud, now facing the prospect of feeding an army.

Elder Kio looked worried; his face, etched with the lines of countless smiles and furrowed brows of concern, now bore a look of deep contemplation. He's seen a lot over the years, and you could tell he was trying to figure out what to do. His eyes, reflecting a storm of thoughts, met the soldier's—an exchange brimming with the weight of unspoken negotiations.

With his stance firm and his expression unyielding, the pale one held Kio's gaze. The elder's eyes, usually reflecting pools of calm, now mirrored the tumultuous sea of issues before him.

The island, a paradise of peace and plenty, was unused to such extreme demands, and Kio's hesitation was a testament of the conflict within—a battle between the inner desire to extend a hand in hospitality or the impending need to safeguard their future against the looming threat of scarcity.

Before Elder Kio could open his mouth to offer a bit of help despite future trouble, the soldier cut him off, sensing the hesitation, sharpened his stance, "Stay back, I'm warning you," he repeated, his sword gleaming menacingly in the sunlight. "If we don't get back safely, my men will turn this place into blazes."

The threat hung in the air, stark and chilling. A collective shiver ran through the villagers, a silent wave of fear that you felt keenly. Your own reaction was immediate—a frown, a tightening of your jaw, an instinctive readiness to defend your home against this thinly veiled menace.

Yet, from across the clearing, your mother's calm gaze met yours. Her presence, unswayed by the lotus's usual soporific effect, served as a silent beacon of restraint. Her eyes, so like your own, whispered a message of patience and wisdom, cooling the fire of your indignation.

Around you, the elders, those first-generation Lotus Eaters who seldom displayed such collective lucidity, stood with a shared gravity. Their usual, dreamlike detachment was replaced by a sharp, collective focus, a rare and telling shift that spoke volumes of the gravity of the situation.

"Odysseus, my friend, it's okay to greet the world with open arms, no need to be harsh," the darker one spoke in a gentle tone, trying to dispel the tension; his words, meant to soothe, seemed almost out of place against the backdrop of his companion's stark ultimatum.

The lighter one—Odysseus—still on edge, shot a glance at his friend, his expression a mix of frustration and urgency. "We need to find food for our men, Polites," he insisted, the weight of his responsibility evident in his voice.

The villagers watched, a silent audience to this back-and-forth between the two men.

Elder Kio, after a moment of anxious contemplation, stepped forward, his voice steady but his concern clear. "We can offer you some of our reserves," he said to Odysseus, "It's not much, but we're willing to share what we have."

With a nod from Kio, a few of the women villagers moved toward the storerooms, their steps hesitant but determined. Kio then turned his gaze to you and a small group of young villagers standing nearby.

With a subtle but firm nod, he signaled for you to assist in gathering the provisions.

Watching you all get into action, Polites' face lights up in with relief, nudged Odysseus. "See? You were worrying for nothing," he said, a small smile playing on his lips.

Just then, a young child, innocent to the tension, approached the men with a tray of refreshments, among them the lotus fruit. Polites reached out, his hand hovering over the fruit, drawn to its vibrant hue.

Odysseus's hand shot out, stopping Polites just in time. "Wait," he cautioned, eyeing the fruit with suspicion.

And as the little boy who had offered the tray turned to leave, Odysseus called out to him, "Hey, wait a minute, boy." His voice, firm yet not unkind, prompted the child to halt in his tracks and look back, a mix of curiosity and wariness in his eyes.

The boy, clutching the hem of his shirt, took hesitant steps back toward the two strangers. His gaze flitted between the fruit in Odysseus's hand and the stern look on the man's face.

"What's this?" Odysseus asked, holding up the luminescent fruit for the boy to see. The child, now standing a safe distance away, glanced at the fruit and then up at Odysseus's questioning eyes.

"I-It's what we eat here," the boy replied, his voice a soft murmur against the backdrop of the watching villagers. "It makes people happy."

Odysseus exchanged a quick, meaningful look with Polites, who wore an expression of dawning understanding mixed with concern. The child, sensing the men's unease, added, "It's good… it helps people forget their sadness."

Odysseus, still locked in his silent communication with Polites, missed the approach of an older teenager who came to retrieve the young boy. The girl, with a respectful bow, offered a gentle apology for the interruption, her actions protective as she guided the boy to stand behind her, his curious eyes peeking out from her leg.

As the villagers began to place baskets filled with an assortment of foods beside the men, Odysseus turned his attention to the girl. "Is what the child said true? You eat these?" he inquired, gesturing towards the lotus fruit in his hand.

The girl nodded, her eyes fixed on the ground, a hint of defensiveness in her posture. "Yes," she confirmed softly, "we use the fruit as a base for many of our meals." Her hand swept towards the growing pile of food offerings, which included more than just the fruit, illustrating the variety in their diet.

When the girl and child left, Odysseus picked up one of the fruits. "Look at this," he said, holding it high, its seeds emitting a faint glow. "Do you see how it glows? This is a lotus fruit. It's not just any food; it affects your mind, traps you in bliss." He then turned to Polites with a stern look, his words sharp and clear. "If we indulge in this, we could become like the lotus eaters here, essentially addicts lost to their escape, detached from reality."

With a gesture that carried a mix of disdain and warning, Odysseus dropped the fruit to the ground, his hand swiftly brushing against his pants, as if to rid himself of its influence.

You returned to the scene, arms aching slightly from helping to transport the village's food reserves, only to catch Odysseus's dismissive gesture as he dropped a lotus fruit to the ground. His words, laden with disdain, hung heavily in the air, criticizing the very essence of your people's way of life.

You felt a surge of emotions as you stood there, witnessing this display of ignorance. Anger bubbled up inside you, mixed with a deep sadness.

These outsiders didn't understand. They didn't see that the lotus fruit, while powerful, was not a chain but a choice for many who came to your island seeking peace from their troubled pasts.

You knew the stories well—of travelers and wanderers, lost souls who found solace on your shores, much like your own parents had.

You were a child of two lotus eaters who had discovered love and a new beginning amidst the island's gentle embrace. Unlike the outsiders' assumptions, you all lived in harmony, connecting deeply with each other's hearts and minds, a unity that was rare and precious.

Odysseus's words, though meant for Polites, echoed through the village, casting a shadow over the offered hospitality. The villagers' expressions shifted from welcome to wariness, their eyes reflecting a mix of hurt and disappointment.

The notion that your home, your culture, and your people were reduced to being labeled as 'useless' by those who knew nothing of your world cut deeply.

It was a stark reminder of how the outside world viewed the lotus eaters—a place of forgetfulness and oblivion, not healing and community.

The tension in the village was palpable, a thick veil of unease that hung over the villagers, all felt but unseen by Odysseus and Polites. Polites, sensing the shift in the atmosphere, took a modest step forward, his head slightly bowed, exuding a sense of genuine remorse.

"Lotus eaters," Polites addressed the villagers with a tone full of sincerity, "I apologize for the misunderstanding. We, as soldiers, must remain vigilant and at our peak, which means we cannot partake in your lotus fruit." While his apology was sincere, it didn't sit well with the villagers.

The fact that it was Polites apologizing, and not Odysseus—the one who had actually insulted the community—only intensified the villagers' resentment and frustration.

The villagers exchanged glances, questioning why the man who had caused the offense hadn't stepped forward to make amends himself.

Elder Kio, masking the village's collective discomfort with a practiced ease, responded, "The cave," he stated simply, his voice imbued with a reassuring calm that seemed to gently brush away the lingering tension.

Polites' interest piqued. "A cave! You're saying there's a cave where we could feast? Where might we find this food-filled cave?" His tone carried a mix of curiosity and relief.

Kio, with a gentle nod, extended his arm eastward, as if presenting a gift. "Eastward…There lies a cave you seek, abundant and generous, just as our village strives to be. It'll take 3 days and 2 nights to reach."

Gratitude washed over Polites' features, lighting them up with a grateful smile. "Thank you!" he exclaimed, his appreciation clear.

"You are most welcome," echoed the villagers, their chorus of voices a blend of politeness and restraint, a testament to their enduring hospitality even in the face of discomfort.

Kio then turned to you, his next words taking everyone by surprise—including you. "We also offer a guide's service to lead you there," he said, gesturing toward you. "She's the best on the entire island."

You felt a jolt of responsibility as all eyes turned to you. As Kio's gaze met yours, a silent message passed between you, clear and unmistakable.

You could almost hear his unspoken strategy: Feed them to the beasts, since they want to behave as such.

Understanding Kio's underlying intention, you stepped forward from the crowd, now the focus of Odysseus and Polites' attention. "I need just a moment to prepare," you told them, your voice steady despite the whirlwind of thoughts inside you. "Then, you'll guide me to your ship to gather more of your men before we start for the cave."

As you stepped out to meet Odysseus and Polites, their eyes landed on you, taking in your appearance for the first time. The tropical sun of your island home cast a warm glow on your rich brown skin, highlighting your beauty and the distinctiveness of your village's attire.

You stood there, embodying the spirit of your people with your attire that was both practical for the island's warmth and symbolic of your culture.

Your outfit consisted of a dark brown loincloth, complementing your skin tone, paired with a bralette fashioned from sparkling beads that caught the light with every movement, signaling your status and style.

Your hair, a cascade of back-length, fuzzy locks, was adorned with beads whose colors denoted your age and status within the village.

At 19, the azure and emerald beads woven into your hair were a vibrant mix, reflecting your youth and vigor, and marking you as one of the youngest warriors and hunters of your people.

Your arms bore white tattoos, striped patterns that ran up to your shoulders, interspersed with specks of blue and seafoam green, signifying your prowess and skill.

Around your lower stomach and navel, intricate grayish designs sprawled, symbolizing your single status and fertility, a visual marker that you are of age and ready to bear children, aligning with the island's traditions and its deep-rooted connection to the cycles of life and continuity.

Beauty marks dotted gracefully along the bridge of your nose and over your cupid's bow, drawing attention to your face, enhancing your natural features, and expressing the unique blend of strength and elegance that characterized your presence.

Polites' reaction was immediate as his gaze swept over you; his brown cheeks flushed a slight shade of pink, a subtle but telling reaction to your striking appearance. There was an unmistakable look of admiration in his eyes, a clear indication that he found you to be perhaps the most beautiful woman he had ever encountered.

Under his breath, awestruck, he murmured a phrase that likened you to the goddess of beauty herself, "By Aphrodite's grace…" His words were a whisper, a testament to the impression you'd made on him, acknowledging your beauty as one that could rival the goddess's unparalleled allure.

Even Odysseus, whose heart was steadfastly anchored to Penelope, couldn't ignore the striking presence you radiated.

While loyalty to his wife remained unshaken, he recognized the undeniable fact that your beauty was something extraordinary, a rare and captivating elegance, one that could easily stir the hearts of men and gods alike.

He thought to himself that your beauty was such that, were it known beyond this secluded island, it might provoke kingdoms to vie for your favor, much like they once did for Helen of Troy—igniting conflicts driven by desire and admiration.

You quickly made your way to your family's tent to collect the necessary items for the journey ahead. Inside the small, familiar space, you grabbed a satchel, packing it with essential items: a few lotus fruits, a canteen of water, a bow and arrows, and a knife, which you secured around your thigh.

As part of the preparation, you began to apply dark paint to your face, a method used by your village's hunters to meld into the night, a tactic you knew would serve well in the environment you were about to navigate.

Your mother entered the tent, her face etched with concern. She understood the gravity of your task, her maternal instinct overshadowing the usual lotus-induced calm. "I know you can handle this," she said, her voice laced with a mix of pride and worry, "but be cautious around those soldiers. It's not the giants that I fear for you, but the company you'll be keeping on this journey."

Your heart softened at her words, touched by the depth of her concern. Your mother, with her gentle spirit and enduring strength, had faced her own harrowing journey before embracing the lotus's forgetful peace.

The fact that her past might include such dark experiences, particularly involving men, made her caution all the more touching.

It was a reminder of the life she led before the island, the trials she endured, and the refuge she found among the lotus eaters. Her concern for you now, in the context of being alone with the soldiers, was a reflection of her own vulnerabilities and the protective love she held for you.

You met her gaze, your expression resolute, offering reassurance. "I'm the right person for this," you affirmed, echoing the confidence Kio placed in you. In a gesture steeped in your village's traditions, you pressed your forehead against hers, a moment of silent solidarity and affection that transcended words.

Pulling back with a smile, you reached into your satchel and gently placed a lotus fruit in her hand. She returned your smile, a gesture of mutual understanding and love, before consuming the fruit. Her eyes soon glazed over, a serene calm washing over her as the fruit's effects took hold, guiding her back to a blissful repose next to your father.

With a final, affectionate kiss on her forehead, you ensured she was comfortably resting before turning your attention back to the task at hand.

Your face now marked for the hunt, your gear secured, and your heart steeled for what lay ahead, you stepped out of the tent with a determined stride, ready to confront whatever challenges awaited with Odysseus and Polites.

As you traversed the winding path with Odysseus and Polites, the latter seemed increasingly eager to engage with you, his intrigue clearly sparked by more than just your striking appearance.

Polites' attempts at conversation were persistent, as he ventured to break through your focused demeanor with a series of stuttered, simple questions.

"So, um, do you… do you always assist with… such tasks?" Polites inquired, his voice wavering slightly as he sought to learn more about you.

You didn't immediately respond, your attention fixed on the journey ahead, but his persistent curiosity eventually drew your gaze.

When your eyes finally met his, he was met with a flush of embarrassment, his cheeks turning a noticeable shade of red. He offered a shy, somewhat awkward smile, his hands fumbling with his shield in a nervous gesture, betraying his unease under your scrutinizing look.

"And, ah, the… the paint," he stumbled on his words again, gesturing vaguely towards your face, "Is it… for camouflage, or…?" His question trailed off, leaving the sentence hanging in the air, incomplete.

You observed his flustered state for a moment, the warrior seemingly at odds with his usual battlefield composure, now unsettled by the simple act of conversing with you. His earnestness, juxtaposed with his bashfulness, painted a starkly different picture from the soldierly demeanor you'd expected.

Odysseus, observing his friend's futile efforts, couldn't help but interject with a scoff. "I'm not sure why you're bothering," he remarked to Polites, his voice tinged with a mix of amusement and disdain. "She's probably lost in the haze of lotus fruit, like the rest of them here."

This assumption ignited a spark of anger within you. Up until now, you had maintained a composed silence, but Odysseus's words struck a nerve. Turning to face him, your eyes flashed with indignation.

"How dare you," you began, your voice slicing through the tension like a blade, "judge us so arrogantly?" The words tumbled out, sharp and unrelenting. "Men like you—soldiers—are the very reason why so many seek refuge on this island. Some of us are survivors of village plunders, forced to witness the atrocities committed by armies, the horrors inflicted upon innocent lives."

Your gaze intensified, boring into his as you took in the full measure of the man before you. "You inflict unspeakable horrors and drape them in the guise of glory, yet you stand here, with blood still staining your hands, daring to pass judgment on us? On how we choose to heal our wounds?"

Odysseus's eyes shifted away under the weight of your accusation, a flicker of discomfort, perhaps even guilt, crossing his features as he was confronted with the stark mirror of his actions.

You paused, ensuring your next words hit home. "You know nothing of our resilience," you continued, your tone edged with a cold clarity, "And for your information, offspring of lotus eaters, like myself, aren't as affected by the fruit's power. We retain our minds, our memories, and, most importantly, our judgments."

The air hung heavy between you, charged with your spoken truths. Odysseus, now looking away, seemed momentarily lost for words, the usual confidence of the seasoned warrior faltering under the weight of your piercing glare and the bitter truths it conveyed.

In this moment of silence, Polites saw an opportunity to shift the atmosphere, perhaps lighten the heavy load of the conversation that had just transpired. He ventured to draw your attention away from the discomfort, eager to see a different side of you beyond the anger and the pain.

"So, uh…" Polites began, a cautious optimism in his voice, "Do the… lotus fruits taste like… regular fruits, or are they… different?" His question, awkward yet sincere, seemed to pierce through the lingering tension.

Your initial reaction was to maintain your guarded demeanor, but something about his genuine curiosity and the awkward earnestness in his attempt sparked a different response within you.

A soft laugh escaped your lips, not mocking but genuine, a sound that seemed to momentarily lift the heavy cloak of your responsibilities and the grim realities of your world.

Polites' reaction was immediate; his smile widened, his cheeks flushed with a renewed sense of hope as he heard the lightness in your laughter.

It was a sound, he realized, that he wanted to understand more, to hear again, not just as a distraction from the weight of the journey ahead but as a glimpse into the person you truly were beneath the warrior's exterior.

Maybe, just maybe, he wasn't so bad after all—a thought that, for a fleeting moment, allowed you to see him not just as a soldier from a foreign land but as a person capable of recognizing and respecting your humanity.

Over the two days spent guiding Odysseus, Polites, and the other Trojan guards to the cave, you noticed a shift in your own defenses.

While Odysseus and his men maintained a distance, treating you with a detached wariness or outright indifference, Polites pursued a different path. His presence was a constant by your side, his demeanor gentle, marked by a curiosity that felt genuine and devoid of judgment.

His questions, simple yet insightful, sparked conversations you hadn't anticipated. "What's life like on the island for you?" he'd ask, or "Have you ever tried Pastelis?" His inquiries, far from the prying or strategic, seemed to stem from a place of genuine interest, a desire to understand your world and perhaps to find common ground.

Even when the group settled down for the night, Polites' attentiveness didn't wane.

As the others succumbed to sleep or took up their watchful posts, he remained by your side, sharing stories under the blanket of stars. His tales of battles fought alongside Odysseus, of distant lands and fierce confrontations, offered a glimpse into his life beyond the armor and sword.

On one particularly windy night, as the campfire flickered and cast its glow on the weary faces of the slumbering soldiers, Polites drew closer to you.

With a thoughtful gesture, he unfurled the cape attached to his armor and draped it around the both of you, creating a shared warmth against the chill of the night.

There, beside the dwindling bonfire, with the sounds of the night around you and the rest of the troops lost in their dreams or watchful silence, a different kind of connection began to form.

The stories he told, imbued with his personal experiences, fears, and triumphs, resonated with you, bridging the gap between your worlds. His willingness to open up, to share the realities of his life beyond the battlefield, painted him in a more humane light, contrasting sharply with the silent, stoic figures of Odysseus and the other guards.

By the third day, with the cave's looming presence just a few hours away, your initial resolve began to waver. Polites' consistent kindness and attention gradually chipped away at the wall you had built around yourself; you found yourself engaging more with him, answering his questions, sharing glimpses of your life and views, which you hadn't expected to divulge.

His attentive nature, so starkly different from the others', made you see him in a new light—not just as a soldier but as someone who might truly be seeking understanding and connection.

The thought of guiding them into potential danger, particularly the danger represented by the giants' cave, made you question not only your mission but also the potential consequences of your actions for him and his companions.

As the ominous entrance of the cave loomed in the distance, you halted atop a hill, the wind carrying your firm words to the group of soldiers. "This is where I leave you," you declared, your voice echoing a mix of duty and unease. "I must return to my village."

The soldiers, heeding your announcement, resumed their march toward the cave, but Polites faltered, his steps slowing as he turned to cast a lingering glance in your direction. Odysseus, noticing his friend's hesitation, paused, an unspoken understanding passing between them.

Polites' internal struggle was evident, torn between his obligations and the connection he felt with you.

After a moment's contemplation, he jogged back to where you stood, his hand extended, revealing a small, shimmering coin. "This is an Ithaca gold coin," he explained as you examined the coin with a mix of curiosity and surprise. "Consider it a memento," he added, a gentle sincerity in his voice.

His next words were softer, imbued with a shy yet profound promise. "After we complete our journey, after I ensure Odysseus's safe return to his kingdom, I will come back for you," he vowed, his eyes searching yours for a reaction, revealing a budding warmth and longing.

In a fleeting moment, Polites leaned forward, his forehead gently pressing against yours, an intimate gesture that held significant meaning within your culture.

You felt a surge of emotion, your heart fluttering with a blend of surprise and warmth, as you realized he not only remembered this detail from your conversations over the past three days but also understood its deep significance.

This forehead touch, a symbol of profound trust and affection, was reserved for those you hold dear, those you would trust with your life.

The fact that Polites, a man from a world so different from your own, had not only remembered this but chose to express his farewell in such a manner, spoke volumes of his respect and growing affection for you.

Leaning back, Polites adds a tender kiss on your forehead; his hand then gently caressed the side of your face, a silent affirmation of the bond that had formed between you.

With a final, meaningful glance, Polites turned and hurried to rejoin his companions, leaving you with the weight of his promise and the gold coin in your hand.

After Polites' departure, you stood there, the Ithacan coin clutched tightly against your chest, a tangible reminder of the connection you'd just acknowledged. Odysseus's gaze lingered on you, his expression one of contemplation and perhaps, newfound respect.

Defensively, feeling the intensity of his stare, you challenged him with a sharp "What?" Odysseus exhaled deeply, his sigh carrying the weight of realization and regret.

"May the gods bless you," he finally said, offering a small nod of acknowledgment, a gesture that seemed to convey his admission of having misjudged you and your people. It was an apology, unspoken but clear in his demeanor.

As he turned to leave, your name on his lips as a farewell, you found yourself compelled to act. "Odysseus," you called out, causing him to pause and look back.

Approaching him with averted eyes, you reached into your satchel, the rustle of leaves underfoot marking your hesitant steps.

From your bag, you retrieved a lotus fruit, its familiar weight a contrast to the swirling emotions within you. Extending your hand, you offered the fruit to him, your voice a soft murmur, "Just in case you need it…" Your words trailed off, laden with an unspoken wish for his well-being, your gaze drifting past him, lingering on Polites.

There he was, amidst his fellow soldiers, his laughter a bright sound in the dense forest, his smile a vivid image that tugged at your heartstrings.

With that silent offering, you turned away, leaving Odysseus to contemplate the fruit in his hand, his expression a mix of gratitude and confusion.

As you walked back to your village, the gold coin Polites had given you felt heavy in your hand, a symbol of promise and longing.

Your steps were slow, each one a reluctant move away from the hilltop and the cave, away from the man who had unexpectedly captured your heart.

The promise of his return was a fragile thread of hope, and as the distance grew, you clung to it, letting the silent plea echo in your mind, a mantra to guide you through the days ahead…

Please come back to me, Polites...I'll be waiting.

A/N: my babbyyyyyy pollie 🥹❤️❤️❤️ also, testing out my hand at extravagant/poetic like descriptive writing for a college class, so forgive me if I went overboard with the imagery/visuals 🙈🙈

[broken-spirit101]

Snatched Away: Yandere!Akaza X GN!Kidnapped!Reader

Sypnosis: You're a demon slayer who was captured by Akaza one fateful day... and he's a lot more than who you thought he was.

Warnings: Yandere themes, kidnapping, description of injuries, teasing (937 words)

"What the hell do you want?" You shouted at the basketball who had been pestering you for the last 40 minutes.

It had been two days since you were kidnapped by none other than the Upper Moon Three, for reasons unknown. Ever since he had first seen you, he had grown obsessed with having fights with you: a member of the Demon Slayer Corps. The last time he had a fight with you, you had already been injured after returning from a solo mission. After fighting with him, your injuries only increased. He insisted on you coming to his house, and since you refused, he knocked you out and brought you there anyway.

Who could stop the mighty Upper Three?

You definitely weren't skilled enough to do that. The maximum you could do is keep up a 10-minute fight without getting overly exhausted.

"Aw, come on. Are you too scared to train with me?" the demon whined. You thought it was a nuisance. "I'll consider if you tell me why I'm here." "Because you're cute. Isn't that reason enough?" he said, knowing it would trigger you. You threw a pillow at him from your bed. "Ouch. Not elegant."

It had felt like Akaza had been following you before he'd kidnapped you. You would meet him once or twice a week at a minimum, "accidentally". Or so he said.

"My, your concussion still hasn't healed," he leaned closer and held your chin to check if the bandaid needed to be changed. "Maybe you should rest. I guess we could train tomorrow." "Please die," you muttered after pushing him away.

The only thing keeping you away from escaping during the day when Akaza wasn't here was the locked doors and windows.

The windows had literal metal bars on them and a metal door stood at the entrance.

Why would a demon need such security in his home? How annoying.

At least he looked good.

"Aw, are you angry? How cute," he mocked. "Nope, I'm having the time of my life," you replied sarcastically.

"If you're getting bored, I could take you out." Akaza leaned against a door. "In a fight, right?"

He didn't reply.

"In a fight, right?" you repeated.

Here you were, snatched away at night, forced to come out of the house to touch some grass after 2 days.

"The moon is beautiful today, isn't it?" Akaza said, smiling. "No," you groaned. "Why are we even here?" "It's a blue moon today. I thought I'd show you."

He had brought you to a field lush with grass glimmering in the blue moonlight near a lake. You sighed. There was no chance of escaping if you were with the Upper Moon Three, so you might as well enjoy it.

"Jeez, what a pain. Whatever, I'm fine being here." "You're one tsundere, aren't you?" "A tsun- what?" "Never mind."

You sat down on the grass in the chill autumn air as the wind rustled in the leaves. Akaza sat down beside you. "The fireworks are starting soon," he said. "There are fireworks?"

"Of course there are. Did you forget that the fireworks festival is today?" "Oh. I guess I did," you pouted. "A blue moon and fireworks. It's a pretty coincidence." "So you agree that you like being here?" "No."

It was Akaza's turn to sigh now. "As I said, what a tsundere," he whispered to himself. "I heard that."

Just then, a golden-pink firework exploded in the sky. Another two green ones followed. "It's begun," you said. "Yep. Finally."

The huge array of colors in the sky danced like fireflies. The sound of the fireworks was loud even so far away miles away, drowning out any possible noise. They crackled in the and swirled around the stars and the moon, creating picturesque patterns in the night sky.

Akaza's eyes remained glued to the sky in deep thought, almost as if he were feeling a deep sense of nostalgia or déjà vu, you couldn't quite figure out. Although he did look breathtaking with his full attention to the fireworks, you didn't want him to notice you gazing at him so you averted your gaze.

"Why did you look away? I was enjoying you staring at me," he smirked, looking back at you. "S-shut up. I wasn't looking at you." "Yeah, right."

Fifteen fireworks exploded all of a sudden, create a huge boom and loud crackling. Your eyes were glued to the glowing sky. The fireworks reflected stunningly in the lake, making the scene seem like something out of a movie.

You sat in silence for the next 20 minutes, the fireworks glimmering in the sky filling any quietness between you both.

As the fireworks came to an end, Akaza let out a loud, dramatic yawn and stretched his arms above his head. He turned to you and said, "Phew, that was exhausting. Did I actually watch some measly fireworks for half an hour?"

You couldn't help but snort at his over-the-top reaction. "What, are you too cool for fireworks? I thought you were supposed to be the Upper Moon Three, the feared demon!"

Akaza raised an eyebrow and gave you a wry smile. "Fear me, peasant! I am the mighty Akaza, and I demand respect and admiration from all those in my presence!"

You both burst out laughing at how ridiculous the whole thing sounded. As you continued to laugh, you realized that maybe, just maybe, there was more to Akaza than you initially thought. Maybe, just maybe, he was just like any other guy, with his own quirks. And maybe, just maybe, you were starting to like him.

Map

[varteeny1234]

I COULDN'T THINK OF A BETTER TITLE LMAO. @cursedthing this is revenge bc you got us locked in sudoku jail for 2.5 hours /silly (viking solved the sudoku on stream earlier)

Summary:

Viking's alone time is interrupted by Avid, who is concerned about the safety level of the top of the ant farm. Absolutely nothing goes according to plan for either of them!

Chapters: 1/1

Words: 1207

Warnings: Incredibly brief mention of noise overstimulation but only a mention

Ship: Vivid

ENJOY THE VIVID FLUFF! (feat. catboy viking)

The many sounds of the many farms scattered throughout the Dark Oak kingdom's giant glass tube were loud enough for the average person, but for Viking, whose ears were considerably more sensitive, it often became too much and he needed an escape. Whenever this happened, he would usually end up flying to the top of the frame of the ant farm. It was so high up that it was nearly silent. 

And that was exactly what had happened today. 

There weren't many clouds in the sky, sadly, so Viking couldn't cloud-watch from above like he wished. He sat with his legs dangling over the edge of the frame, staring out at the islands below. His own kingdom was full of moving parts, all packed together. The Jungle kingdom, which was more in front of him, was full of lush plants and vines that waved lazily in the wind. 

Viking closed his eyes, feeling the soft wind blow through his hair. He'd left his hat down in the Dark Oak tube- not something he would typically have done, but he wasn't going to fly back down just to grab it. 

Up here, in the sky, all alone, it was peaceful. 

That peace was unfortunately shattered when a faint, familiar voice called out his name. 

What did Avid want with him? 

Reluctantly, he opened his eyes. A shape was flying around the ant farm, coming closer towards the top, and Viking with it. Viking debated not letting Avid know he was there, but he spotted him a second later. 

"Viking! There you are, I've been looking all over for you!" Avid exclaimed. He swooped up, then semi-gracefully landed on the frame. Viking noticed that he was wearing his OSSHA uniform, with a suspicious glance. If Avid was here on OSSHA business, it couldn't be good. He didn't trust that organization one bit. And now Avid was interrupting his quiet time! 

"What do you want with me," he deadpanned. "What does OSSHA want with me? Last time I checked, the Dark Oak kingdom is plenty compliant. And if it isn't, then you should go talk to Fix."

Avid sucked in a breath through his teeth, tsk-ing. "Well, you see, it's actually the top of this ant farm that's not compliant! There's not a hand-rail to be seen up here, so high up above the ground, where even if you didn't fall into the void there's no way you'd survive the drop..." 

Viking tuned out the rest of his rant, shutting his eyes again. He was pretty sure that any handrails added to the frame would be removed again the same day. And it wasn't like anyone was going to die from falling off it- they all had elytra now! 

"...Are you even listening to me anymore?!" Viking's ear twitched, when he tuned back in to whatever Avid had been saying. 

He simply shrugged in response. "Nah, I don't really care about your OSSHA business. No offense, of course. I just don't see the point in putting handrails on the top of this thing." 

Watching Avid splutter as he struggled to figure out how to answer that, he couldn't help but snicker. It was way too easy to break Avid's train of thought- if he had one, anyways. His brain was already all over the place 24/7!

Unfortunately, he recovered, now sporting a somewhat-offended glare. "Oh, so you think that safety is just something to laugh at, huh? Well, what happens if you're just chilling up here, and someone were to just give you a little push-" 

He stepped forwards, obviously trying to push Viking off the edge to teach him a lesson or whatever. Viking saw him coming from a mile away and, much faster than Avid had moved, kicked out his leg and hooked it around Avid's, knocking him off-balance. 

Avid toppled over and landed directly on top of Viking- who, as funny as it would have been if he had, did not plan it at all.

No one said anything. Viking and Avid stared at each other. Then, Avid grinned.

"Proving my point exactly, honey. You could fall so easily here!" He poked Viking's nose with his index finger. Between the action and the incredibly unexpected pet name, Viking found himself the one struck speechless. That wasn't something that happened often, he knew. Avid knew this, and his smile stretched wider. Both of them were now sporting a flush across their cheeks. 

Well, he couldn't let Avid win... whatever this was, could he? If he wanted to flirt, then Viking would flirt. 

Viking matched his smirk. "You fell for me pretty good, I guess." He let his hand trace over Avid's side. "Hmm... but I can't add any handrails anywhere with you lying there." 

As he expected him to, Avid froze for a second before rolling off of him. He started to say something, but Viking's plan had a step two. He flipped himself over, so that he was now on top of Avid, completely reversing their positions from a mere few seconds ago. 

"You're really easy to trap, you know that, monkey-man?" Viking teased. 

"Hey! Wait- you did that on purpose!" Exclaimed Avid. Viking laughed as he nodded. 

"Yes, I did. I remember you were saying something about handrails, honey?" For one last final touch, he called Avid by the same pet name he'd given him. 

Avid blinked, blushing madly. "Yes- Yes. Handrails. Uh- build some, please. Safety is important! Do- do that!" He stuttered. Viking felt something on his leg, and realized Avid's tail had wrapped itself around it. It was cute, how it always did that when he got flustered. He let himself lie down on top of Avid completely, his chin resting on his chest. His own tail flicked back and forth, and he smiled. 

"Nah, still don't want to. It's nice here right now. The sun feels nice." 

He wasn't kidding. The cloudless day meant that the sun was beaming directly overhead onto them, and whenever it was like that, the heat tended to make Viking's brain go all fuzzy. The combined warmth from his and Avid's bodies was only making him sleepier. 

He didn't really like to call it purring, but he hadn't yet thought of a better name for the rumbling sound he made in his chest. 

In spite of himself, Avid laughed again. "You're purring, Viking! I- oh my gosh, that's adorable! You know, I heard from Ruby that you purr when you get really cozy in the sunshine, but I've never witnessed it in person! How could you hide this from me?!" He squealed. The noise grated on Viking's eardrums. 

See, this was why he didn't purr around other people. Their reactions always ruined the moment! 

Viking made a grumpy noise that sounded like "Mmrp." 

"Aw, what, do you not want me to talk? Hey- ugh. How about a deal. I let you go and stop bothering you about the missing railings here, but you have to let me enjoy your purring. It's just so cute!"

"Sure," Viking said. "I can agree with that."

...He hoped Avid didn't find out anytime soon about the sensitive spot behind his ears. Now, that was something he would never live down.

[dark-fics-4-you]

Late Night Run

Rafe Cameron x Reader

Synopsis: You catch Rafe Cameron’s eye after jogging through his neighborhood

Warnings: noncon !! smut, unprotected sex, creampie, violence

Rafe liked to spend his nights at the Cameron house on the upper balcony, smoking and snorting coke until he passed out, only to drag himself to bed when he inevitably woke from the night chill.

That’s where he was the first time he saw you. It was just after sunset, the last streaks of the day dying overhead. It was a total coincidence he even saw you, his eyes wandered from the white lines in front of him, to the road in front of Tannyhill, and a girl jogging caught his eye. Rafe stood and walked to the railing, leaning over to get a better look.

He was certain he had no idea who you were, but he could tell even from a distance that he liked what he saw. Running in spandex and just a sports bra with your hair in a ponytail, his eyes hungrily raked over your figure. Your perky tits were bouncing with your strides, and he couldn’t help but notice the way sweat was glistening on your legs, god he wanted to be between your thighs!

And just as soon as you appeared, you disappeared, rounding the corner and continuing off in some unknown direction.

Rafe’s cock twitched and he frowned, letting a frustrated breath out of his nose. It had been too long and he needed to relieve some pressure.

He glanced to the doors to confirm they were locked before sitting back down and undoing his belt buckle, unzipping his jeans to pull out his cock. He wrapped a hand around the swollen head and began stroking himself.

He wondered if you would be even prettier up close. He wondered what your voice would sound like as he imagined you riding him. He wanted to know what position would get you to moan the loudest. He increased the speed of his wrist movements, picturing you choking on his dick before he came down your throat. The thought of it was fucking heavenly.

Rafe threw his head back, pumping harder. He wondered if you were a virgin, hoping desperately that you were. He wanted to be the first one to push into that tight cunt. He hoped you’d scream and beg for it, but even if you didn’t, he would still fuck you regardless. You were perfect and he had to have you.

Rafe’s hips twitched and he came with a groan, thinking about how much he wished he were cumming in you instead of his hand.

He did this every day for a week, waiting on the balcony, watching to get a glimpse of you.

You were terribly predictable, always passing by Tannyhill minutes after the sun went down. He knew the area was always quiet and empty. This was good for Rafe, he was counting on the darkness disguising him.

You pumped your arms, music blasting in your ears as you jogged the familiar path. You liked jogs, they helped clear your head and made you feel more in tune with yourself, and you genuinely looked forward to your nightly runs every day.

You were making good time today, your pace exactly where you hoped it would be. You turned on the street, passing in front of the lush Cameron residence. You had just recently moved to the outer banks, opting to live with your parents in their nice kook house to save on rent for a few months. It was a nice area to live, and you felt safe enough to run closer to dark.

You could see a tall, young man on the sidewalk down the road, looking in your direction. You neared him, but he didn’t move out of the way on the sidewalk. You angled your body to jog past him, but he shifted last second, bumping into you, causing you to stumble.

“Hey! What the hell?” You ripped your earbuds out, turning to face the jackass that just tripped you. You didn’t sound how Rafe imagined you would. But you were so much more beautiful up close. He studied your face for a moment, wanting to memorize every detail.

“Sorry, I didn’t see you there,” his tone was strange, threatening almost? You took a step back from him, unsure what to say.

“Do you live around here?” The blond questioned you, a look of sick curiosity in his cold eyes.

“Um,” you weren’t sure that you wanted to tell him where you lived. “Yeah,” you answered, not offering up any further information. This was weird, right?

The man cocked his head to the side, considering your response. “I’ve seen you running in the neighborhood the past few days,” he continued.

You didn’t know why but his words sent a chill down your spine, alarm bells slowly beginning to ring in your mind. He could see the nervousness growing in your eyes and his cock throbbed against his shorts. He was pretty sure he could smell your fear, and it was intoxicating.

He took a step towards you and you realized just how tall he was compared to you, how the muscles beneath his shirt flexed as he nervously curled and uncurled his fingers, gesturing to your body. “D-do you wear those tight clothes on purpose just to get attention? Just to draw all the eyes in Figure Eight to you, hm?”

That was the last thing you expected out of his mouth, and you were momentarily stunned in silence before retorting, “I’m just trying to be comfortable while I jog. If you can’t keep your eyes to yourself, that’s your problem.”

He didn’t like that answer, nostrils flaring as he glared down at you. He really had hoped you could do this the easy way, but Rafe Cameron always got what he wanted, no matter what it took.

The man’s jaw ticked and he shook his head letting out an annoyed chuckle, like you were inconveniencing him.

Your instincts kicked in as he drew closer, and you turned on your heel, hoping desperately that you could jog away and he wouldn’t follow.

You were wrong.

Your world tilted as Rafe ripped at your ponytail, pulling you to the grass onto your back. You didn’t have time to scream before he was straddling you, pining you down beneath his body.

His lips draped over yours and your eyes widened, struggling harder beneath him. His tongue probed into your mouth and you bit down, only making him more aggressive. He pulled away from your mouth and slapped you across the face. You were dazed, cheek burning from the rings on his hand. He leaned in, hissing in your ear, “Fucking bitch, don’t do that shit again!”

Taking advantage of your state, Rafe slid his hands to your hips, gripping the top of your spandex and ripping them down your legs, not even bothering to get them all the way off, before he pulled down his own shorts, stroking himself before lining up with your entrance and pushing in.

You screamed, but the strong man clamped a hand over your mouth, muffling your pain. He was huge, sinking into you in one thrust with no preparation at all. Your walls clenched to him and he groaned lewdly.

Tears filled your eyes and you raised your arms to hit him, anywhere, but he just pinned you down, snapping his hips against yours.

“Oh my god, you’re even tighter than I imagined you would be.” He sounded almost delirious with pleasure, awed by how tight your cunt was gripping him.

You shivered at his words, the disgust at knowing that he had been watching you and maybe even planning this made your skin crawl.

He glanced between your legs, transfixed by the way his cock pounded into you and stretched you out. You could feel his length dragging against your walls, making your toes curl in unwanted pleasure.

Rafe slammed into you harder, fingers wrapping around your throat to keep you from making too much noise. You felt so good around him, squeezing his cock and the sounds he was allowing you to let out only made him hungrier for you.

Tears spilled past your lashes as Rafe violated you, the twisted glimmer in his eyes made you want to be sick. You despised the way you could feel yourself getting wetter for him and you hated the feeling of your release that was hurtling towards you.

“You’re so fucking pretty, I want to fuck my cum so deep into you, you can taste it. I want to see it leaking out after and know that your pussy is fucking mine.” Rafe sneered at you, hitting just the right spot to push you over the edge.

You came with a strangled moan, sobbing as your vision went white and your thighs shook. Your cheeks burned in shame as the pleasure between your legs triggered a second orgasm.

“Fuck you’re so tight,” the man rasped into your ear, thrusting until his hips spasmed and he came with a groan. You felt his length twitch inside you, as he stayed deep in you, forcing you to milk his cock.

He pulled out of you, and you felt some of his sticky cum leak out of your sore entrance

He stood up, and as if nothing had just happened, softly said, “I hope I see you running again sometime soon,” and he turned, walking away to leave you to pick up the pieces of his mess.

[watatsumiis]

A Friend in the Shallows - a Mermaid!Kaveh x reader drabble

Pretty much exactly what it says on the tin! An extraordinarily late Mermay drabble!!

Content: Mermaid!Kaveh and gender neutral reader. Not inherently shippy or romantic, just a little drabble! A very light helping of angst towards the end.

It’s a relief, finally making it out to the forest again after nearly a week of constant storms. It feels like a brand new place, with a fresh coat of lush green paint to match. Branches and debris are scattered about everywhere, and you almost get lost a few times before finally recognising the two crossed trees that signal the clearing your safe haven rests in. 

The water seems to be calm and still as you approach, barely a ripple on the surface. The azure pool is much deeper than it looks from the surface most days, but today you can clearly see just how far the depths go, even around the leaves and sticks scattered about. 

A soft breeze blows through, disturbing the water and pulling you out of your thoughts. You look around for a few moments before spotting your preferred place to sit - a broad, flat rock nestled amongst the roots of a large, twisted birch tree. You clear some leaf mulch from it before sitting down and opening up your book, settling in to read.

The creatures of the forest make for nice companionship, despite the chill in the air. It’s not long before you recognise the cacophony of the duck family that has come to recognise your presence here, and smile in relief upon realising that they seemed to have made it through the recent storms just fine. 

A while passes, and the wind begins to pick up a little more, and eventually you mark your place and set your book down beside you to regard the ducks, floating around in the pond. They seem to be focused on one area in particular, underneath a large clump of branches and bushes that seems to have grown since you were last here. They’re floating by it, pecking at the low-hanging branches and occasionally fluttering their wings. 

You can’t help but frown at the sight, wondering if there might be something wrong. It takes you a while to muster up the courage to approach. You can just make out a figure in the shadows underneath the heavy layer of leaves, and redouble your pace. 

Your heart drops as you wonder if it might be a body, some unfortunate hiker caught out in the storm, and you quickly begin to pull off the layers of branches from the other side, while the ducks nip and fuss about from the water. 

“Hey, hey, hey!” A voice comes from within the bushes, startling you out of your stupor. “You hooligans!” They complain. “That is enough!” You hear a splash and freeze as the ducks scatter, quickly beginning to question if this is when you should be starting to run. “I was asleep!” You take a few steps back as the makeshift shelter shudders, and something large slides out from under the leaves and into the pond with a shimmer. 

“That’s what I thought!” The person in the water shakes their fist at the retreating ducks. “You are not very nice neighbours you know! This happens again and I’ll be cooking one of you up for dinner!” Though, even as he speaks, you see him adjust the direction of his waving to help spook one of the ducklings off in the direction of its family before it can get lost in the reeds. 

“Uhm.” You begin awkwardly, unsure of how to confront this situation. “I’m sorry, I didn’t know you were in there.” You take another few steps away from his shelter. 

“Oh!” The person whirls around quickly, seemingly just as shocked as you are to see someone else here. “I-uh. Hello there.” His brown eyes meet yours, and his perfect eyebrows arch upwards. “You’re a human.” He observes, before you can say anything else. 

“And…you’re not?” You respond dryly, setting your hands on your hips.

“Yes. Well, no - actually, kind of - I mean - I’m not human. Technically.” He stumbles over his words as he gestures vaguely. “Does being partially human count for anything?” 

“What do you mean?” You frown at him as he flounders, twirling his long blond hair around his fingers, showing off the brown tips as he tilts his head to the side.

“I’m a mermaid.” He announces, with no preamble or beating around the bush. “Well, merman, I guess, if you want to be pedantic. I have yet to meet any mer who uses that title.” His chattering increases in speed, giving you no chance to butt in. “Humans made it up, actually, which is like - that’s fine, I suppose, but our biology is much more complicated than that, and-” 

“A mermaid?” You manage to echo after a few moments, and the man in the pond stops in his tracks, looking up at you in a way that could either be mildly offended or somewhat amused. Now he’s still, you can see white, gold and orange scales beneath the surface of the water, shimmering softly in the light. Sprawling fins swish back and forth absently, though the mermaid is sitting in the shallows, his weight resting on the rocks and plants. 

“It’s rude to stare, you know.” He narrows his eyes, a hint of a smile pulling at his lips.

You quickly avert your gaze. “Sorry.” You mumble sheepishly, cheeks warming.

He shakes his head good-naturedly and flicks his hair back. “Anyways,” he says, perking up. You brace yourself for another rant. “What’s your name?” 

You introduce yourself, and the mermaid practically beams. “That’s a lovely name.” He comments, then falls silent for a few awkward moments before he remembers his manners. “I’m Kaveh, by the way. It’s a pleasure to meet you.” 

“It’s nice to meet you too, Kaveh.” You offer a small smile, and the surface of the water ripples as Kaveh’s tail flicks about, stirring the small plants growing in the shallows. 

“What brings you all the way out here?” He adjusts his position, turning his back to you as he moves towards the deeper part of the pool. “The nearest human village is…” He gestures somewhat vaguely in a direction that you most certainly did not come from. “A while away.”

You walk around the outskirts of the pool to stay in his line of sight as you answer. “Well, I come here a lot.” You inform him. “To read, do papers, write, those kinds of things. It’s…quiet.” You shuffle your feet and look down to watch the crisp green grass spring up where you’d been standing just a moment ago. “What are you doing here?” 

“Well, I…ah, I’ve been hanging around a while since that big storm, y’know. Taking in the scenery, helping out, waiting for inspiration… That kind of thing.” Kaveh smiles airily and waves one dainty hand about.

It doesn’t take long for you to see through his charade. “You’re stuck, aren’t you?” You raise an eyebrow. 

Kaveh seems to wither in on himself a little, crinkling his nose up in distaste. “Perhaps just a little.” He admits after a few moments.

You can’t help but laugh, and his tail flicks back and forth, shimmering in the dappled sunlight coming through the leaves as his pointed ears take on a distinct downward tilt. “Well, where did you come from? Can’t you go back?” 

Kaveh lets out a long-suffering sigh. “Theoretically, yes.” He waves a hand about. “I’m drawing up a schematic for a device that will be able to carry me through the forest and back home.” He taps a pouch on his hip. “There are just a few bits and pieces I need that I can’t find here. Wheels, elastics, those kinds of things.”

“Oh.” You mull over the problem for a few moments, scratching your chin in thought. “Well…Maybe I might be able to help you with some of it.” You run over your budget in your head, and vaguely wonder where you’d be able to source the cheapest wheels from. 

“Really?” The way his face lights up is akin to watching the sun come out from behind a cloud, and his fins flare out in excitement while his tail all but wags, sending a few small fish darting back towards the outskirts of the pond. 

“I mean, I don’t see why not.” You manage to smile, though you’re a little preoccupied with trying to figure out the exact way you’d go about all this, when you’d come down to help. “I couldn’t just leave you stuck here.” 

“You know, I think my housemate would like you.” Kaveh informs you with a cheeky smile that suggests that perhaps his housemate is a touch more judgemental than he’s letting on. 

“Mermaids have houses?” You ask, before you can stop yourself. “And housemates?” You try to picture it in your head, but all you can come up with is an image of a mermaid palace from a book you read as a child. 

“What, did you think we just flop upside-down and float down the river like dead fish when we get tired?” He scoffs, rolling onto his back in the shallows with a dramatic flourish, sending a spray of water showering over you as he flicks his fins, his piebald-patterned scales glimmering in the dappled light of the clearing.

You yelp in surprise and shield your face from the cold droplets. “Hey!” You scold him lightheartedly. He gives you a grin that’s somewhere between apologetic and mischievous. 

“Come on, let me show you the schematic.” Kaveh tells you suddenly, pulling a rolled up scroll of something that looks akin to paper, but a little more sturdy. “Come on, get over here, I’m not drying myself out sitting in the dirt with you.” He waves you over. 

You both spend the next few hours poring over his schematics - he shows you a few other projects he was working on before the storm, while you both exchange details about your own respective lives. You share a bit of the lunch you packed, and he offers you some interesting little edible plant wraps from one of his satchels in return.

Before you know it, the sun is beginning to set, and the clearing is getting darker faster than you’re comfortable with. You sigh regretfully and make to pull yourself into a standing position. “I’m sorry, Kaveh, I should go.” You look up at the sky, splotched with light grey clouds. 

“Wait.” Before you can straighten out, you feel Kaveh’s cold hand around your wrist, and his brown eyes fix you with a doleful look. 

“What is it?” You ask, a little worried that he was under the impression that you were going to stay here overnight, or come back with his supplies today. 

“You…” His voice seems to die in his throat, which comes as a bit of a shock to you - even though you’ve only known him for a couple of hours, it seems like he’s always got something to say, and no measure of impulse control to stop him from saying it. “You’ll come back, right?” He tries for a smile, but it comes out a little wobbly and nervous. 

“Of course. I said I would, didn’t I?” You return his smile, though the intensity in his gaze feels almost intimidating. 

“I- well, yeah, yeah, you did.” Kaveh lets you go, shrugging his shoulders as if he’s shedding a heavy backpack. “Just, be safe, won’t you?” He tilts his head to the side. “I mean, you’re my ticket out of here.” He runs his fingers through his hair and lets out a little laugh that turns into an awkward cough as you don’t laugh along. 

There’s something in his gaze, some sad sort of longing that makes you realise for the first time that he’s carrying a heavy loneliness within him, one that stems from something more than the few days he’s spent isolated in this little clearing. It makes your heart ache. “I’ll be back.” You assure him. “I promise.”

Please don't repost, steal, copy or otherwise plagiarise my writing! I do not consent for my works to be translated and posted elsewhere, or used to teach bots!

[randomvarious]

Today's compilation:

Likethemes 1995 IDM / Ambient Techno

Dang, man, those fellas at Warp Records really unlocked something special in the early 90s when they and their peers figured out how fucking good it sounded when you took Eno-esque ambient synth textures and paired them with IDM and techno rhythms 🤩. This mid-90s 12-inch here called Likethemes wasn't a Warp release itself, but the small Likemind collective and label that released it still counted some of those Warpers among their very own ranks, like the duo of B12, who appear here as Redcell, and Andy Turner from Black Dog Productions and Plaid, who operates on this release as Tura.

And I know I've made reference to it before, but if you're familiar with the artwork from Warp's own landmark Artificial Intelligence comp—the 1992 album that was responsible for popularizing this whole IDM and ambient/listening techno phenomenon in the first place—this record falls along those same lines; basically, you're gonna be feeling like that totally blissed-out android in the armchair when you put this record on 😌.

I struggle mightily to pick a favorite among this excellent quartet of tunes, though, so the best thing I can say about it is that if you love the earlier days of Warp, before they started signing so many fucking indie bands 😅, there's no way you won't dig the shit out of this Likemind release too. Half an hour of deeply satisfying mid-90s IDM and ambient techno chill, with lush synth backdrops constructed to hit your feels and a cavalcade of rhythms and melodies to get your synapses firing. There's a tendency for the formula that's put on display here to be highly effective, and with this release, specifically, it happens to be enacted at a very elite level. Makes sense then why the average rating on Discogs for this one is so astronomically high at a 4.82/5, because this thing really is damn near spotless 👍.

Highlights:

Redcell - "The Silicon Garden" Stasis - "Monolife (Rebuild)" Tura - "Reishi" Nuron - "Minutes"

[imkillerbae]

In the Inbetween (Valorant Yoru x Reader)

Chapter 1: A New Recruit Arrives

Summary: You arrive at the Valorant protocol and meet most of the agents.

Masterlist

“You nervous?” You hear Neon, the blue haired girl, ask you. You lift your head up from your phone and notice that she was already looking at you, a wide grin plastered on her face. The Vulture sped through the sky, the wind blowing her blue hair wildly.

“Uh, a little,” you reply honestly, staring back at her with a small smile, but your hands were trembling. Gekko sees this and puts an arm around your shoulders, comfortingly patting you. “Nah, we’re chill! You don’t have to be nervous. My crew and I got you,” he smiles at you. You could smell his strong cologne despite the strong gust of wind against your face.

It was crazy. A few days ago, you were just a fresh graduate from college. You were getting ready to get into the corporate world when disaster in the city struck.

You were radiant, and despite there being laws against radiant powers being used without police supervision, you went into action, doing your best to save people from an explosion. You healed and lured people to safety. You barely managed to escape being caught and detained by the police, but unbeknownst to you, you had caught the attention of someone named Brimstone.

Somehow he was able to track you down, and you immediately begged for him not to take you in. To your surprise, he wanted to see you for an entirely different reason. Together with a dark haired woman, they offered you a job where your radiance could be utilized. Any normal person would definitely decline the offer; the job description was danger in every sense of the word. But you were tired of hiding your radiance, tired of being cast aside for being different. You did nothing wrong by saving people, why couldn’t the world understand that?

Giving it some more thought, you reluctantly agreed to join the Valorant Protocol; an underground organization of agents handling affairs concerning radianite. You soon learned that the explosion was a result of their failure to stop the attackers from planting, and soon understood that this was a job that wasn’t for everyone. You had the means to enter this job, so you felt obligated to join. After a few days, you packed lightly, said goodbye to your puzzled parents, and got picked up by a large helicopter like vehicle. The dark haired woman driving the vehicle, with Gekko and Neon helping you with your luggage. It was strange for them to ask you to go to a remote place to be picked up, but then again, they were a covert operation.

“We’re here,” the dark haired woman said, her eyes glinting. You felt intimidated by her, she had a threatening aura around her. “Yes Ma’am!” Gekko laughs, smiling, and Neon raises an eyebrow at him. “Chirpy much?” She chides, hopping off the helicopter before it fully landed. You took that as a que to stand up and grab your bags. “Yeah I am! We got a new agent, and she’s on our age bracket!” He fist bumps one of his pets, the blue one, and the dark haired woman groans. “If Brimstone recruits another toddler in this protocol, we’ll turn into a nursery. I am not one for babysitting, so make sure you’re useful,” she glares at you, and you gulp. This woman was beautiful but terrifying. Gekko scratches the back of his head sheepishly then takes the bags that you held from you. “Don’t mind her, she’s just moody today. Go ahead, I’ll handle the luggage.” Gekko offers, and you smile and nod. “I heard that, Gekko.” The woman remarks as she hops off the helicopter.

You could see Gekko still smiling so you assumed that this was a normal conversation between them. You will be with these people for a while so you made sure to take note of the small things about them.

You hopped off, holding the strap of your shoulder bag. The wind blew hard, so you held your arm above your face. The sunlight blinded you but as you adjusted your view, you were met with blue skies, mountains, lush greenery, exotic birds in the distance, and an expanse of concrete below you. Ahead were a few people standing to watch you.

“Hey rookie. How’d the flight go?” A woman with an orange hat greets cheerily, another girl with a green hat next to her following suit. You feel relief wash over you seeing how welcoming they were. “Hi, Brimstone is in his office right now but I’d like to be the one to welcome you to the Valorant Protocol! My callsign is Killjoy, but call me KJ. This one over here is called Raze. You already know we don’t use real names here right?” She smiles, adjusting her glasses.

You nod and look around. “I’m Solace, and yeah. He gave me a brief.” You see others in the sidelines, and wonder how many people are in the protocol. Robots carry your belongings down the building while you follow KJ and Raze. You see a white haired woman who looked young together with man who had fiery frosted hair. They talked amongst themselves, later joined by Neon and Gekko.

“This is the HQ. We’re situated in a remote island off the coast of Hawaii. A parameter is set up around the whole island so civvies won’t be able to find us here. Nice, no?” KJ muses, gesturing to the gray walls of the building. “I personally think the whole place could use some paint. Sometimes I feel like I’m trapped in a prison so I go outside as much as I can. You play football?” Raze asks, and you giggle, shaking your head. “I’m not too athletic. But I can go for a few games of volleyball by the beach.” You replied.

The two toured you around the whole place. It was spacious, filled with utility rooms, armories, training rooms and more. There was a gym, an indoor and outdoor pool, a mess hall, fully equipped kitchens with robot chefs, and some other rooms that they didn’t bother showing you. As you walked with them, you listened to the two banter. They were very wholesome.

You stop walking. You feel something, someone, walk past. You snap your head towards the direction of the movement. You flinch as the light suddenly flickers. The two women in front of you don’t even notice you pausing. You turn to a corner and your eye catches something move, but all it left was a wisp of dark royal blue. You stood there, eyes narrowed.

What the hell was that?

“Hey, rookie. You okay?” Raze tilts her head curiously. An aura enveloped you: it was your radiant powers. “Oh, uh, yeah. Thought I just saw something in the corner.” You said anxiously, and the two women looked at each other, puzzled. “Maybe you’re jet lagged. I think it’s time we showed you your temporary room.” You give KJ a confused look.

“Temporary?” You inquired, and she nods. “We have a tradition here. Every agent that joined us cleaned out their own room. Your actual room is situated 2 floors down, and it’s full of junk. We’re putting you in a temporary room so you can rest. Feel free to explore the whole place before you snooze. And if you’re confused with the machinery here, we’re your gals.”

The two left you in front of your temporary room. It was barely furnished but enough to be called your temporary bedroom. Your bags were already dropped of here. “This all feels so… sudden.” You tell yourself, looking at your feet. You missed your folks back at home already.

“What is?”

You jump in your place, and the person who spoke is stunned, clutching his head. “Shit! Oh my god, I am so so sorry,” you immediately rush to them and help them get their head up. “That’s what you get for startling someone and not reading the brief, Phoenix.” The girl you saw earlier leans on the door frame, smiling coolly as her friend writhed. “What the hell was that?” He says, standing up properly. “I-it’s my radiant powers. It’s controlled by my emotions. Whenever I get startled, I accidentally stun people. I am so so sorry.” You apologized, but the white-haired girl chortles.

“Oh, don’t apologize to him. It was his fault for not reading the brief. It literally stated your powers there. How’s it feel pretty boy?” She teases, pulling him upright by the jacket. Phoenix, you assumed his name was, shook his head and winced. “Painful but I’m fine. Your powers are pretty wicked!” He scratches the back of his head sheepishly before smiling smugly.

“I’m Jett, and this… is embarrassing.” Jett rolls her eyes as Phoenix fixed his jacket. “The name’s Phoenix, but you can call me the King,” he winks, but Jett smushes his face against the wall. “Don’t… call him that.” She warns, but then smiles again. You chuckle nervously, looking at the two. “I’m Solace. Nice to meet you guys,” you introduce yourself.

From chatting with them, you soon learned that they were following you while you followed KJ and Raze. They invited you to meet the rest of the agents, and you eagerly join them after changing clothes.

“There’s more of us?” You ask, looking around. “Oh, you don’t actually think this is all of us. Some of them are on deploy right now but we can bother the rest. You’ve met Neon and Gekko already yeah?” Jett asks, and you nod. “That woman over there, the blondie, that’s Deadlock. Next to her is Sage, there’s Neon and Fade.” You nod along, trying your best to remember their names. Deadlock and Fade both glance at you and give you a nod, and Sage smiles at your direction. “Welcome young one. It’s nice to finally meet you,” she greets, and you blush.

You then keep moving. “That over there, is Cypher, and that huge chunk of metal there is KAY/O. Omen looks pretty scary but he’s a chill guy. If you need good book recommendations, he’s your guy,” Phoenix introduced, taking a drink from the cooler. “It’s pretty rare for a lot of us to be here at the same time so you just got luck. Astra, Skye and Harbor are deployed, Chamber is in Hongkong right now right?” He adds, and Jett nods. “On a recon mission with Breach and Sova.”

“There’s so many of us, it’s kinda hard to keep track of names. No offense,” you shrug, and Cypher tilts his head. “Not to worry. You will soon come to realize that we’re all very memorable,” you could tell he was smiling under that mask he had. Some of the agents barely acknowledged you but you were glad that most of them were nice.

“Wait, where’s Yoru?” Jett asks Phoenix, and he just shrugs. “I don’t know. Probably brooding somewhere.” He then looks at you for a moment. “What did you say your powers were? Since we’re all here anyway.”

You ended up giving them a demonstration. You were told that you were an initiator. You didn’t know what that exactly meant but you could tell that you were supposed to make it hard for the enemies to hold sites by keeping them occupied while the duelists pick them off one by one. Your controlled your powers well, but your heightened emotions could affect them. You could give heals, you had a stun, a lure, and an ultimate that could detect the positions of enemies and make them vulnerable to damage. When demonstrating, you got shy. They all listened so intently that you were so nervous about messing up your words. You could tell they were taking mental notes.

It was tiring but worth it. You also learned a lot about their abilities, and how you could utilize each other’s powers in battle. You also learned that the dark haired lady’s name was Viper, and that she was Brimstone’s right hand. “Finally, a new person to duo with. I’m sick of having to duo with Sova. He keeps nagging me.” Phoenix sighs, and KAY/O snorts, or at least he made a sound similar to it. “You deserve it for pushing without waiting for him.”

You all talked for a while, but as you started to yawn, you figured you’d hit the hay. Quietly, you excused yourself from the conversation. It was getting late anyways. The walk back was quiet, in a strange way. You kept glancing corners, anxious about what happened earlier. Maybe there was a ghost? You didn’t really believe in those but the fear was still there.

Before you went to bed, you unpacked some of your stuff. You took out the bare necessities since you’d be better off unpacking in your actual room. “One, two… where’s the last one?” Your eyebrows knit, looking around. Your bag filled with your delicates were nowhere to be found. Did Gekko forget to bring that down? You look back to your door, then decide against asking. You instead opted to check the rooftop yourself. They were all having fun so you didn’t want to pull Gekko away from that.

Retracing your steps back to the rooftop, you lit the way with your phone. Quietly, you reached the rooftop, the wind from the sea was strong. You were almost blown away by the hoodie you wore. Looking around, you try to look for your bag. “Where the hell did they put that bag,” you sighed.

Unbeknownst to you, someone noticed you come up. You were unaware of the other entity in the corner. They stood there, silently watching as you tried to make out the whole place with the limited light from the sky and your phone.

“You’re not supposed to be here.”

You jump at the low voice, but he was too far away to be stunned. You squinted. Most of him was hidden by the shadow apart from his eyes. You stare back at him, your guards up. You see the familiar wisp of royal blue, and you try to stand firm. “E-excuse me?” You try to sound confident, but your voice betrays you.

“I think you heard me well enough. I don’t like repeating myself.” He steps out of the darkness, and you feel your radiant powers jolt. He was wearing a gray long sleeve shirt, hugging his slender figure. Dark pants and shoes, but his face was all you were focused on. He had a scowl, spiky hair dyed blue in the middle and eyes that could pierce through you. He looks you up and down, and you turn red. Who the hell does he think he is?

“I’m just looking for my bag Sir,” you reason, returning his hostile stare. So he was what you saw earlier. You didn’t know if you were thankful that it was him rather than a ghost. “Look for it in the morning. I don’t like visitors.” He scoffs, uncaring and unrelenting. Your eye twitches in annoyance. “Unfortunately I can’t, that bag is important and it can’t wait till tomorrow. I’ll mind my own business, you mind yours. The sooner I find it, the quicker I’ll be out of your hair.”

Was this another agent perhaps? It looked like he was. You could tell he was radiant, the aura he had was very strong. And his stare was intense, as if he was expecting you to suddenly move and attack.

He takes a few steps forward, and you could see him better now. You purse your lips. If he really was an agent here, you already gave a bad impression. You sighed before speaking. “I’m Solace, the new recruit. Just so you know.” You hear him laugh coldly, and you raise your brow. “Something funny about that?” You threatened, but he just tilts his head.

“Yeah. The fact that you think I care enough to know.” Before you could lash out, he suddenly disappears. You jump in place. “Behind you,” you hear him say, and you turn around. He held up the bag that you were looking for and haphazardly tossed it in your general direction. He was smirking, amused with himself probably. Your eyebrows knit in annoyance. You took your bag, and hugged it, protecting yourself from his eyes. “Don’t come up here in these hours. I don’t like to be bothered.” He then turns around and walks back to where he originally was. You watch his walk with confident strides, but all you felt was embarrassment and annoyance. Who was this person? And why does he act like he owns the place? You clenched your fists, but decided not to talk back anymore. You were too tired to fight with him. Sighing, you mumble a thanks before descending downstairs, back to your room. Your blood was simmering in your head.

After you left, his smirk fell into an emotionless frown. He heaves a heavy sigh, staring into the sky. It was cold up where he was but he wasn’t too bothered. He’d rather feel the cold than feel empty. He was annoyed that someone barged in on him when he was enjoying his quiet time. But it couldn’t be helped.

[solarpunkaestheticweek]

Other Events During Solarpunk Aesthetic Week - Event 3 Edition

It may be Solarpunk Aesthetic Week, but we're not gonna just assume we're the only thing going on! So let's highlight a few other things that are happening this week, so they can maybe inspire some of what you do for Solarpunk Aesthetic Week!

Pollinator Week 2023 actually takes place June 17th - 23th just like our event!

"Pollinator Week is an annual celebration in support of pollinator health that was initiated and is managed by Pollinator Partnership. It is a time to raise awareness for pollinators and spread the word about what we can do to protect them. The great thing about Pollinator Week is that you can celebrate and get involved any way you like! Popular events include planting for pollinators, hosting garden tours, participating in online bee and butterfly ID workshops, and so much more."

Feel free to check their site here to learn more! Maybe make some pollinator-inspired art and take some biodiversity-boosting actions to celebrate!

Juneteenth/Juneteenth National Independence Day is a federal holiday in the United States commemorating the emancipation of enslaved African Americans, celebrated on the anniversary of an order proclaiming freedom for slaves in Texas on June 19th 1865 (two and a half years after the Emancipation Proclamation was issued). You may see and hear of public readings, street fairs, cookouts, parades, and more celebrating this event in the US--especially since it was officially declared a federal holiday in 2021, meaning its an official day off from school and work for many people now.

Always, but especially on this day, consider the important role and contributions of African Americans and other Black groups have had and will continue to have on history, punk spaces, and the present and future of Solarpunk!

Summer Solstice is June 20th in the Northern Hemisphere, marking the official beginning of the summer season! This day symbolizes the zenith of the sun's position in the sky, and the longest day of the year.

We're called Solarpunks for a reason! And coinciding with this date was totally purposeful on our parts. Let the sun inspire your works--whether it be thinking up solar panel concepts, painting a sunny meadow scene, or just imbuing your work with the bright and blazing energy of our brightest star, go forth and create!

Winter Solstice is also June 20th in the Southern Hemisphere, marking the official beginning of the winter season! This day symbolizes the death and subsequent rebirth of the sun, and is the shortest day and longest night of the year.

When we visualize Solarpunk, we tend to think of bright and sunny spring and summer days, with lush green growth all around. But what would Solarpunk look like in the fall and winter? Let's start talking about it, changing up our color palettes and creating! And if it's wintertime for you right now, tell us about how you're solarpunking even in the colder months!

June 23rd is the last day of Solarpunk Aesthetic Week this summer, and it's also World Music Day, also known as Fête de la Musique! World Music Day celebrates the universal language of music. This day originated in France in 1982, aiming to encourage both amateur and professional musicians to showcase their talents in public spaces, while also providing free access to concerts and performances for the public. This observance promotes the importance of music in society and celebrates its cultural diversity.

Music often plays a major role in people's lives today, and I see it being no different in a Solarpunk future. Whether you're writing up song lyrics or making chill beats, or listening and contributing to our various collaborative Solarpunk playlists, or anything music related--let's take a moment to consider the power of music to spread messages and hope!

Is there more we're forgetting? Want to share the way you celebrate a particular event? Sound off and let us know--we'd love to hear about other related events and how you celebrate them!

[melodyoung]

Essence of Brotherhood

Author's note: Hello, everyone! Welcome to my first-ever ENHYPEN fanfiction! I'm excited and nervous to share this with you. Consider it a rollercoaster ride through my imagination, full with thrills, chills, and possibly a few epic facepalms. Your response is like caffeine to my writing brain, so please tell me what you think! Thank you for joining me on this amazing adventure! Happy reading!

Here enha is depicted as heirs of a business tycoon with healthy family dynamics <33

The Han estate, a sprawling sanctuary of wealth and tradition, stood against the lush backdrop of rolling hills. Its towering glass walls and modern yet timeless design made it both imposing and inviting. The estate was not just a symbol of power but of the love and unity that thrived within the Han family. The gardens, meticulously tended, stretched out in a sea of green, dotted with fountains and flower beds that bloomed year-round. The air smelled of freshly cut grass, rose petals, and the faint hint of rain, all blending to create a serene atmosphere.

Today was a special day. Han Sojoon, the patriarch of the family, and his wife, Han Sohee, had been eagerly awaiting the return of their seven sons. College had taken them far and wide, and though the estate never felt empty with its size and bustling staff, it lacked the liveliness only their sons could bring.

The first to arrive was Heeseung, the eldest at 22. He stepped out of a sleek black car, his tall figure and composed demeanor unmistakable. Heeseung had always been the steady hand, the responsible one. His sharp jawline and intense gaze mirrored that of his father, and over the years, he had grown into his role as the eldest son—the one to shoulder the most responsibility.

He adjusted his jacket, his eyes scanning the familiar sight of the estate as he walked up the steps to the grand entrance. Inside, the house was a hive of activity. The housekeepers were busy making final preparations, and the kitchen was filled with the aroma of home-cooked meals that Heeseung had missed during his time away.

“Welcome home, Master Heeseung,” Mrs. Kim, the head housekeeper, greeted him warmly at the door. She had known him since he was a boy, and there was a special fondness in her eyes.

“Thank you, Mrs. Kim,” Heeseung replied with a small smile. “It’s good to be back.”

“You’re the first one here, as usual,” Mrs. Kim remarked. “The others should be along soon.”

Heeseung nodded, a quiet satisfaction in his heart. He had always made it a point to be the first—whether it was arriving home or meeting his father’s expectations. He walked into the grand foyer, the marble floors gleaming beneath his polished shoes. The house felt familiar yet vast, but today, it would be filled with the voices of his brothers once again.

The rumbling sound of a powerful engine echoed through the courtyard. Heeseung turned to see a sports car pulling up the driveway. A grin tugged at the corner of his mouth as the car came to a halt, and three figures spilled out.

The triplets had arrived.

Jay, Jake, and Sunghoon, all 21, emerged from the car in their usual, lively fashion. Though they were triplets, their personalities couldn’t have been more different, and they wore their individuality proudly.

Jay, the first to step out, ran a hand through his dark, tousled hair and flashed a cocky grin. Everything about Jay screamed confidence—from his sharp eyes to his easy swagger. He was always quick with a joke, but beneath his playful exterior lay a sharp mind and a competitive edge that kept him always striving to surpass expectations.

“Heeseung!” Jay called out, slamming the car door shut. “Didn’t think you’d beat us here. You must’ve left early.”

Heeseung smirked, crossing his arms. “Someone’s gotta set the example.”

Jay chuckled as he bounded up the steps, clapping his older brother on the shoulder. “Always the overachiever.”

Following closely behind was Jake, the easy-going one. Jake was effortlessly charming, with a smile that could brighten even the coldest room. He was the mediator among the brothers, the one who always knew how to diffuse tension with a well-timed joke or a kind word.

“Hyung!” Jake greeted Heeseung with a wide grin, pulling him into a brief but warm hug. “Good to see you. Feels like it’s been ages.”

“You look like you haven’t worried about a thing,” Heeseung teased, noting Jake’s relaxed demeanor.

“That’s because I haven’t,” Jake replied with a wink. “Why worry when things always seem to work out?”

The last of the triplets, Sunghoon, was quieter but no less present. He walked up the steps with his headphones hanging around his neck, his expression calm and collected. Sunghoon had always been introspective, his passion for ice skating setting him apart from the rest of the family. Though he didn’t speak much, his actions always spoke volumes.

“Sunghoon,” Heeseung greeted, nodding toward his younger brother.

“Hyung,” Sunghoon replied with a brief smile. “It’s good to be home.”

As the triplets entered the house, their usual banter filled the air. Jake and Jay were already teasing each other about who had driven faster, while Sunghoon remained content with watching them, a small smile playing on his lips.

Before long, another car arrived, and two more figures stepped out—Sunoo and Jungwon.

Sunoo, at 20, was the heart of the family. His bright, infectious smile and playful energy made him beloved by everyone. He was creative and passionate, always finding beauty in the world around him. As he stepped out of the car, he stretched his arms wide, taking in the sight of the estate with a dramatic flair.

“Home sweet home!” Sunoo exclaimed, his voice carrying through the courtyard. He spotted his brothers gathered near the entrance and rushed toward them. “Miss me?”

“Not really,” Jay teased, but his grin gave him away.

“Good to see you, Sunoo,” Heeseung said, ruffling Sunoo’s hair as he passed.

Behind Sunoo was Jungwon, the 19-year-old who carried himself with a maturity beyond his years. Jungwon had always been the dependable one, much like Heeseung, but with a quieter presence. He was thoughtful and observant, often watching over his brothers in his own subtle way. Despite being one of the younger ones, his calm demeanor had earned him the respect of even the older siblings.

“Hyung,” Jungwon greeted Heeseung with a small but genuine smile. “It’s good to be back.”

“Good to have you back, Jungwon,” Heeseung replied, placing a hand on his shoulder. “How’s school been?”

“Busy, but nothing I can’t handle,” Jungwon said with a quiet confidence.

As the group made their way inside, the youngest and final arrival pulled up in the driveway. Ni-ki, just 18, was the baby of the family, but his tall frame and confident stride belied his youth. He was bold, adventurous, and always full of energy—a stark contrast to his more reserved older brothers.

Ni-ki stepped out of the car and immediately spotted his brothers gathered at the entrance. “About time you all got here!” he called out, his grin wide as he jogged up the steps.

“Ni-ki, you’re the last one!” Sunoo teased, playfully nudging him. “The youngest is supposed to be early.”

“I make my own rules,” Ni-ki shot back, laughing as he entered the house.

Inside, the atmosphere was warm and lively. The sound of laughter and chatter filled the grand living room, where their mother, Han Sohee, sat waiting by the bay window with a soft smile. Her regal posture and elegant dress spoke of her refined nature, but her eyes were filled with love as she watched her sons interact.

Heeseung was the first to approach her, bending down to kiss her cheek. “Mom,” he said warmly, “we’re all here.”

Sohee’s smile widened as she took in the sight of her sons. “My boys,” she said, her voice full of affection. “You’re all finally home.”

Jake was next to sweep her into a playful hug. “Miss us, Mom?”

“Every single day,” she replied, her tone both sincere and light. “The house feels empty without you.”

As each son greeted her, the warmth in the room grew. Sohee had always been the emotional heart of the family, her gentle nature balancing out the strength and determination of her husband, Han Sojoon.

And then, descending the grand staircase, Sojoon appeared. He was tall and commanding, his sharp features softened by the warm smile that spread across his face as he took in the sight of his seven sons. Despite his powerful position as CEO of Han Industries, Sojoon was, at his core, a loving father. He had always made it a point to be present for his sons, not just as their mentor, but as their guide and support in life.

“So, my sons have returned,” Sojoon said, his voice carrying across the room.

“Dad!” Ni-ki called out, running up to greet his father first.

Sojoon laughed, pulling Ni-ki into a warm hug. “My youngest. You’ve grown taller since I last saw you.”

Ni-ki grinned, stepping back. “Taller than Jay, at least.”

“Hey!” Jay protested, but his laughter followed soon after.

The room buzzed with energy as the brothers shared their stories, jokes, and plans for the future. The Han family was finally whole again, and the estate, once again, felt like home.

One by one, Sojoon greeted each of his sons with the same warmth and affection. He pulled Heeseung into a firm handshake that turned into an embrace, ruffled Sunoo’s hair despite his playful protests, and smiled proudly at each of them.

“So, how’s everyone doing?” Sojoon asked, settling into the armchair beside Sohee as the boys gathered around. “Any big plans now that you’re all back together?”

The room buzzed with energy as the brothers shared their stories, jokes, and plans for the future. The Han family was finally whole again, and the estate, once again, felt like home.

Andddd cuttt That was all yall. Please do let me know your thoughts and send in requests.Do share your ideas for this series

— Melody <33

[meowmeow-motherfucker]

Covenant- Chapter 5

Summary: With the five year anniversary of the attack on New York approaching, Odin and Fury come to the agreement that an arranged marriage between Asgard and Earth would show good faith toward all future interactions. When Odin refuses Jane’s candidacy, Agent Coulson is tasked with finding a suitable wife for the prince of Asgard.

Pairing: Loki x OFC

Warnings: pot smoking, fluff, more fluff, flirting, pining, Asgardian pearl-clutching, more wedding prep and princess lessons, mentions of archaic wedding traditions

Taglist: @lokisgoodgirl @gigglingtiggerv2 @icytrickster17 @mysteriouslyfriedjellyfish @lokislilkitten @justjoanne242 @amlocked @ddmariegirl @mags-04-blog @sharris8 @meepycheep @iamlokisgloriouspurpose @the-fantasy-loving-angel @jaidenhawke @smolvenger

Back at it again after a break. Thanks as always for coming along on the journey!

Two weeks until the wedding

“Good morning, dear!” Frigga chirped as Claire stepped into the sitting room. It was early morning, the suns rays already casting golden beams on the walls. Outside on the balcony, a songbird praised the sun, its harmonious song adding a cheerful melody to the morning.

“Good morning,” Claire replied, remembering too late she was supposed to curtsy. Behind Frigga, Loki snickered as she gave an awkward bob. Claire glared at him over Frigga’s shoulder, and he grinned.

She looked beautiful today. Her official wardrobe had been completed, and today she wore the first of the dresses in her official court color. The lush fabric lapped at her ankles as she walked toward him, the full skirt accentuating the curves of her waist. The high-necked bodice had no sleeves, her bare arms protected from the early morning chill by a matching stole. Loki spied the ever-present silver band around her bicep.

She looked as though she belonged.

~~~~

The marketplace was busy as usual, crowded with throngs of people scurrying about. The crowd parted as they walked, bowing low to the prince and future princess, as well as the queen walking behind them with her attendants.

“This is so surreal,” Claire giggled, wiping a hand over her face. “We just met two weeks ago and here we are, on our way to pick out wedding rings,” she looked up at him with a shy smile. “If this was happening on Earth, we would have been on hundreds of dates by now.”

“Hundreds?” Loki chuckled. “Exactly what does one do on hundreds of dates?”

“All kinds of things,” Claire replied wistfully. “Skip school to go to the mall, arcade dates, spend the day at Santa Monica pier…”

“What is the mall?”

“Remember what I told you about a lot of stores being separate?”

“Of course.”

“A mall is the opposite. It’s a big building with lots of stores inside.”

“This all seems rather...muddled. Some are together, some are separate...what is the purpose of that?” Loki asked. “What is an arcade date? And this Santa Monica pier?”

“The pier is like the ones here, but instead of docking for boats, the Santa Monica pier has shops and restaurants. There’s a really nice Ferris wheel too. I had my first kiss at the top of that Ferris wheel.” Claire smiled fondly at the memory.

“Sounds dreadfully romantic.”

“It was,” Claire sighed. “It was sunset, the ocean was all sparkly...it seems like a lifetime ago.” she chuckled.

“And which of those was your favorite?” Loki asked.

“Honestly, all of them were nice, but the ones I liked the most were the simple ones. My boyfriend and I used to go to the drive-in on the weekends and hold hands. We didn’t have to talk, it was just nice to be together, you know?”

“I can’t say that I do,” Loki replied somberly, dropping his gaze from her lips. The berry shade she’d chosen to wear today was enchanting. “What was his name?”

“Mateo,” Claire said fondly. “God, I haven’t seen him in...twenty years?” she laughed.

“Not much time for romance while working for S.H.I.E.L.D., I imagine.”

“God, no!” Claire laughed loudly. “Not that I was particularly interested, but everyone gets lonely and a girl has needs.”

“Is that so?” Loki asked with interest. Claire’s eyes darted down to his mouth when he licked his lips. “Do tell.”

“A magician never reveals her secrets,” Claire turned away, a secretive smile tugging at her lips. “You’ll find out eventually anyway.”

“I think you’ll find I can be rather persuasive.” a flash of green pulled her attention back to him, drawing her eyes to the flower he’d manifested in his outstretched hand.

“Isn’t it better to learn from a source that hasn’t been persuaded?” Claire asked as they reached the jeweler’s storefront. Loki graced her with a smile, the flower disappearing.

“Indeed,” he opened the door and gestured for her to step inside. “My lady.”

Inside the store, they were guided to plush chairs and the owner presented tray after tray of rings for them to choose from. Loki and Claire sat side by side, Frigga and her attendants sat behind them offering commentary on the selection.

Many of the rings Claire was shown were too feminine for her taste, or were gaudy or just plain ugly. All of the offerings were gold with green stones, of course, to match Loki’s colors.

Claire felt annoyed that her ring had to be yet another reminder she was signing her life away, but pushed it aside and focused on finding a ring she liked. There were several that were beautiful of course, made with actual gold and sizable emeralds in impressive settings, but Claire had never been one for flashy jewelry. She would wear this ring for the rest of her life- it had to be right.

The owner brought out another tray, this time with less flashy offerings.

“Perhaps Her Majesty will like these better?” the owner said as he placed te tray in front of her. Claire felt an odd twinge as she realized he was talking about her- she still wasn’t used to people treating her special and that title-

“These are different,” Claire replied as she gazed at the tray. The stones were still green, but they were not emeralds. Opaque white stones with delicate tendrils of deep green sat in luxurious settings of gold, some clustered with smaller round diamonds, some with delicate looking details that seemed so fragile they would unravel if you touched them. “Is this moss agate?”

“Excellent eye, madam,” the owner smiled proudly. “My apprentice wished to make some offerings as well- he is not yet skilled enough to work with finer gems, but as nothing has caught your eye yet, I thought…” Claire spied a ring with a large oval cut central stone, flanked by crescent moons and smaller, teardrop shaped ingots of moss agate.

“This is beautiful,” she murmured, lifting it from the tray to inspect it more closely. “What do you think?” she asked Loki.

“Your opinion matters more than mine; you’re the one who will wear it,” Loki replied, but he leaned closer to inspect it nonetheless. “It is lovely.”

“There is another band that my apprentice designed to go with it,” the owner held up a second gold band, this one in a sloping shape to accentuate the first band. The band was decorated along the bottom, with a triquetra in the center and triple moons on each side. The center of the triquetra and the full moons were set with small diamonds, crescent moons solid gold, and tiny emeralds sat within the corner loops of the triquetra. Claire pressed the two bands together on her finger, her heart fluttering at the sight of them. They were absolutely gorgeous. “The knot in the center is not as popular in our culture, but the triquetra represents-”

“Past, present, and future,” Claire smiled at the ring on her hand. Claire had long been a believer that the universe would sends signs if one was simply willing to see them- she felt it was no coincidence that she was presented a wedding ring with the trinity knot on it. Whatever her misgivings about how she got here, this felt like a sign that she was in the right place. “I love it.”

“Is this the one?” Loki asked from beside her. Claire nodded, confident in her choice.

“Yep, this is it.”

“Excellent choice, Your Majesty,” the owner bowed respectfully. He whisked the rings away, Claire’s selection set aside for safekeeping. He returned with a tray of rings for Loki to choose from. Loki was not much for jewelry either, but one of them stood out as a clear match for the ring Claire had chosen.

It was a smooth, thick gold band with a thin seam of moss agate running through the center.

“What do you think?” he asked, offering it to Claire for her appraisal.

“It’s beautiful work,” Claire said, inspecting the ring from all angles. “And it would match mine. It suits you.”

“I like it,” Loki agreed, setting the ring aside on the tray. “This one.”

“Excellent choice, Your Majesty,” the owner said. “We shall have both rings ready in two days’ time.”

“Wonderful,” Frigga said from behind them. “I think it is time for some lunch before our afternoon outing.”

Lunch took place two streets away in an elegant restaurant that made Claire feel out of place. She looked the part, sure, but she still felt like Oliver Twist in a room full of rich people.

“Claire?” she felt the feather-light touch Loki’s hand at her lower back and she looked over to see him looking at her with concern. “Are you alright?”

“Sorry, things just got real,” Claire laughed nervously. “I'm feeling really nervous now.”

“Here,” Loki guided her to a seat, taking the space beside her. “What troubles you?”

“I was just thinking about the-” Claire grimaced, shrinking in on herself. “The wedding night.”

“Oh! I would never force myself on you,” Loki swore, pulling away from her. “You have my word.”

“No, no, that's- that’s not what I'm worried about, I don't feel threatened by you,” Claire said hurriedly, keeping him close with a hand on his arm. “I just remembered that the original plan was for us to-”

“Ah, yes,” Loki ducked his head, a frown marring his handsome features. “The lovely tradition of having witnesses for the consummation is both ancient and disturbing.”

“Yeah,” Claire gave a relieved sigh. “I rejected that part of the treaty real quick.”

“As did I,” Loki replied. “Not that I'm particularly shy, but whenever my mother talked about it I could tell it had bothered her to go through it and I didn’t wish to put you through that.” Their conversation was interrupted as their party was directed to their table. Claire and Loki were seated beside each other, with Frigga on Loki’s other side and the crones opposite them. As they were perusing the menus, Claire leaned over to keep talking to Loki.

“You talked to your mom about sex?”

“I was an inquisitive child!” Loki said defensively. “I also had a very negative outlook on marriage and thought it stupid. Still do,” He admitted, shaking his head. “But she was determined that Thor and I both learned the traditions and all of it, as someday we would have to go through it.” They were interrupted again as a server arrived to take their orders.

“Well that's cool. And for what it's worth, I also think marriage is stupid.”

“Yet here you are.”

“Here I am,” Claire replied. “Though I will admit I am feeling more...optimistic about it.” she smiled warmly as their food arrived, and their private conversation ended as they were roped into conversing with the crones.

~~~~

Frigga’s afternoon outing was a play- a retelling of an ancient tale of love and war. Claire read over the playbill with a mix of excitement and dread. She enjoyed theater, she supposed, in a general sense (S.H.I.E.L.D didn’t give much time off for attending plays) but she didn’t know what to expect from this. She’d come to learn that the Asgardians LOVED telling exaggerated tales of war and men occasionally would write poems for women they wanted to court. Claire was just thankful Loki hadn’t accosted her with a shitty poem- it would have been too difficult not to laugh in his face.

She liked his face, but romantic gestures were pushing it- devastating jawline or not. The thought of being surrounded by the vulturous young ladies of the court, all of them gawking at her while Loki botched iambic pentameter made her want to vomit.

She was grateful that she’d been seated next to Loki for the play though. It made it easier to have private conversation with him.

“Hey, thanks for refusing the consummation thing. It would have been difficult to pretend that I'm innocent.” she whispered.

“Are you not a good actress?” Loki whispered back with a hint of disappointment. “What a pity. I'd thought all of S.H.I.E.L.D.'s agents were professionals.”

“Oh no, I'm very good,” Claire grinned wolfishly. “Just not that good.”

“If there is anything I can do to perhaps...make things easier for you-” Claire snorted, the sound decidedly unladylike.

“I’m not worried,” she smacked his arm with the back of her hand. “I just didn’t want an audience.”

“I see,” Loki paused before leaning closer. “Circumstances being what they are...we will still need to put on a bit of a show.” the low timbre of his voice gave her goosebumps, and Claire shifted in her seat.

“I know, your mom told me,” she murmured back. “I think it's dumb, but apparently putting a couple drops of blood on bed sheets is easier than accepting I'm a sexually liberated woman.”

“Liberated?” Loki parroted.

“Oh yes,” Claire grinned. “I do what I want, when I want. Or I guess more accurately, who.”

“A trait I can admire,” Loki replied with a smirk. “And does my oafish brother make the list? Were you disappointed-”

“Oh no, Thor is nowhere near the list,” Claire pulled a face, shaking her head in disgust. “You are, though.” she winked at him, meeting his gaze boldly as the lights dimmed. Loki's mind went blank, his brows furrowed as her words sank in. It was an unusual thing, to be desired so openly. He was not a stranger to being desired- as a prince, second or not, he was a desirable bedfellow- but more often that not, it was his status and what it afforded them that people were after, not him. His past trysts had been secluded in shadow, for his admirers never shared their affection once the sun rose. All the same, he’d accepted their suits; after all, he was a hedonist by nature and not one to turn away from pleasure.

There was something novel about this odd woman. The labyrinthine societal rules kept most wrapped in layers of deceit like fabric, suffocating any truth before it could fall from their lips. But not Claire- she had not yet been indoctrinated by the ridiculous rules of court, and not once had he sensed that she was lying to him. It was refreshing indeed, and Loki appreciated it more than he could say.

Loki clasped Claire’s hand in his own in the darkness, unwilling to give voice to such vulnerability. Claire settled her other hand on his arm, leaning into his side as the lush red curtain was raised. Rapt silence fell over the room as the play began, and Loki whiled away the first act tracing his thumb over the empty spot on her hand that her ring would soon occupy.

13 days until the wedding

Loki was lost in thought as he walked around the palace. It was now less than two weeks before he would wed, and although his future wife was an intriguing puzzle he longed to unravel, Loki still felt less than giddy about the event. Servants bowed to him respectfully but gave him a wide berth, afraid and unwilling to anger the dark prince. Loki was used to such treatment even before his incursions on Midgard, but he supposed his dark mood did nothing to dampen their fear of him.

He found himself in his mother’s garden, the tall flowers swaying soothingly in the breeze. Some of the flowers in the center of the garden were moving oddly, wiggling rapidly and disturbing the surrounding flowers. Loki ducked under the thick branches to investigate, picking his way to the center of the flower bed.

He found his future wife sitting on the ground, legs crossed in front of her. She had an array of things spread in the dirt in front of her, and she was smoking.

“Uh…hi,” Claire said, exhaling pungent smoke into the space between them. “What’s up?” Confused by her question, Loki looked overhead only to see the canopy of flowers with specks of bright blue sky peeking through.

“The sky?” he wagered. Claire laughed as he sat down in the dirt opposite her. Her shawl lay on the ground beside her, a soft blue that heralded her as a favorite of his mother. The silver band on her bicep matched the soft gray of her dress, sparkling sporadically as the flowers above them danced in the breeze and the sunlight shone through in minuscule rays.

His future wife was rather beautiful, Loki was man enough to admit it. Today her lips were tinted a dark grey which complimented the soft hue of her gown. She was slender in frame but well built from years of working for S.H.I.E.L.D.. In the short time he had known her, Loki had learned she was fierce with her words and her wit. She was shorter than him, but most everyone was. Her unbound hair hung down to her breasts, the thick chocolatey tresses practically concealing them from his gaze. Her eyes intrigued him- she was so young compared to him, but her eyes had seen much. The rich dark blue shade of them made Loki think of the sea, and sapphires. And she was…she was talking to him.

“What?” he asked stupidly. Like a fool, he’d been caught up in being able to actually look at her. They had spent time together of course, but always, always under supervision.

“I asked if you wanted a hit,” Claire repeated, holding out her cigarette to him. It wasn’t like any he’d seen before- the smell wasn’t as offensive and it was clearly hand-rolled in white paper. “It’s good stuff.”

“Is it tobacco?” Loki asked.

“No way, that stuff is nasty,” Claire replied, her nose scrunching adorably in disgust. “It’s pot.”

“I don’t know what that is,” Loki replied, accepting the cigarette and giving it a sniff. “It’s not as offensive as tobacco.”

“You guys don’t have weed here?” Claire asked in astonishment. “Damn, I’ll have to add it to my list of stuff I want brought here.”

“What is it?” Loki asked.

“It’s a plant. There’s different strains and they have different effects, but this is called Granddaddy Purple. It’s to help you relax.”

“Why are you smoking to relax?” Loki asked, even as he smoked from the cigarette. The smoke had a pleasant burn and a pungent aroma.

“Gee, I don’t know, probably because I signed my entire life away,” Claire replied sarcastically, giving him a judgmental stare when Loki choked on the smoke and started to cough. “Dude, don’t- hold it in for a second- wow, you suck at this.” she snickered.

“Believe it or not, I’ve never done this before.” Loki passed the cigarette back to her.

“You’ve never done drugs? Like, at all?” Claire balked, holding the smoke in her lung before exhaling toward the flower canopy. “But you’re- you’re old! You probably witnessed the big bang!”

“That was before my time, actually,” Loki laughed, his mind starting to feel a little hazy. “You’re upset.”

“You bet your ass I’m upset,” Claire’s nose wrinkled as she exhaled sharply. “No offense. It’s not you, it’s them. The crones.”

“I take it lessons are not going well?”

“I mean…” Claire shrugged. “They’re okay, if you like being corrected constantly. Everything I do is wrong, apparently, and I’m hopeless.”

“I’m sure you’re doing fine.”

“I’m really not. Ask your mom,” Claire sighed. “Honestly I wouldn’t be surprised if they sent me home, the way they were talking.”

“You think they would?”

“I don’t know. And I don’t know whether I want them to send me back or keep me here. There’s a lot of variables.”

“I understand. I have...reservations as well.”

“Are we stupid for doing this?” Claire asked, exhaling slowly into the air between them.

“What?”

“I don’t know, sometimes quitting is the best solution to a problem.”

“You wish to leave?”

“Yeah, kind of,” Claire admitted. “I left everything behind to come here. What exactly am I getting out of this?” Loki began to count on his fingers.

“A considerably longer lifespan, immeasurable wealth and respect-”

“More like loneliness and a gilded cage.” Claire muttered.

“-Stability,” Loki countered. “Can I try that again?”

“Please,” Claire scoffed as she passed him the roach. “I’ve never been stable a day in my life.”

“An auspicious match, then,” Loki chuckled, taking a deep hit from the blunt. “Neither have I. At least, not that I remember,” He took another hit before passing it back to her, relaxing back into the grass beneath them. Loki took stock of himself, and he was starting to feel…something. “It takes a moment, doesn’t it?”

“Isn’t it nice?” Claire gave a dreamy sigh as she laid down beside him. “If you want it to hit faster, hold it in your lungs for a few seconds before you exhale,” she coached, giggling when Loki started coughing again. “Coughing also helps.”

“Does it?” Loki managed weakly.

“Oh yeah, it does,” Claire giggled. “It makes me feel all tingly and disconnected.”

“Doesn’t it make you feel…vulnerable?” He glanced over at her.

“I guess so, yeah,” Claire shrugged. “But it’s nice to escape reality for a while.”

“Do all Midgardians smoke this? What did you call it, grandfather purple?”

“Granddaddy,” Claire corrected with a laugh. “And no, not all of us Earthlings smoke the ganja. But there are lots of uses for it.”

“Like what?” Loki asked.

“Like I said, there are different strains for different things. You can smoke it, cook or bake with it, use the fibers to make clothing…this stuff though- it’s mostly for relaxing, but it also makes colors richer, food taste better…sex feel better,” Claire sighed wistfully. Loki looked surprised by her answer. “What?”

“I have never heard a woman speak so freely about such things.” Loki seemed genuinely scandalized by the idea.

“Dude, you’re cute, but you need to loosen up,” Claire cackled, propping herself up on her elbow to look at him. “It’s the 21st century, lots of women have recreational sex.”

“I am not cute,” Loki scoffed, his face scrunching with disgust as he said the word. “I am a god.”

“Yeah, y’are,” Claire said flirtatiously, short bursts of smoke escaping her nose as she giggled. “Maybe cute isn’t the most accurate word, but I stand by it.” Loki thought she looked enchanting, mirthful and sun-dappled beneath the flowers, and the now-familiar churning in his belly returned with a vengeance.

“I will never mistreat you,” he pledged, his eyes never leaving the golden shimmer the sun revealed in her lip polish. “You have my word.”

“I know.” Claire grinned at him.

“Do you?” Loki laughed.

“I fascinate you,” Claire shrugged, offering him another hit from the roach. Loki took it, enjoying the burn and the fuzzy feeling behind his eyes. “That and you think I’m pretty.” Loki snorted, a puff of smoke escaping his nostrils as he glanced over at her with pinkened cheeks.

“A bit of both.” he admitted.

“I knew it.” Claire said smugly.

“You are so self-assured!” Loki crowed indignantly.

“Well I was right, wasn’t I?”

“You were,” Loki agreed softly, turning on his side to stare at her fondly before seeming to come back to himself. “I should go,” he said suddenly, getting up from the grass. He made a show of brushing dirt off of his leathers to hide the flush taking over his face. He’d become overwhelmed with desire to kiss her, and now he was running like a coward. “We’re not supposed to be alone.”

“Right,” Claire rolled her eyes, inhaling from the roach again. “Propriety and whatnot.”

“Oh, she does have sense,” Loki replied sarcastically. “I’d like to leave our reputations intact, if at all possible.”

“Why do you care so much what people think of you?” Claire asked. “We’re getting married in less than two weeks regardless, so who gives a shit?”

“I do,” Loki dusted off his pants. Claire sat back and watched the show, enjoying the way the fabric clung to the muscle of his thighs. “Unless of course you decide to leave.”

“We’re still good, right?” Claire asked, looking him up and down. “Or did I cross a boundary?”

“We are fine,” Loki said shortly. “What was the percentage you gave us the other day?” Claire grinned, exhaling smoke through her nose.

“I predicted a respectable seventy percent, but it’s up to eighty-five now that we’ve smoked pot together.”

“I barely smoked any,” Loki argued weakly. Claire laughed loudly. “Perhaps another time I can try more.”

“Alright, it’s a date,” Claire smiled. “I’ll put in an intergalactic order for more kinds,” she snickered at her joke, which Loki didn’t understand. “Hey, don’t tell anyone where I am, okay? I honestly can’t handle any more princess lessons today.”

“It will be our secret.”

“Awesome,” Claire sighed, relaxing back into the soothing embrace of the grass. “I like secrets.”

~~~~

When Claire eventually emerged from the garden, she had just enough time to meet Frigga for tea. Claire liked the queen, but she was nervous about meeting with her, especially having cut out of princess lessons early that day. Believe it or not, Claire did not find needlepoint compelling. Her knowledge with ropes and knot-tying didn’t exactly translate, and Claire would rather stab her tutor with the needle than use it to make delicate flowers with thread.

Frigga looked radiant as always when Claire arrived. Claire had a passing hope that she didn’t smell like pot as she sat down to tea with her future mother-in-law.

“Hello dear,” Frigga greeted her with a warm smile. She got to her feet and gathered Claire in a warm hug, which never failed to prick at Claire’s heartstrings. “You look well. How are your lessons going?”

“They’re okay.” Claire offered with a shrug. Frigga picked up the tea pot to begin pouring tea.

“Are you certain?” Frigga asked knowingly as she poured Claire a cup of steaming hot tea. “Your tutors are of a different mind, especially your needlepoint instructor.” Shit.

“I mean...I’m definitely struggling. For all my skills, I can’t seem to do anything right here. It’s frustrating.”

“Every new venture is a challenge,” Frigga replied smoothly as she poured her own tea. “I too felt out of sorts when I first came to Asgard.”

“Really?”

“Oh yes,” Frigga smiled fondly at the memory. “Odin and I were betrothed from a very young age, and although I spent most of my youth preparing to take my place as his wife, preparing and doing were very different things. It is understandable that you should feel upset or overwhelmed.”

“I definitely feel overwhelmed,” Claire agreed. “There’s so much for me to learn, and just when I think I have a grip on things, something else gets added. And it’s also very frustrating that ever since I came here, I’m basically viewed for nothing more than my reproductive potential. I have so much more to offer than that and I feel like no one cares.”

“Childbearing is an integral part of our society, Lady Claire. All women have talents, this is true, but through our children our people survive. The children you have with Loki will ensure the alliance between Asgard and Midgard will endure for centuries to come.”

“But isn’t that degrading?” Claire asked sharply. “Not every woman wants to have children. Shouldn’t they be allowed to choose for themselves?”

“Perhaps, but that is not the issue at hand. You do not have the luxury of choosing, dear. You made your choice when you agreed to come here.” Frigga said gently.

“Well maybe I’m having second thoughts,” Claire set her cup down with more force than she meant to, the loud clink drawing a pointed look from Frigga. “This is not what I had in mind.”

“Is leaving truly what you wish?” Frigga asked. She could tell the young woman was discouraged, but much was at risk if she backed out of the treaty.

“I don’t know,” Claire spun her empty tea cup in its saucer instead of meeting the queen’s eyes. “I’m not sure I’m the right person for this. It seems like no matter what I do, it’s not enough.”

“I appreciate this is a tremendous undertaking for you,” Frigga replied gently. “What young women learn over the course of years, you must learn in weeks. I can also appreciate that my son is not the easiest young man to get along with.”

“Right,” Claire grimaced. Frigga knew about their spats; practically everyone in the palace did. “Maybe it would be best if I left.”

“Do you know what happens if you do?”

“I know this is to form an alliance, but Asgard and Earth aren’t on bad terms. There’s no threat of war.”

“There is not, that is correct. There is however, significant threat to Loki. Should this alliance fail, he will be returned to his cell in the dungeons.”

“I thought that was only if it failed after we married.”

“I’m afraid not, dear. I have tried to change the king’s mind, but he will not be swayed.” Frigga pursed her lips behind her tea cup.

“But-” That’s not fair. Why does Odin have it out for Loki? “This isn’t right.”

“No, it is not. One of the hardest aspects of being royalty is that we often must swallow knives to make peace.”

“So if I leave- even if Odin himself says I won’t cut it- Loki goes back?”

“Indeed,” Frigga replied, a sour look upon her face. “I’m sure I don’t need to impress upon you how vital it is that you and this marriage succeed,” she grabbed Claire’s hands in her own. “I am sorry to burden you with such responsibility. But I fear you are the only means I have to save my son,” Claire swallowed nervously. “I would beg you to reconsider. Please.”

Twelve days until the wedding

Claire struggled to sleep the night before, still trying to figure out why Odin was so dead-set on Loki going back to jail. Hadn’t he served enough time?

She wasn’t sure if five years equaled eighty deaths, but it definitely was unfair to release someone from prison only to throw them back in. Somehow Claire doubted whether Asgardian law had the concept of double jeopardy on the books.

After tossing and turning for hours, Claire had examined and re-examined the problem from every possible angle. She’d finally come to a solution- the only solution that didn’t leave her in an ethical quagmire and Loki in a jail cell.

She was going to stay.

Somehow, she would successfully finish her princess lessons and shove her success in her tutor’s faces. She would fulfill the obligations of the treaty and become princess royal of Asgard, and Loki’s wife.

Her mind made up, she’d finally fallen asleep for what seemed like five minutes before Ragna was waking her up for the day. She struggled to stay awake as her hair was brushed to perfection, the promise of seeing Loki at breakfast forcing her from her chambers. He was probably worried sick she was going to leave him to his wretched fate. She had to talk to him.

Except he wasn’t at breakfast. Ignoring the nerves upsetting her stomach, Claire forced herself to eat.

After breakfast, Claire set off with Ragna and a guard under the guise of walking off her meal. Loki was somewhere in the palace, and she was determined to find him.

~~~~

The hallways seemed to grow busier on the lower levels they explored, and Claire followed the crowds. People curtsied and bowed to her as she walked the halls, making her feel like a celebrity. She gave polite nods to everyone they passed, keeping her eyes peeled for any sign of Loki.

A flash of green caught her attention and Claire perked up, scanning the clusters of people for Loki.

There!

Loki stood with his back to her, in an animated discussion with two men she didn’t recognize. Without a thought, she dashed toward Loki, leaving Ragna and Gunnar in the dust. People parted like the red sea as she ran, gawking with dismay at the woman who dared to run.

Loki was in a discussion with two fellow council members when Claire raced up to their group.

“Hey,” she said breathlessly as she pulled him aside. “I’m sorry to interrupt. I need to talk to you.” The council members bowed to her respectfully as her hands clasped around his arm. She seemed genuinely upset, her chest rising and falling rapidly as she fought to catch her breath.

“Are you alright, my lady? Where is your escort?”

“Oh, um...somewhere back there,” Claire gestured over her shoulder. “I promise I’m fine.” Loki’s companions shared a concerned look at her boldness.

“A moment, please,” Loki said to the men he was with before steering her a few feet down the opulent hall. “What troubles you?”

“I wanted to clarify what I said yesterday.”

“My lady, we didn’t see each other yesterday.” Loki squinted at her in warning.

“Right, of course,” Claire winked. “But what I said, about feeling indecisive.”

“I see,” Loki nodded. “Then you have decided-”

“I’m staying.” Claire spoke over him.

“But you-” Loki blanched, clearly confused. “I beg your pardon?”

“I was freaking out,” Claire sighed. “I wasn’t kidding when I said lessons were going badly. It’s my fault...I- you know what, no. I’m not taking blame for this-”

“For what?”

“Everything about this just…” Loki looked concerned as she clenched her fists and growled angrily. “Goes completely against my feminist beliefs. Having to sit there and listen to those old bats go on and on and on about how my entire life is supposed to be about you! I’m supposed to let you make all the decisions about everything! Where we live, how many babies we have, you name it! I’m not supposed to have opinions!?” she threw her hands up questioningly between them.

“I suspect that would be like asking you not to breathe.” Loki joked, regret filling him instantly when Claire’s stormy eyes settled on him.

“If you think for one second that I’m going to be trailing after you like a lost puppy-” she jabbed a finger at his chest plate angrily, and Loki’s eyebrows nearly reached his hairline. “You’ve got another thing coming, pal. Either I walk next to you like an equal or not at all.”

“I would not want you to,” Loki replied slowly. “I apologize for your difficulty. I did not realize-”

“How sexist your culture is?”

“Madam-”

“What?!” Claire huffed. “Are you gonna tell me I’m wrong? Is that too strong of an opinion for you; because it sure is for everyone else.”

“I do not wish for any of those things,” Loki replied, a pinched look on his face. He sighed, glancing with concern at the people milling around them. Many of them gave the engaged couple odd looks at they passed. “It is difficult to discuss this openly here.” Neither of them could say what they really wanted to say with so many others around them, but Claire did not seem to care at all.

“Why? I don’t give a shit. You wanna know the truth?” she asked. “When you totally didn’t see me yesterday, I was fully prepared to cut and run. I had my things packed and ready to go. I was on board with stepping up for my people- I still am- but I draw the line at making myself small so other people can be comfortable.”

“I see.”

“But...then your mom told me what would happen to you if this doesn’t work out, and I don’t think you deserve that,” She placed a hand on his vambrace as she spoke, and Loki stared down at her for a beat, making her think she’d overstepped. He swallowed as she stepped slightly closer and if Claire didn’t know any better, she’d think he was nervous. “I’m still not vibing with all of this, but I think there’s more to you than what I’ve seen. I am trying to be as open about this as possible. I just need to know it’s not for nothing.”

“Thank you,” he said finally. “I still think this endeavor foolish, but it is far preferable to the alternative. That said, you are not alone in your concerns, and I would like to discuss them with you at length,” Loki grimaced as his companions summoned him. Claire offered a faint smile when his expression soured. “I’m afraid I must go. I shall see you soon, Lady Claire. I look forward to discussing this further. Do enjoy the rest of your day, my lady.” He drew her hand into his and pressed a kiss to her knuckles, keeping his intense eyes focused on hers and setting her heart to racing. His lips were soft and warm, his touch gentle. Something in Claire quivered and turned to a puddle as she fought back a swoon. How could something so innocent make her stomach clench and turn her knees to jelly?

She thought about it for the rest of the day.

~~~~

Long after a respectable princess-to-be should have been asleep, Claire sat awake in her apartment going over her notes. What little intelligence S.H.I.E.L.D. possessed on the god who had laid siege to New York lay in front of her. Claire had read the dossier back to front and at this point could likely recite it in her sleep. It was her personal notes that she scrutinized now, unable to make them fall in line with the printed narrative. The Loki written on the page was calculating, grandiose, and malevolent. The Loki she was coming to know was none of those things. Well, he was still grandiose, but Claire figured that was part and parcel of being raised as royalty. The man was literally a god, worshipped for thousands of years. Still worshipped, Claire corrected herself as she thought of his rapid fans who’d pledged their undying loyalty to him before the debris in New York had been cleared.

Claire had done research of her own before her arrival in Asgard, doing countless deep dives of obscure forums and social media, and had managed to unearth a small collection of personal accounts which had yet to be verified. One such account came from a subreddit, posted by a woman living in New York at the time of the attack. The woman claimed that Loki had pushed her aside as a large piece of debris had fallen, sparing her from certain death. If it true, perhaps her husband-to-be was not the monster that the people of Earth thought him to be.

Most of what Claire found was unhelpful. Comments ranging from the typical ‘I can fix him’, ‘he’s just misunderstood’ to pure filth about what the poster would do to the man if given half a minute with him. Claire had originally dismissed them all with a roll of her eyes- she might be a monster fucker, but having witnessed the carnage of New York firsthand she wasn’t ready to ride the man’s dick at the time. Now that she was getting to know him and riding on his dick was a fast-approaching reality, Claire wasn’t too mad about it. The circumstances, sure, but not the getting-to-fuck-one-of-the-hottest-men-in-the-galaxy part. The man was FINE.

And he wasn’t like S.H.I.E.L.D. had thought he would be. Bruce had described him as ‘bag full of cats’, but Claire felt she was beginning to see behind the curtain. Sure he was mischievous, and kind of a dick, but he was thoughtful, and gentlemanly, and at least willing to listen to her concerns about the rampant sexism. And so fucking tall.

Focus, Claire. She fought not to melt at the memory of him kissing her knuckles earlier. For all the smut she consumed, a kiss on the hand was what made her all gooey inside? What was she, twelve?

She blamed the forced separation. In the limited time they spent together, they were watched like hawks in the name of propriety. Would things change after they married? Claire quite liked the intense stirrings their interactions caused, and hoped the feeling remained after the wedding. Her eyes dropped to the hand Loki had kissed, her skin tingling as she remembered the feeling of his lips. She wanted another. Fuck it, she may as well admit she wanted him to kiss up her arm like Gomez Addams. She deserved to be loved like Morticia.

Claire sighed wistfully before pulling herself out of her rose-tinted thoughts. She could daydream about Gomez and Morticia later. For now, she needed to focus. Shaking her head, Claire pulled the dossier back in front of her, rifling through the small stack of photos inside. She’d already seen them several times, but this time she caught something she hadn’t seen before.

In many of the photos, the photo was blurry- having been pulled from subpar traffic cameras or someone’s shaky cell phone. However there was one, from his time aboard the helicarrier, where the image was crystal clear. In this photo, it was clear how haggard Loki was. Just like the times before, Claire noted the dark shadows beneath his sunken eyes, the grayish tint to his alabaster skin and how pale and chapped his lips were. In the margins of the glossy photo paper, Claire had made notes: -not sleeping? -drugs? Anything she could think of to explain his appearance. Prior to meeting him, Claire had had no way of knowing, but the biggest clue had been staring her in the face the whole time. Loki’s eyes were blue in the photo.

Weren’t his eyes green? Claire dropped the photo, thinking back to the times she’d seen him in the past few days. The marketplace, the garden, the hallway that morning, dinner...his eyes had been green each time. No blue whatsoever.

What the hell?

Just as she was scribbling a new note in the margins, a knock on her chamber doors startled her. Wasn’t it a bit late for social calls? Ever cautious, Claire closed the dossier and hid it beneath the couch cushion before she went to the door.

A handmaiden stood waiting, bearing a heavy looking tray of dishes and a cloche. The guard watched from his post beside the door, looking bored.

“The meal you requested, madam.” The handmaiden said, giving her a curtsy.

Claire hadn’t requested shit. She didn’t recognize the woman, but she was still pretty new to the palace. Just as she was about to close the door, the handmaiden winked at her. Claire paused, thinking for a moment that the wink looked familiar. The fuck?

“Right. Yes. Sorry, I must be more tired than I realized. Come in.” The guard relaxed, allowing the handmaiden to step inside and closing the door behind her.

“Do you allow anyone into your chambers, or am I special?” Loki asked from behind her, grinning when Claire whirled to face him.

“You sneaky little shit,” she hissed quietly, looking at the door in alarm. “You can’t be here! The paw patrol will be pissed!”

“Paw patrol?” Loki’s face scrunched in confusion. God damn it, he was cute. And in fewer layers than usual. His leather armor had been exchanged for soft looking leisure clothes, but his long limbs were still covered by dark fabric. “I am not familiar with this band of enforcers,” he set the tray upon the table in front of the couch. “May I sit?” he gestured to the couch.

“Never mind,” Claire sighed. “Yes, please.” his loose collar gaped to the side as he sat down, and Claire was granted a teasing glimpse of his collar bone. “Why are you here? Why is Gunnar not barging in to haul you back out?”

“Because princess lessons are going poorly, and you clearly need the extra help,” Loki sighed, brushing his hair back from his face and exposing a strip of skin at his waist. “As to your second question, the room is cloaked in my magic. Your guard will not be able to hear us. I’m not risking imprisonment again so you can learn how to properly curtsy.”

“Hey, fuck you.” Claire spat. It was nice of him to offer his help, but he didn’t have to be condescending about it.

“Not yet, darling,” Loki brushed off her words, clasping his hands together. “Now then, let’s get started.” He dragged the heavy table closer to them with ease, the fabric of his sleeves barely containing the muscles in his arm as they flexed.

“Oh goody.” Claire said flatly as she sat beside him. Loki shot her a dark look as he reached to pull the cloche off the gilded charger beneath it. He set it aside, letting her see what he’d brought. A small assortment of little sandwiches and what looked like miniature fruit tarts sat on the charger, waiting to be consumed. In front of the charger, he’d arranged a proper place setting and Claire was actually a little impressed.

“This is how the table settings are arranged for state dinners,” he explained, naming each utensil as he touched it. His thigh pressed against hers as he spoke, and Claire struggled to focus on his words instead of the steely muscle she could feel. This was the closest they had ever been and her body was intensely focused on that fact. “You start from the outside and work your way in with each course.”

“Yeah, I know,” Claire replied, pushing away her desire to ride his thigh. God, how good would that feel? “I’m a commoner, not an idiot.”

“Well how was I to know?” Loki chuckled. “Better to start with the basics and work our way up,” I’ve got something he could work up. “Focus darling, or we’ll never finish.” Claire snorted, drawing another ireful glare from her husband-to-be. He waved his hand and the dishes disappeared from the tray, replaced with a scroll of parchment.

“Aw, snacks.” Loki rolled his eyes, returning the charger with another wave of his hand.

“I swear you’re just like Thor,” he shook his head, taking one of the sandwiches for himself before handing it to her. “Now pay attention. This will help you remember the rank of anyone you may meet. It’s very important that you know how to address members of the court and in what order.”

An hour later, Claire was able to recite the flow chart back to Loki and had satisfactorily answered all of his questions on how to address the various nobles.

“Maybe I’m not such a shit princess after all,” Claire remarked as she rolled the scroll back up. The charger rested beside her on the couch, the snacks long devoured. “I’m definitely making flash cards.” Loki grinned.

“It helps to have study materials. No doubt the crones expected you to memorize it after hearing it once.”

“Pretty much.”

“Do you have any questions before I take my leave?” Claire’s eyes flicked to his as he looked up at her.

They were green. So why were they blue in the surveillance photo?

“Why are you helping me?” Loki licked his lips as he considered the question, his brows bunching as he met her gaze again.

“Because regardless of how we got here, our paths are now intertwined,” he said gently. “I will not let you fail, Claire. Even if it means risking life and limb to teach you.”

“Life and limb, huh?”

“Of course,” Loki nodded. “Should you fail, the alliance would be in ruins and you would be sent back to Midgard. I, however, will either be sent back to prison or to the executioner’s block. Most likely the latter.” Claire paled as the weight of their situation crushed her.

“Your mom didn’t tell me that part,” she murmured. “Fuck, I really am a get-out-of-jail-free card.”

“A what?”

“Remind me to introduce you to Monopoly,” Claire smiled weakly. “Actually, that would be a great way to teach you about capitalism.”

“A lesson for another night, I think. You should get some rest.” he got to his feet, gathering the tray in his hands.

“Probably,” Claire agreed as she yawned. She got to her feet as well, her back popping as she stretched. Loki’s eyes trailed over her body, lingering on the curve of her hips. “Will there be more lessons tomorrow night?”

“But of course,” he replied easily, his eyes darting up to meet hers. “I will be sure to bring snacks, since that seems to motivate you.”

“I was hungry!” Claire cried defensively, both of them giggling. “Thank you.”

“Of course,” Loki nodded as he made his way to the door. Suddenly, he wheeled back around to face her. “About what you said earlier-”

“Yes?”

“There are many things I would change, if I could,” Loki pursed his lips. “I may not ever have that power, but I will always treat you as an equal.”

“Wow,” Claire smiled, relief flooding her veins. “Than-”

“An annoying, hot-headed one, but an equal nonetheless.” Loki smirked as she scowled at him with annoyance clear on her face. “A jarl?” he questioned before she could speak.

“My lord.” Claire replied, giving a sarcastic curtsy. A corner of Loki’s mouth curled upward at her cheek.

“The second prince?” he pressed.

“Pain-in-my-ass,” Claire cackled. “Good night.” Loki’s half smile evolved into a full one, and before Claire could blink, the handmaiden from before stood where he’d been.

“Sleep well, my lady.”

[candied-boys]

🍯 Honey Cakes 🍯

Luke Randolph x fem! Reader

Tags: merpeople au, lazy! Luke, happy! Luke, possessive! Luke, romance, picnics, cottagecore, eventual smut, happy ending

1500 words

The sound of a babbling brook singing against the rocks, the bounce of tender moss beneath your shoes, the weight of a basket full of goodies in hand — each warming your heart like the gentle spring sun above.

Today is the perfect day for a picnic...

After all it is your only day off, which is why you're making your way through the royal forest towards the hidden lake. With the castle spires just barely visible over the lush green canopy you aren't particularly worried about getting caught trespassing.

Especially not when you discover the perfect spot on the farthest side of the water — a little alcove at the foot of the mountain’s steep rock face, shaded by evergreens and warmed by black granite. Far enough from the waterfall to stay dry but close enough to enjoy the view, you spread out your tattered and patched sheet near the edge and plop down.

Watching the clouds slip past has been one of your favourite pasttimes since childhood. After kneading the dough from the wee hours of the morning, popping loaves in and out of the wood fired oven, and preparing for the next day until the bread sells out, giving your feet a rest and enjoying the calm of nature is the perfect change of pace.

As the sun peaks in the sky you begin to grow hungry, so you rummage through the overflowing basket and pull out the food you packed — leftovers from last night's dinner, fresh bread to pair with homemade jam from last autumn's harvest, and the little round cakes Mrs. Baker gave you last night when they didn't sell.

The Bakers are the very sweet old couple you work for. They run one of the local bakeries out of the first floor of their house where you live in the cozy little attic. Since you have no family of your own and since their children have long since grown up and moved away, they spoil you like a grandchild when they can. This usually means that when the bread and pastries don't sell out before the end of the day you get to keep the leftovers.

By the time you finish last night's stew, a few chickadees have stopped by to steal the crumbs off your sheet as have a raft of ducks — no doubt hoping to plump up for the ducklings that will soon be born. Tossing the crust of your bread piece by piece out onto the water you watch them fuss over who gets first dibs. It's so much fun that you don't even spare your precious dessert, taking one bite for yourself and one chunk for the ducks.

The cake is heavier than the bread was though and it quickly sinks beneath the surface when you don't throw it close enough for the birds to snatch up immediately. This is even more entertaining, however, because the ducks dive for the bits of cake and show you their adorable tails.

Lost in the wake of the birds frolicking, you don't notice the subtle disturbance of the water nearing the rock ledge next to where you sit until a dark-red mop of hair pops out at your feet and says, “Oh, so it is you that threw that sweet stuff in the water.”

Too dumbfounded to shriek, you just stare at the man who crosses his arms on the ledge and looks straight at you.

Quickly regaining your senses you scold him, “Are you crazy?! What are you doing? You're going to catch hypothermia!! Get out of the water!!”

“It’s already the end of March. It’s not that cold no more,” he counters and lays his chin atop his forearms.

You're pretty sure the lake only just began to thaw this month, but he doesn't show any signs of chill — no shivers, no blue lips, no disorientation.

As you look him over you can't help but comment, “You… uh… have weeds in your hair…”

“Oh — just part of livin’ in the lake. So do y' have any more of whatever y're feedin’ the birds?” he drawls up at you while tugging the verdant leafs from his messy rust coloured locks.

“Yeah, I have more if you like,” you answer automatically and turn to fetch another cake from the tin behind you, but before your hand reaches the container you find yourself squealing.

“Wait!! Living in the lake?! What are you talking about?!!!”

“Oh, d'y think I'm human or somethin’?” he laughs and pulls himself up to sit next to you.

Taken aback by the sheer beauty of his emerald tail, it hits you too late that you might be in danger. The moment you try to scuttle away he catches you by the wrist and pins you beneath him.

Yet his gaze isn't threatening. His jade eyes aren't even on you.

Stretching over your head he snatches the tin full of dessert before sitting upright and prying open the lid as if he didn't just push you over and leave you lying on the ground.

For a second the idea of leaving everything behind and making a run for it crosses your mind. However, despite visibly being at least twice your weight and pure muscle, he looks fairly harmless when he smiles like that.

“Sho gwood. Wha ish dish shtuff?”

“They're honey cakes…” you reply cautiously as you pull yourself up and rearrange your skirt.

“Oh, I've heard of honey from the birds. The bees make it in some kinna nest, eh?”

Leaving aside whatever he is for the time being — if he's not a dream or hallucination — you tell him plainly, “Uh yeah… The honey we eat doesn't come from wild nests, but that's originally where you'd find it…”

He hums with curiosity, pale green eyes round and holding yours, urging an explanation.

“We make homes for the bees so that we can collect the wax from the hives. Then, we crack it open to get the—”

Frightening you enough to make you jump, he suddenly yelps.

You look around frantically for the source of his panic but discover the cause just as quickly when he turns the empty tin upside down and shakes it violently.

“I ate ‘em all already…?” he murmurs thoroughly dejected.

You'd think he was a six year old boy from his pout.

“I'm sorry. I don't have any more…’’

“Really? I can still smell honey though?” he mumbles looking all around.

Following his gaze to the basket on the corner of the sheet, you begin rummaging through the basket until you find the little pot of honey you packed with the jam.

“Is this what you smell?” you ask and offer the tiny jar to him.

He takes it with a broad grin, his touch far gentler than you expected it would be for the eager look in his eyes. You watch him, just as amused as you were watching the birds clamour for your crust earlier, draw out the miniature honey dipper and stick it in his mouth like a lollipop.

The way his eyes close and his shoulders relax is so charming that you almost forget he has a fish tail until you catch sight of it splashing in the water the way a happy child kicks their feet.

“So… uh… Are you real? I thought… merpeople were just a myth…”

He doesn't answer right away, his mouth full of sweet syrup, and the moment gives you pause to realize what you said is both very rude and quite pointless.

“Ah, What I mean is… why aren't you hiding from me?”

He shrugs, answering as he dips the wooden stick back in the honey, “Why'd I be ‘fraid of a lil' thin' like y'?”

Fumbling through your thoughts you eventually mumble, “I could tell others about you…"

He chuckles heartily and quips, “Y' really think they'll believe y'? They'd probably think y' just spent too much time under the sun or ate some poisonous weeds.”

He's not wrong.

“Why hide at all then?”

“‘Cause we dunna really like humans. They always end up tryin’ to turn us into slaves to do their biddin’. Y're all so obsessed with money.”

Reflecting, you're forced to admit that humans will attempt to make use of anything remotely intelligent for their own benefit, and quickly shake away the thoughts before they turn any darker.

“How do you speak the local language then if you never talk with humans?”

Finishing off the last of the honey he answers easily, “I dunna. Y' just think I do.”

“What?! Wait… Is that what you meant when you said you'd heard of honey from the birds?”

“Yup.”

He passes the empty pot back to you and slips gracefully into the water once more.

“Will y' bring more honey cakes again?” he asks with a yawn.

“If I come without the cakes, will you even talk to me?” you query honestly while thumbing the empty jar.

A cheeky grin is your only answer before he dives beneath the glittering, clear water.

Part two...

[liesmyth]

today I

Got my period right before going on my lunch run. Right before

Swallowed like 3 tiny flies. That's fine, it's all protein! Unfortunately I also got another fly in the eye

Got catcalled by a drunk guy. I know he was drunk because I could smell it running by. At lunchtime

I saw three (3!!) beautiful girls and five (5) dogs. No kittens though, alas.

I chafed my tits RAW. Literally my right boob is bleeding. I ran with this same bra 2 days ago and it was fine but I clearly obviously need a new one

The weather is a normal amount of cool and the grass is all bright green and lush! At least today I didn't trip and fall so I didn't get to feel that firsthand

Anyway. 9km easy pace. Chill and steady

u win some u lose some