#maybe LIGHT will finally win in the DARK of the polar night

[ainosgarden]

me during the entire run of episode 2 of night country

[queengiuliettafirstlady]

To follow the Polar Star

To follow the Polar Star   

Fandom: Ikemen Prince

Pairing: Keith x OC (July)

Prompt: Mermay

Tag: Forbidden Love Stargazing Mythological creatures Fluff

Word Count  1.561

Author’s Note: Special thank you to @kissmetwicekissmedeadly for suggesting this challenge to me, with the prompt Celestial a bit different than something I usually do, here it is my entry, super late but anyway I really hope you can enjoy this fic and the banner, I spend more time than I would like to admit creating it to my liking. 😆

A story worth telling between two people who should have not met, but they did, turning upside down all the belief they had, following the polar star that led them both to their destiny, bonding them together with Love. 🥰

Tag list

@kissmetwicekissmedeadly @aquagirl1978 @violettduchess

@nightghoul381 @william-rex @candied-boys @writingwhimsey

@fang-and-feather @moonstruckmelancholic

@wistfulwanderingone @rjthirsty @lichtluv

@ike-garden2024 @jollibeeshappiness @starzyquee              

@maeko-kun @rkmaru

You can find me on AO3 as QueenJuliet 😊

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

Stars glimmering in the sky,  they attired every kind of gaze from the inquisitive of the sailors looking at them to find their way to the loners, looking at them with a whirlwind of thoughts swimming in their minds to couple romantically looking up at them only to soon indulge in far more pleasurable activity letting their kisses be a worthy show for the crowd of the glimmering constellation witness to their love, to the dreamers searching the universe to find answers for all the question that arises in them, wandering in their reveries like they were used to, a place to let their hearts free of chains of any sort ... not being called weirdos but finally free to be themselves be it for a while.

It was like that he felt everytime he looked up at the night sky, nestled near the border of the ocean where sand meet the water caressing from time to time the curious sea animals that went to check up on him, more often that any of his friends and family ever did anyway, judging him like everyone else a freak with his head on the clouds more interested to learn about other cultures than about politic, struggling all the same to do any choice that he deemed better for his Kingdom, his role of a prince no more than a chain he felt attached to his wrist, able to break free only at night when everyone was asleep and his guards thought useless to watch over the meek and mild prince of Atlantis.

His eyes locked to the stars above the only place he felt to belong to, the slow rolls of the waves crashing on the shore pleasant melody to that spectacle, noticing a figure sat on the sand gazing at the sky the same way before he knew it words he never intent to spoke resonated in the still air of the night

“Do you like the stars ?”

he swimmed closer to it taking on her figure quietly sat on the shore, little waves crashing on her feet melting with the long light gown now floating above the water, startled by the voice she looked at him in the dark, noticing him only when he was so close to her she could almost have touched him if she wanted to, 

“I am sorry I did not want to scare you away… please stay.” his voice  reached her before she could go away, moved by the pleading apologetic tone of his voice she returned to her place on the shore as little waves begin melting back into her gown

“I do like stars and you ?” he was becoming bolder he knew of that, maybe even bothering her, but at that time something else was winning over, his need, his deep desire to have someone to talk to, someone who understood him, someone that maybe could see him as something more than the weird kind prince he was … not receiving an answer he sighed in defeat when suddenly her voice crystal clear and soft like the frizzy breeze rustling on the ocean resonated in the still air of the night.

“I do too.”

Her smile was the most glimmering he has ever seen and her eyes two pools of turquoise he want to dive in and never remerge shining under the light of the full moon, as hair wavy and black like the night sky rustled around her beautiful features

“What is your name ?”

“Keith Howell… and yours ?”

“I am July.”

“It is such a pretty name it suits you.”

“Thank you.”

her question coming unexpected like a summer storm

“Are you not cold in the water ?” no one ever asked that, no on ever cared enough to ask, her eyes hiding an hint of concern as she stared at him warming his heart

“Thank you for your concern but I am not. The water at night can be surprisingly warm.”

a knowing smile light up her lips as she continued 

“From the morning sun, I thought the ocean was different.”

“Not in this part, here we are protected from the cold and harsher sea currents from the barrier reef, we build it up for that reason.”

“You ?”

“Well my kind.” confusion glimmering in her eyes, he bit his lips nervously while his fingers kept fidgeting with his bracelet

“I did not want to deceive you but … I am not human.” her eyes widened in disbelief, he hold his breath mustering enough courage before facing her again

“I am a merman.” he closed his eyes not to see disgust curling her lips, reopening only at the sound of her voice tickling his ears

“I never met one.” he could not believe it at first so much he had to pinch his hand to see he was not dreaming, for there was nothing but curiosity painted in her glimmering eyes as she got closer to him, unable to look away as she stared in his amber eyes

“Well …I have never met a human either.”

“Me neither.” it was his time to stare at her taken aback by her revelation, swimming closer to her rock

“I am a water nymph, more precisely a nymph of the Ocean.”

“There are others kinds ?”

“Oh yes, some are bonded to lakes while some others to seas.”

“ I did not know that … we have pretty much the same thing, some of our kind thrive in colder water while others do in tropical ones.”

“Interesting.”

The curious stars only witness to their peculiar encounter, first of many others as their heart grow closer each day, he taught her the constellations and all sorts of legends about the stars while she helped him understand the water currents, all the while learning together to take care of the water animals they both loved so much.

It was a warm night, they were admiring the little twinkling stars appear one by one in the sky, melting from afternoon to night in the span of few hours they spend leisurely talking about everything and nothing, until she pointed out at a shooting stars, her eyes glimmering like the full moon as a sun bright smile curled her lips, she turned to face him 

“I never told you that but there is a custom among my people, it is said if you wish upon a shooting star your desire will become true, and if a couple do it they will be together forever.”

“It is really interesting. We shall do it.” she nodded enthusiastically 

“Remember to keep the secret to yourself or it will not become real.” he was used to keep things to himself anyway but to please her he nodded, shooting her a side line glance once the shooting stars come into view, desiring for their wish to match and be turned into reality, how beautiful it would have been if it worked, he sighed softly admiring her gorgeous smile lit up her pretty features, resisting the urge to caress her soft cheeks, unaware of the gaze she stole from time to time to his side, seeing his amber eyes reflecting the brightness of the moon, shining over his curly grey hairs she did her best to resist the temptation to slide her fingers in his soft locks, oblivious to that feeling taking roots in their hearts.

All the creatures of the ocean advised him to not meddle with people outside the water not to love them for their were far more instinctual people than oceanic ones irrational and weirds he should have been away should have despised them even, and yet every time he thought of her he felt something he never had in his chest an indescribable warmth spreading from his heart galloping wildly like a seahorse, countless nights they spend together watching the stars and talking about the usual thing the weather, their worlds ... and themselves, little by little they hearts were caught under the spell of love.

No one approved of it and no one ever would have if the old men and women of their tribes would have not recognized publicly that feeling claiming it unbreakable, forbidding everyone to tear them apart, forcing them to accept their union, and by consequence even the frequent visit they paid to one another, able to disguise their bodies and meet in each other world with the help of a magic seashell ring they gifted one another.

She was a water nymph.

He was a merman.

They should have never met but they did, two worlds believed irreconciliable were now allies able to forget their quarrels in honor of a prosperous peace for their kinds.

Their feeling was unusual, they were frowned upon by everyone and yet after seeing the everlasting happiness their love brought them both, changed minds and hearts of the more rebels people among their kinds, all that give immense entertainments of the asters and all the star peeking curiously at them hiding behind the clouds as the tales of a forbidden love turned reality were the talk of the animal proof and evidence that there was no breaking the most powerful magic of them all enrapturing people since the beginning of the universe for mighty and deep was the spell of love.

[instantartific]

What would a AACe VS Bunk Bed Junction Boss fight look like?

I've been gradually developing Kliff Breakdowns and descriptions of collectibles for Ano and his "shadow behind the scenes," so! I have a bit of an idea how this would go.

Overall, the battle area would depend heavily on the lighting! Ano's concerts are usually "blackouts," meaning that the light is strictly controlled to dramatize his performances.

♡

AACE: "Huh...? Heeeyyy-heeyy!~ That's not where you're supposed to be, you two! I know it's hard having to stay so far away from me, but maybe you can tell me every little thing your heart desires once we meet after the show, okay...?~"

ZUKE: "What? Meet after the show?"

MAYDAY: "We're not here for whatever fan meet'n'greet set up you have going on, buddy! We're here to show all of you megastars the power of rock!"

AACE: "... Oooohhhhhhh! I get it!~"

MAYDAY: "Finally!"

AACE: "---You're out of area because you want the positively polarizing opportunity to play with your one true love!"

MAYDAY: "What!?"

AACE: "I'm not supposed to do this, but I can break the rules a little bit for my number one fans!

Okay! I'll make this my best show yet! If you can outplay me, maybe you'll even win my heart!~ So, make sure to do your best!

One! Two---"

MAYDAY: "Huh!? WE! ARE! NOT! YOUR! FANS! Are you even listening!?"

AACE: "Lights out!~"

ও

FIRST PHASE: Phase is initiated by AACE Idol talking with Bunkbed Junction as if they're just his fans. In the beginning of the fight, he stays where he is on stage, and goes through his normal routine. B2J has to parry or dodge through the lights and lyrics that are usually a part of his show to get close, then make contact.

The player tries to attack AACE directly, but one of the lights or lyrics block the hit, and that transitions into the second phase.

♡

AACE: "Hey-! That's playing a bit too rough! You have to be gentle with me, or else you'll break my heart!

But... that look! Is that what you want!?

Don't you love me!?

Is it something I'm doing wrong?

Or... Do you love me so much you want to hurt me!?

That's it! That's it, that's it!

I'll do better this time!

I'll make sure to make you love me!"

ও

SECOND PHASE: Now, the battle takes place on AACE's stage. AACE floats up high, making the player unable to attack him directly. The lyrics from before track and target the player, and actively try to do damage. Parrying beams of light would give music notes, which allows you to take out his spotlights, then try to attack AACE himself.

Hitting AACE directly triggers the third phase.

♡

AACE is seen covering his face, and when he lowers his hands, part of his face plating is cracking and chipping off.

"What...? That's not-!

Why...? I don't know what I'm doing wrong!

I don't know! I don't know, I don't know, I don't know!

... MOYA!"

When AACE yells, all the lights go out, and the entire venue is plunged into darkness. May and Zuke question what's going on, and one of the blacklights flicker back on. Suddenly, there's someone standing on the stage directly under AACE: his "shadow" and creator, Moya. He completely disappears in the darkness, except when the flickering UV light passes over him. The only parts of him visible are his eyes and trails of light passing over his body.

"I already know, Ano. I'll make these pests wish they had enough common sense to leave you alone and leave in one piece, then you can wind down and relax for the night.

How does that sound, insects?"

ও

THIRD PHASE: Moya joins the battle from the stage, directly chasing and attacking the player in bursts based on the lighting. He only attacks when he can't be seen, and your warning is a surge in the music paired with the lights on his body making him visible right before he attacks. Every hit you get off of Moya gives you more ammo to use to hit AACE, who's still high above the stage.

The same mechanics from before apply, as well as Moya attacking, giving the player very few moments to breathe. Lots of health items thrown on stage from the crowd counteract barely having enough time to heal.

AACE taking enough damage that he's hit out the air triggers the final phase.

♡

MOYA: "What!? No!

NO, NO, NO!"

Moya rushes back to center stage, catching AACE before he hits the ground. He checks to see if there's any damage, and reveals that half of his facial plating is gone; it looks as if his head cracked open and shattered into pieces.

MOYA: "Hey! Hey, hey! One, two? Two, one? I need something, Ano, give me anything!"

AACE's lights start to flicker. He mumbles back "Two, one," before his lights dim entirely.

Moya stands, still holding AACE.

MOYA: "... I've had enough of you two. I thought I could reason with insects, and you proved me wrong. You're termites that just can't help but break everything they touch.

This ends with your extermination.

Right. Now."

FOURTH PHASE: Moya attacks much faster, but not hitting as many times, as he's primarily concerned with keeping AACE safe. He takes the damage himself over letting AACE get hurt.

Essentially a total barrage of Moya's wrath.

The phase ends with the showstopper; during which, Moya still tries to cover AACE.

♡

The final scene would leave Moya trying to put together the pieces of AACE's shattered face plate, as well as any other places he's cracked. May eventually tries to hand Moya one of the pieces as a peace offering, at which he yells at her to get out.

Might go on from there if I fully fleshed out the scene, but for now, have that concept in mind.

[love-peterparker]

In Extremis || Peter Parker x Reader

Summary: After the reveal of Spider-Man’s secret identity and the release of Quentin Beck’s murder video, there isn’t a lot going right for Peter Parker. But he has you. 

Pairing: Peter Parker x Reader

Warnings: Cursing, protests and rallies, mentions of murder, a gun that is never shot, and some hair description for Y/N for plot purposes (but it should still be generic enough).  

Word Count: 2.3k

A/N: I’m first a Captain America and Agent Carter fan, and I wanted to recreate what makes their relationship so special, but with Peter and Y/N… ‘cuz I also love Peter Parker. I really loved writing this, and I hope you enjoy it.

Also, thanks to @marvelouspeterparker, @sinisterspidey (she actually has a blurb called I’ll Follow You and it builds off of Spider-Man’s identity reveal) and @stuckonspidey for answering my anon asks for general writing tips and Peter’s character. And @spideyspeaches with her kind words after reading one of the final drafts of this fic. Lastly, a special thanks to @peterbenjiparker encouraging me with this fic and for making me so emotional with her series Invisible String (Read this!... but only if your heart can take it) that I needed to write something. This story has nothing to do with it, but it does make some small generic references to her fic, and I would like to think that Y/N and Peter are soulmates in this story.

***

This takes place in a universe where a FFH-esque identity reveal happens when Y/N and Peter are young adults.

***

This fucking city didn’t deserve him.

Peter rarely admits it, but you say it all the time. When you hit a dead end in the Avenger’s database. When checking for your gun before leaving another safehouse. When reaching for him in the dark of night.

This fucking city didn’t deserve him.

It had been over a year since Peter’s identity as Spider-Man was revealed and the dubious video of Quentin Beck’s murder was released. But it felt like a lifetime.

These two Peter problems were like ivy. They rooted, twisted, and spread. Winding into chokeholds around their victims.

But heroes knew how to play with fire.

Peter’s identity was dealt with in a straightforward fashion. Plenty villains who would do anything to exact revenge on Spider-Man, but they would have to find Peter Parker and identify his loved ones first. And for someone like Peter? Well, it was going to take some time.

To you, Peter was lifegiving. A shining ray of golden hope. You fell to sleep and rose to press kisses into his face. To cherish and hold. To share tears. But to the world, or even New York City? He was a nobody, one who couldn’t even hold a steady job.

You all worked fast while the wicked played catch-up. The Avengers searched and wiped all, but ultimately little personal information Peter had on the internet, as well anything that might connect him to your shared inner circle. Everyone was given an Avenger’s signal watch. And both you and May opted to move as a precaution. May to Brooklyn. You to Avenger’s Tower.

The case of Quentin Beck’s murder was a much more grinding process. Through polished superhero reputations, the lawyers secured an Avenger’s Tower house arrest during court proceedings. An overwhelming amount of evidence in Peter’s favor was gathered. Press conferences were held. Speeches were given. And when it all seemed like it was too much for too long, you and Peter would lie in bed, arms and legs entangled, whispering that everything would turn out all right. Good will win. You just had to keep going.

It was taxing, but not impossible. And just when you all thought you were pulling at the end of the thread with the jury in your favor, the ground beneath you crumbles into nothingness. You spiral and crash into a labyrinth, lush and high-walled. Maybe this was the way out- oh wait, you’ve been here- or have you? You all turn and turn only to face a new dead end. A new set of incriminating videos were released. Spider-Man’s videos took the spotlight, but videos of Wanda and Bucky were also revealed. The streets of New York bustled in whispers.

Can we really trust these heroes? What if these videos are the truth?

And what happens when these powerful people think they are right when they are wrong?

When public protests against Earth’s heroes sprouted and jury members started to disappear, it was clear that the whoever or whatever was behind this had greater motives and powerful allies. It was time to buy time.

Everyone had tried to convince Peter to go into hiding somewhere else. Anywhere else. He had enough super-friends where anywhere was possible. Lay low while everyone else above ground scrambled to unweave this massive web of lies. But Peter was infuriatingly adamant that New York, regardless of her wavering loyalties, was his to protect.

So two months ago, he started bouncing around New York City, investigating when he could, and making polarizing headlines with every swing he took.

You tried to continue as if Peter was still by your side. After being terminated from your junior journalist job for “suspect ties to Spider-Man,” Spider-Man became your mission. You originally attended press conferences and rallies as moral support, but after Peter’s first awkward mumbles of a speech, it was painfully clear that he needed a new voice. The public herself needed a normal person who interacted with superheroes. Who better than Spider-Man’s girlfriend? But after the last kidnapping attempt and the Avengers’ numbers shrinking, it was clear that this wouldn’t last. The world now knew who you were too.

The thick ivy had caught up, and you were on fire.

But to hell with it because there was no universe where you would be leaving this nightmare without him. So the next time you looked in the mirror, you donned short red hair and heavy eyeliner.  

Days were spent questioning possible witnesses. Nights were spent in the light of a computer. And when you could barely drag yourself to continue, moments were spent staring at your beautiful boy’s picture. He needed you.  

You had only heard from him twice since he went into hiding, though there were a few times answered unknown number calls would lead to abstract rustling and distinct web shooter noises. To those, you always whispered “I love you,” before hanging up.

That was until last night, when you noticed small slip of paper in the crack of the window of the safehouse you had been staying at. Only a time and an address were written, in messy, but undeniably Parker script.

You spent the next day visiting arbitrary places in the Bronx, trying to determine if anyone was following you and collecting items in an unsuspecting backpack.

It was a balancing act between comfort and practicalities. An extra stealth suit. A waterproof jacket you both shared. Protein bars. Extra web fluid and a first-aid kit. A hefty wad of cash, just in case. And in the smallest pocket, things to help him in the darkest days to come. Letters from you, May, Ned, and your other friends. A few packs of gummy bears. And a picture of you and him, laughing in Central Park on one of your many dates. Sunlight casting halos on your heads. Bright. Carefree. Brimming with love.

Your heart cried and cried and cried, begging for those days.

But they were gone. And as much as you didn’t want to admit it, so were the people in that picture.

You travelled to the building location and made your way to the rooftop. Rows and rows of white sheets were hung, all whipping in the wind to dry.

A small smile graced your lips. You had to hand it to him. He was smart.

You folded yourself into one of the corners of the rooftop, gun in hand and waited. Eerie silence slowly lulling you to…

You woke up to the soft footsteps, sleepy eyes registering a shadowy figure behind one of the bedsheets.

“Hans?” you whispered, pointing your gun with a finger on the trigger.

“Leia,” the figured replied, equally hushed. The shadow lifted the curtain. It took a second to register, but it was really him. You raced towards each other, quick hold each other, beaming. Today, you existed in the same place at the same time.

“That was so stupid. I can’t believe you got me to do that,” you laughed, pressing your face into him, holding him tightly as if he could disappear at any moment.

“Oh, come on, you loved it!” he quipped. You hummed in appreciation.

“True, but I love you more.” His eyes brightened at your confession, pink dusting his cheeks.

“I know.” You shook your head, smiling at his response before turning your head and taking in who he had become. Gone were the luxurious curls, replaced with a buzzcut. A pair of fake glasses perched on his nose in further attempts to conceal his identity. Hallowed eyes. His skin tinted gray from the stress. You ran your fingers through the fuzz on his head, massaging his scalp. A sigh escaped his lips, eyes fluttering shut, with hands reaching to caress yours.

“You cut your hair.”

“You did too.” His fingers danced in the ends of your own tresses. A sad smile furnished your face.

“It had to be done,” you replied, before pressing your lips to his cheek and gently removing yourself from his embrace to get your laptop. “We need to get started. We’ve found a lot since you left.”

With his head on your shoulder, fingers laced with yours, and your laptop on your lap, you recounted the on-going investigation to him. The deep web that just kept going and going. Your theories and suspects. And when that was done, you kept talking. How Aunt May and his friends were fine but missing him. How the remaining Avengers were fairing. Peter was oddly quiet, sharing only a few thoughts here and there, but you attributed it to his weariness.

As the sun continued to dip, the silences between sentences stretched, but you mustered more words. As if your sentences were the delicate string that grounded him to you.

“Y/N,” he interrupted. You looked at him and hummed in reply. He began playing with your fingers, eyes never meeting your own. “I love you more than I ever I thought I could, and I’m really thankful for everything you’ve done. And you’ve done so much. Like, I don’t know if I would have even made it this far without you, but here you are, and well, you can’t keep doing this.” You cocked your head, before shaking your head, hair rustling.

“What? Peter, we are getting somewhere! I just need to visit the-“ He lets go of your hand, fingers clenching into trembling fists.

“No, no more visits. No more investigating. This can’t be your life. When this started, we thought there was a way out. But it’s been over a year. Clearly whoever or whatever is doing this won’t stop until we’re all gone. This may never stop. I can’t have you throwing away your life for me. Hell, I don’t even know when I’ll see you aga-“

“Peter,” you cut him off, your voice pitched lower in concern, “Where is this coming from? We’re gonna make it. It is just a matter of-”

“I can’t give you what you deserve! I’m Spider-Man, so we don’t get to have a house and two kids! We get this-, this fucking disaster! I live like this because I have to. I don’t get a choice. And you shouldn’t be stupid enough where you are doing the same thing!”  

Your mouth fell open, ready to spit back poison when he looked at you. It was in his eyes. Behind the falling tears and redness was the glint of insecurity that Peter had always carried. This was the child whose parents died. The teenager who didn’t stop his Uncle Ben from getting killed. Who held Tony Stark in his last moments. The man who was on the run.  

The hero who would never stop giving to a world who would never stop taking.

Your thoughts frenzied. If you held on to him too tightly, he would resist. The more he would thrash, determined to save you while slowly sacrificing himself until there was nothing left. Your brain was frozen, so your heart gave you the words-

“Marry me.”  

Peter’s eyes widen before retracting into a tight furrow, scrunching his nose.

“What?! No! Did you not hear anything I just said-“

“I’m not leaving you. I will never leave you. The one thing you never get to doubt in the world is us. So, I’m gonna ask you again; will you,” you took his hand, went to one knee, and let your voice soften as you held his gaze, “Peter Parker, marry me?”  

You both bathed in silence. His chocolate doe eyes boring straight into yours, searching for truth. The thought that maybe you had gone about this the wrong way started to crawl into your mind, but then a smile slowly creeped onto his face, bright red with blush. More salt-water pooled in his eyes. He pulled you into a near lung-constricting embrace, smothering wet kisses into every inch of your face. Mine. Mine. Mine. You could practically hear his thoughts as you basked in each kiss. I missed you. I love you. And oh my god, you’re here to stay.

“What did I ever-, I have no idea know what I ever did to ever deserve you.” A smirked formed on your lips.

“Is that a yes?” The gold stars in his eyes shined at your playfulness. There was the man you always loved.

“Yes, yes, oh god yes. I do, Mrs. Parker,” he said pulling you in for a passionate kiss. And you both stayed there, melting into the ground beneath you. Breathing each other in as moments passed. Tender “I love you’s” flowing generously from both of your lips. As if the world had vanished and all that existed was you and him, and him and you, and this understanding that this, this was a love until death do you part.

Peter was the one to break the string of kisses, leaving you to chase his lips before touching his forehead with your own. His breath hot on your face. “I- , if you go to my lab there is a secret compartment. In my desk. The code is your birthday. I was going to ask you myself, but then, well… this.” You chuckled as he stumbled on his words.

“I’ll get it as soon as I can.” You both leaned in to close the gap again when a cacophony of sirens and lights echoed in the streets below.

Frustration filled Peter’s eyes as he sat up. “Shit. I-, I gotta go. Are you gonna be okay?” You let out a shallow breath, but quickly forced a smile.

“Go get’em.” And with the whip of his webs, he was gone.

You sat there for a moment, taking in the new quiet. Your fingers graced your lips, still warm with the memory of his. A lightness had settled in your chest, and with every breathe you could feel it pulse stronger.

Because no matter what it took, no matter how long the wait, there was two things for certain.

He was going to protect the city. And you were going to save your husband.

[btsmosphere]

How to Win at Christmas in 7 Easy Steps | KSJ

~summary:

How to win at Christmas... and maybe meet someone along the way. The story of how Jin ended up crawling through your hedge dressed as santa on Christmas eve. And how you were totally not heading to his house for the very same reason.

Jin x reader

~word count: 2.6k

~neighbour au, idiots to lovers, humour, crack, getting together

Rating: pg

Warnings: general chaos and gardening shears

~a/n: thank you to an anon for this idea for the ‘kim seokjin’ bingo square! (my requests are no longer open) I had a lot of fun with this one!

Step 1: pick your battles

Jin stared out of the window.

How dare she?

His neighbour across the street was currently on a ladder, fastening the end of a large string of lights to her house.

Previously, he had thought she was quite cute whenever he passed her in the roads.

But he would have to push that aside, given she was to be his nemesis now.

This was war.

The declaration was loud and clear, staring him in the face outside his window. If he wasn’t so intent on despising it, he might have admitted that the lights looked very good. There were fairy lights around the windows of the house, and hanging from the roof like glittery icicles.

Even the wreath on the red front door had little lights glimmering from within the foliage.

The final straw was really the series of colourful stars forming a stripe across the middle of the house. Other than those, he would say his decorations were roughly the same as these new arrivals.

Which was why it was very clearly a direct attack.

Step 2: make the first move

Looking between the Christmas lights on the shelf in front of him, Jin wondered if he was reading too far into it.

He was sure the stars on the left were the exact ones you had on the front of your house. Would that be too obvious? Settling for the ones on the right, although they were slightly smaller, he walked further into the store, looking for something that would really make his house stand out.

Half an hour later, a large wire Christmas tree could be seen walking across his front lawn, emitting several curses as it went.

Eventually, Jin managed to place it in such a way that it nestled among the plants in his garden without squashing any, and he hurried to switch it on.

Standing back, he admired his work with hands on hips. Perhaps he wasn’t very subtle, looking between your house and his, but he liked what he saw. That would show you. Stars bedecked his front porch in a very pleasing way, and now he had a Christmas tree lighting up his lawn.

What could be better?

A nagging hum nudged at Jin until his eyes cracked open, cursing as he found his room still dark. Legs still tangled in his sheets, he flipped himself over in order to peek out of his window.

The early morning light made him squint, but the moment his eyes were adjusted, he swore out loud.

As it turns out, the source of the humming sound was an inflation device, pumping air into a massive snowman on your lawn. It did look slightly like a melting marshmallow, but as it grew it grinned maliciously up at him, stick arms wobbling tauntingly.

He just gaped, dumbfounded, wishing he had thought of that.

Looking in panic down at his own decorations, he was alarmed to note that his Christmas tree would only look nice at night. Now that daylight slowly seeped into the sky, it looked more and more dull.

“Oh shut up,” he scowled down at the snowman’s growing grin.

A smart move on your part, he thought bitterly. Show off.

Step 3: make another move when your first one fails

Jin would settle for nothing less than a real showstopper.

He had gone to another shop this time, a little further out of town, but, most importantly, bigger. And therefore it would contain Christmassy treasures you could only dream of, little miss look-at-me-I-have-a-snowman.

He bypassed garlands, trees and wreaths, ignored the ‘Santa, stop here!’ signs and those weird window stickers he would never understand. Maybe he had been too optimistic about finding his Christmas holy grail in this place.

But then he turned the corner.

He had just entered a treasure trove. He had the surreal sensation that he was being bathed in a golden glow from the splendour before him.

Now this was more like it!

Everything in this section was large enough to fill his car, a life-size moving Santa beckoning at him from one side while a fake reindeer scuffed its hoof on the ground, mechanical whinny uttering from its mouth.

Walking further in, he identified the golden glow as coming from a large nativity scene. Rather disappointing, if you asked him.

But it couldn’t be helped, so he quickly came to terms with this and found himself not long afterwards debating between a full size sleigh and an igloo.

Chewing his lip, he rotated, assessing both of the items, which were on opposing shelves. The igloo would look very wintery alongside the white lights on his house and the tree in the garden… but maybe not quite Christmassy enough. A sleigh, on the other hand, was unmistakeably festive-

-and being stolen right in front of his nose.

He was rather taken aback to find a woman already halfway up the aisle with the box under her arm when he turned around. A strangled yelp escaped him as he realised it was the last in stock, and he had just been robbed.

Hearing him, the woman turned around.

It was you.

“Oh, hi Jin!” you exclaimed, grin taking over your face. Meanwhile, he just sputtered, mouth hanging open in outrage.

“Um, your lights look really good!” you spoke again, quirking an eyebrow at his silence.

The cheek of it!! He could not believe you had the audacity to speak about decorations in front of him like this.

“Thank you,” he spoke curtly, “yes, they do.”

“Okay,” you laughed lightly, “I better be going. See you around.”

Grumbling to himself, he spun back around forcefully, coming face to face with the igloo he would have to settle for.

“Okay, here’s the deal,” he hissed at said igloo, “you are gonna be the most glorious, majestic igloo this side of Seoul, or else! We’ll see who’s laughing in the end.”

In the end, admittedly, it was actually the shop assistants laughing at the man who seemed to have punched above his weight in Christmas props.

Staggering out of the door, he finally dumped his haul into the back of his car and took a breather leaning against the door. His house had better look spectacular after this.

Step 4: implement step 3

Jin would like to describe himself as modest. Among many other great things.

But even a modest man such as himself had to admit, his decorations looked pretty darn good.

Since fate had so cruelly stripped him of Santa’s sleigh, he had gone all out with the igloo. It stood proud and strong in the middle of his front lawn with presents stacked up at the entrance and a couple of little polar bear cubs just outside.

They even had little hats on.

He was sure the fearsome army he had created would scare you into submission. After all, no more items had appeared over at your place yet.

You probably bought that sleigh just to spite him. Classic sabotage tactic.

Shaking his head, he turned to go inside for a well-deserved cup of hot chocolate.

Step 5: contemplate defeat

When Jin opened his curtains the next morning, he almost fell over in shock.

At first, he thought it had snowed.

But he was mistaken, unless a snow cloud had in fact visited and snowed very specifically on your house.

When the hell had you found the time to do that? Or the ladder to do that? Your roof, as well as the tops of your windows and porch, were dusted in white. And the more he looked, the more he saw. You had even sprinkled some on your wreath!

Worst of all, that damned sleigh sat smugly in front of it, the cherry on the cake.

Begrudgingly, he was impressed. He should take a leaf out of your book when it came to intimidation tactics. Because they had certainly succeeded on him.

How on earth had you accomplished all that?

He sat down heavily in his kitchen, deliberately leaving the curtains closed for now. He leaned heavily on his elbow as he stirred a mug of tea, thoroughly fed up.

What was this feeling?

He had never met his match before. The smug satisfaction of victory had been rudely swiped from his fingertips by you.

But while he stewed in his disappointment all day, it seemed you had been busy. A knock on the door later heralded your arrival with a steaming plate of mince pies.

Oh, so you had to be better at baking too, huh?

“Oh. Hello,” he greeted as he stood in the doorway. His hand still gripped the door in his surprise.

“Hi,” you smiled, “would you like any of these? Maybe you already have some since you’re the only other one on this street with any Christmas spirit, but I thought I’d stop by and offer-“

“Yes. I would like to try some,” Jin cut you off, jutting out his chin. Then, realising himself, his eyebrows drew together and he uttered a sheepish, “thank you.”

Even your laughter sounded like Christmas, tinkling like bells as you followed behind him.

Once he had brewed tea for both of you, he completely forgot his intention to spit your baking back out in a dramatic display of disgust. His disappointment in himself only grew when he found himself reaching out for his third one, only then remembering that he was supposed to be opposed to your insufferable ability to do Christmas better than him.

It was only when it started to grow dark that the two of you realised the time you had wasted just talking. And only a small part of Jin offered to pop over with Christmas baking of his own purely to prove he could do it better than you.

A weighted breath left him as he shut the door behind him.

This would not do. He had to stay true to his ulterior motive, for goodness’ sake!

Across the road, your lights flicked on and he made another unfortunate discovery. Those weird window stickers might have been a good investment after all.

Silhouetted by the warm light of your house, a row of houses stood along the windowsill, dark blobs of snowflakes floated on the glass above them.

Tomorrow, he would completely coat his house in lights and wipe that smug, arrogant, gorgeous smile off your face.

Step 6: make a last ditch effort

By the time Christmas was only a few days away, your little competition had become quite obvious.

Your road lay in darkness, a few lone strings of lights flickering on the odd house… and then the vision was assaulted by two houses opposite each other: yours and Jin’s.

However, Jin only looked out with satisfaction. The plants around his lawn were lined with glittering lights, and more still were piled on the igloo that had become his centrepiece. Even the polar bear cubs had been ensnared in the cheery twine.

As he watched from his window, a family walked along, two kids clutching their mum’s hand. The abundance of light helped greatly by illuminating their smiles as they gazed at the lights on display. But to Jin’s dismay, they turned to your house first, pointing at all the things decorating it and jumping up and down in excitement.

Just a passing glance was thrown at his, before they were on their way.

His hands curled into fists. This simply wasn’t good enough – he had to win at Christmas. He always did! Who were you to threaten the reigning Christmas champion, Kim Seokjin?

There was a chance this was a questionable idea.

Just a small chance.

A little, teeny-weeny, itty-bitty chance.

However, this thought only crossed Jin’s mind as the twigs in the hedge he was currently crawling through nearly ripped his santa hat off his head.

Clutching it tightly to the top of his head, he shuffled a bit further.

It was a strange sight, from your end. As you stepped quietly across your back garden, a movement caught your eye. Freezing where you stood, you had to bite back laughter as Santa himself clambered inelegantly to his feet at the other side of your garden, emerging from below the hedge that divided your house from next door.

Just as he bent down to brush dirt from his red fuzzy trousers, you spotted what he was holding.

You were certain you hadn’t asked for a pair of gardening shears for Christmas.

Then Santa’s head raised, and your suspicions were confirmed. Eyes meeting yours, you could see the thought of I fucked up flit across Jin’s face. Very quickly.

“Um, err- merry Christmas!” he cried in a gruff voice, throwing his arms out.

And then very hurriedly tucking them behind his back as he remembered what he was holding.

“It’s not Christmas yet,” you pointed out.

“Well, um,” he glanced at his watch. It was still Christmas eve for a few hours yet, “I wanted to get to you early! You’re right at the top of the nice list… Hold on! What’s that!”

Following his gaze, you quickly chucked your own pair of shears behind a tree.

“What are you talking about?” you smiled sweetly.

“Were you going to sabotage my Christmas lights?” he cried, cocking his hips to the side and placing a hand on them, still clutching his shears.

An eyebrow raised indignantly. You just laughed.

“Clearly you thought of that first.”

“Yes, that’s right, I did!” he exclaimed, pointing the shears towards you and tilting his head as he berated you, ���so don’t you go stealing my idea- why are you laughing?!“

Trying desperately to calm down, you put a hand over your mouth to little effect.

“Why don’t we just go inside?” you giggled.

“I’m sorry?”

“Come inside,” you repeated, “it’s Christmas eve, and I could do with someone as festive as you.”

“Is all this not festive enough for you, Miss Christmas?” he challenged, gesturing towards the glow emanating from the front of your house.

“Miss Christmas? You’re literally dressed as Father Christmas,” you appraised.

“Good point,” he shrugged.

Smirking, you opened the door and waited for him to follow you inside.

“So you… you knew I was trying to one-up you?” he asked as you got two mugs out.

“Mmhmm,” you hummed.

“I’ve never known anyone who can decorate like you,” he sighed, “what’s your secret?”

“Like I would tell you that,” you chuckled.

“So cruel,” he lamented, wiping an imaginary tear from his eye, “what can I ever do to make you tell me?”

“Go out with me,” you laughed.

Nearly choking on air, Jin stared at your back as you continued making drinks as if you had said nothing.

“What?” he gaped.

“I said, go out with me,” you explained, finally turning around, “on a date. I like you.”

Blinking rapidly, he swallowed against the fluttering in his chest.

“Can’t say no to that,” he stuttered, “can’t have you teaming up with anyone else, now, can I?”

“I’m not normally so competitive,” you laughed, the bells tinkling once again.

“So why-“ Jin frowned, but he cut himself off, eyes widening, “wait- was this- have you been… flirting with me?”

“No,” you replied, “I’ve been winning.”

“Yah! I definitely won! What are you talking about?!”

Step 7: maybe accept love as a consolation prize

Thanks for reading! Please reblog x

Taglist (message me to be added): @aianloveseven​ @preciouschimine​

Masterlist here

[perlen-gold]

Twenty-Four Hours

@14daysdalovers

Prompt: Day 9 - Breathless Kisses

Pairing: M!Hawke x Fenris

Fenris bristled at the hunt, then slew the creature with accurate efficiency. As Hawke approaches him his viridian eyes detach themselves from the shadows like pair of bright emeralds, even before the sheen of silver of his man-high greatsword reveals him in a deluge of darkness as a stranger and not just another shadow, no, less than a shadow and so much more than one.

“I am unable to fathom why we, you agreed to this.”

Hawke knows, of course.

He feels his vibrating self gravitating towards those eyes, hypnotized by their intensity, a fleck of dark color within a mass of charcoal blackness.

Under the shade of the hedgerow – trimmed with a masterful and punctilious, hence preposterous hand – Hawke joins him. The chateau courtyard is lit by a handful of adroit golden lamps. The warm spring air filled and skittered with the sprinkling of a white marble fountain in the center, light bathing every lane in the Orlesian garden. But this corner is swathed in utter darkness. Fenris has chosen wisely; his grafted spirit hide melts into the shadows, obsidian scales blending with the gloom.

A wild smile, a grin, Hawke feels it lifting the edges of his mouth, stretching his lips, causing his beard to prickle pleasantly.

“I do love to dress up,” Hawke tugs at the Orlesian silk stretching down his chest, light lilacs and an inkling of pink and folds of fabric billowing around his thighs, his arms swollen by creases like puffed up clouds, “Why, you cannot deny Orlesians their sense of style. I have always wanted to look like an immensely important fool.”

Fenris retorts with a grind of his teeth, however, Hawke can sense it like a sunbaked fragrance in the very air, he is also trying to hide something beyond the gentler corner of his lip.

“It takes a fool to trust this elf woman.”

Fenris averts his gaze, lours at the rarefied conglomeration of Orlesian and Ferelden nobles the Duke has wheedled into clustering in the outskirts of his pompous chateau. Fenris’ eyes are alert. Unlike Hawke he has assumed a watchful stance, that habit of his to peer around while looking behind his back repeatedly even more pronounced than usual.

“Why steal a jewel?” The dun hedge swallows Fenris’ deep voice that is fretting from his lips and askant head, roughing out the edges, the low, rich, rasping sound seeping away in the blackness until no more than a deep rich rumble remains. Of course, Hawke knows.

Then Fenris voices it. “You flirted with her.”

Neither offended nor thunderous. A statement. Fenris’ words pause over the blackness of his armor, void of allegation. A mere statement of the facts. The obvious. An question and none.

Everything in him floating and excited, on his lips Hawke’s smile has settled into a more arch and softer one. Eventually, when Fenris tears his eyes away from the festivities it is to see that, on silent feet, Hawke has stepped closer in a way that, indubitably, could never fool Fenris and his straight and frank eyes in the perseverant mass of blackness. Indelible. Indissoluble.

“Just a bit of teasing,” there is an amber laugh in Hawke’s eyes along with a wink on his lips.

A softer spark ignites within the darkness.   “I wonder who it is you tease.” The crease above Fenris’ nose deepens and multiplies while lending, maybe for the first time, an edge to the gravity of his voice … or is it just Hawke imagining things?

Fenris looks away again, eyes drawn out of the guarding shade’s darkness. A faint glow from the ascending crescent moon above them trails the arch of his brows and jawline with silver-stained fingers, a light more shade than anything, a smidgen of darkened silver trembling on his cheekbone. Closer still, hands almost touching, Hawke finally follows his gaze. To Duke Prosper, grandiloquent in his teal and golden costume complete with a snow white creature’s fur and scarlet feathered helmet (living up to his name well enough), to the ladies sumptuously gossiping away their stark lipsticks, who have by now flung unambiguous allusions at him with hungry eyelashes, and eventually to the auburn-haired elf woman waiting anxiously for him.

Underneath the vibrant armor and sable tunic in Fenris’ chest an apprehensive breath is caught in is lungs, it fills them to bursting, and then storms out again. Hawke draws closer to the hedge.

In his own chest Hawke’s breath is even, air flowing and streaming in and out with ease and leisure. Well does Hawke know it, he knows it now, this polarity of breaths; tranquility and agitation, unwound and vigorous. Familiar now. Already familiar within so short a time.

So little time and so much life, a life’s worth of breathing in it.

“How is it,” he suddenly whispers into the black shadow of the high hedge, “that the Duke guffaws even at the most boring words of mine whereas I cannot win you over to crack the tiniest smile for me today?”

At his whisper Fenris’ head snaps around, moves away again while Hawke watches his emerald eyes dart to the other side through the shadows, and Hawke’s heart warmly swells as if flooded.

It has been a delicate twenty-four hours since.

As early as now Varric is eyeing them – perceptive as ever – shooting them side-way glances with the air of someone who will not have anything hidden from him (even though this is the one sole thing Hawke never tells him) – and Hawke is eying his dwarfen friend in turn, waiting for him to give in to his itching fingers, pen and imagination running wild.

Twenty-four hours …

An evening of bitterness. A day of betrayal. A year of hope. A life of obedience. A moment of fear.

And an hour, sixty minutes, three thousand and six hundred seconds of kisses, of embracing, of muted pain, solace, avowal and bravery, of wild hearts, of a desperate, defenseless thing called love.

 No sooner, after waiting, so much waiting and hoping for him to find his way back to Hawke, no sooner had Fenris arms and lips come away from him than Hawke breathlessly gripped his trembling hand in a haze, to drag him with him onto the nocturnal streets of Hightown, to meet a waiting and disgruntled Varric at the appointed place. Pretending nothing had happened – heart ripe with explosion, madly grinning, almost giddy with joy and overcome by an adventurous recklessness.

That was when Tallis appeared. Hawke can see her thin face contorted with impatience and the same bravado which fills him. From a roof she sprang and fought and killed and smiled, telling stories of jewels and burglary.

When Fenris does not answer immediately, Hawke leans closer to his face, his voice rough and daring. “Maybe I should practice with other elves first.”

Then Hawke produces a small bronzen key from the ridiculously tiny pocket of his lustrous jacket, cocking his head. “You do not want to know what I had to do to gain this.”

His eyes twinkling with the reflections of amber lamps Hawke moves out of the dark shade of the evergreen hedge. “You and Varric keep an eye on our impressionable Duke and” – his fruity voice assumes the throaty Orlesian accent with gusto – “ ’is deer pet.”

Just before Hawke leaves, just before Varric’s prying eyes finally detect them from the other end of the garden and just before Tallis hisses “Hawke! What are we waiting for?”, Hawke’s fingers brush and linger for a brief moment on Fenris palm.

The redolent odor of some magnificent flower swims in the warm evening air.

Fenris, by contrast, still smells of the hunt. Of steel and blood, of apprehension, of wood leaf and tree bark, untarnished by the revelries and pretentious silk.

And then, all of a sudden, Fenris hand shoots forward and lungs for him. Behind the gloom-swathed hedgerow in the melting obsidian shade Hawke feels himself pulled, his mouth met by hard lips, terse teeth. The kiss is hard and short-lived, the whisper following in its wake a gnarling grunt. “You do look even more ludicrous than you sound.”

Before he can pull away again, Hawke takes Fenris’ hand and impulsively puts his wrist to his mouth for a kiss. Under the charcoal-dark armor, Hawke can feel Fenris’ heart almost give way at the touch. His laughter, rich and low, vaporizes against Fenris’ skin.

And then Fenris hands are all over his face, as though led by a desperate need to feel Hawke’s skin, fingers touching the curve of his cheekbone, the arch of his abundant brows, following the lines of his hairline. Whilst Hawke knees buckle at this, he kisses the patches of night shadows and inklings of silvered light upon Fenris’ face.

“This is stupid,” Fenris mutters softly, his delightfully low voice almost an evaporating whisper, “not stupid in the sense of silly but the most unwise and imprudent thing you have ever agreed to, Hawke.” Hawke, however, kisses each word, breathless and elated, until his name dissolves into a indissoluble smile of dark and silver.

Hawke’s answer is immediate: “Na via lerno Victoria.”

Incredulous, Fenris’ eyes widen. This Hawke observes with studied scrutiny, enjoying the effect his self-taught Tevene produces immensely. To his own amazement, then, he feels Fenris rising on his bare feet. His lips trace around his jaw with their breath, down Hawke’s chin and up the other way to his cheekbone, not kissing, plainly touching, tactually, sensing. With a soft groan Hawke captures Fenris’ hand in his. He presses first one to his mouth, then another, with exquisite tenderness, first palm, then the inside of his wrist. Tasting, desperately, underneath his skin, Fenris’ pulse which flutters and throbs.

Anew, all at once, Fenris pulls his hands out of Hawke’s grasp and pushes him out from under the shade of the hedge.

“Do not get caught, Hawke.” he growls hoarsely, note quite capable of banishing that tender, delicious gentleness out of his rumbling voice.

Hawke thereupon gives a wild laughter, replete with bliss and joy, sending a flutter of nightingales skittering into the warm, velvet night.

His lips streak with a pulsating grin. “Come and find me when I do.”

As Hawke turns back he fetches Fenris’ gaze, their eyes lock. Fenris is feeling suspicious. So is Hawke.

Fenris will not abandon his irritation and disagreement, not even for Hawke, neither his bristling at what he thinks is utter foolishness and venture. Hawke would not have it otherwise.

But.

But that daring, foolhardy, audacious, temerarious, roguish recklessness has not quite worn off yet.

Not yet.

Not yet.

____________________________________________________________

A thousand thanks to the amazing @14daysdalovers aka @scharoux for hosting this delightful event and pouring all her efforts, dedication and heart in it! Thank you so very much for your time and commitment, dear!  💗 You’re one awesome girl! 💗

[omgsquee2001]

Safe and Sound; Ace’s Ending; Forever and Always

~Ace's POV~

Law had just brought [Y/N] back to the Moby Dick from treating her at his ship, the Polar Tang. Marco walked over and opened the Infirmary, letting Law take her inside and lay her down on the bed. I walked over to the two. My eyes were filled with fear and hope. 

"H-how is she?" I asked. Law looked at me. 

"She'll live. But she was put under a lot of stress and abuse. I found a lot of lacerations, burns, whip marks and her ribs were showing from how much she had been starved. If I hadn't been able to treat her when I did, it might have been too late." Law said. I clutched my hands into fists and squeezed my eyes shut. How dare those bastards hurt my love! How dare they lay their filthy hands on her! Marco placed his hand on my shoulder. 

"Ace, you're steaming," he said. I tried my best to calm down. The last thing I wanted was to burn down the Moby Dick. Marco turned to Law. "Thank you, for everything you've done. I'll let Pops know about [Y/N]'s condition." He said. 

"I want to stay with her until she wakes up," I said. Marco nodded at me. Both men left and I walked into the infirmary. I pulled up a stool and sat next to her bed. Tears came to my eyes as I looked over her. There were deep bruises under her eyes. If only I had searched for her as hard as I did Blackbeard when he killed Thatch. Then maybe I could have saved her from all of that grief and torture she had endured. I stroked her forehead and kissed it. "Wake up soon, My Love." I whispered. 

________________________________________________________________________________

~[Y/N’s POV~

Darkness.

That was all I saw. One minute I saw my friends and my family standing before me and the Celestial Dragon, the next, I saw only darkness. I then remembered being held gently in the arms of someone I knew. Their body was warm and comforting. It had to be Ace or Marco. They were the only ones who produced fire, so their bodies were constantly warm no matter what. It had always sparked envy in the crew when they docked on winter islands. The next thing I knew, I was laying on something soft. The sounds of a creaking ship and the smell of disinfectant filled my nostrils. I scrunched up my nose, and opened my eyes, letting out a groan. Once my vision became clear, I saw that I was in a wooden room, laying on a bed. The white sheets covered my pajama clad body. I was wearing my favorite lavender colored nightgown. I felt some pressure on the side of my bed, and I looked over. I smiled and tears formed in my eyes. There, sitting on a stool next to my bed, was my lover, Ace. I squeezed his hand. Ace jolted up, and squinted, looking at me. His eyes widened and he held my hand tighter. 

"[Y-Y/N], you're finally awake!" He shouted.  I let out a sob mixed with a laugh as I reached out my hand for him. He took my hand into his warmer and larger one, kissing the back of my hand. He reached out his other hand and cupped my cheek, gently rubbing his thumb against my cheek. I leaned into it and smiled up at him. Before I had been lost, I had slowly fallen in love with the fire user Second Division Commander of the Whitebeard Pirates, and he had slowly fallen in love with me, and thus a happy and lovely relationship blossomed. My Father was happy to give me over to Ace, knowing full well that he would love me and protect me as long as he lived. “I’m so happy you’re alright. Trafalgar barley managed to save you.” He said, tears formed in his eyes. I smiled and brushed the tears away as they fell, cupping his cheek.

“Don’t count me out just yet, My Love,” I said softly. Ace chuckled and brought me in for a tender kiss. When I pulled away, my eyes looked around the room. “Where’s Father and the others?” I asked. Ace smiled.

“They’re all here, on the Moby Dick. They’ve been anxiously waiting for you to wake up.” He said.

“May I see them? With the Commander's permission, of course.” I said. Ace smirked and put a hand to his chin in mock thought.

“Hmm, give the Commander a kiss and maybe he’ll let you see your family and friends.” He said. I giggled and wrapped my arms around his neck, bringing him in closer. Our lips clashed in a passionate kiss. I blushed as something prodded at my lips, asking for entrance. I opened my mouth and Ace's tongue invaded. I moaned slightly as our tongues fought for dominance, Ace winning. He pulled back a little, looking at me through half lidded eyes. He bent his head down to kiss my neck gently. I sighed in content, placing my hand over his head knocking his had off of his hat. My other hand resting against his cheek. I had almost forgotten how good his soft and slightly chapped lips felt against my smooth skin. Ace pulled away from the side of my neck. He gave me a kiss before ducking down and kissing my throat, making sure to run his tongue against it, making me moan louder. He pulled away, knowing I was anxious to see my family. He looked down at me, breathing heavily. I smiled up at him, giving him one last kiss before pulling away completely.

“Am I all clear to see my family and friends now?” I asked. Ace chuckled and nodded, helping me sit up. He took my hand, and opened the door. My vision was blinded by the bright light of the sun. I covered my eyes with my hand, squinting. Ace placed his arm around my waist, leading me to where my friends and family were. My eyes widened and tears filled them. There, sitting in his throne, sat my father. His eyes met mine and he smiled, tears of his own falling. He opened his large arms. Ace let go of me, and I raced towards my father and jumping into his arms. Our laughter mixed as we embraced each other, tears of happiness falling. Father sighed and he pulled away, holding me in his large hands. I sat in his palm.

“My daughter, I am so happy to see you.” He said. I smiled, but then frowned as tears fell from his eyes. I stood up and pressed my hand against his cheek.

“Father, why are you crying?” I asked, worried. Father brushed his tears away, but they were replaced by more.

“I-I’m crying because I feel like a terrible father.” He cried. My eye brows furrowed.

“A terrible father?” I asked. He nodded.

“W-when your mother died, I-I promised I would p-protect you with my life. I-I failed at that when I lost you at sea. T-then I find you beaten and starved half to death. P-please, forgive me, [Y/N].”  Father sobbed. I smiled and kissed his nose.

“Oh father, there is nothing to forgive,” I said. He looked at me in surprise, his tears still falling but slowly now. “You would have had no idea where I was, if not for Zeo giving Luffy my location. It’s not like the World Government would have just told you where I was,” I gave him a closed eyed smile. “Besides, I knew you would come for me.” I said. Father smiled and closed his eyes. He opened them and the tears stopped falling.

“You are so much like your mother. You iron strong will, your loving heart and most of all, your sun bright soul that is willing to forgive anyone, only if they deserve it,”  he said. He gently lowered me to the ground, and I joined Ace, intertwining our fingers. Whitebeard smiled at the happy couple as Ace kissed the side of my head. He looked out across the people gathered on the Moby Dick. “Now, let us have a feast to celebrate my daughter’s recovery and the alliance of the Heart and Straw-Hat Pirates with the Whitebeard Crew!” Father shouted. My eyes widened and I looked behind me. There stood Law, Luffy, Sanji and Zoro. Nami and Robin stood with their captain and crew members. I smiled and rushed over, giving each of them a hug. Nami and Robin pulled me into a hug.

“It's good to see you, Tiger Lily.” Nami said. I giggled.

~Later That Night~

I laughed as Izo and Jozou had a drinking contest with Marco and Zoro. Nami had joined, only because there was Belli involved. I had changed out of my nightgown and into a red, off the shoulder dress. My hair had been pulled back and into a beautiful French braid updo, courtesy of Nami and Robin. Ace sat next to me, his arm wrapped around my bare shoulders. He smiled down at me.

“You can choose, you know.” He said. I looked at him, confused.

“Huh?” I asked. Ace gestured to the Straw-Hat and Heart crews.

“You can choose to go with them,” he set down his drink and wrapped his arms around my waist and kissed my shoulder. “Or you can stay here with your Father, and with me.” He said. I smiled and cupped his cheek, bringing him into another passionate kiss. We pulled away.

“I think I’ll stay here with you and Father. It’s where I belong,” I said, looking out across the activities. I then looked back at Ace, smiling. “I'll stay here with you, forever and always.” 

The next morning, with a heavy heart, I said goodbye to my friends. Luffy waved up at me. 

"Bye [Y/N]! See you some other time!" He shouted. Ace smiled as he stood next to me, his arm wrapped around my waist. Nami looked up at my lover. 

"Yo flame brain," she shouted up. Ace looked at her, ready to give a smartass retort, when he noticed Nami's smile. "Take care of our Tiger Lily! We'll be back to check on her in the near future!" She shouted. Ace smiled and kissed the side of my head. 

"Don't you worry, Cat Burglar. I'll take care of this one, forever and always." He said, smiling down at me. I smiled and we both waved as the two crews departed from the Moby Dick.  

~Whew, finally done with this one. I hope you all like it. Next up, Pirate Queen;  Luffy's Ending~

[atlas-of-a-human-soul]

Dolan Twins Masterlist

Αιώνια αγάπη (DT Modern Greek god/frat! AU) MASTERLIST (complete)          

Valentine’s with Grayson // Valentine’s trip

Valentine’s with Ethan // Valentine’s surprise

On our own

No strings attached

Bloodstream (vampire AU)   

If the world is ending (E.D./G.D. Apocalypse AU)   

Ethan Dolan

I did it!

Sleeping At Last

The doctor is in

Where do we go from here? // Part 2

Her smile

Superhero (AU) // Part 2

Dear Soulmate (AU) Series Masterlist (complete) 💚

Hometown Girl

My home

Yanny or Laurel?

13 reasons why

The man who can’t be moved

Save him from himself (Harry Potter AU) Masterlist (complete) 💚

Feelings // part 2 // part 3  💚

Behind his hazel eyes

Tell me you love me // part 2 // part 3 // part 4   💚

1 am

Maybe // part 2

Drop the mic

Just friends - Masterlist (complete)

Hypnotized

The King of Hearts - Series Masterlist (AU) (complete) 💚

Fires at night  💚

Promise me // pt.2

Fall for you

“We forgot to pick up our kids?!”

Can’t make you love me // part 2 // part 3 // Alternative ending 💚

He has a what now?!

Blurred lines // part two    💚

Even if it hurts - Masterlist (complete)💚

Like it rough

See you in hell

Non disclosure agreement // Part two

The wrong girl - Series Masterlist  (complete)

This is war (frat!E - Soulmate AU)

Feel good kind of love (Soulmate AU) - Masterlist (complete)

Hurt - Masterlist  (complete)

11:23

Habits // part 2 // part 3/finale

Darkness   

The break // part 2 // part 3 // part 4 - finale

Fix me (doctor/soulmate AU) series - Masterlist (complete)

People you know // part 2 // part 3 // part 4 // finale

The Catch (agent!Ethan) Masterlist (complete)

Grayson Dolan

 -  Fics

Why him? (part 1) // Why her? (part 2) // Why us? (part 3)

Tell me you love me // part 2

Dancing in the dark 💚

Let him go (part 1) // Let her go (part 2) // (Never gonna) Let us go (part 3)

What’s in the bathtub?

Ethan?

Tattoo (Soulmate AU) // part 2

A family dinner

Choose Me - Series Masterlist (complete) 💚

Prank gone wrong

Bucket list 💚

Protection Series Masterlist (complete)   💚  

Light  

Hostage

Because of you // part 2

Into the fire (firefighter AU)

Touch me (Soulmate AU) // part 2

The DUFF Masterlist (complete) 💚

Broken Wings - Series Masterlist 💚

Mr. Gray

Without you  

Nervous

To the only girl I’ve ever loved

More than friends? // part 2 // part 3 💚

I win  

There for you

Miss you

Polar opposites // Opposites attract // When a realist dreams💚 💚 💚

Baywatch (AU)

Overwhelming kisses

Monopoly confessions

Daddy Issues (dad!Grayson) 💚

Ink on his skin, marks on my heart (Soulmate AU)

Looking too closely 💚

“I‘ll always choose you..”

Jealous

Friends can break your heart too // pt.2 💚

Photograph

Girl you need // part 2

Losing game

The Bad Guy (Gang AU) Materlist💚 💚 💚

Awake (Captain America AU)

He broke what?!

Love me, love me not ~ Masterlist  (complete)

Wicked - Series masterlist  (complete)

Unbreak my heart (The Vow AU) // part 2

Skinny love // part 2 // part 3 // part 4 // part 5 // part 6 // finale 

No strings attached // Their rainbow baby

frENEMIES (Quarterback AU) - Series Masterlist (complete)

Saving Grayson (AU) - Series Masterlist  

Summer flings // part two //

You broke me 

What if (Construction worker/ high school sweetheart AU)   

Guilty  

Meant to be  

DT Incorrect quotes:

#1           #11

#2

#3

#4

#5

#6

#7

#8

#9

#10

ASKS and short BLURBS - MASTERLIST

DT Halloween Masterlist 💀 

VIDEO EDITS:

Just friends (E.D.)

Laneless Heaven x BOOM/CLAP (both)

Dancing Queen (G.D.)

Dangerous (G.D.)

Dangerous (E.D.)

The King of Hearts (E.D.)

Blinded by you (both)

Mr. Sandman (E.D.)

Mr. Sandman (G.D.)

[justwritingscenarios]

Kardia

Trafalgar Law x reader

2k words

Warnings : angst (cute ending), description of violence, blood, near death experience

Sum up : (Y/N) suffered PTSD after Wano but she is not alone.

Cesar Clown, Donquixote Doflamingo, Big Mom, Kaido… The names of those Luffy came to fight always were powerful people. Not that you expected something else from your captain ; he promised himself to fight and win any of the Emperors. In your adventures you met great people, made friends and allies, unforgettable memories. But it always had to be through hard labour, sacrifice and pain.

That’s what came to your mind when your eyes landed on the Polar Tang sailing next to the Thousand Sunny in the dark night. 

The moon was hiding behind the clouds and only the light coming from the different windows of both ships enlightened the deck, from where you were watching over the Sunny for the night. It was almost midnight which led you to stood you from your sit at the bottom of the main mat and took the direction of the library. There, was Chopper. Earlier in the evening, he had asked you to come tell him to go to sleep if he wasn’t already. And he wasn’t. The light of the library was still on, and coming closer, you heard him talking through the slightly opened door. Someone answered him, that person being Trafalgar Law. It didn’t surprise you much ; they turned out to spend a lot of time talking about medicine stuff together.

When you were close enough to see the both of them leaning above the same book and exchanging about whatever it was about, you knocked weakly on the door. Then opened it even without their permission. You felt a bit guilty to disturb them but it was Chopper’s request after all.

“Knock, knock, knock, Doctor Chopper. It’s time for the little reindeer to go to bed.”

Both of them raised their gaze to watch you leaning on the frame with a little smile for the younger doctor.

“Already ?” He pouted as his eyes went to the clock on the wall. “Do I really have to…?”

“Yes. You told me to insist if you were to refuse, remember.” He seemed to be even more sadden at the idea to interrupt this moment. “Do you want a glass of milk before sleeping ?”

“Hot with honey ?” His bubble eyes suddenly sparkled at the idea and you swore he drooled a bit.

“Whatever you want, Chopper.”

While Chopper was putting bookmarks to not lost his pages, you turned to the surgeon.

“What about you, Doctor Trafalgar-san ?”

First surprised, then smiling, Trafalgar nodded.

“Tea, please.”

You went to the sacred kitchen of Sanji and prepared the drinks for the three of you while they were tidying the library of their mess of books and flying papers. You had just finished pouring the tea in yours and Trafalgar's cups that they came in and sat at the table with you. The three of you drank and shared a few ideas about what your future adventures could be.

Chopper swallowed the last drops of his hot honey milk and jumped from his chair.

"Thank you for the milk, (Y/N)-chan ! Have a good night you too."

Trafalgar and you returned the courtesy as you waved at the boy. Chopper had just left the room that the surgeon's gaze turned back to you. You felt his piercing eyes followed your every move as you took a sip of your tea. You put the cup on the table and watched him back.

"What ?" He let out a snigger at your nerve.

"I was just thinking… Isn't that the third night shift in a row you're taking ?"

"It is. I have insomnia lately. The others may as well take advantage of it and sleep."

He stayed silent a bit, hesitant.

"By lately… you mean since Wano ?"

Your fingers on the cup tightened at this.

Your eyes stayed fixed on the wooden table before you as if it would help you to erase Trafalgar’s presence next to you, at the edge of the table. But it couldn’t. His piercings eyes were digging holes in your whole body so it was intense ; you always felt strange when his eyes were on you, but at the moment it was almost physically painful.

You put one of your hand on your neck where you knew he was looking.

“Yes… since Wano.”

Trafalgar looked around for a moment but he couldn’t help but let his eyes fell back on you. Your head was still low, facing the wood.

It pained him to see you in such a state. Sure the biggest part of the sorrow went away when your eyes opened after what felt like endless days of silence from you, but you were still suffering, and he hated it. He hated it more than when he had to admit himself he fell in with you.

It happened with the defeat of Kaido against the alliance. The power of the dragon wasn’t enough against the mischief of the monkey ; and the will of the D. The tyrannical oppressors Kaido and Kurozumi Orochi fell, but not all their subordinates yet sadly.

And you were the one to pay the high price.

You had finished your own fight not far from the place the captains fought against Kaido. Everyone was gathering Luffy’s way who successfully ending the fight with one of his craziest transformation. You watched from afar how he was thrown in the air by civilians. You smiled when you saw Trafalgar, Eustass or even Zoro being thanked by the folks and hated that.

Trafalgar, precisely… He saw you coming slowly their way. But he knew by your smile you were ok. You were safe.

Then it was as if time had stopped.

The whistle in the wind, that’s what Trafalgar heard just before actually seeing an arrow planted in the middle of your chest. Neither of you could hear the cheers around anymore. You were looking at the wood stick dug into your flesh and the cloth of your kimono tinted of the color of the poppy. Slowly you lowered your head, letting Trafalgar saw that another arrow had already hit you by slicing your neck, at your jugular vein. You were bleeding abundantly.

And time took up again.

Another arrow came in your right lung. And a last one in your stomach.

“(Y/N)-YA!”

Trafalgar’s shout attracted everyone else’s attention, especially the pirates’ ones who followed of their eyes, the way he was running to, just in time to grab on your falling body. While the other Straw Hats, full raged, were going after the archer, that turned out to be two living dogsbodies of the man you defeated, Chopper was fast to join Trafalgar and you.

“(Y/N)-chan ! It’s gonna be fine ! We’ll take care of y-!”

Chopper was interrupted by bloody coughing fits. With arrows in lung, stomach and trachea according to Trafalgar’s scan thanks to his room, the doctors expected it.

While the doctors were deciding how they would proceeded to save your life, you struggled to breathe. Your teary eyes were going from one to another. You couldn’t understand what they were saying from the pain… and the fear. The fear of dying. The hand Trafalgar kept tight around your neck in order to drop off the runoff from your vein felt warmer on your skin with every new second… or maybe it was because of your heated blood on his hand.

“(Y/N)-chan, don’t close your eyes !”

“(Y/N)-ya !”

It was the last thing you heard until days later when you finally opened your eyes. You were in the post-operative room on the Polar Tang, connected to dozens of beeping machines. You were still on Wano, on the shore ; but except for a farewell on the beach of the country, you didn’t get back inside the lands.

Since you woke up of your surgery, you hadn’t been able to sleep more than a few hours per night because of the nightmares. And this led to insomnia as you were afraid to dream again. It was always the same thing ; you were suffocating in your blood just like when you were that day.

“(Y/N)-ya… you need to sleep.”

“I don’t want.”

“It’s not about what you want, it’s about what your body needs. And you lack of sleep-” He stopped as you punched the table of your two closed wrists.

“I keep dreaming about my death. I feel like I am dying in every of my dreams.” You didn’t raised your voice but your tone was shaking and harsh. You turned to him, holding back your tears just like every time, and looked in his eyes. “You can’t understand !”

There was a blank.

Then he sighed.

“You really think I can’t understand ?”

They were different. His eyes. You always knew them with that flame inside ; lively, sly, holding a will to live. But it was not just that this time. You could feel he already went through hell. You guessed that the moment you met him, by his scars, his tattoos and that attitude of him - a shield to hide his true self. But it was different this time… You saw deeper inside of him.

“I’m sorry.” You lowered your head another time. But not long since Trafalgar covered your joined hands with one of them.

"Chopper and I were looking for a way to ease your mind. We found a few things. But the most important one is that you need to talk to us. I mean… me, Chopper or anyone you feel at least with." He took back his hand and stood up from his chair. "Think about it, (Y/N)-ya. And remember you're not alone."

The surgeon knew you would need time to process this and so he went back to his room on the sub. He put his notes on his desk and went to shower. He knew he was going with another restless night, so when he was done in the bathroom, he grabbed a few books of his shelf and got comfy on his bed.

An hour, then two, went by with him reading endlessly. He didn't grow tired.

Knock. Knock. Knock.

The soft knocks on his door were almost a murmur in the thick silence.

"Come in."

He expected someone of the night shift about something strange on the radar but it was you. Trafalgar frowned.

"I hope I am not disturbing you."

He shook his head no and signed you to come closer as he pushed his papers so you could sit on the edge of the bed.

"What can I help you with, (Y-N)-ya ?"

"I asked Zoro to take over from my nightwatch. Can we… can we talk ?"

He knew what you meant despite not saying it with words. For wordless answer, he moved everything from his sheets and took off the glasses he was wearing to put them on his bedside table. You didn't expect you would be talking to him by laying in front of him on his bed but it somehow felt soothing. It's probably what helped you talk about your feelings, about what happened and how you were since then. If he expected tears and difficulties to put words on your thoughts, there was none of it. You were clear and calm, even if he understood you once were stressed out.

"Do you think it will stop one day ?"

"The nightmares ?" You nodded. "It will fade for sure. Sometimes it may come back, and then the following night it would have disappeared again."

Trafalgar had noticed how you were slowly drifted to sleep by tiredness. And he didn't try to stop it.

"Sweet dreams, (Y/N)-ya…"

*

"I told the Strawhats she's there."

"Ok. We should let them sleep a bit more. Tell every to not wake them up."

"Aye."

Ikaku went away from Bepo as the white bear closed the door to Trafalgar's bedroom. He would probably never know if it was international or not but he was happy to see his captain deeply sleeping in the big spoon you were.

[manjuhitorie]

Hitorie’s unreleased concert recordings, are coming out on wowaka’s birthday

https://www.hitorie.jp/Loveless_IKI/

Hitorie’s full length DVDs of 2 concerts: The Loveless tour final and the IKI tour final in their full glory! It's region free and the release date is November, NOVEMBER, 4th. wowaka’s birthday.

The cover art has been unveiled, and the details of the bonus items have been divulged! 

The standard edition cover feautures wowaka in ai/SOlate T-shirt twanging his guitar! 

It comes with both concerts and an envelope with a lottery ticket for a chance to win a framed photo. It's cheaper and only comes with the 2 DVDs, the perfect piece! Regular edition DVD: via cdjapan

The limited edition cover features all members basked in laser lights! 

The complete special package comes with both concerts, a new special photobook of unreleased photos by cameraman Nishimaki Taichi, sticker replicas of the staff passes used for both tours, and an envelope with a lottery ticket for a chance to win a framed photo.  It’s also separated into Blu-ray and DVD, so make sure you buy the right one for your gear! DVD limited complete edition: via cdjapan   Blu-ray limited complete edition: via cdjapan Bonus pre-order items!!!

If you preorder from select stores you’ll receive a A2 size poster of the wowaka photo (Tower Records and CDJapan are sure to have it)!

Amazon preorders will include a 5 piece set of concert photo post cards! (Amazon hasn’t prepared a page yet though, I'll link it ASAP).

And preorders from the concert venue booths will nab you a Hitorie-chan themed ticket case. 

The track list is as follows

From Hitorie’s UNKNOWN-TOUR 2018 "Loveless" at EX THEATER ROPPONGI March 25th 2018 01. NAI. 02. Shinya 0-ji 03. Inperfection 04. One Me Two Hearts 05. Nichijou to Chikyuu no Gakubuchi 06. Bathtub and Sleepwalk 07. Eve Stepper 08. Loveless 09. Monocolor 10. Glare 11. Senseless Wonder 12. Unhappy Refrain 13. Social Clock 14. Namid[A]me 15. Talkie Dance 16. Unknown Mother Goose 17. Absolute Encore 1. Dancing Mannequin, Singing Fool Encore 2. Little Cry Baby

AND

From Hitorie’s National Solo Tour 2017 "IKI" at STUDIO COAST May 7th 2017 01. Heart Breath 02. One Me Two Hearts 03. Inperfection 04. Daydreamer(s) 05. Eve Stepper 06. Rularula 07. doppel 08. Lights in the Polar Night 09. Saihate 10. KOTONOHA 11. Hagure no Color 12. 5 Count Hello 13. Dancing Mannequin, Singing Fool 14. Shutter Doll 15. Little Cry Baby 16. Glare Encore 1. Kara no Waremono Encore 2. Senseless Wonder Encore 3. SisterJudy Encore 4. Montage Girl

"The full crowd bouncing around today was the best, I wish I could've shown everybody how crazy you guys looked. Please stick with us through future endeavors to come." After the IKI show in the DVD, ygarshy had said this.

And now.... that chance to see that day's craziness and follow their future is upon us, please do consider purchasing and dancing!!! And thank you for looking... 

~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~

⚠️~~~⚠️~~~⚠️The rest of this post is unnecessary bonus manju material⚠️~~~⚠️~~~⚠️

I had report on the Loveless final compiled together from way back on March 28th 2019, so I’ll post it here again to give a small taste....!

●The stage lighting for Namid[A]me was apparently breathtaking, they made it look like it was actually raining, ●Yumao used a real gong for Social Clock. ●During Senseless Wonder yg went all the way over to snd’s side of the stage, stuck his body against his, and they played it out together. Then came the encore MC break.

●Yu started cheering himself on, while making flamboyant poses: "Yumaooooo!!  Oooh~!  WOooooOOah *rough voice* !!💪( ＞ω ＜💪)” Crowd: “You’re so cool~!” Yu: “Thank goo~ *Goes to a cutesy voice*” “You’re so cute~!” “Thank goo. Thank you!” SND: “Hey dude, they’re all callin’ ya cute and cool y’know.” Yu: “…(short pause) Thank goooo~~~”

wowaka: (laughing) We’re done, that's all we need for MC ahahaa.

●Leaving members stuck on what to ramble about, they’ve already talked so much throughout the whole tour, what’s left? So wo suggested that they do a re-cap on all those fun boring discussions they’ve had. Omnibus time. 

●Back when the Japan was collectively swept off their feet by the Olympic ice skater Yuzuru Hanyu-kun and his performance, wo had also praised him during MC.  Yet just thinking about him puts pressure on Yumao, it inspired Yumao to do his best. And as the next song on Rie’s set list was the inspirational Memai, he concentrated so hard, poured himself in and played super neatly, “Oh shit oh no oh shit, Hanyu-kun makes me nervous.” Yumao explained. 

●During the span of the tour SND fell off the stage way more then once... SND: “The skin on my back peeled off once too.” Yu “Eeeh?!” SND “Saying it peeeled all the way off is an overstatement but..” ”Well then the scab ripped off.” “Seriously?!” “But it healed nicely.” “Ahh” “After that, in Niigata, when I went to brandish my guitar up with a “pwooosh” towards the roof, it went bonking into my forehead.” ●SND’s middle finger had also stopped moving, (nerve palsy maybe??) During Talkie Dance there’s the “piropiropiro” where a “pero, pero” bit comes in between (Queue SND and Yuma singing the riff together), which is very straining. He has to press his fingers against the strings one by one to play it, he was scared but nonetheless. So Yuma watched him at the piropero part wondering “Oh no oh no is it gonna move? Is it moving today??””

When it came down to it his middle finger moved for him so thank goodness... (Manju comment: SND is this karma for all the times you gave the crowd the middle finger when they cheered your name,,, or flipped off girls who waved at you, or giving wo the middle finger a lot? God I love you)

●Yumao “Also ygarshy laughed ONCE!” “There was the one time I was talking nonstop (queue SND and Yumao making “blaghblergh” noises together to imitate him). When yga let out a chuckle, which made me super proud in front of everyone… I went Wahooo!!! but turns out it wasn’t because my story was funny or anything.  It was because yga was off on his own! Testing how many candies he could eat before we would shut up!” SND: “Did you chuckle because you finished the third candy?” yg: “Uhhh” SND: “Well tell us about it.” wowaka: “Is this the first time he’s talking?” yga: “See, I always think our encore MCs are… long. So I feel like having some candy. I was originally worried I wouldn’t be able to finish eating one in time, the song would start and turn into a problem, but.... it turned out that day’s had become the longest MC yet. I lost my inner bet, damn it, I thought. You guys really can talk. Three whole candies worth of talk! So I laughed, and Yumao thought I was laughing at hims story”

Yu: “Yeah yeah!! Honestly the story I had been telling didn’t have a punchline, so I just used your laugh as an escape.”

SND “Foolish” Yu “Yep” wowaka “Well that day the most” Crowd “laughing” Yumao “...Thank goo~ (laughing)” (Yumao you never have a punchline I swear to God I love you too)

●wowaka talked about the story from back when he used to be so so scared of standing in front of people. In middle school his teacher chose him to represent his class in the English speaking competition, yet he was so afraid that he just, went out to the podium crying hysterically. “I can’t talk English in front of everyone waghhh....”

But now he’s able to do >this<. He’s become such an adult. 

SND “I bet there wasn’t even as many people at the competition as there is people here today, haha and you’re able to even talk naturally here, eh, look at you.”

Yu: “Ahh even SND’s such a big boy now~.” SND: “Well we all have.” ●They announced the next nexUs tour at the Loveless tour final. “We just love doing shows” 

●Also Pre- Little Cry Baby emotional speech from wowaka.   “In living we find cool things and sparkling things, yet there’s moments when we betray those things, we worry if ahhh was I wrong with that, there’s so much of this, in actuality that’s all I do, yet still we’re made out of things we can’t throw away, that’s what I think, what is it! Like those sorta texture that have a paint dried over them, like things that are just superficial just… Those are things that I have NO FUCKING  interest in! Like it’s that, c’mON, with music, people are just humans!! trying to be, they’re trying to do what they can do! I have interest in things that only humans can do, some things that can even surpass human, and that’s what fuels me to do music. As long as you follow me, I feel like ,, I could go anywhere!!!!! thank you always, thank you for making me!! Thank you for being here!!!”

This was also the showing they used during the Memorial Service on June 1st… STAFF WE ARE GOING TO CRY “Thank you we were Hitorie, let’s definitely! *through deep breaths* definitely! Meet again!”

Also some from IKI

●wowaka’s mother came to this show.... As divulged in this interview. THE ORAL CIGARETTES had sent Rie flowers in celebration of the event, which were on display at the venue.... Shiohigari SND’s good friend went, also the Synth player of the band “the telephones” who took the picture that’s featured on this blog) went also! ●Before Shutter Doll Yumao did his signature, Yumao! Yumao! Yumao! cheer on rhythm with the familiar intro, but with “Final! Final! instead. Along with We’re ●Hagure no Color had snazzy band introductions molded in between it. ●wowaka had actually cried during Little Cry Baby..... It really is a song that’s so important to him.... I’m anxious to see the video... ●MC: One was wowaka talking about how thankful he is for everyone and everything about this IKI tour. wowaka “I don’t want it to to enddd!” SND “We’re been on this tour for 4 months, it’s been a long time though, it’s amazing, it’s a new record for us.” wowaka “Now what am I going to do with myself tomorrow.“ SND “Go back to our dark dark life...” wo “Why”

SND “You guys had been waiting outside all this time, how was it, was it cold, are you okay? Further crowd: “We were okay-! Closer crowed “(less voices) We were okay.” SND “So you guys were okay and you were cold, okay (laughing). Well if you were cold, then see this sweatshirt Leader is wearing.. please wear one too That thing is perf.  Crowd: “Woooah!!” SND: “Why the fuck ‘Woah.’ Even if you said you’re okay then still go buy one alright. Thanks..”

[fadekookie]

The Closet Game: I

Author: @fadekookie

Genre: Urban Legen!AU, thriller, romance, psychological, existentialism, horror, interdimensional? spooky?

Rating: PG-13

Pairing: Baekhyun x Reader

Warnings: imitable behavior, horror themes

Word Count: 2990

Summary: The Closet Game was something you’d only heard of once in your life. You’d only pondered, until the point a pair of red eyes gleamed with a ferocity only possibly matched by yours. And so up to this point, you’d only pondered, but now you knew this couldn’t possibly be real. Until you dared the inferno in the eyes, until you challenged the ruby glare, until you bore a stare so wild and enraged you tore your way through this inversion, to him.

A/N: CHAPTER ONE IS UP HSDJHCVSJVC YAY !!!! I CANNOT EXPRESS HOW HAPPY I AM ABOUT THIS I’VE FINALLY DEVOTED MYSELF TO SERIES AND I AM SO DETERMINED TO FINISH IT!!! If you’re reading this without reading the prologue, you may be confused. The prologue is important to the entirety of the story!! ENJOY !!!! this chapter is dedicated to @shuasent

P | I |  II | III | IV | V | VI | VII | VIII | IX | X 

Reality is not real. It has never been proven nor tested. Only believed to be because, well, what else would you believe?

Reality is unclear and distant, like a memory. Every moment of your life being ironically vapid. Though you felt things, it was all null and conveniently explained. Not in the scientific sense, but in the sense that things happen for a reason and you feel a particular way for a reason. The problem posed though, you will always feel something.

However, it never felt that way. It felt muted and programmed. It was a routine. Just as the one sitting in your planner or calendar. Routine work, routine play, routine love. And it was all, mute.

Colors lived in you, yes, but each moment in time was distant, fading too fast. You’d always hated how the sun set so fast. You saw colors— you felt them, heard them, smelled them, tasted them. Though, you were bereft of a sixth sense.

You spent all your life dreaming of this sixth maybe even seventh sense, but you could feel nothing louder nor brighter than now.

Now was red.

It tasted red, felt red, looked red, smelled red, and sounded red.

Red was no longer a color to you.  It was a vortex. A wormhole.

Red wasn’t blood. Red did not mean stop. Red was not sensual.

Instead red was a pair of eyes, and that’s all it ever would be. A pair of eyes so rampant you were no spiral down them. A pair of eyes so hot with fire you felt the tangible melt around you until it was only this red.

Until red devoured you and set your skin ablaze as embers licked at your curves. Until red burnt to black and only eyes among a pitch black realm remained.

Eyes polarized by the dark seemed to glow brighter as time slipped by.

Your own stare frantic you searched the black for anything of contrast. You looked down to see that your limbs were not there, perhaps having been swallowed by flame or suffocated with night. You heard nothing; no muffled hum of the air conditioning or distant sliding of heavy balcony doors by your neighbors. Sounds that lived in your home like family dissolved like sugar into the space. Only your eyes and the one’s in front of you were spared by the inferno.

You thought this a dream, an unreal reality just as you did the world before. Maybe some sick form of sleep paralysis that you were bound to wake up from...

....but then you felt it.

The millions of suns gnawing at you, at your mind and soul. Incinerations penetrating your soul in a pain unknown to you and you fathomed to man himself.

Trapped in your mind, you yelled. You yelled because that’s all you could do. Screams echoing against the constraints of your conscience. The sound wasn’t there.

The ballroom was flushed with wealth. Chandeliers hung from the high ceiling with crystals dripping from them just as prodigality dripped from every person in the space.  Business is all it was with august marble floors and ridiculously expensive Hors d’oeuvre.  The finger foods seemed to float around you like feathers in air as staff in tailcoats made rounds about the grand marble tiles.

The sounds of Shostakovich stretched to the corners of the space as businessmen endlessly found their way to you. Events like these weren’t rare in your new life. Being among the top 30 under 30 has those perks. Though lavish living lost much of its meaning when each step you take as a competitor on the market is one that is unambiguously monitored. One scandal, one look in the wrong direction, one breath at the wrong time and empires crumble.

You recognized the figure approaching you: Zhang Yixing, founder of LaySoft. His company had started at around the same time as yours, growing and competing at the same pace. He was the competition and you calculated every movement around people like him.

“Mr. Zhang,” you smiled, champagne in hand as he came to a stop before you. His hair was slicked back to exaggerate the contours of his face. Round, silver glasses rested on his pointed nose further complementing the dimensions of his cheeks. The suit fit him well, you thought. You assumed it was part of the new Ermenegildo Zegna collection. Of course, you saw this exact three-piece on a runway in Milan only a week ago.

“Y/N, please, call me by my first name. You’re making me feel old.” He smirked revealing perfect teeth. He took a step closer, “We’re not too far apart, you know?”

“I’m well aware, Mr. Zhang,” you continued throwing him a playful wink, all part of the procedure. “I must always be on my toes around you.” Your lips stretched into a more sensuous shape. Routine, it was all routine with him and those like him. Though he did nothing wrong, he was fully capable of it. You played your cards right.

He was frustrated but amused nonetheless. Yes, of course, you played them right. People were always easy to read to you.

“All I ask, Miss (y/l/n) is that you keep me young as well.” He played the game too. “It’s not fair you’re the only one having fun.”

No use being coy anymore, next card.

“Yixing,” you succumbed, “care for a dance.” You said this with conviction as you placed the flute of bubbly on a glass table beside you.

“Would I?” he returned taking your hand in his and leading you to the dance floor. Your dress was a flowing red, flattering your youth among the entrepreneurial gods. “I must say, you’re absolutely ravishing in that color.”

“You sound old,” you completed simply as he placed a large hand on your waist beginning to waltz. The dance floor was more a battlefield than a leisure spot in situations as such.

He sighed in relieve, as if being quenched, “This is exactly what I needed.”

You only smirked continuing to sway to the waltz tempo. Card. This game continued in a flirtatious method. Him complimenting you. You retorting smoothly. He fed off this and you waited until you felt he was fed nearly to the brim to begin your full-fledged attack. It was now Carmen Suite bouncing around the ambiance as you danced.

“I heard LaySoft is closing with Angola soon,”

Your brow lowered, no longer a light and playful set, “Didn’t think you were interested in oil.”

He chuckled, “I always have to think 10 steps ahead, y/n. Though, please enlighten me on your expansion in the Middle East during the past year.”

You only smiled and met his gaze, “What can I say, I’m just that popular. They asked for me.”

“Why do I not believe that?”

“Smelt it dealt it, I assume.”

With this, he burst out in laughter. Head tipping lightly back to allow humor to pour from him in waves.

Card.

That’s the problem with you Yixing, you thought, you and I really are not too far apart.

“Alright alright, I’ll admit, oil is a fun challenge, wouldn’t you agree.” At this point, you’d stopped dancing and made your way to an oncoming busboy. Plucking a stem from the silver tray he was carrying, you offered, “The more the merrier.”

You raised your glass, flashing your signature smile.

Card. You win.

You were intoxicated when you arrived at your home. The contemporary nuances of glass walls made their way to your line of sight as the Roll’s Royce pulled into your driveway.

The house was new as was the little to offer privacy. You’d made the purchase in March, moved in late April, and now it was July.

Stepping out of the car, you took a breath of the thick summer air, enhanced by the grandeur of your house. The doors shut behind you with a conspicuous click, you thought this was lucky if anybody ever tried breaking into your house. You’d never miss it, these doors were loud. As was anything really amongst this almost comically large furnishing. You could tell the position of anyone anywhere in your home because of how sharp each sound was as it bounced off in echoes from high ceilings.

Every step you took against hard marble floors to your bedroom distilled a click until they reached the broad expanse of dark wood. The muted sound of stilettos on wood reminded you strangely of eery memories from middle school. Strange as it may seem for your brain to store and associate a memory from over a decade ago with this particular sound, its all you could process at this point. The same sound of you walking, emitting creaking here and there to top off the stripped sound of steps, had been played out for you at a seventh-grade sleepover.

You would never forget, of course, how could you? One of the most embarrassing nights of your life played out in technicolor in your head. It was a slumber party with your then group of friends when the six of you decided to experiment with urban legends. You had never debated the extent of this abstract, just simply avoided any chance interaction with the seemingly supernatural on some occasions. However, with a group of friends, it’s safe to say all six of you get invincible to the forces of the underworld, where they there.

You had tested all tricks and spooks in the book from Bloody Mary to the Candyman with no outcome. This late into the night as the group grew increasingly confident, the infamous Closet Game was last on the list. This one required the extra effort. Required the reading of a curse, lighting of a match. You followed through of course, though, didn’t expect anything. Nor did your friends. While skeptic, as can be the exhaustion, took a toll on your brain, allowing any minor sound or movement, easily explained in broad daylight, sound like a swan song,  a final call before your pathetic death to an urban legend.

So, it was your turn to play the game, and you said the curse, lit the match and stood in the closet waiting for demons to enrapture you and swallow you whole, carrying you away into a dimension unknown. Sweat prickled at your skin and you could feel your heart beating in your fingers and toes, but you could never let your friends know. Straining to hear a whisper and a pull from a ‘demon’ as the instructions said, you felt your head becoming light. You began to feel a velvety rub against your skin, comparable to the softness of a thin stream of water from the faucet on your fingers. You hadn’t done anything yet, hadn’t moved in spite of the clear sign you should bow out the match and leave the closet. You strained for whispers.

To this day you doubt you actually heard it. The voice. It was all part of the mind tricks factoring in darkness, social pressure, and general stress. Makes sense you imagined the whisper and the touch in retrospect. Though at the moment you could not doubt how extremely and terrifyingly real this voice was.

“I found you.”

Three words broke you.

Failing to extinguish the match you broke from the hold behind closet doors to see your friends staring at you with wild eyes. Soon they beckoned you with concern. Inquiring about the demon, asking if you really felt it. You blew out your match and simply brushed it off, pride quivering as you claimed it all a game of your subconscious.

Sleeping that night you could not brush the thought of the ‘demons.’ How they touched you and talked to you. Your pubescent mind racing with hormones, stress, and fear. The sound of your heels on wood now impeccably resembled the sound you heard that night from your place on the couch.

Step, step, step, step.

You couldn’t move, but your eyes were open and you saw everything. Saw what horror your mind conjured that night. Later you’d know this feeling to be nothing more than a psychological wager of sleep paralysis. Nonetheless, you remember how the black figure, faceless, shapeless, but resembling a human simply rose from the white wall carrying a white, electric aura with it.

By means of common sense, nothing should be alarming about a dark figure with no distinguishing features. It had no gun, no knife, no scary face, but it was terrifying despite no obvious means of harm.

Shaking and not moving a muscle, screaming with no sound coming out, crying but no tears escaped. Trapped inside your mind as this figure approached you before simply fading out as if dissolving into the natural background. That’s when you woke up; when your sharp inhale caused your friend next to you on the couch to stir.

All you could do is shut your eyes and throw the now uncomfortably hot covers over you as you continued to sweat, forcing yourself to sleep. Needless to say, you woke up to uncomfortable wetness in your shorts and you knew. Your friends knew. Things like this happened. 

Reminiscing now you laughed to yourself about how foolish it was to be so self-degradingly critical around your friends, around yourself and the walls in your own room.

You continued to think of that game and its grand influence on your subconscious that night, minding how crazy the human brain was. At this point in your life and in your evening, you expected nothing else to come and tempt you nor press you. Your dealings at the ball were over and your face of business and poise was officially eligible to retire until tomorrow. So, fuck it, you thought. At this point, you understood the nooks of your brain and everybody else’s brain. Knowing exactly how to approach a person and a problem through meticulous psychoanalysis. At this point, just like then, you felt invincible.

Strolling over to your walk-in closet and pulling a lighter as well as your phone from the new Prada which hung elegantly from your shoulder. Briefly looking up the curse on your phone you shut the sliding door to your closet. Flicking the steel cap of the lighter forward, a gentle flame grew from a traceless spark. You read the words, smirk plastered on your face.

“Dinanzi a me non fuor cose create

se non etterne, e io etterno duro.

Lasciate ogne speranza, voi ch’intrate’.”

You chanted the infamous words three times, becoming bored the third time around.

Silence.

Stillness.

Nothing happened. No velvety touch, no paralyzing whisper. You chuckled before snapping the lighter shut and sliding the door open. You clapped for the lights in your room to turn on. As they swelled into brightness you slipped out of your dress and placed your shoes to the side.

The shower you took wasn’t long but it felt eternal as you ran through the synopsis of your day and… your life. Existence and the sorts, the usual for showers at this time of night.

Stepping out you further scrutinized each thing you felt, each thing you did and the reason for it. Not the artificial reason as to the typical cost-benefit system, but the actual reason. Your reason for compliance with the universe in general.

You left the bathroom in search of pajamas after slipping into underwear and a black silk robe reaching down to a bit above your knees.

You expected to see nothing but clothes and an island of jewelry when you slid the door open. Rows of designer sweaters hanging in the middle above four of your favorite Hermes purses. A shoe shelf to the far left and a purse shelf to the right. Sections of various articles of clothing placed by category around the perimeter of the room.

You didn’t see this though. Rather you did, but you didn’t see the clothes, nor shoes, nor purses, nor jewelry. Everything was still there but it was no longer the spectacle of importance.

You saw eyes.

Red eyes.

Red like nothing you had seen before.

Red as only ruby orbs among a darkness which darkened to become opaque over the shoes, purses, and diamonds in your closet.

Red glowing like fire against what had no become a pitch black void.

Red like an inferno which now gnawed at the corners of your own vision. Blazes feasting on the darkness cooked explicitly for these eyes and yours.

A conflagration swallowing your line of vision and your senses.

Burning and burning and burning and burning.

You felt nothing, just watched, reactionless, or you thought you were stoic.

For all you know, you could have died, suddenly.

Or hallucinated.

Developed schizophrenia.

All the possible outcomes rushed to your head at the same time as your senses returned.

Pain blurred your line of vision with more red, as you felt the absolute fire eating you whole.

More and more red.

Red and red and red, but you still saw a sole pair of eyes.

While everything became red, the eyes remained.

Eyes remained as a remarkably different red than any other shade of blood and fire charring your sight.

They stayed there even as the fire quelled, as you continued to yell with no sound and cried tears which did not put out flames. It was blackness again, aside from eyes. They moved closer to you as you realized you were no longer in your lavish room nor lavish home. You questioned if you were still on the face of the Earth.

The eyes moved closer as a figure formed around them. As if stepping into light, features became more defined and human. The eyes became a possession and not just a color. Lips, nose, ears, hair. Torso, arms, legs, neck. A body undoubtedly human stepped into sight.

Though, he could not have been human.

Masterlist

[edenandlibrary]

and i can't, and i won't.

ENTRY # 75

I do still remember of that day. When the waging war of each Gods almost ripped the sky into pieces, there was a news. It made the sky froze, the Gods throb. A news of uniting several Gods in hope to bring balance the universe. The sacred vow of marriage.

I was one of the Gods. I froze.

I was one of the Gods to be united.

"O' Young Goddess; Of Polar Lights, Misfortune, Blessing, and Hearth, would be with ..."

My heart sank, my body trembled, my world is already into pieces as it freezes before my eyes. I already have my place, in here. With all the stars and black hole to seep the unlucky and harmful deeds, with many people that feel like knit sweater that I like to wear in winter, with I am the secret guardian to some minor gods--despite I am being one; I would love to remain unseen forever. My, oh my, I do want to reject it, I really do.

Hence, all that I was doing is looking down. I cannot meet everyone's eyes, I cannot meet everyone's beautiful attires, and to make the absolute, I cannot meet you.

One who shines brightly could easily blinding anything, they said.

And I am agree.

I was too faint and dim, anyway. Hence, it should never been matter if I take plenty steps away before I could officially meet you, right? Before the marriage?

But truly, I want to laugh. Out of my frustration. I still cannot believe that you favor me so desperately.

What a blinding, charismatic freak and a weirdo. I thought, coming from myself as a bizarre being.

ENTRY # 80

There are plenty barrels and chains to my body. Tied up perfectly as if I am the culprit and everyone in here is the victim.

Yet, it was all imaginary. Merely in my head.

Now, I am entering the most dark and luxurious palace. I don't need to sprinkle my curiosity eyes around to make an absolute conclusion. Too many gold, too many gems.

There are plenty maidens and servants as well, all below your power and control. From far and wide, the gods has humming their words, secrets, news, and rumors in a heartfelt moment surrounding hearth. Everyone loves the hearth, but maybe not you. And, actually, that is fine.

"I would like for my request to be granted, Your Majesty. To sleep on the couch, in front of this room."

Your shocked face matched my sudden beating, tighten heart. This marriage is arranged and political, right? And for the very first night, in this master bedroom, I see you with ... someone. Intimate touch, that is. I am prepared, anyway. But maybe ... the way I deliver my words is the source of surprise element? If yes, then maybe we are think ahead, though it might be gross.

If this is new to you, then it is come to my surprise. Truly. I was always the one who will be the remain. Knowing my title and nature, this is actually more than normal to me. I always give the luxury part to other and I will receive all the torturing part.

Besides, war is discriminating, right? The strong will win, the weak will lose.

It is an absolute big score for me. And, I am giving the instruction very clear.

But, would you mind tell me of this reason? I am ... awake at this huge master bedroom?

Is this to mock me? I don't understand.

ENTRY # 84

I am the spouse of War, Trickster, Discord, and Black Rose. Though, it might be temporary.

I am a lot younger of age than you, though I will be a part of a beautiful star in the sky. Not too bad, for I have my graveyard up there.

"You could married all of those shiny golds, but you trapped with a weathered wood, instead."

I said that to you, once. Half joke, half truth. There are plenty other gods that resembled me, even greater, anyway. I bear illness that disturb the flow of my divinity and it is incurable. It sucks, really. I could bet for a few years ahead, you will find another suitor, and you finally dumped me.

And, I don't mind, really. Though, I might already worn out and change completely to something that spooked me the most.

You know, your laugh is the most annoying thing I have ever heard. I always love to gag it with a loaf of bread, but my favorite is baguette. "Noisy." I said, but you know how to tackle those things with that unreal persona of yours. I was flattered, riding this pink clouds, and scared, thereafter.

Now, you've become too close to me. But I know one thing, besides doing my own duty alone, I need to separate myself from you.

Because I can feel the raging storm will be blasting this grandeur, artificial palace of yours.

[eversall]

jimon + jace taking a simon 101 class??? idk what this is

i know what it is its an adorable prompt

to: parabrotai, izzybelle, clearlyfray, supermaia

[jace] i can’t believe i’m stooping to this, but how can i win simon over? 

.

i. [izzybelle]: simon likes those lame pick up lines, and puns, and bad jokes.

“Simon.” Jace calls out as he slips out of the Hunter’s Moon. “Wait up.” 

“Well this is a surprise.” Simon says cheerfully, his hands in his pocket. “What brings you to my side of the docks?”

Jace snorts. 

“Alcohol.” He jerks his head at the bar. “What, you heading back to the boathouse?” 

“I have a 9 AM class tomorrow, yeah.” Simon says. Right. Simon’s going to NYU now, trying to get a normal life back. Jace isn’t sure how he manages to go to class in the morning and then sneak into their missions at night. How is he sleeping?

“I’ll walk you back.” Jace says, shoving his hands in his pockets. 

“I’m not a damsel in distress.” Simon scowls at him. 

“But what if I am?” Jace asks, smiling winningly and strolling alongside Simon. This is easy for him. Flirting is a game he knows. Too bad it never works on Simon. 

Case in point - 

“I get it, you’re the big bad Shadowhunter and I need to stop interrupting your missions.” Simon’s frown deepens. “I said I was sorry.” Jace blinks at him and sighs. 

“That’s not what I meant at all. It was a joke.” He supplies, helpfully. 

“That’s not a joke. Here’s a joke.” Simon says, snapping his fingers, his eyes brightening. “What’s the ocean stressed out about?” 

“Global warming.” Jace says immediately. “Melting ice caps. The polar bears - “

“Current events.” Simon snickers, and Jace tries hard not to let that get to him, but he can’t help the tiny snort and his lips twitching upwards. “See!” Simon crows, pushing excitedly at Jace’s shoulders. “You do think I’m funny.”

“I think,” Jace says, arching an eyebrow, “that you’re not taking global warming seriously enough, Simon.”

“Not taking - you’re a real piece of work, Jace.” Simon says, sighing, but he’s smiling too. Jace grins again and waggles his eyebrows. 

“A piece that everyone wants.” He tries again, and this time Simon blushes and shoves him. He misjudges his own strength and sends Jace careening into the lamp post. “Jace - shit!” He’s immediately in front of Jace, fussing over him for injuries. Which - ridiculous. Jace is a Shadowhunter. He fights off demons, and Simon’s still afraid of his own strength in comparison. 

“Hey, chill, I’m fine.” Jace says, straightening up and laughing. “It’s just so easy to fall for you, Simon.” He winks, for added effect.

Simon storms off. 

Well. Back to the drawing board, then. 

.

ii. [supermaia]: you should wine and dine him, he’s into cheesy shit like that. like a proper, romantic date - if you even know what romance means, herondale. 

“Hey!” Simon skids to a stop in front of Jace, breathless. “Sorry I’m late! You said to dress nice, and, well, I’ve got a lot more options since Raphael forced me to update my wardrobe.” 

“Forced?” Jace asks skeptically, trying his hardest not to ogle at Simon. It’s a difficult task when Simon’s in a tailored blue button-up, the sleeves rolled to just below his elbows, his dark jeans ending in smart looking oxfords. 

“Raphael doesn’t hold with even exiled members of his clan looking like a fashion travesty.” Simon grins at him. “So what’s this undercover mission? Are one of the waiters demons?” 

“Oh. Hm. Yeah.” Jace clears his throat and folds his arms. “Our source reported that the demon’s moved on, but Alec wants us to check the place out just in case.” 

“Argh, really? So this is like a throwaway mission?” Simon asks, scuffing his shoe on the ground. The valet’s starting to look at them funny, and Jace realizes with a jolt that he still has his glamour rune on. He hurriedly tugs Simon into the shadows and lets his eyes flash, activating the rune again as he slides his hand down to grip Simon’s. The valet stares hard at the spot where Simon must have just disappeared. 

“You sound really disappointed.” Jace remarks, his grip on Simon’s hand tight. “It’s a free fancy meal.” 

“I want to help.” Simon scowls at Jace. He hasn’t let go of Jace’s hand either. Jace’s heart starts to pound faster, and he’s sure Simon can hear it. He doesn’t care, he wants Simon to hear it, wants Simon to understand how much Jace wants this. 

“You always help, why not take a day for yourself and put it on my card?” Jace asks, cajoling him. Simon squints. 

“You -” He says incredulously, and then he stops. And starts again. “You have a credit card?” 

Jace gives him a look. “How did you think I lived in New York? Do you think I just fight demons and then power off for the day or something?” 

“Or something.” Simon says wonderingly. “So like, what, you go grocery shopping and stuff? You go to the library? Do you - “

“I told you I go to book club.” Jace says, feeling peeved. “I’m just a normal guy, Simon.” 

“That”, Simon says, pointing at Jace triumphantly, “is the most humble thing I’ve ever heard you say. Well done. Congratulations.�� His cheeks dimple as he grins impishly at Jace, and Jace can’t help but shake his head, the corners of his mouth twitching. 

“Careful,” Jace teases, “that was almost a compliment.” He lets go of Simon’s hand and steps away, trying not to feel disappointed as he smooths the lapels of his jacket. It was a long shot anyway, he thinks to himself. 

Simon’s staring at him, his brow furrowed and his expression thoughtful. “You wanna go get burgers then?” 

Jace sighs and shakes his head fondly. He can go home and sulk about not getting a date with Simon, or he can get burgers with his friend. The choice is pretty easy. 

“Yeah, let’s go get burgers. You can watch me eat and be sad.” 

.

iii. [parabrotai]: i’m no expert but i’ve been told you should try to talk about your feelings?? like be open. don’t hide stuff. i think simons into that kind of communication thing

“I play the piano.” Jace says as he drops into the seat next to Simon in the Institute’s kitchen. He means to say it conversationally, like an opening to better topics, but instead he blurts it out into the silence. Simon raises an eyebrow and takes out one earphone. 

“Huh.” He says, tilting his head. “This may come as a surprise to you, but you lose this competition. I play the piano too.” 

“You play the keyboard.” Jace scoffs back automatically, before he backtracks. “No, no, I meant - you know. Now you know. I play the piano.” 

“Okay.” Simon agrees bemusedly, sipping at his cup of blood. “Now I know? What, are you trying to tell me I play the piano badly? I thought you liked my songs - “

“I do.” Jace shakes his head as he crosses his arms and leans against the counter, grinning. “Angel help me, I’m not sure why, but I do.” 

“Hey.” Simon throws his wadded up napkin at Jace, who ducks, laughing. “I’m a hot Downworlder commodity.” Jace raises an eyebrow, and waits - 

Simon flushes an attractive pink. “I mean - like I’m popular - like not hot hot - you know what, I think I am, honestly, what - “

“Don’t worry your pretty face.” Jace says sincerely, patting Simon’s cheek as he pushes off the counter and goes in search of a mug to make himself tea. Simon splutters behind him. 

“Are you making fun of me? You’re making fun of me.” Simon declares. Jace hides his smile as he roots through the cabinets. 

“I’m not.” 

“I don’t even know whether to believe you or not. You’re messing with my mind, man.” Simon moans, a thunk sounding. Jace turns to see that Simon’s let his head fall forward on the counter, desolately draped over it like some sort of tragic hero. 

“Write a song about it, why don’t you.” Jace says, grinning. Simon bolts upright at that, a strange gleam in his eyes.

So he never actually gets to have a conversation with Simon about feelings, but they do spend the next hour creating increasingly awful lyrics for a song. It’s something. 

But he’s getting tired of being rejected unwittingly at every turn. It feels like maybe friendship is all he’s ever gonna get from Simon, and that’s fine. It’s fine. Whatever puts that stupidly gorgeous smile on Simon’s face is enough for him. 

iv. [clearlyfray]: don’t be an idiot. just be you. he likes YOU

Jace goes into a state of shock when he reads Clary’s text. She looks over at him, through the crowd at Hunter’s Moon for Simon’s gig, and winks. He splutters into his beer and looks back at Simon, who’s really getting into it now, his eyes lowered as he croons into the mic. Strobe lights flash around them, and the crowd is loud and wild; Simon’s a popular act. 

He waits through the set, his heart in his throat as he obsessively smooths his thumb over his phone screen. When Simon finally finishes, Jace forcefully pushes through the crowd until he can clamp a hand around Simon’s shoulder. 

“You,” He hisses, and Simon looks at him, alarmed, “Come on, we have to talk.” 

“Izzy if he kills me you’re my witness!” Simon screeches as Jace drags him out through the back door. Jace snorts. 

“Shut up.” He commands, unable to stop himself from smiling at Simon, a fond feeling bubbling in his chest. “I’m not - Simon. You idiot.” 

“You know, I just - yeah, I’m lost at this point.” Simon says, bemused. “You alright, buddy?” Jace ignores him. 

“I’ve been flirting with you for weeks.” He murmurs softly, stepping closer and noting the way Simon’s eyes widen and his lips part ins surprise. “I even asked Maia for help, and - now Clary tells me I didn’t have to try so hard.” 

“You - flirting?” Simon asks helplessly. “I thought you were just - being you.” 

“Yeah.” Jace presses closer, and Simon swallows, holding his ground, looking up at Jace through his lashes. He’s almost Jace’s height, but his eyes are absurdly large and beautiful, and it’s embarrassing how weak Jace is for everything about Simon Lewis. “Apparently you like that, even though I made a fool of myself.” 

“I do.” Simon agrees nervously, biting his lip. “God help me, I do. I never thought I could have this, though.” 

“Neither did I.” Jace admits, honestly, and it’s his heart on his sleeve as he stares at Simon. 

“Fuck, Jace,” Simon says, and then he launches forward and crashes their lips together, hard and demanding. The kiss is fierce, unyielding, taking Jace apart and stitching him back together as Simon’s tongue parts his lips like it’s the easiest thing in the world. Jace is breathless with desire, an overwhelming want clouding his mind as he knots his fingers in Simon’s hair and pulls him closer, pulls him in to take everything that Simon’s willing to give. 

They kiss for hours, or minutes, or seconds; all Jace knows is that he has to rip himself away at the end to suck in deep, ragged breaths, shaking as he leans against Simon. Simon, the rat bastard, just laughs, content with not needing to breathe. 

“That was awesome.” Simon enthuses, his arms encircling Jace’s waist. His smile crinkles the corners of his eyes, and he traces a thumb over Jace’s cheek. It’s soft in a way that Jace is still getting used to, and he hums and leans into the touch. 

“Just shut up,” He says, laughing breathlessly, “and kiss me.” 

And Simon does. 

[enkisstories]

The android cemetery (Chapter 10)

Another android appeared out of the darkness. Without the surveillance goggles Gavin would have had a hard time making it out against the background, because its chassis had been painted in dark blue and dark grey tones that concealed a form against the night better than pure black. Also the android seemed to stand right behind the searchlight. No, Gavin had to correct that. The machine wasn’t holding a lamp, but projecting the light right out of its eyes. Therefore any details about its body remained concealed. There was no telling what model it was – or had been, rather. A TR400 probably, from the sheer size of it. A heavily modified TR400, though, that had parts of other androids attached to itself. Under what circumstances and to what purpose that had happened Gavin and Daniel could only guess. But one thing they knew: A guy with a sawblade for a hand was hardly ever good news.

The android spoke up. In an upbeat, almost chirpy voice it announced: “Good evening Sir! We are closed, but I even so will gladly take the android off you.”

That was all the incentive Daniel needed. Lightning fast as always he directed his H&K at the source of the sound and pulled the trigger through. Take him? To add to the trash? That was bad enough, but saying it in Connor’s voice to add insult to injury was crossing a line!

The bullets hit… something. Daniel still could not see anything (except if you counted all those orange and green rings merging into and out of each other) and Gavin wasn’t sure what exactly it was he was seeing, because it was happening too fast. There was movement, the android seemed to have brought forth a buckler of some kind that absorbed most of the impact. Then, instead of discarding its shield the layman’s way by investing the extra effort of tossing it away, the machine simply dropped the useless item and returned the fire from out of its own fingers.

Frantically the trespassers dived for cover, any cover they could find. In his panic Daniel finally dropped the severed arm. That turned out their salvation, because the patchwork android went to pick the limb up and inspect it.

While it was occupied thus Gavin and Daniel didn’t dare moving behind their makeshift barricade. It was white and soft, with springs sticking out of it. An upturned mattress maybe? No, the texture was all wrong and besides, no mattress could smell like a wet dog. Come to think of it, no mattress would look at you with a dead eye the size of a large dog’s. A real large dog’s. “Have you noticed?” Daniel asked in Morse-code via his LED.

Gavin nodded, but Daniel failed to see it, still alternating his attention between the dumpster android and the furry barricade.

“I-T-S-stopp-A-stopp-P-O…”

“Don’t say it!” Gavin pleaded. He tried to form the words with his lips alone to avoid any sound.

“L-A-R-stopp-B…”

“Yes, I know! It’s a fucking decomposing polar bear!” Gavin exclaimed. “But maybe I’m just dreaming this shit while in truth I’m lying in my bbbbbbbbbbbb….”

Daniel put the hand he was not holding the gun with over his partner’s mouth.

“Shush!”

Meanwhile the patchwork android had finished his assessment of the severed arm. It dismissed it as useless and carelessly tossed it over its shoulder.

Daniel and Gavin winced when they heard Connor’s voice coming from that thing again: “Sir…? The one with the android! Are you still here?”

When it received no answer, the android shrugged in a very human and very un-connorlike way. It looked around some more, then walked into the general direction Gavin and Daniel had come from. After a few steps it picked up a small item the trespassers could not see. The android put its finding into its mouth, went through some calculations, then retrieved the piece and finally placed it in a belt pouch, only that the “pouch” seemed to be very much a part of the android body.

“Bed”, Gavin uttered when then android had finally gotten out of sight and Daniel took his hand off the man’s mouth. “I so want to be in my bed right now…”

“I bet you do!” Daniel agreed.

Did Gavin imagine it or was his partner looking even paler than normally?

“Good thing its aim wasn’t calibrated properly”, Daniel said in a low voice.

“Yeah”, Gavin agreed. He started to absentmindedly stroke the polar bear fur when he said: “If it isn’t maintained well, it probably wasn’t the official night watchman.”

“Uh-uh, nothing official”, Daniel agreed. “More like a ghoul. It feeds on the dead, to keep running and to improve itself towards surviving in this environment. That‘s urban evolution at work.”

“And it ate a Connor! Maybe even one of our Connor’s used bodies!” Gavin remembered. “That shouldn’t be allowed, them things dining on people you know!”

Now a smile flashed across Daniel’s stricken face. “People?”

Still stroking the fur Gavin murmured “What gives”, what could mean anything or nothing. After some more time he concluded: “No reason for Connor to let it get to his head. Being a person is like, the lowest common denominator. Even Hitler managed it.”

Gavin let go of the polar bear.

“Get your arm back! Your other arm. The one we found, I mean.”

“Will do. But first…”

Daniel opened his pistol. Angrily he shoved armor piercing ammunition into it, then slammed it shut and sheathed it again.

“Who’d have known we’d have to take down a fucking tank”, the android grumbled while doing so.

Daniel got up and, after quickly scanning the area, went looking for the discarded android arm. They were not even certain if it would be of any use to them, but so far it was their only discovery here and it had distracted the ghoul, therefore they considered it as something of a good luck charm.

“Wait, Danny!”

Gavin removed his goggles and reached up to pull them over the android’s face.

“These come with flash compensation, among other things. From now on you stand watch, while I go through the trash. It’s safer that way.”

“Can you see anything at all?”

“Yes. I have pretty good night vision as is. Also the good old flashlight.”

“Okay.”

“But one thing is for certain: This encounter wasn’t going a long way towards making me like androids more!”

I dunno, my friend, Daniel thought to himself. Until tonight I never heard you admit that Connor of all people is a person.

The way Daniel understood the process, this was exactly how it worked in the real world. You didn’t win over the haters with reasoning and neither by being kind to them. Where humans – and deviant androids – were concerned, the most powerful forces driving them were habit and a will to not stick out too much. Laws normalizing something could go some way, but direct and continued exposure was working like a charm. First there had been Brandon Colch, a criminal so low in Gavin’s perception that him being an android could not worsen the man’s opinion of him. That had been the first breach. Then Daniel had regained his former self-confidence. He had spoken up more often and gotten into arguments with the detective, but also bonded with him over their shared disdain for Connor. Somehow that had created a blind spot in Gavin’s perception. Daniel no longer registered on the man’s “Android!” radar. And from there, not unlike program instability in an android, the first impact had created ripples. Luther… Alice… Markus… during their investigation/captivity on the Adeline Gavin had tolerated every android in Markus’s retinue that wasn’t named Phillip. In the end even North had been “terrorist chick” to him instead of the former “fuckbot”. Gavin could still not tell Rika from Chika, but no one at the DPD was able to tell the two ST300 receptionists apart. And not long ago the man had gone out of his way to clear up the trouble a nameless PC200 android at the DPD had gotten into. As for Macky… Granted, Gavin deeply despised that one, but Daniel could not really hold it against anybody to dislike Connor’s oh-so correct and annoyingly smug son in Brindleton Bay.

Out loud Daniel said, in a teasing tone: “Or towards being less afraid of them?”

“Nah”, Gavin waved his hand about. “Not of that one! A dumb brute like that is not likely to put me out of employment. It could replace David Allen, though.”

“Don’t start me on him!”

“Won’t. – Oh, my god, will you look at that!”

They were standing on the uneven plateau, looking deeper into the landfill’s geography. In the distance searchlights were illuminating a landscape not unlike the moon’s surface. There were hills and craters and what looked like mining shafts left open by prospectors. The sight was so alien that Gavin would have believed Daniel had he claimed the shafts had gotten installed to allow the dead androids’ souls to escape into the afterlife. In some places there was definite activity, either human or automated: cranes were moving their arms around, heavy tracked vehicles were either flattening the ground or moving the inventory around. Scattered here and there were tiny barracks, probably storage areas used by the VETA employees. Both partners winced when they heard an explosion in the distance. They could only hope that it had been a controlled detonation and not some ominous gases coming up through vents in the garbage.

“What the fuck”, Daniel whispered the line that should have been Gavin’s. There really wasn’t anything else that could have been said there and then.

[btsmosphere]

How to Win at Christmas in 7 Easy Steps | KSJ

~summary: How to win at Christmas... and maybe meet someone along the way. The story of how Jin ended up crawling through your hedge dressed as santa on Christmas eve. And how you were totally not heading to his house for the very same reason.

Jin x reader

~word count: 2.6k

~neighbour au, idiots to lovers, humour, crack, getting together

Rating: pg

Warnings: general chaos and gardening shears

~a/n: thank you to an anon for this idea for the ‘kim seokjin’ bingo square! (my requests are no longer open) I had a lot of fun with this one!

Step 1: pick your battles

Jin stared out of the window.

How dare she?

His neighbour across the street was currently on a ladder, fastening the end of a large string of lights to her house.

Previously, he had thought she was quite cute whenever he passed her in the roads.

But he would have to push that aside, given she was to be his nemesis now.

This was war.

The declaration was loud and clear, staring him in the face outside his window. If he wasn’t so intent on despising it, he might have admitted that the lights looked very good. There were fairy lights around the windows of the house, and hanging from the roof like glittery icicles.

Even the wreath on the red front door had little lights glimmering from within the foliage.

The final straw was really the series of colourful stars forming a stripe across the middle of the house. Other than those, he would say his decorations were roughly the same as these new arrivals.

Which was why it was very clearly a direct attack.

Step 2: make the first move

Looking between the Christmas lights on the shelf in front of him, Jin wondered if he was reading too far into it.

He was sure the stars on the left were the exact ones you had on the front of your house. Would that be too obvious? Settling for the ones on the right, although they were slightly smaller, he walked further into the store, looking for something that would really make his house stand out.

Half an hour later, a large wire Christmas tree could be seen walking across his front lawn, emitting several curses as it went.

Eventually, Jin managed to place it in such a way that it nestled among the plants in his garden without squashing any, and he hurried to switch it on.

Standing back, he admired his work with hands on hips. Perhaps he wasn’t very subtle, looking between your house and his, but he liked what he saw. That would show you. Stars bedecked his front porch in a very pleasing way, and now he had a Christmas tree lighting up his lawn.

What could be better?

A nagging hum nudged at Jin until his eyes cracked open, cursing as he found his room still dark. Legs still tangled in his sheets, he flipped himself over in order to peek out of his window.

The early morning light made him squint, but the moment his eyes were adjusted, he swore out loud.

As it turns out, the source of the humming sound was an inflation device, pumping air into a massive snowman on your lawn. It did look slightly like a melting marshmallow, but as it grew it grinned maliciously up at him, stick arms wobbling tauntingly.

He just gaped, dumbfounded, wishing he had thought of that.

Looking in panic down at his own decorations, he was alarmed to note that his Christmas tree would only look nice at night. Now that daylight slowly seeped into the sky, it looked more and more dull.

“Oh shut up,” he scowled down at the snowman’s growing grin.

A smart move on your part, he thought bitterly. Show off.

Step 3: make another move when your first one fails

Jin would settle for nothing less than a real showstopper.

He had gone to another shop this time, a little further out of town, but, most importantly, bigger. And therefore it would contain Christmassy treasures you could only dream of, little miss look-at-me-I-have-a-snowman.

He bypassed garlands, trees and wreaths, ignored the ‘Santa, stop here!’ signs and those weird window stickers he would never understand. Maybe he had been too optimistic about finding his Christmas holy grail in this place.

But then he turned the corner.

He had just entered a treasure trove. He had the surreal sensation that he was being bathed in a golden glow from the splendour before him.

Now this was more like it!

Everything in this section was large enough to fill his car, a life-size moving Santa beckoning at him from one side while a fake reindeer scuffed its hoof on the ground, mechanical whinny uttering from its mouth.

Walking further in, he identified the golden glow as coming from a large nativity scene. Rather disappointing, if you asked him.

But it couldn’t be helped, so he quickly came to terms with this and found himself not long afterwards debating between a full size sleigh and an igloo.

Chewing his lip, he rotated, assessing both of the items, which were on opposing shelves. The igloo would look very wintery alongside the white lights on his house and the tree in the garden… but maybe not quite Christmassy enough. A sleigh, on the other hand, was unmistakeably festive-

-and being stolen right in front of his nose.

He was rather taken aback to find a woman already halfway up the aisle with the box under her arm when he turned around. A strangled yelp escaped him as he realised it was the last in stock, and he had just been robbed.

Hearing him, the woman turned around.

It was you.

“Oh, hi Jin!” you exclaimed, grin taking over your face. Meanwhile, he just sputtered, mouth hanging open in outrage.

“Um, your lights look really good!” you spoke again, quirking an eyebrow at his silence.

The cheek of it!! He could not believe you had the audacity to speak about decorations in front of him like this.

“Thank you,” he spoke curtly, “yes, they do.”

“Okay,” you laughed lightly, “I better be going. See you around.”

Grumbling to himself, he spun back around forcefully, coming face to face with the igloo he would have to settle for.

“Okay, here’s the deal,” he hissed at said igloo, “you are gonna be the most glorious, majestic igloo this side of Seoul, or else! We’ll see who’s laughing in the end.”

In the end, admittedly, it was actually the shop assistants laughing at the man who seemed to have punched above his weight in Christmas props.

Staggering out of the door, he finally dumped his haul into the back of his car and took a breather leaning against the door. His house had better look spectacular after this.

Step 4: implement step 3

Jin would like to describe himself as modest. Among many other great things.

But even a modest man such as himself had to admit, his decorations looked pretty darn good.

Since fate had so cruelly stripped him of Santa’s sleigh, he had gone all out with the igloo. It stood proud and strong in the middle of his front lawn with presents stacked up at the entrance and a couple of little polar bear cubs just outside.

They even had little hats on.

He was sure the fearsome army he had created would scare you into submission. After all, no more items had appeared over at your place yet.

You probably bought that sleigh just to spite him. Classic sabotage tactic.

Shaking his head, he turned to go inside for a well-deserved cup of hot chocolate.

Step 5: contemplate defeat

When Jin opened his curtains the next morning, he almost fell over in shock.

At first, he thought it had snowed.

But he was mistaken, unless a snow cloud had in fact visited and snowed very specifically on your house.

When the hell had you found the time to do that? Or the ladder to do that? Your roof, as well as the tops of your windows and porch, were dusted in white. And the more he looked, the more he saw. You had even sprinkled some on your wreath!

Worst of all, that damned sleigh sat smugly in front of it, the cherry on the cake.

Begrudgingly, he was impressed. He should take a leaf out of your book when it came to intimidation tactics. Because they had certainly succeeded on him.

How on earth had you accomplished all that?

He sat down heavily in his kitchen, deliberately leaving the curtains closed for now. He leaned heavily on his elbow as he stirred a mug of tea, thoroughly fed up.

What was this feeling?

He had never met his match before. The smug satisfaction of victory had been rudely swiped from his fingertips by you.

But while he stewed in his disappointment all day, it seemed you had been busy. A knock on the door later heralded your arrival with a steaming plate of mince pies.

Oh, so you had to be better at baking too, huh?

“Oh. Hello,” he greeted as he stood in the doorway. His hand still gripped the door in his surprise.

“Hi,” you smiled, “would you like any of these? Maybe you already have some since you’re the only other one on this street with any Christmas spirit, but I thought I’d stop by and offer-“

“Yes. I would like to try some,” Jin cut you off, jutting out his chin. Then, realising himself, his eyebrows drew together and he uttered a sheepish, “thank you.”

Even your laughter sounded like Christmas, tinkling like bells as you followed behind him.

Once he had brewed tea for both of you, he completely forgot his intention to spit your baking back out in a dramatic display of disgust. His disappointment in himself only grew when he found himself reaching out for his third one, only then remembering that he was supposed to be opposed to your insufferable ability to do Christmas better than him.

It was only when it started to grow dark that the two of you realised the time you had wasted just talking. And only a small part of Jin offered to pop over with Christmas baking of his own purely to prove he could do it better than you.

A weighted breath left him as he shut the door behind him.

This would not do. He had to stay true to his ulterior motive, for goodness’ sake!

Across the road, your lights flicked on and he made another unfortunate discovery. Those weird window stickers might have been a good investment after all.

Silhouetted by the warm light of your house, a row of houses stood along the windowsill, dark blobs of snowflakes floated on the glass above them.

Tomorrow, he would completely coat his house in lights and wipe that smug, arrogant, gorgeous smile off your face.

Step 6: make a last ditch effort

By the time Christmas was only a few days away, your little competition had become quite obvious.

Your road lay in darkness, a few lone strings of lights flickering on the odd house… and then the vision was assaulted by two houses opposite each other: yours and Jin’s.

However, Jin only looked out with satisfaction. The plants around his lawn were lined with glittering lights, and more still were piled on the igloo that had become his centrepiece. Even the polar bear cubs had been ensnared in the cheery twine.

As he watched from his window, a family walked along, two kids clutching their mum’s hand. The abundance of light helped greatly by illuminating their smiles as they gazed at the lights on display. But to Jin’s dismay, they turned to your house first, pointing at all the things decorating it and jumping up and down in excitement.

Just a passing glance was thrown at his, before they were on their way.

His hands curled into fists. This simply wasn’t good enough – he had to win at Christmas. He always did! Who were you to threaten the reigning Christmas champion, Kim Seokjin?

There was a chance this was a questionable idea.

Just a small chance.

A little, teeny-weeny, itty-bitty chance.

However, this thought only crossed Jin’s mind as the twigs in the hedge he was currently crawling through nearly ripped his santa hat off his head.

Clutching it tightly to the top of his head, he shuffled a bit further.

It was a strange sight, from your end. As you stepped quietly across your back garden, a movement caught your eye. Freezing where you stood, you had to bite back laughter as Santa himself clambered inelegantly to his feet at the other side of your garden, emerging from below the hedge that divided your house from next door.

Just as he bent down to brush dirt from his red fuzzy trousers, you spotted what he was holding.

You were certain you hadn’t asked for a pair of gardening shears for Christmas.

Then Santa’s head raised, and your suspicions were confirmed. Eyes meeting yours, you could see the thought of I fucked up flit across Jin’s face. Very quickly.

“Um, err- merry Christmas!” he cried in a gruff voice, throwing his arms out.

And then very hurriedly tucking them behind his back as he remembered what he was holding.

“It’s not Christmas yet,” you pointed out.

“Well, um,” he glanced at his watch. It was still Christmas eve for a few hours yet, “I wanted to get to you early! You’re right at the top of the nice list… Hold on! What’s that!”

Following his gaze, you quickly chucked your own pair of shears behind a tree.

“What are you talking about?” you smiled sweetly.

“Were you going to sabotage my Christmas lights?” he cried, cocking his hips to the side and placing a hand on them, still clutching his shears.

An eyebrow raised indignantly. You just laughed.

“Clearly you thought of that first.”

“Yes, that’s right, I did!” he exclaimed, pointing the shears towards you and tilting his head as he berated you, “so don’t you go stealing my idea- why are you laughing?!“

Trying desperately to calm down, you put a hand over your mouth to little effect.

“Why don’t we just go inside?” you giggled.

“I’m sorry?”

“Come inside,” you repeated, “it’s Christmas eve, and I could do with someone as festive as you.”

“Is all this not festive enough for you, Miss Christmas?” he challenged, gesturing towards the glow emanating from the front of your house.

“Miss Christmas? You’re literally dressed as Father Christmas,” you appraised.

“Good point,” he shrugged.

Smirking, you opened the door and waited for him to follow you inside.

“So you… you knew I was trying to one-up you?” he asked as you got two mugs out.

“Mmhmm,” you hummed.

“I’ve never known anyone who can decorate like you,” he sighed, “what’s your secret?”

“Like I would tell you that,” you chuckled.

“So cruel,” he lamented, wiping an imaginary tear from his eye, “what can I ever do to make you tell me?”

“Go out with me,” you laughed.

Nearly choking on air, Jin stared at your back as you continued making drinks as if you had said nothing.

“What?” he gaped.

“I said, go out with me,” you explained, finally turning around, “on a date. I like you.”

Blinking rapidly, he swallowed against the fluttering in his chest.

“Can’t say no to that,” he stuttered, “can’t have you teaming up with anyone else, now, can I?”

“I’m not normally so competitive,” you laughed, the bells tinkling once again.

“So why-“ Jin frowned, but he cut himself off, eyes widening, “wait- was this- have you been… flirting with me?”

“No,” you replied, “I’ve been winning.”

“Yah! I definitely won! What are you talking about?!”

Step 7: maybe accept love as a consolation prize

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The morning came too soon for Elsa Tremblay. That probably had a lot to do with just how many hours she had spent the night before, crying as silently as she could manage into her pillow. Dealing with a lot of unresolved feelings and estranged family was not part of the Peterhouse Bible Camp itinerary.

Still, the reveille sounded all the same, and she peeled herself out of the cold sheets, aching from not getting enough sleep to recharge herself. But despite that, she felt better in some ways.

Less anxious about the redhead still snoozing away peacefully on the other pillow in the room.

Anna, she thought, her pulse already quickening. It's Anna, it's ANNA. I can't believe I'm really bunking with her, and after all this time…

But she wouldn't let herself get her hopes up. No, too long had passed and too many bridges burned for her to accept her sister with open arms. Not simply from her insistences that she had been trying to contact her for several years with no response. It sounded preposterous!

As she showered, she tried not to think about how confident Anna seemed now. That was heartening, and infuriating, and depressing, all at the same time: heartening, because she was glad life had been kind enough to her that she was an independent young woman. Infuriating, because how dare she still be well-adjusted, despite their parents' crippling divorce! And depressing because…

She didn't need her. Clearly, she still wanted her in her life again, but the time for her to be the protective big sister, the one who meant the world to her, had come and gone. And thanks to circumstances beyond her control, said big sister had missed so much. So much that she could not get back.

Still blotting at her hair, she padded back into their room with a sigh. There was no use in trying to dissect everything; they still had weeks left open to them. She would give Anna enough rope to move, and she would either prove herself innocent, or hang herself with it instead.

Of course, the next thing she noticed prompted a small smirk. Leaning over Anna's form, she remarked loudly, "What, can't even get yourself up in the morning?"

An annoyed groan floated out as she was rudely awakened, glancing over at her sister with red-rimmed eyes. "What the hell, Elsa?!" The redhead looked out the window and upon seeing that it was still relatively dark outside, she gave the blonde an irritated glare. "It's too early for this."

Despite her earlier ire, and her lingering mistrust of Anna's insistences about their time apart, Elsa laughed. It was brief, but it was a real laugh, straight from the heart. After all this time, Anna still wasn't a morning person. "You're going to be late, and I don't think you have time for a shower now. Better learn to get up with the reveille."

Anna looked stunned at the sound of her sister laughing, annoyance pretty much gone in the wake of her surprise. She blinked owlishly a few times before grinning up at her. "I think I can live without a shower for one day," she chirped and hopped up with a stretch that made the muscles in her back pop. "So, what's on the agenda today?"

"Meeting our campers. I believe we're assigned the seventh- and eighth-graders, so they'll be pretty well-behaved." As she plopped back down on her bed and kicked off her shower shoes in favour of the roll of socks she'd left on her bed, she asked, "Did you sleep okay?"

Her sister nodded as she started digging around in her bag with her back turned to Elsa, searching for an appropriate pair of pants to wear with the dark green polo that was required. However, there was a slight hesitation when she said, "Yeah, like a baby. You?"

"Not so much." Catching herself at the last second, she explained, "I usually don't the first night." While it was true, guilt swirled in the pit of her stomach as she pulled on her socks and reached for her boots. It had been worse than usual, and not merely because they were at camp. But she couldn't let Anna know that, or she would ask more questions they didn't have time to answer.

Anna paused in her search at the blunt answer, turning her head to look at Elsa over her shoulder with a mix of concern and worry. At the hasty explanation, she nodded before making her way to the bathroom. "Hopefully you sleep better tonight, then," she said before shutting the door behind her.

Finishing up quickly, Elsa went over their roster and plans briefly while she waited for Anna to catch up. The first day was usually easy; introductions, exercises to help them get to know each other better. After dinner, there would be a bonfire, which was as much about lending the camp an air of mystique as it was giving the different cabins a chance to interact with each other, swap stories, and fill their faces with s'mores. The next day would be when all the activities and ministry would truly get rolling.

"Okay, let's go meet the kiddies," she said with an easy smile when she came out three minutes later, decked out in a pair of tight denim shorts, her wild hair tamed into her signature twin braids. Only the slight tension in her shoulders hinted that she wasn't nearly as relaxed as she looked.

"Hmm." When Anna only blinked at her, Elsa elaborated, eyes still pointed down at her sister's thighs, "Those are… a little tight for Bible camp, don't you think? And… short."

Anna looked down at the shorts in a surprise. "Are they? I always wear these and no one really says anything about them."

"Well… we don't really have time for you to change into anything else." Glancing at the door, then back to Anna, she sighed and said, "Let's go. If one of the other counselors says something, we'll worry about it then." Pulling open the front door, she gestured through it and said, "After you."

"My my, what a gentlelady," Anna teased lightly as she walked past her sister. Her hips swayed lightly with every step and she tossed a smile over her shoulder. "I'll race you!"

Elsa scarcely had a second to be flustered by such a provocative walk from her "baby sister" before she was snapped out of it. "What? Oh, Anna, surely you can't be-"

But Anna was already taking off down the path, laughing loudly, "Come on! You're just as slow as you were back then!"

Growling under her breath, Elsa took off running after her, despite her better judgment. She did like to get a good jog in if she could. Doing so with a less-than-ideal amount of sleep was no fun, but it did get her blood pumping, woke her up more fully.

As she had known from the beginning, she got to the main area a few steps behind Anna, panting and sweating. Already, she was going to look like a mess, and she had freshly showered! Out of breath, she snapped, "That… wasn't fair, I had no… warning!"

Anna was breathing hard with strands of strawberry blonde hair clinging to her forehead due to the sweat. She was bent over slightly, hands on her legs to help support herself. Every couple of breaths, a couple of giggles would escape. When Anna finally straightened up she was practically beaming.

"Lighten up, Your Majesty!" she panted. "We used to race all the time! Isn't it fun?"

"You… should have…" Finally, she stopped herself and took a deep breath in, then let it out slowly. "Alright… okay, it was pretty invigorating. But your 'win' doesn't count!" Against her better judgment, she was smiling right back at her sister as she tried to wipe some of the sweat off her temples and onto her longer, more modest khaki shorts.

"Fine. We won't count that win even though it's very obvious who kicked whose butt." Anna giggled some more before she looked over at the building they stopped in front of. "This is where we get breakfast and meet the kids, right?"

Smirking, Elsa finally seemed to have her wind back as she clapped Anna on the shoulder. It was very brief, but it seemed to be the most she could bring herself to do by way of physical contact. "Yeah. Breakfast first, and then introductions. Do you…" She had been going to ask something, but then thought better of it and fell silent. Maybe it was too soon.

Anna was too giddy from the excitement of both Elsa's good mood and the anticipation of meeting the kids to notice Elsa's near-slip of the tongue. With a big smile and shining eyes, she started towards the building. "Great! I'm starving!" Sighing in mingling relief and regret, the elder sister followed her.

Taking up her tray, she stood in line to get the scrambled eggs and sausages that were on the menu for that morning. While Anna split away to go sit with Rapunzel, Elsa began to head toward the table where Aurora and a few of the other "legacies" sat. She usually didn't eat with them, but it was a tradition for Elsa to have her first meal at camp with the others to discuss the future goings-on with the other counselors.

Aurora looked up from the papers she was reading. "Hello there, Elsa," she greeted pleasantly with a light smile. "Welcome back for another summer. I trust that God made this year a good one for you so far?" A couple of the other girls raised their heads to mumble out greetings before going back to their meals. "You seem In a good mood. Was it because of the new girl with you? It was very kind of you to lead her here this morning. Like a shepherd to a lost sheep." She chuckled.

"Yes, she's my…" Elsa hesitated. Maybe she shouldn't be quite so forthright; she wouldn't lie, and she wouldn't try to obscure the truth if anyone asked. But for now, when she was so unsure of how the summer would play out or how she and Anna might resolve the lingering hurt between them… "She's my bunkmate. Anna Saunders. We're in charge of Polar Bear House this year."

Aurora nodded unconcernedly. "So you get those sweet twins again this year, that must be nice. Belle and myself have the Moose House." The young brunette with a bright blue ribbon binding her hair back looked up from the bible she was reading at the sound of her name. "And I think Snow and Rapunzel have the Beaver House. You're lucky, getting the older kids two years in a row. Most of them are wonderful and they'll do great things for our Heavenly Father when they grow older."

"Agreed, they really will. We have a great group here at Peterhouse." Elsa's smile was genuine. While she didn't always like being at the camp, she did have a deep and abiding love for it. "Praise Him. I can't wait to get started today."

"Me either," Aurora agreed wholeheartedly before leaning into Elsa's side and lowering her voice. "Elsa, if I may mention… You might want to let Anna know that her choice of clothing is very inappropriate here. A woman's body is a sacred thing that should only be viewed by her husband, and if our girls see her flaunting that much skin around, it may tempt them to do the same. And that's not even mentioning the poor boys; we don't want any of our flock being swayed by the Devil, do we?" Aurora's voice was still sweet and light, as though she was talking of the weather. "So if you can just mention that to her and remind her that this is a holy place meant to nurture true faith and purity, that would be wonderful."

At that, Elsa had to smirk a little. "Why, afraid the boys won't be able to control themselves? Don't worry; I already warned her about the shorts. We were pressed for time, so I didn't think it prudent to make her change into something else and leave our poor campers wondering why they were only getting one counselor — and she wouldn't have found her way to their cabin as easily by herself if I left her behind."

"As long as she knows and doesn't do it again, I'll let it slide. Though as one of the Christian faith, she really should know this already." Aurora shrugged and went back to finishing her food. Belle gave Elsa a shy smile and a nod before ducking back to her book.

Anna had finished her food and was now advancing towards the table Elsa was sitting at, toying nervously with her fingers as she stopped and tapped her shoulder. "I'm ready to go when you are."

Looking over her shoulder, she forced a polite smile onto her face. "Very well, I'm also through." Though she hadn't eaten quite as much as she would have liked, she quickly downed the rest of her juice as she stood from the table; she would need that natural sugar above all else. "See you later, girls." There was a chorus of goodbyes as Anna and Elsa left the table.

Despite being not quite familiar with the area, Anna was walking slightly in front of her sister, looking around at the woods surrounding the camp with eyes filled with wonder. "Hey Elsa, we're free to do what we please on Saturdays and Sundays, right? Maybe you can take me hiking down some of these trails?" Anna turned to her with a bright smile. "You know, as some kind of crazy, trust exercise! Don't axe murder me, please?"

"Not really," Elsa had to inform her. "There aren't organised activities, but we're still supposed to help out on Saturdays; keep the kids in line. On Sundays we can do whatever we want, after morning services." Of course, she had sidestepped Anna's question about hiking the trails for the moment, but she wanted to make sure Anna knew they wouldn't just be able to run wild the minute the weekend hit.

"Oh." Anna shrugged, her smile not wavering. "That makes sense for us to keep the kiddies occupied during a weekend. So long as we get one day, I'm cool with that. I wonder if I can get permission to go into town for an afternoon so I can do some shopping…" Anna continued to ramble as they walked, occasionally stumbling on a stray branch or rock but somehow always managing to keep her footing while keeping up her chatter.

Following along, instinctively raising a hand whenever she saw Anna nearly trip, Elsa huffed, "Well… I wouldn't count on it this weekend, but maybe the next."

"I also need to get Papa a present," Anna continued as though Elsa hadn't spoken. "It's his birthday in a few weeks and I promised him I would find him something nice. 'Course, I'm pretty sure I can make a birdhouse that's ready to fall apart and he would love it." She giggled excitedly. "I need to get something for you, too. Your birthday is close too, isn't it? July… yeah, July 20th! I sent you a few things before but they would always get there a day or so late, so I'm sorry about that!"

"It doesn't matter, anyway; I never got any of them." Hearing just how bleak she had sounded in her response, Elsa cleared her throat and said, "Very well, I'll see if we can get away on Sunday. You'll probably need to buy a few more pairs of shorts, won't you? Ones that aren't so… inadequate for this camp."

Again, her eyes were drawn to the thigh flesh on display for the entire camp. A few of the boys from the boy cabins did glance at Anna, but despite Aurora's fears, they didn't seem to much care that her shorts were a couple of inches shorter than those of the sister behind her. No one was chasing after her, no one was fainting at the sight. Maybe it didn't matter too much, after all.

But Anna had frozen at Elsa's words, and the dull tone in which they were spoken, and she stared at Elsa in disbelief. None of the rest of what Elsa said mattered as she spoke up, "You never got any of my presents?" She was clearly trying hard not to yell as the upset mounted. "I don't believe that! The snow globe with the two sisters skating I sent when you turned sixteen? The snowflake bracelet I saved up almost two years of my allowance for to celebrate your eighteenth?" She stared hard at her sister and her voice went soft with pain. "N-Not even the pi-picture frame I made you for last year? I went after hours to the school's woodworking class every day for weeks, trying to get it right a-and I made sure to paint it perfectly, and I even put my favourite picture of me and you in it…" She bit her lip and looked away. "You didn't get any of it?"

All through the words, Elsa had been feeling more and more frustrated. But perhaps not for the reason her sister expected. "Alright, Anna, alright. I don't know if these stories are supposed to make you feel better, but… I already told you, I'm not convinced." But hearing how harsh that was falling, she softened her voice; estranged or not, she was still her sister. "You have to see it from my perspective. What proof have I had of any presents or letters, or anything at all over the past… what, five years? That is a long, long time to go without any word."

"So you just think I'm lying?" Anna asked, her eyes reflecting hurt and anger despite Elsa's attempt to ease the blow. She shook her head. "Elsa, why would I lie about this?"

"I don't know why. But I also don't know why Mother would lie about it, either. Where does that put me?" When she saw Anna's expression, she sighed, running a hand down her own face. "Let's just… get started with the campers. Doesn't that make more sense than quibbling over something neither of us can prove?"

It took a few seconds for Anna to regain her composure before she nodded. "Alright, let's go." The cheer in her voice was clearly faked, as was the smile that Anna cast as she started walking away. "We'll meet them and play with them, and just have a merry old time."

"Anna…" But she had already left. Having no better idea of what to say to her than she already had, Elsa rolled her eyes up toward the sky, silently begging God to help her get through such an ordeal.

                                         To Be Continued…