#mine is just mildly cold like i washed my face with water and let it dry

[woefulstar]

i love my sister's horrified reaction when she put her "moisturizing" skincare product thingies on my dryass face and watch as it leave with no trace behind

[skeetusmcyeetus]

I’ve making headcanons about all of my hyper fixations for a while now and just dumping them on my friends so I’m gonna also dump them here.

If you’re into All For the Game , My Hero Academia, ATLA, The Raven Cycle stay fuckn tuned my doods bc I have a loooot of stuff rattling around my empty skull.

Not all of these are 100% mine some of them are already pretty popular and I’m expanding on them or I heard something similar and edited it to my own tastes

I’ll separate them by series,,,

Theres like one canon that’s mildly nsfw

TW: drug abuse

Mha/Bnha

pro hero kirishima’s Red Riot™️ merch is insanely size inclusive bc he wants fatgum to be able to wear the hoodie that kiri’s pr team sent him but that’s not all,,

If he wasn’t super gay and in love with Bakugou he’d be very Into BBWs so again his merch is super size inclusive bc he wants everyone to be able to wear it

The company that makes the merch also takes requests for special made merch for people who’s quirks interfere with a “normal” size or dimension

ALSO ,,,,this man(kiri) is built like a fuckn MACK TRUCK OKAY he is 6’7” and cannot fit through doorways without ducking and turning a little to the side ,,, he is broad And still wears no shirt™️ ,,, this being said ,, bakugou is still around 5’8” and pretty slim don’t get me wrong he’s extremely strong and toned but he’s not huge,, it makes flying easier if he stays a little lighter ,,,,,,, the point is,, sometimes kiri will pick up bakugou with one arm and bakugou can’t even pretend to hate it anymore

Also,,,, fatgum has to use special pens and keyboards because of how big his hands are,,, he’s literally 8’2” I won’t take criticism on this

Fatgum actually loves wearing red riot and sun eater merch

Allmight and Inko start dating and one day when they’re out someone comments on how much all might “looks like a skeleton” and she absolutley lets loose on them for being so vapid and shallow and how “he’s risked his life to save people like you more times than you have ever even thought about being helpful in your life and it would serve you well to treat someone who’d die for you without even knowing you with more respect”

All might had to gently pull her away bc the guy was crying and she wasn’t anywhere near finished with him

Midnight is Asexual and aggressively pretends to be horny on main™️ because for one, it works with her quirk and two, nothing sells better than sex especially when you’re a woman.

Bakugou and kirishima use sign language to talk shit at Public events

Dabi is addicted to painkillers because he’s been on them his entire life,, he wakes up with the shakes and sometimes toga has to help him take his meds in the morning because he’s already in withdrawal

Tensei was the first one to realize that iida was autistic and immediately did copious amounts of research on ASD and how to be a good brother to him

ATLA

sokka grows his hair as long as Zuko’s (except the sides obvi) and sometimes he’ll wear his hair in the fire nation top knot and zuko loses it every time

Azula gets help and now sometimes when she wakes up with the sun after a night of fitful sleep she goes to the courtyard to have tea with iroh. They never talk, but then again they never need to.

Sometimes after a hard day sokka falls asleep in the bathtub and wakes up to zuko warming the water back up and washing his hair for him

Suki lounges in zukos throne while zuko gets worked up about stuff and paces all around the room

Mai is on the ace spectrum

When sokka and zuko visit the southern water tribe zuko will firebend for the all of the kids in the village,,, they love him so much and sometimes sokka gets a little teary eyed watching him

Sokka braids zukos hair water tribe style and it’s the hottest thing maybe ever

Zuko takes sokka on shopping sprees pretty frequently and sokka fuckn loves it

One time someone has the nerve to call sokka “the fire lords sugar baby” and sokka just flips his ponytail over his shoulder Ariana style and says “and what about it?”

The Raven cycle

Ronan has 100% killed Robert Parrish in his dreams and when he wakes up to see Adam next to him he almost immediately wants to go back to sleep and do it again for all the pain he’s caused Adam

Gansey is oblivious to the fact that he is indeed shredded,, when he gets really worked up he moves his arms a l o t like rolls up his sleeves, crosses and uncrosses his arms and The gang’s favorite is when he puts his hands on his head and subconsciously flexes,,,, literally entire gangsey will group swoon at him and he genuinely thinks they are marvelling at his passion for whatever he’s worked up about

Ronan watched broke back mountain once when he was like 16 and now all he can think about is being a gay cowboy ,,,

Adam will read people’s tarot wrong if theyre douchebags

Don’t you think it’s funny that the ganseys don’t have any straight children?

Blue has a T-shirt from each member of the gangsey (except Noah,, rip Noah) and shes created a terrible Franken-T-shirt by ripping them up and sewing them all back together in an extremely ugly patch work thing

Adam talks in Latin in his sleep and it really freaks his roommate out,, like a lot,, not to mention the fact that Adam already creeps him out to begin with bc he’s got that other vibe that comes from being tied to cabeswater and lindenmere ,, 6 out of 7 days his roommate is convinced that he’s a witch or a fairy or something

Ronan teaches opal how to bake and opal burns everything on purpose

aftg

Neil has definitely killed multiple people to survive

Neil’s mom definitely made him kill someone at least twice to make sure he could kill to survive on his own if they got separated

he probably definitely still has nightmares about each one

Matt and Dan both had a crush on Neil for like 30 seconds and absolutely talked to each other about him

Ppl always talk about how hot it is to crush a watermelon with your thighs,,,, Andrew could do it with his arms

Aarons ass is so flat and Andrew has an absolute dumptruck

Kevin started out as one of those annoying “obsessed with WWII” history guys and now he’s actually very into queer history and will rant about the lavender scare for an hour if you let him

The foxes lounge room(?) has a dart board with riko’s face on it to this day,, they literally have a drawer full of copies the same image of riko and every time one gets worn out they put a new one up. It’s more of an inside joke now but wymack still hates that little puke even though he’s dead so it stays up

Post-canon Neil gets drunk and teaches the team how to steal a car by hot wiring Matt’s truck

Matt does drag for halloween one year and Dan liked it a little too much *cough cough* she pegged him while he was still in drag

Someone once asked Renee if she was “saving herself for marriage like a good Christian girl should” and Allison knocked them out cold and stepped over the body

Neil calls Aaron ugly to his face literally any chance he gets (I feel like this one might be canon but I actually don’t know What’s real anymore)

Andrew Unironically wears a pink apron that says “kiss the cook” that Nicky got him for Christmas when he bakes

Okay I think that’s it ? For now?? Let me know if y’all want more,,,,, I’ll separate them next time I just really had to dump these and I didn’t want to make multiple posts.

I made this at 5:30 in the morning sorry if it’s riddled with typos and errors.

[high-functioning-lokipath]

Unusual Way - Loki x Reader - Words: 3,294 (including song lyrics)

A/N: Reader is Silver Shadow. However, this doesn't follow the same 'first meeting/falling in love' sequence as "Hurting Each Other".

Loki and you were best friends and had been for about 2 years now since he moved into the tower. It all started the day he'd moved in while you were out on a mission and no one had the brilliant idea to tell you that you were now sharing your floor with someone.

~ 2 Years Ago~

So there you were, exhausted and dirty from the fight, looking forward to a nice hot shower. You'd already taken off your cape in the elevator and as you got off and walked down the hallway to your bedroom, you started to pull at the zipper of your jacket.

"I must say, I wasn't expecting you to be so forward."

"Who's there?" You yelled, not recognizing the voice that spoke to you. You whipped around, trying to see who it was that was speaking.

"Hello," A man suddenly said, appearing directly in front of you. You throw a quick punch but your hand goes right through him and he disappears. "Over here!" He exclaims, waving to you from a few steps away. You quickly draw one of your knives and throw it at him. Again it goes right through him.

"I said, who are you?" You demand, not having had a chance to get a good look at his face yet.

"Tsk tsk," He says, appearing once more, a few feet now away from you. "So impatient." As he talks you focus on the vase setting on the hallway table behind him and start drawing it towards you. If you time it just right, you can either hit him or, if he's not there again, stop it in time before it hits you. "I am Loki, of Asgard! And I am burdened wi-OW!" He yells as the vase hits his head. "Will anyone ever let me finish that thought?"

“Loki?” You screeched. “What are you doing here? Do the others know?” You asked, rushing up to the admittedly handsome man. Even during his attack on New York you couldn’t help but go a little starry-eyed at his presence.

“I am here to help. I,” He sighed, rubbing the back of his head again. “I’m here to work with you and your little team.” Your eyebrows shot up in surprise.

"Oh! Well, I, uh, sorry about that," You stuttered, gesturing to his head. "Here, let me fix that." You reached up and touched the back of his head gently.

"Thank you," He replied with a small smile.

"Let's start over," You grinned. "Hi, I'm Y/N. I guess I'm your new floormate." He grinned back, still surprised by your kindness.

"Yeah, I guess you are."

~ 6 Months Later ~

"C'mon, Y/N!" Loki yelled down the hallway. "The pairs' free dance is about to begin!" You ran out of the bathroom, socks sliding on the hardwoods.

"Woah!" You exclaimed, sliding, or rather bodyslamming, into him. He of course caught you easily, being used to this occurrence, and laughed. A few minutes later you were both sitting on the couch with a rather large bowl of popcorn between you. "Those twizzles were completely out of sync. That's going to ruin their score."

"Perhaps," he commented, tossing another buttery snack in his mouth. "But their lifts have been perfect unlike the other couples." You shrugged and continued watching. You found yourself shivering, however, as you continued watching the programs.

"Has the thermostat gone down?" You asked. Loki got up and checked.

"No, are you cold?" He, of course, didn't notice any difference since he was, not only a Frost Giant, but also wearing a lovely sweater, you thought.

"Yeah, must be the ice," You joked, nodding at the television. You eyed his soft, grey sweater once again and decided that, even though it looked absolutely stunning on him, you needed it more.

"Um, would it be alright if I borrowed your sweater?" You asked nervously. He looked mildly surprised but quickly pulled it off and handed it to you. "Thanks," You said quietly. The past couple weeks you'd realized you had developed a minor crush on your new best friend. You didn't say anything, however, for fear of ruining said friendship. "It smells like you," You chuckled, pulling the jumper close around you. Loki blushed brightly and apologized.

"Sorry, so sorry. I can-I can get a new one from the wash." He went to get up, face still flushed in embarrassment.

"Loki, it's fine," You replied, stopping him. "I don't mind. Thank you for lending it to me." He smiled sweetly at you in reply.

"You're welcome. After all, what are friends for?"

~ 1 Year Later ~

"He's too pretty for his own good, Nat!" you complained, throwing quick punches at your sparring partner.

"And what's that supposed to mean?"

"It means if he knew what's good for him, he would be so perfect all the time!" You blocked three punches and landed one of your own. "If he doesn't I might have to take matters into my own hands."

"Meaning you'll finally ask him out instead of driving us all crazy pining over him like you have been for the past year and a half or so?" She retorted with a smirk, flipping you to the ground and pinning your arms behind you. You groaned and rolled out from under her, standing and holding your hands up in defeat.

"No! Of course not! It means I'd have to ugly him up a little." Natasha rolled her eyes and laughed.

"Like you'd ever have the guts! C'mon! Be honest with yourself! You liked him since New York. Just put on your big-girl pants and tell him! And if you can't find yours, I can lend you mine," She teased, playfully slapping your butt.

"Watch it, Widow!" you snapped. "I'm going to the conference room if it's not in use. I don't want to be disturbed, ok?"

"Fine, just let me know all the juicy details when you finally have the guts to go back to your floor, ok?" You rolled your eyes and walked out.

"Finally alone," you sighed, tossing your gym bag in a chair and slumping down in another. "FRIDAY?”

"Yes, Miss Y/N?" The AI replied.

"Please shut the blinds and lock the door. Emergency override only."

"Yes, Miss." You closed your eyes, tears threatening to slip through.

"FRIDAY, shuffle Linda Eder from my library."

"Of course," The AI replied. When I Look In Your Eyes started playing and you leaned back in the chair, closing your eyes and tuning out the rest of the world. You were so focused on your music and trying to figure out your own feelings that you didn't hear the door open. The next song started and you chuckled humorlessly.

"This one's for you," You said to yourself, thinking of your best friend. You sang along as Unusual Way played.

“In a very unusual way, one time I needed you

In a very unusual way, you were my friend

Maybe it lasted a day, maybe it lasted an hour

But somehow it will never end

In a very unusual way, I think I'm in love with you

In a very unusual way, I want to cry

Something inside me goes weak, something inside me surrenders

And you're the reason why, you're the reason why

You don't know what you do to me

Don't have a clue

You can't tell what it's like to be me

Looking at you

It scares me so that I can hardly speak...

In a very unusual way, I owe what I am to you

Though at times it appears I won't stay, I never go

Special to me in my life, since the first day that I met you

How could I ever forget you, once you had touched my soul

In a very unusual way...

You made me whole”

When you finished you thought you heard a noise behind you but when you turned around there was no one there. You shrugged it off as your own overactive imagination and got up, gathering your stuff. When you got back upstairs, you found Loki in the kitchen. "Thought you might like some lunch," He explained.

"Oh, thanks," You replied, sitting down and letting him serve you. After a few minutes of silent eating you decided you needed to say something. "Loki, I-"

"Y/N, I-" You both laughed, having spoken at the same time.

"You first," You both said. Laughing again, you shook your head and motioned for him to go on.

"Y/N, I must confess something. I-" He paused, taking a deep breath. "I wasn't going to say anything because I was afraid of how you'd respond but," He chuckled nervously. "I believe I've fallen in love."

"Oh!" You gasped. You set down your fork, losing your appetite quickly. "So who's the lucky lady? Do I know her?" You asked, taking a sip of water trying to look casual.

"Yes you do," He replied, smirking. "She's very beautiful and talented. She's kind and helpful to everyone. And most importantly she-"

BZZT BZZT

"Uh, sorry," you said, looking at your ringing phone. "I should take this. It's Steve." Loki looked upset but nodded. "Hello?"

"Y/N? We've got a problem. Is Loki with you?"

"Uh, yeah, he is. Cap, what's wrong?" Loki got up and moved closer to listen in on the conversation.

"We just got intel on a new Hydra base. This one's different though. They have too many defensive procedures in place for us to just attack. We need someone on the inside. That's where you and Loki come in."

"You're sending us to work undercover in a base?!" You screeched.

"Yes, pack a few things and be on the helicarrier in an hour. I'll finish briefing you then."

Working on the inside was, of course, much harder than you'd expected. Thankfully no one here knew you from your actual Hydra days so that made it easier. You just hadn't expected being separated from Loki for so long. Especially after your interrupted conversation, you wanted to talk to him again. Steve assured you, though, it would be a quick mission and you could get back to your normal life within a few weeks.

~ 6 Months Later ~

"You have exactly 2 minutes to get out before this whole place blows, you got that?" Cap yelled through your comms. The mission had gotten complicated and had extended to 6 Months for you both. But now you and Loki had apparently collected enough info for Cap and the others to finally come and blow it all open. Although, none of you had expected a literal explosion. You grabbed the last of the information you needed and booked it out of there. Once you made it into the clearing where the others had regrouped, you looked around frantically as Cap took a head count. "Loki's not out yet!"

"What!" You exclaimed. "There's only 30 seconds!" Suddenly your comms crackled to life.

"Found...girl…trapped," Loki said. The static made it impossible to understand the sentence fully but you understood what he meant.

"Loki! Get out!" Steve yelled.

"I'm going in," You said. Steve yelled to stop you but you were too quick. You teleported in and found the two, trying to shelter themselves in a corner. "Loki!"

"Y/N?" He exclaimed, turning to see you. "What are you doing here?"

"Trying to rescue you, you idiot! Now hold on." You reached out and grabbed Loki's and the girl's hands and teleported out just as the building exploded. Cap immediately went to help the girl, leading her back to the helicarrier.

"So," Loki said, looking at your hand still gripping his. You impulsively gave him a hug, the thought that you could have lost him starting to sink in. "Thank you."

"You're welcome," You replied, pulling away quickly. "I just-"

"Loki! Y/N! C'mon!" Cap called out. You were interrupted once more but ran to the helicarrier and rode back home in silence. When you landed back at the tower, you rushed to your bedroom and flung yourself on the bed face first.

"I need a life," You groaned. You heard Loki calling out for you so you rushed into the bathroom and quickly turned on the shower hoping that he would think you were in there and leave. Once you didn't hear him anymore you decided it actually was a good idea to take a shower so you adjusted the temperature and got in. A few minutes later you found yourself lost in the magical world of shower thoughts. Not wanting to get upset again, you decided on music. "FRIDAY, shuffle my library," You said.

"Right away," It replied. As you were dressing a few songs later, Unusual Way started playing and you thought back to the day you'd left for the mission. You sang along sadly, once again thinking of the man you loved who, apparently, loved someone else.

"You don't know what you do to me

Don't have a clue

You can't tell what it's like to be me

Looking at you"

You opened your door to go to the kitchen and Loki stumbled in. "Were you leaning on the door?"

"Maybe," He admitted, blushing. You stared at him, gesturing for him to explain. FRIDAY paused your music since you were talking and he glanced up at the ceiling. "I wanted to talk to you but I heard the shower start so I was going to leave but then I heard you singing and-"

"I don't like performing," You snapped, quite embarrassed that he'd heard you singing that song especially.

"But I want to hear you sing. Especially that song, you sing it so beautifully."

"How would you know? You heard me through a door," You scoffed. Pushing past him you walked out into the hallway, pulling your door shut behind you.

"Not six months ago I didn't." That stopped you in your tracks. Spinning around on your heel you marched back up to him.

"You heard me when?"

"In the conference room, the day we left for the mission. I'd gone to watch you practice and see if maybe you wanted to practice with me a little but Natasha said you'd left already. She told me where you were and that you didn't want to be disturbed but," He chuckled softly. "Has that ever stopped me?" You laughed and shook your head. "Well, I heard you singing and I decided to leave you be."

"Oh well, thanks I guess," You said, smiling softly, still embarrassed but not as mad anymore.

"May I ask, who were you singing to?"

"What do you mean?"

"When the song started you said 'this one's for you'. Who did you have in mind?"

"Oh," You said, surprised. You blushed brightly and shook your head. "Just someone I care for very much I suppose."

"You suppose?" He teased.

"Ok! I do care about him! Geez! You're as bad as Nat sometimes!" He laughed loudly and you could help but smile wider. You loved when he laughed like that, a real laugh that reached his eyes and filled the room. As you walked into the kitchen and sat down at the counter together, you quickly remembered your conversation at lunch that day though and frowned. "Unfortunately I don't think he quite thinks of me the same way."

"Why's that?" He asked, brows furrowing.

"I am quite sure he has his eyes on another girl."

"Is it the Captain?"

"Oh goodness no!" You immediately replied. "No, definitely not." His eyes suddenly lost their joy and he seemed almost scared to ask his next question. He got up and went to the window, putting quite a bit of space between you.

"Is it my brother?" He asked quietly.

"No! No no no! Never!" You exclaimed. You actually shuddered at the mental image. Realizing what needed to be done you teleported yourself in front of him with your back to the window. He startled and jumped back quickly. You smirked and stepped closer. "I don't know if you've noticed but I'm not a fan of blond's."

"Perhaps Banner then?" He stammered, trying to come up with an idea. You could not believe how clueless he could be.

"What? Ew! No!" You pretended to gag. "I like someone more fun, more mischievous," You grinned.

"Misch-oh," He breathed, finally figuring it out. You looked away, feeling embarrassment set in again. "Well, Y/N, I-"

"Look, I know you were trying to tell me before we left that you're in love and I couldn't be happier for you and I wish you all the best but I just needed you to know, ok?" You cried.

"But Y/N! You don't-"

"I'm sorry," You said, trying to run past him to lock yourself up in your room.

"Not so fast," He said, grabbing your arm.

"Wha-" You were cut off by a pair of lips meeting yours. He quickly pulled away, grinning like mad.

"You don't know what I've been trying and wanting to tell you! The girl I love is you, Y/N! I love you!"

"Me?" You squeaked, smiling giddily. He nodded and you laughed. "I cannot believe it. We've been idiots haven't we?"

"Most certainly," He agreed. He gave you another quick kiss and looked in your eyes. "I think I've loved you since we met but you know when I fell in love with you?"

"When?"

"When you borrowed that grey sweater and never gave it back." You gasped, eyes widening in surprise.

"I didn't realize I never returned it!"

"Oh sure! You wear it all the time!"

"I do no-oh," You paused, thinking about your closet. "Maybe I do," You chuckled. "Well, I actually liked you from the first time I saw you."

"When I scared you coming off the elevator?"

"No, 2012," You whispered. Loki stared at you, quite surprised. "I knew what you were doing was wrong but," You sat down on the couch, having wandered into the living area. "Somehow I understood you."

"Y/N, I don't know what to say. I, well, I was a very different man then and-"

"And you were pretty," You deadpanned.

"Ah, so my irresistible charms strike again." You both laughed and he sat beside you. "Y/N, I think we've been fooling ourselves for far too long. Now, you love me, right?"

"Yes!" You said emphatically.

"And I love you, right?"

"I sure hope so!" He grinned and you wondered where this was going. He stood up and took your hand in his.

"Well then, I should wish to officially court you if that should please you and have your approval," He said, bowing slightly.

"I accept," You replied immediately. You stood up and gave him a big hug. "Oh, Loki, thank you."

"You're welcome, my love. But I hope you know what this means."

"What?" You asked, pulling away just in time to see his smirk.

"It means you're no longer allowed to hog the popcorn bowl on skate night!"

"No," You retorted. "It means that as your girlfriend I can now officially tell you to get your own!" He gasped, playing offended.

"Why! I'm wounded!" He cried, holding his hand over his heart.

"Does this help?" You teased, placing your hand there instead.

"No," He smirked. "But this might," He said, pulling you in for another kiss. "I will never tire of that."

"Nor I," You sighed contentedly. "But we must stop for now."

"Why?"

"It's skate night and I need to get the popcorn ready!"

"Go sit down," He smiled. "I'll get it ready."

"Aw! How sweet!" You squealed. "Alrighty then." You walked back to the couch as settled in. "Loki, dear?" You called out towards the kitchen.

"Yes, darling?"

"Remember, 2 bowls!"

Loki Taglist

@lucywrites02

@delightfulheartdream

@serpentargo

@khena

@nyx2021

@kaz11283

@weasley-main-lover

@up-to-mischief

@lokislittlesigyn

@darkacademicfrom2021

@lokiwhxre

@loki-laufeyson965

@eclipsedplanet

Marvel (all characters) Taglist

@bartv21

@another-crazy-fangirl

@whatafuckingdumbass

@ladylulu143

@lokislittlesigyn

@gaitwae

@mysticunicorn7

@kind-of-crazy-butthatsokay

@thoughts-and-lovely-illusions

@for-hearthand-home

@lokistoriesblog

[elvish-sky]

That Oblivious {Legolas x Reader}

A.N: This one was ridiculously fun to write! I got to incorporate one of my favorite little tropes that I’ve always wanted to put in a fic. Thank you very much for this request, Anon. I hope you enjoy it!

Requested by Anon on Tumblr: helloo! I'm not sure this is the right way to do this, (please tell me if it isn't and how to do it properly, and sorry!!) but may i request a legolas x reader where the reader is part of the fellowship, and merry and pippin make their mission to get them together because they noticed how they feel for each other? take your time and thank you!!

Word Count: 1,521

Pairing: Legolas x Reader

Summary: Noticing the connection between you and Legolas, Merry and Pippin attempt to get you to realize your feelings for each other.

Warnings: Some insinuations, fluff

****

That Oblivious

“Pip! Have you noticed that?” Merry had run up alongside Pippin, returning after walking behind you and Legolas.

“Notice what?” Pippin was confused. He hadn’t seen any mushrooms, and no one else had done anything even mildly amusing in several days. To tell the truth, Pippin was beginning to get bored.

“Well,” Merry had that glint in his eyes that meant he was planning something. “I was behind Y/N and Legolas, and they were talking about archery and elves, rather boring things if you must know. However, they do seem like they might be good together. I think we should set them up!”

Pippin perked up. “I like that idea!” He thought back over the last several weeks with the Fellowship, remembering the glances one of you had snuck at the other when you didn’t think anyone would notice. How whenever you were going on and on about something boring, Legolas would be rapt with attention, and when he cooked you were always the first to praise his skills, even though they were rather mediocre.

“The only issue is, I’m not sure they know that they’ve fallen in love. This is going to take some work.” Merry was ready, though. He, like Pippin, had been getting tired of the mundane regularity of the journey.

“Alright then. Where should we begin?”

Merry slung his arm over his friend’s shoulders. “I was thinking we could start small.”

Coming back to the campsite with armfuls of firewood, you plopped it down next to the fire, and turned, wanting to go grab something from your pack. To your surprise, your stuff was not where you had placed it earlier.

“Y/N?” Legolas called to you from the other side of the clearing. “Why is your stuff next to mine?”

You jogged over to him to see that your bedroll had, in fact, been placed right next to his, and your packs were side-by-side. “I have absolutely no idea. I did not put it there.” You shrugged. “It seems like a pain for one of us to move, let us just stay here.” The elf nodded, and you went back to building the fire. Neither of you noticed the two hobbits congratulating themselves in the background, pleased that the first part of their plan had worked.

You awoke the next morning to the soft sound of breathing in your ear. Surprised, you jerked into a sitting position, and the arm slung across your body flopped back onto the owner. His legs, however, were still slightly entwined with yours.

“Legolas?” You were shocked to find yourself sleeping, snuggling, really, with the elf. He blinked awake, “Y/N? What- why are we sleeping together?”

You shook your head. “I honestly do not know. I woke up, and we were like this. Well, except your arm was around my waist, too.” He was blushing like mad, now. “I’m so sorry, Y/N. Our bedrolls were close together last night and somehow we must have shifted closer, and I’m a snuggler when I sleep…” He was rambling now.

“It’s ok, Legolas.” You were laughing at him at this point. “I did not mind, and it is not like we did anything wrong!”

“Ok.” He looked sheepish. “Shall we not speak of this to anyone else?”

You agreed and shook his hand to seal the deal. Rising, you separated your bedding and packed it up, then going around and waking everyone up to start the day. Hidden from your view, Merry and Pippin had been perched in a tree and seen you and Legolas sleeping.

“I cannot believe that did not work!” Merry was disappointed. “Do not worry, Merry! We still have many more plans to get to!” Pippin was rubbing his hands together in excitement. Clambering down the tree, the two hobbits pretended to come from the direction of their bedrolls, yawning as they walked over to you and Legolas.

“Morning, Y/N, Legolas! How did you sleep?” Merry was going to have a little fun with this and stifled a chuckle as the two of you looked everywhere except at each other.

“That was ridiculous.” Merry was furious as he plopped down on a rock next to Pippin. They had spent most of the day walking trying to put you and Legolas in situations where you’d realize. They had tripped you to make you fall into Legolas’ arms so many times that Aragorn was worried you might have a balance issue, and Legolas was worried about Pippin’s eyes given the amount they’d winked at him.

“We shall not give up yet!” Pippin was still very determined. “I have a plan.”

“Pip, your last six plans have not worked. It might be time to give up.” Merry was rubbing his forehead in exasperation.

“Nope! This time it’ll work, trust me.” Pippin was dead set on success.

Meanwhile, you were down at the stream with Legolas, Frodo, and Sam, washing off in the water. The males had kept their trousers on, and you had your chest wrappings and underthings to cover yourself, but the rest of the clothing was lying in piles on the rocks. As you were washing your hair, Frodo and Sam got out of the water and, after redonning their shirts, made their way back to the campsite. You were left alone with Legolas, and it was a little awkward, but fine. After rinsing your hair off, you turned back to the shoreline, intending to get your clothes and go warm up at the fire.

Your clothes, along with the elf’s, were gone.

“Legolas!” His head whipped towards you, water spraying as his wet hair moved. “Where are our clothes!” As he looked towards where they should have been, you could see his eyes widen. “I don’t know! I bet someone took them as a joke.”

“Well, we should go back to the campsite and see if any of our companions know of their whereabouts.” You exited the water, dripping without anything to dry yourself on, and rather cold in the night air. Legolas, emerging next to you, was determinedly not looking at your glistening body, how the drops of water ran along your smooth skin, how the soaked wrappings on your chest left little to the imagination and your underthings clung to your skin. You, in turn, were trying not to focus on how the soaked fabric of his trousers on his legs clearly outlined all his muscles, accentuating his already apparent strength.

Each trying to not stare at the other, you stomped back into the campsite to see your clothes lying next to Merry and Pippin by the fire. Stomping over to them, rather embarrassed to be this undressed out of the water in front of the whole group, you grabbed your trousers, yanking them on, and pulled your tunic over your head.

“Why did you steal our clothes?” You were mad. Very mad. And, judging by the expression on Legolas’ face, he was too.

“In our defense, you weren’t supposed to just come right back when you found out your clothes were gone,” Pippin muttered. “What?” Legolas, with his keen elven ears, had heard him. “What else would we have done?” You were confused and didn’t notice the smirks on the faces of everyone else around the fire. Pippin was about to retort but thought better of it. Instead, he and Merry came and sat across from the two of you as the rest of the Fellowship looked on. You were a little worried by the seriousness on the two hobbits’ faces.

“Y/N, Legolas, we have something to tell you.” Merry was a little exasperated, but Pippin looked as if he was desperately trying to hold in his excitement.

“What?” You gestured apprehensively for them to continue.

“Y/N, you are in love with Legolas.” Merry looked delighted with himself after speaking. An immediate guffaw was heard from Boromir, seeing where they were going with this. You, meanwhile, were processing this statement in shock.

“And you, Legolas, are in love with Y/N.” Pippin looked just as pleased with himself as Merry had.

You and Legolas were sitting there, shellshocked. You came to a conclusion first.

“By the Valar. I am in love with Legolas!”

“And, somehow without my knowledge, I’ve fallen in love with Y/N!”

The twin looks of shock on your faces were too much for the rest of the Fellowship, after attempting to hold it in, they all collapsed, laughing.

“What kind of confession did we just witness?!” Aragorn was possibly dying of laughter.

Boromir agreed. “How can two beings possibly be that oblivious?!”

Ignoring them, you looked into the eyes of the elf. “You love me? Really?”

He nodded. “It snuck up on me, but yes. I do.”

“I love you too, Legolas.”

He lifted his arm with a delighted expression, gesturing for you to scooch closer. Doing so, he wrapped his arm around your shoulders and pulled you into him. You rested your head on his shoulder, content to sit there with him and watch your friends roll around on the forest floor, still consumed with laughter.

Everything tag 💞: @entishramblings @boyruins @itgetsatadhazy @anjhope1 @hey-its-nonny

Legolas tag: @sheriffgerard

[uwuwriting]

Maybe pregnant hcs for Todoroki, Iida, Shinsou and Amajiki???💓💓💓💓💓

-Ohoho!!!! This right here just melts my hurt. Even thinking about it makes me weak.Plus a little heads up, everyone is having daughters cause I’m weak to the knees with the thought of these four and their babygirls so be prepared. Hope I don’t disappoint.💖💖💖

*All characters are aged up so around the ages of 20-25 and up*

Todoroki Shouto

-You and Shouto have been together since your second year in UA.

-You got married when you both got well acquainted with the hero life and now live a happy , yet busy, life in an apartment near his mom’s house. 

-We know that this boy would want his family to be close to him and the fact that you get along with everyone fills his heart with so much love. 

-You two never really talked about children.

-Maybe a few suggestions of having a child in the future but nothing serious.

-Que the morning sickness. 

-Shouto was really worried about you, I mean look at you.

-You’re emptying your guts in the toilet every single morning. 

-You can’t eat most foods that you used to like and have a weird craving for tuna yogurt?!

-He doesn’t want to leave the house, he even convinced you to take some days off and try to relax.

-Give your body rest.

-He promised to get some days off himself to take care of you.

-You had your suspicions, tbh.

-You just didn’t tell him.

-Whether that was to not get his hopes up or to post pone the heartbreak you didn’t really know.

-So what if you were mildly panicking over the fact that the 5 pregnancy tests you just took were all positive. 

-It was the first day of your mini ‘vacation’ and thankfully Shouto had been called in today.

-Because you’re panicking and legit losing your shit over this, you call....Rei.

-Okay maybe it wasn’t the best course of action considering you were on the verge of cardiac arrest, but what can you do.

-You asked her if she was home and if you could stop by.

-Of course she said yes, delighted to see you and mentioned that Fuyumi was also going to stop by in around an hour.

-You made your way to her house, arriving just as Fuyumi was pulling into the drive way.

-After greeting each other and going inside, you took your seats in the living room and waited for Rei to make some tea.

-Fuyumi was going on and on about what the kids at the kindergarten were doing and how cute some of them were being. 

-Neither of the Todoroki women had missed your puffy eyes or how your smile would constantly waver, but they decided to let you tell them on your own accord. 

-Once Rei joined you in the living room, they both turned to you.

- “So how have you been Y/n, dear?” Rei said watching you really closely. 

-You looked down, feeling hot tears starting to form in your eyes and your throat tightening painfully. 

-Fuyumi moved closer to you while Rei draped an arm around your shoulders which were shacking at the moment. 

- “I-I’m p-pregnant.” it was barely a whisper, but they heard it alright.

-Mom mode activated 2x.

-They reassured you that everything was going to be fine and how lucky you are.

-They repeatedly said how excited Shouto will be and what of a push over of a dad he would become.

-After 4 long hours of baby talk, you returned home, collapsing on the sofa before passing out for a good 3 hour nap.

-When you woke up, Shouto was home and sitting next to you weaving his fingers absentmindedly through your hair. 

- “Hey there sleepyhead.”

-How could his voice be so soft!?!?

-You buried your face into the blanket, which really confused him, I mean...what did he do?

- “We have a problem...” pause....awkward silence.... “I’m pregnant.”

-*Windows noises*

-After the mild stroke, he lifted you up so you were looking at him and just stared at you. 

-Those seconds that he just looked at you felt like eternity.  

-The torture ended however, when he lowered his head to your stomach and lifting your shirt, placed a small kiss right under your belly button.

- “Hey there, snowflake. Nice to meet you.”

-And with that, 9 exhausting months started full of mood swings, weird cravings, back rubs and a never ending list of baby names.

-You two learned you were having twins on your fifth appointment, but you decided to keep the gender a surprise. 

-On a cold January night your two girls were brought into the world and it was one of the few times you had seen Endeavour and Natsuo in the same room bawling their eyes out. 

-Your white haired baby was named Rei *after her grandmother* while your mixed red and h/c babygirl Ren. 

-When Shouto held them for the first time, you thought he was going to have a mental breakdown.

-He’s a total push over and your girls are daddy’s girls to the core.

-He’s the best dad they could ask for.

Iida Tenya

-You and Tenya have been married for 6 years now and have been trying endlessly for a baby.

-You both agreed that you were ready for the responsibility and that having a little Tenya running around the house sounded like a great idea.

-Saying that you were exhausted form the attempts was an understatement.

-Tenya had incredible stamina and even more libido, so you can safely assume that during the week long process of baby making you couldn’t walk straight.

-However, your little shenanigans stopped when your doctor delivered you the news.

-You had been hit by a blood related quirk while dealing with a villain and had to get a check up afterwards.

-You were given a scolding the moment you saw your doctor because why aren’t you in desk duty you RASCAL!?

-You were confused beyond belief and it was written all over your face.

- “You don’t know do you?” 

-Le sigh.

- “Mrs. Iida I’m happy to announce you that you’re expecting, so that means you are to be put in desk duty for the next 4 months or else I’m making sure you don’t leave the house for a good 9 months.”

-You. Were. Ecstatic. 

-You ran to Tenya’s agency, bringing down the damned door to his office giving the man a heart attack.

- “Y/n what’s-”

- “I’M PREGNANT!” 

-Que ecstatic air chopping. 

-Tenya went into full dad mode during those 9 months. 

-Buttt he’s also kinda nervous.

-Nervous like Tamaki in a crowd level nervous.

-You get the image.

-You have anything you want whenever you want it.

-The nursery is done the moment you find out you are having a gilr.

-Unlike Todoroki he isn’t patient enough to keep the gender a secret.

-When the day arrives, you’re just chilling outside with him when you nonchalantly blurt out ‘my waters broke’.

-....oh...oH.....OHSHIIIIIIIT.

- “WHY ARE YOU SO CALM?! GET UP! ARE YOU IN PAIN? CAN YOU WALK!?”

-This goes on until you are screaming and crushing his hand in the delivery room.

-Your little girl is born and she’s a carbon copy of Tenya.

-Same colored hair and eyes.

-The face structure looks like you.

-She has your nose and mouth, along with your eyebrows but apart from that she’s a mini genderbend Tenya.

-Because she was born early in the morning you decided to change her name and so little Asami Tenya was officially a part of this world.

-Tenya cried.

-You cried.

-Asami cried.

-You were one happy crying family.

Shinsou Hitoshi

-You and Hitoshi have been together for two years now, but you haven’t put a ring on it.

-Sure you live together and act like a married couple already but you’re not Mrs.Shinsou.....yet.

-You have been feeling strange for days now and your period was late which never happens.

-You are panicking but unlike Shouto you two aren’t married.

-He can leave with almost no complications.

-You were his girlfriend not his wife.

-The pregnancy tests you had taken were mocking you from the bathroom sink and your poor hormone ridden mind couldn’t handle the stress.

-You cried a river until you heard keys jiggling and HItoshi’s iconic ‘Kitten, I’m home!’

-You couldn’t face him like this.

-In a haste you shoved the tests into the laundry basket along with their packages and covered them with some sheets. 

-Fixing your hair and washing your face, you straightened and walked out the door.

-After greeting Hitoshi with a kiss you calmly told him to go get ready while you made him something to eat.

-Your mind was running laps thinking how you could tell him or how you could solve your little problem as quietly as possible.

-That is until he walked in holding what seemed to be a box.

-A pregnancy test box.

-HOW CAN YOU BE BLIND?

- “Y/n, what’s this?”pause “Are you..?”

-Anddd more crying.

-You sobbed about how sorry you were and how you couldn’t explain how it happened.

-Both of you were so careful, how did this happen???

-After a good 15 minutes of you bawling your eyes out on the kitchen floor while Hitoshi was trying to calm you down, you finally stopped at the sound of his chuckle. 

- “Well, damn kitten, your surprise definitely beat mine.”

-Then he pulled a small velvet box from his pocket and watched you closely.

-Now you are Mrs.Shinsou.

-These 9 months weren’t as bad as you would expect.

-Hitoshi was really good at giving you everything you wanted and during the whole pregnancy you didn’t lift a finger.

-One October night your waters broke and you found yourself in a long procedure of bringing your child into the world. 

-Hitoshi was a wreck and had called Aizawa for emotional support who called Hizashi who called Midnight.

-Once you were finished, Hitoshi rushed into your room and found you utterly exhausted.

-He was the first to hold your baby and you have never seen him cry this much in your life. 

- “Hello my little Kei.”

-Kei Shinsou was a happy little girl with an amazing father by her side.

Amajiki Tamaki

-Ah love.

-Something Tamaki found during high school and held onto it ever since. 

-Now a well known pro hero, Suneater was more than happy with his life with you.

-He always wanted a little something more but never expressed it. 

-He loved the idea of having a mini you running around the living room or waking him up in the morning with little squeals and kisses.

-He loved you to the moon and back, more than life itself but having a kid with you sparked a whole new sensation in him.

-So he tried to be sly about it.

-Forgetting the condoms or to pull out.

-You not being able to find your pills.

-A whole lot of fun. 

-You were newly weds and your libidos were high af and with the prospect of children on the table Tamaki became 10x more driven and horny.

-So you weren’t all that surprised when your doctor gave you the news. 

-You had gone for a plain old check up when he came into the room with a bright smile on his face and congratulations falling like a waterfall from his mouth. 

-Once back home you put your plan in motion. 

-You had a feeling Tamaki was trying to knock you up for some time now.

-He couldn’t forget to pull out every time like come on.

-But you were fine with it since you too wanted a kid with him.

-You just would’ve liked a little heads up first.

-You made your little bun and put it in the oven.

-And waited.

-And waited.

-And waited.

-Until finally Tamaki walked through the door,  a smile gracing his features as he made his way to you.

- “Hey bunny.”

-Giving him a quick peck you told him to check the oven real quick to make sure the food was all good.

-He obliged, walking to the kitchen and seeing the sole bun sitting in the oven.

-He was beyond confused on why you would only make one bun in the oven and not more, I mean you are two peop- ohhhh.

-OH.

-He did it. 

-He let the news settle in before going back to you.

- “Are you sure?” nod “100% sure?” another nod.

-At that he fell to his knees in front of you, attacking your stomach with kisses and I love yous.

-To whom they were directed you couldn’t actually tell but you were happy either way.

-Calls the baby butterfly.

-Makes the whole nursery along with Mirio who is ecstatic.

-Butterfly themed baby room.

-Expect many back and belly rubs along with Tamaki coming home early because Fatgum cannot allow him to stay at work when he’s preparing for a baby.

-When your waters break you are buying some onesies with small octopuses on them.

-You have never been taken to the hospital so fast in your whole hero career. 

-After many painful and stressful hours, your baby girl is born and she’s stunning.

-She has Tama’s ears and hair but your eyes and nose. 

-She’s a perfect mix. 

-The Big 3 cry as a team.

-When she’s given to him, Tamaki just cry laughs at how gorgeous she’s.

-Many thank yous are exchanged.

- Cho Amajiki.

-Tamaki cannot stop repeating the name even after they have taken her away.

-He curls on the chair next to you, holding your hand the whole night, falling into a deep sleep, imaging his new life with his little butterfly. 

[ikeromantic]

A Little While Longer

A Mitsuhide Akechi story, approx. 1500 words of fluff and spiciness.

First: Mitsuhide and the Maiden

Previous: The Fox Path

Mitsuhide knelt to make a small fire. After riding through the night and most of the day, it was safe enough to stop. Besides, his little mouse couldn’t handle much more no matter what brave face she put on it. 

“Didn’t you tell me this part of the forest was haunted by a vengeful ghost?” She was setting out their bed rolls when she asked, trying to pretend there wasn’t an edge of nervousness to the question.

“Did I? Hmmm.” Mitsuhide grinned.

She tossed a pebble at him. “You are so mean.”

“I am. But not to my little one. Just keep your bedroll close to mine and I’ll make sure you’re safe for the night.” 

“You’re just saying that to get me in arm’s reach.” She settled her bedroll beside his.

Mitsuhide pretended wide-eyed surprise. “Am I? Oh dear. But then, you’re moving your bedroll so I must assume you don’t object.”

“Well . . . I might not.” She was blushing again and wouldn’t look directly at him. 

He grinned his crescent moon smile. “I’m glad to hear it.” 

They unpacked their camp items and settled the horses in companionable silence. Mitsuhide couldn’t help the way his eyes followed her, or all the little reasons he found to touch her. Brushing fingertips as they reached for the same item. Bumping shoulders while they unsaddled the horses. Resting his palm on her back when she stood close. 

“I - I guess I can boil some water. I got some dried noodles for us when I was shopping,” the chatelaine said, but didn’t move away from his touch.

Mitsuhide stroked her back lightly, running his fingers in little circles. She seemed to like that. “Let me boil the water. I have a little surprise for you.”

“Oh?” She looked up, eyes half-lidded.

“Mmm, a spring just a little ways into the trees. We were fairly close to it the first time we camped in these woods. I thought you might enjoy a bath. Even if it’s cold.”

His little mouse laughed softly. “If anyone had a hidden hotspring it would be you. I’m almost disappointed. But that sounds nice. A quick, cold bath before dinner and bed. Can you show me where it is?”

Mitsuhide walked her to the spring. It was a deep pool that fed into a narrow creek. Really only a little larger than a bath, with dark granite sides and sandy bottom. The afternoon light glinted off the still water, and the bamboo swayed and creaked. 

“Are you sure it’s safe here? No ghosts?” The chatelaine looked up at him with wide eyes.

“Certainly not in broad daylight,” he chuckled. “But if you like, I can stay here and keep watch?”

“Pffft. As if I’d let you just - just watch me.” Her eyes told a different story. Conflict between her pride and desire. 

Mitsuhide ruffled her hair. “It’s not as if I haven’t seen you nude. But as you like.” He turned to leave. “If you need me, just scream.” He dodged the twig she tossed his way without looking. 

He had to admit, it was hard to wait for her there. He busied himself with little tasks. Boiling the water, shifting the bedrolls. Staring up at the trees and imagining what she was doing right that second. Ah, to be a water drop . . .

The noodles were ready by the time she returned. Bits of dried fish and pepper made a nice broth for them - or at least it smelled good. For Mitsuhide, there was only edible and inedible. He hoped his little mouse approved even if it was nowhere near the delicacies Masamune could prepare. 

She came back, her hair wet and hanging down her back. Her clothes were loosely tied, her skin still damp. 

“Feel better?”

“A little cold, but yeah.” She sat down beside him and leaned into his shoulder. “Something smells good. Did you cook?”

“I boiled some things in a pot.” 

She tasted the broth and smiled. “It’s good.” 

They ate together, sharing the spoon. Mitsuhide enjoyed every bite, mostly because he teasingly convinced his little one to feed him. It was entertaining to watch how carefully she moved. But the best part was when he took the spoon from her.

“W-what are you doing?”

“Returning the favor. Now open your mouth -” He held the spoon up, blowing lightly across the soup.

“I can do that myself.”

“But you don’t have too.” He leaned closer, the spoon between them, until there was barely a hairsbreadth between the spoon and her lips. “Open wide.”

Her expression was mortified but she did what he told her to. 

“There. It wasn’t too hot? Not too much?”

“Nope. Now give me the spoon.” The chatelaine held her hand out.

“It is your turn to feed me, yes?” Mitsuhide’s eyes glinted with mischief.

“You are enjoying this too much.” 

Mitsuhide shrugged. “I will not deny it.”

With dinner finished, they both washed up at the creek and packed everything away. It would be a cold breakfast in the saddle tomorrow to put more distance between them and Chugoku. Mitsuhide wondered if Yoshiaki or the daimyo sent anyone to follow them this far. It was possible they might be dogged all the way to Azuchi. He doubted it though. Too much trouble for them and too little reward.

“You know, you should probably take a bath too.” The chatelaine poked his arm. “I can wait here by the fire. I don’t mind.”

“It will be dark. Are you sure?” 

“Yeah. You’ll be right back, so I don’t mind.” She wrinkled her nose. “Besides, you need it.”

Mitsuhide felt mildly offended. “I see. Then maybe you should come with me and inspect my work. I’d hate to return and find I am not clean enough to suit your tastes.”

This had the desired effect of reducing his little one to a stammering blush. 

He grinned. “Then if you won’t inspect me, I expect no complaints.” 

“Pfft. That’s - that’s not - I can’t -” She sighed, flustered.

Mitsuhide ruffled her hair. “No complaints then.” 

He left her at the camp and walked to the spring. It was dark enough that the frogs and lizards were scurrying in the underbrush now, and the crickets were singing to the darkening sky. Mitsuhide felt at peace. Even knowing this was temporary - he had to savor this moment. He undid the ties on his clothes and hung them in a nearby tree. Naked and feeling oddly vulnerable, he lowered himself into the cold spring water. It wasn’t as bad as he expected - just a little cooler than the air. 

It did feel good to rinse away the dirt and sweat. He rubbed his skin clean with handfuls of sand and washed his face. Mitsuhide was about to rinse his hair when something caught his attention. A rustling in the brush, the almost-silent tread of stealthy footsteps. 

He pretended not to notice, but his eyes scanned the forest. It could be the daimyo’s men. Or bandits. He glanced toward his clothes, his sword and shoes were at the foot of the tree. Not far, but far enough to leave him open if his stalker struck. 

Mitsuhide rose up half out of the water. Pretending to stretch in the general direction of his things. There was a sound then, a sharp inhale or a gasp. A feminine gasp, almost . . . a squeak. His eyes tracked toward the sound.

And there she was. His little mouse. Hiding behind some brush. Her gaze met his but he pretended not to notice. Smiling, he continued his stretch. Letting the water lap at his waist. His hips. He could feel her eyes on him, the way she stared at his exposed skin. Mitsuhide was a man used to being admired, but he’d never enjoyed it as much as this. Knowing she thirsted for him as much as he, for her. It made him want to do rash things.

He made a dance of leaving the cold water and slowly dressing. It was, he decided, a fun way to tease. But it would have been more so if he could see all the expressions she made. He wished there were time to do it again in a place she couldn’t hide.

The chatelaine scurried back to camp when he was mostly dressed. He couldn’t miss the sound of her movements - clumsier now than when she approached.

At the fire, she waited for him. Her hands clasped innocently in her lap. Sitting on her bedroll as if she’d been there the whole time. “Did you have a good bath?”

“Oh yes. It was very nice.” He knelt behind her and pulled her up against him. “I wouldn’t have minded your company. It was lonely.” He kissed the tip of her ear and down the side of her neck.

“Ah. Yes. I. I had to. Stay. Here.”

“Of course,” he murmured into her shoulder. “Now come here and help me get warm.” 

The chatelaine opened her mouth to protest but he brushed a featherlight kiss across it before she could.

“You’re still my wife, remember? For a little while longer.”

Next: Journey’s End

[bumblesimagines]

Tongues and Teeth

Request: Yes or No

I've grown a mouth so sharp and cruel

It's all that I can give to you, my dear

And when you come in quick to steal a kiss

My teeth will only cut your lips, my dear

You watched as Betty collected flowers, mostly tiny ones. Humans were so curious and strange.

"Do you think mom will like these?" She asked, approaching your crouched form. You shifted your cold gaze onto the flowers and shrugged. Betty hummed, putting them in a pocket of the bag she had.

"You're dirty again." She mumbled, gently taking your hand, being careful but to touch your sharp claws. "Come on." She smiled, leading you through the forest. She never seem to care about your sharp claws, canine like fangs, cold eyes, and long antlers. You often wondered if she was delusional.

And I know that you mean so well

But I am not a vessel for your good intent

Betty stopped by the river and motioned for you to sit. You did so, watching as she scooped some water into her hands and used it to rub your dirt covered skin. She had good intentions, or at least that's what you assumed. You had known Betty since she was a little girl. She had ran into the forest in the middle of the night, tears streaming down her face. You had no clue what had happened but you approached her and she allowed you close. The forest was your home and she had done it no harm so you chose to protect her and lead her back to the little town of Riverdale where her parents and sister were frantically searching for her.

"What are you thinking about?" Betty asked, gently washing your antlers. She gave a soft smile, watching you with kind eyes.

I will only break your pretty things

I will only wring you dry of everything

But if you're fine with that

You can be mine like that

Everything Betty brought you, apart from food, was useless to you. In the start, you'd break the things she brought until you realized it sadden her. Instead, you hid them in your burrow. The things she gave you were nice but you didn't need them. You did use the clothes she brought you but they ended up torn and ripped. The other gifts were kept hidden, away from wondering humans. Betty dusted herself off, watching you run your claws through the dirt, flowers blooming. Betty smiled, leaning down and picking them.

"Thank you." She said, leaning in and kissing your cheek.

Abandon all your stupid dreams

About the boy I could have been, my dear

'Cause in the night I know you burn with feelings

I cannot return, my dear

Oh, my dear

It was obvious Betty had more than platonic feelings for you. Your place was in the forest and her place was with other humans. You were created to protect nature while her kind destroyed it. You hoped it would pass like a breeze but it didn't. Her feelings remained intact.

"You're the only one who truly gets me." Betty mumbled. You looked away from her, gaze locking onto the rushing river. One push and she would be gone. You looked back at her, grunting.

You gotta know that this won't last

Desperation will erase the fact

I'm keeping all

You assumed she was just desperate. After getting her heart broken by someone called Archie, she had changed. You could feel the darkness sweeping out from time to time. Betty wanted to hurt someone. She almost needed it. If she did, perhaps you would open up. Betty didn't seem to realize how crazy her situation was. She never questioned it. It was mildly concerning.

Of the answers in my cigarette box

Yeah, the answer's in the second before the other shoe drops

And if you're blind to that

I am fine with that

You watched as Betty walked out of the forest. You had no idea why her brain worked the way it did. She knew you were dangerous, she knew you were practically immortal, she knew it would probably never work out. She chose to ignore the facts. You couldn't stop her from visiting you. She was too stubborn. The only way to stop her without hurting her was hoping someone swept her off her feet.

Oh, I will ruin you

Oh, I will ruin you

It's a habit - I can't help it

I know that you mean so well

But I am not a vessel for your good intent

You turned your head, looking at Betty. Her blue eyes were focused on the body, nose scrunched up in disgust.

"You made a mess." She mumbled, being careful not to step on any blood as she made her way towards you. You blinked, expecting her to run for the hills but instead she crouched down by you.

"You're dirty again." Betty sighed and stood, gently pulling up her sleeves and taking your soaked hand into hers. She headed back towards the river, taking off her black flats and rolling up her jeans. Betty stepped into the river, being careful not to slip or let the current sweep her away. You followed her in, watching the blood mix with the water. Betty wet her hands and began to clean your face.

"I came across an abandoned cabin the other day. Maybe we can fix it up so we can be near each other." Betty said with a smile. "What do you think?" She asked. You remained silent, staring at her.

"I'll take that as a good thing." Betty chuckled, smiling softly as she finished cleaning your face.

"I'll get you some more food tomorrow."

I will only break your pretty things

I will only wring you dry of everything

And if you're fine with that

If you're fine with that

"That was easier than I thought." Betty breathed out with a smile. You grunted, looking at the body. Betty looked down at her pink sweater. The red splatters didn't look that bad on it. Betty hummed, looking around the forest ground.

"I'll start a fire.. Maybe you'll like it better cooked and I wanna have a taste." Betty said. You blinked, brows furrowing as you took a few steps towards the corpse. Betty gathered some sticks, glancing at you as you began to eat. Humans were so curious and strange.

I will poison all your happy thoughts

I love you like the ashes in my cigarette box

And if you're fine with that

You can be mine

If you're fine with that

You can be mine

[southsidestory]

Caged

RATING: Explicit

FANDOM: Hunger Games

SHIP: Odesta

WARNINGS: Rape/non-con, drug use, forced sex work

SUMMARY: Annie’s Victory Tour brings her to the Capitol, with Finnick at her side. He did his job as her mentor when he got her out of the arena, but he can’t look after her anymore. All he can do is play the part Snow has given him. It’s almost simple now, posing for the cameras and obeying his patrons, all with a smile on his face. Pretending is so easy that he can’t tell what’s real and what’s not anymore. But Annie might be able to remind him. 

Read on AO3

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With his lips closed, Dionysus looks plain by Capitol standards. Pasty skin, undyed and free of tattoos. Short brown hair, black shoes, dark suit. Colorless, except for the trio of yellow tablets in his palm. My throat itches to swallow down the promise they hold, but I have two questions that need answering.

First: “Will I be able to fuck?”

The dealer laughs, revealing a mouth full of gold and gems. “Like a damn rabbit,” Dionysus says.

Second: “I want to feel nothing, but a good nothing. Can this do that?”

Sapphires flash on his eye teeth. “You’ll see nirvana,” he promises.

I don’t know what that is, or where it might be, but any place would be better than this one.

.

.

Red. That’s all I see, at first. Waves and folds of the color spilling down the length of Annie’s skirt. Six feet of fabric fans out behind her, but the top of the dress is spare, sheer wisps that cling to her breasts and shoulders and throat.

“Inspired,” says Sabina. “Her stylist has an eye for drama.”

Her stylist will be lucky to have eyes at all when I’m done with him.

I take a flute of turquoise champagne from a passing Avox’s tray. It tastes like turpentine and sugar, the medicine that District Four mothers force down their children’s sore throats. I drink three glasses in ten minutes. Red still bleeds along the edges of my vision, and no matter where I turn, there’s Annie. Trussed up for Capitol appetites, tribute all over again. When I reach for another glass Sabina touches her too-long nails to my wrist. Tap, tap: bad dog. She kisses me, tongue sour blue slick, and I imagine what a senator’s wife might look like if three weeping mouths opened in the middle of her chest.

Something tugs at my shirt sleeve, jealous but gentle. Annie, drowning in all that District One silk.

“I need you,” she says. Splattered droplets dot her left cheek, a constellation of freckles that shine crimson-wet in the low light.

“Everyone needs me tonight.”

Sabina laughs and Annie pulls away, so I know I've said the wrong thing. That’s what happens when I put pills in my mouth; nothing but mistakes come out.

I say, “Teenage girls,” and give my date a knowing smile. Let her read what she wants into that.

Sabina twines her fingers around my arm and leans in close, smug and conspiratorial. “My daughter’s at that age now. It’s all me, me, me! And they want everything immediately. Nothing pleases them…”

How this is any different from the rest of the Capitol I can’t guess, but I let her go on, nodding and humming my sympathy where appropriate. Oh yes, they’re selfish little brats. Ungrateful, never satisfied. When Sabina pauses to sample a canapé I say how much I hate to leave her for even a moment, but I am Annie’s mentor. Duty calls and all that.

Sabina frowns prettily. “I hope you're this dedicated in all of your pursuits.”

She should know the answer to that already. This isn’t our first date. Still, I feed her a stock innuendo about finishing the things I start.

“Go on then, but be back soon!”

I find my tribute talking to the light crew. A woman with tattooed vines climbing the side of her shaved head shows Annie how to hold a sheet of foil. It’s a clever way to hide from the cameras and I wish I’d thought of it first. Too late for that, because Annie turns her silver shield, and then there’s a lens blinking closer to my well-lit face.

“Perfect,” says Vines. “You’re a natural.”

Annie shakes her head. “No. He’s just an easy target.”

I duck into the bright circle of the light crew’s equipment before the cameras can focus. The heat feels artificial, claustrophobic, like the solar beds my stylist makes me visit. Annie returns the foil to Vines and thanks her for the lesson. I can’t breathe again until there’s ten feet between me and the clicking insect sound of mechanical eyes.

“I thought you were busy,” Annie says. Her voice is so light and casual that, if I didn’t know her, I’d have no idea that she’s annoyed.

“I shouldn't have said that. I didn’t mean it.”

Annie shrugs. “You never mean anything you say in the Capitol.”

Sometimes I forget how much she sees, this girl who’s turned my world upside down in six months. “Where are your tokens?”

Annie grasps at the place over her heart where two sea glass pendants always rest. She looks mildly surprised to catch only empty air between her fingers. “Vibius wouldn’t let me wear them. Said the colors...” She shakes her head, the way you would to get water out of your ears after swimming. “I’m hungry.”

But when I follow her to a banquet table she doesn’t eat a bite. Instead, she stacks gingerbread cubes around a pink chocolate fountain.

“Who’s your date?” she asks.

“Senator Wexler’s wife,” I say.

Annie never looks up, too busy skewering blueberries on toothpicks. She sticks them in the topmost layer of her curtain wall, like heads on neighboring spikes. Two by two by two. Then she says, “Doesn’t the senator mind?”

“Only that he couldn’t come with us.”

Annie tips over the fountain, and chocolate bursts through her gingerbread dam. It creeps along the aisle of white cloth and drips onto the floor. Part of me wants to scold her, because some Avox will have to clean all this up after the party. I don’t, though, because I know how everything shifts after the Games. You might leave the arena, but it comes with you all the same. Alliances replace friendships. Sleep never really comes easy again, because too many things are still awake in the dark. Survival is tangled up with fighting, hurting, killing, and sometimes you need small destructions just to breathe.

“Dance with me,” Annie says.

The train on that fucking dress is longer than she is. “How could I, with you in that?”

I laugh. Everything and nothing seems funny at the same time. Annie jumps a little when I finger one of the slivers of silk covering her chest. Vibius didn’t leave much to the imagination, so I can see the shape of her. Small teardrop breasts, narrow shoulders, long waist. Her nipples peak beneath the fabric.

Somewhere in my periphery a camera flashes.

“Stop,” Annie says, and I want to shake her. That word doesn’t mean anything in this city. A victor should understand the rules by now.

I trace her collarbone. We’re too far away for Sabina to see us, but even if she does it won’t matter. This is what they want me to be.

The preps painted Annie’s lips too, and it makes her look like a working girl. Ripe apple mouth ready to be plucked. If I could I’d spit on a napkin and wipe it all away, same as my mother used to do to get dirt off my face.

She leans into my touch and asks, “Why are you with that woman?”

“Because she can afford my company.”

Annie’s red, red mouth frowns, but I simply smile and step away, tell her to eat something and enjoy the party.

Sabina welcomes me with a soft hello peck to my cheek. I turn it into more, the kind of wet, deep kiss that decent folk back home wouldn’t dream of doing in public. But that’s how I like it, even if I can hear the cameras snapping behind and beside and in front of me. Pretending is so easy that I can’t tell what’s real and what’s not anymore.

.

.

These sounds are almost lost beneath the snap of handcuffs closing: footsteps, a full skirt whispering across the floor, the creak of hinges.

The manacles lock around my wrists, pulling my arms taut, stretching until my shoulders lift from the bed and I can feel the blades angling outward. Like clipped wings opening, Sabina said, the first time she bought me. A caged bird poised to take flight. Now she leans forward and bites my neck, just hard enough to mark. It’s always hard enough to mark with Sabina, whether she uses teeth or nails or the back of her hand.

I hear feather-light fabric brushing the carpet, then see something in the gap between door and frame. The briefest flash of red silk. There, then gone.

Sabina strikes me hard on the cheek. Pain vibrates through my jaw and up the side of my face. Stars burst behind my eyes, then in front of them, but I don’t feel distant or dizzy. Everything becomes sharper, brighter. Needles made of sunlight prick my vision, highlighting it all with stinging intensity. If I ever come down I’m going to kill Dionysus for selling me those three little pills the color of daffodils. He promised oblivion but gave me this instead. With every blow the room grows brighter, until all I see is Sabina, haloed in white.

Her mouth closes over me, warm and soft, drawing out all the things I don’t want to give. Then she’s straddling my lap, hands clutching my shoulders, nails digging into my skin. Ten welts spring beneath her touch, bright as pink ribbons down my chest. It’s winter everywhere but between her legs, and there she’s fever hot. Cold snakes down my throat, chokes and burrows inside me until it’s snowing under my skin.

“Finnick,” she hisses. I grip the bedposts and snap my hips up to meet her. I’m shaking from the chill air, the pleasure where a warm body takes mine in and the pain everywhere else. I don’t stop, not until she arches and trembles, mouth open on a whiny cry.

One beat, two, and she climbs off. Leaves me aching, tied up, and filthy while she saunters to the bathroom to refresh herself.

The haze clears, unfreezes, and I remember where I’ve seen red silk tonight.

.

.

I scrub until the scratch marks on my chest reopen and the water blushes down the drain, washing away smudged makeup and sweat, fresh blood and Sabina’s come. Not mine, and even though I’m half-hard, I’m mostly thankful. Dates are always worse when a client makes me finish. Steam fills the shower stall, wet and suffocating. Flash-bulbs go off behind my closed eyelids and all I can hear is the endless snapping of camera shutters. I sit on the tile floor, head between my knees, until the water grows cold.

After I get out of the shower and dry off, I pull on the tight blue pants from my date with Sabina and go to Annie’s room. I don’t knock, and when I step inside she jumps. Her dress is curled up in the corner, wilting. All those red folds remind me of a rose, so I turn away. Free of make-up, Annie’s face shines brown and clean. Dark waves fall limply around her cheeks, weighted and damp. By the way she holds the robe over her breasts I can tell she’s not wearing much underneath.

Good. I hope she feels naked. Exposed and vulnerable, like I do.

“You watched us.”

Annie sits on the edge of the bed, legs drawn up close to her body. She whispers an apology I can’t stand to hear.

“Don’t,” I say. She flinches and grasps the sea glass tokens around her neck. Her eyes dart away, focusing on some point along the baseboard.

“Look at me.” I kneel on the floor before her, too close to be ignored. “You didn’t have any trouble looking before.”

The only small mercy I can find is that Annie left before Sabina actually fucked me. But she saw me handcuffed to the bed, and that’s bad enough.

Annie bites her bottom lip, and for a moment all I can see is this same skittish girl, more innocent and less broken, on a different train, blushing under my hands.

“I’m sorry,” she says. “When I saw you leaving with that woman—I didn’t really think, I just wanted to know what was so special about her. So I followed you.”

I thought she wanted to see me, and I don’t know why I’m so disappointed. It’s a good thing that she didn’t want a peep show, that she ran off before she saw the main event. A good thing—but it still pisses me off.

I wrap my hands around her calves and slide down, thumbs grazing the soft skin of her inner ankles.

“Finnick?” Her lips linger on the sound, not quite closing over the question she’s made of my name.

“Open your legs,” I tell her. Because whatever she’s asking, this is the only answer I have to give.

Annie’s breath hitches. She trembles all the way down to her toes, but she’s warm, my girl. I brought her home and that makes Annie mine. She belongs to me in the same way I belong to my sponsors.

When she doesn’t move, I kiss the inside of her right knee, flicking my tongue over a new scar there—a pretty pink thing that’s cropped up since her Games—until her legs shake and unlock. Just as she falls open and willing below the waist, Annie clutches the collar of her robe even more tightly, keeping it closed to me.

Eighteen isn’t so young, I remind myself. Not here, not in this place.

“Don’t stop,” she whispers, and that’s all I need.

Beads of moisture cling to the dark curls between her legs. She smells like the Capitol, flowers and spun sugar, but when I put my mouth there all I taste is salt and wet and girl. Her hands scramble for purchase, first on the covers, then in my hair, and she pulls with more strength than I expected. Not as sharply as Sabina, but enough to smart. That’s been done to me so many times that I know it means more and now and harder—though by the way Annie’s thumb brushes over my cheek, I think it might also mean please.

No, eighteen isn’t too young for this, but I might be.

I can feel her looking: eyes on me, on my body, on the things I’m doing. Just like before, when she peeked into that bedroom and watched Sabina getting her money’s worth, and it stirs something ugly and angry in the pit of my stomach. So I pull away, let my mouth part from her with a goodbye kiss cruel enough to make her whine and tug on my hair, to say my name again. No question this time, just a soft plea.

I’m sick of being on my knees, and really, there’s no reason I can’t do what I want. No reason at all. When I stand, Annie’s eyes go to my chest, flickering across the stripes Sabina’s fingernails left behind. I strip off my pants, and her gaze lowers, lingers.

Beneath the robe I find her pliant and panting. Skin damp, nipples hard, breath coming fast and shallow. Greedy, grasping, her touch falls with selfish hunger, and in this Annie isn’t unlike my other lovers. Long legs wrap around my waist, anchoring me to her. She’s warm and wet, whimpering in a way that might sound pitiful if it wasn’t making me so hard. I press against her, teasing. Those little mewling noises grow stronger, tighten together into a full-throated moan.

“Have you ever done this before?” I ask.

Annie shakes her head, then says, “Almost, once, but…”

Her eyes go distant, and she’s about to slip away from me. Retreat to some inner place where her district partner still lives and loves, but I’m not going to let her mind wander, not now when our bodies are tangled up together. I kiss her, our first, and that’s so backwards that I almost laugh.

Beneath my mouth Annie takes a deep, gasping breath. Then she peppers kisses everywhere she can reach. My brow, both cheeks, the tip of my nose. My lips, again and again. The curve from shoulder to neck and the hollow between my collarbones. When her quick tongue darts out to trace the shell of my ear, I shudder. The drugs must have finally worn off, because I feel myself warming for the first time tonight. “Finnick,” she whispers. “I love you—”

I can’t stand to hear that, not from Annie. So I kiss her quiet, slip a hand between her thighs, and slide two fingers inside of her.

“You’re wetter than home,” I say, and it’s true. More so when I curl my fingers, beckoning her forward—closer to me, closer to coming. “Were you like this in the ballroom, when I touched you?”

“Yes?” It comes out a question, eager but unsure. Annie’s not fluent in pillow talk, and something about that sends a jolt through me. All at once I want her, need to fuck her like I’ll die if I don’t. Under me she’s subtle curves and rocking warmth. Open legs, cradling my hips as I push inside—and then I feel her. Tight, slick heat, stretched around my cock, gripping me, pulling me in.

Annie whimpers, but whether that sound is pained or pleased I’m not sure, can’t tell and barely care. “Yes,” she says, even though I never asked. Why didn’t I ask?

In the beginning I go gentle and steady. Then I slow our rhythm, stretch out the slide of skin on skin, and tell her to beg. Love me becomes have me, you can have me becomes fuck me.

For a moment all I can feel are handcuffs snapping closed, grabbing fingers and greedy cunt. I’m angry all over again but still aching, and Annie knows, because her hands untangle from my hair and dart down to cover her ears. But I catch her wrists, drag them over her head and let my weight do the rest.

I spread her arms apart, wide as they’ll go. Pinned, she’s a butterfly behind glass, pretty and splayed. Annie must like being caged better than I do, because soon she shivers beneath me, coming and crying at once. Back arched, small breasts thrust forward, toes curled and legs taut; she’s lovely like this and so tight it almost hurts.

On the low tide of our touch she says those three unwanted words, passes them from her mouth to mine like a hard candy secret.

“Don’t,” I say.

The camera loves me too. I’m sick to death of love.

But then my climax creeps up on me, sharp and sweet, and I can’t think anymore. There’s nothing but Annie beneath me, her body tight and wet around mine.

In the soft moment right after, I feel something new. A warmth, quiet and gentle, as Annie looks up at me with heavy-lidded green eyes. That love she promised is raw and open as a wound.

It’s terrifying. And tempting, which is the scariest part of all.

The knot around her throat unties easily, and I take a green sea glass token with me when I go. It’s all she has left of the boy who loved her, who died at her side. Stealing it is cruel, but I don’t do it out of spite or jealousy. The reason is simple: my patrons always pay, and Annie is no exception.

.

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[shra-vasti]

YOON JEONGHAN

Series : To all the boys

Pairing : Yoon Jeonghan x reader

Type : non idol au, ex-lovers au

Genre : angst, drama, fluff, romance

Warnings : slight suggestive

Word count : 2k

Synopsis : You decided to write some letters to every boy who was a part of your past as your last message after getting diagnosed with chronical disease.

MAIN MASTERLIST

[Received, 15.10.2020] | previous | next

"God I'm so nervous I think I'll piss my pants."

Dani, Jieun and Zeny just gave you a boring look as the helped you calm your nerves down.

"This isn't your first time with a boy, stop acting like it is."

You rolled your eyes at Zeny's words still feeling somehow very nervous to meet Jeonghan for the first time.

"It isn't my first time with a boy but it certain is my first time going on a proper date with one."

The girls just quite down knowing all too well that you were right. They haven't seen you being so nervous before meeting or going out with anyone before Jeonghan came in your life.

"Okay he said I'll be here in 10 minutes and I think I'll pass away."

"Don't embarrass us and do anything remotely stupid in front of him please, you are literally dating the guy who is from our riv school."

You made your way towards the kitchen you grab yourself a glass of water and Zeny followed you.

"Y/N, I can understand that you're going on just a date with Jeonghan but don't forget that you have Jun too and if you decide that Jeonghan is the one with whom you wanna spent your time with make sure to clear it with Jun and breakup with him."

"I'll do that, I'm literally going on this date to figure out what I wanna do, I really like Jeonghan's company and him in general, we had hungout with each other but you guys were with us, this is literally the first time I'll be alone with him and I figure it out by the end of this date what to do."

You bid her goodbye when you got a text message from Jeonghan that he was waiting outside of your dorm.

"You look more beautiful when you are dressed up like this."

You smiled at the compliment taking his extended hand as he kisses your knuckles before opening the door of the cab he hailed for you to get in.

"You look awfully good today too."

He smiled, looking down at you compliment as he scooted closer to you, snaking his arm around your shoulder to bring you more closer to his body and direct the driver for your next location.

"You smell good too but you're allergic to perfumes."

He whispered in your ears, taking a strand of your hair in between his two fingers and twirling it mindlessly as he spoke.

"I didn't apply anything though."

"Then is this your natural scent? I swear it's more addicting than any other perfume out there."

"Shut up."

You had to bite back the smile which was threatening to display on your face, looking down at your hands on your lap and trying your best to not make any eye contact with him.

This was definitely your first time being so flustered in front of the guy cause generally you were the one who would make your partner flustered but it wasn't like you hated any of it, he was introducing you towards your soft side which you didn't think you had.

"Why are you avoiding my eyes? I love your smile."

He poked your cheeks which made you grasp his wrist and put it on your lap to stop him from doing so. He chuckled shaking his head before freeing his hand from your grip and intertwining his fingers with yours.

The gesture was so simple and you sweet and he was so near you could smell his scent, he wasn't wearing any perfume since you had told him one time that you were allergic to it.

"We are here."

You got out of the cab looking at the scenery in front of you, it was one of the most picturesque garden in your city and you had always wish to visit it sometime but you couldn't.

"Isn't it beautiful?"

"It is."

Both of you walked side by side, a bit awkwardly since you weren't sure what to talk about, you weren't great with conversation anyway and this was your first time you were alone with him.

"You know since the past month I've spent talking with you and hanging around with your gang I figured you are so much like me."

You turn your head to look at him as he kept on looking ahead and you were thankful that he decided to take the lead instead.

"Oh really?"

"Yes, I wonder if our hand size is same too? What say? Show me your hand."

You raised your eyebrows at his question but going yourself reluctantly agreeing and giving him your hand, he brought your hand close to his measuring the size of your hand with his.

"Oh look yours is smaller."

You found him exclaiming loudly before intertwining your hand in his as both of you continued to walk.

"If you wanted to hold hands, you could've directly said so."

He looked at you as if he didn't know what you were talking about then nodding in his.

"But where's the fun in that?"

Both of you continued to walk around the park, eating ice creams and cotton candy, it was a very bookish and drama like date, too mainstream but it wasn't boring since you were with him.

You couldn't deny the butterflies that you were feeling inside your stomach whenever he made an eye contact with you or chose to do something as simple as making sure you won't bump into anyone.

"You know, I can tell a lot about people by looking at them."

"Oh really?"

"Yes-" he mumbled before coming face to face with you, blocking you from going any further as he took few steps closer to your body, leaning his head closer to your ears as you felt him inhale deeply, "-like you washed your hair today."

You raised your eyebrows at him before bursting into a laugh pushing him away from you. He laughed too unable to keep his cool facade in front of you.

"Looks like it will rain."

You look upwards to see the dark clouds have already spread across the sky and you felt a drop of water fell on your face.

"It is going to rain and I didn't even bring anything with me."

Jeonghan looked in different direction to see if a shelter was near, everyone was already running outside the park or somewhere else, he looked at you before grabbing your wrist and dragging you with him.

"If we keep on standing there we will get wet so let's try to find a place to be for the mean time."

You heard him as more droplets started pouring, the rain wasn't that heavy and your were getting much wet.

"Why are we going in another direction though? Shouldn't we go outside of the park like others are doing?"

"Where's the fun in that? I want to be alone with you."

Till the time you reach the shelter, your hair were mildly wet and he offered you his handkerchief to brush off the water from your hair before you catch any flu.

It had suddenly gotten cold due to the rain as you tried your best to dry your hair as much as possible.

"There aren't much people here, they won't close the gates thinking everyone left right?"

You turned around to face him, getting startled to see him so close to you, he grabbed you by your waist firmly pulling your body flush with his.

"It isn't their closing time yet."

His voice was an octave lower than his usual and his breath felt hot against your cold body.

He leaned in brushing the hair off your face with his other hand, cupping your face as he kissed your forehead.

You sighed contently, grabbing his shirt as you felt his lips move from your forehead to your eyes, nose, cheeks and jaw.

"Jeonghan."

"Why don't you call me by any nickname?"

He questioned, his lips leaving butterfly kisses all over your jaw and neck, your mind was in haze as it was the first time being this close to him, to be able to feel him.

"What do you want me to call you?"

"Yours."

He pulled away from you, the chilly air once again hitting your cold body making you shiver, the rain has started pouring heavily and you wondered how much more you had to wait for it to stop.

You weren't aware what Jeonghan had planned for the rest of the day as it was already afternoon since you had spent most of your time walking around the park.

You felt him grab your hand as he pulled you outside of the shelter, into the pouring rain.

"Jeonghan, what are you doing? We can get sick."

"I'll be your cuddle buddy when we will fell sick."

Both of yours clothes had started sticking onto your body and hair damp due the the rain, he pulled your body towards him again.

"You look so hot in the rain, I'll never get tired watching you drenched in rain, you are making me feel things."

You felt him leaned in as you did too but as soon as his lips were a breath away from you, you stopped him, making him open his eyes in confusion.

"I-this is my first kiss."

"Will you believe if I say you're mine too?"

He put his hand at the back of your head to give it a support as he finally kissed your lips, it was soft and gentle and he ran his fingers through your wet hairs swinging your side by side as he continued to kiss you.

"Woah- I didn't get the hype of first kiss before this."

You open your eyes to see him smiling widely, although it was hard to see considering the droplets of the rain were falling on your lashes too.

He pulled you close kissing you for the second time and again and again and one more time till you push him away telling him to quit it.

You were in Jeonghan's apartment, both of you decided it would be best if you just leave the park since it didn't look like the rain would stop soon.

You opened your eyes feeling him sleeping sound beside you. Your heart fluttered as the memories of what happened when you entered his apartment returned.

Jeonghan was charming and he didn't flinch while marking you his as he owned you up in sheets. Today was your first time for many things and you weren't sure how you didn't feel anything wrong.

With him everything was just right.

The flutter of your heart was soon replaced by dread though cause how that Jeonghan was asleep and you were alone with your thoughts, you remembered about Junhui and your heart started beating loudly, you had to do something about his situation, you couldn't be with him when you had already crossed your line with Jeonghan.

"Why is your heart beating so rapidly?"

Jeonghan's horse voice brought you back from your thoughts as you felt him nibble at the skin near your chest.

"Nothing, I think I should go back since it's getting pretty late."

He whined as he brought your body more closer to his, pulling the sheets up to cover both of yours body.

"I don't want you to go, your clothes aren't even dried yet."

"Let me borrow your clothes for today, I'll return it soon, Jieun must be waiting for me, she will get worried."

He groaned one more time before getting up from the bed and towards his closet to find some clothes for you.

"Keep that tshirt with you and wear these, I'll drop you off."

You nodded your head, wearing the clothes and gathering up your wet ones before returning back to your apartment.

You knew Jieun was probably out with her boyfriend and would return untill late at night if not tomorrow morning and it was okay with you, you wanted some time with yourself as you knew you had to talk with Jun about all of this.

You kissed him goodbye as you made your way inside your apartment.

[Jeonghan] : Why did you have to go? I miss you already....

[write-like-you-mean-it]

A Hunter’s Prey: Everything is Going to be Different Now

I didn’t know how long I had been crying when Illumi finally pulled me away from the scene of the crime. Police were patrolling the park even since they saw a huge flock of crows heading towards there. I couldn’t even stand facing the corpse of beloved friends again. I should be comforting Machi. She knew them better. These were her friends . 

“I’m going to take her out of here,” said Illumi to Machi. 

“Good idea,” she said. Her voice was hoarse due to the screaming match she had earlier. “I’ll clean this up. The boss will at least want to bury them.” 

“No,” I mumbled feeling tired from all the crying and exhaustion from the last few hours. “I-I can help.” 

My weak pleas fell on deaf ears. Illumi only pulled me along as I didn’t have much strength to fight him or did I have the drive to try. I couldn’t even have the energy to leave the crook of his arm. My feet would only carry me as far as he would take me. 

Before long, we’d reached a hotel at the edge of town away from the park, Heaven’s Arena, and the silent call of the police. I stood silently as Illumi asked for a room from the front staff. He gave a fake name and I.D. Once we’d gotten the room, Illumi finally led me to the bed. 

I collapsed on top of it. My body felt a numb tingle that reminded me of static noise. Too much of this seemed like a dream while all being too real. “I shouldn’t have brought you into this,” muttered Illumi as he took a seat in the armchair across from the bed. 

I wanted to respond; however, my voice wouldn’t come. I felt a sickness surge through my body. A nausea that I only feel when anxiety spikes beyond belief. My body moved on its own as it carried me to the restroom to relieve myself of all contents inside my stomach. Kneeling besides the toilet, all I could think about was Kortopi and Shalnark discussing how they’re going to be traveling. The two unknowingly less than an hour away from their death. 

My head pounded against my skull as I wretched until I felt nothing but an empty stomach that left me in pain. Illumi watched me from the entrance of the bathroom. My hand weakly went to flush before closing the lid and leaning back against the tub of the shower. 

Illumi took a seat right next to me but sitting on the tub itself. “You don’t have to watch over me,” I mutter while leaning my head back and closing my eyes. I hear the water running before feeling a cool cloth on my forehead. 

“I know,” he spoke. 

“I’m just tired.”

“I know.”

“You can leave,” I say while pressing the cool towel so that water rushes down every inch of my face. “I just want to stay here a little longer.”

He didn’t respond; however, I could still feel the heat of his body next to mine. His long hair tickled some of my face but I refused to move. This spot was perfect for letting the emotions wash over me once again. Tears refused to appear. I was only left with shaky breaths and a cold forehead. 

Suddenly, I felt a hand on my head. Illumi’s cold fingers ran through my hair. I opened my eyes to see him looking down at the floor while trying the most physical contact as he can muster. He’s trying to help even if he doesn’t know how. His gesture broke my heart all over again. “The first kill I saw was by Father. One of the butlers had acted up. Father told me to kill him, I refused. Father got more angry at my refusal and killed him for me. As punishment, I was forced into the prisons. He beat me endlessly for days.”

“Oh god,” I said while moving my hand to hold his on top of my head. His eyes never left the absent void that took over his vision. It was as if he was reliving the pain all over again; yet, he said it with such conviction. “How old were you?”

“Two.”

I sat up even further even though my quaking body pushed against me. “You were only two? H-how? Why?”

“I disobeyed. It is what happens.”

“And all your brothers?”

“Their experience was a little later. Milluki at 2 and a half. Killua, Alluka, and Kalluto at 3. I and Milluki had too many nightmares or he would have started sooner. 3 seemed to be the perfect age.”

I didn’t know how to respond to the messed up situation placed before me. He was trying to help but all I felt was bad for everyone around me. Everyone had lost so much and I was finally catching up to the program. I entered a war with kicking and screaming. 

“I’m sorry,” was all that fell from my lips. 

“I won’t treat our children that way. Since I’m not the heir…” his voice trailed off for the first time since I’d met him. This was a very different Illumi. His past is held under a tight lock and key. He holds it all in so tightly that he has to pick his thoughts. He’s always so calm and collected because a wrong choice could lead to more punishment by his father. 

“Already thinking of our children?” I ask while pulling my hand away from my hair. Illumi catches my hand first and takes off the blood soaked white cloth that I’d wrapped around it long ago. 

“Yes of course.” My hand was a sore, bloody mess. The bleeding had stopped a while ago; yet, the coagulated blood had become dry and itchy. I removed the other hand’s covering. “How did this happen?”

“Nen,” I mumbled. “I used my Nen to create a makeshift metal to cut through Hisoka’s ability. All I could think about was saving Machi yet I was hurt in the process.”

“I see.” His eyes finally left the void as he turned to look at me. If I didn’t know any better, I could’ve sworn his eyes were a little more glossy than before. “We need to get you clean. I’m hoping the concierge doesn’t call the police.”

I scrunch my nose in confusion before I notice all the dried blood on my shirt. I lifted the cloth from my face to see it stained in the same crimson as my clothes. “Oh,” I responded with realization at how I must look. I tried to push myself up but the wounds on my hands sent me spiraling back down in pain. 

Illumi held onto my arm as he pulled me up and into the tub. “You don’t have to do this. I can take care of myself.”

“I know,” He said before walking to the door. “If you need, call. I’m going to see about getting you a change of clothing. You can take a bath by yourself?”

“Yes,” I said while already starting to strip off my shirt. Illumi nodded before leaving the door open a crack. I finished getting undressed and the water started. A bath was perfect for what I needed. I didn’t want to move but I needed to get clean. Slowly, the bath started to turn a light shade of pink as blood mixed with water. I washed every bit of my body until I felt mildly clean. 

My mind cleared a bit in the soaking tub. The heat made me feel even more tired than my aching body did. Once I felt I was clean enough, I let the water out, grabbed a towel, and finally stood on my own two feet. 

Illumi hadn’t returned when I finally was able to walk out of the bath. I laid down on the bed with only a towel wrapped tightly around my body. The air conditioning pumped out a cool breeze while giving a high pitched hum. I could feel my mind wander to sleep before I registered that it was what was actually happening. 

I only awoke to Illumi shaking my body. “I’ve gotten you some new clothes and some food.” I sat up while looking at the fashion sense that Illumi had picked out for me. He had gotten a few outfits and a set of pjs to wear. They weren’t terrible. In fact, I’d call them fashionable.  I changed into the PJs in front of him before taking a bite of the toast given to me. 

“Thank you. I must’ve fallen asleep.”

“Yes,” he says while removing his shirt to crawl into bed. He looked as tired as I felt. Sleep still held me tightly. I finished the simple platter of toast and a hard boiled egg before climbing back into bed with him. Instead of splitting sides like back at Kukuroo Mountain, Ilumi held out his arm so that I could lay on his chest. I obliged.

“Illumi?” I asked as his arm wrapped around me so that I could feel a little comfort in this tiny room. 

“Hmm,” he said while raising an eyebrow and looking at me. 

“What is your plan for us in the future?”

He paused to think. I was getting used to the pauses before answering questions. Weirdly enough, I knew he would actually answer them. Before, it was so easy to not hear an answer to my questions. Now, I knew he wanted to answer. 

“We have 4 kids. We move off the mountain and into another location as we have to. I’ll still keep with the business even though Killua has returned. You can work if you want. You don’t have to. We’d teach Nen to the children so they can be protected. That’s all I have planned so far.”

“You’re really stuck on four kids.”

“It's how many siblings I have.”

“I see.” With my head on Illumi’s chest, I could hear his soft heartbeat. My eyes closed at the sound. I wanted it to null me back to sleep. “Everything going to be different now?”

“Yes. For you it will,” he responded with the same groggy tone as me. He was falling asleep as fast as I was. 

“Why not you?” 

“I’ve been through this before.”

“Illumi?”

“Yes?”

“How many people have you killed?”

“You don’t want to know?”

“Then how old was your first kill?”

“2. Only three days after.”

“I’m sorry, Ill,” I mutter. The pounding of his heart felt more like a metronome that was slowly putting me into a deep trance. “I love you.”

“I love you too,” he responded before kissing the top of my head. That was the signal to my brain to finally allow me to rest.

Next Chapter

Previous Chapter

Full Masterlist

[sneakerlust]

It had to be today, didn’t it?

Xander grumbled as the rain came down hard, the husky holding a backpack over his head as he walked down the street. The downpour hit hard enough for the busses to have to shut down, with flooding being a real possibility for the part of town he lived in. Still, he had to get home somehow, so if he couldn’t take the bus, he had to walk.

The backpack did nothing to stop the drenching, though, and he felt like he was soaked from head to toe. Particularly toes, as the husky’s shoes were on their last legs, so to speak.

Squish, squelch, squish, squelch went his socks, and he made a face at the disgusting sounds that filled his ears with every step. His paws felt like they were wrinkling up like raisins in the wet socks, and his shoes felt like they were warping and clinging to him like wet clothes.

Which, admittedly, they probably were. The holes in the sole and the rips in the sides were the main reasons that the water was getting in the way it was, and the parts that were still whole had been worn thin over the long time he’d worn them. How long? Probably about three years, considering money had been tight lately.

Just gotta get them home and dry them out. They’ll last for a bit longer…I hope.

He jumped down from the sidewalk, avoiding one puddle onto to splash into a deeper one. The water went up over his ankles, sweeping into his sneakers. The sheer cold and wet left him shivering, and he ran across the street as fast as his feet could carry him, right towards the other sidewalk. He jumped out of the street –

And landed right on a can. Someone’s soda can, probably, tossed out when it was done and crunched under who knew how many feet. However, it was just rough enough along the bottom of his damaged shoe to cut in, and as he slipped along the unexpected obstacle –

Riiiiiip.

His foot came down, and the water was colder than ever. Xander shivered, hopping along on one foot towards a bus stop. Taking shelter under the glass roof, he sat down and pulled his foot off of the ground.

“Oh, fucking fucker fuck…”

The husky glared at the ripped open sole, a hole the size of his palm in the bottom of his shoe. No wonder it had been so cold. The damn thing was completely ruined now. Utterly, completely ruined.

Well…no point in walking home in just one shoe…and with the socks already soaked…

The husky sighed as he sat down, pulling off his other shoe and throwing it in one of the garbage cans. The socks he wore almost went in, but they were still something he could salvage, so they went into his backpack instead. Around all of his books and stuff, of course; college stuff was expensive, even for those people that were using financial aid, like him.

Wet concrete did not feel good under his paws, but there wasn’t much choice. He got back to walking, grumbling and shivering as he went along.

#

“Oh, come on…”

The muddy-pawed husky finally reached the front door of his house, only to find the door locked. A note on the door told him that his roommates had gone out of town for a concert for the weekend, and wouldn’t be back for a while. They said that the key was in the ‘usual place’, and that meant only one thing.

Squelch, squelch, squelch went his toes through the mucky mud in the yard, going around the side of the house to the backyard. It felt like his toes were being sucked right into the mud, pulled down into it. Every step slid through the slimy, wet stuff, making him feel like he was struggling to keep his balance every which way. He stuck out his tongue at the feeling, shaking his head as he tried not to get soaked any further.

It didn’t work very well. The roof of the house was weirdly sloped, and it was like one of those places in a waterpark, where the water would come down unexpectedly and in great geysers. He was hit in the head four times before he could get to the backyard, and his hair was stuck against his scalp by that point.

At least he’d left his books by the front door, under the shelter of the patio cover. That way, they weren’t getting soaked.

The bare-pawed husky slid along through the backyard, looking under a number of rocks in the ‘garden’ that one of his roommates kept in the back. It was like fumbling through slime, with how wet the ground was. He swore that his feet were getting sucked into the ground just squatting there, his toes swallowed up in mud, and then his feet in general. Like quicksand, almost, except not as dry.

Finally, he found the key, slathered in mud, and stood up. He had to reach down, wrenching one foot out of the ground, then the other, before making his way up to the back door. Big, muddy footprints followed him, leaving marks on the white wood, and he sighed. One more thing to clean up later.

He wiped his feet as best he could on the mat, and then unlocked the door. Going from a downpour to a relatively warm house was…heavenly, to put it mildly, even if his clothes were still clinging to him like some lover that would never let go.

“Hello? Anyone home?”

No answer, but he didn’t expect one after that note. At least it meant he could get dry faster.

Xander pulled his shirt over his head, and threw it onto the floor. His jeans followed, leaving him in a totally soaked pair of briefs. He blushed a bit at the way that it clung to everything, but at least it was better than being freezing in the rest of his clothes.

He jogged through the house to the front door, and opened it just a crack. Nobody was around, but he didn’t step outside. Instead, he fumbled for his bag, reaching for it this way and that, and finally found the strap. He gave it a tug –

Thump.

“Huh?”

Xander blinked a few times. There hadn’t been anything out there when he’d arrived. Had a mailman come by or something?

He tugged his backpack again, letting the door open that little bit further, and saw that there was a box right beside it. Looking back and forth again to make sure that there was nobody that might see him, he opened the door that little bit more to pull it in. Then he shut it tight, and locked it, just in case someone tried to come in later.

Setting his soaked backpack down by the side of the door, he looked over the box. It was pretty plain, with brown wrapping paper and some sort of red ink spelling out his address. Nothing familiar about it, though, and everything looked rather smudged from the rain. No name, either, just the address.

The husky shrugged, taking it to the living room. It was something, at least, and he might as well open it, see whose it was.

Still can’t believe my sneakers burst on the way home…what am I gonna do now? The last bits of money he had were for lunch at school, since it was cheaper than anything here, and he didn’t want to try and borrow money from his roommates. Most of them were better off than he was, either because of a job they’d managed to score or because of more generous parents, but none of them really seemed to get along with him. He was pretty sure it was because they were all sorts of stuck up, though.

He sat down on the couch, paused, and then put a blanket under his rump to keep from soaking the cushions with his drenched clothes. The husky supposed he could finish getting changed, but when would he get the opportunity to enjoy the house like this? It wasn’t like he was a pervert, but there was something freeing about walking around a house in your underwear and nothing else.

Getting a small grin from that, the dog reached down and ripped off the wrapping paper. To his surprise, there was a shoebox inside, dryer than it should have been after sitting in the rain for any length of time, but he wasn’t about to complain. He opened the side of it, and gasped.

Oh…my…god…

Sitting in the box was the best pair of hightop sneakers that he had ever seen. The converse sneakers were a beautiful black and red, something that seemed streaked through the whole design. The red seemed to almost glow, as if it was a glow in the dark material, and he grinned at the thought of how cool that would look when walking around the campus.

But they couldn’t be –

But they were. Exactly his size, even, as if someone had picked them out special for him. It was beyond anything that he had expected.

Did…someone actually do something nice for me? That…that doesn’t sound right. But maybe…

His fingers couldn’t stop stroking along the sides of the shoe, rubbing the soft, smooth fabric that formed the body of them. The shoelaces were surprisingly soft, as well, feeling almost like silk as he ran his fingers from one to another, dragging them along. As he felt along the interior, he started to blush, feeling a different sort of excitement beginning to stir.

Xander pushed at his crotch as he felt his cock rising up, not wanting it to start tending out the briefs he wore, but it was too late. It was like the shoes were turning him on…Which, he admitted, wouldn’t be the first time that had happened. He had a thing for shoes, and sneakers in particular…and these were a really nice pair of sneakers…

“Well…since no one else would get themselves something like this…I’ll just guess that they’re mine.”

After all, it wasn’t like anyone else had a shoe size this big, right? And it wasn’t like anybody would be trying to take it from him after he’d worn them for a few days.

Socks. He needed socks to try them on. Shocked into action, the husky ran back down the hall, leaving the shoes – and that strange red glow – behind.

He returned ten minutes later, his feet washed of all the mud they’d picked up. He’d changed his underwear as well, getting rid of the soaked pair and generally drying himself off as well. He carried a pair of socks in hand, and sat down on the couch, dragging them over his feet. The white cotton felt amazing to him after walking with drenched socks for so long, and he sighed happily as he wiggled his toes at the end of them, taking some extra comfort in the nice pair.

But the real treat was still waiting. Xander smiled at the sneakers, taking them both out of the box and putting them on the floor. They looked fabulous, utterly perfect for him, though…

He paused, looking at them. They seemed a little…different, in some way, compared to how they’d looked in the box. The front of them seemed rounder, almost as if they were made specifically for his bigger toes, for the way that his feet got bigger in the front than they did in the middle or the heel.

But they were normal just a second ago…

Xander shook his head. He had to be imagining it. Yes, magic existed out there, but who had ever heard of magical shoes? It was always in the bigger amulets and stuff like that, things that the magical studies people could actually flaunt around other people. Nobody would make magical –

Mmmmph…someone…there….

The husky jumped to his feet, looking this way and that. The voice had been a gravelly one, not like any of his roommates, and for a second, he thought that someone had snuck in. He stopped himself from covering his crotch like a guilty boy caught jerking off, but he couldn’t see the source of the sound.

“Who’s there?”

Someone…here…Mmmm…someone…good…

“I’m serious! Where are you? Who are you?”

I’m right…here!

Xander yelped as his hands were suddenly grabbed by the same silken laces that he’d been fondling, staring down at the thick white lengths. Suddenly, the sneakers leaped off of the floor, dragging themselves up with the grips they had on his arms, and shoved him back with their soles in his face.

The husky went down without a fight, hitting the couch in pure shock. One of the sneakers landed on his chest, while the other pushed its treads against his cheek.

Heh…so…I got sent to another pervert, did I? Well…looks like the game’s not over yet…

“What the fuck? What the hell are you? This…”

Heh, you’re already getting it, boy. Magic. You know we’re magic.

“But…but how?”

Curses, is how. I should have been able to deal with that mage, should have been able to deal with both of them. But they were clever…Oh, too clever for their own good, though. Sealing me this way…Oh, I’ll have my revenge on them…but first, I’m going to have to get a new body. Something I can use to do what I need. And yours seems just about perfect for that.

“Wait, wait, I’m just a college student. I don’t know anything about magic!”

That’s even better. You won’t be able to fight me.

The shoes leaped back, the laces leaving his arms, but wrapping around his ankles instead. Xander pulled himself up, trying to get off the couch, but the sneakers were impossibly strong. They yanked his legs back onto the cushions, forcing his feet to face towards the other armrest as they forced his toes to point upwards.

Besides, boy, it’s not like you don’t want these shoes…I felt your lust. An incubus can always feel that.

“In – how the hell did an incubus get sealed in a pair of shoes?!”

[nebula-horizon]

🍺 Celeste and Jericho

Send a symbol for a drabble or thread [ Not Accepting! ]

🍺: Our muses drinking together

I listened to Lover is a day while writing this

((In Which Celeste gets dating advice while listening to Lo-fi))

   It was an unusually uncrowded night at the bar. Celeste had come alone without her friends just to see and talk to her favorite bartender. Having dressed up a little nicer than she usually did, but nothing too flashy especially with how she did her makeup. A tan colored sweater crop top and high waisted jean shorts were picked out as she hoped to get his attention, but she'd find out that her efforts were wasted. 

   Darius calling in sick? Who knew a workaholic like him would concede to a cold and call out for the day. Celeste sat on the bar stool she usually did as Darius's co-worker let her know the situation. Her shoulders slumped at the news -- it was hard to not feel like she wasted her time coming here since he was the only reason she liked going to this bar to begin with. The pastel haired woman sat there with her hands folded on the bar counter as she debated whether it was a good idea to go see him or if that would make her look desperate. She grumbled something in Tagalog before putting her head face down on the bar and her arms over her head.

   Thanks to the less rowdy energy in the bar tonight, Celeste's ears picked up on the chuckle coming from the person seated a couple seats away from her. She nervously peeked out  from under her arm at the source which was a young man with dark purple hair and one arm leaning against the bar. He had a rather chic look to him as he took a sip of his martini which is why Celeste was unsure if he was the one laughing at her. She sat straight up, looking from him and then around her.

   “Were you laughing at me?” she asked with a slight accusatory tone. The purple haired man gave another low chuckle which somewhat confirmed it. 

   “What’s not to laugh at? There’s something amusing about watching someone this grown up acting like a child.” he admitted. Celeste so badly wanted to pout and get defensive, but that would only prove this stranger’s point. 

   “I’m not childish,” she muttered looking away. “I just feel like I wasted my time coming here…”. Celeste sighed, it’s not like this guy would understand and besides, she just made herself sound desperate. Out of the corner of her eye, she noticed him getting up. Oh great, she just embarrassed and weirded out yet another patron -- this was not the reputation she wanted to have at Darius’s workspace. 

   “Well, do you not go out to bars to drink?”. Celeste looked back up, only to find the same man she thought she weirded out seated on the bar stool right next to her. The pastel haired woman jumped back in her seat a bit causing the man to laugh at her again. Which in turn made her face flush with embarrassment. It’s a good thing that the lights in the club started slowly shifting colors to conceal her reddened cheeks. 

   “L-look… I don’t… I don’t drink.” she quietly stuttered. “I hate alcohol, it’s a personal preference, but I just don’t like getting even a little tipsy.”. Celeste sighed, listening to the Lo-fi music that started playing over the speakers. “I usually come to this bar specifically because I-I… I kind of have a small crush on one of the bartenders.” she admitted, using crush very loosely.

   “A crush, huh? Hahaha… How cute.”. Celeste didn’t know how to respond without sounding like a nervous and flustered mess. She noticed the stranger flagged down the bartender, before leaning towards her just a bit. “What’s your favorite drink here?” he asked, fully intending on ordering her something non-alcoholic. 

   “M-mango lemonade, why-”. And it just dawned on Celeste. “Wait no, you don’t have to buy me a drink, mister-”. He waved off her protests with a gloved hand as he went to order the drink, leaving Celeste covering her face. Once again, he gave her a smirk, tilting his head to the side acting as though he were confused at her little reactions. It was clear this girl didn’t fit in with the whole bar or club scene; like watching a fish out of water. "What are you even trying to do?" She asked him as though he had some kind of ulterior motives. Still hiding her face behind her hands, she was starting to feel flustered with this guy sitting right next to her this closely. 

   "What am I trying to do?" He repeated. "Well, I'm typically a busy man, but I figured I'd take some time to entertain myself.". Celeste moved her hands from her face as she watched the man sip some more on his martini. 

   "Is making girls feel embarrassed how you entertain yourself?". She huffed. 

   "Not exactly -- it's just mildly amusing seeing drunk people humiliate themselves. I've already seen quite a few tonight.". The bartender came back sliding over the fruity concoction to Celeste. "What’s your name?" The stranger asked. There was no way in hell she was giving this guy her real name. 

   “...Celeste, and you?”. She took a sip of her mango lemonade as she stared at him; the slow changing colorful neon lights of the club illuminating both of them. 

   “Jericho.”. He held a gloved hand out to shake hers and Celeste hesitantly reciprocated. “So do you only come here for this bartender?”. Despite being thirsty and infatuated by Darius, Celeste wasn’t going to let Jericho say it out loud. 

   “A-at first it wasn’t like that. I usually only like going out with friends because I like dancing.” She noticed him raising a brow when she said that, making her look away -- she hated when people stared at her like this. “Then I met Darius here while he was working… He was so nice to me. Protecting me from creepy men and talking with me when I felt scared to head to the dance floor. It’s like he could read me so easily when I was upset and he always knows how to make me smile when I need it.”. Celeste paused for a moment as she felt herself smile softly at the memory of their first meeting. Her mind taking in the music on the speakers as she almost got lost in thought.

♫Suffocated from the radiated air around us

Full of happiness we don't have

Brightness gone so dark

Without you girl♫

   She could feel Jericho’s stare on her, almost snapping her out of her trance. Shyly looking back to him to meet his electric blue gaze, Celeste gave a weak smile. 

   “Sorry, I’m rambling. I just… I know he wouldn’t date me.”. Jericho stared at her then at his empty martini glass, setting it down before leaning his arm against the bar as he spoke to the shy starry eyed girl across from him. It was so oddly comforting to let out her woes to a stranger because in her mind she wasn’t expecting to ever see him again after tonight.

   “And why not? You seem like a nice young lady,” he said, catching Celeste off guard. “Have you actually tried asking him out?”. That was a good question and in all honesty, she really hadn’t. There was something almost endearing with the way she thought about the question before looking down at her hands that she had firmly on her lap. “Heh, I’m guessing that’s a ‘No’?”. Jericho stared curiously as the shorter of the two sighed before she moved a strand of her pastel purple hair from her face and looked back at him. Her deep tan colored skin had the neon lights of the club illuminating it as the two of them had shades of blue and purple wash over them from spotlights.  

   “Yeah… You’re right, I haven’t tried asking him. I guess I’m just not confident enough in myself.”. Celeste watched as Jericho chuckled at her again. “H-hey come on, what’s so funny?”. 

   “Heh, nothing. It just seems so strange to me that a girl -- who’d willingly put herself out there and dance with such confidence in herself -- believes that she’s lacking in the ability to charm someone.” he stated. It seemed like Jericho was trying to insinuate something to boost her a bit, but was it a genuine compliment or was he just curious to see how she’d react out of boredom? It didn’t matter as Celeste hadn’t picked up on the tone in his voice.

   “Well… Yeah. I do think that. You don’t really think I’m actually charming or cute enough to boldly ask him out,  do you?” Celeste sighed. That smirk appeared on his face again except Celeste didn’t look away nervously from him again. Her eyes didn’t break eye contact with his own.

   “And what if I do?” he asked. “What if I thought you were cute in a demure way?”. Jericho said all this knowing very well she couldn’t respond properly -- it seemed like he was enjoying seeing her quickly become sheepish. Even under all the slow changing colored lights, he can tell her face was blushing at his words. “Haha, you should try asking this Darius fellow out,” he expressed with that laughter Celeste has now come to find sickly captivating. “I’m sure he’d love to see you blush in embarrassment when you attempt to.”. 

   There was a moment of peaceful silence between them besides the music on the speakers while Celeste quietly sipped on her mango lemonade drink till she was finished. 

   “Perhaps it was a good thing she wasn’t an alcohol drinker…” he thought to himself. Jericho saw as Celeste slowly stood up, hands fidgeting with the end of her sweater crop top anxiously. 

   “You’re right, I-I can’t ever know the answer if I never try shooting my shot, you know?” Celeste stammered. “Er… O-Okay! I’ll go home and call to see if I can visit him later…” she shyly said with a nod, Jericho’s words reassuring her. It was a little hard to find a proper response to being enamored by an utter stranger, yet Celeste wanted to give him some kind of thank you. Awkwardly holding her hand out again, the bracelet around her wrist jingling. “Thanks for listening to me… I-it was nice meeting you, Jericho.”.

   “The pleasure’s all mine.” he responded without missing a beat, shaking her hand once more.

   “U-um… D-do you think I’ll see you again sometime?” Celeste asked. She hadn’t noticed her hand lingered in his hold for a bit before pulling it back quickly. 

   “Perhaps you’ll see me again,” Jericho lied, knowing how dangerous it’d be if she found out what he did for a living. “Besides, I’m sure I won’t forget your face.”. He really had to get that last jab in, huh? It looked like his last little compliment worked as Celeste gave him one more shy sweet expression, only this time she was smiling. “See you, around, Celeste.”.

   “Y-yeah… see ya, Jericho…”. The starry eyed woman left in a hurry, covering her face with the sleeve of her sweater on her way out. Jericho grinned as she left before ordering another drink from the bartender. As the song came to it’s last chorus, he began humming along softly, thinking how nice it would be if he allowed himself to see her again .

♫Time changed

We're different

But my mind still says redundant things

Can I not think?

Will you love this part of me

My lover is a day I can't forget

Furthering my distance from you

Realistically I can't leave now

But I'm okay as long as you

Keep me from going crazy

Keep me from going crazy♫

[cynicalrainbows]

The Next Best Thing Chapter 16

Catalina and Cathy look through some old pictures. **

It just looks like any normal old shoebox, and not very interesting at all, but when she takes off the battered lid, Cathy sees it's full of photos and letters, folded up flyers, shells and all sorts of little bits and pieces.

‘It’s my special keepsake box.’ Catalina’s cheeks are tinged pink. ‘I thought maybe you'd like to have a look at it together, because there's a lot of stuff, a lot of photos and things from your Mum in it. Even some from your Dad too.’ 

Looking at it makes her stomach clench because it reminds her that she doesn't have anything like this- Mum was her Mum but what does she have to remember her by?

But then Catalina goes on to say that maybe Cathy would like to start making her own one- only if she wants to of course, but if she does, she’s welcome to pick out some pictures if there are any she likes.

And that's an interesting idea.

She picks up the box, so she can tip everything out and see it at once but stops herself just in time- but when she glances up, catalina smiles and nods encouragingly. 

‘Have a little look through mija, if you’d like.You can tip them out if it makes it easier- it wont hurt them. I'm going to wash up quickly and then I'll come back.’

Photos spill out onto the carpet, a rainbow of colours until she starts to focus on them individually. Her mum and dad stare out at her from a hundred tiny windows into the past.

*

She sifts through the slippery prints and then stops suddenly and holds it up for Catalina to see.

‘Look!’

Her Mum looks younger in this picture but very tired too- slightly crumpled. Her hair is a tousled halo around her head.

‘Is that me?’

She stabs her finger at the tiny bundle in her Mum’s arms and Catalina nods.

‘It’s you. I think I actually took this picture- or maybe I was just in the room. No, that’s right, it was me because your Daddy couldn’t get the camera to work.’

‘Dad couldn’t ever get the video recorder to work. Mum always had to do it for him.’

‘That sounds like Thomas.’

Mum is looking down at her baby-self, smiling tiredly. She doesn’t seem to even know that the camera is pointed at her at all.

‘How old was I?’

‘Not very old- maybe a couple of weeks. Still very tiny.’

‘I’m like a doll.’

‘That was what everyone said- like a little doll.’ Catalina laughs. ‘Everyone said how good and sweet and quiet you looked- until you cried, and then they would be surprised someone so small could be that loud. Your Mum said you were practising for karaoke.’

‘What’s karaoke?’

‘Singing, with a microphone. Your Mum and I used to do it a lot when we were at university. Maria was much better at it than I was though.’

‘Mum used to sing all the time. She’d sing me songs instead of telling me stories at bedtime sometimes.’

‘She used to say how all that karaoke practise would be handy when she had children. Sometimes, we just sang in the streets, when we were coming home from parties- the streets would be all quiet and your Mum would say it was like a stage and we’d sing as we walked home, Especially if it was cold. Once we passed by some boys, and they started howling-’

‘Why?’

‘Oh they were just being silly, they didn’t like our singing much- or my singing anyway.’

‘Were you sad?’

‘I didn’t really have time to be sad honestly mija because before they’d even finished, your Mum threw her cone of chips at them, grabbed my hand and we ran all the way home so they couldn’t catch us- we were laughing so hard i nearly fell off my high heels!’

‘When we were in Nursery, someone made fun of Anne and I threw my paintbrush at them.’

‘There you are. Like mother, like daughter. You’re brave like her.’

‘Was Dad brave?’

‘I think so. Maybe a bit different to your Mum though- he was brave because he did what he wanted to do and he didn’t let anyone tell him different. You know he was reading History of Art at University?’

She nods.

‘Lots of people thought that it wasn’t….the sort of thing a man should be doing. His parents wanted him to become a doctor or a lawyer- they thought he was wasting his time, but he stuck it out, worked so hard to put himself through the course- and he never got angry. Never, in all the time that I knew him, did I ever see him get cross or shout or anything at all. He just kept on doing what he wanted.’

‘Dad liked going to art galleries.’

‘Yes.’

‘I liked them too sometimes. Sometimes I got bored.’ It makes her feel bad to admit this, like a better daughter would have listened attentively and never ever whined or had to be bribed with the promise of sweets from the museum gift shop.

When she tells Catalina this though, she just laughs. ‘Oh that sounds just like Maria- she liked going to the galleries with him, up to a point….but she lost patience much more quickly than he did.’

‘Sometimes he’d make up stories about the people in the pictures for me.I used to want to do it too but i could never think of anything.’

‘Maybe you were just a bit too young for the Muses, mija.’

‘Maybe. Do you think I’d be better at it now?’

‘I think after your success as ghost story in chief last night, you’d be wonderful at it.’

She brightens then stops. ‘Except Dad isn’t here to take me to the gallery any more.’

Catalina squeezes her hand. ‘I know mija. But if you’d like, I could take you to the gallery.’

‘Can we?’

‘Of course.’

‘Can we be like proper grown ups? I won’t get bored or ask for sweets or anything.’

‘If you like, mija. Although-’ Catalina lowers her voice. ‘I can’t promise I won’t want to get some sweets. But I’ll try not to whine too much….’

*

There are pictures of her parents going out and pictures of them at home, pictures of them in parks and pictures of them in restaurants. There are older, faded photos, some bearing the imprints of sticky rings from long ago drinks; there are small square white edged pictures from photos booths.

And there are photos of Catalina too: arms linked with her Mum, the way that she and Anne do sometimes. They’re smiling in nearly all of them.

‘You used to have different hair!’

Catalina strokes the long, rope-like braids of her past-self fondly. ‘Oh it was such a wrench when I cut off my dreads. But my Madre said I would find it harder trying to find work with them and she was right. Sadly.’

‘Why was it harder?’

‘Because some people have very silly ideas about what a professional hair style is, mija.’

‘That doesn't make any sense. Your hair doesn't change how you work.’

‘Exactly mija. Exactly.’

She’d ask more but Catalina is looking sad so she doesn’t. Instead she says ‘I like them. You look pretty.’

‘Thank you, mi vida. I rather liked them too.’

‘Did Mum ever have her hair like that?’

‘I don’t think so. If she did, it was before I knew her.’

‘Oh. Can I have my hair like that?’

‘If you want it. But you have to think carefully about it mija because it’s a hairstyle you can’t change. If you decide you want it different, it’s not as easy as just brushing it out.’

‘Oh.’ 

‘But if you do decide that’s what you want, then yes, you can.’

‘Really?’

‘It’s your hair not mine, mija.’

‘What if I did it and didn’t like it?’

‘Well, then you’d know not to do your hair like that again.’

It’s interesting, when Catalina puts it like that. Because her hair is her own, of course it is- but it doesn’t always feel like it, when it’s something that grown ups seem to be forever fussing over- washing it and brushing or not brushing it, reminding her to tie it back or put it down.

‘Oh I’d forgotten this one!’

Catalina holds out another picture: a closeup of her own face, and of Cathy’s- very small and squishy and young looking- pressed close to it, with her eyes squeezed shut. There’s a little puff of brown fur and a tiny paw at the edge of the photo that looks oddly familiar-

‘Tarkar!’

‘Yes, in his prime. And me in mine. I don’t think he was even Tarkar then, I don’t think you’d had him very long-’

‘Mum and Dad said he was the first toy they bought for me after I was born.’

‘That’s right. They took it very seriously.’

Cathay nods- she knows this story. ‘They couldn’t agree on what to get me because there were so many and they didn’t want to get me one I didn’t like.’

‘Well, it was a very important decision.’

‘Mum wanted to get a bear and Dad said that was a waste because there were so many more options, and then he wanted to get me an octopus but Mum said it was too scary-’

‘Yes, I remember how she screamed when we’d go to the beach together- if anything touched her legs while she was swimming, she was always sure it was a giant squid or a shark…’

‘Mum said you laughed once and then something touched YOUR leg and you screamed even louder-’

Catalina shakes her head, laughing. ‘Oh I should have known she’d have told you the whole story….in my defence, mija, it was a very tentacle-y bit of seaweed…’

Cathay doesn’t understand all the fuss- she always HOPES that she’ll get to see a squid or an octopus or even a little shark when she’s swimming in the sea. She’s seen Finding Nemo, she knows sharks aren’t all scary, and she’s a good swimmer- she knows she could probably get away if she needed to make a quick escape.

‘Dad taught me to swim in the sea. On holiday when I was five. He said the salt water made us more floaty.’

‘He was right. That sounds like a nice holiday, mija.’

‘It was. Mum didn’t come in but she waved to us. She made Tarkar wave too. She looked after the picnic things. Dad said I could have a candyfloss for every time that I went under and didn’t cry.’

Catalina smiles. ‘I remember talking to you on the telephone when you came back and you telling me you’d learned to swim. I don’t think you mentioned the candyfloss though.’

‘I started going under on purpose and Mum said that Dad was silly to promise something like that and that I could have one candyfloss and that would cover all the times.’ She still feels mildly resentful at how the bargain had changed last minute. ‘I was up to six candyflosses but I only got one. But Dad let me have a bit of his as well as mine because he said I’d been brave enough to have earned more than one candyfloss.’

‘Your Daddy was always generous like that.’ Catalina shuffles photos absently like they’re playing cards. ‘He’d give people the shirt off his back if they asked.’

‘Is that why you told Mum to marry him?’

Catalina looks amused. ‘What did she tell you mija?’

‘She said that she called you on the phone after they met each other and you told her to marry him so she did. She’d say it was all down to you and laugh, and Dad would always say it was lucky for him.’ She remembers it because she’s heard it so many times- she remembers, too, being surprised when Anne said she had no idea how her Mummy and Daddy had met, that she’d never been told. There’s more to the story too though, bits that Mum and Dad didn’t used to say in public, that she alone was allowed to hear.

‘She said that Dad made her a cup of tea at his flat and that he put in the milk first like she did and that she called you and told you and you said she should marry him because he was the only other person in the world apart from her who did it.’

‘I stand by it, mija. It is very odd to put in the milk first and Maria deserved to know. I think she mostly did it to annoy me and then it became a habit.’

She nods. ‘Yes.’

‘What do you mean, yes?’

She isn’t sure what Catalina is confused about. ‘Mummy said that one day, she put in the milk first and you kept saying it was weird so she kept doing it because you got really annoyed, and then she couldn’t stop.’

Catalina’s eyes are wide with disbelief. ‘That little liar- she told me she liked it better that way!’

Cathay starts to giggle and shakes her head. ‘No. She just told you she did.’

‘You think you know someone…’ Catalina shakes her head, smiling. ‘Well I’m glad she told you the truth, mija. And I’m glad that me being bothered by it helped her and your Daddy to get to know one another

‘Mum said that when she told you she was getting married, you said I told you so.’

‘I did! And I was right…’ Catalina smiles but it’s a sad smile too. ‘I never in my life saw two people as well suited to each other as Maria and Thomas- I never thought I’d ever have liked one of Maria’s boyfriends either, I used to make fun of them mercilessly in the past- Not that that’s a nice thing to do, mija-’ She adds hurriedly.

She’s heard this too. ‘Mum said you used to not like any of them but then you did like Dad and that was how she knew he was special.’

Catalina looks very sad all of a sudden and her eyes are shiny. ‘He was. And your mother- oh, she was the best person I ever knew, the very, very best-’ Catalina presses her hand to her mouth. ‘I’m sorry, mija-’

It makes her feel funny to hear Catalina talk about her Mum like that- it’s nice but it’s sad too because it reminds her that Mum wasn’t just Mum, Mum was also someone who Catalina misses in a whole different way. It makes her feel a bit uncomfortable to see Catalina cry too, because she’s not used to seeing grown ups cry- but she knows to say all the things that Catalina says to her when she cries.

‘It’s ok to cry. You will feel better. Everything will be alright.’ She doesn’t think she has forgotten anything. She even gets up and fetches a glass of water from the kitchen like Catalina does for her, and doesn’t spill even a drop.

Catalina looks surprised when she brings it back- she’s dabbing her eyes with a tissue.

‘Oh querida, thank you so much- you are such a thoughtful girl.’ She takes a long sip and then puts it down. ‘I’m sorry mija, I didn’t mean to scare you. I’m alright now.’

‘I wasn’t scared.’ It’s true- she knows what it feels like to be scared and although she doesn’t enjoy seeing Catalina upset, it didn’t frighten her.

‘Ok.’ Catalina takes another drink. ‘You know, you are so very much like Maria. And Thomas. You have all of their best qualities.’ She’s just wondering how she feels about that- about being a mix of Mum and Dad, whether it’s a good thing because she’s like them, or a bad thing because if she’s them, then does that mean she isn’t herself?- when Catalina adds ‘Of course, some of you is neither. Some of you is just you.’

They sit and Catalina sips her water, and she leans against Catalina with her head on her shoulder.

She doesn’t pick up any more of the photos- she thinks she’s had enough, for now at least.

‘I think I want to stop now.’

Catalina’s voice is nearly entirely back to normal now. ‘That’s alright. I’ll leave the box out here, on the bookshelf, and then you can look through them whenever you like. You can look at them on your own too, you don’t have to wait til I’m with you unless you want to.’

‘Really?’

That’s a surprise- Catalina is usually quite clear about which of her things Cathy is welcome to use or touch whenever she wants, and which she is meant to leave alone, and usually, anything private falls into the second category, and these photos definitely seem like they’d be private….but Catalina nods. 

‘They’re your parents, mija, Just be careful with the pictures, alright?’

‘Ok.’

‘Good girl.’ Catalina finishes her water and then stretches. ‘You know, I’ve gotten stiff from sitting on the floor like this. Shall we get up and do something else for a bit?’

That sounds like a good idea. ‘Will you read me my library book- but make it so there’s a cat like you did before?’

Catalina nods. ‘I think I could do that, yes.’

‘Will you make it interesting like last time?’

‘Tell you what-’ Catalina gets to her feet, shaking the pins and needles from her feet. ‘I’ll do my best and you can tell me if I managed it. Ok?’

‘Ok.’

*

An hour later, Catalina closes Five Have A Mystery To Solve and looks at Cathy.

‘What’s the verdict mija? Did I do alright?’

Cathy gives her a hug- it’s a bit hard because she’s curled up Catalina’s lap again and there isn’t much room to move but she manages it.

‘You did really good. Especially the bits with Timmy the Cat.’

Catalina looks very, very pleased.

[lasttimeonthenegaverse]

The Life and Times of the Negaverse Chapter 3

                                         Dinners and Demands

She let her feet guide her and...she stopped right before the kitchen. Dinner. That meant eating, that meant sitting down and having time to process what she was feeling. She gulped. It had seemed so simple, then again, her fits of emotion were always simple in the short term. And then it was a barrage of apologies for what she’d done in her fury, or devastation. Like leaving Da...She shook her head. No, no thinking of that. She was just…..march ahead. Gosalyn had been placed at one end of the table, LaunchPad close to her. Negaduck sat on the other side of him so she was to sit next to her new….. charge. Ah there was the instant regret. What had she been thinking accepting even partial responsibility for a child? She wasn’t allowed to watch the other Gosalyn without supervision from the girl’s overprotective father. It was genuinely...        “She always overthink this much?” LaunchPad’s voice startled her from her own thoughts and looked up to see that...all of them were staring at her.        “It’s okay. She doesn’t have to do anything she doesn’t want to. She’s probably just thinking about her life and all the things she’d be giving up.” Gosalyn’s voice was a small whine that tugged at her heart strings. “It’s alright Miss -Not this- Morgana. We’ll be fine on our own. You can go back home. Your Gosalyn needs you!” LaunchPad said nothing, but he bit his beak. NegaDuck turned to glare at the girl and the fury in his gaze gave her the strength she needed. She had to be here to protect that girl. After all, NegaDuck had come to ask for help. How much worse than him were the creatures that always took her!         “Well she may but...you need me more” Morgana smiled and tried to move…..and noticed that from her knees down was encased in a thick and solid block of ice. “Sorry about the cold feet. I’ll handle that in a moment” Well that was embarrassing. She gave a huff. Once upon a time her powers were nearly immeasurable and every spell found it’s target. Now she froze up like a child put on the spot at a family dinner. Morgana looked down, focusing fire downward, but paying attention to the math even as she let her elemental magic flare. The only thing more embarrassing than cold feet would be giving herself a nasty case of scorch. NegaDuck would think she was useless and her magic was too dangerous, much like…        “I thought you said she came willingly?” LaunchPad murmured to his husband. Negaduck shrugged.

       “She did. And not even on false pretences.” A raised brow from the Pelican. “Promise . I mighta just brought uncomfortable truths to light….slid a few…. ideas in.” LaunchPad sighed. There was no trying to fix whatever terrible plan had been set in motion. Best to let it run it’s awful course and figure out how to slot the pieces later. Granted...last time he did that they ended up with a kid...ah well. What could really happen this time?        “Okay. Then” Morgana sat down, the bottom of her dress still a bit damp. “What’s for dinner?” She asked gently...also because….what was she looking at? She tilted her head as she looked at it. It looked like her slime cream pies, but the wrong color. Plus, Dark never even tried her food let alone have LaunchPad make the recipe. And why would they be having dessert for their main course?

       “Leftover Casserole” LaunchPad scoffed. “And I’m a better cook then Negs so enjoy.” NegaDuck looked offended at the accusation….and didn’t refute it so…. Morgana nodded and took her fork to the dish…..then couldn’t pull it back out. Gosalyn seemed to have the same problem, she wasn’t actually eating the dinner, her fork was stuck and she was nibbling at some chips. That wasn’t good.        “You know” And he glared at her as NegaDuck snickered. “When the texture is this sticky, forks have more spaces to hold onto.” She wiggled her fingers and turned it into a serrated spoon. “This is usually best when the food is still moving, but this is even tougher than Tar Rice. Good on you. Mine falls apart.” She looked back down and sharply twisted her serrated edge into the sludge, effectively severing it. With a wave of her hand the other three forks were similarly transfigured. “I was only asked to help with watching and raising. Watch is easy, I’ll ward her room tonight. But raise, well, I defer to the parents. That being said...I don’t really think chips are a good idea for dinner.”        “You haven’t tasted the food” NegaDuck smirked. Gosalyn giggled while LaunchPad glared at his husband. Unperturbed, the duck hopped up to fill with water three glasses and…..and a sparkly pink cup. She didn’t tend to drink tap but still...at seeing what was obviously Gosalyn’s cup Morgana felt the smile pulling at her beak. It was clear that this child was surrounded by love and so far better than Dark had thought…..then she had a bite of food. Oh…. oh ….oh no. A hand flew to her beak and it didn’t matter that LaunchPad looked deeply offended or that NegaDuck and Gosolyn were both holding back their laughter. Oh NO . How was this child alive? In fact, how were any of them alive. Oh JEEZ it was like it was expanding in her mouth and getting stuck in her throat. Coating everything and filling her mouth with the revolting taste of decay. She needed….. Morgana didn’t really register the glass of water in her hand. Not until she was taking great greedy gulps of the water. She only stops drinking when she’s choking, a lack of air from drinking too much too fast. Even then the taste still clings in her mouth. Negaduck is trying and failing to pretend that he’s not moments away from bursting into hysterical laughter and little Gosalyn takes a bite of a chip that somehow seems….. smug.

       “What” Morgana manages “Is in this?”        “It’s not that bad” LaunchPad scoffs, managing to wrangle a bite of his own. The second it passes through his beak he winces. “Okay….maybe this batch is pretty bad.” He hums and has to Morgana’s growing horror another bite. “Okay, you maybe weren't exaggerating too badly. The spoon is full again and her hand finally flares out, magic wrapping around his wrist.        “Why?” Her voice is soft in terror, even as he tries to fight the spell, to shove more of... that into his mouth. Oh sweet merciful magic no wonder the child was eating chips. LaunchPad frowned and shrugged slightly.        “It’s what’s for dinner. We gotta eat something . No cook got kidnapped.” Her look of purest horror was met with a shrug. “It’s not the worst thing we’ve eaten. The Hotdogs mighta gone bad...or the custard was scorched.” She had to take a deep breath. ‘Leftover casserole’ was what he’d called it. So….what that probably meant was that all of the leftovers went into a pot….and….

       “When can I go back to my Saint Canard?” She asked suddenly. A snort of laughter came from somewhere but she couldn’t identify where. It wasn’t NegaDuck. His face was twisted somewhere between disbelief and rage.

       “Seriously? Giving up after a lil food?” He snarled. “You wanna go running right back in the arms of your loving precious little can’t even trust you Darkwing. Do you even know how hard it was to make myself ask for your help-”

       “With protecting that child?” Morgana asked, stone faced. Had NegaDuck’s words hurt? Obviously. But he was Negaduck it was in his nature to be needlessly cruel and it was in the nature of all parents to lash out when they were worried about their children. The rationale didn’t stop everyone’s feathers from standing on end due to the influx of electricity in the room.  “I plan to. The first thing is to make sure she has nutritional food. I happen to be a cook. Though…” And there was a stray flame that sprung up on the table. She used her hand to stamp it out, but everyone was looking at the very literal heat from her tone. “Some people, whom will remain unnamed, do not even TRY my cooking, there are LOADS of others that like it and at the very least it’s editable.” LaunchPad growled and magic or no she had the common decency to smile at him “You said this batch was particularly bad. I’m sure it’s fine most of the time. I just” He calmed slightly, but still looked a bit livid. “cooking on rotations? Please?” The word seemed to throw him for a loop before he snorted, a crooked grin slicing across his beak. His grin causes her to calm down just slightly.        “Lemmie get ya summore water” LaunchPad’s smile never faltered. “Fer de rest of your food. Can’t go back on an empty stomach.” There’s something mildly feral in that grin. Apparently he took the slight to his cooking to heart. NegaDuck glares at him slightly, but he seems oddly chipper as he goes to grab water.        “Really I just need the vibrational frequency of this plane of existence and I can whip up a spell to slide between them as easily as walking to the store.” She tried to rationalize. NegaDuck snarled. She could go between!? Well that was an unfortunate development. What the fuck kind of havock could she reak on his kid leaving her alone whenever it struck her fancy. LaunchPad seemed to have the same idea. No faith, none whatsoever. He could solve this! He was Negaduck        “We don’t know that information so Negs’d have to take you. He’ll do it in the morning.” LP was grinning as he placed the glass of water in front of her. NegaDuck’s eye twitched. He was NOT going to spend all night arguing and STILL end up with an ‘I told you so’ nope, nuh uh, NEVER

       “Why exactly .” He started as Morgana took a reluctant bite of food and shot back the whole glass of water to wash out the taste. “Do you need to go back?” He was forcing his voice to stay even, but her hand had gone up to her head. She didn’t seem to notice that Launch looked pleased. NegaDuck sighed. His Husband was so unbelievably petty. But hey, he loved the man for a reason.        “Food of course. And A few spell ingredients to better ward Gosalyn.” She was frowning and checked the glass she’d been given. “That was tap water wasn’t it?” She groaned slightly. “The pipes in every St. Canard are bad.” She lamented. That caused frowns around the table.

       “You’ve tasted water like that afore?” LP asked, concern sneaking into his tone. He was fine with randomly poisoning people, but by trying to abandon his daughter she was now his enemy and he didn’t like the idea that someone might finish killing her first. She nodded, before NegaDuck spoke again.        “Why don’t I just take a duffel bag and clean out your house?” He didn’t want to Haul around duffels of useless shit. It was better than the alternative of her going home and meeting up with Dipshit Duck and letting him sweet talk her into forgiving him and leaving this Gos in the dust.        “Almost all of the Tap water in Saint Canard. The water at the tower of course but sometimes even the water in my house.” She shrugged to LaunchPad before snickering at NegaDuck. “My house can’t be cleaned out. There are multiple rooms and multiple pocket dimensions in each room. Not to mention protective spells to keep others away” Nega had to bite back a scoff at that. After all, her protective wards hadn’t been able to do shit to keep him from breaking and entering multiple times. But….he hadn’t grabbed at anything. “Tap water gives me headaches…..though…. bag ….You may be able to steal one item. My universal satchel. It connects directly to my home. If I had that then I could get what I need without leaving.”        “Yeah, great. Tell me what the purse looks like and I’ll pick it up tomorrow” Gosalyn’s face fell into a pout that was the likely precursor to a screaming sension. “It’ll take me what, an hour, three at most. I’ll leave first thing in the morning and be back by lunch. Right there, right back.” LauchPad was ignoring his poor Husband trying to appease their daughter and focused more on the fact that the woman in front of him had apparently been actively drinking water spiked with trace amounts of bleach. Who was trying to….well, bleach in trace amounts would only suffice in giving her massive headaches, palpitations after a while but who did she piss off that much? That wasn’t outright kill, that was ‘get revenge’ like how he was getting revenge on her for trying to leave his kid. If she had enemies like that on the other side maybe she was good for Gos.        “It’s a small round red bag. Blood red not Crimson. It has pentagrams in shimmering black. Glittering Black and it’s the bag of souls. Exactly one cobweb or you’re picking up multiverse bags and those are nothing but trouble.” NegaDuck listened carefully, though he seemed more annoyed than anything. It was just the way his face fell. Bloodred bag, shimmering black pentagram, single cobweb.        “Yeah, yeah, yeah- bright red glitter black lotta cobwebs I got it.” It was hilarious the instant offence that spread across her face, as well as how she half rose to curse him out but ended up stuttering and half swallowing her words trying to keep Gosalyn of people from hearing them. It was fucking glorious the indignant blush that painted her face. He let the smirk he’d been holding back slice across his beak. “Morgs. Blood Red, one cobweb, fuckin relax.” She wasn’t relaxed. Her knuckles were taunt she was clenching her fists so hard. Delightful . He chuckled at her and smirked at his daughter. “Alright Buttercup, time for sleep. You feel like kickin and screamin or are you gonna do your sweet act to trick me into not leaving?” She pouted at him again and glanced over at Morgana. Ah, she was going to be a monster . He huffed but went to pick up the overdressed nine year old. It was made extra difficult by the 20 pounds of lace and tulle that she was draped in. Still, he could still pick her up and so he did “Puttin the bitch ta bed” He called down. He didn’t need to turn to see that Morgana had locked up at what he’d called his kid. She’d learn.        “Probably best not to go up there for a bit” LaunchPad smirked. “Guns have a tendency to pop out during bedtime.” Morgana frowned and looked upstairs. What were the chances that This LaunchPad was joking? Hers was a joker at times. “Do you get your own water?” And her attention was dragged back to what had to be the strangest question she’d ever been asked. The other duck was leaning forward, mirth dancing in startlingly blue eyes. Morgana’s hands clenched again as she looked at this man. This was and wasn’t LaunchPad all in the same vein. It was disconcerting the clash in her mind between ‘This is LaunchPad and you’re safe’ versus ‘This is NegaDuck’s husband and so extremely dangerous.’ In the end her mind couldn’t stay actively worried when it was LaunchPad so she tested the waters to see how dissimilar they were.        “I never would have guessed NegaDuck was married” She said instead. The only answer LaunchPad gave was a raise of a brow. There was a sort of stand off for a moment before he relented, relaxing his shoulders in a way that made it seem….not like he wouldn’t but less like he was going to launch across the table to snap her neck with the flex of an oversized arm.        “Isn’t Darkwing married?” He asked, genuinely curious. He knew the answer by how her face went red and her back straightened. “Ah…..is he dating” Her face was bewildered, but quickly shifting to mildly offended pride. Dating her... “ Ah Okay. Just figured out something’s all.” His smile was amused now and that foreboding feeling caused the feathers on the back of her neck to perk up.        “What” She asked carefully. “Did you figure out?” The dangerous man gave her a once over before thinking and letting out a dark chuckle.

         “Maybe not figured it all the way out…..i think someone was trying to kill you”        “WHAT”

       “Or” He continued as if she hadn’t just screamed. “To get you out of the way.” He shrugged. He kinda wanted a camera for the look on her face. He’d look at it later when she wasn’t actively panicking. About half of his instinctive hatred to her was the fact that it was MORGANA. She came by once a month to try and steal his husband while threatening both himself and his daughter. The only reasons she wasn’t dead were A-he couldn’t figure out how to kill magic and B- an old associate was oddly Enchanted by her and wanted to date her if ever she stopped her obsessive campaign on a married man. He didn’t know much about this Morgana and while it didn’t take a lot to make him want to torture someone, it took something...something worse than her not wanting to eat admittedly horrible food. The look on her face was….shit. He didn’t like having a heart. And the lady was endearing herself simply by coming to help out with Gos….and he’d already tried to kill her over a misunderstanding. “What are you talking about!?” She demanded. And there were sparks again, the house lighting up and dying down in flashes as she affected the wiring.  “Why would anyone be trying to kill me!?”

       “You’re a powerful sorceress?” He ventured. That wasn’t the reason she was being targeted if his hunch was right. But it was a pretty good reason nonetheless of why someone would want her gone. Her face fell and the electricity faded from the air as she realized that he was right.

       “Oh…..but who would be close enough to me to kill me? And how would they go about murdering…..well, me.” And that sounded like the Morgana he knew and hated. “I’m more than a bit durable.” That sounded less like the Morgana he knew and hated. Enough less to prompt an answer.

       “Tap Water.” Her face morphed into one of confusion.  “Metallic taste plus headache means your glass was spiked with trace amounts of bleach…..the glass I just handed you was spiked …..and you said ” He shrugged. “Did anyone in your dimension hand you tap water consistently? Call it bad pipes?” She stopped to think. The only person that got her something to drink….and she only took it because he was so nice….. “your LaunchPad get you tap water from bad pipes?” And by that face it hadn’t occurred to her. As confusion came onto her features he cut off the question. “That’s what I would do if you were dating Negs and we weren't married. Or I’m wrong...I’m just speaking from my own experience. Other me might not do the same.”  But by the look on her face…..        “I…..he was my friend ” Fuck. Yup.

       “He probably wasn’t trying to kill you.” The other Duck admitted. “In trace amounts bleach just gives ya headaches.” He said it like it made things better. There was a rumbling sound and it was his only real warning before the raincloud started. Surprisingly, it didn’t turn the room into a monsoon. A small localized hailstorm over her head. Her fists were still clenched tightly and she was taking deep breaths.        “You’re lying” She said coldly. It didn’t take a genius to realize that she was more upset with herself than him. “That’s impossible. LaunchPad is my…..” The storm got worse, now focused entirely on her side of the room. He idly debated internally on how much larger the storm could get before she started to damage the internal structure to the house. If it got too much bigger he’d throw a frying pan at her. She was way too far in her head to stop it and it would just knock her out, she seemed to be dealing with some shit. He sighed.        “Look” And she was still hearing because she looked up at the word. But she was half frozen and he wasn’t good at comforting people. A LOT better than his husband but that wasn’t saying much. A slug could comfort people better that Negsy. “Ya still plannin on helpin with Gos?” The wind raged and an unused bulb popped, glass shattering on her side of the kitchen. To her credit, as destroyed as she looked, there wasn’t a second of hesitation.

       “Well Obviously! She needed help NegaDuck said. I’m not leaving a child out in the cold. Nor am I subjecting her to being fed poison.” Her voice was haughty and proud and she was downright offended at the suggestion of leaving. Well damn. Definitely not this Morg        “Then does it really matter right now?” She blinked at him. “Call this a….a well needed break . You’ve been on edge all night and while you’re probably different from this Morgana, you’ve gotta be more put together if Negs thought you could help Gossy. It’s not the issue right now. It’ll work itself out or it won’t. So calm down before ya break the house.” It probably only worked because she was distraught. Her fists clenched even more tightly before releasing.        “A moment.” She looked around to what her natural power had done just lashing out as it was. Though she had magic, Math was used to guarantee specific outcomes. Otherwise you ended up with….She sighed and ran a few quick actual calculations, condensing the storm to her hand where she squashed it. “Sorry. Today has been….not very good. Counting the two rescheduled dates and the secret identity I seem to be the only one unknowing of…..this month hasn’t been very good.” She was trembling with the effort of keeping her magic contained. LaunchPad got up and turned to a cabinet, rifling around before.  

       “Here” And a tumbler of whisky was put in front of her. “Not poisoned this time.” She was looking at it distrustfully which…..was fair . He poured himself a glass as well. “Look your magic goes crazy when you’re upset so maybe talk about it before ya get stressed by the kid. And since I’m the only one here, unfortunately….”

                                   ND~DD~ND~DD~ND~DD~ND

Gosalyn was quickly changed into her preferred nightgown. Pink and with a skirt made of ruffles. She went from daytime dress up doll to night time Barbie and it was a truly sickening sight. But she had a habit of trying to make him gag when she was pissed off at him. She crawled into bed and pulled white lacy sheets up to her shoulders, turning from him in pure rage. That earned an eyebrow raise and a cruel chuckle as he grabbed his secret weapon.        “As angry as ya wanna be. I got somthin ya need.” She lifted her little head and glared back at him...he waved the hairbrush at her mockingly. “Lil hint. When ya bluff, make sure your bases are covered.”        “I can get Papa to do my hair.” She sniped. He nodded, she could…..        “That means giving up a Daddy Daughter tradition since yer hair got washed that first time….You really wanna break tradition?” She didn’t like deviating from her patterns. It was a weird thing that he’d noticed about his kid and used to his advantage. Like the fact that she couldn’t sleep in an empty house and her obsession with ‘pretty’ that bled into the poor innocent room. As he suspected, she sat all the way up and turned away, arms crossed as she pouted. He took the permission for what it was and ambled over to the queen bed, climbing unto it behind the little princess of chaos. Deft fingers wiggled off the rubber band keeping her ringlets in place before he started to brush her hair out, far more gently than one may have thought him capable of. “Tomorrow you be nice to miss Morg kay. Maybe keep a babysitter for longer than an hour. Might be fun.” Gos, in true Gos fashion let out a sound halfway between an enraged shriek and a pitiful whine.

         “She’s a selfish lying bitch.” Gos pouted. “She doesn’t even want to be here and she’s going to skip away the moment she’s not needed.” Negaduck snorted at that, making sure to twist his wrist with the grain of the hair so that any tangles wouldn’t cause the kid pain. “Why’d you even go get her? You missed out on Tank’s research.”        “Fuck, ‘sonly been a day the lil Tesla’s got research already? I thought he’d just take in intake...vitals and shit.” She giggled brightly and while he didn’t mind the sound he wished she wouldn’t do it while he was brushing her hair. She would put spikes under his side of the bed if he miscounted and brushed less than 100 times.        “He’s really happy with the specimen. Enough water caused full reconstitution and whatever keeps him alive is not the same thing keeping him stable. Tankie started working on looking at DNA to try and do a normal intake but nothing about him is normal. It’s no wonder you have such a hard time capturing him. Not only does every water drop have his DNA in it, but water that’s introduced to him shares it as well. Electroshock causes the new water to lose the connection until reintroduced but only causes a weakening in the bonds keeping his form stable.” Negaduck rolled his eyes, but considered the hair adequately brushed and so started to pull it into a tight braid.        “Only you would pick a Poindexter as a bodyguard” He remarked as he started on the next pigtail.

       “Minion Daddy. I need some brain to balance out my brute of a bodyguard.” He bit his beak from reminding his daughter that they were both bodyguards since she hadn’t officially notified Tank of his change in status, even though he’d had the promotion for almost six months now. She didn’t like change.

       “Speakin ‘a bodyguards.” She froze. Oh boy, this would have to be handled with all the fineness of disarming a bomb. Something he wasn’t too used to doing since it was more fun to pull all the wires and send it off to doom some chumps at random.

       “Honky-Tonks and Tankie do a great job on their own.” She spat out, bitter. “I wouldn’t of even got taken if it wasn’t for Dorkwing Dipstick. That fucker was the problem but he allowed my plan to be set in motion.” Fuck the bomb, this was a nuclear warhead and it was leaking radiation. Still… “I don’t need another bodyguard. I’ve got my two, Papa, and if you stayed around-”        “If I stayed around you’d have a bigger target on your back and you know it.” There was a crash from downstairs, but he’d worry about it only if he heard a gun go off. “You know those idiot heros are tryin ta kill me. What better way then if they figure out I actually got a soft spot fer my kid? They’d catch you, drag me outta hidin, then put an end ta my villianny once and fer all. I know you’d avenge me but...I’m selfish. When my lil monster turns St. Canard to rubble I wanna be flippin the switch fer her and revelin in her twisted laugh.” She turned then, hugging him tightly. He returned it and motioned for her to get back into position so that he could start her second braid. “Miss Morg’s gonna look out fer ya when Papa and I can’t be around. If ya play yer cards right, she might even teach ya some spells.”        “Miss Morgana hates me. She hates all normals. She certainly wouldn��t just ladida tell them the secrets of her ‘I have magic so I’m better than you’ power.”        “Ah-Ha! You’re right. But that’s this Morgana. She’s a fuckin bitch. ‘Swhy I stole another Morgana. She’s the opposite of this one. Doesn’t hold her magic as close. If anyone can swindle some arcane secrets it’s you.” She pouted, but nodded.

       “Lady’s a bitch and a liar. She said she wouldn’t let you leave and she sent you away in the next breath.” NegaDuck thought on that for a moment, whether it was best to correct her or not. But she wouldn’t want to hear that her new guard had other commitments that might succeed in getting her back. That would either make her try to kill the woman before she got attached or try to kill said commitments. While it would be funny to watch her try to kill DarkWing, it was ultimately far too dangerous for her to attempt to take on that LaunchPad.        “Three hours.” He settled on, wrapping the braids together with a ribbon. He grabbed his blaster. “You wanna hear how I almost killed Dipshit Last…” Oh right, time had gotten messed up. “Time?” He asked. Gos yawned and snuggled up to him. “Aww, tired? I’ll go” He wiggled out from under her and tucked her in before turning to leave. Before he was even halfway to the door he heard the safety click off on the blaster he’d just produced. His shark teeth were on full display as he turned with a grin, both arms raised to the girl aiming at him. “Did I happen ta ferget somin?” He asked. The barrel glowed as she started to compress the trigger. His grin got wider as he waltzed back over. “Aight Alright. Gimmie that, you suck with the recoil.” And he plucked the gun from her and settled her back in to get retucked. It was with a few deep breaths to clear out his craggley voice. He could carry a tune, but his voice itself wasn’t much to write home. Still...he cozied up behind her and started to sing.

                                           Rest your eyes, little girl pink

                                 You live with Murdering Monsters it’s true

                              And tough we may maim, terrorize and destroy

                            This one spot is kept safe and pretty for you.

She’s tired, and sleeping by the time he finishes the short version of the lullaby. He reaches over and grabs a porcelain doll from the wall, one with a yellow dress falling like shooting stars and black hair in an elaborate bun. He maneuvers himself out of her grip and  replaces the spot with the doll. She cuddles it and the thorns around his heart clench a bit more tightly at seeing the sight. He scoffs and leaves the room before he can get sappy. After all, he’d only be gone three hours tops.

                                 DD~ND~DD~ND~DD~ND~DD

Three days. Her house wasn’t that….well, it was that large and difficult to get lost in but it tended to pop out guests wherever their intention was. And she’d told him exactly where to go. Had he managed to get lost trying to find her secrets? Did he get trapped in the soul bag? He’d been joking about which bag to pick, but what if he honestly forgot which one it was. It shouldn’t have taken this much time. And she was doing what little she could with fake ingredients. She’d warded the house itself from anyone that had ill intent. Well, any normal. It wouldn’t stop the superheroes it was...flimsy at best. She’d seen the girl eyeing her ring and gave it to her with the claim that it matched her dress. The fact that it did was a happy coincidence. And she was watching to make sure Gosalyn was still wearing it.

That being said….since LaunchPad was out more often than not, she had a pretty good hint of just who was trying to kill her this time. At first they could be written off as cute little pranks. The first night NegaDuck didn’t come back, there were spikes in the bed that had been assigned. It was only after waking up with a pleasant realignment in her spine that she realized that for most people, that was probably uncomfortable. She’d accepted a cup of coffee from the sweet girl only for LaunchPad to snatch it away and toss it into a potted plant…..the plant withered and died. Then there was corrosive acid in the shampoo and luckily she dropped the bottle. The problem with any of these attempts was that….she was made of magic. Even if she was burned she’d have been fine in an hour. Even Bleach water. It affected her...she just healed a bit faster. Hmmm, maybe none of them realized that. That being said, it was amazing how creative little kids could get. Belladonna Berry cookies last night.          “Miss Morgana” She resisted the urge to hex the adorable little monster. Gosalyn was holding up a glass of yellow liquid….. steaming yellow liquid. “Mrs. MuddleFoot made Lemonade. Do you want some? It’s oh so yummy!” Morgana took a deep breath. Why yes nursemaid, let her be Juliet, she’d happily down the poison. The thought caused a smile to pull at her lips. Any foolhardy Romeo for this child would be dead long before the impromptu wedding, she’d lure him to a trap for the fun of it.        “That’s alright.” She smiled brightly at the girl. She wasn’t going to walk into that trap. And Gos pouted. Morgana very carefully ruffled her ringlets in a way that wouldn’t actually harm them. She’d have to dodge a subtle death threat then. LaunchPad had spent almost an hour curling it this morning. “How about a walk to the bakery. You said that’s where his old portal was.” That and she had a sneaking suspicion that the child had a fondness for the cookies there. Gosayln was still pouting. “If I let you poison me with….” Morgana looked skeptically at the ‘lemonade’ “Whatever Tank cooked up, then will you stop sulking and not try to kill me at dinner? Besides, your Papa’s cooking is going to try that anyway.” The little girls’ shoulders sagged, but she must have been really hopeful about this batch because she smiled and held it up. “Cheers.” The sorceress said with a mild wince. To Tank’s credit it did taste like Lemonade. Had it not been smoking or offered by a child that wanted her dead she may have actually brought it. Speaking of Tank, the scientist was peering out of his garage, the full chemistry set still running as his face fell. He snapped in disappointment and grabbed a notebook to recalculate some numbers.        “Alright, lets go for a walk and get you some air.” Morgana ordered lightly. “I’ll get you extra cookies for the attempt.” She’d stopped taking being targeted personally when LaunchPad coughed up some spikes and half threated to make Gosalyn actually eat his cooking.

                                   ND~DD~ND~DD~ND~DD~ND

Her head was pounding. Morgana felt something like static on the back of her throat. She rose slowly, willing the world to stop spinning. It wasn’t quite working. Someone shoved a glass of water into her hand. She identified it was water by the fact that it was wet and tasted like nothing and wasn’t making her dizzy like a drink would.

       “According ta Tank, your powers should start coming back by now.” She chanced a look up to see LaunchPad...he looked terrible. He had a black eye and a busted beak and was leaning heavily on one side. “Hey do me next wouldya?” He gestured at her body and she looked down. Her dress was ripped and filthy and her body was covered in quickly healing bruises. LauchPad must have seen the confusion on her face. “It was an ambush. The Tired Three attacked, demanding to know where Drippy was. Bush Breath used a tree to make off with Gos and when I brought you back here Tank told me what his formula did.”

       “It’s like the fuckers have a TRACE to know when to fuck shit up.” Morgana blinked. She was in the living room, draped over the couch. NegaDuck was also in the room, but angrily pacing in front of the T.V. cursing up a storm. Trace….OH! Right.        “Don’t worry I’m wat….WHERE WERE YOU!!!” Her pain is momentarily forgotten as she establishes that this man was missing which was what caused Gosalyn to try and kill her in the first place. He at least had the decency to look ashamed for a moment.        “Score I couldn’t pass up.” He indicated the bags of loot on the ground. She glared at him and through the corner of her eye was pleased to note that LauchPad had a similar expression. “I GOT THE BAG!” And he had the audacity to toss it at her. But a cursory glance confirmed that yes, this was the right bag. She placed it on her lap and felt for her magic. Whatever Tank had done, he’d muted it somehow. A regular enchantress would need another hour or two before they were up to speed…..luckily, she was a ‘McCawber’ She pulled herself to a sitting position and focused herself inward. A click here, a spring there….and she gave a great breath as the power flowed through her once more. It had been about five minutes of meditation. Five minutes were...a lot her apparently. The two men had already complied a list of where the girl may be and were working on ambush options.        “I’m watching her.” Morgana said, raising herself from the couch and doing her mental math. “Shussh. I need to just pop over and grab her so my math has to be perfect.” As she said even that, her eyes turned white. LaunchPad and Negaduck glanced at each other, but both kept their beaks shut as a soft fog filled the room...on their side.

       “I don’t know where he might be Mr Quacks and Jacks. I’m so so so sorry.” Gosalyn gave a teary eyed sniff. “If I did. I tell you!” QuakerJack looked for a moment into soft innocent green eyes, blown wide from the terror of her ordeal with Negaduck. No one knew who it was that the tyrant had gotten to travel with her this time, but the woman had at least gone down fairly easily. He sighed, knowing that they weren't going to get any information from NegaDuck’s captive.

        “Okay sweetie. Can you at least tell me who pulled you from the lab angel?” Her eyes were teary. Uh oh. How many assets did her tormentor have? LaunchPad and the MuddleFoots were all accounted for. Before she could answer, her ring started glowing. She jumped away from the smoke so the three took the hint to try and get away as well, but it quickly filled the room, a massive stormcloud with a figure shrouded in the mists.

                                               SHE IS MINE

As the words echoed and billowed they were accentuated with thunder and lightning.

The figure was as big or bigger than the mists, only seen in sections, an ice cold hand just  barely grazing past, a blood red eye blinking from behind.

                          YOU PEONS ARE NOT TO TOUCH MINE

The lightning seemed to know not to get close to the only one that could use it. Instead, MegaVolt shivered beneath the gale force winds hurtling around icy rain.

            OR I WILL COME AGAIN AND LEAVE NAUGHT BUT DEATH

The minor fog cleared in the room as Morgana’s eyes stopped glowing. But as the fog cleared it left something that hadn’t been there before….rather, some one.        “How” LaunchPad started, seeing his daughter, unharmed but a little shaken “did you manage to”        “I said not to worry. I’m watching her.” Morgana smirked. Then she sighed. Poisoned twice, lost her powers, charge kidnaped, nearly actually killed. “Though I think that’s enough excitement for today.” She shook her head. “I’m going upstairs to take a nice hot shower with non corrosive acid thank you very much.” There was some law of her life. There had to be. She barely even turned when she felt the minor ward snap like a too tight piana wire, an instant before the roof second floor was gone. What in the name of Magic

       “OH Nega Darling! Your Better half has come to free you from the insignificant insects you call a spouse and daughter!!!!!!” Rather than surprise, the room was a chorus of groans.

       “I could set my watch to this nut.” LauchPad murmured a split second before he was encased in a shimmering pink bubble, which shot into the sky. Gosalyn was given the same treatment. The woman that had called out floated over, dress whipping around her, all calm pastels-sky blue and soft gold. Her long white hair floated in a cloud around her, the color marred only by two black stripes. But her face was indistinguishably…..

       “You have got to be kidding me” Morgana muttered, looking up at…. herself apparently.

[nctrenjunie]

Perfect lips~ Johnny (M)

Author: Sera

Genre: Smut

Comment: So guys, I know this took ages and if I´m honest, I´m not that proud about this one so I´m sorry I really don´t know why I had so much difficulties with this request. The anon who requested that I´m sorry if you don´t like it and if you want to request something new don´t hesitate :(

Request:

Johnny adored the way you swiftly moved your body over the workplace, filling up already used coffee cups with more of the dark brown fluid. He kept his gaze securely on you as you walked back to the counter with a tray full of empty cups. Opening the back door for you he followed behind you into the kitchen. He looked up the surroundings, the kitchen was empty except of you and him, cleaning the dishes silently. A comfortable silence it was. The little coffee shop both of you work at has always been a quite place. it was already late and the shop wasn't that full since it was almost closing time. 

He thought about telling you earlier, you, his best friend, that he fell in love with you but he just couldn't get the courage together to tell you. Still, he promised himself to do it today. It wasn't only the lack of courage but also the timing. He was pretty sure it isn't a one sided crush. Both of you have been friends since kindergarten, did everything together and even shared each other's first kiss in high school at someones birthday party. Even tho he knew the first shared kiss was only because of a dumb game the second one both of you shared last week was more intimate.

He remembered it clearly, not like you who wasn't sober enough to remember it. It was after the monthly employee reunion you had in the tiny coffee shop when you and some other co workers might have had a little to much of the red wine all of you shared. Knowing you arrived your limit as you stumbled around the kitchen Johnny picked you up, saying goodbyes to the others before leaving the shop.

“Oh what do I do with you Y/N. You never know your limits do you?”

“...stop nagging...I-I drank the same amount as..youuuu.”

“Well yes but you are tiny in comparison to me so obviously you get drunk if you drink as much as I drank today.”

Ignoring the way you pouted at his comment about the height gap between both of you Johnny kept nagging about your drinking habits until he finally arrived at your home. He laid you own the couch, turning his back to you as he looked for your painkillers.

“Ahhhh you are such an asshole Johnny...You with your broad shoulders and thousand meters of height...good, my god or should I ask satan? Why the hell is my best friend so hand...handsome.”

Johnny laughed at your drunk comment making his way to you with a glass of water and the painkillers he found in your bag. Gulping down the water and the pill you put the glass down on the coffee table before looking up to Johnny. You get up swaying, taking your best friends face in both of your hands before sitting down on his lap. The alcohol you had made you see him swirly, faintly; still, he looked fucking hot.

 “I-I didn't mean it as a joke...your..your face is a joke. Fuck youre gorgeous. Like, did you look in the mirror??”

You tilt your head eyeing Johnny while he starts to get serious, noticing that you are in fact not lying but just telling the truth in your drunken state. He puts his hands on your hips, looking into your eyes to look for some kind of amusement in them.

“Fuuuuck,I-I shouldn't think like that about my...my best friend”

You make a big break, letting your arms fall on his shoulders.

“But your fucking lips are fucking gorgeous and I really want to kiss them...even tho..you are a asshole but I also love you...somehow.”

Johnny is taken back by your words, seeing that you're not joking, he knew you too well to know you weren't. He kept his eyes fixed on you while you looked up at the ceiling, to distracted by the moving ceiling to look at him as he suddenly crashed his lips against yours. He pulled back, noticing what he did until you took his face back into your hands, locking your eyes with his before kissing him back softly. It went all way to fast, leaving you both out of breath from the beginning to the end of the kiss. You looked at him lovingly as you eyes slowly closed. 

“you are allowed to love me too if you want and if you don't...just forget it because I probably will...and...and I think it's gonna be hella embara-”

His alarm brought him back out of his thoughts, still remembering how you drifted into a long sleep. Looking at the clock he went out of the kitchen, closing the shop before leaving out a sigh from his tiredness and his worries about confessing tonight. It was already dark but the city still illuminated by all the neon lights. He took a last breath before heading into the kitchen to join you. Joining you silently next to the sink he smiled down at how small you looked next to him. You noticed looking up at him with a pout making him laugh and pat your head before bringing his head back down to dry the dishes.

“Yahh you're always making fun of me but you're the real joke here you...fucking giant.”

“You're always complaining about my height but once you need the cereal from the top of the shelf you come back to me asking for my help.”

You scuff at his comment, flustered a little by his words while going back to washing the dishes. Silence storms back over both of you and Johnny looks around again, preparing himself for what's to come. He looks down at you with a nervous smile before finally speaking up.

“Y/N you know, there's something I have to tell you…” 

You look up at him, nodding to him for him to continue as you dry your hands. Your ringtone suddenly goes up before he can speak out his other words.  You look at him apologizing while whispering a small “Just a second” before picking up. Johnny nods back to you, moving his head down and cursing a small “shit” under his breath. Noticing the confused noises you let out Johnny looks back at you seeing your even more confused facial expression. Asking you silently whos on the phone and what's going on you answer the caller with a “Yes, yes well be there in half an hour.” before hanging up and sighing loud. 

“Fuck, do you know what we forgot, my friends birthday. She just asked where we at, we should hurry up.”

Remembering the birthday of your mutual friend Johnny also leaves out a sigh before getting ready as well as you. Finally locking up the shop you join him in the car before driving down the road. The drive is silent as you look down on your phone while Johnny drives. Looking up you eye him from the side, admiring his beautiful features that are aesthetically brought out by the bright street lights in the dark night. You don't notice him stop the car at a red light until he looks to you. Your eyes meet before you panicky look down on your phone again. Getting flustered from your reaction Johnny remembers what he wanted to tell you earlier.

“ Y/N about the thing that I wanted to tell you earlier...I- how should I put..I lo-”

The last two words he wanted to say out loud were interrupted, again, this time by a loud honk from the car behind whilst the driver from the car next to him cussed at him, telling him to fucking move since the lights changed to green. With an annoying look Johnny cusses back at them before he continues to drive the car.

Looking at him a little shocked and how tensed he appeared you where about to ask if everything is okay but before you could mention it both of you arrived at your friends house. Silently entering the house both of you were greeted by bright party lights and the smell of alcohol. Your friend the greeted you both with a hug and a cheeky smile that was mostly like this because of the already consumed alcohol in her body. Dragging both of you into the living room you were greeted by more people. A mildly cold beer was pressed in your palm as you sat down with Johnny next to your right side. Johnny didn't lose his goal out of his mind, frequently eyeing you while you talked to some people seated in the round until he could find a good excuse to talk to you privately. The first attempt to ask you if you could talk for a minute failed as a guy introduced himself to you and the second one failed as the same guy pushed him away, setting himself between both of them before continuing his talk with you.

Trying out to figure out the situation Johnny sat silently next to both of you, witnessing the pitiful flirt attempts the boy next to him tried on you. He noticed the smile that was plastered on your lips even tho it looked a little awkward. too plastic to be real. He knew you wouldn't be interested in this neve wrecking guy you were talking to, could you? Doubt filled Johnnys mind as he kept looking at you, not even hiding the jealous gaze he had on both of you anymore. You noticed how Johnnys eyes glittered as you tried to get a hold of his gaze to see if he could help you to get out of this conversation. Still, he seemed like hypnotized as he watched both of you, his hand gripping tighter around the glass bottle he held. Johnny decided it was finally enough as he saw the guys hand slowly trace over your knee, noticing how uncomfortable your small appearance looked. Slamming the bottle beer on the little table in front of him he stood up, grabbing you by your arm.

“Don't touch her, if you didn't get the message from her looks now you know, shes mine.”

You looked at him shocked as he spoke out his words with gritted teeth to the guy before pulling you along into one of the empty rooms. Locking the door behind both of you he slammed you against the wall, looking at your perplexed face from his temper. Yes you were shocked but it also turned you extremely on seeing him angry, eyes filled with jealousy, possessiveness and lust. From behind the door you could hear your friend calling, bringing you to look to the door. Suddenly smashing his left hand into the wall next to you his other one moves up to your chin to move it in his direction. Your attention is back on him as you he lowers his head so you could feel his hot breath against your lips. Here you are again, looking down at his perfect pink lips, drifting away in your thoughts as you feel yourself getting filled with lust. Your gaze moved back to him again as you felt his knee suddenly rub between your legs against your core to get your attention.

“Fuck Y/N, is it so hard to get your attention? I've been asking for it the whole day yet you always get distracted by something else but once I put my knee between your thighs you finally react. Do I have your attention now baby girl?”

You are taken aback by his words, feeling arousal drive thru your body as you look up at him. Johnny notices the change in your eyes as he starts to rub his knee against your core, looking how you try to suppress small whimpers whilst closing your eyes and pressing your lips together.

“You like that? I didn't know you were so dirty baby. Getting wet from feeling my knee rub against your core and listening to my words.” 

You didn't know too, how easily he could turn you on. Johnny smirked at your small self. Loving the fact that he was way bigger than you and from up here he had the perfect view of your face. He put his hands on your waist whilst keeping the movement of his knee against your core in a comfortable pace. The way you laid your head against the wall gave him the perfect access to your neck as he started to lick on it before leaving little love bites on your skin. He then switched to soft kisses that were sill rough enough to leave purple hickeys on your skin. You left out a loud moan, feeling your pussy getting wetter by every second that passed.

“Baby, I didn't know such lewd noises could leave your mouth. Don't hesitate baby, keep on moaning so I can listen to those not so innocent soft noises.”

Your shy self crumbled away as you started to let your moans freely fill the room whilst Johnnys hands started to undress you little by little until you stood naked in front of him. He seemed king of intimidating, all clothes still on his giant body and his broad shoulders. 

“Lay on the bed baby, I'm going to take good care of you.”

He smirked down at you before you made your way to the bed, eyeing him as he undressed himself. The warmth from his body wasn't that long gone since he joined you on the bed, pulling your body close to his. No words were spoken as you wrapped your hands around his shoulders whilst sweet sloppy kisses were placed all over your torso. You could feel his big dick against your thigh. How could this possibly fit into you? Johnny elegantly moved his long slender fingers over your body, down to your core before tracing them over your wet slit. 

“Can I baby?” You nodded, feeling his thumb touch over your clit, putting pressure on it. Naughty moans you didn't know your mouth could produce spilled out of your mouth, feeling the pressure against your clit and one finger slowly entering your hole. You moaned out his name as he pulled the finger out again. Repeating it slowly you felt yourself being on the edge of your orgasm. Before you could cum you pulled your arm down to your core, holding his hand still in his movements. Johnny looked down at you questionably.

“I-I want to cum with you.”

A Big smile plastered over his lips, hearing your words. Kissing your cheek he started to palm his already aroused member, throwing his head back and leaving out a pair of groans. He pulled you closer, one hand on your cheek and the other one securely wrapped around your waist as he positioned his member in front of your hole.

“Are you sure you want to do it? I know it's your first time honey, we can stop if you aren't ready yet?”

You loved how caring he was but right now it just annoyed you. Looking at the way his pink perfect lips spoke out words you wondered why they haven't been on your lips yet.

“I'm ready, and I want to do it now. So please fuck me and crash your perfect fucking lips against mine.”

With your words Johnny slowly entered you, feeling how tight you were around him. Moving slowly inside of you he crashes his lips finally against yours, making the pain from your first time slip away faster as you concentrate on the feeling of his lips against yours. Johnny waits a moment before he keeps on moving, waiting for your allowance as you whisper against his lips.

“Yes, yes you can move baby but don't leave my lips.”

With a smirk Johnny starts to move himself back out and in again, repeating his movements whilst both of your moans hit each other through the kisses you share. Soon the pleasure takes over all the pain and all that's left is loved lust that fills your body. You want more, shocked at yourself but to caught up in the moment to care. Red marks are starting to splatter his back as you trace your fingernails over his back, pulling him closer whilst his lips are still the closest to you, carefully glued to yours. You ask him to go harder, wanting to feel him even more. His hips ram into you as you feel yourself back at the edge. With two more thrusts you move your mouth away from his, moaning out his name as you cum. Johnny kisses your temple as he keeps thrusting inside of you. Suddenly moving all out of you, he palms his dick before white cum spills all over your core. 

Johnny kisses you one last time before laying down next to you, taking your sweaty body in his arms. 

“The thing I wanted to tell you Y/N, I-”

“I love you Johnny.”

“Are you fucking kidding me now, I mean yes I do too but I was about to confess. Why is always something interrupting me? Ahh fuck it.”

[markleesthighs]

Black Mamba | Chapter 4

Pairings: Reader x Mark Lee, Reader x Hendery, Reader x Jaehyun, feat. ot21

Genre: NCT mafia!au, angst, fluff, light smut (suggestive), comical

Warnings: flashbacks, mentions of blood

Words: 2.91k

【 ❶ ❷ ❸ ➃ ❺ ❻ ❼】

Chapter 4 - Behind the Mask

Seoul, Korea, 2023

That night when you fell asleep, you noticed your phone kept buzzing, and it kept waking you up. You rubbed your eyes and blinded yourself with your phone while trying to see who was trying to text you at this hour. It was Taeyong. Apparently, there is an emergency assassination and could only be executed tonight.

Taeyong explained that you would be offered ₩4,700,000,000 for killing their main rivals in the area. Taeyong found out and noticed you were doing more assassinations recently and figured you would be up for it. You grabbed some death wish coffee, and accepted the offer, got your assassination suit along with your required weapons needed for killing, distracting, and escaping. You tucked your hair into your suit and took the elevator down into the garage. You got on your motorbike and drove to the other mansion on the opposite side of the city.

You had turned on the invisibility feature on your motorbike and put on your mask with high tech glasses built-in for optimal safety. You had shut down their security and cautiously avoid traps and mines scattered on their yard. You had to kill Jinyoung, a right-hand man of the rival gang GOT7, who had recently stolen drug deals and cargo from our suppliers. Knowing he is a right-hand man, it would not be a shock to your he didn’t have the second-best defenses in the entire mansion.

You broke in through the skylight in their living room and cascaded down on a rope, landing like a feather on the ground. You had shut down their security cameras and blended in with the dark shadows. You had forgotten to ask Taeyong the location of Jinyoung, so you had to figure it out quickly before their tech team blasts the alarm, send emergency spotlights, and guard dogs along your way. Luckily, your suit also had an invisibility feature and trapped your smell within the suit, finding no way to track you. It also did not track or allow finger and footprints, and all of your weapons could not be traced since they were all custom made.

You remembered a memory of your when you were little, your dad or your brother would always find you when playing hide and seek. When you got older you noticed it was one of the poems in the book he gave you, it was how you can track down anyone in an area when they are hiding. You mumbled it to yourself.

They will hide, but I will seek

Find them without a little squeak

Draw a path to their location

And follow it without frustration

Reveal to me where they lie

Shoot my desire into my eye

You felt your eyes glow and you saw a path of footsteps light up a light red, and you followed it through the mansion. You stopped at the door and used your x-ray goggles to see that he was in the shower, the optimal time to sneak in. You opened and lightly closed the door and hid in his closet, preparing your attack. You heard footsteps towards the closet, and you jumped out and muffled his voice while you held him tight when he was struggling to get you off of him. You shot his chest, and blood started to go everywhere.

Your suit cleaned itself with blood and sprayed itself with hydrogen peroxide. It also was invincible to liquid of any kind including blood. You were used to seeing this and have seen worse. You suddenly saw your payment loaded into your account and you left him in his towel with blood spewing out of his chest. You walked out of the bedroom and climbed up your rope, and when you reached the top of the skylight, the alarm went off, meaning you had about a 5-10 minute time frame to escape.

You jumped from roof to roof on their mansion and dived into the garden fountain near where you hid your bike. You ran through the trees and bushes to find your bike. You revved up the engine and stunt jumped over their gate while you saw a bunch of guards and dogs chasing you. You drove off and was never to be caught by them for the rest of the night.

You parked your bike in the garage and was about to go to bed when you heard a voice talking in the living room.

“I don’t believe you.”

“Why do you care?”

It was a/n and Mark, it sounded like they were having an argument, hey, eavesdropping wouldn’t hurt.

“Why don’t you trust me?”

“I’ve seen the way you look at her.”

“What are you talking about?”

“You look at her every time she laughs, and it looks like you want her instead of me!”

“This is ridiculous! What crazy person put that idea in your head?!”

“I’m not THAT dumb Mark.”

“We are JUST FRIENDS how many times do I have to tell you?”

“Fine, then answer my question. Have you ever loved her?”

You realized they were talking about you and was awaiting Mark’s response to the question.

“…no. I never loved her. I only love you.”

a/n sighed and sat next to Mark

“Really?”

“Really.”

They then kissed and started to make out. Your eyes were getting foggy, and the tears were starting to build up. Did he ever love you? Was this all just a game and a mistake? You couldn’t take it anymore. You ran back down into the garage and got on your motorbike and drove to Incheon. You drove and drove until the tears stopped, but they kept coming.

You finally made it to Eurwangni beach, and you took off your boots and walked on the sand. It hugged your feet softly as you walked on it. It was cold, not hot, it was quiet, not loud, and it was peaceful, not chaotic. You walked and sat on a big lifeguard seat and watched the waves as they came in and out of the sand. When you needed to be alone, you went to be one with the elements, in the forest, beach, or even a pond in the park. The stars and moon reflected in the water, as you wondered how you are still not over Mark.

You and Mark used to come here after long days of work, or if you both got lucky, came here on vacation. Mark called it a retreat for you two, so you could come up with new ideas with Mark without being distracted by the others, You remember him chasing the seagulls and trying to impress you at the beach. There was one time he tried to build you a sandcastle, only for it to be washed away by the water.

He asked you to bury him in the sand, and once he was buried you left him there, and he started to scream for an eternity before he gave up and begged you to dig him out. He also spun you around in the water, letting the salty droplets fall on each other’s skin.

Mark complained about the sea a lot how it was cold and dirty when five minutes later, he was running into the sea chasing a tiny fish. You also both cuddled on the beach while reading or in your rented beach house you both would watch the sunset until you fell asleep and he would have to carry you into the bed and tuck you in. You felt like crying, even more, remembering how happy you were here, and now you can’t get any of it back.

Taeyong came down the staircase to notice Mark and a/n still making out and coughed in their presence. They both stopped and blushed as they sat on the couch in embarrassment.

“You haven’t seen y/n, have you?” Taeyong asked

“No, why?” Mark answered

“I sent her on a mission about an hour ago, and she hasn’t come back?”

“That’s odd she’s usually done around 30-45 minutes.”

“A maid checked her room and said she wasn’t in there.”

“Maybe she’s in the bathhouses?”

“No, I sent a maid and other members to search the mansion, and she’s not here.”

Everyone started looking for you and called you, but you didn’t answer, and your tracking device was off. Another hour passed, and you still did not come back. Panic started to settle in, and members were getting freaked out. Mark also sent members to search for you in the area, but they did not find you.

People working undercover for NCT also reported nothing, all the other members started to freak out. Hendery was rapidly spamming your phone, and Jaehyun looked like he wanted to cry. Donghyuck was already crying about how he would not be able to test your weapons anymore, and Taeil was getting ready to write your obituary.

Taeyong was acting calm and strategic when really he was blaming himself for letting you go on such a dangerous mission. A/n looked mildly concerned, mainly focusing on how Mark is reacting, who is silently thinking about where you could be, and debating the possibility that you did fail your mission. You have a 100% success rate, so Mark knew you were alive and not kidnapped to be held for ransom.

“I know where she is.”

Mark immediately got up and ran to the garage before a/n or anyone could ask or stop him. He got his motorbike and rode all the way to Eurwangni beach to go find you. Mark parked his bike and saw you, in your usual spot, on the lifeguard chair. He took off his shoes and walked towards you. He found you still in your assassination suit looking into the distance, with no emotion.

“Hey, what are you doing up there?”

Mark snapped you out of your trance as you looked at him and looked back into the distance. Mark climbed up and sat next to you looking at your face trying to figure things out.

“Are you okay?”

“Y-yeah I just needed some fresh air after my assassination.”

“Did everything go, okay?”

“Yeah, i-its just been a while.”

Then there was an awkward silence. Mark knew you were lying, and you knew Mark came here out of panic and guilt, not because of any feelings towards you. You both looked into the dark ocean with the moon and stars reflecting in its water. You finally decided to break the silence, mainly because you wanted to go home, and you were cold.

“Are you happy?”

Mark looked at you suddenly and was confused by what you meant by that. You looked away in embarrassment and started to fiddle with your fingers while still talking.

“a/n. Are you happy with her?”

Mark scratched the back of his neck and looked embarrassed.

“Yeah, she…makes me very happy, I…”

You waited for Mark to finish, but he didn’t seem like he wanted to. There were guilt and sadness in his eyes.

“I…love…”

“her.”

To you, it hurt, but to Mark, it was something forced out of his mouth. It didn’t seem as genuine as he thought it was. He didn’t know why, but in front of you, he couldn’t say it as heartfelt as usual. Little did he know in his head, he wanted to say you instead of her so much, but for some reason, he had to choke it out of him to say “her.” You could burst into tears right now, you didn’t want to confront him if he said if he loved you, because you knew the answer. It wasn’t something to be worried about anymore. He’s moved on and happy, that’s all you had hoped for him. You didn’t care if he didn’t like her all you wanted was for him to be happy. You just wanted her to treat her as well as you did, or heck maybe even better than you. At this point, you just wanted to go home. It was starting to get cold, and you wanted to curl up in your bed watching dramas until you fall asleep. 

“Let’s go home.”

Mark and you started to climb down when you touched the sand, your hands started to rub your shoulders and arms, you were freezing. Mark saw this and nonchalantly put his jacket over your shoulders revealing a black tank top he hands underneath, showing his NCT tattoo underneath his rib.

You put on his jacket that still smelled like cigarettes and his musk. You missed that smell, but you know you would never keep it forever. The burn marks and blood stains on it were still evident, and the zipper was broken as usual. Mark’s clothes were always bigger on you, and it was quite baggy. The pockets still fit your hands and felt warm, as the smooth leather touched your hands. You both got on your motorbikes and rode as you felt Mark’s jacket to flutter in the wind, as the moon shone brighter than it ever did.

You both arrived in the garage and parked your bikes, you and Mark walked up the stairs to see everyone awaiting your arrival in the living room. They all turned hearing your boots clicking, and they all screamed and ran to hug you, except a/n. Mark walked towards her, and she instantly smiled while everyone else was hugging you and slapping your back. Once they all cleared, a/n looked at you, seeing that you still had Mark’s jacket on and the room fell silent. A stalemate had occurred, and everyone was looking. You just calmly took off Mark’s jacket and gave it back to him saying a simple ‘thank you’ and left to go back upstairs to your room.

After a long shower, you heard a knock on your door.

“One minute!”

You quickly got dressed in a t-shirt and shorts as you opened the door to see Hendery.

“y/n! are you okay?!”

“Yeah, why?”

You both sat down on your bed, looking out the balcony window.

“I-I was just worried about you.”

“Why would you be worried about me?”

“I was afraid you were going to run away and find another group to be with.”

“I would never trade you idiots for anyone else.”

Hendery laughed, missing your humor, you both haven’t talked in a while.

“I was wondering if you wanted to attend the ball with me.”

“Really?”

“Y-yeah as f-friends?”

“Are you sure that’s what you want?”

“Y-ea-“

Before he could be finished, you pecked him on the cheek.

“I’ll go as your date stupid.”

He blushed and touched his cheek. He smiled and hugged you, which felt warm and comforting. You fell asleep feeling giddy as ever. You haven’t felt good to go to bed to be excited for tomorrow in a long time. You were ready to run the world tomorrow. You fell asleep with dreams no one could imagine they were no longer nightmares in your head. They were not dark anymore. You were in flower fields instead of caves, running through the daisies, watching butterflies fly around you.

The next morning you woke up feeling fantastic, you danced around while cooking breakfast, and none of the guys knew why you were such in a good mood. You let Donghyuck test out all of your latest weapons and gadgets for the ball tonight, and you bought lunch for all the trainees.

Soon time flew, and you were done with the workday. It was cut short due to the ball, so everyone could prepare to get changed. You dashed up to your bedroom to find your dress, maids, makeup artists, fashion designer assistants, and butlers. You walked in to get your makeup done, complementing your outfit. At the same time, they also braided and curled your hair. Once you were done, you were led onto a platform with a mirror, and everyone was helping you get the dress on, since it was heavy, and had a tight catsuit underneath it. You had a corset as well, and you felt the maids pulling to make your waist smaller.

They finally finished with your corset tying it with a bow and putting finishing touches on your dress. Then you had to accessorize, you had earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and rings all adorned on you with the finest jewels. You got on your heels, gloves, and fur coat on as a butler walked you down the staircase to where you met your eyes with Hendery waiting for you. He smiled as you delicately walked down the marble stairs until Hendery took your hand.

“You look beautiful.”

“Thank you.”

“You didn’t need all of this, you would still look beautiful.”

You blushed at his words as you both walked to the door opened by the maids. He held and helped you down the stairs again and held your dress up so you would not trip and it would not get dirty. A butler opened the door for you, and you looked a little nervous, but Hendery rubbed the top of your hand, giving you some reassurance.

“Are you ready?”

“As ready as I’ll ever be.”

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